GB2514610A

GB2514610A - High-visibility clothing

Info

Publication number: GB2514610A
Application number: GB1309734.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Hookway
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-05-31
Filing date: 2013-05-31
Publication date: 2014-12-03
Also published as: GB201309734D0

Abstract

High visibility clothing comprises a short sleeved vest having a first panel 2 and a second panel 3 made from a white/silver fluorescent fabric and which together form the front side 4 of the vest when worn. Strips of retro-reflective material 7 are white/silver in colour and attached to each of panels 2, 3. A third panel 5 is affixed to the rear of the garment in use and is made from a fluorescent fabric which is red in colour. Further retro-reflective strips 8 which are red in colour are attached to the rear facing panel 5. The colours of the garment are selected to be white/silver on the front and red on the back so as to mimic the standard colours of reflectors used on motor-vehicles. This provides an intuitive means for a driver to quickly ascertain the direction faced by the wearer of the jacket.

Description

Hiuh-Visibility Clothinc The present invention relates to a high visibility garment comprising materials which are reflective or luminous as to be easily discernible from the background. In particiLlar the invention relates to a high visibility garment which comprises fluorescent and/or retro-reflective materials suitable for use as personal protective wear for cyclists or other road users.

High-visibility (conspicuity) garments arc commonly used by road uscrs such as cyclists, pedestrians, motor cyclists and horse riders in order to make them conspicuous to other road users, particularly drivers of oncoming vehicles.

The present invention was developed as an improvemeilt to high-visibility personal protective clothing.

According to a first aspect of the illvention there is provided a high-visibility garment intended to be worn by a wearer to make the wearer conspicuous, the garment comprising a first side and a second side, which when the garment is worn act as a respective front and back sides of the garment; both thc first and second sides being at least in part fluorescent and/or reflective, the fluoresceilt and/or reflective portion of the first side being primarily of a first colour and the fluorescent and/or reflective portion of the second side being primarily of a sccond colour, thc first and second colours being differeilt so as to visually differentiate the front side of the garment from the back side.

When worn, the garment allows others to quickly ideiltify whether they are viewing the front or the back of the wearer. This may aid to establish the direction of travel of the wearer of the garmcnt, and/or whether the wearer has scen the observer.

It is preferred that both thc first and second sidcs being at icast in part fluorescent which for the first side is primarily the first colour and for the second side is primarily the second colour.

It is preferred that that both the first and second sides are at least in part reflective (most preferably retro-reflective), which for the first side is primarily the first colour and the second side is primarily the second colour.

It is further preferable that the garment comprises both fluorescent and reto-reflective portions, most preferably on both the first and second sides. This makes the wearer conspicuous during both the day and night.

It is preferred that the outer face of the first and second sides primarily from fluorescent and/or retm-reflective. It is further preferred that the first and second sides are primarily fluorescent with portions being defined with retro-reflective material, most preferably those portions comprising one or more stripsfstripes.

It is most preferred that the first and second sides are defined substantially entirely by fluorescent and retm-reflective material.

The first and second colours may be selected flx,m one of the following:white/silver (i.e. designed to reflect light of all or substantially all visible wavelengths); green; yellow-green; yellow yellow-orange; orange; orange-rcd red; pink. These colours may be defined from the chromaticity coordinates relative to Cffi 54:1982 provided in table 1 below. For the ease of red and orange-red they may be defined by either

table I and/ortable2

In a preferred embodiment the first colour of the retm-reflective material on the first side is white/silver (i.e. designed to reflect light of all or substantially all visible wavelengths); or yellow because these have the highest luminosities. If yellow is used, it is preferred that the colour falls within the chromaticity coordinates for yellow found in table 1. Most preferably retro-reflective material of the first side is white and/or silver (i.e. designed to reflect light of all or substantially all visible wavelengths) as this most resembles the colour of headlight/reflectors at the front of vehicles/bicycles on UK roads.

Cknnitkil.y t}) idiltte4 x 3; ft02t1 (891 0,170 Q,3C4 0,285 0441 ________________ 0,201 ______ 0,201 0,77f yellow-gwen 0285 0441 R8560494 ______________ OR$87 0.610 0$ci 0.610 ycdlo w (iS$ 0.494 0.398 0A62 _______________________ 0,460 0,540 0,460 0540 ye110w4r2nge 0,427 0493 494 014$t3 __________________ 0545 0,454 0545 0454 0,494 0142ñ 0,544 0376 ___________________ 0,610 0190 0.610 0,390 oange-wd ($$ 0j376 0,579 0341 ___________________ 0,655 0,345 0345 ree R57E4 0Mi.

0,tit; 0 114 __________________ C090 X31O 0.655 (345 0435 (fl5 0$?2 0.272 ___________ 0.495 oy;5

Table I

The preferred colour of the fluorescent material of the first side is white andlor silver (i.e. designed to reflect light of all or substantially all visible wavelengths); or yellow.

It is preferred that yellow falls within the chromaticity coordinates for yellow found in table 1. Most preferably fluorescent material of the first side is white and/or silver (i.e. designed to reflect light of all or substantially all visible wavelengths) as this most resembles the colour of headlight/reflectors at the front of vehicles/bicycles on UK roads.

Where the second side comprises retro-reflective material, it is preferred that the retro-refleetive material of this side is: red, orange-red or orange (which may include shades and tints thcrcoD.Most preferably the rctro-reflcctivc material of the sccond side is red.

It is preferred that the red, orange-red and orange colours fall within the respective chromaticity coordinates associated with these colours as found in table 1 and/or table 2 (where applicable).

Chr.oma:tictv coordhmtes Colour x 0,387 0,610 0.350 0.494 o,aos Q452 0,400 0L5$0 0,610 0,390 0535 0375 oreatge-recl 0,655 0,345 0,655 0,345 0,570 0,340 0 525 0 315 0.310

Table2

Where the second side comprises fluorescent material the colour of this material is preferably red or orange-red, most preferably red. It is preferred that the red, orange-red fall within the respective chromaticity coordinates associated with these colours as found in table I and/or table 2.

These colour combinations for front and back align with the colours used in the United Kingdom and other countries for the reflectors (and lights) used by vehicles and bicycles to distinguish between the front and the rear of the vehicle/bicycle. This enables drivers of oncoming vehicles to more quickly identify the wearer as a road hazard and take precautionary action.

It is preferred that the fluorescent material has a luminance factor f3 of at least 0,25.

This figure corresponds to the lowest luminance factor for a fluorescent material required by standard EN 1150:1999 which specifies the minimum optical performance requirements for high visibility clothing.

The garment could be an item of clothing such as a jacket, vest, tabard, trousers, shorts, hat, overalls, or take another form such as a band, anklet or sash.

The garment may also bc formed with only rctro-rcflcctivc material, which may be more suitable for example, where the garment is a band or anklet or sash The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the following figures in which: Figure IA is an illustration of a front side of a high-visibility vest for use by a cyclist, pedestrian, horse rider or other such road user; Figure lB is an illustration of a rear side of the high-visibility vest of Fig 1; The Figures illustrate a short sleeved vest 1 having a first panel 2 and second panel 3 which together form a front side 4 of the vest 1 when worn, and a third panel 5 which forms the back side 6 of the vest when worn. Adjacent edges of the first and second panels may comprise a fastening means, such as zip or hook and loop fasteners to close thc vest 1 when worn.

Each of the three panels are made from a fluorescent fabric (woven or otherwise) such as polyester commonly used in the art. The first panel 3 and second panel 4 arc made from a white/silver (or near white) fluorescent fabric. The third panel 5 is made from a fluorescent fabric of a red colour which may include a shade or tint thereof In order to make the vest more conspicuous at night, strips 7 of a retro-reflective material are attached to each of the first and second panel 2, 3. The strips 7 are of a white/silver or near white colour i.e. they are designed to reflect light of all or substantially all visible wavelengths.

Further strips 8 of retro-reflective material of a red colour are attached to the third panel 5.

Although preferred, it is not necessary that the fluorescent material and retro-reflective material are both of the same colour. For example the fluorescent material of one or either side may be another colour such as yellow, green, yellow-green or orange. Alternatively, it is possible for the retro-reflective material to be of a different colour or colours. For example, with reference to the above embodiment, the first and second panels could be made from a yellow fluorescent fabric with strips 7 of white/silver retro-reflectors. The third panel 5 could be made from an orange or red/orange fluorescent material in combination with a red, orange-red or orange rctro-reflector strip 8.

The garment may additionally comprise a lining, backing etc to strength and/or make the garment more comfortable to wear. As these backing materials are substantially hidden from view when the garment is wom, there is no need for them to be fluorescent or reflective The retro reflective portions may take shape other than strips, or though not preferred, may be omitted altogether.

Claims

Claims 1. A high-visibility garment intended to be worn by a wearer to make the wearer conspicuous, the garment comprising a first side and a second side, which when the garment is worn act as a respective front and back sides of the garment; both the first and second sides being at least in part fluorescent and/or reflective, the fluorescent and/or reflective portion of the first side being primarily of a first colour and the fluorescent and/or reflective portion of the second side being primarily of a second colour, the first and second colours being different so as to visually differentiate the front side of the garment from the back side.
2. A garment according to claim I wherein both the first and second sides are at least in part fluorescent, the fluorescent portion of the first side is primarily the first colour and the fluorescent portion of the second side is primarily the second colour.
3. A garment according to claim 2 wherein the fluorescent portion of the first side is substantially entirely the first colour and the fluorescent portion of the second side being substantially entirely the second colour.
4. A garmcnt according to any prcvious claim wherein both thc first and sccond sides are at least in part reflective, the reflective portion of the first side is primarily the first colour and the reflective portion of the second side is primarily the second colour.
5. A garment according to claim 4 wherein the reflective portion of the first side is substantially cntircly the first colour and the reflective portion of the second side being substantially entirely the second colour.
6. A high visibility garment according to any previous claim wherein both the first and second sides have both fluorescent and reflective portions.
7. A high visibility garment according to any previous claim wherein, the first and second sides are primarily fluorescent and/or reflective.
8. A high visibility garment according to any previous claim wherein, the first and second sides are primarily fluorescent.
9. A high visibility garment according to any claim 8 wherein, the first and second sides have portions which are reflective.
10. A high visibility garment according to any previous claim wherein the second colour is red, orange-red or orange.
11. A high visibility garment according to claim 8 wherein the second colour is red.
12. A high visibility garment according to any previous claim wherein the first colour is white/silver, such as to reflect light of all or substantially all visible wavelengths; or yellow.
13. A high visibility garment according to claim 12 wherein the first colour is white/silver such as to reflect light of all or substantially all visible wavelengths.
14. A high visibility garment comprises and fluorescent and reflective material wherein the reflective material of the first side is white/silver and the fluorescent material of the first side is white/silver or yellow; and the reflective material of the second side is red, orange-red, orange, and the fluorescent material of the second side is red or orange-red. -10-
15. A high visibility garment according to any previous claim wherein both the first and second sides being at least in part a fluorescent and/or retro-reflective matenal.Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows Claims 1. A high-visibility garment intended to be worn by a wearer to make the wearer conspicuous, the garment comprising a first side and a second side, which when the garment is worn act as respective front and back sides of the garment; both the first and second sides being at least in part fluorescent; the fluorescent portion of the first side being primarily of a first colour and the fluorescent portion of the second side being primarily of a second colour, the first and second colours being different so as to visually differentiate the front side of the garment from the back side; and wherein the first and second sides are at least in part retro-reflective and wherein the retro reflective portion of the first side is a different colour to the retro-refiective portion of the second side, 2. A garment according to claim I wherein the fluorescent portion of the first 0 side is substantially entirely the first colour and the fluorescent portion of the C'..] 15 second side being substantially entirely the second colour. r3. A garment according to any previous claim wherein the retro-reflective portion of the first side is primarily the first colour and the reflective portion of the second side is primarily the second colour.4. A high visibility garment according to any previous claim wherein, the first and second sides are primarily fluorescent and/or retro-reflective, 5. A high visibility garment according to any previous claim wherein, the first and second sides are primarily fluorescent.6. A high visibility garment according to any previous claim wherein the second colour is red, orange-red or orange.7. A high visibility garment according to claim 6 wherein the second colour is red.8. A high visibility garment according to any previous claim wherein the first colour is white/silver, such as to reflect light of all or substantially all visible wavelengths; or yellow.9. A high visibility garment according to claim 8 wherein the first colour is white/silver such as to reflect light of all or substantially all visible wavelengths.0, A high visibility garment comprises and fluorescent and reflective material wherein the reflective material of the first side is white/silver and the fluorescent material of the first side is white/silver or yellow; and the reflective material of the second side is red, orange-red, orange, and the CY) ti uorescent material of the second side is red or orange-red.11, A high visibility garment according to any previous claim intended to be worn by a road user to make the road user conspicuous to other road users.