CH674291B5 - - Google Patents

Abstract

The wrist-watch is comprised of a watch-case (1) and a bracelet (5) of which the extremities are provided with one part (9) of a mechanical coupling cooperating with the other part (6) of the coupling which is provided at the two opposite sides of the watch-case (1).

Description

DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to a wristwatch in which not only is the watch reversible and / or interchangeable as has already been proposed but where the strap itself is reversible and / or interchangeable.

Document CH 662 921 G A3 discloses a fixing using pins of the ends of a bracelet on a watch case. This coupling allows the interchangeability of the watch but not its reversibility nor the reversibility of the bracelet. In addition, the separation of the strap from the watch case can only be done using appropriate tools.

Document DE 656 448 describes a watch case which is detachably connected to the ends of a bracelet by means of a pressure or screw coupling. Either the coupling is insecure or it is complicated to operate.

Also known from the brief CH 13 964/63 is a fastener for a watch strap comprising coupling tabs fixed to the watch case cooperating with hooks articulated in an end piece of the strap.

In this case, the watch is removable and reversible but the strap is not reversible because the hook actuating members emerge under the end pieces of the strap.

Finally, document CH 179 155 discloses a wrist watch-5 in which the ends of the strap are each removably attached to the watch case. This fixing is obtained using screws or spring nipples, the latter being removable and accessible from one side of the bracelet, the latter is therefore not reversible.

None of these documents shows a simple, safe and easy to handle solution making it possible to produce a wristwatch, the watch of which is reversible and or removable, as well as the bracelet, which is the primary object of the invention.

The wristwatch according to the present invention is distinguished by the characteristics listed in claim 1.

The accompanying drawing illustrates schematically and by way of example two embodiments of the wristwatch according to the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the watch-brace-2o let, the bracelet being closed in the use or wearing position of the watch.

Figure 2 is a section illustrating the device for coupling one end of the strap to the watch case.

FIG. 3 is a section on the line III - III in FIG. 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the watch-brace-let, one end of the bracelet being decoupled from the watch case, for example to return it on itself.

FIG. 5 is a section illustrating a second embodiment of the coupling device between one end of the strap and the watch case.

Figure 6 illustrates in section a third embodiment of the coupling device.

Figure 7 partially illustrates the side view watch case having the part of the mechanical coupling.

The wristwatch illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 comprises a watch box 1 containing a watch movement, revealing a dial 2 and emerging on the side a 40 winder 3. This watch box is provided on two opposite sides, generally those corresponding to six o'clock and noon of a horn 4.

The strap 5 of the watch is provided at each of its ends with a coupling piece 6. This strap can be made of leather, plastic, metal, steel-gold or bimetal. It can be made up of links, part of which can be removable for lengthening the bracelet.

Each horn 4 of the watch case contains a male coupling element formed by a cylindrical groove so 7 surrounding a stud 8 which emerges therefrom axially. The free end 9 of this stud 8 has a rounded or generally conical shape. This stud has a retaining formation constituted here by an annular groove 10.

This stud 8 constitutes a male coupling member 55 carried by each horn 4 of the watch case 1.

Each of these male coupling members is intended to cooperate with a corresponding female coupling member, fixed to one end of the bracelet 5.

To this end, the part 6, which in the illustrated example comprises 60 an open longitudinal groove 11 allowing it to be fixed to the end of a bracelet by any known means, bar, pin, screw, etc. has a tubular section part 12 in which slides a slide 13. One end of the tubular section part 12 is closed by a plug 14 serving as a support for a spring 15 acting on the end of the slide 13 located in the tubular section 12. The free end 16 of the slide 13, emerging from the part 6 has a generally similar shape or

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identical to that of the plug 14. This slide comprises a countersink 17 crossed by a pin 18 whose ends are fixed in two opposite walls of the part 6, it is threaded through the slot 11. This pin 18 cooperating with the countersink 17 of the slide 13 limits the axial displacements thereof.

The slide 13 also comprises a housing 19 located in the extension of a cylindrical skirt 20 integral with the wall of the part 6 and whose internal and external diameters correspond to those of the cylindrical groove 7 in order to be able to penetrate therein.

The slide 13 also has a spout 21, having a bevelled side face, intended to cooperate with the circular groove 10 of the stud 8 in the position coupled from the part 6 to the horn 4 of the watch case.

Thus, the user can by simple introduction of the stud 8 into the skirt 20 and by pushing the watch case 1 against the piece 6 of the bracelet couple these two elements. To separate them, it suffices for the user to push on the end 16 of the slide 13 causing the release of the stud 8 the spout 21 coming out of the circular groove 10.

The strap of this wristwatch is therefore removable since it can be decoupled at each of its ends from the watch case. It is reversible, to do this it suffices to uncouple one of its ends from the box, to rotate the other end of the bracelet by 180 ° around the stud 8 and then to couple the first end of the bracelet again with the watch box.

It is thus possible to provide leather, plastic or metallic bracelets having two different faces as to their appearance, color, decor, etc. and the user can at any time use either side of the bracelet as the visible side when wearing the watch on his wrist.

The strap is also removable, it can indeed be completely uncoupled from the watch case and be replaced by another strap comprising parts 6 at each of its ends.

In the illustrated embodiment, part 6 is intended for a bimetal, steel-gold bracelet; White gold; yellow gold or platinum and gold, this is why it comprises an internal tubular element of steel 22 covered with an upper part 23 in one material and with a lower part 24 in another material, these parts 23,24 being integral between they.

In this case, the longitudinal slot 11 contains an open cylindrical part made of steel 25. This part 6 is particularly designed to be coupled to a bracelet also bimetal or having two faces of different appearance, one corresponding to the part 23 and the other. at room 24.

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates the wristwatch in a position where one of the sides of the strap 5 is disconnected from the watch case 1 allowing the strap to pivot relative to the box. To prevent this pivoting of the strap relative to the watch case from taking place unintentionally when the user simply wishes to take off his watch without turning the strap over, various means can be provided such as gentle friction between the stud 8 and the skirt 20 or between the latter and the horn 4 of the box; corresponding hollow and protruding formations formed on the part 6 around the skirt 20 respectively on the free edge of the horn 4 or on the flat face of the head 9 of the stud and on the spout 20 for example.

It is obvious that in variants the skirt 20 of the part 6 and the corresponding groove 7 of the horn 4 of the box, parts which essentially serve to guide the introduction of the stud 8 into the part 6, could be omitted.

Likewise, the shape of the stud 8, 9 and of the spout 21 can be modified as long as these parts together allow the production of a mechanical coupling which can be coupled by simple pressure but requiring voluntary action, the displacement of the slide 13 in the 'illustrated example, for its uncoupling in order to avoid inadvertent, unwanted separation of the bracelet and the watch case.

The shape of the piece 6, prismatic of square or rectangular section in the example illustrated, could be different, cylindrical of round or oval section, curved along its longitudinal axis or any other determined shape provided with decoration or not.

Rather than being actuated by one of its ends, the slide 13 could include an operating member emerging through a slot made in the wall of the part 6.

The principle of the present invention lies in the fact of having a bracelet without clasp in the conventional sense of the term, that is to say a continuous bracelet, provided at each of its ends with at least part of a mechanical coupling cooperating with at least a corresponding part secured to the watch case. The strap is thus removably attached to each of its ends on one of the two opposite faces of the watch case.

This principle allows by a simple manipulation of the user, a simple pressure, the removability of the bracelet allowing to use the same bracelet with several different watch cases or conversely several bracelets with the same watch box. This also allows reversibility not only of the watch but especially also that of the bracelet, or both at the same time. We can therefore consider double-sided bracelets thus increasing the aesthetic combinations or possible modes for the appearance of the wristwatch.

In the case of leather or plastic bracelets, the parts 6 are removably attached to the ends of the bracelet to allow the replacement thereof when it is worn while reusing the parts 6. In the case of metal bracelets, however, these parts 6 can be fixed removably or not at the ends of the bracelet. .

FIG. 5 illustrates a variant of the coupling of one end of the removable and reversible strap to a watch case 1. The part 6 comprises, as before, a slide but is adapted to receive and lock two nipples 8.9 integral with one side of the watch case.

The strap thus attached to the watch case is always removable and reversible, but its coupling to the watch case does not allow relative pivoting of these two parts.

In variants, the fixed, male or nipple coupling member 8, 9 could be integral with the parts fixed to the ends of the bracelet and cooperate with the mobile coupling member allowing unlocking by its movement which would be mounted in two opposite sides. from the watch case.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, two opposite sides of the watch case 1 each have a coupling part formed by two pins 9. A slot 30 is formed between these pins 9 having, near its bottom, lateral recesses 31 receiving the ends of a leaf spring 32.

The part of the corresponding coupling intended to be fixed on the end of a bracelet comprises a part 6 as described above comprising two openings 33, corresponding to the pins 9 and two slides 34, 35 each provided with a spout 36 intended for cooperate with a stud 9. A spring 37 is placed between these slides 34, 35 and tends to move them away from one another, in a position for closing the coupling. Each slide 34, 35 has a displacement stroke limited by a countersink 38 cooperating with a

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pin 39 and has a free end 40 emerging from the part 6 constituting a pusher.

The part 6 has a tongue 41 on its face directed towards the watch case 1 intended to engage, against the action of the leaf spring 32 in the slot 30.

This coupling device has two important advantages, firstly to open it you have to activate the

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two sliders 34, 35 simultaneously which excludes untimely opening, for example under the action of a shock, and on the other hand when the two sliders are actuated simultaneously the separation of the two parts of the coupling takes place practically automatically by the action of the leaf spring 32 on the tongue 41.

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3 sheets of drawings

Claims (6)

3 674,291 G 1. Wrist watch comprising a watch case and a strap in which each end of the strap is provided with a mechanical coupling cooperating with the other part of the coupling that has two opposite sides of the watch case, the corresponding members mechanical couplings being designed so as to ensure the fixing of the bracelet to the case by simple pressure of these members against each other, the unlocking of the coupling necessitating actuation by the user of a member of maneuver, characterized in that the watch case respectively the bracelet comprises on two opposite sides at least one male coupling member cooperating with a retaining spout of at least one slide movable against an elastic action inside a piece attached to the end of the strap respectively the watch case; and by the fact that the coupling comprises at least one slide, one end of which emerges from this part and serves as an operating member. 2. Watch according to claim 1, characterized in that the watch case comprises on two opposite sides a horn provided with a stud having a circular locking groove, this stud being surrounded over a part of its length by a groove cylindrical and in that the piece attached to the ends of the bracelet includes a guide skirt intended to penetrate into said cylindrical groove. 3. Watch according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that two opposite sides of the watch case comprise several male or female parts of a coupling cooperating with several female respectively male bodies corresponding to this coupling of the parts attached to the ends of the bracelet. 4. Watch according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bracelet is reversible, having different aspects or decorations on each of its sides. 5. Watch according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bracelet is formed from two different metals as well as the parts attached to its ends. 6. Watch according to one of claims 1 or 3, characterized in that the coupling comprises two slides, one end of which emerges from the piece attached to the bracelet and the other end of which comprises a spout cooperating with a coupling member male of the box, an elastic action tending to move the slides away from each other.