VERTICAL CONDUCTIVE TEXTILE TRACES AND METHODS OF KNITTING THEREOF

• US 20150305676A1
• Filed: 11/23/2013
• Published: 10/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HealthWatch Ltd
• Original Assignee: HealthWatch Ltd
• Inventors: Shoshani, Boaz, Ben David, Renen
• Granted Patent: US 10,070,815 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/1281 with incorporated means for medical monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0215 Silver or silver chloride containing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/125 characterised by the manufacture of electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6805 Vests
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/16 synthetic threads
• 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: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt

Abstract

A method for knitting a garment having a tubular form, including knitting at least one vertical conductive textile trace on a machine having N participating feeders and M needles. The method includes the steps of continuously knitting the tubular form with one or more flexible non-conductive base yarns, and knitting the vertical conductive textile trace integrally within the tubular form, using a conductive yarn, in addition to spandex yarns, but not the base yarns. The conductive yarn is knitted in a float-loop form by knitting a stitch and skipping over y needles, as follows: repeatably knitting a line segment L_k, using feeder F_i and starting at needle D₁; and knitting line segment L_k+1, using the next feeder and start stitching the first float-loop at needle D₁+s where 0<s<y.

Claims

1-5. -5. (canceled)

6. A knitted smart garment, the garment comprising:

a) a sensing device for sensing an electrical vital signal;

b) a tubular form having a first multiplicity of knitted lines, wherein each said line is knitted with at least one flexible, non-conductive yarn; and

c) at least one conductive vertical trace adapted to transmit said signal vertically across said line segments to a target electric device, said at least one conductive vertical trace has a second multiplicity of vertically-aligned knitted line segments, wherein each said segment is knitted within said knitted lines with at least one flexible, non-conductive yarn and a conductive yarn, and wherein each said line segment has a third multiplicity of float loops, wherein said third multiplicity of float loops is configured to provide the conductivity needed to further transmit a received electrical signal from said sensing device.

7. The garment of claim 6, wherein said electrical vital signal is a clinical-level ECG signal.

8. The garment of claim 6, wherein said target electric device is a processing unit.

9. The garment of claim 6, wherein a first float loop in a first segment of said knitted line segments begins in a given stitching position, and wherein an immediately-subsequent float loop in each subsequent said segment is vertically aligned in a shifting position with respect to an immediately-preceding said segment.

10. The garment of claim 9, wherein said shifting position is adapted to create a suitable knitting density of said third multiplicity of float loops, and wherein said suitable knitting density is adapted to provide good electrical conductivity vertically across said second multiplicity of knitted line segments.

11. The garment of claim 6, wherein said at least one conductive vertical trace is knitted with a density that is adapted to sustain good conductivity stretching said tubular form.

12. A method for knitting a smart garment, the method comprising the steps of:

a) knitting a tubular form having a first multiplicity of knitted lines, and wherein each said line is knitted with at least one non-conductive yarn; and

b) knitting at least one conductive vertical trace for operatively connecting said sensing device with a processing unit, wherein said at least one conductive vertical trace has;

i. a second multiplicity of vertically-aligned knitted line segments, wherein each said segment is knitted within said knitted lines with a non-conductive yarn and a conductive yarn; and

ii. a third multiplicity of float loops, wherein said third multiplicity of float loops is configured to further transmit a received electrical signal from said sensing device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said electrical vital signal is a clinical-level ECG signal.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said target electric device is a processing unit.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein a first float loop in a first segment of said knitted line segments begins in a given stitching position, and wherein an immediately-subsequent float loop in each subsequent said segment is vertically aligned in a shifting position with respect to an immediately-preceding said segment.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said shifting position is adapted to create a suitable knitting density of said third multiplicity of float loops, and wherein said suitable knitting density is adapted to provide good electrical conductivity across said second multiplicity of knitted line segments.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein said at least one conductive vertical trace is knitted with a density that is adapted to sustain good conductivity stretching said tubular form.