Thermoplastic Housing Encapsulation for Smart Textile Electrical Contacts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for electrically contacting and encapsulating electronic components on textile substrates in smart textiles are complex, costly, and require extensive manufacturing infrastructure, leading to unreliable connections that degrade the flexibility and comfort of the textiles.
Innovation Solution
A method using a thermoplastic housing with conductive particles, applied via thermocompression, creates stable electrical contacts by replicating the component's shape and integrating it with the textile substrate, simplifying the process and ensuring mechanical and chemical resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If soldering is used to electrically contact electronic components on textile substrates, then reliable electrical connection is achieved, but the textile substrate must be temperature-resistant which it usually is not
Solution Approach 1:
A polymer housing with melting temperature between the textile substrate degradation temperature and the required bonding temperature acts as an intermediary. The housing melts and bonds to the textile substrate without requiring the substrate itself to withstand high temperatures, enabling reliable electrical connection while protecting the temperature-sensitive textile.
Solution Approach 2:
The polymer housing's melting temperature is specifically selected to be between the textile substrate degradation temperature and the bonding temperature required for reliable electrical connection. This parameter selection allows the housing to melt and bond at a temperature the textile can withstand, while still achieving soldering-like connection reliability.
2Reliability
If ultrasonic or resistance welding is used to achieve low electrical resistance, then electrical contact quality improves, but production equipment cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of investing in expensive ultrasonic or resistance welding equipment, the invention uses a disposable polymer housing that achieves reliable electrical contact through melting and bonding. The housing is a low-cost, single-use component that eliminates the need for complex production equipment while maintaining electrical contact quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces complex mechanical welding systems (ultrasonic or resistance welding equipment) with a simpler thermal melting process. The polymer housing is heated to its melting point and pressed onto the textile substrate, achieving reliable electrical contact through a simpler, lower-cost process.
3Stability of the object's composition
If embroidery or knitting with conductive threads is used, then flexibility and spatial storage are improved, but electrical connection stability with external units deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into two parts: the flexible textile substrate with embroidered conductive threads that maintains flexibility, and the rigid polymer housing that provides stable electrical connection. The housing acts as a separate, stable interface between the flexible textile and external electronic units, combining the advantages of both flexibility and connection stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The polymer housing acts as a flexible yet stable shell that bridges the flexible textile substrate and the rigid external electronic units. The housing can be made from flexible polymers that maintain some degree of flexibility while providing a stable, protected electrical connection interface.
4Reliability
If rigid electronic components are directly connected to textile substrate, then electrical connection is achieved, but the connection degrades the basic advantages of textile substrates - flexibility, weight and inertia
Solution Approach 1:
The polymer housing acts as a flexible shell that connects the rigid electronic component to the textile substrate. This shell protects the component while maintaining the textile's flexibility and comfort, as the housing itself can be made from flexible materials that move with the textile.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid electronic component is nested inside the polymer housing, which is in turn attached to the flexible textile substrate. This nested structure protects the rigid component while allowing the outer flexible housing to maintain the textile's flexibility, weight, and comfort characteristics.
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 method provides reliable, stable electrical connections that withstand external influences, maintaining textile flexibility and comfort, while reducing production complexity and cost.
Implementation Method 1
During thermocompression, the thermoplastic material temporarily decreases in viscosity when subjected to pressure and heat, enabling it to intermingle with the structure of the textile substrate
Implementation Method 2
in the field of the electrical contact, the electrical conductivity is stabilized, apart from the precisely aligned contact of the electrical contact pad of the electronic component with the contact surface of the textile substrate, also by electrically conductive particles that surround the electrical contact during the less viscous phase of the thermoplastic material
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention presents a method of using thermocompression to electrically interconnect, mechanically bond and simultaneously encapsulate electronic components (1) on textile substrates (2) of smart textile by housings made of thermoplastic materials as part of their surface mounting and further to stabilize electrical contacts with a thermoplastic material containing electrically conductive particles. The method according to the invention facilitates the surface mounting process while maintaining maximum reliability. The invention also includes a housing which enables the electronic component (1), including its electrical contact, to be sealed with the textile substrate (2) under the influence of short-term heat and pressure.