Case for an instrument of small volume including a manually removable back cover

• US 6,655,831 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2000
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Asulab SA (The Swatch Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Asulab SA (The Swatch Group AG)
• Inventors: Ruffieux, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): MISKA, VIT W
• Application Number:
  US09/699,384
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 368/276, 368/281, 368/284, 368/291, 368/292, 368/297-300, 368/309
• US Class Current: 368/281
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/116 for shaped watches

Abstract

The watch case includes a middle part (2) and a removable back cover (3). The back cover (3) is held under the middle part by means of at least one rail (5), this rail having a first portion (7) arranged to be slid into a groove (9) made in the middle part (2) and a second portion (11) arranged to cap an edge (13) of the back cover (3). Without using tools, the user can remove the rail, take off the back cover and change the battery or batteries powering the movement.

Claims

1. A case for an instrument of small volume in particular a watch, including a middle part and a removable back cover applied under the middle part,

wherein the back cover is held under the middle part by means of at least one rail, this rail having a first longitudinal portion arranged to be slid into a groove made in the middle part and a second longitudinal portion arranged to cap an edge of the back cover when said first portion is introduced into said groove to fix said back cover under said middle part;

wherein the back cover is held under the middle part by means of two rails located on either side of the back cover, these rails each having a first longitudinal portion arranged to slide into a respective groove made in the middle part and a second longitudinal portion arranged to cap a respective edge of the back cover;

wherein the two rails are arranged in parallel and are joined by a crosspiece to form a clamp; and

wherein the back cover is provided with a notch able to accommodate a bolt arranged on the crosspiece to block the back cover under the middle part when the clamp is in place.

2. A case for an instrument of small volume in particular a watch, including a middle part and a removable back cover applied under the middle part,

wherein the back cover is held under the middle part by means of at least one rail, this rail having a first longitudinal portion arranged to be slid into a groove made in the middle part and a second longitudinal portion arranged to cap an edge of the back cover when said first portion is introduced into said groove to fix said back cover under said middle part;

wherein the back cover is held under the middle part by means of two rails located on either side of the back cover, these rails each having a first longitudinal portion arranged to slide into a respective groove made in the middle part and a second longitudinal portion arranged to cap a respective edge of the back cover;

wherein the two rails are arranged parallel to each other and are joined by a holding plate which, when the rails are slid into their respective housings, caps the back cover of the case.

3. A case according to claim 2, wherein the holding plate has gripping means for manually removing the rails from their respective housings thereby separating the back cover from the middle part.

4. A case according to claim 3, wherein the holding plate includes a tongue provided with a flange and in that the back cover is provided with a groove able to accommodate the flange.

5. A case according to claim 4, wherein the back cover is provided with a hollow facing the tongue to allow the holding plate to be removed by means of a fingernail.

6. A case according to claim 4, wherein in order to facilitate the passage of the flange when the rails penetrate their respective housings, the back cover includes a chamfer which has an inclined face on which the flange can slide.

7. A case according to claim 5, wherein in order to facilitate the passage of the flange when the rails penetrate their respective housings, the back cover includes a chamfer which has an inclined face on which the flange can slide.