GB2418832A

GB2418832A - A garment having pockets to contain protective body armour

Info

Publication number: GB2418832A
Application number: GB0422230A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Joseph Holloway
Original assignee: EAGLE TECHNICAL FABRICS Ltd
Current assignee: EAGLE TECHNICAL FABRICS Ltd
Priority date: 2004-10-07
Filing date: 2004-10-07
Publication date: 2006-04-12
Also published as: GB0422230D0

Abstract

A garment, such as a long sleeved T-shirt 1 and long-johns 10 comprises pockets 4, 5, 6, 7, 13, 14, 15, 16 each constructed to receive and anchor in position a corresponding piece of protective body armour. To further hold the body armour in position, the open end of each pocket may be elasticated. In the case of a long sleeved T-shirt 1 pockets 4, 5 extend over the elbow of each sleeve 2, 3 and the shoulder 6, 7 adjacent each sleeve 2, 3. In the case of long-johns 10 pockets 13, 14, 15, 16 extend over the thigh and knee joint of each leg. The garment 1, 10 may be made of flame resistant or non-flame resistant material. This arrangement facilitates ease and speed of deployment, improves comfort and increases manoeuvrability for the wearer.

Description

1 2418832 Improvements in or relating to garments The present invention

relates to garments and particularly but not exclusively to underwear garments to be worn with fire resistant outer clothing for use in public order, riot and other police activities necessitating the use of fire resistant clothing and body armour.

The clothing may also be used by similar hazardous occupations.

Body armour used today is made from ABS materials which are flammable and are strapped to various parts of the body requiring protection for example lower leg/knee/thigh/lower arm/elbow/upper arm and shoulder.

The wearing of such protection over a prolonged period of time causes heat stress and is uncomfortable to wear and difficult to apply under operational conditions.

According to the present invention there is provided a garment having a body portion and one or more limb portions in which there is at least one limb portion constructed with a pocket extending along a part of its length constructed to accommodate a section of body armour to protect, in use, the corresponding part of the corresponding limb.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the garment is preferably an undergarment, advantageously either a long sleeved T-shirt or long-johns. In the case of the T-shirt body armour accommodating pockets are provided extending over the elbow of each sleeve. In the case of the long Johns, body armour accommodating pockets are provided extending over the thigh section of each leg and the shin/knee section of each leg. The garment may be made from flame resistant or non-flame resistant material with or without moisture management properties. The garments may be made of a single layer of fabric. Advantageously, that single layer may be made up of two sub-layers knitted together. The material of the pockets may be the same as or different from the material of the remainder of the garment. Each pocket is constructed to anchor the body armour in place and the top of each pocket may be elasticated to further hold the body armour in position.

S In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, embodiments thereof will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows diagrammatic view of a long sleeve T-shirt and Figure 2 shows a diagrammatic view of long johns.

Referring to Figure 1, the long sleeve T-shirt comprises a body portion 1 and two sleeves 2 and 3. Each sleeve 2, 3 comprises a pocket 4, 5 extending over that part of the sleeve adjacent the elbow joint and a pocket 6, 7 adjacent that part of the sleeve adjacent the elbow joint and a pocket 6, 7 adjacent that part of the sleeve adjacent the shoulder joint.

The latter pockets 6, 7 extend from the upper part of the corresponding sleeve to the shoulder and incorporate an internal pocket for the shoulder cap of the body armour to prevent the armour slipping off the shoulder.

Referring to Figure 2, the long johns comprise a body (trunk and torso) portion 1 0 and two legs 11 and 1 2. Each upper leg portion comprises a pocket 13, i 4 and each leg comprises a pocket 15, i 6 adjacent the knee joint.

Each garment is made from a single layer of fabric although the single layer may be made of two sub layers knitted together. Each pocket may be made from the same fabric as the remainder of the garment and such that the body armour which in use is disposed in each pocket is anchored in position. The tops (open ends) of each pocket may be elasticated to further hold the body armour in position.

Garments made as described above have the following benefits: 1) Ease and speed of deployment avoiding long periods on standby wearing full kit.

2) Reduce risk of dehydration in hot/humid conditions.

3) Improved comfort due to the body armour not being strapped to the body. No risk of DVT (deep vein thrombosis) caused by straps.

4) Correct sizing of the limb protectors, as underwear is sized to fit.

5) Reduced weight.

6) As body armour fits in pockets they have double layer protection from heat and flame.

7) Significant improvement in manocuvrability.

8) Body armour hidden giving better public perception.

9) More hygienic as body perspiration less likely to contaminate body armour.

10) Moisture management properties improve wearer comfort and reduces heat stress.

It will be appreciated that the above embodiment has been described by way of example only and that many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A garment having a body portion and one or more limb portions in which there is at least one limb portion constructed with a pocket extending along a part of its length constructed to accommodate a section of body armour to protect, in use, the corresponding part of the corresponding limb.

2. A garment as claimed in claim 1, which is a long sleeved shirt and in which body armour accommodating pockets are provided extending over the elbow of each sleeve.

3. A garment as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which body armour accommodating pockets are provided extending over the shoulder adjacent each sleeve.

4. A garment as claimed in claim 1, which is long-johns in which body armour accommodating pockets are provided extending . over the thigh section of each leg and the shin/knee section of e.

each leg. .e

5. A garment as claimed in any preceding claim, which is made from flame resistant material.

: .. . 20

6. A garment as claimed in claims 1, 2, 3 or 4, which is made from ..

non-flame resistant material.

7. A garment as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the material of the garment has moisture management properties.

8. A garment as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising a single layer of fabric.

9. A garment as claimed in claim 8, in which the single layer comprises two sub-layers knitted together.

10. A garment as claimed in any preceding claim, in which each pocket is made from the same material as the remainder of the garment.

11. A garment as claimed in any preceding claim, in which each pocket is made so that corresponding body armour is anchored in position.

12. A garment as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the open end of each pocket is elasticated to hold the corresponding body armour in position.

13. A garment having a body portion and one or more limb portions substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 or Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings. .. ë ë

en.. .. . e.