Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6263511
-
Patent Number
6,263,511
-
Date Filed
Wednesday, July 5, 200024 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, July 24, 200123 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Calvert; John J.
- Hoey; Alissa L.
Agents
- Oblon, Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 002 97
- 002 456
- 002 457
- 002 458
- 002 211
- 002 214
- 002 410
- 002 DIG 1
- 002 DIG 5
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A breathable garment to be worn to improve the comfort of the human body, comprising a protective outer covering with an internal layer which extends over at least part of the extension of the outer covering and internally forms an interspace. The internal layer has, at least at the regions of the human body covered by the breathable garment where sweat forms more abundantly, holes for access to the interspace for the perspiration vapor. The internal layer and the outer covering have, in the top regions of the garment, holes for venting the vapor channeled by a stack effect inside the interspace, combined with a membrane for keeping out water, impurities or other matter.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a breathable garment to be worn in order to improve the comfort of the human body.
It is known that people protect their body from atmospheric agents such as snow, rain, wind and particularly from the cold by wearing garments and footwear.
More specifically, it is noted that the human body is protected mainly by resorting to various “layers” of clothing, the first of which (underwear) is in direct contact with the body and is in turn covered by successive layers according to the outside temperature and to the environmental conditions.
Use of this kind of protection from the outside allows the body to easily adapt to temperature variations.
Depending on the environmental conditions in which a person find himself, it is in fact sufficient to add or remove one or more “layers” of clothing to feel comfortable and be at an optimum temperature.
For example, in the presence of rain it is commonplace to use a raincoat to protect oneself or to remove one's coat when arriving from outdoors into a heated environment.
The human body is inherently provided with “mechanisms” which help it adapt thermally in the environment in which it is placed.
In case of overheating, for example, the body reacts by increasing perspiration, which by evaporating allows a natural reduction of body temperature.
The heat produced by the human body, in addition to generating perspiration, is also transferred to the outside environment by radiation.
This heat, which is always present, warms the air contained between the body and the garment; said air, by rising, produces further overheating and discomfort, for example at the shoulders, which constitute regions of accumulation.
In order to obviate this drawback, it is necessary to produce or maximize a ventilation effect (air change) inside the garment regardless of the release of vapor, utilizing the differences in pressure that occur between the inside and the outside of the garment.
For example, with an outside temperature of 5° C. and a relative humidity of 50% and with the body at 25° C. and a relative humidity of 90%, the resulting pressure differential is approximately 24 millibar and is not a negligible factor.
If the water vapor is unable to escape from the protective covering that surrounds the human body (clothing), the humidity increases until the vapor condenses and returns to the liquid state of perspiration, thus soaking the clothes starting from the underwear that constitutes the first layer.
During this step of the process there is actually a further release of heat.
This unpleasant drawback can be remedied by removing the wet garment and replacing it with a dry one, for example immediately after completing a challenging mountain climb, but in this way one produces a sudden cooling of the body and risks pneumonia or colds.
While on the one hand the protection of the human body against the worst cold conditions is very effective, by using highly insulating materials, on the other hand one cannot avoid noting the inability to allow the body to perspire normally, ensuring the escape of the water vapor produced by perspiration.
Obviously, during the warm season the problem becomes more intense and forces many people to take several showers and continuously change clothing during the day.
Attempts have been made to remedy this drawback by using garments provided with special breathable properties, for example by resorting to a material known commercially by the trademark “Gore-Tex”, owned by the company W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.; however, in practice such garments are able to expel only part, often a very small part, of the vapor produced by perspiration and generated by the human body, especially at the regions that are richest in sweat glands, and in any case they are unable to ensure effective air change inside the garment.
Vapor permeation in fact occurs to a reduced extent, since inside the layer of the garment being worn the partial vapor pressure that forms is not sufficient to expel the sweat (in the vapor phase) outward.
In other cases, remedies have been attempted by providing more or less closeable openings in the garments at the regions where perspiration concentrates more, for example under the armpits, but even this does not ensure particular effects, since no actual air change is produced.
It should also be noted that even the attempt to increase effectiveness by providing a larger number of openings has failed to yield satisfactory results.
In practice, in fact, some parts of the garments always cling directly to the human body (particularly to the shoulders and chest), so that the water vapor generated by evaporation of body sweat remains trapped between the body and the regions of the garments that do not cling directly to the body (generally the abdomen, the lumbar region of the back, and particularly the region under the armpits), thus preventing its escape.
In other known cases, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,934 for a garment to be used under a non-porous outergarment, such as personal body armor for military personnel, workers exposed to high temperatures, firemen, which does not convey the water vapor to the environment, channels have been provided inside the garment, which prevents the contact of the outergarment with the wearer and in which the air and vapor can circulate and are conveyed upward by convection and then conveyed into the atmosphere.
The channels are open inward and at the ends in order to be able to receive the vapor produced by perspiration by the body and expel it, but in any case they do not prevent the penetration of liquids (water or other dangerous chemicals) from the outside toward the inside through the open ends, exposing the wearer of the garment to significant risks and discomfort.
In any case, this is still an undergarment which must always be used in combination with an outergarment, for which it reduces the problems arising from its non-porous nature.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aim of the present invention is to provide a vapor-permeable garment, to be worn in order to improve the comfort of the human body, which solves the drawbacks noted above in known types.
In relation to this aim, an important object of the present invention is to provide a garment to be worn which ensures adequate air change inside the protective covering (ventilation) that surrounds the body without however venting the warmth required for protection against the cold.
Another object is to obtain a garment which while allowing the venting of the water vapor produced by perspiration, prevents any infiltration of water from outside, thus ensuring complete waterproofness of the garment to be worn.
Another important object of the present invention is to provide a breathable garment which allows in every respect the natural thermoregulation of the human body.
These and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a garment, characterized in that it comprises a protective outer covering with an internal layer which affects at least part of the extension of said outer covering and internally forms an interspace, said internal layer having, at least at the regions of the human body affected by said garment where sweat forms more abundantly, holes for access to said interspace for the perspiration vapor, said internal layer and said outer covering having, in the upper regions of the garment, holes for venting the vapor channeled by “stack effect” inside said interspace, combined with means for keeping out water, impurities or other matter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become better apparent from the following description of some preferred embodiments, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1
is a sectional view, taken along a transverse plane, of a heavy jacket executed according to the present invention;
FIG. 2
is a sectional view, taken along another transverse plane, of the garment of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3
is a schematic front view of the heavy jacket of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 4
is a perspective view of the heavy jacket of the preceding figures;
FIG. 5
is a perspective view of a detail of the upper part of the heavy jacket of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 6
is a sectional perspective view of a part of the garment shown in the above figures;
FIG. 7
is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the part of
FIG. 6
;
FIG. 8
is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the part of
FIG. 6
;
FIG. 9
is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the part of
FIG. 6
;
FIG. 10
is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the part of
FIG. 6
;
FIG. 11
is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the detail of
FIG. 5
;
FIG. 12
is a sectional view, taken along a transverse plane, of a third embodiment of the detail of
FIG. 5
;
FIG. 13
is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the detail of
FIG. 5
;
FIG. 14
is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the detail of
FIG. 5
;
FIG. 15
is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of the detail of
FIG. 5
;
FIG. 16
is a sectional view, taken along a transverse plane, of the detail of
FIG. 15
;
FIG. 17
is a sectional view, taken along a transverse plane, of still another embodiment of the detail of
FIG. 15
;
FIG. 18
is a schematic front view of a pair of trousers obtained according to the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
With particular reference to the above
FIGS. 1
,
2
,
3
,
4
,
5
and
6
, a garment to be worn in order to improve human body comfort, according to the present invention, is constituted in this case by a heavy jacket
10
.
Said heavy jacket
10
has an outer covering
11
having a protective function and can be conveniently made of fabric or of another material having suitable characteristics.
Said outer covering
11
can further be coupled to a per se known vapor-permeable membrane which is impermeable to water or, in other embodiments, to other materials.
In this particular embodiment, a layer of padding
12
of the per se known type is associated with the inner part of said covering
11
.
Preferably, said padding layer
12
is composed of hydrophilic materials such as cotton wool, wool, felt and/or other similar materials.
In this manner, air is conveniently retained between the fibers of said padding layer
12
and thus ensures effective insulation from outside and retains the warmth around the human body.
The fibers that constitute said padding layer
12
are further capable of absorbing perspiration.
Said heavy jacket
10
is provided with an inner layer
13
whose structure is described in greater detail hereinafter.
Said layer structurally forms, inside it, an interspace, schematically designated by the reference numeral
14
, in which water vapor can circulate, as described in detail hereinafter.
Said inner layer
13
is associated with the inner part of said padding layer
12
and is covered by a lining
15
of the per se known type.
Said lining is preferably of the type which is highly permeable to water vapor, so as to allow perspiration produced by the human body to pass.
At certain particular regions, in this case under the armpits and proximate to the hips, there are intake holes
16
formed in said lining
15
and in said internal layer
13
, so as to allow the free access of water vapor to the interspace
14
.
At the region of the heavy jacket
10
that covers the shoulders there are holes
17
formed in said outer covering
11
, in the underlying padding layer
12
and partially in said internal layer
13
so as to be connected to said interspace
14
.
With particular reference to
FIG. 5
, in the region in which said holes
17
are provided, below said protective outer covering
11
there is a membrane
22
which is impermeable to water (for which it therefore constitutes a retention means) but is breathable and therefore allows the outward venting of the water vapor.
In this manner, the water that arrives from outside, for example rain, cannot penetrate, while the water vapor can easily escape and ensure the natural thermoregulation of the human body.
Membranes which are permeable not only to vapor but also to air and are impermeable to water are also commercially available and can be used in this case, in which it is necessary to vent the vapor through the holes
17
and prevent water, dust and impurities from penetrating inside the garment.
These membranes also ensure a ventilation effect (air change) thanks to their permeability to air.
The membrane
22
must be appropriately combined with a protective layer
22
a
which is directed outward and/or inward, is made for example of fabric or non-woven fabric and is suitable to protect it from deterioration or possible contact with blunt objects which can spoil it.
A portion of membrane
22
can of course affect multiple holes
17
, if they are clustered and, for example, provided in an insert, not shown, which is applied to the garment
10
so as to replace part of the covering
11
.
The heavy jacket
10
can also be used during the warm season, for example in order to shelter oneself from a sudden storm, from the wind and/or rain or during sports activity simply by removing the padding layer.
Once this has been done, the heavy jacket
10
is in fact capable of expelling the perspiration that forms inside it and accordingly allows the natural regulation of the body, lowering its temperature.
The human body heats the air, schematically designated by the reference numeral
18
, that is present between the outer surface of the layers inside the heavy jacket
10
and the lining
15
thereof.
As the insulating effect of the layer of padding
12
and most of all of the outer covering
11
, which is quite often a waterproof material, progresses, the internal air
18
warms up and becomes damp due to perspiration.
Accordingly, the damp air
18
tends to expand naturally due to its heat and thus easily penetrates through said intake holes
16
until it reaches the interspace
14
formed in the internal layer
13
.
At this point, due to the ability of the damp air
18
to always move upward, it rises along said interspace
14
, traveling along the channels schematically designated by the reference numeral
19
in
FIG. 3
, until it arrives at the holes
17
arranged on the shoulders and is vented externally through the membrane
22
.
The membrane
22
instead prevents water or other matter from penetrating into the interspace
14
.
With particular reference to
FIG. 6
, said internal layer
13
is obtained, in this embodiment, by interposing a sheet of rigid undulated fabric
20
between two flat and parallel sheets
21
, so as to form, inside it, said interspace
14
which in this case is constituted by a plurality of ducts through which water vapor can flow easily.
It is in fact sufficient to take care to associate said internal layer
13
with the layer of padding
12
so that said ducts that constitute the interspace
14
run predominantly along the vertical axis.
With particular reference to
FIG. 7
, a second embodiment is obtained by using an internal layer
113
which is made of a pile cloth-like material, which in this case has a considerable thickness but can be thin in equivalent solutions; said internal layer is coupled to an outer covering
111
and to a padding layer
112
which are fully equivalent to the ones described above.
In this case also, the presence of the lining, now designated by the reference numeral
115
, is clearly noticeable; said lining has holes
116
to allow water vapor to access the inside of the interspace
114
formed between the fibers of the pile cloth-like material.
With reference to
FIG. 8
, a third embodiment is obtained by coupling to an outer covering
211
and to a padding layer
212
which are per se known, an internal layer
213
which is constituted by a plurality of small tubes
214
arranged side by side, so that the interspace
215
is formed by the set of passages provided inside each one of said tubes
214
.
In this embodiment also, said internal layer
213
is associated with the padding layer
212
so that said tubes
214
extend vertically.
The presence of the lining, now designated by the reference numeral
216
, and of the access holes
217
formed in said lining
216
and in said tubes
214
, is clearly visible in this case also.
Only in this way can the water vapor in fact enter through said access holes
217
and, by rising along the tubes
214
, arrive at the top part of the garment.
With particular reference to
FIG. 9
, a fourth embodiment is obtained by coupling to an outer covering
311
and to a layer of padding
312
which are per se known, an internal layer
313
constituted by a layer of cotton wool inside which the water vapor can circulate.
In this case also, the garment is completed by the lining
314
, in which the vapor access holes
315
are formed.
With particular reference to
FIG. 10
, a fifth embodiment is obtained by coupling to an outer covering, now designated by the reference numeral
411
, and to a padding
412
layer, which are per se known, an internal layer
413
formed with a three-dimensional mesh, in this case made of a material known commercially by the trademark nylon, which is covered by a lining
415
in which access holes
416
for the water vapor are formed.
With reference to
FIG. 11
, in a second embodiment related to the structure of the heavy jacket
10
, at the top region in which the water vapor venting holes, now designated by the reference numeral
517
, are formed, instead of the membrane
22
between said protective outer covering
511
and the underlying layer of padding, now designated by the reference numeral
512
, there is another retention means constituted by a sliding flat element
522
in which through holes
523
are formed.
In particular, said through holes
523
are, in the operating configuration, aligned with said venting holes
517
, so that the interspace
514
formed in the internal layer
513
is directly connected to the outside.
In this case, said flat element
522
can slide with respect to the outer covering
511
and to the padding layer
512
by way of a traction which is applied, in this case, directly by the user, to an extension which protrudes monolithically from the flat element
522
and partially exits from the outer covering
511
(not shown for the sake of simplicity in said figure) so as to be directly available to the action of the user.
In this manner, in the presence of unfavorable conditions, particularly rain, the user can slide said flat element
522
so that the through holes
523
formed therein are not aligned with respect to said exit holes
517
, thus preventing any water infiltration.
When allowed by the conditions, it is instead sufficient to allow the through holes
523
formed in the flat element
522
to align themselves with the exit holes
517
, so that the water vapor can exit and thus allow normal body thermoregulation.
With reference to
FIG. 12
, in a third embodiment the breathable garment has, at the region where said venting holes
617
are formed, in the outer covering
611
and in the underlying padding layer
612
, water retention means which are constituted, in this case, by flaps
618
which are applied, as specified hereinafter, so as to cover all the region of the outer covering
611
in which the venting holes
617
are formed.
In this case, said flaps
618
are in fact applied on the shoulders and have, on the side directed toward the outer covering
611
, a plurality of ridges
619
which keep them adequately raised from said outer covering
611
, so that in practice they are not fully rested thereon and on the venting holes
617
.
In this manner, the water vapor that arrives from the interspace
614
formed in the internal layer
613
can escape by passing through said holes
617
by way of the ridges
618
which keep the flaps
618
raised.
At the same time, however, rain cannot enter the garment because it glides off, remaining outside the flaps
618
.
In this embodiment, said flaps
618
are fixed to the outer covering
611
by means of stitched seams
620
, but in equivalent embodiments it is possible to use other fixing means, for example resorting to hook and loop strips of a material known commercially by the trademark Velcro.
With particular reference to
FIG. 13
, a fourth embodiment is constituted, in this case for the water retention means, at least in the water vapor venting regions, by an outer covering
711
whose structure is constituted by a plurality of small domes
715
and which is commercially known by the trade-name Stomatex.
A layer of padding
712
and an internal layer
713
which forms an interspace
714
are associated below said outer covering, as usual.
In this case, a slit
716
is formed in the outer covering
711
at the top of each one of said small domes
715
and is aligned with a corresponding venting hole
717
formed in the padding layer
712
.
In this manner, the air-filled chambers
718
formed between each one of said small domes
715
and the underlying layer of padding
712
are affected by the passage of water vapor which, arriving from the interspace
714
, passes through said venting holes
717
and the overlying slits
716
and is expelled outside.
The described solution is certainly highly satisfactory, since the higher internal pressure that can be measured in each one of said air-filled chambers
718
allows easy escape of the water vapor, at the same time preventing any infiltration of water.
This constructive structure can be preferably adopted in body-clinging garments meant for people performing physical activities, for example cycling, so that the very movement of the user produces, by compression, a higher pressure inside each air-filled chamber
718
.
With particular reference to
FIG. 14
, a fifth embodiment is obtained, in this case, by providing each one of the venting holes
817
formed in the outer covering
811
and in the padding layer
812
with a water retention means constituted by a one-way valve
818
.
Said valve comprises a movable disk, of the per se known type, which is fixed to the outer covering
811
so as to cover each one of said venting holes
817
.
Said disk of the one-way valve
818
rises every time the pressure in the underlying region, i.e., in the holes
817
, is higher than the outside pressure, thus allowing the escape of the water vapor.
Evidently, in this embodiment the water vapor that arrives from the interspace
814
formed in the internal layer
813
is able to escape without the movable disk of each valve
818
allowing any water that is present outside to enter the garment.
With reference to the above cited
FIGS. 15 and 16
, said figures show another embodiment of the water retention means, generally designated by the reference numeral
910
, which in this case are applied to a fabric
911
of a garment such as the ones cited above, preferably of the waterproof type, not shown in the above figures for the sake of simplicity.
Said retention means
910
comprise a protective dome
912
in which holes
913
are formed being uniformly distributed in regions other than the central one.
Said dome
912
is fixed above the head
914
, which in this case is diskshaped, of a mushroom-like element
915
which is provided with a tubular stem
916
.
In other cases, the head
914
can also have a polygonal, oval, elliptical, or other shape.
The dome
912
is raised from said disk-like head
914
except at the fixing region.
Said disk-like head
914
constitutes a ventilation element which has a frustum-shaped contour and therefore slopes toward its peripheral region and has, at the top region, a central opening
917
which in this case is circular.
Said mushroom-shaped element
915
is suitable to be associated with the fabric
911
at one of the holes
918
that connect the interspace cited in the preceding cases to the outside in the top part of the garment.
Said stem
916
, after passing in succession through said opening
918
and a fixing washer
919
of the per se known type, in fact has an end portion
920
which is conveniently folded back against said washer
919
, so that the fabric
911
that surrounds the opening
918
is compressed between the disk-like head
914
and the washer
919
.
In this embodiment, said washer
919
has, at the part that is suitable to be pressed against the fabric
911
, points
921
which act as rotation-preventing elements.
Furthermore, points
922
, fully equivalent to said points
921
, for preventing rotation protrude also from said disk-like head
914
of the mushroom-shaped element
915
, on the side designed to be placed in contact with the fabric
911
.
In summary, the described retention means
910
allow the passage of water vapor, which can easily escape from the region below the fabric
911
, passing through the hole
917
formed in the disk-like head
914
of the mushroom-shaped element
915
and, from there, through the holes
913
formed in the protective dome
912
.
Likewise, the air from outside can easily enter the region below the fabric
911
, so as to ensure optimum thermal ventilation of the human body.
However, in case of rain the water drops that are able to penetrate through the holes
913
of the protective dome
912
cannot pass beyond the opening
917
because the holes
913
are not aligned with said opening and indeed, by virtue of the frustum-like contour of the disk-like head
914
, the drops glide toward the outer region of the head until they exit through appropriately provided holes
913
arranged along the perimeter of the protective dome
912
, as shown schematically by the arrows
923
.
With particular reference to
FIG. 17
, another embodiment of a retention means is designated in this case by the reference numeral
1010
and comprises a protective dome
1012
which is fully equivalent to the preceding one and in which holes
1013
are formed at the perimetric region.
In this case, said dome
1012
has, along its entire perimetric extension, a protrusion
1023
which, once arranged above the disk-like head
1014
of a mushroom-shaped ventilation element
1015
, is suitable to be folded around the corresponding perimetric edge of the head
1014
.
In this embodiment also, said head
1014
forms, in the top region, a central opening
1017
which is not aligned with the holes
1013
of the dome
1012
.
In summary, said retention means
1010
, as described for the preceding one
910
, ensures the passage of water vapor, which can exit from the region below the fabric
1011
, passing through the opening
1017
and through the holes
1013
formed in the dome
1012
.
Likewise, raindrops are unable to penetrate; instead, by gliding on the disk-like head
1014
, they are conveyed toward the outer region of said device
1010
.
With reference to
FIG. 18
, a pair of breathable trousers, designated by the reference numeral
1110
and obtained according to the present invention, are fully equivalent to the above described heavy jacket
10
.
Said trousers
1110
are in fact constituted by an outer covering
1111
which has a protective function and with which a layer of padding of the per se known type, not shown in the figure for the sake of simplicity, is associated at the inner part.
Said trousers
1110
conveniently have an internal layer
1113
, whose structure is fully equivalent to one of the structures presented above in
FIGS. 6
,
7
,
8
,
9
and
10
, which internally forms an interspace in which water vapor can circulate.
Said internal layer
1113
is covered by a lining
1115
which is permeable to water vapor and in which intake holes
1116
are formed at least at the regions of the human body that are richest in sweat glands; the vapor accesses the inside of the interspace through said holes
1116
.
At the part that surrounds the waist of the trousers
1110
there are water vapor venting holes
1117
which are formed in said outer covering
1111
, in the underlying layer of padding and, if necessary, in said internal layer
1113
so as to be connected to said interspace.
The holes
1117
are combined with a membrane
1122
which is fully equivalent to the cited one
22
and is coupled to an external protective layer
122
a.
As an alternative, it is possible to provide one of the retention means described earlier.
The air, schematically designated by the reference numeral
1118
, that is present between the legs of the user and the lining
1115
of the trousers
11
10
warms up, so that as the insulating effect of the layer of padding and most of all of the outer covering
1111
progresses, it becomes damp due to perspiration.
Accordingly, said damp air
1118
tends to expand naturally due to the heat and thus easily enters through said intake holes
1116
until it reaches the interspace formed in the internal layer
1113
.
At this point, due to the ability of the damp air
1118
to flow upward, it rises along the interspace until it arrives at the venting holes
1117
arranged in the belt region and is vented outside through the membrane
1122
.
In practice it has been found that the present invention has effectively achieved the aim and all the intended objects.
In particular, the present invention is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the same inventive concept.
For example, the lining might be replaced with a mesh-like structure or be omitted from the garment.
In yet another embodiment, the padding layer is constituted by fibers which include, either externally or internally (if the fibers are hollow) and at least partially, a material per se known as “phase change material”, in the manner disclosed for example in patent application WO 98/123066 of Sep. 18, 1997 and in European patent no. 311642.
In this embodiment, said phase change materials in fact allow to reduce the thickness of the thermal insulation thanks to their special ability to retain and accumulate heat.
The heat generated by the body produces perspiration, but while said perspiration is expelled by evaporation from the breathable garment, the heat is absorbed by the phase change materials (by radiation and/or induction).
When the body expels perspiration and ceases producing heat, said materials in fact act so as to vent the heat accumulated earlier and make it “available” to the body so as to prevent any sudden chill.
It is evident that the structures of the described breathable garments can easily be extended to all garments, including caps, hats and helmets.
A considerable advantage that must be noted once more has been achieved by virtue of the present invention in that a garment has been perfected which ensures adequate air change inside the protective covering that surrounds the body without however venting the warmth required to protect it from the cold.
Another important advantage has been achieved in that a garment has been obtained which, while allowing the water vapor produced by perspiration to escape, prevents infiltrations of water from outside, thus ensuring waterproofness.
Attention is also drawn to another important advantage, since a breathable garment has been perfected which allows in every respect the natural thermoregulation of the human body also by virtue of the ventilation effect allowed by the continuous and substantial air change inside it.
The garments provided according to the present invention can in fact be worn without problems in summer (for example by removing the layer of padding) when high temperatures cause increased perspiration production.
Said perspiration is expelled very effectively from the described breathable garments, thus allowing the human body to regulate its own temperature in a fully natural way.
All the details may be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.
The materials used, so long as they are compatible with the contingent use, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to requirements.
The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. PD99A000149 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.
Claims
- 1. A breathable garment, comprising a protective outer covering with an internal layer which extends over at least part of the extension of said outer covering and internally forms an interspace, said internal layer having, at least at regions of a human body covered by said breathable garment where sweat forms more abundantly, holes for access to said interspace for perspiration vapor, said internal layer and said outer covering having, in top regions of the garment, holes for venting the vapor channeled by a stack effect inside said interspace, combined with water retention means for keeping out water, impurities or other matter.
- 2. The breathable garment according to claim 1, wherein said internal layer is obtained by interposing a rigid undulated sheet between two flat and parallel sheets.
- 3. The breathable garment according to claim 1, wherein said internal layer is made of pile cloth-like material.
- 4. The breathable garment according to claim 1, wherein said internal layer is constituted by a plurality of tubes arranged side by side.
- 5. The breathable garment according to claim 1, wherein said internal layer is constituted by cotton wool.
- 6. The breathable garment according to claim 1, wherein said internal layer is a three-dimensional mesh.
- 7. The breathable garment according to claim 6, wherein said three-dimensional mesh is made of a material known commercially by the trademark Nylon.
- 8. The breathable garment of claim 1, wherein water retention means are constituted by a membrane which is permeable to vapor and/or permeable to air and impermeable to water, and is arranged at the top regions where said vapor exit holes are formed, said membrane being interposed between said outer covering and said internal layer.
- 9. The breathable garment according to claim 8, wherein said membrane is coupled to an external and/or internal protective layer.
- 10. The breathable garment of claim 8, wherein, in the top regions where said vapor exit holes are formed, between said outer covering and said internal layer, said retention means are constituted by a flat element which is slideable from an active position to a blocking position, through holes being formed therein, said holes being aligned with the vapor exit holes when the flat element is in the active position.
- 11. The breathable garment according to claim 10, wherein said flat element comprises an extension which is directly available to action of a user in order to slide it from said active position to said blocking position and vice versa.
- 12. The breathable garment according to claim 8, wherein in the top regions of the outer covering on which said vapor exit holes are formed, transmission means are constituted by flaps which are applied and are adapted to cover the holes, said flaps having, on a side directed toward the outer covering, ridges which are adapted to keep them partially raised and allow the vapor to exit from the holes.
- 13. The breathable garment according to claim 12, wherein said flaps are associated with said outer covering by way of fixing means.
- 14. The breathable garment according to claim 13, wherein said fixing means are constituted by stitched seams.
- 15. The breathable garment according claim 14, wherein said fixing means are constituted by hook and loop fastner strips of a material of the type known commercially by the trademark Velcro.
- 16. The breathable garment according to claim 1, wherein, in the top regions in which said vapor exit holes are formed, said water retention means are formed by an outer covering which is constituted by a layer, shaped so as to form a plurality of small domes, a slit being formed at the top of each one of said small domes and being aligned with a corresponding passage which is connected to said interspace.
- 17. The breathable garment according to claim 1, wherein said retention means are constituted by a one-way valve with which each one of said vapor exit holes is provided.
- 18. The breathable garment according to claim 1, wherein said retention means comprise:a disk-like element provided with fixing means for fixing to fabric of the garment at a suitable opening, said disk-like element having, at a side to be arranged outward, a shape which slopes from a center thereof toward the peripheral region and a top opening, an external protective dome which is substantially raised from said disk-like element, is fixed perimetrically thereto and has at least one hole situated away from a central opening.
- 19. The breathable garment according to claim 18, wherein said disk-like element has a frustum-shaped contour which has at said central opening a circular contour.
- 20. The breathable garment according to claim 19, wherein said ventilation element is a head of a mushroom-shaped element which has a tubular stem adapted to pass through said opening of said fabric.
- 21. The breathable garment according to claim 20, wherein said fixing means for fixing to the fabric comprise said stem and a washer, said stem having an end portion from folding back against said washer so that the fabric that surrounds the opening is compressed between said disk-like head and said washer.
- 22. The breathable garment according to claim 21, wherein said washer has, at the part that is adapted to be pressed against the fabric, points which act as rotation-preventing elements.
- 23. The breathable garment according to claim 21, wherein rotation-preventing points protrude from said head of the mushroom-shaped element, on the side meant to be placed in contact with the fabric.
- 24. The breathable garment according to claim 18, wherein said protective dome has a plurality of holes which are uniformly distributed in regions other than the top one.
- 25. The breathable garment according to claim 18, wherein said protective dome is raised from said element except at the fixing position.
- 26. The breathable garment according to claim 18, wherein said protective dome has, along a perimetric extension thereof, a protrusion which, once arranged above said element, is foldable around the corresponding perimetric edge thereof.
- 27. The breathable garment according to claim 1, comprising a padding layer between said outer covering and said internal layer.
- 28. The breathable garment according to claim 27, wherein said padding layer is composed of hydrophilic materials such as cotton wool, wool, felt or other materials having similar characteristics.
- 29. The breathable garment according to claim 27, wherein said padding layer is constituted by fibers which include, either externally or internally, in the case of hollow fibers and at least partially, a material per se known as phase-change material.
- 30. The breathable garment according to claim 1, comprising a lining which covers said internal layer, said access holes for said interspace being formed in said lining.
- 31. The breathable garment according to claim 30, wherein said lining is permeable to water vapor.
- 32. The breathable garment according to claim 30, wherein said lining has a mesh-like structure.
- 33. The breathable garment according to claim 1, wherein said outer covering is coupled to a breathable and waterproof membrane or to another material.
- 34. Headgear, having a breathable structure according to claim 1.
- 35. A helmet, having a breathable structure according to claim 1.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
PD99A0149 |
Jul 1999 |
IT |
|
US Referenced Citations (21)