Textile articles and systems for liquid detection

• US 10,101,289 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2016
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Welspun India Limited
• Original Assignee: Welspun India Limited
• Inventors: Goenka, Dipali, Tharakan, Mili, Kodgule, Apurv, Sharma, Rajender
• Primary Examiner(s): MCANDREW, CHRISTOPHER P
• Application Number:
  US15/275,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20170089853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 324694
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/007 permeable to liquid or air in a special way A47C27/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/00 Details or accessories for chairs, beds, or the like, not provided for in other groups of this subclass, e.g. upholstery fasteners, mattress protectors, stretching devices for mattress nets
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 9/00 Bed-covers; Counterpanes; Travelling rugs; Sleeping rugs; Sleeping bags; Pillows loose filling materials for bedding B68G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/029 Humidity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02042 Determining blood loss or bleeding, e.g. during a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6801 specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6892 Mats
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/42 with wetness indicator or alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15056 for the protection for furniture, e.g. car seats, chairs, beds
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/424 having an electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: D02G 3/441 Yarns or threads with antistatic, conductive or radiation-shielding properties electroconductive, anti-static or radiation-shielding filaments D01F1/09, D01F1/106; anti-static fabrics D03D15/533; conducting, insulating or anti-static layers for floor coverings D06N7/0042
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/14 Other fabrics or articles characterised primarily by the use of particular thread materials
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 21/14 Fabrics characterised by the incorporation by knitting, in one or more thread, fleece, or fabric layers, of reinforcing, binding, or decorative threads; Fabrics incorporating small auxiliary elements, e.g. for decorative purposes pile fabrics D04B21/02; non-woven fabrics in general D04H
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 23/16 Processes for the non-uniform application of treating agents, e.g. one-sided treatment; Differential treatment
• CPC Class Codes: D06P 5/30 Ink jet printing
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/02 Moisture-responsive characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/18 including electronic components
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/02431 with electronic components, e.g. sensors or switches
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2503/062 Fitted bedsheets
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/048 for determining moisture content of the material
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10151 : Sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/12 : using thick film techniques, e.g. printing techniques to apply the conductive material or similar techniques for applying conductive paste or ink patterns

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for detecting liquid in a textile article using one or more flexible sensors integrated in the textile article. The sensor data is forwarded to a computing device via a communication link by an interface element associated with the textile article. The computing device detects a location of liquid in the textile article proximate to the one or more flexible sensors based on a determination that a criterion is met.

Claims

1. A system configured to detect liquid in a bed, the system comprising:

at least one textile article configured to be positioned on a bed, the textile article having;

a face;

a back opposite to the face;

a textile material that extends from the face to the back;

a barrier component that defines at least a portion of the back, wherein the barrier component is configured to inhibit moisture from traveling through the back of the textile article;

at least one flexible sensor that includes a conductive element that is integrated with the textile material so that the conductive element is disposed at least partially on the face of the textile article; and

an interface element that is electrically connected to the at least one flexible sensor, wherein

     1) the at least one flexible sensor obtains sensor data that is indicative of liquid in the textile material that is in contact with the at least one flexible sensor, and

     2) the interface element is configured to forward the sensor data provided by the at least one flexible sensor; and

at least one software application configured for execution by a computer processor that is in electronic communication with the interface element of each of the at least one textile article, wherein the at least one software application is configured to, in response to receiving sensor data from the plurality of textile articles, a) determine if the sensor data indicates that a criterion is met for one or more of the plurality of textile articles, b) based on the determination that the criterion is met for the one or more of the plurality of textile articles, determine if a respective one of the at least one flexible sensors is in contact with liquid, and c) identify a pattern among occurrences where the criterion is met, wherein the pattern includes a predicted time that the at least one flexible sensor is likely to be in contact with liquid.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the conductive element is a conductive yarn.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the conductive element is a pattern of conductive inks deposited onto the textile material.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the conductive element is a conductive laminate disposed onto the textile material.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the conductive element is disposed at least partially on the face of the textile article such that no other portion of the textile article extends above the conductive element.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one software application is configured to initiate an alert based on the predicted time that the at least one flexible sensor will likely be in contact with liquid.

5. A system configured to detect liquid, the system comprising:

a textile article having a face, a back opposite to the face, and a textile material that includes at least one textile layer that extends along the face;

at least one flexible sensor that obtains sensor data that is indicative of liquid in the textile material that is in contact with the at least one flexible sensor, wherein the at least one flexible sensor includes a conductive element that is integrated into the textile material so that the conductive element is disposed at least partially along the face of the textile article;

an interface element coupled to the textile article that is electrically connected to the at least one flexible sensor, the interface element comprising a first connector defining a first plurality of contacts, wherein the interface element is configured to forward the sensor data provided by the at least one flexible sensor to a computer processor;

a second connector defining a second plurality of contacts, wherein the second plurality of contacts of the second connector are configured to mate with the first plurality of contacts of the first connector and;

at least one software application configured for execution by the computer processor that is in electronic communication with the interface element, the at least one software application being configured to instruct the interface element to feed an excitation signal to the at least one flexible sensor, such that the excitation signal travels through the at least one flexible sensor,

wherein the at least one software application is configured to, in response to receiving the sensor data from the at least one flexible sensor, a) determine if the sensor data indicates that a criterion is met, b) based on the determination that the criterion is met, determine if a respective one of the at least one flexible sensor is in contact with liquid, c) identify a pattern among occurrences where the criterion is met, wherein the pattern includes a predicted time that the at least one flexible sensor is likely to be in contact with liquid.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first plurality of contacts of the first connector and the second plurality of contacts of the second connector each include a first contact configured for power transmission and a second contact configured for data transmission, respectively.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one software application is configured to continuously instruct the interface element to feed the excitation signal to the at least one flexible sensor.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one software application is configured to periodically instruct the interface element to feed the excitation signal to the at least one flexible sensor.

11. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one software application is configured to selectively instruct the interface element to feed the excitation signal to the at least one flexible sensor.

12. The system of claim 5, wherein the criterion is based on a propagation time of the excitation signal through the at least one flexible sensor.

13. The system of claim 5, wherein the criterion is based on a phase of the excitation signal after propagating through the at least one flexible sensor.

14. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one software application is configured to initiate an alert based on the predicted time that the at least one flexible sensor will likely be in contact with liquid.

15. A system configured to detect liquid, the system comprising:

a textile article having a face, a back opposite to the face, and a textile material that defines the face;

at least one flexible sensor that obtains sensor data that is indicative of liquid in the textile material that is in contact with the at least one flexible sensor, wherein the at least one flexible sensor includes a conductive element that is integrated into the textile material so that the conductive element is disposed at least partially along the face of the textile article;

an interface element coupled to the textile article and that is electrically connected to the at least one flexible sensor; and

at least one software application configured for execution by a computer processor that is in electronic communication with the interface element, the at least one software application being configured to, in response to receiving sensor data from the textile article, a) determine if the sensor data indicates that a criterion is met, b) based on the determination that the criterion is met, determine if a respective one of the at least one flexible sensor is in contact with liquid, c) identify a pattern among occurrences that the criterion is met, wherein the pattern is a range of times that the at least one flexible sensor is likely to be in contact with liquid, and d) initiate an alert previous to one of the range of times that the at least one flexible sensor will likely be in contact with liquid.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one software application is configured to determine a probability that the criterion will be met within the range of times.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one software application is configured to initiate a notification that the at least one flexible sensor is in contact with liquid.

16. The system of 15, wherein the at least one software application is configured to store in a computer memory the occurrences that the criterion is met.

19. A system configured to detect liquid in a bed, the system comprising:

at least one textile article configured to be positioned on a bed, the textile article having;

a face;

a back opposite to the face;

a textile material that extends from the face to the back;

a barrier component that defines at least a portion of the back, wherein the barrier component is configured to inhibit moisture from traveling through the back of the textile article;

at least one flexible sensor that includes a conductive element that is integrated with the textile material so that the conductive element is disposed at least partially on the face of the textile article; and

an interface element that is electrically connected to the at least one flexible sensor, wherein

     1) the at least one flexible sensor obtains sensor data that is indicative of liquid in the textile material that is in contact with the at least one flexible sensor, and

     2) the interface element is configured to forward the sensor data provided by the at least one flexible sensor; and

at least one software application configured for execution by a computer processor that is in electronic communication with the interface element of each of the at least one textile article, wherein the at least one software application is configured to, in response to receiving sensor data from the plurality of textile articles, a) determine if the sensor data indicates that a criterion is met for one or more of the plurality of textile articles, b) based on the determination that the criterion is met for the one or more of the plurality of textile articles, determine if a respective one of the at least one flexible sensors is in contact with liquid, and c) identify a pattern among occurrences where the criterion is met, wherein the pattern includes a range of times, and d) initiate an alert previous to one of the range of times that the at least one flexible sensor will likely be in contact with liquid.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the conductive element is a conductive yarn.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the conductive yarn includes conductive fibers.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the conductive yarn forms a portion of the textile material.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the conductive element is a pattern of conductive inks deposited onto the textile material.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the conductive element is a conductive laminate disposed onto the textile material.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the criterion is based on an electrical property associated with the at least one flexible sensor.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the electrical property is one of:

a resistance, a voltage, a resonant frequency, and a reactance.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the textile article defines an external perimeter, the interface element being disposed along the external perimeter, the interface element comprising:

a first connector defining a plurality of contacts; and

a second connector defining a plurality of contacts, wherein the plurality of contacts of the second connector are configured to mate with the plurality of contacts of the first connector.

28. The system of claim 19, wherein the conductive element is disposed at least partially along the face of the textile article such that the conductive element is substantially exposed.