US 7,350,680 B2Granted

Radiation garment holder and methods

OwnerMark DeBroeckinventor

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Abstract

A radiation garment holder for mounting on a wall or other suitable surface. The holder has a central section with first and second clearance sections, first and second arms, and first and second shoulder support regions. The cantilevered clearance sections prevent radiation protection garments from contacting a support surface. The non-contact design reduces disease transmission between the radiation garment and a support surface, and reduces mechanical damage to the garment. The convex shoulder supports help extend the useful life of a radiation garment. The holder is nonporous and may readily be disinfected without degrading the material. The nonporous holder reduces the absorption of infectious agents, reduces the ability of the holder to support the growth of microorganisms or other antigenic materials, and reduces the risk of transferring unhealthful agents.

Claims12

Dependent claims

An apparatus for hanging a radiation garment from a wall at a desired mounting position, comprising:

a central section having at least one contact surface adapted for mounting upon said wall when said apparatus is mounted to said wall at said desired mounting position;
first and second clearance sections attached to opposing sides of the central section, said first and second clearance sections extending outwardly from said at least one contact surface to provide clearances from the at least one contact surface and said wall when the apparatus is mounted on said wall;
first and second arms respectively connected to the first and second clearance sections, said first and second arms extending in different directions in cantilevered configurations;
first and second shoulder supports being integrally connected to the respective first and second arms, said first and second arms and respective first and second shoulder supports forming integral panels in which the first and second arms extend upwardly and have respective first and second shoulder supports that are smoothly curved panels which are convex along upper surfaces thereof and concave upon lower surfaces thereof;
wherein said first and second shoulder supports receive shoulder portions of said radiation garment thereon when said radiation garment is supported upon the apparatus.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.