Process and device for body climate control

• US 20050197684A1
• Filed: 11/02/2004
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Draeger Safety Incorporated (Dragerwerk AG)
• Original Assignee: Drã¤Ger Safety AG & Company KGaA (Dragerwerk AG)
• Inventors: Koch, Jochim
• Application Number:
  US10/979,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20050197684A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/104
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/002 with controlled internal environment
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 27/28 Means for ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 17/003 Fire-resistant or fire-fighters' clothes

Abstract

A piece of clothing is designed especially as a vest (4) with ventilation channels (2) which are connected at their inlet and outlet with the environment. At least one temperature sensor (11, 12; 17) determines the body temperature of the user (1) of the piece of clothing. A blower (5) admits ambient air (7) into the ventilation channels (2), and a measuring and evaluating unit (13), is connected with the at least one temperature sensor (11, 12) and the blower (5).

Claims

1. A process for body climate control with a piece of clothing defining ventilation channels, with a temperature sensor measuring a temperature near a core of a body, with a temperature sensor measuring a peripheral temperature of the body, with a blower ventilating the ventilation channels with ambient air, and with a measuring and evaluating unit connected with the temperature sensors and with the blower, the process comprising the steps of:

switching on the blower with a preset speed;

switching off the blower when the measured temperature near the core of the body is below a lower limit value;

switching off the blower when a difference between the measured temperature near the core of the body and the peripheral temperature of the body exceeds a preset difference limit value, and

adjusting a speed of the blower as a function of one of the measured temperature near the core of the body and the peripheral temperature of the body.

2. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

ambient temperature is measured by a temperature sensor;

said speed of the blower is adjusted as a function of said ambient temperature.

3. A process in accordance with claim 2, wherein:

switching on the blower after one of a lower limit value for said ambient air temperature is exceeded, and after a lower limit value for the temperature near the core of the body is exceeded.

4. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the measured temperatures and the differences between the temperature near the core of the body and the peripheral temperature of the body are polled one after another in time by said measuring and evaluating unit and compared with stored values for setting said blower.

5. A process in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

measuring a humidity of the ambient air;

adjusting the blower as a function of the humidity.

6. A process in accordance with claim 5, further comprising:

switching off said blower only after a preset upper limit value for the ambient temperature has been exceeded by a preset amount, said preset amount increases with decreasing humidity.

7. A process in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

increasing a speed of the blower after a difference between the temperature near the core of the body and the peripheral temperature of the body decreases by a preset amount and a preset limit value for the temperature near the core of the body is exceeded at the same time.

8. A device for body climate control of a user, the device comprising:

a piece of clothing defining ventilation channels having an inlet and an outlet connected to a surrounding environment;

a temperature sensor measuring a body temperature of the user of said piece of clothing;

a blower delivering ambient air into said ventilation channels;

a measuring and evaluating unit connected to said temperature sensor and to said blower.

9. A device in accordance with claim 8, wherein:

said temperature sensor is arranged for measuring a temperature near a core of a body of the user;

another temperature sensor is arranged for measuring a peripheral temperature of the body.

10. A device in accordance with claim 8, wherein:

said measuring and evaluating unit is additionally connected with a temperature sensor for ambient temperature.

11. A device in accordance with claim 8, further comprising:

a humidity sensor measuring humidity at said outlet of said ventilation channels, said humidity sensor being connected to said measuring and evaluating unit.

12. A device in accordance with claim 8, wherein:

said piece of clothing is one of a vest, pants or a complete safety suit.

13. A device in accordance with claim 9, wherein:

one of said temperature sensor for determining the temperature near the core of the body and said temperature sensor for determining the peripheral temperature of the body are incorporated in said piece of clothing.

14. A device in accordance with claim 8, wherein:

said measuring and evaluating unit is provided with a communication unit for telemetric signal transmission.

15. A device in accordance with claim 8, wherein:

said ventilation channels are defined by a material impermeable to water vapor.

16. A device in accordance with claim 11, further comprising:

another humidity sensor for ambient air and connected to said measuring and evaluation unit.

17. A device in accordance with claim 8, wherein:

said temperature sensor measures outlet temperature at said outlet of said ventilation channels.

18. A device in accordance with claim 8, further comprising:

a heater in flow connection with said ventilation channels and delivering heated air to said ventilation channels.

19. A device in accordance with claim 8, further comprising:

one of a pulse sensor and/or electrodes for determining a cardiac activity of said user, said measuring and evaluating unit being connected to said one of said pulse sensor and electrodes.

20. A device in accordance with claim 9, wherein:

said measuring and evaluating unit is additionally connected with a temperature sensor for measuring an ambient temperature;

a humidity sensor measures humidity at said outlet of said ventilation channels, said humidity sensor being connected to said measuring and evaluating unit;

said piece of clothing is one of a vest, pants or a complete safety suit;

one of said temperature sensor for determining the temperature near the core of the body and said temperature sensor for determining the peripheral temperature of the body are incorporated in said piece of clothing;

said measuring and evaluating unit is provided with a communication unit for telemetric signal transmission;

said ventilation channels are defined by a material impermeable to water vapor;

another humidity sensor for measuring ambient air is connected to said measuring and evaluation unit;

still another temperature sensor measures outlet temperature at said outlet of said ventilation channels;

a heater is in flow connection with said ventilation channels and delivers heated air to said ventilation channels;

one of a pulse sensor and/or electrodes for determining a cardiac activity of said user, are connected to said measuring and evaluating unit.

21. A process for body climate control of a user, the process comprising the steps of:

providing a piece of clothing arranged on the user, said clothing defining a plurality of ventilation channels with inlets and outlets in flow connection to a surrounding environment;

measuring a core temperature of the user of said piece of clothing;

measuring a peripheral temperature of the user of said piece of clothing;

providing a blower delivering ambient air into said ventilation channels;

operating said blower;

stopping operation of said blower when said core temperature is below a lower limit;

determining a temperature difference between said core temperature and said peripheral temperature;

stopping operation of said blower when said temperature difference exceeds a difference limit;

adjusting a speed of said blower as a function of said core temperature and said peripheral temperature.