Patent Grant
12108814
The present invention relates to a fan-equipped garment and a garment body of a fan-equipped garment.
In recent years, a fan-equipped garment that cools a body has been put into practical use and is rapidly becoming widespread.
The fan-equipped garment includes:
When the fans are activated, the fans take a large amount of air into the garment body. Pressure of the air taken in automatically creates an air flow passage between the garment body and a wearer's body. The air taken in flows along the surface of the wearer's body or underwear through the formed air flow passage, and is discharged to the outside through air outlets formed in openings of the collar and sleeves, for example.
The taken-in air evaporates sweat on the wearer's body while flowing through the air flow passage between the garment body and the wearer's body or underwear. Heat of vaporization generated by evaporating sweat cools the body (see, for example, Patent Literature 1).
For example, if you want to prevent people around you from knowing that you are wearing a fan-equipped garment, you may have to wear some other clothes over the fan-equipped garment.
However, when other clothes are worn over a conventional fan-equipped garment, an air inlet passage on the outer side of a fan is blocked. This prevents introduction of air into the garment body. If clothes to be worn over the fan-equipped garment are somewhat heavy, the fan-equipped garment is pressed against a wearer's body due to the weight. This prevents formation of an air flow passage inside the fan-equipped garment. Thus, it has been difficult to make the fan-equipped garment function well.
This is especially noticeable when wearing a garment with a protective function for a wearer's body such as a stab-proof garment or a bullet-proof garment, which is heavier than ordinary clothes such as a coat, over a fan-equipped garment.
A similar problem arises when non-clothing items are worn over a fan-equipped garment. For example, this is particularly noticeable when a worker engaged in high altitude work wears a safety harness or a backpack over a fan-equipped garment.
An object of the present invention is to provided a fan-equipped garment and a garment body of a fan-equipped garment whose function is hardly degraded even when worn under other clothes or the like.
A first aspect of the invention is a garment body of a fan-equipped garment, the garment body being constituted by garment cloth that is not breathable or has breathability to an extent that the garment cloth can be inflated by introduction of air by a ventilator, and including: a connector to which the ventilator is attached; an air outlet that discharges air introduced by the ventilator; and a spacer member that keeps a space between the garment cloth and a wearer's body and/or between the garment cloth and other clothes worn over the garment body.
According to a second aspect of the invention, the spacer member includes: a mesh member connected to the garment cloth; and a spacer provided in a space between the mesh member and the garment cloth.
According to a third aspect of the invention, the spacer member includes an outer spacer member that covers the connector and the garment cloth around the connector from an outer side of the garment body.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, the connector consists of a plurality of connectors, and the outer spacer member covers all of the plurality of connectors.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention, the outer spacer member is provided around a bottom of the garment body.
According to a sixth aspect of the invention, the spacer member further includes a back inner spacer member on an inner side of a back part of the garment body.
According to a seventh aspect of the invention, the back inner spacer member extends over shoulders of the wearer on the inner side of the garment body.
According to an eighth aspect of the invention, the spacer member further includes a front inner spacer member on an inner side of a front part of the garment body.
According to a ninth aspect of the invention, the front inner spacer member extends over shoulders of the wearer on the inner side of the garment body.
A tenth aspect of the invention is a fan-equipped garment including the garment body of the fan-equipped garment; the ventilator that introduces air inside the garment body of the fan-equipped garment; and a power source that supplies power to the ventilator.
The present invention provides a fan-equipped garment and a garment body of a fan-equipped garment whose function is hardly degraded even when worn under other clothes or the like.
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to
In the following explanation, the front, back, top, bottom, right and left correspond to those of a wearer of a fan-equipped garment 100, respectively.
I. Configuration of Embodiment
As shown in
The fans draw air into the garment body 1. The fan-equipped garment 100 circulates air along a surface of a body or underwear of a wearer, and then discharges the air through air outlets 14 formed in the collar and sleeves of the garment body 1. This evaporates sweat on the body. Heat of vaporization generated by evaporating sweat cools the body.
1. Garment Body
As shown in
An inner surface of the garment cloth C is a surface of the garment cloth C which faces a wearer when the garment body 1 is worn. An outer surface of the garment cloth C is the surface on the opposite side, and is a surface facing the outside when the garment body 1 is worn. When the garment body 1 is worn, the inner surface of the garment cloth C as well as portions on the side of a wearer is on the inner side of the garment body 1. When the garment body 1 is worn, the outer surface of the garment cloth C as well as portions outside the garment cloth C is on the outer side of the garment body 1.
As shown in
(1) Fastener
The fastener 11 is used to open and close the front part of the garment body 1 when the fan-equipped garment 100 is put on. As shown in
(2) Air Seal
As shown in
For example, the air seal 12 includes:
The cord stopper is fixed after pulling the portion of the cord member which comes out of the cord loop. This makes the hem of the garment body 1 adhere to a wearer's body.
When the fan-equipped garment 100 is worn, the hem of the garment body 1 is narrowed by the air seal 12 and adheres to a wearer's body. This prevents air from leaking out through the bottom of the garment body 1.
(3) Fan Mount Hole
As shown in
The diameter of the fan mount hole 13 is substantially the same as the diameter of the fan 2 described below. The fan 2 is mounted so as to pass through the fan mount hole 13. Air is taken into the garment body 1 from the outside through the fan mount hole 13.
For example, the rim of the fan mount hole 13 should be reinforced by:
The fans 2 introduce air into the space between the garment body 1 and a wearer through the fan mount holes 13. The air outlets 14 are openings that discharge the air after the air flows along a body or underwear of a wearer.
As shown in
The power source holder 15 holds the power source 3 at a position where the power source 3 can supply power to the fan 2 through the connection cable 4. For example, as shown in
For example, the power source holder 15 and a remote control holder (not shown) that holds a remote control (not shown) that controls the power source 3 may be provided on the outer side of the garment body 1. The connection cable 4 connects the fan 2 with the power source 3 (and the remote control) through an opening in the garment cloth C which opens to the outer side of the garment body 1 from the inner side of the garment body 1.
(6) Cable Holder
As shown in
(7) Outer Spacer Member
The outer spacer member 17 covers the fan mount hole 13 and the surrounding garment cloth C on the outer side of the back part of the garment body 1. The outer spacer member 17 ensures that, when clothes are worn over the fan-equipped garment 100, the distance between the clothes and the fan 2 and the part of the garment cloth C around the fan mount hole 13 is not shorter than the thickness of the spacer 173. The outer spacer member 17 keeps a space for directing air taken into the garment body 1 by the fan 2 to the fan 2 between the clothes and the fan 2 and the part of the garment cloth C around the fan mount hole 13.
As shown in
As shown in
This forms a bag space with an opening at the top between the garment cloth C and the mesh member 171.
The mesh member 171 may have any specific configuration as long as each pore of the mesh is small enough that the spacer 173 cannot pass through it and is sufficiently opened to introduce air to the fan 2 through the spacer 173. Any material can be used as long as the mesh member 171 is strong enough to prevent the spacer 173 from falling. The method of joining the mesh member 171 to the garment cloth C is not limited as long as the mesh member 171 does not come off due to the weight of the spacer 173.
The mesh member itself may be formed into a bag, and a fastener consisting of a hook-and-loop fastener or the like may be provided at an opening of the bag-shaped mesh member, so that a spacer described below can be removably stored in the bag. In this case, the mesh member can be detachably attached to the garment cloth C by means of the hook-and-loop fastener or the like.
Fastener
The fastener 172 allows opening and closing of the opening formed between the upper edge of the mesh member 171 and the garment cloth C. For example, as shown in
Spacer
The spacer 173 is a member with a space formed inside for circulation of air. As shown in
The spacer 173 may have any structure as long as the spacer 173 can keep a space for directing air drawn into the garment body 1 by the fan 2 to the fan 2, the space being between:
For example, the spacer structure S shown in
Specifically, the spacer structure S shown in
The flexible joint S2 is formed as a strip that is thinner than the frame S11. This makes the spacer structure S easy to bend at the flexible joint S2 so that it has a certain flexibility.
According to the spacer structure S, a spacer of any size and shape can be formed by changing the number of convex portions S1 connected by the flexible joints S2.
The spacer structure S may be made of any material as long as it is strong enough to prevent the spacer structure S from being significantly deformed by the weight of clothes even when, for example, a garment with a protective function such as a stab-proof garment or a bullet-proof garment, which is somewhat heavy, is worn over the fan-equipped garment 100. In view of comfort, it is preferable that the material is strong enough as described above, but not too hard. For example, polyethylene (PE) is preferred. Depending on load conditions, load direction and the weight of an object worn over the fan-equipped garment, more flexible elastomer (TPE) may be preferred. The material is not limited to them. If necessary, or depending on where they are put, multiple spacer structures S may be piled.
The spacer 173 is formed by the spacer structure S such that it is large enough to cover substantially the entire mesh member 171, except for the portion equipped with the fastener 172. The spacer 173 can be removed from the mesh member 171 via the fastener 172 of the mesh member 171.
In this embodiment, the spacer 173 is attached to the garment body 1 via the mesh member 171. Alternatively, the spacer 173 may be sewn directly to the garment cloth C, or may be detachably attached to the garment cloth C by means of a hook-and-loop fastener or the like. In this case, the mesh member 171 is not necessary.
(8) Back Inner Spacer Member
The back inner spacer member 18 is provided at a position above the fan mount hole 13 on the inner side of the back part of the garment body 1. Even when clothes are worn over the fan-equipped garment 100 and the weight of the clothes is applied to the fan-equipped garment 100, the back inner spacer member 18 ensures that the distance between the wearer's body and the garment cloth C of the back part of the garment body 1 does not become shorter than the thickness of a spacer 183. This keeps a space where air drawn into the garment body 1 by the fan 2 flows between the wearer's body and the garment cloth C of the back part of the garment body 1.
As shown in
As shown in
This forms a bag space with an opening at the top between the garment cloth C and the mesh member 181.
The mesh member 181 may have any specific configuration as long as each pore of the mesh is small enough that the spacer 183 cannot pass through it and is sufficiently opened to let air flow inside the garment body 1 through the spacer 183. Any material can be used as long as the mesh member 181 is strong enough to prevent the spacer 183 from falling. The method of joining the mesh member 181 to the garment cloth C is not limited as long as the mesh member 181 does not come off due to the weight of the spacer 183.
The mesh member itself may be formed into a bag, and a fastener consisting of a hook-and-loop fastener or the like may be provided at an opening of the bag-shaped mesh member, so that a spacer described below can be removably stored in the bag. In this case, the mesh member can be detachably attached to the garment cloth C by means of the hook-and-loop fastener or the like.
Fastener
The fastener 182 allows opening and closing of the opening formed between the garment cloth C and the upper edge of the mesh member 181. For example, as shown in
Spacer
The spacer 183 is a member with a space formed inside for circulation of air. As shown in
The spacer 183 may have any structure as long as the spacer 183 can keep a space for circulation of air drawn into the garment body 1 by the fan 2 between the wearer's body and the garment cloth C of the back part of the garment body 1. In the same manner as described for the outer spacer member 17, the spacer 183 having the spacer structure S shown in
The spacer 183 is formed by the spacer structure S such that it is large enough to cover substantially the entire mesh member 181, except for the portion equipped with the fastener 182. The spacer 183 can be removed from the mesh member 181 via the fastener 182 of the mesh member 181.
In this embodiment, the spacer 183 is attached to the garment body 1 via the mesh member 181. Alternatively, the spacer 183 may be sewn directly to the garment cloth C, or may be detachably attached to the garment cloth C by means of a hook-and-loop fastener or the like. In this case, the mesh member 181 is not necessary.
(9) Front Inner Spacer Member
The front inner spacer member 19 is provided on each of right and left sides of the fastener 11 on the inner side of the front part of the garment body. Even when clothes are worn over the fan-equipped garment 100 and the weight of the clothes is applied to the fan-equipped garment 100, the front inner spacer member 19 ensures that the distance between the wearer's body and the garment cloth C of the front part of the garment body 1 does not become shorter than the thickness of a spacer 193. This keeps a space where air drawn into the garment body 1 by the fan 2 flows between the wearer's body and the garment cloth C of the back part of the garment body 1.
As shown in
As shown in
Mesh Member
As shown in
This forms a bag space with an opening along the fastener 11 between the garment cloth C and the mesh member 191.
The mesh member 191 may have any specific configuration as long as each pore of the mesh is small enough that the spacer 193 cannot pass through it and is sufficiently opened to let air flow inside the garment body 1 through the spacer 193. Any material can be used as long as the mesh member 191 is strong enough to prevent the spacer 193 from falling. The method of joining the mesh member 191 to the garment cloth C is not limited as long as the mesh member 191 does not come off due to the weight of the spacer 193.
The mesh member itself may be formed into a bag, and a fastener consisting of a hook-and-loop fastener or the like may be provided at an opening of the bag-shaped mesh member, so that a spacer described below can be removably stored in the bag. In this case, the mesh member can be detachably attached to the garment cloth C by means of the hook-and-loop fastener or the like.
Fastener
The fastener 192 allows opening and closing of the opening formed between the garment cloth C and the edge of the mesh member 191 along the fastener 11. For example, as shown in
Spacer
The spacer 193 is a member with a space formed inside for circulation of air. As shown in
The spacer 193 may have any structure as long as the spacer 193 can keep a space for circulation of air drawn into the garment body 1 by the fan 2 between the wearer's body and the garment cloth C of the front part of the garment body 1. In the same manner as described for the outer spacer member 17, the spacer 183 having the spacer structure S shown in
The spacer 193 is formed by the spacer structure S such that it is large enough to cover substantially the entire mesh member 191, except for the portion equipped with the fastener 192. The spacer 193 can be removed from the mesh member 191 via the fastener 192 of the mesh member 191.
In this embodiment, the spacer 193 is attached to the garment body 1 via the mesh member 191. Alternatively, the spacer 193 may be sewn directly to the garment cloth C, or may be detachably attached to the garment cloth C by means of a hook-and-loop fastener or the like. In this case, the mesh member 191 is not necessary.
2. Fan
As shown in
The fan 2 may have any specific configuration as long as it can be attached to the garment body 1 through the fan mount hole 13 and can introduce air from the outer side to the inner side of the garment body 1.
3. Power Source
The power source 3 supplies power to the fan 2. For example, a lithium-ion battery with a safety protection circuit is built in the power source 3. As shown in
The power source 3 may have any specific configuration as long as the power source 3 can supply power to the fan 2.
4. Connection Cable
The connection cable 4 connects the power source 3 with the fan 2. The power source 3 supplies the fan 2 with power required for operating the fan 2 through the connection cable 4.
The connection cable 4 may have any specific configuration as long as the power source 3 can supply the fan 2 with power required for operating the fan 2.
II. Advantageous Effect of Embodiment
According to the fan-equipped garment 100 of the embodiment, on the outer surface of the back part of the garment body 1, the outer spacer member 17 is provided so as to cover the fan mount hole 13 and the surrounding garment cloth C.
As a result, even when other clothes are worn over the fan-equipped garment 100, the clothes do not adhere to the fan 2 attached to the fan mount hole 13 and the surrounding garment cloth C. Air is easily introduced from below the garment body 1 through the spacer 173 inside the outer spacer member 17. Even when other clothes or items are worn over the fan-equipped garment 100, the cooling function is prevented from declining.
The outer spacer member 17 is constituted by the single large spacer 173 so as to cover both of the two fans 2 and the surrounding garment cloth C. This widens the air flow passage on the outer side of the garment body 1, including the area between the two fans 2. This further enhances the advantageous effect.
The outer spacer member 17 extends to the vicinity of the bottom of the back part of the garment body 1. This further facilitates introduction of air below the garment body.
The fan-equipped garment 100 includes the back inner spacer member 18 and front inner spacer member 19. This prevents the space for air circulation in the fan-equipped garment 100 from being blocked by the garment cloth C adhering to a wearer's body due to the weight of other clothes when the clothes are worn over the fan-equipped garment 100. The cooling function is prevented from declining even when other clothes or items are worn over the fan-equipped garment 100.
The front inner spacer member 19 extends over shoulders of a wearer. This keeps a space for air circulation over shoulders of the wearer, where the weight of clothes are applied and the air flow passage is easily blocked, the space continuing from the front of the wearer. This further enhances the advantageous effect.
The outer spacer member 17, the back inner spacer member 18 and the front inner spacer member 19 are all attached such that the spacers are stored in the bag spaces formed by the mesh members. This facilitates removal of the spacers when, for example, the garment body 1 is washed.
III. Modification
As shown in
Alternatively, the back inner spacer member 18 and the front inner spacer member 19 may be connected above shoulders of a wearer. This forms one spacer that extends from the front part to the back part on the inner side of the garment body 1.
The present invention is suitably used in the field of manufacturing fan-equipped garments and garment bodies of fan-equipped garments.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-198625 | Oct 2019 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2020/039100 | 10/16/2020 | WO |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2021/085185 | 5/6/2021 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3769972 | Saint-Martin | Nov 1973 | A |
| 6082443 | Yamamoto | Jul 2000 | A |
| 6823678 | Li | Nov 2004 | B1 |
| 6927316 | Faries, Jr. | Aug 2005 | B1 |
| 7117687 | Naaman | Oct 2006 | B2 |
| 7721349 | Strauss | May 2010 | B1 |
| 8281609 | Rothschild | Oct 2012 | B1 |
| 8359871 | Woods | Jan 2013 | B2 |
| 8397518 | Vistakula | Mar 2013 | B1 |
| 9545286 | Rose | Jan 2017 | B2 |
| 10306934 | Ichigaya | Jun 2019 | B2 |
| 10426204 | Squires | Oct 2019 | B2 |
| 10731665 | Ichigaya | Aug 2020 | B2 |
| 10760591 | Ichigaya | Sep 2020 | B2 |
| 11051563 | Kittaka | Jul 2021 | B2 |
| 11219251 | Ichigaya | Jan 2022 | B2 |
| 11432597 | Temeng | Sep 2022 | B2 |
| 11771587 | Maunder | Oct 2023 | B1 |
| 11819074 | Takahashi | Nov 2023 | B2 |
| 20020170309 | Strauss | Nov 2002 | A1 |
| 20040083526 | Ichigaya | May 2004 | A1 |
| 20040168459 | Blackstone | Sep 2004 | A1 |
| 20060026743 | Farnworth | Feb 2006 | A1 |
| 20060080987 | Ichigaya | Apr 2006 | A1 |
| 20060260183 | Hockaday | Nov 2006 | A1 |
| 20070050878 | Ichigaya | Mar 2007 | A1 |
| 20070199124 | Horn | Aug 2007 | A1 |
| 20070271939 | Ichigaya | Nov 2007 | A1 |
| 20090145936 | Convents | Jun 2009 | A1 |
| 20100242147 | Pohr | Sep 2010 | A1 |
| 20130319031 | Coats, IV | Dec 2013 | A1 |
| 20160270457 | Chen | Sep 2016 | A1 |
| 20170135419 | Ichigaya | May 2017 | A1 |
| 20180180345 | Zhu | Jun 2018 | A1 |
| 20190166928 | Miwa | Jun 2019 | A1 |
| 20190239578 | Ichigaya | Aug 2019 | A1 |
| 20200046050 | Rusch | Feb 2020 | A1 |
| 20200359715 | Tokunaga | Nov 2020 | A1 |
| 20210120890 | Tokunaga | Apr 2021 | A1 |
| 20210195973 | Ichigaya | Jul 2021 | A1 |
| 20210386129 | Ichigaya | Dec 2021 | A1 |
| 20210392962 | Matsui | Dec 2021 | A1 |
| 20220142278 | Takahashi | May 2022 | A1 |
| 20220218060 | Yamauchi | Jul 2022 | A1 |
| 20220295917 | Ichigaya | Sep 2022 | A1 |
| 20220312862 | Kano | Oct 2022 | A1 |
| 20220386712 | Ichigaya | Dec 2022 | A1 |
| 20220408856 | Katsuta | Dec 2022 | A1 |
| 20230148688 | Ichigaya | May 2023 | A1 |
| 20230263244 | Mateu Codina | Aug 2023 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2006307354 | Nov 2006 | JP |
| 2005063065 | Jul 2005 | NO |
| Entry |
|---|
| International Search Report (ISR) (and English translation thereof) dated Dec. 28, 2020, issued in International Application No. PCT/JP2020/039100. |
| Written Opinion dated Dec. 28, 2020, issued in International Application No. PCT/JP2020/039100. |
| International Preliminary Report on Patentability (IPRP) (and English language translation thereof) dated May 3, 2022, Issued in International Application No. PCT/JP2020/039100. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20220386712 A1 | Dec 2022 | US |
