WO2017125651A1

WO2017125651A1 - Assembly comprising an electronic system and a device for attaching said electronic system to a flexible medium

Info

Publication number: WO2017125651A1
Application number: PCT/FR2016/050118
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thomas Pruvot
Original assignee: Piq
Priority date: 2016-01-21
Filing date: 2016-01-21
Publication date: 2017-07-27

Abstract

The invention relates to an assembly (100) comprising an electronic system (101) and a device (102) for attaching said electronic system (101) to a flexible medium (SS), said attachment device (102) including: - a lip (10) made of an elastically deformable material, said lip being arranged on an outer contour (101 c) of the electronic system; - a medium (20) also made of an elastically deformable material, said medium (20) including an opening (21) for receiving the electronic system, said opening (21) defining, for the medium (20), an inner contour (22) arranged so as to engage with said lip (10) by elastic deformation of at least one of the lip (10) or the medium (20) when the electronic system (101) is attached into the medium (20) and by shape engagement once the electronic system (101) is attached in the medium (20), said flexible medium (SS) being intended to be clamped between the lip (10) and the inner contour (22) of the medium (20).

Description

Assembly comprising an electronic system and a device for fixing this electronic system on a flexible support

The present invention relates to an assembly comprising an electronic system and a device for fixing this electronic system on a flexible support.

The electronic system considered may, by way of nonlimiting examples, a sensor, a watch or a camera. For example, in the field of sport, it seeks to provide sensors that can measure different types of data that the user wants to know during his sports practice. This may be his or her heart rate or other data such as user-made movement acceleration measurements or energy expended during this practice.

The flexible support may, as non-limiting examples, a textile or a leather. Among the textiles, one thinks in particular of a T-shirt, a polo, a belt, a bracelet such as that of a watch or a strap such as that of a backpack. Among the leathers, one thinks in particular of a belt or a bracelet such as that of a watch.

Numerous devices for fixing an electronic system on a flexible support are already known.

These different devices can be classified into several families.

- Pin-type fastening devices;

clamp-type fastening devices;

- velvet / hook fasteners; and

- Magnet type fasteners.

The pin-type fastening devices fulfill the fastening function with two disadvantages. Indeed, once the fastener installed, a relative movement is still possible between the electronic system and the flexible support, even with the use of several pins. Moreover, one or more holes is then necessarily made in the flexible support, for example in the fabric of the garment worn by the user.

Clamp type fasteners do not involve a hole in the flexible support. However, the device is poorly integrated and generally exceeds (large thickness) the flexible support. In addition, this type of attachment is impractical if one wishes to attach to a place other than the edge of the flexible support, for example elsewhere than the borders of a T-shirt. The velvet / hook type fasteners are interesting in many ways since they do not generate holes in the flexible support, are compact and can be fixed everywhere on the flexible support. For this purpose, it is possible to install a velvet at a particular place of the flexible support, intended to work with hooks provided with the electronic system. In this case, however, there is less freedom at the installation site of the electronic system on the flexible support. It is also possible, especially in the absence of such velvet on the flexible support, to take advantage of the properties of the flexible support via hooking the hooks provided on the side of the electronic system on the flexible support. This principle does not allow fixing on all types of flexible support and is limited to certain textiles.

Finally, with regard to magnet type fastening devices, the electronic system is generally provided with either a permanent magnet or a magnetizable material and a permanent magnet is provided which is installed on the other side of the flexible support. This can be installed where you want on the flexible support, does not damage the flexible support, takes up little space. However, even with the use of several magnets, relative movement is possible between the flexible support and the electronic system. To avoid this, one can consider implementing one or more magnet (s) generating more intense fields, but this poses difficulties for the proper functioning of the electronic system, sensitive to these magnetic fields. Also, it has already been proposed to add claws that penetrate the flexible support to magnets generating a weak magnetic field to ensure optimal operation. In the latter case, however, we come back to the disadvantage encountered with the use of pins, namely the production of holes in the flexible support.

There is therefore a need for a device for attaching an electronic system to an improved flexible support.

To meet this need, the invention proposes an assembly comprising an electronic system and a device for fixing this electronic system on a flexible support, said fixing device comprising:

a lip made of an elastically deformable material, said lip being disposed on an outer contour of the electronic system; a support also made of an elastically deformable material, said support comprising an orifice for receiving the electronic system, this orifice defining, for the support, an internal contour arranged to cooperate with said lip, by elastic deformation of at least one of the lip or support when attaching the electronic system in the support and by cooperation of form once realized the fixation of the electronic system in the support,

said flexible support being intended to be clamped between the lip and the internal contour of the support.

The fixing device may have at least one of the following features, taken alone or in combination:

the depth of the orifice of the support corresponds to the thickness of the electronic system, to a clearance of J;

- The orifice of the support has a face, said upper face, by which the electronic system is intended to be introduced into the support, said orifice having in its depth and from this upper face:

a first part whose dimensions other than the depth are smaller than the corresponding dimensions of the lip; and o a second portion whose dimensions other than the depth are at least equal to the corresponding dimensions of your lip;

the support comprises at least two opposite sides each provided with an opening, said openings being intended to receive a flexible support whose dimensions are smaller than that of the openings;

- The fixing device further comprises a rigid flange having at least two opposite sides each provided with a lug for insertion into a corresponding opening of the support to secure the attachment of said assembly to the flexible support;

each lug is made of a rigid plastic material;

said rigid plastic material is chosen from polyamide, polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and acrylonitrile butadiene.

Styrene - Polycarbonate, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene - Polycarbonate reinforced with glass fibers or Polyethylene High Density;

the lip is made of elastomer;

the support is made of elastomer.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear on reading the following detailed description given with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

- Figure 1 is an exploded view of an assembly comprising a fixing device according to the invention with an electronic system, before fixing on a flexible support; FIG. 2 illustrates how to fix the electronic system of FIG. 1 on a flexible support with the fixing device of this same FIG. 1;

3 shows, according to the different views of FIGS. 3 (a) to 3 (c), the assembly of FIG. 1 once the electronic system is fixed on the flexible support, in this case a realized t-shirt. Fabric ;

- Figure 4 shows, according to the different views of Figures 4 (a) to 4 (c), the assembly of Figure 1 once the electronic system attached to the flexible support, in this case a bracelet;

5 represents, according to the different views of FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b), the assembly of FIG. 1 with an additional flange belonging to the fixing device, before fixing on the flexible support;

- Figure 6 illustrates the additional flange of Figure 5, alone, and in a perspective view;

Figure 7 shows the assembly of Figure 5 after attachment to the flexible support.

The invention relates to an assembly 100 comprising an electronic system 101 and a device 102 for fixing this electronic system 101 on a flexible support SS.

Such an assembly is for example represented in FIGS. 1 to 3 and 5.

The electronic system 101 considered may be, by way of non-limiting examples, a sensor, a watch or a camera. As for the flexible support SS, it may be, as non-limiting examples, a textile or leather.

The fixing device 102 comprises a head 10 made of a statically deformable material, said lip 10 being disposed on an outer contour 101c of the electronic system 101.

The fixing device also comprises a support 20 made of an elastically deformable material. This support 20 comprises an orifice 21 for receiving the electronic system, this orifice 21 defining, for the support 20, an internal contour 22 arranged to cooperate with said lip 10. This cooperation is effected by elastic deformation of at least one of the lip 10 or the support 20 and in general of both, during the attachment of the electronic system 101 in the support 20. This cooperation is also effected by form cooperation once achieved the attachment of the electronic system 01 in the support 20 .

Advantageously, and as shown in the appended figures, the orifice 21 of the support 20 has a face, called the upper face FS, by which the system 101 is intended to be introduced into the support 20, said orifice 21 having in its depth and from this upper face:

a first portion P1 whose dimensions dt, d ₂ other than the depth are smaller than the corresponding dimensions d _c of the lip 10; and a second part P2 whose dimensions other than the depth are at least equal to the corresponding dimensions of the lip 10. With this particular conformation, the cooperation as described above is effectively carried out.

Another arrangement to obtain this same cooperation between the lip 10 and the support 20 could however be envisaged.

The flexible support SS is intended to be clamped between the lip 10 and the internal contour 22 of the support 20.

Fixing an electronic system 101 on a flexible support SS, in this case a fabric T-shirt can be understood in support of Figures 1 to 3.

We start from the set 100 of figure 1. Here, the general shape of the set

100 according to the invention is that of a polygon and more particularly of a pentagon. It should be noted that other forms could be considered.

Then, the support 20 is positioned by the inside of the SS T-shirt, and the outside of the SS T-shirt is fastened to the electronic system 101 provided with its lip 10, as shown in FIG. 2.

By inserting the electronic system 101 into the orifice 21 of the support 20, at least one of the lip 10 or the support 20 deforms elastically, which allows the lip 10 to be passed to the bottom of the orifice 21. When this lip 10 is at the bottom of the orifice 21, the attachment has been made and the lip 10 and / or the support 20 have returned to their original shape or, depending on the thickness of the SS T-shirt stuck between the two, have almost returned to their original form.

FIG. 3 shows the assembly according to the invention fixed on the T-shirt in a general view in FIG. 3 (a), an enlarged view of FIG. 3 (a) in FIG. 3 (b) and a view according to FIG. section AA of Figure 3 (b) in Figure 3 (c). In FIG. 3 (c), the position of the SS T-shirt which is wedged between the electronic system 101 and the inner contour 22 of the support 20 can be seen.

By this means, the assembly 100 according to the invention can be hung anywhere on the T-shirt SS without damaging it and in particular, without making holes in it. Fixing only causes a small risk of relative movement of the assembly 100 relative to the T-shirt SS. To remove the electronic system 101 of the T-shirt, simply perform the reverse operations.

Advantageously, the depth P of the support orifice 21 corresponds to the thickness E of the electronic system 101, to a clearance J (P = E + J). In this case and as shown in the appended figures, the T-shirt is flush with the surface of said assembly 100 and therefore does not bring any extra thickness to the outside.The assembly 100 according to the invention is then perfectly integrated with the T-shirt. SS shirt.

Advantageously, and as shown in the accompanying figures, a non-zero clearance J is provided between the inner contour 22 of the support and the electronic system 101 so that the assembly 100 adapts to different thicknesses of the flexible support SS. Indeed, even if the support SS on which the assembly 100 according to the invention is intended to be fixed is flexible and that it can in particular be compressed between the inner contour 22 of the support 20 and the lip 10 of the electronic system 101, it is better to plan such a game J for this purpose.

Advantageously, the assembly 100 according to the invention will comprise a support 20 for which at least two opposite sides 23, 24 are each provided with an opening 230, 240. These openings 230, 240 are therefore lateral openings and are intended to receive a flexible support SS whose dimensions are smaller than those of said openings 230, 240. The interest of these openings 230, 240 is interesting for fixing the electronic system 101 to a bracelet, a belt or a strap.

This is shown in Figure 4,

FIG. 4 (a) shows, in perspective view, a bracelet SS as a flexible support which has been inserted into the lateral openings 230, 240 of the support 20. FIG. 4 (b) represents, according to a front view , the assembly 100 according to the invention once attached to the SS bracelet. The attachment of the electronic system 101 on its support 20 is carried out in the same manner as described above. As for Figure 4 (c), it shows a sectional view, according to section A-A of Figure 4 (b). The game J is here filled by the thickness of the SS bracelet.

It is also possible, in the context of the invention, to provide an assembly 100 comprising a rigid flange 30 which is fixed on the outer contour 26 of the support 20.

This is shown in Figures 5 to 7.

FIG. 5 (a) represents, in a front view, an assembly 100 according to the invention comprising such a flange 30. FIG. 5 (b) is the view according to (section AA of FIG. 5, the assembly is shown mounted, but not fixed on a flexible support SS, Figure 6 represents only the rigid flange 30. Finally, FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the same assembly 100 comprising the flange 30, once fixed on the flexible support SS.

The flange 30 is provided with at least two opposite sides 31, 32, each of these opposite sides being provided with a lug 310, 320 directed towards the inside of the flange 30, namely in the direction of the support 20. Each pin 310, 320 is intended to be inserted into a corresponding opening 230, 240 of the support 20 to secure the attachment of said assembly 100 to the flexible support SS.

This may be of interest for intense sports practices, involving contacts that solicit flexible SS support. Indeed, this flange 30 is intended to prevent sliding of the flexible support SS relative to the assembly 100, and more specifically between the support 20 and the electronic system 101.

This is seen by comparing Figure 7 to Figure 3 (c). The flange makes it possible to fix a little more flexible support SS, for example a T-shirt, by passing this flexible support between the flange 30 and the outer contour 26 of the elastic support.

Fixing such an assembly provided with a rigid flange 30 on the flexible support SS, in this case a T-shirt, repeats the steps described above and culminating in the diagram of FIG. 3 (c). Then, the rigid flange 30 is inserted through the outside of the T-shirt SS, by penetrating the lugs 31, 32 into the openings 230, 240 of the support, by the outside of these openings. This is possible because the flange 30 has dimensions larger than those of the support 20 and also because the support 20 is elastic.

It is therefore noted that the openings 230, 240 of the support, when they are provided, can be used either to fix an electronic system on a flexible support SS whose dimensions are smaller than those of the openings (strap, bracelet, ... ), or to incorporate a rigid flange 30 for reinforcing the attachment.

Each lug 310, 320 is advantageously made of a material certainly rigid, but which does not damage the flexible support. By way of non-limiting example, this material may be chosen from rigid plastics. This rigid plastic material may be chosen from polyamide (PA) (for example a 6-6 polyamide better known as nylon), polycarbonate (PC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene-polycarbonate (ABS-PC), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene - Glass fiber reinforced polycarbonate (ABS-PC GF) or High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). This difficulty is not encountered with the fever 10 or the support 20, because of their elastic nature. Advantageously, moreover, the lip 10 is made of elastomer. Similarly, the support 20 is advantageously made of elastomer,

Claims

claims

1) assembly (101) comprising an electronic system (101) and a device (102) for fixing this electronic system (101) on a flexible support (SS), said fixing device (102) comprising:

- A lip (10) made of an elastically deformable material, said ièvre being disposed on an outer contour (101c) of the electronic system;

a support (20) also made of an elastically deformable material, said support (20) comprising an orifice (21) for receiving the electronic system, this orifice (21) defining, for the support (20), an internal contour (22); ) arranged to cooperate with said feeder (10), by elastic deformation of at least one of the lip (10) or the support (20) when fixing the electronic system (101) in the support (20) and by form cooperation once the electronic system (101) is fixed in the support (20),

said flexible support (SS) being intended to be clamped between the lip (10) and the inner contour (22) of the support (20).

2) assembly (100) according to claim 1, wherein the depth (P) of (Orifice (21) of the support (20) corresponds to the thickness (E) of the electronic system (101) to a J clearance.

3) Assembly according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the orifice (21) of the support (20) has a face, said upper face (FS), by which the electronic system (101) is intended to be introduced into the support (20), said orifice (21) having in its depth and from this upper face:

- a first portion (P1) whose dimensions (d _{1 t} d ₂ ) other than the depth are smaller than the corresponding dimensions (d _c ) of the lip (10); and

a second part (P2) whose dimensions other than the depth are at least equal to the corresponding dimensions of the lip (0).

4) assembly (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrier (20) comprises at least two opposite sides (23, 24) each provided with an opening (230, 240), said openings (230, 240) being intended to receive a flexible support whose dimensions are smaller than that of the openings.

5) assembly (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the fixing device (102) further comprises a rigid flange (30) having at least two sides (31, 32) opposite each provided with a lug ( 310, 320) for insertion into a corresponding opening of the support (20) to secure the attachment of said assembly (100) to the flexible support (SS).

6) assembly (100) according to the preceding claim, wherein each lug (310, 320) is made of a rigid plastic material

7) assembly (100) according to the preceding claim, wherein said rigid plastic material is selected from polyamide (PA), polycarbonate (PC), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene - polycarbonate (ABS-PC ), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene - glass fiber reinforced polycarbonate (ABS-PC GF) or High Density Polyethylene (HDPE),

8) assembly (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lip (10) is made of elastomer.

9) assembly (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the support (20) is made of elastomer.