Wearable electronic device

• US 10,874,335 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2016
• Issued: 12/29/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Cho, Chul-Ho, Jo, Seong-Wook, Lee, Seung-Min, Lee, Jea-Hyuck, Cho, Seong-Je, Cho, Jae-Geol, Jung, Sun-Tae
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Jacqueline
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Tho Q
• Application Number:
  US15/081,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20160278672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,740 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0204 of power management
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/045 with a separable interface unit, e.g. for communication
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/043 in a linear array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1473 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1477 non-invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1486 using enzyme electrodes, e.g. with immobilised oxidase
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15 Devices for taking samples of blood hypodermic syringes A61M5/178
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15087 short range, e.g. between console and disposable using implanted devices A61B5/150877
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150984 Microneedles or microblades
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/157 Devices characterised by integrated means for measuring characteristics of blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6802 Sensor mounted on worn items
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/685 Microneedles

Abstract

Disclosed is a wearable electronic device including a body portion wearable on a human body, a circuit portion mounted on the body portion, and a sensor portion contacting the human body to measure a bio signal, wherein the sensor portion is detachably coupled to the body portion.

Claims

1. A wearable electronic device, comprising:

a main body wearable on a human body and including a cover unit;

a circuit unit mounted on the main body; and

a sensor unit configured to contact the human body to measure a bio signal,

wherein the sensor unit is received in a receiving unit provided in the main body and is detachably coupled to the main body,

wherein the cover unit is configured to open the receiving unit by a rotation and to detach the sensor unit from the main body by the rotation,

wherein the receiving unit includes an opening through which a first portion of a rear surface of the sensor unit is exposed to an outside of the main body and a seating unit where a second portion of the rear surface of the sensor unit is seated, and

wherein the cover unit is configured to fasten the sensor unit in the receiving unit.

2. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a battery mounted in the main body and configured to supply power to the circuit unit.

3. The wearable electronic device of claim 2, wherein the cover unit includes a sensor guide unit that engages two opposite ends of the sensor unit, and

wherein the sensor unit is configured to slide along the sensor guide unit to be coupled with the cover unit.

4. The wearable electronic device of claim 2, wherein a plurality of sensor units are arranged in the main body, and

wherein the at least one contact terminal is composed of a plurality of contact terminals that are electrically connected with the plurality of sensor units, respectively.

5. The wearable electronic device of claim 4, wherein the sensor unit includes connection holes into which at least one of the contact terminals is configured to be inserted, and

wherein the circuit unit is configured to determine a type of the sensor unit depending on the contact terminals inserted into the connection holes or a combination of the contact terminals.

6. The wearable electronic device of claim 4, wherein the sensor unit includes a contact pad electrically connected with at least two of the contact terminals, and

wherein the circuit unit is configured to determine a type of the sensor unit mounted in the main body depending on a combination of the contact terminals electrically connected through the contact pad.

18. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a receiving unit provided in the main body and configured to receive the sensor unit.

7. A wearable electronic device, comprising:

a main body wearable on a human body and including a cover unit; and

a sensor unit provided in the main body and configured to contact the human body to measure a bio signal, the sensor unit being in a receiving unit provided in the main body and being detachably coupled to the main body,

wherein the cover unit is configured to open the receiving unit by a rotation and to detach the sensor unit from the main body by the rotation,

wherein the sensor unit includes a working electrode, a counter electrode electrically connected with the working electrode, and a reference electrode electrically connected with the working electrode,

wherein the sensor unit is configured to measure the bio signal by varying a voltage between the reference electrode and the working electrode,

wherein the receiving unit includes an opening through which a first portion of a rear surface of the sensor unit is exposed to an outside of the main body and a seating unit where a second portion of the rear surface of the sensor unit is seated, and

wherein the cover unit is configured to fasten the sensor unit in the receiving unit.

8. The wearable electronic device of claim 7, further comprising a controller configured to adjust the voltage between the reference electrode and the working electrode to vary the voltage between the reference electrode and the working electrode.

9. The wearable electronic device of claim 7, wherein a plurality of the working electrode is provided,

wherein the counter electrode is connected with each of the working electrodes, and

wherein the reference electrode is configured to apply a different voltage to each of the working electrodes.

10. A wearable electronic device, comprising:

a main body wearable on a human body;

a sensor unit provided in the main body and including micro needles; and

an attaching device configured to attach the sensor unit to the human body,

wherein the attaching device includes a housing, a moving unit that is configured to move back and forth in the housing, a hooking unit provided in the housing and detachably coupled with the moving unit, a first elastic unit provided between the moving unit and the hooking unit to provide an elastic force to the moving unit, a button unit that releases a coupling between the hooking unit and the moving unit, a receiving unit provided in the moving unit and receiving the main body, and a coupling unit provided in the moving unit and detachably coupled with the body unit.

11. The wearable electronic device of claim 10, wherein the housing includes a first hole where the button unit is inserted.

12. The wearable electronic device of claim 11, wherein the button unit includes a first button unit that moves along the first hole by an external force, a second button unit projecting along a side surface of the first button unit, and a third button unit projecting from a bottom of the first button unit and having an inclined unit.

13. The wearable electronic device of claim 12, wherein the hooking unit includes a first hooking unit, a first protrusion projecting from the first hooking unit, a second hooking unit formed to be symmetrical with the first hooking unit, a second protrusion projecting from the second hooking unit, a second elastic unit provided between the first hooking unit and the second hooking unit, and an inclined hole formed in each of the first hooking unit and the second hooking unit and having an inclined surface corresponding to the third button unit,

wherein the first hooking unit and the second hooking unit are configured to approach each other as the third button unit is inserted into the inclined hole, and

wherein the first hooking unit and the second hooking unit are separated from each other as the third button unit departs from the inclined hole.

14. The wearable electronic device of claim 13, wherein the housing further includes a first hooking hole and a second hooking hole respectively corresponding to the first protrusion and the second protrusion, and wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion are configured to lock to the first hooking hole and the second hooking hole, respectively, as the first hooking unit and the second hooking unit are separated from each other.

15. The wearable electronic device of claim 10, wherein the main body includes a first body unit, a second main body detachably coupled with the first body unit, and a coupling hole formed in any one of a side surface of the first main body and a side surface of the second main body and coupled with the coupling unit.

16. The wearable electronic device of claim 15, wherein the coupling unit includes first rotating holes formed in the moving unit, a rotating unit provided between the first rotating holes and having second rotating holes, a rotating shaft inserted between the first rotating holes and the second rotating holes, and a fixing unit projecting from the rotating unit and detachably coupled with the coupling hole as the rotating unit rotates.

17. The wearable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the main body is coupled with the coupling unit as the body unit, together with the moving unit, is moved in a first direction while received in the moving unit,

wherein the first elastic unit is configured to accumulate an elastic force as the moving unit moves,

wherein the moving unit is configured to move in the first direction to be coupled with the hooking unit,

wherein the button unit is configured to release a coupling between the hooking unit and the moving unit,

wherein the moving unit is configured to move in a second direction, which is an opposite direction of the first direction, by the elastic force of the first elastic unit, and

wherein, as the main body is released from the coupling unit while the body unit, together with the moving unit, is moved in the second direction, the main body is configured to move to an outside of the moving unit.

19. A wearable electronic device, comprising:

a main body wearable on a human body and including a cover unit;

a circuit unit mounted on the main body; and

a sensor unit configured to contact the human body to measure a bio signal,

wherein the main body includes a first main body where the circuit unit is mounted, a second main body where the battery is mounted, and a third main body where the sensor unit is mounted,

wherein the first main body and the second main body have a cover guide unit configured to guide each of two opposite ends of the cover unit, and

wherein the cover unit is configured to slide along the cover guide unit to open and close the receiving unit.