Watch display using light sources with a translucent cover

• US 10,234,827 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2017
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Clarkson, Brad N., Andren, Bo Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Leon, Edwin A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Collins, Jason M
• Application Number:
  US15/483,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20170315512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 17/045 Mounting of the display
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 17/08 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/00 Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes

Abstract

A display assembly includes a display selectively displaying human-readable indicia on a face thereof and a cover disposed over the display. The cover has a homogeneous surface over the entire face of the display. The display assembly is controllable between an inactive state and an active state. In the inactive state, the face of the display is not viewable through the cover, and in the active state, the indicia are viewable through the cover.

Claims

1. A wearable assembly comprising:

a display module comprising a computer component and a display controlled by the computer component and configured for selectively displaying human-readable indicia;

a rigid case holding the display module, wherein the case is configured to permit light from the display to be visible from outside the case, the case forming an enclosure configured to hold the display module; and

a band comprising a strap configured to wrap around a wrist or arm of a user to permit the wearable assembly to be worn by the user and a holder connected to the strap, wherein the holder wraps around a top and sides of the case to support the case and defines a cavity receiving the case and the display module, wherein the case is disposed between the display module and the holder, wherein the strap and the holder are formed of at least one flexible material that is sufficiently flexible to be bent to an angle of greater than 90 degrees without permanent deformation or fracture.

2. The wearable assembly of claim 1, wherein the case has at least one conduit positioned over the display configured to permit light from the display to be visible from outside the case.

3. The wearable assembly of claim 1, wherein the holder further comprises a cover disposed over a face of the display.

4. The wearable assembly of claim 3, wherein the cover is disposed to cover the entire display, such that the flexible material forms an outermost surface of the assembly over the display, and light emitted from the display is configured to pass through the cover.

5. The wearable assembly of claim 1, wherein the display includes a plurality of light-emitting devices, and the display is operable between an active state and an inactive state, wherein each of the light-emitting devices is configured to emit light when in the active state.

6. The wearable assembly of claim 5, wherein the holder has a first plurality of conduits extending from an inner surface of the holder toward an outer surface of the holder through a portion of a thickness of the holder, wherein the first plurality of conduits are spaced from each other on the holder, and wherein each of the first plurality of conduits is substantially aligned with one of the plurality of light-emitting devices.

7. The wearable assembly of claim 1, wherein the holder includes a bottom opening configured to permit access to a bottom of the case.

8. The wearable assembly of claim 1, wherein the band comprises a first flexible material forming the holder and a first portion of the strap and a second flexible material forming a second portion of the strap.

9. A wearable assembly comprising:

a display module comprising a computer component and a display controlled by the computer component and configured for selectively displaying human-readable indicia;

a rigid case holding the display module, wherein the case is configured to permit light from the display to be visible from outside the case, the case forming an enclosure configured to hold the display module; and

a band comprising a strap configured to wrap around a wrist or arm of a user to permit the wearable assembly to be worn by the user and a holder connected to the strap, wherein the holder defines a cavity receiving the case and the display module, wherein the case is disposed between the display module and the holder, wherein the band comprises a single piece of a first flexible material forming the holder and at least a first portion of the strap, wherein the first flexible material is sufficiently flexible to be bent to an angle of greater than 90 degrees without permanent deformation or fracture.

10. The wearable assembly of claim 9, wherein the case has at least one conduit positioned over the display configured to permit light from the display to be visible from outside the case.

11. The wearable assembly of claim 9, wherein the holder further comprises a cover disposed over a face of the display.

12. The wearable assembly of claim 11, wherein the cover is disposed to cover the entire display, such that the first flexible material forms an outermost surface of the assembly over the display, and light emitted from the display is configured to pass through the cover.

13. The wearable assembly of claim 9, wherein the display includes a plurality of light-emitting devices, and the display is operable between an active state and an inactive state, wherein each of the light-emitting devices is configured to emit light when in the active state.

14. The wearable assembly of claim 13, wherein the holder has a first plurality of conduits extending from an inner surface of the holder toward an outer surface of the holder through a portion of a thickness of the holder, wherein the first plurality of conduits are spaced from each other on the holder, and wherein each of the first plurality of conduits is substantially aligned with one of the plurality of light-emitting devices.

15. The wearable assembly of claim 9, wherein the holder includes a bottom opening configured to permit access to a bottom of the case.

16. The wearable assembly of claim 9, wherein the band further comprises a second flexible material forming a second portion of the strap.

17. A wearable assembly comprising:

a display module comprising a computer component and a display controlled by the computer component and configured for selectively displaying human-readable indicia;

a rigid case holding the display module, wherein the case is configured to permit light from the display to be visible from outside the case, the case comprising a front piece and a back piece forming an enclosure configured to hold the display module; and

a band comprising a strap configured to wrap around a wrist or arm of a user to permit the wearable assembly to be worn by the user and a holder connected to the strap, wherein the holder comprises a cover disposed over a face of the display, and the holder wraps around a top and sides of the case to support the case and defines a cavity receiving the case and the display module, wherein the case is disposed between the display module and the holder, wherein the band comprises a single piece of a first flexible material forming the holder and at least a first portion of the strap and a second piece of a second flexible material forming a second portion of the strap, wherein the first flexible material and the second flexible material are sufficiently flexible to be bent to an angle of greater than 90 degrees without permanent deformation or fracture.

18. The wearable assembly of claim 17, wherein the cover is disposed to cover the entire display, such that the first flexible material forms an outermost surface of the assembly over the display, and light emitted from the display is configured to pass through the cover.

19. The wearable assembly of claim 17, wherein the holder includes a bottom opening configured to permit access to a bottom of the case.

20. The wearable assembly of claim 17, wherein the case has at least one conduit positioned over the display configured to permit light from the display to be visible from outside the case.