Claims
- 1. A method of constructing a relatively lightweight, low volume firefighter garment comprising the steps of:
- providing an outer shell of an abrasion resistant and fire-retardant materials suitable for use in a firefighter garment;
- providing a thermal liner having a layer of a closed-cell, cellular foam having a multiplicity of apertures therethrough, said foam being attached to a substrate, a combination of said substrate and foam being sufficiently fire retardant such that said combination resists melting, dripping or separating when exposed to a temperature of 500.degree. F. for at least 5 minutes;
- providing a moisture barrier layer having a semi-permeable membrane which allows the passage of moisture vapor therethrough but prevents the passage of liquid moisture therethrough; and
- assembling said thermal liner, moisture barrier layer and said outer shell by positioning said thermal liner within said outer shell and positioning said moisture barrier layer between said liner and a wearer of said garment, whereby said thermal liner and moisture barrier layer are positioned to permit flow of moisture vapor transport therethrough from a wearer of said garment to said outer shell.
- 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of bonding said thermal liner to an inner surface of said outer shell.
- 3. The method of claim 2 wherein said bonding step includes the step of providing a multiplicity of dots of adhesive between said thermal liner and said inner surface of said outer shell.
- 4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of making said substrate of a fire-retardant material; and bonding said foam layer to said substrate.
- 5. A protective firefighter garment comprising:
- an outer shell made of an abrasion-resistant, flame and heat resistant material suitable for use in a firefighter garment; and
- a thermal liner layer positioned within said outer shell and made of an apertured, closed-cell, cellular foam which resists absorbing liquid moisture, said apertures allowing passage of moisture vapor outwardly from a wearer of said garment through said liner, said cellular foam being attached to a substrate, a combination of said substrate and foam being sufficiently fire retardant such that said combination resists melting, dripping or separating when exposed to a temperature of 500.degree. F. for at least 5 minutes.
- 6. The garment of claim 5 further comprising a layer of moisture barrier material adjacent to said liner.
- 7. The garment of claim 6 wherein said moisture barrier layer includes a semi-permeable membrane which allows the passage of moisture vapor therethrough but prevents the passage of liquid moisture therethrough.
- 8. The garment of claim 7 wherein said liner is positioned adjacent to said shell; and said moisture barrier layer is positioned between said liner and a wearer of said garment.
- 9. The garment of claim 8 wherein said liner is attached to an inner surface of said outer shell.
- 10. The garment of claim 9 wherein said liner is bonded to an interior surface of said shell by an adhesive.
- 11. The garment of claim 8 wherein said substrate is made of a fabric material and is bonded to said layer of foam material.
- 12. The garment of claim 5 wherein said liner extends substantially throughout said garment and said layer of foam material is formed with a multiplicity of said apertures, said apertures being sized to allow moisture vapor generated by a wearer of said garment to pass through said liner.
- 13. The garment of claim 5 wherein said layer of foam material is between about 3/32 inches (2.38 mm) and 1/8 inches (3.18 mm) thick.
- 14. The garment of claim 5 wherein said apertures each are about 1 mm in diameter.
- 15. The garment of claim 5 further comprising a plurality of dots of adhesive; and wherein said liner is attached to an inner surface of said shell by said dots.
- 16. The garment of claim 15 wherein said dots each are approximately 1 mm in diameter.
- 17. The protective garment of claim 5 wherein said shell is made of an aramid fiber material.
- 18. A firefighter garment comprising:
- an outer shell made of an abrasion-resistant, flame and heat resistant aramid fiber material suitable for use in a firefighter garment;
- a thermal liner layer made of an apertured, closed-cell, cellular foam material which resists absorbing liquid moisture, said material being attached to a substrate, a combination of said substrate and foam being sufficiently fire retardant such that said combination resists melting, dripping or separating when exposed to a temperature of 500.degree. F. for at least 5 minutes; and
- a moisture barrier positioned in said garment within said outer shell and having a semi-permeable membrane layer which is permeable to moisture vapor but not liquid moisture and a substrate, said thermal liner layer being positioned between said moisture barrier and said outer shell, whereby said thermal liner does not obstruct transport of moisture vapor outwardly from a wearer of said garment through said moisture barrier layer.
- 19. A firefighter garment comprising:
- an outer shell made of an abrasion-resistant, fire retardant material;
- a thermal liner layer positioned within said outer shell and made of an apertured, closed-cell, cellular foam which resists absorbing liquid moisture, said material being attached to a substrate, a combination of said substrate and foam being sufficiently fire retardant such that said combination resists melting, dripping or separating when exposed to a temperature of 500.degree. F. for at least 5 minutes; and
- a moisture barrier layer positioned in said garment within said outer shell and having a semi-permeable membrane which is permeable to moisture vapor but not liquid moisture and a substrate.
- 20. A method of constructing a relatively lightweight, low volume firefighter garment comprising the steps of:
- providing an outer shell of an abrasion resistant and fire-retardant materials suitable for use in a firefighter garment;
- providing a thermal liner having a layer of a closed-cell, cellular foam having a multiplicity of apertures therethrough;
- providing a moisture barrier layer having a semi-permeable membrane which allows the passage of moisture vapor therethrough but prevents the passage of liquid moisture therethrough;
- assembling said thermal liner, moisture barrier layer and said outer shell by positioning said thermal liner within said outer shell and positioning said moisture barrier layer between said liner and a wearer of said garment, whereby said thermal liner and moisture barrier layer are positioned to permit flow of moisture vapor transport therethrough from a wearer of said garment to said outer shell; and
- providing a substrate of a fire-retardant material and bonding said foam layer to said substrate.
- 21. A protective firefighter garment comprising:
- an outer shell made of an abrasion-resistant, flame and heat resistant material suitable for use in a firefighter garment;
- a thermal liner layer positioned within and adjacent to said outer shell and made of an apertured, closed-cell, cellular foam which resists absorbing liquid moisture, said apertures allowing passage of moisture vapor outwardly from a wearer of said garment through said liner, said cellular foam being a material sufficiently fire and heat resistant to be used in the firefighter garment, said liner including a substrate of fabric material bonded to said foam material; and
- a layer of moisture barrier material positioned adjacent to said thermal liner layer and between said thermal liner layer and a wearer of said garment, wherein said moisture barrier layer includes a semi-permeable membrane which allows the passage of moisture vapor therethrough but prevents the passage of liquid moisture therethrough.
- 22. A relatively light weight, relatively thin protective garment providing protection from high ambient temperatures comprising:
- an outer shell of an aramid fiber material;
- a thermal liner having a layer of apertured, fire-retardant closed-cell foam material, said layer of foam material being between about 3/32 (2.38 mm) inches and 1/8 (3.18 mm) inches thick and having a multiplicity of apertures therethrough, said apertures having a density of about 84 of said apertures per square inch, each aperture being about 1 mm in diameter;
- a plurality of adhesive dots for bonding said thermal liner to an inner surface of said outer shell; and
- a moisture barrier layer positioned in said garment within said thermal liner and having a semi-permeable membrane layer which is permeable to moisture vapor and a substrate made of a woven aramid fiber and bonded to said membrane, said moisture barrier being oriented within said garment such that said substrate faces a wearer of said garment;
- whereby transport of moisture vapor from a wearer of said garment through said moisture barrier layer is not impeded by said thermal liner, and said apertures promote flow of moisture vapor outwardly from said moisture barrier layer.
- 23. A relatively lightweight, relatively thin protective garment providing protection from high ambient temperatures comprising:
- an outer shell of an aramid fiber material;
- a thermal liner having a layer of apertured, fire-retardant closed-cell foam material, said layer of foam material being between about 3/32 (2.38 mm) inches and 1/8 (3.18 mm) inches thick and having a multiplicity of apertures therethrough, said apertures having a density of about 84 of said apertures per square inch, each aperture being about 1 mm in diameter said thermal liner being adhesively attached to said outer shell;
- a moisture barrier layer positioned in said garment within said thermal liner and having a semi-permeable membrane layer which is permeable to moisture vapor and a substrate made of a woven aramid fiber and bonded to said membrane, said moisture barrier being oriented within said garment such that said substrate faces a wearer of said garment;
- whereby transport of moisture vapor from a wearer of said garment through said moisture barrier layer is not impeded by said thermal liner, and said apertures promote flow of moisture vapor outwardly from said moisture barrier layer.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/119,474, filed Sep. 10, 1993, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (20)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (4)
Entry |
Mustang Industries Marine Wear Brochure, 1986. |
Product Information, Mustang Aviation Coverall, 1983. |
Mustang Manufacturing Inc. Aviation Coverall, 1992. |
Patagonia, Inc. Impact Tights, 1993. |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
119474 |
Sep 1993 |
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