Textile article having electrically conductive portions and method for producing the same

Abstract

A textile garment in the form of a bra or ladies top is produced from a knitted component (11) formed using a circular knitting technique, with the component (11) formed as one piece comprising a first part (11a) and a second part (11b), the shape of the second part (11b) being generally a mirror image of the shape of first part (11a) when viewed with respect to a dividing line (12) disposed half way along the tubular construction. The knitted construction is produced from yarns which are electrically insulative. However, two regions of the knitted construction (11) include electrically conductive yarns to form electrodes (15). Conductive yarn is also used to produce conductive tracking (16) leading from each electrode (15). The second part (11b) is lifted up to fold the knitted construction at dividing line (12) such that the second part (11b) forms an outer layer while the first part (11a) forms an inner layer. Thus the conductive electrode forming regions (15) become part of the inner layer, where they are electrically insulated by the outer layer.

Description

The present invention relates to textile articles, in particular to textile articles having electrically conductive portions, and methods for providing such textile articles.

The integration into garments or the like of electrical or electronic components is of interest to the so called “wearable electronics” community and for health monitoring and treatment applications. Providing wiring in a garment is not necessarily the most elegant solution since the provision of such wiring can detract from the look or hang of a garment. Furthermore, providing wiring and associated connectors in garments or the like usually involves techniques which are not common place in the garment instruction industry.

One approach to address some of the above concerns is to include conductive yarns in the textiles of a garment itself to provide conductive tracking and the like. Such tracking usually needs to be insulated or hidden in particular regions and this may be done by providing further layers of textile in a traditional “cut and sew” approach. Such an approach can modify the look or hang of the garment in an undesirable way and leads to further labour and cost during production.

It is an object of the present invention to at least partially address the above mentioned problems.

In accordance with the first aspect of the present invention there is provided a textile article comprising two or more at least partially overlapping layers, a first one of the layers having a portion which includes electrically conductive material and a second one of the layers having a portion which includes electrically insulative material, wherein the portion including electrically insulative material is disposed adjacent the portion including the electrically conductive material to at least partially cover and thus serve to electrically insulate the portion including electrically conductive material. The first one and second one of the layers may be formed of a common integral component folded to provide an overlapping region.

The first and second one of the layers may be of knitted construction. In this case, the layers may be the product of a circular knitting technique. Where a circular knitting technique is employed, the first one and the second one of the layers may be formed from a component which is of generally tubular shape, the component being subsequently folded to tuck one portion of the component within another portion of the component to provide, respectively, an inner tubular section forming the first one layer and an outer tubular section forming the second one layer.

Thus it is possible to provide an article having conductive tracking or electrodes included in a one knitted layer to be insulated by another adjacent layer merely by knitting a component to the required pattern and performing minimal post knitting work. Such textile articles can potentially be produced with a lower manufacturing cost than would be the case for articles produced without the benefit of the present invention. Such textile articles can also benefit in terms of look and hang because there is a reduced need to sew together multiple components and therefore allows a simple, comfortable garment with no or few seams to be produced.

These and other aspects of the present invention appear in the appended claims which are incorporated herein by reference and to which the reader is now referred.

The present invention will now be described with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a textile construction for forming a first embodiment of a textile article of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a textile article of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of a portion of textile material;

FIG. 4 is the material of FIG. 3 folded once;

FIG. 5 is the material of FIG. 3 folded twice.

It should be noted that the drawings are diagrammatic and not drawn to scale. Relative dimensions and proportions of parts of the figures have been shown exaggerated or reduced in size for the sake of clarity and convenience in the drawings. The same reference signs are generally used to refer to corresponding or similar features in a different embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1, a textile article 10 is provided by using a circular knitting process (often referred to as a seamless knit) to form a construction 11 that is of generally tubular or cylindrical shape in the direction denoted T. The construction 11 is formed as one piece and comprises a first part 11a and a second part 11b, the shape of the second part 11b being generally a mirror image of the shape of the first part 11a when viewed with respect to a dividing line 12 disposed generally half way along the tubular construction. The textile article 10 of this example is a bra or ladies top, and although the construction is described as being generally tubular, the diameter of the construction can be varied as required at different areas by selectively using different stitch construction and/or by introducing resiliently extendible yarns (such as elastaine). The knit pattern may be controlled to produce openings such as 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b as will be appreciated by the person skilled in the art. The knitted construction 11 is produced from one or more yarns which are generally electrically insulative. However, two regions 15 of the knitted construction 11 include electrically conductive yarn to render these regions electrically conductive. These regions serve as electrodes for detecting electrical signals of a wearer associated with their pulse. The regions 15 are provided in a part of the knitted construction such that when the garment 10 is worn the electrically conductive regions each contact the wearers skin at a location below each bust towards the lower part of the rib cage. In practice, the electrodes may contact the wearer's skin at a other locations, providing appropriate electrical signals may still be detected, as will be known to the person skilled in the art.

The electrically conductive regions are an integral part of the knitted construction 11 and are defined by splicing in conductive yarn as required. Splicing refers to the selective introduction of yarns in a region of the knit. Each conductive electrode forming region 15 is provided with electrically connected knitted conductive tracking 16 leading therefrom allowing signals detected by electrode forming regions 15 to be communicated to means for further processing of the signal, such as amplification and transmission, as the case may be. Conductive tracking 16 may be provided in the same or similar manner as that employed for producing the conductive electrode forming regions 15.

Once the knitted construction stage 11 has been completed, the second part 11b is lifted up to fold the knitted construction at dividing line 12, such that the second part 11b forms an outer layer of article 10 while the first part 11a forms an inner layer of article 10. Opening 13a is aligned with opening 13b to form a first armhole and opening 14a is aligned with opening 14b to form a second armhole. The inner and outer layer formed by first part 11a and second part 1b may be held in position with respect to each other by stitching, shown in FIG. 2 as broken lines denoted 17. However, this adjoining is not mandatory and other techniques for holding the inner and outer layers in the required relationship with respect to each other are possible.

Silicon may be arranged around the periphery of the regions 15 of electrically conductive yarn to provide additional grip between the garment in this region and a wearer's skin. Such additional grip reduces movement of the sensing electrodes in the electrode forming regions 15 and the skin, with a reduction in movement resulting in a reduction of movement induced electrical noise appearing in signals provided by electrodes. It has been observed that an amount of electrically conductive moisture present in the vicinity of the centre of electrodes, in this case in the form of the knitted regions 15, improves the sensing of electrical signals associated with user pulse. Therefore silicon may be provided so as to encourage perspiration in the vicinity of the sensing electrodes, or retain moisture in those electrode regions. In one arrangement, silicon is deposited on the inner layer of the bra to form channels, such that during use perspiration of a user is guided by the channels into the vicinity of the electrodes. Silicon may be deposited on the inner layer of the bra to form channels, such that during use perspiration of a user is guided by the channels away from the vicinity of the tracking. In one specific arrangement, during use, perspiration produced in the area under the bust is guided by plurality of channels under the influence of gravity towards the electrodes. The channels are formed by a plurality of silicon ribs positioned on the inner surface of inner layer 11a, pressing against a users skin.

The garment may be given further shape inducing treatment through application of so called “boarding” or “shaping” where the garment is held in the shape required while heat is applied; the heat causes the garment to retain the shape. Other garment construction techniques may also be applied as will be apparent to the persons skilled in the art.

The formation of inner and outer layers by first part 11a and second part 11b, respectively results in the conductive electrode forming regions 15 becoming part of the inner layer, but shielded from external view and contact by the outer layer. This is indicated in FIG. 2 by showing the conductive electrode forming regions 15 with broken lines.

It will be apparent to the person skilled in the art the practice of producing an item by forming a textile construction with selective conductive and insulative regions and then folding that construction accordingly to allow the conductive regions to be selectively exposed or shielded allows a large number of arrangements to be produced. For example, a layer containing electrically conductive tracking can be insulated from a person's skin by providing an insulating layer disposed to hold a conductive tracking away from the skin. This insulating layer may be provided in a printing stage which deposits electrically insulating material. Furthermore, electrically conductive regions may be provided in a printing stage, which deposits electrically conductive material.

The above example describes a textile item produced by folding a construction once to produce inner and outer layers. This is illustrated schematically with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. A portion of textile material 30 is produced with an electrically conductive region 32 surrounded by electrically insulating regions 31a, 31b. This may be folded to a folded state as shown in FIG. 4 such that portion 31a shields electrically conducted portion 32 on one side. However, the present invention is not limited to folding the textile construction only once; one or more folds may be formed. This is illustrated with reference to FIG. 5 where the portion of textile material 30 is folded twice in serpentine fashion such that first insulating portion 31a shields a one side of electrically conducted portion 32 and second insulating portion 31b shields the other side of electrically conductive portion 32. Hence electrically conductive portion 32 is completely shielded by electrically insulative portions 31.

Yarns may be monofiliment of multifilament. Insulating regions may comprise a one or more type of yarn. Conductive regions may comprise of one or more type of yarn. Conductive regions may include electrically conductive and electrically insulative yarns. Suitable conductive yarn materials include carbon fibre conductive polymers, or polymers otherwise having a conductive property due to their composition. Other suitable conducting materials include insulators such as polyamide coated with conductors, for example coatings of copper, aluminium, gold and silver. Plating techniques include electroless plating. Yarns may be of metal. Suitable insulating materials include nylon, polyamide, acetate, cotton and wool. In fact any suitable textile materials may be used irrespective of whether they are natural or man made providing they can be processed to form an article of the present invention.

The present invention has been described with specific reference to an embodiment in the form of a bra or ladies top. However, this is by example and in fact the textile article may adopt other forms, including a gents top; some other garment, clothing accessory, health monitoring device, health care treatment device, sports training product, wearable computing arrangement or component for use in one or more of those products without departing from the scope of the present invention.

From reading the present disclosure, other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. Such modifications may involve other features which are already known in the design manufacture and use of textile articles such as garments, clothing accessories, health monitoring or treatment devices, sports training products, wearable computer arrangements and applications thereof, and which may be used instead of or in addition to features already described herein.

Claims

1. A textile article (10) comprising two or more at least partially overlapping layers, a first one of the layers (11a) having a portion (15, 32) which includes electrically conductive material and a second one of the layers (11b) having a portion (11b, 31) which includes electrically insulative material, wherein the portion (31) including electrically insulative material is disposed adjacent the portion (32) including the electrically conductive material to at least partially cover and thus serve to electrically insulate the portion including electrically conductive material.

2. A textile article (10) according to claim 1 wherein the first one and the second one the layers are formed of a common integral component (11) folded to provide an overlapping region.

3. A textile article (10) in accordance with claim 1 or 2 wherein the first one and the second one of the layers are of knitted construction.

4. A textile article (10) in accordance with claim 3 wherein the layers are the product of a circular knitting technique.

5. A textile article in accordance with claim 4 wherein the first one and the second one of the layers are formed from a component (11) which is of generally tubular shape, the component being subsequently folded to tuck one portion (11a) of the component within another portion (11b) of the component to provide, respectively, an inner tubular section forming the first one layer and an outer tubular section forming the second one layer.

6. A textile article in accordance with claim 5, wherein the portion (32) which includes electrically conductive material forms an electrode (15).

7. A textile article in accordance with any one or more of claims 1 to 6 wherein the portion (32) which includes electrically conductive material forms conductive tracking (16).

8. A textile article in accordance with any one or more of claims 1 to 7 wherein a textile article (10) is one of a garment, clothing accessory, health monitoring device, health care treatment device, sports training product, wearable computing arrangement, or a component for use in one or more of those products.

9. A method of making a textile article having the technical features of any one or more of claims 1 to 8.

10. A method of providing a textile article (10) comprising two or more at least partially overlapping layers, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a first layer (11a) having a portion (15, 32) which includes electrically conductive material;

providing a second layer (11b) having a portion which includes electrically insulative material;

arranging said layers such that the portion including the electrically insulative material is disposed adjacent to the portion (32) including the electrically conductive material to at least partially cover and thus serve to electrically insulate the portion including electrically conductive material.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the first one and the second one of the layers are formed by folding a common integral component (11) to provide an overlapping region.

12. A method according to claim 10 or 11 wherein the first one and the second one of the layers are provided as a knitted construction.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein the first one and the second one of the layers are provided by performing a circular knitting technique.

14. A method according to claim 12 or 13 and further comprising the steps of forming the first one and the second one of the layers from a component (11) which is of generally tubular shape; and folding the components to tuck one portion (11a) of the component within another portion (11b) of the component to provide, respectively, an inner tubular section forming the first one layer and an outer tubular section forming the second one layer.