# US 2008/0184468 A1 · Active Garment Materials > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0184468 A1 - Document ID: US20080184468A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 11/670,965 - Filed: 2007-02-03 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 2007-02-03 - Assignees: Raytheon Company - Inventors: Thomas B. Stanford; Weldon S. Williamson; Elena Sherman; Andrew C. Chu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080184468A1 ## CPC - A62B 17/005: {Active or passive body temperature control} - A41D 2400/10: Heat retention or warming - C08L 2201/12: Shape memory - Y10T 428/23957: Particular shape or structure of pile - Y10T 442/3106: Hollow strand material - Y10T 442/3114: Cross-sectional configuration of the strand material is other than circular - A62B: DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING (valves specially adapted for medical use A61M39/00; life-saving devices, apparatus or methods specially adapted for use in water B63C9/00; divers' equipment B63C11/00; specially adopted for use with aircraft, e.g. parachutes, ejector seats, {B64D17/00, B64D25/10}; rescue devices peculiar to mining E21F11/00) - A41D: OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES - C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An adaptable garment material and method of producing such a material. The material may have a substrate and a plurality of shape memory polymer elements integrated therewith, or may be a mat of interwoven shape memory polymer elements. The shape memory elements adapt in the presence of an actuation trigger and exhibit different properties upon actuation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An adaptable garment comprising: a substrate; a plurality of shape memory polymer elements integrated with the substrate; one or more sensors configured to sense a change in one or more environmental factors; a processor operable to apply an electrical potential to one or more of the shape memory polymer elements to alter the properties of the shape memory polymer elements in response to the change in the one or more environmental factors. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The adaptable garment of claim 1 wherein the one or more environmental factors comprises a temperature. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The adaptable garment of claim 1 wherein the one or more environmental factors comprises a moisture level. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The adaptable garment of claim 1 wherein the one or more environmental factors comprises a presence of one or more chemical compositions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The adaptable garment of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises an outermost layer of the adaptable garment. ### Claim 6 An adaptable garment material comprising: a substrate; a plurality of shape memory polymer elements integrated with the substrate, said elements adapting from a first state to a second state in the presence of an actuation trigger; and wherein the plurality of shape memory polymer elements are exposed to the environment around the material and are adapted to exhibit different insulative and wicking properties between the first state and the second state. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The adaptable garment material of claim 6 wherein the actuation trigger comprises an increase in temperature of one or more of the shape memory polymer elements above a shape memory transition temperature. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The adaptable garment material of claim 6 wherein the actuation trigger comprises a change in electrical potential applied to the shape memory polymer elements. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The adaptable garment material of claim 6 wherein the actuation trigger of the shape memory polymer elements comprises the presence of one or more chemical agents. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The adaptable garment material of claim 6, wherein the first state corresponds to a compressed state of said shape memory polymer elements and the second state corresponds to an expanded state of said shape memory polymer elements. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The adaptable garment material of claim 6, wherein the first state corresponds to an expanded state of said shape memory polymer elements and the second state corresponds to a compressed state of said shape memory polymer elements. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The adaptable garment material of claim 6, wherein said plurality of shape memory polymer elements comprise a plurality of filaments. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The adaptable garment material of claim 12, wherein said filaments are substantially parallel to the substrate in the first state, and said filaments are substantially perpendicular to the substrate in the second state. ### Claim 14 (depends on 6) The adaptable garment material of claim 6, wherein said shape memory polymer elements comprise a plurality of interwoven fibers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 6) The adaptable garment material of claim 6, wherein said shape memory polymer elements comprise a plurality of tubes extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of the material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 6) The adaptable garment material of claim 6, wherein the shape memory polymer elements comprise a plurality of shape memory polymer bubbles which comprise a shape adaptable foam. ### Claim 17 (depends on 6) The adaptable garment material of claim 6, wherein the substrate comprises an outermost layer of the adaptable garment material. ### Claim 18 An adaptable garment material, the material comprising: a plurality of interwoven shape memory polymer elements, said elements adapting from a first state to a second state in the presence of an actuation trigger; and wherein the plurality of shape memory polymer elements are adapted to exhibit different insulative and wicking properties between the first state and the second state. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The adaptable garment material of claim 18 wherein the actuation trigger comprises an increase in temperature above a shape memory transition temperature. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The adaptable garment material of claim 18 wherein the actuation trigger comprises a change in electrical potential applied to the shape memory polymer elements. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The adaptable garment material of claim 18 wherein the actuation trigger of the shape memory polymer elements comprises the presence of one or more chemical agents. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The adaptable garment material of claim 18 further comprising a layer of material bonded to the plurality of shape memory polymer elements. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The adaptable garment material of claim 22 wherein the layer of material bonded to the plurality of shape memory polymer elements is a textile comprising natural fibers. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The adaptable garment material of claim 22 wherein the layer of material bonded to the plurality of shape memory polymer elements is a textile comprising synthetic fibers. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The adaptable garment material of claim 22 wherein the layer of material bonded to the plurality of shape memory polymer elements comprises an additional layer of shape memory polymer elements. ### Claim 26 A method for producing an adaptable garment material exhibiting variable insulative and wicking properties, the method comprising: integrating a plurality of shape memory polymer fibers with a substrate; heating the shape memory polymer fibers above a shape change transition temperature of the shape memory polymer; applying pressure to the shape memory alloy fibers to form the fibers into a first state; and cooling the shape memory polymer fibers below the shape change transition temperature of the shape memory polymer. ### Claim 27 A method for producing an adaptable garment material exhibiting variable insulative and wicking properties, the method comprising: imparting a remembered shape to a plurality of shape memory polymer elements; integrating the plurality of shape memory polymer fibers into a shape memory polymer material; and bonding the shape memory polymer material to an auxiliary material layer. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method for producing an adaptable garment material of claim 27 wherein the auxiliary material layer is comprised of natural fibers. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The method for producing an adaptable garment material of claim 27 wherein the auxiliary material layer is comprised of synthetic fibers. ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) The method for producing an adaptable garment material of claim 27 wherein the auxiliary layer of material is comprised of shape memory polymer elements.