U.S. patent application number 12/787378 was filed with the patent office on 2010-12-02 for conductive yarn capable of withstanding dyeing, finishing and washing.
This patent application is currently assigned to FU-BIAU HSU. Invention is credited to FU-BIAU HSU, CHUN-JUNG KUO.
Application Number | 20100300060 12/787378 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43218638 |
Filed Date | 2010-12-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100300060 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HSU; FU-BIAU ; et
al. |
December 2, 2010 |
CONDUCTIVE YARN CAPABLE OF WITHSTANDING DYEING, FINISHING AND
WASHING
Abstract
The invention discloses a conductive yarn including a core yarn
and at least one rolled metal wire with a corrosion or oxidation
protection which is respectively and spirally wound around the core
yarn. The conductive yarn according to the invention is capable of
withstanding dyeing, finishing and washing, and has excellent
stress resistance, better conductivity, yarn softness and
flexibility such that it can be easily in a conventional textile
fabrication process to become a conductive portion of textile
article or be served as a conductive sewing thread. Moreover,
according to the invention, the conductive yarn provides an
intimate structure between the surface conductive material (rolled
metal wires) and core material (core yarn). The structure can
ensure the surface conductive material will not be fractured, and
have a better and uniform conductivity.
Inventors: |
HSU; FU-BIAU; (Taipei City,
TW) ; KUO; CHUN-JUNG; (Taipei City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
COVENANT IP CONSULTING CO.
P.O. BOX 34-306 TAIPEI CITY
TAIPEI
10499
TW
|
Assignee: |
HSU; FU-BIAU
Taipei City
TW
|
Family ID: |
43218638 |
Appl. No.: |
12/787378 |
Filed: |
May 25, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
57/222 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D02G 3/38 20130101; D02G
3/441 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
57/222 |
International
Class: |
D07B 1/06 20060101
D07B001/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 26, 2009 |
TW |
098209183 |
Claims
1. A conductive yarn, comprising: a core yarn selected from the
group consisting of at least one conductive core wire or filament
with corrosion or oxidation protection, at least one short metal
fiber yarns with corrosion or oxidation protection, at least one
non-conductive core filament or at least one non-conductive short
fiber yarn; and at least one rolled metal wire with corrosion or
oxidation protection spirally winding around the core yarn; whereby
said conductive yarn is capable of withstanding dyeing, finishing
and washing.
2. The conductive yarn of claim 1, wherein said at least one
conductive core wire or filament with corrosion or oxidation
protection, said at least one short metal fiber yarns with
corrosion or oxidation protection and said at least one rolled
metal wire with corrosion or oxidation protection respectively are
one selected from the group consisting of tin plating copper, gold
plating copper, nickel plating copper, stainless steels, titanium,
titanium alloys, nickel, silver, gold, nichrome, Ni--Cr--Mo--W
alloys, tungsten, platinum, palladium, zirconium, zirconium alloys,
tantalum, CuNi alloys, CuNiSi alloys, CuNiZn alloys, CuNiSn alloys,
CuCr alloys, CuAg alloys, CuW alloys, HASTELLOY type alloys, NICKEL
type alloys, MONEL type alloys, ICONEL type alloys, FERRALIUM type
alloys, NITRONIC type alloys, and CARPENTER type alloys.
3. The conductive yarn of claim 1, wherein the at least one rolled
metal wire is also pressed in a pattern during being rolled by a
pattern caved roller.
4. The conductive yarn of claim 1, wherein the at least one
non-conductive core filament and the at least one non-conductive
short fiber yarn are made of a material selected from the group
consisting of polyester, polyamide, polyacrylic, polyethylene,
polypropylene, cellulose, protein, elastomeric,
polytetrafluoroethylene, poly-p-phenylenebenzobisoxazole (PBO),
polyetherketone, carbon, and glass fiber.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This present invention relates to a conductive yarn, and
more in particular, to a conductive yarn capable of withstanding
dyeing, finishing and washing.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] It is well known that conductive yarns used in textile
articles made in various textile ways serves as circuitry,
physiological detectors, electrodes, and other wearable electronic
devices.
[0005] Just like manufacture of general textile articles,
conductive yarns and wearable electronic devices made of such
conductive yarns during manufacture thereof all are to be
experienced dyeing and finishing procedures (including yarn dyeing,
fabric dyeing), and washing procedures. Therefore, the conductive
yarns are bound to be subjected to attack of acidic or alkaline dye
bath, oxidizing agents, reducing agents, detergents, bleaches, and
so on. In addition, during the procedures and using, the conductive
yarns always suffer from very complicated stresses and can be
easily fractured. Finally, the conductive yarn loses the
conductivity and quality.
[0006] One prior art regarding conductive yarns uses traditional
copper wires with excellent conductivity to be conductive yarns.
However, copper wires are not suitable to be used as material of
the conductive yarns because the copper wire is too stiff to be a
yarn for textile fabrication processes, and copper doesn't perform
well in oxidation and corrosion.
[0007] One other prior art regarding conductive yarns uses polymer
filaments with conductive particles doping or plating to form
conductive yarns or filaments. However, the doping or plating
procedure takes higher cost, and the conductivity of the conductive
yarns or filaments is much lower than that of the metal wire. In
addition, the conductive polymer yarns or filaments cannot be
welded upon the traditional electronic device with traditional
electronic skills.
[0008] One other prior art regarding conductive yarns uses enamel
covered copper wires as raw material to form conductive yarns.
However, during manufacture of a wearable electronic device
utilizing such conductive yarns, the enamel covered copper wires
need to be peeled to bare the copper wires therein, and the peeling
procedure of the enamel covered copper wires needs to be performed
by immersing the enamel covered copper wires in chemicals. Hence,
the use of the enamel covered copper wires as raw material to form
conductive yarns cannot still prevent from corrosion problem.
[0009] Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, those figures disclose another
prior art regarding conductive yarns. FIG. 1A illustratively shows
the structure of a conductive yarn 10 disclosed in specification of
U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,060. FIG. 1B is a sectional view of the
conductive yarn 10 shown in FIG. 1A along the A-A line.
[0010] As shown in FIG. 1A, the conductive yarn 10 according to the
prior art includes a core yarn 12 constituted by a plurality of
synthetic filaments. The core yarn 12 is covered by at least two up
to at most four metal filaments of stainless steel. The core yarn
12 of the example shown in FIG. 1A is covered by a metal filament
14 and another metal filament 16 extending in a direction opposite
that of the metal filament 14.
[0011] However, as shown in FIG. 1A, the metal filaments (14, 16)
do not fully cover the core yarn 12. During dyeing, finishing,
washing and using of the conductive yarn 10, complicated mechanical
stresses introduced by processing environment or using environment,
is extremely likely to apply a higher thrust F to the metal
filaments (14, 16), as shown in FIG. 1B. Moreover, as shown in FIG.
1B, the contact area of the metal filaments (14, 16) with the
contact surface of the core yarn 12 wound by the metal filaments
(14, 16) is very narrow and even nearly equal to a line. Because
the shear stress is: .tau.=F/A where .tau. represents the shear
stress, F represents the thrust (shear force), and A represents the
contact surface (shear surface), it is obvious that processing
environment or using environment make the metal filaments (14, 16)
extremely vulnerable to environment-induced shear stress such that
the metal filaments (14, 16) are subsequently shifted from the
original winding location on the contact surface of the core yarn
12, and even pushed away from the core yarn 10, and finally broke.
Therefore, the conductive yarn shown in FIG. 1A of the prior art in
the long-term easily loses its conductivity, and the metal filament
fragments make wearers feel uncomfortable or itchy.
[0012] In addition, the metal filament (14, 16) is difficult to
hold the core yarn 10 because the contact surface between the wire
and the core yarn is very small, and the elongation of metal
filament (14, 16) is difficult to match the elongation of the core
yarn 10, hence the fabrication process can easily cause the
protuberance of the metal filament (14, 16).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] Accordingly, one aspect of the invention is to provide a
conductive yarn. And in particular, the conductive yarn according
to the invention is capable of withstanding dyeing, finishing and
washing, and has excellent stress resistance, better conductivity,
softness and flexibility such that it can be easily used in a
conventional textile fabrication process such as weaving, knitting
and braiding to become a conductive portion of textile article or
be served as a conductive sewing thread. Moreover, according to the
invention, the conductive yarn provides an intimate structure
between the surface conductive material (rolled metal wires) and
core material (core yarn). The intimate structure can ensure the
surface conductive material will not be fractured, and have a
better and uniform conductivity.
[0014] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the
conductive yarn structure includes a core yarn and at least one
rolled metal wire with corrosion or oxidation protection. The core
yarn is constituted by at least one conductive core wire or
filament with corrosion or oxidation protection, at least one short
metal fiber yarns of with corrosion or oxidation protection, at
least one non-conductive core filament or at least one
non-conductive short fiber yarn. The at least one rolled wire is
respectively and spirally wound around the core yarn.
[0015] In one embodiment, materials used to fabricate the at least
one rolled metal wire with corrosion or oxidation protection, the
at least one conductive wire or filament with corrosion or
oxidation protection and the at least one short metal fiber yarns
with corrosion or oxidation protection respectively can be tin
plating copper, gold plating copper, nickel plating copper,
stainless steels (e.g., 316, 304, 420, containing copper stainless
steel, and containing silver stainless steel), titanium, titanium
alloys (e.g., TA0, TA1, TA2, TA3, TA7, TA9, TA10, TC1, TC2, TC3,
TC4(Ti6A14V)), nickel, silver, gold, nichrome, Ni--Cr--Mo--W
alloys, tungsten, platinum, palladium, zirconium, zirconium alloys
(e.g., alloy 702, alloy 704, alloy 705, alloy 706), tantalum, CuNi
alloys, CuNiSi alloys, CuNiZn alloys, CuNiSn alloys, CuCr alloys,
CuAg alloys, CuW alloys, HASTELLOY type alloys (e.g., alloy C-22,
alloy B-2, alloy C-22), NICKEL type alloys (e.g., Nickel 200,
Nickel 201), MONEL type alloys (e.g., alloy 400, alloy R-405, alloy
K-500), ICONEL type alloys (e.g., alloy 600, alloy 625), FERRALIUM
type alloys (alloy 255), NITRONIC type alloys (e.g., NITRONIC 60,
NITRONIC 50, NITRONIC 30), CARPENTER type alloys (alloy 20Cb-3), or
other commercial of corrosion-resistant metals or alloys.
[0016] The material used to fabricate aforesaid the non-conductive
core filament and the non-conductive short fibers can be polyester,
polyamide, polyacrylic, polyethylene, polypropylene, cellulose,
protein, elastomeric, polytetrafluoroethylene,
poly-p-phenylenebenzobisoxazole (PBO), polyetherketone, carbon,
glass fiber, or other commercial materials to make non-conductive
yarns.
[0017] The aspect of the present invention will no doubt become
obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the
following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which
is illustrated in the following figures and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE APPENDED DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1A illustratively shows a structure of a conductive
yarn 10 according the prior art.
[0019] FIG. 1B is a sectional view of the conductive yarn shown in
FIG. 1A along the A-A line.
[0020] FIG. 2A illustratively shows a structure of a conductive
yarn 20 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
[0021] FIG. 2B is a sectional view of the metal wire 24 without
rolling shown in FIG. 2A along the C-C line and a sectional view of
the rolled metal wire 24 shown in FIG. 2A along the C''-C''
line.
[0022] FIG. 2C is a sectional view of the conductive yarn shown in
FIG. 2A along the B-B line.
[0023] FIG. 3A is an SEM photograph of the conductive yarn 20
according to the preferred embodiment of the invention.
[0024] FIG. 3B is another SEM photograph showing the magnified view
of a distal end of the conductive yarn 20 shown in FIG. 3A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0025] Some preferred embodiments and practical applications of
this present invention would be explained in the following
paragraph, describing the characteristics, spirit and advantages of
the invention.
[0026] Referring to FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C, the FIG. 2A illustratively
shows a structure of a conductive yarn 20 according to a preferred
embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2B is a sectional view of the
metal wire 24 without rolling shown in FIG. 2A along the C-C line
and a sectional view of the rolled metal wire 24 shown in FIG. 2A
along the C''-C'' line. FIG. 2C is a sectional view of the
conductive yarn shown in FIG. 2A along the B-B line.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 2A, the conductive yarn 20 according to the
preferred embodiment of the invention includes a core yarn 22 and
at least one rolled metal wire 24 with corrosion or oxidation
protection.
[0028] In practical application, the core yarn 22 is constituted by
at least one conductive core wire or filament with corrosion or
oxidation protection, at least one short metal fiber yarns with
corrosion or oxidation protection, at least one non-conductive core
filament or at least one non-conductive short fiber yarn. In the
embodiment shown in FIG. 2A, the core yarn 22 is constituted by a
plurality of core filaments 222.
[0029] According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, at
least one rolled metal wire 24 is respectively and spirally wound
around the core yarn 22. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2A, the
core yarn 22 is spiral wound around by the rolled metal wires 24.
In practical application, the number of the rolled metal wires 24
spirally winding around the core yarn 22 depends on practical
requirement of the conductive yarn 20, such as conductivity,
softness, flexibility, mechanical properties, and so on.
[0030] Also shown in FIG. 2A, there is gap existing between
neighboring encircles of the same rolled metal wire 24 wound around
the core yarn 22. In practical application, according to practical
requirement of the conductive yarn 20, such as conductivity,
softness, flexibility, and mechanical properties, etc., the
neighboring encircles of the same rolled metal wire 24 wound around
the core yarn 22 might be overlapped partially.
[0031] In one embodiment, materials used to fabricate the at least
one rolled metal wire 24 with corrosion or oxidation protection,
the at least one conductive core wire or filament 22 with corrosion
or oxidation protection and the at least one short metal fiber core
yarns 22 with corrosion or oxidation protection respectively can be
tin plating copper, gold plating copper, nickel plating copper,
stainless steels (e.g., 316, 304, 420, containing copper stainless
steel, and containing silver stainless steel), titanium, titanium
alloys (e.g., TA0, TA1, TA2, TA3, TA7, TA9, TA10, TC1, TC2, TC3,
TC4(Ti6A14V)), nickel, silver, gold, nichrome, Ni--Cr--Mo--W
alloys, tungsten, platinum, palladium, zirconium, zirconium alloys
(e.g., alloy 702, alloy 704, alloy 705, alloy 706), tantalum, CuNi
alloys, CuNiSi alloys, CuNiZn alloys, CuNiSn alloys, CuCr alloys,
CuAg alloys, CuW alloys, HASTELLOY type alloys (e.g., alloy C-22,
alloy B-2, alloy C-22), NICKEL type alloys (e.g., Nickel 200,
Nickel 201), MONEL type alloys (e.g., alloy 400, alloy R-405, alloy
K-500), ICONEL type alloys (e.g., alloy 600, alloy 625), FERRALIUM
type alloys (alloy 255), NITRONIC type alloys (e.g., NITRONIC 60,
NITRONIC 50, NITRONIC 30), CARPENTER type alloys (alloy 20Cb-3), or
other commercial corrosion-resistant metals or alloys.
[0032] In one embodiment, material used to fabricate aforesaid the
non-conductive core filament and the non-conductive short fibers
can be polyester, polyamide, polyacrylic, polyethylene,
polypropylene, cellulose, protein, elastomeric,
polytetrafluoroethylene, poly-p-phenylenebenzobisoxazole (PBO),
polyetherketone, carbon, glass fiber, or other commercial materials
to make non-conductive yarns.
[0033] According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the
structure of conductive yarn 20 can designed according to
functional requirement such yield tension, yield torsion, fire
resistance, conductivity and so on.
[0034] As shown in FIG. 2B, the metal wire 24 without rolling has a
length t, a diameter d, and a volume equal to .pi. (d/2).sup.2xt,
and has the contact area with the core yarn 22 nearly equal to a
line. Also shown in FIG. 2B, the rolled metal wire 24, similarly
with a length t, has a thickness d/5 and a volume equal to that of
the metal wire 24 without rolling, and has the contact area with
the core yarn 22 equal to 4dxt.
[0035] Obviously, different from the prior art, the invention is to
roll the metal wire to get the rolled metal wire having identical
volume to that of the metal wire without rolling and but the larger
contact area with the core yarn where the rolled metal wire is
spirally wound around the core yarn. By tightly winding the rolled
metal wire 24 around the core yarn 22, the conductive yarn 20
according to the invention has considerable compliance between the
core yarn 22 and the rolled metal wire 24. More importantly, during
the dying, finishing, washing and using of the conductive yarn 20,
it is very likely to apply a higher thrust F to the rolled metal
wire 24, as shown in FIG. 2C. And as shown in FIG. 2C, the rolled
metal wire 24 is completely cover the core yarn 22 and has the
larger contact area with the core yarn 22. It is obviously that the
environment-induced shear stress exerting on the environment of the
rolled metal wire 24 is much higher than the environment-induced
shear stress exerting on the metal wire without rolling of the
prior art, such that the rolled metal wire 24 is very difficult to
be removed from the original position, or cannot be pushed away
from the core yarn 22, or cannot be fractured.
[0036] In addition, in FIG. 2B, the cover width 4d of the rolled
metal wire can be easily adjusted by rolling force according to the
demand of softness of the conductive yarn.
[0037] The smaller the cover width is, the softer the conductive
yarn is. However, the smaller the cover width is, the weaker the
stress resistance is. The conductive yarn 20 according to the
invention has excellent yarn softness and flexibility such that it
is available to be easily woven in a conventional textile way into
a conductive portion of a textile article, or to be served as a
conductive sewing thread. The fabrication process would not cause
any protuberance of the rolled metal wire 24 because the rolled
metal wire 24 with large cover width can hold the core yarn 22 much
tied.
[0038] In addition, in FIG. 2A, the layer of the rolled metal wire
is at least one layer. The number of the layer can be increased by
increasing number of the metal wire during the rolling procedure to
increase the conductivity. Furthermore, the excellent stress
resistance also ensures a uniform conductivity.
[0039] During dyeing, finishing, washing and using of the
conductive yarn 20, it is obviously that the conductive yarn 20 is
capable of resisting corrosion resulting from for example acidic or
alkaline agent, oxidant, reducing agent, detergent, bleach and so
on, and maintains its original conductivity. Furthermore, the
conductive yarn 20 according to the invention has excellent yarn
softness and flexibility such that it can be easily used in a
conventional textile fabrication process such as weaving, knitting
and braiding to become a conductive portion of textile article or
be served as a conductive sewing thread.
[0040] Also shown in FIG. 2A, according to another preferred
embodiment of the invention, the at least one rolled metal wire is
also pressed in a pattern during being rolled by a pattern carved
roller. In this way, the surface of the at least one rolled metal
wire 24 has the corresponding pattern 26. The surface of the rolled
metal wire 24 can provide different light refractions to produce
different visual effects by use of different patterns 26. In
addition, the rolled metal wire 24 with pattern of the invention
can also provide anti-counterfeiting features by use specific
patterns 26.
[0041] Referring to FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, FIG. 3A is an SEM
photograph of the conductive yarn 20 according to the preferred
embodiment of the invention. FIG. 3B is another SEM photograph
showing the magnified view of a distal end of the conductive yarn
20 shown in FIG. 3A.
[0042] As shown in FIG. 3A, the rolled metal wire 24 completely
covers the core yarn 22 constituted by a plurality of filament, and
has large contact area with the core yarn 22. As shown in FIG. 3B,
the conductive yarn 20 has considerable compliance between the core
yarn 22 and the rolled metal wire 24. That is, the conductive yarn
20 according to the invention provides an intimate structure
between the surface conductive material (rolled metal wires) and
core material (core yarn). The intimate structure can ensure the
surface conductive material will not be fractured, and have a
better and uniform conductivity.
[0043] With the example and explanations above, the features and
spirits of the invention will be hopefully well described. Those
skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications
and alterations of the device may be made while retaining the
teaching of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should
be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the
appended claims.
* * * * *