WO2009118485A2

WO2009118485A2 - Cooling garment

Info

Publication number: WO2009118485A2
Application number: PCT/FR2009/000245
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alain Groslambert
Original assignee: Alain Groslambert
Priority date: 2008-03-17
Filing date: 2009-03-10
Publication date: 2009-10-01
Also published as: FR2928521A1; WO2009118485A3; FR2928521B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooling shirt. The shirt includes a woven structure shaped to the human torso, and on which are mounted one or more thermal accumulators. The woven structure includes, applied on the inner side thereof, pouches that surround the top of the shoulders. Each of said pouches contains a thermal accumulator, and the woven structure is substantially integrally made of a light and elastic fibre. The shirt is particularly intended for providing active cooling for an individual taking part in a sport.

Description

Cool clothing.

The present invention relates to a refrigerant garment and more particularly to a refrigerant suit.

Under normal conditions and particularly when metabolic activity is high, heat and humidity are factors that can impair an individual's athletic performance. For this reason it is advantageous to provide active cooling to the individual.

Clothing is known which is maintained under pressure by gas, for example carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ), contained in a pressure vessel. The document FR2619315 describes such a garment.

WO 1991/04722 A1 discloses a cooling device for cooling a body by evaporation of liquid on the outer face of the garment.

The document EP0348835A2 describes a protective clothing against accelerations comprising a heat transfer fluid circulating in a closed loop in a heat exchanger.

The document FR2805338 describes a cryogenic individual cooling system integrated in a clothing worn close to the body comprising a set of pipes in which circulates a heat transfer fluid.

WO2004 / 064554A1 discloses a coolant sportswear comprising a cooling zone formed by a hydrophilic textile surface.

All the achievements of the prior art is generally complex and not suitable for high-level physical exercises. Indeed, the clothing associated with the achievements of the prior art are heavy, often do not allow great freedom of movement and are limited in effective heat exchange with the individual in physical activity.

The invention improves the situation

To this end, the invention comes to introduce a cooling suit, comprising a woven structure shaped according to a human bust, on which are mounted one or more heat accumulators. The woven structure comprises applied inner side pockets that surround the top of the shoulders, said pockets enclosing a heat accumulator and said woven structure being substantially integrally made of light and elastic fiber.

According to one embodiment, the heat accumulator (s) are of heat accumulator gel bag character.

According to another embodiment the woven structure further comprises applied inner side at least one upper back pocket.

According to another embodiment, the woven structure further comprises applied interior side at least one upper pocket of the torso.

According to another embodiment, the woven structure is made of a material comprising elastane.

According to another embodiment, the woven structure is made of a Lycra

150g.

Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description below and on the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 relates to the invention and shows a side perspective view of an inverted cooling suit, FIG. 2 relates to the invention and shows a perspective view of the back of an inverted cooling suit,

FIG. 3 relates to the invention and shows a front perspective view of an inverted cooling suit,

FIG. 4 relates to the invention and shows a front perspective view of a cooling suit,

FIG. 5 relates to the invention and shows a side perspective view of a short refrigerant suit, and

- Figure 6 shows a bag of thermal accumulator gel.

The drawings and the description below contain, for the most part, elements of a certain character. The drawings represent, at least in part, aspects that are difficult to describe other than by drawing. They are an integral part of the description, and may therefore not only serve to better understand the present invention, but also contribute to its definition, if any.

We return briefly to the effects of heat during exercise.

As discussed above, heat and humidity are factors that can affect the physical performance of an individual. To limit the deleterious effects of heat, especially during endurance events, there are various methods that use body cooling before exercise.

(also called "precooling").

These methods increase the ability to evacuate body heat, allowing an athlete to maintain a high level of performance in a hot and humid environment. However, the mechanisms implemented in body cooling are still poorly understood.

The Applicant has discovered that targeted cooling, on selected parts of the human bust, allows a lowering of the average body temperature in unexpected proportions. The lowering of temperature is associated with an increase in performance. According to one embodiment, the invention allows an improvement of about 8% to 11% of the average power developed during a physical exercise of about 20 minutes.

It will be understood in what follows, that the invention also allows a return of cold during or after physical activity.

The targeted cooling of the invention is achieved by means of thermal accumulators. According to one embodiment of the invention said thermal accumulators are heat accumulator gel bags. The gel-type heat accumulators have the advantage of conforming to the shape of the body, thus allowing a plating against the skin to increase the heat exchange surface.

The gel bags suitable for carrying out the invention are especially the "Gelpack" bags sold by the company "PEARL Diffusion" [reference: PE4716-903]. These bags "Gelpack" allow a return of cold for a relatively long period, and have proved particularly suitable for incorporation into a light garment, close to the skin contact, against which it is tightened elastically.

"Gelpack" bags have the advantage of cooling quickly in a freezer or by immersion in cold water. Generally 1 hour is sufficient for refrigeration.

Figures 1 to 4 show different perspective views of an inverted cool suit. It will be understood that by "refrigerated jersey returned" means a jersey whose inner side is turned outward, to show the structure. During the implementation of the invention, the jersey is obviously in the place as in Figure 4 or 5.

Figure 1 shows a side perspective view of a jersey 100 refrigerant returned. The jersey 100 is a short-sleeved T-shirt ("T-shirt" or "T-shirt") and is entirely made of a woven structure 102 made of a material comprising felastane (also known as spandex or elastane). ). It is a copolymer of polyurethane and elastic polyethylene glycol, lightweight and resistant to perspiration. A material of this type makes it possible to press the heat accumulator (s) against the body for the reasons of exchanges of heat mentioned above. In addition, elastane is known to almost not deform after repeated deformations. Thus, the plating of the heat accumulators against the body is ensured even after persevering use of a suit according to the invention.

According to one embodiment, the material of the woven structure 102 of the jersey 100 is of the so-called "Lycra 150g" type, available in France in particular from the company Yalouz Sport in Besançon. Such a jersey allows great freedom of movement due to its elasticity and good breathing of the skin. "Lycra 150g" lets pass and evacuate sweat.

The jersey 100 includes a shoulder pocket 110 substantially at each shoulder. A shoulder pocket 110 is entirely made of woven structure 102 and forms a lining.

By pocket is meant a housing adapted to receive one or more heat accumulators of the gel bag type as shown in Figure 6. The pockets may be formed by lining material.

Generally, the heat accumulator gel bags 600 preferentially used for the combination with the jersey 100, have a width of about 13 cm and a length of about 26cm. This allows a heat exchange surface sufficient for good thermal cooling.

According to the embodiment of Figure 1, the thermal accumulator gel bag 600 is slid by a shoulder opening 104 giving access to the shoulder pocket 110. Once slipped, the gel bag 600 marries the shape of the shoulder human and surrounds the upper shoulders to allow effective heat exchange.

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the back of a jersey 100 refrigerant returned. According to the embodiment described here, the jersey 100 includes a back pocket 112 located substantially at the top of the human back. In a similar manner to that described for the / shoulder pockets 110, the back pocket 112 is adapted to receive a heat accumulator gel bag 600 through a back opening 106.

Figure 3 shows a front perspective view of a jersey 100 refrigerant returned. According to the embodiment described here, the jersey 100 further comprises a chest pocket 114 located at the top of the torso. The chest pocket 114 is adapted to receive a thermal accumulator gel bag 600 through a thorax opening 108.

FIG. 4 shows a front perspective view of a 100 refrigerant jersey comprising several heat accumulator gel bags 600, namely a bag at each shoulder, a bag at the level of the upper back and a bag at the top level. torso.

A shirt 100 like that shown in Figure 4 can effectively control the body temperature of people exercising intense physical activity and particularly in hot and humid environmental conditions. The manufacture of the jersey 100 in a material comprising elastane allows adaptation to any human morphology and great freedom of movement. In addition, an elastane textile and the thermal accumulator gel bags 600 are particularly light and allow a realization of the jersey 100 in a weight not exceeding 1300g. A jersey according to the embodiment described in the present description makes it possible to sustainably diffuse a cold of approximately ^60.degree. C. against the body.

Figure 5 shows a side perspective view of a short refrigerant suit. A short jersey is commonly called "top" and differs from a classic jersey, like that of Figures 1 to 4, due to the lack of material at the bottom of the human bust. Generally, a short jersey does not cover the belly button and allows a great freedom of movement and a high ventilation.

The short jersey 200 is, like the jersey 100, entirely made of a woven structure 202 made of a material comprising elastane.

According to one embodiment, the jersey 200 comprises two shoulder pockets 210, a back pocket (not shown in FIG. 5) and a chest pocket 214. Each pocket is made by lining and accessible through openings for accommodating accumulator gel bags. According to the embodiment described here (see FIG. 5), a lateral opening 204 allows accessibility to a breast pocket 214 on the one hand and to a first shoulder pocket 210. A similar opening (not shown in FIG. 5) allows accessibility to a second second shoulder pocket 210. The back pocket is accessible through any suitable opening and the like to the lateral opening 204, placed dorsally on the jersey 200.

It is noted that the invention described herein relates essentially to body cooling before physical exercise and a return of cold during or after physical activities. However, the invention is not limited to this embodiment. In particular, the jersey described here also allows an active restitution of the heat by the use of appropriate thermal accumulators. Indeed, the "Gelpack" bags can be used for such an application. To warm the gel bags, simply place them in a micro oven for example. The jersey described above in combination with heated gel bags, thus allows a return of heat for activities or this is necessary, especially in winter sports.

Claims

claims

1. Refrigerant jersey, comprising a woven structure shaped according to a human bust, on which are mounted one or more heat accumulators, characterized in that said woven structure comprises applied to the inner side pockets that surround the top of the shoulders, said pockets enclosing a thermal accumulator and said woven structure being substantially entirely made of light and elastic fiber.

2. Refrigerant swimsuit according to claim 1, characterized in that the heat accumulator or accumulators are character heat accumulator gel bag.

3. Refrigerant jersey according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the woven structure further comprises applied inner side at least one upper back pocket.

4. Refrigerant jersey according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the woven structure further comprises applied inner side at least one upper pocket of the torso.

5. Refrigerant swimsuit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the woven structure is made of a material comprising elastane.

6. Refrigerant swimsuit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the woven structure is made of a material called Lycra 150g.