Abstract:
The lack of air flow under body armor, helmets, and thick garments can lead to excessive moisture build up and discomfort on the wearers body due to lack of heat removal and effective evaporation of sweat. By incorporating wick covered heat pipes or thermal conductors with air flow channels in the apparel contact area between the garments, helmets, and body armor the effectiveness air flow cooling and evaporation of sweat can be restored. Humidity or temperature auto-actuated bi-material valves are used to control this air-moisture-heat flow to achieve a controlled comfortable humidity-temperature environment and avoid excessive cooling. Supplementary air pumps, filters, dehydrators, fluid pumps, heating fluids, and cooling fluids may be incorporated to enhance the effectiveness. Biocides and hydrophilic materials are also incorporated on the wick coverings to avoid biological growth and maintain performance to achieve a healthy environment for the wearer.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/062,219, filed Jan. 24, 2008, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention provides apparatus to control the movement of heat and moisture and control temperature and humidity, by evaporation and air cooling with air flow between an armor shell, apparel, or helmet covering human or animal body using; air flow channels, water wicking material covered heat pipes, or thermal conductors in contact with human or animal body and humidity and/or temperature reactive auto-actuated laminate impedance structures or humidity and/or temperature reactive auto-actuated laminate valves. 
     The invention provides apparatus to control the movement of heat and chemicals and thereby control temperature and humidity, by evaporation and air cooling with fluid flow between a cover over a living body using fluid flow channels, liquid wicking material covered thermal conduits in contact with living body, and chemical concentration and/or temperature reactive auto-actuated laminate structures with varying impedance to the movement of heat and chemicals. 
     The invention provides apparatus to control heat and moisture flux to control temperature and humidity environment, by evaporation and air cooling with airflow between an armor shell, apparel, or helmet covering a living body using; air flow channels, water wicking material covered thermal conduits in contact with body, and humidity and/or temperature reactive auto-actuated laminate impedance structures which therein vary impedance to the flux of heat, moisture and/or fluid flow. 
     Elements:
         remove heat and chemicals, or moisture   control temperature and humidity,   evaporation and air cooling with air flow between an armor shell, apparel, or helmet covering   air flow channels   chemical concentration and/or temperature reactive auto-actuated laminate structures which control heat and air flow   wicking material covered heat thermal conduits, heat pipes, or conductor which is also in contact with the human, animal, or living body.       

     The use of body armor, helmets, fire proof suits, hazardous environment suits, cock pit shells, thick garments, shoes, and gloves on people such as motor cross racing drivers, racing car drivers, soldiers, police, and firefighters can lead to excessive temperatures on the wearers body. The human body reaction to maintain constant temperature is to sweat and cool by evaporation on the skin. Due to the confined conditions and lack of air circulation under the armor the sweating does not result in evaporation and effective cooling of the wearer. Thus sweat builds up under the armor and the wearer becomes uncomfortable, this can result in dehydration, in some situations even possibly lead to hyperthermia or hypothermia. In addition the moist and warm conditions on the skin are ideal growth conditions for bacterial growth and can lead to skin and wound infections of the wearers. Body oils from the wearer can also interfere with efficient wicking of sweat. In cold weather environments excessive cooling through body armor can also lead to an opposite situation of chilling the wearer of the armor. 
     The disclosed invention is to provide a means of wicking sweat off the body and skin onto a wicking surface covering the padding or of the of the body armor, and creating air flow passages in the padding of the helmet or body armor to allow for effective cooling by evaporation of the sweat from the wearer. Padding contact and confinement of the body armor interferes with the normal evaporative cooling of sweating and evaporation to air flow. By placing thermally conductive materials, or heat pipes inside the padding to transfer heat on contact with the body and with the evaporating sweat areas onto the wicking surfaces it restores the cooling effect of sweating. To provide optimum heat removal control to maintain desirable temperatures and humidity surrounding the wearer, humidity or temperature bi-material laminate actuating valves open to let air flow when temperatures or humidity are high to maximize air flow and evaporation and close when the temperatures are low or humidity is low to retain heat and maintain a comfortable environment about the wearer. The laminate actuators can be distributed through out the air vent channels under the body armor to achieve local control thereby uniformly maintaining desirable environmental conditions through out the apparel. Laminate actuators in the form of exterior layers or fabric can be used to cover the exterior of the body armor or helmet to act as self adjusting variable thermal insulation and ventilation to the body armor and thermally conductive elements. To insure the cooling effect of flowing air in high humidity environments water absorbent and heat dissipation an air intake filter be used to de-humidify the air flow entering the system. The air intake filter can also be an insect, dust and/or bacterial filter to keep the air flow space inside the armor clean. An air fan can be used to pump air through the system when the system is stationary or high power cooling performance is needed or the air flow resistance into passages will not allow sufficient evaporative cooling to be effective. The padding and wicking surfaces can be treated with antibacterial coating to prevent fungal and bacterial growth. Water can be distributed to the evaporating areas with tubes or membranes onto of the thermal conductors or heat pipes for additional cooling. This patent application incorporates laminated actuators of our filed patent application U.S. Ser. No. 11/702,821, filed Feb. 6, 2007, based on U.S. Provisional Application 60/765,607, filed Feb. 6, 2006 “Laminate Actuators and Valves” as if fully set forth herein as an air and heat flow control mechanism because of their simplicity, unique low mass and structural formability to be incorporated into apparel. 
     PRIOR ART 
     Hockaday Robert, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,772,448 B1 “Non-Fogging Goggles” Our patent describes using heat pipes to move body heat to heat the lens of a goggle. This patent describes using a water absorbent on the vents. It does describe using wicking sweat from the body contact but it does not describe using the evaporative cooling on the exterior of the heat pipe to cool the body or using actuated vents to regulate the flow air to achieve regulated body cooling. 
     Pierce Brendan U.S. Pat. No. 7,207,071 “Ventilated helmet system” This is an example of ribbed passageways for air flow in a helmet. This patent describes placing a dust air filter in the incoming air flow. Porous hydrophilic foam in contact with the wearer is described. Wicking with a cloth liner is described. Using the venturi effect and convective effect to draw air is described. He describes a need for metering the air flow, but does not show a method of doing this besides the passive air flow effects. 
     Golde Paul U.S. Pat. No. 7,017,191“Ventilated protective garment” is an example of a ventilated garment using air flow passageways and aerodynamic ventilation of the garment. Uses an air permeable panel and a ventilation slit that can be opened and closed. This patent does describe the need to able to change the ventilation and cooling with changing environment around motorcycle riders wearing helmets and leather riding suits. This patent does not describe auto actuation on humidity or temperature of the open and closing of the ventilation slit. 
     VanDerWoude Brian et al. US Patent application 20070028372“Medical/surgical personal protection system providing ventilation, illumination and communication” is an example of a helmet for medical personal ventilation with a sterile barrier around medical personnel. It uses a ventilation fan. This patent does not describe auto actuation on humidity or temperature control of the ventilation system, but does provide fan flow volume control with electronic control button controls. 
     Arnold Anthony Peter US Patent 20050193742 “Personal heat control device and method” is a personal cooling of protective head gear. They use heat pipes in the foam pads. Thermoelectric on garments is the primary claim. This patent application does not use air flow for cooling or describe evaporative cooling coupled with the heat pipes. 
     Barbut Denise et al. US patent applications 20070123813 and 20060276552 “Methods and devices for non-invasive cerebral cooling and systemic cooling” Describes heat pipes that are used to cerebral cooling with heat pipes inserted into the nasal cavity. They also describe using a pump to move evaporating cooling fluids into the lumens cavities inside the body. This patent application does not describe using auto actuation with humidity or temperature to control the cooling. 
     Simon-Toy Moshe et al. US patent application 20010003907 “Personal Cooling Apparatus and Method” Uses thermal conductors, such as graphite fibers, in contact with living body, uses wicking of sweat, antimicrobial coatings, and incorporates automatic integrated thermostat control of air flow device. It does mention a variety of air flow mechanisms fans, and convective air flow. This patent application does not use auto actuation bi-material laminate actuator valves or heat pipes. 
     Angus June, et al. US patent application 20020134809 “Waist Pouch” Uses moisture heat and air flow channels, wicking to evaporative cooling remote from the site of the sweating. This patent application does not use heat pipes, or auto actuation laminate actuated valves to control air flow. 
     Gupta Ramesh, et al. US patent application 20070204974 “Heat pipe with controlled fluid charge” is a heat pipe system that uses a controlled amount of mass working fluid to control the upper temperature limit on heat pipes heat transfer at high temperatures. This patent application does not integrate the heat pipe into apparel or animal contact. 
     Turner David, et al. US Patent application 20030045918 “Apparel Ventilation System” David Turner uses pressurized air flow in channels in helmets and apparel to achieve cooling. This patent application used a pressurized bladder and a plurality of air flow channels and openings in wearer contact in apparel for ventilation. Providing sufficient air ventilation for wearer&#39;s body to regulate their temperature. This patent application does describe using the perspiration of the user combined with air flow as a body&#39;s natural cooling mechanism. It also describes wicking perspiration away. This patent application describes using compressed warm or cool air as the air flow source. This patent application does not describe an auto thermal or humidity actuated air flow control system. 
     McCarter Walter K., et al. US Patent application 20050246826 “Cooling Garment for Use with a Bullet Proof Vest” This patent application teaches using air ribbed air flow channels under armor. Excessive sweating of wearer can lead to discomfort, skin irritation and dehydration. This device uses a detachable fan to move air flow. This patent application describes using water resistant surface coatings. This patent application does not describe an auto thermal or humidity actuated air flow control system. 
     Touzov; Igor Victorovich US patent application 20070151121 “Stretchable and transformable planar heat pipe for apparel and footwear, and production method thereof” This patent describes a stretchable heat pipe made of polymers and rubbers used inside shoes and apparel. It uses the effect of boiling point set by the atmospheric pressure surrounding the heat pipe, thereby reducing the transfer of heat when the body contact is bellow the boiling point of the heat pipe. This invention describes using the heat pipe in conjunction with socks and the heat pipe extending out of the apparel into the atmosphere. This heat pipe system does not describe using the wicking covering on the heat pipe and evaporative cooling on the heat pipe outer surfaces or using humidity or thermal or humidity auto actuated valve to control air flow or cooling of the heat pipe. 
     Clodic Denis WO/1997/006396 PCT/FR96/01270 “Footwear or clothing article with integral thermal regulation element” This patent describes a heat pipe that moves heat from relatively warm regions of the body to cooler regions of the body and the exterior atmosphere. It does describe an air circulating channel supplies forces air flow underneath the heat pipe. This patent application does not describe using auto thermal or humidity actuated air flow control system. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  Cross Sectional View of Heat Removal System for Helmet
           1 . Air into helmet channels     2 . Helmet     3 . Air flow channels in the padding and heat pipe     4 . Heat pipe with fluid     5 . Layer that expands with humidity     6 . Substrate layer of the actuator that can bend     7 . Condensation and heat delivery area of the heat pipe     8 . Air flow over the exterior of the heat pipe and helmet     9 . Laminate actuator     10 . Air flow exiting the helmet     11 . Laminate actuator     12 . Heat pipe and wick out of the rim of the helmet     13 . Head of the wearer     14 . Wicking material covering the heat pipe     15 . Hole in helmet     16 . Thermal expansion layer actuating flap valve     17 . Substrate layer bending     18 . Aperture with air flowing through     19 . Air Space       

         FIG. 2  Wick Covered Heat Pipe
           20 . Sweat from body and skin of wearer     21 . Evaporation and wicking of sweat and water     22 . Boiling of working fluid of heat pipe     23 . Wicking onto surface of heat pipe     24 . Heat pipe wall, impermeable to the working fluid     25 . Wicking material inside heat pipe     26 . Condensing working fluid inside heat pipe     27 . Working liquid fluid inside the heat pipe     28 . Body and skin of wearer       

         FIG. 3  Actuated Vents with Heat Pipe
           35 . Sweat wicking off wearer     36 . Inlet moisture absorbent     37 . Inlet air flow     38 . Helmet, shell, armor or apparel exterior     39 . Working fluid bubble     40 . Condensed Working fluid     41 . Wicking material or cloth exterior of heat pipe in thermal contact     42 . Sweat or water on exterior of heat pipe     43 . Airflow exit aperture     44 . Air flowing out of exit aperture     45 . Humidity or temperature expansion layer of the laminate actuator     46 . Substrate layer of the laminate actuator     47 . Working fluid of the heat pipe     48 . Inner wicking material or cloth inside the heat pipe     49 . Wall of heat pipe     50 . Sweat of wearers skin     51 . body of wearer     52 . Fan or air pump     53 . Exterior cooling fins on dehydrator     54 . Biocide coating or particles (anti bacterial or anti fungus material)     55 . Airflow channel       

         FIG. 4  Actuated Air Flow with Thermally Conductive Wicking Padding
           60 . Fan     61 . Moisture absorbent     62 . Airflow thru the absorbent and air flow into the channels of the padding     63 . Helmet, armor, apparel, or structure wall.     64 . Sweat     65 . Exit of apertures     66 . Exit air flow     67 . Expansion laminate material     68 . Substrate laminate material     69 . Thermally conductive padding in helmet     70 . Wicking material or fabric     71 . Sweat on body     72 . Body     73 . Sweat wicking onto exterior wick of pads     74 . Cooling fins of de-hydrator     75 . Biocide coating or particles     76 . Channels in padding     77 . Network filter or electrostatic filter       

         FIG. 5  Actuated Air Flow Cooling System With Supplemental Water Distribution and Body Contact Layer.
           90 . Heat fins on dehydrator     91 . Absorbent beads     92 . Filter network or electrostatic filter electret fins or sheets     93 . Air flow     94 . Shell of armor     95 . Evaporating water or wick on thermal conductive padding     96 . Air flow channel     97 . Water wick pore or diffusion pore     98 . Vapor diffusion route or pore     99 . Supplemental water     100 . Exit air flow aperture     101 . Exit air flow     102 . Expansion or contraction layer of actuator     103 . Substrate film of actuator     104 . Membrane water permeable, or impermeable, fabric layer, or garment     105 . Biocide treatment or salt or water vapor reducing film     106 . Thermally conductive padding     107 . Sweat from human on wearer side of layer     108 . Sweat on wearer     109 . Water on thermally conductive padding side of layer     110 . Wearer     111 . Water on thermal conductive padding side of membrane or fabric layer     112 . Fan.     113 . Wicking material on thermal conductor     114 . Tubing     130 . Pump and bladder     131 . Supplemental cooling fluid       

         FIG. 6  Laminate Actuator Valve
           115 . Shelf in aperture     116 . Aperture     117 . Expansion layer     118 . Notch in actuator     119 . Actuating flap     120 . Second actuating flap     121 . Substrate layer     122 . Expansion or contraction layer     123 . Cut in laminate     124 . Cut in laminate     125 . Cut in laminate       

     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Several typical embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the following frames. In these drawings several variations in assembly and arrangements will be shown. Please note that the drawings are drawn disproportionately to illustrate the physical features of this invention. In  FIG. 1  a cross sectional view of helmet on a human head is shown. In a typical application the protective shell or helmet  2  is made of Kevlar and polyester resin lamination or steel. The padding  4  on the head of the human  13  is open cell urethane or closed cell neopream foam with a silk covering over the urethane foam. Inside the padding are flexible or rigid heat pipes. Rigid heat pipes  4  can be formed out of stainless steel or copper and the working fluid can be water, butane, or fluorocarbons such as perfluorhexane, 2-methyl perfluorpentane 1,1 difluroethane, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluroethane. Flexible heat pipes  4 , 7 , 12  can be formed out of aluminum foil sandwiched between polyester and polypropylene laminate, which typically are used to encapsulate lithium ion batteries. The working fluid in the flexible heat pipe  4 , 7 , 12  is chosen to have a boiling point at atmospheric pressure since the flexible heat pipe will be at a pressure of the surrounding atmosphere due to the flexible walls and ability to change volume, at comfortable temperature such as 28° C. of pentane. An example of a non-combustible and non-toxic working fluid is trichloromonofluomethane (Freon 11) with a boiling point of 23.8° C. The amount of working fluid in the flexible heat pipe  4 , 7 , 12  is determined precisely as to not have an excess amount such that the heat pipe will inflate to its maximum extent and not burst the seals when the heat pipe is heated above its boiling point. The choice of working fluid can be mixtures of different fluids that are aziotropes that achieve a desirable boiling point such as 5% water and pentane with a boiling point of 34.6° C. By establishing a heat pipe  4 , 7 , 12  boiling point with an impurity gas or though the pressurization via the flexible walls of the heat pipe the heat removal will only occur above the boiling point of the working fluid. This prevents the heat pipe from removing heat bellow the boiling point, so that it acts like an automatic thermostat and does not remove heat when the wearer surface  14  is cold. The heat pipes can be formed into a network to cover the head and extend out into the exterior air  7 ,  12 , either through the helmet via  15  a vent hole or around the rim of the helmet shown in  FIG. 1 . The heat pipes will be filled with the working fluid and a wicking material  4  to redistribute the liquid working fluid by capillary action back to the heat source. These wicking materials can be silk or finely woven stainless steel mesh. In some situations such as in a helmet the wicking material inside the heat pipe  4  can be deleted if the helmet  2  or application is oriented in gravity such that the liquid return of the working fluid is back down to the heat source (the head  13 ). This can lead to a beneficial situation that if the outside air  8 , is hotter than the human  13  there will be no liquid on the high area of the heat pipe  7  and it will be able to boil fluid and transfer heat from the outside environment to the inside the helmet  3 ,  14 . This can be very important to not transfer heat into the human  13 , such as when there is fire on the outside of the helmet  2  or armor. To control the airflow  1  through the helmet laminate actuators  5 , 6 , 9 , 11  are made of two layers such as a polyester substrate film  6  which has a low to negative thermal expansion coefficient and the temperature or humidity expanding material layer  5  such as Nylon (Wright Coating Co., 1603 North Pitcher St., Kalamazoo, Mich. 49007), Nafion (Sigma-Aldrich Co., 3050 Spruce St., St Louis, Mo., 63103) or an aromatic polyetherketone resin having protonic acid group (US Patent application 20040191602 Mitsu Corporation, 580-32 Nagaura, Sodegaura-City, Chiba 299-0265, Japan), for expansion with high humidity or polyethylene for expansion with high temperatures. The laminate actuators  5 , 6 , 9 , 11  can be placed such that they block the airflow out  10  of the exit apertures  15  when the interior of the helmet is low humidity or cold. When the humidity rises or the temperatures rise the apertures open  5 , 6 , 9 , 11 . With the apertures open air flows  1 , 10  through channels  3  formed in the wick covered padding  4 , 14  and evaporation of sweat or water added to the padding in the helmet. Air flowing  1  over the exterior of the heat pipes cools the heat pipes and removed heat from the surface  14  of the wearer  13 . To draw air out though the vent  15  in the top of the helmet  2  a venturi flow  10  constriction and hole  15  can be formed with the heat pipe  7  or a vent cover  16 , 17 . The high velocity flow causes the pressure to be lowered and draw air out of the top of the helmet  2 . Other arrangements such as with motorcycle helmets is to direct the vent cover open such that face away from the air flow  8  direction as illustrated vent  16 , 17  and draw air through the aperture  18  the actuator  16 ,  17  when opened. To moderate or control the cooling of the heat pipe that is outside the helmet a laminated actuator cover or variable insulation layer  16 , 17  can be placed over the heat pipe  7 . This laminate actuator layer or layers  16 , 17  can react to temperature alone, in contrast to the laminate actuators  5 , 6 , 9 , 11  on the inside of the helmet or body armor that react to humidity or temperature. These exterior laminated actuators, as an example, are made with a lamination of polyester substrate layer  17  with a low coefficient of thermal expansion and a polyethylene layer  16  with a high thermal expansion coefficient. The laminate actuator sheet  16 , 17 , fibers, or polymorphic surface are cut to form flap valves or random hair like actuation. Flap actuators  16 ,  17  and apertures  18  can be formed to close and block air flow through the aperture  18 . In both cases the laminate actuators interfere with flow of air and flow over heat from the heat pipe  7 . These thermal actuated laminate actuators  16 ,  17  placed on the outside of the helmet or armor  2  can be a fabric like material that expands and traps air  19  when exterior temperatures or low and allows air flow  18  when temperatures are high. Thermally conductive materials such as graphite sheets, fibers, copper wires, copper foils, aluminum wires, or aluminum oxide can be incorporated into the padding foam  4 ,  14  or substituted for the heat pipes  7  to move heat away from the wearer to the water evaporating areas or outside the helmet  2 . The thermally conductive materials or rigid heat pipes  12  exposed to the outside air flow  8  have the disadvantage that if they are taken to the outside the helmet can remove or add heat to the wearer, but are simple to construct compared to the heat pipes. To correct this disadvantage a laminate actuator cover  16 , 17 , as shown covering the heat pipe on the top of the helmet  7 , can thermally insulate the heat pipe  7  when temperatures are low. 
     In operation of the helmet air flows  1  into the channels of the padding  14 ,  4  of the helmet removing some heat through the padding by heating up the incoming air, if the outside air is cooler than the wearer. Additional cooling occurs from the evaporation of sweat which is wicked  14  through silk or COOL MAX® (Intex Corporation, 1031 Summit Ave. Greensboro, N.C. 27405) onto the surface of the padded heat pipes into the air flow channels  3 . The air flow  1  is blocked by the laminate actuators  5 , 6 , 9 , 11  if the humidity or temperatures are low in the helmet  2 . If the humidity or temperatures are high the laminate actuators  5 , 6 , 9 , 11  open and air flows  1  and evaporative cooling occurs and heat is removed from the surface of the wearer  14  via the heat pipes of thermally conductive pads  4 . The moisture laden air flow exits  10  from the helmet though vent holes  15  or out though the back rim valves  11  of the helmet  2 . Air flow movement is expected to be driven by thermal convention or forced by the motion of the wearer on a motorcycle or vehicle. Later drawings will show how the air flow can be forced through the padding channels with a fan or pump. 
     In  FIG. 2  a cross sectional view of the wick covered heat pipe is shown in contact with a wearer&#39;s skin or body. In this diagram the heat pipe  24 ,  25 , 22 , 26 , 27  draws sweat  20  off the surface of the wearer  28  where the heat pipe makes contact with the wearer&#39;s skin. The sweat  21  wicks over the surface of the heat pipe through the silk covering of the heat pipe  23 . On the surfaces of the heat pipe that is exposed to flowing air the sweat  21  evaporates and the cools the surface of the heat pipe. Inside the heat pipe the working fluid condenses  26  and delivers heat through the heat of condensation of the working fluid  27 . While on the contact area with the wearer  28  the working fluid liquid boils  22  and removes heat from the surface of the wearer  28  via the heat of vaporization. Heat can also be removed from the surface of the wearer  28  through the heat pipe to the cooler surroundings without evaporating sweat  21  off the surface of heat pipe. The heat pipe walls  24  are formed by heat sealing an aluminum layer or copper layer lined polyester polyethylene sandwich material (Vendor address). An inner wicking liner  25  is placed inside the heat pipe such as silk fabric, polyester fabric, open cell urethane foam, or fine woven stainless steel mesh. 
     In  FIG. 3  a wick covered heat pipe inside a helmet or armor shell with air flow and actuating valve are shown. In this example the heat pipe  49  is part of the padding of the helmet or armor  38  and is pressed against the wearer  51 . Sweat  50  from the wearer  51  is wicked from the surface of the skin  35  and through the wicking fabric  41  of covering the heat pipe  49 . The sweat  42  wicks to the surfaces of the heat pipe/padding  41  to be exposed to the air flow channels  55  in the helmet  39 . The air flows  37  through an air intake and out  44  through a vent port  43 . In this example a de-humidifier  53  filled with a material such as zeolite beads or a salt  36  that absorbs water vapor from the air. With this absorption the heat of condensation and heat of interaction is delivered on the zeolite or salt  36 . This heat is then conducted to heat fins  53  and dissipated into the surroundings. A fan or pump  52  can be used to force air flow  37  through the dehumidifier and air flow channels  55 . If the wearer  51  is traveling through the air their may be sufficient rammed air pressure and subsequent air flow  37  through the dehydrator and the air flow channels  55  to cool the wearer  51 . Thus, the fan or pump  52  may not be needed. In situations where the wearer  51  is stationary, the fan or pump  52  may be necessary to achieve sufficient air flow to cool the wearer  51 . A laminate actuator valve  43 , 45 , 46  is shown in this example. It is formed by a lamination of polyester plastic film  46  coated at the bending areas with, Nylon, aromatic polyetherketone resin, or other humidity swelling plastic film  45 . Temperature actuation could be enabled by laminating on the actuator a plastic film  45  such as polyethylene which has a high thermal coefficient of expansion. Both thermal expansion and humidity expansion materials could be laminated onto the actuator substrate film  46  to produce temperature and humidity actuation with changes in temperature and humidity. The laminate actuator  45 ,  46  covers its aperture  43  when humidity or temperatures are low and uncovers the aperture  43  when humidity or temperatures are high. This allows air to flow  37  though the air channels in the padding  55  and out  44  through the vent hole  43 . This in turn allows sweat  42  to evaporate and cool the surface of the heat pipe  41 ,  49  and the heat pipe  49  in turn cools the surface of the wearer  51 , by boiling a working fluid  47 . A working fluid  47 , such as pentane is wicked onto the inner surfaces of the heat pipe  49  with a silk or polyester liner fabric  48 . The working fluid  47  boils  39 , removing heat, at the thermal contact of the wearer  51 , and then deliverers&#39; heat by condensation  40  to the sweat  42  in the wick cover  41  on the heat pipe  49  when it condenses  40 . Then as the air is flows  37 ,  44  past the water wicked surface  42  on the outer surface of the heat pipe  49  heat is removed by vaporization of the sweat  42 . A biocide such as silver coatings or photoreactive titanium dioxide particles or films  54  are deposited into and onto the wicking fabric  41  on the heat pipe  49 . The biocide  54  is added to block the growth of bacteria or fungus on the wicking surfaces  41  because they are moist and may be impregnated with dead skin, body fluids, and sweats from the wearer  51  and provide ideal growth environment for bacteria and funguses. 
     In  FIG. 4  wick covered thermally conductive padding dehydrating air flow and laminate actuator are shown. In this example the padding  69  on the wearer  72  is thermally conductive and a conduit for heat flux such as radiant heat transfer, fluid circulation (convection), electron conduction (metals), and phonon heat transfer (electrical insulators). The thermal conduit padding  69  can be open cell urethane foam loaded with graphite, aluminum oxide, or copper powder, closed cell silicone rubber, closed cell neopreame rubber, closed cell polystyrene foam, or closed cell urethane rubber foam. The padding  69  can also be a bladder filled with a, powder, beads, liquid, or jelly such as silicone gel Beta Gel (Geltec Corporation, Ltd, Shinagawa TS Bldg. 2-13-40 Konan Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0075, Japan). Materials such as graphite powder, graphite fibers, carbon nano-tubes, aluminum wires, aluminum fibers, magnesium powder, silver powder, silver wires, copper wires, copper powder, silicon carbide powder, zirconium oxide powder, aluminum oxide powder, and water gels, can be incorporated into the padding  69  to increase the thermal conductivity. The thermal conductive material  69  can act to homogenize the temperature environment contained behind the armor which can be useful when certain parts of the armor are exposed to different temperatures and heat loss environments such as in gloves and shoes, where the finger tips and toes are cold and the palms and ankles may be hot. There are physiological situations where the human or animal body reduces or has reduced blood flow to the extremities and the external redistribution of heat to the extremities can be useful. The padding  69  is covered with a wicking material  70  such as silk fabric or hydrophilic treated polyester fabric such as COOL MAX®. The wicking fabric  70  can be coated with a photo catalytic titanium oxide coating (TPXsol, KON corporation, 91-115 Miyano Yamauch-cho, Kishima-gun Saga prefecture, Japan)  75  to achieve a high surface energy and wet-ability. This wetting coating  70  such as photo catalytic coating can also act as a biocide killing bacteria and fungus on contact. Silver coatings  75  on the wicking material  70  can also be used as a biocide. The air inlet contains loosely packed beads or cadged beads of moisture absorbent material  61  such as a zeolite, silica gel, or calcium oxide that remove moisture from the inlet air as it flows through. This air inlet bed  61 , 77  can also act to filter out insects, dust, rain, snow, bacteria, and dirt from the air flowing into the channels in the padding  76  and incorporate techniques such as network mesh filter such as expanded Teflon and/or electrostatic filter such as parallel sheets of charged electrets of silicone rubber  77 . The dehydration of the air flow  62  may be useful in high humidity environments but may be less useful in environments where the relative humidity is below 50%. The heat of condensation of the moisture and the reaction of the moisture with the moisture absorbent  61  is conducted to the armor walls  63  of the dehydrator and dissipated to the environment through cooling fins  74 . A fan or pump  60  is used to push air through the dehydrator particles  61  and channels  76  in the padding. The fan or pump  60  could be linked to the laminate actuator  67 ,  68  to only operate when the laminate actuator valve  65 ,  67 ,  68  has opened and air will flow through the system. In some situations thermal convection of air flow or just the motion of the wearer may be sufficient to move air through the air channels  76  to effectively cool the wearer  72 . A laminate actuator valve  65 ,  67 ,  68  is shown in this example formed by a lamination of a polyester or polyimide plastic film  68  coated at the bending areas with Nylon, aromatic polyetherketone resin or other humidity swelling plastic film  67 . Temperature actuation could be enabled by laminating onto the substrate film  68  an actuating plastic film  67  such as polyethylene which has a high thermal coefficient of expansion. Both thermal expansion and humidity expansion materials could be laminated onto the substrate film  68  to produce temperature and humidity actuation with changes in temperature and humidity. The laminate actuator  67 ,  68  covers the opening  65  when humidity or temperatures are low and uncovers the opening  65  when humidity or temperatures are high. This allows airflow  62 ,  66  though the channels  76  in the padding  69  and out through the vent hole  65 . This air flow allows sweat  64  to evaporate and diffuse water molecules into the dry incoming air, and cool the wicking surface  70  of the thermally conductive pads  69  which in turn cools the surface of the wearer  72 . Sweat  71  from the body  72  is wicked through the cloth cover  70  to the outer surfaces  64  of the thermal conductor  69 . When the temperatures or humidity inside the helmet  63  is low the laminate actuator valve  65 ,  67 , 68  closes and air flow  66  is blocked or impeded. This air flow blockage or impedance reduces the heat flux lost from evaporation, diffusion, and convection and maintains comfortable conditions inside the helmet  63 . 
     In  FIG. 5  the cooling system with supplemental water supply for evaporation and a fabric or membrane layer between the wearer and the thermal conductor is shown. In this embodiment of the invention the features of the wicking material  113  on thermally conductive padding  106  is shown. A humidity or temperature activated laminate actuator valve  102 ,  103  are shown covering an exit aperture  100  in the armor shell  94 . An air flow intake fan  112  with dehydrator beads bed  91  and conduction and convection cooling fins  90  on the exterior of the dehydrator is shown. In certain situations supplemental evaporative cooling may be very desirable for this invention. These are situations where the cooling needs tax the wear to sweat sufficiently or the wearer needs to be isolated from the external air such as in hazardous environmental suits. Thus, to provide this higher cooling capacity evaporative cooling water can be distributed onto the wick  113  on the thermally conductive padding  106  through tubes such as polyurethane (Stevens Urathane, 412 Main Street, Easthampton, Mass. 01027) or silicone rubber tubing  114  (Silicone Specialty Fabricators, 222 Industrial Park Drive, Elk Rapids, Mich. 49629). A network of tubing with open exits or tubes with small pores,  98 ,  97  can distribute water to the wicking material  113  on the thermal conductors  106  in the air flow passages  96 . Other alternative methods of delivering the supplemental water is through a water permeable membrane such a thin walled polyurethane tubing  114  or though a hydrophobic porous water vapor permeable membrane of expanded Teflon or GORE-TEX® (W.L. Gore &amp; Associates, Inc., 295 Blue Ball Road, Elkton, Md. 21921). In all three cases the water distribution system tubes  114  should be in physical contact or thermal contact with the thermal conductive padding  106  to be able to conduct heat from the wearer  110  to the evaporative cooling sites  95 . These supplemental fluid tubes  114  could also be sealed tubes or a portion being sealed and the chilled fluid or heated fluid  124  circulated throughout the helmet or body armor  94 . A pump  123 , such as a hand squeeze elastic bladder, could be used to circulate or oscillator the fluids into the tubes  114 . Another configuration that will be used in many situations is that the wearer  110  has a wicking fabric  104  covering their skin such as silk or micro fiber polyester COOL MAX® and the sweat route  108 ,  107 ,  109 ,  111  and thermal contact must go through this fabric covering. This layer interface between the wick covered thermal conductor  113 ,  106  and the wearer  110  may also be a membrane  104  such as polyurethane or silicone rubber membrane to allow water  107 ,  109  to diffuse through but not allow bacteria or viruses through. This membrane  104  could be a porous hydrophobic liquid water blocking membrane that would allow vapor through while not allowing liquid water to flow through such as with expanded Teflon, or GORE-TEX® fabric. The membrane  104  could also be an impermeable barrier such as neoprene rubber or stainless steel plate where only heat removal is desired. When the water transport  108 ,  107 , 109 , 111  from the wearer  110  to the wick covered thermal conductor  106 ,  113 ,  95  is done with a selectively permeable membrane  104  such as an cellulose nitrate, osmotic membrane (Membrane Process Engineering, 3-3-3 Akasaka, Minato-Ku, Tokyo, Japan) or a vapor transport membrane such as expanded Teflon a salt or water vapor pressure reducing material such as sodium chloride, cotton, titanium dioxide, or Nafion polymer electrolytes  105  can be coated or incorporated into the wicking material on the thermally conductive padding  106 . This creates a vapor pressure gradient, surface tension energy gradient, with the higher surface tension energy on the evaporation sites  95 , or ionic concentration gradient to draw water from the wearer to the wicking covering material  113 . This can keep the wearer&#39;s surface  110  dry and comfortable. In operation the supplemental water  99  distribution  97 ,  98  from the tubes  114  and wicking materials  113  could be provided for on demand or thorough sensors built into the laminate actuators  102 ,  103  that sense excessive temperatures. The fan  112  can also be activated through the same laminate actuator sensor  102 ,  103 . When temperatures are low the laminate actuator could cover the aperture  100  and stop the evaporative cooling  95 ,  98  and the fan  112  would shut off to thermally insulate and conserve heat of the wearer  110 . In operation air is drawn through the water absorbent  9  and electrostatic filter  92  with a fan  112 . This insures that the air flow  93  is dry and clean. The airflow  93  through the channel between the conductive pads  106  and armor  94 . Evaporation of water occurs on the surface of the wick  113  and the supplemental fluid tubes  98 . If the temperatures are high the laminate actuators  102 ,  103  will open and let the exit air flow  101  through the aperture  100 . 
     In  FIG. 6  a sample of sheet of laminate actuator valves is shown. The constructions of these laminate actuators are formed out of two or more films of materials  121 ,  122  that have different expansion properties and are laminated together. The different expansion properties of the two films  121 ,  122  lead to shear stress between the two films. To relieve this stress laminated films will curl once they find a preferential curl or non-constrained direction. If the laminate sheet is cut into patterns such as the three right angle cuts  123 ,  124 ,  125  as shown in  FIG. 6  the laminate will curl into a flap arrangement  117 ,  119 ,  120  that has a preferential fold determined by the geometry of the cut pattern and the laminated material deposits. The aperture  116  left by the cut can act as the aperture of a valve when the flap presses back into the aperture  116 . A shelf  115  can be cut or formed into the substrate  121  and the flap  118  such that the flap can only open one direction and creates a seal with the aperture  116  when the actuation goes in the opposite curl direction. An example of a laminate actuator construction is to thermally bond a 25 micron thick sheet of polyester  121  with a low thermal expansion coefficient to a 75 micron thick sheet of polyethylene  122  with a high coefficient of expansion. In this particular example the flaps or actuators  119 ,  120  would curl open when hot and curl closed when cooled to press the notch on the flap  118  to the shelf  115  on the aperture  116 . Laminated actuator structures can be cut with many patterns such as two right angle cuts, three angles cuts that form flaps and apertures. Laminate actuators can be formed and cut on two or three dimensional surfaces such as fibers, cylinders and polymorphic surfaces. Our patent Application U.S. 60/765,607 describes a host of cut patterns, geometries of laminate actuator valves. These valves are auto-actuating valves and auto-changing structures that change with changes in temperature, relative humidity, chemical, electrical, and light environments. Mesh support materials or shelves  115  can be laminated onto the apertures  116  to create screens as flap stops to prevent the flap from curling through the aperture and opening in the opposite direction. These laminated actuator valves and structures can range in size from many centimeters nanometer dimension hairs. The actuators can be effective as hairs that actuate and created impedance to fluid and thermal flow or fluff layers of actuators to effectively increase thermal insulation by pushing each layer apart to create stagnant cavities of fluid (gasses or liquids). The laminate actuated structures can also include coiling and uncoiling fibers and strips. 
     Another construction example of a laminate actuator is to form the laminated layers with a porous polyester substrate or polyethylene  121  and a temperature or humidity expanding material layer  122  such as Nylon, Nafion, or an aromatic polyetherketone resin having protonic acid group for expansion. The porosity of the substrate  121  can enhance the adhesion between the layers and also increase the sensitivity to moisture by allowing diffusion through the substrate membrane  121  to the expanding material layer  122 . The expanding material layer  122  is coated onto the one side of the polyester substrate  121 . Specific deposit patterns and thicknesses of the expanding layer  122  can be used to efficiently utilize the expansion polymers and create effective actuation patterns. Additional layers of coatings and electrodes such as piezoelectric materials can be deposited on the substrate  121  or expansion layers  122  such as a piezoelectric material of polydifluoethylene (PDVF), and electrodes such as vapor deposited platinum films, or sliver print. These additional coatings can provide for functions to act as sensors to the relative humidity, temperature, or be electrically stimulated to open the actuators or cause them to oscillate and pump air flow. 
     Physical elements of this invention include:
         1. Wick contact with living body   2. Heat pipe or thermal conductor or conduit in contact with living body   3. Air flow in channels   4. Evaporative cooling in the air flow channels and on heat pipes or thermal conductors.   5. Using flexible or elastic heat pipes pressure equilibrium with the external atmosphere to set the boiling point of the working fluid.   6. Using impurities in the heat pipe working fluid to set the boiling point of the working fluid inside the heat pipes.   7. Heat pipes without wicks and gravity orientation to act as one way heat delivery systems and avoid heat flow back to the wearer.   8. Humidity or temperature auto-reactive laminate actuator structures and/or valves to control air flow to try and achieve more constant temperature or humidity conditions, by impeding air flow when dry or cold and reducing impedance when humid or hot.   9. Humidity or temperature auto-reactive laminated actuator structures to achieve self adjusting variable thermal insulation to achieve more constant temperature by increasing thermal resistance when dry or cold and decrease thermal resistance when humid or hot.   10. Covering the living body padding with a plurality of reactive laminate actuator valve arrays or actuated structures such as curling hairs.   11. Covering the exterior of the helmet or body armor to achieved self adjusting variable thermal insulation.   12. Delivering extra liquid water or a fluid for evaporative cooling inside the helmet or armor to the wicking padding on the thermal conductors or heat pipes.   13. Fluid flow systems that can also be used to deliver hot or cold fluids to the inside the helmet or armor.   14. Delivering liquid water and evaporation through a membrane for cooling inside the helmet or armor.   15. Coating the wicking materials with biocides and fungicides.   16. Using a fan or pump to push air flow or fluid flow through the channels in the helmet or body armor.   17. Using a moisture absorbent to remove moisture from the air entering the helmet or body armor.   18. Using a filter and/or electrostatic filter to remove contaminants from the air flowing into the helmet or body armor.   19. Using a wicking covering over the living body.   20. Using a selectively permeable membrane between the living body and the air flow passages.   21. Using ionic concentration gradients to draw water away from the living body surface.   22. Using surface tension gradients to draw water away from the living body surface.   23. Using the position and geometry of air flow vents with respect to the helmet or body armor air flow environment or gravity orientation to achieve high air flow rates and convective air flow rates in the channels in the helmet or body armor.   24. Using a pump to move supplemental fluids into the helmet or body armor to for supplemental evaporative cooling or circulating cooled or heated fluids.       

     While this invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, modifications, and variations of the invention may be constructed without departing from the scope of the invention.