U.S. patent application number 13/359412 was filed with the patent office on 2013-08-01 for capacitive touch sensitive moisture resistant glove.
This patent application is currently assigned to SCOSCHE INDUSTRIES, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is Vince Alves. Invention is credited to Vince Alves.
Application Number | 20130191962 13/359412 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47594561 |
Filed Date | 2013-08-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130191962 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Alves; Vince |
August 1, 2013 |
CAPACITIVE TOUCH SENSITIVE MOISTURE RESISTANT GLOVE
Abstract
A capacitive touch sensitive glove includes a glove having a
moisture penetration resistant material forming interior and
exterior portions of the glove, and an electrically conductive
element extending through the material from the interior to the
exterior portions, wherein the conductive element is arranged with
the material to prevent transmission of moisture between the
interior and exterior portions.
Inventors: |
Alves; Vince; (Oxnard,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Alves; Vince |
Oxnard |
CA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
SCOSCHE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Oxnard
CA
|
Family ID: |
47594561 |
Appl. No.: |
13/359412 |
Filed: |
January 26, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/167 ;
29/428 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/0393 20190501;
G06F 3/03545 20130101; Y10T 29/49826 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/167 ;
29/428 |
International
Class: |
A41D 19/00 20060101
A41D019/00; A41D 19/04 20060101 A41D019/04 |
Claims
1. A capacitive touch sensitive glove comprising: a glove having a
moisture penetration resistant material forming interior and
exterior portions of the glove; and an electrically conductive
element extending through the material from the interior to the
exterior portions, wherein the conductive element is arranged with
the material to prevent transmission of moisture between the
interior and exterior portions.
2. The glove of claim 1, wherein the glove comprises a plurality of
fingers, and wherein at least one finger comprises the electrically
conductive element extending between the interior portion and the
exterior portion.
3. The glove of claim 1, further comprising a water impermeable
seal between the electrically conductive element and the material
to prevent the transmission of moisture between the interior
portion and the exterior portion.
4. The glove of claim 3, further comprising the water impermeable
seal being impregnated with the electrically conductive
element.
5. The glove of claim 3, wherein the water impermeable seal
comprises a curable polymer.
6. The glove of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive
element comprises at least one conductive fiber.
7. The glove of claim 6, wherein the electrically conductive
element comprises at least one of a filamentary conductive carbon
fiber, a filamentary metal wire, a filamentary semiconductor fiber,
and conductive particles.
8. The glove of claim 1, further comprising an electrically
conductive cap coupled to said electrically conductive element.
9. A method of making a capacitive touch sensitive glove compatible
with capacitive touchscreen devices comprising: providing a glove
comprising a moisture penetration resistant material forming
interior and exterior portions of the glove; and attaching at least
one electrically conductive element to the glove extending through
the material from the interior to the exterior portions, wherein
the conductive element is arranged with the material to prevent
transmission of moisture between the interior and exterior
portions.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising locating the
electrically conductive element in at least one of a plurality of
fingers formed from the glove material, wherein the electrically
conductive element extends between the interior portion and the
exterior portion.
11. The method of claim 10, further comprising forming a water
impermeable seal between the electrically conductive element and
the material to prevent the transmission of moisture between the
interior portion and the exterior portion.
12. The method of claim 10, further comprising forming the water
impermeable seal with a curable polymer.
13. The method of claim 10, further comprising forming a conductive
cap on the electrically conductive element at the exterior portion
of the material.
14. The method of claim 10, further comprising forming the glove
with one or more fingers and arranging the penetrating conductive
element with at least one of the fingers to extend through the
material from the interior to the exterior portions.
15. A glove operable with a touchscreen device, comprising: a
moisture penetration resistant material arranged to define an
interior and an exterior portion of the glove, wherein the interior
portion is arranged to receive a user's hand; and an electrically
conductive element extending through the moisture penetration
resistant material to permit electrical conduction from the user's
hand interior to the glove to the device touchscreen exterior to
the glove.
16. The glove of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of
fingers formed from the glove material, wherein the electrically
conductive element extends between the interior portion and the
exterior portion at one or more of the fingers.
17. The glove of claim 15, further comprising a moisture
impermeable seal between the electrically conductive element and
the material to prevent the transmission of moisture between the
interior portion and the exterior portion.
18. The glove of claim 17, wherein the moisture impermeable seal
comprises a curable polymer.
19. The glove of claim 15, wherein the electrically conductive
element comprises at least one of conductive particles and a
conductive fiber, wherein the conductive fiber comprises at least
one of a filamentary conductive carbon fiber, a filamentary metal
wire, and a filamentary semiconductor fiber.
20. The glove of claim 15, further comprising an electrically
conductive cap coupled to said electrically conductive element.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Field
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to moisture
resistant gloves and more particularly to moisture resistant gloves
enabling a user to operate capacitive touch sensitive devices such
as cell phones and media players while wearing the gloves.
[0003] 2. Background
[0004] Consumers are increasingly becoming accustomed to operating
interactive devices with touchscreen technology based on capacitive
sensing. This technology generates a continuing demand for devices
with user friendly and intuitive interfaces, such as, for example,
smart phones like the Apple iPhone.TM. and tablets like the Apple
iPad.TM.. Such demand includes access to such user friendly devices
under varied and often less than user friendly circumstances. For
example, outdoor winter sports enthusiast, such as snow boarders
and skier, wear insulated water repellant or water resistant gloves
for comfort. At the same time, widespread cellular coverage enables
a sports enthusiast to communicate while also enjoying the winter
outdoor environment. Gloves for such extreme weather conditions
often include an outer shell of leather, waterproof, water
resistant, or water repellant material, such as GORE-TEX.RTM.
fabric, water repellant aerosol treated fabric, and the like.
Unfortunately, extreme weather gloves are not equipped with
capacitive touch sensitive capability to operate a touchscreen
device, and the glove has to be removed to operate the device.
There is a need, therefore, for a water resistant extreme weather
glove compatible with interactive touch screen devices.
SUMMARY
[0005] In an aspect of the disclosure, a capacitive touch sensitive
glove includes a glove having a moisture penetration resistant
material forming interior and exterior portions of the glove, and
an electrically conductive element extending through the material
from the interior to the exterior portions, wherein the conductive
element is arranged with the material to prevent transmission of
moisture between the interior and exterior portions.
[0006] In an aspect of the disclosure, a method of making a
capacitive touch sensitive glove compatible with capacitive
touchscreen devices includes providing a glove comprising a
moisture penetration resistant material forming interior and
exterior portions of the glove, and attaching at least one
electrically conductive element to the glove extending through the
material from the interior to the exterior portions, wherein the
conductive element is arranged with the material to prevent
transmission of moisture between the interior and exterior
portions.
[0007] In an aspect of the disclosure, a glove operable with a
touchscreen device, includes a moisture penetration resistant
material arranged to define an interior and an exterior portion of
the glove, wherein the interior portion is arranged to receive a
user's hand, and an electrically conductive element extending
through the moisture penetration resistant material to permit
electrical conduction from the user's hand interior to the glove to
the device touchscreen exterior to the glove.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a conceptual illustration of a glove compatible
with capacitive touchscreen devices in accordance with an aspect of
the disclosure.
[0009] FIG. 2A is a cross-section of a conceptual illustration of
an electrically conductive element for use in the glove of FIG.
1.
[0010] FIG. 2B is a cross-section view of a conceptual illustration
of the electrically conductive element of FIG. 2A arranged with a
finger of the glove of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] FIG. 1 is a conceptual illustration of a snow glove 100
compatible with capacitive touchscreen devices. The glove comprises
a back 10 (indicated with a phantom lead line), a palm 11, and a
plurality of fingers including a thumb 12, an index finger 13 and
additional fingers 14 to accommodate the hand and fingers of a user
within an interior 15 of the glove. The glove includes an outer
surface that is waterproof and/or resistant to penetration of
moisture. Various materials that may be used in such gloves include
leather, GORE-TEX.RTM. fabric, water repellant aerosol treated
fabric, and the like, but are not limited to the materials
mentioned.
[0012] The thumb 12 and index finger 13 are shown arranged with an
electrically conductive element 20 preferably in the vicinity of
the finger tips, although the electrically conductive element may
be arranged elsewhere on any portion of the fingers 12, 13, 14, or
even on the back 10 or palm 11 of the glove.
[0013] Referring to FIG. 2, the electrically conductive element 20
includes an exterior portion 21 that is arranged with an outer
surface of the glove 100 and an interior portion 22 that penetrates
through a hole 30 in the glove at a selected location, such as the
thumb 12, index finger 13, or elsewhere. The interior portion 22 is
arranged in contact with the user's skin when worn by the user.
[0014] The electrically conductive element 20 is arranged with the
glove 100 through the hole 30 to prevent moisture from passing
through the hole 30, with the intention of keeping the user's hand
dry when, for example, the user is engaged in outdoor winter
sports, such as skiing, snowboarding, ice climbing, etc. To that
end, the electrically conductive element 20 and hole 30 may be
configured with a water impermeable seal 40 to prevent the moisture
from passing through the hole 30 along or around the electrically
conductive element 20.
[0015] In one aspect of the disclosure, the water impermeable seal
40 may be a curable adhesive sealant, such as a curable polymer,
for example, between the electrically conductive element 20 and the
hole 30. Alternatively, the water impermeable seal 40 may be
obtained by sewing the electrically conductive element 20 into the
hole 30 and sealing with an adhesive sealing tape or material
placed over the stitching, such as GORE-SEAM.RTM. tape, or the
like.
[0016] In another aspect of the disclosure, the electrically
conductive element 20 may be formed from a one or more conductive
fibers substantially impregnated with the water impermeable seal
40, where the water impermeable seal 40 may be a curable adhesive
sealant. Thus, the impregnated electrically conductive element 20
may be positioned in the hole 30 of the glove 100, and the sealant
allowed to cure. Alternatively, the sealant in the electrically
conductive element 20 may be cured first, and then additional
sealant applied at the hole 30 when the electrically conductive
element 20 is positioned in the hole 30, and the additional sealant
may be cured.
[0017] In another aspect of the disclosure, the electrically
conductive element 20 may be formed from a water impermeable seal
40 comprising, for example, the curable sealant, which has been
impregnated with one or more conductive fibers. The conductive
fiber impregnated water impermeable seal 40 may be installed in the
glove using additional sealant applied at the hole 30, as above,
which is then cured. Alternatively, as described above, adhesive
sealing tape may be applied to provide the water impermeable seal
40.
[0018] The conductive fibers may be any of filamentary conductive
carbon fibers, filamentary metal wires, filamentary semiconductor
fibers, or the like.
[0019] In an aspect of the disclosure, the electrically conductive
element 20 may terminate at the fingertip in a conductive cap 50 or
plate, and the cap 50 or plate may be positioned at the exterior
portion 21 to enable conductive contact to a touchscreen, at the
interior portion 22 to enable conductive contact the user's skin,
or both. The cap 50 may be in electrical contact with the one or
more conductive fibers or other conductive material from which the
electrically conductive element 20 is formed. The interior portion
22 is positioned to be in contact with the user's skin when the
glove 100 is properly worn.
[0020] When the user wished to access applications on a touchscreen
device, the electrically conductive element 20 provide continuity
between the capacitive touch sensitive screen and the users skin as
if the user had applied his fingertips directly to the screen.
[0021] In an aspect of the disclosure, the electrically conductive
element 20 may include an inelastic or elastic material, such as
plastic, rubber, a curable polymer, or the like, charged with
conductive particles, such as silver or other conductive
granules.
[0022] It is to be understood that the specific order or hierarchy
of steps in the methods disclosed is an illustration of exemplary
processes. Based upon design preferences, it is understood that the
specific order or hierarchy of steps in the methods may be
rearranged. The accompanying method claims present elements of the
various steps in a sample order, and are not meant to be limited to
the specific order or hierarchy presented unless specifically
recited therein.
[0023] The claims are not intended to be limited to the various
aspects of this disclosure, but are to be accorded the full scope
consistent with the language of the claims. All structural and
functional equivalents to the elements of the various aspects
described throughout this disclosure that are known or later come
to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly
incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed
by the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be
dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is
explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element is to be
construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. .sctn.112, sixth
paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase
"means for" or, in the case of a method claim, the element is
recited using the phrase "step for."
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