Exterior element for a wristwatch middle part

• US 9,599,964 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2014
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Swatch Group Management Services AG (The Swatch Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Swatch Group Management Services AG (The Swatch Group AG)
• Inventors: Gracia, Jean-Claude, Waecker, Raphael, Barbier, Christophe, Bonadei, Silvano
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska, Vit W
• Application Number:
  US14/478,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20150124574A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 368/281, 368/282, 368/283, 368/285, 368/286, 368/294, 368/295, 224/164, 224/167, 224/168, 224/170, 224/171
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/0008 for pocket watches and wrist watches
• 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 45/0076 Decoration of the case and of parts thereof, e.g. as a method of manufacture thereof specially shaped G04B45/0061, G04B45/0069; decoration with inscriptions and pictures G04B45/0084; construction of the hands G04B19/042; decoration by adding extra pieces to the clockwork G04B47/04; colouring by treatment of the surface, e.g. by oxidation C25D

Abstract

Exterior element for a wristwatch middle part, wherein said exterior element takes the form of a separate cover plate which is fixed to the wristwatch middle part and at least partially covers a connection area between a bracelet strand and the watch middle part.

Claims

1. An exterior element for a wristwatch middle part, wherein the exterior element comprises a cover plate, wherein the cover plate is affixed as a separate piece to the wristwatch middle part, wherein the watch middle part comprises two outer horns that define a connection area to fix the bracelet strand between the outer horns, and wherein the cover plate substantially conceals an area between the two outer horns while keeping the two outer horns visible,

wherein the cover plate and an annular part surrounding a crystal of the wristwatch form a single piece that is mounted as one to the wristwatch, and

wherein the annular part is a bezel.

2. The exterior element according to claim 1, wherein the cover plate is shaped to extend around the bezel.