Patents for Apple Watch Sport, Classic Buckle, and Link Bracelet Bands Awarded to Apple
The two Sport Bands that come included with the Apple Watch Sport.
Apple made some incredible innovations when it came to the Watch, but this extends to the bands as well. As the first batch of Watches get shipped out later this week, the United States Patent & Trademark Office has granted Apple for three patents for three popular Apple Watch band models, the Sport Band, Classic Buckle, and Link Bracelet.
Oddly enough, the bands descriptions are fairly vague. All three bands are titled “Band” and cover “the ornamental design for a band”. These patents come exactly one month after the USPTO granted a patent for the Modern Buckle to Apple.
The patent illustrations for the Link Bracelet show the band with magnetic pegs and a spring-loaded butterfly clasp. The band is made out of stainless steel and is made with over one hundred different parts.
The patent also covers the spacer links that have individual release buttons that allow Watch wearers to easily adjust their Link Bracelets. Gold custom-made link bracelets have also been spotted in the wild by celebrities such as Beyoncé and Karl Lagerfeld.
The Sport Band which is made out of fluoroelastomer features a pin-and-tuck mechanism that prevents the band from getting out of place. Looking at Apple’s support document, the band has gone through thousands of various tests to ensure maximum comfort.
The company even went as far as consulting with board-certified dermatologists to ensure the Sport Band doesn’t cause any skin reactions or irritations.
Similar to the Milanese and Leather Loops, the Classic Buckle uses a magnetic peg system that connects to the leather strap.
All three patents credit Senior VP of Design, Jony Ive as well as Marc Newson, who also is a designer. Also credited in the patent are a handful of other Apple employees.