Abstract This invention relates to novel fabrics characterized by thermal insulation properties which change in response to changes in environmental temperature. The fabrics contain hollow inflatable elements having entrapped therein a gas and a solvent material which can be converted from liquid to solid phase by temperature changes within the environment of usage, said solvent material dissolving more of the gas when in the liquid phase than in the solvent phase. The elements contain more gas than can be dissolved by the solvent material within the elements when this material is in the solid phase and thus lowering the environmental temperature, so as to convert said material from the liquid to the solid phase, results in the expulsion of gas formerly dissolved in the liquid phase. The expelled gas inflates the inflatable elements within the fabric and increase the thermal insulating properties of the fabric.
A HOLLOW INFLATABLE ELEMENT HAVING A CONFIGURATION AND CONSTRUCTION WHICH MAKES IT SUITABLE FOR USE AS A COMPONENT OF A FLEXIBLE FABRIC, SAID ELEMENT HAVING SEALED THEREIN A COMPOSITION COMPRISING A GAS AND A SOLVENT WHICH IN THE LIQUID STATE DISSOLVE A GREATER AMOUNT OF SAID GAS THAN WHEN SAID SOLVENT IS IN THE SOLID STATE, THE AMOUNT OF GAS SEALED IN SAID ELEMENT BEING GREATER THAN THE AMOUNT OF GAS WHICH CAN BE DISSOLVED BY THE SOLVENT SEALED IN SAID ELEMENT WHEN SAID
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
84 words
A HOLLOW INFLATABLE ELEMENT HAVING A CONFIGURATION AND CONSTRUCTION WHICH MAKES IT SUITABLE FOR USE AS A COMPONENT OF A FLEXIBLE FABRIC, SAID ELEMENT HAVING SEALED THEREIN A COMPOSITION COMPRISING A GAS AND A SOLVENT WHICH IN THE LIQUID STATE DISSOLVE A GREATER AMOUNT OF SAID GAS THAN WHEN SAID SOLVENT IS IN THE SOLID STATE, THE AMOUNT OF GAS SEALED IN SAID ELEMENT BEING GREATER THAN THE AMOUNT OF GAS WHICH CAN BE DISSOLVED BY THE SOLVENT SEALED IN SAID ELEMENT WHEN SAID
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A hollow inflatable element as claimed in claim 1 wherein said solvent containing dissolved gas freezes at a temperature of about 65*F. to -50*F.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
A hollow inflatable element as claimed in claim 1 wherein said solvent forms a crystalline material on freezing.