Patent Publication Number: US-11653727-B2

Title: Anti-disassemble watch buckle and a method of operating the same

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority of Taiwan Patent Application No. 110106087, filed on Feb. 22, 2021, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to a smartwatch, and more particularly to an anti-disassemble watch buckle adaptable to the smartwatch. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A smartwatch is one of wearable computers that integrate a watch, mobile communication and mobile computing. 
     The smartwatch usually includes an anti-disassemble buckle to prevent unexpected loose straps. The buckle of some conventional smartwatches ordinarily uses external elements (e.g., screws) to fix the straps, but commonly suffers element lost or mismatch. On the other hand, the buckle of other conventional smartwatches utilizes compression to fix the straps, but being incapable of repeated use, thereby increasing cost and resulting in resource waste. 
     A need has thus arisen to propose a novel scheme to overcome drawbacks of the buckles of conventional smartwatches. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the embodiment of the present invention to provide an anti-disassemble watch buckle adaptable to a smartwatch with a simplified mechanism and a simple to use manner, being capable of being repeatedly disassembled and assembled, thereby increasing operating life and preventing resource waste. 
     According to one embodiment, an anti-disassemble watch buckle includes a bottom housing, a top housing and a cantilever snap. A space is disposed between the bottom housing and the top housing for accommodating a first strap, the anti-disassemble watch buckle having a first end and a second end being opposite to the first end. The cantilever snap has a rear end fastened to the bottom housing at the first end, and a front end hung in the space. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    shows a perspective view illustrating an anti-disassemble watch buckle adaptable to a smartwatch according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  2    shows a cross-sectional view illustrating the anti-disassemble watch buckle according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  3    and  FIG.  4    show cross-sectional views illustrating that the first strap enters the buckle in an assemble direction; 
         FIG.  5    shows a cross-sectional view illustrating that the first strap exits the buckle in a disassemble direction; 
         FIG.  6    shows a perspective view illustrating that the buckle of the embodiment executes disassembling; 
         FIG.  7    shows a cross-sectional view illustrating that the buckle of the embodiment executes disassembling; and 
         FIG.  8    shows a cross-sectional view illustrating repeatedly using the buckle of the embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG.  1    shows a perspective view illustrating an anti-disassemble watch buckle  10  adaptable to a smartwatch  100  according to one embodiment of the present invention.  FIG.  2    shows a cross-sectional view illustrating the anti-disassemble watch buckle (buckle hereinafter)  10  according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     In the embodiment, the buckle  10  may include a bottom housing  101  and a top housing  102  with an in-between space  103  for accommodating a first strap  11 . The first strap  11  may enter the space  103  via a first end  10 A of the buckle  10  and move toward a second end  10 B of the buckle  10 , where the second end  10 B is opposite to the first end  10 A. A second strap  12  is fastened to the bottom housing  101  at the second end  10 B of the buckle  10 , for example, with screw. 
     According to one aspect of the embodiment, the buckle  10  may include a cantilever snap (or hook)  104  with a rear end fastened to the bottom housing  101  at the first end  10 A of the buckle  10 , and with a front end hung in the space  103 . The cantilever snap  104  of the embodiment may be made of elastic material, for example, plastics. In one embodiment, the cantilever snap  104  has a smooth zigzag shape, and the cantilever snap  104  and the bottom housing  101  are integrally manufactured. 
       FIG.  3    shows a cross-sectional view illustrating that the first strap  11  enters the buckle  10  in an assemble direction (i.e., from the first end  10 A to the second end  10 B). According to another aspect of the embodiment, the front end of the cantilever snap  104  may have an inclined plane  104 A facing the first end  10 A of the buckle  10 . In one embodiment, an angle between the inclined plane  104 A and a bottom surface of the top housing  102  is between 10-80 degrees. When the first strap  11  enters the buckle  10  in the assemble direction, the first strap  11  may compress the cantilever snap  104  by the inclined plane  104 A, thereby moving the cantilever snap  104  downward to exit the space  103 . Accordingly, the first strap  11  may conveniently enter the space  103  of the buckle  10 , thereby facilitating adjusting the first strap  11 . 
     When the front end of the cantilever snap  104  encounters a hole  11 A of the first strap  11 , the cantilever snap  104  may move upward into the hole  11 A by elastic restoring force as shown in  FIG.  4   . A user may continuously move the first strap  11  to compress the cantilever snap  104  ( FIG.  3   ) or to restore the cantilever snap  104  ( FIG.  4   ) until a proper position has been reached. 
       FIG.  5    shows a cross-sectional view illustrating that the first strap  11  exits the buckle  10  in a disassemble direction (i.e., from the second end  10 B of the buckle  10  to the first end  10 A). In the embodiment, the top housing  102  may have a through hole  102 A (e.g., at the center of the top housing  102 ). As shown in the figure, if the first strap  11  executes disassembling in the disassemble direction, the cantilever snap  104  is compressed and deformed by the first strap  11 , and the front end of the cantilever snap  104  encounters the top housing  102  (e.g., the through hole  102 A). Accordingly, the buckle  10  of the embodiment can prevent disassembling. 
       FIG.  6    shows a perspective view illustrating that the buckle  10  of the embodiment executes disassembling, and  FIG.  7    shows a cross-sectional view illustrating that the buckle  10  of the embodiment executes disassembling. In the embodiment, the bottom housing  101  may have a protruding part  101 A facing the cantilever snap  104  and the first end  10 A of the buckle  10 . According to a further aspect of the embodiment, when the buckle  10  executes disassembling, a disassemble tool  13  (e.g., flat-blade screwdriver) may compress the front end of the cantilever snap  104  away the space  103  of the buckle  10  via the through hole  102 A of the top housing  102 , until the front end of the cantilever snap  104  presses against the protruding part  101 A (of the bottom housing  101 ) as shown in  FIG.  7   . At this time, the first strap  11  can be disassembled from the buckle  10 . 
       FIG.  8    shows a cross-sectional view illustrating repeatedly using the buckle  10  of the embodiment. As shown in the figure, the cantilever snap  104  is forced upward and separated from the protruding part  101 A (of the bottom housing  101 ), and the cantilever snap  104  then moves upward into the space  103  of the buckle  10  by elastic restoring force. Accordingly, the buckle  10  of the embodiment can be repeatedly used. 
     Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention, which is intended to be limited solely by the appended claims.