Tool-Free Watch Strap Securing Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing watch strap or bracelet securing devices require tools for removal, are costly to manufacture due to structural alterations, and may pose risks with projecting elements, limiting user convenience and interchangeability.
Innovation Solution
A securing device with a standard bar and a non-projecting actuating mechanism featuring a bent arm and lever, allowing piston actuation from the exterior without structural modifications, enabling tool-free attachment and detachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a tool is used to push the pistons back into the tube for removal, then the securing device can be removed, but the user convenience deteriorates because the tool is not permanently available and its use is inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The securing device enables the user to perform the removal operation themselves using an integrated actuating member (push-button or radial finger) that is permanently attached to the device, eliminating the need for external tools. The user can directly push the pistons back into the tube by operating the actuating member, making the device self-sufficient for its own maintenance and interchangeability.
2Ease of operation
If structural alterations are made to the bar to enable tool-free removal, then ease of operation improves, but manufacturing costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The actuating mechanism is segmented into separate functional components: the actuating member (push-button or radial finger), the transmission element (arm sliding through the tube), and the pistons. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using standard processes, avoiding the need for complex structural alterations to the bar itself, thereby controlling manufacturing costs while enabling tool-free operation.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediate arm acts as a mediator between the actuating member and the pistons. The arm slides through the tube and transmits the pushing force from the actuating member to the pistons, enabling tool-free removal without requiring direct modification of the bar structure. This intermediary mechanism achieves the desired functionality while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
3Ease of operation
If an actuating member is added to enable tool-free removal, then ease of operation improves, but device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The actuating member serves multiple functions: it directly pushes the pistons back into the tube for removal, and its movement along the slot or through the tube also serves to actuate the pistons. The arm sliding through the tube performs dual functions of transmitting force and guiding the movement of the actuating member, reducing the need for additional separate components and mechanisms.
4Ease of operation
If a projecting actuating member is used for tool-free removal, then ease of operation improves, but safety deteriorates due to risk of catching or injury
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of having the actuating member project outward from the device (which would create a safety hazard), the design inverts the arrangement by having the actuating member be pushed inward through the tube or slide within the slot. The force application point is reversed - rather than pushing from the outside, the user presses a button or operates a finger that moves within the structure, eliminating the projecting element that could catch on clothing or injure the user while maintaining the tool-free removal capability.
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
Enables convenient, tool-free mounting and removal of straps or bracelets without increasing manufacturing costs or posing risks, maintaining structural integrity and user safety.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member arranged between said pistons which tends to drive them towards the exterior of the tube
Implementation Method 2
one end of which cooperates with the first piston to push said piston towards the interior of the tube
Implementation Method 3
the first control member is formed of a lever pivotally mounted above the first arm, between a turned down position C, and an upright position D
Data Source
AI summary
A timepiece movement including a tourbillon that has a rotating carriage bearing a sprung balance and an escapement. The carriage includes a top pivot and a bottom pivot, respectively carried by a top bridge and a bottom bridge of the carriage. The carriage pivots between a bottom plate of the timepiece movement and a bridge of the movement. The timepiece movement includes a stop member, arranged for limiting the axial shake of the carriage.