Folded surgical gown and method of folding same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11553744-B2
Application number	US-201616071042-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 19, 2016
Priority date	Jan 19, 2016
Publication date	Jan 17, 2023
Grant date	Jan 17, 2023

Abstract

A surgical gown folded in a unique pattern that provides for a smaller sized gown that can be packaged in a smaller sized outer wrap as well as provide for an easily donnable gown that maintains its sterility. The fold pattern provides for the interior surfaces of the gown to be visible, and preferably, a portion of the interior surfaces, while maintaining sterility of the exterior surfaces by keeping them inside of the gown. A method of folding the gown in this new pattern is provided herein as well as a method of donning the folded gown.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A folded surgical gown having an exposed interior surface comprising:
a body portion having a back panel and a front panel, each having an interior surface and an exterior surface and each having a bottom edge along a lower section and a collar portion along an upper section with sleeves attached to the front panel;
the back panel having an opening therein defined by two side edges, where the side edges are folded longitudinally toward a longitudinal central axis of the gown with a second fold folded partially back out upon itself, the sleeves are crossed over one another on the opposite side of the longitudinal folds;
the bottom edge of the gown is folded upward approximately in half toward the collar portion so that an edge of the collar portion is still visible or at least partially visible, the bottom edge just below or flush with the edge of the collar portion, and perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis, covering the folded sleeves;
the gown is folded twice more in the same direction upward toward the collar portion approximately in half each time;
outside edges of the gown are folded approximately in half toward the longitudinal central axis and toward each other such that the outside edges are adjacent one another; and
the gown is folded in half again along the longitudinal central axis to result in a final folded gown having only interior surfaces of the gown exposed, wherein a portion of an interior surface of the collar portion is exposed in the final folded configuration.

2. The folded gown of claim 1 , wherein the body portion has a belt.

3. The folded gown of claim 1 , wherein the back panel and front panel are a single, continuous piece of material.

4. The folded gown of claim 1 , wherein the back panel and front panel are two separate pieces of material attached together.

5. The folded gown of claim 1 , wherein the final folded gown has dimensions that range from about 6 inches by about 6 inches to about 8.5 inches by about 8.5 inches.

6. The folded gown of claim 1 , wherein the final folded gown is packaged in an outer packaging material and sealed within.

7. The folded gown of claim 6 , wherein the packaged folded gown is sterilized.

8. The folded gown of claim 7 , wherein the packaged folded gown is packed into a shipping carton prior to being sterilized.

9. The folded gown of claim 2 , wherein the belt of the gown further includes a tab or other insert for providing a written detail or information about the gown.

10. The folded gown of claim 1 , wherein folding the bottom edge of the gown upward approximately in half toward the collar portion covers the collar portion by the bottom edge, such that the bottom edge is folded back down to uncover and expose the collar portion.

11. A method of folding a surgical gown that exposes a portion of an interior surface while not exposing an exterior surface, the steps comprising:
laying the surgical gown flat on a folding surface with the interior surface outwardly exposed and the exterior surface on an opposite side of the gown in contact with the folding surface, the gown comprising a body portion having a back panel that has an opening therein and two side edges that define the opening, a front panel, and sleeves attached to the front panel, where the body portion has a bottom edge at a lower section and a collar portion at an upper section with the sleeves folded underneath the gown;
folding the two side edges inward along two parallel longitudinal fold lines toward a central axis, such that the two side edges are adjacent one another and then folding the two side edges partially back in reverse;
turning the gown over, such that the exterior surface is the upward facing surface and the interior surface is in contact with the folding surface;
folding the sleeves one over the other;
folding the bottom edge of the gown upward along a fold line approximately in half toward the collar portion and covering the folded sleeves, the fold line perpendicular to the central axis, wherein the lower half of the gown is folded upward so that the bottom edge of the gown is just below of or flush with an edge of the collar portion;
folding the gown approximately in half a second time in the same direction upward toward the collar portion so that the collar portion is exposed;
folding the gown approximately in half a third time;
folding outside edges of the gown approximately in half toward the central axis and toward each other such that the outside edges are adjacent one another;
folding the gown in half again along the central axis to result in a final folded gown having only interior surfaces of the gown exposed, wherein a portion of the interior surface of the collar portion is exposed in the final folded configuration.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of folding the bottom edges of the gown back down toward the lower section of the gown just enough to uncover the collar portion.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the gown further includes a belt, where the belt is used as a fold guide when folding the bottom edge up toward the collar portion, folding the bottom edge at a position just below the belt.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the belt further includes a tab or insert that is also used as a fold guide, folding the bottom edge up toward the collar portion along a position just at or below a lower edge of the tab.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of packaging the final folded gown in an overwrap and sealing the overwrap to result in a packaged gown.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising the step of inserting the packaged gown into a packing carton with other packaged gowns.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising the step of sterilizing the packaged gowns contained in the packing carton.

18. A folded surgical gown having an exposed interior surface comprising:
a body portion having a back panel and a front panel, each having an interior surface and an exterior surface and each having a bottom edge along a lower section and a collar portion along an upper section with sleeves attached to the front panel;
the back panel having an opening therein defined by two side edges, where the side edges are folded longitudinally toward a longitudinal central axis of the gown with a second fold folded partially back out upon itself, the sleeves are crossed over one another on the opposite side of the longitudinal folds;
the bottom edge of the gown is folded upward approximately in half toward the collar portion and perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis, covering the folded sleeves and stopping just short of the bottom edge of the collar portion so that the bottom edge is just below of or flush with an edge of the collar portion;
the gown is folded approximately in half a second time in the same direction upward toward the collar portion so that the collar portion is exposed;
the gown is folded approximately in half a third time;
outside edges of the gown are folded approximately in half toward the longitudinal central axis and toward each other such that the outside edges are adjacent one another; and
the gown is folded in half again along the longitudinal central axis to result in a final folded gown having only interior surfaces of the gown exposed, wherein a portion of an interior surface of the collar portion is exposed in the final folded configuration.

Assignees

• Allegiance Corp

Inventors

• Wang Sheng Hua
• Lu Ti

Classifications

• A41D13/1209 Primary

  Surgeons' gowns or dresses · CPC title

• A41D2400/44

  Donning facilities · CPC title

• A41D13/129 Primary

  Donning facilities, e.g. characterized by the opening · CPC title

• D06F89/02

  of textile articles to be worn, e.g. shirts · CPC title

• B65B5/06

  Packaging groups of articles, the groups being treated as single articles · CPC title