Protective equipment for a clean room or a sanitized environment

Abstract

The invention relates to protective equipment for a clean room or a sanitized environment, comprising: *an outer face (2) intended to be in contact with the surrounding environment; *an inner face (3) arranged to be in contact with or oriented towards an operator. Also disclosed are a method for packaging the protective equipment and to a dressing method for putting on said protective equipment.

1 . Protective equipment ( 1 ) for a clean room or sanitised environment comprising:
 an outer face ( 2 ) intended to be in contact with the surrounding environment;   an inner face ( 3 ) arranged to be in contact with or oriented towards an operator, characterised in that said protective equipment ( 1 ) is packaged in a reusable and sterilisable pouch ( 4 ), preferably made of fabric, having an opening ( 5 ) provided with closure means ( 6 ).   
     
     
         2 . Protective equipment ( 1 ) for a clean room or sanitised environment according to  claim 1 , which is selected from the group consisting of a garment, for example an overall ( 7 ), an apron, a head covering for example a hairnet or hood, at least one glove, at least one shoe cover, a shoe, a clog, a mask, goggles, sleeves, an undergarment, boots. 
     
     
         3 . Protective equipment ( 1 ) for a clean room or sanitised environment according to  claim 1 , wherein said pouch ( 4 ) is connected to said inner face ( 3 ) or to said outer face ( 2 ) via at least one fastening means ( 8 ) allowing said pouch ( 4 ) to be attached. 
     
     
         4 . Protective equipment ( 1 ) for a clean room or sanitised environment according to  claim 3 , wherein said pouch ( 4 ) is connected to said inner face ( 3 ) of a garment via at least one fastening means ( 8 ) allowing said pouch ( 4 ) to be attached to said inner face ( 3 ) of said garment. 
     
     
         5 . Protective equipment ( 1 ) for a clean room or sanitised environment according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one fastening means ( 8 ) is a temporary fastening means, for example, a press stud or a series of press studs, a zip, hook-and-loop fastener means, optionally arranged on a flap. 
     
     
         6 . Protective equipment ( 1 ) for a clean room or sanitised environment according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one fastening means ( 8 ) is a seam or a weld. 
     
     
         7 . Protective equipment ( 1 ) for a clean room or sanitised environment according to  claim 2 , wherein said garment is a garment for a clean room or sanitised environment comprising:
 an outer face ( 2 ) intended to be in contact with the surrounding environment,   an inner face ( 3 ) arranged to be in contact with an operator,   a first ( 12 ) and a second ( 13 ) sleeve,   a body portion ( 14 ) comprising a trunk portion and a leg portion, said first ( 12 ) and second ( 13 ) sleeves being connected to the body portion, preferably to the trunk portion via a linked end, said body portion ( 14 ) comprising a head passage section ( 15 ),   at least one gripping means ( 16 ) in contact with said inner face ( 3 ) in the body portion ( 14 ), preferably in the trunk portion,   
       characterised in that said garment ( 7 ) comprises said pouch ( 4 ) connected to said inner face ( 3 ) of said garment ( 7 ) via said fastening means ( 8 ) located on the inner face of said pouch ( 4 ), preferably opposite the opening ( 5 ) of said pouch ( 4 ), allowing the inner face of said pouch ( 4 ) to be attached to said inner face ( 3 ) of the body portion ( 14 ) of said garment ( 7 ), preferably to the inner face of the trunk portion of said garment. 
     
     
         8 . Protective equipment ( 1 ) for a clean room or sanitised environment according to  claim 7 , wherein said garment for a clean room or sanitised environment is an overall ( 7 ), wherein said leg portion further comprises:
 a first ( 9 ) and a second ( 10 ) leg section, each leg section comprising a flank, two longitudinal edges on either side of said flank of the leg section and provided with mutual closure means arranged to form said substantially tubular leg section when the mutual closure means of each longitudinal edge are engaged together, said mutual engaged closure means of the first leg section facing said engaged closure means of the second leg section and each preferably extending at least from a knee area to a crotch area and more preferably from a calf or ankle area to a crotch area,   and wherein said first ( 9 ) and second ( 10 ) leg sections are connected via a linked end to said body portion ( 14 ), preferably to said trunk portion.   
     
     
         9 . Protective equipment ( 1 ) for a clean room or sanitised environment according to  claim 7 , which has:
 an unfolded position wherein said outer face ( 2 ) of said garment ( 7 ) is in contact with the surrounding environment and said inner face ( 3 ) is arranged to be in contact with an operator and wherein a first inner face of the pouch ( 4 ) is against said inner face ( 3 ) of said garment ( 7 ) and a second inner face of the pouch ( 4 ) is arranged to be in contact with an operator, said closure means ( 6 ) preferably being in an open position,   a folded position, wherein:   a. the inner face ( 3 ) of the leg portion is exposed to the outside and the outer face ( 2 ) of the leg portion is exposed to the outside of said body section, preferably of said trunk portion, forming an opening ( 19 ) arranged to provide access to the inside of the body portion, preferably, the inside of the trunk portion,   b. said at least one gripping means ( 16 ) exposed to the operator proximate to the closure means of said pouch, and wherein said garment ( 7 ) is packaged in a folded position in said pouch ( 4 ).   
     
     
         10 . Protective equipment ( 1 ) for a clean room or sanitised environment according to  claim 7 , in a folded position and packaged in said pouch ( 4 ), said pouch ( 4 ) having:
 a first closed position wherein said opening ( 5 ) of said pouch ( 4 ) is closed, and   a second open position wherein said opening ( 5 ) of said pouch ( 4 ) is open and wherein said at least one gripping means ( 16 ) is exposed to the operator.   
     
     
         11 . Protective equipment ( 1 ) for a clean room or sanitised environment according to  claim 7 , having, in the unfolded position, at least two gripping means ( 16 ) in contact with said inner face ( 3 ), in the body portion ( 14 ), preferably located laterally, preferably in the body portion ( 14 ). 
     
     
         12 . Protective equipment ( 1 ) for a clean room or sanitised environment according to  claim 8 , wherein said overall in the folded position has
 a. said mutual closure means of each leg section which are in a predominantly open position, forming a crotch opening arranged to provide access to the inside of the body portion, and   b. the inner face ( 3 ) of the first ( 9 ) and second ( 10 ) leg sections is exposed to the outside and said outer face ( 2 ) of the first ( 9 ) and second ( 10 ) leg sections is exposed to the outer face ( 2 ) of said body section.   
     
     
         13 . Protective equipment ( 1 ) for a clean room or sanitised environment according to  claim 8 , wherein the closure means of the first leg section and the closure means of the second leg section together form a continuous closure of a crotch opening, and preferably comprise a continuous zip for the first and second leg sections. 
     
     
         14 . Protective equipment ( 1 ) for a clean room or sanitised environment according to  claim 1 , wherein said closure means ( 6 ) of said pouch ( 4 ) are selected from a zip, hook-and-loop fastener means, a series of press studs, a flap. 
     
     
         15 . Protective equipment ( 1 ) for a clean room or sanitised environment according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first ( 12 ) and/or second ( 13 ) sleeve comprise self-tightening means ( 17 ) at a free end, opposite said linked end, such as elastic fabric wrist cuffs, a press stud flap or hook-and-loop fastener means, and/or   the first ( 9 ) and/or second ( 10 ) leg section, when present, comprise self-tightening means ( 18 ) at a free end, opposite said linked end, such as elastic fabric ankle cuffs, a press stud flap or hook-and-loop fastener means.   
     
     
         16 . Protective equipment ( 1 ) for a clean room or sanitised environment according to  claim 8 , having, in the folded position, the leg portion or the first ( 9 ) and second ( 10 ) leg sections folded longitudinally onto itself/themselves and transversely onto itself/themselves in two or three portions. 
     
     
         17 . Method for packaging protective equipment for a clean room or sanitised environment comprising:
 i. decontaminating said protective equipment in an area outside of a sanitised area, and transferring said decontaminated protective equipment to a sanitised area,   ii. decontaminating a reusable and sterilisable pouch in an area outside of a sanitised area and transferring said decontaminated protective equipment to a sanitised area   iii. opening said pouch in a sanitised area,   iv. placing said protective equipment in said sanitised area in said pouch and operating said closure means to close said pouch in a sanitised area,   v. optionally, sterilising said protective equipment packaged in said pouch.   
     
     
         18 . Method for packaging protective equipment ( 1 ) for a clean room or sanitised environment according to  claim 17 , wherein said protective element is a garment comprising:
 an inner face ( 3 ) arranged to be in contact with an operator,   a first ( 12 ) and a second ( 13 ) sleeve,   a body portion ( 14 ) comprising a trunk portion and a leg portion, said first ( 12 ) and second ( 13 ) sleeves being connected to the body portion, preferably to the trunk portion via a linked end, said body portion ( 14 ) comprising a head passage section ( 15 ),   at least one gripping means ( 16 ) in contact with said inner face ( 3 ) in the body portion ( 14 ), preferably in the trunk portion, and wherein a folding of the garment is provided between decontaminating the garment and placing it in said pouch, said folding comprising the steps of:   exposing at least one gripping means ( 16 ) to the outside by gripping it,   folding an outer face ( 2 ) of a leg portion onto an outer face ( 2 ) of a body portion ( 14 ), keeping at least said first gripping means ( 16 ) exposed,   folding a side portion of said leg portion onto itself in a longitudinal direction of said leg portion, keeping at least said first gripping means ( 16 ) exposed   folding by folding said leg portion longitudinally in a transverse direction into several portions, keeping at least said first gripping means ( 16 ) exposed, said placing of said garment into said pouch comprising inverting said pouch around said folded garment while holding said at least one first gripping means proximate to the opening of said pouch and closing said closure means of said pouch to package the garment and the gripping means therein.   
     
     
         19 . Method for packaging protective equipment ( 1 ) for a clean room or sanitised environment according to  claim 18 , wherein said garment is an overall ( 7 ) wherein said leg portion comprises a first ( 9 ) and a second ( 10 ) leg section, each leg section comprising a flank, two longitudinal edges on either side of said flank of the leg section and provided with mutual closure means arranged to form said substantially tubular leg section when the mutual closure means of each longitudinal edge are engaged together, said mutual engaged closure means of the first leg section facing said engaged closure means of the second leg section and each preferably extending at least from a knee area to a crotch area and more preferably from a calf or ankle area to a crotch area, said first ( 9 ) and second ( 10 ) leg sections are connected via a linked end to said body portion ( 14 ), preferably to said trunk portion, said method being characterised in that said folding of said side portion of the leg portion onto itself in a longitudinal direction of said leg portion is a folding of a side portion of a first leg section, whose closure means are in an open position and a folding of a side portion of a second leg section, whose closure means are in an open position, keeping said first gripping means ( 16 ) exposed. 
     
     
         20 . Dressing method for putting on protective equipment ( 1 ) for a clean room or sanitised environment according to  claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
 opening said closure means ( 6 ) of said pouch ( 4 ),   gripping the protective equipment before optionally detaching the temporary fastening means of said pouch to said protective equipment and, putting on said protective equipment.   
     
     
         21 . Dressing method for putting on protective equipment ( 1 ) for a clean room or sanitised environment according to  claim 20 , wherein said protective equipment is a garment comprising
 an outer face ( 2 ) provided to be contact with the surrounding environment,   an inner face ( 3 ) arranged to be in contact with an operator,   a first ( 12 ) and a second ( 13 ) sleeve,   a body portion ( 14 ) comprising a trunk portion and a leg portion, said first ( 12 ) and second ( 13 ) sleeves being connected to the body portion, preferably to the trunk portion via a linked end, said body portion ( 14 ) comprising a head passage section ( 15 ),   at least one gripping means ( 16 ) in contact with said inner face ( 3 ) in the body portion ( 14 ), preferably in the trunk portion,   
       said method comprising:
 gripping said first gripping means via a first hand of an operator, 
 removing said garment ( 7 ) from said pouch ( 4 ) using said first gripping means ( 16 ) and positioning said garment ( 7 ) so that the body portion ( 14 ) of said garment ( 7 ) is accessible via an opening formed by the periphery of the body portion, preferably the trunk portion, 
 putting a second arm of the operator into a second sleeve ( 13 ) and after releasing the first gripping means ( 16 ), putting a first arm of the operator into a first sleeve ( 12 ), 
 passing the head of the operator into said opening of said body portion ( 14 ), and then into the head passage section ( 15 ), and 
 inverting the leg portion so that the outer face ( 2 ) thereof is thus exposed to the outside and the inner face ( 3 ) exposed to the legs of the operator. 
 
     
     
         22 . Dressing method for putting on protective equipment ( 1 ) for a clean room or sanitised environment according to  claim 21 , wherein said garment is an overall wherein said leg portion comprises a first ( 9 ) and a second ( 10 ) leg section, each leg section comprising a flank, two longitudinal edges on either side of said flank of the leg section and provided with mutual closure means arranged to form said substantially tubular leg section when the mutual closure means of each longitudinal edge are engaged together, said mutual engaged closure means of the first leg section facing said engaged closure means of the second leg section and each preferably extending at least from a knee area to a crotch area and more preferably from a calf or ankle area to a crotch area and wherein said first ( 9 ) and second ( 10 ) leg sections are connected via a linked end to said body portion ( 14 ), preferably to said trunk portion, where said inverting step of said leg portion is an inversion of the leg sections ( 9 ,  10 ), whose closure means are in an open position so that the outer face ( 2 ) thereof is thus exposed to the outside and the inner face ( 3 ) exposed to the legs of the operator. 
     
     
         23 . Dressing method for a clean room or sanitised environment according to  claim 21 , further comprising gripping a second gripping means ( 16 ) via a second hand of the operator to position the overall ( 7 ) so that the body portion ( 14 ) of the overall ( 7 ) is accessible via an opening ( 11 ) of the body portion or a crotch section. 
     
     
         24 . Dressing method for a clean room or sanitised environment according to  claim 22 , further comprising closing said opening ( 11 ) in said crotch area.