Fabric and Lattice for Locating Damage

Abstract

A fabric or lattice for locating a damage, including a puncture, includes one or more layers and a continuity tester. Each of the layers includes conductive filaments and insulating filaments. The conductive filaments are spaced apart within each layer of the fabric. The insulating filaments are distributed across the conductive filaments within each layer of the fabric. The insulating filaments adhere the conductive filaments together to form each layer of the fabric, yet separate the conductive filaments and electrically insulate the conductive filaments from each other. The continuity tester checks for an electrical continuity through each of the conductive filaments of each of the layers. The continuity tester identifies any one or ones of the conductive filaments exhibiting a loss of the electrical continuity due to the damage.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A fabric for locating a damage including a puncture through the fabric, the fabric comprising:
 a first plurality of conductive filaments that are spaced apart within a layer of the fabric;   a second plurality of insulating filaments distributed across the conductive filaments within the layer of the fabric, the insulating filaments adhering the conductive filaments together to form the layer of the fabric, yet separating the conductive filaments and electrically insulating the conductive filaments from each other; and   a continuity tester for checking for an electrical continuity through each of the conductive filaments, the continuity tester for identifying any one or ones of the conductive filaments exhibiting a loss of the electrical continuity due to the damage.   
     
     
         2 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive filaments and the insulating filaments are interleaved within the layer of the fabric. 
     
     
         3 . The fabric of  claim 2 , wherein the conductive filaments and the insulating filaments are all approximately parallel within the layer of the fabric. 
     
     
         4 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive filaments are spaced apart approximately uniformly within the layer of the fabric. 
     
     
         5 . The fabric of  claim 4 , wherein the conductive filaments are approximately parallel within the layer of the fabric and the insulating filaments are approximately parallel within the layer of the fabric. 
     
     
         6 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the fabric is rectangular with a first, second, third, and fourth edge in that order around a periphery of the fabric that is rectangular, and,   within the layer, each of the conductive filaments spans from a first end at the first edge to nearby the third edge, makes a U turn, and spans back from nearby the third edge to a second end at the first edge.   
     
     
         7 . The fabric of  claim 6 , wherein the continuity tester is electrically coupled to the first and second ends of each of the conductive filaments at the first edge of the fabric that is rectangular. 
     
     
         8 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein for each one of the conductive filaments:
 said one of the conductive filaments has a respective first end and a respective second end;   the continuity tester is for applying an applied voltage to the respective first end and a resistive load to the respective second end, the resistive load having a resistance greater than an expected resistance of said one of the conductive filaments;   the continuity tester is for confirming the electrical continuity upon the respective second end having a voltage greater than a threshold voltage; and   the continuity tester is for identifying the loss of the electrical continuity upon the respective second end having a voltage less than the threshold voltage.   
     
     
         9 . The fabric of  claim 8 , wherein the continuity tester includes a parallel-in serial-out shift register coupled to the respective second end of each of the conductive filaments for parallel capturing the electrical continuity through each of the conductive filaments, and for serially identifying said one or said ones of the conductive filaments exhibiting the loss of the electrical continuity. 
     
     
         10 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the continuity tester is for identifying said one or said ones of the conductive filaments exhibiting the loss of the electrical continuity due to the puncture through the fabric. 
     
     
         11 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric is a rigid fabric generated by 3D printing the conductive filaments with a conductive polymer and 3D printing the insulating filaments with an insulating polymer. 
     
     
         12 . A lattice including the fabric of  claim 1 , the lattice for locating the damage and comprising:
 the first plurality of conductive filaments within the layer, which is a first layer of the lattice;   the second plurality of insulating filaments within the first layer of the lattice;   a third plurality of conductive filaments that are spaced apart within a second layer of the lattice;   a fourth plurality of insulating filaments distributed across the third conductive filaments within the second layer of the lattice, the fourth insulating filaments adhering the third conductive filaments together to form the second layer of the lattice, yet separating the third conductive filaments and electrically insulating the third conductive filaments from each other; and   the continuity tester for checking for the electrical continuity through each of the first and third pluralities of the conductive filaments, the continuity tester for identifying said one or said ones of the first and third pluralities of the conductive filaments exhibiting the loss of the electrical continuity due to the damage.   
     
     
         13 . The lattice of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the first conductive filaments are approximately parallel along a first direction within the first layer of the lattice;   the third conductive filaments are approximately parallel along a second direction within the second layer of the lattice, wherein the first and second directions are approximately perpendicular within the lattice; and   the continuity tester is for identifying coordinates in the first and second directions of the puncture through the lattice when said ones of the first and third pluralities include at least one of the first conductive filaments exhibiting the loss of the electrical continuity and at least one of the third conductive filaments exhibiting the loss of the electrical continuity.   
     
     
         14 . A lattice for locating a damage including a puncture through the lattice, the lattice comprising:
 a first plurality of conductive filaments that are spaced apart within a first layer of the lattice;   a second plurality of insulating filaments distributed across the first conductive filaments within the first layer of the lattice, the second insulating filaments adhering the first conductive filaments together to form the first layer of the lattice, yet separating the first conductive filaments and electrically insulating the first conductive filaments from each other;   a third plurality of conductive filaments that are spaced apart within a second layer of the lattice;   a fourth plurality of insulating filaments distributed across the third conductive filaments within the second layer of the lattice, the fourth insulating filaments adhering the third conductive filaments together to form the second layer of the lattice, yet separating the third conductive filaments and electrically insulating the third conductive filaments from each other; and   a continuity tester for checking for an electrical continuity through each of the first and third pluralities of the conductive filaments, the continuity tester for identifying any one or ones of the first and third pluralities of the conductive filaments exhibiting a loss of the electrical continuity due to the damage.   
     
     
         15 . The lattice of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the first conductive filaments and the third conductive filaments cross approximately perpendicular within the lattice; and   the continuity tester is for identifying at least one coordinate of the puncture through the lattice from said one or said ones of the first and third pluralities of the conductive filaments exhibiting the loss of the electrical continuity due to the puncture through the lattice.   
     
     
         16 . The lattice of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the first conductive filaments are approximately parallel along a first direction within the first layer of the lattice;   the third conductive filaments are approximately parallel along a second direction within the second layer of the lattice, wherein the first and second directions are approximately perpendicular within the lattice; and   the continuity tester is for identifying coordinates in the first and second directions of the puncture through the lattice when said ones of the first and third pluralities include at least one of the first conductive filaments exhibiting the loss of the electrical continuity and at least one of the third conductive filaments exhibiting the loss of the electrical continuity.   
     
     
         17 . A fabric for locating a damage including a puncture through the fabric, the fabric comprising:
 one or more layers with each layer including:
 a plurality of conductive filaments that are spaced apart within the layer of the fabric; and 
 a plurality of insulating filaments distributed across the conductive filaments within the layer of the fabric, the insulating filaments adhering the conductive filaments together to form the layer of the fabric, yet separating the conductive filaments and electrically insulating the conductive filaments from each other; and 
   a continuity tester for checking for an electrical continuity through each of the conductive filaments of each of said one or more layers, the continuity tester for identifying any one or ones of the conductive filaments of said one or more layers exhibiting a loss of the electrical continuity due to the damage.   
     
     
         18 . The fabric of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the one or more layers is two layers comprising a first and second layer;   the conductive filaments of the first layer and the conductive filaments of the second layer cross approximately perpendicular within the fabric; and   the continuity tester is for identifying at least one coordinate of the puncture through the fabric from said one or said ones of the conductive filaments of the two layers exhibiting the loss of the electrical continuity due to the puncture through the fabric.   
     
     
         19 . The fabric of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the one or more layers is four layers comprising a first, second, third, and fourth layer;   the conductive filaments of the first layer and the conductive filaments of the second layer cross approximately perpendicular within the fabric; and   the conductive filaments of the third layer and the conductive filaments of the fourth layer cross approximately perpendicular within the fabric; and   the continuity tester is for identifying at least one coordinate of the puncture through the fabric from said one or said ones of the conductive filaments of the four layers exhibiting the loss of the electrical continuity due to the puncture through the fabric.   
     
     
         20 . The fabric of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the conductive filaments of the first layer are approximately parallel along a first direction within the first layer of the fabric;   the conductive filaments of the second layer are approximately parallel along a second direction within the second layer of the fabric, wherein the first and second directions are approximately perpendicular within the fabric;   the conductive filaments of the third layer are approximately parallel along the first direction within the third layer of the fabric;   the conductive filaments of the fourth layer are approximately parallel along the second direction within the fourth layer of the fabric;   the continuity tester is for identifying coordinates in the first and second directions of the puncture through the fabric and a trajectory of a projectile causing the puncture when said ones of the conductive filaments include at least one of the conductive filaments in each of the four layers exhibiting the loss of the electrical continuity.