Abstract:
An improved hazardous duty garment system includes an abrasion-resistant, flame-resistant and heat-resistant outer shell, a moisture barrier attached inside the outer shell, and a thermal liner attached to the outer shell and the moisture barrier. The thermal liner includes at least one layer of thermal insulation attached to a layer of a metal screen thermal barrier. The metal screen layer may be made from a plurality of panels and fitted closely together, or a plurality of shingles. The metal screen panels are individually removable and replaceable. The metal screen provides superior heat dissipation properties and superior tolerance of direct heat.

Description:
PRIORITY DATA  
       [0001]     This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/571,594 filed on May 17, 2004. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to protective garments. In particular, the present invention relates to improved protective garments for firefighters, foundry workers and other personnel in high-temperature environments.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Workers in many professions are exposed to very hot and high temperature conditions. Even if the ambient temperatures are not excessive, momentary radiant heat levels can be extreme. In these conditions, unprotected flesh can be burned very quickly which creates an uncomfortable situation at best. At worst, high temperatures and extreme radiant heat can lead to incapacitation and death. Numerous safety devices and garments have been developed to deal with these adverse conditions.  
         [0006]     Modern coats and pants are made of multiple layers of fire-resistant, water-resistant and abrasion-resistant materials. Of course, the abrasion-resistant layers are on the outside layer to protect the user and the garment from mechanical hazards and daily use. A water-resistant layer often is immediately under the top layer, to prevent the underlying thermal layers and the user from getting wet. Water-soaked material is a better thermal conductor than a dead air space.  
         [0007]     Sometimes a semipermeable vapor barrier is used to release sweat vapor from the user so as not to saturate the thermal layers and preserve their thermal protective properties.  
         [0008]     The thermal layers are made from one or more layers of material to provide a dead air space between the user and the external heat source to protect the user. Like most of the garments, the thermal layers are made from fire- and heat-resistant materials that will not burn or melt. However, they can still be destroyed through the application of direct heat.  
         [0009]     Numerous garments and fabrics have been developed to minimize the risk posed to personnel in high heat environments. These include various types of coats, pants, pads, hoods and fabrics. Each of these types of garments found in the prior art has at least one major shortcoming. None of them can withstand the application of very high-temperature direct heat and extreme thermal radiation conditions such as would occur in a foundry.  
         [0010]     Therefore, there has been and continues to be a need for a protective garment that gives an extra measure of safety in extreme, high-temperature environments.  
       SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE  
       [0011]     An improved hazardous duty garment system includes an abrasion-resistant, flame-resistant and heat-resistant outer shell; a moisture barrier attached inside the outer shell; and a thermal liner attached inside the moisture barrier. The thermal liner includes at least one layer of thermal insulation attached to a layer of a metal screen thermal barrier. The metal screen thermal barrier provides superior heat dissipation properties and superior tolerance of direct heat and extreme heat radiation loads. The metal screen is made from iron, steel or other suitable metals with a high tolerance for heat. The metal screen can be galvanized of coated to provide additional protection and longevity. The metal screen thermal barrier can be made from a plurality of smaller panels to create a single layer, or can be arranged as shingles beneath the outer shell. The metal screen panels can be retained inside pockets or compartments of thermal insulation fabric to keep sharp edges contained and to make inspection and replacement of the metal screens a simple task.  
         [0012]     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved hazardous duty garment which protects the wearer from very high temperature direct heat.  
         [0013]     It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved hazardous duty garment which protects the wearer from extreme radiant heat loads.  
         [0014]     It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved hazardous duty garment for firefighters.  
         [0015]     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved hazardous duty garment for foundry workers.  
         [0016]     It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an improved hazardous duty garment which is flexible and permits free movement of the wearer.  
         [0017]     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved hazardous duty garment where the heat and radiation barriers are easily inspected.  
         [0018]     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved hazardous duty garment where the heat and radiation panels are easily replaced.  
         [0019]     Finally, it is an object of the present invention to accomplish the foregoing objectives in a simple and cost effective manner.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the improved hazardous duty garment in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a rear view of an alternate embodiment of the improved hazardous duty garment in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 3  is a side view of an alternate embodiment of the improved hazardous duty garment in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 4  is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the improved hazardous duty garment in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0024]      FIG. 5  is a rear view of a preferred embodiment of the improved hazardous duty garment in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a hazardous duty face mask in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0026]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  are perspective views of a pair of hazardous duty gloves in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0027]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a hazardous legging in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0028]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a hazardous duty boot in accordance with the present invention; and  
         [0029]      FIG. 10  is a side view of a hazardous duty fire blanket in accordance with the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0030]     The following detailed description is of the best presently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating general principles of embodiments of the invention.  
         [0031]     The present invention provides an improved hazardous duty garment for protecting the user from high temperatures and extremely high radiant heat conditions. Externally, the garment is similar in many ways to existing garments currently manufactured, but this garment includes a metal screen heat barrier beneath the outer shell of the garment. The metal screen acts as a barrier to dissipate high temperature and extreme high radiant heat loads. It is virtually impervious to high temperatures experienced by firefighters and will not break down and degrade like more common fire-resistant fabrics and fibers.  
         [0032]      FIGS. 1-5  show different embodiments of the hazardous duty garments.  FIGS. 1-3  show a coat  10  and  FIGS. 4-5  pants or coveralls  22 . These garments all have several features in common. The top layer of the garments is a tough, water-resistant, abrasion-resistant, heat-resistant shell  12 . A moisture barrier is attached inside the outer shell  12  to protect the garment from becoming saturated with water and excessively heavy, and to prevent water damage to the underlying insulation layer. The shell  12  covers the insulating layers that are worn closest to the user. The insulating layers include at least one layer of a typical thermal insulation material, such as Nomex® or similar material. In addition, the insulating layer includes a layer of metal screen  14 . The screen  14  acts as a heat barrier to afford greater protection to the user. The screen  14  has heat-reflecting and heat-dissipating properties that provide protection beyond that offered by typical garments. The screen  14  is made from a metal with a high tolerance for heat and with good flexibility, such as steel, bronze or brass. Where water is frequently encountered, the screen may be a material that is not prone to rusting or oxidizing. Materials may be selected for use in various applications depending on their physical and chemical properties and their suitability for a particular task or environment. The screen  14  may be coated for greater corrosion protection. Bronze, brass, galvanized steel and black-coated screen satisfy these purposes, but any number of other combinations could be used successfully. Other considerations for the screen include flexibility, availability and cost. In other embodiments, the screen  14  is a welded or woven wire mesh, perforated metal sheet, expanded metal sheet or metallic film. Such materials need to be flexible and with a fine mesh to minimize direct heat and radiant heat transmission. Another embodiment is an opaque metallic film that eliminates the mesh holes entirely, and is protected under the shell  12 .  
         [0033]      FIG. 1  shows a coat  10  with a single layer of screen  14  incorporated into the torso and sleeves of the coat  10 . In the preferred embodiment, the screen  14  is sandwiched between layers of thermal insulation material (not shown). The screen  14  shown is a single, continuous piece that is shaped and formed into a torso shape. At the shoulders, the sleeves are attached to the torso so that the sleeve screens overlap the torso screen slightly, to eliminate any thermally-compromised areas. In one embodiment, the sleeves include a pre-bent, pleated elbow section  20 . The pleated elbow  20  enables the user to don the coat and use it immediately without encumbrance. The pleated elbow  20  affords a consistent location for the sleeves to flex, distributing the area for movement, and minimizing the fatigue and breakage of the screen panels in the sleeves. The shoulders may include a pleated area for ease of movement. If desired, the arm pits may omit the metal screen due to the protection afforded to this area by the outer arm and shoulder.  
         [0034]      FIG. 2  shows a coat  10  that uses multiple, smaller screen panels  16  instead of a single panel. Again, the multiple screen panels  16  are sandwiched between layers of thermal insulation beneath the shell  12 . In one embodiment, the multiple screen panels  16  are vertically oriented within the torso of the coat  10 . This is shown in  FIG. 2 . In another embodiment, the multiple screen panels  16  are horizontally oriented in the torso of the coat  10 . Like the single panel shown in  FIG. 1 , the multiple panels  16  are sandwiched between layers of thermal insulation material. The multiple screen panels  16  provide an advantage to the manufacturer by making it easier to assemble a coat  10  than if a single panel  14  were used. The multiple screen panels  16  also provide an advantage in that they are easier to replace. A single, smaller screen panel can be removed from the thermal insulating liner and inspected or replaced as necessary. The thermal insulation liner can be constructed with individual pockets to accept and retain the individual screen panels that make up the multiple screen panels  16 .  
         [0035]      FIG. 3  shows another embodiment of the coat  10 . This coat  10  uses a large number of smaller shingle screen panels  18 . The shingle screen panels  18  are arranged throughout the coat  10  like roofing shingles or the scales on a fish. Like roofing shingles, these single screens  18  afford a relatively large area of overlap to increase the protection to the user and to improve mobility and flexibility. Like the aforementioned embodiments, the shingle screen panels  18  are sandwiched between layers of thermal insulation material. The shingle screen panels  18  also provide an advantage in that they are easier to replace. A single, smaller shingle screen panel  18  can be removed from the thermal insulation liner and inspected or replaced as necessary. The thermal insulation liner can be constructed with individual pockets to accept and retain the individual shingle screen panels  18 .  
         [0036]      FIGS. 4 and 5  show a coverall or pants  22  for hazardous duty.  FIG. 4  shows pants  22  that uses multiple, smaller screen panels  16  instead of a single panel. As in the aforementioned coats  10 , the multiple screen panels  16  are sandwiched between layers of thermal insulation beneath the shell  12 . In the preferred embodiment, the multiple screen panels  16  are vertically oriented along the legs of the pants  22 . The multiple screen panels  16  are sandwiched between layers of thermal insulation material. The multiple screen panels  16  provide an advantage to the manufacturer by making it easier to assemble hazardous duty garments than if a single panel  14  were used. The multiple screen panels  16  also provide an advantage in that they are easier to replace. A single, smaller screen panel can be removed from the thermal insulating liner and inspected or replaced as necessary. The thermal insulation liner can be constructed with individual pockets to accept and retain the individual screen panels that make up the multiple screen panels  16 . In one embodiment, the legs include a pre-bent, pleated knee section  24 . The pleated knee  24  enables the user to don the pants  22  and use it immediately without undue encumbrance. The pleated knee  24  affords a consistent location for the legs to flex, distributing the area for movement, and minimizing the fatigue and breakage of the screen panels in the legs of the pants  22 .  
         [0037]     In  FIG. 5  the pants  22  use a large number of smaller shingle screen panels  18 . The shingle screen panels  18  are arranged throughout the pants  22  like roofing shingles or the scales on a fish. Like roofing shingles, these single screens  18  afford a relatively large area of overlap to increase the protection to the user and to improve mobility and flexibility. Like the aforementioned embodiments, the shingle screen panels  18  are sandwiched between layers of thermal insulation material. The shingle screen panels  18  also provide an advantage in that they are easier to replace. A single, smaller shingle screen panel  18  can be removed from the thermal insulation liner and inspected or replaced as necessary. The thermal insulation liner can be constructed with individual pockets to accept and retain the individual shingle screen panels  18 .  
         [0038]      FIG. 6  shows a hazardous duty face mask  26  that incorporates the metal screen technology. The face mask  26  is shown mounted to a helmet  32  for a firefighter. The face mask  26  has a layer of screen that is attached to the helmet  32  with a plurality of fasteners  34 . The fasteners  34  may be metal snaps or any other material possessing similar heat-proof and heat-resistant properties as the helmet  32  and face mask  26 . The face mask  26  extends downward from the brim of the helmet  32  below the wearer&#39;s chin and neck to offer more complete coverage of the wearer, especially when worn with matching pants and coat as described above. The metal screen face mask provides the wearer protection from high temperatures and extremely high radiant heat conditions. The face mask  26  may be made from two separate panels, an upper screen  28  and a lower screen  30  to permit the manufacturer to tailor the heat protection and light-transmission properties to suit the user. For example, the upper screen  28  may include a more open, less protective screen, particularly in front of the eyes, to minimize the face mask&#39;s effect on vision. Other areas of the face mask  26  may include a more opaque, less transmissive screen, or multiple layers of screen, to maximize heat protection. The face mask  26  may be made from one or more layers in its entirety or selectively, depending upon the protective properties desired by the user. In another embodiment, the face mask upper screen  28  may be further subdivided into smaller units. For example, an eye shield (not shown) may protect the area immediately in front of the eyes, but may also be pivotally attached to the helmet  32 . In such an embodiment the user could flip the eye shield up or down to allow a better view of his work, but flipped down to protect the user&#39;s eyes. The face mask upper screen  28 , or any other movable panels, may be removably attached to the helmet  32  or other parts of the face mask  26  for maximum protection with minimal inconvenience. A frame (not shown) may be included to provide support and shape to the lower parts of the face mask  26  around the user&#39;s neck and shoulders, around the center of the face mask  26  or around the helmet&#39;s  32  brim. The lower screen  30  may include a dust mask (not shown) or filter to reduce airborne irritants.  
         [0039]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  are perspective views of hazardous duty gloves  36  in accordance with the present invention.  FIG. 7A  shows that the back  38  of the glove  36  includes a layer of metal screen mesh  14  beneath a layer of heat- and fire-resistant material  12 . The metal screen  14  provides an extra measure of protection for the parts of the hands that are most exposed to high temperature and thermal radiation conditions. The palm  40  of the glove  36  shown in  FIG. 7B  does not have any metal screen  14 . Omitting the metal screen  14  in the palm  40  serves to improve the flexibility and usefulness of the glove  36 , without compromising the protection for the wearer. The gloves  36  may be made with five digits or with a lesser number  42 , as shown. The lesser number of digits  42  affects manual dexterity to some degree, but improves the protection to the fingers.  
         [0040]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a hazardous legging  44  in accordance with the present invention. The legging  44  is a layer of metal screen  14  beneath a layer of heat- and fire-resistant material  12 . The legging  44  is worn around the lower part of the leg and may cover the top of the boots as well. The legging  44  is shown extending up to the top of the boot, but in another embodiment, the legging  44  extends up around the wearer&#39;s calf, below the knee. The legging  44  affords protection to the ankle and lower leg that may not be adequately covered by the hazardous duty pants  22  or coveralls. A strap (not shown) may routed beneath the boot sole in front of the heel, to hold the legging  44  down in place atop the boot.  
         [0041]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a hazardous duty boot  46  in accordance with the present invention. The boot  46  shown has a layer of metal screen  14  immediately below the outer layer of the boot  46 . The outer layer may be leather or another material suitable for hazardous duty use. A layer of screen  14  may be included between the sole and the insole as well. The screen  14  is a flexible mesh that provides heat protection without compromising flexibility and usefulness. Boots  46  having a steel toe  48  provide a built-in hot spot for many boots  46 . Another layer of screen may be used at the toe if the boot  46  has a steel toe  48 . The extra layer of screen does not affect flexibility at all since the steel toe  48  does not flex.  
         [0042]      FIG. 10  is a side view of a hazardous duty fire shelter  50  in accordance with the present invention. This shelter  50  is a combination tent and blanket and has an aluminized fabric outer layer  52  for maximum heat reflectivity in a useful, rugged package. The firefighter  54  crouches beneath the shelter  50  and holds the edges down with his feet, knees, elbows and hands. However, in a situation where a firefighter  54  cannot escape the flames, such as in a forest fire, the firefighter  54  often needs more protection. Despite the protection from the aluminized fabric  52 , the temperature quickly becomes unbearable under the shelter  50 . Standard gloves and boots become singed or badly damaged. Fingers and toes are often burned. A layer of lightweight, flexible metal screen  14  attached beneath the aluminized material  52  provides an extra measure of protection and a few extra minutes of relative comfort.  
         [0043]     While the description above refers to particular embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. The accompanying claims are intended to cover such modifications as would fall within the true scope and spirit of the present invention.  
         [0000]     Element List  
         [0000]    
       
           10  hazardous duty coat  
           12  shell  
           14  screen layer  
           16  multiple screen panels  
           18  shingle screen panels  
           20  pleated elbow  
           22  pants  
           24  pleated knee  
           26  face mask  
           28  upper screen  
           30  lower screen  
           32  helmet  
           34  fasteners  
           36  glove  
           38  back  
           40  palm  
           42  fingers  
           44  legging  
           46  boot  
           48  steel toe  
           50  shelter  
           52  aluminized material  
           54  firefighter