Adjustable band mechanism

A band clasp comprises a ratchet assembly at a first end of a band, the ratchet assembly including a plate having a rim that defines an aperture that extends along a length of the first end, the ratchet assembly further including a track that extends along the length of the first end beneath the plate, the track having a first side and a second side, the first side including a first plurality of teeth opposing a second plurality of teeth of the second side. The band clasp further comprises a pawl assembly disposed at a second end of the band opposite the first end, the pawl assembly including opposing pawls having an outward bias, the opposing pawls configured to engage the rim and opposing teeth of the track through the aperture to fasten the first end of the band to the second end of the band.

BACKGROUND

Many wristbands provide a mechanism with which the size of the wristband may be adjusted to accommodate wide variation in human wrist size and provide a snug but comfortable fit. In some wristbands, links are added or removed to adjust fit. Other wristbands utilize a flexible elastic band.

SUMMARY

One embodiment of this disclosure provides a band clasp. The band clasp comprises a ratchet assembly at a first end of a band, the ratchet assembly including a plate having a rim that defines an aperture that extends along a length of the first end, the ratchet assembly further including a track that extends along the length of the first end beneath the plate, the track having a first side and a second side, the first side including a first plurality of teeth opposing a second plurality of teeth of the second side. The band clasp further comprises a pawl assembly disposed at a second end of the band opposite the first end, the pawl assembly including opposing pawls having an outward bias, the opposing pawls configured to engage the rim and opposing teeth of the track through the aperture to fasten the first end of the band to the second end of the band.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1Ais a view of an example wearable sensor system100.FIG. 1Bis a partial view of a band clasp101of the wearable sensor system100. The wearable sensor system100includes a band102that is operatively attached to band clasp101and that supports components of the band clasp at two ends—specifically, a ratchet assembly104at a first end105and a pawl assembly106at a second end107opposite the first end. In some examples, band102is comprised of an elastomeric material (e.g., polyisoprene, butyl rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, silicone rubber) that facilitates a snug but comfortable fit when surrounding a portion of a human limb (e.g., wrist) or other object when the wearable sensor system100is positioned in a secure, closed state affixing the system to the human limb portion or other object. This secure state may be achieved by engaging ratchet assembly104with pawl assembly106, thereby fastening the first end105of the band102to the second end107of the band. As described in further detail below, pawl assembly106includes opposing pawls108that may be engaged with ratchet assembly104to facilitate fastening of first end105to second end107. In the depicted example, pawls108extend substantially perpendicularly from second end107of band102.

The wearable sensor system100further includes a heart rate sensor (HRS)112positioned at first end105and configured to sense the heart rate of a user wearing the wearable sensor system100. To perform heart rate sensing, HRS112is placed in contact with the skin of the user (e.g., with a surface of the user's wrist). HRS112may use various suitable heart rate sensing technologies to sense the heart rate of the user wearing the wearable sensor system100—for example, the HRS may probe the wearer's skin with visible light of wavelengths strongly absorbed by hemoglobin. As the capillaries below the skin fill with blood on each contraction of the heart muscle, more of the probe light is absorbed; as the capillaries empty between contractions, less of the probe light is absorbed. Thus, by measuring the periodic attenuance of the probe light, the wearer's pulse rate can be determined. As described in further detail, HRS112may be maintained in contact with the wearer's skin during adjustment (e.g., tightening, loosening) of band102, providing continued heart rate sensing even while adjusting the fit of the band.

As shown inFIG. 1A, the wearable sensor system100may further include a display carrier module114positioned in band102substantially opposite HRS112, when the band is in a closed, looped state. In some examples, band102may comprise two discrete segments (e.g., a first band segment including first end105and a second band segment including second end107) which may be joined together by and/or at display carrier module114. Band102may thus be operatively attached to display carrier module114. Accordingly, display carrier module114may be inserted, removed, or replaced in band102. The display carrier module114may include various electronic and/or logic components such as a logic machine and a data-storage machine. The data-storage machine may hold data and instructions, the latter of which may be executed by the logic machine to enact various computing device functionalities.

Examples of suitable data-storage and logic machines are described below with reference toFIG. 5. As such, the wearable sensor system100may be referred to as a wearable (e.g., wrist-worn) computing device and/or a wearable sensory-and-logic system. The display carrier module114may further include a display device (e.g., LCD, OLED) configured to output visual information that may be observed by the user. As one non-limiting example, the display device may provide an indication of time. As such, in this example the wearable sensor system100may be referred to as a watch. A mechanism indicating time may be mechanical, analog, digital, or another suitable type.

In some implementations, HRS112may cooperate with display carrier module114to enable wearers of the wearable sensor system100to track their fitness (e.g., heart rate measured by the HRS). In particular, display carrier module114may include a fitness tracking computing device, comprising a logic machine and a data-storage machine that receives measurements from HRS112and provides output indicative of the HRS measurements to the display device in the display carrier module.

While the wearable sensor system100is shown as including HRS112, it will be appreciated that other sensors may be included in addition or in lieu of the HRS, including but not limited to a galvanic skin-response sensor, a skin temperature sensor, and an ambient temperature sensor. One or more of such sensors, in addition to other componentry that may be included in the wearable sensor system100(e.g., a GPS receiver, microphone, speaker, communication port, visible-light sensor, ultraviolet light sensor) may interact cooperatively to collect input and provide representative output to the user (e.g., via the display device and/or speaker). Further, one or more such sensors may be positioned in first end105or various other suitable locations in the wearable sensor system100.

FIG. 2is a perspective view of band clasp101of the wearable sensor system ofFIG. 1. Clasp101includes a pawl release202, which in the depicted implementation includes two side buttons positioned on opposite sides of pawl assembly106. In this example, pawl release202may be actuated in a lateral and inward direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction along which band102may be tightened and/or lengthened. As described in further detail below, actuation of pawl release202in this manner in turn actuates pawls108(FIG. 1B), allowing the pawls to be disengaged from ratchet assembly104, unlocking clasp101, disengaging first end105from second end107, and allowing a user to remove the wearable sensor system100from his or her body. In the depicted implementation, pawl release202and pawls108are integrated into a single component. Ratchet assembly104may be accessed by extending pawls108through an aperture204defined by a rim206of a plate208. In this example, aperture204is a hollow opening extending along a length210of first end105. Thus, aperture204may be visually concealed from visual perception by the user, enhancing the apparent industrial design of the wearable sensor system100.

FIG. 2also illustrates the positioning of aperture204relative to other components in clasp101. For example, aperture204may be positioned along an outward face212of first end105, whereas a component such as HRS112may be positioned along an inward face214of the first end, the inward face opposing the outward face. With first end105fastened to second end107, pawls108(FIG. 1B) of pawl assembly106may extend through aperture204and outward face212toward inward face214. Moreover, with first end105fastened to second end107, ratchet assembly104may be in opposing abutment (e.g., physical contact) with pawl assembly106.

FIGS. 3A-Cshow band clasp101of the wearable sensor system ofFIG. 1in various states. In particular,FIGS. 3A and 3Bshow ratchet assembly104and pawl assembly106in an open, disengaged state and a closed, engaged state, respectively. The closed, engaged state may be achieved by extending pawls108(FIG. 1B) of pawl assembly106through aperture204of plate208and engaging the pawls with a track302positioned beneath the plate. Pawls108(FIG. 1B) may be snapped into track302through aperture204at virtually any position along the track without actuating pawl release202. Snap-in in this manner facilitates easy and rapid securement of the wearable sensor system100to a wearer. In contrast, pawl release202is actuated to disengage pawls108from track302and release the wearable sensor system100from its connection to the wearer.

FIG. 3Cillustrates track302and the engagement of pawls108thereto.FIG. 3Cparticularly shows a bottom view of plate208and track302; the depicted surface of the plate may be in contact with a wearer's skin when clasp101is in the closed, secure state, for example. As with aperture204, track302extends along length210of first end105(FIG. 1B) beneath plate208. Track302includes a first side304and a second side306, where the first side includes a first plurality of teeth (e.g., first tooth308) opposing a second plurality of teeth (e.g., second tooth310) of the second side. Pawls108may have an outward bias, such that when inserted through aperture204and into track302, the pawls expand outwardly, engaging the teeth of the track on both sides as shown inFIG. 3C.

Each pawl108includes a tapered head that automatically inwardly deflects that opposing pawl in response to the tapered head extending through aperture204. The tapered head of each pawl108comes into contact with rim206as ratchet assembly104is engaged with pawl assembly106, cooperating with the rim to deflect the pawl inward as the pawl is also pushed downward into aperture204. Each tapered head may extend along a portion of its respective pawl108such that when the pawls are inserted through aperture204by a threshold amount the outward bias of the pawls pushes the pawls into respective teeth and into engagement with track302. By positioning pawls108such that their tapered heads come into contact with rim206when the pawls begin to be inserted into aperture204, ratchet assembly104may be snapped-in to pawl assembly106without actuating pawl release202as described above.

Continuing withFIG. 3C, each pawl108includes a catch (e.g., catch312) that engages plate208and resists that pawl from being removed from aperture204, once the pawls have been inserted through the aperture. As such, the geometry of the teeth of track302may be adapted to the geometry of the catches; for example, the teeth may be sized slightly larger than the catches such that, when pawls108are engaged with the track, the catches remain in at least partial abutment with respective teeth and resist removal (e.g., via a transverse force into the page ofFIG. 3C) from the track by maintaining contact with plate208. Pawl release202, however, may move each opposing pawl108inward (e.g., laterally) so as to disengage the catch312of that pawl from plate208and allow that pawl to be removed through aperture204.

Other features of clasp101define the movement of pawls108. In particular, each tooth of track302includes a ramp portion (e.g., ramp portion314) that automatically inwardly deflects an opposing pawl108in response to an effective length of band102(FIG. 1B) being shortened. In some examples, the effective length of band102(FIG. 1B) may be shortened by advancing pawl assembly106(FIGS. 3A and 3B) along a longitudinal direction (e.g., substantially parallel to a direction represented by an arrow316) without actuating pawl release202. As the effective band length is shortened in this way, pawls108push against respective ramp portions314, which guide the pawls inward and allow the pawls to disengage from the teeth of track302with which they were initially engaged, and to engage different teeth in a different longitudinal position. In some implementations, the catches312of pawls108may remain engaged with plate208as the ramp portions314automatically inwardly deflect the pawls, allowing the position of the pawls to be varied while maintaining their engagement with the track.

It will be appreciated that the “effective length” of band102as used herein may refer to the degree to which the band is tightened—e.g., the amount by which pawls108are advanced along the longitudinal direction within track302. A relatively greater effective length may thus refer to a relatively looser fit when band102is secured, whereas a relatively lesser effective length may refer to a relatively tighter fit.

Each tooth of track302further includes a stop (e.g., stop318) that engages a pawl108(e.g., particularly catch312) to resist the effective length of band102(FIG. 1B) from being lengthened. Once pawls108are engaged with track302, stops318abut and prevent the pawls from being advanced in a loosening direction opposite the tightening direction—e.g., the stops prevent the pawls from being advanced in a longitudinal direction substantially antiparallel to the direction indicated by arrow316. As such, actuation of pawl release202may be required in some implementations to move pawls108inward so as to disengage the pawls from stops318and to allow the effective length of band102(FIG. 1B) to be lengthened.

Thus, the attachment of ratchet assembly104to pawl assembly106(and the engagement of pawls108with track302), as well as tightening of band102, may be achieved without actuation of pawl release202. Conversely, actuation of pawl release202disengages ratchet assembly104from pawl assembly106(and disengages pawls108from track302), thereby loosening band102. Such a configuration may allow wearers of band102to rapidly secure the band to their bodies and achieve a desired tightness with minimal manipulation, while preventing errant loosening or disengagement of the band.

Various modifications to the wearable sensor system100are possible without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, ratchet assembly104and pawl assembly106may be transposed—that is, as seen inFIGS. 3A and 3B, ratchet assembly104may be positioned above pawl assembly106, with pawls108being engaged with the ratchet assembly in an upward direction. Moreover, pawls108may be imbued with an inward bias rather than an outward bias. In this example, pawls108move toward the center of an (e.g., laterally) outward facing track to facilitate engagement of ratchet assembly104with pawl assembly106.

FIG. 4is an exploded view of band clasp101ofFIG. 2. As shown, ratchet assembly104and pawl assembly106include a variety of components, such as a clasp housing, inner plate, strap insert, screws, rack cover, rack, slotted inner band, inner band snaps, spring-box lower case, coil spring, button pawl, and spring-box cover. The structure of track302may be installed and retained in ratchet assembly104using sheet metal snap fits, for example. The snap fits may be designed to achieve a permanent installation and be strong enough to resist normal wear and tear as well as reasonable abuse. Further, pawls108may be captured and tensioned by a spring-box mechanism that imbues band clasp101with an elegant aesthetic appearance. Coil springs may also be included in the spring-box mechanism which bias pawl release202outwardly. The spring-box mechanism may be enclosed by the clasp housing which is attached to an elastomeric segment (e.g., a portion of band102ofFIG. 1B), which is in turn attached to the structure of the wearable sensor system100.

FIG. 4also illustrates aspects of pawls108. As shown therein for one such pawl108, the pawl includes a tapered head402that cooperates with rim206(FIG. 2) to facilitate band tightening without actuation of pawl release202as described above.FIG. 4also shows catch312of pawl108, which as described above may maintain engagement between the pawl and plate208, thereby preventing its release from the track without actuation of pawl release202, and may further abut against stops (e.g., stop318ofFIG. 3C) of the track, allowing the pawls to be advanced in a tightening direction without actuation of the pawl release and preventing pawl movement in a loosening direction without actuation of the pawl release.

As shown and described, the wearable sensor system100affords a method of affixing a wristband to a wearer in an easy, rapid manner that does not involve actuation of buttons. Such method of “snap-in” is implemented in a physical design that imparts a clean industrial design to the wearable sensor system100without using screws. Conversely, band102of the wearable sensor system100may be loosened via pawl release actuation and not removal or adjustment of band links. This may maximize the duration in which an HRS (and/or other skin contact sensors) remain in contact with the skin of the wearer, maximizing the duration in which sensing is provided.

It will be appreciated that the approaches described herein may be applied to other wristbands and bands in general that do not incorporate sensing and/or computing componentry. Rather, rapid band securement as disclosed herein may be applied to virtually any band for which securement to some object is desired.

As evident from the foregoing description, the methods and processes described herein may be tied to a sensory-and-logic system of one or more machines. Such methods and processes may be implemented as a computer-application program or service, an application-programming interface (API), a library, firmware, and/or other computer-program product.FIGS. 1-4show one, non-limiting example of a sensory-and-logic system to enact the methods and processes described herein. However, these methods and process may also be enacted on sensory-and-logic systems of other configurations and form factors, as shown schematically inFIG. 5.

FIG. 5schematically shows a form-agnostic sensory-and-logic system510that includes a sensor suite512operatively coupled to a compute system514. The compute system includes a logic machine516and a data-storage machine518. The compute system is operatively coupled to a display subsystem520, a communication subsystem522, an input subsystem524, and/or other components not shown inFIG. 5.

Logic machine516may include one or more processors configured to execute software instructions. Additionally or alternatively, the logic machine may include one or more hardware or firmware logic machines configured to execute hardware or firmware instructions. Processors of the logic machine may be single-core or multi-core, and the instructions executed thereon may be configured for sequential, parallel, and/or distributed processing. Individual components of a logic machine optionally may be distributed among two or more separate devices, which may be remotely located and/or configured for coordinated processing. Aspects of a logic machine may be virtualized and executed by remotely accessible, networked computing devices in a cloud-computing configuration.

Data-storage machine518includes one or more physical devices configured to hold instructions executable by logic machine516to implement the methods and processes described herein. When such methods and processes are implemented, the state of the data-storage machine may be transformed—e.g., to hold different data. The data-storage machine may include removable and/or built-in devices; it may include optical memory (e.g., CD, DVD, HD-DVD, Blu-Ray Disc), semiconductor memory (e.g., RAM, EPROM, EEPROM), and/or magnetic memory (e.g., hard-disk drive, floppy-disk drive, tape drive, MRAM), among others. The data-storage machine may include volatile, nonvolatile, dynamic, static, read/write, read-only, random-access, sequential-access, location-addressable, file-addressable, and/or content-addressable devices.

It will be appreciated that data-storage machine518includes one or more physical devices. However, aspects of the instructions described herein alternatively may be propagated by a communication medium (e.g., an electromagnetic signal, an optical signal) that is not held by a physical device for a finite duration.

Aspects of logic machine516and data-storage machine518may be integrated together into one or more hardware-logic components. Such hardware-logic components may include field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), program- and application-specific integrated circuits (PASIC/ASICs), program- and application-specific standard products (PSSP/ASSPs), system-on-a-chip (SOC), and complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), for example.

Display subsystem520may be used to present a visual representation of data held by data-storage machine518. This visual representation may take the form of a graphical user interface (GUI). As the herein described methods and processes change the data held by the storage machine, and thus transform the state of the storage machine, the state of display subsystem520may likewise be transformed to visually represent changes in the underlying data. Display subsystem520may include one or more display subsystem devices utilizing virtually any type of technology. Such display subsystem devices may be combined with logic machine516and/or data-storage machine518in a shared enclosure, or such display subsystem devices may be peripheral display subsystem devices. The display device housed in display carrier module114ofFIG. 1Ais an example of display subsystem520.

Communication subsystem522may be configured to communicatively couple compute system514to one or more other computing devices. The communication subsystem may include wired and/or wireless communication devices compatible with one or more different communication protocols. As non-limiting examples, the communication subsystem may be configured for communication via a wireless telephone network, a local- or wide-area network, and/or the Internet.

An example provides a band clasp comprising a ratchet assembly at a first end of a band, the ratchet assembly including a plate having a rim that defines an aperture that extends along a length of the first end, the ratchet assembly further including a track that extends along the length of the first end beneath the plate, the track having a first side and a second side, the first side including a first plurality of teeth opposing a second plurality of teeth of the second side, and a pawl assembly disposed at a second end of the band opposite the first end, the pawl assembly including opposing pawls having an outward bias, the opposing pawls configured to engage the rim and opposing teeth of the track through the aperture to fasten the first end of the band to the second end of the band. In such an example, the opposing pawls may alternatively or additionally extend substantially perpendicularly from the second end of the band. In such an example, each opposing pawl may alternatively or additionally include a tapered head that automatically inwardly deflects that opposing pawl in response to the tapered head extending through the aperture. In such an example, each opposing pawl may alternatively or additionally include a catch that engages the plate and resists that opposing pawl from being removed through the aperture. In such an example, the band clasp may alternatively or additionally comprise a pawl release that moves each opposing pawl inward so as to disengage the catch of that opposing pawl from the plate and allow that opposing pawl to be removed through the aperture. In such an example, each tooth of the track may alternatively or additionally include a ramp portion that automatically inwardly deflects an opposing pawl in response to an effective length of the band being shortened. In such an example, the catch may alternatively or additionally remain engaged with the plate as the ramp portion automatically inwardly deflects the opposing pawl. In such an example, each tooth of the track may alternatively or additionally include a stop that engages an opposing pawl to resist an effective length of the band from being lengthened. In such an example, the band clasp may alternatively or additionally comprise a pawl release that moves the opposing pawl inward so as to disengage the opposing pawl from the stop and allow the effective length of the band to be lengthened. Any or all of the above-described examples may be combined in any suitable manner in various implementations.

Another example provides a wearable device comprising a display carrier module, a band operatively attached to the display carrier module, and a band clasp operatively attached to the band, the band clasp including a ratchet assembly at a first end of the band, the ratchet assembly including a plate having a rim that defines an aperture that extends along a length of the first end, the ratchet assembly further including a track that extends along the length of the first end beneath the plate, the track having a first side and a second side, the first side including a first plurality of teeth opposing a second plurality of teeth of the second side, and a pawl assembly disposed at a second end of the band opposite the first end, the pawl assembly including opposing pawls having an outward bias, the opposing pawls configured to engage the rim and opposing teeth of the track through the aperture to fasten the first end of the band to the second end of the band. In such an example, the display carrier may alternatively or additionally be configured to provide an indication of time. In such an example, the display carrier may alternatively or additionally include a computing device. In such an example, the display carrier may alternatively or additionally include a fitness tracking computing device. In such an example, the wearable device may alternatively or additionally comprise a heart rate sensor. In such an example, the aperture may alternatively or additionally be positioned along an outward face of the first end of the band, and the heart rate sensor may alternatively or additionally be positioned along an inward face of the first end of the band, the inward face opposing the outward face with the first end of the band fastened to the second end of the band. In such an example, the ratchet assembly may alternatively or additionally be in opposing abutment with the pawl assembly with the first end of the band fastened to the second end of the band. Any or all of the above-described examples may be combined in any suitable manner in various implementations.

Another example provides a wearable sensor system comprising a display carrier module, a band operatively attached to the display carrier module, the band including a heart rate sensor positioned at a first end of the band, and a band clasp operatively attached to the band, the band clasp including a ratchet assembly at the first end of a band, the ratchet assembly including a plate having a rim that defines an aperture that extends along a length of the first end, the ratchet assembly further including a track that extends along the length of the first end beneath the plate, the track having a first side and a second side, the first side including a first plurality of teeth opposing a second plurality of teeth of the second side, and a pawl assembly disposed at a second end of the band opposite the first end, the pawl assembly including opposing pawls having an outward bias, the opposing pawls configured to engage the rim and opposing teeth of the track through the aperture to fasten the first end of the band to the second end of the band. In such an example, the display carrier may alternatively or additionally be configured to provide output indicative of measurement performed by the heart rate sensor. In such an example, the heart rate sensor may alternatively or additionally be positioned along an inward face of the first end of the band, and the track may alternatively or additionally be positioned along an outward face of the first end of the band, the outward face opposing the inward face and the pawl assembly with the first end fastened to the second end. In such an example, the ratchet assembly may alternatively or additionally be in opposing abutment with the pawl assembly with the first end fastened to the second end. Any or all of the above-described examples may be combined in any suitable manner in various implementations.

It will be understood that the configurations and approaches described herein are exemplary in nature, and that these specific implementations or examples are not to be taken in a limiting sense, because numerous variations are feasible. The specific routines or methods described herein may represent one or more processing strategies. As such, various acts shown or described may be performed in the sequence shown or described, in other sequences, in parallel, or omitted.