# US 10,863,783 B2 · Protective apparel with angled stretch panel > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,863,783 B2 - Document ID: US10863783B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/735,738 - Filed: 2007-04-16 - Published: 2008-10-16 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2007-04-16 - Assignees: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. - Applicants: Jeanne Marie Gatto; Christina Mae Chingren Seward - Inventors: Jeanne Marie Gatto; Christina Mae Chingren Seward - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10863783B2 ## CPC - A41D 13/02: Overalls {, e.g. bodysuits or bib overalls} (sweating suits A61H36/00) - A41D 2300/22: Elastic inserts - A41D 2400/52: Disposable - A41D: OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES ## Abstract A disposable protective apparel garment having an angled elastomeric panel present on the back side of the garment is described. The garment, such as protective coveralls, includes an elastomeric panel in a V-shaped configuration that extends from the lower back upwardly toward the underarms and along the sleeves. Such an elastomeric panel allows the wearer a greater degree of movement when wearing such a garment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A disposable protective garment for a wearer, the disposable protective garment comprising: a body comprising a body portion formed from a barrier fabric having a holdout efficiency of at least 40% for particles having a diameter greater than 0.1 micron, the body portion comprising a front side, a back side comprising a central back seam and a lower back portion, and an upper portion, and a neck opening; a right leg and a left leg, both legs extending from the body portion, a crotch formed at a point where each of the right leg and the left leg meet the front side and the back side of the body portion; a closure extending from the neck opening on the front side of the body portion toward the crotch; a right sleeve and a left sleeve, both the right sleeve and the left sleeve extending from the body portion, both sleeves comprising an underside, both sleeves being attached to and extending from the upper portion, a left underarm formed where the underside of the left sleeve is joined to the upper portion, and a right underarm formed where the underside of the right sleeve is joined to the upper portion; and a V-shaped elastomeric strip comprising an apex and a first extension and a second extension, the V-shaped elastomeric strip positioned on the back side of the body portion, the apex being positioned no lower than the lower back portion and substantially in alignment with the central back seam, the first extension of the V-shaped elastomeric strip extending from the apex toward the left underarm and the second extension of the V-shaped elastomeric strip extending from the apex toward the right underarm, wherein the V-shaped elastomeric strip permits the wearer to reach and bend; wherein the first and second extensions of the V-shaped elastomeric strip have been attached to the body portion of the garment while being held in a stretched configuration and then allowed to retract after attachment; and wherein the barrier fabric forming at least the entire front side of the body portion is non-elastomeric. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein the V-shaped elastomeric strip is formed from an elastomeric nonwoven laminate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein the V-shaped elastomeric strip is comprised of a laminate including a nonwoven material joined to an elastomeric film or nonwoven web. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein the V-shaped elastomeric strip comprises a stretch-bonded laminate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein the V-shaped elastomeric strip comprises a necked-bonded laminate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, where the V-shaped elastomeric strip is a continuous strip of elastomeric material without a seam spanning across the strip. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, where the V-shaped elastomeric strip is between 2 and 6 inches wide and has an elastic elongation between 25 percent and 400 percent. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The garment of claim 7, where the V-shaped elastomeric strip is between 2 and 4 inches wide. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, where the V-shaped elastomeric strip is oriented upon the garment such that, when the garment is held flat, an angle formed by the first extension and the second extension of the V-shaped elastomeric strip is between 83 degrees to 155 degrees. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, where one the second extension extends to the right underarm and along the underside of the right sleeve, and where the first extension extends to the left underarm and along the underside of the left sleeve. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The garment of claim 10, where the second extension extends along the underside of the right sleeve to a right wrist, and where the first extension extends along the underside of the left sleeve to the left wrist. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The coverall of claim 1, where the second extension extends along the back side of the right sleeve, and where the first extension extends along the back side of the left sleeve. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The coverall of claim 1, where the second extension extends along the upper edge of the right sleeve, and where the first extension extends along the upper edge of the left sleeve. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein the front side of the body portion is divided into a right side and a left side, further wherein the garment comprises a right panel and a left panel, the right panel comprising the right leg and the right side of the front side of the body portion formed from a seamless sheet of the barrier fabric, the left panel comprising the left leg and the left side of the front side of the body portion formed from a seamless sheet of the barrier fabric. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The garment of claim 14, wherein the right panel and the left panel are substantially mirror images of each other. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The garment of claim 14, wherein the right panel further comprises the right sleeve and the left panel further comprises the left sleeve. ### Claim 17 A disposable protective garment for a wearer, the disposable protective garment comprising: a body comprising a body portion having a left body panel and a right body panel, both the left body panel and right body panel having a front side, a back side, and an upper portion, where a central back seam joins the back side of the left body panel to the back side of the right body panel, and where the left body panel and the right body panel define a lower back portion and a neck opening; a right leg extending from the right body panel and a left leg extending from the left body panel, a crotch formed at a point where the right leg, the left leg and the body portion meet on both the front side and the back side of the left body panel and the right body panel; a right sleeve and a left sleeve, the right sleeve extending from the right body panel and the left sleeve extending from the left body panel, both sleeves comprising an underside, both sleeves being attached to and extending from the upper portion, a left underarm formed where the underside of the left sleeve is joined to the upper portion of the left body panel, and a right underarm formed where the underside of the right sleeve is joined to the upper portion of the right body panel; and a V-shaped elastomeric strip comprising an apex and a first extension and a second extension, the V-shaped elastomeric strip positioned on the back side of the right body panel and the back side of the left body panel, the apex being positioned no lower than the lower back portion and substantially in alignment with the central back seam, the first extension of the V-shaped elastomeric strip extending from the apex toward the left underarm and the second extension of the V-shaped elastomeric strip extending from the apex toward the right underarm; wherein a single closure extends from the neck opening on a front side of the garment toward the crotch, so as to join the left body panel to the right body panel; and wherein at least the entire front side of the left body panel and the right body panel is formed from a non-elastomeric barrier fabric. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The garment of claim 17, wherein the single closure is a single zipper extending continuously from the neck opening towards the crotch. ### Claim 19 A disposable protective garment for a wearer, the disposable protective garment comprising: a body comprising a body portion formed from a barrier fabric having a liquid hydrohead resistance of from 15 millibars up to 200 millibars, the body portion comprising a front side, a back side comprising a central back seam and a lower back portion, and an upper portion, and a neck opening; a right leg and a left leg, both legs extending from the body portion, a crotch formed at a point where each of the right leg and the left leg meet the front side and the back side of the body portion; a closure extending from the neck opening on the front side of the body portion toward the crotch; a right sleeve and a left sleeve, both the right sleeve and the left sleeve extending from the body portion, both sleeves comprising an underside, a left underarm formed where the underside of the left sleeve is joined to the upper portion, and a right underarm formed where the underside of the right sleeve is joined to the upper portion; and a V-shaped elastomeric strip comprising an apex and a first extension and a second extension, the V-shaped elastomeric strip positioned on the back side of the body portion, the apex being positioned no lower than the lower back portion and substantially in alignment with the central back seam, the first extension of the V-shaped elastomeric strip extending from the apex toward the left underarm and the second extension of the V-shaped elastomeric strip extending from the apex toward the right underarm; wherein the first and second extensions of the V-shaped elastomeric strip have been attached to the body portion of the garment while being held in a stretched configuration and then allowed to retract after attachment; and wherein the barrier fabric forming at least the entire front side of the body portion is non-elastomeric.