CH716829B1 - Bracelet attachment device. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for attaching a bracelet to a watch case, comprising: a terminal body (10A) of the bracelet, at least one movable attachment element (20) comprising a pivot part and mounted in the body terminal (10A) to be movable between an engagement position, in which the pivot part is arranged to engage with the casing, for example in a bore of a horn of the casing, and a retracted position, in which the part pivot is arranged to disengage from the housing so as to be able to release the terminal body (10A) from the housing, a lever (30A), mounted rotatably on the terminal body (10A), at least one movable cam engaged with the lever ( 30A) to move the movable attachment element (20) from the engagement position to the retracted position during a rotation of the lever (30A), characterized: in that the device comprises at least one static cam ( 40) mounted fixed on the terminal body (10A) opposite the movable cam, to imp daring an axial movement to the movable cam during its rotation, and in that the movable cam is directly formed on the movable attachment element (20), and arranged between the lever (30A) and the static cam (40) .

Description

The present invention relates generally to a bracelet attachment device, intended to attach a bracelet to a timepiece such as a watch.

[0002] Bracelet attachment devices are known in the prior art, such as those presented in the documents CH713218A1, EP2047766A2, or even JP4754249B2. In these devices, moving elements can take place in housings located in the horns of the watch case. However, these systems in particular have the disadvantage of requiring parts that are complex to manufacture and which must, moreover, be resized according to the inter-lug of the box.

An object of the present invention is to respond to the drawbacks of the prior art documents mentioned above and in particular, first of all, to propose a device for attaching a bracelet to, for example, a watch case, which makes it possible to provide, to a certain extent, a standardization of the elements of the fastening device and/or of the bracelet, without however making manufacture more complex.

For this, a first aspect of the invention relates to a device for attaching a bracelet to a watch case, comprising: a terminal body of the bracelet, at least one movable attachment element comprising a pivot part, and mounted in the terminal body to be movable between an engagement position, in which the pivot part is arranged to engage with the housing, for example in a bore of a horn of the case, and a retracted position, in which the pivot part is arranged to disengage from the case, so as to be able to release the terminal body from the case, a lever, rotatably mounted on the terminal body, at least one mobile cam engaged with the lever to move the mobile attachment element from the engagement position to the retracted position during a rotation of the lever, characterized: in that the device comprises at least one static cam fixedly mounted on the terminal body opposite the movable cam, to impose an axial movement on the movable cam during its rotation, and in that the movable cam is directly formed on the movable attachment element, and arranged between the lever and the static cam.

The attachment device according to the above implementation is a quick or reversible attachment device. It suffices in fact to actuate the lever to engage or disengage the pivot part of the case of the watch, so as to attach or detach the terminal body, without the aid of any additional tool. In addition, the mobile cam is formed directly on the attachment element, which avoids having to provide it on the lever, which simplifies the manufacture of the lever and thus offers a possibility of standardization. Indeed, provision can be made to modify only the width of the lever in the event of adaptation of the attachment device to another housing model which would have a different width.

[0006] Advantageously, the movable attachment element is mounted in the terminal body according to a sliding pivot connection.

[0007] Advantageously, the movable attachment element is engaged with the lever according to a sliding connection, preferably with the movable attachment element comprising a tenon engaged in a groove of the lever, and more preferably the element of movable attachment comprising two tenons each engaged in a groove of the lever. In particular, the studs are arranged at 180° from each other on a cylinder of the attachment element.

[0008] Advantageously, the static cam is driven into the terminal body.

[0009] Advantageously, the static cam comprises angular indexing means, such as a radial projection, arranged to engage with the terminal body, so as to define a predefined angular orientation between the static cam and the terminal body.

[0010] Advantageously, the lever is movable between: an initial rest position in which the movable attachment element is in the engagement position, and an actuation position in which the movable attachment element is in the retracted position,

[0011] Advantageously, the terminal body comprises: a housing arranged to accommodate the lever in the initial rest position, and a stop arranged to define the position of maximum actuation of the lever.

[0012] Advantageously, the attachment device comprises return means such as a spring, arranged to exert a thrust force on the movable attachment element towards the engagement position.

[0013] Advantageously, one of the moving cam - static cam assembly has a cam track with a rest portion such as a notch, the other of the moving cam - static cam assembly has a cam track with an apex or a protuberance, and the mobile attachment element is in the engagement position when the apex or the protuberance is engaged with or positioned at the level of the rest portion.

[0014] Advantageously, the rest portion is adjacent to a cam slope, so that the return means hold the movable attachment element in a stable position in the engagement position, and the lever in the initial position. rest.

[0015] Advantageously, the pivot part of the mobile attachment element passes through the static cam.

[0016] Advantageously, the pivot part is mounted in a pivot connection in the static cam.

[0017] Advantageously, the attachment device comprises: – two mobile attachment elements, – two static cams, in which: • the two movable attachment elements are arranged on either side of the lever, • the two static cams are each mounted fixed on a side of the terminal body, • the pivot parts of each movable attachment element pass through each a static cam so as to: o project from the static cam and/or from the terminal body in order to be able to engage with the casing, for example in a bore of a horn of the casing, when each movable attachment element is in the engagement position, o be retracted in the static cam and/or in the terminal body to release the terminal body from the housing, when each movable attachment element is in the retracted position.

A second aspect of the invention relates to a watch strap comprising at least one fastening device according to the first aspect.

A third aspect of the invention relates to a wristwatch, comprising at least one attachment device according to the first aspect.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly on reading the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention given by way of non-limiting example and illustrated by the appended drawings, wherein : FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of a first embodiment of a fastening device according to the invention; FIG. 2 represents a perspective view of an attachment element and of a static cam of the attachment device of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 represents a perspective view of a lever in engagement with the attachment element with the static cam of the FIG. 1 attachment device; FIG. 4 represents a section of the attachment device of FIG. 1, with the attachment elements in an engagement position for attaching a bracelet terminal body with a watch case; FIG. 5 represents a section of the attachment device of FIG. 1, with the attachment elements in a retracted position to release a bracelet end body from a watch case; FIG. 6 represents a second embodiment of a fastening device comprising a lever produced according to an alternative to the lever of the fastening device of FIG. 1; FIG. 7 represents a fastening device according to a third embodiment; FIG. 8 represents the attachment device of FIG. 7 integrated into a flexible bracelet.

Figure 1 shows a bracelet attachment device according to a first embodiment of the invention. The fastening device according to this embodiment comprises in particular two fastening elements 20 mounted in a terminal body 10A of the bracelet and in a lever 30 articulated in rotation on the terminal body 10A. In this first embodiment, the end body 10A is typically an end link of a link bracelet, that is to say comprising a plurality of links hinged to each other.

In addition, two static cams 40 are provided on each side of the terminal body 10A, and a spring 50 is mounted between the two attachment elements 20, in a bore 32 of the lever 30, as part of the elements of clip 20 as shown in Figure 4.

In general, the attachment device is provided to move the two attachment elements 20 between a retracted position (Figure 5) in which the terminal body 10A is free relative to the case 60 of the watch ( shown in thin dashed lines on the right only) and an engagement position (FIG. 4) in which the terminal body 10A, via the attachment elements, is attached to the case 60 of the watch (still shown in thin dashed lines on the right only).

Indeed, the attachment elements 20 can be retracted into the terminal body (Figure 5), or have a pivot part 21 projecting or protruding from the terminal body 10A (Figure 4).

In detail, and as shown in Figure 2, each attachment element 20 comprises a pivot part 21, a movable cam 22 comprising two movable cam tracks, a guide part 26, a tenon 23 and an end free 25. The two mobile cam tracks or mobile cam 22 are separated by notches 24 opposite each other at 180°.

[0026] Opposite each attachment element 20, provision is made for the fixed mounting of static cams 40 in the terminal body 10A, and which each comprise a base 41, two static cam tracks 42, and a protrusion 43, which can be otherwise called ear. Each static cam 40 is mounted fixed or driven into a bore 11 of the terminal body 10A, and the protuberances 43 make it possible to position the static cams 40 angularly with respect to the terminal body 10A.

[0027] Figure 2 shows a particular angular position between the attachment element 20 and the static cam 40: the vertices 44 of the static cam tracks 42 are aligned with the notches 24 of the attachment element 20. In this position, and under the effect of the spring 50, it is understood that the mobile cam tracks or mobile cam 22 and static cam tracks 42 will nest one inside the other, and the pivot part 21 passes through the cam static 40, to get out and protrude, as well shown in Figure 4.

[0028] Starting from FIG. 2, if the attachment element 20 is pivoted by 90°, then the vertices 44 will face the vertices of the mobile cam tracks or mobile cam 22, so that the element attachment 20 will move away from the static cam 40, with the effect that the pivot part 21 enters the static cam 40, and does not protrude from it, as shown in Figure 5.

This kinematics is made possible by an action exerted by the user on the lever 30. The latter therefore comprises a bore 32, provided with a groove 33, visible in Figure 1 and especially in Figure 3. The tenon 23 of the attachment element 20 is engaged in the groove 33, so that the connection between these two parts is a slide connection, as shown by the double arrow in Figure 3.

[0030] Consequently, and as the lever 30 is rotatably mounted on the terminal body 10A, a rotation of the lever 30 will also rotate the attachment elements 20, which are each facing a static cam 40 Due to the force exerted by the spring 50, the mobile cam tracks or mobile cam 22 and static cam tracks 42 will cooperate to cause, due to the relative rotational movement, an axial movement in the lever 30 of each element. tether 20.

As shown in Figure 1, the terminal body 10A has a housing 12 in which the lever 30 can be housed when it is in an initial rest position, which corresponds to Figure 4, where the elements of clip 20 are in the engagement position. In this position, the spring 50 therefore presses on the attachment elements 20, with the vertices 44 of the static cam tracks 42 aligned with the notches 24 of the attachment element 20.

This position is a stable position of rest, because to get out of it, it is necessary to force the spring 50. In other words, due to the engagement of the vertices 44 of the static cam tracks 42 aligned with the notches 24 of the attachment element 20, the spring 50 maintains the lever 30 in the initial position of rest.

To actuate the mechanism, a user can act on a free end 31 of the lever 30, to pivot it out of the housing 12 and bring the lever 30 into mechanical abutment on the terminal body, after a rotation of 90° for example. . Thus, the vertices 44 of the static cam tracks 42 are made to face the vertices of the movable cam tracks or movable cam 22, which causes the attachment elements 20 to “retract” into the lever 30 to retract them. The user can detach and release the terminal body from the watch case 60 because the pivot parts 21 no longer project relative to the terminal body 10A.

As clearly shown in Figures 4 and 5, it can be seen that the lever 30 is rotatably mounted on the terminal body 10A, via the attachment elements 20 and the static cams 40. Indeed, each element of fastener 20 has a guide part 26 mounted in the bore 32 of the lever 30, and the pivot part 21 of each fastener element 20 being mounted in a bore of each static cam 40, the latter being driven into the terminal body 10A .

[0035] Figure 6 shows a second embodiment (a manufacturing variant of the first embodiment) with a lever 30B which still comprises a bore 32, but two grooves 33, so that the attachment elements 20B can have of two tenons 23 opposed at 180°. All the rest of the attachment device being identical to the attachment device of FIG. 1, this will not be described again.

[0036] FIG. 7 represents a third embodiment of a fastening device, with a terminal body 10B which has a cylindrical external shape, in order to be able to form an insert to be integrated into the end of a flexible bracelet, in leather or polymer for example.

[0037] The terminal body 10B has an internal bore which accommodates the static cams 40 and the attachment elements 20 (whose figures 7 and 8 show the pivot part 21 protruding from the static cam 40) identical to the first embodiment : the static cams 40 are driven on each side into the terminal body 10B, so as to imprison the attachment elements 20 and the spring (not visible).

As in the first embodiment, the terminal body 10B has a central housing in which the lever 30C is positioned, the latter being rotatably mounted relative to the terminal body 10B via the attachment elements 20 and static cams (the assembly is identical to that of figures 4 and 5 described above).

The terminal body 10B forms, in this third embodiment, an insert to be integrated into the end of a flexible bracelet 100. As shown in Figure 8, the terminal body 10B is mounted at the end of the flexible bracelet 100 , by techniques known to those skilled in the art, of the bonding or sewing type. A central passage slot for the lever 30C is also provided at the end of the flexible strap 100 in order to allow a user to actuate the lever 30C to make it pivot and detach/attach the flexible strap 100 to a watch case.

[0040] It appears that the static cams 40 are added parts and driven into the terminal body, that the attachment elements 20 embed the mobile cam tracks or mobile cam 22, so that all these elements are independent parts which can easily be used for bracelets of different sizes, or of special external shapes, which makes it possible to use these elements for several models. Thus, the most complex parts to be machined are identical regardless of the dimensions of the between-horn of the box, the static cams 40 and the attachment elements 20 are identical. The components specific to the specific width are the terminal body 10B, the internal spring and the lever 30C, which are less complicated parts to machine. We therefore do not change the ranges or the manufacturing settings of the most complex parts.

Furthermore, the assembly does not require the lever 30, 30B, 30C to be fixed beforehand on the terminal body 10A or 10B, since the pivot connection between these two parts is provided by the attachment device itself: the production is faster. In particular, on each side of the terminal body, a static cam 40 is driven (or force-fitted) into the terminal body 10A or 10B and comprises a through hole, which receives and guides the pivot part 21 of an attachment element 20. Each attachment element 20 also comprises a guide part 26 housed in the bore 32 of the lever 30, 30B or 30C, so that each guide element 20 provides the mechanical connection between the terminal body 10A or 10B and the lever 30, 30B or 30C.

It will be understood that various modifications and/or improvements obvious to those skilled in the art can be made to the various embodiments of the invention described in the present description without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims. In particular, reference is made to tight or pushed mounting of each static cam on the terminal body, but mounting by screwing or by elastic fitting (clipping) for example can be envisaged.

Claims (14)

1. Device for attaching a strap to a watch case (60), comprising: – a terminal body (10A; 10B) of the bracelet, – at least one movable attachment element (20) comprising a pivot part (21) and mounted in the terminal body (10A; 10B) to be movable between an engagement position, in which the pivot part (21) is arranged to engage with the housing (60), for example in a bore of a horn of the housing (60), and a retracted position, in which the pivot part (21) is arranged to disengage from the housing (60), so as to be able to release the terminal body (10A; 10B) from the housing (60), – a lever (30; 30B; 30C), rotatably mounted on the terminal body (10A; 10B), – at least one movable cam (22) engaged with the lever (30; 30B; 30C) to move the movable attachment element (20) from the engagement position to the retracted position when the lever is rotated (30; 30B; 30C), characterized: – in that the device comprises at least one static cam (40) fixedly mounted on the terminal body (10A; 10B) facing the movable cam (22), to impose an axial movement on the movable cam (22) during its rotation, - And in that the movable cam (22) is directly formed on the movable attachment element (20), and arranged between the lever (30; 30B; 30C) and the static cam (40). 2. Attachment device according to claim 1, wherein the movable attachment element (20) is mounted in the terminal body (10A; 10B) according to a sliding pivot connection. 3. Fastening device according to one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the movable fastening element (20) is engaged with the lever (30; 30B; 30C) according to a slide connection, preferably with the movable attachment element (20) comprising a stud (23) engaged in a groove (33) of the lever (30; 30B; 30C), and more preferably the movable attachment element (20) comprising two studs (23) each engaged in a groove (33) of the lever (30; 30B; 30C). 4. Fastening device according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the static cam (40) is driven into the terminal body (10A; 10B). 5. Fastening device according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the static cam (40) comprises angular indexing means, such as a radial projection (43), arranged to engage with the body terminal (10A; 10B), so as to define a predefined angular orientation between the static cam (40) and the terminal body (10A; 10B). 6. Fastening device according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: – the lever (30; 30B; 30C) is movable between: – an initial rest position in which the movable attachment element (20) is in the engagement position, and – an actuation position in which the movable attachment element (20) is in the retracted position, – the terminal body (10A; 10B) comprises: – a housing (12) arranged to accommodate the lever (30; 30B; 30C) in the initial rest position, and – a stop arranged to define the position of maximum actuation of the lever (30; 30B; 30C). 7. Attachment device according to one of claims 1 to 6, comprising return means such as a spring (50), arranged to exert a thrust force on the movable attachment element (20) towards the commitment position. 8. Fastening device according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein – one of the moving cam (22) - static cam (40) assembly has a cam track with a rest portion such as a notch (24), – the other of the mobile cam (22) - static cam (40) assembly has a cam track with a vertex (44) or a protuberance, and wherein the moveable attachment member (20) is in the engaged position when the apex (44) or protrusion is engaged with or positioned at the rest portion. 9. Attachment device according to claims 6, 7 and 8 wherein the rest portion is adjacent to a cam slope, so that the return means maintain in a stable position the movable attachment element ( 20) in the engagement position, and the lever (30; 30B; 30C) in the initial rest position. 10. Fastening device according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the pivot part (21) of the movable fastening element (20) passes through the static cam (40). 11. Fastening device according to claim 10, in which the pivot part (21) is mounted in pivot connection in the static cam (40). 12. Fastening device according to one of claims 1 to 11, comprising: – two mobile attachment elements (20), – two static cams (40), in which: • the two movable attachment elements (20) are arranged on either side of the lever (30; 30B; 30C), • the two static cams (40) are each mounted fixed on one side of the terminal body (10A; 10B), • the pivot parts (21) of each movable attachment element (20) each pass through a static cam (40) so as to: o project from the static cam (40) and/or from the terminal body (10A; 10B) to be able to engage with the housing (60), for example in a bore of a horn of the housing (60), when each movable attachment element (20) is in the engagement position, o be retracted in the static cam (40) and/or in the terminal body (10A; 10B) to release the terminal body (10A; 10B) from the housing (60), when each movable attachment element (20) is in retracted position. 13. Watch strap comprising at least one fastening device according to one of claims 1 to 12. 14. Wristwatch, comprising at least one fastening device according to one of claims 1 to 12.