Garment with removable electronic devices

• US 20030108217A1
• Filed: 06/12/2001
• Published: 06/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Marmaropoulos, George, Tilbury, Nancy A., Allen, Juliette, Mama, Kyriakos J., Arksey, Jenni L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,792,124 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/388
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/005 with embedded cable or connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2203/0085 Layered switches integrated into garment, clothes or textile
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/023 Transducers incorporated in garment, rucksacks or the like

Abstract

A garment comprises a fabric shell (10) to which a number of electronic devices (12, 14) are removably attached, suitably in respective pockets (16,18). Linking the devices (12, 14) are a pair of electrical conductors (20, 22) with a fabric cover (24) over at least a part of their length. The fabric shell (10) and fabric cover (24) are provided with complementary connectors such as press-studs (26) to enable the fabric cover (24) and conductors (20, 22) to be attached to the garment, and easily removed therefrom for upgrades and/or cleaning of the garment.

Claims

1. A garment comprising a fabric shell to which a plurality of electronic devices are removably attached, with one or more electrical conductors being connectable to at least one of said devices and extending therefrom;

wherein said conductors are provided, over at least a part of their length, with a fabric cover, and said fabric shell and fabric cover are provided with complementary connector means to enable said fabric cover and conductors to be removably attached to said garment.

2. A garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fabric cover includes electrical shielding material.

3. A garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fabric cover is openable to permit the removal or replacement of one or more of said conductors.

4. A garment as claimed in claim 3, wherein the fabric cover is provided with further complementary connectors to enable re-closure following removal or replacement of one or more of said conductors.

5. A garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the complementary connectors comprise press studs.

6. A garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the complementary connectors comprise patches of Velcro™

.

7. A garment as claimed in any of claim 1, wherein the complementary connectors comprise buttons and buttonholes.

8. A garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fabric cover carries cable terminating at one end in a pair of earphones for replaying audio to a wearer of the garment, with the fabric cover being so shaped, and the complementary connectors so positioned, that said one end is attached to a collar portion of the garment.

9. A garment as claimed in claim 8, further comprising retaining means configured to be capable of holding said earphones when not in use.

10. A garment as claimed in claim 8, wherein the fabric cover further carries cable terminating at one end in a microphone, said microphone being attached to the fabric cover at or close to said one end attached to a collar portion of the garment.

11. A garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fabric cover carries external markings indicating to a user how it should be attached to said garment.

12. A garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fabric shell carries markings indicating to a user how the fabric cover should be attached to said garment.

13. A removable cable cover having the technical features of the fabric cover in a garment according to claim 1.