EP1593317A1 - Bracelet, in particular for a watch, incorporating an electrically conductive element - Google Patents

Abstract

The wristband has a wristband strand with inner and outer faces, and fixed to a case of a portable electronic instrument. The strand has an electric conductor with a conductive plate (10) of elongated shape arranged longitudinally in the strand. The plate has lugs (20) cut into its thickness and bent along a longitudinal line. The strand has orifices transversally arranged between the faces to electrically access the lugs. An independent claim is also included for a method for manufacturing a wristband.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention generally relates to a bracelet for portable electronic instrument comprising at least a first strand of bracelet comprising outer and inner faces and one end of which is intended to be fixed to a case of the portable electronic instrument, this first strand of bracelet comprising, housed between said outer and inner faces, an electrical conductor having an elongate conductive plate arranged longitudinally in the first strand of bracelet. The present invention also relates to a method of manufacturing such a bracelet.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

Bracelets incorporating electrical conductors are already known. The EP 0 125 930 and EP 0 126 629 describe for example a bracelet meeting the general definition given above, the electrical conductor embedded in the bracelet being used to provide an electrical connection with a component placed in the bracelet (for example a battery) or to form a loop antenna around the wrist. In the latter case, in particular, each strand bracelet is provided with an electrical conductor having one end connected to the housing of the electronic instrument and whose other end is connected to the end corresponding to the other strand by means of a closure device of bracelet, the latter itself being electrically conductive.

Other examples are known. WO 86/03645 presents by example a solution where the bracelet closure device can be of the type to buckle or plug-in type with male and female parts. The US 5,135,694 and US 5,526,006 present a solution where the position of the bracelet closure device can be adjusted on one of the strands of the bracelet, this Strand of bracelet comprising several zones distributed longitudinally on the face inside the bracelet where the electrical conductor is exposed and with which the bracelet closure device is electrically connected. These documents also present a solution to manufacture the bracelet which consists in providing one or more extensions on the conductive plate to allow maintenance of this plate in a mold during an overmolding operation of a material synthetic material around the conductive plate, this or these extensions being provided to be broken after overmolding.

In the aforementioned solutions, to ensure electrical contact with the conductive plate while allowing a length adjustment of the bracelet, note that parts of this conductor are exposed to allow contact elements arranged on the bracelet closure device to come into direct support on the conductive plate. This type of solution has a disadvantage insofar as the exposed parts of the conductive plate can quickly oxidize and thus cause a degradation of the quality of the electrical contact. This oxidation is particularly accelerated by the presence of sweat when this bracelet is worn on the wrist. From an aesthetic point of view, this type of solution is moreover not very desirable.

Another disadvantage of these solutions lies in the relative thickness important of the bracelet at the closure device, the two strands of bracelet superimposed on it. Finally, this type of solution limits the possibilities for achieving the bracelet closure device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A general object of the present invention is therefore to propose a solution to ensure an adequate electrical connection with the driver electric which is incorporated in the bracelet. In particular, the aim is to ensure adequate electrical connection with a bracelet closure device, too conductor, in particular for connecting two electrical conductors incorporated in each of the bracelet strands to form a looped conductor around the wrist of the user that can function as a loop antenna.

The present invention thus relates to an instrument bracelet portable electronics of the aforementioned type, the characteristics of which are stated in claim 1.

The present invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a such bracelet.

Advantageous embodiments of the present invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

It is thus proposed to provide at least one ear cut in the plate conductive and folded along a longitudinal line towards one of the faces outer and inner strand of bracelet, this bracelet strand further comprising least one orifice arranged transversely between the outer and inner faces of the strand of bracelet and spared to electrically access said at least one ear.

Preferably, several ears and orifices are thus arranged longitudinally in the bracelet strand to form a plurality of zones of electrical contact with the conductive plate. In this way, the bracelet strand and its incorporated electrical conductor can advantageously be cut according to a plurality of transverse cutting lines arranged between each contact zone electric.

Each orifice for electrically accessing an ear is preferably a through hole arranged to receive an axis electrically conductor coming into contact with the ear, the ear being itself provided with an orifice for the passage of the electrically conductive axis. The latter is advantageously made in two parts sandwiching the ear, preferably under the shape of a screw and a counter-screw.

The ear or ears thus formed in the conductive plate can advantageously play two roles. The first, as mentioned above, is to access the conductive plate to make an electrical connection with this plate. The second is to allow a maintenance of the conductive plate in a mold during an overmolding operation of a synthetic material around the conductive plate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

• les figures 1 a, 1 b et 1 c montrent respectivement une vue latérale, une vue en plan côté face externe et une vue en perspective d'une plaque conductrice formant le conducteur électrique destiné à être incorporé dans un brin de bracelet selon un mode de réalisation préféré de l'invention ;
• les figures 2a, 2b, 2c et 2d montrent respectivement une vue en plan côté face interne, une vue latérale en coupe, une vue en plan côté face externe et une vue en perspective d'un brin de bracelet incorporant la plaque conductrice illustrée dans les figures 1a à 1c ;
• les figures 3a, 3b, 3c sont respectivement une vue en coupe, une vue latérale et une vue en plan côté face externe illustrant la manière avec laquelle un contact électrique entre la plaque conductrice et un dispositif de fermeture de bracelet peut être assuré selon un mode de réalisation préféré.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly on reading the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention given solely by way of non-limiting example and illustrated by the appended drawings in which:

• FIGS. 1a, 1b and 1c respectively show a lateral view, an external side-plane view and a perspective view of a conductive plate forming the electrical conductor intended to be incorporated into a strand of a bracelet according to a method of preferred embodiment of the invention;
• FIGS. 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d respectively show an internal side plane view, a sectional side view, an external side plane view and a perspective view of a bracelet strand incorporating the conductive plate illustrated in FIGS. Figures 1a to 1c;
• FIGS. 3a, 3b, 3c are respectively a sectional view, a side view and an external side plane view illustrating the manner in which an electrical contact between the conductive plate and a bracelet closure device can be ensured in a preferred embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the remainder of the present description, an embodiment will be described. preferred embodiment of the invention where the driver incorporated in the bracelet is intended for operate as an antenna element. More particularly, in the context of this non-limiting example, the bracelet has two identical strands of bracelet each having the same conductor, these two strands being attached to each other by a strap closure device which also provides a connection between the two conductors of the bracelet strands so as to form a conductor loop around the wrist intended to function as an antenna at loop. This type of antenna configuration in a bracelet is well known and its principle of operation will not be discussed here. More information on this point can be found in particular in the documents cited in preamble.

It should be noted, however, that the invention is not limited to one application as an antenna. The driver incorporated in the bracelet can thus play another role, such as electrically connecting a component placed on the bracelet or may be connected to the bracelet to another electrical or electronic component disposed inside the housing of the portable electronic instrument.

Figures 1a, 1b and 1c respectively show a side view, a view of external side plane (by definition the "external face" is defined as the face facing the outside of the wrist when the wristband is worn, as opposed to the "inner face" which designates the face of the bracelet that is in contact with the wrist when the bracelet is worn) and a perspective view of a conductive plate, designated by the reference numeral 10, forming an electrical conductor for incorporated into a bracelet strand according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. This conductive plate 10 is self-supporting, that is to say it is formed of a plate of an electrically conductive material (for example steel, copper, etc.) that is cut and folded to the proper shape. This plate conductor 10 has a substantially rectangular shape whose axis longitudinal axis corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the bracelet strand in which this conductive plate 10 is intended to be incorporated.

In the preferred embodiment, a first end 10A of the plate conductive 10 is folded and is intended to allow the connection of the plate 10 corresponding components housed in the housing of the electronic instrument portable. This housing is not illustrated in the figures. Just know that this housing preferably has a configuration similar to that of a box of watch, the end 10A of the conductive plate 10 being thus located at the level of the attachment of the bracelet strand to the box.

The manner in which the conductive plate 10 is electrically connected in the case of the electronic instrument is not decisive for the purpose of the present invention. According to the configuration illustrated here as a non-limiting example, the folded end 10A of the conductive plate 10 is provided with two holes for ensure the electrical connection of the conductive plate 10 by means of screws to corresponding tracks or contact flanges in the housing of the instrument portable electronics. On the side of the end 10A of the conductive plate 10, note again the presence of two orifices marked by the numeral 12 on the utility of which we will return later.

In the illustrated example, the other end designated 10B of the plate conductive 10 is intended, as already mentioned, to be electrically connected to another identical conductive plate housed in the other strand of the bracelet. It's this second end 10B and its configuration which interests us more particularly in the context of the present invention.

In FIGS. 1a to 1c, it can thus be seen that the conductive plate 10 comprises a plurality of ears 20, here in the number of eleven, arranged longitudinally along the conductive plate 10. These ears 20 are made by cutting the conductive plate 10 and folding the cut portions out of the general plane of the conductive plate along a line parallel to the direction longitudinal strap. As will be seen later in more detail, the ears 20 are thus folded substantially at right angles to one (internal or external) of faces of the bracelet. In this case, these ears 20 are folded towards the face internal bracelet.

The plurality of ears 20 allows, as will be seen below, several possibilities of rough adjustment of the length of the bracelet, the extreme part not used of the wristband that can be cut. For the implementation of the invention, note that the conductive plate 10 may at the limit have only one ear, in which case the length of the conductor in the bracelet is determined once for any. One could thus consider that only a strand of bracelet has a plurality as illustrated in the figures and that the other strand of bracelet does not include a.

It will be understood that each ear 20 is intended to allow a connection electrical connection to the conductive plate 10. Each of these lugs 20 thus defines a zone of electrical contact with the conductive plate 10. In FIGS. 1a to 1c, the eleven contact zones thus defined are delimited by the broken lines and are indicated by the reference numeral 30.

Each lug 20 preferably has a through hole 21 which is intended to allow the electrical connection of the conductive plate 10 by via an electrically conductive axis arranged transversely in the strand of bracelet between the inner and outer faces of the bracelet. These holes 21 also advantageously make it possible to maintain the conductive plate 10 by via its ears 20 in a mold during an overmolding operation of a synthetic material around the conductive plate 10. In fact, when the overmolding operation of the synthetic material, the conductive plate 10 is kept in the mold by means of one or more of the 20 and the two points of support formed by the orifices 12. These points of support are recommended to ensure that the conductive plate 10 is correctly positioned in the mold during the overmolding operation.

Figures 2a to 2d show the general appearance of the bracelet strand (designated by numeral 50) according to the preferred embodiment after the operation of overmolding around the conductive plate 10. This conductive plate 10 is shown in Figures 2a and 2b to illustrate the position in the bracelet strand after overmolding. The inner and outer faces of the conductive plate 10 are thus completely covered by the synthetic material forming the bracelet strand 50, to except for the end portion 10A of the conductive plate 10 which is intended for be electrically connected to the components housed in the housing of the instrument portable as already mentioned. It can be seen that this end, designated 50A, of bracelet strand 50 is configured to present attachment means to the housing of the portable instrument. This is two protuberances 500 each provided with a through hole for the passage of a screw to make the end integral 50A strand bracelet 50 and the housing of the electronic instrument. Any other way adequate attachment can be provided.

The electrical access points to the conductive plate 10, on the other side end 50B of the bracelet strand 50, are formed laterally on the strand of bracelet. As illustrated in FIGS. 2c and 2d, it can thus be seen that a plurality orifices 51, preferably through-holes, are arranged transversely between the inner and outer sides of the bracelet strand to allow access to each of the ears 20 of the conductive plate 10.

On the inside of the bracelet strand 50, as illustrated in FIGS. 2a and 2b, there is provided a set of groove and / or recesses. A set of grooves transverse 55 is thus practiced since the end 50B of the bracelet strand, each these grooves coinciding with the limits of each electrical contact zone 30 with the conductive plate 10. These grooves 55 thus play the role of markings to facilitate a cutting operation of the bracelet between each zone of electrical contact 30. These markings may be made on one or both of the inner and outer faces of the bracelet strand. Moreover, in place of grooves, the markings could simply consist of adequate impressions on one either of the faces of the bracelet strand 50.

The set of grooves designated by the numeral 56 practiced on the inner face of the bracelet strand 50, as illustrated in FIGS. 2a and 2b, simply aims to improve the flexibility of the bracelet strand on the side of its attachment to the housing. On the inside of bracelet strand 50, the presence of two orifices 52 which coincide with the orifices 12 formed in the plate 10. These openings 52 result from the maintenance of the conductive plate 10 by the orifices 12 during the overmolding operation.

We will now briefly refer to FIGS. 3a to 3c to present a preferred embodiment for ensuring the electrical connection of the plate conductor 10 via the ears 20. As already mentioned in preamble, it is particularly desired to electrically connect the conductive plate 10 to the other identical conductive plate arranged in the other strand of bracelet, this by via a bracelet closure device itself conductor. In the FIGS. 3a to 3c only illustrate a part of such a closure device of FIG. bracelet, namely a designated element 60 of a conventional clasp. He can in particular be a clasp with folding clasp or the like.

As illustrated in FIG. 3a, the element 60 essentially presents the a bonnet made of electrically conductive material with two walls 61 which partially overlap the edges of the wristband strand 50. The connection between the element 60 and the conductive plate 10 is provided by an axis electrically conductive designated overall by the reference numeral 80. This axis 80 is preferably made in two parts 81, 82 to sandwich one of the ears 20. It is advantageously a screw 81 and a counter-screw 82 that can be made integral with each other. In the example of Figure 3a, the screw 81 is provided with a threaded end 81 arranged to pass through the orifice 21 arranged on the ear 20 and to be introduced into a corresponding thread 82a practiced on the counter-screw 82. The ear 20 is thus sandwiched between a shoulder of the screw 81 at the base of the thread 81a and the end of the counter-screw 82 thus ensuring the electrical contact with the conductive plate 10. The electrical contact with the element 60 of the clasp is provided by the support of the heads designated 81b and 82b screws 81 and cons-screw 82.

As an alternative to the use of a conductive axis 80 formed of two parts, one could imagine screwing the screw 81 directly into the ear 20 and not use a counter-screw 82, in which case the transverse orifice 51 might not be crossing. The realization in two part of the axis 80 making it possible to take sandwich ear 20 nevertheless appears preferable to ensure good contact electrical with the conductive plate 10 and the element 60 of the clasp.

It has already been mentioned above that the bracelet strand 50 could be cut to roughly adjust the length. This cutting operation is performed, if necessary, during a first fitting of the electronic instrument and his bracelet around the wrist. The correct length of bracelet is determined and the superfluous length of bracelet is cut out following the appropriate marking 55 on the bracelet. The element 60 of the clasp is then mounted by means of the axis 80 to the position adequate on the bracelet.

Preferably, as already mentioned, the bracelet has two strands the conductors are connected together through the device strap closure for forming a looped conductor for operating as a loop antenna. In the context of such use, it is preferable to ensure that the bracelet closure device is located at an equal distance from the housing of the portable electronic instrument. This makes it possible to minimize the effects of a contact of the closure device with the skin of the user on the operation and agreement of the antenna. This is also preferable from a point of view of the comfort worn. When coarsely adjusting the length of the strands of bracelet, it is therefore necessary to ensure that both strands of bracelet have substantially identical lengths after cutting.

In the context of use as an antenna, it should be noted that the fact of cutting a portion of the conductive plate 10 will affect the tuning of the antenna. he must be taken into account in order to tune the antenna to the desired frequency, this can be performed directly by a suitable tuning circuit in the receiver radio frequency that is connected to the antenna.

It will be understood that various modifications and / or improvements evident for those skilled in the art can be made to the embodiment described in the present description without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the claims attached. In particular, the electrical connection of the conductive plate to components housed in the housing of the electronic instrument could also be achieved by means of a folded ear as described, the axis electrically conductor ensuring electrical contact with the conductive plate can then be configured as a bracelet bar similar to those we meet classically. Moreover, as already mentioned, the invention is not limited to bracelet comprising a conductive plate acting as an antenna element but includes any solution that requires a driver to be incorporated into a bracelet.

Claims (10)

Portable electronic instrument bracelet comprising at least a first bracelet strand (50) comprising outer and inner faces and one end (50A) of which is intended to be fixed to a housing of said portable electronic instrument, this first strand of bracelet (50) comprising, housed between said outer and inner faces, an electrical conductor comprising an elongate conductive plate (10) disposed longitudinally in said first wrist strand (50),
characterized in that said conductive plate (10) comprises at least one lug (20) cut in its thickness and folded along a longitudinal line towards one of said outer and inner faces of the first bracelet strand (50),
said first bracelet strand (50) further comprising at least one orifice (51) arranged transversely between said outer and inner faces of the first strap strand (50) and arranged to electrically access said at least one ear (20). Bracelet according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of lugs (20) and orifices (51) are arranged longitudinally in said first bracelet strand to form a plurality of electrical contact zones (30) with said plate conductive. Bracelet according to claim 2, characterized in that said first bracelet strand (50) is arranged to be cut along a plurality of transverse cutting lines located between each electrical contact zone (30). Bracelet according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one of said outer and inner faces of the first wristband strand (50) is provided with transverse markers (55) arranged on said cutting lines to facilitate the cutting of said first strand bracelet (50). Bracelet according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a second bracelet strand identical to the first strand of bracelet (50), said first and second strands of bracelets being attached to each other by a bracelet closure device. Bracelet according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said orifice (51) allowing electrically access to said lug is a through orifice formed to receive an electrically conductive axis (80) coming into contact with said lug (20) the ear (20) also being provided with an orifice (21) for the passage of said electrically conductive axis (80). Bracelet according to claim 6, characterized in that said electrically conductive axis (80) comprises a screw (81) and a counter-screw (82) sandwiching said ear (20). Bracelet according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the other end (50B) of the first strand of bracelet (50) is attached to a bracelet closure device (60) and in that this bracelet closure device ( 60) is electrically connected to said conductive plate (10) through said electrically conductive axis (80). Bracelet according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said conductive plate (10) forms an antenna element. A method of manufacturing a wristband according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising an overmolding operation of overmolding a synthetic material on said conductive plate (10) to form said first wrist strand (50), which method is characterized by that said at least one lug (20) is operated to hold said conductive plate (10) in place in a mold during said overmoulding operation.

Images