Fluid-advancing fiber

• US 6,902,549 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2002
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Marmaropoulos, George, Van Heerden, Clive R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Larry I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chapman, Ginger T
• Application Number:
  US10/186,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20040000511A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 604289-291, 604/385.101, 604/891, 138/130, 210/321.79, 417474-475, 417/322, 428/371, 324/106
• US Class Current: 604/289
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/24 with a hollow structure; Spinnerette packs therefor D01D5/38 takes precedence; producing tubes of plastic material B29D; addition of agents forming hollow filaments D01F1/08
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/247 Discontinuous hollow structure or microporous structure
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/34 Core-skin structure; Spinnerette packs therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0324 With control of flow by a condition or characteristic of a fluid

Abstract

There is provided a fluid-advancing fiber capable of being sewn, woven or knitted, using conventional methods, into a conductive mesh for use with various wearable fabrics for making direct contact with the skin. The fluid-advancing fiber has an inner portion and an outer portion, one or more conductive elements adjacent the outer portion, wherein the one or more conductive elements are adapted to constrict when heated by electric current and relax when cooled. The fluid-advancing fiber facilitates comfortable fluid communication between different wearable fabrics and the skin.

Claims

1. A fluid-advancing fiber comprising:

a fiber having an inner portion and an outer portion and being incorporable into a fabric;

one or more first conductive elements adjacent said outer portion of said fiber,

wherein said one or more first conductive elements is/are adapted to constrict when heated by electric current and relax when cooled such constriction and relaxation causing fluid to advance along the fiber.

2. The fluid-advancing fiber of claim 1, wherein said inner portion is hollow to allow a fluid to advance therethrough.

3. The fluid-advancing fiber of claim 1, wherein said inner portion is sufficiently permeable to allow a fluid or substance to advance therethrough with minimal resistance.

4. The fluid-advancing fiber of claim 2, wherein said outer portion is sufficiently permeable to allow said fluid in said inner portion to permeate and interact with the skin.

5. The fluid-advancing fiber of claim 4, wherein said one or more first conductive elements are adapted to be selectively heated and cooled to coordinate said constriction and relaxation thereof for advancing said fluid or substance through said inner portion.

6. The fluid-advancing fiber of claim 4, wherein said outer portion has one or more undulations.

7. The fluid-advancing fiber of claim 6, further comprising one or more second conductive elements.

8. The fluid-advancing fiber of claim 7, wherein said one or more first conductive elements are adjacent said one or more undulations.

9. The fluid-advancing fiber of claim 8, wherein said one or more undulations is/are spaced at a distance one after another.

10. The fluid-advancing fiber of claim 9, wherein said one or more second conductive elements is/are adjacent said outer portion (30, 300) along said distance between said one or more undulations.

11. The fluid-advancing fiber of claim 10, wherein said one or more second conductive elements are adapted to constrict when heated by electric current and relax when cooled.

12. The fluid-advancing fiber of claim 11, wherein said one or more first conductive elements and said one or more second conductive elements are adapted to be selectively heated and cooled to coordinate said constriction and relaxation thereof for advancing said fluid or substance through said inner portion and/or selectively releasing said fluid or substance through said outer portion to interact with the skin.

13. A method for circulating a fluid or substance through a fiber comprising:

providing a fiber having an inner portion, an outer portion, and one or more first conductive elements adjacent said outer portion, said fiber being incorporable into a fabric and said one or more first conductive elements being adapted to constrict when heated by electric current and relax when cooled, and

advancing said fluid or substance through said inner portion of said fiber by the selectively heating and cooling of said one or more first conductive elements to coordinate said constriction and relaxation thereof.

14. The method for circulating a fluid or substance through the fiber of claim 13, wherein said inner portion is sufficiently permeable to allow a fluid or substance to advance therethrough with minimal resistance and said outer portion is sufficiently permeable to allow said fluid in said inner portion to permeate and interact with the skin.

15. The method for circulating a fluid or substance through the fiber of claim 14, wherein said one or more first conductive elements are adapted to be selectively heated and cooled to coordinate said constriction and relaxation thereof.

16. The method for circulating a fluid or substance through the fiber of claim 15, further comprising the step of providing one or more second conductive elements and providing said outer portion with one or more undulations.

17. The method for circulating a fluid or substance through the fiber of claim 16, wherein said one or more first conductive elements is/are adjacent said one or more undulations, and wherein said one or more undulations is/are spaced at a distance one after another.

18. The method for circulating a fluid or substance through the fiber of claim 17, wherein said one or more second conductive elements is/are adjacent said outer portion along said distance between said one or more undulations.

19. The method for circulating a fluid or substance through the fiber of claim 18, wherein said one or more second conductive elements are adapted to constrict when heated by electric current and relax when cooled such that, when said one or more first conductive elements are selectively heated causing said undulations to act as flow valves, said one or more second conductive elements are coordinately heated and cooled to constrict and relax to advance said fluid or substance through said inner portion from one distance to and/or selectively release said fluid or substance through said outer portion to interact with the skin.

20. The method for circulating a fluid or substance through the fiber of claim 19, wherein said coordinated constricting action of said first one or more conductive element and said second conductive elements causes on or more fluid or substance portions to be advanced.