Patent Application
20240383589
Underwater persons typically wear diving suits to help regulate their body temperatures and protect them from contact hazards. The suits may be provided as dry suits or wet suits. A dry suit is designed to keep water out and to maintain a dry environment within the suit. By contrast, a wet suit is designed to contain a volume of water. The water is in direct contact with the diver's skin and provides some degree of thermal insulation.
In very cold waters, additional equipment may be used to maintain a diver's body temperature within safe limits. To this end, dry suits may be packed with layers of insulation. They may also include electrically powered heaters. Wet suits may include similar heaters. A wet suit may alternatively connect to a source of warm water, e.g., through a system of tubes. Warm water flows from the source into the wet suit, where it mixes with water already inside the suit and warms the diver's skin. Return water flows back to the source in a closed-loop arrangement.
Unfortunately, existing solutions for maintaining safe and comfortable temperatures for divers have deficiencies. Electric heaters require a steady supply of electricity, which is not always available or easily provided to individual divers. They may also present shock hazards. Dry suits stuffed with insulation may be bulky and restrictive when worn underwater for long periods. Wet suits may also be bulky and may have insufficient insulation quality, requiring a high flow rate of warm water to keep temperatures within safe limits. What is needed, therefore, is less bulky and more efficient thermal management that keeps divers safer and more comfortable.
The above need is addressed at least in part by an improved technique for thermal management of divers. The technique includes a dry suit having an internal, insulating layer with cutout channels in which tubes are disposed for carrying heat-transfer fluid to the proximity of a diver's skin. The tubes are recessed within the channels, such that the tubes when inflated with heat-transfer fluid achieve close contact with the diver's skin without concentrating pressure on the diver's skin.
Advantageously, the improved suit efficiently warms or cools the diver without requiring the large volume of insulation typically provided in dry suits designed for extreme-temperature applications. It also enables more extreme temperature operation than wet suits and with less heat loss. In addition, the improved suit is more comfortable for divers to wear. Lower bulk results in easier mobility underwater, and the recessed tubing keeps the divers at comfortable temperatures while avoiding high pressure points on the divers' skin.
In some arrangements, efficiency is further enhanced by providing improved pathways and connectors for conveying water between a heat-transfer fluid supply and one or more diver suits. Such pathways and connectors reduce heat transfer to the environment, promoting more reliable and consistent heating or cooling to divers, and requiring less energy.
Certain embodiments are directed to an apparatus for delivering heating or cooling to a diver. The apparatus includes a suit, and the suit includes a water-impermeable outer layer, an insulating layer having a channel extending along a diver-facing facing surface thereof, and a tube disposed within the channel of the insulating layer, the tube constructed and arranged for carrying heat-transfer fluid to a proximity of the diver's skin.
Other embodiments are directed to a suit for delivering heating or cooling to a diver. The suit includes a water-impermeable outer layer, an insulating layer having a channel extending along a diver-facing surface thereof, and a tube disposed within the channel of the insulating layer, the tube constructed and arranged for carrying heat-transfer fluid to a proximity of the diver's skin.
The foregoing summary is presented for illustrative purposes to assist the reader in readily grasping example features presented herein; however, this summary is not intended to set forth required elements or to limit embodiments hereof in any way. One should appreciate that the above-described features can be combined in any manner that makes technological sense, and that all such combinations are intended to be disclosed herein, regardless of whether such combinations are identified explicitly or not.
The foregoing and other features and advantages will be apparent from the following description of particular embodiments, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of various embodiments.
Embodiments of the improved technique will now be described. One should appreciate that such embodiments are provided by way of example to illustrate certain features and principles but are not intended to be limiting.
An improved technique for thermal management of divers includes a dry suit having an internal, insulating layer with cutout channels in which tubes are disposed for carrying heated water to the proximity of a diver's skin. The tubes are recessed within the channels, such that the tubes when inflated with water achieve close contact with the diver's skin without concentrating pressure on the diver's skin.
In an example, the suit 110 includes a diver-side connector 120 having an inlet that receives temperature-controlled water from the fluid supply 150 and conveys the temperature-controlled water to internal portions of the suit 110. The diver-side connector 120 further has an outlet that returns spent water back to the fluid supply 150. The diver-side connector 120 is configured to mate with a supply-side connector 130, which is connected to the fluid supply 150 via the water lines 140, i.e., a source line 140s and a return line 140r. In an example, the diver-side connector 120 and the supply-side connector 130 have a quick-disconnect feature that allows the two connectors to be separated merely by pulling them apart.
The fluid supply 150 is configured to provide heated or cooled fluid to the suit 110 in a closed-loop path. To this end, the fluid supply 150 may include one or more pumps, heaters, chillers, or the like (not shown). Heated fluid may be essential for promoting diver safety in low-temperature waters, which may be as cold as 2 degrees Celsius. However, chilled fluid may also be provided for divers working in hot-water environments, such as around thermal vents. In both scenarios, the fluid supply 150, the suit 110, and other equipment function to keep a diver's body temperature within safe and comfortable limits. The heat-transfer fluid is preferably water, which may be obtained directly from the local environment, but alternatives may include glycol, glycol/water solutions, and dielectric fluids such as fluorocarbons and polyalphaolefin (PAO).
The depiction of
In an example, the manifold 210 is made of flexible plastic and has a low profile. The manifold 210 includes fittings connected to tubes 240, which are distributed to the different temperature zones 230. Preferably, the manifold is disposed between insulating layers of the suit 110 and may be located in an area of the suit, such as a lateral torso area, that is unlikely to interfere with other equipment worn by the diver. Although only a single manifold 210 is shown, multiple manifolds could instead be used, such as one for the front of the suit 110 and another for the back of the suit 110, or one for the top of the suit and another for the bottom. These are merely examples.
In the example shown, each section 310 of the inner suit 300 includes one or more of the temperature zones 230. For example, the torso section 310a may include both the chest temperature zone 230a and the back temperatures zone 230f. In an example, each temperature zone 230 includes a single tube 240 disposed within a respective channel 302 of the fleece fabric. Preferably, the channels 302 are precision cut, e.g., using laser cutting.
An example channel 302 is shown within the front-right leg temperature zone 230d in section 310d. Here, the channel 302 has an inlet end 302a and an outlet end 302b. The inlet end 302a is continuous with the outlet end 302b. A single tube 240 extends within the channel 302 from the inlet end 302a to the outlet end 302b. The tube 240 also has an inlet end and an outlet end, which correspond respectively to the inlet end 302a and outlet end 302b of the channel 302. In an example, the channel 302 starts at the inlet end 302a and follows a back-and-forth path through section 310d, until it reaches a midpoint 320, at which point the channel 302 reverses and follows a reverse path alongside the path it took to reach the midpoint 320. The greatest temperature difference of fluid within the tube 240 is seen between the inlet end 302a and the outlet end 302b, and the smallest difference is seen at the midpoint 320, but the average temperature of the fluid tends to be constant for any pair of source and return channel portions, thus providing uniform heating across the entire zone 230 and thus across a surface of the diver's skin.
In an example, the channels 302 and the tubes 240 contained therein follow lines of non-extension, i.e., paths that are not subject to substantial extension or compression during normal movements of the diver. Following the lines of non-extension reduces pulling on the tubes 240 and prevents kinking, thus promoting continuous fluid flow. The tubes 240 within the channels 302 may be sewn or otherwise adhered to the fleece fabric, such as by ultrasonic welding.
In an example, the inner suit 300 is manufactured separately from the rest of the suit 110. The sections 310 are attached together, and both ends of the tube 240 of each temperature zone 230 are attached to the manifold 210. The completed inner suit 300 and manifold 210 are then inserted into the suit 110.
The skin-contact layer 420 is preferably a thin, 4-way stretch material, such as Under Armour®, which is breathable and provides low CLO (clothing insulation value). The skin-contact layer 420 improves diver comfort and does not interfere substantially with heat conduction between the tube 240 and the diver's skin 410.
The first insulating layer 430 includes the above-described insulating material of the inner suit 300, which may be Thinsulate fleece material or some other densely woven fleece. The first insulating layer 430 has a diver-facing surface 430a. As shown, the first insulating layer 430 includes a channel 302, such as any of the channels 302 described above in connection with
The second insulating layer 440 is disposed directly above the first insulating layer 430. As described further below, the second insulating layer 440 may include a set of wrapped insulating panels. The above-described manifold 210 (
The water-impermeable outer layer 450 provides a barrier between the outside environment and the inside of the suit 110. In an example, the outer layer 450 is simply a dry suit in which the other layers are inserted. The outer layer 450 may be composed of waterproof material, such as crushed neoprene.
The quick-disconnect capability is achieved by a magnetic closure between the two connectors 120 and 130. For example, the diver-side connector 120 may have a non-magnetic outer support 616 in which magnets 616a are inserted (e.g., from the rear in the perspective of
In an example, prevention of heat loss and fluid leakage is achieved using a system of rings and gaskets. For example, the diver-side connector 120 includes an outer ring 620 and an inner ring 624, as well as an outer gasket 618 and an inner gasket 622. An outer annular region 614 is formed between the outer ring 620 and the inner ring 624, and an inner annular region 612 is formed between the inner ring 624 and the central magnet 626.
The supply-side connector 130 has a similar and complementary design. For example, the supply-side connector 130 includes an outer ring 660 and an inner ring 664, as well as an outer gasket 658 and an inner gasket 662. An outer annular region 654 is formed between the outer support 656 and the outer ring 660, and an inner annular region 652 is formed between the outer ring 660 and the inner ring 664.
Within each connector 120 or 130, the respective outer annular region 614 or 654 is tapered down to a first fitting 670, e.g., a barb fitting, and the respective inner annular region 612 or 652 is tapered down to a second fitting 670. One fitting provides an inlet of the connector and the other fitting provides an outlet. Except for a small trickle path 690, which may be provided as an option in the diver-side connector 120, the paths between the outer and inner annular regions and the two fittings 670 are kept entirely separate.
When the two connectors 120 and 130 are separated (disconnected), the gaskets 618, 622, 658, and 662 are closed, blocking the flow of fluid into or out of the respective connectors. However, when the connectors are engaged, the outer ring 620 and the inner ring 624 of the diver-side connector 120 push open the outer gasket 658 and the inner gasket 662, respectively, of the supply-side connector 130. Likewise, the outer ring 660 and the inner ring 664 of the supply-side connector 130 push open the outer gasket 618 and the inner gasket 622, respectively, of the diver-side connector 120. With connectors mated and the gaskets open, heat-transfer fluid may flow between the outer annular regions 614 and 654 of the two connectors 120 and 130, and between the inner annular regions 612 and 652 of the two connectors 120 and 130. In the manner described, fluid can flow between the two connectors when the connectors are engaged, but fluid flow is blocked individually by both connectors 120 and 130 when the connectors are disengaged.
In some examples, the diver-side connector 120 includes a shutoff switch 680, which when thrown blocks the flow of fluid into or out of the connector 120, even when the two connectors 120 and 130 are engaged. For example, the diver can throw the switch 680 if the diver is getting too hot (or too cold, if chilled fluid is used). In some examples, the trickle path 690 enables a low rate of fluid flow between the inner and outer annular regions 612 and 614 of the diver-side connector 120 when the switch 680 is thrown. This feature keeps fluid flowing from the fluid supply 150 and prevents fluid within the lines 140 from reaching thermal equilibrium with the environment. In some examples, the trickle path 690 is present only when the switch 680 is thrown; however, it may alternatively be present regardless of whether the switch 680 is thrown.
The construction 700 includes a pair of central tubes 710, which may be provided as a single, dual-lumen tube (e.g., two tubes joined together along their length). The central tubes 710 are surrounded by two oppositely wound layers 720 and 730 of flexible silica gel, such as Aerogel. For example, the first layer 720 may be wound counterclockwise, and the second layer 730 may be wound clockwise. Preferably, the winding of the layers 720 and 730 are performed in a high-speed manufacturing process, e.g., one in which the tubes 710 are pulled through machinery as the layers of wrap 720 and 730 are applied. In some examples, an additional wrap 740, such as electrical tape or another type of adhesive tape, is applied over the second layer 730, which holds the other layers together until an exterior jacket 750 can be applied. For example, the jacket 750 may be formed by dipping the taped assembly into a liquid polymer and extruding the dipped assembly through a fixed-diameter ring.
An improved technique has been described for thermal management of divers. The technique includes a dry suit 110 having an internal, insulating layer 430 with cutout channels 302 in which tubes 240 are disposed for carrying heat-transfer fluid to the proximity of a diver's skin 410. The tubes 240 are recessed within the channels 302, such that the tubes 240 when inflated with heat-transfer fluid achieve close contact with the diver's skin 410 without concentrating pressure on the diver's skin.
Having described certain embodiments, numerous alternative embodiments or variations can be made. For example, although embodiments have been described which include a second insulating layer 440, the second insulating layer 440 may be optional in other embodiments, and thus may be omitted. Similarly, the skin-contact layer 420 may be omitted in certain embodiments.
Further, although embodiments have been described in which the suit 110 includes multiple temperature zones, this is merely an example, as the suit 110 may alternatively include only a single temperature zone, or a fewer number of such zones than what is shown.
Further, although features have been shown and described with reference to particular embodiments hereof, such features may be included and hereby are included in any of the disclosed embodiments and their variants. Thus, it is understood that features disclosed in connection with any embodiment are included in any other embodiment.
As used throughout this document, the words “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” and “having” are intended to set forth certain items, steps, elements, or aspects of something in an open-ended fashion. Also, as used herein and unless a specific statement is made to the contrary, the word “set” means one or more of something. This is the case regardless of whether the phrase “set of” is followed by a singular or plural object and regardless of whether it is conjugated with a singular or plural verb. Also, a “set of” elements can describe fewer than all elements present. Thus, there may be additional elements of the same kind that are not part of the set. Further, ordinal expressions, such as “first,” “second,” “third,” and so on, may be used as adjectives herein for identification purposes. Unless specifically indicated, these ordinal expressions are not intended to imply any ordering or sequence. Thus, for example, a “second” event may take place before or after a “first event,” or even if no first event ever occurs. In addition, an identification herein of a particular element, feature, or act as being a “first” such element, feature, or act should not be construed as requiring that there must also be a “second” or other such element, feature or act. Rather, the “first” item may be the only one. Also, and unless specifically stated to the contrary, “based on” is intended to be nonexclusive. Thus, “based on” should be interpreted as meaning “based at least in part on” unless specifically indicated otherwise. Further, although the term “user” as used herein may refer to a human being, the term is also intended to cover non-human entities, such as robots, bots, and other computer-implemented programs and technologies. Although certain embodiments are disclosed herein, it is understood that these are provided by way of example only and should not be construed as limiting.
Those skilled in the art will therefore understand that various changes in form and detail may be made to the embodiments disclosed herein without departing from the scope of the following claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/466,412, filed May 15, 2024, the contents and teachings of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
This invention was made with government support under contract N00253-17-C-0002 awarded by the U.S. Navy. The government has certain rights in the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63466412 | May 2023 | US |
