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US006702456B2
(12) United States Patent ao) Patent No.: us 6,702,456 B2
Lu et al. (45) Date of Patent: Mar. 9,2004
(54) METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
EVALUATING THE PHASE CHANGING
FUNCTION OF FABRIC
(75) Inventors: Ben-Cheng Lu, Taipei (TW); Lubos
Hes, Liberec (CZ)
(73) Assignee: China Textile Institute, Taipei Hsien (TW)
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term ol this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
(21) Appl. No.: 10/115,010
(22) Filed: Apr. 4, 2002
(65) Prior Publication Data
US 2003/0189968 Al Oct. 9, 2003
(51) Int. CI.7 G01N 25/00
(52) U.S. C I 374/45
(58) Field of Search 374/45, 102, 109,
374/29, 112, 8, 43, 44
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FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
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* cited by examiner
Primary Examiner—Diego Gutierrez Assistant Examiner—Mirellys Jagan (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Troxell Law Office PLLC
(57) ABSTRACT
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for evaluating the phase changing function of fabric. First, a fabric with phase changing material to be evaluated its phase changing function is provided and positioned between a body temperature device and an environment temperature device. Then, said fabric is heated by a controller through two control means for simulating the temperature of a human body and nature environment respectively, wherein said controller is connected with said body temperature device and with said environment temperature device separately with two control signal cables for controlling temperature, and said fabric generates a body thermal signal and an environment thermal signal. A record device is provided for receiving said body thermal signal and said environment thermal signal through at least a feedback signal cables. At last, said record device records and outputs an efficient protection time (the time that fabric is heated by said controller) and a body thermal variate of said fabric for evaluating the phase changing function thereof.
10 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
