EP1569534B1

EP1569534B1 - Cooling system for garments

Info

Publication number: EP1569534B1
Application number: EP02793316A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Savino Luca Dantone; Massimo Pisani
Original assignee: Dorimi Srl
Current assignee: Dorimi Srl
Priority date: 2002-11-14
Filing date: 2002-11-14
Publication date: 2008-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 2022-11-14
Also published as: AU2002358971A1; DE60225732D1; ATE389334T1; EP1569534A1; WO2004043180A1

Abstract

A cooling system for garments (1), cooling by expansion of gas into the atmosphere, comprising a reservoir (4) arranged for storing a compressed gas, a covering (10) arranged for containing said compressed gas and connection means (18) arranged to allow a flow of gas from said reservoir (4) to said covering (10). Said covering (10) further comprises expulsion means (16) for expelling the gas from the covering (10), said expulsion means (16) comprising at least one portion (34) permeable to the compressed gas, arranged to allow a gradual flow of gas to wards the outside of the covering (10) to be discharged into the atmosphere.

Description

The present invention relates to a cooling system particularly suitable for cooling garments and items of clothing in general, especially in hot climatic conditions.
It is known in the art to provide items of clothing such as, for example, jackets, with cooling systems, not only for everyday use, but especially for categories of workers obliged to work in particularly high temperature conditions, such as, for example, fire-fighters or site workers obliged in summer to work in the sun for many hours or in places, such as roof spaces, subject to high and sudden increases in temperature.
In the prior art there are various types of jackets with internal ventilation ducts which are connected to external machinery capable of cooling air or gas and of generating, within the jackets themselves, a flow of cold fluid, or fluid having a temperature lower than the atmospheric temperature or the environment in which the garment is immersed.
Such known systems provide for the use of machinery of large dimensions with systems for connection to the items of clothing themselves which involve significant limitations in the capacity for movement of the operator. Such a cooling system is known from US 5970519 .
There is therefore a need for a cooling system which is practical, portable, easily rechargeable, light and not bulky so as not to make the garment heavy, economic to produce and which has a good autonomy of operation.
The problem underlying the present invention is that of making available a cooling system for items of clothing in general which remedies the drawbacks cited with reference to the prior art.
Such drawbacks and limitations are remedied in an effective manner by a system according to claim 1.
Other embodiments are described in the further claims.
Further characteristics and advantages of the invention in question will become clearer from the following description of some of its preferred and non-limiting exemplary embodiments, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a cooling system comprising a covering according to the invention;
Figure 2 shows a cooling system comprising a multi-layer fabric according to the invention;
Figure 3 shows an enlarged detail of Figure 2, corresponding to a multi-layer cooling fabric;
Figure 4 shows a front perspective view of a jacket comprising the cooling system of Figure 2;
Figure 5 shows an enlarged detail of Figure 4, corresponding to a multi-layer cooling fabric;
Figure 6 shows a rear perspective view of the jacket of Figure 4;
Figure 7 shows a front view of a cooling jacket according to a further embodiment.

With reference to the above figures, a cooling system for cooling by expansion of gas into the atmosphere according to the invention is indicated generally by 1.
The reference 4 indicates generally a reservoir containing a pressurized gas, arranged for containing and storing a compressed gas and which may be of any shape and dimension depending on the desired autonomy of the cooling system of the present invention, and also on the space available.
Advantageously, the reservoir 4 has an outlet passage 6 through which the gaseous substance contained therein can come out.
According to one embodiment, upstream or downstream of the outlet passage 6 there is a delivery valve 8 which controls and regulates the emergence of the compressed gas from the reservoir 4 through said outlet passage 6. Advantageously, said delivery valve 8 can be disconnected from said reservoir 4, so as to permit the substitution of the reservoir itself.
The delivery valve 8 may be manually operated, but preferably may be operated automatically, for example by a thermostat which actuates it in response to a predetermined temperature, or at predetermined time intervals or according to programmed times.
Advantageously, the reservoir 4 also comprises at least one inlet valve 9, for permitting the filling and recharging of the reservoir following its partial or total emptying.
According to one embodiment, said system comprises a covering 10.
Said covering 10 consists of a fabric such as to render the covering 10 flexible and capable of containing a compressed gas.
In particular, by the term covering there is to be understood any container suitable for receiving a compressed gas and containing it.
According to one embodiment it may be constituted for example by two layers connected to each other and which enclose an air gap, but also by a layer of material having internal porosities in fluid communication with one another so as to allow the gas, by filling such porosities, to be contained in the overall volume bounded within the layer itself.
Advantageously, whatever the type of covering, it is preferable that it maintains a certain flexibility so as to be able to be inserted easily into any structure to be cooled.
To this end it is possible to produce a covering of modular type, or as a series of rigid coverings fluidly and flexibly connected to one another, so that the structure of the covering is flexible overall.
By the term flexible there is to be understood a non-rigid structure which can easily be placed in direct or indirect contact with an object having any required shape, or which can adapt as much as possible to the shape of the object in order to be able to cool it.
Said covering 10 advantageously comprises an inlet opening 14 arranged for allowing the passage or flow of a gas, or capable of permitting the introduction of a gas inside the covering.
The system 1 advantageously comprises connection means 18 arranged for allowing a flow of gas from said reservoir 4 to said covering 10.
Said connection means 18 connect the outlet passage 6 of the reservoir 4 with the inlet opening 14 of the covering 10.
According to one embodiment said connection means 18 comprise a tube or pipe 20 having a non-return valve which allows a flow of gas in only one direction, or from the reservoir 4 to the covering 10, and prevents any flow of gas in the opposite direction, or from the covering 10 to the reservoir 4.
Said non-return valve may be mounted at any point on the connection means, but also on the reservoir 4 or on the covering 10, as long as it is downstream of the outlet passage 6 and upstream of the inlet opening 14.
Said covering 10 further comprises expulsion means 16, arranged for allowing the emergence of the gas from the covering itself.
According to an advantageous embodiment, said covering 10 is produced from a fabric which, overall, encloses a containment volume.
The term fabric is not intended to mean restrictively a woven structure of warp and weft, but more generally a sheet of flexible material capable of being folded, sewn or adhesively secured so as to form a covering which encloses a volume.
In particular, said covering 10 comprises portions 30 impermeable to the compressed gas which flows inwards through the inlet opening 14.
By the term impermeable there is to be understood a portion of fabric which does not allow the compressed gas to pass through it, at least under normal operating conditions of the system, or in the range of planned delivery pressures of the compressed gas.
In this way a portion of impermeable fabric in fact constitutes a kind of containment wall for the gas but also a kind of channelling for the gas.
In fact the gas, since it flows against the impermeable portion without passing through it, can be conveyed in a predetermined direction, as will be described more clearly hereinafter.
According to an advantageous embodiment said expulsion means 16 of the covering 10 comprise at least one portion 34 permeable to the gas, or a portion which can be passed through by the gas itself.
In particular, by the term permeable there is to be understood a portion suitable for allowing a flow of gas towards the outside of the portion, meaning the passage of the gas through the portion.
Moreover, by the term permeable it is to be understood that said at least one permeable portion 34, when it is passed through by said gas, causes the gas to expand, flowing towards the external environment.
According to an advantageous embodiment said covering comprises conveying means 38 for conveying said gas within the volume bounded by the covering itself.
By conveying means 38 there are to be understood internal walls impermeable to the gas, which cannot be passed through by the latter and which therefore convey the gas along a predetermined path.
For example, said conveying means 38 may also comprise stitching, carried out in such a way as not to be able to be passed through by the gas.
Advantageously, by alternating conveying means such as impermeable walls, stitching and the like, it is possible to bound a precise path of the gas within the covering, for example along a serpentine path.
In this way the gas can flow within the covering by following a path predetermined by the conveying means and, along this path, can advantageously expand gradually through the at least one permeable portion, coming out from the covering, in order then to be released into the external environment.
Another advantageous embodiment provides for the covering to be produced through a thickness of material having internal porosities, such as, for example, a thickness of foam or polymeric material.
The material advantageously comprises porosities that are open, or fluidly connected or communicating with one another and porosities that are closed, or isolated from one another, in other words, not communicating with one another.
The open porosities then allow an outflow of the gas, while the closed porosities constitute a barrier to the flow of gas and therefore provide means for conveying the gas.
Also in this embodiment it is possible, by alternating portions with open porosities and portions with closed porosities, to form a predetermined path for the gas, allowing it to flow out of the covering itself.
The functioning of the cooling system discussed provides for the compressed gas in the reservoir to flow into the covering through the connection means which operate selectively. The selectivity, manual or automatic, derives from the possibility of opening or closing the connection and therefore the flow of gas between the reservoir and the covering.
It is important to emphasize that in this first phase of outflow from the reservoir to the covering, the gas undergoes a first expansion, in so far as the volume occupied by a certain mass of gas in the reservoir is less than that occupied by the same mass in the covering; this expansion therefore produces a lowering of the temperature, with a consequent cooling effect over the whole covering.
Then within the covering, the gas, along one or more points of the path, corresponding to the positions of the permeable portions of the expulsion means, emerges from the covering, expanding slowly and gradually. In this phase the gas then undergoes a further expansion with a consequent cooling effect.
The gradualness of the expansion is provided by the fact that the gas expulsion means are not constituted by actual outflow openings, but by micro-holes or micro-porosities which slowly release the gas itself.
The expulsion means of the covering may be positioned in any required position on the covering.
In particular, they may be located at one or more points of the covering, so as to produce preferred flows of outflow of the gas, or they may be distributed substantially uniformly along one or more walls of the covering, so as to produce extended areas of outflow of the gas.
It is possible to take advantage of the further cooling effect due to the outflow of the gas from the covering by positioning the walls permeable to the gas in proximity to the part to be cooled, as will be described in more detail hereinafter.
It must be pointed out that, since the gas must be released into the atmosphere, it is advantageously necessary to use a gas that is non-polluting, or in accordance with the anti-pollution environmental standards.
At the same time, the gas must have physical characteristics such as to guarantee good cooling on expansion.
For example, CO₂ gas is suitable for use.
A cooling system of the type described is particularly suitable to be used for the cooling of items of clothing in general.
By item of clothing there is to be understood any garment or object generally suitable for being worn by an individual, such as, for example, jackets, trousers, shoes, gloves, bullet-proof vests, and also helmets for work, for motorcyclists or for sports use, and the like.
It is moreover possible to apply such a system to items of furniture, such as, for example, armchairs, sofas, vehicle seats, mattresses and the like.
Of particular advantage is the application to jackets, intended for workers who have to work in climatic conditions of extreme heat.
In fact, the covering 10 described above may advantageously constitute a cooling layer 50 for garments, cooling by gas expansion, and arranged to be connected to a reservoir 4 capable of storing a compressed gas, by way of connection means 18 to allow a flow of compressed gas from the reservoir 4 to said layer 50.
Said layer 50 comprises expulsion means 16 having at least one portion 34 permeable to said compressed gas, arranged to allow a flow of said gas towards the outside of said layer, in order to be released into the atmosphere.
According to an advantageous embodiment a multi-layer fabric or structure 52 for garments is produced, comprising at least one cooling layer 50 of the type described.
Said cooling layer 50 is then constituted by a covering 10 as described previously, or comprising at least one inlet opening 14 fluidly connected to a reservoir of compressed gas and at least one portion permeable to the compressed gas.
The cooling layer 50 comprises an inner side 54 and, opposed thereto, an outer side 58.
It is firstly stated that by the inner side 54 of the cooling layer 50 there is to be understood the side of the layer 50 which faces towards the part to be cooled, after putting on the item of clothing.
On the other hand, by the outer side 58 of the layer 50 there is to be understood the side of the layer 50 opposed to the part to be cooled, after putting on the item of clothing, and also opposed to the inner side 54.
The multi-layer structure 52 preferably comprises, adjacent to the cooling layer 50 and on the same side as the outer side 58, an insulating layer 62.
Said insulating layer 62 advantageously constitutes a barrier suitable for providing thermal insulation. A layer of aluminium is advantageously suitable for the purpose.
The insulating layer 62 has the double function of preventing the heat from penetrating from the external environment to the object to be cooled, and at the same time of preventing the cooling gas from dispersing on the side opposite the side that is to be cooled.
According to a further embodiment, adjacent to the insulating layer 62, on the opposite side from that of the cooling layer 50, there is a covering layer 66, suitable for covering the insulating layer 62.
Said covering layer 66 advantageously constitutes the outermost layer of the multi-layer fabric 52 and may adopt any required configuration, depending on the desired aesthetic appearance.
Advantageously, the covering layer 66 is detachable and is made of a washable material or fabric.
Preferably adjacent to the inner side 54 of the cooling layer 50 there is an inner layer 70 which is in direct contact with the part of the body or generally with the object to be cooled.
Advantageously, said inner layer 70 is detachable and washable.
Moreover, the inner layer 70 is advantageously permeable to the gas, in order to allow the gas to come into direct contact with the part to be cooled.
The multi-layer fabric described, comprising the cooling layer 50 connected to a compressed gas reservoir 4, is particularly suitable for producing a cooling fabric which can be used in various applications.
According to a preferred application, a cooling jacket 74 comprising the multi-layer cooling fabric 52 is produced.
In the example illustrated, which is explanatory and non-limiting, the fabric comprises the inner layer 70, the cooling layer 50, the insulating layer 62 and the covering layer 66.
The jacket 74 has on a rear face 78 a cooling system of the type described, or comprising a compressed gas reservoir 4, an outlet passage 6, a delivery valve 8, connection means 18 which connect the reservoir to an inlet opening 14 located on the cooling layer 50 of the multi-layer fabric 52 of the jacket.
Advantageously, the inlet opening 14 is located in the top part of the rear face 78 of the jacket, or in proximity to a collar 80 of the jacket.
Preferably, the cooling is actuated by way of a potentiometer located, according to one embodiment, on the rear face 78.
Advantageously, the multi-layer fabric 52 produces, as described previously, a first expansion of the compressed gas when the compressed gas flows from the reservoir to the cooling layer 50.
This expansion generates uniform cooling of the gas and therefore of the cooling layer, or a lowering of the temperature distributed uniformly in the volume bounded by the cooling layer 50.
The compressed gas undergoes a further expansion passing through the expulsion means 16, and in particular through at least one permeable portion 34.
This expansion is particularly slow and gradual, in so far as the expulsion means are preferably constituted by micro-porosities which release the gas slowly, and it generates a subsequent lowering of the temperature of the gas and therefore of the area adjacent to the permeable portions 34.
The expulsion means may therefore be positioned advantageously at the inner side 54 of the cooling layer 70, so as to face each other directly on the inner layer 70, or on the part to be cooled.
In other words, it is possible to increase the cooling effect by causing the part to be cooled to be washed over by a flow of expanded gas, which emerges from the cooling layer 50.
The production possibilities of the present cooling system are varied, since the multi-layer fabric 52, or at least the cooling layer 50, may advantageously be inserted into any item of clothing.
For example, the multi-layer fabric may be inserted into a protective helmet, advantageously between the protective shell and the inner lining, advantageously providing the inlet opening 14 at the part of the helmet which faces the nape of the wearer's neck.
Obviously, in all the embodiments the cooling layer is fluidly and selectively connected to the gas reservoir through the connection means described.
In particular, where there are requirements for compactness and practicality, the reservoir is of small dimensions and is incorporated in the item of clothing itself, as in the case of the jacket.
In other applications, such as the cooling of a mattress for example, it is possible to use a reservoir of larger dimensions, also of fixed type, in order to be able to guarantee a greater autonomy of operation.
Obviously, in all the embodiments described, the release of gas through the at least one permeable portion is gradual, or rather the expansion of the gas occurs very slowly and at the same time continuously.
In this way, along with the consumption or release into the atmosphere of small amounts of a mass of gas, satisfactory cooling is guaranteed.
As described, the present invention makes it possible to remedy the drawbacks cited with..reference to the prior art.
The cooling system described is in the first place practical because it is light and portable. For example, according to one embodiment the covering is of fabric, so that as well as light it is also remarkably flexible and non-rigid. In this way it does not rigidify the item of clothing with which it is associated and in no way limits the movements of the wearer.
A further advantage of the present invention is constituted by the simplicity of operation, not having any moving parts.
The system further guarantees good autonomy of operation, owing to the fact that the expansion of the gas occurs slowly and gradually, thus guaranteeing constant cooling with a limited consumption of compressed gas.
In addition, both the thermostatic regulating mechanism and optional manual actuation allow optimum management of the reserve of gas stored in the reservoir, significantly extending the autonomy of the system.
In fact, a reservoir of small dimensions permits an autonomy of the system such as to cover a working shift of several hours.
This characteristic makes it of practical value for installations in jackets for workers on sites.
In addition, the system is of small dimensions, and owing also to the fact that the covering is not rigid, it is possible to mount it on varied items of clothing, avoiding the item itself becoming bulky or impractical in use.
Moreover, it is extremely compact and light and does not constitute an impediment to the movements of the person wearing it.
An expert in the field, for the purpose of fulfilling contingent and specific requirements, may of course apply numerous modifications and variants to the cooling systems and multi-layer fabrics described above, all however included within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims

A cooling system for garments (1), cooling by expansion of gas into the atmosphere, comprising
a reservoir (4) arranged for storing a compressed gas, and having at least one outlet passage (6) for said compressed gas;
a covering (10) arranged for receiving said compressed gas and having at least one inlet opening (14) for said compressed gas
connection means (18) arranged to allow a flow of gas from said reservoir (4) to said covering (10),
said covering (10) further comprising expulsion means (16) for expelling said gas from said covering (10), characterised in that
said expulsion means (16) comprise at least one portion (34) permeable to said compressed gas, arranged to allow a gradual flow of said gas towards the outside of said covering (10) to be discharged into the atmosphere, through micro-holes or micro-porosities which slowly release the gas itself
the cooling system comprises an insulating layer (62) disposed on an outer side (58) of the covering (10) opposite to an inner side (54) facing toward the part to be cooled,
and said insulating layer (62) constitutes a barrier suitable for providing thermal insulation, preventing the heat from penetrating from the external environment to the part to be cooled and preventing the cooling gas fron dispersing on the side opposite the side that is to be cooled.
A cooling system according to claim 1, wherein said reservoir (4) comprises a delivery valve (8) which controls and regulates the emergence of the gas from the reservoir (4).
A cooling system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said reservoir (4) comprises at least one inlet valve (9), arranged to allow the filling and recharging of the reservoir (4).
A cooling system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said covering (10) is flexible.
A cooling system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said covering (10) comprises a series of rigid coverings connected fluidly and flexibly with one another.
A cooling system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said covering (10) comprises portions (30) impermeable to the compressed gas.
A cooling system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said system (1) comprises conveying means (38) for conveying said gas within said covering (10).
A cooling system according to claim 7, wherein said conveying means (38) comprise walls (30) impermeable to the gas.
A cooling system according to claim 7, wherein said conveying means (38) comprise stitching impermeable to the gas.
A cooling system according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein said conveying means (38) provide a serpentine internal path for the gas.
A cooling system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the compressed gas comprises CO₂.
A cooling jacket (74) comprising, on a rear face (78) a cooling system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, the jacket (74) comprising a compressed gas reservoir (4), an outlet passage (6), a delivery valve (8), connection means (18) which connect the reservoir to an inlet opening (14) located on the cooling layer (50) of the jacket.
A cooling jacket (74) according to claim 12, wherein said inlet opening (14) is located in the top part of the rear face (78) of the jacket.
A cooling jacket (74) according to claim 12, wherein said inlet opening (14) is located in proximity to a collar (80) of the jacket.
A cooling jacket (74) according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the cooling is actuated by way of potentiometer located on said rear face (78).