Fabric able to form electronic element

• US 10,290,444 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2008
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ming Young Biomedical Corp.
• Original Assignee: Ming Young Biomedical Corp.
• Inventors: Yang, Changming, Yang, Tzulin, Yang, Chingwen, Yang, Hao
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Timothy J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller, Rhadames Alonzo
• Application Number:
  US12/676,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20100170704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,905 Days
• Field of Search: 174254
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 10/10 adjustable by mechanical pressure or force
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 10/12 by changing surface pressure between resistive masses or resistive and conductive masses, e.g. pile type
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/704 characterised by the layers, e.g. by their material or structure H01H13/703 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2203/0085 Layered switches integrated into garment, clothes or textile
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/042 Trellis; Lattice
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/078 Variable resistance by variable contact area or point

Abstract

A cloth material that can form an electronic component includes a cloth material layer, which includes at least one crevice; and a conductive area included in the cloth material layer, wherein a shape of the crevice and a shape of the conductive area change with an outside force. A cloth material that can form an electronic component includes two cloth material layers stacked to form a crevice therebetween; and a conductive area located on the two cloth material layers spanning from one side of the crevice to the other side of the crevice, wherein a shape of the crevice and the conductive area changes with an outside force.

Claims

1. A cloth material that can form an electronic component, comprising:

a single-layer cloth material, which includes at least one crevice; and

a conductive area included in the single-layer cloth material,

wherein the conductive area comprises a first conductive region on one side of the crevice and a second conductive region on the other side of the crevice,

wherein a gap of the crevice increases with an outside force applied in a direction in the plane of the single-layer cloth material to change an electric property of the conductive area,

wherein the at least one crevice is disposed on a surface of the single-layer cloth material, and

wherein the crevice forms an opening on the single-layer cloth material when the outside force is applied.

2. The cloth material that can form an electronic component as described in claim 1, wherein the first conductive region the second conductive region are formed as a continuous region.

3. The cloth material that can form an electronic component as described in claim 2, wherein the first conductive region is located proximate a rim of the crevice.

4. The cloth material that can form an electronic component as described in claim 3, wherein the first conductive region is located at a predetermined distance from a rim of the crevice.

5. The cloth material that can form an electronic component as described in claim 1, wherein the first conductive region and the second conductive region are not directly connected with each other and the electric property that is changed by the outside force is a capacitance or resistance.

6. The cloth material that can form an electronic component as described in claim 5, wherein the first conductive region or the second conductive region is separated from a rim of the crevice by a predetermined distance.

7. The cloth material that can form an electronic component as described in claim 5, wherein the crevice of the single-layer cloth material is an H-shaped crevice;

the at least one first conductive region and the at least one second conductive region are separately located on two inner regions defined by the H-shaped crevice.

8. The cloth material that can form an electronic component as described in claim 1, characterized in that the single-layer cloth material further comprises a cushion pad disposed on one side of the single-layer cloth material.

9. The cloth material that can form an electronic component as described in claim 1, wherein the single-layer cloth material further comprises a control circuit that is electrically connected to the conductive area.

10. The cloth material that can form an electronic component as described in claim 9, wherein the control circuit includes either a resistance-multiplexed switch or a capacitance-multiplexed switch.

11. The cloth material that can form an electronic component as described in claim 9, wherein the single-layer cloth material further comprises at least one conductive reference area on the single-layer cloth material and electrically connected to the control circuit.

12. The cloth material that can form an electronic component as described in claim 11, wherein the at least one described reference area comprises two or more reference areas, wherein the control circuit determines whether there is electrical leakage based on the presence or absence of a circuit formed among the two or more reference areas.

13. The cloth material that can form an electronic component as described in claim 11, wherein the control circuit determines whether there is electrical leakage based on the presence or absence of a circuit formed between the reference area and the conductive area.

14. The cloth material that can form an electronic component as described in claim 1, wherein materials of the single-layer cloth material on both sides of the crevice are different.

15. The cloth material as described in claim 1, wherein the single-layer cloth material is used as an electrical component, and wherein the electronic component is any one of the following:

a moisture sensor, a switch, a pressure gauge, a strain gauge, a signal-producing device, a posture-change sensor, a position-change sensor, a gait-analyzing sensor, a falling down sensor, a respiration sensor, a swallowing sensor, a speedometer sensor, or an acceleration sensor.

16. The cloth material according to claim 1, wherein the conductive area is used as an electrode.

17. The cloth material as described in claim 11, wherein the reference area is used as an electrode.

18. The cloth material of claim 1, wherein the crevice remains in a closed position when not experiencing outside force.