Fabric with electrical components
Interlacing equipment may be used to form fabric and to create a gap in the fabric. The fabric may include one or more conductive strands. An insertion tool may be used to align an electrical component with the conductive strands during interlacing operations. A soldering tool may be used to remove insulation from the conductive strands to expose conductive segments on the conductive strands. The soldering tool may be used to solder the conductive segments to the electrical component. The solder connections may be located in grooves in the electrical component. An encapsulation tool may dispense encapsulation material in the grooves to encapsulate the solder connections. After the electrical component is electrically connected to the conductive strands, the insertion tool may position and release the electrical component in the gap. A component retention tool may temporarily be used to retain the electrical component in the gap as interlacing operations continue.
1. Equipment for forming fabric having at least one conductive strand, the equipment comprising:
interlacing equipment that interlaces first strands and second strands to create a formed fabric;
control circuitry that controls the interlacing equipment to create a gap between first and second portions of the formed fabric; and
an insertion tool that:
aligns an electrical component with the at least one conductive strand; and
moves into the gap to position the electrical component in the gap after the electrical component is electrically coupled to the at least one conductive strand, wherein the control circuitry controls the interlacing equipment to continue interlacing the first strands and second strands after the insertion tool positions the electrical component in the gap.
2. The equipment defined in claim 1 wherein the formed fabric comprises a woven fabric, wherein the interlacing equipment comprises weaving equipment that weaves the first strands and the second strands to form the woven fabric, and wherein the electrical component is hidden from view when the electrical component is positioned in the gap.
3. The equipment defined in claim 2 wherein the first strands include first warp strands, wherein the second strands include second warp strands, and wherein the weaving equipment comprises:
warp strand positioning equipment that positions the first warp strands and the second warp strands to create a shed; and
weft strand positioning equipment that inserts a weft strand into the shed.
4. The equipment defined in claim 3 further comprising a spreading tool that spreads apart some of the first warp strands to create an opening in the shed.
5. The equipment defined in claim 4 wherein the electrical component is electrically coupled to the at least one conductive strand via a solder connection, the equipment further comprising a soldering tool that accesses the electrical component through the opening to create the solder connection between the electrical component and the at least one conductive strand.
6. The equipment defined in claim 5 wherein the at least one conductive strand has an insulating coating and wherein the soldering tool applies heat to remove the insulating coating from a segment of the at least one conductive strand.
7. The equipment defined in claim 5 further comprising an encapsulation tool that accesses the electrical component through the opening to encapsulate the solder connection.
8. The equipment defined in claim 5 wherein the insertion tool positions and releases the electrical component in the gap after the soldering tool creates the solder connection, the equipment further comprising:
a component retention tool that retains the electrical component in the gap after the insertion tool releases the electrical component in the gap.
9. The equipment defined in claim 8 wherein the control circuitry controls the interlacing equipment to continue interlacing to close the gap and wherein the component retention tool is removed from the fabric after the gap is closed.
10. The equipment defined in claim 5 wherein the electrical component has a groove and the solder connection is located in the groove.
11. The equipment defined in claim 3 further comprising a hold-down bar that rests on the formed fabric, wherein the control circuitry is configured to adjust a height of at least a portion of the hold-down bar relative to the formed fabric to accommodate the electrical component.
12. The equipment defined in claim 11 wherein the hold-down bar has individually controlled portions that can be independently adjusted to different heights.
13. The equipment defined in claim 3 further comprising a reed through which the first warp strands and second warp strands pass, wherein the reed moves toward and away from the formed fabric, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to momentarily pause motion of the reed while the insertion tool positions the electrical component in the gap.
14. The equipment defined in claim 1 further comprising take-down equipment with multiple independently-controlled rollers.