Abstract:
A watch is provided with a case provided having a display. A first strap and a second strap are connected to the case. At least one of the first and second straps has an expandable material portion provided therein. The expandable material portion has a network of apertures. A multi-tongue prong fastener is mounted on one of the first and second straps. The multi-tongue prong fastener selectively engages the expandable material portion of the other of the first strap and the second strap by expanding the expandable material portion. The expandable material portion accommodates a portion of the multi-prong closure within the network of apertures to form a closure circumference at least partially defined by the first and second straps.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation in part of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/238,553 filed Sep. 26, 2008, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/976,020 filed Sep. 28, 2007, and are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    One or more embodiments generally relate to a watch having a multi-prong closure tongue. 
         [0004]    2. Background Art 
         [0005]    A time keeping instrument, such as a watch or a portable clock, may be worn or carried at various locations on the body of a user. The time keeping instrument may have a mechanical or digital display configured to indicate the time and to carry out other functions. Watches are typically secured to a strap that may be fastened around a user&#39;s wrist so that the user can view the display of the time keeping instrument. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    In one embodiment, a watch is disclosed. The watch includes a case provided with a display. A first strap and a second strap are connected to the case. At least one of the first and second straps has an expandable material portion provided therein. The expandable material portion has a network of apertures. A multi-tongue prong fastener is mounted on one of the first and second straps. The multi-tongue prong fastener selectively engages the expandable material portion of the other of the first strap and the second strap by expanding the expandable material portion. The expandable material portion accommodates a portion of the multi-prong closure within the network of apertures to form a closure circumference at least partially defined by the first and second straps. 
         [0007]    In another embodiment, a watch is provided with a case having a display for displaying a time. A first strap is connected to the case and having a fabric portion provided therein. A second strap is connected to the case and has an expandable material portion having a network of apertures expandable between a first size and a second size. The first size is larger than the second size. A multi-tongue prong fastener is mounted on the first strap to selectively engage the expandable material portion of the second strap by expanding the expandable material portion to accommodate a portion of the multi-tongue prong fastener within the network of apertures. The network of apertures is the first size when the expandable material portion accommodates the portion of the multi-tongue prong fastener. 
         [0008]    In yet another embodiment, a watch is provided with a case having a display for displaying a time. A first molded strap is connected to the case and having a fabric portion provided therein. A second molded strap is connected to the case and has an expandable material portion having a network of apertures expandable between a first size and a second size. The first size is larger than the second size. A multi-tongue prong fastener is mounted on the first molded strap to selectively engage the expandable material portion of the second molded strap by expanding the expandable material portion to accommodate a portion of the multi-tongue prong fastener within the network of apertures. The network of apertures is the first size when the expandable material portion accommodates the portion of the multi-tongue prong fastener. 
         [0009]    In yet another embodiment, a watch is provided with a case having a display. A first silicone strap and a second silicone strap are connected to the case. At least one of the first and second silicone straps have an expandable material portion provided therein. The expandable material portion has a network of apertures. A multi-tongue prong fastener is mounted on one of the first and second silicone straps to selectively engage the expandable material portion of the other of the first silicone strap and the second silicone strap. The expandable material portion expands to accommodate a portion of the multi-prong closure within the network of apertures to form a closure circumference at least partially defined by the first and second silicone straps. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of a wrist watch; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a rear elevation view of the wrist watch of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the wrist watch of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is an elevation view of the wrist watch of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a side perspective view of the wrist watch of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of a band of  FIG. 4  taken along line  6 - 6 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is an elevation view of the wrist watch of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a side perspective view of the wrist watch of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of a band of  FIG. 7  taken along line  9 - 9 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of a band of  FIG. 7  taken along line  10 - 10 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of a band of  FIG. 7  taken along line  11 - 11 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the wrist watch of  FIG. 1  in a closed position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , wrist watch  10  is illustrated. The wrist watch  10  includes a case  12 , which may be connected to a first band  14  and a second band  16  to allow a user to carry or wear the wrist watch  10  on the user&#39;s wrist. Although a wrist watch  10  is shown, any device worn on a wrist or other body part of a user having a first band  14  and a second band  16  is contemplated within the scope of the disclosed embodiments. The first band  14  and the second band  16  are each connected to the case  12 . In one embodiment, the first band  14  and the second band  16  are rigidly connected to the case  12 . In another embodiment, the first band  14  and the second band  16  are pivotally connected to the case  12 . Any suitable connection between each of the first and second bands  14  and  16  and the case  12  may be utilized within the scope of the disclosed embodiments. 
         [0024]    In one embodiment, the first band  14  and the second band  16  are made out of a soft resin material. The first band  14  and the second band  16  may be molded. In one non-limiting example, the first band  14  and the second band  16  are molded out of polyurethane. In another embodiment, the first band  14  and the second band  16  are made out of a polymer such as silicone. The material of the first band  14  and the second band  16  may have a coloring agent provided therein so that the first band  14  and the second band  16  can be colored as desired. 
         [0025]    The case  12  of the wrist watch  10  has a display  26  for showing a time and/or additional texted or graphic information. The display  26  may be an electrical display, as illustrated in  FIG. 1  or a mechanical display, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The case  12  may have mechanical or electrical components (not shown) provided therein to run and/or power the wrist watch  10 . The case  12  may also have a number of buttons  28  provided thereon to allow the user to select a different feature to be shown on the display  26 . In another embodiment, at least one of the buttons  28  is an input to mechanically turn components provided within the case  12 . Of course, any suitable case  12  is contemplated within the scope of the disclosed embodiments. 
         [0026]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 7-11 , in one embodiment, the first band  14  has a first panel  18  integrally molded therein. The first panel  18  may be made of a fabric that allows for ventilation and air circulation to the wrist of the user to increase comfort of the user while wearing the wrist watch  10 . Ventilation and air circulation to the wrist of the user is desired when the user is wearing the wrist watch  10  while participating in various activities in which the user may perspire. The first panel  18  may be flexible. In one embodiment, the first panel  18  is made out of a mesh-like fabric. Of course, any suitable, breathable fabric or material may be utilized for the first panel  18 . The first panel  18  may have any size or shape desired and can be eliminated as desired. 
         [0027]    As shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , the second band  16  may have a fabric portion  20  integrally molded therein. The fabric portion  20  is made out of a suitable fabric and may run along a majority of the second band  16  to allow for ventilation and air circulation to the wrist of the user for increased comfort of the user by allowing perspiration to evaporate. The fabric portion  20  is flexible to increase the flexibility of the second band  16 . In one embodiment, the fabric portion  20  is made out of a nylon or nylon-based fabric. In another embodiment, the fabric portion  20  is made out of RETE, which is a nylon fabric that allows maximum air circulation. Any suitable fabric that allows for ventilation and air circulation to the wrist of the user may be employed for the fabric portion  20 . In one embodiment, the fabric portion  20  has a network of apertures. The network of apertures of the fabric portion  20  may be tight enough so that the fabric portion  20  is without visible apertures. In another embodiment, the weave of the fabric portion  20  is larger so that small apertures within the weave are visible without requiring a step to form an aperture within the fabric portion  20 . The fabric portion  20  may have any size or shape desired that runs along the second band  16 . In one embodiment, the fabric portion  20  is comprised of a series of individual portions of panels. 
         [0028]    In one embodiment, the second band  16  has a second panel  22  integrally molded therein. Utilization of a second panel  22  may allow for maximum ventilation and circulation of air to the wrist of the user and further increase comfort of the user while wearing the wrist watch  10 . In one embodiment, the second panel  22  is flexible. The second panel  22  may be made out of a mesh-like and/or nylon fabric or any suitable fabric or material. In one embodiment, the second panel  22  has the same size and shape as the first panel  18  to increase the aesthetic appearance of the wrist watch  10 . Of course, the second panel  22  may have any suitable size and/or shape and can be eliminated as desired. 
         [0029]    In an embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 1-3 , the first panel  18  and the second panel  22  are made out of the same material. In another embodiment, the first panel  18  and the fabric portion  20  are made out of the same material. In yet another embodiment, the fabric portion  20  and the second panel  22  are made out of the same material. Of course, the first panel  18 , fabric portion  20  and second panel  22  may all be made out of the same or different material. 
         [0030]    Referring still to  FIGS. 1-3 , the first band  14  has a multi-tongue prong fastener  24  provided at an end of the first band  14  opposite the case  12 . The multi-tongue prong fastener  24  is pivotally connected to the first band  14 . A closure buckle  25  may be provided at the end of the first band  14  to cooperate with the multi-tongue prong fastener  24 . As illustrated, the closure buckle  25  provides a base for the multi-tongue prong fastener  24 . 
         [0031]    The first band  14  may have a closure retainer  30  mounted thereon to secure an end portion of the second band  16  to the first band  14  when the wrist watch  10  is in a closed position. 
         [0032]    As seen in  FIG. 12 , the wrist watch  10  is in a closed position to be worn on the wrist of a user. The multi-tongue prong fastener  24  has two prongs that fit within the number of apertures of the fabric portion  20  to secure the first band  14  to the second band  16 . Although two prongs are illustrated, any suitable amount of prongs are contemplated within the scope of the disclosed embodiments. The multi-tongue prong fastener  24  secures the first band  14  to the second band while the closure buckle  25  fits over the second band  16  to keep the first band  14  proximate the second band  16 . No adjustment apertures on the second band  16  are required since the multi-tongue prong fastener  24  fits into the weave of the fabric portion  20 . The network of apertures of the fabric portion  20  allows the fabric portion  20  to be expandable to receive prongs of the multi-tongue prong fastener  24 . Engagement of the multi-tongue prong fastener  24  within apertures of the network of apertures causes the fabric portion  20  to contact and provide engagement force on the multi-tongue prong fastener  24 . After the multi-tongue prong fastener  24  is removed from the fabric portion  20 , the weave of the fabric portion  20  contracts to original configuration and remains unchanged without discrete apertures provided therein. The size of the multi-tongue prong fastener  24  corresponds with the weave of the fabric portion  20  such that a smaller multi-tongue prong fastener  24  is utilized with a tighter weave. 
         [0033]    The size of the wrist watch  10  in the closed position illustrated can be adjusted incrementally in non-discrete amounts because predefined apertures are not provided within the fabric portion  20 . The size of the wrist watch  10  has numerous sizes for the closed position, when compared to prior art wrist watches that merely provide a limited number of discrete sizes that are predetermined by apertures formed in the wrist band. 
         [0034]    When the multi-tongue prong fastener  24  is engaged with the fabric portion  20 , an end portion  34  of the second band  16  may be inserted in the retainer  30  to secure the end portion  34  to the first band  14 . The retainer  30  is moveable along the first band  14  to accommodate various lengths of the end portion  34 . 
         [0035]    In one embodiment, the multi-tongue prong fastener  24  is made out of metal material. Non-limiting examples of metal materials for the multi-tongue prong fastener  24  include but are not limited to steel, brass and titanium. 
         [0036]    While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.