Ring-type wearable electronic device including replaceable battery

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a ring-type wearable electronic device including a replaceable battery. The ring-type wearable electronic device comprises: a ring-shaped housing forming a portion of the outer surface of the wearable device; a printed circuit board accommodated in the ring-shaped housing and including one or more sensors; and a molding member detachably accommodated in the ring-shaped housing, wherein a first surface of the molding member forms a curved surface that substantially corresponds to a portion of the inner surface of the ring-shaped housing, a second surface opposite the first surface of the molding member forms another portion of the outer surface of the wearable device, and the molding member substantially surrounds a battery which is disposed therein and set to supply power to at least one of the one or more sensors.

Description

Ring-type wearable electronic device with replaceable battery

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a ring type wearable electronic device, for example, a ring type wearable electronic device including a replaceable battery.

[0002] Electronic devices are evolving into various forms for user convenience and are becoming smaller and more portable. Recently, various types of wearable electronic devices have been introduced. For example, a ring-type wearable electronic device is available that can be worn on the user's finger.

[0003] Recent wearable electronic devices are being developed to offer users not only the convenience of portability but also diverse user experiences. For example, as interest in health grows, demand is also growing for wearable electronic devices that can monitor a user's health status. Accordingly, wearable electronic devices can include sensors to measure the user's biometric information, and are evolving into various forms that utilize these sensors to measure and utilize various biosignals from the human body. Ring-type wearable electronic devices are also expected to provide various services that manage or confirm the user's health by measuring various biosignals.

[0004] To enable small wearable electronic devices, such as ring-type wearable electronic devices, to perform various functions, the battery may need to be optimally located within the confined space within the device and have the largest possible capacity. Recently, legislation (e.g., the EU Battery Act) has been introduced to allow users to easily replace batteries in wearable electronic devices, aiming to reduce the social costs of waste batteries at all stages of the battery life cycle and protect the environment.

[0005] The above information may be provided as background information to aid in understanding the present disclosure. No claim or determination is made as to whether any of the above is applicable as prior art in connection with the present disclosure.

[0006] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a wearable electronic device may be provided. The wearable electronic device may include a ring-shaped housing including a first inner circumferential surface that can be contacted by a user's body, a second inner circumferential surface that is retracted from the first inner circumferential surface and is stepped from the first inner circumferential surface, and an outer circumferential surface that forms an outermost surface of the wearable electronic device; a circuit board disposed in an inner space of the ring-shaped housing and for arranging at least one component; and a molding member that is detachably coupled to the ring-shaped housing and includes a first surface facing the second inner circumferential surface of the ring-shaped housing when coupled to the ring-shaped housing and a second surface facing in a direction opposite to the first surface, and at least a portion of which includes a molding material. The molding member may include a battery configured to provide power to the at least one component; And a molding part surrounding at least a portion of the battery, wherein the molding part is configured to adjust a substantial inner radius of the ring-shaped housing defined by the first inner circumferential surface of the ring-shaped housing and the second surface of the molding member according to a thickness between the battery and the second surface of the molding member.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a wearable electronic device may be provided. The wearable electronic device may include: a ring-shaped housing forming a portion of an outer surface of the wearable electronic device; a circuit board accommodated in the ring-shaped housing and including one or more sensors; and a molding member detachably accommodated in the ring-shaped housing, a first surface of the molding member forming a curved surface substantially corresponding to a portion of an inner surface of the ring-shaped housing, and a second surface of the molding member opposite the first surface forming another portion of the outer surface of the wearable device. The molding member may substantially surround a battery disposed therein and configured to provide power to at least one of the one or more sensors.

[0008] The above-described aspects or other aspects, configurations and / or advantages of one embodiment of the present disclosure may be further clarified by the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device within a network environment according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0010] FIG. 2 is a drawing for explaining usage examples of a wearable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a wearable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a wearable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a projected view of the interior of a portion of a wearable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a projected view of the interior of a portion of a wearable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 7 is a drawing showing an example in which the actual inner radius of a ring-shaped housing is adjusted according to the thickness of a molding part of a wearable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 8 is a drawing showing an example in which the actual inner radius of a ring-shaped housing is adjusted according to the thickness of a molding part of a wearable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 9 is a drawing showing a joint portion of a molding member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a battery according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a molding member surrounding a battery according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 12 is a drawing showing a molding member further including a sealer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of a joint portion of a ring-shaped housing coupled to a molding member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a molding member coupled to a ring-shaped housing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] FIG. 15 is a front view showing a molding member coupled to a ring-shaped housing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] FIG. 16 is a drawing showing a molding member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing a battery according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing a molding member surrounding a battery according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing a ball plunger and a molding part according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 20 is a drawing showing a molding member further including a sealer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] FIG. 21 is an enlarged view of a joint portion of a ring-shaped housing coupled to a molding member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] FIG. 22 is a perspective view showing a molding member coupled to a ring-shaped housing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] FIG. 23 is a front view showing a molding member coupled to a ring-shaped housing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] FIG. 24 is a drawing showing the direction in which a molding member is coupled to a ring-shaped housing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view showing a molding member coupled to a ring-shaped housing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] FIG. 26 is a drawing showing a molding member having a step portion formed thereon according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] FIG. 27 is a drawing showing a molding member having a step portion formed thereon according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] FIGS. 28a, 28b, 28c, and 28d are drawings showing ring-shaped housings of various materials according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] FIG. 29 is a cross-sectional view of a wearable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] FIG. 30 is a perspective view of a wearable electronic device including a magnetic attachment type molding member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] FIG. 31 is a drawing showing a magnetic attachment type molding member and a ring-shaped housing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional view of a magnetic attachment type molding member and a ring-shaped housing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] FIG. 33 is a front view of a wearable electronic device including a plurality of molding members according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] FIG. 34 is a block diagram of a method for assembling a wearable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] Throughout the attached drawings, similar reference numbers may be assigned to similar parts, components and / or structures.

[0044] The following description of the accompanying drawings may provide an understanding of various exemplary implementations of the present disclosure, including the claims and their equivalents. While the exemplary embodiments disclosed in the following description include numerous specific details to aid understanding, they are to be considered as one example of various exemplary embodiments. Accordingly, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations of the various implementations described in this disclosure may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Furthermore, descriptions of well-known functions and configurations may be omitted for clarity and conciseness.

[0045] The terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to their reference meanings and can be used to clearly and consistently describe one embodiment of the present disclosure. Therefore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of various implementations of the disclosure is provided for illustrative purposes, not for the purpose of limiting the scope of the disclosure and its equivalents.

[0046] Unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the singular forms of "a," "an," and "the" should be understood to include plural meanings. Thus, for example, "a component surface" could be understood to include one or more of the surfaces of the component.

[0047] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device (101) within a network environment (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0048] Referring to FIG. 1, in a network environment (100), an electronic device (101) may communicate with an electronic device (102) via a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network), or may communicate with at least one of an electronic device (104) or a server (108) via a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). In one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may communicate with the electronic device (104) via the server (108). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a processor (120), a memory (130), an input module (150), an audio output module (155), a display module (160), an audio module (170), a sensor module (176), an interface (177), a connection terminal (178), a haptic module (179), a camera module (180), a power management module (188), a battery (189), a communication module (190), a subscriber identification module (196), or an antenna module (197). In some embodiments, the electronic device (101) may omit at least one of these components (e.g., the connection terminal (178)), or may have one or more other components added. In some embodiments, some of these components (e.g., the sensor module (176), the camera module (180), or the antenna module (197)) may be integrated into one component (e.g., the display module (160)).

[0049] The processor (120) may, for example, execute software (e.g., a program (140)) to control at least one other component (e.g., a hardware or software component) of the electronic device (101) connected to the processor (120) and perform various data processing or operations. According to one embodiment, as at least a part of the data processing or operations, the processor (120) may store commands or data received from other components (e.g., a sensor module (176) or a communication module (190)) in a volatile memory (132), process the commands or data stored in the volatile memory (132), and store result data in a non-volatile memory (134). According to one embodiment, the processor (120) may include a main processor (121) (e.g., a central processing unit or an application processor) or an auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., a graphics processing unit, a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor) that can operate independently or together with the main processor (121). For example, when the electronic device (101) includes the main processor (121) and the auxiliary processor (123), the auxiliary processor (123) may be configured to use less power than the main processor (121) or to be specialized for a given function. The auxiliary processor (123) may be implemented separately from the main processor (121) or as a part thereof.

[0050] The auxiliary processor (123) may control at least a portion of functions or states associated with at least one component (e.g., a display module (160), a sensor module (176), or a communication module (190)) of the electronic device (101), for example, on behalf of the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, or together with the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an active (e.g., application execution) state. In one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., an image signal processor or a communication processor) may be implemented as a part of another functionally related component (e.g., a camera module (180) or a communication module (190)). In one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., a neural network processing unit) may include a hardware structure specialized for processing artificial intelligence models. The artificial intelligence models may be generated through machine learning. This learning can be performed, for example, on the electronic device (101) itself where the artificial intelligence model is executed, or can be performed through a separate server (e.g., server (108)). The learning algorithm can include, for example, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning, but is not limited to the examples described above. The artificial intelligence model can include multiple artificial neural network layers.The artificial neural network may be one of a deep neural network (DNN), a convolutional neural network (CNN), a recurrent neural network (RNN), a restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM), a deep belief network (DBN), a bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), a deep Q-network, or a combination of two or more of the above, but is not limited to the examples described above. In addition to, or alternatively to, a hardware structure, an artificial intelligence model may include a software structure.

[0051] The memory (130) can store various data used by at least one component (e.g., processor (120) or sensor module (176)) of the electronic device (101). The data can include, for example, software (e.g., program (140)) and input data or output data for commands related thereto. The memory (130) can include volatile memory (132) or non-volatile memory (134).

[0052] The program (140) may be stored as software in the memory (130) and may include, for example, an operating system (142), middleware (144), or an application (146).

[0053] The input module (150) can receive commands or data to be used in a component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a processor (120)) from an external source (e.g., a user) of the electronic device (101). The input module (150) can include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, a key (e.g., a button), or a digital pen (e.g., a stylus pen).

[0054] The audio output module (155) can output audio signals to the outside of the electronic device (101). The audio output module (155) can include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker can be used for general purposes, such as multimedia playback or recording playback. The receiver can be used to receive incoming calls. In one embodiment, the receiver can be implemented separately from the speaker or as part of the speaker.

[0055] The display module (160) can visually provide information to an external party (e.g., a user) of the electronic device (101). The display module (160) may include, for example, a display, a holographic device, or a projector and a control circuit for controlling the device. According to one embodiment, the display module (160) may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of a force generated by the touch.

[0056] The audio module (170) can convert sound into an electrical signal, or vice versa, convert an electrical signal into sound. According to one embodiment, the audio module (170) can acquire sound through the input module (150), output sound through the sound output module (155), or an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)) (e.g., speaker or headphone) directly or wirelessly connected to the electronic device (101).

[0057] The sensor module (176) can detect the operating status (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device (101) or the external environmental status (e.g., user status) and generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected status. According to one embodiment, the sensor module (176) can include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

[0058] The interface (177) may support one or more designated protocols that may be used to directly or wirelessly connect the electronic device (101) with an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (102)). In one embodiment, the interface (177) may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, or an audio interface.

[0059] The connection terminal (178) may include a connector through which the electronic device (101) may be physically connected to an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)). According to one embodiment, the connection terminal (178) may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector).

[0060] The haptic module (179) can convert electrical signals into mechanical stimuli (e.g., vibration or movement) or electrical stimuli that a user can perceive through tactile or kinesthetic sensations. According to one embodiment, the haptic module (179) can include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

[0061] The camera module (180) can capture still images and videos. According to one embodiment, the camera module (180) may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

[0062] The power management module (188) can manage power supplied to the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the power management module (188) can be implemented as, for example, at least a part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0063] A battery (189) may power at least one component of the electronic device (101). In one embodiment, the battery (189) may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

[0064] The communication module (190) may support the establishment of a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102), electronic device (104), or server (108)), and the performance of communication through the established communication channel. The communication module (190) may operate independently from the processor (120) (e.g., application processor) and may include one or more communication processors that support direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to one embodiment, the communication module (190) may include a wireless communication module (192) (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module (194) (e.g., a local area network (LAN) communication module, or a power line communication module). Among these communication modules, the corresponding communication module can communicate with an external electronic device (104) via a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, wireless fidelity (WiFi) direct, or infrared data association (IrDA)) or a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range communication network such as a legacy cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., a LAN or WAN)). These various types of communication modules can be integrated into a single component (e.g., a single chip) or implemented as multiple separate components (e.g., multiple chips). The wireless communication module (192) can verify or authenticate the electronic device (101) within a communication network such as the first network (198) or the second network (199) by using subscriber information (e.g., an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module (196).

[0065] The wireless communication module (192) can support 5G networks and next-generation communication technologies following the 4G network, such as NR access technology (new radio access technology). The NR access technology can support high-speed transmission of high-capacity data (eMBB (enhanced mobile broadband)), minimization of terminal power and connection of multiple terminals (mMTC (massive machine type communications)), or high reliability and low latency (URLLC (ultra-reliable and low-latency communications)). The wireless communication module (192) can support, for example, a high-frequency band (e.g., mmWave band) to achieve a high data transmission rate. The wireless communication module (192) can support various technologies for securing performance in a high-frequency band, such as beamforming, massive multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO), full dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antenna, analog beam-forming, or large scale antenna. The wireless communication module (192) can support various requirements specified in the electronic device (101), an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (104)), or a network system (e.g., the second network (199)). According to one embodiment, the wireless communication module (192) can support a peak data rate (e.g., 20 Gbps or more) for eMBB realization, a loss coverage (e.g., 164 dB or less) for mMTC realization, or a U-plane latency (e.g., 0.5 ms or less for downlink (DL) and uplink (UL), or 1 ms or less for round trip) for URLLC realization.

[0066] The antenna module (197) can transmit or receive signals or power to or from an external device (e.g., an external electronic device). In one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include an antenna including a radiator formed of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (e.g., a PCB). In one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna). In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication method used in a communication network, such as the first network (198) or the second network (199), may be selected from the plurality of antennas, for example, by the communication module (190). A signal or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module (190) and an external electronic device via the selected at least one antenna. In some embodiments, in addition to the radiator, another component (e.g., a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) may be additionally formed as a part of the antenna module (197).

[0067] In one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may form a mmWave antenna module. In one embodiment, the mmWave antenna module may include a circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent to a first surface (e.g., a bottom surface) of the circuit board and capable of supporting a designated high-frequency band (e.g., a mmWave band), and a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna) disposed on or adjacent to a second surface (e.g., a top surface or a side surface) of the circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving signals in the designated high-frequency band.

[0068] At least some of the above components can be interconnected and exchange signals (e.g., commands or data) with each other via a communication method between peripheral devices (e.g., a bus, GPIO (general purpose input and output), SPI (serial peripheral interface), or MIPI (mobile industry processor interface)).

[0069] According to one embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (104) via a server (108) connected to a second network (199). Each of the external electronic devices (102 or 104) may be the same or a different type of device as the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, all or part of the operations executed in the electronic device (101) may be executed in one or more of the external electronic devices (102, 104, or 108). For example, when the electronic device (101) is to perform a certain function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device (101) may, instead of or in addition to executing the function or service itself, request one or more external electronic devices to perform the function or at least a part of the service. One or more external electronic devices that receive the request may execute at least a portion of the requested function or service, or an additional function or service related to the request, and transmit the result of the execution to the electronic device (101). The electronic device (101) may process the result as is or additionally and provide it as at least a portion of a response to the request. For this purpose, cloud computing, distributed computing, mobile edge computing (MEC), or client-server computing technology may be used, for example. The electronic device (101) may provide an ultra-low latency service by using distributed computing or mobile edge computing, for example. In another embodiment, the external electronic device (104) may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. The server (108) may be an intelligent server utilizing machine learning and / or a neural network. According to one embodiment, the external electronic device (104) or the server (108) may be included in the second network (199).The electronic device (101) can be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart city, smart car, or healthcare) based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology.

[0070] An electronic device according to an embodiment disclosed in this document may take various forms. The electronic device may include, for example, a portable communication module (e.g., a smartphone), a computer device, a portable multimedia device, a portable medical device, a camera, a wearable device, or a home appliance. The electronic device according to an embodiment of this document is not limited to the aforementioned devices.

[0071] It should be understood that the embodiments of this document and the terminology used herein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, but include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutes of the embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the items, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this document, each of the phrases "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B, or C", "at least one of A, B, and C", and "at least one of A, B, or C" can include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase among those phrases, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used merely to distinguish one component from another, and do not limit the components in any other respect (e.g., importance or order). When a component (e.g., a first component) is referred to as "coupled" or "connected" to another component (e.g., a second component), with or without the terms "functionally" or "communicatively," it means that the component can be connected to the other component directly (e.g., wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.

[0072] The term "module" used in one embodiment of this document may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit. A module may be an integral component, or a minimum unit or part of such a component that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0073] An embodiment of the present document may be implemented as software (e.g., a program (140)) including one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., an internal memory (136) or an external memory (138)) readable by a machine (e.g., an electronic device (101)). For example, a processor (e.g., a processor (120)) of the machine (e.g., an electronic device (101)) may call at least one instruction among the one or more instructions stored from the storage medium and execute it. This enables the machine to operate to perform at least one function according to the at least one called instruction. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code executable by an interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, "non-transitory" simply means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and the term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently or temporarily on the storage medium.

[0074] According to one embodiment, the method according to various embodiments disclosed in the present document may be provided as included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded as a product between a seller and a buyer. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)), or may be distributed online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) via an application store (e.g., Play Store™) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smart phones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily generated in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or an intermediary server.

[0075] According to one embodiment, each component (e.g., a module or a program) of the above-described components may include one or more entities, and some of the entities may be separated and placed in other components. According to various embodiments, one or more components or operations of the aforementioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (e.g., a module or a program) may be integrated into a single component. In such a case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components identically or similarly to those performed by the corresponding component among the plurality of components prior to the integration. According to various embodiments, the operations performed by a module, program, or other component may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

[0076] FIG. 2 is a drawing for explaining usage examples of a wearable electronic device (200) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0077] Referring to FIG. 2, a wearable electronic device (200) (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1) may be configured to be worn on a user's body. For example, the wearable electronic device (200) may be implemented as a wearable electronic device that can be worn on a user's finger. For example, the wearable electronic device (200) may be provided in the form of a ring that can be worn on a user's wrist. According to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (200) may be defined and / or referred to as a "smart ring" in terms of providing various functions to the user. According to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (200) may be defined and / or referred to as a "ring-type wearable electronic device."

[0078] According to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (200) can perform wireless communication with another electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (102, 104) of FIG. 1) via a wireless communication network (e.g., the first network (198) or the second network (199) of FIG. 1). For example, the wearable electronic device (200) can perform wireless communication with another electronic device, such as a smart phone (S1), a desktop / laptop computer (S2, S3), a car (S4), a smart TV (S5), various indoor smart home devices (S6) other than a smart TV, a tablet PC (S7), or a smart watch (S8). The wireless communication between the wearable electronic device (200) and the other electronic device can be implemented as wireless communication via a short-range communication network (e.g., the first network (198) of FIG. 1) or a long-range communication network (e.g., the second network (199) of FIG. 1). For example, when a Bluetooth communication link is established between the wearable electronic device (200) and an electronic device that the user wishes to connect, message transmission may be possible between the two electronic devices, and the wearable electronic device (200) worn by the user may generate commands corresponding to specific movements / gestures of the user's fingers and transmit the commands to another electronic device. In order to detect the user's finger movements / gestures, etc., motion sensors such as an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or an electronic compass (e.g., the sensor module (176) of FIG. 1) may be arranged in the wearable electronic device (200). When a message is received from another electronic device to the wearable electronic device (200), the electronic device (200) may notify the user of the receipt of the message using sound, vibration, a display screen, or lighting (e.g., a light-emitting diode or a xenon lamp).To this end, the wearable electronic device (200) may include an acoustic module (e.g., an acoustic output module (155) or an audio module (170) of FIG. 1), a haptic module (e.g., a haptic module (179) of FIG. 1), or a display module (e.g., a display module (160) of FIG. 1). According to one embodiment, at least one of the acoustic module, the haptic module, or the display module may be omitted from the electronic device, or one or more other components may be output. In addition, the wearable electronic device (200) may obtain biometric information of the user (e.g., oxygen saturation) and provide the biometric information to another electronic device.

[0079] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a wearable electronic device (200) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a wearable electronic device (200) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0080] The embodiments of FIGS. 3 and 4 may be combined with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 2, or the embodiments of FIGS. 5 to 18. The configuration of the wearable electronic device (200) of FIGS. 3 and 4 may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1, or the configuration of the wearable electronic device (200) of FIG. 2.

[0081] In the drawings below FIG. 4, an orthogonal coordinate system (X, Y, Z) may be illustrated for convenience of explanation. For example, the X-axis direction of the orthogonal coordinate system may represent the width direction of the wearable electronic device (200), the Y-axis direction may represent the height direction of the wearable electronic device (200), and the Z-axis direction may represent the thickness direction of the wearable electronic device (200).

[0082] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a wearable electronic device (200) may include a housing (210). The housing (210) may form the overall appearance of the wearable electronic device (200). The housing (210) may have a shape that can be worn on a user's finger, for example.

[0083] According to one embodiment, the housing (210) may be in a ring shape (e.g., a ring shape). According to one embodiment, the housing (210) may be defined and / or referred to as a “ring-shaped or ring-type housing” (or “ring-type housing”). For example, the housing (210) may include an opening configured to receive a user’s finger. For example, the housing (210) may include an opening configured to receive a user’s wrist. For example, the opening may be defined as a hole implemented by the housing (210). However, the wearable electronic device (200) is not limited to the ring-shaped embodiment, and may be designed in various shapes (e.g., a box shape) that can be worn and / or fixed on a user’s body (e.g., a finger, a wrist).

[0084] The housing (210) may be implemented to include an outer housing portion constituting the outer surface of the wearable electronic device (200) and an inner housing portion having a shape that can be worn on a user's finger, but this is exemplary and not limiting. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 , according to one embodiment, the housing (210) may include an outer housing portion (211) or an inner housing portion (212). According to one embodiment, the outer housing portion (211) may be referred to as a "first housing portion (211)", and the inner housing portion (212) may be referred to as a "second housing portion (212)". According to one embodiment, the inner housing portion (211) may include an inner peripheral surface that can be contacted by the user's body, and the outer housing portion may include an outer peripheral surface that forms an outermost surface.

[0085] The inner housing portion (212) can be coupled to the outer housing portion (211). For example, the inner housing portion (212) can be coupled to the outer housing portion (211) on the inside of the outer housing portion (211). According to one embodiment, the outer housing portion (211) and the inner housing portion (212) can be manufactured separately and assembled, or can be formed integrally. In one embodiment, the outer housing portion can be manufactured from a metal material, and the inner housing portion can be formed by applying a liquid material to the inside of the outer housing portion and curing it. In one embodiment, a part of the inner housing portion can be implemented by combining a part made from a metal material or a synthetic resin, and a part formed by applying / curing a liquid material.

[0086] According to one embodiment, the outer housing portion (211) may include a material capable of withstanding external impacts and / or scratches and implementing design features. For example, the outer housing portion (211) may include at least one of titanium, stainless steel, or ceramic. The outer housing portion (211) may be color-treated or coated to implement the design.

[0087] According to one embodiment, the inner housing portion (212) may be a portion that comes into contact with a user's finger when the user wears the wearable electronic device (200). The inner housing portion (212) may be made of a material such as a molding material, transparent plastic, or glass. For example, the inner housing portion (212) may be configured to be at least partially transparent. For example, the inner housing portion (212) may include a material that is transparent to light for measuring biometric information. At least a portion of the inner housing portion (212) may be made of a material that is substantially the same as or similar to the outer housing portion (211). In addition, at least a portion of the inner housing portion (212) may include a metal material for measuring biometric information.

[0088] According to one embodiment, the outer housing portion (211) and the inner housing portion (212) may be combined to provide an internal space of the housing (210). Here, the “internal space of the housing (210)” may be understood as a space separate from an opening for accommodating a part of the user’s body. For example, various electrical / electronic components of the wearable electronic device (200) may be arranged and / or mounted in the internal space of the housing (210). For example, the housing (210) may accommodate various electrical / electronic components.

[0089] According to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (200) may include a circuit board (299) disposed within a housing (210). According to one embodiment, the circuit board (299) may be disposed in an internal space of the housing (210). The circuit board (299) may include at least one of a printed circuit board (PCB), a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB), or a rigid-flexible PCB (RF-PCB).

[0090] According to one embodiment, the circuit board (299) may include a plurality of circuit boards. For example, the plurality of circuit boards may be arranged according to the shape of the internal space of the housing (210) and may be electrically connected to each other. The circuit board (299) may include a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB). For example, the flexible printed circuit board may be at least partially bendable according to the shape of the internal space of the housing (210). For example, the circuit board (299) may be a rigid circuit board and a flexible circuit board that are alternately arranged based on the circumferential direction (or the periphery direction) of the housing (210).

[0091] According to one embodiment, various electrical / electronic components may be arranged and / or mounted on the circuit board (299). For example, a processor (220) (e.g., the processor (120) of FIG. 1) and a memory (230) (e.g., the memory (130) of FIG. 1) may be arranged and / or mounted on the circuit board (299). For example, an input module (255) (e.g., the input module (150) of FIG. 1) may be arranged and / or mounted on the circuit board (299). For example, at least one sensor (276a, 276b, 276c) (e.g., the sensor module (176) of FIG. 1) may be arranged and / or mounted on the circuit board (299). For example, at least an optical module (281, 282) (e.g., a camera module (180) of FIG. 1) may be arranged and / or mounted on the circuit board (299). For example, a communication module (290) (e.g., a communication module (190) of FIG. 1) and an antenna (291) (e.g., an antenna module (197) of FIG. 1) may be arranged and / or mounted on the circuit board (299).

[0092] A wearable electronic device (200) may include a processor (220) and a memory (230). The memory (230) may store instructions. The instructions may be executed by the processor (220) and, when executed, cause the wearable electronic device (200) to perform at least one operation. The processor (220) may be individually or collectively executed by one or more elements (cores and / or processing units (e.g., but not limited to, a CPU, a GPU, an NPU, an FPGA, or an ASIC). Those skilled in the art will understand that the memory (230) may be implemented by one or more elements, and that instructions may be stored in one element or distributed across multiple elements.

[0093] The wearable electronic device (200) may include an input module (255). FIG. 4 illustrates a microphone (255) as an example of the input module (255). For example, the wearable electronic device (200) may acquire a user's voice through the microphone (255). At least some of the multiple processing operations for the user's voice acquired through the microphone (255) may be performed by the wearable electronic device (200), the electronic device (101), and / or the server (108), and those skilled in the art will understand that there is no limitation on the subject of processing the user's voice.

[0094] The wearable electronic device (200) may include at least one sensor (276a) (for example, but not limited to, a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor as a biosensor), at least one sensor (276b) (for example, but not limited to, an inertial sensor), and / or at least one sensor (276c) (for example, but not limited to, a temperature sensor).

[0095] According to one embodiment, at least one sensor (276 a) of the wearable electronic device (200) may include at least one light emitting module and at least one light receiving module. According to one embodiment, at least one sensor (276 a) of the wearable electronic device (200) may be used as a sensor for obtaining (or measuring) at least one biometric information. For example, the at least one biometric information may include at least one of user's oxygen saturation information or user's heart rate information. For example, the sensor may include a photo plethysmography (PPG) sensor for measuring oxygen saturation or heart rate. According to one embodiment, the PPG sensor may include a light source (e.g., at least one light emitting module) configured to emit light in two wavelength bands (e.g., a RED wavelength band or an infrared wavelength band). The PPG sensor may include a light-receiving unit (e.g., at least one light-receiving module) configured to detect at least a portion of light reflected from or transmitted by a body part of a user (e.g., a finger, skin of a finger, or a blood vessel of a finger). In one embodiment, the at least one light-emitting module may emit light of substantially the same or different wavelengths to irradiate the light to the body part of the user (e.g., a finger, skin of a finger, and / or a blood vessel of a finger) for measuring the oxygen saturation of the user. For example, the at least one light-emitting module may emit light of various bands and include at least one of a light emitting diode (LED), a laser diode, or a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL). The at least one light-emitting module may be disposed and / or mounted on a portion of a circuit board (299).At least one light emitting module can be configured to sequentially (or repeatedly) emit light of different wavelength bands by divining time.

[0096] According to one embodiment, at least one light receiving module can accumulate photoelectric charge corresponding to the amount of light incident on and / or reflected from a body part of the user, and convert an analog current-type biosignal according to the accumulated photoelectric charge into a digital signal. For example, light (or light signal) acquired (or detected) through at least one light receiving module can be converted through an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and stored in a memory or a sensor buffer. At least one light receiving module can include at least one of a photodiode (PD), a photo transistor, a charge-coupled device (CCD), or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS). The at least one light receiving module can include, but is not limited to, various elements capable of converting an incident optical signal into an electrical signal. According to one embodiment, at least one light receiving module can be configured to receive at least a portion of light transmitted through a body part of the user or light reflected by at least a portion of the body part of the user. At least one light receiving module can receive light transmitted through a body part of a user, convert the transmitted light into an electrical signal, and transmit the electrical signal to the processor (220). According to one embodiment, the light receiving module can be configured to receive light reflected by at least a portion of the body part of the user. The light receiving module can receive light reflected from the body part of the user, convert the reflected light into an electrical signal, and transmit the electrical signal to the processor (220).

[0097] According to one embodiment, light emitted from at least one light-emitting module can reach at least one light-receiving module through an optical path. For example, the optical path can be a path that transmits to a body part of the user (e.g., a finger, the skin of the finger, or a blood vessel of the finger) or a path that reflects to a body part of the user. For example, at least a portion of the light emitted from the light-emitting module can transmit to the body of the user or be reflected by the body of the user and then reach the light-receiving module. The light-receiving module receives the light that transmits to the body of the user or is reflected by the body of the user and converts it into an electrical signal, and the converted electrical signal can be used as data for determining user biometric information (e.g., oxygen saturation information or heart rate information of the user). The at least one light-receiving module can be disposed and / or mounted on a portion of the circuit board (299) spaced apart from a portion of the circuit board (299) on which the at least one light-emitting module is disposed. According to one embodiment, a blocking member that absorbs or blocks at least a portion of the light can be included between the at least one light-emitting module and the at least one light-receiving module.

[0098] The wearable electronic device (200) may include an optical module (281, 282) (e.g., the camera module (180) of FIG. 1). According to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (200) may include a plurality of optical modules (281, 282), through which images and / or videos of a subject may be acquired. The wearable electronic device (200) may include a communication module (290) and / or an antenna (291). The communication module (290) may support one or more communication schemes. For example, the communication module (290) may support short-range communication (e.g., but not limited to, Bluetooth, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), Zigbee, Thread, UWB (Ultra Wide Band), or Wi-Fi Direct). For example, the communication module (290) may support cellular communication or communication based on IEEE 802.11x (which may be referred to as WiFi communication). The antenna (291) may be implemented to correspond to the supported communication method.

[0099] The wearable electronic device (200) may include a power management integrated circuit (PMIC) (288), a charging interface (287), and / or a battery (289). For example, power provided from the battery (289) may be processed (e.g., voltage converted, but not limited to) by the power management module (288) and provided to other components. Alternatively, the battery (289) may be charged under the control of the power management module (288) (or a charger). The charging interface (287) may be, for example, a power line connecting the power management module (288) and the battery (289), but there is no limitation on its implementation form. According to one embodiment, the battery (289) is a device for supplying power to the components constituting the wearable electronic device (200), and may include a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell. According to one embodiment, the battery (289) may be formed as a single integrated battery or may include multiple detachable batteries. The battery (289) may have a shape that is bent according to the shape of the internal space of the housing (210). For example, the battery (289) having a bent shape inside the housing (210) may be configured by combining multiple non-bent battery packs. According to one embodiment, the battery (289) may include a bent battery pack and multiple non-bent battery packs.

[0100] In the present disclosure, the battery (289) may be detachably (or separately) coupled to the wearable electronic device (200). Referring to FIG. 4, in the ring-type wearable electronic device (200), the outer radius (r2) of the housing (210) may be defined by the outer circumference of the outer housing portion (211), and the inner radius (r1) of the housing (210) may be defined by the inner circumference of the inner housing portion (212). Among these, the inner radius (r1) of the housing (210) should correspond to the thickness of a part of the user's body, i.e., a finger. If the inner radius of the housing (210) is smaller than the thickness of the user's finger, the wearable electronic device disclosed in the related art is designed so that it is substantially difficult for the user to replace the housing (210) by himself / herself. Therefore, the user may have difficulty wearing the wearable electronic device (200) unless he / she purchases a new wearable electronic device (200). In the present disclosure, a wearable electronic device (200) capable of battery replacement can be provided, which allows the user to easily remove or install (or replace) the battery on the wearable electronic device (200).

[0101] In addition, the present disclosure provides a wearable electronic device (200) configured to allow the user to replace the battery by himself / herself, and configured to substantially adjust the inner radius (r1) of the ring-shaped housing in response to the thickness of the user's finger.

[0102] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a projected view of the inside of a portion of a wearable electronic device (300) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a projected view of the inside of a portion of a wearable electronic device (300) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The wearable electronic device (300) and the components included therein described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 may be partially or entirely identical to the wearable electronic device (200) and the components included therein described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. The components described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 may be partially or entirely identical to the wearable electronic device (300) and the components included therein described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 34.

[0103] A wearable electronic device (300) (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1, the wearable electronic device (200) of FIGS. 2 to 4) may be a ring-type wearable electronic device. The wearable electronic device (300) may include a ring-shaped housing (310).

[0104] The ring-shaped housing (310) may include a first inner circumferential surface (3101) that can be contacted by a user's body, a second inner circumferential surface (3102) that is retracted from the first inner circumferential surface (3101) and is stepped from the first inner circumferential surface (3101), and an outer circumferential surface (3105) that forms an outermost surface. According to one embodiment, the ring-shaped housing (310) may include a first housing portion (311) (e.g., an inner housing portion (211) of FIGS. 2 to 4) that includes an inner peripheral surface that can be contacted by a user's body, and a second housing portion (312) (e.g., an outer housing portion (212) of FIGS. 2 to 4) that includes an outer peripheral surface that forms an outermost surface. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the second inner circumferential surface (3102) may be the inner surface of the first housing portion (311). However, it is not necessarily limited thereto, and unlike as illustrated in the drawings, the second inner circumferential surface (3102) may be formed as the inner surface of the second housing portion (312). The second inner circumferential surface (3102) may be positioned further from the center of the ring-shaped housing (310) compared to the first inner circumferential surface (3101). The fact that the second inner circumferential surface (3102) is introduced from the first inner circumferential surface (3101) may be interpreted as being positioned at a stepped position with respect to the first inner circumferential surface (3101). According to one embodiment, when the molding member (340) is coupled to the ring-shaped housing (310), the second inner circumferential surface (3102) may be covered by the molding member (340) and may not be visually exposed to the outside.

[0105] The first housing portion (311) and the second housing portion (312) may be connected to each other to form a single ring-shaped housing (310). According to one embodiment, the first housing portion (311) and the second housing portion (312) may be formed of the same material. According to one embodiment, the first housing portion (311) and the second housing portion (312) may be formed integrally with each other. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and according to one embodiment, the first housing portion (311) and the second housing portion (312) may be formed of different materials. For example, the first housing portion (311) may include a conductive material (e.g., a metal or a non-metal or a material having conductivity), and the second housing portion (312) may include a molding material formed through an injection process. The ring-shaped housing (310) may be formed by manufacturing the first housing part (311) and then injecting the second housing part (312) into the first housing part (311), or may be formed by manufacturing the first housing part (311) and the second housing part (312) separately and then assembling them.

[0106] The internal space of the ring-shaped housing (310) may include a circuit board (399). Here, the internal space of the ring-shaped housing (310) may be an internal space formed by the first housing part (311) and the second housing part (312) being joined to each other, but depending on the embodiment, it may be an internal space of either the first housing part (311) or the second housing part (312), for example, the second housing part (312).

[0107] At least one component(s), for example, a processor (e.g., processor (120) of FIG. 1, processor (220) of FIG. 4), memory (e.g., memory (130) of FIG. 1, memory (230) of FIG. 4) may be arranged and / or mounted on the circuit board (399). For example, an input module (e.g., input module (150) of FIG. 1, input module (255) of FIG. 4) may be arranged and / or mounted on the circuit board (399). For example, at least one sensor (376) (e.g., sensor module (176) of FIG. 1, sensor modules (276a, 276b, 276c) of FIG. 4) may be arranged and / or mounted on the circuit board (399). For example, at least an optical module (e.g., a camera module (180) of FIG. 1, an optical module (281, 282) of FIG. 4) may be arranged and / or mounted on the circuit board (399). For example, a communication module (e.g., a communication module (190) of FIG. 1, a communication module (290) of FIG. 4), an antenna (e.g., an antenna module (197) of FIG. 1, an antenna (291) of FIG. 4)) may be arranged and / or mounted on the circuit board (399). According to one embodiment, the circuit board (399) may be a printed circuit board (PCB) or a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) itself, or a printed circuit board assembly (PBA).

[0108] A wearable electronic device (300) may include a molding member (340) at least one portion of which includes a molding material. The molding member (340) may include at least one portion of the molding material. The molding member (340) may include a battery (389) that provides power to the at least one component, and a molding part (341) that surrounds at least a portion of the battery. In one embodiment, the molding member (340) may be referred to as a "battery assembly (340)." In one embodiment, the molding part (341) may also be referred to as a "battery housing (341)."

[0109] The molding member (340) can be detachably (or separably) coupled to the ring-shaped housing (310). Here, the molding member (340) being "detachable" to the ring-shaped housing (310) means that, when removing or attaching (or replacing) the molding member (340) to the ring-shaped housing (310), it does not necessarily mean that any equipment (e.g., a jig) must be used, and / or that the molding member (340) can be easily detached from the ring-shaped housing (310) by a general user, rather than requiring the use of any equipment and / or a skilled technician. Here, the term "coupling" may mean all forms of coupling, such as attachment, mounting, assembly, and fastening. In addition, it may include various forms of coupling, such as electromagnetic coupling and / or chemical coupling, in addition to physical coupling. For another example, the term "combination" herein may include not only a case where a component is directly coupled to another component, but also a case where another component is indirectly coupled to another component through an intermediary.

[0110] The molding member (340) may include a first surface (3401) facing a second inner surface (3102) of the ring-shaped housing (310) when the molding member (340) is coupled to the ring-shaped housing (310) and a second surface (3402) facing in an opposite direction to the first surface (3401). The first inner surface (3101) and the second inner surface (3102) of the ring-shaped housing (310) may each include a curved surface. The first surface (3401) of the molding member (340) may be formed as a curved surface having a shape and a radius of curvature corresponding to the second inner surface (3102) so as to face the second inner surface (3102) as a whole when the molding member (340) is coupled to the ring-shaped housing (310). The second surface (3402) of the molding member (340) can form a portion of an outer surface of the ring-shaped housing (310). The second surface (3402) can face in an opposite direction to the first surface (3401). According to one embodiment, the second surface (3402) of the molding member (340) can be seamlessly connected to the first inner surface (3101) of the ring-shaped housing (310).

[0111] The molding part (341) of the molding member (340) may be a portion defining the second surface (3402). The molding part (341) may substantially surround the battery (389) to protect the battery (389). At least three surfaces of the battery (389) may be surrounded by the molding part (341). The first surface (3401) and the second surface (3402) of the molding member (340) may be surfaces included in the molding part (341). In one embodiment, the molding part (341) may further include a third surface (3403) and / or a fourth surface (3404) surrounding the battery (389). Alternatively, the first side (3401) of the molding member (340) may be defined by one side of the battery (389), and other sides of the molding member (340) other than the first side (3401) may be defined by the molding part (341). That is, a configuration in which the battery (389) is exposed through one side of the molding member (340) may also be applied.

[0112] The third surface (3403) of the molding member (340) may be a surface facing the third inner circumferential surface (3103) of the ring-shaped housing (310). The ring-shaped housing (310) may have a first inner circumferential surface (3101) and a second inner circumferential surface (3102) that may be stepped from each other by a predetermined height, for example, approximately the thickness of the second housing portion (312), and may include a third inner circumferential surface (3103) connecting the first inner circumferential surface (3101) and the second inner circumferential surface (3102). According to one embodiment, the third inner circumferential surface (3103) may be perpendicular to the first inner circumferential surface (3101) and the second inner circumferential surface (3102), respectively. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. According to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the third inner surface (3103) may have an inclined shape with respect to the first inner surface (3101) and the second inner surface (3102). The third surface (3403) of the molding part (341) may connect the first surface (3401) and the second surface (3402). The third surface (3403) is a surface that faces the third inner surface (3103) of the ring-shaped housing (310), and when the third inner surface (3103) is perpendicular to the first inner surface (3101) and the second inner surface (3102), the third surface (3403) may also be perpendicular to the first surface (3401) and the second surface (3402). If the third inner surface (3103) is inclined with respect to the first inner surface (3101) and the second inner surface (3102), the third surface (3403) may also be inclined with respect to the first surface (3401) and the second surface (3402). In one embodiment, the "first inner surface (3101), the second inner surface (3102), and the third inner surface (3103)" may also be referred to as "the first inner surface (3101), the second inner surface (3102), and the third inner surface (3103)," respectively.

[0113] According to one embodiment, the third side (3403) of the molding member (340) may include a third side (3403) (which may be referred to as the 3-1 side) disposed on one side of the molding member (340) and a third side (which may be referred to as the 3-2 side) disposed on the other side of the molding member (340), wherein the inclination of the third side (3403) on the one side and the inclination of the third side (3403) on the other side may be different from each other. With such a structure, when the molding member (340) is attached to the ring-shaped housing (310), it is possible to prevent it from being attached in the wrong direction.

[0114] In one embodiment, the fourth face (3104) of the ring-shaped housing (310) and the fourth face (3404) of the molding member (340) may be parallel to each other. In one embodiment, the fourth face (3104) of the ring-shaped housing (310) and the fourth face (3404) of the molding member (340) may be seamlessly connected. However, this form may be variously modified depending on the embodiment. For example, the fourth face (3104) of the ring-shaped housing (310) may extend toward the fourth face (3404) of the molding member (340) so that the ring-shaped housing (310) partially surrounds the molding member (340). The molding member (340) may have a form in which at least a portion is embedded by the ring-shaped housing (310). The embedded form of the molding member (340) will be described in detail later through the embodiments of FIGS. 24 to 27.

[0115] The molding part (341) of the molding member (340) can define a second surface (3402) of the molding member (340) that can come into contact with the user's body. Since the substantial inner radius (e.g., the inner radius (r1) of FIG. 4) of the ring-shaped housing (310) is defined by the first inner surface (3101) of the ring-shaped housing (310) and the second surface (3402) of the molding member (340) (molding part (341)), it can be understood that the substantial inner radius of the ring-shaped housing (310) is adjustable depending on the thickness between the battery (389) and the second surface (3402) of the molding part (341).

[0116] Conventional ring-type wearable electronic devices are manufactured by pre-assembling a battery and a printed circuit board, then molding the entire pre-assembled component using a thermosetting plastic (e.g., epoxy). Unnecessary parts are removed by polishing, and additional fine processing is performed using CNC processing, etc., to produce the final product. However, because these final products are manufactured by injection molding the entire pre-assembled component using thermosetting plastic, they may have a structure that makes it impossible to replace the battery or replace some of the components to accommodate the user's finger size.

[0117] In contrast, according to the present disclosure, a ring-type wearable electronic device according to various embodiments can be provided, in which a user can easily replace a battery and easily replace some of the components in a size corresponding to the thickness of a user's finger. To this end, the wearable electronic device of the present disclosure can provide a ring-shaped housing (310) and a molding member (340) that is detachably coupled to the ring-shaped housing (310), is easily attached / detached, and includes a battery inside. According to one embodiment, the ring-shaped housing (310) can also include a molding member. According to one embodiment, the molding member of the ring-shaped housing (310) can be another molding member different from the molding member (340) and can be coupled to the ring-shaped housing (310). The other molding member coupled to the ring-shaped housing (310) can surround a circuit board (399). In one embodiment, the other molding member coupled to the ring-shaped housing (310) may be interpreted as “part or all of the second housing portion (312).”

[0118] In one embodiment, the hardness of the molding member (340) may be lower than the hardness of another molding member (e.g., the second housing portion (312)). In one embodiment, the hardness of the second surface (3402) of the molding member (340) may be lower than the hardness of the outer surface (e.g., the first inner peripheral surface (3101) of the ring-shaped housing (310)) of another molding member (e.g., the second housing portion (312)).

[0119] In one embodiment, at least a portion of an adjacent edge of the second face (3402) of the molding member (340) of another molding member (e.g., the second housing portion (312)) may be recessed. Correspondingly, at least a portion of an adjacent edge of the second face (3402) of the molding member (340) of the other molding member (e.g., the second housing portion (312)) may be recessed and have a different shape than the recessed portion of the molding member (340).

[0120] FIG. 7 is a drawing showing an example in which the actual inner radius of a ring-shaped housing is adjusted according to the thickness of a molding part (341) of a wearable electronic device (300) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a drawing showing an example in which the actual inner radius of a ring-shaped housing is adjusted according to the thickness of a molding part of a wearable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0121] Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the wearable electronic device (300) of the present disclosure is not only formed so that the molding member (340) can be easily detached from the ring-shaped housing (310), but also can actively respond according to the thickness of the user's finger by forming the molding part (341) to have different thicknesses when replacing the molding member (340). In addition, in providing a ring-type wearable electronic device, it may have the advantage of enabling common use of parts other than the molding member (340).

[0122] As illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, for example, when a molding part (341) defining a second surface (3402a) according to the first embodiment, a molding part (341) defining a second surface (3402b) according to the second embodiment, and a molding part (341) defining a second surface (3402c) according to the third embodiment are provided so as to be interchangeable with each other, it can be seen how the actual inner radius of the ring-shaped housing (310) is adjusted. When the molding part (341) defining a second surface (3402a) according to the first embodiment is attached to the ring-shaped housing (310), the actual inner radius of the ring-shaped housing (310) can be substantially the smallest among the three embodiments. When the molding part (341) defining the second surface (3402c) according to the third embodiment is attached to the ring-shaped housing (310), the actual inner radius of the ring-shaped housing (310) may be substantially the largest among the three embodiments. When the molding part (341) defining the second surface (3402c) according to the second embodiment is attached to the ring-shaped housing (310), the actual inner radius of the ring-shaped housing (310) may be substantially larger than the first embodiment among the three embodiments, but smaller than the third embodiment.

[0123] According to one embodiment, when the first surface (3401) of the molding member (340) has a first curvature and the second surface (3402) of the molding member (340) has a second curvature, the second curvature may be formed differently from the first curvature. According to one embodiment, the first curvature of the first surface (3401) of the molding member (340) may be left as is, and the second curvature of the second surface (3402) of the molding member (340) may be formed to correspond to the size of the body worn thereon. Therefore, depending on the embodiment, the second curvature may be formed to be smaller than the first curvature or larger than the first curvature.

[0124] According to one embodiment, the battery (389) disposed on the molding member (340) may also be designed to have a curvature corresponding to the curvature of the first surface (3401).

[0125] The embodiments of FIGS. 7 and 8 are merely examples for convenience of explanation and are not necessarily limited thereto. Various other embodiments may be applied.

[0126] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a molding member (340) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a battery (389) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating a molding member (340) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0127] Referring to FIGS. 9 to 11, the molding member (340) may include a molding part (341) including a first surface (3401), a second surface (3402) facing in an opposite direction to the first surface (3401), and a third surface (3403) between the first surface (3401) and the second surface (3402). In addition to the third surface (3403), the molding part (341) may include a fourth surface (3404) between the first surface (3401) and the second surface (3402). According to one embodiment, in order to stably protect the battery (389), the molding part (341) may be formed at both ends of the battery (389). According to one embodiment, the portion surrounding the battery (389) vulnerable to heat, i.e., the molding member (340), may be formed through a separate molding process such as epoxy molding. When the molding member (340) is mounted in the ring-shaped housing (310), the battery (389) must be electrically connected to at least one component in order to provide power to at least one component arranged in the ring-shaped housing (310). To this end, the molding member (340) may be formed with a first connector (3891) that is formed on the third surface (3403) and is electrically connected to the battery (389). The first connector (3891) may include a conductive line (e.g., wiring) connected to the battery (389) by laser welding or the like, and various other embodiments may be applied thereto.

[0128] Other components of the wearable electronic device (300) except for the molding member (340) have relatively high heat resistance compared to the molding member (340), and thus can be manufactured separately through other processes such as an injection process (e.g., insert injection) performed in a high-temperature environment. Through this, it is possible to actively address the problem of poor appearance of the wearable electronic device (300) in the prior art. In addition, since the molding member (340) including the battery is manufactured separately, there is an advantage in that a ring-type wearable electronic device (300) customized for the product user can be provided.

[0129] Meanwhile, among the components of the wearable electronic device (300) excluding the molding member (340), some other components may also be manufactured through a molding process. According to one embodiment, some elements of the ring-shaped housing (310), for example, the second housing portion (312), may be manufactured using a molding member other than the molding member (340). In this case, according to one embodiment, the circuit board (399) may be covered by a molding member other than the molding member (the other, for example, the second housing portion (312)).

[0130] According to one embodiment, some elements of the ring-shaped housing (310) made of the other molding member, for example, the second housing portion (312), may be formed on the third inner surface (3103) facing the third surface and may include a second connector electrically connected to the first connector (3891).

[0131] In one embodiment, the other molding member may be removably received in a ring-shaped housing (310) substantially surrounding the circuit board (399). In addition, the second inner peripheral surface (3102) of the ring-shaped housing (310) may form a curved surface corresponding to the first inner peripheral surface (3101) of the ring-shaped housing (310).

[0132] FIG. 12 is a drawing showing a molding member (340) further including a sealer (342) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0133] According to one embodiment, the ring type wearable electronic device (300) may further include a sealer (342) for waterproofing.

[0134] In one embodiment, a sealer may be placed around the first connector (3891) of the third side (3403) of the molding member (340).

[0135] According to one embodiment, the third inner surface (3103) of the ring-shaped housing and the third surface (3403) of the molding member (340) can be inclined to substantially face each other.

[0136] Accordingly, for the above-described embodiment, additionally or alternatively, a sealer may be placed around the second connector of the third inner surface (3103) of the ring-shaped housing (310). The first connector (3891) and the second connector of the molding member (340) may be electrically connected to each other.

[0137] In a wearable electronic device (300), a sealer can be included around the first connector (3891) of the third surface (3403) of the molding member (340) or on the third inner surface (3103) of the ring-shaped housing, thereby preventing the inflow of foreign substances or moisture from the outside. As a result, an electrical connection between the battery (389) inside the molding member (340) and the electronic components inside the ring-shaped housing (310) can be more stably implemented.

[0138] According to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (300) may include a coupling structure coupled to a third inner surface (3103) of a ring-shaped housing (310) and a third surface (3403) of a molding member (340). For example, a hook-shaped structure may be applied as the coupling structure. In another example, a ball plunger structure may be applied as the coupling structure.

[0139] FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of a joint portion of a ring-shaped housing coupled to a molding member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a molding member coupled to a ring-shaped housing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 15 is a front view showing a molding member coupled to a ring-shaped housing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0140] According to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (300) may include a second coupling structure and a first coupling structure that are coupled to the third inner surface (3103) of the ring-shaped housing (310) and the third surface (3403) of the molding member (340), respectively. The first coupling structure formed on the third surface (3403) of the molding member (340) may have a shape corresponding to the second coupling structure formed on the third inner surface (3103) of the ring-shaped housing (310).

[0141] In one embodiment, at least one of the first coupling structure and the second coupling structure may form a hook structure. For example, at least a portion of an outer surface of the molding member (340) may include a hook structure formed thereon and configured to engage with an edge of the ring-shaped housing, as illustrated in FIG. 12. The hook structure may be positioned between the first surface and the second surface. Additionally, the hook structure may be formed on the third inner peripheral surface adjacent to the third surface. FIG. 12 discloses a hook (3405) as an example of the first coupling structure, and FIG. 13 discloses a recess (3107) corresponding to the hook (3405) as an example of the second coupling structure.

[0142] According to one embodiment, a recess (3107), which is an example of a second coupling structure, can provide a space in which a portion of a hook (3405), which is a first coupling structure, is positioned when coupling a molding member (340) to a ring-shaped housing (310).

[0143] Referring to FIGS. 13 to 15, when the molding member (340) is coupled to the ring-shaped housing (310), the second connector portion exposed to the third inner surface (3103) of the ring-shaped housing (310) and the first connector (3891) exposed to the third surface (3403) of the molding member (340) come into contact, so that the battery (389) and at least one component can be electrically connected.

[0144] Hereinafter, a wearable electronic device of the ball plunger type will be described through embodiments of FIGS. 16 to 23. When describing the wearable electronic device of the ball plunger type below, any description that overlaps with the description of the hook type wearable electronic device above may be omitted.

[0145] FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating a molding member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 17 is a perspective view illustrating a battery according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 18 is a perspective view illustrating a molding member surrounding a battery according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 19 is a perspective view illustrating a ball plunger and a molding part according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0146] According to one embodiment, a wearable electronic device (300) may provide a ball plunger type coupling structure that is coupled to a third inner surface (3103) of a ring-shaped housing (310) and a third surface (3403) of a molding member (340).

[0147] A coupling structure including a ball plunger is a configuration for electrically connecting a battery (389) to another component, and may utilize a ball (3406) including a conductive material and an elastic member such as a spring (3892). The first connector in the embodiments of FIGS. 9 to 15 may be replaced with a ball (3406) in the embodiments of FIGS. 16 to 13. In one embodiment, the ball (3406) may also be referred to as a "first connector."

[0148] Referring to FIGS. 16 to 19, a molding member (340) according to one embodiment may include a ball (3406), a spring (3892) for supporting the ball (3406), and a ball plunger housing (3892a) surrounding the ball (3406) and the spring (3892). According to one embodiment, the ball (3406) may be retracted in a state in which it is elastically supported by the spring (3892) contracted toward the battery (389) in an operation of coupling the molding member (340) to the ring housing (310). When the coupling of the molding member (340) to the ring housing (310) is completed, the contracted spring (3892) is relaxed and returns to its original state, whereby at least a portion of the ball (3406) may protrude from the third surface (3403) of the molding member (340).

[0149] FIG. 20 is a drawing showing a molding member (340) further including a sealer (342) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0150] According to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (300) may further include a sealer (342) for waterproofing.

[0151] In one embodiment, a sealer may be disposed around a ball (3406) of a third surface (3403) of a molding member (340). Additionally or alternatively, a sealer may be disposed around a second connector of a third inner surface (3103) of a ring-shaped housing (310). The ball (3406) of the molding member (340) and the second connector may be electrically connected to each other.

[0152] In a wearable electronic device (300), the inflow of foreign substances or moisture from the outside can be prevented by including a sealer around the ball (3406) of the third surface (3403) of the molding member (340) or on the third inner surface (3103) of the ring-shaped housing. As a result, the electrical connection between the battery (389) inside the molding member (340) and the electronic components inside the ring-shaped housing (310) can be more stably implemented.

[0153] FIG. 21 is an enlarged view of a joint portion of a ring-shaped housing coupled to a molding member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 22 is a perspective view showing a molding member coupled to a ring-shaped housing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 23 is a front view showing a molding member coupled to a ring-shaped housing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0154] According to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (300) may include a second coupling structure and a first coupling structure that are coupled to the third inner surface (3103) of the ring-shaped housing (310) and the third surface (3403) of the molding member (340), respectively. The first coupling structure formed on the third surface (3403) of the molding member (340) may have a shape corresponding to the second coupling structure formed on the third inner surface (3103) of the ring-shaped housing (310).

[0155] In FIG. 20, a ball plunger is disclosed as an example of a first coupling structure, and in FIG. 21, a recess (3108) corresponding to a ball (3406) is disclosed as an example of a second coupling structure.

[0156] According to one embodiment, a recess (3108), which is an example of a second coupling structure, can provide a space for a ball (3406) portion of the first coupling structure to be positioned when coupling the molding member (340) to the ring-shaped housing (310). In addition, the second connector of the ring-shaped housing (310) has a conductive property, and the recess (3108) can be formed to receive a portion of the ball (3406) while allowing the second connector to contact a portion of the ball (3406). Referring to FIG. 21, at least a portion of the recess can form a curved surface corresponding to the shape of the ball (3406).

[0157] Referring to FIGS. 21 to 23, when the molding member (340) is coupled to the ring-shaped housing (310), the second connector portion exposed to the third inner surface (3103) of the ring-shaped housing (310) and the first connector (e.g., ball (3406)) exposed to the third surface (3403) of the molding member (340) come into contact, so that the battery (389) and at least one component can be electrically connected.

[0158] As mentioned above, the embodiments of FIGS. 9 to 15 disclose a molding member (340) using a hook structure and a corresponding ring-shaped housing (310), and the embodiments of FIGS. 16 to 23 disclose a molding member (340) using a ball plunger and a corresponding ring-shaped housing (310). In the above embodiments, it has been described as an example that both the hook member and the ball plunger are respectively disposed on two third surfaces (3403) provided on one side and the other side of the molding member (340), but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Although not illustrated in the drawings, an embodiment in which a hook member (or ball plunger) is provided only on one side of the molding member (340), and the other hook member (or ball plunger) is disposed on a ring-shaped housing (310) on the other side of the molding member (340) rather than on the third surface (3403) of the molding member (340) may also be included in the present disclosure. Even through this structure, incorrect attachment of the molding member (340) to the ring-shaped housing (310) can be prevented.

[0159] FIG. 24 is a drawing illustrating a direction in which a molding member is coupled to a ring-shaped housing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a molding member is coupled to a ring-shaped housing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 26 is a drawing illustrating a molding member having a step portion formed thereon according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 27 is a drawing illustrating a molding member having a step portion formed thereon according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0160] Referring to FIGS. 24 to 27, a method of coupling a molding member (340) to a ring-shaped housing (310) will be described. According to one embodiment, when the molding member (340) is coupled to the ring-shaped housing (310), it may be coupled in a direction from the center (C) of the ring-shaped housing (310) toward the ring-shaped housing (310). That is, the molding member (340) may be assembled from the inside to the outside of the ring-shaped housing (310).

[0161] Referring to FIG. 25, a cross-section of a ring-shaped housing (310) and a molding member (340) is shown. The ring-shaped housing (310) may include a protruding structure (3109) having a protruding edge, and the molding member (340) may include a step structure (3408) formed at a position corresponding to the protruding structure (3109) of the ring-shaped housing (310). According to one embodiment, the protruding structure (3109) of the ring-shaped housing (310) may protrude toward the center of the ring-shaped housing (310) along the fourth surface (3104) of the ring-shaped housing (310). According to one embodiment, the fourth surface (3104) of the ring-shaped housing (310) and the fourth surface (3404) of the molding member (340) may be parallel to each other. According to one embodiment, the fourth side (3104) of the ring-shaped housing (310) and the fourth side (3404) of the molding member (340) can be seamlessly connected. Due to the protruding structure (3109) of the ring-shaped housing (310) and the step structure (3408) of the molding member (340), the molding member (340) can be assembled only from the inside to the outside of the ring-shaped housing (310).

[0162] The protruding structure (3109) of the ring-shaped housing (310) may be formed to protrude in parallel from two fourth faces (3104) facing each other in opposite directions of the ring-shaped housing (310). The step structure (3408) of the molding member (340) may also be formed to be recessed in parallel from two fourth faces (3404) facing each other in opposite directions of the molding member (340). According to one embodiment, the protruding structure (3109) of the ring-shaped housing (310) and the step structure (3408) of the molding member (340) may be formed to be interlocked with each other. When the protruding structure (3109) of the ring-shaped housing (310) and the step structure (3408) of the molding member (340) are interlocked with each other, the second inner surface (3102) of the ring-shaped housing (310) and the first surface (3401) of the molding member (340) can be in close contact with each other. Referring to FIG. 25, the molding member (340) may be surrounded by the protruding structure (3109) of the ring-shaped housing (310) and may have a form in which at least a portion of the molding member (340) is embedded toward the ring-shaped housing (310).

[0163] Referring to FIGS. 26 and 27, both the molding member (340) including the hook structure (3405) illustrated in FIG. 26, as well as the molding member (340) including the ball (3406) illustrated in FIG. 27, may include a step structure (3408) formed on each of two fourth faces (3404) facing each other in opposite directions.

[0164] According to one embodiment, a structure may be applied in which a recess is formed in the ring-shaped housing (310) in addition to or as an alternative to the protruding structure (3109), and a molding member (340) corresponds to the recess and a protrusion is formed in addition to or as an alternative to the step structure (3408) so that they are coupled to each other.

[0165] FIGS. 28a, 28b, 28c, and 28d are drawings showing ring-shaped housings of various materials according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0166] The ring-shaped housing (310) can be made of various materials. According to one embodiment, the ring-shaped housing (310) can increase the diversity of materials by forming the first housing portion (311) and the second housing portion (312) with different materials. For example, referring to FIG. 28a, the ring-shaped housing (310) can have the first housing portion (311) formed of a metal material and the second housing portion (312) formed of a molding material (e.g., epoxy, PES (polyester)). For example, referring to FIG. 28b, the first housing portion (311) can be formed of a molding material and the second housing portion (312) can be formed of a metal material. For example, referring to FIG. 28c, the first housing part (311) may be formed of a metal material, and the second housing part (312) may be formed of another molding material (e.g., a resin such as ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer), PP (polypropylene), PC (polycarbonate), PA (polyamides), PU (polyurethanes), PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PVA (polyvinyl alcohol), PET (polyethylene terephthalate), etc.). For example, referring to FIG. 28d, the first housing part (311) may be formed of a metal material, and the second housing part (312) may be formed of an elastic material (e.g., a synthetic rubber such as natural rubber, SBR (styrene-butadiene rubber), NBR (acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber), etc.). The combination of the first housing part (311) and the second housing part (312) is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and application of various other embodiments may also be possible.The ring-shaped housing (310) can be formed in various colors, and the colors of the first housing part (311) and the second housing part (312) can be formed differently to increase the diversity of colors.

[0167] The molding member (340) coupled to the ring-shaped housing (310) may also have various materials or colors. In addition, the molding member (340) may be formed to have various sizes. As described above, the thickness between the first surface (3401) and the second surface (3402) of the molding member (340) may be adjusted to provide molding members (340) of various sizes.

[0168] The ring-type wearable electronic device (300) of the present disclosure can be manufactured in various materials, colors, and / or sizes. Accordingly, it can provide a customized size according to the user's needs, while also ensuring high compatibility with multiple users. Since the molded member (340) manufactured in various sizes is configured to be easily attached and detached, the ring-shaped housing (310), excluding the molded member (340), can be mass-produced, and the replacement or repair of the battery included in the molded member (340) can also be facilitated.

[0169] FIG. 29 is a cross-sectional view of a wearable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0170] According to one embodiment, a charging interface (387) that comes into contact with a battery (389) of a wearable electronic device (300) may be positioned in an inner space of a ring-shaped housing (310). In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the charging interface (287) is positioned near a portion of the ring-shaped housing (310) that is close to the user's body, i.e., close to the first inner circumferential surface. In contrast, in the embodiment of FIG. 29, the charging interface (387) may be positioned in an inner space of the ring-shaped housing (310) that is farther from the user's body. It can be confirmed that the position of the charging interface (387) of FIG. 29 is positioned further from the center (C) of the ring-shaped housing (310) than the position of the charging interface (287) of FIG. 4. The embodiment of FIG. 29 may disclose a structure in which, when the molding member (340) is coupled to the ring-shaped housing (310), a charging interface (387) is arranged at a position close to the first surface (3401) of the molding member (340). Due to the arrangement of the charging interface (387) in this manner, replacement or repair of only the molding member (340) may be easy.

[0171] Referring to FIG. 29, a wearable electronic device (300) according to one embodiment may also place an antenna (391) (e.g., antenna (291) of FIG. 4) inside a ring-shaped housing (310).

[0172] FIG. 30 is a perspective view of a wearable electronic device including a magnetically attached molding member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 31 is a diagram illustrating a magnetically attached molding member and a ring-shaped housing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional view of a magnetically attached molding member and a ring-shaped housing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 33 is a front view of a wearable electronic device including a plurality of molding members according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Components included in the ring-type wearable electronic device of the embodiments of FIGS. 30 and 31 may be partly or entirely the same as components included in the ring-type wearable electronic device of the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 29. Descriptions of components identical to those in the above-described embodiments may be omitted below to the extent of overlap.

[0173] The wearable electronic device (300) of the present disclosure may include not only the physical coupling between the ring-shaped housing (310) and the molding member (340) as shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 24 to 27, but also other types of coupling. For example, the ring-type housing (310) and the molding member (340) of the ring-type wearable electronic device (300) may be coupled to each other using magnets.

[0174] Referring to FIG. 30, a first magnet (345) is disposed on a molding member (340) and a second magnet (315) is disposed on a ring-shaped housing (310), so that the molding member (340) and the ring-shaped housing (310) can be coupled to each other due to an attractive force between the first magnet (345) and the second magnet (315). According to one embodiment, the second magnet (315) can be disposed on a second inner surface of the ring-shaped housing (310), and the first magnet (345) can be disposed on a first surface of the molding member (340). According to one embodiment, if the polarities of the first magnet (345) are arranged to have positive (+) and negative (-) polarities in order along the length direction of the molding member (340), the second magnet (315) must be arranged to have negative (-) and positive (+) polarities in order to be assembled. By utilizing the different polarity arrangements of the first magnet (345) and the second magnet (315) in this way, it is possible to prevent the molding member (340) from being incorrectly attached when placed on the ring-shaped housing (310).

[0175] Depending on the thickness of the molding member (340), the first inner surface of the ring-shaped housing (310) and the second surface of the molding member (340) may be seamlessly connected as illustrated in FIG. 30, or the molding member may protrude from the first inner surface of the ring-shaped housing (310) by a predetermined height (e.g., d3) as illustrated in FIG. 31. As described above, the wearable electronic device (300) can accommodate various sizes of a user's body worn on the wearable electronic device (300) by varying the thickness of the molding member (340).

[0176] Referring to FIG. 32, a waterproof band (346) may be placed around the first magnet (345) of the molding member (340). The waterproof band (346) may be placed adjacent to the first magnet (345), and according to one embodiment, may be placed to surround the first magnet (345) of the molding member (340).

[0177] According to one embodiment, a plurality of molding members (340) may be arranged in the ring-shaped housing (310). Referring to FIG. 33, molding members (340) may be arranged on one side and the other side of the ring-shaped housing (310), respectively. By using a plurality of molding members (340), the inner radius of the wearable electronic device (300) (e.g., the inner radius (r1) of FIG. 4) may be adjusted more precisely than when a single molding member (340) is used. FIG. 33 illustrates that two molding members (340) are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center of the ring-shaped housing (310), but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0178] FIG. 34 is a block diagram of a method for assembling a wearable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0179] The wearable electronic device of the present disclosure has the advantage that the user can easily attach and detach the ring-shaped housing (310) and the molding member (340), and the ring-shaped housing (310) is compatible with molding members (340) of various sizes.

[0180] The ring-shaped housing (310) and the molding member (340) of the present disclosure can be manufactured and assembled separately during the manufacturing process, thereby facilitating mass production and also having the advantage of increasing the production yield.

[0181] First, a method for manufacturing a ring-type wearable electronic device (300) may include a raw / auxiliary material preparation process (1001) for manufacturing a ring-shaped housing (310). The raw / auxiliary material preparation process may include a process for preparing raw materials for components such as a first housing portion (311), a second housing portion (312), and a printed circuit board (e.g., a printed circuit board assembly (PBA)) of the ring-shaped housing (310), and a process for preparing auxiliary materials such as various components (e.g., a processor and / or a sensor) to be placed inside the ring-shaped housing.

[0182] A method for manufacturing a ring-shaped housing (310) may include a process (1003) of assembling auxiliary materials onto a printed circuit board (e.g., a PBA). Various components (e.g., a processor and / or a sensor) arranged inside the ring-shaped housing may be assembled onto the printed circuit board (e.g., a PBA). However, a battery and a connector connected to the battery may be excluded from this process.

[0183] A method for manufacturing a ring-shaped housing (310) may include a process (1005) of assembling a printed circuit board (e.g., PBA) to the ring-shaped housing (310). Then, when the assembly of the printed circuit board (e.g., PBA) to the ring-shaped housing (310) is completed, an injection molding process (1007), such as insert injection, may be performed thereon.

[0184] A method for manufacturing a ring-type wearable electronic device (300) may include a method for manufacturing the ring-shaped housing (310) and a raw / auxiliary material preparation process (1002) for manufacturing a molding member (340) separately. The raw / auxiliary material preparation process (1002) may include a process for preparing raw materials and auxiliary materials for components such as a battery and a connector connected thereto (e.g., a first connector (3405, 3406)).

[0185] A method for manufacturing a molding member (340) may include assembling the molding member (340) to a jig for molding and then performing a dispensing process (1004) using a dispenser. Then, when the dispensing process (1004) for the molding member (340) is completed, the product's completeness can be improved through post-processing and cleaning, such as micro-machining the product surface or removing foreign substances (e.g., burrs).

[0186] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a wearable electronic device (200; 300) may be provided. The wearable electronic device includes a ring-shaped housing (310) including a first inner circumferential surface (3101) that can be contacted by a user's body, a second inner circumferential surface (3102) that is retracted from the first inner circumferential surface and is stepped from the first inner circumferential surface, and an outer circumferential surface (3105) that forms an outermost surface of the wearable electronic device; A circuit board (399) disposed in an inner space of the ring-shaped housing and for arranging at least one component; and a molding member (340) detachably coupled to the ring-shaped housing and having a first surface (3401) facing the second inner peripheral surface of the ring-shaped housing when coupled to the ring-shaped housing and a second surface (3402) facing in an opposite direction to the first surface, at least a portion of which comprises a molding material. The molding member (340) may include a battery (389) configured to provide power to the at least one component; and a molding part (341) surrounding at least a portion of the battery, the molding part being configured to be able to adjust a substantial inner radius of the ring-shaped housing defined by the first inner peripheral surface of the ring-shaped housing and the second surface of the molding member according to a thickness between the battery and the second surface of the molding member.

[0187] In one embodiment, the circuit board may be covered by a molding member of a ring-shaped housing, which is different from the molding member. The battery may provide power to the at least one component through a first connector formed on a third surface (3403) facing a third inner surface (3103) between the first inner surface and the second inner surface of the ring-shaped housing when the molding member is coupled to the ring-shaped housing.

[0188] In one embodiment, the other molding member may be coupled to the ring-shaped housing while substantially surrounding the circuit board. The second inner peripheral surface of the ring-shaped housing may form a curved surface corresponding to the first inner peripheral surface of the ring-shaped housing. The outer peripheral surface of the ring-shaped housing may form the outermost surface of the wearable device in a direction opposite to the direction in which each of the first inner peripheral surface and the second inner peripheral surface faces.

[0189] According to one embodiment, the other molding member may include a second connector formed on the third inner surface (3103) facing the third surface and electrically connected to the first connector.

[0190] According to one embodiment, the third inner surface of the ring-shaped housing and the third surface of the molding member may be inclined relative to the first inner surface and the first surface, respectively, so as to substantially face each other.

[0191] In one embodiment, a sealer may be placed around the first connector on the third side of the molding member.

[0192] According to one embodiment, a sealer may be placed around the second connector on the third inner surface of the ring-shaped housing.

[0193] According to one embodiment, the third inner surface of the ring-shaped housing and the third surface of the molding member may each (respectively) include a first coupling structure and a second coupling structure that are coupled to each other.

[0194] According to one embodiment, at least one of the first coupling structure and the second coupling structure can form a hook structure.

[0195] According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the outer surface of the molding member may include a stepped structure formed thereon and set to engage an edge of the ring-shaped housing.

[0196] According to one embodiment, the step structure may be formed on the third inner surface located between the first surface and the second surface and adjacent to the third surface.

[0197] In one embodiment, the hardness of the second surface may be lower than the hardness of the outer surface of the other molding member.

[0198] In one embodiment, the first connector includes a conductive ball, and the second connector includes a receiving portion configured to be received in contact with a portion of the conductive ball, wherein at least a portion of the receiving portion can form a curved surface corresponding to the shape of the ball.

[0199] In one embodiment, the first connector may include an elastic body electrically connected to the battery and providing elasticity to the conductive ball.

[0200] In one embodiment, at least a portion of an edge of a second surface of said molding member adjacent to said other molding member of said ring-shaped housing may be recessed.

[0201] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a wearable electronic device may be provided. The wearable electronic device may include: a ring-shaped housing forming a portion of an outer surface of the wearable electronic device; a circuit board accommodated in the ring-shaped housing and including one or more sensors; and a molding member detachably accommodated in the ring-shaped housing, a first surface of the molding member forming a curved surface substantially corresponding to a portion of an inner surface of the ring-shaped housing, and a second surface of the molding member opposite the first surface forming another portion of the outer surface of the wearable device. The molding member may substantially surround a battery disposed therein and configured to provide power to at least one of the one or more sensors.

[0202] According to one embodiment, the ring-shaped housing may include a first inner circumferential surface (3101) that is contactable by a user's body, a second inner circumferential surface (3102) that is retracted from the first inner surface and is stepped from the first inner surface, and an outer circumferential surface (3105) that forms an outermost surface. The battery may provide power to the at least one component through a first connector formed on a third surface (3403) of the molding member that faces a third inner surface (3103) between the first inner surface and the second inner surface of the ring-shaped housing when the molding member is coupled to the ring-shaped housing.

[0203] According to one embodiment, the circuit board is covered by another molding member coupled to the ring-shaped housing, the other molding member being formed on the third inner surface (3103) facing the third surface, and may include a second connector electrically connected to the first connector.

[0204] In one embodiment, the other molding member is coupled to the ring-shaped housing while substantially surrounding the printed circuit board, the second inner peripheral surface of the ring-shaped housing forming a curved surface corresponding to the first inner peripheral surface of the ring-shaped housing, and the outer peripheral surface of the ring-shaped housing opposite the second inner peripheral surface can form the outer surface of the wearable device.

[0205] In one embodiment, the hardness of the molding member may be lower than the hardness of the outer surface of the other molding member.

[0206] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a battery module (e.g., a molding member (340)) of a wearable electronic device may be provided. The battery module may include a first surface (3401) that is curved, a second surface (3402) that is curved in substantially the same direction as the first surface and opposite the first surface, and a third surface (3403) that surrounds a space between the first surface and the second surface, wherein the third surface includes a first interface surface that includes a shorter side of the first surface and a short side of the second surface opposite the short side of the first surface, and a second interface surface that includes the other short side of the first surface and the other short side of the second section, and may include a first terminal (3405; 3406) adjacent to the first interface surface and a second terminal (3405; 3406) adjacent to the second interface surface within the space.

[0207] Although the detailed description of the present disclosure has described specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0208] While this disclosure has been described by way of example and example, it should be understood that the example is intended to be illustrative and not limiting. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the overall scope of this disclosure, including the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. In a wearable electronic device (200; 300), A ring shape housing (310) including a first inner circumferential surface (3101) that can be contacted by a user's body, a second inner circumferential surface (3102) that is introduced from the first inner surface and is stepped from the first inner surface, and an outer circumferential surface (3105) that forms the outermost surface of the wearable electronic device; A circuit board (399) arranged in the inner space of the ring-shaped housing and for arranging at least one component; and A molding member (340) is detachably coupled to the ring-shaped housing, and includes a first surface (3401) facing the second inner surface of the ring-shaped housing when coupled to the ring-shaped housing and a second surface (3402) facing in the opposite direction to the first surface, and at least a portion of which includes a molding material. The above molding member (340) A battery (389) configured to provide power to at least one of the components; and A molding part (341) surrounding at least a portion of the battery, the molding part being configured to adjust a substantial inner radius of the ring-shaped housing defined by a first inner circumferential surface of the ring-shaped housing and a second surface of the molding member according to a thickness between the battery and the second surface of the molding member. Wearable electronic devices.

2. In paragraph 1, The circuit board is covered by a molding member of a ring-shaped housing, which is different from the molding member, A wearable electronic device, wherein the battery provides power to the at least one component through a first connector formed on a third surface (3403) facing a third inner surface (3103) between the first inner surface and the second inner surface of the ring-shaped housing when the molding member is coupled to the ring-shaped housing.

3. In paragraph 2, The other molding member is joined to the ring-shaped housing, substantially surrounding the circuit board, The second inner surface of the ring-shaped housing forms a curved surface corresponding to the first inner surface of the ring-shaped housing, A wearable electronic device, wherein the outer surface of the ring-shaped housing forms the outermost surface of the wearable device in a direction opposite to the direction in which each of the first inner surface and the second inner surface faces.

4. In paragraph 2, A wearable electronic device, wherein the other molding member is formed on the third inner surface (3103) facing the third surface and includes a second connector electrically connected to the first connector.

5. In paragraph 2, A wearable electronic device, wherein the third inner surface of the ring-shaped housing and the third surface of the molding member are inclined relative to the first inner surface and the first surface, respectively, so as to substantially face each other.

6. In paragraph 2, A wearable electronic device, wherein a sealer is disposed around the first connector on the third side of the molding member.

7. In paragraph 2, A wearable electronic device, wherein a sealer is arranged around the second connector on the third inner surface of the ring-shaped housing.

8. In paragraph 2, A wearable electronic device, wherein the third inner surface of the ring-shaped housing and the third surface of the molding member each include a first coupling structure and a second coupling structure that are coupled to each other (respectively).

9. In paragraph 8, A wearable electronic device wherein at least one of the first coupling structure and the second coupling structure forms a hook structure.

10. In paragraph 9, A wearable electronic device, wherein at least a portion of the outer surface of the molding member comprises a step structure formed thereon and set to engage with an edge of the ring-shaped housing.

11. In paragraph 10, A wearable electronic device wherein the step structure is positioned between the first surface and the second surface and formed on the third inner surface adjacent to the third surface.

12. In paragraph 2, A wearable electronic device, wherein the hardness of the second surface is lower than the hardness of the outer surface of the other molding member.

13. In paragraph 2, A wearable electronic device, wherein the first connector comprises a conductive ball, the second connector comprises a receiving portion configured to be received in contact with a portion of the conductive ball, and at least a portion of the receiving portion forms a curved surface corresponding to the shape of the ball.

14. In paragraph 13, A wearable electronic device, wherein the first connector is electrically connected to the battery and includes an elastic body for providing elasticity to the conductive ball.

15. In paragraph 2, A wearable electronic device, wherein at least a portion of an edge of a second surface of the molding member adjacent to the other molding member of the ring-shaped housing is recessed.

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