Unitary Knitted Garment Panel with Conductive Wire
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wearable electronics and smart garments face manufacturing challenges due to the need for multiple panel pieces that are sewn together, leading to excessive wear on electrical connections at seams, which can render the electronic panels inoperable.
Innovation Solution
A unitary panel comprising at least one conductive wire attached to a substrate is used, eliminating the need for electrical connections between panels and enhancing durability by avoiding seams across the panel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If garments are made with multiple fabric panels sewn together to form smart garments, then the garment can incorporate electronic circuitry, but the electrical connections at seams experience excessive wear due to regular flexing, leading to inoperability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple fabric panels into a single seamless knitted garment structure, eliminating the need for separate electronic panels and interconnects. The electronic circuitry is integrated directly into the knitted fabric, combining what were previously separate components (fabric panels, electronic circuits, and interconnecting wires) into a unified structure, thereby eliminating wear points at seams while maintaining the smart garment functionality
2Adaptability or versatility
If electronic circuitry extends from one panel to another panel requiring interconnects, then smart garment functionality is achieved, but the interconnects suffer from excessive wear due to flexing at seams
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the interconnect components from the garment structure. Instead of having separate electronic panels connected by wires that cross seams, the electronic circuitry is knitted directly into the fabric itself, removing the vulnerable interconnect elements that were subject to wear and failure at seam locations
3Ease of manufacture
If seams are used to join fabric panels, then garment construction is enabled, but the seams create wear points that render electronic panels inoperable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the fabric construction and electronic circuitry into a single integrated knitted structure. The garment is manufactured as one seamless piece using knitting technology, where the electronic pathways are formed within the fabric structure itself, eliminating the need for separate sewing operations and seam formations that would create stress concentration points
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present the disclosure relate to apparatuses, systems (100), and methods for flexible electronic panels (102) that can be incorporated into various garments (104). In an exemplary embodiment the electronic panel (102) comprises a substrate (118) and an electrically conductive wire (120) attached to the substrate (118). Exemplary embodiments include a garment (104) comprising a plurality of panels (102,A′,A″,A′″,Bl,B″). In aspects, a first panel (102) is a unitary panel extending from a first appendage of the garment (104) to a second appendage of the garment (104). Additionally, at least the first panel (102) comprises at least one conductive wire (120) and wherein the remaining plurality of panels (A′,A″,A′″,BI,B″) form the remainder of the garment (104).