Flexible Conductive Textile Bus for High-Power Bendable Electronics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flexible electronic circuits are limited to low power environments due to their thin and brittle nature, restricting them to power throughput of two to three Watts or less, which hinders their application in flexible and bendable consumer and industrial electronics.
Innovation Solution
A flexible high-power electronic bus utilizing a conductive gel and encapsulant, such as thermoplastic polyurethane, integrated into a conductive textile, enabling power throughput of tens of Watts while allowing flexibility and bendability, suitable for applications like thermal blankets and wearable devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional wires and circuit boards are made thin to become flexible, then flexibility is improved, but power throughput is reduced to two to three Watts or less
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the conductor by using a gel-based material instead of conventional solid metals. This gel conductor can be formulated to have both flexible properties (allowing bending and flexing) and high electrical conductivity (enabling power throughput of tens of Watts), thereby resolving the contradiction between flexibility and power handling capability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs a composite structure consisting of a gel-based conductive material integrated with a flexible substrate. This composite material combines the flexibility of the gel and substrate with the electrical conductivity needed for high-power applications, achieving both flexibility and high power throughput simultaneously
2Ease of operation
If conventional wires are made thin to be flexible, then bendability is improved, but structural strength deteriorates making them brittle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a gel-based conductor that inherently possesses flexible properties, allowing the circuit to be bent and flexed without becoming brittle. The gel material can be integrated with a flexible substrate to create a thin-film structure that maintains both flexibility and structural integrity, eliminating the brittleness issue associated with thin conventional wires
3Ease of operation
If flexible circuits are made thin for flexibility, then flexibility is improved, but reliability in high-power environments deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the conductor material parameters by using a gel-based substance with tailored electrical and mechanical properties. This gel conductor can maintain stable electrical performance in high-power environments while retaining flexibility, thereby improving reliability without sacrificing bendability
Solution Approach 2:
The gel-based conductor can be formulated to be more resistant to degradation from heat and electrical stress, extending the operational life of flexible circuits in high-power applications. The material composition can be optimized to withstand repeated bending and high-power operation, improving long-term reliability
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
The flexible bus achieves high power throughput of up to 30 Watts, maintaining functionality even with repeated bending and flexing, enhancing the usability of flexible electronics in various applications.
Implementation Method 1
a conductive gel electrically coupled to the conductive strands
Implementation Method 2
an encapsulant bonded to the conductive textile and configured to contain the conductive gel in contact with the conductive strands
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, systems, and methods include a conductive textile (106) comprising a plurality of conductive strands and a flexible bus (102). The flexible bus (102) includes a conductive gel (104) electrically coupled to the conductive strands and an encapsulant (108) bonded to the conductive textile (106) and configured to contain the conductive gel (104) in contact with the conductive strands. The flexible bus is configured to be electrically coupled to a power source and induce a current from the power source to the conductive strands.