JP7157635B2 - Band connection structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a band connection structure.

As a band for wearing a wristwatch on an arm, there is a band in which a plurality of pieces are connected along the circumferential direction of the wrist. The pieces of such a band are configured by connecting outer pieces arranged at both ends in the width direction of the band and one or more middle pieces arranged between the two outer pieces.

A so-called C-ring system is known as a connection structure between the outer piece and the middle piece. In the C-ring method, a thin hole extending in the width direction of the band is formed in each of the outer and middle pieces, and after the outer and middle pieces are arranged side by side, a common thin pin is passed through each hole. , in which the outer piece and the middle piece are connected via the pin. In this connection structure, a cylinder (C ring) having a C-shaped cross section is arranged in the hole in order to prevent the pin from falling out of the hole.

The inner diameter of the C ring is smaller than the outer diameter of the pin, but the elasticity of the C ring allows the pin to pass through the inside of the C ring. They are united by frictional force.

On the other hand, the portion of the hole in which the C-ring is arranged has a larger diameter than the other portion of the hole. Since the outside diameter is larger than the diameter of the rest of the hole, the C-ring will not fall out of the hole. As a result, the pin integrated with the C-ring is held in the hole without falling out of the hole (see Patent Document 1, for example).

JP 2009-28445 A

However, since the C-rings used in the C-ring type connection structure are very small, there is a problem in that a precise operation is required in the work of connecting the pieces, which are installed in the holes of the pieces and the connection pins are passed through, and that it takes time and effort. Also, when the pin is removed from the bridge for maintenance or the like, the C-ring is likely to drop out of the hole and be lost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a band connection structure for connecting pieces without using a C-ring.

The present invention comprises an outer piece and a middle piece arranged in the width direction of the band, and a connecting shaft inserted into a connecting hole extending in the direction in which the outer piece and the middle piece are arranged. , the connecting shaft has a small diameter shaft portion formed to be smaller than the outer diameter of the other portion, and at least one of the outer piece and the middle piece has the small diameter shaft portion smaller than the outside diameter of the connecting shaft. and a notch formed so as to be connected to the small-diameter hole and expand the diameter of the small-diameter hole to the outer diameter of the connecting shaft by elastic deformation when the connecting shaft is inserted. This is the connection structure of the band.

According to the band connecting structure of the present invention, the pieces can be connected without using a C-ring.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a wristwatch band of Embodiment 1 to which a band connection structure according to the present invention is applied; FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an outer piece of the band shown in FIG. 1; 2 is a perspective view showing a middle piece formed with a small diameter hole among the middle pieces shown in FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 3 showing a representative middle piece among the middle pieces other than the middle piece shown in FIG. 3 among the middle pieces shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the band shown in FIG. 1 taken along line AA, excluding a connecting axis; FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a connecting shaft shown in FIG. 1; 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 1 showing a state in which another portion of the connecting shaft is inserted into a hole (small diameter hole) of the intermediate piece; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 1, showing a state in which the small-diameter shaft portion of the connecting shaft is inserted into the hole (small-diameter hole) of the middle piece; FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 3 showing another form (part 1) of cuts; FIG. 4 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 3 showing another form (part 2) of cuts; FIG. 4 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 3 showing another form (No. 3) of cuts; FIG. 4 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 3 showing another form (part 4) of cuts, showing a state before elastic deformation. FIG. 4 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 3 showing another form (part 4) of cuts, showing a state after elastic deformation. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing another form of the connecting shaft; FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a wristwatch band of Embodiment 2 to which the band connection structure according to the present invention is applied, viewed from the front side. FIG. 16 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 6 showing a connecting shaft used in the band shown in FIG. 15; FIG. 16 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 5 in the band shown in FIG. 15;

An embodiment of a band connection structure according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

<Embodiment 1>
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an example wristwatch band 1 to which the band connection structure according to the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is an outer piece body 10 of the band 1 shown in FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the middle piece 21 formed with the small diameter hole 21c of the middle piece 20 shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is the middle piece 20 shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 3 showing the middle piece 22 as a representative of the middle pieces 22, 23, 24, and 25 other than the middle piece 21, and FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the connecting shaft 50 shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the band 1 to which the connecting structure of this embodiment is applied comprises an outer piece body 10, an intermediate piece 20 and a connecting shaft 50, which are made of the same material such as titanium. As shown in FIG. 1 , the band 1 has an outer piece body 10 and a middle piece 20 arranged side by side in the width direction W of the band 1 .

As shown in FIG. 2, the outer piece body 10 has an outer piece 11 and an outer piece 14 arranged at both ends in the width direction W, and a gap is provided in the width direction W between the outer pieces 11 and 14. The two middle pieces 12 and 13 arranged in a row are integrally connected by a crosspiece 15 (a connecting member different from the connecting shaft) extending in the width direction W. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, two middle pieces 22 are arranged side by side in the length direction L of the band 1, and are formed with connecting holes 22c (see FIG. 5) extending in the width direction W, respectively. The other middle pieces 23, 24 and 25 have the same shape as the middle piece 22, and are formed with connecting holes 23c, 24c and 25c (see FIG. 5) extending in the width direction W, respectively. The middle pieces 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 are separate structures independent of each other. Each hole 22c, 23c, 24c, 25c is formed with a diameter d1.

As shown in FIG. 3, the intermediate pieces 21 are also formed with two connecting holes 21c (see FIG. 5; small-diameter holes) extending in the width direction W side by side in the length direction L of the band 1. . The hole 21c is formed with a diameter d2 (<d1) smaller than the other holes 22c, 23c, 24c and 25c. The connecting holes 21c-25c formed in the middle pieces 21-25 are holes into which the connecting shaft 50 shown in FIG.

The middle piece 21 is further formed with a notch 21d that penetrates in the width direction W and connects the two holes 21c, 21c. The cut 21d has a function of increasing the diameter d2 of the hole 21c by elastic deformation expanding in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 3 (the direction orthogonal to the direction connecting the two holes 21c, 21c).

2, each of the outer pieces 11, 14 and the middle pieces 12, 13 of the outer piece body 10 shown in FIG. , 14c, 12c, 13c (see FIG. 5) are formed. Each hole 11c, 14c, 12c, 13c, 21c is arranged on a straight line.

As shown in FIG. The holes 11c, 21c, 22c, 12c, and 23c of each of the pieces 11, 21, 22, 12, 23, 13, 24, 25, and 14 when the arrangement in the length direction L is staggered (zigzag). , 13c, 24c, 25c, and 14c are arranged in a straight line with the axis C in common, as shown in FIG.

Then, for example, from the side of the outer end surface 11a extending in the width direction W of the outer piece 11, the connecting shaft 50 shown in FIG. All pieces 11 are inserted into holes 11c, 21c, 22c, 12c, 23c, 13c, 24c, 25c, and 14c of all pieces 11, 21, 22, 12, 23, 13, 24, 25, and 14. , 21, 22, 12, 23, 13, 24, 25, 14 are connected via a connecting shaft 50 to form the band 1 as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 6 , the connecting shaft 50 has a portion 52 in the longitudinal direction (corresponding to the width direction W of the band 1 ) formed to have a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the other portion 51 . That is, the diameter d4 of the portion 52 (hereinafter referred to as the small-diameter shaft portion 52) is smaller than the diameter d3 of the other portion 51 (d4<d3).

Here, the positions where the small-diameter shaft portion 52 is formed in the longitudinal direction are such that the connecting shaft 50 is located between the holes 11c, 21c, 22c, 12c of the pieces 11, 21, 22, 12, 23, 13, 24, 25, 14, 23c, 13c, 24c, 25c, and 14c (see FIG. 1), the hole 21c of the middle piece 21 is inserted.

The diameter d1 of the hole 11c of the outer piece 11, etc., the diameter d2 of the hole 21c of the middle piece 21, the diameter d3 of the other portion 51 of the connecting shaft 50, and the diameter d4 of the small diameter shaft portion 52 of the connecting shaft 50. are set to the following magnitude relationships:

d4<d2<d3<d1

The band 1 constructed as described above has holes 11c, 21c, 22c, 12c, 23c, 11c, 21c, 22c, 12c, 23c, 11c, 21c, 22c, 12c, 23c of the pieces 11, 21, 22, 12, 23, 13, 24, 25, 14 arranged as shown in FIG. 13c, 24c, 25c, and 14c are connected by inserting a connecting shaft 50 from the end surface 11a side of the outer piece 11, for example. In this connecting process, first, the other portion 51 (diameter d3) of the connecting shaft 50 is inserted into the hole 11c (diameter d1 (>d3)) of the outer piece 11 . Since the hole 11c is thicker than the other portion 51, the connecting shaft 50 is loosely inserted into the hole 11c.

When the insertion of the connecting shaft 50 progresses and the other portion 51 (diameter d3) of the connecting shaft 50 reaches the hole 21c (diameter d2) of the middle piece 21, the hole 21c becomes thinner than the other portion 51 (d2<d3). . However, when the connecting shaft 50 is pushed in and the other portion 51 begins to be inserted into the hole 21c, as shown in FIG. The piece 21 is elastically deformed.

As a result, the hole 21c widens to a diameter d3 so as to follow the contour of the other portion 51, and the other portion 51 passes through the hole 21c. At this time, since normal force due to elastic deformation toward the axis C acts on the hole 21c, a strong frictional force acts between the other portion 51 and the hole 21c, and the connecting shaft 50 is in a tight state with respect to the hole 21c. inserted.

As the connecting shaft 50 is further inserted, the other portion 51 passes through the hole 22c and the like (diameter d1) of the other middle piece 22. As shown in FIG. Since the hole 22c and the like of the intermediate piece 22 are thicker than the other portion 51 (d3<d1), the other portion 51 and the hole 22c are loose in this portion.

When the connecting shaft 50 is further inserted, the other portion 51 is separated from the hole 21c of the intermediate piece 21, and as shown in FIG. becomes. Since the small-diameter shaft portion 52 is thinner than the hole 21c of the intermediate piece 21 (d4<d2), the small-diameter shaft portion 52 is loosely inserted into the hole 21c. Since the other portion 51 is also passed through the hole 22c or the like having a diameter larger than that of the other portion 51, the connecting shaft 50 as a whole is loose in the direction of rotation about the axis C with respect to the hole 11c or the like. is inserted with

On the other hand, since the hole 21c of the middle piece 21 is narrower than the other portion 51, the width direction W (the direction of the axis C) is equal to the diametrical step formed at the boundary between the small-diameter shaft portion 52 and the other portion 51. Since the portion abuts against the outer surface of the hole 21c, the movement is restricted, the connecting shaft 50 is prevented from falling out of the hole 21c, and the pieces can be connected to each other.

As described above in detail, the connecting structure of the band 1 of this embodiment can connect the pieces (the outer piece body 10 and the middle piece 20) without using a C ring.

In addition, in the connecting structure of the band 1 of the present embodiment, all the portions of the connecting shaft 50 (the small diameter shaft portion 52 and the other portion 51) are arranged in holes (holes 22c and 21c) having diameters larger than those of the connecting shaft 50. Therefore, between the connecting shaft 50 and each of the pieces 11, 21, etc., they are inserted loosely in the direction of rotation about the axis C, and between the outer piece body 10 and the middle piece 20, the shaft The bending motion around C can be maintained smoothly.

In the band 1 to which the connecting structure of the present embodiment is applied, the outer piece body 10, the middle piece 20 and the connecting shaft 50 are all formed by laser processing titanium. By oxidizing and sintering, the lubricity in sliding parts is improved. Therefore, the frictional resistance between the hole 11c or the like of the outer piece body 10 and the connecting shaft 50 and between the middle piece 20 and the connecting shaft 50 can be reduced.

In the connection structure of the band 1 of the present embodiment, the cut 21d connecting the two holes 21c, 21c of the middle piece 21 is formed in a flat space. The space is not limited to a flat plate-like space, and may be, for example, a curved plate-like space as shown in FIG. 9, or a plate-like space having a plurality of curved surfaces as shown in FIG. good too. In other words, the notches in the band connection structure according to the present invention may be formed so as to exhibit the function of elastically deforming the pieces so as to increase the diameter of the small-diameter holes.

Therefore, the cut in the band connection structure of the present invention is not limited to the form of connecting two small holes of the piece. That is, for example, as shown in FIG. 11, the cut 21d is formed extending in the width direction W connecting the hole 21c, which is a small diameter hole, and the space 60 outside the outer shape of the middle piece 21. good too. 21d of cuts formed in this way also exhibit the effect|action and effect similar to 21d of cuts shown in FIG.3,9,10.

However, the cut 21d connecting the two holes 21c, 21c shown in FIGS. On the other hand, since the notch 21d shown in FIG.

In addition, the notches in the band connecting structure of the present invention are not limited to connecting small-diameter holes to other small-diameter holes (see FIGS. 3, 9, and 10) or connecting to the outside of the outer shape (see FIG. 11). For example, as shown in FIG. 12, radially outwardly of the hole 21c (small diameter hole), a circumferentially extending circumferentially extending wall 21h, for example in the shape of a C, which thins the radially outwardly facing wall 21h of the hole 21c. It is also possible to apply one having a cut 21f and a radial cut 21g connecting the hole 21c and the circumferential cut 21f.

The incisions formed in this way thin the outer wall 21h of the hole 21c, so that the wall 21h can be elastically deformed. It can be increased up to d3.

14 is a plan view similar to FIG. 6 showing a modification of the connecting shaft 50. FIG. A connecting shaft 50 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 14, between the small-diameter shaft portion 52 and another portion 51 adjacent to the small-diameter shaft portion 52, even if the outer diameter is continuously changed along the axial direction, good.

For example, in the connecting shaft 50 shown in FIG. 14, the boundary between the small-diameter shaft portion 52 and the other portion 51 is formed by an arc R in which the small-diameter shaft portion 52 is tangential, so that the outer diameter extends in the axial direction. It is formed by continuously changing along.

According to the connecting shaft 50 formed in this way, when a load is applied to move the connecting shaft 50 in the axial direction from a state in which the small-diameter shaft portion is arranged in the small-diameter hole formed on the piece side, the small-diameter hole Since the outer diameter continuously changes in the process in which another portion having a diameter larger than that of the small-diameter shaft portion is entering, the entry becomes easier than when a step is formed.

As a result, the connecting shaft 50 can be detached from the piece even with the band 1 in a connected state, and the maintainability can be improved.

<Embodiment 2>
Since the connection structure of the band 1 of Embodiment 1 is a form in which a small diameter hole is formed in the middle piece 21, the outer piece body 10 integrally forms two outer pieces 11 and 14 arranged at both ends in the width direction W. is applied. However, in the form in which the small-diameter holes are applied to the two outer pieces respectively, all the pieces including the two outer pieces can be constructed as independent separate bodies.

That is, for example, the connecting structure of the band 101 according to the second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. It is a structure in which two middle pieces 120 and a connecting shaft 150 connecting them are connected.

Here, as shown in FIG. 17, the outer pieces 111, 112 and the middle piece 120 are formed with connecting holes 111c, 111e, 120c, 112e, 112c through which the connecting shaft 150 is passed. Here, the holes 111 c and 111 e are formed in the outer piece 111 , the hole 111 c is formed outside in the width direction W, and the hole 111 e is formed inside adjacent to the middle piece 120 .

Similarly, the holes 112 c and 112 e are formed in the outer piece 112 , the hole 112 c is formed outside in the width direction W, and the hole 112 e is formed inside adjacent to the middle piece 120 . The outer holes 111c and 112c have a diameter d1, and the inner holes 111e and 112e have a diameter d2 (<d1) smaller than the diameter d1. A hole 120c is formed in the middle piece 120 and has a diameter d1.

15 shows cuts 112d that connect the holes 112c and 112e with the holes 112c and 112e only for the outer piece 112, but the outer piece 111 also has the holes 111c and 111e and the holes 111c and 111e. A notch 111d connecting the two is formed.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 16, the connecting shaft 150 has two portions 152 in the longitudinal direction (corresponding to the width direction W of the band 101) that are smaller in diameter than the other portions 151. As shown in FIG. That is, the diameter d4 of the portion 152 (hereinafter referred to as the small-diameter shaft portion 152) is smaller than the diameter d3 of the other portion 151 (d4<d3).

Here, the position where the small-diameter shaft portion 152 is formed in the longitudinal direction is the state where the connecting shaft 150 is inserted into the holes 111c, 111e, 120c, 112e, and 112c of the pieces 111, 120, and 112 (see FIG. 17). , and holes 111e and 112e.

The diameter d1 of the hole 111c and the like, the diameter d2 of the holes 111e and 112e, the diameter d3 of the other portion 151 of the connecting shaft 150, and the diameter d4 of the small diameter shaft portion 152 of the connecting shaft 150 have the following magnitude relationship: is set to

d4<d2<d3<d1

The band 101 of the second embodiment configured as described above exhibits the same actions and effects as the band 1 of the first embodiment. In addition, even if the two outer pieces 111 and 112 are independent, they cannot move outward in the width direction W with respect to the connecting shaft 150. There is no need to integrate the two outer pieces 111 and 112 like the outer piece body 10 of the first embodiment.

In each embodiment, a wristwatch band is exemplified, but the band connection structure according to the present invention is not limited to a wristwatch band connection structure, and may be applied to a bracelet or other ornamental band connection structure. can also be applied.

1 band 10 outer piece body 12, 13, 21-25 middle piece 21c hole (small diameter hole)
21d cut 50 connecting shaft 51 other portion 52 small diameter shaft portion (partial)
C Axis L Lengthwise W Widthwise

Claims (5)

An outer piece and a middle piece arranged in the width direction of the band, and a connecting shaft inserted into a connecting hole extending in the direction in which the outer piece and the middle piece are arranged,
The connecting shaft has a small-diameter shaft portion formed smaller than the outer diameter of other portions,
At least one of the outer piece and the middle piece is formed with a small-diameter hole formed to be smaller than the outer diameter of the connecting shaft and larger than the small-diameter shaft portion, and connected to the small-diameter hole, into which the connecting shaft is inserted. a notch that expands the diameter of the small-diameter hole to the outer diameter of the connecting shaft by elastic deformation ,
The cut includes a circumferential cut extending radially outward of the small-diameter hole to thin a wall facing the radially outer side of the small-diameter hole, and a radius connecting the small-diameter hole and the circumferential cut. an interlocking structure of the bands having directional cuts ; An outer piece and a middle piece arranged in the width direction of the band, and a connecting shaft inserted into a connecting hole extending in the direction in which the outer piece and the middle piece are arranged,
The connecting shaft has a small-diameter shaft portion formed smaller than the outer diameter of other portions,
At least one of the outer piece and the middle piece is formed with a small-diameter hole formed to be smaller than the outer diameter of the connecting shaft and larger than the small-diameter shaft portion, and connected to the small-diameter hole, into which the connecting shaft is inserted. a notch that expands the diameter of the small-diameter hole to the outer diameter of the connecting shaft by elastic deformation ,
The holes having the small diameter holes are formed by arranging two in the length direction of the band,
The notch is a connecting structure of a band that connects the small-diameter holes of the two holes . 2. The connecting shaft is formed such that an outer diameter continuously changes along the axial direction between the small-diameter shaft portion and a portion other than the small-diameter shaft adjacent to the small - diameter shaft portion. 3. Or the connection structure of the band as described in 2 . The small-diameter hole is formed in the middle piece,
The band according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the two outer pieces arranged at both ends in the width direction of the band are integrally formed by a connecting member separate from the connecting shaft. connected structure. The band connection structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the outer piece, the middle piece and the connection shaft are made of titanium.

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