GB2282745A

GB2282745A - Connector for wrist-watch and strap

Info

Publication number: GB2282745A
Application number: GB9321280A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Soo Khoon Tan
Original assignee: SWEE HENG MANUFACTURING CO Pte
Current assignee: SWEE HENG MANUFACTURING CO Pte
Priority date: 1993-10-15
Filing date: 1993-10-15
Publication date: 1995-04-19
Anticipated expiration: 2013-10-15
Also published as: GB9321280D0; SG43006A1; GB2282745B

Abstract

A wrist-watch assembly (11) comprises a casing for holding a watch, said casing having an upper part (13) and a lower part (12), a strap (14) for fastening the casing onto a users wrist, and elongate connecting means (17) adapted to connect the strap (14) to opposite sides of the casing. The connecting means (17) is secured to the casing by being sandwiched between the upper and lower casing parts (13 and 12). <IMAGE>

Description

WRIST-WATCH CASING ASSEMBLY The present invention relates to a wrist-watch casing assembly and to a wrist-watch incorporating such an assembly.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a wrist-watch casing assembly which comprises a casing for holding therein a watch module, said casing having upper and lower parts, fastening means for fastening the casing onto a user's wrist, and elongate connecting means adapted to connect the fastening means to opposite sides of the casing, said connecting means being secured to the casing by being sandwiched between the upper and lower casing parts.

It is preferred that the connecting means is in a one-piece construction.

In a specific construction, the connecting means is annular or in the form of a loop which may be open or closed.

Preferably, the connecting means is sandwiched between the upper and lower casing parts, extending over half of the periphery of the casing.

In one preferred embodiment, the connecting means is arranged to pass through and thereby to secure the fastening means.

In a different preferred embodiment, the connecting means is rigidly secured to the fastening means.

More preferably, the connecting means is moulded into connection with the fastening means.

It is preferred that the lower casing part has a pair of cut-outs on its opposite sides for accommodating the fastening means.

Preferably, the upper and lower casing parts are provided with co-operable screw threads for engaging the casing parts together.

In a specific construction, the upper casing part is a bezel and the lower casing part is adapted to hold therein a said watch module.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there- is provided a wrist-watch incorporating the afore-described wrist-watch casing assembly.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a first embodiment of a wristwatch incorporating a wrist-watch casing assembly, in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a watch bracelet and a connector of the wrist-watch casing assembly of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the bracelet and connector of Figure 2 and a watch casing of the casing assembly; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the bracelet, connector and watch casing of Figure 3 and a bezel of the casing assembly; Figure 5 is a front view of a second embodiment of a wristwatch incorporating a wrist-watch casing assembly, in accordance with the invention;; Figure 6 is a perspective view of two watch straps and a connector of the wrist-watch casing assembly of Figure 5, in a separated condition; Figure 7 is a perspective view of the straps and connector of Figure 6, in a connected condition; Figure 8 is a perspective view of the straps and connector of Figure 7 and a watch casing of the casing assembly; and Figure 9 is a perspective view of the straps, connector and watch casing of Figure 8 and a bezel of the casing assembly.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, there is shown a first wrist-watch 10 incorporating a wrist-watch casing assembly 11, embodying the invention. The casing assembly 11 is formed by a watch casing 12 for holding therein a watch module or movement, a ring bezel 13 for mounting on the front side of the watch casing 12, and a metal bracelet 14. The bracelet 14 has two ends 15 and 16 which are connected to the watch casing 12 by means of a metal C-ring 17. The C-ring 17 is moulded into shape onto the bracelet ends 15 and 16, with bottom and top sides 18 and 19 of the C-ring 17 lying along the free edges of the corresponding bracelet ends 15 and 16.

The manner in which the bracelet 14 is connected to the watch casing 12 by the C-ring 17 will now be described.

The watch casing 12 has on the front side thereof and around its periphery an annular groove 20 into which the Cring 17 is located. The watch casing 12 is provided with two cut-outs 21 and 22 on opposite sides of its periphery for accommodating the corresponding bracelet ends 15 and 16. The front side of the watch casing 12 and the rear side of the bezel 13 are provided with co-operable screw threads such that the bezel 13 can be screwed through a turning action onto the watch casing 12. Upon tightening of the bezel 13, the C-ring 17 will be held fixed in position, being sandwiched between the watch casing 12 and the bezel 13.

In a slightly different construction, the C-ring 17 is preformed, such as by bending a wire, and subsequently welded to the free edges of the corresponding bracelet ends 15 and 16. The C-ring 17 may be replaced by a closed ring or loop or by a washer.

Referring now to Figures 5 to 9 of the drawings, showing a second wrist-watch 10A incorporating a wrist-watch casing assembly l1A, embodying the invention. The wrist-watch 10A and the casing assembly llA have a construction similar to that of the counterparts described above with reference to the first embodiment, with corresponding parts designated by the same reference numerals suffixed by letter A, except that in this case two leather watch straps 14A are used instead to fasten the casing 12A onto a user's wrist.

Each end 15A or 16A of the straps 14A is pre-formed with a hole 23 which extends in a co-planar manner through the free edge of the strap end 15A or 16A. The C-ring 17A is connected to the strap ends 15A and 16A by passing through their holes 23 such that two straps 14A are engaged on the top and bottom sides of the C-ring 17A. Once the straps 14A have been engaged to the C-ring 17A and brought into alignment, they are connected to the watch casing 12A by the C-ring 17A in the same manner as described with reference to the first wrist-watch 10.

In each of the described embodiments, it is to be understood that the ring bezel 13 or 13A may be taken as a part of the watch casing 12 or 12A. The use of the bezel 13 or 13A to fix the C-ring 17 or 17A facilitates user's changing of the watch bracelet or straps. It is envisaged that the watch casing of this invention may be formed by a top part (carrying a watch crystal) and a base part, and that the C-ring 17 or 17A may be arranged to be sandwiched between the top and base casing parts.

The invention has been given by way of example only, and various other modifications of and/or alterations to the described embodiments may be made by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as specified in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A wrist-watch casing assembly comprising a casing for holding therein a watch module, said casing having upper and lower parts, fastening means for fastening the casing onto a user's wrist, and elongate connecting means adapted to connect the fastening means to opposite sides of the casing, said connecting means being secured to the casing by being sandwiched between the upper and lower casing parts.

2. A wrist-watch casing assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting means is in a one-piece construction.

3. A wrist-watch casing assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the connecting means is annular.

4. A wrist-watch casing assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the connecting means is in the form of an open loop.

5. A wrist-watch casing assembly as claimed in claims 1 to 4, wherein the connecting means is sandwiched between the upper and lower casing parts, extending over half of the periphery of the casing.

6. A wrist-watch casing assembly as claimed in any one of th preceding claims, wherein the connecting means is arranged to pass through and thereby to secure the fastening means.

7. A wrist-watch casing assembly as claimed in claims 1 to 5, wherein the connecting means is rigidly secured to the fastening means.

8. A wrist-watch casing assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the connecting means is moulded into connection with the fastening means.

9. A wrist-watch casing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lower casing part has a pair of cut-outs on its opposite sides for accommodating the fastening means.

10. A wrist-watch casing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the upper and lower casing parts are provided with co-operable screw threads for engaging the casing parts together.

11. A wrist-watch casing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the upper casing part is a bezel and the lower casing part is adapted to hold therein a said watch module.

12. A wrist-watch casing assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 or Figures 5 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A wrist-watch incorporating a wrist-watch casing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.