Conductive textile yarn, thread or strand
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing textile electronic circuits face challenges in maintaining breathability and flexibility while ensuring long-term stable electrical connections, as they require removal of insulation and use of costly aids like soldering pastes, which can lead to corrosion and reduced conductivity.
Innovation Solution
Development of conductive textile yarns, threads, or strands with an electrically insulating coating that can be melted thermally to expose conductive microparticles, allowing for selective electrical contact formation through localized temperature and pressure treatment, thereby eliminating the need for mechanical insulation removal and costly aids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If insulation is removed and soldering pastes or conductive adhesives are applied to create electrical connections, then electrical connectivity is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase, and corrosion risk arises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the insulating coating and conductive particles into a single integrated structure. The insulating sheath contains conductive microparticles distributed throughout its volume, eliminating the need for separate insulation removal and contact creation steps. This merging of functions resolves the technical contradiction by maintaining electrical connection simplicity while ensuring connection stability through the embedded conductive particles.
Solution Approach 2:
The conductive microparticles are pre-distributed within the insulating sheath during manufacturing, before any assembly or connection operations. This preliminary preparation ensures that when connections are needed, the conductive particles are already in position to facilitate electrical contact, eliminating the need for complex on-site connection processes and reducing manufacturing complexity.
2Reliability
If insulation is removed to create electrical contacts, then electrical connectivity is achieved, but corrosion occurs at stripped areas over the long term
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating sheath with embedded conductive particles provides preliminary protection by maintaining the integrity of the coating throughout the textile structure. Instead of creating vulnerable stripped areas, the conductive particles are embedded within the protective insulation, preventing corrosion while enabling electrical contact. This preliminary anti-action resolves the contradiction by protecting against corrosion while maintaining long-term electrical stability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables cost-effective and simple formation of stable electrical connections within textile structures, maintaining flexibility and breathability while ensuring long-term conductivity and preventing corrosion.
Implementation Method 1
the casing or coating can now be thermally melted and provided with a homogeneous doping of conductive microparticles
Implementation Method 2
By applying local, time-controlled temperature and pressure to the casing or coating, a point-like, electrically conductive access to the core can now be created
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
AI summary
The invention relates to conductive textile yarns, threads, or strands for textile-technological structure production, in particular for electronic textiles with active and/or passive electronic components, wherein the yarn, thread, or strand has an electrically insulating sheath or coating around its core. According to the invention, the sheath or coating has thermally meltable properties and, while maintaining its high resistance, is provided with a homogeneous doping of conductive microparticles, wherein a local, time-controlled application of temperature and pressure to the sheath or coating allows for the creation of a localized, electrically conductive access point to the core.