Wrist band antenna

• US 5,986,566 A
• Filed: 08/18/1994
• Issued: 11/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Oi Denki Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Oi Denki Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamamori, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILSON JR, WILLIAM HALL
• Application Number:
  US08/292,418
• Time in Patent Office: 1,916 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.44, 343/866, 343/718, 455/351
• US Class Current: 340/7.63
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals

Abstract

A wrist band antenna prevents connection failure and/or breakdown due to attachment/detachment of a loop antenna and has a receivable frequency band which is not affected by the thickness of the wearer'"'"'s arm. A U-shaped antenna structure is mounted inside a wrist band part which is part of the wrist band divided at the center fastening structure. The U-shaped structure functions as an independent antenna on at least one part of the wrist band. The antenna is buried in the wrist band part so that the two ends of its U-shaped structure face toward a receiver main body. When each of two contact pins on the ends of the U-shaped structure connect the wrist band with the receiver main body, a terminal spring on a reception circuit substrate of the receiver main body is pressed. This causes the receiving signal from the antenna to be conveyed to the receiver main body.

Claims

1. A wrist band antenna for communicating received signals to a receiver disposed within a main body having opposed ends, comprising:

an elongated bendable band having upper and lower surfaces and opposed ends, each end defining an opening at the same opposed end of the main body; and

a loop antenna extending between the surfaces of the band to receive signals, wherein the antenna has a substantially U-shaped structure having two opposed ends located at the same end of the band, each end having an RF coupler extending through an opening, and wherein the loop antenna extends the length of approximately less than one-half the length of the band.

2. The wrist band antenna of claim 1, wherein the couplers of the U-shaped antenna are designed to extend into the main body and be engaged with the receiver.

3. The wrist band antenna of claim 2, wherein the couplers of the U-shaped antenna are capable of being soldered to the receiver.

4. The wrist band antenna of claim 1, further including at least two pins, wherein at least one pin is engaged with each RF coupler of the U-shaped antenna, and wherein the pins are designed to extend into the main body and be engaged with the receiver to communicate signals from the antenna to the receiver.

5. The wrist band antenna of claim 1, wherein the couplers are capable of communicating signals to the receiver.

6. The wrist band antenna of claim 5, wherein at least one contact pin is mounted on each coupler wherein the contact pins are designed to extend from the antenna terminal contacts into the main body, and wherein the contact pins are capable of being coupled to the receiver to communicate received signals from the antenna to the receiver.

7. The wrist band antenna according to claim 6, wherein each contact pin extends through at least one O-ring seal to a pair of terminal springs and wherein each contact pin is designed to be coupled to the receiver.

8. The wrist band antenna of claim 1, wherein the elongated band is comprised of separable parts, wherein one of the separable parts has the antenna mounted entirely therein, and further including a fastener linking the separable parts.

9. The wrist band antenna of claim 8, wherein the RF couplers of the U-shaped antenna are designed to extend into the main body and be engaged with receiver.

10. The wrist band antenna of claim 9, wherein the opposed ends of the U-shaped antenna are capable of being soldered to the receiver.

11. The wrist band antenna of claim 8, further comprising at least two pins, wherein at least one pin is engaged with each of the opposed ends of the U-shaped antenna, and wherein the pins are designed to extend into the main body and be engaged with the receiver to communicate signals from the antenna to the receiver.

12. The wrist band antenna of claim 8, further comprising two antenna terminal contacts, one contact located at each opposed end of the U-shaped antenna, and wherein the antenna terminal contact is capable of communicating signals to the receiver.

13. The wrist band antenna of claim 12, wherein at least one contact pin is mounted on each antenna terminal contact, and wherein the contact pins are designed to extend from the antenna terminal contacts into the main body and be engaged to the receiver to communicate received signals from the antenna to the receiver.

14. The wrist band antenna according to claim 13, wherein each contact pin extends through at least one O-ring seal to a pair of terminal springs, and wherein the terminal springs are designed to be engaged with the receiver.