Protective garment for improved welding protection

Abstract

A protective garment for providing improved safety and customization of personal protective equipment (PPE), and in particular, for welding protection from wire-sticks from exposed welding wires during welding. The protective garment includes a heat conducting composite made of one or more layers of a heat conducting material and one or more layers of a binder. The one or more heat conducting material layers may be a carbon fiber layer, such as a woven carbon-fiber layer, and the one or more binders may be an elastomeric binder, such as a polymer. As such, the heat conducting composite may be a carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) in which the elastomeric binder is used to hold the woven fibers and/or layers together. The heat conducting composite material may be used to form PPE, it may be formed into guards for use over PPE, or as an insert for use under PPE.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A protective garment, the protective garment comprising:
 a heat conducting composite material comprising:
 one or more heat conducting layers; and 
 a matrix operatively coupled to the one or more heat conducting layers; 
   wherein the heat conducting composite provides protection from wire sticks during welding.   
     
     
         2 . The protective garment of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more heat conducting layers comprise at least a woven fiber layer. 
     
     
         3 . The protective garment of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more heat conducting layers comprise at least a carbon fiber layer. 
     
     
         4 . The protective garment of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more heat conducting layers comprise at least a graphene layer. 
     
     
         5 . The protective garment of  claim 2 , wherein the woven fiber layer comprises a twill weave carbon fiber cloth, a flat-tow weave carbon fiber cloth, or a triaxial twill weave carbon fiber cloth. 
     
     
         6 . The protective garment of  claim 2 , wherein the matrix comprises a polymer that holds the woven fiber layer together. 
     
     
         7 . The protective garment of  claim 6 , wherein the polymer comprises a plastic, a rubber, a resin, or a silicone-based polymer matrix. 
     
     
         8 . The protective garment of  claim 6 , wherein the matrix comprises a softener. 
     
     
         9 . The protective garment of  claim 1 , wherein the heat conducting composite material comprises a plurality of fiber layers and the matrix operatively couples the plurality of fiber layers together to form a fiber reinforced polymer material. 
     
     
         10 . The protective garment of  claim 1 , wherein the protective garment is an appendage guard. 
     
     
         11 . The protective garment of  claim 10 , wherein the appendage guard is worn over a glove or over an arm or leg. 
     
     
         12 . The protective garment of  claim 1 , wherein the protective garment is a protective insert garment that is worn under an outer glove. 
     
     
         13 . The protective garment of  claim 1 , wherein the protective garment comprises:
 a garment connector, wherein the garment connector is configured to be removably operatively coupled with an appendage or a garment located on the appendage.   
     
     
         14 . The protective garment of  claim 13 , wherein the garment connector comprises at least one of a fastener, a hook or loop connector, a strap and ring, or a strap and clip. 
     
     
         15 . The protective garment of  claim 1 , wherein the heat conducting composite material is integrally operatively coupled with a garment for use on an appendage. 
     
     
         16 . The protective garment of  claim 1 , wherein the protective garment is a glove, and the glove comprises:
 a fabric material, wherein the heat conducting composite material is operatively coupled to at least a portion of the fabric material.   
     
     
         17 . A method of forming a protective garment for improved welding protection, the method comprising:
 positioning one or more heat conducting material layers for receipt of a matrix; and   applying the matrix over at least a portion of the one or more heat conducting material layers.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more heat conducting material layers comprise at least two heat conducting material layers with the matrix located between the at least two heat conducing material layers. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more heat conducting layers comprise a woven carbon fiber layer, and wherein the matrix is a polymer. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the polymer comprises a plastic, a rubber, a resin, or a silicone based polymer matrix.