Garment with heating assembly

Abstract

A heat producing garment with a separate control. The garment comprising a power source and a heating package located at the specific part of the garment and including; a heating device energized by the power; and a control circuit for controlling the heating status of the heating device; and a switch assembly separated from and electrically connected with the heating package allowing control of the on/off status of the heating device. The separation of the control from the garment would allow the heating of the garment to be easily controlled, allow the control to be encased in a hard protection, and allow the control to be replaced if broken.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional diving suit equipped with an electrical heat assembly;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the suit proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,649,873;

FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of the suit in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the heating device, control circuit, power source and switch assembly;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the suit in FIG. 4 illustrating the location of the container and the switch assembly; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the first preferred embodiment of this invention is a diving suit 3 made of artificial rubber, with a heating assembly located at the back of a torso the diving suit 3. This heating assembly uses a battery 38 as a power source and a carbon fiber heating wire 31 as a heating medium. A switch assembly 34 and a micro-controller 32 determine whether heating wire 31 is heated or not. The heating wire 31 and a temperature sensor are covered by an insulating resin 30. The temperature sensor sends temperature readings to micro-controller 32.

Because the micro-controller 32 in the control circuit 36 is separated from the switch assembly 34, the micro-controller 32 could be made of flexible electronics and enveloped in the same insulating resin 30 as the heating wire 31 and the temperature sensor. The micro-controller 32 could even be sewed within the layers of the diving suit corresponding to the chest or back of the wearer, thus reducing the micro-controller's 32 chance of breaking under impact and the restrictions the invention has on the user's movement. Compared to the prior art that uses a shell housing to enclose the control circuit, this invention is much more comfortable.

The switch assembly 34 of the control circuit 36 is separate from the control circuit 36, and is connected to the micro-controller 32 by an electrical wire 33 that is enclosed in an electrically insulating material. As shown in FIG. 6, electrical wire 33 could be attached along the sleeves of the diving suit to place the switch assembly 34 near the wrist of the user, where a container 35 is attached to hold the switch assembly 34 to protect the switch assembly 34 from outer impact. Thus the user would be able to easily control the heating assembly by manipulating the switch assembly 34 on his/her wrist. Furthermore, the switch assembly 34 could be designed to be controllable even when enclosed in the container 35, such as having a transparent layer on the container 35 that would allow the user to see and manipulate the switch assembly.

Switch assembly 34 might be damaged due to its placement on the user's wrist, which may be subject to rigorous movement. Even if switch assembly 34 is damaged, it could be easily replaced because it is separate from control circuit 36. Thus the entire diving suit, which may cost up to hundreds of dollars, would not become totally worthless if a single switch assembly 34 is broken.

Those skilled in the art would recognize the fact that the heating device doesn't have to be enclosed with the control circuit. FIG. 7 shows the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, where the heating wire 31′ is simply covered in a electrically insulating material and sewn into heating suit 3′. In fact, if the heating suit is not meant for water activities, the heating wire would not have to be insulated due to the smallness of the voltage and current in the assembly.

In this case, the control circuit 36′ would be placed within the suit, while switch assembly 34′ and battery 38′ would be placed in a pocket of the suit, thus allowing for ease of control of the heating device. The separation of the control circuit 36′ and the switch assembly 34′ allows the control circuit 36′ to be made of a soft material, which means that the suit would also be soft and comfortable. This product has the ease of use and comfort that accomplishes the objectives of this patent.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

Claims

1. A garment, a specific part wherein adapted to give off heat, the garment comprising: a power;a heating package located at the specific part of the garment and including: a heating device energized by the power; anda control circuit for controlling the heating status of the heating device; anda switch assembly separated from and electrically connected with the heating package allowing control of the on/off status of the heating device.

2. The garment as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a wire electrically connecting the switch to the control circuit, the wire being enclosed by an electrically insulating material.

3. The garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the garment has a torso area that contains the specific part and an appendage area where the switch assembly is positioned.

4. The garment as claimed in claim 3, wherein the appendage area further includes a container for accommodating the switch assembly.

5. The garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating package further includes a thermally insulating material enclosing the heating device and the control circuit.

6. The garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating package includes a temperature sensor and the control circuit includes a micro controller that receives signals from the temperature sensor.