Fossil Group, Inc.

Brad D Brinson

Sean E Daley

Brad William Piercey

Timothy Simeon Golnik

Ryan Griffin Geraghty

Alexander J Brown

Simon Wu

Each type of metal component part for two or more watch designs can be derived from instances of that corresponding type of MIM blank for that component part, which is formed from a same injection molding tool (respectively for each type of component part). An example instance of the MIM blank formed for a type of component part then has at least a portion of the instance of the MIM blank subtracted through a CNC milling process to form an interim shape and geometry of an instance of the type of component part for a given watch design. The CNC milling process can be applied to the MIM blank for that component part when the MIM blank is in its interim shape and geometry and has not yet been hardened to a finished shape and geometry of an instance of that type of component part for the watch design.

Subtractive manufacturing of an oversized MIM blank

A caseback has multiple, arc-shaped, ferrous, metal contacts that serve a dual purpose. The metal contacts i) establish an input connection between a battery for the wearable electronic device and charging prongs of a charger and ii) establish a magnetic coupling between the wearable electronic device and multiple magnets in the charger to hold the metal contacts of the wearable electronic device and the charging prongs of the charger in place during a charging of the battery. A male extension extends from a surface of the caseback to couple into a female receptor of the charger. i) The ferrous metal contacts' relationship with a positioning of the magnetics in the charger in combination with ii) the male extension coupling into the female receptor use magnetic and mechanical coupling to establish and control an alignment of the metal contacts with the charging prongs in three dimensions, a Z-axis, an X-axis, and a Y-axis.

Wearable electronic device with a caseback having multiple, arc-shaped, ferrous, metal contacts

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San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Brad D Brinson