Patent Application
20170164461
The disclosure herein relates generally to wearable electronics and more particularly to flexible and stretchable, wearable electronics.
Electronics continue to be developed that are smaller yet more powerful computationally and functionally. Opportunities and challenges continue to arise that push the creative enterprise of electronic designers to provide small powerful electronic products that provide desired user functionality in a convenient package. Wearable electronics have been developed yet have failed to capture widespread use because they are physically rigid, bulky, or lack computational or functional capabilities.
In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like numerals may describe similar components in different views. Like numerals having different letter suffixes may represent different instances of similar components. Some embodiments are illustrated by way of example, and not limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which:
The following description and the drawings sufficiently illustrate specific embodiments to enable those skilled in the art to practice them. Other embodiments may incorporate structural, logical, electrical, process, and other changes. Portions and features of some embodiments may be included in, or substituted for, those of other embodiments. Embodiments set forth in the claims encompass all available equivalents of those claims.
In some examples, after application of the conductive traces 102 to the first layer 101, for example, the second layer 103 can be applied and can encapsulate the conductive traces 102. In certain examples, the encapsulation can provide waterproof protection of the traces. In some examples, an adhesive layer can be used to apply the circuit portion 100 to a garment. In some examples, the circuit portion 100 can be applied to a garment in the same fashion as seam tape is applied to a garment. Consequently, existing methods in the garment industry can be used to apply and create wearable electronics that include flexible and stretchable circuits such as the circuit portion 100 of
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In Example 1, a method can include printing circuit traces on a elastomer substrate using conductive ink and encapsulating the circuit traces using an adhesive layer coupled to the elastomer substrate.
In Example 2, the printing of Example 1 optionally includes printing the circuit traces on a thermoplastic elastomer substrate using the conductive ink.
In Example 3, the printing of any one or more of Examples 1-2 optionally includes printing the circuit traces on a thermoplastic polyurethane substrate using the conductive ink.
In Example 4, the encapsulating includes of any one or more of Examples 1-3 optionally include encapsulating the circuit traces using seam tape coupled to the elastomeric substrate.
In Example 5, the adhesive layer of any one or more of Examples 1-4 optionally includes a thermoplastic elastomer.
In Example 6, the thermoplastic elastomer of any one or more of Examples 1-5 optionally includes thermoplastic polyurethane.
In Example 7, the encapsulating of any one or more of Examples 1-6 optionally includes hot pressing the elastomer substrate with the adhesive layer.
In Example 8, the printing includes of any one or more of Examples 1-7 optionally curing the conductive ink.
In Example 9, the method of any one or more of Examples 1-8 optionally includes attaching the adhesive layer to a garment.
In Example 10, the attaching of any one or more of Examples 1-9 optionally includes hot pressing the adhesive layer to the garment.
In Example 11, the method of any one or more of Examples 1-10 optionally includes attaching the adhesive layer to the body of a user.
In Example 12, an apparatus for providing flexible and stretchable conductors can include a first elastomer layer, conductive ink applied to the first elastomer layer, and an adhesive layer, in cooperation with the first elastomer layer, configured to encapsulate the conductive ink, the adhesive layer configured to allow the apparatus to be attached to a second apparatus.
In Example 13, the first elastomer layer of any one or more of Examples 1-12 optionally includes a thermoplastic elastomer.
In Example 14, the thermoplastic elastomer of any one or more of Examples 1-13 optionally includes thermoplastic polyurethane.
In Example 15, the adhesive layer of any one or more of Examples 1-14 optionally includes a thermoplastic elastomer.
In Example 16, the thermoplastic elastomer of any one or more of Examples 1-15 optionally includes thermoplastic polyurethane.
In Example 17, the adhesive layer of any one or more of Examples 1-16 optionally is configured to allow the apparatus to be attached to a garment.
In Example 18, the adhesive layer of any one or more of Examples 1-17 optionally is configured to allow the apparatus to be attached to a user's skin.
In Example 19, the adhesive layer of any one or more of Examples 1-18 optionally is configured to seal a seam of a garment.
In Example 20, the adhesive layer of any one or more of Examples 1-19 optionally is configured to waterproof a seam of a garment.
In Example 21, the conductive ink of any one or more of examples 1-20 can include silver ink.
Each of these non-limiting examples can stand on its own, or can be combined with one or more of the other examples in any permutation or combination.
The above detailed description includes references to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the detailed description. The drawings show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention can be practiced. These embodiments are also referred to herein as “examples.” Such examples can include elements in addition to those shown or described. However, the present inventors also contemplate examples in which only those elements shown or described are provided. Moreover, the present inventors also contemplate examples using any combination or permutation of those elements shown or described (or one or more aspects thereof), either with respect to a particular example (or one or more aspects thereof), or with respect to other examples (or one or more aspects thereof) shown or described herein.
In this document, the terms “a” or “an” are used, as is common in patent documents, to include one or more than one, independent of any other instances or usages of “at least one” or “one or more.” In this document, the term “or” is used to refer to a nonexclusive or, such that “A or B” includes “A but not B,” “B but not A,” and “A and B,” unless otherwise indicated. In this document, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.” Also, in the following claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are open-ended, that is, a system, device, article, composition, formulation, or process that includes elements in addition to those listed after such a term in a claim are still deemed to fall within the scope of that claim. Moreover, in the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects.
The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described examples (or one or more aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. Other embodiments can be used, such as by one of ordinary skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The Abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b), to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Also, in the above Detailed Description, various features may be grouped together to streamline the disclosure. This should not be interpreted as intending that an unclaimed disclosed feature is essential to any claim. Rather, inventive subject matter may lie in less than all features of a particular disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment, and it is contemplated that such embodiments can be combined with each other in various combinations or permutations. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are legally entitled.
