Vest assembly

Abstract

A vest assembly is provided for use by a wearer. The vest assembly comprises a vest body, a plurality of communication components disposed within the vest body, an antenna disposed within, or otherwise connected to the vest body, a rechargeable power supply, and a thermoelectric transducer assembly for converting body thermal energy into electrical energy to recharge the power supply and/or power the communication components. The antenna is in electrical communication with at least one of the plurality of communication components.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vest assembly for use by a wearer, the vest assembly comprising:
 a) a vest body;   b) a plurality of communication components connected to the vest body;   c) a rechargeable power supply connected to the vest body; and   d) a thermoelectric transducer assembly connected to the vest body, the transducer assembly including at least one thermoelectric transducer for converting thermal energy generated by the wearer into an electrical output signal, the thermoelectric transducer assembly being in electrical communication with at least one of the power supply and the communication components.   
     
     
         2 . The vest assembly of  claim 1  wherein the transducer output signal is in electrical communication with the power supply, and operative to recharge the rechargeable power supply. 
     
     
         3 . The vest assembly of  claim 1  wherein the thermoelectric transducer is in electrical communication with at least one of the communication components, and operative to provide electrical power thereto. 
     
     
         4 . The vest assembly of  claim 2  wherein the rechargeable power supply is disposed within the vest body. 
     
     
         5 . The vest assembly of  claim 1  wherein the communication components are disposed within the vest body. 
     
     
         6 . The vest assembly of  claim 4  further comprising an antenna connected to the vest body and in electrical communication with the plurality of communication components. 
     
     
         7 . The vest assembly of  claim 6  wherein the antenna is disposed within the vest body. 
     
     
         8 . The vest assembly of  claim 7  wherein the thermoelectric transducer assembly is disposed within the vest body. 
     
     
         9 . The vest assembly of  claim 1  wherein the thermoelectric transducer assembly includes a plurality of flexible thermoelectric transducers interwoven throughout the vest body. 
     
     
         10 . The vest assembly of  claim 1  further including an inner garment disposed intermediate the vest body and the user, wherein the at least one thermoelectric transducer is connected to the inner garment. 
     
     
         11 . The vest assembly of  claim 5  further including an antenna, connected to the vest body and in electrical communication with at least one of the plurality of communication components. 
     
     
         12 . The vest assembly of  claim 6  wherein the antenna is disposed within the vest body. 
     
     
         13 . The vest assembly of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the thermoelectric transducer assembly is plug connectable to the rechargeable power supply. 
     
     
         14 . The vest assembly of  claim 1  wherein the thermoelectric transducer includes at least one thermo-responsive pad disposed in heat transfer relation with a body portion of the wearer. 
     
     
         15 . The vest assembly of  claim 14  wherein the thermo-responsive pad generates a pad output signal in response to the wearer's body heat, the pad output signal being operative to recharge the rechargeable power supply. 
     
     
         16 . The vest assembly of  claim 14  wherein the thermo-responsive pad generates a pad output signal in response to the wearer's body heat, the pad output signal being operative to provide power to at least one of the communication components. 
     
     
         17 . The vest assembly of  claim 2  wherein the transducer assembly further comprises a voltage regulating circuit in electrical communication with the at least one thermoelectric transducer and the internal power supply, the voltage regulator circuit being operative to condition the transducer output signal to facilitate recharging of the power supply. 
     
     
         18 . The vest assembly of  claim 5  the plurality of communication components includes a pressure sensor connected to the vest body for detecting pressure applied to the vest body and generating a pressure sensor output signal in response thereto, the pressure sensor output signal being generated independent of any input by the wearer. 
     
     
         19 . The vest assembly of  claim 5  wherein the plurality of communication components includes a physiological sensor connectable to the wearer, the physiological sensor being operative to generate a physiological sensor output, signal representative of a physiological condition of the wearer, independent of any input by the wearer. 
     
     
         20 . The vest assembly of  claim 8  further comprising flex circuitry disposed within the vest body for providing electrical communication between the power supply and the plurality of communication components, the flex circuitry including a plurality of conductive paths disposed on a flexible substrate. 
     
     
         21 . The vest assembly of  claim 20  wherein the flex circuitry is bendable in response to movement of the wearer. 
     
     
         22 . The vest assembly of  claim 8  further comprising a bullet protection layer disposed within the vest body and configured to mitigate bullet penetration through the vest body. 
     
     
         23 . A vest assembly for use by a wearer, the vest assembly comprising:
 a) a vest body;   b) a plurality of communication components connected to the vest body; and   c) an antenna connected to the vest body and in electrical communication with at least one of the plurality of communication components.   
     
     
         24 . The vest assembly of  claim 23  further comprising a rechargeable power supply disposed within the vest body. 
     
     
         25 . The vest assembly of  claim 23  wherein the communication components are disposed within the vest body. 
     
     
         26 . The vest assembly of  claim 25  wherein the antenna is disposed within the vest body. 
     
     
         27 . The vest assembly of  claim 23  wherein the antenna is disposed within the vest body. 
     
     
         28 . The vest assembly of  claim 26  the plurality of communication components includes a pressure sensor connected to the vest body for detecting pressure applied to the vest body and generating a pressure sensor output signal in response thereto, the pressure sensor output signal being generated independent of any input by the wearer. 
     
     
         29 . The vest assembly of  claim 26  wherein the plurality of communication components includes a physiological sensor connectable to the wearer, the physiological sensor being operative to generate a physiological sensor output, signal representative of a physiological condition of the wearer, independent of any input by the wearer. 
     
     
         30 . The vest assembly of  claim 28  further comprising flex circuitry disposed within the vest body for providing electrical communication between the power supply and the plurality of communication components, the flex circuitry including a plurality of conductive paths disposed on a flexible substrate. 
     
     
         31 . The vest assembly of  claim 30  wherein the flex circuitry is bendable in response to movement of the wearer. 
     
     
         32 . The vest assembly of  claim 26  further comprising a bullet protection layer disposed within the vest body and configured to mitigate bullet penetration through the vest body.