Alternate carrier for a wrist instrument

• US 5,898,647 A
• Filed: 11/12/1997
• Issued: 04/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Timex Group USA Incorporated (Tanager Group BV)
• Original Assignee: Timex Corporation (Tanager Group BV)
• Inventors: Goradesky, Harold S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska, Vit W.
• Application Number:
  US08/968,104
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 368/88, 368/281, 368/283, 368/286, 224/152
• US Class Current: 368/83
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/1433 Fixation on items of clothing, e.g. with clips button watches G04B37/12; brooches, or the like A44C1/00; other similar fixation means, in general A45F5/02

Abstract

A carrier for a wrist instrument when it is removed from the wrist band comprises a case made in two pieces of identical construction which slide together and house the wrist instrument and its attachments. The two carrier sections each have a tongue extending across a parting line which is received in a mating channel on the other carrier section. Additional guide pins and recesses hold the assembly in alignment. A holster for the assembled carrier sections cradles the assembly securely and includes a belt clip for attaching the holster to a belt.

Claims

1. An alternate carrier for a wrist instrument, the wrist instrument having a case with a display on the front thereof, actuating buttons on the case and first and second wrist attachments on opposite ends of the case extending outwardly from the display and adapted for attachment to the ends of a wristband or the like, said carrier comprising:

a top carrier section having a first wall defining a first pocket shaped to receive and sheath portions of the case and the first wrist attachment,

a bottom carrier section having a second wall defining a second pocket shaped to receive and sheath portions of the case and the second wrist attachment,

the top and bottom carrier sections being separably connected together with portions of the first and second walls meeting along a parting line with the first and second pockets opposing one another so as to retain the wrist instrument case and the first and second wrist attachments in said pockets, said walls together defining a first opening exposing the display and actuating buttons, and

retaining means for locking the top carrier section to the bottom carrier section to retain the case while permitting a separation of the top carrier section from the bottom carrier section sufficient to remove the case.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said top and bottom carrier sections are of identical construction.

3. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said retaining means comprises a tongue on at least one of the carrier sections extending beyond the parting line and a channel defined in the other carrier section adapted to receive said tongue, said tongue and channel defining cooperative engaging elements for holding said tongue in said channel when the first and second walls meet along the parting line.

4. The combination according to claim 1, wherein each of said carrier sections has a parting line edge defining said parting line when the perspective parting line edges are joined.

5. The combination according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said carrier sections includes a guide pin projecting from the parting line edge and the other carrier section includes a recess defined in the parting line edge of said other carrier section adapted to receive said guide pin.

6. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said top and bottom carrier sections are of identical construction, each of the carrier sections having a tongue extending beyond the parting line and the other of the carrier sections defining a channel adapted to receive said tongue.

7. The combination according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said carrier sections defines an end portion having a metal pin embedded on both ends thereof providing an exterior attachment for the carrier.

8. The combination according to claim 1, and further including a belt holster defining a third pocket adapted to receive one of the carrier sections therein and having a clip extending from the belt holster on the other side of said third pocket arranged to support the holster from a belt.

9. The combination according to claim 8, wherein said third pocket comprises a pair of contoured pads adapted to receive the bottom carrier section.

10. The combination according to claim 8, wherein the exterior of the top carrier section includes a metal pin embedded on either end thereof adapted to serve as an external attachment, and wherein said belt holster defines a cooperating recess adapted to receive said metal pin when the bottom carrier section is disposed in said third pocket.