11443results about "Weft knitting" patented technology

Porous bioabsorbable, bioactive and load-bearing composite medical device structure includes a plurality of regular textile planar layers (1a, 1b . . . ) formed of continuous bioabsorbable polymer matrix and bioceramic fibers acting as reinforcements, both included in continuous fibrous elements (3) forming the textile layers. The layers are placed on top of each other to form a structure having two dimensions (x, y) at right angles to each other according to the two dimensions of the textile layer and a third dimension (z) perpendicular to them and resulting from the piling of the layers. A plurality of passages extend through the layers as a result of the openings (2) defined by portions of the continuous fibrous elements (3) extending substantially in the direction of the plane. The continuous fibrous elements (3) comprise both bioactive ceramic reinforcing fibers which form a reinforcing structure and a bioabsorbable polymer matrix material which forms a matrix which binds the layers together and also binds the portions of continuous fibers defining the openings together, thereby forming the passages and stiffening the structure. This bioactive and bioabsorbable composite structure is suitable to be used as a basic structure in medical devices, especially in osteochondral applications where the load-bearing properties of implant are required.

A fabric, in the form of a woven or knitted fabric or garment, including a flexible information infrastructure integrated within the fabric for collecting, processing, transmitting and receiving information concerning-but not limited to-a wearer of the fabric. The fabric allows a new way to customize information processing devices to "fit" the wearer by selecting and plugging in (or removing) chips / sensors from the fabric thus creating a wearable, mobile information infrastructure that can operate in a stand-alone or networked mode. The fabric can be provided with sensors for monitoring physical aspects of the wearer, for example body vital signs, such as heart rate, EKG, pulse, respiration rate, temperature, voice, and allergic reaction, as well as penetration of the fabric. The fabric consists of a base fabric ("comfort component"), and an information infrastructure component which can consist of a penetration detection component, or an electrical conductive component, or both. The preferred penetration detection component is a sheathed optical fiber. The information infrastructure component can include, in addition to an electrically conductive textile yarn, a sensor or a connector for a sensor. A process is provided for making an electrical interconnection between intersecting electrically conductive yarns. Furthermore, a process is established for sheathing the plastic optical fiber and protecting it.

An article of footwear and a method of manufacturing the article of footwear are disclosed. The footwear may include an upper and a sole structure. The upper incorporates a textile element with edges that are joined together to define at least a portion of a void for receiving a foot. The textile element may also have a first area and a second area with a unitary construction. The first area is formed of a first stitch configuration, and the second area is formed of a second stitch configuration that is different from the first stitch configuration to impart varying textures to a surface of the textile element. Various warp knitting or weft knitting processes may be utilized to form the textile element.

The invention is an upper for an article of footwear that includes a textile having fusible filaments or fibers. The textile is incorporated into the upper and specific areas of the upper are heated such that the fusible filaments or fibers fuse with other filaments or fibers to form fused areas. In comparison with unfused areas of the upper, the fused areas may impart properties that include greater stretch-resistance, stability, support, abrasion-resistance, durability, and stiffness, for example. In addition, the fused areas generally provide air-permeability without significantly increasing the weight of the footwear.

The present invention comprises a fabric-based sensor for monitoring vital signs or other electrical impulses of a subject. The sensor is woven or knitted from conductive fibers and, when in contact with the body, receives signals from the wearer and transmits them to a processing or monitoring device through a data-output terminal. The sensor may be integrated into the fabric of a garment or used independently as a conductive patch. Additionally, the sensor may provide bi-directional communication by both monitoring electrical impulses and sending them.

Provided is a garment for measuring physiological signals. The garment includes at least one electrode sensor, a signal connection line, a snap structure, and a measurement unit. The electrode sensor is coupled to an inner surface of the garment to make contact with a skin for detecting physiological signals. The signal connection line transmits the physiological signals detected by the electrode sensor. The signal connection line is finished against the inner surface of the garment. The snap structure is coupled to a portion of the garment where the electrode sensor is not overlapped and is electrically connected to the signal connection line. The measurement unit is mounted on the snap structure for measuring the physiological signals. The signal connection line has elasticity.

A wearable system or garment comprises at least three conductive electrodes that may, for example, be made of stretch-recovery electrically conductive yarns integrated with non-conductive stretch-recovery yarns that make up the remaining portion of the wearable system or garment. The wearable or garment further comprises means for using three electrodes to monitor at least one physiological or biophysical event or characteristic of the wearer. One electrode is specifically used to feed back an inverted noise signal to the wearer to destructively interfere with the wearer generated noise. Specifically, the wearer's heart rate, ECG and associated electrical characteristics may be monitored in high resolution under dry electrode conditions.

This knit is produced on the basis of a biocompatible polymer material monofilament, whose pattern is defined by a front lap and a rear lap of yarns knitted together and determines a plurality of cells each having a substantially polygonal shape. The pattern gives the knit a multidirectional tensile behavior such as obtained by a front lap capable of being obtained by knitting according to a scheme 5-4 / 4-3 / 2-1 / 0-1 / 1-2 / 3-4 and by a rear lap capable of being obtained by knitting according to a scheme 0-1 / 1-2 / 3-4 / 5-4 / 4-3 / 2-1.

A distinctive absorbent article includes an absorbent core having multiple absorbent layers, wherein the absorbent layers interact in such a manner which preferentially locates absorbed liquid in an appointed, high saturation wicking layer. The localization of the liquid within this wicking layer increases the potential of this layer to move liquid through capillary action due to the higher saturation level and increased amount of liquid available. The intake capability of the absorbent system is maintained or improved over current systems by keeping a second layer of the absorbent system at low saturation levels through as many insults of the product as possible, while providing optimum intake performance through appropriate control of the composite properties. The low saturation in this layer provides void volume for the incoming insult as well, as a high permeability, thus increasing the intake rate of the absorbent system as a whole, but the structure of the low saturation layer is also balanced to provide an appropriately high level of capillary tension to provide enough control of the liquid to stop leakage from occurring. This low saturation layer is used in addition to a surge material and provides intake functionality in addition to that provided by the surge material. In particular aspects of the invention, the body side layer of the absorbent core does not extend over the entire surface of the overall absorbent core, therefore is not used as the high saturation, wicking layer, but as the intake layer. This arrangement also allows the intake layer to be in direct contact with the incoming liquid, therefore allowing for more immediate access and improved intake function.

A health monitoring garment which employs a means of conducting electricity from the surface of the skin, through the fibres of a fabric to another fabric which is removably attached to it and contains a microprocessor, telemetry and a power source to monitor and transmit EKG data of a person wearing the clothing, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Removability enables tile garment to be washed and the electronics to be kept separate from the washing and tumble drying process. The same system can be used in reverse to effect cardiac pacing or defibrillation or to deliver other forms of electronically conveyed healing such as tissue repair.

Fabrics, articles of apparel, and / or garment structures include infrastructure for transmitting information, such as signals produced by a wearer or from another source. Such fabrics may include: a textile formed through a knitting or weaving process, wherein at least one yarn used in the knitting or weaving process is electrically conductive to form sensor regions and / or other integrated electrically conductive infrastructure for transmitting electrical signals. Additional information is provided relating to methods for forming fabrics, articles of apparel, and / or garment structures of the types described above, as well as methods of using such products, e.g., for monitoring and / or displaying information regarding one or more physical and / or physiological parameters.

The invention relates to a multi-component fiber having enhanced reversible thermal properties and methods of manufacturing thereof. The multi-component fiber comprises a fiber body formed from a plurality of elongated members, at least one of the elongated members comprising a temperature regulating material dispersed therein. The temperature regulating material comprises a phase change material. The multi-component fiber may be formed via a melt spinning process or a solution spinning process and may be used or incorporated in various products where a thermal regulating property is desired. For example, the multi-component fiber may be used in textiles, apparel, footwear, medical products, containers and packagings, buildings, appliances, and other products.

Textile-based electrodes include a fabric portion having stretch-recovery non-conductive yarns and an electrically conductive region having stretch-recovery electrically conductive yarn filaments. The electrodes can further include float yarns and can be configured in a textured or ribbed construction. When incorporated into a garment, the electrodes can be used to monitor biophysical characteristics, such as the garment wearer's heart rate.

A layer of fluoropolymer fine fiber can be made. The fine fiber can be made by electrospinning from a solvent or a solvent blend. The layers of the invention are useful in general filtration of fluid streams including gaseous and liquid streams. The fine fiber layers are also useful as hydrophobic filtration layers that can be used to separate water from a hydrocarbon stream.

A tubular prosthesis device for use within the body. The device includes, a metal filament material formed of metal outer member having an exposed outer surface and a core within the extended outer member formed of a different metal than the outer member. The core is secured within and substantially enclosed by the outer member. The device can be reduced to a small size for introduction into the body lumen and expandable to a sufficiently large size to engage the wall of the body lumen. Stents formed of composite wires are shown.

A radially expandable stent-graft endoprosthesis is provided. The graft included in the stent-graft is a knitted tubular structure circumferentially disposed and securably attached to the stent. The knitted tubular structure has a warp knit pattern of interlacing yarns with at least a two-needle underlap to provide greater than 150 percent longitudinal stretchability while substantially inhabiting dilation. A knitted tubular graft and a knitted medical fabric with greater than 150 percent longitudinal stretchability are also provided.

An article of apparel is disclosed that includes zones with a textile having a structure that changes or is otherwise modified by a physical stimulus, such as the presence of water or a temperature change, to modify a property of the textile. The zones may be along a center back area and side areas of the apparel, and the textile may increase in air permeability when exposed to water. The zones may also be in an upper area of the torso and in a lower back area, and the textile may increase in texture when exposed to water. In some embodiments, slits are formed in the textile.

An article of footwear includes an upper with a knitted component formed of unitary knit construction. The knitted component has a first edge and a second edge. The knitted component also includes a base portion configured to be disposed adjacent the sole structure and to be disposed under a foot. The knitted component further includes a heel portion, a forefoot portion, a medial portion, and a lateral portion. The knitted component additionally includes a collar with a rim. The second edge is joined to the first edge at a seam. The seam has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is located generally at the rim of the collar on one of the medial side and the lateral side of the upper. The second end is spaced from the first end.

Surface films, paints, or primers can be used in preparing aircraft structural composites that may be exposed to lightning strikes. Methods for making and using these films, paints or primers are also disclosed. The surface film can include a thermoset resin or polymer, e.g., an epoxy resin and / or a thermoplastic polymer, which can be cured, bonded, or painted on the composite structure. Low-density electrically conductive materials are disclosed, such as carbon nanofiber, copper powder, metal coated microspheres, metal-coated carbon nanotubes, single wall carbon nanotubes, graphite nanoplatelets and the like, that can be uniformly dispersed throughout or on the film. Low density conductive materials can include metal screens, optionally in combination with carbon nanofibers.

Cushioning net structures comprise random loops, such as three-dimensional random loops, bonded with one another, wherein the loops are formed by allowing continuous fibers, made of ethylene / α-olefin interpolymers, to bend to come in contact with one another in a molten state and to be heat-bonded at most contact points. The structures provided herein have desirable heat resistance, durability and cushioning property. The cushioning structures are used in furniture, vehicle seats etc.

A measuring device for providing data corresponding to a geometric configuration in space, in the form of a flexible, compliant, measurement member capable of bending in at least one degree of freedom and extending along a medial axis or plane. The member has spaced flexure sensors distributed at known locations on the member and separated by known sensor spacing intervals to provide flexure signals indicating the local state of flexure present at the locations. The member comprises a multiplicity of formed, i.e. shaped, fibers, these fibers including sensing fibers having sensing portions which provide the flexure sensors, the sensing portions of different fibers being located at differing distances along the member so as to be located at the sensor spacing intervals, the formed fibers being in mutually supporting relationship, as by continuous or repeated contact with each other. Such fibers may constitute most or all of the member.

A flexible, elastic garment (1) is provided comprising biomedical sensors (3, 4, 5, 6), an electrical power distribution and data transmission bus (2, 7) and a coupling circuit for allowing contactless transmission of power and data between the sensors and a circuit external to the garment. The sensors (3, 4, 5, 6), and the bus (2, 7) for distributing the electrical power and / or transporting the data from the sensors in the garment are formed by elastic conducting yarns integrated into the fabric of the garment.

An article, such as a tissue bonding article, includes a flexible material, a polymerization initiator or rate modifier disposed in or on the flexible material, and a polymerizable adhesive composition permeated throughout at least a portion of the flexible material, where the polymerization initiator or rate modifier is a polymerization initiator or rate modifier for the polymerizable adhesive composition.