US4856294A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Micro-climate control vest
Assignee: Respirex International Ltd
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Filing: 1988-02-04
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Granted: 1989-08-15
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Expires: 2008-02-04
Abstract
Abstract A micro-climate cooling vest of lightweight material of double wall construction, the body-proximate portion of which is comfortable and compatible with the clothing or skin of the wearer contains an internal liner portion comprised of a sealable insulative pocket that contains a heat transfer material that changes phase from solid to liquid within a practical range (e.g. 60 DEG -90 DEG F.) of desired body temperature cooling action, and operates to draw body heat away from the wearer in the course of its phase change form solid to liquid state. To augment the cooling action of the vest, an additional layer of ice may be used in conjunction with the primary phase change material, with the primary phase change material acting as a thermal diode.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert P. Scaringe
- 👤 Jay A. Buckman
- 👤 Lawrence R. Grzyll
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 06:13
CPC Classifications
A; A41; A41D; A41D13/00; A41D13/002; A41D13/005; A41D13/0058; A41D13/0053; A41D13/0055; F; F25; F25D; F25D3/00; F25D3/02; F25D3/06; F25D3/08; F25D2303/00; F25D2303/08; F25D2303/082; F25D2303/0822; F25D2400/00; F25D2400/26; F28; F28D; F28D20/00; F28D20/02; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S165/00; Y10S165/902
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
109 words
A device for controlling the transfer of heat with respect to a body comprising heat exchange material that changes between solid and liquid phases at its melting/freezing temperature, and means for supporting said heat exchange material in thermal communication with the skin of the body in both its solid and liquid phases and thereby causing the temperature of said heat exchange material in each of its phases to be applied to the skin of the body, and wherein the melting/freezing temperature of said heat exchange material lies in a temperature range on the order of 60°-90° F., so as to be comfortable during prolonged thermal communication with the skin.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
109 words
A device for controlling the transfer of heat with respect to a body comprising heat exchange material that changes between solid and liquid phases at its melting/freezing temperature, and means for supporting said heat exchange material in thermal communication with the skin of the body in both its solid and liquid phases and thereby causing the temperature of said heat exchange material in each of its phases to be applied to the skin of the body, and wherein the melting/freezing temperature of said heat exchange material lies in a temperature range on the order of 60°-90° F., so as to be comfortable during prolonged thermal communication with the skin.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein said means comprises a garment having a region containing said heat exchange material, said region being in thermal communication with the skin of the body of the wearer of the garment when said garment is placed on the body, so that the temperature of said heat exchange material is applied to the skin of the body by the wearing of said garment.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein said heat exchange material is one which changes state between solid and liquid phases at a temperature of at least on the order of 60° F.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device according to claim 2, wherein said garment further contains a region of ice disposed in thermal communication with said region of heat exchange material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
A device according to claim 2, wherein said garment comprises a vest having an inner chamber portion arranged to be in adjacent thermal communication with the skin of the wearer, within which inner chamber portion said region of heat exchange material is located.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
71 words
A device according to claim 5, wherein said vest further includes an outer chamber portion arranged to be away from adjacent thermal communication with the skin of the wearer, but in thermal communication with said inner chamber portion, and within which outer chamber portion a region of heat exchange material that changes state from liquid phase to solid phase at a temperature that is different than said temperature range is located.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
A device according to claim 6, wherein said outer chamber portion contains a region of ice.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
93 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein said heat exchange material consists of a material selected from the group consisting of chloroacetic acid-o-cresol eutectic, tetradecylbenzene, sodium chromate decahydrate, n-octanoic acid, chloroacetic acid-phenol eutectic, acetic acid, a salt mixture of 37% NaSO 4 , 17% NaCl and 46% water, 1-octadecene, glycerol, n-hexadecane, polyethylene glycol 600, double clathrate of water with tetrahydrofuran and hydrogen sulfide, lithium chloride ethanolate, n-Heptadecane, copper nitrate hexahydrate, lactic acid, manganous nitrate hexahydrate, n-octadecane, methyl palmitate, 3-methylpentacosane, orthophosphoric acid hemihydrate, lithium nitrate trihydrate, calcium chloride hexhydrate, gallium and sodium sulfate decahydrate.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
140 words
A device for controlling the transfer of heat with respect to a body comprising heat exchange material that changes between solid and liquid phases at its melting/freezing temperature, and means for supporting said heat exchange material in thermal communication with the skin of the body in both its solid and liquid phases and thereby causing the temperature of said heat exchange material in each of its phases to be applied to the skin of the body, and wherein the melting/freezing temperature of said heat exchange material lies in a temperature range that is less than normal body temperature, but is capable of providing an effective, comfortably cool skin temperature on the order of 90° F. during the application of the temperature of the heat exchange material to the skin for a period of time on the order of several hours.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
140 words
A device for controlling the transfer of heat with respect to a body comprising heat exchange material that changes between solid and liquid phases at its melting/freezing temperature, and means for supporting said heat exchange material in thermal communication with the skin of the body in both its solid and liquid phases and thereby causing the temperature of said heat exchange material in each of its phases to be applied to the skin of the body, and wherein the melting/freezing temperature of said heat exchange material lies in a temperature range that is less than normal body temperature, but is capable of providing an effective, comfortably cool skin temperature on the order of 90° F. during the application of the temperature of the heat exchange material to the skin for a period of time on the order of several hours.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
69 words
A device according to claim 9, wherein said means comprises a garment having a region containing said heat exchange material, said region being in thermal communication with the skin of the body of the wearer of the garment when said garment is placed on the body, so that the temperature of said heat exchange material is applied to the skin of the body by the wearing of said garment.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device according to claim 9, wherein said heat exchange material is one which changes state between solid and liquid phases within a temperature range on the order of 60°-90° F.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device according to claim 9, wherein said heat exchange material is one which changes state between solid and liquid phases at a temperature of at least on the order of 60° F.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device according to claim 10, wherein said garment further contains a region of ice disposed in thermal communication with said region of heat exchange material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
A device according to claim 10, wherein said garment comprises a vest having an inner chamber portion arranged to be in adjacent thermal communication with the skin of the wearer, within which inner chamber portion said region of heat exchange material is located.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
71 words
A device according to claim 14, wherein said vest further includes an outer chamber portion arranged to be away from adjacent thermal communication with the skin of the wearer, but in thermal communication with said inner chamber portion, and within which outer chamber portion a region of heat exchange material that changes state from liquid phase to solid phase at a temperature that is lower than said temperature range is located.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
A device according to claim 15, wherein said outer chamber portion contains a region of ice.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
93 words
A device according to claim 9, wherein said heat exchange material consists of a material selected from the group consisting of chloroacetic acid-o-cresol eutectic, tetradecylbenzene, sodium chromate decahydrate, n-octanoic acid, chloroacetic acid-phenol eutectic, acetic acid, a salt mixture of 37% NaSo 4 , 17% NaCl and 46% water, 1-octadecene, glycerol, n-hexadecane, polyethylene glycol 600, double clathrate of water with tetrahydrofuran and hydrogen sulfide, lithium chloride ethanolate, n-Heptadecane, copper nitrate hexahydrate, lactic acid, manganous nitrate hexahydrate, n-octadecane, methyl palmitate, 3-methylpentacosane, orthophosphoric acid hemihydrate, lithium nitrate trihydrate, calcium chloride hexhydrate, gallium and sodium sulfate decahydrate.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
108 words
A method for controlling the transfer of heat with respect to a body comprising the steps of: (a) providing heat exchange material that changes between solid and liquid phases at its melting/freezing temperature; and (b) placing said heat exchange material, in its solid phase, in thermal communication with the skin of the body and thereby causing the temperature of the solid phase of said heat exchange material to be applied to the skin of the body; and wherein the melting/freezing temperature of said heat exchange material lies in a range on the order of 60°-90° F., so as to be comfortable during prolonged thermal communication with the skin.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
108 words
A method for controlling the transfer of heat with respect to a body comprising the steps of: (a) providing heat exchange material that changes between solid and liquid phases at its melting/freezing temperature; and (b) placing said heat exchange material, in its solid phase, in thermal communication with the skin of the body and thereby causing the temperature of the solid phase of said heat exchange material to be applied to the skin of the body; and wherein the melting/freezing temperature of said heat exchange material lies in a range on the order of 60°-90° F., so as to be comfortable during prolonged thermal communication with the skin.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
60 words
A method according to claim 18, wherein step (b) comprises placing a garment having a region containing said heat exchange material on said body, such that said heat exchange material contained therein is in thermal communication with the skin of the body, thereby causing the temperature of said heat exchange material to be applied to the skin of the body.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
93 words
A method according to claim 18, wherein said heat exchange material consists of a material selected from the group consisting of chloroacetic acid-o-cresol eutectic, tetradecylbenzene, sodium chromate decahydrate, n-octanoic acid, chloroacetic acid-phenol eutectic, acetic acid, a salt mixture of 37% NaSO 4 , 17% NaCl and 46% water, 1-octadecene, glycerol, n-hexadecane, polyethylene glycol 600, double clathrate of water with tetrahydrofuran and hydrogen sulfide, lithium chloride ethanolate, n-Heptadecane, copper nitrate hexahydrate, lactic acid, manganous nitrate hexahydrate, n-octadecane, methyl palmitate, 3-methylpentacosane, orthophosphoric acid hemihydrate, lithium nitrate trihydrate, calcium chloride hexhydrate, gallium and sodium sulfate decahydrate.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for controlling the transfer of heat with respect to a body comprising the steps of; (a) providing heat exchange material that changes between solid and liquid phases at its melting/freezing temperature; and (b) placing said heat exchange material, in its solid phase, in thermal communication with the skin of the body and thereby causing the temperature of said heat exchange material to be applied to the skin of the body; and wherein the melting/freezing temperature of said heat exchange material lies in a temperature range that is less than normal body temperature, but is capable of providing an effective, comfortably cool skin temperature on the order of 90° F. during the application of the temperature of the solid phase of said heat exchange material to the skin for a period of time on the order of several hours.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for controlling the transfer of heat with respect to a body comprising the steps of; (a) providing heat exchange material that changes between solid and liquid phases at its melting/freezing temperature; and (b) placing said heat exchange material, in its solid phase, in thermal communication with the skin of the body and thereby causing the temperature of said heat exchange material to be applied to the skin of the body; and wherein the melting/freezing temperature of said heat exchange material lies in a temperature range that is less than normal body temperature, but is capable of providing an effective, comfortably cool skin temperature on the order of 90° F. during the application of the temperature of the solid phase of said heat exchange material to the skin for a period of time on the order of several hours.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
66 words
A method according to claim 21, wherein step (b) comprises placing a garment having a region containing said heat exchange material, in its solid phase, on said body, such that said solid phase heat exchange material contained therein is in thermal communication with the skin of the body, thereby causing the temperature of said heat exchange material to be applied to the skin of the body.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
93 words
A method according to claim 21, wherein said heat exchange material consists of a material selected from the group consisting of chloroacetic acid-o-cresol eutectic, tetradecylbenzene, sodium chromate decahydrate, n-octanoic acid, chloroacetic acid-phenol eutectic, acetic acid, a salt mixture of 37% NaSO 4 , 17% NaCl and 46% water, 1-octadecene, glycerol, n-hexadecane, polyethylene glycol 600, double clathrate of water with tetrahydrofuran and hydrogen sulfide, lithium chloride ethanolate, n-Heptadecane, copper nitrate hexahydrate, lactic acid, manganous nitrate hexahydrate, n-octadecane, methyl palmitate, 3-methylpentacosane, orthophosphoric acid hemihydrate, lithium nitrate trihydrate, calcium chloride hexhydrate, gallium and sodium sulfate decahydrate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-08-14 | 1993-02-13 | 1993-08-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-08-14 | 1997-02-13 | 1997-08-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-08-14 | 2001-02-13 | 2001-08-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |