Abstract:
A heated garment system in one embodiment includes a jacket, a wiring circuit embedded within the jacket and configured to generate heat, a battery assembly configured to removably couple with the wiring circuit, the battery assembly including a power button for selectively applying power to the wiring circuit, and a battery holder configured to removably receive the battery assembly.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/787,098 filed Mar. 15, 2013, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    This disclosure relates to cold weather gear. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Workers, hunters, hikers, and other individuals are frequently required to be in locations which expose the individuals to extreme weather. In conditions where the individual is exposed to cold weather, the individual frequently needs to don several layers of clothing in order to stay warm. Such layering, while effective, can significantly hinder the ability of the individual to perform tasks. Moreover, layering typically cannot be accomplished for extremities such as the hands and ears. Accordingly, even when wearing gloves, an individual can become uncomfortably and even dangerously cold. 
         [0004]    What is needed is cold weather gear which provides warmth without requiring excessive layering of garments. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    In accordance with one embodiment, a heated garment system includes a jacket, a wiring circuit embedded within the jacket and configured to generate heat, a battery assembly configured to removably couple with the wiring circuit, the battery assembly including a power button for selectively applying power to the wiring circuit, and a battery holder configured to removably receive the battery assembly. 
         [0006]    In accordance with another embodiment, a method of operating a heated garment system includes inserting a battery assembly into a battery holder, supporting the battery holder with a jacket, coupling the battery assembly with a wiring circuit embedded in the jacket, applying power to the wiring circuit using a power button of the battery assembly, and generating heat with the wiring circuit. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  depicts electrically heated garments in accordance with principles of the disclosure; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  depicts a portion of the electrically heated garments of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  depicts an electrically heated vest  FIG. 4  depicts a side perspective view of the battery assembly and holder of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  depicts the battery assembly and holder of  FIG. 4  with a portion of the battery holder removed to show features of the battery assembly; 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  depicts a side perspective view showing a portion of the bottom of the battery assembly and holder of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  depicts a top perspective view of the battery holder of  FIG. 1  with the battery assembly removed; 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  depicts a bottom perspective view of the battery holder of  FIG. 1  with the battery assembly removed; 
           [0014]      FIGS. 9-17  depict schematics of the garment circuit of the garment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 18  depicts a zippered pocket and eyelet on an inner side of the jacket of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 19  depicts the pocket of  FIG. 18  with the zipper shut to a stop strip which allows a wire portion of a wired device to extend out of the pocket without being damaged by the zipper; 
           [0017]      FIG. 20  depicts a second eyelet on the inner side of the jacket of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 21  depicts a portion of the outer side of the jacket of  FIG. 1  showing a flap covering the eyelet of  FIG. 20 ; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 22  depicts a pocket under the flap of  FIG. 21  with the zipper shut to a stop strip which allows a wire portion of a wired device to extend out of the pocket without being damaged by the zipper. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and described in the following written specification. It is understood that no limitation to the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended. It is further understood that the present disclosure includes any alterations and modifications to the illustrated embodiments and includes further applications of the principles of the disclosure as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains. 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  depicts a heated jacket  100 ,  FIG. 2  depicts a pair of heated gloves  102 , and  FIG. 3  depicts a heated vest  104  which in some embodiments includes a lighting system. Each of the garments in  FIGS. 1-3  is electrically heated. The electricity is provided by a battery assembly  106  through wiring  110  (the battery assembly  106  is shown disconnected from the wiring  110  in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). The wiring  110  is used to provide electricity to other garments such as the gloves  102 , the vest  104  (see  FIG. 3 ), ear muffs (not shown), a hat (not shown), etc. The battery assembly  106  is further used to provide power to electronic devices such as the electronic device  108  of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0022]    The battery assembly  106  is shown in more detail in  FIG. 4  positioned within a holder  120 . The holder  120  includes a clip  122  so that it can be worn on a belt, placed within a pocket which in some instances is specially made to receive the holder  120 , or simply attached at some other location of the garment. A portion of the housing of the holder  120  is removed in  FIG. 5  to show a power button  124  which can be used to turn the heating portion of the garments on and off as discussed more fully below, along with a port  126  which receives a plug attached to the wiring  110 . The holder is shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8  without a battery assembly  106  installed. 
         [0023]    The holder  120  includes two latches  128  which receive lips  130  on the battery assembly  106 . The lips  130  are located on a resilient flange  132  which is provided with grip portions  134 . By compression of the flange  132  at the grip portions  134  the lips  130  are moved out of the latches  128  allowing the battery assembly  106  to be removed from the inner cavity  136  of the holder  120 . In the embodiment of  FIGS. 4-8 , the latches  128  are through holes. In other embodiments the latches are indentations in an inner surface of the holder  120 . The clip  122  is oriented such that when used to attach the holder  120  to the jacket  100 , the port  126  is accessible through an opening in the bottom of the holder  120 . The bottom of the holder in one embodiment includes a resilient portion which allows the power button  124  to be manipulated without removing the battery assembly  106  from the holder  120 . 
         [0024]    The battery assembly  106  includes a 10.8V Lithium Ion battery, although other batteries are used in other embodiments. The battery assembly  106  provides about 7-8 hours of operation, and the garments themselves are washable and easily removed/donned. The garments can be used wherever warmth is desired using light weight and active garments. Some activities which benefit from the garments disclosed herein include construction, hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, etc. Even spectators at outdoor activities can benefit from the disclosed garments. In some embodiments, lighting such as LED lighting is also powered by the battery assembly  106 . 
         [0025]    The power from the battery assembly  106  supplies a garment circuit  150  which is shown in  FIGS. 9-17 . In  FIGS. 9-17 , the system component are defined as follows: “B+” is the + pole of the battery assembly  106 ; “B−” is the negative pole of the battery assembly  106 ; “U1” is the system control MCU; “U2” is 7550 +5V voltage regulator that supplies regulated +5V for system use; “U3” is a DC/DC converter for USB +5V output; Q1 is DC output to Heating Core control switch N-MOSFET; “Q2” is system power control switch, P-MOSFET; “Vcc” is system power from B+ (see J1); and “12V” is the symbol of DC output through JP1 to heating core, not real 12V output, it will be varied by B+. 
         [0026]    In the system MCU U1, the following definitions are used: “P1” is VDD, +5V, MCU power source from U2; “P2” USB LOAD, activate U3 when detects a load connect to USB port; “P3” 12V LOAD, enable DC output controlled by Q1 after “battery check” is correct; “P4” BUTTON, USB enable control switch, turn on USB for 120 minutes each time when button is pushed; “P5” SYSTEM_ON, system power switch, detects the voltage between Vcc and B−, when battery is lower than 8.25V, assign Q2 to shut down the whole system, interact with P3; “P6” NC, status indicator LED, for internal production test; “P7” sharing pin with indicator LED (if any), detect any loading connect to USB port, if yes, enable USB output, if not, then disable, this pin is interactive with P2; “P8” ANT, detect NTC resistance to protect battery; “P9” USB_OVER_L, detect USB current output, if &gt;900 ma, disable USB output, interact with P2; “P10” DC AD, detect input of DC Jack, interact with P11; “P11” DCTEST, detect input of DC Jack, interact with P10; “P12” 12V_OVER_L, detect current of DC output, if &gt;2.0 A, disable the DC output through Q1, interact with P3; “P13” ANB, detects the battery low voltage 8.25V, interact with P5; and “P14” VSS. 
         [0027]    With the foregoing definitions, the garment circuit  150  is further described with initial reference to  FIG. 9  wherein reference number “1” indicates the system Vcc from B+. In  FIG. 10 , reference number “2” indicates the fixed voltage level of USB data line, to ensure i-Phone and i-PAD can be charged (these two pins in USB port cannot be floating, otherwise i-Phone sometimes might not be enabled in the charged state. 
         [0028]    In  FIG. 11 , reference number “3” indicates the system wake-up circuit from cutoff state when the battery voltage is lower than 8.3V and reference number “4” indicates the system power control block, P-MOSFET circuit to B+. In  FIG. 12 , reference number “5” indicates is the DC to DC converter for USB output.  FIG. 13  includes reference number “6” which indicates a DC jack output overload detection point (&lt;2 A, 1.9 A preset in design), and reference number “9” which is DC jack status verification, by checking the Pin state of both P10 and P11 to ensure the DC jack input and Q1 output is correct which corresponds to the following four statuses: 
         [0000]                                                DC jack connected with load   Q1 ON           DC jack connected with load   Q1 OFF           DC jack without load   Q1 ON           DC jack without load   Q1 OFF.                          FIG. 13  also includes reference number “11” indicates which is DC Jack output control block, N-MOSFET circuit to B+.
 
         [0029]    In  FIG. 14 , reference number “7” indicates a USB output overload detection point (&lt;1 A, 0.9 A preset in design). In  FIG. 15 , reference number “8” indicates a NTC detection point (NTC terminal on battery pack connects to Pin 1 of JP3. By redesign, the system power control from B− to B+ to avoid the leakage current in NTC circuit loop at cutoff state). In  FIG. 16 , reference number “10” indicates a USB turn on switch, turns on USB port for 120 minutes each time when push button is pushed. Each time when button is pushed, the USB port will be turned on for 10 seconds to check any loading connects to the USB port. If yes, USB port will stay on for 120 minutes. If no, the USB port will be turned off to avoid unexpected push of the button. 
         [0030]    Additional detail of the circuit  150  is shown in  FIG. 17 . 
         [0031]    The heated jacket  100  thus provides the wiring an circuitry to accommodate a variety of electronic devices while providing a heated garment. The heated jacket  100  is also powered by a rechargeable battery. The heated jacket  100  is configured to be technology friendly in other ways. 
         [0032]    By way of example,  FIG. 18  depicts an inner pocket  160 . The inner pocket  160  is located on an inner surface of the jacket  100 . A pocket zipper  164  is provided to substantially seal the inner pocket  160  from direct access. A stop strip  166  extends over the zipper  162 . An eyelet  168  located adjacent to the stop strip  166  provides a passage from inside of the jacket  100  to a pocket (not shown) which is directly accessed from outside of the jacket  100 . 
         [0033]    Accordingly, when the main zipper  170  of the jacket  100  is fully zipped, the inner pocket  160  is effectively isolated from outside of the jacket  100 . Wired access to the pocket  160  from outside off the jacket  100  is provided, however, by the eyelet  168 . For example, a wired device such as the wired device  172  in  FIG. 18  can be threaded through the eyelet  168  from the outer pocket (not shown) or from inside the jacket  100 . The wired device  172  is also passed through an open portion  174  of the zipper  162  and into the pocket  160  as shown in  FIG. 19 . The stop strip  164  prevents the slider  176  of the zipper  164  from completely closing, thereby protecting the wired device  172  from damage. Accordingly, even with the jacket  100  fully zippered, wired access is provided between an inner zippered pocket  160  and an outer pocket (not shown). In some embodiments, the wired device  172  is a USB or other cable which can be used to power an electronic device positioned in the outer pocket. 
         [0034]    The heated jacket  100  further includes an eyelet  180  shown in  FIG. 20 . The eyelet  180  extends from within the jacket  100  to a location outside of the jacket  100 . On the outer side of the jacket  100 , the eyelet  180  is covered by a flap  182  (see  FIG. 21 ). The flap  182  inhibits the flow of air through the eyelet  180  and further covers an external pocket  184  ( FIG. 22 ). A zipper  186  and a stop strip  188  are provided for the pocket  184 . 
         [0035]    The eyelet  180  is used in much the same manner as the eyelet  168 . Thus, when the main zipper  170  of the jacket  100  is fully zipped, the inner pocket  160  is effectively isolated from outside of the jacket  100 . Wired access to the pocket  160  from outside off the jacket  100  is provided, however, by the eyelet  180 . For example, a wired device such as the wired device  190  in  FIG. 22  can be positioned safely within the pocket  184  and the cable threaded through an open portion  192  of the zipper  186 , through the eyelet  180 , through the open portion  172  of the zipper  162  and into the pocket  160  as shown in  FIG. 22 . The stop strip  164  prevents the slider  174  of the zipper  160  from completely closing, thereby protecting the wired device  170  from damage. while the stop strip  188  functions in the same manner. Accordingly, even with the jacket  100  fully zippered, wired access is provided between an inner zippered pocket  160  and an outer zippered pocket. 
         [0036]    While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same should be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character. It is understood that only the preferred embodiments have been presented and that all changes, modifications and further applications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.