Unibody Button Watchband Attachment System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing attachment systems for watchbands often require specialized tools or expertise for removal, lack user-friendly mechanisms, and may not provide adequate retention force, affecting the comfort and security of wearable devices.
Innovation Solution
A unibody button is used to retain and release an attachment unit of a watchband from a channel of a watch housing, eliminating the need for multiple parts and simplifying assembly, while ensuring precise alignment and aesthetic consistency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional pin-based attachment systems are used, then the watchband can be securely attached to the watch case, but the band removal requires specialized tools or technician assistance
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment system is divided into separate functional components: a pin element embedded in the watch case and a corresponding receptacle in the band. This segmentation allows the band to be independently attached and removed without requiring removal of the entire pin, enabling user-friendly band changes while maintaining secure attachment during wear.
Solution Approach 2:
The pin is extracted from being a fully embedded permanent fixture and transformed into a removable element that can be independently engaged and disengaged. The pin can be pushed out from the front of the watch case through the receptacle, allowing band removal without specialized tools or technician assistance, thereby improving ease of operation.
2Reliability
If multiple separate parts are used in the attachment system, then the attachment mechanism can provide adequate retention force, but the assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pin and its retaining features are merged into a single integrated element that is embedded in the watch case. The receptacle in the band is designed to receive and secure this integrated pin element. This merging reduces the number of separate parts while maintaining adequate retention force through the unified structural design of the pin-receptacle interface.
3Force
If a robust attachment mechanism is used, then adequate retention force is provided, but the mechanism becomes large and adversely affects the elegance of the consumer product
Solution Approach 1:
The receptacle in the band is designed to nest around the pin element, with the pin fitting within the receptacle's receiving space. This nesting arrangement allows the attachment mechanism to be compact and streamlined, providing adequate retention force without creating a large or bulky appearance that would compromise the aesthetic elegance of the watch product.
Data Source
AI summary
Wearable electronic devices, such as watches, can be provided with an attachment system for connecting and releasing a removable module that interfaces with some portion of the electronic device. For example, a watch housing includes a main body having a channel for receiving a watchband and a first opening extending to the channel. A rear cover coupled to the main body provides a second opening. A unibody button is positioned between the main body and the rear cover. The button is biased against the rear cover and is moveable toward the channel to release a watchband engaged therein.