Patent Application
20220095749
The present disclosure relates to apparatuses affixing a wearable electronic device to the user's anatomy. In particular the disclosure relates to straps for the purpose of providing a snug fit for an electronic wearable device comprising an optical heart rate sensor in order to improve heart rate measurements.
The fit of a strap for a wearable electronic device is important not only for providing a comfortable using experience but also for ensuring reliable operation of the device. Several attempts have been made to improve the fit of a strap by optimizing its stretching properties, as discussed in US 20160255921 A1 and US20170065038A1.
There remains, however, a need to further explore the possibilities of perfecting the fit of a strap for a wearable electronic device or at least to provide the public with a useful alternative.
The invention is defined by the features of the independent claims. Some specific embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.
According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a strap for a wearable electronic device. The strap features two mutually superposed layers of a strip having microfiber base material.
According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a wearable electronic device with such a strap.
Certain embodiments of the invention may include one or more features from the following list:
Considerable benefits are gained with aid of the present invention. By using microfiber material as the raw material of the strap, elasticity is gained in one dimension and lost in another. This enables orientation of the strap fabric such that, once closed into a loop, the elasticity of the strap ensures a reliable fit of the wearable electronic device on the user. The relatively soft microfiber material of the strap, in turn, facilitates compliance with minor contours on the users anatomy, such as protruding bones, etc. By having relatively little elasticity in the transversal dimension, the strap maintains a good deformation resistance. Such benefits are particularly useful in applications in which the wearable electronic device features an optical heart rate sensor, the accuracy of which is greatly dependent on a uniform contact with the user's skin. Optical heart rate or pulse measurement is performed with a sensor arrangement with light emitters and light sensors placed at the watch case bottom. The measurement is disturbed by ambient light reaching the sensor or sensors from the sides if the watch does not stay in good contact with the skin. Also the oscillations or vibrations of the wrist tissue at the sensors from when the wrist is moving, for example when running, causes signal noise thus making the measurement more difficult. The problems with the reliability of the measurement are worsened if the watch is relatively heavy and loosely fit. On the other hand, an overly tight watch strap would be too uncomfortable. It is therefore desirable to have a snug fit with a comfortable feel in order to make a desirable product with good quality. In other words, the novel strap construction has the potential in improving the accuracy of heart rate signal acquired with optical heart rate sensors enclosed in a wearable electronic device.
In the following certain exemplary embodiments are described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Let us first turn to the strap 100 which is shown in a planar spread-out configuration in
The second part 120 acts as the male part of a two-part strap and comprises a a tip 123 for entering through the buckle 113 and a sequence of holes 124 for receiving the a tang 114. In the present field, such strap parts are referred to as “long pieces”. As indicated above, the buckle mechanism could be replaced with an alternative, whereby the second part 120 would include a Velcro attachment piece, a magnet, a clasp part, a quick coupler, etc. The second part 120 has three sections, namely an attachment section 120A at one end for attachment to the wearable electronic device 200, a tip section 120C at the other end for accommodating the attachment to the first strap part 110, and an intermediate section 120B there between.
The strip 111 extends along the longitudinal dimension X to form an inner layer 111A. The strip 111 is oriented such that it exhibits greater elasticity in the longitudinal dimension X than in the transversal dimension Y. The difference in the elastic modulus between the longitudinal dimension X and the transversal dimension Y may be 20% or more, preferably 50% or more, 100% or more, 200% or more, or by more than one or two order of magnitude. The strip 111 features a parallel outer layer 111C similarly oriented so as to maintain the orientation of the stretching ability along the longitudinal dimension X. The strip 111 transitions between the inner layer 111A and outer layer 111C at a loop section 111B at the attachment section of the first part 110A and at another loop (covered by the buckle in
Any layer of material, such as adhesive, between the inner layer and outer layer is thinner than the inner layer or the outer layer. In particular, the intermediate layer between the inner layer and outer layer has a thickness of preferably 50% or less, more preferably 25% or less, of the thickness of the inner layer or the outer layer.
The first part houses a spring bar 112 within the strip 111 enclosed by the loop section 111B. The spring bar 112 is used for attachment to the wearable electronic device 200. The spring bar 112 may be operated with a release mechanism 118 for toggling the movable pin of the spring bar 112 between a deployed and retracted state. The release mechanism 118 may be accessible through a respective opening provided to the strip 111. The buckle 113 comprises a comparable bar (not shown in the FIGURES), around which the loop section of the strip 111 is wound. The preferably beveled ends of the strip 111 meet at a seam 119 which is closed by gluing. According to another embodiment, the ends of the strip 111 at the seam 119 is closed by a thermoset adhesive. According to another embodiment, the ends of the strip 111 at the seam 119 is closed by contact glue. According to another embodiment, the ends of the strip 111 at the seam 119 is closed by welding. According to another embodiment, the ends of the strip 111 at the seam 119 is closed by sewing. According to another embodiment, the ends of the strip 111 at the seam 119 is closed by melting the layers together by applying heat.
The exemplary wearable electronic device 200 takes the form a smart watch. The enclosure of the wearable electronic device 200 includes two attachment points at opposing ends of the enclosure; one for each spring bar 112, 122 of the strap parts 110, 120. Naturally, the spring bar attachment could be replaced with other foreseeable attachment mechanisms, such as affixer-secured or clenched bars, sliding coupler parts in a corresponding attachment groove on the enclosure, magnets, etc.
The enclosure of the wearable electronic device 200 preferably also includes an optical heart rate sensor 201, whereby the benefits of the novel strap may be utilized for the purpose of ensuring a reliable fit between the wrist of the user and the sensor optics. Optical heart rate or pulse measurement is performed with a sensor arrangement with light emitters and light sensors placed at the watch case bottom. The measurement is disturbed by ambient light reaching the sensor or sensors from the sides if the watch does not stay in good contact with the skin. Also the oscillations or vibrations of the wrist tissue at the sensors from when the wrist is moving, for example when running, causes signal noise thus making the measurement more difficult. The problems with the reliability of the measurement are worsened if the watch is relatively heavy and loosely fit. On the other hand, an overly tight watch strap would be too uncomfortable. It is therefore desirable to have a snug fit with a comfortable feel in order to make a desirable product with good quality.
The use of the strap 100 is straight-forward. The wearable electronic device 200 is placed on the desired anatomic location of the user, such as the wrist. The strap parts 110, 120 are coupled to each other by inserting the tip 123 through the buckle 114, by pulling a desired amount of tension into the strap 100 and securing the strap into a loop around the anatomic location by inserting the tang 114 into a corresponding hole 124 of the second strap part 120. Once closed into a loop, the elasticity of the strap 100 along the longitudinal dimension X ensures a reliable fit of the wearable electronic device 200 on the user. The microfiber material of the strap 100, in turn, facilitates compliance with minor contours on the users anatomy, such as protruding bones, etc. By having relatively little elasticity in the transversal dimension, the strap maintains a good deformation resistance. The relatively small stretch in the transversal dimension Y, i.e. along the width of the strap, facilitates sturdy attachment to the hardware of the device, e.g. to the spring bar and buckle. If the strap would be relatively compliant in the transversal dimension Y, the excess elasticity could compromise attachment to the wearable electronic device. The relative resistance to elastic deformation in the transversal dimension Y minimizes fatigue in the adhesive layer between the strap layers 111A, 111C; 121A, 121C.
The strap 100 may be further enhanced by including a reflective yarn pattern, an embedded auxiliary battery, etc. The base material of the strap may be treated with a anti-bacterial supplement for making the strap more suitable for a sporting device application.
It is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention disclosed are not limited to the particular structures, process steps, or materials disclosed herein, but are extended to equivalents thereof as would be recognized by those ordinarily skilled in the relevant arts. It should also be understood that terminology employed herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting.
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
As used herein, a plurality of items, structural elements, compositional elements, and/or materials may be presented in a common list for convenience. However, these lists should be construed as though each member of the list is individually identified as a separate and unique member. Thus, no individual member of such list should be construed as a de facto equivalent of any other member of the same list solely based on their presentation in a common group without indications to the contrary. In addition, various embodiments and example of the present invention may be referred to herein along with alternatives for the various components thereof. It is understood that such embodiments, examples, and alternatives are not to be construed as de facto equivalents of one another, but are to be considered as separate and autonomous representations of the present invention.
Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of lengths, widths, shapes, etc., to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.
While the forgoing examples are illustrative of the principles of the present invention in one or more particular applications, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications in form, usage and details of implementation can be made without the exercise of inventive faculty, and without departing from the principles and concepts of the invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the claims set forth below.
The verbs “to comprise” and “to include” are used in this document as open limitations that neither exclude nor require the existence of also un-recited features. The features recited in depending claims are mutually freely combinable unless otherwise explicitly stated. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the use of “a” or “an”, i.e. a singular form, throughout this document does not exclude a plurality.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20205952 | Sep 2020 | FI | national |
