Exterior member, case and timepiece

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12013667-B2
Application number	US-202117387053-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2021
Priority date	Aug 5, 2020
Publication date	Jun 18, 2024
Grant date	Jun 18, 2024

Abstract

A case including a case main body, an operation member having an operation head portion which protrudes outside of the case main body, an exterior member which is detachably attached to the case main body while covering outer periphery of the case main body, in which the case main body has a protection projection provided on an outer peripheral surface such that an outward projection length becomes shorter from an upper side toward a lower side, and the exterior member has a housing portion which houses the protection projection.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A case comprising:
a case main body;
an operation member comprising an operation head portion, wherein at least a portion of the operation head portion protrudes outside of the case main body; and
an exterior member configured to be detachably attached to the case main body, wherein the exterior member defines an engaging hole into which the operation head portion is inserted along a first axis of the engaging hole,
wherein the case main body comprises a protection projection provided on an outer peripheral surface of the case main body such that a thickness of the protection projection along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis of the engaging hole decreases in a first direction from the case main body towards the engaging hole, and
wherein the exterior member comprises a housing portion, in a cross-section of the housing portion including the first axis and a second direction perpendicular to the first axis and away from the operation head portion, a thickness of the housing portion along the first axis increases in the second direction to define a space in which the protection projection of the case main body is housed.

2. The case according to claim 1 , wherein a lower end portion of the housing portion forms a surface that defines the engaging hole of the exterior member.

3. The case according to claim 2 , wherein the operation member is formed such that a movement stroke of the operation member along the first axis of the engaging hole is greater than an axial length of the engaging hole of the exterior member along the first axis of the engaging hole.

4. The case according to claim 3 ,
wherein the operation member is arranged in the engaging hole of the exterior member without the operation head portion protruding outside of the exterior member.

5. The case according to claim 3 ,
wherein the case main body comprises a locking portion, and
wherein the exterior member comprises an engaging portion configured to be disengageably engaged with the locking portion of the case main body.

6. The case according to claim 3 ,
wherein the exterior member defines a detachment groove provided in a lower end surface of the exterior member so as to be used to detach the exterior member from the case main body.

7. The case according to claim 2 ,
wherein the operation member is arranged in the engaging hole of the exterior member without the operation head portion protruding outside of the exterior member.

8. The case according to claim 7 ,
wherein the case main body comprises a locking portion, and
wherein the exterior member comprises an engaging portion configured to be disengageably engaged with the locking portion of the case main body.

9. The case according to claim 7 ,
wherein the exterior member defines a detachment groove provided in a lower end surface of the exterior member so as to be used to detach the exterior member from the case main body.

10. The case according to claim 2 ,
wherein the case main body comprises a locking portion, and
wherein the exterior member comprises an engaging portion configured to be disengageably engaged with the locking portion of the case main body.

11. The case according to claim 2 ,
wherein the exterior member defines a detachment groove provided in a lower end surface of the exterior member so as to be used to detach the exterior member from the case main body.

12. The case according to claim 2 ,
wherein the operation member is a first operation member,
wherein the case further comprises a second operation member, and wherein the protection projection of the case main body protects the operation head portion of the first operation member.

13. The case according to claim 1 ,
wherein the case main body comprises a locking portion, and
wherein the exterior member comprises an engaging portion configured to be disengageably engaged with the locking portion of the case main body.

14. The case according to claim 1 ,
wherein the exterior member defines a detachment groove provided in a lower end surface of the exterior member so as to be used to detach the exterior member from the case main body.

15. The case according to claim 1 ,
wherein the operation member is a first operation member,
wherein the case further comprises a second operation member, and wherein the protection projection of the case main body protects the operation head portion of the first operation member.

16. The case according to claim 15 , wherein the first operation member which is protected by the protection projection is used for time correction by a switch operation.

17. A timepiece comprising the case according to claim 1 .

18. An exterior member for a case,
wherein the case comprises:
a case main body; and
an operation member comprising an operation head portion, wherein at least as portion of the operation head portion protrudes outside of the case main body, and

wherein the exterior member comprises:
an exterior member body configured to be detachably attached to the case main body,
wherein the exterior member body defines an engaging hole into which the operation head portion is inserted along a first axis of the engaging hole,
wherein the case main body comprises a protection projection provided on an outer peripheral surface of the case main body such that a thickness of the protection projection along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis of the engaging hole decreases in a first direction from the case main body towards the engaging hole, and
wherein the exterior member body comprises a housing portion, in a cross-section of the housing portion including the first axis and a second direction perpendicular to the first axis and away from the operation head portion, a thickness of the housing portion along the first axis increases in the second direction to define a space in which the protection projection of the case main body is housed.

19. The exterior member according to claim 18 ,
wherein the case further comprises a glass and a back cover,
wherein the case main body is arranged between the glass and the back cover, and
wherein the thickness of the housing portion along the first axis increases in the second direction perpendicular to the first axis from the back cover towards the glass.

20. A timepiece comprising the exterior member according to claim 18 .

Assignees

• Casio Computer Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tsuji Ayako

Classifications

• G04B37/005 Primary

  with cover or protection device which can be completely removed, either by lifting off or by sliding, or by turning (protection covers, protection cases also against humidity) · CPC title

• G04B45/0092 Primary

  Changeable parts (cases or clockworks with holders or as holders G04B37/127) · CPC title

• G04B45/0076

  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) · CPC title

• G04B37/18 Primary

  for pocket or wrist watches (G04B37/02 - G04B37/16 take precedence) · CPC title