Smart thermal textile for acupuncture therapy

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9603197-B2
Application number	US-21647608-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2008
Priority date	Jul 7, 2008
Publication date	Mar 21, 2017
Grant date	Mar 21, 2017

Abstract

The present invention relates to a smart textile capable of providing acupuncture therapy to the wearer through strategically positioned electrodes throughout the textile, connected via silver coated fabric. Through the instant invention, heat therapy can be applied to specific points on the body, while being safe due to the absence of wires.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A smart textile for providing acupuncture therapy to a user, comprising,
a power supply configured to supply power to the smart textile;
conductive textiles which are capable of conducting electricity, the conductive textiles are configured to directly receive power from the power supply, the conductive textiles are made with a first conductive textile material having a first resistance, the conductive textiles are manufactured by weaving or sewing silver coated fabric into knitted fabric;
normal yarn sections;
a power modification means to make the supplied power suitable for use;
an electronic controlling device to control positions and strength of the therapy; and
a plurality of separated heating pads configured to directly receive power from the conductive textiles to generate heat, the heating pads are made with a second conductive textile material having a second resistance that is higher than the first resistance,
2N electrodes being in the middle of the heating pads which are made with a third conductive fabric having a third resistance lower than the second resistance, wherein the plurality of separated heating pads are connected with the power supply in parallel via the conductive textiles, and
wherein said heating pads and electrodes are strategically sized and positioned to provide the acupuncture therapy to the user.

2. The smart textile in claim 1 , wherein a textile can take the form of underwear, sportswear, sweaters, knitwear, trousers, pants, briefs, brassieres, footwear, wrist/finger band support, ankle/foot band support, localized elbow and knee support bands, belts, bags, bed clothes, home products, or medical products.

3. The smart textile in claim 1 , wherein input for power supply includes DC sources, AC sources, computer interfaces, or renewable energy sources.

Assignees

• Li Li
• Au Raymond Wai-Man
• Wong Thomas K S
• Li Yi
• Chung Joanne W Y
• Wan Sai Ho
• Univ Hong Kong Polytechnic

Inventors

• Li Li
• Au Raymond Wai-Man
• Wong Thomas K S
• Li Yi
• Chung Joanne W Y
• Wan Sai Ho

Classifications

• H05B2203/007

  using multiple electrically connected resistive elements or resistive zones · CPC title

• A61N1/0408

  Use-related aspects · CPC title

• H05B2203/036

  Heaters specially adapted for garment heating · CPC title

• H05B2203/005

  using multiple resistive elements or resistive zones isolated from each other · CPC title

• H05B3/342 Primary

  heaters used in textiles · CPC title