ACCESSORY ATTACHMENTS FOR A WELDING GARMENT

• US 20080098503A1
• Filed: 04/26/2007
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Swartz, John A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,731,152 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 2/458
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/00 Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches helmets A42B3/00; clothing affording protection against chemical agents or for use at high altitudes A62B17/00; life-saving garments for use at sea, diving suits B63C; bulletproof or armoured clothing F41H; clothing affording protection against radiation G21F3/02
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/04 Aprons; Fastening devices for aprons
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2400/70 Removability
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2600/202 Welding
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 17/003 Fire-resistant or fire-fighters' clothes

Abstract

A flame resistant garment, in certain embodiments, may include multiple garment portions to provide different degrees of protection for welding or another application. In one embodiment, the flame-resistant garment may include a base garment and one or more supplemental protective layers or garments. For example, the base garment may include a jacket, a vest, a coverall, a jumpsuit, an overall, pants, trousers, a smock, a hat, a hood, or a combination thereof. The protective layer may include a bib or any other suitable attachment to add further flame resistance. Further, the multiple garment portions may be coupled together via a snap fastener system, a hook-and-loop system, a button system, a zipper system, a buckle system, or a clip system, or a combination thereof.

Claims

1. A welding garment, comprising:

an article of clothing comprising a flame-resistant material and a fastening mechanism, wherein the article of clothing is configured to receive a protective layer of clothing via the fastening mechanism.

2. The welding garment of claim 1, further comprising the protective layer of clothing comprising a flame-resistant material and an attachment mechanism, wherein the protective layer of clothing is configured to be removably attached to an exterior surface of the article of clothing via engagement of the attachment mechanism with the fastening mechanism.

3. The welding garment of claim 2, wherein the fastening mechanism and the attachment mechanism are protected by a flame-resistant layer.

4. The welding garment of claim 2, wherein the fastening mechanism and attachment mechanism comprise a snap fastener system, a hook-and-loop system, a button system, a zipper system, a buckle system, a clip system, or a combination thereof.

5. The welding garment of claim 2, wherein the flame-resistant material comprises a chemically treated natural fabric;

a chemically treated natural fabric and synthetic fiber blend;

a flame-resistant synthetic fiber blend;

a flame-resistant leather;

or a combination thereof.

6. The welding garment of claim 2, wherein the flame-resistant material comprises a cotton fabric impregnated with a flame retardant chemical;

a cotton and high tenacity nylon fabric blend impregnated with a flame retardant chemical;

a vinal and polynosic rayon blend;

an aramid synthetic fiber;

a meta-aramid and para-aramid fiber blend;

a meta-aramid, para-aramid, and modacrylic fiber blend;

an oxidized polyacrylonitrile and aramid fiber blend;

or a combination thereof.

7. The welding garment of claim 1, wherein the article of clothing comprises a jacket, a vest, a coverall, a jumpsuit, an overall, pants, trousers, smock, a hat, a hood, or a combination thereof.

8. The welding garment of claim 1, wherein the article of clothing comprises a jacket comprising a top section and a bottom section made from flame-resistant materials.

9. The welding garment of claim 8, wherein the top section comprises a different flame-resistant material than the bottom section.

10. The welding garment of claim 2, wherein the protective layer of clothing comprises a bib.

11. A garment, comprising:

a protective layer of clothing comprising a flame-resistant material and a fastening mechanism configured to be removably attached to a surface of an article of clothing.

12. The garment of claim 11, further comprising the article of clothing comprising a flame-resistant material.

13. The garment of claim 11, wherein the fastening mechanism comprises a snap fastener system, a hook-and-loop system, a button system, a zipper system, a buckle system, a clip system, or a combination thereof.

14. The garment of claim 12, wherein the flame-resistant material comprises a cotton fabric impregnated with a flame retardant chemical;

a cotton and high tenacity nylon fabric blend impregnated with a flame retardant chemical;

a vinal and polynosic rayon blend;

an aramid synthetic fiber;

a meta-aramid and para-aramid fiber blend;

a meta-aramid, para-aramid, and modacrylic fiber blend;

an oxidized polyacrylonitrile and aramid fiber blend;

a flame-resistant leather;

or a combination thereof.

15. The garment of claim 12, wherein the article of clothing comprises a jacket, a vest, a coverall, a jumpsuit, an overall, pants, trousers, smock, a hat, a hood, or a combination thereof.

16. The garment of claim 11, wherein the protective layer of clothing comprises a bib.

17. A garment, comprising:

a base garment, comprising;

an upper portion comprising a first flame-resistant material and an upper attachment area;

a lower portion comprising a second flame-resistant material and a lower attachment area; and

a protective garment comprising a third flame-resistant material, wherein the protective garment and is configured to be removably attached to the upper portion at the upper attachment area, or the lower portion at the lower attachment area, or a combination thereof.

18. The garment of claim 17, wherein the upper portion comprises a collar, a shoulder area, a left sleeve, and a right sleeve, and the upper portion terminates at a bottom edge and is configured to cover the upper torso of a wearer;

and the lower portion abuts or overlaps the upper portion at the bottom edge and terminates at a lower edge and is configured to cover the lower torso of a wearer.

19. The garment of claim 17, wherein the first flame-resistant material, the second flame-resistant material, or the third flame-resistant material, or a combination thereof, comprise a cotton fabric impregnated with a flame retardant chemical;

a cotton and high tenacity nylon fabric blend impregnated with a flame retardant chemical;

a vinal and polynosic rayon blend;

an aramid synthetic fiber;

a meta-aramid and para-aramid fiber blend;

a meta-aramid, para-aramid, and modacrylic fiber blend;

an oxidized polyacrylonitrile and aramid fiber blend;

a flame-resistant leather;

or a combination thereof.

20. The garment of claim 17, wherein the upper attachment area, or the lower attachment area, or both, are protected by a flame-resistant layer.

21. The garment of claim 17, wherein the protective garment is attached to the upper attachment area, or the lower attachment area, or both, via a snap fastener system, a hook-and-loop system, a button system, a zipper system, a buckle system, a clip system, or a combination thereof.

22. The garment of claim 17, wherein the upper attachment area comprises a shoulder attachment region and the protective garment is secured to the shoulder attachment region.

23. The garment of claim 17, wherein the upper attachment area comprises a mid-chest attachment region and the protective garment is secured to the mid-chest attachment region.

24. The garment of claim 17, wherein the lower attachment area comprises a waist-line attachment region and the protective garment is secured to the waist-line attachment region.

25. The garment of claim 17, comprising another protective garment comprising a fourth flame-resistant material, wherein the other protective garment is configured to be removably attached to the base garment at the upper attachment area, or the lower attachment area, or both.

26. A method, comprising:

removably supplementing a flame-resistant article of clothing with a supplemental layer of flame-resistant material.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the flame-resistant article of clothing comprises a jacket, a vest, a coverall, a jumpsuit, an overall, pants, trousers, a smock, a hat, a hood, or a combination thereof.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein removably supplementing comprises attaching the supplemental layer to the clothing via a snap fastener system, a hook-and-loop system, a button system, a zipper system, a buckle system, a clip system, or a combination thereof.