CONDUCTIVE STRUCTURES FOR A FLEXIBLE SUBSTRATE IN A WEARABLE DEVICE
Embodiments relate generally to wearable electrical and electronic hardware, computer software, wired and wireless network communications, and to wearable/mobile computing devices. More specifically, various embodiments are directed to, for example, conductive structures for a flexible substrate, a component coupled to the flexible substrate, and/or a wearable device. In one example, a wearable device includes a framework configured to be worn or attached, and a flexible substrate coupled to the framework. In some examples, the flexible substrate may have a first end and a second end, and may include one or more resilient conductive structures, and one or more rigid regions configured to receive one or more components including a sensor, or, for example, electrodes for a bioimpedance sensor.
1 . A wearable device comprising:
a framework configured to be worn or attached; and
a flexible substrate coupled to the framework, the flexible substrate having a first end and a second end and comprising:
one or more resilient conductive structures; and
one or more rigid regions configured to receive one or more components including a sensor, at least one component in a rigid region being coupled via the one or more resilient conductive structures.
2 . The wearable device of claim 1 wherein the one or more resilient conductive structures each comprises:
a conductor traversing along a length of a resilient conductive structure,
wherein portions of the conductor vary from a medial line.
3 . The wearable device of claim 2 wherein the portions of the conductor comprise:
portions of a coiled conductor.
4 . The wearable device of claim 2 further comprising:
a non-conductive core around which the conductor encompasses.
5 . The wearable device of claim 4 wherein the non-conductive core comprises:
a plurality of fibers.
6 . The wearable device of claim 2 further comprising:
multiple other conductors traversing the length of the resilient conductive structure to provide connective redundancy for the conductor.
7 . The wearable device of claim 1 further comprising:
a reinforced redundant conductor.
8 . The wearable device of claim 7 wherein the reinforced redundant conductor comprises:
a mesh of conductive material.
9 . The wearable device of claim 7 wherein the reinforced redundant conductor is disposed at an edge of the flexible substrate, the reinforced redundant conductor extending from the rigid region to another rigid region.
10 . The wearable device of claim 1 further comprising:
a vibratory motor coupled to the one or more resilient conductive structures.
11 . The wearable device of claim 1 further comprising:
a battery coupled to the one or more resilient conductive structures.
12 . The wearable device of claim 1 wherein the flexible substrate comprises:
bioimpedance electrodes.
13 . The wearable device of claim 12 further comprising:
a bioimpedance circuit coupled to via at least one resilient conductive structure to at least one bioimpedance electrode.
14 . The wearable device of claim 12 further comprising:
an electrode bus.
15 . The wearable device of claim 1 wherein the flexible substrate comprises:
a pair of electrodes positioned in the flexible substrate to be adjacent to a blood vessel when worn on a wrist.
16 . A method comprising:
forming a flexible substrate including:
one or more resilient conductive structures; and
rigid regions configured to receive one or more components including a sensor, at least two rigid regions coupled via the one or more resilient conductive structures,
wherein the flexible substrate includes rigid regions configured to receive one or more components including a vibratory motor.
17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
implementing a conductor coiled about a fiber core.
18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
implementing a mesh of conductive material as a reinforced redundant conductor.