Adjustable Wristband and Method for Resizing
There is provided a wristband of a wearable device comprising a link, a first arm, a second arm, and an axle assembly supported by the link. The link includes a first side and a second side located substantially opposite the first side, and the link has a transverse axis extending through the first and second sides. The first arm is positioned near a portion of the first side of the link, and the transverse axis extends through the portion of the first side. The second arm is positioned at a portion of the second side of the link, and the transverse axis extends through the portion of the second side. The axle assembly is coupled to the first and second arms. The axle assembly permits the first arm to adjust along the transverse axis relative to the first side of the link while maintaining the second arm adjacent to the second side of the link, and the axle assembly permits the first arm to rotate about the transverse axis relative to the second arm.
The present invention relates generally to the field of wristbands for wearable devices and, more particularly, wristbands having links that may be removed from, or added to, a series of wristband links.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONA wearable device, such as a watch, may incorporate a metal band to support the main components of the device against a user's wrist. Since wrist sizes of users vary, the metal band is preferably adjustable. For that reasons, a metal band may include a plurality of links which may be removed or added to adjust the band length. For this type of metal band, the wearable device requires a specialized tool to remove or add links when adjusting the band length. Many users must take the wearable device to a jeweler or watch shop to resize the band from the default size, as originally sold or otherwise provided, to a band length more suitable to the user's wrist.
There is described a wristband of a wearable device, and method thereof, comprising removable side links to allow a user to easily remove links with a lateral movement. With this type of solution, there is minimal load place on the band in the direction of the release mechanism. In addition, it allows for a clean link design that does not have exposed holes as is typical with traditional removable pins.
One aspect is a wristband of a wearable device comprising a link, a first arm, a second arm, and an axle assembly supported by the link. The link includes a first side and a second side located substantially opposite the first side, and the link has a transverse axis extending through the first and second sides. The first arm is positioned near a portion of the first side of the link, and the transverse axis extends through the portion of the first side. The second arm is positioned at a portion of the second side of the link, and the transverse axis extends through the portion of the second side. The axle assembly is coupled to the first and second arms. The axle assembly permits the first arm to adjust along the transverse axis relative to the first side of the link while maintaining the second arm adjacent to the second side of the link. The axle assembly also permits the first arm to rotate about the transverse axis relative to the second arm.
Another aspect is a wristband having a plurality of links. The wristband comprises a first link, a second link, and an axle assembly. The first link of the plurality of links includes a first side and a second side located substantially opposite the first side, a first protrusion extending from the first side of the first link, and a second protrusion extending from the second side of the first link. The second link of the plurality of links includes a first side and a second side located substantially opposite the first side, the second link having a transverse axis extending through the first and second sides, a first arm positioned at the first side of the second link, a second arm positioned at the second side of the second link. The axle assembly of the second link is coupled to the first and second arms. The axle assembly permits the first arm of the second link to adjust along the transverse axis relative to the first side of the second link while maintaining the second arm adjacent to the second side of the second link. The axle assembly also permits the first arm of the second link to rotate about the transverse axis relative to the second arm of the second link.
Yet another aspect is a method for adjusting a wristband of a wearable device. The first arm of the second link is adjusted along the transverse axis relative to a base of the second link while maintaining the second arm adjacent to the base of the second link. The first arm of the second link rotates about the transverse axis relative to the second arm of the second link. The second protrusion of the first link moves relative to the second arm of the second link. To disengage links, the first arm is adjusted away from the base, the first arm is rotated away from the first protrusion, and the second protrusion is withdrawn from the second arm. To engage links, the second protrusion is inserted to the second arm, the first arm is rotated to the first protrusion, and the first arm moved to the base.
While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be described presently preferred embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated. One skilled in the art will hopefully appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements with the intent to help improve understanding of the aspects of the embodiments being illustrated and described.
Referring to
As stated above, the wearable device 100 includes a wristband 120. The wristband 120 supports the base mechanism 110 adjacent, or in proximity, to a user's appendage. For example, the wristband 120 shown in
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It is to be understood that
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Each of the links 601, 603 of the plurality links include elements in addition to their respective link bodies 605, 611. For the first link 601, a first protrusion 617 extends from the first side 613 of the first link, and a second protrusion 619 extends from the second side 615 of the first link. The first protrusion 617 and the second protrusion 619 extend substantially parallel to the transverse axis 621. For the second link 603, the second link has a transverse axis 621 extending through the first and second sides 613, 615. The transverse axis 621 is substantially directed orthogonal to the general coupling path 623 of the plurality of links. The second link 603 also has a first arm 625 positioned at the first side 613 of the second link, and a second arm 627 positioned at the second side 615 of the second link. Similarly, the first link 601 has a first arm 629 positioned at the first side 607 of the first link, and a second arm 631 positioned at the second side 609 of the first link. It should be noted that the first arm 625 and the second arm 627 are positioned offset from other elements of the second link 603, such as the second link body 611.
Many links of the plurality of links include an axle assembly, such as the axle assembly 629 of the second link 603. The axle assembly 629 is coupled to the first and second arms 625, 627. The axle assembly 629 permits the first arm 625 of the second link 603 to adjust along the transverse axis 621 relative to the first side 613 of the second link while maintaining the second arm 627 adjacent to the second side 615 of the second link (also represented by
The axle assembly 629 may include various components to enable adjustment along, and rotation about, the transverse axis 621. For example, the axle assembly includes a first shaft 631, 633 supported by the second link 603. The first shaft 631, 633 is concentric about the transverse axis 621 of the second link 603, and the first shaft is coupled to the first arm 625. Also, for example, the axle assembly 629 includes a second shaft 635 supported by the second link 603. The second shaft 635 is concentric about the transverse axis 621 of the second link 603, and the second shaft is coupled to the second arm 627.
The operation of the axle assembly 629 may support adjustment along, and rotation about, the transverse axis 621. The first shaft 631, 633 of the axle assembly 629 is capable of adjusting along the transverse axis 621 relative to the first side 613 of the second link 603 while maintaining the second shaft 635 of the axle assembly non-adjustable along the transverse axis relative to the second side 615 of the second link. A distance between the first and second shafts 631, 633, 635, along the transverse axis 621, varies as the first shaft adjusts along the transverse axis relative to the first side 613 of the second link 603. In addition, the first shaft 631, 633 of the axle assembly 629 is capable of permitting the first arm 625 to rotate about the transverse axis 621 relative to the second arm 627 of the axle assembly. The first and second shafts 631, 633, 635 remain adjacent to each other as the first arm 625 rotates about the transverse axis 621 relative to the second arm 627 of the axle assembly 629. The axle assembly 629 further includes a biased mechanism 637 to maintain the first arm 625 adjacent to the first side 613 of the second link 603 unless a force directing, for example, withdrawing, the first arm away from the first side is applied to the first arm.
The first arm 625 includes an inner bore 639 having dimensions similar to the dimensions of an outer surface of the first protrusion 617. Likewise, the second arm 627 includes an inner bore 641 having dimensions similar to the dimensions of an outer surface of the second protrusion 619.
The first link 601 and the second link 603 may be disengaged from each other (also represented by
The plurality of links, including the first link 601 and the second link 603, may include a special link 643 for attachment to an end portion 645 of the base mechanism 110 of the wearable device 100.
In the specification herein, specific embodiments are described. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth herein. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present teachings.
For the descriptions herein, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim.
Claims
1. A wristband of a wearable device comprising:
- a link including a first side and a second side located substantially opposite the first side, the link having an transverse axis extending through the first and second sides;
- a first arm positioned near a portion of the first side of the link, the transverse axis extending through the portion of the first side;
- a second arm positioned at a portion of the second side of the link, the transverse axis extending through the portion of the second side; and
- an axle assembly supported by the link and coupled to the first and second arms, the axle assembly permitting the first arm to adjust along the transverse axis relative to the first side of the link while maintaining the second arm adjacent to the second side of the link, the axle assembly permitting the first arm to rotate about the transverse axis relative to the second arm.
2. The wristband of claim 1, further comprising:
- a first protrusion extending from the first side of the link, the first protrusion extending substantially parallel to the transverse axis; and
- a second protrusion extending from the second side of the link, the second protrusion extending substantially parallel to the transverse axis, the second protrusion located substantially opposite the first protrusion relative to the link.
3. The wristband of claim 2, wherein:
- the first arm includes an inner bore having dimensions similar to the dimensions of an outer surface of the first protrusion; and
- the second arm includes an inner bore having dimensions similar to the dimensions of an outer surface of the second protrusion.
4. The wristband of claim 1, wherein the first arm and the second arm are positioned offset from the link.
5. The wristband of claim 1, wherein the axle assembly comprises:
- a first shaft supported by the link, the first shaft being concentric about the transverse axis of the link, the first shaft being coupled to the first arm; and
- a second shaft supported by the link, the second shaft being concentric about the transverse axis of the link, the second shaft being coupled to the second arm.
6. The wristband of claim 5, wherein the first shaft of the axle assembly is capable of adjusting along the transverse axis relative to the first side of the link while maintaining the second shaft of the axle assembly non-adjustable along the transverse axis relative to the second side of the link.
7. The wristband of claim 6, wherein a distance between the first and second shafts, along the transverse axis, varies as the first shaft adjusts along the transverse axis relative to the first side of the link.
8. The wristband of claim 5, wherein the first shaft of the axle assembly is capable of permitting the first arm to rotate about the transverse axis relative to the second arm of the axle assembly.
9. The wristband of claim 8, wherein the first and second shafts remain adjacent to each other as the first arm rotates about the transverse axis relative to the second arm of the axle assembly
10. The wristband of claim 1, wherein the axle assembly includes a biased mechanism to maintain the first arm adjacent to the first side of the link unless a force directed away from the first side is applied to the first arm.
11. A wristband of a wearable device comprising:
- a first link of a plurality of links including a first side and a second side located substantially opposite the first side, a first protrusion extending from the first side of the first link, and a second protrusion extending from the second side of the first link; and
- a second link of the plurality of links including a first side and a second side located substantially opposite the first side, the second link having a transverse axis extending through the first and second sides, a first arm positioned at the first side of the second link, a second arm positioned at the second side of the second link; and
- an axle assembly of the second link coupled to the first and second arms, the axle assembly permitting the first arm of the second link to adjust along the transverse axis relative to the first side of the second link while maintaining the second arm adjacent to the second side of the second link, and the axle assembly permitting the first arm of the second link to rotate about the transverse axis relative to the second arm of the second link.
12. The wristband of claim 11, wherein the first link and the second link may be disengaged from each other, after the first arm of the second link adjusts along the transverse axis away from the first side of the second link and the first arm rotates about the transverse axis away from the first protrusion of the first link.
13. The wristband of claim 11, wherein the first link and the second link may be engaged to each other, after the first arm of the second link rotates about the transverse axis to the first protrusion of the first link and the first arm adjusts along the transverse axis to the first side of the second link.
14. The wristband of claim 11, wherein the axle assembly comprises:
- a first shaft supported by the second link, the first shaft being concentric about the transverse axis of the second link, the first shaft being coupled to the first arm; and
- a second shaft supported by the second link, the second shaft being concentric about the transverse axis of the second link, the second shaft being coupled to the second arm.
15. A method for adjusting a wristband of a wearable device, the wristband including a first link having first and second protrusions, a second link having first and second arms, a transverse axis extending through the second link, and an axle assembly concentric with the transverse axis, the method comprising:
- adjusting the first arm of the second link along the transverse axis relative to a base of the second link while maintaining the second arm adjacent to the base of the second link;
- rotating the first arm of the second link about the transverse axis relative to the second arm of the second link; and
- moving the second protrusion of the first link relative to the second arm of the second link.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein:
- adjusting the first arm of the second link along the transverse axis relative to a base of the second link includes adjusting the first arm away from the base;
- rotating the first arm of the second link about the transverse axis relative to the second arm of the second link includes rotating the first arm of the second link away from the first protrusion of the first link; and
- moving the second protrusion of the first link relative to the second arm of the second link includes withdrawing the second protrusion of the first link from the second arm of the second link.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein:
- moving the second protrusion of the first link relative to the second arm of the second link includes inserting the second protrusion of the first link to the second arm of the second link;
- rotating the first arm of the second link about the transverse axis relative to the second arm of the second link includes rotating the first arm of the second link to the first protrusion of the first link; and
- adjusting the first arm of the second link along the transverse axis relative to a base of the second link includes adjusting the first arm to the base.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 30, 2015
Publication Date: Nov 3, 2016
Inventors: Daniel T. Berg (Gilroy, CA), Katherine C. Morgenroth (Los Gatos, CA)
Application Number: 14/700,245