WRIST WATCH STRAP MANUFACTURING METHOD

Abstract

The invention relates to watch straps made of felt material. The method includes cutting out the strap from the felt material with a density of up to 0.5 g/cm.sup.3; forming the ends of the strap to be fastened to the watch body by adjusting the shape of the strap ends to the shape of a specific watch body and/or to strap fastening elements; impregnating the shaped ends of the strap with polymeric glue, preferably with liquid cyanoacrylate; precisely adjusting the fully dried and processed strap ends to the watch body or strap fastening elements; drilling the transversal apertures in the strap ends for inserting the watch pins to fasten the strap to the watch body. The watch strap thus obtained is eco-friendly, recyclable, non-allergenic and can be securely fastened to the watch body.

Claims

1. A method for making a two-part wrist watch strap of felt material, comprising cutting out separate parts of the watch strap from prepared felt material, wherein primary shaping the ends of the watch strap, cut out from the felt material, designed for fastening to the watch body, by adapting the shape of the watch strap ends to the shape of the specific watch body and/or to strap fastening to the watch body elements; comprising the following steps: a) impregnating the watch strap ends, designed for fastening to the watch body, with polymeric glue; b) after drying the polymeric glue, secondary mechanical treating of polymerized ends, finishing the polymerized watch strap ends to precisely match the watch body and/or fastening elements of the watch body; c) drilling the transversal passages for fixing the strap to the watch body elements.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized by using the felt material produced from Merino wool felt with a density up to 0.5 g/cm.sup.3.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized by using the felt material having thickness up to 1 cm, preferably from 3 to 5 mm.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized by using liquid cyano acrylate to impregnate the felt strap ends to be fastened to the watch body.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized by impregnating the watch strap ends, to be fastened to the watch body, with liquid cyano acrylate using immersion, lubrication or vacuumization methods.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the length of the watch strap ends impregnated with cyanoacrylate is in the range from 0.5 to 1.0 cm.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The sequence of production of the watch strap from the felt material according to the current invention is as follows: first, the parts of the strap of both necessary shapes are cut from the felt material by means of a press, a laser or any other known method. If the strap is designed for a particular watch body with an individual shape, then the ends of the watch straps are formed, giving them an individual shape adapted to the clock body or strap fastening to the watch body elements. For example, the ends of the strap can be shaped so that they embrace the elements of the strap fastening, visually hiding them within the ends of the straps.

[0012] After the ends of the strap are reshaped for attaching them to the watch body, they are impregnated with polymeric glue. This is done either by simply immersing both ends of the strap through 0.5-1.0 cm into liquid polymer glue, or by lubricating them with polymeric glue, or by vacuum incorporation of polymer glues into a felt material. After testing it was determined that liquid cyanoacrylate is most appropriate for this purpose. Cyanoacrylate is characterized by its colourlessness and its short polymerization time, also by the fact that during the polymerization it creates long, strong chains that evenly cover the impregnated surface giving it a monolithic quality. However, at the same time, the cyanoacrylate polymer remains robust and flexible enough in order to be resistant to tearing and bending.

[0013] When the ends of the watch strap are shaped and reinforced in this way, they can be further machined to the final shape, and then the transversal passages are drilled in the straps in order to fasten them to the watch body. The watch strap produced in this way is characterized by the fact that despite being made of felt material, it remains light, flexible and soft throughout its length, and its ends, impregnated with cyanoacrylate, acquire the strength inherent to straps made of plastic or metal. Moreover, since it is made of Merino wool felt, it is environmentally friendly, easy to recycle, non-allergenic.

[0014] Though the invention is described by an example of the method of manufacturing a watch strap, it can be adapted to manufacturing any felt product, such as trousers belts, bracelets, etc., i.e. it can be applied where a solid and reliable bonding of the felt material with another material or other element is required, where there is a tensile force applied between the two materials.