Wristwatch provided with an electrical connector

• US 8,976,628 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2013
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogã¨Re Suisse (The Swatch Group AG)
• Original Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogã¨Re Suisse (The Swatch Group AG)
• Inventors: Leoni, Stephane, Bonnet, Thierry
• Primary Examiner(s): LEON MUNOZ, EDWIN A
• Application Number:
  US14/093,723
• Publication Number:
  US 20140160896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 368/10, 368/204, 368281-282, 368/37, 439/37, 343/718
• US Class Current: 368/10
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 17/06 Electric connectors, e.g. conductive elastomers
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/00 Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces

Abstract

The wristwatch (1) is provided with an electrical connector (5), which is connected via a connection element (15) to at least one electronic circuit and/or to a rechargeable battery which are disposed inside the watch case. The electrical connector (5) is a female USB electrical connector, which is disposed on an inner surface of the bracelet (4), and where the bracelet is fixed to the middle part (3) of the watch case. The inner surface of the bracelet comes into contact with the user'"'"'s wrist when the watch is worn. The connection element (15) passes through the middle part to connect a contact area of the electrical connector to the electronic circuit and/or the rechargeable battery inside the case.

Claims

1. A wristwatch, comprising:

a bracelet;

an electrical connector connected via a connection element to at least one electronic circuit and/or to a rechargeable battery which are disposed inside the watch case,

wherein the electrical connector is disposed in a housing made in the bracelet on an inner surface of the bracelet, and arranged in an end portion of the bracelet where the bracelet is secured to the middle part of the watch case,

wherein the bracelet is formed of two strands provided with a series of links connected to each other, a last link of each bracelet strand is fixed to the middle part of the case each on an opposite side of the middle part, and wherein the last link of one of the bracelet strands includes the housing, in which the electrical connector is arranged, and

wherein at least the last link of the strand, which includes the housing, has a wall, an external face of which abuts against an outer surface of the middle part of the case to hold the link in a fixed position preventing rotation.

2. The wristwatch according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connector is a female electrical connector for receiving a male connector of an electrical charger or of an electronic instrument, and wherein the female electrical connector is disposed in the end portion of the bracelet with the aperture of the female electrical connector on the inner surface side of the bracelet.

3. The wristwatch according to claim 2, wherein the female electrical connector is a USB electrical connector.

4. The wristwatch according to claim 3, wherein the female USB electrical connector is disposed on the internal surface for receiving a male electrical connector in a vertical direction of insertion or perpendicular direction relative to an inner curve of the bracelet or to the internal surface of the bracelet.

5. The wristwatch according to claim 1, wherein the bracelet is a metal bracelet, wherein the last link of each strand includes a through aperture in order to be fixed between horns of each opposite side of the middle part of the case by a pin, or by a tube and pin assembly in circular apertures in the horns.

6. The wristwatch according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the middle part of the case is flat or defines a portion of a cylinder, and wherein an outer face of the wall has a complementary shape to the outer surface of the middle part so as to abut completely against said outer surface.

7. The wristwatch according to claim 1, wherein the connection element is fixed in a sealed manner through an aperture in the middle part of the case, wherein the connection element is mechanically and electrically connected inside the case to a printed circuit board carrying at least the electronic circuit.

8. The wristwatch according to claim 1, wherein the connection element is fixed in a sealed manner through an aperture in the surface of the middle part, wherein the connection element is mechanically and electrically connected inside the case to a printed circuit board carrying at least the electronic circuit, and wherein the connection element extends towards the outside of the case through a passage in the wall for mechanical and electrical connection to a connection area of the electrical connector disposed in the housing.

9. The wristwatch according to claim 8, wherein the connection element is a flexible connector.