Fiber composites comprising a circuit, and method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12011854-B2
Application number	US-202117157519-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2021
Priority date	Jan 24, 2020
Publication date	Jun 18, 2024
Grant date	Jun 18, 2024

Abstract

Fiber-composite parts that incorporate a very thin electrical circuit, and a method for making the parts via compression molding, are disclosed. The electrical circuit is encapsulated by a film having a melting point that exceeds the maximum temperature to which the film is exposed during compression molding. The electrical circuit is disposed in a composite ply, in a lay-up of composite plies, and electrical leads are routed through the composite plies so that the lead are accessible in the molded fiber-composite part.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method for forming, via compression molding, a fiber-composite part that includes a circuit, the method comprising:
fabricating the circuit;
covering the circuit with a polyimide tape having a melting point that exceeds a maximum temperature to which the circuit is exposed during the compression-molding;
forming a lay-up of plies in a mold cavity, each ply comprising fibers and thermoplastic resin;
positioning the circuit in the lay-up of plies, ensuring that the circuit is positioned in a desired location in the fiber-composite part by:
(a) forming an opening in at least one ply of the lay-up thereof, wherein a position of the opening in the at least one ply corresponds to the desired location of the circuit in the fiber-composite part, the opening thereby registering the circuit to a desired position in the fiber-composite part being molded, and
(b) disposing the circuit in the opening; and
molding the fiber-composite part via the compression molding, wherein due to being positioned in the layup of plies, the circuit is disposed within the matrix of the fiber-composite part.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein disposing the circuit in an opening comprises routing electrical leads through at least some of the plies in the lay-up thereof to a first and second location.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein disposing the circuit in the opening comprises routing the electrical leads to extend beyond an upper surface of an uppermost ply in the lay-up of plies.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the circuit comprises a wireless charging coil.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the fiber-composite part is a casing for a cell phone, the casing having an exterior surface and an interior surface.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein forming the opening comprises forming the opening in a ply that is proximal to a bottommost ply of the lay-up thereof, wherein the bottommost ply forms a portion of the exterior surface of the casing.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the circuit comprises a wireless charging coil.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the circuit comprises a wireless charging coil.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fabricating the circuit comprises designing the circuit to have a thickness that is substantially no greater than a thickness of a single ply of the lay-up of plies.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the circuit comprises an antenna.

Assignees

• Arris Composites Inc

Inventors

• Escowitz Ethan
• Reese Riley
• Mathews Andrew
• Perkins J Scott

Classifications

• H02J7/70

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• H02J50/005

  Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices · CPC title

• B29K2079/08

  PI, i.e. polyimides or derivatives thereof · CPC title

• B29C2043/182

  completely · CPC title

• B29L2031/34

  Electrical apparatus, e.g. sparking plugs or parts thereof · CPC title