Electro-mechanic assembly and integrated snap connectors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11944441-B2
Application number	US-201916697447-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2019
Priority date	Dec 31, 2012
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to an electro-mechanic assembly comprising a snap connector. In order to provide a connection interface for an electronic device having a housing with at least one protruding stud which detachably fits within a socket region of the snap connector, the electro-mechanic assembly comprises a snap and at least one material layer being in at least one portion electrically conductive to electrically connect least one electrode with the snap. At least one surface of said snap is metallic and deposited with a non-oxidizing conductive material layer which faces and is in contact with a conductive portion of the material layer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A snap connector comprising an electro-mechanic assembly comprising:
at least one female snap connector for providing a connection interface for an electronic device having a housing with at least one protruding stud, which detachably fits within a socket region of said at least one female snap connector,
at least one material layer being in at least one portion electrically conductive, and
at least one electrode being in electrical contact with said conductive portion,

wherein:
the at least one female snap connector comprises an upper cap portion, at least one surface of which is metallic and deposited with a non-oxidizing conductive material layer which faces and is in electrical contact with said conductive portion of said at least one material layer, and wherein
the at least one female snap connector comprises a base portion on an opposite under side of said at least one material layer, said base portion being coupled to said upper cap portion to attach said at least one female snap connector to said at least one material layer,

the snap connector to be integrated with and/or built in to an article such as a textile or garment, said snap connector providing a detachable connection interface for receiving and holding the at least one electrode which further comprises a protruding stud from an electronic device,
wherein:
the metallic upper cap portion placed on a top side of at least one material layer of said textile or garment, said upper cap portion-having a recess forming at least a portion of the sides of a socket region for receiving said protruding stud from said telemetric device, said protruding stud being electrically conductive and in electrical contact with an electronic component of said electronic device, and an outer flange region which at least partially surrounds the recess,
the electro-mechanic assembly further comprises a conductive wire spring coupled to the snap connector and housed at least partially within said socket region for detachably holding said stud of said device,

wherein said upper cap of said snap connector comprises the surface which is at least in part deposited with a non-oxidizing conductive material layer which faces and is in contact with an electrically conductive portion of said material layer in said textile or garment, in order to electrically connect at least one electrode being in electrical contact with said conductive portion with said snap connector.

2. The snap connector according to claim 1 , wherein said deposited material contains a material selected from the following list: gold, platinum, iridium, or titanium.

3. The snap connector according to claim 1 , wherein the deposition of said non-oxidizing conductive material has been done with a technique process selected from the following list: Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD), or Ion Plating (IP).

4. The snap connector according to claim 1 , wherein said upper cap portion and said base portion are made of a metallic material.

5. The snap connector according to claim 1 , wherein said base portion is made of a polymer material.

6. The snap connector according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one electrode consists of a material layer being in electrical contact with said layer having said conductive portion.

7. The snap connector according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one electrode is integrated into a material layer having said conductive portion.

8. The snap connector according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one electrode is integrated into a material layer which is next to said layer having said conductive portion and said electrode being in electrical contact with said conductive portion.

9. The snap connector according to claim 1 , the snap connector to be integrated with and/or built into a heart rate monitor belt, said snap providing a detachable connection interface for receiving and holding the at least one electrode which further comprises a protruding stud from a heart rate monitor device.

10. A wearable heart rate monitor belt capable of carrying a heart rate monitor device to detect the heart rate of a living being wearing said heart rate monitor belt around the chest, said heart rate monitor belt comprising a snap connector according to claim 1 and:
the heart rate monitor belt forming said at least one material layer being in at least one portion electrically conductive,

wherein the electro-mechanic assembly is integrated with said heart rate monitor belt for providing a connection interface for said heart rate monitor device having a housing with at least one protruding stud which detachably fits within said electro-mechanic assembly.

11. A garment having integrated therein a snap connector according to claim 1 .

12. A wearable heart rate monitor belt capable of carrying a heart rate monitor device to detect the heart rate of a living being wearing said heart rate monitor belt around the chest, said heart rate monitor belt comprising a snap connector comprising an electro-mechanic assembly comprising:
at least one female snap connector for providing a connection interface for an electronic device having a housing with at least one protruding stud, which detachably fits within a socket region of said at least one female snap connector,
at least one material layer being in at least one portion electrically conductive, and
at least one electrode being in electrical contact with said conductive portion,

wherein:
the at least one female snap connector comprises an upper cap portion, at least one surface of which is metallic and deposited with a non-oxidizing conductive material layer which faces and is in electrical contact with said conductive portion of said at least one material layer, and wherein
the at least one female snap connector comprises a base portion on an opposite under side of said at least one material layer, said base portion being coupled to said upper cap portion to attach said at least one female snap connector to said at least one material layer,

the snap connector to be integrated with and/or built into a heart rate monitor belt, said snap connector providing a detachable connection interface for receiving and holding the at least one electrode which further comprises a protruding stud from a heart rate monitor device,
wherein said electro-mechanic assembly comprises a snap connector comprising:
wherein said at least one metallic surface of the snap connector comprises a metallic upper cap portion on a top side of said at least one material layer, said upper portion having a recess forming at least a portion of the sides of a socket region of a snap connector for receiving said protruding stud from said heart rate monitor device, said protruding stud being electrically conductive and in electrical contact with an electronic component of said heart rate monitor, and an outer flange region which at least partially surrounds the recess,
a base portion on an opposite under side of said at least one material layer, said base portion being coupled to said upper cap portion to attach said snap connector to said at least one material layer of said heart rate monitor belt, and
a conductive wire spring coupled to the snap connector and housed at least partially within said socket region of the snap connector for detachably holding said stud of said heart rate monitor, whereby

said upper cap of said snap connector comprises the surface which is at least in part deposited with a non-oxidizing conductive material layer which faces and is in contact with an electrically conductive portion of said at least one ma

Assignees

• Suunto Oy

Inventors

• Pernu Kimmo
• Nousiainen Tuomo

Classifications

• A61B5/274 Primary

  using snap or button fasteners · CPC title

• A44B17/007

  Stud-member · CPC title

• A61B5/02438 Primary

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

• A61B5/6823

  Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip · CPC title

• A61B5/6804

  Garments; Clothes · CPC title