Electrically active textiles and articles made therefrom

A textile fabric having electrical functionality comprising first and second adjacent panels, each panel comprising:

• a. a first series of parallel fibers, said fibers being electrically non-conductive;
• b. interwoven therewith, a second series of parallel fibers, at least some of said fibers being electrically conductive, said conductive fibers being arranged in a plurality of lanes each comprising a plurality of adjacent conductive fibers, adjacent lanes being separated from each other by a plurality of non-conductive fibers;
• and
• c. contact means, electrically connected to at least some of the lanes, for receiving an electrical connection thereto,
• and further wherein
• d. the lanes of the first panel cross the lanes of the second panel;
• and
• e. the panels are held apart to prevent inadvertent contact between overlapping lanes, compression of the panels at regions of lane overlap causing electrical contact between a lane of the first panel and a lane of the second panel, the panels thereby forming a switch matrix.

A textile fabric having electrical functionality comprising first and second adjacent panels, each panel comprising:

• a. a matrix of woven fibers, said fibers being electrically non-conductive;
• b. integrated therewith, a plurality of electrically conductive fibers, said conductive fibers being arranged in a plurality of lanes each comprising a plurality of adjacent conductive fibers, adjacent lanes being separated from each other;
• and
• c. contact means, electrically connected to at least some of the lanes, for receiving an electrical connection thereto,
• and further wherein
• d. the lanes of the first panel cross the lanes of the second panel;
• and
• e. the panels are held apart to prevent inadvertent contact between overlapping lanes, compression of the panels at regions of lane overlap causing electrical contact between a lane of the first panel and a lane of the second panel, the panels thereby forming a switch matrix.

A textile fabric having electrical functionality comprising first and second adjacent panels, each panel comprising:

• a. a first series of parallel fibers, said fibers being electrically non-conductive;
• b. interwoven therewith, a second series of parallel fibers, at least some of said fibers being electrically conductive, said conductive fibers being arranged in a plurality of adjacent lanes each comprising at least one conductive fiber, adjacent lanes being separated from each other by a plurality of non-conductive fibers;
• c. contact means, electrically connected to at least some of the lanes, for receiving an electrical connection thereto,
• and further wherein
• d. the lanes of the first panel cross the lanes of the second panel;
• e. the lanes of the first panel are resistive and are configured to receive, by means of the contact means, a voltage connected thereacross to thereby form a voltage gradient along the lanes;
• f. the lanes of the first panel are configured to receive, by means of the contact means, means for measuring electrical potential;
• and
• g. the panels are held apart to prevent inadvertent contact between overlapping lanes, compression of the panels at a region of lane overlap causing electrical contact between a lane of the first panel and a lane of the second panel, the measured electrical potential indicating a compression location along the first-panel lane.

A textile fabric having electrical functionality comprising first and second adjacent panels, each panel comprising:

• a. a matrix of woven fibers, said fibers being electrically non-conductive;
• b. integrated therewith, a plurality of electrically conductive fibers, said conductive fibers being arranged in a plurality of adjacent lanes each comprising at least one conductive fiber, adjacent lanes being separated from each other;
• c. contact means, electrically connected to at least some of the lanes, for receiving an electrical connection thereto,
• and further wherein
• d. the lanes of the first panel cross the lanes of the second panel;
• e. the lanes of the first panel are resistive and are configured to receive, by means of the contact means, a voltage connected thereacross to thereby form a voltage gradient along the lanes;
• f. the lanes of the first panel are configured to receive, by means of the contact means, means for measuring electrical potential;
• and
• g. the panels are held apart to prevent inadvertent contact between overlapping lanes, compression of the panels at a region of lane overlap causing electrical contact between a lane of the first panel and a lane of the second panel, the measured electrical potential indicating a compression location along the first-panel lane.

A textile fabric having electrical functionality comprising:

• a. a matrix of woven fibers, said fibers being electrically non-conductive located within said matrix;
• b. integrated therewith, at least one of said electrically conductive fibers forming a passive electrical component;
• and
• c. contact means, electrically connected to the at least one conductive fiber, for receiving an electrical connection.