Source: http://patents.com/us-9918502.html
Timestamp: 2018-12-16 16:15:08
Document Index: 83217441

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 15', 'art 15', 'art 22', 'art 22', 'art 22', 'art 15', 'art 122', 'art 122', 'art 122', 'art 122', 'art 15', 'art 22', 'art 17', 'art 122', 'art 15', 'art 122', 'art 122', 'art 122', 'art 122', 'art 15', 'art 15', 'art 122', 'art 122', 'art 15', 'art 17', 'art 34', 'art 34', 'art 34', 'art 22', 'art 34', 'art 34', 'art 34', 'art 34', 'art 34', 'art 34', 'art 34', 'art 34', 'art 15', 'art 17', 'art 22', 'art 34', 'art 34', 'art 22', 'art 34', 'art 15', 'art 17', 'art 15', 'art 17', 'art 34', 'art 34', 'art 22', 'art 15', 'art 17', 'art 15', 'art 17', 'art 15', 'art 17', 'art 17', 'art 15', 'art 15', 'art 17', 'art 15']

US Patent # 9,918,502. Conditioning garments - Patents.com
United States Patent 9,918,502
Oliver , et al. March 20, 2018
Oliver; Alan Paul (Rhyl, GB), Smith; Brendan Patrick (Liverpool, GB)
SURVITEC GROUP LIMITED (Birkenhead, Merseyside, GB)
Family ID: 1000003180192
14/586,655
US 20150173431 A1 Jun 25, 2015
PCT/GB2007/003433 Sep 11, 2007
Sep 21, 2006 [GB] 0618629.0
Current International Class: A61F 7/00 (20060101); A41D 13/005 (20060101)
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1. A garment arrangement including: a protective garment, a conditioning garment comprising at least one tube configured to pass heated/cooled fluid to heat/cool a wearer of the conditioning garment, wherein the conditioning garment is worn inside the protective garment, and a connector configured to connect the at least one tube to a source of heated/cooled liquid, the connector comprising: a male part and a female part configured to allow passage of the heated/cooled liquid, a releasable latch acting between the male and female parts to hold the male part in engagement with the female part, and a bridge piece configured to mount the connector on the protective garment, the bridge piece including a hole through which the male part extends before entering the female part, the releasable latch including a release member movable to release the latch and allow separation of the male part from the female part, the male and female parts being self-sealing on disengagement, wherein the male part defines a fluid passage through and co-axial with a fluid passage in the female part when the male part is engaged with the female part, the movement of the release member being in a direction parallel to the common axis of said fluid passages, wherein the releasable latch comprises a first part on the male part and a second part on the female part, the first and second parts inter-engaging when the male part is received in the female part, said movement of the release member disengaging the first and second parts to allow the male part to be removed from the female part, wherein the release member is mounted on the female part, the release member moving the second latch part to disengage the second latch part from the first latch part and allow the male part to be withdrawn from the female part, wherein the second latch part is spring loaded into engagement with the first latch part, the movement of the release member away from the female part moving the second latch part against said spring loading to disengage the second latch part from the first latch part, and wherein the second latch part is elongate and extends in a first direction parallel to said fluid passage axis and the direction of movement of said release member, the second latch part being movable in a second direction transverse to said first direction against said spring loading.
11. A garment arrangement including: a protective garment, a conditioning garment comprising at least one tube configured to pass heated/cooled fluid to heat/cool a wearer of the conditioning garment, wherein the conditioning garment is worn inside the protective garment, a connector configured to connect the at least one tube to a source of heated/cooled liquid, the connector comprising: a male part and a female part configured to allow passage of the heated/cooled liquid, a releasable latch acting between the male and female parts to hold the male part in engagement with the female part, the releasable latch including a release member movable to release the latch and allow separation of the male part from the female part, the male and female parts being self-sealing on disengagement, and a bridge piece configured to sealingly mount the connector to the protective garment, the bridge piece including a hole through which the male part extends before entering the female part, wherein the bridge piece allows the passage of the heated/cooled liquid, wherein one of the male part and the female part is configured to be mounted inside the protective garment and the other of the male part and the female part is configured to be mounted outside the protective garment, the one of the male part and the female part configured to be mounted inside the protective garment, when coupled to the bridge piece, providing a barrier to environmental conditions outside the protective garment, and a locking part acting between the one of the male part and the female part configured to be mounted inside the protective garment and the bridge piece to hold one of the male part and the female part configured to be mounted inside the protective garment in engagement with the bridge piece, the locking part including a release member movable to release the locking part and allow separation of the one of the male part and the female part configured to be mounted inside the protective garment from the bridge piece, the one of the male part and the female part configured to be mounted inside the protective garment being self-sealing on disengagement.
12. A garment arrangement including: a conditioning garment comprising at least one tube configured to pass heated/cooled fluid to heat/cool a wearer of the conditioning garment, wherein the conditioning garment is configured to be optionally worn inside a protective garment, and a connector configured to connect the at least one tube to a source of heated/cooled liquid, the connector comprising: a male part and a female part configured to allow passage of the heated/cooled liquid, a releasable latch acting between the male and female parts to hold the male part in engagement with the female part, and a bridge piece configured to be mountable to the protective garment, if worn, the bridge piece including a hole through which the male part extends before entering the female part, the releasable latch including a release member movable to release the latch and allow separation of the male part from the female part, the male and female parts being self-sealing on disengagement, wherein the male part defines a fluid passage through and co-axial with a fluid passage in the female part when the male part is engaged with the female part, the movement of the release member being in a direction parallel to the common axis of said fluid passages, wherein the releasable latch comprises a first part on the male part and a second part on the female part, the first and second parts inter-engaging when the male part is received in the female part, said movement of the release member disengaging the first and second parts to allow the male part to be removed from the female part, wherein the release member is mounted on the female part, the release member moving the second latch part to disengage the second latch part from the first latch part and allow the male part to be withdrawn from the female part, wherein the female part includes a push-button, depression of the button disengaging the second latch part from the first latch part, wherein the second latch part is spring loaded into engagement with the first latch part, the movement of the release member away from the female part moving the second latch part against said spring loading to disengage the second latch part from the first latch part, wherein the second latch part is elongate and extends in a first direction parallel to said fluid passage axis and the direction of movement of said release member, the second latch part being movable in a second direction transverse to said first direction against said spring loading, and wherein said push button is connected to the second latch part by a rod extending in said second direction, depression of the push-button moving the rod in said second direction to disengage the second latch part from the first latch part, and wherein the push-button is spring-loaded to provide said spring loading on the second latch part.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a garment arrangement including: a protective garment, a conditioning garment comprising at least one tube configured to pass heated/cooled fluid to heat/cool a wearer of the conditioning garment, wherein the conditioning garment is worn inside the protective garment, and a connector configured to connect the at least one tube to a source of heated/cooled liquid, the connector comprising: a male part and a female part configured to allow passage of the heated/cooled liquid, a releasable latch acting between the male and female parts to hold the male part in engagement with the female part, and a bridge piece configured to mount the connector on the protective garment, the bridge piece including a hole through which the male part extends before entering the female part, the releasable latch including a release member movable to release the latch and allow separation of the male part from the female part, the male and female parts being self-sealing on disengagement.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a garment arrangement including: a protective garment, a conditioning garment comprising at least one tube configured to pass heated/cooled fluid to heat/cool a wearer of the conditioning garment, wherein the conditioning garment is worn inside the protective garment, and a connector configured to connect the at least one tube to a source of heated/cooled liquid, the connector comprising: a male part and a female part configured to allow passage of the heated/cooled liquid, a releasable latch acting between the male and female parts to hold the male part in engagement with the female part, the releasable latch including a release member movable to release the latch and allow separation of the male part from the female part, the male and female parts being self-sealing on disengagement, and a bridge piece configured to sealingly mount the connector to the protective garment, the bridge piece including a hole through which the male part extends before entering the female part, wherein the bridge piece allows the passage of the heated/cooled liquid, wherein one of the male part and the female part is configured to be mounted inside the protective garment and the other of the male part and the female part is configured to be mounted outside the protective garment, the one of the male part and the female part configured to be mounted inside the protective garment, when coupled to the bridge piece, providing a barrier to environmental conditions outside the protective garment.
According to a further example embodiment, there is provided a garment arrangement including: a conditioning garment comprising at least one tube configured to pass heated/cooled fluid to heat/cool a wearer of the conditioning garment, wherein the conditioning garment is configured to be optionally worn inside a protective garment, and a connector configured to connect the at least one tube to a source of heated/cooled liquid, the connector comprising: a male part and a female part configured to allow passage of the heated/cooled liquid, a releasable latch acting between the male and female parts to hold the male part in engagement with the female part, and a bridge piece configured to be mountable to the protective garment, if worn, the bridge piece including a hole through which the male part extends before entering the female part, the releasable latch including a release member movable to release the latch and allow separation of the male part from the female part, the male and female parts being self-sealing on disengagement.
A "loose" bridge piece may be fitted onto the male part if the conditioning garment is worn without a protective garment. Such a bridge piece may be termed a "summer land spacer" because it is fitted when the protective garment (e.g. IPG or CBRN) is not worn--for example, flying over land in peacetime when the weather is fine.
The following is a more detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:--
Referring first to FIG. 1, the conditioning garment comprises a vest-like backing material 10 and an array of tubes 11 for passing heated/cooled fluid over the vest 10. The tubes 11 may be attached to the backing material 10, and the attachment may be performed in any suitable way--such as by adhesive, sewing, etc. The vest 10 is open at one side and, at that side, a side flap 12 is provided to allow adjustment of the size of the vest 10.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the male part 15 comprises first and second parallel pipes 19a, 19b carried by a housing 21. The end of the inlet tube 13 is pushed over the first pipe 19a and the end of the outlet tube 14 is pushed over the second pipe 19b. The pipes 19a, 19b lead to respective passages 20a, 20b carried by the housing 21. As seen in FIG. 2, the passages 20a, 20b extend side-by-side but parallel from the opposite side of the housing 21 to the pipes 19a, 19b. The male part 15 also includes a first latch part 22 (FIG. 4) that projects from the housing 21 in a direction parallel to the axis of the passages 20a, 20b. The first latch part 22 is formed by a flat elongate member carrying a triangular section head 23 at its free end. The purpose of this first latch part 22 will be described below. The male part 15 further includes a locking part 122 (FIG. 4) that projects from the housing 21 in a direction parallel to the axis of the passages 20a, 20b. The locking part 122 is formed by a flat elongate member carrying a triangular section head 123 at its free end. The locking part 122 can be depressed by pushing on a button 24 provided on the housing 21. The purpose of this locking part 122 will be described below.
The bridge piece 18 comprises a mounting formed with a pair of parallel side-by-side holes 25a, 25b for receiving respective passages 20a, 20b on the male part 15. The holes 25a and 25b in the bridge piece 18 are fitted with respective "O rings" 45a, 45b (see, e.g., FIG. 6a) such that when the passages 20a and 20b are engaged into the holes 25a and 25b a seal is made between the passages 20a and 20b and the holes 25a and 25b. The result is that there is a seal created to prevent water or contaminants entering a protective garment 50 (see, e.g. FIG. 5). In addition, between the holes 25a, 25b, the bridge piece 18 is provided with a latching aperture 27 and a locking aperture/recess 26. The latching aperture 27 is for receiving first latch part 22 in a manner to be described below and the function of the locking aperture 26 will also be described below.
The female part 17 comprises a housing 28 formed with a pair of side-by-side passages 29a, 29b. Each passage 29a, 29b leads to a respective pipe 30a, 30b projecting from the housing 28. A supply tube (not shown) leading from a source of heated/cooled fluid, such as a pilot cooling unit, (not shown) has an end pushed over the first pipe 30a in order to supply heated/cooled fluid to the tubes 11 for heating/cooling the wearer. A return tube (not shown) has an end pushed over the second pipe 30b and returns the fluid, after it has passed through the tubes 11 and has performed its heating/cooling function, to the source of heated/cooled fluid so that, for example, the returned fluid can be heated or cooled again for passing back to the tubes 11 via the supply tube.
The locking part 122 operates as follows. The male part 15 and the bridge piece 18 are aligned with the male passages 20a, 20b in alignment with the bridge piece holes 25a, 25b. The male passages 20a, 20b are then pushed through the bridge piece holes 25a, 25b. As this happens, the end of the locking part 122 enters the locking aperture 26 in the bridge piece 18 and the head 123 engages a triangular section head (not shown) in the locking aperture 26. This moves the locking part 122 against the action of the spring 139 to allow the head 123 on the locking part 122 to pass the triangular section head in the locking aperture 26. When the male passages 20a, 20b are fully inserted into the bridge piece holes 25a, 25b, the head 123 on the locking part 122 engages behind the triangular section head in the locking aperture 26 so preventing the male part 15 being disengaged from the bridge piece 18.
The male part 15 can be disengaged from the bridge piece 18 as follows. The push button 24 is be depressed to move the locking part 122 downwardly to disengage the triangular section head in the locking aperture 26 from the head 123 on the locking part 122. The male passages 20a, 20b can then be withdrawn from the bridge piece holes 25a, 25b.
The conditioning garment may be worn without a protective garment 50. If the conditioning garment is to be worn without a protective garment 50 then a bridge piece can be supplied "loose", that is not fitted into a protective garment. This loose bridge piece is put onto the male part 15 to replace the bridge piece that would have been fitted into the protective garment had the protective garment been worn.
The female part 17 includes a second latch part 34 of the latch member. The second part 34 comprises an elongate member extending parallel to and between the passages 29a, 29b in the female housing 28. At its end opposite the pipes 30a, 30b, the second latch part 34 is located in the female housing aperture 33 and is provided with a triangular section head 35 complimentary to the head 23 on the first part 22 of the latch member.
A portion of the second latch part 34 remote from the head 35 is provided with a ramp 36 for a purpose to be described below. A connecting bar 37 is fixed to the second part 34 and extends normal to the second part 34 through the female housing 28 to connect to a push button 38. The push button 38 is urged out of the female housing 28 by a spring 39 acting between the push button 38 and the female housing 28. Depression of the push button 38 thus moves the second latch part 34 against the action of the spring 39 in a direction normal to the length of the second latch part 34. The female housing 28 also carries a release member 40. The release member 40 extends parallel to but spaced from the second latch part 34 and has an end projecting from the female housing 28 on the same side as the pipes 30a, 30b and terminating in a loop 41. The opposite end of the release member carries a follower 42 that engages the ramp 36 on the second latch part 34.
The second latch part 34 operates as follows. The male part 15 and the female part 17 are aligned with the male passages 20a, 20b in alignment with the female passages 29a, 29b. The male passages 20a, 20b are then pushed through the bridge piece holes 25a, 25b until the male passages 20a, 20b enter the female passages 29a, 29b. As this happens, the end of the first latch part 22 enters the aperture 33 in the female housing 28 and the head 23 engages the head 35 of the second latch part 34. This moves the second latch part 34 against the action of the spring 39 to allow the head 23 on the first latch part pass the head 35 on the second latch part. When the male passages 20a, 20b are fully inserted into the female passages 29a, 29b, the head 23 on the first part 22 engages behind the head 35 on the second part 34 so preventing the male part 15 being disengaged from the female part 17.
The male part 15 can be disengaged from the female part 17 in two ways. First, the push button 38 can be depressed to move the second latch part 34 downwardly, as seen in FIG. 4, to disengage the head 35 on the second latch part 34 from the head 23 on the first latch part 22. The male passages 20a, 20b can then be withdrawn from the female passages 29a, 29b. Both the male passages 20a, 20b and the female passages 29a, 29b are self-sealing in known manner.
In the event of an emergency, such as a tank being hit by enemy fire or the use of an ejector seat in an aircraft, movement of the person away from a normal working position will tension the cord 44 which in turn will move the release member and so allow disengagement of the male part 15 from the female part 17 without any action by the wearer--the movement of the wearer will simply pull the male part 15 away from the female part 17. Thus no liquid is spilled, because the passages 20a, 20b, 29a, 29b are self-sealing and the wearer is not impeded by trailing supply and return tubes.
The bridge piece 18 may also be fitted into a garment without an extension portion 52. For example, some protective garments do not have an extension piece, and the bridge piece may be bonded straight onto the protective garment--such as at a generally flat side surface.
As mentioned above, both the male passages 20a and 20b of the male part 15 and the female passages 29a, 29b of the female part 17 are self-sealing in known manner. Therefore, in the arrangement as shown in FIG. 5, prior to connection of the female part 17 to the male part 15, the integrity of the garment is maintained due to the self-sealing of the passages 20a, 20b of the male part 15. That is, the passages 20a, 20b are sealed and the distal end of the tubular portion 52 is sealed against the bridge piece 18. This prevents water or harmful environmental factors (such as chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear material) entering the garment 50 and harming the wearer.
In the event of emergency, as described above, when the wearer of conditioning garment and protective garment 50 moves away from their normal working position, the tension in the cord 44 will pull the female part 17 away from the male part 15 (or this may be done manually by the wearer). Due to the self-sealing nature of the male passages 20a, 20b and the seal of the distal end of the tubular portion 52 against the bridge piece 18, the interior of the protective garment 50 is isolated from the external environment, thereby protecting the wearer.
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