Buckles – buttons – clasps – etc. – Strap-end-attaching devices – Buckle connected
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-10
2001-11-06
Sakran, Victor N. (Department: 3626)
Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
Strap-end-attaching devices
Buckle connected
C024S0680AS, C024S0710ST
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311373
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a buckle for a personal adornment band, and more particularly to a buckle referred to as a double-fold buckle, wherein the length of a band is adjustable, and to a watch provided with the buckle.
BACKGROUND ART
The double-fold buckle capable of adjusting the effective length of bands comprising a first band and a second band comprises an upper plate pivotally connected to the first band, a lower plate rotatably connected to the other end of the upper plate, and a band length adjusting buckle pivotally connected to the other end of the lower plate and secured to the second band.
Japanese Utility Model Publication 56-10172 discloses the above-described double-fold buckle.
FIG. 22
is a sectional view of the double-fold buckle disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication 56-10172. The buckle comprises an upper plate
3
rotatably connected to an end of a band
1
by a pin
2
, an lower plate
4
connected to the other end of the upper plate
3
by a pin, and a band length adjusting buckle
6
slidably mounted on the other band
5
.
The band length adjusting buckle
6
has a slidable frame
10
comprising a bottom plate
7
and side walls
8
extending from both sides of the bottom plate, and a push plate
13
having a pair of supporting lugs
12
each of which is inserted in an elongated hole
11
formed in the side wall
8
with a slight play in the vertical direction. The push plate
13
is adapted to lightly abut on the other band so that the slidable frame
10
may slide along the band.
An end of the push plate
13
is bent to form an engaging portion
14
. The length adjusting buckle
6
further has a cover
16
pivotally connected to the end of the upper plate
3
by a pin
15
. The upper and lower plates
3
and
4
are folded and an engaging hook
17
projecting from the cover
16
is engaged with the engaging portion
14
so that the diameter of the band can be decreased to render the watch to be worn on a wrist.
In addition, the end of the lower plate
4
is bent downward to form a V shape, thereby forming a pushing projection
18
. As shown in
FIG. 22
, when the lower plate
4
of the buckle is rotated away from the other band
5
, the pushing projection
18
is disengaged from the push plate
13
to release the plate. Hence the length adjusting buckle
6
can be moved on the band
5
, thereby enabling to adjust the effective length of the band in accordance with the size of the wrist.
After the length is adjusted, the lower plate
4
is rotated toward the band
5
so that the pushing projection
18
depresses the push plate
13
, thereby to abut the push plate against the band
5
. Hence the length adjusting buckle
6
can be attached to the band. At that time, a pair of lugs
19
projecting from both sides of the lower plate engage with grooves
20
formed in the side walls
8
so that the lower plate
4
is prevented from rising.
In such a buckle, depending on the manner in which the watch is worn, especially when releasing the cover
16
from the engaging portion
14
, a large force is exerted, so that the lower plate
4
may further be rotated in the clockwise direction in
FIG. 22
from the push plate depressing state. When the lower plate
4
is thus rotated, the pushing projection
18
leaves the push plate
13
at the opposite end, thereby releasing the length adjusting buckle
6
from the band
5
. Thus there may occur an accident where the band is released from the wrist, and the watch falls off.
Moreover, since the lugs
19
are engaged with the grooves
20
, it is difficult to raise the lower plate
4
while wearing the watch to adjust the length of the band. Instead, the watch must be taken off from the wrist and the connecting plates must be rotated using such a tool as a screwdriver. Thus the adjusting operation is troublesome. In addition, since the plates are forced to rotate using the tool, the members such as the lower plate may be deformed. As a result, if the length is frequently adjusted in accordance with the daily changes of the size of the wrist so that the watch may be comfortably worn, the buckle may break and loose its function as a buckle.
Furthermore, the lugs
19
, which project out from the side walls
8
, may injure the cuffs of the clothes.
Moreover, the relative positions of the pushing projections
18
and the upper and lower plates
3
and
4
must be accurately set to obtain the predetermined effect, thus rendering the manufacture difficult.
FIGS. 23 and 24
show a conventional buckle disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open 6-66329. The buckle is provided with a lock mechanism comprising a slidable frame
22
in which a band
21
a
is inserted, and a cover
24
connected to the other band
21
b.
A pair of opposite holes
26
a
are formed in side walls
26
of the slidable frame
22
. In a guide housing
27
, there are disposed a pair of push buttons
28
and a pair of springs (not shown). The guide housing
27
is disposed in the slidable frame
22
so as to project a pair of manipulating portions
28
A of the push button from holes
26
a.
The slidable frame
22
is further provided with a support pin
23
fixed to the side walls
26
. A band fixing hook
25
is rotatably mounted on the support pin
23
. The band fixing hook
25
presses the band
21
a
by way of a push plate
25
a
which is movably held in a direction of the thickness of the band, thereby pressing the band
21
a
. Thus, the band
21
a
is fixed at an arbitrary position with respect to the slidable frame
22
.
A substantially T-shaped hook
24
a
projects from the underside of the cover
24
. The hook
24
a
engages engaging portions (not shown) of the push buttons
28
which are urged by the spring, thereby fastening the cover
24
to the slidable frame
22
.
When the manipulating portions
28
A of the push buttons
28
are depressed against the urging of the spring, each engaging portion of the push buttons
28
is disengaged from the hook
32
so that the cover
24
and the slidable frame
22
are released from one another. A coil spring
29
is wound around a connecting shaft for coaxially connecting the cover
24
, the other band
23
and a band connecting hook for urging the cover
24
in the opening direction. Thus, the cover
24
is automatically opened from the slidable frame
22
.
In the above-described buckle, the spring
29
is exposed so that the appearance of the personal adornment band is deteriorated.
An object of the present invention is to provide a buckle for a personal adornment band where the watch is prevented from falling off, the length of the band is easily adjusted, and which does not injure the clothes of the wearer, and is easy to manufacture.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a buckle wherein the spring means of the cover is not visible.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided a buckle for a personal adornment band comprising, at least an upper plate and a lower plate pivotally connected to an end of a first band, and pivotally connected to each other, a slidable frame having a bottom plate and pair of side walls formed on both side of the bottom plate and pivotally connected to an end of the lower plate, a pushing projection formed at an end of the lower plate for fixing the slidable frame to a second band, stopper means provided in the slidable frame so as to abut against the pushing projection at a position where the pushing projection fixes the slidable frame to the second band, thereby preventing the lower plate from rotating downwardly over the slidable frame fixing position.
The stopper means is provided at an outer position than the pushing projection.
The stopper means may be provided at an inner position than the pushing projection.
The stopper means is a rod securely mounted between the side walls of the slidable frame.
The stopper means may be a lock mechanism provided in the slidable frame.
A push plate is mounted on the slidable frame so as to insert the second band in a space between the
Citizen Watch Co. Ltd.
Dennison, Scheiner Schultz & Wakeman
Sakran Victor N.
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