JP2014523774A - Extendable clasp for bracelets, especially for watches - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a clasp having an extendable buckle for a bracelet that allows the length of the bracelet to be adjusted. This clasp comprises a central support (1) and first and second swiveling pieces (2a, 2) which are articulated at the respective ends of the central support (1) and can be closed by the central support (1). 2b), the first and second swiveling pieces (2a, 2b) are locked with respect to the central support portion (1), and the first and second swiveling pieces (2a, 2b) are supported in the center. Means (14, 16, 17) for opening and closing the clasp arranged so as to unlock the part (1) and thus extend the first and second swivel pieces (2a, 2b) , 19, 22), a first attachment portion (6 a) that is integral with the first swivel piece (2 a) and is connected to the first strand of the bracelet, and a second swivel piece (2b) and the second strand of the bracelet And at least one of the second attachment portion arranged to be coupled (6b). The clasp according to the present invention also comprises a mounting body (4) arranged on at least one of the first and second swiveling pieces (2a, 2b), the mounting section or each first and second mounting section (6a). , 6b) are connected to the corresponding mounting body (4), and the corresponding mounting body (4) is displaced in the longitudinal direction of the corresponding swiveling piece (2a, 2b), to the piece (2a, 2b). Can be locked in various positions along.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to the field of bracelets, in particular watches. More particularly, the present invention relates to a bracelet for a bracelet having an extendable loop that allows precise adjustment of the length of the bracelet.

  Clasps with stretchable buckles are known for their aesthetic appearance. These clasps are often associated with bracelets consisting of links. In general, the length of the bracelet is adjusted in this case by the retailer adding or removing one or more links depending on the size of the wearer's wrist. This adjustment is generally final and does not take into account differences in the wrist circumference that depend on environmental heat and / or subsequent activity performed by the wearer. It should be noted, however, that it is often necessary to make such adjustments because the wrist dimensions change depending on whether the ambient temperature is high or low. Without the possibility of adjustment, the bracelet could tighten the wrist at hot summer temperatures. Conversely, in winter, the same bracelet tends to rotate around the wrist.

  There are multiple wristbands with a system that allows the watch wearer to adjust the length by only a few millimeters depending on the environment. Such clasps are disclosed in particular in US Pat. And, further, described in International Publication No. 2008806931.

  As an example, the device disclosed in US Pat. No. 5,927,577 comprises a bolt, one end of which is articulated to one end of a bracelet strand and the other end of the bolt is connected to the side edge of the case. Rods that can be positioned inside the case are equipped in various holes arranged along. The main disadvantage of this device comes from the fact that the clasp needs to be opened to adjust the length of the bracelet.

  JP 59108411 discloses an extendable buckle having two pieces comprising first and second pieces articulated at one end and an articulated cover at the second end of the first piece. A clasp in which the cover is connected to the first strand of the bracelet. The substantially rectangular opening extends along the longitudinal axis of the second piece. The longitudinal edge of this opening is provided with a notch that is arranged to operate with fastening means integral with the support of the extendable buckle, the support being connected to the second strand of the bracelet. The The fastening means is intended to be positioned in one of the notches in each notch in the opening of the second piece to lock the second piece in the desired index position relative to the support of the piece. With two fastening elements. The fastening means further comprises a push button, and the action of this push button allows each fastening element of the corresponding notch to be released so that the length of the bracelet can be adjusted. Each fastening element is then positioned in any other notch of the notch when the push button is no longer actuated to lock the second piece in the other index position relative to the support piece. Following the example of US Pat. No. 5,927,577, the clasp needs to be opened to adjust the length of the bracelet, which complicates operation.

  EP 1716776 discloses a device for adjusting the length of a bracelet, which is intended in particular to remedy the above problems. The device includes a cover within which a bolt articulated at one end of the bracelet can slide. The bolt comprises means for pre-positioning and fastening in place, operating with a release system that allows the length of the bracelet to be adjusted without requiring the bracelet to be opened. According to the information from EP 1716776, this adjusting device is intended to be attached to a rigid link bracelet provided with a clasp with an articulating piece to be deployed at the end. Thus, this device is intended for leather that is intended to be placed in a passing assembly provided with a tongue for coarse adjustment of the length of the bracelet, one of the leather bracelets or other strands of flexible material. Not suitable for bracelets or other flexible materials.

  EP 1378185 proposes a clasp having an extensible buckle with two pieces that solves the above problem. The two pieces of the clasp are articulated around each other on one of their ends, while the other end of the two pieces is on the cover connected to one of the bracelet strands and on the bracelet Each is connected to a movable bolt connected to the other strand. The movable bolt is arranged inside the accommodating portion, and index means for adjusting the length of the bracelet is attached to the inside of the accommodating portion. These index means comprise two fastening elements arranged so as to operate with each other together with a portion cut out in a sawtooth pattern arranged along the transverse internal flank of the receiving part. Two push buttons provided on the lateral external flank of the receptacle allow the release element of the notch to be released so that the length of the bracelet can be adjusted when they are actuated.

  The object of the present invention has the advantage of providing an accurate adjustment of the length of the bracelet when the clasp is in the closed position and is easy to be attached to a bracelet with a link or manufactured from leather Is to propose different forms of extensible clasps for bracelets that can be adapted to.

  According to the invention, this object is achieved by a clasp having an extendable buckle for the bracelet that makes it possible to adjust the length of the bracelet. The clasp includes a central support, first and second swiveling pieces that are articulated to each end of the central support and can be closed by the central support, and the first and second swivel pieces are centrally supported. Means for opening and closing a clasp arranged to lock relative to the part and to unlock the first and second swivel pieces from the central support, and is integral with the first swivel piece And a first mounting portion arranged to be connected to the first strand of the bracelet, and a second portion arranged so as to be integral with the second pivot piece and connectable to the second strand of the bracelet At least one of the attachment portions. The clasp according to the present invention further includes an attachment body disposed on at least one of the first and second swiveling pieces. The mounting portion or each of the first and second mounting portions is connected to a corresponding mounting body, and the corresponding mounting body is displaced in the longitudinal direction of the corresponding swiveling piece, and is placed at various positions along the piece. Can lock.

  The features of the present invention will become more clearly apparent upon reading the description of the preferred embodiment (which is merely exemplary, in no way limited and in connection with the schematic drawing).

FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of a clasp having an extendable buckle for a watch band according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The lower perspective view of a clasp when the 1st and 2nd turning piece is extended is shown. The top view of a clasp when the 1st and 2nd turning piece is closed by the center support part is shown. FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of FIG. 3 along section AA with each of the first and second attachment portions being in a first index position. FIG. 9 shows a side view of the side surface of the clasp with each of the first and second attachment portions in the second index position. FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of FIG. 3 along section HH. FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of FIG. 4 along section BB. The exploded view of one side of a turning piece provided with an attachment body is shown. FIG. 9 shows a plan view of the assembled swivel piece of FIG. 8 when the mounting body is in the first index position. FIG. 10 shows a cross-sectional view of FIG. 9 along section CC. The top view of a turning piece when an attachment body exists in a 2nd index position is shown. FIG. 12 shows a cross-sectional view of FIG. 11 along section DD.

  The clasp according to the invention allows a useful adjustment of the length of the bracelet. As can be seen in particular from FIGS. 1 to 3, this clasp is of the three-piece stretchable buckle type and is therefore articulated around the axis 3 at each end of the central support 1. The first swivel piece 2a and the second swivel piece 2b are provided, and in this way, the first swivel piece 2a and the second swivel piece 2b can be closed and locked with respect to the support portion 1. . This clasp is of an elongated shape that continues in the longitudinal direction of the bracelet and is curved slightly inward to better match the shape of the wearer's wrist.

  Each swivel piece 2a, 2b has a rectangular hollow portion 5 in which the attachment body 4 is provided. This attachment 4 comprises at one end a respective buckle 6a, 6b intended to receive a bar of first and second strands forming a bracelet (not shown). Each mounting body 4 has a hollow portion 5 along the longitudinal edge 2, 2 'of each swivel piece 2a, 2b so that it can be locked with a locking device in various positions indexed with respect to the corresponding swivel piece. It is arranged to be translated inside. The clasp according to the invention is attached to the bracelet and the length of the corresponding piece along the respective hollow part of the attachment body 4 so that the two attachment bodies 4 are locked in a position close to the center of the support 1. When displaced in the direction (FIG. 4), the length of the bracelet is shortened, while when the mounting body 4 is displaced in the direction of the side edge of the central support 1 (FIG. 5), the length of the bracelet Is stretched.

  The locking device of each attachment body 4 has a bolt 7 connected to each swivel piece 2a, 2b and arranged to operate with the corresponding attachment body 4. Bolts 7 can occupy first and second axial positions, respectively. When the bolt 7 is placed in one of its two axial positions, the mounting body 4 is locked in one of the various index positions, while when the bolt 7 is placed in the other of the two axial positions, This body 4 is translated and unlocked. In this latter configuration, the mounting body 4 can slide into the interior of the hollow portion 5 along the longitudinal edges 2, 2 'of the corresponding swiveling pieces 2a, 2b to take other index positions. It is.

  More particularly, with particular reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the bolt 7 extends along an axis perpendicular to the displacement of the mounting body 4 along the longitudinal edges 2, 2 ′ of each pivot piece 2 a, 2 b and It arrange | positions so that the said main body 4 may be crossed. In this way, the swivel piece 2b is provided with an elongated opening 8 (FIG. 10), the thickness of this elongated opening 8 being able to displace the body 4 inside the hollow part 5 of the swivel piece, It is slightly larger than the diameter of the central part of the bolt 7. Each of the lower part and the upper part of the opening 8 is preferably provided with three recesses 9a, 9b and 9c as shown in FIGS. When the bolt 7 is arranged in one of its two axial positions (FIG. 7), these recesses are intended to receive a ridge 7a arranged on one of the central side faces of the bolt 7, Thus, the attachment body 4 is locked with respect to the turning piece. The ridge 7a is released from the main body 4 when the bolt 7 is arranged at the other of its two axial positions so that the main body 4 can be displaced to other index positions relative to the swivel piece. . The two ends of the bolt 7 receive a push button and pressing either of the ends of the bolt 7 allows the bolt 7 to be guided to either of its two axial positions.

  The pawl 10 is preferably arranged at each of the two longitudinal edges 2, 2 'of each swivel piece 2a, 2b for operating with three recesses 11 arranged in the corresponding mounting body 4. These claws 10 pre-position each body 4 at various index positions before displacing the corresponding bolt 7 from either of its two axial positions in order to lock the attachment to the corresponding swivel piece. It has the function to do.

  Referring again to FIGS. 1 to 3, the central support 1 of the clasp includes two side structures 12, 12 ′, and the inner flank of these side structures 12, 12 ′ has the swivel pieces 2a, 2b as described above. It is provided with a notch 13 intended to receive either end of the bolt 7 of each swivel piece 2a, 2b when engaged to be closed against the support 1. The means for locking / unlocking the swivel pieces 2 a, 2 b comprises two push buttons 14 which are partly arranged at either end of the central support 1 inside the bed 15. Two compression springs 16 are provided on each bed 15 relative to the corresponding push button 14 and from either end of the two rods 17 connected to the push button. The two rods 17 of each push button 14 are extended into two holes 18 formed in each side structure 12, 12 ′ of the central support 1 so that they can be connected to the studs 19 by pins 20. The two studs 19 are arranged on top of a rectangular plate 21, which connects the two side structures 12, 12 ′ and connects the first swivel piece 2 a and the second swivel piece 2 b to the central support 1. In order to lock against the movement of the holding means 22 disposed at one end of the first swivel piece 2a and the second swivel piece 2b. When the two push buttons 14 are actuated simultaneously so that these studs 19 are released from the holding means 22 of the swivel pieces 2a, 2b so that the swivel pieces 2a, 2b can be extended, the studs 19 These are arranged so as to be displaced from each other along the plate 21 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the swivel piece.

  More precisely, each stud 19 has a triangular prism 23 on these faces oriented so that one of the two opposite faces is arranged in a plane of 45 ° to the base of the stud. The prisms 23 of the studs 19 are in contact with the chamfered portions 24 (FIG. 8) disposed on the swiveling pieces 2a and 2b when the swiveling pieces 2a and 2b are closed by the central support portion 1. The pressure applied to the end of each piece allows the stud 19 to be displaced until each prism 23 is placed on the opposite side of the notch 22 and under the action of the compression spring 16 of each push button 14. The prism 23 is introduced into the notch 22, thus locking the piece with respect to the support 1. In order to allow the swiveling pieces 2a, 2b to extend, the respective prisms 23 are released from the corresponding notches 22 when the two push buttons 14 are actuated simultaneously.

  Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above by way of example, but includes all other variations of the operations covered by the claims. As an example, the means for allowing the bracelet to be stretched or shortened may be arranged on only one of the swivel pieces, so that the other swivel piece is connected to the bracelet strand by any kind of attachment system. Composed.

Claims (9)

A clasp having an extensible buckle for the bracelet that allows the length of the bracelet to be adjusted,
-A central support (1);
-First and second swivel pieces (2a, 2b) which are articulated to either end of the central support (1) and can be closed by the central support (1);
The first and second swiveling pieces (2a, 2b) are locked with respect to the central support portion (1) and the first and second swiveling pieces (2a, 2b) are supported by the center; Means for opening and closing the clasp arranged to unlock the part (1) and thus extend the first and second swiveling pieces (2a, 2b) (14, 16, 17, 19, 22),
A first mounting part (6a) that is integral with the first swivel piece (2a) and arranged to be connected to the first strand of the bracelet; and the second swivel piece (2b) And at least one of the second attachment portions (6b) arranged so as to be connected to the second strand of the bracelet;
In a clasp with
The clasp further includes an attachment body (4) disposed on at least one of the first and second turning pieces (2a, 2b), and the attachment portion or each of the first and second attachment portions ( 6a, 6b) is connected to the corresponding attachment body (4), and the corresponding attachment body (4) is displaced in the longitudinal direction of the corresponding turning piece (2a, 2b), so that the piece (2a, 2b) ), And can be locked at various positions along the clasp.   At least one of the swiveling pieces (2a, 2b) is provided with an elongated hollow portion (5), and the corresponding attachment body (4) is connected to the longitudinal edge (2) of the corresponding swiveling piece (2a, 2b). 2 ') and can slide inside the hollow part (5) and then be translated and locked to one of the various index positions relative to the piece (2a, 2b). The clasp according to claim 1.   The swivel piece or each swivel piece (2a, 2b) includes a bolt (7) arranged to operate with the corresponding mounting body (4), the bolt (7) being first and second respectively. An axial position can be taken, so that when the bolt (7) is placed in one of the first and second axial positions, the mounting body or each mounting body (4) can be The mounting body or each mounting body (4) when the bolt (7) is placed at the other of the first and second axial positions. 3. Clasp according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it can be unlocked so that it can slide into the corresponding hollow part (5) to take another index position.   The bolt (7) extends in the direction of displacement of the main body (4) along a right angle axis, the longitudinal edge (2, 2 ') of the swivel piece or each swivel piece (2a, 2b) and the mounting 4. Clasp according to claim 3, characterized in that it is arranged to intersect the body (4).   The mounting body or each mounting body (4) includes an opening (8), and a plurality of recesses in which a lower edge and / or an upper edge of the opening (8) are separated in a displacement direction of the mounting body (4). (9a, 9b, 9c) and the bolt (7) while the bolt (7) is positioned at one of the first and second axial positions, the mounting body or each mounting Characterized in that it comprises a ridge (7a) arranged to be received in one of the recesses (9a, 9b, 9c) to lock the body (4) in one of the various index positions. The clasp according to claim 3 or 4.   The claw (10) operates with a plurality of recesses (11) disposed in the corresponding mounting body (4) to displace the corresponding bolt (7) from its two axial positions before the main body In order to pre-position (4) at one of the various index positions and lock the body (4), the longitudinal edges (2, 2, 2) of the swivel piece or of each swivel piece (2a, 2b) The clasp according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the clasp is disposed on at least one of ').   The central support (1) of the clasp comprises two side structures (12, 12 ′), and the internal flank of the two side structures (12, 12 ′) is the first and second swiveling pieces ( 7. A notch (13) for receiving any one end of the corresponding bolt (7) when 2a, 2b) is closed by the support. The clasp described.   A bracelet comprising the clasp according to any one of claims 1 to 7.   A wristwatch comprising the bracelet according to claim 8.

Images