Patent · US Expired

Composite structure having an externally accessible electrical device embedded therein and a related fabrication method

US5851645A · kind A · utility

6Cited by
5References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 7, 1995
Grant dateDec 22, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 7, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T428/249941
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A composite structure having an externally accessible electrical device embedded therein includes at least one tube disposed within the composite structure and extending from a first end which is electrically connected to an electrical lead of the electrical device to a second end which opens through the edge surface of the composite structure to thereby define an externally accessible electrical port. By plugging a corresponding connector into the electrical port, electrical contact can be established via the electrical lead with the electrical device embedded within the composite structure. By extending through the edge surface of the composite structure, the electrical ports can be accessed during the fabrication of the composite structure such that the operations of the embedded electrical device can be monitored. In addition, the edge surface of the resulting composite structure can be machined or cut so as to render the respective second ends of any embedded tubes flush with the machined edge of the composite structure to more precisely define the respective electrical ports.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.