USOO6281515B1 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 6,281,515 B1 Demeo et al. (45) Date of Patent: Aug. 28, 2001 (54) LIGHTWEIGHT RADIATION PROTECTIVE 5,140,710 8/1992 Rademacher. GARMENTS 5.245,195 9/1993 Shah et al. ........................ 250/515.1 5,446,925 9/1995 Baker et al. (75) Inventors: Ronald Demeo, Miami Beach; Marcus SE2- 1-2 : 3.E. SRaCWalacle al. ....................... 250/519.1 into North Miami Beach, both of 5,525,408 6/1996 Weir et al. 5,856,415 1/1999 Lagace et al.. (73) Assignee: Meridian Research and Development, * cited by examiner POmpano Beach,Beacn, FL (US)(US Primary Examiner Jack Berman (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this ASSistant Examiner—Johnnie L. Smith, II patent is extended or adjusted under 35 (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm Townsend and Townsend U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days. and Crew LLP, Guy W. Chambers, Esq. (57) ABSTRACT (21) Appl. No.: 09/206,671 A lightweight,9. 9. breathable garment9. which has radiopaquepad (22) Filed: Dec. 7, 1998 qualities and a method for making the radiopaque garment. (51) Int. CI.7 B21F 3/02 In a preferred embodiment, a lightweight fabric, Such as a (52)52) U. s C-rry - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 250/516.1 iscloth impregnated Surgical mask with liner a lightweight (24) or an entire radiopaque Surgical compound, mask (10), (58) Field of Search .............................. 259515.1; 519.1, Such as a barium Sulfate compound, to impart radiopaque 250/516.1; 428/551 qualities. Impregnation of the lightweight radiopaque com pound can be performed in any number of ways including (56) References Cited Soaking the fabric in a Solution containing the lightweight U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS radiopaque compound, using the fabric as a filter in a passing Solution of the lightweight radiopaque compound, 1,800,051 4/1931 Blanco. placing the fabric in a reaction chamber between reagent 3. to: ision Solutions whose interaction will form the lightweight radio 3.052700 9/1962 E.ds. paque compound and impregnating the fabric with one 3.164840 1/1965 Reynolds reagent and then eXposing it to a complementary reagent 3,569,713 3/1971 Via, Jr. whose reaction with the first reagent will form a lightweight 3,883,749 5/1975 Whittaker et al. radiopaque compound. In alternative embodiments, radio 3,974,104 8/1976 Foster et al. paque qualities can be imparted to garments by using one or 4,129,524 12/1978 Nagai et al.. more sheets of lightweight radiopaque material, Such as 4,429,094 1/1984 Massucco. aluminum, or weaving radiopaque metal or metallized 5. 3.E. SE threads into the garment. While a Surgical mask is provided 4913,978 .. Its 428/551 as one example, the principles of the invention can also be 4.938,233 7/1990 Orrison o applied to a broad range of other items including Surgical 5.00354 3/1991 Gould et al. hoods, hospital gowns, gloves, partitions, drapes etc. 5,016,292 5/1991 Rademacher. 5,038,047 8/1991 Still. 29 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets U.S. Patent Aug. 28, 2001 Sheet 1 of 2 US 6,281.515 B1 U.S. Patent Aug. 28, 2001 Sheet 2 of 2 US 6,281.515 B1 US 6,281.515 B1 1 2 LIGHTWEIGHT RADATION PROTECTIVE noxic Acid, Iopromide, Iopronic Acid, Iopydol, Iopy done, GARMENTS Iothalamic Acid, Iotrolan, IoverSol, Ioxaglic Acid, Ioxilan, Ipodate, Meglumine Acetrizoate, Meglumine Ditrizoate TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION Methiodal Sodium, Metrizamide, Metrizoic Acid, Phenobutiodil, Phentetiothalein Sodium, Propryliodone, The present invention relates primarily to garments which Sodium Iodomethamate, Sozoiodolic Acid, Thorium Oxide can protect the wearer against the hazards of exposure to and Trypanoate Sodium. In alternative embodiments, radio radiation. More particularly, the present invention relates to paque qualities can be imparted to garments by using a light breathable, lightweight garments containing radiopaque sheet of radiopaque liner, Such as aluminum, or weaving compounds, Such as barium Sulfate, that are particularly radiopaque metal or metallized threads into the garment. Suitable for use by medical professionals and patients who While a Surgical mask is provided as one example, the are exposed to radiation from medical X-rayS. principles of the invention can also be applied to a broad range of other garments including Surgical hoods, hospital BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION gowns, gloves, drapes, partitions, covers, etc. In addition, It is very common in medicine today to use X-rays for 15 other items, Such as a eye Shield, can be attached to or diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. While these X-rays incorporated within the radiopaque garments of the present Serve a beneficial medical purpose, they can also have invention. harmful side effects for both the patient to whom the X-rays are directed and the medical workers who must administer BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS X-rays on a day-to-day basis. FIG. 1 shows a doctor wearing a Surgical mask of the There have been a number of previous attempts to miti present invention. gate the harmful effects of X-rays through the design of FIG. 2 shows a cutaway, perspective view of the Surgical radiopaque protective garments. Typically, these radiopaque mask from FIG. 1. garments consist of a Stiff material, Such as rubber, impreg FIG. 3 shows a croSS-Sectional view of the Surgical mask nated by lead or Some other heavy metal which is capable of 25 blocking X-rayS. Examples of lead impregnated radiopaque from FIGS. 1 and 2. garments can be found in Holland's U.S. Pat. No. 3,052,799, DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIFIC Whittaker's U.S. Pat. No. 3,883,749, Leguillon's U.S. Pat. EMBODIMENTS No. 3,045,121, Via's U.S. Pat. No. 3,569,713 and Stills U.S. FIG. 1 shows a Surgeon wearing a Surgical mask 10 of the Pat. No. 5,038,047. present mouth and nose as well as Straps 14 which holds the While the lead filled prior art garments provide a good surgical mask 10 onto the Surgeon's face. As shown in FIGS. measure of protection against the harmful effects of X-rayS, these prior art garments are often heavy, Stiff, expensive, 2 and 3, the facial portion 12 of the Surgical mask is bulky and lacking in breathability. AS Such, these garments primarily made up of three plies: an interior ply 20 situated 35 next to the Surgeon's face, an exterior ply 22 Situated on the are often uncomfortable, cumberSome and restrictive. Also, outside of the mask and a central liner 24. In its common, there are Sterility issues with these prior art garments disposable form, the interior 20 and exterior 22 plies of the because they are typically too bulky and expensive to Surgical mask 10 are made of paper and the central liner 24 dispose of after each use. is made of a breathable cloth material, Such as gauze. Plastic 40 or metal stays 26 are typically provided at the top, bottom SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION and middle of the Surgical mask 10 to help the Surgical mask The present invention provides a breathable, lightweight 10 retain its shape and enhance its Seal. garment which has radiopaque qualities and is easy to As described thus far, the Surgical mask 10 shown in produce. In the preferred embodiment, a lightweight fabric, FIGS. 1-3 is of conventional construction. A distinguishing Such as a cloth Surgical mask liner or an entire Surgical mask, 45 aspect of the present invention is inexpensively imparting is impregnated with a lightweight radiopaque compound, radiopaque qualities to Such a Surgical mask 10 without Such as barium Sulfate, to impart radiopaque qualities. Significantly diminishing its lightweight usability. These Impregnation of the lightweight radiopaque compound can radiopaque qualities can be imparted in a number of ways. be performed in any number of ways including Soaking the In one preferred embodiment, the Surgical mask of the fabric in a Solution containing the lightweight radiopaque 50 present invention can be given radiopaque qualities by, prior compound, using the fabric as a filter for a passing Solution to assembly, Soaking its liner 24 in a high concentration containing the lightweight radiopaque compound, placing Solution of lightweight radiopaque compound, Such as the fabric in a reaction chamber between reagents that can barium Sulfate, or the reagents used to form the lightweight react to form the lightweight radiopaque compound and radiopaque compound, Such as barium chloride and Sulfuric creating the fabric incorporating one radiopaque compound 55 acid reagents to form a barium Sulfate lightweight radio reagent and then exposing it to a complementary reagent paque compound. In the case of barium Sulfate, this Solution used to form the radiopaque compound. Besides barium might advantageously be a 1 or 2 molar aqueous Solution of Sulfate, other radiopaque Substances which can be used for barium Sulfate precipitate (although other concentrations the present invention include, but are not limited to, would also work). After the barium Sulfate precipitate has HYPAQUETM (which is a tradename of Nycomed Corpora 60 been given an opportunity to thoroughly impregnate the tion for Diatrizoate Meglumine Inj USP), Acetrizoate liner 24 (e.g., by Soaking overnight), the liner 24 can be Sodium, Bunamiodyl Sodium, Diatrizoate Sodium, removed from the barium Sulfate Solution and air dried. The Ethiodized Oil, Iobenzamic Acid, Iocarmic Acid, Iocetamic impregnated liner 24 can then be placed between interior 20 Acid, Iodipamide, Iodixanol, Iodized Oil, Iodoalphionic and exterior 24 plies and Sewn or Sealed into the Surgical Acid, O-Iodohippurate Sodium, Iodophthalein Sodium, 65 mask 10 in a manner that is well known in the art.