Wristbands with magnetic coupling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11033083-B1
Application number	US-201816132191-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 14, 2018
Priority date	Sep 15, 2017
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

A wristband can comfortably secure an electronic device, such as a wristwatch or fitness/health tracking device, to a wrist of a user. The wristband can include a number of magnets that allow the wristband to be magnetically coupled to itself when folded over or when separate band portions are overlapping. The magnets can include a polymer mixed with a magnetic material to provide magnetic properties and flexibility. The magnets can be joined together by a continuous support structure that extends through opposing pairs of the magnets. The support structure can provide substantial and ability as well as tensile strength. The magnets and the support structure can be surrounded by a flexible cover to protect the components within.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wristband for securing a watch to a user, the wristband comprising:
flexible magnets, wherein each of the flexible magnets comprises a mixture of a polymer and particles of a ferromagnetic material;
a flexible cover about each of the flexible magnets;
a connector configured to connect to an electronic device; and
a free end opposite the connector, wherein the flexible cover extends continuously from the connector to the free end.

2. The wristband of claim 1 , wherein the flexible magnets comprise a first permanent magnet and a second permanent magnet, and the wristband further comprises:
a first band portion configured to attach to a first side of a watch housing, the first band portion containing the first permanent magnet; and
a second band portion configured to attach to a second side of a watch housing, the second band portion containing the second permanent magnet.

3. The wristband of claim 2 , wherein:
the connector is a first connector;
the first band portion comprises:
the first connector for attaching to the first side of the watch housing; and
a first soft magnetic portion between the first permanent magnet and the first connector; and

the second band portion comprises:
a second connector for attaching to the second side of the watch housing; and
a second soft magnetic portion between the second permanent magnet and the second connector.

4. The wristband of claim 1 , further comprising:
the connector is a first connector;
the first connector configured to connect to the electronic device;
a retaining ring slideably disposed between the first connector and the free end, the retaining ring comprising:
a second connector configured to connect to the electronic device; and
an opening, wherein a strap portion of the wristband extends through the opening and is configured to be folded onto itself;

wherein the flexible magnets comprise:
first permanent magnets along a first section of the wristband; and
second permanent magnets along a second section of the wristband, the second permanent magnets having a magnetic orientation that is different than a magnetic orientation of the first permanent magnets, wherein the first permanent magnets are configured to magnetically couple to the second permanent magnets when the strap portion is folded onto itself.

5. The wristband of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sintered permanent magnet at the free end of the wristband.

6. The wristband of claim 1 , wherein the flexible magnets comprise:
permanent magnets; and
magnetic shunts positioned opposite a corresponding one of the permanent magnets.

7. The wristband of claim 6 , wherein the ferromagnetic material of the permanent magnets is a hard magnetic material.

8. The wristband of claim 6 , wherein the ferromagnetic material of the magnetic shunts is a soft magnetic material.

9. The wristband of claim 1 , wherein the flexible magnets are positioned as opposing pairs distributed along a length of the wristband, wherein the opposing pairs are cross-linked to each other.

10. A wristband for securing a watch to a user, the wristband comprising:
multiple opposing pairs of magnets;
a support structure extending between corresponding magnets of each of the multiple opposing pairs of the magnets, wherein widths of the magnets are greater than a width of the support structure, such that the opposing pairs of the magnets are connected to each other outside the width of the support structure; and
a cover surrounding the magnets.

11. The wristband of claim 10 , wherein the magnets are flexible magnets each comprising a mixture of a polymer and particles of a hard magnetic material, and each of the opposing pairs of the magnets are further connected to each other through the support structure, and at least some of the magnets are configured to magnetically couple to each other when the wristband is folded onto itself.

12. The wristband of claim 10 , wherein the support structure comprises woven fibers.

13. The wristband of claim 10 , wherein the support structure comprises holes, wherein each of the holes is positioned between a corresponding pair of the magnets.

14. The wristband of claim 10 , further comprising a connector configured to connect to an electronic device, the connector being attached to the support structure.

15. The wristband of claim 10 , further comprising:
a connector configured to connect to an electronic device; and
a free end opposite the connector, wherein the support structure extends continuously from the connector to the free end.

16. A wristband for securing a watch to a user, the wristband comprising:
an engagement surface;
a contact surface; and
a flexible magnet between the engagement surface and the contact surface, wherein the flexible magnet comprises a mixture of a polymer and particles of a hard magnetic material, wherein the particles are magnetically aligned to produce more magnetic flux through the engagement surface than through the contact surface.

17. The wristband of claim 16 , wherein the flexible magnet is a first permanent magnet, and the wristband further comprises:
a first band portion configured to attach to a first side of a watch housing, the first band portion containing the first permanent magnet; and
a second band portion configured to attach to a second side of a watch housing, the second band portion containing a second permanent magnet, wherein the first permanent magnet is configured to magnetically couple to the second permanent magnet when engagement surfaces of the first band portion and the second band portion are facing each other.

18. The wristband of claim 16 , wherein the particles comprise anisotropic particles, and the wristband further comprises a magnetic shunt between the contact surface and the flexible magnet, the magnetic shunt comprising a mixture of a polymer and isotropic particles of a soft magnetic material.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Moustafa Zaki
• Chen Hsiang Hung
• Dey Stephen E
• Ji Qigen
• Zhu Hao

Classifications

• H01F7/0263

  Closures, bags, bands, engagement devices with male and female parts · CPC title

• H01F7/0215

  Flexible forms, sheets · CPC title

• A44D2203/00

  Fastening by use of magnets · CPC title

• A44C5/2071 Primary

  with the two ends of the strap or chain overlapping each other and fastened by an action perpendicularly to the main plane of these two ends (A44C5/2009 - A44C5/2057 take precedence) · CPC title

• A44C5/16

  by folding the strap · CPC title