PROTECTIVE COVERING FOR WEARABLE DEVICES

• US 20150124415A1
• Filed: 11/06/2013
• Published: 05/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: JB IP Acquisitions LLC
• Original Assignee: AliphCom, Inc. (AliphCom Corp.)
• Inventors: Goyal, Dileep, Chakravarthula, Hari, Dawn, Andrew, Maginn, William
• Application Number:
  US14/073,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20150124415A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/749
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/40 Data acquisition and logging for input to computer G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0383 Remote input, i.e. interface arrangements in which the signals generated by a pointing device are transmitted to a PC at a remote location, e.g. to a PC in a LAN
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/18 Printed circuits structurally associated with non-printed electric components H05K1/0201, H05K1/023, H05K1/0243, and H05K1/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/361 Assembling flexible printed circuits with other printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49126 Assembling bases

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application relate generally to personal electronics, portable electronics, wearable electronics, and more specifically to a structure and method for a protective covering for a wearable device. Interior and exterior structures of the wearable device are configured to be flexed into a configuration and to retain the configuration after the flexing. Interior structure may include a first flexible substrate having a first relaxation structure and a second flexible substrate having a second relaxation structure. Components or other structures may be connected with the first and/or second flexible substrates. The first and second relaxation structures may be positioned relative to each other to define a flexure point. At least one flexible and electrically non-conductive cover, that may undergo shirking, may conformally cover at least a portion of the interior structure. A flexible overmolding may be formed over the cover and may comprise the exterior structure.

Claims

1. A wearable structure, comprising:

a flexible substrate (FS) including a first relaxation structure, the FS configured to retain its shape after being flexed into a configuration;

a flexible dielectric (FD) including circuitry, electrically conductive traces, a bonding pad, and a second relaxation structure, a portion of the circuitry is interconnected using the electrically conductive traces and another portion is interconnected using a wire that straddles the second relaxation structure and is electrically connected with the bonding pad;

an encapsulation structure positioned adjacent to the second relaxation structure and covering the bonding pad and a portion of the wire;

a strain relief positioned adjacent to the second relaxation structure and in contact with a portion of the wire; and

a flexible and electrically non-conductive cover including one or more sections that partially or completely conformally covers the FS, the FD, the encapsulation structure, and the strain relief.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the first relaxation structure is integrally formed in the FS.

4. The structure of claim 1, wherein a first end of the wire is electrically connected with the bonding pad and a second end of the wire is electrically connected with an electrical component.

6. The structure of claim 1, wherein a first end of the wire is electrically connected with the bonding pad and second end of the wire is electrically connected with another bonding pad.

7. The structure of claim 6, wherein the bonding pad and the another bonding pad are positioned on opposite sides of the second relaxation structure.

8. The structure of claim 1, wherein the second relaxation structure and the first relaxation structure are disposed adjacent to each other.

9. The structure of claim 1, wherein the second relaxation structure and the first relaxation structure are disposed adjacent to each other and positioned at a flexure point in a wearable device.

10. The structure of claim 1, wherein portions of the one or more sections conformally cover portions of a selected one or more of the FS, the FD, the encapsulation structure, or the strain relief.

11. The structure of claim 1, wherein the wire has a profile over a portion of its span that approximates a profile of the second relaxation structure.

12. The structure of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more sections is transparent.

13. The structure of claim 1, wherein the second relaxation structure is integrally formed in the FD.

14. The structure of claim 1, wherein a contour of the second relaxation structure approximately matches another contour of a loop mandrel.

15. The structure of claim 1, wherein the FD comprises a component selected from the group consisting of flexible printed circuitry (FPC) and flat flexible cable (FFC).

16. The structure of claim 1, wherein the FS comprises a component selected from the group consisting of a metal, a flat substrate, a flat metal substrate, a spring, and a flat spring.

17. The structure of claim 1, wherein the one or more sections are made from a material that when heated, shrinks in a dimension by a ratio of at least 1.5:

1.

18. The structure of claim 17, wherein the material after shrinking, is mechanically stable over a temperature range from about 100°

C. to about 300°

C.

19. The structure of claim 1 and further comprising:

a flexible overmolding in contact with and covering the one or more sections.

20. The structure of claim 1, wherein the FS comprises at least two separate sections and the first relaxation structure is connected with a portion of one section and a portion of another section.

21. The structure of claim 1, wherein the second relaxation structure comprises a service loop.

3. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

22. A method for fabricating a wearable device, comprising:

providing a first flexible substrate (FFS) configured to retain its shape after being flexed into a configuration, the FFS including a first relaxation structure;

providing a second flexible substrate (SFS) including a second relaxation structure;

connecting the FFS and the SFS with each other with the first relaxation structure and the second relaxation structure positioned in a predetermined alignment relative to each other;

positioning the FFS, the SFS and one or more components coupled with the FFS, the SFS or both in an interior of a flexible and electrically non-conductive cover (FC);

shrinking a dimension of the FC until the FC conformally covers at least a portion of the FFS, the SFS and the one or more components; and

forming a flexible overmolding over an exterior of the FC.