Wearable device

Abstract

This wearable device (1) comprises a base material (100), an electronic component (200) mounted on the base material (100), and a housing (300) made of a flexible material. At least a part of a mounting region (110) of the base material (100) on which the electronic component (200) is mounted is thicker than a non-mounting region (120) of the base material (100) on which the electronic component (200) is not mounted. The wearable device (1) is provided with a fixing means (205) for fixing the wearable device to clothing in a state in which a user bends the housing (300) such that two of the mounting regions (110) on both sides of the non-mounting region (120) face each other with the clothing of the user therebetween.

Description

Wearable device

[0001] The present invention relates to a wearable device that acquires user's biological information and the like.

[0002] In recent years, the importance of sleep quality has been pointed out from the viewpoints of stress relief and healthcare orientation. In order to estimate the quality of sleep, a device combining sensors for measuring biological information such as electrocardiogram, pulse wave, respiration, skin temperature, SpO2 (oxygen saturation), a body movement sensor for detecting turning over and posture, and sensors for measuring environmental information such as temperature and humidity inside clothes has been commercially available in large numbers (Non-Patent Document 1). Wristwatch-type and wristband-type wearable devices are the most common. In these devices, sleep stages such as sleep time, light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep, and sleep scores are fed back to individuals using a dedicated app. As a result, users can routinely work on improving the quality of sleep.

[0003] However, wristwatch-type and wristband-type wearable devices may be cumbersome to wear when not used by users on a daily basis, or may be accidentally removed during sleep. In addition, in the case of elderly people or children with small body sizes and thin arms, there are cases where a wristband cannot be worn. Therefore, there is a need for a wearable device that can be used by people of all ages and genders, is smaller in size, and does not cause a burden on wearing.

[0004] “Sleep Record”, Google LLC, <https: / / www.fitbit.com / global / jp / technology / sleep>

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a wearable device with a small wearing burden and easy wearing.

[0006] The wearable device of the present invention comprises a substrate, electronic components mounted on the substrate, and a housing made of a flexible material that covers at least a portion of the substrate and the electronic components. At least a portion of the mounting area of ​​the substrate on which the electronic components are mounted is thicker than the non-mounted area of ​​the substrate on which the electronic components are not mounted. The device includes fixing means for fixing the wearable device to the clothing, such that the two mounting areas on either side of the non-mounted area face each other with the user's clothing in between, when the user bends the housing.

[0007] According to the present invention, by making at least a portion of the mounting area of ​​a substrate on which electronic components are mounted thicker than the non-mounted area of ​​a substrate on which electronic components are not mounted, and by providing a fixing means for fixing the wearable device to clothing in a state where the user bends the housing so that the two mounting areas on either side of the non-mounted area face each other with the user's clothing in between, it is possible to realize a wearable device that is easy to attach to clothing and is easy to wear.

[0008] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a wearable device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of a wearable device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the specific configuration of a wearable device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a wearable device according to the first embodiment of the present invention when attached to clothing. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a wearable device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 is a plan view of a wearable device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a wearable device according to the second embodiment of the present invention when attached to clothing. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a wearable device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 is a plan view of a wearable device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of a wearable device according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] [First Embodiment] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a wearable device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The wearable device 1 comprises a base material 100, one or more electronic components 200 mounted on the base material 100, and a housing 300 made of a flexible material that covers the base material 100 and the electronic components 200. Of the area of ​​the base material 100, the area on which the electronic components 200 are mounted is defined as the mounted area 110, and the area on which the electronic components 200 are not mounted is defined as the unmounted area 120.

[0010] As the base material 100, a flexible substrate such as a rigid-flexible substrate or a multilayer flexible substrate can be used. The non-mounted area 120 of the base material 100 is composed of a flexible base material 101 of the rigid-flexible substrate. The flexible base material 101 is made of polyimide or the like. Alternatively, a portion of a multilayer flexible substrate with a small number of layers may be used as the non-mounted area 120. Wiring is formed in the non-mounted area 120 to electrically connect the electronic components 200 of the multiple mounted areas 110.

[0011] On the other hand, the mounting area 110 of the substrate 100 is constructed of a laminated structure of a rigid-flexible substrate consisting of a flexible substrate 101 and a rigid substrate 102, as the mounting strength of the electronic components 200 is required. The rigid substrate 102 is made of glass epoxy resin or the like. Alternatively, the multilayer portion of a multilayer flexible substrate may be used as the mounting area 110. The mounting area 110 of the substrate 100 has a thickness in the direction perpendicular to the mounting surface of the electronic components 200 (up and down direction in Figure 1) that is greater than the non-mounted area 120 of the substrate 100. As the material for the housing 300, for example, rubber materials such as silicone rubber or resin materials can be used, but it is not limited to these materials.

[0012] Figure 2 shows the circuit configuration of the wearable device 1. The wearable device 1 includes a sensor unit 10 that acquires biological information such as electrocardiogram, pulse wave, skin temperature, and oxygen saturation, environmental information such as temperature and humidity inside clothing, and physical information such as posture and body movement; a measurement circuit unit 11 that processes the signals acquired by the sensor unit 10; a communication circuit unit 12 that transmits the processed data to an external terminal; and a power supply circuit unit 13. The configuration shown in Figure 2 is realized by a plurality of electronic components 200 and wiring that connects the plurality of electronic components 200.

[0013] Figures 3 and 4 are cross-sectional views showing a more specific configuration of the wearable device 1. In its natural state, when not attached to the user's clothing, the wearable device 1 has a nearly flat shape, as shown in Figure 3. When the user attaches the wearable device 1 to their clothing, the housing 300 is bent to attach it, as shown in Figure 4. In Figure 4, 400 is the user's skin and 401 is the user's clothing.

[0014] The bending portion of the wearable device 1 is the portion of the base material 100 that has an unmounted area 120. The area most likely to experience wire breakage during bending is the boundary between the mounted area 110 and the unmounted area 120. Therefore, the design is such that the central part of the unmounted area 120 between the two mounted areas 110 functions as the bending portion 130, and the boundary between the mounted area 110 and the unmounted area 120 is included in the non-bending portion 140. This design can be achieved by setting the dimensions of the unmounted area 120, the hardness of the unmounted area 120, and the hardness of the housing 300.

[0015] On the same side of two adjacent mounting areas 110 of the base material 100, a magnetic material 201 and a magnet 202 are mounted with a non-mounted area 120, including a bent portion 130, sandwiched between them. The magnetic material 201 and the magnet 202 function as fixing means 205 for fixing the wearable device 1 to the user's clothing 401. When the user attaches the wearable device 1 to the clothing 401, the housing 300 is bent so that the magnetic material 201 and the magnet 202 face each other with the clothing 401 in between. This creates a magnetic attraction between the magnetic material 201 and the magnet 202, fixing the wearable device 1 to the clothing 401 with the bent housing 300 sandwiching the clothing 401. If the user is wearing underwear in addition to the clothing 401, the bent housing 300 should be positioned to sandwich both the clothing 401 and the underwear.

[0016] In Figures 3 and 4, 201 may be a magnet. That is, magnets may be mounted on the same side of two adjacent mounting areas 110 of the base material 100. When two magnets are used as the fixing means 205, the two magnets must be positioned so that a magnetic attraction is generated when they come into close proximity. There may also be multiple sets of fixing means 205. When a magnetic material 201 and a magnet 202 are used as the fixing means 205, the magnetic material 201 may be positioned on the inside of the garment 401 or on the outside of the garment 401.

[0017] Of the electronic components 200, the sensor unit 10 is mounted on the mounting area 110 of the base material 100, on the side opposite to the side on which the magnetic material 201 and magnet 202 are mounted. When a user attaches the wearable device 1 to their clothing 401, the housing 300 is bent so that the sensor unit 10 faces the user's skin 400. This allows the sensor unit 10 to be brought close to the user's skin 400 when the wearable device 1 is attached, as shown in Figure 4.

[0018] [Second Embodiment] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a wearable device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the first embodiment, the magnetic material 201 was mounted on the mounting area 110 of the base material 100. In contrast, in the wearable device 1a of this embodiment, the magnetic material 201 is mounted on the non-mounted area 120 of the base material 100 adjacent to the mounting area 110 on which the magnet 202 is mounted. In this embodiment as well, the central part of the non-mounted area 120 between the two mounting areas 110 functions as a bent portion 130, so that the magnetic material 201 is included in the non-bent portion 140. The magnetic material 201 and the magnet 202 are arranged so as to sandwich the bent portion 130 between them.

[0019] Figure 6 is a plan view of the wearable device 1a. In Figure 6, 203 is a secondary battery that supplies power to each electronic component 200, and 204 is wiring that connects multiple electronic components 200. In Figure 6, the magnet 202 is mounted on the surface of the substrate opposite to the secondary battery 203 and is therefore not shown. When a user attaches the wearable device 1a to clothing 401, the housing 300 is bent so that the magnetic material 201 and the magnet 202 face each other with the clothing 401 in between, as shown in Figure 7, and the sensor part 10 faces the user's skin 400. Similar to the first embodiment, 201 in Figures 5 to 7 may be a magnet. When two magnets are used as fixing means 205, the two magnets must be positioned so that magnetic attraction is generated when they come into close proximity.

[0020] [Third Embodiment] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a wearable device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the wearable device 1b has a recess 310 in the housing 300 of the bent portion 130 such that the thickness in the direction perpendicular to the mounting surface of the electronic component 200 (up and down direction in Figure 8) is thinner than that of the housing 300 other than the bent portion 130. As a result, in this embodiment, the housing 300 of the bent portion 130 can be made easier to bend.

[0021] In the example shown in Figure 8, recesses 310 are provided on both the top and bottom surfaces of the housing 300. However, as explained in the first embodiment, if the housing 300 is bent so that the magnetic material 201 and the magnet 202 face each other with the user's clothing in between, the recess 310 may be provided only on the bottom surface of the housing 300 in Figure 8. In the example shown in Figure 8, the recess 310 is provided in the configuration of the first embodiment, but the recess 310 may also be provided in the configuration of the second embodiment. As in the first embodiment, 201 in Figure 8 may be a magnet.

[0022] [Fourth Embodiment] Figure 9 is a plan view of a wearable device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the wearable device 1c has a width W of the housing 300 of the bent portion 130 in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the bent portion 300 and the non-bendable portions 140 on both sides are connected (left-right direction in Figure 9) that is narrower than the width of the housing 300 of the non-bendable portion 140. This makes it easier to bend the housing 300 of the bent portion 130 in this embodiment. In the example in Figure 9, the width of the housing 300 is narrowed over the entire area of ​​the bent portion 300, but it is also acceptable to narrow the width in only a part of the bent portion 130. Similar to the first embodiment, 201 in Figure 9 may be a magnet.

[0023] [Fifth Embodiment] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of a wearable device according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the wearable device 1d has one or more cavities 320 formed inside the housing 300 of the bendable portion 130. This makes it easier to bend the housing 300 of the bendable portion 130 in this embodiment. Similar to the first embodiment, 201 in Figure 10 may be a magnet.

[0024] Some or all of the above examples may also be described as follows, but are not limited to the following.

[0025] (Note 1) The wearable device of the present invention comprises a base material, electronic components mounted on the base material, and a housing made of a flexible material that covers at least a portion of the base material and the electronic components, wherein at least a portion of the mounting area of ​​the base material on which the electronic components are mounted is thicker than the non-mounted area of ​​the base material on which the electronic components are not mounted, and the wearable device is provided with fixing means for fixing the wearable device to the clothing in a state where the user bends the housing so that the two mounting areas on both sides of the non-mounted area face each other with the user's clothing in between.

[0026] (Note 2) In the wearable device described in Note 1, the fixing means consists of a magnetic material mounted on one of the two mounting areas on the same surface of the substrate and a magnet mounted on the other of the two mounting areas.

[0027] (Note 3) In the wearable device described in Note 1, the fixing means consists of a first magnet mounted on one of the two mounting areas on the same surface of the substrate and a second magnet mounted on the other of the two mounting areas, and the first magnet and the second magnet are mounted such that magnetic attraction acts when they are close together.

[0028] (Note 4) In the wearable device described in Note 2 or 3, the electronic component mounted on the surface of the substrate opposite to the two mounting areas functions as a sensor unit configured to acquire at least one of the user's biometric information, the user's surrounding environment information, and the user's body movement information.

[0029] (Note 5) In the wearable device described in Note 1, the housing has a recess formed such that the portion covering the central part of the non-mounted area functions as a bent portion, and the bent portion is thinner than the portion other than the bent portion.

[0030] (Note 6) In the wearable device described in Note 1, the housing is configured such that the width of the bent portion is narrower than the width of the portion other than the bent portion, such that the portion covering the central part of the non-mounted area functions as a bent portion.

[0031] (Note 7) In the wearable device described in Note 1, the housing has a cavity formed in the bent portion such that the portion covering the central part of the non-mounted area functions as a bent portion.

[0032] (Note 8) In the wearable device described in Note 1, the electronic component functions as a sensor unit configured to acquire at least one of the user's biometric information, the user's surrounding environment information, the user's posture information, and the user's body movement information; a measurement circuit unit configured to process the information acquired by the sensor unit; a communication circuit unit configured to transmit the data processed by the measurement circuit unit to the outside; and a power supply circuit unit configured to supply power to the sensor unit, the measurement circuit unit, and the communication circuit unit.

[0033] 1, 1a to 1d...wearable device, 10...sensor unit, 11...measurement circuit unit, 12...communication circuit unit, 13...power supply circuit unit, 100...base material, 101...flexible base material, 102...rigid base material, 200...electronic component, 201...magnetic material, 202...magnet, 203...secondary battery, 204...wiring, 205...fixing means, 300...housing, 310...recess, 320...cavity.

Claims

1. A wearable device comprising a base material, electronic components mounted on the base material, and a housing made of a flexible material covering at least a portion of the base material and the electronic components, wherein at least a portion of the mounting area of ​​the base material on which the electronic components are mounted is thicker than the non-mounted area of ​​the base material on which the electronic components are not mounted, and the wearable device is provided with fixing means for fixing the wearable device to the clothing, such that the two mounting areas on either side of the non-mounted area face each other with the user's clothing in between when the user bends the housing.

2. A wearable device according to claim 1, wherein the fixing means comprises a magnetic material mounted on one of the two mounting areas on the same surface of the substrate, and a magnet mounted on the other of the two mounting areas.

3. A wearable device according to claim 1, wherein the fixing means comprises a first magnet mounted on one of the two mounting areas on the same surface of the base material, and a second magnet mounted on the other of the two mounting areas, and the first magnet and the second magnet are mounted such that magnetic attraction acts when they are close together.

4. A wearable device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the electronic component mounted on the surface of the substrate opposite to the two mounting areas functions as a sensor unit configured to acquire at least one of the user's biometric information, the user's surrounding environment information, the user's posture information, and the user's body movement information.

5. A wearable device according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a recess formed such that the portion covering the central part of the non-mounted area functions as a bendable portion, and the bendable portion is thinner than the portion other than the bendable portion.

6. A wearable device according to claim 1, wherein the housing is characterized in that the width of the bent portion is narrower than the width of the portion other than the bent portion, such that the portion covering the central part of the non-mounted area functions as a bent portion.

7. A wearable device according to claim 1, wherein the housing is characterized in that a cavity is formed in the bent portion such that the portion covering the central part of the non-mounted area functions as a bent portion.

8. A wearable device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic component functions as: a sensor unit configured to acquire at least one of the user's biometric information, the user's surrounding environment information, the user's posture information, and the user's body movement information; a measurement circuit unit configured to process the information acquired by the sensor unit; a communication circuit unit configured to transmit the data processed by the measurement circuit unit to the outside; and a power supply circuit unit configured to supply power to the sensor unit, the measurement circuit unit, and the communication circuit unit.

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