Patent Publication Number: US-2018042312-A1

Title: Jacket having a warming/cooling tube and components thereof and methods of using and making the same

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/373,619 filed Aug. 11, 2016. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The field to which the disclosure generally relates to includes jackets, components thereof, and methods of making and using the same. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Individuals have been known to ride in vehicles with a jacket on. 
     SUMMARY OF ILLUSTRATIVE VARIATIONS 
     A number of variations may include a jacket having a warming/cooling tube, the tube having an open end communicating with a body cavity of the jacket, the tube having a second open end, the tube being constructed and arranged to connect the second end to a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning outlet vent component of a vehicle. 
     A number of variations may include a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning outlet vent coupling or clip constructed and arranged to attach to a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning outlet vent component of a vehicle and to a warming/cooling tube of a jacket. 
     A number of variations may include a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning outlet vent component having a vent opening and a collar portion surrounding the vent opening. The collar portion having a groove formed in an outer surface there of constructed and arranged to receive a O-ring of a warming/cooling tube of a jacket. 
     Other illustrative variations within the scope of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while disclosing variations of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Select examples of variations within the scope of the invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a jacket according to a number of variations. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a jacket having a warming/cooling tube connected to a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) outlet vent of a vehicle according to a number of variations. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a jacket having a warming/cooling tube, a first attachment feature connected to or sewn into the warming/cooling tube, and a vent coupling or clip attached to the first attachment feature according to a number of variations. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a vent coupling or clip attached to a HVAC outlet vent of a vehicle according to a number of variations. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a jacket having a warming/cooling tube, attached to a HVAC outlet vent of a vehicle by way of a first attachment feature and a vent coupling or clip according to a number of variations. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates the inside of a jacket showing a warming/cooling tube having a first end  28  communicating with a body cavity portion of the jacket according to a number of variations. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a jacket having a warming/cooling tube and an attachment feature including an O-ring sewn into a first end of the warming/cooling tube according to a number of variations. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a vent coupling or clip according to a number of variations. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a vent coupling or clip according to a number of variations. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a jacket including a storage pocket for a warming/cooling tube. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE VARIATIONS 
     The following description of the variations is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the scope of the invention, its application, or uses. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a jacket  10 , which in a number of variations, may include a first sleeve  12  having a first open end  14 , through which a person&#39;s hand may extend, and a second end  16  communicating with a body cavity portion  18  defined by the jacket and constructed and arranged to receive the torso of a person. The jacket  10  may also include a second sleeve  20  having a first open end  22 , through which a person&#39;s hand may extend, and a second end  24  communicating with the body cavity portion  18  defined by the jacket  10 . In a number of variations the jacket  10  may include a warming/cooling tube  26 . In a number of variations the warming/cooling tube  26  may comprise a fabric. In a number of variations the fabric may include nylon, polyester, cotton or other known clothing materials. In a number of variations the weave of the fabric may be sufficiently tight enough to prevent warm or cool air flowing through the tube  26  from exiting the tube  26  at locations other than the first open end  28 . A second end  30  of the warming/cooling tube communicates with the body cavity portion  18  and is constructed and arranged so that warm or cool air by be delivered through the second end  30  of the tube  26  into the body cavity portion  18 . 
       FIG. 10  illustrates a number of variations wherein the jacket  10  may include a hand warming pouch  11 , attached to the front of a torso section  15  of the jacket which may be constructed and arranged to conceal the connection point of the second end  30  of the warming/cooling tube  26  and into which the warming/cooling tube  26  may be stored when not in use. In a number of variations, a pocket  13  may be provided on the inside of the hand warming pouch or on the outer portion of the jacket underneath the hand warming pouch into which the warming/cooling tube may also be stored. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a driver of a vehicle wearing a jacket  10  having a warming/cooling tube  26  connected to an HVAC outlet vent of the vehicle. In a number of variations the vehicle may be an automobile, truck, motorcycle, snowmobile or a vehicle capable of traveling off road include a vehicle known as a JEEP. In a number of variations, the vehicle may have a convertible top, removable top or removable doors. The user of the jacket  10  may adjust the HVAC system of the vehicle to deliver heated air through the HVAC outlet vent  34  and into the warming/cooling tube  26  to heat the torso and/or arms of the jacket wearer. Similarly, the wearer of the jacket  10  may adjust the HVAC system to deliver cooled air through the HVAC vent  34  and through the warming/cooling tube to cool the torso and/or arms of the jacket wearer. 
     In a number of variations the tube may have a diameter at the first end  28  and the second end  30  that is less than 3 inches. In a number of variations the tube  26  may have a diameter throughout it length that is the same or substantially the same. In a number of variations the tube  26  may have a diameter throughout its length that is less than 3 inches. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a portion of a jacket warming/cooling tube  26  having an attachment feature in the form of a flexible O-ring  32  sewn into a first end  28  of the warming/cooling tube  26 . A vent coupling or clip  36  is attached to the first attachment feature  32 . The first attachment feature  32  may include a plurality of spaced apart attachment features  38 , such as but not limited to flexible fingers constructed and arranged to be frictionally fit into the opening defined by an edge  40  of the HVAC vent  34 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a number of variations. In a number of variations a vent coupling or clip  36  may be frictionally received in the opening defined by an edge  40  of an HVAC vent  34  of a vehicle. The vent coupling or clip  36  may have a groove  46  formed in a collar portion  50  thereof. The groove  42 , in a number of variations, may be arch shaped and constructed and arranged to receive at least a portion of an O-ring which is attached to or sewn into the warming/cooling tube  26  of the jacket. In a number of variations the vent component  34  and the coupling or clip  36  are not separate pieces. In a number of variations the vent component  34  defined an opening through which heated or cooled air may be delivered into the passenger area. In a number of variations the vent component  35  includes a collar portion  50  extend in the axial direction of the opening defined by an edge  40  of the vent component  34 . In a number of variations a groove  46  may be formed in a collar portion  50  and the groove  46  may be arch shaped and constructed and arranged to receive at least a portion of an O-ring which is attached to or sewn into the warming/cooling tube  26  of the jacket. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a warming/cooling tube  26  of a jacket having an O-ring  32  sewn into a first end  28  of the tube  26  and received in a groove formed in a collar portion  50  of a vent coupling or clip  36  attached to the HVAC vent  34 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a jacket  10  showing a portion of the inside of the jacket including the connection of a second end  30  of the tub  26  to communicate with the body cavity  18  defined by the jacket  10 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a warming/cooling tube  26  of a jacket having an O-ring  32  sewn into a first end  28  of the tube  26 . 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a vent coupling or clip  36  which, in a number of variations may include an annular shaped collar  50  having a groove  42  formed in an outer surface thereof and constructed and arranged to receive an O-ring attached to or sewn into a first end of a warming/cooling tube  26  of the jacket. A plurality of spaced apart attachment features  38  may extend actually from the collar  50 . The flexible fingers  38  may have a free end  44 , an inner surface  55  and outer surface having a first portion  46  tapering towards the free end  44 . The tapered portion  46  may be connected to a base  48  connecting to the collar  50 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates a vent coupling or clip  36  according to a number of variations. 
     The following description of variants is only illustrative of components, elements, acts, product and methods considered to be within the scope of the invention and are not in any way intended to limit such scope by what is specifically disclosed or not expressly set forth. The components, elements, acts, product and methods as described herein may be combined and rearranged other than as expressly described herein and still are considered to be within the scope of the invention. 
     Variation 1 may include a jacket having a warming/cooling tube, the tube having an open end communicating with a body cavity of the jacket, the tube having a second open end, the tube being constructed and arranged to connect the second end to a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning outlet vent component of a vehicle. 
     A number of variations may include a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning outlet vent coupling or clip constructed and arranged to attach to a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning outlet vent of a vehicle and to a warming/cooling tube of a jacket. 
     A number of variations may include a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning outlet vent component having a vent opening and a collar portion surrounding the vent opening. The collar portion having a groove formed in an outer surface there of constructed and arranged to receive a O-ring of a warming/cooling tube of a jacket. 
     The above description of select variations within the scope of the invention is merely illustrative in nature and, thus, variations or variants thereof are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.