Protective Undergarment

Abstract

A protective undergarment for use under casual clothing is described. The undergarment is constructed of a first impermeable barrier material and a second selectively permeable barrier material.

1 . An article comprising:
 an undergarment for use under casual clothing comprising;   a garment surface covering arms, legs, and torso of a wearer and having   i) about 55 to about 95% of the garment surface area formed from a first impermeable barrier material comprising air impermeable, moisture vapor impermeable fluoropolymer, and   ii) about 5% to about 45% of a garment surface area formed from a second selectively permeable barrier material comprising an air impermeable, moisture vapor permeable expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) composite;   wherein the second barrier material is located on a back garment surface corresponding to at least one of a back surface of a wearer's leg or torso;   wherein the first and second barrier materials each passing NFPA 1971 ASTM F903 chemical penetration tests and each having a WEP≧3 psi.   
   
   
       2 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the undergarment has a packed volume of less than 0.0042 m 3 . 
   
   
       3 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the undergarment has a packed volume of less than 0.037 m 3 . 
   
   
       4 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the undergarment has a packed volume of less than 0.0034 m 3 . 
   
   
       5 . The article of  claim 1  wherein a front garment surface consists essentially of the first barrier material. 
   
   
       6 . The article of  claim 1  wherein a panel of the second barrier material is on a garment torso back surface. 
   
   
       7 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the second barrier material comprises a moisture vapor permeable, air impermeable ePTFE composite comprising a porous ePTFE layer and a monolithic polymer layer. 
   
   
       8 . The article of  claim 7 , wherein the monolithic polymer layer is polyurethane. 
   
   
       9 . The article of  claim 7 , wherein the monolithic polymer layer is a polyamine polymer. 
   
   
       10 . The article of  claim 7 , wherein the ePTFE composite comprises two porous ePTFE layers and the polyurethane therebetween. 
   
   
       11 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the first impermeable barrier material comprises densified ePTFE. 
   
   
       12 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the first impermeable barrier material is a laminate further comprising a textile layer. 
   
   
       13 . The article of  claim 12 , wherein the textile comprises a knit. 
   
   
       14 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the second selectively permeable barrier material is a laminate further comprising a textile layer. 
   
   
       15 . An article comprising:
 an undergarment for use under casual clothing comprising;   a garment surface covering arms, legs and torso of a wearer and having a heat loss of at least 20 w/M 2  at about 35° C. and about 50% RH, consisting essentially of   i) about 85% to about 95% of the garment surface area formed from a first impermeable barrier material comprising air impermeable, moisture vapor impermeable polytetrafluoroethylene, and   ii) about 5% to about 15% of a garment surface area formed from a second selectively permeable barrier material comprising an air impermeable, moisture vapor permeable expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) composite;   wherein the second barrier material is located on a back garment surface corresponding to at least one of a back surface of a wearer's leg or torso;   wherein the first and second barrier materials each passing NFPA 1971 ASTM F903 chemical penetration tests and each having a water entry pressure ≧3 psi.   
   
   
       16 . The article of  claim 15  wherein the undergarment has a heat loss of at least about 30 w/M 2  at about 35° C. and about 50% RH. 
   
   
       17 . The article of  claim 15  wherein the undergarment has a heat loss of at least about 40 w/M 2  at about 35° C. and about 50% RH. 
   
   
       18 . The article of  claim 15  wherein the undergarment has a heat loss of at least about 50 w/M 2  at about 35° C. and about 50% RH. 
   
   
       19 . An article comprising:
 an undergarment for use under casual clothing comprising;   a garment surface covering the torso of a wearer and having a heat loss of at least 20 w/M 2  at about 35° C. and about 50% RH, consisting essentially of   i) about 85% to about 95% of the garment surface area formed from a first impermeable barrier material comprising air impermeable, moisture vapor impermeable polytetrafluoroethylene, and   ii) about 5% to about 15% of a garment surface area formed from a second selectively permeable barrier material comprising an air impermeable, moisture vapor permeable expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) composite;   wherein the second barrier material is located on a back garment surface corresponding to a wearer's torso;   wherein the first and second barrier materials each passing NFPA 1971 ASTM F903 chemical penetration tests and each having a water entry pressure ≧3 psi.   
   
   
       20 . The article of  claim 19  wherein the undergarment has a heat loss of at least about 30 w/M 2  at 35° C. and 50% RH. 
   
   
       21 . The article of  claim 19  wherein the undergarment has a heat loss of at least about 40 w/M 2  at 35° C. and 50% RH. 
   
   
       22 . The article of  claim 19  wherein the undergarment has a heat loss of at least about 50 w/M 2  at 35° C. and 50% RH.