WO2022148855A1 - Method for detecting a movement of a garment by means of a sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for detecting a movement of a garment by means of a sensor and to a device for detecting a movement of a garment by means of a sensor according to the preambles of claims 1 and 9.

Description

PROCESS FOR SENSORIAL DETECTION OF A MOVEMENT OF A CLOTHING

description

The present invention relates to a method for sensory detection of a movement of an item of clothing, and a device for sensory detection of a movement of an item of clothing according to the preambles of patent claims 1 and 9.

Previously known game consoles are only based on detecting a movement of controllers, in particular controllers that can be held and are movable, such as those marketed in a game console from Nintendo under the brand name “WL”.

These controllers work by manually moving them along a coordinate system set up by a detector, with the movement being detected by a sensor and displayed on a corresponding screen. In this respect, a background screen is overlaid with a motion screen (that is, which displays the movement of the controller), particularly in the sense of screen augmentation.

Alternatively or additionally, the corresponding movement is recorded in a video game context, in particular in a scenic context. However, already known devices do not form a basis for detecting the movement of an item of clothing.

In this respect, in the sense of the application, in at least one embodiment, a controller is not to be understood in the sense of a piece of clothing. A piece of clothing within the meaning of the present application is therefore, in at least one embodiment, such an element that can be attached to the human body by means of mechanical attachment, in particular in the sense of a gaming suit, i.e. a suit or part of a suit that the user is attracted. This distinguishes the present invention in at least one embodiment from a commercially available controller.

If, as an alternative or in addition, the item of clothing described here should actually be understood as a controller, the present invention also differs in particular from the above-mentioned prior art in that a sensor installed on or in the item of clothing detects a pressure , a moisture and/or a temperature of a surface, in particular a skin, of the wearer of the item of clothing, wherein the sensor is mechanically firmly connected to the item of clothing, so that the measured pressure, moisture and/or temperature values of the surface correspond to the image of the be superimposed on the user displayed on the screen.

For example, one surface of the sensor is in direct contact with the user's skin surface. Alternatively, however, it is also conceivable for at least one spacer layer and/or spacer element, such as a fabric layer, to be arranged between the skin surface of the user and the surface of the sensor. In this version, the sensor and/or a processing processor of the sensor is configured in such a way that, despite the distance from the surface of the skin, conclusions can be drawn about the actual measured values directly on the skin surface via the measured values. For this purpose, a corresponding concordance table stored on the spacer layer and/or the spacer element can be stored in the processing processor, which compares the values measured directly on the skin surface or to be prevailing with the values actually measured for the distance and sets them in relation. It is therefore conceivable that the temperature on the side of the fabric facing away from the skin (= spacer layer) is lower than the actual surface temperature of the skin, but based on the stored table data can be used to draw conclusions about the actual surface temperature of the skin without the sensor coming into direct contact with the skin surface.

The "image of the user" described here is a scaled one-to-one or one-to-X or purely schematic image of the user on the screen.

A corresponding overlay of the measured values can also only take place in the background, so that the motion detector of the present invention only measures the corresponding pressure, humidity and/or temperature values and these in the form of a different image, for example in the form of a color and/or resolution coding into the image of the playing user or at least makes it dependent on it.

The method described here for sensory detection of a movement of an item of clothing, in particular at least part of a gaming suit, therefore firstly comprises detecting a movement of the item of clothing using at least one movement detector in a detection device, which displays the movement of the item of clothing on the screen, so that the movement of the item of clothing is tracked within a fixed coordinate system, and wherein for tracking the movement of the item of clothing, the item of clothing comprises at least one sensor.

According to the invention, the sensor described here is, as already explained above, such a sensor which measures pressure, humidity and/or temperature of a surface, in particular a skin of the wearer of the garment, and the sensor is mechanically firmly connected to the garment is such that the measured pressure and humidity and/or temperature values of the surface are overlaid with the image of the user represented on the screen.

It is conceivable that not only the user is displayed one-to-one or schematically and/or scaled on the screen, but at the same time corresponding temperature values are superimposed on the image in a corresponding color and/or resolution coding, so that the player is always informed visually is which pressure, humidity or temperature values prevail at the corresponding measured points of the gaming suit. A part of a gaming suit may be a glove, a calf sleeve, a calf sleeve, a corresponding thigh sleeve or sleeve, or part or all of a pant. A surface covering of the upper body, in particular the hands and the chest, is also conceivable, so that, for example, an upper part of the gaming suit is designed in the form of a pullover or a shirt, in which the at least one sensor is installed and arranged, in such a way that pressure, moisture and temperature values of a surface, in particular a skin, of the wearer of the garment are measured as a function of time and/or permanently and/or at certain time intervals and/or intervals.

According to at least one embodiment, the measured values are used to store a movement sequence and/or a speed and movement amplitude measurement of the user, in particular in a coordinate system in front of the screen over a specified period of time and/or display it on the screen. For example, a sensor coordinate is assigned to at least one sensor for this purpose, so that the movement within this coordinate system is measured by measuring one or more of the above-mentioned measured values.

According to at least one embodiment, the measurement of the corresponding measured values (ie pressure, humidity and/or temperature) is sent to the detection device, so that the measured values are displayed on the screen via color and/or resolution coding. This can be done in the sense of a color temperature display similar to or exactly as in the case of an infrared measurement of the user's surface temperature and a subsequent color temperature display. As an alternative or in addition, the corresponding values can also have the movement of the user and/or the image of the user superimposed if they are not displayed on the screen.

According to at least one embodiment, a virtual representation of the user is superimposed on the representation, so that the measured values of a selected coding are displayed on the user.

The coding can be a calculated translation of the measured pressure, temperature and/or humidity values into calculated values, for example using a corresponding conversion formulation on the basis of software, which can, however, be displayed on the corresponding screen.

For example, the individual measured values can also be recorded by the motion detector, which can in particular also include an optical camera, so that the individual measured values can be displayed on the screen one-to-one or one-to-X with the silhouette of the user recorded by such an optical camera scaled or shown schematically.

According to at least one embodiment, the motion detector comprises electronic circuitry selected from the group consisting of: television circuitry; satellite TV receiver viewing; cable television receiver circuit; VCR circuit; DVD player circuit; computer circuits; CD player circuits; circuit for music receivers; IPTV television and/or receiver circuits; circuit for games; home automation circuits; receiver circuits.

According to at least one embodiment, the motion detector includes at least one processor.

This can mean that the motion detector not only measures the individual values, but also processes them accordingly.

The movement detector can, in general, be one that not only detects a movement of the corresponding user, but also measures and records the corresponding measured values mentioned above.

According to at least one embodiment, the method for sensory detection of a movement of an item of clothing comprises at least one sensor for measuring pressure and/or moisture and/or temperature, the sensor comprising at least one capacitor with at least two electrodes which, in particular in a horizontal direction tion, are arranged along and on a, in particular flexible, carrier material to one another, with at least one dielectric layer being arranged between the electrodes. The horizontal direction is preferably a main extension direction of the flexible carrier material.

In this context, "flexible" means that the carrier material is at least partially flexible and therefore elastic.

In particular, the carrier material can be a woven fabric or some other clothing fabric, such as a polyester.

The dielectric layer thus spaces the two electrodes in a horizontal direction and/or in a transverse direction perpendicular thereto.

According to at least one embodiment, at least one electrode and/or the dielectric layer is arranged at least in places on a side facing away from the carrier material, at least one at least partially moisture-permeable and/or moisture-absorbing moisture layer, with the at least one electrode and/or dielectric layer thus being in a are arranged in the transverse direction between the carrier material and the moisture layer, so that a capacitance is at least partially changed by the moisture at least partially hitting the dielectric layer, with a processing unit being set up and provided for measuring and/or storing this change, creating a capacitive humidity sensor.

In principle, a capacitive humidity sensor is a capacitor whose dielectric preferably consists of a hygroscopic polymer layer that absorbs (absorbs) or releases (desorbs) moisture depending on the humidity of the ambient air until a state of equilibrium (diffusion gradient = 0) is reached. The dielectric constant of the polymer material changes as a function of the moisture content.

The task of the processing unit is, among other things, to determine the relative humidity as precisely as possible, preferably also from a measured ambient temperature and the humidity-dependent capacitance value of the sensor.

According to at least one embodiment, the device for measuring pressure and/or humidity comprises at least one sensor for measuring pressure and/or humidity speed, wherein the sensor comprises at least one capacitor with at least two electrodes, which are arranged in particular in a horizontal direction along and on a particularly flexible carrier material relative to one another, with at least one dielectric layer being arranged between the electrodes.

According to at least one embodiment, at least one electrode and/or dielectric layer is arranged at least in places on a side facing away from the carrier material, at least one at least partially moisture-permeable and/or moisture-absorbing layer (=moisture layer), with the at least one electrode and/or dielectric layer are arranged in the transverse direction between the carrier material and the moisture layer, so that a capacitance is at least partially changed by the moisture at least partially impinging on the dielectric layer, with a processing unit being set up and provided for measuring and/or measuring this change store so that a capacitive humidity sensor is created.

The moisture layer can be formed with a dielectric material. The material of the moisture layer can be different from the material of the water-impermeable layer.

In the context of the present application, “moisture-absorbing layer” can be understood as an at least partial absorption of moisture from an environmental medium into the layer itself. Moisture can therefore be understood to mean a gaseous or droplet phase in the surrounding medium. The humidity can be contained in the ambient air or in another medium surrounding the layer.

The water or liquid content of air is generally referred to as humidity. The absolute humidity indicates how much water or liquid vapor is contained in the volume unit of the gas mixture; Unit of measurement: g water (or other liquid) -rrf ³ . The relative humidity is the quotient of the amount of liquid vapor present in the gas at a certain temperature and the possible saturation amount of liquid vapor at the same temperature. Relative humidity is usually given as a percentage (%). To do this, the quotient is multiplied by 100. If the air is saturated, ie the relative humidity is 100%, part of the liquid is in the air liquid. In this case, the associated liquid-gas mixture of substances is referred to as haze or fog.

The term humidity or humidity can be the measure of the presence of water or other liquid in or on a material (e.g. textiles) or a substance or in a gas or in a space.

The moisture-absorbing moisture layer described here can therefore differ from an in particular merely liquid-absorbing (moisture) layer, among other things, in that the moisture-absorbing moisture layer is made of a material which, in addition to the adsorption of liquid, also absorbs moisture contained in the surrounding medium absorbed. However, it is also conceivable that the moisture-absorbing moisture layer only absorbs moisture in the medium surrounding the layer and therefore cannot absorb any liquid.

The sensor and/or the processing unit can be supplied with electrical energy by means of a battery or a mains power supply.

As an alternative or in addition, it is possible to generate electrical energy to supply the sensor and/or processing unit by means of what is known as “energy harvesting”.

Energy harvesting is the term used to describe the extraction of small amounts of electrical energy from sources such as ambient temperature, vibration or air currents for low-power mobile devices. The structures used for this are also referred to as nanogenerators. With wireless technologies, energy harvesting avoids the limitations of wired power supplies or batteries.

Possibilities of energy harvesting:

• Piezoelectric crystals generate electrical voltages when force is applied, for example through pressure or vibration. These crystals can be arranged on or on the carrier material. • Thermoelectric generators and pyroelectric crystals generate electrical energy from temperature differences. These generators can be arranged on or on the carrier material.

• The energy of radio waves, a form of electromagnetic radiation, can be captured via antennas and used for energy. Passive RFIDs are an example of this. These antennas can be arranged on or on the carrier material.

• Photovoltaics, electrical energy from ambient lighting.

• Osmosis.

In accordance with at least one embodiment, the sensor is also a capacitive pressure sensor, with the processing unit also being set up and provided for measuring and/or storing a change in capacitance of the capacitor caused by external pressure.

Basically, a capacitive sensor is a sensor that works on the basis of the change in the electrical capacitance of an individual capacitor or a capacitor system. The capacity can be influenced by the variable to be recorded in various ways, which is primarily determined by the intended use.

A capacitive sensor is based, among other things, on the fact that two electrodes, one of which can be the surface to be measured, form the “plates” of an electrical capacitor whose capacitance or change in capacitance is measured, which can be influenced as follows:

A plate is displaced and/or deformed by the effect to be measured, which changes the distance between the plates and thus the electrical capacitance that can be measured.

- The plates are rigid and the capacitance itself changes by bringing an electrically conductive material or dielectric in close proximity.

The effective plate area changes when the plates are shifted against each other like in a rotary capacitor. In order to be able to better detect even small changes, the actual measuring electrode can often be surrounded by a shielding electrode, which shields the inhomogeneous edge area of the electrical field from the measuring electrode. This results in an approximately parallel electrical field with the known one between the measuring electrodes and the counterelectrode, which is usually grounded Characteristic of an ideal plate capacitor.

A capacitive pressure sensor is, in particular, one in which the change in capacitance as a result of the deflection of a membrane and the resulting change in the distance between the plates is evaluated as a sensor effect. For example, the membrane is the above-mentioned dielectric or the individual capacitor electrodes, which can be designed in particular in the form of a plate. In other words, in such an embodiment, a capacitive humidity sensor is combined with a capacitive pressure sensor in a new way, but without these components forming separate elements or two separate sensors, rather the present embodiment is a “two in one “ concept in which the same sensor acts as both a humidity sensor and a pressure sensor.

According to at least one embodiment, the carrier material is a woven fabric, in particular into which electrical conductor tracks for electrical contacting of the sensor and the processing unit are woven.

For the purposes of the invention, a woven fabric is therefore a fabric that has been woven manually or by machine on the basis of individual threads.

The electrical conductor tracks can therefore also be integrated in a fabric in addition to the usual fibers and fabric strands, or they can replace individual fabric strands that form the fabric network.

Depending on the spacing and properties of the individual threads (twisted, bulky, etc.), very loose fabrics such as bandage fabrics or dense fabrics such as brocade fabric can arise. Fabrics are longitudinally elastic due to rubber threads used as warp threads (more tapes are used) or crimped and bulky yarns. They are tense, processed and contract when at rest. Bulky yarns are made of textured, i.e. curly, synthetic fibers. The crimp changes the properties of the synthetic fibers. The yarns spun on it are very elastic and voluminous and have good thermal insulation.

According to at least one embodiment, at least one electrode and/or dielectric layer is printed on the carrier material or on a particularly water-impermeable layer arranged on the carrier material or applied by means of a thin-film process.

This means that at least one element, preferably both the electrode and the dielectric layer, is printed on the carrier material or on a preferably electrically non-conductive, more preferably water-impermeable layer applied between the sensor and the carrier material using a printing process.

The printing process can be an inkjet process, for example.

For example, the processing unit is applied to the carrier material in the same way as the sensor. For this purpose, it is conceivable that the processing unit, but at least one, in particular conductive, layer of the processing unit is printed onto the carrier material, for example. The data communication between the processing unit and the sensor can then be established via the conductor tracks mentioned above. These conductor tracks can be at least partially, but preferably completely, woven into the woven fabric or even form individual fibers of the woven fabric itself.

For example, at least one electrode is designed to be flat. This means that the thickness of the electrode is negligible compared to its surface area. Such an electrode can therefore be produced in particular by means of a printing process.

As an alternative to this, a thickness of at least one electrode can be at most 5 mm. The printing process can be used several times here, so that at least two, but preferably more, individual printing layers are stacked on top of one another.

Furthermore, the electrode can also be arranged on the carrier material by means of a 3D printing process. 1. The FDM process (Fused Deposition Modeling)

Alternative designations: Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), Fused Layer Modeling (FLM)

The process refers to the layer-by-layer application (extrusion) of a material through a hot nozzle. The consumable material is in the form of a long wire (so-called filament) on a roll and is pushed by the conveyor unit into a print head, where it is melted and applied to a print bed. The print head and/or print bed can be moved in three directions. In this way, layers of plastic can be applied one on top of the other step by step.

2. The SLS process (Selective Laser Sintering)

In contrast to the sintering process, in which substances in powder form are bonded together under the influence of heat, this is done selectively in the SLS process using a laser (alternatively also an electron beam or infrared beam). So only a certain part of the powder is fused together.

A thin layer of powder is always applied to the print bed by the coating unit. The laser (or other energy source) is now aligned with pinpoint accuracy at individual points in the powder layer in order to form the first layer of print data. Here, the powder is melted or melted and then solidifies again through slight cooling. The unmelted powder remains around the sintered areas and serves as a support material. After a layer has solidified, the print bed lowers by a fraction of a millimeter. The coating unit now moves over the print bed and applies the next layer of powder. The second layer of print data is then sintered by the laser (or other energy source). This creates a three-dimensional object layer by layer.

3. Three Dimensional Printing (3DP)

The 3DP process works very similarly to selective laser sintering, but instead of using a directed energy source, a printhead moves over the powder. This one gives tiny Droplets of binder fall on the underlying layers of powder, which are thus connected to one another. Otherwise, this procedure is the same as the SLS procedure.

4. Stereolithography (SLA)

Instead of a plastic wire or printing material in powder form, liquid resins, so-called photopolymers, are used in the stereolithography process. They are hardened in layers by UV radiation and thus create three-dimensional objects. The construction platform in the Harz basin is gradually lowered for this purpose. There are also variants (the so-called Polyjet process) without a whole tank of liquid resin. For this purpose, an epoxy resin is applied drop by drop from a nozzle and immediately cured by a UV laser.

5. Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM)

Alternative designation: Layer Laminated Manufacturing (LLM)

The process is based neither on chemical reactions nor on a thermal process. It is cut along the contour with a separating tool (e.g. a knife or carbon dioxide laser), a foil or a plate (e.g. paper) and glued to one another in layers. By lowering the construction platform, a layered object is created from glued, superimposed foils.

One or more water-impermeable layers and/or also the moisture layer can be applied in the same type and/or thickness as the electrode.

According to at least one embodiment, the moisture layer covers the capacitor completely.

This can mean that the moisture layer delimits and closes off the sensor to the outside, ie in the transverse direction, so that the sensor is arranged between the moisture layer and the carrier material.

In accordance with at least one embodiment, the sensor has at least one further capacitor which is arranged in the transverse direction below or above the capacitor and spaced apart from the capacitor by a further water-impermeable layer on or under this further water-impermeable layer, so that a capacitor stack is formed.

The additional capacitor can be constructed in the same way as the capacitor and can also be arranged on the additional water-impermeable layer in the same way as the capacitor.

Using such a capacitor stack, the sensor system can be refined in a particularly simple manner, namely insofar as it is conceivable that with two sensors forming the capacitor stack, both sensors perform the same tasks, but the respective measured values are determined by the individual sensors, which together conclude an average value to let. For example, the (relative) humidity of the environment is measured by each of the two sensors, and the average humidity value is then determined from these two measured values. The same can be done correspondingly with the pressure measurement, so that the accuracy of the entire measurement, in particular a combination of the measurements of (relative) humidity and the respective pressure, can be configured particularly precisely.

According to at least one embodiment, the water-impermeable layer and/or the further water-impermeable layer at least partially forms the dielectric layer itself.

This can mean that instead of positioning a dielectric layer separately next to the water-impermeable layer and/or next to the further water-impermeable layer, this dielectric layer itself is formed by the water-impermeable layer and/or the further water-impermeable layer.

Such a production of the dielectric layer through the water-impermeable layer(s) therefore forms a particularly simple and cost-effective manufacturing method for a cost-effective device. Apart from that, the electrodes, the dielectric layer and the water-impermeable layer(s) can in principle be arranged in relation to one another in such a way that an electrical short circuit is prevented in any case.

According to at least one embodiment, a maximum thickness of the moisture layer is at least 30% and at most 80% of the maximum thickness of the water-impermeable layer and/or the maximum thickness of the further water-impermeable layer.

This not only ensures a particularly flat sensor, but also ensures a particularly fast reaction time to changes in humidity. The moisture acting on the moisture layer from the outside therefore does not have to travel long distances to the dielectric.

Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for measuring pressure and/or humidity, it being noted in particular that all features disclosed for the device described above are also disclosed for the method described here and vice versa.

According to at least one embodiment, the method for measuring pressure and/or humidity initially comprises a first step by means of which at least one sensor for measuring pressure and/or humidity is provided, the sensor having at least one capacitor with at least two electrodes which, in particular are arranged in a hori zontal direction along and on a, in particular flexible, carrier material to one another, with at least one dielectric cal layer being arranged between the electrodes.

In accordance with at least one embodiment, at least one at least partially moisture-permeable and/or moisture-absorbing moisture layer is arranged at least in places on a side of at least one electrode and/or the dielectric layer that is remote from the carrier material, with the at least one electrode and/or the dielectric layer thus being in one Arranged in the transverse direction between the carrier material and the moisture layer, so that a capacitance changes at least partially as a result of the moisture at least partially impinging on the dielectric layer, with a processing processing unit measures and/or stores this change, resulting in a capacitive humidity sensor.

The method described above has the same advantages and advantageous features as the device described above.

The invention described here is described in more detail below using two exemplary embodiments and the associated figures.

Components that are the same or have the same effect are provided with the same reference symbols.

FIG. 1 shows a method for sensory detection of a movement of a piece of clothing, in particular at least part of a gaming suit. Here, a movement of the item of clothing is shown by at least one movement detector 2 in a detection device 1, which displays the movement of the item of clothing on a screen, so that the movement of the item of clothing 3 is tracked within a specified coordinate system, and where to track the movement of the item of clothing dung piece 3, this includes at least one sensor 6.

It can be seen from FIG. 1 that the sensor 6 measures a pressure, a moisture content, and/or a temperature of a surface, in particular a skin, of the wearer of the item of clothing 3, and the sensor 6 is mechanically fixed to the item of clothing 3 so that the measured pressure, humidity and/or temperature values of the surface are superimposed with the image of the user 17 displayed on the screen 16 .

FIG. 1 also shows that the measurement is sent to the detection device 1 so that the measured values are displayed on the screen 16 via color and/or resolution coding.

In addition, it can be seen from FIG. 1 that a virtual representation of the user 17 is superimposed on the representation, so that the measured values are presented to the user 17 in the selected coding.

The motion detector 2 includes electronic circuitry selected from the group consisting of: television circuitry; Satellite TV receiver circuit; Cable- tv receiver circuit; VCR circuit; DVD player circuit; computer circuits; CD player circuits; circuit for music receivers; IPTV television and/or receiver circuits; circuit for games; fluff automation circuits; receiver circuits.

It can also be seen from FIG. 1 that the movement detector 2 comprises at least one processor.

FIG. 2 shows a device according to the invention for measuring pressure and/or humidity in a first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic perspective view of an exploded drawing shown in relation to the layer arrangement.

FIG. 4 shows another exemplary embodiment of a device described here.

As can now be seen from FIG. 2, a device 100 for measuring pressure and/or humidity is shown there.

A sensor 6 is shown as an example there, the sensor 6 showing a capacitor stack with a capacitor 20 and a capacitor 30, the individual electrodes 10, 11 of the capacitors 20, 30 being arranged one above the other in the horizontal direction FI1, alternatively for this purpose, of course, an arrangement of the individual electrodes 10, 11 of a single capacitor 20, 30 in the transverse direction Q1 which runs perpendicular to the horizontal direction FI1 and thus also runs or can be arranged perpendicular to the Flaupter stretching direction of the sensor 6 shown there.

The individual electrodes 10 , 11 are arranged on a carrier material 13 . The carrier material 13 can in particular be a woven fabric, in particular a flexible woven fabric. A water-impermeable layer 4 is arranged on the carrier material 13, the two electrodes 10, 11 of the capacitor 20 being printed on this water-impermeable layer 4 in the horizontal direction H1.

The electrodes 10, 11 of the capacitor 20 are completely surrounded by another layer 14 wasserun permeable. The further capacitor 30 with corresponding electrodes 10, 11 is printed on this water-impermeable layer 14 in the same way. In addition, in the present exemplary embodiment, exposed outer surfaces of the individual electrodes 10, 11 of the further capacitor 30 are preferably completely surrounded by a water-permeable and/or water-absorbing moisture layer 7.

Via this moisture layer 7, water can impinge on a dielectric layer 4, which in the present case is arranged in the horizontal direction H1 between the respective electrodes 10, 11 of a capacitor 20, 30.

In the present exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3, the water-impermeable layer 4 itself forms a dielectric layer 4 of the capacitor 20. The same applies to the further water-impermeable layer 14 in relation to the further capacitor 30.

By impinging on and penetrating the moisture via the moisture layer 7, the dielectric properties, in particular of the dielectric layer 2 of the further capacitor 30, are changed.

In addition, a processing unit 5 can be seen, which has a data connection with the two capacitors 20, 30, this processing unit 5 being set up and provided for measuring a change in the relative humidity of the environment and/or the moisture layer 7.

Due to the "stackwise" arrangement shown in FIG exposed to moisture. The processing unit 5 can then compare a change in the capacitance of the additional capacitor 30. chen with the stable capacitor capacity of the capacitor 10, so that a particularly simple comparison can be made in the change in the relative humidity and / also the respec gene load pressure.

The arrow shown in FIG. 2 also shows a pressure direction in which the sensor 6 is subjected to pressure. Both can preferably be measured, evaluated and stored by the sensor 6 and in particular by the device 100 . The processing unit 5 shown as essential in the invention serves this purpose in particular, which can also measure and evaluate corresponding pressure values and the associated changes in the capacitance of the individual sensors 6, so that the processing unit 5 is also set up and provided for this purpose external pressure caused change in capacitance of the capacitor 20 and in particular of the other capacitor 30 to measure and / or store.

The moisture layer 7 can be flexible or non-flexible. In addition, it is possible for the moisture layer 7 to be in the form of a woven fabric. In particular, it can be a woven fabric, which was mentioned as an example in the introductory part of the present application. In addition, however, it is also possible for the moisture layer 7 to be a substrate which is applied, for example glued, to the further capacitor 30, for example in the form of an epitaxy or a gluing process.

The water-impermeable layer 14 and/or the water-impermeable layer 15 can also be flexible and non-flexible, in particular also can be formed in the form of a woven fabric or a substrate in the same manner as the moisture layer 7 .

In addition, it is advantageously conceivable that the electrodes 10, 11 of the two capacitors 20, 30 were printed onto the water-impermeable layer 14 and the further water-impermeable layer 15 in the form of a printing process, for example an inkjet printing process.

An exploded drawing is shown in FIG. 3, with the respective arrangement of the electrodes 10, 11 of the capacitors 20, 30 being evident in particular from FIG. The action of force on the sensor 6, represented by the direction of the arrow, as well as the moisture acting through the individual, schematically represented drops, can again be seen. In particular, it can again be seen that the moisture in particular between the electrodes 10, 11 penetrates and on the respective water-permeable layer 14, for example, it has a significant effect on the electrical property, so that the capacitance of at least the other capacitor 30 changes, as explained in FIG.

In another embodiment of the invention described here, FIG. 4 shows that the sensor 6 can consist of two electrodes 10 and one electrode 11 . The electrodes 10 have one polarity (preferably the same polarity), while the electrode 11 has a different polarity, but the exploded drawing of the left part of Figure 4 is shown in the right part of Figure 4 and it can be seen that three water-impermeable layers 4 , 14, 15 can be used. The electrodes 10 can also have different polarities and/or electrical potentials.

The electrodes 10 can also be electrically connected to one another.

For example, the electrodes 10, 11 can also each have and/or generate a separate polarity and/or a separate electrical potential. The same can also apply in relation to the electrodes in the following figures.

For example, the bottom waterproof layer is in turn the waterproof layer 14, the subsequent waterproof layer 15 and the waterproof layer 16 arranged thereon in the transverse direction Q1 is a further waterproof layer, with one electrode each being applied to a separate water-impermeable layer in particular is printed.

In this stacking of the individual water-impermeable layers 14, 15 and 16, the capacitor 20 shown in the left-hand part of FIG can be arranged on different levels.

Alternatively, the electrode 11 can also be applied together with at least one of the electrodes 10 in a common plane, i.e. on or in a common water-impermeable layer 4, 14, 15, so that, for example, only the second of the electrodes 10 is on a separate waterproof layer 4, 14, 15 must be stacked. In principle, therefore, the individual electrodes 10, 11 can be arranged in different planes in the Q1 direction relative to one another. For example, there is a paired association between exactly one water-impermeable layer 4, 14, 15 and exactly one electrode 10, 11.

The present invention also relates to a method for sensory detection of temperature, moisture and/or pressure on a diaper inner surface of a diaper, and a device for sensory detection of temperature, moisture and/or pressure on a diaper inner surface of a diaper according to the preambles of patent claims 1 and 9.

Previously known diapers have the disadvantage that it is not possible to monitor the child. Although there are systems that use camera technology to monitor the child while it sleeps and thus act as a kind of motion detector, this system is not only expensive but also very imprecise. In fact, the camera must always be pointed at the child, which in itself is already demanding due to the movement of the child.

The aim of the present application is therefore to ensure not only cost-effective, but also reliable and easy-to-implement diaper wearer monitoring without the need for expensive monitoring systems from an optical point of view.

For example, one surface of the sensor is in direct contact with the skin surface of the user (= diaper wearer). Alternatively, however, it is also conceivable for at least one spacer layer and/or spacer element, such as a fabric layer, to be arranged between the skin surface of the user and the surface of the sensor. In this version, the sensor and/or a processing processor of the sensor is configured in such a way that, despite the distance from the surface of the skin, conclusions can be drawn about the actual measured values directly on the skin surface via the measured values. For this purpose, a corresponding concordance table stored on the spacer layer and/or the spacer element can be stored in the processing processor, which also includes the values measured directly on the skin surface or to be prevailing compares and relates the values actually measured at a distance. It is therefore conceivable that the temperature on the side of the fabric facing away from the skin (= spacer layer) is lower than the actual surface temperature of the skin, but that the actual surface temperature of the skin can be deduced from the stored table values without the sensor being in direct contact contact with the skin surface.

According to at least one embodiment of the method of sensory detection of temperature, moisture and/or pressure on an inside surface of a diaper, a temperature, moisture and/or pressure on an inside surface of a diaper is first detected in order to determine which temperature(s), Moisture and/or pressure prevails between a skin surface of the diaper wearer and the diaper inner surface of the diaper.

According to at least one embodiment, the diaper comprises a sensor for detecting the temperature, humidity and/or pressure, the sensor being arranged on the inner surface of the diaper and measuring pressure, humidity and/or temperature on the inner surface of the diaper there , and wherein the sensor is mechanically fixed but interchangeably connected to the diaper.

According to at least one embodiment, the measured values are used to store a movement sequence and/or a speed and movement amplitude measurement of the user, in particular in a coordinate system, in front of the screen over a specified period of time and/or displayed on the screen. For example, a sensor coordinate is assigned to at least one sensor for this purpose, so that the movement within this coordinate system is measured by measuring one or more of the above-mentioned measured values.

According to at least one embodiment, the sensor connects to a monitoring device with a wireless transmission system, for example via a WLAN, so that the measured values are monitored. In this respect, a kind of “baby monitor” has been devised, which, however, in at least one embodiment, dispenses with acoustic signal sounds to the monitor and is instead used to measure at least one of the measurement values mentioned above. According to at least one embodiment, the monitoring device comprises an electronic circuit selected from the group consisting of: television circuits; satellite TV receiver viewing; cable television receiver circuit; VCR circuit; DVD player circuit; computer circuits; CD player circuits; circuit for music receivers; IPTV television and/or receiver circuits; circuit for games; home automation circuits; receiver circuits.

Furthermore, the present invention presents a device for sensory detection of temperature, humidity and/or pressure on a diaper inner surface of a diaper, with all features disclosed for the method described here also being disclosed for the device described here and vice versa.

According to at least one embodiment, the device comprises a sensor which is set up and provided for detecting a(n) temperature, humidity and/or pressure on a diaper inner surface of a diaper in order to determine which temperature, humidity and/or There is pressure between a skin surface of the diaper wearer and the diaper inner surface of the diaper. The sensor is arranged on the inner surface of the diaper and measures pressure, moisture and/or temperature on the inner surface of the diaper there, and the sensor is mechanically fixed but interchangeably connected to the diaper. According to at least one embodiment the method for sensory detection of temperature, humidity and/or pressure on a diaper inner surface of a diaper comprises at least one sensor for measuring pressure and/or humidity and/or temperature, the sensor comprising at least one capacitor with at least two electrodes which , in particular in a horizontal direction, along and on a, in particular flexible, carrier material are arranged relative to one another, with at least one dielectric layer being arranged between the electrodes.

The horizontal direction is preferably a main extension direction of the flexible carrier material.

In this context, "flexible" means that the carrier material is at least partially flexible and therefore elastic. In particular, the carrier material can be a woven fabric or some other clothing fabric, such as a polyester.

The dielectric layer thus spaces the two electrodes in a horizontal direction and/or in a transverse direction perpendicular thereto.

According to at least one embodiment, at least one electrode and/or the dielectric layer is arranged at least in places on a side facing away from the carrier material, at least one at least partially moisture-permeable and/or moisture-absorbing moisture layer, with the at least one electrode and/or dielectric layer thus being in a Arranged in the transverse direction between the carrier material and the moisture layer, so that a capacitance is at least partially changed by the moisture at least partially hitting the dielectric layer, with a processing unit being set up and provided for measuring and/or storing this change , resulting in a capacitive humidity sensor.

In principle, a capacitive humidity sensor is a capacitor whose dielectric preferably consists of a hygroscopic polymer layer that absorbs (absorbs) or releases (desorbs) moisture depending on the humidity of the ambient air until a state of equilibrium (diffusion gradient = 0) is reached. The dielectric constant of the polymer material changes as a function of the moisture content.

The task of the processing unit is, among other things, to determine the relative humidity as precisely as possible, preferably also from a measured ambient temperature and the humidity-dependent capacitance value of the sensor.

According to at least one embodiment, the device for measuring pressure and/or humidity comprises at least one sensor for measuring pressure and/or humidity, the sensor comprising at least one capacitor with at least two electrodes which, in particular, are arranged in a horizontal direction along one and are arranged in relation to one another on a particularly flexible carrier material, with at least one dielectric layer being arranged between the electrodes. According to at least one embodiment, at least one electrode and/or dielectric layer, at least one at least partially moisture-permeable and/or moisture-absorbing layer (=moisture layer), is arranged at least in places on a side facing away from the carrier material, with the at least one electrode and/or dielectric layer are arranged in the transverse direction between the carrier material and the moisture layer, so that a capacitance is at least partially changed by the moisture at least partially impinging on the dielectric layer, with a processing unit being set up and provided for measuring this change and /or to store, so that a capacitive humidity sensor is created.

The moisture layer can be formed with a dielectric material. The material of the moisture layer can be different from the material of the water-impermeable layer.

In the context of the present application, “moisture-absorbing layer” can be understood as an at least partial absorption of moisture from an environmental medium into the layer itself. Moisture can therefore be understood to mean a gaseous or droplet phase in the surrounding medium. The humidity can be contained in the ambient air or in another medium surrounding the layer.

The water or liquid content of air is generally referred to as humidity. The absolute humidity indicates how much water or liquid vapor is contained in the volume unit of the gas mixture; Unit of measure: g water (or other liquid) -m ³ . The relative humidity is the quotient of the amount of liquid vapor present in the gas at a certain temperature and the possible saturation amount of liquid vapor at the same temperature. Relative humidity is usually given as a percentage (%). To do this, the quotient is multiplied by 100. If the air is saturated, ie the relative humidity is 100%, part of the liquid in the air is liquid. In this case, the associated liquid-gas mixture of substances is referred to as haze or fog.

The term humidity or humidity can be the measure of the presence of water or other liquid in or on a material (e.g. textiles) or a substance or in a gas or in a space. The moisture-absorbing moisture layer described here can therefore differ from an in particular only liquid-absorbing (moisture) layer in that the moisture-absorbing moisture layer is made of a material which, in addition to adsorbing liquid, also absorbs moisture contained in the surrounding medium . However, it is also conceivable that the moisture-absorbing moisture layer only absorbs moisture in the medium surrounding the layer and therefore cannot absorb any liquid.

The sensor and/or the processing unit can be supplied with electrical energy by means of a battery or a mains power supply.

As an alternative or in addition, it is possible to generate electrical energy to supply the sensor and/or processing unit by means of what is known as “energy harvesting”.

Energy harvesting is the term used to describe the extraction of small amounts of electrical energy from sources such as ambient temperature, vibration or air currents for low-power mobile devices. The structures used for this are also referred to as nanogenerators. With wireless technologies, energy harvesting avoids the limitations of wired power supplies or batteries.

Possibilities of energy harvesting:

• Piezoelectric crystals generate electrical voltages when force is applied, for example through pressure or vibration. These crystals can be arranged on or on the carrier material.

• Thermoelectric generators and pyroelectric crystals generate electrical energy from temperature differences. These generators can be arranged on or on the carrier material.

• The energy of radio waves, a form of electromagnetic radiation, can be captured via antennas and used for energy. Passive RFIDs are an example of this. These antennas can be arranged on or on the carrier material.

• Photovoltaics, electrical energy from ambient lighting. • Osmosis.

In accordance with at least one embodiment, the sensor is also a capacitive pressure sensor, with the processing unit also being set up and provided for measuring and/or storing a change in capacitance of the capacitor caused by external pressure.

Basically, a capacitive sensor is a sensor that works on the basis of the change in the electrical capacitance of an individual capacitor or a capacitor system. The capacity can be influenced by the variable to be recorded in various ways, which is primarily determined by the intended use.

A capacitive sensor is based, among other things, on the fact that two electrodes, one of which can be the surface to be measured, form the “plates” of an electrical capacitor whose capacitance or change in capacitance is measured, which can be influenced as follows:

A plate is displaced and/or deformed by the effect to be measured, which changes the distance between the plates and thus the electrical capacitance that can be measured.

- The plates are rigid and the capacitance itself changes by bringing an electrically conductive material or dielectric in close proximity.

The effective plate area changes when the plates are shifted against each other like in a rotary capacitor.

In order to be able to detect even small changes better, the actual measuring electrode can often be surrounded by a shielding electrode, which shields the inhomogeneous edge area of the electrical field from the measuring electrode. This results in an approximately parallel electric field between the measuring electrodes and the counter-electrode, which is usually grounded, with the well-known characteristics of an ideal plate capacitor. A capacitive pressure sensor is in particular one in which the change in capacitance due to the deflection of a membrane and the resulting change in the distance between the plates is evaluated as a sensor effect. For example, the membrane is the above-mentioned dielectric or the individual capacitor electrodes, which can be designed in particular in the form of a plate. In other words, in such an embodiment, a capacitive humidity sensor is combined with a capacitive pressure sensor in a new way, but without these components forming separate elements or two separate sensors, rather the present embodiment is a "two in One” concept, in which the same sensor acts both as a humidity sensor and as a pressure sensor.

According to at least one embodiment, the carrier material is a woven fabric, in particular into which electrical conductor tracks for electrical contacting of the sensor and the processing unit are woven.

For the purposes of the invention, a woven fabric is therefore a fabric that has been woven manually or by machine on the basis of individual threads.

The electrical conductor tracks can therefore also be integrated in a fabric in addition to the usual fibers and fabric strands, or they can replace individual fabric strands that form the fabric network.

Depending on the spacing and properties of the individual threads (twisted, bulky, etc.), very loose fabrics such as bandage fabrics or dense fabrics such as brocade fabric can arise. Fabrics are longitudinally elastic due to rubber threads used as warp threads (more tapes are used) or crimped and bulky yarns. They are tense, processed and contract when at rest. Bulky yarns consist of textured, i.e. crimped, synthetic fibers. The crimp changes the properties of the synthetic fibers. The yarns spun on it are very elastic and voluminous and have good thermal insulation.

According to at least one embodiment, at least one electrode and/or dielectric layer is arranged on the carrier material or on a printed in particular water-impermeable layer or applied using a thin-film process.

This means that at least one element, preferably both the electrode and the dielectric layer, is printed on the carrier material or on a preferably electrically non-conductive, more preferably water-impermeable layer applied between the sensor and the carrier material using a printing process.

The printing process can be an inkjet process, for example.

For example, the processing unit is applied to the carrier material in the same way as the sensor. For this purpose, it is conceivable that the processing unit, but at least one, in particular conductive, layer of the processing unit is printed onto the carrier material, for example. The data communication between the processing unit and the sensor can then be established via the conductor tracks mentioned above. These conductor tracks can be at least partially, but preferably completely, woven into the woven fabric or even form individual fibers of the woven fabric itself.

For example, at least one electrode is designed to be flat. This means that the thickness of the electrode is negligible compared to its surface area. Such an electrode can therefore be produced in particular by means of a printing process.

As an alternative to this, a thickness of at least one electrode can be at most 5 mm. The printing process can be used several times here, so that at least two, but preferably more, individual printing layers are stacked on top of one another.

Furthermore, the electrode can also be arranged on the carrier material by means of a 3D printing process.

1. The FDM process (Fused Deposition Modeling)

Alternative designations: Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), Fused Layer Modeling (FLM)

The process refers to the layer-by-layer application (extrusion) of a material through a hot nozzle. The consumable is in the form of a long wire (so-called fila- ment) on a roll and is pushed into a print head by the conveyor unit, where it is melted and applied to a print bed. The print head and/or print bed can be moved in three directions. In this way, layers of plastic can be applied one on top of the other step by step.

2. The SLS process (Selective Laser Sintering)

In contrast to the sintering process, in which substances in powder form are bonded together under the influence of heat, this is done selectively in the SLS process using a laser (alternatively also an electron beam or infrared beam). So only a certain part of the powder is fused together.

A thin layer of powder is always applied to the print bed by the coating unit. The laser (or other energy source) is now aligned with pinpoint accuracy at individual points in the powder layer in order to form the first layer of print data. Here, the powder is melted or melted and then solidifies again through slight cooling. The unmelted powder remains around the sintered areas and serves as a support material. After a layer has solidified, the print bed lowers by a fraction of a millimeter. The coating unit now moves over the print bed and applies the next layer of powder. The second layer of print data is then sintered by the laser (or other energy source). This creates a three-dimensional object layer by layer.

3. Three Dimensional Printing (3DP)

The 3DP process works very similarly to selective laser sintering, but instead of using a directed energy source, a printhead moves over the powder. This releases tiny droplets of binder onto the underlying layers of powder, which are thus connected to one another. Otherwise, this procedure is the same as the SLS procedure.

4. Stereolithography (SLA)

Instead of a plastic wire or printing material in powder form, liquid resins, so-called photopolymers, are used in the stereolithography process. you will be hardened in layers by UV radiation and thus create three-dimensional objects. The construction platform in the Harz basin is gradually lowered for this purpose. There are also variants (the so-called Polyjet process) without a whole tank of liquid resin. For this purpose, an epoxy resin is applied drop by drop from a nozzle and immediately cured by a UV laser.

5. Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM)

Alternative designation: Layer Laminated Manufacturing (LLM)

The process is based neither on chemical reactions nor on a thermal process. It is cut along the contour with a separating tool (e.g. a knife or carbon dioxide laser), a foil or a plate (e.g. paper) and glued to one another in layers. By lowering the construction platform, a layered object is created from glued, superimposed foils.

One or more water-impermeable layers and/or also the moisture layer can be applied in the same type and/or thickness as the electrode.

According to at least one embodiment, the moisture layer covers the capacitor completely.

This can mean that the moisture layer outwards, ie in the transverse direction, delimits and closes the sensor to the outside, so that the sensor is arranged between the moisture layer and the carrier material.

In accordance with at least one embodiment, the sensor has at least one additional capacitor, which is arranged in the transverse direction below or above the capacitor and spaced apart from the capacitor by a further water-impermeable layer on or under this further water-impermeable layer, so that a capacitor stack is formed. The additional capacitor can be constructed in the same way as the capacitor and can also be arranged on the additional water-impermeable layer in the same way as the capacitor.

Using such a capacitor stack, the sensor technology can be refined in a particularly simple manner, namely insofar as it is conceivable that with two sensors forming the capacitor stack, both sensors perform the same tasks, but the individual sensors determine respective measured values that, taken together, conclude an average. For example, the (relative) humidity of the environment is measured by each of the two sensors, and the average humidity value is then determined from these two measured values. The same can be done correspondingly with the pressure measurement, so that the accuracy of the entire measurement, in particular a combination of the measurements of (relative) humidity and the respective pressure, can be configured particularly precisely.

According to at least one embodiment, the water-impermeable layer and/or the further water-impermeable layer at least partially forms the dielectric layer itself.

This can mean that instead of positioning a dielectric layer separately next to the water-impermeable layer and/or next to the further water-impermeable layer, this dielectric layer itself is formed by the water-impermeable layer and/or the further water-impermeable layer.

Such a production of the dielectric layer through the water-impermeable layer(s) therefore forms a particularly simple and cost-effective manufacturing method for a cost-effective device.

Apart from that, it can basically be provided that the electrodes, the dielectric layer and the water-impermeable layer(s) are arranged in relation to one another in such a way that an electrical short circuit is prevented in any case. According to at least one embodiment, a maximum thickness of the moisture layer is at least 30% and at most 80% of the maximum thickness of the water-impermeable layer and/or the maximum thickness of the further water-impermeable layer.

This not only ensures a particularly flat sensor, but also ensures a particularly fast reaction time to changes in humidity. The moisture acting on the moisture layer from the outside therefore does not have to travel long distances to the dielectric.

Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for measuring pressure and/or humidity, it being noted in particular that all features disclosed for the device described above are also disclosed for the method described here and vice versa.

According to at least one embodiment, the method for measuring pressure and/or humidity initially comprises a first step, by means of which at least one sensor for measuring pressure and/or humidity is provided, the sensor having at least one capacitor with at least two electrodes which, in particular in a hori zontal direction along and on one, in particular flexible, carrier material are arranged relative to one another, wherein at least one dielectric layer is arranged between the electrodes.

In accordance with at least one embodiment, at least one at least partially moisture-permeable and/or moisture-absorbing moisture layer is arranged at least in places on a side of at least one electrode and/or the dielectric layer that is remote from the carrier material, with the at least one electrode and/or the dielectric layer thus being in one Transverse direction between the carrier material and the moisture layer are arranged so that a capacitance is at least partially changed by the moisture at least partially impinging on the dielectric layer, with a proces processing unit measuring and/or storing this change, so that a capacitive moisture sensor is formed.

The method described above has the same advantages and advantageous features as the device described above. The invention described here is described in more detail below using two exemplary embodiments and the associated figures.

Components that are the same or have the same effect are provided with the same reference symbols.

FIG. 1 shows a method for sensory detection of temperature, humidity and/or pressure on an inside surface of a diaper 3. Here, the detection of a temperature, humidity and/or pressure on a diaper inner surface of a diaper 3 is shown in order to determine which temperature, humidity and/or pressure prevails between a slack surface of the diaper wearer and the diaper inner surface of the diaper 3 at least one sensor 6 for detecting the temperature, humidity and/or pressure of the diaper, which is arranged on the inner surface of the diaper 3 and measures the pressure, humidity and/or temperature on the inner surface of the diaper 3, and wherein the sensor 6 is mechanically fixed, but interchangeable, with the diaper 3 connected.

1 shows that the measured values are used to store and/or display a movement sequence and/or a speed and movement amplitude measurement and/or a speed and movement amplitude measurement of the user 17 over a specified period of time and/or display them on the screen 16.

The sensor 6 connects to a monitoring device using a wireless transmission system, for example via a WLAN, so that the measured values are monitored.

If individual limit values specified for the measured values are exceeded or not reached, an alarm function is triggered by the monitoring device, with at least one of the measured values measured being stored, evaluated and/or displayed electronically on a screen 16 in an adjustable manner.

FIG. 2 shows a device according to the invention for measuring pressure and/or humidity in a first exemplary embodiment. FIG. 3 shows a schematic perspective view of an exploded drawing shown in relation to the layer arrangement.

FIG. 4 shows another exemplary embodiment of a device described here.

As can now be seen from FIG. 2, a device 100 for measuring pressure and/or humidity is shown there.

As an example, a sensor 6 is shown there, the sensor 6 showing a capacitor stack with a capacitor 20 and a capacitor 30, the individual electrodes 10, 11 of the capacitors 20, 30 being arranged one above the other in the horizontal direction H1, alternatively for this purpose, of course, an arrangement of the individual electrodes 10, 11 of a single capacitor 20, 30 in the transverse direction Q1 which runs perpendicular to the horizontal direction H1 and thus also perpendicular to the Flaupter stretching direction of the sensor 6 shown there can run or be arranged.

The individual electrodes 10 , 11 are arranged on a carrier material 13 . The carrier material 13 can in particular be a woven fabric, in particular a flexible woven fabric.

A water-impermeable layer 4 is arranged on the carrier material 13, the two electrodes 10, 11 of the capacitor 20 being printed on this water-impermeable layer 4 in the horizontal direction H1.

The electrodes 10, 11 of the capacitor 20 are completely surrounded by another layer 14 wasserun permeable. The further capacitor 30 with corresponding electrodes 10, 11 is printed on this water-impermeable layer 14 in the same way. In addition, in the present exemplary embodiment, exposed outer surfaces of the individual electrodes 10, 11 of the further capacitor 30 are preferably completely surrounded by a water-permeable and/or water-absorbing moisture layer 7. Via this moisture layer 7, water can impinge on a dielectric layer 4, which in the present case is arranged in the horizontal direction H1 between the respective electrodes 10, 11 of a capacitor 20, 30.

In the present exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3, the water-impermeable layer 4 itself forms a dielectric layer 4 of the capacitor 20. The same applies to the further water-impermeable layer 14 in relation to the further capacitor 30.

By impinging on and penetrating the moisture via the moisture layer 7, the dielectric properties, in particular of the dielectric layer 2 of the further capacitor 30, are changed.

In addition, a processing unit 5 can be seen, which has a data connection with the two capacitors 20, 30, this processing unit 5 being set up and provided for measuring a change in the relative humidity of the environment and/or the moisture layer 7.

Due to the "stackwise" arrangement shown in FIG exposed to moisture. For this purpose, the processing unit 5 can then compare a change in the capacitance of the additional capacitor 30 with the stable capacitor capacitance of the capacitor 10, so that a particularly simple comparison can be made in the change in the relative humidity and/or the respective load pressure.

The arrow shown in FIG. 2 also shows a pressure direction in which the sensor 6 is subjected to pressure. Both can preferably be measured, evaluated and stored by the sensor 6 and in particular by the device 100 . The processing unit 5 shown as essential in the invention serves this purpose in particular, which can also measure and evaluate corresponding pressure values and the associated changes in the capacitance of the individual sensors 6, so that the processing unit 5 is additionally set up and provided for this purpose a change in capacitance of the capacitor 20 and in particular also of the further capacitor 30 caused by external pressure is to be measured and/or stored.

The moisture layer 7 can be flexible or non-flexible. In addition, it is possible for the moisture layer 7 to be in the form of a woven fabric. In particular, it can be a woven fabric, which was mentioned as an example in the introductory part of the present application. In addition, however, it is also possible for the moisture layer 7 to be a substrate which is applied, for example glued, to the further capacitor 30, for example in the form of an epitaxy or a gluing process.

The water-impermeable layer 14 and/or the water-impermeable layer 15 can also be flexible and non-flexible, in particular also can be formed in the form of a woven fabric or a substrate in the same manner as the moisture layer 7 .

In addition, it is advantageously conceivable that the electrodes 10, 11 of the two capacitors 20, 30 were printed onto the water-impermeable layer 14 and the further water-impermeable layer 15 in the form of a printing process, for example an inkjet printing process.

An exploded drawing is shown in FIG. 3, with the respective arrangement of the electrodes 10, 11 of the capacitors 20, 30 being evident in particular from FIG. The action of force on the sensor 6, represented by the direction of the arrow, as well as the moisture acting through the individual, schematically represented drops, can again be seen. In particular, it can again be seen that the moisture penetrates in particular between the electrodes 10, 11 and has a significant effect on the electrical properties of the respective water-permeable layer 14, for example, so that the capacitance of at least the other capacitor 30 changes as shown in Figure 2 explained each changes.

In another embodiment of the invention described here, FIG. 4 shows that the sensor 6 can consist of two electrodes 10 and one electrode 11 . The electrodes 10 have one polarity (preferably the same polarity), while the electrode 11 has a different polarity, but the exploded drawing of the left part of Figure 4 is shown in the right part of Figure 4 and it can be seen that three water-impermeable layers 4 , 14, 15 can be used. The electrodes 10 can also have different polarities and/or electrical potentials.

The electrodes 10 can also be electrically connected to one another.

For example, the electrodes 10, 11 can also each have and/or generate a separate polarity and/or a separate electrical potential. The same can also apply in relation to the electrodes in the following figures.

For example, the bottom waterproof layer is in turn the waterproof layer 14, the subsequent waterproof layer 15 and the waterproof layer 16 arranged thereon in the transverse direction Q1 is a further waterproof layer, with one electrode each being applied to a separate water-impermeable layer in particular is printed.

In this stacking of the individual water-impermeable layers 14, 15 and 16, the capacitor 20 shown in the left-hand part of FIG can be arranged on different levels.

Alternatively, the electrode 11 can also be applied together with at least one of the electrodes 10 in a common plane, i.e. on or in a common water-impermeable layer 4, 14, 15, so that, for example, only the second of the electrodes 10 is on a separate waterproof layer 4, 14, 15 must be stacked.

In principle, therefore, the individual electrodes 10, 11 can be arranged in different planes in the Q1 direction relative to one another. For example, there is a paired association between exactly one water-impermeable layer 4, 14, 15 and exactly one electrode 10, 11.

The present invention relates to a back mattress, in particular a modular back mattress, to improve lying comfort, an exchangeable mattress module and an exchangeable adjustment module according to the respective preambles of independent claims 1 and 10. In particular, the present invention relates to a back mattress for improving the comfort of lying down, the modular back mattress comprising at least one mattress base support.

The particularly modular back mattress proposed here is suitable, among other things, for the treatment of flexion contractures in the hip area and hollow back malpositions as well as for better support of the lordosis area, particularly in the case of side sleepers.

The mattress base support has a bottom surface for arranging on a support element, in particular for arranging on a bed frame, a top surface which is designed and intended for a user to lie down on it, and at least one side surface which mechanically connects the bottom surface to the top surface , on.

According to at least one embodiment, the back mattress, in particular a modular back mattress, has at least one sensor for measuring pressure, temperature and/or humidity on a mattress surface, which is the one that is set up and intended for this purpose and is in at least indirect contact with a user to come, wherein the sensor forwards the measured values to a control and evaluation unit, which decides whether the user is in a previously set user ideal reclining position.

In particular, the mattress base support can be a three-dimensional element in the form of a cuboid according to its outer contours.

The mattress base support is preferably flexible and/or deformable at least in places.

For example, the mattress base support is designed to be point-elastic, at least in places. This can mean that, in relation to the mattress base support, there is a certain form of elasticity in which the material only yields at exactly one point where pressure is also exerted. In this way, the contact pressure can be distributed so that the body parts are not compressed but can be relieved. As a result, only those parts of the body that are supposed to sink sink in. Where no pressure is exerted, the body is supported, because the supporting force is retained in these areas. Point-elastic modular back mattresses can thus offer orthopedically correct positioning. Thanks to their properties, point-elastic mattresses can guarantee optimal adaptation to the body.

In particular, the mattress base support can be formed at least in places alternatively or additionally with a viscoelastic material. Viscoelastic refers to material behavior that is both elastic and viscous. Viscoelastic materials combine the properties of solids and liquids. The visco-elastic foam exactly replicates the body impression and offers no counter-pressure. This is the reason why the visco-elastic foam is additionally applied to a cold foam panel of the mattress base support, so the supporting force of the mattress is guaranteed. For example, the foam is a "Feel-Pure foam".

In particular, cuts of a specific cutting depth (but less than a thickness of the mattress base support) can be made in the material of the modular back mattress in the top, side and bottom surfaces at least in places.

In their entirety, these individual cuts can depict matrix-shaped surface cubes in the top surface, the side surface and/or the bottom surface. A surface designed in this way is therefore one that offers good lying properties on the basis of a cube-cut technique, in which the surface tension of the foam of the modular back mattress is broken up at least in places and at least partially. The mattress can thus adapt precisely to the body. In addition, a modular back mattress designed in this way offers good moisture transport through the cut-out grooves (ie the cuts) and permanent absorption of odors.

The mattress base support is preferably a base support that differs from a classic mattress core. This means that the mattress base carrier is different from such a mattress base carrier and/or different from such a mattress core on which, without the arrangement of further mattress components, it is set up and intended for a user to lie down on it. In other words, the mattress base support can only be such a core component of the modular back mattress described here, which only in connection with at least one further element in its entirety forms the modular back mattress and also only in connection with this further element is suitable, set up and intended for a user to lie down on it.

However, it is also conceivable that the cube cut described above is used instead of the hybrid module described above in order to offer a fully functional mattress.

According to at least one embodiment, the mattress surface is adjusted and changed by means of an adjustment element according to the pre-set user-ideal lying positions, in particular with respect to a height profile of the user interface and/or a degree of hardness of the mattress base support.

According to at least one embodiment, on the basis of the measured values, after the end of a detection time, the evaluation unit clearly, preferably one-to-one, establishes which user has just taken a seat on the mattress base support.

According to at least one embodiment, the degree of hardness of the mattress base support uses an adjustment element to set the mattress surface according to the previously set ideal lying position for the user and changes it, in particular by means of control elements arranged inside the mattress base support, such as a, more particularly linear, control motor, which has a control element such as for example a lever element, a foam element, drives a resistance element within the mattress base.

Put simply, it is conceivable that the mattress base support, viewed in and of itself, is not yet set up and intended to serve to improve lying comfort. This is only made possible by a further element which, in connection with the mattress base support, can guarantee an improvement in lying comfort according to the invention. According to the invention, this further element is now an exchangeable mattress module, which is an element of the modular back mattress.

In this respect, the modular back mattress described here comprises at least one interchangeable mattress module, which is detachably connected and/or connectable to the mattress base in an anchoring area of the mattress base and, with a surface expansion of the anchoring area along a main extension direction of the mattress base sisträgers is at least in places larger than a surface area of the mattress module in the main plane.

Within the meaning of the invention, an anchoring area is such a three-dimensional area formed by the mattress base support on or in the mattress base support, which has at least one bottom surface and at least one side wall, but preferably two side walls, with both the bottom surface and the side wall being formed by the mattress base support itself are formed.

This ensures that the mattress module can be inserted into the anchoring area preferably without tools and in particular manually, but in any case particularly easily. The mattress module is preferably positioned in this anchoring area in a self-retaining but detachable manner. This can mean that for the permanent attachment of the mattress module within the anchoring area, this can be attached or attached without tools.

According to at least one embodiment, the sensor is installed in the exchangeable mattress module.

It is conceivable that the anchoring area is a three-dimensional recess within the mattress base support that is designed in such a way that the boundary walls of the anchoring area are positively adapted to the outer surfaces of the mattress module and are in direct contact with it.

However, it is also conceivable that a surface area of the anchoring area along a main extension plane of the mattress base support is designed to be so large that the mattress module and its surface area make up a fraction of the area extension of the anchoring area. In other words, in this case the anchoring area is deliberately made larger than the mattress module itself, so that a gap remains between the mattress module and the anchoring area, which is also immediately noticeable to the user from the outside. For example, a surface area of the anchoring area along the main extension plane is at least 1.2 times, preferably 1.5 times larger than a surface area of the mattress module. In particular, the length of the anchoring area in the lying direction can be at least 1.2, preferably 1.5 times greater than the length of the mattress module in the lying direction.

For example, the mattress module is spatially fixed to the mattress base support via a superstructure layer that is detachably applied to the top surface and the outer surface of the mattress module.

In particular, the mattress module can be arranged displaceably and/or displaceably along the main extension direction and within the anchoring area. If the surface area of the anchoring area is larger than the surface area of the mattress module by the factor described above, the respective user has the option of shifting and/or moving the mattress module within the anchoring area depending on his or her needs, in particular, or only in the longitudinal direction . In other words, in this case the module does not fill the anchoring area completely, but only partially.

For example, the mattress base support is a one-piece three-dimensional object. In this respect it is conceivable that the mattress base support was manufactured, for example foamed, in a single process step.

For example, the mattress module is a one-piece three-dimensional object. In this respect it is conceivable that the mattress module was manufactured, for example foamed, in a single process step.

It is conceivable that a material of the mattress module is different from a material of the mattress base support. In particular, these two elements can have different degrees of hardness.

According to at least one embodiment, the modular back mattress according to the invention described here comprises at least one mattress base support to improve lying comfort, the mattress base support having a floor surface for arranging on a Support element, in particular for arranging on a bed frame, has a top surface which is designed and provided for a user to lie down on it, and at least one side surface which mechanically connects the bottom surface to the top surface.

According to the invention, the modular back mattress comprises at least one interchangeable mattress module, which is and/or can be detachably connected to the mattress base support in an anchoring area thereof, and wherein a surface area of the anchoring area along a main plane of extension of this mattress base support is at least in places greater than a surface area of the mattress module in the main plane of extension . The anchoring area can be introduced in the form of a recess arranged in the mattress module carrier from the direction of the top surface.

According to at least one embodiment, the anchoring area has an area that is at least partially open towards the top surface, the anchoring area thus being introduced into the mattress base support in the form of a depression, the depression in particular being open at least in places only toward the top surface. In this case, therefore, the recess can even be designed in the form of a depression.

In this respect, the depression in the mattress base support has a depth which is less than a thickness of the mattress base support. In a direction perpendicular to the main extension plane of the mattress base support, the thickness of the mattress base support is therefore smaller in the area or within the anchoring area than in an area of the mattress base support formed outside of the anchoring area.

For example, however, the thickness of the mattress base support in the area of the anchoring area is at least 10%, preferably more than 20%, of a maximum thickness expansion of the mattress base support. This ensures that the entire mattress base support remains stable and preferably also self-supporting. If the anchoring area, ie the depression, were formed too deep in the mattress base support, it could tear in the area of the anchoring area under heavy use. This should be avoided at all costs. According to at least one embodiment, the mattress module has at least one outer surface, which has a surface curvature at least in places, so that when the mattress base support is in the inserted state, this curved outer surface has and/or forms a curvature in the direction of a lying surface of the mattress base support. This outer surface is preferably part of the lying surface of the modular back mattress.

For example, the lying direction is parallel to a main extension direction of the mattress base support.

If you now go from a head section of the mattress base support in the direction of a foot section of the mattress base support, you have to overcome an elevation of a certain curvature on the way there. This elevation is generated by the mattress module and is formed by the curved outer surface of the mattress module described above. It is conceivable that the mattress module within the main plane of extent, however, runs in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction in the inserted state without any curvature, for example in a straight line.

According to at least one embodiment, an anchoring surface of the mattress module opposite the outer surface of the mattress module has at least one anchoring element at least in places, which is anchored detachably in a form-fitting manner in at least one counter-anchoring element in a floor of the anchoring area. The anchoring surface is part of the mattress module.

In particular, the at least one counter-anchoring element itself forms the bottom of the anchoring area at least in places.

For example, the two anchoring elements form a conical toothing for the detachable fixing of the mattress module within the anchoring area. It is conceivable in this context that this outer surface of the mattress module is formed by at least one anchoring tooth protruding from the mattress module, which can be pushed into a corresponding anchoring sink (=counter-anchoring element) of the mattress base body in the anchoring area from above but can be detachably pressed. In this respect, it is conceivable that the mattress module has at least one, in particular conical outwardly tapering anchoring tooth which can be inserted into a corresponding de anchoring depression of the mattress base support. Slipping at least in the lying direction of the mattress module within the anchoring area is therefore avoided.

According to at least one embodiment, the modular back mattress comprises at least one exchangeable adjustment module, which is and/or can be detachably connected to the anchoring area of the mattress base support and wherein a surface area of the anchoring area along a main plane of extension of the mattress base support is at least in places larger than a surface area of the mattress base support Adjustment module in the main extension plane.

In particular, a surface area of the anchoring area can be dimensioned in such a way that the adjustment module can be displaced and/or shifted along the main plane of extension and within the anchoring area. For example, in the anchoring area of the mattress base support, both the mattress module and at least one interchangeable adjustment module described here are detachably arranged along the reclining direction next to the mattress module. The interchangeable adjustment module described here can also be inserted in the anchoring area in the same form and manner as the mattress module, so that the adjustment module also has at least one anchoring tooth projecting away from itself, which can be inserted into a corresponding anchoring recess within the anchoring area .

According to at least one embodiment, the sensor comprises the following components: at least one capacitor with at least two electrodes, which are arranged relative to one another, in particular in a horizontal direction along and on a, in particular flexible, carrier material, with at least one dielectric layer arranged between the electrodes at least one at least partially moisture-permeable and/or moisture-absorbing moisture layer is arranged at least in places on a side of at least one electrode and/or the dielectric layer facing away from the carrier material, the at least one electrode and/or the dielectric layer thus being arranged in a transverse direction between the carrier material and the moisture layer are arranged so that a capacitance is at least partially changed by the moisture at least partially hitting the dielectric layer, with a processing unit for this purpose directed and intended to measure and/or store this change, so that a capacitive humidity sensor is created.

The horizontal direction is preferably a main extension direction of the flexible carrier material.

In this context, "flexible" means that the carrier material is at least partially flexible and therefore elastic.

In particular, the carrier material can be a woven fabric or some other clothing fabric, such as a polyester.

The dielectric layer thus spaces the two electrodes in a horizontal direction and/or in a transverse direction perpendicular thereto.

According to at least one embodiment, at least one electrode and/or the dielectric layer is arranged at least in places on a side facing away from the carrier material, at least one at least partially moisture-permeable and/or moisture-absorbing moisture layer, with the at least one electrode and/or dielectric layer thus being in a are arranged in the transverse direction between the carrier material and the moisture layer, so that a capacitance is at least partially changed by the moisture at least partially hitting the dielectric layer, with a processing unit being set up and provided for measuring and/or storing this change, creating a capacitive humidity sensor.

In principle, a capacitive humidity sensor is a capacitor whose dielectric preferably consists of a hygroscopic polymer layer that absorbs (absorbs) or releases (desorbs) moisture depending on the humidity of the ambient air until a state of equilibrium (diffusion gradient = 0) is reached. The dielectric constant of the polymer material changes as a function of the moisture content.

The task of the processing unit is, among other things, to determine the relative humidity as precisely as possible, preferably also from a measured ambient temperature and the humidity-dependent capacitance value of the sensor. According to at least one embodiment, the device for measuring pressure and/or humidity and/or temperature comprises at least one sensor for measuring pressure and/or humidity and/or temperature, the sensor comprising at least one capacitor with at least two electrodes, which in particular are arranged in a horizontal direction along and on a particularly flexible carrier material to one another, with at least one dielectric layer being arranged between the electrodes.

According to at least one embodiment, at least one electrode and/or dielectric layer, at least one at least partially moisture-permeable and/or moisture-absorbing layer (=moisture layer), is arranged at least in places on a side facing away from the carrier material, with the at least one electrode and/or dielectric layer are arranged in the transverse direction between the carrier material and the moisture layer, so that a capacitance is at least partially changed by the moisture at least partially impinging on the dielectric layer, with a processing unit being set up and provided for measuring and/or measuring this change store so that a capacitive humidity sensor is created.

The moisture layer can be formed with a dielectric material. The material of the moisture layer can be different from the material of the water-impermeable layer.

In the context of the present application, “moisture-absorbing layer” can be understood as an at least partial absorption of moisture from an environmental medium into the layer itself. Moisture can therefore be understood to mean a gaseous or droplet phase in the surrounding medium. The humidity can be contained in the ambient air or in another medium surrounding the layer.

The water or liquid content of air is generally referred to as humidity. The absolute humidity indicates how much water or liquid vapor is contained in the volume unit of the gas mixture; Unit of measurement: g. Water (or other liquid) -rn ³ · The relative humidity is the quotient of the amount of liquid vapor present in the gas at a certain temperature and the possible saturation amount of liquid vapor at the same temperature. Usually the relative air humidity given in percent (%). To do this, the quotient is multiplied by 100. If the air is saturated, ie the relative humidity is 100%, part of the liquid in the air is liquid. In this case, the associated liquid-gas mixture of substances is referred to as haze or fog.

The term humidity or humidity can be the measure of the presence of water or other liquid in or on a material (e.g. textiles) or a substance or in a gas or in a space.

The moisture-absorbing moisture layer described here can therefore differ from an in particular merely liquid-absorbing (moisture) layer, among other things, in that the moisture-absorbing moisture layer is made of a material which, in addition to the adsorption of liquid, also absorbs moisture contained in the surrounding medium absorbed. However, it is also conceivable that the moisture-absorbing moisture layer only absorbs moisture in the medium surrounding the layer and therefore cannot absorb any liquid.

The sensor and/or the processing unit can be supplied with electrical energy by means of a battery or a mains power supply.

As an alternative or in addition, it is possible to generate electrical energy to supply the sensor and/or processing unit by means of what is known as “energy harvesting”.

Energy harvesting is the term used to describe the extraction of small amounts of electrical energy from sources such as ambient temperature, vibration or air currents for low-power mobile devices. The structures used for this are also referred to as nanogenerators. With wireless technologies, energy harvesting avoids the limitations of wired power supplies or batteries.

Possibilities of energy harvesting:

• Piezoelectric crystals generate electrical voltages when force is applied, for example through pressure or vibration. These crystals can be arranged on or on the carrier material. • Thermoelectric generators and pyroelectric crystals generate electrical energy from temperature differences. These generators can be arranged on or on the carrier material.

• The energy of radio waves, a form of electromagnetic radiation, can be captured via antennas and used for energy. Passive RFIDs are an example of this. These antennas can be arranged on or on the carrier material.

• Photovoltaics, electrical energy from ambient lighting.

• Osmosis.

In accordance with at least one embodiment, the sensor is also a capacitive pressure sensor, with the processing unit also being set up and provided for measuring and/or storing a change in capacitance of the capacitor caused by external pressure.

Basically, a capacitive sensor is a sensor that works on the basis of the change in the electrical capacitance of an individual capacitor or a capacitor system. The capacity can be influenced by the variable to be recorded in various ways, which is primarily determined by the intended use.

A capacitive sensor is based, among other things, on the fact that two electrodes, one of which can be the surface to be measured, form the “plates” of an electrical capacitor whose capacitance or change in capacitance is measured, which can be influenced as follows:

A plate is displaced and/or deformed by the effect to be measured, which changes the distance between the plates and thus the electrical capacitance that can be measured.

- The plates are rigid and the capacitance itself changes by bringing an electrically conductive material or dielectric in close proximity.

The effective plate area changes when the plates are shifted against each other like in a rotary capacitor. In order to be able to detect even small changes better, the actual measuring electrode can often be surrounded by a shielding electrode, which shields the inhomogeneous edge area of the electrical field from the measuring electrode. This results in an approximately parallel electric field between the measuring electrodes and the counter-electrode, which is usually grounded, with the well-known characteristics of an ideal plate capacitor.

A capacitive pressure sensor is, in particular, one in which the change in capacitance as a result of the deflection of a membrane and the resulting change in the distance between the plates is evaluated as a sensor effect. For example, the membrane is the above-mentioned dielectric or the individual capacitor electrodes, which can be designed in particular in the form of a plate. In other words, in such an embodiment, a capacitive humidity sensor is combined with a capacitive pressure sensor in a new way, but without these components forming separate elements or two separate sensors, rather the present embodiment is a “two in one “ concept in which the same sensor acts as both a humidity sensor and a pressure sensor.

According to at least one embodiment, the carrier material is a woven fabric, in particular into which electrical conductor tracks for electrical contacting of the sensor and the processing unit are woven.

For the purposes of the invention, a woven fabric is therefore a fabric that has been woven manually or by machine on the basis of individual threads.

The electrical conductor tracks can therefore also be integrated in a fabric in addition to the usual fibers and fabric strands, or they can replace individual fabric strands that form the fabric network.

Depending on the spacing and properties of the individual threads (twisted, bulky, etc.), very loose fabrics such as bandage fabrics or dense fabrics such as brocade fabric can arise. Fabrics are longitudinally elastic due to rubber threads used as warp threads (more tapes are used) or crimped and bulky yarns. They are tense, processed and contract when at rest. Bulky yarns consist of textured, i.e. crimped, synthetic fibers. The crimp changes the properties shafts of synthetic fibers. The yarns spun on it are very elastic and voluminous and have good thermal insulation.

According to at least one embodiment, at least one electrode and/or dielectric layer is printed on the carrier material or on a particularly water-impermeable layer arranged on the carrier material or applied by means of a thin-film process.

This means that at least one element, preferably both the electrode and the dielectric layer, is printed on the carrier material or on a preferably electrically non-conductive, more preferably water-impermeable layer applied between the sensor and the carrier material using a printing process.

The printing process can be an inkjet process, for example.

For example, the processing unit is applied to the carrier material in the same way as the sensor. For this purpose, it is conceivable that the processing unit, but at least one, in particular conductive, layer of the processing unit is printed onto the carrier material, for example. The data communication between the processing unit and the sensor can then be established via the conductor tracks mentioned above. These conductor tracks can be at least partially, but preferably completely, woven into the woven fabric or even form individual fibers of the woven fabric itself.

For example, at least one electrode is designed to be flat. This means that the thickness of the electrode is negligible compared to its surface area. Such an electrode can therefore be produced in particular by means of a printing process.

As an alternative to this, a thickness of at least one electrode can be at most 5 mm. The printing process can be used several times here, so that at least two, but preferably more, individual printing layers are stacked on top of one another.

Furthermore, the electrode can also be arranged on the carrier material by means of a 3D printing process.

1. The FD process (fused deposition odeling) Alternative designations: Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), Fused Layer Modeling (FLM)

The process refers to the layer-by-layer application (extrusion) of a material through a hot nozzle. The consumable material is in the form of a long wire (so-called filament) on a roll and is pushed by the conveyor unit into a print head, where it is melted and applied to a print bed. The print head and/or print bed can be moved in three directions. In this way, layers of plastic can be applied one on top of the other step by step.

2. The SLS process (Selective Laser Sintering)

In contrast to the sintering process, in which substances in powder form are connected to one another under the influence of a wire, this is done selectively in the SLS process using a laser (alternatively also an electron beam or infrared beam). So only a certain part of the powder is fused together.

A thin layer of powder is always applied to the print bed by the coating unit. The laser (or other energy source) is now aligned with pinpoint accuracy at individual points in the powder layer in order to form the first layer of print data. Here, the powder is melted or melted and then solidifies again through slight cooling. The unmelted powder remains around the sintered areas and serves as a support material. After a layer has solidified, the print bed lowers by a fraction of a millimeter. The coating unit now moves over the print bed and applies the next layer of powder. The second layer of print data is then sintered by the laser (or other energy source). This creates a three-dimensional object layer by layer.

3. Three Dimensional Printing (3DP)

The 3DP process works very similarly to selective laser sintering, but instead of using a directed energy source, a printhead moves over the powder. This releases tiny droplets of binder onto the underlying layers of powder, which are thus connected to one another. Otherwise, this procedure is the same as the SLS procedure. 4. Stereolithography (SLA)

Instead of a plastic wire or printing material in powder form, liquid resins, so-called photopolymers, are used in the stereolithography process. They are hardened in layers by UV radiation and thus create three-dimensional objects. The construction platform in the Harz basin is gradually lowered for this purpose. There are also variants (the so-called Polyjet process) without a whole tank of liquid resin. For this purpose, an epoxy resin is applied drop by drop from a nozzle and immediately cured by a UV laser.

5. Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM)

Alternative designation: Layer Laminated Manufacturing (LLM)

The process is based neither on chemical reactions nor on a thermal process. It is cut along the contour with a separating tool (e.g. a knife or carbon dioxide laser), a foil or a plate (e.g. paper) and glued to one another in layers. By lowering the construction platform, a layered object is created from glued, superimposed foils.

One or more water-impermeable layers and/or also the moisture layer can be applied in the same type and/or thickness as the electrode.

According to at least one embodiment, the moisture layer covers the capacitor completely.

This can mean that the moisture layer delimits and closes off the sensor to the outside, ie in the transverse direction, so that the sensor is arranged between the moisture layer and the carrier material.

In accordance with at least one embodiment, the sensor has at least one additional capacitor, which is arranged in the transverse direction below or above the capacitor and spaced apart from the capacitor by a further water-impermeable layer on or under this further water-impermeable layer, so that a capacitor stack is formed. The additional capacitor can be constructed in the same way as the capacitor and can also be arranged on the additional water-impermeable layer in the same way as the capacitor.

Using such a capacitor stack, the sensor system can be refined in a particularly simple manner, namely insofar as it is conceivable that with two sensors forming the capacitor stack, both sensors perform the same tasks, but the respective measured values are determined by the individual sensors, which together conclude an average value to let. For example, the (relative) humidity of the environment is measured by each of the two sensors, and the average humidity value is then determined from these two measured values. The same can be done correspondingly with the pressure measurement, so that the accuracy of the entire measurement, in particular a combination of the measurements of (relative) humidity and the respective pressure, can be configured particularly precisely.

According to at least one embodiment, the water-impermeable layer and/or the further water-impermeable layer at least partially forms the dielectric layer itself.

This can mean that instead of positioning a dielectric layer separately next to the water-impermeable layer and/or next to the further water-impermeable layer, this dielectric layer itself is formed by the water-impermeable layer and/or the further water-impermeable layer.

Such a production of the dielectric layer through the water-impermeable layer(s) therefore forms a particularly simple and cost-effective manufacturing method for a cost-effective device.

Apart from that, the electrodes, the dielectric layer and the water-impermeable layer(s) can in principle be arranged in relation to one another in such a way that an electrical short circuit is prevented in any case. According to at least one embodiment, a maximum thickness of the moisture layer is at least 30% and at most 80% of the maximum thickness of the water-impermeable layer and/or the maximum thickness of the further water-impermeable layer.

This not only ensures a particularly flat sensor, but also ensures a particularly fast reaction time to changes in humidity. The moisture acting on the moisture layer from the outside therefore does not have to travel long distances to the dielectric.

Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for measuring pressure and/or humidity, it being noted in particular that all features disclosed for the device described above are also disclosed for the method described here and vice versa.

According to at least one embodiment, the method for measuring pressure and/or humidity initially comprises a first step by means of which at least one sensor for measuring pressure and/or humidity is provided, the sensor having at least one capacitor with at least two electrodes which, in particular are arranged in a hori zontal direction along and on a, in particular flexible, carrier material to one another, with at least one dielectric cal layer being arranged between the electrodes.

In accordance with at least one embodiment, at least one at least partially moisture-permeable and/or moisture-absorbing moisture layer is arranged at least in places on a side of at least one electrode and/or the dielectric layer that is remote from the carrier material, with the at least one electrode and/or the dielectric layer thus being in one Transverse direction between the carrier material and the moisture layer are arranged so that a capacitance is at least partially changed by the moisture at least partially impinging on the dielectric layer, with a proces processing unit measuring and/or storing this change, so that a capacitive moisture sensor is formed.

The method described above has the same advantages and advantageous features as the device described above. The adjustment module described here acts as a gap filler for a gap that may also exist within the anchoring area after the mattress module has been inserted into the anchoring area.

Preferably, after the additional insertion of at least one exchangeable adjustment module in the anchoring area in the lying direction next to the mattress module, the anchoring area is completely filled within the scope of manufacturing accuracy. In this respect, there is then no longer any predefinable dead volume within the anchoring area, in which, for example, a further adjustment module and/or a further mattress module and/or a further three-dimensional element, particularly as part of a recommended operation of the modular back mattress, can be inserted .

In such a case, the modular back mattress is then fully occupied. In particular, only then can the modular back mattress be operational in this case.

The material of the adjustment module can be identical to the material of the mattress base support. The material can be a cold foam material.

According to at least one embodiment, the interchangeable adjustment module, when inserted into the anchoring area, forms an at least partially level surface with the top surface of the mattress base support. For example, after it has been inserted into the anchoring area, a top surface of the adjustment module is level with a top surface of the mattress base support.

For example, an extension of the mattress module in the lying direction is at least 1.2, preferably at least 1.5 times greater than an extension of the adjustment module in the lying direction.

For example, when assembled, the mattress module protrudes at least 3 cm, but preferably more than 5 cm, from the top surface of the mattress base support in the thickness direction (a direction perpendicular to the main plane of extension). This may mean that the curved outer surface of the mattress module is at its highest Point protrudes by at least 3 cm, but preferably more than 5 cm, from the top surface of the mattress base carrier.

According to at least one embodiment, the interchangeable adjustment module and the interchangeable mattress module are each arranged next to one another in the main extension plane and in particular in the lying direction when inserted into the anchoring area.

This juxtaposition therefore guarantees that the only bump formed along the entire modular back mattress is that of the mattress module, in other words the modular back mattress is free of bumps formed alongside the mattress module. For example, the modular back mattress has only a single elevation, namely that which is generated by the mattress module itself.

Furthermore, the present invention comprises an exchangeable mattress module for detachable anchoring in a modular back mattress according to at least one of the above-mentioned embodiments.

That is, all of the features and advantages set forth for the modular back mattress described above are also disclosed for the replaceable mattress module described herein, and vice versa.

According to at least one embodiment, the mattress module has an outer surface at least in places, which has a surface curvature at least in places, so that when the mattress module is inserted into the mattress base support, this curved outer surface has and/or forms a curvature in the direction of a lying direction of the mattress base support.

Furthermore, the present invention comprises a replaceable adjustment element for releasably anchoring in a modular back mattress according to at least one of the embodiments set forth above. That is, all of the embodiment advantages disclosed for the modular back mattress above are also disclosed for the interchangeable adjustment modules described herein, and vice versa. According to at least one embodiment, an anchoring surface of the adjustment module opposite an outer surface of the adjustment module has at least in places at least one anchoring element which can be releasably anchored in a form-fitting manner in at least one counter-anchoring element in a bottom of the anchoring area. For example, the outer surface of the adjustment module, as part of the lying surface, is flat and, in particular, free of curvature.

The invention described here is described in more detail below with reference to corresponding figures.

Components that are the same or have the same effect are provided with the same reference symbols.

Figure 6 shows a back mattress 100, in particular a modular back mattress, for improving lying comfort, which comprises at least one mattress base support 1, the mattress base support 1 having a bottom surface 16 for arrangement on a support element, in particular for arrangement on a bed frame, a top surface 17, which set up and intended for a user to lie down on, at least one side surface 18 which mechanically connects the bottom surface 16 to the top surface 17.

It can also be seen from FIG. 6 that the mattress has at least one sensor 6 for measuring pressure, temperature and/or humidity on a mattress surface, which is the one that is set up and intended for this purpose and is in at least indirect contact with a user to come, wherein the sensor 6 forwards the measured values to a control and evaluation unit 5, which decides whether the user is in a previously set user-ideal lying position.

It can also be seen from Figure 6 that an adjustment element 3 is used to set and change the mattress surface in accordance with the previously set ideal lying position for the user, in particular with regard to a height profile of the user surface and/or a degree of hardness of the mattress base support 1.

FIG. 6 also shows that, on the basis of the measured values, after a detection time has ended, the evaluation unit 5 unequivocally, preferably one-to-one, establishes which user has just taken a seat on the mattress base support 1.

In addition, it can be seen from Figure 6 that the degree of hardness of the mattress base support 1 adjusts and changes the mattress surface by means of an adjustment element 3 in accordance with the pre-set ideal lying position for the user, in particular by means of adjusting elements arranged inside the mattress base support 1, such as, for example, a particularly linear servo motor. which drives an actuating element, such as a lever element, a foam element, a resistance element within the mattress base body.

Figure 6 also shows that at least one replaceable mattress module 2, which is detachably connected and/or can be connected to an anchoring area of the mattress base support 1, and wherein a surface area of the anchoring area along a main extension plane of the mattress base support 1 is at least in places larger than a surface area of the mattress module 2 in the main extension plane and that the sensor 6 is installed in the replaceable mattress module 1

FIG. 2 shows a device according to the invention for measuring pressure and/or humidity in a first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic perspective view of an exploded drawing shown in relation to the layer arrangement.

FIG. 4 shows another exemplary embodiment of a device described here.

As can now be seen from FIG. 2, a device 100 for measuring pressure and/or humidity is shown there.

As an example, a sensor 6 is shown there, the sensor 6 showing a capacitor stack with a capacitor 20 and a capacitor 30, the individual electrodes 10, 11 of the capacitors 20, 30 being arranged one above the other in the horizontal direction H1, alternatively for this purpose, of course, an arrangement of the individual electrodes 10, 11 of a single capacitor 20, 30 in the transverse direction Q1 which runs right to the horizontal direction H1 and can therefore also run or be arranged perpendicular to the main extension direction of the sensor 6 shown there.

The individual electrodes 10 , 11 are arranged on a carrier material 13 . The carrier material 13 can in particular be a woven fabric, in particular a flexible woven fabric.

A water-impermeable layer 4 is arranged on the carrier material 13, the two electrodes 10, 11 of the capacitor 20 being printed on this water-impermeable layer 4 in the horizontal direction H1.

The electrodes 10, 11 of the capacitor 20 are completely surrounded by another layer 14 wasserun permeable. The further capacitor 30 with corresponding electrodes 10, 11 is printed on this water-impermeable layer 14 in the same way. In addition, in the present exemplary embodiment, exposed outer surfaces of the individual electrodes 10, 11 of the further capacitor 30 are preferably completely surrounded by a water-permeable and/or water-absorbing moisture layer 7.

Via this moisture layer 7, water can impinge on a dielectric layer 4, which in the present case is arranged in the horizontal direction H1 between the respective electrodes 10, 11 of a capacitor 20, 30.

In the present exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3, the water-impermeable layer 4 itself forms a dielectric layer 4 of the capacitor 20. The same applies to the further water-impermeable layer 14 in relation to the further capacitor 30.

By impinging on and penetrating the moisture via the moisture layer 7, the dielectric properties, in particular of the dielectric layer 2 of the further capacitor 30, are changed.

In addition, a processing unit 5 can be seen, which is connected to the two capacitors 20, 30 in terms of data technology, with this processing unit 5 is set up and intended to measure a change in the relative humidity of the environment and/or the moisture layer 7 .

Due to the "stackwise" arrangement shown in FIG exposed to moisture. For this purpose, the processing unit 5 can then compare a change in the capacitance of the additional capacitor 30 with the stable capacitor capacitance of the capacitor 10, so that a particularly simple comparison can be made in the change in the relative humidity and/or the respective load pressure.

The arrow shown in FIG. 2 also shows a pressure direction in which the sensor 6 is subjected to pressure. Both can preferably be measured, evaluated and stored by the sensor 6 and in particular by the device 100 . For this purpose, the processing unit 5 shown as essential in the invention is used in particular, which can also measure and evaluate corresponding pressure values and the associated changes in the capacitance of the individual sensors 6, so that the processing unit 5 is also set up and provided for this purpose external pressure caused change in capacitance of the capacitor 20 and in particular of the other capacitor 30 to measure and / or store.

The moisture layer 7 can be flexible or non-flexible. In addition, it is possible for the moisture layer 7 to be in the form of a woven fabric. In particular, it can be a woven fabric, which was mentioned as an example in the introductory part of the present application. In addition, however, it is also possible for the moisture layer 7 to be a substrate which is applied, for example glued, to the further capacitor 30, for example in the form of an epitaxy or a gluing process.

The water-impermeable layer 14 and/or the water-impermeable layer 15 can also be flexible and non-flexible, in particular also can be formed in the form of a woven fabric or a substrate in the same manner as the moisture layer 7 . In addition, it is advantageously conceivable that the electrodes 10, 11 of the two capacitors 20, 30 were printed onto the water-impermeable layer 14 and the further water-impermeable layer 15 in the form of a printing process, for example an inkjet printing process.

An exploded drawing is shown in FIG. 3, with the respective arrangement of the electrodes 10, 11 of the capacitors 20, 30 being evident in particular from FIG. The action of force on the sensor 6, represented by the direction of the arrow, as well as the moisture acting through the individual, schematically represented drops, can again be seen. In particular, it can again be seen that the moisture penetrates in particular between the electrodes 10, 11 and has a significant effect on the electrical properties of the respective water-permeable layer 14, for example, so that the capacitance of at least the other capacitor 30 changes as shown in Figure 2 explained each changes.

In another embodiment of the invention described here, FIG. 4 shows that the sensor 6 can consist of two electrodes 10 and one electrode 11 . The electrodes 10 have one polarity (preferably the same polarity), while the electrode 11 has a different polarity, but the exploded drawing of the left part of Figure 4 is shown in the right part of Figure 4 and it can be seen that three water-impermeable layers 4 , 14, 15 can be used. The electrodes 10 can also have different polarities and/or electrical potentials.

The electrodes 10 can also be electrically connected to one another.

For example, the electrodes 10, 11 can also each have and/or generate a separate polarity and/or a separate electrical potential. The same can also apply in relation to the electrodes in the following figures.

For example, the bottom waterproof layer is in turn the waterproof layer 14, the subsequent waterproof layer 15 and the waterproof layer 16 arranged thereon in the transverse direction Q1 is a further waterproof layer, with one electrode each being applied to a separate water-impermeable layer in particular is printed. In this stacking of the individual water-impermeable layers 14, 15 and 16, the capacitor 20 shown in the left-hand part of FIG can be arranged on different levels.

Alternatively, the electrode 11 can also be applied together with at least one of the electrodes 10 in a common plane, i.e. on or in a common water-impermeable layer 4, 14, 15, so that, for example, only the second of the electrodes 10 is on a separate waterproof layer 4, 14, 15 must be stacked.

In principle, therefore, the individual electrodes 10, 11 can be arranged in different planes in the Q1 direction relative to one another. For example, there is a paired association between exactly one water-impermeable layer 4, 14, 15 and exactly one electrode 10, 11.

In general, the comments presented and disclosed here for FIGS. 2 to 4 apply as optional configurations to all three applications, namely the item of clothing, the inside surface of a diaper and the back mattress, in particular a modular back mattress, including the associated methods. The sensor described here can therefore be installed separately in two or all applications.

The invention is not limited by the description of the exemplary embodiment. Rather, the invention includes every new feature and every combination of features, which in particular includes every combination of features in the patent claims, even if this feature or this combination itself is not explicitly stated in the patent claims or in the exemplary embodiments.

Reference List

1 detection device

2 Motion detector 3 garment

4 dielectric layer/ waterproof layer

5 processing unit

6 sensor 7 moisture layer

10 electrode

11 electrode

12 electrode

13 backing material 14 waterproof layer

15 waterproof layer

16 screen 17 user 20 capacitor 30 capacitor

100 devices 200 processes

H1 horizontal direction Q1 transverse direction

Claims

patent claims 1. Method (200) for sensory detection of a movement of a piece of clothing, in particular at least part of a gaming suit, comprising: o detecting a movement of the piece of clothing by at least one movement detector (2) in a detection device (1) which detects the movement of the piece of clothing (3) on a screen (16), o so that the movement of the item of clothing (3) is tracked within a fixed coordinate system, o and wherein for tracking the movement of the item of clothing, this includes at least one sensor (6), o characterized that o the sensor (6) measures a pressure, moisture, and / or temperature of a surface, in particular a skin, wearer of the garment, and wherein the sensor (6) is mechanically fixed to the garment (3), so that the measured pressure, humidity and/or temperature values of the surface with the image of the user (1st 7) are superimposed. 2. Method (200) according to claim 1, characterized in that the measured values are used to store a movement sequence and/or a speed and movement amplitude measurement of the user over a predetermined period of time and/or display it on the screen and /or a speed and movement amplitude measurement. 3. Method (200) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the measurement is sent to the detection device (1) so that the measured values are displayed on the screen (16) via color and/or resolution coding. 4. The method (200) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the representation is overlaid with a virtual representation of the user (17), so that the measured values are displayed on the user (17) in the selected coding. 5. The method (200) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that Motion detector (2) comprises electronic circuitry selected from the group consisting of: a) television circuitry; b) satellite TV receiver circuitry; c) cable television receiver circuitry; d) VCR circuit; e) DVD player circuit; f) computer circuits; g) CD player circuits; h) circuit for music receivers; i) IPTV television and/or receiver circuits; j) circuitry for games; k) fluff automation circuits; L) receiver circuits. 6. The method (200) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movement detector (2) comprises at least one processor. 7. The method (200) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sensor (6) comprises the following components: o at least one capacitor (20) with at least two electrodes (10, 11), wel surface, in particular in a horizontal direction (H1) are arranged along and on an, in particular flexible, carrier material (13) to one another, with at least one dielectric layer (4) being arranged between the electrodes (10, 11), on a side facing away from the carrier material (13). at least one electrode (10, 11) and/or the dielectric layer (4), at least one at least partially moisture-permeable and/or moisture-absorbing moisture layer (7) is arranged at least in places, with the at least one electrode (10, 11) and/or the dielectric layer (4) in a transverse direction (Q1) between the carrier material (13) and the moisture layer (7) are arranged, so that a capacitance through the d electrical layer (4) at least partially changes moisture, with a processing unit (5) being set up and provided for measuring and/or storing this change, so that a capacitive moisture sensor is created. 8. The method (200) according to claim 7, characterized in that the sensor (6) is also a capacitive pressure sensor, with the processing unit (5) additionally being set up and provided for a change in capacitance of the capacitor (20) caused by external pressure. to measure and/or store. 9. The method (200) according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the carrier material (13) is a woven fabric, in particular into which electrical conductor tracks for electrical contacting of the sensor (6) and the processing unit (5) are woven . 10. Device (100) for sensory detection of a movement of an item of clothing, in particular at least part of a gaming suit, comprising: o at least one movement detector (2) for detecting a movement of the item of clothing in a detection device (1), which detects the movement of the item of clothing ( 3) on a screen, o so that the movement of the item of clothing (3) is tracked within a fixed coordinate system, o and wherein for tracking the movement of the item of clothing (3), this comprises at least one sensor (6), o characterized in that o the sensor (6) measures pressure, humidity and/or temperature of a surface, in particular a skin, of the wearer of the item of clothing (3), and the sensor (6) is mechanically fixed to the item of clothing (3). , so that the measured pressure, humidity and/or temperature values of the surface are overlaid with the image of the user displayed on the screen will.