Elastic fabric with sinusoidally disposed wires
First Claim
1. An elastic multi-ply woven fabric stretchable from a retracted position into a plurality of elongated positions for use in a physiological sensing system comprising:
- a plurality of upper and lower textured elastic warp yarns arranged in vertically spaced positions;
a plurality of elastic warp yarns arranged in transversely spaced positions along an intermediate plane;
at least one inelastic conductive warp yarn extending longitudinally of said fabric in said intermediate plane between said upper and lower warp yarns, said conductive yarn being arranged in controlled sinusoidal configurations;
a plurality of textured elastic core warp yarns extending longitudinally of said fabric along said intermediate plane in transversely spaced positions along opposing sides of said conductive warp yarn;
a plurality of picks of inelastic weft yarn, first ones of said picks weaving with said upper warp yarns and second ones of said picks weaving with said lower warp yarns forming vertically spaced upper and lower outer surfaces across said fabric;
third ones of said picks weaving with said at least one conductive warp yarn, said elastic warp yarns and said core warp yarns between said upper and lower outer surfaces forming an intermediate layer, said third ones of said picks and said core warp yarns and said elastic warp yarns positioning said conductive warp yarn in fixed longitudinal position along said intermediate layer and in sinusoidal configurations of said controlled sinusoidal configurations;
wherein,said fabric may be extended longitudinally by between about 25% and 125% from its said retracted position into various of said elongated positions causing said controlled sinusoidal configurations of said conductive yarns to be altered consistent with the degree of said extension.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fabric for use with a system for monitoring prescribed body functions comprising an elastic fabric, adapted to be carried by a torso, which is stretchable in its longitudinal direction so as to expand and contract in response to body movement and size. The carrier includes at least one conductive and inelastic yarn arranged longitudinally of and located between upper and lower surfaces. The conductive yarn is arranged in sinusoidal configurations longitudinally of the fabric. The conductive yarn breaks through one of the outer surfaces at a selected breakout along the length of the fabric. The conductive yarn is cut to present at least one exposed end above the one outer surface. A monitoring unit, which includes a connector and a sensor, is secured with the one outer surface of the fabric at the breakout with the connector being united with the at least one exposed end of the conductive yarn. The fabric acts to maintain the monitoring unit in a desired stationary position with the body allowing the sensor to sense signals emitted from the torso and transmit these senses signals through the conductive yarns.
-
Citations
34 Claims
-
1. An elastic multi-ply woven fabric stretchable from a retracted position into a plurality of elongated positions for use in a physiological sensing system comprising:
-
a plurality of upper and lower textured elastic warp yarns arranged in vertically spaced positions; a plurality of elastic warp yarns arranged in transversely spaced positions along an intermediate plane; at least one inelastic conductive warp yarn extending longitudinally of said fabric in said intermediate plane between said upper and lower warp yarns, said conductive yarn being arranged in controlled sinusoidal configurations; a plurality of textured elastic core warp yarns extending longitudinally of said fabric along said intermediate plane in transversely spaced positions along opposing sides of said conductive warp yarn; a plurality of picks of inelastic weft yarn, first ones of said picks weaving with said upper warp yarns and second ones of said picks weaving with said lower warp yarns forming vertically spaced upper and lower outer surfaces across said fabric; third ones of said picks weaving with said at least one conductive warp yarn, said elastic warp yarns and said core warp yarns between said upper and lower outer surfaces forming an intermediate layer, said third ones of said picks and said core warp yarns and said elastic warp yarns positioning said conductive warp yarn in fixed longitudinal position along said intermediate layer and in sinusoidal configurations of said controlled sinusoidal configurations;
wherein,said fabric may be extended longitudinally by between about 25% and 125% from its said retracted position into various of said elongated positions causing said controlled sinusoidal configurations of said conductive yarns to be altered consistent with the degree of said extension. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A multi-ply carrier fabric for use in a physiological sensing system comprising:
-
first, second and third elastic warp yarn groups each interwoven with selected ones of a plurality of picks of weft yarn in a weave pattern forming said fabric with a plurality of longitudinally extending layers; said first warp yarn group weaving with first ones of said picks forming an upper layer of said layers; said second warp yarn group weaving with second ones of said picks forming a lower layer of said layers; said third warp yarn group being arranged between said first and second warp yarn groups and weaving with third ones of said picks forming an intermediate layer;
said third warp yarn group including rubber and conductive yarns arranged in spaced positions across said fabric, said conductive yarns being controlled into sinusoidal configurations;upper and lower binder warps weaving with said upper and lower layers, said binder warps also weaving with said intermediate layer binding said layers together;
whereinsaid sinusoidal configuration provides that said conductive yarn be of sufficient length to move longitudinally with said fabric when expanded and contracted.
-
-
18. An elastic multi-ply woven fabric stretchable from a retracted position into a plurality of elongated positions for use in a physiological sensing system comprising:
-
a plurality of upper and lower textured elastic warp yarns arranged in vertically spaced positions forming upper and lower outer surfaces; a plurality of upper and lower elastic warp binder yarns arranged in transversely spaced positions; a plurality of inelastic conductive warp yarns arranged in an intermediate plane between said upper and lower outer surfaces, said conductive yarns being arranged in controlled sinusoidal configurations; a plurality of textured elastic core warp yarns extending longitudinally of said fabric in said intermediate plane in transversely spaced positions adjacent opposing sides of said conductive warp yarns, said core warp yarns assisting to maintain said conductive warp yarns in spaced sinusoidal positions; a plurality of picks of weft yarn, first ones of said picks weaving with said upper warp yarns and said warp binder yarns, second ones of said picks weaving with said lower warp yarns and said binder warp yarns, third ones of said picks weaving in said intermediate plane with said conductive yarns, said core warp yarn and said binder warp yarns, forming said fabric of vertically spaced upper, intermediate and lower layers, united by said binder yarns;
whereinsaid fabric may be extended longitudinally up to 100% from its retracted position into various of said elongated positions causing said controlled sinusoidal configurations of said conductive yarns to be altered consistent with the degree of said extension. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A system for monitoring prescribed body functions comprising:
-
a belt worn over a portion of a torso, said belt comprising a woven, multi-layer composite elastic fabric stretchable in its longitudinal direction so as to expand and contract in response to body movement and size; said fabric including at least one conductive and inelastic yarn located between inner and outer layers of said belt and positioned in sinusoidal configurations longitudinally thereof; a breakout of said at least one conductive yarn through at least one of said inner and outer layers positioning exposed ends of said at least one conductive yarn outward of said one layer adjacent its outer surface; a monitor united with said woven elastic fabric adjacent said at lest one breakout, said monitor being united with at least one of said exposed ends of said conductive yarn at said at least one breakout;
whereby,said belt maintains said monitoring unit in a desired stationary position about said portion of said torso to sense signals emitted from said torso and to transmit said sensed signals. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
-
Specification