Jumper-type Garment for Special Needs Population

Abstract

A one piece washable jumper style garment with a rear closure to prevent unassisted wearer manipulation/removal, integrated side loop handles to allow for caretaker assistance to the wearer both in donning or removing the garment in movement, balance, and coordination, interior hygiene accessory pockets unreachable by the wearer without caregiver assistance that provides caretaker access to various clean-up aids.

Claims

1. A washable garment for covering the torso of a wearer that provides a caregiver assistance in care of the wearer by preventing unassisted removal, resisting unassisted internal access by a wearer, providing secure retention of hygiene accessories, and facilitating caregiver physical assistance to the wearer, the garment comprising: a) a front torso covering panel, the front torso panel providing a continuous, fabric piece dimensioned with a select length to cover the entire front torso having a shoulder covering portion, a first and second side edges, a lower groin/buttocks edge, a non-stretchable neck opening portion formed in the shoulder covering portion, a pair of non-stretchable side arm opening portions and a pair of non-stretchable leg opening portions, said front panel defining an exteriorly facing surface and an interiorly facing surface; b) a rear torso covering panel, said rear torso dimensioned generally to correspond to the front torso covering panel defining said select length, and having a shoulder covering portion, first and second side edges, a lower groin/buttocks edge, a non-stretchable neck opening portion formed in the shoulder covering portion, a pair of non-stretchable side arm opening portions, and a pair of non-stretchable leg openings, said rear torso covering panel further including a centrally located, longitudinally extending, closable access slot extending from the neck opening portion of a length less than the select length; c) an operable closing device associated and substantially coextensive with the access slot; d) an upper seam joining the shoulder covering portion of the front torso covering portion to the shoulder covering portion of the rear torso covering portion; e) a lower seam joining the lower groin/buttocks edge of the front torso covering portion to lower groin/buttocks edge of the rear torso covering portion; f) a pair of side seams joining said front torso covering portion to said rear torso covering portion extending from non-stretchable arm opening portions to the non-stretchable leg opening portions; g) an integral handle sewn into and disposed along each of the side seams between the arm opening portion and the leg opening, the handle being dimensioned to permit caregiver assistive manipulation to the wearer; and h) at least one openable hygiene adjunct storage pocket formed on the interiorly facing surface of the front torso covering panel accessible to a caregiver but not accessible by the wearer without caregiver assistance.

2. (canceled)

3. The washable garment of claim 1 further comprising a pair openable hygiene adjunct storage pockets.

4. The washable garment of claim 3 further comprising a flap pocket closure.

5. The washable garment of claim 1 further comprising a zippered storage pocket closure.

6. The washable garment of claim 1 further comprising a waterproof storage pocket liner.

7. The washable garment of claim 1 further comprising a fabric possessing a moisture wicking properties.

8. The washable garment of claim 1 where the pocket is disposed horizontally and accessible to a caregiver through the longitudinal access slot.

9. The washable garment of claim 1 further comprising water resistant covering to prevent moisture migration through the upper seam, lower seam, and side seams.

10. The washable garment of claim 1 where the seams are sewn together with stitching.

11. The washable garment of claim 1 further comprising detachable, padded limb coverings.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0027] FIG. 1 is front view of a jumper type garment corresponding to an embodiment of the invention.

[0028] FIG. 2 is a rear view of a jumper type garment corresponding to an embodiment of the invention.

[0029] FIG. 3 is a front view of the interior facing front surface of a jumper type garment corresponding to an embodiment of the invention.

[0030] FIG. 4 is a front view of an embodiment of the invention with the upper garment portion folded down to expose interior pockets.

[0031] FIG. 5 is a front view of an embodiment with self-mutilation limiting detachable padded sleeves and leggings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT

[0032] The illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 1-3 depicts a fabric jumper garment 10 with a front torso panel 12 secured to a rear torso panel 14 in a conventional manner, typically, by stitching the fabric panels 12 and 14 along longitudinal seams 20, shoulder seams 23, and groin seam 25 to establish a unitary garment 10. The fabric jumper garment 10 includes a neck opening 22, shoulder portions 23, a pair of arm openings 24, and a pair of leg openings 26. These openings preferably feature some reinforcement to prevent stretching/distortion by a wearer and impair both unassisted access the garment interior and/or removal of the garment from a limb during use. Any such reinforcement should maintain pliancy and provide a similarity in touch and feel to the fabric forming the front and rear panels in order to minimize aggravating a wearer with sensory issues. A handle/loop 18 is disposed approximately midway along the longitudinal seams 20 along each side of the garment 10 proximate to upper portion of the wearer's hips. Preferably, the loop/handles 18 are integrated with the seams 20 and attached to the jumper garment 10 along seam 20 at two spaced points. The distance separating the points should be sufficient for a caregiver to firmly grasp the loop handles upon need. Additional reinforcement (not illustrated), may be provided to avoid tearing, ripping or separation of the loop/handles from the seams 20 of the jumper garment 10. Such reinforcement should be incorporated in a manner to avoid disturbing a wearer with sensory issues by presenting minimal tactile discontinuity with the seams to decrease a wearer's focus on differences that can lead to picking/pulling on the handle/loops 18.

[0033] Such reinforcement of the seams may be in the form of a strong tear resistant fabric ribbon that is sewn, glued, welded, etc. by conventional techniques to enhance tear resistance of the loop handle 18 from the seam 20. Furthermore, the seams 20 may also include a degree of water repellency to avoid undesirable fluid migration/leakage through the seam to the garment exterior.

[0034] The rear panel 14 of the jumper garment 10 features a closable access opening 16 for the wearer. The access opening 16 is generously dimensioned, is centrally aligned along the longitudinal axis of the wearer's torso and extends from the neck opening 22 to the lower portion of the garment corresponding to the lower buttocks/groin portion. By this design, the wearer can easily don the jumper garment 10 by inserting his/her legs through the leg openings 26, sliding a first arm into an arm opening followed by sliding the other arm through the other arm opening. The caregiver is then able to assist the wearer to close the access opening from the backside by manipulating a longitudinal closure element, e.g., a closed-end zipper 17.

[0035] The fabric used for construction of the garment, preferably, is selected from conventional comfortable, aesthetically desirable, textile material such as a poly-cotton blend. The fabric may, itself, feature technologically enhanced properties to improve water resistance, vapor-permeability, etc. achieved by conventional treatments, mechanical lamination, or the like. Particularly in cases involving tactile hypersensitivity, the fabric may include moisture wicking properties to decrease wearer discomfort from an “accident” by dispersing discharge away from the wearer's skin before the caregiver is able to remedy the situation. Regardless of the physical properties of the chosen fabric, preferably, the garment 10 will maintain an appearance of conventional clothing allowing for the incorporation of patterning/coloration/markings aesthetically-pleasing to the wearer.

[0036] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary interiorly-facing surface of front panel 12 of garment 10. The embodiment of FIG. 3 includes a pair of interior facing pockets 28, that are inaccessible to the wearer without caregiver assistance by partial removal of the garment. The pockets 28 provide for storage of hygiene products in the nature of gloves, disposable bags, hygienic wipes, diapers/incontinence pads/incontinence underwear. Preferably, the pockets 28 are constructed with a waterproof liner or the like to prevent migration of any accidental discharge to the contained hygiene products. The pockets 28 are closed by a resealable flap or plastic zipper slide type closure to avoid creating a distraction to the wearer. The non-obtrusive closure device should be readily accessible and openable by the caregiver to access the contents of the pockets.

[0037] As illustrated, the pockets 28 are vertically disposed with the closure on the upper edge relative to the orientation of garment 10. However, the invention contemplates orientation of the pockets to also be horizontal with the lateral side edges providing the closure which would be accessible to a caregiver through the access opening 16 and/or vertically inverted, as illustrated in FIG. 4, so when the garment is partially removed and folded down by the caregiver from the wearer's upper torso, the pockets 28 are inverted where the pocket closures, a closure flap 30 in the illustrated embodiment, now define the upper pocket edge. A further modification of the illustrated embodiment contemplates a single, larger hygiene product pocket that extends across the wearer's abdomen.

[0038] FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative embodiment providing for attachment of padded arm sleeves 32 and leggings 34 to address protection from self-mutilation by the wearer. In this embodiment, one side of padded zipper-like closure 31 circumscribe the arm and leg openings. The mating zipper element is affixed to the and circumscribes the padded sleeves 32 and leggings 34 openings. When a caregiver believes a wearer would benefit from the additional protection provided by one or more of the padded adjuncts, the caregiver can affix the selected adjunct(s) sleeves 32 and or leggings 34 by mating the zipper closure elements and attaching the sleeve(s) and/or leggings to the garment 10. Correspondingly, the attached adjuncts may be detached by the caregiver given a particular situation. Preferably the zipper elements 31 are covered to prevent wearer access and the zipper start is on the rear panel 14. Also, the sleeves 32 may incorporate a thumb hook 35 to limit wearer hand movement and reduce self-mutilating activity.

[0039] Inclusion of additional conventional elements and/or other details in the prior art such as medical device/sensor retaining adjuncts, catheter feedthroughs, and electronic wearable technology may also be incorporated into the garment of this invention.

[0040] Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been described herein, it is understood by those skilled in the art that other modifications and embodiments of the invention will come to mind to which the invention pertains, having benefit of the teaching presented in the foregoing description and associated drawings. It is therefore understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, and that many modifications and other embodiments of the invention are intended to be included within the scope of the invention. Moreover, although specific terms are employed herein, they are used only in generic and descriptive sense, and not for the purposes of limiting the description invention.