Wearable electronic device including metal strap

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10409228-B2
Application number	US-201715730933-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2017
Priority date	Oct 18, 2016
Publication date	Sep 10, 2019
Grant date	Sep 10, 2019

Abstract

According to various example embodiments, a wearable electronic device is provided, the wearable electronic device including a metal housing used as an antenna radiator and electrically connected to a communication circuit, at least one metal strap coupled to at least one region of the metal housing, and a non-conductive member comprising a non-conductive material disposed between the metal strap and the metal housing, wherein the non-conductive member electrically insulates the metal strap and the metal housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wearable electronic device comprising: a metal housing configured to be used as an antenna radiator and electrically connected to a communication circuit; at least one metal strap coupled to at least one region of the metal housing via at least a metal hinge pin; and a non-conductive member comprising a non-conductive material disposed between the metal strap and the metal housing, wherein the non-conductive member electrically insulates the metal strap from the metal housing; and a metallic coupling member coupled to an end portion of the metal strap, joined to a strap joining portion of the metal housing, the hinge pin disposed in the metallic coupling member wherein both ends of the hinge pin protrude from the metallic coupling member and penetrate the metallic coupling member and the non-conductive member.

2. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the non-conductive member is disposed on a contact surface of a coupling end portion of the metal strap coupled to the metal housing.

3. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the non-conductive member is disposed on a contact surface of the metal housing coupled to an end portion of the metal strap.

4. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the non-conductive member comprises at least one of: rubber, urethane, silicon, and synthetic resin.

5. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the non-conductive member is disposed on at least one of: a contact surface of the metal housing and a contact surface of the metal strap using at least one of: an attaching process, a molding process, a double-injection process, and a coating process.

6. A wearable electronic device comprising:
a metal housing configured to be used as an antenna radiator and electrically connected to a communication circuit;
at least one metal strap coupled to at least one region of the metal housing;
a non-conductive member comprising a non-conductive material disposed between the metal strap and the metal housing;
wherein the non-conductive member electrically insulates the metal strap from the metal housing;
a metallic coupling member coupled to an end portion of the metal strap, joined to a strap joining portion of the metal housing, the metallic coupling member having the non-conductive member disposed on a surface thereof; and
the hinge pin disposed in the coupling member wherein both ends of the hinge pin protrude from the metallic coupling member, and wherein the hinge pin penetrates the coupling member and the non-conductive member,
wherein the coupling member is joined to the metal housing such that the protruding end portions of the hinge pin are joined to the strap joining portion of the metal housing.

7. The wearable electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the hinge pin is fixed to the non-conductive member using an injection process.

8. The wearable electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the hinge pin is disposed to be spaced apart from the coupling member by a specific interval where penetrating the coupling member.

9. The wearable electronic device of claim 7 , wherein a penetration portion in the coupling member of the hinge pin is subjected to includes a surface covering by using another comprising a non-conductive material.

10. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a metallic coupling member coupled to an end portion of the metal strap, joined to a strap joining portion of the metal housing, and having the non-conductive member disposed on a contact surface thereof; and
the coupling member is grounded to a substrate disposed inside the metal housing via an electrical connection structure comprising a conductive material.

11. The wearable electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the electrical connection structure comprises:
a conductive protrusion exposed from the coupling member and penetrating the non-conductive member;
a conductive protrusion accommodating portion exposed to an outer surface of the metal housing; and
an electrical connecting member electrically connected from a ground of the substrate to the protrusion accommodating portion.

12. The wearable electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the protrusion accommodating portion comprises a recess electrically insulated from the metal housing, wherein the conductive protrusion is exposed to the protrusion accommodating portion and is in contact with a conductive port connected to the electrical connecting member.

13. The wearable electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the conductive protrusion is coupled to the recess when the coupling member is joined to the metal housing.

14. The wearable electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the electrical connecting member is disposed inside the metal housing, and comprises a session cable having a surface covered with a non-conductive material and which is connected from a ground of the substrate to the protrusion accommodating portion.

15. The wearable electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the conductive protrusion is formed integrally with the coupling member.

16. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the non-conductive member is coupled to an end portion of the metal strap, and comprises a coupling member comprising a non-conductive material and joined to the strap joining portion of the metal housing.

17. The wearable electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the coupling member comprises synthetic resin.

18. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the metal housing comprises:
a main body portion configured to be used as an antenna radiator; and
a strap joining portion disposed in at least one region of the main body portion and configured to be joined to the metal strap,
wherein the non-conductive member is disposed between the main body portion and the strap joining portion.

19. The wearable electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the non-conductive member is formed with the main body portion and the strap joining portion using at least one of: an insert-molding process, an insert-injection process, and a double-injection process.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Han Yonghwa
• Moon Heecheul

Classifications

• G04R60/02

  Antennas also serving as components of clocks or watches, e.g. motor coils · CPC title

• G04G17/02

  Component assemblies · CPC title

• G04G21/04

  using radio waves (radio-controlled time-pieces G04R) · CPC title

• G06F1/163

  Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt · CPC title

• G04G17/08 Primary

  Housings · CPC title