US20030116595A1

US20030116595A1 - Device for the attachment and adaptation of elastic box type watch straps to watches

Info

Publication number: US20030116595A1
Application number: US10/201,897
Authority: US
Inventors: Franco Cerofolini
Original assignee: SIL DOR Srl
Current assignee: SIL DOR Srl
Priority date: 2001-12-21
Filing date: 2002-07-25
Publication date: 2003-06-26
Also published as: ITAR20010039A1

Abstract

A device composed of:

a double stirrup structure (1), with two slots (2) having an appropriate length for connecting to the open ring shaped strip (3) of the components of the elastic box type bracelet (4), with which the device is intended to connect;

two parts (5), each constituted of a first tubular element (6)—intended to house the system of telescope pivot pins through which it couples with the holes on the watch bracket to which it is aimed—and of a second element (10), which is made to wrap around a stud on the double stirrup (1) or on the visible stud of the box like structure (12) of the end component of the elastic box type bracelet (4), intended to act as a watch strap.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention concerns a device by means of which elastic box type watch straps are adjusted and attached to watch brackets.

Known prior art elastic box type watch straps—normally made with a steel structure of the type used to manufacture bracelets—end with two mechanisms for their attachment, one on each extremity, provided with telescope pivot pins, which are meant to be coupled with the holes on the watch attachment brackets. The first of these two mechanisms, mentioned above, consists of a tubular structure equipped with a jutting stirrup, by means of which it couples with the open, sliding, ring shaped strip of the elastic component of the watch strap. The second of these two joining mechanisms, mentioned above, is composed of a tubular structure combined with a small tube, open along one axis of the generatrix, with which it wraps around and holds the visible stud at one end of the box shaped structure of the elastic component of the watch strap. The two above mentioned attachment devices are normally manufactured by stamping the metal plate and are permanently coupled with the corresponding elements of the elastic component of the watch strap, so much so that one can consider the ends of the watch strap to be tightly connected to the attachment devices and any operation aimed at modifying the length of the strap is carried at its mid point and not at said ends.

The substitution of the watch strap with another having a different width, can be carried out only by retailers who sell and replace the complete watch strap, and not by standard watch and jewellery retailers. Even if these latter retailers, sell the elastic box type watch straps, they do not normally carry those that are originally equipped with the correct attachment devices for the watch whose strap must be substituted.

On the other hand, if these attachments are missing at the extremities, the normal box type elastic watch straps cannot be connected to the watch brackets. This is due to the fact that said attachments, required to connect the elastic bracelets to the watches, cannot be the same in all cases, since one of them must connect, on one end with the watch brackets and on the other with the visible stud on the box type structure of the elastic bracelet components. The other attachment must connect, on one end with the other watch bracket and on the other it must join with the open, sliding, ring shaped strip of the latest elastic component of the watch strap. The two attachments, therefore, must be matching on one side (connection to the watch), and on the other it must be different to be able to connect to the two extremities of the elastic bracelet and at the same time they should not create an asymmetric balance on the same attachments.

Due to this situation, there is an absence, on the market, of attachments that are separate and distinct from the elastic box type structures with which the ring shaped bracelets are actually produced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One of the aims of this invention is that of creating an attachment device that allows it to connect on one side with one watch bracket and on the other side with the end component of the elastic box type structure with which the bracelet is made. This, independently from the fact that the attachment point on the bracelet is the visible stud of the end component of the elastic box type structure of the bracelet, or the open, sliding, ring shaped strip of said component. Therefore, independently from the extremity of the said component facing the attachment device.

Another aim of the present invention is that of creating an attachment device that is simple and has a low cost, so as to give to the watch buyer a plurality of attachments which have the appropriate width to connect to the brackets of the watch he has bought and which allow the connection to elastic bracelets of different widths so as said buyer can use the same watch with bracelets having different widths.

Finally, another aim is that of producing a device that can be applied on to the brackets of the owned or bought watch and which can connect to the normal elastic box type structure bracelets that are very common and therefore can be found in all jewellery and watch shops.

The invention which has allowed us to obtain these results consists of:

a double stirrup structure, with the two slots having an appropriate length for coupling with the open ring shaped strip of the components of the elastic box type structure bracelets with which said double stirrup structure must connect;

two parts, normally alike, each one made of a first tubular element—housing the system of telescope pivot pins by means of which it couples with the holes on the watch brackets—and of a second element, permanently joined to the first one, capable of wrapping around the stud of the double stirrup or the visible stud of the elastic box type structure of the end component of the elastic bracelet that is to be used as a watch bracelet.

This type of device allows the two parts, that are normally alike, to be advantageously applied to the two watch brackets, so as to obtain a symmetric attachment. One of said parts is appropriate for connecting with the visible stud of the elastic box type structure of the component at the first extremity of the bracelet. The other part is appropriate for the direct connection to the double stirrup structure and, through said structure, with the open, sliding, ring shaped strip of the component at the second extremity of the watch strap.

Another advantage of the present invention is due to the fact that it is technically easy to produce at low cost.

The same watch can therefore be furnished with various devices of differing widths which allow it to be connected to bracelets of varying widths, permitting, in this way, the owner of the said watch with said devices, to change the watch strap with another obtained by opening any close ring like elastic box type bracelet, that can be bought in nearly all jewellery and watch shops.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be easily understood in its structure and function by following the detailed description below, and which refers to the preferred embodiment that is reproduced in the drawings of the enclosed table, in which: [0015]
FIG. 1 is the front view of the components of the device of this invention; [0016]
FIG. 2 is the view on the direction of the axis of one of the two components of the invention that are alike; [0017]
FIG. 3 is the front view of one of the two components that are alike, in which the two open tubular trunks have a different length from the corresponding ones reproduced in FIG. 1; [0018]
FIG. 4 is the front view of one of the two components that are alike in which the two open tubular trunks have a further differing length from the corresponding ones reproduced in the other figures; [0019]
FIG. 5 shown the watch connected by means of the said device to an elastic box type watch strap; [0020]
FIG. 6 shown a watch connected to a watch strap made with an elastic box type structure in which the double stirrup structure is placed between two components of the bracelet with which the elastic strap is made;[0021]
It is understood that the drawings refer to the preferred embodiment of the invention, without constituting any limitation for it. [0022]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In substance the invention consists in an attachment and adaptation device, with which a [0023] common bracelet 4 with a ring like shape, composed of an elastic box type structure, is transformed into a watch strap. At the same time the invention allows bracelets of varying widths to be used as straps for the same watch 9.
Said device comprises a [0024] double stirrup structure 1, furnished with two slots 2 placed side by side and of an appropriate length for its coupling with the open ring like strips 3 of the bracelet 4, composed of an elastic box type structure, with which the watch strap is made. Said device finally comprises two parts 5 that are normally alike so that when they are applied to the attachment brackets of watch 9 they do not create un-aesthetic asymmetries.
Each of the said [0025] parts 5 is in any case composed of a first element 6 that is appropriate for housing the system of telescope pivot pins with which it couples with the holes of the attachment brackets of watch 9; each part 5 is also composed of a second element 10, with an open tubular structure along the line of the generatrix, firmly joined to element 6. Said second element 10 is capable of connecting with the visible stud 11 of the component at the extremity of the elastic box type bracelet 4, as well as with one of the studs that limit slots 2 of the double stirrup structure 1 (see FIG. 5).
Said [0026] double stirrup structure 1 is normally produced by stamping and is preferably a flat structure. The central core, which separates the two slots 2, is normally sufficiently wide to allow the application of wording, decorative or symbolic elements on it.
The [0027] parts 5 are instead each composed of two tubular trunks 6 and 10 placed side by side, of which the first is made to house the attachment means of the watch brackets, the second is normally open along the line of the generatrix to allow the insertion of a pin or stud. A stud as, for example, one of those that limit the slots 2 of the double stirrup 1, or the attachment stud 11 of the component 12 at the extremity of the bracelet 4, as happens with the left hand attachment of the watch shown in FIG. 5 and in both the attachments of the watch shown in FIG. 6.
The [0028] second element 10 of the parts 5 can assume various shapes capable in any case of wrapping around and holding the elongated stud. It can assume, for example, the shape of two minuscule openable rings, or it can assume other equivalent shapes.
In the production phase the invention can be modified in its components, said modifications will in any case remain within the field of protection of the following claims. [0029]

Claims

1. A device for the attachment and adaptation of elastic box type watch straps to watches, characterized by a double stirrup structure (1), equipped with two slots (2), and by two parts (5) that are normally alike, each part (5) consisting of a first element (6), appropriate for housing the system of telescope pivot pins with which it couples to the holes on the attachment brackets of the watch (9), and of a second element (10), firmly joined to the element (6), capable of joining with the visible stud (11) of the end component of the elastic box type bracelet (4) and with the studs that limit the slots (2) of the double stirrup structure (1).

2. The device, as claimed in claim 1, characterized by a double stirrup structure (1) produced by stamping.

3. The device, as claimed in claim 1, characterized by a double stirrup structure (1) equipped with a central core—which separates the two slots (2)—sufficiently wide to contain added decorative elements, letters or symbols.

4. The device, as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the parts (5) are alike, each consisting of two tubular trunks (6) and (10) placed next to each other.

5. The device, as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the tubular trunk (10) is open along the line of the generatrix.

6. The device, as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the tubular trunk (10) of the parts (5) is structured so as to wrap around and hold an elongated stud.