Wearable Encapsulant with Segmented Sweat Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wearable devices often use encapsulating materials that are not breathable or permeable to sweat, leading to discomfort for wearers.

Innovation Solution

A wearable device design featuring an encapsulant with both low-penetrability and high-penetrability regions, where the high-penetrability regions are physically separated from the electronic components and include fluid collecting and draining regions to facilitate sweat transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If encapsulating materials are used to protect electronic components, then protection and reliability are improved, but breathability and sweat permeability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection of electronic componentsVSAvoiddiscomfort to wearers

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The encapsulant is divided into distinct functional regions: a first region with low penetrability to protect electronic components from sweat and moisture, and a second region with high penetrability to allow sweat and moisture to pass through to the external environment. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by assigning different penetrability characteristics to different parts of the encapsulant based on their functional requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the encapsulant are assigned different penetrability properties. The first region adjacent to electronic components has low penetrability to provide protection, while the second region has high penetrability to facilitate breathability and sweat transfer. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between protection and breathability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of manufacture

If a uniform encapsulating material is used, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but functional performance (protection vs breathability) deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of encapsulation processVSAvoiddual functionality of encapsulant

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The encapsulant is segmented into multiple regions with different penetrability characteristics. This can be achieved through multi-layer construction or by incorporating functional layers at specific positions. The segmentation allows the encapsulant to simultaneously provide protection and breathability, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and functional versatility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The encapsulant may be constructed using composite materials or multi-layer structures where different materials or layers provide different penetrability characteristics. This allows the encapsulant to fulfill multiple functions (protection and breathability) while maintaining manufacturability through established material science techniques.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 design allows for efficient sweat collection and transfer, reducing discomfort for wearers while maintaining protection for the electronic components.

Implementation Method 1

a high-penetrability region physically separated from the electronic component... configured to transfer matter from a body to the external environment

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPermeation: Permeation

Data Source

PatentUS20250134456A1Wearable device

Publication Date: 2025.05.01 ADVANCED SEMICON ENG INC

AI summary

A wearable device is provided. The wearable device includes an electronic component and an encapsulant. The encapsulant includes a low-penetrability region encapsulating the electronic component and a high-penetrability region physically separated from the electronic component.