Article of apparel incorporating a separable electronic device

• US 7,793,361 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Wilson, Scott, Ishihara, James Alec, Berry, Stephen Dylan
• Primary Examiner(s): Welch; Gary L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson; Amber R
• Application Number:
  US10/987,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20060117458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,132 Days
• Field of Search: 211/5, 216/0, 217/0, 224/4, 290/5, 224/164, 224/178, 368/278, 368281-283
• US Class Current: 2/170
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/002 adapted to accommodate electronic equipment patients' garments for medical monitoring A41D13/1281; luminous ornaments A41D27/085
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 5/14 characterised by the way of fastening to a wrist-watch or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/1486 Arrangements for fixing to a bracelet building watches into bracelets (montre marquise) G04B37/12; arrangements for hanging pocket- or other watches on chains G04B37/1446
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 17/00 Structural details; Housings constructional details of radio-controlled time-pieces, e.g. antennas G04R60/00
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 17/08 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt

Abstract

An article of apparel is disclosed that includes an electronic device. The apparel is at least partially formed from a material element that defines an aperture. The electronic device is locatable within the aperture and removably-securable to the material element. The electronic device may be a timing device, such as a watch, or a global positioning system unit. The apparel may be a wristband formed from a textile material or any of a variety of other types of apparel.

Claims

1. An article of apparel comprising:

a textile element that defines an aperture having a non-circular shape;

a reinforcing structure positionable within the aperture and attachable to the textile element;

an electronic device positionable within the aperture and securable to at least one of the reinforcing structure and the textile element, the electronic device also being removable from the aperture, and the electronic device having a non-circular shape; and

a first securing member that is directly releasably securable to a second securing member, the first securing member and the second securing member configured to releasably engage the reinforcing structure and to releasably engage the electronic device to thereby releasably secure at least a portion of the electronic device to the textile element within the aperture, wherein at least one of the first securing member and the second securing member has a lip that extends over at least a portion of a top surface of the electronic device.

2. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein the textile element is a wristband.

3. The article of apparel recited in claim 2, wherein the textile element is at least partially formed from a terry knit material.

4. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a timing device.

5. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic element is a global positioning system unit.

6. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes a case and circuitry.

7. The article of apparel recited in claim 6, wherein the circuitry is positioned within the case, and the first securing member and the second securing member extend around the case.

8. The article of apparel recited in claim 7, wherein the first securing member and the second securing member are separated to define a peripheral gap extending at least partially around an exterior of the electronic device.

9. The article of apparel recited in claim 8, wherein the electronic device is positionable within the aperture and is secured to the textile element by locating an edge of the aperture within the peripheral gap, and the electronic device is separable from the textile element by disconnecting the edge and the peripheral gap.

10. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, where the first securing member and the second securing member completely surround a side surface of the electronic device.

11. An article of apparel comprising:

a wristband at least partially formed from a textile material, the wristband defining an aperture with a non-circular shape;

a reinforcing structure that is positioned within the aperture and attachable to the wristband;

an electronic device that is locatable within the aperture and removably-securable to the wristband, the electronic device having the non-circular shape;

and

a pair of securing members configured to directly releasably engage the reinforcing structure and to directly releasably engage the electronic device to thereby releasable secure the electronic device to the wristband, wherein at least one of the securing members has a lip that extends over at least a portion of a top surface of the electronic device.

12. The article of apparel recited in claim 11, wherein the wristband is at least partially formed from a terry knit material.

13. The article of apparel recited in claim 11, wherein the electronic device is a timing device.

14. The article of apparel recited in claim 11, wherein the electronic element is a global positioning system unit.

15. The article of apparel recited in claim 11, wherein the electronic device includes a case and circuitry.

16. The article of apparel recited in claim 15, wherein the circuitry is positioned within the case, and the pair of securing members extend around the case.

17. The article of apparel recited in claim 16, wherein the pair of securing members are separated to define a peripheral gap extending at least partially around an exterior of the electronic device.

18. The article of apparel recited in claim 11, wherein the electronic device is positionable within the aperture and may be secured to the wristband by locating the reinforcing structure within the peripheral gap, and the electronic device may be separated from the wristband by disconnecting the reinforcing structure and the peripheral gap.

19. The article of apparel recited in claim 11, where the pair of securing members completely surround a side surface of the electronic device.

20. An article of apparel, comprising:

a textile element that defines an aperture;

a reinforcing structure that is located within the aperture and secured to the textile element to form a peripheral edge of the aperture, wherein the reinforcing structure is formed from a material that is more rigid than the textile element; and

an electronic device having a peripheral gap extending at least partially around an exterior of the electronic device, the electronic device having a case that contains circuitry, and the electronic device having a two-piece securing structure that defines the peripheral gap, the two-piece securing structure directly releasably engaging the case and directly releasably engaging the reinforcing structure, the two-piece securing structure further having a lip that extends over at least a portion of a top surface of the electronic device,

wherein the electronic device is positionable within the aperture and is secured to the textile gap by locating the reinforcing structure within the peripheral indentation, and the electronic device is separated from the textile element by disconnecting the reinforcing structure and the peripheral gap.

21. The article of apparel recited in claim 20, wherein the textile element is a wristband.

22. The article of apparel recited in claim 21, wherein the textile element is at least partially formed from a terry knit material.

23. The article of apparel recited in claim 20, wherein the electronic device is a timing device.

24. The article of apparel recited in claim 20, wherein the electronic device is a global positioning system unit.

25. The article of apparel recited in claim 20, wherein the two-piece securing structure extends around a sidewall surface of the case.

26. The article of apparel recited in claim 25, wherein the two-piece securing structure slides relative to the sidewall surface in order to remove the two-piece securing structure from the case.

27. The article of apparel recited in claim 20, wherein the textile element is one of a shirt and a jacket.

28. An article of apparel comprising:

a material element that defines an aperture with a peripheral edge, the aperture being spaced inward from edges of the material element;

a reinforcing structure that is secured to the peripheral edge and is formed from a material that is more rigid than the material element; and

an electronic device having a case, circuitry, and a pair of securing elements, wherein at least one of the securing elements has a lip that extends over at least a portion of a top surface of the electronic device, the circuitry being positioned within the case, and the securing elements extending around the case directly releasably engaging the case, and directly releasably engaging the reinforcing structure, the securing elements defining a peripheral gap extending at least partially around an exterior of the electronic device,

wherein the electronic device is positionable within the aperture and is secured to the material element by locating the reinforcing structure within the peripheral gap, and the electronic device is separated from the material element by disconnecting the reinforcing structure and the peripheral gap.

29. The article of apparel recited in claim 28, wherein the material element is a wristband.

30. The article of apparel recited in claim 29, wherein the material element is at least partially formed from a terry knit material.

31. The article of apparel recited in claim 28, wherein the electronic device is a timing device.

32. The article of apparel recited in claim 28, wherein the electronic element is a global positioning system unit.

33. The article of apparel recited in claim 28, wherein the textile element is one of a shirt and a jacket.

34. The article of apparel recited in claim 28, wherein the case and at least one of the securing elements define a protrusion and a corresponding indentation, the protrusion fitting within the indentation to secure the at least one of the securing elements to the case.

35. A method of assembling an article of apparel, the method comprising steps of:

providing an aperture in a wristband;

positioning a reinforcing structure within the aperture;

positioning an electronic element within the aperture and adjacent to the reinforcing structure; and

positioning securing elements around the electronic element and on opposite sides of the wristband and the electronic element, the securing elements configured to directly releasably engage the reinforcing structure and to directly releasably engage the electronic element to thereby releasably secure the electronic element to the wristband within a channel at least partially defined by the side walls of the securing elements, wherein at least one of the securing elements has a lip that extends at least partially over a top surface of the electronic element.

36. The method recited in claim 35, further including a step of removing the electronic element from the aperture.

37. The method recited in claim 36, further including a step of subjecting the wristband to a washing process in the absence of the electronic element.

38. The method recited in claim 36, further including a step of interchanging the electronic element with another electronic element.