ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS FOR WEARABLES AND OTHER ARTICLES

Abstract

This invention is related to electrical connections in wearable garments and other articles that enable the transfer of electrical signals or electrical power from one site in the garment or article to another site on the garment or article by the use of an electrical conductor printed along the length of a substrate which bridges the two sites.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to electrical connections in wearable garments and other articles to enable the transfer of electrical signals from one part of the garment to another part

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There is increasing interest in incorporating electrical circuits in wearable garments to monitor physiological aspects of the wearer. Examples of such measurements include heart rate, electrocardiography, skin or core temperature and parameters of bodily fluids. These electrical circuits are also useful for adding energy to power devices such as heaters to increase comfort or for adding information to contained devices. These electrical circuits are also useful for articles, e.g., sleeping bags and blankets, requiring stretchable circuits. Additional uses for circuits in wearable garments and other articles are also contemplated. There is a need for methods of transferring electrical signals from one part of the wearable garment or article to another part and therefore a need for making electrical connections between different parts of the garment or article. These connections must be maintained as the garment or article is stretched and exposed to multiple wash and dry cycles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides electrical connections in wearable garments and other articles to enable the transfer of electrical signals or electrical power from different sites of the garment or the articles.

The invention provides an electrical connection from a first site on a wearable garment to a second site on the wearable garment, the electrical connection comprising:

• • an electrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging substrate, wherein the bridging substrate has two ends, one of which is at the first site and the other is at the second site.

In one such embodiment, the first site is inside the wearable garment and the second site is on the outer side of the wearable garment, and the end of the bridging substrate at the second site has been passed through an opening in the garment that provides access to the second site so that the bridging substrate overlaps the outer side of the garment as it approaches the second site.

In another such embodiment, the first site is inside the wearable garment and the second site is on the outer side of the wearable garment, and wherein the end of the bridging substrate at the second site has been passed through a seam in the garment that provides access to the second site so that the bridging substrate overlaps the outer side of the garment as it approaches the second site.

In still another such embodiment, the first site is inside the wearable garment and the second site is on the outer side of the wearable garment, and wherein the end of the bridging substrate at the second site has been folded around the edge of the garment, i.e., the end of a sleeve or a collar or the top or bottom of the garment, so that the bridging substrate overlaps the outer side of the garment as it approaches the second site.

The second site in the above embodiments may be in a pocket of the garment or in a flap or a folded flap on the outer side of the garment.

The invention further provides an electrical connection from an electrical conductor inside a wearable garment to a designated site on the outer side of the garment, the electrical connection comprising:

• • an electrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging substrate that can be laminated, wherein the electrical conductor inside the wearable garment is an electrical conductor printed on a substrate that can be laminated, wherein one end of the bridging substrate is placed such that the printed conductor at that end of the bridging substrate is in contact with the printed electrical conductor inside the garment and the two substrates inside the garment are laminated in the region of the contact so that the two electrical conductors form an electrical connection, and wherein the other end of the bridging substrate is placed at the designated site.

In one such embodiment, the end of the bridging substrate at the designated site has been passed through an opening in the garment that provides access to the designated site so that the bridging substrate overlaps the outer side of the garment as it approaches the designated site.

In another such embodiment, the end of the bridging substrate at the designated site has been passed through a seam in the garment that provides access to the designated site so that the bridging substrate overlaps the outer side of the garment as it approaches the designated site.

In still another such embodiment, the end of the bridging substrate at the designated site has been folded around the edge of the garment, i.e., the end of a sleeve or a collar or the top or bottom of the garment, so that the bridging substrate overlaps the outer side of the garment as it approaches the designated site.

The designated site in the above embodiments may be in a pocket of the garment or in a flap or folded flap on the outer side of the garment.

The wearable garments in any of the above embodiments may be a single layer or a multi-layer garment.

The invention also provides electrical connections between layers of two-layer or multi-layer garments. A two-layer garment may consist of a liner and an outside shell. A three-layer may consist of a liner, an insulation layer and an outer shell.

In one such embodiment, the electrical connection is from a site inside the inner layer of a wearable two-layer garment to a designated site between the two layers of the two-layer garment, the electrical connection comprising:

• • an electrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging substrate, wherein the bridging substrate has two ends one of which is at the site inside the inner layer of the garment and the other end is at the designated site and wherein the other end of the bridging substrate has been passed through an opening or a seam in the inner layer of the two-layer garment that provides access to the designated site between the two layers of the two-layer garment so that the bridging substrate is present between the two layers and the end of the bridging substrate with the electrical conductor thereon is placed at the designated site.

In another such embodiment, the electrical connection is from a site between the two layers of a wearable two-layer garment to a designated site outside the two-layer garment, the electrical connection comprising:

• • an electrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging substrate, wherein the bridging substrate has two ends one of which is at the site between the two layers of the wearable two-layer garment and the other end is at the designated site and wherein the other end of the bridging substrate has been passed through an opening or a seam in the outer layer of the two-layer garment that provides access to the designated site outside the two-layer garment so that the bridging substrate overlaps the outer side of the garment and the end of the bridging substrate with the electrical conductor thereon is placed at the designated site.

In any of the above embodiments, the bridging substrate may be laminated to the wearable garment.

In still another such embodiment, the electrical connection is between two sites separated by one or more layers of a wearable multi-layer garment, the electrical connection comprising:

• • an electrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging substrate, wherein the bridging substrate has two ends one of which is at the first site and the other end is at the second site and wherein the other end of the bridging substrate has been passed through an opening in the one or more layers separating the two sites that provides access to the second site and that end of the bridging substrate is placed at the second site.

The invention also provides an electrical connection from a first site on an article to a second site on the article, the electrical connection comprising:

• • an electrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging substrate, wherein the bridging substrate has two ends, one of which is at the first site and the other is at the second site.

In any of the above embodiments, the electrical connection may further comprise one or more additional electrical conductors printed along the length of the bridging substrate.

In any of the above embodiments, the bridging substrate with the printed electrical conductor may consist of two or more separate pieces of substrate each with an electrical conductor printed along its length and wherein the printed conductors of neighboring pieces of substrate are placed in contact and neighboring pieces of substrate are laminated together in the regions of contact to achieve the electrical connections of the printed electrical conductors on the one or more pieces of substrate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates an electrical connection from a first site inside the garment to a second site in a pocket on the outer side of the garment wherein the bridging substrate with the printed electrical conductor along its length has one end at the first site and the other end at the second site and the bridging substrate passes through an opening in the garment to the second site in the pocket on the outer side of the garment.

FIG. 2 illustrates an electrical connection from a first site inside the garment to a second site in a flap on the outer of the garment wherein the bridging substrate with the printed electrical conductor along its length has one end at the first site and the other end at the second site and the bridging substrate passes through an opening in the garment to the second site in the flap on the outer side of the garment.

FIG. 3 illustrates an electrical connection from a first site inside the garment to a second site in a folded flap on the outer side of the garment wherein the bridging substrate with the printed electrical conductor along its length has one end at the first site and the other end at the second site and the bridging substrate passes through an opening in the garment to the second site in the folded flap on the outer side of the garment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to electrical connections in wearable garments or other articles to enable the transfer of electrical signals or power from one part of a garment or article to another.

The invention provides an electrical connection from a first site on a wearable garment to a second site on the wearable garment, the electrical connection comprising an electrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging substrate, wherein the bridging substrate has two ends, one of which is at the first site and the other is at the second site. In an embodiment the first site is inside the garment and the second site is on the outer side of the garment and the bridging substrate, to access the outer side of the garment, has been passed through an opening in the garment or has been passed through a seam in the garment or has been folded around the edge of the garment. In some embodiments the second site is in a pocket of the garment or in a flap or folded flap on the garment. In an embodiment the bridging substrate can be laminated. The garment in these embodiments can be a single layer or a multi-layer garment.

In some embodiments, the electrical connection is from an electrical conductor inside a wearable garment to a designated site on the outer side of the garment, the electrical connection comprising an electrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging substrate that can be laminated, wherein the electrical conductor inside the wearable garment is an electrical conductor printed on a substrate that can be laminated, wherein one end of the bridging substrate is placed such that the printed conductor at that end of the bridging substrate is in contact with the electrical conductor inside the garment and the two substrates inside the garment are laminated in the region of the contact so that the two electrical conductors form an electrical connection, and wherein the other end of the bridging substrate is placed at the designated site. In these embodiments, to access the outer side of the garment, the bridging substrate has been passed through an opening in the garment or has been passed through a seam in the garment or has been folded around the end of a sleeve or the collar or the bottom of the garment. In some embodiments the second site is in a pocket of the garment or in a flap or folded flap on the garment. The garment in these embodiments can be a single layer or a multi-layer garment.

As used herein, “bridging substrate” refers to the substrate with the electrical conductor printed along its length, the substrate bridging the gap between site 1 and site 2 or between the electrical conductor inside the garment and the designated site on the outer side of the garment.

As used herein, “flap” refers to a projecting or hanging piece attached to the outer side of the garment. The flap may be folded to form a “folded flap” that provides an enclosure for the designated site and any attachments to it.

As used herein, “wearable garment” or “wearable” refers to any article that may be worn by a person and includes a shirt, a sweater, a coat or jacket, a pair of slacks, socks, and footwear.

As used herein, “lamination” refers to the bonding of two layers together. This can be accomplished by the typical process of heat and compressing the layers but also by other means such as the use of an adhesive or gluing.

Some of the above embodiments will be discussed with reference to the Figures.

FIG. 1 illustrates an electrical connection from a first site inside the garment to a second site in a pocket on the outer side of the garment wherein the bridging substrate with the printed electrical conductor along its length has one end at the first site and the other end at the second site and the bridging substrate passes through an opening in the garment to the second site in the pocket on the outside of the garment. The garment 1 has a pocket 2 and an opening in the garment 3. There is a first site 4 inside the garment and a second site 5 on the outer side of the garment in the pocket 2. The bridging substrate 6 with the electrical conductor 7 printed along its length is shown beginning at the first site 4, passing through the opening 3 and terminating at the second site 5 on the outer side of the garment in the pocket 2. FIG. 1 also illustrates an electrical connection from an electrical conductor 4 inside a wearable garment to a designated site 5 on the outer side of the garment in the pocket 2.

FIG. 2 illustrates an electrical connection from a first site inside the garment to a second site in a flap on the outer side of the garment wherein the bridging substrate with the printed electrical conductor along its length has one end at the first site and the other end at the second site and the bridging substrate passes through an opening in the garment to the second site in the flap on the outside of the garment. The garment 1 has a flap 2 and an opening in the garment 3. There is a first site 4 inside the garment and a second site 5 on the outer side of the garment in the flap 2. The bridging substrate 6 with the electrical conductor 7 printed along its length is shown beginning at the first site 4, passing through the opening 3 and terminating at the second site 5 on the outer side of the garment in the flap 2. FIG. 2 also illustrates an electrical connection from an electrical conductor 4 inside a wearable garment to a designated site 5 on the outer side of the garment in the flap 2.

FIG. 3 illustrates an electrical connection from a first site inside the garment to a second site in a folded flap on the outer side of the garment wherein the bridging substrate with the printed electrical conductor along its length has one end at the first site and the other end at the second site and the bridging substrate passes through an opening in the garment to the second site in the folded flap on the outside of the garment. The garment 1 has a folded flap 2 and an opening in the garment 3. There is a first site 4 inside the garment and a second site 5 on the outer side of the garment in the folded flap 2. The bridging substrate 6 with the electrical conductor 7 printed along its length is shown beginning at the first site 4, passing through the opening 3 and terminating at the second site 5 on the outer side of the garment in the folded flap 2. FIG. 3 also illustrates an electrical connection from an electrical conductor 4 inside a wearable garment to a designated site 5 on the outer side of the garment in the folded flap 2.

Embodiments with the bridging substrate 6 passing through a seam would be similar to those illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 with a seam replacing the opening.

As shown in FIG. 1, the bridging substrate 6 is adjacent to the garment 1 both inside and outside the garment and the electrical conductor 7 is exposed making connections at the electrical conductor 4 inside the garment and the designated site 5 outside the garment convenient. The bridging substrate can be reversed so that the electrical conductor 7 is adjacent to the garment 1 both inside and outside the garment thereby providing the electrical conductor 7 protection from abrasion. For embodiments in which the bridging substrate with the printed electrical conductor consists of two separate pieces of substrate each with an electrical conductor printed along its length, the two substrates can be placed so that the bridging substrate 6 is adjacent to the garment 1 on one side of the garment and the electrical conductor 7 is adjacent to the garment on the other side. Similar reversals or combinations of two separate pieces of substrate are applicable to all embodiments including those shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The invention also provides for the transfer of electrical signals from one part of a multi-layer garment to another part. In one embodiment, the electrical connection is from a site inside the inner layer of a wearable two-layer garment to a designated site between the two layers of the two-layer garment, the electrical connection comprising an electrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging substrate, wherein the bridging substrate has two ends one of which is at the site inside the inner layer of the garment and the other end is at the designated site between the two layers and wherein the other end of the bridging substrate has been passed through an opening or a seam in the inner layer of the two-layer garment that provides access to the designated site between the two layers of the two-layer garment so that the bridging substrate is present between the two layers and the end of the bridging substrate with the electrical conductor thereon is placed at the designated site.

In another embodiment, the electrical connection is from a site between the two layers of a wearable two-layer garment to a designated site outside the two-layer garment, the electrical connection comprising an electrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging substrate, wherein the bridging substrate has two ends one of which is at the site between the two layers of the wearable two-layer garment and the other end is at the designated site outside the two-layer garment and wherein the other end of the bridging substrate has been passed through an opening or a seam in the outer layer of the two-layer garment that provides access to the designated site outside the two-layer garment so that the bridging substrate overlaps the outer side of the garment and the end of the bridging substrate with the electrical conductor thereon is placed at the designated site.

The invention also provides an electrical connection between two sites separated by one or more layers of a wearable multi-layer garment, the electrical connection comprising an electrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging substrate, wherein the bridging substrate has two ends one of which is at the first site and the other end is at the second site and wherein the other end of the bridging substrate has been passed through an opening in the one or more layers separating the two sites that provides access to the second site and that end of the bridging substrate is placed at the second site.

In any of the above embodiments, the bridging substrate may be laminated to the wearable garment, i.e., to the garment itself, or depending on the location of the designated site, to a pocket, to a flap or a folded flap. As used herein “laminated to the wearable garment” includes all these possibilities.

In any of the above embodiments, the bridging substrate may comprise thermoplastic urethane. When thermoplastic urethane has been used as the bridging substrate, lamination has been carried out using a hot press with a temperature of 130° C. and a pressure of 60 psi on the inflatable bladder and a press time of 15 seconds.

In any of the above embodiments, the electrical conductor printed along the length of the bridging substrate may be formed from a polymer thick film conductor composition.

In any of the above embodiments, the electrical conductor printed along the length of the bridging substrate may be formed from a polymer thick film silver composition.

In any of the above embodiments, the electrical connection may further comprise one or more additional electrical conductors printed along the length of the bridging substrate.

In any of the above embodiments, the bridging substrate with the printed electrical conductor may consist of two or more separate pieces of substrate each with an electrical conductor printed along its length and wherein the printed conductors of neighboring pieces of substrate are placed in contact and neighboring pieces of substrate are laminated together in the regions of contact to achieve the electrical connections of the printed electrical conductors on the one or more pieces of substrate.

The invention also provides an electrical connection from a first site on an article to a second site on the article, the electrical connection comprising an electrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging substrate, wherein the bridging substrate has two ends, one of which is at the first site and the other is at the second site.

Claims

1. An electrical connection from a first site on an article to a second site on the article, the electrical connection comprising: an electrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging substrate, wherein the bridging substrate has two ends, one of which is at the first site and the other is at the second site.

2. The electrical connection of claim 1, wherein the article is a wearable garment and the electrical connection is from the first site on the wearable garment to the second site on the wearable garment.

3. The electrical connection of claim 2, wherein the first site is inside the wearable garment and the second site is on the outer side of the wearable garment, and wherein the end of the bridging substrate at the second site has been passed through an opening in the garment that provides access to the second site so that the bridging substrate overlaps the outer side of the garment as it approaches the second site.

4. The electrical connection of claim 2, wherein the first site is inside the wearable garment and the second site is on the outer side of the wearable garment, and wherein the end of the bridging substrate at the second site has been passed through a seam in the garment that provides access to the second site so that the bridging substrate overlaps the outer side of the garment as it approaches the second site.

5. The electrical connection of claim 2, wherein the first site is inside the wearable garment and the second site is on the outer side of the wearable garment, and wherein the end of the bridging substrate at the second site has been folded around an edge of the garment so that the bridging substrate overlaps the outer side of the garment as it approaches the second site.

6. The electrical connection of claim 2, wherein the bridging substrate is laminated to the wearable garment.

7. The electrical connection of claim 2, wherein the second site is in a pocket, a flap or a folded flap on the wearable garment.

8. The electrical connection of claim 2, wherein the first site is at an electrical conductor inside the wearable garment and the second site is a designated site on the outer side of the wearable garment, the electrical connection comprising: an electrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging substrate that can be laminated, wherein the electrical conductor inside the wearable garment is an electrical conductor printed on a substrate that can be laminated, wherein one end of the bridging substrate is placed such that the printed conductor at that end of the bridging substrate is in contact with the printed electrical conductor inside the wearable garment and the two substrates inside the wearable garment are laminated in the region of the contact so that the two electrical conductors form an electrical connection, and wherein the other end of the bridging substrate is placed at the designated site.

9. The electrical connection of claim 8, wherein the end of the bridging substrate at the designated site has been passed through an opening in the garment that provides access to the designated site so that the bridging substrate overlaps the outer side of the garment as it approaches the designated site.

10. The electrical connection of claim 8, wherein the end of the bridging substrate at the designated site has been passed through a seam in the garment that provides access to the designated site so that the bridging substrate overlaps the outer side of the garment as it approaches the designated site.

11. The electrical connection of claim 8, wherein the end of the bridging substrate at the designated site has been folded around the edge of the garment so that the bridging substrate overlaps the outer side of the garment as it approaches the designated site.

12. The electrical connection of claim 8, wherein the designated site is in a pocket, a flap or a folded flap on the wearable garment.

13. The electrical connection of claim 8, wherein the bridging substrate is laminated to the wearable garment.

14. The electrical connection of claim 8, wherein the bridging substrate with the printed electrical conductor consists of two or more separate pieces of substrate each with an electrical conductor printed along its length and wherein the printed conductors of neighboring pieces of substrate are placed in contact and neighboring pieces of substrate are laminated together in the regions of contact to achieve the electrical connections of the printed electrical conductors on the two or more pieces of substrate.

15. The electrical connection of claim 2, wherein the wearable garment is a wearable two-layer garment and wherein the first site is inside the inner layer of the wearable two-layer garment and the second site is a designated site between the two layers of the wearable two-layer garment, the electrical connection comprising: an electrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging substrate, wherein the bridging substrate has two ends one of which is at the first site inside the inner layer of the garment and the other end is at the designated site and wherein the other end of the bridging substrate has been passed through an opening or a seam in the inner layer of the wearable two-layer garment that provides access to the designated site between the two layers of the wearable two-layer garment so that the bridging substrate is present between the two layers and the end of the bridging substrate with the electrical conductor printed thereon is placed at the designated site.

16. The electrical connection of claim 15, wherein the bridging substrate with the printed electrical conductor consists of two or more separate pieces of substrate each with an electrical conductor printed along its length and wherein the printed conductors of neighboring pieces of substrate are placed in contact and neighboring pieces of substrate are laminated together in the regions of contact to achieve the electrical connections of the printed electrical conductors on the two or more pieces of substrate.

17. The electrical connection of claim 2, wherein the wearable garment is a wearable two-layer garment and wherein the first site is between the two layers of the wearable two-layer garment and the second site is a designated site is outside of the wearable two-layer garment, the electrical connection comprising: an electrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging substrate, wherein the bridging substrate has two ends one of which is at the first site between the two layers of the wearable two-layer garment and the other end is at the designated site outside the wearable two-layer garment and wherein the other end of the bridging substrate has been passed through an opening or a seam in the outer layer of the two-layer garment that provides access to the designated site outside the wearable two-layer garment so that the bridging substrate overlaps the outer side of the wearable two-layer garment and the end of the bridging substrate with the electrical conductor printed thereon is placed at the designated site.

18. The electrical connection of claim 17, wherein the bridging substrate with the printed electrical conductor consists of two or more separate pieces of substrate each with an electrical conductor printed along its length and wherein the printed conductors of neighboring pieces of substrate are placed in contact and neighboring pieces of substrate are laminated together in the regions of contact to achieve the electrical connections of the printed electrical conductors on the two or more pieces of substrate.

19. The electrical connection of claim 2, wherein the wearable garment is a wearable multi-layer garment and wherein the first site and the second site are separated by one or more layers of the wearable multi-layer garment, the electrical connection comprising: an electrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging substrate, wherein the bridging substrate has two ends one of which is at the first site and the other end is at the second site and wherein the other end of the bridging substrate has been passed through an opening in the one or more layers separating the two sites that provides access to the second site and that end of the bridging substrate with the electrical conductor printed thereon is placed at the second site.

20. The electrical connection of claim 19, wherein the bridging substrate with the printed electrical conductor consists of two or more separate pieces of substrate each with an electrical conductor printed along its length and wherein the printed conductors of neighboring pieces of substrate are placed in contact and neighboring pieces of substrate are laminated together in the regions of contact to achieve the electrical connections of the printed electrical conductors on the two or more pieces of substrate.