Buckle and timepiece

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11730240-B2
Application number	US-202217854719-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2022
Priority date	Jul 1, 2021
Publication date	Aug 22, 2023
Grant date	Aug 22, 2023

Abstract

A buckle includes a folding member, a buckle cover pivotably linked to the folding member, a slide plate supported slidably relative to the buckle cover in the longitudinal direction of the band, and a swing arm rotatably supported by the buckle cover. The slide plate has a plurality of groove sections provided along the longitudinal direction. The swing arm includes a base, an arm section, an engagement click, and an operation strip, and is supported rotatably in a first rotational direction in which the engagement click engages with any of the groove sections and in a second rotational direction in which the engagement click separates from the groove section. The folding member includes a protruding section that comes into contact with the operation strip to rotate the swing arm in the second rotational direction when the folding member is rotated relative to the buckle cover.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A buckle that links a first band and a second band to each other, the buckle comprising:
a folding member linked to the first band;
a buckle cover pivotably linked to the folding member;
a slide plate supported slidably relative to the buckle cover in a longitudinal direction of the first band and the second band and linked to the second band; and
a swing arm rotatably supported by the buckle cover,
wherein the slide plate has a plurality of groove sections provided along the longitudinal direction,
the swing arm includes a base rotatably supported by the buckle cover, an arm section extending from the base toward the slide plate, an engagement click provided at the arm section and engageable with any of the groove sections of the slide plate, and an operation strip extending from the base toward a side opposite to the arm section, the swing arm supported rotatably in a first rotational direction in which the engagement click engages with any of the groove sections and in a second rotational direction in which the engagement click separates from the groove section, and
the folding member includes a protruding section that comes into contact with the operation strip to rotate the swing arm in the second rotational direction when the folding member is rotated relative to the buckle cover.

2. The buckle according to claim 1 ,
wherein the groove sections are each segmented by a first perpendicular surface and a second perpendicular surface perpendicular to a sliding direction of the slide plate, and
the engagement click has a first facing surface facing the first perpendicular surface and a second facing surface facing the second perpendicular surface with the engagement click engaged with any of the groove sections.

3. The buckle according to claim 1 ,
wherein the folding member restricts rotation of the swing arm in the second rotational direction with the folding member accommodated in the buckle cover.

4. The buckle according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a spring that urges the swing arm in the first rotational direction.

5. The buckle according to claim 4 ,
further comprising a button unit including a lock member urged by the spring and a first button and a second button protruding out of the buckle cover,
wherein the folding member is provided with a hook, and
when the lock member is urged by the spring, the lock member urges the first button and the second button in opposite directions and moves to a locked position where the hook is locked, and when the first button and the second button are pushed, the lock member is moved against an urging force produced by the spring to an unlocked position where the hook is unlocked.

6. The buckle according to claim 1 ,
wherein the buckle cover includes a front surface section, a first sidewall section, and a second sidewall section,
guide grooves extending along the longitudinal direction are formed at inner surfaces of the first sidewall section and the second sidewall section, and
the slide plate includes a plate section inserted into the guide grooves.

7. The buckle according to claim 1 ,
wherein the slide plate includes a movement restriction section provided continuously with the groove sections,
the movement restriction section has a restriction surface perpendicular to the sliding direction of the slide plate and protruding beyond the groove sections, and
the engagement click has a contact surface that comes into contact with the restriction surface.

8. A timepiece comprising the buckle according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Yamashita Yuki

Classifications

• A44C5/2066 Primary

  Fasteners with locking means acting parallel to the main plane of the fastener and perpendicularly to the direction of the fastening · CPC title

• A44B11/20

  engaging holes or the like in strap · CPC title

• A44C5/246

  having size adjusting means · CPC title

• A44C5/0007 Primary

  Bracelets specially adapted for other functions or with means for attaching other articles · CPC title

• A44C5/24 Primary

  with folding devices · CPC title