EP0876114B1 - Device for attaching the extremity of a link to an object, particularly a watch - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a device for fixing the end of a link, in particular a bracelet, to an object, in particular a watch, comprising a housing provided with two fixing pins intended for come and stay in opposite accommodations of said object, at least one of which is likely to occupy two positions, one in which it extends outside of said housing to engage in one of the fixing holes of said object, the other in which it is retracted, elastic means tending to bring it into one of these two positions, and a mobile control member, accessible from outside the housing, associated with a cam to move this pin into the other of said positions, against said elastic means.

Such devices are used, in particular for attach the ends of a bracelet to a watch, a strap to a leather goods or field jewelry to fix the two ends of a bracelet or necklace. The devices used to watch straps generally have a body tubular called bar, at the ends of which two pegs protrude to engage holes axially aligned, usually in the horns from the watch case. To this end, at least one of these pegs is slidably mounted in the bar and is thrust into the projecting position by a spring housed at inside said body. It follows that the operation which is to fix this device between the horns of the watch case requires passing the bar in a loop formed at the end of the bracelet or in a cylindrical passage if it is a bracelet metal, and introduce one of the dowels in a horn holes and then slide the other dowel against the spring pressure to be able to introduce it between the horns. Finally, it must bring the end of this dowel opposite the other horn hole in which she is then spring thrust.

This operation is not easy to perform for someone who's not used to it. Considering the pressure exerted by the spring on the pin, it frequently this ankle relaxes before to get it to penetrate between the horns. He is coming also that once introduced between the horns, the ankle sort of between the horns when looking the location of the hole for the anchor fixation and relaxes, needing to start again the operation.

Many solutions have already been proposed for facilitate the fitting of a bracelet on a watch. It is as has been proposed in patent CH 640 097 which describes a device according to the preamble of claim 1 of order two retractable fixing pins by through a slide acting on two cams, each of these pegs being secured to a lever pivoting whose trajectory plane contains the axis longitudinal of the ankle, giving it an circular and non-sliding movement.

In addition, the use of pivoting levers takes up too much space to accommodate the fixing device in a bar, but requires the use of a much more case bulky which can therefore no longer be accommodated in the buckle formed at the fixing end of a bracelet leather, like a classic bar.

There has already been proposed in US-A-3,036,353 a clasp system to connect two ends of a link to each other, in which two pushers likely to slide in opposite direction each have a cam engaged with a surface of a locking latch movable perpendicular to the sliding axis actuating pushers and pressed against these cams by a return spring. By sliding these two pushers against each other, so we transmit this movement to the bolt which moves against the spring.

A device intended to move axially in the separating one from the other, two fixing pins of a bracelet is described in patent US-A-2,807,855. This device comprises two arms articulated around a common axis and whose respective ends are applied elastically against the inner ends pegs by a spring tending to spread angularly these arms from each other. No cam does not intervene in this device and no means is designed to fit the ankles when wish to detach the strap from the watch.

We have also proposed in the patents CH 684 728 and CH 322 135 of bar fastening systems in which the fixing pins in the horns are directly associated with control means operated from the outside. The systems described in these two documents make it possible to act on the ankles of fixing, without the intermediary of a cam.

Their disadvantage lies in the fact that the organ therefore moves along the axis longitudinal of the bar, so it's necessary to cut the bracelet on a certain length to allow this movement. Otherwise, the introduction of a bar with a control member prominent non-retractable side poses a problem for insert this bar into the loop formed at the strap fixing end.

Another quick strap fastening system is described in patent CH 674,291, which shows a sliding lock in a bar against the spring pressure. This bar has a lateral opening through which one can engage a coupling member including a conical end head allows to elastically spread the lock which closes then and imprison that head. Such a system of attachment can only be used for bracelets designed specially and is not adaptable to a leather strap for example.

The object of the present invention is to remedy, the less in part, to the disadvantages of the aforementioned patents.

To this end, the subject of this invention is a device for fixing one end of a link to a object of the above-mentioned type, according to the preamble of claim 1 characterized in that said ankle, capable of occupying two positions, is slidably mounted along an axis common to both pegs and that the movable control member is integral with said cam which is engaged with the end internal of one of said pins, applied against this cam by said elastic means.

The fixing device, object of the invention, is compact and can be used on existing bracelets by bringing them a small modification, in particular by housing the control unit mobile (rotary or push) in an opening of the bracelet by which the mobile control member is accessible. In the case of metal bracelets with articulated links, the device can be housed in a links.

If necessary, the device includes means of locking to selectively block the organ of mobile control in at least one determined position, this in order to avoid any untimely manipulation of the control unit.

The invention also relates to a link, in particular a bracelet, including the device for fixing the link to an object, in particular a watch, this link presenting an opening through which the mobile control member - push or turn - protrudes or is accessible.

Finally, the invention relates to a wristwatch, a article of jewelry, as well as an article of leather goods incorporating this device.

Other features of the invention are set out in the dependent claims.

• La Figure 1 est une vue partielle en plan, montrant les cornes de fixation d'une montre bracelet avec le dispositif de fixation selon la première forme d'exécution.
• La Figure 2 illustre le dispositif de fixation de la Figure 1, en position de dégagement.
• La Figure 3 est une vue en coupe selon III-III de la Figure 1.
• La Figure 4 est une vue en coupe selon IV-IV de la Figure 2.
• La Figure 5 est une vue partielle en plan semblable à la Figure 1, d'une deuxième forme d'exécution.
• La Figure 6 est une vue partielle en coupe de la Figure 5, montrant le dispositif de fixation en position de dégagement.
• La Figure 7 est une vue semblable à la Figure 5 d'une variante d'exécution.
• La Figure 8 est une vue selon VIII-VIII de la Figure 7.
• La Figure 9 est une vue de la variante de la Figure 7 en position de dégagement.
• La Figure 10 est une vue selon X-X de la Figure 9.
• La Figure 11 est une vue partielle d'une boíte de montre bracelet avec une autre variante du dispositif de la Figure 5.

Other advantages will appear in the following description and the appended drawings which illustrate, schematically and by way of example, two embodiments and two variants of the fixing device which is the subject of the present invention:

• Figure 1 is a partial plan view showing the fixing lugs of a wristwatch with the fixing device according to the first embodiment.
• Figure 2 illustrates the fixing device of Figure 1, in the release position.
• Figure 3 is a sectional view along III-III of Figure 1.
• Figure 4 is a sectional view along IV-IV of Figure 2.
• Figure 5 is a partial plan view similar to Figure 1, of a second embodiment.
• Figure 6 is a partial sectional view of Figure 5, showing the fixing device in the release position.
• Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 5 of an alternative embodiment.
• Figure 8 is a view along VIII-VIII of Figure 7.
• Figure 9 is a view of the variant of Figure 7 in the release position.
• Figure 10 is a view along XX of Figure 9.
• Figure 11 is a partial view of a wristwatch case with another variant of the device of Figure 5.

The fixing device illustrated in the Figures 1 to 2 is more specially adapted to a bracelet metal with articulated links 15. For this purpose, the housing in which this device is housed is one of the 16 links of this bracelet.

Two sockets 17 are driven into this casing 16, each of the sockets containing a fixing pin 18 and a spring 19, pushing a portion 18a, forming piston inward against a cam 20a of an organ of control 20. The control member 20 of this form of execution is mounted to pivot in the casing 16, about a pivot axis perpendicular to the axis of sliding fixing pins 18. Cam proper 20a ends at both ends with a positioning surface 20b in which comes accommodate the conical end of an internal part 18b of the fixing pin 18. This positioning surface 20b is adjacent to a blocking surface 20c, limiting the angle of rotation of the cam 20a about its axis of rotation. The two cams 20a working with the two fixing pins 18 are arranged symmetrically around this axis of rotation. The controller 20 has a slot 20d on its external face adjacent to the face of the casing link 16 normally facing the carrier's arm, to allow it to be maneuvered.

Figures 1 and 3 illustrate the device with the fixing pins 18 projecting out of the casing 16, while Figures 2 and 4 show these same pins 18 in the retracted position in the housing 16.

An advantage of this embodiment is ensure positioning of the fixing pins 18 at the two ends of the cams 20a, that is to say in the two angular positions of the control member 20, preventing any accidental release of the bracelet. In further, thanks to this positioning, the control member 20 occupies a stable position, both when the fixing pins 18 are pushed outside the casing 16, only when they are retracted.

The fixing device of the second form , illustrated by Figures 5 and 6, includes a casing 1 of cylindrical shape traversed longitudinally by an eccentric hole in which are driven two sockets 2 at the two respective ends, their bottoms 2a being adjacent to the respective ends of the casing 1. These bottoms 2a are each pierced with an opening 2b for the passage of a fixing dowel 3. The end internal of each dowel 3 ends with a head 3a and a coil spring 4 surrounds each pin 3 and bears at one end against the bearing formed by the head 3a and, at the other end, against the bottom 2a of socket 2.

The casing 1 still has two openings lateral 5 and 6 aligned on a transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the casing 1 and to that of the sockets 2, the opening 6 being of a diameter larger than opening 5. Opening 6 is closed by a closing plate 7 with bevelled edge, engaged in a corresponding bevel 8, formed around opening 6 and held by a conical head screw 9 leaning against the beveled edge of the plate closure 7.

A control member 10 is slidably mounted on along the transverse axis of the openings 5 and 6. It comprises a cylindrical part 10a, the diameter of which allows free passage through opening 5, followed by a conical part 10b, the diameter of the base allows it to move freely through the opening 6. This member 10 comprises a housing cylindrical 10c opening on the side of the base of the part conical lOb and in which a coil spring 11 is housed and supported, on the one hand at the bottom of this accommodation 10c, and on the other hand against the closure plate 7, thus pushing the control member 10 through the opening 5 until the conical part lOb abuts against the edge of the opening 5.

The two heads 3a of the fixing pins 3 are pressed by the respective springs 4 against this member control 10, the external surface 10a, 10b of which plays the role of cam. As illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, when the control member is in the rest position (Figure 5), the spring 11 pushes it outwards, and the conical part lOb in turn pushes the pins of attachment 3 outwards. This is the position of the organs of the device fixing the bracelet in the corresponding openings 12 of the horns 13 of the box of watch. When you put pressure on the end of the control member 10 to do so enter the housing 1 (Figure 6), the heads 3a of the dowels pass from the conical part lOb to the part cylindrical 10a of the control member 10, falling into the casing and allowing removal or installation of the fixing device.

To attach a bracelet 14 to the horns 13 of a shows (not shown), the fixing end of the bracelet, in the case of a leather bracelet or similar has a part folded back on itself, thus forming a loop in which the casing 1 is inserted as a classic bar. To allow maneuvering the control member 10, the bracelet 14 is pierced with a punched opening to give access to this organ.

The variant illustrated in Figures 7 to 10 a in particular to prevent pressure accidental on the pusher 10 does not allow the bracelet to come off. It comprises a casing 31 comprising a central part 31a constituted by a circular box and two coaxial tubular parts 31b extending radially on either side of the central part 31a, driven into two diametrical openings thereof. The outer ends of the tubular parts 31b each form a span 31'b serving to support a return spring 32 wound helically around a sliding pin 33 whose inner end is ends with a hemispherical head 34 forming a second bearing against which the other end of the spring 32. As a result, the pins 33 are pressed against a conical cam 35b formed on the end internal of a push button 35, movable along an axis perpendicular to that of the pegs 33. This button pusher 35 which, apart from cam 35b, has a body of generally cylindrical in shape, passes through an opening 37 formed through one of the end faces of the housing circular constituting the central part 31a of the casing 31. A spring 36, bearing against the internal face a cover 38 screwed into the circular housing 31a and constituting its second end face, maintains resiliently the pusher 35 in the position illustrated by FIG. 7, the conical cam 35b serving to limit the push button stroke 35.

As seen in Figures 7 and 8, the part cylindrical of push button 35 which normally does protrusion out of the central part 31a of the casing, has two diametrically opposite stops 35c which make radially projecting from the cylindrical surface of this push button 35. For its part, the opening 37 in which this push button 35 slides has two diametrically opposite and dimensioned clearances 37a to allow passage of the stops 35c. If the position angular of the stops 35c does not coincide with that of the clearances 37a, the push button cannot be pressed in the central box 31a, so that the anchors 33 cannot be retracted and the bracelet stays in place.

These stops 35c are intended to prevent the involuntary release of the ankles 33 from the horns of the watch, for example. Once the bracelet is fixed by the device of Figures 7 to 10 carried out, it suffices to rotate the push button 35 by a certain angle (Figure 8) in opening 37 to prevent any untimely actuation and therefore any involuntary separation of the bracelet from the organ to which it is fixed.

Figure 11 illustrates a device similar to that of Figure 5, in which the push button 10 ' has a section other than circular, for example square. Even though this actuating member 10 'cannot turn in the opening 40, we can make sure that the length of the side projecting part outside the cylindrical case is approximately equal to the thickness of the bracelet 41. In this way, it is not not possible to accidentally activate the 10 'button since it must be lowered below the level of the bracelet. Of course, it would also be possible to associate locking means to the pusher 10 '.

Note that this push button 10 'in Figure 11 may appear on the bottom or top of the bracelet. This also applies to the shape of Figures 1 to 4. In the latter case, it is possible to give the controller 10,20, a decorative appearance, either by its shape itself, or by an item reported.

Although we have more specifically described heretofore the device which is the subject of the invention used for attaching a strap to a watch case, it is obvious that this device can be used for fixing any link to an object, such as a strap to a bag or to another item of leather goods for example. We could also use this device in jewelry, for example to join the two together ends of a bracelet or necklace, playing, in this case, the role of a clasp.

In the case of the first embodiment to rotary control member described above, the slot 21 could be replaced by a gripper in relief appearing on the external face of the bracelet and allowing the control member to be operated by hand, without the intermediary of a tool.

Also, alternatively, only one of the two fixing pins could be mounted sliding, the other being secured to the casing; in this case, the organ only a cam 20a in the case of the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 4. In the second embodiment, even if the part conical plays the role of two cams, this conical part is a single surface of revolution and it suffices simply to make sure that the fixed pin does not not found in the trajectory of this part tapered. Besides, this fixed peg could directly be turned with the crankcase itself.

It is quite obvious that the form of execution of the Figures 1 to 4 could also apply to the attachment of a leather or plastic strap. Likewise, the embodiment of Figures 5 to 10 is not reserved exclusively for leather or plastic straps, but could perfectly fit a metal bracelet.

Although locking means have been shown associated with pusher 35, we could also associate locking means to the rotary control member 20 even though the risk of accidental actuation of this organ is unlikely. However, in case this organ designed to be operated by hand, without through a tool, as mentioned earlier, such locking can be useful.

Claims (19)

1. A device for attaching the end of a strap-like member, notably a bracelet, to an object, notably a watch, comprising a housing (1,16,31) provided with two latch pins (3,18,33) adapted to be received in axially-aligned facing recesses of the object, one of these pins being able to occupy two positions, a first position in which it is retracted and a second position in which it protrudes from said housing to come to engage in one of said recesses of the object, elastic biasing means (4,19,32) tending to return this pin into one of these two positions, and a movable actuating member (10,20,35) accessible from outside the housing (1,16,31) associated with a cam (10b,20a,35b) for moving this pin (3,18,33) into the other of said positions against the action of said biasing means (4,19,32), characterized by the fact that the pin (3,18,33) able to occupy two positions is slidably mounted along a common axis of the two pins (3,18,33), and the movable actuating member (10,20,35) is solid with said cam (10b,20a,35b) engaging with the inner end (39,18b,34) of one of the pins (10b,20b,35b), which inner end is applied against this cam (10b,20b,35b) by said biasing means (14,19,32).
2. The attachment device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that it includes locking means (35c,37) for locking said movable control member (10,20,35) in at least one given position.
3. The attachment device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that the two pins (3,18,33) are slidably mounted in said housing (1,16) and the movable control member (10,20,35) is made with integral cam surfaces (10b,20b,35b) symmetrically distributed relative to the axis of movement of this movable control member and in engagement with the respective internal ends of said pins (3,18,33).
4. The attachment device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by the fact that said housing (31) includes two tubular elements (31b) in which said pins (33) are mounted, and extending along a common axis starting from a central element (31a) in which said push-piece (35) is mounted.
5. The attachment device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said movable control member is associated with an added decorative element.
6. The attachment device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said movable control member (20) is constituted by a member rotatably mounted in a cylindrical housing extending in said housing (16) perpendicular to the sliding axis of said latch pin (18).
7. The attachment device according to claim 5, characterized by the fact that two abutments (20c) limit the angular displacement of said movable control member (20) between two positions corresponding to the two respective positions of said pin (18).
8. The attachment device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized by the fact that positioning means (20b) are arranged on either side of said cam (20a) to retain said control member (20) in one or the other of said angular positions.
9. The attachment device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by the fact that said movable control member (10,35) is constituted by a push-piece movable along an axis perpendicular to the sliding axis of said pin (3,32), said cam being solid with the internal end of this push-piece.
10. The attachment device according to claim 9, characterized by the fact that a spring (11,36) is arranged between this push-piece (10-35) and said housing (1,31a) tending to constantly hold the push-piece (10,35) protruding out of a lateral opening (5,37) of this housing (1,31a), said cam (10b,35b) limiting the displacement of said push-piece out of the housing (1,31a) by coming to bear against the edge of this lateral opening (5,37).
11. The attachment device according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that said push-piece (35) comprises a generally cylindrical body whereof the part normally protruding from the exterior of said housing has at least one abutment member (35c) protruding radially from the cylindrical surface of said body, the section of said lateral opening (37) corresponding to the transversal section of said push-piece level with said abutment (35c), in a manner to allow displacement of said push-piece (35) only in a position where the section of said opening (37) and that of said push-piece (35) adjacent to the level of said abutment coincide angularly.
12. The attachment device according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized by the fact that said housing (1) has a substantially cylindrical shape, the common axis along which at least one of said pins (3) is slidably mounted being parallel to the longitudinal axis of said housing (1), and the lateral opening (5) provided in said housing (1) to allow passage of said push-piece (10) being provided at the location where the wall of the cylindrical housing (1) is thinnest, whereas a cylindrical passageway (6) is provided in the thicker part of this wall facing said opening (5), and serves to guide said cam (10b) solid with this push-piece (10), a removable closure member (7) closing the external end of this passageway (6) and serving as bearing surface for the spring (11) associated with said push-piece (10).
13. A strap-like member, notably a bracelet, comprising a device according to any one of claims 1 to 12 for attaching the strap-like member to an object, notably a watch, this strap-like member (41) having an opening (40) through which said movable control member (10,20,35) projects or is accessible.
14. A strap-like member according to claim 13, in the form of a metal bracelet with links (15), characterized by the fact that the two latch pins (18,33) and the movable control member (10,20,35) are housed in a link (16) of the metal bracelet.
15. A strap-like member according to claim 13, in the form of a flat strap (14) comprising a loop formed by folding over at least a part of the thickness of the end of this flat strap on itself, characterized by the fact that said housing is lodged in said loop, said opening of the strap being arranged facing the opening of the housing (1) through which said movable control member (10) is accessible.
16. A strap-like member according to claim 13, characterized by the fact that said push-piece (10') normally protrudes from said housing by an amount which corresponds substantially to the thickness of a portion of the strap-like member that partly surrounds said housing, in a manner to be able to contain the protruding part of the push-piece (10) in the thickness of said strap-like member.
17. A wrist-watch comprising a device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, or a strap-like member according to any one of claims 13 to 16.
18. An article of jewelry comprising a device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, or a strap-like member according to any one of claims 13 to 16.
19. An article of leatherware comprising a device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, or a strap-like member according to any one of claims 13 to 16.

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