Method of integrating an electronic module with conductive fabric

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11051401-B2
Application number	US-201816201116-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2018
Priority date	Dec 18, 2014
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

An electronic module assembly and method of assembling an electronic module to a conductive fabric are provided. An electronic module assembly comprises a non-conductive fabric and a conductive fabric covering at least part of a first side of the non-conductive fabric. An electronics module is disposed on the conductive fabric, and a portion of the electronics module includes a wall defining a through hole. A fastener passing through the through hole and passing through the conductive fabric is configured to electronically couple the electronics module to the conductive fabric.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making an electronics assembly comprising an electronics module and a conductive fabric, the method comprising:
forming a substrate including a conductive fabric covering part of a first side of a non-conductive fabric;
disposing an electronics module comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, and walls defining a plurality of through holes, on the conductive fabric of the substrate such that each of the plurality of through holes of the electronics module is aligned with a portion of the conductive fabric;
inserting a plurality of fasteners to each pass through a corresponding through hole of the plurality of through holes and through at least the conductive fabric; and
clamping the electronics module to the substrate to form an electrical connection using the plurality of fasteners.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the substrate further includes forming covered portions of the non-conductive fabric that are covered by conductive fabric and at least one uncovered portion of the non-conductive fabric that is not covered by the conductive fabric.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the electronics module extends over the uncovered portion forming a space between the bottom surface of the electronics module and the uncovered portion of the non-conductive fabric upon clamping of the electronics module to the substrate.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the substrate includes attaching the conductive fabric to the non-conductive fabric using one or more of stitching or gluing.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein inserting further comprises inserting each of the plurality of fasteners to pass through a corresponding through hole of the plurality of through holes, the conductive fabric, and the non-conductive fabric.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the clamping forms a gas tight connection between the module and the conductive fabric.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-conductive fabric is flexible.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive fabric is flexible.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the walls are plated with a conductive material.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein each fastener of the plurality of fasteners is formed from a metal.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the top surface and at least a portion of the bottom surface are plated with a conductive material at least at locations surrounding the plurality of through holes.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein each fastener of the plurality of fasteners comprises:
a head configured to contact the portion of the top surface of the electronics module surrounding the one or more through holes, and
a second end,
the second end of the fastener is configured to accept a mating element to facilitate clamping.

Assignees

• Flextronics Ap Llc

Inventors

• Liu Weifeng
• Mohammed Anwar
• Kurwa Murad

Classifications

• H10W72/00

  Interconnections or connectors in packages · CPC title

• H10W95/00

  Packaging processes not covered by the other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• H10W90/00 Primary

  Package configurations · CPC title

• H05K2201/0959

  Plated through-holes or plated blind vias filled with insulating material · CPC title

• H05K1/0373

  containing additives, e.g. fillers (H05K1/036 takes precedence) · CPC title