Temperature controlling garment

Abstract

A temperature controlling garment comprising a garment made from a layer of material that utilizes moisture management technology to enhance its ability to wick moisture away from the body of the person wearing it, at least one temperature modification pack that changes the temperature of the garment, and at least one receptacle associated with the garment that holds the temperature modification pack in place on the garment. The temperature modification pack comprises an outer casing defining a closed cavity and a polymer mixture contained within the cavity wherein the polymer mixture receives and stores a thermal charge and releases the thermal charge over an extended period of time.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/522,679 filed Oct. 27, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to garments which can heat or cool the body of the person wearing them to enhance their comfort.

2. Background Art

There is a need for a light weight garment that can cool or heat the body of the person wearing it for hours at a time for the purpose of maintaining a comfortable body temperature in extreme environments. Such a garment may have a wide range of applications including, but not limited to, use by military personnel in hot or cold theaters of operation, race car drivers, persons who work out of doors and persons engaging in recreational activities such as skiing, golfing, hiking.

The prior art discloses several different types of devices that attempt to cool or heat a person. Such devices may be inconvenient to use and may interfere with the freedom of movement of a person wearing the device. Bulky cooling packs may interfere with a person's activities. Water permeated devices may be heavy and make the user wet. Other devices require removal for a period of time to recharge their thermal properties. Some devices cool, but do not heat a person and vice versa. Other devices create hot spots or cold spots because of the tendency of their thermal agent to settle. Other devices discharge their thermal charge over a relatively short time period. In short, none of these earlier devices provides a light weight, flexible, long lasting and inexpensive solution to the problem described above. The present invention fulfills these needs as summarized below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a garment for controlling the ambient temperature in immediate proximity to the body of the person wearing the garment that uses sealed packs for cooling or warming the body as needed.

According to one aspect of the invention, a garment is provided that is made from a base layer material utilizing moisture management technology giving it a relatively high wicking ability. Such moisture management technology is well known in the art and includes, but is not limited to, the application of coatings to the surface of materials, the structure of the material, the fibers used to make the materials and the orientation and structure of such fibers. Such materials may include, but are not limited to, polyester, spandex, nylon and lycra. These materials, and any other material utilizing a moisture management technology, eliminate localized accumulation of moisture by pulling moisture and excess heat away from the body and spreading it throughout the material, thereby promoting evaporation over a broad area of the material. At least one temperature modification pack is also provided that changes the temperature of the air and moisture as it passes through the garment. There is at least one receptacle associated with the garment that retains the temperature modification pack in place on the garment. The temperature modification pack cools or heats the air and moisture inside the garment. The cooled or heated air and moisture circulates around the body of the person wearing the garment. The cooled area greatly exceeds the area covered by the temperature modification pack and thereby increases the comfort of the person.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the temperature modification pack comprises an outer, tear resistant casing defining a closed cavity and a polymer mixture contained within the cavity. The casing can be made from plastic, foil, PVC or Tyvek® material. The polymer mixture may be comprised of poly sodium acrylate, gelatine, a bulking agent, pectin and water. This polymer mixture is capable of receiving a thermal charge and is capable of storing the thermal charge such that the thermal charge is released over an extended period of time. A bulking agent, such as clay or starch, is included in the polymer mixture to prevent the polymer from settling to the bottom of the cavity.

Other aspects of the invention relate to the garment being form-fitting to the body of the person wearing it. The receptacle of the form fitting garment holds the temperature modification pack in close proximity to the person's body to improve the effectiveness of the pack, cooling or heating the body of the person wearing the garment. The receptacle provides promoting indirect contact with the body through the material of the receptacle. The form-fitting garment holds the pack against a person's body so that the pack does not interfere with body movement. The vertically elongated shape of the pack and spacing around the torso also facilitates body movement. Furthermore, the garment's receptacles may be selectively closed to keep the packs in the receptacles until the temperature modification is no longer needed or until the packs are changed.

According to other aspects of the invention, the garment may have one temperature modification pack provided for each receptacle. The garment may have more than one receptacle with each receptacle being spaced apart from each other receptacle. The garment may have two or more receptacles in the front of the garment and two or more receptacles in the back of the garment with each receptacle having a temperature modification pack.

In other aspects of the invention, the garment is worn over the torso of a person and the receptacles are positioned such that there is a receptacle in close proximity to each breast and each shoulder blade of the person wearing the garment. The garment may be characterized as having a plurality of vertically divided regions. Each region may have one vertically elongated receptacle that receives a vertically elongated temperature maintenance pack. The receptacles hold the packs in place and spaced from each other to reduce the area that is in close contact with the packs and allows the heated or cooled air and moisture to spread between the packs within the fabric of the garment.

According to other aspects of the invention, the circumferential dimension of each region is approximately equal to the circumferential dimension of each other region. Furthermore, each receptacle may be positioned in the approximate center of each region to provide generally equal spacing.

According to other aspects of the present invention, the outer casing of the temperature modification pack may contain at least one insulative layer that may be placed closest to the wearer's body to minimize localized heating or cooling adjacent the packs. The insulative layer can be made of polyurethane foam padding. The heating or cooling energy is directed through the fabric to a broader area.

According to other aspects of the invention, the temperature modification pack releases the thermal charge over an extended period of time of between three to five hours. The packs are reusable and can be recharged for cooling by placing them in a refrigerator or freezer. The packs can be recharged for heating by placing them in a microwave oven, a conventional oven, or any other source of heat.

According to other aspects of the invention, the contents of the pack is a polymer capable of storing a thermal charge over an extended period of time comprised of a mixture of gelatine, pectin, a bulking agent such as starch or clay, polysodium acrylate and water. Desirably, the mixture will contain 0.65%-0.9% gelatine, 0.6%-0.9% bulking agent, 0.1-0.22% pectin, 5%-6.5% poly sodium acrylate, and 92%-95% water. Most desirably, the polymer will be comprised of a mixture of 0.8% gelatine, 0.8% bulking agent, 0.19% pectin, 5.37% polysodium acrylate, and 92.84% water. All percentages given are by weight.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a garment and two temperature modification packs worn by a person.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the front of the garment having two temperature modification packs.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the back of the garment having two temperature modification packs.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic cross-section view of the temperature modification pack disposed within a receptacle that holds the pack in close proximity to the skin of the person wearing the garment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the temperature modification pack.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the temperature modification pack taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the temperature modification pack having an insulative layer.

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a garment having two temperature modification packs disposed in two receptacles on one side of the garment illustrating the distribution of the thermal charge from the temperature modification pack.

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic plan view of a person wearing the garment showing the placement of the temperature modification packs with respect to the person wearing the garment illustrating the dissemination of the thermal charge throughout the garment and around the body of the person wearing the garment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT(S)

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a comfort controlling garment 2 is illustrated as it is worn by a person. The garment 2 is made from a compression base layer material utilizing moisture management technology giving it a relatively high wicking ability. A temperature modification pack 4 is illustrated that is retained in a receptacle 6. The garment may have two or more temperature modification packs 4 that may be disposed in receptacles 6a and 6b in the front of the garment. Two temperature modification packs 4 may be disposed in receptacles 6c and 6d in the rear of the garment. An array of four temperature control packs 4 may be housed in four receptacles 6a, 6b, 6c and 6d around the torso of the person wearing the garment. A temperature control pack may be located in close proximity to each breast and each shoulder blade of the person wearing the garment. In one embodiment, the garment may be form fitting to the person wearing it. The temperature modification packs 4 are contained within the receptacles 6 when in use. The temperature modification pack 4 is shown protruding from the receptacle 6d in FIG. 3 to illustrate how the pack is inserted and removed from the receptacle.

Referring to FIG. 2, a perspective view of the front of the garment 2 is shown. The garment 2 has two receptacles 6a and 6b on the front of the garment. Each receptacle 6a and 6b contains a temperature modification pack 4. Buttons 8a and 8b are provided to allow the person wearing the garment to selectively close openings 7a and 7b of the receptacles. Button 8a is shown in the open position and to allow temperature modification pack 4 to be inserted or removed through the opening 7a. Button 8b is shown in the closed position with temperature modification pack 4 retained within receptacle 6b. While buttons are depicted, it should be understood that any means for closing the receptacle, such as a zipper, a snap, a hook and loop fastener strip, or a flap may also be used.

Referring to FIG. 3, a perspective view of the rear of garment 2 is shown. In this embodiment, garment 2 has two receptacles 6c and 6d on the rear of the garment. Each receptacle 6c and 6d contains a temperature modification pack 4. Additionally, buttons 8c and 8d are shown which allow the person wearing the garment to selectively close the openings 7c and 7d. Button 8d is shown in the open position to allow temperature modification pack 4 to be inserted or removed through the opening 7d. Button 8c is shown in the closed position with temperature modification pack 4 retained within receptacle 6c.

Referring to FIG. 4, the temperature modification pack 4 is shown disposed in a receptacle 6 and positioned in close proximity to the skin 10 of the person wearing the garment. Moisture 12 is depicted emerging from the skin 10 of the person wearing the garment and being wicked by the compression base layer of material utilizing moisture management technology 14 away from the skin 10 and through the material 14 to other areas of the garment. Some of the moisture 12 is shown evaporating.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, a perspective view of a temperature modification pack 4 is depicted in FIG. 5. FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the temperature modification pack shown in FIG. 5. The temperature modification pack has an outer casing 16 defining an inner cavity 18. The inner cavity contains a polymer mixture 20. The polymer mixture 20 comprises poly sodium acrylate, gelatine, a bulking agent, pectin and water. The bulking agent may be starch or clay. An example polymer mixture 20 is 5.37% poly sodium acrylate, 0.8% gelatine, 0.8% starch, 0.19% pectin and 92.84% water. The percentages give are by weight. Another example of the ratio of these components is a mixture having 75% poly sodium acrylate, 10% gelatine, 10% bulking agent 5% pectin and 6.5 ounces of water. The percentages give are by weight. It is believed that a mixture of these components having the ranges 5%-6.5% poly sodium acrylate, 0.65%-0.9% gelatine, 0.65%-0.9% bulking agent, 0.1%-0.22% pectin and 92%-95% water will also produce a polymer mixture having desirable thermal characteristics. The percentages given are by weight.

Referring to FIG. 7, a cross sectional view is provided of an alternative embodiment of the temperature modification pack 4. In this embodiment, the outer casing 16 defines the closed inner cavity 18 containing the polymer mixture 20 and an additional insulative layer 22.

Referring to FIG. 8, a perspective view of the front of garment 2 is shown. The temperature modification packs 4 are shown disposed within their respective receptacles 6a and 6b. The arrows 24 show the direction of dissemination of the thermal charge released by the temperature modification packs 4 and illustrates how the warmed or cooled air and moisture spreads throughout the garment 2. The term “thermal charge” as used in this application means the negative thermal energy stored in the pack when used to provide a cooling effect or the positive thermal energy stored in the pack when used to provide a warming effect.

Referring to FIG. 9, this is a plan view of a person wearing garment 2 having four temperature control packs 4 and four receptacles 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d to house the temperature control packs 4. Arrows 24 are shown to depict the transfer of the thermal charge from the temperature modification packs 4 and the dissemination of the thermal charge in the air and moisture within the garment material and around the body of the person wearing the garment.

While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A comfort controlling garment comprising:

a garment made from a material that utilizes moisture management technology to enhance its ability to wick moisture away from the body of the person wearing it;

at least one temperature modification pack that changes the temperature within the garment; and

at least one receptacle associated with the garment that holds the temperature modification pack in place on the garment.

2. The comfort controlling garment of claim 1 wherein the garment is form fitting to a person wearing the garment and the receptacle holds the temperature maintenance pack in close proximity to the body.

3. The comfort controlling garment of claim 1 wherein the garment has more than one receptacle and wherein each receptacle is spaced apart from each other receptacle and wherein one temperature modification pack is provided for each receptacle.

4. The comfort controlling garment of claim 3 wherein the garment has two receptacles in the front of the garment and two receptacles in the back of the garment.

5. The comfort controlling garment of claim 3 wherein the garment may be further characterized as having a plurality of vertically divided regions, each region having one receptacle, and wherein the receptacles are vertically elongated and each receives a vertically elongated temperature modification pack.

6. The comfort controlling garment of claim 5 wherein the circumferential dimension of each region is approximately equal to the circumferential dimension of each other region and wherein each receptacle is positioned in the approximate center of each region.

7. The comfort controlling garment of claim 1 wherein the at least one receptacle is selectively closable.

8. A temperature moderating garment for warming or cooling the body of a person comprising:

a garment made from a material that utilizes moisture management technology to enhance its ability to wick moisture away from the body of the person wearing it;

at least four temperature modification packs that change the temperature within the garment; and

at least four receptacles associated with the garment that hold the temperature modification packs in place on the garment.

9. The body temperature modifying garment of claim 8 wherein the garment is form fitting to a person wearing the garment.

10. The body temperature modifying garment of claim 8 wherein each receptacles is spaced apart from each other receptacle.

11. The body temperature modifying garment-of claim 10 wherein two temperature modification packs are disposed in the front of the garment and two temperature modification packs are disposed on the back of the garment.

12. The body temperature modifying garment of claim 8 wherein the garment is worn over the torso of a person and the receptacles are positioned such that there is at least one receptacle in close proximity to each breast and each shoulder blade of the person wearing the garment.

13. The body temperature modifying garment of claim 8 wherein the receptacle is a vertically extending pocket having a closure element on an upper opening.

14. A temperature modification pack comprising:

an outer casing defining a closed cavity;

a polymer mixture contained within the closed cavity;

wherein the polymer mixture comprises gelatine, a bulking agent, pectin, poly sodium acrylate and water;

wherein the polymer mixture receives a thermal charge that is stored in the polymer mixture; and

wherein the thermal charge stored in the polymer is released over an extended period of time.

15. The temperature modification pack of claim 14 wherein one side of the outer casing has at least one insulative layer.

16. The temperature modification pack of claim 14 wherein the thermal charge is released over a period of time of at least 3 hours.

17. The temperature modification pack of claim 14 wherein the polymer mixture comprises, by weight, 5%-6.5% poly sodium acrylate, 0.65%-0.9% gelatine, 0.65%-0.9% bulking agent, 0.1%-0.22% pectin and 92%-95% water.

18. The temperature modification pack of claim 14 wherein the polymer mixture, by weight, consists essentially of 5.37% poly sodium acrylate, 0.8% gelatine, 0.8% bulking agent, 0.19% pectin and 92.84% water.

19. A composition of matter comprised of 5%-6.5% poly sodium acrylate, 0.65%-0.9% gelatine, 0.65%-0.9% bulking agent, 0.1%-0.22% pectin and 92%-95% water, by weight.

20. The composition of matter of claim 19 consisting essentially of 5.37% poly sodium acrylate, 0.8% gelatine, 0.8% bulking agent, 0.19% pectin and 92.84% water, by weight.