Patent ID: 12213806

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present subject matter is not limited to the particular embodiments described, as those are only examples and may, of course, vary. Likewise, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting, since the scope of the present disclosure will be limited only by the appended claims.

In many example embodiments, a wearable device10that attaches to the skin of a user is provided. The attachment can be made by an adhesive disposed on a skin-contacting surface of the device10or in another manner such as with a mechanical connector like a belt or strap, which can be used in addition to or instead of adhesive.

Turning toFIGS.1,2and3, the device10is depicted as including an upper housing (e.g., a cover or seal)20, electrical circuitry comprising a flexible electrical circuit board30along with electrical components40coupled thereto for collecting data, storing data, processing data, transmitting data, or performing passive electrical functions, an optional support structure50for supporting the circuit board30, and an adhesive patch60coupled to the support structure50and configured to adhere the device10to the skin of a user.

The construction of the wearable device10described with respect to the followingFIGS.1-7Bis similar to those described in U.S. Publication No. 2013/0150691 (“Analyte Sensor Devices, Connections, and Methods”) and U.S. Publication No. 2015/0018643 (“Systems, Devices, and Methods for Energy Efficient Electrical Device Activation”), both of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety and for all purposes. In the present description, the wearable device10is described with features that facilitate the device conforming to a user's skin, adhesion to the body and comfort over the wear duration.

Turning toFIG.3, the circuit board30is shown to include a conductive trace32about its periphery that may function as an antenna, battery contacts34, sensor contacts36, an interior conductive trace38that enables communication between rigid components40adhered to the circuit board30, etc. The rigid components40include a battery42, a battery mount43, a processor44(e.g., an ASIC including a communications facility) along with one or more other associated components46(e.g., discrete components such as resistors, inductors, capacitors, transistors, chips, and so forth). Rigid components40can be components that are themselves rigid. Rigid components40can also be components that are not themselves rigid but, regardless, it is desirable to keep those components in a rigid state. For example, such components could be sensitive to the mechanical stress that accompanies bending of the underlying substrate (or susceptible to fatigue failure from such mechanical stress), either due to the component's fragile structure itself or the fragile connections of the component to the substrate (e.g., a fragile adhesive bond or solder connection). The components40are shown coupled or secured (e.g., adhered with adhesive or solder) to the circuit board30inFIGS.2and4. Where the wearable device10is a sensor control device, a sensor socket48configured to receive a sensor and other associated components (not shown) is provided.

As shown inFIGS.2,3,4and5a-5b, the support structure50includes rigid or substantially rigid sections52in spaced relation with one another forming gaps or channels54between adjacent sections52. When assembled with the circuit board30, the rigid or substantially rigid sections52of the support structure50are configured or oriented beneath the rigid components40of the electrical circuit to, e.g., protect solder joints from stress due to deflection. The gaps or channels54form non-rigid or flexible sections of the support structure that are configured or oriented beneath areas of the circuit board30where no solder connections are present on the electrical circuit and/or where interconnecting traces that can tolerate stress due to deflection, such as, e.g., the interior traces38and peripheral traces32, are located.

In a broad sense, circuitry can be provided on one or more first portions (e.g., sections52) and added flexibility for improved wearability can be provided by one or more second portions (e.g., gaps54), where the first portion can be described as relatively more rigid than the second portion, or where the first portion can be described as relatively less flexible than the second portion, and so forth. Put differently, the first portion can be described as rigid, substantially rigid, non-flexible, or substantially non-flexible and the second portion can be described as flexible, substantially flexible, non-rigid, or substantially non-rigid. Those of ordinary skill in the art will readily understand the concepts of rigidity and flexibility and will understand the meaning of these terms as they are used herein to provide a wearable device, without need for a definition based on explicit numerical ranges, ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) standards, etc.

In this and all embodiments, any number of rigid or substantially rigid sections52can be present, and any number of non-rigid or flexible sections can be present. The width of a particular flexible section or gap can be constant or variable, and the width of flexible sections or gaps within the same device can be the same or different from each other.

Any number of interior traces38and/or peripheral traces32can be included to connect components on the different rigid sections52. Each trace32and38can extend from one rigid section54to only the immediately adjacent rigid section54(on either side), or can bridge one or more rigid sections54such that a component40on one rigid section54is directly electrically connected with a component40on another, non-adjacent rigid section54. Although the term “trace” is used herein, in all embodiments any element capable of transferring a signal can be used, including but not limited to a conductive wire, either with or without an insulating jacket, a conductive ribbon cable, a waveguide, and the like.

It should be noted that the term “rigid material” as used herein is meant to encompass rigid materials, semi-rigid (partially flexible materials), and substantially any materials where an increased rigidity may be desired. For example, the rigid material may be metal, carbon fiber, ceramics, glass, sapphire, plastic, composite materials (e.g., carbon fiber reinforced plastic, glass fiber reinforced materials, or the like), printed circuit boards, and the like. Further, the dimensions of a material, such as its thickness, may be adjusted to cause that material to be relatively more rigid or less rigid (or more flexible, etc.) when compared to the same material at a different dimension, and thus certain materials may be considered either rigid or non-rigid depending on its dimensions. Additionally, the rigid material may include a combination of two or more materials connected together (e.g., through adhesive, welding, or the like). As one example, in instances where a first material may be brittle (e.g., glass), the material may be laminated or otherwise connected to another less brittle material and then the combined material may be modified using the method.

The support structure50may be formed by providing a rigid or substantially rigid material and removing sections of the rigid material to create a geometric pattern of rigid sections52in spaced relation with or without interlocking features extending there between. The geometric pattern may define the flex of the support structure50.

As depicted inFIG.5a, an example support structure50is circular in shape with the individual rigid sections52being formed as individual truncated pie-shaped sections defining an opening55at the center of the support structure50. The gaps or channels54between adjacent rigid sections52, which form the flexible sections of the support structure50when adhered to the circuit board30and adhesive patch60, radially extend from the central opening55to the outer periphery of the support structure50.

Alternatively, as shown inFIG.5b, the flexible sections or elements defined in the rigid material may function as a living hinge or mechanical hinge and allow the support structure50to bend or flex. Instead of removing all material or there being no material between adjacent rigid sections52, the flexible sections or elements comprise a groove or 3-sided channel56with a wall section53of the same material extending between adjacent rigid sections52, where the material of wall section53is relatively thinner than the adjacent rigid sections52. The thin wall sections53each function as a living hinge allowing the support structure50to bend or flex.

In other embodiments, one or more living hinges (or mechanical hinges) can be present along with one or more gaps between two adjacent rigid sections, resulting in a combination of the approaches shown inFIGS.5aand5b. Such a configuration can provide increased flexibility (by virtue of the gap(s)) and also maintain a constant or substantially constant spacing between rigid sections (by virtue of the living hinge(s)) so as to, e.g., avoid placing too great of a load on the traces32and/or38extending between the two adjacent rigid sections.

The flexible sections may be positioned at substantially any location of the rigid material and may span across one or more dimensions of the rigid material (e.g., across a width, length, or height of the rigid material) forming a variety of geometric patterns. Turning toFIGS.6aand6b, two example alternative embodiments of a support structure150with rigid and flexible sections are shown. InFIG.6a, the support structure150includes truncated pie shape rigid sections152(which can also be described as curved elongate shapes) positioned about a central rigid section158, which is circular in shape with a central opening155formed there through. In this and all embodiments, the rigid sections12can have rounded corners (as shown here) or sharp corners. The rigid sections152are positioned in spaced relation with the central rigid section158with a circular gap or channel156formed there between and extending about the periphery of the central rigid section158. Adjacent rigid sections152are positioned in spaced relation with one another with gaps or channels154radially extending from the circular gap156to the outer periphery of the support structure150.

In an alternative, as shown inFIG.6b, the central rigid section158may comprise individual, truncated pie shaped central rigid sections159defining a central opening153. Adjacent rigid sections159are positioned in spaced relation with one another with gaps or channels157radially extending from the central opening155to the circular gap156.

Turning toFIGS.7aand7b, two other example alternative embodiments of a support structure250with rigid and flexible sections are shown. InFIG.7a, the support structure250includes truncated pie shape rigid sections252positioned about a central rigid section258, which is square in shape with a central opening255formed there through. The rigid sections252are positioned in spaced relation with the central rigid section258and one another with a laterally and longitudinally oriented gaps or channels254and256formed there between and extending about the periphery of the central rigid section258.

In an alternative, as shown inFIG.7b, the central rigid section258may comprise individual central rigid sections259defining a central opening153. The central rigid sections259are square in shape and positioned in spaced relation with one another with laterally and longitudinally oriented gaps or channels255and257extending through the central opening253and between the laterally and longitudinally oriented gaps or channels254and256extending about the periphery of the central rigid section258.

Turning toFIG.8, another example alternative embodiment of a support structure350with rigid and flexible sections are shown. The support structure350includes a series of rigid sections352, which are square or rectangular in shape and linearly aligned and mounted on an adhesive patch360. Individual rigid sections352are positioned in spaced relation with one another with gaps or channels254formed there between.

Turning back toFIGS.2,3and4, the adhesive patch60includes a body62with a central opening65there through. When assembled, as depicted inFIGS.2and4, the central openings35,55and65of the circuit board30, support structure55and patch65, respectively, align with one another to define a central opening through which an element, such as a sensor element (not shown) may extend. This overall sensor opening need not be located in the direct center of the device, and can be located in a position offset from center as well.

As noted above, the electrical circuit includes a peripheral trace32that may function as an antenna. Where the trace32functions as an antenna, the wearable device10is capable of communicating with another device, such as a reader device, utilizing transmissions over a wireless communication protocol including, but not limited to, a near field communication (NFC) protocol, an RFID protocol, a Bluetooth or Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE, BLE, Bluetooth Smart, Bluetooth Smart Ready, a Wi-Fi protocol, a proprietary protocol, or the like.

All features, elements, components, functions, and steps described with respect to any embodiment provided herein are intended to be freely combinable and substitutable with those from any other embodiment. If a certain feature, element, component, function, or step is described with respect to only one embodiment, then it should be understood that that feature, element, component, function, or step can be used with every other embodiment described herein unless explicitly stated otherwise. This paragraph therefore serves as antecedent basis and written support for the introduction of claims, at any time, that combine features, elements, components, functions, and steps from different embodiments, or that substitute features, elements, components, functions, and steps from one embodiment with those of another, even if the following description does not explicitly state, in a particular instance, that such combinations or substitutions are possible. Express recitation of every possible combination and substitution is overly burdensome, especially given that the permissibility of each and every such combination and substitution will be readily recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading this description.

In many instances entities are described herein as being coupled to other entities. It should be understood that the terms “coupled” and “connected” (or any of their forms) are used interchangeably herein and, in both cases, are generic to the direct coupling of two entities (without any non-negligible (e.g., parasitic) intervening entities) and the indirect coupling of two entities (with one or more non-negligible intervening entities). Where entities are shown as being directly coupled together, or described as coupled together without description of any intervening entity, it should be understood that those entities can be indirectly coupled together as well unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

While the embodiments are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific examples thereof have been shown in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that these embodiments are not to be limited to the particular form disclosed, but to the contrary, these embodiments are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit of the disclosure. Furthermore, any features, functions, steps, or elements of the embodiments may be recited in or added to the claims, as well as negative limitations that define the inventive scope of the claims by features, functions, steps, or elements that are not within that scope.