Piezoelectrically controlled active wear

• US 6,198,204 B1
• Filed: 01/27/2000
• Issued: 03/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Smartwear, LLC
• Original Assignee: Michael D. Pottenger
• Inventors: Pottenger, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Nestor
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEDLEY, PETER M
• Application Number:
  US09/491,670
• Time in Patent Office: 404 Days
• Field of Search: 310/800, 310/316, 310/321, 310/326
• US Class Current: 310/326
• CPC Class Codes: A41C 3/0057 for sport activities
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/00 Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10N39/00

Abstract

An article of clothing including a piezoelectric transducer and an electrical component restrains movement of a first body portion relative to a second body portion. The article of clothing can be a sports bra that controls the wearer'"'"'s breast movement relative to the wearer'"'"'s torso. As the breast moves, the piezoelectric transducer deforms and induces a voltage that is passed to the electrical component. The electrical component provides either a resistance or a control signal to the transducer. The transducer stiffens in response to the electrical component and reduces the movement of the breast by placing an external force on the breast.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

an article of clothing configured to overlie first and second relatively moveable portions of a human body so as to move in conformance with relative movement of said first and second relatively moveable body portions;

a piezoelectric transducer coupled to said article of clothing so as to undergo a deflection in response to said relative movement of said body portions and to generate a voltage signal proportional to the magnitude of said deflection; and

an electrical component configured to apply a resistance to said voltage signal such that said transducer, having said resistance applied to said voltage signal, dissipates the kinetic energy of said relative movement and thus restrains said relative body movement of said body portions.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said electrical component comprises an ohmic heating element.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said article of clothing is a sports bra comprising a base band, two breast cups and shoulder straps, and said transducer is coupled to said sports bra so as to undergo said deflection in response to movement of one of said breast cups relative to said base band.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said electrical component is configured so that said piezoelectric transducer damps movements that are in a specified physiologically appropriate frequency range.

5. Apparatus comprising:

an article of clothing configured to overlie first and second relatively moveable portions of a human body so as to move in conformance with relative movement of said body portions;

a piezoelectric sensing transducer coupled to said article of clothing so as to undergo a deflection in response to said relative movement of said body portions and to generate a voltage signal proportional to the magnitude of said deflection;

a piezoelectric actuating transducer coupled to said article of clothing; and

an electrical component configured to sense said voltage signal from said piezoelectric sensing transducer and to respond by actuating said piezoelectric actuating transducer to stiffen said article of clothing and thereby to restrain said relative movement of said body portions.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said article of clothing is a sports bra comprising a base band, two breast cups and shoulder straps, and said transducer is coupled to said sports bra so as to undergo said deflection in response to movement of one of said breast cups relative to said base band.

7. Apparatus comprising:

an article of clothing configured to overlie first and second relatively moveable portions of a human body so as to move in conformance with relative movement of said body portions;

a piezoelectric sensing transducer coupled to said article of clothing so as to undergo a deflection in response to said relative movement of said body portions and to generate a voltage signal proportional to the magnitude of said deflection;

a piezoelectric actuating transducer coupled to said article of clothing;

a first electrical component configured to apply a resistance to said voltage signal such that said transducer, having said resistance applied to said voltage signal, dissipates the kinetic energy of said relative movement and thus restrains said relative movement of said body portions;

a second electrical component configured to sense said voltage signal from said piezoelectric sensing transducer and to respond by actuating said piezoelectric actuating transducer to stiffen said article of clothing and thereby to restrain said relative movement of said body portions; and

a switch operative to couple said transducers with either said first electrical component or said second electrical component.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said first electrical component comprises an ohmic heating element.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said article of clothing is a sports bra comprising a base band, two breast cups and shoulder straps, and said transducer is coupled to said sports bra so as to undergo said deflection in response to movement of one of said breast cups relative to said base band.

10. Apparatus comprising:

an article of clothing configured to overlie first and second relatively moveable portions of a human body so as to move in conformance with relative movement of said first and second relatively moveable body portions;

a piezoelectric transducer coupled to said article of clothing so as to undergo a deflection in response to said relative movement of said body portions and to generate a voltage signal proportional to the magnitude of said deflection; and

an ohmic heating element operative to apply a resistance to said voltage signal so that said ohmic heating element generates thermal energy that warms said article of clothing.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said article of clothing is a sports bra comprising a base band, two breast cups and shoulder straps, and said transducer is coupled to said sports bra so as to undergo said deflection in response to movement of one of said breast cups relative to said base band.