Watch with removable bracelet

• US 5,146,437 A
• Filed: 11/05/1991
• Issued: 09/08/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boucheron Co.
• Original Assignee: Boucheron Co.
• Inventors: Boucheron, Alain
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska, Vit W.
• Application Number:
  US07/772,370
• Time in Patent Office: 308 Days
• Field of Search: 368/281-282, 368/276, 224/167, 224/168, 224/177
• US Class Current: 368/282
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/1486 Arrangements for fixing to a bracelet building watches into bracelets (montre marquise) G04B37/12; arrangements for hanging pocket- or other watches on chains G04B37/1446

Abstract

A bracelet watch comprises a removable flexible bracelet (2), the ends (5) of which are reinforced by an elastic tubular blade (6) or a cylindrical jaw inserted into a sleeve (7) removably fitting into a drilling (13) made in one side (1a) of the case (1) of the watch. A pawl mechanism (11, 16) is fitted for this assembly system.

Claims

1. Bracelet watch comprising a watch having a case (1) with at least two parallel opposite sides (1a, 1b) each provided with assembly means removably fitting into a rigid element (2a, 2b) reinforcing a free end (5) of a flexible bracelet (2), the assembly means of the case of the watch comprising a drilling (13) whose wall has an axial slot (14) passing through it of a width greater than the thickness of the bracelet, characterized in that the rigid element comprises an elastic tubular blade (6) and a sleeve (7), one end (10) of which is closed, the tubular blade having a toother axial slot (8) in which the free end (5) of the flexible bracelet is inserted, the sleeve having an axial slot (9) emerging at the open end of the sleeve and the opening of which is larger than the thickness of the bracelet, the external diameter of the sleeve being substantially identical to that of the one of the drillings (13) of the case, the internal diameter of the sleeve being smaller than the external diameter of the tubular blade, such that the axial insertion of the tubular blade into the sleeve requires an elastic deformation of the blade, giving rise to blocking of the free end of the bracelet by pinching of the toothed slot.

6. Bracelet watch according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic tubular blade (6) is made from metallic material.

7. Bracelet watch according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a pawl means consisting, on the one hand, of a circumferential groove (11) on the outer face of the sleeve (7) and, on the other hand, of a retractable protuberance (16) interacting with a compression spring (18) inside a cavity (17) made on the inner wall of the drilling (13).

8. Bracelet watch according to claim 1, characterized in that the respective openings of the two drillings of the case (1) are located diametrically opposite each other.

9. Bracelet watch according to claim 1, characterized in that the sleeve (7) is made from a metallic material.

10. Bracelet watch according to claim 1, characterized in that the rigid elements (2a, 2b) are made at least partially with the aid of a metallic material other than that forming the outer face of the case (1).

2. Bracelet watch comprising a watch having a case (1) with at least two parallel opposite sides (1a, 1b) each provided with assembly means removably fitting into a rigid element (2a, 2b) reinforcing a free end (5) of a flexible bracelet (2), the assembly means of the case of the watch comprising a drilling (13) whose wall has an axial slot (14) passing through it of a width greater than the thickness of the bracelet, characterized in that the rigid element comprises a cylindrical jaw (20) and a sleeve (7), one end of which is closed, the jaw comprising two toothed elements (21, 22) joined to each other by means of a longitudinal flexible tab (23) and sandwiching the free end (5) of the bracelet with the aid of teeth (21a, 22a), the sleeve having an external diameter substantially identical to that of one of the drillings (13) of the case and having an axial slot (9) emerging at the open end of the sleeve and the opening of which is larger than the thickness of the bracelet, the jaw being inserted axially inside the sleeve via its open end and held in the sleeve by the elastic deformation of the free end of the bracelet.

3. Bracelet watch according to claim 2, characterized in that one of the toother elements (21) has, on the toothed face, at least one stud (24), and in that the other toothed element (22) has at least one receiving hole (25) for the stud, the free end (5) of the bracelet comprising at least one perforation so that, when the jaw (20) is closed, the stud passes through the perforation and penetrates into the receiving hole in order to be blocked therein.

4. Bracelet watch according to claim 2, characterized in that the jaw is made in a single piece from metallic material.

5. Bracelet watch according to claim 2, characterized in that the jaw is made in a single piece molded from plastic material.