Conductive cloth, power generator, and detection system

Abstract

To provide a conductive cloth or a power generator which is easy to connect externally.SOLUTION: A conductive cloth 12 comprises a first insulation layer 20 knitted or woven using a non-conductive yarn, a second insulation layer 22 knitted or woven using a non-conductive yarn, and a conductive layer 24 located between the first insulation layer 20 and the second insulation layer 22. A power generator 10 comprises the conductive cloth 12, and an external terminal 14 electrically connected to the conductive layer 24 of the conductive cloth 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to conductive fabrics, power generation devices and sensing systems. [Background technology]

[0002] Energy harvesting technologies for converting heat, vibrations, and other energy sources into electrical energy have been known for some time. For example, a technology has been proposed in which power-generating fabrics are formed using conductive yarns in which piezoelectric yarns are wound around a conductive core material, and multiple layers of the power-generating fabrics are stacked to form power generators for use in clothing or yacht sails. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2018 / 084054 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above-mentioned prior art, it is necessary to connect a wiring conductor to each of the multiple conductive threads that make up the power-generating fabric, which makes the structure for extracting the electricity generated by the power-generating fabric complicated.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of these problems, and one of its exemplary purposes is to provide a conductive fabric, a power generation device, or a detection system that can be easily connected to an external device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A conductive fabric according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a first insulating layer woven using non-conductive yarn, a second insulating layer woven using non-conductive yarn, and a conductive layer positioned between the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer.

[0007] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a power generation device, which includes the conductive fabric of an aspect and an external terminal electrically connected to the conductive layer of the conductive fabric.

[0008] Yet another aspect of the present disclosure is a detection system including a garment made of a conductive fabric according to an aspect and worn by a user, an external terminal electrically connected to the conductive layer of the garment, and a control device that detects the type of movement of the user using an output waveform of the external terminal.

[0009] Any combination of the above components, or mutual substitution of the components or expressions of the present disclosure between methods, systems, etc., are also valid aspects of the present disclosure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present disclosure, a conductive fabric, a power generation device, or a detection system that can be easily connected to the outside can be provided. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a configuration of a power generating device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a configuration of a conductive cloth according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a top view schematically illustrating a configuration of a conductive cloth according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is a photograph showing the appearance of a conductive cloth according to an example. [Figure 5] 3 is a photograph showing the appearance of the power generating device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is a photograph showing the appearance of a power generating device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 7] 7(a) to 7(d) are diagrams that schematically show the operating principle of the power generating device. [Figure 8] 4 is a graph showing a waveform of an output voltage of a power generating device according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] 4 is a graph showing the relationship between the power density and the load resistance obtained in the power generating device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a method of connecting a power generating device to a load. [Figure 11] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a method of connecting a power generating device to a load. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a power generating device according to another embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a method of connecting a power generating device to a load. [Figure 14] 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a detection system according to an embodiment. [Figure 15] 10 is a graph showing an example of a waveform output from an external terminal of the clothing. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a classification result of a plurality of types of motions by a detection model. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the description, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.

[0013] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a power generation device 10 according to an embodiment. The power generation device 10 includes a conductive cloth 12 and an external terminal 14. The power generation device 10 supplies power to a load 18 connected between the external terminal 14 and a ground 16.

[0014] Load 18 is an electronic device that consumes power or a power storage device that stores power. Examples of load 18 include, but are not limited to, a light-emitting element such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode), a spiral or loop antenna element for outputting radio signals, a sensor for measuring temperature, humidity, pressure, etc. or detecting specific chemical substances, a capacitor or secondary battery for storing power, etc. Load 18 may include a rectifier circuit (e.g., a diode) for converting generated power into direct current.

[0015] The conductive cloth 12 includes a first insulating layer 20, a second insulating layer 22, and a conductive layer 24. The conductive cloth 12 has a laminated structure in which the conductive layer 24 is located between the first insulating layer 20 and the second insulating layer 22.

[0016] The first insulating layer 20 and the second insulating layer 22 comprise non-conductive yarns. The first insulating layer 20 and the second insulating layer 22 are woven or knitted using non-conductive yarns. The first insulating layer 20 and the second insulating layer 22 may be knitted fabrics made of non-conductive yarns. The first insulating layer 20 and the second insulating layer 22 may be woven fabrics made of non-conductive yarns. There are no particular restrictions on the material of the non-conductive yarns used in the first insulating layer 20 and the second insulating layer 22, and they may be chemical fibers such as nylon, polyester, acrylic, polyurethane, or rayon, or natural fibers such as cotton, linen, silk, or wool.

[0017] The conductive layer 24 includes conductive yarn. The conductive layer 24 is woven using the conductive yarn. The conductive layer 24 may be a knitted fabric made of conductive yarn. The conductive layer 24 may be a woven fabric made of conductive yarn. The material of the conductive yarn used in the conductive layer 24 is not particularly limited and may be metal fiber such as copper or stainless steel, carbon fiber, or non-conductive chemical fiber or natural fiber plated or impregnated with metal. The conductive yarn used in the conductive layer 24 may be a composite yarn obtained by blending or twisting metal fiber or carbon fiber with chemical fiber or natural fiber. The conductive yarn used in the conductive layer 24 preferably has a conductive surface throughout its entirety and is preferably not coated with an insulating material such as resin.

[0018] When at least one of the first insulating layer 20, the second insulating layer 22, and the conductive layer 24 is knitted, the knitting method is not particularly limited and may be a weft knit such as plain knit (plain knit), rib knit (rib knit), purl knit, double knit, or waffle knit, or a warp knit such as raschel knit or tricot knit. When at least one of the first insulating layer 20, the second insulating layer 22, and the conductive layer 24 is woven, the weaving method is not particularly limited and may be a plain weave, twill weave (diagonal weave), or satin weave. When the conductive layer 24 is woven, it is preferable that both the warp and weft threads be conductive, but it is also possible to use conductive yarn for only one of the warp and weft threads and non-conductive yarn for the other.

[0019] The conductive cloth 12 may further include a connecting layer (e.g., connecting layer 26 in FIG. 2 ) composed of connecting yarns for connecting and integrating the first insulating layer 20, the second insulating layer 22, and the conductive layer 24. The conductive cloth 12 may include a connecting layer that connects the first insulating layer 20 and the conductive layer 24. The conductive cloth 12 may include a connecting layer that connects the second insulating layer 22 and the conductive layer 24. The conductive cloth 12 may include a first connecting layer that connects the first insulating layer 20 and the conductive layer 24, and a second connecting layer that connects the second insulating layer 22 and the conductive layer 24. The connecting yarns may be non-conductive yarns or conductive yarns.

[0020] The first insulating layer 20, the second insulating layer 22, and the conductive layer 24 may be knitted together. For example, the first insulating layer 20, the second insulating layer 22, and the conductive layer 24 may be knitted together by using at least one of plating knitting, bonded knitting (corrugated knitting), and hollow knitting. The first insulating layer 20, the second insulating layer 22, and the conductive layer 24 may be woven together. For example, the first insulating layer 20, the second insulating layer 22, and the conductive layer 24 may be woven together by using a double weave or a triple weave (e.g., a basket triple weave).

[0021] FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of a conductive cloth 12 according to one embodiment. The conductive cloth 12 shown in FIG. 2 is formed by knitting. The conductive cloth 12 includes a first insulating layer 20, a second insulating layer 22, a conductive layer 24, and a connecting layer 26. The first insulating layer 20 and the conductive layer 24 are formed by plating knitting. The first insulating layer 20 is formed of non-conductive yarn used as the face yarn of the plating knitting, and the conductive layer 24 is formed of conductive yarn used as the back yarn of the plating knitting. The second insulating layer 22 is formed of non-conductive yarn knitted in a plain stitch pattern. The connecting layer 26 is formed of a connecting yarn that tucks the second insulating layer 22 and the conductive layer 24. The conductive cloth 12 (i.e., the first insulating layer 20, the second insulating layer 22, the conductive layer 24, and the connecting layer 26) can be knitted integrally using a flat knitting machine or a circular knitting machine.

[0022] FIG. 3 is a top view schematically illustrating the configuration of a conductive cloth 12 according to one embodiment. The conductive cloth 12 illustrated in FIG. 3 is made of a woven fabric. The conductive cloth 12 includes a first insulating layer 20, a second insulating layer 22, and a conductive layer 24. The first insulating layer 20, the second insulating layer 22, and the conductive layer 24 are woven using a triple weave (e.g., a basket triple weave). The first insulating layer 20 is made of first warp threads 20a and first weft threads 20b, which are non-conductive yarns. The second insulating layer 22 is made of second warp threads 22a and second weft threads 22b, which are non-conductive yarns. The conductive layer 24 is made of warp threads 24a and weft threads 24b, which are conductive yarns. The first insulating layer 20, the second insulating layer 22, and the conductive layer 24 are integrated by tuck portions 26a and 26b. The first tuck portion 26a is a portion where the warp yarn 24a, which is a conductive yarn, is located closer to the front than the first weft yarn 20b, which is a non-conductive yarn. The second tuck portion 26b is a portion where the warp yarn 24a, which is a conductive yarn, is located closer to the back than the second weft yarn 22b, which is a non-conductive yarn. Therefore, the conductive yarns that make up the conductive layer 24 are woven so as to be connected to the first insulating layer 20 and the second insulating layer 22.

[0023] FIG. 4 is a photograph showing the appearance of conductive cloth 12 according to one example. The conductive cloth 12 shown in FIG. 4 is made of woven fabric and can have a structure similar to that shown in FIG. 2. In the example shown in FIG. 4, polyester fiber is used as the non-conductive yarn that makes up first insulating layer 20 and second insulating layer 22, a blended yarn of stainless steel fiber (20%) and polyester fiber (80%) is used as the conductive yarn that makes up conductive layer 24, and polyester fiber is used as the connecting yarn that makes up connecting layer 26. Because conductive cloth 12 has a structure in which conductive layer 24 is sandwiched between first insulating layer 20 and second insulating layer 22, the conductive yarn that makes up conductive layer 24 is not exposed on the surface.

[0024] Returning to FIG. 1 , the external terminal 14 is attached at any position on the conductive cloth 12. The external terminal 14 is made of a conductive material such as metal. The external terminal 14 is electrically connected to the conductive layer 24. For example, the external terminal 14 is attached so as to penetrate the conductive cloth 12, and is electrically connected to the conductive layer 24 by contacting the conductive thread that constitutes the conductive layer 24. The external terminal 14 may also be attached to the surface of the first insulating layer 20 or the second insulating layer 22 without penetrating the conductive cloth 12. In this case, the external terminal 14 can be sewn to the conductive cloth 12 with a conductive thread, thereby electrically connecting the external terminal 14 and the conductive layer 24 via the sewn conductive thread.

[0025] The power generation device 10 can be configured, for example, as clothing worn by humans or animals. For example, the conductive cloth 12 can be sewn into the clothing, and buttons on the clothing can be used as the external terminals 14. The power generation device 10 can be in direct contact with the skin or worn over underwear or the like. The power generation device 10 can be configured as any type of clothing, such as a shirt, pants, or socks. The power generation device 10 can include multiple pieces of conductive cloth 12, or the multiple pieces of conductive cloth 12 can be sewn together with conductive thread. By sewing multiple pieces of conductive cloth 12 together with conductive thread, any type of clothing can be configured, and the multiple pieces of conductive cloth 12 can be electrically connected together.

[0026] Fig. 5 is a photograph showing the appearance of the power generator 10A according to the first embodiment. The power generator 10A in Fig. 5 includes a conductive cloth 12a and an external terminal 14a. The conductive cloth 12a in Fig. 5 is a cut portion of the conductive cloth 12 shown in Fig. 4. The external terminal 14a shown in Fig. 5 is a conductive, metallic snap button that is sewn to the conductive cloth 12a with a conductive thread.

[0027] FIG. 6 is a photograph showing the appearance of a power generator 10B according to a second embodiment. The power generator 10B in FIG. 6 includes a first conductive cloth 12b, a second conductive cloth 12c, and an external terminal 14b. The first conductive cloth 12b and the second conductive cloth 12c in FIG. 6 are each a cut portion of the conductive cloth 12 shown in FIG. 4. The first conductive cloth 12b and the second conductive cloth 12c are sewn together with conductive thread, and a seam 28 exists between the first conductive cloth 12b and the second conductive cloth 12c. The external terminal 14b is a snap button sewn to the first conductive cloth 12b with conductive thread. The first conductive cloth 12b and the second conductive cloth 12c are electrically connected by the conductive thread that forms the seam 28. Therefore, the external terminal 14b is also electrically connected to the second conductive cloth 12c.

[0028] 7(a) to 7(d) are diagrams schematically illustrating the operating principle of the power generating device 10. The power generating device 10 generates electricity by utilizing contact electrification, frictional electrification, and electrostatic induction when an object 30 comes into contact with the surface of the conductive cloth 12. The object 30 is any dielectric. When the power generating device 10 is configured as clothing, the object 30 may be the skin of a human or animal, or may be another piece of clothing worn over the power generating device 10.

[0029] FIG. 7(a) shows a state in which an object 30 is in contact with the surface of the power generation device 10, with the object 30 in contact with the first insulating layer 20. At this time, due to the difference in materials between the first insulating layer 20 and the object 30, the surfaces of the first insulating layer 20 and the object 30 are charged. In the example shown in FIG. 7(a), the object 30 is positively charged and the first insulating layer 20 is negatively charged, but depending on the materials of the first insulating layer 20 and the object 30, they may be charged with opposite polarities. Furthermore, the amount of charge may increase due to frictional charging caused by rubbing between the first insulating layer 20 and the object 30.

[0030] 7(b) shows the process of object 30 being separated from conductive cloth 12 as indicated by arrow 32 after the state in FIG. 7(a). When positively charged object 30 is separated, conductive layer 24 adjacent to negatively charged first insulating layer 20 attempts to become positively charged due to electrostatic induction. As a result, current I1 flows from ground 16 to conductive layer 24. Load 18 connected between ground 16 and conductive layer 24 can obtain power from the flow of current I1.

[0031] 7(c) shows the process in which, after the state in FIG. 7(b), an object 30 approaches the conductive cloth 12 as indicated by the arrow 34. When the positively charged object 30 approaches, the positive charge accumulated in the conductive layer 24 escapes to the ground 16, causing a current I2 to flow from the conductive layer 24 to the ground 16. As a result, the load 18 connected between the ground 16 and the conductive layer 24 can obtain power due to the flow of the current I2.

[0032] The currents I1 and I2 flowing through the load 18 are pulsed currents transiently generated by electrostatic induction, and are different from currents supplied continuously and constantly from a power source, battery, or the like. The pulse width of the currents I1 and I2 is, for example, 100 milliseconds or less, for example, about 1 millisecond to 10 milliseconds. Although Figures 7(a) to (c) show a case where the object 30 is in contact with the first insulating layer 20, a similar power generation effect can be obtained by bringing the object 30 into contact with the second insulating layer 22.

[0033] FIG. 8 is a graph showing waveforms 36A and 36B of the output voltages of the power generators 10A and 10B according to the embodiment. The waveform 36A on the left side of FIG. 8 shows the output voltage of the power generator 10A shown in FIG. 5, and the waveform 36B on the right side of FIG. 8 shows the output voltage of the power generator 10B shown in FIG. 6. The waveforms 36A and 36B in FIG. 8 show the results when wool as the object 30 is pressed against the surfaces of the conductive cloths 12a and 12b of the power generators 10A and 10B at a cycle of 0.5 seconds (i.e., 2 Hz). As shown in FIG. 8, it can be seen that a pulse-like voltage is detected in accordance with the cycle of pressing the wool as the object 30. It can also be seen that the power generator 10B according to the second embodiment, in which the first conductive cloth 12b and the second conductive cloth 12c are sewn, can obtain an output equivalent to that of the power generator 10A according to the first embodiment.

[0034] FIG. 9 is a graph showing the relationship between the peak power density and the load resistance obtained in the power generating device 10A according to the first embodiment, and shows the case where the same conditions as those in FIG. 8 are used. The load resistance on the horizontal axis indicates the resistance value of the load 18 connected to the power generating device 10A. From the graph in FIG. 9, it can be seen that the pulse currents I1 and I2 produce a maximum of 40 mW / m 2 It can be seen that a power density of about

[0035] According to this embodiment, a clothing-type power generating device 10 that can be worn by humans or animals can be provided. According to this embodiment, power generation is possible throughout the conductive cloth 12 used as clothing, which allows for increased power generation and power generation efficiency compared to when power generating devices are provided locally only at joints such as elbows and shoulders. Furthermore, by sewing multiple pieces of conductive cloth 12 together with conductive thread, clothing of any shape can be sewn, allowing for the provision of a clothing-type power generating device 10 without compromising design.

[0036] According to this embodiment, the first insulating layer 20 and the second insulating layer 22 are provided on both sides of the conductive layer 24, thereby preventing the conductive yarns that make up the conductive layer 24 from coming into direct contact with the object 30. Because the conductive layer 24 is made of conductive yarns that are woven two-dimensionally, even if the conductive yarns break along the way, the entire conductive layer 24 can maintain an electrically connected state. Therefore, simply by providing the external terminal 14 at any location on the conductive cloth 12, the external terminal 14 can be electrically connected to the entire conductive layer 24. As a result, the conductive cloth 12 or the power generation device 10 can be easily connected to the outside.

[0037] 10 and 11 are cross-sectional views schematically illustrating a method for connecting the power generation device 10 and the load 18. In the configuration example of FIG. 10, the load 18 is placed on the surface of an object 30. The object 30 is, for example, the surface of a human or animal body. A snap-button external terminal 14 is provided on the conductive cloth 12. A detachable snap-button connection terminal 40 is attached to the external terminal 14. The load 18 is electrically connected to the power generation device 10 via a first wiring 42 connected to the connection terminal 40. A ground terminal 44 for connecting to the ground 16 is attached to the surface of the object 30. An electrode patch with adhesive tape or the like can be used as the ground terminal 44. The load 18 is connected to the ground terminal 44 via a second wiring 46.

[0038] In the configuration example of FIG. 11 , a load 18 is placed on the surface of the conductive cloth 12. A snap-button external terminal 14 is provided on the conductive cloth 12. A detachable snap-button first connection terminal 50 is attached to the external terminal 14. The load 18 is electrically connected to the conductive cloth 12 via the first connection terminal 50 and the external terminal 14. A snap-button through-hole terminal 54 is provided on the conductive cloth 12 and penetrates the conductive cloth 12. The through-hole terminal 54 is attached to the conductive cloth 12 while being electrically insulated from the conductive cloth 12 (conductive layer 24). The through-hole terminal 54 may be, for example, a snap button with an insulating or resinous outer periphery, and may be sewn to the conductive cloth 12 with non-conductive thread. The through-hole terminal 54 is electrically connected to a ground terminal 58 via wiring 56. An electrode patch with adhesive tape or the like can be used as the ground terminal 58. A detachable snap-button second connection terminal 52 is attached to the through-hole terminal 54. The load 18 is electrically connected to the ground terminal 58 via the second connection terminal 52 and the through terminal 54 .

[0039] FIG. 12 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a power generation device 70 according to another embodiment. The power generation device 70 includes a first garment 72 and a second garment 74 worn by a user 60. The first garment 72 and the second garment 74 are worn one on top of the other. The first garment 72 is, for example, underwear, and is worn so as to come into direct contact with the skin of the user 60. The second garment 74 is, for example, a shirt or sweater, and is worn on top of the first garment 72. The second garment 74 is made using the conductive cloth 12 according to the above-described embodiment. The first garment 72 is made by knitting or weaving non-conductive yarn, which is a common fiber, instead of the conductive cloth 12.

[0040] In the example of FIG. 12 , a first garment 72 and a second garment 74 are worn on the upper body of a user 60. The first garment 72 may include, for example, a torso portion 72a and sleeve portions 72b. Similarly, the second garment 74 may include, for example, a torso portion 74a and sleeve portions 74b. The torso portion 74a and sleeve portions 74b of the second garment 74 may be knitted or woven separately and then sewn together with conductive thread, or may be knitted or woven integrally. The second garment 74 may be configured so that its entirety is conductive via the conductive layer 24. Note that the first garment 72 and the second garment 74 may be worn anywhere. The first garment 72 and the second garment 74 may be configured as pants. The user 60 may be a human or a non-human animal.

[0041] The first garment 72 functions to electrically insulate the conductive fabric 12 constituting the second garment 74 from the user 60. The first garment 72, for example, is in direct contact with the second insulating layer 22 of the conductive fabric 12 constituting the second garment 74. The first garment 72 is preferably made of a material that is easily charged by contact or friction with the second insulating layer 22. The non-conductive yarn constituting the first garment 72 is preferably made of a material with different charging characteristics than the non-conductive yarn constituting the second insulating layer 22. To achieve different charging characteristics, materials with different orders in the "triboelectric series," which is a ranking in which a material that is easily positively charged when two materials are rubbed together is placed at the top and a material that is easily negatively charged is placed at the bottom, can be selected. In particular, selecting materials that are farther apart in the triboelectric series can increase the difference in charging characteristics.

[0042] Examples of materials that tend to be negatively charged in the triboelectric series include acrylic, polyester, acetate, linen, and cotton. On the other hand, examples of materials that tend to be positively charged in the triboelectric series include rayon, silk, wool, and nylon. For example, if the first garment 72 is made of a fiber that tends to be negatively charged (e.g., acrylic, polyester, acetate, linen, and cotton), the second insulating layer 22 of the second garment 74 can be made of a fiber that tends to be positively charged (e.g., rayon, silk, wool, and nylon). Conversely, if the first garment 72 is made of a fiber that tends to be positively charged (e.g., rayon, silk, wool, and nylon), the second insulating layer 22 of the second garment 74 can be made of a fiber that tends to be negatively charged (e.g., acrylic, polyester, acetate, linen, and cotton).

[0043] 13 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a method for connecting the power generation device 70 and the load 18. A snap button type external terminal 14 is provided on the conductive cloth 12 constituting the second garment 74. A detachable snap button type first connection terminal 76 is attached to the external terminal 14. The load 18 is electrically connected to the conductive cloth 12 via the first connection terminal 76 and the external terminal 14.

[0044] The first garment 72 is provided with a snap-button-type first through terminal 80 that penetrates the first garment 72. The first through terminal 80 functions as a ground terminal by coming into contact with the surface of the user 60. The conductive cloth 12 is provided with a snap-button-type second through terminal 82 that penetrates the conductive cloth 12. The second through terminal 82 is attached to the conductive cloth 12 while being electrically insulated from the conductive cloth 12 (conductive layer 24). The second through terminal 82 may be, for example, a snap button with an insulating or resin outer periphery, and may be sewn to the conductive cloth 12 with non-conductive thread. The second through terminal 82 is connectable to the first through terminal 80 and is electrically connected to the surface of the user 60 via the first through terminal 80. A detachable snap-button-type second connection terminal 78 is attached to the second through terminal 82. The load 18 is electrically connected to the surface of the user 60 and is grounded via the second connection terminal 78, the second through terminal 82, and the first through terminal 80.

[0045] The external terminal 14 and the second through terminal 82 may be provided at any location on the second garment 74. For example, the external terminal 14 and the second through terminal 82 may be provided at the cuffs, shoulders or collar of the second garment 74, or the hem of the second garment 74. The first through terminal 80 may be provided on the first garment 72 so as to correspond to the attachment location of the second through terminal 82 on the second garment 74. The external terminal 14 may be provided at multiple locations on the second garment 74.

[0046] According to this embodiment, the second garment 74 is entirely made of conductive cloth 12, thereby improving power generation efficiency. When the second garment 74 is worn on the upper body, the entire movement of the upper body, such as the movement of the entire arms when the user 60 walks or the movement of the entire torso when bending forward, can be made to contribute to power generation. For example, the amount of power generated can be increased compared to when power generation devices are provided only on joints with large movement, such as the shoulders and elbows. Furthermore, because the movement of parts with large surface areas, such as the arms, chest, abdomen, and back, can be used for power generation, the amount of power generated over the entire area can be increased even with movements that generate little power per unit area. The amount of power generated varies depending on the specific type of movement, but active power of, for example, approximately 0.1 mW to 1 mW can be obtained.

[0047] In a modified example, the wearing order of the first garment 72 and the second garment 74 may be reversed. For example, the first garment 72 may be worn over the second garment 74 made using the conductive fabric 12. In this case, the first garment 72 may be an outer garment such as a jacket or a coat. In a further modified example, a third garment may be worn in addition to the first garment 72 and the second garment 74. For example, the first garment 72 may be worn under the second garment 74 made using the conductive fabric 12, and the third garment may be worn over the second garment 74. The third garment may be an outer garment such as a jacket or a coat. Like the first garment 72, the third garment may be made by weaving non-conductive yarn, which is a common fiber. The non-conductive yarn making up the third garment may be made of a material having different electrostatic properties from the non-conductive yarn making up the first insulating layer 20 of the second garment 74.

[0048] 14 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a detection system 90 according to an embodiment. The detection system 90 includes a garment 92, an external terminal 94, and a control device 96. The detection system 90 analyzes a waveform output from the external terminal 94 of the garment 92 using the control device 96, and detects the type of movement of a user wearing the garment 92.

[0049] The garment 92 is, for example, an upper garment worn on the upper body. The garment 92 may also be a lower garment worn on the lower body. The garment 92 may be configured as a set of an upper garment and a lower garment. The garment 92 may be configured with conductive fabric 12 as in the above-described embodiment. The garment 92 may include a first garment configured with non-conductive yarn and a second garment configured with conductive fabric 12 worn over the first garment as in the other embodiment described above.

[0050] The external terminal 94 is in electrical contact with the conductive layer 24 of the conductive fabric 12 that constitutes the garment 92. The external terminal 94 may further include a ground terminal (not shown) that comes into direct contact with the user.

[0051] The control device 96 is connected to the external terminal 94 and acquires the output waveform of the external terminal 94. The control device 96 detects the type of user movement using the output waveform of the external terminal 94. For example, the control device 96 may store a plurality of waveform patterns corresponding to a plurality of types of user movement and detect the type of movement based on which waveform pattern the acquired output waveform matches. For example, the plurality of types of user movement may include, but are not limited to, walking, running, jumping, bending forward, stretching, and moving the arms.

[0052] The control device 96 may be a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet computer, or may be a general-purpose computer such as a server, a workstation, or a personal computer. In terms of hardware, the control device 96 can be realized by elements and mechanical devices such as a processor such as a computer's CPU (Central Processing Unit) and memories such as ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory), and in terms of software, it can be realized by a computer program or the like.

[0053] FIG. 15 is a graph showing an example of a waveform output from the external terminal 94 of the garment 92. The example in FIG. 15 shows the output waveform when a user wearing the garment 92 swings their arms. The output waveform includes multiple pulse waveforms that are repeated in response to the periodic arm swinging motion, and each of the multiple pulse waveforms has a similar waveform pattern. The control device 96 can detect the type of motion by analyzing the characteristic waveform pattern included in the output waveform.

[0054] The control device 96 may detect the type of user motion using a machine-learned detection model. The detection model can be generated by machine learning the waveform output from the external terminal 94 when the user performs a predetermined type of motion. The input to the detection model can be the time series values ​​of the output waveform over a predetermined period of time (e.g., one second). The time series values ​​used as input may be values ​​smoothed by a low-pass filter.

[0055] FIG. 16 shows an example of the classification results of multiple motion types using the detection model. A circular plot 100 represents walking, a rectangular plot 102 represents running, and a triangular plot 104 represents jumping. The detection model combines a converter that receives a waveform output from the external terminal 94 during a predetermined time period and outputs first and second feature quantities, and a classifier that uses the first and second feature quantities as inputs to classify the motion type. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used for the converter, and a support vector machine (SVM) was used for the classifier. One hundred sample waveforms were acquired for each motion, half of which were used for training the converter and classifier, and the other half were classified using the converter and classifier. Multiple motion plots 100-104 were successfully classified into regions, as schematically indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 16, with a classification accuracy of 98.33%. This demonstrates that the motion type can be identified using the waveform output from the external terminal 94 of the clothing 92.

[0056] According to this embodiment, by using the entire garment 92 as a sensor, multiple types of movements can be monitored in real time. Furthermore, by using a limited number (for example, one) of output waveforms output from the external terminal 94 of the garment 92 instead of combining multiple sensors, the wiring between the garment 92 and the control device 96 can be simplified. Furthermore, by optimizing the detection model to suit the user, it is possible to detect movements that are different from the user's normal movements and detect abnormalities in the user. Furthermore, by detecting differences from general movements, it is possible to identify the user's movement habits and use this information to help with exercise therapy for the user.

[0057] The present disclosure has been described above based on the embodiments. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments, that various design changes are possible, and that various modifications are possible, and that such modifications are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0058] In the above-described embodiment, the conductive cloth 12 is used as the power generation device 10. In another embodiment, the conductive cloth 12 may be used for an application other than the power generation device 10. The conductive cloth 12 may be used as wiring, a circuit, a sensor, a sensor electrode, a heater, an electromagnetic wave shield, or the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 10...power generation device, 12...conductive fabric, 14...external terminal, 20...first insulating layer, 22...second insulating layer, 24...conductive layer, 54...penetration terminal, 70...power generation device, 72...first clothing, 74...second clothing, 80...first penetrating terminal, 82...second penetrating terminal, 90...detection system, 92...clothing, 94...external terminal, 96...control device.

Claims

1. a first insulating layer woven or knitted using non-conductive yarn; a second insulating layer woven or knitted using non-conductive yarn; a conductive layer located between the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer, Conductive cloth.

2. The conductive layer is knitted using conductive yarn. The conductive cloth according to claim 1 .

3. The conductive yarn is woven so as to connect the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer. The conductive cloth according to claim 2 .

4. a connecting thread connecting the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer; The conductive cloth according to claim 1 .

5. At least one of the first insulating layer, the second insulating layer, and the insulating layer is a knitted fabric. The conductive cloth according to claim 1 .

6. At least one of the first insulating layer, the second insulating layer, and the insulating layer is a woven fabric. The conductive cloth according to claim 1 .

7. the first insulating layer and the conductive layer are knitted by plating knitting using non-conductive yarns and conductive yarns; The conductive cloth according to claim 1 .

8. a connecting thread connecting the conductive layer and the second insulating layer; The conductive cloth according to claim 7.

9. the first insulating layer, the second insulating layer, and the conductive layer are integrally woven. The conductive cloth according to claim 1 .

10. The conductive cloth according to any one of claims 1 to 9; an external terminal electrically connected to the conductive layer; Power generation equipment.

11. The external terminals pass through the conductive cloth. The power generating device according to claim 10.

12. The external terminals are sewn to the conductive cloth with conductive threads. The power generating device according to claim 10.

13. a second conductive cloth that is different from the first conductive cloth; Further provided is a conductive thread that sews the first conductive cloth and the second conductive cloth together. The power generating device according to claim 10.

14. a first garment worn by a user and knitted or woven using non-conductive yarn; a second garment worn over the first garment and made of the conductive fabric; The power generating device according to claim 10.

15. the first garment is in contact with the second insulating layer of the second garment and is knitted or woven using a non-conductive yarn of a type different from that of the non-conductive yarn constituting the second insulating layer; The power generating device according to claim 14.

16. a first penetration terminal that penetrates the first garment and contacts a surface of the user; The second garment further includes a second penetration terminal that penetrates the second garment while being electrically insulated from the conductive layer of the second garment and is connectable to the first penetration terminal. The power generating device according to claim 14.

17. A garment made of the conductive fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 9 and worn by a user; an external terminal electrically connected to the conductive layer of the clothing; a control device that detects the type of the user's action using the output waveform of the external terminal; Detection system.

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