Woven electronic textile, yarn and article

• US 7,592,276 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2003
• Issued: 09/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation (SRI International, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation (SRI International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Riddle, George Herbert Needham, Trotz, Seth, Carpinelli, Joseph M., Matthies, Dennis L., Palanisamy, Ponnusamy, Hill, Ian Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarazano; D. Lawrence
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEELE, JENNIFER A
• Application Number:
  US10/366,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20040009729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,413 Days
• Field of Search: 442/2, 442/181, 442/185, 442/186, 442/301, 442205-231, 174/36, 174/120.R, 428/100, 428/901, 428/690, 428/917, 428/913, 290/2, 2/1, 313/511, 362/103, 405/44, 139/269, 139/273, 139/319
• US Class Current: 442/301
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/005 with embedded cable or connector
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/1281 with incorporated means for medical monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/04 characterised by special function or use protective clothing affording protection against heat or harmful chemical agents or for use at high altitudes A62B17/00; composition of materials for coverings or clothing affording protection against harmful chemical agents A62D5/00
• CPC Class Codes: D02G 3/441 Yarns or threads with antistatic, conductive or radiation-shielding properties electroconductive, anti-static or radiation-shielding filaments D01F1/09, D01F1/106; anti-static fabrics D03D15/533; conducting, insulating or anti-static layers for floor coverings D06N7/0042
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 1/0088 Fabrics having an electronic function
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 11/00 Double or multi-ply fabrics not otherwise provided for
• 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: D03D 15/283 synthetic polymer-based, e.g. polyamide or polyester fibres cellulose-based artificial fibres D03D15/225
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/46 Flat yarns, e.g. tapes or films
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2101/20 Metallic fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2201/02 Cotton
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2201/04 Linen
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2211/02 Wool
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2211/04 Silk
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2331/04 polyesters, e.g. polyethylene terephthalate [PET]
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/16 antistatic; conductive
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/00 Wearing apparel
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/04 Outerwear; Protective garments
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2503/06 Bed linen
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2503/10 : Umbrellas
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2505/18 : Outdoor fabrics, e.g. tents, tarpaulins D10B2507/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2507/06 : Parachutes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 : Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 : using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/02 : Flexible displays
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/02 : Soldered or welded connections H01R4/625, H01R4/723, H01R12/59 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/04 : using electrically conductive adhesives
• 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 428/913 : Material designed to be responsive to temperature, light, moisture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/917 : Electroluminescent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/30 : Woven fabric [i.e., woven strand or strip material]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3033 : Including a strip or ribbon
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3195 : Three-dimensional weave [e.g., x-y-z planes, multi-planar warps and/or wefts, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/322 : Warp differs from weft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/339 : Metal or metal-coated strand
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3976 : Including strand which is stated to have specific attributes [e.g., heat or fire resistance, chemical or solvent resistance, high absorption for aqueous composition, water solubility, heat shrinkability, etc.]

Abstract

A woven article comprises a plurality of electrically insulating and/or electrically conductive yarn in the warp and a plurality of electrically insulating and/or electrically conductive yarn in the weft interwoven with the yarn in the warp. A functional yarn in the warp and/or the weft comprises an elongate substrate including at least one electrical conductor and at least one electronic device thereon, wherein the at least one electrical conductor provides directly and/or indirectly an electrical contact for connecting to the electronic device.

Claims

1. A woven article having an electronic function interwoven therein, comprising:

at least one electrically conductive yarn disposed in one of a warp or a weft direction of said woven article, said electrically conductive yarn being suitable for transmitting an electrical current; and

at least one functional yarn disposed in one of said warp or said weft direction of said woven article and crossing said electrically conductive yarn, said functional yarn comprising;

a flexible elongated insulating electronic substrate;

at least two electrical conductors disposed substantially overlying and extending lengthwise along at least a portion of at least one surface of said flexible elongated insulating electronic substrate, said at least two electrical conductors being suitable for transmitting an electrical current, said at least two electrical conductors being strategically positioned to underlie said electrically conductive yarn at their crossing, the at least two electrical conductors being coated with an insulating coating, except at locations where electrical connections are to be made; and

a plurality of electronic devices disposed on and mechanically affixed to said flexible elongated insulating electronic substrate and electrically connected to at least one of said two electrical conductors, said plurality of electronic devices receiving said electrical current transmitted by at least one of said at least two electrical conductors on the functional yarn and said at least one electrically conductive yarn crossing said functional yarn.

2. The woven article of claim 1 wherein said at least one electrically conductive yarn and at least one of said at least two electrical conductors of said functional yarn electrically connect at one or more of:

an exposed portion of at least one of said at least two electrical conductors;

an exposed portion of at least one of said at least two electrical conductors proximate an end of said elongated insulating electronic substrate;

a contact in electrical connection with at least one of said at least two electrical conductors; and

/or

a contact proximate an end of said elongated insulating electronic substrate and electrically connected with at least one of said at least two electrical conductors.

3. The woven article of claim 1 wherein said at least one electrically conductive yarn and at least one of said at least two electrical conductors of said at least one non-conductive functional yarn are in electrical contact at a location where said at least one electrically conductive yarn crosses said at least one functional yarn in said woven article without a mechanical attaching thereof at said location.

4. The woven article of claim 1:

wherein said at least two electrical conductors includes a signal and/or data conductor; and

wherein said at least one of said plurality of lumped electronic devices is addressable via said signal and/or data conductor for controlling and/or activating at least a second electronic device; and

/or

wherein said at least one of said plurality of lumped electronic devices is addressable by passive matrix addressing, active matrix addressing, serial addressing, parallel addressing, scanned addressing, active addressing, block addressing, and/or individual addressing.

5. The woven article of claim 1 wherein said at least one of said plurality of lumped electronic devices includes one or more of a temperature sensor, a chemical sensor, a biological sensor, a sensor of force, pressure, sound, an electric field, a magnetic field, light, acceleration and/or an environmental condition, a source of tight, force, heat, electromagnetic radiation and/or sound, an infra red and/or wireless transmitter and/or receiver, an imager, a CCD imager, a thermoelectric sensor, cooler, heater and/or generator, a liquid crystal element, an electro-luminescent element, an organic light-emitting element, an OLED, an electrophoretic element, an LED, a piezo-electric element and/or transducer, a microphone, a loudspeaker, an acoustic transducer, a resistor, a processor, a digital signal processor, a microprocessor, a micro-controller, a CPU, an analog-to-digital converter, a digital-to-analog converter, a data-producing device, a data-utilizing device, a processing device, a switch, a human-interface device, a human-input device, a blinker and/or flasher, a battery, a solar cell, a photovoltaic device, a power source, and/or an addressable device.

6. The woven article of claim 1 embodied in a fabric, a textile, a consumer article, a professional article, a commercial article, a government article, a military article, programmable alpha-numeric signage, a traffic warning sign, an advertising sign, a window sign, a banner, a portable sign, a garment, an article of clothing, an article and/or garment for a baby and/or an infant, a safety-wear bib, a vest, a safety garment, a personal flotation device, life saving apparatus, footwear, a blanket, a medical device, a light blanket, a warming blanket, a sensing blanket, apparatus and/or equipment for sport, sports wear, a uniform, a toy, an entertainment device, truck signage, vehicle signage, a construction and/or work area sign, a directional sign, lighting, emergency lighting, a lighting panel, a decorative light, an accent light, a reading light, lighting for a tent, tarp, canvas and/or umbrella, display lighting, a sensor fabric, an environmental and/or chemical and/or biological agent sensor array, camouflage, a parachute, a light sensing array, and/or an imaging array.

7. A woven article having a warp and a weft comprising:

a plurality of electrically insulating and/or electrically conductive yarn in said warp;

a plurality of electrically insulating and/or electrically conductive yarn in said weft interwoven with said plurality of electrically insulating and/or electrically conductive yarn in said warp; and

at least one functional yarn woven in one of said warp and said weft adjacent an electrically insulating yarn thereof and crossing at least one electrically conductive yarn, said functional yarn comprising;

a flexible elongated insulating electronic substrate;

at least two electrical conductors disposed substantially overlying and extending lengthwise along at least a portion of at least one surface of said flexible elongated insulating electronic substrate, said electrical conductors being strategically positioned to underlie said at least one electrically conductive yarn at their crossing, the at least two electrical conductors being coated with an insulating coating, except at locations where electrical connections are to be made; and

a plurality of electronic devices disposed on and mechanically affixed to said flexible elongated insulating electronic substrate and electrically connected to at least one of said at least two electrical conductors, said plurality of electronic devices receiving an electrical current transmitted by said at least one of said at least two electrical conductors on the functional yarn and said at least one electrically conductive yarn.

8. The woven article of claim 7 wherein one of said at least two electrical conductors of said at least one functional yarn is in electrical contact with an electrically conductive yarn at a location where said at least one functional yarn crosses said electrically conductive yarn in said woven article without a mechanical attaching of said at least one functional yarn and said electrically conductive yarn at said location.

9. The woven article of claim 7 wherein said at least one electrically conductive yarn and at least one of said at least two electrical conductors of said functional yarn electrically connect at one or more of:

an exposed portion of at least one of said at least two electrical conductors;

an exposed portion of at least one of said at least two electrical conductors proximate an end of said elongated insulating electronic substrate;

a contact in electrical connection with at least one of said at least two electrical conductors; and

/or

a contact proximate an end of said elongated insulating electronic substrate and electrically connected with at least one of said at least two electrical conductors.

10. The woven article of claim 7:

wherein at least one of said at least two electrical conductors includes a signal and/or data conductor, and wherein said at least one electronic device is addressable via said signal and/or data conductor for controlling and/or activating at least a second electronic device; and

/or

wherein said at least one of said plurality of lumped electronic devices is addressable by passive matrix addressing, active matrix addressing, serial addressing, parallel addressing, scanned addressing, active addressing, block addressing, and/or individual addressing.

11. The woven article of claim 7 wherein said at least one of said plurality of lumped electronic devices includes one or more of a temperature sensor, a chemical sensor, a biological sensor, a sensor of force, pressure, sound, an electric field, a magnetic field, light, acceleration and/or an environmental condition, a source of light, force, heat, electromagnetic radiation and/or sound, an infra red and/or wireless transmitter and/or receiver, an imager, a CCD imager, a thermoelectric sensor, cooler, heater and/or generator, a liquid crystal element, an electro-luminescent element, an organic light-emitting element, an OLED, an electrophoretic element, an LED, a piezo-electric element and/or transducer, a microphone, a loudspeaker, an acoustic transducer, a resistor, a processor, a digital signal processor, a microprocessor, a micro-controller, a CPU, an analog-to-digital converter, a digital-to-analog converter, a data-producing device, a data-utilizing device, a processing device, a switch, a human-interface device, a human-input device, a blinker and/or flasher, a battery, a solar cell, a photovoltaic device, a power source, and/or an addressable device.

12. The woven article of claim 7 embodied in a fabric, a textile, a consumer article, a professional article, a commercial article, a government article, a military article, programmable alpha-numeric signage, a traffic warning sign, an advertising sign, a window sign, a banner, a portable sign, a garment, an article of clothing, an article and/or garment for a baby and/or an infant, a safety-wear bib, a vest, a safety garment, a personal flotation device, life saving apparatus, footwear, a blanket, a medical device, a light blanket, a warming blanket, a sensing blanket, apparatus and/or equipment for sport, sports wear, a uniform, a toy, an entertainment device, truck signage, vehicle signage, a construction and/or work area sign, a directional sign, lighting, emergency lighting, a lighting panel, a decorative light, an accent light, a reading light, lighting for a tarp, canvas and/or umbrella, display lighting, a sensor fabric, an environmental and/or chemical and/or biological agent sensor array, camouflage, a parachute, a light sensing array, and/or an imaging array.