Multi-element connector
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a substrate member including a length, a width, a thickness, and a surface area, the substrate member including a polymer, a plurality of conductive members and a plurality of non-conductive members, each of the conductive members and the non-conductive members have a length and an imaginary axis;
wherein the plurality of conductive members comprises a plurality of conductive fibers and a polymer material, the plurality of conductive fibers configured in a relation to each other and in association with the polymer material;
wherein the plurality of conductive members and the plurality of non-conductive members are disposed in the substrate member and are situated with respect to each other and form a matrix configuration including at least one dimension between the imaginary axis of the plurality of conductive members and including at least one dimension between the imaginary axis of the plurality of non-conductive members;
wherein at least one non-conductive member is situated between at least two conductive members;
wherein the conductive members and the non-conductive members are in a non-woven relation in the substrate member;
wherein the polymer of the substrate member is solidified about at least a portion of a periphery of the plurality of conductive members and is solidified about at least a portion of a periphery of the plurality of non-conductive members forming an integral structure; and
wherein at least one conductive member includes an exposed surface for contact.
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Abstract
An apparatus such as a connector or circuit includes a substrate having a plurality of conductive members and a plurality of non-conductive members. The conductive members include a plurality of conductive fibers in association with a polymer material. The conductive members and the non-conductive members are disposed in the substrate member and are selectively situated with respect to each other forming a modular matrix configuration of contacts suitable for an array or association with other circuitry.
53 Citations
36 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
a substrate member including a length, a width, a thickness, and a surface area, the substrate member including a polymer, a plurality of conductive members and a plurality of non-conductive members, each of the conductive members and the non-conductive members have a length and an imaginary axis;
wherein the plurality of conductive members comprises a plurality of conductive fibers and a polymer material, the plurality of conductive fibers configured in a relation to each other and in association with the polymer material;
wherein the plurality of conductive members and the plurality of non-conductive members are disposed in the substrate member and are situated with respect to each other and form a matrix configuration including at least one dimension between the imaginary axis of the plurality of conductive members and including at least one dimension between the imaginary axis of the plurality of non-conductive members;
wherein at least one non-conductive member is situated between at least two conductive members;
wherein the conductive members and the non-conductive members are in a non-woven relation in the substrate member;
wherein the polymer of the substrate member is solidified about at least a portion of a periphery of the plurality of conductive members and is solidified about at least a portion of a periphery of the plurality of non-conductive members forming an integral structure; and
wherein at least one conductive member includes an exposed surface for contact.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus comprising:
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a substrate member comprising a polymer, the substrate member including;
a length;
a width; and
a thickness;a plurality of conductive pultruded composite members including a plurality of conductive carbon fibers and a polymer material, the plurality of conductive carbon fibers configured in a relation to each other and in association with the polymer material, each conductive pultruded composite member having a first end and a second end; and a plurality of non-conductive members including a plurality of non-conductive fibers, each non-conductive member having a first end and a second end; wherein the plurality of conductive pultruded composite members and the plurality of non-conductive members are disposed in the substrate member and are situated with respect to each other and form a matrix configuration including at least one dimension between the imaginary axis of a plurality of conductive pultruded composite members and including at least one dimension between the imaginary axis of a plurality of non-conductive members;
wherein at least one non-conductive member is disposed between at least one pair of conductive members defining a spatial relation between the plurality of conductive members and the plurality of non-conductive members in the matrix configuration;
wherein the conductive members and the non-conductive members are in a non-woven relation in the substrate member wherein the polymer of the substrate member is solidified about at least a portion of a periphery of the plurality of conductive pultruded composite members and is solidified about at least a portion of a periphery of the plurality of non-conductive members forming an integral structure; and
wherein at least one conductive pultruded composite member is accessible at the first end and the second end for contact. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An apparatus comprising:
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a substrate member comprising a polymer, the substrate member having a length, width, and thickness; a plurality of conductive members having a first end, second end, and length, the plurality of conductive members comprising a plurality of conductive fibers extending in the substrate member; at least one continuity break defining an interruption along the length of at least one conductive member between the first end and the second end of the at least one conductive member, wherein the at least one continuity break is defined by a recess formed in the substrate member and absence of at least a portion of the at least one conductive member; at least one conductive contact area is associated with at least one conductive member on one side of the at least one continuity break, and at least one conductive contact area is associated with at least one conductive member on the other side of the at least one continuity break; wherein the plurality of conductive members are disposed in the substrate member and are situated with respect to each other and form a matrix configuration including at least one dimension between the imaginary axis of a plurality of conductive members;
wherein the polymer of the substrate member is solidified about at least a portion of a periphery of the plurality of conductive members forming an integral structure. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification