Telescopic Watch Bracelet Attachment Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing watch strap or bracelet attachment devices require tools for removal, are structurally complex and costly to manufacture, and may pose a risk to the wearer due to protruding elements.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring a bar with telescopic cylindrical shafts and complementary inserts that interlock to allow for easy interchangeability without tools, using guide tracks and collars for secure locking and unlocking, enabling quick assembly and disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional bar with pistons and elastic member is used for attaching the bracelet, then the attachment is secure and reliable, but the device requires tools for removal and is difficult to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The bar is segmented into two telescopic shafts that can move relative to each other, allowing the bar to be compressed without tools. The housing is segmented with a first portion fixed to the case and a second portion that moves with the shafts, enabling tool-free operation while maintaining structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The bar transitions from a static structure to a dynamic one where the two shafts can telescope and compress. The elastic member provides dynamic force to push the shafts outward for secure attachment, while manual compression allows for tool-free removal
2Ease of operation
If structural modifications are made to the bar for interchangeable bracelets, then the bracelet can be removed without tools, but the manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
One shaft is nested within the other shaft, creating a telescopic structure that enables tool-free removal. The shafts are housed within a housing that has corresponding nested portions, allowing the entire mechanism to be compact while providing interchangeable bracelet functionality without major structural modifications
Solution Approach 2:
The telescopic bar mechanism serves multiple functions: it provides secure attachment through elastic force, enables tool-free removal through compression, and supports interchangeable bracelets. The same basic structure achieves multiple goals without requiring separate complex mechanisms for each function
3Ease of operation
If an actuating member protrudes from the bar for bracelet interchangeability, then the bracelet can be easily removed, but the protruding element may snag or injure the wearer
Solution Approach 1:
The actuating function is extracted from a protruding external member and integrated into the telescopic shafts themselves. The shafts' relative movement provides the actuation mechanism, eliminating the need for external protruding elements that could snag or injure the wearer while maintaining easy bracelet interchangeability
Data Source
AI summary
A device for attaching a bracelet or strap to a watch case includes a bar secured to the watch case by at least one horn and an insert integral with the end of the bracelet. The bar and the insert are complementary to cooperate by interlocking or fitting with each other to form a removable assembly to make the bracelet interchangeable. The bar is formed by a cylindrical shaft having a flat portion, the flat portion being arranged to cooperate by interlocking or fitting with at least one housing made in the insert, the housing having a substantially rectangular opening for receiving the flat portion. The shaft is telescopic to move from a first position, in which the insert is positionable on the shaft, to a second position, in which the insert is locked on the shaft.