Watch strap strip

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9516928-B2
Application number	US-201214004740-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2012
Priority date	Apr 6, 2011
Publication date	Dec 13, 2016
Grant date	Dec 13, 2016

Abstract

The invention relates to a watch strap strip ( 1 ) reinforcement ( 2 ) intended to be housed in a casing ( 3 ) of the strip made from a flexible material, wherein the reinforcement includes a linking element ( 4 ) mechanically connecting: an element ( 10 ) for fixing the strip to the watch case to an element ( 9 ) for fixing the strip to a closure element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A watch strap strip comprising a casing and a reinforcement housed in the casing, wherein the casing is made from a flexible material, and wherein the reinforcement includes:
a linking element having a first extremity and a second extremity,
a first attachment configured for fixing the strap strip to a watch case, wherein the first attachment is mechanically connected or mechanically secured to the first extremity of the linking element,
a second attachment configured for fixing the strap strip to a closure element, wherein the second attachment is mechanically connected or mechanically secured to the second extremity of the linking element,
wherein the reinforcement has at least one of a higher tensile strength and a lower deformation under stress than the casing,
wherein at least one of (i) the first extremity of the linking element is folded and fixed to a central portion of the linking element at the level of the first attachment, and (ii) the second extremity of the linking element is folded and fixed to a central portion of the linking element at the level of the second attachment.

2. The strap strip as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the linking element includes a blade.

3. The strap strip as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second attachments is made from a superelastic alloy.

4. The strap strip as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second attachments includes a tube.

5. The strap strip as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the linking element is integrally formed with at least one of the first and second attachments.

6. The strap strip as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the folded first extremity and the folded second extremity of the linking element is fixed to the central portion of the linking element by at least one of riveting, soldering and screwing.

7. The strap strip as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the linking element is fixed directly to at least one of the first and second attachments.

8. The strap strip as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second attachments is prevented from being separated from the other of the first and second attachments, other than by breaking the linking element, when subjected to a tensile load of 100 N.

9. The strap strip as claimed in claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first and second attachments is prevented from being separated from the other of the first and second attachments, other than by breaking the linking element, when subjected to a tensile load of 200 N.

10. The strap strip as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the casing is coated or molded onto the reinforcement.

11. The strap strip as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the inertias and the geometries of sections of at least one of the linking element or the casing changes along the strip or the reinforcement in such a way that a flexural rigidity of the strip, along the strip, has a predetermined profile that is constant over at least a part of the strip.

12. The strap strip as claimed in claim 1 , wherein characteristic values for at least one of the inertias and the geometries of the sections of the linking element or the blade and the casing change along the strip or the reinforcement in opposite directions.

13. A watch strap including at least one strap strip as claimed in claim 1 .

14. A watch including at least one strap strip as claimed in claim 1 .

15. A watch strap strip comprising a casing and a reinforcement housed in the casing, wherein the casing is made from a flexible material, and wherein the reinforcement includes:
a linking element having a first extremity and a second extremity,
a first attachment configured for fixing the strap strip to a watch case, wherein the first attachment is mechanically connected or mechanically secured to the first extremity of the linking element,
a second attachment configured for fixing the strap strip to a closure element, wherein the second attachment is mechanically connected or mechanically secured to the second extremity of the linking element,
wherein the reinforcement has at least one of a higher tensile strength and a lower deformation under stress than the casing,
wherein the linking element has a cross-section whose geometry changes along the strap strip or the reinforcement,
wherein at least one of the widths and thicknesses of the cross-sections of the blade and the casing change along the strap strip in opposite directions.

16. A watch strap strip reinforcement for a strip comprising a casing made from a flexible material, wherein the reinforcement includes a blade made from a superelastic alloy, the blade extending from a first attachment configured for fixing the strap strip to a watch case to a second attachment configured for fixing the strap strip to a closure element, wherein the blade is mechanically connected or mechanically secured directly to at least one of the first and second attachments,
wherein the blade is integrally formed with at least one of the first and second attachments, and
wherein at least one of (i) the blade includes a first extremity that is folded and fixed to a central portion of the blade at the level of the first attachment, and (ii) the blade includes a second extremity that is folded and fixed to the blade at the level of the second attachment.

17. The reinforcement as claimed in claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first and second attachments is made from a superelastic alloy.

18. The reinforcement as claimed in claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first and second attachments includes a tube.

19. The reinforcement as claimed in claim 16 , wherein at least one of the folded first extremity and the folded second extremity of the blade is fixed to the central portion of the blade by at least one of riveting, soldering and screwing.

20. The reinforcement as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the blade is fixed directly to each of the first and second attachments.

21. The reinforcement as claimed in claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first and second attachments is prevented from being separated from the other of the first and second attachments, other than by breaking the linking element, when subjected to a tensile load of 100 N.

22. The reinforcement as claimed in claim 21 , wherein at least one of the first and second attachments is prevented from being separated from the other of the first and second attachments, other than by breaking the linking element, when subjected to a tensile load of 200 N.

23. A watch strap strip including the reinforcement as claimed in claim 16 and a casing.

24. The reinforcement as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the blade is fixed directly to the at least one of the first and second attachments by at least one of riveting, soldering and screwing.

25. A watch strap strip comprising a casing and a reinforcement housed in the casing, wherein the casing is made from a flexible material, wherein the reinforcement includes a blade having a cross-section whose geometry changes along a length of the strap strip, the blade extending from a first attachment configured for fixing the strap strip to a watch case to a second attachment configured for fixing the strap strip to a closure element, wherein the geometry of the cross-section of the blade changes along the length of the strap strip in such a way that the flexural rigidity of the strap strip, along the length of the

Assignees

• Catheline Adrien
• Grasser Félix
• Oulevey Frédéric
• Rolex Sa

Inventors

• Catheline Adrien
• Grasser Félix
• Oulevey Frédéric

Classifications

• A44C5/14

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

• A44C5/0053 Primary

  Flexible straps · CPC title

• A44C5/00 Primary

  Bracelets; Wrist-watch straps; Fastenings for bracelets or wrist-watch straps {(settings for holding gems or the like A44C17/02; devices for putting-on or pulling-off bracelets A47G25/901)} · CPC title