Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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GLOVE WITH CONDUCTIVE FINGERTIPS
PRIORITY
[0001]
BACKGROUND
[0002] This disclosure relates to a glove for operating an electronic
device, particularly a
device with a touchscreen. To operate capacitive touchscreens requires
electric
conductivity between the screen and a user's fingers. Thus, users of such
electronic devices can find it difficult to operate the device while wearing
gloves.
The exemplary gloves described herein overcome this difficulty by providing
gloves with conductive fingertips.
[0003] While a variety of gloves have been made and used, it is believed
that no one
prior to the inventor(s) has made or used an invention as described herein.
SUMMARY
[0004] A glove comprises a plurality of fingertips, an outer surface, and
an inner surface,
wherein at least one of the fingertips comprises conductive thread or yarn
extending from the outer surface of the glove to the inner surface of the
glove.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] While the specification concludes with claims which particularly
point out and
distinctly claim the invention, it is believed the present invention will be
better
understood from the following description of certain examples taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals
identify the same elements and in which:
[0006] FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of an exemplary glove;
100071 FIG. 2 depicts a bottom view (from the palm side) of the glove of
FIG. 1;
[0008] FIG. 3 depicts a bottom view of the fingertip portion of the index
finger of the
glove of FIG. 1;
[0009] FIG. 4 depicts an end view of the fingertip portion of the index
finger of the glove
of FIG. 1, with the glove turned inside-out to show conductive thread
extending to
the interior of the glove;
1000101 FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view of another exemplary glove;
[00011] FIG. 6 depicts a bottom view (from the palm side) of the glove of
FIG. 5;
[00012] FIG. 7 depicts an end view of the fingertip portions of the index
finger and thumb
of the glove of FIG. 5;
[00013] FIG. 8 depicts an end view of the fingertip portions of the index
finger and thumb
of the glove of FIG. 5, with the glove turned inside-out to show conductive
thread
extending to the interior of the glove; and
[00014] FIG. 9 depicts a perspective view of another exemplary glove.
1000151 The drawings are not intended to be limiting in any way, and it is
contemplated
that various embodiments of the invention may be carried out in a variety of
other
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ways, including those not necessarily depicted in the drawings.
The
accompanying drawings, incorporated in and forming a part of the
specification,
illustrate several aspects of the present invention, and together with the
description serve to explain the principles of the invention; it being
understood,
however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements shown.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[00016] The following description of certain examples of the invention
should not be used
to limit the scope of the present invention. Other examples, features,
aspects,
embodiments, and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those
skilled in the art from the following description. As will be realized, the
invention
is capable of other different and obvious aspects, all without departing from
the
invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as
illustrative in nature and not restrictive.
[00017] In this application, the word "finger" and "fingertip" apply
equally to
fingers/fingertips and thumbs/thumbtips.
Similarly, the word "thumb" and
"thumbtips" apply equally to thumbs/thumbtips and fingers/fingertips. "Glove"
can also mean mitten.
The words "yarn" and "thread" can be used
interchangeably.
[00018] FIGS. 1-4 illustrate an exemplary glove (10) having fingertips
(12). At the index
finger position (14) and the thumb position (16) fingertips (12) are
conductive. In
the present example, glove (10) comprises a backhand side (18) as shown in
FIG.
1, a palm side (20) as shown in FIG. 2, a first end (22) comprising an opening
(not
shown) for a user to insert their hand, and a second end (24) where the distal
portion of fingertips (12) are located.
[00019] Glove (10) is knit substantially from non-conductive yarn (26) and
also includes
conductive yarn (28) knit into fingertips (12) at index finger position (14)
and
thumb position (16). Of course, conductive yarn (28) can be knit into
fingertips
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(12) at only a single finger position, at all finger positions, or even
throughout all
of glove (10) in some versions. In the present example, glove (10) is first
knit of
yarn (26), then conductive yarn (28) is knit into glove (10) at index finger
position
(14) and thumb position (16) as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In the
illustrated
versions of FIGS. 1-4, the entire fingertip (12) at index finger position (14)
and
thumb position (16) are knit of a combination of conductive yam (28) and non-
conductive yarn (26). With this construction, conductive yarn (28) extends
from
an outer surface (30) of glove (10) to an inner surface (32) of glove (10) to
create
a conductive pathway from the user's fingertip, which contacts inner surface
(32)
of glove (10), to a touchscreen, which contacts outer surface (30) of glove
(10).
In some other versions, instead of fingertips (12) being knit of a combination
of
non-conductive yarn (26) and conductive yarn (28), fingertips (12) can be knit
entirely of conductive yarn (28). In the present example, the distribution of
conductive yarn (28) and non-conductive yarn (26) in certain fingertips (12)
is
substantially uniform. In some other versions, the distribution of conductive
yarn
(28) and non-conductive yarn (26) in certain fingertips (12) can be not
uniform.
For example, certain fingertips (12) can be knit to include an area of non-
conductive yarn (26) along with one or more dense areas of conductive yarn
(28).
1000201 The shape of the knit area and the length of fingertips (12) that
include conductive
yarn (28) can take into consideration the portion of the finger and/or thumb
that is
used to operate a touchscreen. In the present example, about one and one-half
inches at the end of fingertips (12) at index finger position (14) and thumb
position (16) include conductive yarn (28); of course greater or lesser
lengths may
be used. Also, conductive yarn (28) can be knit into all areas of fingertips
(12).
For instance, in the illustrated version, at index finger position (14) and
thumb
position (16), conductive yarn (28) is located on the pad (34), the back (36),
the
sides (38), and the distal-most tip (40) of those fingertips (12). In some
other
versions, conductive yarn (28) is located in select areas of fingertips (12)
instead
of all areas. In the illustrated version, the user can operate the touchscreen
by
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contacting the touchscreen with any part of fingertip (12) containing
conductive
yarn (28) (e.g., pad (34), sides (38), tip (40), etc.) in an amount and
arrangement
sufficient to create the electrical pathway between the user's finger and the
touchscreen.
1000211 The non-conductive portions of glove (10) can be knit using
processes known in
the art, using materials known in the art, including but not limited to
acrylic yarn,
Lycra, or feather yarn (100% nylon). The conductive portions of glove (10) can
also be knit using processes known in the art, using any conductive yarn. In
some
versions conductive yarn (28) is comprised of two ends of conductive thread
mixed with non-conductive thread. In some versions, conductive yarn (28) can
conduct 82 ohms/foot to 14 ohms/foot. Glove (10) can be machine-knit hand-
knit.
[00022] FIG. 2 further illustrates a palm patch (42) that is stitched onto
palm side (20) of
glove (10). In the present example palm patch (42) is constructed from leather
and can aide in gripping objects, (e.g., objects having touchscreens, etc.).
Other
materials of construction for palm patch (42) will be apparent to those of
ordinary
skill in the art in view of the teachings herein, and may include suede,
synthetic
leather, synthetic suede, pigsplit, embossed polyurethane, silicone, among
others.
[00023] In view of the teachings herein, various other configurations and
modifications to
glove (10) will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. By way of
example only, and not limitation, conductive yarn (28) may be knit into any
decorative pattern so long as there is sufficient conductive thread to conduct
an
electrical:impulse from the user's finger to the touchscreen. In some
versions, all
or some of fingertips (12) of one glove (10) from a pair of gloves are
conductive,
while in other versions all or some of fingertips (12) of both gloves (10)
from the
pair are conductive.
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1000241 FIGS. 5-8 illustrate another exemplary glove (110) having
fingertips (112). At the
index finger position (114) and the thumb position (116) fingertips (112) are
conductive. In the present example, glove (110) comprises a backhand side
(118)
as shown in FIG. 5, a palm side (120) as shown in FIG. 6, a first end (122)
comprising an opening (not shown) for a user to insert their hand, and a
second
end (124) where the distal portion of fingertips (112) are located.
1000251 Glove (110) is constructed by assembling cut fabrics together using
processes
known in the art (e.g., sewing together cut fabrics forming seams). In the
present
example, glove (110) comprises a palm fabric (144), a backhand fabric (146), a
seaming fabric (148), an index finger fabric (150), and a thumb fabric (152).
These fabrics are generally non-conductive fabrics (126) sewn together as
shown
to form glove (110). Conductive thread (128) is embroidered or stitched into
or
onto the fabrics that make-up fingertips (112) at index finger position (114)
and
thumb position (116) to provide conductive pathways between the user's
fingertip
and a touchscreen. Any well-known embroidery technique may be used to apply
conductive thread (128) to fingertips (112) of glove (110). This embroidery or
stitching with conductive thread (128) can be done before the fabrics (144,
146,
148, 150, 152) are assembled to form glove (110) or after the fabrics (144,
146,
148, 150, 152) have been assembled to form glove (110). In either approach
conductive thread (128) passes from the inner surface (132) of glove (110) to
the
outer surface (130) of glove (110) to provide conductive pathways between the
user's fingertip inside glove (110) and the conductive embroidery or stitching
on
the outside of glove (110), which in turn would contact the capacitive
touchscreen.
[00026] In the present example, the embroidery or stitching with conductive
thread (128)
is directly onto index finger fabric (150) and thumb fabric (152) such that
the
embroidery or stitching itself extends from outer surface (130) of glove (110)
to
inner surface (132) of glove (110) as best seen in FIGS. 7 and 8. In other
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versions, the embroidery or stitching with conductive thread (128) is
completed
on a separate piece of fabric that is sewn onto outer surface (130) at
fingertips
(112) in index finger position (114) and thumb position (116). The attachment
of
the separate embroidery or stitched piece is done with conductive thread (128)
that extends from and contacts both the conductive embroidery or stitching on
outer surface (130) of glove (110), and the user's fingertip on inner surface
(132)
of glove (110). In this arrangement conductive thread (128) that attaches the
conductive embroidered or stitched piece to glove (110) completes the circuit
to
establish the pathway between the user's fingertip within glove (110) and the
conductive embroidery or stitching on the separate piece of fabric outside
glove
(110). In still other versions, conductive thread (128) is laid on index
finger fabric
(150) and thumb fabric (152) at index finger position (114) and thumb position
(116) respectively, and conductive thread (128) is then stitched to fabrics
(150,
152) with non-conductive thread.
1000271 While the illustrated version in FIGS. 5-8 show conductive
fingertips (112) at
index finger position (114) and thumb position (116), in other versions
conductive
thread (128) can be embroidered or stitched into fingertips (112) at only a
single
finger position, at all finger positions, or even other places throughout
glove
(110). Where conductive thread (128) is positioned at locations of glove (110)
(e.g., the backhand area or palm area) that would not typically directly
contact
and operate a touchscreen, a link between such location and the area
contacting
and operating the touchscreen (e.g., fingertips (112)) is established by
connecting
the areas with conductive thread (128) to complete the circuit.
[00028] The shape and length of the embroidered or stitched area (154) at
fingertips (112)
that include conductive thread (128) can take into consideration the portion
of the
finger and/or thumb that is used to operate a touchscreen. In the present
example,
conductive embroidery or stitching (154) located at index finger position
(114)
and thumb position (116) comprises an hour glass shape having a top portion
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(156), a bottom portion (158), and a neck portion (160) having a narrower
width
compared to top and bottom portions (156, 158). Neck portion (160) of the hour
glass shape wraps the distal-most tip (140) of fingertips (112), thus top
portion
(156) extends to the back (136) of fingertip (112) on backhand side (118) of
glove
(110) while bottom portion (158) extends to the pad (134) of fingertip (112)
on
palm side (120) of glove (110). This configuration for conductive embroidery
or
stitching (154) provides a continuous area of conductive thread (128) from pad
(134) to back (136) of fingertips (112) at index finger position (114) and
thumb
position (116). In this arrangement, the user could operate the touchscreen by
contacting the touchscreen with any part of fingertip (112) containing
conductive
thread (128) (e.g., pad (134), back (136), tip (140)) in an amount and
arrangement
sufficient to create the electrical pathway between the user's finger and the
touchscreen.
[00029] As shown in FIG. 6, bottom portion (158) of conductive embroidery
or stitching
(154) comprises a curved lower edge (162) and chevrons (164). In the present
example, curved lower edges (162) at index finger position (114) and thumb
position (116) are configured to extend conductive embroidery to portions of
the
index finger and thumb that the user may use to operate a touch screen. Also
in
the present example, chevrons (164) represent an area not embroidered or
stitched
with conductive thread (128). However, in some versions chevrons (164)
represent areas of greater conductivity where chevrons (164) are embroidered
or
stitched with thread having greater conductivity. Still yet in some versions,
only
chevrons (164) include conductive thread (128), without additional surrounding
embroidery or stitching. In view of the teachings herein, other shapes and
dimensions for conductive embroidery or stitching (154) will be apparent to
those
of ordinary skill in the art.
1000301 The non-conductive portions of glove (110) can be assembled using
materials
known in the art of glove/mitten making. For example, in some versions spandex
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(77% nylon, 23% Spandex) is laminated to 100% polyester fleece to form glove
(110). In some versions glove (110) is made of stretch fleece (94% polyester,
6%
Spandex), or glove (110) is made of stretch fleece and jersey sides with
gripper
silicone printing (142) on palm side (120). In other versions, glove (110)
includes
textured stretch material (60% Tactel, 30% Coolmax, 10% Lycra Spandex)
laminated to 100% polyester fleece for use in backhand side (118). Another
version includes stretch ottoman (96% polyester, 4% spandex) in the backhand
side (118). In other versions, textured water resistant or water repellant
microfiber fabric is laminated to 100% polyester fleece. Still in other
versions,
gloves (110) are made of textured knit (100% polyester) laminated to 100%
polyester fleece. Leather, either hairsheep or goatskin, can be used in the
backhand side (118) of glove (110) in some versions. The cuffs, palm, and
fourchettes of gloves (110) can be made of a blend of 80% nylon and 20% Lycra
Spandex, or a blend of 79% nylon and 21% Lycra Spandex, or a stretch fleece
material (94% polyester, 6% Lycra Spandex) that can also be used for seaming
fabric (148). Synthetic suede (60% polyurethane, 40% nylon) can be used as
appliqués or tabs. Gloves (110), in some versions, include palm patches made
of
pigsplit or embossed polyurethane. In view of the teachings herein, other
materials of construction for gloves (110) will be apparent to those of
ordinary
skill in the art.
[00031] Any conductive thread can be used in making glove (110) so long as
there is
sufficient conductivity to conduct an electrical impulse from the user's
finger to
the touchscreen. In the present example, conductive thread (128) can conduct
82
ohms/foot to 14 ohms/foot. As mentioned previously, glove (110) is machine-
sewn in some versions, with machine embroidery or stitching. In the present
example, when embroidering or stitching conductive thread (128) into glove
(110), conductive thread (128) is used in both the top and bottom bobbins. In
some other versions, when embroidering or stitching conductive thread (128)
into
glove (110), conductive thread (128) is used in the top bobbin only. Still in
some
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other versions, when embroidering or stitching conductive thread (128) into
glove
(110), conductive thread (128) is used in the bottom bobbin thread only. In
other
versions, conductive thread (128) is hand-sewn into glove (110). Conductive
thread (128) for stitching or embroidery can be comprised of a finer thread
with
four ends that conducts 90 ohms/foot to 95 ohms/foot. Such conductive thread
(128) can be a 100% nylon thread with silver coating, with a thickness before
coating of 280D and 340D after coating. In view of the teachings herein, other
types of conductive thread (128) for use in making gloves (110) will be
apparent
to those of ordinary skill in the art.
[00032] FIG. 6 further illustrates silicone printing (142) on palm side
(120) of glove (110).
In the present example silicone printing (142) is printed in a diamond pattern
and
aides in gripping objects, (e.g., objects having touchscreens, etc.). Other
materials
of construction for enhancing the grip of palm side (120) will be apparent to
those
of ordinary skill in the art in view of the teachings herein, and may include
various palm patches constructed of suede, synthetic leather, synthetic suede,
pigsplit, embossed polyurethane, among others.
[00033] In view of the teachings herein, various other configurations and
modifications to
glove (110) will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. By way of
example only, and not limitation, conductive thread (128) may be embroidered
or
stitched into any decorative pattern so long as there is sufficient conductive
thread
to conduct an electrical impulse from the user's finger to the touchscreen. In
some versions, all or some of fingertips (112) of one glove (110) from a pair
of
gloves are conductive, while in other versions all or some of fingertips (112)
of
both gloves (110) from the pair are conductive. In some versions the thumb and
index finger of glove (110) can be the only fingertips (112) that are
conductive.
In some versions conductive portions of fingertips (112) can be placed on the
side
portions of the index fingertip and thumbtip, especially for users who often
press
touchscreens with the side of their thumb, rather than directly on the area
covering
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pad (134) of the thumb.
1000341 FIG. 9 illustrates another exemplary glove (210) having fingertips
(212) that are
conductive. Similar to glove (110) of FIGS. 5-8, glove (210) comprises a
backhand side (218), a palm side (not shown), a first end (222) comprising an
opening (not shown) for a user to insert their hand, and a second end (224)
where
the distal portion of fingertips (212) are located. Glove (210) is constructed
in a
similar fashion as glove (110)¨by assembling cut fabrics together using
processes known in the art (e.g., sewing together cut fabrics forming seams).
In
the present example, glove (210) comprises a palm fabric (not shown), a
backhand
fabric (246), and a seaming fabric (248). The palm and backhand fabrics are
generally non-conductive fabrics (226) sewn together to form glove (210).
Seaming fabric (248) is sewn between and joins palm and backhand fabrics. In
the present example, seaming fabric (248) comprises a tape (e.g., a knit or a
woven tape), where conductive thread (228) is knit or woven into the tape. In
some other versions a twill tape incorporating conductive thread (228) can be
used. The tape can then be laid from seam to seam across fingertips (212) of
glove (210), and the ends of the tape can be sewn so as to touch a user's
fingers
on the inside of the glove. In the present example all of seaming fabric (248)
comprises the tape having conductive thread (228); however, in other versions
the
portion of seaming fabric (248) containing conductive thread (228) is limited
to
the area surrounding fingertips (212). In view of the teachings herein,
various
other configurations and modifications to glove (210) will be apparent to
those of
ordinary skill in the art.
[00035] Having shown and described various embodiments of the present
invention,
further adaptations of the methods and systems described herein may be
accomplished by appropriate modifications by one of ordinary skill in the art
without departing from the scope of the present invention. Several of such
potential modifications have been mentioned, and others will be apparent to
those
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skilled in the art. For instance, the examples, embodiments, geometries,
materials, dimensions, ratios, steps, and the like discussed above are
illustrative
and are not required. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should
be
considered in terms of the following claims and is understood not to be
limited to
the details of structure and operation shown and described in the
specification and
drawings.
