Patent Publication Number: US-9897974-B2

Title: Watch bracelet

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention concerns a watch bracelet or strap. More specifically, the invention concerns a watch bracelet in which are housed one or more electronic components arranged to perform at least one electronic function. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There is a strong trend in the current market relating to connected watches having one or more electronic functions and capable of communicating, for example, with mobile telephones of the smart phone type. In the case of connected watches, the emphasis is, however, placed more on the range of electronic functions that such watches offer their users than on the aesthetic, timekeeping and sealing qualities of such watches. The connected watches currently available on the market are thus unattractive and relatively fragile objects whose daily use requires a great deal of care on the part of the user. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned problems in addition to others, by providing a bracelet or strap that will enable one or more electronic functions to be associated with a watch case. 
     To this end, the present invention concerns a watch bracelet comprising a first bracelet strand in which is housed a first printed circuit sheet and a second bracelet strand in which is housed a second printed circuit sheet, the first bracelet strand being connected to the second bracelet strand via a median part arranged to act as a seat for a watch case and which includes means for ensuring electrical continuity between the first printed circuit sheet and the second printed circuit sheet, at least one of the first or second printed circuit sheets carrying at least one electronic component and the other printed circuit sheet carrying at least one electrical energy source supplying the electronic component with electrical current. 
     According to an additional feature of the invention, the first printed circuit sheet, the second printed circuit sheet and the median part, which includes the means for ensuring electrical continuity between the first printed circuit sheet and the second printed circuit sheet, are made in one piece. 
     According to another feature of the invention, the first printed circuit sheet and the second printed circuit sheet are overmoulded with a first plastic material. 
     According to yet another feature of the invention, the median part is overmoulded with the first plastic material. 
     According to yet another feature of the invention, the median part is covered by an insert. 
     According to an additional feature of the invention, the bracelet, which is formed of the first and second printed circuit sheets overmoulded with the first plastic material and of the median part which is covered by the stiff insert, is overmoulded with a second plastic or elastomeric material or inserted in a sleeve. 
     According to an additional feature of the invention, the sleeve is made in one piece or is formed of an upper band and a lower band joined to each other along their peripheral edges. 
     According to an additional feature of the invention, the watch case includes two pairs of diametrically opposite horns and the stiff insert includes two guide elements, which are arranged to be placed between the respective pairs of horns and each pierced with a hole for the passage of a pin to enable the bracelet to be attached to the watch case. 
     As a result of these features, the present invention provides a bracelet in which are housed the electronic components necessary to execute at least one electronic function and which is attached to a watch case containing a watch movement. This watch movement may be an electronic movement, a mechanical movement or a combination of two such movements. In any event, the watch case that contains the watch movement is not affected by the addition of the bracelet according to the invention which enables one or more electronic functions to be executed. The aesthetic, sealing and timekeeping properties of the watch case thus remain intact while offering the user additional electronic functions, owing to the addition of the bracelet of the invention. 
     If the bracelet is worn out or if the electrical energy source that it contains is exhausted, it can easily be exchanged for a new bracelet. Of course, according to a variant, the electrical energy source may also be rechargeable. It is also possible to envisage producing bracelets arranged to perform different electronic functions, allowing the user the possibility of choosing the bracelet that offers the electronic function that meets his requirements, or of purchasing several different bracelets at the same time. 
     According to an additional advantage of the invention, the fact that printed circuit sheets are disposed in the two bracelet strands and that these printed circuit sheets are also electrically connected to each other means it is possible to increase the number of electronic components housed inside the bracelet and thus to increase the number of electronic functions available to the user, or to distribute the electronic components in an optimum manner between the two bracelet strands. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description of one embodiment of the bracelet according to the invention, this example being given solely by way of non-limiting illustration with reference to the annexed drawing, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the bracelet according to the invention wherein a first printed circuit sheet is connected to a second printed circuit sheet via a median part arranged to act as a seat for a watch case, this median part including means for ensuring electrical continuity between the first printed circuit sheet and the second printed circuit sheet and being covered by a stiff insert; 
         FIG. 2  is a similar view to that of  FIG. 1  wherein the first printed circuit sheet and the second printed circuit sheet are overmoulded with a first plastic or elastomeric material; 
         FIG. 3  is a vertical cross-section along the longitudinal axis of the bracelet of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a view of a sleeve into which is inserted the bracelet of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrate a variant embodiment of the sleeve of  FIG. 4  that includes an upper band and a lower band between which is arranged bracelet according to the invention and which are assembled to each other along their peripheral edges, for example, by a seam or by heat welding, and 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the median part that has only one arch to carry the conductive paths for electrically connecting first and second printed circuit portions to each other. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention proceeds from the general inventive idea which consists in associating a watch case containing a watch movement, preferably but not limited to a mechanical movement, with a bracelet, in the thickness of which are housed the electronic component(s) necessary for the execution of at least one electronic function. As a result of these features, it is possible for the aesthetic appearance, mechanical properties and timekeeping qualities of the watch case to remain unchanged while adding thereto one or more additional electronic functions which will convert such a watch into a connected watch. The present invention is particularly advantageous in the case of a mechanical movement, since it can maintain the emotional aspect of a mechanical movement while increasing the range of services that such a watch is capable of providing its user. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the bracelet according to the invention. Designated as a whole by the general reference numeral  1 , this bracelet includes a printed circuit sheet  2  formed of a first printed circuit portion  4 , connected to a second printed circuit portion  6 , via a median part  8  which includes means for ensuring electrical continuity between first printed circuit portion  4  and second printed circuit portion  6 . 
     Median part  8  could be separate from first and second printed circuit portions  4  and  6 . In such case, additional electrical connection means such as wires would have to be provided between first printed circuit portion  4  and median part  8 , and between median part  8  and second printed circuit portion  6 , which is not necessarily very convenient. This is why, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, first printed circuit portion  4 , median part  8  and second printed circuit portion  6  are made in one piece. Median part  8  will thus also be formed of a printed circuit sheet portion on which electrically conductive path(s) will be structured to ensure electrical continuity between the first and second printed circuit portions  4  and  6 . 
     As is shown, in particular, in  FIG. 1 , median part  8 , which is of approximately annular shape, is formed of two arches  8   a  and  8   b  that define an external diameter substantially corresponding to the external diameter of a case middle  10  of a watch case  12 , which is intended to be arranged above median part  8  with the insertion of an insert  14  between watch case  12  and median part  8 . This insert  14  includes a stiff ring  16  whose geometry is similar to that of median part  8  and which is attached to median part  8  by any appropriate means, such as adhesive bonding. This stiff ring  16  gives median part  8  stiffness and mechanical strength and acts as a seat for watch case  12 . It is understood that, owing to its ring-shape, median part  8  leaves the back of watch case  12  visible. 
     We will now examine bracelet  1  according to the invention, referring more particularly to  FIG. 3 , which is a cross-sectional view on a plane extending along the longitudinal axis of bracelet  1 . As is shown by this Figure, watch case  12  contains a watch movement  18  which drives a set of hands: hour hand  20   a  and minute hand  20   b . These hour and minute hands  20   a  and  20   b  move above a dial  22  and are covered by a crystal  24 . 
     It is important to understand that the watch movement  18  housed inside watch case  12  may be of any type. It may be a purely mechanical movement, or a purely electronic movement, or an electromechanical movement. The mechanical or electronic nature of watch movement  18  is actually of no importance for the purposes of the present invention, given that watch case  12  is totally independent of bracelet  1  according to the invention and the addition of such a bracelet  1  does not require any modification of the various components housed inside watch case  12 . 
     It is therefore understood from the foregoing that the present invention is particularly advantageous in the case where watch movement  18  is a mechanical movement. Indeed, the addition of a bracelet  1  of the invention to a watch case  12  containing such a purely mechanical watch movement  18  enables unprecedented electronic functions to be offered to the user, without impairing the aesthetic appearance, mechanical qualities and sealing of watch case  12 . 
     As mentioned above, first printed circuit portion  4  is electrically connected to second printed circuit portion  6  via median part  8 , on which are structured the electrically conductive path(s) ensuring electrical continuity between these two printed circuit portions  4  and  6 . Such an arrangement has numerous advantages, among which the following can be mentioned: the possibility of having more electronic components in the bracelet and thus of increasing the number of electronic functions available to the user, or of distributing the electronic components in an optimum manner between the two bracelet strands. In particular, it is possible to envisage mounting the electrical energy source(s) on one of the printed circuit sheets, and the electronic components on the other printed circuit sheet. 
     As revealed by an examination of  FIG. 3 , electronic components such as a microcontroller  26  for an accelerometer  28 , an atmospheric pressure sensor  30  and a magnetic sensor  32  are mounted on the surface of first printed circuit portion  4 , whereas an electrical current source  34  and an integrated circuit  36  able to communicate with another apparatus using, for example, a Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or NFC interface, are mounted on second printed circuit portion  6 . 
     An examination of  FIG. 1  reveals, in particular, that watch case  12  includes two pairs of diametrically opposite horns  38  and insert  14  includes two guide elements  40  arranged to be placed between the respective pairs of horns  38  when watch case  12  is placed on insert  14 . These two guide elements  40  are each pierced with a hole  42  for the passage of a pin  44  for attaching bracelet  1  to watch case  12 . 
     When all the electronic components are mounted on the respective printed circuit portions  4 ,  6  and insert  14  has been properly placed on median part  8 , the assembly is overmoulded with a first layer  46  of plastic or elastomeric material in order to form first and second arms  48  and  50 . The purpose of this first overmoulding layer  46  is to protect the electronic components mounted on printed circuit portions  6 ,  8  from external attacks and to give the resulting arms  48  and  50  their shape and mechanical strength. Preferably, pins  44  are engaged through horns  38  and guide elements  40  during the overmoulding operation in order to prevent holes  42  being clogged with the overmoulding material. 
     The bracelet  1  that results from the overmoulding operation and which includes the two arms  48 ,  50 , connected to each other by median part  8  covered by insert  14 , and in the thickness of which are housed the electronic components necessary for the execution of the desired electronic function(s) is then finally slid inside a sleeve  52  which, in the example shown in  FIG. 4 , includes a first strand  54  and a second strand  56  connected to each other by a connecting part  58 , which is adapted in size and shape to receive median part  8  of bracelet  1 , covered by insert  14 . This sleeve  52  is, for example, obtained by moulding or injection moulding an elastomeric material while ensuring that first and second strands  54  and  56  are hollow and each provided with an opening  60  so that the two arms  48  and  50  can slide therein. According to a variant embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , sleeve  52  includes an upper band  62  and a lower band  64  between which is arranged bracelet  1  according to the invention and which are assembled to each other along their peripheral edges  66 , for example, by a seam or by heat welding. 
     It goes without saying that this invention is not limited to the embodiment that has just been described and that various simple modifications and variants can be envisaged by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the annexed claims. In particular, as an alternative to sleeve  52 , it could be envisaged to subject bracelet  1  according to the invention to a second overmoulding operation intended to overmould the two arms  48 ,  50  and median part  8  which connects them, with a second layer of a plastic or elastomeric material, which may be the same or different from the material used for the first overmoulding layer  46 . Also, as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , median part  8  may have only one arch  68  to carry the conductive paths for electrically connecting first and second printed circuit portions  4  and  6  to each other. 
     LIST OF PARTS 
     
         
         Bracelet  1   
         Printed circuit sheet  2   
         First printed circuit portion  4   
         Second printed circuit portion  6   
         Median part  8   
         Arches  8   a ,  8   b    
         Case middle  10   
         Watch case  12   
         Insert  14   
         Stiff ring  16   
         Watch movement  18   
         Set of hands: hour hand  20   a  and minute hand  20   b    
         Dial  22   
         Crystal  24   
         Microcontroller  26   
         Accelerometer  28   
         Atmospheric pressure sensor  30   
         Magnetic sensor  32   
         Power supply source  34   
         Integrated circuit  36   
         Pairs of horns  38   
         Guide elements  40   
         Hole  42   
         Pin  44   
         First overmoulding layer  46   
         First arm  48   
         Second arm  50   
         Sleeve  52   
         First strand  54   
         Second strand  56   
         Connecting part  58   
         Opening  60   
         Upper band  62   
         Lower band  64   
         Peripheral edges  66   
         Arch  68