US20030182770A1

US20030182770A1 - Wrist mounting type portable apparatus

Info

Publication number: US20030182770A1
Application number: US10/395,671
Authority: US
Inventors: Hideaki Koshoji
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-03-26
Filing date: 2003-03-24
Publication date: 2003-10-02
Also published as: CN1446501A; JP2003275005A

Abstract

To provide a wrist mounting type portable apparatus capable of being mounted and detached simply and capable of being adjusted simply to match to a size around the wrist. A wrist mounting type portable apparatus is comprised by a strap formed with adjust portions of a small pitch having a section in a length direction in a sawtooth-like shape and a section in a width direction in a rectangular shape, and adjust mechanisms having sawtooth-like engaging portions normally brought in mesh with the adjust portions of the strap by being pulled in one direction by an elastic force and released of the mesh with the adjust portions of the strap by being pushed in an opposed direction against the elastic force by an operating portion in adjusting. The adjust portion is formed at a rear face of the strap by comprising a vicinity of a center thereof as a boundary and directions of inclining sawteeth made opposed to each other. Further, the adjust mechanisms are comprised by the first adjust mechanism 30 attached to a 12 o'clock position of a case of the portable apparatus and the second adjust mechanism attached to a 6 o'clock position thereof.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a wrist mounting type portable apparatus of a wrist watch, a wrist mounting type altimeter, a wrist mounting type heart beat meter or the like. Further, according to the specification, in order to make explanation simple and clear, a wrist watch which is a representative wrist mounting type portable apparatus will be explained.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A strap of a wrist watch having a constitution of being adjusted to match to a size around the wrist of a user is frequently adopted.

In a wrist watch having a conventional constitution shown in FIG. 6, a strap comprises a

first strap piece

21 and a second strap piece 22 attached to a case 11 of a wrist watch main body 10. The case 11 of the wrist watch main body 10 is respectively formed with strap attaching portions 11 a and 11 b at a 12 o'clock position and a 6 o'clock position. One end 21 a of the first strap piece 21 is attached to the strap attaching portion 11 a and one end 22 a of the second strap piece 22 is attached to the strap attaching portion 11 b.

Other end

21 b of the strap piece 21 is attached with a buckle 24. The buckle 24 is attached with a rectangular buckle frame 24 a and a buckle tongue 24 b. One end of the buckle tongue 24 b is pivotably attached to one frame of the rectangular buckle frame 24 a, further, other end thereof is brought into contact with a frame opposed to the one frame of the rectangular buckle frame 24 a. Further, a plurality of adjust holes 23 are bored at a constant pitch L from a vicinity of other end 22 b to a vicinity of a middle of the strap piece 22.

The conventional strap by the adjust holes is provided with a simple structure, easily adjustable by a user to match to a wrist size of one's own and widely spread. However, the strap by the adjust holes poses a problem that since considerable load is applied to the adjust hole, the adjust hole is impaired and in the worst case, the strap is cut. Because the strap comprising the adjust holes is generally made of leather, made of plastic or made of cloth.

Meanwhile, a number of patents have been filed with regard to a structure of adjusting a metal strap. For example, JP-A-7-163409 discloses a timepiece strap provided with a clasp metal piece having a structure in which a both pieces/single piece opening clasp metal piece having an attaching and detaching opening/closing mechanism is provided with an adjust groove for adjusting a size around the wrist and an upper cover is separately provided to conceal an adjust portion.

Further, JP-A-2001-112518 discloses a timepiece strap characterized in a wrist watch strap for connecting a plurality of blocks each having a recessed portion at one end thereof in a chain direction and having a projected portion fittable to a recessed portion of a contiguous block at other end thereof by an adjust pin and in which each of the plurality of blocks is provided with a recessed portion groove including a connecting through hole at a bottom face thereof and provided with projected portion grooves including projected portion connecting through holes at bottom faces of two side faces of the projected portion and opposed to a recessed portion groove of a contiguous block when the projected portion and the recessed portion of the contiguous block are fitted at side faces of arm portions opposed to each other and is provided with an elastic member formed by opposing the projected portion groove and the recessed portion groove of the contiguous block.

Further, JP-A-2002-10810 discloses an adjust block for accessories characterized in comprising a connecting pin (first pin) latched to a connecting pin hole (first pin hole) of a block for connecting to one contiguous block (first block), a connecting pin (second pin) latched to a connecting pin hole (second pin hole) of the block for connecting to other contiguous block (second block), and a hold spring in a plate-like shape which is internally brought into contact with the connecting pin hole (second pin hole) for being attachably and detachably held in the connecting pin hole (second pin hole) of the contiguous block (second block). By such a structure, an adjust block for accessories around the wrist capable of conveniently being connected and detached without using a tool is intended to provide.

However, even by such conventional technologies there is brought about a situation in which a problem particular to a metal strap which is not adjusted to match the individual wrist of a user and in which an exclusive jig is needed and the operation is also difficult in order to adjust the metal strap individually by the user, is yet to resolve.

A first problem to be resolved by the invention is to provide a wrist mounting type portable apparatus capable of simply being mounted and detached and capable of being simply adjusted to match to a size around the wrist.

A second problem to be resolved by the invention is to provide a wrist mounting type portable apparatus having a simple structure and easy to fabricate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to resolve the above-described problem, a wrist mounting type portable apparatus of the invention is comprised by a strap a rear face of which is formed with an adjust portion of a pitch having a section in a length direction in a sawtooth-like shape and a section in a width direction in a rectangular shape by comprising a vicinity of a center thereof as a boundary and directions of inclining sawteeth made opposed to each other and an adjust mechanism having a sawtooth-like engaging portion normally brought in mesh with the adjust portion of the strap by being pulled in one direction by an elastic force and released of the mesh with the adjust portion of the strap by being pushed in an opposed direction against the elastic force by an operating portion in adjusting. Further, the adjust mechanism is comprised by a pair of adjust mechanisms of a first adjust mechanism attached to a 12 o'clock position of a case of the portable apparatus and a second adjust mechanism attached to a 6 o'clock position thereof. It is preferable that the pitch at the adjust portion of the pitch having the section in the length direction in the sawtooth-like shape and the section in the width direction in the rectangular shape is small.

Further, a wrist mounting type portable apparatus of the invention is comprised by a strap, a rear face of which is formed with an adjust portion of a pitch having a section in a length direction in a sawtooth-like and a section in a width direction in a rectangular shape and an adjust mechanism having a sawtooth-like engaging portion normally brought in mesh with the adjust portion of the strap by being pulled in one direction by an elastic force and released of the mesh with the adjust portion of the strap by being pushed in an opposed direction against the elastic force by an operating portion in adjusting. Further, the adjust mechanism is attached to either one of a 12 o'clock position and a 6 o'clock position of a case of the portable apparatus and a fixed end of the strap is fixedly attached to other of the 12 o'clock position and the 6 o'clock position of the case of the portable apparatus. It is preferable that the pitch in the adjust portion of the pitch having the section in the length direction in the sawtooth-like shape and the section in the width direction in the rectangular shape is small.

Further, according to the wrist mounting type portable apparatus of the invention, the adjust mechanism is comprised by the operating portion, the sawtooth-like engaging portion, a connecting rod for connecting the operating portion and the sawtooth-like engaging portion and a spring normally pulling the sawtooth-like engaging portion in a direction of the case.

Further, according to the wrist mounting type portable apparatus of the invention, the adjust mechanism is comprised by a push button having a long transverse length, a pair of connecting rods, one end of which are fixed to attaching portions at vicinities of both ends of the push button, stopper members which are stopper members having a long transverse length a section of which is formed in a sawtooth-like shape and both ends of which are attached to other ends of the pair of connecting rods and springs normally pulling the stopper members in a direction of the case.

Further, according to the wrist mounting type portable apparatus of the invention, the adjust portion of the pitch having the section in the length direction in the sawtooth-like shape is formed by being recessed from a surface of the strap. Further, it is preferable that the pitch in the adjust portion is small.

Furthermore, according to the wrist mounting type portable apparatus of the invention, the adjust portion of the pitch having the section in the length direction in the sawtooth-like shape is formed by being recessed from a surface of the strap and a strap end portion shift stopping portion of a pitch having a section in a length direction in a sawtooth-like shape is formed to project from a surface of the strap at a vicinity of one end portion of the strap.

Further, it is preferable that the pitch in the adjust portion is small. Further, it is preferable that both of the section in the sawtooth-like shape and the pitch disposed at the vicinity of the end portion of the strap end portion shift stopping portion are small.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred form of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: [0020]
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a wrist watch according to an embodiment of the invention and is a sectional view in a length direction of a strap; [0021]
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the wrist watch according to the embodiment of the invention and is a sectional view in a width direction of the strap cut by a line A-A′ of FIG. 1; [0022]
FIG. 3 is a plane view of the wrist watch according to the embodiment of the invention; [0023]
FIG. 4A is a plane view of the strap comprising the invention and FIG. 4B is a sectional view thereof; [0024]
FIG. 5A is a plane view of other embodiment of the strap comprising the invention and FIG. 5B is a sectional view thereof; and [0025]
FIG. 6 is a plane view of a conventional wrist watch.[0026]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A wrist mounting type portable apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention will be explained in details as follows in reference to a sectional view in a strap length direction of FIG. 1, a sectional view in a strap width direction of FIG. 2, a plane view of FIG. 3, a plane view [0027] 4A and a sectional view 4B of an example of a strap of FIG. 4 and a plane view 5A and a sectional view 5B of other embodiment of a strap of FIG. 5.
A wrist mounting type portable apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention is comprised by a single piece of a [0028] strap 20 and adjust mechanisms 30 and 40.
The [0029] strap 20 is a strap formed with an adjust portion having a section in a length direction in a sawtooth-like shape and having a small pitch s at a rear face thereof. The strap 20 according to the embodiment of FIG. 4 includes adjust portions 20 a and 20 b formed by being recessed from a surface of the strap. Angles of inclination of sawteeth of the adjust portions 20 a and 20 b are formed in directions reverse to each other with a vicinity of a center of the strap as a boundary. In FIG. 4, both of the angles of inclination of the sawteeth of the adjust portions 20 a and 20 b are inclined in directions reverse to each other relative to the boundary.
Further, the [0030] strap 20 according to the other embodiment of FIG. 5 includes the adjust portions 20 a and 20 b formed by being recessed from the surface of the strap and an end portion shift stopping portion 20 c formed to project from the surface of the strap. The angles of inclination of the sawteeth of the adjust portions 20 a and 20 b are formed in directions reverse to each other with the vicinity of the center of the strap as the boundary. In FIG. 5, both of the angles of inclination of the sawteeth of the adjust portions 20 a and 20 b are inclined in directions reverse to each other relative to the boundary. Further, the angles of inclination of the sawteeth of the strap end portion shift stopping portion 20 c are inclined in a direction of the boundary. According to the adjust structure using the strap, when the strap is made to wrap around the wrist, shapes of sawteeth at the surface and the rear face can be fitted to each other at a portion of overlapping the strap and therefore, shift of the end portion of the strap in carrying the strap can be prevented.
In FIG. 1 through FIG. 3, the adjust mechanism is comprised by the first [0031] adjust mechanism 30 attached to one of left and right attaching positions of a case 11 of the wrist mounting type portable apparatus formed with an electronic circuit containing portion 11 c, that is, a 12 o'clock position 11 d and the second adjust mechanism 40 attached to a 6 o'clock position 11 e. The electronic circuit containing portion 11 c of the case 11 is closed by glass 12 and a caseback 13 after containing an electronic circuit portion, not illustrated.
The first adjust [0032] mechanism 30 is comprised by a push button 31 having a long transverse length, a stopper member 32 formed with a sawtooth-like engaging portion 32 a, connecting rods 33 a and 33 b for connecting these and springs 34 a and 34 b.
The 12 [0033] o'clock position 11 a of the case 11 attached with the fist adjust mechanism 30 is formed with a rectangular recessed portion in which the push button 31 having the long transverse length is contained slightly slidably in the up and down direction. At vicinities of both ends of the operation button 31, upper ends 33 aa and 33 ba of the connecting rods 33 a and 33 b are embedded to be fixedly attached thereto. Lower ends 33 ab and 33 bb of the connecting rods 33 a and 33 b are formed as end portions having a diameter larger than a hole diameter of corresponding attaching holes 32 b and 32 c of the stopper member 32. Thereby, the stopper member 32 is prevented from being detached from the lower ends 33 ab and 33 bb of the connecting rods 33 a and 33 b. The springs 34 a and 34 b are respectively arranged at upper end sides of the connecting rods 33 a and 33 b and operated to push to widen an interval between an upper face of the rectangular recessed portion formed at the 12 o'clock position 11 d of the case 11 and a lower face of the push button 31.
According to the first adjust [0034] mechanism 30 having such a constitution, the sawtooth-like engaging portion 32 a of the stopper member 32 is normally pulled to a side of the case 11 by elastic force of the springs 34 a and 34 b and the strap 20 is brought in mesh with the adjust portion 32 a having a section in a length direction in the sawtooth-like shape and having a small pitch. Thereby, the strap 20 is firmly fixed to the case 11.
According to the first adjust mechanism having such a constitution, in adjusting, the sawtooth-like engaging [0035] portion 32 a of the stopper member 32 is pushed by the operation button 31 in a direction opposed to the case 11 against elastic force of the springs 34 a and 34 b and the strap 20 is released from the mesh with the adjust portion 32 a having the section in the length direction in the sawtooth-like shape and having the small pitch. Thereby, the length of the strap can easily be adjusted. The adjustment in this case is carried out by the small pitch width of the adjust portion 32 a of the strap 20 and therefore, the strap 20 is fitted to any size around the wrist.
Next, the second adjust [0036] mechanism 40 is comprised by a push button 41 having a long transverse length, a stopper member 42 formed with a sawtooth-like engaging portion 42 a, connecting rods 43 a and 43 b for connecting these and springs 44 a and 44 b. Constitution and operation of the second adjust mechanism 40 are the same as those of the first adjust mechanism and therefore, a detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.
As described above, the wrist mounting type portable apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention is comprised by the [0037] strap 20 the rear face of which is formed with the adjust portions 20 a and 20 b having the section in the length direction in the sawtooth-like shape and the section in the width direction in the rectangular shape and having the small pitch, and the first adjust mechanism 30 and the second adjust mechanism 40 each having the sawtooth-like engaging portion which is normally brought in mesh with the adjust portion of the strap pulled in one direction by the elastic force and released of the mesh with the adjust portion of the strap by being pushed in the opposed direction against the elastic force by the operating portion.
In contrast thereto, a wrist mounting type portable apparatus according to other embodiment of the invention is comprised by the [0038] strap 20 the rear face of which is formed with the adjust portions 20 a and 20 b having the section in the length direction in the sawtooth-like shape and the section in the width direction in the rectangular shape and having the small pitch, and the adjust mechanism which is normally brought in mesh with the adjust portion of the strap by being pulled in one direction by the elastic force and in adjusting, released of the mesh with the adjust portion of the strap by being pushed in the opposed direction against the elastic force by the operating portion. Further, the adjust mechanism is attached to either one of the 12 o'clock position and the 6 o'clock position of the case 11 of the portable apparatus and a fixed end of the strap 20 is fixedly attached to other of the 12 o'clock position and the 6 o'clock position of the case 11 of the portable apparatus.
That is, the wrist mounting type portable apparatus according to other embodiment of the invention is comprised such that one end of the [0039] strap 20 is fixed to the strap attaching portion formed at the 12 o'clock position of the case 11 of the portable apparatus and the sawtooth-like engaging portion of the adjust mechanism provided at the 6 o'clock position of the case 11 of the portable apparatus is brought in mesh with the adjust portion of the strap 20. Or, one end of the strap 20 is fixed to the strap attaching portion formed at the 6 o'clock position of the case 11 of the portable apparatus and the saw-tooth like engaging portion of the adjust mechanism provided at the 12 o'clock position of the case 11 of the portable apparatus is brought in mesh with the adjust portion of the strap 20.
Further, the constitution of the [0040] strap 20 and the adjust mechanism 30 and 40 comprising the wrist mounting type portable apparatus of the invention is not limited to that illustrated and explained in details. For example, the adjust portion formed at the strap 20 having the section in the length direction in the sawtooth-like shape and the section in the width direction having the rectangular shape and having the small pitch may be formed by a shape other than that illustrated in the restriction. In this case, also the shape of the sawtooth-engaging portion of the adjust portion comprised by the other shape and brought in mesh with the adjust portion is correspondingly changed. Further, although urethane leather is used for the strap 20, a strap of other material may be used.
According to the wrist mounting type portable apparatus of the invention, an adjust range is enlarged in any size around the wrist and adjustment in accordance with taste of the user can be carried out. Further, according to the wrist mounting type portable apparatus of the invention, the strap can be mounted simply and firmly by only pulling a free end of the strap in a tightening direction. Further, the wrist mounting type portable apparatus having a simple structure and easy to fabricate is provided by the invention. Further, an adjust mechanism of a clasping mechanism, a buckle or the like is not provided on a side opposed to the timepiece head and therefore, there are achieved advantages in developing a design producing one-piece feeling in mounting and capable of developing male/female sizes by one kind of the strap by setting the strap length to the longest and so on. [0041]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A wrist mounting type portable apparatus comprising:

a strap formed a rear face of which is formed with an adjust portion of a pitch having a section in a length direction in a sawtooth-like shape and a section in a width direction in a rectangular shape by comprising a vicinity of a center thereof as a boundary and directions of inclining sawteeth made opposed to each other; and

an adjust mechanism having a sawtooth-like engaging portion normally brought in mesh with the adjust portion of the strap by being pulled in one direction by an elastic force and released of the mesh with the adjust portion of the strap by being pushed in an opposed direction against the elastic force by an operating portion in adjusting;

wherein the adjust mechanism comprises a first adjust mechanism attached to a 12 o'clock position of a case of the portable apparatus and a second adjust mechanism attached to a 6 o'clock position thereof.

2. A wrist mounting type portable apparatus comprising:

a strap formed a rear face of which is formed with an adjust portion of a pitch having a section in a length direction in a sawtooth-like shape and a section in a width direction in a rectangular shape; and

wherein the adjust mechanism is attached to either one of a 12 o'clock position and a 6 o'clock position of a case of the portable apparatus and a fixed end of the strap is fixedly attached to other of the 12 o'clock position and the 6 o'clock position of the case of the portable apparatus.

3. A wrist mounting type portable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjust mechanism comprises the operating portion, the sawtooth-like engaging portion, a connecting rod for connecting the operating portion and the sawtooth-like engaging portion and a spring normally pulling the sawtooth-like engaging portion in a direction of the case.

4. A wrist mounting type portable apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the adjust mechanism comprises the operating portion, the sawtooth-like engaging portion, a connecting rod for connecting the operating portion and the sawtooth-like engaging portion and a spring normally pulling the sawtooth-like engaging portion in a direction of the case.

5. A wrist mounting type portable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjust mechanism comprises a push button having a long transverse length, a pair of connecting rods, one end of which are fixed to attaching portions at vicinities of both ends of the push button, stopper members which are stopper members each having a section having a long transverse length in a sawtooth-like shape and both ends of which are attached to other ends of the pair of connecting rods and springs normally pulling the stopper members in a direction of the case.

6. A wrist mounting type portable apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the adjust mechanism comprises a push button having a long transverse length, a pair of connecting rods, one end of which are fixed to attaching portions at vicinities of both ends of the push button, stopper members which are stopper members each having a section having a long transverse length in a sawtooth-like shape and both ends of which are attached to other ends of the pair of connecting rods and springs normally pulling the stopper members in a direction of the case.

7. A wrist mounting type portable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjust portion of the pitch having the section in the length direction in the sawtooth-like shape is formed by being recessed from a surface of the strap.

8. A wrist mounting type portable apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the adjust portion of the pitch having the section in the length direction in the sawtooth-like shape is formed by being recessed from a surface of the strap.

9. A wrist mounting type portable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjust portion of the pitch having the section in the length direction in the sawtooth-like shape is formed by being recessed from a surface of the strap and a strap end portion shift stopping portion of a pitch having a section in a length direction in a sawtooth-like shape is formed to project from a surface of the strap at a vicinity of one end portion of the strap.