Electrically active textile article

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a fabric article to include electronic circuitry in which a flex circuit is assembled to include conductive traces and pads on a flexible substrate, a fabric article is placed on a rigid surface, and the substrate of the flex circuit is secured to the fabric article. Also disclosed is a fabric article which includes electronic circuitry and an electrically active textile article.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An electrically active textile article comprising: 
 fabric;    a circuit including traces and pads on a substrate secured to the fabric; and    at least one electronic component populating the circuit.    
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1  in which the substrate is flexible.  
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 1  in which the traces and pads are electrically conductive.  
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 1  in which the circuit substrate is ultrasonically welded to the fabric.  
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 4  in which the circuit substrate is ultrasonically welded to the fabric about the periphery of the substrate.  
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 1  in which the circuit substrate includes a perimeter bond area devoid of traces and pads and the perimeter bond area is secured to the fabric.  
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 1  in which an adhesive secures the substrate to the fabric.  
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 1  in which threads secure the substrate to the fabric.  
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 1  further including a protective covering over the circuit.  
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 9  in which the protective covering is made of a waterproof material.  
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 9  in which the protective covering extends onto the fabric.  
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 3  in which the substrate is a thermoplastic material and the conductive traces and pads are metal.  
     
     
         13 . The article of  claim 1  in which the fabric is selected from the group consisting of woven, knit, non-woven, and braided fabrics.  
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 13  in which the fabric is a portion of a wearable article.  
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 1  further including stress relief areas which promote flexure of the circuit substrate.  
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 15  in which the stress relief areas are cut-outs in the edges of the substrate.  
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 15  in which the stress relief areas are cut-outs through the substrate.  
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 15  in which the stress relief areas include material added to the substrate.  
     
     
         19 . The article of  claim 15  in which the stress relief areas are located between electronic components on the circuit.  
     
     
         20 . The article of  claim 1  in which there are two flex circuits secured to the fabric and electrical interconnections between the two flex circuits.  
     
     
         21 . The article of  claim 20  in which the two flex circuits are secured to the fabric by at least one zipper including at least two electrically conductive teeth for the electrical interconnections.  
     
     
         22 . The article of  claim 20  in which the two flex circuits are secured to the fabric by at least one pair of VELCRO® patches with at least a portion of the patches being an electrically conductive material for the electrical interconnections.  
     
     
         23 . The article of  claim 20  in which the two flex circuits include conductive solder pads and the fabric includes polyester-coated copper fabric, the conductive solder pads and the polyester coating being melted to form the electrical interconnections.  
     
     
         24 . An electrically active textile article comprising: 
 an article of clothing;    a flex circuit including conductive traces and pads on a flexible substrate secured to the article of clothing;    at least one electronic component populating the flex circuit; and    a protective covering over the flex circuit and the at least one electronic component.    
     
     
         25 . An electrically active textile article comprising: 
 fabric;    a flex circuit including conductive traces and pads on a flexible substrate secured to the fabric, the flex circuit including stress relief areas to promote flexure of the flex circuit on the fabric;    at least one electronic component populating the flex circuit; and    a protective covering over the flex circuit and the at least one electronic component.    
     
     
         26 . An electrically active textile article comprising: 
 fabric;    a flex circuit including conductive traces and pads on a flexible substrate;    at least one electronic component populating the flex circuit; and    a covering secured to the fabric over the flex circuit and the at least one electronic component, wherein the flex circuit is in pressed engagement with the fabric and the covering.