EP1024718A1

EP1024718A1 - Arrangement of a strap with a slideable ring-shaped holder

Info

Publication number: EP1024718A1
Application number: EP98917838A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Börje HAGLOF
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-04-10
Filing date: 1998-04-08
Publication date: 2000-08-09
Also published as: SE9701321L; WO1998044818A1; SE9701321D0

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement of a strap, bracelet or similar band provided with an adjustable buckle (1) and a sliding, ring-shaped member (3). The underside of the band attached to the buckle is provided with a strip of one of two mating VELCRO fastening members (5) to prevent the sliding, ring-shaped member from sliding freely, and the interior of the bottom part of the sliding, ring-shaped member (3) is provided with a strip of the other member of the VELCRO fastening members, such that the sliding, ring-shaped member (3) is attachable in a detachable way along said one mating member (5) of the VELCRO fastening members.

Description

Arrangement of a strap with a slideable ring-shaped holder.

The present invention relates to an arrangement of a wrist-watch strap, bracelet or similar band provided with an adjustable bucket and a slideably attached, ring-shaped holder intended to keep the free end portion of the band in position alongside the band- Arrangements of this kind usually are marred by the drawback that the ring-shaped holder has a tendency to slide off the free end portion of the band such that said free end portion becomes free to stick out from the band in an inconvenient way and with the consequence that the buckle might get unbuckled. Even if the movable holder initially is dimensioned to slide in a stiff way, experience has shown that this quality is lost after some time of use, and the holder becomes smooth-sliding.

The Swedish patent specification 462 074 discloses a device for preventing the the movable holder from sliding off the free end portion of the band. The top side of the free band portion and the interior of the upper part of the movable holder are provided with magnetically attracting members. Therefore, the movable holder will adhere to the free end portion of the band irrespective of the length of the free end portion of the band. If the band is a belt, and the belt is hung up by the buckle the movable holder normally will slide down along the belt, but will not be lost, because the holder will get stuck to the free end portion of the belt. This known device, accordingly, has many valuable qualities, but the magnetic members proved to be subject to hard mechanical wear at the use of the band or belt, which resulted in a tendency of the magnetic members to come loose.

The Swedish patent 501 256 discloses different embodiments of the magnetically attracting members in devices according to the above mentioned patent for improving the attachment of the magnetically attracting members to the band and the holder. The attachment according to the patent can be made secure, but it will no doubt be too complicated for a general use.

There is a great demand for a solution of the problem to get the movable holder stuck to the free end portion of the band, and it is an object of the present invention to achieve such a solution that the inconveniences of the known devices are eliminated.

This is achieved, according to the invention, in that the device mentioned by way of introduction has obtained the characterizing features set forth in the appended claim 1. Hence it is possible, after adjustment of the buckle, to displace the movable holder to the correct position along the band where the free end portion of the band is positioned. The free end portion of the band is kept in correct position, and when the band is to be unbuckled the free end portion- of the band slides out of the holder easily. When the band should be used again by the same user, which is a normal proceeding, the free end portion of the band can be inserted into the holder, which already is positioned in the right place after the previous use. The VELCRO fastening means therefore normally is not subjected to mechanical wear. Only when the free end of the band at putting on the band will become positioned at a new place, the VELCRO fastening means of the holder must be loosened and the holder displaced a distance where it is stuck again. Because the VELCRO fastening means are shaped like strips of fabric there are no problems in connection with the attachment to the band, whether it consists of fabric, leather or plastic. Glueing is possible with at least the ends of the VELCRO fastening means sewed to the band.

In appearance the device according to the invention has the advantage of the VELCRO fastening means not being visible when the band is used. Moreover, the advantage mentioned above of the movable holder being prevented from sliding off from a band in the shape of a belt is still valid here, because the holder cannot slide uncontrolled on the belt.

The VELCRO fastening means attached to the movable holder is, according to claim 2, suitably a male type member, i.e.the member of the VELCRO fastening means that is provided with small hooks in contrast to a female member that is provided with small loops. The advantage with this is that it is the female member, which like a strip of velvet in contrast to the male member, that is much rougher, will be positioned on the back of the band. In case of a wrist-watch strap the velvet-like female member will be positioned in contact with the wrist and in case of a belt in contact with an article of clothing.

The invention is explained in more detail in the following description with reference to the attached drawing, which shows, by way of example, an embodiment of a device according to the invention, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a wrist-watch strap made of leather and provided with a buckle, and Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the strap shown in Figure 1 along the line II in Figure 1.

The drawing shows the strap 2 provided with a buckle 1. The free end portion of the strap extends through the buckle 1 and through a movable ring-shaped holder 3, that keeps the free end portion 4 of the strap in place alongside the top side of the strap 2. The back of the strap 2 is provided with the female member 5 of a VELCRO fastening means that extends from a place on the strap 2 close to the buckle 1 to a place where the free end portion 4 normally can be positioned when positioned as far from the buckle as possible. The male member 6 of the VELCRO fastening means is attached to the interior of the bottom part of the holder 3. The holder 3 is moved to the free end portion 4 of the strap where the male member of the holder has stuck to the female member 5 of the strap 2 by the pressure of the strap 2 against the bottom part of the holder, which part bears on the wrist. In connection with the loosening of the strap the free end portion 4 is pulled out from the holder 3 and disconnected from the buckle 1 by letting it slide out from the buckle. At repeated attachment of the strap the free end portion 4 is pushed through the buckle 1 and locked by the buckle, after which the free end portion 4 is moved into the holder 3, which already has the correct position after the previous adjustment.

At an adjustment of the position of the holder 3 the VELCRO fastening means is disconnected by applying pressure downwards in a suitable way to the bottom part of the holder, whereafter the holder is moved to a new position where the male member 6 is permitted to get stuck to the the female member 5.

VELCRO fastening means are usually made of polyamide plastic with very fine qualities and dimensions and are very durable. The female member of the VELCRO member has very small loops and a structure similar to velvet, such that the female member can bear on the wrist without causing irritations of any kind. The male member has hooks with a somewhat rougher structure and therefore are suitably used in the interior of the holder 3, where it cannot get in contact with the skin or get dirty.

The two members 5,6 of the VELCRO fastening means can be glued to the band and holder, respectively, but to ensure a safe attachment the glue joint may be completed by sewing on at least the ends of the members. A wrist-watch strap is usually made by sewing together two strips of leather, one alongside the other. The female member 5 of the VELCRO fastening means is sewed on the bottom strip of the leather strips such that the seams - are -not visible on the top side of the strap.

The invention is of course not limited to the embodiment here shown and described but can be modified in different ways within the scope of the device defined by the appended claims. The female member of the VELCRO fastening means can for example, especially on belts, comprise a line of separate parts with suitable interspaces for forming a long member with a moderate consumption of material.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. An arrangement of a strap or bracelet (2) with an adjustable buckle (1) and a sliding, ring-shaped member (3) intended to keep the free end portion (4) of the strap or bracelet in position alongside the strap or bracelet, characterized in that mating male and female members (6,5) respectively of a VELCRO fastening means are attached to the interior of the bottom part of the movable, ring-shaped member (3) and to the back of the strap or bracelet (2) along at least the part of the strap or bracelet where the movable, ring-shaped member is supposed to be present in use of the strap or bracelet.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the VELCRO fastening member attached to the interior of the movable, ring-shaped member ( 3 ) is a male member ( 6 ) .