Patent Application
20090094726
Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
This invention pertains to a composite structure for a protective garment for use by a firefighter or other emergency worker, such as a pair of bunker pants for a firefighter, a bunker coat for a firefighter, or a glove for a firefighter.
Commonly, in a firefighting or other emergency environment, a firefighter wearing protective garments, such as bunker pants, a bunker coat, and gloves, sweats copiously within such garments, whereby the firefighter is exposed to severe stresses due to sweating, as well as to severe stresses due to firefighting. Such stresses are known to contribute significantly to fatigue, injuries, and fatalities among firefighters.
In accordance with one feature of the invention, a protective garment is provided for use by a firefighter or other emergency worker. The protective garment includes an outer shell, at least one of a moisture barrier layer or a thermal insulative layer within the outer shell; and a liner within the at least one of a moisture barrier layer or thermal insulative layer, the liner includes 85% to 95% by weight hydrophobic fibers and 15% to 10% by weight hydrophilic fibers.
As one feature, the hydrophobic fibers include a polymer and the hydrophilic fibers include cellulosic fibers. As a further feature, the polymer includes modacrylic fibers and the cellulosic fibers comprise lyocell fibers.
According to one feature, the at least one of a moisture barrier layer or thermal insulative layer is a moisture barrier liner.
In one feature, the at least one of a moisture barrier layer or thermal insulative layer is a thermal insulative liner.
In accordance with one feature of the invention, a protective garment is provided for use by a firefighter or other emergency worker. The protective garment includes an outer shell, and a liner including 85% to 95% by weight hydrophobic polymer fibers and 15% to 10% by weight hydrophilic cellulosic fibers.
As one feature, the hydrophobic polymer fibers comprise modacrylic fibers, and the hydrophilic cellulosic fibers comprise lyocell fibers.
In accordance with one feature of the invention, a protective garment is provided for use by a firefighter or other emergency worker. The protective garment includes an outer shell, and a liner including 85% to 95% by weight modacrylic fibers and 15% to 10% by weight lyocell fibers.
In one feature, the protective garment of further includes a moisture barrier liner within the outer shell.
According to one feature, the protective garment further includes a thermal insulative liner within the outer shell.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a review of the entire specification, including the appended claims and drawings.
With reference to
With reference to
Each of the layers 20, 22 and 24 can be made from any suitable fabrics, many of which are known, for each of their particular functions. For example, the outer shell 20 can be made from any suitable fire resistant, thermal resistant, and/or wear resistant (i.e., resistant to cuts, snags, tears and abrasions) material, some examples of which include Kevlar®, Nomex®, Basofil, PBI (polybenzimidazole), and PBO (poly(p-phenylenebenzobisoxazole)) materials. The thermal insulating liner 24 can be made of a suitable thermal insulating material or construction, such as nonwoven batting, closed cell foam, and Basofil/Aramid batting sandwiched between face layers of a suitable breathable fabric. The moisture barrier 22 can be any suitable material that is highly resistant to the passage of liquid, particularly liquid water, such as, for example, neoprene, the fabric supplied by W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. under the CROSSTECH® trademark and/or a material that is also highly resistant to chemicals so that it also acts as a chemical barrier, such as for example, the material supplied by W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. under the CHEMPAK® trademark.
The moisture management liner 26 is constructed from 85% to 90% by weight hydrophobic fibers and 15% to 10% by weight hydrophilic fibers. Preferably, the hydrophobic fibers are a polymer, and even more preferably, the hydrophobic fibers are a modacrylic fiber. The hydrophilic fibers are preferably cellulosic fibers, and even more preferably, the hydrophilic fibers are lyocell fibers, one suitable type of which is supplied by the Lenzing Group under the TENCEL® trademark. Additional examples of suitable fabrics for the liner 26 can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,914, issued Mar. 30, 1999 and naming Manfred Katz as the inventor, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
While a preferred construction has been shown, it should be appreciated that other embodiments are impossible. For example, in some applications it may be advantageous for one or both of the layers 22 and 24 to be removed or eliminated from the garment 10. As another example, in some applications, it may be advantageous or desirable for the liner 26 to be positioned between two of the layers 20, 22 and 24, rather than positioned as the innermost layer of the garment 10.
