TWI819720B - Wearable member and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a wearable device, a wearable member, and a manufacturing method of a wearable member. The wearable member includes an insulating carrier, a flexible circuit board, and a plurality of conductive elastomers. The insulating carrier includes a contact surface provided for contacting human body, and has a plurality of slots that are recessed from the contact surface. The flexible circuit board is embedded in the insulating carrier, and includes a plurality of electromyography (EMG) sensing electrodes. The conductive elastomers are respectively connected to the EMG sensing electrodes, so that the conductive elastomers are electrically coupled to the flexible circuit board through the EMG sensing electrodes. The conductive elastomers are exposed from the insulating carrier through the slots.

Description

Wearables and manufacturing methods

The present invention relates to a wearable device, and in particular to a wearable device provided with myoelectric sensing electrodes, a wearable device and a manufacturing method thereof.

Existing wearable devices do not use related components related to electromyography (EMG), but the electromyography can be used to detect and record the electrical activity generated by skeletal muscles, thus allowing human body movements to be detected through the electromyography. Graphs and algorithms are used as a way to communicate with computers.

Therefore, the inventor believed that the above-mentioned defects could be improved, so he devoted himself to research and applied scientific principles, and finally proposed an invention that is reasonably designed and effectively improves the above-mentioned defects.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a wearable device, a wearable piece and a manufacturing method thereof, which can effectively improve the possible defects of existing wearable pieces.

An embodiment of the present invention discloses a wearable device, which includes: an electronic device; and at least one wearable piece connected to the electronic device, and at least one of the wearable pieces includes: an insulating carrier, which is used to contact the human body. a contact surface, and the contact surface is concavely formed with a plurality of grooves; a flexible circuit board is embedded in the insulating carrier body and electrically connected Connected to the electronic device; wherein the flexible circuit board includes a plurality of myoelectric sensing electrodes; and a plurality of conductive elastic members, respectively connected to a plurality of the myoelectric sensing electrodes, so that the plurality of conductive elastic members The flexible circuit board is electrically coupled through a plurality of myoelectric sensing electrodes, and a plurality of conductive elastic members are exposed outside the insulating carrier body through a plurality of grooves.

An embodiment of the present invention also discloses a wearable piece, which includes: an insulating carrier, including a contact surface for contacting the human body, and a plurality of grooves recessed from the contact surface; a flexible circuit board, embedded Placed in the insulating carrier body; wherein the flexible circuit board includes a plurality of myoelectric sensing electrodes; and a plurality of conductive elastic members, respectively connected to a plurality of the myoelectric sensing electrodes, so that the plurality of conductive elastic members The component is electrically coupled to the flexible circuit board through a plurality of the myoelectric sensing electrodes, and a plurality of the conductive elastic components are exposed outside the insulating carrier body through a plurality of the grooves.

Another embodiment of the present invention discloses a method for manufacturing a wearable piece, which includes: providing a flexible circuit board including a plurality of myoelectric sensing electrodes; forming a plurality of conductive elastic members so that a plurality of the conductive elastic members are connected respectively A plurality of the myoelectric sensing electrodes; and forming an insulating carrier to bury the flexible circuit board, and one end of each conductive elastic member is exposed outside the insulating carrier.

In summary, in the wearable device, the wearable part and the manufacturing method thereof disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention, the wearable part is provided with a plurality of myoelectric sensing electrodes electrically coupled to the electronic device, and By contacting the human body with the corresponding conductive elastic member, the user's foreign body sensation (or discomfort) can be effectively reduced while acquiring myoelectric signals.

In order to further understand the characteristics and technical content of the present invention, please refer to the following detailed description and drawings of the present invention. However, these descriptions and drawings are only used to illustrate the present invention and do not make any reference to the protection scope of the present invention. limit.

100: Wearables

1: Insulating carrier

11: Buried space

12: Groove

13: Contact surface

2: Flexible circuit board

21:Plate body

22: Myoelectric sensing electrode

3: Conductive elastic parts

200:Electronic devices

L:Length direction

D3: distance

M1: The first mold

M11: The first mold cavity

M2: Second mold

M21: Second mold cavity

S100: Manufacturing method

S110: Preliminary steps

S120: First placement step

S130: The first embedding step

S140: Second placement step

S150: The second embedding step

Figure 1 is a schematic top view of a wearable device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic bottom view of a wearable device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view along section line III-III of FIG. 2 .

FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic diagram of area IV in FIG. 3 .

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a variation of FIG. 4 .

FIG. 6 is a schematic flowchart of a manufacturing method of a wearing piece according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the pre-steps in Figure 6.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the first implantation step in FIG. 6 .

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the first embedding step in FIG. 6 .

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram (1) of the second implantation step in FIG. 6 .

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram (2) of the second implantation step in FIG. 6 .

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of the second embedding step in FIG. 6 .

The following is a description of the implementation of the "wearable devices, wearables and manufacturing methods thereof" disclosed in the present invention through specific embodiments. Those skilled in the art can understand the advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. The present invention can be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can also be modified and changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the concept of the present invention. In addition, the drawings of the present invention are only simple schematic illustrations and are not depictions based on actual dimensions, as is stated in advance. The following embodiments will further describe the relevant technical content of the present invention in detail, but the disclosed content is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

It should be understood that although the terms “first” and “first” may be used in this article, Terms such as "second" and "third" are used to describe various components or signals, but these components or signals should not be limited by these terms. These terms are mainly used to distinguish one component from another component, or one signal from another signal .In addition, the term "or" used in this article shall include any one or combination of multiple associated listed items depending on the actual situation.

Please refer to FIG. 1 to FIG. 12 , which is an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 , this embodiment discloses a wearable device, which includes an electronic device 200 and at least one wearable piece 100 connected to the electronic device 200 . It should be noted that although the wearable device in this embodiment is illustrated with the electronic device 200 being matched with at least one of the wearables 100, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in other embodiments not shown in the present invention, the wearing piece 100 can also be used alone (such as for sale) or used in conjunction with other components.

In this embodiment, the electronic device 200 is a watch movement, and the number of at least one of the wearing parts 100 is two, and each is limited to a watch strap, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, in other embodiments not shown in the present invention, when the electronic device 200 is a watch core, the wearable device can use one of the wearing parts 100 as a watch strap and match it with a custom watch strap. The watch strap (for example: does not have detection function).

Furthermore, based on the component configuration structure of the two wearing parts 100 in this embodiment, (for example, the two wearing parts 100 are only different in their length), so for ease of understanding, the following description is given. The structure of a single wearing piece 100, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the two wearing parts 100 may also adopt different component configuration structures.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the wearable device 100 includes an insulating carrier 1 , a flexible circuit board 2 embedded in the insulating carrier 1 , and a circuit board formed on the flexible circuit board 2 . A plurality of conductive elastic members 3 of the circuit board 2 . The insulating carrier 1 is elongated and defines a length direction L, and one end of the insulating carrier 1 is connected (or fixed) to the electronic device 200 .

Furthermore, the material of the insulating carrier 1 may be insulating silicone and include A contact surface 13 for contacting the human body. An embedded space 11 is formed inside the insulating carrier 1 , and a plurality of grooves 12 are formed in the insulating carrier 1 from the contact surface 13 and connected to the embedded space 11 .

The flexible circuit board 2 is placed in the insulating carrier 1 through embedding, and the flexible circuit board 2 is electrically connected to the electronic device 200 . It should be noted that in this embodiment, one end of each of the insulating carrier 1 and the flexible circuit board 2 is connected and fixed to the electronic device 200 for illustration, but the invention is not limited thereto. For example, in other embodiments not shown in the present invention, the insulating carrier 1 and the flexible circuit board 2 are detachably installed on the electronic device 200, and the flexible circuit board 2 and the flexible circuit board 2 are detachably mounted on the electronic device 200. The electronic device 200 is provided with an electrical connection mechanism at the parts that are connected to each other to achieve electrical connection with each other.

In more detail, the flexible circuit board 2 includes a board body 21 and a plurality of myoelectric sensing electrodes 22 formed on one side of the board body 21. The board body 21 is located in the embedded space 11, and The plurality of myoelectric sensing electrodes 22 are respectively located in the plurality of grooves 12 . In this embodiment, the plate body 21 is bendable and occupies the embedded space 11 , while each of the myoelectric sensing electrodes 22 only occupies a part corresponding to the groove 12 .

It should be noted that any one of the myoelectric sensing electrodes 22 is entirely located within the corresponding groove 12 in this embodiment, but the invention is not limited thereto. For example, in other embodiments not shown in the present invention, any one of the myoelectric sensing electrodes 22 may also be partially located within the corresponding groove 12 .

The plurality of conductive elastic members 3 are respectively located in the plurality of grooves 12 and are respectively connected to the plurality of myoelectric sensing electrodes 22, so that the plurality of conductive elastic members 3 can sense through the plurality of myoelectric sensing electrodes 22. The electrode 22 (and the board body 21 ) is electrically coupled to the flexible circuit board 2 . In this embodiment, each of the myoelectric sensing electrodes 22 is covered by the corresponding conductive elastic member 3 and is not exposed to the outside; that is to say, each of the myoelectric sensing electrodes 22 is completely buried. placed inside the wearing piece 100 and unable to directly Touch the human body.

Accordingly, in this embodiment, the wearable device is provided with a plurality of myoelectric sensing electrodes 22 electrically coupled to the electronic device 200 on the wearable piece 100 to facilitate the removal of multiple myoelectric sensing electrodes 22 . The electromyography (EMG) signal sensed by the myoelectric sensing electrodes 22, and each of the myoelectric sensing electrodes 22 can be in contact with the human body through the corresponding conductive elastic member 3, so as to effectively reduce the user's Foreign body sensation (or discomfort).

It should be noted that in this embodiment, the plurality of conductive elastic members 3 are all made of conductive silicone, and the appearance of the plurality of conductive elastic members 3 is approximately the same, but the invention is not limited thereto. For example, in other embodiments not shown in the present invention, the shapes and materials of the plurality of conductive elastic members 3 may also be slightly different.

More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , a plurality of conductive elastic members 3 are arranged in a row at intervals along the length direction L in this embodiment, and any two adjacent conductive elastic members 3 are arranged in a row at intervals along the length direction L. The elastic members 3 are preferably separated by a distance D3 ranging from 20 millimeters (mm) to 60 millimeters, but the invention is not limited thereto. Accordingly, in this embodiment, the distance D3 is selected and controlled through better numerical values, so that the difference in the electromyographic signals of the plurality of conductive elastic members 3 can gradually increase, and the wearable piece 100 can Configure as many conductive elastic parts 3 as possible (for example, when the distance D3 is 20 mm, two wearing parts 100 can be combined with up to 6 conductive elastic parts 3), accordingly Conducive to achieving accurate identification.

Furthermore, the specific arrangement of the conductive elastic member 3 relative to the insulating carrier 1 can be adjusted and changed according to design requirements; for example, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, at least one of the conductive elastic members 3 may protrude from the contact surface 13; or, as shown in FIG. 5, at least one of the conductive elastic members 3 may be coplanar with the contact surface 13.

In addition, in order for the conductive elastic member 3 to effectively reduce the user's foreign body sensation when in contact with the human body for a long time, the conductive elastic member 3 preferably has at least part of the following material properties: points; for example: at least one of the conductive elastic members 3 has a Shore A hardness between 40 degrees and 80 degrees, an elongation between 90% and 310%, and an elongation between 3.5 MPa and 3.5 MPa. (MPa)~3.8 MPa tensile strength.

In more detail, the conductive elastic member 3 adopts five models with suitable material properties in this embodiment, and the corresponding material properties are as follows:

The above is the structural description of the wearable device 100 (or the wearable device) of this embodiment. To facilitate further understanding of the component configuration architecture of the wearable device 100, the manufacturing method S100 of the wearable device 100 is introduced below ( Such as: Figure 6 to Figure 12), but the wearing piece 100 of this embodiment is not limited to being made by the manufacturing method S100.

As shown in Figure 6, the manufacturing method S100 in this embodiment sequentially includes a pre-step S110, a first implantation step S120, a first embedding step S130, a second implantation step S140, and A second embedding step S150, but the execution sequence or implementation of the above steps S110~S150 can also be adjusted and changed according to the design requirements; the specific implementation of each step S110~S150 of the manufacturing method S100 will be introduced below. , but not limited to this.

The pre-step S110: As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 , the flexible circuit board 2 is provided, which includes a plurality of the myoelectric sensing electrodes 22 . For the specific structure of the flexible circuit board 2, please refer to the above description and will not be described again here.

The first placing step S120: As shown in Figures 6 and 8, the flexible circuit board 2 is placed into a first mold M1, so that a plurality of the myoelectric sensing electrodes 22 are respectively located on the first mold M1. a mold Within the plurality of first mold cavities M11 of M1. Furthermore, except for the plurality of myoelectric sensing electrodes 22, other parts of the flexible circuit board 2 are in contact with the inner surface of the first mold M1 without gaps.

The first embedding step S130: As shown in Figures 6 and 9, a plurality of conductive elastic members 3 are respectively embedding molded in a plurality of first mold cavities M11, so that a plurality of conductive elastic members 3 are formed. The elastic member 3 is connected to a plurality of the myoelectric sensing electrodes 22 respectively. For the material properties of the plurality of conductive elastic members 3, please refer to the above description and will not be described again here.

The second placing step S140: As shown in Figures 6, 10, and 11, the flexible circuit board 2 and the plurality of myoelectric sensing electrodes 22 formed thereon are placed into a second mold. M2, so that the plurality of myoelectric sensing electrodes 22 and adjacent parts of the flexible circuit board 2 are located in a second mold cavity M21 of the second mold M2. Among them, one end of the plurality of conductive elastic members 3 is preferably in contact with the inner surface of the second mold M2 without any gap.

The second embedding step S150: As shown in Figures 6 and 12, the insulating carrier 1 is embedded in the second mold cavity M21, so that a plurality of the myoelectric sensing electrodes 22 and The adjacent parts of the flexible circuit board 2 are embedded in the insulating carrier 1 to jointly form the wearing piece 100 . Wherein, the one end of each myoelectric sensing electrode 22 is exposed outside the insulating carrier 1 for contacting the human body.

It should be additionally noted that although the above-mentioned manufacturing method S100 is mainly explained with the above-mentioned two embedding steps S130 and S150 in this embodiment, the present invention is not limited thereto. That is to say, the wearable part 100 can be implemented by methods other than embedding according to design requirements. Simply put, the manufacturing method of the wearable piece 100 may include the following steps: providing the flexible circuit board 2, which includes a plurality of the myoelectric sensing electrodes 22; forming a plurality of the conductive elastic members 3, so that A plurality of the conductive elastic members 3 are respectively connected to a plurality of the myoelectric sensing electrodes 22; and the insulating carrier 1 is formed to bury the flexible circuit board 2, and one end of each conductive elastic member 3 is exposed At the place outside the insulating carrier 1.

[Technical effects of the embodiments of the present invention]

In summary, in the wearable device, the wearable part and the manufacturing method thereof disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention, the wearable part is provided with a plurality of myoelectric sensing electrodes electrically coupled to the electronic device, so as to EMG signals sensed by a plurality of myoelectric sensing electrodes can be obtained, and each of the myoelectric sensing electrodes can be contacted with the human body through the corresponding conductive elastic member to effectively reduce foreign matter exposure to the user. feeling (or discomfort).

Furthermore, the wearable piece disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention can be selected or limited by the material characteristics of the conductive elastic piece (such as: the Shore hardness between 40 degrees and 80 degrees, between 90% ~310% of the elongation, and/or the tensile strength of between 3.5 MPa and 3.8 MPa), thereby effectively enabling the conductive elastic component to effectively Reduce the user's foreign body sensation.

The contents disclosed above are only preferred and feasible embodiments of the present invention, and do not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent technical changes made by using the description and drawings of the present invention are included in the patent scope of the present invention. within.

100: Wearables

1: Insulating carrier

11: Buried space

12: Groove

13: Contact surface

2: Flexible circuit board

21:Plate body

22: Myoelectric sensing electrode

3: Conductive elastic parts

200:Electronic devices

L:Length direction

D3: distance

Claims (10)

A method of manufacturing a wearable device, which includes: providing a flexible circuit board including a plurality of myoelectric sensing electrodes; and embedded molding of a plurality of conductive elastic parts so that a plurality of the conductive elastic parts are respectively connected to a plurality of the conductive elastic parts. Myoelectric sensing electrodes; and an insulating carrier body that is embedded and molded to bury the flexible circuit board to jointly form a wearable piece; wherein one end of each conductive elastic member is exposed outside the insulating carrier body. The method of manufacturing a wearable piece according to claim 1; wherein at least one of the conductive elastic pieces has a Shore A hardness between 40 degrees and 80 degrees. The method of manufacturing a wearable piece according to claim 1; wherein at least one of the conductive elastic pieces has an elongation between 90% and 310%. The method of manufacturing a wearable piece according to claim 1; wherein at least one of the conductive elastic pieces has a tensile strength of between 3.5 MPa and 3.8 MPa. The manufacturing method of a wearable piece according to claim 1; wherein the wearable piece is limited to a watch strap for connecting to a watch movement. The manufacturing method of a wearing piece according to claim 5; wherein in the wearing piece, the insulating carrier is elongated and defines a length direction, and a plurality of the conductive elastic members are along the length. The directions are spaced in a row. The manufacturing method of a wearable piece as described in claim 6; wherein, in the wearable piece, any two adjacent conductive elastic members are separated by a gap between 20 millimeters (mm) and 60 millimeters. distance. The manufacturing method of a wearable piece according to claim 1; wherein the insulating carrier includes a contact surface for contacting the human body; at least one of the conductive elastic members is coplanar with the contact surface; or, at least one The conductive elastic member protrudes from the contact surface. A wearing piece manufactured by the method of manufacturing the wearing piece described in claim 1. A manufacturing method for wearables, which includes: a pre-step: providing a flexible circuit board including a plurality of myoelectric sensing electrodes; a first placement step: placing the flexible circuit board into a first mold , so that the plurality of myoelectric sensing electrodes are respectively located in the plurality of first mold cavities of the first mold; a first embedding step: respectively embedding molding in the plurality of first mold cavities A plurality of conductive elastic members, so that the plurality of conductive elastic members are respectively connected to a plurality of the myoelectric sensing electrodes; a second placing step: attach the flexible circuit board and the plurality of myoelectric sensing electrodes formed thereon The electrical sensing electrode is placed in a second mold, so that a plurality of the myoelectric sensing electrodes and adjacent parts of the flexible circuit board are located in a second mold cavity of the second mold; and a The second embedding step: Embedding an insulating carrier into the second mold cavity, so that all the myoelectric sensing electrodes and the adjacent flexible circuit boards are The parts are embedded in the insulating carrier to jointly form a wearing piece; wherein one end of each conductive elastic member is exposed outside the insulating carrier.

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