KR101686035B1 - Fabric type circuit board, manufacturing method thereof and wearable elecronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a woven circuit board, a manufacturing method thereof, and a wearable electronic device using the same.
The cloth-like circuit board of the present invention is a structure in which a conductive film layer coated on one side with a thermoplastic polymer film is circuit-patterned and a non-conductive fabric is attached to the back surface of the thermoplastic polymer film. By using the characteristics of the thermoplastic polymer material without using a chemical process such as a normal etching process or an adhesive, it is possible to form a circuit pattern on the fabric itself by heat and pressure. Accordingly, the woven circuit board can be applied to a wearable product requiring a flexible characteristic. Particularly, when applied to a curved surface portion requiring electrical connection and control, the woven circuit board is not damaged by tearing or bending, Do.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a woven circuit board, a manufacturing method thereof, and a wearable electronic device using the same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a woven circuit board, a method of manufacturing the same, and a wearable electronic device using the woven circuit board. More particularly, the present invention relates to a conductive film layer coated on a thermoplastic polymer film, A circuit board having a nonconductive fabric is formed by forming a circuit pattern on a fabric by heat and pressure utilizing the characteristics of a thermoplastic polymer material without using a chemical process such as a normal etching process or an adhesive while maintaining the performance of a circuit connecting member Type circuit board, which is useful for electronic equipment because it is not broken by tearing or bending when applied to a curved surface portion requiring electrical connection and control, a manufacturing method thereof, and a wearable electronic device using the same.

In general, a flexible printed circuit, a cable, or the like is used as a circuit connecting member to electrically connect a circuit and an electronic component or a circuit. However, in the case of a flexible printed circuit, a polyimide film as a base film is vulnerable to pulling force and shear force, which tends to tear easily due to pulling or bending.

Such a circuit connecting member is particularly vulnerable to securing reliability when constructing a circuit having a curved surface, and a separate means for connecting the circuit is required, complicating the circuit connecting structure.

In addition, with the increase in portability of electronic devices, development of wearable electronic devices such as portable terminals implemented in clothes, accessories, and the like implemented in clothes is continuously being carried out. In order to realize the above-described wearable electronic device, a circuit configuration capable of flexibility and elastic deformation is essential.

Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2012-0111491 discloses a method for fabricating an electrostatic chuck, comprising the steps of: applying a conductive material to a fabric formed of elastically deformable fibers; selectively masking a conductive part requiring current flow in the fabric; Removing the conductive material so as to expose the conductive part; and inserting the fabric with the conductive part in the mold, impregnating the protective material, covering the mold lid, applying heat and pressure to the fabric, The method comprising the steps of: (a) forming a metal layer on a substrate;

However, in the above-described invention, a plating process or a metal foil is laminated on a fabric, and a conductive pattern is formed on the fabric itself by removing the conductive material except the conductive portion through etching.

Korean Patent Publication No. 1027312 discloses a display using a fabric type printed circuit board. In the above-described invention, a fabric type printed circuit board is disclosed in which a conductive material is patterned on a fabric. However, a conductive material (solder, conductive bond) for connecting between substrates is exposed It is pointed out that the beauty is not good.

In addition, the present invention may have a problem in that the conductive pattern is combined with the conductive pattern by the conductive adhesive so that the flexibility of the bonding portion is lowered and the durability is also weak.

The inventors of the present invention have made efforts to solve the problems of conventional circuit connecting members and to find a method suitable for electrical connection of wearable electronic devices. As a result, the present inventors have found that a conventional chemical circuit process The present invention has been accomplished by forming a circuit pattern on the fabric itself by heat and pressure utilizing the characteristics of the thermoplastic polymer material without using an adhesive.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a woven circuit board in which a circuit pattern is formed on a fabric by heat and pressure utilizing the characteristics of a thermoplastic polymer material.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing the above-mentioned fabricated circuit board.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a wearable electronic device having the above-mentioned fabricated circuit board.

The present invention provides a woven circuit board comprising a thermoplastic polymer film, a conductive part patterned with a conductive film layer coated on one side of the thermoplastic polymer film, and a nonconductive fabric attached to a back surface of the thermoplastic polymer film.

The substrate used in the woven circuit board of the present invention is preferably a thermoplastic polymer film, and more preferably, any one selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polyurethane and polyamide use.

In the woven circuit board of the present invention, the conductive material may be selected from the group consisting of a metal wire selected from the group consisting of nickel, a nickel alloy, copper and silver, or polyaniline, poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) It is selected from conductive polymers.

The non-conductive fabric is also preferably a heat-resistant fiber. For example, any one selected from the group consisting of polyester fiber, nylon and aramid fiber is used.

The present invention relates to a process for producing a conductive film, comprising the steps of: 1) a step of forming a conductive film layer in which a conductive material is coated on one surface of a thermoplastic polymer film,

2) covering the conductive film layer with a nonconductive fabric,

3) a step of joining the nonconductive cloth and the conductive film layer,

4) a conductive part forming step of forming a circuit pattern on the conductive film layer and cutting the conductive film layer according to the circuit pattern,

5) a non-conductive part removing step excluding the conductive part; and

6) A method of manufacturing a woven circuit board comprising a step of melt-pressing between the conductive part and a non-conductive fabric.

In the manufacturing method of the present invention, the step (1) is a one-side coating of a conductive material on the surface of the thermoplastic polymer film by any one method selected from the group consisting of electroless plating, spraying, roll coater and knife coater.

In the manufacturing method of the present invention, step 3) is performed by stitching or warming the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic polymer film to a temperature lower than the melting point of the non-conductive fabric and joining the conductive film layer, .

Thereafter, in step (6), durability is imparted between the conductive part and the nonconductive fabric by setting the temperature within the range of -10 ° C to + 20 ° C based on the melting point temperature of the thermoplastic polymer film.

The present invention may further include a step of electrically connecting the terminal portion and the external circuit during the protecting step of the conductive part after step 6).

Furthermore, the present invention provides a wearable electronic device having a fabric type circuit board and a flexible characteristic.

The present invention can provide a conductive circuit film in which a conductive film layer coated on one side of the thermoplastic polymer film according to the present invention is circuit-patterned, and a woven circuit board having a non-conductive fabric adhered to the back surface of the thermoplastic polymer film.

The fabric-type circuit board of the present invention can form a circuit pattern on the fabric itself with heat and pressure by utilizing the characteristics of the thermoplastic polymer material without using a chemical process such as a normal etching process or the like, while maintaining the performance of the circuit connecting member. Can be given.

Such a woven circuit board can be applied to a wearable product requiring a flexible characteristic. In particular, a circuit board can be formed on both sides of a fabric, and when applied to a curved portion requiring electrical connection and control, So that it can be used for electrical connection of the wearable electronic device.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a woven circuit board according to the present invention,
Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of the woven circuit board of the present invention,
FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing steps of a method of manufacturing a woven circuit board according to the present invention,
4 is a schematic view of a method of manufacturing a woven circuit board of the present invention.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a woven circuit board according to the present invention, in which the thermoplastic polymer film 100,

The conductive film layer 200 coated on the thermoplastic polymer film 100 with a one-side surface is patterned,

And a non-conductive fabric (300) attached to the back surface of the thermoplastic polymer film (100).

Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of a woven circuit board of the present invention, which is a substrate form cut along the patterned conductive part in the structure of Fig.

1, the conductive film layer is cut according to a circuit pattern shown at a desired position of the one side coated conductive film layer 200 of the thermoplastic polymer film 100, And may be provided in a stiker manner in which only the non-patterned conductive film layer is removed.

The fabricated circuit board of the present invention is completed with only heat and pressure by using the characteristics of the thermoplastic polymer. As the temperature rises due to a weak bond between the molecules, the gap between the molecules and the molecules becomes distant or slippery. Materials that are hard at room temperature tend to soften or melt when the temperature rises. Further, when the temperature is lowered again, the characteristic of the thermoplastic polymer which returns to the original state is utilized.

Thus, the thermoplastic polymer film used in the present invention includes a known thermoplastic polymer resin and is a material having a certain level of tensile strength and bending resistance, and more preferably polyethylene terephthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, poly Urethane, and polyamide.

The conductive layer of the thermoplastic polymer film is coated with a conductive film layer, and a non-conductive fabric made of a heat-resistant fiber material is attached to the thermoplastic polymer film to complete a three-layered woven circuit board.

At this time, the conductive film layer 200 may be formed of a conductive metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, a nickel alloy, copper and silver, or a conductive polymer selected from the group consisting of polyaniline, poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) .

The nonconductive fabric 300 is preferably a heat-resistant fiber selected from the group consisting of polyester fibers, nylon and aramid fibers.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a woven circuit board, comprising the steps of: 1) a step of forming a conductive film layer in which a conductive material is coated on one surface of a thermoplastic polymer film,

2) covering the conductive film layer with a nonconductive fabric,

3) a step of joining the nonconductive cloth and the conductive film layer,

4) a conductive part forming step of forming a circuit pattern on the conductive film layer and cutting the conductive film layer according to the circuit pattern,

5) a non-conductive part removing step excluding the conductive part; and

6) A method of manufacturing a woven circuit board comprising a step of melt-pressing between the conductive part and a non-conductive fabric.

Fig. 3 is a flow chart showing steps of the method of manufacturing a woven circuit board of the present invention, and Fig. 4 is a schematic view of a method of manufacturing a woven circuit board of the present invention.

Hereinafter, characteristics of the process will be described with reference to the drawings.

In the manufacturing method of the present invention, the step (1) is a step of coating the thermoplastic polymer film with a conductive material on one side to form a conductive film layer.

The above coating method is carried out by an electroless plating method, a spraying method, a roll coater or a knife coater method, and a conductive material is uniformly coated on one side by using a knife coater.

For example, when a thermoplastic polymer film is prepared, a conductive material is applied on one side to impart an electrical property. In the case of electroless plating, a metal yarn selected from the group consisting of nickel, a nickel alloy, copper and silver is applied, The conductive polymer is preferably a conductive polymer selected from the group consisting of polyaniline, poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), polypyrrole, and polyaniline by a knife coater method.

In the manufacturing method of the present invention, step 2) is a step of covering the conductive film layer 200 on the nonconductive fabric 300, wherein the conductive film layer 200 is formed on the back surface of the thermoplastic polymer film 100, So as to face the fabric 300.

At this time, the width of the thermoplastic polymer film 100 and the nonconductive fabric 300 having the single-sided coating of the conductive film layer 200 may be the same.

The nonconductive fabric 300 may be formed using any one selected from the group consisting of polyester fibers, nylon, and aramid fibers as elastic heat-resisting heat-resistant fibers.

In the manufacturing method of the present invention, step 3) may be performed by stitching or bonding the thermoplastic polymer film 100 on which the conductive film layer 200 is formed with the glass transition temperature of the selected thermoplastic polymer film It is warmed for several seconds to a temperature range lower than the ideal melting point and temporarily bonded to fix the position. In this case, in the process 3), the use of a separate adhesive is not used for fixing the two layers, and the execution temperature may be designed differently according to the selected thermoplastic polymer film.

Thereafter, in the manufacturing method 4) of the present invention, a circuit pattern is formed on the conductive film layer 200, and only the conductive film layer 200 is cut according to a circuit pattern to form a conductive part.

In the above, a piece of circuit pattern can be used to illustrate a desired pattern on a part of the conductive film layer 200 by using a computer, but a method of engraving a circuit pattern can be used without limitation.

Thereafter, the amount of electric power is controlled by a computer-controlled laser cutter capable of automatically moving the XY axis to cut only the conductive film layer 200 on which the circuit pattern is formed without damaging the base non-conductive fabric 300, do.

Thereafter, in the step 5), only the conductive film layer 200 on which the circuit pattern is engraved in the previous step is cut, and the conductive film layer 200 in which the circuit pattern is not carved is removed Thus, it is possible to provide a stiker-type fabric-like circuit board.

In the production process of the present invention, step (6) is a step of thermally setting the temperature between the conductive part and the non-conductive fabric in the temperature range of -10 ° C to + 20 ° C based on the melting point temperature of the thermoplastic polymer film to form a durable article.

That is, a fabric in which a hot press or a heat chamber is formed with an energized portion is placed and thermal setting is performed in the vicinity of the melting point of the thermoplastic polymer film. The thermal setting temperature and time depend on the thermoplastic polymer used, and the nonconductive fabric 300 on which the circuit structure is based should be at least as heat-resistant as or higher than the thermoplastic polymer in the conductive portion.

The manufacturing method of the present invention may further include a step of electrically connecting the terminal portion and the external circuit during the protecting step of the conductive part after step 6).

Specifically, the conductive part is exposed to the outside, and is not coupled with the fabric on which the circuit structure is based. Therefore, when the conductive part remains in the external environment, there is a fear of deviating from a desired pattern position due to vibration, friction, or the like. Therefore, the following procedure is further required to protect the conductive part.

In order to prevent short-circuiting by impregnating the protective material, the protective material is preferably a material capable of elastic deformation, and is preferably silicone or urethane. Next, the mold cover is covered, and heat and pressure are applied to form the fabric into a sheet form. The manufactured conductive part is covered by the protective material.

Then, if necessary, the exterior material may be laminated to the portion to be used as the exterior. For example, it is possible to produce the same type of ordinary clothes by laminating an outer surface material such as a polyurethane film, leather or the like to the surface of the nonconductive fabric 300.

In addition, in order to electrically connect the woven circuit board to the external circuit or the electronic component 160, first, the protection material covering the terminal portion requiring electrical connection of the electronic component through half cutting is removed. For example, a knife operation using a wooden mold is performed, or only the protective material corresponding to the terminal portion is removed by using a laser.

Thereafter, a process of electrically connecting the terminal portion to an external circuit or an electronic component is performed. For example, electronic components may be disposed on the terminal portion and then mounted by SMT (Surface Mounting Technology) processing or may be fixed by soldering. Of course, a connector for electrical connection may be provided.

The fabricated circuit board of the present invention can provide a fabricated circuit board with only heat and pressure by utilizing the characteristics of the thermoplastic polymer material without etching or using a chemical material.

Furthermore, the present invention provides a wearable electronic device having a fabric type circuit board and a flexible characteristic.

Accordingly, the present invention can be applied to a wearable product requiring a property that a cloth-like circuit board is flexible.

The woven circuit board of the present invention can be used for electrical connection of a wearable electronic device because it can constitute a circuit board on both sides of a fabric and is not damaged by tearing or bending when applied to a curved surface portion requiring electrical connection and control. .

The wearable electronic device may be formed in the form of a hat, a garment, a wrist watch, an armband, etc. Specifically, the wearable electronic device is made of a sportswear and includes various sensors (heart sensor, GPS, etc.) Information and the like, and transmit the collected information to an external device through an antenna.

As described above, the present invention provides a thermoplastic polymer film, which comprises a conductive part having a conductive film layer coated on one side thereof with a thermoplastic polymer film and a non-conductive fabric attached to a back surface of the thermoplastic polymer film, A circuit board was provided.

The method of manufacturing a woven circuit board of the present invention can produce a woven circuit board having flexibility and durability imparted by heat and pressure by utilizing the characteristics of a thermoplastic polymer material without using a chemical process such as etching or an adhesive.

The woven circuit board of the present invention can be used for electrical connection of a wearable electronic device because it can constitute a circuit board on both sides of a fabric and is not damaged by tearing or bending when applied to a curved portion requiring electrical connection and control. Do.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

100: Thermoplastic polymer film
200: conductive film layer
300: non-conductive fabric

Claims (10)

delete delete delete delete 1) a step of forming a conductive film layer in which a conductive material is coated on one surface of a thermoplastic polymer film,
2) covering the conductive film layer with a nonconductive fabric,
3) a step of joining the nonconductive cloth and the conductive film layer,
4) a conductive part forming step of forming a circuit pattern on the conductive film layer and cutting the conductive film layer according to the circuit pattern,
5) a non-conductive part removing step excluding the conductive part; and
6) A process for producing a woven circuit board comprising the step of melt-pressing between the conductive part and the non-conductive fabric. [7] The method according to claim 5, wherein the thermoplastic polymer film is one-side coated with a conductive material by any one method selected from the group consisting of an electroless plating method, a spray method, a roll coater and a knife coater in the step 1) A method of manufacturing a circuit board. The method according to claim 5, wherein in step (3), stitching between the nonconductive cloth and the conductive film or heating to a temperature lower than the glass transition temperature and melting point of the thermoplastic polymer film, A method of manufacturing a circuit board. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein, in step 6), the thermoplastic polymer film is thermally set in a temperature range of -10 ° C to + 20 ° C based on the melting point of the thermoplastic polymer film between the conductive part and the nonconductive fabric. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a step of electrically connecting the terminal portion and the external circuit during the protecting step of the conductive part after the step (6). delete

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