Connecting structure and wearable device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12449771-B2
Application number	US-202218075654-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2022
Priority date	Dec 6, 2021
Publication date	Oct 21, 2025
Grant date	Oct 21, 2025

Abstract

A connecting structure includes a connecting pin, a pin catch, a biasing member, and a holder. The connecting pin has a first portion, a second portion thicker than the first portion, and a step therebetween and connects a connecting object and a connected object (objects) by being inserted into their insertion holes. The pin catch moves in a recess in one of the objects in moving directions that are not an extending direction of the insertion holes and has a pin engagement portion that engages the step. The biasing member biases the pin catch in one of the moving directions. The holder is on the one of the objects and transitions, in response to user operation, to a first state where the holder and the biasing member holds the pin catch or a second state where the pin catch is detachable from the recess.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connecting structure comprising:
a connecting pin that has a first portion, a second portion thicker than the first portion, and a step between the first portion and the second portion and connects a connecting object and a connected object to each other by being inserted into a first insertion hole of the connecting object and a second insertion hole of the connected object;
a pin catch that moves in a recess in one of the connecting object and the connected object in moving directions that are not parallel to an extending direction of an insertion hole of the one of the connecting object and the connected object and has a pin engagement portion that engages the step of the connecting pin, the insertion hole being one of the first insertion hole and the second insertion hole;
a biasing member that biases the pin catch in a direction among the moving directions; and
a holder that is provided on the one of the connecting object and the connected object and transitions, in response to user operation, to one of a first state in which the holder holds the pin catch in cooperation with the biasing member and a second state in which the pin catch is detachable from the recess, wherein:
the pin catch moves in the recess between a first position and a second position that is different from the first position in the moving directions;
upon the pin catch being in the first position in response to cooperation of the biasing member and the holder, the connecting pin engages the pin engagement portion at the step;
upon the pin catch being in the second position in response to user operation against biasing force by the biasing member, the second portion passes through the pin engagement portion;
the pin catch has an abutment;
upon the pin catch being in the second position, the abutment abuts on a wall of the recess, the wall intersecting a line through the recess at a point that is in the moving directions;

the biasing member is a compression coil spring; and
the abutment is located inside the compression coil spring.

2. The connecting structure according to claim 1 , wherein the holder is detachably attached to the one of the connecting object and the connected object, enters the first state upon the holder being attached to the one of the connecting object and the connected object, and enters the second state upon the holder being detached from the one of the connecting object and the connected object.

3. The connecting structure according to claim 2 , wherein, in the first state, the holder is screwed to the one of the connecting object and the connected object.

4. The connecting structure according to claim 3 , wherein the holder has a groove on a surface opposite to a surface facing the biasing member, the groove fitting a tool that is used to rotate the holder upon the holder being attached to the one of the connecting object and the connected object.

5. The connecting structure according to claim 4 , wherein:
a central axis of the pin catch does not intersect an insertion axis in a view from a longitudinal direction of the insertion hole, the central axis passing a center of a cross section perpendicular to the moving directions, the insertion axis passing a center of a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction; and
the pin engagement portion is an edge of a cutout in the pin catch, the cutout being at least at a portion where the insertion axis passes.

6. The connecting structure according to claim 4 , wherein:
the pin catch moves in the recess between a first position and a second position that is different from the first position in the moving directions;
upon the pin catch being in the first position in response to cooperation of the biasing member and the holder, the connecting pin engages the pin engagement portion at the step; and
upon the pin catch being in the second position in response to user operation against biasing force by the biasing member, the second portion passes through the pin engagement portion.

7. The connecting structure according to claim 3 , wherein:
a central axis of the pin catch does not intersect an insertion axis in a view from a longitudinal direction of the insertion hole, the central axis passing a center of a cross section perpendicular to the moving directions, the insertion axis passing a center of a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction; and
the pin engagement portion is an edge of a cutout in the pin catch, the cutout being at least at a portion where the insertion axis passes.

8. The connecting structure according to claim 3 , wherein:
the pin catch moves in the recess between a first position and a second position that is different from the first position in the moving directions;
upon the pin catch being in the first position in response to cooperation of the biasing member and the holder, the connecting pin engages the pin engagement portion at the step; and
upon the pin catch being in the second position in response to user operation against biasing force by the biasing member, the second portion passes through the pin engagement portion.

9. The connecting structure according to claim 2 , wherein:
a central axis of the pin catch does not intersect an insertion axis in a view from a longitudinal direction of the insertion hole, the central axis passing a center of a cross section perpendicular to the moving directions, the insertion axis passing a center of a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction; and
the pin engagement portion is an edge of a cutout in the pin catch, the cutout being at least at a portion where the insertion axis passes.

10. The connecting structure according to claim 2 , wherein:
the pin catch moves in the recess between a first position and a second position that is different from the first position in the moving directions;
upon the pin catch being in the first position in response to cooperation of the biasing member and the holder, the connecting pin engages the pin engagement portion at the step; and
upon the pin catch being in the second position in response to user operation against biasing force by the biasing member, the second portion passes through the pin engagement portion.

11. The connecting structure according to claim 1 , wherein:
a central axis of the pin catch does not intersect an insertion axis in a view from a longitudinal direction of the insertion hole, the central axis passing a center of a cross section perpendicular to the moving directions, the insertion axis passing a center of a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction; and
the pin engagement portion is an edge of a cutout in the pin catch, the cutout being at least at a portion where the insertion axis passes.

12. The connecting structure according to claim 11 , wherein:
the pin catch moves in the recess between a first position and a second position that is different from the first position in the moving directions;
upon the pin catch being in the first position in response to cooperation of the biasing member and the holder, the connecting pin engages the pin engagement portion at the step; and
upon the pin catch being in the second position in response to user operation against biasing force by the biasing member, the second portion passes through the pin engagement portion.

13. The connecting structure according to claim 1 , wherein the pin catch has an exposed surface that is exposed from the holder and located closer to the biasing member than a top surface of the holder is, the top surface of the holder being opposite to a surface of the holder that faces the biasing member.

Assignees

• Casio Computer Co Ltd

Inventors

• Maruyama Yoshihiro
• Amano Masao

Classifications

• A44C5/107

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

• G04B37/1486

  Arrangements for fixing to a bracelet (building watches into bracelets (montre marquise) G04B37/12; arrangements for hanging pocket- or other watches on chains G04B37/1446) · CPC title

• A44C5/14 Primary

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

• G04B37/16 Primary

  Fastening the case to the bracelet · CPC title