Patent Grant
8112820
The invention is directed toward a protective article that provides a garment interface which inhibits vapor and liquid ingress through the interface and other associated problems. For example, the invention may be useful for rapid donning and doffing of protective apparel in chemical, hazardous material, or biological events.
This invention is directed toward protective garment and particularly focused on the interface between the protective article and the garment. The present invention is the only garment-article interface which allows rapid donning and doffing without assistance and forms a flexible and unencumbering seal. The present invention is effective to inhibit vapor ingress and is comfortable to the wearer.
The present invention provides a protective sealing system with a barrier seal formed between two articles of apparel comprising at least one elastomeric cuff, each securable to an end of a garment and a sealing support oriented between wearer of garment and at least one elastomeric cuff and in some embodiments a second elastomeric cuff to expand said cuff providing a barrier seal.
An advantage of the present invention is the ease of donning and doffing the garments employing the sealing system. Another advantage is the comfort and lack of pressure on the skin of the wearer at the sealing surfaces of the sealing system. The present invention stabilizes the placement of the cuffs and does not require an outer tape wrap over the cuffs to maintain a barrier seal.
Additional features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the description which follows. To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the present invention is described as follows:
The present invention is a protective sealing system providing a barrier seal between two articles of apparel comprising a first elastomeric cuff securable to the end of a garment, such as a sleeve, pant leg, coat, or other garment; a second elastomeric cuff securable to the end of a garment appendage covering; and a sealing support oriented between wearer of garment and both the first elastomeric cuff and the second elastomeric cuff to expand said cuffs providing a barrier seal. The garment appendage covering mates with the garment to form a seal. For instance, the appendage covering in the form of a boot or glove may be mated with a pant leg or sleeve. Similarly head coverings and two piece suits are mated with the present invention to form a barrier seal. The present invention further provides a protective sealing system forming a barrier seal between two articles of apparel comprising at least one elastomeric cuff securable to the end of a garment; a sealing support with a outer diameter sized to expand the elastomeric cuff; and a second cuff joined with the sealing support and oriented between wearer of garment and the elastomeric cuff forming a barrier seal.
By “elastomeric” it is meant to include materials which are capable of ready change or easy expansion or contraction. Types of suitable elastomeric materials include butyl rubbers, natural latex rubbers, butyl neoprene, isoprenes, chloroprenes, polyurethanes, silicones and other suited materials. The elastomeric material may be a “composite” or a material formed from two or more parts. For example, a composite material may be formed of multiple layers of compounds wherein each layer may be joined to another layer via a suitable bonding means. The composite materials of this invention may include one or more textile layers but do not require any textile layer.
The term “cuff” is meant to include the portion of the article meant to form the vapor ingress interface over the sealing support. For instance, the cuff of material may encircle the wrist and may be configured to seal with a second complementary cuff. A cuff may also encircle the foot, ankle, neck, or waist of a wearer.
By “sealing support” it is meant to include a rigid or semi-rigid foundation capable of forming a barrier seal with an elastomeric cuff. The sealing support expands the cuff to at least a minimum circumference required to achieve a barrier seal. A barrier seal for the purposes of this patent is a seal formed between at least one cuff and the sealing support to protect a wearer from vapor ingress of external simulants. The sealing support may be a one-piece support or it may comprise two or more pieces. The sealing support provides a minimum circumference to prevent excessive force on a limb of a wearer. The sealing support allows force to be distributed evenly on a limb and protects the wearer from pressure associated with the sealing interface. In one embodiment the sealing support is a circular sealing support between two and four inches wide with a diameter suited to fit the wearer. For example, on a wrist application, the diameter of the sealing support may be about three inches, whereas for a foot or body sealing support interface, the diameter may be much greater. Further, while the sealing support must form a vapor ingress barrier when assembled with the cuffs, the sealing support may be flexible, rigid, or a combination. The sealing support circumference provides a barrier seal with at least the first elastomeric cuff. A second elastomeric cuff may then overlap at least a portion of the first elastomeric cuff to form a seal with the first elastomeric cuff. It is in this general manner that a vapor preventative interface system is established comprising a single or a double seal.
The following non-limiting examples are provided to further illustrate the present invention.
A glove constructed with an impermeable barrier liner, available from W. L. Gore & Associates Inc., Elkton, Md., item number G9492-C2 with GORE™ CHEMPAK® Ultra Barrier, was attached to an elastic butyl rubber cuff, available from Formco, Canton, Ohio, item number FWS32, as shown in
The top of the glove was tapered to match the dimensions of the larger end of the elastic butyl rubber cuff. The rubber cuff was sewn to the glove. The seam between the glove and the rubber cuff was brushed with rubber adhesive, available from 3M, St. Paul, Minn., item number 62-1300-5530-4, was brushed on the seam. The two seams up the side of the glove as well as the seam between the glove and the rubber cuff were sealed with impermeable seam tape, available from W. L. Gore & Associates Inc., Elkton, Md., item number 6H2AJO22BLKNM, on the exterior of the glove. One-inch hook and loop connector straps, from Norman Shatz Company, Bensalem, Pa., were sewn to the impermeable seam tape and then adhered to the glove in the locations seen in
A garment constructed from an impermeable barrier, available from Lion Apparel, Dayton, Ohio, item Number MT-94 with GORE™ CHEMPAK® Ultra Barrier, was used in conjunction with the glove described in
The garment was donned by the wearer and the glove was donned next. The elastic cuff of the glove was pulled over the elastic cuff of the sleeve. In this example, no sealing support was used, so the wearer had to allow the air from the glove to escape (“burping” the glove).
The strap portion of the glove cuff was then pulled over the elastic cuffs and cinched tight (in this case, with hook and loop fastener). [Note: This step is performed to allow for snug fit and to prevent disturbance of seal in case glove is pulled forward inadvertently.]
The Man-in-Simulant Test (MIST) from NFPA 1994 2006 Edition [8.66] for vapor ingress was then performed. The wearer performed exercises while exposed to a simulant. Chemically absorbent patches are placed on the body to test location and quantity of simulant passing through the suit or interfaces.
Results are reported as Protection Factor:
PF=[{Concentration×Time}Out]/[{Concentration×Time}ln]
This performance is well in excess of the 360 minimum described in the NFPA standard and greater than or equal to “best-in-class” competitive systems.
The Overall Liquid Integrity Test 1 from NFPA 1971 2006 Edition [8.33] was then performed. The glove and interface are submerged in water where the surface tension has been lowered to 35 dynes/cm±5 dynes/cm with a surfactant. The glove and interface are flexed every ten seconds for five minutes. Any leakage through the glove or interface constitutes a failure.
This configuration passed this test with no observable liquid water leakage.
The glove and garment as described in Example 1 were used. A three-inch wide circular sealing support as shown in
This configuration passed the Overall Glove Integrity Test with no observable liquid water leakage.
The glove and garment as described in Example 1 were used. A three-inch wide adjustable sealing support, as described in
This configuration passed the Overall Glove Integrity Test with no observable liquid water leakage.
The garment as described in Example 1 was used. A glove as described in Example 1 with no elastic cuff was substituted to demonstrate the improvement with the current invention.
Results from the Man-in-Simulant Test are reported as Protection Factor:
This performance is in excess of the 360 minimum described in the NFPA standard. However, it does not compare to “best-in-class” competitive systems. Additionally, the wearer felt pressure from the interface site against the body.
This configuration did not pass the Overall Glove Integrity Test.
The garment as described in Example 1 was used. A glove as described in Example 1 with a sheet of thermoplastic polyurethane bonded to the cuff laminate and without an elastic cuff was used. Approximately three inches of the cuff laminate nearest the wrist were covered by the polyurethane.
Results from the Man-in-Simulant Test are reported as Protection Factor:
This performance is in excess of the 360 minimum described in the NFPA standard and in excess of the system described in Example 4.
This configuration did not pass the Overall Glove Integrity Test.
The garment as described in Example 1 was used. A glove as described in Example 1 without the elastic cuff was used. A glove seal interface ring system, available from Dupont, Wilmington, Del., item number 990140, was used to seal the glove to the garment. This ring system is used commercially but does not have the advantages offered by this invention such as rapid donning/doffing and semi-rigid, unencumbering sealing interface. The results from the Man-in-Simulant Test are reported as Protection Factor:
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