JP5941010B2 - Conductive fabric connector and method for producing conductive fabric connector - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a conductive fabric connector used for a conductive fabric that can be used as a bioelectrode, and a method for manufacturing a conductive fabric connector.

  By using wearable electrodes, techniques for measuring biological signals and movements of humans and animals are rapidly advancing and are widely used in the medical field and health monitoring field (Non-patent Document 1). reference).

  A wearable multipoint electrode of a type in which conductivity is imparted to a garment or the like by printing (coating) of a conductive material is required to be easily connected to a cable for transmitting a signal to an external device. As the method, a method of sandwiching a wiring part with a clip (see Patent Document 1) and a method of using a hook button connector (see Patent Document 2) are common.

US Pat. No. 4,890,622 JP 2003-77566 A

"Research on wearable biological sensors (EU)" NEDO Overseas Report

  By the way, in the method of sandwiching the wiring with the clip as described in Patent Document 1, there are problems such that the electrode is easily damaged, easily disconnected, or difficult to attach / detach when the number of connections increases. Further, the clip is preferably thin from the viewpoint of wearing feeling, but it has also been a problem to hit the skin due to the thickness of the clip.

  Further, when a hook button type connector is used, many processes are required to form the connector, and there is a problem that the manufacturing cost is increased. In addition, when the number of connections increases, there is a problem that it is difficult to detach. Furthermore, when a hook button type connector is used, the size of the snap button tends to increase in order to prevent the electrode from falling off, but a protrusion is formed due to the thickness of the hook button and it touches the skin. It was also a problem to cause dermatitis.

  In addition, when measuring a biological signal when a subject moves, such as a Holter electrocardiogram, if the weight including electrodes, connectors, and cables is large, it vibrates during body movements, such as walking, and the skin and skin electrodes are connected. Noise is generated from the cables and cables. When such noise during body movement is mixed, it is difficult to discriminate from abnormal biological signals such as arrhythmia.

  In order to reduce noise during body movement, weight reduction including clips, connectors, and cables is necessary. Many of the conventional Holter electrocardiogram electrodes are miniaturized from the stationary 12-lead ECG, but measures such as fixing cables to the chest wall with surgical tape are used to reduce noise. However, when the cables are fixed with surgical tape, there is a problem such as tape rash, which has not led to a fundamental solution.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a conductive fabric connector that can easily perform stable conduction and wiring to a plurality of wirings.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following means.
The conductive fabric connector of the present invention includes a conductive fabric having a plurality of wirings formed thereon, a fitted member having a convex fitted portion, and a fitting to be fitted to the fitted portion. And a plate having a plurality of circuit contacts formed on the inner surface of the fitting portion and corresponding to the plurality of wirings, and the fitted member of the fitted member By sandwiching the conductive fabric between the portion and the fitting portion of the plate, the plurality of wirings and the plurality of circuit contacts are connected , and the fitting portion and the covered portion of the conductive fabric are connected. A portion sandwiched between the fitting portions is solidified by resin .

According to the above configuration, stable conduction and wiring to a plurality of wirings can be easily performed.
Further, since the conductive fabric is not twisted between the fitting portion and the fitted portion, the fitting between the fitting portion and the fitted portion becomes easy. Thereby, the connection between the wiring and the circuit contact becomes more reliable.

  In the conductive fabric connector, the plurality of wires are formed in a straight line at a predetermined interval, and the fitted portion and the fitting portion are in the extending direction of the plurality of wires. It is preferably formed so as to extend in a direction orthogonal to the direction.

  According to the said structure, a some wiring and circuit contact are connected more reliably.

  In the conductive fabric connector, it is preferable that the fitting portion is a ridge formed so that the width gradually increases toward the protruding direction, and the plate is formed to be elastically deformable.

  According to the said structure, fitting with a fitting part and a to-be-fitted part can be performed more reliably.

The present invention also provides:
By applying a conductive material to an insulating fabric, a conductive fabric having a plurality of wirings is formed. The conductive fabric has a predetermined length and is formed so that the width gradually increases in the protruding direction. Forming a mating member having a mated portion which is a protruding ridge, forming a plate having a mating portion to be mated with the mated portion, and forming the plurality of members on an inner surface of the mating portion of the plate Provided is a method for manufacturing a connector for a conductive fabric that prints a plurality of circuit contacts corresponding to the wiring.

  According to the manufacturing method, it is possible to manufacture a connector that can easily perform stable conduction and wiring to a plurality of wirings.

  According to the present invention, stable conduction and wiring to a plurality of wirings can be easily performed.

It is a perspective view of the connector for conductive fabrics of the embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the conductive fabric of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a top view of the conductive fabric, as viewed from the direction of arrow A in FIG. 2. It is a perspective view of the holder of the embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the plate of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating the operation of the conductive fabric connector, as viewed from the direction indicated by the arrow B in FIG. 1.

  Hereinafter, although an embodiment of the present invention is described in detail with reference to drawings, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the conductive fabric connector 1 of the present embodiment includes a plurality of (four in the present embodiment) wirings formed on the conductive fabric 2 using a holder 4 (member to be fitted). 6 and a plurality of circuit contacts 7 formed on the inner surface of the plate 3.
Specifically, by inserting the connector connecting portion 12 of the conductive fabric 2 between the fitted portion 8 formed on the holder 4 and the fitting portion 9 formed on the plate 3, It is a connector for connecting a plurality of wires 6 of the fabric 2 and circuit contacts 7 of the plate 3.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the conductive cloth 2 includes an insulating cloth 11 that is a base material, and a plurality of wirings 6 that are formed by a paint containing a conductive material applied to the surface of the cloth 11. ,have. The conductive fabric 2 has a connector connecting portion 12 from which a plurality of wirings 6 are exposed, and the surface excluding the connector connecting portion 12 is an insulating processed portion 13 that has been subjected to an insulating process. The insulating processing portion 13 is subjected to resin processing such as coating processing or laminating processing. By applying this resin processing, infiltration of liquid such as moisture is prevented.

The connector connecting portion 12 is formed so as to protrude in one direction from the main body of the conductive fabric 2. The width W in the direction orthogonal to the one direction of the connector connecting portion 12 is appropriately set according to the number of wirings 6. Hereinafter, this width is referred to as a connector width W.
The plurality of wirings 6 extend linearly along one direction that is the protruding direction of the connector connecting portion 12, and are formed at regular intervals with a predetermined interval. In other words, the plurality of wirings 6 are formed in a stripe shape. Note that the configuration of the plurality of wirings 6 is not limited to this, and the plurality of wirings 6 may not be formed at equal intervals.

  A gap between the wirings 6 is formed of an insulating material. In the present embodiment, this gap is the fabric 11. Further, the fabric 11 of the connector connecting portion 12 is solidified by a resin such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). This resin can be impregnated into the fabric 11 with, for example, a hot melt adhesive.

  The insulating fabric 11 used as the base material is not particularly limited as long as it is an insulating fabric having an affinity for a paint containing a conductive material (which can absorb the paint). Examples of such a fabric include a woven fabric or a non-woven fabric composed of conventionally known fibers such as cotton, silk, hemp, rayon, natural fiber, and chemical fiber. The shape and thickness of the fabric 11 are not particularly limited. The fabric 11 may be tailored to clothes (clothing) such as shirts, underwear, gloves, and socks, or may be processed into daily goods such as bed covers, sheets, pillow covers, and towels.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the holder 4 is a long member formed of an engineering plastic such as polyacetal resin (POM). The length of the holder 4 is substantially the same as the connector width W, but is at least longer than the connector width W. The holder 4 includes a base portion 15 and a fitted portion 8 formed in a convex shape on one surface of the base portion 15.

The base portion 15 is a rectangular plate portion. The base part 15 is a part for a user to hold when using the conductive fabric connector 1.
The fitted portion 8 is a ridge extending in the longitudinal direction of the base portion 15, and the cross-sectional shape (the shape shown in FIG. 6) viewed from the direction along the longitudinal direction of the base portion 15 is directed toward the protruding direction. It is formed to gradually widen. Specifically, the fitted portion 8 includes an upper surface 16 that is a flat surface, and a pair of side surfaces 17 that connect both sides along the longitudinal direction of the upper surface 16 and the base portion 15. The both sides connecting the upper surface 16 and the side surface 17 have a round chamfered shape. That is, the fitted portion 8 has a shape that can be fitted with a small force when fitted to the fitted portion 9 of the plate 3.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the plate 3 has a circuit contact 7 and is a plate-like member formed of an engineering plastic such as polyacetal resin (POM).

  The plate 3 has a fitting portion 9 that can be fitted with the fitted portion 8 of the holder 4. The fitting portion 9 of the plate 3 is formed to have substantially the same width as the connector width W, and has a curved shape along the outer shape of the fitting portion 9 of the holder 4. Specifically, the fitting portion 9 includes a main body portion 18 along the upper surface 16 of the fitted portion 8 and a pair of clamping portions 19 connected to the main body portion 18. At least the fitting portion 9 of the plate 3 is formed to be elastically deformable. Specifically, the fitting portion 9 of the plate 3 is formed to have a thickness that allows elastic deformation.

A circuit contact 7 along the longitudinal direction of the plate 3 is formed on the inner surface of the plate 3 and facing the conductive fabric 2 in FIG. Similarly to the wiring 6 of the conductive fabric 2, the circuit contact 7 is formed of a paint containing a conductive material.
At least a portion of the circuit contact 7 corresponding to the wiring 6 is linear, and the fitting portion 9 is formed to extend in a direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the circuit contact 7.

  Next, the operation of the conductive fabric connector 1 of this embodiment will be described. Here, the conductive fabric 2 of the present embodiment is used in clothing for measuring biological signals, and the circuit contact 7 of the plate 3 is connected to an external measuring device. That is, by connecting the conductive fabric 2 and the plate 3 using the conductive fabric connector 1 of the present embodiment, a biological signal can be measured using an external measuring device.

Specifically, first, the holder 4 is applied from the back side (lower side) of the conductive fabric 2. At this time, the longitudinal direction of the holder 4 is set to be orthogonal to the extending direction of the plurality of wirings 6.
Next, the plate 3 is applied from the front side (upper side), and the main body portion 18 of the fitting portion 9 of the plate 3 is suppressed from the upper side. As a result, the pair of sandwiching portions of the fitting portion 9 of the plate 3 formed so as to be elastic open in a separating direction, and the sandwiching portion is pressed into the fitted portion 8 by pressing the fitting portion 9 of the plate 3 as it is. The fitted part 8 and the fitting part 9 are fitted. As a result, the plurality of wirings 6 and the plurality of circuit contacts 7 are connected.

  According to the above embodiment, since the plurality of wirings 6 and the plurality of circuit contacts 7 are connected only by sandwiching the conductive fabric 2 between the holder 4 and the plate 3, stable conduction and wiring to the plurality of wirings 6 are achieved. Can be easily performed.

  Moreover, when the fitting part 9 and the to-be-fitted part 8 are formed so that the longitudinal direction extends in a direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the wiring 6, the wiring 6 and the circuit contact 7 can be formed. Positioning becomes easy, and the plurality of wirings 6 and the circuit contacts 7 are more reliably connected.

  Moreover, the fitting part 9 and the to-be-fitted part 8 are more reliably fitted by being the protrusion formed so that the width may be gradually expanded as the to-be-fitted part 8 goes in the protruding direction. Can do.

  Moreover, when the connector connection part 12 which is the part pinched | interposed by the fitting part 9 and the to-be-fitted part 8 among the conductive fabrics 2 is solidified with resin, the fitting part 9 and the to-be-fitted part 8 are set. Since the conductive fabric 2 is not swayed when sandwiched between the fitting portion 9 and the fitted portion 8, the sandwiching between the fitting portion 9 and the fitted portion 8 is facilitated. Thereby, the connection of the wiring 6 and the circuit contact 7 becomes more reliable.

Next, the manufacturing method of the connector 1 for conductive fabrics of this embodiment is demonstrated.
First, the conductive cloth 2 in which the plurality of wirings 6 are formed is formed by applying a conductive material to the insulating cloth 11.
Specifically, a step (masking step) of masking a region where the wiring 6 is not disposed on the surface of the insulating fabric 11 which is a base material, and a paint containing a conductive material is applied to the masked fabric 11 A process (application process) and a process of forming the wiring 6 on the fabric 11 by removing the masking (removal process) are performed.

In the masking process, the method of masking the surface of the fabric 11 in the area where the wiring 6 is not disposed is a method that can prevent the paint applied in the subsequent process from permeating into the masked area, and the masking is removed in the subsequent process. There is no particular limitation as long as it is possible.
For example, a method of sticking a tape to an area where the wiring 6 is not disposed, a method of pressing (crimping) a resin or metal plate to an area where the wiring 6 is not disposed, and a region where the wiring 6 is not disposed are not compatible with the paint (see And a method of arranging a material having the property of (repelling paint).

  An example of a material having properties that are not compatible with the paint is a hydrophobic material. In this case, the paint is preferably hydrophilic. Since the hydrophilic paint is repelled by the hydrophobic material, it is possible to prevent the hydrophilic paint from penetrating into the region masked by the hydrophobic material.

In the coating step, the coating applied to the masked fabric 11 includes a conductive material. The kind in particular of electroconductive material is not restrict | limited, For example, carbon-type materials, such as a conventionally well-known electroconductive polymer, carbon particle, carbon fiber, and a metal particle are applicable. As the conductive polymer, for example, PEDOT-PSS or PEDOT-S, which is excellent in conductivity and hydrophilicity, is suitable. Moreover, polyaniline sulfonic acid, polypyrrole, etc. can be illustrated.
The paint may contain a conductive substance other than the conductive polymer.
Examples of the conductive substance include carbon-based materials such as carbon particles and carbon fibers, metal particles, and electrolytes used in conventionally known batteries.

  The method for applying the paint to the masked fabric 11 is not particularly limited, and for example, a screen printing method, a method of spraying the paint with a spray, a method of applying the paint with a brush, or the like is applicable. At this time, the paint may be applied to the entire surface of the fabric 11. Since the paint does not penetrate into the masked area of the fabric 11, there is no need to apply the paint while avoiding the masked area. As a result, the conductive fabric 2 according to the present invention can be efficiently manufactured.

  After applying the paint, the conductive material can be dried and fixed on the fabric 11 by being left at room temperature or dried by blowing warm air or the like, and the wiring 6 including the conductive material can be formed. Here, the shape, size, number, and density of the wiring 6 reflect the masking shape and the like. That is, the electrode and the wiring 6 reflecting the shape, size, number, and density of the region not subjected to the masking can be formed.

Next, the holder 4 having the fitted portion 8 is formed.
The holder 4 can be formed by an injection molding method using a mold. The method for forming the holder 4 is not limited to injection molding, and laser processing, cutting with an end mill, or the like can be employed.

Next, the plate 3 is formed. Similarly to the holder 4, the plate 3 can be formed by injection molding or cutting.
When it is necessary to manufacture the holder 4 and the plate 3 in large quantities, they can be manufactured at low cost by adopting injection molding.

  The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Moreover, the structure which combined the characteristic demonstrated by said several embodiment arbitrarily may be sufficient.

For example, the shapes of the holder 4 and the plate 3 are not limited to the shapes shown in the above embodiment. That is, it is only necessary that the fitting portion 9 that can be fitted to the fitted portion 8 of the holder 4 is formed on the plate 3. For example, the cross-sectional shape may be a circular shape with respect to the trapezoidal shape of the above embodiment. .
Moreover, it is good also as a shape which regulates the movement of the width direction of the plate 3 by providing a wall in the both sides of the plate 3, etc. FIG.

  The conductive fabric connector 1 according to the present invention can be widely used as a connector that can easily access electrodes formed on the conductive fabric 2 in a wide range of fields such as medical treatment, health promotion, information technology, and wearable computers. Is

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Conductive fabric connector 2 Conductive fabric 3 Plate 4 Holder (member to be fitted)
6 Wiring 7 Circuit contact 8 Fitted part 9 Fitting part 11 Fabric 12 Connector connecting part 13 Insulating part 15 Base part 16 Upper surface 17 Side face 18 Body part 19 Clamping part

Claims (4)

A conductive fabric formed with a plurality of wirings;
A mating member in which a convex mating portion is formed;
A plate having a fitting portion that fits into the fitting portion, and a plurality of circuit contacts formed on the inner surface of the fitting portion and corresponding to the plurality of wires. ,
By connecting the conductive fabric between the fitted portion of the fitted member and the fitting portion of the plate, the plurality of wirings and the plurality of circuit contacts are connected ,
A conductive fabric connector, wherein a portion of the conductive fabric sandwiched between the fitting portion and the fitted portion is solidified by a resin . The plurality of wirings are formed in a straight line with a predetermined interval,
2. The conductive fabric connector according to claim 1, wherein the fitted portion and the fitting portion are formed so as to extend in a direction orthogonal to an extending direction of the plurality of wirings. . The fitted portion is a ridge formed so that the width gradually increases as it goes in the protruding direction,
3. The conductive fabric connector according to claim 1, wherein the plate is formed to be elastically deformable. By applying a conductive material to an insulating fabric, a conductive fabric in which a plurality of wirings are formed is formed,
Forming a member to be fitted that has a predetermined length, and has a portion to be fitted that is a ridge formed so that the width gradually increases toward the protruding direction,
Forming a plate having a fitting portion to be fitted to the fitted portion;
A method for manufacturing a connector for conductive fabric, comprising: printing a plurality of circuit contacts corresponding to the plurality of wirings on an inner surface of the fitting portion of the plate.

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