WEARABLE TEMPERATURE REGULATING GARMENT

Information

  • Patent Application
  • 20230337754
  • Publication Number
    20230337754
  • Date Filed
    April 20, 2022
    2 years ago
  • Date Published
    October 26, 2023
    7 months ago
  • Inventors
    • Cotton; Anthony (Hermitage, TN, US)
Abstract
A wearable thermal regulating garment, including a main body to be worn around at least a portion of a body of a user, a plurality of chest thermal units disposed on at least a portion of a chest area of the main body to regulate a temperature level of the main body, a plurality of torso thermal units disposed on at least a portion of a front surface of the main body to regulate the temperature level of the main body, and a plurality of back thermal units disposed on at least a portion of a rear surface of the main body to regulate the temperature level of the main body.
Description
BACKGROUND
1. Field

The present general inventive concept relates generally to a garment, and particularly, to a wearable temperature regulating garment.


2. Description of the Related Art

Some areas in an outdoor environment have high temperatures due to being in a tropical and/or subtropical climate. Moreover, the high temperature in combination with a humid climate can lead to heat stroke and/or exhaustion as a consequence of a body of a person being unable to adequately regulate an internal body temperature. Unfortunately, the person that is overheating from the heat has limited options to eliminate unless the outdoor environment is changed.


Many garments that are worn for hot climates favor light colored clothing to reflect sunlight and/or prevent sunburn. However, conventional garments lack any ability to regulate a temperature level of the person wearing the garment.


Therefore, there is a need for a wearable temperature regulating garment to the temperature level of the person wearing the garment and prevent injury to health of the person.


SUMMARY

The present general inventive concept provides a wearable temperature regulating garment.


Additional features and utilities of the present general inventive concept will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the general inventive concept.


The foregoing and/or other features and utilities of the present general inventive concept may be achieved by providing a wearable thermal regulating garment, including a main body to be worn around at least a portion of a body of a user, a plurality of chest thermal units disposed on at least a portion of a chest area of the main body to regulate a temperature level of the main body, a plurality of torso thermal units disposed on at least a portion of a front surface of the main body to regulate the temperature level of the main body, and a plurality of back thermal units disposed on at least a portion of a rear surface of the main body to regulate the temperature level of the main body.


Each of the plurality of chest thermal units, each of the plurality of torso thermal units, and each of the plurality of back thermal units may include a thermally insulated compartment to store at least one thermal gel pad therein, such that the temperature level of the main body changes in response to a temperature level of the at least one thermal gel pad.


Each of the plurality of chest thermal units, each of the plurality of torso thermal units, and each of the plurality of back thermal units may include a condenser to decrease the temperature level of an interior surface of the main body in response to transferring heat from the interior surface to an outer surface of the main body.


The wearable thermal regulating garment may further include a control unit disposed within at least a portion of the main body to automatically decrease a temperature level of at least one of the plurality of chest thermal units, the plurality of torso thermal units, and the plurality of back thermal units in response to a sensor detecting a temperature level of the user exceeding a predetermined temperature level.





BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other features and utilities of the present generally inventive concept will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:



FIG. 1 illustrates a front perspective view of a wearable thermal regulating garment, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept; and



FIG. 2 illustrates a rear perspective view of the wearable thermal regulating garment, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.





DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various example embodiments (a.k.a., exemplary embodiments) will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which some example embodiments are illustrated. In the figures, the thicknesses of lines, layers and/or regions may be exaggerated for clarity.


Accordingly, while example embodiments are capable of various modifications and alternative forms, embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the figures and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit example embodiments to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, example embodiments are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure. Like numbers refer to like/similar elements throughout the detailed description.


It is understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.).


The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof.


Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art. However, should the present disclosure give a specific meaning to a term deviating from a meaning commonly understood by one of ordinary skill, this meaning is to be taken into account in the specific context this definition is given herein.


LIST OF COMPONENTS





    • Wearable Thermal Regulating Garment 100

    • Main Body 110

    • Chest Thermal Units 120

    • Torso Thermal Units 130

    • Back Thermal Units 140

    • Control Unit 150

    • Power Source 160

    • Straps 170






FIG. 1 illustrates a front perspective view of a wearable thermal regulating garment 100, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.



FIG. 2 illustrates a rear perspective view of the wearable thermal regulating garment 100, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.


The wearable thermal regulating garment 100 may be constructed from at least one of cloth, denim, leather, lycra, spandex, elastane, metal, plastic, foam, and rubber, etc., but is not limited thereto. Also, the wearable thermal regulating garment 100 may be constructed as a mesh.


Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the wearable thermal regulating garment 100 may include a main body 110, a plurality of chest thermal units 120, a plurality of torso thermal units 130, a plurality of back thermal units 140, a control unit 150, a power source 160, and a plurality of straps 170, but is not limited thereto.


Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, the main body 110 is illustrated to be a vest. However, the main body 110 may be shirt, a blouse, a tank top, a sweater, a jacket, a coat, or any other garment known to one of ordinary skill in the art, but is not limited thereto.


The main body 110 may be worn around at least a portion of a body of a user, such as a torso. The main body 110 may cover the torso of the user.


Each of the plurality of chest thermal units 120 may include a thermally insulated compartment (e.g., a compartment with foam, mineral wool, cellulose, fiberglass, and/or expanded/extruded polystyrene), a heating coil, a condenser, a fan, and a coolant/refrigerant, but is not limited thereto.


The plurality of chest thermal units 120 may be disposed on and/or within at least a portion of a front surface at a chest area of the main body 110. Moreover, each of the plurality of chest thermal units 120 may store at least one thermal gel pad therein, such as a cold gel pad and/or a hot gel pad. Specifically, the cold gel pad may be extracted from a freezer to be inserted into the thermally insulated compartment of at least one of the plurality of chest thermal units 120. The hot gel pad may be extracted from a container of boiled water and/or a microwave. As such, each of the plurality of chest thermal units 120 may decrease a temperature level of the main body 110 in response to receiving the cold gel pad. Alternatively, each of the plurality of chest thermal units 120 may increase the temperature level of the main body 110 in response to receiving the hot gel pad.


Furthermore, the condenser and/or the coolant of each of the plurality of chest thermal units 120 may decrease the temperature level of an interior surface (i.e., in contact with a body of the user while worn) of the main body 110 in response to transferring heat from the interior surface to an outer surface (e.g., surface opposite with respect to the interior surface and exposed to an external environment) of the main body 110.


Conversely, the heating coil of each of the plurality of chest thermal units 120 may increase the temperature level of the interior surface of the main body 110 in response to generating heat therein.


Accordingly, the plurality of chest thermal units 120 may cool or warm the user in response to regulation of the temperature level by the plurality of chest thermal units 120. The plurality of chest thermal units 120 may cool the user by at least fifteen degrees Fahrenheit.


Each of the plurality of torso thermal units 130 may include a thermally insulated compartment (e.g., a compartment with foam, mineral wool, cellulose, fiberglass, and/or expanded/extruded polystyrene), a heating coil, a condenser, a fan, and a coolant/refrigerant, but is not limited thereto.


The plurality of torso thermal units 130 may be disposed on and/or within at least a portion of the front surface of the main body 110. Moreover, each of the plurality of torso thermal units 130 may store at least one thermal gel pad therein, such as a cold gel pad and/or a hot gel pad. Specifically, the cold gel pad may be extracted from a freezer to be inserted into the thermally insulated compartment of at least one of the plurality of torso thermal units 130. The hot gel pad may be extracted from a container of boiled water and/or a microwave. As such, each of the plurality of torso thermal units 130 may decrease the temperature level of the main body 110 in response to receiving the cold gel pad. Alternatively, each of the plurality of torso thermal units 130 may increase the temperature level of the main body 110 in response to receiving the hot gel pad.


Furthermore, the condenser and/or the coolant of each of the plurality of torso thermal units 130 may decrease the temperature level of the interior surface of the main body 110 in response to transferring heat from the interior surface to an outer surface of the main body 110.


Conversely, the heating coil of each of the plurality of torso thermal units 130 may increase the temperature level of the interior surface of the main body 110 in response to generating heat therein.


Accordingly, the plurality of torso thermal units 130 may cool or warm the user in response to regulation of the temperature level by the plurality of torso thermal units 130. The plurality of torso thermal units 130 may cool the user by at least fifteen degrees Fahrenheit.


Each of the plurality of back thermal units 140 may include a thermally insulated compartment (e.g., a compartment with foam, mineral wool, cellulose, fiberglass, and/or expanded/extruded polystyrene), a heating coil, a condenser, a fan, and a coolant/refrigerant, but is not limited thereto.


The plurality of back thermal units 140 may be disposed on and/or within at least a portion of a rear surface of the main body 110. Moreover, each of the plurality of back thermal units 140 may store at least one thermal gel pad therein, such as a cold gel pad and/or a hot gel pad. Specifically, the cold gel pad may be extracted from a freezer to be inserted into the thermally insulated compartment of at least one of the plurality of back thermal units 140. The hot gel pad may be extracted from a container of boiled water and/or a microwave. As such, each of the plurality of back thermal units 140 may decrease the temperature level of the main body 110 in response to receiving the cold gel pad. Alternatively, each of the plurality of back thermal units 140 may increase the temperature level of the main body 110 in response to receiving the hot gel pad.


Furthermore, the condenser and/or the coolant of each of the plurality of back thermal units 140 may decrease the temperature level of the interior surface of the main body 110 in response to transferring heat from the interior surface to an outer surface of the main body 110.


Conversely, the heating coil of each of the plurality of back thermal units 140 may increase the temperature level of the interior surface of the main body 110 in response to generating heat therein.


Accordingly, the plurality of back thermal units 140 may cool or warm the user in response to regulation of the temperature level by the plurality of torso thermal units 130. The plurality of back thermal units 140 may cool the user by at least fifteen degrees Fahrenheit.


It is important to note that the plurality of chest thermal units 120, the plurality of torso thermal units 130, and/or the plurality of back thermal units 140 may cool the user by at least fifteen degrees Fahrenheit collectively, and/or independently without contribution by the others.


The control unit 150 may include a processing unit (e.g., a microcontroller, a central processing unit (CPU), a processor), a storage unit (e.g., a hard drive, a solid state drive, a flash drive, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM)), and a sensor (e.g., a temperature sensor), but is not limited thereto.


The control unit 150 may be disposed within at least a portion of the main body 110 and/or connected (e.g., physically, electrically) to the plurality of chest thermal units 120, the plurality of torso thermal units 130, and/or the plurality of back thermal units 140. The control unit 150 may control the plurality of chest thermal units 120, the plurality of torso thermal units 130, and/or the plurality of back thermal units 140. For example, the control unit 150 may automatically decrease the temperature level of the plurality of chest thermal units 120, the plurality of torso thermal units 130, and/or the plurality of back thermal units 140 in response to the sensor detecting the temperature level of the user exceeding a first predetermined temperature level (e.g., body temperature of user exceeds one-hundred four degrees Fahrenheit). As such, the control unit 150 may prevent the user from suffering a heatstroke and/or heat exhaustion.


Alternatively, the control unit 150 may automatically increase the temperature level of the plurality of chest thermal units 120, the plurality of torso thermal units 130, and/or the plurality of back thermal units 140 in response to the sensor detecting the temperature level of the user exceeding a second predetermined temperature level (e.g., temperature dropping to at least thirty-one degrees Fahrenheit and/or less). As such, the control unit 150 may prevent the user from suffering frostbite.


The power source 160 may include a battery and a solar cell, but is not limited thereto.


The power source 160 may be disposed on and/or within at least a portion of the main body 110. The power source 160 may provide power to the plurality of chest thermal units 120, the plurality of torso thermal units 130, the plurality of back thermal units 140, and/or the control unit 150.


The plurality of straps 160 may be disposed on at least a portion of the main body 110. The plurality of straps 160 may connect the front surface of the main body 110 to the rear surface of the main body 110. Also, the plurality of straps 160 may tighten the main body 110 around the torso of the user.


Therefore, the wearable thermal regulating garment 100 may prevent the user from suffering from heatstroke and/or heat exhaustion in hot temperatures and/or climate. Also, the wearable thermal regulating garment 100 may save a life of the user without action by the user, such as bikers, outdoor sport players, construction workers, first responders, and/or other people who spend a majority of time exposed to hotter temperatures outside.


The present general inventive concept may include a wearable thermal regulating garment 100, including a main body 110 to be worn around at least a portion of a body of a user, a plurality of chest thermal units 120 disposed on at least a portion of a chest area of the main body 110 to regulate a temperature level of the main body 110, a plurality of torso thermal units 130 disposed on at least a portion of a front surface of the main body 110 to regulate the temperature level of the main body 110, and a plurality of back thermal units 140 disposed on at least a portion of a rear surface of the main body 110 to regulate the temperature level of the main body 110.


Each of the plurality of chest thermal units 120, each of the plurality of torso thermal units 130, and each of the plurality of back thermal units 140 may include a thermally insulated compartment to store at least one thermal gel pad therein, such that the temperature level of the main body 110 changes in response to a temperature level of the at least one thermal gel pad.


Each of the plurality of chest thermal units 120, each of the plurality of torso thermal units 130, and each of the plurality of back thermal units 140 may include a condenser to decrease the temperature level of an interior surface of the main body 110 in response to transferring heat from the interior surface to an outer surface of the main body 110.


The wearable thermal regulating garment 100 may further include a control unit 150 disposed within at least a portion of the main body 110 to automatically decrease a temperature level of at least one of the plurality of chest thermal units 120, the plurality of torso thermal units 130, and the plurality of back thermal units 140 in response to a sensor detecting a temperature level of the user exceeding a predetermined temperature level.


Although a few embodiments of the present general inventive concept have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the general inventive concept, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims
  • 1. A wearable thermal regulating garment, comprising: a main body to be worn around at least a portion of a body of a user;a plurality of chest thermal units disposed on at least a portion of a chest area of the main body to regulate a temperature level of the main body;a plurality of torso thermal units disposed on at least a portion of a front surface of the main body to regulate the temperature level of the main body; anda plurality of back thermal units disposed on at least a portion of a rear surface of the main body to regulate the temperature level of the main body.
  • 2. The wearable thermal regulating garment of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of chest thermal units, each of the plurality of torso thermal units, and each of the plurality of back thermal units comprises: a thermally insulated compartment to store at least one thermal gel pad therein, such that the temperature level of the main body changes in response to a temperature level of the at least one thermal gel pad.
  • 3. The wearable thermal regulating garment of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of chest thermal units, each of the plurality of torso thermal units, and each of the plurality of back thermal units comprises: a condenser to decrease the temperature level of an interior surface of the main body in response to transferring heat from the interior surface to an outer surface of the main body.
  • 4. The wearable thermal regulating garment of claim 1, further comprising: a control unit disposed within at least a portion of the main body to automatically decrease a temperature level of at least one of the plurality of chest thermal units, the plurality of torso thermal units, and the plurality of back thermal units in response to a sensor detecting a temperature level of the user exceeding a predetermined temperature level.