Abstract:
An article having an inner article layer and an outer article layer to be worn by a mammal comprising a thermally insulating layer of a reflective metal polymeric insulation material adjacent to at least one of the inner and outer article layers. The insulation material provides enhanced thermal retention.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to thermally insulated articles worn by a mammal, particularly human beings, and particularly to articles of clothing and footwear. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Apparel and footwear worn by mammals, particularly human beings, are typically thermally insulated by means of a thick or a plurality of wool or other fabric layers per se or insulative foam, wool or other fabric material between an inner lining and the outer skin of cloth making up the jacket, trousers, coats and the like. 
         [0003]    At present, satisfactory insulated apparel in cold or very cold environments generally need to be bulky to provide a satisfactory comfort level. 
         [0004]    There is, however, a need to provide thermally insulated clothing that provides satisfactory thermal insulation that is not relatively bulky. 
         [0005]    Reflective metal polymeric insulation materials are known in the construction industry, particularly for use in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings and establishments, wherein the insulation material is adjacent frame structures, walls, crawl spaces, ceilings, around water heaters and pipes and under concrete floors and roads. Examples of such uses are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,322,873—issued Nov. 27, 2001 to Orologio, Furio and No. 6,562,439—issued May 13, 2003 to Orologio, Furio; and Canadian Patent No. 2,554,754—issued Dec. 4, 2007 to Orologio, Furio. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention provides articles to be worn by a person in the form of apparel or clothing, such as, for example, jackets, coats, trousers, headgear, hats, tuques, muffs and gloves, as well as boots and shoes, insulated with a layer of a reflective metal polymeric insulating material. 
         [0007]    The layer of insulating material may be adhered, sewn or otherwise suitably affixed within or to the inner and/or outer layers of the article. 
         [0008]    Accordingly, in one aspect, the invention provides an article having an inner article layer and an outer article layer to be worn by a mammal comprising a thermally insulating layer of a reflective metal polymeric insulation material adjacent to at least one of said inner and outer article layers. 
         [0009]    Preferably, the invention provides an article as hereinabove defined selected from the group consisting of apparel, hats, awes, muffs, gloves, boots and shoes. 
         [0010]    Preferably, the apparel is selected from coats, trousers, vests, waistcoats and dresses. 
         [0011]    Preferably, the insulation material comprises a foam material selected from a closed cell foam, polyethylene foam, polypropylene foam and expanded polystyrene foam, multi-film layers assembly, and a bubble pack. 
         [0012]    Preferably, the invention provides an article wherein the bubble pack comprises a first thermoplastic film having a plurality of portions wherein each of said portions defines a cavity; a second thermoplastic film in sealed engagement with said first film to provide a plurality of closed said cavities. 
         [0013]    Preferably, the invention provides an article comprising at least a single layer comprising a metal laminated to a thermoplastic layer or a metalized thermoplastic layer. 
         [0014]    More preferably, the invention provides an article wherein said material has a first face and a second face and comprises a laminated layer of metal adjacent or a metalized layer on at least one of said first face and said second face. 
         [0015]    In further preferred embodiments, the invention provides an article comprising a bubble pack assembly having 
         [0016]    (i) a first bubble pack having a first thermoplastic film having a plurality of portions wherein each of said portions defines a cavity and a second thermoplastic film in sealed engagement with said first film to provide a plurality of closed said cavities; and 
         [0017]    (ii) a second bubble-pack having a third thermoplastic film having a plurality of portions wherein each of said portions defines a cavity and a fourth thermoplastic film in sealed engagement with said third film to provide a plurality of closed said cavities; and 
         [0018]    (iii) a metal layer or metalized thermoplastic film interposed between and bonded to said first bubble pack and said second bubble pack. 
         [0019]    In further embodiments, the invention provides an article comprising a bubble pack assembly comprising: 
         [0020]    (i) a first bubble-pack having a bubbled first thermoplastic film having a plurality of portions between said bubbles wherein each of said portions defines a cavity and a second thermoplastic film in heat sealed engagement with said first film to close said cavities; 
         [0021]    (ii) a second bubble-pack having a bubbled third thermoplastic film having a plurality of portions between said bubbles wherein each of said portions defines a cavity and a fourth thermoplastic film in heat sealed engagement with said third film to close said cavities; and 
         [0022]    (iii) a film selected from a metal laminate or a metalized thermoplastic film interposed between said second and fourth thermoplastic films and laminated thereto by heat-sealing to provide said composite bubble pack assembly. 
         [0023]    In further embodiments, the invention provides an article wherein said metalized thermoplastic or laminate is a layer interposed between a pair of polyethylene films to constitute a layer interposed between said first bubble-pack and said second bubble-pack and laminated thereto by heat sealing. 
         [0024]    In further embodiments, the invention provides an article wherein at least one of said first, second, third, and fourth films is formed of a thermoplastic selected from the group consisting of a low density polyethylene, a linear low density polyethylene and a nylon. 
         [0025]    In yet further embodiments, the invention provides an article wherein said bubble pack further comprises one or more additional thermoplastic films. 
         [0026]    In yet further embodiments, the invention provides an article having at least one outer layer of laminated metal or metalized film. 
         [0027]    In yet further embodiments, the invention provides an article having two outer layers formed of laminated metal or metalized thermoplastic film. 
         [0028]    In yet further embodiments, the invention provides an article further comprising at least one additional thermoplastic film. 
         [0029]    In yet further embodiments, the invention provides an object wherein at least one of said first, second, third or fourth films is formed of a thermoplastics material selected from the group consisting of a low density polyethylene, a linear low density polyethylene, an ethylene-vinyl acetate polymer, a nylon, polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride. 
         [0030]    In preferred embodiments, the invention provides an article wherein said reflective metal polymeric insulation material comprises aluminum. 
         [0031]    In further embodiments, the invention provides an article wherein said insulation material has a first external outer layer and a second external outer layer and wherein at least one of said first and second outer layers has a plurality of external spacers adhered to said outer layer at suitable locations intermittent of said outer layer, and by which said material is retained to at least one of said inner and outer article layers. 
         [0032]    In further embodiments, the invention provides an article wherein said bubble pack comprises a reflective metal polymeric insulation bubble pack assembly comprising a first reflective metal bubble pack; a second reflective metal bubble pack; and a first plurality of intervening bubble spacers suitably located between said first and said second bubble packs as to define at least one inner insulative air chamber between said first and second bubble packs. 
         [0033]    The thickness and location of the insulative layer may be selected dependent on the particular article. A typical thickness of material for the inside of an overcoat, between the inner lining and outer cloth, such as, wool, or a waterproof outer layer is preferably Xmm to Ymm. 
         [0034]    The insulation material, preferably, may be suitably sewn or adhered by an adhesion as is desired. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0035]    In order that the invention may be better understood, preferred embodiments will now be described by way of example only, with references to the accompanying drawings wherein 
           [0036]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic representation of a person wearing apparel, footwear and headgear with a reflective metal polymeric insulation material according to the invention; 
           [0037]      FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic perspective view of an article (in part) according to the invention; 
           [0038]      FIGS. 3 and 4  are diagrammatic cross-sectional views through a reflective metal insulation bubble pack having an interposed aluminum foil or metalized polymeric film of use in the practise of the invention; 
           [0039]      FIGS. 5 to 16  represent diagrammatic, exploded sectional views of bubble pack assemblies of use in the practise of the invention; and wherein the same numerals denote like parts. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0040]      FIG. 1  shows generally as  1 , a person  2 , wearing headgear  3 , jacket  4 , gloves  5 , trousers  6  and boots  7  lined with reflective metal polymeric insulation material according to the invention. 
         [0041]    With reference to  FIG. 2 , this shows generally as  100 , a double layer, bubble-pack with aluminum foil insulation assembly adhered between the outer skin  202  and inner lining  204  of a jacket material. The double layer consists of a pair of bubble arrays  120 ,  140  bonded together through an intervening low density polyethylene film  160 . Arrays,  120 ,  140  are formed of a plurality of bubble or sealed cavities  180 ,  200 , respectively, from a 5 mil polyethylene film  220 ,  240 , respectively. Each of films  220 ,  240  at their outer surfaces is bonded to a reflective aluminum foil  260 ,  280 , respectively, to provide the whole assembly with external aluminum surfaces. 
         [0042]    Assembly  100  has approximately twenty, 1 cm diameter, 0.5 cm high bubbles per 30 cm length and breadth within each of films  220 ,  240 . 
         [0043]    The aforesaid assembly  100  is made by a double hot roller thermal and vacuum forming process for cavity forming and lamination sealing techniques known in the art. 
         [0044]    With reference to  FIG. 3 , this shows generally as  200  a composite double bubble-pack assembly according to the invention, having an aluminum foil  102  disposed between and bonded to bubble arrays  112  and  114  formed as for  FIG. 2  assembly. Bubbles  118  and  120  are encapsulated between polyethylene films  116  and  128 . 
         [0045]    Aluminum foil  102  has a low emissivity value of less than 5% on each surface to essentially eliminate heat transfer by radiation. 
         [0046]    Each of the single bubble-pack layers  112 ,  114  provides both thermal conduction and convection insulation, and, in combination with the aluminum surfaces, excellent radiation insulation. 
         [0047]    The composite bubble-pack  100  offers significant resistance to heavy loading whereby appreciate non-breakage of the air bubbles is often found. Preferably, outer layers  128  are made slightly thicker than inner layers  116  to better resist abrasion. Additional water resistance or abrasion resistant films may be bonded or formed laminated to layer  128 . 
         [0048]    Further, in consequence that composite assemblies of the invention have better thermal R-values than prior art assemblies, thinner or higher insulative assemblies may be provided. 
         [0049]      FIG. 4  shows a bubble pack generally as  80  having a pair of insulative air chambers  81  created by inner spacers  88  laminated to individual bubble packs  82 ,  84 . 
         [0050]      FIG. 4  assembly also has a plurality of external spacers  83  adhered to outer layer  85  to define with layer  85  open cavities  87 , which when adhered or sewn to an inner or outer lining  90  of an article provides a sealed insulative air chamber  89  from open cavities  87  between the bubble pack assembly  88  and lining  90 . Assembly  88  has a pair of aluminum laminate or metalized films  92  adhered together. 
         [0051]    With reference to  FIGS. 5 to 16  the following numerals denote the same materials throughout the drawings, as follows: —
         12 —48 gauge aluminum metalized polyester (PET) film;     14 —adhesive;     16 —1.2 ml polyethylene film;     18 —2.0 ml polyethylene film (bubbled);     20 —1.2 ml ethylene vinyl acetate-polyethylene film;     22 —2.0 ml polyethylene film;     24 —aluminum foil;     26 —polyester scrim;   FR denotes 18% w/w antimony oxide fire retardant;   W denotes presence of TiO 2  pigment (white).       
 
         [0062]    The bubble pack layer is preferably of a thickness selected from 0.5 cm to 1.25 cm. The other polyethylene layers are each of a thickness, preferably, selected from 1 to 6 mls. 
         [0063]    Although this disclosure has described and illustrated certain preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to those particular embodiments. Rather, the invention includes all embodiments which are functional or mechanical equivalence of the specific embodiments and features that have been described and illustrated.