Apparel – Guard or protector – Body cover
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-05
2001-10-30
Calvert, John J. (Department: 3741)
Apparel
Guard or protector
Body cover
C002S081000, C002S082000, C002S097000, C002S100000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06308344
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates particularly to the construction of waterproof garments or breatheable waterproof garments and to address the particular problem of allowing such to breathe while maintaining the waterproof/water resistant nature of the fabric.
When exercise of any intensity is undertaken whilst wearing waterproof or water-resistant clothing, body moisture evaporated from the skin for the purpose of cooling is unable to escape due to the overlying barrier that is the fabric of the garment. Waterproof/breatheable fabrics came into being to address the problem of condensation accumulation, being resistant to ingress of water, but permeable to water vapour. However, even with a breatheable fabric, moisture condenses on the inside of the fabric and then soaks back into the wearer's clothes, resulting in dampness. Many different approaches to breatheability have produced differing degrees of performance. However, all rely upon temperature and/or humidity gradients to perform—ideally cold dry ambient air externally, and warm, humid air within the garment made from the fabric. Two commonly occurring situations defy these fabrics to perform as well as intended;—
1. Mild/hot, humid climatic conditions that reduce temperature and humidity gradients and so reduce water vapour transmission rates.—see “The Characteristics of Waterproof Breatheable Fabric”, Holmes, D. A., Grundy, C and Rowe, H. D., The Journal of Clothing Technology and Management. 1995., 12(3) p.147, Table 2. (See FIG.
1
).
2. The body's ability to produce, in the form of sweat, volumes of water vapour that massively exceed the maximum vapour transmission rates of even the best performing fabrics, particularly when high levels of activity are performed for extended periods.—See above mentioned article, p.157, Table 5. (See FIG.
2
).
Both of the above situations result in either unevaporated sweat wetting the underlying garments or condensation accumulation within the garment with subsequent dampening of clothes, which in turn produces a chilling effect long after exercise has terminated, leading to excessive heat loss and potentially, to hypothermia.
It is the object of the present invention to seek to provide a construction for a garment which overcomes these problems to a greater extent than previously.
According to the present invention there is provided a garment construction comprising an outer waterproof or breatheable waterproof or water or shower-resistant fabric layer and an inner layer of reticulated foam securable to the inside of the outer fabric layer. The inner layer of reticulated foam may either be permanently secured or detachably secured to the outer fabric layer.
The outer fabric layer may be of any suitable garment fabric, ranging from fully waterproof, coated or laminated fabrics, through various grades of breatheable waterproof fabrics or water vapour permeable fabrics having varying water vapour permeability index (WVPI). The range of fabrics which could be utilised for the outer fabric layer range from single or multilayer fully waterproof fabrics which may be laminated with a waterproof layer, or coated or uncoated fabrics, with or without a water repellent treatment through to laminated fabrics using PTFE or polyester membranes. Examples of suitable breatheable fabrics are: densely woven cotton; woven nylon with hydrophilic coating (PU), woven nylon with hydrophilic polyester membrane; micro-porous expanded PTFE membrane laminated to a woven nylon or polyester fibre; woven polyester or nylon micro-filament.
The reticulated foam is preferably a reticulated polyurethane foam whose cellular network is completely open, i.e., does not contain any closed cell and can range from 8 pores per inch to 90 pores per inch, cell density and from a minimum of 2 millimeters in thickness up to in excess of 30 millimeters, although the preferred range of thickness is 10 millimeters to 20 millimeters, for practical and comfort considerations. Suitable types of foam are currently in use for air-conditioning filtration systems and the like and have been sold under various trade names, for example “Bulpren” (RTM) or “Filtren” (RTM) and more recently as “Selmat” filter foam. The foam can be saw-cut, milled, glued, flame-laminated and die-cut, allowing such to be appropriately adapted for the purposes of the present invention.
The fabric construction is intended to be utilised for producing outdoor garments, particularly suitable for use when undergoing strenuous outdoor activity, for example, mountain biking, running or hiking and can be formed into jackets or coats to be worn over ordinary clothing, for example as a waterproof jacket. Such a jacket would includes means for holding the collar and cuffs at least partially open during activity to allow air flow through the garments and could suitably include underarm and rear vents for additional ventilation, all of which could be closed following activity, or during periods of inactivity, to prevent excessive cooling of the wearer. Whilst the invention is primarily intended to be used with waterproof/breatheable jackets, it is envisaged that such a construction could be utilised for other types of garments, according to circumstance, and a jacket could of course be of a long-sleeved or short-sleeved variety.
With a garment constructed as outlined, the water vapour generated by perspiration during exercise can be rapidly removed from within the waterproof garment by virtue of the air gap provided by the reticulated foam, which spaces the outer waterproof layer from the clothing of the wearer, minimising dampening thereof. Water vapour would be carried out of the garment on currents of air moving through this gap provided by the reticulated foam via various openings in the garment itself, i.e. via the cuffs, collar, vents etc. A discussion of breatheability can be found in ‘What Breathability do you need’ Wouter, A. Symposium ‘Breathe’, Stratford on Avon, Jun. 5, 1991. Pg 7 para 2.
When exercise is terminated and sweating stops, the waterproof garment can be closed down at the collars and cuffs etc., and closing the front and vent fastenings etc., to stop air movement through the garment. Body heat would be retained to evaporate residual sweat in the underlying garment and evaporate such as vapour through the waterproof and breatheable fabric of the outer layer. Whilst in the case of a fully waterproof garment any accumulated condensation on the inner surface of the waterproof fabric would be unable to soak back into the clothes due the space maintained by the reticulated foam layer.
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Calvert John J.
Dennison, Scheiner Schultz & Wakeman
Muromoto Jr. Robert H.
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