Non-extending Hinged Bracelet Cover Concealing Knuckles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hinged bracelets with different materials for knuckles and U-shaped parts suffer from an aesthetic issue where knuckles become visible when bent, detracting from the appearance, especially when made of different materials.
Innovation Solution
A non-extending hinged bracelet design featuring a cover, such as a resilient strip, that conceals hinges between adjacent links, both in flat and curved positions, using U-shaped parts with branches engaging pin ends and a cover extending between links to mask the hinges, improving aesthetic appeal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the bracelet is bent to fit the shape of the wrist, then the bracelet can be worn properly, but the knuckles become visible which compromises the aesthetic appearance
Solution Approach 1:
A cover element is introduced as an intermediary component between the knuckle and the U-shaped part. This cover extends from the knuckle to partially conceal it, acting as a mediator that hides the knuckle's visibility while allowing the bracelet to remain functional and wearable when bent.
2Reliability
If U-shaped parts are used to hold pushpins, then the pushpins are secured in place, but the knuckles remain visible when the bracelet is bent
Solution Approach 1:
The assembly is segmented into distinct functional components: the U-shaped part that retains the pushpin, the cover that conceals the knuckle, and the knuckle itself. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently - the U-shaped part secures the pushpin while the cover handles the aesthetic concealment.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover serves as an intermediary element between the U-shaped part and the knuckle. It extends from the knuckle to partially conceal it, acting as a mediator that hides the knuckle's visibility while allowing the bracelet to remain functional and wearable when bent.
3Adaptability or versatility
If knuckles are made of different material from U-shaped parts, then aesthetic design is enabled, but visibility of knuckles when bent becomes more problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The cover acts as an intermediary that bridges the visual gap between different materials. By extending from the knuckle to conceal it, the cover prevents the material contrast between the knuckle and U-shaped part from being visually apparent when the bracelet is bent, while still allowing this material differentiation to exist for design purposes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively hides the hinges, enhancing the bracelet's appearance by keeping them invisible whether flat or curved, particularly when materials differ, and provides a return force to maintain the flat position.
Implementation Method 1
the cover is a resilient strip whose transverse edges are engaged in respective housings provided in the two adjacent links. The resilient nature of the strip thus enables a certain return force to be exerted on the links in the flat position of the bracelet.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention concerns a non-extending hinged bracelet including a plurality of links (6, 6′) hinged one after the other, each of the links including on one side a male hinge element and on the other side a female hinge element, the male hinge element of one link (6) being inserted in the female hinge element of the next link (6′) to form a hinge (1), said hinge elements being traversed by a pin forming the articulation of the hinge (1), a U-shaped part (14) which covers said hinge (1) including branches (16) which are engaged on either side of the hinge (1) and which have holes (18) in which the ends of the pin are engaged, said bracelet being characterized in that a cover (12) extending between two adjacent links (6, 6′) is arranged between the hinge (1) and the U-shaped part (14).