Sensor pad for wearable garments

• US 10,835,180 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2018
• Issued: 11/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digital Vitality Limited
• Original Assignee: Nurvv Limited
• Inventors: Dervish, Kemal, Geva, Haim, Roberts, Jason Lloyd, Tongue, Giles Hendrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Harshad R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Plumb, Nigel H
• Application Number:
  US15/984,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20180333098A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A41C 3/0057 for sport activities
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/015 with shock-absorbing means A41D13/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/205 using distributed sensing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/2287 constructional details of the strain gauges adjustable resistors H01C10/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/702 with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/703 characterised by spacers between contact carrying layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/704 characterised by the layers, e.g. by their material or structure H01H13/703 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2203/0085 Layered switches integrated into garment, clothes or textile
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2207/002 Conductive rubber; Zebra
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2207/01 from bottom to top layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2211/012 Successive layers, one being conductive
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/038 Textiles used as reinforcing materials for organic insulating substrates H05K1/0366
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/092 Dispersed materials, e.g. conductive pastes or inks
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/16 incorporating printed electric components, e.g. printed resistor, capacitor, inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10151 Sensor

Abstract

A sensor pad is provided. The sensor pad comprises a first layer and a second layer of padding material, each having an inner face. The inner face of the first layer is provided with a first printed conductive ink track and the inner face of the second layer is provided with a second printed conductive ink track. At least one of the layers is provided on its inner face with a plurality of raised portions between adjacent runs of the printed track to provide a spacer layer across the sensor pad, which improves the ability of the sensor pad to return to a pre-impact configuration following an impact. The plurality of raised portions maintain the two printed tracks apart when the sensor is unstressed but allow localised contact between the first and second printed tracks when pressure is applied to the sensor pad.

Claims

1. A sensor pad comprising a first layer of padding material having an inner face and a second layer of padding material having an inner face, the inner faces of the two layers of padding material facing one another;

the inner face of the first layer of padding material being provided with a first printed conductive ink track;

the inner face of the second layer of padding material being provided with a second printed conductive ink track;

wherein at least one of the printed conductive ink tracks passes across the sensor pad in a number of runs at a plurality of spaced locations, the first printed conductive ink track on the first layer of padding material intersecting at a plurality of locations with the second printed conductive track on the second layer of padding material;

at least one of the layers of padding material being provided on its inner face with a plurality of raised portions arranged over the inner face of the layer of padding material between adjacent runs of the printed conductive ink track and facing the inner face of the other layer of padding material to maintain the two printed conductive ink tracks apart when the sensor pad is unstressed, but which are compressible to deform to allow localised contact between the first printed conductive ink track and second printed conductive ink track when pressure is applied to the sensor pad.

2. A sensor pad according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the printed conductive ink tracks comprises a plurality of discreet tracks.

3. A sensor pad according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the printed conductive ink tracks has a single sinuous path.

4. A sensor pad according to claim 1, further comprising an impact absorbing layer provided on one side of the sensor pad.

5. A sensor pad according to claim 4, further comprising an impact dissipating layer within the impact absorbing layer.

6. A wearable garment comprising a garment including at least one sensor pad;

wherein the at least one sensor pad comprises;

a first layer of padding material having an inner face and a second layer of padding material having an inner face, the inner faces of the two layers of padding material facing one another;

the inner face of the first layer of padding material being provided with a first printed conductive ink track;

the inner face of the second layer of padding material being provided with a second printed conductive ink track;

wherein at least one of the printed conductive ink tracks passes across the sensor pad in a number of runs at a plurality of spaced locations, the first printed conductive ink track on the first layer of padding material intersecting at a plurality of locations with the second printed conductive track on the second layer of padding material;

at least one of the layers of padding material being provided on its inner face with a plurality of raised portions arranged over the inner face of the layer of padding material between adjacent runs of the printed conductive ink track and facing the inner face of the other layer of padding material to maintain the two printed conductive ink tracks apart when the at least one sensor pad is unstressed, but which are compressible to deform to allow localised contact between the first printed conductive ink track and second printed conductive ink track when pressure is applied to the at least one sensor pad.