Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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A THERMAL DUAL-LAYER UNDERGARMENT FOR A DRY DIVING SUIT
[0001] This invention relates to underwater diving equipment and more
particularly to dry diving
suits worn by professional and sports divers for warmth and protection while
diving, and
specifically a new thermal two-layer undergarment for a dry diving suit.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Underwater diving in cold water requires a dry diving suit that is
capable of insulating the
diver from the temperature of the ambient water and its deleterious effects. A
dry suit provides
physical protection against water and obstacles that a diver may encounter.
However, in cold
water dives it is necessary for the diver to wear additional garments
underneath the dry suit to
keep warm. Wet suits, on the other hand, permit water to enter the suit
forming a layer of water
trapped between the diver's body and the suit. Once the water is trapped it is
heated by the diver's
body and provides a layer of insulation around the diver. Each of these
systems has deficiencies.
[0003] Wet suites are unsuitable for cold water dives primarily because they
allow water to come
into contact the diver. Dry suits can be very cumbersome and stiff and so
restrict the movement
of the diver underwater. Furthermore, dry suits require water tight seals
around ankles, wrists
and the neck in order to prevent water from entering the dry suit and
contacting the diver's body.
[0004] There have been a number of attempts to provide solutions to the
problems of adequately
insulating a diver in a dry suit from cold in a cold water dive. One such
attempt is set out in U.S.
Pat. No. 5,960,469 entitled LIQUID-INSULATED GARMENT FOR COLD WATER DIVING
issued to Nuckols et el. on Oct. 5, 1999. There is described a liquid
insulated garment that
supplements the internal thermal protection of traditional diving suit. The
invention comprises
bladders having insulating liquids which maybe heated. Such a device requires
additional
equipment for the diver to carry during a dive and may increase the cumbersome
nature of the
diving suit. Furthermore, the bladders may make ingress and egress from a dry
suit more difficult
for the diver.
[0005] Therefore, there is an ongoing requirement for an easily worn
insulating garment for
divers to wear during cold water dives under a dry suit which is easy to put
on, easy to take off
and does not restrict diver movement inside the suit. There is a further need
for an insulating
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garment that can be used in fewer sizes to fit a wider range of end users
thereby reducing
inventory requirements and associated costs for retailers and distributors.
SUMMARY
[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a two-layered dry
diving suit
undergarment that is capable of insulating a diver during a cold water dive.
The insulating
garment would include an inner thermal dry core which can be a stretch or non-
stretch fabric and
an outer garment that comprises an elastomeric fabric.
[0007] In one embodiment of the invention, the inner thermal core is a non-
stretch fabric such as
PRIMALOFT® insulating material. In another embodiment the inner thermal
core can be an
insulating mesh or a fleece.
[0008] In another embodiment of the invention the inner thermal core layer is
over-sized and has
a larger surface area than the outer stretch layer. Therefore the inner
thermal core layer is not
required to stretch. The outer stretch layer pulls in the internal non-stretch
layer resulting in a
highly mobile streamlined fit. It further expels excess air that may be
trapped in the looser fitting
inner thermal core layer. This increases mobility of the diver and aids in the
control of buoyancy.
[0009] It is a further object of the invention to provide an insulating
undergarment that is
streamlined to the contours of the diver's body thereby permitting a wide
range of movement
within a dry suit.
[0010] In another embodiment of the invention, the outer stretch layer pulls
in the oversized
inner insulating layer, placing the bulky inner layer insulating materials
snug in the armpits and
crotch of the diver. This also allows the diver maximum mobility.
[0011] In another embodiment of the invention the outer stretch layer can be
made with high
stretch fleece offering additional thermal protection in combination with an
oversized inner
thermal core.
[0012] Another advantage of the invention is that it provides for an
undergarment for insulation
which can be manufactured in a limited number of sizes to suit all body sizes
of divers in order
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to save on manufacturing costs and inventory. The result is that only about
half the number of
sizes typically stocked will be required to fit the same number of body types.
[0013] In another embodiment of the invention the insulating undergarment may
comprise a
fleece inner layer and a LYCRA® outer layer.
[0014] In yet another embodiment of the invention the outer layer can be any
high stretch
material such a thin super stretch neoprene, a non-insulating stretch mesh, or
insulating like a
super stretch fleece.
[0015] In one of the embodiments of the invention, the insulating undergarment
inner layer
maybe sewn into the outer layer.
[0016] In a further embodiment, the inner insulating layer may be attached to
the outer layer by
means such as a hook and loop system. In other embodiments, buttons, magnets
and, sticky
adhesive may be used.
[0017] In yet another embodiment of the invention the layers of the garment
are not attached and
just placed one over the other.
[0018] Another advantage of the present invention is that it allows use of
technical thermal
fabrics that traditionally would have resulted in a very bulky low mobility
garment.
[0019] Yet another advantage of the invention is that by adding the secondary
form fitting stretch
outer layer over an oversized inner thermal core, maximum mobility is achieved
while using non
stretch, or low stretch bulky thermal fabrics.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0020] FIG. 1 shows a diver wearing a dual-layer dry suit insulating garment
of one embodiment
of the invention.
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[0021] FIG. 2 shows an arm of the invention illustrating the wrist cuff
lamination.
[0022] FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate another embodiment of the invention where in
adhesive sites are
placed on the exterior of the insulating layer in order to fasten to the
inside surface of the
elastomeric layer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] Referring to FIG. 1, the invention 10 is a dual-layered insulating
garment for covering a
wearer's 22 torso, arms and legs in order to provide thermal protection for
the wearer during a
cold water dive. The invention is worn under a dry suit. The dual-layered
insulating garment 10
comprises an inner thermal insulating layer 12 showing in solid line, an
elastomeric outer layer
14 shown in broken line. The outer layer can be an insulating or a non-
insulating layer. The
garment further comprises a torso portion 13 for covering the wearer's torso,
a left 15 and right
17 arm portion attached to the torso portion and for receiving the wearer's
left and right arms up
to their respective wrists, a left 19 and right 21 leg portion attached to the
torso portion for
receiving the wearer's left and right leg up to their respective ankles and a
neck portion 23
attached to the torso portion including a neck receiving portion 25. The
garment also comprises
an entry system 27 for entry and exit. The inner layer 12 is internally
secured to the elastomeric
outer layer 14 as further explained below. The elastomeric outer layer 14
comprises a stretch
fabric such as Lycra®, high stretch thin neoprene, high stretch mesh and
high stretch fleece.
[0024] Still referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 the inner layer 12 is secured to
the elastomeric outer
layer 14 at the ankles, wrists and neck receiving portion by respective ankle
18, wrist 16 and
neck 20 seals. FIG. 2 shows an enlarged diagram of a wrist seal 16. The
respective ankle, wrist
and neck seals are laminated seals formed from alternating inner layer
material and elastomeric
outer layer material. At the ankles the lamination seal 18 connects the bottom
ankle cuff of the
insulating layer and the outer layer. In other embodiments of the invention
socks, gloves and
hoods can be made in a similar fashion from similar materials and used as
accessories to the
diving suit. Therefore, rather than terminating at an ankle or wrist laminated
seal, the garment
would join a boot or a glove connected to the garment by a laminated seal
formed between the
garment and the boot or glove. As illustrated in FIG. 2, at the wrists the
lamination seal 16
connects the insulating thermal inner layer 12 with the outer stretch material
14. Referring to
FIG. 1, the neck lamination seal 20 connects the insulating thermal core layer
12 and the outer
elastomeric layer 14. FIG. 2 shows, for one embodiment of the invention, a
drawing of one of the
diver's 22 arms 15 inside the insulating thermal core inner layer 12 covered
by elastomeric layer
14. The wrist 16 lamination forms a seal around the wrist of the diver. As
shown in FIG. 1, the
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wrist lamination seal 16 may also attach to a glove or mitt 31. Referring to
FIG. 1, a similar
configuration can exist for the leg 19/21 of the insulation garment with the
ankle 18 lamination
forming a seal around the ankle of the diver. This seal may be joined to a
boot 33.
[0025] Still referring to FIG. 1, the torso portion 13, the left and right arm
portions 15 and 17 and
the left and right leg portions 19 and 21 of the inner layer 12 have at least
one pleat 24. The at
least one pleat comprises at least one fold of inner layer material. When the
dual-layered garment
is worn by the wearer, the at least one pleat 24 is operative to create a
sufficient amount of
tension in the torso portion, the left and right arm portion and the left and
right leg portion of the
inner layer to urge the inner layer material to conform to the wearer's body
over a range of
wearer sizes. It is anticipated that a minimum of five sizes will be needed to
fit all customers.
This will significantly reduce inventory costs for retailers and distributors.
Furthermore when the
dual-layered garment is worn by the wearer under a dry suit and in the water,
the at least one
pleat is operative to accommodate the movements of the wearer without causing
movement
restrictions. To further improve mobility of the garment when the dual-layered
garment is worn
by the wearer, the elastomeric outer layer is operative to compress the inner
layer material to
further conform to the wearer's movements and expel any air pockets trapped
between the
wearer's body and the garment. This will greatly improve buoyancy control of
the diver.
[0026] In one embodiment of the invention, the inner layer is an insulating
layer 12 and the
elastomeric outer layer 14 is a protective non-insulating layer. In another
embodiment of the
invention the inner layer 12 is an insulating layer and the elastomeric outer
layer is also an
insulating layer 14.
[0027] Referring now to FIGS. 3A to 3C, in one embodiment of the invention
there are
temporary internal connecting sites 30 between the inner layer 12 and the
elastomeric outer layer
14. These sites permit the elastomeric outer layer to lie in a flattened
manner proximate to the
inner layer. The result is that the garment fits snuggly against the form of
the wearer permitting
maximum mobility of the wearer. The plurality of temporary connecting sites
may be disposed
over the torso portion, the left and right arm portion and the left and right
leg portion of the inner
layer and the outer layer so that the connecting sides on both layers align.
For example, the rump
of insulating garment may have connecting sites so that this area of the
garment is snug fitting. In
one embodiment of the invention the plurality of temporary connecting sites
comprise one of
adhesive sites, hook and loop connection sites, magnetic connector sites and
snap button sites.
[0028] Referring back to FIG. 1, the dual-layered garment entry system 27 is
disposed between
the neck portion 23 and the torso portion 13. The entry system 27 comprises a
shoulder to
opposite shoulder closable opening 26 descending downwards from a first
shoulder then arcing
across wearer's chest and then rising to an opposite shoulder. In one
embodiment of the invention
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the closable opening is a zipper. At the closable opening the inner layer and
the elastomeric outer
layer are sealed by a laminate seal 28. Entry zippers can be run in both
directions and so this
embodiment is not to be limiting. There could also be an embodiment with no
zipper where
closure is achieved by overlapping flaps. The inner insulating layer and the
outer elastomeric
layer are jointed at the zipper lamination 26. In other embodiments of the
invention the inner and
out layers may utilize different closure systems. For example, the inner
thermal core layer may
use a zipper system and the outer stretch layer may user another closure
system such as a hook
and loop system. The inner thermal core layer and outer stretch layer may both
use zippers that
run in opposite directions.
[0029] In one embodiment of the invention, when the zipper connects both the
inner thermal core
layer and the outer stretch layer, and when the zipper is opened the top neck
portion 23 of the
garment is separated from the torso portion 13 along the lamination line 26.
The top neck portion
23 can then be folded back. This permits the wearer to enter garment in a feet-
first fashion. The
wearer pulls the garment over legs, torso and arms. If boots/socks and
gloves/mits are fixed to
the ankle and wrist seals of the garment then the wearer will insert feet and
hands into them. The
garment is pulled up over the torso 13. The neck portion 23 of the insulating
garment unzipped
will be hanging over the back of the diver 22. The neck portion 23 is then
flipped forward over
the head of the diver and the neck cuff 25 is pulled down over the head of the
wearer and so that
it sits on the shoulder portion of the wearer. The wearer will then close the
zipper 28 there by
closing the insulating garment. The neck cuff 25 is sealed by lamination seal
20. The wearer is
then free to put on the dry suit.
[0030] Although the above description is specific, it should not be considered
as a limitation on
the scope of the invention, but only as an example of the preferred
embodiment. Many variations
are possible within the teachings of the invention. For example, the garment
can be made in a
variety of fabric type materials. It can be made of a variety of sizes. The
relative positions and
shapes of the elements can vary. It may be provided with surface indicia, such
as crests, logos,
emblems, etc. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be determined by
the appended
claims and their legal equivalents, not by the examples given.
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