Claims
- 1. A link for a bracelet, comprising:a central portion; a cavity in the central portion; a slot connected to the cavity; a pair of spaced apart outer portions, attached to one end of the central portion; a crossbar attached between the outer portions opposite to the central portion; and a spring clip located inside the cavity, having a spring opening along its length positioned in alignment with the slot.
- 2. The link of claim 1, further comprising;wherein the crossbar is generally rectangular.
- 3. The link of claim 1, further comprising;wherein the crossbar is generally oblong.
- 4. The link of claim 1, further comprising;wherein the cavity is generally cylindrical.
- 5. The link of claim 1, further comprising;wherein the spring clip is generally cylindrical.
- 6. The link of claim 1, further comprising;wherein the spring clip is made of a stainless steel material.
- 7. The link of claim 1, further comprising;wherein expansion of the spring opening is limited by interference between the spring clip and the cavity.
- 8. The link of claim 1, further comprising;wherein expansion of the spring opening is limited by interference between the spring clip and the slot.
- 9. The link of claim 1, further comprising;wherein the crossbar has a long cross-sectional axis and a short cross-sectional axis.
- 10. The link of claim 9, further comprising;wherein the long axis is in a plane approximately parallel to the plane of the central portion.
- 11. The link of claim 9, further comprising;wherein the long axis is at least about 10 percent wider than the short axis.
- 12. The link of claim 9, further comprising;wherein the spring opening is expandable to a width at least as wide as the short axis.
- 13. The link of claim 9, further comprising;wherein the spring opening is expandable to a width less than the long axis.
- 14. The link of claim 1, further comprising;a pair of opposing spring lips formed along the edges of the spring opening and extending into the slot.
- 15. The link of claim 14, further comprising;wherein the opposing spring lips form a lip angle with a vertex directed generally towards the center of the spring clip.
- 16. The link of claim 14, further comprising;wherein expansion of the spring opening is limited by interference between the spring lips and the slot.
- 17. The link of claim 14, further comprising;An inner radius between each spring lip and the center of the spring clip.
- 18. The link of claim 17, further comprising;wherein the inner radius is approximately 0.3 millimeters.
- 19. The link of claim 1, further comprising;a pair of opposing slot faces formed on the slot.
- 20. The link of claim 19, further comprising;wherein expansion of the spring opening is limited by interference between the spring lips and the slot faces.
- 21. The link of claim 19, further comprising;wherein the opposing slot faces form a face angle with a vertex directed generally towards the center of the cavity.
- 22. The link of claim 21, further comprising;wherein the face angle is at least 5° (degrees) larger than the lip angle.
- 23. The link of claim 21, further comprising;wherein the face angle is between about 70° (degrees) and about 90° (degrees).
- 24. The link of claim 21, further comprising;wherein the face angle is approximately 80° (degrees).
- 25. A bracelet connection, comprising:a first bracelet section having a central portion with a cavity, and a slot connected to the cavity; a spring clip located inside the cavity, having a spring opening along its length positioned in alignment with the slot; and, a second bracelet section having two outer portions and a crossbar attached between the outer portions.
- 26. The bracelet connection of claim 25, further comprising;the crossbar is generally rectangular.
- 27. The bracelet connection of claim 25, further comprising;wherein the crossbar is generally oblong.
- 28. The bracelet connection of claim 25, further comprising;wherein the cavity is generally cylindrical.
- 29. The bracelet connection of claim 25, further comprising;wherein the spring clip is generally cylindrical.
- 30. The bracelet connection of claim 25, further comprising;wherein the spring is made of a stainless steel material.
- 31. The bracelet connection of claim 25, further comprising;wherein expansion of the spring opening is limited by interference between the spring clip and the cavity.
- 32. The bracelet connection of claim 25, further comprising;wherein expansion of the spring opening is limited by interference between the spring clip and the slot.
- 33. The bracelet connection of claim 25, further comprising;wherein the crossbar has a long cross-sectional axis and a short cross-sectional axis.
- 34. The bracelet connection of claim 33, further comprising;wherein the long axis is in a plane approximately parallel to the plane of the central portion.
- 35. The bracelet connection of claim 33, further comprising;wherein the long axis is at least about 10 percent wider than the short axis.
- 36. The bracelet connection of claim 33, further comprising;wherein the spring opening is expandable to a width at least as wide as the short axis.
- 37. The bracelet connection of claim 33, further comprising;wherein the spring opening being expandable to a width less than the long axis.
- 38. The bracelet connection of claim 25, further comprising;a pair of opposing spring lips formed along the edges of the spring opening and extending into the slot.
- 39. The bracelet connection of claim 33, further comprising;wherein the opposing spring lips form a lip angle with a vertex directed generally towards the center of the spring clip.
- 40. The bracelet connection of claim 33, further comprising;wherein expansion of the spring opening is limited by interference between the spring lips and the slot.
- 41. The link of claim 33, further comprising;An inner radius between each spring lip and the center of the spring clip.
- 42. The link of claim 41, further comprising;wherein the inner radius is approximately 0.3 millimeters.
- 43. The bracelet connection of claim 27, further comprising;a pair of opposing slot faces formed on the slot.
- 44. The bracelet connection of claim 43, further comprising;wherein expansion of the spring opening is limited by interference between the spring lips and the slot faces.
- 45. The bracelet connection of claim 43, further comprising;wherein the opposing slot faces form a face angle with a vertex directed generally towards the center of the cavity.
- 46. The bracelet connection of claim 45, further comprising;wherein the face angle is at least 5° (degrees) larger than the lip angle.
- 47. The bracelet connection of claim 45, further comprising;wherein the face angle is between about 70° (degrees) and about 90° (degrees).
- 48. The bracelet connection of claim 45, further comprising;wherein the face angle is approximately 80° (degrees).
CROSS-REFERENCES
This application claims the benefits of the earlier filed U.S. Provisional App. Ser. No. 60/137,814 filed on Jun. 4, 1999, which is incorporated by reference for all purposes into this application.
US Referenced Citations (15)
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/137814 |
Jun 1999 |
US |