Sheet Conductive Member Layout to Prevent Contact Shorts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conductive threads embroidered or woven into a sheet body can fray at cut ends, leading to potential short-circuiting between adjacent contacts when connected to a connector.
Innovation Solution
A sheet type conductive member with a flexible conductor formed of a conductive thread, where the second end portion is spaced from the edge of an opening portion by a predetermined distance and embroidered to avoid cut ends, ensuring reliable electrical connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the middle portions of plural conductive threads extending in parallel are cut to form one end portions of flexible conductors, then the flexible conductors can be connected to contacts, but the cut ends of the conductive threads may fray and cause adjacent contacts to short-circuit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by forming protective structures (insulator protrusions and insulator sheet configurations) before the cutting process occurs. These protective structures are pre-positioned to prevent fraying of conductive thread cut ends, thereby maintaining reliability while still allowing the manufacturing process to proceed with cutting the conductive threads to create flexible conductor ends for contact connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary element (insulator protrusion or insulator sheet) that acts as a barrier between the frayed cut ends of conductive threads and the contacts. This intermediary prevents the harmful effect of fraying from causing short-circuits, while still allowing the desired electrical connections to be made.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conductive threads are embroidered or woven into the sheet body, then flexible conductors can be formed, but cutting the threads creates frayed ends that may cause short-circuiting
Solution Approach 1:
The insulator protrusion serves as an intermediary barrier that prevents frayed conductive thread ends from causing short-circuits between adjacent contacts. This allows the patent to maintain the adaptable embroidered conductor design while protecting against reliability issues from fraying.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by providing insulation specifically at the critical locations where fraying could cause problems (near the contacts), rather than insulating the entire sheet body. The insulator protrusion is positioned locally at the opening portion to prevent short-circuits while maintaining the flexibility and adaptability of the embroidered conductors elsewhere.
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet type conductive member includes a flexible conductor formed of a conductive thread embroidered on or woven into a sheet body, the flexible conductor including a first end portion disposed to be superposed on a wiring portion of a garment, a second end portion electrically connected to a contact, and a joint portion joining the first end portion and the second end portion together, the sheet body having an opening portion used for attachment to a connector, the second end portion extending from its connection portion with the joint portion toward an edge of the opening portion and being disposed near the opening portion to be spaced from the edge by a predetermined distance.