Wearable electronic devices

• US 10,082,830 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2015
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vorbeck Materials
• Original Assignee: Vorbeck Materials
• Inventors: Lettow, John S
• Primary Examiner(s): Cunningham, Xanthia C
• Application Number:
  US15/109,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20160327979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 19/0006 made of several layers of material
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/02 Layered materials characterised by special function or use A41D31/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/56 Heating or ventilating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/06 Rims, e.g. with heating means; Rim covers B62D1/11 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/145 Carbon only, e.g. carbon black, graphite

Abstract

Wearable electronic devices that comprise an article of apparel that comprises at least one electronic or electrical component.

Claims

1. A flexible wearable electronic device comprising:

a flexible article of apparel;

a plurality of components in communication with the flexible article of apparel, each of the plurality of components configured to be flexible;

wherein

the plurality of components comprise a display and an input device;

at least a portion of the plurality of components are printed on to a surface of the flexible article of apparel using an electrically conductive ink; and

the electrically conductive ink comprises;

a polymeric binder; and

single sheets of graphene that are up to 1 nm thick;

wherein each of the plurality of components are configured to have a radius of curvature of no more than 5 cm when folded.

2. The flexible wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a flexible backplane.

3. The flexible wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein a component of the plurality of components comprises a capacitive device x-y grid.

4. The flexible wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the single sheets of graphene include atomic scale kinks.

5. The flexible wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive ink is transparent.

6. A method to fabricate a flexible wearable electronic device, comprising:

adhering a plurality of components on to a surface of a flexible article of apparel each of the plurality of components configured to be flexible; and

wherein

the plurality of components comprise a display and an input device; and

adhering the plurality of components comprises printing at least a portion of the plurality of components using an electrically conductive ink comprising a polymeric binder and single sheets of graphene each having a thickness of up to 1 nm;

wherein printing the component comprises printing the component to have a radius of curvature of no more than 5 cm when folded.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein printing the component comprises printing a backplane for the display on the surface.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein printing the component comprises printing an x-y grid for the input device on the surface.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the single sheets of graphene comprise atomic scale kinks.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the electrically conductive ink is transparent.