Wearable bands with embedded circuitry
An electronic device such as a wearable electronic device may have a band. The band may form a stand-alone device or a strap for a wristwatch unit or other device. Electrical components may be mounted on flexible printed circuit substrates. A substrate may be encapsulated by elastomeric polymer material or other material forming the band. The elastomeric polymer material may form cavities that receive the electrical components. Components such as light-emitting diodes may be mounted to the flexible printed circuit substrates so that the light-emitting diodes are located in the cavities. Reflective sidewalls in the cavities may reflect light from the light-emitting diodes outwardly through a thinned portion of the band. Light-diffusing material in the cavities may be formed from clear polymer with light-scattering particles.
1. A wearable electronic device, comprising:
a band having portions forming cavities;
a flexible printed circuit having serpentine portions; and
electrical components on the flexible printed circuit that are located in the cavities, wherein the electrical components comprise pixels that form a display, wherein the band has a portion configured to pass light emitted from the electrical components, and wherein the portion is visibly opaque when the electrical components are not emitting light.
2. The wearable electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising encapsulant in the cavities that covers the electrical components.
3. The wearable electronic device defined in claim 2 wherein the encapsulant comprises clear polymer with light-scattering particles.
4. The wearable electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the band comprises elastomeric polymer.
5. The wearable electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the electrical components further comprise light-emitting diodes.
6. The wearable electronic device defined in claim 5 wherein the cavities have reflective walls.
7. The wearable electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the electrical components further comprise a light-emitting device and a light detector.
8. The wearable electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the electrical components further comprise electrocardiogram electrodes and wherein the wearable electronic device further comprises control circuitry configured to measure an electrocardiogram using signals from the electrocardiogram electrodes.
9. The wearable electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the electrical components further comprise components configured to measure moisture.
10. The wearable electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the electrical components further comprise a component selected from the group consisting of: a gas sensor, a humidity sensor, an air particulate sensor, a temperature sensor, a photovoltaic device, a piezoelectric energy harvesting device, a wireless power receiving circuit, a wireless communications circuit, and a haptic output device.
11. The wearable electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the electrical components further comprise an ultraviolet light sensor.
12. The wearable electronic device defined in claim 11 wherein the electrical components further include light-emitting diodes and wherein the wearable electronic device comprises control circuitry configured to control the light-emitting diodes based on information from the ultraviolet light sensor.
13. A watch band configured to be coupled to a main unit of a watch, the watch band comprising:
an elastomeric band, wherein the elastomeric band has a first portion and a second portion;
a flexible printed circuit having serpentine portions embedded in the elastomeric band, wherein the flexible printed circuit has first electrical contacts configured to mate with second electrical contacts in the main unit of the watch;
sensors mounted on the flexible printed circuit and configured to generate data;
a clasp that couples the first portion of the elastomeric band to the second portion of the elastomeric band, wherein the clasp comprises interconnects that are coupled to the flexible printed circuit and carry the data; and
light-emitting diodes on the flexible printed circuit that are configured to emit light through at least some of the elastomeric band material.
14. The watch band defined in claim 13 wherein the elastomeric band has opposing first and second surfaces, wherein the light-emitting diodes emit light through the first surface, and wherein the sensors gather sensor readings through the second surface.
15. An electronic device, comprising:
a strap having first and second surfaces, wherein the first surface faces a first direction and the second surface faces a second direction that is opposite the first direction;
an electrical unit coupled to the strap;
light-emitting diodes that emit light through the first surface in a given direction, wherein the strap comprises elastomeric polymer, wherein the light-emitting diodes are each formed in respective cavities in the elastomeric polymer, and wherein the cavities have reflective sidewalls that extend between the first and second surfaces in the given direction;
sensors that make sensor measurements through the second surface; and
a flexible printed circuit substrate coupled to the light-emitting diodes.
16. The electronic device defined in claim 15 wherein the flexible printed circuit substrate includes at least one serpentine segment, the electronic device further comprising clear polymer with light-diffusing particles in the cavities.