Cooling garment

Abstract

To provide a cooling garment capable of realizing a good cooling effect under a high temperature environment.SOLUTION: A cooling garment comprises: a garment body covering the back of a wearer and having a concave portion facing the spine of the wearer; and an electronic cooling part detachably attached to the concave portion and including a heat transfer plate facing the spine and an electronic cooling unit for cooling the heat transfer plate. The body of the wearer is cooled by the electronic cooling part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling garment capable of cooling the body of a wearer. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, heatstroke caused by working or exercising in high temperatures has become a problem. When heatstroke occurs, it is important to take appropriate measures as soon as possible, as delayed treatment can lead to death.

[0003] To prevent heatstroke and provide a comfortable working environment, air-conditioning clothing that allows workers to work while cooling their bodies is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This air-conditioning clothing includes an upper garment with openings in the left and right waist areas and electric fans attached to the openings. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 02 / 067708 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, because air-conditioning clothing draws in and circulates outside air, it does not provide a satisfactory cooling effect in high-temperature environments where the outside temperature exceeds 40°C.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cooling garment that can provide a good cooling effect in a high temperature environment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides: A main body that covers the back of the wearer and has a recess facing the back of the wearer; an electronic cooling unit that is detachably attached to the recess and includes a heat transfer plate facing the rear surface and an electronic cooling unit that cools the heat transfer plate; Cooling the wearer's body by the electronic cooling unit; To provide a cooling garment characterized by:

[0008] In the cooling garment of the present invention, it is preferable that the heat transfer plate extends along the spine of the wearer.

[0009] In addition, in the cooling garment of the present invention, it is preferable that the main body has a cover that can be opened and closed to cover the outer surface of the electronic cooling unit and that allows the exhaust heat of the electronic cooling unit to be released to the outside.

[0010] In the cooling garment of the present invention, the cover is preferably made of a mesh fabric. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, the wearer can obtain a good cooling effect in a high temperature environment. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a cooling garment 1 according to a representative embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1A and 1B are front and rear views of a cooling garment 1. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a view showing the cooling garment 1 with the bands 31 to 34 open. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the cooling garment 1 with the cover open. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the cooling garment 1 with the electronic cooling unit removed. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an electronic cooling unit. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the cooling garment 1 being worn. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Representative embodiments of the cooling garment according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to those shown in the drawings. Furthermore, since the drawings are intended to conceptually explain the present invention, dimensions, ratios, or numbers may be exaggerated or simplified as necessary to facilitate understanding. Furthermore, in the following description, identical or equivalent parts will be designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations may be omitted.

[0014] The cooling garment 1 cools the body of a wearer U. In this embodiment, the cooling garment 1 is a vest-type garment, but is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Fig. 1, the cooling garment 1 includes a main body 3 that is worn by a wearer U, and an electronic cooling unit 5 that is attached to the main body 3. Each of the components will be described in detail below.

[0015] As shown in Fig. 7(B), the main body 3 is a member that covers the back B of the wearer U. The main body 3 may be made of a breathable fabric such as a mesh fabric. The main body 3 has, for example, a double fabric structure, and allows the wires 9 to be inserted into the gap between the fabric layers.

[0016] 3(A) and 3(B), straps 31 to 34 extend from the main body 3 for fastening the main body 3, for example, around the arm of the wearer U. Hook-and-loop fasteners 31A to 34A are attached to the ends of the straps 31 to 34, and the main body 3 is attached to the wearer U by engaging the hook-and-loop fasteners 31A to 34A. The band-shaped bodies 31 and 32 are provided with a fastener 39 for detachably connecting them. As the fastener 39, for example, a strap or string having a length adjustment mechanism can be suitably used. The band-shaped body 31 may be provided with a locking portion 31B for detachably locking the switch S. The locking portion 31B may be, for example, a hook-and-loop fastener. The locking portion 31B may also be provided on the band-shaped bodies 32 to .

[0017] The main body 3 has a recess 35 facing (or opposing or facing) the back (rear face) of the wearer U (see FIG. 5). The recess 35 detachably receives the electronic cooling part 5. The recess 35 is open toward the wearer U. The recess 35 also extends along the spine S on the back (dorsal surface) of the wearer U, that is, in the substantially vertical (up-down) direction when the device is worn.

[0018] The recess 35 is provided with a holding portion 36 that holds the electronic cooling unit 5 within the recess 35. The holding portion 36 may have any mechanism that can hold the electronic cooling unit 5, but for example, it may be configured as an elastic member such as rubber attached to the edge of the recess 35. In this case, when the holding portion 36 is contracted, it can be shorter than the length of the outer periphery of the heat transfer plate of the electronic cooling unit 5 and can be extended to a length greater than the length of the outer periphery of the heat transfer plate. Therefore, the holding portion 36 can be fitted into a groove 54 formed in the electronic cooling unit 5.

[0019] The recess 35 is also provided with a fixing portion 37 that fixes the electronic cooling unit 5 in the recess 35. The fixing portion 37 ensures that the holding portion 36 holds the electronic cooling unit 5 in the recess 35. The fixing portion 37 may have any mechanism as long as it can reliably fix the electronic cooling unit 5 in the recess 35. For example, the fixing portion 37 may be configured as a strip-shaped hook-and-loop fastener that engages with an engaging portion 55 provided on the housing 53 of the electronic cooling unit 5.

[0020] 2, 4, and 5, the main body 3 has a cover 38 that can be opened and closed to cover the recess 35 or the outer surface of the electronic cooling unit 5. The cover 38 protects the electronic cooling unit 5 while allowing the exhaust heat of the electronic cooling unit 5 to be released to the outside. Any material may be used for the cover 38 as long as it can release the exhaust heat of the electronic cooling unit 5 to the outside, and for example, a mesh fabric is preferably used. The cover 38 is attached to the main body 3 by, for example, a slide fastener 38A so as to be openable and closable.

[0021] The main body 3 may have a pocket 40 on its outer surface. The pocket 40 may be provided, for example, on the upper and lower sides of the cover 38, and may contain an ice pack (not shown) and a portable power source 7. Storing an ice pack in the pocket 40 improves the cooling performance of the cooling garment 1. The pocket 40 can be opened and closed, for example, by a hook-and-loop fastener 40A.

[0022] As described above, the electronic cooling unit 5 for cooling the body of the wearer U is detachably attached to the recess 35 of the main body 3. The electronic cooling unit 5 is operated by a power source 7. The electronic cooling unit 5 can be turned on and off and its strength adjusted by a switch S attached to the band 31 or the shoulder, for example. Wiring 9 connecting the electronic cooling unit 5, the power source 7, and the switch S is passed through a cavity formed in the main body 3 (see FIG. 3(A)).

[0023] 6, the electronic cooling part 5 includes a heat transfer plate 51 facing the spine S of the wearer U, an electronic cooling unit 52 that cools the heat transfer plate 51, and an electric fan (not shown) that dissipates heat generated in the electronic cooling unit 52. The electronic cooling unit 52 and the electric fan are housed in a housing 53.

[0024] Specifically, the heat transfer plate 51 is a plate-shaped member exposed on the wearer U side from the main body 3. The heat transfer plate 51 is made of a metal material such as aluminum or an alloy thereof, but may also be made of a resin material or the like as long as it has sufficient heat conductivity.

[0025] The heat transfer plate 51 (electronic cooling unit 5) is preferably provided at a position facing the spine S of the wearer U. In particular, the heat transfer plate 51 is preferably placed along the spine S between the shoulder blades of the wearer U. In other words, the wearer U is cooled efficiently by using the electronic cooling unit 5 to cool the area around the shoulder blades, where heat is difficult to escape.

[0026] There are no particular limitations on the shape of the heat transfer plate 51, but it may be a substantially rectangular shape. In this case, the dimensions of the heat transfer plate 51 may be, for example, a width of 3 cm to 8 cm, a height of 3 cm to 5 cm, and a length of 10 cm to 20 cm.

[0027] Any device that can cool the heat transfer plate 51 using electricity may be used as the electronic cooling unit 52, but a Peltier element, for example, is preferably used. The electronic cooling unit 52 has a heat absorption capacity (cooling performance) sufficient to cool the body.

[0028] A groove 54 is formed between the heat transfer plate 51 and the housing 53. The holding portion 36 of the recess 35 is detachably fitted into the groove 54. Furthermore, an engagement portion 55 that engages with the fixing portion 37 of the main body 3 may be provided, for example, on the peripheral surface of the housing 53. The engagement portion 55 is, for example, a hole through which the fixing portion 37, which is a hook-and-loop fastener, is inserted.

[0029] Next, how to use the cooling garment 1 will be described. First, the cover 38 of the main body 3 is opened. The electronic cooling unit 5 is attached to the recess 35 of the main body 3, and the electronic cooling unit 5 is locked in the recess 35 by the holding unit 36. Furthermore, the electronic cooling unit 5 is fixed to the recess 35 by the fixing unit 37. Next, the electronic cooling unit 5, the power supply 7, and the switch S are connected by wires 9. The wires 9 are passed through the cavity in the main body 3 as much as possible so as not to be exposed to the outside as much as possible. Then, the cover 38 is closed. The cooling garment 1 is worn, and fastened to the body with the straps 31 to 34 and fasteners 39.

[0030] When the power supply 7 is turned on, the electronic cooling unit 5 is activated. That is, the electronic cooling unit 52 cools the heat transfer plate 51, and the cool air emitted from the heat transfer plate 51 cools the wearer U, particularly around the shoulder blades. This cooling action is not affected by the outside air temperature, so a sufficient cooling effect can be obtained even in a high-temperature environment. At this time, the heat exhausted from the electronic cooling unit 52 is discharged to the outside through the cover 38, and the heat does not build up inside the main body 3.

[0031] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and other improvements and modifications exist within the scope of the spirit and teachings of the claims. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that all such improvements and modifications are included within the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 1 cooling garment 3 Main unit 35 recess 5 Electronic cooling section 51 Heat Transfer Plate 52 Electronic Cooling Unit

Claims

1. A main body that covers the back of the wearer and has a recess facing the back of the wearer; an electronic cooling unit that is detachably attached to the recess and includes a heat transfer plate facing the rear surface and an electronic cooling unit that cools the heat transfer plate; Cooling the wearer's body by the electronic cooling unit; A cooling garment characterized by:

2. the heat transfer plate extends along the spine of the wearer; The cooling garment of claim 1 .

3. the main body has a cover that can be opened and closed to cover the outer surface of the electronic cooling unit and that allows exhaust heat from the electronic cooling unit to be released to the outside; The cooling garment of claim 1 .

4. The cover is made of a mesh fabric. The cooling garment of claim 3 .

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