Surgical Gown, Gloves, and Cap With Cooling Properties
In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are presented herein useful to provide a protective medical garment, such as a gown, head covering, or gloves with a cooling property or agent. In one approach, the protective medical garment comprises a non-woven fabric that is at least partially-treated on an interior surface thereof with a phase change cooling agent. For example, a surgical gown may have a torso section and sleeves, with the phase change cooling agent deposited in areas adjacent the wearer's trunk, neck, underarms, or wrists.
1 . A surgical gown comprising:
a non-woven fabric forming a body for said a surgical gown, the body of the surgical gown having a front torso section, a back section, and sleeve sections, said body defining an interior surface and an exterior surface;
wherein the interior surface includes a phase change cooling agent deposited on a at least a portion thereof;
wherein the cooling agent includes a binder, a surfactant, and plural microcapsules of a phase change material encapsulated in a hydrophilic wall material, the phase change material having a melting point no greater than 32° C.
2 . The surgical gown of claim 1 , wherein the phase change cooling agent is disposed over only a portion of the interior surface but not the entirety thereof.
3 . The surgical gown of claim 1 wherein the phase change cooling agent is disposed directly on at least a portion the non-woven fabric that comprises the body of the gown.
4 . The surgical gown of claim 3 wherein at least a portion of the microencapsulated phase change material is disposed within said non-woven fabric that comprises the body of the gown.
5 . The surgical gown of claim 1 wherein the phase change agent is disposed on a backing sheet that is attached to the non-woven fabric that comprises the body of the gown.
6 . The surgical gown of claim 5 wherein the backing sheet is a non-woven fabric sheet.
7 . The surgical gown of claim 6 wherein at least a portion of the microencapsulated phase change material is disposed within said non-woven fabric sheet.
8 . The surgical gown of claim 1 wherein the phase change cooling agent comprises microcapsules having a polyacrylate wall portion encapsulating a C 18 wax.
9 . The surgical gown of claim 1 wherein the cooling agent is rotogravure printed onto the non-woven fabric or onto a backing sheet that is attached to the non-woven fabric.
10 . The surgical gown of claim 1 wherein the non-woven fabric is formed of a laminated synthetic fabric web.
11 . The surgical gown of claim 1 wherein the non-woven fabric comprises a spunbond and meltblown fabric.
12 . The surgical gown of claim 11 wherein the non-woven fabric comprises a spunbond-meltblown-spunbond fabric.
13 . The surgical gown of claim 1 wherein the phase change cooling agent is disposed adjacent at least one of a wearer's trunk, neck, underarms, or wrists.
14 . A surgical gown comprising:
a non-woven fabric forming a body for said a surgical gown, the body of the surgical gown having a front torso section, a back section, and sleeve sections, said body defining an interior surface and an exterior surface; and
a cooling agent printed onto the interior surface, wherein the cooling agent includes a binder, a surfactant, and plural microcapsules of a phase change material encapsulated in a hydrophilic wall material, the phase change material having a melting point no greater than 32° C.
wherein the cooling agent is pattern printed via a rotogravure printer.
15 . A bouffant cap comprising:
a non-woven fabric forming a covering body with an elastic trim, the elastic trim configured to rest on a head of a wearer adjacent the face; and
at least a portion of an interior of the covering body having a phase change cooling agent deposited thereon, wherein the cooling agent includes a binder, a surfactant, and plural microcapsules of a phase change material encapsulated in a hydrophilic wall material, the phase change material having a melting point no greater than 32° C.
16 . The bouffant cap of claim 15 wherein the phase change cooling agent is disposed directly on the non-woven fabric that comprises the covering body.
17 . A surgical cap comprising:
a non-woven fabric forming a cap panel with a cap tie that is configured to secure the surgical cap to a wearer's head; and
at least a portion of the cap panel having a phase change cooling agent deposited thereon, wherein the cooling agent includes a binder, a surfactant, and plural microcapsules of a phase change material encapsulated in a hydrophilic wall material, the phase change material having a melting point no greater than 32° C.
18 . The surgical cap of claim 17 further comprising a top vent that lacks the cooling agent.
19 . The surgical cap of claim 18 wherein the phase change cooling agent is disposed directly on the non-woven fabric that comprises the cap panel.
20 . A surgical glove comprising:
a flexible body forming the surgical glove, the flexible body having a first area including a palm-back area, a second area having a plurality of finger-receiving receptacles and a third area forming a wrist and forearm area, the flexible glove having an inner surface and an outer surface; and
a phase change cooling agent deposited on at least a portion of the inner surface;
wherein the cooling agent includes a binder, a surfactant, and plural microcapsules of a phase change material encapsulated in a hydrophilic wall material, the phase change material having a melting point no greater than 32° C.