Magnetic actuated attachment mechanisms for wearable devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9693609-B2
Application number	US-201514859581-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 21, 2015
Priority date	Aug 11, 2014
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

A band for a wearable device includes first and second band links. The first band link includes one or more magnetic pins and the second band link includes one or more magnets and one or more apertures. In a first position, the first and second band links mechanically and magnetically couple by the magnet pulling the magnetic pin into the aperture. In a second position, the first and second band links mechanically and magnetically decouple by the magnetic pin being forced from the aperture. In this way, the band links may be easily and quickly coupled to and/or decoupled from each other.

First claim

I claim:

1. An electronic watch, comprising:
a watch body housing including a watch face configured to display time;
a first electronic component positioned within the watch body housing;
a watch band operable to couple the watch body housing to a user's wrist such that the watch band and watch body housing combine to encircle the user's wrist;
a second electronic component coupled to the watch band; and
a watch band mount coupled to the watch body housing and including a connector operable to: magnetically couple the watch band and the watch band mount, and electrically couple the first and second electronic components when the connector magnetically couples the watch band and the watch band mount.

2. The electronic watch of claim 1 , wherein the connector magnetically couples and decouples the watch band and the watch band mount based on movement of the watch band and the watch band mount with respect to each other.

3. The electronic watch of claim 1 , wherein magnetic coupling of the watch band and the watch band mount causes a state change in the electronic watch.

4. The electronic watch of claim 1 , wherein the connector maintains magnetic and electrical connection between the watch band and the watch body housing while the watch band and the watch band mount rotate with respect to each other.

5. The electronic watch of claim 1 , wherein the connector is operable to mechanically connect the watch band and the watch band mount.

6. The electronic watch of claim 5 , wherein the connector includes a pin.

7. The electronic watch of claim 6 , wherein the pin comprises a magnetic pin.

8. A electronic watch, comprising:
a watch body housing including a watch face configured to display time; and
a watch band, operable to couple the watch body to a user's wrist such that the watch band and watch body housing combine to encircle the user's wrist, the watch band comprising: a first watch band section including a first electronic component, a second watch band section including a second electronic component, and a connector operable to magnetically couple the first and second watch band sections and electrically couple the first and second electronic components when the connector magnetically couples the first and second watch band sections.

9. The electronic watch of claim 8 , wherein the connector maintains magnetic and electrical connection between the first and second watch band sections while the first and second watch band sections rotate with respect to each other.

10. The electronic watch of claim 8 , wherein the connector includes a magnet that electrically couples the first and second electronic components.

11. The electronic watch of claim 10 , wherein the magnet includes a conductive center surrounded by insulating material.

12. The electronic watch of claim 10 , wherein the magnet is pulled into an aperture when the connector magnetically couples the first and second watch band sections.

13. The electronic watch of claim 12 , wherein the magnet is pulled from an additional aperture when the connector magnetically couples the first and second watch band sections.

14. The electronic watch of claim 8 , wherein the first electronic component comprises an electronic interconnect.

15. An electronic watch, comprising:
a watch body housing defining a watch band mount and including a watch face configured to display time;
a first electronic component positioned within the watch body housing; and
a watch band operable to couple the watch body housing to a user's wrist such that the watch band and watch body housing combine to encircle the user's wrist, the watch band including a second electronic component and comprising a connector operable to magnetically couple the watch band section and the watch band mount and electrically couple the first and second electronic components when the connector magnetically couples the watch band section and the watch band mount.

16. The electronic watch of claim 15 , wherein:
the watch band and the watch band mount are configured to rotate about an axis defined by the connector; and
the connector maintains an electrical connection between the first and second electronic components during rotation.

17. The electronic watch of claim 16 , wherein the processing unit wakes the electronic watch from a sleep state in response to the interrupt signal or puts the electronic watch into a sleep state in response to the interrupt signal.

18. The electronic watch of claim 15 , wherein:
the connector includes a pin that is transverse to a length of the watch band;
the watch band mount includes an aperture transverse to the length of the watch band section; and
the pin is pulled into the aperture when the connector magnetically couples the watch band and the watch band mount.

19. The electronic watch of claim 18 , wherein the pin is pulled at least partially out of the watch band when the connector magnetically couples the watch band and the watch band mount.

20. The electronic watch of claim 15 , further comprising a processing unit wherein:
the processing unit receives an interrupt signal when the connector magnetically couples the watch band and the watch band mount or magnetically decouples the watch band section from the watch band mount.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Rohrbach Matthew D

Classifications

• 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

• A44D2203/00

  Fastening by use of magnets · CPC title

• A44C5/105

  with links made of one piece and linked together by one connecting element · CPC title

• A44C5/14 Primary

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

• A44C5/08 Primary

  having separate links · CPC title