A GARMENT FOR THE PATIENTS AND ELDERLY Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a garment developed for the elderly and patients, particularly the patients with Alzheimer's disease and mentally unstable patients, who have to wear diapers but take off these diapers in an uncontrollable fashion.

Background of the Invention

The elderly patients with Alzheimer's disease or the mentally unstable patients generally have to use diapers. However, these patients sometimes take off both their clothes and diapers in an uncontrollable manner. This, in turn, is an unwanted situation not only for the patient's relatives but also for the caregivers.

Further, it is required to change the diapers of the patients more than once a day. For replacing the diaper, the clothes of the patient are taken off, the diaper is changed, and the clothes of the patient are put on again. The former is another problem for the patient's relatives and caregivers.

Various garments have been developed within the state of the art in order that the patients will be prevented from taking off their clothes and the diapers of the patients will be changed without having to take the garment off.

The U.S. Patent No. US5911312 of the prior art discloses a clothing for patients. In this clothing, the zipper is provided at the rear side of the garment. Moreover, elastic material is used in the wrist and ankle portions of said garment. Nevertheless, the zipper does not extend until the front portion of the garment. Another prior art document is the U.S. Patent No. US7827619, wherein a garment provided with a zipper along the whole length of its rear portion is disclosed.

The U.S. Patent No. US2011179547 of the prior art, on the other hand, discloses a one-piece garment, the back portion of which is provided with a zipper along the whole length.

The Turkish Utility Model No. TR201511642 of the prior art discloses a garment, the arm, leg and body portions of which are provided with snap fasteners or zippers.

However, the aforementioned Patent Nos. US5911312, US7827619, and US2011179547 disclose a zipper provided at the rear portion of the garment such that the patient will be prevented from taking off the garment in an uncontrollable fashion. The zipper starts at the rear portion of the garment from the neck region and extends along the whole length of the rear portion of the garment again. When the garment is on, the zip pull is provided at the rear portion of the garment at the back of the patient's neck. Therefore, the patient is unable to unzip and take the garment off on his/her own. When s/he wishes to take the garment off, the help of a second person is needed to unzip.

The embodiments disclosed in these documents prevent the patients from taking the garment off by themselves. However, when one wants to change the diaper of the patient, s/he needs to unzip along the whole length of the zipper and take the garment off the patient, and upon replacement of the diaper, s/he needs to put the garment on the patient again. In these applications, it is not possible to change the diaper without taking the whole garment off.

On the other hand, the object of the Utility Model No. TR201511642 is utterly different. What is aimed by this application is to reach the desired part of the body easily, and so the garment is provided with snap fasteners or zippers at many portions thereof. As for this application, the patient cannot be prevented from taking the garment off.

Given all these and such applications, it has been deemed necessary to develop a garment by which many disadvantages are avoided by preventing the patient from taking the garment off in an uncontrollable fashion, and at the same time hygiene is provided, and whereby it is not required to take off the whole garment when the diaper of the patient is required to be changed by the caregiver. Objects and Summary of the Invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a garment by which many disadvantages are avoided by preventing the patient from taking the garment off in an uncontrollable fashion, and at the same time hygiene is provided, and whereby it is allowed to change the diaper of the patient without taking the whole garment off.

In the patient garment, the zipper starts at the neck region at the rear portion of the garment and passes through the leg portions of the garment to the front side, preferably extending continuously until the level of the navel. When the garment is worn, the zip pull is provided at the rear portion of the garment at the back of the patient's neck. Therefore, the patient will be unable to unzip and take the garment off on his/her own. When the garment is desired to be taken off, the help of a second person will be needed to unzip.

On the other hand, when the diaper of the patient is desired to be replaced, the zipper will be unzipped by holding the zip pull and the zipper will be unzipped until the level of the navel or crotch at the front side of the garment in separated position. Thus, it will be possible to reach the diaper of the patient without having the take the whole garment off and change the diaper of the patient. Detailed Description of the Invention

The garment embodied for achieving the objects of the present invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is the front schematic view of the garment according to the invention. Fig. 2 is the rear schematic view of the garment according to the invention.

The parts shown in the drawings are enumerated individually and the reference numerals corresponding thereto are given below.

1. Garment

2. Zipper

3. Zip pull

4. Neck band

5. Arm band

6. Foot band

7. Waist band

The garment (1) embodied for achieving the objects of the present invention comprises:

a zip pull (3) allowing the zipper (2) to be zipped/unzipped, and

- a zipper (2) that starts at the neck region at the rear portion of the garment

(1) and extends to the front side through the leg portions of the garment (1), preferably continuing until the level of the navel.

The garment (1) according to the invention comprises in the neck portion thereof a neck band (4) of rubber-like, or the so-called rib-like form in textile terms, which is tight enough to prevent the patients from taking off the garment by themselves, but flexible enough to allow an easy putting on process to be performed by the caregivers.

The garment (1) according to the invention comprises in the wrist portions thereof arm bands (5) of rubber-like, or the so-called rib-like form in textile terms, which are tight enough to prevent the patients from taking off the garment by themselves, but flexible enough to allow an easy putting on process to be performed by the caregivers. The garment (1) according to the invention comprises in the ankle portions thereof foot bands (6) of rubber-like, or the so-called rib-like form in textile terms, which are tight enough to prevent the patients from taking off the garment by themselves, but flexible enough to allow an easy putting on process to be performed by the caregivers.

The garment (1) according to the invention comprises in the waist portion thereof a waist band (7) of rubber-like, or the so-called rib-like form in textile terms, which is tight enough to prevent the patients from taking off the garment by themselves, but flexible enough to allow an easy putting on process to be performed by the caregivers. The waist band (7) also serves for ensuring that the garment (1) is firm on the body during possible movements of the patient and that the garment (1) does not move together with the body movements. Otherwise, the patient will be disturbed in case the garment (1) loosens, stretches, etc. due to the movements of the patient. This inconvenience is avoided by allowing a firm hold of the garment (1) on the patient's body thanks to the rib-like waist band (7) applied on the waist portion.

When the garment (1) is on, the zip pull (3) is provided at the rear portion of the garment (1) and at the neck region. (Fig. 2) The fact that the zip pull (3) is disposed in said area prevents the patient from unzipping the zipper by holding the zip pull (3) portion thereof. Hence, the patient is also prevented from taking the garment (1) off in an uncontrollable fashion. When the diaper of the patient is to be changed, a relative of the patient or a caregiver will start separating the zipper (2) via holding the zip pull (3) thereof. The zipper (2) extends to the front side of the garment (1), preferably until the waist region, through the leg portions of the garment (1) starting from the rear portion of the garment (1) again. Upon unzipping the garment (1) through the zip pull (3) until the end of the front portion of the former, the patient's diaper will be reached from the front portion of the garment (1) as well. (Fig. 1) Subsequent to replacing the diaper without taking the whole garment (1) off, the zipper (2) is zipped again by holding the zip pull (3). Since the zip pull (3) will again be provided at the rear portion of the garment (1) and at the neck region when zipper (2) is fully zipped, the patient will be prevented from taking the garment (1) off on his/her own without permission or in an uncontrollable fashion.

With the garment (1) according to the invention, not only the patients will be prevented from taking the garment (1) off without permission or in an uncontrollable fashion, but also it will be possible to reach the patient's diaper from the front portion of the garment (1) and change the diaper under hygienic conditions, thanks to a zipper (2) starting from the rear portion of the garment (1) and extending to the front portion of the same.