Capacitive Touch Sensor for Automated Clothing Closure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for putting on or taking off clothing or luggage with automated closures require significant user effort and time, as they often necessitate pressing a switch to adjust lacing force levels, which can be cumbersome and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing touch-sensitive sensors arranged in a linear surface, allowing users to easily adjust fastening force levels by sweeping their finger over the sensors in specific directions, with an electric motor and control means to manage the tensioning element, enabling stepwise closure and opening of clothing or luggage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a switch is pressed to adjust lacing force levels in automated closures, then the closure can be tightened or loosened, but the operation requires significant user effort and time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical switch-pressing system with a capacitive touch sensor system that detects finger proximity and movement. The control unit interprets touch patterns (single touch, double touch, sliding gestures) to control the electric motor, eliminating the need for prolonged switch pressing and reducing both user effort and time required for operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic action through double-touch functionality where two rapid successive touches trigger a different mode (e.g., loosening instead of tightening). This allows users to quickly switch between operations without holding any position, reducing the time and effort compared to continuous switch pressing.
2Force
If a switch is pressed to adjust lacing force levels, then the desired tension can be achieved, but the user must maintain pressure on the switch for the duration of the action
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the mechanical switch-pressing mechanism with capacitive touch sensors that detect finger presence and movement gestures. The control unit processes these touch inputs to regulate the electric motor's operation, allowing users to achieve desired lacing force without maintaining continuous physical pressure on a switch, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining force control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by detecting the user's touch gesture in advance and initiating the motor operation automatically. The control unit starts the motor based on the touch pattern detected, eliminating the need for the user to maintain switch pressure throughout the entire lacing process.
3Productivity
If touch-sensitive sensors are used for control, then the operation becomes simpler and faster, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit serves multiple functions: it processes signals from touch-sensitive sensors, interprets various touch gestures (single touch, double touch, sliding), controls the electric motor in different modes (tightening, loosening), and manages the tensioning element. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate components, improving productivity while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the touch sensor array, control logic, and motor control functions into an integrated control unit. This consolidation combines multiple functions into a single component, achieving simpler and faster operation through touch gestures while preventing excessive increase in overall device complexity through functional integration.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for putting on or taking off a piece of clothing or for closing, putting on, opening, or taking off a piece of luggage, including the steps of tightening or loosening by means of a tensioning element driven by a driven tension roller and a switching element. The tightening or loosening takes place by actuation of the switching element. The switching element has a number of contact-sensitive sensors which are arranged adjacent to one another and form a surface accessible to the user of the piece of clothing or of the piece of luggage. The method includes the steps of scanning the surface of the sensors by the user in a first direction, detecting the signal of the sensors by a controller, and causing a first tensioning force level or a first closing path of the tensioning element to be initiated by the controller and the electric motor.