Item of fire protection clothing with spacer textile

Abstract

The present invention relates to an item of fire protection clothing (11), which at least partially covers the upper body of a person and comprises an inner lining (13), an outer fabric and a spacer textile (15). The spacer textile (15) at least partially covers the back (23), shoulder (19), chest (21), upper arm (25) and / or neck region of the fire protection clothing. The inner lining (13), the spacer textile (15) and the outer fabric are made of flame-retardant material. According to the invention, the spacer textile (15) is formed by a spacer fabric.

Description

[0001] 8495-25733 1 14.02.2024

[0002] Fire protection clothing with spacer textile

[0003] TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The invention relates to fire protection clothing which at least partially covers the upper body of a person, comprising an inner lining, an outer fabric and a spacer textile.

[0005] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Fire protection clothing is designed to provide the wearer, usually firefighters, with significant heat protection. This significant heat protection allows firefighters to operate in very high-temperature environments without feeling any or only minimal heat on their bodies. Significant heat protection is achieved with the help of significant thermal insulation. The thermal conduction between the outside and inside of the fire protection clothing must be so small that a significant temperature difference can be achieved between the inside and outside of the fire protection clothing. Thermal conduction within the clothing can be influenced by the selection of certain materials and the garment's construction.

[0007] For example, CN 105882095 A shows a fire protection garment or fire protection fabric comprising a layer of Nitinol fiber. The two-dimensional Nitinol fiber layer deforms into a three-dimensional structure when the fire protection garment is exposed to a certain heat. The deformation of the Nitinol fiber layer increases the insulation and thus the thermal resistance of the fire protection garment. The fire protection garment can have an additional insulating layer made of a three-dimensional spacer fabric. The spacer fabric is preferably woven from polyester, polyamide, or polypropylene fibers. The use of the spacer fabric makes the fire protection garment lighter and exhibits excellent moisture absorption, breathable moisture permeability, and thermal conduction.

[0008] The requirements for firefighters' fire protection clothing have changed over time. This is due, among other things, to the area of ​​operation and the conditions prevailing there. Today, for example, only around 5-15% of fire service calls involve building fires. The majority of calls are caused by severe weather disruptions or technical incidents. As the area of ​​operation has changed, the requirements and expectations for the clothing have also changed. Fire protection clothing is expected to offer a certain level of heat protection as well as a high level of wearer comfort. The wearer comfort of fire protection clothing is determined by various factors such as weight, breathability (water vapor permeability), and padding. Improved wearer comfort may conflict with high heat protection.For example, a thick garment offers low thermal conductivity and thus high heat protection, but its thickness also makes it heavy, which reduces comfort. At the same time, increasing the thickness of the garment negatively impacts its breathability and increases the risk of heat stress or heat build-up. The accumulated heat can lead to circulatory problems and even circulatory collapse. All fire protection clothing for interior attacks, i.e., use indoors, must meet the EN 469 standard (current EN 469:2020), which specifies the minimum requirements for heat transfer (flame Xf and radiation Xr), watertightness (Y), water vapor transmission resistance (Z), and flame-retardant properties of the fire protection clothing. Before the fire protection clothing can be offered on the market, it is tested according to the EN 469 standard.

[0009] Because warm air rises and flames typically spread from the ground, a firefighter's upper body is exposed to higher temperatures than their lower body. Therefore, more heat protection is desired on the upper body than on the lower body.

[0010] Both when fighting fires and during severe weather operations, firefighters have to carry a variety of heavy equipment, particularly breathing apparatus. It is suitable to carry this equipment on the back, as it allows one person to carry heavy loads and still ensures that each person has a relatively high level of mobility. The load is mainly carried on the shoulders of the person concerned. Because the equipment to be carried during a fire service operation is so heavy, the breathability of the fire protection clothing is restricted to such an extent that no air circulation occurs at the firefighter's shoulders and the water vapor cannot escape to the outside. This in turn leads to increased sweating of the firefighter on the shoulders and back, which greatly reduces the comfort of the garment.

[0011] TASK

[0012] It is therefore an object of the present invention to propose fire protection clothing that complies with the EN 469 standard for heat transfer and has increased thermal insulation properties, particularly in the upper body area. At the same time, the clothing should offer increased wearer comfort and reduce the risk of heat stress through improved air circulation.

[0013] DESCRIPTION

[0014] This object is achieved with fire protection clothing having the features of patent claim 1, which at least partially covers the upper body of a person. The fire protection clothing comprises an inner lining, an outer fabric, and a spacer textile, wherein the inner lining, the spacer textile, and the outer fabric are made of flame-retardant material. The spacer textile is attached to the area of ​​the fire protection clothing that at least partially covers the back, shoulders, chest, upper arm, and / or neck of the person wearing the fire protection clothing. The fire protection clothing meets the minimum requirements of the EN 469 standard for heat transfer. According to the invention, the spacer textile is formed by a spacer fabric.

[0015] The spacer fabric is formed by a two-layer textile whose two layers are held together and separated by connecting threads. The two textile layers are warp-knitted surfaces. Thus, the spacer fabric adds a third dimension to the knitted fabric.

[0016] The spacer fabric offers increased wearer comfort for fire protection clothing because it is lightweight and breathable, while also serving as padding. Breathability is achieved by ensuring air circulation within the spacer fabric. The supply and removal of air to and from the body of the person wearing the fire protection clothing is ensured in the areas covered by the spacer fabric due to its expansion into a third dimension. The spacer fabric can also serve as padding when carrying heavy equipment. Even if the spacer fabric may experience compression in the third dimension due to the gravity of the equipment being carried, the spacer fabric largely retains its shape and thus remains air-permeable and breathable.In addition, the spacer fabric distributes the load of the equipment being worn over a larger area, which automatically reduces pressure on the wearer's body and thus increases comfort. The construction of the spacer fabric not only ensures breathability but also results in a low density. When used in garments, this has the advantage that the mass of the entire garment does not increase significantly, and the garment itself does not exert a strong gravitational force on the wearer. Due to the use of flame-retardant material for the spacer fabric, the spacer fabric itself also has corresponding flame retardancy.

[0017] The design of the spacer fabric as a knitted spacer fabric means that, unlike a woven fabric, it is formed from a thread system with a loop formation. This has the advantage that the thread system exhibits high elasticity, which in turn ensures greater comfort and good adaptability to irregular (body) shapes without forming wrinkles. This ability is of great importance for the use of the spacer fabric in the shoulder area. Due to the loops, knitted fabrics have a more open surface structure than woven fabrics, which promotes air circulation and breathability. Knitted fabrics have the further advantage that they can be machine-produced as a complete garment with sections of varying thickness.

[0018] When an area of ​​a garment is specified, this refers to the area covered by the person wearing the garment.

[0019] The advantageous design variants listed below, either alone or in combination, lead to further improvements in fire protection clothing. In a preferred embodiment, the spacer fabric is arranged between the inner lining and the outer fabric. Thus, the spacer fabric is protected from external influences by the outer fabric. The inner lining on the other side of the spacer fabric forms a barrier on the inside of the clothing. The inner lining also protects the spacer fabric from external influences and ensures reduced mechanical stress on the spacer fabric. Arranging the spacer fabric between the inner lining and the outer fabric corresponds to the current design and enables the continued use of this modular system without major modifications.

[0020] In a further preferred embodiment, the fibers of the inner lining, spacer textile, and outer fabric comprise aramid yarn. Aramid yarn is suitable for use in this clothing because it provides a flame-retardant effect. Manufacturing the individual components of the fire-protection clothing using aramid yarn results in a flame-retardant effect of the clothing, which simultaneously exhibits high resistance to cuts and punctures. The aramid yarn has the property that it does not melt when exposed to high temperatures, but merely carbonizes. Since more energy is required to carbonize the aramid yarn, this property results in greater heat resistance of the aramid yarn.

[0021] The spacer fabric preferably comprises polyetheretherketone (PEEK). This is another high-temperature-resistant plastic with a melting point of approximately 335°C. PEEK is significantly more heat-resistant than polyester, polyamide, and polypropylene.

[0022] The fire protection clothing can consist of several garments or just one garment. The fire protection clothing according to the invention preferably consists of a single garment.

[0023] Preferably, a membrane is placed between the outer fabric and the inner lining. In this case, the spacer fabric is positioned between the inner lining and the membrane to ensure optimal air circulation. Due to the increased distance between the inner lining and the membrane and the improved air circulation, the moist air generated by perspiration is distributed over a larger membrane surface, thus enabling improved removal of this moist air. The membrane can serve as a moisture barrier in fire-resistant clothing.

[0024] In a further preferred embodiment, the spacer fabric has a thickness of at least 3 mm, preferably at least 5 mm. A thickness of at least 3 mm of the spacer fabric results in high breathability and great wearing comfort under all conditions, with a more preferred thickness of at least 5 mm achieving almost ideal performance in this regard.

[0025] The spacer fabric of the fire protection clothing according to the invention is formed from a spacer fabric. The spacer fabric advantageously comprises two knitted or warp-knitted fabric layers and a plurality of filaments interwoven with both fabric layers. The filaments ensure the cohesion between the two fabric layers and space the first from the second. The spacing of the knitted fabric layers creates the third-dimensional expansion of the spacer fabric. Air can circulate freely in the space between the fabric layers, thus supporting the breathability of the spacer fabric. Furthermore, the use of filaments as a connection between the parallel fabric layers ensures the dimensional stability of the spacer fabric, as the filaments always attempt to maintain the distance between the fabric layers.This means that when the spacer fabric is subjected to stress and deformation, the distance between the two layers of fabric is reduced. However, when the stress is removed, the original distance between the fabric layers is restored thanks to the filaments. The use of filaments also makes it possible to adjust or determine the resistance of the spacer fabric to its own deformation. A higher density of filaments ensures greater resistance to deformation of the spacer fabric, which reduces the distance between the parallel fabric layers.

[0026] The filaments are preferably monofilaments, preferably made of polyetheretherketone. Monofilaments have a small diameter because they consist of only a single thread. The monofilaments in the spacer fabric achieve the required strength while maintaining the lowest possible mass, which in turn reduces the overall weight of the spacer fabric. The fire protection clothing is intended for use by firefighters. The clothing must therefore meet certain standards to even be considered for use by firefighters. One standard that specifies the required heat transfer of fire protection clothing is EN 469. The fire protection clothing according to the invention is preferably designed to meet the minimum requirements of EN 469 regarding heat transfer, water resistance, and breathability.Since EN 469 is a standard, compliance with the requirements is recognized with a certificate. Thus, the fire protection clothing according to the invention is ideally certified according to EN 469.

[0027] Even more preferably, the fire protection clothing meets all the requirements of the EN 469 standard.

[0028] The comfort of a garment depends to a large extent on its weight. The smaller the weight of the garment, the greater the comfort. Therefore, the smallest possible weight is preferable, especially for garments that involve frequent and sustained movements. Fire protection clothing should ideally have a maximum weight of 2 kg, preferably 1.7 kg.

[0029] The spacer fabric is designed to be placed between the inner lining and the outer fabric. Preferably, the spacer fabric is attached to the inner lining. This allows the spacer fabric's gravity to act on the inner lining. Furthermore, placing it on the inner lining ensures correct positioning in relation to the relevant body areas, such as the back, shoulders, and chest.

[0030] Preferably, the spacer fabric is sewn to the inner lining. The inner lining can be made of a textile that allows additional textiles to be sewn on, as the inner lining is also not exposed to external influences. Sewing it to the outer fabric is not desirable because, for example, for clothing meeting performance level 2 of EN 469, a membrane must be installed between the inner lining and outer fabric. Only when the spacer fabric is attached to the inner lining does it increase the distance between the inner lining and the membrane and outer fabric, thereby improving air circulation. Attaching the spacer fabric to the outer fabric would improve thermal insulation, but it would not improve air circulation for the wearer, as the membrane largely interrupts air circulation.

[0031] The spacer fabric is intended to be attached to the area of ​​the fire protection clothing where the gravitational force of an object being worn is exerted on the person wearing the fire protection clothing. These areas are generally located in the upper section of the fire protection clothing. The spacer fabric is preferably attached to the upper half of the fire protection clothing. Attaching a spacer fabric to the lower half of the fire protection clothing does not improve wearer comfort.

[0032] The optional features mentioned can be implemented in any combination, provided they are not mutually exclusive. In particular, where preferred ranges are specified, further preferred ranges result from combinations of the minimums and maximums specified in the ranges.

[0033] The standard EN 469

[0034] The EN 469 standard specifies minimum requirements for protective clothing to be worn during firefighting and related activities, such as rescue work or disaster relief.

[0035] The standard contains regulations on the design of the clothing, the basic performance levels of the materials used, and the test methods to be used to determine these performance levels. The standard specifies the requirements

[0036] • Heat transfer "flame" (Xf),

[0037] • Heat transfer "radiation" (Xr),

[0038] • Water resistance (Y),

[0039] • Water vapor transmission resistance (Z), two performance levels are given - level 1 is the lower level, level 2 is the higher level.

[0040] The selection of the appropriate performance level depends on the results of a risk assessment.

[0041] The perception of pain and the degree of damage to human tissue are crucial for assessing the protective effect of materials against heat exposure. The transition from the pain threshold to a second-degree burn can be determined by testing heat transfer during exposure to flames or thermal radiation, and the data obtained can be presented in a "limit curve." Laboratory methods only allow for the objective classification of the materials used.

[0042] The material sample for testing is a complete fabric sample of all materials used and bonded to the suit (material composite). It is therefore constructed as it would be in the ready-to-use protective suit. During the test, a gas burner heats the outside of this material sample with an energy quantity (heat flux density) of 80 kW / m 2[kW = kilowatt] is applied, and the temperature rise and the time required for this rise are measured on the side facing away from the flame. From this data, the heat transfer index (HTI) is determined. This index is an indicator of relative protection against heat exposure.

[0043] The heat transfer indices HTI 12 and HTI 24 are crucial for material evaluation. HTI 12 corresponds to a temperature increase on the back of the sample of 12 K [K = Kelvin], which is approximately the pain threshold on the skin. HTI 24 represents a temperature increase of 24 K, which can cause a second-degree burn on human skin. The time difference between the pain threshold (HTI 12) and the second-degree burn (HTI 24) is represented by the index HTI 24 - HTI 12.

[0044] To classify protective clothing as Performance Level 1, it requires, among other things, a heat transfer index of HTI 24 > 9.0. This means that the threshold value for a theoretical second-degree burn on the skin may be reached after at least 9 seconds of flame exposure. For Performance Level 1, HTI 24 - HTI 12 > 3.0 must be achieved, meaning the time between the first perception of pain and the onset of a second-degree burn must be at least 3 seconds. Fire protection clothing is exposed to varying levels of thermal radiation during training and operations. This can be low radiation intensity over a longer period or high radiation intensity over a relatively short period.

[0045] During the test, the material sample is exposed to heat radiation of 40 kW / m 2exposed and the temperature rise on the side facing away from the radiation source is determined up to an empirical limit RHTI 12 (which corresponds approximately to the pain threshold on human skin) and RHTI 24 (at which a second-degree burn is possible)

[0046] The indices according to the EN 469 standard are shown in the following table.

[0047] Water resistance (Y)

[0048] The water resistance test is performed using a hydrostatic pressure test. A sample is clamped over a container filled with water and subjected to steadily increasing water pressure on one side until water penetrates at some point on the sample. The pressure at which water first penetrates the fabric is the measure of water resistance.

[0049] Test samples must be taken from areas subject to particularly high stress (e.g., shoulder seams). The layer providing resistance to water penetration (including the seams) must achieve one of the following levels during the test: Protective clothing that does not have a waterproof component (e.g. a moisture barrier) in its layered construction is not waterproof and therefore cannot achieve performance level 2.

[0050] Water vapor resistance (Z)

[0051] Firefighters often have to perform physically demanding and occasionally mentally stressful work while wearing protective clothing, sometimes in extreme heat. This causes firefighters to sweat. Therefore, it is important that protective clothing wicks away the water vapor produced by perspiration as freely as possible, i.e., it must have good water vapor permeability.

[0052] Essentially, this is a diffusion process in which the water vapor molecules produced on the body during sweat evaporation migrate through the pores of the textiles from the body into the environment. This migration occurs due to the difference in water vapor partial pressure (humidity difference) between the body surface and the environment and is measured in Pascal [Pa]. Generally, the smaller the specified m, the higher the 2The higher the Pa / W value, the more water vapor (sweat) can diffuse through the membrane to the outside.

[0053] The test of the fire protection clothing must achieve one of the following values ​​for water vapor transmission resistance:

[0054] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE CHARACTERS

[0055] The invention is described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings. The preferred features mentioned can be implemented in any combination, provided they are not mutually exclusive. They are shown in a schematic representation, not to scale: Figure 1: a front view of a fire protection dress according to the invention;

[0056] Figure 2: a rear view of the fire protection dress from Figure 1;

[0057] Figure 3: a front view of a person wearing the fire protection clothing;

[0058] Figure 4: a rear view of the person in Figure 3;

[0059] Figure 5: a side view of the person from Figures 3 and 4;

[0060] Figure 6: a perspective view of a spacer fabric.

[0061] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0062] In the following, identical reference numerals refer to identical or functionally identical elements (in different figures). An additional apostrophe may be used to distinguish identical or functionally identical or functionally similar elements in a further embodiment.

[0063] Figures 1 to 5 show a fire protection clothing 11 according to the invention from different perspectives. The outer fabric of the fire protection clothing is not shown, so that only the inner lining 13 and the spacer textile 15 attached thereto, which is formed by a spacer fabric, are visible.

[0064] The fire protection clothing 11 shown has the shape of a vest in the version shown, with arm extensions 17 projecting over the shoulder area.

[0065] Figure 1 shows a front view of the fire protection clothing 11. The spacer fabric 15 is formed by the hatched areas. The spacer fabric 11 covers the shoulder 19 and chest 21 areas, as well as the upper arm areas 23 of the fire protection clothing.

[0066] Figure 2 shows the fire protection cladding 11 from behind. The spacer fabric

[0067] 15 covers the upper back and shoulder areas. This view shows that the spacer fabric 15 covering the shoulders 19, back 23, and chest 21 is a single piece in the illustrated embodiment. The spacer fabrics 15', 15" on the upper arm areas 25 are separate. This increases the flexibility when wearing the fire protection clothing 11. It is also conceivable that the spacer fabric 15 covering the shoulders 19, back 23, and chest 21 is formed from multiple pieces.

[0068] The spacer fabric 15', 15" on the upper arm areas 25 has a trapezoidal base. The smaller of the parallel sides of the trapezoid is the upper edge of the spacer fabric with respect to the fire protection clothing.

[0069] In both the chest 21 and back 23 areas, the spacer fabric 15 covers a portion of the upper third or upper half of the fire protection clothing 11. This is because the spacer fabric 15 is preferably attached to locations on the fire protection clothing 11 where gravity can be exerted on a person when carrying an object. These locations are generally located in the upper section of the fire protection clothing 11. The spacer fabric 15 is arranged on the fire protection clothing 11 in such a way that the freedom of movement of the person wearing the fire protection clothing 11 is not restricted.

[0070] The fire protection clothing 11 has a continuous opening 27 from top to bottom at the front. Thus, the fire protection clothing 11 can be put on by a person like a jacket by inserting their arms into the side openings 29. To ensure the continuous opening 27 at the front, the spacer fabric 15 must be separated at the front of the fire protection clothing 11. Figure 1 clearly shows that the spacer fabric 15 at the front of the fire protection clothing 11 does not extend across its entire width, but is divided in the middle of the fire protection clothing 11.

[0071] In Figures 3 and 4, a person or mannequin wears the inventive fire protection clothing 11. The views in these figures illustrate both the proportions of the spacer fabric 15 and its placement on the fire protection clothing. In Figure 5, the person wearing the inventive fire protection clothing 11 is shown from the side. The side openings 29 of the fire protection clothing 11 for passing the arms of the person shown are clearly visible. The spacer fabric 15 extends from the back area 23 over the shoulder area 19 to the chest area 21 of the fire protection clothing. The arm extension 17 is attached to the upper edge of the side opening 29 with a separate spacer fabric 15'. The arm extension 17 covers a portion of the upper arm of the respective person.

[0072] A perspective view of a spacer fabric 15 is shown in Figure 6. The spacer fabric 15 comprises two flat layers 31, 31', which are arranged parallel to one another. The layers 31, 31' are connected to one another by means of filaments 33, wherein the filaments 33 in the form of connecting threads keep the two flat layers 31, 31' at a constant distance from one another. They prevent the two layers from either coming closer to or moving away from one another. The figure shows that the spacer fabric 15 has a plurality of filaments 33, which are arranged essentially perpendicular to the flat layers 31, 31'. The two flat layers 31, 31' can be knitted or warp-knitted, wherein in both cases they are essentially formed by stitches 35. The meshes 35 are represented in Figure 6 by the recesses evenly distributed across the flat layers 31, 31'. Each of these recesses can be considered a mesh.The recesses in both flat layers 31, 31' of a spacer fabric create a direct air connection between its interior and exterior, resulting in the air permeability of the spacer fabric 15. The air can flow within the spacer fabric 15 parallel to the flat layers 31, 31' as well as perpendicular to them without experiencing significant resistance.

[0073] While specific embodiments have been described above, it is obvious that various combinations of the illustrated embodiments may be used, provided the embodiments are not mutually exclusive.

[0074] 11 Fire protection dress

[0075] 13 inner lining

[0076] 15 spacer textile

[0077] 17 Arm extension

[0078] 19 Shoulder area

[0079] 21 Chest area

[0080] 23 Back area

[0081] 25 Upper arm area

[0082] 27 Continuous opening

[0083] 29 Side opening

[0084] 31 Surface layer of the spacer fabric

[0085] 33 filaments

[0086] 35 stitches

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Fire protection clothing (11) which at least partially covers the upper body of a person, comprising an inner lining (13) and an outer fabric, and a spacer textile (15) which at least partially covers the back (23), shoulder (19), chest (21), upper arm (25) and / or neck area of ​​the fire protection clothing, wherein the inner lining (13), the spacer textile (15) and the outer fabric are made of flame-retardant material, and the fire protection clothing meets the minimum requirements of standard EN 469 for heat transfer, characterized in that the spacer textile (15) is formed by a spacer fabric.

2. Fire protection clothing according to claim 1, characterized in that the spacer textile (15) is arranged between the inner lining (13) and the outer fabric.

3. Fire protection clothing according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the fibers of the inner lining (13), spacer textile (15) and outer fabric comprise aramid yarn.

4. Fire protection clothing according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the fire protection clothing (11) consists of a single piece of clothing.

5. Fire protection clothing according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a membrane is arranged between the outer fabric and the inner lining (13).

6. Fire protection clothing according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the spacer textile (15) has a thickness of at least 3 mm, preferably of at least 5 mm.

7. Fire protection clothing according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the spacer fabric (15) has two knitted or warp-knitted fabric layers (31) and a plurality of filaments (33) which are warp-knitted or warp-knitted with both fabric layers.

8. Fire protection clothing according to claim 7, characterized in that the filaments space the first knitted fabric layer (31) and the second knitted fabric layer (31') apart from each other.

9. Fire protection clothing according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the filaments (33) are monofilaments, preferably made of polyetheretherketone.

10. Fire protection clothing according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the fire protection clothing (11) meets the minimum requirements of the EN 469 standard for water resistance and breathability.

11. Fire protection clothing according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the fire protection clothing (11) has a mass of maximum 2 kg, preferably of maximum 1.7 kg.

12. Fire protection clothing according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the spacer fabric (15) is attached to the inner lining (13).

13. Fire protection clothing according to claim 12, characterized in that the spacer fabric (15) is sewn to the inner lining (13).

14. Fire protection clothing (II) according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the spacer fabric (15) is attached in the upper half of the fire protection clothing (11).

15. Fire protection clothing according to claim 10, characterized in that the fire protection clothing (11) meets all the requirements of standard EN 469.

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