CA1292096C - Heat-intercepting garment or blanket - Google Patents
Heat-intercepting garment or blanketInfo
- Publication number
- CA1292096C CA1292096C CA000545099A CA545099A CA1292096C CA 1292096 C CA1292096 C CA 1292096C CA 000545099 A CA000545099 A CA 000545099A CA 545099 A CA545099 A CA 545099A CA 1292096 C CA1292096 C CA 1292096C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- heat
- intercepting
- shield
- shield according
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 99
- 239000011810 insulating material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 22
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 14
- 230000001815 facial effect Effects 0.000 claims description 9
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- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 claims description 7
- 238000010521 absorption reaction Methods 0.000 claims description 6
- 238000012546 transfer Methods 0.000 claims description 2
- 230000008014 freezing Effects 0.000 claims 6
- 238000007710 freezing Methods 0.000 claims 6
- 238000001179 sorption measurement Methods 0.000 claims 1
- 239000004744 fabric Substances 0.000 abstract description 51
- 238000009413 insulation Methods 0.000 abstract description 14
- 239000000155 melt Substances 0.000 abstract description 2
- 230000007613 environmental effect Effects 0.000 abstract 1
- 239000010410 layer Substances 0.000 description 43
- 230000002093 peripheral effect Effects 0.000 description 8
- 229920000742 Cotton Polymers 0.000 description 5
- 238000004900 laundering Methods 0.000 description 5
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- 241000272525 Anas platyrhynchos Species 0.000 description 2
- 239000004677 Nylon Substances 0.000 description 2
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- 210000003734 kidney Anatomy 0.000 description 2
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 2
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- 230000002787 reinforcement Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000002344 surface layer Substances 0.000 description 2
- QTBSBXVTEAMEQO-UHFFFAOYSA-M Acetate Chemical compound CC([O-])=O QTBSBXVTEAMEQO-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 description 1
- VGGSQFUCUMXWEO-UHFFFAOYSA-N Ethene Chemical compound C=C VGGSQFUCUMXWEO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000005977 Ethylene Substances 0.000 description 1
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- 230000036760 body temperature Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000003063 flame retardant Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920002457 flexible plastic Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000006260 foam Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000006261 foam material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 description 1
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- 231100000252 nontoxic Toxicity 0.000 description 1
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- 229920000573 polyethylene Polymers 0.000 description 1
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Landscapes
- Professional, Industrial, Or Sporting Protective Garments (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
A heat-intercepting shield or shroud in the form of a garment, blanket or belt having on at least one surface thereof one or more pockets to receive replaceable packets of refreezable material which absorb large quantities of heat as the material melts. Each pocket has two coextensive fabric layers stitched together to form opposite pocket walls. Over the entire pocket area and next to one wall are coextensive layers of reflective material and of insulating material. These materials are flexible and one or both are stitched next to that one pocket wall in seams at the edge of the pocket so that both heat reflection and retardation of heat flow by the insulation occurs over the entire pocket area. Between the layers of insulation and reflective materials and the other pocket wall is a space for a heat absorbing packet or packets of frozen gel. The side of the shield or shroud with the packet or packets is placed toward the object to be cooled or protected from external radiant, conductive or convective heat. The garment or blanket of this invention achieves practical protection for a worker in unusually hot environmental conditions and is very durable, low cost, easily laundered, comfortable to wear, and provides a very convenient way to replace refreezable heat absorbing packets therein under working conditions.
A heat-intercepting shield or shroud in the form of a garment, blanket or belt having on at least one surface thereof one or more pockets to receive replaceable packets of refreezable material which absorb large quantities of heat as the material melts. Each pocket has two coextensive fabric layers stitched together to form opposite pocket walls. Over the entire pocket area and next to one wall are coextensive layers of reflective material and of insulating material. These materials are flexible and one or both are stitched next to that one pocket wall in seams at the edge of the pocket so that both heat reflection and retardation of heat flow by the insulation occurs over the entire pocket area. Between the layers of insulation and reflective materials and the other pocket wall is a space for a heat absorbing packet or packets of frozen gel. The side of the shield or shroud with the packet or packets is placed toward the object to be cooled or protected from external radiant, conductive or convective heat. The garment or blanket of this invention achieves practical protection for a worker in unusually hot environmental conditions and is very durable, low cost, easily laundered, comfortable to wear, and provides a very convenient way to replace refreezable heat absorbing packets therein under working conditions.
Description
HEAT-INTE~CEPTI~IG GARMENT OR BLANKET
BACXG~OUND OF TEE INVENTION
The presen~ invention relates generally to devices ~or controlling the rate of heat transfer between portions of the human body and the environment around the body. In some cases the invention is used primarily to reduce the amount of heat reaching the body from an unusually hot environment. In other cases the invention is used primarily to reduce the body temperature in a less hostile environment by absorbing heat from the body.
There are many industrial situations where individuals are required to work in hostile environments where the temperature is so high that it cannot reasonably be tolerated for a satisfactory period of time. This is particularly true where high temperature processes are being performed where the worker cannot be readily isolated from the processing itself or from hot equipment or a surrounding hot environment. In such cases there is a need to keep radiant, conductive and/or convec-ti~e heat from reaching the wor]cers body, particularly the human trunk. Where the en~ironmental temperature or heat level is extremely high, as near an open furnace or the like, the primar~ concern is to intercept a large amount of the heat which would otherwise reach the worker. This may be do~ne by reflection and absorption.
Preferably the heat not reflected is dissipated as heat of fusion in melting a frozen material. Insulation may also be used between ~LZ9~096 e heat source and the body to help control the amount of heat reaching the body.
It is essential that any equipment or garments used by a worker to protect his body by intercepting heat present a minimum burden during working conditions. If refreezable ~acks of heat absorptive material are used they must be easy to place in the equipment or garments and preferably be of uniform size to facilitate handling and xeplacement. If the equipment or garment is worn or carried it must be light weight, comfoxt-able, efficient, and easily and practically maintained. Thisincludes keeping it clean and sanitary. Usually industrial laundering is re~uired with attendant harsh agitation in hot laundering liquids.
The invention relates to vest-like garments worn by workers lS to intercept heat while working in hostile environments. One such garment has straight-sided front and rear panel portions each of whi.ch has three horizontal pockets containing removable packets of refreezable gel material. The packets are divided horizontally into three sections each containing an envelope of gel. When the gel is frozen solid the packets can bend where the sections were divided to give some flexibility to the packet.
A garment can be made of cotton duck with cotton bias binding around its periphery but it may lose its shape during industrial laundering and be less wear resistant both during laundering and during its intended use when worn to protect a person. A narrow elastic belt at each side of the body ~2~2~6 interconnects front and rear parts of the vest. The belt should remain flat when worn and attached to the sides of the garment so that the forces from the belt are distributed widely over a large vertical extent at both sides of the front and rear panel portions of the garment. The relationship of insulating, reflective and heat absorptive materials may be such ~hat the heat is first intercepted by the insulation before it could be reflected and the reflective material per-forated so that it permitted slight passage of perspiration therethrough. The insulation is in vertically spaced sections within the areas of the pockets and should cover the entire pocketed areas on the front and back of the garment. Unless the insulation sections are stitched at the edges of the pockets they are slightly smaller than the periphery of the pockets and can move around in the pockets and even curl up therein during laundering. The insulation preferably remains in fixed alignment with the gel packets so that during use there are no portions of the gel packets which were not pro-tected by the insulation and the insulation even covers the spaces between the packets.
}9~
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention there is provided a heat-intercepting shield for protecting a portion of an object against external radiant, conductive and convective heat or for controlling the temperature of a portion of an object, said shield comprising a flexible casing having front and rear flexible members, said members being secured together to define at least one elongated pocket, each such pocket having three closed sides and an open end, one of said members providing at each such pocket an elongated facial heat-intercepting area of said shield, said casing having throughout each said area three layers comprising, in the direction away from a source of said heat, a flexible layer of heat-reflective material, a flexible layer of heat insulating material, and a flexible layer of heat dissipating material for absorption of heat. Said layer of heat dissipating ma-terial being in the form of a packet which is insertable and removable through the open end of a respective pocket, and means for closing the open end of each pocket to retain the packet in the pocket.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention a heat-intercepting shield or shroud in the form of a vest-like 3a garment has a fabric shell within which are formed a plurality of adjacent pockets which are generally horizontal when the garment is worn. The shell has similar fron-t and rear panel portions which cover most of the human torso. These portions each comprise two generally coextensive fabric layers which extend from the shoulder line to the bottom of the garment. These layers are stitched together to define pockets to receive replaceable packets of refreezable material which are capable of absorbing substantial quantities of heat as the material melts. Over the entire area of the pockets on both the front and back panel ` portions of the garment and next to the outer fabric layer are coextensive layers of non-breathable essentially-continuous reflective material and of insulating material. These materials are stitched next to the outer layar of fabric in the seams defining the pockets so that both heat reflection and retardation of heat flow by the insulation occurs over the entire pocketed areas. Progressing from the exterior heat source toward the wearer the layers inside the fabric shell include a heat-reflective layer, an insulating layer which provides further protection from the heat which penetrates the reflective layer and a layer formed by the heat- dissipating packets of frozen gel material. Manufacture of the garment is greatly facilitated and the garment made much more economical in both manufacture and in use by a linear arrangement of hook and loop fastening means which forms the closure for each of the pockets and extends continuously from the bottom of the front shell portion up and over the shoulder and down ~he rear o~ the other sh~ll portion to the bottom thereof. Each pocket closure is conveniently opened by grasping a tab attached to one part of the fastening means near the middle of the closure and pulling it away from the adjacent shell portion to which the opposite porti~n of the closure means is attached.
The features of this invention may be embodied in a heat intercepting shield or shroud covering and cooling only a portion of the body such as the kidneys when the required stay p0riod under hostile heat conditions is shorter. In such cases it is practical to use a belt having a single pocket covering the kidneys and containing a sin~le refree~able packet of heat dissipating material.
~ he features of the invention may also be embodied in a heat intercepting blanket made up of a plurality of rows and columns of pockets each utilizing the same r~lationship of layers of heat reflecting, heat insulating and heat dissipating materials as mentioned above.
Furthex features of the invention are found in particular structural and material details set forth in the detailed description of the invention hereinafter.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a vest-like garment in accordance with the invention with the garment spread out flat and partially cut away at two places to more clearly illustrat~ interior f0atures of the garment.
FIG. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 in FIG. 1.
~25~
FIG. 3 is an enlarged section corresponding to the extreme right end of FIG. 2 and showing greater detail of the stitching at the periphery of the garment.
FIG. 3a is en enlarged section taken on line 3a-3a of FIG.l and like FIG.3 shows greater detail of the peripheral stitching.
FIG. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 in FIG. 1 showing features of the neck portion of the garment.
FIG. 5 is a plan view of a packet of heat-dissipating refreezable material used with the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 in FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 i9 a section corresponding generally to FIG. 2, but illustrating a modification of the invention.
FIG. 8 is a plan view of another embodiment o~ the invention illustrating a heat-intercepting blanket with a portion cut away and a corner turned over to show a portion o~ a fastener thereon.
FIG. 9 is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention wherein three blan]cets as shown in FIG. 8 are fastened together to form a larger blanket.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view o~ a blanket of the type shown in FIG. ~ wrapped around an object (in dot-ted lines) to be cooled FIG. 11 is a partially cut away plan view of another modification of the invention illustrating a heat-intercepting belt having a single pocket for holding a heat dissipating packet.
FIG. 12 is a plan view similar to FIG. 1 of another embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 13 ls a section taken on line 13-13 of FIG. 12.
~2~ 6 FIG.14 is a partial section taken on line 14-14 of FIG. 12.
FIG. 15 is a section -taken on line 15-15 of FIG. 12 FIG. 16 is a plan view of a refreezable packet used with the embodiment of FIG. 12.
FIG. 17 is a section taken on line 17-17 of FIG. 16.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1 a vest-like garment 1 has two main panel portions located above and below the neck opening 3, respectively. The portion shown below the neck opening 3 forms the front panel 4 of the garment when it is worn and the portion in the drawing above the neck opening 3 is the rear panel 5 of the garment. The ex~erior of the garment is essenkially a casing in which the exterior of the ront panel is formed primarily by fabric members 6 and 7 and the exterior of the rear panel is formed primarily by the fabric members 8 and 9.
Along the left side of the garment the facing fabric strips lO
and 11 form outer face portions on the front and rear panels 4 and 5, respectively.
Within the garment and next to the outer panel members 6 and 8 are located flexible layers 14 and 15, respectively, of heat-reflective material. Further to the inside of the garment and next to the reflecting layers are flexible layers 18 and l9, respectively, of heat-,insulating material.
The mul~iple layers of fa~ric and the heat-reflective and heat-insulating materials are stitched together to foLm a series of several elongated side-by-side px~ets 20, 21 and 22 in the front gaLment panel ~92~9~
4 and a series of several elongated side-~y-side pockets 30, 31 and 32 in the rear garment panel S. As seen in FIG. 1 the upper sides of the pockets 20, 21 and 22 are formed by stitched seams 25, 26 and 27 and the lower sides of the pockets 30, 31 and 32 are formed by stitched seams 35, 36 and 37. The xight ends of the pockets 20, 21 and 22 are formed by a single straight stitched seam 28 and the right ends of the pockets 30, 31 and 32 are formed by a single straight stitched seam 38. The outer sides of the outer pockets 22 and 32 are formed by portions of a stitched seam 39 extending around the entire periphery of the garment. During assembly of the garment many of the layers of material are stitched together while the garment is essentially inside out and an initial seam 39a as seen in FIGS. 3 and 3a is stitched. Thereafter the garment is turned right side out and the final seam 39 is stitched and the seam 39a remains concealed but adds significant strength to the periphery of the garment..
Extending along the entire length o the garment at the left end of each of the six pockets 20, 21, 22, 30, 31 and 32 are cooperating parts of an elongated hook and loop fastener comprising a hook strip 40 fastened together with the edges of the fabric member 6 and the re1ective and insulating layers 14 and 18 by stitching. The other fastener part is a loop strip 41 which is fastened to the fabric members 7 and g also by stitching in a position where it covers the adjacent edge of the facing strips 10 and 11. The let ends of the six po kets are closed by means of the cooperating portions of the strips 40 and 41 which ex~end therealong. The pocket closures formed by the s~rips 40 ~' 9~2~ 96 and 41 are each easily and independently opened by means of a small fabric pull tab 42. Each tab is fastened by stitching near the center of the pocket opening at the back of the hook strip 40 between it and the overlying fabric members 6 and 8, preferably between the hook strip and the reflective layers 14 and 15. At the ends of each pocket opening there are bar-tacks 43 stitched through the entire garment thickness for reinforcement.
The fabric members 6 and 8 are stitched together at the shoulder seams 44 and 45. The fabric members 7 and 9 are similarly stitched together at shouldPr seams. The edges of the four fabric members at the neck opening are bound together by means of a ribbon member 48 folded over the edges and stitched thereto as seen in FIGS. 1 and 4. The ribbon 48 is a grosgrain ribbon of 100~ nylon which is extremely wear-resistant, will not shrink, will ~IOt ~ray and is heat sealable at its ends when cut with a hot knife before stitchin~ it in place.
The garment is held ln place when worn by a person by means o:E an elasti.c belt. The belt comprises two wide non-roll elastic strips 50 and 51 which are fastened by sti.tching at the scalloped areas 52 and 53 at opposite sides of the rear panel of the garment. One end of the strip 50 is anchored in the peripheral seam 39 between fabric member 8 and the facing member 11. One end of the other strip 51 is similarl~ anchored between the fabric members 7 and 9. The other ends of these strips can be fastened to the front garment panel by means of hook strips 54 attached to the ends of elastic straps 50 and 51. These hook strips 54 are backed by fabric co~ers 54a and 55a. The hook ~9;~C~96 strips 5~ cooperate with and can be fastened to loop strips 58 and 59 extending across the entire front of the front panel 4.
The loop strip 58 is stitched on top of the facing strip 10 between the seam 39 and the long loop strip 41. The other loop strip 59 is stitched in place around its periphery to overlie the pocket 21, e~tending near the center and along the length thereof and beyond the seam 28 to the edge of the fabric member 6. To position the garment for use on a person, the neck opening is slipped over the head and the belt portions are slightly 1~ tensioned by pulling on the hook strips 54 and 55 and fastening these strips by engaging their hooks with the loops of the loop strips 58 and 59 on the front panel of the garment. The lengths of the hook and loop strips 54, 55, 58 and 59 together with the elasticity of the straps ~0 and 51 provide a very wide range of adjustment of the belt so that one size of the garment fits most workers. The elastic straps 50 and 51 are made with raised transverse ribs to give its non-roll feature. The straps 50 and 51 can be stretched to twice their unstressed length of about five inches.
Althou~h the garment 1 by itself can provide some protection to the worker from a heat source, .it is intended to provide a much higher level of heat protection by receiving flexible heat-dissipating refreezable packets 60 in the pockets 20, 21, 22, 30, 31 and 32. As seen most clearly in FIGS. 5 and 6, the packet 60 is formed from a heat-sealable transparent plastic tube 61 having four seams thereacross which define three equal-size generally flat sealed compartment~ . The f le~ibilit~ of each packet 60 at ~%~z~9~
the seams b~tween the compartments allows the front and rear panels of the garment to conform to the person~s body to provide greater ~omfort and more freedom of movement when the garment is worn.
5The plastic tube 61 is made of polyethylene of about 4 mil thickness which is easily sealed to itself to form seams merely by the application of sufficient pressure and heat. The tube may be made of a tougher material such as polyvinyl chloride and ~he seams formed by electronic welding. A toughPr material of this nature may be preferred for use in the embodiment of FIG. 8 where the blanket illustrated may be used as a mat on which workers walk. The tube 61 may be aluminized to make it and the packets 60 reflective on the outer side for additional heat interception.
Each of the compartments of packet 60 contains a refreezable heat dissipating means in the form of a pack 63 of refreezable non-toxic chemical refrigerant gel. Although the pack 63 is shown as gel in a single-compartment flexible plastic envelope, each pack can be made as a multi-compartmented envelope to provide more flexibility when frozen. However, the illustrated packs are more economical to manufacture and can contain more of the gel within each of the compartments of the packet 60. The gel free~es at a temperature of about 0 degrees C. Its heat of fusion has a value approximately 10% or more in excess of the heat of fusion of water. It compares very favorably with the value for wa~er which is 80 cal./g./deg.C. a~ 0 degrees C. The gel is also much more ~iscous than water when melted and is much ~.' ~2~;2n~6 less likely to escape from the packet 60 in the event of accidental puncturing of the packet tube 61 and the envelope of the gel pack 63.
The size of each of the pockets 20, 21, 22, 30, 31 and 32 in the garment panels is about 6 1/2 by 13 1/4 inches. The packets are about 6 by 14 inches with a thickness of about 3/4 inch. The refreezable packs are about 6 by 4 1/2 inches and only ~ery slightly less than the packet thickness.
Throughout this specification the term fabric preferably refers to a woven material which has a weight of about five ounces per square yard and is made of 65% polyester and 35% cotton.
This material can absorb moisture of condensation, retains its shape, has minimum shrinkage and is very durable and wear-resistant. However, in some applications where flammability of the garment is a consideration, t;he fabric may be of a fire retardant material such as that commercially available under the tra~e mark l'Nome~".
The insulating material used in the various embodiments of the invention is preferably a polyester fleece material which has a thickness of about 3/16 inch and a weight of about 9 ounces per square yard.
The heat-reflective material used in this invention preferably has an extremely thin shiny metallic non-breathable surface layer on the heat receiving side. This surface layer is carried by a thin layer of insulating foam material which is backed by a very thin plastic sheet layer. This structure of the material, its smooth sur~aces and its resistance to any ,~
.. ...
~;29Z~9gi significant stretchinq makes it very suitable for stitching together with the other components used in the illustrated embodiments. These three layers are bonded together along spaced crossed lines. The bonded area is only a small percentage of the surface area of ~he reflective material. This material has a thickness of about 1/25 inches and an insulating factor of R2.
Another embodim~nt of the invention is shown in FIG. 7 wherein the fabric layer 8a extends to the left edge of the garment and the insulating and heat-reflecting layers extend to opposite sides of the garment. The peripheral seams are then like the seam in FIG. 3a. Also, a facing strip lla corresponding to strip 11 of FIG. 1 is now on the underside of the insulation and stitched between it and the hook portion of the fastener.
The bottom fabric member is reduced in width by an amount corresponding to the width of the strip lla. The belt members are attached essentially as in FIG. 1 to the edges and front face of the garment.
Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 wherein a heat-intercepting or cooling shield or shroud is made in the form of a flexible blanket 70. Similar to the previously descrihed garment 1, the blanket 70 as seen in FIG. 8 has a plurality of elongated flat equally-sized generally co-planar pockets 71 through 76 for receiving refree~able packets 60 identical to those used with the garmen-t 1. These blanket pockets are about 6 1/4 by 14 1/2 inches. The blanket 70 has a rear fabric face member 77 essentially coextensive in size with the blanket. The fabric m~mber 77 forms the rear wall of each of ~9~96 le pockets 71 through 7~. A smaller fabric face member 78 is generally coextensive with and form the front face of one group of several elongated side-by-side pockets 71, 72 and 73. Another fabric face member 79 forms the front face of another group of several elongated side-by-side pockets 74, 75 and 76 extending generally end-to-end relative to pockets 71, 72 and 73. The fabric members 77, 78 and 79 are all rectangular and adjacent sides of the members 78 and 79 are spaced from each other about two inches across the width of the blanket near its center. The other three sides of the fabric members 78 and 79 are secured to the periphery of the fabric member 77 along a peripheral seam 80 which extends around the entire edge of the member 77. Details of this seam regardiny initial stitching inside out correspond to the seam details shown in FIGS. 3 and 3a for the garment of 15 FIG. 1~ This seam 80 defines the outer sides of poc]cets 71, 73, 74 and 76. The outer ends of pockets 71, 72 and 73 are formed by the straight portion of the seam 80 at the left end of the blanket as seen in FIG. 8. The outer ends of the pockets are formed by a seam 83 which is spaced from the seam 80 at the right edge of the blanket as seen in FIG. 8. Seams 81 divide the left side of the blanket into the three equally sized pockets 71, 72 and 73. Similarly, the seams 82 divide the right side of the blanket into the three equally sized pockets 74, 75 and 76.
Next to or ~ust under each of the fabric members 78 and 79 are t~-o successive layers of heat-reflective material 84 and heat-insulating material 85, shown only at the cut away area of FIG. 8. In the preferred embodiment these layers for pockets 74, 75 and 76 end at the seam 83, but they may be extended beyond ~2~96 seam 83 to be stitched in the edge seam 80. The ends of the pockets 71 through 76 extending across the center of the blanket ha~e closuxes therea~ formed by fastening means comprising cooperating two pairs of hook and loop strips like the strips 40 and 41 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Each hook strip is similarly stitched along and under the edge portions of one of the fabric members 78 and 79 with the edges of the layers of reflecting and insulating material 84 and 85 therebetween. Pull tabs 86 are also stitched therein between the hook strips and the insulating material layers 85. Each of the loop strips 87 is stitched across the fabric member 77 directly beneath its cooperating hook strip. Protective ribbon material 88, like the ribbon 48 in FIG. 1,- is stitched over the edge of ~abric member at both sides of the blanket between the fabric members 78 and 79. The space between the members 78 and 79 may be covered across the center of the blanket by successive layers of insulation reflective material and another layer of fabric stitched atop the fabric 77 with the edges of these additional layers stitched under the loop strips 81 and with their ends 20 - under the ribbon strips 88.
Extending over the fahric member 77 atan area on the back side of the blanXet at the right end between the seam 83 and the peripheral seam 80 is a two-inch wide hoo~ strip psrtion 90 of a hook and loop strip f~stener means. This strip cooperates with three two-inch wide loop strip portions ~1 of the fastener means located on the opposite or front side of the blanket. These loop portions are stitched to the front of ~he fabric member 78 and ~2920~i each extends from the peripheral seam 80 at the left and about two thirds of the distance down the center of the pockets 71, 72 and 73 toward the closure ends of these pockets. The blanket 70 can be wrapped around all or a portion an objec-t 100 (in dotted lines) to be cooled and held in place by pressing the hook strip 90 into engagement with the loop strips 91 as shown in FIG . 10 .
Two or more blankets can be connected together by engaging the hook strip of one blanket with loop strips of another as seen in FIG. 9 where three blankets 70 are connected together. One or multiple blankets can thus be wrapped and fastened about objects of varying size and shape for either cooling the objects or for protecting them against en~ironmental heat. One or more blankets can also be used as mats on hot walkways to protect the feet of workers. In such case the heat reflective material is on the ]5 side of the blanket toward the hot surface.
Each oE the pockets 71 through 76 contains one of the removable heat-dissipating packets 60 shown and described in connection with FIGS. 5 and 6. The space between the fabric members 78 and 79 is about two inches wide. The blanket can be suspended on the narrow edge of a horizontal two by ~our inch board (not shown) with the groups of side-by-side pockets hanging on opposite sides of the board to facilitate inserting the packets 60 into the pockets. The tabs 86 are pulled to open the hook and loop closure for each pocket to permit insertion of the packets 60 whereafter the hook and loop portions are pressed together to keep the packets in place. The two groups of poc]cets are loaded alternately so that the weight of the packets will not cause the ~2~24~
blanket to fall off the support. The individual packets cover essentially the entire area of the respective pockets.
In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 11 a belt structuxe 94 is provided with only a single pocket is provided with the multilayer relationship and construction therefor essentially the same as previously described and with the peripheral side and end seams essentially the same as shown in FIGS. 3 and 3a. Triangular portions are formed at the ends of the pockets for attachment of belt means comprising an elastic non-roll strap 95 about one inch wide and a few inches long and an adjustable length non-elastic strap member 96 which is looped through one part g7 of a side release buckle. The strap g5 is looped through the~other cooperating par~ 97a of the buckle. The other ends of the straps 95 and ~6 are stitched in the ends of the triangular portions of the belt.
Another embodiment of the invention provides a helmet garment which i9 S .imilarly constructed to fit over the head and neck of a worker. It uses the same relationship of fabric members, gel packets and insulation and reflective layers to protect the head and neck from the shoulders up. It has a plurality of narrower and shorter pockets with closures on the outside to receive the gel packets. This garment must be sufficiently loosely fitting about the head and neck to permit turning and nodding movement without incon~eniencing or annoying the wearer.
In the alternative embodiment of FIG. 12 a vest-like garment lOl has two main panel portions located ~bo~e and below the neck ~2~2Q96 opening 103, respectively. ~he portion shown below the necX
opening 103 forms the front panel 104 of the garment when it is worn and the portion in the drawing above the neck opening 103 is the rear panel 105 of the garment. The exterior of the garment is essentially a casing in which the exterior of the front panel is formed primarily by fabric members 106 and 107 and the exterior of the rear panel is formed primarily by the fabric members 108 and 109 .
Within the garment and stitched to the outer front panel members 106 and 107 and rear panel members 108 and 109 are located fleæible layers 114 and 115, respectively, of heat-reflective ma~erial. Inside of the closed envelopes and next to the reflec~ing layers ~re flexi~le layers 118 of heat-insulating material.
lS The multiple layers of fabric and the heat-reflective material are sti~hed together to form a series o se~eral alongated side-by-sidepockets 120, 121 and 122 in the front garment panel 104 and a series of several elongate side-by-side pcckets 130,131 and 132 in the rear garment panel 105. As seen in FIG. 12 the upper sides of the pockets 120, 121 and 122 are formed by stitched seams 125, 126 and 127 and the lower sides of the pockets 130, 131 and 132 are formed by stitched seams 135, 136 and 137. The right ends of the pockets 120, 121 and 1~2, the left ends of the pockets 130, 131 and 132 and the outer sides of the ou~er pockets 122 and 132 are formed by portions of a ~titched seam 139 extending around the entire periphery of the garment. A double fold cotton ~ias tape 148 is wrapped around the edge of the garmen~ and is stitched thereto by ' '~' ~' 9~
the seam 139 as seen in FIG. 14. The ~ape is wrapped around only a single layer of fabric at the shoulders and at one side of each of the front and rear panels.
Extending along the garment at the lef~ end of each of the six pockets 120, 121 and 122 and at the right end of each poc~et 130, 131 and 132 are cooperating parts of elongated hook and loop fasteners each comprising a hook strip 140 fastened together with the edges of the fabric members 106 and 108 and the reflective layers 114 and 115, respectively, by sti~ching. The other part of each fastener is a loop s~rip 141 which is astened to the fabric members 107 and 109 also by stitching. These ends of the six pockets are closed by means of the cooperating portions of the strips-140 and -141 which extend therealong. The pocket closures formed by the stri.ps 140 and 141 are each independently opened by graspiny edge portions of the panels 106 or 108 and the adjacent portions of panels 107 or 109, respectively, and pulling them apart. At the ends of each pocket opening there are bar-tacks 143 stitched through the entire garment thickness for reinforcement.
The fabric members 107 and 109 are stitched together at the shoulder seams 144 and 145. The edges of ~he two fabric members at the neck opening are bound together by means o-f a ribbon member 148a folded over the edges and stitched thereto as seen in FIGS. 12 and 15. The ribbon 148a is a grosgrain ribbon of 100%
nylon which is extremely wear-resistant, will not shrink, will not ~ray and is heat sealable at its ends when cut with a hot knife before stitching it in place.
,5 ~2~96 To keep the cos~ of this embodiment down, there is much less stitching than in the preferred embodiment. The fabric members may be made of cotton duck of 7 or 11 ounce weight, of low porosity, high moisture absorption, and soft hand. The insulation may be a closed cell foam about 3/16 inch thick of ethylene ~inyl acetate which has low density, is soft, strong, non-absorptive and does not crack at expected operating temperatures. Its K factor is 0.25. The insulating material is cut into batts which are placed in the envelopes during stitching of the garment. Preferably they are of the largest uniform size which can be inserted into the envelopes. The reflecting layer 115 may be a perforated aluminized plastic material. Since the reflective material 115 covers ~ost of the front and rear face of the garment, its porosity is particularly suitable for use in an environment of low humidity where the need to get rid of perspiration within the garment is of more concern than eliminating condensation from the external environment on the refrigerated packets. The re~lective material must have sufficient body and strength to permit it to be readily stitched and retained with the other layers of the garment.
The garment is held in place when worn by a person by means of an elastic belt. The belt compxises two wide elastic strips 150 and 151 which are fastened by stitching at the areas 152 and 153 at opposite sides of the rear panel of the garment. The strips 150 and 151 are made expandable lengthwise by gathering portions of fabric slee~es 150a and 151a along ~he length of elastic members 156, the ends of which are stitched to the ~25~20~6 sleeves. One end of each of the sleeves 150a and 151a and of the elastic members 156 are anchored in the peripheral seam 139. The other ends of these sleeves can be fastened to the front garment panel by means of cooperating hook strips 154 attached to the ends of sleeves 150a and 151a and loop strips 58 and 59 extending across the entire front of the front panel 104. The loop strip 158 is stitched on top of panel 107 between the seam 139 and the adjacent loop strip 141. The other loop strip 159 is stitched in place aroun~ its periphery to overlie the pocket 121, extending near the center and along the length thereof to the seam 139 at the edge of the fabric member 106. To position the garment for use on a person, the neck opening is slipped over the head and the belt portions are slightly tensioned by pulling on the ends 15~a and 155a of the sleeves 150a and 151a and fastening the hook strips 154 thereon by engaging the hooks with the loops on the loop strips 158 and 159 on the front panel of the gar~.ent. The l~ngths of the hook and loop strips 154, 158 and 159 together with the elasticity of the strips 150 and 151 provide a very wide range of adjustment of the belt so that one size of the garment fit~ most workers. The heat dissipating layers of the garment shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 are multi~sectioned packets 160 , each made from a sleeve 161 of heat-sealable plastic containing a plurality, preferably three, of sealed refreezable packs 163, essentially like the heat dissipating layers of the preferred embodiment.
Other variations within the scope o~ this invention will be apparent ~rom the described embodiments and it is intended that 92~
che present descriptions be illustrative of the inventive features encompassed by the appended claims.
.` 22
BACXG~OUND OF TEE INVENTION
The presen~ invention relates generally to devices ~or controlling the rate of heat transfer between portions of the human body and the environment around the body. In some cases the invention is used primarily to reduce the amount of heat reaching the body from an unusually hot environment. In other cases the invention is used primarily to reduce the body temperature in a less hostile environment by absorbing heat from the body.
There are many industrial situations where individuals are required to work in hostile environments where the temperature is so high that it cannot reasonably be tolerated for a satisfactory period of time. This is particularly true where high temperature processes are being performed where the worker cannot be readily isolated from the processing itself or from hot equipment or a surrounding hot environment. In such cases there is a need to keep radiant, conductive and/or convec-ti~e heat from reaching the wor]cers body, particularly the human trunk. Where the en~ironmental temperature or heat level is extremely high, as near an open furnace or the like, the primar~ concern is to intercept a large amount of the heat which would otherwise reach the worker. This may be do~ne by reflection and absorption.
Preferably the heat not reflected is dissipated as heat of fusion in melting a frozen material. Insulation may also be used between ~LZ9~096 e heat source and the body to help control the amount of heat reaching the body.
It is essential that any equipment or garments used by a worker to protect his body by intercepting heat present a minimum burden during working conditions. If refreezable ~acks of heat absorptive material are used they must be easy to place in the equipment or garments and preferably be of uniform size to facilitate handling and xeplacement. If the equipment or garment is worn or carried it must be light weight, comfoxt-able, efficient, and easily and practically maintained. Thisincludes keeping it clean and sanitary. Usually industrial laundering is re~uired with attendant harsh agitation in hot laundering liquids.
The invention relates to vest-like garments worn by workers lS to intercept heat while working in hostile environments. One such garment has straight-sided front and rear panel portions each of whi.ch has three horizontal pockets containing removable packets of refreezable gel material. The packets are divided horizontally into three sections each containing an envelope of gel. When the gel is frozen solid the packets can bend where the sections were divided to give some flexibility to the packet.
A garment can be made of cotton duck with cotton bias binding around its periphery but it may lose its shape during industrial laundering and be less wear resistant both during laundering and during its intended use when worn to protect a person. A narrow elastic belt at each side of the body ~2~2~6 interconnects front and rear parts of the vest. The belt should remain flat when worn and attached to the sides of the garment so that the forces from the belt are distributed widely over a large vertical extent at both sides of the front and rear panel portions of the garment. The relationship of insulating, reflective and heat absorptive materials may be such ~hat the heat is first intercepted by the insulation before it could be reflected and the reflective material per-forated so that it permitted slight passage of perspiration therethrough. The insulation is in vertically spaced sections within the areas of the pockets and should cover the entire pocketed areas on the front and back of the garment. Unless the insulation sections are stitched at the edges of the pockets they are slightly smaller than the periphery of the pockets and can move around in the pockets and even curl up therein during laundering. The insulation preferably remains in fixed alignment with the gel packets so that during use there are no portions of the gel packets which were not pro-tected by the insulation and the insulation even covers the spaces between the packets.
}9~
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention there is provided a heat-intercepting shield for protecting a portion of an object against external radiant, conductive and convective heat or for controlling the temperature of a portion of an object, said shield comprising a flexible casing having front and rear flexible members, said members being secured together to define at least one elongated pocket, each such pocket having three closed sides and an open end, one of said members providing at each such pocket an elongated facial heat-intercepting area of said shield, said casing having throughout each said area three layers comprising, in the direction away from a source of said heat, a flexible layer of heat-reflective material, a flexible layer of heat insulating material, and a flexible layer of heat dissipating material for absorption of heat. Said layer of heat dissipating ma-terial being in the form of a packet which is insertable and removable through the open end of a respective pocket, and means for closing the open end of each pocket to retain the packet in the pocket.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention a heat-intercepting shield or shroud in the form of a vest-like 3a garment has a fabric shell within which are formed a plurality of adjacent pockets which are generally horizontal when the garment is worn. The shell has similar fron-t and rear panel portions which cover most of the human torso. These portions each comprise two generally coextensive fabric layers which extend from the shoulder line to the bottom of the garment. These layers are stitched together to define pockets to receive replaceable packets of refreezable material which are capable of absorbing substantial quantities of heat as the material melts. Over the entire area of the pockets on both the front and back panel ` portions of the garment and next to the outer fabric layer are coextensive layers of non-breathable essentially-continuous reflective material and of insulating material. These materials are stitched next to the outer layar of fabric in the seams defining the pockets so that both heat reflection and retardation of heat flow by the insulation occurs over the entire pocketed areas. Progressing from the exterior heat source toward the wearer the layers inside the fabric shell include a heat-reflective layer, an insulating layer which provides further protection from the heat which penetrates the reflective layer and a layer formed by the heat- dissipating packets of frozen gel material. Manufacture of the garment is greatly facilitated and the garment made much more economical in both manufacture and in use by a linear arrangement of hook and loop fastening means which forms the closure for each of the pockets and extends continuously from the bottom of the front shell portion up and over the shoulder and down ~he rear o~ the other sh~ll portion to the bottom thereof. Each pocket closure is conveniently opened by grasping a tab attached to one part of the fastening means near the middle of the closure and pulling it away from the adjacent shell portion to which the opposite porti~n of the closure means is attached.
The features of this invention may be embodied in a heat intercepting shield or shroud covering and cooling only a portion of the body such as the kidneys when the required stay p0riod under hostile heat conditions is shorter. In such cases it is practical to use a belt having a single pocket covering the kidneys and containing a sin~le refree~able packet of heat dissipating material.
~ he features of the invention may also be embodied in a heat intercepting blanket made up of a plurality of rows and columns of pockets each utilizing the same r~lationship of layers of heat reflecting, heat insulating and heat dissipating materials as mentioned above.
Furthex features of the invention are found in particular structural and material details set forth in the detailed description of the invention hereinafter.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a vest-like garment in accordance with the invention with the garment spread out flat and partially cut away at two places to more clearly illustrat~ interior f0atures of the garment.
FIG. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 in FIG. 1.
~25~
FIG. 3 is an enlarged section corresponding to the extreme right end of FIG. 2 and showing greater detail of the stitching at the periphery of the garment.
FIG. 3a is en enlarged section taken on line 3a-3a of FIG.l and like FIG.3 shows greater detail of the peripheral stitching.
FIG. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 in FIG. 1 showing features of the neck portion of the garment.
FIG. 5 is a plan view of a packet of heat-dissipating refreezable material used with the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 in FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 i9 a section corresponding generally to FIG. 2, but illustrating a modification of the invention.
FIG. 8 is a plan view of another embodiment o~ the invention illustrating a heat-intercepting blanket with a portion cut away and a corner turned over to show a portion o~ a fastener thereon.
FIG. 9 is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention wherein three blan]cets as shown in FIG. 8 are fastened together to form a larger blanket.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view o~ a blanket of the type shown in FIG. ~ wrapped around an object (in dot-ted lines) to be cooled FIG. 11 is a partially cut away plan view of another modification of the invention illustrating a heat-intercepting belt having a single pocket for holding a heat dissipating packet.
FIG. 12 is a plan view similar to FIG. 1 of another embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 13 ls a section taken on line 13-13 of FIG. 12.
~2~ 6 FIG.14 is a partial section taken on line 14-14 of FIG. 12.
FIG. 15 is a section -taken on line 15-15 of FIG. 12 FIG. 16 is a plan view of a refreezable packet used with the embodiment of FIG. 12.
FIG. 17 is a section taken on line 17-17 of FIG. 16.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1 a vest-like garment 1 has two main panel portions located above and below the neck opening 3, respectively. The portion shown below the neck opening 3 forms the front panel 4 of the garment when it is worn and the portion in the drawing above the neck opening 3 is the rear panel 5 of the garment. The ex~erior of the garment is essenkially a casing in which the exterior of the ront panel is formed primarily by fabric members 6 and 7 and the exterior of the rear panel is formed primarily by the fabric members 8 and 9.
Along the left side of the garment the facing fabric strips lO
and 11 form outer face portions on the front and rear panels 4 and 5, respectively.
Within the garment and next to the outer panel members 6 and 8 are located flexible layers 14 and 15, respectively, of heat-reflective material. Further to the inside of the garment and next to the reflecting layers are flexible layers 18 and l9, respectively, of heat-,insulating material.
The mul~iple layers of fa~ric and the heat-reflective and heat-insulating materials are stitched together to foLm a series of several elongated side-by-side px~ets 20, 21 and 22 in the front gaLment panel ~92~9~
4 and a series of several elongated side-~y-side pockets 30, 31 and 32 in the rear garment panel S. As seen in FIG. 1 the upper sides of the pockets 20, 21 and 22 are formed by stitched seams 25, 26 and 27 and the lower sides of the pockets 30, 31 and 32 are formed by stitched seams 35, 36 and 37. The xight ends of the pockets 20, 21 and 22 are formed by a single straight stitched seam 28 and the right ends of the pockets 30, 31 and 32 are formed by a single straight stitched seam 38. The outer sides of the outer pockets 22 and 32 are formed by portions of a stitched seam 39 extending around the entire periphery of the garment. During assembly of the garment many of the layers of material are stitched together while the garment is essentially inside out and an initial seam 39a as seen in FIGS. 3 and 3a is stitched. Thereafter the garment is turned right side out and the final seam 39 is stitched and the seam 39a remains concealed but adds significant strength to the periphery of the garment..
Extending along the entire length o the garment at the left end of each of the six pockets 20, 21, 22, 30, 31 and 32 are cooperating parts of an elongated hook and loop fastener comprising a hook strip 40 fastened together with the edges of the fabric member 6 and the re1ective and insulating layers 14 and 18 by stitching. The other fastener part is a loop strip 41 which is fastened to the fabric members 7 and g also by stitching in a position where it covers the adjacent edge of the facing strips 10 and 11. The let ends of the six po kets are closed by means of the cooperating portions of the strips 40 and 41 which ex~end therealong. The pocket closures formed by the s~rips 40 ~' 9~2~ 96 and 41 are each easily and independently opened by means of a small fabric pull tab 42. Each tab is fastened by stitching near the center of the pocket opening at the back of the hook strip 40 between it and the overlying fabric members 6 and 8, preferably between the hook strip and the reflective layers 14 and 15. At the ends of each pocket opening there are bar-tacks 43 stitched through the entire garment thickness for reinforcement.
The fabric members 6 and 8 are stitched together at the shoulder seams 44 and 45. The fabric members 7 and 9 are similarly stitched together at shouldPr seams. The edges of the four fabric members at the neck opening are bound together by means of a ribbon member 48 folded over the edges and stitched thereto as seen in FIGS. 1 and 4. The ribbon 48 is a grosgrain ribbon of 100~ nylon which is extremely wear-resistant, will not shrink, will ~IOt ~ray and is heat sealable at its ends when cut with a hot knife before stitchin~ it in place.
The garment is held ln place when worn by a person by means o:E an elasti.c belt. The belt comprises two wide non-roll elastic strips 50 and 51 which are fastened by sti.tching at the scalloped areas 52 and 53 at opposite sides of the rear panel of the garment. One end of the strip 50 is anchored in the peripheral seam 39 between fabric member 8 and the facing member 11. One end of the other strip 51 is similarl~ anchored between the fabric members 7 and 9. The other ends of these strips can be fastened to the front garment panel by means of hook strips 54 attached to the ends of elastic straps 50 and 51. These hook strips 54 are backed by fabric co~ers 54a and 55a. The hook ~9;~C~96 strips 5~ cooperate with and can be fastened to loop strips 58 and 59 extending across the entire front of the front panel 4.
The loop strip 58 is stitched on top of the facing strip 10 between the seam 39 and the long loop strip 41. The other loop strip 59 is stitched in place around its periphery to overlie the pocket 21, e~tending near the center and along the length thereof and beyond the seam 28 to the edge of the fabric member 6. To position the garment for use on a person, the neck opening is slipped over the head and the belt portions are slightly 1~ tensioned by pulling on the hook strips 54 and 55 and fastening these strips by engaging their hooks with the loops of the loop strips 58 and 59 on the front panel of the garment. The lengths of the hook and loop strips 54, 55, 58 and 59 together with the elasticity of the straps ~0 and 51 provide a very wide range of adjustment of the belt so that one size of the garment fits most workers. The elastic straps 50 and 51 are made with raised transverse ribs to give its non-roll feature. The straps 50 and 51 can be stretched to twice their unstressed length of about five inches.
Althou~h the garment 1 by itself can provide some protection to the worker from a heat source, .it is intended to provide a much higher level of heat protection by receiving flexible heat-dissipating refreezable packets 60 in the pockets 20, 21, 22, 30, 31 and 32. As seen most clearly in FIGS. 5 and 6, the packet 60 is formed from a heat-sealable transparent plastic tube 61 having four seams thereacross which define three equal-size generally flat sealed compartment~ . The f le~ibilit~ of each packet 60 at ~%~z~9~
the seams b~tween the compartments allows the front and rear panels of the garment to conform to the person~s body to provide greater ~omfort and more freedom of movement when the garment is worn.
5The plastic tube 61 is made of polyethylene of about 4 mil thickness which is easily sealed to itself to form seams merely by the application of sufficient pressure and heat. The tube may be made of a tougher material such as polyvinyl chloride and ~he seams formed by electronic welding. A toughPr material of this nature may be preferred for use in the embodiment of FIG. 8 where the blanket illustrated may be used as a mat on which workers walk. The tube 61 may be aluminized to make it and the packets 60 reflective on the outer side for additional heat interception.
Each of the compartments of packet 60 contains a refreezable heat dissipating means in the form of a pack 63 of refreezable non-toxic chemical refrigerant gel. Although the pack 63 is shown as gel in a single-compartment flexible plastic envelope, each pack can be made as a multi-compartmented envelope to provide more flexibility when frozen. However, the illustrated packs are more economical to manufacture and can contain more of the gel within each of the compartments of the packet 60. The gel free~es at a temperature of about 0 degrees C. Its heat of fusion has a value approximately 10% or more in excess of the heat of fusion of water. It compares very favorably with the value for wa~er which is 80 cal./g./deg.C. a~ 0 degrees C. The gel is also much more ~iscous than water when melted and is much ~.' ~2~;2n~6 less likely to escape from the packet 60 in the event of accidental puncturing of the packet tube 61 and the envelope of the gel pack 63.
The size of each of the pockets 20, 21, 22, 30, 31 and 32 in the garment panels is about 6 1/2 by 13 1/4 inches. The packets are about 6 by 14 inches with a thickness of about 3/4 inch. The refreezable packs are about 6 by 4 1/2 inches and only ~ery slightly less than the packet thickness.
Throughout this specification the term fabric preferably refers to a woven material which has a weight of about five ounces per square yard and is made of 65% polyester and 35% cotton.
This material can absorb moisture of condensation, retains its shape, has minimum shrinkage and is very durable and wear-resistant. However, in some applications where flammability of the garment is a consideration, t;he fabric may be of a fire retardant material such as that commercially available under the tra~e mark l'Nome~".
The insulating material used in the various embodiments of the invention is preferably a polyester fleece material which has a thickness of about 3/16 inch and a weight of about 9 ounces per square yard.
The heat-reflective material used in this invention preferably has an extremely thin shiny metallic non-breathable surface layer on the heat receiving side. This surface layer is carried by a thin layer of insulating foam material which is backed by a very thin plastic sheet layer. This structure of the material, its smooth sur~aces and its resistance to any ,~
.. ...
~;29Z~9gi significant stretchinq makes it very suitable for stitching together with the other components used in the illustrated embodiments. These three layers are bonded together along spaced crossed lines. The bonded area is only a small percentage of the surface area of ~he reflective material. This material has a thickness of about 1/25 inches and an insulating factor of R2.
Another embodim~nt of the invention is shown in FIG. 7 wherein the fabric layer 8a extends to the left edge of the garment and the insulating and heat-reflecting layers extend to opposite sides of the garment. The peripheral seams are then like the seam in FIG. 3a. Also, a facing strip lla corresponding to strip 11 of FIG. 1 is now on the underside of the insulation and stitched between it and the hook portion of the fastener.
The bottom fabric member is reduced in width by an amount corresponding to the width of the strip lla. The belt members are attached essentially as in FIG. 1 to the edges and front face of the garment.
Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 wherein a heat-intercepting or cooling shield or shroud is made in the form of a flexible blanket 70. Similar to the previously descrihed garment 1, the blanket 70 as seen in FIG. 8 has a plurality of elongated flat equally-sized generally co-planar pockets 71 through 76 for receiving refree~able packets 60 identical to those used with the garmen-t 1. These blanket pockets are about 6 1/4 by 14 1/2 inches. The blanket 70 has a rear fabric face member 77 essentially coextensive in size with the blanket. The fabric m~mber 77 forms the rear wall of each of ~9~96 le pockets 71 through 7~. A smaller fabric face member 78 is generally coextensive with and form the front face of one group of several elongated side-by-side pockets 71, 72 and 73. Another fabric face member 79 forms the front face of another group of several elongated side-by-side pockets 74, 75 and 76 extending generally end-to-end relative to pockets 71, 72 and 73. The fabric members 77, 78 and 79 are all rectangular and adjacent sides of the members 78 and 79 are spaced from each other about two inches across the width of the blanket near its center. The other three sides of the fabric members 78 and 79 are secured to the periphery of the fabric member 77 along a peripheral seam 80 which extends around the entire edge of the member 77. Details of this seam regardiny initial stitching inside out correspond to the seam details shown in FIGS. 3 and 3a for the garment of 15 FIG. 1~ This seam 80 defines the outer sides of poc]cets 71, 73, 74 and 76. The outer ends of pockets 71, 72 and 73 are formed by the straight portion of the seam 80 at the left end of the blanket as seen in FIG. 8. The outer ends of the pockets are formed by a seam 83 which is spaced from the seam 80 at the right edge of the blanket as seen in FIG. 8. Seams 81 divide the left side of the blanket into the three equally sized pockets 71, 72 and 73. Similarly, the seams 82 divide the right side of the blanket into the three equally sized pockets 74, 75 and 76.
Next to or ~ust under each of the fabric members 78 and 79 are t~-o successive layers of heat-reflective material 84 and heat-insulating material 85, shown only at the cut away area of FIG. 8. In the preferred embodiment these layers for pockets 74, 75 and 76 end at the seam 83, but they may be extended beyond ~2~96 seam 83 to be stitched in the edge seam 80. The ends of the pockets 71 through 76 extending across the center of the blanket ha~e closuxes therea~ formed by fastening means comprising cooperating two pairs of hook and loop strips like the strips 40 and 41 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Each hook strip is similarly stitched along and under the edge portions of one of the fabric members 78 and 79 with the edges of the layers of reflecting and insulating material 84 and 85 therebetween. Pull tabs 86 are also stitched therein between the hook strips and the insulating material layers 85. Each of the loop strips 87 is stitched across the fabric member 77 directly beneath its cooperating hook strip. Protective ribbon material 88, like the ribbon 48 in FIG. 1,- is stitched over the edge of ~abric member at both sides of the blanket between the fabric members 78 and 79. The space between the members 78 and 79 may be covered across the center of the blanket by successive layers of insulation reflective material and another layer of fabric stitched atop the fabric 77 with the edges of these additional layers stitched under the loop strips 81 and with their ends 20 - under the ribbon strips 88.
Extending over the fahric member 77 atan area on the back side of the blanXet at the right end between the seam 83 and the peripheral seam 80 is a two-inch wide hoo~ strip psrtion 90 of a hook and loop strip f~stener means. This strip cooperates with three two-inch wide loop strip portions ~1 of the fastener means located on the opposite or front side of the blanket. These loop portions are stitched to the front of ~he fabric member 78 and ~2920~i each extends from the peripheral seam 80 at the left and about two thirds of the distance down the center of the pockets 71, 72 and 73 toward the closure ends of these pockets. The blanket 70 can be wrapped around all or a portion an objec-t 100 (in dotted lines) to be cooled and held in place by pressing the hook strip 90 into engagement with the loop strips 91 as shown in FIG . 10 .
Two or more blankets can be connected together by engaging the hook strip of one blanket with loop strips of another as seen in FIG. 9 where three blankets 70 are connected together. One or multiple blankets can thus be wrapped and fastened about objects of varying size and shape for either cooling the objects or for protecting them against en~ironmental heat. One or more blankets can also be used as mats on hot walkways to protect the feet of workers. In such case the heat reflective material is on the ]5 side of the blanket toward the hot surface.
Each oE the pockets 71 through 76 contains one of the removable heat-dissipating packets 60 shown and described in connection with FIGS. 5 and 6. The space between the fabric members 78 and 79 is about two inches wide. The blanket can be suspended on the narrow edge of a horizontal two by ~our inch board (not shown) with the groups of side-by-side pockets hanging on opposite sides of the board to facilitate inserting the packets 60 into the pockets. The tabs 86 are pulled to open the hook and loop closure for each pocket to permit insertion of the packets 60 whereafter the hook and loop portions are pressed together to keep the packets in place. The two groups of poc]cets are loaded alternately so that the weight of the packets will not cause the ~2~24~
blanket to fall off the support. The individual packets cover essentially the entire area of the respective pockets.
In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 11 a belt structuxe 94 is provided with only a single pocket is provided with the multilayer relationship and construction therefor essentially the same as previously described and with the peripheral side and end seams essentially the same as shown in FIGS. 3 and 3a. Triangular portions are formed at the ends of the pockets for attachment of belt means comprising an elastic non-roll strap 95 about one inch wide and a few inches long and an adjustable length non-elastic strap member 96 which is looped through one part g7 of a side release buckle. The strap g5 is looped through the~other cooperating par~ 97a of the buckle. The other ends of the straps 95 and ~6 are stitched in the ends of the triangular portions of the belt.
Another embodiment of the invention provides a helmet garment which i9 S .imilarly constructed to fit over the head and neck of a worker. It uses the same relationship of fabric members, gel packets and insulation and reflective layers to protect the head and neck from the shoulders up. It has a plurality of narrower and shorter pockets with closures on the outside to receive the gel packets. This garment must be sufficiently loosely fitting about the head and neck to permit turning and nodding movement without incon~eniencing or annoying the wearer.
In the alternative embodiment of FIG. 12 a vest-like garment lOl has two main panel portions located ~bo~e and below the neck ~2~2Q96 opening 103, respectively. ~he portion shown below the necX
opening 103 forms the front panel 104 of the garment when it is worn and the portion in the drawing above the neck opening 103 is the rear panel 105 of the garment. The exterior of the garment is essentially a casing in which the exterior of the front panel is formed primarily by fabric members 106 and 107 and the exterior of the rear panel is formed primarily by the fabric members 108 and 109 .
Within the garment and stitched to the outer front panel members 106 and 107 and rear panel members 108 and 109 are located fleæible layers 114 and 115, respectively, of heat-reflective ma~erial. Inside of the closed envelopes and next to the reflec~ing layers ~re flexi~le layers 118 of heat-insulating material.
lS The multiple layers of fabric and the heat-reflective material are sti~hed together to form a series o se~eral alongated side-by-sidepockets 120, 121 and 122 in the front garment panel 104 and a series of several elongate side-by-side pcckets 130,131 and 132 in the rear garment panel 105. As seen in FIG. 12 the upper sides of the pockets 120, 121 and 122 are formed by stitched seams 125, 126 and 127 and the lower sides of the pockets 130, 131 and 132 are formed by stitched seams 135, 136 and 137. The right ends of the pockets 120, 121 and 1~2, the left ends of the pockets 130, 131 and 132 and the outer sides of the ou~er pockets 122 and 132 are formed by portions of a ~titched seam 139 extending around the entire periphery of the garment. A double fold cotton ~ias tape 148 is wrapped around the edge of the garmen~ and is stitched thereto by ' '~' ~' 9~
the seam 139 as seen in FIG. 14. The ~ape is wrapped around only a single layer of fabric at the shoulders and at one side of each of the front and rear panels.
Extending along the garment at the lef~ end of each of the six pockets 120, 121 and 122 and at the right end of each poc~et 130, 131 and 132 are cooperating parts of elongated hook and loop fasteners each comprising a hook strip 140 fastened together with the edges of the fabric members 106 and 108 and the reflective layers 114 and 115, respectively, by sti~ching. The other part of each fastener is a loop s~rip 141 which is astened to the fabric members 107 and 109 also by stitching. These ends of the six pockets are closed by means of the cooperating portions of the strips-140 and -141 which extend therealong. The pocket closures formed by the stri.ps 140 and 141 are each independently opened by graspiny edge portions of the panels 106 or 108 and the adjacent portions of panels 107 or 109, respectively, and pulling them apart. At the ends of each pocket opening there are bar-tacks 143 stitched through the entire garment thickness for reinforcement.
The fabric members 107 and 109 are stitched together at the shoulder seams 144 and 145. The edges of ~he two fabric members at the neck opening are bound together by means o-f a ribbon member 148a folded over the edges and stitched thereto as seen in FIGS. 12 and 15. The ribbon 148a is a grosgrain ribbon of 100%
nylon which is extremely wear-resistant, will not shrink, will not ~ray and is heat sealable at its ends when cut with a hot knife before stitching it in place.
,5 ~2~96 To keep the cos~ of this embodiment down, there is much less stitching than in the preferred embodiment. The fabric members may be made of cotton duck of 7 or 11 ounce weight, of low porosity, high moisture absorption, and soft hand. The insulation may be a closed cell foam about 3/16 inch thick of ethylene ~inyl acetate which has low density, is soft, strong, non-absorptive and does not crack at expected operating temperatures. Its K factor is 0.25. The insulating material is cut into batts which are placed in the envelopes during stitching of the garment. Preferably they are of the largest uniform size which can be inserted into the envelopes. The reflecting layer 115 may be a perforated aluminized plastic material. Since the reflective material 115 covers ~ost of the front and rear face of the garment, its porosity is particularly suitable for use in an environment of low humidity where the need to get rid of perspiration within the garment is of more concern than eliminating condensation from the external environment on the refrigerated packets. The re~lective material must have sufficient body and strength to permit it to be readily stitched and retained with the other layers of the garment.
The garment is held in place when worn by a person by means of an elastic belt. The belt compxises two wide elastic strips 150 and 151 which are fastened by stitching at the areas 152 and 153 at opposite sides of the rear panel of the garment. The strips 150 and 151 are made expandable lengthwise by gathering portions of fabric slee~es 150a and 151a along ~he length of elastic members 156, the ends of which are stitched to the ~25~20~6 sleeves. One end of each of the sleeves 150a and 151a and of the elastic members 156 are anchored in the peripheral seam 139. The other ends of these sleeves can be fastened to the front garment panel by means of cooperating hook strips 154 attached to the ends of sleeves 150a and 151a and loop strips 58 and 59 extending across the entire front of the front panel 104. The loop strip 158 is stitched on top of panel 107 between the seam 139 and the adjacent loop strip 141. The other loop strip 159 is stitched in place aroun~ its periphery to overlie the pocket 121, extending near the center and along the length thereof to the seam 139 at the edge of the fabric member 106. To position the garment for use on a person, the neck opening is slipped over the head and the belt portions are slightly tensioned by pulling on the ends 15~a and 155a of the sleeves 150a and 151a and fastening the hook strips 154 thereon by engaging the hooks with the loops on the loop strips 158 and 159 on the front panel of the gar~.ent. The l~ngths of the hook and loop strips 154, 158 and 159 together with the elasticity of the strips 150 and 151 provide a very wide range of adjustment of the belt so that one size of the garment fit~ most workers. The heat dissipating layers of the garment shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 are multi~sectioned packets 160 , each made from a sleeve 161 of heat-sealable plastic containing a plurality, preferably three, of sealed refreezable packs 163, essentially like the heat dissipating layers of the preferred embodiment.
Other variations within the scope o~ this invention will be apparent ~rom the described embodiments and it is intended that 92~
che present descriptions be illustrative of the inventive features encompassed by the appended claims.
.` 22
Claims (40)
1. A heat-intercepting shield for protecting a portion of an object against external radiant, conductive and convective heat comprising a flexible casing having front and rear flexible members, said members being secured together to define at least one elongated pocket, each such pocket having three closed sides and an open end, one of said members providing at each such pocket an elongated facial heat-intercepting area of said shield, said casing having throughout each said area three layers comprising, in the direction away from a source of said heat, a flexible layer of heat-reflective material, a flexible layer of heat insulating material, and a flexible layer of heat dissipating material for absorption of heat, said layer of heat dissipating material being in the form of a packet which is insertable and removable through the open end of a respective pocket, and means for closing the open end of each pocket to retain the packet in the pocket.
2. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 1 wherein said heat absorptive material is a solid.
3. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 1 wherein said heat dissipating material is a refreezable material having a heat of fusion higher than that of water and a freezing temperature equal to or lower than water.
4. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 1 wherein said reflective material is a non-breathable material.
5. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of elongated pockets each containing as said heat-absorptive material in said space a removable packet f refreezable material.
6. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 5 wherein said shield is a garment to be worn by a person and comprises at least two separate pockets whose lengths extend horizontally when worn by a standing person.
7. A heat-intercepting shield for controlling the temperature of a portion of an object, said shield comprising a flexible casing having front and rear flexible members, said members being secured together to define at least one elongated pocket, each such pocket having three closed sides and an open end and providing at each such pocket an elongated facial heat-intercepting area of said shield, said casing having throughout each said area three successive layers comprising a flexible layer of heat-reflective material, a flexible layer of heat insulating material, and a flexible layer of heat dissipating material for absorption of heat, said layer of heat dissipating material being in the form of a packet which is insertable and removable through the open end of a respective pocket, and means for closing the open end of each pocket to retain the packet in the pocket.
8. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 7 wherein said heat absorptive material is a solid.
9. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 8 wherein said heat dissipating material is a refreezable material having a heat of fusion higher than that of water and a freezing temperature equal to or lower than water.
10. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 7 wherein said reflective material is a non-breathable material.
11. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 7 wherein there are several elongated side-by-side pockets each containing as said heat-absorptive material in said space a removable packet of refreezable material.
12. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 11 wherein said shield is a garment to be worn by a person and comprises two separate groups of such several side-by-side pockets.
13. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 11 wherein said sheet is a blanket having several such pockets arranged end-to-end relative to other pockets.
14. A heat-intercepting shield for protecting a portion of an object against external radiant, conductive and convective heat comprising a flexible casing having front and rear flexible members, said members being secured together to form at least one elongated pocket, each such pocket having three closed sides and an open end, each pocket defining a facial heat-intercepting area of said shield, fastening means having for each such pocket a pair of cooperating parts forming a closure for the open end of such pocket, each of said members having secured thereto one part of each pair of cooperating parts of said fastener means, each such pocket having therein adjacent said facial area two layers comprising, in the direction away from a source of said heat, a flexible layer of heat-reflective material and a flexible layer of heat insulating material, and a space in each said pocket between the layer of heat insulating material and the other one of said members for receiving a layer of heat absorptive material to be inserted therein through the open end of the pocket at its closure.
15. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 14 including a layer of heat-absorptive material in said space, said heat-absorptive material being a solid.
16. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 14 wherein the area of said space is essentially covered by a layer of heat-absorptive material which is a refreezable material having a heat of fusion higher than that of water and a freezing temperature equal to or lower than water.
17. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 14 wherein said reflective material is a non-breathable material.
18. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 14 wherein there are several elongated side-by-side pockets each containing as said heat-absorptive material in said space a removable packet of refreezable material.
19. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 18 wherein said shield is a garment to be worn by a person and comprises two separate groups of such several side-by-side pockets.
20. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 18 wherein said shield is a blanket.
21. A heat-intercepting shield for protecting a portion of an object against external radiant, conductive and convective heat comprising a flexible casing having front and rear flexible members, said members being secured together to define at least one elongated pocket, each such pocket having three closed sides and an open end, one of said members providing at each such pocket an elongated facial heat-intercepting area of said shield, aid casing having throughout each said area three layers comprising a flexible layer of heat dissipating material for adsorption of heat and two heat transfer impeding layers between said heat source and said heat dissipating layer including a flexible layer of heat-reflective material and a flexible layer of heat-insulating material, said layer of heat dissipating material being in the form of a packet which is insertable and removable through the open end of a respective pocket, and means for closing the open end of each pocket to retain the packet in the pocket.
22. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 21 wherein said heat absorptive material is a solid.
23. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 21 wherein said heat dissipating material is a refreezable material having a heat of fusion higher than that of water and a freezing temperature equal to or lower than water.
24. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 21 wherein said heat-insulating material is a non-breathable material.
25. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 21 wherein there are several such pockets end-to-end and wherein in each pocket the layer of said heat-dissipating material is a removable packet of refreezable material.
26. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 25 wherein said shield is a garment to be worn by a person and comprises two separate groups of pockets, each group having several side-by-side pockets.
27. A heat-intercepting shield for controlling the emperature of a portion of an object, said shield comprising a flexible casing having front and rear flexible members, said members being secured together to define at least one elongated pocket, each such pocket having three closed sides and an open-end and providing at each such pocket an elongated facial heat-intercepting area of said shield, said casing having therein throughout a major portion of each said area three successive layers comprising a flexible layer of heat-reflective material, a flexible layer of heat insulating material, and a flexible layer of heat dissipating material for absorption of heat, said layer of heat dissipating material being in the form of a packet which is insertable and removable through the open end of a respective pocket, end means for closing the open end of each pocket to retain the packet in the pocket.
28. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 27 wherein said heat absorptive material is a solid.
29. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 27 wherein said heat dissipating material is a refreezable material having a heat of fusion higher than that of water and a freezing temperature equal to or lower than water.
30. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 27 wherein said heat-insulating material is a non-breathable material.
31. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 27 wherein there are several such pockets end-to-end and wherein in each pocket the layer of said heat-dissipating material is a removable packet of refreezable material.
32. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 31 herein said shield is a garment to be worn by a person and comprises two separate groups of pockets, each group having several side-by-side pockets.
33. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 31 wherein said shield is a blanket having several such pockets arranged both side-to-side and end-to-end relative to other pockets.
34. A heat-intercepting shield for protecting a portion of an object against external radiant, conductive and convective heat comprising a flexible casing having front and rear flexible members, said members being secured together to form at least one pocket, one of said members at each pocket defining a facial heat-intercepting area of said shield, fastening means having for each such pocket a pair of cooperating parts forming a closure for such pocket, each of said members having secured thereto one part of each pair of cooperating parts of said fastener means, each such pocket having thereat adjacent said facial area two layers comprising a flexible layer of heat-reflective material and a flexible layer of heat insulating material, and a space in each said pocket between the layer of heat insulating material and the other one of said members for receiving a layer of heat-absorptive material to be inserted therein through an opening defined by said closure.
35. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 34 including a layer of heat-absorptive material in said space, said heat-absorptive material being a solid.
36. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 34 including a layer of heat absorptive material in said space, said material being a refreezable material having a heat of fusion higher than that of water and a freezing temperature equal to or lower than water.
37. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 34 wherein said heat-insulating material is a non-breathable material.
38. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 34 wherein there are several elongated side-by-side pockets each containing as said heat-absorptive material in said space a removable packet of refreezable material.
39. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 38 wherein said shield is a garment to be worn by a person and comprises two separate groups of such several side-by-side pockets.
40. A heat-intercepting shield according to claim 38 wherein said shield is a blanket.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US8067487A | 1987-07-31 | 1987-07-31 | |
| US080,674 | 1987-07-31 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1292096C true CA1292096C (en) | 1991-11-19 |
Family
ID=22158904
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000545099A Expired - Lifetime CA1292096C (en) | 1987-07-31 | 1987-08-21 | Heat-intercepting garment or blanket |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1292096C (en) |
-
1987
- 1987-08-21 CA CA000545099A patent/CA1292096C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
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