Pump-Conditioned Garment Active Venting System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing garments with venting systems struggle to adaptively manage heat and humidity during exercise or in changing environmental conditions, often requiring manual adjustments and potentially leading to discomfort and moisture penetration.
Innovation Solution
A pump-conditioned garment system that includes a circulation array and one or more pump arrays to actively circulate air within the garment, using positive or negative pressure to draw heat and humidity away from the body and direct a cooling breeze.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a fabric shell with low air permeability is used to protect against wind and rain, then protection against adverse environmental conditions is improved, but heat and moisture venting capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The garment is divided into multiple functional layers: an outer fabric shell for protection, an intermediate insulation layer, and an inner vapor barrier layer. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function while working together to manage moisture and heat effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
A breathable membrane is introduced as an intermediary layer between the inner vapor barrier and the outer fabric shell. This membrane acts as a mediator that allows water vapor to pass through while blocking liquid water and wind, resolving the contradiction between protection and venting.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If manual vent control mechanisms such as zippers are used, then venting capability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to frequent adjustments during exercise
Solution Approach 1:
The garment employs a self-regulating venting system where the breathable membrane automatically adjusts vapor transmission based on internal conditions. The system serves itself by responding to moisture and temperature changes without requiring user intervention, eliminating the need for manual zipper adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The venting performance is dynamically adjusted through changes in physical parameters such as temperature and humidity gradients across the breathable membrane. As internal temperature and humidity increase during exercise, the membrane's vapor transmission rate automatically increases, providing adaptive venting without manual control.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If vents are opened to improve heat and moisture exchange, then venting capability is improved, but protection against water penetration deteriorates during rain and snow
Solution Approach 1:
The breathable membrane serves as an intermediary that enables heat and moisture exchange while simultaneously blocking water penetration. This intermediate layer allows water vapor molecules to pass through via diffusion and effusion while preventing liquid water droplets from penetrating, resolving the contradiction between venting and water protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The breathable membrane utilizes porous material science with carefully controlled pore sizes and structures. The porosity is optimized to allow vapor transmission while maintaining water repellency, enabling the garment to vent heat and moisture effectively without compromising protection during precipitation.
4Temperature
If insulating layers are added to improve warmth retention, then thermal insulation is improved, but heat venting capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal insulation system is segmented into multiple layers with different insulation properties. The outer fabric shell provides wind protection, the intermediate insulation layer provides thermal retention, and the inner vapor barrier layer manages moisture. This segmentation allows warmth retention while preventing excessive heat accumulation through the breathable membrane.
Solution Approach 2:
The garment employs composite material construction combining different materials with complementary properties: windproof outer fabric, thermally insulating intermediate layer, and vapor-permeable inner barrier. This composite structure achieves both warmth retention and heat venting by leveraging the strengths of each material in the composite system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively maintains a comfortable environment within the garment by actively managing heat and humidity, reducing the need for manual adjustments and minimizing moisture penetration, while being adaptable to changing conditions.
Implementation Method 1
Each pump array operates as a unit to provide motive force to move the circulating fluid through the circulation array. Each pump array exerts a negative pressure on the circulation array within the garment to draw circulating fluid therefrom.
Implementation Method 2
The moving circulating fluid draws heat and humidity from about the torso of the individual within the garment, and directs such heat and humidity away from such individual to cool and comfort same.
Data Source
AI summary
A system pump-conditions a garment worn about a torso of an individual. A circulation array within the garment and a pump array circulate a fluid within an interior space between the garment and the torso. The pump array exerts a negative pressure on the circulation array to circulate the fluid generally from a head opening at a top portion of the garment, into the interior space, then through the circulation array, then out of the garment. The pump array exhausts the circulating fluid down and away from the torso. The moving circulating fluid draws heat and humidity from within the garment and directs same away from such individual to cool and comfort same. The moving circulating fluid also draws a cooling and comforting breeze about the head of the individual.