Wearable devices

Abstract

This prevents accidental button presses even if the wearable device is not worn in the correct orientation and the position of the button changes. [Solution] Unlike push button 13a, which has a smooth texture without bumps or irregularities, the operating surface 40 of push button 13b has a texture with multiple protrusions 41, 41, ... The user can distinguish between the operating surface of push button 13a and 13b simply by touching the operating surface of the push button. Due to the expandable band 20, even if the watch body 10 rotates and flips over while using the sauna, causing the positions of push buttons 13a and 13b to be swapped left and right, the user can distinguish which push button they touched simply by touching the operating surface of the push button, thus preventing accidental operation of an unintended push button.

Description

Technical Field

[0004]

[0001] The present invention relates to wearable devices.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a wristwatch having a highly elastic band such as a curly cord type that is easy to attach and detach and causes no irritation to the skin has been disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in a wristwatch having a band such as a curly cord type, due to the stretching and contraction of the band, the watch body may rotate and reverse in the wearing direction (9 o'clock direction) or the removal direction (3 o'clock direction) of the watch on the wrist, and the dial of the watch may face downward and the back cover may face upward. In that case, if the user tries to press the push button of the watch without noticing that the watch is reversed, there is a problem that the user presses a push button different from the push button the user intended to press.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to prevent incorrect operation of the push button even when the wearable device is not worn in the correct orientation and the position of the operation button changes.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The watch according to this invention comprises a housing, a band attached to the housing that extends and retracts to attach and detach the housing from the human body, and a plurality of push buttons provided on the housing, each performing a different function when pressed, wherein the first push button and the second push button of the plurality of push buttons each have operating surfaces having different textures. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this invention, it is possible to prevent accidental operation of push buttons even if the wearable device is not worn in the correct orientation and the position of the operation buttons changes. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the appearance of a sauna wristwatch 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the state when the back cover is fixed to the main case of the sauna watch 1 shown in the figure. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a plan view showing the structure (front and back) of the main case of the sauna watch 1. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a plan view showing the structure (front and back) of the back cover of the sauna watch 1. [Figure 5] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the shape of the push button and the texture of the operating surface of the sauna wristwatch 1. [Figure 6] Figure 1 shows the shape of the other push buttons and the texture of the operating surface of the sauna watch 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 6. The sauna watch 1 (wearable device) shown in Figure 1 consists of a watch body (casing) 10 and a band 20, and is a watch intended for use in high-temperature environments such as saunas. As shown in Figure 2, the watch body 10 has a main case 10a and a back cover 10b. The main case 10a houses the watch mechanism (not shown), including the dial 11, as well as electronic circuits (integrated circuits), a battery, etc. The 6 o'clock and 12 o'clock sides (see dial) of the main case 10a are provided with band attachment parts 12a and 12b, respectively, to which the band 20 is attached, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3(a), and (b). In addition, a push button (mode switching button; second push button) 13a is provided on the 10 o'clock side of the dial 11 of the main case 10a, and a push button (reset button: first push button) 13b is provided on the 2 o'clock side of the dial 11. The push buttons 13a and 13b are made of a resin material that can be molded into complex shapes. The band 20 is a retractable coiled cord type band that can be easily attached to and detached from the arm (wrist). Push button 13a has the function of switching the operating mode. Push button 13b has the function of instructing the start and stop of the timing operation (1-minute timing, 12-minute timing). Push buttons 13a and 13b are arranged symmetrically with respect to a virtual line passing through the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions on the dial 11 as the axis of symmetry. By placing push button 13b at the 2 o'clock position, it can be operated intuitively, like a stopwatch. The above-mentioned wearable device is not limited to the sauna watch 1; any device worn on the user's body is acceptable, such as a ring or wristband.

[0010] The main case 10a and the case back 10b are made of a resin that has lower thermal conductivity, lower water absorption, is lighter in weight and stronger than metal, such as a highly rigid polyamide resin. The watch body 10 has a rounded shape so that it does not cause discomfort even if the watch body 10 rotates due to the adoption of a coiled cord type band 20. As shown in Figures 2 and 3(b), four screw holes (female threads) 14a to 14d are provided at the bottom of the main case 10a for fixing the case back 10b. Screw holes 14a and 14c are located at the positions of the band attachment parts 12a and 12b of the main case 10a (12 o'clock and 6 o'clock sides), and screw holes 14b and 14d are located at positions perpendicular to them (3 o'clock and 9 o'clock sides).

[0011] As shown in Figures 2, 4(a), and 4(b), the back cover 10b has screw holes (through holes) 15a to 15d for inserting screws (connecting members) 30a to 30d that fix to the main case 10a, at positions corresponding to the screw holes 14a to 14d of the main case 10a. The back cover 10b is fixed to the main case 10a by metal screws 30a to 30d while in contact with the bottom of the main case 10a. In addition, as shown in Figure 4(a), the screw holes 15a to 15d on the back cover 10b are countersunk to a predetermined depth from the surface of the back cover 10b so that the screw heads do not protrude from the outer surface of the back cover 10b. The thickness of the flat portions 18a to 18d of the screw fixing portions is thinner than the thickness of the uncountered portions (other portions) of the back cover 10b. Furthermore, raised portions 19a to 19d are formed around the screw holes 15a to 15d, extending in the opposite direction to the direction in which the back cover 10b is fixed (downward in the diagram; outward).

[0012] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2 and 4(b), the back cover 10b has protrusions 16a to 16d between each of the screw holes 15a to 15d. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 3(b), the bottom surface of the main case 10a has recesses 17a to 17d opposite the protrusions 16a to 16d. The protrusions 16a to 16d of the back cover 10b fit into the recesses 17a to 17d of the main case 10a, respectively. At this time, the sizes of the protrusions 16a, 16d and their corresponding recesses 17a, 17d are different from the sizes of the protrusions 16b, 16c and their corresponding recesses 17b, 17c, making it possible to uniquely determine the mounting direction. Therefore, even if there is an engraving on the visible surface of the back cover 10b that determines the assembly direction, it is possible to prevent the back cover 10b from being assembled in the wrong direction. Furthermore, the protrusions 16a to 16d of the back cover 10b and the recesses 17a to 17d of the main case 10a engage with each other, preventing the back cover 10b from shifting.

[0013] Typically, in wristwatches, a protrusion is provided on the main case 10a, and the metal case back is fitted into this protrusion to prevent it from shifting. In contrast, in the sauna wristwatch 1 of this embodiment, a resin case back 10b is used, prioritizing heat resistance, which allows for a complex shape to be molded for the case back 10b. Therefore, by providing protrusions 16a to 16d on the case back 10b and fitting them into recesses 17a to 17d on the main case 10a, the resin case back 10b is prevented from shifting. As a result, the main case 10a can be made the same size (diameter) as the case back 10b, making it possible to miniaturize the main case 10a.

[0014] Here, we will explain in detail the difference between the push button 13a (second push button) and the push button 13b (first push button) on the main case 10a. Figures 5(a) and 5(b) show the shape and texture of the operating surface (second operating surface) of the push button 13a. On the other hand, Figures 6(a) and 6(b) show the shape and texture of the operating surface (first operating surface) of the push button 13b. As mentioned above, the push button 13a has the function of switching the operating mode and is not operated frequently while using the sauna. As mentioned above, the push button 13b has the function of instructing the start and stop of the timing operation (1 minute timing, 12 minute timing) and is operated relatively frequently while using the sauna. Therefore, in order to distinguish between the push button 13a and the push button 13b without visual inspection, the textures of the operating surfaces of the push button 13a and the push button 13b are made different.

[0015] As shown in Figures 5(a) and (b), the operating surface 30 (second operating surface) of the push button 13a has a smooth texture without any irregularities. On the other hand, the operating surface 40 (first operating surface) of the push button 13b has a texture with multiple protrusions 41, 41, ... as shown in Figures 6(a) and (b). Therefore, the user can determine that it is the push button 13b simply by touching the operating surface 40. As mentioned above, because the band 20 expands and contracts easily, the watch body 10 may rotate and flip over while using the sauna, so that the dial 11 side of the watch is at the bottom and the back cover 10b side is at the top. Normally, the push button 13a is located at the 10 o'clock position and the push button 13b is located at the 2 o'clock position, but when the watch body 10 flips over, the push button 13b is located at the 10 o'clock position and the push button 13a is located at the 2 o'clock position. If a user attempts to operate the push button 13b at the 2 o'clock position to start or stop the timer without realizing that the watch body 10 is inverted, they will touch the operating surface 30 of push button 13a. As shown in Figures 5(a) and (b), the operating surface 30 of push button 13a has a smooth texture without any bumps or irregularities. Therefore, simply by touching the operating surface 30, the user can realize that it is not push button 13b, which has an operating surface 40 with multiple protrusions 41, 41, ... and thus prevent them from accidentally operating push button 13a. Once the user realizes that it is not push button 13b, they will then touch the operating surface 40 of push button 13b located at the 10 o'clock position to confirm the multiple protrusions 41, 41, ... and thus operate push button 13b as intended. Furthermore, the push buttons 13a and 13b are positioned towards the 2 o'clock and 10 o'clock positions, that is, towards the upper side of the sauna watch 1 in a plan view. Because the sauna watch 1 has an overall round shape, there is a risk of wearing it upside down (with the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock sides reversed). However, by positioning the push buttons 13a and 13b towards the upper side of the sauna watch 1 in a plan view, it becomes easier for the user to determine which side is up and which is down, allowing them to wear the watch in the correct orientation.

[0016] Also, as shown in Fig. 6(a), characters, symbols, etc. may be expressed by a plurality of protrusions 41, 41, … formed on the operation surface 40 of the push button 13b. In Fig. 6(a), the characters of "sauna" are expressed using the protrusions 42, 43, 44. This makes it easier for the user to understand the functions of the push button 13b. Although characters such as "RESET" and "MODE" are printed on the main body case 10a as the functions of the push buttons 13a and 13b, these characters may be rubbed off and disappear after long-term use. Therefore, by forming characters, symbols, etc. on the operation surface 40, there is also an effect of making it easier to identify the functions of the push button 13b.

[0017] As described above, the wearable device (sauna wristwatch 1) according to the present embodiment includes a housing (watch body 10), a band 20 (a band that can rotate when worn) attached to the housing and for attaching and detaching the housing to and from the human body by stretching and contracting, and a plurality of push buttons 13a, 13b provided on the housing for executing different functions when pressed. Among the plurality of push buttons, the first push button 13b and the second push button 13a each have operation surfaces 30, 40 with different textures. In this way, the operation surface 30 of the push button 13a is a smooth texture without unevenness, while the operation surface 40 of the push button 13b is a texture provided with a plurality of protrusions 41, 41, …. Therefore, even when the watch body 10 is inverted, it is possible to determine which push button it is just by the feeling of touching the operation surface, and it is possible to operate the intended push button without operating an unintended push button. Also, since the push buttons 13a and 13b are arranged symmetrically with respect to the virtual straight line passing through 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock on the dial 11 of the watch, even when the watch body 10 is inverted, only the push buttons 13a and 13b are swapped left and right, and there is no significant misrecognition of the positions of the push buttons 13a and 13b.

[0018] In the above-described embodiment, a plurality of protrusions 41, 41,... are formed on the operation surface 40 of one push button 13b. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the sizes, colors, shapes, materials, etc. of the two push buttons 13a and 13b may be made different. This makes it easier to distinguish each of the push buttons 13a and 13b. Also, in the above-described embodiment, the case of having two push buttons 13a and 13b was described. However, in the case of having three or more push buttons, the sizes and shapes of the protrusions on the operation surface may be made different for each push button. That is, the size and shape of the protrusions on each of the operation surface 30 (second operation surface) of the push button 13a, the operation surface 40 (first operation surface) of the push button 13b, and the operation surface (not shown, third operation surface) of the third push button (not shown) may be made different. This enables each push button to be identified only by the touch feeling even when three or more push buttons are provided. Also, in the above-described embodiment, the band 20 was a curl cord type band. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a highly elastic band (such as rubber) may be used. Also, in the above-described embodiment, a plurality of protrusions 41, 41,... are formed on the operation surface 40. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of depressions (concave shapes) may be provided only on the operation surface of the push button 13a among the two push buttons 13a and 13b to make it easier to distinguish the two push buttons 13a and 13b.

[0019] Regarding the detailed configuration and detailed operation of each component of the sauna wristwatch 1 (wearable device) in the above embodiment, it is needless to say that they can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the present invention. Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and includes the scope of the invention described in the claims and equivalent scopes thereof.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0020] 1…Sauna watch, 10a…Main case, 13a, 13b…Push buttons, 20…Coiled cord type band, 30, 40…Operating surface, 41~44…Protrusions

Claims

1. The casing and A band attached to the housing, which extends and retracts to allow the housing to be attached to and detached from the human body, The housing is provided with a plurality of push buttons, each of which is used to perform a different function when pressed, Equipped with, Of the aforementioned plurality of push buttons, the first push button and the second push button each have operating surfaces having different textures. A wearable device characterized by the following:

2. The first push button has a first operating surface on which a projection is formed, The second push button has an operating surface on which the projection is not formed. The wearable device according to feature 1.

3. Equipped with a dial for displaying time information, The first push button and the second push button are positioned symmetrically with respect to a virtual straight line passing through the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions on the dial. The wearable device according to feature 1.

4. Equipped with a dial for displaying time information, The first push button is located at the 2 o'clock position on the dial, The second push button is located on the dial at the 10 o'clock position. The wearable device according to feature 1.

5. The projection formed on the first operating surface of the first push button has a shape that represents a character or symbol related to a predetermined function assigned to the first push button. The wearable device according to feature 2.

6. The aforementioned band is a coiled cord band. The wearable device according to feature 1.

7. The first push button is made of a resin material. The wearable device according to feature 1.

8. Of the plurality of push buttons, the third push button has a third operating surface having a different texture from the first push button. The wearable device according to feature 1.

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