Garment carrying electronic devices

[0001] [Technical field to which the invention belongs] The present invention relates to portable electronic devices and systems, and in particular to garments having a fabric shell provided with means for accepting a plurality of appropriately interconnected such electronic devices. The present invention further relates to covers for such devices, such as protective casings. [0002] [Conventional technology] An example of a protective casing for an electrical device (mobile phone in this example) is described in UK Patent Application GB-A-2 305 361 (Wen-Chung Yu and Edvard Rubin). The unique features of the described casing are merely partial to allow the user access to the phone control unit, with an integrated connector on the mobile phone's electric charging connection and on the outside of the casing. It is coupled to the provided electrical connector. By providing a charging unit with a corresponding electrical connector, the user can charge the mobile phone without removing it from the jacket. [0003] An example of the type of garment described at the beginning is shown in US Pat. No. 5,148,002 (Kuo et al.). This publication describes a multifunctional garment having an external shell garment and a plurality of electronic modules including a heating device, a communication device and a display device. [0004] Other examples of the types of garments mentioned at the beginning are given in US Pat. No. 4,539,700 (Sato). This publication describes a personal portable audio device in the form of a garment, which has multiple pockets for receiving system components, and the left and right shoulders of the garment for sound reproduction. A pair of speakers is provided. The wiring from the device of the audio signal source to the speaker is hidden in the garment, and the garment has a connector in the pocket for establishing an electrical connection with the device placed in the pocket. [0005] Sato's patent describes one way to address the problem of interconnection, that is, the problem of garment wearers getting caught in the wiring that interconnects various modules or parts. Hiding the wiring inside the garment itself and interconnecting such wiring in the pocket leads to other problems. Electrical equipment should be easily removable from the garment to allow repeated cleaning of the garment, whether dry cleaning or regular laundry. However, this is a safe support for the device, especially in the case of sports garments where the device is in danger of falling out of open pockets but also needs to maintain contact with the wires provided on the garment. It is inconsistent with the need to do. [0006] [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide garments that address the problems associated with facilitating the removal and / or replacement of devices. [0007] [Means for solving problems] According to a first aspect of the invention, a garment having a fabric shell with one or more electrical conductors, each of the one or more electrical conductors being housed in each pocket of the fabric shell. It can be connected to at least one of a plurality of electronic devices, each pocket of the electronic device is removable from the fabric shell, and each pocket has a fabric cover provided with mechanical connector means. However, the garment fabric shell comprises complementary mechanical connector means so that the garment cover and the electronic device can be detachably attached to the garment, and each pocket is one with the device in the pocket. Garments are provided that further have a means of establishing an electrical connection with one or more of said electrical conductors. The present invention does not require a device that can be easily removed from the garment, but allows the pocket itself to be removed from the garment, thereby ensuring the safety of attachment of the electronic device to the garment (above). It is not determined by the mechanical safety of the electrical connection means in the pocket (such as the Sato system of), but by the mechanical means of supporting the pocket in place. [0008] The aforementioned means of establishing an electrical connection can have a simple opening in the fabric cover of the pocket to allow access to the electrical connection of the device, but in this method the electrical connection of the device It will be exposed and will be defenseless. However, the means for establishing the electrical connection has an adapter cable that extends from the inside of the pocket to the outside, and the end of the adapter cable in the pocket is electrically connected to the device in the pocket. It is preferred that the adapter means have connector means that allow connection, and the outer end of the adapter cable is provided with means that allow electrical connection with one or more of the electrical conductors. With such a configuration, the adapter cable, the pocket and the electrical device can be easily removed as a single unit, so that the electrical device in the pocket can be easily separated without removing the device from the pocket. To further facilitate this, the means that allow an electrical connection between the outer end of the adapter cable and one or more of the electrical conductors is suitable for mating plugs and sockets. Have a pair. [0009] As described in more detail below, one or more of the pockets are attached to the garment and the fabric shell allows the user to fit the pockets without having to separate the complementary mechanical connector means. It is configured to be movable from a first position on the outside of the fabric shell to a second position hidden within the opening of the fabric shell. [0010] According to another aspect of the present invention, a cover for an electric device having the above-mentioned technical features of a pocket is provided. Unlike the Yu and Rubin phone covers mentioned earlier, such covers incorporate as part of the garment and establish an electrical connection (not for electrical charging) with the device covered by the cover. Suitable for providing means. Such a cover has a first compartment for receiving electrical equipment and one or more other user-accessible items for storing other items (especially not exclusively related to electrical equipment). It can be formed to have a compartment. For example, such a removable pocket can have a first compartment for accommodating a minidisc (R) player and a second compartment for holding one or more regenerated minidiscs. [0011] Other features of the invention will be apparent by reading the preferred examples described below and are described in the appended claims. This preferred embodiment should be referenced and disclosure of that embodiment is incorporated herein by reference. [0012] Examples of the present invention will be described through examples with reference to the accompanying drawings. [0013] BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An outline of a garment (for each of the upper and lower body) equipped with a plurality of interconnected electric devices is shown, including FIGS. 1 and 2. Generally, the shape, function and style of a garment is the ability to support two or more electrical devices, which may be multiple individual parts that make up a single device arranged around the garment. It will be recognized that it is irrelevant to the operation of the present invention except where is required. [0014] Each garment has a fabric shell 10 with one or more electrical conductors 12. The electrical conductors 12 can extend between a pair of devices in the form of a complete wiring room (as shown) that interconnects multiple devices from a single conductor. Further details of wiring rooms suitable for use with such devices are described in a simultaneous application entitled "Clothing Device". [0015] In the example of FIG. 1, the supported device (in each pocket identified by the suffix P) is a digital audio (MP3) playback device 14, a mobile phone 16, for example audio data for playback device 14, or for telephone 16. It consists of a data storage device 18 that holds numbers and a power supply 20 for all devices. A pair of control units 22 on the sleeves (for the audio player 14 or the phone 16), a microphone 24 for the phone 16, and a pair of earphones 26 used for either the phone 16 or the audio player 14 are also in room 12. It is combined. [0016] In the example of FIG. 2, the supported devices are also supported in each pocket P, an audio player 28 (assuming it has an integrated power supply), a control device 30 for this player, and a speaker 32 or other audio. It consists of output devices, which are interconnected by room 12. In order to interconnect the wiring rooms (and thus the supported devices) of the separate garments worn by the user, means can be provided as shown in 34 of FIG. 1 and 36 of FIG. [0017] Each of the devices in each pocket is removable from the fabric shell 10 and room 12 as shown by the compact disc (CD) player 38 in pocket 38.P shown removed from the room in FIG. Is. This compact disc can be installed in place of the telephone 16 (as shown). As shown, each pocket is itself properly fitted to an external male or female connector (suffix M or F) for connection to the corresponding (F or M) connector on room 12. Has an adapter cable to terminate. As you can see, wherever interchangeable devices (such as phones 16 and CD players 38) can be provided in a single location on clothing, both devices can be easily plugged into the same connector. Should have a common connection to the room-side M / F connector required for the audio channel and power supply. Adjustments to the supply voltage or output signal level should be provided on the device itself or in a dedicated adapter housed in a pocket. [0018] In the extended or related features of the present invention, all or part of Room 12 may be incorporated into the garment (as in Sato's citation mentioned at the beginning) and even washable. It is preferable that it is removable. Such removable wiring or cable devices are described in the specification filed by the applicant under the name "clothes with removable electronic devices". [0019] As shown in FIG. 3, each pocket P has a fabric cover 40 with mechanical connector means 42, which allows the garment fabric shell 10 to detachably attach the fabric cover 40 and the device to the garment shell. As such, complementary mechanical connector means (44; FIG. 4) are provided. Mechanical connector means 42, 44 are properly configured with Velcro (R) patches, but other connector means can also be used, including hooks, buttons, zippers, hook-and-hook connectors and other fasteners. The pocket fabric cover 40 can be opened using the mechanical connector means of the above group to replace the device or inspect for other reasons, otherwise close the pocket for safety. It is preferable to be able to. [0020] The pocket P has a means for establishing an electrical connection between the device D in the pocket P and the room 12 (FIG. 1) in the form of a connector 46 at one end of the adapter cable 48. The connector 46 is configured to establish a connection of signals and power to device D, such as by plugging. As mentioned earlier, the outer end of the adapter cable (outside the end of the pocket) has the right half of the male / female (M / F) connector, the other half built near the garment pocket. , You can connect. [0021] [0021] This is further shown in FIG. FIG. 4 shows a vertical cross section of the fabric of the garment, the fabric shell 10 having an inner lining 50 and an outer shell 52 sandwiching the insulating lining material 54. Half of the (F) connector on the garment is attached to the outer shell 52, from which the connector extends into the lining 54 (ie, from room 12 on the garment). As shown in FIG. 3, the pocket can include a conductive mesh or the like 56 to provide or electrically shield from device D with an electrical shield, as shown in FIG. An additional fabric hanging lid or cover can be provided (as indicated by 58) to cover the connector section (M / F) when the pocket is removed. [0022] 5 to 7 show examples of a foldable pocket containing the device. FIG. 5 shows the pocket P fully expanded, with the vertical side 60 hanging the pocket P (with an integrated device) from the mechanical fixing means 42,44 and the other fixing. The means 62 and 64 fix the lower end of the side portion 60 against the shaking of the lower end. For ease of understanding, the adapter cable for device D has been omitted. As shown in 66, the fabric cover of the pocket is visually identifiable so that the user can identify how to reattach the pocket to the garment (when the pocket is removed). A mark can be provided. In addition, the garment itself may be marked (not shown) to indicate how each of the pockets must be reattached. [0023] FIG. 6 shows a partially stowed state in the embodiment of FIG. 5, in which the pocket P is directed toward entering the zippered opening A inside the outer shell 52 of the fabric shell 10. It is partially folded in the vertically long side portion 60. [0024] FIG. 7 shows a pocket P that folds into the side 60 to completely penetrate into the opening A. This device, in the open device of FIG. 5, is provided on the outside and is shown to the public (especially if pocket P is provided with one or more windows or openings for this purpose), while The folded device in FIG. 7 gives the user safety in that the device is invisible to the field of view. [0025] FIG. 8 is another alternative embodiment of Pocket P. This pocket P has a first opening 68 for accommodating device D as described above, but is utilized by the user to accommodate other items appropriately associated with device D, such as an audio cassette for a cassette player. It has a possible second opening 70. [0026] Other amendments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the description herein. Such modifications are known in the design, manufacture and use of garments and the applications and devices incorporated therein, and other features such that they can be used in lieu of or in addition to the features described above. Can be included. [Simple explanation of drawings] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a garment with a corresponding electrical device in each removable pocket. FIG. 2 schematically represents a garment with a corresponding electrical device in each removable pocket. FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a pocket that includes an electrical device and means for connecting to the electrical device. FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the pocket of FIG. 3 attached to clothing. FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of a pocket that moves from an open position to a closed position. FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of a pocket that moves from an open position to a closed position. FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of a pocket that moves from an open position to a closed position. FIG. 8 represents a pocket with a containment for electrical equipment and other items.