watch bands

Abstract

To provide a watchband that can readily receive and hold a watch case and that can quickly and easily be put on and taken off a wrist.SOLUTION: A watchband for a watch case is provided. The watch case 400 has straight upper and lower edges each having a channel, and a cylindrical boss protruding from a back surface of the watch case 400. The watchband includes a mounting structure including a base 22 having an aperture 24 therein, and first and second bars connected to the base 22. A bracelet 12 extends in an elongation direction between a first end connected to the mounting structure and a free end separated from the mounting structure. When the watch case 400 is incorporated into the watchband, the first bar 28 is positioned in the channel 402, the second bar 32 is positioned in the channel 404, and the cylindrical boss is positioned in the aperture 24. The bracelet 12 may include a hinge to facilitate application of the watchband to a user's wrist.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] [CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS] This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 066,907, filed August 18, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] [Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a watch band, and more particularly to a watch band that can be quickly and easily attached and removed from a user's wrist. [Background technology]

[0003] A wristwatch typically comprises a case containing the watch's operating mechanism or movement and a watch band used to attach the watch to a user's wrist. Watch bands are commercially available in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and styles. Some watch bands are in the form of a rigid bracelet that fits loosely around a user's wrist. Other watch bands are in the form of interconnected links that are mechanically or elastically fastened around a user's wrist via a clasp. Still other watch bands are in the form of a pair of straps attached to either side of the watch case. These straps are wrapped around a user's wrist, with their free ends secured together by a buckle, hook-and-loop fastener, snap fastener, or other connector. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] While various watch bands are currently available on the market, there remains a need for a watch band that can easily accept and retain a watch case, particularly a watch case for a multi-function smart watch. Furthermore, there remains a need for such a watch band that allows for quick and easy attachment and detachment from a user's wrist. The present invention addresses these and other needs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, a watch band for a watch case is provided. The watch case has linear upper and lower edges, each having a channel, and a cylindrical boss protruding from the back of the watch case. The watch band includes a mounting structure and a bracelet extending longitudinally between a first end connected to the mounting structure and a free end spaced from the mounting structure. The mounting structure includes a base having a front surface, a rear surface, and an aperture extending from the front surface to the rear surface, and first and second bars connected to the base at locations spaced from the front surface. The first bar is oriented parallel to the second bar in a direction perpendicular to the length of the bracelet.

[0006] According to another aspect of the present invention, a watch is provided that includes a watch case and a watch band. The watch case has linear upper and lower edges, each having a channel, and a cylindrical boss protruding from the back of the watch case. The watch band includes a mounting structure and a bracelet extending longitudinally between a first end connected to the mounting structure and a free end spaced from the mounting structure. The mounting structure includes a base having a front surface, a rear surface, and a hole extending from the front surface to the rear surface, and first and second bars connected to the base at a location spaced from the front surface. The first bar is oriented parallel to the second bar in a direction perpendicular to the length of the bracelet. The watch case is connected to the watch band such that the first bar is positioned within one of the channels, the second bar is positioned within the other of the channels, and the cylindrical boss is positioned within the hole.

[0007] The subject matter of the present invention and its various advantages will be more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a watch band according to the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of the watch band of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the watch case before being assembled into the watch band of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the watch band and watch case of FIG. 3 in an assembled state. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a partial rear view of the watch band and watch case shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] FIG. 5 is a front view of the watch band and watch case shown in FIG. 4 as worn on a user's wrist. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a side view of a watch band including a hinge according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the hinge of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 8 is an enlarged exploded view of the hinge of FIG. 7. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a front perspective view of a watch band according to a further embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a front perspective view of a watch band according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A watchband 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figures 1 through 3. The watchband 10 includes a bracelet 12 in an open position. The bracelet 12 includes an attachment structure 16 at one end 14. The attachment structure 16 receives a watch case 400 and secures the watch case 400 to the bracelet in an assembled state. The other end 18 of the bracelet 12 is spaced from the attachment structure 16 to define an opening 20 through which a user inserts their wrist. In this regard, the end 18 of the bracelet 12 preferably has a smoothly curved contour so as to avoid any sharp corners or edges that could injure a user when attaching the watchband 10 to the user's wrist. The watchband 10, and in particular the bracelet 12, is preferably formed from a material that flexes or deforms such that the end 18 moves away from the structure 16 to facilitate attachment of the watchband 18 to the user's wrist. Once the watch band 10 is attached to the user's wrist, the bracelet 12 may be biased or manually deformed to return to its original position, thereby holding the watch band securely to the user's wrist. Examples of materials for forming the watch band 10 include metals, polymers, and rubber. Acceptable examples of metals include stainless steel, brass, copper, silver, gold, platinum, and titanium, or base metals plated with brass, copper, titanium, or precious metals. Particularly preferred are relatively rigid polymers that can be deflected from an initial state without breaking and then return to their original position when the deflection force is removed. Examples of such polymers include resin, nylon, and polyester. A bracelet 12 formed from any of the aforementioned materials may be decorated to enhance its appearance. For example, the bracelet material may be covered with leather, the exterior of the bracelet may be patterned, painted, or decorated, or the watch band may be formed from a colored polymer or rubber.

[0010] Structure 16 has features intended to mate with corresponding features on watch case 400 to incorporate watch case 400 into watch band 10 and hold the watch case securely in place. In this regard, with reference to FIG. 3 , watch case 400 has a generally rectangular or square outline with a channel 402 along a substantially straight upper edge and another channel 404 along a substantially straight lower edge. A cylindrical boss 406 ( FIG. 5 ) protrudes from the back surface of watch case 400. Boss 406 is intended to contact the user's wrist when the user wears the watch and to obtain physiological information from the user for use in various functions of the watch. Watch case 400 is held in place on watch band 10 by mating features on the watch case with features on mounting structure 16.

[0011] More specifically, the mounting structure 16 includes a base 22 having a front surface 22a and a rear surface 22b. A large aperture 24 extends through the base 22 from the front surface 22a to the rear surface 22b. The aperture 24 is sized to receive a cylindrical boss 406 on the watch case 400. Between the aperture 24 and the end 14 of the bracelet 12, the mounting structure 16 includes a stanchion 26. The stanchion 26 supports a bar 28 at a distance from the front surface 22a of the base 22 and is oriented transversely to the length of the bracelet 12. Opposite the aperture 24, the mounting structure 16 includes a second stanchion 30. The second stanchion 30 supports a second bar 32 at a distance from the front surface 22a of the base 22 and is oriented transversely to the length of the bracelet 12. In some embodiments, all features of bracelet 12 and mounting structure 16 are integrally formed from the same material, such as metal, polymer, or rubber. In other embodiments, bracelet 12 may be formed from one material and the mounting structure may be formed from a different material, and these two components may be assembled together by any known method.

[0012] The watch case 400 is assembled to the watch band 10 using a simple procedure. According to this procedure, the watch case 400 is positioned on one side of the mounting structure 16 so that channel 402 is aligned with bar 28 and channel 404 is aligned with bar 32. Once properly aligned, the watch case 400 is slid perpendicular to the length of the bracelet 12 (i.e., parallel to bars 28 and 32) until bar 28 begins to slide into channel 402 and bar 32 begins to slide into channel 404. As the watch case 400 and mounting structure 16 continue to slide toward each other, a cylindrical boss 406 on the back of the watch case flexes the base 22 away from the back of the watch case. The watchcase 400 is slid relative to the mounting structure 16 until the watchcase is centered on the mounting structure, at which point the boss 406 on the back of the watchcase 400 protrudes into the hole 24 and the bars 28 and 32 are centered within the channels 402 and 404, respectively. The base 22 has a thickness such that the boss 406 is at least flush with or protrudes from the rear surface 22b of the base 22. The engagement of the bars 28 and 32 within the channels 402 and 404, respectively, holds the watchcase 400 in an installed position on the watchband 10, and the engagement of the boss 406 within the hole 24 prevents the watchcase from sliding off the bars, thereby preventing accidental or inadvertent removal of the watchcase. To remove watch case 400 from watch band 10, base member 22 is lifted somewhat away from the back of the watch case, boss 406 is moved out of aperture 24, and then the watch case is slid in either direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of bracelet 12 until the components are separated from one another. The ability to easily remove watch case 400 from watch band 10 and reassemble it into other watch bands allows a user to have a single watch case and multiple watch bands and easily change watch bands when they wish to wear watches of different colors, styles, or decorations.

[0013] As previously mentioned, to attach watch band 10 to the user's wrist, the user simply moves end 18 of bracelet 12 away from attachment structure 16. This allows the user to attach watch band 10 to the user's wrist in one of two ways. Once a sufficiently large space is created within bracelet 12, the user simply passes their hand through the space until the bracelet is placed on the user's wrist. Alternatively, the user may insert their wrist directly into opening 20 until watch band 10 encircles the user's wrist. In either approach, once the watch band is placed around the user's wrist, free end 18 of bracelet 12 can be moved back toward attachment structure 16 either by the biasing force of the material forming bracelet 12 or by a compressive force applied by the user.

[0014] If watch band 10 is formed from a stiffer material, such as a rigid polymer or metal, it may be more difficult to flex bracelet 12 sufficiently to allow the user to attach the watch band to the user's wrist. In such cases, it may be advantageous to provide a hinge somewhere along the length of bracelet 12. One embodiment of watch band 100 incorporating hinge 140 is shown in FIG. 7.

[0015] Watchband 100 is substantially similar to watchband 10 described above and includes a bracelet 112 and an attachment structure 116. Bracelet 112 is divided into two sections, specifically, a first section 112a and a second section 112b. First section 112a extends from attachment structure 116 to a hinge 140, and second section 112b extends from hinge 140 to a free end 118 of the bracelet, leaving a space 120 between the free end of the bracelet and the attachment structure. Hinge 140 may be located anywhere along the length of bracelet 112, but in this embodiment, it is located closer to the free end than attachment structure 116, specifically in the area where the bracelet curves toward the attachment structure.

[0016] Hinge 140 includes a first member 142 fixedly connected to the end of bracelet portion 112a and a second member 144 fixedly connected to the end of bracelet portion 112b. Member 142 includes a pair of arms 146, 148 extending longitudinally of the bracelet away from the end of bracelet portion 112a. The free ends of arms 146, 148 include rings 145, 147, respectively. Rings 145, 147 are laterally spaced apart inwardly of the respective side edges of arms 146, 148 and oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of bracelet 112. Rings 145, 147 define collinear holes 145a, 147a, respectively. Between arms 146, 148, member 142 includes a flexible tab 150. The free end of flexible tab 150 includes a plurality of shallow ridges or teeth 152 oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bracelet. Tab 150 is positioned within hinge 140 so that it is free to flex outward from bracelet 112, i.e., away from the wearer's wrist. If watchband 100 is formed from a rigid material, specifically one that does not allow tab 150 to flex even slightly relative to bracelet portion 112a, the tab may be attached to bracelet portion 112a by a hinge or living hinge, or it may be formed from a more flexible material and attached to the bracelet portion. Member 144 includes gear 154 fixedly attached to the end of bracelet portion 112b. Gear 154 is sized to be received between rings 145, 147. Gear 154 includes a plurality of shallow ridges or teeth 156 oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of bracelet 112. An elongated hole 154a extends completely through gear 154. Member 144 further includes a pair of rings 155 and 157 that define a pair of collinear holes 155a and 157a, respectively. Rings 155 and 157 are spaced from the ends of gear 154 to define spaces for receiving rings 145 and 147 when assembled.Component 142 may be assembled to component 144 by positioning rings 145, 147 on either end of gear 154 inside rings 155, 157 so that holes 155a, 145a, 154a, 147a, 157a are aligned, and then inserting pivot pin 160 into the aligned holes. In the assembled position of hinge 140, tab 150 flexes outward somewhat, causing teeth 152 on tab 150 to engage teeth 156 on gear 154. Note that teeth 152, 156 are directional, thereby providing a ratchet function. That is, engagement of teeth 152 with teeth 156 allows bracelet portion 112b to pivot inward, or closing, relative to bracelet portion 112a, but prevents portion 112b from pivoting outward, or opening, relative to portion 112a, as described further below.

[0017] A watch band, such as watch band 100, formed from a stiffer material may be more difficult to attach to a user's wrist, as well as more difficult to assemble watch case 400 into watch band mounting structure 116. To alleviate this problem, base 122 of mounting structure 116 may include a thinned area (not shown) on one side of hole 124. The thinned area may be large enough to accommodate cylindrical boss 406 on the back surface of watch case 400, and thin enough to allow the watch case to be pressed against front surface 122a of base 122 until cylindrical boss 406 is positioned within hole 124.

[0018] To attach watch band 100 to a user's wrist, the user simply lifts tab 150 of member 142 outward until teeth 152 disengage from teeth 156 of gear 154. At this time, bracelet portion 112b rotates counterclockwise D (as shown in FIG. 7) about pin 160, enlarging space 120 between bracelet portion 112b and mounting structure 116. Once space 120 is large enough, the user can release tab 150, re-engaging teeth 152 with teeth 156 and locking bracelet portion 112b from further outward rotation relative to bracelet portion 112a. The user can then attach watch band 100 by inserting the user's wrist into the watch band through enlarged space 120. Once watch band 100 is placed around the user's wrist, the user can reduce space 120 by simply rotating bracelet portion 112b clockwise, or inward, relative to bracelet portion 112a (as shown in FIG. 7). The user can rotate bracelet portion 112b until watch band 100 feels comfortable on the user's wrist, all without lifting tab 150. Once bracelet second portion 112b reaches its final position, the engagement of teeth 152 with teeth 156 locks the second portion in place relative to the first portion, preventing watch band 100 from reopening and accidentally slipping off the user's wrist.

[0019] While the hinge 140 has been described in detail, the watch band 100 may include any type of hinge that allows the second portion 112b of the bracelet 112 to rotate relative to the first portion 112a of the bracelet to attach the bracelet to the user's wrist, and that allows the second portion to be fixed relative to the first portion to hold the bracelet in place when worn. One example of such a hinge is one that has a keyed hinge pin that is removed to rotate the second portion of the bracelet relative to the first portion, but is reinserted into one of several rotational positions to lock the second portion in place relative to the first portion. Another example of such a hinge requires a force to rotate the second portion of the bracelet relative to the first portion, but incorporates a relatively stiff spring that biases the second portion back to a closed, resting position when the force is removed. Any other hinge that performs the aforementioned functions may be used.

[0020] Further variations of watchbands according to the present invention are now considered. One such variation is watchband 200, shown in FIG. 10. Watchband 200 is substantially similar to watchband 10 described above and includes all of the features of watchband 10. However, watchband 200 also includes features for electrically connecting the watchband to a power source and watch case 400. Referring to FIG. 10, watchband 200 includes one or more electrically conductive wires 270. Electrically conductive wires 270 are embedded within bracelet 212 and extend along the entire length of the bracelet from bracelet end 214 to end 218. At end 218, wire 270 is connected to an electrical outlet or connector 272. Connector 272 is adapted to receive a charging cable for providing electrical power to watch case 400 and charging the battery within watch case 400. Connector 272 may also be adapted to accept an electrical communication cable for downloading data from watch case 400 to a smartphone, computer, or other electronic device, or for uploading data from a smartphone, computer, or other electronic device to the watch case. The other end of electrical conductor 270 extends from bracelet 212 through post 226 and bar 228 of mounting structure 216 and connects to conductor 274 exposed on the surface of bar 228. Conductor 274 may be in the form of a single conductive element or multiple conductive elements disposed on bar 228 for connecting with corresponding conductive elements (not shown) in channel 402 of watch case 400. The conductive elements in channel 402 may be electrically coupled to a battery within watch case 400 for providing charging current from electrical connector 272 through watchband 200 and conductor 274 to the battery. Additionally, the conductive elements in channel 402 may be coupled to one or more electrical components in watch case 400 so as to allow data to be uploaded to or downloaded from the watch case via an electrical connection between conductor 274 and the watch case.

[0021] Yet another variation of the watch band of the present invention is watch band 300, shown in FIG. 11. Watch band 300 is substantially similar in structure to watch band 10 described above and includes all of the features of watch band 10. However, watch band 300 also includes one or more inflatable tubes 310 partially embedded along the inner surface of bracelet 312. One end of each tube 310 is exposed at or near free end 318 of bracelet 312, where it can be connected to a source of pressurized air or other gas or fluid. The other end of each tube 310 is connected via posts 326 and bars 328 to a pressure-measuring element, such as a piezoelectric element, within watch case 400. Thus, when worn on a user's wrist, watch band 300 can be used to measure or monitor the user's blood pressure, pulse rate, etc., for example, via measurement readings displayed on watch case 400.

[0022] In summary, the present invention provides a watchband for a watch case, the watch case having linear upper and lower edges, each having a channel, and a cylindrical boss projecting from a back surface of the watch case, the watchband comprising: a mounting structure including a base having a front surface, a rear surface, and an aperture extending from the front surface to the rear surface, first and second bars connected to the base at a location spaced from the front surface; a bracelet extending in a longitudinal direction between a first end connected to the mounting structure and a free end spaced from the mounting structure, the first bar being oriented parallel to the second bar in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the bracelet; and / or the bracelet is movable from a rest position in which the free end is spaced a first distance from the mounting structure to a displaced position in which the free end is spaced a second distance from the mounting structure, the second distance being greater than the first distance; and / or The bracelet may be biased to move from a displaced position to a rest position, and / or The mounting structure may further comprise a first strut disposed between the first bar and a base of the mounting structure, and a second strut disposed between the second bar and a base of the mounting structure; and / or The hole in the base may be sized to receive a cylindrical boss projecting from the back of the watch case; and / or The watch band may be formed from a material selected from the group consisting of metal, polymer, and rubber; and / or The metal may be selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, brass, copper, silver, gold, platinum, and titanium; and / or The polymer may be selected from the group consisting of resin, nylon, and polyester; and / or The watch band may further comprise a hinge disposed between the first bracelet portion and the second bracelet portion, the hinge adapted to allow the second bracelet portion to rotate relative to the first bracelet portion; and / or The hinge may be located closer to the free end of the bracelet than to the first end of the bracelet; and / or The hinge may comprise a first plurality of teeth connected to a first portion of the bracelet and a second plurality of teeth connected to a second portion of the bracelet; and / or Engagement of the first plurality of teeth with the second plurality of teeth may prevent rotation of the second portion of the bracelet relative to the first portion of the bracelet.

[0023] The present invention further provides a timepiece comprising: a watch case having linear upper and lower edges, each having a channel, and a cylindrical boss protruding from a back surface of the watch case; a watch band; a mounting structure comprising a base having a front surface, a rear surface, and an aperture extending from the front surface to the rear surface, and first and second bars connected to the base at a location spaced from the front surface; and a bracelet extending in a length direction between a first end connected to the mounting structure and a free end spaced from the mounting structure, the first bar being oriented parallel to the second bar in a direction perpendicular to the length of the bracelet; and / or The watch band may be formed from a material selected from the group consisting of metal, polymer, and rubber; and / or The metal may be selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, brass, copper, silver, gold, platinum, and titanium; and / or The polymer may be selected from the group consisting of resin, nylon, and polyester; and / or The watch band may further comprise a hinge disposed between the first bracelet portion and the second bracelet portion, the hinge adapted to allow the second bracelet portion to rotate relative to the first bracelet portion; and / or The hinge may be located closer to the free end of the bracelet than to the first end of the bracelet; and / or The hinge may comprise a first plurality of teeth connected to a first portion of the bracelet and a second plurality of teeth connected to a second portion of the bracelet; and / or Engagement of the first plurality of teeth with the second plurality of teeth may prevent rotation of the second portion of the bracelet relative to the first portion of the bracelet.

[0024] Although the invention has been described above with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that many modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. 1. A watchband for a watch case, said watch case having linear upper and lower edges, each having a channel, and a cylindrical boss projecting from a back surface of said watch case, a mounting structure including a base having a front surface, a rear surface, and a hole extending from the front surface to the rear surface, and first and second bars connected to the base at a location spaced from the front surface; a bracelet extending longitudinally between a first end connected to the mounting structure and a free end spaced from the mounting structure; Equipped with the first bar is oriented parallel to the second bar in a direction perpendicular to the length of the bracelet; The first and second bars are configured to respectively engage with the channel to allow relative sliding movement between the watch case and the watch band in a direction perpendicular to the length direction.

2. 2. The watch band of claim 1, wherein the bracelet is movable from a rest position in which the free end is spaced a first distance from the mounting structure to a displaced position in which the free end is spaced a second distance from the mounting structure, the second distance being greater than the first distance.

3. 3. The watch band of claim 2, wherein the bracelet is biased to move from the displaced position to the rest position.

4. 2. The watch band of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure further comprises a first post disposed between the first bar and the base of the mounting structure, and a second post disposed between the second bar and the base of the mounting structure.

5. 2. The watchband of claim 1, wherein said hole in said base is sized to receive said cylindrical boss projecting from said back surface of said watch case.

6. 10. The watch band of claim 1, wherein the watch band is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of metal, polymer, and rubber.

7. 7. The watch band of claim 6, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, brass, copper, silver, gold, platinum, and titanium.

8. 7. The watch band of claim 6, wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of resin, nylon, and polyester.

9. 10. The watch band of claim 1, further comprising a hinge disposed between the first portion of the bracelet and the second portion of the bracelet, the hinge allowing the second portion of the bracelet to rotate relative to the first portion of the bracelet.

10. 10. The watch band of claim 9, wherein the hinge is located closer to the free end of the bracelet than to the first end of the bracelet.

11. 10. The watch band of claim 9, wherein the hinge comprises a first plurality of teeth connected to the first portion of the bracelet and a second plurality of teeth connected to the second portion of the bracelet.

12. 12. The watch band of claim 11, wherein engagement of the first plurality of teeth with the second plurality of teeth prevents rotation of the second portion of the bracelet relative to the first portion of the bracelet.

13. a watch case having linear upper and lower edges, each of the upper and lower edges having a channel extending to a portion of a side edge of the watch case, and a cylindrical boss protruding from a back surface of the watch case; A watch band, a mounting structure including a base having a front surface, a rear surface, and a hole extending from the front surface to the rear surface, and first and second bars connected to the base at a location spaced from the front surface; a watch band comprising a bracelet extending longitudinally between a first end connected to the mounting structure and a free end spaced from the mounting structure, the first bar being oriented parallel to the second bar in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the bracelet; A watch comprising: The watch case is connected to the watch band such that the first bar is positioned within one of the channels, the second bar is positioned within another of the channels, and the cylindrical boss is positioned within the hole.

14. 14. The watch of claim 13, wherein the watch band is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of metal, polymer, and rubber.

15. 15. The watch of claim 14, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, brass, copper, silver, gold, platinum, and titanium.

16. 15. The watch of claim 14, wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of resin, nylon, and polyester.

17. 14. The watch of claim 13, further comprising a hinge disposed between the first portion of the bracelet and the second portion of the bracelet, the hinge allowing the second portion of the bracelet to rotate relative to the first portion of the bracelet.

18. 18. The watch of claim 17, wherein the hinge is located closer to the free end of the bracelet than to the first end of the bracelet.

19. 18. The watch of claim 17, wherein the hinge comprises a first plurality of teeth connected to the first portion of the bracelet and a second plurality of teeth connected to the second portion of the bracelet.

20. 20. The timepiece of claim 19, wherein engagement of the first plurality of teeth with the second plurality of teeth prevents rotation of the second portion of the bracelet relative to the first portion of the bracelet.

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