WEARABLE SENSOR SYSTEM WITH AN ARTICLE OF CLOTHING AND AN ELECTRONICS MODULE, ARTICLE OF CLOTHING FOR A WEARABLE SENSOR SYSTEM, AND ELECTRONICS MODULE FOR A WEARABLE SENSOR SYSTEM

Abstract

A wearable sensor system has an article of clothing and an electronics module. The electronics module includes a housing, a circuit board, and a contact element. The article of clothing includes a glove, an operational element, and a holder for attaching the electronics module having a receiving space and a mating contact. The guide being configured such that the contact element performs one of a linear movement and a pivoting movement toward the bottom when moving to the final position with respect to the mating contact.

Further, an article of clothing and an electronics module for the wearable sensor system are shown.

Claims

1. A wearable sensor system comprising an article of clothing and an electronics module, wherein said electronics module includes a housing defining a front side, a rear side, a bottom side and a top side of said electronics module, a circuit board provided in said housing, and at least one contact element which is electrically connected to said circuit board and is arranged at least partly on said bottom side, wherein said article of clothing includes a glove, an electric operational element, and a holder attached to said glove for repeatably attaching said electronics module to said glove without a tool, wherein said holder includes a receiving space for receiving said electronics module having an insertion opening and an end in said insertion direction (R), a bottom delimiting said receiving space with respect to said glove, at least one mating contact electrically connected to said operational element, and a guide, said at least one mating contact being provided at said bottom, wherein said electronics module is adapted to be inserted into said holder of said article of clothing such that said electronics module can assume two positions, said at least one contact element being spaced apart from said holder in the first position, and said at least one mating contact of said holder and said at least one contact element of said electronics module being in contact in the second position, so that said circuit board and said electric operational element are connected for information transfer by means of said at least one contact element and said at least one mating contact, and said guide being configured such that when attaching said electronics module to said holder, said electronics module travels along a predefined movement path in which said at least one contact element performs one of a linear movement and a pivoting movement toward said bottom when moving from said first position to said second position with respect to said at least one mating contact.

2. The wearable sensor system according to claim 1, wherein in said second position, said circuit board and said electric operational element are connected electrically by means of said at least one contact element and said at least one mating contact.

3. The wearable sensor system according to claim 1, wherein said guide includes at least one deflector which extends from said bottom into said receiving space.

4. The wearable sensor system according to claim 1, wherein said insertion direction (R) runs substantially parallel to said bottom.

5. The wearable sensor system according to claim 1, wherein in said second position, said electronics module has snapped into place in said holder.

6. An article of clothing for a wearable sensor system, comprising a glove, an electric operational element, and a holder attached to said glove for receiving said electronics module, wherein said holder includes a receiving space for receiving said electronics module having an insertion opening and an end in said insertion direction (R), a guide, a bottom, and at least one mating contact electrically connected to said operational element, wherein said bottom delimits said receiving space with respect to said glove, and said at least one mating contact is provided at said bottom, wherein said guide includes a deflector which extends from said bottom into said receiving space.

7. The article of clothing according to claim 6, wherein said at least one mating contact is arranged completely below an imaginary plane which is defined by said bottom at said end of said receiving space and said highest point of said deflector as viewed from said glove.

8. The article of clothing according to claim 6, wherein said at least one deflector is arranged between said at least one mating contact and said end of said receiving space in said insertion direction (R).

9. The article of clothing according to claim 6, wherein said guide includes at least one bracket which defines said receiving space on said top side.

10. The article of clothing according to claim 6, wherein said at least one bracket is arranged entirely between said at least one deflector and said end of said receiving space in said insertion direction (R).

11. The article of clothing according to claim 6, wherein said at least one mating contact is configured as a mechanical, electrical contact which is at least one of supported on said bottom and spring-mounted in relation to said bottom.

12. The article of clothing according to claim 6, wherein said holder includes a lever in said region of said insertion opening, for releasing said electronics module from said holder.

13. An electronics module for a wearable sensor system according to claim 1, comprising a housing defining a front side, a rear side, a bottom side and a top side of said electronics module, a circuit board provided in said housing, and at least one contact element which is electrically connected to said circuit board for connecting with at least one mating contact of said holder and which is arranged at least partly on said bottom side, said housing having one of a recess and a projection that cooperates with said guide of said holder such that when attaching said electronics module to said holder, said electronics module travels along a predefined movement path in which said at least one contact element performs one of a linear movement and a pivoting movement toward said bottom when moving from the first position to the second position with respect to said at least one mating contact.

14. The electronics module according to claim 13, wherein one of said recess and said projection is arranged between said contact element and said rear side.

15. The electronics module according to claim 13, wherein said recess is configured such that it can receive said deflector of said article of clothing.

16. The electronics module according to claim 13, wherein said recess is a groove that extends transversely to said insertion direction (R).

17. The electronics module according to claim 13, wherein said at least one contact element is offset from said bottom side toward said top side.

18. The electronics module according to claim 13, wherein said at least one contact element is a mechanical, electrical contact which is fixedly connected to said housing and movably connected to said circuit board.

19. The electronics module according to claim 13, wherein said housing has at least one indentation which extends from said rear side at least partly on said top side.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description below and from the accompanying drawings, to which reference is made and in which:

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of the wearable sensor system according to the invention with an article of clothing according to the invention and an electronics module according to the invention;

[0032] FIGS. 2a to 2c schematically show a holder of an article of clothing according to the invention in a top view, a side view and a sectional view, respectively;

[0033] FIGS. 3a to 3c schematically show an electronics module according to the invention in a bottom view, a side view and a longitudinal sectional view, respectively;

[0034] FIG. 4a schematically shows the wearable sensor system of FIG. 1 with the electronics module of FIG. 2 and the holder of FIG. 3 during insertion, in a first position of the electronics module;

[0035] FIG. 4b schematically shows the electronics module and the holder of FIG. 4a as the insertion process continues, with the electronics module still in its first position;

[0036] FIG. 4c schematically shows the electronics module in the second position, in which it is mounted in the holder;

[0037] FIG. 5a schematically shows a sectional view of an embodiment of the electronics module according to the invention; and

[0038] FIG. 5b schematically shows a top view of the electronics module of FIG. 5a, the top side of the housing not being illustrated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0039] FIG. 1 illustrates the wearable sensor system 10 with an article of clothing 12 and an electronics module 14.

[0040] The article of clothing 12 includes a glove 16, an electric operational element 18, for example a pushbutton, a holder 20, and a cable 22.

[0041] The holder 20 is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 2a to 2c and has a bottom 24 and two mating contacts 26 which are arranged on the bottom 24. The mating contacts 26 may be spring mounted in relation to the bottom 24 and are, for example, in the form of spring contacts.

[0042] The bottom 24 is attached to the glove 16, for example by means of a hot-melt adhesive, so that the entire holder 20 is attached to the glove 16. By way of example, the bottom 24 has openings 25 that serve for an air supply to the hand of the user within the glove 16.

[0043] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the cable 22, which may likewise be attached to the glove 16 by means of a hot-melt adhesive, connects the electric operational element 18 to the mating contacts 26 of the holder 20.

[0044] The cable 22 may be a commonly used cable. But a cable 22 which is in the form of a flexible circuit board or a foil having conductor tracks printed thereon is also conceivable.

[0045] Further, the holder 20 has a receiving space 28 for the electronics module 14, into which the electronics module 14 can be inserted in an insertion direction R. In the embodiment shown, the insertion direction R runs substantially parallel to the bottom. In FIG. 2a, the insertion direction runs downward, in FIGS. 2b and 2c from left to right.

[0046] The receiving space 28 has an insertion opening 29 and an end 30 in the direction R of movement, up to which the electronics module 14 can be inserted.

[0047] The bottom 24 delimits the receiving space 28 on its bottom side, i.e. on the side facing the glove 16.

[0048] The holder 20 further includes a guide 32 which specifies a movement path for the electronics module 14 during insertion into the holder 20.

[0049] The guide 32 has two guide walls 34 which are arranged laterally of the bottom 24 along the insertion direction R and extend at least partly from the bottom 24.

[0050] The guide walls 34 each have a bracket 36 formed thereon, which extends from the guide wall 34 toward the opposite guide wall 34. The brackets 36 delimit the receiving space 28 on the top side, i.e. the side facing away from the glove 16.

[0051] The brackets 36 extend from the end 30 of the receiving space 28, contrary to the direction R of movement.

[0052] In addition, the guide 32 includes a deflector 38 which extends from the bottom 24 into the receiving space 28.

[0053] In the embodiment shown, the deflector 38 is in the form of an edge which extends transversely to the insertion direction R, covering almost the entire width of the holder 20.

[0054] Of course, other configurations of the deflector are also conceivable, e.g. in the form of individual pins or grooves.

[0055] The deflector 38 is arranged between the mating contacts 26 and the end 30 of the receiving space 28 in the insertion direction R.

[0056] The height or level of the deflector 38 above the bottom 24 is selected here such that the mating contacts 26 are located entirely below an imaginary plane E which is defined by the highest point of the deflector 38 viewed from the bottom 24 and the straight line G on the bottom 24 at the end 30 of the receiving space 28. The mating contacts 26 are therefore located entirely between the imaginary plane E and the glove 16.

[0057] Moreover, terminating walls 39 are provided at the end 30 of the receiving space 28, which extend from the guide walls 34 transversely to the insertion direction R.

[0058] In addition, a lever 40 is provided on the front side of the holder 20 as viewed in the insertion direction R, the lever extending from the bottom 24 contrary to the insertion direction R. The lever 40 may be part of the guide 32.

[0059] The electronics module 14 is illustrated in FIGS. 3a to 3c. The electronics module 14 includes a housing 42 that defines a front side 44, a rear side 46, a bottom side 48, and a top side 50 of the electronics module 14.

[0060] A view of the bottom side 48 is illustrated in FIG. 3. The bottom side 48 is substantially flat, but, in the embodiment shown, it has a connecting region 52 which is offset from the rest of the bottom side 48 toward the top side 50. This is clearly apparent from FIG. 3c.

[0061] In the embodiment shown, the edge between the front side 44 and the bottom side 48 of the housing 42 is designed with a bevel.

[0062] Two contact elements 54 are provided in the connecting region 52 in the housing 42, which are thus arranged on the bottom side 48. They are flush with the housing 42, so that they do not offer any target surfaces that might be exposed to damage. In addition, a recess 56 formed as a groove extends in the connecting region 52 between the contact elements 54 and the rear side 46.

[0063] The recess 56 has a shape that is complementary to that of the deflector 38, so that the deflector 38 can almost fully engage into the recess 56. Furthermore, the recess 56 may extend transversely to the insertion direction R and almost over the entire width of the housing 42.

[0064] The recess 56 and the contact elements 54 are arranged and formed such that they correspond to the deflector 38 and the mating contacts 26 of the holder 20, respectively, when the electronics module 14 is attached in the holder 20.

[0065] In the embodiment shown, “transversely to the insertion direction” means parallel to the rear side 46.

[0066] The housing 42 furthermore includes indentations 58 extending from the rear side 46 on the top side 50 contrary to the insertion direction R. The indentations 58 are arranged at the sides of the top side 50 and at a distance from the bottom side 48 that corresponds to the distance of the brackets 36 of the holder 20 from the bottom 24 of the holder 20.

[0067] In the embodiment shown, the indentations 58 do not quite extend as far as to the recess 56.

[0068] Inside the housing 42, a circuit board 60 is provided which is attached by means of an elastic suspension 62 so as to be decoupled from the housing 42. For example, the circuit board 60 is clamped within the housing 42 by the elastic suspension 62. Moreover, further components may be provided in the housing 42, which are not illustrated in FIG. 3c for the sake of clarity. The further components will be discussed further below.

[0069] In the embodiment shown, the contact elements 54 are in the form of spring contacts and are firmly connected with the housing 42 and resilient in relation to the circuit board 60. In this way, the contact elements 54 are movably connected with the circuit board 60. It is, of course, also conceivable that the contact elements 54 are connected with the circuit board 60 by means of a flexible cable.

[0070] It is also conceivable that the contact element 54 and the mating contact 26 include antennas and a protective layer which protects the antennas against the outside.

[0071] Also, it is conceivable that the contact element 54 and the mating contact 26 are in the form of an inductive and/or capacitive contact device.

[0072] To this end, the mating contact 26, as a part of the inductive and/or capacitive contact device, may include an electrically conductive surface, the inductance and/or capacitance of which changes upon actuation of the electric operational element 18. The contact element 54, as a part of the inductive and/or capacitive contact device, may then include parts of a detection means which can detect the change in inductance and/or capacitance of the conductive surface of the mating contact 26.

[0073] The electrically conductive surface and/or the part of the detection means may be provided with a cover protecting them with respect to the holder 20 or the electronics module 14.

[0074] In FIGS. 4a to 4c, different steps are shown during the process of insertion of the electronics module 14 into the holder 20 on the glove 16. For ease of understanding, the guide wall 34 has been drawn only in part.

[0075] FIG. 4a illustrates a first position during the insertion process. In this first position, the electronics module 14 has been partly introduced, with its rear side 46 first, through the insertion opening 29 into the receiving space 28.

[0076] For this purpose, at first the rear side 46 of the electronics module 14 was placed between the two guide walls 34 and then the electronics module 14 was positioned such that the lower sides of the indentations 58 engage under the brackets 36 of the holder 20.

[0077] The bottom side 48 of the electronics module 14 rests on the deflector 38 here, so that the contact elements 54 do not come into contact with any part of the holder 20 or the mating contacts 26 do not come into contact with the bottom side 48 of the electronics module 14. More specifically, the contact elements 54 are clearly spaced apart from the mating contacts 26.

[0078] This position is the first position of the electronics module 14.

[0079] The electronics module 14 is now moved in the insertion direction R, i.e. to the right with reference to the illustrations of FIG. 4; in the process, the electronics module 14 is introduced further into the receiving space 28.

[0080] With reference to FIG. 4, the electronics module 14 is guided by the guide walls 34 of the guide 32 in the horizontal direction and both by the brackets 36 and by the deflector 38 in the vertical direction, with the brackets 36 being slightly tensioned by the housing 42.

[0081] The bottom side 48 of the electronics module 14 travels over the deflector 38 here. In this way, the guide 32 prescribes a movement path of the electronics module 14.

[0082] The movement path runs substantially parallel to the insertion direction R here and thus substantially parallel to the bottom 24, until the position shown in FIG. 4b is reached. This position still corresponds to the first position of the electronics module 14, since the contact elements 54 of the electronics module 14 continue to be spaced apart from the holder 20, more particularly from the mating contacts 26.

[0083] The recess 56 of the electronics module 14 is now located directly in front of the deflector 38. Now when the electronics module 14 is moved just a short distance in the direction R of movement, the recess 56 and the deflector 38 will be positioned one above the other. At that moment, the electronics module 14 is moved toward the bottom 24 by the brackets 36, which had previously been prestressed by the distance between the bottom side 48 of the electronics module 14 and the bottom 24.

[0084] As a result, the contact elements 54, which are now located above the mating contacts 26, are also moved toward the bottom 24, that is, toward the mating contacts 26.

[0085] In the embodiment shown, this movement is a pivoting movement about a pivot axis G (FIG. 2c) at the end of the bottom 24, which at the same time defines the plane E.

[0086] It is also conceivable that the guide 32 is configured such that this movement is a linear movement, for example perpendicular to the bottom 24 and/or perpendicular to the direction R of movement.

[0087] The electronics module 14 has now reached the position shown in FIG. 4c and is in its second position. The contact elements 54 contact the mating contacts 26, and the electronics module is firmly held against the holder 20 by the brackets 36.

[0088] In the event that the contact element 54 and the mating contact 26 are in the form of antennas or an inductive and/or capacitive contact device having respective covers, the covers of the mating contact 26 and of the contact element 54 may contact in the second position.

[0089] The movement to the second position may also be regarded as a latching movement, the deflector 38 being introduced into the recess 56, so that the electronics module 14 latches in place on the holder 20. The latching process produces an audible noise, signaling to the user that the electronics module 14 has securely latched in place on the holder 20.

[0090] In the second position, the circuit board 60 is now connected to the electric operational element 18 in terms of information technology, in the illustrated embodiment electrically, via the contact elements 54, the mating contacts 26, and the cable 22.

[0091] To release the electronics module 14 from the holder 20, the lever 40 can be pushed toward the glove 16, whereby the latching connection is released in that the deflector 38 is guided out of the recess 56. The electronics module 14 can now be removed from the receiving space 28.

[0092] The electronics module 14 can, however, also be removed from the holder 20 in directions other than contrary to the insertion direction R. Above all, this increases the safety of the wearable sensor system 10.

[0093] For example, the electronics module 14 can also be removed upward. In doing so, the guide walls 34 are bent outward and the brackets are bent upward, as a result of which the electronics module 14 is removed from the holder 20. This serves to protect the user of the sensor system 10 if large forces act on the electronics module 14 which might cause damage to the hand of the user.

[0094] The electronics module 14 can, however, not be removed from the holder 20 in the insertion direction R since, in use, shocks regularly act on the electronics module 14 in the insertion direction R. This is prevented by the terminating walls 39.

[0095] FIGS. 5a and 5b illustrate an embodiment of the electronics module 14 in detail. The electronics module 14 as shown, more particularly the components used and the arrangement thereof within the housing, allows a particularly compact, in particular flat design.

[0096] This electronics module 14 allows wear on the wearable sensor system 10 to be still further reduced and the service life to be extended. However, the electronics module 14 and its details are also inventive on their own.

[0097] The housing 42 of the electronics module 14 includes two housing parts 42.1 and 42.2, each of which may be configured in one piece.

[0098] The rear housing part 42.1 comprises the rear side 46 of the housing 42 and parts of the top side 50 and of the bottom side 48, whereas the front housing part 42.2 comprises the front side 44 of the housing 42 and the remaining parts of the top side 50 and of the bottom side 48. The two housing parts 42.1 and 42.2 are connected with each other along a joint 64, for example by a plurality of screws.

[0099] The joint 64 therefore runs through the top side 50, the bottom side 48 and the longitudinal sides of the housing 42, as a result of which the length of the joint 64 is as small as possible. Since dust and moisture may enter through the joint of a housing, the short joint 64 reduces wear on the electronics module 14 as caused by dust or liquid and extends the service life.

[0100] Moreover, the short joint 64 renders it possible that only two screws are sufficient for a tight connection of the housing parts 42.1, 42.2. The holes drilled for the screws may start from the indentations 58 here.

[0101] In addition to the circuit board 60, an antenna 70, a battery 72, a battery casing 74, a vibration motor 76, and an optical detector 78 are provided inside the housing. In the embodiment shown, these components are arranged between the circuit board 60 and the top side 50.

[0102] The optical detector 78 is a barcode scanner, for example. However, the optical detector 78 and the vibration motor 76 may also be exchanged for or supplemented with other electronic components, or may be omitted, depending on the scope of functions of the electronics module 14 that is desired.

[0103] The optical detector 78, which is electrically connected to the circuit board 60, is arranged on the front side end of the circuit board 60.

[0104] The optical detector 78 is adapted to detect objects in front of the electronics module through openings in the front housing part 42.2.

[0105] But the front housing part 42.2 may also be made from a transparent material. This allows to dispense with openings in the front side 44 of the housing 42, leading to less dust and moisture entering the housing 42 and a longer useful life.

[0106] In the embodiment shown, the contact elements 54 are provided below the optical detector 78 and are tightly attached in the front housing part 42.2. Also, further contact elements 80 may be provided in the connecting region 52, by means of which the battery 72 can be charged.

[0107] The vibration motor 76 is mounted directly on the circuit board 60.

[0108] The antenna 70 is designed for frequencies below 1 GHz, more particularly for 915 MHz and/or 868 MHz, and may be manufactured from a thin steel, for example by cutting it out from a thin steel sheet. In this connection, thin means a thickness of less than 3 mm, more particularly of less than 1 mm.

[0109] The antenna 70 is arranged on the end of the circuit board 60 on the side of the rear wall and may be attached to the circuit board 60 by its two ends or by means of cables.

[0110] The antenna 70 extends, for example, along the rear side 46 and/or the top side 50 of the housing 42 toward the front side 44, the antenna 70 being pretensioned against the housing 42. For example, the antenna 70 is tensioned when it is inserted into the rear housing part 42.1. This allows as large a distance as possible to be obtained between the antenna 70 and the other electronic components, in particular the battery 72, as a result of which the transmission quality of the antenna 70 is improved.

[0111] It is also conceivable that the antenna 70 is integrated in the housing 42, in this case the rear housing part 42.1. This may be effected, for example, in that for manufacturing the housing part 42.1, 42.2, the antenna 70 is extrusion coated with the material of the respective housing part 42.1, 42.2.

[0112] The battery 72 is surrounded by a battery casing 74, for example on its rear, upper and lower sides, compensating for manufacturing tolerances and deformations of the battery 72.

[0113] Here, the battery casing 74 may rest on another component by its side facing away from the battery 72, for example the vibration motor 76, which allows installation space to be saved while the battery 72 is still protected from damage by this other component.

[0114] The battery casing 74 may be made from a strip of plastic material which is folded around the battery 72. The plastic material is preferably elastic and/or pretensioned toward the top side 50 of the housing 42.

[0115] Almost the entire space between the circuit board 60, the antenna 70 and the vibration motor 76 may be taken up by the battery 72 inclusive of the battery casing 74, allowing the use of as large a battery 72 as possible and, in this way, achieving long running times of the electronics module 14.

[0116] Accordingly, the antenna 70 is arranged partly between the battery casing 74 and the top side 50 of the housing 42. Due to its pretension, here the battery casing 74 may also act upon the antenna 70 with a force urging it toward the top side 50, so that the distance between the antenna 70 and the battery 72 is increased.

[0117] For assembly of the electronics module 14, the antenna 70, the battery 72, the battery casing 74, the vibration motor 76, the optical detector 78 and further electronic components that may be provided are arranged on and/or connected to the circuit board 60.

[0118] Then the housing parts 42.1 and 42.2 are slid around the circuit board 60 having the components mounted thereon, and the circuit board 60 is clamped in the housing parts 42.1, 42.2.

[0119] In the process, the circuit board 60 is contacted by the contact elements 54 attached in the first housing part 42.2. If the contact elements 54 are in the form of spring contacts, no soldering of the contact elements 54 and the circuit board 60 is required.

[0120] In addition, sections of the antenna 70 and/or of the battery casing 74 may be bent and thus tensioned when the rear housing part 42.1 is slid on toward the battery 72.

[0121] Subsequently, the two housing parts 42.1, 42.2 are screwed together.

[0122] The completed electronics module 14 may then be inserted into the holder 20 of an article of clothing 12 as described above. In this way, the operational element 18 is integrated into the circuit of the circuit board 60. If the operational element 18 is formed as a pushbutton, it can be used to activate, e.g., the optical detector 78.