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  Temperature controlling garmentUSPTO Application #: 20060085888Title: Temperature controlling garment Abstract: A temperature controlling garment comprising a garment made from a layer of material that utilizes moisture management technology to enhance its ability to wick moisture away from the body of the person wearing it, at least one temperature modification pack that changes the temperature of the garment, and at least one receptacle associated with the garment that holds the temperature modification pack in place on the garment. The temperature modification pack comprises an outer casing defining a closed cavity and a polymer mixture contained within the cavity wherein the polymer mixture receives and stores a thermal charge and releases the thermal charge over an extended period of time. (end of abstract) Agent: Brooks Kushman P.C. - Southfield, MI, US Inventor: Michael H. Webb USPTO Applicaton #: 20060085888 - Class: 002069000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Apparel, Body Garments The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060085888. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/522,679 filed Oct. 27, 2004. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to garments which can heat or cool the body of the person wearing them to enhance their comfort. [0004] 2. Background Art [0005] There is a need for a light weight garment that can cool or heat the body of the person wearing it for hours at a time for the purpose of maintaining a comfortable body temperature in extreme environments. Such a garment may have a wide range of applications including, but not limited to, use by military personnel in hot or cold theaters of operation, race car drivers, persons who work out of doors and persons engaging in recreational activities such as skiing, golfing, hiking. [0006] The prior art discloses several different types of devices that attempt to cool or heat a person. Such devices may be inconvenient to use and may interfere with the freedom of movement of a person wearing the device. Bulky cooling packs may interfere with a person's activities. Water permeated devices may be heavy and make the user wet. Other devices require removal for a period of time to recharge their thermal properties. Some devices cool, but do not heat a person and vice versa. Other devices create hot spots or cold spots because of the tendency of their thermal agent to settle. Other devices discharge their thermal charge over a relatively short time period. In short, none of these earlier devices provides a light weight, flexible, long lasting and inexpensive solution to the problem described above. The present invention fulfills these needs as summarized below. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] The present invention relates to a garment for controlling the ambient temperature in immediate proximity to the body of the person wearing the garment that uses sealed packs for cooling or warming the body as needed. [0008] According to one aspect of the invention, a garment is provided that is made from a base layer material utilizing moisture management technology giving it a relatively high wicking ability. Such moisture management technology is well known in the art and includes, but is not limited to, the application of coatings to the surface of materials, the structure of the material, the fibers used to make the materials and the orientation and structure of such fibers. Such materials may include, but are not limited to, polyester, spandex, nylon and lycra. These materials, and any other material utilizing a moisture management technology, eliminate localized accumulation of moisture by pulling moisture and excess heat away from the body and spreading it throughout the material, thereby promoting evaporation over a broad area of the material. At least one temperature modification pack is also provided that changes the temperature of the air and moisture as it passes through the garment. There is at least one receptacle associated with the garment that retains the temperature modification pack in place on the garment. The temperature modification pack cools or heats the air and moisture inside the garment. The cooled or heated air and moisture circulates around the body of the person wearing the garment. The cooled area greatly exceeds the area covered by the temperature modification pack and thereby increases the comfort of the person. [0009] According to another aspect of the present invention, the temperature modification pack comprises an outer, tear resistant casing defining a closed cavity and a polymer mixture contained within the cavity. The casing can be made from plastic, foil, PVC or Tyvek.RTM. material. The polymer mixture may be comprised of poly sodium acrylate, gelatine, a bulking agent, pectin and water. This polymer mixture is capable of receiving a thermal charge and is capable of storing the thermal charge such that the thermal charge is released over an extended period of time. A bulking agent, such as clay or starch, is included in the polymer mixture to prevent the polymer from settling to the bottom of the cavity. [0010] Other aspects of the invention relate to the garment being form-fitting to the body of the person wearing it. The receptacle of the form fitting garment holds the temperature modification pack in close proximity to the person's body to improve the effectiveness of the pack, cooling or heating the body of the person wearing the garment. The receptacle provides promoting indirect contact with the body through the material of the receptacle. The form-fitting garment holds the pack against a person's body so that the pack does not interfere with body movement. The vertically elongated shape of the pack and spacing around the torso also facilitates body movement. Furthermore, the garment's receptacles may be selectively closed to keep the packs in the receptacles until the temperature modification is no longer needed or until the packs are changed. [0011] According to other aspects of the invention, the garment may have one temperature modification pack provided for each receptacle. The garment may have more than one receptacle with each receptacle being spaced apart from each other receptacle. The garment may have two or more receptacles in the front of the garment and two or more receptacles in the back of the garment with each receptacle having a temperature modification pack. [0012] In other aspects of the invention, the garment is worn over the torso of a person and the receptacles are positioned such that there is a receptacle in close proximity to each breast and each shoulder blade of the person wearing the garment. The garment may be characterized as having a plurality of vertically divided regions. Each region may have one vertically elongated receptacle that receives a vertically elongated temperature maintenance pack. The receptacles hold the packs in place and spaced from each other to reduce the area that is in close contact with the packs and allows the heated or cooled air and moisture to spread between the packs within the fabric of the garment. [0013] According to other aspects of the invention, the circumferential dimension of each region is approximately equal to the circumferential dimension of each other region. Furthermore, each receptacle may be positioned in the approximate center of each region to provide generally equal spacing. [0014] According to other aspects of the present invention, the outer casing of the temperature modification pack may contain at least one insulative layer that may be placed closest to the wearer's body to minimize localized heating or cooling adjacent the packs. The insulative layer can be made of polyurethane foam padding. The heating or cooling energy is directed through the fabric to a broader area. [0015] According to other aspects of the invention, the temperature modification pack releases the thermal charge over an extended period of time of between three to five hours. The packs are reusable and can be recharged for cooling by placing them in a refrigerator or freezer. The packs can be recharged for heating by placing them in a microwave oven, a conventional oven, or any other source of heat. [0016] According to other aspects of the invention, the contents of the pack is a polymer capable of storing a thermal charge over an extended period of time comprised of a mixture of gelatine, pectin, a bulking agent such as starch or clay, polysodium acrylate and water. Desirably, the mixture will contain 0.65%-0.9% gelatine, 0.6%-0.9% bulking agent, 0.1-0.22% pectin, 5%-6.5% poly sodium acrylate, and 92%-95% water. Most desirably, the polymer will be comprised of a mixture of 0.8% gelatine, 0.8% bulking agent, 0.19% pectin, 5.37% polysodium acrylate, and 92.84% water. All percentages given are by weight. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a garment and two temperature modification packs worn by a person. [0018] FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the front of the garment having two temperature modification packs. [0019] FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the back of the garment having two temperature modification packs. [0020] FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic cross-section view of the temperature modification pack disposed within a receptacle that holds the pack in close proximity to the skin of the person wearing the garment. Continue reading... Full patent description for Temperature controlling garment Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Temperature controlling garment 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. 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