Protective Undergarment
A protective undergarment for use under casual clothing is described. The undergarment is constructed of a first impermeable barrier material and a second selectively permeable barrier material.
1 . An article comprising:
an undergarment for use under casual clothing comprising;
a garment surface covering arms, legs, and torso of a wearer and having
i) about 55 to about 95% of the garment surface area formed from a first impermeable barrier material comprising air impermeable, moisture vapor impermeable fluoropolymer, and
ii) about 5% to about 45% of a garment surface area formed from a second selectively permeable barrier material comprising an air impermeable, moisture vapor permeable expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) composite;
wherein the second barrier material is located on a back garment surface corresponding to at least one of a back surface of a wearer's leg or torso;
wherein the first and second barrier materials each passing NFPA 1971 ASTM F903 chemical penetration tests and each having a WEP≧3 psi.
2 . The article of claim 1 wherein the undergarment has a packed volume of less than 0.0042 m 3 .
3 . The article of claim 1 wherein the undergarment has a packed volume of less than 0.037 m 3 .
4 . The article of claim 1 wherein the undergarment has a packed volume of less than 0.0034 m 3 .
5 . The article of claim 1 wherein a front garment surface consists essentially of the first barrier material.
6 . The article of claim 1 wherein a panel of the second barrier material is on a garment torso back surface.
7 . The article of claim 1 wherein the second barrier material comprises a moisture vapor permeable, air impermeable ePTFE composite comprising a porous ePTFE layer and a monolithic polymer layer.
8 . The article of claim 7 , wherein the monolithic polymer layer is polyurethane.
9 . The article of claim 7 , wherein the monolithic polymer layer is a polyamine polymer.
10 . The article of claim 7 , wherein the ePTFE composite comprises two porous ePTFE layers and the polyurethane therebetween.
11 . The article of claim 1 wherein the first impermeable barrier material comprises densified ePTFE.
12 . The article of claim 1 wherein the first impermeable barrier material is a laminate further comprising a textile layer.
13 . The article of claim 12 , wherein the textile comprises a knit.
14 . The article of claim 1 wherein the second selectively permeable barrier material is a laminate further comprising a textile layer.
15 . An article comprising:
an undergarment for use under casual clothing comprising;
a garment surface covering arms, legs and torso of a wearer and having a heat loss of at least 20 w/M 2 at about 35° C. and about 50% RH, consisting essentially of
i) about 85% to about 95% of the garment surface area formed from a first impermeable barrier material comprising air impermeable, moisture vapor impermeable polytetrafluoroethylene, and
ii) about 5% to about 15% of a garment surface area formed from a second selectively permeable barrier material comprising an air impermeable, moisture vapor permeable expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) composite;
wherein the second barrier material is located on a back garment surface corresponding to at least one of a back surface of a wearer's leg or torso;
wherein the first and second barrier materials each passing NFPA 1971 ASTM F903 chemical penetration tests and each having a water entry pressure ≧3 psi.
16 . The article of claim 15 wherein the undergarment has a heat loss of at least about 30 w/M 2 at about 35° C. and about 50% RH.
17 . The article of claim 15 wherein the undergarment has a heat loss of at least about 40 w/M 2 at about 35° C. and about 50% RH.
18 . The article of claim 15 wherein the undergarment has a heat loss of at least about 50 w/M 2 at about 35° C. and about 50% RH.
19 . An article comprising:
an undergarment for use under casual clothing comprising;
a garment surface covering the torso of a wearer and having a heat loss of at least 20 w/M 2 at about 35° C. and about 50% RH, consisting essentially of
i) about 85% to about 95% of the garment surface area formed from a first impermeable barrier material comprising air impermeable, moisture vapor impermeable polytetrafluoroethylene, and
ii) about 5% to about 15% of a garment surface area formed from a second selectively permeable barrier material comprising an air impermeable, moisture vapor permeable expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) composite;
wherein the second barrier material is located on a back garment surface corresponding to a wearer's torso;
wherein the first and second barrier materials each passing NFPA 1971 ASTM F903 chemical penetration tests and each having a water entry pressure ≧3 psi.
20 . The article of claim 19 wherein the undergarment has a heat loss of at least about 30 w/M 2 at 35° C. and 50% RH.
21 . The article of claim 19 wherein the undergarment has a heat loss of at least about 40 w/M 2 at 35° C. and 50% RH.
22 . The article of claim 19 wherein the undergarment has a heat loss of at least about 50 w/M 2 at 35° C. and 50% RH.