DE202010017658U1 - Patterned thermal management material - Google Patents

Abstract

A thermal management material for use with a body composition comprising: a base material having one or more of the following properties: breathability, water vapor permeability, air permeability, moisture wicking; an interrupted array of heat-reflecting elements of equal size, wherein each of the heat-reflecting elements is coupled as a separate element to a first side of the base material, and the heat-reflecting elements are arranged to reflect heat in a desired direction, and wherein the arrangement and spacing of the heat-reflecting elements help to maintain one or more properties of the base material.

Description

Reference to related registrations

This application claims the benefit of US Provisional Application No. 61 / 176,448, filed May 7, 2009, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This application is a continuation-in-part of the following US Design Patent applications, the priorities of which are claimed:
No. 29 / 336,730, filed on May 7, 2009,
No. 29 / 360,364, filed on April 23, 2010,
No 29 / 346,787, filed on 5 November 2009,
No. 291346.784, filed on Nov. 5, 2009,
No 29 / 346,788, filed on 5 November 2009,
No 29 / 346,785, filed on 5 November 2009,
No 29 / 346,786, filed on 5 November 2009,
the disclosures of which are fully incorporated by reference into the present application.

Technical area

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a fabric or other material used for personal care and to other goods having particular performance characteristics, and more particularly to devices that make use of a pattern of thermal management / heat conduction elements associated with a base to manage heat by reflection or conductivity while maintaining the desired properties of the base.

background

Currently, heat reflective materials such as aluminum and mylar typically take the form of a unitary solid film adhered or otherwise attached to the inside of a garment, such as a jacket. The purpose of this layer is to prevent heat radiation by reflecting the body heat of the wearer and thereby keeping the wearer of the clothing warm under colder conditions. However, these heat-reflective liners / liners will not let water vapor through or allow air to pass through, and thus trap moisture near the body. Because the use of a heat-reflective material obstructs the breathability and other functions of the underlying fabric, the use of heat-reflective materials during physical activities causes the inside of a garment to become wet, causing discomfort and accelerating heat loss due to increased thermal conductivity of wet materials , Further, these heat-reflective coated materials hinder the ability of the material to stretch, wrinkle or hang in a desired manner.

Brief description of the drawings

Embodiments of the present disclosure may be readily understood through the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings.

1A 10 shows a torso garment, such as a jacket having a lining / liner of base material having thermal conduction / thermal management elements disposed thereon, according to various embodiments;

1B to 1E 12 show various views of examples of patterned thermal conduction / thermal management elements disposed on a base or primitive according to various embodiments;

2A and 2 B show examples of patterned thermal conduction / thermal management elements disposed on a base, according to various embodiments;

3A to 3E show examples of patterned thermal conduction / thermal management elements disposed on a base, according to various embodiments;

4 Fig. 10 shows a torso garment such as a jacket having a base material lining with thermal conduction / thermal management elements disposed thereon in accordance with various embodiments;

5 FIG. 10 shows a torso garment such as a jacket having a lining of a base material having thermal conduction / thermal management elements disposed thereon in accordance with various embodiments; FIG.

6 FIG. 10 shows a torso garment such as a jacket having a lining of a base material having thermal conduction / thermal management elements disposed thereon in accordance with various embodiments; FIG.

7 FIG. 10 shows a torso garment such as a jacket having a lining of a base material having thermal conduction / thermal management elements disposed thereon in accordance with various embodiments; FIG.

8A to 8D show various views of a patterned thermal management material as used in a jacket according to various embodiments;

9 FIG. 12 shows an example of a patterned thermal management material as used in a boot according to various embodiments; FIG.

10 FIG. 12 shows an example of a patterned thermal management material as used in a glove, the sleeve cuff being rolled outwardly to show the liner, according to various embodiments; FIG.

11 FIG. 12 shows an example of a thermal management material as used in a cap according to various embodiments; FIG.

12 shows an example of a thermal management material as used in a pair of pants according to various embodiments;

13 FIG. 12 shows an example of a patterned thermal management material as used in a sock according to various embodiments; FIG.

14 FIG. 12 shows an example of a patterned thermal management material used in a sleeping bag according to various embodiments; FIG. and

15A and B show two views of a patterned thermal management material, as in a reversible rain canopy ( 15A ) and as a section of a tent body ( 15B ) is used according to various embodiments.

Detailed description of the embodiments

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustrative example, for which the disclosure may be used. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For this reason, the following detailed description is not to be understood in a limiting sense, and the scope of the embodiments according to the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Various operations may be described in sequence as numerous separate operations, in a manner that may be helpful in understanding the embodiments of the present invention; however, the order of description should not be construed as indicating that the operations would be order-dependent.

The description may use perspective-dependent descriptions such as up / down, back / front, and up / down. Such descriptions are only used to simplify the explanation and are not intended to limit the application of embodiments of the present invention.

The terms "coupled" and "connected" and their derivatives can be used. It should be understood that these terms are not to be understood as synonyms to each other. Rather, in certain embodiments, "connected" may be used to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact with each other. "Coupled" may mean that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact with each other. However, "coupled" may also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other but still work together or interact with each other.

For purposes of description, an expression in the form "A / B" or in the form "A and / or B" means (A), (B) or (A and B). For the purpose of description, an expression in the form "at least one of A, B and C" means (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C) or (A, B and C). For the purposes of the description, an expression in the form "(A) B" means (B) or (AB), d. H. A is an optional element.

The description may use the terms "in one embodiment" or "in embodiments", each of which may refer to one or more of the same embodiment or to various embodiments. Further, the terms "comprising," "comprising," "having," and the like, as used with respect to the embodiments of the present invention, are to be understood as synonyms.

In various embodiments, a body trim material is disclosed that may use a pattern of thermal management material elements coupled to a base to hold e.g. B. To manage body heat by directing the heat toward or away from the body as desired, while the desired transmission properties of the base material still be maintained. For example, with reference to the 1B to 1E in one embodiment, a plurality of thermal management elements or elements 10 in a generally non-continuous arrangement on a base 20 be arranged, in which a part of the raw material between adjacent thermal management elements is exposed. The thermal management function of the thermal management elements may be directed away from the body by reflectivity toward the body or by conduction and / or radiation or other heat transfer property.

The thermal management elements 10 can provide a sufficient surface area of the base material 20 to generate the desired level of thermal management (eg, heat reflection toward the body to increase heat, or heat conduction away from the body to cause it to cool). A sufficient portion of the base may be exposed to provide the desired function of the base (eg, elasticity, drape, breathability, water vapor or air permeability or wicking).

According to various embodiments, the base may be part of any form of body equipment, such as bodywear (see, for example, US Pat 1A and 4 to 13 ), Sleeping bags (see, for example 14 ), Blankets, tents (see for example 15B ), Rain roofs (see for example 15A Bodywear, as used herein, is defined to include anything worn on the body, including, but not limited to, outer garments such as jackets, pants, scarves, shirts, hats, gloves, mittens, and and footwear such as shoes, boots, sandals (slippers), and the like, sleepwear such as pajamas, nightgowns and trousers, and undergarments such as underwear, warm undergarments, socks, hosiery, and the like.

In various embodiments, single-layered body equipment composed of a single layer of the base may be used, while other embodiments may utilize multiple layers of fabric including one or more layers of the base coupled to one or more other layers. For example, the base may be used as a lining for the body.

In various embodiments, the array of thermal management elements may be disposed on a base having one or more desired properties. For example, the underlying base material may have properties such as air permeability, water vapor permeability, and / or moisture wicking, which are generally required in physical equipment used both indoors and outdoors. In other embodiments, the distances between the thermal management elements contribute to the base material having a desired drape, a desired appearance, and / or a desired texture. In some embodiments, the distances between the thermal management elements contribute to the base material having a desired elasticity. Suitable bases may include: nylon, polyester, rayon, cotton, spandex, wool, silk or a blend thereof, or any other material having a desired appearance, feel, weight, caliper, weave, texture or other desired property , In various embodiments, having a certain portion of the base material not covered by the thermal management material elements may allow that region of the base material to perform the desired functions while leaving a sufficient surface of thermal management material elements to direct body heat into a particular one Direction to guide, z. Away from or towards the body of a user.

For example, the thermal management elements may be arranged and made of a material that is conductive so that the heat generated by the body is conducted. In one embodiment, the thermal management elements may be configured to reflect the body heat of the user toward the user's body, which may be particularly advantageous in cold environments. In another embodiment, the thermal management elements may be configured to divert the user's body heat away from the user's body, which may be particularly advantageous in warmer environments.

In various embodiments, the base may include thermal management elements disposed on an innermost surface of the body, such that the elements face the user's body and thus may control body heat (eg, reflect heat or conduct heat) as discussed above. In some other embodiments, the thermal management elements may be disposed on the outer surface of the body and / or base so that they face the environment, which may cause the thermal management elements to be, e.g. B. reflect the heat away from the user, while it for the Basic material is possible to adequately fulfill the desired functions. In some embodiments, the thermal management elements may perform these functions without adversely affecting the elasticity, fall, haptics, or other properties of the base.

In some embodiments, the thermal management elements may be an aluminum-based material (particularly suitable for reflectivity), copper-based particularly suitable for conductivity) or another metal-based or metal-alloy-based material. Non-metallic or alloy-based materials may, in some embodiments, be used as heat-conductive materials, such as metallized plastic, mylar, or other man-made materials, provided that they have heat-reflecting or heat-conducting properties.

In some embodiments, the thermal management elements may be permanently coupled to the base in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to, by gluing, hot pressing, printing or sewing. In some embodiments, the thermal management elements may be coupled to the base by frequency welding, such as high frequency welding or ultrasonic welding.

In some embodiments, the thermal management properties of the thermal management elements may be affected by the composition of the base or the overall makeup of the body equipment. For example, a base can be used which has particularly good insulating properties. When used in conjunction with thermal management elements that have heat-reflecting properties, the insulating lining / liner can help limit inherent thermal conductivity and improve the reflectivity characteristics of the thermal management elements. In another example, the base may have little or no insulating properties, but may be coupled with an insulating layer disposed on the side of the base opposite the thermal management elements. The separate insulating layer can help reduce the amount of thermal conductivity of the elements and enhance their reflectivity. In some embodiments, the thermal management elements may become more thermally conductive as the air layer between the garment and the wearer becomes warmer and wetter. Such examples may, for. B. be suitable for use under cold weather conditions.

In various embodiments, a base may be used that has little or no insulation properties. When used with heat-conducting elements that are not designed to reflect heat, but primarily to conduct heat, the base and heat-conducting elements can help dissipate excessive body heat generated under warmer climates or when exercising extreme body activity becomes. Such embodiments may be suitable for warmer weather conditions.

In various embodiments, the thermal management material elements may be arranged in a pattern or in a continuous or discontinuous configuration determined by the manufacturer. Such as Tie 1A to 1E can be shown, the thermal management material elements 10 a series of point-like heat-reflecting (or heat-conducting) elements that are in a particular pattern to the base material 20 glued or otherwise attached thereto. It has been found that such an arrangement provides heat reflectivity and thus heat to the user (eg when using heat-reflecting elements) or alternatively heat conduction and thus cooling for the user (eg when thermally conductive elements are used). While it is still possible for the base to perform the function of one or more desired properties (eg, breathing and allowing water vapor to escape through the fabric to reduce the level of built-up moisture).

Although the illustrated embodiments show the thermal management material elements as separate elements, in some embodiments, some or all of the thermal management material elements may be arranged to communicate with each other, such as a grid pattern or other pattern resulting in partial coverage of the thermal management material elements Basic material leads.

In some embodiments, the arrangement or pattern of the thermal management elements may themselves be selected by the user and may take one of a variety of forms. Such as Tie 2A to 2 B . 3A to 3E and 4 to 6 can be shown, the arrangement of the thermal management elements 10 on a basic material used for personal care 20 be arranged in the form of a variety of geometric patterns (eg, lines, waves, triangles, squares, logos, words).

In some embodiments, the pattern of the thermal management elements may be symmetric, ordered, random, and / or asymmetric. Further, as explained below, the pattern of the Thermal management elements may be placed on the base at strategic locations to improve the efficiency of bodywear. In some embodiments, the size of the thermal management elements may also be varied to meet the need for enhanced thermal performance and retain the functionality of the base.

In embodiments, the density or ratio of the surface area covered by the thermal management material elements to the surface of the base material not covered by the thermal management material elements can be from about 3: 7 (30%) to about 7: 3 (70%). pass. It has been found that in this area a good balance of thermal management properties (eg reflectivity or conductivity) and the desired properties of the base material (eg breathability or wicking) results. In certain embodiments, this ratio can range from about 4: 6 (40%) to about 6: 4 (60%).

In various embodiments, the arrangement, pattern, and / or coverage ratio of the thermal management elements may vary. For example, the thermal management elements may be concentrated in certain areas where thermal control is more critical (eg, the body trunk), and in other areas they may be absent or very sporadic, where the function of the properties of the base material is particularly crucial (eg, the area under the arms or portions of the back to drain moisture away from the body). In various embodiments, different areas of the body equipment may have different coverage ratios, e.g. 70% at the breast and 30% at the limbs, to contribute, e.g. B. to optimize the need for warmth and breathability.

In various embodiments, the size of the thermal management elements in the body trunk regions may be the largest (or the distance smallest between them) for increased reflection or heat conduction in those regions, and the size of the thermal management elements may be smallest at the outer regions of the body (or the distance between them greatest). In some embodiments, the extent of coverage by the thermal management elements may vary in a graduated manner throughout the garment as needed for local thermal control. Some embodiments may include heat-reflecting elements in some areas and heat-conducting elements in other areas of the clothing.

In some embodiments, the thermal management elements may be configured to help resist the buildup of moisture on the thermal management elements themselves and to further enhance the function of the base (eg, breathability or moisture permeability). It has been found that in one embodiment, by reducing the area of the individual elements but increasing their density, a better balance can be achieved between thermal conduction (eg reflectivity or conductivity) and the functionality of the base material, because then for moisture less tendency arises to form on the thermal management elements. In some embodiments, forming the surface of the individual thermal management elements below 1 m ^{2 has been found} to reduce the potential for moisture formation. In various embodiments, the thermal management elements may have a maximum dimension (diameter, hypotenuse, length, width, etc.) that is less than or equal to about 1 cm. In some embodiments, the maximum dimension may be between 1 to 4 mm. In other embodiments, the largest dimension of a thermal management element may be 1 mm or even smaller.

In some embodiments, the topographic profile of the individual thermal management element may be such that moisture is not prone to attach to the thermal management element. For example, the thermal management element may be convex, conical, grooved, or otherwise overhanging, which may help to force moisture to flow toward the base. In some embodiments, the surface of the thermal management elements may be treated with a fabric that may help to reduce the formation of less water vapor on the elements and to better direct the moisture to the base material without significantly affecting the thermal conductivity of the elements. One such exemplary treatment may be a hydrophobic fluorocarbon which may be applied to the elements by coating, spraying, or in a chemical bath.

In various embodiments, the thermal management elements may be removable from the base fabric and, if necessary, reconfigurable using a variety of releasable coupling elements such as zippers, snaps, buttons, Velcro fasteners (e.g., Velcro), and other releasable couplings. Further, the base material may be formed as a separate body item and in conjunction can be used with other body equipment to improve the thermal management of the body heat of a user. For example, a torso undergarment may be provided with thermal management elements according to the various embodiments. This undergarment garment may be worn individually by the user, in which case typically a discharge of body heat away from the user's body may occur, or it may be worn in conjunction with an insulated outer garment which may enhance the heat reflectivity of the user's body heat ,

In various embodiments, the thermal management elements may be attached to the base material such that they are lowered, concave, or recessed relative to the base, such that the surface of the thermal management element is disposed below the surface of the base. This arrangement can have the effect that z. For example, moisture permeability is improved because the base fabric is that part of the body or body lining that contacts the user's skin or underlying clothing. Further, such contact with the base may also improve the comfort of the wearer of the body trim in applications where the skin is in direct contact with the base (eg, gloves, mittens, underwear, or socks).

8th to 15 12 show various views of a patterned thermal management material used in a variety of personal care applications, such as a jacket (FIG. 8A to D), a boot ( 9 ), a glove ( 10 ), a cap ( 11 ), a pair of trousers ( 12 ), a sock ( 13 ), a sleeping bag ( 14 ), a tent roof ( 15A ) and a tent ( 15B ). Each of the displayed items of body equipment has a base material 20 with a plurality of thermal management elements disposed thereon 10 on.

While the basic embodiments described herein have thermal management elements disposed on the inner surface of the base in various embodiments, the thermal management material elements may also be used on the exterior of the body, e.g. B. for reflecting or conducting heat that hits the outside of the equipment. For example, in some embodiments, a base fabric and heat reflective elements, such as those in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,400,774, 4,378,275, and 5,434,647 may be used 1B to 3E Shown to be provided on an outer or outermost surface of the body equipment, such as a coat, a sleeping bag, a tent, a Zeltregendach, etc., to reflect the heat away from the user.

In some embodiments, the body equipment may be reversible, such that a user may determine if he is using the fabric to conduct heat toward or away from the body. An example of such a reversible body equipment is in 15A shown. In this embodiment, the thermal management elements may be arranged on one side of a tent roof. In one embodiment, the rain canopy may be used so that the thermal management elements face outward, e.g. In hot weather or in sunny conditions to reflect heat away from the body of the tent user. Conversely, z. In cold weather conditions, the tent roof can be turned over and constructed so that the thermal management elements face inward toward the body of a user so that the body heat is reflected back to the tent interior. Although a tent-roof roof is used to illustrate this principle, those skilled in the art will understand that the same concept can be applied to other bodywork such as reversible jackets, coats, hats and the like. 15B illustrates an example in which at least a portion of the tent body comprises a fabric having a plurality of thermal management elements disposed thereon. In the illustrated embodiment, the heat reflective elements are outwardly facing and may be configured to reflect the heat away from the tent and thus away from the body of the tent user. In other embodiments, the elements may be arranged to face inward.

Although particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that a wide variety of alternative and / or equivalent embodiments or implementations for achieving the same purpose may be substituted for the embodiments shown and described without departing from the scope of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that embodiments according to the present invention may be implemented in various ways. This application is intended to encompass adaptations and variations of the embodiments described herein. For this reason, it is provided that embodiments according to the present invention are limited only by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims (6)

Heat management material for use with a body composition comprising: a base material having one or more of the following properties: breathability, water vapor permeability, air permeability, moisture wicking; an interrupted array of heat-reflecting elements of equal size, each of the heat-reflecting elements being coupled as a separate element to a first side of the base material, and the heat-reflecting elements being arranged to reflect heat in a desired direction, and wherein the arrangement and spacing of the heat-reflecting elements help to maintain one or more properties of the base material. A heat management material according to claim 1, wherein the desired direction points either towards the body wearer or away from the body wearer. A thermal management material according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the base material is exposed between the heat-reflecting elements. A thermal management material according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the discontinuous arrangement of the heat-reflecting elements forms a pattern which is symmetrical. A thermal management material according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the discontinuous arrangement of the heat-reflecting elements forms a pattern which is ordered. A thermal management material according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surface area ratio of the heat reflecting elements to the base material is different in different areas of the body equipment.

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