Method and apparatus for solder-less attachment of an electronic device to a textile circuit

• US 7,025,596 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2004
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bachman, Bonnie J., Zollo, James A., Desai, Nitin B., Bozzone, Stephen O., Kelley, Ronald J., Levy, Rami C., Beatty, Alan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US10/867,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20050277307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 439/37, 428/102, 442/243, 442/255, 442/262, 442/265, 442/301
• US Class Current: 439/37
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48465 the other connecting portion not on the bonding area being a wedge bond, i.e. ball-to-wedge, regular stitch
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49171 Fan-out arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/7076 for connection between PCB and component, e.g. display
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/64 Connections between or with conductive parts having primarily a non-electric function, e.g. frame, casing, rail
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/038 Textiles used as reinforcing materials for organic insulating substrates H05K1/0366
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24033 including stitching and discrete fastener[s], coating or bond
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3504 Woven fabric layers comprise chemically different strand material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3659 At least one layer comprises ceramic or glass material in other than particulate form
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3683 Fabric layer contains carbon or carbonaceous strand material

Abstract

A method and apparatus form electrical connections between electronic circuits and conductive threads (102, 104, 106, 108) that are interwoven into textile material (130). Electronic circuits (128), such as semiconductor dies, are connected to a carrier (132) and electrical connections (136) are made to conductive connection areas (110, 112, 114, 116) on the carrier (132). Conductive stitching (202, 204, 206, 208) provides electrical contacts for both the conductive connection areas (110, 112, 114, 116) on the carrier (132) and the conductive threads (102, 104, 106, 108) that are interwoven into the textile material (130). Optionally, a thin, flexible substrate material (132) is perforated during the stitching process.

Claims

1. An electrical circuit connection, comprising:

a carrier that is able to be sewn through by stitching;

at least one connection areas, each of the at least one connection areas in mechanical contact with the carrier;

a textile material;

at least one interwoven conductive thread that is a part of the textile material; and

at least one conductive stitching, each of the at least one conductive stitching comprising a conductive material and being woven through the carrier and the textile material so as to form an electrical connection between one of the at least one connection areas and one of the at least one interwoven conductive thread.

2. The electrical circuit connection according to claim 1, further comprising an electronic circuit with at least one electrical connection point, the at least one electrical connection point being electrically coupled with one of the at least one connection areas.

3. The electrical circuit connection according to claim 1, wherein the carrier is for sewing through by passing thread through at least one perforation in the carrier.

4. The electrical circuit connection according to claim 1, wherein the carrier is for sewing through by passing thread through at least one pre-formed hole.

5. The electronic circuit connection according to claim 4, wherein the at least one pre-formed hole is within one of the at least one connection areas.

6. The electronic circuit connection according to claim 1, wherein the interwoven conductive thread lacks an electrically insulating cover.

7. The electronic circuit connection according to claim 6, wherein the textile material is placed adjacent to at least one other textile material layer.

8. The electronic circuit connection according to claim 6, wherein the textile material has a plasticized area proximate to an area where the carrier is secured to the textile material.

9. The electronic circuit connection according to claim 6, wherein the textile material has a substrate area proximate to an area where at least some of the at least one conductive stitching is woven through the textile material.

10. The electronic circuit connection according to claim 6, wherein the carrier comprises a substrate area formed on a surface of the textile material.

11. A method for connecting two electrical circuits, the method comprising:

providing a carrier that is able to be sewn through, the carrier having at least one connection areas, each of the at least one connection areas in mechanical contact with the carrier;

placing the carrier in proximity to a textile material, the textile material having at least one interwoven conductive thread attached to the textile material; and

passing at least one conductive stitching through the carrier and the textile material so as to form an electrical coupling between one of the at least one connection areas and one of the at least one interwoven conductive thread, wherein each of the at least one conductive stitching comprises a conductive material.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

electrically coupling at least one electrical contact paint of an electronic circuit module with the at least one connection areas.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

mechanically securing the electronic circuit module to the carrier.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

mechanically securing the electronic circuit module to the textile material.