Wearable electronics conductive garment strap and system

• US 6,350,129 B1
• Filed: 10/11/2000
• Issued: 02/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aerospace Corporation
• Original Assignee: Aerospace Corporation
• Inventors: Gorlick, Michael M.
• Primary Examiner(s): TA, THO DAC
• Application Number:
  US09/689,246
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 439/37, 439/500, 439/8
• US Class Current: 439/37
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/187 with spring member in the socket
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/48 utilising a spring, clip, or other resilient member H01R4/52 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/58 characterised by the form or material of the contacting members H01R4/01 takes precedence

Abstract

An electrical conductive strap having two conductive wires is used to communicate power and signals to batteries and electronic devices attached to the strap using conductive snaps. The strap is embedded in clothing for attaching personal wearable electronic devices to the clothing are comfortable to wear as common articles of clothing such as blouses, pants, and belts. The strap is made of woven materials such as conductive webbings, which is incorporated durable electrical conductors directly into the conductive for closely integrating digital electronics with conventional clothing.

Claims

1. A conductive strap for communicating a signal from an electronic device along the strap, the strap comprising,

a fabric defining the shape of the strap, and

two wires embedded in the fabric, the fabric being an insulating fabric insulating the two wires from each other, a pair of electrical contacts respectively attached to the two wires, the electrical contacts forming an electrical connector for connecting the electronic device to the two wires for communicating the signal along the strap, the two electrical contacts being sew-on snaps comprising a stinger for insertion into the wires, the stinger being conductive for communicating the signal along the wires and through the contacts, the stinger comprising a pointed end for penetration into the wires and a bent end for securing the stinger to the electrical contacts.

2. The strap of claim 1 wherein each of the two wires are stranded bundles of stainless steel conductor.

3. The strap of claim 1 wherein,

the two wires are separated by a contact separation distance, and

the two electrical contacts are separated by the contact separation distance.

4. The strap of claim 1 wherein the strap is made of Nomex.

5. The strap of claim 1 further comprising thread for securing the stinger to the wire.

6. The strap of claim 1 further comprising thread for securing the snaps to the straps.

7. The strap of claim 1 wherein the sew-on snaps comprise

a disk having holes securing the snap to the strap,

a mating connector for connecting the electronic device to the wires, the stinger having the pointed end penetrating into the wires and the bent end securing the stinger to the disk, the stinger being separated from the disk by a gap in which is disposed the strap.

8. A system for communicating an electrical signal about a human being, the system comprising,

a strap comprising a fabric, two wires and two conductive wire snap contacts, the fabric defining the shape of the strap, the wires embedded in the fabric, the fabric being an insulating fabric insulating the two wires from each other, the two conductive wire snap contacts respectively attached to the two wires, the two conductive wire snap contacts forming an electrical connector for communicating the electrical signal along the strap,

a garment for wear by the human being and for supporting the strap, and

an electronic device comprising two conductive device snaps for mating connection with the two conductive wire snaps and for communicating the signal between the electronic device and the two wires, each of the two conductive wire snaps and the two electronic device snaps comprising a disk having holes securing the snap to the strap, comprising a mating connector for connecting the electronic device to the wire snap contacts, and comprising a stinger having a pointed end for penetration into the wire snap contacts and a bent end for securing the stinger to the disk.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the two wires are flexible non-corrosive wires.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein,

the two conductive wire snaps contacts comprise female socket garment snaps, and

the two conductive device snaps comprise male ball garment snaps.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the electronic device is a battery provide DC voltages across the two wire for providing a power signal along the two wires, and the two wires are DC power bus wires.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising,

an electronic device coupled to the DC power bus wires for receiving DC power from the battery.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising,

a plurality of electronic devices coupled to the DC power bus wires for receiving DC power from the battery,

two communication wires are a communication bus for communicating communications signals, the wires being embedded within the strap, and

a plurality of respective sets of communication bus contacts for connecting the plurality of electronic devices to the communication bus for communicating the communications signals between the electronic devices through the communication bus.