U.S. patent application number 10/714899 was filed with the patent office on 2005-05-19 for rescue coat with covered liner zippers.
Invention is credited to Snedeker, Julie.
Application Number | 20050102729 10/714899 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34574078 |
Filed Date | 2005-05-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050102729 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Snedeker, Julie |
May 19, 2005 |
Rescue coat with covered liner zippers
Abstract
The left and right front panels of the outer shell of a rescue
coat each include material strips that provide vertical flaps that
extend over an inside surface of respective liner zippers used to
mount a removable jacket liner in the outer shell. The vertical
flaps protect the wearer from contact with or heat from the liner
zippers.
Inventors: |
Snedeker, Julie; (Northwood,
NH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DYKEMA GOSSETT PLLC
FRANKLIN SQUARE, THIRD FLOOR WEST
1300 I STREET, NW
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Family ID: |
34574078 |
Appl. No.: |
10/714899 |
Filed: |
November 18, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/96 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D 27/24 20130101;
A41D 13/0002 20130101; A41D 2300/322 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
002/096 |
International
Class: |
A41D 001/00 |
Claims
1. A rescue coat which comprises an outer shell which includes a
first front panel having first and second vertical zipper halves, a
second front panel having third and fourth vertical zipper halves,
and a removable jacket liner having fifth and sixth vertical zipper
halves; one of said first and third vertical zipper halves
including a first slider for the interengaging or disengaging said
first and third zipper halves, said first and third zipper halves
and said first slider defining a closure zipper for the coat; one
of said second and fifth zipper halves including a second slider
for interengaging and disengaging said second and fifth vertical
zipper halves, said second and fifth zipper halves and said second
slider defining a first liner zipper for said coat; and one of said
fourth and sixth zipper halves including a third slider for
interengaging and disengaging said fourth and sixth zipper halves,
said fourth and sixth zipper halves and said third slider defining
a second liner zipper for said coat; said first front panel
including a first material strip which provides a first vertical
flap that covers an inside of said first liner zipper, and the
second front panel including a second material strip which provides
a second vertical flap which covers an inside of the second liner
zipper; the fifth and sixth vertical zipper halves being engageable
to enable the removable jacket liner to be worn as a separate
garment.
2. A rescue coat according to claim 1, wherein said first and
second front panels of said outer shell include respective outer
and inner layers, said outer layers being a heat-protective layer
and said inner layers being a moisture barrier layer, wherein when
said coat is closed the outer layer of the first panel front panel
defines a side edge which faces the second front panel, the inner
layer of the first front panel defines a side edge facing the
second front panel, and wherein first stitching interconnects said
side edges of the outer and inner layers of the first front
panel.
3. A rescue coat according to claim 1, including a third material
strip attached by said first stitching between the side edges of
said outer and inner layers of said first front panel, said first
zipper half being mount on said third material strip.
4. A rescue coat according to claim 3, including a fourth material
strip attached by said first stitching to said side edges of said
outer and inner layers of said first front panel, said second
zipper half being mounted on said fourth material strip.
5. A rescue coat according to claim 4, wherein a side edge of said
first material strip is attached by said first stitching between
said third material strip and said side edge of said inner layer
and forms a U-shape to provide a said first vertical flap.
6. A rescue coat according to claim 4, wherein when said coat is
closed the outer layer of said second front panel defines a side
edge which faces said first front panel, the inner layer of said
second front panel defines a side edge which faces said first front
panel, and wherein second stitching connects the inner side edges
of said outer and inner layers of said second front panel.
7. A rescue coat according to claim 6, including a fifth material
strip attached by said second stitching between the side edges of
said outer and inner layers of said second front panel, said third
zipper half being mounted on said fifth material strip.
8. A rescue coat according to claim 7, wherein a side edge of said
second material strip is attached by second stitching between said
fifth material strip and said inner side edge of said inner layer
of said second front panel and forms a U-shape which provides said
second vertical flap.
9. A rescue coat according to claim 1, including a first and second
weather flaps respectively attached to said first and second front
panels to cover said first and third zipper halves when
interconnected to close said coat.
10. A rescue coat according to claim 9, wherein said first and
second cover flaps respectively include interengageable hook and
loop strips.
11. A rescue coat which comprises an outer shell which includes a
first front panel having first and second vertical zipper halves, a
second front panel having third and fourth vertical zipper halves,
and a removable jacket liner having fifth and sixth vertical zipper
halves; one of said first and third vertical zipper halves
including a first slider for the interengaging or disengaging said
first and third zipper halves, said first and third zipper halves
and said first slider defining a closure zipper for the coat; one
of said second and fifth zipper halves including a second slider
for interengaging and disengaging said second and fifth vertical
zipper halves, said second and fifth zipper halves and said second
slider defining a first liner zipper for said coat; and one of said
fourth and sixth zipper halves including a third slider for
interengaging and disengaging said fourth and sixth zipper halves,
said fourth and sixth zipper halves and said third slider defining
a second liner zipper for said coat; said first front panel
including a first material strip which provides a first vertical
flap that covers an inside of said first liner zipper, and the
second front panel including a second material strip which provides
a second vertical flap which covers an inside of the second liner
zipper, wherein said first and second front panels of said outer
shell include respective outer and inner layers, wherein when said
coat is closed the outer layer of the first panel front panel
defines a side edge which faces the second front panel, the inner
layer of the first front panel defines a side edge facing the
second front panel, and wherein first stitching interconnects said
side edges of the outer and inner layers of the first front panel.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to rescue coats worn by
persons involved in urban search and rescue operations, and in
particular to such rescue coats which include removable liners.
[0003] 2. The Prior Art
[0004] Rescue coats for use by personnel conducting urban searches
and rescues, e.g., in buildings which may be burning or in other
hazardous environments, are commonly available. Such coats
generally include an outer shell and a removable liner and are less
bulky and lighter in weight than conventional fire fighting coats.
The outer shells of such coats are formed with left and right front
panels that mount respective left and right vertical zipper halves
along their confronting sides which are interengagable by a
conventional slider. These zipper halves with slider provide a
closure zipper for the coat. The left and right front panels also
respectively mount vertical zipper halves inside of their
confronting sides which are interengagable with zipper halves on
the confronting sides of the left and right front panels of the
removable liner. These zipper halves with respective sliders
provide left and right liner zippers for mounting the removable
liner in the outer shell. However, if these liner zippers become
hot due to use near a fire or in an otherwise heated environment,
the liner zippers can cause discomfort to the wearer, or even be
hazardous.
[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a rescue
coat which is constructed such that the liner zippers are covered
by a protective material to thereby protect the wearer from any
discomfort or hazard associated therewith.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] According to this invention a rescue coat for use in urban
search and rescue situations includes an outer shell and a
removable liner, the outer shell being formed by an outer layer of
a fire-resistant material and an inner layer of a moisture barrier
material, and the removable liner being formed of a thermal
insulating material. The outer shell includes left and right front
panels that mount respective left and right vertical zipper halves
that can be interengaged to close the coat, as well as separate
left and right vertical zipper halves that can be interengaged with
zipper halves on the liner to mount the liner within the outer
shell (left and right liner zippers). The left and right panels
also include vertical strips of material which provide vertical
flaps that respectively cover the inner surfaces of the left and
right liner zippers. By covering the inside surfaces of the left
and right liner zippers, the vertical flaps protect the wearer from
any discomfort, inconvenience or danger posed by the liner
zippers.
[0007] The invention will be better understood by reference to the
attached drawings taken in conjunction with the following
discussion
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] In the figures,
[0009] FIG. 1 is a front view, i.e., as seen from the outside, of a
portion of a rescue coat constructed according to a preferred
embodiment of the present invention and showing its left and right
front panels connected together by a closure zipper, as well as
outer covering flaps partially interconnected upwardly from their
lower ends by hook and loop strips thereon,
[0010] FIG. 2 is a rear view, i.e., as seen from the inside, of the
same portion of the rescue coat of FIG. 1 and showing a jacket
liner completely connected by a left liner zipper to the left front
panel and partially connected by a right liner zipper to the right
front panel, with inner covering flaps of the right and left front
panels covering the left and right liner zippers,
[0011] FIG. 3 is a sectional view through the rescue coat of FIG. 1
as seen along line 3-3, and
[0012] FIG. 4 is a sectional view through the rescue coat of FIG. 1
as seen along line 4-4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0013] FIGS. 1-4 depict a front portion of a rescue coat 10 with
covered liner zippers according to the invention. In the following
discussion the terms "outside" and "outer" will refer to
positioning external to the coat when closed and the terms "inside"
and "inner" will refer to positioning internal to the coat when
closed.
[0014] The rescue coat 10 includes an outer shell S that includes a
left front panel 20 and a right front panel 30. The coat also
includes a removable jacket liner 40 which is preferably made
fleece (the jacket liner is preferably constructed such that it can
be worn independently of the outer shell). The right and left front
panels can include a conventional reflective band 50 which extends
completely around the outside of the shell (not shown) for
identification purposes.
[0015] As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the left front panel 20
includes an outer layer 21 and an inner layer 22, and the right
front panel 30 includes an outer layer 31 and an inner layer 32.
The outer layers 21 and 31 are made of the same conventional
fire-resistant material (two possible materials are Nomex.RTM. IIIA
aramid duck-weave fabric that has a water-repellant finish or
MILLENIA SR 40% ZYLON.RTM./60% KEVLAR.RTM. blend in rip-stop weave
that has a water-repellant finish), while the inner layers 22 and
32 are made of the same conventional moisture barrier (a useful
material is Crosstech S/R.RTM. two-layer laminated
polytetrafluoroethylene material). On side edges located closest to
one another when the coat 10 is closed, the outer layer 21 provides
a folded-over side edge 21a and the outer layer 31 provides a
folded-over side edge 31a. Likewise, the inner layer 22 provides a
folded-over side edge 22a and the inner layer 32 provides a
folded-over side edge 32a. The side edges 21a and 22a are connected
along their vertical lengths by stitching 23 and the side edges 31a
and 32a are connected along their vertical lengths by stitching
33.
[0016] A material strip 24 having a vertical sequence of zipper
teeth providing a zipper half 25 is connected by the stitching 23
to the inside surface of the side edge 21a so that the teeth extend
towards the right front panel 30 when the coat is closed.
Similarly, a material strip 34 having a vertical sequence of zipper
teeth providing a zipper half 35 is connected by the stitching 33
to the inside surface of the side edge 31a so that the teeth extend
towards the left front panel 20. A slider 60 (see FIG. 1) can be
moved along the zipper halves 25 and 35 to engage or disengage the
teeth thereof in a conventional manner. The zipper halves 25 and
35, together with the slider 60, provide a closure zipper 11 for
the coat 10.
[0017] A material strip 26 having a vertical sequence of zipper
teeth providing a zipper half 27 is connected by the stitching 23
to the inside surface of the side edge 22a so that the teeth extend
opposite to the right front panel 30, and a material strip 36
having a vertical sequence of zipper teeth providing a zipper half
37 is connected by the stitching 33 to the inside surface of the
side edge 32a so that the teeth extend opposite to the left front
panel 20. The teeth of these zipper halves 27 and 37 can be
interengaged with vertical sequences of zipper teeth providing
zipper halves 41 and 42 along opposite side edges of the jacket
liner 40 by sliders (see slider 70 in FIG. 2 which interengages or
disengages the teeth 37 and 42 as it is moved upwardly or
downwardly). The zipper halves 27 and 41 with associated slider
form a left jacket liner zipper 12 and the zipper halves 37 and 42
with associated slider form a right jacket liner zipper 13.
[0018] A double layered material strip 28 is connected along one
side 28a by the stitching 23 between the material strip 24 and the
side edge 22a, and it is bent in a general U-shape to provide a
doubled-over center portion 28b which extends over the inside
surface of the closure zipper 11 and then back to form a vertical
flap portion 28c which extends over the inside surface of the left
liner zipper 11). The strip 28 is connected to the material strip
26 at a location between the center portion 28b and the vertical
flap portion 28c by stitching 23 (see FIG. 4). The material strip
28 is made of the same fire-resistant material as the outer layer
21.
[0019] A double layered material strip 38 is connected along one
side 38a by the stitching 33 between the material strip 34 and the
side edge 32a, and it is bent in a general U-shape and connected by
the stitching 33 to the inside of material strip 36 so as to
provide a vertical flap portion 38b that extends over the inside
surfaces of the right liner zipper 12 (see FIG. 4). The material
strip 38 is made of the same fire-resistant material as the outer
payer 31.
[0020] The vertical flap portion 28c of strip 28 constitutes a
covering for the liner zipper 11, and the vertical flap portion 38b
of strip 38 constitutes a covering for the liner zipper 12.
[0021] A weather flap 29 with a hook and loop (e.g., Velcro.RTM.)
strip 29a is attached to the outer side of the outer layer 21 of
the shell and an outer flap 39 with a hook and loop (e.g.,
Velcro.RTM.) strip 39a is attached to the outer side of the outer
layer 31, the outer flap 29 being positionable over the closure
zipper 11, and the outer flap 39 being positionable over the flap
29 so that the Velcro.RTM. strips 29' and 39' will engage and
thereby help close the coat and simultaneously provide a weather
shield for the closure zipper 11.
[0022] Although a preferred embodiment of the rescue coat with
covered liner zippers has been shown and described, modifications
therein can be made and still fall within the scope of the appended
claims.
* * * * *