Fabric having non-uniform electrical conductivity
AssigneeMilliken Research Corporation
InventorsLouis W. Adams, Jr., Michael W. Gilpatrick, Richard V. Gregory
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrically conductive textile fabric in which the electrical conductivity may be made to vary in a pattern configuration, and a method for manufacturing such fabric. A textile fabric is coated with an electrically conductive polymeric coating, and the coating is selectively removed in those areas in which a reduced electrical conductivity is desired. The removal may be achieved by means of high velocity water jets, sculpturing, or other means.
Claims50
A woven textile fabric, that is composed of yarns made of fibers extending in a warp direction and composed of yarns made of fibers extending in a fill direction, which exhibits relatively high, anisotropic electrical conductivity, comprised of
- a. a unitary substrate comprised of a first group and a second group of individual fibers, said substrate having relatively low, isotropic electrical conductivity, and
- b. an electrically conductive polymeric coating carried by at least a portion of said first group and a portion of said second group of fibers, wherein said coating carried by said first group of fibers is substantially continuous over extended portions of the circumference of said fibers comprising said first group, and wherein said coating carried by said second group of fibers is substantially discontinuous over extended portions of the circumference of said fibers comprising said second group, said latter extended portions being associated with fibers positioned on the surface of said fabric, thereby rendering said fibers comprising said first group electrically conductive, and rendering said fibers comprising said second group relatively non-conductive.
A knitted textile fabric, that is composed of yarns made of fibers extending in a wale direction and composed of yarns made of fibers extending in a course direction, which exhibits relatively high, anisotropic electrical conductivity, comprised of
- a. a unitary substrate comprised of a first group and a second group of individual fibers, said substrate having relatively low, isotropic electrical conductivity, and
- b. an electrically conductive polymeric coating carried by at least a portion of said first group and a portion of said second group of fibers, wherein said coating carried by said first group of fibers is substantially continuous over extended portions of the circumference of said fibers comprising said first group, and wherein said coating carried by said second group of fibers is substantially discontinuous over extended portions of the circumference of said fibers comprising said second group, said latter extended portions being associated with fibers positioned on the surface of said fabric, thereby rendering said fibers comprising said first group electrically conductive, and rendering said fibers comprising said second group relatively non-conductive.
A nonwoven textile fabric, that is composed of yarns made of fibers extending in a vertical direction and composed of yarns made of fibers extending in a horizontal direction, which exhibits relatively high, anisotropic electrical conductivity, comprised of
- a. a unitary substrate comprised of a first group and a second group of individual fibers, said substrate having relatively low, isotropic electrical conductivity, and
- b. an electrically conductive polymeric coating carried by at least a portion of said first group and a portion of said second group of fibers, wherein said coating carried by said first group of fibers is substantially continuous over extended portions of the circumference of said fibers comprising said first group, and wherein said coating carried by said second group of fibers is substantially discontinuous over extended portions of the circumference of said fibers comprising said second group, said latter extended portions being associated with fibers positioned on the surface of said fabric, thereby rendering said fibers comprising said first group electrically conductive, and rendering said fibers comprising said second group relatively nonconductive.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.