Wearable device with field replaceable band

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11766186-B2
Application number	US-201916352195-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2019
Priority date	Mar 13, 2019
Publication date	Sep 26, 2023
Grant date	Sep 26, 2023

Abstract

A wearable device has a housing containing electronics and a band that retains the wearable device on a user's arm. Each end of the housing has a receptacle with a ridge around the opening of the receptacle. A band comprises a strip of flexible material. A pair of protrusions with enlarged ends made from an elastomeric material extend from an inner surface of the band. A portion of the inner surface of the band between the protrusions is in contact with at least a portion of an upper surface of the housing. The band is joined to the housing by aligning each protrusion with a corresponding receptacle and applying pressure. As a result of the applied pressure part of the protrusion temporarily deforms, enters the receptacle, and resumes substantially the previous shape thus holding the protrusion within the receptacle and the band to the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wearable device comprising:
a housing, comprising:
a first surface that is distal to a user during wear;
a second surface that is proximate to the user during wear;
a first receptacle proximate to a first end of the first surface, wherein the first receptacle has a first opening with a first distance and a first interior space with a second distance, wherein the first distance is less than the second distance; and
a second receptacle proximate to a second end of the first surface, wherein the second receptacle has a second opening with a third distance and a second interior space with a fourth distance, wherein the third distance is less than the fourth distance; and

a band comprising:
a first member comprising:
a first end;
a second end;
a third surface that is distal to the user and the first surface during wear; and
a fourth surface that is proximal to the user and the first surface during wear;

a first protrusion extending from the fourth surface at a first location on the first member, wherein the first protrusion has a first tip with a fifth distance that is greater than the first distance; and
a second protrusion extending from the fourth surface at a second location on the first member, wherein the second protrusion has a second tip with a sixth distance that is greater than the third distance.

2. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first surface is in contact with the fourth surface of at least a portion of the first member that is between the first protrusion and the second protrusion.

3. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein:
at least a portion of the first member that is between the first location and the second location is elastomeric; and
a seventh distance extending between the first receptacle and the second receptacle along the first surface of the housing is greater than an eighth distance extending between the first location and the second location when the at least a portion of the first member is not under tension.

4. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein:
the first protrusion and the second protrusion comprise an elastomeric material;
the fifth distance is at least 15% greater than the first distance; and
the sixth distance is at least 15% greater than the third distance.

5. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein:
at least a portion of the first tip is compressed by the first receptacle after insertion of the first tip into the first receptacle; and
at least a portion of the second tip is compressed by the second receptacle after insertion of the second tip into the second receptacle.

6. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein:
the first protrusion and the second protrusion comprise an elastomeric material;
the fifth distance is greater than the second distance; and
the sixth distance is greater than the fourth distance.

7. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion comprise an elastomeric material having a hardness as measured using a durometer with a Shore A reading of between 70 and 90.

8. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the first member, the first protrusion, and the second protrusion comprise a unitary piece of elastomeric material.

9. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first member that is between the first location and the second location comprises one or more of a transparent material or one or more holes.

10. The wearable device of claim 1 , the housing further comprising:
a first recess arranged between the first end and the first receptacle;
a second recess arranged between the second end and the second receptacle;
a groove extending around a perimeter of an opening in the housing;
an adhesive within the groove; and
a cover comprising:
a first end;
a second end;
a fifth surface proximate to the user during wear;
a sixth surface distal to the user during wear;
a first lip proximate to the first end of the cover on the fifth surface, wherein the first lip is retained within the first recess;
a second lip proximate to the second end of the cover on the fifth surface, wherein the second lip is retained within the second recess; and
a ridge along a perimeter of the fifth surface, wherein at least a portion of the ridge is arranged within the groove and is in contact with at least a portion of the adhesive.

11. The wearable device of claim 1 , the housing further comprising:
a sensor window aperture in the second surface;
a sensor window affixed to the second surface at the sensor window aperture; and
a sensor having a field of view that passes through the sensor window.

12. A device comprising:
a housing, comprising:
a first surface distal to a user during wear;
a second surface proximate to the user during wear;
a sensor window in the second surface; and
a first receptacle proximate to a first end of the first surface, wherein the first receptacle has a first opening with a first distance and a first interior space with a second distance, wherein the first distance is less than the second distance; and

a band comprising:
a first member comprising:
a first end,
a second end,
a third surface that is distal to the user during wear, and
a fourth surface that is proximate to the user during wear; and

a first protrusion extending from the fourth surface at a first location on the first member, wherein the first protrusion has a first portion with a third distance that is greater than the first distance.

13. The device of claim 12 , the housing further comprising:
a first recess arranged between the first end of the first surface and the first receptacle;
a groove extending around a perimeter of an opening in the housing;
an adhesive within the groove; and
a cover comprising:
a first end;
a second end;
a fifth surface proximate to the user during wear;
a sixth surface distal to the user during wear;
a first lip proximate to the first end of the cover on the fifth surface, wherein the first lip is retained within the first recess; and
a ridge along a perimeter of the fifth surface, wherein at least a portion of the ridge is arranged within the groove and is in contact with at least a portion of the adhesive.

14. The device of claim 12 , further comprising:
a second receptacle proximate to a second end of the first surface, wherein the second receptacle has a second opening with a fourth distance and a second interior space with a fifth distance, wherein the fourth distance is less than the fifth distance; and
wherein the band further comprises:
a second protrusion extending from the fourth surface at a second location on the first member, wherein the second protrusion has a second portion with a sixth distance that is greater than the fourth distance.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion comprise an elastomeric material.

16. The device of claim 14 , wherein:
at least a portion of the first member that is between the first location and the second location is elastomeric; and
a seventh distance extending between the first receptacle and the second receptacle along the first surface of the housing is greater than an eighth distance extending between the first location and the second location when the at least a portion of the first member is not under tension.

17. The device of claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the first member that is between the first location and the second location comprises one or more of a transparent material or one

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Mantrawadi Manish Avinash
• Garcia Benjamin Douglas
• Sathaye Maya Shirish
• Johnson Kelly Erin
• Quay Simon

Classifications

• A61B5/02438 Primary

  with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient · CPC title

• A61B5/02427

  Details of sensor · CPC title

• A61B5/681

  Wristwatch-type devices · CPC title

• A61B2560/0443

  Modular apparatus · CPC title

• A61B2562/0219

  Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches · CPC title