Methods, systems, and apparatuses for manufacturing wearable ring devices
Methods, systems, and apparatuses for manufacturing wearable devices are described herein. A method can comprise coupling a plurality of printed circuit boards to a tubular structure, coupling an outer layer to the tubular structure over the plurality of printed circuit boards to form a tubular assembly, each printed circuit board is disposed between a portion of the tubular structure and a portion of the outer layer, and separating the tubular assembly into a plurality of ring-shaped devices each including a printed circuit board of the plurality of printed circuit boards, the portions of the tubular structure and the outer layer disposed around the printed circuit board.
1 . A method, comprising:
coupling a plurality of printed circuit boards to a tubular structure, each printed circuit board of the plurality of printed circuit boards being coupled at a separate location along a longitudinal length of the tubular structure and being spaced from adjacent printed circuit boards of the plurality of printed circuit boards;
coupling an outer layer to the tubular structure over the plurality of printed circuit boards to form a tubular assembly in which each printed circuit board of the plurality of printed circuit boards is disposed between a portion of the tubular structure and a portion of the outer layer; and
separating the tubular assembly into a plurality of ring-shaped devices each including a printed circuit board of the plurality of printed circuit boards, the portions of the tubular structure and the outer layer disposed around the printed circuit board.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a plurality of indentations along a longitudinal length of a tubular structure, each indentation being longitudinally spaced from adjacent indentations of the plurality of indentations,
wherein each printed circuit board of the plurality of printed circuit boards are coupled to the tubular structure at a respective indentation of the plurality of indentations.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of indentations is a plurality of grooves.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein each groove of the plurality of grooves is spaced from adjacent grooves of the plurality of grooves by at least a predetermined axial distance of 1 mm.
5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein each groove of the plurality of grooves extends circumferentially around an outer surface of the tubular structure.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein coupling the plurality of printed circuit boards includes wrapping each printed circuit board of the plurality of printed circuit boards around the tubular structure within the respective groove of the plurality of grooves.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the tubular structure has a length of at least about 10 cm.
8 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the tubular structure is a metal pipe.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein forming the plurality of indentations includes machining the plurality of indentations in the metal pipe.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of printed circuit boards is coupled to the tubular structure via an adhesive.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein coupling the outer layer to the tubular structure over the plurality of printed circuit boards includes molding a plastic material over the tubular structure and the plurality of printed circuit boards.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the molding includes at least one of: vacuum casting, injection molding, or reaction injection molding.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the plastic material includes at least one of polyurethane or epoxy.
14 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
shaping, prior to separating the tubular assembly, the outer layer of the tubular assembly.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the shaping includes grinding or polishing the outer layer.
16 . The method of claim 2 , wherein separating the tubular assembly includes cutting the tubular assembly between each indentation of the plurality of indentations.
17 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of printed circuit boards includes one or more sensors, the method further comprising:
forming, prior to coupling the plurality of printed circuit boards to the tubular structure, holes in the tubular structure at the plurality of indentations such that the one or more sensors can interface with an external environment via the holes.
18 . A method comprising:
coupling an end of a curved battery to a printed circuit board;
wrapping the curved battery and the printed circuit board around a tubular structure such that the curved battery and the printed circuit board are disposed between adjacent positioning elements of a plurality of positioning elements disposed along the tubular structure and are spaced from additional curved batteries and printed circuit boards wrapped around the tubular structure; and
securing the curved battery and the printed circuit board to the tubular structure using adhesive tape.
19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
coupling an outer layer to the tubular structure over the curved battery and the printed circuit board to form a tubular assembly in which the curved battery and the printed circuit board are disposed between a portion of the tubular structure and a portion of the outer layer; and
separating the tubular assembly into a plurality of ring-shaped devices including a ring-shaped device that includes the curved battery and the printed circuit board, the portions of the tubular structure and the outer layer disposed around the curved battery and the printed circuit board.
20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the end of the curved battery is a first end of the curved battery, the method further comprising:
coupling, after wrapping the curved battery and the printed circuit board around the tubular structure, a second end of the curved battery to the printed circuit board.