Buckles – buttons – clasps – etc. – Strap-end-attaching devices – Buckle connected
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-12
2004-06-15
Knight, Anthony (Department: 3677)
Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
Strap-end-attaching devices
Buckle connected
C024S2650BC, C016S277000, C368S313000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06748631
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hinge assembly and to wrist mounting-type electronic apparatus mounted on the wrist and utilizing the hinge assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 18
is a constitution view showing a mounting member of a conventional wrist mounting type electronic apparatus
110
. According to the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus
110
, timepiece, computer, communication apparatus or the like is constituted by an electronic circuit to thereby downsize the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus to be able to be mounted on the wrist. Such a wrist mounting type electronic apparatus
110
is constituted by a main body
111
for executing a function provided thereby and a mounting member
112
for mounting the electronic apparatus on the wrist.
The mounting member
112
shown in the drawing is pivoted centering on a hinge
113
having a coupling portion coupled with the main body
111
, thereby enabling mounting and dismounting on and from the wrist. An end portion of the mounting member
112
on a side opposed to the hinge
113
, is provided with an engaging portion
114
for maintaining a state of being mounted onto the wrist. The engaging portion
114
is of a type of inserting a sheet metal member
116
substantially in a shape of check mark the width of which can be changed by elastic deformation, into an insertion slot
115
having a narrow opening.
The sheet metal member
116
substantially in the shape of the check mark, is formed by a shape in which a front end thereof is bent to fold in an acute angle and when the sheet metal member
116
is pressed to the insertion slot
115
, the sheet metal member
116
is elastically deformed to contract to the width of the opening by following walls of the opening of the insertion slot
115
. The sheet metal member
116
substantially in the shape of the check mark, is reduced in the width by the elastic deformation and passes through the insertion slot
115
. After passing therethrough, the sheet metal member
116
elastically recovers to the original width in a space at inside of the insertion slot
115
and is prevented from being drawn therefrom. The space is provided with an attachment and detachment window
117
communicating with outside and when the sheet metal member
116
in the shape of the check mark is pressed from outside of the attachment and detachment window
117
to constitute a width the same as that of the width of the opening, the mounting member is drawn again from the insertion slot
115
.
However, according to the conventional wrist mounting type electronic apparatus, opening and closing operation is carried out by utilizing a self weight thereof and accordingly, there poses a problem that the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus is difficult to open unless the position of the hinge is not pertinent. In this case, the mounting member must be opened and closed by a human hand and attached and detached to and from the wrist, which is inconvenient. Further, the mounting member is provided with a property that when the mounting member is mounted to the wrist or the like, the opened mounting member is fluctuated and accordingly, the mounting member is difficult to mount thereon.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Hence, the invention has been carried out in view of the above described and it is an object thereof to provide a hinge assembly and a wrist mounting-type electronic apparatus utilizing the hinge assembly and which can attach and detach a mounting member by a simple operation and is not fluctuated even in an opened state thereof.
In order to achieve the above-described object, according to the invention, there is provided a wrist mounting type electronic apparatus comprising a strap formed of a hard material, a hinge attached to a coupling portion of the strap and a cabinet of a main body and urged by a spring in a direction of opening the strap relative to the cabinet of the main body, a push button provided at the cabinet and engaging means engaged in a state of mounting the strap onto a wrist and disengaged by the push button.
The wrist mounting type electronic apparatus is constituted by the main body and the strap. According to the invention, there is provided the engaging means for mounting the strap of the hard material around the wrist. The engaging means may be constituted by insertion engagement for inserting a shaft into a hole by utilizing a difference in a thickness of the shaft, recess and projection engagement for making a groove catch a biting piece, or latch engagement for fixing a pivotal movement portion by a latch. Further, a position of providing the engaging means may be disposed at an end portion of the cabinet of the main body or the coupling portion of the straps. The push button provided at the cabinet of the main body is provided such that the engaging means is disengaged by pressing the push button. Further, a number of providing the push button is not limited to one. With regard to connection of the push button with the engaging means, the insertion can mechanically be disengaged, the biting to the groove can be disengaged or the latch can be disengaged in accordance with the engaging means. When the engaging means is disengaged, the strap is opened by the hinge urged by the spring and the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus can promptly be disengaged from the wrist.
Next, according to the invention, there is provided a wrist mounting type electronic apparatus comprising a first strap having an inserting portion at a front end thereof and rotatably supported by a main body, a second strap having an inserted portion inserted by the inserting portion at a front end thereof and rotatably supported by the main body, and a button for fixing the inserting portion to the inserted portion and releasing the inserted portion from the inserting portion. By providing the button for fixing and releasing the inserting portion and the inserted portion, the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus can easily be attached and detached to and from the wrist.
Next, according to the invention, there is provided the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus, further comprising a spring for urging at least one of the first strap and the second strap in an opening direction. By urging the strap by the spring, the strap can easily be disengaged from the wrist.
Next, according to the invention, there is provided the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus, wherein the inserting portion includes a groove provided on an inner side of an outer configuration thereof and a hole larger than the groove at a terminal end of the groove, and the inserted portion is provided with the button having a shaft in a taper shape and the shaft is coaxial with a center of the hole. By engaging the hole of the inserting portion and the shaft of the button, when the button is pushed, a portion of the shaft having a shaft diameter smaller than the diameter of the hole is moved from the hole, the inserting portion and the inserted portion are released and therefore, the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus can easily be disengaged from the wrist.
Further, next, according to the invention, there is provided a wrist mounting type electronic apparatus characterized in comprising a strap coupled to a hinge urged by a spring in an opening direction, an inserting portion constituting a flat portion provided at an edge portion of the strap on a side opposed to the hinge, having a small diameter hole and having a groove communicating with the small diameter hole from the edge portion by a width smaller than the small diameter, an inserted portion provided at a cabinet and having a slot portion slightly higher than the inserting portion, and a rod member extended from a push button attached to the inserted portion, having a shape connecting a shaft A having a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the hole and a shaft B having a diameter smaller than a width of the groove by a taper a diameter of which is reduced toward a side of
Bito Yoshinori
Hashimoto Haruo
Iguchi Katsunobu
Ito Takashi
Matsumoto Nobuhide
Adams & Wilks
Jackson Andre′ L.
Knight Anthony
Seiko Instruments Inc.
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