STRUCTURALLY INTEGRATED CIRCUIT AND ASSOCIATED METHOD

摘要

A composite structural member (10) with an integrated electrical circuit and an associated method of manufacture are provided. The structural member includes a plurality of layers (12, 14, 16) of structural reinforcement material, and two or more electrical devices(20, 22) are disposed at least partially between the layers with an intermediate layer (14) of the structural reinforcement material disposed between the electrical devices. At least one electrical bus (30, 32, 34, 36) is disposed in the structural member, and each electrical device is connected to the bus by a conductive electrode (40, 42, 44, 46). Thus, the electrodes (40, 42, 44, 46) can extend through the intermediate layer of the structural reinforcement material to connect each of the electrical devices to one or more of the buses (30, 32, 34, 36).