Watchbands with hook and loop fasteners

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11737528-B2
Application number	US-202217745758-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2022
Priority date	Jul 28, 2017
Publication date	Aug 29, 2023
Grant date	Aug 29, 2023

Abstract

A watchband can comfortably secure an electronic device to a wrist of a user. The watchband can include a base having a contact surface opposite an engagement surface, contact loops on the contact surface for contacting a user, and engagement loops on the engagement surface for engaging hooks. The hooks can be provided on the engagement surface, opposite some of the contact loops. The base can include base threads, and the contact loops and engagement loops can be formed by contact threads and engagement threads woven about some of the base threads between the contact surface and the engagement surface. Between adjacent engagement loops, the engagement thread can be more securely attached to the base than is the contact thread between adjacent contact loops.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A watchband comprising:
a base formed by threads defining opposing surfaces, the base comprising an engagement section defining a terminal end of the base and forming holes extending through the base;
a shell comprising teeth extending into the holes of the engagement section;
an insert disposed over the shell to prevent the shell from disengaging the engagement section;
a bow spring disposed between the shell and the insert, wherein the bow spring prevents the insert from sliding off of the shell.

2. The watchband of claim 1 , further comprising a cover disposed over at least a portion of the insert.

3. The watchband of claim 1 , further comprising loops extending from the opposing surfaces in a loop zone of the base.

4. The watchband of claim 3 , further comprising hooks extending from the base in a hook zone of the base, the hook zone being between the loop zone and the engagement section.

5. The watchband of claim 3 , wherein the opposing surfaces comprise a contact surface and an engagement surface opposite the contact surface.

6. The watchband of claim 5 , further comprising hooks on the engagement surface.

7. The watchband of claim 6 , wherein the loops comprise:
contact loops extending from the contact surface and away from the engagement surface; and
engagement loops extending from the engagement surface and away from the contact surface for engaging the hooks.

8. A watchband comprising:
a base comprising threads and forming a loop zone, a hook zone, and an engagement section defining a terminal end of the base, the hook zone being between the loop zone and the engagement section, the engagement section forming holes extending through the base;
a stopper disposed about the engagement section and extending into the holes;
loops extending from the base in the loop zone; and
hooks extending from the base in the hook zone.

9. The watchband of claim 8 , further comprising a retaining ring an engagement end and an opening, wherein the base extends through the opening.

10. The watchband of claim 9 , wherein the stopper has at least one cross-sectional dimension that is greater than at least one cross-sectional dimension of the opening.

11. The watchband of claim 8 , wherein the base forms a contact surface and an engagement surface opposite the contact surface.

12. The watchband of claim 11 , wherein the hooks extend from the engagement surface.

13. The watchband of claim 12 , wherein the loops comprise:
contact loops extending from the contact surface and away from the engagement surface; and
engagement loops extending from the engagement surface and away from the contact surface for engaging the hooks.

14. A watchband comprising:
a base having a contact surface and an engagement surface opposite the contact surface;
contact loops extending from the contact surface and away from the engagement surface;
engagement loops extending from the engagement surface and away from the contact surface; and
a stopper surrounding a terminal end of the base and having teeth extending through the contact surface and the engagement surface of the base.

15. The watchband of claim 14 , wherein:
the base comprises base threads;
the contact loops are formed by contact threads; and
the engagement loops are formed by engagement threads.

16. The watchband of claim 15 , wherein the base threads have a melting point that is lower than a melting point of the contact threads and the engagement threads.

17. The watchband of claim 15 , wherein at least some of the base threads are at least partially melted.

18. The watchband of claim 15 , wherein the base threads form two plies of fabric, each of the two plies having an elastic thread extending transverse to the base threads.

19. The watchband of claim 15 , wherein the contact threads and the engagement threads are fused to the base threads.

20. The watchband of claim 15 , wherein the base threads are transverse to the contact threads and the engagement threads.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Shaffer Benjamin A
• Hamada Yoji
• Hatanaka Motohide
• Chen Hsiang-Hung
• Shiraishi Eiryo

Classifications

• 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

• A44C5/0053 Primary

  Flexible straps · CPC title

• A44C5/14

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

• A44D2205/00

  Fastening by use of touch and close elements · CPC title