US5697101A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Protective garment with apertured closed-cell foam liner
Assignee: Lion Apparel Inc
•
Filing: 1996-02-05
•
Granted: 1997-12-16
•
Expires: 2016-02-05
Abstract
Abstract A protective garment having an outer shell and a thermal liner having a layer of apertured, closed-cell foam material. In a preferred embodiment, the foam material is fire retardant and the layer is bonded to the outer shell, and the garment includes a moisture barrier layer positioned between the foam liner and the wearer of the garment. The closed-cell foam liner is non-moisture absorbent and provides high thermal insulation for its weight and thickness in comparison to prior art thermal liners, so that a relatively thin layer of foam material may be used. Accordingly, the overall weight of the garment is minimized, as is the movement-restricting effect of the liner. The non-absorbency of the foam liner allows the liner to be positioned between the moisture barrier and the outer shell of the garment so that the liner does not restrict flow of perspiration moisture vapor from the wearer to the moisture barrier. The apertures formed in the foam liner promote transport through the liner of moisture vapor from the wearer which passes through the moisture barrier. Such closed-cell foam material may be used both as a continuous thermal barrier extending throughout the garment and/or in selected areas which require additional padding or thermal resistance.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald Aldridge
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 20:11
CPC Classifications
A; A62; A62B; A62B17/00; A62B17/003; A41; A41D; A41D13/00; A41D31/00; A41D31/04; A41D31/08; A41D31/085
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
A method of constructing a relatively lightweight, low volume firefighter garment comprising the steps of: providing an outer shell of an abrasion resistant and fire-retardant materials suitable for use in a firefighter garment; providing a thermal liner having a layer of a closed-cell, cellular foam having a multiplicity of apertures therethrough, said foam being attached to a substrate, a combination of said substrate and foam being sufficiently fire retardant such that said combination resists melting, dripping or separating when exposed to a temperature of 500° F. for at least 5 minutes; providing a moisture barrier layer having a semi-permeable membrane which allows the passage of moisture vapor therethrough but prevents the passage of liquid moisture therethrough; and assembling said thermal liner, moisture barrier layer and said outer shell by positioning said thermal liner within said outer shell and positioning said moisture barrier layer between said liner and a wearer of said garment, whereby said thermal liner and moisture barrier layer are positioned to permit flow of moisture vapor transport therethrough from a wearer of said garment to said outer shell.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
180 words
A method of constructing a relatively lightweight, low volume firefighter garment comprising the steps of: providing an outer shell of an abrasion resistant and fire-retardant materials suitable for use in a firefighter garment; providing a thermal liner having a layer of a closed-cell, cellular foam having a multiplicity of apertures therethrough, said foam being attached to a substrate, a combination of said substrate and foam being sufficiently fire retardant such that said combination resists melting, dripping or separating when exposed to a temperature of 500° F. for at least 5 minutes; providing a moisture barrier layer having a semi-permeable membrane which allows the passage of moisture vapor therethrough but prevents the passage of liquid moisture therethrough; and assembling said thermal liner, moisture barrier layer and said outer shell by positioning said thermal liner within said outer shell and positioning said moisture barrier layer between said liner and a wearer of said garment, whereby said thermal liner and moisture barrier layer are positioned to permit flow of moisture vapor transport therethrough from a wearer of said garment to said outer shell.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of bonding said thermal liner to an inner surface of said outer shell.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said bonding step includes the step of providing a multiplicity of dots of adhesive between said thermal liner and said inner surface of said outer shell.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of making said substrate of a fire-retardant material; and bonding said foam layer to said substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
105 words
A protective firefighter garment comprising: an outer shell made of an abrasion-resistant, flame and heat resistant material suitable for use in a firefighter garment; and a thermal liner layer positioned within said outer shell and made of an apertured, closed-cell, cellular foam which resists absorbing liquid moisture, said apertures allowing passage of moisture vapor outwardly from a wearer of said garment through said liner, said cellular foam being attached to a substrate, a combination of said substrate and foam being sufficiently fire retardant such that said combination resists melting, dripping or separating when exposed to a temperature of 500° F. for at least 5 minutes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
105 words
A protective firefighter garment comprising: an outer shell made of an abrasion-resistant, flame and heat resistant material suitable for use in a firefighter garment; and a thermal liner layer positioned within said outer shell and made of an apertured, closed-cell, cellular foam which resists absorbing liquid moisture, said apertures allowing passage of moisture vapor outwardly from a wearer of said garment through said liner, said cellular foam being attached to a substrate, a combination of said substrate and foam being sufficiently fire retardant such that said combination resists melting, dripping or separating when exposed to a temperature of 500° F. for at least 5 minutes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The garment of claim 5 further comprising a layer of moisture barrier material adjacent to said liner.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The garment of claim 6 wherein said moisture barrier layer includes a semi-permeable membrane which allows the passage of moisture vapor therethrough but prevents the passage of liquid moisture therethrough.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The garment of claim 7 wherein said liner is positioned adjacent to said shell; and said moisture barrier layer is positioned between said liner and a wearer of said garment.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The garment of claim 8 wherein said liner is attached to an inner surface of said outer shell.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The garment of claim 9 wherein said liner is bonded to an interior surface of said shell by an adhesive.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The garment of claim 8 wherein said substrate is made of a fabric material and is bonded to said layer of foam material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
47 words
The garment of claim 5 wherein said liner extends substantially throughout said garment and said layer of foam material is formed with a multiplicity of said apertures, said apertures being sized to allow moisture vapor generated by a wearer of said garment to pass through said liner.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The garment of claim 5 wherein said layer of foam material is between about 3/32 inches (2.38 mm) and 1/8 inches (3.18 mm) thick.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The garment of claim 5 wherein said apertures each are about 1 mm in diameter.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The garment of claim 5 further comprising a plurality of dots of adhesive; and wherein said liner is attached to an inner surface of said shell by said dots.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The garment of claim 15 wherein said dots each are approximately 1 mm in diameter.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The protective garment of claim 5 wherein said shell is made of an aramid fiber material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
150 words
A firefighter garment comprising: an outer shell made of an abrasion-resistant, flame and heat resistant aramid fiber material suitable for use in a firefighter garment; a thermal liner layer made of an apertured, closed-cell, cellular foam material which resists absorbing liquid moisture, said material being attached to a substrate, a combination of said substrate and foam being sufficiently fire retardant such that said combination resists melting, dripping or separating when exposed to a temperature of 500° F. for at least 5 minutes; and a moisture barrier positioned in said garment within said outer shell and having a semi-permeable membrane layer which is permeable to moisture vapor but not liquid moisture and a substrate, said thermal liner layer being positioned between said moisture barrier and said outer shell, whereby said thermal liner does not obstruct transport of moisture vapor outwardly from a wearer of said garment through said moisture barrier layer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
150 words
A firefighter garment comprising: an outer shell made of an abrasion-resistant, flame and heat resistant aramid fiber material suitable for use in a firefighter garment; a thermal liner layer made of an apertured, closed-cell, cellular foam material which resists absorbing liquid moisture, said material being attached to a substrate, a combination of said substrate and foam being sufficiently fire retardant such that said combination resists melting, dripping or separating when exposed to a temperature of 500° F. for at least 5 minutes; and a moisture barrier positioned in said garment within said outer shell and having a semi-permeable membrane layer which is permeable to moisture vapor but not liquid moisture and a substrate, said thermal liner layer being positioned between said moisture barrier and said outer shell, whereby said thermal liner does not obstruct transport of moisture vapor outwardly from a wearer of said garment through said moisture barrier layer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
107 words
A firefighter garment comprising: an outer shell made of an abrasion-resistant, fire retardant material; a thermal liner layer positioned within said outer shell and made of an apertured, closed-cell, cellular foam which resists absorbing liquid moisture, said material being attached to a substrate, a combination of said substrate and foam being sufficiently fire retardant such that said combination resists melting, dripping or separating when exposed to a temperature of 500° F. for at least 5 minutes; and a moisture barrier layer positioned in said garment within said outer shell and having a semi-permeable membrane which is permeable to moisture vapor but not liquid moisture and a substrate.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
107 words
A firefighter garment comprising: an outer shell made of an abrasion-resistant, fire retardant material; a thermal liner layer positioned within said outer shell and made of an apertured, closed-cell, cellular foam which resists absorbing liquid moisture, said material being attached to a substrate, a combination of said substrate and foam being sufficiently fire retardant such that said combination resists melting, dripping or separating when exposed to a temperature of 500° F. for at least 5 minutes; and a moisture barrier layer positioned in said garment within said outer shell and having a semi-permeable membrane which is permeable to moisture vapor but not liquid moisture and a substrate.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
155 words
A method of constructing a relatively lightweight, low volume firefighter garment comprising the steps of: providing an outer shell of an abrasion resistant and fire-retardant materials suitable for use in a firefighter garment; providing a thermal liner having a layer of a closed-cell, cellular foam having a multiplicity of apertures therethrough; providing a moisture barrier layer having a semi-permeable membrane which allows the passage of moisture vapor therethrough but prevents the passage of liquid moisture therethrough; assembling said thermal liner, moisture barrier layer and said outer shell by positioning said thermal liner within said outer shell and positioning said moisture barrier layer between said liner and a wearer of said garment, whereby said thermal liner and moisture barrier layer are positioned to permit flow of moisture vapor transport therethrough from a wearer of said garment to said outer shell; and providing a substrate of a fire-retardant material and bonding said foam layer to said substrate.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
155 words
A method of constructing a relatively lightweight, low volume firefighter garment comprising the steps of: providing an outer shell of an abrasion resistant and fire-retardant materials suitable for use in a firefighter garment; providing a thermal liner having a layer of a closed-cell, cellular foam having a multiplicity of apertures therethrough; providing a moisture barrier layer having a semi-permeable membrane which allows the passage of moisture vapor therethrough but prevents the passage of liquid moisture therethrough; assembling said thermal liner, moisture barrier layer and said outer shell by positioning said thermal liner within said outer shell and positioning said moisture barrier layer between said liner and a wearer of said garment, whereby said thermal liner and moisture barrier layer are positioned to permit flow of moisture vapor transport therethrough from a wearer of said garment to said outer shell; and providing a substrate of a fire-retardant material and bonding said foam layer to said substrate.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
148 words
A protective firefighter garment comprising: an outer shell made of an abrasion-resistant, flame and heat resistant material suitable for use in a firefighter garment; a thermal liner layer positioned within and adjacent to said outer shell and made of an apertured, closed-cell, cellular foam which resists absorbing liquid moisture, said apertures allowing passage of moisture vapor outwardly from a wearer of said garment through said liner, said cellular foam being a material sufficiently fire and heat resistant to be used in the firefighter garment, said liner including a substrate of fabric material bonded to said foam material; and a layer of moisture barrier material positioned adjacent to said thermal liner layer and between said thermal liner layer and a wearer of said garment, wherein said moisture barrier layer includes a semi-permeable membrane which allows the passage of moisture vapor therethrough but prevents the passage of liquid moisture therethrough.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
148 words
A protective firefighter garment comprising: an outer shell made of an abrasion-resistant, flame and heat resistant material suitable for use in a firefighter garment; a thermal liner layer positioned within and adjacent to said outer shell and made of an apertured, closed-cell, cellular foam which resists absorbing liquid moisture, said apertures allowing passage of moisture vapor outwardly from a wearer of said garment through said liner, said cellular foam being a material sufficiently fire and heat resistant to be used in the firefighter garment, said liner including a substrate of fabric material bonded to said foam material; and a layer of moisture barrier material positioned adjacent to said thermal liner layer and between said thermal liner layer and a wearer of said garment, wherein said moisture barrier layer includes a semi-permeable membrane which allows the passage of moisture vapor therethrough but prevents the passage of liquid moisture therethrough.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
194 words
A relatively light weight, relatively thin protective garment providing protection from high ambient temperatures comprising: an outer shell of an aramid fiber material; a thermal liner having a layer of apertured, fire-retardant closed-cell foam material, said layer of foam material being between about 3/32 (2.38 mm) inches and 1/8 (3.18 mm) inches thick and having a multiplicity of apertures therethrough, said apertures having a density of about 84 of said apertures per square inch, each aperture being about 1 mm in diameter; a plurality of adhesive dots for bonding said thermal liner to an inner surface of said outer shell; and a moisture barrier layer positioned in said garment within said thermal liner and having a semi-permeable membrane layer which is permeable to moisture vapor and a substrate made of a woven aramid fiber and bonded to said membrane, said moisture barrier being oriented within said garment such that said substrate faces a wearer of said garment; whereby transport of moisture vapor from a wearer of said garment through said moisture barrier layer is not impeded by said thermal liner, and said apertures promote flow of moisture vapor outwardly from said moisture barrier layer.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
194 words
A relatively light weight, relatively thin protective garment providing protection from high ambient temperatures comprising: an outer shell of an aramid fiber material; a thermal liner having a layer of apertured, fire-retardant closed-cell foam material, said layer of foam material being between about 3/32 (2.38 mm) inches and 1/8 (3.18 mm) inches thick and having a multiplicity of apertures therethrough, said apertures having a density of about 84 of said apertures per square inch, each aperture being about 1 mm in diameter; a plurality of adhesive dots for bonding said thermal liner to an inner surface of said outer shell; and a moisture barrier layer positioned in said garment within said thermal liner and having a semi-permeable membrane layer which is permeable to moisture vapor and a substrate made of a woven aramid fiber and bonded to said membrane, said moisture barrier being oriented within said garment such that said substrate faces a wearer of said garment; whereby transport of moisture vapor from a wearer of said garment through said moisture barrier layer is not impeded by said thermal liner, and said apertures promote flow of moisture vapor outwardly from said moisture barrier layer.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
184 words
A relatively lightweight, relatively thin protective garment providing protection from high ambient temperatures comprising: an outer shell of an aramid fiber material; a thermal liner having a layer of apertured, fire-retardant closed-cell foam material, said layer of foam material being between about 3/32 (2.38 mm) inches and 1/8 (3.18 mm) inches thick and having a multiplicity of apertures therethrough, said apertures having a density of about 84 of said apertures per square inch, each aperture being about 1 mm in diameter said thermal liner being adhesively attached to said outer shell; a moisture barrier layer positioned in said garment within said thermal liner and having a semi-permeable membrane layer which is permeable to moisture vapor and a substrate made of a woven aramid fiber and bonded to said membrane, said moisture barrier being oriented within said garment such that said substrate faces a wearer of said garment; whereby transport of moisture vapor from a wearer of said garment through said moisture barrier layer is not impeded by said thermal liner, and said apertures promote flow of moisture vapor outwardly from said moisture barrier layer.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
184 words
A relatively lightweight, relatively thin protective garment providing protection from high ambient temperatures comprising: an outer shell of an aramid fiber material; a thermal liner having a layer of apertured, fire-retardant closed-cell foam material, said layer of foam material being between about 3/32 (2.38 mm) inches and 1/8 (3.18 mm) inches thick and having a multiplicity of apertures therethrough, said apertures having a density of about 84 of said apertures per square inch, each aperture being about 1 mm in diameter said thermal liner being adhesively attached to said outer shell; a moisture barrier layer positioned in said garment within said thermal liner and having a semi-permeable membrane layer which is permeable to moisture vapor and a substrate made of a woven aramid fiber and bonded to said membrane, said moisture barrier being oriented within said garment such that said substrate faces a wearer of said garment; whereby transport of moisture vapor from a wearer of said garment through said moisture barrier layer is not impeded by said thermal liner, and said apertures promote flow of moisture vapor outwardly from said moisture barrier layer.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-12-15 | 2001-06-16 | 2001-12-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-12-15 | 2005-06-16 | 2005-12-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-12-15 | 2009-06-16 | 2009-12-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |