Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B37/00—Cases
  • G04B37/14—Suspending devices, supports or stands for time-pieces insofar as they form part of the case
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A44—HABERDASHERY; JEWELLERY
  • A44C—PERSONAL ADORNMENTS, e.g. JEWELLERY; COINS
  • A44C5/00—Bracelets; Wrist-watch straps; Fastenings for bracelets or wrist-watch straps
  • A44C5/14—Bracelets; Wrist-watch straps; Fastenings for bracelets or wrist-watch straps characterised by the way of fastening to a wrist-watch or the like
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B37/00—Cases
  • G04B37/14—Suspending devices, supports or stands for time-pieces insofar as they form part of the case
  • G04B37/1486—Arrangements for fixing to a bracelet

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a device for attaching a bracelet to a watch case comprising a middle part provided with a pair of strap fixing lugs, and more particularly such a device making it possible to interchange the bracelet in a simple manner, without tool and without risking damage to the case and / or the bracelet.
• a watch strap is generally fixed on the horns of the watch case by means of bars on which the strands of the bracelet are adapted, the ends of the bars being fixed to the horns of the watch case.
• the bars most often used are called spring bars and comprise at their ends two pivots. These pivots are movable inside a central tube and are subjected to the action of a spring, also housed inside the tube, and pushing the pivots outwards.
• the horns are provided with corresponding holes in which the pivots of the bars penetrate.
• the two horns are parallel and generally spaced from one another by fifteen to twenty millimeters.
• Such a system for fixing the strap to the watch case has the drawback of requiring in most cases the intervention of a professional to dismantle the strap when the latter has to be replaced by another.
• this disassembly operation is carried out with a specialized tool, for example tweezers, which may injure the watch case.
• This system is therefore not very satisfactory and does not meet the current requirements of the market which requires bracelet fixing devices allowing the users themselves to easily replace their bracelet with another. For example, we may wish to At any time of the day, adapt the type of your wristwatch according to the circumstances, and therefore be able to easily change your own bracelet, for example to have a bracelet matching the color of your clothes.
• the main object of the invention is therefore to remedy the drawbacks of the aforementioned prior art by providing a device for rapidly fixing a watch strap, which is safe and inexpensive, which can be easily implemented by the user himself. even, which adapts to any type of bracelet and which does not affect the aesthetics of the watch.
• the subject of the invention is a device for fixing a bracelet to a watch case comprising a middle part provided with a pair of strap fixing horns, this device allowing instant coupling and uncoupling of '' a strand of the bracelet with the middle part without any tool or special knowledge or visual inspection, characterized in that one of the ends of the bracelet is integral with a plate comprising two pairs of lugs, and cooperating with two pairs of grooves provided in lateral faces of the horns.
• the user can easily disassemble or reassemble the bracelet on a watch case by inserting the lugs into the grooves with which they are associated and by wedging them in the bottom thereof.
• connection points of the bracelet to the watch case are multiplied by two and allow a solid and reliable connection.
• Yet another advantage of the present fastening device lies in the fact that it can be indifferently used with flexible bracelets, for example leather or fabric, and with bracelets with metal links.
• each pair of grooves comprises a rectilinear groove and a bent groove having a rectilinear introduction part extended by a return part.
• the lugs are disposed respectively along the longitudinal edges of said plate and in that the grooves are formed on the side walls opposite the horns.
• Figure 1 is a perspective view of the fixing device according to the invention
• Figures 2 and 3 are partial sectional views showing the shapes and machining of the grooves formed in the device of the invention
• Figures 4, 5 and 6 show respectively in order, the relative positions of the pins in the grooves during the mounting of the strap on the watch case using the fixing device according to the invention.
• FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a watch case comprising a middle part 2 and one end of a strap 1 intended to be attached in an articulated manner to the middle part 2 using the device according to the invention .
• the middle part 2 comprises two pairs of fixing horns 2f of the bracelet 1, a single pair of these horns 2f being shown in the figure.
• the two pairs of horns 2f are placed in a conventional manner on the opposite sides of the middle part 2, at 12 o'clock and at 6 o'clock.
• horns it will be understood in the context of the invention any element of varied shape used to attach the strap 1 to the watch case.
• These 2nd horns can follow the general shape of the middle part 2, but not necessarily. It will be noted that the fastening elements which are attached little or not to the middle part 2, or even attached to the case, are also included in this general definition of horns.
• the holes inside the horns 2f are replaced by two pairs of grooves 2a, 2b and 2c, 2d.
• the grooves 2b and 2c are straight / rectilinear and vertical, while the grooves 2a and 2d are bent, thus allowing guiding until the setting of the strap 1.
• the grooves 2a, 2d bent have a rectilinear introduction part extended by a part in return.
• the rectilinear grooves 2b, 2c are proximal, and the angled grooves 2a, 2d are distal relative to the middle part 2.
• the returns extend towards the outside of the middle part 2 and that the rectilinear introduction part and the return part preferably form an acute angle between them, typically of the order of 45 °.
• the invention results in a plate 4, preferably rigid and slightly curved, matching the shape of the wrist and provided with four lugs 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d which will take their place in the grooves 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d formed inside the horns 2e, more precisely on the side walls opposite these horns 2e.
• the pins 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d are formed at the free end of the plate 4 and are arranged respectively along the outer longitudinal edges of this plate.
• lugs 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d can be produced industrially in the form of through axes, pins mounted by welding, crimping or by any other means, or can be an integral part of the plate 4.
• the plate 4 can be perforated, grooved or embossed to facilitate the adaptation of any type of bracelet (leather, metal, plastic, fabric, rubber etc.). Since the plate 4 is identical for each side of the middle part 2, it is therefore possible to reverse each half-bracelet to satisfy the needs of right-handers and left-handers.
• the plates 4 should preferably be rigid, the use of any material allowing it is possible.
• the lugs lb automatically mount it in abutment in the grooves 2b, 2c, thus making the plate 4, and therefore the bracelet 1 instantly integral with the middle part 2, and therefore with the watch, without any fixing, as shown in Figure 6.
• the final support is done by putting on the wrist of the watch.
• a blocking stop materialized by a ball for example recalled by a spring, a boss or any other mechanical means on the middle part 2 or the plate 4 can be added.
• the shapes of the middle part 1, the horns 2f and the plate 4 as well as the proportions are obviously not limiting.
• the invention is particularly intended: - for fast, safe, easy and tool-free attachment of a bracelet to a watch; stabilizing the watch strap on the wrist without excessive tightening of the latter; twice as normal security and robustness (four points instead of two generally).

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Buckles (AREA)
• Electric Clocks (AREA)
• Adornments (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=9503370

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (10)

Families Citing this family (22)

Family Cites Families (8)

• 1997
  • 1997-01-31 FR FR9701319A patent/FR2758951A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
• 1998
  • 1998-01-30 WO PCT/CH1998/000035 patent/WO1998034163A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 1998-01-30 DE DE69828729T patent/DE69828729T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1998-01-30 EP EP98900835A patent/EP0904572B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-01-30 JP JP10532419A patent/JP2000509506A/ja not_active Ceased
  • 1998-01-30 KR KR10-1998-0707741A patent/KR100523657B1/ko not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1998-01-30 US US09/341,841 patent/US6176612B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1998-01-30 CN CNB988000733A patent/CN1181412C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1998-02-02 TW TW087101185A patent/TW355672B/zh active
• 1999
  • 1999-10-22 HK HK99104727A patent/HK1019642A1/xx not_active IP Right Cessation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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