FASTENING MEMBER FOR ATTACHING A BRACELET TO A WATCH CASE

Abstract

The present invention concerns a fastening member for a strand of a bracelet, adapted to be removably connected to a watch case. The fastening member has a housing in which are held a first and a second pad arranged so as to be able to slide in a direction transverse to the length of the strand and to cooperate respectively with a first and a second pivot secured to the lugs of the watch case; an elastic member arranged so as to move the first and second pads away from each other; and a lock arranged, on the one hand, to lock the fastening member when the lock is in a locked position and, on the other hand, to allow the fastening member to be disconnected from the watch case when the lock is actuated to be brought into an unlocked position and a force allowing the fastening member to be separated from the watch case is applied against the elastic member. According to the invention, the lock and the first and second pads are configured so that the actuation of the lock from the locked position to the unlocked position does not transmit any movement to said first and second pads.

Claims

1. A fastening member for a strand of a bracelet, adapted to be removably connected to a watch case, the fastening member comprising: a housing in which are held a first and a second pad arranged so as to be able to slide in a direction transverse to the length of the strand and to cooperate respectively with a first and a second pivot secured to the lugs of the watch case, an elastic member arranged so as to move the first and second pads away from each other, and a lock arranged, on the one hand, to lock the fastening member when the lock is in a locked position and, on the other hand, to allow the fastening member to be disconnected from the watch case when the lock is actuated to be brought into an unlocked position and a force allowing the fastening member to be separated from the watch case is applied against the elastic member, wherein: the lock and the first and second pads are configured so that the actuation of the lock from the locked position to the unlocked position does not transmit any movement to said first and second pads.

2. The fastening member of claim 1, wherein the lock comprises a body comprising a first portion accessible by the user and a second portion for blocking the displacement of the first and second pads when the lock is in the locked position.

3. The fastening member of claim 2, wherein the lock is arranged to be returned to the locked position by an elastic member.

4. The fastening member of claim 3, wherein the lock comprises a recess, preferably cylindrical, inside which the elastic member, preferably a compression spring, is arranged in order to urge the lock into the locked position.

5. The fastening member of claim 3 4, further comprising a cover mounted on the housing, one end of the elastic member bearing against the cover.

6. The fastening member of claim 2, wherein the second portion of the body comprises a stop which prevents the pads from moving towards each other when the lock is in the locked position.

7. The fastening member of claim 2, wherein the second portion comprises a notch which extends in a plane intercepting the direction of displacement of the lock, a part of each pad being configured to slide in the notch when the lock is in the unlocked position.

8. The fastening member of claim 1, comprising two side walls and a receiving part arranged on each side wall to receive the first and second pivots, the receiving parts being shaped to limit said disconnection to a relative movement exerted in a predefined direction.

9. The fastening member of claim 8, wherein each receiving part is arranged to receive one of the first and second pivots from an entry to an exit opening into the housing.

10. The fastening member of claim 1, wherein each pad comprises a first lateral side arranged opposite a corresponding side edge of the housing, and comprising a hole arranged to receive one end of the corresponding pivot when the fastening member is connected to the watch case.

11. The fastening member of claim 10, wherein the first lateral side further comprises a guiding surface leading to the hole, the guiding surface being profiled so as to induce a transverse displacement of each pad when the end of the corresponding pivot moves along said guiding surface.

12. The strand of a watch bracelet comprising the fastening member of claim 1.

13. The wristwatch comprising at least one strand of a watch bracelet of claim 12.

14. The method of disconnecting the fastening member of claim 1, comprising: actuating the lock to bring it into the unlocked position, and applying a force to separate the fastening member from the watch case, while maintaining the lock in the unlocked position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0023] Examples of embodiments of the invention are shown in the description illustrated by the appended figures in which:

[0024] FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of the fastening member according to a preferred embodiment;

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view from the top of the frame of the fastening member;

[0026] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view from below of the frame of the fastening member;

[0027] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a pad of the locking/unlocking mechanism;

[0028] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the pad of FIG. 4 in a different orientation;

[0029] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the lock body of the locking/unlocking mechanism;

[0030] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the lock body of FIG. 7 in a different orientation;

[0031] FIG. 8 shows an elevation view of the lock body;

[0032] FIG. 9 shows a perspective view from the top of the cover of the fastening member;

[0033] FIG. 10 shows a perspective view from below of the cover of FIG. 9;

[0034] FIG. 11 shows a side view of the fastening member connected to a watch case, of which only the lugs are shown, when the lock is in the locked position;

[0035] FIG. 12 shows a cross-sectional view of FIG. 11 along A-A;

[0036] FIG. 13 shows a cross-sectional view of FIG. 12 along B-B;

[0037] FIG. 14 shows a view similar to FIG. 11 when the lock is in the unlocked position;

[0038] FIG. 15 shows a cross-sectional view of FIG. 14 along C-C,

[0039] FIG. 16 shows a cross-sectional view of FIG. 15 along D-D,

[0040] FIG. 17 shows a schematic view of the lock and the pads of the fastening member according to a variant, when the lock is in a locked position, and

[0041] FIG. 18 shows a view similar to FIG. 17 when the lock of the fastening member is in an unlocked position.

EXAMPLES OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0042] According to a preferred embodiment and with reference in particular to FIGS. 1 to 3, the fastening member 10, for attaching a bracelet strand to a watch case, comprises a frame 12 having a substantially rectangular housing 14 intended to accommodate elements of a locking/unlocking mechanism. This mechanism is designed to connect and disconnect the frame 12 to two pivots 72a, 72b, for example two screws, mounted on the lugs 70 of the watch case (only the lugs are illustrated). The fastening member 10 further comprises a cover 50 mounted on the frame 12 so as to cover the housing 14 comprising the elements of the locking/unlocking mechanism. A lower part of the cover 50 can, for example, be driven, clipped or screwed into the housing 14.

[0043] The housing 14 of the frame 12 comprises two opposite side edges 16 each comprising an opening 18. These openings open onto a first and a second receiving part 24 respectively, arranged on the side walls 22 of the frame 12 to receive the two pivots 77a, 77b. The first and second receiving parts may, for example, be in the form of rails. These rails 24 are preferably shaped so that a portion of the two pivots 72a, 72b can be introduced into the rails by positioning the fastening member 10 above the horns 70 of the watch case, then by lowering the fastening member 10 relative to the horns until the bottom of the rails rests on the pivots. The fastening member 10 can thus pivot freely about a pivot axis that is coaxial with the axis of the pivots when this fastening member 10 is locked to the watch case.

[0044] According to FIGS. 2 and 3, the bottom 20 of the housing 14 comprises a through-hole 21 in the frame 12 of the fastening member. The locking/unlocking mechanism, for attaching the fastening member to the watch case, comprises a lock 60 which is mounted in the through-hole 21 so as to be operable in an oblique direction, preferably substantially orthogonal, to the pivot axis of the fastening member 10, for example in a direction substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis. The fastening member comprises a fastening part 26 provided with a transverse slot 28 for receiving one end 10 of a strand of the bracelet.

[0045] With reference in particular to FIGS. 1 to 5, the locking/unlocking mechanism further comprises a first and a second pad 30a, 30b arranged in the housing 14 so as to be able to slide in a direction transverse to the length of the strand of the bracelet and to cooperate respectively with the first and second pivot 72a, 72b through the openings 18 located on the two side edges 16 of the housing 14.

[0046] Each pad 30a, 30b comprises a first lateral side 32a arranged opposite the corresponding side edge 16 of the housing 14. The first lateral side 32a of each pad comprises a hole 38 arranged to receive an end of the corresponding pivot 72a, 72b, when the fastening member 10 is connected to the watch case. The first lateral side 32a of each pad also comprises a guiding surface 39 leading to the hole 38. The profile of the guiding surface 39 enables to initiate and impart a transverse displacement to the respective pad when the end of the corresponding pivot moves along this surface.

[0047] Each pad 30a, 30b comprises a second lateral side 32b. The second lateral sides of the pads are arranged opposite one another and each comprises a blind hole 34.

[0048] Each blind hole 34 receives a portion of an elastic member, preferably a compression spring 30, arranged between the two pads.

[0049] The lock 60 is arranged, on the one hand, to lock the fastening member 10 when the lock 60 is in a locked position and, on the other hand, to allow the fastening member 10 to be disconnected from the watch case when the lock 60 is actuated to be brought into an unlocked position. The particularity of the locking/unlocking mechanism lies partly in the fact that the lock 60 and the first and second pads 30a, 30b are configured so that actuation of the lock 60 to bring it into the unlocked position does not transmit any movement to the first and second pads 30a, 30b. In other words, the lock 60 enables the transverse displacements of the first and second retractable pads to be locked and unlocked without acting on them.

[0050] To this end, according to FIGS. 6-8, the lock comprises a body 62 comprising a first portion 62a accessible by a user and a second portion 62b arranged inside the housing 14 in order to block the displacement of the first and second pads 30a, 30b when the lock 60 is in the locked position as illustrated in FIG. 13.

[0051] In an embodiment, the second portion 62a of the body of the lock 60 comprises a notch 64 extending in a direction perpendicular to the direction of displacement of the lock 60. Each pad 30a, 30b comprises a corner 36 arranged to abut respectively a first and a second shoulder 66 of the body 62 when the lock 60 is in the locked position. The two shoulders 66 are arranged on either side of the notch 64 above it. The corner 36 of each pad is aligned with the notch 64 when the lock 60 is in the unlocked position. The thickness e of the corner 36 of each pad 30a, 30b is less than the height h of the notch 64 of the lock body so that the corners can slide inside the notch.

[0052] The body 62 of the lock 60 further comprises a housing 68, which in this example is cylindrical, inside which an elastic member is partially disposed, preferably in the form of a compression spring 69. One end of the spring 69 rests against the bottom of the housing 68, while a portion of the spring is housed in a cut-out 56 made on a longitudinal edge 54 of the cover 50, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. This cut-out has a cylindrical recess 58 designed to receive the other end of the spring 69.

[0053] This spring enables to urge the lock 60 into the locked position in which the fastening member 10 is secured to the watch case.

[0054] When the lock 60 is in the locked position according to FIGS. 11 to 13, the comers of each pad 30a, 30b are in abutment against the two shoulders 66 of the body 62 of the lock in order to prevent any transverse displacement of the pads. In this position, the end of each pivot 72a, 72b is arranged inside the hole 38 of the first lateral side 32a of each pad. As the transverse displacement of the pads 30a, 30b is prevented by the lock 60, the fastening member 10 is in this configuration secured to the lugs 70 of the watch case.

[0055] When pressure is exerted on an actuating surface 63 of the lock 60, the latter moves in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the pivots to be brought into the unlocked position as shown in FIGS. 14 to 16. Actuation of the lock 60 does not transmit any movement to the two pads 30a, 30b when it is brought into the unlocked position. However, the notch 64 in the body 62 of the lock is aligned with the corners of each pad.

[0056] This alignment enables the two pads 30a, 30b to slide inside the notch 64 under the action of the force exerted by the end of the pivots 72a, 72b on the pads when a relative movement is imparted between the fastening member and the watch case. In the illustrated embodiment, the fastening member 10 must be moved above the watch case in a direction dictated by the inclination of the rails 24 in order to disconnect the fastening member from the watch case.

[0057] The movement of the fastening member 10 relative to the watch case makes it possible to dislodge from the respective holes 38 the ends of the pivots 72a, 72b under the stress exerted by the latter on the respective pads 30a, 30b, which causes the corner 36 of each pad 30a, 30b to move into the notch 64 (FIG. 16). The transverse displacement of the two pads in an opposite direction compresses the compression spring 40 as shown in FIG. 15. According to this figure, the pivots 72a, 72b are facing the rails, which allows the fastening member to be disconnected.

[0058] Once the fastening member is disconnected from the watch case, the two pads 30a, 30b are disengaged from the notch 64 of the lock body under the action of the compression spring 40. The lock 60 returns to the locked position under the action of the compression spring 69 as soon as the lock is released.

[0059] In order to secure the fastening member to the watch case, the two pivots 72a, 72b secured to the lugs 70 of the watch case are arranged in the rails 24 of the fastening member, then a pressure is exerted on the actuating surface 63 of the lock 60 while moving the fastening member relative to the watch case in order to move the pivots 72a, 72b in the respective rails until the ends of the pivots exert a stress on the guiding surfaces 39 to induce a transverse displacement of the two pads 30a, 30b in an opposite direction thereby compressing the compression spring 40.

[0060] When the ends of the pivots 72a, 72b are aligned with the respective holes 38 in the two pads 30a, 30b, the latter return to their initial position under the action of the compression spring 40. The lock 60 can at this point be released so that it returns to the locked position under the action of the compression spring 69 of the lock in order to lock the fastening member to the watch case.

[0061] According to another embodiment, illustrated by FIGS. 17 and 18, instead of being actuated in translation, the lock is adapted to be actuated in rotation between two angular positions corresponding respectively to a locked position and to an unlocked position. To this end, the lock comprises an eccentric lock body 162 having a first width, in a first direction, which is greater than a second width in a direction orthogonal to the first direction.

[0062] According to FIG. 17, the angular position of the lock 162 corresponds to the locked position. The lock body 162 is oriented so that the first width of the lock body 162 is arranged in the direction of displacement of the first and second pads 130a, 130b so that the latter abut against the lock body 162.

[0063] To move the lock from the locked position to the unlocked position, the lock is rotated through 90 so that the second width of the lock body 162 is arranged in the direction of displacement of the first and second pads 130a, 130b as illustrated in FIG. 18. In the unlocked position, there is therefore play J between the lock body 162 and the respective pads 130a, 130b, which allows the two pads 30a, 30b to slide under the action of the force exerted by the end of the pivots on the pads when a relative movement is imparted between the fastening member and the watch case. The fastening member may also comprise a torsion spring (not illustrated) in order to urge the lock into the locked position. The lock body 162 can of course be shaped in different ways in order to lock and unlock the sliding of the two pads 130a, 130b according to the angular position of the body.

[0064] It is understood that various modifications may be made to the fastening member without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims. In particular, the shape of the pads and of the lock body may vary insofar as the actuation of the lock from the locked position to the unlocked position does not transmit any movement to the locking mechanism, and in particular no movement to the first and second pads.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0065] Fastening member 10 [0066] Frame 12 [0067] Housing 14 [0068] Side edges 16 [0069] Opening 18 [0070] Bottom 20 Through-hole 21 [0071] Side walls 22 [0072] Receiving part 24 [0073] Fastening part 26 [0074] Transverse slot 28 [0075] First and second pads 30a, 30b, 130a, 130b [0076] First lateral side 32a [0077] Hole 38 [0078] Guiding surface 39 [0079] Second lateral side 32b [0080] Blind hole 34 [0081] Corner 36 Thickness e [0082] Elastic member 40 [0083] Cover 50 [0084] Longitudinal edge 54 [0085] Cut-out 56 Cylindrical recess 58 [0086] Lock 60 [0087] Body 62, 162 [0088] First portion 62a [0089] Actuating surface 63 [0090] Second portion 62b [0091] Notch 64 Height h [0092] Shoulders 66 [0093] Housing 68 [0094] Elastic member 69 [0095] Lugs 70 [0096] Pivot 72a, 72b