Bracelet Latch Extensible Buckle Indexing Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bracelet latches with extensible buckles are difficult to adjust easily without tools and often lack optimal ergonomics, leading to potential unlocking and discomfort due to wrist size changes throughout the day.
Innovation Solution
A bracelet latch with a cap defining a housing and slide-way, featuring a slide connected to the bracelet by articulation means, allowing discrete position indexing and locking, enabling easy length adjustment while maintaining the latch closed, using an actuator to release and move the slide for unlocking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate locking organ and adjustment organ are used, then the latch can be securely locked, but the device complexity increases and ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the locking organ and adjustment organ into a single integrated mechanism. The same component that locks the latch also adjusts the bracelet length, eliminating the need for separate organs. This reduces device complexity while maintaining secure locking functionality through the unified design of the locking and adjustment mechanisms.
2Reliability
If a lever is used to lock the sliding element, then the latch can be secured, but the ease of operation deteriorates as both sliding element positioning and lever actuation must be done simultaneously with one hand
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the lever actuation function from the simultaneous operation requirement. The locking mechanism is designed to engage automatically when the sliding element reaches its locked position, eliminating the need for separate lever actuation. This allows users to adjust the bracelet length with one hand while the locking occurs automatically, significantly improving ease of operation.
3Measurement precision
If slots are formed in the sliding element and cap for indexing, then the position can be indexed, but the device complexity increases and the ergonomics deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the indexing slots multi-functional by designing them to serve both as positioning references and as engagement features for the locking mechanism. The same slots that index the sliding element position also engage with locking protrusions to secure the adjusted length. This eliminates the need for separate indexing and locking features, reducing device complexity while maintaining precise position indexing.
4Volume of moving object
If the sliding elements are kept folded in the housing, then the latch remains compact, but the ease of operation deteriorates when adjustment is needed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic movement to the sliding elements, allowing them to transition between folded and extended states. The sliding elements are designed to fold into the housing when not in use, maintaining compactness, but can be easily extended along the slide-way when length adjustment is needed. This dynamic design enables the latch to adapt its configuration based on operational requirements, improving ease of operation while maintaining compact storage.
Data Source
AI summary
A latch for a bracelet having an extensible buckle, includes a cap defining a recess and including a slide in which a slider is engaged, the slider being intended for connecting the cap (10) to a bracelet strand using first hinge elements (18). The slider includes at least first (16) and second (17) segments connected together by second hinge elements (20). The segments (16, 17) are folded into the recess when the latch buckle is not extended. The latch (1) further includes slider indexing elements provided in the cap so that the slider can assume a sequence of fixed positions relative to the cap, between a first and second end position. In the first end position, the slider is located in the recess such that the ends (14a, 14b) of the latch are at a minimal distance. In the second end position, the slider is located essentially outside the recess.