EP2319348B1 - Link for an expansion bracelet and bracelet provided with such a link - Google Patents

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to the field of dressing for the watch industry. It relates to a watchband link defining a longitudinal axis in the direction of the length of the bracelet, and an upper face and a lower face, respectively with reference to the outer and inner sides of said bracelet.

State of the art

In the field of watchbands, the fine adjustment of the length of the bracelet is an important parameter which determines the comfort of use. For leather or fabric bracelets, which can be pierced with holes that can receive the barb of a buckle, or an attachment pin of a folding clasp. In the case of bracelets with links, the setting to the length often requires the disassembly of links.

Also known are bracelet links comprising elastically deformable elements, either inside the links or between the links. The deformation of these elastic elements allows an adjustment of the length of the bracelet and a setting to length. However, these elastic elements cause the exercise of elastic stress on the wrist of the wearer, which may not be pleasant. In addition, if you hang the bracelet, its length may increase unintentionally and cause the loss of the watch. Another adjustment system is known from CH-594,380 .

The present invention aims to provide a link bracelet whose length can be adjusted, free of the disadvantages above.

Disclosure of the invention

• deux flancs parallèles audit axe longitudinal, chacun desdits flancs étant traversé par une ouverture oblongue orientée longitudinalement, lesdites ouvertures oblongues étant situées en regard l'une de l'autre,
• un logement ménagé sur la face inférieure,
• une bascule d'accrochage dotée d'un organe d'accrochage et montée pivotante dans le logement selon une direction perpendiculaire à l'axe longitudinal, entre une première position dans laquelle l'organe d'accrochage est situé en regard des ouvertures oblongues, et une deuxième position dans laquelle l'organe d'accrochage laisse libre l'espace entre les ouvertures oblongues,
• un organe ressort pour maintenir la bascule dans sa première position, et
• un organe de commande pour amener la bascule de sa première à sa deuxième position.

More specifically, the invention relates to a watchband link defining a longitudinal axis in the direction of the length of the bracelet, and an upper face and a lower face, respectively with reference on the outer and inner sides of said bracelet. Particularly to the invention, the link comprises:

• two flanks parallel to said longitudinal axis, each of said flanks being traversed by an oblong opening oriented longitudinally, said oblong openings being located facing one another,
• a housing on the underside,
• a latching lever having a latching member and pivotally mounted in the housing in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, between a first position in which the latching member is located opposite the oblong openings, and a second position in which the fastening member leaves free space between the oblong openings,
• a spring member for holding the rocker in its first position, and
• a control member for bringing the latch from its first to its second position.

The invention also relates to a bracelet comprising a first portion provided at one of its ends with a link as defined above, and a second portion provided with a bar at one of its ends. The second part is dimensioned so that its bar passes through the oblong openings of the link. The bar may occupy a first position in which it is located between the hook and a first end of the oblong openings, and a second position in which it is located between the hook and the second end of the oblong openings.

Other features of the invention are mentioned in the claims.

Brief description of the drawings

• les figures 1 et 2 sont des vues en coupe d'un maillon selon l'invention, avec la barrette d'un second maillon en position rapprochée et éloignée,
• les figures 3 et 4 sont respectivement des vues de dessus et de dessous d'un bracelet à maillons selon l'invention, et
• la figure 5 propose une variante de l'invention.

Other details of the invention will emerge more clearly on reading the description which follows, made with reference to the appended drawing in which:

• the Figures 1 and 2 are views in section of a link according to the invention, with the bar of a second link in close and distant position,
• the figures 3 and 4 are respectively views from above and from below of a link bracelet according to the invention, and
• the figure 5 proposes a variant of the invention.

Mode (s) of realization of the invention

The Figures 1 and 2 show a watchband link 10 according to the invention. According to the proposed example, it is of parallelepipedal general shape, but other forms are conceivable. We define its longitudinal axis AA in the direction of the length of the bracelet ( Fig. 3 and 4 ). An upper face 12 and a lower face 14 are also defined, the upper face 12 being that which is intended to be visible when the bracelet comprising this link is worn, the lower face 14 being that which is intended to be in contact with the arm of the carrier.

The link defines two flanks 16 parallel to said longitudinal axis. Each of these flanks is traversed by an oblong opening 18 oriented substantially along the longitudinal axis A-A. These oblong openings 18 are located facing one another so as to allow, as will be seen later, the translation of a bar or a pin passing through these openings, from one end to the other. other of the opening.

The lower face 14 of the link receives a housing 20 sized to receive a latching lever 22. The latter comprises, at one of its ends, a hook 24 serving as hooking member. The latch 22 is pivotally mounted in the housing in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, that is to say parallel to the bars connecting the links to each other. The rocker 22 can be moved between a first position in which the hook is located opposite the oblong openings, and a second position in which the hook leaves free space between the oblong openings. It will also be noted that the oblong openings 18 open into the housing 20.

The link 10 further comprises a spring member 26 mounted in the bottom of the housing 20 and arranged to exert on the rocker 22 a force tending to maintain it in its first position. In this case, one can provide two springs acting symmetrically on two corners of the rocker, to keep it straight relative to its pivot axis. More spring can be provided when the force they exert is distributed on the rocker.

The latch 22 is brought to its second position, by constraining the spring member, by an action on the end of the rocker 22 opposite to the latching member with reference to its pivot axis. The person skilled in the art could possibly provide a push-type control member to act on the rocker 22. It is also possible to provide on the actuating zone of the rocker, a relief structure improving the ergonomics and making it possible to visualize the link 10 when it is among the other links of a bracelet.

The housing 20 is advantageously dimensioned so that the rocker 22 is fully housed when it is in its first position, which allows the device to integrate perfectly in a bracelet without disturbing the wearer. In addition, the rocker 22 is arranged so that the end of the rocker 22 having the hook 24 protrudes outside the housing 20 when the rocker 22 is in its second position. Note that a different arrangement of the locking hook 24 would be possible with another kinematic, but the solution described is the most suitable in terms of ergonomics and congestion system.

More particularly, this link 10 is intended to be the last link of a first part of a bracelet. The latter also comprises a second portion provided with a pin 28 with tenons at one of its ends. It may be noted in the drawings that the oblong openings are intended to receive this pin 28. The links forming the end of the second part are not shown but are arranged to allow the positioning of the link 10 and the establishment of the pin 28 in the oblong openings 18, thanks to the pins of the pin.

• une première position dans laquelle elle est située entre le crochet 24 et une première extrémité des ouvertures oblongues 18, et
• une deuxième position dans laquelle elle est située entre le crochet 24 et la deuxième extrémité des ouvertures oblongues 18.

The pin 28, the oblong openings 18 and the hook 24 are dimensioned so that, when the rocker 22 is in its first position, the pin 28 can occupy:

• a first position in which it is located between the hook 24 and a first end of the oblong openings 18, and
• a second position in which it is located between the hook 24 and the second end of the oblong openings 18.

Thus, the hook 24 is substantially positioned so as to separate the space defined between the oblong openings 18, in two substantially equal parts, in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, a first portion of the side of the first end of the openings. oblong 18 and a second portion on the side of the second end of the oblong openings 18.

The hook 24 is dimensioned so that the pin 28 is positioned without play in its first and second positions. Thus, the base of the hook 24 forms, with the wall of the oblong openings 18, a receptacle whose shape is substantially adapted to that of the pin 28.

The hook 24 and the pin 28 may further be arranged to form a hook engagement of the hook 24 in the pin 28 when the latch 22 is in its first position. For this purpose, the pin 28 comprises a recess, not visible in the drawing, in which can take place the hook 24. The pin 28 being free in rotation, a pressure on the rocker 22 can simply clear the notch, but an involuntary release is almost impossible. This arrangement also makes it possible to maintain a controlled orientation of all the links with respect to each other.

In an illustrated variant on the figure 5 , the notched engagement is done by cooperation between the hook 24 and a corresponding recess 30, formed in the bottom of the housing 20, facing the hook 22. The hook engages notch in the recess 30 when the latch 22 is in his first position. The locking obtained is thus more rigid than in the embodiment above and independent of the relative orientation of the Links and pin 28. In addition, locking occurs as soon as the rocker is in its first position, regardless of the length of the bracelet.

Thus, a bracelet comprising a link according to the invention may have a first length, called short, when the pin 28 is in its first position, visible on the figure 1 . The spring member 26 and the notch engagement of the hook 24 ensure the maintenance of this position safely. Pressing on the latching lever 22 brings the latch into its second position, disengaging the notch by rotation of the pin 28. While maintaining the lever 22 in this second position, the first and second parts of the wrist strap are pulled. away from each other, which brings the pin 28 in its second position, visible on the figure 2 . The bracelet then has a second length, called long. It is then possible to release the pressure on the rocker 22, which brings it back to its first position and makes it possible to guarantee the maintenance of this position. Naturally, the reduction of the length can quite be done in the opposite direction.

Thus is proposed a link and a link bracelet provided with such a link, capable of occupying at least two different and determined lengths. Depending on the size of the links, the skilled person could provide several hooks on the scale thus providing more adjustment positions. The adjustment system is completely invisible when the bracelet is worn. The bracelet is identical to a bracelet of the state of the art when it is in its short position. The bracelet provided with such a link does not elastically compress the wearer's arm and offers excellent reliability in maintaining positions that can not vary accidentally, as with an elastic strap. In addition, the link according to the invention can be inserted into existing link bracelets, thus providing a fine adjustment of the length.

Claims (11)

1. A watch wristlet link (10), defining a longitudinal axis (A-A) in the direction of the length of the wristlet in which the link is designed to be placed, and an upper surface (12) and a lower surface (14) in reference to the outer and inner sides of said wristlet, respectively, characterized in that said link includes

   - two flanks (16) parallel to said longitudinal axis, each of said flanks being passed through by an oblong opening (18) oriented longitudinally, said oblong openings being situated across from one another,

   - a housing (20) formed on the lower surface (14),

   - a hooking lever (22) equipped with a hooking organ and pivotably mounted in the housing in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, between a first position, in which the hooking organ is situated across from the oblong openings (18), and a second position, in which the hooking organ leaves the space between the oblong openings free (18),

   - a spring organ (26) for maintaining the lever in its first position, and

   - a control organ for bringing the lever from its first position to its second position.
2. The link according to claim 1, characterized in that the control organ is made by a part of the lever (22) opposite the hooking organ in reference to its pivot axis.
3. The link according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the hooking organ is a hook (24).
4. The link according to claim 3, characterized in that said hook (24) is substantially positioned so as to separate the space defined by the oblong openings into two substantially equal parts, in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
5. The link according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (20) is sized so that the lever (22) is completely housed inside said housing when it is in its first position.
6. The link according to claim 4, characterized in that the lever (22) is arranged such that the part of the lever including the hook (24) protrudes outside the housing (20) when the lever is in its second position.
7. The link according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said oblong openings (18) emerge in the housing (20).
8. A wristlet comprising a first part provided with a link (10) according to one of claims 1 to 7 at one of its ends, and a second part provided with a pin (28) at one of its ends, said second part being sized such that said pin (28) passes through said oblong openings (18), the pin (28) being able to occupy a first position in which it is situated between the hooking organ and a first end of the oblong openings (18), and a second position in which it is situated between the hooking organ and the second end of the oblong openings (18).
9. The wristlet according to claim 8, wherein the hooking organ is a hook (24), characterized in that the hook (24) is sized such that the pin (28) is positioned without play in its first and second positions.
10. The wristlet according to claim 9, characterized in that said hook (24) of the hooking organ can form a notched penetration by cooperating with the pin (28).
11. The wristlet according to claim 9, characterized in that said hook (24) of the hooking organ can form a notched penetration by cooperating with a recess (30) formed in the bottom of the housing (20).

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