TEXTILE DEVICE CONFIGURED TO COOPERATE WITH AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a textile device (1) configured to cooperate with an electronic device (2) comprising conductive path (21) having a path connection area (22). The textile device (1) comprises a first portion of textile (10) including a conductive zone (11) connected to a stretchable connection area (12) configured to be in contact with the path connection area (22) of the conductive path (21) so as to ensure an electrical connection between said textile device (1) and said electronic device (2). The stretchable connection area (12) comprises a conductive textile or a textile covered with a flexible conductive film. The textile device (1) also comprises a compartment, defined between the first portion of textile (10) and a second portion of textile (13), configured to maintain the electronic device (2) in a predefined position ensuring electrical connection between the stretchable connection area (12) and the path connection area (22).

Claims

1. A textile device configured to cooperate with an electronic device comprising a conductive path having a path connection area, the textile device comprising: a first portion of textile including a conductive zone connected to a stretchable connection area configured to be in contact with the path connection area so as to ensure an electrical connection between the textile device and the electronic device, wherein the stretchable connection area comprises a conductive textile or a textile covered with a flexible conductive film; and a compartment, defined between the first portion of textile and a second portion of textile, configured to maintain the electronic device in a predefined position, relative to the textile device, ensuring electrical connection between the stretchable connection area and the path connection area, wherein the electronic device and the compartment include edges having complementary features in relief in a vicinity of the connection areas so that the stretchable connection area is in contact with the path connection area when the complementary features in relief are mutually engaged.

2. The textile device according to claim 1, wherein the stretchable connection area is in the first portion of textile and/or the second portion of textile.

3. (canceled)

4. The textile device according to claim 1, wherein the stretchable connection area comprises a conductive textile obtained by weaving or knitting conductive yarns made of a conductive material or covered with a conductive material, preferably by weaving or knitting yarns covered with a conductive metal such as silver.

5. The textile device according to claim 1, wherein the stretchable connection area comprises a conductive textile obtained by printing the portion of textile with a conductive ink.

6. The textile device according to claim 1, wherein the second portion of textile is made of an elastic material.

7. The textile device according to claim 1, wherein the second portion of textile is sewn to the first portion of textile.

8. The textile device according to claim 1, wherein the compartment is a pocket obtained by sewing the second portion of textile onto the first portion of textile.

9. The textile device according to claim 1, wherein the conductive zone of the textile is obtained by weaving or knitting conductive yarns made of a conductive material or covered with a conductive material, preferably by weaving or knitting yarns covered with a conductive metal such as silver.

10. The textile device according to claim 1, wherein the conductive zone of the textile is obtained by deposition of a conductive film.

11. The textile device according to claim 1, wherein the conductive zone of the textile is obtained by printing with a conductive ink.

12. An electronic textile comprising: a textile device according to claim 1, and an electronic device comprising a path connection area and at least one conductive path extending from the path connection area.

13. The electronic textile according to claim 11, wherein the electronic device comprises a flexible printed circuit board and a battery fixed on the flexible printed circuit board.

14. An electronic garment comprising an electronic textile according to claim 11, wherein the first portion of textile is part of the electronic garment.

15. The electronic garment according to claim 14, wherein the electronic device comprises an oximeter and the first portion of textile comprises an opening, the oximeter and the opening being configured to be facing each other when the electronic device is positioned in the compartment.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0063] Features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments of a textile device, an electronic textile and an electronic garment according to the invention, this description being given merely by way of example and with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0064] FIG. 1 is a representation of a textile device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, where the electronic device is not inserted in the first portion of textile, and a portion of the electronic device.

[0065] FIG. 2 is a representation the textile device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, where the electronic device is inserted inside the compartment.

[0066] FIG. 3 is a zoomed-out representation of a textile device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0067] FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of an electronic garment according to the invention, comprising the textile device of FIG. 2 or 3 as part of the garment.

ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0068] As shown in FIG. 1, the textile device 1 according to the first embodiment comprises a first textile portion 10. Said first textile portion 10 comprises more than one conductive zones 11 that can be obtained by the insertion in the textile of conductive yarns by weaving or knitting. FIG. 1 also shows a portion of an electronic device 2 comprising multiple conductive paths 21, each having one path connection area 22 positioned at the edge of the electronic device 2.

[0069] In this first embodiment, each of the conductive zones 11 comprises one stretchable connection area 12 configured to be in contact with the path connection area 22 of the conductive path 21 so as to ensure an electrical connection between the textile device 1 and the electronic device 2, wherein the stretchable connection areas 12 comprise a conductive textile or a textile covered with a flexible conductive film.

[0070] According to the first embodiment, the textile device 1 further comprises a second portion of textile 13 mechanically connected to the first portion of textile 10 so as to define a compartment into which the electronic device 2 can be slide, the sliding direction being designed by the arrows in FIG. 1.

[0071] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the compartment is configured so as to maintain the electronic device 2 in a predefined position ensuring the physical contact and therefore the electronic connection between the stretchable connection areas 12 of the portion of textile 10 and each of the facing path connection area 22 of the electronic device 2. This feature allows to keep the electronic device operatively connected to the textile device 1 when the garment comprising the first textile portion 10 is wore by a subject in activity.

[0072] In this first embodiment, the electronic device 2 and the compartment include edges having complementary features in relief (14, 24) respectively in the vicinity of the stretchable connection area 12 and path connection area 22, so that the stretchable connection area 12 is in contact with the path connection area 22 when the complementary features in relief are mutually engaged (14, 24).

[0073] In FIG. 1, the complementary features in relief in proximity of each stretchable connection area 12 located at the bottom of the compartment are notches 14. The electronic device 2 comprises along one of its edges as many complementary features in relief, in the shape of protrusions 24, as the number of notches 14 on the compartment. The protrusions 24 on the electronic device 2 have a flat semi-circular shape and dimensions adapted to fit into the notches of the compartment 13.

[0074] According to this first embodiment, the stretchable connection areas 12 is in the first portion of textile 10 (not shown) and in the second portion of textile 13. The stretchable connection areas 12 in the second portion of textile 13 has an enlarged conductive area with a semi-circular shape.

[0075] In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the compartment is a pocket obtained by mechanical coupling of the first portion of textile 10 and the second portion of textile 13. Therefore, the electronic device 2 may be easily slide in and out of the pocket. In this second embodiment, where no additional blocking means is used, the compartment is made of elastic material or elastic fibers so as to exert a constant blocking force on the electronic device 2 and prevent it from sliding out of the compartment 13.

[0076] In this second embodiment, the edges of the pocket mechanically connected to the first portion of textile 10 do not have notches and the contact between the conductive zones 11 of the first textile portion 10 and the conductive paths 21 of the electronic device 2 is made at the bottom of the pocket.

[0077] FIG. 4 shows an electronic garment 4 comprising a textile device 1 according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3.

[0078] In this embodiment, the textile device 1 is part of the garment 4 and the conductive paths 11 of the textile device 1 are connected to multiple electrical sensors 41. These sensors may be electrophysiological sensors such as electrodes for electrocardiographic signal recording, for electromyographic signal recording and the like.

REFERENCES

[0079] 1—Textile device; [0080] 2—Electronic device; [0081] 3—Electronic textile; [0082] 10—First portion of textile; [0083] 11—Conductive zone of the first portion of textile; [0084] 12—First connection area; [0085] 13—Compartment; [0086] 21—Conductive path; [0087] 22—Path connection area; [0088] 4—Garment; [0089] 41—Sensor.