The present invention relates to an apparatus for adjusting a layer of fabric relative to another layer of fabric or other material.
Insulated and multi-layered garments are well-known in the art, and are commonly used by people in a variety of activities. For example, insulated garments such as jackets or vests are frequently used by athletes to retain body heat while exercising outdoors, playing in sports, hiking, running, snow skiing, fishing or any of a variety of other outdoor activities that take place in a cold ambient temperature. The purpose of wearing such clothing is to protect the user from loss of core body temperature and to therefore maintain the desired safety and comfort by the user.
These insulated garments are important to keep the individual warm when in a cold environment, in that the garments will conserve an individual's body heat. In particular, approximately ninety percent of the heat of any person's body is produced in the torso area via the major organs and muscle groups, which is conserved by such garments. However, as the individual engages in physical activity or as the ambient temperature increases, the amount of heat generated by the body will also increase. In order to maintain a constant core temperature as desired, the individual's body must either give up or retain this heat as necessary. The reaction of the body is largely dependent on the ambient temperature and humidity surrounding the individual.
It is commonly known that the choice of clothing can help control heat when it comes to physical activity. One of the most common suggestions to athletes and the general public is to wear multiple articles of clothing when exercising or when the temperature is expected to fluctuate significantly. By wearing multiple articles of clothing, the user can remove the outermost articles as necessary to adjust to the ambient temperature. Preferably, the closest layer to the skin would direct sweat away from the skin, and each additional article would trap air that is warmed by the body to help keep the user at a comfortable and desirable temperature.
While layered clothing provides the user with an opportunity to control body heat, this solution raises additional problems. For example, one problem in wearing multiple articles of clothing is that the user often retains too much heat around the core of the body, in which case the user must either remove the unneeded article or articles, or otherwise risk overheating. For the user to be able to remove one layer, either the user has to fasten the garment to another portion of the user's body to reduce the heat surrounding the user's body (such as to tie the garment around the user's waist), or the user must completely discard the garment to be recovered later. In most cases, neither of these options for managing the article of clothing is desirable to the user since they result in a significant inconvenience for the user.
Several garment devices have been developed to answer the problem of body heat control that is experienced by athletic persons and non-athletic persons alike. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,329,638, a design is taught to provide a vest with a heating element to keep the user's body warm as needed. Clearly, this complicated design will overheat the user's body while on, and it is further difficult to cool down once the heating element has been in use. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,149 teaches the use of a vest having pockets in which to insert heat packs. Once again, this design fails to provide a convenient means for heating a person's torso while also providing a means to allow the user to cool down.
What is desired, then, and not found in the prior art, is an apparatus providing an adjustable layer of fabric that may be positioned in an expanded or retracted manner as desired by the user.
The apparatus for adjusting a layer of fabric of the present invention includes a lining that may be extended to substantially the full width or length of the fabric, or contrarily be retracted and compressed into one area of the fabric. In the extended position, the lining substantially surrounds a portion the user's torso so that the lining will aid the user in retaining the core heat of from the user's torso. When the lining is in the retracted position, it will be compressed to one location of the fabric to reduce the area surrounding the user. As a result, the heat is allowed to dissipate from the user's body, thereby allowing the core temperature of the user's body to fall to a desirable level.
The apparatus for adjusting a layer of fabric additionally includes a control assembly for easily moving the lining between the extended position and the retracted position. The control assembly preferably includes a plurality of extension cords and a plurality of retraction cords that are all attached to the proximal end of the lining, with the extension cords being positioned opposite to the respective retraction cords. One end of each of the extension cords is connected to the proximal end of the lining, and the extension cords extend from the lining to a collection member, where each extension cord traverses the collection member to connect with an extension grip. Similarly, the retraction cords are also attached to substantially the proximal end of the lining, with each retraction cord extending proximate the lining to engage a collection member. Each retraction cords traverse the collection member to connect with a retraction grip.
In operation of the present invention, the lining is initially in the extended position such that the lining stretches around a substantial portion of the torso of the user and the extension cords hang from the collection member. In this position, the lining will help to maintain the core temperature of the user at a desired level. However, when the user needs to release some of the heat, the user will pull the retraction grips. By pulling the retraction grips, the proximal end of the lining will be moved toward the distal end of the lining. As a result, the lining will be compressed into one location, such that the lining substantially does not surround the user. To return the lining to the extended position, the user will pull the extension grips, and the proximal end of the lining will move away from the distal end of the lining. The lining will once again be stretched around the torso of the user.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus for adjusting a layer of fabric or lining.
An apparatus for adjusting a layer of fabric or lining embodying the features of the present invention is depicted in the accompanying drawings which form a portion of this disclosure and wherein:
a and 9b are magnified views of the cord collection members;
a and 10b are magnified perspective views of the intersection of the extension cord and retraction cord with the collection member of the present invention;
a and 12b are front elevational views of a second embodiment of the apparatus for adjusting a layer of fabric of the present invention.
Looking now to
Looking to
Looking at
In the preferred embodiment, one end of each of the extension cords 22 is connected to the proximal end 18 of the lining 14 and extends from the lining 14 to a proximal collection member 26. Looking at
Looking to
In operation of this embodiment, the lining 14 is initially in the extended position such that the lining 14 substantially stretches around the torso of the user and the extension cords 22 hang from the proximal collection member 26. In this position, the lining 14 will help to keep heat near the user and therefore maintain the core temperature of the user at a desired level in a cold ambient environment. However, when the user needs to release some of the heat, the user will pull the retraction grips 36. By pulling the retraction grips 36 as shown in
To return the lining 14 to the extended position, the user will simply pull the extension grips 28. At this point, the proximal end 18 of the lining 14 will move away from the distal end 20 of the lining 14, and the lining 14 will once again be stretched around a substantial portion of the torso of the user. In addition, the retraction cords 24 will be moved in the direction of the pulling force.
Looking to
In addition to the first embodiment for the control assembly described above, other similar embodiments are to be expected. For example, a second embodiment is illustrated in
It should further be explained that the garment 12 shown in the preferred embodiment is a vest, although the present invention could be used with or in essentially any other type of garment. Moreover, it should also be noted in garments 12 having an inner shell and an outer shell, the apparatus 10 can be incorporated in the garment 12 between the inner shell and the outer shell. In this case, the lining 14 would be sandwiched between the inner shell and the outer shell. In contrast, the lining 14 may be attached to either shell as desired by the manufacturer of the garment 12. It should further be noted that the garment 14, or the shells of the garment 14, may be made of any type of fabric or material, including natural textiles and cloths, as well as synthetic materials, such as plastic materials. In addition, the apparatus 10 may be added to preexisting garments 12 by simply attaching the apparatus 10 to the inner surface of the garment 10.
In addition to the embodiments described above with garment items, the apparatus for adjusting a layer of fabric 10 may be incorporated into other articles to provide easy control of an insulation layer, breathable layer, waterproof layer, etc., using the layer of fabric or lining 14. For example, the apparatus 10 may be included with a sleeping bag to allow the user to control the position of the lining 14 within the sleeping bag. Furthermore, the present invention may affixed to items such as coolers or wheelchair seatbacks to allow the user to control the varying encirclement of the item by the lining. In addition to these examples, it is foreseeable that the present apparatus 10 could be employed with a wide variety of other items that benefit from a lining providing protective or insulating layer.
Thus, although there have been described particular embodiments of the present invention of a new and useful APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING A LAYER OF FABRIC, it is not intended that such references be construed as limitations upon the scope of this invention except as set forth in the following claims.
The present patent application is a continuation patent application that claims benefit from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/109,337, filed on Mar. 28, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,668,385.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2292348 | Bailey | Aug 1942 | A |
4185327 | Markve | Jan 1980 | A |
4320538 | Saft | Mar 1982 | A |
4864656 | Nesse | Sep 1989 | A |
4914752 | Hinson | Apr 1990 | A |
5032706 | Goessler | Jul 1991 | A |
5146625 | Steele | Sep 1992 | A |
5148002 | Kuo | Sep 1992 | A |
5206957 | Gulick | May 1993 | A |
5305471 | Steele | Apr 1994 | A |
5713079 | Simon et al. | Feb 1998 | A |
5718000 | Ost | Feb 1998 | A |
6128784 | Frank | Oct 2000 | A |
6189149 | Allen | Feb 2001 | B1 |
6263510 | Bay | Jul 2001 | B1 |
6329638 | Bloodworth | Dec 2001 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20040194190 A1 | Oct 2004 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 10109337 | Mar 2002 | US |
Child | 10747561 | US |