WO2011127353A1

WO2011127353A1 - Vapor resistant closure

Info

Publication number: WO2011127353A1
Application number: PCT/US2011/031695
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thomas S. Martin
Original assignee: Lion Apparel, Inc.
Priority date: 2010-04-09
Filing date: 2011-04-08
Publication date: 2011-10-13
Also published as: GB2492714A; WO2011127353A4; DE112011101280T5; US20130133129A1; GB201219272D0

Abstract

A vapor resistant closure including a closure mechanism, for example, a zipper having a start end in an inner portion of material and a stop end in an outer portion of material with the outer portion containing the stop end overlapping the inner portion containing the start end. The closure mechanism forming a seal between the outer portion containing the stop end and the inner portion containing the start end when the closure mechanism is closed at the stop end. The seal that is formed is generally impermeable to fluids, gases, vapors, aerosols and particulates. The vapor resistant closure may also include a compressible body between the outer portion of material containing the stop end and the inner portion of material containing the start end. The compressible body is compressed therebetween when the closure mechanism is closed at the stop end.

Description

VAPOR RESISTANT CLOSURE

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.

61/322,365, filed April 9, 2010.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Protective or hazardous duty garments are used in a variety of industries and settings to protect the wearer from adverse conditions such as heat, flames, smoke, cold, sharp objects, chemicals, liquids, vapors, fumes and the like. Zippers are a useful attachment mechanism for such garments, but when a zipper is used to connect portions of a garment such as a sleeve portion to the body or upper arm portion, a pant leg portion to the body or upper leg portion, a glove to a sleeve, or a hood to the collar of a garment about the diameter thereof a gap is left between the beginning and the end of the zipper. This gap can allow vapors to enter the suit, which can be undesirable, especially if the garment is a chemical protective suit.

[0003] Various devices have been used to seal this gap. One example is a "clamshell" seal that has an attachable disc-shaped cover that clamps onto the outside of the garment over the gap created by the zipper by clamping to another disc placed on the inside of the garment. The "clamshell" seal can be uncomfortable for the wearer, since one disc is inside the garment next to the wearer's neck. The "clamshell" seal also sticks out on the outside of the garment and may injure the wearer of the garment if bumped, or may even break the seal.

SUMMARY

[0004] In one aspect, disclosed herein is a vapor resistant closure that includes a closure mechanism, for example, a zipper having a start end in an inner portion of material and a stop end in an outer portion of material with the outer portion containing the stop end overlapping the inner portion containing the start end. The closure mechanism forming a seal between the outer portion containing the stop end and the inner portion containing the start end when the closure mechanism is closed at the stop end. The seal that is formed is generally impermeable to fluids, gases, vapors, aerosols and particulates. The vapor resistant closure may also include a compressible body between the outer portion of material containing the stop end and the inner portion of material containing the start end. The compressible body is compressed therebetween when the closure mechanism is closed at the stop end.

[0005] The closure mechanism may extend more than 360° around the material with the stop end overlapping the inner portion of material containing the start end by about 5° to about 40°.

[0006] In one embodiment, the zipper is a watertight zipper and the compressible body is rubber, plastic, or foam. In one embodiment the material is included in a garment. The garment may conform with the NFPA 1994 Class 2 and NFPA 1992 Standards, in particular, for resistant to chemical and/or biological hazards.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] FIG. 1 is a front view of a vapor resistant closure connecting a hood to a collar of a garment with a flap for covering the vapor resistant closure folded up.

[0008] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a one-piece suit with a hood connected thereto by the vapor resistant closure of FIG. 1, but with the flap folded down to cover the vapor resistant closure.

[0009] FIG. 3 is an enlarged front view of the vapor resistant closure from section A of FIG. 1.

[0010] FIG. 4 is an enlarged front view of the vapor resistant closure from section A of FIG. 1 in a partially unconnected state.

[0011] FIG. 5 is a top perspective view looking into the closed vapor resistant closure from section A of FIG. 1.

[0012] FIGS. 6A and 6B are cross-sectional views of the vapor resistant closure of FIG. 5 taken along line 6-6 showing different embodiments of the compressible body.

[0013] FIG. 7 is a front view of the vapor resistant closure connecting gloves to the sleeves of a garment.

[0014] FIG. 8 is a front view of the vapor resistant closure connecting booties to the legs of a garment. [0015] FIG. 9 is a rear view of a jacket having a vapor resistant closure running across the shoulder blades.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The following detailed description will illustrate the general principles of the invention, examples of which are additionally illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements.

[0017] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3-6B, a vapor resistant closure, generally designated 40, is shown connecting a hood 1 1 to a neck 15 of a garment 14. The vapor resistant closure 40 allows the hood 11 and the neck 15 to be detachably sealingly connectable together. The vapor resistant closure 40, in this embodiment, extends more than 360° around the neck 15 and hood 1 1 and terminates with overlapping portions 49, 49' (each a part of the neck 15 and hood 1 1, respectively as best seen in FIG. 4) containing a stop end 46 of the vapor resistant closure 40 overlapping an underlying portion 59 (shown in FIGS. 6A-6B) containing a start end 44 of the vapor resistant closure 40. The degree of overlap may be about 5° to about 40° for a vapor closure that wraps about 365° to about 405° around the two portions of the garment that the closure is connecting together. In another

embodiment, the degree of overlap is at least about 3% of the length of the closure mechanism 42, described below. In yet another embodiment, the degree of overlap may be about 3% to about 15% of the length of the closure mechanism 42.

[0018] In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the vapor resistant closure 40 includes a closure mechanism 42 and a compressible body 52 positioned between the overlying portions 49, 49' containing the stop end 46 and the underlying portion 59 containing the start end 44 of the closure mechanism 42. The closure mechanism 42 may include a first side 53 fixedly coupled to the neck 15 that is mateable with a second side 54 fixedly coupled to the hood 11. The first and second sides 53, 54 can be attached to the hood 1 1 and neck 15, respectively, by gluing, welding, sewing or heat sealing.

[0019] Referring to FIGS. 4-6B, in order for the overlying portions 49, 49' to overlap the underlying portion 59, the stop end 46 is part of layer 48 of the garment 14 and hood 11 and the start end 44 (and an adjacent portion 45 of the closure mechanism 42) are coupled to layer 48 by extension piece 50 of garment 14 and extension piece 50' of hood 11, which are positioned inward from layer 48 at a position that places the start end 44 (and the adjacent portion 45 of the closure mechanism 42) under the overlying portions 49 and 49' containing the stop end 46 of the closure mechanism 42. Herein the term "inward" means any layer, extension piece, or other component that would be positioned between layer 48 and a wearer when the garment is worn by the wearer. The start end 44 may be fixedly connected to layer 48 by the extension pieces 50, 50'. Accordingly, the start end 44 is carried on the extension pieces 50, 50', which together form the underlying portion 59. The underlying portion 59 also includes a portion of the closure mechanism 42 that is adjacent to the start end 44 (adjacent portions 45, 45') that begin as part of the underlying portion 59, but transitions to the layer 48 at emergent points 47, 47', (seen in FIGS. 3-5) which are preferably aligned across from one another on opposite sides of the closure mechanism 42.

[0020] Referring again to FIGS. 6A and 6B. the extension pieces 50, 50' provide a gap 62 between the overlying portions 49, 49' and the underlying portion 59 for receiving the compressible body 52. More particularly, the inward extending first half 51 of the start end 44 is connected to layer 48 of the neck 15 by an extension piece 50 of material. The extension piece 50 is fixedly attached along its first side 56 to layer 48 and is fixedly attached along its second side 58 to the first half 51 of the start end 44 and the adjacent portion 45 of the connecting mechanism 42, where the first and second sides 56 and 58 are the hypotenuse and an adjacent side thereof, at least once sewn or fixedly attached as described. Similarly, the second half 5 of the start end 44 and the adjacent portion 45' is connected to the layer 48' of the hood 11 by an extension piece 50' of material fixedly attached along its first side 56' to layer 48' and is fixedly attached along its second side 58' to the second half 5 Γ of the start end 44 and the adjacent portion 45' of the closure mechanism 42 .

[0021] The closure mechanism 42 is preferably an air-tight, vapor-tight, and/or moisture tight closure when closed, i.e., the connecting mechanism itself as its two sides 53, 54 are mated together form a vapor-tight and/or moisture tight connection with one another. In one embodiment, the closure mechanism 42 is a zipper that includes interlocking teeth, "press-to-close" strips (i.e., a seal analogous to those on ZIPLOC^® plastic bags), or slide- to-close strips (similar to those in U.S. Patent No. 6,014,795, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). The zipper 42 may be a watertight zipper, such as those commercially available from YKK Corporation under the trademarks Aquaseal^® and Aquaguard^® and/or described in YKK Corporation's U.S. Patents No. 7,591,051, No. 7,500,291, and No. 7,337,506, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Aquaseal^® zippers are smooth and flexible and offer protection from water as a result of a film-coated tape and a zip element mechanism that seals the zipper completely. The zippers are available in various sizes and formats (such as rubber or polyurethane tape, opened-end or closed-end).

[0022] As discussed above, a compressible body 52, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B is positioned between the overlapping stop end 46 and the start end 44 of the vapor resistant closure 40, in the gap 62 defined therebetween. The compressible body 52 that becomes compressed therebetween when the vapor resistant closure 40 is closed. In the closed position, the compressible body 52 is compressed tightly against the underlying portion 59 of the vapor resistant closure 40, more particularly, against the portion of the closure mechanism 42 therein. As such, the compressible body 52 provides a secure air-tight, vapor-tight, and/or moisture tight seal at the connection point of the hood 11 and neck 15. In one embodiment, the compressible body 52 is compressed at least 10% by volume or at least 5% by volume.

[0023] The compressible body 52 may be inserted into gap 62 after the closure mechanism 42 is partially closed, preferably, when the closing actuator 60 first begins closing the closure mechanism 42 over the start end 44 so that the amount of overlap formed will hold the compressible body 52 in place for compression as the closure mechanism 42 is further closed by the closing actuator 60. In another embodiment, the compressible body 52 is connected to at least one of the extension pieces 50, 50' and acts like a flap that is foldable over the closure mechanism 42. The compressible body 52 may be sewn or adhered to at least one of the extension pieces 50, 50', or the single extension piece 1 16 shown in FIG. 9.

[0024] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6B, the compressible body 52 may include two pieces 64, 66 that mate together when the start end 46 of the closure mechanism 42 is closed, zipped, or mated together. The first piece 64 of the compressible body 52 is connected to the extension piece 50 and the second piece 66 is connected to the extension piece 50'. The first and second pieces 64, 66 may be sewn or adhered to the extension pieces 50, 50' and may include oppositely contoured, toothed, zig-zagged, or notched mating configurations on surfaces thereof that become juxtaposed when the start end 46 of the closure mechanism 42 is closed, zipped, or mated together. [0025] The compressible body 52 may be any suitable compressible material that can be compressed tightly between the start end 44 and stop end 46 of the vapor resistant closure 40 and is generally impermeable to gases, at least when compressed. A material that is itself generally impermeable to gases is preferred. The compressible body 52 may be rubber such as solid natural rubber, synthetic rubber, open or closed cell sponge or foam rubber, composite rubber, or plastic. The compressible body may be or include neoprene, natural rubber, SBR, butyl rubber, butadiene, nitrile, EPDM, ECH, polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, EVA, EMA, Metallocene Resin, Polyurethane, PVC, and blends thereof.

[0026] In FIGS. 1 and 2, the vapor resistant closure 40 is in a neck portion of a garment to connect a hood 1 1 to the neck 15. The vapor resistant closure 40 includes, as described above, a watertight zipper 42 and a compressible body 52 between the start end 44 and stop end 46 of the zipper to provide a seal that is generally impermeable to fluids, vapors, aerosols, and particulates. The watertight zipper 42 extends at least 360° about the connection of the hood 11 and the neck 15. The structures/methods disclosed above allow the hood 1 1 to be removed/replaced as desired, for example, for ease of cleaning, repair, etc., but with a sealing connection, and allows for quick removal/replacement in the field or elsewhere. The seal between the hood 11 and the neck 15 may be sufficiently air tight/vapor tight to meet and pass the NFPA Chem/Bio Option specifications described below. The vapor resistant closure 40 disclosed herein is cheaper, more lightweight, and/or more comfortable for the wearer of the garment 14 than zippers that require a secondary device, like a "clamshell" seal, to seal a gap created by the zipper.

[0027] The hood 1 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a head covering portion 32 containing a face mask 30 and a base 34 extending 360° about the hood as a sleeve configured to receive at least part of the neck of the wearer. The base 34 of the hood 11 includes the second side 54 of the closure mechanism 42, discussed above, which makes the hood 11 detachably, sealingly connectable to the neck 15 of garment 14 and the first side 53 of the closure mechanism 42. In another embodiment, the hood 11, rather than containing a face mask, may include a helmet or the like which sealingly engages with the hood 11 to help isolate the wearer from any hazardous environments.

[0028] The hood 1 1 may include a flap 36 fixedly attached to the hood 11 about the base 34 and is positionable over the vapor resistant closure 40. The flap 36 may include a releasable attachment member 38, for example, hook-and-loop fastening material (such as VELCRO^® fastening material), snaps, one or more zippers, and/or hooks to releasably couple the flap 36 to the neck 15 of the garment 14. The neck 15 includes a mating releasable attachment member 39 appropriately positioned to mate with the releasable attachment member 38 on the flap 36. While flap 36 is illustrated in FIGS. 1-2 as being fixedly attached to the hood 1 1 and releasably attachable to the neck 15 of the garment 14, one of skill will appreciate that in another embodiment a flap may be fixedly added to the garment 14 and releasably attachable to the hood 1 1.

[0029] In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the garment 14 is a one-piece suit 20 that is detachably, sealingly connected to the hood 1 1. As illustrated, the vapor resistant closure 40 is covered by flap 36. The suit 20 may includes an upper leg portion 16 configured to receive the lower part of the torso and the upper part of the legs of a wearer, leg portions 17 configured to receive the lower part of the leg of a wearer, torso portion 18 configured to receive the chest and abdomen of a wearer, arm portions 19 configured to receive the arms of a wearer, and booties 21 configured to receive the feet of a wearer. The torso portion 18, preferably, includes neck 15 having the first side 53 of the closure mechanism 42 of the vapor resistant closure 40 fixedly attached thereto for detachably, sealingly connecting to the hood 1 1. In one embodiment, the neck 15 may be part of the inner shell 72 and, accordingly, has the first side 53 of the closure mechanism 42 fixedly attached thereto. In another embodiment, the closure mechanism 42 may be fixedly attached to more than one layer of the garment, which may or may not include the inner shell 72.

[0030] In one embodiment, the one-piece suit 20 may be a top-entry suit and/or an improved chemical garment ("ICG") that provides protection against some of the most dangerous chemical and biological hazards in the world. The ICG may include inner shell 72 and an outer shell 74. In one embodiment, the inner shell 72 is laminated to the outer shell 74. The inner shell 72 may be a GORE™, Chempak^® Ultra Barrier Material laminated to an outer shell 74 of NOMEX^® textile.

[0031] So far the vapor resistant closure 40 has been illustrated and described as connecting a hood 1 1 to the neck 15 of a garment 14, but the invention is not limited thereto. The vapor resistant closure 40 is applicable to forming a detachable, sealed connection between any two generally circular or oval openings on separate portions of a garment or even as a straight-line joint as shown in FIG. 9. It should be understood that the vapor resistant closure 40 can attach, for example, a sleeve or sleeve portion to a garment, a glove to a sleeve, a pant leg or pant leg portion to a garment, or boots or "booties" to the leg of a garment.

[0032] Now referring to FIG. 7, garment 80, such as the following non-limiting examples, may be a jacket, coat, shirt, or pull-over undergarment that include a torso portion 82 and arm portions 84. The arm portions 84 are detachably, sealingly connectable to gloves 86. The arm portions 84 and each respective glove 86 are connectable by vapor resistant closures. The vapor resistant closures are similar to those described above in FIGS. 1 and 3-6B and include like features such as the first and second sides 53, 54 of a closure mechanism 42 that includes a compressible body 52, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, positionable between the overlying portions 49, 49' and the underlying portion 59 of the vapor resistant closures.

[0033] Now referring to FIG. 8, garment 90 includes an upper leg portion 92 configured to receive the lower part of the torso and the upper part of the legs of a wearer and leg portions 94 that are detachably, sealingly connectable to boots or booties 96. The leg portions 94 and each respective bootie 96 are connectable by vapor resistant closures. The vapor resistant closures are similar to those described above in FIGS. 1 and 3-6B and include like features such as the first and second sides 53, 54 of a closure mechanism 42 that includes, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, a compressible body 52 positionable between the overlying portions 49, 49' and the underlying portion 59 of the vapor resistant closures.

[0034] Depending on the application of the garments 20, 80, 90 and 108, the garments may include various layers through their thicknesses to provide various heat, moisture, chemical, and abrasion resistant qualities so that the garments can be used as a protective, hazardous duty, and/or firefighter garment. The various layers may include an outer shell 74, shown in FIGS. 2 and 8, an optional thermal liner or barrier (not shown) adjacent to the outer shell 74, and an inner shell 72 of a gas barrier/vapor barrier/moisture barrier adjacent to the thermal barrier if present, or adjacent to the outer shell 74 if the thermal barrier is not present. The inner shell 72 is closer to the wearer of a garment than the outer shell 74 when the garment is worn.

[0035] The garment may also include an optional inner liner or inner face cloth (not shown) located inside of (closer to the wearer when worn) and adjacent to the inner shell 72. The inner face cloth, which may be the innermost layer, can provide a comfortable surface for the wearer and protect the inner shell 72 and/or thermal liner from abrasion and wear. It should be understood that any number of layers, liners, and the like may be included and may be layered in various arrangements as desired, in which the various layers described herein are included, omitted, and/or rearranged.

[0036] The outer shell 74 may be made of or include a variety of materials, including a flame, heat and abrasion resistant material such as a compact weave of aramid fibers and/or polybenzamidazole fibers. Commercially available aramid materials include NOMEX^® and KEVLAR^® fibers (both trademarks of E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co., Inc. of Wilmington, Delaware), and commercially available polybenzamidazole fibers include PBI fibers (a trademark of PBI Performance Materials of Charlotte, North Carolina). Thus, the outer shell 74 may be an aramid material, a blend of aramid materials, a

polybenzamidazole material, a blend of aramid and polybenzamidazole materials, or other appropriate materials. If desired, the outer shell 74 may be coated with a polymer, such as a durable, water repellent finish (i.e. a perfluorohydrocarbon finish, such as TEFLON^® finish sold by E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company of Wilmington, Delaware). The materials of the outer shell 74 may have a weight of, for example, between about five and about ten oz/yd².

[0037] The thermal liner and/or inner shell 72 may be generally coextensive with the outer shell 74, or spaced slightly inwardly from the outer edges of the outer shell 74 (i.e., spaced slightly inwardly from the upper ends of the waist and from the lower edge of the garment) to provide moisture and thermal protection throughout the garment. The optional thermal liner may be made of nearly any suitable material that provides sufficient thermal insulation. In one embodiment, the thermal liner may constitute or include a relatively thick (i.e. between about l/16"-3/16") batting, felt or needled non-woven bulk or batting material. The bulk material can also take the form of one or two (or more) layers of E-89^® spunlace material made of a combination of NOMEX^® and KEVLAR^® material. The bulk material can also, or instead, include aramid fiber batting (such as NOMEX^® batting), aramid needlepunch material, an aramid non-woven material, an aramid blend needlepunch material, an aramid blend batting material, an aramid blend non-woven material, foam (either open cell or closed cell), or other suitably thermally insulating materials. The bulk material may trap air and possess sufficient loft to provide thermal resistance to the garment. In one embodiment, the thermal liner may have a thermal protection performance ("TPP") of at least about twenty, and in another embodiment, at least about thirty-five. Moreover, in one embodiment, the garment as a whole has a TPP of at least about twenty, and in another embodiment has a TPP of at least about thirty-five.

[0038] The inner shell 72 may include a semi-permeable (selectively permeable) or impermeable membrane material. The selectively permeable membrane material may be generally water vapor permeable but generally impermeable to liquid moisture. The membrane material may be made of or include expanded polytetrafluoroethylene ("PTFE") such as GORE-TEX^® or CROSSTECH^® materials (both of which are trademarks of W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. of Newark, Delaware), polyurethane-based materials, neoprene- based materials, cross-linked polymers, polyamid, GORE^® CHEMPAK^® materials, sold by W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. including GORE^® CHEMPAK^® Ultra Barrier Material, GORE^® CHEMPAK^® Selectively Permeable Material, or GORE^® CHEMPAK^® Sorptive Material, or other materials.

[0039] The semi-permeable membrane material may have microscopic openings that permit moisture vapor (such as water vapor) to pass therethrough, but block liquids (such as liquid water) from passing therethrough. The semi-permeable membrane material may be made of a microporous material that is either hydrophilic, hydrophobic, or somewhere in between. The semi-permeable membrane material may also be monolithic and may allow moisture vapor transmission therethrough by molecular diffusion. The semipermeable membrane material may also be a combination of microporous and monolithic materials (known as a bicomponent moisture barrier), in which the microporous or monolithic materials are layered or intertwined.

[0040] The semi-permeable membrane material, optionally, may be bonded, adhered or otherwise attached to a substrate 76 (FIG. 8). The substrate 76 may be a flame and heat resistant material that provides structure and protection to the semi-permeable membrane material. The substrate 76 may be or include aramid fibers similar to the aramid fibers of the outer shell 74, but may be thinner and lighter in weight. The substrate 76 may be woven, non-woven, spunlace or other materials. If desired, and in certain embodiments, the inner shell 72 may lack a substrate 76, or may include a substrate 76 on both sides of the semi-permeable membrane material.

[0041] The garment as a whole may meet the National Fire Protection Association ("N.F.P.A.") 1971 standards for protective firefighting garments ("Protective Clothing for Structural Firefighting"), which are entirely incorporated by reference herein. The NFPA standards specify various minimum requirements for heat/flame resistance and tear strength. For example, in order to meet the NFPA standards, the garment must be able to resist igniting, burning, melting, dripping, separation and/or shrinking by more than 10% in any direction at a temperature of 500°F for at least five minutes. Furthermore, in order to meet the NFPA standards, the combined layers of the garment must provide a thermal protective performance rating of at least thirty-five.

[0042] The inner shell 72 can also help to prevent or reduce the introduction of harmful materials into the garment. Such harmful materials may include liquids (including chemical warfare agents, biological warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals), vapors and aerosols (including chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals), and contaminated particulates (such as biological warfare agents). Examples of chemical warfare agents include soman (GD) nerve agent and distilled mustard (HD) blister agent. Examples of toxic industrial chemicals include acrolein (liquid), acrylonitrile (liquid), ammonia (gas), choline (gas), and dimethyl sulfate (liquid).

[0043] Thus, in addition to the materials listed above, the inner shell 72 may include various other materials which block harmful materials, gases and/or vapors. For example, the inner shell 72 may be made of or include PTFE (such as GORE-TEX^® or

CROSSTECH^® materials), polyurethane or polyurethane-based materials, neoprene or neoprene-based materials, cross-linked polymers, polyamid, or GORE^® CHEMPAK^® materials, sold by W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. including GORE^® CHEMPAK^® Ultra Barrier Material, GORE^® CHEMPAK^® Selectively Permeable Material, or GORE^® CHEMPAK^® Sorptive Material. Besides the materials outlined above, the inner shell 72 can be made of nearly any material that is generally impermeable to a particular harmful material. In general, since gases typically are able to permeate many materials, if the inner shell 72 is able to block gases, the inner shell 72 may thus be able to block the other undesirable materials, such as vapors or aerosols. The various other layers of the garment, such as the outer shell 74, an optional thermal liner or barrier, an optional inner liner or inner face cloth, or other layers thereof, may be generally gas permeable, liquid permeable, or able to be permeated by aerosols or other harmful materials, such that the inner shell 72 is relied upon to provide protection against such materials. [0044] NFPA 1971 standards include a Chem/Bio Option (the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference) which provides specifications that protective ensembles must meet in order to be certified under that Option. For example, the

Chem/Bio Option specifies that the garment must pass a Man In Simulant Test ("MIST"). In one case, the MIST essentially consists of introducing the garment into a chamber filled with a vaporized test material (such as oil of wintergreen). Absorbent padding is placed on the wearer and/or inside the garment. After the garment has been exposed to the vaporized material for a sufficient period of time, the garment is removed from the chamber. The absorbent pads are removed and analyzed to determine how much of the vaporized test material they have absorbed. The inner shell 72, in combination with various other protective features, may provide a garment/ensemble which passes the MIST. The inner shell 72, even more broadly, may meet the Chem/Bio Option of NFPA 1971 standards, the NFPA 1994, Class 2 standards, the NFPA 1992 certification, and combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the garment meets the NFPA 1994 Class 2 standards and the NFPA 1992 certification.

[0045] In one embodiment, the garment may lack a separable inner shell 72 and may be only a single or multi-ply garment without removable or separable layers. Moreover, the outer shell 74 and inner shell 72 may include various layers thereof or may be made of only a single layer (including, for example, the inner shell 72 comprising solely the semipermeable membrane material). FIG. 2 illustrates the outer shell 74 and inner shell 72 as including various layers or sub-layers as described above. However, it should be understood that those layers may be a single layer or ply.

[0046] In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 2, the inner shell 72 is generally continuous in its entirety, and the outer liner 74 is also generally continuous in its entirety (i.e., lacks any releas able joints or the like) or is at least generally continuous in the area or proximity of the joint where the closure mechanism 42 can couple portions of the garment together. In addition, the outer liner 74, or various portions thereof, may lack any portions that are releasably coupled together or releasably coupled together in the manner described herein, for example, a flap that folds to cover the closure mechanism. In this case, a generally continuous outer shell 74 is provided which continuously extends over the areas covering the wearer and helps to protect the wearer from abrasions and reduce heat, moisture, and harmful material infiltration. [0047] Referring now to FIG. 9, a garment, generally designated 100, has a vapor resistant closure 102 extending along a portion thereof. As illustrated, the vapor resistant closure 102 extends across the shoulder blades or the chest of a jacket 104. The vapor resistant closure 102 includes a closure mechanism 106 and a compressible body 108.

[0048] The closure mechanism 106 includes a start end 1 10 fixedly attached in at least one layer 114 of the garment 104 without a gap that could allow gases or vapors into the garment 104. The closure mechanism 106 also includes a stop end 1 12 fixedly attached in the at least one layer 114 of the garment 104. The garment 104 includes an extension piece 1 16 extending inward from the layer 114 containing the stop end 1 12 of the closure mechanism 106 with the extension piece 116 positioned under the stop end 1 12.

Accordingly, the stop end 1 12 and adjacent portions 1 18 of the closure mechanism overlap the extension piece 116. The extension piece 1 16 includes the compressible body 108 with the compressible body 108 positioned between the extension piece 1 16 and the adjacent portions 1 18 of the closure mechanism 106. The compressible body 108 is positioned such that, when the closure mechanism 106 is being closed, the closing action compresses the compressible body 108 to form a seal between the stop end 1 12 of the closure mechanism 106. The seal is generally impermeable to fluids, gases, vapors, aerosols and particulates.

[0049] In one embodiment, the closure mechanism 106 is a zipper as described above, preferably, a watertight zipper. The compressible body 108 may be any suitable compressible material that can be compressed tightly between the adjacent portions 118 of the closure mechanism 106 and is generally impermeable to gases, at least when compressed. The compressible body 108 may include any of the materials described above.

[0050] While FIG. 9 illustrates the vapor resistant closure 102 in a jacket 104, it should be understood that the vapor resistant closure 102 may be used in any garment and, in fact, in any non-garment application where a vapor resistant closure is desired.

[0051] Although the invention is shown and described with respect to certain embodiments, it should be clear that modifications will occur to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the specification, and the present invention includes all such modifications.

[0052] What is claimed is:

Claims

1. A vapor resistant closure comprising:

a closure mechanism having a start end in an inner portion of material and a stop end in an outer portion of material, wherein the stop end overlaps the inner portion of material containing the start end; and

wherein a closed stop end of the closure mechanism forms a seal between the outer portion of material containing the stop end and the inner portion of material containing the start end, the seal being generally impermeable to gases.

2. The vapor resistant closure of claim 1 further comprising a compressible body between the outer portion of material containing the stop end and the inner portion of material containing the start end, wherein the zipped stop end compresses the compressible body to form the seal.

3. The vapor resistant closure of claim 1 wherein the closure mechanism is a zipper.

4. The vapor resistant closure of claim 3 wherein the zipper is a watertight zipper that is generally impermeable to gases.

5. The vapor resistant closure of claim 1 wherein the closure mechanism extends more than 360° around the material.

6. The vapor resistant closure of claim 5 wherein the stop end overlaps the inner portion of material containing the start end by about 5° to about 40°.

7. A vapor resistant closure comprising:

a zipper having a start end and a stop end, wherein the stop end is in an overlying portion of material that overlaps an inner portion of material; and

a compressible body positioned between the stop end and the inner portion of material to provide a seal that is generally impermeable to gases when the zipper is zipped.

8. The vapor resistant closure of claim 7 wherein the zipper is a watertight zipper that is generally impermeable to gases.

9. A vapor resistant closure comprising:

a zipper having a start end in an inner portion of a garment and a stop end in an outer portion of the garment, wherein the outer portion of the garment containing the stop end overlaps the inner portion of the garment containing the start end; and

wherein a zipped stop end of the zipper forms a seal between the outer portion of the garment containing the stop end and the inner portion of the garment containing the start end, the seal being generally impermeable to gases.

10. The vapor resistant closure of claim 8 further comprising a compressible body between the outer portion of the garment containing the stop end of the zipper and the inner portion of the garment containing the start end, wherein the zipped stop end compresses the compressible body to form the seal.

11. The vapor resistant closure of claim 10 wherein the compressible body includes rubber, plastic, or foam.

12. The vapor resistant closure of claim 1 1 wherein the compressible body is compressed by the zipped stopped end by at least 10% by volume.

13. The vapor resistant closure of claim 10 wherein the zipper connects two portions of the garment together.

14. The vapor resistant closure of claim 13 the two portions include a sleeve and glove, a pant-leg and foot covering, or a hood and body portion.

15. The vapor resistant closure of claim 14 wherein one side of the zipper is attached to a hood and its opposing side is attached to a body portion.

16. The vapor resistant closure of claim 15 wherein the body portion is a coat or a one-piece suit.

17. The vapor resistant closure of claim 15 further comprising a flap fixedly attached to one of the hood or body portion and releasably coupled to the other one of said hood or body portion, wherein said flap is positionable over the zipper.

18. A garment including the vapor resistant closure of claim 8.

19. The garment of claim 18 wherein the garment conforms with the NFPA 1994 Class 2 and NFPA 1992 Standards.

20. The garment of claim 18 wherein the garment and the vapor resistant closure are each generally impermeable to fluids, gases, vapors, aerosols and particulates.