Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63C—LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS
  • B63C11/00—Equipment for dwelling or working underwater; Means for searching for underwater objects
  • B63C11/02—Divers' equipment
  • B63C11/04—Resilient suits
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A41—WEARING APPAREL
  • A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
  • A41D13/00—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A41—WEARING APPAREL
  • A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
  • A41D13/00—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches
  • A41D13/012—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches for aquatic activities, e.g. with buoyancy aids
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A41—WEARING APPAREL
  • A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
  • A41D7/00—Bathing gowns; Swim-suits, drawers, or trunks; Beach suits
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63C—LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS
  • B63C11/00—Equipment for dwelling or working underwater; Means for searching for underwater objects
  • B63C11/02—Divers' equipment
  • B63C11/04—Resilient suits
  • B63C2011/043—Dry suits; Equipment therefor

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the field of clothing articles, more particularly articles for which it is sought improved insulation properties.
• the insulation properties of an article of clothing depend in large part on the choice of the composition and the structure of the layer of material or the assembly of the layers of material in which the article is made. This choice is of course a function of the conditions under which the article will be used, whether it is for example a diving suit, a jacket, a trouser or a glove for the practice of skiing or in extreme conditions of cold and wind, jacket or pants for firefighters.
• the insulating nature concerns not only the thermal insulation against the cold which prevails in the deep waters but also the insulation with respect to the water. who should not get inside the suit.
• the combinations are made of an elastomeric material so that, when the combination is threaded, it is plated, the elastomeric material being in the stretched state, on the body of the plunger, at least in areas of the wrists, neck and ankles that delineate potential passage openings for water.
• This necessary tensioning of the diving suit when it is threaded makes it necessary to have a combination of the right size, as much as possible in accordance with the configuration of the diver. In addition, it makes it difficult to put the suit on the sleeves and legs.
• the document US Pat. No. 5,647,059 describes a diving suit equipped with a sealing system for the wrists and the neck which comprises a band of a compressible material, in particular of closed cell foam, which is surrounded externally by a band.
• inflatable which is closed on itself thanks to a zipper.
• the inflatable strip is formed of three walls, namely an outer wall and an inner wall which delimit between them an inflatable chamber which extends along the outer circumferential surface of the compressible strip.
• the third wall is an intermediate wall formed of a flexible material and delimits a partitioning along the circumferential length of the inflatable chamber.
• each of the compartments When air is introduced into the chamber, each of the compartments is inflated to form a plurality of interconnected pouches having a cushion configuration which applies pressure to the compressible foam web so as to close the compressible web and apply the on the part of the body, the compressible material of the first band then acting as a seal.
• This sealing system proposed by this prior document has drawbacks.
• the compressible material is laminated on the inner side of the inflatable band with the need that this compressible material overflows the inflatable part of the band under the zipper itself so that said compressible band is applied over the entire periphery of the body part. In use, there is a significant risk of degradation or even tearing of the compressible material when actuating the zipper.
• the compressible material can also delaminate on both sides of the zipper and form crippling folds for perfect sealing.
• the aim of the applicant is to propose an article of clothing with improved insulation that overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks.
• the article of clothing having an outer face and an inner face, comprises, in an annular zone surrounding a part of the body: a) an inflatable sleeve, which is expandable between a rest position allowing the free passage of the body part and an expanded position in which it is tightly secured to the inner face of the article and applies directly and uniformly over the entire periphery of said body part, forming a continuous joint of sealing with respect to the outside of the article and b) inflation means for inflatable sleeve, accessible to the user, in particular from the outer face of the article or from the outer or front face of the sleeve .
• the insulation is achieved by the expansion of the sleeve which, applying directly to the body part itself forms a continuous seal between the article and said part of the body.
• the sleeve is fixed directly on the inner face of the article in said annular zone.
• the material constituting the article in this annular zone where the sleeve is located has a reduced elasticity so that the expansion of the sleeve occurs mainly inwardly.
• the material is of the elastomeric type, as in a diving suit.
• the sleeve is constituted by a separate inflatable bag and the article comprises, at least in the annular zone where the inflatable sleeve is located, a layer of an elastic material, attached to the inner face so as to forming with said inner face a housing for the sleeve.
• the sleeve consists of a sheet impervious to the inflation fluid, having the cylindrical configuration of the annular zone, said sheet being attached to the inner face of the article and having its two edges sealingly attached to said inner face.
• the article is, in the annular zone, in a material impermeable to the inflation fluid and the sleeve is constituted on the one hand by the inner face of the article and on the other hand by the impervious sheet whose two edges are fixed at a distance from each other on the inner face.
• This attachment can be achieved in particular by two ribbons to be sealed.
• the sleeve is constituted by the sheet impermeable to the inflation fluid, which is folded on itself.
• the two superimposed or slightly offset edges of said sheet are fixed on the inner face of the article, for example by two or by a single tape to be sealed.
• said inflatable bag is made from two cylindrical or frustoconical membranes superimposed and assembled together.
• said inflatable bag is made from a single membrane folded on itself and whose edges are assembled. When the edges of the membrane folded on itself are also assembled to the inner face of the article, the membrane is similar to the impervious sheet folded over itself and referred to above.
• the annular zone of the article being an end zone, in particular a wrist
• the article is, in this zone, in a material impermeable to the inflation fluid and the inflatable sleeve is constituted by folding on itself from the end portion.
• the edge of the fold is fixed on the inner face or on the outer face of the article, for example by means of a tape to be sealed.
• the formation of the sleeve is made during the manufacture of the article, the size of the panels for forming the sleeve being determined so as to take into account the fold in which the sleeve is formed.
• the sleeve is attached indirectly to the inner face of the article, thanks to an intermediate part, in particular tubular, which is fixed on the one hand to the sleeve and on the other hand to the inner face of the sleeve. article.
• the intermediate piece is extensible and impermeable. In addition, it is sealed to the sleeve and the inner face.
• Its extensibility makes it possible to adapt to the variations of volume of the sleeve during its inflation. Its impermeability makes it possible to obtain the desired sealing. It may be in particular in a tubular form - cylindrical or frustoconical -, the first edge being fixed on the periphery of the sleeve and the second edge being fixed on the inner face of the article.
• the fixing of the second edge of the intermediate piece can be performed at the region of the article corresponding to the middle of the forearm.
• a gap between the inner face of the garment and the sleeve, offset allowing in particular to achieve the desired insulation with an article that is not necessarily adjusted to the body.
• the intermediate piece is permeable to air, being in particular in a decontextured textile, very openwork, of the mesh type.
• the presence of the perforated intermediate piece makes it possible to obtain a circulation of air around the sleeve, when the latter is at rest, that is to say is not inflated.
• the article comprises sealing means, arranged in the annular zone, adapted to improve the seal, during inflation of the sleeve, between the inner face of the article and the face of the sleeve which is opposite said inner side.
• the sealing means may consist of a coating of a high-adhesion material of the silicone type.
• sealing means may also be useful in the case where the sleeve is in contact with the part of the body.
• the sleeve itself forms an end portion of the article, for example reported by stitching.
• the sleeve is in the form of a strip whose two ends are provided with hooking means capable of cooperating for the closure of said strip on itself.
• the attachment means are detached for threading the article, and cooperate when the sleeve is placed in position to be inflated and fulfill its role of seal.
• the length of the band is determined so that the two opposite edges are contiguous, in position of the sleeve closed on itself and inflated.
• the attachment means consist on the one hand of a tab extending a first edge of the strip and provided with first self-gripping elements and secondly on second self-gripping elements supported on the outer face of the strip. near said first edge. Said second edge is provided with a loop for the passage of the fixing lug.
• the inflation means are accessible to the user in the annular zone of the article where the inflatable sleeve is located. These means may be in particular of the type known in the inflatable floating armbands for children, as described in document FR.2.131.251, for a tip allowing the user to breathe air through the mouth to the inside the sleeve. It may also be pump-type inflation means.
• the accessibility of the inflation means is from the outer face of the article.
• the accessibility of the inflation means is from the outer face or the front face of the sleeve.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a first embodiment in the form of a sleeve, with the inflatable sleeve in the rest position, the sleeve being threaded around the wrist,
• FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 with the sleeve in the inflated position
• FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the example of FIG. 2 along the axis III-III.
• FIG. 4 is a partial, more detailed view of a second exemplary embodiment in which the sleeve is an inflatable pocket, housed in an elastic inner liner
• FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an inflatable sleeve with inflation pump
• FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view of the sleeve of FIG. 5 integrated into a sleeve;
• FIGS. 7 and 8 are perspective views (FIG. 7) and sectional views (FIG. 8) of a third exemplary embodiment, in which the sleeve is in the form of a resealable strip on itself
• FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of a fourth embodiment in the form of a handle, with the sleeve which is fixed inside the sleeve by means of an intermediate piece,
• FIGS. 10 to 14 illustrate an embodiment according to the first example showing a protective flap of the inflation means
• FIG. 15 illustrates a fourth embodiment, in the form of a sleeve, the inflatable sleeve of which is formed by a folding of the end portion of the sleeve of the article and
• FIG. 16 illustrates the formation of a sleeve with a folded sheet on itself and fixed on the inner face of the article.
• the improvement of the insulation of an article of clothing is obtained by the implementation at an annular zone of said article, of an inflatable sleeve, provided with inflation means, said sleeve being integral with the inner face of the article while the inflation means are accessible to the user, in or near said annular zone.
• the sleeve is not inflated, it is possible for the user to thread the article, passing the corresponding part of the body in said annular zone.
• the inflating means When the user wishes to obtain the desired insulation, he actuates the inflating means so as to expand the sleeve until the gap between said sleeve and the part of the body facing it or the free space between said sleeve and the inner face of the article.
• the inflatable sleeve thus serves as a seal between the article and the body part.
• the body itself when we speak, in the present text, of the part of the body that faces the expansive sleeve, according to the insulation sought, there is no strict obligation that the body itself either at look of said sleeve, it may be another piece of clothing adjusted to the body, for example socks when it comes to achieving the insulation of the bottom of pants at the annular zone of ankle.
• the inflatable sleeve according to the present invention being able to be arranged at all the annular zones which delimit the passage openings of the article on the body of the user, whether at the level of wrists but also neck and ankles.
• this annular area is a function of the type of clothing items.
• a jacket there are preferably three inflatable sleeves, two at the wrists and a sleeve in an annular area corresponding to the size of the user or at least in the lower part of the jacket.
• pants especially ski pants
• FIGS 1 to 3 show an annular area of an article of clothing, equipped with the inflatable sleeve of the present invention, surrounding a body part of an individual.
• this annular zone is the distal portion of a sleeve of an article of clothing which may be a combination or jacket, distal portion intended to surround the wrist.
• this representation would be the same for any other annular area, whether distal or not, surrounding other parts of the body, such as ankle, waist, under the knee, mid-thigh, above the ankle ...
• the sleeve 1 comprises an inner face 2 and an outer face 3.
• An inflatable sleeve 4 is, in this first example, fixed directly on the entire periphery of the inner face 2, in an annular zone 1a of the sleeve 1, which zone corresponds to at the end of the distal portion of the sleeve 1.
• This sleeve 4 is equipped with an inflation means which consists of a nozzle 5 blowing, provided with its closure cap 6. One end of this end opens into the inflatable sleeve 4 and its other end opens beyond the outer face 3 of the sleeve 1, being directly accessible for inflation of the sleeve 4 by the user.
• This tip 5 passes through the sleeve 1 in the annular zone la.
• the inflatable sleeve 4 is a closed envelope, impervious to the inflation fluid, especially in this case air.
• This sleeve can be made in many ways, as well as its fixing on the inner face 2 of the sleeve 1.
• the sheet 40 When the sheet 40 is elastic, it can be fixed flat or substantially flat against the inner face in the rest position. When actuating the inflation means, the sheet 40 is deformed because of its elasticity.
• the sheet 40 may also not be elastic. In this case, as shown in FIG. 12, its total length must be greater than the width x of the sleeve in its rest position. Thus, as shown in FIG. 13, pleats are formed by said sheet 40 on the inside of the article. Upon actuation of the inflation means, the inflation fluid will occupy the entire interior volume defined between the sheet 40 and the inner face.
• the inner face 2 is not impervious to air, it is necessary to completely constitute the envelope forming the inflatable sleeve, either from the superposition of two sheets having the cylindrical configuration of the annular zone or from a single sheet folded on itself, the edges of the two superposed sheets of the folded sheet being assembled to form the impermeable envelope. Fixing this impermeable envelope, constituting an inflatable pocket, on the inner face may also be performed at the same time as the assembly of said edges.
• the sheet for forming this inflatable pocket is made of a flexible and highly elastic material, while keeping its impermeability to air, such as latex, silicone, neoprene.
• the assembly of the sheet or sheets for constituting the inflatable bag can be obtained by hot welding, cold, high frequency, ultrasound, gluing or by any other means.
• Figures 16 and 17 show a sleeve 50 formed from a sheet, impermeable to the inflation fluid, which is folded on itself and which is fixed directly on the inner face of the article, to form a inflatable pocket.
• This fixing is carried out in FIG. 16 using two 51, 52. More precisely, in this case, the first edge 50a of the sheet is fixed with the first tape 51 to be sealed and the second edge 50b of the folded sheet is superimposed exactly on the first edge 50a and the second tape to be sealed 52 is applied at the same time along the second edge 50b of the sheet and according to the first tape 51 to be sealed, or possibly the inner face 2 of the article.
• the two edges 50a, 50b are offset from one another and the fastening on the inner face 2 takes place with the aid of a single ribbon to be sealed 53.
• the inflatable bag may be covered with an inner liner 19, in an elastic textile material, which is attached to the inner face 3 of the sleeve 1 to form a housing to the inflatable pocket, constituting the sleeve itself ( Figure 4).
• This liner 19 avoids direct contact with the skin of the latex sheet, for example.
• said sleeve 4 may consist of a single inflation compartment 12 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 or of several compartments, for example three inflation compartments 12a. , 12b, 12c in the example shown in Figures 5 and 6.
• FIG. 1 shows the part of the wrist 7 that extends freely inside the sleeve 1.
• freely means that the passage section S delimited by the sleeve 4 when it is not inflated is higher see significantly greater than the passage section S 'wrist 7 so that the threading of the sleeve does not pose difficulties to the user.
• the user can actuate the inflation means to carry out the expansion of the sleeve 4.
• the sleeve exerts too much pressure on the wrist 7 and is therefore a nuisance for the user, it may be desirable to break the sleeve into several compartments, as shown in Figures 5 and 6 so as to that the overall expansion of the sleeve on all the compartments 12a, 12b, 12c is done over a height h substantially constant over the entire width of the sleeve.
• the fact that the contact of the sleeve on the part of the body is a surface contact and not punctual has many advantages: the seal can be obtained with a low pressure, which is not likely to cause any tetanization or too much strong contention, and with a perfect adaptation to the personal morphology of the user.
• the inflation means consists of a pump-type device, for example a bellows pump 8, as shown, which is supported by an extension 9 of the sleeve 4.
• the deflation of the sleeve is of course obtained through a valve system, optionally integrated with the nozzle.
• the article of clothing is a sleeve 10 made of neoprene or the like, for diving suit.
• the sleeve 4, its extension 9 and the pump 8 are integrated during the manufacture of the sleeve, the neoprene layer 11 completely covering the sleeve 4, the extension 9 and the pump 8. Due to the deformation capacity of the sleeve neoprene layer 11, it is possible for the user to operate the pump 8. As such, the pump 8 is accessible from the outer face of the sleeve 10, even if it is not immediately visible.
• the constituent material of the article, in the annular zone where the inflatable sleeve is located has a lower elasticity than that of the sleeve, so that the expansion of the sleeve occurs exclusively or almost exclusively towards the inside. of the article.
• the inflatable sleeve 14 is in the form of an inflatable strip 15 whose two opposite edges 15a, 15b are joined together in a position of use of the inflated sleeve, thanks to attachment means.
• the transverse expansion of the sleeve at the two edges 15a, 15b provides a good seal.
• a fastening lug 16 and a guide 17 are provided on the strip 15 close to each of the two edges 15b and 15a respectively.
• the fastening lug 16 is provided with self-gripping elements of the hook type while the strip 15 is provided, on its outer face, upstream of the edge 15b of Velcro-type loop elements.
• the closure of the sleeve 14 is obtained by passing the fixing lug 16 through the passage 17, to bring the two edges 15a, 15b in contiguous position and to apply the fixing lug 16 on the strip 15 so as to block the tab 16 through the cooperation loops and hooks 19.
• This embodiment facilitates the manufacture of the sleeve, flat and not in a cylindrical or frustoconical configuration.
• the sleeve, manufactured separately, can be attached, in particular by sewing, according to the edge of the piece of clothing 18.
• Figure 9 is shown another embodiment of a sleeve 20 on the inner face 20a of which is fixed a sleeve 21 not directly but through an intermediate piece 22.
• This piece. intermediate 22 is in an extensible and impermeable material.
• the fixing of the intermediate piece 22 is performed so as to obtain a perfect seal between the sleeve 21 and the sleeve 20.
• the sleeve 20 can be threaded without any difficulty by the user, the sleeve 21 being in the deflated state.
• the sleeve 21 is intended to grip the wrist, while the length of the intermediate piece 22 is such that the attachment along the rear edge 22a with the inner face 20a of the sleeve 20 located approximately midway between the wrist and the elbow, towards the middle of the forearm.
• This particular arrangement allows greater freedom of movement for the user.
• the sleeve 20 is very wide with respect to the arm and particularly the section of the wrist which is intended to be inserted into the sleeve 21.
• the intermediate piece 22 may, in another embodiment, be permeable to air, being for example made in a decontextured textile, very openwork, of the type known under the name mesh.
• This makes it possible to create an air circulation space around the wrist, between the sleeve 20 and the sleeve 21.
• the sleeve 21 can expand in such a way that it seals, on the one hand, with the body part and on the other hand part with the inner face 20a of the sleeve 20.
• FIG. 14 shows examples of partial silicone coating on the inner face of the sleeve in the form of lineages of different configurations, the sleeve being formed according to the first embodiment described above.
• the inflation means of the sleeve can not be accessible to the user from the outer face of the article .
• These inflation means are accessible from the outer face of the sleeve, in the example illustrated in FIG. 9.
• the means inflation can be arranged on the front face of the sleeve.
• an element for making invisible and protect said inflation means Preferably, especially when the inflation means are accessible from the outer face of the article, there may be provided an element for making invisible and protect said inflation means.
• an element which is in the form of a flap 70, one of the edges 71 is sewn on the outer face of the article 72, the other edge 73, opposite the line seam being provided with an attachment element 74, in particular hook-and-loop self-gripping type. It is therefore possible to cover, with the flap 70, the inflation means in the normal position of the article and then make them accessible to the user by detaching the flap.
• Figure 15 there is illustrated an embodiment wherein the sleeve 60 of the article is in a material impermeable to the inflation fluid.
• the sleeve 70 is formed by folding the end portion 60a of the sleeve and fixing the front edge 61a of the fold 61 on the outer or inner face 60b of the sleeve, using a ribbon 62.
• the end 63 of the sleeve, at the fold, is consolidated by a seam line 64, possibly sealed, and the fold 61 between the seam line 64 and the tape to be sealed 62 is left loose, in sort of clear an inflatable interior volume.
• the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above by way of non-exhaustive examples.
• the fluid for inflating the sleeve is not necessarily air, particularly as it is a diving suit, it may be advantageous to inflate the sleeves with pressurized water, so as not to modify the behavior of the suit as would be the case with air-blown sleeves and to maintain the seal even in deep waters.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Oceanography (AREA)
• Professional, Industrial, Or Sporting Protective Garments (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

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• 2006
  • 2006-03-02 FR FR0601883A patent/FR2885774B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2006-05-23 WO PCT/FR2006/001180 patent/WO2006125910A2/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2006-05-23 EP EP06764673A patent/EP1898733A2/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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