Exercise apparel

• US 9,504,396 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2012
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
• Original Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
• Inventors: Lms, Kaisa, Korkala, Seppo
• Primary Examiner(s): Dvorak, Linda
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cardinal, Erin M
• Application Number:
  US13/541,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20130019383A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,608 Days
• Field of Search: 600/372, 600/382, 600/386, 600/388, 600/389, 600/390, 600/395, 600/301, 600/509
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/296 for electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses

Abstract

An apparel is disclosed. The apparel comprises a base layer, at least one electrode layer arranged on the base layer either directly or through at least one intermediate layer. The at least one electrode layer is made at least partly of a conductive material. The apparel further comprises a flocked fiber layer comprising conductive fiber particles arranged on the at least one electrode layer through flocking.

Claims

1. An apparel comprising:

a base layer;

a plurality of different electrically conductive layers comprising;

at least one electrode layer arranged on the base layer either directly or through at least one intermediate layer, the at least one electrode layer being made at least partly of a conductive material;

an adhesive layer arranged on the at least one electrode layer; and

a flocked fibre layer comprising conductive fibre particles arranged on the adhesive layer through flocking, wherein the conductive fibre particles of the flocked fibre layer comprise a substrate component of electrically insulating material and a doping component, wherein the doping component comprises metal fibres, carbon nanotubes, or at least one of the following types of intrinsically conducting polymer particles;

polyphenylene vinylene, polyphenylene sulphine, polyacetylene, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), polypyrrole, polythiophene; and

an isolation layer comprising insulating material, wherein the plurality of different electrically conductive layers is at least partially disposed between the isolation layer and the base layer.

2. The apparel of claim 1, wherein the flocked fibre layer has a fluffy surface of said conductive fibre particles.

3. The apparel of claim 1, wherein the flocked fibre layer covers the at least one electrode layer completely.

4. The apparel of claim 1, wherein the flocked fibre layer covers the at least one electrode layer only partially.

5. The apparel of claim 1, wherein a surface of the electrode layer that contacts with the flocked fibre layer comprises conductive material and is a conductive surface.

6. The apparel of claim 5, wherein the electrode layer further comprises a non-conductive electrode substrate layer, and wherein the conductive surface of the electrode layer is between the electrode substrate layer and the flocked fibre layer.

7. The apparel of claim 5, wherein the conductive surface comprises conductive silicone.

8. The apparel of claim 1, wherein the base layer comprises a textile layer.

9. The apparel of claim 8, wherein the apparel is a garment.

10. The apparel of claim 8, wherein the apparel is a strap.

11. The apparel of claim 1, further wherein the doping component comprises intrinsically conductive polymer particles.

12. The apparel of claim 1, wherein the flocked fibre layer is moisture absorbing.

13. The apparel of claim 1, wherein the flocked fibre layer extends to cover the apparel in an area where the electrode layer is not provided.