Knit Goods with Moisture Sensor

• US 20110132040A1
• Filed: 11/11/2010
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kunert Fashion GmbH & Co., KG
• Original Assignee: Kunert Fashion GmbH & Co., KG
• Inventors: Oertel, Mike, JAHN, Michael, Franke, Claudia-Susanne, Meier, Klaus, Von Riedheim, Wolfgang
• Granted Patent: US 8,171,755 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 66/202
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/16 synthetic threads
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/225 Elongated tubular articles of small diameter, e.g. coverings or reinforcements for cables or hoses
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/243 upper parts of panties; pants
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/02 Moisture-responsive characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/16 antistatic; conductive
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/02431 with electronic components, e.g. sensors or switches

Abstract

A knit fabric comprising a knit base containing at least one thread of a material, said thread changing its electrical resistance under the influence of moisture, is provided with an incorporated moisture sensor that comprises at least two spaced apart electrically conductive electrodes. Rows or columns of stitches of the knit base are located between the electrodes. Each of the electrodes contains at least one electrically conductive thread that is knit together with the knit base and that is in electrical connection with electrical connecting means (16) that are accessible from the outside.

Claims

1. Knit fabric comprising a knit base containing at least one thread (6) of a material, said thread changing its electrical properties under the influence of moisture, and comprising an incorporated moisture sensor (5) that comprises at least two spaced apart electrically conductive electrodes (7), between which are located stitch rows or stitch columns of the knit base and which contain, respectively, at least one electrically conductive thread (8) that is knitted together with the knit base and is in electrical connection with electrical connecting means (16) that are accessible from the outside.

2. Knit fabric as in claim 1, characterized in that an electrode (7) comprises at least one part (80) extending in stitch column direction of the knit base, at least one electrically conductive thread (8) being knitted into said part.

3. Knit fabric as in claim 1, characterized in that an electrode (7) has at least one part (10) extending in stitch row direction of the knit base, at least one electrically conductive thread (8) being knitted into said part.

4. Knit fabric as in claim 3, characterized in that at least two electrodes (7) extend in a comb-like manner, said electrodes having a first part (80) extending in stitch column direction and second parts (10) extending therefrom in stitch row direction, and that the second parts (10) of the two electrodes are arranged so as to mesh with each other.

5. Knit fabric as in claim 2, characterized in that he part (80) of the electrode that extends in stitch column direction is at least in parts formed by stitches, in which stitches an electrically conductive thread (8) is incorporated by knitting and which are connected with each other.

6. Knit fabric as in claim 5, characterized in that individual thread pieces of an electrically conductive thread (8) are knitted into the stitches of at least one stitch column of the electrode part extending in stitch column direction, and that the thread pieces of adjacent stitches in the stitch assembly are in electrical contact with each other.

7. Knit fabric as in claim 1, characterized in that the electrically conductive thread (8) is plated—

at least in the region of the respective electrode—

to a base thread (6) of the knit base.

8. Knit fabric as in claim 1, characterized in that the electrodes (7), at least partially, contain stitches into which the electrically conductive thread (8) has been knitted and which are combined with the knit base by intarsia technique.

9. Knit fabric as in claim 1, characterized in that the electrically conductive thread (8) is positioned floating over at least one stitch in stitch column direction or in stitch row direction.

10. Knit fabric as in claim 1, characterized in that said knit fabric is part of a garment.

11. Knit fabric as in claim 10, characterized in that the garment is a pair of pants (1) in which the knit fabric with the incorporated moisture sensor (5) is provided in the crotch region (4).

12. Knit fabric as in claim 11, characterized in that, in the crotch region, the knit fabric with the incorporated moisture sensor (5) is covered, at least on one side, by a moisture-permeable textile material (4a, 4b).

13. Knit fabric as in claim 1, characterized in that the electrical connecting means comprise electrical lines (16) connected with the electrically conductive threads (8) of the electrodes (7).

14. Knit fabric as in claim 13, characterized in that an electrical line contains a flexible, electrically conductive yarn (18) around which an electrically insulating yarn (19) is knit.

15. Knit fabric as in claim 14, characterized in that at least two lines, respectively, consisting of an electrically conductive yarn (18) and its knit sheath (19) of electrically insulating yarn forming a bendable multi-lead textile cable, are enclosed together in a protective knit sheath (20).

16. Knit fabric as in claim 14, characterized in that the electrical line (16) is sewn to the respective electrode.

17. Knit fabric as in claim 14, characterized in that the electrically conductive yarn (18) of the electrical line (16) is knotted to the electrically conductive thread (18) of the respective electrode (7).

18. Knit fabric as in claim 13, characterized in that the electrical line (16) is connected with the respective electrode by means of a hook-and-loop fastener (21).

19. Knit fabric as in claim 1, characterized in that the electrodes (7) contain, as the electrically conductive thread, at least one electrically conductive textile yarn (18), said yarn being led as the electrical connecting means out of the knit fabric and being sheathed by a knit electrically insulating yarn (20) in the region located outside the knit fabric.