Cooling clothes

Abstract

To provide a cooling garment in a cooling fluid circulation system, which does not become obstruction when a back is placed against a wall or a backrest of a chair without a bulging part being formed on a back side.SOLUTION: A tube 67 is laid on an inner face of a cooling vest 1 in an exposed state. A storage part 55 is attached to an outer face side of a back body 5 of the cooling vest 1, and a flat cold insulator H is stored in the storage part. The tube 67 is filled with water W. The water W in the tube 67 flows in as water droplets D from an upper side in the storage part 55 by operation of a pump 69, hits an outer face of the flat cold insulator H, is cooled in a process of falling while sliding down, and returns into the tube 67 from an outflow port at a lower side. Since the flat cold insulator H is used, a bulging part is not formed on a back side of a wearing person, and inconvenience that the vest becomes obstruction can be avoided in a case in which the back is placed against a wall and a backrest of a chair.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to cooling clothing suitable for use at work sites in high-temperature environments and the like.

Background Art

[0002] In order to reduce the burden on workers during work in high-temperature environments such as summer, the cooling clothing described in Patent Document 1 has been proposed. A storage part is attached to the outer surface side of the back part of this cooling clothing, and the storage part is stored inside a pocket provided at the back part of the cooling clothing. A large circular opening is formed on one surface of the storage part, and an opening of the same shape and size is also formed in the pocket. Then, with the edges of the openings aligned, they are overlapped, and a base is attached to the overlapped edge, so that the storage part is coupled to the pocket via the base. When the male screw part on the lid side is screwed into the female screw part of the base, the opening of the storage part is closed. A frozen plastic bottle is stored in the storage part through this opening. Also, a tube is laid on the inner surface of the cooling clothing in an exposed state. By the operation of a pump, the water in the tube flows into the storage part as water droplets from the upper side, is cooled while hitting the outer surface of the plastic bottle and sliding down, and returns to the tube through the lower outlet. The body of the person wearing the cooling clothing is cooled by the water circulating in the tube in this way.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, conventional cooling garments have a compartment for storing a plastic bottle, which causes the back of the garment to bulge. Consequently, a bulge is formed on the back of the person wearing the cooling garment, which can be a hindrance when leaning against a wall or the back of a chair. This invention was made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and aims to provide a cooling garment that does not form a bulge on the back side and does not get in the way when leaning your back against a wall or the back of a chair. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and provides a cooling garment comprising: a garment body; a pocket provided on the back of the garment body with an open upper end; a storage section provided in the pocket for storing a flat cooling material that can be easily inserted and removed while standing; a flexible tube exposed on the inner side of the garment body and laid in a meandering manner, with one end connected to the storage section at the top and the other end connected to the storage section at the bottom; a pump attached to the tube; and a pocket-storable controller that drives the pump upon manual operation, wherein, upon operation of the pump, a cooling fluid that flows from one end of the tube into the storage section comes into contact with the cooling material, is cooled as it slides down its outer surface and drips down, and is then returned to the other end of the tube, thereby forming a cooling fluid circulation path through the tube, The cooling garment is characterized in that the storage compartment is configured in the shape of a flat bag, and an opening is provided at its upper end for inserting and removing a flat, plate-shaped cooling element, and a closing mechanism is provided for closing the opening.

[0006] Preferably, the cooling garment is characterized by the cooling element being composed of a flat container filled with a freezable liquid.

[0007] Preferably, the cooling garment is characterized in that, in addition to an opening for inserting and removing a flat-plate-shaped cooling element, a separate opening for inserting and removing a PET bottle containing a freezable liquid is provided on the front of the storage section, a hole is formed on the front of the pocket to expose the PET bottle opening to the outside, and a closing means is provided to close the PET bottle opening from the outside of the pocket, and the storage section is configured to store a PET bottle in an upright position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, no bulge is formed on the back of the wearer, thus avoiding inconveniences such as getting in the way when leaning against a wall or the back of a chair. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a cooling vest according to the first embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the outside. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the cooling vest from the inside. [Figure 3] This figure shows the cooling vest from Figure 1 with its front panel opened and laid flat, viewed from the outside. [Figure 4] Figure 3 shows the cooling vest from the inside. [Figure 5] Figure 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the back support portion of the cooling vest shown. [Figure 6] Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram of the electrical coupling between the controller and the pump. [Figure 7] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the storage compartment of the cooling vest. [Figure 8] Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram of the cooling mechanism when a flat-plate-shaped cooling element is placed inside. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view of a cooling vest according to a second embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the outside. [Figure 10] Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the storage compartment of the cooling vest. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] A cooling garment according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 8. The cooling garment is a vest-type cooling vest 1, and the garment body 3 is made of synthetic fiber fabric such as nylon or polyester. The back panel 5 and the left and right front panels 7 and 9 are connected via the shoulder area 11 and are made of a breathable mesh-like fabric. In the underarm area between the left front panel 7 and the back panel 5, belts 13, 13 extending from the left front panel 7 and the back panel 5, respectively, are connected via a movable buckle 15 so that their length can be adjusted. The underarm area between the right front panel 9 and the back panel 5 is connected in a similar manner.

[0011] Between the left front panel 7 and the right front panel 9, belts 17, 17 extend from the left front panel 7 and the right front panel 9, respectively. A male buckle 19b is connected to the end of one belt 17, and a female buckle 19a is connected to the end of the other belt 17. The male buckle 19b is inserted into the female buckle 19a and locked in place, allowing for detachable connection. A pair of belts 17, 17 are provided in two tiers, upper and lower, and are detachably connected to each other.

[0012] Two pocket fabrics are overlapped from the outside, extending from the middle to the bottom of the left front panel 7, with their edges sewn to the edge of the left front panel 7. These two pocket fabrics form a patch-like pocket 21 made of a different fabric. This pocket 21 is opened and closed with a zipper 23 that extends horizontally. In addition, a patch-like pocket 25 made of the same fabric as the pocket 21 is attached to the outside of the pocket 21, overlapping it. This pocket 25 has an opening at the top, and its opening is located below the zipper 21. Above the pocket 21, both ends of a thick band sheet are sewn to the left front panel 7 so as to cross the left front panel 7, and an insertion-type guide section 27 is provided. It is similarly configured on the right front side around position 9 as well.

[0013] On the back around position 5, two pieces of pocket linings 29a and 29b are overlapped from the outer surface side, and their respective edges are sewn and attached to the edges of the back around position 5. The pocket lining 29a also serves as the backrest part of the back around position 5. These two pieces of pocket linings 29a and 29b form a patch-shaped pocket 29 with a separate cloth design. The pocket 29 corresponds to the shape of the back around position 5, and the part approaching the shoulder 11 is U-shaped and branched to the left and right. The upper end parts of each are not sewn to the back around position 5 on the side of the pocket lining 29b, and those parts are the small openings 29c, 29c of the pocket 29. The main opening of this pocket 29 is the part where the pocket lining 29b is horizontally divided, and it is opened and closed by a fastener 33. This fastener 33 is located on the upper side close to the branched part.

[0014] Also, on the outer surface side of the pocket 29, two pieces of pocket linings 35a and 35b are sewn, and a patch-shaped pocket 35 with a separate cloth design is provided overlapping. The opening of this pocket 35 is the part where the pocket lining 35b is horizontally divided, and it is opened and closed by a fastener 37. The horizontal dimension of the pocket 35 is the same as that of the pocket 29, but the vertical dimension is smaller than that of the pocket 29 and is aligned with the lower edge of the pocket 29. As described above, the pocket linings 29a, etc. are sewn and integrated with the mesh-like fabric constituting the back around position 5. The pocket lining 35a constituting the pocket 35 is made of a net-like fabric, while the other pocket linings 29a, etc. are made of ordinary fabrics that are difficult for water to penetrate.

[0015] Insertion holes 39 are opened in the back around position 5 and the pocket lining 29a of the pocket 29 respectively, and buttonholes 41 are attached, the edges of the holes are reinforced, and the back around position 5 and the pocket lining 29a are joined. Through this insertion hole 39, the inner surface side of the back around position 5 and the inside of the pocket 29 are connected. The insertion hole 39 is located at the lower left corner of the back around position 5. Through holes 43 are made in the pocket lining 29b of pocket 29 and the pocket lining 35a of pocket 35, and eyelet rings 45 are attached to reinforce the edges of the holes and connect the pocket linings 29b and 35a. The inside of pocket 29 and the inside of pocket 35 are connected through these through holes 43. The through holes 43 are hidden by the pocket lining 35b of pocket 35 and are not visible from the inside of the back panel 5, but as part of the garment body 3, they are located in the lower right corner of the back panel 5.

[0016] Separate insertion holes 47 are made in the pocket lining 29b of pocket 29 and the pocket lining 35a of pocket 35, and eyelet rings 49 are attached to them to reinforce the edges of the holes and connect the pocket linings 29b and 35a. The inside of pocket 29 and the inside of pocket 35 are connected through these insertion holes 47. The insertion holes 47 are also hidden by the pocket lining 35b of pocket 35 and are not visible from the inside of the back panel 5, but as part of the garment body 3, they are located in the lower left corner of the back panel 5. Inside pocket 35, insertion holes 47 and 43 are opposite each other on a diagonal line, with insertion hole 47 located on the upper side. Furthermore, a retractable pump holder 51 is provided near the lower side of the insertion hole 47. It is constructed by sewing both ends of a short piece of rubber tape in the longitudinal direction to the outer surface of the pocket fabric 35a, thus forming a single unit. This pump holder 51 is also hidden by the pocket fabric 35b of the pocket 35.

[0017] Multiple stretchable, insertable guide sections 53, 53, ... are provided on the inner surfaces of the back panel 5 and the left and right front panels 7 and 9. Each insertable guide section 53 is formed by sewing both ends of a short, thin piece of rubber tape to the inner surface.

[0018] Inside the pocket 29 is a flat, bag-shaped storage section 55 made of a waterproof synthetic resin sheet. An opening 55c is provided at the upper end of the storage section 55 for inserting and removing a flat, insulated body H. A fastener 56 is provided on the inner surface of the upper end of the storage section 55. This fastener 56 is composed of a protrusion on one side of the inner surface and a groove into which a protrusion on the other side of the inner surface fits. One end of a rubber cord 58 is connected to the front surface of the upper end of the storage section 55, and a retainer 60 is connected to the other end. The retainer 60 is provided with a pair of retaining pieces 60a and 60b that are spaced apart from each other and face each other, and the retaining pieces 60a and 60b can be elastically deformed in directions of moving closer to and further apart from each other. A groove 60c is formed in the area where the retaining pieces 60a and 60b face each other, with openings on the bottom and both sides. These fasteners 56 and retaining pieces 60a and 60b constitute the closing mechanism.

[0019] The garment body 3 is configured as described above, and incorporates a cooling fluid circulation path 65. The cooling fluid circulation path 65 consists of a housing 55 and a tube 67, the tube 67 being made of flexible plastic. The tube 67 is connected to the housing 55, with the upper and lower sides of the housing 55 serving as connection points, and when the opening 55c of the housing 55 is closed, it becomes a closed flow path for the cooling fluid. The tube 67 is exposed on the inner surface of the garment body 3, which is made of mesh fabric, except for both ends. The exposed portion is sequentially inserted through the insertion-type guide portions 53, 53, ... and runs in a meandering manner along the inner surface, covering the entire inner surface. This meandering portion 67a comes into contact with the wearer's outer garment when the garment body 3 is worn.

[0020] Both ends of the tube 67 are inserted into the pocket 29 through the insertion holes 39. One end of the tube 67 is directly connected to the upper connection part 55a of the housing 55, which is housed inside the pocket 29, and communicates with the inside of the housing 55. The other end is passed through the insertion hole 43 and pulled out in a U-shape into the inside of the pocket 35. Inside this pocket 35, the pump 69 is held in the pump holder 51, and this pump 69 is attached to the part that has been pulled out. The other end of the tube 67 is inside the pocket 29 and is connected to the lower connection part 55b of the housing 55, communicating with the inside of the housing 55.

[0021] As the pump 69 operates, the cooling fluid flows as shown by the arrows in Figure 6. The cooling fluid flows into the housing 55 from the upper connection point, out into the tube 67 from the lower connection point 55b, flows through the meandering section 67a of the tube 67, and then flows back into the housing 55 from the upper connection point 55a. The cooling fluid circulates in the cooling fluid circulation path 65 in this manner.

[0022] The cord 69a of the pump 69 is passed through the insertion hole 47, enters the inside of the pocket 29, and is pulled out from the small opening 29c on the left side. Two insertion-type guide parts 53, 53 are attached vertically to the upper side of the insertion-type guide part 27 on the left front panel 7, and the pulled-out cord 69a passes between these insertion-type guide parts 53, 53 and the insertion-type guide part 27, and is detachably connected to the controller 71 housed inside the pocket 25.

[0023] The controller 71 has the external shape shown in Figure 6 and is equipped with an ON / OFF switch 71a on its exterior. Pressing this switch 71a supplies power to the pump 69, causing the pump 69 to operate, and pressing it again stops the power supply. The lamp 71b lights up when power is supplied. A USB connector 71c is also provided for external charging and power supply. The controller 71 is housed in the pocket 25 on the left front panel 7, making it easy to operate even while wearing the cooling vest 1. The controller 71 houses a battery and a microcontroller, and is connected to the switch 71a and the motor of the pump 69. Through cooperation with software, it implements an operating mode execution function that controls the power supply to the motor, causing the pump 69 to operate.

[0024] The operating mode execution function allows the user to select from multiple operating modes. When switch 71a is pressed, a timer measures and the 3-hour operating mode is executed. When switch 71a is pressed once, the continuous operating mode is selected. When switch 71a is pressed twice, the intermittent operating mode (1) is selected, which consists of 1 minute of operation → 1 minute of rest → 1 minute of operation → 1 minute of rest → ... When switch 71a is pressed three times, the intermittent operating mode (2) is selected, which consists of 20 seconds of operation → 1 minute 30 seconds of rest → 20 seconds of operation → 1 minute 30 seconds of rest → ... In other words, the operating mode execution function includes an intermittent operating function that allows the pump 69 to operate intermittently. If switch 71a is pressed and held while the unit is running, the operation will terminate.

[0025] As shown in Figure 7, a flat-shaped cooling body H is inserted into and removed from the opening 55c of the storage section 55. The cooling body H consists of a flat-shaped container Ha in which a freezable liquid is sealed. As shown in Figure 8, the interior of the storage section 55 can accommodate a flat, plate-shaped cooling body H in an upright position. Note that "upright position" is not limited to strictly upright posture, but also includes cases where the cooling body H is leaning against the inner surface of the storage section 55. The lateral size of the storage section 55 allows the cooling body H to be accommodated in an upright position. The cooling body H is placed in the housing section 55, and then the fastener 56 is closed. That is, the protrusion and groove of the fastener 56 are aligned, and the protrusion is fitted into the groove. Furthermore, the retaining tool 60 is slid into the groove 60c of the retaining tool 60, aligning it with the right or left end of the upper end of the housing section 55, and the pair of retaining pieces 60a and 60b are elastically deformed in the spreading direction, while the upper end of the housing section 55 is inserted into the groove 60c. As a result, the fastener 56 is pressed in the closing direction by the pair of retaining pieces 60a and 60b. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the opening 55c from opening unintentionally. The size of the cooling container H is a commercially available one with a width of 150mm to 250mm, a height of 200mm to 300mm, and a thickness of 10mm to 30mm, but it is not limited to these dimensions.

[0026] Since the storage compartment 55 of the cooling vest 1 houses a flat-shaped cooling element H, no bulge is formed on the back side of the wearer, thus avoiding inconvenience such as getting in the way when leaning against a wall or the back of a chair. When the cooling fluid circulation path 65 is formed as described above by the operation of the pump 69, the water W that flows into the containment section 55 becomes water droplets D, which hit the outer surface of the flat insulating body H and slide down. During this falling process, heat is removed and the water is cooled, and it joins the water reservoir below. The cooled water reservoir below is returned to the tube 67 side by the suction action of the pump 69. The amount of water W should be kept to a minimum, so that no air is mixed into the cooling fluid circulation path 65. In other words, the water level in the containment section 55 should be higher than the lower connection section 55b. This minimizes the amount of water needed, thus reducing weight. Furthermore, this weight reduction improves the durability of the cooling vest 1.

[0027] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the pump 69 can be operated intermittently, and since water droplets D do not flow into the containment section 55 when the pump is stopped during intermittent operation, intermittent operation also slows down the rate at which the frozen liquid in the cooling body H melts.

[0028] On the other hand, the water W that has just been cooled by the cooling body H is quite cold, and since the tube 67 is exposed from the main body of the garment 3, touching the tube 67 through which the water W is flowing will result in a relatively strong feeling of coldness. However, if the freshly cooled water W is constantly flowing, the sense of coldness will become dulled and it will feel like the coldness is weakening. In such cases, if the water W is heated to a certain temperature, then cooled, and then heated again to a certain temperature, and cooled again in a cyclical manner, a pleasant coolness can be felt when it cools down again. Therefore, selecting the optimal intermittent operation mode also has the effect of providing a pleasant coolness for a moderately long period of time. The intermittent operation mode (2) described above has a relatively long stop period of 1 minute and 30 seconds, and once the coolness has completely subsided to the point where only a slight coolness remains, you can feel a strong coolness again instantaneously.

[0029] Cooling Vest 1 has a lightweight structure, allowing it to be offered at a low price and without being bulky. Therefore, it does not hinder the wearer's movement when worn. Furthermore, the meandering portion 67a of the tube 67 is provided not only on the back panel 5 but also on the front panels 7 and 9, so when worn, it can cool not only the back but also the chest. The garment body 3 is flexibly constructed, and the cooling vest 1 deforms to conform to the shape of the wearer's body, and the tube 67 can also move to some extent while pulling the insertion-type guide portion 53, so the meandering portion 67a can come into contact with the back and chest, making efficient use of the cooling effect. The fabrics and tubes 67 that make up the garment body 3 of this cooling vest 1 are not special and can be obtained inexpensively. Furthermore, sewing them together to create the cooling vest 1 does not require any time-consuming work or specialized equipment or tools, making it cost-effective.

[0030] Figures 9 and 10 show a cooling vest 101 according to a second embodiment. This Cooling Vest 101 has almost the same configuration as Cooling Vest 1, but it can be used with PET bottles P containing frozen water or other contents, so only the distinctive differences will be explained. A large circular hole 155a is formed on one side of the storage compartment 155. The pocket fabric 129b of the pocket 129 also has a hole of the same size, and the edges of the holes are aligned and overlapped, with the mouthpiece 157 attached to the overlapped edges of the holes. Thus, the storage compartment 155 is connected to the pocket 129 via the mouthpiece 157. A lid 161 is connected to the mouthpiece 157 via a string 159, and when the male threaded part on the lid 161 is screwed into the female threaded part on the mouthpiece 157, the opening of the storage compartment 155 is closed. A gasket 163 is fitted onto the lid 161 to prevent liquid leakage. The clasp 157, cord 159, and lid 161 are molded together from plastic. The cord 159 is thin and therefore flexible, while the clasp 157 and lid 161 have a certain degree of rigidity. In the cooling vest 101, it is possible to insert and remove a PET bottle P into and out of the storage compartment 155 through the hole 155a, and one can choose between a PET bottle P and a flat-shaped cooling material H.

[0031] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and any design changes or other modifications that do not depart from the spirit of the invention are also included in the invention. Furthermore, the way the tubes 67 are laid and their density should be chosen to be optimal according to the size of the garment itself, etc. The closing means for closing the upper opening of the storage compartment is not limited to the fasteners and retainers described above, but may be any other configuration that can close the opening to prevent water from leaking out of the storage compartment. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0032] 1…Cooling vest (first embodiment) 3…Main body of the garment 5…Back panel 7…Left front panel 9…Right front panel 11…Shoulder area 13…Belt 15...Adjustable buckle 17...Belt 19a...Female buckle 19b...Male buckle 21...Pocket 23...Zipper 25...Pocket 27...Through-type guide section 29...Pocket 29a, 29b...Pouch fabric 29c...Small opening 33...Zipper 35...Pocket 35a, 35b...Bag 37...Zipper 39... Through hole 41... Eyelet ring 43... Through hole 45…Eyelet ring 47…Through hole 49…Eyelet ring 51...Pump holder 53...Through-type guide section 55...Housing section 55a... Upper connection part 55b... Lower connection part 55c... Opening 56... Fastener 58... Elastic cord 60... Fastener 60a...Pressing piece 60b...Pressing piece 60c...Groove 65...Cooling fluid circulation path 67...Tube 67a...Meandering section 69...Pump 69a...Cord 71...Controller 71a…Switch 71b…Indicator light 71c…USB connector 101…Cooling vest (second embodiment) 129...Pocket 129b...Cloth bag 155...Storage compartment 155a...Hole 157...Clasp 159...String 161...Lid 163...Gasket H...Insulator Ha...Container P...Plastic bottle W...Water D...Water droplets

Claims

1. The garment itself, In a cooling garment comprising: a pocket provided on the back of the garment body with an open upper end; a storage section provided within the pocket for a flat cooling element that can be easily inserted and removed while standing; a flexible tube exposed on the inner surface of the garment body and meandering along it, with one end connected to the storage section at the top and the other end connected to the storage section at the bottom; a pump attached to the tube; and a pocket-storable controller that drives the pump upon manual operation, wherein the cooling fluid that flows from one end of the tube into the storage section comes into contact with the cooling element, is cooled as it slides down its outer surface, and is returned to the other end of the tube, thus forming a cooling fluid circulation path through the tube, The aforementioned storage compartment is constructed in the shape of a flat bag, and an opening is provided at its upper end for inserting and removing a flat, plate-shaped cooling element, and a closing mechanism is provided for closing the opening. Furthermore, a separate opening for inserting and removing the flat-shaped cooling element is provided on the front of the storage section for inserting and removing a PET bottle containing a freezable liquid, a hole is formed on the front of the pocket to expose the PET bottle opening to the outside, and a closing means is provided to close the PET bottle opening from the outside of the pocket, and the storage section is configured to allow the PET bottle to be stored in an upright position.

2. In the cooling garment described in claim 1, A cooling garment characterized in that the cooling element consists of a flat container filled with a freezable liquid.

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