Teijin Limited has jointly developed the world’s first fan-cooled jacket incorporating a two-layer pressure-controlled cooling structure together with Makita Corporation, a leading Japanese manufacturer of electric power tools. Sales of the new fan jacket will start from mid-April 2018 through Makita’s existing marketing channels and be expanded by developing new channels with Teijin’s group companies and marketing partners.
The first customer realised through one of Teijin’s marketing channel is Mitsui O.S.K. KINKAI, Ltd., a group company of a Japanese major multi-model transport group Mitsui O.S.K Lines. The fan jackets will be used on a test basis by crew members working on ships in high-heat climates of the Middle East.
The pressure-controlled fan jacket has a unique cooling structure that allows air to enter through the jacket’s outer shell and inner lining in both the front and back of the jacket. The design prevents fabric from bundling up inside the jacket to allow the user to work unencumbered. The air is discharged on a pressure-regulated basis through openings mainly in the neck, underarms and chest, where blood circulation is particularly active, for enhanced cooling effect.
The zippered arms and neck can be removed to enable the fan jacket to be used as a fan-cooled vest. Different combinations of Teijin high-performance fibers are available to make the jacket waterproof, stretchable and antistatic according to customer needs.
The fan unit designed by Makita measures just 39.5 mm thick, which is 5.5 mm thinner than conventional units. The battery can be recharged with the same charging device available for other Makita cordless electric-power tools.