Electrically active textiles and articles made therefrom

• US 6,210,771 B1
• Filed: 09/24/1997
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Cooper, Emily, Orth, Margaret, Smith, Joshua R., Post, E. Rehmi
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Ellis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Figueroa, John J.
• Application Number:
  US08/935,466
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 361/212, 139/1 R, 139/425 R, 2/905, 428/98, 428/99, 428/100, 428/101, 428/102, 442/31, 442/208, 442/209, 442/210, 442/902, 442/212, 442/214, 200/502, 439/67, 439/78, 439/86, 439/284, 439/285, 439/291, 439/620
• US Class Current: 428/100
• 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: 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: D03D 15/258 Noble metal
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2101/20 Metallic fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2201/02 Cotton
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2211/04 Silk
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/063 high strength
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/16 antistatic; conductive
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2203/0085 Layered switches integrated into garment, clothes or textile
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/038 Textiles used as reinforcing materials for organic insulating substrates H05K1/0366
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/162 incorporating printed capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/165 incorporating printed inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/167 incorporating printed resistors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0281 Conductive fibers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/029 Woven fibrous reinforcement or textile textile substrates H05K1/038
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/10 in which conductive material is applied to the insulating support in such a manner as to form the desired conductive pattern
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 2/905 Electric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24017 Hook or barb
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24025 Superposed movable attached layers or components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24033 : including stitching and discrete fastener[s], coating or bond
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/322 : Warp differs from weft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3228 : Materials differ
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3236 : Including inorganic strand material

Abstract

Fabrics are used as integral elements of electrical circuitry—to facilitate control over the operation of external components connected thereto, to serve as substrates onto which electrical components are connected, or as the electrical components themselves. In one aspect, selective, anisotropic electrical conductivity is achieved using conductive fibers running along one weave direction and non-conductive fibers running along the opposite direction. The conductive fibers, which may be continuous or arranged in lanes, serve as electrical conduits capable of carrying data signals and/or power, and may be connected, for example, to electrical components soldered directly onto the fabric. In a second aspect, passive electrical components are integrated directly textiles using threads having selected electrical properties.

Claims

1. A textile fabric having electrical functionality, the textile fabric comprising:

a. a first series of parallel fibers, said fibers being electrically non-conductive;

b. interwoven therewith in a perpendicular direction thereto, a second series of parallel fibers, at least some of said fibers being electrically conductive, said first series and second series of parallel fibers forming a matrix;

c. a plurality of electrical components located within said matrix of the textile fabric itself and electrically connected to at least some of said electrically conductive fibers, the conductive fibers establishing electrical connections among said components; and

d. contact means, physically affixed and electrically connected to at least some of the conductive fibers, for receiving an electrical connection to said electrical components so as to form an electrical circuit.

2. The textile fabric of claim 1 wherein the contact means is a conductive snap.

3. The textile fabric of claim 1 wherein the contact means is a zipper.

4. The textile fabric of claim 1 wherein the contact means is a first complementary member of a two-member conductive hook-and-pile material.

5. The textile fabric of claim 1 wherein the contact means is a first complementary member of a two-member hook-and-eye fastener, the first complementary member mating with a second complementary member.

6. The textile fabric of claim 1 wherein the contact means is an electrically conductive stud.

7. The textile fabric of claim 1 wherein all of the second series of fibers are conducting, the first and second series of fibers being interwoven so as to prevent contact between adjacent second-series fibers.

8. The textile fabric of claim 1 wherein the conductive second-series fibers are arranged in a plurality of lanes each comprising a plurality of adjacent conductive fibers, adjacent lanes being separated from each other by at least one non-conductive fiber.

9. A textile fabric having electrical functionality comprising first and second adjacent panels, each panel comprising:

a. a first series of parallel fibers, said fibers being electrically non-conductive;

b. interwoven therewith, a second series of parallel fibers, at least some of said fibers being electrically conductive, said conductive fibers being arranged in a plurality of lanes each comprising a plurality of adjacent conductive fibers, adjacent lanes being separated from each other by a plurality of non-conductive fibers; and

c. contact means, electrically connected to at least some of the lanes, for receiving an electrical connection thereto,

and further wherein

d. the lanes of the first panel cross the lanes of the second panel; and

e. the panels are held apart to prevent inadvertent contact between overlapping lanes, compression of the panels at regions of lane overlap causing electrical contact between a lane of the first panel and a lane of the second panel, the panels thereby forming a switch matrix.

10. The textile fabric of claim 9 further comprising a surface design representing an identifier for each region of lane overlap.

11. A textile fabric having electrical functionality comprising first and second adjacent panels, each panel comprising:

a. a matrix of woven fibers, said fibers being electrically non-conductive;

b. integrated therewith, a plurality of electrically conductive fibers, said conductive fibers being arranged in a plurality of lanes each comprising a plurality of adjacent conductive fibers, adjacent lanes being separated from each other; and

c. contact means, electrically connected to at least some of the lanes, for receiving an electrical connection thereto,

and further wherein

d. the lanes of the first panel cross the lanes of the second panel; and

e. the panels are held apart to prevent inadvertent contact between overlapping lanes, compression of the panels at regions of lane overlap causing electrical contact between a lane of the first panel and a lane of the second panel, the panels thereby forming a switch matrix.

12. The textile fabric of claim 11 further comprising a surface design assigning an identifier to each region of lane overlap.

13. The textile fabric of claim 11 wherein the electrically conductive fibers are sewn into the matrix.

14. The textile fabric of claim 11 wherein the electrically conductive fibers are attached to the matrix.

15. A textile fabric having electrical functionality comprising first and second adjacent panels, each panel comprising:

a. a first series of parallel fibers, said fibers being electrically non-conductive;

b. interwoven therewith, a second series of parallel fibers, at least some of said fibers being electrically conductive, said conductive fibers being arranged in a plurality of adjacent lanes each comprising at least one conductive fiber, adjacent lanes being separated from each other by a plurality of non-conductive fibers;

c. contact means, electrically connected to at least some of the lanes, for receiving an electrical connection thereto,

and further wherein

d. the lanes of the first panel cross the lanes of the second panel;

e. the lanes of the first panel are resistive and are configured to receive, by means of the contact means, a voltage connected thereacross to thereby form a voltage gradient along the lanes;

f. the lanes of the first panel are configured to receive, by means of the contact means, means for measuring electrical potential; and

g. the panels are held apart to prevent inadvertent contact between overlapping lanes, compression of the panels at a region of lane overlap causing electrical contact between a lane of the first panel and a lane of the second panel, the measured electrical potential indicating a compression location along the first-panel lane.

16. The textile fabric of claim 15 wherein each of the lanes of the first panel are each separately connected to the voltage source so as to facilitate, upon compression, identification of each first-panel lane with which contact is made through completion of an electrical circuit with the contacted first-panel lane.

17. A textile fabric having electrical functionality comprising first and second adjacent panels, each panel comprising:

a. a matrix of woven fibers, said fibers being electrically non-conductive;

b. integrated therewith, a plurality of electrically conductive fibers, said conductive fibers being arranged in a plurality of adjacent lanes each comprising at least one conductive fiber, adjacent lanes being separated from each other;

c. contact means, electrically connected to at least some of the lanes, for receiving an electrical connection thereto,

and further wherein

d. the lanes of the first panel cross the lanes of the second panel;

e. the lanes of the first panel are resistive and are configured to receive, by means of the contact means, a voltage connected thereacross to thereby form a voltage gradient along the lanes;

f. the lanes of the first panel are configured to receive, by means of the contact means, means for measuring electrical potential; and

g. the panels are held apart to prevent inadvertent contact between overlapping lanes, compression of the panels at a region of lane overlap causing electrical contact between a lane of the first panel and a lane of the second panel, the measured electrical potential indicating a compression location along the first-panel lane.

18. The textile fabric of claim 17 wherein each of the lanes of the first panel are each separately connected to the voltage source so as to facilitate, upon compression, identification of each first-panel lane with which contact is made through completion of an electrical circuit with the contacted first-panel lane.

19. The textile fabric of claim 17 wherein the electrically conductive fibers are sewn into the matrix.

20. The textile fabric of claim 17 wherein the electrically conductive fibers are attached to the matrix.

21. A textile fabric having electrical functionality comprising:

a. a matrix of woven fibers, said fibers being electrically non-conductive located within said matrix;

b. integrated therewith, at least one of said electrically conductive fibers forming a passive electrical component; and

c. contact means, electrically connected to the at least one conductive fiber, for receiving an electrical connection.

22. The textile fabric of claim 21 wherein the at least one electrically conductive fiber is interwoven with the matrix.

23. The textile fabric of claim 21 wherein the at least one electrically conductive fiber is attached to the matrix.

24. The textile fabric of claim 21 wherein the passive electrical component is a capacitor formed from a plurality of parallel electrically conductive fibers woven through the matrix of non-conductive fibers.

25. The textile fabric of claim 21 wherein the passive electrical component is a capacitor formed from a pair of conductive regions, each region being embroidered onto the matrix and comprising at least one electrically conductive fiber, the regions being spaced apart from each other.

26. The textile fabric of claim 25 wherein the regions are in the form of patches spaced apart from each other on the matrix.

27. The textile fabric of claim 21 wherein the textile comprises:

a. first and second adjacent panels, each panel comprising;

i. a matrix of woven fibers, said fibers being electrically non-conductive;

ii. integrated therewith, at least one electrically conductive region;

b. non-conductive means for separating the panels; and

c. contact means, electrically connected to each patch for receiving an electrical connection,

and further wherein

d. the regions are aligned with each other, separated by the non-conductive separating means, so as to form a capacitor.

28. The textile fabric of claim 27 wherein the regions are in the form of embroidered patches.

29. The textile fabric of claim 27 wherein the first and second panels are in the form of concentric sleeves, the electrically conductive regions being radially aligned with each other.

30. The textile fabric of claim 21 wherein the passive electrical component is a capacitor formed from:

a. at least two electrically conductive patches having surfaces aligned with each other, one of the patches being attached to the matrix;

b. non-conductive means separating the electrically conductive patches; and

c. contact means, electrically connected to each patch for receiving an electrical connection.

31. The textile fabric of claim 21 wherein the passive electrical component is an inductor formed from:

a. at least one electrically conductive spiral region integrated with the matrix; and

b. contact means, electrically connected to each patch for receiving an electrical connection.

32. The textile fabric of claim 31 further comprising means for sensing magnetic coupling between the inductor and another inductor unconnected thereto.

33. The textile fabric of claim 21 wherein the textile comprises:

a. at least two adjacent panels, each panel comprising;

i. a matrix of woven fibers, said fibers being electrically non-conductive;

ii. integrated therewith, at least one electrically conductive spiral region;

b. means for electrically connecting the spiral regions of adjacent panels; and

c. contact means, electrically connected to first and second outermost panels, for receiving an electrical connection, the spiral regions collectively forming an inductor.

34. The textile fabric of claim 21 wherein the passive electrical component is a transformer formed from:

a. at least two adjacent panels, each panel comprising;

i. a matrix of woven fibers, said fibers being electrically non-conductive;

ii. integrated therewith, at least one electrically conductive and magnetically permeable spiral region;

b. means for electrically connecting the spiral regions of the adjacent panels; and

c. contact means, electrically connected to first and second outermost panels, for receiving an electrical connection,

the spiral regions being magnetically coupled to form a transformer.

35. The textile fabric of claim 34 wherein each spirals is disposed on a face of an associated panel.

36. The textile fabric of claim 34 wherein the panels are in the form of concentric sleeves, the spiral regions of each sleeve winding circumferentially therearound.

37. The textile fabric of claim 34 wherein the spiral regions are radially aligned with each other.

38. A textile having electrical functionality, the textile fabric comprising:

a. a first series of parallel fibers, said fibers being electrically non-conductive;

b. interwoven therewith, a second series of parallel fibers, at least some of said fibers being electrically conductive, the first and second series of parallel fibers being woven perpendicularly to each other to form a matrix;

c. a plurality of electrical components located within said matrix of the textile fabric itself and electrically connected to each other through electrical connection and physical affixation to the electrically conductive fibers, the electrical components forming an electric circuit.