Sports Protective Garment with Impact Force Protection and Microclimate Control

Abstract

An impact absorbing protective garment is provided, for wearing about the torso of a body, such as a baseball umpire, that comprises three layers. There is an outer shell layer comprised of a plurality of plate elements that are generally stiff, shock-resistant lightweight material, that are fastened to a middle layer. The middle layer is in the form of a flexible pad having various components, and that provides an intermediate thickness of cushioning material inside the outer shell layer. There is an inner layer carried by the middle layer that comprises a plurality of cells of phase change material, with the various cells being separated from each other by sealing zones. Upon sufficient impact the individual cells can communicate through small pores in the sealing zones or when the sealing zones rupture under impact pressure, to assist in impact absorption. The inner layer, in its cells, contains a phase change material that is a means for effecting a relatively constant microclimate cooling or heating of the area of the torso of the body which it confronts.

1 . An impact absorbing protective garment for the torso of a body, for use by baseball umpires, comprising:
 (a) a middle layer in the form of a flexible pad adapted to conform to the contour of the frontal area of the upper torso and having an inner surface adapted to face toward the torso, an outer surface facing outwardly from the torso, and a perimeter defining the outlines of said inner and outer surfaces, said middle layer including an intermediate thickness of cushioning material between said inner and outer surfaces;   (b) an outer shell layer covering substantially the entire frontal area of the upper torso and adapted to overlie said middle layer and comprising a plurality of plate elements, each plate element being positioned and arranged to overlie a selected area of the torso, and means connecting said plate elements to said middle layer to form a torso-fitting shell overlying said middle layer, with each of said plate elements being a stiff, shock-resistant lightweight material, having fastening means connecting said shell plates to said middle layer;   (c) an inner layer carried by said middle layer on its inner surface, and adapted to face toward and confront the torso of the body, said inner layer covering a substantial portion of the inner surface of the middle layer and comprising a plurality of individual cells arranged over said given area, with the cells each encasing a phase change material that comprises means for effecting a relatively constant microclimate cooling or heating of the area of the torso of the body which it confronts.   
     
     
         2 . The impact absorbing protective garment of  claim 1 , wherein the inner layer comprises an impact resistant layer adapted to distribute compression forces from impacts against the outer layer that transfer through the middle layer to the inner layer. 
     
     
         3 . The impact absorbing protective garment of  claim 2 , wherein frangible sealing zones separate the cells of said inner layer containing within each cell its own phase change material, and wherein said sealing zones comprise means for:
 (i) absorbing energy from impact by breaking open when a pre-determined impact is transferred to a given said cell and for   (ii) providing a passage for communicating some phase change material from the given cell to an adjacent cell for dissipating absorbed energy to the adjacent cell.   
     
     
         4 . The impact absorbing protective garment of  claim 2 , wherein minutely porous sealing zones separate the cells of said inner layer containing within each cell its own phase change material, and wherein said sealing zones comprise means for:
 (i) absorbing energy from impact by allowing some phase change material to pass across a sealing zone when a pre-determined impact is transferred to a given said cell and for   (ii) providing a passage for communicating some phase change material from the given cell to an adjacent cell for dissipating absorbed energy to the adjacent cell.   
     
     
         5 . The impact absorbing protective garment of  claim 3 , wherein said cells are each of a hexagonal configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The impact absorbing protective garment of  claim 1 , wherein the inner layer is carried in a pocket of lightweight material that, in turn, is carried on the inner surface of the middle layer. 
     
     
         7 . The impact absorbing protective garment of  claim 6 , wherein the pocket has an opening for ready insertion and removal of said inner layer of the garment. 
     
     
         8 . The impact absorbing protective garment of  claim 1 , wherein the pocket has an opening for ready insertion and removal of said inner layer of the garment; wherein the pocket of lightweight material is an open-pore mesh material. 
     
     
         9 . The impact absorbing protective garment of  claim 1 , wherein the middle layer comprises a foam material of at least one layer. 
     
     
         10 . The impact absorbing protective garment of  claim 1 , wherein the middle layer is encased in a lightweight material. 
     
     
         11 . The impact absorbing protective garment of  claim 1 , wherein the phase change material is of a solid type which absorbs heat without a significant rise in temperature until the material is transformed from the solid phase to a liquid phase. 
     
     
         12 . The impact absorbing protective garment of  claim 11 , wherein the phase change material is selected from the group comprised of any of:
 (a) alkanes or other paraffins;   (b) salt hydrates;   (c) eutectic compounds;   (d) fatty acids;   (e) esters;   (f) animal fats;   (g) vegetable fats; and   (h) water.   
     
     
         13 . The impact absorbing protective garment of  claim 3 , wherein the inner layer is carried in a pocket of lightweight material that, in turn, is carried on the inner surface of the middle layer, wherein the pocket has an opening for ready insertion and removal of said inner layer of the garment, wherein the pocket has an opening for ready insertion and removal of said inner layer of the garment; wherein the pocket of lightweight material is an open-pore mesh material, wherein the middle layer comprises a foam material of at least one layer, wherein the middle layer is encased in a lightweight material, wherein the phase change material is of a solid type which absorbs heat without a significant rise in temperature until the material is transformed from the solid phase to a liquid phase and wherein the phase change material is selected from the group comprised of any of:
 (a) alkanes or other paraffins;   (b) salt hydrates;   (c) eutectic compounds;   (d) fatty acids;   (e) esters;   (f) animal fats;   (g) vegetable fats; and   (h) water.   
     
     
         14 . An impact-absorbing protective garment used to protect select areas of a body, said garment comprising one or more of the following layers:
 (a) a middle layer comprising one or more flexible pads adapted to conform to a protected portion of the body, said layer having an inner surface adapted to face towards the body, an outer surface facing outwardly from the body, and a perimeter defining the outlines of said inner and outer surfaces;   (b) an outer shell layer covering substantially all of the select area of the body being protected, adapted to cover said middle layer, said outer shell layer comprising one or a plurality of plate elements, this one or a plurality being positioned and arranged to cover select portions of the body, such that an effective protective shell is formed, the outer shell layer comprising a stiff, shock-resistant lightweight material and having a fastener connecting said outer layer to said middle layer;   (c) an innermost layer carried by or closely proximate to said middle layer on the middle layer's inner surface, adapted to face toward and confront the protected body portion, said inner layer covering a substantial portion of the inner surface of the middle layer, and comprising a plurality of individual cells arranged over said given area, said cells comprising a non-toxic and hypoallergenic material, each encasing an incompressible cooling or warming material for effecting cooling or warming of the wearer.   
     
     
         15 . The protective garment of  claim 14 , wherein the garment is used to protect select portions of the body of a human being. 
     
     
         16 . The protective garment of  claim 14 , wherein the garment is used to protect equipment. 
     
     
         17 . The impact-absorbing protective garment of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of cells of said inner layer are comprised of a suitable momentarily deformable high modulus material, each cell containing its own incompressible cooling or warming material capable o f changing phase. 
     
     
         18 . The impact-absorbing protective garment of  claim 17 , wherein the momentarily deformable high modulus material is a film whose thickness is in the range of 0.002-0.100″. 
     
     
         19 . The impact-absorbing protective garment of  claim 14 , wherein at least some of the plurality of cells are contiguous, said contiguous cells being separated by frangible or minutely porous sealing zones, wherein said sealing zones comprise means for:
 (a) dissipating energy from impact by allowing some cell-contained cooling or warming material to pass across a sealing zone when a predetermined strong impact is transferred to a given said cell; and   (b) providing a passage for communicating some cooling or warming material from the given cell to an adjacent cell for dissipating absorbed energy to the adjacent cell or cells.   
     
     
         20 . The impact-absorbing protective garment of  claim 19 , wherein at least some of the plurality of contiguous cells are hexagonal in shape. 
     
     
         21 . The impact-absorbing protective garment of  claim 17 , wherein the phase change material is selected from the group consisting of at least one of:
 (a) alkanes or other paraffins;   (b) salt hydrates;   (c) eutectic compounds;   (d) fatty acids;   (e) esters;   (f) animal fats;   (g) vegetable fats; and   (h) water.   
     
     
         22 . The impact-absorbing protective garment of  claim 21 , wherein the cell-contained phase change material is formulated to contain one or a plurality of phase transition point(s). 
     
     
         23 . The impact-absorbing protective garment of  claim 17 , wherein some portions of the plurality of cells may contain different phase change materials or different phase change transition points than other cells for:
 (a) changing the impact force dissipation characteristics, both vertically and laterally; and   (b) providing a temperature-phasing effect to greatly extend the overall cooling or heating effect of the overall garment.   
     
     
         24 . The impact-absorbing protective garment of  claim 17 , wherein the cell-contained phase change material(s) is formulated or selected to yield chosen phase transition point(s) to within ±° F. to a maximum off ±10° F. 
     
     
         25 . The impact-absorbing protective garment of any of  claim 17 , wherein the cell-contained phase change material is selected as to be non-toxic to human beings. 
     
     
         26 . The impact-absorbing protective garment of  claim 25 , wherein the innermost surface of the plurality of cells which contain phase change material is confronted by a contained layer of gel, whether or not said contained layer is in the form of a plurality of cells, said gel layer being fused directly to the innermost layer of the phase-change-material-containing cells, and said gel layer being worn directly against the body in order that the gel achieves the microclimate temperature(s) of the phase change material, while providing a physically soli interfacing layer to the wearer. 
     
     
         27 . The protective garment of  claim 14 , wherein the momentarily deformable material is a film made from an organic material selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polypropylene and polyethylene. 
     
     
         28 . The protective garment of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of individual cells are hexagonal in shape. 
     
     
         29 . An impact-absorbing protective garment, said garment comprising a plurality of cells of one or more sizes and shapes, each cell comprised of suitable momentarily deformable high modulus material and each cell containing its own incompressible cooling or warming material. 
     
     
         30 . The protective garment of  claim 29 , wherein the plurality of cells are contiguous. 
     
     
         31 . The protective garment of  claim 30 , wherein each cell contains phase change material, said contiguous cells being separated by frangible sealing zones, wherein said sealing zones provide means for:
 (a) dissipating energy from impact by allowing some cell-contained cooling or warming material to pass across a sealing zone when a predetermined strong impact is transferred to a given said cell; and   (b) providing a passage for communicating some cooling or warming material from one cell to an adjacent cell for dissipating absorbed energy to the adjacent cell.   
     
     
         32 . The protective garment of  claim 29 , wherein the garment is used to protect select portions of the body of a human being. 
     
     
         33 . The protective garment of  claim 29 , wherein the garment is being used to protect equipment.