Cooling or heating garment

Abstract

A self-contained, wearable, temperature-regulating cooling or heating garment for ambulatory and mobile use includes a water pump, valve, and heater powered by a battery operable to circulate potable water through a network of flexible tubing, to provide cooling or heating parts of a user's body such as the user's head, neck, arms or torso. A push-button control provides adjustment of a pump, flow valve, and temperature. The garment includes a drinking nozzle for providing potable water during use of the garment.

1 . A temperature regulating garment, comprising:
 a garment configured as a wearable conditioning unit adapted to ambulatory and mobile use by a user;   a reservoir formed in the garment for storing a supply of potable water therein;   a drinking nozzle connected through a drinking tube to the reservoir;   a resistance heater disposed within the garment for supplying heat to the potable water stored in the reservoir;   a network of water tubing for circulating the potable water between the reservoir the wearable conditioning unit;   a pump connected in the network of water tubing for circulating the potable water through the network;   a battery operably connected to the pump and the resistance heater; and   a control module coupled to the garment through a control section for regulating output pressure of the pump and the temperature of the resistance heater, wherein the control module is coupled respectively to the pump and the resistance heater through the control section;   wherein the control module comprises a digital circuit having control outputs configured to vary the output pressure and volume of the pump and the heating provided by the resistance heater.   
     
     
         2 . The temperature regulating garment of  claim 1 , wherein:
 circulation of the potable water is controlled by a valve operated by the control module; and   an open-and-close state of the valve and the flow rate of the valve are controlled from the control module.   
     
     
         3 . The temperature regulating garment of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the garment is formed of a woven garment fabric in a plain or twill weave.   
     
     
         4 . The temperature regulating garment of  claim 1 , wherein the reservoir comprises:
 a bladder having a capacity of at least one liter, formed of a water proof material, and attached to or disposed within a compartment of the garment.   
     
     
         5 . The temperature regulating garment of  claim 1 , wherein the resistance heater comprises:
 a grid formed of resistance wire embedded within an insulated envelope.   
     
     
         6 . The temperature regulating garment of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable conditioning unit comprises:
 a separate extension of the garment selected from the group consisting of a vest, a bib, a shirt, a cuff, a sash, a sleeve, a cap, a girdle, a cumber bund, and a pocket.   
     
     
         7 . The temperature regulating garment of  claim 1 , wherein the network comprises:
 a plurality supply conduit of flexible tubing coupled from the reservoir to the manifold.   
     
     
         8 . The temperature regulating garment of  claim 1 , wherein the pump comprises:
 a battery operated pump adapted to circulate the potable water from the reservoir through the network.   
     
     
         9 . The temperature regulating garment of  claim 1 , wherein the battery comprises:
 a rechargeable battery having sufficient voltage and capacity to operate the pump at a 20% duty cycle for at least two hours.   
     
     
         10 . The temperature regulating garment of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each control output of the control module includes a push button switch operable in a plurality of states including an OFF, ON LOW, ON MEDIUM, ON HIGH sequence; and   an ALL OFF mode from any state.   
     
     
         11 . The temperature regulating garment of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the digital circuit is configured as a programmable micro controller having a non-volatile memory and associated input/output circuits; and   a program stored in the non-volatile memory and configured to operate the functional units of the control section according to a predetermined scheme.   
     
     
         12 . The temperature regulating garment of  claim 1 , wherein the network comprises:
 a return conduit of flexible tubing coupled from the manifold to the reservoir.