A lawn mower or stand-on powered drivable machine has an electrical port that receives current from an alternator powered by the engine or motor. The port receives a plug from a garment worn by the lawn mower operator. The garment includes one or more thermo-electric elements that are powered from current extending through the port. The thermo-electric (TEC) elements may be resistive heaters to warm the operator or TEC coolers to cool the operator. Furthermore, the garment may include a rechargeable battery that powers the thermo-electric elements when the plug is disconnected from the port.

A heating element includes first and second blocks made of microfibers of steel, each block having an electrical input and an electrical output, and an electrical connection that connects an electrical output of the first block to an electrical input of the second block. The microfibers have a diameter between 10 and 30 micrometers.

The present invention relates to a system with active learning and execution of user's preference functionalities for use in a garment. The present system includes a sensor module, an optional user input panel and/or interface, a printed circuit board, a power source and an output. In an event that a user of the present system voluntarily changes the output setting during the operation of the system, the system performs an active learning action to execute the output setting initiated by the user over a passive learning action triggered by a change in sensor data with respect to the changing environment. In other event, the present system performs passive learning action with respect to the changing environment and also any comparative data from similar user of a particular instance. The present invention also relates to a power management unit and how to use the same in a garment.

A heated hand garment includes a body having a wrist section, and a plurality of digit sections extending therefrom. The heated hand garment further includes a heating element positioned on the body and operable to heat at least a portion of a hand of a user. The heating element includes a connecting portion configured to be positioned on the wrist section, a first digit portion extending from one end of the connecting portion, and a second digit portion extending from an opposite end of the connecting portion. The first digit portion is positioned on a first digit section of the plurality of digit sections, and the second digit portion is positioned on a second digit section of the plurality of digit sections.

An electric heating mat may include an outer sleeve having an interior, and an access end with an opening to the interior. The access end may be folded upon itself into a closed condition, and unfolded into an opened condition. When the access end is closed, the interior of the outer sleeve may provide a sealed enclosure. The sealed enclosure may accommodate and protect internal components, such as heating elements, a power source, and associated controls. The heating elements, associated wiring, and an insulation layer may be provided in an inner sleeve, which may be insertable into the outer sleeve as a unit. When the access end is opened, the opening provides access to the internal components. Such access allows the power source to be turned on to supply power to the heating elements.

Described herein are methods for forming resistive heaters and force sensing elements on a flexible substrate, and devices that include these elements to provide a force responsive conductive heater, such as a seat heater in a vehicle. The methods include printing a conductive ink on a flexible substrate that is heated to 30° C. to 90° C. before and/or during the printing process and curing the substrate to produce a conductive pattern thereon. The conductive inks generally include a particle-free metal-complex composition formulated from at least one metal complex and a solvent, and optionally, a conductive filler material.

A multifunctional smart garment textile is disclosed herein. It comprises plural conductive yarns, wherein each of the plural conductive yarns includes cotton threads, multiwalled carbon nanotubes and iodine-modified polypyrrole, and wherein the cotton threads, the multiwalled carbon nanotubes and the iodine-modified polypyrrole are intermingled with each other in a weight ratio ranging from 1:1:1 to 3:1:1.

This present disclosure relates to a flexible heating device having a unique layered assembly structure including a flexible heat generating layer. The present disclosure also relates to a method of manufacturing the flexible heating device and method of use of the flexible heating device in various applications.

A method of using an apparel power system is disclosed. The method uses an apparel accessory to be powered and an apparel adaptor to create an electrical contact between a vehicle and the apparel accessory. The apparel power system provides a source of electrical energy for electrically powered accessories attached or integrated to the apparel accessory worn by the user of the vehicle without requiring the use of wires and plugs connections between the user and the vehicle. Contact between connecting elements of each of the apparel accessory, apparel adaptor and vehicle allow the electrical power to be transmitted between the vehicle to the apparel accessory and thereof the electrically powered accessories.

A heated garment including a garment body, a heater array supported by the garment body, and a power supply interface. The heater array includes a heating wire that forms a closed loop, the closed loop defining a shape having a plurality of cantilevered fingers. The power supply interface is configured to couple to a power source that provides power to the heater array.