Garment with discrete integrally-formed, electrically-conductive region and associated blank and method
First Claim
1. A circularly knit garment, comprising:
- a circularly knit fabric body having an inner surface adapted to be disposed adjacent to a wearer'"'"'s skin when the garment is worn; and
at least one discrete electrically-conductive region formed at the inner surface of the body during the circular knitting thereof in such as manner as to contact the wearer'"'"'s skin when the garment is worn, the at least one electrically-conductive region being comprised of electrically-conductive threads knit into the body such that the electrically-conductive threads at the inner surface are confined to the at least one electrically-conductive region, the at least one electrically-conductive region being further adapted to cooperate with the wearer'"'"'s skin to conduct an electrical signal therebetween.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A circularly knit garment is provided, the garment comprising a circularly knit fabric body having an inner surface adapted to be disposed adjacent to a wearer'"'"'s skin when the garment is worn. The garment further includes at least one discrete electrically-conductive region formed at the inner surface of the body during the circular knitting thereof in such as manner as to contact the wearer'"'"'s skin when the garment is worn. The at least one electrically-conductive region is comprised of electrically-conductive threads, wherein the electrically-conductive threads are knit into the body such that the electrically-conductive threads at the inner surface are confined to the at least one electrically-conductive region. The at least one electrically-conductive region is further adapted to cooperate with the wearer'"'"'s skin to conduct an electrical signal therebetween. An associated blank and a method of making such a garment are also provided.
94 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A circularly knit garment, comprising:
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a circularly knit fabric body having an inner surface adapted to be disposed adjacent to a wearer'"'"'s skin when the garment is worn; and
at least one discrete electrically-conductive region formed at the inner surface of the body during the circular knitting thereof in such as manner as to contact the wearer'"'"'s skin when the garment is worn, the at least one electrically-conductive region being comprised of electrically-conductive threads knit into the body such that the electrically-conductive threads at the inner surface are confined to the at least one electrically-conductive region, the at least one electrically-conductive region being further adapted to cooperate with the wearer'"'"'s skin to conduct an electrical signal therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A circularly knit blank for making a substantially seamless garment, said blank comprising a fabric structure having:
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a first series of courses having an inner surface and an outer surface, the first series of courses beginning at a first end and extending to an opposite second end;
a second series of courses having a first end knitted to the second end of the first series of courses and extending to an opposite second end, the second series of courses having an inner surface adapted to be disposed adjacent to a wearer'"'"'s skin when the garment is worn and an opposing outer surface, one of the inner and outer surfaces of the first series of courses being configured to overlie the outer surface of the second series of courses to create a two-ply fabric structure; and
at least one discrete electrically-conductive region formed at the inner surface of the second series of courses during the circular knitting thereof in such as manner as to contact the wearer'"'"'s skin when the garment is worn, the at least one electrically-conductive region being comprised of electrically-conductive threads knit into the second series of courses such that the electrically-conductive threads at the inner surface of the second series of courses are confined to the at least one electrically-conductive region, the at least one electrically-conductive region being further adapted to cooperate with the wearer'"'"'s skin to conduct an electrical signal therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of making a substantially seamless garment, comprising:
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knitting a tubular blank by;
circularly knitting a first series of courses to form first tubular structure having an inner surface, an outer surface and opposing ends; and
circularly knitting a second series of courses to one of the ends of the first series of courses to form a second tubular structure, the second tubular structure having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface including at least one discrete electrically-conductive region formed therewith during the circular knitting thereof and adapted to contact a wearer'"'"'s skin when the garment is worn, the at least one electrically-conductive region being further adapted to cooperate with the wearer'"'"'s skin to conduct an electrical signal therebetween, the at least one electrically-conductive region being comprised of electrically-conductive threads knit into the second series of courses such that the electrically-conductive threads at the inner surface of the second series of courses are confined to the at least one electrically-conductive region, and the at least one electrically-conductive region further including at least one conductive element extending therefrom, one of the inner and outer surfaces of the first tubular structure being configured to overlie the outer surface of the second tubular structure so as to form a two-ply blank;
cutting the two-ply blank to define peripheral edges of the garment; and
selectively stitching the peripheral edges of the two-ply blank together. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification