AU2014101655A4 - A garment for thermal dissipation - Google Patents

Abstract

A GARMENT FOR THERMAL DISSIPATION Abstract This disclosure relates to a garment (100/200) for thermal dissipation, wherein the garment (100/200) comprises a vent (105) extending substantially along a length of the garment (100/200).

Description

A GARMENT FOR THERMAL DISSIPATION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to protective clothing and in particular to a garment for thermal dissipation.

The invention has been developed primarily for use as occupational clothing and will be described hereinafter with reference to this application. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular field of use.

Background

Any discussion of the background art throughout the specification should in no way be 0 considered as an admission that such background art is prior art nor that such background art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in the field in Australia or worldwide.

Occupational clothing by virtue of providing protective properties to the wearer (such as thickness for abrasion properties) have poor thermal dissipation properties, often resulting in 5 the wearer becoming overheated while working. In this manner, wearers often become dehydrated. Garments designed for people in labour intensive occupations exist having, often, small vents, however such garments are usually inadequate in providing sufficient air flow and cooling to the wearer, for example, such garments often include a portion of material which covers and conceals the vents, thus severely limiting the possible air flow. .

The present invention seeks to provide a garment, which will overcome or substantially ameliorate at least some of the deficiencies of the prior art, or to at least provide an alternative.

Summary

According to one aspect, there is provided a garment for thermal dissipation, wherein the 25 garment comprises at least one vent extending substantially along a length of the garment

The garment may be adapted for allowing a substantial dissipation of heat from a wearer’s body through one or more vent extending substantially along the length of the garment. The vents may extend substantially along one or more seams of the garment. In this manner, a garment allows the wearer to perform work comfortably in a variety of environments.

2014101655 08 Oct 2014

The garment may be an upper body garment such as a short- or long -sleeved shirt. The shirt may have at least one cuff. The vent may extends substantially from the cuff.

The upper body garment may have a waist. The vent may substantially extend between the waist and the cuff.

Advantageously, the upper body garment not only allows heat and/or steam dissipation from the trunk of the wearer, but also from the arms of the wearer.

The at least one cuff may be two cuffs comprising a first cuff and a second cuff. The upper body garment may comprise two vents comprising a first vent and a second vent. The first vent may substantially extend between the waist and the first cuff and the second vent may 0 substantially extend between the waist and the second cuff.

The garment may allow the passage of air between the first vent and the second event.

The first vent and second vent may be located at opposite lateral sides of the upper body garment.

The upper body garment may selected from the set of upper body garment comprising a shirt, jacket or coat upper body garments, or the like.

In a further arrangement, the garment may be a pair of trousers. The pair of trousers may have at least one leg. The vent may extend along a portion of the at least one leg. The vent may extend substantially along the at least one leg. The vent may extend substantially along either an inner or outer seam of the at least one leg. In further arrangements each leg 20 of the pair of trousers may comprise a first vent extending substantially along the outer seam and an inner vent extending substantially along the inner seam of the pair of trousers.

The at least one leg may be two legs comprising a first leg and a second leg. The pair of trousers may comprise two vents comprising a first vent and a second vent. The first vent may extend substantially along the first leg. The second vent may extend substantially along 25 the second leg.

The garment may allow the passage of air between the first vent and the second vent.

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The at least one leg may comprise an ankle portion. The vent may extend substantially from the ankle portion.

The pair of trousers may have a waist portion. The outer vent(s) may extend substantially from the waist portion to the ankle portion.

The pair of trousers may have a pocket in each leg. The outer vent(s) may extend substantially from the ankle portion to the pocket.

The pair of trousers may have a crotch portion. The inner vent may extend substantially from the crotch to the ankle. The inner vent may terminate about 15 to 20 cm from a crotch seam joining the crotch portion of the first and second legs of the trousers.

The at least one leg may be two legs comprising a first leg and a second leg. The pair of trousers may comprise four vents comprising a first, second, third and fourth vent. The first and second vents may extend substantially along the first leg. The first vent may extend substantially along an outer seam of the first leg. The second vent may extend substantially along the inner seam of the first leg. The third and fourth vents may extend substantially along the second leg. The third vent may extend substantially along an inner seam of the second leg. The fourth vent may extend substantially along the outer seam of the second leg.

The first and second vents may be located at opposing lateral sides of the first leg.

The third and fourth vents may be located at opposing lateral edges of the second leg.

The at least one leg may be two legs having a respective first ankle and second ankle. The pair of trousers may comprise two vents comprising a first vent and a second vent. The first vent may extend substantially from the first ankle. The second vent may extend substantially from the second ankle.

The vent may comprise a panel. The panel may comprise a polyester material. The panel may comprise a cotton or bamboo fibre material. The material may be meshed. Ina particular arrangement, the panel may be between about 1 and about 10 cm in width. In a further arrangement, the panel may be between about 3 and about 7 cm in width. In a further arrangement,, the panel may be about 5 cm in width.

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The garment has protective properties. The protective properties comprise abrasion protection. The protective properties comprise high visibility protection. The protective properties may comprise heat or fire protection.

Other aspects of the invention are also disclosed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, a preferred embodiments/arrangements of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure! shows a short-sleeved upper body garment for thermal dissipation in accordance with a particular arrangement of the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a long -sleeved upper body garment for thermal dissipation in accordance with a particular arrangement of the present invention;

Figure 3A shows an arrangement of a pair of trousers for thermal dissipation in accordance with further arrangement of the present invention; and

Figure 3B .shows a further arrangement of a pair of trousers for thermal dissipation in accordance with further arrangement of the present invention

Detailed Description

It should be noted in the following description that like or the same reference numerals in different arrangements denote the same or similar features.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown an arrangement of a garment 100A/100B respectively, for thermal dissipation according to the present invention. The garment may permit dissipation of heat and or steam from a wearer’s body whilst undertaking a strenuous task. Figures 3A and 3B shows further arrangements of a garment according to the present invention. As will become apparent from the description herein, the garment 100/200 comprises at least one vent 105 extending substantially along the length of the garment for the purposes of allowing thermal dissipation through convection, evaporation and the like.

it should be noted that in a preferred arrangement the garment 100/200 is occupational clothing such as for use by a workman and the like. Accordingly, the garment would be

2014101655 08 Oct 2014 fabricated in accordance with relevant safety standards for occupational clothing. However, it should be appreciated that the garment 100/200 may have other application, such as for casual wear including for men, women and children.

Turning now to Figure 1, there is shown an arrangement wherein the garment is an upper body garment 100A in the form of a short-sleeved shirt. As is apparent from this arrangement, the upper body garment 100a has at least one cuff 110. In this arrangement a short sleeved upper body garment 100A is shown. However, it should be appreciated that in other arrangements, the upper body garment may be a long sleeved upper body garment 100B as seen in Figure 2. Furthermore, the term cuff as described herein should not be construed as being limited to a short- or a long-sleeved garment and may generally described the end of a sleeve, such as for the short sleeved arrangement of the upper body garment 100A is given in Figure 1.

As is apparent, the vent(s) 105 extends substantially from the cuff 110.

In a further arrangement, the upper body garment 100A or 100B comprises a waist 115.

Herein, the vent(s) 105 extends substantially from the waist 115. In a particular arrangement, the vent(s) 105 extends substantially between the waist 115 and cuff 110.

In a yet further preferred arrangement, the upper body garment 100A comprises two vents 105 having a first vent 105a and a second vent 105b located at opposing lateral edges of the upper body garment 100A. . In this manner, air may advantageously flow from the first !0 vent 105a to the second vent 105b and vice versa.

In particular arrangements, the vent(s) 105 may extend from the cuff hem 110 at the furthest extend of an arm of the upper body garment through the armpit of the garment and continue to the lower hem at the bottom of the garment substantially at the wearer’s waistline. The upper body garment may have two such vents disposed along each arm of the upper body 25 garment. The vents may be continuous from the cuff of each arm through to the lower hem of the garment. Vents of this nature have the advantageous effect of cooling the entire upper torso of the wearer rather than simply the wearer’s armpits and allows moisture in the form of sweat to dissipate from the wearer’s entire torso.

The upper body garment 100A may be any type of upper body garment including a shirt, 30 jacket, coat and the like. For the application of work wear or occupational clothing, the upper body garment 100A may have protective properties such as abrasion resistance, high

2014101655 08 Oct 2014 visibility properties and/or tire protection/retardant properties making the upper body garment

100A suited for occupational conditions.

Furthermore, the garment 100/200 may comprise fire resistant/retardant properties. In this manner, in one arrangement, the vents 105 are located away from sources of heat such as, 5 for example, at the lateral edges of the garment 100/200 or even at the rear of the garment 100/200. For example as can be seen in the rear view of upper body garments 100A and 100B in Figures 1 and 2, the rear of the garment comprises a further vent 120 comprising an upper portion of the rear panel of the upper body garment. In particular arrangements, rear vent 120 may be substantially covered by a concealment flap 125. Concealment flap 0 125 is typically secured to the upper body garment along a top seam (e.g. a seam along the shoulder portion of the garment) and may further be attached at one or more additional attachment point to substantially conceal upper portion vent 120 whist retaining airflow through upper portion vent 120as would be appreciated by the skilled addressee. In particular arrangement, the garment may be comprised of a material that is naturally fire5 retardant, such as, for example, fabric formed from bamboo fibres.

Turning now to the arrangement as shown in Figure 3, it is apparent that in this arrangement, the garment is a pair of trousers 200A. As is apparent, the pair of trousers 200A comprises at least one leg 225 wherein the vent(s) 205 extends substantially along at least one leg 225.

‘0 In a particular arrangement, the pair of trousers 200A comprises af least two vents 205 having a first vent 205a for the first leg 225a and a second vent 205d for the second leg 225b. It should be noted that in this arrangement, the vents 205 may be located at outer or inner sides of the leg 225. In a particular arrangement, the pair of trousers 200A may comprise four vents 205, comprising inner and outer vents 205a and 205b respectively for first leg 225a and inner and outer vents 205c and 205d respectively for second leg 225b.. In particular arrangements, the outer vents 205a and 205d may extend between about 1/2 to 2/3 of the length of each pant leg of the trousers. In alternate arrangements, the vents may extend substantially 50% to 90% or 95% of the length of each pant leg of the trousers, and may, for example, extend between the waist 215 and the hem 240a or 240b at the lower extent of the pant legs 225a or 225b respectively.

In a further arrangement, the pair of trousers 200A may comprise four vents 205, allowing each leg 225 to have both an inner and outer vent(s) 205.

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As is apparent from the Figure 3A, in one arrangement, the vents 205a - 205d extends substantially from the ankle 220. Now, depending on whether the vent 205 is an outer or inner vent 205, the vent 205 may terminate substantially at the waist 215 of the pair of trousers 200A or at the crotch 230 of the pair of trousers 200A. In further arrangements, inner vent 205c or 205d may terminate below crotch region 230, for example inner vents 105c and 105d may terminate about 15 to 20 cm below crotch region 203

It should be noted that in one arrangement, the vent(s) 205 need not necessarily extend all the way to the waist 215. For example, as shown in Figure 3B where the pair of trousers 200B are “cargo” pants having a pocket 260a/260b substantially midway the leg 125, the outer vent(s) 205 may extend to the pocket only. For example, Figure 3B shows an alternate arrangement of a garment embodied as a pair of trousers 200B (depicted as having both inner and outer vents on each leg of the trousers) wherein outer vents 205 in this arrangement terminate before reaching pockets 260. Of course, in alternate arrangements, trousers 200B may have only inner leg vents (e.g. 205b and 250c) or outer leg vents (e.g. 205b and 250c). Inner vents 205 extend upwards from the cuff 240 of trousers 200B and terminate in the vicinity of the wearer’s upper thigh. That is, inner vents terminate before reaching crotch seam 230, and outer vents terminate before reaching a side pockets 260.

Considering now the vent(s) 105 or 205 as discussed above in further detail, the vent(s)

I0 105/205 may take on various arrangements depending on the application. For example, the vent(s) 105/205 may take the form of distinct pieces of overlapping material. However, in particular arrangements, vent(s) 105 comprise a panel. The panel may comprises a polyester/cotton/bamboo fibre/or other suitable fabric material and is meshed so as to allow air to pass through the panel. For example, the panel may be formed from 100% Polyester 25 Aqua Drop™ mesh available, for example, from Broadway Textiles of Sunshine Victoria, Australia. It should be noted that the garment may be manufactured from other materials depending on the requisite application in accordance with requirements, for example to meet specific needs of the wearer or to meet any regulated standards for occupation clothing that may be in force from time to time. In particular arrangements, the garment may comprise one or more concealment flaps which are secured to the garment and substantially conceal a respective vent 105/205 of the garment, whilst still permitting airflow through the substantially concealed vent. The concealment flap may be a flap of material and further may be a releasable covering which may be removed entirely from garment 100/200 in accordance with requirements. The flap may be particularly advantageous for providing a more acceptable appearance where the one or more vents are substantially concealed from

2014101655 08 Oct 2014 casual inspection. Also, the concealment flap may also act to regulate the quantity of airflow through the vent such that, should the wearer choose to wear the garment in outdoor conditions including cold winds, the concealment flap may be particularly beneficial in minimising the amount of cold air which passes through the vent to the wearer (which would otherwise act to cool the wearer to below an acceptable body temperature), whilst still acting as a exhaust vent for warm air or steam to escape the garment as a result of physical exertion by the wearer which would otherwise heat the wearer to above a comfortable body temperature.

Typically, the panel is approximately 5 cm in width, however the panel may have differing widths so as to increase or decrease the heat dissipation properties. Also, the panel need not necessarily have uniform width and may comprise dilated sections as would be appreciated by the skilled addressee, such as near the armpits of an upper body garment 100 or the crotch of a lower body garmentZOO.

In a particular arrangement, the vent(s) 105 may be configurable by the user. For example the vent 105 may comprise fasteners adjacent the vent 105 that may be mated together for the purposes of closing and/or sealing the vent, thus to minimise or eliminate completely air flow through the vent. The fasteners may be a pair of complementary fasteners disposed on either side of the vent. The fasteners may be selected from the set of fasteners comprising zip, hook and loop, press stud fasteners and the like. In a related arrangement, the garment I0 100/200 may comprise a releasable covering adapted for selective covering of the vent 105.

interpretation

Arrangements:

Reference throughout this specification to “one arrangement” or “an arrangement” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the 25 arrangement is included in at least one arrangement of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one arrangement” or “in a particular arrangement” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same arrangement, but may. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in 30 the art from this disclosure, in one or more arrangement.

Similarly it should be appreciated that in the above description of example arrangements of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single arrangement, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and

2014101655 08 Oct 2014 aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed arrangement. Thus, the claims following the Detailed Description s are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate arrangement of this invention.

Furthermore, while some arrangements described herein include some but not other features included in other arrangements, combinations of features of different arrangements 0 are meant to be within the scope of the invention, and form different arrangements, as would be understood by those in the art. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed arrangements can be used in any combination.

Different Instances of Objects

As used herein, unless otherwise specified the use of the ordinal adjectives “first”, “second”, 5 “third”, etc., to describe a common object, merely indicate that different instances of like objects are being referred to, and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner.

Specific Details

In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is !0 understood that arrangements of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of this description.

Terminology

In describing particular arrangements of the invention illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar technical purpose. Terms such as forward, rearward, radially, peripherally, upwardly, downwardly, and the like are used as words of convenience to provide reference points and are not to be construed as limiting terms.

Comprising and Including

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word

2014101655 08 Oct 2014 “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or comprising” are used in an inclusive sense,

i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various arrangements of the invention.

Any one of the terms: including or which includes or that includes as used herein is also an open term that also means including at least the elements/features that follow the term, but not excluding others. Thus, including is synonymous with and means comprising.

Scope of invention

Thus, while there has been described what are believed to be the preferred arrangements of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may 0 be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to claim all such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the invention. For example, any formulas given above are merely representative of procedures that may be used. Functionality may be added or deleted from the block diagrams and operations may be interchanged among functional blocks. Steps may be added or deleted to methods described within the scope of the present invention.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

industrial Applicability

Ό It is apparent from the above, that the arrangements described are applicable to the protective clothing industries.

Claims (31)

1. Claims

   1. A garment for thermal dissipation, wherein the garment comprises a vent extending substantially along a length of the garment.
2. 2. A garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the garment is an upper body garment

   5 having at least one cuff, and wherein the vent extends substantially from the cuff.
3. 3. A garment as claimed in claim 2, wherein the upper body garment has a waist, and wherein the vent substantially extends between the waist and the cuff.
4. 4. A garment as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one cuff is two cuffs comprising a first cuff and a second cuff and wherein the upper body garment comprises two

   0 vents comprising a first vent and a second vent and wherein the first vent substantially extends between the waist and the first cuff and the second vent substantially extends between the waist and the second cuff.
5. 5. A garment as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first vent and second vent are located at opposite lateral sides of the upper body garment.

   5
6. 6. A garment as claimed in claim 2, wherein the upper body garment is selected from the set of upper body garment comprising shirt, jacket and coat upper body garments.
7. 7. A garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the garment is a pair of trousers having at least one leg wherein the vent extends along a portion of the at least one leg.

   20
8. 8. A garment as claimed in claim 7, wherein the vent extends substantially along the at least one leg.
9. 9. A garment as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one leg is two legs comprising a first leg and a second leg and wherein the pair of trousers comprises two vents comprising a first vent and a second vent, and wherein the first vent extends

   25 substantially along the first leg and wherein the second vent extends substantially along the second leg.
10. 10. A garment as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one leg comprises an ankle and wherein the vent extends substantially from the ankle.

    2014101655 08 Oct 2014
11. 11. A garment as claimed in claim 10, wherein the pair of trousers has a waist and wherein the vent extends substantially from the waist to the ankle.
12. 12. A garment as claimed in claim 10, wherein the pair of trousers has a crotch and wherein the vent extends substantially from the crotch to the ankle.

    5
13. 13. A garment as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one leg is two legs comprising a first leg and a second leg and wherein the pair of trousers comprises four vents comprising a first, second, third and fourth vent, and wherein the first and second vents extends substantially along the first leg and wherein the second and third vents extends substantially along the second leg.

    0
14. 14. A garment as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first and second vents are located at opposing lateral sides of the first leg.
15. 15. A garment as claimed in claim 13, wherein the third and fourth vents are located at opposing lateral edges of the second leg.
16. 16. A garment as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one leg is two legs having a

    5 respective first ankle and second ankle and wherein the pair of trousers comprises two vents comprising a first vent and a second vent, and wherein the first vent extends substantially from the first ankle and wherein the second vent extends substantially from the second ankle.
17. 17. A garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vent comprises a panel.

    20
18. 18. A garment as claimed in claim 17, wherein the panel comprises polyester material.
19. 19. A garment as claimed in claim 17, wherein the panel comprises a cotton or bamboo fibre material.
20. 20. A garment as claimed in claim 18 or claim 19, wherein the panel material is meshed.
21. 21. A garment as claimed in claim 17, wherein the panel is between 1 and 10 cm in

    25 width.
22. 22. A garment as claimed in claim 17, wherein the panel is between 3 and 7 cm in width.

    2014101655 08 Oct 2014
23. 23. A garment as claimed in claim 17, wherein the panel is substantially 5 cm in width.
24. 24. A garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the garment has protective properties.
25. 25. A garment as claimed in claim 24, wherein the protective properties comprise abrasion protection.

    5
26. 26. A garment as claimed in claim 24, wherein the protective properties comprise high visibility protection.
27. 27. A garment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising a pair of complementary fasteners disposed on either side of the vent, wherein the fasteners are adapted to be mated together for the purpose of closing the vent.

    0
28. 28. A garment as claimed in claim 27 wherein the fasteners are selected from the group comprising zip, hook and loop, or press stud fasteners.
29. 29. A garment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising a covering adapted to substantially cover or substantially conceal the vent.
30. 30. A garment as claimed in claim 29 wherein the cover is a releasable covering adapted

    5 for selectable covering of the vent.
31. 31. A garment for thermal dissipation substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and/or examples.