실버세대를 위한 기능성의류 개발실태 - 기능성제품 특허분석을 중심으로 -

This study investigates the developmental conditions of functional clothes for the elderly. First, preceding studies and relevant web sites were analyzed along with a survey of commercial functional elderly clothes in Korea. A KIPRIS patent information database was used to study registered and disclosed patents and utility models in order to analyze patent application trends in relevant fields. Patents were searched by year of application from 1990 to 2013. Keywords used for searching included ‘senior, aged, and elderly’. Among collected data, overlapping and irrelevant data were excluded to select 162 cases for analysis. Details of analysis are annual patent application trends of functional elderly clothes, topic analysis, shape and characteristics. An examination of commercially available functional clothing products for the elderly indicated that most of products were developed in the form of inner wear or protective clothing for seniors who have bodily discomfort. An annual patent application of functional elderly clothes showed slight fluctuations; however, there was an overall increase. For patent topics, technologies related to secretion and excretion were the most at 47 cases total (29%), followed by 23 cases (14%) on biometric information technology. However, the development of relevant technologies seems necessary in the future as therapeutic function and fiber technologies gradually stagnate.