# US 10,864,125 B2 · Gown system

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- Number: US 10,864,125 B2
- Document ID: US10864125B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/842,084
- Filed: 2020-04-07
- Published: 2020-07-30
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2016-04-01
- Assignees: GownUP Inc.
- Applicants: Neil Andrew Louwrens
- Inventors: Neil Andrew Louwrens
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864125B2

## CPC

- A61F 15/001: {Packages or dispensers for bandages, cotton balls, drapes, dressings, gauze, gowns, sheets, sponges, swabsticks or towels (A61F15/007 takes precedence)}
- A41D 13/12: Surgeons' or patients' gowns or dresses {(operating gloves A61B42/10)}
- A41D 13/1209: {Surgeons' gowns or dresses}
- B65D 25/22: for facilitating lifting or suspending of containers
- B65D 83/0805: {through an aperture in a wall}
- B65D 85/18: for wearing apparel, headwear or footwear
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- A41D: OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
- B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES

## Abstract

A gown dispenser system has a plurality of gowns, each having a back region, the gowns folded and stacked back region facing up, such that, pulling on the back region of a gown on top of the stack removes that gown from the stack and exposes the back region of the next gown in the stack, an enclosure containing the stack of gowns, the enclosure having an opening exposing the back region of the gown at the top of the stack, enabling a user to grasp the exposed back region and pull the topmost gown from the enclosure, exposing the next gown in the stack. Gowns are drawn from the enclosure one-at-a-time, at need.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A gown dispenser system, comprising:
a plurality of gowns, each gown comprising:
an upper portion having a front region and an opposing back region;
opposing left and right arm openings positioned in the upper portion; and
a head opening positioned in the upper portion;
the plurality of gowns folded and stacked with the back region of each gown facing up, such that, grasping and pulling on the back region of a gown on top of the stack removes that gown from the stack and exposes the back region of the next gown in the stack; and
an enclosure containing the stack of gowns with the back regions facing up, the enclosure having an opening in one surface exposing at least a portion of the back region of the gown at the top of the stack, enabling a user to grasp the exposed back region, and to pull the topmost gown from the enclosure, exposing the next gown in the stack.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The gown dispenser system of claim 1, further comprising an interface mechanism attached to the enclosure, enabling the enclosure to be suspended on a substantially vertical surface, with the opening facing outward from the substantially vertical surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The gown dispenser system of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is implemented in paperboard, with a portion of the paperboard on the one surface of the enclosure perforated in a shape to provide the opening, with the paperboard within the perforated region removable.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The gown dispenser system of claim 1, wherein each gown further comprises a front apron portion integral with and extending downwardly from the front region.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The gown dispenser system of claim 4, wherein the back region has a length that is shorter than the front apron portion.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The gown dispenser system of claim 4, wherein the front apron portion has a length sufficient for covering a major portion of a user's body.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The gown dispenser system of claim 5, wherein the back region extends down to a lower extremity of the arm openings.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The gown dispenser system of claim 4, wherein each gown further comprises opposing left and right sleeves integral with the corresponding left and right arm openings.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The gown dispenser system of claim 8, wherein each gown is folded by folding the left and right sleeves against the front region, and folding a lower part of the front apron portion upward against the front region along a substantially horizontal line, leaving the back region free.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The gown dispenser system of claim 1, wherein each gown further comprises a pull tab attached to the back region.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The gown dispenser system of claim 10, wherein the front apron portion provides a pair of tie extensions positioned and configured for tying the front apron portion around a body of a user.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The gown dispenser system of claim 11, wherein the interface mechanism comprises one or more brackets attached to a side of the container opposite the side providing the opening, the brackets configured to enable hanging the container from a top edge of a door.

### Claim 13

A gown dispenser system, comprising:
a plurality of gowns, each gown comprising:
an upper portion having a front region and an opposing back region;
opposing left and right sleeves each having an arm opening into the upper portion;
a head opening positioned in the upper portion; and
a front apron portion integral with and extending downwardly from the front region, such that the back region has a length that is shorter than the front apron portion;
the plurality of gowns folded and stacked with the back region of each gown facing up, such that, grasping and pulling on the back region of a gown on top of the stack removes that gown from the stack and exposes the back region of the next gown in the stack; and
an enclosure containing the stack of gowns with the back regions facing up, the enclosure having an opening in one surface exposing at least a portion of the back region of the gown at the top of the stack, enabling a user to grasp the exposed back region, and to pull the topmost gown from the enclosure, exposing the next gown in the stack.

### Claim 14

A method for providing a gown to a user from a gown dispensing system, the method comprising the steps of:
folding a plurality of gowns into a stack of gowns, such that a back region of each gown in the stack faces up;
placing the stack of gowns into an enclosure having an opening in one surface, said opening positioned for exposing at least a portion of the back region of a topmost gown at the top of the stack; and
positioning the enclosure so as to allow a user to grasp the back region of the topmost gown and pull the topmost gown from the enclosure, leaving a next gown in the stack having the back region exposed through the opening.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the step of folding the plurality of gowns further comprises the steps of:
folding opposing left and right sleeves of each gown against a front region of said gown, and
folding a lower part of a front apron portion of each gown upward against the front region along a substantially horizontal line, leaving the back region of said gown free.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the step of positioning the enclosure further comprises the step of positioning the enclosure in a substantially vertical orientation, such that the back region of the topmost gown lies in a substantially vertical plane.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the step of positioning the enclosure in a substantially vertical orientation further comprises the step of supporting the enclosure on a substantially vertical surface by an interface mechanism with the opening in the back surface facing away from the substantially vertical surface.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of positioning the enclosure on the substantially vertical surface such that a height of the opening is substantially equal to that of a height of the user.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:
the user grasping and pulling the back region of the topmost gown through the opening of the enclosure;
the user pulling an upper portion of the topmost gown over their head;
the user inserting their head through a head opening positioned in the upper portion; and
the user stepping back away from the enclosure, pulling a remainder of the topmost gown from the enclosure.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of the user inserting their arms into opposing left and right sleeves of the topmost gown.