Metallic watch strap

Abstract

A metallic watch strap, including a first metallic strap half and a second metallic strap half. The first metallic strap half extending along a longitudinal direction and having an upper side and a lower side. The second metallic strap half having a folding clasp with a first fastening structure equipped to be fastened to the first strap half and with a second fastening structure equipped to be fastened to the second strap half. The first fastening structure has a slide, which, in a first state, is displaceable relative to the first strap half in a guided manner, and including a fixation element, which, in a second state, abuts on the first strap half. The first strap half has fixation indentations and the fixation element has at least one fixation projection fitting into the fixation indentations. In the second state, the fixation projection engages into one of the fixation indentations.

Claims

1. A metallic watch strap, comprising: a first metallic strap half, the first metallic strap half extending along a longitudinal direction and having an upper side and a lower side; a second metallic strap half; and a folding clasp with a first fastening structure equipped to be fastened to the first strap half and with a second fastening structure equipped to be fastened to the second strap half; wherein the first fastening structure comprises a slide which in a first state is displaceable relative to the first strap half in a guided manner; wherein the slide comprises a fixation element which in a second state abuts on the first strap half; wherein the first strap half comprises at least one row of at least two fixation indentations, said row extending along the longitudinal direction; wherein the fixation element comprises at least one fixation projection fitting into the fixation indentations; wherein in the second state the fixation projection engages into one of the fixation indentations, whereby the first fastening structure is fixedly fastened to the first strap half in the second state; wherein the fixation element is held relative to the slide on a pivot joint whose joint axis runs parallel to the longitudinal direction, so that the fixation element lies transversely to the longitudinal direction in the second state; and wherein the fixation element comprises a latching structure at a side which lies opposite the joint, said latching structure latching with a corresponding latching structure of the slide in the second state.

2. The watch strap according to claim 1, wherein the fixation indentations are present on the lower side of the first strap half; and wherein in the second state the fixation element abuts on the lower side of the first strap half.

3. The watch strap according to claim 2, wherein the fixation element is held relative to the slide on a pivot joint whose joint axis runs parallel to the longitudinal direction, so that the fixation element lies transversely to the longitudinal direction in the second state.

4. The watch strap according to claim 3, wherein the fixation element comprises a latching structure at a side which lies opposite the joint, said latching structure latching with a corresponding latching structure of the slide in the second state.

5. The watch strap according to claim 3, wherein the fixation element is an elongate clamping element.

6. The watch strap according to claim 1, wherein the fixation element is an elongate clamping element.

7. The watch strap according to claim 1, wherein the first strap half and the second strap half each comprise a metallic mesh structure.

8. The watch strap according to claim 1, wherein the fixation indentations form two rows which lie next to one another and wherein the fixation element comprises one fixation projection per row.

9. The watch strap according to claim 1, wherein the first strap half comprises at least four indentations per row so that the first fastening structure is fastenable relative to the first strap half at correspondingly at least four different positions.

10. The watch strap according to claim 1, wherein the fixation indentations are embossments in the first strap half.

11. The watch strap according to claim 1, wherein the fixation indentations and the at least one fixation projection each have a rectangular outline.

12. The watch strap according to claim 1, further comprising a loop around the second strap half, said loop being provided with a spring, and said loop being shaped for receiving a piece of the first strap half which projects over the first fastening structure.

13. The watch strap according to claim 1, wherein the folding clasp is a butterfly folding clasp with three segments which are pivotable to one another in pairs and which form a row.

14. The watch strap according to claim 13, wherein two outer segments in a closed state lie between two webs of a middle segment or the middle segment in the closed state lies between two webs of the two outer segments.

15. The watch strap according to claim 1, wherein at least one segment of the folding clasp covers the fixation element towards the lower side in a closed state of the folding clasp.

16. The watch strap according to claim 1, wherein the second fastening structure is fixedly connected to one end of the second strap half.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The subsequent drawings represent exemplary embodiments of the invention, by way of which the invention is described in detail. In the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same or analogous elements. The drawings show:

(2) FIG. 1 a view of a watch strap in the opened state with the opened first fastening structure;

(3) FIG. 2 a detail of FIG. 1 with the clamp of the first fastening structure;

(4) FIG. 3 a detail of FIG. 1 with the first strap half and with two rows of fixation indentations as well as with four visible fixation indentation positions;

(5) FIG. 4 a view of the watch strap of FIG. 1 in the opened state but with a closed first fastening structure; and

(6) FIG. 5 the watch strap in the closed state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) The watch strap 1 according to FIGS. 1-5 includes a first strap half 11 from a metallic braiding, a second strap half 12 from the same metallic braiding, a butterfly clasp 2 and a loop 3.

(8) The first strap half includes two rows of seven fixation indentations 14, which are designed as rectangular embossments. At the end—i.e. towards the watch casing (not shown)—a watch casing fastening 17 is fixedly attached to both strap halves 11, 12.

(9) The butterfly folding clasp 2 as is known per se includes a middle segment 21 as well as two outer segments 24, 25 that are connected to one another via joints. At the end side, the outer segments 24, 25 are each connected to a first fastening structure 31 and a second fastening structure 27 respectively, in each case via a further joint. The segments are arcuate such that they are adapted to the anatomy of the human arm. The second fastening structure 27 is fixedly attached to an end (lying opposite the watch casing fastening 17) of the second strap half. The first fastening structure 31 is assigned to the first strap half and is fastenable to this, so that the folding clasp connects the first and the second strap half.

(10) The first fastening structure 31 includes a slide 32, on which a pin 33 of the respective outer segment 24 is rotatably fastened about its axis for forming a joint. Furthermore, the first fastening structure includes a fixation element 34, which can be an elongate clamping element 34. Two fixation projections 35 are formed on this, and the rectangular shape and size of these are matched to the shape and the size of the fixation indentations 14. The elongate clamping element is pivotable transversely to the longitudinal direction of the first strap half on a pivot joint, which is formed by a clamping element pin 36, and can be brought from the open state, which is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, into a closed state (FIG. 4) by way of a corresponding pivoting movement, wherein the position of the slide relative to the first strap half is to be selected such that the elongate clamping element is aligned onto a pair of indentation openings 14. In the closed state, the elongate clamping element extends transversely over the first strap half 11 and the first strap half is clamped between the elongate clamping element and the slide. The fixation projections 35 engage into fixation indentations 14 and thus effect a positive fit with regard to displacements of the slide in the longitudinal direction of the strap half.

(11) In the closed state, a latching structure 37 of the elongate clamping element engages into a corresponding latching structure 38 of the slide at the side that lies opposite the clamping element pin 36 and hence fixes the elongate clamping element in the closed state. The elongate clamping element is furthermore covered to the arm of the wearer of the watch by the segments of the folding clasp (FIG. 5) when this is closed. By way of this, an unintended opening of the first fastening structure is additionally prevented.

(12) If the length of the watch strap is to be adjusted, the wearer must remove the watch from the wrist and open the elongate clamping element 34 in the opened state of the folding clasp, displace the slide by one or more positions in the rows of fixation indentations 14 and close the elongate clamping element again.

(13) As is known per se, the folding clasp 2 includes a latching mechanism, by way of which it can be latched in its closed state, which is shown in FIG. 5. In this state, the outer segments 24, 25 are located between the two webs that form the middle segment 21, so that the arrangement is less bulky as possible, as can be seen in FIG. 5. For opening the watch strap, two lock push buttons at the outer side are to be actuated simultaneously, in order to release the latching mechanism.

(14) The loop 3 is applied around the second strap half 12 and serves for guiding the piece of the first strap half 11 which projects beyond the first fastening structure, said piece hence being able to bear on the second strap half 12 in a manner in which is better fixed. The loop can likewise be metallic. In order to avoid an undesirable, too resistance-free sliding of the loop 3 on the first strap half 12 or on both strap halves 11, the loop at the inner side is includes, for example, a small spring, for example a leaf sprung which is bent inwards, by way of which the strap half or the strap halves is/are slightly clamped in the inside of the loop.