Patent Application
20070275619
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device and its use, and such further applications of the principles of the disclosure as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the disclosure relates.
As can be seen from the figures (
With respect to the outer material 3, this is generally gas-permeable, especially air-permeable. In general, the outer material 3 involves a flat textile material, especially a woven fabric, a knitted fabric, a stitched fabric, a laminated fabric, a textile composite, a fleece or a non-woven. Preferably, the outer material 3 is a flat flexible textile formed body, especially in the form of a top material. For improving the protective function, especially for preventing the penetration of large droplets of chemical or biological contaminants, it can also be provided to impregnate the outer material 3, in particular to subject the outer material 3 to oil-repellant and/or water-repellant finishing.
To guarantee a significantly improved air-exchange function in the protective clothing 1 according to the invention, it is preferred according to the invention if the gas permeability, especially the air permeability, of the protective filter material 6 corresponds to at least 1.5 times, in particular at least 2 times, preferably at least 3 times, especially preferred at least 5 times the gas permeability, especially the air permeability of the outer material 3.
For guaranteeing a good air-exchange function, it is advantageous if the protective filter material 6 has, for example, for a flow resistance of 127 Pascal, an air permeability of at least 10 I·m−2·s−1, especially at least 30 I·m−2·s−1, preferably at least 50 I·m−2·s−1, especially preferred at least 100 I·m−2·s−1, extremely especially preferred at least 400 I·m−2·s−1.
With respect to the gas-permeable, especially air-permeable protective filter material 6 sorbing the chemical and/or biological contaminants, this generally features a sorption material 7 sorbing, in particular adsorbing and/or absorbing, preferably adsorbing, chemical and/or biological contaminants (cf.
According to an especially preferred embodiment, the protective filter material 6 has activated carbon as the chemical and/or biological contaminant sorbent, in particular adsorbent or absorbent, preferably adsorbent, sorption material 7, preferably in the form of activated carbon grains, advantageously activated carbon pellets. The preferred average particle diameter of the activated carbon grains, preferably activated carbon pellets, lies in the range from 0.01 to 2.0 mm, especially 0.05 to 1.0 mm, preferably 0.1 to 1.0 mm.
According to the invention, it is preferred if the activated carbon used as the preferred sorption material 7 (independent of whether the activated carbon is used as particles, e.g., activated carbon grains or activated carbon pellets, or else as fibers, e.g., flat activated carbon fiber formed bodies) features a specific surface (BET surface) of at least 500 g/m2, especially at least 750 g/m2, preferably at least 1000 g/m2, especially preferred at least 1200 g/m2, preferably in the range from 500 to 2500 g/m2, especially 750 to 2250 g/m2, preferably 900 to 2000 g/m2, especially preferred 1000 to 1750 g/m2.
When activated carbon is used as the sorption material 7 in the form of activated carbon grains, especially activated carbon pellets, these advantageously feature a bursting pressure of at least 5 Newton, especially at least 10 Newton, preferably in the range from 5 Newton to 20 Newton, per particle, so that a high mechanical load capacity, especially a high abrasion resistance is given for the activated carbon grains or pellets.
The activated carbon used as the preferred sorption material 7 according to the invention advantageously has—independent of whether it is used in grain or pellet form or else in fiber form—a total adsorption volume Vads of at least 200 cm3/g, especially at least 300 cm3/g, preferably at least 350 cm3/g, especially preferred at least 400 cm3/g, which lies especially in the range from 250 to 1000 cm3/g, preferably 300 to 900 cm3/g, advantageously 350 to 750 cm3/g. Especially preferred is an activated carbon with a high specific micropore surface percentage, especially with a high specific micropore surface percentage formed from pores with diameters of ≦25 Å, preferably of at least 70%, especially at least 75%, advantageously at least 80%, relative to the specific total surface (BET) of the activated carbon.
According to a preferred construction according to the invention—as also shown in
According to an especially preferred embodiment, the protective filter material 6 comprises a carrier 8, especially a three-dimensional carrier structure, in the form of a foam structure, especially foaming agent structure, to which the sorption material 7 is attached or fixed. This embodiment is shown in the enlarged cutout from
According to an especially preferred embodiment, as the protective filter material 6 a material is used, which has an open-pore and/or open-cell foaming agent, especially polyurethane foaming agent, as the carrier 8, on which the sorption material 7 is fixed in the form of activated carbon particles, especially activated carbon grains, preferably activated carbon pellets, preferably by means of bonding. Here, the activated carbon with the previously mentioned properties is used in particular. The loading quantity of the foam or foaming agent with activated carbon particles lies here advantageously in the range from 0.001 to 10 g/cm3, especially 0.01 to 5 g/cm3, preferably 0.1 to 1 g/cm3. Such a foaming agent loaded with activated carbon particles and its production are known, for example, from the German Auslegeschrift DE 28 04 154 B1, whose contents are hereby incorporated through reference.
A material on the basis of a foaming agent loaded with activated carbon suitable as the protective filter material 6 provided according to the invention can be produced, for example, whereby initially the foaming agent is impregnated with a preferably heat-curable bonding agent, then excess bonding agent is squeezed off, and then the carrier structure is sprayed with activated carbon grains, which then settle into the open pores or open cells of the foaming agent and are fixed there by bonding agent, followed by a subsequent heat treatment for curing the bonding agent. This is known as such to someone skilled in the art from the state of the art.
The three-dimensional carrier structure 8, especially the foam or foaming agent, has a flexible and/or compressible construction in this embodiment of the protective filter material 6. Preferably, an elastic, especially elastically deformable foam or foaming agent, preferably PU foam, is used as the three-dimensional carrier structure 8. In this way, a certain flexibility is achieved in the wearing state or under a wearing load.
For further details on the terms foam and foaming agent, refer, for example, to Römpp Chemielexikon, 10th edition, Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart/New York, head words: “foaming agents,” “flexible foaming agents,” “integral foaming agents,” and “foam”, as well as to the references cited there.
According to an alternative embodiment, for the protective filter material 6—instead of a three-dimensional carrier structure—a flat carrier material can be used, in particular a flat textile material (e.g., a woven fabric, a knitted fabric, a stitched fabric, a laminated fabric, a textile composite, fleece or a non-woven), on which activated carbon particles of the type named above are then fixed—preferably by means of bonding. However, this alternative embodiment is less preferred according to the invention. In this embodiment, the adsorption capacity and thus the protective function of the protective filter material 6 can be increased in that the flat, preferably strip-shaped carrier material loaded with the sorption material 7 (e.g., activated carbon) is folded, especially folded multiple times (i.e., folded into two or more carrier material layers lying or arranged one above the other), preferably in the form of a zigzag fold; due to the folding, several layers connected, so-to-speak, by means of the folding in the flat carrier material loaded with the sorption material 7 are set one above the other, wherein all of these layers have to be passed through before the air reaches the interior of the protective clothing 1. Such folded filter structures are known as such to someone skilled in the art from the state of the art (cf., e.g., DE 197 01 658 A1 or DE 195 05 174 B4). Alternatively, in the same way, several unconnected layers of the flat carrier material loaded with the sorption material 7 can be laid one on top of the other, but this is less preferred according to the invention.
For improving the protective function relative to contaminant particles or contaminant aerosols, the protective filter material 6 can also be equipped, preferably in the wearing state, on the outside with a particle and/or aerosol filter layer, preferably a particle and aerosol filter layer, advantageously in the form of a flat textile formed body (not shown in the figures). Particle and/or aerosol filter layers are in principle known to someone skilled in the art, so that this does not need to be discussed in more detail. According to the invention, it is preferred if the optionally used particle and/or aerosol filter layer has an average efficiency Em according to DIN EN 779 (July 1993) of at least 40%, especially at least 50%, preferably at least 70%, especially preferred at least 90%, extremely especially preferred at least 95% or more. In particular, the optional particle and/or aerosol filter layer should exhibit, for an inflow of 0.1 m/s, an average separating rate in terms of particles and/or aerosols with diameters in the range from 0.1 to 0.3 μm of at least 80%, especially at least 90%, preferably at least 95%. It is preferred if the optional particle and/or aerosol filter layer, for an inflow of 0.1 m/s, exhibits an average separating rate in terms of particles and/or aerosols with diameters ≧2 μm, especially ≧1.5 μm, of at least 95%, especially at least 98%, preferably at least 99%.
Furthermore, the protective filter material 6 can be provided, especially on the inside and/or outside, with a preferably lattice-shaped, air-permeable cover (also not shown in the figures). The preferably lattice-shaped, air-permeable cover can be used, on one hand, for reinforcing the protective filter material 6. On the other hand, it can protect the protective filter material 6 from coarse contaminants and thus from undesired blockage.
According to the invention it is preferred if the ventilation opening 5 is formed like a slit, especially in the form of a slit running horizontally in the wearing state. According to the number of ventilation openings 5, the width of the slit can vary broadly: in general, such ventilation slits 5 have a slit width from 1 to 30 cm, preferably 2 to 20 cm, especially 3 to 10 cm.
The profile of the ventilation opening 5, especially for a slit-like construction, can be, in principle, horizontal or vertical when the protective clothing 1 is being worn; preferably, however, there is a horizontal profile of the ventilation opening 5 in the wearing state, so that there is reduced mechanical loading, especially a reduced tearing load.
To increase the durability of the protective clothing 1 according to the invention, the ventilation opening 5 can be reinforced against mechanical loading, especially against a tearing load. This can be realized, for example, through stabilization or reinforcement of the edge of the ventilation opening 5 (e.g., through hemming, applying an additional, especially reinforcing, material to the edge of the opening, etc.). In the case of slit-like ventilation openings 5, for example, at least in the corners of the slit there is reinforcement because the greatest mechanical loading, especially the greatest tear load, occurs there in the wearing state.
In general the ventilation opening 5 is constructed so that the main air inlet direction or the main air inflow direction is at least essentially parallel to the outer material 3 and/or at least essentially vertical with respect to the ventilation opening 5 when the protective clothing 1 is being worn.
According to a preferred embodiment according to the invention, the protective clothing 1 is provided with a plurality of ventilation openings 5, especially with at least two ventilation openings 5.
When the protective clothing 1 involves a top part, especially a jacket, or else also a one-piece suit, especially in the form of coveralls, the ventilation openings 5 are arranged in the wearing state in the chest and/or back region, preferably at least in the chest region (cf.
As previously mentioned, the concept according to the invention can be applied to both permeable and also impermeable or selectively permeable (i.e., air-permeable as well as air-impermeable) articles of protective clothing:
In the case of permeable, i.e., air-permeable protective clothing 1, the inner material 4 has an air-permeable construction and comprises, in particular, a gas-permeable, especially air-permeable adsorption filter material adsorbing chemical and/or biological contaminants, wherein the adsorption filter material comprises an adsorption agent, especially activated carbon, adsorbing chemical and/or biological contaminants, preferably fixed to an especially flat textile material. Here, the activated carbon can be provided in the form of activated carbon fibers, especially in the form of an activated carbon flat fibrous formed body or else especially preferred in the form of activated carbon grains, preferably activated carbon pellets. Here, preferably the same activated carbon is used for the protective filter material 6, so that with respect to this material, the preceding statements can be referenced. Such permeable or air-permeable protective clothing is known from the state of the art (cf. e.g., DE 33 04 349 A1 and the state of the art mentioned above).
For the permeable or air-permeable protective clothing 1 of the type named above, it is sufficient to provide the outer material 3 with one or more ventilation openings 5. This embodiment is shown in
When air-impermeable protective clothing 1 of the type named above is used (i.e., either an impermeable, that is, an air, water, and water vapor impermeable system, especially on an unvulcanized or vulcanized rubber basis, or else a selectively permeable, that is an air and water impermeable but water vapor-permeable [system]), in particular an air-impermeable selectively permeable system especially on a membrane basis, the inner material 4 has a layer that is at least essentially impermeable relative to chemical and/or biological contaminants and at least essentially impermeable to water and air and that has an advantageously water-vapor-permeable construction in the case of membrane systems and is also impermeable to water vapor in the case of a completely impermeable system, e.g., on an unvulcanized or vulcanized rubber basis. Such protective clothing constructions as such are also known to someone skilled in the art from the state of the art. In this embodiment, at least the inner material 4 is provided with one or more ventilation openings 5 (not shown in the figures). Here, the ventilation openings 5 are advantageously formed or arranged in an overlapping region of the inner material 4, i.e., the ventilation openings 5 are covered in this embodiment in the wearing state on the outside by an overlapping material piece of the inner material 4, wherein the overlap is such that an air slit remains between the overlapping material pieces. This slit allows air passage. In this embodiment, the protective filter material 6 is preferably connected to the inner material 4, especially on its inside (e.g., through bonding, sewing, stitching, etc.). In this embodiment, the outer material 3 can also be provided with one or more ventilation openings 5, especially in overlapping regions of the outer material 3 (i.e., the ventilation openings 5 are then covered on the outside by an overlapping material piece of the outer material 3, as previously mentioned for the permeable systems).
As a result, the concept according to the invention leads to a significantly increased level of wearing comfort due to the increased air exchange and due to the increased heat dissipation as well as also the improved moisture exchange or removal—and this without reducing the protective performance—wherein the concept according to the invention can be applied universally both to permeable (i.e., air-permeable) or selectively permeable (i.e., air-impermeable but water vapor-permeable), as well as impermeable (i.e., air and water vapor impermeable) systems.
In permeable protective clothing systems, an exchange of air and thus also a removal of sweat to the environment can be promoted without reducing the protective performance, in that, for example, in the chest area and/or in the area of the back, preferably horizontal or level ventilation openings preferably with overlapping textile are formed, e.g., in the form of slits, which are filled with an activated carbon-loaded foam for producing the protective effect, so that air exchange takes place exclusively through this foam, wherein, for increased protection from biological poisons, especially particles and aerosols, the activated carbon-loaded foam can also be covered on the inside and/or outside with a particulate filtration fleece. Purely permeable biological and/or chemical protective suits are conventionally composed of two layers, a top material and an activated carbon filter material connected to the top material at the seams as a lining; the described construction can be installed in both layers of the protective suit. However, because the filter material is generally very air-permeable, for wearing comfort reasons it is sufficient to form the slit-like ventilation openings exclusively in the top material and to line it with the activated carbon-loaded material.
For the case of impermeable systems (i.e., in the case of air-impermeable protective clothing), semi-permeable membranes (e.g., air and water impermeable but water vapor permeable membranes) or impermeable films are laminated onto the top material and optionally provided with another activated carbon layer as filter material. For the use of these impermeable materials, it is also possible to maintain the protective effect of a protective suit relative to biological and/or chemical contaminants when slit-like ventilation openings are formed in the membrane or film material, which overlap and are filled with an activated carbon loaded foaming agent such that air exchange can be performed only through the activated carbon loaded foaming agent material.
As a result, it is possible in the scope of the present invention to achieve an increased level of wearing comfort by increasing the air-exchange function as well as the moisture removal function, wherein the physical strain on the wearer, especially for strenuous physical activities, is also reduced in the wearing state.
Another subject matter of the present invention—according to a second aspect of the present invention—is a method for improving the air exchange in protective clothing 1 with a protective function against chemical and/or biological contaminants, especially for civil or military purposes or the like, wherein the protective clothing 1 has a multiple-layer design 2, which comprises an outer material 3 and an inner material 4 equipped with a protective function against chemical and/or biological contaminants. The method according to the invention is distinguished in that the protective clothing 1 is provided with at least one ventilation opening 5 for improving the air exchange and/or for improving the moisture removal, wherein the ventilation opening 5 is closed with a gas-permeable, especially air-permeable protective filter material sorbing chemical and/or biological contaminants. For more details on the method according to the invention—for avoiding unnecessary repetition refer to the statements above concerning the protective clothing according to the invention, which apply with respect to the method according to the present invention.
Additional constructions, embodiments, adaptations, modifications, and/or variations of the present invention are revealed to someone skilled in the art when reading the present description, without leaving the scope of the present invention.
While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2006 024 526.1 | May 2006 | DE | national |
| 10 2006 032 145.6 | Jul 2006 | DE | national |
