Athletes need to be able perform in most weather conditions. Their equipment and apparel should quickly and intuitively modify to suit their needs. The all-purpose women’s Clima-Shell Armadillo jacket responds to the issue of condensation build-up inside sports rain jackets.
The Clima-Shell Armadillo jacket is intended for the female sports apparel market. The jacket allows the wearer the freedom of movement required when participating in sports, while providing protection from the weather and condensation. It features a ClimaCool lining and a ventilated Gore-tex exterior shell.
The main innovation that distinguishes the Clima-Shell Armadillo jacket from its competitors is its vents. The jacket’s vent construction was inspired by the scutes of an armadillo. The integration of this biomimicry into the Clima-Shell Armadillo enables the jacket to remain waterproof while allowing air circulation. The vents are orientated to enable maximum airflow over the athlete’s key sweat and heat zones. The improved air circulation reduces moisture build-up and helps athletes to customise their thermo-regulation while wearing the Clima-Shell Armadillo.
The vents work through a system of thermo-regulation tensioning cables. These are designed to be intuitively adjusted by the athlete without impeding their performance. The back vents are closed by elastic when not in use. Velcro holds the front vents shut. As the user heats up they open the back vents by adjusting the thermo-regulation cable located inside the front vent. As the thermo-regulation cables are pulled out through the front vents they tension the cables that are attached to the pleats on both back vents. This tension opens the vents to the desired amount. The cable is kept in place by attaching it to the Velcro originally used to keep the front vents shut. This allows cool air to enter the front of the jacket and hot air to escape through the back vents, reducing condensation build-up. When the thermo-regulation cable is released, the elastic pulls the vents back into the closed position.
The tactile grips located on the inner spandex glove are another innovative feature. They provide the user with extra grip on sports equipment when required. The seams in the jacket are designed to direct water run-off away from openings, helping to keep the athlete dry.
The low-tech opening and closing mechanism for the vents and the existence of the proposed materials will enable the realisation of the Clima-Shell Armadillo jacket within the next three years. A low-tech solution for the thermo-regulation cables was developed to enable the user to have easy maintenance of the jacket. |
