Abstract:
The embodiments of the invention provide a wearable garment to evaporatively cool humans and animals. The garment contains a body portion and an attachment portion. The body portion is generally defined by at least one outer seam. The body portion contains three layers—an outer layer, a middle layer, and an inner layer. The outer layer is comprised of a breathable fabric. The middle layer is comprised of a substantially hydrophilic material. The inner layer is substantially hydrophobic, preferably comprising a layer of finely woven substantially hydrophobic fibrous material. The attachment portion contains at least one means for attaching the garment to a wearer. To activate the cooling process, the garment is first immersed in water, wherein the middle layer absorbs water. The wearer then wrings the excess water from the garment and places the garment on the desired body region to be cooled.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This patent claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/837,730, filed on Aug. 16, 2007, which is incorporated by reference into this Utility Patent Application. 
     
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    This invention was not federally sponsored. 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0003]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0004]    The embodiments of the invention relate to the field of garments, more particularly, garments for use by humans or animals. More specifically, the embodiments of the present invention relate to flexible garments that can be used to cool humans and animals. 
         [0005]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0006]    Humans often complain about being too hot or too cold. While it is relatively easy to compensate for being too cold by adding layers of clothing, it is less easy to cool oneself as customs limit the amount of clothing that can be acceptably removed in public. It is additionally problematic that the removal of clothing increases a person&#39;s exposure to the sun, and related problems such as sunburn. Exposure to heat for prolonged periods of time can cause illness, such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke, or possibly even cause death in humans and animals. These events can occur when one&#39;s body cannot keep itself cool. The body normally has keeps itself cool by letting heat escape through the skin and by evaporating sweat. 
         [0007]    Overheating is also experienced by animals, particularly those with little or no choice in when they exert themselves. For example, horses infrequently are given the option of deciding when their riders wish to ride them. Dogs often will patrol a property during the hottest part of the day as their instinct to protect their territory overrides their desire to remain cool. Animals, however, lack the ability to speak with their humans and thereby convey their discomfort. 
         [0008]    As such, it is desirable to have a garment that can be worn by humans and animals alike which provides a cooling effect, and does so in a stylish, low cost, and efficient manner. The evaporative cooling garment discussed in this patent provides just such a device. 
         [0009]    Evaporative cooling works on the premise that when water evaporates from a surface, that surface becomes cooler because heat is expended to change the water from a liquid into a vapor. As heat is used up to evaporate water from at or near the skin&#39;s surface, the over effect is a localized cooling of the skin. A nice breeze on a hot day cools humans and animals because the current of air makes perspiration evaporate quickly. The effectiveness of evaporative cooling products, and of this invention is particular, is based on its ability to absorb heat from the body and release that heat to the outside environment. The water that is absorbed by the batting material provides a heat transfer medium for this effect. As the heat accumulates in the material, the heat causes water to evaporate from the products. The direction of this heat is to the outside because the moisture differential is less to the outside (the environment next to the body is generally at a high relative humidity). On hot, humid days however, the evaporation of sweat is slowed by the increased moisture in the air. When sweating does not provide adequate “heat loss” to cool one&#39;s body through evaporative cooling, the body temperature rises. If the body does not cool properly or does not cool enough, the chance of one suffering a heat-related illness increases. Many people are susceptible to heat related illnesses, especially the very young and very old. 
         [0010]    Evaporative cooling is an initial treatment for patients with heat exhaustion as it involves stabilization to avoid progress to heat stroke. Immediate initiation of rapid and effective cooling is crucial to treating a patient with heatstroke. Efficient and rapid reduction of the body&#39;s core temperature is a vital factor in the successful or unsuccessful outcome of treatment for heatstroke. Studies have found a trend towards improved survival in patients cooled to a core temperature below 38.9 C within 60 minutes. Other reports have shown improved survival when patients where cooled to the same level within 30 minutes. These studies indicate that heat related illness can be minimized when a person&#39;s core temperature is reduced as quickly as possible. 
         [0011]    Symptoms of certain non-heat related illnesses can also be minimized by reducing body temperature. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a very debilitating disease for those who suffer its affliction. Manifestation of its symptoms often varies with environmental conditions, seasons of the year, and the patient&#39;s activities. A very common complaint from MS patients is the decrease in strength and onset of fatigue concurrent with increases in climatic temperature and/or core temperature. Decreasing the core temperature of these patients has been shown to reduce the effects of elevated temperature. Additionally, sustained cooling has been shown to reduce skin temperature and reduce overall muscle spindle activity. This is also important to MS patients as this cooling could enable patients to function and perform activities more efficiently. 
         [0012]    Humans are not the only ones susceptible to heat related symptoms and illnesses, as animals are also at risk. In fact, animals are often at greater risk to suffer heat related illnesses because many animals often rely on humans for care, and cannot communicate any heat-related distress as eloquently as humans. If the human care-taker is not fully cognizant of the animal&#39;s symptoms or conditions in heated temperatures, the animals may not receive the proper cooling treatment to prevent heat related illnesses. 
         [0013]    This is particularly true of domesticated animals used for physically demanding labor. A prime example is the horse. Racehorses are routinely trained and raced at specific times during the summer months. At the Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, for example, on any given day a hundred or so horses may participate in races, the starting times of which are set months in advance. These races will occur regardless of the ambient temperature and relative humidity at the time of the race; thus it is in the horse owner&#39;s best interests to have cooling garments ready for the racehorse before and after the race. For horses used for recreational purposes, they too have little control over when their rider wants to take them for a ride. A commonly overlooked danger to horses is Anhidrosis, which is a condition in which the horse cannot sweat. A horse suffering from Anhidrosis is in obvious danger of risking heat-related injuries or even death when it exerts itself under hot or even warm conditions. 
         [0014]    Another example of a domesticated animal that sometimes suffers from heat stress is the dog. Because different varieties of dogs evolved under different climate regimes and different breeding pressures, today&#39;s dogs come in a variety of sizes and with a variety of hair lengths. As a smaller body will tend to lose heat at a relatively greater rate than a larger body due to the physics of body surface areas and volumes, larger dogs with long coats are particularly vulnerable to heat-related injuries and illnesses. Show dogs are particularly vulnerable, as often the buildings in which dogs shows are held have poor or little air conditioning. 
         [0015]    Thus, it is also desirable to have an evaporative cooling garment that can be easy applied to an animal, which is easy to use, will provide the animal with a substantial time period during which the animal will be cooled by the garment, and which the animal will not reject as being too uncomfortable. 
         [0016]    Although several garment options are available for cooling humans and animals, these options have limitations. For example, humans often wet towels or other cloths to wrap around various body parts to combat heat. While this method may achieve the desired effect, towels do not provide for flexibility in movement and are susceptible to drying at a rapid rate. Also, towels do not provide a convenient garment that can be secured to a body that allows for flexible movement without the towel falling off. Another attempt to keep humans cool has been the creation of lightweight and breathable clothing. However, this clothing only helps to prevent heat buildup rather than actually cooling the wearer. 
         [0017]    Various garments also exist for animals, such as the horse blankets taught by German Patent Application Nos. DE 20 2005 012 350 U1 2005.11.24 and DE 20 2005 012 352 U1 2005.11.24 to Busse Sportartikel. These inventions, however, do not provide for cooling of the horse during times of hot weather or after periods of exercise. 
         [0018]    The concept of evaporative cooling garments is not unique. One category of such garments is the complex garments utilizing channels or chambers to direct the cooling efforts. For example, US Patent Application No. 2003/0208831 to Lazar, et. al., discloses an evaporative cooling garment manufactured from a multi-layered fabric with chambers where holes created by sewing or stitching channel the water into the chambers. Other evaporative cooling inventions are taught by U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,295,648, 6,276,155 and 6,257,011 to Siman-Tov, et. al. These patents provide a shirt with channels which absorb sweat and/or evaporative liquid and a device to then move air through the channels to create the cooling effect. While these inventions may provide evaporative cooling to a human or animal user of the invention, they lack the simplicity (and, inherent to the simplicity, the low cost and ease of use) of the current invention. Another evaporative cooling garment is found in US Patent Application No. 2005/0246826 to McCarter, et. al. This invention requires an exhaust fan to blow pressurized air through a plurality of “ridge and channel ribs”. Another complex evaporative cooling device is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,707 to Horn, which discusses a series of hollow tubes networking within a vest which convey pressurized air and create evaporative cooling. A similar idea is taught by US Patent Application No. 2004/128747 to Bumbarger, et. al., in which a reservoir of water can be used to drink or dissipate the water for evaporative cooling purposes. Another patent illustrating the complexity of inventions which require a coolant supply is U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,533 to Stein. This patent teaches a baseball cap with an interconnected series of veins through which coolant from a reservoir attached to the side of the baseball cap can flow to cause evaporative cooling. 
         [0019]    While these garments do provide evaporative cooling to the wearers of the garments, the complexity of these inventions causes them to be considerably more expensive and difficult to use than the current invention. For example, any evaporative cooling device requiring a reservoir or power supply to activate a fan requires a user of those inventions to keep the fluids up and batteries charged. Additionally, any garment requiring tubes, channels or other means of directing air or water requires a substantially greater amount of design costs, will take more expensive materials, and will eventually cost more than the invention proposed herein. 
         [0020]    Another evaporative cooling garment is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,473,910 to Creagan, et. al. This invention calls for three layers of fabric, each with specific characteristics, where the layers are bonded together by heating various regions sufficiently for the layer to melt and resolidify to form inter-fiber bonds. While this garment provides evaporative cooling in what appears to be a fairly economical manner, it requires the heating and melting of the various layers to join them together, as opposed to the current invention which merely relies upon stitching to maintain each layer is a position proximate to the next. A similar invention is found in US Patent Application No. 2002/0069448 to Appolonia, which provides an evaporative material comprised of three layers of fabric. This invention, however, calls for two of the layers to have more than 1 component, which is more complex that the current invention and, therefore is not as simple to manufacture and it would be more difficult and expensive to manufacture. 
         [0021]    Another category of evaporative cooling garments are basically cooling undershirts, designed to be worn under body armor or other similarly bulky and non-breathable devices. For example, US Patent Application No. 2007/000001 provides an undergarment which allows for passive air circulation—and thereby allows for evaporative cooling—based upon a three-dimensional honeycomb structure which is strong enough to maintain the open air passages even when compressed under body armor. U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,793 to O&#39;Brien also teaches an evaporative cooling undergarment for use under body armor which is equally complex and reliant upon strong, resilient materials. 
         [0022]    While the structural rigidity of these inventions may be necessary to maintaining air passages under the weigh of body armor, such advanced designs (and highly priced products) are not necessary for the human and animal evaporative cooling market the current invention services. 
         [0023]    When dealing with animals, a primary cooling method is to provide a shady area for the animal to rest, such as a under a tree or within a stable or a barn. In many cases however, shady areas do not exist or are expensive to build. Further, shady areas limit the animal&#39;s ability to travel to a location that is not protected from direct sunlight, exposure to which can cause heat related illness. Therefore, providing a cooling garment for animals, such as a dog, horse, cow or any other domesticated animal or animal in a zoo, is preferable because of the improved cooling capabilities and flexibility in movement it provides. However, many cooling garments are not designed to properly fit animals or accommodate the amount of movement generated by most animals. 
         [0024]    The prior art has examples of evaporative cooling garments made especially for animals, but these are expensive and considerably more complex than the current invention. 
         [0025]    In the field of evaporative cooling devices for horses, there is at least one device on the market, known as the Recoolx horse-boots. This device appears to use evaporative cooling through the use of a series of chambers which allow the horse&#39;s leg to flex without unduly bending the horse-boot. The device, however, is quite complex in its construction and only offers a decrease of 3-5 degrees centigrade to the treated area, as opposed to the 20-30 degree drop experienced by users of the current invention. 
         [0026]    Recoolx&#39; product is also considerably more complex and costly than is Gordon&#39;s invention. Recoolx&#39; horse-boots also advertise a necessary soaking time of 20 minutes, while the current invention becomes fully saturated in 20-30 seconds, and can be “refreshed” with additional soakings of 20 seconds or less. 
         [0027]    There are also a number of apparently unpatented evaporative cooling garments which have recently appeared for sale on the internet, including Eastnova Electronic Company Ltd.&#39;s Cooling Vest, Heliohealth&#39;s Evaporative Body Cooling Garment, and Polar&#39;s Evaporative Cooling Garments. All of these products, however, require, as stated in their instructions, between one to three minutes of immersion in water before they are functional. The current invention, on the other hand, requires only 20-30 seconds of immersion in water due to its use of superabsorbent materials. 
         [0028]    Therefore, there is a current need for a convenient to use, cost-effective and flexible cooling garment that can help cool body temperature for a prolonged period and can safely, securely, and comfortably attach to various different body regions of both humans and animals alike. 
         [0029]    This invention allows humans in a wide range of professions to cool themselves off over a long period of time with minimal investment of effort. Such users could include military personnel in hot environments or cramped quarters, athletes or casual sport participants, medical personnel and patients, contractors, law enforcement, border patrol, park rangers and other people who work outside of buildings, and other humans who either work in hot weather environments or work inside of an enclosed space where temperatures get uncomfortably hot. 
         [0030]    In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail it is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention are not limited in their application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The embodiments of the invention are capable of being practiced and carried out in various ways. In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0031]    The preferred embodiment of the invention provides a wearable garment that can be used to cool humans and animals. The garment contains a body portion and an attachment portion. The body portion is generally defined by at least one outer seam. The body portion contains three layers—an outer layer, a middle layer, and an inner layer. The outer layer is comprised of a breathable fabric. The middle layer is comprised of a substantially hydrophilic material. The inner layer is substantially hydrophobic, preferably comprising a layer of finely woven substantially hydrophobic fibrous material. The attachment portion contains at least one means for attaching the garment to a wearer. The garment can be shaped to fit various shaped and sized regions of both humans and animals, including heads, legs, tails, torso regions, necks, and arms. 
         [0032]    To activate the cooling process, the garment is first immersed in water for 20 to 30 seconds wherein the inner material absorbs the water. The wearer then wrings the excess water from the garment and places the garment on the desired body region to be cooled. Tests have shown that the cooling effect achieved by the garment can last between 2-3 hours at 114 degrees Fahrenheit. If the garment is used indoors and not placed in direct sunlight, the cooling effect can last up to seven hours. The garment can be recharged to continue the cooling process by again immersing the garment in water, for approximately one minute, then wringing the excess water from the garment and placing it on the desired area to be cooled. 
         [0033]    Another embodiment of the invention provides a garment that can be used to cool humans and animals. The garment contains a body portion. The body portion is generally defined by at least one outer seam. The body portion contains three layers—an outer layer, a middle layer, and an inner layer. The outer layer is comprised of a breathable fabric. The middle layer is comprised of a substantially hydrophilic material. The inner layer is substantially hydrophobic, preferably comprising a layer of finely woven substantially hydrophobic fibrous material. The garment is primarily configured to serve as a cooling mat or blanket for humans and animals. 
         [0034]    To activate the cooling process, the garment is first immersed in water for approximately 20 to 30 seconds, wherein the inner material absorbs the water. The wearer then wrings the excess water from the garment and places the garment on the desired body region to be cooled. Tests have shown that the cooling effect achieved by the garment can last between 2-3 hours at 114 degrees Fahrenheit. If the garment is used indoors and not placed in direct sunlight, the cooling effect can last up to seven hours. The garment can be recharged to continue the cooling process by again immersing the garment in water, for approximately one minute, then wringing the excess water from the garment and placing it on the desired area to be cooled. 
         [0035]    Another embodiment of the invention provides a wearable garment that can be used to cool humans and animals. The garment contains a body portion and at least one means for attaching the body portion around a human or animal. The body portion is generally defined by at least one outer seam. The body portion contains three layers—an outer layer, a middle layer, and an inner layer. The outer layer is comprised of a breathable fabric. The middle layer is comprised of a substantially hydrophilic material. The inner layer is substantially hydrophobic, preferably comprising a layer of finely woven substantially hydrophobic fibrous material. The at least one means for attaching the body portion around a human or animal can comprise a snap, button, Velcro, hook and loop, or other means for attachment. The garment can be shaped to fit various shaped and sized regions of both humans and animals, including heads, legs, torso regions, necks, and arms. 
         [0036]    To activate the cooling process, the garment is first immersed in water for approximately 20 to 30 seconds, wherein the inner material absorbs the water. The wearer then wrings the excess water from the garment and places the garment on the desired body region to be cooled. Tests have shown that the cooling effect achieved by the garment can last between 2-3 hours at 114 degrees Fahrenheit. If the garment is used indoors and not placed in direct sunlight, the cooling effect can last up to seven hours. The garment can be recharged to continue the cooling process by again immersing the garment in water, for approximately one minute, then wringing the excess water from the garment and placing it on the desired area to be cooled. 
         [0037]    The three layers of which the garment is made are kept in close proximity to one another through quilted stitching. Rather than relying upon the more expensive and time consuming methods of maintaining the integrity of the various layers through melting and other means, the current invention merely uses stitching in a quilt-like pattern to secure the layers to each other and to ensure that parts do not sag to the bottom of a compartment and decrease the efficiency of the garment. It should also be noted that by quilting the layers together, a manufacturer of the invention has the option of using different stitching patterns, or even putting a logo or advertising insignia on the garment. 
         [0038]    The short time period (relative to the prior art) which is needed to activate the invention is due to the superabsorbency of the middle layer. A preferred embodiment of the invention calls for this layer to be comprised of material with a horizontal wicking rate of 60 mm, and a saturation rate of 1700% of the weight of the absorbing material within 10 seconds of contact with water. A particularly preferred material is DT275 from Concert Industries Ltd., of Gatineau, Canada, which has a base weight of 275 gsm, thickness of 3.4 mm, tensile MD of 1500 g/50 mm, density of 0.09 g/cm cubed, 
         [0039]    There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, features of the embodiments of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the embodiments of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0040]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principals of the embodiments of the invention. 
           [0041]      FIG. 1  shows a top view of one embodiment of the flexible cooling garment for attachment to the body of an animal. 
           [0042]      FIG. 1A  shows the cross-section view, along the line A-A′ in  FIG. 1 , of the body portion of one embodiment of the flexible cooling garment for attachment to the body of an animal. 
           [0043]      FIG. 2  shows a side view of one embodiment of the flexible cooling garment for attachment to the body of an animal. 
           [0044]      FIG. 3  shows a top view of another embodiment of the flexible cooling garment for attachment to the head of an animal. 
           [0045]      FIG. 4  shows a top view of another embodiment of the flexible cooling garment for attachment to various body regions. 
           [0046]      FIG. 5  shows a top view of another embodiment of the flexible cooling garment for use as a blanket. 
           [0047]      FIG. 6  shows a top view of another embodiment of the flexible cooling garment for attachment to the body region of a human. 
           [0048]      FIG. 7  shows a top view of another embodiment of the flexible cooling garment for placement around the neck of a human or animal. 
           [0049]      FIG. 8  shows a top view of another embodiment of the flexible cooling garment for attachment around the leg of a human or animal. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0050]    Referring now to the drawings, wherein similar parts are identified by like reference numerals,  FIG. 1  shows a top view of an embodiment of the flexible cooling garment  10  for attachment to the body of an animal (not shown). Garment  10  includes a body  20  and at least one attachment portion  30 . Body  20  is preferably lightweight and flexible. Body  20  is generally defined by an outer seam  22 . Outer seam  22  can define body  20  in various shapes and sizes to accommodate various animals. As shown, outer seam  22  defines a primarily rectangular shaped body  20  with a head opening  24 , defining a garment  10  that is used to cover an animal such as a dog or horse. 
         [0051]    Attachment portion  30  preferably includes a strap  32  and a connector portion  34 . Strap  32  can be comprised of any type of flexible fabric and can be adjustable to fit various sized animals. Connector portion  34  is designed to engage the connector portion  34  located on the end opposite end of the garment  10 . Connector portion  34  can be a variety of different connectors including, but not limited to hooks, buttons, snaps, and Velcro. Garment  10  can include more than one attachment portion  30  to help secure garment  10  on the body of an animal. 
         [0052]      FIG. 1A  shows the cross-section view, along the line A-A′ in  FIG. 1 , of body  20 . This figure illustrates the nature of material used for body  20 . Body  20  is comprised of an inner layer  25 , a middle layer  26 , and an outer layer  27 . Inner layer  25  is preferably comprised of a material having substantially hydrophobic characteristics. This material can be either comprised of a substantially hydrophobic material or be a material that is closely woven so as to give body  20  substantially hydrophobic characteristics. For example, inner layer  25  can comprise closely woven nylon fibers. Middle layer  26  is preferably comprised of a substantially hydrophilic material as would be recognized by one with ordinary skill in the art, including but not limited to fine acrylic fibers, terry cloth, cotton, or other substantially hydrophilic materials. Outer layer  27  is preferably comprised of a breathable material as would be recognized by one with ordinary skill in the art, such as nylon. Inner layer  25 , middle layer  26 , and outer layer  27  can be joined together to form body  20  in various different manners. 
         [0053]      FIG. 2  shows a side view of an embodiment of the flexible cooling garment  10  for attachment to the body of an animal (not shown), including body  20 , outer seam  22 , head opening  24 , attachment portion  30 , strap  32 , and connector portion  34 . 
         [0054]      FIG. 3  shows a top view of another embodiment of a flexible cooling garment  50  for attachment to the head of an animal (not shown). Garment  50  includes a body  60  and at least one attachment portion  70 . Body  60  is preferably lightweight and flexible. Body  60  is preferably comprised of an inner layer, a middle layer, and an outer layer, as shown and described in  FIG. 1A  and the related description thereof. Body  60  is generally defined by an outer seam  62 . Outer seam  62  can define body  60  in various shapes and sizes to accommodate various animals. As shown, outer seam  62  defines a primarily oval shaped body  60  with two eye openings  64 , defining a garment  50  that is used to partially cover the head of an animal such as a dog or horse. 
         [0055]    Attachment portion  70  preferably includes a strap  72  and a connector portion  74 . Strap  72  can be comprised of any type of flexible fabric and can be adjustable to fit various sized animals. Connector portion  74  is designed to engage the connector portion  74  located on the end opposite end of the garment  10 . Connector portion  74  can be a variety of different connectors including, but not limited to hooks, buttons, snaps, and Velcro. Garment  50  can include more than one attachment portion  70  to help secure garment  50  on the head of an animal. 
         [0056]      FIG. 4  shows a top view of another embodiment of a flexible cooling garment  100  for attachment to various body regions of a human or animal (not shown). Garment  100  includes a body  110  and at least one attachment portion  120 . Body  110  is preferably lightweight and flexible. Body  110  is preferably comprised of an inner layer, a middle layer, and an outer layer, as shown and described in  FIG. 1A  and the related description thereof. Body  110  is generally defined by an outer seam  112 . Outer seam  112  can define body  110  in various shapes and sizes to accommodate various animals. As shown, outer seam  112  defines a primarily rectangular shaped body  110 , defining a garment  110  that is used to partially cover various regions of a human or animal. 
         [0057]    Attachment portion  120  can be comprised of any type of flexible fabric and can be adjustable to fit various sized humans or animals. Attachment portion  120  can be comprised of Velcro material, so as to engage the connector portion  124  located on the end opposite end of the garment  100 . There can be more than one attachment portion  120  to help secure garment  100  on a human or animal. 
         [0058]      FIG. 5  shows a top view of another embodiment of the flexible cooling garment  150 . Garment  150  can be used for a variety of applications, including use as a cooling blanket for either humans or animals. Garment  150  includes a body  160 . Body  160  is preferably lightweight and flexible. Body  160  is preferably comprised of an inner layer, a middle layer, and an outer layer, as shown and described in  FIG. 1A  and the related description thereof. Body  160  is generally defined by an outer seam  162 . Outer seam  162  can define body  160  in various shapes and sizes to accommodate various humans and animals. As shown, outer seam  162  defines a primarily rectangular shaped body  160 , defining a garment  150  that can be used as a cooling mat or blanket. 
         [0059]      FIG. 6  shows a top view of another embodiment of a flexible cooling garment  200  for attachment to the body region of a human (not shown). Garment  200  includes a body  210  and at least one attachment portion  220 . Body  210  is preferably lightweight and flexible. Body  210  is preferably comprised of an inner layer, a middle layer, and an outer layer, as shown and described in  FIG. 1A  and the related description thereof. Body  210  is generally defined by an outer seam  212 . Outer seam  212  can define body  210  in various shapes and sizes to accommodate various animals. As shown, outer seam  212  defines a body  210  with a head opening  216  and arm openings  218 , defining a garment  200  that is used to partially cover the body region of a human. Although garment  200  is shown as a vest-type garment, garment  200  can include sleeves and/or a collar to resemble a shirt, long-sleeved shirt, vest, or other garment that can be worn around the body of a human as would be recognized by one with ordinary skill in the art. 
         [0060]    Further, body  210  can include one or more reflective surfaces  219  to help identify a wearer of garment  200  at night. Body  210  also includes an attachment portion  220  that is used to help secure garment  200  on the body of a wearer. As shown, attachment portion  220  is comprised of a Velcro strip running upward along the middle of the front of body  210  from outer seam  212  to head opening  216 . However, attachment portion  220  can also be comprised of one or more straps having connector portions attached thereto, or buttons, hooks and loops, snaps, or other attachment means as would be recognized by one with ordinary skill in the art, to help secure garment  200  to the body of a wearer. 
         [0061]      FIG. 7  shows a top view of another embodiment of a flexible cooling garment  300  for placement around the neck of a human or animal (not shown). Garment  300  includes a body  310  and at least one attachment portion  320 . Body  310  is preferably lightweight and flexible. Body  310  is preferably comprised of an inner layer, a middle layer, and an outer layer, as shown and described in  FIG. 1A  and the related description thereof. Body  310  is generally defined by an outer seam  312 . Outer seam  312  can define body  310  in various shapes and sizes to accommodate various animals. As shown, outer seam  312  defines a primarily rectangular shaped body  310 , defining a garment  310  that is used for placement around the neck of a human or animal. 
         [0062]    Attachment portion  320  can be comprised of any type of flexible fabric and can be adjustable to fit various sized humans or animals. Attachment portion  320  can be comprised of Velcro material, so as to engage the connector portion  324  located on the end opposite end of the garment  300 . There can be more than one attachment portion  320  to help secure garment  300  on a human or animal. 
         [0063]      FIG. 8  shows a top view of another embodiment of a flexible cooling garment  350  for attachment around the leg of a human or animal (not shown). Garment  350  includes a body  360  and at least one attachment portion  370 . Body  360  is preferably lightweight and flexible. Body  360  is preferably comprised of an inner layer, a middle layer, and an outer layer, as shown and described in  FIG. 1A  and the related description thereof. Body  360  is generally defined by an outer seam  362 . Outer seam  362  can define body  360  in various shapes and sizes to accommodate various animals. As shown, outer seam  362  defines a primarily rectangular shaped body  360 , defining a garment  350  that is used for attachment around the leg of a human or animal. Body  360  can also define an opening (not shown) for positioning around the knee of a human or animal to allow bending of the leg of the human or animal. 
         [0064]    Attachment portion  370  can be comprised of any type of flexible fabric and can be adjustable to fit various sized humans or animals. Attachment portion  370  can be comprised of Velcro material, so as to engage the connector portion  374  located on the end opposite end of the garment  350 . There can be more than one attachment portion  370  to help secure garment  350  on a human or animal. 
         [0065]    With respect to the above description it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, including variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly, and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described. Accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents fall within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0066]    The above description, together with the advantages of the invention and the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific advantages attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
         [0067]    Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers, and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting, as to the scope of the invention in any way.