Capacitive Touchscreen Glove with Oversewn Conductive Yarn
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing touchscreen gloves with conductive patches are inefficient and prone to wear, as adhesives are not flexible or long-lasting, and sewn patches can be obtrusive and wear differently than the glove material, leading to reduced performance on capacitive touchscreens.
Innovation Solution
A glove made from non-conductive knitted material with conductive yarn oversewn at finger tips, ensuring electrical conductivity between surfaces, reducing the need for excess conductive material and enhancing durability and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conductive patches are adhered or sewn to the glove, then touchscreen functionality is enabled, but the adhesive is not flexible or long-lasting and the sewn patch is obtrusive and wears differently
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive thread is merged with the glove material by oversewing it through both the outer and inner surfaces, integrating the conductive element into the glove structure rather than attaching it as a separate patch. This eliminates the need for adhesives or separate sewn patches, resolving the contradiction between touchscreen functionality and durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The conductive thread is placed only at specific locations where touchscreen interaction is needed, rather than covering the entire glove. This localized approach maintains the glove's overall durability and flexibility while providing necessary conductive properties at critical points.
2Measurement precision
If conductive material is added to the glove, then capacitive touchscreen sensitivity is improved, but the glove becomes less flexible and more prone to wear
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive thread used in the glove is thin and flexible, allowing the glove to maintain its flexibility and dexterity while still providing sufficient conductive properties for capacitive touchscreen interaction. The thread's flexibility ensures the glove can bend and move without compromising either touchscreen sensitivity or ease of operation.
3Reliability
If conductive patches are sewn to the glove, then touchscreen functionality is achieved, but the patch wears differently than the glove material leading to reduced performance
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive thread is oversewn through both the outer and inner surfaces of the glove, merging it with the glove material structure. This integration ensures that the conductive element wears at the same rate as the glove material itself, maintaining consistent performance over time without the differential wear problems of separate patches.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The conductive yarn solution provides consistent and improved touchscreen interaction by reducing resistance and wear, making the glove more effective and cost-efficient for use in inclement weather.
Implementation Method 1
one of the more common types of touchscreens uses capacitance. Because the human body can act as a conductor, physically touching such a screen with a conductive object, such as a human finger, changes the local capacitance.
Implementation Method 2
a continuous conductive thread penetrating both the outer and the inner surfaces, effective to be electrically conductive between the outer and inner surfaces
Data Source
AI summary
A glove that enables the wearer to interact with a capacitive touchscreen without removing the glove has a first portion formed from a non-conductive knitted material and a second portion formed from an electrically conductive yarn. Exemplary is the finger tip portions of the thumb and index finger being formed from the electrically conductive yarn and the remainder of the finger tips being formed from the non conductive yarn. The second, conductive, portion may include a non-conductive yarn with an electrically conductive fiber distributed uniformly therethrough.