Connector, band and timepiece

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12329250-B2
Application number	US-202117412463-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2021
Priority date	Aug 27, 2020
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

A connector including a cylindrical member which has a stopper provided on an end and an opening provided in an outer circumferential surface while extending to the end along an axial direction, a slide member arranged in the cylindrical member, and an operation member attached to the slide member through the opening of the cylindrical member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connector comprising:
a cylindrical member that extends along an axial direction,
wherein a cutout is provided at an end of the cylindrical member in the axial direction, and
wherein an opening is provided on the cylindrical member to extend along the axial direction towards the end of the cylindrical member;

a stopper provided on the end of the cylindrical member, wherein an inner diameter of the stopper is less than an inner diameter of the cylindrical member;
a slide member comprising:
a large-diameter portion configured to be slidably arranged within the cylindrical member and to come in contact with the stopper; and
a small-diameter portion, wherein at least a portion of the small-diameter portion is configured to be retractably protruded past the stopper; and

an operation member attached to the large-diameter portion of the slide member through the opening of the cylindrical member,
wherein a joint portion of the operation member is welded to an outer surface of the large-diameter portion of the slide member, and
wherein a length of the cutout in a circumferential direction perpendicular to the axial direction is sized such that an entire circumference of the joint portion of the operation member welded to the outer surface of the large-diameter portion of the slide member extends past the cutout in a direction radially away from the axial direction to be exposed.

2. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the operation member is provided on an end portion of the large-diameter portion adjacent to a boundary between the large-diameter portion and the small-diameter portion of the slide member.

3. The connector according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a spring member configured to force the large-diameter portion of the slide member towards the stopper.

4. The connector according to claim 2 ,
wherein the opening of the cylindrical member is a first opening, and the end of the cylindrical member is a first end,
wherein the slide member is a first slide member,
wherein the operation member is a first operation member, and
wherein the connector further comprises:
a second opening provided at a second end of the cylindrical member along the axial direction;
a second slide member arranged within the cylindrical member; and
a second operation member attached to the second slide member.

5. The connector according to claim 4 ,
wherein the first operation member is attached to the first slide member by welding with a laser beam, and
wherein the second operation member is attached to the second slide member by being screwed thereinto.

6. The connector according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a spring member configured to force the large-diameter portion of the slide member towards the stopper.

7. The connector according to claim 6 ,
wherein the opening of the cylindrical member is a first opening, and the end of the cylindrical member is a first end,
wherein the slide member is a first slide member,
wherein the operation member is a first operation member, and
wherein the connector further comprises:
a second opening provided at a second end of the cylindrical member along the axial direction;
a second slide member arranged within the cylindrical member; and
a second operation member attached to the second slide member.

8. The connector according to claim 7 ,
wherein the first operation member is attached to the first slide member by welding with a laser beam, and
wherein the second operation member is attached to the second slide member by being screwed thereinto.

9. The connector according to claim 8 , wherein a stopper is provided in both end portions of the cylindrical member, and
wherein the opening of the cylindrical member is provided such that one end portion is formed in the end of the cylindrical member by the stopper of the cylindrical member being cut out.

10. The connector according to claim 9 , wherein the first operation member has a head section and a shaft section, and
wherein the first operation member is welded by a laser beam with a pair of the slide members being pressed by spring force of a spring member and the shaft section being positioned at the end of the cylindrical member where the stopper has been cut out.

11. The connector according to claim 1 ,
wherein the opening of the cylindrical member is a first opening, and the end of the cylindrical member is a first end,
wherein the slide member is a first slide member,
wherein the operation member is a first operation member, and
wherein the connector further comprises:
a second opening provided at a second end of the cylindrical member along the axial direction;
a second slide member arranged within the cylindrical member; and
a second operation member attached to the second slide member.

12. The connector according to claim 11 ,
wherein the first operation member is attached to the first slide member by welding with a laser beam, and
wherein the second operation member is attached to the second slide member by being screwed thereinto.

13. A band comprising:
a band attachment portion provided on a case; and
the connector according to claim 9 ,
wherein the connector is attached to the band attachment portion.

14. The band according to claim 13 ,
wherein the first operation member and the second operation member are exposed from cutout sections provided in side portions of the band attachment portion.

15. A band comprising the connector according to claim 1 .

16. A timepiece comprising the connector according to claim 1 .

17. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein an axial length of the opening of the cylindrical member is equal to or shorter than an axial length of the large-diameter portion of the slide member,
wherein an outer diameter of the large-diameter portion is shorter than an inner diameter of the cylindrical member and the axial length of the large-diameter portion is one-third of an axial length of the cylindrical member, and
wherein an outer diameter of the small-diameter portion is shorter than the outer diameter of the large-diameter portion and an axial length of the small-diameter portion is half the axial length of the large-diameter portion.

18. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein, in the opening of the cylindrical member, when the small-diameter portions of a pair of the slide members are pressed into the cylindrical member against spring force of a spring member, a shaft section of the operation member is positioned close to or come in contact with a middle side of the cylindrical member in the axial direction.

Assignees

• Casio Computer Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nakatsuka Yoshiki

Classifications

• A44C5/107

  with links made of more than two elements including connecting elements · CPC title

• A44C5/185

  Attachment of fasteners to straps or chains · CPC title

• G04B37/14

  Suspending devices, supports or stands for time-pieces insofar as they form part of the case {(wrist watch straps, fastening means therefor A44C5/00)} · CPC title

• A44C5/147 Primary

  Watchcase itself used as fastener · CPC title

• A44C5/14 Primary

  characterised by the way of fastening to a wrist-watch or the like · CPC title