A flame-retardant fabric may include a cellulosic fiber and a modacrylic fiber, the cellulosic fiber being a natural cellulose fiber containing a phosphorus compound, the modacrylic fiber containing an antimony compound, the flame-retardant fabric including the modacrylic fiber containing the antimony compound in an amount of 14 to 54 wt %, antimony in an amount of not less than 1.7 wt %, and phosphorus in an amount of 0.3 to 1.5 wt % with respect to the total weight of the flame-retardant fabric, and the flame-retardant fabric having a weight per unit area of not less than 160 g/m.sup.2. The flame-retardant fabric can be produced by subjecting a fabric including a natural cellulose fiber and a modacrylic fiber containing an antimony compound to flame-retardant treatment with a phosphorus compound.

A protective apparel support system is disclosed comprising a support frame configured to rest on the shoulders of a wearer, the support having a first shoulder member, a second shoulder member and a shield engagement portion. A shield is selectively coupleable to the support and protective apparel is coupled to the shield.

Protective garment for environments having high radiant heat loads and/or high conductive heat loads is described. A protective footwear article and method of making includes an upper with an opaque outer layer; an inner layer; and a thermally reflective layer positioned between the outer layer and the inner layer, the thermally reflective layer having a reflective surface facing the outer layer.

A garment or accessory is provided having an elasticized portion, said elasticized portion being free of stitches or holes. The elasticized portion comprises a fabric portion of the accessory or garment to be elasticized; and a length of elastic element. The length of elastic element is applied to the fabric by a means selected from the group consisting of direct welding and indirect welding. A method is provided for elasticizing a fabric, said elasticized fabric being free of stitches or holes. The method involves providing a stack of fabric to be elasticized; stretching and positioning a length of elastic element against a first of the fabric in the stack; applying one or more ends of the elastic element to the fabric by a means selected from directly welding and indirectly welding; moving the first fabric to expose the next fabric in the stack to be elasticized; and repeating the steps for the next fabric.

A head protection device has a distance-measuring device with a spatial directional characteristic, a light beam generation device as well as at least one control unit. The distance-measuring device is configured to determine distance information relative to a focusing range of the spatial directional characteristic and to provide the determined distance information to the control unit. The light beam generation device is configured to generate a light beam in the direction of the focusing range. The control unit provides a control signal, which indicates a request for a brightness modulation frequency of the light beam as a function of the distance information, to the light beam generation device on the basis of the distance information in a first operating mode.

A thermal device comprising a garment (42A) that may be placed against at least a part of the body (10), the garment (42A) defining at least one enclosed compartment (48, 50) defined between an inner wall (65) and an outer wall (66), and an inlet (21) whereby liquid may be introduced into each such enclosed compartment (48, 50). Each enclosed compartment (48, 50) contains dry material (30) comprising water-soluble chemical compounds that dissolve endothermically or exothermically, and also a compressed sponge (62). There may also be an air bleed valve (64) to bleed any air out of the compartment (48, 50) when water is introduced. The device enables a patient's body to be cooled or heated in emergency, needing only addition of water, and incorporating no toxic or hazardous materials.

A cooling vest is provided which comprises: a vest having an interior volume, and a left and right pocket attached on the front of the vest; an elongated polyurethane tube having a first and a second end, wherein the tube is arranged in the interior volume in a U shape; a pump; an ice bag having an ice box received therein, wherein the ice box is full of ice, the first end of the tube is connected with an upper inlet of the ice bag, a low outlet of the ice bag is connected with the pump, the second end of the tube is connected with the pump; a switch for switching on/off of the pump, wherein the ice bag, the pump and the switch are received in one pocket together; and a portable power electrically connected with the switch, wherein the portable power is received in the other pocket.

Protective garments are disclosed having an inner lining with high lubricity and high strength characteristics. The inner lining, in one embodiment, contains spun yarns combined with multifilament yarns. In accordance with the present disclosure, the multifilament yarns are present in the warp direction and in the fill direction. In addition, the multifilament yarns may outnumber the spun yarns in both the warp direction and the fill direction. In this manner, a fabric is produced not only having good lubricity characteristics but also having a balance of properties. For instance, in one embodiment, the shrink properties of the fabric in the warp direction substantially match the shrink properties of the fabric in the fill direction.

Coating materials and coated personal protective clothing items incorporating the coating material are described. The coating material includes a polymeric component; a metal oxide component; and a catalytic component. The catalytic component includes a metal oxide or a mixed metal oxide which is an effective catalyst for an oxidation reaction. The coated personal protective clothing item includes a personal protective clothing substrate with a coating including the coating material.

A protective garment including a body portion, an extremity portion coupled to the body portion and being shaped and configured to receive a leg or an arm of a wearer therein, and a piece of expansion material coupled to the extremity portion. The piece of expansion material is movable between a retracted position wherein the extremity portion is configured to form relatively smaller fit about the wearer's leg or arm, and an expanded position wherein the extremity portion is configured to form a relatively larger fit about the wearer's leg or arm. The garment further includes a biasing device configured to bias the piece of expansion material to the retracted position, and a retaining system configured to releasably retain the piece of expansion material in the retracted position.