Woven Signal-Routing Substrate for Wearable Electronics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing techniques for forming electrical cross-connections between orthogonal conductive fibers in woven signal-routing substrates for wearable electronics are expensive and prone to failures, especially for flexible fabrics.
Innovation Solution
A woven signal-routing substrate design featuring thick insulative warps and thin conductive warps, where the relative thicknesses allow conductive warps to cross conductive wefts without physical contact at certain intersections, forming electrical cross-connections only where desired, and using conductive nanotubes for secure connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional techniques are used to form electrical cross-connections by removing insulating material and applying conductive paste, then electrical connections can be established, but the fabrication cost increases and the connections become susceptible to breaking and failures
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive elements are pre-formed with exposed conductive ends during the fabric manufacturing process, rather than requiring post-fabrication modification. This preliminary preparation of conductive paths eliminates the need for expensive and complex post-processing steps involving insulating material removal and conductive paste application, while ensuring reliable electrical connections from the outset
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses simple conductive fabric elements with exposed ends that can be easily connected, replacing complex and expensive conventional connection methods. The simplified structure uses basic conductive materials rather than sophisticated paste applications and insulation removal processes, reducing both material and manufacturing costs while maintaining connection reliability
2Reliability
If all conductive warp and weft intersections form electrical cross-connections, then comprehensive electrical connectivity is achieved, but unintended connections occur and fabrication complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fabric structure implements different properties at different locations: at most intersections, conductive warps and wefts are separated by insulating material to prevent connections, while at specific desired connection points, the insulating material is omitted or reduced, allowing electrical contact. This localized differentiation enables precise control over which intersections form electrical cross-connections, eliminating unintended connections while maintaining fabrication simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The fabric is segmented into regions with different electrical connectivity characteristics. Insulating material is strategically placed or removed at specific intersections to create discrete connection zones, separating the fabric into conductive and non-conductive regions. This segmentation allows selective electrical connectivity without requiring complex fabrication processes across the entire fabric
Data Source
AI summary
A woven signal-routing substrate for a wearable electronic device has conductive warps and wefts that are woven with each other and with insulative warps and wefts. Woven electrical cross-connections are formed at some of the intersections of the conductive warps and wefts, while no electrical cross-connections are formed at other intersections, to provide a signal-routing architecture for the substrate that can be used to route signals between electronic components of the wearable device. Non-connecting intersections are formed using insulative warps that are sufficiently thicker than the relatively thin conductive warps to enable a conductive weft to cross a conductive warp without making physical contact at intersection locations where an electrical cross-connection is not desired. The woven electrical cross-connections may be formed at other intersection locations using weaving topologies that ensure that the corresponding mutually orthogonal warps and wefts do contact one another.