WO2004057990A1

WO2004057990A1 - Sports clothing

Info

Publication number: WO2004057990A1
Application number: PCT/GB2003/005560
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mark E. Kershaw; Wayne K. Greenhalgh
Original assignee: Sportsfactory Consulting Limited
Priority date: 2002-12-24
Filing date: 2003-12-19
Publication date: 2004-07-15
Also published as: GB0230186D0; AU2003294126A1

Abstract

An article of clothing (10, 30) is provided, particularly for use by sports persons undertaking strenuous exercise. The article of clothing (10, 30) has a passageway (17, 35) extending through it from a forwardly facing air inlet (18, 36) to a rearwardly facing air outlet (19, 37). The cross-sectional area of the passageway (17, 35) increases from the air inlet (18, 36) towards the air outlet (19, 37). Air passing through the passageway (17, 35) expands and cools, thereby cooling the wearer of the article of clothing (10, 30). The article of clothing may be a cap (10) or helmet (30).

Description

SPORTS CLOTHING

This invention relates to sports clothing, and in particular to clothing for wearing by persons during an activity that may raise the body temperature to uncomfortable levels.

Many people undertake outdoor activities that tend to raise their body temperature to uncomfortable levels, for example strenuous walking, jogging, running, cycling, skateboarding. The heating effect can be particularly severe in hot sunny weather. In such circumstances there is a conflict between wearing some form of clothing to protect the person from the effects of direct sunlight, i.e. sunburn, skin cancer, and not wearing such clothing since a person wearing clothing tends to heat up even more. In addition, in the case of some activities it is advisable to wear protective clothing to reduce the risk of injury to the person in the event of an accident. In consequence, some clothing has holes provided therein to assist cooling by the air through which the moving person passes, and this alleviates the problem to a certain extent. However, even with such clothing the problem can still be acute in very hot conditions.

It is an object of the present invention to provide clothing for persons undertaking an outdoor activity in hot sunny conditions that provides a greater cooling effect than clothing currently in use.

The invention provides an article of clothing having extending therethrough at least one passageway through which air may pass, the passageway having in use an air inlet facing forwardly and an air outlet facing rearwardly.

The cross-sectional dimensions of the passageway may increase from the air inlet to the air outlet. The passageway may have an inner wall that in use is towards a person wearing the article of clothing, and the inner wall may have apertures therein. The inner wall may be of a mesh material or a breathable membrane.

The article may be adapted to be worn on the head of a person, and may be a cap. The cap may be of textile material, and may be of cotton. Alternatively, the article may be a helmet. The helmet may be of expanded polystyrene or may be of rigid shell construction.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side view of a cap, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the cap of Fig.1 , Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through a cycle helmet, and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the helmet of Fig. 3

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 there is shown a cap 10 of the "baseball cap" type of cotton or other suitable textile material. The cap 10 has a peak 11, a headband part 12 and a skullcap part 13. A strap 14 at the rear of the cap 10 is adjustable by means of a slider 15 and toothed rack 16, although other forms of adjustment may be provided if preferred. By this means, the cap 10 may be made to fit a range of head sizes.

Formed on the skullcap part 13 is a passageway 17. The passageway 17 has a forwardly facing air inlet 18 and a rearwardly facing air outlet 19. As can be seen more clearly in Fig. 2, the passageway 17 increases in width from the inlet 18 to the outlet 19, hence the cross- sectional dimensions of the passageway 17 increase from the air inlet 18 to the air outlet 19. As the person wearing the cap 10 moves through the air during an outdoor activity such as strenuous walking, jogging, running, cycling or skateboarding, the air enters the air inlet 18, passes through the passageway 17 and out of the outlet 19. Since the cross-sectional dimensions of the passageway 17 increase in the direction of airflow, the air expands and cools, the effect of the downstream part of a venturi. This cooling effect draws heat from the surroundings. The inner wall 20 (shown as a dotted line in Fig. 1) of the passageway 17 is in contact with the head of the wearer of the cap 10, and in consequence the head is cooled. The inner wall 20 is a mesh or breathable membrane to enhance this cooling effect for the wearer.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4 there is shown a cycle helmet 30 of the hard shell type. The helmet 30 comprises a body 31 of dense expanded polystyrene and a hard shell 32 of high impact thermoplastic material, or other suitable materials. Alternatively, the helmet 30 may be of expanded polystyrene or other foamed material. A strap 33 is secured to the body 31 and has a buckle 34 for connection under the chin of the wearer to a strap on the other side of the helmet 30. Passing through the body 31 are passageways 35, each extending from a respective air inlet 36 at the front of the helmet 30 to a respective air outlet 37 at the rear of the helmet 30. As can be seen more clearly in Fig. 4, three passageways 35 are provided, although any number may be provided as desired. Each passageway 35 increases in cross- sectional dimensions as it progresses from the inlet 36 to the outlet 37. This provides the increased cooling effect described above. The passageways 35 shown are enclosed, but may extend into the inside of the helmet 30 if preferred. Alternatively, holes 38 between the inside of the helmet 30 and the passageways 35 may be provided. The embodiments shown in Figs. 1 to 4 are intended to be worn on the head of a person since this is from where the greatest amount of heat may be removed. However, the article of clothing may be adapted to be worn on the person's body, for example a jacket or shirt. The passageways may then be provided to pass over the shoulders or around the sides of the person when wearing the article.

Claims

1. An article of clothing characterised by having extending therethrough at least one passageway (17, 35) through which air may pass, the passageway (17, 35) having in use an air inlet (18, 36) facing forwardly and an air outlet (19, 37) facing rearwardly.

2. An article of clothing according to claim 1 , characterised in that the cross-sectional dimensions of the passageway (17, 35) increase from the air inlet (18, 36) to the air outlet (19, 37).

3. An article of clothing according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the passageway (17, 35) has an inner wall (20) that in use is towards a person wearing the article of clothing (10).

4. An article of clothing according to claim 3, characterised in that the inner wall (20) has apertures (38) therein.

5. An article of clothing according to claim 4, characterised in that the inner wall (20) is of a mesh material.

6. An article of clothing according to claim 4, characterised in that the inner wall (20) is a breathable membrane.

7. An article of clothing according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the article (10, 30) is adapted to be worn on the head of a person.

8. An article of clothing according to claim 7, characterised in that the article is a cap (10).

9. An article of clothing according to claim 8, characterised in that the cap (10) is of textile material.

10. An article of clothing according to claim 9, characterised in that the cap (10) is of cotton.

11. An article of clothing according to claim 7, characterised in that the article is a helmet (30).

12. An article of clothing according to claim 11, characterised in that the helmet (30) is of foamed material.

13. An article of clothing according to claim 12, characterised in that the helmet (30) is of expanded polystyrene.

14. An article of clothing according to claim 11, characterised in that the helmet (30) is of rigid shell construction.

15. An article of clothing substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, or Figs. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.