Adjusting device for bracelet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10470532-B2
Application number	US-201715455316-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2017
Priority date	Mar 15, 2016
Publication date	Nov 12, 2019
Grant date	Nov 12, 2019

Abstract

Bracelet having adjustable length, which
includes an adjusting link ( 6 ) with two parallel transverse articulation pins ( 5, 7 ), a first ( 5 ) being fixed and the second ( 7 ) being able to pivot with respect to the first ( 5 ) so as to reverse the respective positions of the pins and respectively create two, short and long, configurations, and an end link ( 8 ) having a first end ( 8 i ) pivoted on the second pin ( 7 ) and a second end ( 8 j ) designed to accept the fixing of the end of one bracelet strand, this second end ( 8 j ) having at least one first cutout ( 8 e ) designed to house a center link element ( 10 a ) of a link at the end of said bracelet strand, and a transverse second cutout ( 8 c ) arranged between the two ends ( 8 i, 8 j ) of the end link ( 8 ) to house the first pin ( 5 ) of the adjusting link ( 6 ) in the short configuration.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bracelet comprising:
a strand of a succession of first and second links, each of the first links comprising one center link element and two outer link elements, and each of the second links comprising two center link elements,
wherein the first and second links are joined together in an articulated manner by at least one transverse pin, so that each of the link elements of the first and second links are juxtaposed in parallel across a width of the bracelet, each of the two center link elements of the second link being interposed between the center link element and a respective one of the two outer link elements of the first link and the two center link elements of the second link being offset longitudinally with respect to the one center link element and the two outer link elements of the first link, and
at least one device for adjusting a length of the bracelet,
wherein the adjusting device comprises:
an adjusting link equipped with first and second parallel transverse articulation pins, the first pin being fixed and the second pin being able to pivot with respect to the first pin so as to reverse the respective longitudinal positions of these two articulation pins relative to one another and respectively create a short configuration and a long configuration of the adjusting device, and
an end link comprising:
a first end pivoted on the second pin of the adjusting link, and
a second end configured to accept fixing of an end of a strand of the bracelet, the second end comprising:
(i) at least one first cutout designed to house a center link element of a link at the end of the strand of the bracelet, and
(ii) a transverse second cutout arranged between the first and second ends of the end link to house the first pin of the adjusting link when the adjusting device is in the short configuration, and

a wall arranged at a level of the transverse second cutout of the end link to collaborate with the first pin of the adjusting link when the adjusting device is in the short configuration so as to catch on the first pin of the adjusting link and maintain the short configuration of the adjusting device in a stable manner, and
wherein the wall forms a protrusion only in a central portion of the second cutout along a length of the transverse second cutout, so as to catch the first pin only in the central portion of the second cutout in the short configuration,
wherein the end of a strand of the bracelet comprises one of the first links being articulated on a pin connected to the second end of the end link, the center link element of the first link being partially housed inside the first cutout of the end link and the two outer link elements of the first link covering part of exterior flanks of two lateral parts of the second end of the end link surrounding the first cutout.

2. The bracelet as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second end of the end link of the adjusting device has two planar flanks delimiting two lateral parts through which passes a through-bore to accept the pin connecting to the end of the strand of the bracelet.

3. The bracelet as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first cutout of the adjusting device has two flanks arranged in parallel planes oriented longitudinally and vertically.

4. The bracelet as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the two lateral parts of the second end of the end link surrounding the first cutout of the device for adjusting the length of the bracelet have a visible surface that is curved, imitating the shape of a link element of a bracelet.

5. The bracelet as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the adjusting link of the device for adjusting the length of the bracelet has the two outer link elements connected by the two pins of the adjusting link, and has an overall width substantially equal to the width of the bracelet,
and wherein the end link has a width less than a difference between a width of the adjusting link and a sum of widths of the two outer link elements, so that the end link can be interposed between the two outer link elements when the adjusting device is in the short configuration.

6. The bracelet as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the wall of the device for adjusting the length of the bracelet is shaped as an S, and is slightly smaller than a dimension of a bar forming the first pin of the adjusting link, so as to be able to be clipped elastically onto this pin.

7. The bracelet as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the end link of the device for adjusting the length of the bracelet is in the form of a one-piece component.

8. The bracelet as claimed in claim 1 , comprising a multi-fold bracelet clasp, wherein the first pin of the adjusting link is fixed to lateral walls extending a cover of the clasp.

9. The bracelet as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the center link elements are arranged between the outer link elements, wherein at least one of the center link elements has a width less than or equal to a width of at least one of the outer link elements.

10. The bracelet as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the widths of the link elements satisfy at least one of the following conditions, wherein L 10 a is the width of the center link element and L 10 b and L 10 c are the respective widths of the outer link elements:
1≤ L 10 b/L 10 a< 1.5,

1≤ L 10 c/L 10 a< 1.5.

11. The bracelet as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the widths of the link elements satisfy at least one of the following conditions, wherein L 10 a is the width of the center link element and L 10 b and L 10 c are the respective widths of the outer link elements:
1≤ L 10 b/L 10 a< 1.3,

1≤ L 10 c/L 10 a< 1.3.

12. The bracelet as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the widths of the link elements satisfy at least one of the following conditions, wherein L 10 a is the width of the center link element and L 10 b and L 10 c are the respective widths of the outer link elements:
1≤ L 10 b/L 10 a< 1.2,

1≤ L 10 c/L 10 a< 1.2.

13. The bracelet as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a width of the first cutout of the end link is substantially equal to a width of the center link element of a link of the bracelet so as to allow the center link element of the first link to be housed with minimal clearance.

14. The bracelet as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) a width of the first cutout of the end link is less than or equal to a width of at least one of the outer link elements, and (ii) the widths satisfy at least one of the following conditions, wherein L 8 e is the width of the first cutout of the end link and L 10 b and L 10 c are the respective widths of the outer link elements:
1≤ L 10 b/L 8 e< 1.5,

1≤ L 10 c/L 8 e< 1.5.

15. The bracelet as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the width of the first cutout of the end link is less than or equal to a width of at least one outer link element.

16. The bracelet as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the widths satisfy at least one of the following conditions:
1≤ L 10 b/L 8 e< 1.3,

1≤ L 10 c/L 8 e< 1.3.

17. The bracelet as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the widths satisfy at least one of the following conditions:
1≤ L 10 b/L 8 e< 1.2,

1≤ L 10 c/L 8 e< 1.2.

18. The bracelet as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a width of the two lateral parts of the second end of the end link surrounding the first cutout is substantially equal to a width of the link elements of the second link of the bracelet, and wherein an upper surface of the two lateral parts imitates a shape of a visible surface of the link elements

Assignees

• Rolex Sa

Inventors

• Mace Jean-Sebastien

Classifications

• A44C5/18

  Fasteners for straps, {chains or the like}(buckles A44B11/00) · CPC title

• A44C5/0015

  providing information, e.g. bracelets with calendars (identification bracelets G09F3/005) · CPC title

• A44C5/22

  for closed straps · CPC title

• A44C5/027 Primary

  the band also made of links · CPC title

• A44C5/185

  Attachment of fasteners to straps or chains · CPC title