Body integral electronics packaging

• US 5,774,338 A
• Filed: 09/20/1996
• Issued: 06/30/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mcdonnell Douglas Corporation (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: Mcdonnell Douglas Corporation (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Wessling, Francis Christopher III
• Primary Examiner(s): SPARKS, DONALD ALAN
• Application Number:
  US08/717,410
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 2/95, 2/93, 2/94, 2/102, 235/462, 235/472, 235/486, 224/222, 224/601, 224/606, 224/930, 224/267, 224/929, 361/724, 361/725, 361/680, 361/684, 361/683, 361/686, 361/679, 361/729, 361/730, 361/731, 361/733, 361/746, 361/807, 361/809, 361/810, 361/826, 361/814, 364/708.1, 345/169, 429/127, 219/497, 219/211, 381/187, 381/24, 381/151, 381/90, 439/894, 439/577, 439/523, 362/103, 362/105, 362/106
• US Class Current: 361/730
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/002 adapted to accommodate electronic equipment patients' garments for medical monitoring A41D13/1281; luminous ornaments A41D27/085
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0012 Professional or protective garments with pockets for particular uses, e.g. game pockets or with holding means for tools or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/93 Attached to animate bearer

Abstract

A body integral electronics package housing is formed of cloth material that simulates a person'"'"'s garment, such as a poncho or vest. The housing contains various pockets to confine various electronic modules, including a front pocket of such size as to overlie the breast and midriff portions of the person'"'"'s torso. The front pocket confines a plurality of rigid electronic modules that are supported within the pocket in a row and column array. The user may twist or turn his torso and bend forward or back and the foregoing array, and the modules do not restrict that movement. Instead, the position of the individual modules independently adjusts to the torso'"'"'s position.

Claims

1. A body integral electronics package for mounting an electronic apparatus upon a human torso, wherein said package comprises:

a garment for installation upon said human torso, wherein said garment includes a front and back panel for at least partially covering torso;

a first pocket located on said front panel for containing said electronic apparatus wherein said pocket substantially covering the area overlying the breasts and midriff sections of said torso;

a second pocket, located on the back panel of said garment, sized to receive a power supply;

an electronic apparatus disposed in said front pocket and comprising a plurality of electronic modules spaced in an array which defines a surface area that covers at least the right and left sides of the chest and midriff area of said torso, said electronic modules of said array being closely spaced together for facilitating fast data transfer between said electronic modules, wherein said electronic apparatus further comprises flexible connecting means for interconnecting said electronic modules such that said electronic modules can move relative to each other, said flexible connecting means directly connecting said electronic modules located on the left side of said chest with electronic modules located on the right side of said chest, said flexible connecting means also directly interconnecting electronic modules on the chest portion with the modules on the midriff portion to thereby allow flexible electrical connection between said electronic modules on the left and right portions of the torso and between said electronic modules on the chest and midriff sections of the torso;

a power supply disposed in said second Pocket for supplying electrical power to said plurality of electronic modules, wherein said power supply is sized independently of said electronic modules such that said power supply can be sized to provide sufficient power to each of the electronic modules of said electronic apparatus.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein said flexible connecting means comprises a laser transceiver means for sending and receiving data between said electronic modules by optical laser transmission.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein said flexible connecting means comprises an infra-red transceiver means for sending and receiving data between said electronic modules by infra-red transmission.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein said array comprises a first electronic module positioned in the left chest portion of said torso;

a second electronic module positioned in the right chest portion of said torso;

a third electronic module positioned in the left midriff portion of the torso; and

a fourth electronic module located in the right midriff portion of said torso, and wherein a first flexible connection means directly electrically interconnects said first and second electronic modules;

a second flexible connection means directly electrically interconnects said third and fourth electronic modules;

a third flexible connection means directly electrically interconnects said first and third electronic modules; and

a fourth flexible connection means directly electrically interconnects said first and third electronic modules such that said four electronic modules are directly electrically interconnected and can move relative to each other.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

fastening means attached to said garment for supporting said plurality of electronic modules and said power supply in said first and second pockets, respectively.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5, wherein said fastening means comprises:

hook and loop type fastening means.

7. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said power supply for supplying electrical power to said plurality of electronic modules is larger than any of the electronic modules.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7, further comprising a flap of material extending from said first pocket to said second pocket to define a first electrical conduit on said garment;

and flexible connection means received within said first electrical conduit for connecting electrical power from said power supply to said electronic apparatus.

9. The invention as defined in claim 1, further comprising a first small pocket and a second small pocket, said small pockets being located side by side on top of said first pocket.

10. In a garment packaged electronics apparatus adapted for wear by a human torso, said garment including a front panel for covering at least the chest and midriff portions of said torso and supporting electronics apparatus thereon, the improvement comprising:

a first pocket located on said front panel for containing said electronic apparatus wherein said pocket and substantially covering the area overlying the breasts and midriff sections of said torso;

fastening means for holding said front and back panel firmly against said torso, whereby at least said front and back pockets are firmly pressed against said torso;

said first pocket holding said electronic apparatus;

said electronic apparatus, comprising at least;

first, second, third and fourth electronic modules, each said module including a rigid base;

said first electronic module covering an area substantially as large as the left breast region of said torso;

said second electronic module covering an area substantially as large as the right breast region of said torso;

said third electronic module covering an area substantially as large as the left mid-riff region of said torso; and

said forth electronic module covering an area substantially as large as the right mid-riff region of said torso;

first hook and loop type fastening means for supporting said first module to said garment within said pocket;

second hook and loop type fastening means for supporting said second module to said garment within said pocket;

third hook and loop type fastening means for supporting said third module to said garment within said pocket;

fourth hook and loop type fastening means for supporting said fourth module to said garment within said pocket;

said first and second electronic modules being arranged adjacent one another and supported in spaced relationship on either side of a vertical axis;

said third and fourth electronic modules being arranged adjacent one another and supported in spaced relationship on either side of a vertical axis; and

said first and third electronic modules being arranged adjacent one another and supported in spaced relationship on either side of a horizontal axis; and

said second and forth electronic modules being arranged adjacent one another and supported in spaced relationship about said horizontal axis;

first flexible electrical lead means interconnecting said first and second modules for electrically interconnecting said modules in said spaced relationship;

second flexible electrical lead means interconnecting said third and fourth modules for electrically interconnecting said modules in said spaced relationship;

third flexible electrical lead means interconnecting said first and third modules for electrically interconnecting said modules in said spaced relationship; and

fourth flexible electrical lead means interconnecting said second and fourth modules for electrically interconnecting said modules in said spaced relationship;

whereby said pair of first and second modules and said pair of third and fourth modules may pivot relative to one another about said horizontal axis and said pair of first and third modules and said pair of second and fourth modules may pivot relative on one another about said vertical axis to adjust to the morphology of said torso and to relative movement between any of said chest and midriff sections of said torso;

said garment further including;

an opening to form a passage for a head on said torso, whereby said garment is supported on the shoulder section of said torso;

a second pocket, located on the back panel of said garment, sized to receive a power supply;

a power supply disposed in said second pocket for supplying electrical power to said plurality of electronic modules, wherein said power supply is sized independently of said electronic modules such that said power supply can be sized to provide sufficient power to each of the electronic modules of said electronic apparatus;

a flap of material on said garment, said flap extending from said first pocket to said second pocket to define a first electrical conduit on said garment;

electrical leads means received within said first electrical conduit for connecting current from said battery means to said electronic apparatus; and

a third small pocket and a fourth small pocket, said small pockets being located side by side on top of said first pocket.