Wearable Strap Deployable Screen Protection Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wearable electronic devices like smartwatches are prone to damage from inadvertent contact with foreign objects or surfaces due to lack of effective screen protection during non-interaction periods.
Innovation Solution
A deployable screen protection structure integrated into the strap of wearable devices, activated by proximity and accelerometer thresholds, which extends over the display screen to absorb impacts and prevent damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a deployable protection structure is integrated into the strap, then the display screen is protected from impact damage, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protection structure is nested within the strap assembly, allowing it to be stored compactly when not in use and deployed when needed. The housing integrates the protection structure within the existing strap geometry, minimizing additional space requirements and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining protection functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The protection structure transitions from a static to a dynamic state, moving between retracted and extended positions based on detected impact conditions. This dynamic capability allows the system to provide protection only when necessary, reducing the impact on device complexity during normal operation while maintaining reliability when needed.
2Strength
If the protection structure is extended over the display screen, then impact absorption is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to activation mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The protection structure operates autonomously by detecting impact conditions through sensors (proximity and accelerometer) and automatically extending or retracting without user intervention. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for manual activation, maintaining ease of operation while providing reliable impact absorption when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from proximity sensors and accelerometers to monitor device conditions and automatically triggers protection structure deployment when impact thresholds are exceeded. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures the protection structure activates only when necessary, preserving operational simplicity while enhancing impact protection capability.
3Reliability
If continuous monitoring of proximity and accelerometer data is performed, then protection activation timing is optimized, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous monitoring, the system employs periodic sampling of proximity and accelerometer data at strategically determined intervals. This periodic action reduces energy consumption while maintaining reliable protection activation timing by checking conditions at sufficient frequency to detect imminent impact events without constant sensor operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring frequency and sensitivity parameters are dynamically adjusted based on device state and environmental conditions. When high-risk conditions are detected, monitoring intensity increases; during low-risk periods, monitoring frequency decreases to conserve energy. This adaptive parameter adjustment optimizes both protection reliability and energy efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for a deployable screen protections structure includes a body and a strap of a wearable device, where a display screen is positioned on a top surface of the body. The body also include a protection structure integrated into the strap of the wearable device, wherein the protection structure is deployable over the top surface of the body.