An electrical active unit for generating a physical effect, textile element including the same and method for fabricating said electrical active unit

Abstract

An electrical active unit (100) for generating a physical effect such as heat, cold or light emission, with a particular application to a temperature regulation system for regulating the temperature of a body, or to a light emission system to be worn by such a portion of a body. The electrical active unit (100) comprises a textile support (102) supporting: an active element (101) adapted for generating said physical effect; at least one electrical connection point (104) adapted to be connected to a power source and a controlling unit, and located on said active element (101); a sensor (106) adapted for being connected to the power source and the controlling unit, such that the electrical active unit may be connected to the power source and the controlling unit via the connection point in order to allow the powering of the active element by the power source and the activation/deactivation of said active element by the controlling unit depending on data sensed by the sensor. The textile support (102) has a first face and a second face opposite to said first face, the at least one connection point (104) being located solely on the first face, the active element (101) being embedded in the textile support (102) so as to form a determined pattern on the first and second faces. The pattern can avoid electrical current discharged from the connection points (104) through the second face, thereby avoiding direct contact between the skin and hot spots located at connection points (104).

1 . An electrical active unit for generating a physical effect, comprising a textile support supporting:
 at least one active element adapted for generating said physical effect;   at least one electrical connection point adapted to be connected to a power source and a controlling unit, and located on said active element;   at least one sensor adapted for being connected to the power source and the controlling unit,   
       such that the electrical active unit may be connected to the power source and the controlling unit via the connection point in order to allow the powering of the active element by the power source and the activation/deactivation of said active element by the controlling unit depending on data sensed by the sensor, 
       wherein the textile support has a first face and a second face opposite to said first face, the at least one connection point being located solely on the first face, the active element being embedded in the textile support so as to form a determined pattern on the first and second faces. 
     
     
         2 . The electrical active unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the textile support supports a connection pad adapted to be connected to a power source and a controlling unit, and located solely on the first face, the active element being connected to the connection pad via at least one first connection wire connecting the connection point to said connection pad. 
     
     
         3 . The electrical active unit according  claim 1 , wherein the textile support supports a connection pad adapted to be connected to a power source and a controlling unit, and located solely on the first face, the sensor being connected to the connection pad via at least one second connection wire. 
     
     
         4 . The electrical active unit according to  claim 2 , wherein the first and/or second connection wires are stitched on the first face of the textile support. 
     
     
         5 . The electrical active unit according to  claim 2 , wherein the first and/or second wires are covered with a piece of textile stitched or glued on the first face of the textile support. 
     
     
         6 . The electrical active unit according to  claim 2 , wherein the first and/or second connection wires are disposed on the first face of the textile support, and maintained in position by an adhesive piece on said first face. 
     
     
         7 . The electrical active unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is adapted for being connected wirelessly to the power source and/or the controlling unit. 
     
     
         8 . The electrical active unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is coated in an adhesive material and sandwiched in an adhesive tape, and the textile support comprises on its first face an adhesive patch, the sensor being attached on said adhesive patch. 
     
     
         9 . The electrical active unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the connection point comprises a first metallic piece disposed on the first face of the textile support, and the electrical active unit comprises a second metallic piece disposed on the second face of the textile support and covered by an electrically non-conductive patch, the first and second metallic pieces being crimped with one another. 
     
     
         10 . The electrical active unit according to  claim 9 , wherein the connection point comprises an adhesive electrically conducting patch disposed between the first metallic piece and the active element. 
     
     
         11 . The electrical active unit according to  1 , for emitting heat in order to regulate the temperature of a body, wherein the active element is a heating element, the sensor is a temperature sensor, the heating element comprising electrically conductive yarns knitted with the textile yarns of the textile support so as to form the determined pattern on the first and second faces of the textile support. 
     
     
         12 . Textile element adapted to be worn by at least a part of a body, wherein said textile element comprises an electrical active unit for generating a physical effect, comprising a textile support supporting: at least one active element adapted for generating said physical effect at least one electrical connection point adapted to be connected to a power source and a controlling unit, and located on said active element at least one sensor-adapted for being connected to the power source and the controlling unit, such that the electrical active unit may be connected to the power source and the controlling unit via the connection point in order to allow the powering of the active element by the power source and the activation/deactivation of said active element by the controlling unit depending on data sensed by the sensor, wherein the textile support has a first face and a second face opposite to said first face, the at least one connection point being located solely on the first face, the active element being embedded in the textile support so as to form a determined pattern on the first and second faces. 
     
     
         13 . Textile element according to  claim 12 , wherein the textile support is a part of said textile element. 
     
     
         14 . Textile element according to  claim 13 , said textile element having an inner face adapted to be oriented towards at least a part of a body wearing said textile element, and an outer face opposite to said inner face, wherein the textile support is attached through its first or second faces to said inner, respectively outer, faces of the textile element, such that the active element and the sensor may be oriented towards, respectively opposite with respect to said textile element, said part of the body wearing said textile element, and that the connection point may be oriented towards the inner, respectively outer, face of the textile element. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A method for fabricating an electrical active unit adapted for generating a physical effect, the method comprising:
 embedding an active element, adapted for generating said physical effect, into a textile support;   attaching an electrical connection point, adapted to be connected to a power source and a controlling unit, to the textile support so as said connection point be located on said active element;   attaching a sensor, adapted to be connected to the power source and the controlling unit, to the textile support,   
       such that the electrical active unit may be connected to the power source and the controlling unit via the connection point in order to allow the powering of the active element by the power source and the activation/deactivation of said active element by the controlling unit depending on data sensed by the sensor, 
       wherein the textile support has a first face and a second face opposite to said first face, the at least one connection point being attached to the textile support so as to be located solely on the first face, and the active element being embedded in the textile support so as to form a determined pattern on the first and second faces. 
     
     
         20 . Method according to  claim 19 , the active element being a heating element, the sensor being a temperature sensor, wherein embedding the active element into the textile support comprises knitting electrically conductive yarns and textile yarns to form the textile support with the heating element as the determined pattern on the first and second faces of said textile support. 
     
     
         21 . Method according to  claim 20 , wherein attaching the temperature sensor to the textile support comprises attaching said sensor to the heating element. 
     
     
         22 . Method according to  claim 21 , wherein attaching the attaching said sensor to the heating element comprises coating the sensor into an adhesive material, sandwiching the sensor in an adhesive tape, attaching to the first face of the textile support an adhesive patch, and attaching the sensor on said adhesive patch. 
     
     
         23 . Method according to  claim 19 , wherein the physical effect is heat, cold or light emission. 
     
     
         24 . Textile element according to  claim 12 , wherein said textile element is a clothing, garment or cover. 
     
     
         25 . The electrical active unit according to  claim 3 , wherein the first and/or second connection wires are stitched on the first face of the textile. 
     
     
         26 . The electrical active unit according to  claim 3 , wherein the first and/or second wires are covered with a piece of textile stitched or glued on the first face of the textile support. 
     
     
         27 . The electrical active unit according to  claim 3 , wherein the first and/or second connection wires are disposed on the first face of the textile support and maintained in position by an adhesive piece on said first face.