Weaving Equipment with Strand Modifying Unit

Abstract

Weaving equipment may include warp strand positioning equipment that positions warp strands and weft strand positioning equipment that inserts weft strands among the warp strands to form fabric. One or more of the warp strands may be selectively modified along its length using a warp strand modification unit. The warp strand modification unit may be interposed between the fabric and a reed, may be interposed between the fabric and the warp strand positioning equipment, may be mounted to the reed, or may be incorporated elsewhere in the weaving equipment. Warp strand modifications may include adding segments of metallic paint coatings or other conductive coatings, adding insulating coatings, applying other liquids to segments of the warp strand, modifying the stretchiness of warp strands, removing material from segments of the warp strand, and attaching electrical components to the warp strand.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming fabric, comprising:
 with warp strand positioners, positioning warp strands to create a shed, wherein the warp strands include a conductive warp strand with an insulating coating;   with equipment, selectively removing a portion of the insulating coating from the conductive warp strand while the shed is open to expose a conductive segment of the conductive warp strand; and   with a weft strand positioner, inserting a weft strand into the shed to incorporate the conductive segment into the fabric.   
     
     
         2 . The method defined in  claim 1  wherein the equipment comprises a light source and wherein selectively removing the portion of the insulating coating from the conductive warp strand comprises applying light from the light source to the conductive warp strand to remove the portion of the insulating coating. 
     
     
         3 . The method defined in  claim 2  wherein the light source comprises a laser. 
     
     
         4 . The method defined in  claim 1  wherein selectively removing the portion of the insulating coating from the conductive warp strand comprises applying an etchant to remove the portion of the insulating coating. 
     
     
         5 . The method defined in  claim 1  further comprising:
 with the equipment, attaching an electrical component to the conductive segment. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method defined in  claim 5  wherein attaching the electrical component to the conductive segment comprises soldering the electrical component to the conductive segment. 
     
     
         7 . The method defined in  claim 5  wherein the electrical component is selected from the group consisting of: an integrated circuit, a light-emitting diode, and a sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The method defined in  claim 5  further comprising:
 with the equipment, selectively removing an additional portion of the insulating coating from the conductive warp strand to expose an additional conductive segment of the conductive warp strand. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method defined in  claim 8  further comprising:
 attaching the electrical component to the additional conductive segment of the conductive warp strand. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method defined in  claim 9  wherein the electrical component has first and second terminals, wherein the first terminal is coupled to the conductive segment, and wherein the second terminal is coupled to the additional conductive segment. 
     
     
         11 . A method of forming fabric, comprising:
 with warp strand positioners, positioning warp strands to create a shed, wherein the warp strands include a conductive warp strand;   with equipment, applying a polymer material to a portion of the conductive warp strand while the shed is open; and   with a weft strand positioner, inserting a weft strand into the shed to incorporate the portion of the conductive warp strand with the polymer material into the fabric.   
     
     
         12 . The method defined in  claim 11  wherein the polymer material comprises a dielectric material that forms an insulator around at least a portion of the conductive warp strand. 
     
     
         13 . The method defined in  claim 11  wherein applying the polymer material to the portion of the conductive warp strand comprises applying the polymer material to one side of the conductive warp strand. 
     
     
         14 . The method defined in  claim 11  wherein the equipment comprises a coating tool and wherein applying the polymer material to the portion of the conductive warp strand comprises using the coating tool to apply the polymer material to the portion of the conductive warp strand. 
     
     
         15 . The method defined in  claim 11  further comprising:
 with the equipment, attaching an electrical component to the conductive warp strand. 
 
     
     
         16 . A method of forming fabric, comprising:
 with warp strand positioners, positioning warp strands to create a shed, wherein the warp strands include a conductive warp strand having an exposed conductive segment;   with equipment, attaching an electrical component to the exposed conductive segment of the conductive warp strand while the shed is open; and   with a weft strand positioner, inserting a weft strand into the shed to incorporate the electrical component into the fabric.   
     
     
         17 . The method defined in  claim 16  wherein attaching the electrical component to the exposed conductive segment comprises soldering the electrical component to the exposed conductive segment. 
     
     
         18 . The method defined in  claim 17  further comprising:
 with the equipment, removing a portion of an outer insulating coating from the conductive warp strand to form the exposed conductive segment. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method defined in  claim 18  wherein the equipment comprises a laser and wherein removing the portion of the outer insulating coating from the conductive warp strand comprises applying laser light from the laser to remove the portion of the outer insulating coating from the conductive warp strand. 
     
     
         20 . The method defined in  claim 18  wherein removing the portion of the outer insulating coating from the conductive warp strand comprises applying an etchant to remove the portion of the outer insulating coating from the conductive warp strand.