Method of manufacturing a fabric article to include electronic circuitry and an electrically active textile article

• US 20020076948A1
• Filed: 10/16/2001
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Foster-Miller Incorporated (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Foster-Miller Incorporated (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Farrell, Brian, Slade, Jeremiah, Powell, Mara, Teverovsky, Justyna, Nguyen, Patricia Wilson
• Granted Patent: US 6,729,025 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/800
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/002 adapted to accommodate electronic equipment patients' garments for medical monitoring A41D13/1281; luminous ornaments A41D27/085
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/08 characterised by added members at particular parts layer formed of separate pieces of material which are juxtaposed side-by-side B32B3/14, B32B3/18
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/02 characterised by structural features of a fibrous or filamentary layer layer formed of metallic wires B32B15/02; layer formed of natural mineral fibres B32B19/02; layer formed of wood fibres B32B21/02
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/04 Interconnection of layers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/038 Textiles used as reinforcing materials for organic insulating substrates H05K1/0366
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/029 Woven fibrous reinforcement or textile textile substrates H05K1/038
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10598 Means for fastening a component, a casing or a heat sink whereby a pressure is exerted on the component towards the PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/209 Auto-mechanical connection between a component and a PCB or between two PCBs
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0285 Using ultrasound, e.g. for cleaning, soldering or wet treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/065 Binding insulating layers without adhesive, e.g. by local heating or welding, before lamination of the whole PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0058 Laminating printed circuit boards onto other substrates, e.g. metallic substrates H05K1/0281 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/386 by the use of an organic polymeric bonding layer, e.g. adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49169 Assembling electrical component directly to terminal or elongated conductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24917 including metal layer

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a fabric article to include electronic circuitry in which a flex circuit is assembled to include conductive traces and pads on a flexible substrate, a fabric article is placed on a rigid surface, and the substrate of the flex circuit is secured to the fabric article. Also disclosed is a fabric article which includes electronic circuitry and an electrically active textile article.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a fabric article to include electronic circuitry, the method comprising:

assembling a circuit to include traces and pads on a substrate;

placing a fabric article on a surface; and

securing the substrate of the circuit to the fabric article.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the circuit is a flex circuit and the substrate is selected from the group consisting of flexible thermoplastic, thermoset, or solution cast materials.

3. The method of claim 1 in which the traces and pads are electrically conductive.

4. The method of claim 3 in which the conductive traces and pads are metal foil laminated to the substrate, metal film deposited on the substrate, or a conductive polymer on the substrate.

5. The method of claim 1 in which securing includes employing an ultrasonic device to weld the substrate to the fabric.

6. The method of claim 5 in which said ultrasonic device is a handheld ultrasonic horn.

7. The method of claim 1 in which said surface is a stainless steel plate.

8. The method of claim 1 in which securing includes employing a radio frequency or thermal lamination process.

9. The method of claim 1 in which securing includes employing an adhesive to fix the substrate on the fabric.

10. The method of claim 1 in which securing includes sewing the substrate to the fabric.

11. The method of claim 10 in which sewing includes stitching an additional layer of material between the substrate and the fabric.

12. The method of claim 1 in which securing includes attaching the substrate to the fabric with at least one plated through hole.

13. The method of claim 1 further including securing a protective covering over the circuit.

14. The method of claim 13 in which the protective covering is waterproof.

15. The method of claim 14 in which the protective covering extends onto the fabric.

16. The method of claim 1 further including populating the circuit with electronic components before the substrate is secured to the fabric.

17. The method of claim 1 further including populating the circuit with electronic components after the substrate is secured to the fabric.

18. The method of claim 1 in which the flexible substrate is a thermoplastic material and the traces and pads are metal.

19. The method of claim 1 in which the fabric is selected from the group consisting of woven, knit, non-woven, and braided fabrics.

20. The method of claim 19 in which the fabric is a portion of a wearable article.

21. The method of claim 1 further including the step of forming stress relief areas in the circuit to promote flexure of the circuit.

22. The method of claim 21 in which the stress relief areas are cut-outs in edges of the substrate.

23. The method of claim 21 in which the stress relief areas are cut-outs through the substrate.

24. The method of claim 21 in which the stress relief areas include material added to the substrate.

25. The method of claim 21 in which the stress relief areas are located between electronic components on the circuit.

26. The method of claim 21 in which the stress relief areas include at least one dimple formed on the circuit.

27. The method of claim 26 in which the at least one dimple is formed using an ultrasonic device.

28. The method of claim 26 in which the at least one dimple is formed using a radio frequency device.

29. The method of claim 26 in which the at least one dimple is located between electronic components on the circuit.

30. The method of claim 1 further including securing another circuit to the fabric and electrically interconnecting the two circuits.

31. The method of claim 26 in which securing and electrically interconnecting the two circuits includes employing at least one zipper having a plurality teeth, a portion of the plurality of teeth being electrically conductive.

32. The method of claim 26 in which securing and electrically interconnecting the two circuits includes employing at least one pair of VELCRO®

patches with at least a portion of the patches being electrically conductive.

33. The method of claim 30 in which the circuits include conductive solder pads and the fabric includes electrical traces, the conductive solder pads being bonded to the electrical traces to electrically interconnect the two circuits.

34. The method of claim 1 in which the substrate includes a perimeter bond area devoid of traces and pads and the step of securing includes fixing the perimeter bond area of the substrate to the fabric.

35. The method of claim 1 further including peripheral reinforcement for securing the periphery of the substrate to the fabric.

36. The method of claim 1 further including adding a graphic to the fabric article.

37. The method of claim 1 further including disposing a compliant layer between the substrate and the fabric article.

38. The method of claim 32 in which the complaint layer includes at least one pocket therein and the circuit includes an electronic component received in the pocket in the compliant layer.

39. The method of claim 1 in which the substrate is folded over before it is secured to the fabric article.

40. An electrically active textile article comprising:

fabric;

a circuit including traces and pads on a substrate secured to the fabric; and

at least one electronic component populating the circuit.

41. The article of claim 40 in which the substrate is flexible.

42. The article of claim 40 in which the traces and pads are electrically conductive.

43. The article of claim 40 in which the circuit substrate is ultrasonically welded to the fabric.

44. The article of claim 43 in which the circuit substrate is ultrasonically welded to the fabric about the periphery of the substrate.

45. The article of claim 40 in which the circuit substrate includes a perimeter bond area devoid of traces and pads and the perimeter bond area is secured to the fabric.

46. The article of claim 40 in which an adhesive secures the substrate to the fabric.

47. The article of claim 40 in which threads secure the substrate to the fabric.

48. The article of claim 40 further including a protective covering over the circuit.

49. The article of claim 48 in which the protective covering is made of a waterproof material.

50. The article of claim 48 in which the protective covering extends onto the fabric.

51. The article of claim 42 in which the substrate is a thermoplastic material and the conductive traces and pads are metal.

52. The article of claim 40 in which the fabric is selected from the group consisting of woven, knit, non-woven, and braided fabrics.

53. The article of claim 52 in which the fabric is a portion of a wearable article.

54. The article of claim 40 further including stress relief areas which promote flexure of the circuit substrate.

55. The article of claim 54 in which the stress relief areas are cut-outs in the edges of the substrate.

56. The article of claim 54 in which the stress relief areas are cut-outs through the substrate.

57. The article of claim 54 in which the stress relief areas include material added to the substrate.

58. The article of claim 54 in which the stress relief areas are located between electronic components on the circuit.

59. The article of claim 40 in which there are two flex circuits secured to the fabric and electrical interconnections between the two flex circuits.

60. The article of claim 59 in which the two flex circuits are secured to the fabric by at least one zipper including at least two electrically conductive teeth for the electrical interconnections.

61. The article of claim 59 in which the two flex circuits are secured to the fabric by at least one pair of VELCRO®

patches with at least a portion of the patches being an electrically conductive material for the electrical interconnections.

62. The article of claim 59 in which the two flex circuits include conductive solder pads and the fabric includes polyester-coated copper fabric, the conductive solder pads and the polyester coating being melted to form the electrical interconnections.

63. A method of manufacturing a fabric article to include electronic circuitry, the method comprising:

assembling a flex circuit to include conductive traces and pads on a flexible substrate;

placing a fabric article on a surface;

securing the substrate of the flex circuit to the fabric article;

populating the flex circuit with electronic components; and

securing a protective covering over the flex circuit and the electronic components.

64. A method of manufacturing a clothing article to include electronic circuitry, the method comprising:

assembling a flex circuit to include conductive traces and pads on a flexible substrate;

placing an article of clothing on a surface;

securing the substrate of the flex circuit to the article of clothing;

populating the flex circuit with electronic components; and

securing a protective covering over the flex circuit and the electronic components.

65. An electrically active textile article comprising:

an article of clothing;

a flex circuit including conductive traces and pads on a flexible substrate secured to the article of clothing;

at least one electronic component populating the flex circuit; and

a protective covering over the flex circuit and the at least one electronic component.

66. An electrically active textile article comprising:

fabric;

a flex circuit including conductive traces and pads on a flexible substrate secured to the fabric, the flex circuit including stress relief areas to promote flexure of the flex circuit on the fabric;

at least one electronic component populating the flex circuit; and

a protective covering over the flex circuit and the at least one electronic component.

67. A method of manufacturing a clothing article with at least upper and lower layers of fabric material to include electronic circuitry, the method comprising:

assembling a flexible circuit to include traces and pads on a substrate;

placing a rigid support surface between the layers of fabric material, the rigid support surface comprising a stainless steel plate; and

securing the substrate to the upper fabric layer of the clothing article using a hand held ultrasonic horn to bond the substrate to the upper layer of the clothing article.

68. A method of manufacturing a fabric article to include electronic circuitry, the method comprising:

assembling a flexible circuit to include traces and pads on a substrate;

placing the substrate between the fabric article and a covering; and

securing the covering to the fabric article such that the flexible circuit is in pressing engagement with the fabric article and the covering.

69. A method of manufacturing a fabric article to include electronic circuitry, the method comprising:

assembling a flexible circuit to include traces and pads on a substrate;

forming a pocket on the fabric article by securing a covering to the fabric article such that at least one edge of the covering is unattached to the fabric article;

placing the substrate into the pocket; and

bonding the at least one edge of the covering to the fabric article such that the flexible circuit is in pressing engagement with the fabric article and the covering.

70. An electrically active textile article comprising:

fabric;

a flex circuit including conductive traces and pads on a flexible substrate;

at least one electronic component populating the flex circuit; and

a covering secured to the fabric over the flex circuit and the at least one electronic component, wherein the flex circuit is in pressed engagement with the fabric and the covering.