Claims:We Claim:
1. A clothing article, comprising:
a base fabric having a first layer and a second layer opposite to the first layer, wherein the first layer is in contact with a body of an entity; and
an agent, one of, directly embedded onto a substrate and embedded via a binder onto the substrate, the agent adapted to provide comfort to the entity,
wherein the agent embedded onto the substrate is attached at one of, throughout a surface of at least one of the first layer and the second layer of the base fabric, and at least one strategic location of the at least one of the first layer and the second layer of the base fabric.
2. The clothing article as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clothing article is one of, but not limited to, a jacket, a vest, a scarf, a sock, a glove, a shirt, a t-shirt, a body wear, a trouser, an inner wear, a head gear, a cover, a sheet, a towel, footwear and belts.
3. The clothing article as claimed in claim 1, wherein the binder facilitates in embedding the agent onto the substrate, wherein the binder is selected from a group consisting of, but not limited to, Polyvinyl butyral ((C8H14O2)n), Polyvinyl alcohol ((C2H4O)x.
4. The clothing article as claimed in claim 1, wherein the entity is one of, a living organism and a manmade object.
5. The clothing article as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one strategic location corresponds to at least one vital body part of the entity, wherein the at least one vital body part of the living organism is at least one of, head, neck, ear lobe, elbow, under arm, underside of knees, wrist, forehead, back, lower spine, mid spine, chest, abdomen, feet, pelvic region, and thighs of the living organism and the at least one vital body part of the manmade objects is the thermo radiative part thereof.
6. The clothing article as claimed in claim 1, wherein the agent is one or more Metal Organic Framework (MOF), wherein the one or more MOF is at least one of, but not limited to, Zirconium (Zr)-Benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic (BTC), Zinc (Zn)-Benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic (BTC), Copper (Cu)- Benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic (BTC), Aluminum (Al)-Fumaric acid and Aluminum (Al)-Mesaconic acid.
7. A method for providing a clothing article, the clothing article adapted to provide comfort to an entity, the method comprising the steps of:
selecting a substrate;
immersing the selected substrate into a solvent;
adding at least one metal salt to the solvent;
adding at least one organic acid to the solvent, wherein at a specific temperature, the at least one metal salt and the at least one organic acid react with each other to form an agent, the agent one of directly embeds onto the substrate and embeds via a binder onto the substrate; and
attaching the agent embedded onto to the substrate to a selected base fabric at one of, throughout a surface of at least one of a first layer and a second layer of the base fabric, and at least one strategic location of the at least one of the first layer and the second layer of the base fabric utilizing at least one technique,
wherein the agent is adapted to provide cooling comfort to the entity.
8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein in response to the agent embedding onto the substrate, the agent grows inside and on a surface of the substrate evenly and locks in spaces between fibers of the substrate, thereby ensuring a firm adhesion to the substrate.
9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one metal salt is selected from a group consisting of, but not limited to, Zirconium (Zr), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu) and Aluminum (Al).
10. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein based on the metal salt selected, the agent is adapted to provide an indication of presence of fluid content adsorbed by the agent, wherein the indication is one of, a color change and a texture change of the agent.
11. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein an indicator is added to the agent, wherein the indicator is adapted to provide an indication of presence of fluid content adsorbed by the agent, wherein the indication is one of, a color change and a texture change of the agent.
12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the indicator is one of, but not limited to, Copper (Cu), Chromium (Cr), Zirconium (Zr).
13. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one organic acid is selected from a group consisting of, but not limited to, Benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic (BTC), Fumaric acid (HO2CCH=CHCO2H) and Mesaconic acid (C5H6O4).
14. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the metal salt and the organic acid are selectively selected to form the agent depending on a plurality of desired properties required to be exhibited by the agent thereby providing the cooling comfort to the entity, wherein the plurality of desired properties is an adsorption temperature, an adsorption partial pressure, a desorption temperature, a desorption partial pressure, an adsorption rate, a desorption rate of the surrounding environment and a color indication requirement.
15. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the agent is adapted to adsorb fluid from a surrounding environment in response to the agent being exposed to the adsorption temperature and the adsorption partial pressure, and the agent is adapted to provide comfort to the entity in response to the desorption of the adsorbed fluid due to evaporation of the fluid at the desorption temperature and the desorption partial pressure.
16. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the agent selectively selected is capable of having the adsorption temperature ranging between 5 to 25 degrees centigrade.
17. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the agent selectively selected is capable of having the desorption temperature of at least 30 degrees centigrade for the living organism.
18. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the adsorption rate and the desorption rate of the agent is based on the temperature of the surrounding environment and the type of the agent.
19. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the agent selectively selected is capable of having the adsorption partial pressure of at least 5 percent Relative Humidity (RH) and the desorption partial pressure of at least 50 percent RH.
20. A method for selecting an agent, the method comprises the steps of:
receiving information on desired physical properties required for the agent based on the surrounding environmental conditions in which a clothing article will be deployed and type of an entity utilizing the clothing article;
receiving information on desired derived properties required to check feasibility of manufacturing one or more agents utilized for the clothing article;
searching literature based on a problem-solution approach to determine one or more agents from a plurality of agents suitable for use based on the received information on the desired physical and the derived properties;
identifying one or more potential agents based on the solution obtained from the literature search;
analyzing the potential agents to segregate at least two agents from the potential agents utilizing a matrix model; and
suggesting one or more tests on the at least two agents segregated to identify preferred one or more agent from the at least two agents segregated.
, Description:FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
The Patents Rules, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
[See section 10, Rule 13]

TITLE OF THE INVENTION:
A CLOTHING ARTICLE AND A METHOD FOR PROVIDING A CLOTHING ARTICLE

APPLICANT:
CLIMATE ETC TECHNOLOGY SERVICES PRIVATE LIMITED, HAVING ADDRESS AT IBC KNOWLEDGE PARK, 8TH & 9TH FLOOR – TOWER C & D, NO. 4/1, BANNERGHATTA MAIN ROAD, BANGALORE, 560029, INDIA

PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION
THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATION PARTICULARLY DESCRIBES THE NATURE OF THIS INVENTION AND THE MANNER IN WHICH IT IS TO BE PERFORMED.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a clothing article and more particularly relates to the clothing article for providing comfort to an entity.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Higher daily peaks in temperature, and more intense heat waves are becoming increasingly frequent globally due to climate change. Heat strokes often result in dizziness, cramps, convulsions and can cause death if not treated immediately. A lot of people die every year due to heat wave related illness and the figure may grow ten times by midcentury according to the United Nations. In particular, in tropical countries, a lot of people are exposed to such extreme weather conditions. Further, people working and/or staying indoors may also be exposed to internal weather conditions which exhibit high peaks in temperatures. Due to which, people are also prone to develop health issues while working and/or staying indoors.
[0003] In view of the above, in order to ensure that people are protected from high peaks in temperature and/or heat waves, Government agencies, UN, NGOs, etc. have heat wave response programs across various regions, which are focused more at the community level. Base of the Pyramid (BoP) segment are unable to take benefits from these initiatives, due to lack of awareness, inability to get access to these programs etc. Further, the BoP workers need a solution that provides continuous respite from heat while continuing to work in areas which exhibit high peaks in temperature and/or heat waves. As of today, these BoP workers should choose to either stop working or continue working at the expense of their health.
[0004] The most obvious option to protect people from high peaks in temperature and/or heat waves would be to provide cooling solutions. Cooling solutions may include providing air conditioners, air coolers, water coolers, etc. However, these cooling solutions may not be effective while dealing with a vast population due to a huge investment on infrastructure, which may not be practical. Further, since these cooling solutions require power and/or energy and natural resources such as water to provide cooling solutions, in areas where high peaks of temperature and/or heat waves are exhibited, there are probabilities of lack of power and/or energy and even water.
[0005] Further, in today’s knowledge-based economy, lot of manmade objects are being created every day for various applications. Since, these manmade objects are created using certain material, even the manmade objects may not be able to withstand high peaks in temperature and/or heat waves, thereby being less effective and/or non-functional at times.
[0006] In view of the above, there is a dire requirement for an alternative solution to overcome the above drawbacks.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] One or more embodiments of the present invention provide a clothing article, a method for provide a clothing article and a method for selecting an agent.
[0008] In one aspect of the invention, a clothing article is provided. The clothing article includes a base fabric having a first layer and a second layer opposite to the first layer, the first layer is in contact with a body of an entity. The clothing article further includes an agent, one of, directly embedded onto a substrate and embedded via a binder onto the substrate the base fabric via a binder, the agent adapted to provide comfort to the entity. The agent which is embedded onto the substrate is attached at one of, throughout a surface of at least one of the first layer and the second layer of the base fabric, and at least one strategic location of the at least one of the first layer and the second layer of the base fabric.
[0009] In one embodiment, the clothing article is one of, but not limited to, a jacket, a vest, a scarf, a sock, a glove, a shirt, a t-shirt, a body wear, a trouser, an inner wear, a head gear, a cover, a sheet, a towel, footwear and belts.
[0010] In another embodiment, the binder facilitates in embedding the agent onto the substrate, wherein the binder is selected from a group consisting of, but not limited to, Polyvinyl butyral ((C8H14O2)n), Polyvinyl alcohol ((C2H4O)x.
[0011] In yet another embodiment, the entity is one of, a living organism and a manmade object.
[0012] In yet another embodiment, the at least one strategic location corresponds to at least one vital body part of the entity.
[0013] In yet another embodiment, the at least one vital body part of the living organism is at least one of, head, neck, ear lobe, elbow, under arm, underside of knees, wrist, forehead, back, lower spine, mid spine, chest, abdomen, feet, pelvic region, and thighs of the living organism and the at least one vital body part of the manmade objects is the thermo radiative part thereof.
[0014] In yet another embodiment, the agent is one or more Metal Organic Frameworks (MOF).
[0015] In yet another embodiment, the one or more MOFs is at least one of, but not limited to, Zirconium (Zr)-Benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic (BTC), Zinc (Zn)-Benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic (BTC), Copper (Cu)-Benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic (BTC), Aluminum (Al)-Fumaric acid and Aluminum (Al)-Mesaconic acid.
[0016] In yet another embodiment, the comfort provided to the entity is at least one of, a cooling comfort.
[0017] In another aspect of the invention, a method for providing a clothing article is provided. The method includes selecting a substrate, immersing the selected substrate into a solvent, adding at least one metal salt to the solvent, adding at least one organic acid to the solvent. At a specific temperature, the at least one metal salt and the at least one organic acid react with each other to form an agent. The agent one of directly embeds onto the substrate and embeds via a binder onto the substrate. The method further includes the step of, attaching the agent embedded onto to the substrate to a selected base fabric at one of, throughout a surface of at least one of a first layer and a second layer of the base fabric, and at least one strategic location of the at least one of the first layer and the second layer of the base fabric utilizing at least one technique.
[0018] In yet another embodiment, in response to the agent embedding onto the substrate, the agent grows inside and on a surface of the substrate evenly and locks in spaces between fibers of the substrate, thereby ensuring a firm adhesion to the substrate.
[0019] In yet another embodiment, the at least one metal salt is selected from a group consisting of, but not limited to, Zirconium (Zr), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu) and Aluminum (Al).
[0020] In yet another embodiment, based on the metal salt selected, the agent is adapted to provide an indication of presence of fluid content adsorbed by the agent, wherein the indication is one of, a color change and a texture change of the agent.
[0021] In yet another embodiment, an indicator is added to the agent, wherein the indicator is adapted to provide an indication of presence of fluid content adsorbed by the agent, wherein the indication is one of, a color change and a texture change of the agent.
[0022] In yet another embodiment, the indicator is one of, but not limited to, Copper (Cu), Chromium (Cr), Zirconium (Zr).
[0023] In yet another embodiment, the at least one organic acid is selected from a group consisting of, but not limited to, Benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic (BTC), Fumaric acid (HO2CCH=CHCO2H) and Mesaconic acid (C5H6O4).
[0024] In yet another embodiment, the metal salt and the organic acid are selectively selected to form the agent depending on a plurality of desired properties required to be exhibited by the agent thereby providing the cooling comfort to the entity, wherein the plurality of desired properties is an adsorption temperature, an adsorption partial pressure, a desorption temperature, a desorption partial pressure, an adsorption rate, a desorption rate of the surrounding environment and a color indication requirement.
[0025] In yet another embodiment, the agent is adapted to adsorb fluid from a surrounding environment in response to the agent being exposed to the adsorption temperature and the adsorption partial pressure, and the agent is adapted to provide comfort to the entity in response to the desorption of the adsorbed fluid due to evaporation of the fluid at the desorption temperature and the desorption partial pressure.
[0026] In another aspect of the invention, a method for selecting an agent is provided. The method comprises the step of, receiving information on desired physical properties required for the agent based on the surrounding environmental conditions in which a clothing article will be deployed and type of an entity utilizing the clothing article. The method further includes the step of, receiving information on desired derived properties required to check feasibility of manufacturing one or more agents utilized for the clothing article. The method further includes the step of, searching literature based on a problem-solution approach to determine one or more agents from a plurality of agents suitable for use based on the received information on the desired physical and the derived properties. The method further includes the step of, identifying one or more potential agents based on the solution obtained from the literature search. The method further includes the step of, analyzing the potential agents to segregate at least two agents from the potential agents utilizing a matrix model. The method further includes the step of, suggesting one or more tests on the at least two agents segregated to identify preferred one or more agent from the at least two agents segregated.
[0027] Other features and aspects of this invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings. The features and advantages described in this summary and in the following detailed description are not all-inclusive, and particularly, many additional features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art, in view of the drawings, specification, and claims hereof. Moreover, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter, resort to the claims being necessary to determine such inventive subject matter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] Reference will be made to embodiments of the invention, examples of which may be illustrated in the accompanying figures. These figures are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. The accompanying figures, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, are illustrative of one or more embodiments of the disclosed subject matter and together with the description explain various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter and are intended to be illustrative. Further, the accompanying figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale, and any values or dimensions in the accompanying figures are for illustration purposes only and may or may not represent actual or preferred values or dimensions. Although the invention is generally described in the context of these embodiments, it should be understood that it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to these particular embodiments.
[0029] FIG. 1a illustrates a clothing article, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention;
[0030] FIG. 1b illustrates a clothing article, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention;
[0031] FIG. 2 illustrates a flowchart of a method for selecting an agent, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention;
[0032] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary graph of a typical agent, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; and
[0033] FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart of a method for providing a clothing article, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0034] Reference will now be made in detail to specific embodiments or features, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, corresponding or similar reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or corresponding parts. References to various elements described herein, are made collectively or individually when there may be more than one element of the same type. However, such references are merely exemplary in nature. It may be noted that any reference to elements in the singular may also be construed to relate to the plural and vice-versa without limiting the scope of the invention to the exact number or type of such elements unless set forth explicitly in the appended claims. Moreover, relational terms such as first and second, and the like, may be used to distinguish one entity from the other, without necessarily implying any actual relationship or between such entities.
[0035] Fig. 1a illustrates a clothing article 100, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. The clothing article is 100 is one of, but not limited to, a jacket, a vest, a scarf, a sock, a glove, a shirt, a t-shirt, a body wear, a trouser, an inner wear, a head gear, a cover, a sheet, a towel, footwear and a belt.
[0036] The clothing article 100 includes a base fabric 102. The base fabric 102 is composed of a textile material selected from a group consisting of, but not limited to, cotton, wool, nylon, polyester, rayon, spandex, wool, silk and a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the base fabric 102 is composed of a single textile material. In another embodiment, the base fabric 102 is composed of multiple textile materials attached together by one of stitching, adhesive attachment, weaving and any other technique known in the art. The textile material of the base fabric 102 is selected on the basis of a preference of look of the base fabric 102, a preference feel of the base fabric 102, weight of the base fabric 102, thickness of the base fabric 102, weave of the base fabric 102, and texture of the base fabric 102. In an alternative embodiment, the base fabric 102 is selected on the basis of one or more preferred properties. The one or more preferred properties include, but not limited to, air permeability, absorption, adsorption, moisture vapor transfer, abrasion resistance, wrinkle resistance, and a combination thereof.
[0037] In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the base fabric 102 of the clothing article 100 includes a first layer (not shown) in contact with the body of an entity and a second layer (not shown) opposite to the first layer. Each of the first layer and the second layer of the base fabric 102 is a liquid permeable layer. In an embodiment of the invention, multiple layers are provided between the first layer and the second layer. The multiple layers aid in increasing thickness of the base fabric 102. Each of the first layer, the second layer, and the multiple layers are selected from a group consisting of, but not limited to, cotton, wool, nylon, polyester, rayon, spandex, wool, silk and a combination thereof. In one embodiment, each of the first layer, the second layer, and the multiple layers are composed of a single textile material. In another embodiment, each of the first layer, the second layer and the multiple layers are composed of multiple textile materials depending on the one or more preferred properties.
[0038] In an embodiment, the entity is one of, but not limited to a living organism and a manmade object.
[0039] The clothing article 100 further includes an agent 104 one of, directly embedded onto a substrate 106 and embedded via a binder 108 onto the substrate 106. The agent 104 is adapted to provide cooling comfort to the entity. The agent 104 embedded onto the substrate 106 is attached throughout a surface of at least one of the first layer and the second layer of the base fabric 102. In an alternative embodiment, the agent 104 is attached at at-least one strategic location of the at least one of the first layer and the second layer of the base fabric 102 utilizing at least one technique as shown in Fig. 1b. Advantageously, by attaching the agent 104 at at-least strategic location of the base fabric 102 ensures that the weight of the clothing article 100 is reduced.
[0040] In an embodiment, the substrate 106 is one of a woven and non-woven fabric selected on the basis of a preference of look of the substrate, a preference feel of the substrate, weight of the substrate, thickness of the substrate, weave of the substrate, and texture of the substrate. In an alternative embodiment, the substrate 106 is selected on the basis of one or more preferred properties. The one or more preferred properties include, but not limited to, air permeability, absorption, adsorption, moisture vapor transfer, abrasion resistance, wrinkle resistance, and a combination thereof.
[0041] In an embodiment, the at least one technique utilized to attach the agent 104 embedded onto the substate 106 to the base fabric 102 is one of, but not limited to, stitching, adhesive attachment, weaving and screen printing.
[0042] In an embodiment, the at least one strategic location corresponds to at least one vital body part of the entity. The at least one vital body part of the living organism includes such body part rich in blood flow and/or circulatory fluids that helps radiate body heat out from the entity and also which regulates body temperature. In an embodiment, the at least one vital body part of the entity is at least one of, head, neck, ear lobe, elbow, under arm, underside of knees, wrist, forehead, back, lower spine, mid spine, chest, abdomen, feet, pelvic region, and thighs of the living organism. Further, the at least one vital body part of the manmade object includes a thermal radiative part capable of radiating and/or adsorbing heat.
[0043] The agent 104 is preferably made up of a material having a fluid adsorbing property, a fluid retention property, and is further conducive for adsorbing heat generated by one of a body of the entity, atmosphere, and a combination thereof. In one embodiment of the invention, the heat adsorbed from the atmosphere is due to heat generated by at least one source. Advantageously, the agent 104 ensures that the clothing article 100 is not required to be dipped in fluid. In an embodiment, the at least one source is one of, but not limited to, a machine or a furnace being operated in a worksite where the entity is deployed.
[0044] In a preferred embodiment, the agent is at least one of, a Metal Organic Framework (MOF).
[0045] The MOF is a combination of metal ions or clusters coordinated to organic ligands to form one, two, or three-dimensional structures. In an embodiment, the MOF is selected from a group consisting of, but not limited to, Zirconium (Zr)-Benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic (BTC), Zinc (Zn)-Benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic (BTC), Copper (Cu)-Benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic (BTC), Aluminum (Al)-Fumaric acid (C4H4O4) and Aluminum (Al)-Mesaconic acid (C5H6O4).
[0046] In one embodiment, the agent 104 includes an antimicrobial material for preventing growth of microorganisms and killing microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi. Further, the base fabric 102 may also include the antimicrobial material. In one example, the antimicrobial material is chlorhexidine. The antimicrobial material has a good bactericidal effect and is active against bacteria and fungi. In another example, the antimicrobial material is one of, but not limited to, silver sulfadiazine, silver nitrate, Mafenide acetate (Sulfamylon), Mupirocin (Bactroban), and Nystatin. Further, the agent 104 is also tested for toxicity before selecting the same for the clothing article, thereby ensuring the agent is safe for various applications.
[0047] As illustrated above, in an embodiment, the agent 104 is directly embedded onto the substrate 106, in which case, the agent 104 grows within the substrate 106.
[0048] In an alternative embodiment, the agent 104 is embedded onto the substrate 106 via the binder 108. In this regard, the binder 108 is selected from a group consisting of, but not limited to, Polyvinyl butyral ((C8H14O2)n), Polyvinyl alcohol ((C2H4O)x, SILRES, Silikophen, clay and graphite. The binder 108 ensures the agent 104 is embedded onto the substrate 106 without compromising on the agent’s function of providing comfort to the entity. The binder 108 before using is tested for toxicity, thereby ensuring the binder is safe for the various applications.
[0049] Fig. 2 illustrates a flowchart of a method 200 for selection of an agent 104. The agent 104 adapted to provide cooling comfort to an entity. As illustrated above, the agent 104 herein is preferably a Metal Organic Framework (MOF). The MOF is a combination of at least one metal salt and at least one organic acid. It is well known in the art that when the metal salt is selected depending on the application for which it will be used for, the combination of the organic acid for the selected metal salt is also well known. The combination of the metal salt and the organic acid are selected together based on previously conducted lab tests and trails. Therefore, the method 200 illustrates the various steps to select the agent (MOF) of choice. In an embodiment, the method is carried out utilizing a computer system. The computer system including core components such as, but not limited to, one or more Input/Output units and/or interfaces, one or more processors, one or more servers, one or more memories, one or more storage unit and/or database and/or a cloud-systems, one or more transceivers and one or more communications network.
[0050] At step 202 of the method 200 includes, receiving information on desired physical properties required for an agent based on surrounding environmental conditions in which a clothing article will be deployed and type of entity utilizing the clothing article. In an embodiment, the desired physical properties are received as input from a user which can include at least one of the entity being a living organism, manufacturers of the clothing article, lab technicians, researchers, etc. via the one or more Input/Output unit and/or interfaces of the computer system. In an embodiment, the desired physical properties include at least one of, but not limited to, Critical to Quality (CTQ) requirements, target cost of the agent, estimated life of the agent, usage constraints, an adsorption temperature, an adsorption partial pressure, a desorption temperature, a desorption partial pressure, an adsorption rate, and a desorption rate of the surrounding environment and a color indication requirement.
[0051] At step 204 of the method 200 includes, receiving information on desired derived properties required to check feasibility of manufacturing one or more agents utilized for the clothing article. The desired derived properties of the one or more agents include at least one of, but not limited to, estimated production volume, ease of manufacture, raw material availability, cost of raw materials, process cost, TRL/TUL of one or more agents production processes in the research ecosystem.
[0052] At step 206 of the method 200 includes, searching literature based on a problem-solution approach to determine one or more agents from a plurality of agents suitable for use based on the received information on the desired physical and the derived properties. In an embodiment, the one or more processors of the computer system is configured to carry out step 206 of the method 200. The one or more processor, pursuant to receiving the information on the desired physical and derived properties, searches the one or more storage units and/or database based on the problem-solution approach. In an embodiment, the one or more processor extracts information from the received physical and derived properties and formulates the problem-solution approach. In an embodiment, the problem is at least one of, but not limited to, usage constraints, low budget, high production volume, limited resources of materials, varied adsorption temperature range, varied adsorption partial pressure range, varied desorption temperature range, varied desorption partial pressure range, varied adsorption rate, and varied desorption rate of the surrounding environment and one or color indication requirements. Once the one or more processor formulates the problems, the solution is identified based on searching the one or more storage units and/or databases having exhaustive literature of the agents.
[0053] At step 208 of the method 200, the one or more processor identifies one or more potential agents based on the solution obtained from the literature search at the previous step 206.
[0054] At step 210 of the method 200, the one or more processor analyzes the potential agents to segregate at least two agents from the potential agents utilizing a matrix model. In an embodiment, the matrix model is one of, but not limited to a Pugh Analysis Model (PAM). The PAM is a decision matrix where alternatives or solutions are listed on one axis, and evaluation criteria are listed on the other axis. The one or more processor, first establishes and weights the evaluation criteria and then evaluates each option against those criteria.
[0055] At step 212 of the method 200, the one or more processor suggests one or more tests on the at least two agents segregated to identify preferred one or more agent from the at least two agents segregated. In an embodiment, the one or more tests suggested is at least one of, but not limited to, isotherm test, cyclic test and life test. The tests are suggested by the one or more processor based on the identified preferred one or more agent. Thereafter, the agent is manufactured by streamlining the manufacturing process by means such as, but not limited to, raw material vendor identification, engineering build, etc.
[0056] FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart of a method 400 for providing a clothing article 100, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention.
[0057] At step 402, the method 400 includes, selecting a substrate. The substrate is one of a woven and a non-woven fabric selected on the basis of a preference of look of the substrate, a preference feel of the substrate, weight of the substrate, thickness of the substrate, weave of the substrate, and texture of the substrate. In an alternative embodiment, the substrate is selected on the basis of one or more preferred properties. The one or more preferred properties include, but not limited to, air permeability, absorption, adsorption, moisture vapor transfer, abrasion resistance, wrinkle resistance, and a combination thereof.
[0058] At step 404, the method 400 includes, immersing the selected substrate into a solvent. In an embodiment, the solvent is selected from a group consisting of, but not limited to, water (H2O) and n-propanol (C3H8O).
[0059] At step 406, the method 400 includes, adding at least one metal salt to the solvent. In an embodiment, the at least one metal salt is selected from a group consisting of, but not limited to, Zirconium (Zr), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu) and Aluminum (Al).
[0060] At step 408, the method 400 includes, adding at least one organic acid to the solvent. In an embodiment, the at least one organic acid is selected from a group consisting of, but not limited to, Benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic (BTC), Fumaric acid (HO2CCH=CHCO2H) and Mesaconic acid (C5H6O4).
[0061] It is to be understood that while selecting the metal salt, person skilled in the art will be able to ascertain the right combination of the organic acid in order to obtain the agent of choice.
[0062] Pursuant to adding the at least one organic acid to the solvent, the at least one metal salt and the at least one organic acid react with each other to form an agent at a specific temperature. In an embodiment, the at least one metal salt and the at least one organic acid react with each other to form the agent at the specific temperature having a range of about 10 to 60 degrees centigrade. However, the range of the specific temperature is just exemplary in nature and should nowhere be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. The agent formed embeds onto the substrate and grows inside and on a surface of the substrate evenly and locks in spaces between fibers of the substrate, thereby ensuring a firm adhesion to the substrate.
[0063] In an embodiment, the agent formed is capable of directly embedding itself onto the substrate.
[0064] In an alternate embodiment, a binder is added to the solvent in case the agent formed is not capable of directly embedding itself to the substrate. The binder facilitates in embedding the agent onto the base fabric. In this regard, the binder is selected from a group consisting of, but not limited to, Polyvinyl butyral ((C8H14O2)n), Polyvinyl alcohol ((C2H4O)x, SILRES, Silikophen, clay and graphite. The binder ensures the agent is embedded onto the substrate without compromising on the agent’s function of providing comfort to the entity.
[0065] In an embodiment, the agent formed which is embedded onto the substrate is heated to about 60 degrees centigrade to remove all the solvent. Thereafter, the agent along with the substrate is cut into various shapes depending on the requirements.
[0066] At step 410, the method 400 includes, attaching the agent embedded onto to the substrate to a selected base fabric at one of, throughout a surface of at least one of a first layer and a second layer of the base fabric, and at least one strategic location of the at least one of the first layer and the second layer of the base fabric utilizing at least one technique. In an embodiment, the at least one technique utilized to attach the agent embedded onto the substate to the base fabric is one of, but not limited to, stitching, adhesive attachment, weaving and screen printing.
[0067] Person skilled in the art would understand that the order of immersing the selected substrate, thereafter the at least one metal salt and finally the at least one organic acid to the solvent is immaterial. Thus, one of the substrate, the metal salt and the organic acid may be added first to the solvent and the remaining ingredients thereafter.
[0068] In an embodiment, based on the metal salt selected, the agent is adapted to provide an indication of presence of fluid content adsorbed by the agent. The indication is one of, a color change and a texture change of the agent in response to fluid adsorbed by the agent and/or desorption of the fluid from the agent. The metal salts of the agent which can produce a color change is at least one of, but not limited to, Copper (Cu), Zirconium (Zr) and Chromium (Cr).
[0069] In an alternate embodiment, an indicator is added to the agent when the agent cannot produce a color change. For instance, the agent-Aluminum (Al)-Fumaric acid cannot produce a color change. In this regard, indicators such as, but not limited to, Copper (Cu), Zirconium (Zr) and Chromium (Cr) are added to the agent. The indicator is adapted to provide an indication of presence of fluid content adsorbed by the agent and/or fluid desorbed by the agent. The indication is one of, a color change and a texture change of the agent. The indicators added to the agent is one of, but not limited to, Copper (Cu), Chromium (Cr) and Zirconium (Zr).
[0070] In an embodiment, the metal salt and the organic acid are selectively selected to form the agent depending on a plurality of desired properties required to be exhibited by the agent thereby providing the cooling comfort to the entity. The plurality of desired properties is at least one of, but not limited to, an adsorption temperature, an adsorption partial pressure, a desorption temperature, a desorption partial pressure, an adsorption rate, and a desorption rate of the surrounding environment and a color indication requirement.
[0071] The agent adsorbs fluid from a surrounding environment in response to the agent being exposed to the adsorption temperature and the adsorption partial pressure. Further, the agent is adapted to provide cooling comfort to the entity in response to the desorption of the adsorbed fluid due to evaporation of the fluid at the desorption temperature and the desorption partial pressure.
[0072] In an embodiment, the agent selectively selected is capable of having the adsorption temperature ranging between 5 to 25 degrees centigrade.
[0073] In an embodiment, the agent selectively selected is capable of having the desorption temperature of at least 30 degrees centigrade for the living organism.
[0074] In an embodiment, the adsorption rate and the desorption rate of the agent is based on an exemplary graph of a typical agent (MOF) as indicated in Fig. 3. The typical agent graph is just an exemplary graph and should nowhere be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. The typical agent (MOF) graph is used just as the reference, which may change based on varied temperatures and type of agent selected. As per the graph, the adsorption rate is about 25% at the adsorption temperature of 25 degrees centigrade. Further, the desorption rate is about 30% at the desorption temperature of 45 degrees centigrade. It is to be understood from the graph that the adsorption and the desorption curves vary based on the temperature of the surrounding environment. In particular, higher the temperature of the surrounding environment, the adsorption curve moves to the right and lower the temperature, the adsorption curve moves to the left. Similarly, the desorption curve also moves to the right in response to higher temperatures and the desorption curve moves to the left in response to low temperatures. Therefore, the adsorption rate and the desorption rate can be determined by plotting the graph similar to the typical agent graph (MOF) as indicated in Fig. 3 based on different adsorption and desorption temperatures.
[0075] Further, the agent selected is capable of having the adsorption partial pressure of at least 5% Relative Humidity (RH) and the desorption partial pressure of at least 50% RH. The adsorption temperature, the desorption temperature, the adsorption partial pressure and the desorption partial pressure indicated herein are exemplary in nature and nowhere they should be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure and the invention thereof.
[0076] While aspects of the present invention have been particularly shown and described with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may be contemplated by the modification of the disclosed machines, systems and methods without departing from the scope of what is disclosed. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of the present invention as determined based upon the claims and any equivalents thereof.