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Title:
HAND HEATING SYSTEM
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2019/215421
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
A system of tubes, chambers, valves and pumps to transfer heat generated by the body to the hands with in a flow of air, thereby enabling the user to wear thin gloves that do not disturb critical sense of touch feedback and maintain hand comfort and blood circulation. Air goes from a mouth piece or pump along tubes (2a) to enter chamber (7). Vapour that has condensed in tubes (2a) falls and accumulates at the bottom of those tubes. Air exits chamber (7) to feed along tubes (2b) to a system of straps and absorbent material (3) at the hands which will catch any further condensed vapour at the back of the hand and ensure the gloves worn will inflate with the injected air pressure. The heat in the air entering the gloves is any differing mix of conducted from the body and/or exhaled depending upon the size of chamber (7) which could simply be a T junction connecting tubes (2a) and (2b).

Inventors:
SMITH IAN RICHARD (GB)
Application Number:
PCT/GB2019/000068
Publication Date:
November 14, 2019
Filing Date:
May 09, 2019
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
SMITH IAN RICHARD (GB)
International Classes:
A41D13/005; A41D13/002; A41D19/015
Foreign References:
GB2547054A2017-08-09
US5063923A1991-11-12
US5029572A1991-07-09
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Claims:
CLAIMS

1. A system of tubing running from the mouth to a second length of tubing via either a tubing junction or a chamber and the second length of tubing runs to the hands. The vapour in the breath that has condensed in the first length of tubing due to the temperature drop at and around the mouth piece, accumulates under gravity at the end of the first section of tubing or bottom of a connecting chamber and does not get to enter the second section of tubing that leads to the hands. The drier air that excludes that condensed vapour is pushed under the pressure of the user exhaling into the system along the second section of the tubing to the hands.

2. The possible chamber connecting the two sections of tubes in claim 1 may be two sealed sections, one for each hand, similar in volume to the amount of air it takes to fully inflate a users gloves. The exhaled breath enters the chamber at the opposite end to the exit leading to the gloves.

3. The chamber in claim 1 or claim 2 can vary in size so that it maintains a reservoir of air that is being heated up by conducting heat from the users body. That heated air is periodically and in differing proportions pushed out of the chamber and into the users gloves via the user exhaling into the system to differing levels. The extent to which it is new exhaled breath reaching the users gloves as opposed to air stored within the system and moving forwards and backwards can be altered by changing the size and shape of this chamber.

4. The tubes are anchored to the wrists using a system of straps and padding such that when a glove is worn over the top of the tube, under and/or over the positioning straps, it is sufficiently air tight around the wrist for an air tight rubber or similar glove to inflate with the pressure of exhaled breath along all finger sections before exiting the glove. That air in the gloves will either exit slowly through leaks or an exhaust pipe or may be permitted to push back up the tubes and into the chambers along the system when the user removes the air pressure he is applying to the system.

5. The system of straps in claim 4 may feed the air to the underside or palm side of the hand to exploit the fact many glove designs have an air tight under side material and a breathable porous back side material. By feeding the air into the glove on the palm side the air will fully circulate around the hand and fingers before exiting through the porous glove material over the back of the hand.

6. There can be a section of absorbent material over the back of the hand to absorb the vapour in the breath that condenses as it enters the glove, the back of the hand being a neutral place to locate such material. That point of condensation can be engineered by having the air feed into the glove over the back of the hand along with using a glove that is of thin un-insulated material to make the back of the hand the first point of temperature drop for air entering the glove.

7. The gloves used with this system can be thin rubber or nitrile or similar gloves that do not disturb the sense of touch feedback. The warm air pushed into them inflating them will fully circulate around the hands conducting heat into them under the air pressure of the system. While the air is contained inside the inflated gloves it provides a layer of insulation from the cold outside them which is dynamically fluid, it will move out of the way of any places where part of the hand touches something to leave just the thin layer of glove material between the hand and its point of contact and there by ensure full sense of touch feedback where ever and when ever needed.

8. The size and shape of the chamber and length of tubes in claim 1 can be coordinated such that the mouth piece will rest on top of any coat collar design under the chin, the chamber will be suspended by the mouth piece and first section of tubing to naturally rest in a neutral place and also comfortably feed the second section of tubing along the under section of the inside arm sleeves to the hands. That ensures the tubes are positioned to flex and move in synchronisation with all the body motions of the user without pulling or rubbing and thereby avoids the need to fix any of the system to a clothing garment.

9. The chamber and or first section of tubes from the mouth piece in claim 1 may have removable plugs to enable the condensed vapour to drain out.

10. The chamber in claim 1 or 2 may be substantially flat and made out of a soft flexible material so that the user is comfortable wearing it even if sitting down and leaning back with it between his body and the seat back rest.

11. The section of absorbent material over the back of the hand in claim 6 may be fixed on top of an insulting material such a neoprene or similar so as to provide insulation to the back of the hand, that being the area where insulating materials are not obstructive to any hand or sense of touch functioning.

12. The section of absorbent material over the back of the hand in claim 6 may include a pouch of silica gel.

13. The mouth piece may have one or more valves inside it to prevent exhaled air pushing out of the gloves and back up the tube/chamber system once the pressure of the user exhaling into the system is released. That will slow down the rate at which the air pressure will leak out of the system, keeping the gloves inflated for longer giving the heated air more time to transfer onto the hands under pressure and provide a layer of insulation that moves out of the way where ever and whenever the hand touches something, there by avoiding disturbing the sense of touch feedback.

14. The mouth piece may include filter media material that is capable of extracting a specified percentage of bacterial or viral organisms that could be passing in or out of the mouth piece to this system.

15. The mouth piece may be made out of a highly heat conductive metal or alloy material to maximise the temperature drop the exhaled breath experiences and there by maximise the amount of vapour condensation at that point.

16. As an alternative to using exhaled breath a small air pump could be used to push air through this system and into the gloves, the heat in that air being entirely conducted from the users body in the time it spent in the tubes and chambers of the system. That body heated air is periodically pushed in batches into the gloves by the user operating the air pump.

17. The air pump in claim 16 could be electrically powered.

18. The air pump in 16 and/or 17 could have a one way valve located between it and the point the air enters the heat conduction chamber so the air pressure inside the system is maintained only slowly leaking out through gaps in the system, giving the heat in the air in the gloves time to pass onto the hands and maintain a fluid layer of insulation that moves out of the way where ever and whenever the hand touches something there by avoiding disturbing the sense of touch feedback.

AMENDED CLAIMS

received by the International Bureau on 25 September 2019 (25.09.2019)

CLAIMS

1. A system of tubing, condensation collection and or heat conduction chambers to re-distribute a variable mix of exhaled breath heat and conducted body heat to the hands. The system freely rests under a users outer clothing layers, an arrangement facilitated by a condensation collection and /or heat conduction chamber feeding a secondary set of tubes comfortably along the inside of the users arm sleeves to the hands such that they do not resist any of the users body motions.

2. The system in claim 1 may be used with thin rubber or nitrile or similar gloves there by circulating the heat and conducting it into the hands under pressure but enabling the user to benefit from maximum sense of touch feedback. The tubes are anchored to the wrists using a system of straps and padding such that when a glove is worn over the top of the tube, under and/or over the positioning straps, it is sufficiently air tight around the wrist for an air tight rubber or similar glove to inflate with the pressure of exhaled breath along all finger sections before exiting the glove. That air in the gloves will either exit slowly through leaks or an exhaust pipe or may be permitted to push back up the tubes and into the chambers along the system when the user removes the air pressure he is applying to the system.

3. There can be a section of absorbent material over the back of the hand to absorb the vapour in the breath that condenses as it enters the glove, the back of the hand being a neutral place to locate such material. That point of condensation can be engineered by having the air feed into the glove over the back of the hand along with using a glove that is of thin un-insulated material to make the back of the hand the first point of temperature drop for air entering the glove.

4. The section of absorbent material over the back of the hand in claim 3 may be fixed on top of an insulting material such a neoprene or similar so as to provide insulation to the back of the hand, that being the area where insulating materials are not obstructive to any hand or sense of touch functioning.

5. The section of absorbent material over the back of the hand in claim 3 may include a pouch of silica gel.

6. The system of straps in claim 2 may feed the air to the underside or palm side of the hand to exploit the fact many glove designs have an air tight under side material and a breathable porous back side material. By feeding the air into the glove on the palm side the air will fully circulate around the hand and fingers before exiting through the porous glove material over the back of the hand.

7. The heat conduction chambers to this system may simply be the length of tubing running along the inside of the users clothing or can vary in size and shape to alter the mix of exhaled breath heat and body conducted heat being delivered to the hands.

8. The heat conduction chambers may be integrated with the condensation collection chambers, or they may be an actual condensation collection chamber.

9. The heat conduction chambers may be substantially flat and made out of a soft flexible material so that the user is comfortable wearing it even if sitting down and leaning back with it between his body and the seat back rest.

10. The mouth piece may have one or more valves inside it to prevent exhaled air pushing out of the gloves and back up the tube/chamber system once the pressure of the user exhaling into the system is released. That will slow down the rate at which the air pressure will leak out of the system, keeping the gloves inflated for longer giving the heated air more time to transfer onto the hands under pressure and provide a layer of insulation that moves out of the way where ever and whenever the hand touches something, there by avoiding disturbing the sense of touch feedback.

11. The mouth piece may include filter media material that is capable of extracting a specified percentage of bacterial or viral organisms that could be passing in or out of the mouth piece to this system.

12. The mouth piece may be made out of a highly heat conductive metal or alloy material to maximise the temperature drop the exhaled breath experiences and there by maximise the amount of vapour condensation at that point.

13. As an alternative to using exhaled breath a small air pump could be used to push air through this system and into the gloves, the heat in that air being entirely conducted from the users body in the time it spent in the tubes and chambers of the system. That body heated air is periodically pushed in batches into the gloves by the user operating the air pump.

14. The air pump in claim 13 could be electrically powered.

15. The air pump in 13 and/or 14 could have a one way valve located between it and the point the air enters the heat conduction chamber so the air pressure inside the system is maintained only slowly leaking out through gaps in the system, giving the heat in the air in the gloves time to pass onto the hands and maintain a fluid layer of insulation that moves out of the way where ever and whenever the hand touches something there by avoiding disturbing the sense of touch feedback.

Description:
Hand Heating System

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a hand heating system and a kit of parts therefor that will circulate warm air around the inside of a users gloves which can be just thin rubber or similar gloves that do not impede the critical sense of touch feedback needed to perform tasks. The source of heat within the circulated air is a differing combination of heat within exhaled breath and/or heat conducted from the users body by the tubes and chambers to this kit of parts, that run next to the users body, directing the air to gloves. The system manages the vapour in the exhaled breath by capturing and isolating it at, or just after, the points where it has condensed due to a drop in temperature. The circulation of the warm air can be powered by either exhaling into the system or a small pump.

BACKGROUND

To prevent hands from becoming too cold and/or to prevent blood circulation to the hands being turned off by the body's survival priority system, gloves need to be worn in cooler temperatures, for example, of around 10°C and below. However very basic tasks performed by the hands critically relies on the sense of touch feedback from the hands to the brain along the nervous system. As glove material capable of keeping the hands warm blocks out or muffles that critical sense of touch feedback, people are not able to wear gloves that can keep the hands warm and perform various required tasks. They are therefore allowing their hands to go cold and the blood circulation to switch off on a regular basis through the winter months, they may wear protective gloves but those are not capable of also keeping the hands warm. In addition to the discomfort of cold hands suffered, productivity loses also arise and the blood circulation switching off causes permanent and compounding damage to small blood vessels in the skin called capillary beds. That damage makes the skin on the hands grow fragile and will easily crack and bleed in response to the cold plus it is increasingly being linked to the development of Raynaud's disease and vibrating white finger. Chemical or battery powered heated gloves have not provided a solution to this problem because their wearable energy storage capacity is extremely limited relative to the energy demands of this problem. Additionally the heat they generate cannot be effectively distributed around the hand without having material that disturbs that critical sense of touch feedback in places that matter, such as the underside and ends of the fingers.

This invention circum navigates the problem of the level of energy needed to solve the cold hand problem by simply redistributing body heat to the hands via a flow of air into a set of gloves. The gloves used need to be air tight but do not need to try and insulate the hands and therefore can be a really thin rubber or similar material that allows the full sense of touch feedback needed to perform tasks.

SUMMARY

Differing combinations of component parts to this invention circulate warm air around the hands under mild pressure . Thin rubber or similar gloves may be used on their own or under protective gloves which will inflate encouraging the heat to circulate around and conduct into the hands. The air held in the inflated gloves also form a fluid layer of insulation that will move out of the way to just leave the thin glove layer between the hand and its contact with anything thereby ensuring the user has the full sense of touch feedback where ever on the hand and whenever part of the hand touches something.

The thin rubber gloves and the tubes feeding into those gloves are secured at the wrist with padding and straps such it is air tight enough around the wrist to ensure all the fingers of the glove will inflate in response to air being pushed through the tubes into the gloves. The length of time the air is held inside the gloves keeping them inflated may be extended by using a valve to prevent the air exiting back into the tubing system after the applied pressure to push the air into the gloves is released by the user. Depending on the chosen application the air exits the gloves either through leaks in the gloves being used, through an exhaust pipe or permitted to flow back into the system of tubes and chambers.

The source of heat to the air being injected into the gloves is a differing mix of heat in exhaled breath and heat conducted from the body by the system of tubes and conduction chambers that feed air into the gloves. If the air is pumped through the system by the user exhaling breath into it then the mix of heat source depends upon how often the user exhales into the system and the extent that body heat conduction chambers are built into the system. If the air is being pumped through the system just using a small air pump then the system entirely depends upon conducting heat from the body by heat conduction chambers to transfer into the gloves.

If exhaled breath is used to both pump the air through the system and to partially deliver some heat to the inside of the gloves then the vapour in that breath condenses at two points in the system where there is a drop in temperature. Those points are at and around the mouth piece and as the breath exits the tube and meets the glove at the back of the hand. To stop the condensed vapour from around the mouth piece flowing into the gloves the air is routed to the gloves via either a chamber or a junction in the tubes such that under gravity the condensed vapour falls and accumulates at the bottom of the chamber or dead end section of tubes, whilst the air is routed along a different set of tubes to the gloves. Tubes exit the chamber or first set of mouth piece tubes above the maximum condensed vapour level to feed air into the gloves. That air is drier than the exhaled breath to the extent of the condensed vapour that has been collected at the bottom of the chamber or mouth piece set of tubes. Some remaining vapour in the breath will condense at the final temperature drop point at the back of the hand and that is managed by being absorbed by a layer of absorbent material covering that back of the hand area. As the sense of touch feedback in the back of the hand region is not needed to perform manual tasks that absorbent material can be attached to a neoprene or similar insulating material to maximise hand insulation without impeding the ability to perform tasks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view from the front of an upper part of man wearing at least part of a hand heating system according to an embodiment of the invention, the man is shown with his arms in a raised position;

FIGURE 2 is a partial view from the back of the man wearing the hand heating system of Figure 1. FIGURE 3 is a view from the back of a an upper part of man wearing the hand heating system in an alternative configuration to that of Figure 2.

FIGURE 4 is a view from the back of a an upper part of man wearing the hand heating system in an alternative configuration to that of Figures 2 and 3

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a wrist strap that feeds the breath via the tube into a glove along with a short second tube to serve as an exhaust pipe.

FIGURE 6 is a side view of the wrist strap in figure 5

F1GURE 7 is a side view of a left hand including the wrist, thumb and top of the fingers wearing the system of wrist straps shown in figures 5 and 6 with the breath being directed into a glove over the back of the hand.

FIGURE 8 is a side view of a left hand including the wrist, thumb and top of the fingers wearing the system of wrist straps shown in figures 5 and 6 with the breath being directed into a glove over the under side / palm side of the hand.

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of a left hand with a system of wrist straps and an absorbent insulating cover over the back of the hand. The securing wrist strap part is shown in a flat stretched out position rather than done up around the wrist.

FIGURE 10 is a side view of a left hand including the wrist and top end of thumb and fingers wearing the system of wrist straps and an absorbent insulating cover over the back of the hand shown in figure 9. The glove and back of the hand insulating/absorbent covers are shown as a cross sectional schematic illustration.

FIGURE 11 is a schematic cross section view of a mouth piece to this system

FIGURE 12 is a view from the front of an upper part of man wearing at least part of a hand heating system according to an embodiment of the invention including a motorised air pump. DETA1LED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Detailed descriptions of specific embodiments of the hand heating systems, kits of parts therefor, mouth pieces, hand covers and other components of the present invention are disclosed herein. It will be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the way in which certain aspects of the invention can be implemented and do not represent an exhaustive list of all of the ways the invention may be embodied. Indeed, it will be understood that the hand heating systems, kits of parts therefor, mouth pieces, hand covers and other components described herein may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The Figures are not necessarily to scale and some features may be exaggerated or minimised to show details of particular components. Well-known components, materials or methods are not necessarily described in great detail in order to avoid obscuring the present disclosure. Any specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the invention.

Figures 1 and 2 show front and back views of a configuration of a system that is driven by exhaled breath entering the system at mouth piece 1 from where the air runs through tubes 2a and then into tubes 2b which lead to wrist straps 3. A significant proportion of the vapour in the breath will condense in tubes 2a because of the temperature drop experienced when it exits the mouth and comes into contact with the interior of mouth piece 1 and tubes 2a. That condensed vapour will fall under gravity to the ends of tubes 2a and accumulate on top of a watertight stopper system 4 located at the end of tubes 2a. After use the system can be drained by removing watertight stopper system 4. The exhaled breath excluding the condensed vapour, under the pressure exerted by the user exhaling into the system, exits tubes 2a and enters tubes 2b which lead to a system of straps and hand covers 3. Tubes 2b are connected to tubes 2a above the maximum level that condensed vapour would accumulate during any continuous period of use thereby ensuring none of the condensed vapour collecting at the ends of tubes 2a gets pumped into tubes 2b and ending up flowing onto the hands. System of securing wrist straps and hand covers 3 in this case is shown securing tube 2b in place to feed breath over the back of the hand inside any chosen glove. Tubing section 2c is show being the exhaust pipe for the exhaled breath to exit the gloves after circulating around the hands. The diameter of tube 2c can be altered and may well differ from tubes 2a and 2b to ensure the breath fully circulates around the hand and finger ends before pushing out through tube 2c.

System of tubing 2a and 2b will run from the users collar under the chin along the inside of the outer clothing layers to the hands there by conducting body heat and have full insulation to maximise the heat of the air that is fed into the gloves. The extent to which the air is heated up by the heat conducted from the body through tubes 2a and 2b depends upon the rate the user pushes air through the system and the size and materials used to make tubes 2a 2b.

The length of tubes 2a and 2b in combination with the point where 2b exits from the side of 2a are coordinated so that tubes 2a are a comfortable length and mouth piece 1 will rest under the chin on top of any coat collar design. Also with the correct junction point for 2a and 2b tubes 2b will naturally rest on the underside of the inside of the arm sleeves. If they are routed to system of straps 3 along the inside of the lower arm they do not catch on the users elbows. In the raised bent arm position shown the tubes can be seen to be taking a short cut, cutting the corner on the underside of the elbow, their ability to do this means they will not pull against or resist any body or arm motions. The correct coordination of these parts ensures that the system is comfortable to wear, does not resist or rub against the user in any way and does not need to be connected to any layer of clothing, thereby avoiding complications due to the fact clothing layers need to be washed.

Figure 3 shows a back view of an alternative configuration of the system first described by figures 1 and 2. In this example there is a heat conduction chamber 6 in the form of a partially inflatable vest. Exhaled breath is fed into chamber 6 via tubes 2a exiting tubes 2a and entering chamber 6 at point 5. The condensation forming in 2a falls and accumulates at the ends of 2a and can be drained by opening stopper system 4 which is located outside of chamber 6. Breath inside chamber 6 that has also conducted heat from the users body exits into tubes 2b under the pressure of the user exhaling into the system and passes into the gloves of the user. The extent to which the air being pumped to the hands is heated by conducting heat from the users body, as opposed to needing heat of exhaled breath, is greatly increased. This format of the solution may be preferred for more extreme cold conditions or simply for the greater convenience of not having to pump air through the system as often. Reduced usage of the system also minimises the level of vapour condensing in the users gloves.

Figure 4 shows a possible configuration of this hand heating system where, to minimise the amount of exhaled breath entering the gloves and therefore keep the hands dry, tubes 2a feed breath into a heat conduction chamber 7, in this case located behind the user. The exhaled breath enters chamber 7 at the opposite end to the tubes 2b which take the air from that chamber to the hands. Chamber 7 is in the form of two sealed sections, one for each hand, are long and narrow in shape and sized to approximately match the volume of air that would fully inflate a users gloves. In this configuration it is mostly the air that was in chamber 7 that gets pushed into the gloves rather than the exhaled breath being used to push that volume of air along the system. The system of wrist straps 3 feeds air from tube 2b into the gloves but there is no exhaust tube 2c. If a thin rubber or similar glove is used when the user removes the pressure by ceasing to blow into it, the inflated rubber gloves will contract pushing the air inside them back into chamber 7 and tubes 2b where further body heat can be conducted into it that air. Substantially the same air is therefore moving between chamber 7 and the users gloves each time the user chooses to blow into the system rather than exhaled breath. The heat being transferred to the users hands is therefore heat conducted from the users body by chamber 7 and tubes 2b rather than heat within the exhaled breath. The exhaled breath that approximately only gets as far as chamber 7 under this configuration is pushed out of the system through the mouth piece when the gloves contract after the user removes the exhaling pressure. In this example condensation that has occurred in tubes 2a accumulates above stopper system 4 drainage plugs located below conduction chamber 7 at the very end of tubes 2a.

Figures 5 and 6 show a plan view and side view of a flat out stretched system of wrist straps 3 to feed air into the users gloves from tube 2b and allow that air to exit through exhaust tube 2c. Section 3b of strap 3 is shaped such that when being worn around the wrist it is a crescent shape that feeds tubes 2b and 2c inside the glove in an air tight fashion. The diameter of exhaust tube 2c can be altered so that the air only exits the gloves after it has circulated all around the hands inside the glove.

Figure 7 is a side view of a left hand including the wrist, thumb and top of the fingers wearing the system of wrist straps 3 shown in figures 5 and 6 with the breath being directed through tube 2b into a glove over the back of the hand. The glove being used is illustrated as a cross sectional view of two parts, an elasticated wrist section 8 and main glove section 9. The glove wrist section 8 is shown stretching over the top of wrist strap 3 feeding tube 2b into the glove in an air tight fashion. If exhaust tube 2c is also being used it would be the other side of tube 2b out of line of vision at this angle. It depends on the characteristics of the glove as to whether exhaust tube 2c is needed, it could be that the air exits the glove through the material 9 or around wrist section 8 at an acceptable rate.

FIGURE 8 is a side view of a left hand including the wrist, thumb and top of the fingers wearing the system of wrist straps shown in figures 5 and 6 with the breath being directed into a glove over the under side / palm side of the hand. Many protective gloves and winter sports gloves have a substantially air tight leather or rubber palm side but a more breathable less air tight back or top side. In this example palm side glove layer 9a is substantially air tight but back hand side layer 9b is more porous. By having the breath feed into the glove on the palm side of the hand it fully circulates around the hand pushing along to the ends of all the fingers before exiting either through porous glove layer 9b or around wrist glove section 8.

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of a left hand with a system of wrist straps 3 and an absorbent insulating cover 3c over the back of the hand. The securing wrist strap 3a part is shown in a flat stretched out position rather than done up around the wrist. Tubes 2b and 2c are fed inside the glove in an air tight fashion through crescent shaped section 3b. The main securing strap 3a is designed fold over the top of section 3b and wrap around the wrist with a chosen glove secured between strap 3a and section 3b so as to form a substantially air tight seal around the wrist. Section 3c is a layer of neoprene or similar insulating material that could also have some absorbent properties to control any vapour that condenses inside the glove. In this example 3c only covers the back of the hand but it could also extend along the back of all 5 fingers. Section 10 on the underside of layer 3c could be an optional silica gel pouch to help capture and absorb vapour from the exhaled breath. This set up would integrate well with a thin rubber or similar glove for tasks where no protective glove material is needed and the only priority is to keep the hands warm but also enable the full sense of touch feed back where needed on the underside of the hands and finger tips.

FIGURE 10 is a side view of a left hand including the wrist and top end of thumb and fingers wearing the wrist strap system in figure 9. Wrist strap securing section 3a is shown folded over and wrapped around the wrist running over the top of tube feeding section 3b, insulating layer 3c and glove layer 9 to form an air tight seal around the wrist. If in use, exhaust tube 3c is out of view behind tube 2b which can be seen directing breath into the glove through strap system 3. The glove layer 9, back of the hand insulating/absorbent cover 3c and silica gel pouch 10 are shown as a cross sectional schematic illustration.

Figure 11 is a cross sectional view of a mouth piece 1 that includes some optional features. Exhaled breath enters at the opening la. In this example there is a valve 11 just beyond entrance la which allows the air entering to push past it and enter the system but would block any air trying to push back out through point la. Such a valve has two possible uses. -- -Firstly it would improve the hygiene of the system as no air under the pressure of inflated gloves can be pushed back out through the mouth piece and therefore possibly back into a users mouth.

-Secondly this one way valve means that the air pushed into the gloves will be trapped in the gloves when the user ceases to pump air into the system. The rate at which that trapped air exits the system either through leaks around the wrist or an exhaust tube 2c can be adjusted to give the heat in the air a longer time to conduct into the users hands under pressure. Additionally that layer of air trapped in the gloves provides a fluid layer of insulation that will move completely out of the way in any places where the hand touches something, so the only thing disturbing the sense of touch feedback is the glove material itself which can be a minimal thin rubber or similar layer. In this mouth piece example there is also a section of medical grade filter media 12 through which the breath must pass. In this diagram the filter media is between valve 11 and tubes 2a but it could also be located between entrance la and valve 11. This layer of filter media is only an option and may be included to ensure no viral or bacterial organisms are able to flow in or out of this system of tubes and chambers.

Figure 12 shows a possible configuration of this hand heating system where instead of using exhaled breath to pump air through it there is a small electrical powered air pump 13 feeding into heat conduction chamber 14. As the system entirely relies upon heat being conducted from the users body to be passed onto the hands, heat conduction chamber 14 is going to be towards the large end of the possible scale, in this example it is in the form of an inflatable vest. In this possible example the small air pump 13 is fixed onto heat conduction chamber 14 on the users chest under the chin, being a possible neutral location. In this illustrated option, air pump 13 has sprung on/off switch 13b that can be temporally switched on by compressing that switch, possibly with the chin and a small bend of the neck allowing full operation of the system without needing the help of the hands which can remain permanently engaged in discharging other tasks.

As the electrical activity of this version of the system is limited to pumping air though the system, and is not burdened with needing to generate any heat, the level of electrical power needed across a period of continuous use, and the capacity of battery technology is practical and workable.

The air inlet to the electrical pump 13 may simply extract air from under the users clothes that are being worn over the top of this hand heating system as implied by this illustration, or there could be an inlet tube that extends to reach outside and clear of the users clothing. Alternatively the air pump could be located in some other location that is convenient.

This version of the invention is inherently dry in that it does not need to manage condensed vapour from exhaled breath, the small amount of vapour from the air that is likely to condense at the temperature drop point at the back of the hands would be dealt with by being absorbed into the absorbent hand cover material 3c.

This heat conduction powered hand heating system is most effective for use by people that are performing active manual tasks and who would be generating an excess of body heat from that manual activity. Despite this manual activity leading to the generation of body heat, there is a range of conditions and circumstances where they are still going to suffer from cold hands unless they have the benefit of this system because they can wear clothes capable of keeping the body warm but they cannot wear gloves that interfere with the sense of touch feedback . Very low temperatures, wet conditions and wind chill mixed with the fact you cannot wear gloves that are capable of keeping the hands warm and perform tasks are reasons why it is common that a person will generate an excess of body heat but still suffer from cold hands. This version of the system successfully transfers some of that excess body heat to the hands there by facilitating wearing gloves designed around performing the needed tasks rather than trying to keep the hands warm.