Patent Application
20100089897
The present invention relates to a garment, and more particularly a garment having heat-generating devices.
Often times in outdoor cold environments it is desirable to have garments which not only insulate a wearer from the cold but also develop heat independent of the wearer. Garments such as gloves, socks and coats have been made including devices which generate heat in order to keep their wearers comfortable. Traditionally, such garments use electric heating coils connected to a portable electrical power supply, e.g., batteries. Accordingly, the garment does not work by simply insulating the wearer from the ambient conditions to maintain natural body heat, but also has an independent heating element to provide additional warmth. The effectiveness of such garments, however, relies on the power supply being available and active when the need for the warm garment arises. Such garments are not suitable for long term storage since the batteries tend to discharge over time.
Pocket warmers using fuel, such as lighter fluid or naphtha, to create a catalytic reaction are also known in the art and are placed within pockets existing in a garment in order to keep a wearer warm. Such warmers need to be refueled, and it can be difficult to both start and maintain the reaction.
Heating devices relying on slow and sustained chemical reactions in order to generate heat are known in the art. Such devices include exothermic packs which are activated upon exposure to the atmosphere. The exposure to the oxygen in the atmosphere creates a chemical reaction with the contents of the packs generating heat for a certain amount of time. Once the chemical reaction runs its course, the heat is no longer generated. Such exothermic heating packs are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,412.
The disposable air-activated heating packs may be placed within pockets formed in garments. For example, such a garment is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,806 which is directed to a heated vest having pouches for removably holding an air activating heating pack. The pouches include an opening which permit a user to insert the pack and remove the pack therefrom once it is spent. The garment is formed of traditional clothing type material.
In the designs of the prior art, a user must have both the specialized garment and heating packs available in order to use the garment in situations where additional heating is required. However, it is typical that when an individual requires the use of the heated garment, the heating packs or batteries are not available; and therefore, the garment can only be worn as a standard garment without having any additional heating. This is unacceptable especially when the garment is to be used for emergency purposes where a user is relying on the additional heating in order to provide heating in extreme cold or severe weather conditions.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a garment which has heating devices integrally formed therewith such that the garment is ready to be worn and used as a heating device when desired.
According to aspects illustrated herein, there is provided a heatable garment that includes a front and back panel having an opening there between for receiving a wearer's head. The front and back panels include a first and second layer of material. A plurality of sealed enclosures is formed between the first and second layers. At least one of the plurality of enclosures is disposed on the front panel and the back panels. The plurality of enclosures each includes a heating device having a source of energy for producing heat. The enclosures are sealed to retain the heating devices therein.
According to other aspects illustrated herein, there is provided a single use heatable vest including a front panel and a back panel placeable on a wearer to cover a portion of a wearer's torso. The front and back panels define an opening for receiving a wearer's head. The front and back panels are formed of a first layer and second layer of supple material. A plurality of sealed enclosures is formed between the first and second layers. The plurality of enclosures includes an air-activated heating device non-removably secured within the enclosure. A securement device secures the front panel to the back panel.
According to still other aspects illustrated herein, there is provided a disposable, personal heating system including a garment having a front and a back panel having an opening there between for receiving a wearer's head. The front and back panels include a first and second layer of material. A plurality of enclosures is formed between the first and second layers. At least one of the plurality of enclosures is disposed on the front panel and on the back panel. The plurality of enclosures includes an exothermic heating device disposed within the enclosures. An environmental barrier surrounds the garment, and removal of the barrier activates the heating devices.
According to further aspects illustrated herein, there is provided a method of warming a mammal including:
obtaining a garment including a front and a back panel having an opening there between for receiving a wearer's head;
the front and back panels including a first and second layer of material;
a plurality of enclosures formed between the first and second layers, and at least one of the plurality of enclosures being disposed on the front panel and on the back panels;
the plurality of enclosures each including an exothermic heating device disposed within the enclosures; and
an environmental protective barrier surrounding the garment, wherein removal of the barrier activates the heating devices;
opening the protective barrier thereby activating the heating devices; and
placing the garment on a wearer.
According to still further aspects illustrated herein, there is provided a method of making a single use heating garment including:
forming a first layer of material to a predetermined shape including an aperture therein sized to receive a wearer's head;
forming a second layer of material to a predetermined shape;
overlying the first layer with the second layer;
forming an array of enclosures between the first and second layers,
placing an exothermic heating device in each enclosure;
bonding the first and second layer together to seal the enclosures and retain the heating devices therein.
With reference to
The heating devices 12 may be disposed on both the front 14 and back 16 panels of the garment 10. In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of heating devices 12 are disposed on each of the front and back panels. Therefore, a wearer is surrounded by heating devices 12 when the garment 10 is worn.
The heating devices 12 may include devices which generate heat and which may have incorporated therewith the source of energy for producing the heat. In a preferred embodiment, heating devices 12 may include an air-activated heating device wherein exposure to the air causes an exothermic reaction generating heat. Air-activated heating devices are well known in the art. Such devices typically include components such as iron oxide, water and salt. In a preferred embodiment heating device 12 may include a packet comprised of a face side-nylon non-woven fabric inside-polyethylene laminate film pierced needle holes. Disposed within the packet is iron powder (50-60%), water (15-25%), activated charcoal (5-10%), water vermiculite (1-3%), salt (2-5%), wood powder (2-5%) and water absorptive powder (0.1-1%). When exposed to the oxygen in the air, the iron oxidizes resulting in a generation of heat. The period of heat generation may be approximately 6 to 8 hours, for example. The heating device 10 may a single-use type device wherein once it is activated and the reaction is completed, it may be disposed of. Heating devices 12 may be formed as individual packets, or alternatively formed as a plurality of packets connected together.
Alternatively, the heating devices 12 may include other types of heat generating devices that may be either chemically or electrically powered.
With further reference to
In an alternative embodiment, an insulating intermediate layer 32 may be disposed between the inner and outer layers. Layer 32 may be formed of a foam type material. Layer 32 may have an insulating property greater than that of the inner 34 and outer 30 layers.
The various layers which form the garment 10 may be cut from a roll of material such that the layers have a similar profile. The layers may then be stacked up with the inner layer 34 disposed over the outer layer 30. The edges 35 of the layers may be secured together by an edge seam 37 to form the garment 10. The securement of the layers may be achieved, for example, by heat welding the edges together such as by radio frequency or ultrasonic welding, or by use of an adhesive, or by stitching the layers. The straps 24 have ends which are attached to the back panel 14 by inserting a portion of the strap between the inner 34 and outer 30 layers and extending the edge seam 37 so that it captures the strap end.
With reference to
In an alternative embodiment, shown in
With reference to
When a wearer desires to use the garment 10, they may open the protective barrier 40 and remove the garment 10 therefrom. By exposing the garment 10 to air, the heating devices 12 are activated and begin to generate heat. The garment 10 may be placed on the wearer by placing over the head to provide heat for a finite period of time. It is within the contemplation of the present invention that the garment may be of a type worn by humans; however, the garment could also be configured to be placed on animals where extra warmth is desired.
Once the heating devices 12 are spent and are no longer generating heat, the wearer may remove the garment and dispose of it. Another package 42 may be maintained by the wearer in case the need again arises. Upon opening the package 42, the user is present with both the garment and a fresh set of heating devices 12 every time. There is no need to separately obtain a garment and the unused heating devices. This can be especially helpful in emergency situations where the need for additional warmth is in unexpected. A package may be carried such as in the trunk of a car or in emergency services equipment, and only opened when the need arises.
With further reference to
While the garment shown herein is represented as a vest, it is within the contemplation of the present invention that the garment may take the form of other wearable items such as jackets, shirts, pants, gloves, hats socks, etc.
It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.
