Cooling garment

Abstract

To provide a cooling garment which allows a user to replenish chilled water from a supply bag of a hydration system at desired timing while wearing the garment.SOLUTION: A hose 69 of a hydration system 59 is inserted through insertion type guide parts 33, 33,... and the base end side thereof is inserted into a cooling pocket 15 from an opening part 15c. Water is put in a supply bag 61, and the bag is sealed in a state in which the hose 69 is connected to a hose connection part 67 of the supply bag 61, and then the bag is placed on a cooling bag 41 of the cooling pocket 15. If a fastener 17 of the cooling pocket 15 is closed, the hydration system 59 is incorporated into a cooling vest 1. When the cooling vest 1 is worn in the same way as a normal vest and a pump 55 is operated, the body is cooled from the outside by water circulating inside a tube 39. Cold drinkable water is available from the supply bag 61 of the hydration system 59.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling garment suitable for use in a work site in a high-temperature environment or the like.

Background Art

[0002] A frozen plastic bottle is housed in a housing portion provided on the back side of the garment body of the cooling garment described in Patent Document 1. Further, a tube is laid on the inner surface of the garment body in an exposed state, and both ends of this tube are connected to the housing portion and communicate with each other. By utilizing the operation of a pump, water cooled by the plastic bottle in the housing portion flows into the tube, circulates along the inner surface of the garment body in the tube, and then returns to the housing portion to be cooled again. The body of the person wearing the cooling garment is cooled by the water circulating in the tube.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, as described in Patent Document 2, a hydration system is known in which a supply bag (water pack) with a tube having a drinking mouth is stored in a sack or the main body of a vest, and only the tube is taken out so that water can be replenished without taking out the supply bag from the sack or the main body of the vest even during mountain climbing or running. However, even if the supply bag is filled with cold water with ice, it will quickly become warm in summer and will not be felt delicious. On the other hand, when it is cooled, condensation occurs first and the inside of the sack or the like becomes easily wet, so it is necessary to wrap it with a towel or make the sack or the like waterproof. Thus, various special specifications are required when trying to replenish water in a cooled state.

[0005] It is considered that by not only cooling the body from the outside by wearing cooling clothes but also appropriately replenishing water to cool from the inside, it is effective in reducing the burden on the operator in work in a high-temperature environment such as in summer. The present invention aims to provide a novel and useful cooling garment that can incorporate a hydration system by making good use of the configuration on the garment body side of the cooling garment, and can replenish cold water from the supply bag of the hydration system at a desired timing while wearing the cooling garment.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and includes a clothing body, a waterproof pocket provided at the back of the clothing body, a cooling bag provided in the pocket and accommodating a cold storage body in a freely insertable and removable manner, a flow path exposed on the inner surface side of the clothing body and having both ends connected to the cooling bag by a tube, and a pump attached to the tube. By the operation of the pump, a cooling fluid circulation path is configured in which the cooling fluid flowing into the cooling bag from one end side of the tube is cooled by the cold storage body and then returned to the other end side of the tube and circulated through the flow path. In the cooling clothing, the pocket is open at both shoulder sides, and a plurality of insertion type guide portions are respectively provided on the outer surfaces of both front parts of the clothing body. The opening and the insertion type guide portion provided below the opening can be selectively used for pulling out the cable of the pump and for pulling out a hose connected to a supply bag accommodated in the pocket together with the cooling bag of the hydration system.

[0007] Preferably, the cooling bag is in the shape of a flat bag, and a flat cold storage body is accommodated therein to maintain a flat bag surface. The supply bag of the hydration system is also in the shape of a flat bag and is accommodated in the pocket in a state where its bag surface is sandwiched between the inner surface of the pocket and the bag surface of the cooling bag. Preferably, the pocket has a flap-shaped lid portion with the lower side as the base end on the outer surface side, and is opened and closed with respect to the rest by a fastener connection. Preferably, pockets are provided at the lower parts of the outer surfaces of both front parts of the clothing body, and a controller connected to a cable and the drinking port side of the tip of a hose of a hydration system can be accommodated.

[0008] Preferably, the cold storage body accommodated in the cooling bag is composed of a rigid plastic flat rectangular box-shaped container with a lid and a freezable liquid sealed in the container. Preferably, the container has a structure capable of absorbing the expansion during liquid freezing.

Effects of the Invention

[0009] While wearing the cooling clothing of the present invention, cold water can be replenished from the replenishment bag of the hydration system at a desired timing.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] The cooling clothing according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the cooling clothing is a vest-type cooling vest 1, and its clothing body 3 is made of a synthetic fiber fabric such as nylon or polyester. The back part 5 and the left and right front parts 7 and 9 are connected via the shoulders and are made of a breathable mesh-like fabric. The underarm portions between around the left front body part 7 and around the back body part 5, and the underarm portions between around the right front body part 9 and around the back body part 5 are each connected by a belt 11, and the portion between around the left front body part 7 and around the right front body part 9 is also connected by a similar belt 12.

[0012] With respect to around the back body part 5, the bag surface parts 13a and 13b are overlapped from the outer surface side and sewn together with around the back body part 5 to form a cooling pocket 15. The bag surface part 13b is cut into a tongue shape upward to form a flap-like lid part 15b of the cooling pocket 15, and the lower side is continuously provided with respect to the remaining pocket main body 15a with the base end. The flap-like lid part 15b is opened and closed by a fastener 17 provided at each edge with respect to the pocket main body 15a side. At the upper end inside the pocket main body 15a, one end sides of short belts 16a are sewn at intervals in the left-right direction. A concave part and a convex part of a snap button 16b are attached to the middle side and the other end side of each belt 16a. By this concave-convex engagement, a ring is formed to become a suspension part 16. Also, the bag surface part 13c is overlapped from the outer surface side and sewn together with the bag surface part 13b to form a pump pocket 19, and it is opened and closed by a fastener 21. A net-like bag surface part 13d is sewn on the inner surface of the flap-like lid part 15b to form an inner pocket 23 that opens upward.

[0013] The bag surface part 13a has one side made of a single waterproof sheet with a waterproof design, and the inner surface of the cooling pocket 15 is formed on the side of this waterproof surface. The bag surface part 13b has one side made of a single waterproof sheet with a waterproof design in the same way as the bag surface part 13a. However, the other side is configured in the same way as the bag surface part 13a above the fastener 21 and on both the left and right sides, but is made of a waterproof sheet on the lower part than the fastener 21 in the same way as one side. And the inner surface of the cooling pocket 15 is formed on the side of this waterproof surface. Also, the bag surface part 13c is configured in the same way as the bag surface part 13a, and the inner surface of the pump pocket 19 is formed between the side of the waterproof surface of the bag surface part 13c and the side of the waterproof surface of the bag surface part 13b. Since the fastener 21 is provided at the upper end of the waterproof sheet of the bag surface part 13b, when the fastener 21 is closed, the waterproof sheet is hidden and the outer surface side appears to be covered with a kind of fabric material.

[0014] Insertion guide parts 25, 25,... are attached to the inner surface side of the clothing body 3. The insertion guide part 25 has both ends of a rubber belt sewn to form an annular shape. The inner surface side of the clothing body 3 and the cooling pocket 15 communicate with each other through an insertion hole 27, and the cooling pocket 15 and the pump pocket 19 communicate with each other through insertion holes 29 and 31. Also, the cooling pocket 15 has not only the above-mentioned flap-shaped lid part 15b, but also at both shoulders, the edges of the bag surface part 13b are separated from the edges of the bag surface part 13a, and openings 15c, 15c are formed. On the outer surfaces of the left and right front parts 7, 9 of the clothing body 3, insertion guide parts 33, 33,... are attached with the same configuration as the insertion guide part 25. And storage pockets 35 are respectively provided at the lower parts of the front parts 7, 9. This storage pocket 35 is formed by overlapping two bag surface parts. The front bag surface part 35a is made of the same material as the front side of the bag surface part 13b of the cooling pocket 15. Also, the back bag surface part 35b has a waterproof design. The storage pocket 35 is opened and closed by a fastener 37. The fastener 37 extends in an L shape from the side to the inner side in the left-right direction and then downward.

[0015] The side of the clothing body 3 is configured as described above, and a cooling fluid circulation mechanism using the tube 39 as a cooling portion is incorporated. The tube 39 is made of plastic and is flexible. It is sequentially inserted into the insertion-type guide portions 25, 25,... and is in a state of meandering along the inner surface side, and is covered by the tube 39 with the inner surface side exposed over the entire surface. This meandering portion comes into contact with the upper garment of the wearer when the clothing body 3 is worn.

[0016] Both ends of the tube 39 are passed through the insertion holes 27 and enter the cooling pocket 15. The cooling pocket 15 houses a cooling bag 41 made of a flexible plastic material and having an open upper side. As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, this cooling bag 41 is formed into a flat bag shape of a vertically long rectangle with three sides sealed. A zipper 43 is provided on the bag mouth 41a side of this cooling bag 41. Also, on one bag surface portion 41b, a part of a plastic stopper 45 is fixed below the zipper 43. The rod 45a and the perforated piece 45b are integrally formed. On the other bag surface portion 41c, the lower base end side of the flap piece 47 is sealed and continuously provided below the zipper 43. Insertion holes 47a, 47a are provided in the flap piece 47 at intervals in the left-right direction. Note that the other part of the stopper 45 is separate. A groove 45d for fitting the rod 45a is formed in the long and narrow clip 45c. Also, a perforated piece 45e is continuously provided.

[0017] When the bag mouth 41a is closed and folded back in a direction to wrap the rod 45a, and passed through together with the bag surface portions 41b, 41c that wrap the rod 45a in the groove 45d of the clip 45c, the bag surface portions 41b, 41c are clamped and adhered at the folded-back portion, so the bag mouth 41a is closed. The cooling bag 41 is doubly locked in combination with the zipper 43. When this is locked, the clip 45c covers the upper edge of the flap piece 47, but since it is in a flap shape, it can be separated from the clip 45c. In this cooling bag 41, a heat-insulating body is removably accommodated. As shown in FIG. 8, this heat-insulating body is constituted by a container 49 filled with a freezable liquid (water in this embodiment), and the container 49 has a flat rectangular box shape. This container 49 is made of rigid plastic (polyethylene (PE) in this embodiment), and is formed into a flat rectangular box shape with a thin wall, and a pair of main surface portions 49a, 49a with a large area are accommodated in a standing posture facing the bag surface portions 41b, 41c of the cooling bag 41.

[0018] This container 49 is blow-molded, and raised portions 49c, 49c that bulge to the left and right of the mouth tube portion 49b are provided. Further, a rib 49d that protrudes in the container 49 in the orthogonal direction from one main surface portion 49a toward the other main surface portion 49a is provided, and a rib 49d is similarly provided from the other main surface portion 49a, and the tops of the ribs 49d and 49d are integrated at the center. A pair of ribs 49d are provided on the main surface portion 49a at intervals in the left-right direction. Along with the formation of the rib 49d on the outer surface of the container 49, grooves that extend long in the vertical direction appear. The mouth tube portion 49b of the container 49 is doubly sealed with a fitting-type inner lid portion 51 and a screwed cover portion 53.

[0019] When a freezable liquid, usually water, is put into the container 49 and the lid is closed, the liquid expands when it freezes. However, due to the presence of the rib 49d, the main surface portion 49a is less likely to warp, and the bulging of the main surface portion 49a is suppressed. Then, the freezing expansion is guided to the raised portion 49c. When the liquid is put into the container 49, even if it is filled to the maximum, the raised portion 49c is hollow and filled with air. Since air is compressible, the expansion amount when the liquid is frozen can enter. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, even if the liquid is put into the container 49, frozen, and expands by freezing, the container 49 does not deform and remains in a flat state. Therefore, the bag surface portions 41b, 41c of the cooling bag 41 are substantially flat surfaces. The cooling bag 41 is accommodated in the cooling pocket 15 in a suspended state with the insertion holes 47a, 47a inserted into the pair of ring portions of the suspension part 16 respectively. Due to this suspension, even if the wearer of the cooling vest 1 moves, the cooling bag 41 does not move within the cooling pocket 15.

[0020] One end side of the tube 39 that has entered the cooling pocket 15 is connected to the cooling bag 41 at its upper part. The other end side of the tube 39 is further passed through the insertion hole 29 and drawn out into the pump pocket 19. Then, after the pump 55 is attached, it is returned into the cooling pocket 15 through the insertion hole 29 and connected to the cooling bag 41 at its lower part. An L-shaped tube connection part 41d is attached to the cooling bag 41, and the tube 39 is connected at a part parallel to the bag surfaces 41b, 41c. The cable 55a of the pump 55 is passed through the insertion hole 31, enters the inside of the cooling pocket 15, is drawn out from the opening 15c on the left front body side around 7, and is guided through the insertion type guide parts 33, 33,.... A portable controller 57 is detachably connected to the connector 55b at the tip of the cable 55a. By manually operating the operation part provided on this controller 57, the operation / stop of the pump 55 is controlled. The controller 57 can be accommodated in the accommodation pocket 35 and taken out when operating.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 7, the cooling bag 41 is taken out and opened while being connected to the tube from the cooling pocket 15, and water (W) as a cooling fluid is also put in together with the cold insulation body. Then, after double-locking with the zipper 43 and the stopper 45, it is accommodated in the cooling pocket 15. Also, it is put in a suspended state on the suspension part 16. When the pump 55 is operated, the water (W) flowing into the cooling bag 41 from one end side of the tube 39 becomes water droplets, contacts the outer surface of the container 49, is cooled while sliding down and dripping, and is accumulated at the bottom side. Further, a cooling fluid circulation path is configured to return from there to the other end side of the tube 39 and circulate. Since water flows out from the lower part of the cooling bag 41 into the tube 39, the water (W) in the cooling bag 41 only needs to fill the entire tube 39 and maintain a water level that always exceeds the opening of the tube connection part 41d at the lower part of the cooling bag 41.

[0022] The feature of the present invention is the use of the hydration system 59. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the hydration system 59 is of a bag type. The supply bag 61, similar to the cooling bag 41, is made of a flexible plastic material and formed into a flat bag shape with an open upper side. And it is double-locked with a zipper 63 and a stopper 65. This stopper 65 is configured in the same way as the separate body of the stopper 45, with a grooved clip 65a and a perforated piece 65b connected in series. By folding the bag mouth side and passing the folded part through the groove of the clip 65a, the supply bag 61 is sealed. As shown in FIG. 2, a hose 69 is detachably attached via a hose connection part 67 attached to this supply bag 61. As shown in FIG. 3, a drinking port 71 is attached to the tip of this hose 69. This drinking port 71 is of the biting and sucking type. The drinking port 71 is covered with a rubber cap 73 when not in use.

[0023] This hose 69 is pulled out from the opening 15c on the right front body side around 9, inserted through the insertion-type guide parts 33, 33,... and guided. In a state where it is not easy to flutter, the drinking port 71 side is hanging down. By grasping it with the right hand, removing the cap 73 with one touch and bringing it to the mouth, the water contained in the supply bag 61 can be drunk for moisture replenishment. Also, when the supply bag 61 becomes empty or when the hydration system 59 is not used hereafter even when wearing the cooling vest 1, the drinking port 71 side may be stored in the storage pocket 35. Another cold-insulating body may be stored in the inner pocket 23 to enhance the cooling effect. Incidentally, since the opening 15c, the insertion type guide portions 33, 33,... are similarly provided on the left front body side as well, depending on the circumstances such as the dominant hand of the wearer, the cable 55a of the pump 55 may be switched left and right, and the hose 69 may be drawn out to the left front body side.

[0024] When incorporating the hydration system 59 into the cooling vest 1, the hose 69 is inserted through the insertion type guide portions 33, 33,... in advance, and the proximal end side thereof is inserted into the cooling pocket 15 from the opening 15c. Then, with the proximal end side of the hose 69 connected to the hose connection portion 67 of the supply bag 61, after filling the supply bag 61 with water and sealing it, it is placed on the cooling bag 41 of the cooling pocket 15. Then, when the cooling pocket 15 is closed, as shown in FIG. 1, the bag surface of the supply bag 61 is sandwiched between the bag surface portion 41b of the cooling bag 41 and the inner surface of the cooling pocket 15, ensuring a large contact area with the cooling bag 41, and the water in the supply bag 61 is easily cooled. By closing the fastener 17 of the cooling pocket 15 in this way, the hydration system 59 is stably incorporated into the cooling vest 1. Since the cooling vest 1 does not bulge on the back side like a normal vest, it is possible to carry a bag for storing luggage on it.

[0025] As described above, when the cooling vest 1 is worn in the same manner as a normal vest and the pump 55 is operated, the body is cooled from the outside by the water circulating in the tube 39. Also, cold water can be drunk from the supply bag 61 of the hydration system 59. In this way, the functions required for the clothing body of the cooling clothing are well utilized when incorporating the hydration system 59, and it is possible to always drink cold water from the supply bag 61.

[0026] The cooling vest 101 according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. The cooling vest 101 includes a clothing body 3, a cooling pocket 15, and a pump pocket 19, which are the same as those of the cooling vest 1 according to the first embodiment. However, the flow path is not formed by the tube 33, but by using two overlapping synthetic resin sheets 103, 103. The two synthetic resin sheets 103, 103 are linearly heat-sealed and joined. Two seal lines 105, 105 extend substantially parallel to each other, and an elongated space is formed between the two seal lines 105, 105. This space serves as the flow path 107. The flow path 107 extends in a continuous, meandering manner.

[0027] Since the two overlapping synthetic resin sheets 103, 103 form the cooling lining 109, they are overlapped on the inner surface side of the clothing body 3, which serves as the outer fabric, and attached with snap buttons 111. Tube connection parts are integrally formed on both end portions 107a, 107a of the flow path 107 on the side opposite to the outer fabric. One end of a tube is connected to one of the tube connection parts, and the other end of this tube enters the cooling pocket 15 through the insertion hole 113. The tube connected to the other tube connection part is the same. In this way, these tubes are connected to the supply bag 61 in the same manner as the tube 39 used in the cooling vest 1.

[0028] As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail. However, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and design changes and the like within the scope not departing from the gist of the present invention are also included in the invention. For example, the way the tube 39 is routed and the routing density, as well as the way the continuous extension of the flow path 107 is arranged, may be optimized according to the body size of the clothing body 3 and the like. Also, the closing means only needs to achieve the expected closing function and is not limited to the stopper 65. The hydration system 59 only needs to be able to accommodate the supply bag 61 together with the cooling bag 41 in the cooling pocket 15 and the hose 69 to be able to pass through the insertion-type guide portion 33, and various commercially available products can be used. Also, the content of the supply bag 61 is not limited to water. Furthermore, by placing the container 49 in the cooling bag 41, it is possible to suppress the unnatural swelling on the back side when wearing the cooling garment 1. However, the size of the container 49 only needs to be such that it can be placed in the cooling bag 41 and ensure the flow of the cooling fluid, so its size can be changed. Also, if you don't mind the swelling on the back side, you can put a PET bottle in it. In addition, by placing the PET bottle in a two-up position instead of a one-up position, the swelling can be significantly suppressed.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0029] 1…Cooling vest 3…Garment body 5…Back area 7…Left front area 9…Right front area 11…Belt 12…Belt 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d…Bag surface part 15…Cooling pocket 15a…Pocket body 15b…Flap-shaped lid part 15c…Opening 16…Suspension part 16a…Belt 16b…Snap button 17…Fastener 19…Pump pocket 21…Fastener 23…Inner pocket 25…Insertion guide part 27, 29, 31…Insertion holes 33…Insertion guide part 35…Storage pocket 35a, 35b…Bag surface part 37…Fastener 39…Tube 41…Cooling bag 41a…Bag opening 41b, 41c…Bag surface part 41d…Tube connection part 43…Zipper 45…Closure 45a…Rod 45b…Perforated piece 45c…Clip 45d…Groove 45e…Perforated piece 47…Flap piece 47a…Insertion hole 49…Container 49a…Main surface part 49b…Mouth cylinder part 49c…Raised part 49d…Rib 51…Middle lid part 53…Cover lid part 55…Pump 55a…Cable 55b…Connector 57…Controller 59…Hydration system 61…Supply bag 63…Zipper 65…Fastener 65a…Clip 65b…Perforated piece 67…Hose connection 69…Hose 71…Drinking port 73…Cap 101…Cooling vest 103…Synthetic resin sheet 105…Sealing wire 107…Flow path 107a…(End of the) flow path 109…Cooling lining 111…Snap button 113…Insertion hole W…Water

Claims

1. A cooling garment comprising a clothing body, a waterproof pocket provided at the back of the clothing body, a cooling bag provided in the pocket and accommodating a cold storage body in a freely insertable and removable manner, a flow path exposed on the inner surface side of the clothing body and having both ends connected to the cooling bag by tubes, and a pump attached to the tube. When the pump operates, a cooling fluid circulation path is formed in which the cooling fluid flowing into the cooling bag from one end side of the tube is cooled by the cold storage body and then returned to the other end side of the tube and circulated through the flow path. The pocket is open at both shoulder sides, and a plurality of insertion guide portions are respectively provided on the outer surfaces of both front parts of the clothing body. The opening and the insertion guide portion provided below the opening can be selectively used for pulling out the cable of the pump and for pulling out a hose connected to a supply bag accommodated in the pocket together with the cooling bag of a hydration system. A cooling garment characterized by this.

2. In the cooling garment according to Claim 1, The cooling bag is in the shape of a flat bag, and a flat cold storage body is accommodated therein to maintain a flat bag surface. The supply bag of the hydration system is also in the shape of a flat bag and is accommodated in the pocket in a state where its bag surface is sandwiched between the inner surface of the pocket and the bag surface of the cooling bag. A cooling garment characterized by this.

3. In the cooling garment according to Claim 2, The pocket has a flap-shaped lid portion with the lower side as the base end on the outer surface side, and is opened and closed with respect to the rest by a fastener connection. A cooling garment characterized by this.

4. In the cooling garment according to Claim 2 or 3, Pockets are provided at the lower parts of the outer surfaces of both front parts of the clothing body, and a controller connected to a cable and the drinking port side of the tip of a hose of a hydration system can be accommodated. A cooling garment characterized by this.

5. In the cooling garment according to Claim 4, The cooling body contained in the cooling bag is characterized in that it is a cooling garment composed of a lid-closed container formed of rigid plastic into a flat rectangular box shape and a freezable liquid enclosed in the container. **Claim 6** In the cooling garment according to claim 5, The container is structured to absorb the expansion during liquid freezing, and is characterized as a cooling garment.

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