Wearable device capable of on-body detection
By using conductive silicone or conductive plastic materials to form a capacitor structure between the conductive layer and the contact layer in wearable devices, the sensitivity and accuracy problems caused by the long distance between metal electrodes are solved, achieving higher capacitance detection effect and cost-effectiveness.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHENZHEN SHOKZ CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-10-15
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-07
AI Technical Summary
In existing wearable devices, the distance between the metal electrodes and human skin is relatively far, which reduces the sensitivity and accuracy of capacitive detection or sensing.
A conductive layer made of conductive silicone or conductive plastic material is used in conjunction with a contact layer to form a capacitor structure. The shell wall of the housing assembly is used as the capacitor electrode, which shortens the insulation distance between the plates and increases the sensing area.
This improves the sensitivity and accuracy of capacitive sensing detection while reducing the manufacturing cost of the equipment, thus supporting its miniaturization.
Smart Images

Figure CN2025127884_07052026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Wearable device capable of detecting wearing
[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese application No. 202411515108.4, filed on October 28, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of electronic devices, in particular to a wearable device capable of detecting wearing. BACKGROUND
[0003] Wearable devices such as earphones, smart glasses, etc. have become essential tools in people's daily life and work. Wearable devices are usually equipped with capacitive sensors and metal electrodes to support the device to realize some functions. For example, by means of the capacitive effect formed between the metal electrode and the human skin, the wearing detection function can be realized by detecting the capacitance change between the metal electrode and the human body. However, due to the limitations of internal space, structure size, etc., the area of the metal electrode is difficult to be enlarged, and the distance between the metal electrode and the human skin is far, which can easily reduce the sensitivity and accuracy of capacitive detection or sensing. SUMMARY
[0004] The technical problem solved by the present application is to provide a wearable device capable of detecting wearing, so as to improve the sensitivity and accuracy of wearing detection.
[0005] One embodiment provides a wearable device capable of detecting wearing, comprising a housing assembly and a circuit board assembly, the circuit board assembly is arranged in the interior of the housing assembly, the housing assembly comprises a contact layer and a conductive layer made of conductive silicone material or conductive plastic material.
[0006] The contact layer is arranged on the side of the housing assembly close to the human skin for contacting the human skin. The conductive layer is arranged on the side of the contact layer away from the human skin and is electrically coupled with the circuit board assembly. The conductive layer, the contact layer and the human skin cooperate to form a capacitive structure.
[0007] In one embodiment, the resistivity of the conductive layer is less than or equal to 1000 Ω·m.
[0008] In one embodiment, the conductive layer and the contact layer are integrally formed; and / or the conductive layer is made of conductive silicone material, and the contact layer is made of insulating plastic material.
[0009] In one embodiment, the conductive layer comprises silicone and conductive particles filled in the silicone, or the conductive layer comprises plastic and conductive particles filled in the plastic.
[0010] In one embodiment, the contact layer has a profile area greater than that of the conductive layer, and the conductive layer is disposed on a side of the contact layer away from the human skin.
[0011] In one embodiment, the conductive layer has a lower deformation resistance than the contact layer.
[0012] In one embodiment, the conductive layer has a lower material hardness than the contact layer.
[0013] In one embodiment, a feed point structure is disposed between the circuit board assembly and the conductive layer, and the circuit board assembly is electrically connected to the conductive layer through the feed point structure.
[0014] In one embodiment, the feed point structure includes a conductive elastic member having opposite fixed ends and a free end, the fixed ends of the conductive elastic member are fixed and electrically connected to the circuit board assembly, and the free end of the conductive elastic member is elastically and electrically connected to the conductive layer.
[0015] or the feed point structure includes a rigid conductive member, one end of the rigid conductive member is fixed and electrically connected to the circuit board assembly, and the other end of the rigid conductive member abuts against or is inserted into the conductive layer.
[0016] or the feed point structure includes a conductive silver paste layer and a conductive lead, the conductive silver paste layer is disposed on a side of the conductive layer away from the contact layer, one end of the conductive lead is electrically connected to the circuit board assembly, and the other end of the conductive lead is welded to the conductive silver paste layer.
[0017] In one embodiment, the housing assembly further includes an inner lining layer disposed on a side of the conductive layer away from the contact layer, and the contact layer is connected to the inner lining layer to limit and fix the conductive layer between the inner lining layer and the contact layer.
[0018] In one embodiment, the inner lining layer surrounds a housing space for accommodating the circuit board assembly, and the contact layer is disposed on at least part of a surface of the inner lining layer.
[0019] In one embodiment, a metal electrode is disposed on a side of the inner lining layer away from the conductive layer, and the metal electrode is electrically connected to the circuit board assembly; wherein the metal electrode, the inner lining layer, and the conductive layer cooperate to form a first capacitor structure, and the conductive layer, the contact layer, and the human skin cooperate to form a second capacitor structure.
[0020] In one embodiment, the part of the inner lining layer covered by the metal electrode and the conductive layer is made of an insulating plastic material.
[0021] In one embodiment, the wearable device is an open earphone; in the wearing state, the contact layer at least partially abuts against the concha cavity of the ear.
[0022] In one embodiment, the shell assembly has a height direction, a length direction and a width direction perpendicular to each other, the height direction being defined as the direction of the shell assembly in the wearing state close to and away from the ear;
[0023] The contact layer has a first side facing away from the external auditory canal of the ear in the wearing state and a second side facing the external auditory canal, and a third side connected between the first side and the second side; the third side is located at one end of the shell assembly in the length direction in the wearing state and at least partially abuts against the cavity wall of the concha cavity;
[0024] The conductive layer continuously covers at least part of the areas corresponding to the first side, the second side and the third side of the contact layer.
[0025] In one embodiment, the area of the contact layer corresponding to the third side is covered by the conductive layer by no less than 90%, and the area of the contact layer corresponding to the first side and / or the second side is covered by the conductive layer by no less than 30%.
[0026] In one embodiment, the profile area of the conductive layer or the area of the region covered by the conductive layer on the contact layer is no less than 25 square millimeters.
[0027] In one embodiment, the minimum width dimension of the conductive layer in the width direction is 15 mm, and the minimum height dimension of the conductive layer in the height direction is 0.5 mm.
[0028] According to the above-mentioned embodiment, a wearable device includes a shell assembly and a circuit board assembly, the circuit board assembly is arranged inside the shell assembly, the shell assembly includes a contact layer and a conductive layer made of conductive silicone material or conductive plastic material; wherein the contact layer is arranged on the side of the shell assembly close to the human skin to contact the human skin; the conductive layer is arranged on the side of the contact layer away from the human skin and is electrically coupled with the circuit board assembly; the conductive layer, the contact layer and the human skin cooperate to form a capacitance structure.
[0029] By reusing the shell wall of the shell assembly, the conductive layer can be used as a capacitive detection electrode. The capacitive value of the capacitive structure formed between the conductive layer and the human body can be detected to realize the detection of the wearing state of the device. This can effectively shorten the insulation distance between the two plates of the capacitor, enhance the sensitivity and accuracy of the capacitive sensing detection, and also can not limit the size of the conductive layer to the structure of the device, which can provide a larger sensing area for the capacitive structure and also can reduce the manufacturing cost of the device to support the miniaturization of the device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0030] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of the front profile of the user's ear.
[0031] Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a wearable device in an ear-wearing state according to an embodiment.
[0032] Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of the overall profile structure of a wearable device according to an embodiment.
[0033] Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of the profile structure of the main body of a wearable device according to an embodiment.
[0034] Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the main body of a wearable device according to an embodiment.
[0035] Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of the profile structure of the conductive layer in a wearable device according to an embodiment.
[0036] Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of the connection between the conductive layer and the circuit board assembly in a wearable device according to an embodiment (I).
[0037] Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of the connection between the conductive layer and the circuit board assembly in a wearable device according to an embodiment (II).
[0038] Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of the connection between the conductive layer and the circuit board assembly in a wearable device according to an embodiment (III).
[0039] Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the conductive layer and the metal electrode in a wearable device according to an embodiment.
[0040] In the drawings:
[0041] 10, shell assembly; 10a, main body; 10b, ear hook; 11, contact layer; 11a, first side; 11b, second side; 11c, third side; 12, conductive layer; 13, inner lining layer; 14, metal electrode; 20, circuit board assembly; 30, elastic conductive piece; 40, rigid conductive piece; 51, conductive silver paste layer; 52, conductive lead;
[0042] 101, external auditory canal; 102, concha cavity; 103, cymba concha; 104, triangular fossa; 105, antihelix; 106, scapha; 107, helix; 108, tragus; 109, crux of helix; P1, first region; P2, second region; P3, third region. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0043] The application will be further described below in detailed description with reference to the attached drawings. Like numbers in different figures represent similar elements. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the application. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the application can be practiced without the specific details given. In other instances, well-known methods have not been described in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the application. Embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the application. Other embodiments can be utilized and structural, and operational changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present application.
[0044] In addition, the characteristics, operations or features described in the specification can be combined in any appropriate manner to form various embodiments. Also, the steps or actions in the method description can be performed in any appropriate order, as is apparent to those skilled in the art, unless otherwise specified. Therefore, the various sequences in the specification and the attached drawings are only for the purpose of clear description of one embodiment, and do not mean that the sequence is necessary. Unless otherwise specified, the sequence must be followed.
[0045] The serial numbers of components in this paper, such as "first", "second", etc., are only used to distinguish the described objects, and do not have any order or technical meaning. Unless otherwise specified, the "connection" and "coupling" in this application include direct and indirect connection (coupling).
[0046] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of physiological structures of an exemplary ear, which can include an external auditory canal 101, a cymba concha 102, a cavum concha 103, a triangular fossa 104, a contralateral helix 105, a scapha 106, a helix 107, a tragus 108, a crux of the helix 109, and the like, according to some embodiments provided in the present application. As shown in Fig. 1, the external auditory canal 101 has a certain depth and extends to the tympanic membrane of the ear, but in the absence of specific description, the external auditory canal 101 can be understood as the entrance thereof (i.e., the ear hole) away from the tympanic membrane. Further, the cavum concha 102, the cavum concha 103, the triangular fossa 104, and the like, have a certain volume and depth in the three-dimensional space, and the cavum concha 102 is directly connected with the external auditory canal 101, i.e., the aforementioned ear hole can be simply regarded as being located at the bottom of the cavum concha 102.
[0047] For the wearable device provided in some embodiments of the present application, the stable wearing of the wearable device can be achieved by means of one or more physiological parts of the ear.
[0048] Exemplarily, since the external auditory canal 101, the cavum concha 102, the cavum concha 103, the triangular fossa 104, and the like, have a certain depth and volume in the three-dimensional space, the stable wearing of the wearable device can be met. For example, the whole or part of the structure of the wearable device in the wearing state can be in contact with the upper part of the external auditory canal 101 (e.g., one or more physiological parts such as the cavum concha 103, the triangular fossa 104, the contralateral helix 105, the scapha 106, the helix 107, and the crux of the helix 109). For another example, the whole or part of the structure of the wearable device in the wearing state can be located in one or more physiological parts of the ear, such as the cavum concha 102, the cavum concha 103, the triangular fossa, and the like, such as in the first region P1 in Fig. 1 enclosed by the dashed line and containing at least the cavum concha 103 and the triangular fossa 104, and such as in the second region P2 in Fig. 1 enclosed by the dashed line and containing at least the cavum concha 102.
[0049] Exemplarily, the whole or part of the structure of the wearable device in the wearing state can be located in the front side of the crux of the helix 109, such as in the third region P3 in Fig. 1 enclosed by the dashed line.
[0050] Due to individual differences among users, ears may vary in shape, size, and other dimensions. To facilitate description and understanding, and to minimize or even eliminate these individual differences, unless otherwise specified, this application primarily uses an ear model with a "standard" shape and size as a reference to describe the structure of wearable devices in different embodiments and how they are worn on this ear model. For example, a simulator (such as GRAS 45BC KEMAR) containing a head and its (left and right) ears can be manufactured based on ANSI:S3.36, S3.25, and IEC:60318-7 standards as a reference for wearing wearable devices, thus representing the scenario of most users normally wearing wearable devices.
[0051] Therefore, descriptions such as "user wearing," "in wearing state," and "under wearing state" in this application can refer to the wearable device described in this application being worn on the ear of the aforementioned simulator. Of course, considering the individual differences among different users, the structure, shape, size, thickness, etc. of one or more parts of the ear can be differentiated according to different ear shapes and sizes. These differentiated designs can be manifested in the characteristic parameters of one or more parts of the wearable device having different ranges of values to adapt to different ears.
[0052] It should be noted that in fields such as medicine and anatomy, the sagittal plane of the human body can be defined.
[0053] The three basic planes are the axial plane (Plane), the coronal plane, and the horizontal plane, and the three basic axes are the sagittal axis, the coronal axis, and the vertical axis.
[0054] In this context, the sagittal plane is a section perpendicular to the ground along the anteroposterior direction of the body, dividing the body into left and right parts; the coronal plane is a section perpendicular to the ground along the lateral direction of the body, dividing the body into anterior and posterior parts; and the horizontal plane is a section parallel to the ground along the vertical direction of the body, dividing the body into superior and inferior parts. Correspondingly, the sagittal axis is the axis along the anteroposterior direction of the body and perpendicular to the coronal plane, the coronal axis is the axis along the lateral direction of the body and perpendicular to the sagittal plane, and the vertical axis is the axis along the vertical direction of the body and perpendicular to the horizontal plane.
[0055] Further, the "front side of the ear" described in the present application is a concept opposite to the "rear side of the ear", the former refers to the side of the ear away from the head, and the latter refers to the side of the ear towards the head, both of which are for the ear of the user. Wherein, the front side profile of the ear shown in Fig. 1 can be obtained by observing the ear of the simulator along the direction of the coronal axis of the human body.
[0056] It should be noted that the above description of the ear is only for the purpose of illustration and is not intended to limit the scope of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, various changes and modifications can be made according to the description of the present application, and these changes and modifications are still within the scope of protection of the present application.
[0057] Referring to Figs. 2-10 in combination with Fig. 1, the present embodiment provides a wearable device, such as an earphone (e.g., an open earphone, an in-ear earphone, a headphone, etc.) worn on the ear or the head, such as smart glasses, a smart watch, a smart bracelet, and other wearable devices, such as a wearable device combining an earphone and glasses, a head-mounted display device, an AR / VR helmet, etc. The wearable device includes a housing assembly 10, a circuit board assembly 20 disposed inside the housing assembly 10, and other functional components as needed; wherein the housing assembly 10 can be understood as a collection of related components that constitute the overall profile of the wearable device, and the wearable device can be moved, carried, worn, operated and used with the help of the housing assembly 10; the circuit board assembly 20 can include the main control board or main board of the wearable device, which can be understood as a collection of related functional devices that play a role in regulation and management in the wearable device; for example, the circuit board assembly 20 can be used in the earphone to convert and process signals to support the implementation of all or part of the functions of the earphone (e.g., to support the earphone to implement power on / off, mode switching, signal acquisition and processing, and output, etc.).
[0058] In one embodiment, referring to Figs. 5, 7-9, the housing assembly 10 includes a contact layer 11 and a conductive layer 12; wherein the contact layer 11 is disposed on the side of the housing assembly 10 close to the human skin, which can also be understood as that at least part of the contact layer 11 can be in contact with the human skin in the wearing state; for example, at least part of the contact layer 11 abuts against the concha cavity 102. The conductive layer 12 is disposed on the side of the contact layer 11 away from the human skin; for example, the profile area of the contact layer 11 is set to be larger than that of the conductive layer 12, and the conductive layer 12 is covered on the side of the contact layer 11 away from the human skin; at the same time, the conductive layer 12 is electrically coupled with the circuit board assembly 20, for example, the conductive layer 12 can establish a direct electrical connection relationship with the circuit board assembly 20 through a conductive body, and the conductive layer 12 can be arranged non-contact with the circuit board assembly 20 and an electrical signal induction relationship exists between them.
[0059] In practice, the conductive layer 12 can be made of a conductive silicone material, for example, the conductive layer 12 includes silicone and conductive particles filled in the silicone. The conductive layer 12 can also be made of a conductive plastic material, for example, the conductive layer 12 includes plastic and conductive particles filled in the plastic.
[0060] For example, the conductive layer 12 is made of a conductive plastic material, wherein the material of the plastic material contains one or more of the following materials: tetraphenyl ethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polyamide, polytetrafluoroethylene, tetrafluoroethylene / hexafluoropropylene copolymer, ethylene / tetrafluoroethylene copolymer, polypropylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyurethane, polyterephthalic acid, polyurethane elastomer, styrene block copolymer, perfluoroalkoxy alkane, chlorinated polyethylene, polyphenylene sulfide, polystyrene, cross-linked polyolefin, ethylene-propylene rubber, ethylene / vinyl acetate copolymer, chloroprene rubber, natural rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, nitrile rubber, silicone rubber, butadiene rubber, isoprene rubber, ethylene-propylene rubber, chloroprene rubber, butyl rubber, fluororubber, polyurethane rubber, polyacrylate rubber, chlorosulfonated polyethylene rubber, chloroether rubber, chlorinated polyethylene rubber, chlorosulfur rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, butadiene rubber, hydrogenated nitrile rubber, polysulfide rubber, cross-linked polyethylene, polycarbonate, polysulfone, polyphenylene ether, polyester, phenolic resin, urea-formaldehyde, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, polymethacrylate, or polyformaldehyde resin, etc. The material of the conductive particles filled in the plastic material contains one or more of the following materials: metal, conductive ceramic, carbon-containing conductor, solid electrolyte, or mixed conductor, etc. The material of the metal can contain nickel, cadmium, zirconium, chromium, cobalt, manganese, aluminum, tin, titanium, zinc, copper, silver, gold, phosphorus, tellurium, or beryllium, etc. The carbon-containing conductor can contain graphite silver, graphene silver, graphite powder, carbon nanotube material, or graphene material, etc.
[0061] Therefore, the contact layer 11 and the conductive layer 12 together constitute part or all of the shell wall of the shell assembly 10. The good conductivity provided by the conductive layer 12 allows the formation of a capacitor structure by the conductive layer 12, the contact layer 11, and the human skin, and the conductive layer 12 and the human skin serve as the two plates of the capacitor structure. The electrical coupling relationship between the circuit board assembly 20 and the conductive layer 12 allows the circuit board assembly 20 to detect the capacitance information of the capacitor structure, thereby supporting the implementation of some functions of the wearable device, such as the detection of the wearing state and the detection of the touch control.
[0062] Compared with the related art, the wearable device provided by the embodiment of the application reuses the shell wall (i.e., the conductive layer 12) of the shell assembly 10 as a capacitor electrode, so that the capacitor structure or the conductive layer 12 is not easily limited by the internal space, structural size and other factors of the shell assembly 10. In this way, the insulating distance between the two plates of the capacitor structure (i.e., the conductive layer 12 and the human skin) can be effectively shortened, and the conductive layer 12 can be more freely and flexibly endowed with a larger sensing area based on the capacitor structure, thereby effectively enhancing the sensitivity and accuracy of the capacitive sensing detection. For example, when the wearable device is worn on the ear, a structure cooperation relationship with a shorter insulating distance and a larger sensing area can be formed between the conductive layer 12 and the ear skin, so that the conductive layer 12 is close to the ear skin, and the capacitance value of the capacitor structure changes significantly (e.g., the capacitance value increases significantly), thereby achieving accurate detection of the wearing state of the wearable device.
[0063] In some embodiments, referring to FIGS. 2 to 5, the wearable device is an open earphone, the shell assembly 10 has a main body part 10a and an ear hanging part 10b connected to each other, the main body part 10a and / or the ear hanging part 10b includes the contact layer 11 and the conductive layer 12, and the circuit board assembly 20 can be arranged in the main body part 10a. Other functional components of the open earphone can be arranged in the interior of the main body part 10a or the ear hanging part 10b as needed; for example, the microphone assembly for collecting sound signals and the speaker assembly for outputting sound signals can be arranged on the circuit board assembly 20, or can be arranged in the interior of the main body part 10a and electrically connected to the circuit board assembly 20; for another example, the battery assembly for supplying power in the earphone can be arranged in the interior of the ear hanging part 10b. As a whole, the open earphone can be arranged to transmit sound signals in the manner of air conduction, bone conduction or a combination of air conduction and bone conduction.
[0064] For the convenience of distinguishing and description, the end of the main body part 10a connected to the ear hanging part 10b is defined as a connection end, and the end of the main body part 10a not connected to the ear hanging part 10b is defined as a free end. At least part of the ear hanging part 10b is located at the rear side of the ear in the wearing state, the main body part 10a is located at the front side of the ear in the wearing state, and the free end of the main body part 10a is located close to but not blocking the external auditory canal 101. In this way, the earphone can be stably hung on the ear in the wearing state, and the user's ear can remain open and anti-collision, so that the user can also obtain the sound of the external environment while hearing the sound output by the wearable device.
[0065] In some embodiments, to improve the stability of the open earphone in the wearing state, the open earphone can adopt any one or a combination of the following ways. First, at least part of the ear hook 10b is provided as a contoured structure that fits at least one of the back of the ear and the head, to increase the contact area of the ear hook 10b with the ear or the head, thereby increasing the resistance of the wearable device to fall off the ear. Second, at least part of the ear hook 10b is provided as an elastic structure, so that the ear hook 10b has a certain elastic deformation amount in the wearing state, to increase the pressure of the ear hook 10b on the ear or the head, thereby increasing the resistance of the wearable device to fall off the ear. Third, at least part of the ear hook 10b is provided to abut against the head in the wearing state, so that the ear hook 10b forms a counterforce to press the ear, so that the main body 10a is pressed on the front side of the ear, thereby increasing the resistance of the wearable device to fall off the ear. Fourth, the shell assembly 10 is provided to clamp the physiological parts such as the area where the helix 107 is located and the area where the concha cavity 102 is located from the front and back of the ear in the wearing state, thereby increasing the resistance of the wearable device to fall off the ear. Fifth, the main body 10a or other auxiliary structures connected with the main body 10a are provided to at least partially extend into physiological parts such as the concha cavity 102, the cymba concha 103, the triangular fossa 104, and the scaphoid fossa 106, thereby increasing the resistance of the wearable device to fall off the ear.
[0066] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 2, the main body 10a includes a contact layer 11 and a conductive layer 12, and at least part of the contact layer 11 is in abutting contact with the skin of the concha cavity 102 in the wearing state of the open earphone. For example, in the wearing state and viewed in the direction of the coronal axis, the main body 10a can be provided in a circular, elliptical, rounded square, rounded rectangular, or other geometric shape, and the contact layer 11 can be the side of the main body 10a that can be in abutting contact with the skin of the concha cavity 102. In this way, the conductive layer 12 can cooperate with the human skin of the concha cavity 102 to form a capacitive structure, to achieve detection of the wearing state of the open earphone.
[0067] In some embodiments, referring to FIGS. 2, 4-6, the shell assembly 10 has a height direction, a length direction, and a width direction that are orthogonal to each other in the wearing state. The height direction is defined as the direction in which the shell assembly 10 is close to and away from the ear in the wearing state, and the length direction is defined as the direction in which the shell assembly 10 is close to and away from a user's head in the wearing state. For example, the angle between the length direction and the direction of the human sagittal axis can be between 15°-60°, so that in the wearing state and viewed in the direction of the human coronal axis, the connecting end is closer to the head than the free end, which is conducive to the free end extending into the concha cavity 102.
[0068] As shown in FIG. 5, the contact layer 11 has a first side 11a facing away from the external auditory canal 101 and a second side (not shown in the figure) facing the external auditory canal 101 in the wearing state, and a third side 11b connected between the first side 11a and the second side; the third side 11b is located at one end of the shell assembly 10 in the length direction in the wearing state (it can be understood that the third side 11b is a part or all of the end side of the free end away from the connecting end in the length direction), and the third side is at least partially attached to the cavity wall (i.e. skin) of the concha cavity 102; and the conductive layer 12 continuously covers at least part of the area corresponding to the first side 11a, the second side and the third side 11b of the contact layer 11.
[0069] For example, the area of the contact layer 11 corresponding to the third side 11b is covered by the conductive layer 12 by no less than 90%, and the area of the contact layer 11 corresponding to the first side 11a and / or the second side is covered by the conductive layer 12 by no less than 30%.
[0070] For example, the profile area of the conductive layer 12 or the area of the region covered by the conductive layer 12 on the contact layer 11 is no less than 25 square millimeters, for example, about 164 square millimeters.
[0071] For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the minimum width dimension L1 of the conductive layer 12 in the width direction can be set to 15 mm, and the minimum height dimension H1 of the conductive layer 12 in the height direction can be set to 0.5 mm; wherein the thickness (i.e. wall thickness) of the conductive layer 12 can be controlled to be within 2 mm. It should be noted that the thick arc line with double arrows in FIG. 6 represents the structural trajectory of the conductive layer 12 in the height direction, and the thick dashed line with double arrows represents the structural trajectory of the conductive layer 12 in the length direction.
[0072] In this way, by selecting and setting the covered area, area proportion, size parameters, etc. of the conductive layer 12, the part of the shell assembly 10 that extends into the concha cavity 102 and contacts the skin of the concha cavity 102 is covered by the conductive layer 12, in other words, the covered area or the contour shape of the conductive layer 12 is more fitted to the physiological structure of the concha cavity 102. When the open earphone is in the wearing state, a capacitive structure with sufficient sensing area can be formed between the conductive layer 12 and the skin of the concha cavity 102, effectively improving the accuracy and sensitivity of the detection of the wearing state.
[0073] In some embodiments, the capacitive structure formed by the conductive layer 12, the contact layer 11 and the human skin can also support the implementation of the touch detection function of the wearable device; specifically, the conductive layer 12 can be arranged in the shape of a touch pattern, and the contact layer 11 cooperating with the conductive layer 12 can be located in an area not blocked by the skin of the wearing part in the wearing state, for example, the contact layer 11 is located on the side of the shell assembly 10 away from the ear in the height direction; thus, based on the electrical coupling relationship between the circuit board assembly 20 and the conductive layer 12, the touch detection function of the wearable device can be realized.
[0074] Since the shell wall of the multiplexed shell assembly 10 (i.e. the conductive layer 12) is used as a capacitive electrode, the distance between the conductive layer 12 and the external signal trigger source (e.g. the user's finger) can be effectively shortened, and the sensing area between the external signal trigger source and the wearable device can be effectively increased, thereby improving the sensitivity and accuracy of the wearable device triggered by the user.
[0075] In some embodiments, the conductive layer 12 can be arranged in the shape of an antenna pattern, for example, the conductive layer 12 and the contact layer 11 can be arranged on the ear hook part 10b, or the conductive layer 12 and the contact layer 11 are located on the side of the shell assembly 10 away from the ear in the height direction in the wearing state; by the electrical coupling relationship between the conductive layer 12 and the circuit board assembly 20, the transmission, conversion and processing of data information or wireless signals can be realized, so as to form data information interaction between the wearable device and external devices (such as mobile phones, computers, etc.). Similarly, since the shell wall of the multiplexed shell assembly 10 (i.e. the conductive layer 12) is used as an antenna, the antenna is not limited by the internal space and structural size of the shell assembly 10, which is beneficial to increase the antenna clearance (i.e. the distance between the antenna and the circuit board assembly 20), thereby increasing the anti-interference performance of the antenna.
[0076] In some embodiments, the resistivity of the conductive layer 12 is less than or equal to 1000 Ω·m, so as to avoid reducing the signal amount of the conductive layer 12 due to excessive resistivity; for example, the two test clamps of the ohmmeter directly clamp the two ends of the conductive layer 12 in the length direction, and the resistivity of the conductive layer 12 is measured to be 110 Ω·m; for another example, two copper blocks are used to press the two ends of the conductive layer 12 in the length direction, and the two test clamps of the ohmmeter are connected with the two copper blocks respectively, and the resistivity of the conductive layer 12 is measured to be 0.2 Ω·m.
[0077] In some embodiments, the deformation resistance of the conductive layer 12 is lower than that of the contact layer 11; for example, the conductive layer 12 is made of conductive silicone material with a hardness of zero degree (such as the hardness of the conductive silicone measured by a shore 00 hardness tester is zero), and the contact layer 11 is made of plastic material with a material hardness greater than that of the conductive layer 12; for another example, the material thickness of the conductive layer 12 (within 2 mm) is less than that of the contact layer 11.
[0078] Thus, based on the feature that the anti-deformation capability of the contact layer 11 is higher than that of the conductive layer 12, the contact layer 11 can be used to form structural protection for the conductive layer 12, which is not only conducive to the processing and forming of the shell assembly 10, but also can avoid affecting the performance of the capacitive structure due to structural deformation, position deviation, etc.
[0079] In some embodiments, referring to FIGS. 5, 7-9, the shell assembly 10 further includes an inner lining layer 13, which is arranged on the side of the conductive layer 12 away from the contact layer 11; and the contact layer 11 is connected with the inner lining layer 13 to limit and fix the conductive layer 12 between the inner lining layer 13 and the contact layer 11.
[0080] For example, the inner lining layer 13 encloses a shell space in the shell assembly 10 to accommodate the circuit board assembly 20, and the contact layer 11 is arranged on at least part of the surface of the inner lining layer 13. It can be understood that the inner lining layer 13 forms the basic outline of the shell assembly 10 (e.g., the main body part 10b), and the contact layer 11 can be arranged on the outer side of the inner lining layer 13 in the form of covering at least part of the surface of the inner lining layer 13 by adhesion, clamping, etc. For example, in the wearing state, the contact layer 11 is located on the side of the inner lining layer 13 away from the ear in the height direction.
[0081] Thus, the inner lining layer 13 can provide a stable structural accommodation space for the functional components such as the circuit board assembly 20 inside the shell assembly 10, and the conductive layer 12 can be stably limited and fixed between the inner lining layer 13 and the contact layer 11 through the cooperation of the inner lining layer 13 and the contact layer 11.
[0082] In some embodiments, referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, part or all of the contact layer 11 and the inner lining layer 13 can be made of insulating plastic material, for example, the parts of the contact layer 11 and the inner lining layer 13 covered by the conductive layer 12 are made of insulating plastic material. In this way, a relatively short insulating distance can be formed between the conductive layer 12 and the human skin, and between the conductive layer 12 and the circuit board assembly 20, so as to ensure the overall structural stability of the wearable device (or the shell assembly 10) while ensuring the performance of the capacitive structure.
[0083] In specific implementation, the conductive layer 12 can be integrally formed with the contact layer 11, or integrally formed with the inner lining layer 13. For example, the contact layer 11 and the conductive layer 12 are each an integral structure (e.g., using an injection molding process), and then a sleeve process is used to sleeve the conductive layer 12 on the contact layer 11 to form an integral structure. Finally, the contact layer 11 is sleeved on the inner lining layer 13, so as to combine the contact layer 11, the conductive layer 12, and the inner lining layer 13 into a complete shell assembly 10 (e.g., the main body part 10a).
[0084] In this way, the manufacturing cost of the wearable device can be reduced, the miniaturization and compactness of the device can be supported, and the conductive layer 12 can be stably limited and fixed in the shell wall of the shell assembly 10.
[0085] In some embodiments, referring to FIGS. 7-9, a feed point structure is provided between the conductive layer 12 and the circuit board assembly 20, and the circuit board assembly 20 is electrically connected to the conductive layer 12 through the feed point structure to establish a direct electrical connection relationship between the conductive layer 12 and the circuit board assembly 20. For example, the inner liner layer 13 has a perforated structure penetrating the side wall of the inner liner layer 13, and the feed point structure can be arranged through the perforated structure of the inner liner layer 13, so that one end of the feed point structure is connected to the circuit board assembly 20 and the other end is connected to the conductive layer 12.
[0086] Referring to FIG. 7, the feed point structure includes an elastic conductive member 30, such as an elastic sheet made of a conductive material or other suitable material body having conductivity and elasticity, and the elastic conductive member 30 has opposite fixed ends and a free end. The fixed end of the elastic conductive member 30 is fixed and electrically connected to the circuit board assembly 20, and the free end of the elastic conductive member 30 elastically abuts against the surface of the conductive layer 12. For example, the free end of the elastic conductive member 30 passes through the perforated structure of the inner liner layer 13 and abuts against the conductive layer 12.
[0087] In this way, the elastic conductive member 30 can achieve electrical contact connection between the conductive layer 12 and the circuit board assembly 20, and can also support the disassembly and assembly of the shell assembly 10 or the wearable device.
[0088] Referring to FIG. 9, the feed point structure includes a rigid conductive member 40, such as a copper column or other material body having conductivity and relatively fixed form. One end of the rigid conductive member 40 is fixed and electrically connected to the circuit board assembly 20, and the other end of the rigid conductive member 40 abuts against the surface of the conductive layer 12 or is inserted into the conductive layer 12. For example, the rigid conductive member 40 is arranged between the circuit board assembly 20 and the conductive layer 12 through the perforated structure of the inner liner layer 13.
[0089] In this way, by inserting or abutting one end of the rigid conductive member 40 into the conductive layer 12, a relatively stable electrical connection relationship can be formed between the circuit board assembly 20 and the conductive layer 12, which supports the circuit board assembly 20 to accurately detect the capacitance value of the capacitance structure through the conductive layer 12.
[0090] Please refer to Figure 8. The feed point structure includes a conductive silver paste layer 51 and a conductive lead 52. The conductive silver paste layer 51 covers the surface of the conductive layer 12 (e.g., the surface of the conductive layer 12 away from the contact layer 11). One end of the conductive lead 52 is electrically connected to the circuit board assembly 20, and the other end is soldered to the conductive silver paste layer 51. For example, the conductive lead 52 can be a wire, ribbon cable, flexible printed circuit (FPC), etc., and the specific selection is based on actual needs and is not limited here. The conductive lead 52 can be arranged through the inner liner layer 13 by a through-hole structure.
[0091] Thus, by establishing an electrical connection between the circuit board assembly 20 and the conductive layer 12 through the conductive leads 52 and the conductive silver paste layer 51, it is advantageous to adapt the relative position of the conductive layer 12 and the circuit board assembly 20 by flexibly selecting the length of the conductive leads 52, the wiring path, etc.
[0092] In other embodiments, the feed point structure may also adopt other suitable structural forms, as long as a direct electrical connection can be established between the circuit board assembly 20 and the conductive layer 12; of course, the inner liner layer 13 may also be omitted, and the general outline structure of the housing assembly 10 (e.g., the main body 10a) may be formed by the contact layer 11; all such details will not be elaborated here.
[0093] In some embodiments, referring to FIG10 and in conjunction with FIGS7 to 9, the conductive layer 12 is electrically coupled to the circuit board assembly 20 through the metal electrode 14. Specifically, the metal electrode 14 is disposed on the side of the inner liner 13 away from the conductive layer 12. For example, the metal electrode 14 can be formed on the surface of the inner liner 13 away from the conductive layer 12 by means of laser direct forming technology. The metal electrode 14 is electrically connected to the circuit board assembly 20 (for example, the metal electrode 14 is electrically connected to the circuit board assembly 20 through the aforementioned feed point structure). For example, the metal electrode 14 can also be an FPC metal electrode attached and fixed to the side of the inner liner 13 away from the conductive layer 12.
[0094] Therefore, the metal electrode 14, the inner liner layer 13, and the conductive layer 12 can cooperate to form a first capacitor structure, while the conductive layer 12, the contact layer 11, and the human skin can cooperate to form a second capacitor structure. The circuit board assembly 20 can detect the capacitance value of the capacitor structure formed by the first and second capacitor structures through the metal electrode 14, thereby realizing the detection of the wearing status of the wearable device and the detection of touch actions. Since the structural part between the human skin and the metal electrode 14 includes the conductive layer 12, the insulation distance between the metal electrode 14 and the human skin is effectively shortened. This can effectively improve the sensitivity and accuracy of the capacitance signal response, and at the same time, it can also increase the contact area between the metal electrode 14 and the human skin to a certain extent.
[0095] The above describes the present application with specific examples, which is only used to help understand the present application, and does not limit the present application. According to the idea of the present application, a person skilled in the art can make some simple deductions, modifications or replacements.
Claims
1. A wearable device capable of detecting wearability, characterized in that, The device includes a housing assembly and a circuit board assembly, wherein the circuit board assembly is disposed inside the housing assembly, and the housing assembly includes a contact layer and a conductive layer made of conductive silicone material or conductive plastic material. The contact layer is disposed on the side of the housing assembly closest to human skin for contact with human skin; the conductive layer is disposed on the side of the contact layer away from human skin and is electrically coupled to the circuit board assembly; the conductive layer, the contact layer, and human skin cooperate to form a capacitor structure.
2. The wearable device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The resistivity of the conductive layer is less than or equal to 1000 Ω•m.
3. The wearable device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The conductive layer and the contact layer are integrally formed; and / or the conductive layer is made of conductive silicone material, and the contact layer is made of insulating plastic material.
4. The wearable device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The conductive layer comprises silicone and conductive particles filled in the silicone, or the conductive layer comprises plastic and conductive particles filled in the plastic.
5. The wearable device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The outline area of the contact layer is larger than the outline area of the conductive layer, and the conductive layer is applied to the side of the contact layer away from human skin.
6. The wearable device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The deformation resistance of the conductive layer is lower than that of the contact layer.
7. The wearable device as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The material hardness of the conductive layer is less than that of the contact layer.
8. The wearable device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, A feed point structure is provided between the circuit board assembly and the conductive layer, and the circuit board assembly is electrically connected to the conductive layer through the feed point structure.
9. The wearable device as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that, The feed point structure includes a conductive elastic element, which has a fixed end and a free end. The fixed end of the elastic conductive element is fixed and electrically connected to the circuit board assembly, and the free end of the elastic conductive element is elastically electrically contacted with the conductive layer. Alternatively, the feed point structure may include a rigid conductive element, one end of which is fixed and electrically connected to the circuit board assembly, and the other end of which abuts against the conductive layer or is inserted into the conductive layer; Alternatively, the feed point structure may include a conductive silver paste layer and a conductive lead, wherein the conductive silver paste layer covers the side of the conductive layer away from the contact layer, one end of the conductive lead is electrically connected to the circuit board assembly, and the other end of the conductive lead is soldered to the conductive silver paste layer.
10. The wearable device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The housing assembly further includes an inner liner disposed on the side of the conductive layer away from the contact layer; the contact layer is connected to the inner liner to confine and fix the conductive layer between the inner liner and the contact layer.
11. The wearable device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that, The inner liner encloses a housing space for accommodating the circuit board assembly, and the contact layer covers at least a portion of the surface of the inner liner.
12. The wearable device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that, The inner liner layer has a metal electrode on the side away from the conductive layer, and the metal electrode is electrically connected to the circuit board assembly; wherein, the metal electrode, the inner liner layer and the conductive layer cooperate to form a first capacitor structure, and the conductive layer, the contact layer and human skin cooperate to form a second capacitor structure.
13. The wearable device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that, The portion of the inner liner covered by the metal electrode and the conductive layer is made of insulating plastic material.
14. The wearable device according to any one of claims 1-13, characterized in that, The wearable device is an open-back headphone; when the open-back headphone is worn, the contact layer at least partially abuts against the concha cavity of the ear.
15. The wearable device as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that, The housing assembly has a height direction, a length direction, and a width direction that are orthogonal to each other, wherein the height direction is defined as the direction in which the housing assembly approaches and moves away from the ear when worn; The contact layer has a first side facing away from the ear canal along the width direction and a second side facing the ear canal when worn, and a third side connecting the first side and the second side; the third side is located at one end of the housing assembly in the length direction and at least partially abuts against the cavity wall of the concha when worn. The conductive layer continuously covers at least a portion of the contact layer corresponding to the first side, the second side, and the third side.
16. The wearable device as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that, The area of the contact layer corresponding to the third side is covered by the conductive layer by at least 90%, and the area of the contact layer corresponding to the first side and / or the second side is covered by the conductive layer by at least 30%.
17. The wearable device as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that, The outline area of the conductive layer or the area of the conductive layer covering the contact layer is not less than 25 square millimeters.
18. The wearable device as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that, The minimum width dimension of the conductive layer in the width direction is 15mm, and the minimum height dimension of the conductive layer in the height direction is 0.5mm.
Citation Information
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