Apparel – Body garments – Vests
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-19
2001-07-10
Vanatta, Amy B. (Department: 3765)
Apparel
Body garments
Vests
C002S464000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06256790
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to post operative garments. More particularly, it relates to an improved post operative vest which allows removable insertion of a protective pillow.
STATEMENT OF THE PRIOR ART
Various types of post operative garments and hospital gowns are known in the art. Hospital gowns typically have openings in the front, side or rear and are not particularly useful for outpatient care. Other post operative garments include immobilization garments which are typically used with immobilization devices such as casts or upper or lower body immobilization devices. These garments, while generally effective for their stated purpose, are not effective for users recovering from abdominal surgery, which requires placement of a pillow over the surgical site when the user is walking, coughing, laughing, or engaged in other physical activity which may stress the abdominal muscles thereby affecting the surgical site. While there are garments and devices which may be useful for assisting with the recovery from abdominal surgery, none of them are seen to offer the advantages of the functional features of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,852 issued to Kessler discloses an orthopedic surgical shirt which can be used for the post operative stage of a treatment involving a patient's upper body. The shirt includes a number of removal panels to allow the patient to more easily dress and undress. A number of releasable fasteners allow for quickly opening the panels at strategic locations to accommodate various types of post-operative immobilization devices. The shirt has no use beyond the post operative stage. By contrast, the present invention is designed primarily for use with a post operative pillow and functions to position the pillow for convenient use as required by the patient. The device may also function as an apron which may be used by the patient after the post operative recovery period.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,065 issued to Sigl et al. discloses a bib which includes a single panel having a front packet which functions as a crumb catcher. By contrast, the present invention has both front and rear panels which are connected by adjustable means. The front pocket is sized to contain a surgical pillow and has a resealable fastening means for containing the pillow.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a post operative vest for patients recovering from abdominal surgery. The vest has front and rear panels with an opening for the patient's head. The front and rear panels are connected only at the top and ties or other fasteners extend from the sides of the panels to adjustably secure the vest about the patient's mid-section. A centrally located front pocket is sized to releasably secure a post operative surgical pillow at a position proximate the user's surgical site. The closure means allows for securing pillows of different sizes and facilitates orientation of the pillow in different positions as may be required by the patient.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved post operative vest for patients recovering from abdominal surgery.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved post operative vest for patients recovering from abdominal surgery which has adjustable fasteners.
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved post operative vest for patients recovering from abdominal surgery having a centrally located pocket for holding a surgical pillow.
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved post operative vest for patients recovering from abdominal surgery which allows for various orientations and positions of a pillow contained within a central pocket.
Finally, it is a general object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
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patent: 5621914 (1997-04-01), Ramone et al.
patent: 5692246 (1997-12-01), Benedick
patent: 6012162 (2000-01-01), Bullat
patent: 6098196 (2000-08-01), Logan
Hoyte, Jr. Alfred F.
Vanatta Amy B.
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