Hospital-type gown with front and rear openings
The present invention relates to garments, particularly to garments worn by patients as primary covering during medical treatment in doctors&#39; offices, hospitals, and the like. 
     Known forms of hospital gowns have solid front panels and a single rear opening extending from the neck to the hem. Such gowns must be put on in reverse, and a patient typically needs assistance in tying the rear ties. The rear flaps typically fly open, so as to lose a patient&#39;s modesty. This is in part because the inner flap is not supported in its overlapped position, but is free to fall to the center, reducing or eliminating the overlap. The solid front of the conventional hospital gown restricts medical access to the front of the patient, particularly the chest. Despite many minor variations in gown design, these problems have not been successfully overcome until the present invention. 
     In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a hospital-type gown is provided with both front and rear openings between right and left side panels of the gown. The rear panels are permanently joined together at the neckline with an overlap in excess of several inches, preferably from 4 to 7 inches. The overlap continues the length of the gown, to the hem, and is secured at at least one point with a removable tie. The front of the gdown has no permanent closure but is overlapped and secured at one or two or more removable tie locations. The gown of the invention thus can be put on and worn like a coat, pre-tied at the rear, and then releasably tied at the front. A doctor or nurse can quickly remove the entire gown or otherwise obtain access to any part of the patient&#39;s body for examination or treatment, yet the gown well preserves the patient&#39;s modesty in all circumstances. 
    
    
     In the drawing figures, FIGS. 1 and 2 are general perspective views of the front and rear of a prior art hospital gown; 
     FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of a patient wearing a gown embodying the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view, partly from the left, of a gown embodying the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a top plan view, partly in section, taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 3; and 
     FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the gown, taken on line 6--6 of FIG. 3. 
    
    
     A prior art gown over which the present invention is a departure and great improvement is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The prior art gown 10 has a solid front panel 11 extending from a neckline 12 to a hemline 13 at about the knee of a patient. Loose sleeves 14, 15 are typically provided, the diameter of the sleeves being such that an intravenous feed or treatment bottle connected to the arm can be passed through the sleeve when it is necessary to remove or change the gown 10. 
     The rear of the prior art gown 10 is shown at 16 in FIG. 2. The rear 16 comprises a left panel 17 and a right panel 18. The rear panels are permanently joined to the solid front panel 11 at the shoulders and down the sides of the gown. The panel 17 ends in a free vertical edge 19, while the right panel 18 ends in a free vertical edge 20, as shown. A top tie 21 connects the panels 17 and 18 together at the neckline 12, without substantial overlap, and a second tie 22 hopefully holds the panels 17 and 18 closed at about the waist, with the edges 19 and 20 well overlapped. It is found in practice, however, that the edge 19 will curl under the panel 18 so as to fall vertically from the tie 21 at the neckline 12, so as to substantially reduce if not entirely eliminate the desired overlap. 
     Because the prior art gown 10 has no front opening, the gown must be put on in reverse. The ties 21 and 22 can be manipulated only by a most agile patient, so they normally are tied by a nurse or another patient. The solid front 11 of the prior art gown 10 restricts access to the front and chest of the patient, often requiring partial or complete removal of the gown for examination and treatment. Dispite these disadvantages and the immodesty of the failure of the rear overlap, the prior art gown continues in virtually exclusive use in U.S. hospitals and medical offices. 
     The gown 30 of the present invention is depicted in FIGS. 3 through 6. It is made of any conventional woven or non-woven fabric, paper, or other convenient sheet-form material. The gown 30 comprises a front left panel 31, a front right panel 32, a left rear panel 33, and a right rear panel 34. Each of the panels extends from a neckline 35 and shoulders 36 to a hem 37, at about the patient&#39;s knees. Sleeves 38, 39 are of conventional design and cut. 
     The gown 30 has a front opening between the left and right front panels 31, 32. One edge 40 of the right panel 32 passes beyond the right edge 41 of the left panel 31, as shown. The edge 40 of the panel 32 is temporarily affixed to the left panel 31, with the overlap shown, at upper and lower ties 42, 43. 
     The rear panels 33, 34 of the gown 30 respectively have right and left edges 45, 46 which overlap as shown in FIG. 4. This overlap is secured by a permanent connection, by stitching or the like, at the neckline 35. The edges 45, 46 are overlapped at least about 4 inches at the neckline 35, up to about 7 inches, and preferably about 51/2 inches. The free edges of the rear panels are cut relatively straight so that they fall vertically downwardly. This cut eliminates any tendency of the panels to curl and thus reduce the overlap or even to open. A tie 47 is affixed between the right edge 45 of the left rear panel 33 and a portion of the right rear panel 34 spaced from the edge 46. The tie 47 maintains the patient&#39;s modesty in the rear. 
     The overlappings of the left and right panels at the front and rear are also depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 5 is a section just below the neckline through the gown, and FIG. 6 is a section taken at about the waist, above the lower front tie 43 and the rear tie 47. 
     In use, the rear tie 47 is pre-connected as shown. The gown 30 then is put on just as a coat or a shirt, with the connected part of the neckline 35 the rear and the opening between the left and right front flaps 31, 32 at the front. The gown 30 is settled onto the patient&#39;s shoulders with the patient&#39;s arms through the sleeves 38, 39. Then a patient with even minimum dexterity can easily tie the upper and lower front ties 42, 43. The right edge 41 of the left front panel 31 has little tendency to fold over, under the right panel 32. If it does, the patient himself can straighten it out. The rear overlap between edges 45, 46 has no tendency to open, preserving the patient&#39;s modesty in the rear. 
     The dual, front and rear openings also allow a physician or nurse immediate access to all parts of the patient&#39;s body, with minimal disrobing. The ties 42, 43, and 47 can be quickly untied, or the entire gown 30 can be removed over a patient&#39;s head even without the ties&#39; being undone. This is because the rear panels 33, 34 are connected only at the neckline 35, so the gown may be pulled up enough just for the neckline 35 to clear the top of the patient&#39;s head, for complete removal of the gown. 
     Many minor variations will occur to those having ordinary skill in the gown manufacturing arts. The ties can be replaced with loop and eye fasteners, nylon snaps, zippers or like fastening systems, without departing from the principles of the invention. The form of the neckline and sleeves and the length of the gown are unimportant to the nature and practice of the invention. References to panels are made for convenience not to limit any economical construction of the gown from separate pieces of fabric or other sheet material.