Attachment apparatuses and associated methods of use and manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9926953-B2
Application number	US-201414771586-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

A system for carrying or using a device includes the device and at least one attachment apparatus. The device may include at least one attachment element. The attachment apparatus may include a length of material and at least one attachment point arranged on an end of the length of material. The at least one attachment point may include at least one magnetic feature configured to attach and detach the device and the length of material. The material can include but is not limited to cloth, metallic (magnetic and non-magnetic), fibrous material, and so forth.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A modular assembly for electronic devices, comprising:
a first base unit of a first electronic device, the first base unit comprising:
a first functional element configured to perform a first set of functions; and
a first enclosure housing the first functional element and defining a first attachment coupling;

a second base unit of a second electronic device, the second base unit comprising:
a second functional element configured to perform a second set of functions different from the first set of functions; and
a second enclosure housing the second functional element and defining a second attachment coupling; and

a strap unit, comprising:
a strap defining a third attachment coupling; wherein:
in a first configuration, the third attachment coupling couples the strap to the first attachment coupling; and
in a second configuration, the third attachment coupling couples the strap to the second attachment coupling.

2. The modular assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the the first and second attachment couplings each include a magnetic element configured to securely and releasably engage the first and second attachment couplings respectively to the third attachment coupling.

3. The modular assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the strap unit further includes an additional strap that is configured to securely and releasably engage the strap.

4. The modular assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein the additional strap attaches to the strap using a magnetic element.

5. The modular assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising a third base unit of a third electronic device, the third base unit comprising:
a third functional element configured to perform a third set of functions different from the first and second sets of functions; and
a third enclosure housing the third functional element that defines a fourth attachment coupling to which the third attachment coupling is configured to attach.

6. The modular assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising an additional strap unit configured to couple with either of the first or second base units and having a different strap characteristic than the strap unit.

7. The modular assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein the strap characteristic is an aesthetic characteristic.

8. The modular assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein the aesthetic characteristic is at least one of a surface texture, surface finish, a color, a shape, a material, or a structural configuration.

9. The modular assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein the strap unit and the additional strap unit are configured to perform different functions.

10. The modular assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein the third attachment coupling and an attachment coupling of the additional strap unit have at least one of different attachment forces or different break forces.

11. The modular assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein the strap unit and the additional strap unit each include a functional feature, wherein the functional feature of the strap unit is configured differently from the functional feature of the additional strap unit.

12. The modular assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising an additional strap unit configured to couple to the first base unit in a third configuration and the second base unit in a fourth configuration wherein the additional strap unit has a different aesthetic characteristic than the strap unit.

13. The modular assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein the aesthetic characteristic is at least one of a surface texture, a surface finish, a color, a shape, a material, or a structural configuration.

14. The modular assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the first functional element and the second functional element each include at least one of a display, a button, or a controller.

15. The modular assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the first functional element and the second functional element are different types of functional elements.

16. The modular assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein a size of the strap unit is adjustable.

17. A method for forming a modular assembly for a family of base units of electronic devices, comprising:
providing the family of base units comprising:
a first base unit comprising: a first functional element configured to perform a first set of functions and a first enclosure housing the first functional element and defining a first attachment coupling; and
a second base unit comprising: a second functional element configured to perform a second set of functions different than the first set of functions and a second enclosure housing the first functional element and defining a second attachment coupling as the first base unit; and

attaching a strap unit comprising:
a strap defining a third attachment coupling;
wherein:
in a first configuration, the third attachment coupling couples the strap to the first attachment coupling; and
in a second configuration, the third attachment coupling couples the strap to the second attachment coupling.

18. A modular assembly for electronic devices, comprising:
a base unit of an electronic device, the base unit comprising:
a functional element; and
an enclosure housing the functional element and defining a first attachment coupling; and

a first strap unit and a second strap unit each comprising:
a strap defining a strap attachment coupling;
a functional feature wherein the functional feature of the first strap unit is configured to perform a different set of functions than the functional feature of the second strap unit;
wherein:
in a first configuration, the strap attachment coupling of the first strap unit couples the strap of the first strap unit to the first attachment coupling; and
in a second configuration, the strap attachment coupling of the second strap unit couples the strap of the second strap unit to the first attachment coupling.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Russell-Clarke Peter N
• Hankey M Evans
• Hoenig Julian
• Rohrbach Matthew D

Classifications

• A45C13/1069

  magnetic · CPC title

• A45C13/30

  Straps; Bands · CPC title

• A43C11/1493

  Strap fastenings having hook and loop-type fastening elements · CPC title

• A43B1/0054

  provided with magnets, magnetic parts or magnetic substances · CPC title

• A45F5/00

  Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping · CPC title