Retaining ring locking device

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (10) for locking a retaining ring (20), comprising a pusher (100) which can be moved in translation in a support structure (110) between a rest position, in which it is intended to prevent the opening of the retaining ring (20), and an active position, in which it is intended to no longer prevent the opening of the retaining ring (20), the locking device (10) is characterized in that it comprises a blocking member (120) for blocking the pusher (100), the member being configured to assume a locked state, in which it fixes the pusher (100) in the rest position, and an unlocked state, in which it releases the pusher (100) in a translatable manner.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of jewellery or watch bracelets and in particular to a device for locking a pusher for a clasp. Background Art

[0002] There are many types of bracelet clasps. In particular, in the field of watchmaking, clasps including single folding clasps and double folding clasps (ie with two or three leaves) are commonly used and well known to those skilled in the art.

[0003] For example, the buckle may include a pusher attached to one leaf and may be linked to a hook intended to engage with the other leaf when the buckle is closed. Pressing the buckle will move the hook away from the other leaf so that the buckle can be opened.

[0004] This type of clasp is therefore quick and easy to open, simply by pressing the pusher. However, these advantages are also exploited to steal watches while they are worn by the user. Most luxury watch thefts involve swapping watches while they are worn by the user, who is usually unaware that his or her watch has been stolen.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need to secure the clasp of the watch or jewelry. Summary of the invention

[0006] To this end, the present invention overcomes the above-mentioned drawbacks by proposing a device for locking a buckle, the device comprising a pusher movable in translation in a support structure between a rest position in which the pusher is intended to prevent the buckle from opening and an active position in which the pusher is intended to no longer prevent the buckle from opening. The locking device also comprises a pusher blocking member configured to occupy a locked state in which the blocking member fixes the pusher in the rest position and an unlocked state in which the pusher blocking member releases the pusher in translation.

[0007] In a particular embodiment, the invention may also comprise one or more of the following features, which must be considered individually or in any technically possible combination.

[0008] In a particular embodiment, the pusher is connected to the support structure via a locking rod, and the blocking member comprises a cam which is movable relative to the pusher so as to constitute an abutment for the locking rod when the blocking member occupies the locked state, and so as to move out of the path of the locking rod when the blocking member occupies the unlocked state.

[0009] In a particular embodiment, the cam is rotatable and has a cam profile, against which the locking lever abuts when the pusher is pushed from its rest position and when the blocking member occupies the locked state, and the cam is provided with a radial recess in which the locking lever engages when the pusher is in the active position and when the blocking member occupies the unlocked state.

[0010] In a particular embodiment, the cam profile has a radial groove whose shape corresponds to the shape of the end of the locking lever so as to prevent the cam from rotating when the pusher is pushed from its rest position and when the blocking member is in the locked state.

[0011] In certain specific embodiments, the blocking member includes a control element connected to the cam so as to rotate the cam when it is operated by a user.

[0012] In a particular embodiment, the control element consists of a roller, the axis of rotation of which coincides with the axis of rotation of the cam.

[0013] In a particular embodiment, the control element is fixed in a stable angular position by a jumper.

[0014] In a particular embodiment, the control element has more than three stable positions, in only one of which the blocking member is in the unlocked state.

[0015] In a particular embodiment, the cam profile has the same number of grooves as the number of stable positions, said grooves being evenly distributed except for the position in which the blocking member occupies the unlocked state.

[0016] In certain embodiments, the control element includes a guide mark, the position of the guide mark representing the locked or unlocked state of the control component.

[0017] In a particular embodiment, the pusher is biased by a spring to move towards its rest position and comprises at least one guide rod slidably engaged in the support structure, the support structure further comprising at least one guide rod slidably engaged in the pusher.

[0018] In a particular embodiment, the guide rod slidably engaged in the support structure has an axial abutment configured to rest against the support structure when the pusher is in the rest position.

[0019] Another object of the invention relates to a folding clasp for a watch or jewellery comprising at least two blades connected to each other so as to be rotatably movable, and a locking device as described above, the support structure of which is formed by one of the blades of the clasp. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, given by way of example and in no way limiting, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0021] - Figure 1 A front view showing a locking device for a buckle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,

[0022] - Figure 2 Shows Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the device shown, the locking device comprises a pusher in a rest position and a blocking member in an unlocked state,

[0023] - Figure 3 Shows Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the pusher in the active position,

[0024] - Figure 4 Shows Figure 2 sectional view of the embodiment of the present invention, wherein the blocking member is in a locked state,

[0025] - Figure 5 Shows Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the device in parallel cutting planes,

[0026] - Figure 6 According to another example embodiment Figure 1 An isolated view of the locking device shown in

[0027] - Figure 7 A perspective view of a closed folding clasp is shown, comprising Figure 1 locking device.

[0028] It should be noted that for purposes of clarity these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The invention relates to a locking device 10 for a clasp 20, for example a watch or jewellery clasp, in particular a folding clasp 20, for example with two or three leaves. Figures 1 to 6 The buckle 20 including the locking device 10 is shown in FIG. Figure 7 , and is described below as an example application of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 1As shown, the locking device 10 comprises a pusher 100 rigidly connected to a supporting structure 110. The supporting structure 110 is constituted, for example, by one of the blades of the buckle 20. In a manner known to a person skilled in the art, the pusher 100 is translationally movable relative to the supporting structure 110 between a rest position in which the pusher 100 is intended to prevent the buckle 20 from opening and an active position in which the pusher 100 is intended to no longer prevent the buckle 20 from opening. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The pusher 100 is shown in cross-section in a rest position and in an active position, respectively.

[0031] Advantageously, the locking device 10 comprises a blocking member 120 for blocking the pusher 100, the blocking member being configured to occupy a locked state, in which it fixes the pusher 100 in a stationary position, and an unlocked state, in which it releases the pusher 100 so that it can translate. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The blocking member 120 is shown in an unlocked state, and Figure 4 The blocking member 120 is illustrated in a locked state.

[0032] The pusher 100 is connected to the support structure 110 by means of a locking rod 111 which is attached to said support structure 110 without any degree of freedom. The blocking member 120 is preferably housed inside the pusher 100 and comprises a cam 112 which is movable, preferably rotationally movable, relative to the pusher 100. Thus, when the blocking member 120 is in the locked state, the cam 112 forms an abutment for the locking rod 111 and when the blocking member 120 is in the unlocked state, the cam 112 is outside the path of the locking rod 111.

[0033] In particular, the cam 112 has a cam profile 113 against which the locking lever 111 abuts when the pusher 100 is pushed from its rest position and when the blocking member 120 occupies the locked state. The cam 112 is provided with a radial notch 114 in which the locking lever 111 engages when the pusher 100 is in the active position and the blocking member 120 is in the unlocked state, as shown in FIG. Figure 3 Therefore, the depth of the radial notch 114 determines the travel of the pusher 100 between its rest position and its active position.

[0034] The blocking member 120 comprises a control element 121 connected to the cam 112 and intended to be operated by a user so that it moves the cam. In a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention, the control element 121 consists of a toothed roller whose axis of rotation coincides with that of the cam 112 .

[0035] Advantageously, the blocking member 120 may include a spring 122 configured to keep the control element 121 and thus the cam 112 in a stable angular position. The jumper 122 may be attached in the pusher 100 and may be as Figure 5 It is shown resting against a control element 121, or as described in detail below, against a cam 112.

[0036] The control element 121 includes a guide mark 123, the position of which relative to the pusher 100 represents the locked or unlocked state of the blocking member 120. In particular, in a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention, when the guide mark 123 of the control element 120 (in this case, composed of a colored mark) is located in the center position, the blocking member 120 is in the unlocked state, such as Figure 5 This guide mark 123 allows the user to simply and quickly find the position of the control element 121 that allows the blocking member 120 to be placed in the unlocked state.

[0037] Advantageously, the control element 121 can occupy a plurality of discrete stable positions, for example more than three, and in particular in the exemplary embodiment shown in the figures, nine. The blocking member 120 occupies the unlocked state in only one of these positions of the control element 121. Thus, the user of the watch can simply and quickly arrange the control member in the unlocked state, but this operation becomes very complicated for someone who wishes to open the clasp 20 in order to steal the watch while it is worn on the user's wrist.

[0038] The cam profile 113 may advantageously have at least one radial groove 115, such as Figure 6 As can be seen in FIG. 1 , the shape of the groove matches the shape of the end of the locking lever 111 so as to prevent the cam 112 from rotating when the pusher 100 is pushed from its rest position and when the blocking member 120 is in the locked state.

[0039] This feature further increases the difficulty of unlocking the blocking member 120 when the operation to unlock the blocking member 120 is performed in a hurry, for example, during an attempt to steal a watch worn by a user.

[0040] Advantageously, the jumper 122 may be arranged so as to rest against the cam 112, in particular against a groove therein, as Figure 5 An alternative to the exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in which the jumper 122 is arranged so as to rest against the control element 121 .

[0041] The pusher 100 comprises at least one guide rod 101, preferably two, which are slidably engaged in the support structure 110 and are arranged on both sides of the locking rod 111. The support structure 110 also comprises at least one guide rod 116, preferably two, which are slidably engaged in the pusher 100 and are arranged on both sides of the locking rod 111. In the preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the guide rods 116 of the support structure 110 engaged in the pusher 100 are each arranged to bear against a spring 117 housed in said pusher 100. The spring 117 is arranged so as to bias the pusher 100 towards its rest position.

[0042] The guide rod 101 of the pusher 100 slidably engaged in the support structure 110 has an axial abutment 102 at one of its ends opposite to the pusher 100, which is configured to rest against the support structure 110 when the pusher 100 is in the rest position. In particular, in a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the abutment 102 is formed by a base plate to which the end of the guide rod 101 of the pusher 100 is attached without any degree of freedom. As can be seen from the figure, when the pusher 100 moves towards its active position, the locking rod 111 can be engaged in a through hole in the base plate so as to slide relative to the base plate.

[0043] For example, Figure 7 As shown, the abutment 102 may form a first hooking member 103, for example by a shoulder, which is intended to cooperate with a second hooking member 210, such as a hooking edge forming another supporting structure of the side blade 21. More specifically, when the buckle 20 is closed, the first hooking member 103 and the second hooking member 210 bear against each other. Moving the pusher 100 into the active position causes the abutment 102 to move until the first hooking member 103 and the second hooking member 210 no longer bear against each other, which releases the buckle 20 so that it can be opened.

[0044] exist Figure 7 In the example shown, the clasp 20 comprises two lateral blades 21 rotatably connected to a supporting structure 110 forming a central blade. These two lateral blades 21 are intended to be attached by their free ends to the ends of the bracelet strands, respectively, in a manner known to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A device (10) for locking a buckle (20), the device comprising a pusher (100) which is capable of being moved translationally in a support structure (110) between a rest position and an active position, in which the pusher is intended to prevent the buckle (20) from opening and in which the pusher is intended to no longer prevent the buckle (20) from opening, the locking device (10) being characterized in that it comprises a blocking member (120) for blocking the pusher (100), the blocking member being configured to occupy a locked state and an unlocked state, in which the pusher is in the locked state and the buckle (20) is in the unlocked state. The blocking member fixes the pusher (100) in a stationary position, and in an unlocked state, the blocking member can release the pusher (100) in a translational manner, the pusher (100) being connected to the support structure (110) via a locking rod (111), and the blocking member (120) includes a cam (112) which is movable relative to the pusher (100) so as to constitute an abutment portion for the locking rod (111) when the blocking member (120) occupies the locked state, and so as to move out of the path of the locking rod (111) when the blocking member (120) occupies the unlocked state.

2. The locking device (10) according to claim 1, wherein: The cam (112) is rotatable and has a cam profile (113), against which the locking rod (111) abuts when the pusher (100) is pushed from its rest position and when the blocking member (120) occupies the locked state, and the cam (112) is provided with a radial notch (114), in which the locking rod (111) engages when the pusher (100) is in the active position and when the blocking member (120) occupies the unlocked state.

3. The locking device (10) according to claim 1, wherein: The cam profile (113) has a radial groove whose shape matches the shape of the end of the locking rod (111) to prevent the cam (112) from rotating when the pusher (100) is pushed from its rest position and when the blocking member (120) is in a locked state.

4. The locking device (10) according to any one of claims 2 to 3, wherein: The blocking member (120) includes a control element (121) connected to the cam (112) so as to rotate the cam when the control element (121) is operated by a user.

5. The locking device (10) according to claim 4, wherein: The control element (121) is composed of a roller, and the rotation axis of the roller coincides with the rotation axis of the cam (112).

6. The locking device (10) according to claim 4, wherein: The control element (121) is held in a stable angular position by means of a jumper wire (122).

7. The locking device (10) according to claim 4, wherein: The control element (121) has more than three stable positions, in only one of which the blocking member (120) is in an unlocked state.

8. The locking device (10) according to claim 3, wherein: The control element (121) has more than three stable positions, in only one of which the blocking member (120) is in the unlocked state, and wherein the cam profile (113) has as many grooves as stable positions, the grooves being evenly distributed except for the position in which the blocking member (120) occupies the unlocked state.

9. The locking device (10) according to claim 4, wherein: The control element (121) comprises a guide mark (123), and the position of the guide mark (123) represents the locked or unlocked state of the control element.

10. The locking device (10) according to claims 1 to 3, wherein: The pusher (100) is biased by a spring (117) to move toward its rest position and comprises at least one guide rod (101) slidably engaged in the support structure (110), the support structure further comprising at least one guide rod (116) slidably engaged in the pusher (100).

11. The locking device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: A guide rod (101) slidably engaged in the support structure (110) has an axial abutment (102) configured to rest against the support structure (110) when the pusher (100) is in a rest position.

12. A folding clasp (20) for a watch or jewellery, comprising at least two blades connected to each other so as to be rotatably movable, and a locking device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, the support structure (110) of which is formed by one of the blades of the clasp (20).

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