Water resistant protective garment for fire fighters
View Patent ↗A protective garment of the type typically worn by fire fighters with improved water resistance is disclosed. In particular, the present invention is directed to an outer shell material for protective garments that is made from a fire resistant material coated with a durable water resistant coating. The durable water resistant coating is applied to the outer shell in a manner so that the coating will not degrade when exposed to normal wear and tear and even after the garment has been laundered repeatedly. Protective garments constructed in the past typically lost most of their water repellency after being laundered as little as five cycles. It has been discovered that water resistant coatings applied according to the process of the present invention, on the other hand, can survive at least 30 laundry cycles, and in many applications at least 50 laundry cycles without significantly degrading.
1. A protective garment suitable for use by fire fighters, said protective garment comprising:
an outer shell comprising a woven fabric made from a fire resistant material, the woven fabric having a basis weight of at least about 5.5 ounces per square yard; and
a durable water resistant composition incorporated into the woven fabric, the durable water resistant composition being incorporated into the woven fabric such that the outer shell has a water absorption rating of less than about 8% after being laundered five laundry cycles and has a dynamic water absorption rating of less than about 12% after being laundered ten laundry cycles.
2. A protective garment as defined in claim 1 , wherein the outer shell has a basis weight of about 6 ounces per square yard or less.
3. A protective garment as defined in claim 1 , wherein the outer shell has a water absorption rating of less than about 6% after five laundry cycles.
4. A protective garment as defined in claim 1 , wherein the outer shell has a water absorption rating of less than about 4% after five laundry cycles.
5. A protective garment as defined in claim 1 , wherein the outer shell has a dynamic water absorption rating of less than about 10% after ten laundry cycles.
6. A protective garment as defined in claim 1 , wherein the outer shell has a dynamic water absorption rating of less than about 7% after ten laundry cycles.
7. A protective garment as defined in claim 1 , wherein the outer shell further has a dynamic water absorption rating of less than about 12% after twenty laundry cycles.
8. A protective garment as defined in claim 1 , wherein said fabric has a rip stop weave.
9. A protective garment as defined in claim 1 , wherein said fabric has a twill weave.
10. A protective garment as defined in claim 1 , wherein said fabric has a plain weave.
11. A protective garment as defined in claim 1 , wherein said fabric comprises fire resistant aramid fibers.
12. A protective garment as defined in claim 1 , wherein said fabric comprises fire-resistant polybenzimidazole fibers.
13. A protective garment as defined in claim 1 , wherein said fabric comprises fire-resistant poly(p-phenylene-2,6-bezobisoxazole) fibers.
14. A protective garment as defined in claim 1 , wherein said fabric further comprises fire-resistant melamine fibers.
15. A protective garment as defined in claim 1 , wherein the thermal barrier layer comprises a felt.
16. A protective garment as defined in claim 1 , wherein the durable water resistant composition comprises a fluorocarbon polymer.
17. A protective garment as defined in claim 16 , wherein the durable water resistant composition further comprises a polyisocyanate polymer.
18. A proteine garment as defined in claim 16 , wherein the fluorocarbon polymer comprises a perfluroalkyl polymer.
19. A protective garment as defined in claim 1 , wherein the outer shell has a water absorption rating of less than about 2.5% after five laundry cycles.
20. A protective garment as defined in claim 1 , wherein the outer shell also has a spray rating of 100% after being laundered thirty laundry cycles and pressed, has a water repellency of at least about 6 after being laundered thirty laundry cycles and has an oil repellency of at least about 5 after being laundered thirty laundry cycles.
21. A protective garment suitable for use by fire fighters, said protective garment comprising:
an outer shell comprising a woven fabric made from a fire resistant material, the woven fabric having a basis weight of at least about 5.5 ounces per square yard; and
a durable water resistant composition incorporated into the woven fabric, the durable water resistant composition being incorporated into the woven fabric such that the outer shell has a spray rating of 100% after being laundered thirty laundry cycles and pressed, has a water repellency of at least about 6 after being laundered thirty laundry cycles and has an oil repellency of at least about 5 after being laundered thirty laundry cycles.
22. A protective garment as defined in claim 21 , wherein said fabric comprises fire resistant aramid fibers.
23. A protective garment as defined in claim 21 , wherein said fabric comprises fire-resistant polybenzimidazole fibers.
24. A protective garment as defined in claim 21 , wherein said fabric comprises fire-resistant poly(p-phenylene-2,6-bezobisoxazole) fibers.
25. A protective garment as defined in claim 21 , wherein said fabric further comprises fire-resistant melamine fibers.
26. A protective garment as defined in claim 21 , wherein the durable water resistant composition comprises a fluorocarbon polymer.
27. A protective garment as defined in claim 26 , wherein the durable water resistant composition further comprises a polyisocyanate polymer.
28. A protective garment as defined in claim 26 , wherein the fluorocarbon polymer comprises a perfluroalkyl polymer.
29. A protective garment as defined in claim 27 , wherein the fluorocarbon polymer comprises a perfluroalkyl polymer.
30. A protective garment as defined in claim 21 , wherein the outer shell has a water absorption rating of less than about 8% after being laundered five laundry cycles and has a dynamic water absorption rating of less than about 12% after being laundered ten laundry cycles.
31. A protective garment as defined in claim 21 , wherein the outer shell has a water absorption rating of less than about 2.5% after being laundered five laundry cycles and has a dynamic water absorption rating of less than about 10% after being laundered ten laundry cycles.
32. A protective garment suitable for use by fire fighters, said protective garment comprising:
an outer shell comprising a woven fabric made from a fire resistant material, the woven fabric having a basis weight of at least about 5.5 ounces per square yard; and
a durable water resistant composition incorporated into the woven fabric, the durable water resistant composition comprising a polyisocyanate polymer and a perfluroalkyl polymer, the durable water resistant composition being incorporated into the woven fabric such that the outer shell has a spray rating of 100% after being laundered thirty laundry cycles and pressed, has a water repellency of at least about 6 after being laundered thirty laundry cycles, has an oil repellency of at least about 5 after being laundered thirty laundry cycles, has a water absorption rating of less than about 8% after being laundered five laundry cycles, and has a dynamic water absorption rating of less than about 12% after being laundered ten laundry cycles.
33. A protective garment as defined in claim 32 , wherein the outer shell has a water absorption rating of less than about 2.5% after being laundered five laundry cycles and has a dynamic water absorption rating of less than about 10% after being laundered ten laundry cycles.
34. A protective garment as defined in claim 32 , further comprising an inner lining configured to cover a predetermined portion of a wearer's body, the inner lining being positioned so as to be adjacent the wearer's body during use.