Textile Docking Interface for Reliable Smart Textile Connections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies face challenges in seamlessly integrating electronic components into smart textiles, particularly in establishing reliable and adaptable electrical connections between conductive textiles and electronic devices.
Innovation Solution
A textile interconnection system that includes a textile receptacle and a docking device coupled to conductive fibers in the textile substrate, allowing for the electrical and mechanical interconnection of controller devices with the textile substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If electronic components are embedded into smart textiles, then functionality and sensing capability are improved, but manufacturing complexity and integration difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the smart textile into modular components: a textile substrate with embedded conductive fibers, separate electronic components (sensors, actuators, power sources), and interconnection elements (docking devices, receptacles). This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using appropriate processes, then assembled together, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The textile substrate serves multiple functions: it provides the structural base for the garment, contains conductive fibers for electrical connections, and acts as the mounting platform for electronic components. The docking device similarly provides both mechanical attachment and electrical connection functions, reducing the number of separate components needed and simplifying integration.
2Adaptability or versatility
If electrical connections are made between conductive textiles and electronic devices, then power and data transmission are enabled, but connection reliability and adaptability face challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The docking device is received within a receptacle that is part of the textile substrate, creating a nested structure. This nesting provides mechanical protection for the electrical connections while allowing the docking device to be securely attached to the textile. The conductive fibers are nested within the textile structure, providing protected electrical pathways.
Solution Approach 2:
The docking device acts as an intermediary element between the conductive fibers in the textile and the electronic components. It provides a standardized interface that facilitates reliable electrical connection while accommodating variations in textile properties and electronic component types, thereby improving both adaptability and reliability.
3Ease of manufacture
If textile and electronics manufacturing infrastructures are integrated, then seamless integration is achieved, but manufacturing process complexity increases due to dissimilar assembly requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the manufacturing processes for textiles and electronics, allowing each to be produced using optimized, dissimilar processes. The textile substrate is manufactured using textile processes, electronic components are manufactured using electronics processes, and then the two are assembled together using the docking device and receptacle interface. This segmentation maintains ease of manufacture for each component type while enabling integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The docking device serves as a universal interface that works with both textile-based conductive structures and traditional electronic components. This multi-functionality allows a single assembly process to accommodate both textile and electronics manufacturing outputs, simplifying the integration step despite the dissimilarity of the component manufacturing processes.
Data Source
AI summary
A textile interconnection system for a textile substrate. The textile substrate may include at least one conductive fibre configured to transmit at least one of a power or data signal. The textile interconnection system includes a textile receptacle projecting from the textile substrate to define a cavity for receiving a controller device. The textile interconnection system includes a textile docking device received within the textile receptacle and coupled to the at least one conductive fibre of the textile substrate to electrically interconnect the received controller device and the textile substrate. The textile interconnection system includes a housing coupled to the textile docking device and received within the textile receptacle to mechanically interconnect the received controller device and the textile substrate.