Conductive human interface with polymeric electrical contact element

An apparatus for conducting electrical signals at the skin of a user, the apparatus comprising:

• a fabric layer having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
• an electrically insulating coating having an exterior surface overlying the interior surface of the fabric layer, and further having an interior surface exposed for contact with the skin of the user;
• and
• a plurality of electrical contact elements, each of which comprises a body of polymeric material with an electrically conductive additive dispersed in the polymeric material;
• wherein each body of polymeric material reaches through the fabric layer and the coating, has an interior electrical contact surface exposed at the interior surface of the coating, and further has an exterior electrical contact surface exposed at the exterior surface of the fabric layer;
• and
• a separate component including an electrode;
• wherein the separate component is configured to interconnect the electrode with an assistive device that is operable in electrical communication with the electrode, the separate component is further configured to be placed over the exterior surface of the fabric layer in a predetermined position relative to the fabric layer, and the electrode is configured to contact a plurality of the exterior electrical contact surfaces on the contact elements when the separate component is in the predetermined position.

An apparatus for conducting electrical signals at the skin of a user, the apparatus comprising:

• a fabric layer having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
• an electrically elastomeric coating having an exterior surface overlying the interior surface of the fabric layer, and further having an interior surface exposed for contact with the skin of the user;
• and
• a plurality of electrical contact elements, each of which comprises a body of polymeric material with an electrically conductive additive dispersed in the polymeric material;
• wherein each body of polymeric material reaches through the fabric layer and the coating, has an interior electrical contact surface exposed at the interior surface of the coating, and further has an exterior electrical contact surface exposed at the exterior surface of the fabric layer;
• and
• an electrically insulating support structure supporting the contact elements in a fixed array separately from the fabric layer and the coating.

An apparatus for conducting electrical signals at the skin of a user, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of electrical contact elements, each of which comprises a body of polymeric material with an electrically conductive additive dispersed in the polymeric material;
• and
• an electrically insulating support structure supporting the contact elements in a fixed array and having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
• wherein each body of polymeric material reaches through the support structure, has an interior electrical contact surface exposed at the interior surface of the support structure, and further has an exterior electrical contact surface exposed at the exterior surface of the support structure, whereby the exterior electrical contact surface is exposed for making contact with an electrode on a separate component.

An apparatus for conducting electrical signals at the skin of a user, the apparatus comprising:

• an electrically insulating body having an interior surface and an exterior surface, wherein the interior surface is configured for contact with the skin of the user;
• a plurality of electrical contact elements, each of which comprises a body of polymeric material with an electrically conductive additive dispersed in the polymeric material;
• and
• an electrically insulating support structure supporting the contact elements in a fixed array and embedded within the insulating body;
• wherein each body of polymeric material reaches through the insulating body, has an interior electrical contact surface exposed at the interior surface of the insulating body, and further has an exterior electrical contact surface exposed at the exterior surface of the insulating body.