ITBO20110638A1 - BREATHABLE CLOTHING GARMENT - Google Patents

Description

â € œBREATHABLE CLOTHING HEADâ €

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a waterproof and windproof garment, of the type intended to be worn in humid and / or rainy and / or windy weather. These situations are quite frequent for hikers, skiers, climbers, cyclists, etc.

In particular, the present invention relates to an item of clothing, which can consist of a jacket or trousers, which is waterproof on the outside but which allows the water vapor produced by the body surface of the person wearing it to escape through a cavity made inside the material it is made of.

As is known, the human body during its normal activity, and in particular in conditions of high temperature or following physical exertion, heats up and releases quantities, even abundant, of sweat, which have the function of bringing the body temperature back to physiological levels. acceptable.

The garments used to protect themselves from rain, or even in conditions of only humid and / or windy weather, are made of a waterproof material, which prevents the passage of water or humidity from the external environment towards the body. However, the simplest garments of this type also prevent the passage of the steam produced by perspiration from the surface of the body, in contact with the clothes, towards the outside, on the one hand preventing sweat from performing its function effectively, and from the 'other than the body to keep itself as cool and dry as possible.

Furthermore, since the waterproof fabric is in contact with the external environment and, on its internal surface, the hot steam produced by sweat due to the effect of heating the body under stress, coming into contact with a colder surface condenses , wetting the clothes worn under the waterproof garment and of course the wearer.

Various types of garments are currently known, which are generally made up of partially breathable materials, in the sense that they allow air and steam to pass in one direction, preventing the entry of water in the opposite direction, for example that known by the trade name Goretex. ®.

Such an item of clothing is the one described for example in US patent 4,234,637, consisting of a fabric having the aforementioned characteristics. However, if this fabric is able on the one hand to prevent the passage of water and humidity from the external environment at low pressures, it is unable to perform its function satisfactorily when the pressure is higher, for example with respect to raindrops that fall with force on the fabric and also, for example, in situations of prolonged exposure to contact with rainwater. Furthermore, as in the previous case, since the ability to dispose of the steam derived from sweat is lower than the amount of steam produced by perspiration in the unit of time, part or all of the steam inside the garment condenses , wetting clothes and the person wearing them.

Waterproof garments were subsequently developed consisting of two layers, namely an external waterproof or semi-waterproof layer and an internal more or less breathable layer. The inner layer can be made up of different materials, in some cases soft and insulating, to retain heat around the body, letting the vapor produced by the evaporation of sweat escape as much as possible.

For example, the item of clothing described in US patent 4,667,344 comprises an internal breathable layer which allows the passage of the steam produced by the body towards the outside but which prevents the passage of water, and therefore of the condensed steam, from the outside. towards the body, and a completely waterproof outer layer. However, the two layers are in contact with each other, and it is therefore difficult to imagine that the vapor could easily move between the two layers. Furthermore, even allowing the passage of vapor, it would remain trapped between the two layers, where it could only condense due to the lower temperature. Condensation may then drip from the bottom edge, along which the two layers are not sewn, and from other unsewn openings facing down.

The massive presence of condensation between the two layers is not considered optimal in any case, also considering that a certain amount of it always remains due to the non-existent ventilation.

Other garments of this type have been conceived, for example the one described in the GEOX patent PD2003A000314, which provides for the elimination of steam by passing it through a band of breathable fabric placed along the shoulder line and a few centimeters wide. In detail, the GEOX solution provides for the presence of some spacer elements in the shoulder area between the internal layer and a Goretex®-type fabric membrane above which there is a fine-knit fabric. In the inventor's intention, this configuration should allow steam to escape, preventing water from entering in case of rain. In reality, the GEOX solution does not ensure the complete disposal of the steam produced by sweating, in particular due to the limited extension of the area through which the steam can pass, concentrated in the shoulder area. Furthermore, it is assumed that all the steam remains in this state, thus neglecting the inevitable formation of condensation.

In general, in the technical solutions adopted so far, we are based on the concept that, since the particles of water vapor produced by sweat are much smaller than the particles of water and can cross the membrane and flow outwards, it follows that the vapor is eliminated, and therefore the transpiration is ensured, while the rain cannot enter.

The purpose of the present invention is to propose a waterproof garment to be used in humid and / or rainy and / or windy weather, and in any case in situations in which sweating is accentuated, with consequent production of steam by the body. , which does not have all the drawbacks described above.

In particular, the purpose of the present invention is to considerably increase the steam expulsion capacity, while maintaining the waterproof and water-repellent characteristics of the garment, or possibly improving the latter, taking into account the release of the steam along a different path and not, or not only, through the fabric of the outer layer.

Another object of the present invention is to propose an item of clothing which allows to obtain an optimal evacuation of the steam that forms on the surface of the wearer's body with perspiration.

A further object of the present invention is to propose a garment that avoids, as far as possible, the formation of condensation in the area between the two layers that constitute it, while allowing to eliminate any condensation that may possibly occur. to form.

Another object of the present invention is to propose a garment which has all the aforementioned characteristics and which also prevents the entry of water from the outside, in correspondence with the openings.

Finally, an object of the present invention is to propose a waterproof garment which has all the aforementioned characteristics and which is produced by means of a simple and effective solution, which does not negatively affect the costs for its production, at least in the case of a solution. cheaper.

The aforementioned purposes are entirely achieved according to the present invention, in accordance with the content of the claims, by means of a waterproof garment consisting of two layers, an internal breathable layer with a low degree of impermeability, suitable for allowing the transit of air and vapor between the body of the wearer and the gap defined between the two layers, and a completely waterproof outer layer (economic solution) or waterproof and breathable, such as Goretex® (higher quality solution), in spacer means are provided between the inner layer and the outer layer to keep said second layer spaced from said first layer, even in the presence of deformation of the garment or movement of the person wearing it, in order to allow the movement of the steam outwards and upwards.

Further characteristics of the invention and the advantages deriving from it, will appear evident from the following description of a preferred, but not unique, embodiment thereof, illustrated purely by way of non-limiting example, in the attached drawing tables, in which :

Figure 1 represents the item of clothing object of the invention in its simplest form of waterproof or windproof jacket;

Figure 1A represents a detail of the garment of Figure 1, in a variant embodiment of the ribs;

Figure 2 represents a detail of the garment of Figure 1, seen along the section line II-II;

Figure 3 represents another detail of the garment of figure 1, seen along the section line III-III, while figure 4 represents the same detail overturned by 90 degrees;

Figure 5 represents a detail of the edge of the neck of the garment of Figure 1 seen in section;

Figures 6 and 7 represent an enlarged sectional view detail of as many variants of the item of clothing object of the invention;

Figure 8 represents the upper part of the garment of figure 1, while figure 9 represents a detail of it seen in section;

Figure 10 represents the upper part of the garment of Figure 1 seen from the other side, while Figure 11 represents a detail seen in section at the shoulder;

Figure 12 shows a detail of the item of clothing of Figure 1 with the sleeve raised;

Figure 13 represents the item of clothing object of the invention in the form of waterproof or windproof or snow pants.

A preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the above figures; in particular, figure 1 illustrates the item of clothing 1 object of the invention in its simplest form of waterproof, windproof or snow jacket 1, but it can also take the form of trousers 2, as illustrated in figure 13. It remains furthermore it is understood that the item of clothing 1, 2 can be made for any use, for example for skiing, for mountain or speleological excursions, for cycling or running activities, for work in the countryside or in the mountains, etc., without leaving the The scope of the invention, although in the following, for the sake of simplicity, reference will be made only to the waterproof garment type jacket 1, to be used in the event of rain or wet and / or windy weather.

The waterproof garment 1 object of the present invention consists of two layers: an internal layer 3, with a certain impermeability and highly breathable, suitable for allowing the passage of air and steam between the body of the wearer of the garment. clothing and the interspace 5, with a width of for example between 3 and 5 mm, defined between the two layers; an outer layer 4, completely impermeable in a cheaper form, with a heat-insulating layer behind it on the inner side and an impermeable vapor barrier layer that protects the insulating layer from any condensation, or semi-permeable, i.e. highly impermeable in a direction and breathable in the opposite direction, such as the one commercially known as Goretex®, in a higher quality and more costly form, in this case with the thermal insulating layer placed close to the inner face and without the barrier layer to the steam.

Between the inner layer 3 and the outer layer 4 there are spacer means consisting of a series of ribs 6, for example of plastic or polyurethane material, arranged at a predetermined distance between them, whose function is to hold the second layer 4 spaced from the first layer 3 over the entire extension of the garment. The ribs 6, which have a vertical or substantially vertical development, form a series of channels 8 with a substantially vertical development in the interspace 5 delimited between the two internal 3 and external 4 layers.

To this end they are deformable and / or flexible, for example by defining a suitable density for the material that constitutes them, to adapt to the shape and movements of the person wearing the garment, in order to keep the channels also in condition of movement of the person. This allows the free movement of the steam within the channels 8 thus defined.

To facilitate the interchange of steam between the various channels, the ribs 6 can be made, at least in selected portions of the garment, not continuously but as a series of sections or curves, even of different lengths, otherwise oriented to form rhombuses or other less regular sequences (see detail in figure 1).

The ribs 6 can have a more or less regular structure, for example with an "I" section (Figures 2 and 4) and can be made on the internal layer 3 only, or on the external layer 4 only, or on both, in conjunction with a or with both of the same layers.

Preferably, the ribs 6 are joined to both layers 3 and 4, for example integrally formed with one of them and joined by adhesion to the other layer.

Preferably the ribs 6 develop substantially vertically or slightly inclined, at least for a part of their extension. For example, at the shoulders and under the sleeves, the ribs 6 tend to curve outwards to go around the attachment area of the sleeve. Near the neck 9 the ribs follow the inclined portion 10 of the shoulder, as clearly visible in figure 1, or, as already mentioned, they can alternatively consist of a series of broken segments (see figure 1A), staggered and differently oriented, always with a trend from bottom to top, in such a way as to best perform their functions of keeping the outer and inner layers of the garment separate and conveying the steam upwards.

In other areas, which are narrowing, such as for example in the area 11 on the upper back, the ribs 6 are interrupted or originate in such a way as to join and divide the channels 8. In any case, the ribs 6 do not necessarily have to be parallel to each other. . Since the rising vapor follows its own preferential path, they can be staggered converging or diverging, as long as the channels they form lead upwards.

Furthermore, ventilation openings 7,17 are provided in correspondence with intermediate areas of the garment; for example, a long ventilation opening 7 is provided at the top of the back, as shown in figures 9, 10 and 11, or a short ventilation opening 17 is provided, for example under the sleeve, as shown in the figure 12.

The openings are conveniently obtained by making bifurcations 6a in the ribs 6, and superimposing flaps of the outer layer 4 supported by the same bifurcations to as many flaps, again of the outer layer 4 passed and fixed below the same bifurcations 6a (Figures 9 and 11). The extension of the openings and of the aforementioned flaps has been emphasized in the aforementioned figures to make them more visible. The actual dimensions of the same will depend, during the construction phase, on functional and aesthetic needs which must be evaluated from time to time.

The ventilation openings 7 and 17 allow the steam to escape with a shorter path along the channels 8, thus drastically reducing the possibility of condensation. The ventilation openings can also be formed at the chest of the jacket 1, in the form of pockets or ornaments, or even behind the back. Providing them, for example, under the armpits, they do not need the overhanging flap 19, but only a protective perimeter edge, designed to prevent the entry of water that slides on the outer surface of the outer layer 4.

In any case, in correspondence with all the openings destined to remain facing upwards of the channels 8, whether they are those located along the neck 9 (Figure 1) or those of the ventilation openings 7 and 17, there are flaps 18 oriented towards the bottom of the inner layer 3, clearly visible in figure 1 and even better in figure 5. The function of the flaps 18 is to cover the openings of the channels 8. The part of layer 3 which constitutes the flap 18 must be obviously made with waterproof material, for example of the same type as the outer layer 4.

In correspondence with the ventilation openings 7, 17 the flap made with the internal layer 3 can be advantageously replaced with an overlapping of the upper part of the same external layer 4, which extends with a flap 19 just beyond the opening 7, 17 itself. , as shown in figures 9 and 11. The advantage consists in the fact that it is not necessary to join a portion of waterproof fabric to the breathable fabric of the first layer 3.

In both cases, the flap 18 or the flap 19 allow the steam to escape while at the same time preventing the entry of water from the outside, for example in the event of rain.

Another measure aimed at reducing the possible formation of condensation, illustrated in Figure 6, provides that a thermal fabric 13, such as knit or micro-fleece, is applied to the external layer 4 in adhesion, so that the inside of the channels remains at a sufficiently high thermal level to avoid, or at least limit the formation of condensation. In the less expensive version of the garment, an additional waterproof layer 13a is applied to the inner side of the thermal fabric 13, designed to prevent water vapor from reaching the aforementioned thermal fabric 13. If the outer layer 4 is of the Goretex type ® (more expensive solution), that is highly waterproof and with a certain degree of breathability, then the heat-insulating layer 14 applied to it must also be breathable, to let the steam pass outwards, as shown in figure 7.

The modest amount of condensation that may eventually form inside the steam escape routes can be easily eliminated by providing, at the edges of the garment destined to remain facing downwards, for example the lower hem 21 of the jacket but also along the edges of the sleeves, holes 22 suitable for allowing condensation to escape. In the case of the trousers 2 of figure 13, the holes 22 will be made along the lower edges 23.

Furthermore, the holes 22 also perform the function of allowing the entry of air from below to facilitate the exit of steam from above due to the chimney effect.

Therefore, the steam produced by sweating crosses the inner layer 3 and collects in the interspace 5 between the two layers, and being hot it can easily rise along the channels 8, an action facilitated by the possibility of air entering from below through the holes 22. The suitable sizing of the holes 22 allows to properly control the passage of air, so that it is not excessive, cooling the garment from the inside, nor insufficient, such as to prevent easy movement towards the high of all the steam.

Once in the area of the neck 9, the steam can escape beyond the flap 18.

In the same way, in correspondence with the ventilation openings 7,17, the steam can exit passing the flap 19, pushed by other hot steam that goes up along the channels 8, while the air can enter to favor the upward movement of the steam in the upper sections.

If a minimum amount of condensation then forms, this would instead descend along the channels 8 and exit from the same holes 22, while the additional fabrics 13 and 14 keep the steam warm, preventing the dew point from reaching the cavity 5 , or allowing it to be reached only on the side corresponding to the outer layer 4, thus preventing any condensation from wetting the body of the person wearing the garment.

In practice, the external layer 4 can be completely waterproof on the outside with a thermal fabric 13 applied on the inside, protected on the inside by the vapor barrier. However, the use of an outer layer 4 of semi-permeable and breathable Goretex® type material, even if more expensive, allows a greater elimination of steam than the cheaper solution, improving overall the thermal characteristics and lower humidity of the garment. clothing. In this case it is necessary to provide inside it a thermo-insulating but also transpiring layer 14 and the impermeable vapor barrier layer is omitted.

Preferably, the inner layer, in addition to having high breathability characteristics, must at the same time offer a high degree of water repellency, to prevent any condensation formed from returning to the body, for example due to the non-optimal performance of the thermal insulation of the layer. external.

The advantages deriving from the adoption of the item of clothing object of the present invention are very evident from what has been said previously. The elimination of steam is ensured, thus allowing transpiration, due to the fact that the way for its elimination is specifically created and kept isolated from the outside, preventing the entry of water.

Furthermore, the provision of ventilation openings in intermediate areas of the garment allows the entry of air in several points, facilitating the upward movement of the steam.

The provision of thermal insulation also in the outer layer drastically decreases the quantity of condensate produced, keeping the temperature in the area where the steam is conducted more high.

It is understood that the above has been described purely by way of non-limiting example. Therefore, possible modifications and variants of the invention are considered to fall within the protective scope accorded to the present technical solution, as described above and claimed hereinafter.

Claims (11)

CLAIMS 1. Breathable waterproof clothing item consisting of at least two layers, an internal breathable layer 3, designed to allow the passage of air and steam between the body of the wearer 1,2 and the gap defined between the two layers, and an external waterproof or semipermeable layer 4, characterized in that between the internal layer 3 and the external layer 4 there are located spacer means 6 able to keep said second layer 4 at a distance from said first layer 3, even in the presence of deformation of the item of clothing 1,2 or of the movements of the person wearing it. 2. Garment according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said spacer means are identified as a series of ribs 6 made on the inner layer 3, or on the outer layer 4, or on the inner layer 3 and on the outer layer 4, in union with at least one of the same layers, said ribs 6 being able to form a series of channels 8 having a substantially vertical development in the interspace 5 delimited between the two aforementioned internal 3 and external 4 layers, within which the steam moves. 3. Garment according to claim 2, characterized in that said ribs 6 develop in a substantially vertical or inclined direction, at least for a part of their extension and are deformable and / or flexible to adapt to the shape and movements of the person who wears the item of clothing 1,2, in order to keep the channels 8 open and passable even in conditions of movement of the person. 4. Garment according to claim 2, characterized in that said spacer means 6 comprise, at least in one or more parts of said garment, a plurality of segments or curved rib portions, arranged so as to place in respective communication the various aforementioned channels 8. 5. Garment according to one of claims 1 to 4, in which ventilation openings 7, 17 are provided in correspondence with intermediate areas of the garment 1,2. 6. Garment according to one of claims 1 to 4, in which in correspondence with all the openings destined to remain facing upwards of the channels 8 there are lapels 18 oriented downwards of the inner layer 3, to cover said openings, or of both the internal 3 and external 4 layers, so as to allow the steam to escape, preventing the entry of water from the outside. 7. Garment according to one of claims 1 to 5, in which holes 22 are provided in correspondence with the hems 21,23 of the garment 1,2 intended to remain facing downwards, suitable for allowing the air inlet to facilitate the exit of steam from the top due to the chimney effect, as well as to allow any condensate formed to escape. 8. Garment according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the inner layer 3 consists of a breathable, thermal and water-repellent fabric. 9. Garment according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a thermal fabric 13, of the knitted or micro-fleece type, is applied to the outer layer 4, and to this a further waterproof layer 13a, suitable to act as vapor barrier. 10. Garment according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the outer layer 4 is semipermeable and breathable, or completely waterproof. 11. Garment according to claim 9, wherein a thermal and breathable fabric 14 is applied to the outer layer 4 on the inner side.