Method of manufacturing a composite structural member having an integrated electrical circuit
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing a composite structural member with an integrated electrical circuit, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of layers of structural reinforcement material;
disposing first and second electrical devices at least partially between the layers of the structural reinforcement material with at least one intermediate layer of the structural reinforcement material disposed between the electrical devices so that the electrical devices are disposed in different layers and directed toward opposite sides of the at least one intermediate layer of the structural reinforcement material;
disposing first and second electrical buses at least partially between the layers of the structural reinforcement material and extending along the structural member, the first and second buses being electrically isolated by a material disposed therebetween;
connecting a first electrode to at least one of the buses and the first electrical device and thereby electrically connecting the first electrical device to at least one of the buses; and
connecting a second electrode to at least one of the buses and the second electrical device and thereby electrically connecting the second electrical device to at least one of the buses, the second electrode providing a connection separate from the first electrode such that the first and second devices are separately electrically connected to the buses by the electrodes.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of manufacturing a composite structural member with an integrated electrical circuit is provided. The structural member includes a plurality of layers of structural reinforcement material, and two or more electrical devices are disposed at least partially between the layers with an intermediate layer of the structural reinforcement material disposed between the electrical devices. At least one electrical bus is disposed in the structural member, and each electrical device is connected to the bus by a conductive electrode. Thus, the electrodes can extend through the intermediate layer of the structural reinforcement material to connect each of the electrical devices to one or more of the buses.
-
Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A method of manufacturing a composite structural member with an integrated electrical circuit, the method comprising:
-
providing a plurality of layers of structural reinforcement material; disposing first and second electrical devices at least partially between the layers of the structural reinforcement material with at least one intermediate layer of the structural reinforcement material disposed between the electrical devices so that the electrical devices are disposed in different layers and directed toward opposite sides of the at least one intermediate layer of the structural reinforcement material; disposing first and second electrical buses at least partially between the layers of the structural reinforcement material and extending along the structural member, the first and second buses being electrically isolated by a material disposed therebetween; connecting a first electrode to at least one of the buses and the first electrical device and thereby electrically connecting the first electrical device to at least one of the buses; and connecting a second electrode to at least one of the buses and the second electrical device and thereby electrically connecting the second electrical device to at least one of the buses, the second electrode providing a connection separate from the first electrode such that the first and second devices are separately electrically connected to the buses by the electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method of manufacturing a composite structural member with an integrated electrical circuit, the method comprising:
-
providing a plurality of layers of structural reinforcement material; disposing first and second electrical devices at least partially between the layers of the structural reinforcement material with at least one intermediate layer of the structural reinforcement material disposed between the electrical devices so that the electrical devices are disposed in different layers and directed toward opposite sides of the at least one intermediate layer of the structural reinforcement material; disposing first and second electrical buses at least partially between the layers of the structural reinforcement material and extending along the structural member; disposing an elongate spacer between the first and second buses and thereby electrically isolating the first and second buses; connecting a first electrode to the first bus and the first electrical device and thereby electrically connecting the first electrical device to the first bus; connecting a second electrode to the second bus and the second electrical device and thereby electrically connecting the second electrical device to the second bus; connecting a third electrode to the first bus and the second electrical device and thereby electrically connecting the second electrical device to the first bus; and connecting a fourth electrode to the second bus and the first electrical device and thereby electrically connecting the first electrical device to the second bus, wherein each of the electrodes provides an electrically isolated connection between a respective electrode and bus such that the first and second devices are separately electrically connected to each of the first and second buses by the electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
Specification