Wearable electronic device

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a wearable electronic device to be worn on the wrist or the like.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Examples of the wearable electronic device include portable electronic devices such as a watch, a calculator, and a communications device, which are composed of electronic circuits and miniaturized so as to be wearable on the wrist. Each of those wearable electronic devices is constructed of a member constituting a main body for executing functions of the wearable electronic device itself and a mounting member allowing the device to be mounted on the wrist.

[0005] As the wearable electronic devices described above, the applicant of the present invention has invented wearable electronic devices, in which the band lengths and the holder angles can be adjusted in accordance with the thickness of a user's wrist. The applicant disclosed the inventions in prior patent application Nos. 2000-398981 and 2000-400162.

[0006] The wearable electronic device disclosed in each of these applications is a wearable electronic device which comprises: a hinge for opening/closing the mounting body of the device, the hinge being consisting of a first hinge piece and a second hinge piece; a first hole formed in the first hinge piece; a second hole formed in the second hinge piece; and latch pins one of which is inserted into the first hole and the other is inserted into the second hole. A user chooses a hole from among holes having different widths and fits a pin therein, whereby the mounting member can accommodate its form to the thickness of his/her wrist.

[0007] FIGS. 11A and 11B are a lateral sectional view and a front view of the mounting member and the hinge portion of such a wearable electronic device, illustrating a specific constructional example thereof. FIG. 11A is a lateral sectional view showing the entirety of the electronic device, and FIG. 11B is a front view showing the hinge portion. A wearable electronic device 120 shown in FIG. 11A is constituted by a main body 121 and two pieces of holders 122 and 123. The holder 122 which appears on the left-hand side in the drawing is depicted as being in its closed state, whereas the holder 123 on the left-hand side is depicted as being in its open state. The main body 121 and the holders 122 and 123 are coupled to each other by hinges. In the surfaces of hinge pieces 124 and 125 on the sides of the holders 122 and 123, a plurality of holes 126 and 127 are formed radially so as to be aligned along the direction of the pivotal axis of the hinge.

[0008] In each of hinge pieces 128 and 129 opposing the holes 126 and 127, there is formed a hole 130 having a width that changes stepwise in the pivotal movement direction of the hinge. The hinges on the right and left sides operate according to the same mechanism. A latch pin 132 that is urged by a spring is received in the hole 126 provided on one of the hinges. Upon pivoting movement of the holder 122, that is, upon pivoting movement of the hinge piece 124, the hole 126 also undergoes pivoting movement. Then, at the time when the hole 126 is brought into a position to face the hole 130 formed in the hinge piece 128 which opposes the hole 126, the latch pin 132 abuts against the opposing hole 130 to be fitted therein. Thus, the hinge piece 124 and the holder 122 being integrated therewith are securely fixed in place.

[0009] As shown in FIG. 11B, the hinge pieces 124 and 128 are coupled to each other as a pivotal movement pair by means of a spring bar 133 and a fitting screw 134. A coil spring 135 is passed through the spring bar 133, and projecting portions 136 and 137 provided at both ends of the spring bar 133 are made to abut on the associated hinge pieces 124 and 128, respectively. Thus, the hinge pieces 124 and 128 are always biased in the direction for opening the holder.

[0010] In the proposed electronic device described above, however, when a rigid band is in an open position, in the case where a user performs, while holding the rigid band with one of his/her hands (for example, the left hand), an input operation such as depressing or the like with a finger of the other hand (for example, the right hand) with respect to an input operation portion such as a push button or a key switch provided in the rigid band, there is a fear that the main body of the electronic device is swung relative to the rigid band due to vibration or impact attendant on the input operation. As a result, there is a fear that the display of the electronic devices becomes hard to view because, for example, a display portion such as one formed in a casing of the electronic device main body makes swinging movement each time an input operation is performed.

[0011] FIG. 12 is an enlarged view showing a hole formed in a hinge piece on the main body side. As described above, a plurality of abutment holes 130 are formed and arranged along the direction of the pivotal axis so as to have widths that vary stepwise in the pivotal movement direction of the hinge. In the drawing, the abutment hole 130 is indicated by a solid line, while three holes 126 through one of which the latch pin 132 is inserted are indicated by broken lines. In this way, one of the holes 126 is chosen to insert the latch pin 132 therethrough. Since the hinge piece is urged in the opening direction, the latch pin 132 abuts on one side wall of the abutment hole 130, thereby determining the degree of opening of the holder.

[0012] FIGS. 13A and 13B are lateral sectional views for illustrating how the hole width affects the degree of opening of the holder. FIG. 13A is a lateral sectional view illustrating a state where the latch pin abuts on one side wall of a hole having a small width, and FIG. 13B is a lateral sectional view illustrating a state where the latch pin abuts on one side wall of a hole having a large width. As is apparent from a comparison between the both drawings, the hinge piece 124 makes a smaller pivoting movement angle ₂ from its horizontal position in the case where a hole having a larger width is selected to fit the latch pin therein, thus allowing the holder to be fitted on a person with a thick wrist. Conversely, a person with a thin wrist may select a hole having a small width to fit the latch pin therein. Note that the pivoting movement angle is ₁ in the example shown in FIG. 13A and the difference in angle between the both examples is obtained as ₁₂. Selection of a hole for receiving the latch pin therein through a spring can be easily performed by simply detaching the hinge.

[0013] As has been described above, with the mounting body of the wrist-mounted electronic device according to these previously disclosed inventions, a hole for inserting the latch pin therethrough is selected from among a plurality of holes, whereby the fixing position of the holder can be adjusted according to the manner in which the latch pin abuts on the wall portion having a stepped configuration. Therefore, the holder can be kept at the most suitable position as determined according to the thickness of a user's wrist. However, since it is necessary to disassemble the hinge to perform such adjustment, these inventions suffer from the disadvantage that additional labor is required to perform the disassembly. Further, the possible amount of adjustment is restricted by the number of the holes provided. In the case where the wrist-mounted electronic device is used by only one person, almost no subsequent readjustments of the holder fixing position are necessary after the initial setting thereof; however, when the device is to be shared among several persons, the positional adjustment of the holder needs to be frequently performed, resulting in an increased burden of the disassembly.

[0014] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and therefore an object thereof is to provide a wearable electronic device in which swinging movement of the device main body relative to a rigid band portion thereof can be suppressed.

[0015] Another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism which allows positional adjustment to be easily performed in accordance with the thickness of a user's wrist without disassembling of a hinge portion, and which also allows the position of the holder to be adjusted in a continuous, non-staged fashion.

[0016] In order to attain the above objects, according to the present invention, there is provided a wearable electronic device provided with an electronic device main body, a rigid band for allowing mounting of the electronic device, and a coupling mechanism for coupling the rigid band to the electronic device main body, in which the coupling mechanism includes: an elastic body for elastically biasing the rigid band in an opening direction thereof; and a locking mechanism for locking the rigid band onto the electronic device main body when the rigid band is in its open or closed position, so as to suppress swing movement of the rigid band relative to the electronic device main body.

[0017] The wearable electronic device according to the present invention is provided with a locking mechanism for locking the rigid band onto the electronic device main body when the rigid band is in its open or closed position to thereby suppress swinging movement of the rigid band relative to the electronic device main body. Therefore, when the rigid band is in the open position and when a user performs, while holding the rigid band with one of his/her hands (for example, the left hand), for example, an input operation such as depressing or the like with a finger of the other hand or the like with respect to an input operation portion such as a push button or a key switch provided in the rigid band, even if vibration or impact attendant on the input operation is exerted on the rigid band, the locking mechanism serves to prevent the electronic device main body from making swinging movement relative to the rigid band due to the vibration or impact. As a result, there is a reduced fear that the display portion of the electronic device main body will make irregular swinging movements, for example, during an input operation, thereby keeping the display of the electronic device easy to view at all times.

[0018] In accordance with the wearable electronic device according to the present invention, the locking mechanism may be any suitable locking mechanism for restraining irregular vibrations from occurring between the rigid band and the device main body while the rigid band is being set in the open or closed position, due to vibrations attendant on, for example, an input operation on the key input portion. Typically, such a locking mechanism includes: an engaging pin provided to one of the electronic device main body and the rigid band so as to be capable of elastically projecting therefrom; and an engaging concave portion which is formed in the other one of the electronic device main body and the rigid band such that the engaging pin is fitted and locked therein when the rigid band is in its open or closed position.

[0019] In this case, even if impacts attendant on vibrations such as caused during an input operation on the key switch propagate from the rigid band to the electronic device main body, generation of irregular swinging movements or vibrations of the electronic device main body relative to the rigid band can be restrained or substantially disabled by means of the fitting or locking of the engaging pin in the engaging concave portion.

[0020] On the other hand, in a typical construction of the wearable electronic device according to the present invention, the tip portion of the locking pin has a rounded configuration and a peripheral wall portion of the locking concave portion is formed of an elastic material.

[0021] In this case, when a somewhat large force is applied onto the rigid band in a direction for moving the rigid band from the open position into the closed position, the peripheral wall portion of the engaging concave portion which is formed of the elastic material is deformed due to the rounded tip portion of the engaging pin in such a manner as to conform with the shape of the tip portion, and a force acting in a direction for pushing out the engaging pin is exerted between a slant surface resulting from the roundness of the tip portion of the engaging pin and a slant surface of the peripheral wall portion of the engaging concave portion that has been thus elastically deformed, whereby the engaging pin that has been elastically projected is retracted against the elastic force to be dislodged from the engaging concave portion.

[0022] Thereafter, with no resistance being applied thereon by the engaging concave portion, the rigid band can be easily swung relative to the electronic device main body to reach its closed position. The tip portion of the engaging pin may have a tapered, instead of rounded, configuration. As the elastic material forming the peripheral wall portion of the engaging concave portion, for example, a urethane resin or a silicone resin may be used, although other arbitrary elastic materials may be alternatively used. In this case, in addition to the elasticity of the material for forming the engaging concave portion and the inclination of the slant surface of the engaging pin, the thickness of the engaging pin, how much of the pin is to be fitted into the engaging concave portion, and the like can be also appropriately selected as desired.

[0023] Note that, in the case where the peripheral wall portion of the engaging concave portion is formed of an elastic material, even if the engaging pin repeatedly abuts against the peripheral wall of the engaging concave portion as the elastic body elastically biases the rigid band from the closed position into the open position, there is little fear of damages being caused as a result, whereby durability of the device can be maintained at a high level.

[0024] In the wearable electronic device according to the present invention, the coupling mechanism preferably includes: a locking mechanism for closed position, which locks the rigid band onto the electronic device main body when the rigid band is in its closed position; and a locking release mechanism for closed position, which releases the locking of the rigid band effected by the locking mechanism for closed position. Here, the locking mechanism for closed position typically comprises: an engaging pin provided to the rigid band so as to be capable of elastically projecting therefrom; and an engaging concave portion for closed position, which is formed in the electronic device main body. In the case where the engaging pin is provided to the rigid band, the engaging pin of the locking mechanism for closed position doubles as the engaging pin of the locking mechanism for open position.

[0025] Further, in accordance with a typical construction of the wearable electronic device of the present invention, the rigid band is provided with a push button, a key switch, or other such input means and the display portion is provided in the electronic device main body. However, an arrangement is also possible as occasion demands in which the push button, the key switch, or other such input means is provided in the electronic device main body and the display portion is provided in the rigid band.

[0026] Further, one rigid band is arranged on either end side of the electronic device main body. In that case, as long as one of the rigid bands is constructed as described hereinabove, the other may be constructed in any manner. Also, in some cases, the rigid band may be arranged in different manners, such that only one such rigid band is provided only on one end side of the electronic device main body.

[0027] In accordance with the wearable electronic device of the present invention, in order to attain the aforementioned objects, the locking mechanism is characterized by including an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the closed position of the rigid band by adjusting the locking angle of the engaging pin relative to the engaging concave portion. Therefore, the device can be adapted to various wrist thicknesses according to suitable angle settings by the above-mentioned adjustment mechanism.

[0028] In the accompanying drawings:

[0029] FIGS. 1A to 1C are views illustrating a wearable electronic device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a plan view of the electronic device for explaining the case where the rigid band of the electronic device is in an open position, FIG. 1B is a partially cutaway side view of FIG. 1A, and FIG. 1C is a partially cutaway side view similar to FIG. 1B in the case where the rigid band of the electronic device shown in FIG. 1A is in a closed position;

[0030] FIGS. 2A and 2B are enlarged views illustrating a pivotal coupling mechanism of the electronic device shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, in which FIG. 2A is an enlarged sectional view for explaining the case where the rigid band is in the open position, and FIG. 2B is an enlarged sectional view for explaining the case where the rigid band is in the closed position;

[0031] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view for explaining the inside surface side of the pivotal coupling mechanism of the electronic device shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C;

[0032] FIGS. 4A and 4B are views illustrating modification examples of the pivotal coupling mechanism of the electronic device shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, in which FIG. 4A is a partially cutaway side view for explaining an example where a wall portion around an engaging concave portion is formed of an elastic material and FIG. 4B is a partially cutaway side view for explaining an example where an engaging pin is provided on the main body side;

[0033] FIGS. 5A and 5B are views illustrating a comparison between a hinge portion of the wrist-mounted electronic device of the present invention and that of the prior art, in which FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the hinge portion according to the prior art and FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the hinge portion according to the present invention;

[0034] FIGS. 6A and 6B are sectional views of the hinge portion, in which FIG. 6A is a view showing the state where locking of the hinge portion is released and FIG. 6B is a view showing the state where positioning of the hinge portion is performed;

[0035] FIGS. 7A and 7B are views illustrating degrees of hinge opening, in which FIG. 7A is a sectional view of the hinge portion on one side and FIG. 7B is a side view showing the entirety of the wrist-mounted electronic device;

[0036] FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a hinge portion according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a hinge portion according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] FIG. 10 illustrates opposing side surfaces of a center hinge piece and a cylindrical member in another embodiment of the present invention, in which the drawing on the right side shows the center hinge piece and the drawing on the left side shows the cylindrical member;

[0039] FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate a wrist-mounted electronic device according to the prior art, in which FIG. 11A is a side view showing the entirety of the device and FIG. 11B is a plan view of its hinge portion;

[0040] FIG. 12 is a view for explaining a position adjusting mechanism according to the prior art; and

[0041] FIGS. 13A and 13B are lateral sectional views for illustrating how the hole width affects the opening of a holder in the prior art.

[0042] As shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, a wrist-mounted electronic device 1 as a wearable electronic device includes an electronic device main body 10 and rigid band portions 20 and 30 that are coupled to end portions 12 and 13, respectively, of a casing 11 of the electronic device main body 10 such that they can be pivoted about pivotal center axis lines A and B.

[0043] The electronic device main body 10 includes, for example, a circuit main body portion 14 that functions as an electronic device such as a timepiece, a telephone, or a calculator, and a display panel portion 15 that functions as a display portion of such a device.

[0044] At least one of the rigid band portions 20 and 30 (the band portion 20 in the example shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C) has an input designating portion 21 such as a push button or a key switch which is used to input data and give designation signals for designating operations such as a control to be performed with respect to the circuit main body portion 14 of the electronic device main body 10. In the case where the electronic device 1 has a function as, for example, a portable telephone, sound collecting holes or the like that are connected to a microphone are formed inside an edge portion of the rigid band portion 20 and sound emitting holes or the like that are connected to a speaker are formed inside an edge portion of the rigid band portion 30. Regardless of the intended application of the electronic device 1, the wearable electronic device 1 is constructed such that a part of the functions of the electronic device 1 can be built in the band portions 20 and 30. Accordingly, the casings of the band portions 20 and 30 are basically formed of a relatively hard material so as to make the band portions 20 and 30 substantially rigid. Of course, the casings of the band portions 20 and 30 may also be partially formed of a flexible or elastic material.

[0045] The rigid band portions 20 and 30 are coupled to their adjoining end portions 12 and 13 of the electronic device main body 10, respectively, through pivotal coupling mechanisms 40A and 40B (which are collectively denoted by reference numeral 40 without attaching symbols A and B when referred to as generically or when no distinction is made between the both; the same applies to other related portions) as corresponding swinging coupling mechanisms. The rigid band portion 20 is coupled to the end portion 12 of the electronic device main body 10 through the pivotal coupling mechanism 40A, for pivoting movement in directions A1 and A2 between its open position P1 (see FIGS. 1A and 1B) and its closed position P2 (see FIG. 1C). The rigid band portion 30 is coupled to the end portion 13 of the electronic device main body 10 through the pivotal coupling mechanism 40B, for pivoting movement in directions B1 and B2 between the open position P1 (see FIGS. 1A and 1B) and the closed position P2 (see FIG. 1C).

[0046] When the rigid band portions 20 and 30 are in their closed positions P2 as shown in FIG. 1C, the rigid bands 20 and 30 are fitted on a wrist portion E of a user's arm so as to surround the wrist portion E in cooperation with the electronic device main body 10. On the other hand, when the rigid band portions 20 and 30 are in their open positions P1 as shown in FIG. 1B, the electronic device 1 can be detached from the wrist portion E. Although in the examples shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C the rigid band portions 20 and 30 have substantially the same configuration, both the band portions 20 and 30 may have different configurations such that one of the rigid band portions 20 and 30 is longer than the other. Since the pivotal coupling mechanisms 40A and 40B are constructed in the same manner, hereinbelow a description will be made of the pivotal coupling mechanism 40A as pivotal coupling mechanism 40.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 3, the pivotal coupling mechanism 40 includes: a coupling convexo-concave portion 41 formed in a forward end portion 21 of the rigid band portion 20; a coupling convexo-concave portion 42 formed in the adjoining end portion 12 of the casing 11 of the electronic device main body 10 so as to have a configuration being substantially complementary with respect to the coupling convexo-concave portion 41; a pivotal shaft 43 for coupling a pair of the coupling convexo-concave portions 41 and 42 pivotally about an axis line A, in order to allow the rigid band portion 20 to make pivoting movements (A1 and A2) about the axis line A between the open position P1 and the closed position P2 relative to the casing 11 of the electronic device main body 10; and a coil spring 44 as an elastic body for exerting on the rigid band portion 20 a biasing force that acts in the opening direction A1 so as to bias the rigid band portion 20 toward the opening position P1 relative to the casing 11 of the electronic device main body 10. The pivotal coupling mechanism 40 constitutes a hinge portion for supporting the rigid band portion 20 in such a manner that the rigid band portion 20 can make pivoting movement about the center axis line A in the directions A1 and A2 relative to the electronic device main body 10. As long as it is capable of biasing the rigid band portion 20 toward the open position P1, there is no limitation on the specific construction of the pivotal coupling mechanism 40. The coil spring 44 is fitted around the pivotal shaft 43 and locked at its both ends 44a and 44b onto associated end portions 12 and 21 of the device main body 10 and the rigid band portion 20, respectively. Note that instead of the coil spring 44, other kinds of a spring such as a plate spring or a torsion spring, or other kinds of elastic means such as rubber may be used to impart the biasing force. In FIG. 3, symbol 43a denotes a shaft body such as a pin for defining the pivotal center axis line A in cooperation with the pivotal shaft 43.

[0048] As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the coupling convexo-concave portion 42 of the rigid band portion 20 includes a cylindrical convex portion 45. The cylindrical convex portion 45 has a hole 47 formed in its radial direction and opened onto its circumferential surface 46. In the hole 47, there are disposed an engaging pin 48 as a locking pin of locking means for open position and a compression spring 49 for biasing the pin 48 in a radially outward direction D1.

[0049] As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the coupling convexo-concave portion 42 on the casing 11 side of the electronic device main body 10 includes a partially cylindrical concave portion 50 having a partially cylindrical inner peripheral surface 51 for receiving the cylindrical convex portion 45 of the coupling convexo-concave portion 42. In the partially cylindrical inner peripheral surface 51 of the partially cylindrical concave portion 50, there is formed an engaging concave portion 52 as a locking concave portion of a locking mechanism, into which the tip of the engaging pin 48 having received from the coil spring 49 a biasing force acting in the radially outward direction is projected and fitted when the rigid band portion 20 is in the open position P1.

[0050] Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 1B and 2A, when the rigid band portion 20 is in the open position P1, the tip of the engaging pin 48 is fitted into the engaging concave portion 52 of the partially cylindrical peripheral surface 51 of the coupling convexo-concave portion 42 that is formed in the casing 11 of the electronic device main body 10. Thus, the rigid band portion 20 can be held at the open position P1 even when a force causing pivoting movement about the pivotal axis line in the directions A1 and A2 acts between the band portion 20 and the casing 11 of the electronic device main body 10. As a result, even in the event that, for example, irregular vibrations or impacts are propagated from the rigid band portion 20 to the electronic device main body 10 due to a key input operation performed with respect to the input designation portion 21 of the rigid band portion 20 such as a key switch, there is little fear that the casing 11 of the electronic device main body 10 swings or otherwise becomes unstable relative to the rigid band portion 20.

[0051] Of the coupling convexo-concave portion 42 formed in the casing 11 of the electronic device main body 10, as shown in FIG. 4A, a peripheral wall portion 53 thereof including the engaging concave portion 52 is formed of, for example, a material having relatively high elasticity such as a urethane resin or a silicone resin. As a result, it is possible to minimize the fear of chipping or damages being caused to the wall surface of the engaging portion 52, even when the engaging pin 48 repeatedly abuts on the wall surface of the concave portion 52.

[0052] As shown in FIGS. 1B and 2A, in the cylindrical convex portion 45 of the rigid band portion 20, in order to, for example, allow a concave portion 45a, which is formed at a proximal portion thereof, to abut against a convex portion 12b formed in an end portion 12a on the front cover side of the casing 11 of the electronic device main body 10, the concave portions 45a and the convex portions 12b are formed so as to have complementary shapes. In this case, as shown in FIGS. 1B and 2A, when the rigid band portion 20 is in the open position P1, the rigid band portion 20 can be supported also at the concave portion 12b of the end portion 12a on the front cover side of the casing 11 of the electronic device main body 10. Here, an arrangement is also possible in which a gap remains between the concave portion 45a and the convex portion 12b when the rigid band portion 20 is in the open position P1.

[0053] A wall surface 54 of the concave portion 52 which extends in the direction A2 may be formed to be somewhat inclined, as indicated by imaginary lines 54a in FIG. 2A. In that case, while the casing 11 of the electronic device main body 10 is restrained from swinging or otherwise moving in the direction A2 in response to impacts of a faint magnitude such as caused by tapping on the key switch 21, when a somewhat large force is applied onto the rigid band portion 20 for causing its pivoting movement in the direction A2 being a direction for setting the rigid band portion 20 at the closed position P2, a rounded tip portion 48a of the engaging pin 48 is caused to move along the wall surface 54a whereby the engaging pin 48 is pushed inward in the direction D2 within the hole 47, thus allowing movement of the rigid band portion 20 in the direction A2 from the open position P1 to the closed position P2.

[0054] Note that, instead of arranging the hole portion 47, the compression spring 49, and the engaging pin 48 in the coupling convexo-concave portion 41 of the rigid band portion 20, as shown in FIG. 4B, these may be arranged in the coupling convexo-concave portion 42 of the electronic device main body 10. In that case, as shown in FIG. 4B, instead of arranging the engaging concave portion 52 in the coupling convexo-concave portion 42 of the electronic device main body 10, it is arranged in the coupling convexo-concave portion 41 of the rigid band portion 20.

[0055] Further, in the case where a length which the locking mechanism occupies along the direction of the axis line A (i.e. the width of the hinge portion) may be relatively large, the engaging pin 48 and the engaging concave portion 52 which constitute a locking mechanism may be opposed and engaged with each other, for example, in an end surface perpendicular to the axis line A, instead of being opposed and engaged with each other in peripheral surfaces 46 and 51 of the coupling convexo-concave portions 41 and 42.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 2B, the coupling convexo-concave portion 42 on the casing 11 side of the electronic device main body 10 is further provided with another concave portion 55 with which the tip of the engaging pin 48 in the coupling convexo-concave portion 41 of the rigid band portion 20 engages when the rigid band portion 20 is in the closed position P2. This inside concave portion 55 is communicated with a concave portion 57 on the front surface side through a small-diameter through hole 56. Situated at the concave portion 57 on the front surface side is a head portion 61 of a push button 60 having its bottom end portion 62 extended to the rear-side concave portion 55. The large-diameter bottom end portion 62 of the push button 60 is locked onto a wall surface 58 of the small-diameter hole portion 56 to be held within the concave portion 55. In this example, the engaging pin 48 and the inside concave portion 55 constitute locking means for closed position while the push button 60 constitutes locking release means for closed position. Note that the push button 60 may also be biased in a direction F1 by a compression spring or the like.

[0057] When the rigid band portion 20 is in the closed position P2, as shown in FIGS. 1C and 2B, the tip of the engaging pin 48 in the coupling convexo-concave portion 41 of the rigid band portion 20 is fitted into the concave portion 55 formed in the peripheral surface 51 of the coupling convexo-concave portion 42 of the casing 11 of the device main body 10, thus restraining the rigid band portion 20 from making pivoting movements in the directions A1 and A2. Note that, as shown in FIGS. 1C and 2B, in the cylindrical convex portion 45 of the band portion 20, for example, a concave portion 45b formed at a proximal portion thereof and a convex portion 12d formed in an end portion 12c on the rear cover side of the casing 11 of the electronic device main body 10 are formed to have complementary shapes such that the concave portion 45 can be fitted with the convex portion 12d. In this case, as shown in FIGS. 1C and 2B, when the rigid band portion 20 is in the closed position P2, the rigid band portion 20 can be supported also at the convex portion 12d of the end portion 12c on the rear cover side of the casing 11 of the electronic device main body 10. Here, it is also possible to adopt an arrangement in which a gap remains between the concave portion 45b and the convex portion 12d when the rigid band portion 20 is in the closed position P2.

[0058] In the state where the rigid band portion 20 of the electronic device 1 is in the closed position P2, when the push button 60 is pushed in a direction F2, the engaging pin 48 of the rigid band portion 20 is pushed in the direction D2 being a radially inward direction by the large-diameter bottom end portion 62 of the pushbutton 60 and retracted. As the engaging pin 48 is retracted in the direction D2, the rigid band portion 20, having received from the coil spring 44 a biasing force biasing it in the direction A1 toward the open position P1, is pivoted in the direction A1 relative to the casing 11 of the electronic device main body 10. When the engaging pin 48 is retracted to the position corresponding to the peripheral surface 46, under the influence of the spring 44, it is pivoted in the direction A1 to reach the open position P1. During this pivoting movement, the tip portion of engaging pin 48 performs sliding movement along the peripheral surface 46.

[0059] The mounting mechanism with adjustment function which is employed in the wrist-mounted electronic device of the present invention is designed as a mechanism with the ability to adjust the degree of closing of the holder in a non-staged, continuous fashion according to the thickness of a user's wrist that differs from person to person, to thereby maintain the electronic device at its most suitable position. As such, instead of adopting the conventional arrangement such as one shown in FIG. 5A in which one hinge piece 124 and the other hinge piece 128 are directly engaged with each other using a locking pin 132 inserted into a hole formed in the one hinge piece 124, the mechanism adopts an arrangement in which, as shown in FIG. 5B, a member 110 is formed separately so as to intervene between the one hinge piece 124 and the other hinge piece 128 and the engaging pin 48 is inserted into a hole formed in the member 110 to thereby allow the relative angle of the member 110 to be continuously changed with respect to the one hinge piece 124, thus making it possible to adjust the positional relationship between the one hinge 124 and the other hinge 128 in a non-staged, continuous fashion. Further, for allowing such adjustment of the positional relationship to be conducted without disassembling the hinges, the present invention adopts a mechanism whereby the member intervening between the both hinge pieces has its angle adjusted by manipulation from the outside.

[0060] FIGS. 6A and 6B are enlarged views of holes formed in the hinge piece on the main body side. FIG. 6A is a lateral sectional view illustrating a state where the hinge is not fixed, and FIG. 6B is a lateral sectional view illustrating a state where the hinge is fixed. As shown in FIG. 6A, while a holder 122 is being in its open position, the engaging pin 48 rests within the hole 126 due to obstruction by the opposing hinge piece 128. In FIG. 6B, the engaging pin 48 is fitted in a hole 130 formed in the hinge piece 128 on the main body 121 side, and a force for opening the holder 122 which is produced by a not-shown coil spring causes the engaging pin 48 to abut on one side wall of the hole 130 to be thus secured thereto. In this way, the holder 122 is positioned to be in its closed state.

[0061] A push-out bar 138 is integrated with a push button 139 for making vertical movement so as to push back the engaging pin 48 fitted in the hole 130 (131). In this state, when the push button 139 is depressed so as to push the engaging pin 48 inwardly into the hole 126 while resisting a force applied by the spring, the locking between the hole 130 and the engaging pin 48 is released and the holder 122 is lifted up due to the force applied by the spring coil, whereby the state shown in FIG. 6A is attained for allowing detachment of the electronic device from the wrist. When attaching the electronic device onto the wrist, the hinge 122 (123) being in its opened state as shown in FIG. 6A is caused to pivot against the force of the coil spring, whereby the engaging pin 48 slides on the surface of the associated hinge 128 (129) to eventually reach the position of the hole 130 (131) and then is inserted therethrough due to the spring force, so that the state shown in FIG. 6B is attained. The above state corresponds to the state where the electronic device is being worn.

[0062] Note that the number of the holders to be joined by the hinges may be either one or two. Further, it is preferable to provide at the tip of the push-out bar 138 a plate P having a large sectional area. Further, depressing of the push button 139 is facilitated when it is biased toward the outside of the device main body so as to return to its original position. As described hereinabove, according to the wrist-mounted electronic device of this embodiment of the invention, the fitting between the engaging pin and the hole is released by means of the push button to bring the holder into its opened state, whereby the wrist-mounted electronic device can be readily detached from the wrist.

[0063] As a mechanism for adjusting the degree of hinge opening, the present invention includes: a cylindrical member having the engaging pin inserted therethrough and intervening between the hinge piece on the main body side and the hinge piece on the holder side which together constitute the hinge; and a mechanism for adjusting from the outside the rotation angle of the cylindrical member relative to one of the hinge pieces. While the engaging pin is being fitted in an associated fitting hole formed in the other hinge piece, the rotation angle of the cylindrical member relative to the one hinge piece is adjusted by the above-mentioned adjustment mechanism, for adaptation to the thickness of the wrist. The mechanism allowing the rotation angle of the cylindrical member to be adjusted from the outside consists of: a cam groove formed in the cylindrical member; a sliding member having embedded therein a pin engaging with the cam groove, the sliding member being held so as to be unrotatable yet to be slidable in one direction with respect to the one hinge piece; and a screw whose head is exposed to the exterior surface of the hinge portion and which allows positional adjustment of the sliding member in such a manner that the sliding member can move forward/backward in one direction. Here, the cylindrical member is rotationally displaced by means of the cam through the pin for adjusting the position of the sliding member in one direction with the above-mentioned screw, whereby adaptation to various wrist thicknesses can be performed in a continuous manner based on such rotational displacement.

[0064] The degree of hinge opening is adjusted in the manner described above. Now, an illustration will be given of the degree of hinge opening by way of FIGS. 7A and 7B. FIG. 7A is an enlarged sectional view of a hinge portion on one side. FIG. 7B is a sectional view illustrating the entirety of the wrist-mounted electronic device. The drawings illustrate three mounting states respectively corresponding to the cases where the device is being worn on a thin wrist, a middle-thickness wrist, and a thick wrist, although in actuality such mounting state may be changed continuously in accordance with the pivoting movement of the cylindrical member. The angle adjustment may be performed in a continuous, non-staged fashion, and further the adjustment may be made at hinges on both sides of the device, thus enabling the angle adjustment to be performed with a high degree of freedom. As described above, in accordance with the mounting body of the wrist-mounted electronic device of this embodiment, the fixing position of the band can be changed by causing the sliding member to move forward/backward to thereby adjust the rotation angle of the cylindrical member. As a result, the band can be maintained at a position that is most suitable for a given wrist thickness.

[0065] Further, in accordance with the present invention, when mounting the wrist-mounted electronic device onto the wrist, the band is fixed in place by means of the locking between a hole provided in the hinge and the engaging pin, the user may simply press the holder against his/her wrist without regard to the fitting position or state. Further, if the device is provided with two holders, a microphone and a speaker of a portable telephone or the like may be built in each of the holders. According to such an arrangement, based on the similarity between the length around a wrist and the distance between an ear and a mouth, it is possible to construct a wrist-mounted electronic device that may be used by both being worn on the wrist and being held against the ear and the mouth.

[0066] FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing the hinge portion between the main body 121 and the holder 122. Provided between the hinge piece 128 on the main body 121 side and the hinge piece 124 on the holder 122 side is the cylindrical member 110. As is apparent from an enlarged sectional view indicated by an arrow in the drawing, the cylindrical member is formed having a solid portion at its one end side. In the solid portion, the hole 126 into which the engaging pin 48 is inserted is formed in its radial direction and a screw hole is formed in its axial direction in the center of the end portion. The other end side of the cylindrical member is formed so as to be hollow and long holes 111 serving as cam grooves are formed on both sides of its side wall in a symmetrical manner. Fitted in this hollow portion is a sliding member 112. The sliding member 112 has on its one side a through hole for inserting therethough the pin 113 engaging with the long holes 111 and has a rectangular flat cross section on the other side. A screw hole for threaded engagement with an adjust screw 115 is formed in the axial direction at the center of its end portion.

[0067] The pin 113 is inserted into the above-mentioned through hole, and the both ends of the pin engage with the above-mentioned long holes, thus constituting the cam mechanism. During assembly of the device, the exterior of the cylindrical member 110 is covered with a cover 114 to prevent the pin from falling off. The cover 114 has a notch formed in a manner unobstructive to the engaging pin 48. The hinge piece 124 on the holder 122 side consists of a member situated at the center thereof and members at its both ends. The member situated at the center has a square hole 124a having a rectangular cross section in which a flat portion 112a of the sliding member is fitted. The fitting between the both members may be of any suitable fitting to allow sliding movement of the sliding member in the axial direction yet to restrain rotation thereof about its axis. As such, the cross sectional shape needs not be a rectangle but may be any shape insofar as it is not circular about the axis.

[0068] The hinge piece 128 on the main body side consists of two hinge pieces provided on right and left sides thereof. As for the assembly of this hinge member, the two hinge pieces are arranged between the above-mentioned three hinge pieces 124 on the holder side in a manner of comb teeth. Disposed inside the hinge piece 128 on the left hand side in the drawing is a hinge spring 135 urging the main body 121 and the holder 122 in the opening direction. This mechanism is the same as that employed in the conventional device shown in FIG. 11. Between the hinge piece 128 on the right side and the center hinge piece 124 on the holder side, the sliding member 112 is fitted and inserted into the above-mentioned cylindrical member 110 while being covered with the cover 114. At this time, the respective members are joined such that the flat portion 112a of the sliding member is fitted in the rectangular square hole 124a formed in the center hinge piece 124. The adjust screw 115 is inserted through the axis hole from the left end of the hinge piece 124 and the tip portion of the screw is brought into threaded engagement with the central screw hole formed in the sliding body 113. Then, a retaining ring 117 is inserted from a space formed between the hinge pieces and fitted in a circumferential groove portion which is provided in the base portion of the adjust screw 115 where no thread groove is formed, thereby positioning the adjust screw 115 in the axial direction of the hinge piece 124 and preventing it from falling off. A screw 116 is inserted through the central screw hole from the right end side of the hinge piece 124 to be brought into threaded engagement with the screw hole formed at the right end of the cylindrical member 110.

[0069] In the state of assembly as described above, rotating the adjust screw 115 causes the sliding member 112, whose rotation is restrained yet whose displacement in the axial direction is permitted, to be displaced forward/backward in the axial direction in accordance with the amount of rotation. The direction of such displacement depends on the thread groove and the direction of rotation. As the sliding member 112 is displaced, the pin 113 embedded therein is also displaced to cause the cylindrical member 110, with which the pin 113 engages through the long holes 111, to be rotationally displaced due to the cam mechanism. Into the hole 126 formed in the cylindrical member 110 is inserted the engaging pin 48 through a spring material provided at its tip portion. The rotation angle of the engaging pin 48 relative to the hinge piece 124 depends on the rotational displacement of this cylindrical member 110. As the holder 122 is caused to pivot from its open state shown in FIG. 6A in the direction for strapping it on the wrist against the spring force of the hinge spring 135, the engaging pin 48 is caused to slide on the surface of the hinge piece 128 to eventually reach the position of the hole 130 and then is inserted into the hole 130 due to the spring force, thus attaining the state shown in FIG. 6B. The position where the holder 122 is locked depends on the positional relationship between the hole 130 formed in the hinge piece on the main body side and the engaging pin 48 inserted into the above-mentioned cylindrical member 110. In the present invention, the cylindrical member 110 is provided as a member intervening between the hinge piece 128 on the main body 121 side and the hinge piece 124 on the holder 122 side, and the angle it forms relative to these hinge pieces can be adjusted using the above-mentioned adjust pin, whereby adaptation to the thickness of the user's wrist can be performed as appropriate. Moreover, such adjustment can be performed easily from the outside without the necessity of disassembling device parts or the like.

[0070] Next, an illustration will be given of another embodiment of the present invention, in which the adjust screw 115 is inserted through the center hinge piece 124 on the holder side, the sliding member 112 is slidingly displaced in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction, and the cylindrical member 110 is rotationally displaced by means of the cam mechanism. FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the hinge portion between the main body 121 and the holder 122. In the drawing, a member intervening between the hinge piece 128 on the main body 121 side and the hinge piece 124 on the holder 122 side is the cylindrical member 110. As is apparent from an enlarged sectional view indicated by an arrow in the drawing, the hole 126 for inserting the engaging pin 48 therethrough is formed on one end side of the cylindrical member 110 in the radial direction thereof, and the screw hole is formed at the center of its end portion in the axial direction. A long groove 111 serving as a cam groove is formed in the other end side surface of the cylindrical member 110 in a manner as shown in the side view on the right hand side of FIG. 10.

[0071] Further, as shown in the side view on the left hand side of FIG. 10, in a surface of the center hinge piece 124 on the holder side which is in contact with the cylindrical member 110, there are formed a long groove 124a having a rectangular cross section and a through hole which extends from an exterior surface of the hinge piece to the long groove 124a and into which the adjust screw 115 is inserted. The sliding member 112 having a rectangular cross section is fitted in this long groove 124a so as to be slidable along the longitudinal direction thereof. Formed at the center of the cross section of the sliding member 112 is a though hole having a thread groove formed along the longitudinal direction thereof, and the pin 113 to be engaged with the above-mentioned long groove 111 is embedded in one end portion of its side surface. The cross sectional shapes of the long groove 124a and the sliding member 112 need not to be rectangular but may be any suitable shapes for allowing sliding movement of the sliding member 112 in the radial direction.

[0072] This embodiment of the invention is the same as the preceding embodiment in that: the hinge piece 128 on the main body side consists of two hinge pieces provided on right and left sides thereof; as for the assembly of this hinge member, the two hinge pieces are arranged between the above-mentioned three hinge pieces 124 on the holder side in a manner of comb teeth: and that the hinge spring 135 is disposed inside the hinge piece 128 on the right hand side in the drawing, for urging the main body 121 and the holder 122 in the opening direction. The above-mentioned sliding member 112 is fitted into the long groove 124a having a rectangular cross section and the adjust screw 115 is passed through the long groove 124a from the exterior surface of the hinge piece 124 so as to bring the tip portion of the screw into threaded engagement with the central screw hole formed in the sliding body 112. Then, the retaining ring 117 is inserted onto an upper wall surface of the long groove 124a and fitted in a circumferential groove portion which is provided in the base portion of the adjust screw 115 where no thread groove is formed, thereby positioning the adjust screw 115 in the radial direction of the central hinge piece 124 and preventing it from falling off. In this state, the cylindrical member 110 is inserted between the hinge piece 128 on the left side and the center hinge piece 124 on the holder side. At this time, the respective members are coupled such that the pin 113 of the sliding member 112 is fitted in the long groove 111 of the above-mentioned cylindrical member 110. The screw 116 is inserted through the central screw hole from the right end side of the hinge piece 124 into threaded engagement with the screw hole formed at the right end of the cylindrical member 110.

[0073] In the state of assembly as described above, rotating the adjust screw 115 causes the sliding member 112, whose displacement in the radial direction is allowed, to be displaced forward/backward in accordance with the amount of rotation. The displacement and its direction depend on the thread groove and the direction of rotation. As the sliding member 112 is displaced, the pin 113 embedded therein is also displaced to cause the cylindrical member 110, with which the pin 113 engages through the long groove 111, to be rotated and displaced due to the cam mechanism. Into the hole 126 formed in the cylindrical member 110 is inserted the engaging pin 48 through a spring material provided at its tip portion. The rotation angle of the engaging pin 48 relative to the hinge piece 124 depends on the rotational displacement of this cylindrical member 110. This embodiment is the same as the preceding embodiment in that this rotational displacement is utilized to perform positional adjustment of the holder.

[0074] The mounting mechanism with position adjusting function which is employed in the wrist-mounted electronic device of the present invention is designed as a mechanism with the ability to adjust from the outside the rotation angle, relative to one of the hinges, of the member having the latch pin embedded therein and intervening between the hinge piece on the main body side and the hinge piece on the holder side which together constitute the hinge. As is obvious from the foregoing examples, a wide variety of implementation modes may be adopted as specific means for realizing such a mechanism. In the foregoing embodiments, there is adopted a mechanism in which the rotation of the adjust screw is converted into linear displacement and the linear displacement is then converted into rotational displacement of the cylindrical member by means of the cam mechanism; however, the present invention is not limited to this and it is also possible to employ a gear mechanism. Any suitable mechanism may be adopted insofar as it allows manipulation from the outside and can cause the cylindrical member to be rotationally displaced in response to such manipulation.

[0075] In accordance with the wearable electronic device of the present invention, when a rigid band is in an opening position and when a user performs, while holding the rigid band with one of his/her hands (for example, the left hand), an operation such as depressing or the like with the other hand (for example, the right hand) with respect to an input operation portion such as a push button or a key switch provided in the rigid band, even if vibration or impact attendant on the input operation is exerted on the rigid band, the locking mechanism serves to prevent the electronic device main body from making swinging movement relative to the rigid band due to the vibration or impact. As a result, there is a reduced fear that the display portion of the electronic device main body will make irregular swinging movements upon performing, for example, an input operation, whereby the display of the electronic device is kept easy to view at all times.

[0076] The mounting mechanism with position adjusting function which is employed in the wrist-mounted electronic device according to the present invention includes: the cylindrical member having the engaging pin inserted therethrough and intervening between the hinge piece on the main body side and the hinge piece on the holder side which together constitute the hinge: and the mechanism for adjusting from the outside the rotation angle of the cylindrical member relative to one of the hinge pieces. The engaging pin has its angle adjusted by the above-mentioned adjustment mechanism while being fitted and locked onto the fitting hole formed in the other hinge piece, thereby allowing adaptation to various wrist thicknesses. Therefore, such adjustment can be performed in a non-staged, continuous fashion, thus allowing an optimum adjustment at all times irrespective of the thickness of the user's wrist. Moreover, such adjustment can be easily performed without the trouble of disassembling the device parts.

[0077] As the mechanism for allowing the rotation angle of the cylindrical member to be adjusted from the outside, there may be employed a mechanism constituted by: the cam groove formed in the cylindrical member; the sliding member having embedded therein the pin engaging with the cam groove, the sliding member being held so as to be slidable in the axial direction with respect to one hinge piece yet to be incapable of rotating movement; and the screw whose head is exposed through an end portion of the hinge and which serves to adjust the sliding member in position such that it can move forward/backward in the axial direction, or a mechanism constituted by: the cam groove formed in the cylindrical member; the sliding member having embedded therein the pin engaging with the cam groove, which is held so as to be capable of sliding movement in the radial direction with respect to the one hinge piece; and the screw whose head is exposed to the exterior surface of the above-mentioned hinge piece and which serves to adjust the sliding member in position such that the sliding member can move forward/backward in the radial direction. Each of these mechanisms has a simplified structure as an adjusting mechanism and the adjustment can be performed in a non-staged, continuous fashion by simple manipulation such as pivoting the adjust screw, thereby allowing an optimum adjustment at all times irrespective of the thickness of the user's wrist.