Patent Application
20210330489
The present disclosure relates generally to a warmer device, and more particularly, to a localized warmer device for warming at least a portion of the groin area of a user.
People involved in sporting activities, for example motorcycling, are often subject to severe weather. Even those who wear leather riding pants or other protective riding clothing may find that the button or zipper closures allow wind and wet weather to penetrate sensitive areas. Some motorcyclists often wear chaps for protection from the cold weather. However, chaps leave the groin and inner thigh areas completely unprotected. These sensitive areas become cold easily, especially when wet, causing great discomfort. This is especially true under hazardous driving conditions. Discomfort is known to cause stress, fatigue and inattention while operating a motor vehicle, leading to unfortunate accidents.
In addition to people involved in sporting activities, situations where people working in very hostile environments are not able to remove or add to their protective clothing and/or suits if they become too cold, such as firemen, drivers, and the like. Conventional solutions involve utilizing articles of garment to keep the wearer warm. However, shortcomings include lack of adherence of garment to the body of the wearer, undesirable aerodynamic effects, and obstruction to wearer movements.
A groin area warming device comprises a sleeve having a first end and a second end, a first confined area between the first end and the second end, and a second confined area at the second end of the sleeve. The first confined area comprises a heat pad and the second confined area comprises a power source. The second confined area folds over a portion of the first confined area on fastening the device to the apparel of the user. The power source is operatively coupled to the head pad to provide power to the head pad. A control switch is operatively coupled to the head pad and the power source to control operation of the device. The control switch is further configured to control the generation of heat at the heat pad or application of heat to at least a portion of the groin area of the user.
Example embodiments of the disclosure now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments are shown. The concepts discussed herein may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the example embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope to those of ordinary skill in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements but not necessarily the same or identical elements throughout.
The second confined area 106 folds over at least a portion of the first confined area 102 on positioning the device 100 to the apparel of the user. The power source 110 is operatively coupled to the head pad 108 to provide power to the head pad 108. In one embodiment, the first confined area 104 is incorporated with any number of head pads 108. Preferably, the device 100 is configured to generate heat in the temperature range of about 80-degree Fahrenheit to 120-degree Fahrenheit. In various exemplary embodiment, the temperature to which the device 100 is heated may be controlled, thus allowing the user to select a temperature level most comfortable to the user at the time of the usage. In still other embodiments, the temperature can be controlled using a built-in thermostat. In an embodiment, the heat pad 108 may be a 4″ by 4″ heat pad 108 powered by a 5V 3A power source 110.
In an embodiment, the sleeve 102 may be made of a genuine or synthetic leather material. However, the sleeve 102 is not limited to be made of this material and may be made of any material suitable for warming purposes. The sleeve 102 is a pouch-type sleeve that is configured to house the heat pad 108 as well as the power source 110. In one embodiment, the second end 102B of the sleeve 102 is a flap type portion incorporated with a hook and loop fastener 102C provided at one of the lateral ends of the second confined area 106 for providing access to the interior of the second confined area 106. The reason the hook and loop fastener 102C are provided to the second confined area 106 to facilitate the removal and insertion a charging cable to recharge the power source 110 as and when the power source 110 is exhausted. More specifically, the sleeve 102 is provided with number of stitches 109 for generating a compartmentalized configuration within the sleeve 102 to hold the different components of the device 100 and also to provide an aesthetic appearance. In one embodiment, the heat pad 106 may be a washable type heat pad.
In some embodiments, the control switch 112 can be further configured to control the level of heat at the heat pad 108 application of heat to at least a portion of the groin area of the user. Using the control switch 112, the user may adjust the temperature to which the device 100 is heated, thereby providing maximum comfort to the user. As an example, in these embodiments, the control switch 112 could be a multi-level switch or a dimmer switch to control the voltage level of the device 100, preferably, allowing control of temperature within a range of about 80 degrees Fahrenheit to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. The control switch 112 and the power source 110 located at the second end 102B are folded over the user's apparel, which prevents contact of batteries with the user's skin.
Although the features, functions, components, and parts have been described herein in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all embodiments of the teachings of the disclosure that fairly fall within the scope of permissible equivalents.
Many modifications and other implementations of the disclosure set forth herein will be apparent having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the specific implementations disclosed and that modifications and other implementations are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
