Background of the invention During the course of human history, various forms of protection against the cold were developed. In particular, for the time to be spent outdoor, protection was sought by use of items of clothing made of materials as isolating as possible, so as to prevent dispersion of body heat. This way, after a short period of time, the temperature of the air close to the body reaches a steadier state than the external one, but much lower than the internal one.

This works particularly well for short periods and/or while in movement; however, it cannot suffice on particularly cold days, when sitting or standing, for instance at the football stadium, or even when simply waiting for the bus at the bus stop. Moreover, while for most of the body this mechanism is enough to guarantee comfort during normal movement, for the feet, even particularly isolating shoes may not offer a sufficient degree of comfort, especially for subjects with slight-although not pathological-peripheral blood circulation disorders.

Summary of the invention These and other drawbacks are brilliantly solved by the present invention, which, according to one aspect, relates to a heated item of clothing, comprising a heating cartridge, characterised in that said cartridge comprises two compartments separated by a divider that can be easily broken or removed, each compartment containing a substance which, coming into contact with the other, triggers an exothermic reaction.

According to another aspect, the present invention relates to a cooled item of clothing, comprising a cooling cartridge, characterised in that said cartridge comprises two compartments separated by a divider that can be easily broken or removed, each compartment containing a substance which, coming into contact with the other, triggers an endothermic reaction.

Brief description of the drawings The present invention will now be described in more detail, with reference to the

- fig. 1 is a partially cross-sectional side view of a shoe according to the present invention; - fig. 1A is a partially cross-sectional side view of a ski boot according to the present invention; - fig. 2 is a side view of a cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention; - fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a cartridge according to another embodiment of the present invention; - fig. 4 is an alternative embodiment of shoes according to the present invention; - fig. 4A is a particular implement for the embodiment of fig. 4; - fig. 5 illustrates a front view of a heel of a shoe according to the present invention, according to a preferred embodiment; - fig. 6 illustrates a front view of a heel of a shoe according to the present invention, according to an alternative embodiment; - fig. 7 illustrates a detail of fig. 6; - fig. 8 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention; - fig. 9 illustrates an embodiment of a cartridge used in the present invention; - fig. 10 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the cartridge used in the present invention; and - fig. 11 illustrates a plan view of clothes according to the present invention.

Best way of carrying out the invention Fig. 1 illustrates a shoe 1 according to the present invention. In order to obtain good isolation that may result in a more efficient use of the shoe, this has a sole 2 of a highly isolating material, for instance a thick rubber or para rubber layer. Over the sole 2, a chamber 3 for inserting a heating or, if that is case, cooling cartridge 4 is provided. In the present invention, by"cartridge"it is understood a container of any type, shape, composition and size, apt to be inserted in any way into any item of clothing, even-for instance-a strong plastic bag, a fabric bag with moulded rubber, or similar. The surfaces of the chamber 3 that are different from that into contact with the foot are covered in an isolating material.

Preferably, chamber 3 extends no further than the area where the sole of shoe 1 bends, so that the cartridge 4 does not break while walking. The cartridge 4, whose shape can be provided with taperings (see fig. 9) for better insertion and adaptation-for instance also by means of a fastener-into chamber 3, comprises a compartment 5 containing a chemical substance and a small quantity of air, while another compartment 6, containing another

chemical substance, is separated from compartment 5 by a divider 7. The divider 7 keeps the two substances separated, but may be easily broken or removed. It may be a thin aluminium layer (the so-called aluminium paper or tin foil), parchment paper, plastic or any other material chemically resistant to both substances, which does not allow them to come into contact and mix in any way, but which does not offer high resistance to breakage either.

Usually, a thin aluminium sheet is preferred.

According to the embodiment of fig. 2, the substance contained in compartment 6 may slide therein, for instance by pressing onto point 8. In the case of the embodiment of fig.

3, on the other hand, a plunger 9 is provided, which may be manually operated from the outside and is laid against the substance contained in 6.

The cartridge 4 may be made of any suitable material ; such material may be chosen depending on the required use thereof. Thus, if a strong thermal impulse is required, although of short duration, use of a metal-preferably aluminium-cartridge is preferred. If a less powerful thermal exchange is required, but with longer lasting effects, use of plastic cartridges is preferred instead. Also in the case of children's shoes, which are smaller and, for this reason, should not undergo sharp temperature changes (which might also prove dangerous to health), plastic cartridges should be used.

Cartridge 4 may have any shape, for instance cylindrical or parallelepiped. A single (see fig. 9) or multiple (see fig. 10) cartridge may be provided, the latter being assembled by associating several single cartridges. Advantageously, cartridge 4 may be refilled after use.

In this case, for example, compartment 6 may be easily extracted from compartment 5 in a known manner. Compartment 5 is then refilled, while compartment 6, after refilling, is provided with a new divider 7 and is reinserted into compartment 5.

In fig. 1A, shoe 1 is illustrated by a ski boot. Since, for technical reasons, it is very difficult to provide the chamber 3 between the heel-sole and the foot-strap, one or more chambers 3 should be placed in other positions, for example, but not exclusively, those illustrated in fig. 1A.

Fig. 4 illustrates an embodiment according to the present invention in the shape of a women's elegant (high-heeled) shoe. As it can be seen, cartridge 4 is inserted through a recess in the heel 11, by which it is also kept in position, and is in line with that part of the sole that does not come into contact with the ground; advantageously, cartridge 4 may be better sustained by a support 10 keeping it in position.

Over cartridge 4 there usually is a thin aluminium layer for improving thermal conduction and an insole. Preferably, the insole is perforated in order to allow foot transpiration and passage of the heat.

Figg. 5 and 6 illustrate a detail of the heel 11 according to two separate embodiments.

Fig. 5 illustrates a version providing a certain number of inlet recesses 12 (from two to six; three in fig. 5) for accessing the cartridge chambers. In this case, the cartridges will have cylindrical shape and will be visible from the outside. They may be made in different colours, so as to conceal them among the rest of the surface of the heel 11.

Fig. 6 illustrates a heel 11 with a small flap 13 for allowing the cartridge to be inserted, which may be closed, preferably sealed. Flap 13 is illustrated in fig. 7. It is adapted to the shape of heel 11 and is built in the same way as the flaps of remote controls or calculators.

As it can be seen in fig. 8, foot-strap 14 of a shoe according to the present invention may be completely or partially removable and be laid on a grid 15. Grid 15 has the function of improving foot transpiration and thermal exchange.

Fig. 11 shows clothes 16 according to the present invention, composed of a pair of trousers 17 and a jacket 18. Each of clothing items 17 and 18 comprises a series of suitably disposed pockets 19, into which a cartridge 4 may be inserted. Obviously, clothes 16 may be provided with pockets 19 apt to host more than one cartridge 4. Of course and preferably, pockets 19 may be placed on the inner rather than the outer side of clothes 16. Preferably, pockets 19 may be closed, for example by means of a strap fastener or a zipper. Apart from pockets 19, cartridges 4 may be provided with adhesives or strap fasteners (like Velcro@), in order to apply them to any kind of fabric. Cartridges 4 and the respective pockets 19 will have to be of reduced size, in order not to hinder movements. All this also applies, as well as to clothes, to other items of clothing.

The substances contained in compartments 5 and 6 are inert per se, but, once they come into contact, they trigger an exothermic or endothermic reaction, as required. In the present invention, by"reaction", it is also meant dissolution and solvation phenomena.

In case that heating of the item of clothing is desired, substances are used that, in combination, cause an exothermic reaction. In particularly cold whether conditions, a few antifreeze drops may be added. Typical examples of substances that may be used are: calcium chloride in compartment 6 and water in compartment 5, or oxalic acid and potassium permanganate. Reagents of any kind may of course be used, as long as, when combined, they trigger exothermic reactions. Water may be used in combination with one or more of the following substances: hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen chloride, chlorous acid, hydrogen bromide, hydrogen iodide, nitric acid, formic acid, acetic acid, gaseous ammonia, ammonium ossalate, lithium hydroxide, lithium chloride, lithium perchlorate, lithium bromide, lithium iodide, lithium nitrite, lithium nitrate, sodium hydroxide, sodium bromide, sodium iodide, sodium oxalate, potassium hydroxide, potassium fluoride, potassium oxalate, rubidium

hydroxide, rubidium fluoride, caesium hydroxide, caesium fluoride, calcium chloride. It is at any rate preferable that, both when separated and when reacting, the substances used do not corrode the material into which they are contained. For this and for economic reasons, the pair calcium chloride-water is the preferred one.

If cooling is required, the two substances contained in the compartments must trigger an endothermic reaction. Water may be used in combination with one or more of the following substances: iodic acid, ammonium chloride, ammonium perchlorate, ammonium bromide, ammonium iodide, ammonium iodate, ammonium nitrite, ammonium nitrate, ammonium cyanide, ammonium sulphocyanide, methylammonium chloride, trimethylammonium chloride, tetramethylammonium chloride, tetramethylammonium bromide, tetramethylammonium iodide, silver perchlorate, silver nitrite, silver nitrate, lithium fluoride, lithium bromate, sodium fluoride, sodium chloride, sodium chlorite, sodium chlorate, sodium perchlorate, sodium bromate, sodium iodate, sodium nitrite, sodium nitrate, sodium cyanide, sodium cyanate, sodium sulphocyanide, sodium sulphate, sodium thiosulphate, potassium chloride, potassium chlorate, potassium perchlorate, potassium bromide, potassium bromate, potassium iodide, potassium iodate, potassium nitrite, potassium nitrate, potassium cyanide, potassium cyanate, potassium sulphocyanide, potassium permanganate, rubidium chloride, rubidium chlorate, rubidium perchlorate, rubidium bromide, rubidium bromate, rubidium iodide, rubidium nitrate, caesium chloride, caesium perchlorate, caesium bromide, caesium bromate, caesium iodide, caesium nitrate. Preferably, the pair sodium sulphate-water or the pair sodium thiosulphate-water.

Proportions and type of substances to be used must be evaluated and dispensed depending on the application, circumstances and requirements of the user.

Whenever use of the item of clothing according to the present invention is required, cartridge 4 is inserted, depending on the needs, into chamber 3, inlet recess 12, flap 13 or pockets 19, then point 8 or plunger 9 is pressed. This pressure forces the content of compartment 6 against divider 7, exerting a growing pressure thereon. Once the breaking point of divider 7 is reached-which point is usually very low-the divider breaks. Strap fastener opening of the divider 7 may also be provided. The substance contained in 5 thus comes into contact with the substance contained in 6 and it mixes therewith. As soon as the two substances come into contact, a reaction occurs, which may be exothermic-i. e. liberating heat-or endothermic-i. e. absorbing heat. In the first case, heating of the cartridge is obtained and, in the second case, cooling of the cartridge is obtained. Through its walls, the aluminium layer and the insole, cartridge 4 transfers heat to the body or absorbs heat from it, providing the desired effect of comfort.

Examples of applications of the item of clothing according to the present invention are shoes, children's shoes, boots, ankle-boots, climbing boots, trekking shoes, ski boots, after skis, working shoes, free time shoes, clothes, mountain trekking clothes, climbing clothes, extreme climbing clothes, working clothes, space suits, motorcycling suits, and fashion accessories such as gloves, hats, belts, caps. In the case of shoes, chamber 3 may also be provided with a reinforcement frame, so as to allow supporting the weight of the person, to prevent such a weight from crashing cartridge 4 before time and causing dispersion of the reagents. This frame may be of any suitable material such as rubber, silicone, leather or even metal.

In the case of common walking shoes, in which, as already specified, chamber 3 and cartridge 4 ought to extend only within the area where shoe 1 bends when walking, between cartridge 3 and the area of the shoe where the foot toes are there ought to be a thermally conductive material, for example in the form of a flexible wire netting.

The present invention allows to simply and brilliantly solve the problems created by unpleasant climates, without having to wear excessively heavy clothing. Furthermore, by suitably choosing the material for the cartridge and the substances to mix, as well as the proportions of the latter, it is possible to adjust the heat being exchanged between the cartridge itself and the body of the user in a really effective way.