Wearable Ring Assembly With Inside-Out Sensor Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manufacturing wearable ring devices is a complex and expensive process prone to human error, particularly due to tedious manual alignment of optical components and visible imperfections from epoxy molding gates, which require time-consuming polishing and complicate the production of new outer covers.
Innovation Solution
A 'inside-out' manufacturing process where electrical components are attached to an inner shell, secured with injection molding, and a clear epoxy is used to fill apertures, allowing for accurate alignment and covering imperfections, simplifying the production of new outer covers without custom molds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the 'outside-in' manufacturing approach is used (assembling electrical components within an outer cover and securing with inner epoxy cover), then the structural integrity of the device is maintained, but the manufacturing process becomes tedious, time-consuming, and prone to human error
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional manufacturing sequence by adopting an 'inside-out' approach. Instead of assembling components within an outer cover and then securing with epoxy (outside-in), the patent first attaches electrical components to an inner shell, then injection molds epoxy to secure them, and finally slides the outer cover over the assembled unit. This inversion eliminates manual alignment steps and reduces human error while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-attaching electrical components to the inner shell before the injection molding process. Locking features are pre-formed on both the inner shell and electrical components, enabling automatic alignment during assembly. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for tedious manual alignment during the molding process, significantly improving manufacturing efficiency.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual alignment of optical components is performed during 'outside-in' manufacturing, then precise positioning is achieved, but the process becomes time-consuming and places large pressure on operators
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service through self-aligning locking features that automatically position optical components during the injection molding process. The locking features on the inner shell and electrical components guide precise alignment without requiring manual intervention. This self-aligning mechanism maintains manufacturing precision while eliminating the time-consuming manual alignment step and reducing operator burden.
3Ease of manufacture
If epoxy molding gates are used in the 'outside-in' process, then the molding function is achieved, but imperfections from gates require polishing, increasing complexity and time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the molding gates from the visible interior surface by changing the manufacturing sequence. In the inside-out approach, the outer cover is slid over the already-molded inner assembly, positioning the epoxy gates on the exterior where they can be trimmed or concealed. This extraction eliminates the need for delicate polishing operations to hide gate imperfections on the interior surface, reducing post-processing complexity and time.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the mold for inner epoxy molding is changed for each new outer cover, then customization is enabled, but latency in creating new covers increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the device into modular components: an inner shell assembly with electrical components and epoxy molding, and a separate outer cover. The inner shell assembly uses a consistent mold with locking features that accommodate different optical component arrangements. Different outer covers can be designed and manufactured independently using the same inner mold, enabling customization without requiring new molds for each variant, thus reducing development latency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method reduces manual alignment errors, eliminates the need for polishing, and streamlines the production of new outer covers, enhancing efficiency and reducing production latency.
Implementation Method 1
an inner shell (and the attached electrical components) may be placed into a mold, such that a clear epoxy may be injection molded to secure the electrical components to the inner shell. The injection molding may further fill one or more apertures of the inner shell with the clear epoxy
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for manufacturing a wearable ring device are described. A printed circuit board (PCB) may be connected to an inner cover, where one or more apertures of the inner cover are aligned with one or more sensors of the PCB. Additionally, an injection molding process may be performed to fill a cavity between the inner cover and a surface of one or more molds with a filler material. The filler material may bind the PCB to the inner cover and fill the one or more apertures with the filler material, creating a ring assembly. Following the injection molding process, an outer cover may be placed around the ring assembly and one or more side covers may engage to secure the inner cover to the outer cover.