Powered garment for warming extremities

Abstract

A garment including a body configured to at least partially enclose a hand of a user, a light emitting diode coupled to the body and directed toward a blood vessel in a wrist of the user to heat the hand of the user, and a power source coupled to the body and electrically coupled to the light emitting diode for providing power to the light emitting diode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A garment comprising:
 a body configured to at least partially enclose a hand of a user;   an LED coupled to the body and directed toward a blood vessel in a wrist of the user to heat the hand of the user; and   a power source coupled to the body and electrically coupled to the LED for providing power to the LED.   
     
     
         2 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a palm portion, a wrist portion coupled to the palm portion, and a digit portion coupled to and extending from the palm portion, and wherein the LED is disposed on the wrist portion. 
     
     
         3 . The garment of  claim 2 , wherein the digit portion is one of a plurality of digit portions coupled to and extending from the palm portion. 
     
     
         4 . The garment of  claim 3 , wherein one of the plurality of digit portions is open. 
     
     
         5 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the garment defines a medial plane having a radial side and an ulnar side, and wherein the LED is disposed on the radial side. 
     
     
         6 . The garment of  claim 1 , further comprising an actuator disposed on the body and electrically coupled to the LED, wherein the actuator is configured to change the LED between an on state and an off state. 
     
     
         7 . The garment of  claim 6 , wherein the LED is operable in a plurality of heat setting levels in the on state. 
     
     
         8 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the LED is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in an infrared spectrum. 
     
     
         9 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the LED is one of a plurality of LEDs coupled to the body and directed toward a blood vessel in the wrist of the user. 
     
     
         10 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a battery-receiving receptacle configured to receive the power source. 
     
     
         11 . A garment comprising:
 a body including a wrist portion configured to be disposed about a user's wrist, a palm portion configured to be disposed about a user's palm, and a digit portion configured to receive a user's digit, the digit portion being open; and   a heating element disposed on the wrist portion and directed toward a blood vessel of the user.   
     
     
         12 . The garment of  claim 11 , wherein the heating element includes an LED. 
     
     
         13 . The garment of  claim 12 , wherein the LED is one of a plurality of LEDs. 
     
     
         14 . The garment of  claim 12 , wherein the LED emits electromagnetic radiation in an infrared spectrum. 
     
     
         15 . The garment of  claim 11 , wherein the digit portion is one of a plurality of digit portions. 
     
     
         16 . The garment of  claim 15 , wherein at least two of the plurality of digit portions are open. 
     
     
         17 . The garment of  claim 11 , further comprising a power source electrically coupled to the heating element for providing power to the heating element. 
     
     
         18 . A garment comprising:
 a body including a wrist portion configured to be disposed about a user's wrist, a palm portion configured to be disposed about a user's palm, and a plurality of digit portions configured to receive a user's digits, at least one of the digit portions being open; and   an LED disposed on the wrist portion and directed toward a blood vessel in the user's wrist, the LED configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in an infrared spectrum to heat a user's hand.   
     
     
         19 . The garment of  claim 18 , further comprising a power source electrically coupled to the LED for providing power to the LED. 
     
     
         20 . The garment of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of digit portions includes a first digit portion corresponding to a user's thumb, a second digit portion corresponding to a user's pointer finger, a third digit portion corresponding to a user's middle finger, a fourth digit portion corresponding to a user's ring finger, and fifth digit portion corresponding to a user's pinky finger, wherein the first, second, and third digit portions are open, and wherein the fourth and fifth digit portions are closed.