Appeal No. 97-2226 Page 11
Application No. 08/203,789
openable for the entire length thereof so some or all of the
wearer's limbs and body can be exposed for providing health care
to that wearer. The legs and arms can be closed by suitable
fastener means to cover the wearer so the garment can be both
aesthetically pleasing, warm and yet still provide access to the
patient for the purposes of providing health care. Dye teaches
that the preferred form of the fastener means is hook-and-loop
fasteners, such as Velcro , however, other forms of fastener®
means, such as snaps, buttons, or zippers can be used. As shown
in Figure 2, a plurality of buttons 32 are fixed to one side of
the shirt front section and are engaged with the other portion
via button holes to close the shirt about the wearer. Dye
teaches at column 1, lines 44-48, that many patients find
traditional hospital gowns, "not only displeasurable, but
physically uncomfortable, especially if the environmental
temperature in the room is lower than they are comfortable
with." Dye teaches that her garment will keep a patient warm and
that the shirt and pants can be made of any suitable material.
Boettcher discloses a patient's gown. The gown is so
constructed that it can be readily put on and removed from the
patient while in bed, while at the same time providing slits,
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