United States Patent 19 11, 3,977,025 Horan (45) Aug. 31, 1976 54) BELT CLOSURE FOR STERILE BACK SURGICAL GOWN OR THE LIKE Primary Examiner-Werner H. Schroeder 75 Inventor: Robert T. Horan, Tucson, Ariz. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Quarles & Brady 73). Assignee: Will Ross, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis. 57 ABSTRACT 22 Filed: Dec. 24, 1975 A sterile back surgical gown is closed by side and back (21 Appl. No.: 644,045 belts tied at the user's side. The back belt is designed to be passed to the wearer without loss of sterility; and is stored in a pocket with its free end in an envelope (52) U.S. Cl............ 2/114; 2/51; that extends into the pocket and is deadfolded to re 2/DIG. 7, 206/440 main in proper position, and that has an exposed 51 Int. CI.'................ A41D 13/00 transparent side so that an assistant can see the belt 58) Field of Search..................... 2/51, 114, DIG. 7; end. The fixed end of the back belt and one end of an 206/278, 439, 440 inner tie are anchored by respective parts of a snap closure that releasably holds a closure panel in open (56) References Cited position. The side belt is in a storage sleeve with a free UNITED STATES PATENTs end projecting forwardly and a loop extending rear 3,259,913 7/1966 Tames..................................... 21114 wardly, and there is a Y-reinforcing strip connected 3,594,818 7/1971 Planner................................... 21114 between the side belt and gown to allow the belt to be 3,648,290 3/1972 Hartigan.... ... 206/278 X pulled both forwardly and rearwardly without peeling 3,721,999 3/1973 Goya et al. ........................ 2/DIG. 7 from the gown. 3,864,757 2/1975 Hartigan................................. 21114 3,935,596 2/1976 Allen, Jr. et al........................ 2/14 9 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Aug. 31, 1976 Sheet 1 of 3 3,977,025 U.S. Patent Aug. 31, 1976 Sheet 2 of 3 3,977,025 24 saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZASS (start 25 U.S. Patent Aug. 31, 1976 Sheet 3 of 3 3,977,025 // rzzzzzzA Kae-SasSas 34 3. 7 Š. 3,977,025 2 BELT CLOSURE FOR STERILE BACK SURGICAL which such gowns are made does not have all the physi GOWN OR THE LIKE cal strength of the cloth from which reusable gowns are generally made. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates, but is not necessarily limited SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION to, sterile back surgical gowns worn by surgeons and This invention contemplates a belt closure for a sur other sterile personnel and of the back-opening type in gical gown or the like where two belt members are tied which there is a back closure panel that is initially in an at the side of the gown. A back belt member is attached open folded position and that is unfolded to a closed to a closure panel and is stored in a pocket with its free position where it overlaps the back of the gown; and end protected by an envelope that extends into the the invention resides more specifically in a belt closure pocket and is deadfolded to remain in proper position for such gowns or similar or related items. Certain for use and that is transparent so that the belt end is features of the preferred embodiment shown and de visible. The fixed end of the back belt and the end of an scribed herein are described and claimed in the co inner tie are anchored by the parts of a snap that holds pending application of Phyllis J. Horan, Ser. No. 15 the closure panel open, this arrangement providing a 644,046 filed Dec. 24, 1975, for "Side Belted Surgical mutual reinforcement that is particularly desirable for Gown or the Like.' 4. disposable gowns. A side belt is housed in a storage There are numerous ways of closing surgical gowns, sleeve with a free end projecting forwardly where it but belt closures are preferred in many cases because may be easily grasped by the wearer and a loop extend of their simplicity and strength, and because they make ing rearwardly for grasping by a non-sterile assistant, it relatively easy to adjust the size of the gown to the and there is a reinforcing strip for the side belt that particular wearer. Previously devised belt closures have allows it to be pulled forwardly and rearwardly without not, however, proven entirely satisfactory. In most peeling from the gown material. known belt closures, for example, the belt closure is The invention provides a closure that is highly effec made across the front of the gown and this causes some 25 tive, versatile and sturdy, relatively simple and inexpen serious problems. For one thing, the material at the sive, and particularly adapted for use with disposable front is gathered under the belt and creates pockets gowns. Other objects and advantages will appear from which can trap surgical fluids and can easily result in the description to follow. "strike through' - gown materials are usually only moisture repellent as opposed to moisture proof, and 30 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS fluids can go through the material if they are held FIG. 1 is a schematic view in perspective showing a against it long enough. Any passage of fluid through the preferred embodiment of the invention, the gown being materials destroys sterility, since bacteria from the shown fully closed, wearer can then easily move outwardly through the FIG. 2 is a back view, partially broken away, of the material into the operative area. There is also a prob 35 gown of FIG.1, but showing the gown in an open con lem with front belted gowns when the wearer raises his dition, arms during a procedure, since the gown material will FIG. 3 is an enlarged view in cross section through be pulled above the belt and will blouse out when the the plane 3-3 shown in FIG. 2, but in which an inner wearer lowers his arms. The bloused material may in tie has been completed, terfere with the wearer's freedom of movement, and 40 FIG. 4 is an enlarged view in cross section through there is a temptation to pull it back below the belt by the plane 4-4 shown in FIG. 1, grasping the gown below the level of the table, which is FIG. 5 is a further enlarged fragmentary view, par a non-sterile area. tially broken away, showing the side belt of the gown in Known belt closures are also unsatisfactory in those its storage sleeve, situations where it is necessary or desirable to maintain 45 FIG. 6 is a view in cross section through the plane sterility at the back as well as the front of the gown. 6-6 shown in FIG. 5, This is necessary for those procedures where the FIG. 7 is a further enlarged fragmentary view, par wearer must turn his back toward the operative area, tially broken away, showing the back belt member in its and it is desirable, for example, where two persons are storage pocket, working side by side, to avoid one having to pirouette FIG. 8 is a view in cross section through the plane about the other back to back when they change posi 8-8 shown in FIG. 7, with an alternative belt position tions so that his gown front will not come near the gown indicated in broken lines, and . back of the other. FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 but showing an Sterile back gowns generally have an inner back alternative pressure-sensitive closure construction. panel and an outer closure panel that is initially folded 55 back on itself so that what will ultimately be the sterile DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED outer surface is protected during donning. After the EMBODIMENTS gown is donned, the closure panel is unfolded, so that it The gown shown in the drawings is designated gener overlaps the inner panel and extends toward one side of ally by the reference numeral 1. It is of conventional the gown, and then secured. This type of gown is gener 60 overall configuration, including a front portion 2, a left ally very satisfactory, but it can be difficult with a belt side portion 3, a right side portion 4, a back portion 5, closure to provide means for handling and securing the cuffed sleeves 6 and a taped neck opening 7. The gown closure panel quickly and properly without loss of Ste 1 is preferably made of a suitable disposable paper rility. material, although it may be made of cloth or other The noted and other problems involved in providing 65 materials. The body of the gown 1 as shown is cut from fully satisfactory belt closures can be complicated in a single piece of material so that there are only two the case of the disposable gowns now being used more shoulder seams 8 running from the neck opening 7 to and more frequently, largely because the material from opposite sleeves 6. The sleeves 6 have single outside 3,977,025 3 4 seams 9 and are stitched or otherwise secured to the a side belt member 22 and a back belt member 23, both gown body along the armhole line 10. While this con of which are at approximately waist level and con struction is preferred, other known configurations are nected to parts of the gown as will be described. It is obviously possible, such as separate panels stitched very important to note that the belt members 22 and 23 together to form the body.