Garment vent

Abstract

A garment having a vent which has an upper panel and a lower panel, wherein the upper panel has a lower end portion and the lower panel has an upper end portion, and the lower end portion of the upper panel overlaps the upper end portion of the lower panel to form an opening, wherein the vent further has a gutter extending into the opening to trap rain travelling through the opening.

Claims

1. A garment comprising: a vent path extending from an outside of the garment to an interior of the garment, an upper outer panel having a lower end portion, a lower inner panel having an upper end portion, the lower end portion of the upper outer panel overlapping the upper end portion of the lower inner panel so as to form a vent opening between the lower end portion and the upper end portion, a gutter formed as a downward fold from one of the panels, the gutter extending from the fold into the vent opening, the vent opening being opened above the upper end portion of the lower inner panel, an access opening from the vent opening into the interior of the garment, and wherein the vent path is unobstructed from the outside of the garment, through the vent opening, around the gutter and through the entire access opening into the interior of the garment, wherein the upper outer panel and the lower inner panel are operatively engaged with each other at opposite ends of the access opening, such that an air flow with a continuous width equal to an entire width of the access opening between the opposite ends of the access opening can pass through the access opening into the interior of the garment.

2. The garment of claim 1 wherein the gutter is on the upper end portion of the lower inner panel or the lower end portion of the upper outer panel.

3. The garment of claim 1 wherein the downward fold extends from the upper end portion of the lower inner panel.

4. The garment of claim 1 wherein at least one of the lower end portion of the upper outer panel and the upper end portion of the lower inner panel has a hem.

5. The garment of claim 1 wherein the upper outer panel and the lower inner panel are attached at discrete, spaced apart points.

6. The garment of claim 5 wherein the gutter is only stitched or bonded at the discrete, spaced apart points where the upper outer panel and the lower inner panel are attached.

7. The garment of claim 1 wherein the gutter extends partially or fully across a width of the vent opening.

8. The garment of claim 1 wherein the overlap forming the vent opening between the upper outer panel and the lower inner panel has a length of at least 30 mm.

9. The garment claim 1 wherein a length of the fold forming the gutter is at least 10 mm.

10. The garment of claim 1 wherein the gutter forms an acute angle of less than 85.

11. The garment of claim 1 wherein at least one of the upper outer panel and lower inner panel has a wicking barrier on a surface facing the vent opening, the wicking barrier configured to prevent the ingress of moisture through the vent opening.

12. The garment according to claim 1, comprising a series of vent openings arranged parallel and one above the other to form a gill-like arrangement.

13. The garment according to claim 1, including a second gutter formed as a downward fold on a lower part of the upper outer panel, and extending away from the upper panel into the vent opening to trap water traveling through the vent opening.

14. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the gutter fold forms an angle of less than 45 with the panel from which the gutter is folded downwardly.

15. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the gutter is formed as a downward fold from the lower end portion of the upper outer panel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

(1) An example is now described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a waterproof rainwear garment utilising the vent of an embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of an example of a waterproof rainwear garment utilising the vent of an embodiment of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates a rear view of an example of a waterproof rainwear garment utilising the vent of an embodiment of the present invention.

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of an example of a waterproof rainwear garment utilising the vent of an embodiment of the present invention showing the overlap between the upper and lower panel, the opening and the gutter.

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the overlap between the upper layer and the lower layer, the opening and the gutter.

(7) FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic view of the overlap between the lower end portion of the upper layer and the upper end portion of the lower layer, the gutter, and a hem on the lower end portion of the upper layer.

(8) FIG. 7 illustrates a schematic view of the location of wicking barriers on the lower end portion of the upper layer and the upper end portion of the lower layer.

(9) FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of the location of wicking barriers on the lower end portion of the upper layer and the upper end portion of the lower layer.

(10) FIG. 9 illustrates a schematic view of the overlap between the lower end portion of the upper layer and the upper end portion of the lower layer, the gutter, and a hem on both the lower end portion of the upper layer and the gutter.

(11) FIGS. 10-13 illustrate a schematic view of alternative gutter arrangements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(12) An example of a garment including the vent of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1-4. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a weatherproof jacket 100, which in this example is waterproof, having a plurality of chest vents 200 and a plurality of side vents 210, the plurality of side vents forming a gill-like configuration. FIG. 3 additionally illustrates the location of rear vents 220 as well as side vents 210. It will be understood by the skilled person that vents may be located at other locations in the jacket, such as on the arms of the garment. The skilled person will also understand that only one vent or a plurality of vents may be used. The present invention is particularly suited for garments used by active individuals engaged in activities such as mountaineering, climbing, hiking, cycling, running or motorbiking.

(13) A side view of an embodiment of the illustration is illustrated in FIG. 4. This shows the overlap between the upper outer panel 4 and lower inner panel 2, and the opening 6. An access opening 7 is shown above the top of the inner panel into the interior of the garment. The jacket 100 includes an outside defined by the outer surface of panel 4 and the outer surface of the panel 2 below the panel 4 and an interior shown at 5 in FIG. 4 which is a space adjacent the body of a wearer of the jacket.

(14) A perspective view of an embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 5. FIG. 5 illustrates lower panel 2 and upper panel 4 that overlap to form the vent. The lower panel 2 and upper panel 4 may be constructed from the same material, preferably a waterproof but breathable material (e.g. GORE-TEX). The skilled person will understand that other types of material can be used.

(15) In the embodiment of the invention illustrated by FIG. 5, the panels are attached using a bartack 30. The skilled person will understand that other attachment means commonly used in the art, e.g. rivets or bonding/adhesives may also be used.

(16) In this embodiment of the present invention, an opening is created between the panels allowing air flow 900 through the opening. The upper end portion of the lower panel is folded over to create a gutter 10. In this example, the gutter extends along the entire width of the opening. The gutter preferably extends across the majority of the depth of the opening towards the upper panel when in use. The depth is the spacing between the upper and lower panels at the overlap. Preferably the gutter 10 is unobstructed to provide an open channel that can catch wind-blown rain water. That is, no material such as a spacer or mesh material lies in the gutter. Additionally, the opening 6 forms an unobstructed vent path from outside of the jacket, through the vent opening, around the gutter and into the interior of the jacket. Ensuring that the opening 6 is unobstructed has the technical advantage of allowing air to freely flow through the open rig at all times. It also reduces the number of parts required for the construction of the vent, giving a simple and more easily manufactured vent than in the prior art discussed above.

(17) Preferably the gutter also extends across at least the majority of the width of the vent.

(18) A schematic view of the overlap between the panels of an embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 6. Lower panel 2 and upper panel 4 are separated to form opening 6. At the upper end of the lower panel, the lower panel is folded towards the opening to create gutter 10. Preferably the gutter is a fold forming an acute angle of less than 85 more preferably less than 45, even more preferably less than 30. Preferably the end of the gutter is spaced from the panel across substantially the majority of the vent. However, it will be understood by the skilled person that when the garment is in active use by the user that the gutter may bend and the angle formed by the gutter will vary.

(19) Preferably the gutter is not tacked, fixed or bonded to the lower or upper panels other than at its ends. This has the technical advantage of allowing the gutter to extend across the full width of the opening and prevent wind-blown rain from passing through the opening 6, whilst still allowing the passage of air flow 900.

(20) The gutter length 14 is preferably at least 5 mm, more preferably at least 10 mm, and even more preferably at least 15 mm. Preferably the fold length 14 is at most 50 mm. In this example the lower end of the upper panel 4 has a hem 16. In this example the hem is stitched. The hem 16 preferably extends at least the entire width of the opening 6.

(21) FIG. 7 illustrates the placement of wicking barriers 18 on the gutter 10 and the lower end of the upper panel in an embodiment of the invention. The wicking barriers also preferably extend at least the entire width of the opening and/or gutter.

(22) A perspective view of the placement of wicking barriers 18 on the gutter 10 and on the backer of the lower end of the upper panel in an embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 8. The skilled person will understand that wicking barriers may be located at other locations around the opening of the vent. It will also be understood that more than two wicking barriers may be used. The wicking barriers preferably extend at least the entire width of the opening. The wicking barriers may be made from e.g. pre-made tapes, PTFE, PU, TPU, silicon and rubber.

(23) FIG. 9 illustrates a schematic view of an alternative embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, both the lower end of the upper panel, and the gutter formed at the upper end of the lower panel, have a hem 16.

(24) FIG. 9 also illustrates the length 20 of the overlap between the upper panel and the lower panel. Preferably the length 20 of the overlap is at least 30 mm, more preferably at least 40 mm, and even more preferably at least 50 mm. Preferably the length of the overlap is at most 250 mm. In some preferred aspects, the length 20 is uniform over the width of the opening 10. Alternatively the length 20 varies over the width of the opening 10.

(25) FIGS. 10-13 shown alternative embodiments of the invention, indicating different possible locations of the gutter within the opening of the vent. In FIG. 10 the vent has a gutter formed from a double fold in the lower end of the upper panel. In FIG. 11 the vent has two gutters, one formed from a fold in the upper end of the lower panel, and another formed from a double fold in the lower end of the upper panel. In FIG. 12 the vent has two gutters; these are both stitched or bonded onto either the upper end of the lower panel and/or the lower end of the upper panel.

(26) In FIG. 13 the vent has 3 gutters, one formed from a double fold in the lower end of the upper panel, and one gutter stitched or bonded to the upper panel and one gutter stitched or bonded to the lower panel. The skilled person will understand that different combinations of folding and stitching/bonding of gutters to the panels can be employed.

(27) In another aspect, the invention comprises the entire passageway from the outside of the garment to the inside of the garment which may be referred to as a vent path, and the space between the overlapping panels may be referred to as a vent opening, the gutters being formed in the vent opening.

(28) The skilled person will appreciate that various modifications to the specifically described embodiments are possible without departing from the invention.