EP2775018B1

EP2775018B1 - Fabric pressure switch

Info

Publication number: EP2775018B1
Application number: EP13157580.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hong-Hsu Huang; I-Chen Su; King-Mu Hsiao; Shun-Tung Yang
Original assignee: Kings Metal Fiber Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Kings Metal Fiber Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2013-03-04
Filing date: 2013-03-04
Publication date: 2015-06-03
Anticipated expiration: 2033-03-04
Also published as: ES2543319T3; EP2775018A1

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a fabric pressure switch, and in particular to a fabric pressure switch that features both resiliency and electrical conductivity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As shown in Figure 1, a conventional detection element 1 for physiological examination comprises a base layer 10 and an electrically conductive layer 11 formed on the base layer 10. To use, the electrically conductive layer is attached to human skin surface to detect a signal generated by the human body. However, the electrically conductive layer 11 of such a detection element 1 is generally of poor resiliency and has poor electrical conductivity with human skin, making it difficult to detect the signal generated by the human body and also making wear uncomfortable. As shown in Figure 2, an improvement is made such that a resilient layer 12 is arranged between the electrically conductive layer 11 and the base layer 10 so that contact tightness between the electrically conductive layer 11 and human skin can be improved with the resilient layer 12. Further, a moisture-retaining material is also included in the layer to make the layer also function moisture retaining thereby improving electrical conductivity of the electrically conductive layer 11. However, since the resilient layer 12 and the electrically conductive layer 11 are two separate layers, moisture must penetrate through the electrically conductive layer 11 before being absorbed by the resilient layer 12. Consequently, the absorbability of moisture is affected. When the resilient layer 12 releases water between the electrically conductive layer 11 and human skin, the release of water is also affected by being blocked by the electrically conductive layer 11. Further, since the resilient layer 12 and the electrically conductive layer 11 are two separate layers that are bonded to each other by an external force (such as adhesion), these layers are easily detached from each other due to the high humidity long maintained by the resilient layer 12, making the detection element 1 losing its function. However, said method is to stick the detection element 1 to a garment. When a user wearing the garment, the detection element 1 is probably contact the user's body without pressure to cause the wrong detection.
WO 2004/100784 A2 discloses a knitted transducer device comprising a knitted structure having at least one transduction zone, in which the transduction zone is knitted with electrically conductive fibres so that deformation of the knitted structure results in a variation of an electrical property of the transduction zone.
WO 2006/101748 A2 discloses a textile-based electrode including a fabric portion having stretch-recovery non-conductive yarns and an electrically conductive region having stretch-recovery electrically conductive yarn filaments.
In view of this problem, the present invention aims to provide a structure that possesses the characteristics of resiliency, electrical conduction, and detection when taking a quantity of pressure in order to achieve the goal of improving electrical conduction and lifespan of product.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a fabric pressure switch that is formed through being unitarily knitted and features resiliency and electrical conductivity.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fabric pressure switch that features moisture retention.
To realize the above objects, the present invention provides a fabric pressure switch according to claim 1.
In the above-discussed fabric pressure switch, the first structural yarns and the second structural yarns are each one of polyester yarn, porous fiber yarn, alginate fiber yarn, carboxymethyl cellulose fiber yarn, rayon fiber yarn, metal fiber yarn, carbon nanotube fiber yarn, and carbon fiber yarn.
In the above-discussed fabric pressure switch, the first electrically conductive yarns and the second electrically conductive yarns are one of metal fiber yarn, carbon nanotube fiber yarn, and carbon fiber yarn.
In the above-discussed fabric pressure switch, the first elastic yarns and the second elastic yarns are each spandex yarn.
In the above-discussed fabric pressure switch, the first support yarns and the second support yarns are each one of polyester yarn and nylon yarn.
In the above-discussed fabric pressure switch, the first structural yarns, the first elastic yarns, and the first electrically conductive yarns are arranged and interlaced through knitting to form the resilient conductive tissue.
In the above-discussed fabric pressure switch, the second structural yarns, the second elastic yarns, and the second electrically conductive yarns are arranged and interlaced through knitting to form the second resilient conductive tissue.
In the above-discussed fabric pressure switch, the first resilient conductive tissue, the second resilient conductive tissue, and the support tissue are unitarily combined to form the fabric pressure switch, in which the same planar tissue features both resiliency and electrical conductivity and also shows an effect of moisture retention through being combined with structural yarns that feature moisture retention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following description of preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing a conventional detection element for physiological examination;
Figure 2 is a side elevational view showing a conventional detection element for physiological examination;
Figure 3 is a schematic view showing a fabric pressure switch according to the present invention;
Figure 4 is a perspective view showing, in an enlarged form, a portion of the fabric pressure switch in accordance with the present invention; and
Figure 5 is a schematic view showing the embodiment of the fabric pressure switch according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the drawings and in particular to Figure 3, which is a perspective view showing a fabric pressure switch according to the present invention, as shown in the drawing, in the instant embodiment, the fabric pressure switch according to the present invention comprises a first resilient conductive tissue 20, a support tissue 30, and a second resilient conductive tissue 40, which are knitted unitarily to form the fabric pressure switch with the support tissue 30 arranged between and connecting the resilient conductive tissue 20 and the second resilient conductive tissue 40.
Referring to Figure 3 and figure 4, which is a perspective view showing, in an enlarged form, a portion of the fabric pressure switch in accordance with the present invention, as shown in the drawing, the first resilient conductive tissue 20 is formed by arranging and interlacing, through proper fabric manufacturing process, a plurality of first structural yarns 200, a plurality of first elastic yarns 201, and a plurality of first electrically conductive yarns 202 together. Each of the first structural yarns 200 is combined with each of the first elastic yarns 201 as a strand for being arranged alternately with each of the first electrically conductive yarns 202. Further, the first structural yarns 200, the first elastic yarns 201, and the first electrically conductive yarns 202 are alternately arranged through knitting to form the resilient conductive tissue 20. The second resilient conductive tissue 40 is formed by arranging and interlacing a plurality of second structural yarns 400, a plurality of second elastic yarns 401, and a plurality of second electrically conductive yarns 402 together. Each of the second structural yarns 400 and each of the second elastic yarns 401 are arranged together as the same strand for being arranged alternately with each of the second electrically conductive yarns 402. The support tissue 30 is formed of a plurality of first support yarns 300 and a plurality of second support yarns 301 and connects between the resilient conductive tissue 20 and the second resilient conductive tissue 40, wherein each of the first support yarns 300 is arranged, with each of the first structural yarns 200 and each of the first elastic yarns 201 and subsequently extends to the second resilient conductive tissue 40 to be arranged with each of the second structural yarns 400 and each of the second elastic yarns 401. Each of the second support yarns 301 is arranged with each of the first electrically conductive yarns 202 and subsequently extends to the second resilient conductive tissue 40 to be arranged with each of the second electrically conductive yarns 402 corresponding to the first electrically conductive yarns 202. The interlaced arrangement of the first support yarns 300 and the second support yarns 301 provides improved resiliency to the fabric pressure switch of the present invention, so as to make a wearer comfortable when is used to make a wearable article.
Referring to Figure 4, which is a perspective view showing, in an enlarged form, a portion of the fabric pressure switch in accordance with the present invention, as shown in drawing, the first resilient conductive tissue 20 is formed by arranging and interlacing a plurality of first structural yarns 200, a plurality of first elastic yarns 201, and a plurality of first electrically conductive yarns 202 together. Each of the first structural yarns 200 is combined with each of the first elastic yarns 201 as a strand for being arranged alternately with each of the first electrically conductive yarns 202, whereby after the entirety of the fabric pressure switch is completely arranged when the stretching force of yarns are removed, the first elastic yarns 201 get contracting and squeeze the electrically conductive yarns 202 outward so that the electrically conductive yarns 202 project beyond the surface of the entire resilient conductive tissue 20. This ensures that when the fabric is placed on human body, the first electrically conductive yarns 202 get contact with the human body first so that the fabric pressure switch according to the present invention may provide improved effect of detection. For the same reason, the second resilient conductive tissue 40 is provided with the same structure and function.
Referring to Figure 5, which is a schematic view showing the embodiment of the fabric pressure switch according to the present invention, as shown in the drawing, when the fabric pressure switch has taken the pressure of an object 50, the first resilient conductive tissue 20 and the second resilient conductive tissue 40 would deform the support tissue to contact each other. Therefore, a signal receive and illustrious device (not shown in Fig. 5) electrically connect to the first resilient conductive tissue 20 and the second resilient conductive tissue 40 would detect the pressure in which the fabric pressure switch was taken. Moreover, when the pressure removes from the fabric pressure switch and return to the original condition, as shown in Figure 3, the first resilient conductive tissue 20 and the second resilient conductive tissue 40 are separated by the elasticity of the support tissue 30 and form a broken circuit. Therefore, the signal receive and illustrious device will detect a signal in which the pressure was removed.
The first structural yarns 200 and the second structural yarns 400 can selectively be one of polyester yarn, porous fiber yarn, alginate fiber yarn, carboxymethyl cellulose fiber yarn, rayon fiber yarn, metal fiber yarn, carbon nanotube fiber yarn, and carbon fiber yarn among which porous fiber yarn, alginate fiber yarn, carboxymethyl cellulose fiber yarn, and rayon fiber yarn have the function of moisture retention. If the first structural yarns 200 and the second structural yarns 400 are selected from these four materials, then the fabric pressure switch according to the present invention may show the characteristics of resiliency, moisture retention, and electrical conductivity.
The first elastic yarns 201 and the second elastic yarns 401 can be spandex yarn. The first electrically conductive yarns 202 and the second electrically conductive yarns 402 can selectively be one of metal fiber yarn, carbon nanotube fiber yarn, and carbon fiber yarn. The first support yarns 300 and the second support yarns 301 can selectively be one of polyester yarn and nylon yarn.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.

Claims

A fabric pressure switch, comprising a first resilient conductive tissue (20), a second resilient conductive tissue (40) and a support tissue (30), which connects between the first resilient conductive tissue (20) and the second resilient conductive tissue (40)
characterized in that
the first resilient conductive tissue (20), which is formed by arranging and interlacing a plurality of first structural yarns (200), a plurality of first elastic yarns (201), and a plurality of first electrically conductive yarns (202), wherein each of the first structural yarns (200) is combined with each of the first elastic yarns (201) as a strand for being alternately arranged with each of the first electrically conductive yarns (202);
the second resilient conductive tissue (40), which is formed by arranging and interlacing a plurality of second structural yarns (400) and a plurality of second elastic yarns (401), and a plurality of second electrically conductive yarns (402), wherein each of the second structural yarns (400) is combined with each of the second elastic yarns (401) as a strand for being alternately arranged with each of the second electrically conductive yarns (402); and
the support tissue (30), which is formed of a plurality of first support yarns (300) and a plurality of second support yarns (301) and
wherein each of the first support yarns (300) is arranged, with each strand of the first structural yarns (200) and the first elastic yarns (201) and extends to each strand of the second structural yarns (400) and the second elastic yarns (401) arranged in the second resilient conductive tissue (40), and each of the second support yarns (301) is arranged with each of the first electrically conductive yarns (202) and extends to each of the second electrically conductive yarns (402) corresponding to the first electrically conductive yarns (202).
The fabric pressure switch as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the first structural yarns (200) and the second structural yarns (400) are each one of polyester yarn, porous fiber yarn, alginate fiber yarn, carboxymethyl cellulose fiber yarn, rayon fiber yarn, metal fiber yarn, carbon nanotube fiber yarn, and carbon fiber yarn.
The fabric pressure switch as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the first electrically conductive yarns (202) and the second electrically conductive yarns (402) are one of metal fiber yarn, carbon nanotube fiber yarn, and carbon fiber yarn.
The fabric pressure switch as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the first elastic yarns (201) and the second elastic yarns (401) are each spandex yarn.
The fabric pressure switch as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the first support yarns (300) and the second support yarns (301) are each one of polyester yarn and nylon yarn.
The fabric pressure switch as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the first structural yarns (200), the first elastic yarns (201), and the first electrically conductive yarns (202) are arranged and interlaced through knitting to form the resilient conductive tissue (20).
The fabric pressure switch as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the second structural yarns (400), the second elastic yarns (401), and the second electrically conductive yarns (402) are arranged and interlaced through knitting to form the second resilient conductive tissue (40).
The fabric pressure switch as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the first electrically conductive yarns (202) and the second electrically conductive yarns (402) project beyond a surface of the resilient conductive tissue (20, 40).