EP2672337B1 - Removable, pivoting attachment device for watch strap - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates generally to a fastening device for interchangeable bracelets of jewelery, jewelery, leather goods or watches. It relates more specifically to a watch device comprising a middle part and a strap attached to the middle part with a removable pivoting attachment piece.

BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY

In the field of watchmaking, and more particularly wristwatches, it is known to fix the ends of a bracelet to the middle part by means of articulation means. For leather or rubber bracelets formed of two distinct strands, these hinge means are generally in the form of a pair of horns or fasteners on which is fixed a bar around which is wound the end the strand of the bracelet, which can rotate in relation to the middle part. For steel wristbands of the folding clasp type, the watch case is typically provided with a base, on either side of which are mounted links pivotally about an axis.

We also know, for example document EP1664940 , pieces of removable fasteners for bracelet formed of two parts mounted in a through hole of the middle to form horns receiving straps for fixing a bracelet. Pressing a pusher releases the removable fasteners. According to a particular embodiment, the horns are pivoting and we are then with a double articulation with a first pivot axis which is that of the horns and a second pivot axis which is that of the fastening strip of the end of the bracelet.

The patent application US2010 / 0309755 shows another example of a doubly articulated fastening system with a two-piece bolted bar inserted into a through-hole of a casing for attaching an intermediate fastening part of the bracelet. Removable pins are also introduced in the axis this hole and their dimensions relative to the bar and the through hole are chosen so that no friction can cause the mutual unscrewing of the two elements forming the bar.

Nevertheless, a problem of the fastening device proposed is that it is possible, on the one hand, to mount the bracelet on the fastener once it has been mounted to the middle part; on the other hand, it is necessary to arrange abutment surfaces on the axis of the parts forming the pivoting horn to prevent axial movement on their part tending to bring out the through hole in which they were introduced.

There is therefore a need for a strap attachment device free of these known limitations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an alternative fixing device for bracelet, simplified construction and reduced size while still allowing a very easy replacement of the bracelet without requiring special tools.

These objects are attained in particular by means of a fastening device comprising the features of the main claim, in particular a detachable attachment piece pivotally connected to a housing comprising a hinge for assembly to said housing.

Advantageous embodiments of this watch are the subject of the dependent claims.

An advantage of the proposed solution is that it allows in particular a modular mounting of the bracelet on the attachment part regardless of the mounting of the latter on the middle of a watch or any other type of housing.

Another advantage of the proposed solution is that it does not require a through hole for mounting the pivoting attachment piece, which minimizes material waste and thus reduces manufacturing costs. Moreover, the fastening device is made more compact, which allows it to be totally hidden for example under the case and thus improves the overall aesthetics of the article worn insofar as no alteration of the case will be visible to the case. 'user.

An additional advantage of the proposed solution is that rotation of the fastener relative to the housing will be limited only by direct mutual contact between these parts; the clearance will be much greater than in the case where abutment surfaces are arranged directly at the axis of rotation as in the prior art. Thus the wearing comfort will be further improved for the user through the double joint provided system, each of the respective angles can be optimized to marry the best shape of the wrist of the user without forming angulation too prominent.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

• la figure 1 représente de manière schématique une montre pourvue de dispositifs d'attache selon un mode de réalisation préférentiel de la présente invention, le dispositif étant montré d'une part en position éclatée et d'autre part en position assemblée à la carrure;
• la figure 2 représente une vue en coupe du dispositif d'attache selon le mode de réalisation préférentiel illustré à la figure 1, selon l'axe A-A.

The aims, advantages and characteristics of the watch according to the present invention will appear more clearly in the following detailed description of at least one embodiment of the invention given solely by way of nonlimiting example and illustrated by the appended drawings in which: :

• the figure 1 schematically shows a watch provided with fastening devices according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the device being shown on the one hand in exploded position and on the other hand in the assembled position to the middle part;
• the figure 2 represents a sectional view of the fastening device according to the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. figure 1 along the AA axis.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In what follows, reference will be made to Figures 1 and 2 which schematically represent a wristwatch provided with the fixing device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

On the figure 1 we can distinguish a housing 2, formed here by a watch middle 3, and parts of fasteners 1 on either side of the middle part. On the left side of the figure 1 , the different parts of the removable and pivoting fastening device are shown in an exploded view whereas on the right side of this figure the fastening piece 1 is shown while it is pivotally mounted to the middle part 3.

According to the preferred embodiment illustrated, the removable attachment pieces 1 are formed by a pair of horns 11 formed in one piece, and adapted to receive a fastening bar for a bracelet, such as traditional horns machined directly on the build. For this purpose, fixing holes 12 are provided inside the horns. This arrangement allows on the one hand a simplified machining horns 11 while giving them a degree of freedom in rotation relative to the middle part 3.

The horns 11 are connected to the middle part 3 by means of a hinge 5, also preferably formed integrally with the rest of the fastening part 1. The hinge 5 constitutes a connecting member between the piece of attachment 1 and the middle part 3, allowing their mutual pivoting about a common axis. The hinge 5 is formed, according to the preferred embodiment illustrated by the Figures 1 and 2 , by a female-type element, in which a male-type element, namely a rod 4, which can be assembled to the caseband 3, may slide. According to a variant, it is nevertheless possible to arrange a rod 4 directly integral with the fastening piece. 1 to form the hinge between the latter and the middle part 3 or respectively any other type of housing 2; in both cases, however, the common axis for pivoting is that of the rod 4.

The advantage of the preferred embodiment with a rod 4 removable and modular relative to the hinge 5, itself integral with the fastener 1, is that it allows to choose a material having special mechanical and electrochemical properties , regardless of the materials chosen for the housing 2 and the attachment part 1 of the bracelet. It will thus be possible to choose rods 4 made of titanium, having better strength and elasticity properties than usual materials such as steel or noble metals such as the various types of gold (white, yellow, pink) usually used in jewelery or watchmaking.

Thanks to these advantageous mechanical properties, it will be possible to reduce the dimensions of the rod 4, and in particular its diameter, in order to further improve the compactness of the system. The diameter of the titanium rod 4 is preferably between 0.75 and 0.9 millimeters in order to confer a good compromise between the compactness and the resistance to the fastening device for 3 normal-sized squares, that is to say the diameter of which is typically between 25 and 55 millimeters. According to the preferred variant described, this diameter is equal to 0.8 millimeters for a length of 7.4 millimeters when the middle part has a diameter of 30 millimeters.

Titanium also has excellent corrosion resistance and a low density, which increases wearing comfort through weight reduction.

According to this preferred embodiment, the axis of the bar 8 is parallel to that of the rod 4 so that the double articulation formed by the axis of the bar 8 and that of the rod 4 and the hinge 5 allow an optimal wearing comfort for the user, with reduced mutual orientation angles respectively between the bracelet and the attachment piece 1, and between the attachment piece 1 and the middle part 3.

It can be seen that the attachment piece 1 can thus be fixed to the bracelet without requiring a simultaneous assembly to the middle part, which allows a modular assembly on a strap on the attachment part 1, the final assembly on the middle part 3 can be performed later, or even in another place of production. Similarly, however, it is also conceivable in the context of the invention to mount the attachment part 1 in a modular way to the middle part 3 before attaching the bracelets later with the aid of bars, as will be seen on reading from the following.

To assemble the attachment piece 1 to the middle part 3, the ends 41 of the rod 4, which protrude from the hinge 5, are introduced into the insertion holes 60 of the pins 6 intended to be assembled to the housing 2, and here at the middle part according to the preferred embodiment illustrated. As can be seen on the figure 2 , the insertion holes 60 are preferably blind, so that their respective bottoms constitute abutment surfaces preventing axial movement of the rod. According to one variant, it could however be imagined to use through-holes inasmuch as the axial movement of the rod 4 would be sufficiently limited by the shape of the recess 31 formed in the middle part 3 to house the hinge 5, or else by other fasteners, such as screws 7 according to the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. figure 2 .

For the same reasons as those invoked for the choice of the material for the rod 4, the pegs 6 will preferably also be chosen in titanium in order to confer the best possible resistance to the fixing device, while slightly reducing the overall weight. The pairs of rods 4 - 6 dowels titanium can be used for any type of housing 2, whether steel or gold, for example, and also any type of bracelet, leather or metal.

The pegs 6 are then arranged in housings 32 made in the middle part 3. As can be seen in the Figures 1 and 2 , the pins 6 and the housings 32 preferably have a cylindrical shape respectively of corresponding male and female type, and the axis of the housing 32 is perpendicular to the plane of the middle part 3 to facilitate the insertion of the pins 6. The plan of middle size 3, or respectively box 2, is defined as that in which the dial of the watch would be placed.

Once the pegs 6 inserted into their respective housings 32, it is necessary to fix the last remaining degree of freedom with respect to the middle part 3, here in translation along their axis of insertion perpendicular to the plane of the caseband 3. According to a variant not illustrated, one could for this purpose consider chasing the pins 6 in their respective slots 32, however arranging gripping elements to be removed when you want to change the bracelet. This variant, however, has the disadvantage of using only friction forces for holding the pins 6 in the middle part 3, which can deteriorate over time and therefore affect the reliability of the proposed joint for the Attachment 1. It could also be used plugs, also hunted in holes arranged in the middle part, and which would therefore have similar disadvantages in terms of reliability of assembly in the long term, but have the advantage of covering integrally the dowels, which would on the one hand to prevent any intrusion of material (dust etc.) and confer a better aesthetic through the concealment of the assembly device.

According to the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 However, it will be preferred to use screws 7 as fasteners to simplify the assembly and disassembly of the fastener 1 relative to the middle part 3. The heads of the screws 71 come to grip the pins 6 against the lower surface 311 of the recess in which the hinge 5 is housed.

In order to improve the compactness of the proposed articulation for the horns 11 with respect to the caseband, shoulders 61 are provided at the upper surface of the pins 6 in order to allow gripping of the lower surface 711 of the screw heads 71. on a bearing surface 611 located on the one hand more toward the bottom of the recess and 31 and more towards the center of the middle part 3. The screws 7 are introduced into a thread 33 whose axis 9 is also perpendicular to the plane of the middle and therefore parallel to that of the housing 32 of the pins 6; the bearing surface 611 preferably extends at least over a width of a few tenths millimeters to ensure the reliability of holding the pins 6 in their housing 32. According to the preferred embodiment described, the bearing surface 611 is preferably extends over at least 5 tenths of a millimeter.

According to the preferred embodiment illustrated in particular on the figure 2 , the depth P of the shoulder 61 is equal to the height H of the screw heads 71, so that the upper surface of the screw heads 710 is flush with the lower surface 30 of the middle part 3 and thus improves the Overall aesthetics of the proposed fastening device and comfort of use due to the absence of prominent part in contact with the skin of the wearer. In order to be able to manage the angular orientation of the notches of the screws, one can also choose threads 33 deeper than the bodies 70 of the screws 7, so that the stroke of the latter can not be limited by a stop and that the The orientation of the tightening notches of the screws 7 can be freely determined simply as a function of the desired holding force between the lower surface of the screw head 711 and the bearing surface 611 of the shoulder 61 of the pin 6.

It will be noted that, contrary to the solutions of the prior art, no through-hole is now necessary in the context of the invention for mounting the pivoting fastener part 1, but only a recess 31 of restricted size in a box 2 or a middle part 3. The compactness of the device being determined mainly by the length of the rod 4 and the hinge 5, we can choose the latter preferably the smallest possible to hide them as possible to the user's eyes, especially when wearing the article on his wrist. According to the embodiment illustrated by the figure 1 , the relative length of the rod 4 relative to the middle part 3 may preferably be chosen to be at most equal to one-third of the latter, or even to a quarter when the rod is made of titanium, in order to conceal it plus the easier and thus improve the aesthetics conferred. The size of the hinge 5 can be adjusted to the width of the bracelet, which is generally chosen relatively close to the spacing between the horns 11, but this size can be determined independently of that of the rod 4. <u> List of references </ u> 1 Attachment 11 horns 12 Holes for fixing the strips 2 Housing 3 shoulders 30 Lower surface of the middle part 31 Obviously 311 Bottom surface of the recess 32 Ankle housing 33 Threads for holding screws 4 stem 41 Ends of the stem 5 Hinge 6 Anchors 60 Insertion holes 61 shoulder 611 Bearing surface 7 Screw 70 Screw body 71 Screw head 710 Top surface of the screw head 711 Lower surface for holding the screw head 8 Axis of the bar 9 Thread axis P Depth of the shoulder H Height of the screw head AA Cutting axis of the figure 2

Claims (7)

1. Device for attaching a bracelet to a case (2), comprising a removable attachment part (1) pivotably connected to said case (2), characterised in that said attachment part (1) comprises a hinge (5) for assembly onto said case (2),
   a rod (4) being inserted into said hinge (5) and the ends (41) of said rod (4) being housed in removable pins (6) rigidly secured to said case (2),
   characterised in that said removable pins (6) are arranged in recesses (32) in said case (2) along an axis perpendicular to that of the plane of the case (2).
2. Device for attaching a bracelet to a case (2) according to claim 1, characterised in that said rods (4) and said removable pins (6) are made of titanium.
3. Device for attaching a bracelet to a case (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said removable pins (6) comprise shoulders (61) defining a bearing surface (611) engaging with parts for attaching to said case (2).
4. Device for attaching a bracelet to a case (2) according to claim 3, characterised in that said attachment parts are screws (7), lower surfaces (711) of the heads (71) of said screws (7) bearing against said bearing surface (611) of said shoulder (61) in order to assemble said removable pins (6) to said case (2).
5. Device for attaching a bracelet to a case (2) according to claim 4, characterised in that the depth (P) of the shoulder (61) is equal to the height (H) of said screw heads (71).
6. Device for attaching a bracelet to a case (2) according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that said attachment part (1) is formed by a pair of one-piece horns (11) suitable for receiving an attachment bar for a bracelet.
7. Device for attaching a bracelet to a case (2) according to claim 6, characterised in that the axis of said bar (8) is parallel to the axis of said hinge (5).

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