KR102636907B1 - Functional protective clothing including shape-memory material that modify according to detection of external harmful factor - Google Patents

Abstract

Functional protective clothing using shape memory material that expands and deforms depending on the concentration of surrounding harmful factors is provided. The functional protective clothing includes a sensor that senses a specific target; and clothing that is stretchable and deformable according to a signal from the sensor, including clothing that is at least partially woven or knitted using a shape memory material, wherein the shape memory material contracts when the sensor outputs a predetermined electrical signal.

Description

Functional protective clothing containing shape memory material that deforms upon detection of external harmful factors {FUNCTIONAL PROTECTIVE CLOTHING INCLUDING SHAPE-MEMORY MATERIAL THAT MODIFY ACCORDING TO DETECTION OF EXTERNAL HARMFUL FACTOR}

The present invention relates to functional protective clothing containing shape memory materials. In detail, it relates to functional protective clothing using shape memory material that expands and deforms according to the detection of harmful factors in the surroundings.

In general, protective clothing refers to clothing worn by workers in various industrial environments to protect their bodies from harmful substances, heat, etc., or to maintain a clean working environment. The term 'protective clothing' used in this specification is not to be construed as limited to the meaning defined in any law, etc., and refers generically to clothing worn according to industrial needs to protect workers and/or the working environment. Additionally, protective clothing may be used interchangeably with terms such as protective clothing and safety clothing.

For example, protective clothing must be worn when there is a need to protect workers from chemicals such as contaminants, pathogens, and harmful gases generated during work at industrial sites. For example, in environmental conditions such as semiconductor manufacturing processes where defective products can occur with just fine foreign matter inside the workplace, it must be worn when it is necessary to maintain a clean room or semi-clean room by blocking foreign matter from the worker's body or clothing. do.

In this way, protective clothing must protect the body and health of workers, so each country classifies and regulates performance standards for the safety of protective gear such as protective clothing and classes of protective gear accordingly. For example, in Korea, Article 25 of the Ministry of Employment and Labor's Notice No. 2020-35 stipulates the performance standards for chemical protective clothing as shown in Table 1 below.

form Standard for format classification 1Format 1a format Gas-blocking protective clothing with a breathing air supply inside the clothing that is independent of the atmosphere, such as an open-air respirator. Format 1a (emergency) Type 1a protective clothing for emergency use 1b format Gas-blocking protective clothing with a breathing air supply, such as an open-air respirator, on the outside of the protective clothing. Type 1b (emergency) Type 1b protective clothing for emergency use 1c format Gas blocking protective clothing supplied with positive pressure breathing air such as an air line 2Format Non-gas-blocking protective clothing supplied with positive pressure breathing air such as an air line 3 format Protective clothing with liquid barrier properties.
If hoods, gloves, boots, visors and respirators are connected, they must also have liquid barrier properties. 4Format Protective clothing with spray blocking performance. If hoods, gloves, boots, visors and respirators are connected, they must also have spray barrier properties. 5 format Protective clothing with blocking performance against aerosols such as dust 6 format Protective clothing with blocking performance against mist

In addition, other performance standards for protective clothing known in Korea include the classification from Level D to Level A presented by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2020-0145262, protective clothing equipped with a blowing fan

The performance standards of the above protective clothing are basically based on blocking the worker's body from external harmful substances. Therefore, protective clothing is generally made of materials with no or very low moisture permeability and breathability. For this reason, in conventional protective clothing, the temperature and humidity inside the protective clothing rise due to the worker's body temperature and sweat, and the wearing comfort and comfort of the worker are poor.

In particular, apart from protective clothing in special work environments that require high performance levels, protective clothing used in work environments where it is not necessary to completely isolate the entire body from the external environment, such as detachable protective clothing with separate gloves or shoes. , or in the case of protective clothing with separate tops and bottoms, there is the same problem as above, so the demand for improved fit, comfort, and activity of protective clothing is increasing.

Patent Document 1 discloses a protective suit equipped with a blowing fan. Patent Document 1 reveals an attempt to improve wearing comfort by inserting a blower fan into the pocket of the protective suit to circulate the air inside the protective suit. However, this configuration not only causes an increase in the weight of the protective suit, but also has the limitation of only temporarily improving the comfort of the protective suit. Therefore, the development of protective clothing to fundamentally improve the wearing comfort of protective clothing is urgently needed.

On the other hand, even a work environment that requires a relatively low performance level can suddenly change into a dangerous work environment for reasons that the worker cannot recognize.

For example, if a worker enters the work environment without being aware of it in advance even though a high concentration of harmful gas has accumulated in a work space, problems such as suffocation may occur due to the worker being exposed to the harmful environment.

For another example, even though a colorless, odorless harmful gas leak occurs during the work process, problems such as workers being exposed to harmful gas without the worker being aware of it may occur.

Accordingly, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to insert or knit a shape memory material into the openings such as the cuffs, pant hems, and even the collar or waist of protective clothing, and to expand and contract the shape memory material through heat and electrical signals in a hazardous environment. By implementing this, we provide functional protective clothing that can improve the wearing comfort of protective clothing and at the same time protect the body and health of workers, or at least minimize damage.

In particular, it provides a wearable protective device that can be modified so that the protective clothing itself can protect workers even in hazardous environments that the worker is not aware of.

The problems of the present invention are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

A functional protective suit according to an embodiment of the present invention to solve the above problem includes a sensor that senses a specific target; and clothing that is stretchable and deformable according to signals from the sensors, including clothing that is at least partially woven or knitted using a shape memory material, wherein the shape memory material contracts when the sensors output a predetermined electrical signal.

Here, the specific object may include harmful gases, pathogens such as viruses or pathogens, or fine dust.

The shape memory material can be used to weave or knit openings including cuffs, pant hems, lapels, or waist hems of the garment.

Additionally, the opening may be knitted using weft knitting to have elasticity.

At this time, the shape memory material may extend in the course direction.

In the weft knitting, the wale direction may be toward the extension direction of the sleeves, the extension direction of the pant hem, the direction of the collar, or the vertical direction of the waist hem.

The weft knit of the opening is knitted with the shape memory material and regular yarns that do not have shape memory properties, and the shape memory material and the regular yarns may be repeated regularly or irregularly in the wale direction.

The ratio of the shape memory material and the general yarn for knitting the opening may be 1:2 to 1:5.

Alternatively, the shape memory material may be woven or knitted to extend in a direction around the wrist of the cuffs, in a direction around the ankles of the trousers, in a direction around the neck of the collar, or in a direction around the waist of the waist hem.

The regular yarn or elastic yarn extending in the direction intersecting the shape memory material may be oriented in the direction of extension of the sleeve, the direction of extension of the pant hem, the direction of the collar, or the vertical direction of the waist hem.

The garment may further include a cushioning member disposed on an inner surface of the portion made of the shape memory material and capable of contacting the wearer's skin.

In addition, the clothing is electrically connected to the sensors and further includes a heating member disposed on an outer or inner surface of the portion made of the shape memory material, so that when the temperature of the heating member increases, the shape is changed. The memory material can be configured to contract.

The clothing may be woven or knitted using heating fibers that are at least partially electrically connected to the sensors, and the heating fibers may be woven or knitted in contact with the shape memory material.

When the sensors do not output an electrical signal or output a signal where the detection concentration of the specific harmful factor is below a predetermined standard, the shape memory material does not shrink, and the functional protective clothing may further include switching.

At this time, even when the sensors output a predetermined electrical signal, the shape memory material may be configured to control elongation by the switch.

Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description.

According to embodiments of the present invention, ventilation can be provided through openings such as the cuffs of the protective clothing in the initial state, providing workers with excellent fit and comfort of the protective clothing in a work environment that requires relatively low barrier performance. can be provided.

On the other hand, when the sensor detects harmful factors above a certain standard, even if the worker does not recognize that it is a harmful environment, the shape memory material disposed near the opening of the protective clothing can shrink and seal the opening, making the worker harmful. Exposure to gases, etc. can be minimized. Additionally, depending on the shape deformation of the functional protective clothing, workers can recognize this and be encouraged to quickly leave the work environment.

Effects according to embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the contents exemplified above, and further various effects are included in the present specification.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a functional protective suit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a block diagram of the functional protective clothing of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the organization and shape of the shape memory deformation portion in the initial state of the functional protective clothing of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the structure and shape of the shape memory deformation part of the functional protective suit of Figure 1 in a gas detection state.
Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing changes in fiber tissue structure near the opening of a functional protective suit according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing changes in fiber tissue structure near the opening of a functional protective suit according to another embodiment of the present invention.
7 and 8 are block diagrams of functional protective clothing according to another embodiment of the present invention, respectively.

The advantages and features of the present invention and methods for achieving them will become clear by referring to the embodiments described in detail below along with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below and will be implemented in various different forms, and only the embodiments serve to ensure that the disclosure of the present invention is complete, and those skilled in the art It is provided to fully inform the person of the scope of the invention, and the present invention is only defined by the scope of the claims. That is, various changes may be made to the embodiments presented by the present invention. The embodiments described below are not intended to limit the embodiments, but should be understood to include all changes, equivalents, and substitutes therefor.

The size, thickness, width, length, etc. of components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated or reduced for convenience and clarity of explanation, so the present invention is not limited to the form shown.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in this specification may be used with meanings that can be commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Additionally, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries are not interpreted ideally or excessively unless clearly specifically defined.

Spatially relative terms such as 'above', 'upper', 'on', 'below', 'beneath', and 'lower' are used in the drawing. As shown, it can be used to easily describe the correlation between one element or component and other elements or components. Spatially relative terms should be understood as terms that include different directions of the element when used in addition to the direction shown in the drawings. For example, when an element shown in a drawing is turned over, an element described as 'below or beneath' another element may be placed 'above' the other element. Accordingly, the illustrative term 'down' may include both downward and upward directions.

As used herein, 'and/or' includes each and every combination of one or more of the mentioned items. Additionally, the singular form also includes the plural form unless specifically stated in the phrase. As used herein, 'comprises' and/or 'comprising' do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other components in addition to the mentioned components. The numerical range expressed using 'to' indicates a numerical range that includes the values written before and after it as the lower limit and upper limit, respectively. ‘About’ or ‘approximately’ means a value or numerical range within 20% of the value or numerical range stated thereafter.

Unless otherwise defined herein, the term 'fiber' or 'thread' or 'thread' refers to a natural or artificial, thin and long fibrous polymer object, consisting of a single strand or multiple continuous fibers. It can be used to include filaments, which are fibers, and spun yarns or braided yarns made by twisting short single fibers together.

Additionally, unless otherwise defined, the term 'conductive fiber or conductive yarn' refers to fibers that are electrically conductive or thermally conductive, and includes a combination of only conductive fibers, or a combination of conductive fibers and non-conductive fibers, Alternatively, it may be used to include non-conductive wire plated with a conductive material.

In this specification, 'woven fabric' refers to weaving or weaving at the intersection of warp and weft, and includes plain, twill, and satin. It means: In addition, 'knitted fabric' refers to continuous knitting by making loops using fibers extending in a certain direction, and includes flat knitting and warp knitting. . In knitting, the dura direction is referred to as the wale direction or nose direction, and the upward direction is referred to as the course, coarse, or short direction. In this specification, 'texture' may be used to refer to weaving and knitting.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a functional protective suit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a block diagram of the functional protective clothing of Figure 1.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the functional protective clothing 1 according to this embodiment includes clothing 11 and a sensor 20, and may further include a processor 30.

Clothing 11 may have a plurality of openings 11a, 11b or openings. For example, the openings 11a and 11b may include cuffs 11a into which the wearer's wrist is inserted, and/or pant hems 11b into which the wearer's ankle is inserted. Although not shown in the drawing, in another embodiment, the opening may include a collar into which the wearer's neck is inserted, or, if the clothing is separated into tops and bottoms, the opening may include the waist hem of the top or bottoms.

When the wearer wears the functional protective clothing 1 according to this embodiment, the openings 11a and 11b of the clothing 11 may be a passage connecting the internal space of the protective clothing surrounding the wearer's body and the external environment. That is, ventilation is provided through the openings 11a and 11b, thereby lowering the temperature and humidity of the space inside the protective suit. To this end, the clothing openings 11a and 11b, such as the cuffs 11a and trouser hems 11b, may be loosely tightened to provide ventilation without completely tightening the wearer's wrists or ankles, or may be spaced apart in the initial state.

On the other hand, harmful gases from the external environment, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as ammonia gas and toluene gas, may flow into the protective clothing through the openings 11a and 11b, causing damage to the wearer's body. Accordingly, the inventors of the present invention improved the wearing comfort of the functional protective clothing (1) by providing breathability using the openings (11a, 11b) in the initial state, and at the same time, closed the openings (11a, 11b) as much as possible in a harmful environment to protect the wearer. We propose functional protective clothing (1) that provides protection.

The clothing 11 of the functional protective clothing 1 according to this embodiment, specifically, the vicinity of the openings 11a and 11b of the clothing 11 may be at least partially woven or knitted using a shape memory material. Accordingly, the cuffs 11a and/or the pants hem 11b where the openings 11a and 11b are located may form a shape-memory part 100 or a shape-memory deformation part. The configuration of the shape memory unit 100 will be described in detail later.

The sensor 20 may be configured to sense or detect the surrounding atmosphere of a worker wearing functional protective clothing 1. In an exemplary embodiment, sensor 20 may be a gas sensor 20 that measures the presence or concentration of a specific gas in the surrounding atmosphere. In another embodiment, the sensor 20 is a sensor that detects pathogens such as viruses or bacteria, a fine dust sensor that senses the concentration of fine dust, a temperature sensor that senses the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere, or a sensor that senses the humidity of the surrounding atmosphere. It may be a humidity sensor, etc.

Gas sensor 20 may be placed on the outer shell of clothing 11 . The gas sensor 20 may be inserted into a pocket provided on the clothing 11 to be accommodated and stored, or may be fixed or attached to the outer shell of the clothing 11. Alternatively, the gas sensor 20 shares at least some components with the clothing 11 and may be integrated with or embedded in the clothing 11.

The type of gas detected by the gas sensor 20 is not particularly limited, and may include harmful gases such as organic volatile compounds that are harmful to the human body. Examples of the harmful gases include ammonia, toluene, benzene, phenol, xylene, carbonic acid, hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen nitride, fluorine, and oxides thereof, but of course, the present invention is not limited thereto.

The method by which the gas sensor 20 measures the presence or absence of harmful gas or the concentration of harmful gas is also not particularly limited, and known technologies can be used. For example, the gas sensor 20 may be an electrochemical gas sensor, a catalytic combustion gas sensor, a semiconductor gas sensor, or a photoionization or infrared gas sensor.

The gas sensor 20 may be electrically connected to the processor 30. In some embodiments, the gas sensor 20 and the processor 30 may be integrated and packaged or modularized, or the gas sensor 20 and the processor 30 may be separately configured and installed in separate locations. When the gas sensor 20 and the processor 30 are configured separately, the gas sensor 20 refers to a direct means for sensing gas, such as a sensing electrode, and the processor 30 processes the results measured by the sensing electrode. It can mean a means of doing something. For example, the processor 30 may include a central processing unit (CPU), a micro processor unit (MPU), a micro controller unit (MCU), or any type of processor known in the art.

In an exemplary embodiment, the processor 30 may be a component for determining and processing the presence or concentration of gas based on the signal measured by the gas sensor 20. For example, the processor 30 performs functions such as determining, calculating, estimating, or deriving the gas concentration from signals such as resistance change or color change that occur as the gas sensor 20 is exposed to a specific gas. It can be done.

The gas sensor 20 and the processor 30, or the processor 30 and the shape memory deformable unit 100, which will be described later, or the gas sensor 20 and the shape memory deformable unit 100 may be electrically connected. For example, the above-described configurations may be connected to each other through cables. For another example, the above-described configurations each include a patch or pad portion that can be electrically connected to the outer shell of clothing 11, and clothing 11 includes at least partially a conductive wire, and the gas sensor 20 through the conductive wire. ), signal transmission and reception between the processor 30 and/or the shape memory unit 100 may be possible.

Hereinafter, the change in shape of the functional protective clothing 1 according to this embodiment will be described in detail with further reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the organization and shape of the shape memory deformation portion in the initial state of the functional protective clothing of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the structure and shape of the shape memory deformation part of the functional protective suit of Figure 1 in a gas sensing state.

That is, FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic diagrams showing changes in the shape of the shape memory deformable portion 100 of the functional protective clothing 1 according to this embodiment when exposed to harmful gases of a predetermined concentration or higher.

Referring further to FIGS. 3 and 4, the shape-memory deformation portion 100 forming at least some of the openings 11a and 11b including the cuffs 11a of the clothing 11 is made of a shape-memory material (Shape-Memory). Material, SMM) can be woven or knitted.

Shape memory material refers to a material that can change its shape under certain predetermined conditions, such as temperature, and/or change back to its original shape when the conditions are exceeded.

Examples of the shape memory material according to this embodiment include linear shape memory alloy (Shape-Memory Alloy, SMA), shape-memory resin (SMR), or shape-memory polymer. , SMP), etc. Hereinafter, the case where a fiber containing a shape memory polymer is used as a shape memory material will be described as an example.

The shape memory fiber 110 may be made of a shape memory polymer filament, that is, a single fiber itself, or may be made of a plurality of shape memory polymer filaments of the same or different types twisted together. Alternatively, the shape memory fiber 110 may be formed in the form of a twisted yarn of shape memory polymer filaments and other general yarns or conductive yarn filaments that do not have shape memory properties. The shape memory fiber 110 may or may not have a coating layer on its surface.

In an exemplary embodiment, the shape memory deformable portion 100 forming the openings 11a and 11b may be knitted using shape memory fibers 110. Specifically, the shape memory deformable portion 100 may include shape memory fibers 110 and be weft knitted. Figure 3 and the like illustrate a case where the rib piece is implemented by fibers, but of course, the present invention is not limited thereto.

Additionally, the direction in which the shape memory fiber 110 extends may be approximately parallel to the wrist circumference direction of the cuff 11a. When weft knitting using the shape memory fiber 110, the extension direction of the shape memory fiber 110 may be approximately coincident with or parallel to the course direction. Accordingly, the cuff 11a may have elasticity in the direction in which the shape memory fiber 110 extends. On the other hand, the wale direction of the cuffs 11a may be approximately consistent with or parallel to the extension direction of the sleeves of the clothing 11.

In some embodiments, the shape memory portion 100 may be weft-knitted by further including elastic yarn 130 in addition to the shape memory fiber 110. The elastic yarn 130 may be a regular yarn or a conductive yarn having electrical conductivity or thermal conductivity. The elastic yarn 130 may be made of a material having a predetermined or higher elasticity in the longitudinal direction. That is, in this specification, the term general yarn, etc. refers generically to fibers or yarns that do not have shape memory properties. Hereinafter, elastic yarn will be used as an example, but it goes without saying that general yarn that does not substantially have elasticity can also be used.

The shape memory fiber 110 and elastic yarn 130 used for knitting the shape memory unit 100 may be repeated in the wale direction. Figure 3 and other examples illustrate a case where three elastic yarns 130 and one shape memory fiber 110 are alternated and repeated in the wale direction, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The repetition of the shape memory fiber 110 and the elastic yarn 130 may be regular or irregular. In some embodiments, the ratio of shape memory fibers 110 and elastic yarns 130 may be about 1:2 to 1:5. If the proportion of shape memory fibers 110 is greater than the above range, the wearing comfort of clothing 11 may be reduced. On the other hand, if the ratio of shape memory fibers 110 is less than the above range, it may be difficult to sufficiently tighten the openings 11a and 11b in the presence of harmful gas.

As described above, in the initial state, in order to improve the wearing comfort and activity of the functional protective clothing 1, the cuffs 11a may be in a state where the wearer's wrist is not completely tightened. Accordingly, in the initial state, ventilation can be provided through the opening of the cuffs (11a), and the temperature inside the functional protective clothing (1) increases due to body temperature, or the humidity inside the functional protective clothing (1) due to sweat. The rise can be alleviated.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, when elements that may harm the worker's body and health, such as hazardous substances, are detected in the surrounding atmosphere by the gas sensor 20 and/or the processor 30, the shape memory fiber 110' contracts. It can be.

Specifically, the shape memory fiber 110' extending in the course direction is contracted in the longitudinal direction to reduce the circumferential length of the opening such as the cuff 11a, and accordingly, the cuff 11a tightens the wearer's wrist or completely tightens the wearer's wrist. Wrapping the functional protective clothing (1), the inside and outside environment can be sealed as much as possible.

On the other hand, even when the shape memory fiber 110' is contracted, the contraction in the extension direction of the sleeve may not be substantially achieved or may be achieved to a significantly smaller extent than the contraction in the direction around the wrist.

If the concentration of a specific gas in the atmosphere surrounding the functional protective suit 1 decreases below a predetermined standard, or if the gas does not exist, the shape may be restored as shown in FIG. 3. That is, the shape memory fiber 110 can be extended again in length, and the diameter of the sleeve 11a can be increased to become breathable again.

The shape memory deformation portion 100 of the cuffs 11a of the functional protective clothing 1 according to this embodiment may be knitted and have excellent elasticity in the course direction. Therefore, as the shape memory fiber 110' contracts in the course direction, other fibers such as the elastic yarn 130 may also easily contract in the course direction. Through this, the overall shape of the cuffs 11a, etc. can be maintained as much as possible, the wearer's wearing comfort or discomfort can be minimized, and the opening can be sealed.

In some embodiments, the clothing 11 may further include a cushioning member (not shown) disposed on the inner surface of the opening, such as the cuff 11a. The cushioning member may be provided in the shape of a band extending along a wrist circumference direction, an ankle circumference direction, or a neck circumference direction or a waist circumference direction. The cushioning member may be made of a material that has elasticity and can easily expand and contract in volume, such as sponge or rubber, or other fabric or knitted fabric.

The cushioning member has a function of preventing or alleviating, for example, the shape memory fibers 110' from excessively contracting and causing pain to the wearer when the wearer's wrist or wrist is tightened due to a decrease in the diameter of the openings 11a and 11b. can be provided. Additionally, the blocking function inside and outside the functional protective clothing (1) can be increased.

The functional protective clothing 1 according to this embodiment is a sleeve near the openings 11a and 11b, specifically, having the openings 11a and 11b, according to the electrical signal output by the gas sensor 20 and/or the processor 30. The shape memory material 110 of the shape memory portion 100, such as the beak 11a and the pant hem 11b, can be contracted or expanded. Although the present invention is not limited thereto, the electrical signal output by the gas sensor 20 and/or the processor 30 may directly or indirectly affect the shape deformation of the shape memory material 110. Conductive fibers constituting the tissue of the clothing 11 may be located, at least partially, on the electrical path from the gas sensor 20 and/or the processor 30 to the shape memory material 110 . Through this, it is possible to minimize exposure of cables, etc. that cause restrictions on activities to the outside of the clothing 11.

In some embodiments, the reduction in diameter of the openings 11a and 11b may be in a linear relationship that is approximately proportional to the concentration of harmful gases in the surrounding atmosphere measured by the gas sensor 20.

Hereinafter, other embodiments of the present invention will be described. However, the description of the same or extremely similar configuration as the above-described embodiment will be omitted, and this will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the attached drawings.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing changes in the fiber tissue structure of the shape memory deformation part of a functional protective clothing according to another embodiment of the present invention, (a) showing the tissue in the initial state, and (b) showing harmful gases of a predetermined concentration or more. It shows the tissue in a state of exposure.

Referring to FIG. 5, the functional protective clothing according to this embodiment includes shape memory deformation parts such as cuffs and pant legs having openings, and the shape memory deformation parts include shape memory fibers 110 and are weaved. ) is different from the functional protective clothing according to the embodiment of Figure 1. Figure 5 illustrates a case where a plain weave is implemented by fibers, but of course the present invention is not limited thereto.

In an exemplary embodiment, the weft may include a shape memory fiber 110 and a first fiber yarn 151 (or a first plain yarn, a first elastic yarn, or a first conductive yarn). On the other hand, the warp may include only the second fiber yarn 152 (or the second regular yarn, or the second elastic yarn, or the second conductive yarn), but may not include the shape memory fiber.

In some embodiments, the first fiber yarn 151 and the second fiber yarn 152 may be made of different materials. For example, the first fiber yarn 151 may be made of a material with superior elasticity, that is, an elongation rate, compared to the second fiber yarn 152. As a non-limiting example, the second fiber yarn 152 may not have substantially elasticity. Among the fibers forming the weft, the ratio of the shape memory fiber 110 and the first fiber yarn 151 may be about 1:2 to 1:5.

In this case, the direction of the weft, that is, the direction in which the shape memory fibers 110 extend, may be approximately parallel to the direction of the wrist circumference of the cuff. On the other hand, the direction of the warp may be roughly consistent with or parallel to the direction of extension of the sleeve.

When elements that may harm the worker's body and health, such as hazardous substances, are detected in the surrounding atmosphere by the gas sensor and/or processor, the formed memory fiber 110' may contract. Specifically, the shape memory fiber 110' extending in the weft direction is contracted in the longitudinal direction to reduce the length around the opening of the cuff, etc., and as a result, the cuff tightens the wearer's wrist or completely wraps it around the inside of the functional protective clothing. The external environment can be sealed as much as possible.

On the other hand, even when the shape memory fiber 110' is contracted, the contraction in the oblique direction, that is, the direction in which the sleeve extends, may not be substantially achieved, or may be achieved to a significantly smaller extent than the contraction in the direction around the wrist.

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing changes in the fiber tissue structure of the shape memory deformation part of a functional protective clothing according to another embodiment of the present invention, (a) showing the tissue in the initial state, and (b) showing the harmful substances above a predetermined concentration. This shows the tissue in a state exposed to gas.

Referring to FIG. 6, the functional protective clothing according to this embodiment includes shape memory deformation parts such as cuffs and pant legs having openings, and the shape memory deformation parts are made of elastic yarn and/or general yarn without shape memory characteristics. Although it is woven, it is different from the functional protective clothing according to the embodiment of FIG. 5 in that the shape memory fiber 110 is patterned on the woven shape memory deformation part.

The first fiber yarn 151 and the second fiber yarn 152, which do not have shape memory properties, may be woven while crossing each other. The first fiber yarn 151 (e.g., weft), which is approximately coincident with or parallel to the wrist circumferential direction, has superior elasticity and elongation than the second fiber yarn 152 (e.g., warp), which is approximately coincident with or parallel to the extension direction of the sleeve. It may be made of material.

The shape memory fiber 110 may extend approximately in the weft direction in addition to the first fiber yarn 151. Figure 6 illustrates a case where the shape memory fiber 110 is zigzag patterned approximately in the weft direction, but the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, the shape memory fiber 110 may be arranged to extend relatively toward the wrist circumference direction rather than the direction in which the sleeve extends. In this case, one end and the other end of the shape memory fiber 110 may approximately coincide.

When elements that may harm the worker's body and health, such as hazardous substances, are detected in the surrounding atmosphere by the gas sensor and/or processor, the formed memory fiber 110' may contract. Specifically, the shape memory fiber 110' extending in the weft direction is contracted in the longitudinal direction to reduce the length around the opening of the cuff, etc., and as a result, the cuff tightens the wearer's wrist or completely wraps it around the inside of the functional protective clothing. The external environment can be sealed as much as possible.

On the other hand, even when the shape memory fiber 110' is contracted, the contraction in the oblique direction, that is, the direction in which the sleeve extends, may not be substantially achieved, or may be achieved to a significantly smaller extent than the contraction in the direction around the wrist.

Figure 7 is a block diagram of a functional protective suit according to another embodiment of the present invention, which corresponds to Figure 2.

Referring to FIG. 7, the clothing 12 of the functional protective clothing 2 according to this embodiment is different from the functional protective clothing according to the above-described embodiment in that it further includes a heating member 200.

In an exemplary embodiment, the heating member 200 may be implemented in the form of a band disposed on the outer or inner surface of the shape memory deformable portion knitted or woven using the shape memory material 110. The heating member 200 may be configured to heat or cool the shape memory deformable portion including the shape memory material 110.

For example, the electrical signal output from the gas sensor 20 and/or the processor 30 may cause the temperature of the heating member 200 to increase. As the heating member 200 increases, the shape memory material 110 of the shape memory deformable portion disposed adjacent to the heating member 200 or surrounded by the heating member 200 may expand and contract in length. As a specific example, the shape memory material 110 may shrink in length as it is heated by the heating member 200.

That is, the shape memory material 110 of the functional protective clothing 2 according to this embodiment, for example, the shape memory fiber, does not expand or contract in length by an electrical signal, but changes its temperature by the heat provided by the heating member 200. And the length can be expanded or contracted due to temperature changes.

In another embodiment, the heating member 200 may be implemented as a heating fiber. Garment 12 may be woven or knitted to at least partially include thermogenic fibers. Specifically, the shape memory deformation part of the clothing 12 may be woven or knitted by further including heating fibers in addition to the shape memory material 110. The electrical signal output by the gas sensor 20 and/or the processor 30 may cause an increase in the temperature of the heating fibers constituting a portion of the clothing 12. The heating fiber is at least partially in contact with, or crosses adjacent to, the shape memory fiber, and the length of the shape memory fiber may be contracted as the temperature of the heating fiber increases.

Figure 8 is a block diagram of a functional protective suit according to another embodiment of the present invention, which corresponds to Figure 2.

Referring to FIG. 8, the functional protective clothing 3 according to the present embodiment is different from the functional protective clothing 3 according to the embodiment of FIG. 7 in that it further includes a switch 40.

The switch 40 may be a means for controlling the length of the shape memory material and thus controlling the shape deformation of the shape memory deformable portion and/or the opening and closing of the clothing opening. The switch 40 may be provided on the outer shell of the clothing 12, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The switch 40 may be electrically connected to the processor 30 and/or the gas sensor 20.

Even if the concentration of harmful gases in the working environment atmosphere is higher than a predetermined standard, it may be necessary to open openings, such as cuffs or trousers. On the other hand, it may be necessary to close the opening even when the concentration of harmful gas in the working environment atmosphere is low below a predetermined standard.

The functional protective clothing 3 according to this embodiment can be implemented so that the opening and closing of the opening, that is, the expansion and contraction of the shape memory material 110, does not depend only on the detection result of the gas sensor 20, but operates according to the needs of the worker. . To this end, the processor 30 may be configured to process the electrical signal provided by the switch 40 with priority over the electrical signal provided by the gas sensor 20.

Although the description has been made above with a focus on embodiments of the present invention, this is merely an example and does not limit the present invention, and those skilled in the art will be able to understand the present invention without departing from the essential characteristics of the embodiments of the present invention. It will be apparent that various modifications and applications not exemplified above are possible.

Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be understood to include changes, equivalents, or substitutes of the technical ideas exemplified above. For example, each component specifically shown in the embodiments of the present invention can be modified and implemented. And these variations and differences in application should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

1: Functional protective clothing
11: Clothing
11a: cuff opening
11b: Pant hem opening
20: gas sensor
30: processor
100: shape memory unit
110: Shape memory material

Claims (12)

A sensor that senses a specific target; and
A garment comprising cuffs and having an opening formed by the cuffs,
The cuffs are woven or knitted comprising a shape memory material,
When the sensor outputs a predetermined electrical signal, the shape memory material contracts and the functional protective clothing is configured to tighten the opening. According to paragraph 1,
The sensor includes a gas sensor and is configured to detect harmful gases in the surrounding environment,
A functional protective clothing configured to tighten the opening according to a measurement signal from the gas sensor to block the harmful gas in the surrounding environment from flowing into the clothing through the opening of the sleeve. According to paragraph 1,
The cuffs are weft knitted including a shape memory material,
The wale direction of the cuffs is the direction of sleeve extension,
A functional protective clothing in which the extension direction of the shape memory material is in the direction around the wrist. According to paragraph 1,
The cuffs are woven including a shape memory material,
The shape memory material and the first general yarn not having shape memory properties form a weft yarn,
The warp is a functional protective clothing made up of only secondary general yarns that do not have shape memory properties. According to paragraph 4,
The weft direction is around the wrist,
A functional protective clothing in which the inclined direction is the direction of extension of the sleeves. According to paragraph 1,
The cuffs are woven with regular yarn that does not have shape memory properties,
The weft and warp constituting the weave are made only of regular yarns,
The shape memory material is a functional protective clothing that extends in the weft direction and is in a zigzag pattern on the woven fabric. According to clause 6,
The regular yarn forming the weft has higher elasticity and elongation than the regular yarn forming the warp yarn,
The weft direction is the direction around the wrist,
A functional protective clothing in which the inclined direction is the direction of extension of the sleeves. delete According to paragraph 1,
The above clothing is
Further comprising a cushioning member band disposed on the inner surface of the cuff,
The cushioning member band is a functional protective clothing containing sponge or rubber. According to paragraph 1,
The above clothing is
Functional protective clothing electrically connected to the sensors and further comprising a heating member band disposed on an outer surface of the sleeve. According to paragraph 1,
The cuffs are woven or knitted further including heating fibers,
The heating fiber is a functional protective clothing in contact with the shape memory material. According to clause 10,
A functional protective suit configured to heat the heating member band when the sensor outputs a predetermined electrical signal.