Patent Publication Number: US-8974113-B1

Title: Wearable assembly

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority in Hong Kong patent application no. 13112142.7, filed 29 Oct. 2013, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a wearable article which may be worn or carried by a user. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the jewelry or fashion accessory industries, various designs have been made to improve the appearance of wearable articles (such as watches) so as to allow the watches to become more appealing to the wearers. In particular, creative designs, such as inclusion of special features inside the watch bodies or at the watch movements, have been made to watches of all types. However, such features are mostly limited to the surface of the watch movements due to the structure of the common watches, and thus the scope of variation available to a watch designer is also limited. 
     It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a wearable article in which the aforesaid shortcomings are mitigated, or at least to provide a useful alternative to the trade and public. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a wearable article comprising a casing having a first layer, a second layer and a base member, said first and second layers being spaced apart from each other and being substantially transparent, said base member being spaced apart from the second layer and comprising a dial or a watch movement; and at least one movable member movable relative to said first and second layers between a first position in which an end of said at least one movable member contacts said first layer, and a second position in which said end of said at least one movable member is out of contact with said first layer, wherein at least part of said at least one movable member remains within a recess or a hole of the second layer during movement of said at least one movable member between said first and second positions, whereby detachment of said at least one movable member from said second layer is prevented. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Wristwatches according to embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of an example only, with reference to the accompany drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a partially exploded perspective view of a watch body of a wristwatch as embodied in a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2   a  is a cross-sectional view of the watch body of  FIG. 1  as assembled; 
         FIG. 2   b  is an enlarged view of the encircled region of  FIG. 2   a;    
         FIG. 3  is a partially exploded perspective view of a watch body of a wristwatch as embodied in a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4   a  is a cross-sectional view of the watch body of  FIG. 3  as assembled; and 
         FIG. 4   b  is an enlarged view of the encircled region of  FIG. 4   b.    
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following description is given by way of example only to illustrate embodiments of the invention. The terminology used is for illustrative purposes only, and is not intended to limit the scope or use of the invention, unless the text clearly and explicitly requires otherwise. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a wearable article in the form of a wristwatch as embodied in the present invention is illustrated. For clarity and simplicity, only the watch body is shown in the drawings, with the watchband or watchstrap, which is not substantially relevant to the present invention, omitted in the illustration. 
     Specifically, the wristwatch comprises a casing  12  having a first layer  14 , a second layer  16  and a base member  18 . The first layer  14  and the second layer  16  are spaced apart from each other, and are made of substantially transparent materials such as, but are not limited to, glass, crystal or sapphire. In this context, the term “substantially transparent” means that the layers will be sufficiently transparent to allow the base member  18 , which may be the dial or the watch movement of the watch, to be clearly visible to show the time, so as to serve the purpose of a watch. Particularly, the first layer  14  can be the outermost transparent layer of the watch body through which the dial or the watch movement is observable by the user. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the second layer  16  is provided with a plurality of holes or recesses  20  so that movable members  22 , for example decorative elements such as diamonds, gemstones or synthetic stones, can be removably engageable with the holes  20  of the second layer  16 . As further illustrated in  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b  (an enlarged view of the region indicated by the circle as shown in  FIG. 2   a ), the movable member  22  has a lower extremity  23  which protrudes out of the second layer  16  through the hole  20 . The movable member  22  is movable relative to the first layer  14  and the second layer  16  between an upper position in which an uppermost surface  24  of the movable member  22  contacts the first layer  14 , and a lower position in which the uppermost surface  24  is out of contact with the first layer  14 . In this way, at least part of the movable member  22  remains within the hole  20  of the second layer  16  during movement of the movable member  22  between the upper and the lower positions, and therefore detachment of the movable member  22  from the second layer  16  is prevented. The movable member  22  is thus entrapped between the first layer  14  and the second layer  16 , and yet allowing linear reciprocal movement or, more specifically, substantially perpendicular linear reciprocal movement of the movable member  22  between the layers  14  and  16 . Particularly, the distance a between the extremity  23  and the upper most surface  24  of the movable member  22  is longer than the distance b between the first layer  14  and the second layer  16 . 
     The hole  20  can be configured as a circular bore extending through the second layer  16 . Specifically, the hole  20  may be configured as a conical frustum as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2   a  and  2   b , having slanted, surrounding sidewall to support the lower portion of the movable member  22 . Alternatively, the hole  20  may also be configured into any shape or size to accommodate and support the movable member  22 , as long as the movable member  22  can be movably retained by the second layer  16 . Apparently, in order to provide support to the movable member  22  so that the movable member  22  can remain sitting in the second layer  16 , it is important that the hole  20  must not have a dimension larger than the corresponding dimension of the movable member  22 , which will thus allow the movable member  22  to pass through and be released from the second layer  16  via the hole  22 . 
     As mentioned above, the movable members  22  can be decorative elements such as but are not limited to diamonds, gemstones, synthetic stones or crystals. Alternatively, the movable members  22  may also be any functional items movable between the first and the second layers  14 ,  16  in a reciprocal manner. 
       FIGS. 3 ,  4   a  and  4   b  illustrate another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the movable member  22  is removably supported by a supporting element  30  such as a bushing. The supporting element  30  is also adapted to be removably engaged with the second layer  16 . As illustrated in the  FIGS. 3 ,  4   a  and  4   b , the hole  20  may be configured with a cylindrical wall so as to accommodate the cylindrically shaped supporting element  30 , and the supporting element  30  may be movably retained on the surface of the second layer  16  by means of a shoulder portion  31 . The supporting element  30  can also be arranged with seat portions  32 , on which the outer edge of the movable member  22  can be movably seated. 
     Again, the supporting element  30  can also be configured into any shape or size to accommodate and support the movable element  22 , as long as the movable element  22  can be movably retained therein. Similarly, the supporting element  30  should not be limited to any specific configurations, as long as it can be movably retained in the second layer  16 . 
     The supporting element  30  may further be decorated with elements such as diamonds, crystals, gemstones or synthetic stones for a more appealing appearance. 
     It should be understood that the above only illustrates and describes examples whereby the present invention may be carried out, and that modifications and/or alterations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention. 
     It should also be understood that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided or separately or in any suitable sub-combination.