Systems and methods for strain relief in a wearable apparatus

{
  "publication_number": "US10852826B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Systems and methods for strain relief in a wearable apparatus",
  "abstract": "The disclosed apparatus may include (1) a deformable material that is dimensioned to conform to a body part of a user and configured to stretch in at least one direction, (2) a transducer coupled to the deformable material, (3) a conduit that extends along the deformable material in the at least one direction and that couples the transducer to a control system, and (4) stitching in the deformable material that restricts the deformable material from stretching farther than the conduit is configured to extend. Various other systems and methods are also disclosed.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A wearable apparatus comprising: a deformable material that is dimensioned to conform to a body part of a user and configured to stretch in at least one direction; a transducer coupled to the deformable material; a conduit that extends along the deformable material in the at least one direction and that couples the transducer to a control system; and stitching in the deformable material along the conduit that restricts the deformable material from stretching farther than the conduit is configured to extend.",
    "2. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deformable material comprises a glove.",
    "3. The wearable apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a tab that is coupled to the stitching and dimensioned for use in doffing the glove.",
    "4. The wearable apparatus of claim 2, wherein the stitching comprises: a first segment extending along a first digit of the glove; a second segment extending along a second digit of the glove; and a third segment that is coupled to the first and second segments and that extends toward a wrist section of the glove.",
    "5. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the transducer comprises at least one of: a haptic feedback transducer; or a tactile sensor; and the conduit comprises a conductive wire.",
    "6. The wearable apparatus of claim 5, wherein the haptic feedback transducer comprises a vibrotactile transducer.",
    "7. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the transducer comprises a fluidic transducer; and the conduit comprises a fluidic channel.",
    "8. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stitching comprises a periodic pattern.",
    "9. The wearable apparatus of claim 8, wherein a period of the periodic pattern is greater than 1 mm and less than 3 mm.",
    "10. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stitching comprises a stitching material having an elastic modulus that is less than an elastic modulus of the deformable material in the at least one direction.",
    "11. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the wearable apparatus is communicatively coupled to a head-mounted display system; and the control system is programmed to coordinate information provided at the transducer with information provided at the head-mounted display.",
    "12. A method of manufacturing a wearable device, the method comprising: dimensioning a deformable material to conform to a body part of a user, wherein the deformable material is configured to stretch in at least one direction; attaching a transducer to the deformable material; coupling the transducer to a control system via a conduit that extends along the deformable material in the at least one direction; and creating, using a stitching material, a stitching in the deformable material along the conduit that restricts the deformable material from stretching farther than the conduit is configured to extend.",
    "13. The method of claim 12, wherein: the deformable material comprises a glove; and the control system comprises an artificial reality system.",
    "14. The method of claim 13, further comprising securing a tab to the stitching, wherein the tab is dimensioned for use in doffing the glove.",
    "15. The method of claim 13, wherein the stitching comprises: a first segment extending along a first digit of the glove; a second segment extending along a second digit of the glove; and a third segment that is coupled to the first and second segments and that extends toward a wrist section of the glove.",
    "16. The method of claim 12, wherein: the transducer comprises at least one of: a haptic feedback transducer; or a tactile sensor; and the conduit comprises a conductive wire.",
    "17. The method of claim 12, wherein: the transducer comprises a fluidic transducer; and the conduit comprises a fluidic channel.",
    "18. An artificial reality system comprising: a head-mounted display; a glove comprising: a deformable material that is dimensioned to conform to a body part of a user and configured to stretch in at least one direction; a transducer coupled to the deformable material; a conduit that extends along the deformable material in the at least one direction; and stitching in the deformable material along the conduit that restricts the deformable material from stretching farther than the conduit is configured to extend; and an artificial-reality control system that: is communicatively coupled to the head-mounted display; is communicatively coupled, via the conduit, to the transducer; and is programmed to coordinate information provided at the transducer with information provided at the head-mounted display to provide an artificial reality experience to the user.",
    "19. The artificial reality system of claim 18, wherein the head-mounted display comprises a virtual reality display that at least substantially covers a user's field-of-view.",
    "20. The artificial reality system of claim 18, wherein the head-mounted display comprises an augmented reality display through which the user has a view of both real-world surroundings and a virtual world."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Clothing items often include elastic materials to provide comfort and an accommodating fit for users. Some wearable electronic devices (“wearables”) may also include elastic materials, but traditional materials used in clothing may not be ideal for use in certain wearable applications. For example, wiring run through a portion of a wearable, and using a traditional elastic material for a wired portion of a wearable may leave the wiring vulnerable to damage or disconnection if the elastic material stretches beyond a length of the wiring.\n\nAs will be described in greater detail below, the instant disclosure describes systems and methods for using stitching to provide strain relief in a wearable apparatus. For example, wearable apparatus may include (1) a deformable material that is dimensioned to conform to a body part of a user and configured to stretch in at least one direction, (2) a transducer coupled to the deformable material, (3) a conduit that extends along the deformable material in the at least one direction and that couples the transducer to a control system, and (4) stitching in the deformable material that restricts the deformable material from stretching farther than the conduit is configured to extend.\n\nThe wearable apparatus may be configured in a variety of ways. For example, the deformable material may form all or a portion of a glove. In this example, the wearable apparatus may also include a tab that is coupled to the stitching and dimensioned for use in doffing the glove.",
  "cpc": [
    "G06F 3/014",
    "A41D 19/0024",
    "G02B 27/01",
    "G06F 2203/013",
    "G06F 3/016"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G06F 3/01",
    "G06F 3/14"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Facebook Technologies LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Brian Cox",
    "Genevieve Walker"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-01-25",
  "publication_date": "2020-12-01",
  "grant_date": "2020-12-01",
  "priority_date": "2018-09-26",
  "application_number": "US-201916257828-A",
  "family_id": "73554881",
  "cited_by_count": 10,
  "citations": [
    "US6701296B1",
    "US20140366299A1",
    "US20160363997A1",
    "US20180279951A1"
  ]
}