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  Autonomous garment with active thermal control and powered by solar cellsUSPTO Application #: 20070199137Title: Autonomous garment with active thermal control and powered by solar cells Abstract: The invention refers to an autonomous system and to a method that allows the active thermal control of garments using solar cells as the power source. In the simplest configuration, the system includes a piece of clothing with solar cells (1), a thermal module able to generate heat and cold (3, 4, and 5), and a unit for controlling and monitoring the internal environment (6). In order to increase versatility and to optimize operation conditions, the system includes batteries (2) that can be charged by the solar cells or externally, increasing energy autonomy and improving performance in low radiation conditions. Proper distribution of electric resistors (3) and refrigeration pipes (7) allow a fine-tuning regulation of temperature inside the garment. The garment is developed not only for standard conditions but also for extreme heast and cold environments, being optimised wither for standard solar radiation or other relevant spectral source. (end of abstract) Agent: Pearl Cohen Zedek Latzer, LLP - New York, NY, US Inventors: Bruno Manuel Numes Ramos De Carvalho, Fernando Antonio Dos Santos Simoes, Ricardo Paulo Patricio Dias USPTO Applicaton #: 20070199137 - Class: 002458000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Apparel, Guard Or Protector, Body Cover, Thermal Body Cover The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070199137. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED DOCUMENTS [0001] There are many patents related with this invention. Some documents are associated with heating techniques in garments: WO03059099, EP1197722, US2001047992, DE19835984, U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,991, U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,480, EP0287294, U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,935, FR2577390, US2003006229, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,460 that use the thermoelectric effect; FR2752363 mentioning solid and liquid fuels; U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,942 and FR2577116 describing solar arrays; U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,714 utilizes microdendritic solar energy collectors. Other documents are related with cooling procedures in garments: DE19755181 and DE19749436 describe flexible stripes; GB2352385, U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,645, U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,695, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,668 include appropriate materials; WO02067707, U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,011, FR2719892, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,408 mention forced ventilation by fans; U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,707 uses fans and compressed air; U.S. Pat. No. 6,134,714, US2002073481, US2002069448, FR2756709, U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,222, U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,336, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,736,764 use liquid refrigeration; U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,110 and DE20011331 refer heat exchanging materials; U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,823 describes a ventilated thermal suit. Furthermore, document DE19745889 includes Peltier cells and matrix resistors for cooling/warming solutions, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,648 specifies a safe-vest with accessories. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention is included in the apparel segment, namely in the emerging sector known as intelligent wear (i-wear). It is related with systems and methods for automatic control of temperature in garments, not only for standard weather conditions but also for extreme environments. Furthermore, this invention also refers to special elements that provide power for those vests. BACKGROUND [0003] The invention refers to an autonomous garment with active thermal control powered by solar cells that is designed not only for standard conditions but also for extreme weather environments. Hereafter, by "autonomous" we mean there is no need of plug in to a power line, assuring portability and energy autonomy of the garment. Furthermore, by "active thermal control" we mean the ability to produce both heat and cold in the garment and to control dynamically the internal temperature according to external conditions and user needs. [0004] At present time there are several methods to provide temperature control of garments, which can be split in two different categories: warming and cooling. However, few patents cover both categories simultaneously. [0005] a) Warming Garments [0006] In general, warming systems embedded in garments use the thermoelectric effect to provide heat for articles of clothing. An electric current, provided by batteries or power line, is transformed into heat in resistors embedded in garments, mainly in jackets, and in blankets. This technique is claimed in patents WO03059099, EP1197722, US2001047992, DE19835984, U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,991, U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,480, EP0287294, U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,935, FR2577390, US2003006229, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,460. Most of the described objects include means to maintain the produced heat, using special fabrics or geometry. Patent FR2752363 refers to a warming system powered by solid and liquid fuels, which feed an engine to produce heat. Patents U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,942 and FR2577116 describe garments heated by means of resistors powered by solar arrays. Patent U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,714 and other references therein claim the utilization of microdendritic solar energy collectors that generate straightforward warming of pieces of clothing. [0007] b) Cooling garments [0008] The cooling garments already claimed have associated different techniques to produce cold: proper shape, fabrics, and special materials, natural or forced ventilation, cooling fluids or evaporation. Patents DE19755181 and DE19749436 describe a configuration with flexible stripes that allow natural ventilation. Cooling and sweat removal and evaporation by cooling in appropriate materials are described in patents GB2352385, U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,645, U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,695, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,668. On the other hand, forced ventilation systems are claimed in patents WO02067707, U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,011, FR2719892, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,408, which use small fans powered by batteries or are connected directly to power line. Patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,707 uses simultaneously cooling with compressed air and fans. Patents U.S. Pat. No. 6,134,714, US2002073481, US2002069448, FR2756709, U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,222, U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,336, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,736,764 describe systems with refrigeration liquids inside pipes embedded in garments, which permit the cooling by evaporation. Patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,110 describes a system that uses a special material to absorb heat, and patent DE20011331 claims the utilization of a textile fibre with special properties for storing and releasing available heat, depending on the needs. Finally, patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,823 is related with a ventilated suit with mask that is connected to a cooling device with low portability. [0009] c) Garments with Both Warming and Cooling Systems [0010] Although there are many patents and other documents related with cooling and heating systems and methods, to our own knowledge only one uses both techniques in the same garment: patent DE19745889 illustrates garments with Peltier elements for cooling and matrix resistors for heating that are connected to an electricity source, namely power line, friction wheel, propeller driven generator or batteries. [0011] d) Other Applications [0012] The major number of documents refers to heat or cold generation but some garments include accessories for other applications. Patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,648 describes a safe-vest with several accessories, namely optical fibres and LEDs powered by solar cells, resistors powered by batteries to provide heat, and other signalling and survival gadgets. This solution is especially useful in rescue missions and other risky assignments. [0013] e) Power Autonomy [0014] Most autonomous systems available on the market generate either heat or cold, and do not have both solutions embedded in the same garment. The large majority of the systems must be connected continuously to the power line even though some smaller articles of clothing include batteries to provide some energy autonomy. Thus, systems connected to power lines are neither portable nor autonomous, and solutions with batteries have low autonomy. Therefore, autonomous pieces of clothing need large and heavy batteries or must utilize very low power, preventing the addition of thermal control units, mainly cooling solutions, where the thermal cycle efficiency is lower. [0015] Some small pieces of clothing use solar cells or energy collectors to provide power to feed resistors, which are used to warm articles of clothing. [0016] f) Temperature Automatic Control [0017] There are several methods to control the temperature inside garments but almost all of them use a passive approach. The most common solutions release heat or cool continuously, such as fans, even though some methods include mechanisms to control heating and cooling fluxes, like orientation of flexible stripes. Nevertheless, more effective methods utilize thermostats to regulate temperature, switching thermal devices on and off to control heating or cooling flows. So far, these control units do not require sophisticated algorithms because they are only used to turn a thermal source on or off. However, the development of systems with active thermal control allows a more efficient management of heat and cold inside garments. [0018] g) Conclusion [0019] Presently there are many solutions and methods to include heat or cold production in garments, which is evident due to the large number of patents and other published documents. However, these solutions have in common several limitations. [0020] The most important constraint in garments with thermal control is related with power generation, because either the systems generate significant amount of power but are not portable, or they are autonomous but the power generated is rather small. [0021] The large majority of available systems include either cooling or warming units but do not provide both solutions in the same piece of clothing, mainly due to power limitations. Continue reading... Full patent description for Autonomous garment with active thermal control and powered by solar cells Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Autonomous garment with active thermal control and powered by solar cells patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Autonomous garment with active thermal control and powered by solar cells or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Sport helmet with adjustable liner Next Patent Application: Hygienic high detergency toilet Industry Class: Apparel ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Autonomous garment with active thermal control and powered by solar cells patent info. 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