EP3718429A1 - Insert for a watch strap - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an insert (1) for a strand (10) of a watch strap, the insert being intended to be fixed to the end of the strand. The insert comprises a housing for a bar (20) of the watch case, said housing being formed by a curved portion (4) of a rigid element (2) which comprises a flat portion (3) extended by said curved portion (4). The insert further comprises a lock (12) preferably made of plastic which is articulated with respect to two arms (11) mounted on the flat part (3) of the rigid element (2). The lock (12) comprises a closure wall (15), at least a portion of which is formed by the wall (21) of at least one resilient tongue (16). The closure wall (15) will close the housing in the locked position, by the edge (17) of the hook-shaped portion (4) which fits into a notch (22) provided in the wall (21) tab (16).

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to a device for fixing bracelet strands to a watch case making it possible to mount and remove said bracelet strands on the case without tools.

State of the art

The document US2850783 describes a watch strap comprising extensible metal strands which are each provided, at one of their ends, with a system comprising a housing extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the bracelet strand and provided with a transverse opening. The housing is intended to receive a strap fixing bar extending between the inner faces of the lugs of a watch case. The housing is equipped with a flap that can be moved between a locked position in which it closes the transverse opening of the housing and thus ensures that the bar is held in the housing and thereby fastens the bracelet strand to the box and a position unlocked in which the flap is released from the transverse opening and which allows the wearer of the watch to release the bar from the housing and thus separate the strap strand from the box. The shutter is locked using tabs bent at 90 ° integral with the shutter and which ensure the locking by friction on a rigid edge of the housing. The frictional forces involved are relatively low taking into account their small width and the small thickness of the edge against which they bear. In addition, after a few locking unlocking cycles, these tabs are liable to deform plastically and therefore no longer ensure reliable locking or even in the most unfavorable case. likely to break and possibly lead to a fall or loss of the watch. It will also be noted that this system has three folded sheet metal parts which are quite complex, which makes the system difficult and expensive to produce.

Summary of the invention

The main object of the present invention is to provide a device for fixing bracelet strands on a watch case making it possible to mount and remove said bracelet strands on the case without tools.

The present invention also aims to provide a wristwatch in which the bracelet strands are provided with a device allowing the manual locking and unlocking of the connection between the bars of the watch case and the strands of the watch bracelet. , said system being simple and easy to produce, while ensuring a secure locking.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an insert which can be integrated into a bracelet strand, said insert making it possible to mount and remove the bracelet strand on a bar of a watch case without tools.

This object is achieved by an insert, a strap strand and a watch according to the appended claims.

The invention relates to an insert for a part of a watch strap, the insert being intended to be fixed to the end of the strand. The insert comprises a rigid body provided with a planar portion and a curved portion defining a housing for a bar of the watch case. The housing extends transversely to the longitudinal direction of the bracelet strand and is provided with a transverse opening. The curved portion is extended by a flat portion. The insert further comprises a lock, preferably plastic, which is articulated with respect to two arms integral with the flat portion of the rigid element to pivot about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the bracelet strand. The lock comprises a closure wall, at least one portion of which is formed by the wall of at least one elastic tongue. The latch can pivot between two positions, a first so-called locking position in which the closure wall closes the housing, the edge of the hook-shaped portion entering a notch provided in the wall of the tongue. In a second so-called unlocking position, the edge of the hook-shaped portion is released from the notch provided in the wall of the tongue and the lock is free to pivot about its axis and thereby release the transverse opening. housing.

The insert according to the invention comprises two main components, in particular the rigid element and the lock, the first of which is essentially a rigid plate extended by a curved portion and comprising two arms rising up on the flat portion of the plate. The manufacture of this part of metal or other rigid material is simple and inexpensive. The other component (the lock) is easily produced from plastic material, also at a limited cost. In addition, the locking by interlocking elements ensures that the connection between the watch case and the bracelet made by an insert according to the invention is ensured in all circumstances.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear in the following description of preferred embodiments, presented by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the figures

• The figure 1 shows an insert according to one embodiment of the invention.
• The figure 2 is an exploded view showing in detail the components of the insert of the figure 1 .
• The figure 3 illustrates the assembly phase of the insert of the figure 1 in a strand of bracelet.
• The figures 4a-4c represent the three stages involved in locking a bar of a watch case using the insert of the figure 1 .

Detailed description of embodiments of the invention

The insert shown in figures 1 and 2 firstly comprises a body 2 made of rigid material which comprises a flat portion 3 extended by an end portion in the form of a hook 4 which defines a housing 5 intended to receive a bar of a watch case (not shown). The housing 5 extends transversely to the longitudinal direction of the bracelet strand and is provided with a transverse opening 5a. The body 2 is preferably a plate, one end of which is curved so as to form the housing. Preferably, the plate is made of metal.

The flat portion 3 comprises notches 6 and an opening 7 which allow the insert 1 to be attached to one of the strands of a watch strap. The notches 6 and the opening 7 are only examples of means for attaching the insert. The precise shape of said means may depend on the shape and material of the strands. By way of example, the insert can be overmolded by a synthetic material from which the bracelet strand is formed. Alternatively, the insert can be inserted and glued between two layers of a material from which the strand is formed.

To the figure 3 , we see that insert 1 of the figure 1 is suitable for being inserted into a leather strand 10. The means for attaching the insert can nevertheless easily be adapted to other types and materials (ceramic, rubber, metal, etc.) of strands.

Returning to figures 1 and 2 , it can be seen that on the flat portion 3 of the rigid body 2, two eyelet wings 11 have been cut out and unfolded with respect to the plane of said flat portion 3, so as to form the two arms 11 of a yoke arranged opposite the opening of the housing 5, and on which a latch 12 is articulated about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the bracelet. The lock is designed to close the opening of the housing in a so-called locking position.

The latch 12 is a part made, preferably, of injected plastic and, for example, of ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene). It is mounted pivoting about an axis 13 provided with two journals 14 inserted in the eyelets of the arms 11 defining a yoke. Preferably, at least one of the journals 14 is biased towards the outside by a spring arranged inside the axle 13 in the manner of a conventional spring bar, so as to be able to easily mount and remove the axle. between the arms 11.

The lock 12 comprises a rear part 18 pierced with a longitudinal hole 19 to receive the pin 13 and the length of which corresponds to the space between the arms 11. Alternatively, the lock does not include a hole to receive a pin 13, but this latch is itself provided with journals or the like which allow the latch to be rotatably mounted between the arms 11. Instead of journals 14 inserted in eyelets, other known pivot mechanisms can be used to produce the articulation of the latch. relative to the arms 11.

The lock 12 further comprises a closure wall 15 having a curved face and extending along the longitudinal direction of the housing 5, so as to produce a closed housing of substantially circular section when the lock 12 is closed. The lock comprises a locking tab 16 capable of being elastically deformed. In the example illustrated, the tongue is formed in the middle part of the closure wall 15 and on a portion of the latter. The front wall 21 of the tongue 16 therefore forms in this example part of said closure wall 15. According to a variant not shown, the tongue may extend over the entire length of the closure wall. The tongue 16 is intended to cooperate with the edge 17 of a corresponding central section of the hook-shaped portion 4 of the rigid body 2 by means of a longitudinal notch 22 provided in the upper part of the tongue.

To the figures 4a-4c , the operation of the lock 12 is illustrated. In the open or unlocked position ( fig. 4a ), the bar 20 of a watch case is inserted into the housing formed by the hook-shaped end 4 of the rigid body 2. Then the latch 12 is tilted towards its closed or locking position ( fig. 4b ). The front wall 21 of the tongue 16 is curved so as to form a circular section housing for the bar 20 when the tab is closed. In the upper part of said wall 21, a longitudinal notch 22 is provided. The dimensions of the latch 12 are such that by tilting the latch, the front wall 21 comes into contact with the edge 17. Due to the curved shape of the wall 21, the tongue 16 is held rearward by the edge 17. Then, when the user pushes the latch 12 towards its locking position, the elasticity of the tab 16 allows the wall 21 to flex rearward and then to return elastically towards the edge 17 so that the latter enters notch 22 ( fig. 4c ) and locks the lock in the locked position.

To open the tab, the user will push the tab 16 back until the edge 17 is released from the notch 22, and then swing the latch 12 to its open position. Preferably, the upper surface of the tongue 16 is textured, for example with grooves 23, to increase friction with the user's finger. As shown in section in figures 4a-4c , the part of the edge 17 of the hook-shaped portion 4 which fits into the notch 22 is preferably pointed, thereby having a shape which corresponds to the internal shape of the notch 22. Other shapes notches and corresponding edges can nevertheless be envisaged.

To the figures 3 and 4 , we also see the way in which the insert 1 is integrated into a leather strand 10. The end of the strand 10 is folded around the outer face of the hook-shaped part 4, and housed against a pair of rails 24 mounted on the parts of the edge which are on either side of the tongue 16 ( fig.2 ). This structure is not limiting and the way in which the strand is attached to the insert may vary depending on the material of the strand, for example. The tongue 16 can vary in terms of its longitudinal dimensions (in the longitudinal direction of the housing 5). According to one embodiment, the tongue extends over the full length of the housing 5. According to another form, several tongues are provided over this length, for example two tongues located on either side of the central vertical plane of the 'insert.

The yoke arms 11 can be made in a different way compared to the embodiment shown in the figures. Instead of cutting and folding back parts of the flat portion 3, the arms 11 can be parts which are attached, for example welded to the flat portion 3.

The body of rigid material 2 is preferably a uniform piece formed from a single material. It is nevertheless also possible to manufacture the body 2 by assembling a flat portion 3 to a curved portion 4, said portions being made of the same material or of different materials.

Claims (12)

An insert (1) for a strand (10) of a watch strap, making it possible to manually lock and unlock the connection between the strand (10) and a bar (20) of a watch case,
characterized in that the insert (1) comprises a body of rigid material (2) and a lock (12), the body of rigid material (2) comprising a flat portion (3) extended by a hook-shaped portion ( 4) terminated by an edge (17), said hook-shaped portion (4) forming a housing (5) for the bar (20), the housing comprising a transverse opening, the flat portion (3) being configured to be attached at one end of the strand (10), the flat portion (3) comprising articulation means of said lock arranged opposite the opening of the housing (5) in order to make it pivot about an articulation axis parallel to the 'opening, said lock (12) comprising a closure wall (15) capable of closing said housing (5), and at least one tongue (16) capable of resiliently deforming, the tongue (16) comprising a wall (21) which forms at least part of the closure wall (15) and a notch (22) provided in said wall (21), and in which said The wall (21) of the tongue (16) and the notch (22) are configured so that: • when the latch (12) is pivoted and pushed manually towards a locking position in which the closure wall closes the transverse opening of the housing, the tongue (16) deforms elastically until at least part of the edge (17) of the hook-shaped portion (4) enters the notch (22), and • when the tongue (16) is manually pulled in a direction opposite to the hook-shaped portion (4), said at least part of the edge (17) of the hook-shaped portion (4) is released from the hook. notch (22), the latch (12) is free to pivot about its hinge axis and enables the transverse opening of the housing thus bringing the lock (12) to an unlocked position. Insert (1) according to claim 1, comprising a single tongue (16), the wall (21) of which forms a central part of the closure wall (15). Insert (1) according to Claim 2, in which the edge (17) is provided with rails (24) on either side of the part of the edge (17) which fits into the notch (22) in position locking mechanism (12). Insert (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the tongue (16) is provided with a structured upper surface (23) facilitating the locking and unlocking of the lock (12) by a user. An insert (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein the body of rigid material (2) is a uniform plate curved on one side to form the hook-shaped portion (4). Insert (1) according to claim 5, in which the plate is made of metal. Insert (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the articulation means are formed a pair of arms (11) arranged in the flat portion (3) of the body (2) to form a yoke. Insert (1) according to claim 7, in which the arms forming the yoke are formed by parts of the flat portion (3) which are cut out and folded back relative to the plane of the flat portion. Insert (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a pin (13) mounted between the arms (11) of the yoke, and in which the pin (13) is inserted in a hole (19) provided in the latch (12), so that the latch (12) is pivotally mounted relative to the axis (13). Insert (1) according to Claim 9, in which the axis (13) is provided with journals (14) at its two ends, and in which the arms (11) forming the yoke are provided with eyelets shaped to receive said journals (14) of the axis (13). Strand (10) of a watch strap comprising at one end an insert (1) according to any one of the preceding claims. Watch provided with a watch case and two strands (10) on either side of the box, the box being provided with two bars (20), and in which the bars (20) of the case are attached to the strands (10) by two inserts (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

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