STRAP ARRANGEMENT

Abstract

Strap arrangement comprising a first strap portion comprising a plurality of strap engaging structures, each strap engaging structure defines a size of an opening of the strap arrangement; a flexible second strap portion comprising at least one locking piece, the locking piece comprising at least one locking piece engaging structure for being aligned with at least one of the strap engaging structures; and at least one magnet adapted to force the locking piece engaging structure against at least one of the strap engaging structures by a magnetic force.

Claims

1. A strap Strap-arrangement comprising: a first strap portion comprising a plurality of strap engaging structures, each strap engaging structure defines a size of an opening of the strap arrangement; a flexible second strap portion comprising at least one locking piece, the locking piece comprising at least one locking piece engaging structure for being aligned with at least one of the strap engaging structures; at least one magnet adapted to force the locking piece engaging structure against at least one of the strap engaging structures by a magnetic force; and a loop member having an opening wherein the second strap portion is positioned through the opening of the loop member; wherein each strap engaging structure comprises a ridge and the locking piece engaging structure comprises a valley adapted to mate with each ridge; wherein each ridge is substantially parallel with a through axis of the opening of the strap arrangement; wherein the angles of the ridges and the valleys are between 3 and 70; and wherein the locking piece is blocked from passing through the opening of the loop member at least in some relative spatial orientations between the locking piece and the loop member.

2. The strap arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the strap engaging structures are constituted by strap mating surfaces and the locking piece engaging structure is constituted by a locking piece mating surface adapted to mate with at least one of the strap mating surfaces.

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

5. The strap arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the locking piece is an end piece of the second strap portion.

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

8. The strap arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second strap portion is connected to an end of the first strap portion.

9. The strap arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one magnet is a permanent magnet.

10. The strap arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one magnet is an electromagnet.

11. The strap arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one magnet is provided in the locking piece.

12. The strap arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one magnet is provided in the first strap portion.

13. A wearable device comprising an electronic device and a strap arrangement according to claim 1.

14. The wearable device according to claim 13, wherein the electronic device is a watch, such as a fall detection watch.

15. The wearable device according to claim 13, wherein the electronic device comprises a main body and the first strap portion is integrally formed with the main body of the electronic device.

16. The strap arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the angles of the ridges and the valleys are between 5 and 45.

17. The strap arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the angles of the ridges and the valleys are between 10 and 20.

18. The strap arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the angles of the ridges and the valleys are 15.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] Further details, advantages and aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

[0059] FIG. 1: schematically represents a perspective view of a wearable device comprising a strap arrangement;

[0060] FIG. 2: schematically represents a side view of the wearable device in FIG. 1;

[0061] FIG. 3: schematically represents a partial perspective view of a further wearable device;

[0062] FIG. 4: schematically represents a partial side view of the wearable device in FIG. 3; and

[0063] FIG. 5: schematically represents a partial front view of a first strap portion and a second strap portion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0064] In the following, a strap arrangement comprising a locking piece engaging structure, a plurality of strap engaging structures and a magnet for forcing the locking piece engaging structure against at least one of the strap engaging structure, and a wearable device comprising a electronic device and a strap arrangement, will be described. The same reference numerals will be used to denote the same or similar structural features.

[0065] FIG. 1 schematically represents a perspective view of a wearable device 10 comprising a strap arrangement 12 and an electronic device 14. FIG. 2 schematically represents a side view of the wearable device 10. The side view in FIG. 2 is a view along a through axis 16 defined by an opening 18 of the strap arrangement 12 in FIG. 1.

[0066] With collective reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the strap arrangement 12 is illustrated in one of several closed states. The implementation of the strap arrangement 12 in a wearable device 10 is merely exemplary, the strap arrangement 12 may be used in a number of alternative implementations, for example in an industrial fastener.

[0067] The strap arrangement 12 comprises a first strap portion 20 and a second strap portion 22. In this example, the first strap portion 20 is integrally formed with a main body 24 of the electronic device 14, for example by a common injection moulding process. The first strap portion 20 is thus substantially rigid. However, the first strap portion 20 may alternatively be made flexible and/or attached to the main body 24, e.g. via a hinge. The electronic device 14 of this non-limiting example is a fall detection watch and comprises a display 26 and a button 28 at a lateral side of the main body 24. The button 28 may for example be associated with an alarm function.

[0068] The second strap portion 22 is flexible and may for example be made of rubber, silicone rubber, textile or hinged or woven metal. In the illustrated position in FIG. 1, the second strap portion 22 is folded to overlap with itself and to overlap a part of the first strap portion 20 on the outer side.

[0069] The wearable device 10 further comprises a loop member 30 and a hinge member 32. The hinge member 32 is secured to one end of the second strap portion 22 and is hingedly connected to an end of the first strap portion 20 for rotation about a hinge axis 34. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the hinge axis 34 extends substantially parallel with the through axis 16 of the opening 18 defined by the strap arrangement 12. The hinge member 32 is here implemented as having a substantially T-shaped appearance where the bottom of the T-shape is connected to the hinge axis 34 (e.g. to a pin thereof) and the top of the T-shape is connected to the end of the second strap portion 22.

[0070] The loop member 30 comprises an opening 36 and is hingedly attached to the main body 24 of the electronic device 14. The loop member 30 may be made of metal.

[0071] In the closed state of the strap arrangement 12 in FIG. 1, the second strap portion 22 extends from the attachment to the end of the first strap portion 20 via the hinge member 32, through the loop member 30 back on the outside of the second strap portion 22 and to the outer side of the first strap portion 20. The second strap portion 22 comprises a locking piece 38 which in this example is provided at the distal end of the second strap portion 22.

[0072] The first strap portion 20 comprises a plurality of strap engaging structures 40. In this example, four strap engaging structures 40 are provided on an outer side of the first strap portion 20. Each strap engaging surface is constituted by a strap mating surface in the form of a ridge. Moreover, the locking piece 38 comprises a locking piece engaging structure 42 constituted by a locking piece mating surface in the form of a valley. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the ridges of the strap engaging structures 40 are directed radially outwardly and the valley of the locking piece engaging structure 42 is directed radially inwardly (with respect to the through axis 16). The ridges of the strap engaging structures 40 are parallel with the through axis 16 and extend over the entire width of the first strap portion 20.

[0073] Except for the strap engaging structures 40, the first strap portion 20 has smooth surfaces. Similarly, the locking piece 38 also has smooth surfaces except the radially inwardly pointing locking piece engaging structure 42 and a radially outwardly pointing ridge.

[0074] In FIG. 1, the locking piece engaging structure 42 is aligned with one of the four strap engaging structures 40 such that the strap arrangement 12 adopts one of four closed states.

[0075] The strap arrangement 12 further comprises at least one magnet (not shown) configured to force the locking piece engaging structure 42 against the strap engaging structure 40 by a magnetic force. As mentioned above, there are various alternative ways to establish a magnetic force to force the locking piece engaging structure 42 against the strap engaging structure 40.

[0076] As one non-limiting example, a permanent magnet may be provided in the locking piece 38 (or the locking piece 38 may be constituted by a permanent magnet) and an electromagnet may be arranged in the first strap portion 20. The magnet of the locking piece 38 may attract the magnet in the first strap portion 20. The magnetic force may be established only when the electromagnet in the first strap portion 20 is activated, or the magnetic force may be stronger when the electromagnet is activated. The magnet in the locking piece 38 or the electromagnet in the first strap portion 20 may be replaced with any type of magnetizable material (e.g. iron).

[0077] The strap engaging structures 40 and the locking piece engaging structure 42 together define discrete positions for the locking piece 38 relative to the first strap portion 20. In case the locking piece 38 is manually positioned inaccurately with respect to one of these positions, the magnetic force may pull the locking piece 38 into a more precise position. The strap engaging structures 40 and the locking piece engaging structure 42 also prevent the locking piece 38 from sliding along an outer profile of the first strap portion 20, i.e. in the circumferential direction of the first strap portion 20.

[0078] In order to open the strap arrangement 12 (either to remove the wearable device 10 or to adjust the size of the opening 18 of the strap arrangement 12), the user may simply push the locking piece 38 (possibly after deactivating any electromagnet) sideways in a lateral or width direction of the first strap portion 20 until the locking piece 38 is disengaged from the first strap portion 20. Once the locking piece 38 is disengaged from the first strap portion 20, the second strap portion 22 may be pushed or pulled through the opening 36 of the loop member 30 until the opening 18 is sufficiently large for removing the wearable device 10 from the user (or other object). The locking piece 38 is larger than the opening 36 of loop member 30 such that the locking piece 38 is blocked from passing through the loop member 30. In this way, the second strap portion 22 is prevented from being entirely released from the loop member 30. However, the locking piece 38 and the loop member 30 may be designed such that the locking piece 38 can pass through the opening 36 if desired, e.g. by tilting the locking piece 38.

[0079] This opening procedure is simple and may be carried out with one hand of the user. In a corresponding closing procedure, the user can also attach the wearable device 10 to the user (or other object) with one hand. The user can first put his hand through the opening 18, then hang the first strap portion 20 of the wearable device 20 on his arm, then release the grip, grab the locking piece 38, pull until the desired opening size is reached and lock by aligning the locking piece 38 with any of the strap engaging structures 40 on the first strap portion 20.

[0080] FIG. 3 schematically represents a partial perspective view of a further wearable device 10 and FIG. 4 schematically represents a partial side view of the wearable device in FIG. 3. Mainly differences with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described. The first strap portion 20 in FIGS. 3 and 4 comprises a recessed profile 44. The recessed profile 44 faces radially outwardly and is limited in each lateral direction (width direction) by a lateral flange portion 46.

[0081] As can be seen in FIG. 4, the lateral flange portions 46 extend above (further outwardly in the radial direction) the height of the locking piece 38. In other words, the locking piece 38 is in this example lowered into the first strap portion 20. In this manner, the locking piece 38 does not extend above the first strap portion 20. As an alternative, the locking piece 38 extends only partially (e.g. with 10% or 20%) above the first strap portion 20.

[0082] The configuration in FIGS. 3 and 4 prevents the locking piece 38 from being disengaged sideways from the first strap portion 20, i.e. in the lateral direction.

[0083] FIG. 5 schematically represents a partial front view of a first strap portion 20 and a second strap portion 22 according to a further development of the configuration in FIGS. 3 and 4. In the example of FIG. 5, the lateral flange portions 46 of the first strap portion 20 are provided with lateral indentations 48. The locking piece 38 of this example is provided with lateral profiles 50 configured to mate with any of the lateral indentations 48 when the locking piece engaging structure 42 of the locking piece 38 is aligned with one of the strap engaging structures 40 of the first strap portion 20. Also in the examples of FIGS. 3 to 5, the strap engaging structures 40 are implemented as ridges and the locking piece engaging structure 42 is implemented as a valley.

[0084] While the present disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to what has been described above. For example, it will be appreciated that the dimensions of the parts and the moving speeds may be varied as needed. Accordingly, it is intended that the present invention may be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.