Reversible watch

• US 7,703,974 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2003
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eric Bouille
• Original Assignee: Eric Bouille
• Inventors: Bouille, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Leon; Edwin A.
• Application Number:
  US10/538,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20060126445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,618 Days
• Field of Search: 368/281, 368/282, 224/164, 224/167, 224/169, 241/63.K, 242/65.B, 242/65.WS
• US Class Current: 368/281
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 15/0025 Reversible or double face jewellery
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 5/14 characterised by the way of fastening to a wrist-watch or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/0083 for more than one clockwork
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/0427 Mountings relative to pocket and wrist watches allowing a rocking movement about a hinge or any other movement covers and protective cases which may be removed completely either by direct removal or by sliding or turning G04B37/005; ornamentation and interchangeable parts of cases, modifying the external appearance of the clockwork G04B47/046
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/1426 Means whereby the clockwork piece may move with regard to its suspension device
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 47/046 Changeable decorations and parts thereof, decorations for the case which change the external appearance of the clockwork clip-on -, sliding - or tilting protective lids or covers G04B37/005; with a clockwork which can be mounted on different cases for changing its external appearance G04B37/0427; clockworks which can be mounted in different cases for changing their purpose G04B37/14; decoration of the case or parts thereof G04B45/0076; changeable pictures or inscriptions G04B45/0092

Abstract

The invention concerns a device enabling reversibility and interchangeability of an object, such as a watch and a wrist watch, comprising at least one reversible and interchangeable element (110, 111) including a cavity (120, 121) and a removable projecting fixing element (203) integral with the bracelet or other support to be inserted axially parallel or not and to be moved in parallel with the element to the cavity (120, 121) up to a stop position and brought by rotation into its fixing position. The removable fixing element (203) can be made in different embodiments desired by a user. The device comprises a cavity in the middles (110, 111) wherein is housed the base (210) of a pivot (211) of the removable fixing element (203) which is integral with one end of the bracelet (204), whereby a rotational motion is imparted to a watch case (100, 104) and to its bracelet (204), independently of each other, so as to provide a watch with interchangeable double dial and a double-sided bracelet.

Claims

1. An assembly comprising an object, a support and, on said support, a fixing element for removably connecting said support to said object and defining a pivot axis between said object and said support in such a way that said object and said support can be reversed independently of each other, and in order to present alternately a first face and a second face of said support, said faces lying on either side of a mid-plane in a vicinity of said fixing element, when said object and said support are mutually arranged in a first or second stable position, respectively, wherein

said fixing element has a pivot comprising a body connected to said support, and a base formed at its free end, and

a cavity is formed on in said object, said cavity comprising

a first opening designed to allow said base to be inserted into said cavity and

being continued by an elongate second opening extending transversely with respect to the direction of said pivot axis and parallel to said mid-plane in a stable position, said elongate second opening being designed to guide said pivot and permit a relative movement of said object and of said support to bring them to a stable position,

said support also comprising retractable locking means designed to engage with matching cavities in said stable position and to hold the assembly in said position.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said locking means comprise at least one retractable ball.

3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein said ball is retractable along an axis parallel to said pivot axis.

4. The assembly according to claim 3, wherein said object is a watch case comprising a middle in which two cavities are formed, and wherein said support is a strap having two free ends, each carrying a fixing element.

5. The assembly according to claim 4, wherein said watch case comprises two middles joined together.

6. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein said object is a watch case comprising a middle in which two cavities are formed, and wherein said support is a strap having two free ends, each carrying a fixing element.

7. The assembly according to claim 6, wherein said middle has lugs containing said cavities, and wherein said ball is retractable along an axis perpendicular to said pivot axis.

8. The assembly according to claim 7, wherein said pivot axis is situated halfway between said lugs.

9. The assembly according to claim 6, wherein said watch case comprises two middles joined together.

10. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein said cavity is formed in a plate which is fixed to said object.

11. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said object is a watch case comprising a middle in which two cavities are formed, and wherein said support is a strap having two free ends, each carrying a fixing element.

12. The assembly according to claim 11, wherein said middle has lugs containing said cavities, and wherein said locking means comprise at least one retractable ball which is retractable along an axis perpendicular to said pivot axis.

13. The assembly according to claim 12, wherein said pivot axis is situated halfway between said lugs.

14. The assembly according to claim 13, wherein said watch case comprises two middles joined together.

15. The assembly according to claim 12, wherein said watch case comprises two middles joined together.

16. The assembly according to claim 11, wherein said watch case comprises two middles joined together.

17. The assembly according to claim 11, wherein said cavity is formed in a plate which is fixed to said object.

18. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said cavity is formed in a plate which is fixed to said object.

19. The assembly according to claim 18, wherein said plate is screwed to said object.

20. The assembly according to claim 17, wherein said plate is screwed to said object.