Today the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals a new wearable power apparatus for Apple Watch which may include one or more conductors, one or more batteries connected to the conductor, and/or an inductive coil that attaches to the Apple Watch to inductively transmit power from the battery to Apple Watch such as while watch is being worn.

Apple's invention relates to a new wearable power apparatus for Apple Watch which may include one or more conductors, one or more batteries connected to the conductor, and/or an inductive coil that attaches to the wearable electronic device to inductively transmit power from the battery to Apple Watch such as while watch is being worn.

As the power apparatus is wearable, a user may use the power apparatus without removing (and/or while using) the Apple Watch. The power apparatus may have attachment mechanisms or attachment components that attach to a band coupled to Apple Watch. Alternatively or additionally, the power apparatus may be at least partially embedded within the band. The inductive coil may also receive power for the battery from another inductive coil.

The battery may include one or more connectors that provide power to (and/or receiving power from) one or more other electronic devices.

In various embodiments, a wearable external power apparatus for Apple Watch may include a housing including a magnet that magnetically attracts the housing to the wearable electronic device, an inductive coil disposed within the housing, a conductor electrically connected to the inductive coil, a battery electrically connected to the conductor and an attachment mechanism that attaches to Apple Watch or a band coupled to Apple Watch. The inductive coil may inductively transmit power from the battery to Apple Watch while the wearable external power apparatus is worn.

In some examples, the attachment mechanism may be a clip that clips to the band. In various examples, the attachment mechanism may attach to an inner surface of the band.

In some implementations, the external power apparatus may transmit data to and/or receive data from the Apple Watch in addition to providing power to Apple Watch. For example, the external power apparatus may form a data connection between an iPhone and the Apple Watch via a connector and the power transfer component. In such an example, the external power apparatus may transfer data to and/or from the Apple Watch inductively via the power transfer component and to and/or from the iPhone via the connector.

Apple's patent FIG. 2 depicts the external power apparatus separated from the Apple Watch and band; FIGS. 8A and 8B depict an Apple Watch with a power apparatus integrated into the device's band.

In some implementations, the battery #807 of FIG. 8A or other storage component may be a flexible battery (such as a flexible lithium polymer battery, a flexible lithium-ion battery, a battery with a flexible graphene based current collector, and so on). This may allow the battery to bend or otherwise deform if the band bends.

Apple's patent application 20170033567 was filed back in Q3 2015. Considering that this is a patent application, the timing of such a product to market is unknown at this time.

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