Systems, articles and methods for strain mitigation in wearable electronic devices
First Claim
1. A wearable electronic device comprising:
- a first pod structure that includes electrical circuitry;
a second pod structure that includes electrical circuitry;
a first adaptive coupler that provides adaptive physical coupling between the first pod structure and the second pod structure;
a first set of electrically conductive pathways to in use provide electrical coupling between the electrical circuitry of the first pod structure and the electrical circuitry of the second pod structure; and
a first strain mitigation system to in use mitigate strain on the first set of electrically conductive pathways, the first strain mitigation system comprising a first guide structure that is physically coupled to the first pod structure and projects at least partially over the electrical circuitry of the second pod structure, wherein a respective first portion of each electrically conductive pathway in the first set of electrically conductive pathways extends across a length of the first guide structure wherein the first set of electrically conductive pathways includes a first flexible printed circuit board; and
wherein the first guide structure includes a first surface, an edge, and a second surface opposite the first surface, and wherein a first portion of the first flexible printed circuit board extends across a length of the first surface of the first guide structure, a second portion of the first flexible printed circuit board bends around the edge of the first guide structure, and a third portion of the first flexible printed circuit board extends across at least a portion of a length of the second surface of the first guide structure.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Wearable electronic devices that provide adaptive physical coupling between electrically coupled components are described. Adaptive physical coupling advantageously accommodates different user sizes, forms, and movements and enhances the overall ergonomics of a wearable electronic device. Adaptive physical coupling also introduces stresses and strains on electrical pathways between the electrically coupled components. Accordingly, the wearable electronic devices include strain mitigation systems that mitigate physical strains on the electrical pathways between electrically coupled components. An exemplary strain mitigation system includes a guide structure that is pivotally coupled to a first substantially rigid structure of the wearable electronic device and slideably coupled to a second substantially rigid structure of the wearable electronic device. The guide structure provides a surface/channel over/through which electrical pathways extend between electrically coupled components.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A wearable electronic device comprising:
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a first pod structure that includes electrical circuitry; a second pod structure that includes electrical circuitry; a first adaptive coupler that provides adaptive physical coupling between the first pod structure and the second pod structure; a first set of electrically conductive pathways to in use provide electrical coupling between the electrical circuitry of the first pod structure and the electrical circuitry of the second pod structure; and a first strain mitigation system to in use mitigate strain on the first set of electrically conductive pathways, the first strain mitigation system comprising a first guide structure that is physically coupled to the first pod structure and projects at least partially over the electrical circuitry of the second pod structure, wherein a respective first portion of each electrically conductive pathway in the first set of electrically conductive pathways extends across a length of the first guide structure wherein the first set of electrically conductive pathways includes a first flexible printed circuit board; and wherein the first guide structure includes a first surface, an edge, and a second surface opposite the first surface, and wherein a first portion of the first flexible printed circuit board extends across a length of the first surface of the first guide structure, a second portion of the first flexible printed circuit board bends around the edge of the first guide structure, and a third portion of the first flexible printed circuit board extends across at least a portion of a length of the second surface of the first guide structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A wearable electronic device comprising:
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a set of pod structures arranged in an annular configuration with each pod structure in the set of pod structures positioned adjacent two other pod structures in the set of pod structures, wherein each pod structure includes respective electrical circuitry; an adaptive coupler that physically couples each pod structure in the set of pod structures to two adjacent pod structures in the set of pod structures, wherein the adaptive coupler physically binds the set of pod structures in the annular configuration; a plurality of electrically conductive pathway sets, wherein each respective pair of adjacent pod structures in the set of pod structures is electrically coupled together by a respective electrically conductive pathway set in the plurality of electrically conductive pathway sets; and a set of strain mitigation systems, each to in use mitigate strain on a respective electrically conductive pathway set in the plurality of electrically conductive pathway sets, wherein each strain mitigation system includes a respective guide structure that is physically coupled to a respective pod structure in the set of pod structures and that projects at least partially over or within an adjacent pod structure in the set of pod structures, and wherein each electrically conductive pathway set in the plurality of electrically conductive pathway sets extends across a length of the guide structure of a respective strain mitigation system in the set of strain mitigation systems wherein each electrically conductive pathway set in the plurality of electrically conductive pathway sets comprises a respective flexible printed circuit board; and wherein each respective guide structure includes a respective first surface, a respective edge, and a respective second surface opposite the respective first surface, and for each flexible printed circuit board; a first portion of the flexible printed circuit board extends across a length of the first surface of a corresponding guide structure, a second portion of the flexible printed circuit board bends around the edge of the corresponding guide structure, and a third portion of the flexible printed circuit board extends across at least a portion of a length of the second surface of the corresponding guide structure. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification