DE60224127T2 - Electrically conductive tissue - Google Patents

Abstract

A fabric consists of a warp or weft containing groups of carbon filaments and groups of non-conducting filaments, the carbon filaments being in regularly-spaced strips (2) at set intervals (d). The weft or warp contains groups of metal and non-conducting filaments, the metal filaments being in strips (3) linking the carbon filaments in parallel and spaced regularly at intervals (D). A fabric consists of a warp or weft containing groups of carbon filaments and groups of non-conducting filaments, the carbon filaments being in regularly-spaced strips (2) at set intervals (d). The weft or warp contains groups of metal and non-conducting filaments, the metal filaments being in strips (3) linking the carbon filaments in parallel and spaced regular at intervals (D) that are at least five times greater than the intervals between the carbon filaments. Both warp and weft filaments are coated on both sides with a layer of insulating material. The metal filaments are selected from nickel, aluminum, stainless steel and gold-plated filaments.

Description

The The invention relates to the field of technical textiles and more specifically to electrically conductive textiles. she finds numerous applications, in particular in the production of truck tarpaulins, flexible roofing elements or even of furniture or interior. In particular, it relates to a heating fabric containing metal and carbon filaments, the a warming by "low voltage" supply, and that due to its construction very easy in any geometric Pattern and with different surface heating powers is configurable.

State of the art

On known manner consist of electrically conductive textiles from a Carrier single tissue containing in the warp and / or weft copper filaments or general metal filaments. The Presence of these threads gives the structure of the tissues a certain electrical conductivity, which allows numerous uses, especially education of heating fabrics.

aim The invention is to provide a fabric that is optimal and on the surface the tissue has continuous electrical properties.

It have already been numerous solutions proposed to such a conductive thread in the interior of a Integrate tissue.

So was in the Scriptures FR 2 340 016 or US 4,538,054 describes a conductive fabric having under its weft threads electrically conductive threads. These weft threads are electrically connected in parallel by two conductive warp threads located on each side of the fabric.

These However, type of fabric has a certain number of disadvantages. If you are tissue want to make which have a sufficient width, it is necessary that wefts a relatively high voltage, generally the same the AC voltage of 220 volts of the network. The use of a such tension causes problems of electrical safety especially with regard to the dangers of contact with persons. This high electrical voltage is also due to mediocrity the connections required, which form between the one electrode warp and the senior weft threads consist.

Another example of such a fabric is further in the Scriptures FR 2 263 658 described. In this case, the parallel connection of the individual conductive filaments takes place by using a copper foil which is arranged in the edges of the fabric. However, the use of these films entails two major disadvantages. On the one hand, such copper foils are relatively rigid and prevent the simple formation of the tissue. On the other hand, the bond between the foil and the conductive filaments is relatively mediocre and therefore requires the use of a high voltage, ie in practice the mains voltage of 220 volts, giving a very weak current which is more compatible with such interconnect quality. The disadvantages of using a high voltage are the same as mentioned above.

Besides that is the per unit area delivered power at a given tissue dimensions exclusively dependent on the applied voltage. In other words, it is not possible that delivered power depending on the desired Application to adapt.

aim the present invention is to provide a conductive tissue, which can be used with "low voltage" supply voltages, i. H. the im classic range from 12 volts to 48 volts. Another goal is it, a big one modularity to allow so that an energy output per unit area ensured is configurable by the user in a very simple way is.

One Another object is to provide a coated fabric whose Coating the connection properties between the conductive Threads are not disturbs.

Summary of the invention

The The invention therefore relates to a fabric, the electrical conduction properties has.

One Such tissue is defined in claim 1.

With In other words, this tissue has regularly arranged bands of Carbon fibers, which guarantee an energy release, if they are traversed by an electric current. These bands of Carbon fibers are connected by bands of conductive threads, like metal threads, connected, the bands of metal threads serve as supply and power supply filaments to the carbon filaments. These ribbons of supply threads are much stronger spaced apart from each other as the bands of carbon filaments.

By using two materials of very different conductivity, ie carbon filaments, which have a much higher specific Wi Resistant than the metal filaments, the substantial voltage drop takes place at the terminals of the carbon threads, which thus ensure an energy dissipation, which is substantially higher than that which takes place in the metallic transverse threads.

The Interweaving of the individual threads of the band of carbon filaments with the metal threads of the Bandes of supply threads guaranteed a relatively large one Contact between these different threads and thus a connection, which allows the passage of a strong current, and thus the use tissue in conjunction with low voltage power supplies from Type 12 volts to 48 volts.

In addition, lends the distribution of metal threads and the carbon filaments on the entire surface the fabric of the invention this one matrix structure, thanks to which it is possible any length of tissue or width with voltage supply.

With in other words, the supply threads are on the whole width of the fabric sufficiently numerous to two Electrodes for to form any tissue blank.

by virtue of the interweaving of metal threads and the carbon filaments is the pressure exerted on the contact zone between these different threads big enough, to withstand the pressure of the plastic during coating of the tissue is used.

In the practice can the metal threads used Threads on the base of nickel alloy, aluminum filaments, stainless steel filaments or also be covered with a gold layer threads.

you For example, it is preferable to use alloys of nickel because of its good compatibility with the technique of the compound, which generally works with copper alloys is made. Given the very small number of metallic supply threads elevated the use of relatively expensive materials the manufacturing cost the fabric of the invention almost negligible. One gives therefore the very good line characteristics of certain relatively expensive metals.

The between the metal threads used non-conductive threads can Furthermore advantageously be polyester threads, because of their good mechanical behavior can be used.

Other Metals can also used, if their specific resistance, compared with the carbon filaments, is sufficiently low, and taking into account the relationship between the distances d and D between the different bands of carbon filaments and metallic supply threads.

at a particular embodiment can Cladding layers, such as coatings, which are the two Cover pages of the fabric, be different.

On guaranteed this way you get an energy drain that goes from one side of the fabric to the other what is different is what allows the heat flow in a preferred one To direct direction. Practically chooses one coating layers, the different thermal properties possess, for example, fillers used in different proportions from one side to the other become.

advantageously, the distance d between the bands of carbon filaments may be between 1 and 10 centimeters, with the distance between the bands of metal filaments between 20 centimeters and 2 meters.

thanks this is a non-limiting example dimensions it is possible to cut the tissue by the possibility of a supply independently from the general shape of the blank, provided that she bigger than that Dimension D between metal wire strips is.

In In practice, the care can be obtained by different bands of supply threads alternately with one of the ports of the Power source to be connected.

According to one Another feature of the invention, the tissue at its edges the location of the ends of the bands of metal threads Have zones in which the coating layers are removed. By being perpendicular to the ribbons of metal threads at their height Perform a cut, it is enough this way to peel off the coating layers by using them on the metal threads, by pulling them out of the tissue. You go to the same thing How to wrap one Stripped metal thread by placing the end zone of the tape from the metal thread withdraws.

Consequently can summarized the totality of stripped metal strands in this way then be plugged into supply outlets that are arranged at the edges of the fabric.

These supply connections can depending on the supply voltage that you want to apply to the tissue, on End of all metal threads or a part of them.

By doing one the number of bands of metal threads, which are present between two electrical supply connections changes, one changes the power delivered per unit area, what allows adaptation of the tissue to different applications.

Brief description of the figures

The Type of execution of the invention and the advantages that result from this result from the following description of an embodiment with reference on the enclosed drawing. In this show:

1 a schematic view of a fabric according to the invention,

2 a sectional view of a detail showing the interweaving of the carbon threads and the metal threads,

3 a schematic perspective view of an edge of the fabric according to the invention during the production of a lateral connection,

4 a representation of one on the step of 3 following step,

5 a schematic representation showing different ways of supplying a device according to the invention.

Embodiment of the invention

As already mentioned The invention relates to a heating textile obtained by interweaving manufactured and the two different types of conductive filaments in warp and shot direction contains.

As in example of 1 shown, the tissue comprises ( 1 ) Bands ( 2 ) of carbon filaments arranged at a distance d. This tissue ( 1 ) further comprises bands ( 3 ) of metal threads.

In the illustrated example, the carbon filaments have a denier of 200 tex and comprise 200 fibers per filament. Each volume ( 2 ) comprises five carbon threads of this type. The bands ( 2 ) of carbon filaments are arranged at a distance d of 5 centimeters.

In the example of 1 The metal filaments used are filaments of pure nickel with a diameter of twenty hundredths of a millimeter. Each volume ( 3 ) of metal filaments comprises ten nickel filaments, which represents a bandwidth of about one centimeter.

The bands ( 3 ) of metal filaments are at a distance D of about one meter apart.

In view of the fact that the resistivity of nickel is about one hundred times smaller than that of carbon, that along the supply fibers of a strip is ( 3 ) voltage drop is negligible with respect to the voltage drop which occurs along the copper filaments between two successive bands ( 3 ) is measured.

This The latter voltage drop is the heating of the copper threads and the desired one Energy removal causes.

The threads used for the rest of the fabric ( 4 ) are non-conductive filaments, for example conventional threads of high tenacity polyester or toughness of 1100 dtex, 200 filaments.

The The above values and materials are for example only, the invention covers, of course numerous variants, who move away from it.

The interweaving of metal threads ( 13 . 14 ) with carbon filaments ( 12 ), as in 2 shown leads to an advantage in terms of the contact surface between these different threads. The contact zone between the carbon threads ( 12 ) and the metal threads ( 13 ) extends on a part of the circumference of the carbon filaments ( 13 ), which is typically greater than a quarter of this circumference. The carbon filaments, which are more flexible than the metal filaments, tend to be squeezed together, which considerably increases the contact area.

This large contact area allows the passage of a relatively high current, as in low-voltage supplies of the type 12 to 48 Volt is used.

In 2 the presence of the coating layer ( 15 . 16 ) covering the two sides of the fabric, thereby preventing any danger of contact with live zones. In the illustrated embodiment, the coating layers ( 15 . 16 ) are the same and made, for example, of PVC. Nevertheless, these layers ( 15 . 16 ), as already mentioned, be different, so that the direction of the flow of the carbon filaments ( 12 ) released heat is influenced.

For example, if the fabric of the present invention is used as the top cover of a building and is designed to provide controlled snowmelt, heat flow to the top of the fabric is preferred out. In this case, the coating layer located on top of the fabric ( 15 ) has a better thermal conductivity than the layer on the underside ( 16 ).

Further For example, the coating used may be such that its thermal conduction properties also on the surface to change a fabric side itself. By modulating this thermal conductivity, one can the heat flow, between the zones comprising the carbon filaments and the between these bands of Carbon fibers located rooms is made unify.

Another feature of the invention relates to the simplicity with which the fabric of the invention can be connected to the power supply. The 3 to 4 show the manipulations that are required to ensure the connection of the tissue to a supply source.

So has the tissue ( 1 ) on its edge ( 5 ) various weft threads passing through the coating layer ( 15 ) are visible. Among these visible threads, one recognizes the non-conductive polyester threads ( 6 ) and the metal threads ( 13 ). These metal threads ( 13 ) are part of a band ( 3 ) of conductive threads. After cutting the fabric into the planes parallel to the weft ( 20 . 21 ) one has the warp threads located in this area ( 4 ) cut from polyester.

Then take a small cut ( 22 ) parallel to the warp threads to define the zone which is then peeled off. This cut ( 22 ) can be made by a suitable tool or can not really be performed, but simply result from the pull exerted by the technician.

Then the technician exerts a pull on the through the cuts ( 20 . 21 . 22 ) limited zone. This zone ( 25 ) slides on the metal threads ( 13 ) and then as in 4 deducted. This zone contains the polyester thread sections ( 4 ) previously used in the production of the cuts ( 20 . 21 ) were cut through. The individual metal threads ( 13 ) are now visible on the edge of the fabric, and the technician now only has to summarize them and insert them into the appropriate connecting element. The connection of the band ( 3 ) of metal threads ( 13 ) is now done.

Of course, the technician chooses the tapes according to the configuration of the fabric and the supply voltage ( 3 ), which must be stripped in this way.

So can different supply configurations are used.

So can, as in 5a is shown, the upper connection of the supply source ( 26 ) with the connections of the metal threads ( 3a . 3c . 3e ), while the lower connection of the supply source with the bands ( 3b . 3d ) connected is. In other words, all carbon thread segments that exist between two bands ( 3 ) of metal filaments are the supply voltage of the source ( 26 ) exposed.

In the other configuration, in 5b is shown, the upper connection of the supply source ( 27 ) with the tapes ( 3a . 3e ) of the tissue, while the lower connection of the supply source with the band ( 3c ) of the tissue is connected. In this case, the carbon filament segments are exposed at constant supply voltage to a potential difference equal to half that of the previous configuration.

As a result, the heat emitted per unit area is equal to one quarter of that which, in the case of the configuration of the supply source (FIG. 26 ) is discharged.

The same train of thought follows the configuration of in 5c represented supply source ( 28 ). In this case, the supply source ( 28 ) with its positive connection to the band ( 3a ) and with its negative connection to the band ( 3e ) connected. At equivalent source, the voltage applied to the carbon filaments is one fourth of that of the configuration ( 26 ), which is reflected in a sixteen times smaller output.

The wiring diagram of the different metal bands ( 3 ) can, of course, be adjusted depending on the desired dissipated power by determining the required length of carbon filaments, and hence the multiple of the distance D, to obtain the desired power output.

These Wiring can also be changeable inside the fabric itself to concentrate energy dissipation in some particular zones.

In the same way, this wiring can be dependent on the rated voltage of the sources used ( 26 - 28 ) be adjusted.

For example, with a power output of about 100 watts per square meter, a supply voltage of 12 volts may be sufficient. These are applications which allow for a slight warming of the tissue to remove the condensation that occurs thereon when used to bond to cell roofs or other equivalent constructions.

at a wiring scheme quadruples a 24 volt supply the delivered per unit area Power. So can the fabric with a output of 400 watts per square meter for the formation of roofs or higher Covers are used that can carry snow. In In this case, the heating allows a slight melting of the snow. This melting takes place in a controlled manner, so that at the Snow melt avoids water retention thanks to a control system the zones where the snow melts first.

If the same configuration scheme with a 48 supply source Volt is used, which means a supply of 1600 watts per square meter corresponds, the fabric can be used for heating purposes, for example for the formation of heating walls or ceilings.

• – die Möglichkeit, absolut sicher mit Niederspannungsversorgungen vom Typ 12 bis 48 Volt gespeist zu werden;
• – eine sehr hohe Modularität aufgrund seiner Matrixstruktur, die es gestattet, die gewünschten Eigenschaften unabhängig von der Form der Gewebezuschnitte zu erhalten;
• – einfache Herstellung der Verbindungen mit den elektrischen Versorgungsquellen.

From the foregoing it can be seen that the fabric according to the invention has numerous advantages, in particular:

• - the possibility to be supplied absolutely safely with 12 to 48 volt low voltage power supplies;
• A very high modularity due to its matrix structure, which makes it possible to obtain the desired properties independently of the shape of the tissue blanks;
• - Easy production of connections to the electrical supply sources.

Industrial applications

The fabric according to the invention thanks to its matrix structure and its own very easy connectivity numerous applications.

So can this tissue for numerous heating applications in building exterior walls as well as interior walls such as partitions or others. It can also be used for heating purposes in all kinds used by articles that are covered with a textile could be. For example, it can be used in the living area accessories like curtains act.

thanks Its excellent electrical properties make this fabric also used for antistatic purposes, especially in areas where it is necessary to remove dust, as in mining, in car or railway tunnels or in the electronic industry.

It can also to the equipment used by buildings to give them the characteristics of a Faraday cage.

Claims (8)

Tissue ( 1 ) having electrical conduction properties, comprising: - in the warp or warp direction groups of carbon filaments ( 12 ) and groups of non-electrically conductive threads ( 4 ), where these groups of carbon filaments are tapes ( 2 ) which are regularly spaced by a distance d; In the weft or warp direction groups of metal threads ( 13 ); An insulating cladding layer ( 15 . 16 ) covering each side of the fabric; characterized in that it further comprises, in the weft or warp direction, groups of non-electrically conductive filaments, said groups of metal filaments comprising tapes ( 3 ) forming the bands ( 2 ) of carbon filaments connect electrically in parallel with each other, the bands ( 3 ) are regularly spaced by a distance D from metal filaments which is at least five times greater than the distance d, and that the dimension of the fabric in the weft or warp direction is greater than the distance D between the bands of metal filaments ( 13 ), so that the distribution of metal filaments ( 13 ) and the carbon filaments ( 12 ) imparts a matrix structure to the entire surface of the tissue, which makes it possible to supply the tissue with tension. Fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that the metal threads ( 13 ) are selected from nickel filaments, aluminum filaments, stainless steel filaments and filaments covered with a gold layer. Fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that the non-electrically conductive threads ( 14 ) Polyester threads are. Fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that the insulating lining layers ( 15 . 16 ) are obtained by coating. Fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that the insulating lining layers ( 15 . 16 ) are different on the two sides of the fabric. Fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance d between the bands ( 2 ) of carbon filaments between 1 and 10 centimeters and that the distance D between the bands ( 3 ) of metal filaments between 20 centimeters and 2 meters. Tissue according to claim 1, characterized in that it has on its edges ( 5 ) and at the location of the ends of the bands ( 3 ) of metal threads zones ( 25 ), in which the coating layers ( 15 . 16 ) are removed. Fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that it as well Includes supply connections, which is arranged on its edges at the end of some groups of metal wires are.