U.S. patent application number 10/174986 was filed with the patent office on 2003-12-25 for manufacturing process and its product for conductive fabric.
This patent application is currently assigned to TA LAI SPORTING GOODS ENTERPRISES CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Wu, Ming-Lai.
Application Number | 20030233743 10/174986 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32180102 |
Filed Date | 2003-12-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030233743 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wu, Ming-Lai |
December 25, 2003 |
Manufacturing process and its product for conductive fabric
Abstract
The invention relates to a manufacturing process and product for
conductive fabric. The process uses metallic yarn and natural fiber
as raw material. Metallic yarn is subject to a braiding step to
wrap around staples (like natural wool, rabbit hairs or far IR
treated wool or rabbit hairs etc.). In this step, silk (like rubber
silk, stainless steel silk, wool etc.) is added to enhance the
durability and also form conductive fabric in large size. Besides,
color selection is made for the conductive fabric through a dying
step for the yarn, which is prior to the formation of conductive
fabric. Further, when it is for medical application, the object
fabricated by the said conductive fabric can be connected to a
current controller for appropriate current supply to attain
electrotherapy effect. Since conductive fabric is formed by natural
staples, its surface provides a long product life by repeated use
directly.
Inventors: |
Wu, Ming-Lai; (Taipei,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS, PLLC
625 SLATERS LANE
FOURTH FLOOR
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
|
Assignee: |
TA LAI SPORTING GOODS ENTERPRISES
CO., LTD.
Taipei
TW
|
Family ID: |
32180102 |
Appl. No.: |
10/174986 |
Filed: |
June 20, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
28/140 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D03D 15/47 20210101;
A61N 1/16 20130101; D03D 15/25 20210101; D10B 2401/16 20130101;
D10B 2211/02 20130101; D10B 2211/04 20130101; D02G 3/12 20130101;
D10B 2401/061 20130101; D10B 2401/14 20130101; D02G 3/441 20130101;
A61N 1/14 20130101; D04C 1/02 20130101; D04C 1/12 20130101; D03D
15/00 20130101; D03D 15/56 20210101; D10B 2101/20 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
28/140 |
International
Class: |
D03D 023/00 |
Claims
1. A manufacturing process and its product for conductive fabric,
characterized by following procedures: A. Raw material selection:
Raw materials include conductive metallic yarn and natural (staple)
fiber, or far IR treated silk or elastic rubber silk; B. Braiding:
Special equipment is used for braiding operation to wrap up natural
fiber with metallic yarn to an extent that optimum density is
achieved. C. Weaving: Then above-mentioned coiled metallic yarn is
subject to weaving operation through a special yarn-feeding device.
In said process, rubber silk, stainless steel silk and wool are
added to increase durability and fabricate into large area of
conductive fabric with desired flatness, uniformity and
durability.
2. The manufacturing process and its product for conductive fabric
of claim 1, wherein diameter of metallic yarn is between
0.035.about.0.08 mm.
3. The manufacturing process and its product for conductive fabric
of claim 1, wherein natural fiber is wrapped up with metallic yarn
to an extent that 1 cm natural fiber has 3.about.25 coils of
metallic yarn.
4. The manufacturing process and its product for conductive fabric
of claim 1, wherein said conductive fabric can be fabricated into
any type of finished products having conductive fasteners at a
proper position and is connected through wire with a
controller.
5. The manufacturing process and its product for conductive fabric
of claim 1, wherein said natural fiber raw material is subject to
direct dying treatment, followed by braiding operation and weaving
operation before finished products are made, thus, conductive
fabric with broad range of color selection can be made.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a fabrication technology
that is used for conductive fabric. Especially, it is a new process
that is distinguished from the traditional process for conductive
fabric.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Regarding current electronic pulse massagers on the market
of medical care equipment, the dominant products have the practical
function in electrotherapy, which uses small power and low current
to generate neural stimulation to certain spots of human body and
promote blood circulation. The product is mainly composed of
conductive fabric having contacts with human skin and a controller
having functional options and wire connection. Wherein, the
conductive fabric is made from a composite layer that contains a
substrate, nickel and copper sulfide. In addition, on end of the
electroplated conductive fabric has conductive adhesive, while the
other end has conductive fastener. The adhesive is used for
positioning on human skin, while the conductive fastener uses
connection between wires and a controller to attain electrotherapy
effect.
[0003] Although the present electronic pulse massager may achieve
certain electrotherapy effect and possesses value to medical
application, it is found to have the following shortcomings after
the inventor's careful review.
[0004] 1. The conductive adhesive is not made of
environment-friendly material and causes the problem with
environmental protection after disposal. Besides, the conductive
adhesive has poor gas permeability, so patients with sensitive
skins will get skin allergy easily and have very uncomfortable
feeling.
[0005] 2. The small size of the conductive fabric results in
limited therapy area and poor therapy effect. Further, due to the
limitation on conductive adhesive quantity, repeated use is
necessary. Further, there exists a potential hygiene problem and an
additional cost for re-purchase of the conductive adhesive.
[0006] 3. Furthermore, since conductive adhesive is required for
the electroplated conductive fabric to obtain conductivity, water
rinse for hygiene reason causes function loss for the conductive
adhesive.
[0007] Therefore, from the above discussion, it is necessary to
improve the traditional electrical pulse massager. Besides, with
the rapid change in a new era, the importance of simple and easy
medical auxiliary equipment at home becomes increasingly apparent.
In many situations, the easy access to such products provides a
great help to users, especially when most people accept the
products mostly with electrotherapy function and their
performance.
[0008] In view of this, to make easy use of such electrical pulse
massager by the general population and assure the therapy effect
after using such equipment, the inventor used various kinds of raw
materials and process to conduct experiments and improvement.
Finally, the inventor accomplished an innovation about "a
manufacturing process and its product for conductive fabric".
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The primary objective for the invention of "a manufacturing
process and its product for conductive fabric" is to improve the
electroplated conductive fabric, which is made by the traditional
manufacturing process and has structural shortcomings, such as
being unwashable, failing to meet hygiene and environmental
protection requirements, and even poor performance in use. The
invention provides a new manufacturing process for conductive
fabric and the finished products made of such conductive fabric.
For example, when ceramic powder is blended into fabric products,
it has advantages like strong adhesion and durability. When
consumers buy such fabric products, they are exposed to the far IR
irradiated from ceramic powder and achieve the medical effect on
promoting blood circulation.
[0010] Another objective for the present invention of "a
manufacturing process and its product for conductive fabric" is to
dye the natural fiber to fabricate it into large conductive fabric
with the preferable color for end users, which allows a comfortable
feel and a broad range of color selections.
[0011] To make the examiners to further understand the present
invention of "a manufacturing process and its product for
conductive fabric" regarding the objective, characteristics and
advantages, the following description will provide details for the
entire process in the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 shows a flow diagram for the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 2 shows a type of finished product for a preferable
embodiment in the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 3 show a decomposition diagram for a preferable
embodiment in the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 4 shows another flow diagram for the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] The present invention provides a manufacturing process and
its product for conductive fabric. The contents will include two
parts, the manufacturing process and the products made from the
conductive fabric. Please refer to FIG. 1 and the following
description:
[0017] (1) Manufacturing Process: First, raw material selection
should be considered.
[0018] The raw materials include metallic yarn with good
conductivity and preferably diameter range within 0.035.about.0.08
mm, They can be natural (staple) fiber such as wool and rabbit
hairs, or far IR treated silk, or elastic silk etc. Since far IR
beam is a kind of physical irradiation, which features in strong
warming and heating function that significantly helps on
metabolism, blood circulation, enzyme growth and tissue recovery
etc., it is frequently used for medical purpose. For the same
reason, to enhance the therapy effect of the product from the
conductive fabric made in the said manufacturing process, it is
desirable to use far IR silk as the raw material for conductive
fabric.
[0019] Second consideration is the processing equipment:
[0020] With the use of the above raw materials like metallic yarn
and natural fiber, a special equipment for yarn feeding is adopted
for yarn braiding operation, which allows the natural fiber to be
wrapped up by metallic yarn to an extent (without broken yarn) that
3.about.25 coils of metallic yarn wrap up 1 cm natural fiber. Thus,
uniform flatness of the metallic yarn surface can be achieved to
increase the application stability for electrical pulse
massager.
[0021] Then, it is the fabrication of the conductive fabric.
[0022] The above coiled metallic yarn is subject to a weaving
process through yarn feeding apparatus. Meanwhile, adding silk,
such as rubber silk, stainless steel silk, far IR silk and wool can
enhance durability. Therefore, when large conductive fabric is
formed, it has antiseptic and odor preventive characteristics in
addition to uniformity, durability and compliance with
environmental protection requirement.
[0023] (2) Products:
[0024] The above-mentioned conductive fabric is fabricated into
different types of products to meet requirements in practical
application such as medical therapy by electrical pulse massager.
For further details, please refer to FIGS. 2 and 3, which disclose
an auxiliary handheld device 10 that the conductive fabric is
fabricated into cylindrical shape with seamless airtightness. At a
proper position of the said device 10 there is a male conductive
fastener 11 connected with a matching female conductive fastener 12
by wire 13 , together with a controller 14 to regulate the current
through the conductive fabric. When electrotherapy is underway,
electric current of appropriate intensity is continuously
discharged to stimulate patient's terminal nerves in certain areas.
In the meantime, the far IR silk inside the conductive fabric is
activated due to heat generated from continuous current passage,
which further promotes patient's blood circulation and
metabolism.
[0025] It is worth to mention that the said manufacturing process
for conductive fabric was developed by the inventor based on many
times of careful experiment and the derived optimum data about
coiling metallic yarn around natural fiber. It was found that 1 cm
natural fiber wrapped up with 3.about.25 coils of metallic silk is
the best suitable configuration in the manufacturing process for
the present invention. Accordingly, conductive fabric with optimal
density and flatness is obtained to provide a stable and desired
therapy.
[0026] Again, please refer to FIG. 4 for the flow diagram for
another embodiment, which describes that in the above-mentioned
fabrication process for conductive fabric, natural fiber is subject
to direct dying, followed by the existing braiding and weaving
operation to make finished products. Thus, conductive fabric can be
made with any kind of color. So the finished products will have
broad range of color selection and achieve an esthetic sense
without monotonous impression.
[0027] Besides, the braided finished products can be used to many
different applications, such as static elimination, electromagnetic
wave shielding, cutting resistance, raw materials for conductive
yarn and electrical pulse massager therapy etc.
[0028] To summarize the above, the finished products of conductive
fabric should have the following advantages:
[0029] 1. Large contact area
[0030] 2. Suitable for any part of human body
[0031] 3. Good gas permeation, soft, comfortable and easy to
use
[0032] 4. Antiseptic, odor prevention and good hygiene effect
[0033] 5. Good for repeated wash and compliant with environmental
protection requirement
[0034] 6. Low cost
[0035] In general, the manufacturing process and its product for
conductive fabric in the present invention show excellent
performance as applied practically, which is sufficient to be
considered as an innovation. Accordingly the application is
submitted for approval.
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