WO2022156993A1

WO2022156993A1 - Arrangement for a functional textile, system and functional textile

Info

Publication number: WO2022156993A1
Application number: PCT/EP2021/087517
Authority: WO
Inventors: Philipp Scheiner
Original assignee: Robert Bosch Gmbh
Priority date: 2021-01-22
Filing date: 2021-12-23
Publication date: 2022-07-28
Also published as: EP4280906A1; DE102021200595A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement (10) for a functional textile (6), comprising a functional unit (30) with at least one electronic component (62), and comprising a receiving unit (20) for receiving the functional unit (30), the receiving unit (20) being designed to be fastened, in particular non-releasably, to the textile (6), and the receiving unit (20) and the functional unit (30) being designed to be connected releasably to each other.

Description

description

Arrangement for a functional textile, system and functional textile

technical field

The invention relates to an arrangement for a functional textile for use in functional clothing or protective work clothing. Furthermore, the invention relates to a system and a functional textile comprising such an arrangement.

State of the art

DE 102017214286 A1 discloses a textile and/or clothing device with at least one textile fabric, with at least one electrical conductor track running in and/or on the textile fabric and with at least one electronic conductor track arranged in and/or on at least one surface of the textile fabric Functional unit known, which has at least one electronic functional element and at least one contact unit.

Disclosure of Invention

In contrast, a novel arrangement for a functional textile is described. The arrangement includes a functional unit with at least one electronic component and a receiving unit for receiving the functional unit. The receiving unit is set up to be attached to the textile. The receiving unit is preferably set up so that it cannot be attached to the textile in a detachable manner. The functional textile is characterized in that the receiving unit and the functional unit are set up so that they can be connected to one another in a detachable manner.

In this case, the functional unit can have a preferably flexible printed circuit board or circuit board, on which the at least one electronic component is arranged. An external form of the functional unit is in this case such an outer shape of the receiving unit is adapted so that it can be at least partially received by the receiving unit.

An electronic component can be understood, for example, as an electrical, electronic, optical and/or mechanical component or a combination of these components. An optical component can be understood as an LED, for example. In addition, the components can be designed as sensors, actuators and/or acoustic, haptic and/or optical signal transmitters. Optionally, additional electronic components can be included in the functional unit, such as energy stores.

A functional textile can be understood, for example, as at least part of a piece of clothing, in particular work clothing or functional clothing, which is or is to be equipped with “smart” functions. This can be understood to mean, for example, that they offer a wearer of the textile the opportunity to sense or record their surroundings or their bodily functions or to communicate interactively with their surroundings.

Advantages of the Invention

The arrangement has the advantage that the functional unit and the receiving unit can be reversibly connected to one another and detached from one another again. Thus, for example, in the event of a defect in the arrangement, it does not necessarily have to be completely replaced, rather it is sufficient to replace the defective part, namely the functional unit or the receiving unit. Furthermore, depending on requirements, different functional units with different functions can be connected to a receiving unit. Furthermore, this is particularly advantageous when the receiving unit is attached or attached to the functional textile and the textile has to be cleaned or washed. In that case, the functional unit can be detached from the receiving unit and the receiving unit can remain on the textile during the cleaning or washing process. After the cleaning or washing process, the functional Unit can be reconnected to the receiving unit and thus to the functional textile.

Advantageous developments of the arrangement according to the invention for at least one electronic component on a textile are listed in the dependent claims

According to a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the receiving unit and the functional unit are set up to enter into a snap-in connection, in particular a snap-button type connection, a plug-in connection, a screw connection, a bayonet connection, an adhesive connection and/or a Velcro connection. This ensures a particularly robust and easily detachable connection. In particular with the snap-in connection, it can be provided that the receiving unit is designed like the first element of a snap button and the functional unit, in particular on its underside, is designed as a second element of the snap button corresponding to the first element.

Provision can furthermore be made for the receiving unit to have an upper part and a lower part, with the upper part and the lower part being set up to enter into a positive, non-positive or material connection with the textile being interposed. The receiving unit can thus be attached to the textile in a particularly secure and robust manner. The upper part and/or the lower part of the receiving unit can preferably be glued to the textile.

In addition, it can be provided that the receiving unit has a longitudinal axis and that the lower part is designed as a toothed ring. The toothed ring has teeth projecting in the direction of the upper part, which for connecting to the upper part can be inserted in the direction of the longitudinal axis into an annular receptacle of the upper part and can be plastically deformed within the receptacle. As a result, a particularly simple and robust form-fitting and/or non-positive connection between the receiving unit and the textile can be ensured. According to a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the functional unit has an accumulator as an energy store for the at least one electronic component. As a result, the functional unit can be operated independently at least temporarily and supply the at least one electronic component with electrical energy.

The functional unit is particularly advantageously set up to charge the accumulator inductively by means of an external charging station. For example, the accumulator can be charged by detaching the functional unit from the receiving unit or the textile and placing it in the immediate vicinity of the charging station. Alternatively, the functional unit including the textile can be placed on the charging station. As a result, a wired interface for charging the accumulator can be dispensed with.

A further embodiment provides that the functional unit has a computing unit, a sensor, an actuator, in particular a microphone, a loudspeaker and/or an LED, and/or a preferably wireless communication interface. As a result, the functional unit can provide the wearer of the textile with a wide variety of functions. For example, the sensor can be designed as a GPS sensor or as a camera. In one embodiment, the actuator can be designed as a haptic signal transmitter in order to output a tactilely perceptible signal to the carrier of the signal. The computing unit can optionally be designed to receive signals, in particular sensor signals, from further functional units on the textile and/or to regulate or control the further functional units.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if the functional unit is encapsulated in a media-tight manner. This can be implemented, for example, in that a shell of the functional unit has two components which are cohesively connected to one another after the at least one electronic component has been arranged in one of the components. Alternatively or additionally, an interior of the shell can be filled with a resin or the like in order to encapsulate the at least one electronic component in a media-tight manner with respect to external influences. As a result, the functional unit is designed to be particularly robust and resistant. The aforementioned advantages also apply in a corresponding manner to a system that includes a functional unit with an inductively chargeable accumulator and a charging station, the charging station being set up to inductively charge the accumulator of the functional unit.

Furthermore, the aforementioned advantages also apply to a functional textile with an arrangement according to one of the previously described embodiments.

Brief description of the drawings

Embodiments of the invention are shown schematically in the drawings and explained in more detail in the following description. The same reference symbols are used for the elements that are shown in the various figures and have a similar effect, with a repeated description of the elements being dispensed with.

Show it:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a receiving unit of an arrangement for a functional textile according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of the receiving unit of the arrangement for a functional textile according to FIG. 1 in the assembled state; such as

FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of the arrangement for a functional textile according to a further exemplary embodiment;

Embodiments of the invention

Identical elements or elements with the same function are provided with the same reference numbers in the figures. FIG. 1 shows a receiving unit 20 of an arrangement for a functional textile 6 according to an exemplary embodiment. The receiving unit 20 comprises an upper part 14 and a lower part 22, the receiving unit 20 being set up to be attached to the textile 6. The upper part 14 and the lower part 22 can form an essentially non-detachable connection by axial joining in the direction of a longitudinal axis 15 (indicated by arrows 41) in a manner known per se. The upper part 14 interacts with the lower part 22 here. The lower part 22 is preferably designed in the form of a toothed ring 24 . The toothed ring 24 has, for example, four teeth 25 running parallel to the longitudinal axis 15 , which are offset from one another by 90° in relation to the longitudinal axis 15 . The upper part 14 is surrounded radially or on its outer circumference by an annular holding section 18 which has an annular receptacle 17 with an insertion opening 17a arranged in alignment with the teeth 25 on the side facing the teeth 25 of the toothed ring 24 . By arranging or clamping the textile 6 between the lower part 22 and the upper part 14 before the axial joining, the upper part 14 and the lower part 22 and accordingly the receiving unit 20 can be non-detachably fastened to the textile 6 during the axial joining will. No special tools or specific manufacturing processes are required for this. In particular, a user can use a simple setting tool to join or press together the upper part 14 and the lower part 22 with the textile 6 interposed. As a result, the receiving unit 20 can be attached to the textile 6 at almost any location, depending on the application and the need. Both the upper part 14 and the lower part 22 or the toothed ring 24 are formed as sheet metal parts, the material of the toothed ring 24 preferably having a lower hardness or strength than the material of the upper part 14. Alternatively or additionally, the upper part 14 and/or the lower part 22 at least partially have a plastic. Optionally, the upper part 14 and/or the lower part 22 can also be provided with an adhesive, so that an integral connection is formed. FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of the receiving unit 20 of the arrangement for a functional textile 6 according to FIG. 1 in the assembled state. In this case, the receiving unit 20 is not detachably fastened to the textile 6, so that the receiving unit 20 is also washed or cleaned during a washing process or cleaning process of the textile 6. Since the receiving unit 20 essentially contains metal or plastic, there is no risk of any electronic components or other sensitive or fragile components being damaged as a result.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of an arrangement 10 for a functional textile 6 according to an exemplary embodiment. The receiving unit 20 already described in FIG. 2 is shown in the lower part of FIG. A functional unit 30 is shown schematically in the upper part of FIG. 3, with the double arrow 42 indicating that the receiving unit 20 and the functional unit 30 are set up to be detachably connected to one another. For this purpose, as shown in this exemplary embodiment, the receiving unit 20 and the functional unit 30 can each have corresponding, push-button-like shapes in order to enter into a detachable snap-in connection. For this purpose, the functional unit 30 has a groove-like recess 32 on its underside 31, which is laterally delimited by projections 33 and has a cross-sectional area that tapers downwards. Correspondingly, the upper part 14 of the receiving unit 20 has a nipple-like projection 50, the cross-sectional area of which likewise tapers towards the bottom. When the functional unit 30 and the receiving unit 20 are assembled, the nipple-like projection 50 snaps into the groove-like recess 32 so that a detachable connection is formed between the receiving unit 20 and the functional unit 30 .

Alternatively or additionally, the underside 31 of the functional unit 30 and an upper side 60 of the upper part 14 of the receiving unit 20 can be provided with detachable hook and loop fasteners and/or adhesive fasteners, at least in some areas. Alternatively, the functional unit 30 can be detachably connected to the receiving unit 20 by a plug connection, a screw connection and/or a bayonet connection.

The functional unit 30 is essentially hollow, with at least one electronic component 62 being arranged in an interior space 60 of the functional unit 30 . A plurality of electronic components 62 is preferably arranged on a substrate 63 in the interior space 60 . The electronic components 62 can be embodied, for example, as a computing unit 64, as a sensor 65, as an actuator 66 and/or as a communication interface 67, in particular wireless. The sensor 65 can be designed, for example, as a GPS sensor, as an initial sensor or as a camera. The actuator 66 can be designed, for example, as a microphone, as a loudspeaker and/or as an LED.

In particular, one of the electronic components 62 can be in the form of a battery 68, with the battery 68 advantageously being inductively chargeable. For this purpose, the functional unit 30 can have an inductive charging device 69 in the interior 60 . The functional unit 30 forms, together with an external charging station 70, a system 80 which simplifies the charging of the accumulator 68. Since the functional unit 30 has the inductively chargeable battery 68 in addition to the at least one electronic component 62 and thus has a self-sufficient energy source, the entire arrangement 10 can be arranged almost arbitrarily on the textile 6 without having to rely on electrical conductor tracks routed in the textile 6 . As soon as the rechargeable battery 68 is essentially discharged, the functional unit 30 can be removed from the receiving unit 20 and, for example, placed on the external charging station 70 in order to be inductively charged by it. After the charging process and/or after a washing process or cleaning process of the textile 6, the functional unit 30 can be reconnected to the receiving unit 20 in order to give the textile 6 or its wearer or user "smart" functions again.

Such a textile 6 can, for example, form part of work clothing or functional clothing. For example, a work jacket with an arrangement which is a functional unit equipped with a gas sensor 30 has, mine workers ensure additional protection against firedamp. Furthermore, a work jacket with an arrangement that has a functional unit 30 equipped with a powerful LED can, for example, better identify workers on construction sites (track work, road traffic work, etc.) and thus protect against accidents. Furthermore, it is conceivable that such an arrangement 10 with a correspondingly equipped functional unit 30 is used, for example, as a hands-free device in normal everyday clothing, in functional clothing for sporting activities and/or for work clothing.

Furthermore, by integrating an acceleration sensor, a movement of the wearer or the point on the body/extremity to which the unit is attached can be tracked or recorded (motion tracking).

In order to protect the electronic components 62 from external influences, the interior 60 can be cast with a medium-impermeable resin or a casting compound. Additionally or alternatively, the functional unit 30 can be encapsulated in a media-tight manner. This can be done, for example, by welding or gluing a cover 34 of the functional unit 30 media-tight after the electronic components 62 have been introduced into the interior space 60 .

Claims

Expectations

1. Arrangement (10) for a functional textile (6), comprising a functional unit (30) with at least one electronic component (62) and a receiving unit (20) for receiving the functional unit (30), wherein the receiving unit (20) furnished is, in particular not detachable, to be attached to the textile (6), characterized in that the receiving unit (20) and the functional unit (30) are designed to be detachably connected to one another.

2. Arrangement (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiving unit (20) and the functional unit (30) are set up, a snap-in connection, in particular a push-button type, a plug-in connection, a screw connection, a bayonet connection, an adhesive connection and/or to make a velcro connection.

3. Arrangement (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the receiving unit (20) has an upper part (14) and a lower part (22), wherein the upper part (14) and the lower part (22) are arranged under Intermediate layer of the textile (6) to enter into a positive, non-positive or material connection.

4. Arrangement (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the receiving unit (20) has a longitudinal axis (15) and that the lower part (22) is designed as a toothed ring (24) whose teeth project in the direction of the upper part (14). (25) for connection to the upper part (14) in the direction of the longitudinal axis (15) can be inserted into an annular receptacle (17) of the upper part (14) and can be plastically deformed within the receptacle.

5. Arrangement (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the functional unit (30) has an accumulator (68) as an energy store for the at least one electronic component (62). Arrangement (10) according to Claim 5, characterized in that the functional unit (30) is set up to charge the accumulator (68) inductively by means of an external charging station (70). Arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the functional unit (30) has a computing unit (64), a sensor (65), an actuator (66), in particular a microphone, a loudspeaker and/or an LED, and/or a preferably wireless communication interface (67). Arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the functional unit (30) is encapsulated in a medium-tight manner. System (80) having a functional unit of the arrangement (10) according to any one of claims 6 to 8 and a charging station (70), wherein the charging station (70) is set up to charge the accumulator (68) of the functional unit (30) inductively. Functional textile (6) with an arrangement (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 8.