Garments including electronic panels

Abstract

Embodiments of the present the disclosure relate to apparatuses, systems, and methods for flexible electronic panels that can be incorporated into various garments. In an exemplary embodiment, a garment comprising a plurality of panels. In aspects, a first panel is a unitary panel extending from a first appendage of the garment to a second appendage of the garment. Additionally, at least the first panel comprises at least one conductive trace and wherein the remaining plurality of panels form the remainder of the garment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A garment comprising;
 a plurality of panels, wherein a first panel is a unitary panel extending from a first appendage of the garment to a second appendage of the garment;   wherein at least the first panel comprises at least one conductive trace and wherein the remaining plurality of panels form the remainder of the garment.   
     
     
         2 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the first panel includes a synthetic polymer membrane compressed in the x-y direction and the conductive trace is located within the synthetic polymer membrane;
 the first panel comprises a stretchable substrate bonded to the synthetic polymer membrane; and   the conductive trace is buckled in the z-direction.   
     
     
         3 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the garment is an upper body garment and the first panel extends from a central portion across a front or a back of the garment to the distal portion of the first arm and to the distal portion of the second arm. 
     
     
         4 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the garment is a lower body garment and the first panel extends from a central portion across a front or a back of the garment to the distal portion of a first leg and to the distal portion of a second leg. 
     
     
         5 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the garment is a one-piece coverall garment and the first panel further comprises a trunk extension portion extending from the front or back of the one-piece coverall garment to a trunk portion of the one-piece coverall garment and further comprises at least one leg extension portion extending from a distal portion of the trunk extension portion to a distal portion of at least one of a leg portion of the one-piece garment. 
     
     
         6 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein at least one portion of at least one of the distal portions of the first panel further comprises a laterally elongated portion which circumferentially wraps around at least a portion of the arm portion and/or the leg portion of the garment. 
     
     
         7 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more panels is independently a textile fabric, a film, a microporous membrane, or other suitable substrates, which independently may or may not have some degree of elasticity, or a laminate thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the first panel comprises a microporous membrane having the conductive trace imbibed in the pores, on the microporous membrane or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the first panel further comprises an electrical connection coupled to the at least one conductive trace and configured to releasably couple to one or more electronic components. 
     
     
         10 . The garment of  claim 9 , wherein the garment further comprises a zipper, a button, a snap, a male connector, a female connector, a pocket, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The garment of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more electronic components is one or more of: a power supply, a power switch, a sensor, an electronic circuit, an antenna, a wireless transmitter, a wireless receiver, a remote control, a display device, a touch screen, an audio transmitter, a speaker, a microphone, a haptic device, a heating element, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The garment of  claim 11 , wherein at least two of: the power supply, the power switch, the sensor, the electronic circuit, the antenna, the wireless transmitter, the wireless receiver, the remote control, the display device, the touch screen, the audio transmitter, the speaker, the microphone, the haptic device, the heating element, or the combination thereof are connected to each other by the conductive trace. 
     
     
         13 . The garment of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of: the power supply, the power switch, the sensor, the electronic circuit, the antenna, the wireless transmitter, the wireless receiver, the remote control, the display device, the touch screen, the audio transmitter, the speaker, the microphone, the haptic device, the heating element, or the combination thereof is removable and/or replaceable. 
     
     
         14 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the first panel is a multilayer panel comprising one or more of textile, film, a combination or a laminate thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The garment of  claim 14 , wherein the multilayer panel is a laminate comprising an outer textile layer, a middle film layer and an inner textile layer. 
     
     
         16 . The garment of  claim 15 , wherein the middle film layer is a microporous layer wherein the conductive trace is within the microporous layer. 
     
     
         17 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the first panel further comprises a conductive connection configured to route electricity or electrical signals from the first panel to a second panel. 
     
     
         18 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein at least one portion of at least one of the distal portions of the first panel further comprises a power supply housing. 
     
     
         19 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the unitary panel is flexible and/or stretchable. 
     
     
         20 . A unitary panel that is substantially flat and that is capable of being incorporated into a garment (or an article) to form a 3-dimensional garment/article piece, wherein the unitary panel is a conductive panel comprising at least one conductive trace. 
     
     
         21 . The unitary panel of  claim 20 , wherein the unitary panel is flexible and/or stretchable. 
     
     
         22 . A method of manufacturing a garment, the method comprising:
 providing a plurality of panels, wherein a first panel of the plurality of panels is a unitary panel comprising a conductive trace, coupling the first panel to a second panel of the plurality of panels at a seam;   coupling any remaining panels to the first panel and/or the second panel to form the garment;   wherein the first panel is devoid of any seams extending: laterally across a portion of the panel, longitudinally across a portion of the panel, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first panel extends from a first appendage of the garment to a second appendage of the garment. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the garment is a shirt, wherein the first panel extends from a central portion of a front or a back of the shirt to a distal portion of the first arm and to a distal portion of the second arm. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the garment is a pair of pants, and the first panel extends from a central portion across the front or back of the garment to the distal portion of the first leg and to a distal portion of the second leg.