GB2191884A

GB2191884A - Improvements in manikins

Info

Publication number: GB2191884A
Application number: GB08614675A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Julian Richard Allan; Ronald Williams
Original assignee: BTR PLC; UK Secretary of State for Defence
Current assignee: BTR PLC; UK Secretary of State for Defence
Priority date: 1986-06-17
Filing date: 1986-06-17
Publication date: 1987-12-23
Anticipated expiration: 2006-06-17
Also published as: GB8614675D0; GB2191884B

Abstract

A manikin suitable for the testing of the insulation properties of garments, having a trunk region, head member, arms and legs all fillable with liquid which is circulated by an internal pump 22 having an impeller 23 to produce a substantially even temperature across the manikin surface. The internal pump is preferably associated with a liquid heater 21 controlled, for example, by a thermistor and the heated liquid can be arranged to flow from the outlet of the pump along pipes 24-28 to the extremities of the manikin from which it returns to be reheated. The flow in such pipes may be individually controllable by use of valves. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in manikins The present invention relates to manikins, particularly manikins used for the measurement of thermal insulation performance of various types of protective clothing.

In producing protective clothing which is intended to provide insulating properties to protect the wearer particularly against extremes of cold it is essential to know how well a garment performs. The thermal insulation performance of a garment or assembly of garments can be determined by measurement of the variables of the known equation: Q -=K.A. dO t Q where - is rate of heat input or output t K is the thermal conductance of the material concerned A is the surface area over which heat transfer is occurring dO is the temperature difference between the two sides of the material being tested.

These variable parameters can normally be determined fairly easily by relatively straightforward measurements to enable thermal conductance to be determined.

Measurement of samples of material from which garments are made provides an incomplete picture of the performance of an assembled garment particularly in the case of an assembly of garments: fabric tests of even large areas of fabric cannot accurately reproduce the effects of bunching and uneven fabric distribution which commonly results in practice. Furthermore, the size of the layer of trapped air varies for example when an external hydrostatic pressure is applied because it will compress it and reduce its size by possibly several orders of magnitude, a factor which cannot be satisfactorily simulated or reflected in other known tests.

The idea of using copper or aluminium manikins is known but these have several disadvantages, not least that of cost. Further disadvantages arise in that these known metal manikins are not generally articulated and thus difficult and awkward to handle and manipulate.

The present invention aims at least to mitigate the disadvantages of the prior art.

According to the present invention there is provided a manikin fillable with liquid and having a trunk region, head member, arms and legs, means for filling the manikin with liquid, liquid heater means, a liquid pump, and liquid distribution means, the liquid pump distributing heated liquid through the distribution means to head member, arms and legs, the liquid returning to the pump outside the liquid distribution means.

Advantageously the present invention provides for means to distribute heated liquid throughout the manikin and produce a substantially even surface temperature across the whole of the manikin.

According to a second feature of the present invention the manikin has a covering made of flexible material and is preferably of the form of a woven material covered with either neoprene or polyethylene. A particular advantage of the use of these materials is that they are flexible, durable and impermeable to many common widely used liquids, which might be used to fill a manikin.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention there is a manikin having a distribution means for distributing heated liquid to the head, arm and leg regions of the manikin and comprising a network of pipes, the outlet of each of the pipes terminating in the head, arm and leg regions, and the flow for each pipe being individually controllable.

Advantageously the pipes provide a means of distributing directly the heated liquid to the extremities, thereby helping to prevent areas of non-circulating liquid and maintain an even surface temperature across the whole of the manikin surface.

In another preferred embodiment there is provided a means for measuring the internal temperature of the liquid.

Advantageously such devices are in the form of thermistors or other similar means whereby the electrical output may be easily and conveniently connected to other processing means.

In order that the present invention may be more clearly understood it will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures.

Figure 1 is a general view of the manikin used in the present invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the internal workings and arrangement of the manikin.

Fig. 1 shows a general perspective arrangement of a flexible manikin having a head member 10 attached to a body 11, the body also having arms 12 and legs 13 attached to it.

For the purposes of these tests detail representation of fingers and toes is not necessary.

A large hatch 14 is provided in the body portion to provide access to equipment contained in the body portion and for filling the manikin with liquid. The manikin may be made from any convenient flexible liquid proof material. It is important that the material be substantially inextensible because extension or stretching of the material would result in an altered surface area and thereby cause inaccuracies in the measurements of performance obtained. Materials which have been found to be particularly suitable are neoprene or butyl covered nylon or terylene fabric, preferably of woven construction.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the equipment contained in the body of manikin.

The body portion contains a housing 20, containing a bank of individually selectable heaters 21. Liquid is drawn past the heaters 21 by a pump 22 having an impeller 23. Liquid from the pump is then distributed under pressure by distribution pipes 24-28 to the extremities of the manikin. Heated liquid emerges at the extremities to assist in ensuring that they all have uniform temperature which is the same as that of the trunk. Liquid then flows back through the body cavity to the housing 20 and heater 21 to be reheated and recirculated.

The provision of these liquid distribution pipes helps prevent any stagnant regions of water in which water does not circulate. The water distribution pipes 24-28 may be supported in the limb regions 12 and 13 by support means either in the form of a rigid framework contained in the limbs or preferably in the form of tapes and bands attached to the inside of the limbs. The pipes are preferably of flexible construction in common with the rest of the manikin outer covering. One or more water temperature sensors 29 may be provided to monitor the water temperature inside the manikin to ensure it is substantially uniform.

Additionally one or more external temperature sensors 30 may be provided to enable the temperature on the external surfaces to be determined and monitored.

In certain instances it may be desirable to control the extent of the circulation and to achieve this individually selectable valves may be incorporated in the body of the manikin to permit control of flow to individual limbs or parts of the manikin.

The liquid used to fill the manikin may be any convenient liquid, water is particularly suitable because of its ready availability, low cost, non-toxicity and eminently suitable physical properties.

In use, the manikin will normally be maintained full of liquid. The general sequence of operations will now be briefly described. The manikin will be covered in the garment to be tested. Optionally the internal liquid may be heated by the heaters before the manikin, covered in its protective garment, is put into a liquid reservoir or pool simulating the sea or other conditions experienced by an immersion suit. The manikin and suit, once immersed, is then allowed with at least some of the heaters on and the pump operating to come to an equilibrium temperature with the surrounding environment. The temperature of the surrounding environment is measured and using the difference between the two known temperatures and the known rate of heat input the thermal conductance of the garment can be obtained and thence a measure of its performance.

Alternatively or additionally the clothed manikin can be put into the immersion pool and with a known rate of heat input from the heaters and circulation pump. The time taken for a given temperature rise of the internal fluid can be measured. If the heaters are turned off then the heat input rate is reduced to that energy dissipated by the pump and the time taken for a given temperature drop can be measured. In either case the values obtained can be used to determine the performance of the garments under test. In fact these methods may all be used to provide convenient cross checks if desired.

Control means for the heaters, circulation pump and any valves, and means for determing the output values of the temperature transducers may be in the form of electrical cables which may be attached by plug and socket to the hatch 14 or any other convenient part of the manikin. Alternatively the electrical cables may be brought out of the head portion to a remote control station, this is particularly convenient because the face portion of the manikin will not normally be covered or immersed.

Claims

1. A manikin fillable with liquid, and having a trunk region, a head member, arms and legs, means for filling the manikin with a liquid, liquid heater means, a liquid pump and liquid distribution means extending into the head member, arms and legs, the pump pumping heated liquid through the distribution means into the head arms and leg regions, the liquid returning to the pump outside the distribution means.

2. A manikin according to claim 1 in which the manikin is covering is made with flexible material.

3. A manikin according to claim 2 in which the covering material is a synthetic woven material covered with neoprene or polyethylene.

4. A manikin according to any preceding claim in which the distribution means for distributing liquid to the head arm and leg regions comprise pipes, the outlet to each of the pipes being individually controllable.

5. A manikin according to any preceding claim in which there is provided at least one temperature measurement means for measuring the temperature of the liquid in the manikin.

6. A manikin according to any preceding claim in which the temperature measurement device is a thermistor.

7. A manikin according to any preceding claim in which the liquid used to fill the manikin is water.