Patent ID: 8022307

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a fabric-based circuit, comprising the steps of: (a) creating a first circuit trace having a shape with a border; (b) creating an attachment layout having an outline of similar shape but of slightly different size as compared to the border of the first circuit trace so as to provide a spacing between the border of the pre-determined shape of the first circuit trace and the outline of the attachment layout; (c) converting the first circuit trace into a set of instructions that is readable by an automated cutting device; (d) converting the attachment layout into a set of instructions that is readable by an embroidery machine; (e) layering at least one layer of conductive fabric and at least one layer of non-conductive fabric adjacent to one another so as to form a layered construction; (f) embroidering with an embroidery machine an outer border stitching with a non-conductive thread so as to attach the at least one layer of conductive fabric and the at least one layer of non-conductive fabric together at a position corresponding to the outline of the attachment layout, the embroidery machine performing its operation in accordance with the set of instructions that correlate to the attachment layout, the non-conductive thread retaining the layers of conductive and non-conductive fabric in a substantially planar engagement; (g) cutting with the automated cutting device the at least one layer of conductive fabric in accordance with the set of instructions that correlate to the first circuit trace such that the layer of conductive fabric is cut along a cut border that corresponds to the border of the shape of the first circuit trace; and (h) separating and removing an unattached portion of the at least one layer of cut conductive fabric from a desired portion of the same layer of cut conductive fabric, the outer border stitching being at a location adjacent the border of the shape of the first circuit trace such that the location of said outer border stitching provides a spacing between said outer border stitching and the cut border of the layer of conductive fabric after the step of cutting is performed.