US3470566A - Apron or bib article - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 7, 1969 N; c. BATTAGLIA ET AL APRON OR BIB ARTICLE Filed Sept. 26, 1957 INVENT OR 3 STM f $5M TmLz mmw BB .CL Na i M 3 NEW ATTORNEYS- United States Patent 3,470,566 APRON 0R BIB ARTICLE Norman C. Battaglia and Blondell Battaglia, both of 4616 Washington, St., Milwaukie, Oreg. 97222 Filed Sept. 26, 1967, Ser. No. 670,617 Int. Cl. A41d 13/04 U.S. Cl. 2-49 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bib comprising a planar member, the planar member having an opening therein for receiving the neck of the wearer therethrough when the bib is worn, the planar member having a slit extending from the opening to an upper edge thereof and a flexible cover member secured to the planar member to depend therefrom when the planar member is worn about the neck of the wearer.

This invention relates to a wearing apparel and more particularly to an apron or bib article which is adapted to be easily and quickly applied around and removed from the neck of the wearer. The present invention further contemplates an apron or bib article which is disposable.

In various applications, it has been found desirable to provide bibs or aprons which can be easily applied and removed by the wearer and which are disposable. This particularly has been found desirable in certain applications such as in applying facial treatments, performing dental operations, shaving or eating. Most of the prior art bibs and aprons intended for such applications are of the reusable type which most often are comparatively expensive items, and which require laundering for repeated use. Furthermore, it has been found that the use of such conventional articles in service requires considerable time and attention to recover after usage and launder.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of this invention to provide a novel bib or apron article.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel bib or apron article which is disposable.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel disposable bib or apron article which may be easily applied to and removed from the user.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel disposable bib or apron device which is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those persons skilled in the art, from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention applied to the body of a wearer;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 3, having a portion thereof broken away.

Briefly described, the present invention relates to a bib generally comprising a comparatively rigid planar member having an upper edge, the planar member having an opening therein for receiving the neck of a user therethrough when the bib is worn by the user, the planar member having an access slot extending from the opening to the upper edge and a flexible cover member secured to the planar member to depend therefrom when the planar member is worn about the neck of the user. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the trans- "ice verse dimension of the access slot is made smaller than the transverse dimension of the opening, to provide a pair of inwardly projecting arm portions engageable with the back of the neck of the user when the bib is being worn, whereby the bib may be suspended from the neck of the user along the front side thereof, the planar member is sufliciently flexible to permit the arm portions to be flexed apart, whereby the neck of the user can be passed through the access slot into the opening when the bib is being installed on the user and the cover member is adhesively secured to a planar surface of the planar member.

Referring to the drawing, there is illustrated an embodiment of the invention. Specifically, FIGURE 1 illustrates a bib 10 being worn about the neck of a user. As best illustrated in FIGURES 2 through 4, the bib 10 consists of two basic components including a planar member 11 and a cover member 12. The planar member 12 preferably is formed of a comparatively rigid sheet of cardboard and includes an upper edge 13, a bottom edge 14 disposed substantially parallel to the upper edge 13, substantially parallel side edges 15 and 16 and beveled upper edges 17 and 18. The planar member 12 also is provided with a front planar surface 19 and a rear planar surface 20, and a circular opening 21 for receiving the neck of the wearer therethrough when the bib article is Worn, is illustrated in FIGURE 1. The planar member further is provided with an access slot extending between the opening 21 and the upper edge 13 to provide a pair of inwardly projecting arm portions 22 and 23 which may be flexed apart to receive the neck of the wearer through the access slot when the bib article is being installed on the wearer. The lower inner edges of the arm portions 22 and 23 also engage the back of the neck of the user, to permit the bib article to be suspended from the neck of the user when it is worn.

The cover member 12 is substantially rectangular in shape, and consists of a flexible paper material. The cover member is provided with a pair of parallel side edges 24 and 25 which are in alignment with the side edges 15 and 16 of the planar member 11, a lower edge 26 which is disposed substantially parallel to the upper and lower edges 13 and 14 of the planar member and an upper portion having a configuration corresponding to the configuration of the planar member. The upper portion of the rear surface 27 of the cover member is adhesively secured to the front surface 19 of the planar member 11, as best illustrated in FIGURE 3. The rear surface 27 0f the cover member preferably is provided with a plastic coating so that the cover member can be heat bonded to the planar member 11.

When the bib article as described is to be worn, the user need merely move the arm portions 22 and 23 of the planar member apart and move the inner parts of the arm portions past his neck to receive his neck through the access slot into the opening 21. With the planar portion in position, it will be seen from'FIGURE 1 that the cover member 12 will depend therefrom covering the upper front portion of the users attire. The width of the bib article substantially corresponds with the width of the body of the user, so that the planar member 11 extends across the upper portion of the chest of the user, permitting the cover member 12 to depend downwardly, thus covering the upper portion of the body of the user. It will be noted that the rigidity of the planar member 11 conveniently positions and maintains the cover member on the body of the user.

The front surface of the cover member 12 preferably consists of an absorbent material which will absorb any liquid or semiliquid matter falilng in contact therewith. It further will be appreciated that the front surface of the bib can be used as a napkin.

When the user is finished with the bib article, it easily can be removed simply by grasping thet arm portions 22, 23, pulling them apart and removing the big article from the neck of the user. The used bib then can be easily discarded.

It is preferred that the planar member 11 and the cover member 12 be constructed of inexpensive paper products. Furthermore, it is contemplated that decorative figures and perhaps advertising matter can be printed on the front surface of the cover member.

From the foregoing detailed description it will be evident that there are a number of changes, adaptations and modifications of the present invention which come within the province of those skilled in the art. However, it is intended that all such variations not departing from the spirit of the invention be considered as within the scope thereof as limited solely by the appended claim.

We claim:

1. A bib comprising a comparatively rigid planar member having a length and width sufficient to overlie a substantial portion of the top of the shoulders and the upper chest of the user, said planar member having an upper edge, an opening therein for receiving the neck of the user therethrough when the bib is being worn and an access slot extending from said opening 't o'said edge, the width of said access slot being smaller than the greatest width of said opening to provide a pair of inwardly projecting arm portions which may be flexed apart to open and close said access slot so that the neck of the user may be passed through said access slot when the bib is being .WOITIIIIOI" removed, and a flexible cover member having the same wid'tli'as said planar member to cover the remaining upperfront portion of the user when the .bib is worn, secured to and depending from said planar member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS p w I 5/1927 Schilke 2 s2 1,628,433 2,580,388 1/1952 Allen 2--49 2,742,644 4/ 1956 Kaufman 2-49 2,830,297 4/ 1958 Sabee 2-49 FOREIGN PATENTS 162,760 4/ 1949 Austria.

ALFRED R. GUEST, Primary Examiner

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