Patent Publication Number: US-6904617-B2

Title: Thermal lining

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
   1. Field of Invention 
   The present invention relates to a heat insulating sportswear, and more particularly to a thermal lining for a wear, which provides not only good heat insulation but also cooling effect of the wear, such as cap, jacket, or even a bag, so as to avoid heat discomfort of a wearer. 
   2. Description of Related Arts 
   During outdoor activity, such as jogging, watching a ball game in a stadium, or even outdoor shopping, people usually expose under sunlight. It is known that heat is transferred to the human body such that people may feel discomfort. Therefore, people may try to wear a pale-colored shirt and a cap in order to lower the heat absorption and block the sunlight respectively. However, such clothing will absorb the heat after a period of time and often make the wearer sweat and feel uncomfortable. 
   For example, the cap has been broadly used and considered as a convenience tool for sun shading, wherein the cap generally comprises a cap body to cover a top portion of the wearer&#39;s head and a visor extended from the cap body for blocking the sunlight. Even though the cap body can prevent the wear&#39;s head directly exposing to the sun, the ventilation of the cap is poor and often make the wearer sweat and feel uncomfortable. Another type of the cap is purposely created to attempt to solve the above problem by leaving the top portion of the cap body open so as to provide good ventilation on top of the wearer&#39;s head. However, the wearer&#39;s head will expose to the sunlight and raise the temperature of the wearer&#39;s head after a period of time. 
   Another example illustrates that an improved cap incorporated with a cooling pad to provide a cooling effect for the wearer, wherein the cooling pad, such as an ice pad, is attached to an inner side of the cap body so as to directly cool down the wearer&#39;s head. Usually, the cooling pad must be placed in a refrigerator to make the cooling pad in an icy manner. However, due to the sunlight, the cooling pad inside the cap will create a moist layer on the cooling pad in such a manner that the cap will get wet and discomfort the wearer. Especially when the cooling pad is used in a bag for keeping an object inside the bag cool, the moist layer will not only damage the object inside the bag but also wet the bag surface. Thus, the cooling pad must be treated before it is used, such as placing the cooling pad in the refrigerator. However, the cooling effect of the cooling pad cannot be last long. 
   SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
   A main object of the present invention is to provide a thermal lining for a wear, which provides not only good heat insulation but also cooling effect for the wearer, so as to avoid heat discomfort of the wearer. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a thermal lining for a wear, wherein the thermal lining comprises a cooling agent having a water-absorbing ability detachably placed in a storage compartment of the wear. Therefore, the heat from the sunlight will be absorbed by the cooling agent so as to keep the wearer&#39; body cool. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a thermal lining for a wear, which is easy and safe to use. The wearer can simply soak the thermal lining into an ice water or cool water in order to let the cooling agent absorbing the water and then put the thermal lining inside the wear. The water absorbed by the cooling agent will be gradually evaporated corresponding to the heat intensity of the sunlight, so as to provide a cooling effect for the wearer. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a thermal lining for a wear, wherein the thermal lining is remained in a dry condition after soaking into the ice water and no moist layer is created by the cooling agent during evaporation. Therefore, the wear is free from moisture, so as to prevent the wear getting wet by the thermal lining. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a thermal lining for a wear, wherein the thermal lining can be shaped and sized to fit any shape of the wear having a storage compartment. In other words, the thermal lining is adapted to incorporate with a cap, jacket, or even a bag so as to provide the cooling effect for the wear. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a thermal lining for a wear, wherein the cooling agent is reusable such that the wearer is able to soak the thermal lining back to the water after the water absorbed by the cooling agent is evaporated. 
   Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a thermal lining for a wear which comprises a storage compartment, wherein the thermal lining comprises: 
   a first layer made of fabric adapted for water permeating therethrough; 
   a second layer overlappedly attached to the first layer in an edge to edge manner to form a construction pocket between the first and second layers wherein the construction pocket is shaped and sized for receiving in the storage compartment of the wear; and 
   a cooling agent, having water absorbing ability, disposed in the construction pocket to form a heat insulation layer between the first and second layers wherein the cooling agent is adapted for absorbing and retaining the water and releasing the water by evaporation, so as to provide a cooling effect of the wear. 
   Therefore, the wearer is able to soak the thermal lining into the water, in such a manner that the water is permeated through the first layer into the construction pocket and absorbed by the cooling agent therein. The cooling agent with the water absorbed therein is adapted for receiving heat energy and gradually releasing the heat energy by evaporating the water, so as to provide the cooling effect for the wearer. 
   The present invention further provides a method of manufacturing the thermal lining, which comprises the steps of: 
   (a) cutting the first and second layers into a predetermined shape; 
   (b) overlappedly attaching the first and second layers in an edge to edge manner to form the construction pocket while one edge of the construction pocket is remained unattached to form an opening of the construction pocket; 
   (c) disposing a predetermined amount of solid cooling agent into the construction pocket through the opening, wherein the solid cooling agent is adapted for absorbing water to form the liquid form heat insulation layer so as to expand a size of the cooling agent; and 
   (d) sealedly enclosing the construction pocket by sewing the opening, wherein the construction pocket is shaped and sized to hold and retain the cooling agent after the cooling agent is expanded. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a thermal lining incorporated with a cap according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the cap with the thermal lining disposed in the cap according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a method of manufacturing the thermal lining according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a method of using the thermal lining for the cap according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an alternative mode of a construction pocket of the thermal lining according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  illustrate the applications of the thermal lining according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the thermal lining adapted for incorporating with a jacket and a bag. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the drawings, a thermal lining  20  incorporated with a wear  1  having a storage compartment  10  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, wherein the thermal lining  20  is adapted for detachably receiving in the storage compartment  10  of the wear  1 . 
   The thermal lining  20  comprises a first layer  21  made of fabric adapted for water permeating therethrough, a second layer  22  overlappedly attached to the first layer  21  in an edge to edge manner to form a construction pocket  201  between the first and second layers  21 ,  22  wherein the construction pocket  201  is shaped and sized for receiving in the storage compartment  10  of the wear  1 , and a cooling agent  23 , having water absorbing ability, disposed in the construction pocket  201  to form a heat insulation layer  231  between the first and second layers  21 ,  22  wherein the cooling agent  23  is adapted for absorbing and retaining the water therein and releasing the water by evaporation, so as to provide a cooling effect of the wear  1 . 
   According to the preferred embodiment, the wear  1  is embodied as a cap  11  to incorporate with the thermal lining  20 , wherein the cap  11  generally comprises a plurality of cap leaves  111  attached edge with edge together to form a cap body  112 . The storage compartment  10  is formed at each of the cap leaves  111  by overlappingly attaching an outer layer  113  and an inner layer  114  together so as to define an inlet opening  115  at one edge of the cap leave  111  for communicating the storage compartment  10  with outside. 
   The first and second layers  21 ,  22  are preferred made of fabric having ventilating properties and durability because the first and second layers  21 ,  22  are adapted for water permeating into the construction pocket  201  and retaining a shape of the cooling agent  23  in the construction pocket  201 . 
   The cooling agent  23 , according to the preferred embodiment, is made of resin wherein the cooling agent  23  is capable of absorbing a relatively large amount of water. After absorbing the water, the cooling agent  23  expends its size in order to keep the amount of water therein. Even though a pressure is applied on the cooling agent  23 , the water will not be released from the cooling agent  23 . In other words, after the cooling agent  23  absorbs the water, the thermal lining  20  is still remained in a dry condition. 
   Before the cooling agent  23  absorbs the water, the cooling agent  23  is in a solid phase, preferred in a granular shaped. However, after soaking with the water, the cooling agent  23  expands its size and changes its phase from solid from liquid such as gel form, so as to form the heat insulation layer  231 . It is worth to mention that the construction pocket  201  is shaped and sized to fit the cooling agent  23  after water absorption so as to retain the gel form cooling agent  23  between the first and second layers  21 ,  22 . Moreover, only water is capable of permeating through the first and second layers  21 ,  22 , the cooling agent  23  will be kept in the construction pocket  201  without leaking therefrom. 
   As shown in  FIG. 3 , a method of manufacturing the thermal lining  20  comprises the following steps. 
   (1) Cut the first and second layers  21 ,  22  into a predetermined shape. 
   (2) Overlappedly attach the first and second layers  21 ,  22  in an edge to edge manner to form the construction pocket  201  while one edge of the construction pocket  201  is remained unattached to form an opening of the construction pocket  201 . 
   (3) Dispose a predetermined amount of solid cooling agent  23  into the construction pocket  201  through the opening, wherein the solid cooling agent  23  is adapted for absorbing water to form the liquid form heat insulation layer  231  so as to expand a size of the cooling agent  23 . 
   (4) Sealedly enclose the construction pocket  201  by sewing the opening, wherein the construction pocket  201  is shaped and sized to hold and retain the cooling agent  23  after the cooling agent  23  is expanded. 
   In step (1), the construction pocket  201  is adapted to be formed by overlapping a piece of fabric in half to define the first and second layers  21 ,  22  and attaching two edges thereof to form the opening at the remaining edge of the construction pocket  201 . 
   In order to incorporate the thermal lining  20  with the cap  11 , the wearer must soak the thermal lining  20  with a water, preferred ice water. Then, the water will permeate through the first and second layers  21 ,  22  into the construction pocket  201  wherein the cooling agent  23  will absorb the water and change the phase from solid to liquid so as to form the heat insulation layer  231  of the thermal lining  20 . Therefore, the wearer is able to place the thermal lining  20  into the storage compartment  10  of the cap  11  for providing a cooling effect for the wearer, as shown in FIG.  4 . It is worth to mention that the liquid form heat insulation layer  231  not only can be deformed to a shape to fit in the storage compartment  10  and but also will provide a softy cushion effect for the cap  11 . 
   While the ambient temperature is increasing, such as exposing under the sunlight, the heat insulation layer  231  of the thermal lining  20  will absorb the heat energy. On the other hand, the heat insulation layer  231  will start to release the heat energy by evaporating the water absorbed in the cooling agent  23  wherein no moist layer is created by the cooling agent  23  during evaporation so that the cap is free from moisture. As a result, no heat is transferred to the wearer&#39;s head so as to avoid heat discomfort of the wearer. Thus, the water in the cooling agent  23  is evaporated to provide a ventilating and cooling effect of the cap  11  so as to keep the wearer&#39;s head cool. It is worth to mention that since the thermal lining  20  is detachably disposed in the storage compartment  10 , when the water in the cooling agent  23  is evaporated, the cooling agent  23  will change its phase back from the liquid phase to the solid phase. Therefore, the wearer is able to re-use the thermal lining  20  by simply soaking the thermal lining  20  back to the water. 
     FIG. 5  illustrates an alternative mode of the construction pocket  201 ′ wherein the first layer  21 ′ is integrally and overlappedly attached to the outer layer  113 ′ and the second layer  22 ′ is integrally and overlappedly attached to the inner layer  114 ′ so as to form the construction pocket  201 ′, i.e. the storage compartment  10 ′ of the cap  11 ′, between the outer layer  113 ′ and the inner layer  114 ′, so as to receive the cooling agent  23 ′ therebetween. In other words, the heat insulation layer  231 ′ is integrally built-in with the cap body  112 ′. It is worth to mention that the heat insulation layer  231 ′ is adapted to provide at a visor  116 ,  116 ′ of the cap  11 ,  11 ′ in order to enhance the cooling effect of the cap  11 ,  11 ′, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 5 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 6 , the thermal lining  20 , according to the preferred embodiment, is incorporated with the wear  10  such as jacket  12  or bag  13 . Accordingly, the jacket  12  comprises an outer layer  121  and an inner layer  122  overlapped with the outer layer  121  to form the storage compartment  10  therebetween wherein the thermal lining  20  is received in the storage compartment  10 . 
   Similarly, the bag  13  comprises an outer layer  131  and an inner layer  132  overlapped with the outer layer  131  to form the storage compartment  10  therebetween to receive the thermal lining  20 . It is worth to mention that thermal lining  20  is adapted to be built-in to the jacket  12  and/or the bag  13 , as disclosed in the alternative mode, by integrally and overlappedly attaching the first layer  21  of the thermal lining  20  to the outer layer  121  ( 131 ) and the second layer  22  to the inner layer  122  ( 132 ) respectively to form the construction pocket  201  therebetween.