Vest for cooling or warming the user

Abstract

A body temperature-adjusting vest which includes a plurality of generally rectangular pockets in each of which is housed at least one cooling and/or warming gel pack capable, when activated, of transferring heat between its contents and the wearer's body. The pockets themselves are part of a wide, belt-like, generally symmetrical array worn snugly about the torso. Side-by-side pockets form the array's mid-section where the vest's gel packs are concentrated. Additional pockets are connected to, but spaced apart from, the mid-section by elasticized side bands which pass under the armpits and can be stretched slightly, pressing each pocket against the torso. Reversible in that the array and shoulder straps supporting it can be quickly repositioned and worn with the mid-section in front or back, the vest can reduce a wearer's exposure to changing wind directions and the like.

1 . A vest which a person can wear to keep himself cool in summer, which comprises:
 (a) first and second elasticized side bands and a plurality of generally rectangular pockets which are interconnected in such a way as to form an elongated, generally symmetrical array, the array including a mid-section which is spanned by at least two of the pockets, each contiguous pair of pockets in the mid-section being aligned side-by-side, distal ends of the first and second elasticized side bands being attached to the mid-section and to first and second pockets, respectively, which are disposed proximate with the array's first and second terminal ends and which, in use, are spaced apart from the mid-section;   (b) a releasable fastener and a pair of straps connecting the releasable fastener to the first and second pockets at points thereon which, in the case of the first pocket, are spaced apart from its juncture with the first elasticized side band by approximately the first pocket's width and which, in the case of the second pocket, are spaced apart from its juncture with the second elasticized side band by approximately the second pocket's width;   (c) a plurality of gel packs, the gel packs containing a gel which can absorb heat energy for up to hours at a time once the gel has been activated, at least one gel pack being mounted within each of the pockets which are then sealed closed prior to use; and   (d) means for stretching the first and second elasticized side bands slightly when the vest is held in place about a user's torso and, in the process, pressing each of the pockets against his body, so that heat energy can be transferred efficiently from it to the gel packs mounted within the pockets.   
     
     
         2 . The vest according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the pockets includes two layers formed of a water-resistant cloth and a heat-reflective liner, the liner being juxtaposed between the two water-resistant layers and disposed contiguous with the inside surface of the water-resistant cloth layer which is directed away from the wearer's torso in use, the liner functioning as an insulator to conserve some of the heat-absorbent capacity of the gel contained within each gel pack sealed within each of the individual pockets. 
     
     
         3 . The vest according to  claim 2 , which is further characterized as being reversible in that the generally symmetrical array can be quickly rotated about the wearer's torso and then worn with the array's mid-section held in front of his chest rather than behind his back, all the while keeping the heat-reflective liner within each pocket contiguous with the inside of the pocket's outer cloth layer, so that a user can reposition the vest to adjust for changing wind directions and temperatures which he may experience while he is engaged in hours-long outdoor activities. 
     
     
         4 . The vest according to  claim 1 , which further comprises means, including a pair of shoulder straps connected to the mid-section and to the first and second pockets, respectively, for adjusting, in a vertical direction relative to the wearer's shoulders, the position of the elongated, generally symmetrical array when it is held in place about the torso during use, so that by repositioning the array, the user can concentrate the transfer of heat energy away from specific regions within the central core of his body which otherwise tend to be too warm in hot weather. 
     
     
         5 . A vest which a person can wear to keep himself warm in winter, which comprises:
 (a) first and second elasticized side bands and a plurality of generally rectangular pockets which are interconnected in such a way as to form an elongated, generally symmetrical array, the array including a mid-section which is spanned by at least two of the pockets, each contiguous pair of pockets in the mid-section being aligned side-by-side, distal ends of the first and second elasticized side bands being attached to the mid-section and to first and second pockets, respectively, which are disposed proximate with the array's first and second terminal ends and which, in use, are spaced apart from the mid-section;   (b) a releasable fastener and a pair of straps connecting the releasable fastener to the first and second pockets at points thereon which, in the case of the first pocket, are spaced apart from its juncture with the first elasticized side band by approximately the first pocket's width and which, in the case of the second pocket, are spaced apart from its juncture with the second elasticized side band by approximately the second pocket's width;   (c) a plurality of gel packs, the gel packs containing a gel which can release heat energy for up to hours at a time once the gel has been activated, at least one gel pack being mounted within each of the pockets which are then sealed closed prior to use; and   (d) means for stretching the first and second elasticized side bands slightly when the vest is held in place about a user's torso and, in the process, pressing each of the pockets against his body, so that heat energy can be transferred efficiently to it from the gel packs mounted within the pockets.   
     
     
         6 . The vest according to  claim 5 , wherein each of the pockets includes two layers formed of a water-resistant cloth and a heat-reflective liner, the liner being juxtaposed between the two water-resistant cloth layers and disposed contiguous with the inside surface of the water-resistant cloth layer which is directed away from the wearer's torso in use, the liner functioning as an insulator to conserve some of the heat energy stored in the gel contained within each gel pack sealed within each of the individual pockets. 
     
     
         7 . The vest according to  claim 6 , which is further characterized as being reversible in that the generally symmetrical array can be quickly rotated about the wearer's torso and then worn with the array's mid-section held in front of his chest rather than behind his back, all the while keeping the heat-reflective liner within each pocket contiguous with the inside of the pocket's outer cloth layer, so that a user can reposition the vest to adjust for changing wind directions and temperatures which he may experience while he is engaged in hours-long outdoor activities. 
     
     
         8 . The vest according to  claim 5 , which further comprises means, including a pair of shoulder straps connected to the mid-section and to the first and second pockets, respectively, for adjusting, in a vertical direction relative to the wearer's shoulders, the position of the elongated, generally symmetrical array when it is held in place about the torso during use, so that by repositioning the array, the user can concentrate the transfer of heat energy towards specific regions within the central core of his body which otherwise tend to be too cold in winter weather.