2022 OCT 17 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- From Alexandria, Virginia, NewsRx journalists report that a patent by the inventors Buffalini, Maria Louise (Beech Grove, TN, US), filed on March 28, 2019, was published online on September 27, 2022.

The patent’s assignee for patent number 11452320 is Ascension Health Alliance (St. Louis, Missouri, United States).

News editors obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “This disclosure relates generally to infection control products, and more specifically, to a disposable contact isolation gown that is generally utilized by healthcare workers and visitors to certain hospital units.

“Utilizing disposable isolation contact gowns (also referred to as contact precautions gowns) is standard practice among healthcare workers when interacting with patients placed under isolation precautions. Isolation contact gowns are meant to protect healthcare workers from hospital-acquired infections (e.g., Clostridium difficile) when interacting with patients. For an isolation contact gown to be an effective barrier against sources of infectious agents (e.g., blood, bodily fluids, secretions), the gown needs to fully cover a wearer’s body. For example, when a gown is left untied, and a portion of the wearer’s clothing or skin is exposed, there is a chance that bacteria or viruses may come in contact with the wearer as the wearer engages in patient-care activities. The wearer subsequently risks exposing other people to infection as the wearer comes in contact with other healthcare workers and patients.

“Gowns that fully surround the body are the norm for certain patients, due to prior clothing removal. However, with a heightened awareness regarding infection prevention and control in the healthcare setting, there is a corresponding need for healthcare workers, and any visitors to certain units within a medical facility, to be completely covered when interacting with patients. A full coverage gown that can easily be put on by a user, and easily taken off by the user is more likely to be worn properly by a user, and protect the user against infection and contamination. As such, there is still an unfilled need for a full coverage gown that requires minimal effort to wear properly and remove efficiently.”

As a supplement to the background information on this patent, NewsRx correspondents also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “The following detailed description illustrates the disclosure by way of example and not by way of limitation. The description enables one skilled in the art to make and use the disclosure, describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives, and uses of the disclosure, including what is presently believed to be the best mode of carrying out the disclosure.

“Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a disposable contact isolation gown including a front panel, a back panel, and a pair of arm panels coupled between the front panel and the back panel. Embodiments include a back panel coupled to a pair of arm panels at a shoulder line of weakness of a front collar edge. Embodiments also include a back line of weakness extending from the back collar edge. Some embodiments include a front collar edge that is un-removably attached to the arm panel collar edges of the arm panel. Embodiments of the present disclosure also include a back collar edge that is detachably coupled to the arm panel collar edges of the arm panels. The back collar edge includes a line of weakness that extends the length of back collar edge. The front collar edge, arm panel collar edges, and the back collar edge form a head opening. The head opening enables a wearer to easily wear the gown by inserting their head through the head opening. Embodiments of the present disclosure also include fully formed sleeves for the wearer to insert their respective arms through. When properly worn, the shoulders, arms, torso and a portion of the wearer’s legs are covered and protected by the gown.

“Embodiments also include the back line of weakness extending from the back collar edge to a back bottom edge. Some embodiments include a pair of back panel portions coupled together at a back line of weakness. Additionally, embodiments of the present disclosure include a pair of back shoulder edges extending from the back collar edge. Each back shoulder edge forms a portion of a shoulder line of weakness. The shoulder lines of weakness, the back line of weakness, and the lines of weakness proximate the back collar edge, are all useful in enabling a wearer to remove the gown. When a wearer wants to remove the gown, the wearer grabs a portion of the front panel and pulls the front panel away from their body. The lines of weakness described above will cause breakages, allowing for a relatively easy removal of the gown. The lines of weakness may be manufactured to vary in strength to enable different areas of the gown to tear first (e.g., back shoulder edges, back collar edge, back panel). In other embodiments, the lines of weakness may be manufactured to be substantially equal in strength to enable the shoulder lines of weakness, the back line of weakness, and the lines of weakness proximate the back collar edge to tear at the same time.

“As used herein, “line of weakness” refers to perforations (e.g., serrations), and is illustrated in the figures as dash-dot lines. Lines of weakness allow for quick and easy removal of the gown when the wearer pulls on a portion of the front panel, such as the front collar edge. As mentioned above, lines of weakness are shown in the figures as dash-dot lines in the material from which the gown is fabricated. In alternative embodiments, lines of weakness can take the form of individual ovals or other geometric figures that have been cut out of the material, simplifying removal of the gown from the wearer.

“Embodiments of the present disclosure include tie members to enable the wearer to secure the gown around the wearer’s body. A pair of tie members can be affixed to the front panel and/or the back panel. Tie members can be provided on opposing sides of the front panel and/or the back panel. The wearer can couple the front panel tie members with the back panel tie members at corresponding sides of the wearer’s body. The tie members allow the wearer to adjust the size and shape of the gown so the gown can fully and securely cover the wearer.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A disposable contact isolation gown comprising: a front panel comprising a front collar edge, a pair of front shoulder edges, a pair of front side edges, and a front bottom edge; a back panel coupled to the front panel at a pair of side seams, wherein the back panel comprises a back collar edge, a pair of back shoulder edges extending from the back collar edge, a back bottom edge, a back perforated line of weakness extending from the back collar edge to the back bottom edge, and a pair of back panel portions coupled together at the back perforated line of weakness; a pair of arm panels coupled between the front panel and the back panel, wherein each arm panel comprises an arm panel back edge, an arm panel front edge, and an arm panel collar edge, the arm panel back edge of each arm panel being detachably coupled to one of the back shoulder edges at a shoulder perforated line of weakness, wherein the back perforated line of weakness is positioned on the back panel between the shoulder perforated lines of weakness, the arm panel collar edges each extending in an arc between the front collar edge and the back collar edge, wherein the front collar edge, the back collar edge, and the arm panel collar edges collectively define a closed head opening for receiving a head of a user therein during a pull-over donning of the gown, and wherein the back collar edge further comprises a collar perforated line of weakness extending along the back collar edge and connecting the shoulder perforated lines of weakness; and a pair of first tie members attached to the front panel and a pair of second tie members attached to the back panel, the first and second tie members being sized to be tied to each other at respective sides of the gown to tightly secure the gown on a body of the user.

“2. The disposable contact isolation gown in accordance with claim 1, wherein the back perforated line of weakness comprises a plurality of perforated lines of weakness oriented parallel relative to each other.

“3. The disposable contact isolation gown in accordance with claim 1, wherein the back perforated line of weakness is configured to tear and split the back panel into the back panel portions when the front panel is pulled away from a user wearing the disposable contact isolation gown.

“4. The disposable contact isolation gown in accordance with claim 1, wherein the back perforated line of weakness is configured to be substantially equal to a length of the pair of back panel portions.

“5. The disposable contact isolation gown in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a collar comprising a front collar portion and a back collar portion, wherein the front collar portion includes the front collar edge and the arm panel collar edges, wherein the back collar edge includes the back collar edge, and wherein the front collar portion has a height that is greater than a height of the back collar portion.

“6. The disposable contact isolation gown in accordance with claim 1, wherein each tie member is positioned at opposing side edges of the at least one of the front panel and the back panel, and wherein each tie member is enclosed in a protective film having a pull tab.

“7. The disposable contact isolation gown in accordance with claim 1, wherein the front collar edge and the arm panel collar edges are unitarily formed of an elastic gathering, the back collar edge being detachably coupled to the elastic gathering at the arm panel collar edges.

“8. The disposable contact isolation gown in accordance with claim 1, wherein the back collar edge is detachably coupled to the arm panel collar edges.

“9. The disposable contact isolation gown in accordance with claim 1, wherein each arm panel further comprises a cuff edge that is distal to the arm panel collar edge, and wherein the cuff edge and the arm panel collar edge comprise an elastic gathering.

“10. A disposable contact isolation gown comprising: a front panel comprising a front collar edge, a pair of front shoulder edges, a pair of front side edges, and a front bottom edge; a back panel coupled to the front panel at a pair of side seams, wherein the back panel comprises a back collar edge, a pair of back shoulder edges extending from the back collar edge, a pair of back side edges, a back bottom edge, and a back perforated line of weakness extending from the back collar edge to the back bottom edge; a pair of arm panels coupled between the front panel and the back panel, wherein each arm panel comprises an arm panel back edge, an arm panel front edge, an arm panel collar edge, a sleeve back edge, a sleeve front edge, and a cuff edge, the arm panel back edge of each arm panel being detachably coupled to one of the back shoulder edges at a shoulder perforated line of weakness, each of the shoulder perforated lines of weakness extending to the back collar edge with the back perforated line of weakness being positioned on the back panel between the shoulder perforated lines of weakness, the arm panel collar edges each extending in an arc between the front collar edge and the back collar edge, the front collar edge, the back collar edge, and the arm panel collar edges collectively defining a closed head opening for receiving a head of a user therein during a pull-over donning of the gown, and wherein the back collar edge further comprises a collar perforated line of weakness extending along the back collar edge and connecting the shoulder perforated lines of weakness; and a pair of first tie members attached to the front panel and a pair of second tie members attached to the back panel, the first and second tie members being sized to be tied to each other at respective sides of the gown to tightly secure the gown on a body of the user.

“11. The disposable contact isolation gown in accordance with claim 10, wherein the back panel further comprises a pair of back panel portions coupled together at the back perforated line of weakness.

“12. The disposable contact isolation gown in accordance with claim 10, wherein each tie member is positioned at opposing side edges of the at least one of the front panel and the back panel, and wherein each tie member is enclosed in a protective film, the protective film including a pull tab.

“13. The disposable contact isolation gown in accordance with claim 10, wherein the cuff edge of each arm panel is distal to the arm panel collar edge, and wherein the cuff edge and the arm panel collar edge comprise an elastic gathering.

“14. The disposable contact isolation gown in accordance with claim 10, wherein the back collar edge is detachably coupled to the arm panel collar edges.

“15. A method of manufacturing a disposable contact isolation gown comprising: providing a front panel comprising a front collar edge, a pair of front shoulder edges, a pair of front side edges, and a front bottom edge; providing a back panel, wherein the back panel comprises a back collar edge, a back bottom edge, a pair of back shoulder edges extending from the back collar edge, a back perforated line of weakness extending from the back collar edge to the back bottom edge, and a pair of back panel portions coupled together at the back perforated line of weakness; providing a pair of arm panels, wherein each arm panel comprises an arm panel back edge, an arm panel front edge, and an arm panel collar edge; coupling the front panel to the back panel at a pair of side seams; coupling a pair of first tie members to the front panel and a pair of second tie members to the back panel, the first and second tie members being sized to be tied to each other at respective sides of the gown to tightly secure the gown on a body of a user; and coupling each of the pair of arm panels between the front panel and the back panel, the arm panel back edge of each arm panel being detachably coupled to one of the back shoulder edges at a shoulder perforated line of weakness, wherein the back perforated line of weakness is positioned on the back panel between the shoulder perforated lines of weakness, the arm panel collar edges each extending in an arc between the front collar edge and the back collar edge, wherein the front collar edge, the back collar edge, and the arm panel collar edges collectively defining a closed head opening for receiving a head of the user therein during a pull-over donning of the gown, and wherein the back collar edge further includes a collar perforated line of weakness extending along the back collar edge and connecting the shoulder perforated lines of weakness.

“16. The method of claim 15, wherein the back perforated line of weakness is configured to tear and split the back panel into the back panel portions when the front panel is pulled away from a user wearing the disposable contact isolation gown.

“17. The method of claim 15, further comprising covering each tie member with a protective film, the protective film having a pull tab.”

For additional information on this patent, see: Buffalini, Maria Louise. Over-the-head disposable contact isolation gown and method for making the same. U.S. Patent Number 11452320, filed March 28, 2019, and published online on September 27, 2022. Patent URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=11452320.PN.&OS=PN/11452320RS=PN/11452320

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