iStrap

Abstract

A watchband for positioning a electronic device may include a first fastener section for fastening the watchband, a second fastener section for cooperating with the first fastener section for fastening the watchband, a first tapered section for connection to the first fastener section, a second tapered section for connection to the second fastener section, and a narrowed section for connection to the first tapered section and the second tapered section. The narrowed section may be offset from the first tapered section and the second tapered section.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates in general to watch bands that may be used with electronic device and more particularly when the electronic device may be an iPod or similar device.

BACKGROUND

[0002] A wristwatch typically includes a watch case and a watch band for securing the watch case to the wrist of the user. Generally, the watch case includes a watch body which contains the moving watch parts (such as the hands) a face side for displaying the time, and a rear side for facing the wrist of the user.

[0003] A watch body having moving parts is being replaced with electronic device to display the time.

[0004] The electronic device is becoming more and more sophisticated. Electronic devices are becoming small computers which are generally handheld. The storage of these electronic devices may be problematic. Placing the electronic device in a pocket or on a belt may encourage the loss or damage of the electronic device.

[0005] The iPod family is electronic devices, which are multifunctional, and these are becoming increasingly small such as the iPod Nano. The relative size of the new small iPod Nano creates storage problems.

[0006] The devices typically have a biased arm which may operate as a jaw to detachably hold an object such as a belt or shirt in order to store the iPod nano. The jaw may not be positioned centrally on the iPod nano which may cause problems to attach them to a watchband or wristband.

SUMMARY

[0007] A watchband for positioning an electronic device may include a first fastener section for fastening the watchband, a second fastener section for cooperating with the first fastener section for fastening the watchband, a first tapered section for connection to the first fastener section, a second tapered section for connection to the second fastener section, and a narrowed section for connection to the first tapered section and the second tapered section.

[0008] The narrowed section may be offset from the first tapered section and the second tapered section.

[0009] The narrowed section may include a width to cooperate with a projecting lip of the electronic device.

[0010] The narrowed section may include the width to cooperate with a biased arm of the electronic device.

[0011] The back of the electronic device and the biased arm may form a jaw to connect to the narrowed section.

[0012] The narrowed section may be positioned to center the electronic device with respect to the first and second tapered sections.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The invention may be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which, like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:

[0014] FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of the wrist band of the present invention;

[0015] FIG. 2 illustrates a back view of the wrist band of the present invention;

[0016] FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of the wristband of the present invention;

[0017] FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of the electronic device of the present invention;

[0018] FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of the electronic device of the present invention;

[0019] FIG. 6 illustrates a front view of the wristband and a side view of the electronic device of the present invention;

[0020] FIG. 7 illustrates a front view of the wrist band with the electronic device mounted;

[0021] FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of the user operating the electronic device;

[0022] FIG. 9 illustrates a top view of the wristband and the electronic device of the present invention;

[0023] FIG. 10 illustrates a top view of the electronic device mounted on the wristband of the present invention;

[0024] FIG. 11 illustrates a perspective view of the electronic device mounted on the wristband of the present invention;

[0025] FIG. 12 illustrates a top view of another wristband of the present invention;

[0026] FIG. 13 illustrates a top view of the electronic device being mounted on the wristband;

[0027] FIG. 14 illustrates a back view of the wristband of the present invention;

[0028] FIG. 15 illustrates a side view of the wristband of the present invention;

[0029] FIG. 16 illustrates a front view of another embodiment of the wristband of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The electronic device 151 of the present invention may include a built-in clip to allow the iPod nano to be clipped to your sleeve, jacket, or bag to provide music and other applications.

[0031] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 illustrate a wristband for an electronic device 151. More specifically, FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of the wristband, and FIG. 2 illustrates a back view of the wristband. The wristband 100 may include a narrowed section 101, a first tapered section 103, a second tapered section 105, a first fastener section 107 and a second fastener section 109. The narrowed section 101 may include a narrowed front surface 111 (as illustrated in FIG. 1), a narrowed back surface 113 (as illustrated in FIG. 2) which may be connected to opposing narrowed side surfaces 115 which may be connected to the narrowed front surface 111 as illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0032] The first tapered section 103 may include a front first tapered section surface 117 and a back first tapered section surface 119 (as illustrated in FIG. 2) which may be connected to a opposing side first tapered section surfaces 121 which may be connected to the front first tapered section surface 117 (as illustrated in FIG. 3). The wristband 100 may be a one piece which may be made of rubber, plastic, leather or any material or may be a multi-piece which may be made of rubber, plastic leather or other material. For example, the wristband 100 may be formed from three pieces (bottom part of the wristband with buckle, center part of wristband that will hold the device and top part of the wrist with holes to secure the wristband with the bottom part). A more elaborate and elegant wristband may be secured by titanium or aluminum bolts, which may provide industrial and modern look.

[0033] The watchband 1600 as illustrated in FIG. 16 may be substantially rectangular without the tapered section.

[0034] The second tapered section 105 may include a front second tapered section surface 123 and a back second tapered section surface 125 (as illustrated in FIG. 2) which may be connected to opposing side second tapered section surfaces 127 which may be connected to the front second tapered section surface 123 (as illustrated in FIG. 3).

[0035] The first fastener section 107 may include a front first fastener section surface 129 which may be opposed to a back first fastener section surface 131 (as illustrated in FIG. 2) which may be connected to opposing side first fastener section surface 133 as illustrated in FIG. 3 which may be connected to the first fastener section surface 129. The first fastener section 107 may include a first fastener 141 to cooperate with a second fastener 143 which may include apertures within the second fastener section 109.

[0036] The second fastener section 109 may include a front second fastener section surface 135 which may be opposed to a back second fastener section surface 137 (as illustrated in FIG. 2) which may be connected to an opposing side second fastener section surface 139 (as illustrated in FIG. 3) which may be connected to the front second fastener section surface 135.

[0037] FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of an electronic device 151 which may include a top surface 155 and a side surface 157 which may be connected to the top surface 155 and a bottom surface 159 which may be connected to the side surface 157. The top surface 155 may include a screen area 153 to project a single or multiple images. The bottom surface 159 may include a biased arm 161 which may include a projecting lip 163 to cooperate with a slit 165 which may be defined by the bottom surface 159. The biasing arm 161 may be spring loaded about a pivot axis to form a closed jaw with the bottom surface 159 in order to be clipped onto a supporting surface. The user may rotate the biased arm 161 on the pivot axis in order to open the jaw in order to grasp the supporting surface. The user may release the biased arm 161 to close the jaw to grasp the support surface. The electronic device 151 may be an electronic watch, or an iPod nano, iPod or other similar device to display information for the user.

[0038] Typically, the support surface extends between the projection lip 163 and the pivot axis 167 for the biased arm 161. This area may not be centered with respect to the electronic device 151 so that if the electronic device 151 is mounted on a watchband without an offset, the electronic device 151 will be off-center with respect to the watchband strap. This will present an unpleasing result. However, in order to accommodate the offset, the narrowed section 111 may be longitudinally offset with respect to the first tapered section 103 and the second tapered section 105. FIG. 1 shows the width of the narrowed section 111 which may narrower than the width of the first tapered section 103 and the second tapered section 105. Furthermore, the longitudinal center of the narrowed section 111 may be positioned either left or right with respect to the longitudinal center of the first tapered section 103 and the longitudinal center of the second tapered section 105.

[0039] FIG. 6 illustrates the narrowed section 101, the first tapered section 103, the second tapered section 105, the first fastener section 107 and the second fastener section 109 and illustrates a side view of the electronic device 151. The longitudinal center of the electronic device 151 may be substantially aligned with the longitudinal center of the first tapered section 103 and the longitudinal center of the second tapered section 105. However, the narrowed section 101 cooperates to be positioned between the protruding lip 163 and the pivot axis 167 to provide a user pleasing appearance for the user by centering the electronic device 151 with respect to the watchband 100. Although the present invention refers to a watchband, and a wristband or armband may be subject to the teachings of the present invention.

[0040] FIG. 8 illustrates that the user opens the biasing arm 161 to allow the support surface (which may be the narrowed section 101) to be placed between the bottom surface 159 and the biased arm 161 and illustrates the jaw being opened. FIG. 9 illustrates the user placing the electronic device 159 on the support surface which in this case is the narrowed section 101.

[0041] Once the electronic device 159 is positioned on the narrowed section 101, traverse movement of the electronic device 159 is limited by the width of the narrowed section 101 cooperating with the distance between the projecting lip 163 and the pivot axis 167. Longitudinal movement of the electronic device 159 may be limited by the distance between the first tapered section 103 and the second tapered section 105. This distance is approximately the same as the longitudinal distance of the electronic device 159.

[0042] FIG. 3 illustrates a slot 171 to cooperate with the electronic device 159.

[0043] FIG. 10 illustrates the electronic device 151 positioned on the watchband 100. The electronic device 151 may be detachably connected to the watchband 100 by virtue of the pivoting arm 161 which may be biased to remain closed while the electronic device 151 is mounted on the watchband 100.

[0044] FIG. 11 illustrates the watchband 100 which may be formed from flexible material such as plastic, leather, fabric or other material which is appropriate for watchband and illustrates that the watchband 100 may be folded to fit around the wrist of the user. The watchband 100 may be stretchable.

[0045] FIG. 12 and FIG. 14 illustrate a wristband 1200 for an electronic device 151. More specifically, FIG. 12 illustrates a front view of the wristband 1200, and FIG. 14 illustrates a back view of the wristband 1200. The wristband 1200 may include a middle section 1201, a first tapered section 103, a second tapered section 105, a first fastener section 107 and a second fastener section 109. The middle section 1201 may include a middle front surface 1211 (as illustrated in FIG. 1), a middle back surface 1213 (as illustrated in FIG. 14) which may be connected to opposing middle side surfaces 1215 which may be connected to the middle front surface 1211 as illustrated in FIG. 15.

[0046] The first tapered section 103 may include a front first tapered section surface 117 and a back first tapered section surface 119 (as illustrated in FIG. 14) which may be connected to a opposing side first tapered section surfaces 121 which may be connected to the front first tapered section surface 117 (as illustrated in FIG. 15).

[0047] The second tapered section 105 may include a front second tapered section surface 123 and a back second tapered section surface 125 (as illustrated in FIG. 14) which may be connected to opposing side second tapered section surfaces 127 which may be connected to the front second tapered section surface 123 (as illustrated in FIG. 15).

[0048] The first fastener section 107 may include a front first fastener section surface 129 which may be opposed to a back first fastener section surface 131 (as illustrated in FIG. 14) which may be connected to opposing side first fastener section surface 133 as illustrated in FIG. 15 which may be connected to the first fastener section surface 129. The first fastener section 107 may include a first fastener 141 to cooperate with a second fastener 143 which may include apertures within the second fastener section 109.

[0049] The second fastener section 109 may include a front second fastener section surface 135 which may be opposed to a back second fastener section surface 137 (as illustrated in FIG. 14) which may be connected to an opposing side second fastener section surface 139 (as illustrated in FIG. 15) which may be connected to the front second fastener section surface 135.

[0050] FIG. 12 and FIG. 14 illustrates a first longitudinal slit 1231 and a second longitudinal slit 1233 which may be offset from the center and may extend in the longitudinal direction of the wristband 1200. The first longitudinal slit 1231 and the second longitudinal slit 1233 may cooperate with the projecting lip 163 and the biased arm 161 and pivot axis 167 of the electronic device 151.

[0051] FIG. 13 illustrates the electronic device 151 being detachably connected to the first longitudinal slit 1231 and the second longitudinal slit 1233 of the middle section 1201.

[0052] FIG. 7 illustrates the electronic device 151 being mounted on the middle section 1201 by virtue of the first longitudinal slit 1231 and the second longitudinal slit 1233.

[0053] While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed.

Claims

1) A watchband for positioning a electronic device, comprising: a first fastener section for fastening the watchband; a second fastener section for cooperating with the first fastener section for fastening the watchband; a first tapered section for connection to the first fastener section; a second tapered section for connection to the second fastener section; a narrowed section for connection to the first tapered section and the second tapered section; and wherein the narrowed section is offset from the first tapered section and the second tapered section.

2) A watchband for positioning a electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the narrowed section includes a width to cooperate with a projecting lip of the electronic device.

3) A watchband for positioning a electronic device as in claim 2, wherein the narrowed section includes the width to cooperate with a biased arm of the electronic device.

4) A watchband for positioning a electronic device as in claim 3, wherein the back of the electronic device and the biased arm form a jaw to connect to the narrowed section.

5) A watchband for positioning an electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the narrowed section is positioned to center the electronic device with respect to the first and second tapered sections.

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