Flexible functional element and method for producing a flexible functional element

Abstract

Flexible functional element, containing a flexible substrate (1) with a functional coating (2) made of a functional material covering the flexible substrate (1) at least in a partial area, wherein the functional coating (2) has a lateral structuring consisting of structural elements (3) filling a given area and lateral intermediate areas (4) running between the structural elements (3), wherein the structural element (3) is in each case a coated functional area (F) covering the flexible substrate (1) and consisting of the functional material, and the intermediate area (4) surrounding the structural element (3) is designed as an uncovered substrate area (S).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a flexible functional element according to claim 1 and a method for producing a flexible functional element according to claim 15.

[0002] Such functional elements consist of a flexible, particularly foldable, substrate with a functional coating applied thereto. The flexible substrate is, in particular, a textile or a film; the applied functional coating can, for example, be electrically conductive, magnetic, luminous, or designed in another way.

[0003] EP 2 449 901 B1 discloses a form-fitting sportswear sectioned with so-called compression zones. The compression zones have a regular mesh-like structure. The mesh-like structure is either a perforated textile film or a polyurethane coating that forms a web-like covering on a given substrate. This influences the stretch properties of the substrate and achieves a compression effect at specific points on the sportswear.

[0004] DE 10 2011 003 620 A1 discloses a multilayer film for preventing growth by fouling organisms, a method for its production, and its use. The document teaches a layer sequence consisting of several layers characterized by different conductivities and surface properties. One of the layers can have a net-like structure of webs, whereby this net covers the layer as a substrate and can be electrically contacted as a whole.

[0005] DE 199 26 379 A1 discloses a composite material. The document teaches an arrangement of two outer layers and a middle layer, which is doctor-applied and formed in the form of webs with empty, uncovered areas. Additionally, conductive structures in the form of steel yarns can be provided there.

[0006] DE 103 31 177 A1 discloses a composite construction. This consists of a construction paper or film with a textile fabric. The textile fabric can be a knitted fabric and contain conductive yarns. The textile fabric can be attached and secured using special adhesives or glues.

[0007] EP 2 671 715 A1 discloses a microwave packaging for food. The document teaches a multilayer structure consisting of a liquid-absorbing insert applied to a grid structure. The grid structure consists of a series of cells surrounded by conductive webs.

[0008] The problem with the flexible functional elements currently known from the state of the art is that the functional coating generally does not exhibit the properties of the flexible substrate, or only inadequately. For example, the functional coating is less flexible than the substrate or, particularly compared to a textile substrate, it is hardly or not at all breathable. Due to this lack of interaction between the properties of substrate and functional coating, the functional element as a whole consisting of these components very often exhibits properties that primarily combine the disadvantageous properties of both substrate and functional coating. In particular, the functional element as a whole is insufficiently flexible, and excessive deformation of the substrate leads to the functional coating breaking and thus being damaged or even destroyed.If the flexible substrate is a textile, it has a certain degree of breathability as a component, but the functional coating often impairs this breathability to a considerable extent.

[0009] These negative combinations of properties significantly limit the usability and range of applications of flexible functional elements. For example, certain curves or shapes must be avoided to prevent the functional coating from cracking, or the functional element cannot be used extensively in clothing because the resulting garments are impractical and uncomfortable to wear due to their lack of breathability.

[0010] The object is therefore to provide a flexible functional element whose structure avoids the aforementioned combination of negative properties and instead effectively and comprehensively combines the advantageous properties of the substrate with the desired properties of the functional coating. Furthermore, the related object is to provide a manufacturing method for a flexible functional element with which such a flexible functional element can be manufactured.

[0011] The above-mentioned objects are achieved by a flexible functional element having the features of claim 1 and by a method for producing a flexible functional element having the features of claim 15. The subclaims contain expedient and / or advantageous embodiments of the functional element or of the method.

[0012] According to the invention, the flexible functional element comprises a flexible substrate with a functional coating made of a functional material covering at least a partial area of ​​the flexible substrate. The functional coating has a lateral structure. The lateral structure consists of structural elements filling a given area and lateral intermediate regions extending between the structural elements. The structural element is a coated functional region made of the functional material covering the flexible substrate, and the intermediate region surrounding the structural element is formed as an uncovered substrate region.

[0013] In the flexible functional element according to the invention, the functional coating is thus designed such that it is not applied to the substrate as a continuous layer. Rather, it consists laterally of a plurality of individual elements, the so-called structural elements. The structural elements are geometrically shaped such that they fill a given area, i.e., they cover it seamlessly and, so to speak, form a parquet. Intermediate regions are provided between the individual structural elements, which separate the individual structural elements from one another and simultaneously delimit them. The functional coating is thus laterally structured. This makes the functional coating more flexible, allowing it to adapt better to the flexible substrate.

[0014] According to the invention, the structural element is a coated functional area made of the functional material covering the flexible substrate. The intermediate area surrounding the structural element is formed as an uncovered substrate area in this design.

[0015] In this embodiment, the flexible substrate, in particular, exhibits unaffected flexibility, in particular unaffected bendability, in the uncovered substrate area. This means, in particular, that the substrate is unaffected by the mechanical properties of the functional material and can be bent, folded, or even kinked without the functional material itself being affected by these deformations.

[0016] In a further development of this embodiment, the uncovered substrate area forms a fold and crease line that runs at least partially along several functional areas across the surface of the flexible substrate, whereby the flexible substrate is deformable without being influenced by the mechanical properties of the functional coating. This means that the flexible functional element formed in this way can be folded and bent virtually anywhere and can thus be laminated in any size, even around sharp corners, without affecting or even breaking the functional coating.

[0017] In an embodiment not according to the invention, the structural element is in each case an area that does not cover the flexible substrate. However, the intermediate area surrounding the structural element is covered with the functional material and forms a functional web that delimits the individual structural element. This embodiment is particularly suitable for functional elements for which high bendability is not the primary requirement, but for which as large a portion of the flexible substrate as possible should remain exposed. Such an embodiment is particularly useful for a textile substrate if its breathability is to be utilized.

[0018] The basic structure described above can be advantageously supplemented in both variants.

[0019] In an advantageous embodiment, at least a subset of the functional regions and / or functional webs present on the substrate are combined, in particular interconnected, to form at least one functional material structure extending across the surface of the substrate. This makes it possible to utilize the lateral structuring provided by the structural elements for the introduction of lateral structures into the functional coating itself.

[0020] It is also possible that at least a subset of the functional areas present on the substrate is removed and replaced by at least one functional structure extending over the surface of the substrate.

[0021] The functional material structure mentioned is, in particular, at least in sections, a meander structure.

[0022] Likewise, the functional structure mentioned can also be a meandering structure, at least in sections.

[0023] Depending on the specific design, the functional material, the functional material structure, and / or the functional structure can be electrically conductive, luminescent, and / or magnetic. This allows for a high degree of variability of the functional element.

[0024] The individual structural element can in particular have a quadrangular, in particular a rectangular and / or a square, shape.

[0025] For the individual structural element it is of course also possible that it has a trigonal (triangular) and / or a hexagonal shape.

[0026] The lateral dimension of the individual structural element is not predetermined. In an advantageous design, the individual structural element has a lateral dimension in the range of 1 µm to 500 µm. The structuring in this size range is sufficiently fine that the functional element can be folded, bent, and / or breathable at virtually any location, thus combining the advantageous properties of the flexible substrate with those of the functional material across the entire surface of the functional element.

[0027] The functional coating with the lateral structuring, consisting of the structural elements filling a given area and the lateral intermediate areas running between the structural elements, is advantageous and is printed onto the substrate.

[0028] The functional coating can be digitally printed, i.e., without a physical printing form, such as by means of an inkjet printing process, an electrophotographic process, or a laser printing process. However, it can also be printed non-digitally, i.e., using a physical printing form, such as a stamp, a screen, a stencil, and similar devices.

[0029] The flexible substrate can be made of different materials.

[0030] In a first embodiment, the flexible substrate is a textile substrate.

[0031] In a second embodiment, the flexible substrate is a film.

[0032] A method for producing a flexible functional element, comprising coating a flexible substrate with a functional coating, is characterized according to the invention in that the flexible substrate is coated by printing a functional coating made of a functional material in a printing process. The printing process can be carried out both with and without the use of a physical printing form. The functional coating is applied to the flexible substrate in a printed image with a lateral structuring. The printed image for the structuring consists of structural elements that geometrically fill a given area and lateral intermediate regions extending between the structural elements.

[0033] According to the invention, the printed image consists of a plurality of functional areas coated with the functional material covering the flexible substrate, wherein the functional areas are separated from one another by a surrounding intermediate area. The flexible substrate remains unprinted in the intermediate area.

[0034] In an embodiment of the method not according to the invention, the printed image consists of a plurality of areas not covering the flexible substrate, wherein the uncovered areas are each surrounded by an intermediate area and covered with the functional material. The intermediate area is then printed as a network of functional webs delimiting the uncovered areas.

[0035] In an advantageous embodiment of the method, the printing method is a digital printing method, in particular an inkjet printing method or an electrophotography method or a laser printing method.

[0036] The flexible functional element and the manufacturing process for it will be explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments. The attached Fig. 1 to 15. The same reference symbols are used for identical or equivalent parts.

[0037] It shows: Fig. 1 an exemplary embodiment of structural elements in the form of coated functional areas in a hexagonal shape, Fig. 2 an exemplary embodiment of structural elements in the form of coated functional areas in a trigonal shape, Fig. 3 an exemplary embodiment of structural elements in the form of coated functional areas in a quadrangular shape, in particular as a combination of rectangles and squares, Fig. 4 an exemplary embodiment of structural elements in the form of coated functional areas in the form of parallelograms, Fig. 5 an example representation of fold and crease lines, Fig. 6 shows an exemplary embodiment not according to the invention with structural elements in the form of uncovered areas and delimiting functional webs, Fig. 7 a modification of the non-inventive embodiment of Fig. 6, with some of the uncovered areas modified, Fig. 8 an exemplary embodiment of a meandering functional material structure, Fig. 9 an exemplary detailed representation of unconnected functional areas, Fig. 10 an exemplary detailed representation of connected functional areas in a first variant in a plan view and in section, Fig. 11 an exemplary detailed representation of connected functional areas in a second variant in a plan view and in section, Fig. 12 an exemplary embodiment of a meandering functional structure, Fig. 13 shows an exemplary embodiment of functional webs combined into a meander structure, Fig. 14 is a non-inventive exemplary detailed representation of functional webs with uncovered structural elements in a plan view and in section, Fig. 15 is a non-inventive exemplary detailed representation of functional webs in sections with uncovered structural elements in a plan view and in section.

[0038] The invention explained below with reference to the exemplary embodiments relates to the construction of small-structured functional coatings on flexible substrates, for example on substrates which are designed as films and / or textiles. The lateral extent of the structures explained below is, for example, a maximum of 3 mm. The functional coatings mentioned below can be conductive, magnetic or luminescent, among other things. A common feature of all of the following exemplary embodiments is that the coating is not applied over the entire surface of a substrate, but is partially fixed to the flexible substrate. Between the coated areas on the flexible substrate there are interruptions, i.e. in particular uncoated areas, which function as gas- and moisture-permeable spaces and ensure that the composite made up of the substrate and the coating is breathable.In addition, interrupted, uncoated sections deliberately introduced into the coating increase the flexibility of the composite of the substrate and the coating by creating bending edges that facilitate bending of the coated, flexible substrate. The coated regions can be arranged either systematically or randomly on the flexible substrate. Regular and periodic structures are explained as examples in the following embodiments.

[0039] The structures explained below can be created both digitally and non-digitally.

[0040] Digital here means that these structures are applied to the flexible substrate using digitally controllable processes, such as inkjet or laser printing. Digital processes, in particular, do not use a physical printing form. Instead, the printed image is created by the targeted placement of dots of material at specific locations on the substrate.

[0041] Non-digital here means that a physical printing form is used in the printing process to transfer the printed image and thus the structures to the substrate. Examples of these include stamps, screen printing forms, or stencils. The physical printing form, in particular the stamp, screen, or stencil, can of course be generated computer-aided. However, the actual printing process as such does not take place digitally using these printing forms.

[0042] These digitally or non-digitally generated structures can be hexagonal and / or rectangular, in particular square, and / or triangular. These form, in particular, individual cells, whose elements can be functionalized with photoluminescence and / or magnetic and / or electroluminescence.

[0043] Fig. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of structural elements in the form of coated functional areas in a hexagonal shape.

[0044] The functional element shown here consists of a flexible substrate 1 and a functional coating 2 made of a functional material. The functional coating is laterally structured, consisting of hexagonal structural elements 3. The structural elements are separated from each other by intermediate regions 4 that also run laterally.

[0045] The shape of the structural elements 3 is of course not fixed to the hexagonal form. In the embodiment in Fig. 2, the structural elements 3 are trigonal in the form of equilateral or isosceles triangles, in the embodiments according to Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, the structural elements 3 are rectangular, square, and in the form of parallelograms or rhombuses. The geometric shape of the structural elements 3 is designed such that they cover a given surface without gaps, i.e., they form a tiled pattern. In principle, this lateral structure does not have to be periodic; for example, so-called Penrose tilings can also be used as mathematical structures. However, a periodic structure is naturally more advantageous and less complex to produce.

[0046] Even in the examples from the Fig. 2, Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, the intermediate regions 4 are not covered with the functional material, thus leaving the flexible substrate 1 exposed in these sections. Because the structural elements 3 are covered with the functional material in these examples, they form a set of functional regions F, while the intermediate regions 4 are formed as uncovered substrate regions S.

[0047] The surface of the functional elements from the Fig. 1 to 4 thus show uncovered and covered substrate areas. The uncovered substrate areas S exhibit the properties of the uncovered substrate; they are particularly flexible and, depending on the type of substrate, breathable. The covered functional areas F, on the other hand, are functionally effective.

[0048] According to the exemplary illustration from Fig. 5, the surface of the flexible functional element can have a series of fold and crease lines 5 due to the arrangement of the structural elements 3. The fold and crease lines 5 run in the direction of the uncovered intermediate regions 4, i.e., along the uncovered substrate regions S. The fold and crease lines 5 run continuously across the entire surface of the flexible substrate and are thus fundamentally unlimited in length. Flexible functional elements can thus be cut out of a larger substrate web in the required sizes, in which the fold and crease lines 5 are also present.

[0049] In the embodiment from Fig. 5, the position of the fold and crease lines varies depending on the location on the surface, depending on the different shapes of the hexagonal or rectangular structural elements. The substrate coated in this way can thus be bent and folded differently at different locations. By varying the lateral structuring of the functional coating, locally different folding and bending properties can also be achieved.

[0050] The Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 show exemplary embodiments not according to the invention with structural elements in the form of uncovered areas and delimiting functional webs, as well as a modification of the exemplary embodiment in which some of the uncovered areas are modified. The non-inventive embodiments from the Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 represent, in a sense, an inverted counterpart to the embodiment of Fig. 1.

[0051] The substrate 1 is also designed as a flexible substrate 1. The functional coating 2 is hexagonally structured by the structural elements 3.

[0052] Instead of the hexagonal shape, other geometric shapes can of course also be used. In the embodiment in Fig. 6, the structural elements 3 are not coated with the functional material, thus leaving the flexible substrate 1 exposed. The intermediate region 4 surrounding the structural elements 3, however, is coated with the functional material. The coated intermediate region thus forms a network of functional webs FS. The functional webs FS can cover the entire surface of the flexible substrate 1.

[0053] The laterally structured functional coating thus formed allows for maximum breathability for the flexible substrate 1 and is therefore advantageous for textile substrates when maintaining the substrate's breathable properties is important and should be combined with the functional coating. Of course, such a structured functional coating can also be combined with film substrates.

[0054] The Fig. 6 remaining structural elements 3 can of course also be at least partially filled with the functional material or contain another additional material. This possibility is described in Fig. 7. As an example, some of the open structural elements 3 are filled with an additional material 6. The additional material 6 can contain additional functionalities. If the functional material of the functional webs FS is, for example, a conductive material, the structural elements 3 filled with the additional material 6 can be electrically contacted via the functional webs. The additional material 6 can thus be subjected to electrical voltage and, for example, made to glow.

[0055] Fig. Figure 8 shows an exemplary embodiment of a meandering functional material structure 7. The exemplary embodiment shown in the figure shows a plurality of hexagonal structural elements 3, each of which is designed as a functional region F. The intermediate regions 4 form, as in the example from Fig. 1 uncovered substrate areas S. Some of the functional areas F are combined to form functional material structures 7. This is done, for example, via a conductor track 8 or another type of connection. This functional material structure 7 can, in particular, run in a meandering shape over the laterally structured surface of the functional element. The structural elements 3 and thus the individual functional areas F thus form a clearly predetermined functional grid via which meander structures, but also other structures, can be addressed and defined. This means that additional structures can later be easily introduced onto an initially undefined functional element by interconnecting or connecting selected functional areas in the grid to one another in a desired manner, forming a lateral structure and circuit of virtually any size that can be activated as a whole.

[0056] The meandering functional structure can consist of connected areas or be composed of unconnected functional elements positioned in a meandering pattern. This allows for the realization of structures that are conductive, luminescent, and / or magnetically coated.

[0057] In particular, magnetic and / or permanent magnetic coatings of this type can, of course, be produced using a digitally controlled process, i.e., in particular, a digital printing process. This allows for the creation of fixation devices on magnetic components, thus allowing non-magnetic, flexible substrates 1 to be provided with magnetic coatings, while the flexibility of the substrate 1 itself remains virtually unaffected. Instead of the digital printing process, printing processes that utilize physical printing forms, in particular stamps, stencils, screens, and similar printing forms, can, of course, also be used to produce such structures.

[0058] The Fig. 9, Fig. 10 and Fig. 11 show examples of possible types of interconnection of individual functional areas F defined by structural elements 3, each in a plan view and a sectional view. In the illustration in Fig. 9, the structural elements 3 are separated by the intermediate regions 4 and are located individually on the flexible substrate 1. They are therefore not connected or interconnected.

[0059] In the example from Fig. 10, the conductor track 8 is first applied to the flexible substrate 1. Instead of the conductor track 8, a different structure can of course also be applied to the substrate 1. It is also possible, in particular, for the substrate 1 to have additional structuring in these areas, for example, a conductive yarn or another embroidered structure.

[0060] In the example from Fig. 11 is first the structuring according to Fig. 9, wherein the conductor track 8 has been subsequently applied to this structuring and thus partially covers it. This corresponds to a subsequent addressing of the individual functional areas F along the existing structural elements 3. The conductor track 8 can, of course, also be replaced by a non-conductive connection that creates, for example, mechanical stabilization, a functional connection, a pattern, or another effect.

[0061] Fig. Figure 12 shows another possibility for incorporating additional structures into the structured surface of the functional element. The structured surface of the functional element consists of a plurality of functional areas F, which are arranged in a grid of structural elements 3 and separated from each other by intermediate areas 4.

[0062] Some of the structural elements 3 are shown in the example Fig. 12 is removed and replaced by a functional structure 9 located on the flexible substrate. This is designed here as a meander structure. In addition, some of the structural elements 3 can be combined to form the above-mentioned functional material structure 7, so that the surface of the functional element has three different lateral regions: the region of unconnected functional regions F, the region of the functional structure 9 in which the functional elements are replaced by another structure, for example a conductor track 8, and a functional material structure 7 in which functional regions F are present and interconnected and functionally combined. At an intersection point 10, the functional structure 9 and the functional material structure 7 can be contacted or connected in some other way.

[0063] It is also possible to use the non-inventive embodiment according to Fig. 6 in a comparable manner. Fig. 13 shows a corresponding example, also not according to the invention. As already described in connection with Fig. 6, the structural elements 3 are uncovered substrate areas that are separated from each other by functional webs FS as the intermediate areas 4 that are covered here. In the non-inventive example in Fig. 13, a portion of the functional webs FS is designed as modified functional webs 11. In the example presented here, these run in a meandering pattern across the surface of the functional element.

[0064] The modified functional webs 11 can, for example, be conductive contacts that connect various functional webs FS and apply an electrical voltage to them. However, it is also possible to design the modified functional webs 11 as insulating components that laterally separate different sections of the functional element from one another.

[0065] The non-inventive examples from the Fig. 14 and Fig. 15 shows the functional webs FS in unmodified and modified form, respectively in a plan view and in section. In the non-inventive example from Fig. Figure 14 shows the uncovered structural elements 3 and the functional webs FS. In cross-section, these appear as narrow webs that cover the flexible substrate 1 in a narrow lateral extent.

[0066] In the non-inventive example from Fig. 15, part of the functional webs FS is replaced by modified functional webs 11. These form at least partially the boundaries of the uncoated structural elements 3.

[0067] The structures explained in the exemplary embodiments can of course also be realized analogously with structural elements 3 that are not hexagonal in design. The mechanical properties of the flexible functional element as well as other properties, such as in particular its breathability, can be adjusted via the ratio of the lateral dimensions of the structural elements 3 to the lateral dimensions of the intermediate regions 4. With covered structural elements 3, which are thus designed as functional regions F, and a textile, air-permeable substrate 1, breathable and highly flexible functional elements can be created if the uncovered intermediate regions 4 are designed to be correspondingly wide in relation to the lateral width of the functional elements. With uncovered structural elements 3 with the intermediate regions 4 designed as functional webs FS, the resulting functional element tends to be very breathable.In such a case, the flexibility of the functional element can be increased by making the functional webs FS as narrow as possible.

[0068] As already explained, the flexible functional element can be easily deformed, folded, and bent, especially in the uncovered intermediate areas. Although this deformability is initially limited to the uncovered intermediate areas and their contours, it can be practically made continuous by implementing the structural elements and the lateral grid of the functional coating pattern formed by the structural elements with sufficient fineness.With a lateral dimension of the structural elements of less than 500 µm, the grid pattern of the functional coating virtually no longer influences the continuous deformability of the flexible substrate, and the flexible functional element can be bent and folded in virtually any direction and at any location, especially since at these small lateral dimensions, the technical curvature radii of the bends are generally greater than 500 µm, and the thickness of the flexible substrate is also significantly higher. Overall, this enables the flexible functional element to adapt to any three-dimensional geometric structure.

[0069] The uncoated lateral sections in the functional coating also allow for material savings. Due to the structure, the strength of the flexible substrate is also increased to some extent.

[0070] The flexible functional element according to the invention has been described using exemplary embodiments. Further configurations are possible within the scope of expert practice. Further embodiments are also apparent from the subclaims. List of reference symbols 1 flexible substrate 2 Functional coating 3 Structural element 4 Intermediate area 5 Fold and crease line 6 Additional material 7 Functional material structure 8 conductor track 9 Functional structure 10 Intersection point 11 Modified functional bridge F Functional area FS functional bridge S uncovered substrate area

Claims

[1] Flexible functional element, containing a flexible substrate (1) with a functional coating (2) made of a functional material covering the flexible substrate (1) at least in a partial area, wherein the functional coating (2) has a lateral structuring consisting of structural elements (3) filling a given area and lateral intermediate areas (4) running between the structural elements (3), wherein the structural element (3) is in each case a coated functional area (F) consisting of the functional material covering the flexible substrate (1), and the intermediate area (4) surrounding the structural element (3) is designed as an uncovered substrate area (S). [2] Flexible functional element according to claim 1, characterized by that the flexible substrate (1) has an unaffected flexibility, in particular an unaffected bendability, in the region of the uncovered substrate region (S). [3] Flexible functional element according to claim 2, characterized by that the uncovered substrate area (S) forms a folding and bending line (5) which runs at least in sections along a plurality of functional areas (F) over the surface of the flexible substrate, in which the flexible substrate (1) is deformable without being influenced by the mechanical properties of the functional coating (2). [4] Flexible functional element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that at least a subset of the functional areas (F) present on the substrate is combined, in particular interconnected, to form at least one functional material structure (7) extending over the surface of the substrate. [5] Flexible functional element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least a subset of the functional areas (F) present on the substrate is removed and replaced by at least one functional structure (9) extending over the surface of the substrate. [6] Flexible functional element according to claim 4, characterized by that the functional material structure (7) is at least partially a meander structure. [7] Flexible functional element according to claim 5, characterized by that the functional structure (9) is at least partially a meander structure. [8] Flexible functional element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the functional material, the functional material structure (7) and / or the functional structure (9) is electrically conductive and / or luminescent and / or magnetic. [9] Flexible functional element according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 8, characterized bythat the individual structural element (3) has a quadrangular, in particular a rectangular and / or a square, shape. [10] Flexible functional element according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by that the individual structural element (3) has a trigonal and / or a hexagonal shape. [11] Flexible functional element according to one of claims 9 or 10, characterized by that the individual structural element (3) has a lateral extent in the range of 1 µm to 500 µm. [12] Flexible functional element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the functional coating (2) with the lateral structuring, consisting of the structural elements (3) filling the given area and the lateral intermediate regions (4) running between the structural elements (3), is printed onto the flexible substrate (1). [13] Flexible functional element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the flexible substrate (1) is a textile substrate. [14] Flexible functional element according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized by that the flexible substrate (1) is a film. [15] Method for producing a flexible functional element, comprising coating a flexible substrate (1) with a functional coating (2), characterized by , that in a printing process, the coating of the flexible substrate (1) is carried out by printing a functional coating (2) made of a functional material, wherein the functional coating (2) is applied to the flexible substrate (1) in a printed image with a lateral structuring, consisting of structural elements (3) geometrically filling a given area and lateral intermediate regions (4) extending between the structural elements (3), wherein the printed image consists of a plurality of coated functional areas (F) consisting of the functional material covering the flexible substrate (1), wherein the functional areas (F) are separated from one another by a surrounding intermediate area (4), wherein the flexible substrate (1) remains unprinted in the intermediate area (4). [16] Method according to claim 15, characterized by that the printing process is a digital printing process, in particular an inkjet printing process or an electrophotography process or a laser printing process.

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