Smart watches can either be independent or can be paired or synced with a smartphone. Several companies like Google, Samsung, LG, Sony, Pebble, etc. have developed smart watches for the global market. But Apple’s Watch continues to aim for the luxury market. The basic design remains constant through all the models and all of these are compatible with any Apple Watch strap.
Conventional smart watch bands may catch, pinch, or pull a user’s hair or skin during use if the band is overly tight. In some cases, smart watch bands may slide along a user’s wrist, turn about a user’s wrist, or may be uncomfortable to a user if the band is overly loose. These problems can be noticed easily during periods of activities, such as while running or playing sports.
Apple’s recent Patent Application titled “Dynamic fit adjustment for wearable electronic devices” describes about adjusting the fit of a wearable electronic device secured by a band to a user.
The company reveals that an inflatable bladder configured to receive a signal with an instruction to adjust the fit of the band, selecting an operational mode (e.g., tightening mode, loosening mode, flexibility mode, rigid mode, etc.) of a tensioner will be coupled to the watch.
In some embodiments Apple explains a tensioner associated with a portion of the band that is configured to compress in response to an electrical signal. The tensioner can increase a current (or voltage) applied to a shape memory wire such as Nitinol in response to an instruction to increase the tightness of the band or can decrease a current (or voltage) applied to the Nitinol in response to an instruction to decrease the tightness of the band. The tensioner may also be configured to control the pressure applied by the actuators to a fluid in communication with the bladders.
This is the second patent that Apple has filed related to the increase or decrease of the wrist watch band size in the past few months. We reported the first one as well back in November last year. It is pretty clear that Apple wants to focus on the comfort of its wearable devices as much as it focuses on the technical ingenuity.