Low-profile band latch mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10809666-B2
Application number	US-201815985853-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2018
Priority date	May 22, 2018
Publication date	Oct 20, 2020
Grant date	Oct 20, 2020

Abstract

A low-profile band latch mechanism that is configured to connect a wristband to a fitness tracker or other wrist-wearable device is provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a receptacle portion for a strap of a wrist-wearable device, the receptacle portion including:
a first mating surface configured to butt up against a corresponding second mating surface of an insertion portion with which the receptacle portion is configured to connect; and
a receptacle having a first root surface, a first end surface, and a first base surface, wherein:
the first root surface faces towards the first base surface,
the first base surface faces towards the first root surface, and
the first root surface and the first base surface are interposed between the first mating surface and the first end surface;

one or more anti-rotation features, wherein:
at least one of the one or more anti-rotation features protrudes from the first end surface towards the first mating surface, and
each of the at least one of the one or more anti-rotation features has a corresponding first contact surface that faces towards the first base surface and is separated from the first base surface by a first gap; and

one or more recesses in the first base surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first sloped surface, wherein:
the first sloped surface is interposed between the first end surface and the first root surface,
the first sloped surface faces towards the first root surface, and
the first sloped surface forms an angle with the first base surface such that a distance between the first sloped surface and the first base surface as measured along a direction perpendicular to the first base surface increases with increasing distance from the first end surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the receptacle portion includes an injection-molded insert made from a material selected from the group consisting of: metal and rigid plastic, and the apparatus further includes a strap that is overmolded onto the receptacle portion, thereby embedding the insert into the strap.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein:
the strap has an exterior surface in a portion of the strap that overmolds the receptacle portion,
the exterior surface has an edge that is configured to be adjacent to the insertion portion when the receptacle portion is connected with the insertion portion,
the edge is nominally parallel to the first base surface and the first end surface,
the exterior surface is sloped such that a distance between the exterior surface and the first base surface along a first axis normal to the first base surface decreases with increasing distance between the first axis and the edge, and
the exterior surface forms an angle of between 20° and 25° with the first base surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the exterior surface and the first mating surface form an angle of between 60° and 70°.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the receptacle portion further includes: a) a strap bar extending in a direction transverse to the first end surface, b) a main body that houses the receptacle, and c) at least one support leg,
the strap bar is offset from the main body by a second gap to permit a strap to pass through the second gap and between the main body and the strap bar, and
each support leg spans between the strap bar and the main body.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
there are a plurality of recesses in the first base surface,
the recesses are arranged in a linear array along an axis that is nominally parallel to the first end surface and the first base surface, and
each recess is spaced apart from any neighboring recess or recesses by a first distance.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein there are a plurality of anti-rotation features that are spaced apart from one another along an axis that is nominally parallel to the first end surface and the first base surface.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one of the one or more anti-rotation features is a peninsula that extends towards the first base surface from a surface selected from the group consisting of: the first root surface and a surface spanning between the first root surface and the first end surface.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
each of the at least one of the one or more anti-rotation features has a cross-section when viewed along an axis normal to the first end surface, and
the cross-section is selected from the group consisting of: a U-shaped cross-section, a circular cross-section, a square cross-section, a rectangular cross-section, a trapezoidal cross-section, a regular polygon cross-section, and an obround cross-section.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one of the one or more anti-rotation features is a mesa that protrudes from the first end surface without contacting other surfaces defining the receptacle.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first contact surface of each of the at least one of the one or more anti-rotation features is nominally semi-cylindrical.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the receptacle portion further includes a channel extending from an exterior surface of the receptacle portion to the first base surface,
the channel includes a floor surface that is nominally parallel to the first end surface and that is interposed between the first mating surface and the first end surface,
the channel extends up to the first mating surface, and
the one or more recesses are interposed between the channel and the first end surface.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising the insertion portion, wherein:
the insertion portion includes a protrusion with a second base surface, a second root surface, and a second end surface;
the second root surface faces away from the second base surface,
the second base surface faces away from the second root surface,
the second base surface, the second end surface, and the second root surface are complements of the first base surface, the first end surface, and the first root surface, respectively,
the protrusion includes a corresponding anti-rotation recess for each of the at least one of the one or more anti-rotation features of the receptacle portion,
each anti-rotation recess extends into the second end surface and has a second contact surface facing away from the second base surface, and
the second contact surface is a complement of the first contact surface and is configured to contact the first contact surface when the protrusion is fully inserted into the receptacle.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein:
the insertion portion further includes a button and a spring,
the button has one or more teeth,
each tooth corresponds with a recess of the one or more recesses in the first base surface,
the button is configured to translate along a translation axis that is nominally perpendicular to the second base surface,
the spring is configured to press the button against the first base surface when the protrusion is fully inserted into the receptacle, and
each tooth is positioned so as to protrude into the corresponding recess when the protrusion is fully inserted into the receptacle and the button is pressed against the first base surface.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the insertion portion further includes a guide and a spring stop, wherein:
the guide is configured to substantially limit movement of the button to translation along the translation axis,
the spring stop is located at one end of the guide, and
the spring is interposed between the button and the spring stop.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising a housing of the wr

Assignees

• Fitbit Inc

Inventors

• Markan Patrick James
• Fisher Jeffrey Andrew
• Riot Benjamin Patrick Robert Jean
• Kang Yu Chuan
• Smilovitz Stephen Ronald

Classifications

• A44C5/20

  for open straps {, chains or the like} · CPC title

• A44C5/14

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

• A44C5/145

  Hooks · CPC title

• G04B37/1486 Primary

  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

• A44C5/10

  not extensible {(A44C5/022 and A44C5/025 take precedence)} · CPC title