Background

The present application claims priority from patent application No. 235928 filed in Israel on 26 November 2015 by the present applicant, and having the same title.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to electrically conductive clothing for detecting

and reporting wounds in real time.

Description of Related Art

WounDetectTM is claimed as a trademark by the present applicant; the

trademark refers to a system for detecting, locating, identifying and reporting

wounds as disclosed in the present application.

Rescue on DemandTM is claimed as a trademark by the present applicant; the trademark refers to a system for detecting wounds and for calling for rescue,

as disclosed in the present application.

A problem in the contemporary battlefield is to detect, locate and report wounds to soldiers, in real time.

According to Eastridge et al., a major cause of death in the battlefield (DOW) is hemorrhage: soldiers died on the battlefield in potentially survivable (PS)

cases, because they did not timely receive medical treatment. Of all the DOW

casualties, 51.4% were PS. Acute hemorrhage was the predominant factor (80%) of the PS DOW.

In other words, if only wounded soldiers were located on time, the bleeding

wounds were diagnosed on time and the soldier timely received first aid

treatment, the number of casualties could be significantly reduced.

See Eastridge et al., Died of Wounds on the Battlefield: Causation and

Implications for Improving Combat Casualty Care (J. Trauma. 2011;71: S4-S8). Electric heating cloths are known in the art:

In Kleshchik, US patent 6649886, Electric heating cloth and method, a cloth

comprises electrically conductive resistive threads which are interwoven with

non-conductive threads.

In Resheff, US patent application 20090095735, Flexible heating weave, a cloth comprises conductive resistive threads which are interwoven with

conductive resistive threads as well.

In both the above citations, the conductive resistive threads have a predefined

electrical resistance per unit length (expressed in Ohm/meter). The threads may be made for example of a matrix of an elastomer with particles of carbon.

An electrical current passing through the threads causes heating of the

clothing; this effect can be used in heating an area of a wearable cloth.

The resistive cloth may include conductive resistive threads in combination

with non-conductive threads and conductive threads such as metallic wire.

The resistive threads heat up when electric current flows through them; the

conductive threads convey electrical energy to the resistive threads; and

non-conductive threads which, when used, serve to limit the flow of current to

a desired direction and to form a component of the cloth.

A band of conductive threads comprises a group of parallel and adjacent threads made of a metal such as copper, silver, etc.

LYNCH MAURICE et al., US Patent application 2013338851 - Automatic Accident Analysis: In accordance with some embodiments, an automatic detector may detect characteristics of a vehicular crash and use those characteristics to project the nature of inj to the driver and/or passengers within the vehicle. TOTH LANDY AARON, US Patent application 2013304006 - WOUND EXUDATE

MONITOR ACCESSORY: A stand-alone system for assessing wound exudates from the wound of a patient is described.

ANDERBERG JOSEPH et al., Patent application WO2013163345 - METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR DIAGNOSIS AND PROGNOSIS OF STROKE OR OTHER CEREBRAL INJURY: The invention relates to methods and compositions for monitoring, diagnosis, prognosis, and determination of treatment regimens in stroke patients and in patients at risk for stroke.

BHARARA MANISH et al., US Patent application 2013162796 - METHODS AND

APPARATUS FOR IMAGING, DETECTING, AND MONITORING SURFICIAL AND SUBDERMAL INFLAMMATION: Described are imaging apparatus and methods for imaging an area of interest, such as selected regions on a surface of a human or other living subject, by thermal and non-thermal means.

COONER JASON RYAN, US Patent application 2013053652 - SYSTEM, BUSINESS AND TECHNICAL METHODS, AND ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE FOR DESIGN,

IMPLEMENTATION, AND USAGE OF BIOMETRIC, PROXIMITY, AND OTHER

SENSORS TO DETECT, RECORD, AND TREAT PERSONS THAT MAY BE OR HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN CERTAIN PHYSICAL INJURIES OR DISABILITIES:

Non-invasive brain and body injury and vital sign assessment monitors, as well as methods for providing Internet-enabled care and recovery services for related conditions and injuries are disclosed.

These and other problems in prior art kamins are addressed with the present invention. Summary of the Invention

According to one aspect of the present invention, a new system integrated in a

clothing will detect, locate, identify and report wounds to a soldier wearing that clothing.

Furthermore, the system may include means for calling for rescue while

precisely reporting the identity of the wounded soldier, the part of his body

which was hit, number of hits, soldier's location, etc. According to another aspect of the invention, a shirt made of a cloth including resistive electrical threads may be used to detect wounds to a soldier wearing the shirt. The detection is based on measuring the electrical resistance of the cloth and using changes in the electrical resistance as indices of wounds incurred by the soldier: A wound caused by a bullet, for example, results in a plurality of resistive threads being damaged and becoming non-conductive; the overall electrical resistance therefore increases.

Similarly, pants made of a cloth including resistive electrical threads can be used to detect wounds in the lower body or legs of a soldier wearing the pants.

To the user (the soldier wearing the new shirt or pants) these clothing will have the feel of regular clothing or similar therewith- the conductive and the resistive threads are made of a soft, flexible material so as not to cause uncomfortable feelings.

To locate the wound, the shirt or pants may include a plurality of

wound- sensing units.

A wound-sensing unit may comprise, for example, a rectangular area made of a plurality of resistive threads, with each end of these threads being connected to a band of conductive threads; the orientation of the conductive thread is normal to that of the resistive threads.

The shirt and pants are covered with a plurality of wound- sensing units;

the electrical resistance of all the wound-sensing units is being concurrently measured in real time. An increase in the resistance of one of the

wound-sensing units is indicative of a wound occurrence at the location of that unit.

All the wound- sensing units are electrically connected to a location at the edge of the shirt or pants, using conductive bands; at that location there may be mounted a microchip for measuring the resistance of all the units, evaluating the situation in real time and reporting to a monitoring center. Locating means such as Global Positioning System (GPS) may be included as well in the microchip or connected to it; the report sent to the monitoring center

may include the wounded soldier's location.

The caliber of the bullet may be estimated from the increase in resistance: a

larger caliber bullet will cause a larger increase in resistance.

Identification of the wound as an entry or exit wound can be achieved from the

precise timing of each change in resistance: the entry wound occurs first.

The monitoring center may receive reports from wounds to soldiers in that area,

supporting for example a company; the information may be reported to a command

facility, to dispatch medical teams to the precise location of the wounded soldier.

The medical teams will be instructed re the type of wounds as measured there,

to be better prepared for delivering effective first aid.

Further purposes and benefits of the current invention will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reading the present disclosure and the related drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the invention are disclosed hereinafter with reference to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 (prior art) illustrates a cloth with resistive threads in one direction.

Fig. 2 (prior art) illustrates a cloth with resistive threads in two directions.

Fig. 3 illustrates a cloth with resistive threads in one direction, with every

pair of adjacent resistive threads being separated by a non-conductive thread.

Fig. 4 illustrates a shirt including wound-sensing units.

Fig. 5 illustrates pants including wound-sensing units. Fig. 6 details the structure of a wound- sensing unit.

Fig. 7 details a wound-sensing unit with a bullet hole therein.

Fig. 8 details the electrical equivalent circuit of a wound-sensing unit.

Fig. 9 details the electrical equivalent circuit of four adjacent wound-sensing units.

Fig. 10 details the electrical connections of a plurality of wound-sensing

units to a microchip. The microchip may be implemented with a programmable

system on-chip such as model CY8C29466 manufactured by Cypress, Inc.

Fig. 11 details a block diagram of a wound-sensing system integrated in a shirt or pants.

Fig. 12 details the mounting of the wound-sensing system in the shirt.

Fig. 13 illustrates a complete system including wound detection systems, a

monitoring center, a command and control center and rescue units.

Fig. 14 details changes in resistance vs. time, for a bullet wound.

Fig. 15 details changes in resistance vs. time, for another type of a bullet wound.

Fig. 16a and 16b detail changes in resistance vs. time, for a small caliber and

a large caliber bullet wound, respectively.

Fig. 17 details a resistive thread with a medication contained therein.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The current invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to Fig. 1 (prior art) which illustrates a cloth with resistive threads in one direction, the cloth comprises resistive threads 11 interwoven with non-conductive threads 12 Such a cloth is disclosed in Kleshchik, US patent 6649886, Electric heating cloth and method.

Fig. 2 (prior art) illustrates a cloth with resistive threads in two directions.

The cloth comprises resistive threads 11 interwoven with resistive threads 11 as well.

Such a cloth is disclosed in Resheff, US patent application 20090095735,

Flexible heating weave.

Fig. 3 illustrates a cloth with resistive threads in one direction, with every pair of adjacent resistive threads 11 being separated by a non-conductive thread 12.

The cloth comprises alternating resistive threads 11/non-conductive threads 12, interwoven with non-conductive threads 12.

For implementing the present invention, the cloth of Fig. 1 is better than that of Fig. 2: In the cloth of Fig. 1, the increase in electrical resistance

due to a bullet hit is proportional to the bullet caliber (diameter), due to

the laminar flow of the electric current;

whereas in the cloth of Fig. 2, after a bullet hit there may be current flowing around the hole, so the flow is no longer laminar- therefore the increase in resistance is not proportional to the bullet caliber, furthermore the amount of increase in resistance is less than that for the same caliber bullet in the

cloth of Fig. 1.

For implementing the present invention, the cloth of Fig. 3 is even better than that of Fig. 1: in this case, the increase in electrical resistance

due to a bullet hit is proportional to the bullet caliber (diameter);

furthermore, the resistance will be more stable and less liable to random

changes due to undesirable contact between adjacent threads 11.

Fig. 4 illustrates a shirt 21 including wound-sensing units 1. Each sensing unit 1 includes resistive threads, some of which are broken by a bullet hit or other type of wound caused for example by shrapnel or a knife.

Each unit 1 is separately connected to a microchip (not shown) so that the

resistance of all the units 1 is continuously monitored in real time; if a hit

occurred, the increase in resistance will be immediately (or very fast) detected.

The location of the wound is indicated by the specific unit 1 whose resistance increased.

As the size of the units 1 decreases, the wound will be more precisely located.

In a preferred embodiment, the units 1 are part of the textile/ cloth fabric of

the shirt 21: The textile weaving machine can be programmed to use one of a plurality of threads (i.e. having a different color) in each location; in the

present invention, the weaving machine is programmed to use non-conducting threads such as cotton or synthetic fiber, electrically resistive threads

having a specific resistance per unit length, or electrically conductive

threads (a good conductor such as a metallic wire), so as to form an uniform

cloth with the units 1 integrated therein.

Furthermore, the cloth will include conductive threads from each of the units 1 to a microchip located at one side of the shirt 21.

Fig. 5 illustrates pants 22 including wound-sensing units 1.

As with the shirt 21 detailed above, a wound occurrence in the lower part of the soldier's body or his legs will be immediately detected and its location pinpointed.

In a preferred embodiment, the units 1 are part of the textile/ cloth fabric of

the pants 22, as detailed for the shirt 21 with reference to Fig. 4 above.

Fig. 6 details the structure of a wound-sensing unit 1.

The unit includes resistive threads 11, interwoven in a textile or cloth

structure with non-conductive threads 12.

As shown, all the resistive threads 11 are parallel to each other;

The non-conductive threads 12 are parallel to each other;

wherein the resistive threads 11 are oriented normally to the non-conductive threads 12. Each conductive electrode 13 connects one end of all the resistive threads 11.

Preferably, each conductive electrode 13 comprises one electrically conductive wire, such as made by copper, silver or gold, or a plurality of such wires running in parallel to each other. Use of thin wires is preferable to a metallic contact, due to the flexibility of the wires and the and the softness of a clothing made up with such wires.

The conductive electrode 13 or the conductive wires comprising it have an orientation which is normal to that of the resistive threads 11.

The conductive wires comprising the conductive electrode are interwoven in the textile or cloth structure with the resistive threads, thus creating the electrical contacts at the ends of each resistive thread. The conductive wires may also be interwoven with non-conductive threads.

The electrical resistance of all the threads 11 is equal or similar, due to

their equal or similar length; this causes the electrical current to divide

equally among the threads 11, to achieve a laminar flow of constant density

(Amperes per square meter) for the whole surface of unit 11.

Fig. 7 details a wound-sensing unit 1 with a bullet hole 19 therein.

Part of the resistive threads 11 are broken by the hole 19, so electric current

will no more flow through them; the electrical resistance of unit 1 increases

proportionally with the number of broken threads 11.

The hole 19 may be caused by a bullet, shrapnel, knife, etc.

Fig. 8 details the electrical equivalent circuit of a wound-sensing unit.

Each electrical resistor 113 is the equivalent of one resistive thread 11.

The electric current flows from a conductive electrode (sensing voltage) 131,

is divided equally among all the resistors 113 and combines again to flow to

the conductive electrode (zero potential or ground) 132.

In another embodiment, the current may flow in the opposite direction.

The total equivalent resistance between electrodes 131 and 132 is the resistance

of all the resistors 113 in parallel, as known in the art.

Fig. 9 details the electrical equivalent circuit of four adjacent wound-sensing units. Each unit has a group of electrical resistors 113 in parallel, each the

equivalent of one resistive thread 11 ; each unit also has an unique conductive electrode (sensing voltage) 131.

However, the conductive electrode (zero potential or ground) 132 can be common to all the units, to reduce the required amount of wiring.

Connecting wires (sensing voltage) 151 and connecting wires (zero potential or ground) 152 are used to connect each unit 1 to a microchip (not shown).

Fig. 10 details the electrical connections of a plurality of wound-sensing

units 1 to a microchip 3. The microchip 3 may be implemented with a programmable system on-chip such as model CY8C29466 manufactured by Cypress, Inc.

Each wound- sensing unit 1 has a unique connection to microchip 3 through a connecting wire (sensing voltage) 151; the connecting wire (zero potential or ground) 152 for all the units 1 may be connected locally on a shirt or other clothing, with one common wire being connected to microchip 3.

Fig. 11 details a block diagram of a wound-sensing system integrated in a shirt or pants.

The system includes a plurality of wound-sensing units 1, each being connected to one biasing and analog to digital converter (ADC) 31, and to a

microcontroller 32 therefrom.

This structure allows continuous and concurrent monitoring in real time of all the units 1 in a clothing worn by a soldier or another person.

In another embodiment (not shown), all the units 1 are connected to a

multiplexer, the multiplexer output being connected to a common ADC.

If the multiplexer and ADC are very fast, a wound will be detected very fast.

Such a structure may be simpler and lower cost.

A Global Positioning System (GPS) 38 indicates the location of the person wearing the cloth, thus a wound report will include the location of the soldier to be rescued. A wireless transmitter 33 will report to a monitoring center each wound and its details.

A wireless receiver 34 may be used to set various parameters and to issue the ON/OFF command input (wireless) 37.

The ON/OFF command input 37 may be used to activate the wound detection system when the soldier goes into a mission, and to turn the system OFF when the soldier returns, to save battery life.

An optional local display 35 will indicate each wound to the soldier himself.

The battery and power supply 36 provides electrical power to the whole system when the system is turned ON.

A temperature sensor 39 measures the body temperature. An abnormal temperature may be indicative of a wound or danger to that soldier.

Parts 31, 33, 34 and/or 38 may be implemented in the microchip 3 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 details the biasing and analog to digital converter (ADC) 31 of Fig. 11 Each wound- sensing unit 1 may be connected through a biasing resistor 311 to a supply voltage 312, thus forming a voltage divider; a change in the resistance of unit 1 will immediately cause a change in the voltage on unit 1, which is be connected through connecting wire (sensing voltage) 151 to the input of the analog to digital converter (ADC) 313.

The ADC output (digital signal) 314 is connected to a microchip.

The connecting wire (zero potential or ground) 152 may be common to all the units 1 and all the ADC means 313.

Fig. 13 details the mounting of the wound-sensing system in the shirt. All the units 1 are part of the textile/ cloth fabric of the shirt:

The textile weaving machine is programmed to use non-conducting threads such as cotton or synthetic fiber in the area between units 1, resistive and

non-conducting threads for the units 1, conductive threads for the electrodes of each unit 1 and for implementing the conductors 151 and 152 connecting each unit 1 to a microchip 3 on the edge of the shirt.

To the person wearing the cloth with the detection system , this appears to be just a regular clothing. The microchip 3 at the edge will go unnoticed.

When turned on, each microchip may test the system there; if there is damage or a significant number of resistive or conductive threads are broken, that shirt or pants are rejected as failed. The whole shirt with the wound detecting system integrated therein is disposable.

Fig. 14 illustrates a complete system including a plurality of wound detection systems 41, a monitoring center 42, a command and control center 43 and rescue units.

The command and control center 43 may report or send commands and messages to rescue units (manned) 44, rescue units (unmanned, remotely controlled) 45 and/or to a hospital 46.

Each wound detection system 41 measures and reports to the center 43, all or part of the following for each wound or hit event, for each soldier or person wearing the clothing with the system integrated therein:

a location of the wound or the body part being hit;

a total number of wounds;

a caliber (diameter) or size of the bullet or shrapnel or the size of the

wound generated thereby;

a body temperature;

a location of a soldier or person wearing the clothing. Fig. 15 details changes in resistance vs. time, for a bullet wound.

A bullet hit may cause a change in electrical resistance 51, corresponding to one wound-sensing unit (entry wound), and a change in electrical resistance 52, corresponding to another wound-sensing unit (exit wound), vs. time 53.

An indication of the length of the path through the body is presented by the delta_t 54, the time difference between the entry and exit events.

The delta_t 54 value can be indicative of the type of bullet causing the wound, allowing to compute the velocity of the bullet; the path length is known from the entry and exit sensing units location.

Fig. 16 details changes in resistance vs. time, for another type of a bullet wound, showing the electrical resistance 51, from a wound-sensing unit, vs. time 53.

Initially there is an increase in resistance 56, due to damaged resistive threads, followed by a reduction in electrical resistance 57, due to bleeding. Fig. 17a and 17b detail changes in resistance vs. time, for a small caliber and a large caliber bullet wound, respectively.

There is just a small change in the electrical resistance 511, from a

wound- sensing unit hit by a small caliber bullet.

There is a large change in the electrical resistance 512, from a wound-sensing unit hit by a large caliber bullet, or the exit hole of a bullet- the exit hole is larger than the entry hole, thus more resistive threads may be damaged. The resistance is presented vs. time 53.

Fig. 18 details a resistive thread with a medication contained therein.

In this embodiment, a hollow resistive thread 114 is used to form a unit 1. The medication 115 may be contained in the resistive thread, including for example a disinfectant, an energy or stimulant substance, a painkiller, etc.

Partition 116 limits the amount of medication supplied to a wound, so parts of the cloth will still contain medication for a second wound if necessary. It will be recognized that the foregoing is but one example of an apparatus and method within the scope of the present invention and that various modifications will occur to those skilled in the art upon reading the disclosure set forth hereinbefore.