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  Personal ventilating garment apparatusUSPTO Application #: 20070118956Title: Personal ventilating garment apparatus Abstract: A personal ventilating garment apparatus includes a ventilation unit connected to an air distribution garment, either directly or using a hose extension, and is operable to generate a flow of air from the ambient to the air distribution garment. The air distribution garment includes a spacer material that allows substantially omni-direction airflow therein. The air distribution garment also includes an air impermeable outer fabric. (end of abstract) Agent: Nixon Peabody, LLP - Washington, DC, US Inventors: Jack Sawicki, Louis Riccio, Elie Jacob, James Wiggins USPTO Applicaton #: 20070118956 - Class: 002069000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Apparel, Body Garments The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070118956. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a Continuation In Part application and claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/169,145 filed Jun. 29, 2005, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The invention is broadly directed to personal ventilating garments that may provide temperature regulation, with specific descriptions pertaining to cooling garments worn by persons subjected to elevated or reduced temperature conditions, and more specifically, to a ventilated garment that preferably covers an individual's torso, and whose airflow configuration is optimized to ensure wide propagation of the air throughout the garment. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Elevated temperatures affect an individual's ability to function, concentrate and remain alert. This may lead to accidents, injuries and even death if heat stress is not properly managed. Although heat stress affects individuals who are required to perform their duties outdoors or in elevated or reduced temperature environments, heat stress management is especially critical for combat soldiers, police, firefighters, emergency responders, and others where life or death decisions require clear thinking and decisive actions. [0006] A wide range of cooling garments have been developed and introduced in order to manage heat stress. In these garments, the basic function is to increase the amount of heat transferred from the body to the cooling medium within the garment, where it is thereafter dissipated, resulting in greater comfort for the cooling garment wearer. [0007] Many types of personal cooling garments have been developed to reduce and manage heat stress exposure. Such cooling garments and apparatus include circulating liquid systems, phase change material (PCM) cooling devices, and circulating air systems. In addition, there are systems relying on fabrics to transfer moisture or heat from the skin, thereby providing a cooling effect. These fabric-based systems, however, are less efficient at heat dissipation than the other existing systems described below. [0008] Circulating liquid systems generally utilize a heat sink or reservoir containing water or other coolant, a pump, and a heat exchanger. The cool liquid is circulated in a closed system through a network of tubes within the garment, where it absorbs heat from the body and then passes through the heat exchanger before circulating back to the heat sink. Weight, power consumption, and size are drawbacks of these types of cooling systems. In addition, the network of internal tubes to distribute the cooling liquid raises the cost, potential failure modes, and complexity of the garment and reduces its reliability and usefulness. [0009] Phase change material (PCM) cooling devices are garments containing small packets of phase change material, such as ice or certain chemical polymers, that absorb the heat produced by the human body, with the cooling capacity determined by the amount of phase change material contained in the garment. Long-term and remote use of such a cooling garment is impractical, given the weight of the phase change material and the need to re-freeze the phase change material packets periodically. [0010] Circulating air systems typically comprise an air source and a network of tubes or channels within the garment to distribute air throughout the garment, thus removing excess heat as the circulated air absorbs the body heat. The network of tubes or channels, however, adds to the cost and complexity of manufacture. Moreover, the network of tubes and channels creates internal flow losses, requiring a larger air generating unit to propagate the air through the garment. However, the noise generated by the larger air source may affect the performance of the person wearing the garment, especially soldiers, firefighters and other emergency responders. The noise and energy radiation will also increase a soldier's battlefield signature, increasing the likelihood of detection. [0011] Another drawback of existing cooling devices is that while providing some degree of cooling, many experience problems in propagating the cooling fluid uniformly throughout the cooling garment, especially those relying on ambient air flow where a network of internal tubes or channels are not supplied. For example, while an individual's back may experience sufficient cooling when the air source is located behind the person, the upper shoulders and front torso may not experience sufficient cooling due to inadequate airflow. [0012] Accordingly, there is a continuing need and desire for a lightweight, portable and long duration cooling garment that can efficiently and uniformly distribute air throughout the garment even without a network of internal tubes to carry the air. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0013] The present invention is directed to a personal ventilating garments that may promote temperature regulation for the wearer, with specific reference and descriptions to air-cooled garment embodiments that addresses one or more of the limitations of the present devices. Although many of the descriptions of the present invention are provided with reference to cooling, the same techniques may be applied generally to temperature regulation of any desired type, and may, for example, include heating the wearer. [0014] The present invention provides, for example, a personal cooling apparatus including a ventilation unit operable to generate a flow of air, with an outlet connector to direct the generated air to an air distribution garment. The air distribution garment may include a 3-dimensional spacer material with outer fabric cover made of a generally air impermeable, flexible, but strong material that may contour to a person's body when worn, while defining a plenum against the wearer's body, clothing or air permeable inner fabric for the air to flow throughout the air distribution garment. The airflow may then move hot or warm air away from the body, and when the user is perspiring, the airflow may also provide an evaporative cooling effect that may otherwise be prevented due to layers of clothing and/or equipment also worn by the user. An air dam may be positioned within the air distribution garment for directing the airflow from the ventilation unit in one or more directions to facilitate propagation of the air throughout the air distribution garment. A means for preventing air from flowing out the bottom of the air distribution garment may also be provided. One or more ventilation units may alternatively be provided to blow and/or exhaust air, and thereby enhance airflow, reduce weight, improve reliability, or otherwise enhance performance of the apparatus. [0015] The air dam may be a length of fabric disposed on an inner surface of the air distribution garment, or a triangular shaped air dam disposed within the air distribution garment, or other means. [0016] Preferably, the outlet of the ventilation unit includes a Y-shaped, T-shaped, or L-shaped connector where it connects to the air distribution garment, to facilitate directing the air in one or more directions and may be adapted to provide this function both prior to and after the air enters the air distribution garment. Other outlet configurations to disperse the air may be used in other embodiments. [0017] The natural openings for the arms and neck allow air to escape from the plenum and carry heat away from the body, and provide an evaporative cooling effect. Optional air holes or vents can be oriented along the outer edge or seam of the air distribution garment or at other locations to provide alternate escape routes for the air and optimize air propagation uniformity throughout the air distribution garment. [0018] In accordance with another embodiment, the personal ventilating garment apparatus includes an air distribution garment including an air impermeable fabric that defines an interior of the air distribution garment sized to receive a wearer therein. The air distribution garment includes a spacer material that is positioned in the interior of the air distribution garment so that the spacer material contacts the wearer when the air distribution garment is worn. In accordance with the present invention, the spacer material may allow substantially omni-directional airflow therein. The ventilating garment apparatus also includes at least one ventilation unit that flows air through the spacer material. In one implementation, the spacer material has a thickness dimension in a range of approximately 0.125 to 0.75 inch, and preferably approximately 0.25 to 0.375 inch. The spacer material is preferably adjacent to the air impermeable fabric, and functions to define a plenum between the air impermeable fabric and the wearer of the air distribution garment. [0019] The ventilation unit may be implemented to push the air through the spacer material. In such an embodiment, the ventilation unit may further be implemented to include a heater to heat the air provided. In accordance another embodiment, the ventilation unit may be implemented to pull the air through the spacer material. In such an embodiment, a fabric plenum may be provided which fluidically connects the ventilation unit and the spacer material, the fabric plenum including a plurality of openings that open to the spacer material. In addition, the air impermeable fabric of the air distribution garment may be implemented with an air inlet opening to allow air to be pulled into the spacer material. [0020] The ventilation unit may be implemented with an external power source connector. In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of ventilation units may be provided. In one specific implementation, at least one ventilation unit may be operated to push air through the spacer material, while another at least one ventilation unit may be operated to pull air through the spacer material. [0021] In accordance with another embodiment, the air distribution garment may be implemented with a pocket, and the ventilation unit may be received in the pocket. In such an embodiment, the pocket includes an opening by which air is provided to the spacer material, and a mesh wall through which ambient air is provided to the ventilation unit. In this regard, the ventilation unit may be implemented with a lip extension that extends through the opening of the pocket, and a manifold with an elastic cuff that engages the lip extension and directs airflow to the spacer material. Continue reading... Full patent description for Personal ventilating garment apparatus Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Personal ventilating garment apparatus 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 Personal ventilating garment apparatus or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Pants having body-shaping function Next Patent Application: Split sports jacket Industry Class: Apparel ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Personal ventilating garment apparatus patent info. 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