Patent Application
20170040758
The present invention relates to textile-based, wearable health monitoring systems and more particularly, the present invention relates to devices and methods for physically connecting electronic devices to a garment with integrated textile electrodes.
Smart garments are designed to monitor living beings wearing the smart garment. A smart garment may include a variety of textile sensors for detecting different physiological parameters of the living being. Smart garments also include a processor for analyzing the sensed data. Typically, the textile sensors have conductive textile traces that facilitate transmitting the sensed data from the textile sensors to the processor.
Typically, the smart garment is coupled to operate with an electronic processing device, for analyzing different physiological parameters of the wearer of the smart garment. Also there is often a need for quick engagement/disengagement of the processor, for example, when washing the garment.
It is an intention of the present invention to provide devices and methods for physically connecting an electric connector, for use by preconfigured electronic devices, to respective integrated textile electrodes of a smart garment. The textile electrodes may be used for obtaining high quality ECG signals and other biological signals.
It is an intention of the present invention to provide a method for securely connecting conductive textile yarns to electric connector.
It is an intention of the present invention to provide a method for securely connecting conductive textile yarns to electric connector, such that the connector is sealable to facilitate machine washing and machine drying.
It is an intention of the present invention to provide elastic conductive textile stripe that can be starched with the elastic garment.
It is an intention of the present invention to provide elastic conductive textile stripe that the conductivity of the stripe can be predesigned. The conductive textile stripe may be braided using a preconfigured number of conductive yarns to provide desired conductivity for a preconfigured stripe length.
According to the teachings of the present invention, there is provided a connector-and-cable assembly, including an electronic connector having an outlet section and a multiplicity of elastic conductive stripes. Each of the elastic conductive stripes is conductively connected, at a first end, to a respective preconfigured outlet pin of the electronic connector. The second end of each of the elastic conductive stripes is preconfigured to operatively attach to a respective sensor.
Optionally, the electronic connector is a HDMI connector.
Optionally, at least one of the elastic conductive stripes is a textile based conductive stripe.
Optionally, the sensor is a textile electrode of a smart garment.
Preferably, the connector-and-cable assembly is made of materials withstanding washing by washing machines and drying by drying machines.
Optionally, the electronic connector includes a PCB board having a multiplicity of connector pins, wherein each of the elastic conductive stripes is securely and conductively attached to a respective pin of the multiplicity of connector pins.
Optionally, the securely attachment of the each of the elastic conductive stripes to a respective pin of the multiplicity of connector pins is done either by pressing the respective pin onto the respective conductive stripe, or by using conductive glue or by a combination thereof.
Optionally, the PCB board includes at least one protective means that breaks open a respective electric line, upon a high electric surge.
Optionally, the electronic connector includes a connector-housing, wherein the connector-housing and a portion of the elastic conductive stripes, proximal to the electronic connector, are wrapped by a mold.
Optionally, the connector-and-cable assembly further includes a fitted cap plugged into the open end of the electronic connector, to thereby further seal the connector-and-cable assembly.
Optionally, the connector-and-cable assembly further includes an attachment element for securing the connector-and-cable assembly onto a smart garment.
Optionally, the outlet section of the electronic connector is generally perpendicular to the incoming direction of the conductive stripes, entering the electronic connector.
It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a HDMI interface (I/F) device facilitating any external monitoring unit to operatively connect to the smart garment via the connector-and-cable assembly. The HDMI interface (I/F) device includes a paired-connector inlet, an I/F housing having a first face and a second face, and a PCB I/F assembly. Each of the paired-connector inlet is adapted to operatively connect to the outlet section of the electronic connector.
A predetermined number of external connecting means are securely attached to the PCB I/F assembly, at locations preconfigured, at one or both sides of the PCB I/F assembly. Respective openings, at locations corresponding to locations of the external connecting means on the PCB I/F, are formed in the first and/or second faces of the I/F housing, to facilitate access to the external connecting means.
Optionally, the paired-connector inlet is adapted to fit the outlet section of the electronic connector.
Optionally, the external connecting means is selected from the group including snap buttons and crocodile connectors.
Optionally, the PCB I/F assembly includes at least one protective means that breaks open a respective electric line upon a high electric surge.
Optionally, the external monitoring unit is an ECG processing and monitoring unit.
The present invention will become fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of illustration and example only and thus not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided, so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.
An embodiment is an example or implementation of the inventions. The various appearances of “one embodiment,” “an embodiment” or “some embodiments” do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment. Although various features of the invention may be described in the context of a single embodiment, the features may also be provided separately or in any suitable combination. Conversely, although the invention may be described herein in the context of separate embodiments for clarity, the invention may also be implemented in a single embodiment.
Reference in the specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “some embodiments”, “another embodiment” or “other embodiments” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments is included in at least one embodiment, but not necessarily all embodiments, of the inventions. It is understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is not to be construed as limiting and are for descriptive purposes only.
Reference is made to the drawings.
It should be noted that HDMI connector 110 is shown by way of example only, and any other types of electronic connectors may be used.
Connector 110 includes a small PCB board 116. The PCB board includes multiple pins 118 to which pins 118 conductive stripes 130 are securely attached, for example, with no limitations, by pressing each pin 118 onto a respective conductive stripe 130, by using conductive glue or a combination thereof.
The housing 114 of connector 110 is preferably wrapped by a mold 140 of sealing material such as rubber. Preferably, a preconfigured portion 120 of conductive stripes 130 is also wrapped by mold 140, to thereby seal the connector and portion 120 of conductive stripes 130, in particular to facilitate washing the garment by washing machines and drying using drying machines (up to about 80° C.). Typically, each conductive stripe 130 is designed to convey a single signal.
Preferably, to further seal connector 110, a fitted cap (not shown) is plugged into the open end 112a of connector 110, to thereby seal connector assembly 100 including connector 110 and up to attachment element 122.
In section 120 of conductive stripes 130, the individual conductive stripes 130 are also individually insulated.
Conductive stripes 130 are typically, with no limitations, made of elastic materials such as Nylon, and are coated with silver ions or another metal such as gold, copper or stainless steel. The stripes are typically braided such as to maintain elasticity that corresponds to the elasticity of the smart garment and does not limit the elasticity of the smart garment. Typically, each conductive stripe 130 is composed of a preconfigured number of individual conductive yarns, to thereby control the conductivity of that conductive stripe 130, typically, according to the length of that conductive stripe 130.
Typically, each braided conductive stripe 130 is composed of a preconfigured number of the individual conductive yarns that are individually wrapped with non-conductive yarns, such as Nylon or Polyester, to thereby insulate each conductive stripe 130.
Preferably, connector-and-cable assembly 100 includes an attachment element 122 for securing connector assembly 100 onto a smart garment 50, for example by sewing. Thereby, when pulling connector 110, the conductive stripes 130 do not pull the respective electrode 60 and distort the signal being sensed.
Preferably, connector-and-cable assembly 100, including conductive stripes 130, is designed to sustain at least 50 washing and drying cycles.
Typically, the free end of each braided conductive stripe 130 is securely attached to a preconfigured location of smart garment 50, for example to a respective electrode 60, for example by sewing or gluing with conductive glue. The attachment may be applied directly to the respective electrode 60. The attachment may also be applied to a preconfigured location on the smart garment, wherein that preconfigured location is electrically connected to a respective electrode, for example by another conductive stripe. Thereby, the signal obtained by the electrodes 60 may be transmitted via the conductive stripes 130 and connector 110 to an external electronic device preconfigured to receive such signals.
Reference is now also made to
Optionally, HDMI connector assemblies 100 and 101 include protecting means to protect the garment-processing device (not shown) that is electrically connected to such connector-and-cable assembly (100 or 101) from the current/voltage surge inflicted by a current/voltage providing device, such as a defibrillator, that is activated onto at least one electrode that is electrically connected to garment-processing device.
Reference is now made to
It is an aspect of the present invention to provide an HDMI interface (I/F) device facilitating any ECG processing and monitoring unit to operatively connect to the smart garment 50 via HDMI connector 110.
Typically, common ECG processing units are adapted to connect using either snap buttons or crocodile connectors. However the present invention is not limited to connect using snap buttons or crocodile connectors, and can be adapted to use any other connector.
Optionally, protective means 319 that breaks open at least one electric line 310 (see
The invention being thus described in terms of embodiments and examples, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the claims.
This application claims the benefit under 35 USC 119(e) from U.S. provisional application 61/981,213 filed on Apr. 18, 2014, the disclosure of which is included herein by reference. This application also relates to the PCT/IL2013/050964 ('964) filed on Nov. 23, 2013, the disclosure of which is included herein by reference in its entirety.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IL2015/050411 | 4/16/2015 | WO | 00 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61981213 | Apr 2014 | US | |
| 62014753 | Jun 2014 | US |
