Heat insulation of a watch in a sauna

Abstract

The present invention relates to a thermal protection element for protecting an object wearable on the human body, in particular a wristwatch designed as a smartwatch. In a thermal protection element according to the invention, the thermal protection element comprises a fastening section and an insulating section, wherein the fastening section is configured to fasten the thermal protection element relative to the object to be protected and the insulating section is configured to insulate the object against the ambient temperature, and wherein the thermal protection element is manually detachable from the smartwatch to be protected.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a heat protection element according to the features of independent claim 1.

[0002] Generic thermal protection elements can be used wherever the ambient temperature exceeds or falls below the permissible temperature range, especially for small, digital devices worn on the body known as wearables. Such wearables are used to record or receive environmental parameters and make this information available to their wearer. These environmental parameters can also relate to vital signs of the human body, which often requires wearing the device directly on the body or skin contact. A particularly widespread form of wearable is therefore the smartwatch, which the user wears on their wrist like a wristwatch.

[0003] The monitoring and observation of vital parameters such as heart rate, blood pressure, or oxygen saturation has become indispensable not only for optimizing training and recovery from amateur to professional sports, but can also serve to minimize health risks outside of sports. Constant monitoring may even be necessary or desirable for other reasons, so that the corresponding smartwatch, the best-known examples of which include the Apple Watch and the Galaxy Watch, should not be removed if possible. Going to a sauna represents a difficult application in this regard. Firstly, the high temperatures ensure that the human body is placed in a certain exceptional situation, in which the recording of vital parameters can be all the more informative. Secondly, the temperatures in a sauna significantly exceed the permitted range of applications for smartwatches.

[0004] To date, no approach has been known in the prior art to resolve this conflict. The present invention addresses precisely this issue and therefore aims to provide a thermal protection element that insulates wearables, and in particular smartwatches, from the ambient temperature, thus enabling a sauna session without having to remove the smartwatch worn on the wrist.

[0005] The object is achieved by the features of independent claim 1. The solution according to the invention provides that the heat protection element for protecting an object wearable on the human body, in particular a wristwatch, comprises a fastening section and an insulating section, wherein the fastening section is designed to fasten the heat protection element relative to the object to be protected and the insulating section is designed to insulate the object against the ambient temperature and that the heat protection element is manually separable from the wristwatch to be protected.

[0006] Although the present invention is primarily directed to the protection of smartwatches in a sauna, it is obvious that the subject matter of claim 1 is applicable to various wrist-worn articles, such as analogue wristwatches or other wrist-worn electrical devices and even to wrist-worn jewellery.

[0007] The fastening section and the insulating section can be arranged in various ways relative to each other as functional sections of the thermal protection element. It is conceivable that the fastening section completely encloses the insulating section. It is also possible for the fastening section to form a portion of the insulating section. Alternatively, the fastening section and insulating section can be implemented overlapping or as two separate, yet interconnectable elements.

[0008] The insulating section is designed to insulate the smartwatch from the ambient temperature. To enable the wearing of a smartwatch or a similar small electronic device in a sauna, the insulating section, in conjunction with the entire thermal protection element, is designed to keep the ambient temperature of the smartwatch below 50°C for at least 15 minutes in a sauna environment of up to 110°C. The thermal conductivity λ of the material used for the insulating section is below 1 W m K , advantageously below 0,5 W m K and particularly advantageously below 0,1 W m K .

[0009] Advantageous embodiments of the present invention are the subject of the subclaims.

[0010] According to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the fastening section is a textile and stretchable band, wherein the band has a width that is greater than the width of the wristwatch to be protected and wherein the band is designed to completely wrap around an arm in the region of the wrist. Advantageously, the stretchable textile band is designed as a stretch band, whereby its extensibility exceeds that of a textile without any stretch component. The stretchable textile band can be designed to be closed, wherein its circumference and extensibility are configured such that the band both encloses the smartwatch to be protected and rests securely on the forearm or wrist of the wearer. However, the stretchable textile band can also be designed to be open, in which case an additional closing mechanism is provided to ensure that the heat protection element sits securely on the wrist.For the best possible thermal protection, the stretchable textile band is designed to be wider than the watch case of the smartwatch to be protected, completely enclosing it. Furthermore, the area between the watch case and the skin is also thermally insulated from the environment. In the described design, the insulating section can be implemented, for example, by using a thicker material.

[0011] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the fastening section has a receptacle, wherein the receptacle is configured to accommodate the housing of the smartwatch to be protected. The shape of the recess and the shape of the insulating section are advantageously coordinated with one another such that the insulating section remains positioned in the recess without slipping. The insulating section and fastening section can be fastened to one another in such a way that manual separation is no longer possible. For good thermal insulation of the smartwatch to be protected, it is advantageous if the insulating element is designed in its external dimensions such that it encloses the watch case as tightly as possible and over as large an area as possible.In order to be able to read the recorded parameters on a smartwatch during a sauna session, it is necessary to slide the heat protection element off the smartwatch for a short period of time.

[0012] To facilitate sliding the thermal protection element off the smartwatch and realigning the thermal protection element, the thermal protection element may include a grip area where the wearer can easily grasp the thermal protection element.

[0013] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the receptacle is a continuous recess, and the information displayed on a smartwatch can be read through the recess, wherein the recess can be manually opened and closed using a hook-and-loop fastener. To enable the information provided on the smartwatch display to be read when needed, the size of the recess corresponds at least to the size of the watch case of the smartwatch to be protected. The recess-shaped receptacle can be covered by the insulating section.

[0014] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the insulating section comprises a different material than the fastening section. A lightweight material with a high specific thermal resistance is advantageous in order to insulate the smartwatch to be protected as effectively as possible against the temperatures encountered in a sauna.

[0015] It is conceivable that the insulating section is formed in the form of a thin layer of a particularly heat-resistant material, which is applied from the inside to the fastening section.

[0016] According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the material of the insulating section comprises a plastic. It is conceivable that a solid plastic is used for the insulating section, and the shape of the insulating section is modeled on the shape of the watch case to be protected.

[0017] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the insulating section comprises a transparent material so that the information displayed on a smartwatch is always readable. A transparent and heat-resistant plastic, for example, is suitable for this purpose. However, the use of glass is also conceivable in principle.

[0018] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the insulating section can be manually separated from the fastening section and manually attached. For this purpose, for example, the recess in the fastening section can comprise a receiving section, and the insulating section can comprise a clamping area that matches the receiving section. In other words, the insulating section, which in this embodiment is designed as a separate element, can be easily removed manually and reattached or clipped in to read the display.

[0019] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the material of the fastening section comprises silicone, wherein the fastening section is configured such that the heat protection element can be fastened to the wrist in the manner of a wristwatch, and wherein the fastening section has a recess through which the information displayed on a smartwatch can be read, and wherein the insulating section interacts with the fastening section such that the recess of the fastening section can be opened and closed by means of flaps of the insulating section. The fastening section can be designed as a silicone bracelet, wherein a fastener in the manner of a watch strap can be provided for fastening it to the wearer's wrist. However, it is also conceivable for the fastener to be designed as a hook-and-loop fastener.To attach the thermal protection element to the wrist, the fastening section can also be designed as a clasp, which is clamped to the wrist. For this purpose, the fastening section is open over a certain angle and designed so that it can be bent reversibly.

[0020] In order to securely and firmly close the recess with the insulating section and thus ensure thermal protection of the smartwatch, a locking mechanism can be provided in addition to the folding mechanism.

[0021] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the thermal protection element comprises a cooling element. The cooling element can, for example, comprise one or more small cooling packs associated with the insulating element. The additional active cooling can achieve even better thermal protection.

[0022] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the cooling element comprises a phase-change material. The phase-change material transforms from a solid to a liquid state above a certain temperature. It extracts the required thermal energy from its surroundings, which is stored as long as the temperature remains above the melting point of the phase-change material used.

[0023] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the fastening section is designed such that the heat protection element can be fastened to the smartwatch to be protected. Fastening can be achieved, for example, by clipping the heat protection element onto the smartwatch. In particular, the heat protection element can be clipped onto a housing of the smartwatch. For this purpose, it can be provided that the fastening section comprises two clamping sections, by means of which clipping is enabled. In particular, it can be provided that the fastening section has two resilient tongues which, when clipped on, are locked to a lower edge of the housing on opposite sides of the smartwatch housing.

[0024] Some embodiments of the present invention are explained in more detail below with reference to drawings.

[0025] In the following explanations, identical parts are designated by identical reference numerals. If a figure contains reference numerals that are not explained in detail in the corresponding figure description, reference is made to the preceding or subsequent figure descriptions.

[0026] They show: Figure 1 shows an illustration of an embodiment of the heat protection element according to the invention, Figure 2 shows an illustration of a further embodiment of the heat protection element according to the invention, Figure 3a shows an illustration of a further embodiment of the heat protection element according to the invention, Figure 3b shows an illustration of the embodiment of the heat protection element according to the invention according to Figure 3ain closed state, Figure 4 shows a representation of a further embodiment of the heat protection element according to the invention, Figure 5a shows a representation of a further embodiment of the heat protection element according to the invention, Figure 5b shows a schematic sectional view of the heat protection element according to the invention according to Figure 5a and Figure 6 shows a representation of a further embodiment of the heat protection element according to the invention.

[0027] Figure 1shows an embodiment of the heat protection element 1 according to the invention, comprising a fastening section 2 and an insulating section 3. The heat protection element 1 is designed as a textile, stretchable band that the user pulls over the wrist to protect their smartwatch. To make it easier to put on and take off the heat protection element 1 and to read the display of the smartwatch, a grip area 7 is provided. It is clearly visible that the heat protection element 1, designed as a continuous band, is wider than the smartwatch 4 to be protected, which is completely covered by the heat protection element 1. Obviously, the shown embodiment of the heat protection element 1 according to the invention is particularly suitable for use for the heat protection of all possible shapes and sizes of smartwatches, analog wristwatches, and even jewelry.

[0028] In the in the Figure 1In the described embodiment of the thermal protection element 1 according to the invention, the exact design of the insulating section 3 is not visible. This results in a calm and unobtrusive design of the thermal protection element 1. In this case, the insulating section 3 can be designed as an area with greater material thickness or as an additional layer of a highly heat-resistant material applied from the inside.

[0029] Figure 2 shows a further embodiment of the thermal protection element 1 according to the invention with a fastening section 2 designed as a textile and stretchable band, wherein the fastening section 2 has a recess 5 formed to accommodate the insulating section 3 made of a different material from the fastening section 2. In the embodiment shown, the insulating section 3 is glued or sewn to the fastening section 2.

[0030] The Figures 3a and 3bshow a further embodiment of the present invention with a continuous recess 5 through which the information provided on the display of the smartwatch 4 can be read. The fastening section 2 and the insulating section 3 are designed as a textile band with a high material thickness. To ensure thermal insulation of the smartwatch 4, the recess can be closed by the insulating section 3 using a hook-and-loop fastener 6. In the embodiment shown, the hook-and-loop fastener 6 can be opened and closed along the circumferential direction of the heat protection element 1. A slightly modified embodiment of the hook-and-loop fastener 6 provides for its closing and opening in the transverse direction. Figure 3b shows the heat protection element 1 according to the invention from Figure 3a with closed Velcro fastener 6.

[0031] Figure 4shows a further embodiment of the heat protection element 1 according to the invention, wherein the fastening section 2 is designed as an open band and can be fastened to the wrist of the wearer of the smartwatch 4 to be protected using a hook-and-loop fastener 6. The fastening section 2 has a continuous recess 5 in which the insulating section 3, designed as a separate element, can be manually attached and removed.

[0032] The Figures 5a and 5bshow a further embodiment of the heat protection element 1 according to the invention, wherein the fastening section 2 is designed such that the heat protection element 1 can be manually clipped onto the smartwatch 4 to be protected. The insulating section 3 and the fastening section 2 are made of hard plastic, which can, however, be flexible with sufficient material thickness. In this embodiment, the insulating section 2 comprises a transparent material, so that the wearer of the smartwatch can read the information displayed on the screen at any time. Figure 5b shows a sectional view of the Figure 5a shown Smartwatch 4 including heat protection element 1 according to the invention. It can be clearly seen how the fastening section 2 encloses the Smartwatch 4 to be protected and thus not only ensures a firm fit of the heat protection element 1 on the Smartwatch 4, but also contributes to the insulation of the Smartwatch 4 from the environment.

[0033] Figure 6 shows a further embodiment of the heat protection element 1 according to the invention, wherein the fastening section 2 is designed as a silicone bracelet and can be fastened to the wrist by means of a hook and loop fastener 6. The insulating section 3 is made of a plastic and closes as a kind of lid the Figure 6recess 5 (not visible) in the fastening section 2. The insulating section 3 can be folded away from the fastening section 2 and, when opened, provides a view of the display of the smartwatch 4. To implement the folding mechanism, the insulating section is designed in two parts, with a frame part being firmly attached to the fastening section and forming the immovable part of the folding mechanism or the counterpart to the flap. The upper part, designed as a flap, is articulated to the frame part and can be opened and closed relative to the frame part. It is also clearly visible in this design that the fastening section 2 is designed to be so wide that an additional contribution is made to the thermal insulation of the smartwatch 4 to be protected. List of reference symbols:

[0034] 1Heat protection element 2Fastening section 3Insulating section 4Wristwatch / Smartwatch 5Hole / recess 6Velcro fastener 7Grip area

Claims

1. Heat protection element (1) for protecting an object wearable on the human body, in particular a wristwatch (4) designed as a smartwatch, wherein the heat protection element (1) comprises a fastening section (2) and an insulating section (3), wherein the fastening section (2) is designed to fasten the heat protection element (1) relative to the object to be protected and the insulating section (3) is designed to insulate the object against the ambient temperature and wherein the heat protection element (1) is manually separable from the smartwatch (4) to be protected.

2. Heat protection element (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the fastening section (2) is a textile and stretchable band, wherein the band has a width and the width is greater than the width of the smartwatch to be protected and wherein the band is designed to completely wrap around an arm in the area of ​​the wrist.

3. Heat protection element (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the fastening section (2) has a receptacle (5), wherein the receptacle (5) is designed such that the housing of the smartwatch (4) to be protected is received.

4. Heat protection element (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the receptacle (5) is a continuous recess (5) and the information displayed on a smartwatch (4) can be read through the recess (5), wherein the recess (5) can be opened and closed manually by means of a hook-and-loop fastener (6).

5. Heat protection element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the insulating section (3) comprises a different material than the fastening section (2).

6. Heat protection element (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the material of the insulating section (3) is a plastic.

7. Heat protection element (1) according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in thatthe insulating section (3) comprises a transparent material so that the information displayed on a smartwatch (4) can be read at all times.

8. Heat protection element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the insulating section (3) can be manually separated from the fastening section (2) and manually fastened.

9. Heat protection element (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the material of the fastening section (2) comprises silicone, wherein the fastening section (2) is designed such that the heat protection element (1) can be fastened to the wrist in the manner of a smartwatch and wherein the fastening section (2) has a recess (5) through which the information displayed on a smartwatch (4) can be read and wherein the insulating section (3) interacts with the fastening section (2) such that the recess (5) of the fastening section (2) can be opened and closed by means of flaps of the insulating section (3).

10. Heat protection element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the heat protection element (1) has a cooling element.

11. Heat protection element (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that the cooling element comprises a phase change material.

12. Heat protection element (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the fastening section (2) is designed such that the heat protection element (1) can be fastened to the smartwatch (4) to be protected.

13. Heat protection element (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that the heat protection element (1) can be clipped onto a housing of the smartwatch (4).

14. Heat protection element (1) according to claim 13, characterized in that the fastening section (2) has two resilient tongues which, when clipped on, are locked to a lower edge of the housing on opposite sides of the housing of the smartwatch (4).

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