Garment with Regionally Varied Evaporative Cooling Properties
A garment, such as a shirt, shorts, socks, or a hat, is disclosed for efficiently cooling an individual by water evaporation, thereby reducing perspiration, dehydration, loss of electrolytes, and discomfort. The garment includes at least one property that is intentionally non-uniform, so as to concentrate and retain applied water in areas where enhanced cooling is desired. Variable properties include structure, density, composition, texture, type and/or quantity of additive substances, included fabric layers, and degree of contact with a user's body. A source of water can be included, for example in an attachable container. The container can be compressed, water can be pumped, or compressed air can push water from the container. A pump can be actuated by hand or by natural movements of a user. A drinking port can be included, and a pouch can hold a removable, water-absorbing and water-releasing insert that can be pre-wetted and/or pre-cooled.
The invention generally relates to cooling individuals, and more specifically to evaporative cooling of individuals.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONExercise is generally known to have many benefits for individuals of all ages. These benefits include improved cardiovascular health, reduced blood pressure, prevention of bone and muscle loss, maintenance of a healthy weight, improved psychological heath, and many others. However, exercise is generally accompanied by a certain degree of discomfort, including overheating, sweating, etc, and this leads to a significant reduction in the intensity, duration, and frequency of exercise undertaken by many individuals, thereby reducing the health benefits that can be derived from recreational and conditioning exercise. Excess heating during exercise can also reduce peak athletic performance, because the performance of a muscle deteriorates when the muscle is overheated.
Overheating of an individual can also occur during leisure activities due to exposure to sunlight and other warm weather conditions. Such overheating can reduce the comfort of these activities and shorten the amount of time that they can be enjoyed. In addition, individuals can become overheated while performing work in a hot environment, either indoors or outdoors, thereby decreasing their productivity and comfort, and possibly even endangering their health.
The body's primary method of cooling when overheated is perspiration. Perspiration is highly effective because water has a high heat capacity and a high heat of vaporization, and so the evaporation of perspiration is an efficient mechanism for eliminating unwanted heat. However, there are several major disadvantages to perspiration, including dehydration, loss of electrolytes, chafing of the skin, and unwanted odors. Also, perspiration often collects in locations on the body and in clothing where evaporation is least effective, such as under the arms or in shirt tails. This can increase weight and discomfort without any increase in the cooling effect.
There are many approaches known for helping to keep a physically active individual cool, thereby reducing perspiration and discomfort. For example, if an activity takes place indoors, the ambient air can be maintained at a low temperature by an air conditioning system. However, cooling by this method is limited because air has a low heat capacity and does not make good thermal contact with the body. Fans and humidity controllers can be used to increase heat transfer from the body of an individual to the air, but these approaches still cannot provide sufficient cooling in all cases. And when exercise, leisure activities, or work occur outdoors, these approaches are largely unavailable.
One of the simplest ways to cool an individual is to apply water to clothing being worn by the individual. The clothing retains the water and presents it over a significant area for evaporation, while simultaneously making contact with the skin of the individual so as to transfer the evaporative cooling to the individual. However, this approach has several flaws, since water that is applied or that drains to areas that are not in thermal contact with the individual's body will add unnecessary weight to the clothing, causing chafing and other kinds of discomfort, and contributing little to the cooling of the individual.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA garment is claimed for efficiently cooling an individual by water evaporation, so as to reduce the need for the individual to perspire, thereby reducing the dehydration, loss of electrolytes, and discomfort associated with perspiration. The garment includes at least one property that is intentionally non-uniform, so as to concentrate water received by the garment in areas of the body where enhanced cooling is desired, while minimizing the tendency for water to collect in areas of the garment where it is not effective in cooling the individual.
The invention is a wearable apparatus for cooling a person, the apparatus including a garment formed so as to cover and fit in contact with a portion of the skin of a person, the garment being able to cool the person by allowing evaporation of water received by the garment, at least one property of the garment being non-uniform across the garment so that enhanced cooling is applied to portions of the body of the person where cooling is intended.
In preferred embodiments, cooling is intended where at least one of the following occurs: cooling of subcutaneous blood is enhanced; cooling of exercising muscles is enhanced; and comfort of the person is enhanced. In some preferred embodiments the structure, density, composition, and/or texture of the garment is spatially varied so as to localize and evaporate received water unevenly. And in other preferred embodiments a type and/or quantity of additive substances applied to and/or embedded in the garment is spatially varied so as to localize and evaporate received water unevenly.
In certain preferred embodiments there is a water absorbent substance embedded in the garment that moderates the wetness of the garment by absorbing water from the garment when too much water is received, and releasing water into the garment when insufficient water is present.
In further preferred embodiments thermal contact between the garment and the portion of the body of the person is spatially uneven. And in some preferred embodiments the garment includes a layer with non-uniform properties that mediates the rate of evaporative cooling of the body of the person.
In various preferred embodiments the garment is a shirt, shorts, socks, or a hat, the garment is disposable, and/or the garment is able to receive water exuded by the person as perspiration.
In preferred embodiments the invention further includes a source of water. In some of these embodiments the source of water includes a container that can contain water, and in some of these embodiments the container is at least attachable to the garment, and/or can be attached to the garment and surrounded by layers of garment. In other of these embodiments the garment is able to direct water from the container to areas of the garment where evaporative cooling is desired.
In certain embodiments that include a container of water, the container can be compressed by the person so as to push water onto the garment. And in some of these embodiments the garment includes two shoulders, and sources of water are attachable to the two shoulders of the garment.
In further embodiments that include a source of water, the invention further includes a pump that is able to pump water from the source of water to the garment. And in some of these embodiments the pump is operated automatically when the body of the person undergoes body movements such as breathing, walking, arm movements, and leg movements.
In yet further embodiments that include a source of water, the source of water includes an air space cooperative with water contained in the source of water, the air space being fillable with compressed air so as to apply pressure to the water, thereby pushing water onto the garment. And in some of these embodiments the air space is separated from the water in the source of water by a flexible barrier that is able to apply pressure to the water while ensuring that only water will be delivered by the source of water to the garment. In other of these embodiments the source of water includes a pump operable by the person so as to compress the air in the air space. And in some of these embodiments the pump is operated automatically when the body of the person undergoes movements such as breathing, walking, arm movements, and leg movements.
In various embodiments that include a source of water, at least some of the water supplied by the source of water is maintained in thermal contact with the person before it is delivered to the garment. And in other such embodiments a drinking port is included that can be used by the person to drink from the source of water. In some of these embodiments water can be pushed onto the garment by blowing into the drinking port.
In certain preferred embodiments the garment is able to receive and retain a removable water-absorbing and water-releasing insert, so as to accumulate water and supply water to a non-uniform area where cooling is desired. In some of these preferred embodiments water can be absorbed by the water-absorbent insert before the water-absorbent insert is retained by the garment, thereby delivering water to the garment for evaporative cooling. And in other of these preferred embodiments the water-absorbent insert can be cooled before being retained by the garment.
In still other preferred embodiments, the garment further includes a water barrier that tends to restrain water received by the garment within a desired region of the garment
With reference to
In preferred embodiments, it is desirable to locate regions of enhanced cooling in areas of the garment that will be in contact with areas of a user's body that emit the greatest amount of heat. One approach to determining these areas is to measure them using a thermogram.
Other modifications and implementations will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as claimed. Accordingly, the above description is not intended to limit the invention except as indicated in the following claims.
Claims
1. A wearable apparatus for cooling a person, the apparatus comprising:
- a garment shaped so as to cover and fit in contact with a portion of the skin of a person;
- the garment being able to cool the person by allowing evaporation of water received by the garment; and
- at least one property of the garment being varied across the garment, so as to enhance the ability of a region of the garment to provide evaporative cooling of a corresponding region of the body of the person where enhanced cooling is desirable.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein cooling is intended where at least one of:
- cooling of subcutaneous blood is enhanced;
- cooling of exercising muscles is enhanced; and
- comfort of the person is enhanced.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the structure, density, composition, and texture of the garment is spatially varied so as to localize and evaporate received water unevenly.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of a type and quantity of additive substances at least one of applied to and embedded in the garment is spatially varied so as to localize and evaporate received water unevenly.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the garment includes a water absorbent substance embedded in the garment that moderates the wetness of the garment by absorbing water from the garment when too much water is received, and releasing water into the garment when insufficient water is present.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein thermal contact between the garment and the portion of the body of the person is spatially uneven.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the garment includes a layer with non-uniform properties that mediates the rate of evaporative cooling of the body of the person.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the garment is one of a shirt, shorts, socks, and a hat.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the garment is disposable.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the garment is able to receive water exuded by the person as perspiration.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a source of water.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the source of water includes a container that can contain water.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the container is at least attachable to the garment.
14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the container can be attached to the garment and surrounded by layers of the garment.
15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the garment is able to direct water from the container to areas of the garment where evaporative cooling is desired.
16. The garment of claim 12, wherein the container can be compressed by the person so as to push water onto the garment.
17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the garment includes two shoulders, and sources of water are attachable to the two shoulders of the garment.
18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the source of water includes a pump that is able to pump water from the source of water to the garment.
19. The garment of claim 18, wherein the pump is operated automatically when the body of the person undergoes movement that is at least one of:
- breathing;
- walking;
- moving of arms;
- moving of legs;
- and other body movements.
20. The garment of claim 11, wherein the source of water includes an air space cooperative with water contained in the source of water, the air space being fillable with compressed air so as to apply pressure to the water, thereby pushing the water onto the garment.
21. The garment of claim 20, wherein the air space is separated from the water in the source of water by a flexible barrier that is able to apply pressure to the water while ensuring that only water will be delivered by the source of water to the garment.
22. The garment of claim 20, wherein the source of water includes a pump operable by the person so as to compress the air in the air space.
23. The garment of claim 22, wherein the pump is operated automatically when the body of the person undergoes movement that is at least one of:
- breathing;
- walking;
- moving of arms;
- moving of legs;
- and other body movements.
24. The garment of claim 11, wherein at least some of the water supplied by the source of water is maintained in thermal contact with the person before it is delivered to the shirt.
25. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a drinking port that can be used by the person to drink from the source of water.
26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein water can be pushed onto the garment by blowing into the drinking port.
27. The garment of claim 1, wherein the garment is able to receive and retain a removable water-absorbing and water-releasing insert, so as to accumulate water and supply water to a non-uniform area where cooling is desired.
28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the removable water-absorbing and water-releasing insert can be received by the garment in a state wherein it is pre-wetted.
29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the removable water-absorbing and water-releasing insert can be cooled before being retained by the garment.
30. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a water barrier that tends to restrain water received by the garment within a desired region of the garment.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 21, 2008
Publication Date: Jan 21, 2010
Inventors: Richard Goldmann (Poughkeepsie, NY), Russ Weinzimmer (Milford, NH), Douglas P. Burum (Acton, MA)
Application Number: 12/176,906
International Classification: A41D 13/00 (20060101); A41D 1/00 (20060101); A42B 1/04 (20060101);