Material for use with a capacitive touch screen

Abstract

A modified material for use with a capacitive touch screen is described. The modified material comprises a material impregnated with a composition comprising either a non-metallic and/or a metallic conductive agent with a binder. A variety of materials are contemplated, including, but not limited to leather. Also described is an apparatus and method of providing a conductive glove is disclosed.

1 . An electrically-conductive modified material adapted for interacting with a touch screen device, the modified material comprising:
 a leather material, wherein the leather material is a colloid material comprising a plurality of fibers dispersed therewithin;   an electrically conductive agent; and   a binder material;   wherein at least a portion of the leather material is impregnated with the electrically conductive agent and the binder at a sufficient concentration to provide electrical conductivity in the modified material;   wherein the modified material has a volume resistivity of less than about 1.0×10 6  ohm-cm;   wherein the modified material, when formed into an object for interacting with the touch screen device, has an effective capacitance of greater than 10.0 pico-Farads (pF); and   wherein the electrical conductivity and the capacitance of the modified material make the modified material capable of capacitively coupling to the touch screen device.   
     
     
         2 . The modified material of  claim 1 , wherein the modified material comprises at least about 30% electrically conductive agent. 
     
     
         3 . The modified material of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive agent is selected from the group consisting of: carbon black, carbon nanotubes, graphite, PEDOT, silver, copper, gold, nickel, aluminum, indium, zinc, tin, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The modified material of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive agent is loaded onto the plurality of fibers located within the leather material through ionic bonding. 
     
     
         5 . The modified material of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fibers located within the leather material are collagen fibers. 
     
     
         6 . The modified material of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the plurality of fibers in the leather material comprise a fiber chain. 
     
     
         7 . The modified material of  claim 6 , wherein the fiber chain has a length of at least 100 nanometers. 
     
     
         8 . The modified material of  claim 7 , wherein the at least some of the plurality of fibers comprising the fiber chain overlap in such a manner that the modified material can withstand tensile, compressive, or shear strains without suffering significant loss of the electrical conductivity in the modified material. 
     
     
         9 . The modified material of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive agent is substantially homogenously dispersed or suspended within the binder material. 
     
     
         10 . The modified material of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive agent is cured into the modified material. 
     
     
         11 . The modified material of  claim 1 , wherein the modified material retains a volume resistivity of less than about 1.0×10 5  ohm-cm after the modified material is in its finished form. 
     
     
         12 . The modified material of  claim 1 , wherein the modified material further comprises a base coat, a color coat, a midcoat, and/or a finishing coat. 
     
     
         13 . The modified material of  claim 1 , wherein the modified material further comprises aqueous polyether polyurethanes, solvent-borne polyether/polyester, aqueous acrylics, styrene butadiene rubber, nitrocellulose lacquers and water emulsions, cellulose acetate butyrate lacquers and water emulsions, shellac, epoxy, polyvinyl chloride, oils, waxes, silicones, and/or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . A method for modifying a leather material for interacting with a touch screen device, the method comprising:
 providing a leather material, wherein the leather material is a colloid material comprising a plurality of fibers dispersed therewithin   toggling the leather material to a percentage of its maximum stretch;   loading an electrically conductive agent onto the plurality of fibers located within the leather material;   binding the electrically conductive agent to the plurality of fibers located within the leather material with a binder material; and   curing the leather material, the electrically conductive agent, and the binder material together;   wherein the modified material has a volume resistivity of less than about 1.0×10 6  ohm-cm;   wherein the modified material, when formed into an object for interacting with the touch screen device, has an effective capacitance of greater than 10.0 pico-Farads (pF); and   wherein the electrical conductivity and the capacitance of the modified material make the modified material capable of capacitively coupling to the touch screen device.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the electrically conductive agent has a positive charge or is non-ionic. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the electrically conductive agent is selected from the group consisting of: carbon black, carbon nanotubes, graphite, PEDOT, silver, copper, gold, nickel, aluminum, indium, zinc, tin, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of fibers located within the leather material have a negative charge. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein at least some of the plurality of fibers disposed within the leather material comprise a fiber chain. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the fiber chain has a length of at least 100 nanometers. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the at least some of the plurality of fibers comprising the fiber chain overlap in such a manner that the modified material can withstand tensile, compressive, or shear strains without suffering significant loss of the electrical conductivity in the modified material. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising transporting the electrically conductive agent to the plurality of fibers located within the leather material in a mixture of water and fat. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the fat has a positive charge. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising bonding the electrically conductive agent to the plurality of fibers through ionic bonding. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising tumbling the modified material. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the modified material retains a volume resistivity of less than about 1.0×10 5  ohm-cm after the modified material is in its finished form.