Stowable Jacket with Elastic Attachment for Load-Bearing Vests
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing upper-body outerwear is poorly adapted for wear with load-bearing articles like body armor and chest rigs, requiring cumbersome removal and reapplication, and often provides redundant protection and obstructed access to equipment.
Innovation Solution
A stowable outerwear garment with a torso portion and sleeves featuring elastic bands, fasteners, and a foldable design that allows secure attachment to load-bearing vests, enabling quick donning and doffing, and conversion into a pillow-like storage shape.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If existing outerwear is worn over body armor, then protection from elements is provided, but access to equipment is obstructed and redundant protection is provided
Solution Approach 1:
The outerwear is divided into separate modular components including a torso portion, sleeves, and a lower periphery that can be independently adjusted or removed. This segmentation allows the wearer to maintain protection while accessing equipment by adjusting specific sections rather than removing the entire garment.
Solution Approach 2:
The lower periphery incorporates elastic bands and fasteners that allow dynamic adjustment of the garment's fit and coverage. This enables the wearer to quickly modify the garment's configuration to access equipment or provide continuous protection as needed.
2Ease of operation
If body armor is removed and reapplied, then access to equipment is provided, but time is lost and comfort is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The outerwear is designed as separate modular pieces (torso portion, sleeves, lower periphery) that can be independently adjusted or removed. This allows equipment access without removing the entire garment, significantly reducing the time required compared to removing and reapplying body armor.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic lower periphery with elastic bands and fasteners enables quick adjustment to access equipment or modify coverage, eliminating the time-consuming process of complete garment removal and reapplication.
3Ease of operation
If outerwear is made oversized to accommodate equipment, then access to equipment is maintained, but mobility is impeded
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented design with separate torso, sleeves, and adjustable lower periphery allows the garment to fit closely to the body while still accommodating equipment. Each segment can be independently adjusted to maintain proper fit without requiring an oversized overall configuration that would impede mobility.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic lower periphery with elastic bands provides flexibility and adaptability, allowing the garment to conform to the wearer's movements and equipment configuration without requiring excessive looseness that would reduce mobility.
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 garment provides unobstructed access to equipment while offering protection from elements, and can be quickly removed and stored, addressing the discomfort and inefficiency of existing designs.
Implementation Method 1
The elastic band can include first and second end portions each including an anchor for tensioning the elastic band
Implementation Method 2
Sleeves can extend from the torso portion and can include an outer waterproof shell, an inner lining and an insulating material therebetween
Implementation Method 3
Sleeves can extend from the torso portion and can include an outer waterproof shell
Data Source
AI summary
A stowable outerwear garment is provided. The outerwear garment includes a shortened torso portion that deploys from an integral pouch to provide protection to a wearer's upper torso when worn in combination with a load-bearing vest. The shortened torso portion can include an elastic band extending about the wearer's torso and a plurality of fasteners supported by the elastic band to detachably secure the garment to the load-bearing vest. Sleeves can extend from the torso portion and can include an outer waterproof shell, an inner lining and an insulating material therebetween.