Watch Strap Attachment Member With Visible Latch Interlock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing watch bracelet connection mechanisms require modifications to the watch case, are complex, and involve costly adaptations, with users facing difficulties in ensuring correct fitting and handling.
Innovation Solution
An interchangeable attachment member fixed between the watch case horns, allowing a removable connection of the bracelet, featuring a coupling element that engages perpendicularly or obliquely with the watch case plane, and a latch for easy assembly and disassembly, with visible handling and simplified locking mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional connection mechanism with circular holes and guiding means is used, then the bracelet can be connected to the watch case, but the mechanism becomes more complex and the fitting process becomes difficult to verify
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional approach by making the coupling element visible and accessible from the front of the watch case, rather than hiding it inside a casing with circular holes. The coupling element is now a protruding structure that can be directly engaged with the attachment end, eliminating the need for complex guiding means and making the fitting process visible and verifiable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the coupling element from the internal casing structure and positions it on the external surface of the watch case. This allows the coupling element to be directly visible and accessible, simplifying the overall mechanism by removing the need for internal guiding structures and making the connection process transparent to the user.
2Reliability
If a two-step insertion process is used to lock the male element, then the connection can be secured, but the handling becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the alignment and insertion operations into a single straightforward action. The coupling element is designed with a shape and orientation that naturally guides the attachment end into the correct position during a single insertion motion, eliminating the need for separate alignment and insertion steps while maintaining secure connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling element is pre-configured with a specific geometry and orientation that performs the alignment function automatically during insertion. The visible design and protruding structure provide natural guidance, so the user does not need to perform separate alignment actions before insertion.
3Shape
If the coupling element is hidden inside a casing, then the watch case appearance is maintained, but the user cannot verify correct fitting and the mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of hiding the coupling element inside the watch case to maintain appearance, the patent inverts the approach by positioning the coupling element on the external surface. The coupling element is designed to be aesthetically pleasing and integrates with the watch case design, while its visible position allows users to easily verify correct fitting.
4Adaptability or versatility
If modifications are made to the watch case to adapt to different bracelets, then different styles can be connected, but the costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal attachment member that can be used with multiple watch cases and different bracelet types. The standardized coupling element design allows the same attachment member to fit different watch cases without requiring modifications to the watch case itself, enabling versatility while controlling manufacturing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the connection system into separate components: a standardized attachment member and a coupling element. This segmentation allows the coupling element to remain consistent across different watch cases, while only the attachment member needs to be changed for different bracelet styles, reducing manufacturing costs compared to modifying each watch case.
Data Source
AI summary
An attachment member intended for being secured between a pair of horns of a watch case, comprising two pairs of horns, for connecting the watch case to an attachment end of a wrist strap. The attachment member comprises a coupling element configured to engage with the attachment end in order to couple the coupling element and the attachment end by interlocking in a direction perpendicular or oblique to a plane defined by the two pairs of horns of the watch case. The attachment member further comprises a latch for locking and unlocking the coupling of the coupling element to the attachment end. The present invention also relates a wrist strap comprising an attachment end configured to be connected, by interlocking, to the attachment member.