Package and article carriers – Carried by animate bearer – Watch attaching means extending circumferentially of wrist
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-01
2001-03-13
Vidovich, Gregory M. (Department: 3727)
Package and article carriers
Carried by animate bearer
Watch attaching means extending circumferentially of wrist
C224S166000, C224S173000, C224S219000, C024S2650WS
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199730
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to watchbands or similar wristbands for retaining a watch or other device, and specifically relates to a watchband or wristband having a protective cover to cover the watch or device from exposure.
2. Description of Related Art
Watchbands, or similar wristbands structured to retain a timepiece or the like, have been disclosed in the art. Furthermore, watchbands having a cover or flap for covering a watch have been disclosed in the art. Such watchbands are generally structured to cover the watch so that it is not directly exposed to the elements. Persons who are active in outdoor sporting activities or who are involved in military maneuvers find such watchbands particularly beneficial.
Watchbands as previously described are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,808 to Hallman, et al., U.S. Design Pat. No. 287,229 to Hallman et al., and U.S. Design Pat. No. 383,993 to Kalbach. While useful for their purpose, known watchbands, such as those disclosed in the identified patents, have certain disadvantages of construction which render the particular watchband either difficult to use or more expensive to manufacture. For example, the watchband disclosed U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,808 is structured to retain a watch casing in a more permanent manner, thereby rendering the watchband unsuitable for readily switching watchbands or watch casings.
Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a wristband which is structured with a protective cover, but which is simplified in construction and use, which is less expensive to manufacture and which enables the ready removal of the watch or other device from the wristband at the discretion of the wearer.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a wristband is configured to retain a watch, instrument or ornament on the wrist in a selectively releasable manner and further provides a protective cover for preventing exposure of the watch, instrument or ornament to the environment. The present invention is particularly configured to facilitate placement of the watch, instrument or ornament on the wristband, to facilitate attachment of the wristband to the wearer's wrist and to reduce the cost of manufacture of the wristband. While the wristband is described herein with respect to a watchband for a watch, the wristband may be adapted to any other type of device or ornament desired for wearing on the wrist.
The wristband of the invention, referred to hereinafter more specifically as a watchband, is comprised of a first band which is sized to encircle a wearer's wrist, a watch-engaging member extending from the first band and a protective cover for positioning over a watch or other item retained by the watch-engaging member. The first band is configured with a band closure which enables the first band to be encircled about the wrist and held in place there. The band closure may take any appropriate form, such as snaps, buckles, hook and eye mechanisms or magnets. In a particularly suitable embodiment, however, the band closure may be interlocking hook and loop material of the type sold under the trademark Velcro®, and preferably the band closure is comprised of the nappy fabric portion of the hook and loop material (although it may alternatively comprise the nylon loop portion). The watchband of the present invention differs from similar known watchbands in providing a band closure which only extends a portion of the length of the first band, thereby facilitating attachment of the watchband to the wrist and reducing the amount of material required in manufacture of the watchband.
The watch-engaging member is configured to retain a watch or other measuring device or ornament on the watchband and may generally comprise a length of flexible material capable of engaging the watch casing. In a particularly suitable embodiment, the watch-engaging member may be a ribbon of material, one side of which bears a reciprocating closure member positioned to engage the band closure of the first band. When structured with hook and loop material, the reciprocating closure member is the opposing type of material to that used for construction of the band closure. The watch-engaging member thus serves the dual purpose of retaining the watch on the watchband and engaging the band closure to keep the first band in position encircled about the wearer's wrist.
In a particularly suitable embodiment, the watch-engaging member is sized in length to be at least ninety percent of the length of the first band, and is preferably less than sixty percent of the length of the first band. Reducing the length of the watch-engaging member not only reduces the amount of material required for manufacture of the watch-engaging member, but facilitates attachment of the watchband to the wearer's wrist in that the watch-engaging member does not need to wrap about the entire circumference of the wrist to complete the attachment. The watch-engaging member may even be sized in length to be equal to or less than the length of the band closure, thereby also reducing costs of manufacture and facilitating attachment of the watchband to the wrist.
The protective cover of the present watchband extends from the first band in the same direction as the watch-engaging member and is sized in length to cover a watch or other ornament secured to the watchband. The protective cover may, most suitably, be sized in length to be equal to or longer than the length of the watch-engaging member. The protective cover is configured with a cover closure member which is positioned to engage at least a portion of the band closure to effectively secure the protective cover in position over the watch. The cover closure member may be the reciprocating material of a hook and loop closure, as previously described, or may comprise any other suitable means for engaging the band closure.
In an alternative embodiment, the watch-engaging member may be further structured with a closure member positioned to engage at least a portion of the cover closure member such that when the watchband is to be removed from the wrist, the protective cover and watch-engaging member can be released simultaneously from the band closure of the first band to retain the watch in secure engagement with the watchband, thereby avoiding loss of the watch.
These and other beneficial aspects of the present invention will be more apparent by reference to the illustrations and detailed description of the invention which follows.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 287229 (1986-12-01), Hallman et al.
patent: D. 365442 (1995-12-01), Davis et al.
patent: D. 372878 (1996-08-01), Finnegan
patent: D. 383993 (1997-09-01), Kalbach
patent: 2998695 (1961-09-01), Cornett
patent: 4103808 (1978-08-01), Hallman et al.
patent: 4155219 (1979-05-01), Anderson
patent: 4489867 (1984-12-01), Schwemberger
patent: 5332135 (1994-07-01), Fletcher
patent: 6073821 (2000-06-01), Mercer et al.
patent: 6108876 (2000-08-01), Hubbert
patent: 80927 (1949-06-01), None
Chisco, Inc.
Morriss Bateman O'Bryant & Compagni
Vidovich Gregory M.
LandOfFree
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