Apparel with sensor and methods of making the same

Abstract

An item of clothing that includes a first textile area that is suitable to receive at least one sensor, a second textile area, and a third textile area, which is arranged at least partially between the first and second textile areas. The third textile area is provided such that when the item of clothing is worn it isolates at least one motion between the first textile area and the second textile area, so that a sensor or sensors remain substantially fixed in relation to an area of a subjacent organ of a wearer of the item of clothing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An item of clothing comprising:
 a first textile area adapted to receive at least one sensor;   a second textile area; and   a third textile area, which is arranged at least partially between the first and second textile areas,   
       wherein the third textile area is adapted to isolate relative motion between the first textile area and the second textile area, so that a sensor received by the first textile area would remain substantially fixed in relation to an area of a subjacent organ of a wearer of the item of clothing. 
     
     
         2 . The item of clothing according to  claim 1 , wherein the third textile area is more stretchable than the first textile area. 
     
     
         3 . The item of clothing according to  claim 1 , wherein the third textile area comprises an uneven structure. 
     
     
         4 . The item of clothing according to  claim 1 , wherein the third textile area is configured such when the item of clothing is worn the third textile area is spaced further away from the skin of the wearer than the first textile area. 
     
     
         5 . The item of clothing according to  claim 1 , wherein the third textile area includes a substantially different mechanical preliminary tension than the first textile area and the second textile area. 
     
     
         6 . The item of clothing according to  claim 1 , wherein the third textile area includes a longest portion positioned substantially along a direction of greatest stretching when the item of clothing is worn. 
     
     
         7 . The item of clothing according to  claim 1 , wherein the organ is a portion of skin, a heart, a lung, a thorax, or an abdomen of the wearer. 
     
     
         8 . The item of clothing according to  claim 1 , wherein the third textile area is arranged between the first textile area and second textile area such that the first textile area and second textile area are separated. 
     
     
         9 . The item of clothing according to  claim 1 , wherein the item of clothing is adapted for an upper part of a body, and wherein the first textile area is a trunk area and wherein the second textile area is a sleeve area. 
     
     
         10 . The item of clothing according to  claim 1 , wherein the third textile area is a circumferential sleeve piece. 
     
     
         11 . The item of clothing according to  claim 1 , wherein the first textile area includes a pocket or a clip for receiving the sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The item of clothing according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is attached to the first textile area. 
     
     
         13 . The item of clothing according to  claim 1 , wherein the third textile area includes a fabric. 
     
     
         14 . The item of clothing according to  claim 1 , wherein the first textile area and the second textile area include the same material. 
     
     
         15 . The item of clothing according to  claim 1 , wherein the third textile area includes two different elasticity modules in two different directions that are oriented such that the direction of the smaller elasticity module is substantially parallel to the direction in which the greatest mechanical tension occurs when the item of clothing is worn. 
     
     
         16 . The item of clothing according to  claim 1 , wherein the item of clothing is configured to position the sensor on a side of a torso of the wearer of the item of clothing when it is worn. 
     
     
         17 . The item of clothing according to  claim 1 , wherein the item of clothing is configured to position the sensor at least partially around the torso of the wearer of the item of clothing. 
     
     
         18 . The item of clothing according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a textile sensor and the first textile area has a stretching behavior substantially similar to the skin of the wearer of the item of clothing. 
     
     
         19 . An item of clothing according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a heart rate electrode, and wherein the item of clothing is configured to arrange the sensor in a lateral chest area of the wearer of the item of clothing. 
     
     
         20 . The item of clothing according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a heart rate electrode, which communicates with a data transmission device. 
     
     
         21 . A method for manufacturing an item of sports clothing comprising:
 (a) obtaining a stretching pattern of at least a portion of skin of a wearer of the item of sports clothing during at least one sport-specific motion of the wearer;   (b) manufacturing the item of sports clothing, wherein the item of sports clothing exhibits a stretching pattern substantially similar to the stretching pattern of at least a portion of skin during the sport-specific motion of the wearer, and wherein the item of sports clothing is adapted to receive a sensor.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein step (b) includes manufacturing the item of sports clothing such that the stretching pattern of the item of sports clothing is configured so a sensor would be substantially fixed in relation to an area of a subjacent organ of the wearer of the item of sports clothing. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the organ is the skin, a heart, a lung, a thorax, or an abdomen of the wearer of the item of sports clothing. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein step (b) further includes attaching a mounting for a sensor to the item of sports clothing. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein step (b) further includes attaching a sensor to the item of sports clothing. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein step (b) further includes manufacturing the item of sport clothing such that a first portion is less stretchable than a second portion, and wherein the first portion of the item of sports clothing is configured to receive a mounting for a sensor or a sensor. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein a textile area is incorporated in an area that is more stretchable than other areas of the stretching pattern of the item of sports clothing. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein obtaining the stretching pattern includes using an optical method. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein step (b) further includes forming at least two textile areas of the item of sports clothing with different stretching abilities. 
     
     
         30 . An item of sports clothing manufactured pursuant to the method according to  claim 21 .