Apparel – Body garments – Vests
Reexamination Certificate
1998-01-26
2001-02-13
Vanatta, Amy (Department: 3741)
Apparel
Body garments
Vests
C002S094000, C607S108000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06185744
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to thermal garments. More particularly, the invention relates to active thermal control garments, rather than passive garments that only provide insulation to contain the body heat of the user or to block ambient heat.
In many settings of daily life, in both work and recreational settings, a person will be subjected to excessive heat or cold. Exposure to heat and cold is common for those who work outside, and for some indoor, industrial environments. It is well-known to use insulating clothing to minimize body heat loss in a cold environment and to block high ambient temperature. It is also known to use an active, auxiliary heat source, such as an electric resistance heat insert for gloves and boots, for example.
There are also known some high technology environment suits that provide cooling as well as heating. Such garments are, however, often found in the context of a total environment suit that includes a separate thermal unit that is connected by hoses, or the like, with a thermal barrier and insulated thermal control garment. While this may be appropriate in space exploration or in some specialized terrestrial context, there remain a great number of situations in which a worker or sportsman is subjected to excessive heat or cold, in which the known high technology approach is simply impractical, and in which the know insulating approaches are inadequate.
Consider, for example, the great many settings in which construction workers labor in sweltering summer heat or in numbing winter cold. Active control of one's body temperature under these circumstances will minimize risks of hypothermia and hyperthermia, and will also enhance efficiency and effectiveness in performing the task at hand.
Thus, one will readily appreciate the desirability of a self contained, versatile thermal garment that a worker, or sportsman, may use to help keep warm or cool.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A personal thermal garment according to the invention has a shell that is worn by the user, and that overlays and covers a substantial portion of the back and the chest of the user. The shell has inner and outer layers that are interconnected and define a chamber between the layers. The chamber extends substantially throughout the shell. Thus, the chamber also overlays a substantial portion of the back and chest of the user. An access opening is provided in the shell to access the chamber. And, a thermal insert that can be preheated to warm the user or can be precooled to cool the user is easily and conveniently inserted into and removed from the chamber, through the access opening. The thermal insert substantially conforms to the chamber and has a body portion with two leg portions that extend in the same general direction from the body portion. The access opening is sized to have a length that is about the same as a width of the thermal insert. In one aspect of the invention, the insert body substantially overlays and covers the back of the user, with one of the two legs extending over one of the user's shoulders from the insert body, and with the other of the two legs extending over the other shoulder of the user.
In another aspect of the invention, the insert body may generally be a right quadrilateral portion that wraps around and substantially overlays and covers the user between the shoulders and hips. One of the two legs extends toward one of the user's shoulders, while the other of the two legs extends toward the other shoulder. The insert body may also have first and second opposing ends with the first leg being located near the first end, and the second leg being located near the second end. The insert may further have a third leg that extends over the user's upper back, toward the neck, from the body, and between the first and second ends.
The thermal insert may have two congruent layers and multiple compartments defined between the two layers. At least one of the multiple compartments is sealed closed and contains a thermal storage medium. Alternatively, the insert may be constructed in one, integral piece.
These and other features, objects, and benefits of the invention will be recognized by one having ordinary skill in the art and by those who practice the invention, from the specification, the claims, and the drawing figures.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1623993 (1927-04-01), Anderson
patent: 4033354 (1977-07-01), De Rosa
patent: 4061897 (1977-12-01), Thykeson
patent: 4344620 (1982-08-01), Debski
patent: 4601067 (1986-07-01), Buonassissi
patent: 4706672 (1987-11-01), Jones
patent: 4856294 (1989-08-01), Scaringe et al.
patent: 5005374 (1991-04-01), Spitler
patent: 5031244 (1991-07-01), Inagaki
patent: 5038779 (1991-08-01), Barry et al.
patent: 5072455 (1991-12-01), St. Ours
patent: 5134725 (1992-08-01), Yeshurun et al.
patent: 5146625 (1992-09-01), Steele et al.
patent: 5302806 (1994-04-01), Simmons et al.
patent: 5305471 (1994-04-01), Steele et al.
patent: 5415222 (1995-05-01), Colvin et al.
patent: 5484448 (1996-01-01), Steele et al.
patent: 5524293 (1996-06-01), Kung
patent: 5605144 (1997-02-01), Simmons et al.
patent: 5606746 (1997-03-01), Shelton et al.
patent: 5692238 (1997-12-01), Watson, Jr.
LandOfFree
Thermal vest does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Thermal vest, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Thermal vest will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2573159