Band latch mechanism and housing with integrated antenna
AssigneeFitbit, Inc.
InventorsNan Xu, Christos Kinezos Ioannou, Kevin Li, Chadwick John Harber, Eric John Fairbanks, Jonah Avram Becker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A band latch mechanism that is configured to connect a wristband to a fitness tracker is provided. The band latch mechanism may be configured to be inserted into a cavity of a housing of the fitness tracker and configured so that any metallic body of the band latch mechanism does not contact metallic surfaces of the cavity in order to prevent an electrical ground from being positioned within a keep-out zone of an antenna of the fitness tracker. A housing with integrated antenna structures is also disclosed.
Claims23
-20. (canceled)
An apparatus comprising:
- a first radio-frequency (RF) receiver having a first RF feed;
- and
- a housing configured to be part of a wearable electronic device, wherein:
- the first RF receiver and the first RF feed are located within the housing,
- the housing has a plurality of exterior surfaces,
- the housing includes a base portion, a first RF radiator portion, and an electrically non-conductive intermediate structure that is interposed between, and connected with, the base portion and the first RF radiator portion,
- the base portion includes a back surface that faces a wearer's skin that contacts the wearable electronic device when the wearable electronic device is worn by the wearer,
- the base portion and the first RF radiator portion are made of metal,
- the first RF radiator portion includes one or more of the exterior surfaces of the housing,
- the first RF radiator portion is positioned within the housing such that the exterior surfaces of the housing included in the first RF radiator portion generally face away from the back surface, and
- the first RF radiator portion is in electrically conductive contact with the first RF feed within the housing.
A method comprising:
- providing a metal base portion and a first RF radiator portion also made of metal;
- positioning the metal base portion and the first RF radiator portion in a spaced-apart configuration in an injection molding die such that the closest points of the first RF radiator portion and the base portion are within 0.8 mm to 1.5 mm apart;
- and
- injecting molten plastic into the injection molding die.
An apparatus comprising:
- a first radio-frequency (RF) receiver means with a first RF feed means;
- and
- a housing configured to be part of a wearable electronic device, wherein:
- the first RF receiver and the first RF feed are located within the housing,
- the housing has a plurality of exterior surfaces,
- the housing includes a base portion, a first RF radiator means, and an electrically non-conductive intermediate structure that is interposed between, and connected with, the base portion and the first RF radiator means,
- the base portion includes a back surface that faces a wearer's skin that contacts the wearable electronic device when the wearable electronic device is worn by the wearer,
- the base portion and the first RF radiator means are made of metal,
- the first RF radiator means includes one or more of the exterior surfaces of the housing,
- the first RF radiator means is positioned within the housing such that the exterior surfaces of the housing included in the first RF radiator means generally face away from the back surface, and
- the first RF radiator means is in electrically conductive contact with the first RF feed within the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.