GB2268217A - Bracelet buckle. - Google Patents

Abstract

A bracelet (10) which comprises two end portions (10A and 10B) and a buckle (11) formed by at least two articulated sections (12 and 13) joining the bracelet end portions (10A and 10B) and being foldable closed to bring the bracelet end portions (10A and 10B) into an end-to-end configuration. The buckle (11) includes a cross member (22) pivotably connected at one end (22B) to one (12) of the buckle sections (12 and 13) and being pivotable to an operating position extending substantially transversely to the buckle sections (12 and 13) in order to maintain the buckle sections (12 and 13) closed, and further includes locking means (24 and 25) for locking the cross member (22) in the operating position. <IMAGE>

Description

BRACELET The present invention relates to a bracelet which is suitable, but not exclusively, for use in a wrist-watch.

According to the invention, there is provided a bracelet which comprises two end portions and a buckle formed by at least two articulated sections joining the bracelet end portions and being foldable closed to bring the bracelet end portions into an end-to-end configuration, wherein the buckle includes EL cross member pivotably connected at one end to one of the buckle sections and being pivotable to an operating position extending substantially transversely to the buckle sections in order to maintain the buckle sections closed, and further includes locking means for locking the cross member in the operating position.

Preferably, the cross member is pivotably connected to one side of said one buckle section and extends in the operating position with its free end reaching the opposite side of the said one buckle section.

It is preferred that the locking means is provided at a free end of the cross member.

It is further preferred that the locking means is provided by the free end of the cross member engaging the said one buckle section.

Conveniently, the locking means is operable through a snapfitting action.

In a preferred embodiment, the cross member has a middle portion and two relatively shorter bent ends.

It is advantageous that interlocking means is provided between the or each pair of adjacent buckle sections for interlocking the buckle closed.

Conveniently, the interlocking means is operable through a snap-fitting action.

In a specific arrangement, the buckle sections form a single layer when the buckle is folded closed.

Preferably, the extreme ends of the bracelet end portions are reduced in cross-section in order to accommodate the thickness of the cross member when the cross member is in the operating position.

In a specific construction, the buckle is formed by two articulated buckle sections.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a wrist-watch incorporating any such bracelet briefly mentioned above.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of an embodiment of a bracelet in accordance with the invention, incorporating a buckle; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the buckle of Figure 1, in a partially open condition; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of the buckle of Figure 1, in a closed condition.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown partially a bracelet 10 embodying the invention, which comprises two end portions 10A and lOB and a buckle 11 joining the bracelet end portions 10A and lOB together. The buckle 11 has two hinged sections 12 and 13. The first buckle section 12 is formed by a pair of laterally spaced-apart elongate side members 14 and 15 which are connected together at a front end 12A of the buckle section 12 by a pair of spaced-apart transversely-extending integral bars 16 and 17 both having a reduced thickness compared with the side members 14 and 15. A gap 18 is formed between the side members 14 and 15.

The second buckle section 13 has a rear end 13B which fits loosely within the rear end of the gap 18 and is pivotably connected to the rear end 12B of the first buckle section 12, between the rear ends of the side members 14 and 15, by means of a hinge pin 19 passing therethrough. The buckle section 13 is of a width marginally smaller than that of the gap 18 such that it can be folded wholly into the gap 18 within the buckle section 12, thereby defining a singlelayer closed condition for the buckle 11.

The second buckle section 13 has in its front end 13A a bottom recess 20 in which a transversely-extending rib 21 is formed. In the aforesaid buckle closed condition, the front end 13A of the buckle section 13 reaches from above the bar 17 but not the bar 16, with the rib 21 engaging with the front side of the bar 17 as a snap-fit. The snapfitting action serves to hold the buckle sections 12 and 13 closely together or to hold the buckle 11 closed.

As shown in Figure 1, the bracelet end portion 10A is connected to and on the front end 12A of the buckle section 12 with the buckle section 12 extending relatively forwards, whilst the bracelet end portion lOB is connected to and on the front end 13A of the buckle section 13 with the buckle section 13 extending relatively rearwards. The arrangement is such that when the buckle 11 is closed, as described above, the bracelet portions 10A and lOB will be brought into an end-to-end configuration.

With a view to securing the bracelet end portions 10A and 10B in the end-to-end configuration, the buckle 11 is provided with a locking cross member 22. The cross member 22 has a middle portion 22A and two relatively shorter bent end portions 22B and 22C, of which the end portion 22B is bifurcated. A laterally-extending integral lug 14A is provided on the outer side of the front end of the buckle section side member 14. The cross member 22 is pivotably connected to the side member 14 by its bifurcated end 22B receiving the lug 14A therein with a hinge pin 23 passing through the end 22B and the lug 14A.

On the directly opposite side of the buckle section 12, a laterally-extending integral lug 15A is provided on outer side of the side member 15, said lug 15A having a pointed free edge 24. The free end 22C of the cross member 22 has on its inner side a flat V-shaped groove 25. When the cross member 22 is pivoted down onto across the front end 12A of the buckle section 12, the groove 25 will engage as a snap-fit with the edge 24 of the lug 15A, thereby defining an operating or locking position of the cross member 22 as shown in Figure 3.

The cross member 22 is positioned generally symmetrically about the junction where the bracelet end portions 10A and lOB meet in the end-to-end configuration. In the locking position the cross member 22 embraces the extreme ends of the bracelet end portions lOA and lOB. The said bracelet extreme ends have a reduced cross-section in order to accommodate the thickness of the cross member 22, thereby providing a generally smooth continuation across the bracket end portions 1OA and lOB. Also, the cross member 22 fits closely over the reduced ends of the bracelet end portions lOA and lOB, and this requires and thus ensures that the buckle 11 is closed or the buckle sections 12 and 13 are snap-fitted together.

It is understood that the buckle 11 should be closed before the cross member 22 is snapped down into its operating position, and that on the other hand the cross member 22 must be opened first in order to permit the buckle 11 to be opened. With the provision of the locking action by the cross member 22, it is conceivable that the locking action between the buckle sections 12 and 13 may be omitted.

In this particular embodiment, the double snap-fitting action, namely that between the buckle sections 12 and 13 together with that provided by the cross member 22, in a generally mutually perpendicular manner will in use significantly reduce the risk of accidental opening of the buckle 11 when the bracelet 10 is worn by a user.

In a different construction, the buckle may be formed by three articulated buckle sections instead of two, as generally known in the art.

It is envisaged that the bracelet, incorporating such a buckle, according to the invention may be used as an ornamentation bracelet per se or as a wrist-watch bracelet.

The invention has been given by way of example only, and various modifications of and/or alterations to the described embodiment may be made by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as specified in the appended claims.

Claims (13)

1. A bracelet comprising two end portions and a buckle formed by at least two articulated sections joining the bracelet end portions and being foldable closed to bring the bracelet end portions into an end-to-end configuration, wherein the buckle includes a cross member pivotably connected at one end to one of the buckle sections and being pivotable to an operating position extending substantially transversely to the buckle sections in order to maintain the buckle sections closed, and further includes locking means for locking the cross member in the operating position.

2. A bracelet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cross member is pivotably connected to one side of said one buckle section and extends in the operating position with its free end reaching the opposite side of the said one buckle section.

3. A bracelet as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the locking means is provided at a free end of the cross member.

4. A bracelet as claimed in claim 3, wherein the locking means is provided by the free end of the cross member engaging the said one buckle section.

5. A bracelet as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the locking means is operable through a snap-fitting action.

6. A bracelet as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cross member has a middle portion and two relatively shorter bent ends.

7. A bracelet as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein interlocking means is provided between the or each pair of adjacent buckle sections for interlocking the buckle closed.

8. A bracelet as claimed in claim 7, wherein the interlocking means is operable through a snap-fitting action.

9. A bracelet as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the buckle sections form a single layer when the buckle is folded closed.

10. A bracelet as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the extreme ends of the bracelet end portions are reduced in cross-section in order to accommodate the thickness of the cross member when the cross member is in the operating position.

11. A bracelet as claimed in any one of the preceding claimed, wherein the buckle is formed by two articulated buckle sections.

12. A bracelet substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A wrist-watch incorporating a bracelet as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.