Deposition of Electronic Circuits on Fibers and Other Materials

• US 20090053950A1
• Filed: 10/24/2008
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Surve, Swatee N.
• Granted Patent: US 7,845,023 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 442/181
• 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: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 24/08 by application of heat or pressure and heat C23C24/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 4/04 characterised by the coating material
• CPC Class Codes: D02G 3/00 Yarns or threads, e.g. fancy yarns; Processes or apparatus for the production thereof, not otherwise provided for for producing crimped or curled yarns D02G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 1/0088 Fabrics having an electronic function
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/00 Woven fabrics characterised by the material, structure or properties of the fibres, filaments, yarns, threads or other warp or weft elements used
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 10/005 Laser beam treatment
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 10/06 Inorganic compounds or elements
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2201/02 Cotton
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2201/24 Viscose
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2211/02 Wool
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2211/04 Silk
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2321/022 polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2331/02 polyamides D10B2331/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2331/04 polyesters, e.g. polyethylene terephthalate [PET]
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/18 including electronic components
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/00 Wearing apparel
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/042 Headwear
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/043 : Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/12 : the substrate being other than a semiconductor body, e.g. an insulating body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0657 : characterised by the shape of the body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7317 : Bipolar thin film transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 : Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/00 : Printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/038 : Textiles used as reinforcing materials for organic insulating substrates H05K1/0366
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/16 : incorporating printed electric components, e.g. printed resistor, capacitor, inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/029 : Woven fibrous reinforcement or textile textile substrates H05K1/038
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 2/905 : Electric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249921 : Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249953 : Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/30 : Woven fabric [i.e., woven strand or strip material]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/40 : Knit fabric [i.e., knit strand or strip material]

Abstract

Fibers, such as textile fibers, having electrical components deposited thereon. More particularly, one or more electrical components are formed directly onto the surface of at least one fiber. The fiber having the electrical component formed thereon may then be interlaced with other fibers to form a larger piece of fabric, which can be employed to produce an article of clothing. A group of transistors and piezoelectric components forming an accelerometer may be woven onto one or more natural or synthetic fibers. The fibers may then be employed as the warp, weft, or both, of a woven piece of fabric, or used to form a knitted piece of fabric. The fabric piece can then be cut and sewn to form a wearable item, such as a shirt, a pair of pants, a hat, or the upper piece of a shoe that includes the accelerometer.

Claims

1. A method of forming an article of wear, comprising:

forming at least one electronic component on a surface of a single fiber;

interlacing the fiber with other fibers to form a piece of fabric; and

forming an article of wear with the piece of fabric.

2. The method of forming an article of wear recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one electronic component is deposited on the surface of the single fiber by spraying stock materials at the fiber through a laser.

3. The method of forming an article of wear recited in claim 1, further comprising:

forming a substrate on the surface of the single fiber, wherein the at least one electronic component is formed on the substrate.

4. The method of forming an article of wear recited in claim 1, further comprising:

forming a protective layer on the surface of the single fiber and over the at least one electronic component.

5. The method of forming an article of wear recited in claim 1, further comprising:

forming an insulative layer on the surface of the single fiber and over the at least one electronic component.

6. The method of forming an article of wear recited in claim 1, further comprising:

forming a shield layer on the surface of the single fiber and over the at least one electronic component.

7. The method of forming an article of wear recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one electronic component is a transistor completely formed on the surface of the single fiber.

8. The method of forming an article of wear recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one electronic component is an antenna element completely formed on the surface of the single fiber.

9. The method of forming an article of wear recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one electronic component is a capacitor completely formed on the surface of the single fiber.

10. An article of wear formed by the method of claim 1.

11. A method of forming an article of wear, comprising:

forming a first electronic component on a surface of a single fiber;

forming a second electronic component on the surface of the single fiber;

forming one or more connection lines on the surface of the single fiber to interconnect the first electronic component with the second electronic component;

interlacing the fiber with other fibers to form a piece of fabric; and

forming an article of wear with the piece of fabric.

12. The method of forming an article of wear recited in claim 11, wherein the first electronic component is a transistor located completely on the surface of the single fiber.

13. The method of forming an article of wear recited in claim 11, wherein the first electronic component is an antenna element located completely on the surface of the single fiber.

14. The method of forming an article of wear recited in claim 11, wherein the first electronic component is a capacitor located completely on the surface of the single fiber.

15. An article of wear formed by the method of claim 11.

16. An article of wear, comprising:

a piece of clothing material made from one or more pieces of fabric, wherein at least one of the pieces of fabric includes a single fiber element having at least one electronic component formed on a surface thereof.

17. The article of wear recited in claim 16, wherein the single fiber element further includes a substrate formed on its surface, wherein the at least one electronic component is formed on the substrate.

18. The article of wear recited in claim 16, wherein the single fiber element further includes a protective layer formed over the at least one electronic component.

19. The article of wear recited in claim 18, wherein the protective layer is a layer of insulative material.

20. The article of wear recited in claim 18, wherein the protective layer is a layer of shield material.

21. The article of wear recited in claim 16, wherein the at least one electronic component is a transistor completely formed on the surface of the single fiber element.

22. The article of wear recited in claim 16, wherein the at least one electronic element is an antenna element completely formed on the surface of the single fiber element.

23. The article of wear recited in claim 16, wherein the at least one electronic element is a capacitor completely formed on the surface of the single fiber element.

24. The article of wear recited in claim 16, wherein at least one of the pieces of fabric included in the clothing material is a piece of fabric woven from a plurality of fiber elements including the fiber element having the at least one electrical component formed on its surface.

25. The article of wear recited in claim 16, wherein the clothing material is a natural or synthetic leather.

26. The article of wear recited in claim 16, wherein the clothing material is a plastic.

27. The article of wear recited in claim 16, wherein the clothing material is a composite foam.

28. The article of wear recited in claim 16, wherein the at least one electronic component includes a first electronic component formed on the surface of the single fiber element, a second electronic component formed on the surface of the single fiber element, and one or more connection lines formed on the surface of the single fiber element to interconnect the first electronic component with the second electronic component.

29. The article of wear recited in claim 28, wherein the first electronic component is a transistor.

30. The article of wear recited in claim 28, wherein the first electronic component is an antenna element.

31. The article of wear recited in claim 28, wherein the first electronic component is a capacitor.