Strap for a wearable device
A strap for a wearable device configured to secure to a portion of a body of a user can include a base and a plurality of strap members secured to portions of the base. In some implementations, the base is made of a first material and each of the plurality of strap members are made of a second material, the first material being more pliable than the second material. In some implementations, the base includes a plurality of openings spaced from one another along a length of the base and a plurality of stems. In some implementations, each of the plurality of strap members is a channel secured to one of the stems. In some implementations, the first material includes at least one of rubber and silicone and the second material is a metallic material.
1 . A method of manufacturing a strap for a wearable device, the method comprising:
forming a base with a first material; and
positioning a plurality of strap members around portions of the base along a length of the base, each of the plurality of strap members comprising a second material, wherein the first material of the base is more pliable than the second material of each of the plurality of strap members;
wherein said forming said base with said first material comprises:
forming the base with a first end, a second end, and sides separated by a width, wherein said length extends between said first and second ends;
forming a plurality of openings in the base, said plurality of openings spaced from one another along the length of the base; and
forming a plurality of stems in the base, each of the plurality of stems positioned between two of said plurality of openings and extending generally in a direction of the width;
wherein said positioning said plurality of strap members around said portions of the base along the length of the base comprises positioning said plurality of strap members around the plurality of stems of the base; and
wherein said plurality of strap members comprises a plurality of channels and wherein said method comprises securing said plurality of channels to the plurality of stems in the base.
2 . The method of manufacturing the strap of claim 1 , wherein said forming said base with the first material comprises injection molding said base using a mold assembly.
3 . The method of manufacturing the strap of claim 1 , wherein the first material comprises at least one of rubber and silicone.
4 . The method of manufacturing the strap of claim 1 , wherein the second material comprises metal.
5 . The method of manufacturing the strap of claim 1 , wherein an amount of the strap that is comprised by the base is greater than an amount of the strap that is comprised by the plurality of strap members.
6 . The method of manufacturing the strap of claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of channels comprises a web and at least one leg extending from the web, and wherein said securing said plurality of channels to the plurality of stems in the base comprises securing the web and at least one leg of each of the plurality of channels around a portion of one of the plurality of stems.
7 . The method of manufacturing the strap of claim 6 , wherein each of said plurality of channels comprises a web and two legs extending from the web, and wherein said securing the web and said at least one leg of each of the plurality of channels around the portion of the one of the plurality of stems comprises securing the web and the two legs around the portion of the one of the plurality of stems.
8 . The method of manufacturing the strap of claim 7 , wherein said securing the web and the two legs around the portion of the one of the plurality of stems comprises securing the web and the two legs around less than an entirety of a cross-section of the one of the plurality of stems.
9 . The method of manufacturing the strap of claim 7 , wherein said securing the web and the two legs around the portion of the one of the plurality of stems comprises securing the web and the two legs around an entirety of a cross-section of the one of the plurality of stems.
10 . The method of manufacturing the strap of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of channels comprises a plurality of pairs of channels, each of the plurality of pairs of channels comprising a first channel and a second channel, and wherein said securing said plurality of channels to the plurality of stems in the base comprises:
securing the first channel around a first portion of one of the plurality of stems; and
securing the second channel around a second portion of the one of the plurality of stems.
11 . The method of manufacturing the strap of claim 10 , wherein:
said securing the first channel around said first portion of one of the plurality of stems comprises securing the first channel around less than an entirety of a cross-section of the one of the plurality of stems; and
said securing the second channel around said second portion of the one of the plurality of stems comprises securing the second channel around less than the entirety of the cross-section of the one of the plurality of stems.
12 . The method of manufacturing the strap of claim 10 , wherein said securing said first and second channels around said first and second portions of the one of the plurality of stems comprises securing the first and second channels to the one of the plurality of stems such that the first and second channels cooperate to surround an entirety of a cross-section of the one of the one of the plurality of stems.
13 . The method of manufacturing the strap of claim 10 , wherein said securing said first and second channels around said first and second portions of the one of the plurality of stems comprises overlapping portions of the first and second channels with each other.
14 . The method of manufacturing the strap of claim 10 , wherein each of the first and second channels comprises a web and opposing legs extending from the web, and wherein overlapping portions of the first and second channels comprise said opposing legs of the first and second channels.
15 . The method of manufacturing the strap of claim 10 , wherein said securing said first and second channels to said first and second portions of the one of the plurality of stems comprises securing said first and second channels such that overlapping portions of the first and second channels and non-overlapping portions of the first and second channels cooperate to define a generally rounded shape around the one of the plurality of stems.
16 . The method of manufacturing the strap of claim 1 , wherein:
said forming the said base further comprises:
forming the base with a first edge member extending along a first side of the base between the first and second ends;
forming the base with a second edge member extending along a second side of the base between the first and second ends; and
forming the base with a spine member extending along at least a portion of the length and positioned between the first and second edge members; and
said forming said plurality of openings in the base comprises:
forming a first plurality of openings spaced from one another along at least a portion of the length and between the first edge member and the spine member; and
forming a second plurality of openings spaced from one another along at least a portion of the length and between the second edge member and the spine member; and
said forming said plurality of stems in the base comprises:
forming a first plurality of stems, each of the first plurality of stems positioned between two of said first plurality of openings and extending between the first edge member and the spine member; and
forming a second plurality of stems, each of the second plurality of stems positioned between two of said second plurality of openings and extending between the second edge member and the spine member.