Bracelet fixing device

Abstract

To provide a fastening device for fastening a bracelet to a portable watch case.SOLUTION: A fastening device 1 uses a female connecting element 5 secured to a portable watch case 3, and a male connecting element 6 secured to one end 20 of a bracelet 2 to form removable assembly means capable of making the bracelet 2 interchangeable. Each male connecting element 6 includes: a rod 7 connected to an end 20 of the bracelet 2; a ball-pawl 8; and a first shouldered portion 70 having a shape including a cylinder and a second shouldered portion 80 having a shape including a cylinder, which are arranged concentrically around each ball-pawl 8. Each male connecting element 6 extends on both sides of the rod 7. Each ball-pawl 8 and each shouldered portion 70 are configured to cooperate respectively with a blind housing 50 and a groove 51 proximate to the blind housing 50 and form the female connecting element 5 in inner areas of two pairs of horns 4.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of portable timepieces (e.g., wristwatches, pocket watches) or jewelry. Specifically, the present invention relates to a fixing device for fixing a bracelet to an object, particularly a portable timepiece case.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, a leather or metal bracelet is fixed to the lugs of a portable timepiece case using a rod formed by a tube, within which two pistons are mounted so as to be able to move translationally, and between the pistons, an elastic member is disposed which tends to push the pistons out of the tube. The rod is mounted within a housing provided at one end of the bracelet for this purpose, and the pistons are mounted within opposing non-through bores within the lugs of the case.

[0003] In order to remove the bracelet thus fixed to the case, a tool is required which is designed to push the pistons into the tube so as to counteract the stress exerted by the elastic member, thereby moving the pistons out of the holes. The wearer of a portable timepiece cannot permanently use such a tool, and it may be inconvenient to use such a tool. For this reason, bracelets provided with such a fixing device are generally permanently attached to the case.

[0004] There are also fixing devices that allow the bracelet to be removed from the case without using tools. Such fixing devices usually have a rod of the type described above, and a piston-actuating member is attached to the rod so as to pass through a tube. For example, the actuating member is a radial finger fixed to one piston, as described in Swiss Patent Document CH327838. This finger is slidably attached so as to pass through an axial groove formed in the tube, and the movement of this finger along the groove enables one piston to be pushed into the tube.

[0005] Swiss Patent Document CH614589 describes a portable watch case provided with a fixing device for fixing a bracelet to the case. The central horn has a longitudinally cylindrical passage slit over the entire length of the horn, allowing the insertion of a rod for fixing the bracelet. This rod is in the form of a cylinder with a flat surface over its entire length, so that when inserted into the passage, the rod passes through and is held in place when occupying a predetermined angular position.

[0006] These fixing devices described are generally used for interchangeable bracelets, enabling the wearer to replace such a bracelet when desired. However, there are also problems. In particular, these fixing devices require significant structural changes to the rod, such as forming an opening in the tube and greatly changing the piston. These changes result in a significant increase in manufacturing costs. Also, these fixing devices have protruding elements, namely the actuating members, which can scratch or damage the wearer of the portable watch. Summary of the Invention Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] The present invention aims in particular to solve various problems of the prior art bracelet fixing devices.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0008] For this purpose, the present invention relates to a fixing device for fixing a bracelet to a portable watch case at two pairs of horns. The fixing device utilizes at least one female connection element fixed to the portable watch case and at least one male connection element fixed to one end of the bracelet. The female connection element and the male connection element are complementary and are engaged by fitting one into the other, and form removable assembly means that enable the bracelet to be replaceable.

[0009] According to the present invention, each male connection element includes a rod connected to the corresponding end of the bracelet, a ball claw, and a first shouldered portion and a second shouldered portion each having a shape including a cylinder concentrically arranged around each ball claw. The male connection element extends on both sides of the axis of the rod, and the ball claw and the shouldered portion are respectively configured to be engaged with a non-through housing and a groove in the vicinity of the non-through housing. The female connection element is formed in the inner region of a pair of the two pairs of horns.

[0010] Another preferred variant of the present invention has the following features. - Each female connection element has an inclined surface located upstream of the non-through housing, and the inclined surface is configured to be engaged with the ball claw. The non-through housing is at the end of the inclined surface. - The groove has a straight portion and an arcuate portion in sequence. - The groove has a first stopping element for restricting the rotation of the rod. - The first shouldered portion has a height greater than the radius of the rod, and the second shouldered portion has a height smaller than the radius of the rod. - There is a local vacancy in the peripheral part of the first shoulder part, and the vacancy corresponds to the length of the angular travel of the rod and is configured to be associated with the second retaining element. - The second retaining element overlaps the first retaining element and is offset with respect to the first retaining element. - Each female-type connection element is an element attached to the inner region of the pair of the two pairs of horns. - Each female-type connection element is made of a metal material or a metal alloy. - At the end of the bracelet, there is a passage configured to receive the rod. - The bracelet is fixed to the rod.

[0011] The present invention further relates to a portable timepiece comprising the fixing device according to the present invention.

[0012] Other features and advantages of the present invention can be understood by reading the following detailed description given as an example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Figure 1 shows a portable watch case provided with a fixing device for fixing a bracelet to the portable watch according to the present invention.

[0015] The fixing device 1 is intended to fix the ends 20, 21 of the bracelet 2 to the portable watch case 3 at its lugs 4.

[0016] The bracelet 2 is fixed to the case using a fixing device 1 comprising a female connecting element 5 fixed to the lugs 4 of the portable watch and a male connecting element 6 fixed to the ends 20, 21 of the bracelet 2, the female connecting element 5 and the male connecting element 6 being complementary and forming removable assembly means enabling the bracelet 2 to be detachably coupled by fitting one into the other.

[0017] According to the present invention, each male connecting element 6 consists of a cylindrical rod 7, on which there is a longitudinal axis A-A located at the corresponding ends 20, 21 of the bracelet 2. On both sides of this rod 7, ball claws 8 extending into cylindrical cavities 84 centred on the axis A-A are provided.

[0018] Typically, each ball claw 8 has a body 81 containing a spring 83 and a ball 82, and this body 81 rests within the cylindrical cavity 84.

[0019] Each male connecting element 6 further has a first shouldered portion 70 in the shape of a cylinder concentrically arranged around each ball claw 8 and a second shouldered portion 80 in the shape of a cylinder, the first shouldered portion 70 in the shape of a cylinder partially surrounding the ball 82 of the ball claw 8.

[0020] The bracelet has passages at its respective ends 20, 21 configured to receive the rod 7 and hold it in a predetermined position. The rod 7 is fixed to the bracelet and is made non-rotatable relative to the bracelet using a pin that fixes the rod 7 to the bracelet.

[0021] Each shoulder portion is formed by the intersection of two mutually perpendicular planes, one of which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A-A of the rod 7, and the other is parallel to this same longitudinal axis A-A.

[0022] According to the present invention, each female portion 5 has a non-penetrating housing 50 configured to cooperate with the ball claw 8 and a groove 51 configured to cooperate with a second shoulder portion 80 having a shape including a cylinder. These non-penetrating housing 50 and groove 51 form a female connection element 5 in the inner region of a pair of the two pairs of horns 4.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 5, each female connection element 5 has an inclined surface 52 located upstream of the non-penetrating housing 50. This inclined surface 52 cooperates with the ball claw 8 to guide the ball claw 8 into the non-penetrating hole 50 at the end of the inclined surface 52. In this configuration, the bottom of the non-penetrating hole 50 is at a higher position than the bottom of the groove 51.

[0024] Preferably, the groove 51 has, in order, a first straight portion 51' and a second arcuate portion 53, thereby enabling translation until the ball claw fits into the non-penetrating hole 50 and inserting the second shoulder portion 80 having a shape including a cylinder into the first straight portion 51' and rotating the rod 7 until the rod 7 is placed in the mounting position.

[0025] Therefore, the first straight portion 51' of the groove 51 extends along the inclined surface 52, and the second arcuate portion 53 bypasses the non-penetrating hole, thus forming a continuous groove 51 for translating the rod 7 and then rotating it.

[0026] As shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b, the first shoulder portion 70 having a shape including a cylinder and the second shoulder portion 80 having a shape including a cylinder are successively formed one after the other and have different dimensional configurations so as to form bearings of different heights. The first shoulder portion 70 having a shape including a cylinder has a height H greater than the radius r of the rod 7, and the second shoulder portion 80 has a height h smaller than the radius r of the rod 7.

[0027] The first shouldered portion 70 having a shape including a cylinder enables the formation of a clearance for the ball 82 of the ball claw 8, and the main body 81 of the ball claw 8 is flush with the first shouldered portion 70 having a shape including a cylinder, and the ball 82 protrudes from the plane formed by the surface of the main body 81 and the first shouldered portion 70 having a shape including a cylinder.

[0028] The second shouldered portion 80 having a shape including a cylinder is configured to be associated with the groove 51, and this second shouldered portion 80 having a shape including a cylinder is inserted into the groove 51 through an opening 60 that is open to the outside and enables access to the groove 51 and the inclined surface 52. The height h of the second shouldered portion 80 having a shape including a cylinder has the same dimension as the height of the straight portion 51' of the groove 51 so that the second shouldered portion 80 having a shape including a cylinder slides at the straight portion 51' of the groove 51.

[0029] As can be observed in FIG. 5, the groove 51 has a first stop element 54 configured to limit the rotational travel of the rod 7 in association with the flat surface 90 in the second shouldered portion 80.

[0030] The female connection element 5 has a second stop element 55 for restricting the rotation of the rod 7. This second stop element 55 is formed to have a height that is recessed with respect to the first stop element 54. The second stop element 55 is configured to be associated with the first shouldered portion 70 having a local recess 71 in the peripheral portion, and the length of this recess 71 defines the length of the angular travel of the rod 7. At the end of this recess 71, there is a contact surface 72 configured to be associated with the second stop element 55.

[0031] With such a configuration having two stop elements 54 and 55, the size of the contacting parts and surfaces is small, so it is possible to increase the strength and enhance the safety.

[0032] In one embodiment of the present invention, each female connection element 5 is an element attached to the inner regions 40, 40' of a pair of two pairs of horns. As shown in FIG. 3, each female connection element 5 is screwed into the inner regions 40, 40' of the horns.

[0033] In another embodiment not shown, each female connection element 5 is formed by directly machining the inner regions 40, 40' of a pair of two pairs of horns.

[0034] Each female connection element 5 is made of a metal material, a metal alloy, a plastic material, or a ceramic material. Also, when attaching the female connection element 5 to the horn 4, it is also conceivable to combine these materials, for example, a horn made of a metal or a metal alloy and a female connection element 5 made of a ceramic or a plastic material.

[0035] To fix the bracelet 2 to the case 1, the first and second shouldered portions 70, 80 are inserted as shown in FIG. 4a so as to correspond to the ends of the rod 7 fixed to the bracelet. This is done by arranging their ends to face the opening 60 of the female connection element 5.

[0036] When the first and second shouldered portions 70, 80 are inserted into the opening, the wearer slides the pin 7 (or the bracelet) to the bottom of the straight portion 51' of the groove 51, and the groove 51 guides the second shouldered portion 80. The "click" enables the positioning of the pin 7 with respect to its axis of rotation due to the engagement of the ball claw 8 in the non-through housing 50. Also, this also functions as a reference point for the wearer, and the engagement of the ball claw 8 in the non-through housing 50 means that the wearer can rotate the bracelet 2, and thus the pin 7, into the wearing position, and it becomes possible to prevent the rod 7 from coming off the female connection element 5.

[0037] As can be observed in FIG. 6b, when the ball claw 8 engages within the non-through housing 50, the user cannot remove the bracelet by rotating the rod 7 about the axis A-A passing through the bracelet until the rod rotates at least 90° from the insertion position about the axis A-A, or until the first and second shouldered portions 70, 80 contact the first and second stop elements 54, 55.

[0038] To remove the bracelet, simply perform the reverse operation, applying a slight force to the bracelet to disengage the ball claw 8 from the non-through housing 50.

[0039] In the above embodiment, this fixing device has been described with respect to a so-called flexible bracelet made of leather, synthetic fiber, or elastomeric material. This fixing device is also suitable for bracelets made of, for example, metal or ceramic links.

[0040] Thanks to the various aspects of the present invention as described above, a reliable bracelet fixing device has become available that allows the bracelet to be easily and quickly replaced without the need for tools.

[0041] Naturally, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated examples, and various modifications and changes that may be apparent to those skilled in the art can be made.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0042] 1 Fixing device 2 Bracelet 3 Portable watch case 4 Horn 5 Female connection element 6 Male connection element 7 Rod 8 Ball claw 20, 21 Ends of the bracelet 40, 40’ Inner regions 50 Non-through housing 51 Groove 51’ Straight portion 52 Inclined surface 53 Arc-shaped part 54 First retaining element 55 Second retaining element 70 First shouldered part 71 Gap 80 Second shouldered part

Claims

1. A fixing device (1) for fixing a bracelet (2) to a portable watch case (3) at two pairs of horns (4), The fixing device (1) utilizes at least two female connection elements (5) fixed to the portable watch case (3) and at least two male connection elements (6) fixed to one end (20, 21) of the bracelet, The female connection element (5) and the male connection element (6) are complementary, and are linked by fitting one into the other, and form a removable assembly means that allows the bracelet to be exchanged, Each male connection element includes a rod (7) connected to the corresponding end (20, 21) of the bracelet (2), a ball claw (8), a first shouldered portion (70) in the shape of a cylinder concentrically arranged around each ball claw (8), and a second shouldered portion (80) in the shape of a cylinder, Each male connection element extends on both sides of the rod (7), Each of the ball claws and the second shouldered portion are configured to be respectively associated with a non-through housing (50) provided in the female connection element (5), and a groove (51) near the non-through housing (50), and the female connection element is formed in the inner region of a pair of the two pairs of horns (4), Characterized in that it is a fixing device (1). [[ID= ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ There is a locally missing part (71) around the first shoulder part (70). The missing part (71) corresponds to the length of the angular movement of the rod (7), and the contact surface (72) at the end of the missing part (71) is configured to cooperate with the second locking element (55). The fixing device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that.

7. The second locking element (55) overlaps the first locking element (54) and is offset with respect to the first locking element (54). [[ID= ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

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