Apparel for physiological telemetry during athletics

• US 8,909,318 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2011
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Nordstrom, Matthew D.
• Primary Examiner(s): EISEMAN, ADAM JARED
• Application Number:
  US13/051,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20120238910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 600/388, 600/587, 600/386, 600/389, 600/390, 600/393
• US Class Current: 600/388
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02444 Details of sensor A61B5/02427 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6805 Vests

Abstract

A user interface component and system for physiological parameters telemetry is provided. A user interface component may be reversibly or irreversibly attached to a garment that allows connection to a user'"'"'s skin, such as via one or more holes in the garment. Signals transmitted through a conductive transfer layer in the user interface component are provided to a signal receiving unit which can collect and transmit physiological data.

Claims

1. A system for physiological parameters telemetry, the system comprising:

a garment having a skin-facing side and an outward-facing side;

at least one user interface component located on the outward-facing side of the garment, the at least one user interface component comprising at least;

a conductive transfer layer having a bottom side and a top side, at least a first portion of the bottom side being adapted to contact a user'"'"'s skin through one or more holes in the garment when the garment is worn by the user;

a bottom insulating layer contacting the bottom side of the conductive transfer layer and isolating at least a second portion of the bottom side of the conductive transfer layer from the outward-facing side of the garment; and

a top insulating layer having a top side and a bottom side, the bottom side of the top insulating layer contacting the top side of the conductive transfer layer along the entire surface of the top side of the conductive transfer layer except for one or more apertures providing access to the top side of the conductive transfer layer; and

at least one signal receiving unit in contact with the top side of the top insulating layer, the at least one signal receiving unit removably coupled to the top side of the conductive transfer layer via the one or more apertures of the top insulating layer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more holes in the garment are adapted to enable the at least the portion of the bottom side of the conductive transfer layer to contact the user'"'"'s skin at the one or more holes.

3. The system of claim 1, the at least one user interface component further comprising an adhesive layer at least in part between the bottom insulating layer and the outward-facing side of the garment.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the garment is a shirt and the one or more holes are located at a chest area of the shirt.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the conductive transfer layer is an electrically conductive heat transfer layer.

6. A physiological parameters telemetry system worn on a garment, the system comprising:

at least one user interface component comprising;

at least one conductive transfer layer having a bottom side and a top side, at least a first portion of the bottom side being adapted to contact a user'"'"'s skin through one or more holes in a garment, the garment having a skin-facing side and an outward-facing side;

a bottom insulating layer contacting the bottom side of the at least one conductive transfer layer and isolating at least a second portion of the bottom side of the at least one conductive transfer layer from the outward-facing side of the garment; and

a top insulating layer having a top side and a bottom side, the bottom side of the top insulating layer contacting the top side of the at least one conductive transfer layer along the entire surface of the top side of the conductive transfer layer except for one or more apertures providing access to the top side of the at least one conductive transfer layer; and

at least one signal receiving unit in contact with a portion of the top side of the top insulating layer, the at least one signal receiving unit removably coupled to the top side of the at least one conductive transfer layer via the one or more apertures of the top insulating layer.

7. The physiological parameters telemetry system of claim 6, wherein the at least one user interface component further comprises an adhesive layer at least in part between the bottom insulating layer and the outward-facing side of the garment.

8. The physiological parameters telemetry system of claim 6, wherein the bottom insulating layer is bonded to the outward-facing side of the garment.

9. The physiological parameters telemetry system of claim 6, wherein the at least one conductive transfer layer is an electrically conductive heat transfer layer.

10. The physiological parameters telemetry system of claim 6, wherein the at least one conductive transfer layer comprises a metal.

11. The physiological parameters telemetry system of claim 6, wherein the at least one conductive transfer layer comprises a carbon material.

12. The physiological parameters telemetry system of claim 6, wherein the garment is a shirt and the one or more holes are located at a chest area of the shirt.

13. A physiological parameters telemetry system worn on a garment, the system comprising:

a garment having a skin-facing side and an outward-facing side;

at least one user interface component located on the skin-facing side of the garment, the at least one user interface component comprising at least;

at least one conductive transfer layer having a bottom side and a top side, at least a first portion of the bottom side being adapted to contact a user'"'"'s skin when the garment is worn by the user;

a bottom insulating layer contacting the bottom side of the at least one conductive transfer layer and isolating at least a second portion of the bottom side of the at least one conductive transfer layer from the user'"'"'s skin; and

a top insulating layer having a top side and a bottom side, the bottom side of the top insulating layer contacting the top side of the at least one conductive transfer layer along the entire surface of the top side of the conductive transfer layer except for one or more apertures providing access to the top side of the at least one conductive transfer layer, the top side of the top insulating layer contacting the skin-facing side of the garment; and

at least one signal receiving unit located on the outward-facing side of the garment, the at least one signal receiving unit removably connected to the top side of the at least one conductive transfer layer via the one or more apertures of the top insulating layer and via one or more holes in the garment.