U.S. patent application number 11/622394 was filed with the patent office on 2007-08-02 for item of clothing.
This patent application is currently assigned to BCB INTERNATIONAL LIMITED. Invention is credited to Andrew Rhys Howells.
Application Number | 20070174949 11/622394 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35998196 |
Filed Date | 2007-08-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070174949 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Howells; Andrew Rhys |
August 2, 2007 |
Item of Clothing
Abstract
An item of clothing (in this case is shown as a hat) 10
comprises wall 30 having formed of netting 10. There is also a
silvered layer 50 in proximity to the wall 30. In use, heat rays
from the Sun are reflected from the wearer's body by the silvered
layer 50 while walls 30 allow heat to be vented away from the
wearer's body. Optionally, gel layer 60 is present which results in
evaporation of liquid away from the body, so further cooling the
wearer.
Inventors: |
Howells; Andrew Rhys;
(Tremorfa, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
TUMEY, L.L.P.
P.O. BOX 22188
HOUSTON
TX
77227-2188
US
|
Assignee: |
BCB INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Cardiff
GB
|
Family ID: |
35998196 |
Appl. No.: |
11/622394 |
Filed: |
January 11, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/171 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A42B 1/008 20130101;
A42C 5/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/171 |
International
Class: |
A42B 1/04 20060101
A42B001/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 18, 2006 |
GB |
0600937.7 |
Claims
1. An item of clothing comprising a first area of clothing material
associated with a reflective material to reflect beat incident on
the item of clothing when worn by a person, away from the person,
wherein said item of clothing also includes a second area of
clothing material having vents through which air can pass towards
the person and into proximity with the first area, said air being
reflected towards the person by the reflective material.
2. An item of clothing according to claim 1, including an area of
cooling material in proximity to said vents.
3. An item of clothing according to claim 1, wherein a cooling
member is provided as a layer of material between the reflective
material and a layer of clothing material in proximity to the body
of the person.
4. An item of clothing according to claim 3, wherein the cooling
member comprises gel polymer crystals which when in contact with
water absorbs said water and releases said water by evaporation
thereby cooling a wearer of the item of clothing.
5. An item of clothing according to claim 4, wherein the cooling
member is provided in a bag, incorporated in the item of
clothing.
6. An item of clothing according to claim 5, including a flap,
through which the bag can be removed.
7. An item of clothing according to claim 1, wherein the reflective
material is provided as a layer beneath an outer layer of clothing
material.
8. An item of clothing according to claim 7, wherein the reflective
material is a sheet of silvered material.
9. An item of clothing according to claim 1, further including
moisture absorbing means for absorbing sweat released from a
person's body within the confines of the item of clothing.
10. An item of clothing according to claim 9, wherein the moisture
absorbing means includes odour-absorbing particles.
11. An item of clothing according to claim 9, wherein the moisture
absorbing means includes an antibacterial material.
12. An item of clothing according to claim 1, wherein the vents
comprise an area of material having apertures to form a net.
13. An item of clothing according to claim 12, wherein the vents
comprise a double layer of netting.
14. An item of clothing according to claim 13, wherein said double
layer of netting comprises an outer coarse netting and an inner
fine netting.
15. An item of clothing according to claim 1, in a form of an item
of headgear.
16. An item of clothing according to claim 15, wherein, when the
item of clothing is headgear, the vents are formed as part of a
side wall of the headgear.
17. An item of clothing according to claim 16, wherein the vents
are a continuous layer of netting extending around a circumference
of the headgear.
18. An item of clothing according to claim 16, wherein the vents
are provided as discrete areas in the side wall of the item of
headgear.
19. An item of clothing according to claim 9, wherein the moisture
absorbing means is located in proximity to the vents and under the
reflective material.
20. An item of clothing according to claim 2, wherein a cooling
member is provided as a layer of material between the reflective
material and a layer of clothing material in proximity to the body
of the person
Description
[0001] U.K. Application Serial No. 0600937.7 filed on Jan. 18, 2006
and entitled An Item of Clothing, is hereby incorporated by
reference in its entirety.
[0002] The present invention is concerned with an item of clothing
and in particular but not exclusively to an item clothing in the
form of headgear for releasing heat from a wearers head to cool the
wearer.
[0003] Wide brimmed hats are well known for preventing direct
exposure of a person's head to the ill effects of the sun. However,
wearing a hat in the hot midday sun often causes a person's head to
become hot and the high levels of humidity which often accompanies
summer weather, further creates the build up of sweat moisture
within the area of a person's head enclosed by the hat. This can
lead to uncomfortable conditions such as prickly heat.
[0004] In situations where a person is required to be active in hot
weather, it is vital that the person does not overheat as this can
lead to heat exhaustion, heat stroke and a variety of other heat
related effects. Thus, there is a desire for clothing such as a hat
which prevents direct exposure of the sun to a person's head and
which maintains a cool environment within the clothing.
[0005] In accordance with a first aspect of this invention there is
provided an item of clothing comprising a first area of clothing
material associated with a reflective material to reflect heat
incident on the item of clothing when worn by a person, away from
the person, wherein said item of clothing also includes a second
area of clothing material having vents through which air can pass
towards the person and into proximity with the first area, said air
being reflected towards the person by the reflective material.
[0006] Preferably the item of clothing also includes a cooling
member in proximity to the vents.
[0007] It is preferred that the cooling member is provided as a
layer of material between the reflective material and a layer of
clothing material in proximity to the body of the person.
[0008] The cooling member preferably comprises gel polymer
crystals, such as silica gel crystals. It is envisaged that these
crystals are held in a layer between the reflective layer and the
person's body. This layer may be in the form a bag which can be
removed from the item of clothing should the silica gel need to be
replaced. The bag can be removed by opening a flap or pocket in the
item of clothing. The polycrystals are provided in a dehydrated
state. However, when immersed in a liquid such as water, the
crystals absorb the liquid and retain it. When liquid is absorbed,
the crystals form a gel which provides a cooling effect when in
proximity to the skin.
[0009] It is envisaged that the cooling member is positioned in a
layer between the person's body and the reflective material.
[0010] It is envisaged that the reflective material is provided as
a layer beneath an outer layer of clothing material.
[0011] In a preferred arrangement the reflective material is a
sheet of silvered material.
[0012] Preferably, said item of clothing further comprises moisture
absorbing means for absorbing sweat released from a person's body
within the confines of the item of clothing.
[0013] Further it is envisaged that the moisture absorbing means
may include odour-absorbing particles such as charcoal. It is
preferred that there may also be antibacterial material to prevent
the build up of odour causing and/or infection causing microbes
such as fungi or bacteria. The antibacterial may be in the form of
a powder included with the gel or it may be in the form of material
having antibacterial material in the fibres making up the support
material such as cloth surrounding the gel.
[0014] Preferably, said vents comprise an area of material having
apertures to form a net.
[0015] It is envisaged that the vents comprise a double layer of
netting.
[0016] Preferably, said double layer of netting comprises an outer
coarse netting and an inner fine netting.
[0017] Preferably, said fine netting of said double layer prevents
the ingress of mosquitoes and reduces the direct exposure of a
persons body to the sun.
[0018] In a preferred arrangement, the item of clothing is an item
of headgear, such as a hat, a helmet or a cap. However, the item of
clothing may cover other items such as jackets or shirts which are
exposed to the sun. In particular, the parts of an item of clothing
such as the shoulder area or back of a shirt may include features
of the invention.
[0019] In the case of an item of headgear, the vents are formed as
part of the side wall of the headgear. The vents may take the form
of a continuous layer of netting extending around the circumference
of the headgear. Alternatively, the vents or vent material may be
provided as discrete areas in the side wall of the item of
headgear.
[0020] It is preferred that the headgear also includes an extension
from the rear of the cap which extends over the neck region of the
wearer to further reduce the risk of exposure to and damage by the
sun.
[0021] It is envisaged that the gel material is positioned in
proximity to or as a layer above the vents. The gel and vents are
positioned in layers below the reflective material.
[0022] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be
described by way of example only and with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the hat of the present
invention; and,
[0024] FIG. 2 is a cross section of the hat shown in FIG. 1 along
line A-A.
[0025] Referring to the drawings, there is shown an item of
clothing, which in this case is shown as a hat 10 comprising a brim
20, a side wall 30 and a top section 40. The side wall 30 further
comprises a fine inner netting 80 and a course outer netting 70.
The top section 40, as shown in FIG. 2, comprises a silvered layer
50 situated above a cooling member which is provided by a
polycrystalline gel layer 60. Typically in an item such as a hat,
10 grams of polycrystalline gel is used and the gel lies across the
surface area to be cooled to a depth of typically 2 cm. Ideally
enough polycrystalline gel is provided to substantially cover the
surface area to be cooled.
[0026] In use, heat rays from the sun incident upon the top section
40 are reflected from the hat due to the silvered section 50. This
reduces the warming of the environment, within the hat, by
radiation. The fine netting 80, in addition to preventing the
ingress of mosquitoes, also reduces the direct exposure of the
wearers' head to the sun.
[0027] The side walls 30 allow heat generated by the wearer within
the confines of the hat to pass out through the vented side walls
30 preventing the build up of heat. The side walls 30 also allow
for the free passage of air through the hat.
[0028] Furthermore, the polycrystalline gel 60 may be soaked in a
liquid such as water and this liquid evaporates to cool the
wearer's head. The positioning of the gel 60 adjacent the side
walls 30 allows for the easy escape of the moisture as it is slowly
released by evaporation. Thus, from the foregoing it is evident
that a hat of the present invention reduces the build-up of heat
within the environment defined by the hat and facilitates an
improved removal of heat from within the environment defined by the
hat.
[0029] As a further feature, the hat may incorporate moisture
absorbing means 90 to absorb sweat from the wearer. Such means can
be provided near the headband of the hat to substantially prevent
perspiration from trickling down the face of the wearer.
[0030] It is envisaged that the invention not only covers
individual features discussed but also covers combinations of
features.
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