EP0359498B1

EP0359498B1 - Watch case & band assembly for use in a wrist watch

Info

Publication number: EP0359498B1
Application number: EP89309188A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Masayuki C/O Hattori Seiko Co. Ltd. Akasaka; Makoto C/O Seiko Instruments Inc. Kumagai
Original assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc; Seiko Corp
Current assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc; Seiko Corp
Priority date: 1988-09-12
Filing date: 1989-09-11
Publication date: 1993-04-07
Anticipated expiration: 2009-09-11
Also published as: EP0359498A3; JPH0241191U; EP0359498A2; JPH0618313Y2; KR900004295A

Description

The present invention relates to a watch case and band assembly for use in a wrist watch.
Figure 2 shows a known watch case and band assembly for use in a wrist watch in which a recess 14 for fitting a band part 12 is formed on the reverse side of a case part 11 of a wrist watch. A band retaining member 13, for example a spring bar, is retained at both ends within the recess 14, the band retaining member 13 passing through a hole or bore 12a in the band part 12, thereby coupling together the band part 12 and the case part 11.
In the construction shown in Figure 2, however, the recess 14 provided on the reverse side of the case part 11 is open at its lower side, that is, on the reverse side of the watch, and therefore, when the watch is attached to the wrist, the band part 12 can pivot about the band retaining member 13 so as to make the connection between the case part 11 and the band part 12 unreliable. In addition, since in the construction shown in Figure 2 the end portion of the band part 12 is supported within the recess 14 on the reverse side of the case part 11, it is impossible to increase the size of an indicator-masking portion which is formed on the obverse side of the case part 11 which has the recess 14 formed therein, and this imposes a great restriction on designing.
In CH-B-538,139 there is disclosed a watch case and band assembly for use in a wrist watch comprising a case part and a band part, the case part having an outwardly extending portion which is located in a respective space in the band part and which is connected thereat to the band part by retaining means, the outwardly extending portion of the case part being disposed between two recesses in the case part, and the band part having projecting portions which are disposed adjacent the space and are located in respective recesses.
Similar disclosures are made in GB-A-933,969; CH-B-473,421; US-A-2,990,678; and CH-B-355,094.
In the prior art, however, the band part did not incorporate links with the result that the portions of the band part closest to the case part had to be capable of substantial pivotal movement with respect thereto and were disposed at substantial angles to the case part as clearly shown, for example, in Figure 1 of CH-B-538,139. As a result, the assembly would not be given an integral appearance and clearly comprised a plurality of separate parts at angles to each other.
According therefore to the present invention, there is provided a watch case and band assembly for use in a wrist watch comprising a case part and a band part, the case part having an outwardly extending portion which is located in a respective space in the band part and which is connected thereat to the band part by retaining means, the outwardly extending portion of the case part being disposed between two recesses in the case part and the band part having projecting portions which are disposed adjacent the space and are located in respective recesses, characterised in that the band part comprises a plurality of links the closest of which to the case part is provided with the projecting portions on opposite sides thereof, the projecting portions being closely received in the recesses and the outwardly extending portion being closely received in the space so as to limit pivotal movement therebetween, whereby the case part and the band part appear to be integral with each other.
The case part is preferably provided on each of its diametrically opposite sides with an outwardly extending portion disposed between respective recesses, each of the opposite ends of the band part being provided with a respective space and projecting portions.
The band part may have two portions one end of each of which is connected to the case part and the opposite end of which is connected to the other portion of the band part.
Alternatively, the band part may have one single expansible portion only.
Preferably, the or each outwardly extending portion and the respective projecting portions have aligned bores, the respective retaining means being located in said aligned bores.
Preferably, the distal end of the or each outwardly projecting portion engages or is engageable with a respective surface of the band part so as to limit pivotal movement of the latter -with respect to the case part.
Thus, in its preferred form, pivoting of the projecting portions of the band part is limited by the walls of the recesses. In addition, the engagement between the said distal end and the said surface may be arranged to limit the pivoting of the second link of the band part so as to make it look as though there is an integral coupling structure between the case part and the band part.
In the preferred form, moreover, when the band part is coupled to the case part, one end of the band part is supported by a bar-shaped band retaining member, and the projecting portions of the band part which project forwardly from the supported portion are received in the above-described recesses with a slight clearance so as to be closely received therein. Thus, when the watch is attached to the wrist, excessive pivoting of the projecting portions of the band part is prevented by the walls of the recesses, and the pivoting of the second link of the band part is also prevented by the distal end of the outwardly extending portion of the watch part, thereby making the watch and band parts appear to be integral with each other.
The invention is illustrated, merely by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a watch case and band assembly according to the present invention for use in a wrist watch, and
Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a known watch case and band assembly.

In Figure 1 there is shown a watch case and band assembly according to the present invention comprising a case part 1, a band part 2 composed of a plurality of links joined together, and a retaining member 3 which is used to couple the band part 2 to the case part 1. The case part 1 is provided on diametrically opposite sides thereof with fitting portions 1a for coupling together the band part 2 and the case part 1.
Each fitting portion 1a is formed with an outwardly extending portion 1e. The side of the outwardly extending portion 1e is provided with a bore 1c for receiving the retaining member 3 which is in the form of a bar. Each outwardly extending portion 1e is disposed between recesses 1b which are formed in a portion of the case part 1 which is contiguous with each end of the fitting portion 1a. Each outwardly extending portion 1e, moreover, is closely received in a respective space 2e in the band part 2. The recesses 1b are, if necessary, coated with a polymeric material suitable for use with the material of the case part 1 to prevent the case part 1 from being damaged by contact with the band part 2. The first link 2c of the band part 2, i.e. that closest to the case part 1, is provided on opposite sides thereof with projecting portions 2b each of which is formed with a bore 2a which, when the parts are assembled, communicates with and is aligned the bore 1c in the case part 1. When the band part 2 is engaged with a fitting portion 1a of case part 1 through the retaining member 3, the distal end projecting portions 2b of the first link 2c of the band 2 that project with respect to the bore 2a are inserted into the corresponding recesses 1b formed in the case part 1, so that, when the band part 2 is attached to the wrist, the pivoting of the first link 2c of the band part 2 about the retaining member 3 and relative to the case part 1 is limited by the distal end portions 2b of the first link 2c of the band part 2 which abut against the inner walls of the corresponding recesses 1b. The projecting portions 2b are disposed on opposite sides of the space 2e.
The distal end 1d of the outwardly extending portion 1e formed on each fitting portion 1a of the case part 1 abuts against a surface 2d of the second link of the band part 2, so that the pivoting of the band part 2 relative to the watch case is limited within a certain range which is determined by the engagement between the surface 2d and the distal end 1d.
As has been described above, the end portions 2b of the band 2 are inserted into recesses 1b provided on opposite sides of the outwardly extending portion 1e formed in each fitting portion 1a of the side of the case cart 1 where the band part 2 is fitted, thereby limiting the pivoting of the band part 2 and, in addition, the distal end 1d of the outwardly extending portion 1e is also arranged to abut against a link of the band part 2, thereby assisting in stabilising the connection between the band part 2 and the case part 1. It is also possible with this construction to create a variety of designs.
The construction shown in Figure 1 is thus adapted to minimize the gaps between the case part 1 and the band part 2 so that the watch case appears to be integral with its band, while at the same time being adapted to prevent excessive pivoting of the band relative to the watch case when the user wears the wrist watch.

Claims

A watch case and band assembly for use in a wrist watch comprising a case part (1) and a band part (2), the case part (1) having an outwardly extending portion (1e) which is located in a respective space (2e) in the band part (2) and which is connected thereat to the band part (2) by retaining means (3), the outwardly extending portion (1e) of the case part (1) being disposed between two recesses (1b) in the case part (1), and the band part (2) having projecting portions (2b) which are disposed adjacent the space (2e) and are located in respective recesses (1b), characterised in that the band part (2) comprises a plurality of links the closest of which to the case part (1) is provided with the projecting portions (2b) on opposite sides thereof, the projecting portions (2b) being closely received in the recesses (1b) and the outwardly extending portion (1e) being closely received in the space (2e) so as to limit pivotal movement therebetween, whereby the case part (1) and the band part (2) appear to be integral with each other.
An assembly as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the case part (1) is provided on each of its diametrically opposite sides with an outwardly extending portion (1e) disposed between respective recesses (1b), each of the opposite ends of the band part (2) being provided with a respective space (2e) and projecting portions (2b).
An assembly as claimed in claim 2 characterised in that the band part (2) has two portions one end of each of which is connected to the case part (1) and the opposite end of which is connected to the other portion of the band part (2).
An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim characterised in that the or each outwardly extending portion (1e) and the respective projecting portions (2b) have aligned bores (1c,2a), the respective retaining means (3) being located in said aligned bores (1c,2a).
An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim characterised in that the distal end (1d) of the or each outwardly projecting portion (1e) engages or is engageable with a respective surface (2d) of the band part (2) so as to limit pivotal movement of the latter with respect to the case part (1).