Patent Publication Number: US-6902549-B2

Title: Fluid-advancing fiber

Description:
1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a fiber construction. More particularly, the present invention relates to a flexible, fluid-advancing fiber useable in various types of wearable fabrics. 
   2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
   It is known within the textile industry to combine the active principles of cosmetics, medicine, or health and fitness with various wearable fabrics. Also, it is known to provide different wearable fabrics with body temperature regulating systems. Typically, these wearable fabrics use encapsulated fluids or substances connected to one or more fibers and are configured to interact with the skin through wearing or rubbing contact. A significant drawback associated with these dual-purpose fabrics is there relatively short (typically 30 to 40 wash cycles) effective life. Consequently, there is a need for a more durable system for effectively retaining or advancing a fluid or substance through a flexible fiber network in a wearable fabric. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved fiber for use in wearable fabrics. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide such a fiber configured to facilitate comfortable contact with skin. 
   It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a fluid-advancing fiber configured for advancing a fluid therethrough. 
   It is yet still another object of the present invention to provide such a fluid-advancing fiber capable of being woven, knitted, and/or sewn by conventional methods. 
   It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such a fluid-advancing fiber adapted to facilitate the effective and efficient advancement of a fluid throughout various wearable fabrics. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a fluid-advancing fiber adapted to facilitate the effective and efficient communication of a fluid between a wearable fabric and the skin of a user. 
   It is still a further object of the present invention to provide such a fluid-advancing fiber that enhances comfort and extends the effective life of wearable fabrics that integrating the active principles of cosmetics, medicine, health and fitness, and/or body temperature regulating systems. 
   These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by a fluid-advancing fiber of the present invention. This fluid-advancing fiber has an inner portion and an outer portion, one or more conductive elements adjacent the outer portion, wherein the one or more conductive elements are adapted to constrict when heated by electric current and relax when cooled. These fluid-advancing fibers can be intertwined using any known conventional method including weaving, sewing or knitting to form a durably flexible, comfortably wearable fabric. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention is more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment in combination with the drawings identified below. 
       FIG. 1  is a longitudinal plan view of a first fluid-advancing fiber in accordance with a first illustrative embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a longitudinal section view of the first fluid-advancing fiber showing fluid advancement in accordance the first illustrative embodiment; 
       FIG. 3  is a longitudinal section view of a second fluid-advancing fiber in accordance with a second illustrative embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a longitudinal section view of the second fluid-advancing fiber showing a first stage of fluid advancement in accordance with the second illustrative embodiment; and 
       FIG. 5  is a longitudinal section view of the second fluid-advancing fiber showing a second state of fluid advancement in accordance with the second illustrative embodiment. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to the drawings and, in particular  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown an improved fiber in accordance with a first illustrative embodiment of the present invention generally represented by reference numeral  10 . Preferably, fluid-advancing fiber  10  has an inner portion  20  and an outer portion  30 , and conductive elements  40  adjacent outer portion  30 , wherein one or more conductive elements  40  are adapted to constrict when heated by electric current and relax when cooled. 
   Referring in particular to  FIG. 2 , preferably, inner portion  20  is hollow so as to allow a fluid or substance to pass or advance therethrough. It is noted that inner portion  20  can also be a solid material having sufficient permeability or porosity to allow a fluid or substance to advance therethough with minimal resistance, and sufficient flexibility to allow for the selective constriction thereof. Preferably, inner portion  20  is enclosed by outer portion  30  such that the fluid or substance can be retained therein and/or advanced therethrough. Thus, inner portion  20  preferably provides a passageway for effectively and efficiently retaining and/or advancing the fluid or substance through any wearable fabric incorporating one or more fluid-advancing fiber  10 . It is noted that inner portion  20  need not be hollow, but can be any porous material capable of allowing fluid to be advanced therethrough. 
   Preferably, outer portion  30  is sufficiently permeable or porous to allow for the selective communication of a fluid or substance in inner portion  20  with the skin. Outer portion  30  can preferably be made of any suitable material providing sufficient permeance for the selective release of the fluid or substance in inner portion  20 , and providing a sufficient degree of strength and flexibility during fabrication and wear. Thus, outer portion  30  preferably facilitates the effective and efficient advancement and/or release of a fluid or substance through and/or out of the fiber, respectively, for selective interaction with skin. It is noted that outer portion  30  need not be permeable and can be configured and/or formed of any material sufficient to facilitate different applications of use. For example, a fabric or similar structure capable of selectively applying various cosmetic products and/or therapies to the skin, a fabric or similar structure capable of selectively providing medical products and/or therapies to the skin, or a fabric or similar structure capable of regulating body temperature. Thus, inner portion  20  and outer portion  30  cooperate to form fluid advancing fiber  10  sufficient for use in various wearable fabrics designed for making contact with the skin and capable of being woven or sewn into a multitude of different patterns facilitating different applications in use. 
   Preferably, conductive elements  40  take the form of a wire made of a temperature sensitive memory alloy. Also, conductive elements  40  are preferably situated adjacent outer portion  30 , such that when conductive elements  40  are heated by an electric current, the elements constrict. This constricting action can be used to advance a fluid or substance through inner portion  20  and/or to cause the fluid or substance to permeate outer portion  30  through the permeable or porous surface thereof to communicate and/or interact with skin near outer portion  30 . Preferably, when conductive elements  40  cool in the absence of electric current, the elements return to their original shape and configuration. Thus, the selective heating and cooling of one or more conductive elements  40  preferably allows for the coordinated constriction and relaxation of outer portion  30  to advance the fluid or substance in inner portion  20 . Also, one or more conductive elements  40  can preferably be selectively constricted to coordinate the selective release or permeation of the fluid or substance in inner portion  20  through outer portion  30 . Thus, one or more conductive elements  40 , preferably, allow for the selective fluid-communication between a fluid or substance, in fiber  10 , and the skin. This fluid communication preferably facilitates a variety of different applications, such as for example, different cosmetic, medical, health and/or fitness therapies. 
   Preferably, fluid-advancing fibers  10  can be intertwined using any known conventional method for weaving, sewing or knitting and can be of any natural or man made material sufficient to accomplish the above discussed features. Fibers  10  can also preferably have different shapes and/or sizes so as to be incorporated into different wearable fabrics and/or fabric combinations to accommodate different uses. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 3 through 5 , there is shown an improved fiber in accordance with a second illustrative embodiment of the present invention generally represented by reference numeral  100 . Preferably, fluid-advancing fiber  100  has a fluid traversable inner portion  200 , a flexibly durable outer portion  300 , one or more first conductive elements  400 , and one or more second conductive elements  410 , wherein first conductive elements  400  and second conductive elements  410  are adapted to selectively constrict when heated by electric current and relax when cooled. 
   Preferably, inner portion  200  is hollow so as to allow a fluid or substance to pass or advance therethrough. It is noted that inner portion  200  can also be a solid material having sufficient permeability or porosity to allow a fluid or substance to advance therethough with minimal resistance, and sufficient flexibility to allow for the selective constriction thereof. Preferably, inner portion  200  is enclosed by outer portion  300  such that the fluid or substance can be retained therein and/or advanced therethrough. Thus, inner portion  200  preferably has substantially the same characteristics and capabilities as inner portion  20  identified and discussed above. 
   Preferably, outer portion  300  is sufficiently permeable or porous to allow for the selective communication of a fluid or substance in inner portion  200  with the skin. Outer portion  300  can preferably be made of any suitable material providing sufficient permeance for the selective release of the fluid or substance in inner portion  200 , and providing a sufficient degree of strength and flexibility during fabrication and wear. Thus, outer portion  300  preferably has essentially the same characteristics and capabilities as outer portion  30  identified and discussed above. Outer portion  300  is distinct in that it preferably has one or more undulations  310  distantly spaced along outer portion  300 . 
   Preferably, both first conductive elements  400  and second conductive elements  410  take the form of wires made of a temperature sensitive memory alloy. Preferably, first conductive elements  400  are adjacent undulations  310  and second conductive elements  410  are adjacent outer portion  300  along a distance  320  between the undulations. When first conductive elements  400  are heated by an electric current, the elements constrict. This constricting action causes undulations  310  to act as flow valves  330  for, as shown in  FIG. 4 , selectively controlling the advancement of a fluid or substance through inner portion  200 . Once one or more valves  330  are closed, second conductive elements  410  can be selectively heated by an electric current causing one or more distances  320  between undulations  310  to be squeezed or constricted. This constricting action preferably causes one or more liquid or substance portions ( 340   a ,  340   b ) to be advanced. Preferably, when conductive elements  400  and  410  are cooled in the absence of electric current, the elements return to their original shape and configuration. Thus, preferably first conductive elements  400  and second conductive elements  410  cooperate in a synchronized manner to selectively advance the fluid or substance in inner portion  200 . In addition, one or more conductive elements  410  can preferably be selectively constricted to coordinate the selective release or permeation of the fluid or substance in inner portion  200  through outer portion  300 . One or more conductive elements  400  and  410 , preferably, allow for the selective fluid-communication between a fluid or substance, in fiber  100 , and the skin. This fluid communication preferably facilitates a variety of different applications, such as for example, different cosmetic, medical, and health and/or fitness therapies. 
   Preferably, fluid-advancing fibers  100  can be intertwined using any known conventional method for weaving, sewing or knitting and can be of any natural or man made material sufficient to accomplish the above discussed features. Fibers  100  can also preferably have different shapes and/or sizes so as to be incorporated into different wearable fabrics and/or fabric combinations to accommodate different uses. 
   The present invention having been thus described with particular reference to the preferred forms thereof, it will be obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined herein.