Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Juliette Allen

Nancy Alice Tilbury

George Marmaropoulos

Kyriakos J Mama

Jenni L Arksey

Peter Johan Massey

A garment comprises a fabric shell ( ) to which a number of electronic devices ( ) are removably attached, suitably in respective pockets ( ). Linking the devices ( ) are a pair of electrical conductors ( ) with a fabric cover ( ) over at least a part of their length. The fabric shell ( ) and fabric cover ( ) are provided with complementary connectors such as press-studs ( ) to enable the fabric cover ( ) and conductors ( ) to be attached to the garment, and easily removed therefrom for upgrades and/or cleaning of the garment.

Garment with removable electronic devices

An antenna is set in an antenna mounting of size and shape such that the antenna may be accommodated at least in part in the naturally occurring dip between a persons shoulder blades at the upper part of the back. The mounting includes supporting straps which extend during use from that part of the mounting hosting the antenna, over the shoulders of the wearer and down the front of the wearers torso. The antenna mounting is provided in a garment (not shown) suitable for wearing about the upper part of the body. By extending the support straps over the wearers shoulders in this way, the weight of the straps serves to counter balance the weight of the antenna and mounting to provide more even weight distribution of the antenna and mounting combined between the front and back of the wearer, so as to be centered about the wearers shoulders. Such weight distribution seeks to improve the comfort of a garment provided with the antenna and mounting and will generally contribute to the correct 'hang' of the garment itself. In one arrangement the antenna is a fabric patch antenna.

Garment antenna

A garment is provided comprising a fabric shell ( ) hosting one or more electrical conductors ( ) the or each of which is connectable to at least one of a plurality of electronic devices ( ) housed in respective pockets (P) of the fabric shell ( ). The pockets (P) are detachable from the fabric shell ( ), with each pocket comprising a fabric cover provided with mechanical connectors, such as patches of Velcro&trade;, zips or press studs. The garment fabric shell ( ) is provided with complementary mechanical connectors to enable the fabric cover and device to be removably attached to the garment, each pocket includes an electrical connection between a device in that pocket and one or more of said electrical conductors ( ).

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London, United Kingdom

Juliette Allen