EP3717972A1

EP3717972A1 - Ergonomic housing with multiple compartments

Info

Publication number: EP3717972A1
Application number: EP18796659.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bernard Schenk
Original assignee: Imerium Sarl
Current assignee: IMERIUM SARL
Priority date: 2017-11-27
Filing date: 2018-11-02
Publication date: 2020-10-07
Anticipated expiration: 2038-11-02
Also published as: US11927920B2; WO2019101495A1; CN111417904B; US20200371478A1; EP3717972B1; CN111417904A; CH714371A1

Abstract

The present invention concerns a housing (1) comprising a first compartment (2) suitable for receiving a first device (3), where appropriate associated with a first display, said first compartment (2) being delimited by at least a first wall (21) delimiting a first opening (22) and a first bottom (23) secured to or suitable for being secured to said first wall (21). The housing (1) comprises a second compartment (4) that is removable from the first compartment delimited by at least a second wall (41) and a second bottom (42) secured to or suitable for being secured to said second wall and extending in or parallel to a plane (P2) forming an obtuse angle (β) with an extension plane (P1) of said first wall and/or said first bottom.

Description

ERGONOMIC HOUSING WITH MULTIPLE COMPARTMENTS

Technical area

The present invention relates to the field of portable accessories, especially watches and bracelets known as "connected", that is to say equipped with electronic circuits able to send / receive data via a wireless telecommunications network to devices third-party electronic means with complementary means of communication. It relates, more particularly, to a compound housing comprising multiple compartments to accommodate different mechanisms and functionalities, complementary or not, the housing being shaped to provide ergonomic carry without sliding or rotation around the wrist of a user.

State of the art

For a number of years now, there has been a boom in so-called "connected" devices, equipped with data communication functionalities via wireless communication networks, whether they are mobile telecommunications networks (notably 4G and 5G), or networks of networks. wireless data communications according to the communication protocols governed by the IEEE 802.11 group standards (Wifi protocols) or Bluetooth. These "connected" devices make it possible, in particular, associated with sensors and other appropriate electronic beacons, to monitor in real time various physiological parameters, the position of their wearer and to record these data and / or transmit them automatically or on demand. via a said wireless communication network to an additional receiver device (mobile phone, data server, computer, etc ...).

These devices "connected" in particular commonly take the form of bracelets or wristwatches, so-called "connected watches".

One of the main disadvantages of these devices lies in their large size and low autonomy. Indeed, the more features are many the relative arrangement of different sensors and the electronic structure underlying their operation is also complex and energy consuming, requiring large batteries to ensure normal operation over a period of at least 24 hours.

However, this large size is detrimental to the ergonomics of these devices and their design. Indeed, the integration of many functions, most often in connected watches, involves the use of a single large and thick, potentially uncomfortable and unstable case worn on the wrist of a user according to the dimensions of this- this. This can be inconvenient to use, as in the use of conventional watches.

Indeed, if folding the forearm and simultaneously rotate the wrist movements are instinctively performed by the wearer of a wristwatch, the rotational movement of the wrist is however not always easy or possible. This is often the case when the hand of the member wearing the watch (or the bracelet) is busy holding a tool or the steering wheel of a car, for example or conversely during significant movements of the member, as in the framework of sports activities (races, navigation, horse riding for example). Depending on the case, the display of the watch is not correctly viewed by the user as the watch rotates around the wrist and / or slides around it.

The simultaneous or consecutive display of several functions may also require the user to manipulate the connected device with his free hand, which is of course not practical or dangerous in case of driving for example.

To overcome this drawback, connected devices and wristwatches have been proposed in the prior art, for example in WO 2013/153275 A1 or US 2015/0115870, comprising several independent sections articulated and electrically interconnected. However, these devices do not provide adequate ergonomics in that they do not conform correctly to the geometry of the wearer, or provide him with the opportunity to choose and adapt the choice and the number of features it wish for a moment or a given period. Finally, there is also no watch case to date to complete the basic functionality of the watch by another function independent of the main mechanism, including an ancillary storage or sensory function. The present invention therefore aims to provide a housing for any device to be worn on the wrist by a user, which allow ergonomic and stable porting of said device and allows to permanently associate at least two distinct features, if any functionally dependent on each other.

Another object of the invention is to provide a housing providing a great versatility of possible uses, providing users of the device incorporating this housing flexibility and a choice of combinations of multiple functions where appropriate.

Another object of the invention is to allow the design of a unique and durable aesthetic housing host of several features, regardless of the lifetime or particular aesthetics of each of these features.

Disclosure of the invention

According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a housing as defined in the claims.

More particularly, the housing of the invention comprises a first compartment defining a first volume adapted to receive a first device, said first compartment being delimited by at least one peripheral wall at a first opening in said housing. This housing is characterized in that it comprises a second compartment delimiting a second volume, said second compartment being able to be removably fixed on a mounting plate of said housing extending along or parallel to a plane P2 forming an angle b obtuse with a median plane P1 of extension of the first compartment.

The present invention aims to create a housing whose thickness does not exceed that of conventional cases of the wristwatch, wherein in particular a standard mechanical or conventional electronic movement and its associated display can be mounted in the usual manner in the first compartment and who in the same time provides a second compartment that can receive any desired functionality: storage, battery pack, second electronic mechanism (access control badge, tracking of physiological data, GPS ...), and if necessary to adapt this second feature according to the needs of the moment.

The housing of the invention also allows the relative angular positioning of the two compartments to provide a "natural" positioning ergonomics of the housing on the wrist of a user and a wedge thereof suitable to prevent rotation of the housing. In addition, this wedging provided by the respective orientation of the compartments advantageously allows, when the first compartment receives a mechanism associated with a display to present said display in the position around the wrist most favorable to allow the reading thereof by elbowing simply the forearm, this position being perfectly stabilized.

In the housing of the invention, each compartment forms a host of a specific functionality, and if necessary complementary to each other, as for example in the case of an electronic watch and a battery of electrical power by example. The positioning of each feature in the different compartments is indifferent and may be chosen by the wearer according to his needs.

The features hosted by each compartment are multiple. As a non-limiting example, we can cite:

- Timepieces

- Pill box

- Remote control

- Wireless identification tag or access badge

- Electric battery

Jewelery ornament or not

Computer Memory Etc ...

Such a housing composed as that proposed by the invention thus easily increases both the nesting volume of conventional clock devices and / or devices called "connected" complementary or individual devices to provide maximum functionality and readability to carriers. It also allows, depending on the case, to offer multiple aesthetic and functional possibilities by varying the colors and materials of the compartments and their displays, or hoods, if any. The covers and compartments may also provide an electromagnetic shielding function where appropriate, which may or may not be activated depending on the position of a said compartment and / or its cover.

The housing of the invention also provides the opportunity for a wearer to combine functional devices of separate suppliers in the same personal item worn on the wrist, and therefore offer greater flexibility of use.

Particular features of the object of the present invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

According to a preferred embodiment, the angle b is between 100 ° and 150 ° relative to the extension plane P1.

According to a preferred embodiment, the plate comprises an opening of complementary shape of at least a portion of the second compartment, said opening and said plate forming a seating seat of the second compartment vis-à-vis the first compartment. The second compartment can also be fixed on an upper face or a lower face of the plate, so as to be accessible and visible to the wearer in the first case or conversely to be hidden in contact with the wrist of the latter in use worn case . According to a preferred embodiment, said second compartment defines an opening closed by a hood. If necessary this cover can be transparent or not, forming an electromagnetic barrier or not. In addition, said cover is in an advantageous embodiment pivotally mounted or sliding on a wall of the second compartment or on the mounting plate of said second compartment.

Advantageously, the housing of the invention comprises means for fixing bracelet strands, for example in the form of horns arranged on the walls of the compartments and / or the mounting plate of the second compartment.

Preferably, the second compartment is removable from said plate by means of reversible fixing means. These reversible fixing means may be chosen from: latching means, recessing means by elastic deformation, screwing means.

In another advantageous embodiment, the first and second compartments and, if appropriate, said plate, comprise complementary electrical contacts arranged such that an electrical contact is established between said compartments and the devices they contain when said second compartment is mounted on the turntable.

Brief description of the drawings

The details of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the description which follows, made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

Figures 1 to 3B show different views of a housing according to the invention in a first embodiment;

Figures 4A to 5B show different views of a housing according to the invention in a second embodiment.

Embodiment of the invention

The present invention relates to a case for portable wrist devices such as wristwatches, watches and bracelets connected in particular.

A first embodiment of this housing is shown in Figures 1 to 3B. The housing 1 of the invention consists of a composition of a plurality of compartments 2, 4 distinct each intended to accommodate a particular functionality, technically complementary or not, each said functionality being accessible to the user independently of the other and at least one of the features that can be modulated by removal of the housing 1 as will be described by the following.

The housing 1 comprises in the example shown a first compartment 2 adapted to receive a device 3, in the example shown without limitation a clock device with a mechanical or electronic movement, the display 32 (dial, hands ) is visible through an upper opening 22 of the compartment 2.

Said first compartment 2 defines a first volume of a first receptacle delimited by at least a first wall or delimiting said opening 22, through, and a first base 23 integral with or capable of being secured to said first wall 21 to blind the said opening 22. In this example, a telescope 24 is mounted on the wall 21 on an upper face thereof opposite the bottom 23 in order to maintain a protective glass of the display 32 of the watch device 3, in a well known and conventional manner. in the watch industry.

The bottom 23 may conventionally be formed integrally manufacturing the wall 21 or be reported and fixed thereto by any appropriate means (especially by screwing). Such a background may also be optional for the case where the device 3 is not a watch device or other active device as presented here.

According to the invention, the housing 1 also comprises a second compartment 4 delimiting a second volume and being advantageously removably mounted on a mounting plate 5 integral, without discontinuities, with the wall 21 or bottom 23 of the first compartment 2. The mounting plate 5 of said housing extends along or parallel to a plane P2 forming an obtuse angle b with a median plane P1 of extension of the first compartment 2. The second compartment 4 is formed by at least a second wall 41 and the where appropriate, a second base 42 integral with manufacture or capable of being secured to said second wall 41. This second compartment 4 is dedicated to accommodate any device capable of performing a second function for the benefit of the wearer of the case 1, preferably distinct, the case applicable functionally complementary to that of the first device 3 housed in the first compartment 2 of the housing 1.

The angular orientation of the second compartment 4 relative to the first compartment 2 of the housing 1 is intended to provide good ergonomics of carrying the housing 1 of the invention on the wrist of a user. Thus, as is apparent from FIG. 2, the extension of the second compartment 4 along the plane P2 offers the casing 1 an ergonomic wedging configuration on the wrist of a wearer, the second compartment 4 resting on the upper plate of the wrist while the first compartment 2 and its device 3 covers a rounded lateral part of the wrist normally corresponding to the radius of the wearer.

It should be noted that the second compartment 4 can be assembled on an upper surface of the plate as shown in the figures and accessible to the user on the top of his wrist, or a lower surface of the plate 5 in contact with the wrist. In the first case, the second compartment 4 is a visible design element of the housing and its aesthetic is preferably adapted to that of the housing 1 in its entirety. In the second case, the second compartment can be completely hidden and inaccessible in a normal carrying condition by a user. The positioning choice of the second compartment 4 may in particular depend on the functionality of which it is host and the need for direct physical access to this functionality if necessary.

The housing 1 of the invention thus comprises essentially three sections: a first section formed of the first compartment 2, intended to cover a curved part of the wrist, a second formed by the plate 5 and the second compartment 4, which is intended for s' extend over most of the upper face of the wrist, and an intermediate connecting section 6 between the wall 21 of the first compartment 2 and the plate 5, this connecting section 6 defining the relative angulation according to the angle b of the first two . These three sections naturally form a single rigid body, which may be made of different materials such as metals, including steel, gold, platinum, or synthetic or natural plastics, in particular based on rubber. The length of the first compartment may be approximately equal to that of the second compartment to ensure a balance of the housing 1 around the connecting section 6. However, this is absolutely not mandatory and the respective dimensions of the compartments of the housing 1 may vary essentially depending on the devices or features they must accommodate, provided however to respect the particular angular orientation of the compartments. In fact, this orientation advantageously provides the casing 1 thus configured with a shape that is adapted to fit naturally with the wrist curve of the wearer of the casing 1, which provides an optimal wedging which opposes the sliding rotation thereof as far as possible. where the wrist is not cylindrical. This wedging effect can also be advantageously reinforced by the procuration on the first wall 21 of the first compartment 2 and the wall 41 of the second compartment 4 of horns 25, 51 providing a final curvature at the free ends of the housing 1 allowing the attachment of strands of a bracelet, in a conventional manner in itself.

The angle b between the plane P2 and the plane P1 containing the bottom 23 of the first compartment 2 is preferably between 100 ° and 150 ° to provide a good adaptability of the housing 1 to various shapes and sizes of wrists.

Preferably, the mounting plate 5 further comprises an opening 52 of complementary shape to at least a portion of the second compartment 4, in particular of the wall 41 and / or the bottom 42 of said second compartment 4. Said opening 52 may be of any suitable geometric shape, preferably regular, such as rectangular, circular or triangular for example. This opening 52 is advantageously provided for constituting with said plate 5 as a whole a wedging seat of the second compartment 4 vis-à-vis the first compartment 2 or simply a recess housing of the second compartment 4, especially when the- it is arranged against the wrist of the wearer to provide optimum comfort.

As can be seen in FIGS. 3A and 3B in particular, the second compartment 4 is removable from the mounting plate 5 by means of reversible fixing means 7, 8, which can in particular comprise latching means by elastic deformation or recess means by elastic deformation or screwing means for example.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the reversible fastening means of the second compartment 4 comprise, on the one hand, a male recess form 7 delimited in the wall 41 of the second compartment by a shoulder 8, said embedding form 7 being complementary to the other. a complementary form of female recess (not visible in the figures) in the wall 21 of the first compartment 2, and secondly a deformable latch 9, capable of being inserted into the opening 52 of the plate 5 to lock the second compartment 4 on the edge defined by the opening 52 ..

The second compartment 4 may host an electronic device such as a battery supply device 3 received in the first compartment. In this case, the first and second compartments 2, 4 then have on their respective walls 21, 41 and if necessary on the plate 5 if necessary, complementary electrical contacts arranged such that said electrical contacts are affixed to each other. to others when said second compartment 4 is secured to the plate 5.

The second compartment 4 may, for example, advantageously accommodate any other type of electronic device such as a GPS positioning beacon, a beacon or remote control for contactless access control (for example using RFID technology), or else an electronic device for followed by physiological parameters of the wearer.

The second compartment 4 may be formed of a removable block but not necessarily defining an internal housing accessible to the user of the housing 1 to vary the content. In particular, if the second compartment 2 comprises a second electronic device such as a power supply battery as previously mentioned, it is preferable for said battery to be hermetically housed in the second compartment 4, whose wall 41, the bottom 42 and a possible cover 43 are sealed together around the battery. However according to one embodiment, the second compartment 4 may delimit a housing accessible by a second opening 42 defined by the wall 41 and closed by a cover. The cover 43 can then be mounted pivoting or sliding on the wall 41 of the second compartment 4 or on the plate 5. In such an embodiment, the second compartment 4 constitutes an "empty box", having a cover 43 open to allow access to the housing internal, this housing being able to be filled with any device or object of choice of the user. It may in particular receive, for example, an access control beacon or a functional or update module of the device contained in the first compartment 2. It may also receive a device for diffusing room or personal perfume, for example. essential oils or a sound diffusion device. It may also finally receive any type of aesthetic ornament, jeweler or not, which may for example be visible through the cover 43 advantageously provided with an optically transparent wall (glass, synthetic material or sapphire for example.

Such an embodiment is represented for example in FIGS. 4A to 5B, in which a housing 1 comprising a second removable compartment 4 of the mounting plate 5 is associated with a cover 43 pivotally mounted on the mounting plate 5, the second compartment 4 being slidably mounted on the hood by slides 10, 11 arranged on its wall 41 and the rim of the cover 43 respectively.

In this embodiment, the second compartment 4 can serve as host to any feature or device not functionally linked to the device 3 contained in the first compartment 2. The second compartment 4 can especially serve as a pillbox for example, or storage for an electronic card or a memory, a key without contact of vehicle or a badge of access to premises.

Where appropriate, the cover 43 may include an electromagnetic shield to prevent access by means of wireless communication to the contents of the housing in the second compartment 4, thus guaranteeing the confidentiality of the information contained therein or, in case of means of payment without contact, preventing the withdrawal by a device ancillary to the passage close to the carrier, as is currently still possible with current contactless payment cards. The casing 1 of the present invention thus provides a versatile and economical solution for nesting a plurality of different devices and functionalities in the same casing adapted to be worn on the wrist in a comfortable and ergonomic manner, without significantly increasing the bulk. on the wrist compared to a classic wristwatch, including a connected watch.

The housing of the invention further provides the ability to functionalize a bracelet in several ways according to the needs of the user, without the latter having to procure as many bracelets or devices that desired features.

Of course, although the present invention has been described here is shown for a two-compartment housing, it is possible to extend the design of the housing of the invention to more than two compartments.

Claims

claims

Housing (1) comprising a first compartment (2) delimiting a first volume adapted to receive a first device (3), said first compartment (2) being delimited by at least one peripheral wall at a first opening (22) in said housing (1) characterized in that it comprises a second compartment (4) delimiting a second volume and being adapted to be removably attached to a mounting plate (5) of said housing extending along or parallel to a plane ( P2) forming an obtuse angle (b) with a median plane (P1) of extension of the first compartment.

2. Housing according to claim 1, characterized in that the angle (b) is between 100 ° and 150 ° relative to the extension plane (P1).

3. Housing according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said plate (5) has an opening (52) of complementary shape of at least a portion of the second compartment, said opening (52) and said plate (5) forming a seating seat of the second compartment (4) vis-à-vis the first compartment (2).

4. Housing according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the second compartment (4) is fixed on an upper face or a lower face of the plate (5).

5. Housing according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said second compartment (4) defines an opening closed by a cover (43).

6. Housing according to claim 4, characterized in that said cover (43) is pivotally mounted or sliding on a wall (41) of the second compartment on the mounting plate (5).

7. Housing according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the cover (43) comprises or forms an optically transparent window, in particular glass, synthetic material or sapphire.

8. Housing according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises fastening means (25, 51) of bracelet strands.

9. Housing according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the wall of the first opening and the mounting plate (5) comprises fastening means (25, 51) of bracelet strands.

10. Housing according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the second compartment (4) is removable from said plate (5) by means of reversible fastening means (8, 9, 10).

11. Housing according to claim 10, characterized in that the reversible fixing means (8, 9) are selected from: latching means, recess means by elastic deformation, screwing means.

12. Housing according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the first (2) and second (4) compartments and optionally said plate, comprise complementary electrical contacts arranged such that an electrical contact is established between said compartments and the devices they contain when said second compartment (4) is mounted on the plate (5).