US20260248209
2026-08-27
Human necessities
A41D1/002
Active fabrics integrate active and passive materials to create garments with dynamic fit and compression capabilities. These garments utilize materials with shape memory or actuation properties, allowing for customizable compression levels determined by factors such as knit index, wire diameter, and garment ease. The garments can be controlled by a built-in circuit or segmented control systems. Additive manufacturing techniques, combined with traditional textile methods, enable the creation of unique textiles from heterogeneous filaments, which offer diverse properties like elasticity, stiffness, and conductivity.
The technology pertains to materials that produce functional effects in specific patterns and quantities for various applications. It involves fabrics and garments made from these materials and the methods of manufacturing them. Some embodiments include devices for adjusting mechanical tension, such as tension-limiting switches in shape memory fabrics, or panels that become superelastic when donned or removed from a cold environment, facilitating easy wear and tailored fit without conventional fasteners.
Compression garments are used in medical treatments for conditions like varicose veins and lymphedema. Traditional compression garments, such as elastic sleeves and inflatable systems, have limitations in usability and compliance due to fixed compression levels and donning challenges. Undersized garments apply constant pressure, but may not provide tailored compression, while inflated garments require power and feedback systems. Aesthetic and practical considerations also play a role in consumer adoption of such garments.
Functional fabrics can offer additional benefits, such as visual or auditory output, energy storage, and health monitoring. They may include components for heated garments that convert electrical energy into thermal energy. Smart materials like shape memory alloys can be electrically controlled to induce transformations, providing desired compression similar to inflated garments.
An active fabric comprises passive and active filaments arranged in a knit pattern, with the active material undergoing a phase transition at a specific temperature to change the fabric's state. Compression levels can be tailored for medical or non-medical purposes, with electrical currents controlled by a power source and circuit. The fabric may include sensors and be manufactured additively, with active materials having different transition temperatures for varied applications.