Patents by Inventor Thomas Micka
Thomas Micka has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20100094146Abstract: A system and method for monitoring blood pressure of a wearer has an inflatable arm cuff that is selectably inflatable to differing air pressures that incorporates a fabric having both a light transmission property and a light reflection property when the fabric is illuminated with light having wavelength(s) in the range from about 400 to about 2200 nanometers. A radiation source and a detector are attached to the fabric in relative positions such that the reception of incident radiation by the detector is directly affected by a change in the amount of light transmitted through the fabric relative to the amount of light reflected by the fabric as the fabric stretches in response to motion in the body of a wearer due to changes in the flow of blood through an artery disposed beneath the fabric occurring in consonance with variations in the air pressure within the inflatable cuff.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2009Publication date: April 15, 2010Applicant: TEXTRONICS, INC.Inventors: George W. Coulston, Thomas A. Micka
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Patent number: 7665288Abstract: Energy active composite yarns include at least one textile fiber member of either an elastic or inelastic material, and at least one functional substantially planar filament, which surrounds or covers the textile fiber member. The composite yarns can include an optional stress-bearing member, which also surrounds or covers the textile fiber member. The composite yarns may be multifunctional, meaning the functional substantially planar filament can exhibit combinations of electrical, optical, magnetic, mechanical, chemical, semiconductive, and/or thermal energy properties.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2008Date of Patent: February 23, 2010Assignee: Textronics, Inc.Inventors: Eleni Karayianni, George W. Coulston, Thomas A. Micka
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Patent number: 7641616Abstract: A system and method for monitoring blood pressure of a wearer has an inflatable arm cuff that is selectably inflatable to differing air pressures that incorporates a fabric having both a light transmission property and a light reflection property when the fabric is illuminated with light having wavelength(s) in the range from about 400 to about 2200 nanometers. A radiation source and a detector are attached to the fabric in relative positions such that the reception of incident radiation by the detector is directly affected by a change in the amount of light transmitted through the fabric relative to the amount of light reflected by the fabric as the fabric stretches in response to motion in the body of a wearer due to changes in the flow of blood through an artery disposed beneath the fabric occurring in consonance with variations in the air pressure within the inflatable cuff.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2008Date of Patent: January 5, 2010Assignee: Textronics Inc.Inventors: George W. Coulston, Thomas A. Micka
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Patent number: 7560671Abstract: The invention provides a laminate construction for heating or warming with one or more electrically conductive patterns of conductive ink or paste formed on a first confronting surface of an insulating sheet, where each pattern is connected by one or more conductive elements (bus wires), and where each pattern and the conductive elements are between the confronting surfaces of insulating sheets. The laminate may include one or more stretch and recovery elements to cause the laminate to be more adaptable for securing about any three dimensional body. The laminate with heating elements therein may be incorporated into garments or other wearables or into warming textile structures (pads and blankets).Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2006Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignee: Textronics, Inc.Inventors: Brian Wheeler, Joseph Gormley, Thomas A. Micka
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Publication number: 20090159149Abstract: A surface functional electro-textile fabric incorporates energy-active, electrically conductive or optically conductive fibers and nonconductive fibers in a woven or knitted textile fabric. The weave or knit pattern is selected so as to form floats of the electrically conductive fibers on at least one surface of the electro-textile fabric. The electro-textile fabric can be incorporated into an antenna structure that interacts with high frequency electromagnetic radiation, particularly in the frequency range of DC to 100 GHz.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2009Publication date: June 25, 2009Applicant: TEXTRONICS, INC.Inventors: Eleni Karayianni, Eduardo Munoz, George W. Coulston, Stacey B. Burr, Thomas A. Micka
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Publication number: 20090139601Abstract: A functional elastic composite yarn comprises an elastic member that is surrounded by at least one functional covering filament(s). The functional covering filament has a length that is greater than the drafted length of the elastic member such that substantially all of an elongating stress imposed on the composite yarn is carried by the elastic member. The elastic composite yarn may further include an optional stress-bearing member surrounding the elastic member and the functional covering filament.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2005Publication date: June 4, 2009Applicant: TEXTRONICS, INC.Inventors: Eleni Karayianni, George W. Coulston, Stacey B. Burr, Thomas A. Micka
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Publication number: 20090112079Abstract: Textile-based electrodes include a fabric portion having stretch-recovery non-conductive yarns and an electrically conductive region having stretch-recovery electrically conductive yarn filaments. The electrodes can further include float yarns and can be configured in a textured or ribbed construction. When incorporated into a garment, the electrodes can be used to monitor biophysical characteristics, such as the garment wearer's heart rate.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 31, 2008Publication date: April 30, 2009Applicant: TEXTRONICS, INC.Inventors: Qaizar N. Hassonjee, Juan Cera, Robert-Michael Bartecki, Thomas A. Micka, Claudia Schultze, Stacey B. Burr, Eleni Karayianni
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Patent number: 7474910Abstract: Textile-based electrodes include a fabric portion having stretch-recovery non-conductive yarns and an electrically conductive region having stretch-recovery electrically conductive yarn filaments. The electrodes can further include float yarns and can be configured in a textured or ribbed construction. When incorporated into a garment, the electrodes can be used to monitor biophysical characteristics, such as the garment wearer's heart rate.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2007Date of Patent: January 6, 2009Assignee: Textronics Inc.Inventors: Qaizar N. Hassonjee, Juan Cera, Robert-Michael Bartecki, Thomas A. Micka, Claudia Schultze, Stacey B. Burr, Eleni Karayianni
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Patent number: 7413802Abstract: Energy active composite yarns include at least one textile fiber member of either an elastic or inelastic material, and at least one functional substantially planar filament, which surrounds or covers the textile fiber member. The composite yarns can include an optional stress-bearing member, which also surrounds or covers the textile fiber member. The composite yarns may be multifunctional, meaning the functional substantially planar filament can exhibit combinations of electrical, optical, magnetic, mechanical, chemical, semiconductive, and/or thermal energy properties.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2005Date of Patent: August 19, 2008Assignee: Textronics, Inc.Inventors: Eleni Karayianni, George W. Coulston, Thomas A. Micka
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Publication number: 20080177188Abstract: A system and method for monitoring blood pressure of a wearer has an inflatable arm cuff that is selectably inflatable to differing air pressures that incorporates a fabric having both a light transmission property and a light reflection property when the fabric is illuminated with light having wavelength(s) in the range from about 400 to about 2200 nanometers. A radiation source and a detector are attached to the fabric in relative positions such that the reception of incident radiation by the detector is directly affected by a change in the amount of light transmitted through the fabric relative to the amount of light reflected by the fabric as the fabric stretches in response to motion in the body of a wearer due to changes in the flow of blood through an artery disposed beneath the fabric occurring in consonance with variations in the air pressure within the inflatable cuff.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2008Publication date: July 24, 2008Inventors: George W. Coulston, Thomas A. Micka
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Publication number: 20080176073Abstract: Energy active composite yarns include at least one textile fiber member of either an elastic or inelastic material, and at least one functional substantially planar filament, which surrounds or covers the textile fiber member. The composite yarns can include an optional stress-bearing member, which also surrounds or covers the textile fiber member. The composite yarns may be multifunctional, meaning the functional substantially planar filament can exhibit combinations of electrical, optical, magnetic, mechanical, chemical, semiconductive, and/or thermal energy properties.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2008Publication date: July 24, 2008Applicant: TEXTRONICS, INC.Inventors: Eleni Karayianni, George W. Coulston, Thomas A. Micka
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Patent number: 7381187Abstract: A system and method for monitoring blood pressure of a wearer has an inflatable arm cuff that is selectably inflatable to differing air pressures that incorporates a fabric having both a light transmission property and a light reflection property when the fabric is illuminated with light having wavelength(s) in the range from about 400 to about 2200 nanometers. A radiation source and a detector are attached to the fabric in relative positions such that the reception of incident radiation by the detector is directly affected by a change in the amount of light transmitted through the fabric relative to the amount of light reflected by the fabric as the fabric stretches in response to motion in the wearer's body due to changes in the flow of blood through an artery disposed beneath the fabric occurring in consonance with variations in the air pressure within the inflatable cuff.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2004Date of Patent: June 3, 2008Assignee: Textronics, Inc.Inventors: George W. Coulston, Thomas A. Micka
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Publication number: 20080083743Abstract: The invention provides a laminate construction for heating or warming with one or more electrically conductive patterns of conductive ink or paste formed on a first confronting surface of an insulating sheet, where each pattern is connected by one or more conductive elements (bus wires), and where each pattern and the conductive elements are between the confronting surfaces of insulating sheets. The laminate may include one or more stretch and recovery elements to cause the laminate to be more adaptable for securing about any three dimensional body. The laminate with heating elements therein may be incorporated into garments or other wearables or into warming textile structures (pads and blankets).Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2006Publication date: April 10, 2008Applicant: TEXTRONICS, INC.Inventors: Brian Wheeler, Joseph Gormley, Thomas A. Micka
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Publication number: 20080045808Abstract: Textile-based electrodes include a fabric portion having stretch-recovery non-conductive yarns and an electrically conductive region having stretch-recovery electrically conductive yarn filaments. The electrodes can further include float yarns and can be configured in a textured or ribbed construction. When incorporated into a garment, the electrodes can be used to monitor biophysical characteristics, such as the garment wearer's heart rate.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2007Publication date: February 21, 2008Applicant: TEXTRONICS INC.Inventors: Qaizar Hassonjee, Juan Cera, Robert-Michael Bartecki, Thomas Micka, Claudia Schultze, Stacey Burr, Eleni Karayianni
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Patent number: 7308294Abstract: Textile-based electrodes include a fabric portion having stretch-recovery non-conductive yarns and an electrically conductive region having stretch-recovery electrically conductive yarn filaments. The electrodes can further include float yarns and can be configured in a textured or ribbed construction. When incorporated into a garment, the electrodes can be used to monitor biophysical characteristics, such as the garment wearer's heart rate.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2005Date of Patent: December 11, 2007Assignee: Textronics Inc.Inventors: Qaizar N. Hassonjee, Juan Cera, Robert-Michael Bartecki, Thomas A. Micka, Claudia Schultze, Stacey B. Burr, Eleni Karayianni
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Publication number: 20070042179Abstract: Energy active composite yarns include at least one textile fiber member of either an elastic or inelastic material, and at least one functional substantially planar filament, which surrounds or covers the textile fiber member. The composite yarns can include an optional stress-bearing member, which also surrounds or covers the textile fiber member. The composite yarns may be multifunctional, meaning the functional substantially planar filament can exhibit combinations of electrical, optical, magnetic, mechanical, chemical, semiconductive, and/or thermal energy properties.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2005Publication date: February 22, 2007Inventors: Eleni Karayianni, George Coulston, Thomas Micka
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Publication number: 20060281382Abstract: A surface functional electro-textile fabric incorporates energy-active, electrically conductive or optically conductive fibers and nonconductive fibers in a woven or knitted textile fabric. The weave or knit pattern is selected so as to form floats of the electrically conductive fibers on at least one surface of the electro-textile fabric. The electro-textile fabric can be incorporated into an antenna structure that interacts with high frequency electromagnetic radiation, particularly in the frequency range of DC to 100 GHz.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 2005Publication date: December 14, 2006Inventors: Eleni Karayianni, Eduardo Munoz, George Coulston, Stacey Burr, Thomas Micka
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Publication number: 20060211934Abstract: Textile-based electrodes include a fabric portion having stretch-recovery non-conductive yarns and an electrically conductive region having stretch-recovery electrically conductive yarn filaments. The electrodes can further include float yarns and can be configured in a textured or ribbed construction. When incorporated into a garment, the electrodes can be used to monitor biophysical characteristics, such as the garment wearer's heart rate.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2005Publication date: September 21, 2006Inventors: Qaizar Hassonjee, Juan Cera, Robert-Michael Bartecki, Thomas Micka, Claudia Schultze, Stacey Burr, Eleni Karayianni
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Publication number: 20050277837Abstract: A system and method for monitoring blood pressure of a wearer has an inflatable arm cuff that is selectably inflatable to differing air pressures that incorporates a fabric having both a light transmission property and a light reflection property when the fabric is illuminated with light having wavelength(s) in the range from about 400 to about 2200 nanometers. A radiation source and a detector are attached to the fabric in relative positions such that the reception of incident radiation by the detector is directly affected by a change in the amount of light transmitted through the fabric relative to the amount of light reflected by the fabric as the fabric stretches in response to motion in the wearer's body due to changes in the flow of blood through an artery disposed beneath the fabric occurring in consonance with variations in the air pressure within the inflatable cuff.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2004Publication date: December 15, 2005Applicant: INVISTA North America S.a.r.I.Inventors: George Coulston, Thomas Micka