TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to protection garments such as submarine escape suits .

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

An example of a protection garment is a submarine escape suit that is used by submariners to escape from a submarine under water . The suit is formed from a waterproof flexible material and is provided with foot and leg portions for receiving the legs and feet of a wearer , a body portion for covering the body of the wearer and arm portions for covering the arms of a wearer . In addition, a hood is provided that fits over the head of a wearer . The hood is usually provided with translucent panels so that the wearer can see out of the suit .

In use , the wearer dons the suit and enters the escape chamber of a submarine . In the escape chamber, the suit is connected an air supply system of the submarine and air collects in the suit , including the hood . At the same time , the escape chamber fills with water, a hatch opens and the wearer ascends to the surface breathing the air within the hood . When the wearer reaches the surface , the wearer waits to be rescued . It is known from EP0444400 to provide the submarine escape suit with a liferaft that can be deployed after ascent to accommodate the wearer until rescue .

It is a problem with such suits that prolonged wearing of the suit on the surface can induce a feeling of claustrophobia and nausea . Some wearers would prefer to be able to remove the hood so that the head of the wearer is in the open air . This is not possible when the hood is connected to the remainder of the suit .

Another problem with such suits that they are required to fit wearers with a wide range of different heights . SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a protection garment made from a flexible material and comprising a body portion, left and right leg portions , and an adj ustment arrangement extending along an interior surface of the garment from first points on respective ones of the leg portions of the garment to second points on the body portion of the garment and configured to allow the garment to contract between the points to allow the garment to fit wearers of differing heights .

It may be advantageous to have the adj ustment arrangement extending along the interior surface of the garment , rather than along the exterior surface of the garment . For example , the internal adj ustment arrangement is less likely to be damaged or to snag on other items .

The first points on respective ones of the leg portions of the garment may be on a rear interior surface of the garment and the second points may be one a front interior surface of the garment , with the adj ustment arrangement extending over respective shoulder portions of the garment . This may provide an effective configuration for adj usting the length of the garment .

The adj ustment arrangement may comprise a first strip extending from one of said first points to one of said second points and a second strip extending from another of said first points to another one of said second points , wherein the path of the first strip is controlled by one or more guides attached to the interior surface of the garment and the path of the second strip is controlled by one or more guides attached to the interior surface of the garment .

The path of the first strip may be controlled to cross the path of the second strip at the body portion of the garment . The adj ustment arrangement may comprise a first strip adj uster for the first strip at said one of said second points and a second strip adj uster for the second strip at said another one of said second points , the strip adj usters being configured to allow the length of the strips between the first point and the second point to be adj usted .

The strip adj usters may be configured to allow the length of the strips between the first point and the second point to be adj usted by manual pulling of a distal end of the strips . This allows the wearer to conveniently adj ust the size of the garment after donning .

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a protection garment comprising a hood for covering the head of a wearer and at least one releasable connector , the hood including a portion for overlying the face of a wearer, the portion being releasable by the at least one releasable connector from the remainder of the hood to expose the face of a wearer , wherein the at least one releasable connector comprises an elongate strip attached to the hood such that when the strip is pulled away from the hood it tears the hood to release the portion of the hood .

A strip that is pulled away from the hood to release the portion of the hood may be made more easily substantially water-tight and air-tight than, for example , a zipper .

The elongate strip may be a rigid or semi-rigid strip of material .

The elongate strip may include a tab at one end thereof configured to be grasped manually to facilitate the strip being pulled away from the hood .

The strip may extend from a lower edge of the hood to a side of the hood to terminate at a point in the region of the wearer' s shoulder in use . The hood may incorporate a main translucent/transparent area to enable a wearer to see out of the hood and respective elongate translucent or transparent panels either side of the main translucent/transparent area , with a one of the strips being attached to each of the elongate translucent or transparent panels .

The elongate strip may be attached to the hood by welding . By selecting appropriate materials of the hood and the elongate strip, and an appropriate weld strength, the tearing of the hood can be optimised .

Two of said releasable connectors , one extending either side of the hood, are preferably provided .

The hood may include a releasable closure , such as a zipper , extending along the face portion to allow the hood to be donned by a wearer with the closure open .

The protection garment may be a submarine escape suit .

The first and second aspects of the invention may be applied to a garment alone ( individually) or in combination with each other .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present invention an embodiment will now be described by way of example , with reference to the accompanying drawings , in which :

FIG . 1 is a front elevation of a submarine escape suit including a hood having a face portion connected to the remainder of the hood by two releasable connections ,

FIG . 2 is a side elevation of the submarine escape suit of FIG . 1 ,

FIG . 3 is a close-up view of the front of the hood shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the central zipper open,

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a person wearing the submarine escape suit of FIGS. 1 to 3 after ascent from the submarine to the surface of the sea and with the face portion of the hood closed,

FIG. 5 is a similar view to FIG. 4 but with the face portion open,

Figure 6 shows a partial view of the rear of the suit when turned inside out (showing what is usually the interior of the suit) ,

Figure 7 shows a partial view of the front of the suit when turned inside out (showing what is usually the interior of the suit) , and

Figure 8 is a partial view of the region of the suit between the shoulder portions and showing a neck seal.

In the drawings, like elements are generally designated with the same reference signs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Referring first to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the submarine escape suit is formed from waterproof material, such as a rubberised fabric (e.g. sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPES) material) , and includes left and right foot portions 10a, 10b for receiving the feet of a wearer, left and right leg portions Ila, 11b for receiving the legs of a wearer, a body portion 12 for receiving the torso of a wearer and, left and right arm portions 13a, 13b for receiving the arms of a wearer. These parts may be conventional . The suit also includes a hood indicated generally at 14 . The hood 14 has a domed portion 15 for covering the head of a wearer and is surrounded by a yoke 16 that extends across the shoulders of the wearer and down the front of the body portion 12 as seen in FIGS . 1 and 2 . The yoke 16 is connected to the body portion 12 by a waterproof connection, such as by RF or ultrasonic welding .

The hood 14 is provided with a medial opening 17 closed by a zipper 18 . This opening 17 allows the wearer to step in the suit when the suit is being donned . The hood 14 is also provided with two main translucent or transparent panels 19 level with the face of a wearer to allow a wearer to see out of the suit . In addition to the two main translucent or transparent panels 19 , further smaller translucent or transparent panels 19a may be provided below the main translucent or transparent panels 19 . For example , five generally parallel , generally rectangular smaller translucent or transparent panels 19a may be provided below each of the main translucent or transparent panels 19 . A further elongate translucent or transparent panel 19b extends lengthways along each edge of the hood 14 , close to where the hood 14 meets the yoke 16 . It should be understood that different numbers and arrangements of translucent / transparent panels may be used, according to the requirements of the user of the suit .

As seen in FIGS . 1 and 2 in broken line , the submarine escape suit may also include a pack 20 containing an inflatable liferaft for use by the wearer when the wearer reaches the surface .

The construction of the hood 14 will now be described in more detail .

The hood 14 is formed from two layers of material . An inner layer forms the translucent / transparent parts of the hood ( the main translucent or transparent panels 19 , the smaller translucent or transparent panels 19a and the further elongate translucent or transparent panel 19b ) and comprises unsupported polyurethane ( PU ) . Over the top of this is a partial outer layer covering of supported PU that is laminated on top of the transparent PU layer and which supports and gives shape to the inner layer , Other forms of construction of the hood are also possible .

A face panel 21 of the hood 14 incorporates the main translucent/transparent panels 19 , 19a and the medial opening 17 . The face panel 21 is openable from the hood 14 by left and right releasable connections 22a , 22b that are provided in the respective elongate translucent or transparent panels 19b . Each releasable connection 22a, 22b extends from a lower edge 23 of the hood 14 on the chest of the body portion 12 to a respective side of the hood 14 around an associated translucent panel 19 to terminate at respective points on in the region of the wearer' s shoulders .

Each releasable portion 22a, 22b is formed by an elongate semi-rigid strip of material 30a, 30b that is welded onto ( or otherwise attached to ) the associated elongate translucent or transparent panel 19a , 19b . A generally disc-shaped tab 32a, 32b is provided at the upper end of each of the elongate semirigid strips of material 30a, 30b ( and e . g . integrally formed therewith ) . The disc-shaped tabs 32a, 32b are not welded to the elongate translucent or transparent panels 19a, 19b but are attached to the hood by virtue of their attachment to the elongate semi-rigid strips of material 30a , 30b . The discshaped tabs 32a, 32b may therefore pivot away from the surface of the hood 14 about the point of attachment to the elongate semi-rigid strips of material 30a, 30b .

The elongate semi-rigid strips of material 30a, 30b ( or "Rip Strips" ) are configured to strip or tear away from elongate translucent or transparent panel 19a, 19b of the hood 14 when the disc-shaped tabs 32a, 32b are pulled by the user . The material combination of the elongate semi-rigid strips of material 30a, 30b and the elongate translucent or transparent panel 19a, 19b, and the weld settings are selected to provide a tear strength which can be easily achieved by the user pulling on the disc-shaped tabs 32a , 32b .

It should be understood that the strips of material 30a , 30b may be welded ( or otherwise attached ) to a different part of the hood ( and not necessarily to the associated elongate translucent or transparent panel 19a, 19b as described above ) . For example , the strips of material 30a , 30b may be welded ( or otherwise attached) to the partial outer layer covering of supported PU that is laminated on top of the transparent PU layer - in which case the strips will be configured to tear both layers of material to create openings in the hood corresponding to the positions of the strips of material 30a, 30b .

The releasable portions 22a, 22b are generally air-tight ( in contrast e . g . to a conventional zipper ) and so do not compromise the air-tightness of the hood 14 . Further the releasable portions 22a , 22b advantageously do not have any rigid parts , which makes folding the suit easier .

The suit may be packed in a valise and stored in a submarine for emergency use . In use , the suit is taken from the valise and donned by a person within a submarine wishing to escape from the submarine . The wearer enters from the medial opening 17 using in the zip 18 and steps into the suit before rezipping the zip 18 of the medial opening 17 so that the wearer is wearing the suit as shown in FIGS . 1 and 2 . The wearer then enters an escape chamber of the submarine and plugs the suit into an air supply of the submarine via an air line ( not shown ) . Air is transferred into the suit and, in particular, into the hood 14 . At the same time , the escape chamber fills with water and, when filled, the hatch opens to allow the wearer to ascend to the surface , breathing, during ascent , the air in the hood 14 . When the wearer reaches the surface , the air in the suit provides buoyancy that allows the wearer to float on his/her back on the surface as shown in FIG . 4 . If a liferaft is provided, the liferaft can be inflated and deployed and the wearer sit in the liferaft .

If a wearer wishes to expose his/her face to fresh air, the wearer grabs the disc-shaped tabs 32a, 32b and pulls them downward ( towards the wearer' s waist ) . This action pulls the connected elongate semi-rigid strips of material 30a , 30b away from the elongate translucent or transparent panel 19a , 19b . By virtue on the strength of the connection between the elongate semi-rigid strips of material 30a, 30b and the elongate translucent or transparent panels 19a , 19b , and the rip strength of the elongate translucent or transparent panel 19a , 19b , this tears the elongate translucent or transparent panel 19a, 19b along the area covered by the elongate semirigid strips of material 30a, 30b - with the tear extending to the lower edge 23 of the hood 14 . The wearer is then able to lift the face panel 21 away from the remainder of the hood 14 and allows the face panel 21 to hinge about the points on the domed portion 15 at the upper end of the connections 22a, 22b . This position is shown in FIG . 5 .

It is possible that the wearer may wish to re-cover his/her face as a result , for example , of increasing spray or rain or even very strong sunshine . To do this , the face panel 21 is pivoted back down over the wearer ' s face .

The suit may include an ascent stole ( not labelled ) in the form of a U-shaped elongate inflatable chamber extending around the wearer' s neck and over the body portion 12 either side of the medial opening 17 ( so that it lies behind the smaller translucent or transparent panels 19a of the hood 14 ) .

When the wearer then moves into an escape tower of a submarine and connects the air supply provided in the submarine , air inflates the ascent stole and may pass through relief valves into the ascent hood 14 to provide a supply of breathable gas for the wearer .

The natural buoyancy of the wearer , together with a calculated buoyancy of the ascent stole and the hood 14 causes the wearer to leave the chamber and ascend towards the surface at a controlled rate determined at least partially by the volume of the ascent stole and the hood 14 .

After escape from a stricken submarine wearing the escape suit , the ascent hood 14 may be removed upon reaching the surface of the water to prevent the build-up of CO2 in the hood 14 .

Removal or opening of the hood 14 can be done by using the hood sliding fastener ( zip ) 18 or alternatively by the releasable portions 22a , 22b to enable rapid removal of the hood 15 , if using the zipper 18 is not possible ( or not preferred for whatever reason ) .

The introduction of elongated strips 30a, 30b enable the wearer to tear the hood 14 to enable it to be removed and placed behind the head to allow normal breathing .

The design and process of attaching the releasable portions

22a , 22b to the hood 14 is unique .

The reinforced material of the elongated tear-strip 30a, 30b is a supported textile , coated with PU . The clear section of the ascent hood may have clear, unsupported PU panels 19a ,

19b .

The reinforced tear-strip 30a , 30b , which includes a pull tab 32a , 32b , may be Radio Frequency ( RF) welded ( e . g . with an approximately 6mm wide weld) to the clear unsupported panel 19a , 19b . The action of pulling the tear-strip 30a, 30b via the included pull-tab 32a, 32b will tear the clear hood panel 19a, 19b along the welded section at the sides , from approximately halfway up , to the lower edge of the hood 14 .

The strength of the tear-strip 30a, 30b means that the unsupported material 19a, 19b will tear along the edges of the tear-strip 30a , 30b , breaking the air-tight integrity of the ascent hood 14 whilst still having sufficient strength to withstand the pressurisation of the hood 14 during ascent .

Figure 6 shows a partial rear view of the suit turned inside out . Figure 7 shows a partial front view of the suit turned inside out . These figures show a size adj ustment arrangement configured to allow the suit to be comfortably worn by users of various sizes .

The size adj ustment arrangement comprises two substantially flexible , inelastic and inextensible strips of material 40a and 40b , a first series of spaced apart guides 42a for a first of the strips of material 40a , a second series of spaced apart guides 42b for a second of the strips of material 40b , a first strip length adj uster 44b for the first of the strips of material 40a , and a second strip length adj uster 44a for the second of the strips of material 40b .

Each of the spaced apart guides 42a , 42b comprises a generally rectangular sheet of flexible material that is attached to the inner surface of the suit ( e . g . by welding ) along its longer sides ( the shorter sides not being attached to the suit ) . Each of the spaced apart guides 42a , 42b forms a channel through which one of the strips of material 40a, 40b passes . The channel allows relative sliding of the movement of the strip of material 40a, 40b in a direction parallel to the longer sides of the guide 42a, 42b but constrains movement in other directions . The spaced apart guides 42a extend along a path from the bottom of the left leg portion Ila on the inner rear side of the suit towards the centre of the torso portion 12 on the inner rear side of the suit , and from there to right shoulder portion 48b of the suit . The path of spaced apart guides 42a then continues over the right shoulder portion 48b along the inner front side of the suit and terminates at the first strip size adj uster 44b . The first strip size adj uster 44b includes a generally disk-shaped base 49b that is attached to the front surface of the suit , e . g . by welding . A structure including one or more slots extends from the base 49b through which the first of the strips of material 40a is threaded . The first strip size adj uster 44b may comprise a buckle .

Similarly, the spaced apart guide 42b extends along a path from the bottom of the right leg portion 11b on the inner rear side of the suit towards the centre of the torso portion 12 on the inner rear side of the suit , where it crosses under the path of the spaced apart guides 42a, and from there to left shoulder portion 48a of the suit . The path of spaced apart guides 42b then continues over the left shoulder portion 48b along the inner front side of the suit and terminates at the first strip size adj uster 44a . The second strip size adj uster 44a includes a generally disk-shaped base 49a that is attached to the front surface of the suit , e . g . by welding . A structure including one or more slots extends from the base 49a through which the second of the strips of material 40b is threaded . The second strip size adj uster 44a may comprise a buckle .

The first of the strips of material 40a is attached at a first end to the inner rear side of the suit at the left leg portion I la of the suit , near the left foot portion 10a , at point 46a, e . g by welding . The first of the strip of material 40a then passes through the spaced apart guides 42a and so follows the path of the spaced apart guides 42a - across the torso portion 12, over the right shoulder portion 48b to where it is attached to the first strip size adjuster 44b.

Similarly, the second of the strips of material 40b is attached at a first end to the inner rear side of the suit at the right leg portion 11b of the suit, near the right foot portion 10b, at point 46b, e.g. by welding. The second of the strips of material 40b then passes through the spaced apart guides 42b and so follows the path of the spaced apart guides 42b - across the torso portion 12, over the left shoulder portion 48a to where it is attached to the second strip size adjuster 44a.

The strip adjusters 44a, 44b allow the user to vary the length of the strip of material 40a, 40b that is passed through the strip adjuster 44a, 44b by pulling the strip of material 40a, 40b upwardly and the strip adjusters 44a, 44b are configured to then grip the strip of material 40a, 40b when released to prevent further passage of the strip of material 40a, 40b through the strip adjuster 44a, 44b in either direction.

After donning the suit, the wearer adjusts the size of the suit to fit their body size by grasping the strips of material 40a, 40b at their distal ends 50a, 50b and pulling them upwardly. This pulls each strip of material 40a, 40b through its respective strip adjusters 44a, 44b. This pulls the shoulder portions 48a, 48b of the suit towards the foot portions 10a, 10b thereby pulling the suit to fit snugly against the wearer's body. When the suit has the desired fit to the body of the wearer, the wearer releases the distal ends

50a, 50b of the strips of material 40a, 40b. The strip adjusters 44a, 44b then prevent further passage of the strip of material 40a, 40b through the strip adjuster 44a, 44b in either direction - thereby preserving the selected fit of the suit. The suit can be loosened by pushing the strips of material 40a, 40b through the strip adjusters 44a, 44b in the opposite direction. Figure 8 is a partial view of the region of the suit between the shoulder portions 48a , 48b . At this region a neck seal 60 is provided within the hood 14 . When the wearer dons the suit , they pull the neck seal 60 over their head, after which the neck seal 60 forms a tight but comfortable seal around the wearer' s neck . The neck seal 60 resists the passage of air and water into and out of the suit/hood 14 . The neck seal 60 may be formed of latex or neoprene and may be attached to the suit by hot tape or welding .

As shown in Figure 2 , a pressure relief valve 70 may be provided at each side of the suit near the wearer' s shoulder to allow the passage of air from the suit to reduce buoyancy .

A pressure relief valve or valves may also be provided on the front of the suit within the volume of the hood 14 when closed to allow the passage of air from the suit into the hood 14 space .

Although an embodiment of the invention has been described in relation to a submarine escape suit , it should be appreciated that the features described may be used on immersion protection garments in general , such as life j ackets with a splash hood as well quick don suits , packaging or foils - e . g . is situations where an openable hood is desired and/or there the size of the suit is desired to be adj ustable .