Patent Application
20110259049
The present invention relates to the field of watchmaking and jewelry. It concerns more specifically a bracelet with links hinged to each other by a pin.
Bracelets of this type are well known to those skilled in the art. They comprise a plurality of identical or matched links, articulated in pairs like a hinge including a male part, a female part and a connecting pin. The links are, for example, I-shaped elements alternating with H-shaped elements between the branches of which they are engaged. They may also be elements of more complex shape, including the male hinge part on one side and the female part on the other. There are holes through the links which are aligned when the male part is engaged in the female part, and in which the pins are placed.
Assembling the links using pins responds to specific requirements linked to the use of the bracelet. It will be noted first of all that the pins must be locked axially inside the aligned holes, so as not to come out of said holes, but they must be free to rotate inside one of the male or female hinge parts, to avoid interfering with the movement of articulation of the links. Moreover, they must be removably mounted so that a link can be removed or added if the length of the bracelet is adjusted.
When the links are made of metal, one solution to the various assembly constraints of the pins consists in driving the pins inside the male hinge part and leaving them free in the female part. This solution cannot be adopted for ceramic links because of the fragile nature of the material. Indeed, as ceramic material is not capable of plastic deformation, the links would be liable to break when the pins were driven in. Moreover, the diameter of the through holes must be given with great accuracy for it to be possible to drive a pin therein. However, it is difficult and expensive to pierce holes in ceramic with low tolerance.
Thus, in the state of the art, intermediate parts are used for assembling the pins with ceramic links. These parts are formed of a first tube, provided with a longitudinal slit, which is formed of an elastically deformable material, such as metal or plastic, and a second tube with no slit. The relative radial and longitudinal dimensions of the various hinge elements are important for the operation of the articulation. The male hinge part of the links is pierced with a through hole of larger diameter than that of the holes in the female hinge part. The diameter of the pin is smaller than the diameter of the holes made in the male and female hinge parts. The external diameter of the first and second tubes is larger than the diameter of the holes in the female hinge part, but smaller than the diameter of the hole in the male part. The inner diameter of the first slit tube is slightly smaller than the diameter of the pin, while the inner diameter of the second tube is slightly larger. The latter is also smaller than the external diameter of the first slit tube. Finally, the total length of the first and second tubes placed end-to-end is substantially equal to the length of the hole in the male hinge part, and the length of the pin is substantially equal to the sum of the lengths of the hole in the male hinge part and two holes in the female hinge part.
The first and second tubes are placed end-to-end inside the male hinge part of a first link. As their external diameters are greater than the diameter of the holes in the female hinge part, said tubes are axially locked in the male hinge hole. Moreover, they cannot slide into each other, because of their relative internal and external diameters. The pin is housed inside the first and second tubes, the ends thereof being engaged in holes in the female hinge part of a link next to the first link, in which they can rotate freely. As the internal diameter of the second tube is greater than the diameter of the pin, the latter is free inside the second tube. Conversely, as the internal diameter of the first slit tube is slightly smaller than the diameter of the pin, the latter is axially and rotatably secured to the first tube, under the gripping action that the tube exerts on the pin. It will be noted that the pin is driven into the first slit tube. Since said tube has a slit, it extends slightly radially under the driving in action, such that its initial diameter does not necessarily have to be given with great accuracy relative to the diameter of the pin.
As the pin is integral with the first slit tube, it is trapped inside the hole passing through the male hinge part. Moreover, it is axially locked inside said hole by the second tube which occupies the other portion of the length of the hole and therefore blocks any axial movement of the first slit tube.
Thus positioned in the aligned holes in two neighbouring links, the pin ensures the holding and articulation of said links. Moreover, it can easily be removed from the links, to dismantle the bracelet, by being driven out of the first slit tube. For this purpose, a rigid rod is used, whose diameter is slightly smaller diameter than that of the pin, to drive the pin out of the slit tube when said rod is actuated by a hammer.
This articulated bracelet is assembled manually and essentially includes the following steps:
Introducing the first and second slit tubes into the through hole in the male hinge part of a first link.
Engaging the male hinge part of said first link in the female hinge part of a second link so as to align the through holes.
Positioning a pin through the through holes by driving said pin inside the first slit tube after engagement in the second tube.
In addition to the aforementioned steps, adjustment of the length of this bracelet includes a first step of driving a pin out of the first slit tube so as to separate two neighbouring links.
The assembly steps thus described must be carried out with great care. It is important, for example, to place both types of tubes in the through hole of the male hinge part without confusing them up or inverting them. Confusion between a slit tube and a non-slit tube could, in the worst case scenario, result in the bracelet opening inadvertently and the watch being lost. It is also recommended to insert the pin into the through holes, by starting with the second non-slit tube, to avoid driving in virtually the entire length of the pin through the first slit tube. Because of the small size and similarity of the parts, the risk of assembly error is significant and potentially very inconvenient. It will also be noted that it takes a considerable amount of time to assemble a bracelet of this type, which has a non-negligible impact on the final cost thereof.
The present invention at least partially overcomes these various drawbacks, by proposing a bracelet with articulated links which is easier and quicker to assemble due to the reduced number of parts. More specifically, the present invention concerns a bracelet with links articulated like a hinge, including:
first links provided with a male hinge part pierced with a first through hole,
second links provided with a female hinge part pierced with second and third through holes, said first, second and third holes being aligned when a male hinge part is engaged in a female hinge part,
pins occupying said aligned holes, and
elements for axially locking said pins, formed of a first radially elastic tube and a second tube, axially locked in said first through holes, said pins being driven inside said first slit tubes,
characterized in that said first and second tubes includes an annular end via which they are secured so as to preserve the radial elasticity of said first tube.
Owing to this feature, it is only necessary to place one part, and not two parts, inside the through holes in the male hinge part, which simplifies and streamlines assembly of the bracelet.
In an advantageous embodiment, the first tube is provided with a longitudinal slit and said first and second tubes are integral over an angular portion of less than 180°, extending substantially opposite said longitudinal slit. Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description of an example embodiment of a bracelet with articulated links according to the invention, this example being given purely by way of non-limiting illustration, with reference to the annexed drawings, in which:
The bracelet with articulated links shown in
As shown in
Axial locking element 31 of pin 30, shown in perspective in
As illustrated in
Reference will now be made to
Assembly of the articulated bracelets according to the invention is made easier and quicker compared to assembly of a state of the art bracelet. An axial locking element 31 is inserted in a first through hole 12 of a first I-shaped link 10, then said first link 10 is engaged between the branches of a second H-shaped link 20. A pin is driven into axial locking element 31 through the alignment formed by the three holes 12, 22, 23. The two links 10 and 20 are consequently articulated to each other. Any confusion between a slit tube and non-slit tube is avoided, and the time taken for inserting the locking element is divided in half.
There has thus been described a bracelet with articulated links that is easy and quick to assemble. Of course, the bracelet according to the invention is not limited to the embodiment that has just been described and various simple alterations and variants can be envisaged by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the annexed claims.
It will be noted, first of all, that in the embodiment described above, the links are different and matched. Each includes two male hinge parts or two female hinge parts. In a variant, the links may be identical and each include a male hinge part and a female hinge part without altering the invention. A bracelet of this type is shown in
It was also mentioned that axial locking elements 31 are formed of a first tube 40 provided with a longitudinal slit and a second non-slit tube 41. Of course, this embodiment may be extended to any axial locking member including a first radially elastic tube and a second tube that does not have this property. It will be noted, for example, that the first tube may be made of an elastic material such as rubber. It may also be formed of a metal or other braid that can extend radially. These types of tubes are well known to those skilled in the art. As for the slit tube, the weld between the two tubes must be carried out so as to preserve the radial elasticity of the first tube. This can be obtained, for example, by welding the two tubes at four points each separated by 90°. Each angular portion located between two weld spots preserves its radial elasticity, and consequently, the tube as a whole preserves its radial elastic property. Of course, welding can also be carried out, as previously, on an angular portion not exceeding 180°.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10160843.8 | Apr 2010 | EP | regional |
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/091,631 filed Apr. 21, 2011, and is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from European Patent Application No. 10160843.8 filed Apr. 23, 2010, the entire contents of each of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 13091631 | Apr 2011 | US |
| Child | 13152383 | US |
