Wire connection structure

Abstract

Provided is a wire connection structure capable of suppressing a taut feeling caused by expansion and contraction of a fabric.　A wire connection structure 1 to which is connected a wire 300 for linking an external device A and a conductive part 120 that is provided on fabric 100 having elasticity. The wire connection structure 1 is equipped with: a terminal part 10 to which the wire 300 is connected and which is provided so as to contact the conductive part 120; and a housing part 20 which accommodates at least a portion of the terminal part 10. The housing part 20 is fixed to the fabric 100, and at least a portion thereof is formed from a soft material.

Description

Wiring connection structure

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for a wiring connection structure in which a conductive part provided on a stretchable fabric is connected to wiring for connecting an external device.

[0002] Conventionally, techniques for a wiring connection structure in which a conductive portion provided on a stretchable fabric is connected to wiring for connecting an external device are known, as described in Patent Document 1, for example.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses an elastic garment in which conductive portions are formed on a partial surface area of ​​an elastic fabric such as elastic stockings, so that low-frequency therapy or bioelectric signals can be obtained when the garment is worn. The prior art elastic garment is configured to form electrodes by knitting conductive yarn into the fabric, so that electrocardiographic signals or electromyographic signals can be detected by an external device via the electrodes, or so that electric current or the like can be applied to a subject via the electrodes.

[0004] Fabrics with such conductive portions are also expected to be used as contact pressure sensors in gloves, or to be attached to car seats to detect pressure distribution on the seat surface.

[0005] In such technology, it is necessary to connect the conductive part of the fabric to the external device by wiring. To make the fabric washable, the external device needs to be detachable, so it is desirable to connect the conductive part to the external device by a connector. Conventional connector connections include those that use snap buttons and those that solder the connector directly to the fabric.

[0006] However, because these are made up of hard electronic boards and buttons, there is an issue that they can feel stiff as the fabric stretches.

[0007] Patent No. 4609923

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and the problem it aims to solve is to provide a wiring connection structure that can suppress the feeling of tension that accompanies the stretching of the fabric.

[0009] The problem to be solved by the present invention is as described above, and the means for solving this problem will now be described.

[0010] That is, the wiring connection structure according to the present invention is a wiring connection structure in which a conductive portion provided on a stretchable fabric is connected to a wiring for connecting an external device, and the wiring connection structure includes a terminal portion to which the wiring is connected and which is provided so as to be in contact with the conductive portion, and a housing portion that accommodates at least a portion of the terminal portion, and at least a portion of the housing portion is formed from a soft material and fixed to the fabric. By configuring the wiring connection structure in this way, it is possible to suppress the feeling of tension caused by the stretching of the fabric.

[0011] The housing may have an opening at a portion facing the conductive portion, and the terminal may be provided so as to come into contact with the conductive portion through the opening. This configuration allows the terminal to come into contact with the conductive portion with a simple structure.

[0012] The terminal portion may have a shaft portion extending along the fabric, and the housing portion may slidably hold the shaft portion. By configuring in this manner, it is possible to easily maintain the positional relationship between the terminal portion and the conductive portion of the fabric even when the fabric stretches or shrinks.

[0013] Furthermore, a cylindrical portion may be provided in the housing portion and made of a material harder than the housing portion to support the shaft portion from the inside. By configuring in this way, it is possible to make the shaft portion slide more easily.

[0014] The tubular portion may be fixed to the fabric together with the housing portion. By configuring in this way, it is possible to prevent the tubular portion from moving relative to the housing portion when the fabric stretches or shrinks.

[0015] The terminal portion may be formed of a plate material having spring properties and bending toward the conductive portion, thereby improving the surface pressure of the terminal portion against the conductive portion and making it easier to maintain contact between the terminal portion and the conductive portion.

[0016] The terminal portion may be formed in a corrugated plate shape, which can improve the surface pressure of the terminal portion against the conductive portion, thereby making it easier to maintain contact between the terminal portion and the conductive portion.

[0017] The terminal portion may be made of a conductive material and may have a raised portion on the surface facing the conductive portion so as to rise toward the conductive portion. This configuration can improve the surface pressure of the terminal portion against the conductive portion, thereby making it easier to maintain contact between the terminal portion and the conductive portion.

[0018] The present invention has the advantage that the housing portion follows the expansion and contraction of the fabric, thereby suppressing the feeling of tension that accompanies the expansion and contraction of the fabric.

[0019] (a) Plan view showing a knitted fabric on which a wire connection structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention is provided. (b) Plan view showing a state in which the wire connection structure is provided on a knitted fabric. (a) Plan view showing the wire connection structure. (b) Front view showing the wire connection structure. (a) Cross-sectional view A-A of FIG. 2(b). (b) Cross-sectional view B-B of FIG. 2(a). (c) Front cross-sectional view showing a state in which the wire connection structure is provided on a knitted fabric. (a) Cross-sectional view showing a wire connection structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention. (b) Cross-sectional view showing a state in which the wire connection structure is provided on a knitted fabric. (a) Cross-sectional view showing a state in which the wire connection structure according to a third embodiment of the present invention is provided on a knitted fabric. (b) Cross-sectional view showing a state in which the wire connection structure according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention is provided on a knitted fabric. (c) Cross-sectional view showing a state in which the wire connection structure according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention is provided on a knitted fabric. (a) Cross-sectional view showing a state in which the wire connection structure according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention is provided on a knitted fabric.

[0020] In the following description, the directions indicated by arrows U, D, F, B, L, and R in the figures are defined as upward, downward, forward, backward, leftward, and rightward, respectively.

[0021] A wire connection structure 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention connects a conductive portion 120 provided on a stretchable fabric 100 with a wire 300 for connecting an external device 200. The fabric 100 is used as a part of, for example, clothing, gloves, car seats, etc. In this embodiment, the fabric 100 is assumed to be a knitted fabric for clothing. By providing the wire connection structure 1 on the fabric 100, the external device 200 can acquire an electrical signal from the conductive portion 120 via the wire 300 and can supply a current to the conductive portion 120 via the wire 300. The external device 200 may be provided on or outside the clothing.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1( a), the fabric 100 includes a non-conductive portion 110 formed to be non-conductive and a conductive portion 120 formed to be conductive. The non-conductive portion 110 is formed by weaving non-conductive threads. The conductive portion 120 is formed by weaving conductive threads. In this embodiment, the conductive portion 120 extends in the left-right direction and is formed so that its left end is bent forward. The front end of the conductive portion 120 is formed to be roughly rectangular in plan view. Hereinafter, the roughly rectangular portion of the front end of the conductive portion 120 in plan view will be referred to as the conductive portion 120. In addition, below, the upper surface of the fabric 100 will be referred to as the front surface, and the lower surface of the fabric 100 will be referred to as the back surface.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 1B, 2 and 3, the wiring connection structure 1 mainly includes a terminal portion 10, a housing portion 20 and a cylindrical portion 30.

[0024] The terminal portion 10 inputs and outputs electricity between the conductive portion 120 and the wiring 300. The terminal portion 10 is provided on the surface side of the conductive portion 120 at a position overlapping the conductive portion 120 in a plan view. The terminal portion 10 includes a terminal body 11 and a shaft portion 12.

[0025] The terminal body 11 constitutes the main structure of the terminal portion 10. The terminal body 11 is formed in the shape of a generally rectangular plate in a plan view, with its longitudinal direction oriented in the left-right direction. The terminal body 11 is formed of a conductive material, such as a copper plate. As shown in FIG. 1(b), wiring 300 is connected to the upper surface of the terminal portion 10 by soldering.

[0026] The terminal body 11 shown in Figures 2 and 3 is formed from a plate material having spring properties. The plate surface of the terminal body 11 is provided so as to fit along the surface of the substrate 100. As shown in Figures 3(b) and 3(c), the terminal body 11 is formed so as to bend in a generally arc shape in a front view toward the conductive portion 120. As shown in Figure 3(b), the terminal body 11 protrudes slightly below the bottom surface of the housing portion 20, which will be described later.

[0027] The shanks 12 shown in Figure 3 extend along the fabric 100 on the outside of the terminal body 11. In this embodiment, the shanks 12 are formed in a rod shape with a circular cross section. The shanks 12 are provided at the front and rear ends of the right and left ends of the terminal body 11, with their axes oriented in the left-right direction. The right shank 12 is provided so as to protrude rightward from the right end of the terminal body 11. The left shank 12 is provided so as to protrude leftward from the left end of the terminal body 11.

[0028] The housing portion 20 accommodates at least a portion of the terminal portion 10. The housing portion 20 is formed of any soft material. Soft materials include, for example, silicone rubber. The housing portion 20 is fixed to the fabric 100 so as to straddle the conductive portion 120. The housing portion 20 is arranged with its longitudinal direction oriented in a direction in which the fabric 100 is likely to stretch. The housing portion 20 includes a housing main body 21, an extension portion 22, and a fixing portion 23.

[0029] 2 and 3 constitutes the main structure of the housing portion 20. In this embodiment, the housing main body 21 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The housing main body 21 is provided on the front surface side of the conductive portion 120 at a position overlapping the conductive portion 120 in a plan view.

[0030] An opening 21a is formed in the housing body 21 in a portion facing the conductive portion 120. The opening 21a is formed to penetrate vertically through approximately the center of the housing body 21 in a plan view so that the top and bottom surfaces of the housing body 21 are open. The wiring 300 is connected to the top surface of the terminal body 11 via the opening 21a.

[0031] The extension portions 22 are provided at the front and rear ends of the right and left ends of the housing main body 21. The right extension portion 22 protrudes rightward from the right end of the housing main body 21 and extends to the right of the conductive portion 120. The left extension portion 22 protrudes leftward from the left end of the housing main body 21 and extends to the left of the conductive portion 120. In this embodiment, the extension portion 22 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. An internal space that communicates with the opening 21 a of the housing main body 21 is formed inside the extension portion 22.

[0032] In this embodiment, the fixing portion 23 is formed in a cylindrical shape with its axis oriented in the vertical direction, and is provided at the tip of the extension portion 22. The fixing portion 23 has a fixing hole 23a that penetrates the fixing portion 23 in the vertical direction approximately at the center in a plan view.

[0033] The tubular portion 30 shown in Figure 3 supports the shaft portion 12 so that it can slide. The tubular portion 30 is made of a material that is harder than the housing portion 20. In this embodiment, the tubular portion 30 is formed in a cylindrical shape and is provided in the internal space of the extension portion 22 with its axis facing in the left-right direction. The shaft portion 12 is inserted into the inside of the tubular portion 30. The tubular portion 30 supports the shaft portion 12 so that it can slide left and right. Because the shaft portion 12 is supported by the tubular portion 30, the terminal body 11 does not come into direct contact with the housing portion 20.

[0034] In the wiring connection structure 1 configured in this manner, as shown in Fig. 3(c) , the fixing device 40 is inserted into the fixing hole 23a. The fixing device 40 is inserted into the fixing hole 23a and fastened to the fabric 100, thereby fixing the housing part 20 to the surface of the fabric 100.

[0035] By fixing the housing portion 20 to the surface of the fabric 100 in this manner, the terminal body 11 comes into contact with the conductive portion 120 through the opening 21 a. The terminal body 11 has spring properties and is formed to protrude slightly below the bottom surface of the housing portion 20, which improves the surface pressure of the terminal body 11 against the conductive portion 120 and makes it easier to maintain contact between the terminal body 11 and the conductive portion 120.

[0036] The wiring connection structure 1 configured as described above connects the conductive part 120 and the external device 200 via the wiring 300. Here, since the housing part 20 is formed of a soft material such as silicone rubber, when the fabric 100 expands and contracts in the left-right direction, it follows the expansion and contraction of the fabric 100. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the feeling of tension caused by the expansion and contraction of the fabric 100.

[0037] Furthermore, because the housing 20 holds the terminal 10 via the tubular portion 30 so that it can slide in the left-right direction, the positional relationship between the terminal 10 and the conductive portion 120 is maintained even if the housing 20 follows the expansion and contraction of the fabric 100. Furthermore, because the terminal 10 and the conductive portion 120 are in contact with each other with a constant surface pressure maintained, even if the housing 20 expands and contracts in accordance with the expansion and contraction of the fabric 100, it is possible to prevent the terminal 10 and the conductive portion 120 from becoming misaligned.

[0038] As described above, when the fabric 100 stretches, the wiring connection structure 1 can maintain contact between the terminal portion 10 and the conductive portion 120 while suppressing the feeling of tension that accompanies the stretching of the fabric 100.

[0039] Next, the configuration of a wiring connection structure 2 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 4. In the following, the same components as those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

[0040] The wiring connection structure 2 according to the second embodiment includes a tubular portion 50 instead of the tubular portion 30. An internal space is formed inside the fixing portion 23, and the internal space of the fixing portion 23 is connected to the internal space of the extension portion 22. The tubular portion 50 is molded integrally with the extension portion 22 and the fixing portion 23 so as to fill the internal spaces of the extension portion 22 and the fixing portion 23 of the housing portion 20. A fixing hole 23a is provided in the tubular portion 50 at approximately the center in a plan view so as to penetrate the tubular portion 50 in the vertical direction. A fixing device 40 is inserted into the fixing hole 23a and fastened to the fabric 100, thereby fixing the tubular portion 50 together with the housing portion 20 to the fabric 100.

[0041] By fixing the tubular portion 50 together with the housing portion 20 to the fabric 100 in this manner, it is possible to prevent the tubular portion 50 from falling off due to expansion and contraction of the fabric 100 .

[0042] Next, the configuration of a wiring connection structure 3 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 5(a). In the following, the same components as those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0043] The wiring connection structure 3 according to the third embodiment includes a terminal portion 60 instead of the terminal portion 10. The terminal portion 60 is formed in a corrugated shape in which an upwardly protruding portion and a downwardly protruding portion are formed continuously in the left-right direction when viewed from the front.

[0044] By configuring in this manner, the surface pressure of the terminal portion 60 against the conductive portion 120 can be improved, and in turn, contact between the terminal portion 60 and the conductive portion 120 can be more easily maintained.

[0045] Next, the configuration of a wiring connection structure 4 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 5B. In the following, the same components as those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

[0046] The terminal portion 10 of the wiring connection structure 4 according to the fourth embodiment includes a raised portion 13. The raised portion 13 is made of a conductive material. The raised portion 13 is provided on the lower surface of the terminal portion 10 facing the conductive portion 120 so as to rise toward the conductive portion 120.

[0047] By configuring in this manner, the surface pressure of the terminal portion 60 against the conductive portion 120 can be improved, and in turn, contact between the terminal portion 60 and the conductive portion 120 can be more easily maintained.

[0048] Next, the configuration of a wiring connection structure 5 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 5(c). In the following, the same components as those in the fourth embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

[0049] The wiring connection structure 5 according to the fifth embodiment includes a pressing portion 70 provided on the back side of the fabric 100. The pressing portion 70 is formed of the same material and in a generally similar shape to the housing portion 20. A fixing hole 70a through which the fixing device 40 is inserted is formed in the pressing portion 70. The fixing device 40 is inserted into the fixing hole 23a and the fixing hole 70a and fastened, thereby sandwiching the fabric 100 between the housing portion 20 and the pressing portion 70. This makes it possible to improve the surface pressure of the terminal portion 60 against the conductive portion 120. The pressing portion 70 can be applied to any of the embodiments described in this specification.

[0050] Next, the configuration of a wiring connection structure 6 according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 6. In the following, the same components as those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

[0051] In the wiring connection structure 1 according to the first embodiment, the shaft portions 12 of the terminal portions 10 and the extension portions 22 of the housing portion 20 extend in two directions, whereas in the wiring connection structure 6 according to the sixth embodiment, the shaft portions 12 of the terminal portions 10 and the extension portions 22 of the housing portion 20 may extend in three or more different directions. In the example shown in Fig. 6, the extension portions 22 extend in four directions, and the four extension portions 22 are arranged at equal intervals from one another. Each shaft portion 12 is supported by the cylindrical portion 30 so as to be slidable in the extension direction.

[0052] This configuration allows the housing portion 20 to follow the expansion and contraction in multiple directions of the fabric 100. Note that the extension portion 22 extending in three or more directions can be applied to any of the embodiments described in this specification.

[0053] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and appropriate modifications are possible within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the invention described in the claims.

[0054] For example, the housing portion 20 does not have to be made entirely of a soft material; it is sufficient that at least a portion between the left and right fixing portions 23 is made of a soft material so that it can follow the expansion and contraction of the fabric 100.

[0055] Furthermore, the terminal portion 10 does not necessarily have to be slidably supported in the housing portion 20, and may be fixed directly to the housing portion 20 rather than via the tubular portion 30. In this case, the portion of the housing portion 20 outside the fixed portion with the terminal portion 10 expands and contracts in accordance with the expansion and contraction of the fabric 100.

[0056] Furthermore, the structure for contacting the terminal body 11 of the terminal portion 10 with the conductive portion 120 is not limited to the bend or the raised portion 13, but may also be such that a protrusion is provided on the terminal body 11 to contact the conductive portion 120, for example.

[0057] Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape of the shaft portion 12 is not limited to a circle and may be any shape, such as a rectangle or a polygon. Furthermore, the shape of the housing main body 21 is not limited to a substantially rectangular parallelepiped and may be any shape. Furthermore, the shape of the extension portion 22 is not limited to a substantially rectangular parallelepiped and may be any shape. Furthermore, the shape of the fixing portion 23 is not limited to a cylindrical shape and may be any shape. Furthermore, the shape of the tubular portion 30 is not limited to a cylindrical shape and may be any shape.

[0058] Furthermore, the housing portion 20 does not necessarily have to be fixed to the fabric 100 so as to straddle the conductive portion 120, and for example, the housing portion 20 may be arranged so that all parts thereof overlap with the conductive portion 120 in a planar view.

[0059] Furthermore, the fixing portion 23 of the housing portion 20 may be easily detachable from the fabric 100, thereby making the fabric 100 washable. On the other hand, when the fabric 100 is used for, for example, a car seat, the fabric 100 does not need to be washed, and therefore the fixing portion 23 of the housing portion 20 does not need to be easily detachable from the fabric 100. In this case, by connecting the wiring 300 with a connector, assembly and the like can be made easier.

[0060] The present invention can be applied to a wiring connection structure in which a conductive portion provided on a stretchable fabric is connected to a wiring for connecting an external device.

[0061] 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Wiring connection structure 10, 60 Terminal portion 12 Shaft portion 20 Housing portion 21a Opening portion 30, 50 Cylinder portion 100 Fabric 120 Conductive portion 200 External device 300 Wiring

Claims

1. A wiring connection structure for connecting a conductive part provided on a stretchable fabric and an external device, the wiring connection structure comprising: a terminal part to which the wiring is connected and which is provided so as to be in contact with the conductive part; and a housing part that houses at least a part of the terminal part, wherein at least a part of the housing part is formed of a soft material and is fixed to the fabric.

2. The wiring connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the housing part has an opening in a portion facing the conductive part, and the terminal part is provided so as to be in contact with the conductive part through the opening.

3. The wiring connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the terminal part has a shaft part extending along the fabric, and the housing part slidably holds the shaft part.

4. The wiring connection structure according to claim 3, further comprising a cylindrical part formed of a material harder than the housing part and provided in the housing part to support the shaft part from the inside.

5. The wiring connection structure according to claim 4, wherein the cylindrical part is fixed to the fabric together with the housing part.

6. The wiring connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the terminal part is formed of a springy plate material that bends toward the conductive part.

7. The wiring connection structure according to claim 6, wherein the terminal part is formed in a corrugated shape.

8. The wiring connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the terminal part is formed of a conductive material and includes a raised part provided on a surface facing the conductive part so as to rise toward the conductive part.

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