US20240384448
2024-11-21
Textiles; paper
D04B1/265
The patent application discusses innovative advances in actuating fabrics that dynamically adjust to the unique contours of the human body. These active fabrics and fitting mechanisms facilitate garments to conform around surface concavities without relying on high elasticity or multiple closure devices. The described innovations include advanced materials for garment manufacturing, topographical fitting through design, and tunable NiTi-based SMA actuation temperatures for skin surface actuation. These fabrics have potential applications in medical compression, technical sportswear, exosuits, space suits, and beyond.
The embodiments focus on materials that produce functional effects in specific locations, patterns, and quantities for diverse applications. This includes shape memory knit patterns or panels that transition to a tensioned state for a tailored fit over body topographies while maintaining desired compression levels. The technology also involves devices for adjusting or maintaining mechanical tension using tension limiting switches in shape memory fabrics, offering garments that are easy to don and doff without conventional fasteners.
Maintaining compression levels in garments is a challenge across industries. Medical compression requires precise force application for therapeutic outcomes, while other industries need consistent contact for sensor accuracy or haptic feedback. Current compression garments often face issues like uneven pressure due to anatomical variations, leading to inefficiencies in medical treatments and form-fitting wearables. Conventional solutions include elastic or inflatable garments with limitations such as donning difficulties and discomfort.
Garments with compression features are used for both medical and aesthetic purposes. Aesthetic appeal is crucial for consumer adoption of compression garments, influencing compliance among patients needing these garments for therapeutic reasons. Athleisure clothing combines style with compressive force but faces challenges like bridging. Technical sportswear offers performance benefits such as muscle support through temperature-induced garment property changes. However, traditional undersized garments lack adaptability to dynamic body changes during different activities.
Wearable robotic devices struggle with sizing and fit due to anthropometric variability among users. Standardized sizes reduce fit accuracy, affecting usability and marketability. For conditions like Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), lower body compression is crucial for symptom management. Current pneumatic and undersized garments offer solutions but have drawbacks like bulkiness or unpredictable pressures, leading to non-compliance due to discomfort. The proposed actuating fabrics aim to address these challenges by offering adaptable compression solutions.