Flexible printed conductive fabric and method for fabricating the same

• US 8,003,198 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2007
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kolon Glotech Incorporated (Kolon Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Kolon Glotech Incorporated (Kolon Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Chung, Kyung Hee, Park, Sung Mee, Cho, Kwang Su
• Primary Examiner(s): Shewareged; Betelhem
• Application Number:
  US11/997,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20100279086A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,378 Days
• Field of Search: 428/195.1, 428/201, 428/213, 428/292.4, 428/297.4, 428/412, 428/413, 428/421, 428/423.1, 428/446, 428/457, 428/458, 428/480, 428/500, 442/59, 442/181, 174/254, 361/751
• US Class Current: 428/195.1
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/12 next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/18 characterised by the use of special additives
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/74 with carbon or graphite; with carbides; with graphitic acids or their salts
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/83 with metals; with metal-generating compounds, e.g. metal carbonyls; Reduction of metal compounds on textiles
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 15/3562 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 15/564 Polyureas, polyurethanes or other polymers having ureide or urethane links; Precondensation products forming them
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 15/61 Polyamines polyimines
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 15/63 containing sulfur in the main chain, e.g. polysulfones
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 2200/00 Functionality of the treatment composition and/or properties imparted to the textile material
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 23/16 Processes for the non-uniform application of treating agents, e.g. one-sided treatment; Differential treatment
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/0063 Inorganic compounding ingredients, e.g. metals, carbon fibres, Na2CO3, metal layers; Post-treatment with inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/183 the layers are one next to the other
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0366 reinforced, e.g. by fibres, fabrics H05K1/036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/038 Textiles used as reinforcing materials for organic insulating substrates H05K1/0366
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/095 for polymer thick films, i.e. having a permanent organic polymeric binder
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0278 Polymeric fibers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/029 Woven fibrous reinforcement or textile
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0329 Intrinsically conductive polymer [ICP]; Semiconductive polymer
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/28 Applying non-metallic protective coatings H05K3/0091 takes precedence; methods for intermediate insulating layers for build-up multilayer circuits H05K3/4673
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 : Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24851 : Intermediate layer is discontinuous or differential
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2495 : Thickness [relative or absolute]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249925 : Fiber-containing wood product [e.g., hardboard, lumber, or wood board, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24994 : Fiber embedded in or on the surface of a polymeric matrix
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31507 : Of polycarbonate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31511 : Of epoxy ether
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/3154 : Of fluorinated addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31551 : Of polyamidoester [polyurethane, polyisocyanate, polycarbamate, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31678 : Of metal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31681 : Next to polyester, polyamide or polyimide [e.g., alkyd, glue, or nylon, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31786 : Of polyester [e.g., alkyd, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31855 : Of addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/20 : Coated or impregnated woven, knit, or nonwoven fabric which is not [a] associated with another preformed layer or fiber layer or, [b] with respect to woven and knit, characterized, respectively, by a particular or differential weave or knit, wherein the coating or impregnation is neither a foamed material nor a free metal or alloy layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2164 : Coating or impregnation specified as water repellent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2418 : Coating or impregnation increases electrical conductivity or anti-static quality
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2426 : Elemental carbon containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2459 : Nitrogen containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2467 : Sulphur containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/259 : Coating or impregnation provides protection from radiation [e.g., U.V., visible light, I.R., micscheme-change-itemave, high energy particle, etc.] or heat retention thru radiation absorption
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/30 : Woven fabric [i.e., woven strand or strip material]

Abstract

A conductive fabric is provided. The conductive fabric comprises a base layer composed of a synthetic, regenerated or natural fiber, a conductive layer formed on the base layer to be capable of being freely formed by a pre-designed electric pattern, and an insulating layer formed on the conductive layer to protect the conductive layer from damage.

Claims

1. A conductive fabric comprising,

a base layer composed of a synthetic, regenerated or natural fiber that is not impregnated with a resin,

a conductive layer formed on a surface of the base layer to be capable of being freely formed by a pre-designed electric pattern, and

an insulating layer formed on the conductive layer to protect the conductive layer from damage.

2. The conductive fabric according to claim 1, further comprising a primer layer formed a surface of the base layer without impregnating the base layer and being disposed between the base layer and the conductive layer to make the surface of the base layer uniform.

3. The conductive fabric according to claim 2, wherein the primer layer is formed of at least one resin selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, acrylic and silicone resins.

4. The conductive fabric according to claim 2, wherein the primer layer is formed in a multilayer structure with a water-repellent layer.

5. The conductive fabric according to claim 1, wherein the conductive layer is formed of at least one material selected from the group consisting of a conductive polymer, carbon, a metal material, and a mixture thereof with a binder.

6. The conductive fabric according to claim 5, wherein the conductive polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophene, and mixtures thereof.

7. The conductive fabric according to claim 5, wherein the metal material and the binder are mixed in a weight ratio of 90:

10 to 80;

20 to form the conductive layer.

8. The conductive fabric according to claim 5, wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane resins, acrylic resins, silicone resins, melamine resins, epoxy resins, and mixtures thereof.

9. The conductive fabric according to claim 8, wherein the binder is a water-dispersible polyurethane resin.

10. The conductive fabric according to claim 1, wherein the conductive layer has a thickness of 2 μ

m to 500 μ

m.

11. The conductive fabric according to claim 10, wherein the conductive layer has a thickness of 10 μ

m to 20 μ

m.

12. The conductive fabric according to claim 1, wherein the conductive layer has a width of 10 mm to 20 mm.

13. The conductive fabric according to claim 1, wherein the insulating layer is formed by coating, printing or laminating at least one resin selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, acrylic, silicone, polyester, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) resins on the conductive layer.

14. The conductive fabric according to claim 1, wherein the conductive layer has one or more the enlarged portions of bent portions of a circuit whose width is larger than that of linear portions of the circuit.

15. The conductive fabric according to claim 14, wherein the enlarged portions have a circular or oval shape.

16. The conductive fabric according to claim 1, wherein the conductive fabric has a resistance difference of 0.5Ω

to 4Ω

before and after washing.

17. A method for fabricating a conductive fabric, the method comprising the steps of

forming a conductive layer, through which electricity flows, on a surface of a base layer composed of a synthetic, regenerated or natural fiber that is not impregnated with a resin, and

forming an insulating layer on the conductive layer to protect the conductive layer from damage.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising forming a primer layer on a surface of the base layer without impregnating the base layer to maintain the thickness of the conductive layer at a constant level.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the primer layer is formed in a multilayer structure with a water-repellent layer.

20. The method according to claim 17, further comprising calendering the base layer using a pressing roller before the formation of the conductive layer to make the surface of the base layer smooth, make up pores of the base layer and enhance the flex resistance of the conductive fabric.

21. The method according to claim 17, further comprising breathable waterproofing/waterproofing the base layer after the calendering step to make up pores of the conductive layer and enhance the insulating properties, wash resistance and flex resistance of the conductive fabric.

22. The method according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the primer layer is formed by knife rolling, over roll coating, floating knife coating, or knife over roll coating.

23. The method according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the primer layer is formed of at least one resin selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, acrylic and silicone resins.

24. The method according to claim 17, wherein the conductive layer is formed of at least one material selected from the group consisting of a conductive polymer, carbon, a metal material, and a mixture thereof with a binder.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the conductive polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophene, and mixtures thereof.

26. The method according to claim 24, wherein the metal material and the binder are mixed in a weight ratio of 90:

10 to 80;

20 to form the conductive layer.

27. The method according to claim 24, wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane resins, acrylic resins, silicone resins, melamine resins, epoxy resins, and mixtures thereof.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the binder is a water dispersible polyurethane resin.

29. The method according to claim 17, wherein the conductive layer has a thickness of 2 μ

m to 500 μ

m.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the conductive layer has a thickness of 10 μ

m to 20 μ

m.

31. The method according to claim 17, wherein the conductive layer has a width of 10 mm to 20 mm.

32. The method according to claim 17, wherein the insulating layer is formed by coating, printing or laminating at least one resin selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, acrylic, silicone, polyester, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) resins on the conductive layer.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the insulating layer is formed by dry coating, hot-melt dot lamination or gravure lamination.

34. The method according to claim 17, wherein the conductive layer has one or more the enlarged portions of bent portions of a circuit whose width is larger than that of linear portions of the circuit.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the enlarged portions have a circular or oval shape.

36. The method according to claim 17, wherein the conductive fabric has a resistance difference of 0.5Ω

to 4Ω

before and after washing.