Rotatable Connector with Band and Angle Encoding for Wearables
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wearable hands-free devices face limitations in surface area, volume, and weight, making it challenging to incorporate additional electronic components and functionalities, and existing connectors do not efficiently enable reversible orientation and multiple functions.
Innovation Solution
A connector with two mating sleeves and a rotatable shaft that forms a hinge, incorporating band and angle encoding to allow for different functions based on orientation, enabling reversible plug orientation and housing of various electronic components such as charging, USB, Bluetooth, and memory in a wearable device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a wearable device incorporates more electronic components and functionalities, then the device functionality is improved, but the device weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is designed to perform multiple functions including electrical connection, mechanical attachment, and orientation encoding. By integrating band encoding (for reversible orientation) and angle encoding (for functional selection) into a single connector structure, the patent enables one component to serve multiple purposes: establishing electrical contacts, determining device orientation for reversible wear, and selecting different operational modes, thereby adding functionality without proportionally increasing weight
2Adaptability or versatility
If a wearable device incorporates more electronic components, then the device functionality is improved, but the device volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector employs a nested structure where the shaft is received within the first sleeve, and the second sleeve is rotatably joined to the first sleeve. The band encoding contacts and angle encoding contacts are integrated within this nested arrangement, allowing multiple functional elements to occupy overlapping or concentric spaces, thereby maximizing functionality within minimal volume
3Adaptability or versatility
If a connector supports reversible orientation and multiple functions, then the device adaptability is improved, but the connector complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines band encoding (for reversible orientation) and angle encoding (for functional selection) into a single integrated connector structure. The band contacts and angle contacts are merged within the same shaft-sleeve assembly, allowing the connector to handle both orientation detection and functional selection simultaneously through a unified mechanical and electrical design, thereby reducing overall system complexity despite enhanced functionality
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a connector including two mating sleeves, at least one of which having a plurality of first conductive contacts, a second mating sleeve configured to be rotatably joined to the first mating sleeve and also configured to support circuitry. The connector may also include at least one shaft configured to join the two mating sleeves to form a hinge. The shaft may further include at least a plurality of second conductive contacts, at least some of which that form portions of rings to make intermittent contact with at least one of the first conductive contacts based on the position of the at least one shaft relative to the position of at least one of the two mating sleeves. Embodiments of the connector may include a jack style hinge configuration, a hinge and pin style configuration, a hinge without a pin style configuration, or a spring loaded bolt configuration.