Apparel – General structure
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-06
2004-10-26
Patel, Tejash (Department: 3765)
Apparel
General structure
Reexamination Certificate
active
06807684
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention pertains to a protective garment, such as a firefighter's garment, of a type comprising an outer shell and a reflective strip, which is sewn to the outer shell. This invention provides means for spacing the reflective strip from the outer shell, except where the reflective strip is sewn to the outer shell, whereby to reduce risks of thread abrasion at the reflective strip and to provide thermal insulation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Protective garments of the type noted above are available commercially from Morning Pride Manufacturing, L.L.C. of Dayton, Ohio, under its MORNING PRIDE trademark, and from other sources. Reflective strips for such garments are available commercially from Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company of Saint Paul, Minn., under its SCOTCHLITE trademark, from Reflexite Corporation of Avon, Conn., under its REFLEXITE trademark, and from other sources. Typically, a protective garment of the type noted above has multiple reflective strips, on arm portions, on leg portions, and elsewhere.
Heretofore, when a protective garment of the type noted above was worn under adverse conditions, threads used to sew the reflective strip were susceptible, where exposed, to possible abrasion, particularly if its wearer, such as a firefighter, crawled on or brushed against an abrasive object. Furthermore, as the reflective strip tends to be more prominent when compared to neighboring portions of the outer shell, the reflective strip might be accidentally pressed against a heated surface, whereby to pose a burn risk to the wearer, even though neighboring portions of the outer shell remained spaced from the heated surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides a protective garment comprising an outer shell and comprising a reflective strip, which is sewn to the outer shell, wherein the protective garment comprises means for spacing the reflective strip from the outer shell, except where the reflective strip is sewn to the outer shell. Preferably, the reflective strip has two opposite margins, along which the reflective strip is sewn to the outer shell.
In one contemplated embodiment, the spacing means comprised a single strip, which is interposed between the opposite margins. In an alternative embodiment, the spacing means comprises two spaced strips, which are interposed between the opposite margins and which are spaced from each other. If two spaced strips are used, the reflective strip may be also sewn to the outer shell where the spaced strips are spaced from each other or, alternatively, the reflective strip is detached from the outer shell where the spaced strips are spaced from each other so as to define an air space between the reflective strip and the outer shell where the spaced strips are spaced from each other.
Advantageously, whether a single strip or two spaced strips are used, risks of thread abrasion at the reflective strip are reduced, as threads used to sew the reflective strip to the outer shell are not exposed where the reflective strip tends to be most prominent when compared to neighboring portions of the outer shell.
Additionally, if a single strip is used to space the reflective strip from the outer shell, the single strip provides thermal insulation between the reflective strip and the outer shell. Similarly, if two spaced strips are used to space the reflective strip from the outer shell, the spaced strips provide thermal insulation between the reflective strip and the outer shell.
Similarly, if two spaced strips are used to space the reflective strip from the outer shell and if the reflective strip is detached from the outer shell where the spaced strips are spaced from each other so as to define an air space between the reflective strip and the outer shell where the spaced strips are spaced from each other, the spaced strips and air in the air space provide thermal insulation between the reflective strip and the outer shell.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5054125 (1991-10-01), Snedeker
patent: 5095549 (1992-03-01), Aldridge
patent: 5127106 (1992-07-01), Aldridge
patent: 5388270 (1995-02-01), Hewitt
patent: 6009560 (2000-01-01), McKenney et al.
patent: 6361850 (2002-03-01), Billingsley et al.
Morning Pride Manufacturing, L.L.C.
Patel Tejash
Wood Phillips Katz Clark & Mortimer
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