GB2404840A

GB2404840A - Garment for controlling body temperature

Info

Publication number: GB2404840A
Application number: GB0318893A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Oliver; Peter Gordon
Original assignee: Survitec Group Ltd
Current assignee: Survitec Group Ltd
Priority date: 2003-08-12
Filing date: 2003-08-12
Publication date: 2005-02-16
Also published as: WO2005016044A1; GB0318893D0

Abstract

A vest type garment for controlling body temperature has a first set of tubes 12 extending over the front 10 of the garment and a second set of tubes (13, fig 2) extending over the back 11 of the garment. A single manifold with a central chamber supplies heated/cooled liquid to first ends of the first tubes 12 and the first ends of the second tubes. A second manifold receives a liquid from second ends of the first and second sets of tubes. The manifolds sit under respective arms of the wearer. The first and second sets of tubes are located relative to the front and back portions 10, 11 of the garment by locating tubes between spaced layers of fusible breathable moisture transfer material and then fusing the two layers together at intervals.

Description

LIQUID CONDITIONING GARMENTS

The invention relates to liquid conditioning garments.

Liquid conditioning garments are generally worn by aircrew, particularly of military fast jets and helicopters, to heat or cool the body of a wearer. The following is a more detailed description of an embodiment of a known liquid conditioning garment, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a view from the front and one side of a liquid conditioning garment being worn by a wearer and showing a first set of tubes and a Y-piece connector, and Figure 2 is a rear view of the garment of Figure 1 showing a second set of tubes Referring to the drawings, the liquid conditioning garment is in the form of a vest with a front portion 10 that overlies the chest of a wearer and a rear portion 11 that overlies the back of a wearer. A first set of tubes 12 extends over the front portion 10 in serpentine paths with each tube having a first end and a second end. A second set of tubes 13 (see Figure 2) extends over the rear portion 11 in serpentine paths with, again, each tube having a first end and a second end.

The first ends of the first tubes 12 are connected to a first manifold tube 14 and the first ends of the second tubes are connected to a second manifold tube 15. The second ends of the first tubes 12 are connected to a third manifold tube (not shown) and the second ends of the second tubes are connected to a fourth manifold tube (not shown).

The first manifold tube 14 is connected to one limb of a first Y-piece connector 16 with the second manifold tube 15 being connected to the second limb of the first Y- piece connector 16. Similarly, the third manifold tube and the fourth manifold tube are connected to respective limbs of a second Y-piece connector (not shown). The first Y-piece connector 16 is connected to a first male connector 17 and the second wide connector is connected to a second male connector 18. The first male connector 1, 17 is connected to a supply of heated/cooled liquid while the second male connector 18 provides a connection to a return for such liquid.

In use, heated/cooled liquid is passed to the first male connector 17 and then to the first Y-piece connector 16 where it is divided and passed to the first manifold tube 14 and the second manifold tube 15. From the first manifold tube 14, the heated/cooled liquid passes to the first tubes 12 and from the second manifold tube 15 the heated/cooled liquid passes to the second tubes 13. After passing through the first and second tubes 12, 13, the liquid leaves via the third manifold tube and the fourth manifold tube respectively, the second Y-piece connector and the second male connector 1 8.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a liquid conditioning garment comprising a front portion for covering the chest of a wearer and a back portion for covering the back of a wearer, the front portion being connected to the back portion, a first set of tubes for passing fluid over the garment with each tube of the first set having first and second ends, a second set of tubes for passing fluid over the garment with each tube of the second set having first and second ends, the first ends of the first and second sets of tubes being connected to a first manifold and the second ends of the first and second sets of tubes being connected to a second manifold, at least one of said manifolds comprising a chamber connected to the associated tube ends and including a port in fluid connection with the chamber.

Referring further to Figures 1 and 2, in the known arrangement shown in these Figures, the first and second tubes 12, 13 are located on the front portion 10 and the rear portion 11 respectively by stitching on the portions that passes back and forth across the tubes. À l

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a liquid conditioning garment comprising a front portion for covering the chest of a wearer and a back portion for covering the back of a wearer and a plurality of tubes for passing liquid over the garment and extending over the front and back portions, at least a part of said portions being formed by two layers of fusible material with at least one tube extending between said layers, the layers being fused together to position at least one tube relative to the portion.

The following is a more detailed description of some embodiments of the invention, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 3 is a prospective view of a manifold, Figure 4 is a cross section through the manifold of Figure 1, Figure 5 is a schematic cross sectional view of part of a liquid conditioning garment showing two layers of moisture transfer film fused together and against the skin of a wearer, and Figure 6 is a schematic plan view from above of the portion of the garment shown in Figure 4 The description of Figures 3 and 5 will refer also to the description of Figures I and 2 above.

The manifold 20 shown in Figures 3 and 4 replaces the first and second Ypiece connectors 16 and the first, second, third and fourth manifolds 14, 15 described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2. The manifold 20 is formed by a plastics moulding with a generally rectangular front wall 21 and a generally rectangular back wall 22.

At one end, the front wall 21 is connected to the back wall 22 and first and second side walls 23, 24 space respective opposite longer side edges of the front wall 21 and the rear wall 22. The other end of the manifold 20 is formed with a port 25.

As seen in Figure 2, the port 25 leads to a single generally cylindrical elongate chamber 26 formed within the manifold 20. At its end opposite the port 25, the chamber 26 is closed.

Two sets of connector bores are provided. A first set of connector bores 27 extends generally radially relative to the chamber 26 through the manifold 20 to emerge in the first side wall 23. As seen in Figure 2, these bores are regularly spaced along the length of the first side wall 23. The second set of connector bores 28 are diametrically opposite the first set of connector bores 27 relative to the chamber 26 and extend through the manifold to emerge along the second side wall 24. As will be seen in figure 4, the second connector bores 27 are equally spaced along the second side wall 24.

In use, with reference to Figures 1 and 2, two manifolds 20 are incorporated into the liquid conditioning garment. A first manifold 20 has the first ends of the first tubes 12 detachably connected to the first connector bores 27 and the first ends of the second tubes 13 detachably connected to the second connector bores 28. A second manifold has the second ends of the first tubes 12 detachably connected to the first connector bores 27 and the second ends of the second tubes 13 detachably connected to the second connector bores 28. The port 25 of the first manifold is connected to the first male connector l 7 and the port 25 of the second manifold is connected to the second male connector 18.

Liquid which has been heated/cooled is passed to the first male connector 17 from which it passes through the port 25 of the first manifold 20 and then to the chamber 26 from which it is directed through the first and second connector bores 27, 28 to the first and second tubes 12, 13. After passing through the tubes, the liquid leaves through the second ends of the first and second tubes 13, passes through the first and l second connector bores 27, 28 at the second manifold 20, before entering the chamber 26 of the second manifold 20 and leaving via the port 25 and the second male connector 18.

Each manifold 20 is located at a respective side of the garment between the front portion 10 and the back portion 11 under an arm of the wearer. As seen in Figure 3, each manifold 20 is flat in construction and therefore provides only minimal interference to the wearer. Only a single tube passes from each male connector 17, 18 to the associated manifold 20 and this reduces bulk.

It has been found that the use of the manifold of the kind described above with reference to Figures 3 and 4 gives the possibility of higher rates of heat extraction/supply from/to the wearer and less pressure drop through the system than has previously been possible.

It will be appreciated that there are a number of variations which may be made to the manifold 20 described above with reference to figures 3 and 4. The connection between the chamber 26 and the tubes 12, 13 need not be through connector bores 27, 28. For example, the manifold 20 could be provided with projecting tubes. The chamber 26 need not be a elongate cylindrical chamber; it could be any required shape. The manifold 20 need not be moulded in one piece; it could be formed in a number of pieces. Although the use of two manifolds 20 has been described above with reference to figures 1 and 2, only one such manifold 20 may be used. The manifold 20 could be of metal. Although the manifolds 20 are shown under the arms of a wearer, they could be located elsewhere relative to the wearer. In particular, they could be at the centre front and the centre back of the wearer. In this case, the first set of tubes 12 extend partially over the front portion 10 of the garment, under the arm of the wearer and over part of the back portion 11 of the garment. Likewise, the second set of tubes 13 will extend over the other part of the front portion 10 of the garment, under the other arm of the wearer and over the other part of the back portion 11.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, the front and rear portions 10 and 11 are formed by two layers of breathable moisture transfer film 29a 29b supported on respective layers of fine textile material 30a 30b. The film may, for example, be a hydrophilic film of polyurethane. The tubes 11 or 12 extend between these layers 29a, 30a, 29b, 30b.

The film 29a, 29b is fusible by, for example, high frequency or radio frequency welding methods. The film 29a, 29b is connected together by spot welds 31 (see Figure 6) to connect the layers of film 29a, 29b together and so locate the tubes 12, 13 relative to the associated portion 10, 11.

Spot welds 31 are very much easier to form than the stitching previously used and described above with reference to figures 1 and 2. In addition, it has been found that sweat from an adjacent body 32 tends to condense on the tubes 12, 13 and does not wet the skin. This makes the garment more comfortable.

It will be appreciated that any other suitable fusible moisture transfer film may be used. Spot welds are not essential; any suitable form or shape of fusible connection could be used. The films could be glued together. 1 ' 1

Claims

1. A liquid conditioning garment comprising a front portion for covering the chest of a wearer and a back portion for covering the back of a wearer, the front portion being connected to the back portion, a first set of tubes for passing fluid over the garment with each tube of the first set having first and second ends, a second set of tubes for passing fluid over the garment with each tube of the second set having first and second ends, the first ends of the first and second sets of tubes being connected to a first manifold and the second ends of the first and second sets of tubes being connected to a second manifold, at least one of said manifolds comprising a chamber connected to said associated tube ends and including a port in fluid connection with the chamber.

2. A liquid conditioning garment according to claim 1 wherein the first manifold forms an inlet for fluid to direct fluid to said tubes and the second manifold forms an outlet for fluid to take fluid from said tubes.

3. A liquid conditioning garment according to claim 2 wherein the fluid is liquid.

4. A liquid conditioning garment according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said at least one manifold is formed by an elongate housing with said port at one end thereof.

5. A liquid conditioning garment according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein at least one manifold includes a plurality of connectors, each connector providing a fluid path between the chamber and an associated tube.

6. A liquid conditioning garment according to claim 5 wherein each tube is detachable from the associated connector. l

7. A liquid conditioning garment according to claim 5 or claim 6 wherein the manifold includes an elongate chamber of generally circular crosssection, each connector being formed by a bore extending from the chamber through the manifold.

8. A liquid conditioning garment according to claim 7 wherein each connector bore extends generally radially through the manifold relative to the chamber.

9. A liquid conditioning garment according to any one of claims 5 to 8 wherein the connectors are arranged in first and second sets, the first set of connectors being associated with the first set of tubes and the second set of connectors being associated with the second set of tubes.

10. A liquid conditioning garment according to claim 9 when dependent on claim 8 herein the first set of connectors are diametrically opposite the second set of connectors, relative to the chamber.

11. A liquid conditioning garment according to anyone of claims 1 to 10 and having respective opposite side portions that, in use, extend over respective opposite sides of a wearer beneath the arms of a wearer, the manifold extending along one of said side portions with the first set of tubes extending over the front portion and the second set of tubes extending over the back portion.

12. A liquid conditioning garment according to any one of claims I to 11 wherein the manifold is formed from a plastics material.

13. A liquid conditioning garment comprising a front portion for covering the chest of a wearer and a back portion for covering the back of a wearer and a plurality of tubes extending over the front and back portions, at least a part of said portions being formed by two layers of fusible material with at least one tube extending between said layers, the layers being fuzed together to position at least one tube relative to the system.

14. A liquid conditioning garment according to claim 13 wherein the fusing is on respective opposite sides of the tube.

15. A liquid conditioning garment according to claim 13 or claim 14 wherein said fusing comprises a plurality of spot welds.

16. A liquid conditioning garment according to any one of claims 13 to 15 wherein at least one of said layers is formed by a fusible moisture transfer material.

17. A liquid conditioning garment according to claim 16 wherein the material is a breathable hydrophilic polyurethane.

18. A liquid conditioning garment according to any one of claims 13 to 17 wherein the fusing is provided by radio frequency welding or high frequency welding.

19. A liquid conditioning garment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.