EP1908366B1 - Bracelet fastener - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a bracelet clasp having at least two elongate arms articulated to one another around transverse axes by one of their respective longitudinal ends, a locking device for holding the free ends of these two branches. elongated in the folded position, connecting members between the elongated legs and the respective ends of a bracelet and a mechanism for adjusting the longitudinal position of the connecting member of one of the free ends of the bracelet to one of the elongate branches , comprising on the one hand a sliding device comprising guiding elements integral with a first of the elongated branches, extending essentially longitudinally thereto, two stops for delimiting the active length of said guiding elements, elements of sliding solidarity of the connecting member of one of the ends of the bracelet to this first elongated branch, engaged with the guide elements and secondly a positioning device whose first part comprises a plurality of longitudinal positioning elements extending over this first elongate branch, along a length corresponding to that separating the two stops and the second portion comprises a blocking element integral with said connecting member, shaped to selectively engage with said plurality of longitudinal positioning elements.

Among the many clasps of bracelets with length adjustment devices, it has already been proposed a clasp of the aforementioned type in the CH 668 353 . As a disadvantage of the adjustment device that comprises the clasp described in this document, the fact that the slides in which are engaged the two slidably mounted members are simple openings through the side walls of the lid of the clasp. Such guiding openings essentially have the role of limiting the displacement amplitude of the connecting member and of defining its trajectory, but they do not make it possible to guide its displacement according to a translation movement. For this purpose, the connecting member is formed by a plate whose lateral edges slide against the side walls of the lid of the clasp. Guiding the device is a hybrid system that does not ensure high accuracy and therefore a smooth sliding and without risk of jamming.

Another disadvantage of this solution is that the organs for changing the position of the connecting member are the same as those that control the opening and closing of the clasp. Therefore, it is not possible to open the clasp without changing the position of the connecting member and therefore without losing the length adjustment, which is obviously a tedious operation for the user, whenever he removes and puts back his watch, which can happen several times a day. Given that this control is done by bringing together two members mounted slidably along an axis transverse to the bracelet and that these members protrude outside on either side of the clasp, their actuation can result from an involuntary action, even accidental, which is obviously not desirable.

Another clasp of this type is described in JP 2000 279 217 . In this clasp, the length adjustment device is independent of the opening and closing device, but it does not eliminate the risk of accidental or accidental actuation of the pushers used to control the adjustment device. Moreover, this clasp does not include no real guiding device in precise translation of the connecting member.

The CH 691 159 also has a slide-mounted adjuster whose position is fixed by a screw. Such a system therefore requires a screwdriver, so that it can be adjusted only if it is in possession of a screwdriver corresponding to the screw. Given the size of the screw, such a solution requires, in general, the intervention of a specialist.

Other clasps with length adjustment devices are still known using types of movable racks whose position can be fixed by means of a locking member, as described for example in FIG. US 2,596,186 . The disadvantage of such a device comes from the fact that if it is admitted that from an aesthetic point of view it is not possible to remove the rack from the ends of the clasp, the maximum adjustment length can not in any case exceed the half of the length of the clasp, which is notoriously insufficient, especially for a diving watch clasp in particular, where the length of adjustment around the wrist with and without diving suit must be relatively large, and in all cases greater than half the length of a clasp with folding branches, which is itself limited by the size of the wrist.

As can be seen, none of the solutions of the prior art makes it possible to satisfy the safety conditions in maintaining adjustment and ease of adjustment, while allowing this clasp to be used as a normal clasp for as long as you do not want to change the set length.

The purpose of the present invention is to meet all the requirements that must satisfy such a clasp.

For this purpose, the subject of the present invention is a bracelet clasp comprising at least two elongate arms articulated to one another by one of their respective ends, according to claim 1.

The main advantage of the clasp according to the invention is to provide a guide in translation as accurate as the guides used in instruments or precision machines. Such guidance makes it possible to obtain smooth and smooth sliding of the connecting member when adjusting the length. This is all the more important as the adjustment range is large, which is particularly the case for an adjustable wrist watch strap clasp, which must be able to adapt alternately directly to the wrist of the diver or indirectly on the diving suit, which represents a difference of several centimeters in the wrist.

Advantageously, one of the two parts of the positioning device is mounted on a hinge axis transverse to the elongate branches of the clasp, to cause the relative displacement between the plurality of positioning elements and the locking element, in order to to engage them, respectively, to release them mutually.

With this arrangement, the clasp according to the invention allows to have an adjustment device completely independent of the opening and closing device, the actuation of this adjustment device can only result from a voluntary action.

• La figure 1 est une vue en coupe latérale en élévation selon I-I de la figure 3 du fermoir selon la première forme d'exécution en position fermée;
• la figure 2 est une vue de la figure 1 en position ouverte du fermoir;
• la figure 3 est une vue en coupe selon la ligne III-III de la figure 2;
• la figure 4 est une vue en perspective partielle de la figure 1 avec parties arrachées;
• la figure 5 est une vue partielle de la figure 1 avec les deux parties du dispositif de positionnement dégagées;
• la figure 6 est une vue semblable à la figure 5 montrant l'organe de liaison au bracelet à l'autre extrémité du dispositif de réglage;
• la figure 7 est une vue partielle en coupe longitudinale semblable à la figure 5 avec les deux parties du dispositif de positionnement engagées, de la seconde forme d'exécution du fermoir selon l'invention;
• la figure 8 est une vue semblable à la figure 7 avec les deux parties du dispositif de positionnement désengagées;
• la figure 9 est une vue en perspective de la figure 8 sans la partie avant 13'b du couvercle pour améliorer la visibilité;
• la figure 10 est une vue semblable à la figure 7, d'une variante de la seconde forme d'exécution;
• la figure 11 est une vue semblable à la figure 10 avec les deux parties du dispositif de positionnement désengagées ;
• la figure 12 est une vue en perspective de la figure 11 sans la partie avant 13"b du couvercle pour améliorer la visibilité.

Several other features and advantages of the clasp according to the invention will become apparent from the description which follows and which is made with the aid of the attached drawings which illustrate, schematically and by way of example, two embodiments and a variant of the invention. clasp object of the present invention.

• The figure 1 is a side sectional view in elevation along II of the figure 3 clasp according to the first embodiment in the closed position;
• the figure 2 is a view of the figure 1 in the open position of the clasp;
• the figure 3 is a sectional view along line III-III of the figure 2 ;
• the figure 4 is a partial perspective view of the figure 1 with parts torn off;
• the figure 5 is a partial view of the figure 1 with both parts of the positioning device disengaged;
• the figure 6 is a view similar to the figure 5 showing the bracelet connecting member at the other end of the adjusting device;
• the figure 7 is a partial view in longitudinal section similar to the figure 5 with the two parts of the positioning device engaged, the second embodiment of the clasp according to the invention;
• the figure 8 is a view similar to the figure 7 with the two parts of the positioning device disengaged;
• the figure 9 is a perspective view of the figure 8 without the front portion 13'b of the cover to improve visibility;
• the figure 10 is a view similar to the figure 7 a variant of the second embodiment;
• the figure 11 is a view similar to the figure 10 with the two parts of the positioning device disengaged;
• the figure 12 is a perspective view of the figure 11 without the front portion 13 "b of the cover to improve visibility.

The clasp illustrated by Figures 1 and 2 is a clasp of known type, described in EP 1 654 950 and which comprises two branches 1, 2, elongate in the longitudinal direction of the clasp, articulated by one of their ends about an axis 3. The free end of the branch 1 has a hooking element 4 which is in the form of a transverse element, parallel to the axis of articulation 3. This attachment element 4 is located in a portion 1a of the free end of the branch 1, curved outwardly. A space is provided between this fastening element 4 and the bottom of this curved portion 1a to allow insertion of a fastening member between the fastening element 4 and the bottom of the curved portion 1a as will be explained thereafter. This same free end is still integral with two axes of joints 5, 6, parallel to the hinge axis 3 of the branches 1, 2. One of these axes serves to the articulation of a locking cover 7, while the other serves to articulate an end of one of the strands of the bracelet (not shown).

An assembly member 9 is articulated at the free end of the elongate branch 2 about the hinge axis 8 and has two other axes 10 and 11. The axis 10 serves for the articulation of a lever of 12 lock and the axis 11 is used to connect an elongated lid 13 in the longitudinal direction of the clasp.

The assembly member 9 has a surface 9a adjacent to the inner face of the upper wall of the cover 13. This surface 9a serves to block the pivoting of the cover 13 about the axis 11. The end of this cover 13, located on the side of the free end of the branch 2, covers the rear end of the locking lever 12.

As we see in particular on the figure 2 , one end of a spring 15 bears on a rod 16 secured of the assembly member 9 and passes around the hinge axis 10 between the assembly member 9 and the locking lever 12. The other end of this spring 15 bears against the inner face of the wall Thus, this spring creates a torque on the locking lever 12 which tends to turn it in the opposite direction of that of the clockwise on the locking lever 12. Figures 1 and 2 . A second spring identical to the spring 15 (not visible) passes around the hinge axis 10.

The locking lever 12 carries a locking hook 17 shaped to be able to engage between the locking element 4 integral with the free end of the branch 1 and the bottom of the curved portion 1a of this branch 1, in which position it is maintained by the torque applied by the spring 15. The lifting of the front portion of the lever 12 to rotate it clockwise, against the torque of the spring 15 causes the opening of the clasp .

It is pointed out that the closing mechanism of the clasp is not part of the invention and can be replaced by any other appropriate mechanism.

The cover 13 has an inverted U-shaped cross-section, as illustrated by the figure 3 . The inner face of the bottom of this lid has a positioning notch 14, similar to a notched rack. The inner faces of the two side walls of this cover 13 each comprise a guide slide 18 formed, in this example, by a milling formed in the thickness of these side walls. Two sliding rollers 19 whose respective diameters correspond to the width of a guide slide 18 are pivotally mounted at respective ends of two spring bars 21, 22 which exert on the rollers opposing opposing lateral forces that hold them elastically in the guide slides 18. The spring bars 21, 22 are housed in transverse passages formed through a connecting member 20. This connecting member 20 serves for the fixation of one of the ends of the bracelet as will be explained later. Given the complementary profile of the rollers 19 and the slides 18 and the opposing forces exerted on the rollers 19 to maintain them in the slides 18, when the two pairs of sliding rollers 19 of the connecting member 20 are engaged with the opposite guide slides 18, each pair of sliding rollers 19 has a single degree of freedom defined by the longitudinal trajectory of the slides 18. Therefore, the connecting member 20 secured to the two pairs of rollers 19 can move only according to a translation movement, with friction only between the rollers 19 and the guide slides 18.

As can be seen in particular on Figures 1, 3 and 4 , a locking element 24 is pivotally mounted around the bar 21. This locking element 24 has a notch 24a shaped to engage between the notches 14 secured to the bottom of the lid 13 in the position of the locking element 24 around of the bar 22 illustrated by the Figures 1 to 4 . The blocking element 24 is held in this engagement position of the notch 24a in the notches 14 of the rack thanks to a lug 24b intended to snap elastically (by bending the bars 21, 22) on the bar 22 as illustrated by figure 4 .

As illustrated by Figures 4 and 5 , the locking element 24 also serves to receive two lateral links 25a, 25b for fixing one end of the bracelet (not shown) by means of a screw 26. These two lateral links 25a, 25b are fixed by driving the respective ends of a rod 27 ( Figures 1 and 2 ) in two blind holes of these side links 25a, 25b.

To disengage the notch 24a from the locking element 24 of the notches 14 of the rack, it is sufficient to rotate the lateral links 25a, 25b around the rod 27 in a position forming an angle with the cover 13 and pull on the bracelet, which is extremely easy when the bracelet is attached to the screw 26.

As soon as the notch 24a is disengaged from the notches 14 of the rack, the mobile assembly, formed by the connecting member 20, the parallel spring bars 21, 22, the rollers 19 and the blocking element 24, can slide freely in the manner of a real trolley along the guide slides 18. The stroke of this mobile assembly is limited by the ends of the milling forming the slides 18. The length of the rack formed by the notches 14 substantially corresponds to that of 18. As soon as the new adjustment position is reached by the moving element, it is sufficient to rotate the locking element 24 in the opposite direction to reengage the pin 24b on the bar 22.

Advantageously, a retaining element formed by a small projection 24c is disposed on one of the faces of the locking element 24 so as to come against the inner edge of the connecting member when the locking element 24 is tilted in position. for disengaging the screen 24a, as illustrated by the figure 5 . With this retaining element, the locking element is held in its tilted position, illustrated by the figure 5 , while moving the connecting member along the slides 18 with which the rollers 19 are engaged, preventing interference of the notch 24a with the notches 14 of the rack.

As can be seen, the adjustment can only be made voluntarily and in no case accidentally or inadvertently, since the adjustment can be done only after opening the clasp and then must clear the lug 24b of the bar 22 on which it is hung elastically.

The second embodiment illustrated by the Figures 7, 8 and 9 differs from the previous one only in that the notch 20'a is no longer secured to a locking element pivotally mounted around the bar 21, the locking element 20'a being fixed, traversed by the bar 21. To obtain the engagement and disengagement of the 20'a blocking notch with the notches 14 'of the rack, the latter is carried by a flap 13'a independent of the bottom of the cover 13' which is formed of two parallel parts , a front portion 13'b and a rear portion 13'c spaced apart from one another to the width of the flap 13'a and assembled by axes including a transverse axis 28 around which one end of the flap 13'a is swivel mount.

The other end of the flap 13'a is articulated about a transverse axis 40 to a control lever 29, one end of which is pivoted on the cover 13 ', about a transverse axis 30. The other end 29a of this lever 29 protrudes, in the folded position ( figure 7 ) of the adjacent end of the cover 13 'to provide a catch to raise it when it is desired to disengage the notches 14' of its rack of fixed notch 20'a to allow to slide the moving element 20 ', 21, along the guide slides 18. It is then sufficient to fold down the flap 13'a to engage the fixed notch 20'a with one of the notches 14 'of the rack secured to the flap 13'a.

The flap 13'a and the control lever 29 form a knee joint, so that when the flap 13'a is removed from its position illustrated by the figure 8 to move to the folded position illustrated by the figure 7 he is subjected to traction, while the control lever 29 is subjected to compression due to the difference in trajectory of the axis 40 pivoting simultaneously about the axis 28 and about the axis 30. Therefore, according to the axis 40 is located on one side or the other of the line L joining the transverse axis 28 to the axis 30, the stresses exerted on the flap 13 'a and on the control lever 29 exert two pairs of opposite directions holding the flap 13'a open, respectively folded, as illustrated by the figures 8 , respectively 7, thus forming a bistable system on either side of the line L.

The advantage of this embodiment is to adjust the length of the bracelet without removing the wrist watch. It can further be noted that in the folded position, the end 29a of the control lever 29 which protrudes from the end of the cover 13 'is covered by the locking cover 7 illustrated by the Figures 1 and 2 . Consequently, there is no risk of accidental actuation of the control lever 29.

In the variant illustrated by the Figures 10 to 12 , the control lever 29 is replaced by a toggle comprising two arms 31, 32 articulated to one another by one of their ends about an axis 33, the arm 31 is double. The second end of the arm 32 is articulated around a transverse shaft 34 integral with the two halves 13 "b, 13" c of the cover 13 "A pre-stressed helical spring 35 is mounted on the transverse shaft 34 and applies a torque in the counterclockwise direction on the arm 32. The second end of the double arm 31 is formed to form a stop 31a intended to bear against the lower face of the flap 13 "a. This second end of the arm 31 is articulated to the free end of the flap 13a by means of a transverse axis 37.

As can be seen by comparing the respective positions of the arms 31, 32 on the Figures 10 to 12 when the axis 37 passes from the position separated from the flap 13a ( figure 11 ) at its folded position ( figure 10 ), this axis 37 passes a point of equilibrium relative to the axis 33 of the toggle joint, so that the torque exerted in the opposite direction to that of the clockwise by the spring 35 on the arm 32 maintains the flap 13 "has opened as soon as the axis 37 passes the equilibrium position with respect to the axis 33, whereas this same pair flaps the flap 13" a and holds it in this position as soon as the axis 37 passes this balance position in the opposite direction. Given the rigidity of the arms 31, 32 of the toggle joint, the crossing of the equilibrium position is made possible by the helical spring 35 mounted on the transverse axis 34. The open retention of the flap 13 "a also allows the free sliding in both directions of the moving element 20 'along the entire length of the slides 18.

As can still be seen, in this second embodiment, the rollers 19 are replaced by sliding shoes 39, 39 'engaged in the guide slides 18 provided on the internal faces of the two side walls of the cover 13', These sliding pads 39, 39 'are made of a material that is able to reduce friction while resisting wear and have a slightly arched profile which allows precise adjustment in the respective guide slides 18. These pads can be made of a piece made of a material with a low coefficient of friction, such as a plastic material, or essentially formed by metal covered with a material with a low coefficient of friction that is resistant to wear.

Of course, it is quite possible to replace the rollers 19 of the first embodiment by the sliding pads 39, 39 'and vice versa. The frictional forces of the sliding pads 39, 39 'can be modulated by virtue of the lateral forces exerted on these sliding pads 39, 39' by the spring bar 21.

Claims (9)

1. Clasp for a band comprising at least two long arms (1, 2, 13) that pivot on each other about transverse hinge pins (3) at one of their respective longitudinal ends, a locking device (4, 17) for keeping the free ends of these two long arms in the folded position, connecting members (6, 20) for connecting the long arms to the respective ends of a band, and a mechanism for adjusting the longitudinal position of the connecting member (20) connecting one of the free ends of the band to a first one of the long arms which has two parallel lateral walls and has on the one hand guide elements (18) extending essentially longitudinally to this arm, two stops for defining the active length of said guide elements, sliding elements (19, 39) integral with the connecting member (20) engaging with the guide elements (18), and on the other hand a positioning device, of which a first part has a plurality of longitudinal positioning elements (14) extending along this first long arm, for a length equal to the distance between the two stops, and of which a second part has an immobilizing element (24a, 20'a) integral with said connecting member (20), shaped to engage when desired with said plurality of longitudinal positioning elements; characterized in that said guide elements comprise two tracks (18) formed in the respective inside faces of the two parallel lateral walls of the first long arm, within the thickness of these walls, defining two corresponding paths extending in two planes parallel to the longitudinal axis of said arms (1, 2, 13), said sliding elements (19, 39) having profiles complementary to those of the respective tracks, are mounted along at least one transverse hinge pin on both lateral sides of the connecting member (20) and are subjected to two opposing lateral forces to keep them in the respective tracks, the sliding elements (19, 39) being shaped so as to provide, by means of the opposing forces, on each side of the connecting member (20), contact with the track (18) at bearing points spaced out longitudinally to limit the movement of the sliding elements (19, 39) to one degree of freedom, corresponding to the path of said tracks, when said plurality of positioning elements (14) and said immobilizing element (24a, 20'a) of the positioning device are not engaged with each other.
2. The clasp as claimed in claim 1, in which one of the two parts (14, 24a, 20'a) of the positioning device is mounted on a hinge pin (21, 28) extending transversely relative to said long arms (1, 2, 13) to bring about relative movement between the plurality of positioning elements (14) and the immobilizing element (24a, 20'a) for the purposes of engaging and disengaging them with each other.
3. The clasp as claimed in claim 2, in which said part (24) of the positioning device mounted on a hinge pin (21) extending transversely relative to said long arms (1, 2, 13) has a retention element (24c) for keeping the immobilizing element (24a) of said part (24) disengaged from the positioning elements (14).
4. The clasp as claimed in claim 1, in which a first one (13'; 13") of said long arms (1, 2, 13' ; 13'') has a cross section in the form of an inverted U, said plurality of positioning elements (14'; 14" ) being integral with at least one portion (13'a; 13"a) of the wall connecting the two arms of this U section, one end of said wall portion (13'a; 13"a) adjacent to one end of this first long arm (13'; 13") being integral with said transverse hinge pin (28), and the other end of said wall portion being connected to the first arm by a toggle joint (29; 31, 32).
5. The clasp as claimed in claim 4, in which a return spring (35) is fitted to the toggle joint (31, 32), this spring (35) tending to keep said wall portion (13" a) either at two alternative positions on either side of a position of equilibrium of the toggle joint (31, 32), namely a shut position in which said plurality of positioning elements (14") is engaged with said immobilizing element (20'a), and an out position in which the two parts of the positioning device are separated from each other.
6. The clasp as claimed in either of claims 4 and 5, in which the corresponding tracks (18) are formed in the thickness of the side walls of the long arm (13) whose cross section is an inverted U.
7. The clasp as claimed in claim 6, in which the sliding shoes (39) are engaged with each of the corresponding tracks (18).
8. The clasp as claimed in claim 6, in which sliding rollers (19) are engaged with each of said corresponding tracks (18).
9. The clasp as claimed in one of the preceding claims, in which said sliding elements (19, 39) are put in engagement with said guide tracks (18) by at least one elastic member (21, 22) for applying opposing lateral forces to said sliding elements (19, 39) engaged with said respective guide tracks (18).

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