Attachment systems for electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10016029-B2
Application number	US-201514696406-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2015
Priority date	Aug 9, 2014
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

Attachment systems for attaching a wearable electronic device to a user including a sizing band and a retaining band are disclosed. The sizing band includes at least one sizing eyelet and a band-insertable end. The retaining band includes at least a post for insertion into the sizing eyelet of the sizing band and a concealment aperture configured to receive the band-insertable end of the sizing band. A bottom surface of the retaining band can be a recessed guide bed configured to guide the band-insertable end along the bottom surface of the retaining band. A wearable electronic device can couple to both the sizing band and the retaining band by accepting an end portion of each band into receiving channels extending into opposite sidewalls of the housing.

First claim

We claim:

1. A band for securing a watch to a user, the band comprising:
a first portion for insertion into a channel of a housing of the watch, the first portion comprising:
an outer body for contacting the channel;
a core formed within the outer body of the first portion, the core comprising a material of greater hardness than a material of the outer body;
a retractable detent configured to engage a detent recess of the housing, the retractable detent being positioned at least partially within the outer body and the core; and

a second portion extending away from the first portion, the second portion being more compliant than the first portion.

2. The band of claim 1 , wherein the first portion further comprises a foot portion moveably coupled to the retractable detent, the foot portion being positioned at least partially within the outer body and the core.

3. The band of claim 2 , wherein the retractable detent and the foot portion are configured to move between:
a first configuration when the first portion is outside the channel and in which the retractable detent is substantially flush with an outer surface of the outer body and the foot portion extends beyond the outer surface of the outer body; and
a second configuration when the first portion is inside the channel and in which the foot portion is substantially flush with an outer surface of the outer body, and the retractable detent extends beyond the outer surface of the outer body.

4. The band of claim 1 , wherein the core comprises a metal.

5. The band of claim 1 , wherein the core is insert molded into the outer body.

6. The band of claim 1 , wherein the outer body is formed from a fluoroelastomer.

7. A method of forming a watch band, the method comprising:
molding an outer body of the watch band comprising:
a first portion of the watch band; and
a second portion of the watch band extending away from the first portion;

disposing a core within the outer body at the first portion, the core comprising a material of greater hardness than a material of the outer body; and
disposing a retractable detent at least partially within the outer body and the core.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising disposing a foot portion at least partially within the outer body and the core and to be moveably coupled to the retractable detent.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the watch band is formed from a compliant material.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the outer body is formed from a fluoroelastomer.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the outer body is molded by at least one of compression molding, transfer molding, or injection molding.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising curing the outer body of the watch band.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising terminating the curing of the outer body before a maximum hardness of the fluoroelastomer is reached.

14. A band for securing a watch to a user, the band comprising:
an outer body forming:
an outer surface along a first portion of the band, the first portion being configured to be inserted into a channel of a housing of the watch; and
a second portion of the band extending away from the first portion;

a core formed within the outer body at the first portion, the core comprising a material of greater hardness than a material of the outer body; and
a retractable detent configured to engage a detent recess of the housing, the retractable detent being positioned at least partially within the outer body and the core.

15. The band of claim 14 , further comprising a foot portion moveably coupled to the retractable detent, the foot portion being positioned at least partially within the outer body and the core.

16. The band of claim 15 , wherein the retractable detent and the foot portion are configured to move between:
a first configuration when the first portion is outside the channel and in which the retractable detent is substantially flush with an outer surface of the outer body and the foot portion extends beyond the outer surface of the outer body; and
a second configuration when the first portion is inside the channel and in which the foot portion is substantially flush with an outer surface of the outer body, and the retractable detent extends beyond the outer surface of the outer body.

17. The band of claim 14 , wherein the band is a first band and the second portion is configured to engage a second band that is attached to the housing of the watch.

18. The band of claim 14 , wherein the core is positioned such that, when the first portion is within the channel of the housing, a back portion of the core is within the channel and a front portion of the core is outside the channel.

19. The band of claim 18 , wherein the core tapers from a first cross-sectional dimension at the back portion to a second cross-sectional dimension, smaller than the first cross-sectional dimension, at the front portion.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Yabe Osamu
• Krass Derek C
• Slabaugh Scott W
• Brickner Michael
• Hoenig Julian
• Cowan Wayne
• Zörkendörfer Rico
• Stringer Christopher J
• Davison Ian

Classifications

• B29D29/00

  Producing belts or bands · CPC title

• B29C43/18

  incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. compression moulding around inserts or for coating articles {(B29C43/206 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G04B37/1486

  Arrangements for fixing to a bracelet (building watches into bracelets (montre marquise) G04B37/12; arrangements for hanging pocket- or other watches on chains G04B37/1446) · CPC title

• B29L2031/729

  Hook and loop-type fasteners · CPC title

• A44C5/14

  characterised by the way of fastening to a wrist-watch or the like · CPC title