Forming Electrical Connections in Fabric-Based Items

Abstract

An item may include fabric or other materials formed from intertwined strands of material. The item may include circuitry that produces signals. The strands of material may include non-conductive strands and conductive strands. The conductive strands may carry the signals produced by the circuitry. Each conductive strand may have a strand core, a conductive coating on the strand core, and an insulating layer on the conductive coating. The strand cores may be strands formed from polymer. The conductive coating may be formed from metal. Electrical connections may be made between intertwined conductive strands by selectively removing portions of the outer insulating layer to expose the conductive cores of overlapping conductive strands. A conductive material such as solder or conductive epoxy may be applied to the exposed portions of the conductive cores to electrically and mechanically connect the overlapping conductive strands.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fabric-based item, comprising:
 non-conductive strands;   first and second conductive strands that are intertwined with the non-conductive strands, wherein the first and second conductive strands each comprise a dielectric core, a conductive coating on the dielectric core, and an insulating coating on the conductive coating; and   a bond pad formed from conductive material that electrically connects the first strand to the second strand in a region where the first and second strands overlap, wherein the insulating coating extends outside the region.   
     
     
         2 . The fabric-based item defined in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an electrical component, wherein the bond pad electrically connects the electrical component to the first and second conductive strands.   
     
     
         3 . The fabric-based item defined in  claim 2 , wherein the electrical component comprises a light-emitting diode. 
     
     
         4 . The fabric-based item defined in  claim 1 , wherein the insulating coating is selectively removed in the region. 
     
     
         5 . The fabric-based item defined in  claim 3 , wherein the conductive coating and the dielectric core extend continuously through the region. 
     
     
         6 . The fabric-based item defined in  claim 1 , wherein the conductive coating comprises silver. 
     
     
         7 . The fabric-based item defined in  claim 1 , wherein the dielectric core comprises a polymer. 
     
     
         8 . The fabric-based item defined in  claim 7 , wherein the polymer comprises aromatic polyamide. 
     
     
         9 . The fabric-based item defined in  claim 1 , wherein the conductive material comprises solder that mechanically connects the conductive inner portions of the first and second conductive strands. 
     
     
         10 . The fabric-based item defined in  claim 1 , wherein the conductive material comprises conductive epoxy that mechanically connects the conductive inner portions of the first and second conductive strands. 
     
     
         11 . A fabric-based item, comprising:
 a first conductive strand with a first dielectric core, a first conductive coating on the first dielectric core, and a first insulating coating on the first conductive coating, a second conductive strand with a second dielectric core, a second conductive coating on the second dielectric core, and a second insulating coating on the second conductive coating;   non-conductive strands intertwined with the first and second conductive strands;   conductive material that electrically connects the first conductive strand to the second conductive strand at a junction at which the first and second conductive strands intersect and at which the first and second conductive coatings are exposed; and   an electronic component coupled to the first and second conductive strands by the conductive material.   
     
     
         12 . The fabric-based item defined in  claim 11 , wherein the first dielectric core, the first conductive coating, the second dielectric core, and the second conductive coating extend continuously through the junction. 
     
     
         13 . The fabric-based item defined in  claim 12 , wherein the first and second insulating coatings extend outside the junction. 
     
     
         14 . The fabric-based item defined in  claim 11 , wherein the conductive material forms a first bond pad, the fabric-based item further comprising:
 a third conductive strand; and   a second bond pad, wherein the second bond pad is formed at an additional junction at which the second and third conductive strands intersect.   
     
     
         15 . The fabric-based item defined in  claim 14 , wherein the first and third conductive strands extend in a first direction and the second conductive strand extends in a second direction that is different from the first direction. 
     
     
         16 . The fabric-based item defined in  claim 11 , wherein the electronic component comprises a sensor. 
     
     
         17 . A fabric-based item, comprising:
 first and second conductive strands, wherein the first and second conductive strands each comprise a dielectric core, a conductive coating on the dielectric core, and an insulating coating on the conductive coating, wherein the insulating coating is selectively removed in a region in which the first and second conductive strands intersect;   conductive material that electrically connects the first conductive strand to the second conductive strand in the region; and   a bond pad formed on the conductive material, wherein the bond pad electrically connects an electrical component to the first and second conductive strands.   
     
     
         18 . The fabric-based item defined in  claim 17 , wherein the dielectric core and the insulating coating are formed from the same dielectric material. 
     
     
         19 . The fabric-based item defined in  claim 17 , wherein the dielectric core is formed from a first dielectric material, the insulating coating is formed from a second dielectric material, and the conductive coating is formed from a metal layer. 
     
     
         20 . The fabric-based item defined in  claim 19 , wherein the conductive coating and the dielectric core extend continuously through the region and the insulating coating extends outside the region.