Systems, articles, and methods for elastic electrical cables and wearable electronic devices employing same
First Claim
1. An annular wearable electronic device having a circumference that is variable in a dimension, the annular wearable electronic device comprising:
- a first pod structure positioned at least approximately on the circumference of the annular wearable electronic device, wherein the first pod structure includes electric circuitry;
a second pod structure positioned at least approximately on the circumference of the annular wearable electronic device, wherein the second pod structure includes electric circuitry and wherein the first pod structure and the second pod structure are physically separated from one another by a first distance at least approximately along the circumference of the annular wearable electronic device; and
a first adaptive coupler positioned at least approximately on the circumference of the annular wearable electronic device, wherein the first adaptive coupler provides both electrically conductive coupling and adaptive physical coupling between the first pod structure and the second pod structure, and wherein the first adaptive coupler comprises;
at least a first electrically conductive pathway that is electrically conductively coupled to both the electric circuitry of the first pod structure and the electric circuitry of the second pod structure; and
a first elastomer band that is physically coupled to both the first pod structure and the second pod structure, wherein at least a portion of the first electrically conductive pathway extends through an inner volume of the first elastomer band, and wherein a length of the first elastomer band that couples in between the first pod structure and the second pod structure is greater than the first distance and includes at least one semi-rigidly set change in direction.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, articles, and methods for elastic electrical cables are described. An elastic electrical cable includes a molded band of elastomer with a length that follows a tortuous path including a number of semi-rigidly set changes in direction. The elastomer band is formed by an overmolding process to enclose or at least partially contain a flexible printed circuit board, with various access points provided to electrically couple to/from the flexible printed circuit board. An annular wearable electric device employing at least one such elastic electrical cable as an adaptive coupler that simultaneously provides both electrically conductive coupling and adaptive physical coupling is described. Methods of preparing/manufacturing such elastic electrical cables are also described.
246 Citations
28 Claims
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1. An annular wearable electronic device having a circumference that is variable in a dimension, the annular wearable electronic device comprising:
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a first pod structure positioned at least approximately on the circumference of the annular wearable electronic device, wherein the first pod structure includes electric circuitry; a second pod structure positioned at least approximately on the circumference of the annular wearable electronic device, wherein the second pod structure includes electric circuitry and wherein the first pod structure and the second pod structure are physically separated from one another by a first distance at least approximately along the circumference of the annular wearable electronic device; and a first adaptive coupler positioned at least approximately on the circumference of the annular wearable electronic device, wherein the first adaptive coupler provides both electrically conductive coupling and adaptive physical coupling between the first pod structure and the second pod structure, and wherein the first adaptive coupler comprises; at least a first electrically conductive pathway that is electrically conductively coupled to both the electric circuitry of the first pod structure and the electric circuitry of the second pod structure; and a first elastomer band that is physically coupled to both the first pod structure and the second pod structure, wherein at least a portion of the first electrically conductive pathway extends through an inner volume of the first elastomer band, and wherein a length of the first elastomer band that couples in between the first pod structure and the second pod structure is greater than the first distance and includes at least one semi-rigidly set change in direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An elastic electrical cable comprising:
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a flexible printed circuit board including at least one electrically conductive trace carried on a flexible substrate; and an elastomer band, wherein at least a portion of the flexible printed circuit board extends through an inner volume of the elastomer band, and wherein a length of the elastomer band follows a tortuous path that includes a number of semi-rigidly set changes in direction. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of fabricating an elastic electrical cable, wherein the elastic electrical cable comprises a flexible printed circuit board and an elastomer band, and wherein at least a portion of the flexible printed circuit board extends through an inner volume of the elastomer band, the method comprising:
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molding a first longitudinal section of the elastomer band to include a recessed surface and a number of semi-rigid changes in direction; depositing the flexible printed circuit board against the recessed surface of the first longitudinal section of the elastomer band; and overmolding at least a portion of the flexible printed circuit board and at least a portion of the first longitudinal section of the elastomer band with a second longitudinal section of the elastomer band to enclose at least a portion of the flexible printed circuit board within the inner volume of the elastomer band. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An elastic electrical cable that includes a flexible printed circuit board and an elastomer band, the elastic electrical cable prepared by a process comprising the steps of:
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molding a first longitudinal section of the elastomer band to include a recessed surface and a number of semi-rigid changes in direction; depositing the flexible printed circuit board onto the recessed surface of the first longitudinal section of the elastomer band; and overmolding the flexible printed circuit board and at least a portion of the first longitudinal section of the elastomer band with a second longitudinal section of the elastomer band to enclose at least a portion of the flexible printed circuit board within an inner volume of the elastomer band.
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27. A method of fabricating an electric device, wherein the electric device comprises at least an electrically conductive pathway and an elastomer band, and wherein at least a portion of the electrically conductive pathway extends through an inner volume of the elastomer band, the method comprising:
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molding a first longitudinal section of the elastomer band in a first mold that is sized and dimensioned to accommodate substantially 0% shrinkage of the first longitudinal section of the elastomer band; removing the first longitudinal section of the elastomer band from the first mold; stretching the first longitudinal section of the elastomer band against an inner surface of a second mold; depositing the electrically conductive pathway against the first longitudinal section of the elastomer band while the first longitudinal section of the elastomer band is stretched against the inner surface of the second mold; and overmolding at least a portion of the electrically conductive pathway and at least a portion of the first longitudinal section of the elastomer band with a second longitudinal section of the elastomer band in a second mold to enclose at least a portion of the electrically conductive pathway within the inner volume of the elastomer band. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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Specification