Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A44—HABERDASHERY; JEWELLERY
  • A44C—PERSONAL ADORNMENTS, e.g. JEWELLERY; COINS
  • A44C5/00—Bracelets; Wrist-watch straps; Fastenings for bracelets or wrist-watch straps
  • A44C5/02—Link constructions
  • A44C5/10—Link constructions not extensible

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a watch or jewelry bracelet with articulated links and flexible fittings, and more particularly to a bracelet comprising links which include a housing in which a flexible lining is intended to be mounted, the links being articulated with one another. along an axis which is located at the location of the connection between the links.
• watch straps are made either of flexible material, leather or plastic for example, or with links of ferrous or non-ferrous metals which are hinged together.
• Embodiments of combined bracelets are known with bracelets which have a metallic structure in which a flexible lining is mounted, leather for example.
• These known forms of execution make it possible to obtain a different aesthetic appearance by the combination of two different materials, such as leather and gold for example, and also make it possible to obtain a greater longevity of the flexible lining which is partly protected from wear by the metal structure.
• the aims of the present invention therefore consist in remedying the aforementioned drawbacks of the known embodiments.
• the watch or jewelry bracelet with articulated links and flexible lining comprises, according to the principles of the invention, links which, in cross section, have a horizontal lower part, side walls and horizontal upper shoulders.
• the link has the shape of a rectangular tube, the upper part of which has an opening which is formed over part of the width of the link and over its entire length.
• a housing is thus formed in which a flexible lining, for example leather can be mounted and maintained.
• the side walls of the link have a convex semi-circular portion and upper and lower straight portions.
• a screw passage hole and a countersink for a screw head are made in the side walls, at the center of the radius of the convex semi-circular part, the straight portions being arranged in the axis of the center of the radius and the center of the hole.
• the other end of the walls of the link comprises a concave semicircular portion and upper and lower straight portions, the lower right portion being arranged recessed with respect to the axis of the center of the radius of the concave semicircular portion.
• Washers with a threaded hole are mounted on the lower part of the link at the end where the side walls have the concave portion. The washers are mounted in such a way that the center of each washer corresponds to the center of the radius of the concave portion.
• the washers are mounted so that the outer face of each washer is the width, with a clearance, of the inner faces of the vertical walls of the link.
• the convex portion of a link is intended to cooperate with the concave portion of another link and screws are mounted through the through holes and screwed into the washers.
• the links have a radius which, when the links are assembled together, gives the bracelet a radius which corresponds to the radius of the wrist.
• the upper right portions of the ends of each link are intended to be in contact with each other when wearing the bracelet.
• an important advantage is constituted by the fact that, during wearing, the links do not have spaces or clearances between them, or very small depending on the case, which makes it possible to obtain a very good aesthetic appearance.
• the fact that the links are articulated along an axis which is arranged in the axis of the straight upper portions makes it possible to guarantee that, as a function of the small thickness of the links, spaces or play between links are practically invisible.
• models of links with different spokes can be obtained during manufacture.
• Another important advantage of the principles of the invention is an important simplification of the assembly of the links.
• Figure 1 is a partial sectional side view of links assembled ente them.
• Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of links in the assembly position.
• Figure 3 is a partial sectional view from above of links assembled together.
• Figure 4 is a bottom view of links assembled together.
• Figure 5 is a detail side sectional view of a link.
• Figure 6 is a top sectional view of detail of a link.
• Figure 7 is a side sectional view of the assembly of a strap end to a watch case.
• Figure 8 is a side sectional view of the assembly of one end of the bracelet to a clasp.
• Figure 9 is a front view of one end of the bracelet and the clasp.
• Figures 10 and 11 are respectively side and top views of a bracelet assembled to a watch case.
• each link has a lower part 6, side walls 18 and 18 'and upper shoulders 5 and 5'.
• a housing 7 is thus formed in which a flexible lining 19, of leather for example, can be mounted.
• the side walls At one end of each of the links, the side walls have a convex semi-circular portion 11 and straight upper 12 and lower portions 13.
• the side walls of each link At the other end have a concave semi-circular portion 10 which is intended to cooperate with the convex semi-circular portion of the other link.
• the side walls have upper and lower straight portions.
• the lower portion 14 is set back so as to present a play when the links are assembled.
• washers 8 and 8 ' are mounted on the lower part 6 of the link.
• the washers 8 and 8 ' have threads 9 and 9'.
• the washers can be fixed on the lower part 6 of the link by welding, for example.
• the links are assembled together by screws 15, 16, 20, 20 '.
• the washers and the center of the radii of the convex and concave semicircular portions are arranged on the same axis of rotation.
• the upper and lower straight portions are also aligned with respect to this axis of rotation, with the exception of the lower straight portion 14 which is set back "with respect to this axis so that that there is play between the lower straight portions of each of the links when they are assembled.
• each of the links are also designed so as to present a space 22 when the links are assembled.
• the links have a radius, the radius being intended to provide the bracelet with a radius corresponding to the wrist of the wearer of the bracelet.
• the upper straight portions of each link are intended to be in contact with each other so that the visible part of the bracelet has a continuous appearance without space between the links.
• a small space between the links may appear, but depending on the position of the axes of rotation which are arranged at the location of the connection between the links and depending on the distribution over all the links, these spaces are difficult to see and cannot alter the aesthetic advantage which is provided by the continuity of the bracelet links.
• bracelets with links of different radii can be provided.
• the upper shoulders may include diamonds 21 or other decorations.
• Figure 4 shows a bottom view of the bracelet with the links assembled showing the space 22 between the lower parts, for example the lower part 6.
• the lower part of each link may have an opening 23, the purpose of which is to aesthetic part and secondly to provide lightening of the bracelet and also a reduction in the cost of the material, which can be important when the links are made of noble materials, gold for example.
• Figures 5 and 6 show in detail a link 1 which has upper shoulders 5, a lower part 6 and side walls 18 and 18 '.
• the side walls At one end of the link, the side walls have a convex semicircular portion 11.
• the side walls At this end, the side walls have screw through holes 24 and 24 'and countersinks for screw heads 25 and 25'.
• the side walls of the link have concave semicircular portions 10 and 10 'and washers 8 and 8' which have threads 9 and 9 'and which are fixed to the lower part 6.
• the washers are arranged so that the outer face of each washer is arranged, with a clearance, the width of the inner face of each of the side walls.
• the lower part 6 may have an opening 26.
• FIG. 7 shows the assembly of one end of the strap to a watch case 27. Washers 28 are mounted on the watch case and are intended to cooperate with the link 29.
• Figures 8 and 9 show one end of the bracelet which has a clasp.
• the end element is connected to a clasp 33.
• the flexible lining 19 is introduced into the bracelet and cut to length taking into account the length of the end element.
• the end element is then mounted and fixed by the screws 31 to the link 30.
• the flexible lining is thus blocked longitudinally by the end element.
• This design also allows easy interchangeability of flexible linings. In the event that the user wishes to change the nature or the color of the flexible lining, it suffices to disassemble the end element, to remove the existing flexible lining and to replace it with another flexible lining by reassembling the butt.
• FIGS. 10 and 11 show overall views of a bracelet constituted by links 1, 4, 29, which is connected to a watch case 27, the bracelet being constituted by the links comprising the flexible lining 19.
• the links can be made with various materials, ferrous or non-ferrous metals, and noble materials, gold for example .
• Soft linings can be made of leather, crocodile, or all kinds of natural or synthetic flexible materials.

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• Adornments (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=4199389

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (9)

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• 1998
  • 1998-04-20 KR KR1019980710588A patent/KR20000022170A/ko not_active Withdrawn
  • 1998-04-20 WO PCT/IB1998/000574 patent/WO1998048657A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 1998-04-20 EP EP98912642A patent/EP0979046A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1998-04-20 CA CA002258942A patent/CA2258942A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1998-04-20 ID IDW980143D patent/ID21036A/id unknown
  • 1998-04-20 US US09/194,718 patent/US6195977B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-04-20 CN CN98800541A patent/CN1224337A/zh active Pending
  • 1998-04-20 JP JP10546766A patent/JP2001502223A/ja active Pending
  • 1998-04-22 TW TW087106196A patent/TW350766B/zh active

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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