Patent Application
20110198248
This is a National Phase Application in the U.S. of International Patent Application PCT/EP2009/062644 filed Sep. 29, 2009, which claims priority on Swiss Patent Application No. 01597/08 of Oct. 6, 2008. The entire disclosures of the above patent applications are hereby incorporated by reference.
The invention concerns a case or a container for receiving, in a fixed position, an article secured to a support. This case includes a bottom part forming the base and a top part forming the cover. The bottom and top parts cooperate with each other to define a closed space when the case is in a closed position.
Presentation cases or containers for watches are known from the prior art. These cases take the form of a parallelepiped box, comprising a base and a cover, and generally containing a support. The support is generally placed in the bottom of the case and is used for holding the article, in a fixed position when the article is placed in said case.
For watch models within the upper market range, the inside of the case is leather or alcantara. The support then takes the form of a cushion covered in the same material as that covering the case therefore watch, onto which the watch is attached. For watch belonging to the lower market range models, the support takes the form of a foam or plastic part. In the latter case, the support is then in the shape of an arch that rests or is fixed on the bottom of the case.
However, the position of the article, such as a watch, on the support raises some problems. In fact, the watch is placed on the support as if it were attached to a wrist. Thus, when the support is placed in the case, the support-watch assembly generally rests on the watch wristband or bracelet. The fact that the support-watch assembly is pressing on the bracelet may then damage said bracelet.
Moreover, the support is generally sized so that it is not free to move once placed in the case. This is generally achieved by making the width of the support the same size as the inner width of the case. This blocks the support in the case making it incapable of any movement and resistant to any shocks that the case might undergo. This arrangement consequently provides better protection for the article secured to the support.
However, although this arrangement protects the article from any shocks experienced by the case, the positioning of the support on the bottom of the case makes it more difficult to take hold of the watch. It is thus usual for the support to be inserted or removed from the case by gripping the article secured to the support, with the risk that this will damage or spoil said article.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art by proposing a case wherein the article that has to be placed therein can be inserted in and removed from the case in a simple manner while, still being protected from shocks.
The invention therefore concerns the aforecited case, characterized in that said support includes holding means, which are arranged so that the article is not resting on the bottom, or against the cover.
One advantage of this case is therefore that it makes it easier to place the article in the case. Indeed, the support to which the article is secured is not in the bottom of the case. This allows the user of the case to secure the article to the support and put said support in the case or remove it therefrom very easily.
This also means that the case and the support can be secured to each other, thus preventing said support from moving under the effect of shocks. The article secured to the support is then protected from external shocks.
Advantageous embodiments of this case form the subject of the dependent claims 13 to 23.
According to a particularly advantageous aspect of the invention, the case is made of a transparent material allowing the article to be seen from outside the case. The transparency of the case also means that the support can be associated with said case to achieve advantageous visual effects.
The objects, advantages and features of the case according to the present invention will appear more clearly upon reading the following detailed description of at least one embodiment of the invention, given purely by way of non-limiting example and illustrated by the annexed drawings, in which:
A presentation case for a watch will be used as an example in the following description. However, this example will be used by way of non-limiting example, as said presentation case could be used for bracelets, earrings, rings or other articles.
Moreover, the case shown in
A support 5 is housed inside case 1, as seen in
First of all, case 1 is made such that a gap 4 appears between bottom part 3 and top part 2 on either side of case 1 when top part 2 is closed onto bottom part 3. This gap 4 is rectilinear in the example shown, but other shapes could be envisaged. The gaps are preferably located on two opposite sides of case 1. Case 1 could also include more than one gap 4 per side, with the gaps then taking the shape of slits. Of course, it would be possible for gaps to be in different planes, with top part 2 and bottom part 3 then being made accordingly.
Secondly, support 5, shown in
In a preferred embodiment illustrated in
These additional holding means are at the joint between bottom part 3 and top part 2. The holding means for support 5 thus consist of a projecting portion 8 made on two opposite sides of case 1 and which takes the form of a profile formed of two portions in the arc of a circle connected to each other by a rectilinear portion. These projecting parts 8 cooperate with support 5 at shoulders 6. In order to do this, shoulders 6 are made in a complementary shape to projecting parts 8 so that shoulders 6 can abut perfectly on said projecting parts 8. This provides a longitudinal support for support 5. Top part 2 is of course indented so that bottom part 3 and top part 2 can cooperate with each other to close said case 1 when support 5 is placed therein. In order to do this, top part 2 is made so that each opposite side has an indentation of complementary shape to projecting parts 8 of bottom part 3. The dimensions of these indentations are then adapted to form said gaps 4.
In a variant of this embodiment, support 5 is provided with transverse holding means 7 for holding support 5 both longitudinally and laterally. In order to do this, a rib 7 is placed on each side of support 5 at shoulders 6 so that the distance Lm between these ribs 7 is at most equal to the distance between the walls of case 1. Thereafter, support 5 cannot move transversally.
In another variant of this embodiment, ribs 7 extend to act as a side edge 10 for said support 5 as seen in
Bottom part 3 and top part 2 could also be made of transparent material. This transparency would enable the user to see the product inside case 1 without opening said case. This transparent appearance could be used for aesthetic purposes. Indeed, one of the uses of this transparent appearance is a three-dimensional display. For example, edges 10 of support 5 are used and associated with this transparent appearance to achieve this effect. In order to do this, edges 11 of the case and edges 10 of the support are etched in the same pattern so that, when the support is positioned in case 1, the patterns are superposed. Superposing the transparent etch on case 1 with the etch on support 5 gives an effect of depth that improves the aesthetic appearance of case 1.
One variant of the invention concerns making support 5 more practical to use. Support 5 is thus given a C shape with a slight flattening at the centre of the curve. This shape is very practical when used with a watch, since the watchcase can be placed on the flattened portion, while the ends allow the bracelet to adopt a curved profile almost identical to that of a wrist.
According to another possible variant of the support, the ends of support 5 are flexible. This flexibility means that the watch bracelet is subjected to less stress when the watch is secured to said support.
It will be clear that various alterations and/or improvements and/or combinations that are evident to those skilled in the art may be made to the various embodiments of the invention explained above, without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the annexed claims.
Indeed, it is clear that support 5 could take the shape of a tray on which jewellery is placed. Support 5 could also be trapezoidal so that the watchcase rests on the tip of the trapeze.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1597/08 | Oct 2008 | CH | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2009/062644 | 9/29/2009 | WO | 00 | 4/5/2011 |
