INSERT FOR ENCLOSING ELECTRONICS
The present invention may include an insert with a cavity or recess configured to contain electronics. The insert may include shapes, sizes, and configurations such as a disk, envelope, packet, pod, case, casing, shell, cocoon or capsule. The insert may be inserted into a stretchable object. In one embodiment, the insert may be of a shape, size and configuration to contain a RFID device and be inserted into an elastic wristband.
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This non-provisional application claims priority based upon prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/494,028 filed Jun. 7, 2011 in the name of James Joseph Pedicano and Ron Yuhl, entitled “Bracelet for Storing and Transmitting Information,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to packaging and, more particularly, to the packaging of electronics into stretchable objects.
Existing technology is not well suited for combining electronics into stretchable objects. For example, commercially available chips that are designed for use in contactless payment systems are sold in a molded package, similar, if not identical, to the NOA3 package offered by Nedcard Ltd. of Belgium. A representative package size is 5.15 mm×8.0 mm×0325 mm. The chip size is typically 2 mm×2 mm×0.015 mm though there is significant variation between manufacturers. Because standard molded packaging is designed to protect the integrated circuit during fabrication and is designed for use on a PVC laminated card, traditional molded packaging is typically stiff and very robust and, as a result, not suitable for use in a stretchable object.
As is apparent to those skilled in the art, there are numerous obstacles to embedding electronics, such as RFID microchips and antennas, into a stretchable object, such as an elastic wristband. With respect to an elastic wristband, for example, the wristband must possess the requisite elasticity to stretch when drawn over the user's hand, but must also be UV stable enough to protect the RFID chip and antenna. The wristband must be durable enough to withstand the rigors of daily living, including activities such as exercise and bathing, while protecting the integrity of the electronics. To maximize market acceptance, the wristband must be of a size commensurate with currently available wristbands. The size of the wristband may require the electronics to be smaller than otherwise permissible. Also, the electronics must be configured on or in the wristband in such a manner that the stretching of the band during use does not damage elements of the electronics such as a microchip, antenna, or the connection therebetween.
Other issues related to the combination of stretchable objects and electronics arise in the manufacturing process. During the manufacturing of an elastic wristband that contains an RFID device, for example, the microchip and antenna of the RFID device must be protected so that RFID device is not damaged or destroyed. Similarly, the connection between the microchip and antenna of the RFID device must not be dislodged or compromised. Also, the microchip and antenna package must be properly adhered to the wristband, either temporarily during the molding process if the package is included within the mold, or permanently if the package is adhered to the outside of the wristband. Resins must be selected which match the “skin feel” of currently available wristbands but that are also compatible with the microchip and antenna. In addition, the finished product must be aesthetically pleasing and appear the same as commercially available wristbands, including matching the color, indented lettering and, if the wristband is manufactured in two parts, making the two portions of the wristband indistinguishable. Another concern is that since the wristband must be relatively soft for the wristband to be sufficiently flexible, the components embedded in the wristband may require additional protection against external pressures in order to avoid damage the wristband is worn on the wrist.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA device and method which implements a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes an insert with a cavity configured to contain electronics. The insert may include shapes, sizes, and configurations such as a disk, envelope, packet, pod, case, casing, shell, cocoon or capsule. The cavity may include other shapes, sizes, and configurations such as a pocket, pouch, receptacle, recess, depression, void, groove, channel or indention. The insert may be inserted into a stretchable object. In one embodiment, the insert may be of a shape, size and configuration to contain a RFID device and be inserted into an elastic wristband.
In one embodiment, an insert for containing electronics within a stretchable object comprises an elongated disk having a width within the range of 0.6 to 0.1 inches and a top surface, a cavity within the elongated disk, and an opening to the cavity on the top surface of the elongated disk.
In one embodiment, a capsule for containing electronics within a stretchable object comprises a first elongated sheet with a convex inner surface and concave outer surface, a second elongated sheet with a concave inner surface and a convex outer surface, the concave inner surface including a recess, and a hinge connecting the proximal end of the first elongated sheet and the proximal end of the second elongated sheet such that the convex inner surface of the first elongated sheet may be rotated to contact at least a portion of the concave inner surface of the second elongated sheet.
In one embodiment, a casing for containing electronics within a stretchable object comprises a first elongated plate and a second elongated plate. The first elongated plate includes a first end, a second end, and an inner surface. In addition, the first elongated plate includes a first connecting mechanism on its inner surface near its first end and a second connecting mechanism on its inner surface near its second end. The second elongated plate also includes a first end, a second end, an inner surface, a first complementary connecting mechanism on its inner surface near its first end, and a second complementary connecting mechanism on its inner surface near its second end. Either the inner surface of the first elongated plate or the inner surface of the second elongated plate includes a recess. In addition, the distance between the first complementary connecting mechanism and the second complementary connecting mechanism is less than the distance between the first connecting mechanism and the second connecting mechanism such that the first complementary connecting mechanism may mate with the first connecting mechanism and the second complementary connecting mechanism may mate with the second connecting mechanism only with the inner surface of the second elongated plate having a convex curvature and the inner surface of the first elongated plate having a concave curvature.
As may be appreciated by one having ordinary skill in the art, there is a significant need for an insert that will protect electronics, such as an RFID device, from damage in combining the electronics with a stretchable object, from stretching and twisting as the stretchable object is used, and from wear and tear that will decrease the durability and life span of the stretchable object.
Before drawings are presented it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of the assembly and arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of its major components being carried out and assembled in various ways. For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings but not limited to represent the whole invention, in which:
The present invention may include an insert with a cavity configured to contain electronics. The insert may include shapes, sizes, and configurations such as a disk, envelope, packet, pod, case, casing, shell, cocoon or capsule. The cavity may include other shapes, sizes, and configurations such as a pocket, pouch, receptacle, recess, depression, void, groove, channel or indention. The insert may be inserted into a stretchable object. In one embodiment, the insert may be of a shape, size and configuration to contain a RFID device and be inserted into an elastic wristband.
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The insert 100 may also include at least one opening 105 and at least one cavity 104. In one embodiment, the opening 105 may be positioned on the top surface 106 or the bottom surface 102 of the insert 100. The opening 105 may provide access to the cavity 104. The cavity 104 may be configured to hold electronics, such as an RFID device. In one embodiment, for example, an RFID device including a microchip and an antenna may be inserted into the cavity 104 through the opening 105. In one embodiment, the cavity 104 may be rectangular in shape. In one embodiment, the cavity 104 may be approximately 2.0 inches in length, 0.39 to 0.5 inches in height, and 0.032 to 0.040 inches in width. In one embodiment, the cavity may be approximately centered between the front surface 108 and the back surface 109 of the insert 100. In one embodiment, the cavity 104 may be approximately centered between the left-side surface 103 and the right-side surface 101 of the insert 100. It can be appreciated that other embodiments of the cavity 104 may include other shapes, sizes, and configurations such as a pocket, pouch, receptacle, recess, depression, void, groove, channel or indention. In one embodiment, a lid (not shown) may be placed over the opening 105. In other embodiments, the cavity 104 may be closed by molding over the opening 105.
The insert 100 may be comprised of material with a hardness that is greater than the hardness of the stretchable object that the insert 100 is to be inserted into. The insert 100 may be comprised of materials with different hardness levels, however. For example, the insert 100 may be comprised of thermal plastic elastomers (TPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), poly carbonate, styrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polypropylene and/or polyethylene.
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In one embodiment, the insert 100 may include writing on its front surface 108, or on a lid or cover (not shown) covering at least a portion of the insert's 100 front surface. In addition, the elastic wristband 700 and/or at least a portion of the second elastic band 705 may be transparent so that the writing on the insert 100 may be viewed with the insert 100 contained within the elastic wristband 700.
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When a single embodiment is described herein, it will be readily apparent that more than one embodiment may be used in place of a single embodiment. Similarly, where more than one embodiment is described herein, it will be readily apparent that a single embodiment may be substituted for that one device.
In light of the wide variety of possible devices and methods, the detailed embodiments are intended to be illustrative only and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention. Rather, what is claimed as the invention is all such modifications as may come within the spirit and scope of the following claims and equivalents thereto.
None of the description in this specification should be read as implying that any particular element, step or function is an essential element which must be included in the claim scope. The scope of the patented subject matter is defined only by the allowed claims and their equivalents. Unless explicitly recited, other aspects of the present invention as described in this specification do not limit the scope of the claims.
Claims
1. An insert for containing electronics within a stretchable object comprising:
- an elongated disk having a width within the range of 0.6 to 0.1 inches and having a top surface;
- a cavity within said elongated disk; and
- an opening to said cavity on said top surface of said elongated disk.
2. The insert of claim 1 wherein the height of said elongated disk is approximately 0.5 inches.
3. The insert of claim 1 wherein the length of said elongated disk is within the range of 2.0 to 2.5 inches.
4. The insert of claim 1 wherein the length of said elongated disk is curved to approximate a portion of the circumference of a circle with a diameter within the range of 2.25 to 3.0 inches.
5. The insert of claim 1 wherein said elongated disk includes a front surface and a back surface and wherein said cavity is approximately centered between said front surface and said back surface.
6. The insert of claim 1 wherein said elongated disk includes a left side and a right side and wherein said cavity is approximately centered between said left side and said right side.
7. The insert of claim 1 wherein the length of said cavity is approximately 2.0 inches.
8. The insert of claim 1 wherein the height of said cavity is within the range of 0.39 to 0.5 inches.
9. The insert of claim 1 wherein the width of said cavity is within the range of 0.032 and 0.040 inches.
10. The insert of claim 1 further comprising a lid configured to cover said opening.
11. The insert of claim 1 further comprising a lid with at least one mounting mechanism, said at least one mounting mechanism being configured to mate with a complementary mounting mechanism of said elongated disk.
12. The insert of claim 1 wherein said elongated disk includes a front surface with a proximal end and a back surface with a proximal end and wherein said proximal end of said front surface is hinged to said proximal end of said back surface.
13. The insert of claim 1 said elongated disk includes a front surface with a distal end and a back surface with a distal end and wherein said distal end of said front surface includes a connecting mechanism that is configured to connect to a complementary connecting mechanism at said distal end of said back surface.
14. The insert of claim 1 wherein said cavity includes one or more compartments and at least one channel connecting said compartments.
15. The insert of claim 1 wherein said elongated disk is comprised of one or more of the following materials: thermal plastic elastomers, polyvinyl chloride, poly carbonate, styrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polypropylene and polyethylene.
16. A capsule for containing electronics within a stretchable object comprising:
- a first elongated sheet with a proximal end, a convex inner surface, and concave outer surface;
- a second elongated sheet with a proximal end, a concave inner surface and a convex outer surface, said concave inner surface including a recess; and
- a hinge connecting said proximal end of said first elongated sheet and said proximal end of said second elongated sheet such that said convex inner surface of said first elongated sheet may be rotated about said hinge to contact at least a portion of said concave inner surface of said second elongated sheet.
17. The capsule of claim 16 wherein said first elongated sheet includes a distal end and said second elongated sheet includes a distal end and wherein said distal end of said first elongated sheet includes a connecting mechanism that is configured to mate to a complementary connecting mechanism at said distal end of said second elongated sheet.
18. The capsule of claim 16 wherein the height of said first elongated sheet is approximately 0.5 inches, the length of said first elongated sheet is within the range of 2.0 to 2.5 inches.
19. The capsule of claim 16 wherein the length of said first elongated sheet is curved to approximate a portion of the circumference of a circle with a diameter within the range of 2.25 to 3.0 inches.
20. The capsule of claim 16 wherein the length of said recess is approximately 2.0 inches and the height of said recess is within the range of 0.39 to 0.5 inches.
21. The capsule of claim 16 wherein the width of said recess is within the range of 0.032 and 0.040 inches.
22. A casing for containing electronics within a stretchable object comprising:
- a first elongated plate including a first end of said first elongated plate, a second end of said first elongated plate, and an inner surface of said first elongated plate, said first elongated plate including a first connecting mechanism on said inner surface of said first elongated plate near said first end of said first elongated plate and a second connecting mechanism on said inner surface of said first elongated plate near said second end of said first elongated plate;
- a second elongated plate including a first end of said second elongated plate, a second end of said second elongated plate, and an inner surface of said second elongated plate, said second elongated plate including a first complementary connecting mechanism on said inner surface of said second elongated plate near said first end of said second elongated plate and a second complementary connecting mechanism on said inner surface of said second elongated plate near said second end of said second elongated plate;
- wherein either said inner surface of said first elongated plate or said inner surface of said second elongated plate includes a recess; and
- wherein the distance between said first complementary connecting mechanism and said second complementary connecting mechanism is less than the distance between said first connecting mechanism and said second connecting mechanism such that said first complementary connecting mechanism may mate with said first connecting mechanism and said second complementary connecting mechanism may mate with said second connecting mechanism only with said inner surface of said second elongated plate having a convex curvature and said inner surface of said first elongated plate having a concave curvature.
23. The casing of claim 22 wherein the height of said first elongated plate is approximately 0.5 inches.
24. The casing of claim 22 wherein the length of said elongated plate is within the range of 2.0 to 2.5 inches.
25. The casing of claim 22 wherein said concave curvature of said first elongated plate approximates a portion of the circumference of a circle with a diameter within the range of 2.25 to 3.0 inches.
26. The casing of claim 22 wherein said recess is approximately centered between either said first end of said first elongated plate and said second end of said first elongated plate or said first end of said second elongated plate and said second end of said second elongated plate.
27. The casing of claim 22 wherein the length of said recess is approximately 2.0 inches.
28. The casing of claim 22 wherein the height of said recess is within the range of 0.39 to 0.5 inches.
29. The casing of claim 22 wherein the width of said recess is within the range of 0.032 and 0.040 inches.
30. The casing of claim 22 wherein said first connecting mechanism and said first complementary mechanism include a hinge.
31. The casing of claim 22 wherein said recess includes one or more compartments and at least one channel connecting said compartments.
32. The casing of claim 22 wherein said first elongated disk is comprised of one or more of the following materials: thermal plastic elastomers, polyvinyl chloride, poly carbonate, styrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polypropylene and polyethylene.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 4, 2012
Publication Date: Jun 6, 2013
Applicant: YUP 2 ATX, LLC (Austin, TX)
Inventors: James Joseph Pedicano (Austin, TX), Ron Yuhl (Warren, NJ)
Application Number: 13/487,800
International Classification: A45C 11/00 (20060101);