Abstract:
Disclosed is a method and two apparatuses enabling refrigerated wearing and dressing. A refrigerant substance in condensed phase undergoing sublimation or evaporation into gaseous phase will absorb heat. By convecting the sublimated or evaporated phase of the refrigerant substance onto areas surrounding a wearing or a dressing, temperatures nearby can thus be lowered, resulting in comfort on wearing or dressing. Refrigeration in this manner is effective, since sublimation heat and evaporation heat are much more pronounced than can otherwise be obtained via using a battery or a dry cell, for example. Refrigerant can be placed in a container providing convenience in use, allowing for refill or replacement when depleted. Refrigerated clothes, hats, hamlets, etc., are in great need by our communities, in situations whenever it requires walking across air-conditioned stations, working under the sun or before a furnace, driving a motorcycle with an air-tight hamlet, and so forth.

Description:
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH  
         [0001]    (Not Applicable)  
         SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM  
         [0002]    (Not Applicable)  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0003]    1. Field of Invention  
           [0004]    This invention is directed to a method and two apparatuses to obtain refrigerated wearing and dressing. In other words refrigerant is used to lower temperatures on wearing and/or on dressing so as to bring in comfort in a too-warm environment. Wearing and dressing include clothes, a vest, a garment, a cap, a hat, and a hamlet, etc.  
           [0005]    2. Prior Art  
           [0006]    Human has no way to avoid altogether working in a too-warm environment, even if air conditioning has been provided allover most of the places. For example, after stepping out an air-conditioned vehicle the passenger has to expose his or her body to a hot weather before entering another air-conditioned station. A civil engineer has to patrol under the sun for most of the time in a summer afternoon monitoring the construction of a building to follow exactly as pre-designed. A metallurgist has to place his or her face close to a burning furnace to watch against if a chemical reaction has gone wrong. A motorcyclist has to wear an air-tight hamlet so as to prepare against the occurrence of an accidence. In all of these situations human is still suffering, and the prior art provides no solution at all to help.  
         OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES  
         [0007]    Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to address one or more of the foregoing disadvantages or drawbacks of the prior art, and to provide such an improved method and apparatuses to obtain refrigerated wearing and dressing. This allows the outfit of haman body to cool down in a too-warm environment, bringing comfort and piece in his or her mind, thereby rendering efficiency and joy at work and at entertainment.  
           [0008]    Other objects will be apparent to one of ordinary skill, in light of the following disclosure, including the claims.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0009]    In one aspect, the invention provides a method which sets up refrigeration on wearing and dressing, keeping human body cool in a too-warm environment, and hence to bring in comfort and joy at work or at entertainment. Refrigeration results if refrigerant is allowed to evaporate or sublimate, with the evaporated or sublimated gas guided and circulated in a tube forming a network attached to the inside of a dressing or a wearing, carrying excessive heat away from surrounding human body, thereby maintaining the temperature in a desirable range.  
           [0010]    In another aspect, the invention discloses an apparatus which allows refrigerated clothes to be fabricated. By evaporating or sublimating a refrigerant, cold gas is produced. Thus, by convecting the evaporated or sublimated cold gas through a network of fine tubes installed with the clothes, the temperatures local to the clothes are lowered, resulting in comfort and joy when work is required in a too-warm environment.  
           [0011]    In another aspect, the invention discloses an apparatus which allows refrigerated head wearing, such as a hat, a cap, or a hamlet, etc., to be fabricated. By evaporating or sublimating a refrigerant, cold gas is produced. Thus, by convecting the evaporated or sublimated cold gas through a network of fine tubes installed with the head-wearing, the temperatures local to the head-wearing are lowered, resulting in comfort and joy when work is required in a too-warm environment. 
       
    
    
     DRAWINGS  
     Figures  
       [0012]    For a more complete understanding of the nature and objectives of the present invention, reference is to be made to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, which, though not to scale, illustrate the principles of the invention, and in which:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1A shows one example of the preferred embodiment of the invention that a refrigerated vest is illustrated, showing an extended view. Refrigerant, after evaporation or sublimation, leads to gaseous phase to be conducted through a tube network attached to the vest at inside. A thin metal-wire net is also illustrated so as to make the surrounding temperature uniform.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1B shows the same example of FIG. 1A except that Tube Network, which carries refrigerant in gaseous phase, assumes more openings. That is, FIG. 1A assume two openings at the two respective ends of Tube Network, whereas multiple openings more than 2 are illustrated in FIG. 1B.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1C shows the same example of FIG. 1A except that Tube Network, which carries refrigerant in gaseous phase, has been integrated with the vest disclosed. That is, the vest assumes a structure consisting of connected ducts to simulate that of Tube Network. Ventilation holes are included with the vest at the inside surface to allow cold gas to come out, and hence to provide cooling on wearing.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 shows another example of the preferred embodiment of the invention that a refrigerated hat is illustrated showing both the top view and the side view. Refrigerant, after evaporation or sublimation, leads to gaseous phase to be conducted through a tube network attached to the head at inside. The refrigerant, which is contained in a can container, together with an air pump are installed nearby in a convenient manner.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 shows another example of the preferred embodiment of the invention that a refrigerated hamlet is illustrated adopting a tilted view. Refrigerant, after evaporation or sublimation, leads to gaseous phase to be conveyed into the hollow structure of the hamlet. Ventilation holes are included with the inside wall of the hamlet so that cold gas can thus be vented out, resulting in cooling down of the region enclosed by the hamlet. 
     
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS  
       [0018]    [0018] 100  Extended View of Vest  
         [0019]    [0019] 101  Front-Left Piece of Vest  
         [0020]    [0020] 102  Front-Right Piece of Vest  
         [0021]    [0021] 103  Back Piece of Vest  
         [0022]    [0022] 104  Left Shoulder being cut to enable an Extended View of Vest  
         [0023]    [0023] 105  Right Shoulder being cut to enable an Extended View of Vest  
         [0024]    [0024] 110  Tube Network  
         [0025]    [0025] 111  Left End of Tube Network  
         [0026]    [0026] 112  Right End of Tube Network  
         [0027]    [0027] 113  Compartment Wall  
         [0028]    [0028] 114  Compartment/Ventilation Duct  
         [0029]    [0029] 130  Inlet Tube  
         [0030]    [0030] 140  Air Pump  
         [0031]    [0031] 150  Valve Control Knob  
         [0032]    [0032] 160  Container/Can of Refrigerant  
         [0033]    [0033] 170  Hook for Attachment  
         [0034]    [0034] 180  Thin Metal-Wire Net  
         [0035]    [0035] 200  Top View of Refrigerated Hat  
         [0036]    [0036] 201  Hat  
         [0037]    [0037] 202  Brim  
         [0038]    [0038] 210  Tube Network  
         [0039]    [0039] 211  End of Tube Network  
         [0040]    [0040] 240  Air Pump  
         [0041]    [0041] 250  Valve Control Knob  
         [0042]    [0042] 260  Container/Can of Refrigerant  
         [0043]    [0043] 290  Side View of Refrigerated Hat  
         [0044]    [0044] 300  Hamlet  
         [0045]    [0045] 340  Air Pump  
         [0046]    [0046] 350  Valve Control Knob  
         [0047]    [0047] 360  Container/Can of Refrigerant  
         [0048]    [0048] 370  Ventilation Hole  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0049]    Preferred Embodiment:—FIG. 1A, FIG. 1B, and FIG. 1C  
         [0050]    [0050]FIG. 1A shows an example of the preferred embodiment of the invention that a refrigerated vest is illustrated showing an extended view. That is, Vest  100  contains three parts, Front Left  101 , Front Right  102 , and Back  103 , and the shoulder parts of Vest  100  have been cut open to reveal an extended view. The shoulder parts are denoted in FIG. 1A as Left Shoulder  104  and Right Shoulder  105 . It is also understood that when wearing Vest  100  the two edges of Front Left  101  and Front Right  102  are brought together and tie up via the use of buttons or a zipper, as assumed by a normal vest. Tube Network  110  is attached to the inner surface of Vest  100 . Refrigerant is contained in Can  160 , which is allowed to evaporate or sublimate if Valve Control Knob  150  is opened. Air Pump  110 , powered by a battery, is used to pump, if necessary, the evaporated or sublimated gas into Inlet Tube  130  which is connected to Tube Network  110  at midpoint. The two end points of Tube Network  110  are  111  at Left End, and  112  at Right End. Refrigerant Can  160  is attached to Hook  170  which can be hooked to, for example, a waist belt for convenient carriage. Container Can  160  can be refilled or replaced, if the refrigerant depletes. Metal-Wire Net  180  is shown in FIG. 1A whose function is to make the surrounding temperature uniform when Vest  100  is wore.  
         [0051]    It is known that a substance undergoing phase change from solid to gas or from liquid to gas absorbs heat, called sublimation heat or evaporation heat, respectively. A refrigerant can thus be any substance, so long as it assumes gaseous phase at room temperatures under 1 atmosphere pressure. To operate, the refrigerant is compressed under high pressure into a condensed phase being either a solid or a liquid to be placed in Container Can  160 . When Valve  150  is opened, pressure is lowered, and the refrigerant substance will go sublimation or evaporation accordingly to return to gaseous phase accompanied by heat absorption. This results in cold gas to flow, and the flow is conducted or guided in Tube Network  110  so as to lower the temperatures nearby. To reinforce the flow of the cold gas Air Pump  140  may be installed, especially when a sublimation process is assumed by the refrigerant substance. Valve  140  can not only turn on and off the gaseous flow, but also to adjust the amount of the gaseous flow, giving rise to temperature control over the disclosed device of Refrigerated Vest,  100 .  
         [0052]    Substances preferred to be used as refrigerant for the disclosed Vest  100  shown in FIG. 1A are carbon dioxide CO 2  and nitrogen N 2 , since they are environmentally safe, colorless, odorless, poisonless, and cost effective. Unlike oxygen O 2 , there is no risk to cause a fire. Also, both of them are effective refrigerant used widely by the current industries. The difference between CO 2  and N 2  is: carbon dioxide will assume a sublimation process, whereas an evaporation process will be assumed by nitrogen for the required refrigeration operation.  
         [0053]    Inlet Pipe  130  is preferred to be made of rubber, giving rise to thermal insulation and shape flexibility. Tube Network  110  assumes the geometry of a thin-wall, small-diameter tube wrapping around Vest  100  attached to the inside surface. Polyethylene material may be used, since it can be cast into thin-wall, small-diameter tube with easy exhibiting thermal semi-insulation and flexibility. To provide comfort on wearing, Vest  100  shall be flexible like a fabric. Also, Tube Network  110  shall be thermal semi-insulating, allowing the cold-gas flow conducted inside the tube to be gradually warmed up. In order to make the temperature uniform surrounding Vest  100  Metal Net  180  may be installed, spreading over the inner surface of Vest  100  making thermal contact with Tube Network  110 . Thin wire-filament is preferred for Metal Net  180  so as to provide shape flexibility with Vest  100 .  
         [0054]    [0054]FIG. 1A shows two openings for Tube Network  110  located at its two ends,  111  and  112 , respectively. More openings on Tube Network  110  may appear, as shown in FIG. 1B. If gas on exiting Tube Network  110  has already returned to a warm temperature, two openings suffice, as shown in FIG. 1A. However, if the exiting gas is still cold, it may be desirable to bring about more gas-exiting holes to attain a higher cooling efficiency, as shown in FIG. 1B. Gas exiting holes may locate at low positions of Tube Network  110 , as shown in FIG. 1B, if a light gas such as N 2  is used as the refrigerant. For a heavy gas, such as CO 2 , opening holes shall be located at high positions of Tube Network  110 .  
         [0055]    The disclosed Tube Network  110  shown in FIG. 1A may be combined with Vest  100  to form an integrated structure. This is shown in FIG. 1C. In FIG. 1C Vest  100  assumes a structure consisting of connected ducts simulating that of Tube Network  110  shown in FIG. 1A. In other words, Vest  100  of FIG. 1C includes many connected Compartments or Ventilation Ducts one of which is denoted as  114 ; Compartments are separated by Compartment Walls one of which is denoted as  113 . To operate cold gas of refrigerant is released from Inlet Tube  130  inflating all of the compartments or ventilation ducts included with Vest  100 . Ventilation holes, serving as exits for the injected cold gas, are included with the inner surface of the compartments toward human body, thereof providing cooling on wearing. The outer surface of Vest  100  is otherwise air tight. A thin-metal net, such as  180  shown in FIG. 1A, may be included with Vest  100  shown in FIG. 1C providing a mean to achieve temperature uniformity. Vest  100  may be fabricated by sealing or gluing two polyethylene sheets at the Compartment Wall positions, one with Ventilation Holes, and the other without. A piece of fabric may be attached to the outside surface of Vest  100  for aesthetic reasons. Other materials may also be considered. For example a sheet of canvas is semipermeable to air flow, which may be used as the inner surface of Vest  100  shown in FIG. 1C; another air-tight sheet, for example, leather, is then used as the outer surface of Vest  100 , which is attached to the canvas sheet glued or sealed at the Compartment Wall positions.  
         [0056]    Preferred Embodiment:—FIG. 2  
         [0057]    [0057]FIG. 2 shows another example of the preferred embodiment of the invention that a refrigerated hat is illustrated showing both the top view,  200 , and side view,  290 . Refrigerant, which in contained in Can  260 , is evaporated or sublimated if Valve Control Knob  250  is opened. The evaporated or sublimated gas is conducted or guided along Tube Network  210 , taking exit at End  211  located at top of Head  201 . Air Pump  240 , powered by a battery, may be included so as to reinforce gas circulation, especially when the refrigerant assumes a sublimation process. In FIG. 2  202  denotes Brim. Air Pump/Container Can,  240 / 260 , is attached to the rear of Hat  201  for convenient carriage. Container Can  260  can be refilled or replaced, if the refrigerant depletes.  
         [0058]    In FIG. 2 Valve Control Knob  250  can not only turn on and off the gaseous flow in Tube Network  210 , but also provide adjustment in the gaseous flow, and hence the control over the temperatures of Refrigerated Hat  201 . As shown in FIG. 2 the opening hole locating at Tube Network End  211  shall point to the downward direction so as to facilitate the cooling efficiency. Tube Network  210  is attached to the inside surface of Hat  201 , and Valve Control Knob  250  is located at outside. All discussions appearing in association with FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B can equally be applied here. For example, gas exiting holes more than one may be included with Tube Network  210 , and a thin-metal net may be attached to the inner surface of Hat  201  making thermal contact with Tube Network  210 . Carbon Dioxide or Nitrogen are preferred to be used as the refrigerant substance, and polyethylene material may be used for Tube Network  210 .  
         [0059]    Preferred Embodiment:—FIG. 3  
         [0060]    [0060]FIG. 3 shows another example of the preferred embodiment of the invention that a refrigerated hamlet is illustrated adopting a tilted view. Although the same structure of FIG. 2 can also be applied to a hamlet, FIG. 3 shows an alternative. The difference between FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 is that Tube Network  210  is not used; instead, Ventilation Holes  370  are assumed, located on the inner surface of Hamlet  300 , ejecting cold gas toward its inside. That is, in FIG. 3, refrigerant is contained in Can  360 , and after sublimation or evaporation, the gaseous flow is controlled by Valve Control Knob  350 , ejecting into the hollow structure assumed by Hamlet  300 ; cold gas vents out from Ventilation Holes  370 , to keep it cool for the region enclosed by Hamlet  300 . Air Pump  350  may be installed, powered by a battery, especially when a sublimation process is assumed by the refrigerant. Air Pump  340  and Container Can  360  is attached to one side (right side) of Hamlet  300  for convenient carriage. Container Can  360  can be refilled or replaced, if the refrigerant depletes. Carbon Dioxide or Nitrogen are preferred to be used as the refrigerant substance, as discussed previously with FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B.  
       Conclusions  
       [0061]    Refrigerated wearing and dressing are obtained by incorporating the convection of cold gas arising from a sublimation or an evaporation process. Since the sublimation or the evaporation heat is huge comparing to the specific heat required to rise the temperatures in air surrounding human body, cooling using a refrigerant agency is thus efficient and effective. Sublimation or evaporation heat is even more pronounced for a polarized substance, such as carbon dioxide, CO 2 . Small-diameter thin-wall polyethylene tubes may be used to conduct the flow of cold gas attached to the inside surface of a dressing or a wearing. Alternatively, cold gas is ejected into the hollow structure of a wearing or a dressing to be vented out subsequently through ventilation holes without assuming the use of a tube network. For both methods flexibility can be obtained, resulting in comfort on wearing and dressing.