Abstract A thermal control garment is disclosed for controlling body heat losses over an extended period of time in a hostile environment. The garment utilizes a self-contained heat source which is thermally coupled to an evaporator unit having a suitable working fluid contained therein. A network of capillary tubing is interwoven throughout the garment, with the ends thereof connected to the input and output sections of the evaporator unit, respectively, so as to permit the distribution of heat from the heat-source-evaporator to the various parts of the garment; especially those parts covering the body extremities. The capillary pumped loop contains no moving parts and the life of the system is dependent solely on the life of the heat source, which can be of the exothermic chemical reaction or radioisotopic variety.
A thermal control garment comprising: a working fluid; heat generating means for heating said working fluid; at least one evaporator unit having an input and output section associated therewith, said evaporator unit being thermally coupled to said heat generating means for evaporating said working fluid; and a capillary network communicably coupled at each end to the input and output sections respectively of said evaporator unit, said capillary network being interwoven into said garment for transporting said working fluid throughout said garment so as to distribute the heat associated therewith.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
89 words
A thermal control garment comprising: a working fluid; heat generating means for heating said working fluid; at least one evaporator unit having an input and output section associated therewith, said evaporator unit being thermally coupled to said heat generating means for evaporating said working fluid; and a capillary network communicably coupled at each end to the input and output sections respectively of said evaporator unit, said capillary network being interwoven into said garment for transporting said working fluid throughout said garment so as to distribute the heat associated therewith.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The thermal control garment of claim 1 wherein said heat generating means comprises a radiosotopic heat source.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The thermal control garment of claim 1 wherein said heat generating means comprises an exothermic chemical reaction heat source.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The thermal control garment of claim 1 including a plurality of said evaporator units, each of said plurality of evaporator units having a corresponding capillary network associated therewith.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
The thermal control garment of claim 4 wherein said plurality comprises four of said evaporator units, two of said evaporator units being coupled to capillary networks running through the arm and back regions of said thermal garment and the remaining two of said evaporator units being coupled to capillary networks running through the chest and leg regions of said thermal garment.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The thermal control garment of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said capillary network includes coiled capillary tubes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The thermal control garment of claim 6 wherein said coiled capillary tubes are positioned over each of the joints of the body covered by said thermal control garment.