LINK ELEMENT INCLUDING A CASING FORMED OF A PLATE AND A BACK PLATE

Abstract

The invention concerns a link element (12) including one strand (14) which extends longitudinally in a horizontal plane and one front end of which (22) includes a device for attachment to a watch (10), the attachment device including:

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages will appear more clearly upon reading the following detailed description for the comprehension of which reference will be made to the annexed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top torn away view which shows a watch fitted with a bracelet including two link elements which are made in accordance with the teaching of the invention and which are enveloped in a material such as leather, the envelope is torn away so that the device fixing a link element to the watch can be seen;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-section along the cross-sectional plane 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view which show a link element of FIG. 1 without the envelope;

FIG. 4 is a larger scale detailed view which shows the casing mounted on the strand of the link element of FIG. 1 without the envelope;

FIG. 5 is a transverse cross-section along the cross-sectional plane 5-5 of FIG. 1.

Claims

1. A link element, particularly for a bracelet, including one strand which extends longitudinally in a horizontal plane and one front end of which includes a device for attachment to a watch, the attachment device including: a casing which is secured to the front end of the strand;two coaxial securing pins of transverse axis which are received in two associated lateral housings of the casing, a free end of each pin being pivotably received about the transverse axis in one of the two opposite orifices of the watch,wherein the casing includes a bottom plate and a top back plate, and wherein the front end of the strand includes a holding pin, which is fitted vertically into a sink of the bottom plate, the top back plate being secured to the bottom plate trapping the front end of the strand such that the casing is secured to the strand.

2. The link element according to claim 1, wherein the back plate is secured to the plate by the resilient snap fit of complementary shapes.

3. The link element according to claim 1, wherein the back plate is secured to the plate by bonding.

4. The link element according to claim 1, wherein the back plate is secured to the plate by screws.

5. The link element according to claim 1, wherein the plate includes first snap fitting means which cooperate with second complementary snap fitting means carried by the back plate in order to block the horizontal movements of the plate in relation to the back plate.

6. The link element according to claim 1, wherein each lateral housing of the casing is formed in part downwards in the plate and in part upwards in the back plate.

7. The link element according to claim 6, wherein each pin is telescopically mounted axially in an associated socket, and wherein each socket includes resilient snap fitting means inside the associated lateral housing of the casing.

8. The link element according to claim 7, wherein each lateral housing of the casing includes a raised portion which is received radially in an annular radial groove of the socket so as to immobilise the socket axially.

9. The link element according to claim 1, wherein the lateral housings are contiguous and wherein each pin is telescopically mounted axially in an end section of a single socket.

10. The link element according to claim 1, wherein the bottom plate includes a bottom edge which extends horizontally forwards in order to match the contour of the watch to limit the pivoting of the front end of the link element in relation to the watch.

11. The link element according to claim 1, wherein the strand is a flexible core which is made in a single piece.

12. The link element according to claim 11, wherein the strand is covered with a top envelope which extends above the top back plate of the casing.

13. The link element according to claim 12, wherein the bottom plate includes a bottom edge which extends horizontally forwards in order to match the contour of the watch to limit the pivoting of the front end of the link element in relation to the watch and wherein a front end section of the top envelope is folded downwards so as to extend at least as far as the bottom edge of the bottom plate.

14. The link element according to claim 13, wherein the bottom edge includes a recess which enables a front end tongue of the top envelope to be folded down in order to be secured under the bottom face of the strand.

15. The link element according to claim 12, wherein the envelope is made of leather.

16. The link element according to claim 12, wherein the envelope is made of a natural or synthetic fabric.