JP7021820B2 - Sheet-shaped electrical signal transmission fabric and method for manufacturing sheet-shaped electrical signal transmission fabric - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a sheet-shaped electric signal transmission cloth to be attached to a clothing cloth and a method for manufacturing the sheet-shaped electric signal transmission cloth.

Patent Document 1 discloses a sensor garment for the purpose of providing a sensor garment including a harness for monitoring for effectively tracking and managing the performance of an individual participating in an athletic activity. There is.

The sensor garment is configured to include a fabric portion, a device holding element connected to the fabric portion, and an elastic harness connected to the fabric portion, the elastic harness including a conductive element, and the conductive element holding the device. It is configured to include a first endpoint and a second endpoint for the element.

The elastic harness includes a first layer connected to the fabric portion and a second layer connected to the first layer, and the conductive element is arranged between the first layer and the second layer which are the harness guide portions. ing. The first layer or the second layer is composed of a thermoplastic polyurethane layer, and the conductive element is composed of a metal woven mesh, elastic conductive fiber, a conductive polymer, or the like.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-214968

However, in the above-mentioned conventional elastic harness, it is necessary to fix the thin wire-shaped conductive elements individually on the bottom plate of the heat press using a pin, for example, so as to have a desired shape, and heat press the harness. There is a problem that it takes a lot of time and effort, and it is very difficult to arrange a plurality of conductive elements regularly at predetermined intervals so as to be sandwiched between the harness guide portions, and there is a problem that the appearance is spoiled.

In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to perform regular wiring without spoiling the aesthetic appearance, and to separate some wirings from other wirings as necessary for wiring in a sheet-like electric signal transmission . The point is to provide a method for manufacturing a dough and a sheet-shaped electric signal transmission dough.

In order to achieve this object, the first characteristic configuration of the sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric according to the present invention is the sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric to be attached to the clothing fabric, and a plurality of sheets knitted with conductive threads. The narrow strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric region is arranged side by side with the insulating knitted fabric region knitted by using the insulating yarn made of polyurethane elastic yarn as the ground yarn, and the conductive knitted fabric region is at least the conductive knitted fabric region. The yarn is knitted for one or more courses, and the insulating yarn is knitted with the conductive yarn knitted in the course direction at the end of the conductive knitted fabric region, and the insulating yarn is knitted at the entangled portion. It is heat-sealed or heat-bonded , and the knitted fabric composed of the conductive knitted fabric region and the insulating knitted fabric region is laminated with an elastoma sheet so that it can be bonded to the clothing fabric. be.

A narrow strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric region knitted with at least one course using conductive yarn is sandwiched between the insulating knitted fabric region knitted using an insulating yarn made of polyurethane elastic yarn as the ground yarn. It is knitted to form a plurality of regularly arranged conductive knitted fabric areas. Insulating yarns are knitted with the conductive yarns knitted in the course direction at the ends of the conductive knitted fabric region, and the insulating yarns are heat-fused or heat-bonded at the entanglement portion so as to be adjacent to each other. Even if the insulating knitted fabric area between the narrow strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric areas is cut, the insulating threads are heat-sealed or heat-sealed at the entanglement portion, so that both cut edges are unraveled. Without this, it becomes possible to easily change the posture of the narrow strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric region in an arbitrary wiring direction in a state where the shape is stable. The narrow strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric region functions as a signal transmission line, a feeder line, and a grounding line, and the insulating knitted fabric region functions as an insulating coating for avoiding a short circuit between the conductive knitted fabric regions.

Then, by laminating the knitted fabric with an elastomer sheet, even if the narrow strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric region is individually cut off, the shape stability is provided as a whole, and the garment fabric is provided. Can be accurately and easily positioned at the target location for joining, and can be easily joined.

The first characteristic configuration of the method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric according to the present invention is a method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric to be attached to a clothing fabric, in which at least one or more conductive threads are knitted. A plurality of narrow strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric regions are arranged side by side with an insulating knitted fabric region knitted using an insulating yarn made of polyurethane elastic yarn as the ground yarn, and the ends of the conductive knitted fabric region are arranged. A knitted fabric knitting step for knitting the conductive knitted fabric region and the insulating knitted fabric region in the wale direction so that the insulating yarn is knitted with the conductive yarn knitted in the course direction in the section. The heat set step in which the knitted fabric knitted in the knitted fabric knitting step is heat-set and the insulating yarn is heat-sealed or heat-sealed at the entangled portion is adjacent to the heat-set step, if necessary, in the conductive knitted fabric region. An elastoma with a separation step that separates the insulating knitted fabric region to separate a part of the conductive knitted fabric region and a conductive knitted fabric region separated by the separation step so as to have a desired shape. The point includes a laminating step of laminating with a sheet and a joining step of fixing the knitted fabric laminated in the laminating step to a desired position of the clothing fabric.

In the knitted fabric knitting step, a plurality of narrow strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric regions in which at least one course of conductive yarn is knitted are knitted using an insulating yarn made of polyurethane elastic yarn as the ground yarn. The conductive knitted fabric region and the insulating knitted fabric region are arranged side by side with the region sandwiched between the conductive knitted fabric region and the insulating knitted fabric region so that the insulating yarn is knitted with the conductive yarns knitted in the course direction at the end of the conductive knitted fabric region. It is organized in the direction of the wale. When the knitted fabric is heat-set in the heat-setting step, the insulating yarn is heat-sealed or heat-sealed at the entangled portion to exhibit an anti-unraveling effect. In the separation step, the insulating knitted fabric region is separated in order to separate a part of the adjacent conductive knitted fabric region from the conductive knitted fabric region as needed, and wiring can be performed by a free route according to the wiring destination. It is possible, in the laminating step, with the conductive knitted fabric area arranged in the desired shape, laminated with an elastoma sheet, and the laminated knitted fabric is fixed in the desired position of the clothing fabric in the joining step. Will be done. Since the laminated knitted fabric has a stable shape, it can be accurately and easily positioned at the joining destination of the garment fabric, and can be easily joined.

The second characteristic configuration is a method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric to be attached to a clothing fabric, which is a plurality of narrow strip-shaped conductive knitted fabrics in which at least one course of conductive threads is knitted. The regions are juxtaposed with an insulating knitted fabric region knitted using an insulating yarn made of polyurethane elastic yarn as the ground yarn, and the conductive yarn is knitted in the course direction at the end of the conductive knitted fabric region. The knitted fabric knitting step for knitting the conductive knitted fabric region and the insulating knitted fabric region in the wale direction and the knitted fabric knitted by the knitted fabric knitting step so that the insulating yarn is knitted with a splicing yarn. The heat-setting step in which the insulating yarn is heat-sealed or heat-sealed at the entanglement portion, and the knitted fabric heat-set in the heat-setting step is impregnated with an adhesive made of a thermoplastic resin. The step, the separation step of separating the insulating knitted fabric region in order to separate a part of the adjacent conductive knitted fabric region from the conductive knitted fabric region as needed, and the conductivity separated by the separation step. It is a point including a joining step of heat-setting and joining the knitted fabric to the clothing fabric in a state where the knitted fabric region is arranged at a desired position of the clothing fabric so as to have a desired shape.

In the knitted fabric knitting step, a plurality of narrow strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric regions in which at least one course of conductive yarn is knitted are knitted using an insulating yarn made of polyurethane elastic yarn as the ground yarn. The conductive knitted fabric region and the insulating knitted fabric region are arranged side by side with the region sandwiched between the conductive knitted fabric region and the insulating knitted fabric region so that the insulating yarn is knitted with the conductive yarns knitted in the course direction at the end of the conductive knitted fabric region. It is organized in the direction of the wale. When the knitted fabric is heat-set in the heat-setting step, the insulating yarn is heat-sealed or heat-sealed at the entangled portion to exhibit an anti-unraveling effect. In the adhesive impregnation step, the heat-set knitted fabric is impregnated with an adhesive made of a thermoplastic resin, and in the separation step, a part of the conductive knitted fabric region adjacent to the conductive knitted fabric region is partially covered as needed. The insulating knitted fabric area is separated for separation, and wiring can be performed by a free route according to the wiring destination. In the joining step, the separated conductive knitted fabric area is used for clothing so as to have a desired shape. The knitted fabric is joined to the clothing fabric by being heat-set in a state of being arranged at a desired position of the fabric.

According to the present invention, a sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric and a sheet-shaped electric signal can be wired regularly without spoiling the aesthetic appearance, and some wiring can be separated and wired in a direction different from other wiring as needed. It has become possible to provide a method for manufacturing a transmission fabric.

(A) is an explanatory view of a plan view of the sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric according to the present invention, (b) is an explanatory view of a main part of the sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric, and (c) is a cut portion of the sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric. Explanatory drawing of the main part (A) is a photograph of the main part of the front surface of the sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric, (b) is a photograph of the main part of the back surface, and (c) is a photograph of the main part of the sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric with a part cut off. (A) to (e) are explanatory views of the manufacturing method of the sheet-shaped electric signal transmission cloth. Explanatory drawing of how to attach sheet-shaped electric signal transmission cloth to clothing cloth Photograph of sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric (A) and (b) are enlarged photographs of the main parts of the sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric. (A) is an explanatory diagram of a sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric of another example, and (b) is an explanatory diagram of a state in which the sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric is attached to clothing.

Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric and a sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[Sheet-shaped electrical signal transmission fabric]
As shown in FIG. 1A, the sheet-shaped electric signal transmission cloth 1 is a sheet-shaped electric signal transmission cloth 1 to be attached to the clothing cloth, and a plurality of fine threads knitted in the course direction by the conductive thread 2y. Horizontal knitting in which the width strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric region 2 is repeatedly knitted in the wale direction so as to sandwich the insulating knitted fabric region 3 knitted in the course direction using the insulating yarn 3y made of polyurethane elastic yarn as the ground yarn. It is composed of ground 10. The sheet-shaped electrical signal transmission fabric 1 functions as a signal line or a feeding line in which each of the narrow strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric regions 2 is electrically connected to the measuring instrument in a state of being attached to the clothing fabric.

FIG. 1B illustrates the knitting structure of the horizontal knitted fabric 10. In this example, in the weft knitted fabric 10, the insulating yarn 3y is thermally fused at the entangled portion by heat-treating the knitted fabric in which the conductive yarn 2y is attached and knitted adjacent to the ground structure knitted with the insulating yarn 3y by two courses. It is worn or heat-bonded. In FIG. 1 (b), the hatched thread is the conductive thread 2y.

FIG. 1C shows an example in which the insulating knitted fabric region 3 of the horizontal knitted fabric 10 is cut in the longitudinal direction of the conductive knitted fabric region 2, that is, in the course direction. The narrow strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric region 2 is released from the ground structure, and the released narrow strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric region 2 can be crawled at an arbitrary position on the garment fabric.

In FIG. 1 (c), the polyurethane yarn, which is the ground yarn left adjacent to the conductive knitted fabric region 2, is cut at a position of less than one course, but is conductive in order to make it more difficult to unravel. It is preferable to cut the polyurethane yarn by leaving a plurality of courses, preferably 3 or more courses, adjacent to the sex knitted fabric region 2.

Insulating yarn 3y is knitted with a splicing yarn on the conductive yarn 2y knitted in the course direction at the end of the conductive knitted fabric region 2, that is, the boundary portion with the insulating knitted fabric region 3, and the insulating yarn 3y is heated at the entangled portion. Even when the insulating knitted fabric region 3 between the narrow strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric regions 2 arranged adjacent to each other is cut by the fusion or heat fusion, the insulating yarn is thermally fused at the entangled portion. Alternatively, it is heat-bonded, and it becomes possible to easily change the posture of the narrow strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric region in an arbitrary wiring direction in a stable shape without causing unraveling at both cutting edges.

The conductive knitted fabric region 2 may be knitted with one or more courses of cut boss knitting on the ground structure knitted with the insulating yarn 3y, in which case several loops are added to the end of the conductive yarn 2y in the course direction and knitted. It may be configured to do so. In the cut boss knitting, in the process of knitting the knitted fabric body, any thread is inserted at the start position of the float knitting to start knitting in the course direction, and at the end position of the float knitting on the same course. This is a knitting method in which any thread is pulled out and the thread is cut immediately.

That is, the sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric 1 is finely knitted at least one course using the conductive yarn 2y in the insulating knitted fabric region 3 knitted using the insulating yarn 3y made of polyurethane elastic yarn as the ground yarn. It suffices if it is knitted so that the conductive knitted fabric region 2 in the shape of a width band is sandwiched.

"Knitting using an insulating yarn 3y made of polyurethane elastic yarn as a ground yarn" means knitting using an insulating yarn 3y made of a bare yarn of a polyurethane elastic yarn as a main ground yarn, and what is a main ground yarn? It means more than 80 wt% of the yarn constituting the ground yarn.

Further, when the conductive yarn 2y is continuously knitted in two courses, the electric resistance value of the wiring can be lowered to suppress the voltage drop, and the robustness against the disconnection of the wiring is improved. Of course, a plurality of courses of two or more courses may be continuously knitted, and a plurality of regularly arranged conductive knitted fabric regions 2 are formed.
As described above, the narrow strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric region 2 functions as a signal transmission line, a feeder line, and a grounding line, and the insulating knitted fabric region 3 is for avoiding a short circuit between the conductive knitted fabric regions 2. Functions as an insulating coating.

In FIG. 2A, a plurality of narrow strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric regions 2 knitted continuously for two courses with the conductive yarn 2y use an insulating yarn 3y made of a polyurethane elastic yarn as the ground yarn 8 A photograph of the front surface of the horizontal knitted fabric 10 repeatedly knitted in the wale direction so as to sandwich the insulating knitted fabric region 3 continuously knitted on the course is shown, and FIG. 2 (b) shows a photograph of the back surface thereof. Has been done. In addition, in this specification, the surface means the surface on the side where the conductive yarn 2y appears by the side knitting.

As shown in FIG. 2 (c), each conductive knitted fabric is formed by cutting the insulating knitted fabric region 3 between the adjacent conductive knitted fabric regions 2 along the longitudinal direction of the conductive knitted fabric region 2. The region 2 can be freely arranged along a desired wiring path.

Of the plurality of conductive knitted fabric regions 2, it is preferable that the separating yarns that separate a part of the adjacent conductive knitted fabric regions 2 are knitted in the insulating knitted fabric region 3 between them by cut boss knitting. If the knitting growth of the separated yarn is adjusted according to the length of the conductive knitted fabric region 2 to be separated, it can be cut off without excess or deficiency. Examples of the separation yarn include water-soluble fiber yarn, heat-meltable fiber yarn, and chemical solution-soluble fiber yarn.

The conductive knitted fabric region 2 adjacent to the knitted yarn 3y knitted in the insulating knitted fabric region 3 is easily separated, and the separated conductive knitted fabric region is in an arbitrary wiring direction in a stable shape. It will be easy to change the posture. For example, when a water-soluble fiber yarn is used as the separation yarn, the separation yarn is dissolved in water during scouring to separate the conductive knitted fabric region 2. When a heat-meltable fiber yarn is used as the separation yarn, the conductive knitted fabric region 2 is separated by heat-melting. When a chemical solution-soluble fiber yarn is used as the separation yarn, the separation yarn reacts with the chemical solution by immersing in the chemical solution to separate the conductive knitted fabric region 2.

[Manufacturing method of sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric]
3A to 3E show an example of a method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric.
The method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric includes a knitted fabric knitting step, a heat setting step, a separation step, a laminating step, and a joining step.

As shown in FIG. 3A, in the knitted fabric knitting step, the plurality of narrow strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric regions 2 in which at least one course of the conductive yarns 2y are knitted are the insulating yarns 3y made of polyurethane elastic yarns. Insulating knitted fabric regions 3 are arranged side by side across the insulating knitted fabric region 3 knitted using As described above, the conductive knitted fabric region 2 and the insulating knitted fabric region 3 are knitted in the wale direction. A separation yarn 4 is woven in place of the insulating yarn 3 over a predetermined length in the central portion of the insulating knitted fabric region 3 in the width direction.

As shown in FIG. 3B, in the heat set step, the knitted fabric 10 knitted in the knitted fabric knitting step is heat-set, and the insulating yarn 3y is heat-sealed or heat-sealed at the entangled portion to prevent unraveling. Will be done. For example, a polyurethane elastic yarn having a low melting point is heat-fused or heat-bonded by being subjected to a dry heat treatment at 160 ° C. for 10 minutes.

As shown in FIG. 3C, the heat-set treated knitted fabric 10 is immersed in a hot water tank heated to a predetermined temperature in the scouring step to remove impurities such as oil. When the separation yarn 4 is composed of a water-soluble fiber yarn, the separation step is executed at the same time, and the separation yarn 4 becomes water-soluble, so that the adjacent conductive knitted fabric region 2 in the conductive knitted fabric region 2 A part of the thread is separated to form a notch 5. Separation steps may be performed as needed and are not always performed. Further, when the separation yarn 4 adopts a yarn other than the water-soluble fiber yarn, the separation step is executed separately from the scouring step.

As shown in FIG. 3D, in the laminating step, the polyurethane sheet 6, which is an example of the elastomer sheet, is arranged so that the conductive knitted fabric region 2 separated in the separation step has a desired shape. Laminated in No. 7, the sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric 1 shown in FIG. 3 (e) is completed. It is preferable to use a polyurethane sheet as the elastomer sheet from the viewpoint of increasing the adhesive strength with the polyurethane elastic thread.

In the joining step, the sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric 1 laminated in the laminating step is fixed to a desired position of the clothing fabric 100 by a heat set treatment, preferably a heat press treatment or the like. That is, the knitted fabric 10 composed of the conductive knitted fabric region 2 and the insulating knitted fabric region 3 is laminated with a polyurethane sheet so that it can be bonded to the clothing fabric. By laminating the knitted fabric 10 with a polyurethane sheet, even if the narrow strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric region 2 is individually cut off, the shape stability is provided as a whole, and the garment fabric is provided. Can be accurately and easily positioned at the target location for joining, and can be easily joined.

The above-mentioned laminating step and joining step will be described in detail with reference to FIG.
In the upper polyurethane sheet 6 used for the laminating treatment, for example, the hot melt adhesive layer 6B is formed on the lower surface of the protective layer 6A made of polyurethane having a melting point of 200 ° C., and the hot melt adhesive layer 6B is formed at a position corresponding to the notch formed in the knitted fabric 10. A similar notch is formed, and the conductive knitted fabric region 2 formed in the knitted fabric 10 is conductive so that both ends corresponding to the signal connection portion with the external device are not covered with the polyurethane sheet 6. It is formed in the knitted fabric region 2 so that both ends are shortened in both directions (see FIG. 3 (e)).

Examples of hot melt adhesives include polyurethane hot melt resins, polyester hot melt resins, polyamide hot melt resins, EVA hot melt resins, polyolefin hot melt resins, styrene elastomer resins, and moisture curable urethane hot melts. Examples thereof include resins and reactive hot melt resins. Of these, the reactive hot melt resin is particularly preferable because it has high adhesive strength and can be adhered in a short time.

In the lower polyurethane sheet 7 used for the laminating treatment, for example, a hot melt adhesive layer 7B is formed on the lower surface of a protective layer 7A made of polyurethane having a melting point of 200 ° C., and a release film 8 is further provided.

By sandwiching the above-mentioned knitted fabric 10 between the upper and lower polyurethane sheets 6 and 7 and heating it at about 120 ° C. in a press machine, the hot melt adhesive layer 6B is melted and the knitted fabric 10 is laminated.

Next, the release film 8 of the laminated sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric 1 is peeled off, placed at a desired position of the clothing fabric 100, and then heated by a press machine at about 120 ° C. to obtain sheet-shaped electricity . The signal transmission fabric 1 is joined and fixed to the clothing fabric 100.

[Joining of sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric 1 to clothing fabric]
FIG. 5 shows a photograph of an example of the laminated sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric 1. The insulating knitted fabric region 3 is cut on the tip FE side with respect to the base end RA in which six conductive knitted fabric regions 2 are arranged side by side with the insulating knitted fabric region 3 interposed therebetween. 2 is separated and arranged so as to branch toward the target portion of the clothing fabric 100. The length of each conductive knitted fabric region 2 is cut to a length required for arrangement.

FIG. 6A shows a photograph in which the sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric 1 shown in FIG. 5 is joined to the clothing fabric 100. Reference numeral 11 is an electrode pad connected to the tip end side of one conductive knitted fabric region 2. Further, FIG. 6B shows a photograph of the portion corresponding to the circular region of the broken line in FIG. In this example, a circular exposed portion 10A not covered with the polyurethane sheet 6 is shown on the tip end side of the conductive knitted fabric region 2 (see the portion surrounded by a white circle in the figure).

FIG. 7A shows another example of the sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric 1 described above. Although not shown, the insulating knitted fabric region 3 is formed at both ends of the narrow strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric region 2 in the width direction. A circular exposed portion 10A that is not laminated is formed on the tip end side of the conductive knitted fabric region 2.

FIG. 7B shows a state in which the sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric 1 is heat-sealed to the skin surface side of the compression type pants 200 that support the motor function by supporting the muscles. Such clothes are, for example, Tenjiku (flat), rib (rubber, milling), pearl, denby (tricot), atlas, cord, or their variation structure mixed with polyurethane yarn. It can be composed of knitted fabrics such as.

The base end RA side of the conductive knitted fabric region 2 arranged on the sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric 1 is taken out to the surface side through a slit formed in the body fabric, and a connector CN for connecting a wearable device is provided. The electrode pads 13 and 14 are arranged so as to cover the exposed portion 10A formed on the tip FE side.

[Construction of conductive thread]
As the conductive thread 2y, a resin fiber, a natural fiber, a metal wire, or the like is used as a core, and a metal component is adhered to the core by a wet or dry coating, plating, vacuum film formation, or other appropriate adhesion method. It is preferable to use a metal adherent wire (plated wire). Although it is possible to use a monofilament for the core, a multifilament or a spun yarn is preferable to a monofilament.

The metal components to be adhered to the core include pure metals such as aluminum, nickel, copper, titanium, magnesium, tin, zinc, iron, silver, gold, platinum, vanadium, molybdenum, tungsten, and cobalt, their alloys, and stainless steel. , Brass, etc. can be used. In this embodiment, a silver-plated thread is used for a multifilament made of nylon or polyester. The fineness of the conductive yarn is preferably 33 dtex to 400 dtex. In particular, 70 dtex to 300 dtex is preferable. An example of using a metal-plated yarn in which a metal component is adhered to a core yarn as the conductive yarn 2y has been described. It is also possible to use a silver ion thread having silver ions attached to the fiber.

[Polyde of electrode pad]
The electrode pads 13 and 14 can be made of a fabric knitted or woven using the above-mentioned conductive yarn 2y, and like the elastic conductive yarn, an elastic yarn such as polyurethane is used as a core yarn and described above. It is preferable to knit or weave the conductive yarn 2y by winding it around the core yarn and covering it with the covering yarn so that the conductive yarn 2y expands and contracts as the body fabric constituting the garment expands and contracts. The configurations of the electrode pads 13 and 14 are not particularly limited, and it goes without saying that known electrode materials can be appropriately used.

[Structure of insulating knitted fabric area]
The knitted fabric constituting the sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric 1 described above will be described. As the ground structure knitted by using the insulating thread 3y made of polyurethane elastic thread as the ground thread, the weft knitted fabric of flat knitting, rubber knitting, smooth knitting, pearl knitting or their changing structure (for example, Milan rib or corrugated cardboard knit). Can be adopted. Not only a circular knitting machine but also a flat knitting machine can be used for knitting.

If a milling cutter is used for the conductive knitted fabric region 2 and the insulating knitted fabric region 3 and a simple knitted structure such as a flat knitted fabric is used for the cut portion defined in the insulating knitted fabric region 3, the cutting process is easy. Become. Further, a finer thread may be adopted at the cut portion as compared with the conductive knitted fabric region 2 and the insulating knitted fabric region 3. Further, the cut portion may be extremely coarse as compared with the sex knitted fabric region 2 and the insulating knitted fabric region 3. The cut portion may be knitted with a colored thread that is easy to see so as to serve as a mark for the cutting process.

Furthermore, it is possible to adopt not only the horizontal knitted fabric but also the organization knitted by vertical knitting (tricot edition, Raschel edition, Miranys edition, etc.).

The polyurethane elastic yarn can be preferably used as a heat-sealing material or a heat-bonding material for realizing the unraveling prevention function. The difference between the heat-sealed material and the heat-bonded material may be distinguished by the strength of the bonding force generated by cooling from the semi-molten state. A material having a weaker bonding force (bonding) is used as a heat bonding material. This distinction is not clear and includes an ambiguous imitation glue, but the point is that the material may be any material that can be bonded including the intersection of the conductive threads by the heat set.

Specifically, as a typical example of the heat-sealing material, it is preferable to use a polyurethane yarn having a melting point in the range of 90 ° C. to 120 ° C. and a monofilament or a multifilament having a fineness of 70 dtex to 300 dtex. Polyurethane may be used alone as the insulating yarn, or a covering yarn using polyurethane as the "core yarn" and nylon or polyester as the "cover" may be adopted. By adopting such a covering yarn, it is possible to impart functions such as water repellency, corrosion resistance / corrosion resistance, and coloring to the sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric 1. It is also useful for improving the tactile sensation (touch) and controlling the elongation. It is also possible to use a fiber yarn made of a thermoplastic elastomer material instead of the polyurethane elastic yarn.

As the heat-bonding material, elastic yarn having compression deformation characteristics such as polyurethane urea elastic fiber can be used. Due to heating such as heat setting processing, compression deformation of the polyurethane urea elastic fibers occurs at the contact point between the polyurethane urea elastic fibers or the polyurethane urea elastic fibers and the mating yarn, and the mating yarn between the polyurethane urea elastic fibers or the polyurethane urea elastic fibers Polyurethane urea elastic fibers and mating yarns are less likely to come off from the knitted fabric, and a knitted fabric in which curling and fraying are suppressed can be obtained.

For such a ground structure, as a method for mixing the conductive yarn 2y, in addition to the supplementary knitting (plating knitting) already described, select from at least one of inlay, alignment, float knitting, cross knitting, or composite yarn. It is possible to adopt the form to be. At least, it is sufficient that the insulating yarn 3y is knitted with the conductive yarn 2y knitted in the course direction at the end of the conductive knitted fabric region 2, and the conductive knitted fabric region 2 and the insulating knitted fabric region 3 May be a knitted fabric in which is alternately knitted.

[Structure of separation thread]
As the water-soluble separation yarn, for example, PVA (Solbron series manufactured by Nichibi Co., Ltd.) can be preferably used, and as the heat-meltable separation yarn, for example, low melting point polyurethane (Mobilon series manufactured by Nisshinbo Co., Ltd.) is preferably used. Nylon that can be used and can be eluted and removed by, for example, formic acid can be preferably used as the chemical solution meltable separation yarn.

Hereinafter, another embodiment of the sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric will be described.
In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the knitted fabric in which the conductive knitted fabric region 2 and the insulating knitted fabric region 3 are knitted is laminated and fixed to the clothing fabric via an adhesive has been described. The knitted fabric 10 composed of the sex knitted fabric region 2 and the insulating knitted fabric region 3 is impregnated with an adhesive made of a thermoplastic resin, and the clothing fabric is heat-set treated, preferably heat-pressed. It may have been done. As the adhesive, for example, a solution in which low melting point polyurethane particles are dispersed in a solvent can be used, and the knitted fabric after heat setting may be impregnated.

When the knitted fabric composed of the conductive knitted fabric region and the insulating knitted fabric region is impregnated with an adhesive made of a thermoplastic resin, the knitted fabric is heated in a state of being along the clothing fabric to knit. Since the thermoplastic resin impregnated in the ground is melted and the knitted fabric and the clothing fabric are bonded to each other, a step of applying an adhesive to the knitted fabric at the time of bonding becomes unnecessary.

In this case, in the method for manufacturing the sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric, an insulating yarn made of polyurethane elastic yarn is used as the ground yarn in a plurality of narrow strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric regions in which at least one course of conductive yarn is knitted. The conductive knitted fabric is arranged side by side with the insulating knitted fabric region knitted in between, so that the insulating yarn is knitted with the conductive yarn knitted in the course direction at the end of the conductive knitted fabric region. Area and Insulation A heat set in which the knitted fabric knitting step for knitting the knitted fabric area in the wales direction and the knitted fabric knitted in the knitted fabric knitting step are heat-set and the insulating threads are heat-sealed or heat-bonded at the entangled portion. A step, an adhesive impregnation step of impregnating a knitted fabric heat-set in the heat-setting step with an adhesive made of a thermoplastic resin, and, if necessary, one of the adjacent conductive knitted fabric regions among the conductive knitted fabric regions. A heat set is performed in a state where the separation step for separating the insulating knitted fabric region to separate the portions and the conductive knitted fabric region separated in the separation step are arranged at desired positions of the clothing fabric so as to have a desired shape. It is configured with a joining step to join the knitted fabric to the clothing fabric.

The sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric according to the present invention is widely used as a signal transmission wiring member in clothes for wearable devices that measure biological information such as body temperature, heart rate, electrocardiogram, and electromyogram.

1: Sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric 2: Conductive knitted fabric area 2y: Conductive yarn 3: Insulating knitted fabric region 3y: Insulating yarn 4: Separation yarn 5: Notch 10: Knitted fabric

Claims (3)

A sheet-shaped electrical signal transmission fabric that is attached to clothing fabrics.
A plurality of narrow strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric regions knitted with conductive yarns are arranged side by side with an insulating knitted fabric region knitted using an insulating yarn made of polyurethane elastic yarn as the ground yarn.
The conductive knitted fabric region is formed by knitting at least one course of the conductive yarn, and the insulating yarn is knitted on the conductive yarn knitted in the course direction at the end of the conductive knitted fabric region. It is knitted, and the insulating yarn is heat-sealed or heat-bonded at the entanglement portion.
A sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric in which a knitted fabric composed of the conductive knitted fabric region and the insulating knitted fabric region is laminated with an elastomer sheet so as to be bonded to a clothing fabric. A method for manufacturing sheet-shaped electrical signal transmission fabrics to be attached to clothing fabrics.
A plurality of narrow strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric regions in which at least one course of conductive yarn is knitted are arranged side by side with an insulating knitted fabric region knitted using an insulating yarn made of polyurethane elastic yarn as the ground yarn. The conductive knitted fabric region and the insulating knitted fabric region are waled so that the insulating yarn is knitted with a splicing yarn on the conductive yarn knitted in the course direction at the end of the conductive knitted fabric region. Knitted fabric knitting steps to knit in the direction and
A heat setting step in which the knitted fabric knitted in the knitted fabric knitting step is heat-set and the insulating yarn is heat-sealed or heat-sealed at the entangled portion.
A separation step for separating the insulating knitted fabric region in order to separate a part of the adjacent conductive knitted fabric region from the conductive knitted fabric region as needed.
A laminating step of laminating with an elastomer sheet in a state where the conductive knitted fabric region separated in the separation step is arranged so as to have a desired shape,
A joining step for fixing the knitted fabric laminated in the laminating step to a desired position of the clothing fabric, and
A method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric including. A method for manufacturing sheet-shaped electrical signal transmission fabrics to be attached to clothing fabrics.
A plurality of narrow strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric regions in which at least one course of conductive yarn is knitted are arranged side by side with an insulating knitted fabric region knitted using an insulating yarn made of polyurethane elastic yarn as the ground yarn. The conductive knitted fabric region and the insulating knitted fabric region are waled so that the insulating yarn is knitted with a splicing yarn on the conductive yarn knitted in the course direction at the end of the conductive knitted fabric region. Knitted fabric knitting steps to knit in the direction and
A heat setting step in which the knitted fabric knitted in the knitted fabric knitting step is heat-set and the insulating yarn is heat-sealed or heat-sealed at the entangled portion.
An adhesive impregnation step of impregnating a knitted fabric heat-set in the heat-setting step with an adhesive made of a thermoplastic resin,
A separation step for separating the insulating knitted fabric region in order to separate a part of the adjacent conductive knitted fabric region from the conductive knitted fabric region as needed.
With the joining step of joining the knitted fabric to the garment fabric by heat setting in a state where the conductive knitted fabric region separated in the separation step is arranged at a desired position of the garment fabric so as to have a desired shape. ,
A method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped electric signal transmission fabric including.

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