Cooling Vest Pocket Structure for Flexible Icepack Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional cooling garments and icepacks are often rigid or inflexible, failing to adequately support the weight of icepacks and conform to the wearer's body, causing discomfort during activity.
Innovation Solution
A flexible cooling garment system with pockets made of a non-stretch inner layer and stretch outer layer, combined with shoulder straps and icepacks featuring flexion areas and apertures, to securely hold icepacks in place and conform to the body's contours, maintaining contact and preventing sagging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional cooling garments use rigid materials to support icepack weight, then structural support is improved, but flexibility and body conformance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The pocket is divided into two distinct layers: a non-stretch inner layer that provides structural support for the icepack weight, and a stretch outer layer that provides flexibility and body conformance. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specialized function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling garment combines two different materials with complementary properties: a non-stretch material (providing strength and support) and a stretch material (providing flexibility and adaptability). This composite structure resolves the contradiction by integrating both rigid support and flexible conformance in a single garment system.
2Strength
If traditional cooling garments use rigid materials to support icepack weight, then structural support is improved, but body conformance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The pocket structure is segmented into an inner non-stretch layer for support and an outer stretch layer for body conformance, allowing the garment to maintain structural integrity while adapting to body shape changes during movement.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the garment have different material properties: the inner layer maintains consistent non-stretch properties for support, while the outer layer has stretch properties that allow local adaptation to body contours. This local quality differentiation enables simultaneous support and conformance.
3Strength
If traditional cooling garments lack flexible materials, then icepack support is improved, but comfort during activity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The garment is segmented into functional layers where the non-stretch inner layer provides icepack support while the stretch outer layer provides comfort during activity. This segmentation allows each layer to optimize for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
The combination of non-stretch and stretch materials creates a composite garment that simultaneously provides structural support for icepacks and flexibility for comfort during physical activity, resolving the contradiction between support strength and operational comfort.
Data Source
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AI summary
Aspects herein are directed to a cooling system kit. The cooling system kit comprises a cooling a vest configured to be worn by a wearer. One or more pockets on the vest may be configured to receive one or more icepacks. The one or more pockets may include a stretch material on a front portion of the one or more pockets. The one or more pockets can further include a non-stretch material on a back portion of the one or more pockets. The cooling system kit also comprises an upper-torso garment configured to be worn over the cooling vest, the upper torso garment comprising a reflective outer surface and a plurality of apertures uniformly distributed on the upper-torso garment.