TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is in the field of personal armour worn by individuals as protection
against projectiles, bullets and the like. More specifically the present invention
deals with measures for cooling the body of the wearer covered by such protective
armour.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Excessive heat produced by the human body is dissipated by perspiration. The evaporation
of the perspiration takes up heat from the body, thus producing a cooling effect.
Personal armour typically blocks the flow of air around the body such that in hot
conditions perspiration cannot be utilized efficiently to cool the body. The wearing
of personal armour promotes the build - up of excessive heat at and around the surface
area of the wearer. This observation is evident but stressed if the wearer is engaged
in physical activity such as walking, running or working. Under hot environmental
conditions the build - up of heat may be quick and permanent. The excessive build
- up of heat at the body surface causes inconvenience to the wearer of the armour
and in extreme cases of build up of heat, the physiological make up of the body can
be damaged. It is therefore highly advantageous for wearers of personal armour to
be able to relieve themselves of heat stress, to enhance their physiological functioning
and protect against damage in extreme cases of build-up of heat.
[0003] US 5,970,519 and
US 4,914,752 both disclose garments having a cavity into which air is introduced from an air supply.
The cavity is defined between an impermeable outer layer and internal perforated layer
so that the air introduced into the envelope is discharged through the inner layer
to cool the wearer.
[0004] US 2001/0 000 849 A describes a garment forming a starting point for independent claim 1.
[0005] According to the present invention, there is provided a garment comprising an outer
armour layer and a system for providing streaming air to evaporate perspiration from
a wearer of said garment, said system comprising:
an air blower or pump; and
at least one enveloped voluminous layer having an enveloping shell which is substantially
air impermeable and is perforated in the direction of said wearer, to permit the air
introduced into the envelope by said air blower or pump to escape towards the body
of the wearer, said at least one enveloped voluminous layer further having volume
providing elements within it selected from the group consisting of foam elements,
fibers and three dimensional net to keep the enveloped voluminous layer from collapsing
or kinking.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006]
Fig. 1 is a cross sectional isometric view of a set of layers of the invention lying
beneath the armour layer;
Fig. 2 is a cross sectional isometric view of a layer set of the invention;
Fig. 3 is a schematic isometric view of the enveloped layer of the invention indicating
air flow through the system;
Fig. 4 is a schematic armoured outfit showing the a folded - up corner displaying
the layered structure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0007] In accordance with the present invention, a set of voluminous layers is disposed
between the wearer of personal armour and his/her garments or body. The set is described
schematically with reference to
Fig. 1. Layer
20 represents the armour layer which is drawn for the sake of simplicity as a unitary
layer but in reality may possess a compound structure. Layer
22 is the outermost layer of the set of the invention and layer
24 is the body contact layer, which juxtaposes the wearer's own garments or exposed
body. Of the set of voluminous layers, layer
22 is enveloped by an impervious shell as is described schematically with reference
to
Fig. 2 to which reference is now made. In a cross sectional view, layer
22 juxtaposes body contact layer
24. Shell
26 envelopes layer
22, however not as shown, the shell completely wraps the layer. In more particular reference
to the issue of relationships between the personal dress of the wearer and the body
armour, there is no significance as to which is worn beneath.
[0008] In
Fig. 3 to which reference is now made, the enveloped layer is described schematically, such
that its function can be easily explained. Layer
22 is shown with its side juxtaposing the body contact layer on top. An air blower or
pump
34 takes up ambient air through air intake
36. A hose
38 connects the air pump
34 with the enveloped layer
22. Air is driven through hose 38 to be forced into enveloped layer
22. The air
40 taken by the air blower is pushed through hose
38 into enveloped layer
22 and out through perforations such as perforation
42. In some embodiment an air hose is not used, and the air blower is connected directly
to the enveloped layer. Air is forced out through the perforations as indicated symbolically
by arrow such as arrow
44. The air driven out of the perforations enters the body contact layer (not shown)
which is a voluminous layer, allowing further spread of the air stream to bathe the
body and collect perspiration. In some embodiments a body contact layer is not applied.
In a typical embodiment of the invention, the air pump or blower is powered by one
or a plurality of batteries. The batteries are either packed together with the air
pump or placed in a different location, with an appropriate cable connecting between
the batteries and the air pump. Conveniently, the batteries are rechargeable so as
to allow long hours of use with occasional charge. The technical properties of the
air blower must be such that the stream of air is strong enough to allow sufficient
flow in and around the area of the wearer's body covered by the layers of the invention.
Volume providing elements are used to keep the enveloped layer (22) from collapsing
and forming kinks and cramps. Such elements may be foam elements, fibers, three dimensional
net, mechanical spacers or any other volume forming element.
[0009] A personal armour outfit implementing the system of the invention is descried schematically
in
Fig. 4 to which reference is now made. Outfit
50 is shown with a bottom corner folded up such that the layers are exposed. The external,
armour layer
54 is at the top, external to the other layers. Beneath, layer
56 is the layer in which the air is forced initially, expelled from the air pump. Innermost
is layer
58. In this drawing the air pump and hose are not shown.
1. a garment comprising an outer armour layer (20) and a system for providing streaming
air to evaporate perspiration from a wearer of said garment, said system comprising:
an air blower or pump (34); and
at least one enveloped voluminous layer (22) having an enveloping shell (26) which
is substantially air impermeable and is perforated in the direction of said wearer,
to permit the air introduced into the envelope (26) by said air blower or pump (34)
to escape towards the body of the wearer, said at least one enveloped voluminous layer
(22) further having volume providing elements within it selected from the group consisting
of foam elements, fibers and three dimensional net to keep the enveloped voluminous
layer (22) from collapsing or kinking.
2. A garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outer armour layer (20) provides protection
against projectiles.
3. A garment as claimed in claim 1 or 2, further comprising a body contact layer (24)
to be worn between said enveloped voluminous layer (22) and the wearer.
4. A garment as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising an air hose to connect
said envelope (26) to the air blower or pump (34).
1. Kleidungsstück, umfassend: eine äußere Panzerschicht (20) und ein System zur Bereitstellung
strömender Luft, um den Schweiß des Trägers des besagten Kleidungsstücks verdunsten
zu lassen, wobei dieses System Folgendes umfasst:
einen Luftventilator oder eine Luftpumpe (34) und
mindestens eine umhüllte voluminöse Schicht (22) mit einem umhüllenden Mantel (26),
der im Wesentlichen luftundurchlässig ist und in Richtung des besagten Trägers perforiert
ist, um der über den besagten Luftventilator bzw. die besagte Luftpumpe (34) in die
Hülle (26) eingeführten Luft ein Entweichen in Richtung des Körpers der Trägers zu
ermöglichen, wobei die besagte mindestens eine voluminöse Schicht (22) ferner über
volumenschaffende Elemente in ihrem Inneren verfügt, die aus einer Gruppe bestehend
aus Schaumelementen, Fasern und dreidimensionalem Netz ausgewählt werden, um die umhüllte
voluminöse Schicht (22) vor dem Kollabieren oder Knicken zu bewahren.
2. Kleidungsstück gemäß Anspruch 1, wobei besagte äußere Panzerschicht (20) Schutz vor
Geschossen bietet.
3. Kleidungsstück gemäß Anspruch 1 oder 2, ferner umfassend: eine Körperkontaktschicht
(24), die zwischen besagter umhüllter voluminöser Schicht (22) und dem Träger zu tragen
ist.
4. Kleidungsstück gemäß einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, ferner umfassend: einen Luftschlauch
zur Verbindung der besagten Hülle (26) mit dem Luftventilator oder der Luftpumpe (34).
1. Vêtement comprenant une couche d'armure externe (20) et un système pour produire un
air circulant afin d'évaporer la transpiration d'un porteur dudit vêtement, ledit
système comprenant :
une soufflante ou pompe à air (34) ; et
au moins une couche volumineuse enveloppée (22) ayant un voile enveloppant (26) qui
est sensiblement imperméable à l'air et perforé dans le sens dudit porteur, afin de
permettre à l'air introduit dans l'enveloppe (26) par ladite soufflante ou pompe à
air (34) de s'échapper vers le corps du porteur, ladite au moins une couche volumineuse
enveloppée (22) comportant en outre des éléments générateurs de volume sélectionnés
dans le groupe consistant en éléments de mousse, fibres et filet tridimensionnel pour
empêcher la couche volumineuse enveloppée (22) de s'affaisser ou de faire des plis.
2. Vêtement selon la revendication 1, dans lequel ladite couche d'armure externe (20)
assure une protection contre les projectiles.
3. Vêtement selon la revendication 1 ou 2, comprenant en outre une couche de contact
avec le corps (24) destinée à être portée entre ladite couche volumineuse enveloppée
(22) et le porteur.
4. Vêtement selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, comprenant en outre
un tuyau d'air pour connecter ladite enveloppe (26) à la soufflante ou pompe à air
(34).