Wearable device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9668550-B2
Application number	US-201414487750-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2014
Priority date	Sep 27, 2013
Publication date	Jun 6, 2017
Grant date	Jun 6, 2017

Abstract

A wearable device that may transform between an annularly bent state and a flat state is provided. The wearable device includes a plurality of segment members including a top portion and a bottom portion having a shorter length than the top portion; a plurality of connecting members that are disposed to correspond to the plurality of segment members, wherein each of the plurality of connecting members is connected to be mutually rotatable with two segment members disposed respectively on both sides thereof; a bistable spring that is supported on a plurality of segment members to provide elasticity in a direction into the annularly bent state and retentivity of the flat state; and a flexible display device that is supported on the top portion of the plurality of segment members.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wearable device that is configured for transformation between an annularly bent state and a flat state, the wearable device comprising:
a plurality of segment members comprising a top portion and a bottom portion;
a plurality of connecting members that are disposed to correspond to the plurality of segment members, wherein each of the plurality of connecting members is connected to be mutually rotatable with two segment members disposed respectively on both sides thereof;
a bistable spring that is supported on the plurality of segment members to provide elasticity in a direction into the annularly bent state and retentivity maintaining the flat state; and
a flexible display device that is supported on the top portion of the plurality of segment members.

2. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein:
each of the plurality of segment members comprises a connecting pin, and
each of the plurality of connecting members comprises:
a center hole in which the connecting pin of a corresponding reference segment member among the plurality of segment members is inserted; and
first and second guide slots in which connecting pins of two rotational segment members among the plurality of segment members disposed next to the reference segment member are inserted, wherein the first and second guide slots guide bottom portions of the two rotational segment members to be rotated in approaching/separating directions with respect to the bottom portion of the reference segment member.

3. The wearable device of claim 2 , wherein the first and second guide slots have an arc shape in which a center thereof is located on a neutral line of the flexible display device.

4. The wearable device of claim 2 , wherein:
each of the plurality of segment members comprises:
an extended portion that is inwardly stepped from an external surface of the segment member and extends to be overlapped with a neighboring segment member disposed one side of the segment member; and
a sunken portion that is disposed on an opposite side of the extended portion and is sunken from an internal surface of the segment member to receive an extended portion of another neighboring segment member disposed on the other side of the segment member.

5. The wearable device of claim 4 , wherein:
each of the plurality of segment members comprises:
a top cover in which the top portion and the connecting pin are provided, wherein the connecting member is coupled with the top cover; and
a bottom cover in which the bottom portion, the extended portion, and the sunken portion are provided, wherein the bottom portion is coupled with the top cover.

6. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of one end and the other end of the bistable spring is a free end.

7. The wearable device of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the one end and the other end of the bistable spring is adjustably connected to a corresponding segment member in a length direction.

8. The wearable device of claim 6 , wherein the bistable spring is fixed on any one of the plurality of segment members.

9. The wearable device of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of segment members comprise a slot through which the bistable spring passes.

10. The wearable device of claim 9 , wherein:
the slot comprises a top supporting portion and a bottom supporting portion, which respectively support a top portion and a bottom portion of the bistable spring, and
a gap between the top supporting portion and the bottom supporting portion of the slot is greater at both ends than a center portion in an alignment direction of the plurality of the segment members.

11. The wearable device of claim 10 , wherein the bottom supporting portion of the slot includes inclination supporting portions that extend from both ends to the center portion in the alignment direction of the segment members and are upwardly inclined towards the top supporting portion.

12. A wearable device comprising:
a body including a plurality of segment members that are connected sequentially to be rotatable, wherein the body transforms between an annularly bent state and a flat state;
a flexible display device supported on the body;
a bistable spring that provides elasticity in a direction of bending into the annularly bent state and retentivity to maintain the flat state; and
slots provided in the plurality of segment members to pass the bitable spring therethrough, wherein the slots comprise a top supporting portion and a bottom supporting portion, each of which supports a top surface and a bottom surface of the bistable spring;
wherein a gap between the top supporting portion of the slot and the bottom supporting portion of the slot is greater at both ends than a center portion in an alignment direction of the plurality of segment members.

13. The wearable device of claim 12 , wherein the bottom supporting portion of the slot includes inclination supporting portions that extends from both ends to the center portion in the alignment direction of the segment members and are upwardly inclined towards the top supporting portion of the slot.

14. The wearable device of claim 13 , wherein at least one of one end and the other end of the bistable spring is a free end.

15. The wearable device of claim 14 , wherein:
each of the plurality of segment members comprises a top portion and a bottom portion that is shorter than the top portion, and
the plurality of segment members are rotatable in a direction in which bottom portions of the segment members approach/separate.

16. The wearable device of claim 15 , the wearable device further comprising:
a plurality of connecting members that are disposed to correspond to the plurality of segment members, wherein each of the plurality of segment members is connected to be mutually rotatable with two segment members disposed respectively on both sides thereof,
wherein each of the plurality of segment members comprises a connecting pin, and
wherein each of the plurality of connecting members comprises:
a center hole in which the connecting pin of a corresponding reference segment member among the plurality of segment members is inserted; and
first and second guide slots in which connecting pins of two rotational segment members among the plurality of segment members disposed next to the reference segment member are inserted, wherein the first and second guide slots guide bottom portions of the two rotational segment members to be rotated in approaching/separating directions with respect to the bottom portion of the reference segment member.

17. The wearable device of claim 16 , wherein the first and second guide slots have an arc shape in which a center thereof is located on a neutral line of the flexible display device.

18. The wearable device of claim 12 , wherein
each of the plurality of segment members comprises:
an extended portion that is inwardly stepped from an external surface of the segment member and extends to be overlapped with a neighboring segment member disposed one side of the segment member; and
a sunken portion that is disposed on an opposite side of the extended portion and is sunken from an internal surface of the segment member to receive an extended portion of another neighboring segment member disposed on the other side of the segment member.

19. A wearable device comprising:
a body including a plurality of segment members that are connected sequentially to be rotatable, wherein the body transforms between an annularly bent state and a flat state;
a flexible flat membe

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
• Seneka Co Ltd

Inventors

• Seo Ho-Seong
• Cho Pil-Je
• Huh Young-Woo
• Kim Si-Wan

Classifications

• A44C5/12

  C-spring-type bracelets or wrist-watch holders · CPC title

• A44C5/08 Primary

  having separate links · CPC title

• A44C5/0076

  essentially made from metal · CPC title

• G09F9/00 Primary

  Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements (in which the variable information is permanently attached to a movable support G09F11/00; abacus G06C1/00; slide-rules G06G1/00) · CPC title