Watch intended for being mounted on a removable support

Abstract

The invention relates to a watch (1) intended to be mounted on a support (2) in a removable manner, comprising a watch case (4) and a removable, independent fixing device (10) arranged to hold the watch case (4) in an opening (3) provided on the support (2), the watch case (4) comprising an upper part (4a), dial side, and a lower part (4b) comprising a base (5), said lower part (4b) being arranged to fit into the opening (3) of the support (2) and being smaller than the dimensions of the upper part (4a) to form a flat peripheral shoulder (8). According to the invention, the fastening device (10) comprises a flange (12) having a central opening (14) arranged to receive the lower part (4b) of the watch case (4) and an inner rim (16) delimiting said central opening (14), said inner rim (16) being arranged to fit into the opening (3) of the support (2).The inner rim (16) has on its inner wall locking means for the fastening device (10) on the lower part (4b) of the watch case (4), arranged to allow locking of the fastening device (10) on the watch case (4) so ​​as to be able to hold the support (2) between the flange (12) and the flat shoulder (8) of the watch case (4) and to allow unlocking of the fastening device (10) of the watch case (4) by application on the flange (12) of a force (F) substantially perpendicular to the flange (12) and directed outwards so as to be able to release the support (2).

Description

Field of invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a watch intended to be mounted on a support, such as a bracelet, in a removable manner, comprising a watch case and a removable, independent fixing device arranged to hold the watch case in an opening provided on the support, the watch case comprising an upper part, on the dial side, and a lower part comprising the bottom, said lower part being arranged to be housed in the opening of the support and being of smaller dimensions than those of the upper part to form a flat peripheral shoulder. Background of the invention

[0002] Such a watch is described for example in patent FR 1 557 197. The watch case is attached to the bracelet by a ring whose internal face is adjusted to the diameter of the cylindrical lateral face of a base-cap constituting the main element of the case. The ring is fixed to the base-cap by driving. Driving has the disadvantage of making it difficult for a user to remove the ring to separate the bracelet from the watch case, in particular for a user with little strength. Changing the bracelet is therefore not simple. In addition, if the ring is not correctly adjusted, the ring may not remain fixed on the case to hold the bracelet. The assembly may then be easily disassembled.

[0003] US patents 4742503 and EP 0379540 describe devices for removably attaching a bracelet to a watch case by means of a ring or a band allowing the bracelet to be easily changed. However, in these devices, the ring or the band appears visibly around the watch case, which detracts from the aesthetic appearance of the watch.

[0004] Application EP 0758767 describes a device for removably attaching a strap to a watch case by means of a ring secured to the strap. Each strap that the user has to modify the appearance of his watch must therefore be equipped with a fixing ring, which increases the cost of the assembly. In addition, the ring is mounted around the case on the dial side, so that it appears visibly around the dial of the watch, which detracts from the aesthetic appearance of the watch.

[0005] US 4769799 A, FR 2678812 A1 and EP 0198801 A1 also describe removable fastening devices for assembling a watch case to a support on which a ring or a bushing is set in an opening of the support. Summary of the invention

[0006] The invention aims in particular to overcome the various drawbacks of known devices for removable attachment of a bracelet to a watch case.

[0007] More specifically, an objective of the invention is to provide a device for attaching a watch to a strap making it possible to change the strap or watch, respectively, simply and quickly, without tools and without effort.

[0008] The invention also aims to provide a device for fixing a watch to a strap allowing sufficient support of the strap on the watch case, preventing the watch case from falling in the event of impact while allowing easy removal of the strap without damaging it.

[0009] The invention also aims to provide a device for attaching a watch to a strap without modifying the shape and appearance of the watch.

[0010] To this end, the present invention relates to a watch comprising a bracelet, a watch case and a removable fixing device according to the characteristics of claim 1.

[0011] According to the invention, the fixing device comprises a flange having a central opening arranged to receive the lower part of the case and an inner rim delimiting said central opening, said inner rim being arranged to be housed in the opening of the bracelet and having on its inner wall means for locking the fixing device on the lower part of the case, said locking means being arranged to allow locking of the fixing device on the watch case so as to be able to hold the bracelet between the flange and the flat shoulder of the case and to allow unlocking of the fixing device from the watch case by applying to the flange a force substantially perpendicular to the flange and directed outwards so as to be able to release the bracelet.

[0012] Thus, this device for attaching a watch to a bracelet is invisible from the dial side of the watch and allows sufficient support for the bracelet on the watch case, preventing the watch case from falling in the event of shocks while allowing easy removal of the bracelet without damaging it.

[0013] The locking means comprise at least two ribs provided on the inner wall of the inner rim arranged symmetrically with respect to a transverse axis of the fixing device and separated by a rib-free zone. This improves the flexibility of the fixing device and facilitates its assembly / disassembly.

[0014] The inner rim has at least two cutouts along its free edge and arranged symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal axis of the fastening device, said cutouts being provided substantially at the level of the rib-free areas. At least one rib-free space may also be provided on the inner wall of the inner rim between a rib and a cutout. This makes it possible to further improve the flexibility of the fastening device and to facilitate its assembly / disassembly.

[0015] Advantageously, the flange may be extended by at least one outer rim projecting towards the case and arranged to form with the flange a housing for receiving the bracelet. In order to further improve the flexibility of the fixing device and to facilitate its assembly / disassembly, a cutout may be provided between the flange and the outer rim.

[0016] The force applied to the flange to unlock the fastening device is applied by pulling the bracelet with a force substantially perpendicular to the flange and directed outwards, allowing easy separation of the fastening device from the watch case. Brief description of the drawings

[0017] The aims, advantages and characteristics of the present invention will appear more clearly in the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention given solely by way of non-limiting example and illustrated by the appended drawings in which: there figure 1 represents a perspective view of the bottom of a watch according to the invention, the figure 2 represents an exploded view of the watch of the figure 1 , there figure 3 is a perspective view from above of the fixing device used in the present invention, the figure 4is a perspective view from below of the fixing device used in the present invention, the Figure 5 is a sectional view along a longitudinal axis of the watch of the invention, and the figure 6 is a sectional view along a transverse axis of the watch of the invention. Detailed description of the invention

[0018] In reference to the figures 1 And 2 , a watch 1 is shown mounted on a bracelet 2 in a removable manner. As shown more precisely in the figure 2 , the bracelet 2 has a central opening 3, of oval shape, defining two longitudinal zones 2a, 2b and two transverse zones 2c, 2d. The bracelet can be made of any material, such as for example leather, silicone, fabric, possibly including an internal reinforcement.

[0019] The watch comprises a watch case 4 comprising an upper part 4a, located on the dial side, and a lower part 4b comprising the bottom 5 of the case 4. The part 4a contains for example a clockwork movement, an orifice being provided for the insertion of a winding stem terminated by a crown 6. In the case of an electronic watch, the lower part 4b may have a housing 7 for receiving a battery. The lower part 4b has dimensions smaller than those of the upper part 4a to form a plane peripheral annular shoulder 8 whose role will be described below. The dimensions of the upper 4a and lower 4b parts of the case 4 are such that only the lower part 4b is housed in the opening 3 of the bracelet 2. The thickness of the lower part 4b is greater than the thickness of the bracelet 2.

[0020] The watch 1 also includes a removable, independent fixing device 10 arranged to ensure the removable fixing of the watch case 4 on the bracelet 2.

[0021] According to the invention, the fixing device 10 comprises a flange 12 having a central opening 14 and an inner rim 16, projecting substantially perpendicularly to the flange 12 in the direction of the box 4, and delimiting said central opening 14. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the dimensions (“diameter”) of the central opening 14 and the height of the flange 12 and the inner rim 16 are chosen so that the lower part 4a of the case 4 is housed in said central opening 14. Furthermore, the dimensions (“diameter”) of the flange 12 and the inner rim 14 are chosen so that on the one hand the inner rim 16 is housed in the opening 3 of the bracelet, and so that on the other hand the inner face of the flange 12 is in contact with the bracelet 2 over a sufficient distance to ensure that said bracelet 2 is held between the inner face of the flange 12 and the shoulder 8 in the space formed between the flange 12 and the shoulder 8.

[0022] In addition, the inner rim 16 has on its inner wall, in the direction of the central opening 14, means for locking the fixing device on the lower part 4b of the box 4. More precisely with reference to Figures 3 and 4, said locking means comprise two ribs 18 provided on the inner wall of the inner rim 16 and arranged symmetrically with respect to each other with respect to a transverse axis Y of the fixing device. The two ribs 18 are separated by two zones 16a, 16b of the inner rim 16 without rib in order to guarantee a certain flexibility. The ribs 18 are arranged to cooperate and engage in a groove 20 provided correspondingly on the outer periphery of the lower part 4b of the box 4. Two grooves may be provided or a single continuous groove over substantially the entire periphery of the lower part 4b.

[0023] In order to improve the flexibility of the fastening device 10, the inner rim 16 has two cutouts 22 along its free edge provided substantially at the level of the rib-free areas 16a, 16b. The cutouts 22 make it possible to reduce the height of the inner rim 16. The two cutouts are arranged symmetrically with respect to each other with respect to a longitudinal axis X of the fastening device 10. In addition, rib-free spaces 24 are provided on the inner wall of the inner rim 16 between a rib 18 and a cutout 22.

[0024] The dimensions of the inner rim 16 and the ribs 18 are optimized to ensure the locking of the fixing device 10 on the box 4 while allowing easy release of the ribs 18 from the groove 20 to separate the fixing device 10 from the box 4 by simple bending of the flange 12 along the Y axis when the user applies to the flange 12 a force substantially perpendicular to the flange 12 and directed outwards.

[0025] In the variant shown, the flange 12 is extended by two outer rims 26 projecting in the direction of the case 4, substantially perpendicular to the flange 12 and arranged symmetrically with respect to each other with respect to the longitudinal axis X of the fixing device 10. The outer rims 26 are located substantially opposite the cutouts 22 and form with the inner part of the flange 12 and the case 4 a closed housing for receiving the transverse zones 2c, 2d of the bracelet 2.

[0026] In order to improve the flexibility of the fixing device 10, four cutouts 28 are provided between the flange 12 and the two outer edges 26.

[0027] The fixing device 10 is made of plastic materials, any suitable plastic materials being able to be used.

[0028] When the user wishes to assemble a bracelet 2 to the watch case 4, he positions the opening 3 of the bracelet 2 at the level of the lower part 4b of the case 4 and the central opening 14 of the fixing device 10. He locks the fixing device 10 on the case 4 by clipping the ribs 18 into the groove 20. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the longitudinal zones 2a, 2b of the bracelet 2 are held in the space formed between the shoulder 8 of the case 4 and the flange 12 and the transverse zones 2c, 2d of the bracelet 2 are held in the closed housing formed by the case 4, the flange 12 and the outer rim 26. When the watch is worn, the fixing device 10 is arranged under the case 4 and the longitudinal zones of the bracelet 2 so that it is not visible to the user and does not modify the external appearance of the watch. When the user wishes to change the bracelet, he effortlessly applies a force F (cf. Figure 5) perpendicular to the bracelet 2 so as to flex the fixing device 10 around the Y axis by pressing the longitudinal zones 2a, 2b on the flange 12. When the fixing device 10 is flexed around the Y axis, the ribs 18 move apart and are released from the groove 20 to unlock the fixing device 10 from the case 4. The user can then separate the fixing device from the case 4 and remove the bracelet 2. The fixing device 10 is autonomous and is reused independently of the bracelet 2.

Claims

1. A watch (1) comprising a wristlet (2), a watch case (4) and a independent removable attachment device (10) arranged to maintain the watch case (4) in an opening (3) provided on the wristlet (2), the watch case (4) comprising an upper part (4a), on the dial side, and a lower part (4b) comprising a back (5), said lower part (4b) being designed to be embedded in the opening (3) of the wristlet (2) and having smaller dimensions than the ones of the upper part (4a) to form a flat peripheral shouldering (8), the attachment device (10) comprising a flange (12) with a central opening (14) designed to receive the lower part (4b) of the watch case (4) and an inner rim (16) delimiting said central opening (14), said inner rim (16) being designed to be embedded inside the opening (3) in the wristlet (2), the inner rim (16) having, on its inner wall, means for locking the attachment device (10) on the lower part (4b) of the watch case (4), designed to enable the attachment device (10) to be locked on the watch case (4) in order to hold the wristlet (2) between the flange (12) and the flat shouldering (8) of the watch case (4) and to enable the attachment device (10) to be unlocked from the watch case (4), in which unlocking is carried out by bending the flange (2) by applying to the flange (12) an outwardly-directed force (F) substantially perpendicular to the flange (12) so as to release the wristlet (2) by pulling on the wristlet (2) and in which the means for locking comprises at least two ribs (18) provided on the inner wall of the inner rim (16), symmetrically disposed with respect to a transverse axis (Y) of the attachment device (10) and separated by a rib-free zone (16a, 16b), said ribs being arranged to engage with at least one groove (20) provided in correspondence on all or part of the periphery of the lower part (4b) of the watch case (4), and in which the inner rim (16) has at least two cutout portions (22) along its free edge which are symmetrically disposed with respect to a longitudinal axis (X) of the attachment device (10), said cutout portions (22) being substantially provided in the rib-free zones (16a, 16b).

2. The watch according to the preceding claim, characterised in that at least one rib-free space (24) is provided on the inner wall of the inner rim (16) between a rib (18) and a cutout portion (22).

3. The watch according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the flange (12) is extended by at least one outer rim (26) projecting in the direction of the watch case (4) and arranged to form, with the flange (12), a housing for receiving the wristlet (2).

4. Watch according to the preceding claim, characterised in that a blanked portion (28) is provided between the flange (12) and the outer rim (26).

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