Wearable apparatus having a flexible electrophoretic display

• US 10,146,261 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2017
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E Ink Corporation (E Ink Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: E Ink Corporation (E Ink Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Keisuke, Nakazawa, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Adrian S
• Application Number:
  US15/667,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20180039303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 36167903
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/154 Coating solid articles, i.e. non-hollow articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/67 having incorporated mixing devices not provided for in groups B29C48/52 - B29C48/66
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/167 by electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/16753 Structures for supporting or mounting cells, e.g. frames or bezels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means

Abstract

A flexible, wearable apparatus comprising a flexible display, a support member and a retainer. In some embodiments, the flexible, wearable apparatus can be used in a flat or rounded configuration. In some embodiments, the flexible support member is formed to provide a substantially planar viewing surface for the electrophoretic display when the flexible, wearable apparatus is in a rounded state.

Claims

1. A flexible, wearable apparatus, comprising:

a flexible electrophoretic display;

a support member configured to be wound around a body part and to be held in place around the body part by an elastic force; and

a retainer coupled to the support member and adapted to retain the flexible electrophoretic display so that the flexible electrophoretic display can translate freely through a void in a direction substantially perpendicular to a winding direction on the body part.

2. The flexible, wearable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the retainer comprises a transparent protective cover configured to allow a user to view a portion of the flexible electrophoretic display.

3. The flexible, wearable apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the retainer further comprises a housing for coupling the protective cover to the support member.

4. The flexible, wearable apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the housing comprises leather, cloth, or a polymer.

5. The flexible, wearable apparatus according to claim 2, wherein greater than 70% of the active area of the flexible electrophoretic display is viewable through the transparent protective cover.

6. The flexible, wearable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support member comprises an elongated ribbon spring that is wound in a longitudinal direction by an elastic force and wherein the support member has a substantially elliptical cross-section in a wound state.

7. The flexible, wearable apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the support member comprises a substantially planar area having a reduced elastic force, the substantially planar area being maintained in a substantially planar condition in the wound state.

8. The flexible, wearable apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the substantially planar area having a reduced elastic force comprises less than 50% of the total area of the support member.

9. The flexible, wearable apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the substantially planar area has a plurality of small holes to reduce the elastic force.

10. The flexible, wearable apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the substantially planar area has an opening to reduce the elastic force.

11. The flexible, wearable apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the elongated ribbon spring has an arcuate cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the ribbon spring.

12. The flexible, wearable apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the elongated ribbon spring transforms via elastic force from a substantially flat shape to the wound state when a stress of deformation on the arcuate cross-section is attenuated.

13. The flexible, wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electrophoretic display comprises an active matrix of transistors.

14. The flexible, wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible electrophoretic display is active when the wearable apparatus is in a wound state, but not active when the wearable apparatus is in an unwound state.

15. The flexible, wearable apparatus of claim 1, further comprising coupling elements in proximity to first and second ends of the wearable apparatus wherein, when the coupling elements are in proximity to each other, the flexible display is activated.

16. The flexible, wearable apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller adapted to provide a signal to the flexible electrophoretic display to cause the flexible electrophoretic display to switch between an active state and an inactive state.

17. The flexible, wearable apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a touch sensor.

18. The flexible, wearable apparatus of claim 17, wherein the flexible electrophoretic display comprises the touch sensor.

19. The flexible, wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support member comprises spring steel, nitinol, or a shape-memory polymer.

20. The flexible, wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body part is a wrist, arm, head, leg, ankle, finger, neck, or ear.