Source: http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7654732.html
Timestamp: 2019-05-22 14:57:58
Document Index: 704937449

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 53', 'art 53', 'arts 53', 'arts 53', 'arts 53', 'arts 53', 'art 53', 'art 53', 'art 54', 'art 54', 'arts 53']

Timepiece incorporating wristband contact elements - Nike, Inc.
United States Patent 7654732
Arjomand, Hamid (Tigard, OR, US)
11/848485
224/165-179, 224/164, 63/3.1, 24/3.2, 368/282, 24/265WS, 224/173, 24/41.1- 48, 224/219
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20050162984 Timepiece with integral molded wristband 2005-07-28 Wilson 368/281
6728166 Electronic device for generating and displaying an item of information 2004-04-27 Grupp
6499875 Method and article for adjusting the fit of a wristwatch 2002-12-31 Telly
D451036 Wrist watch case with band 2001-11-27 Zuckerman et al.
D450600 Wristwatch 2001-11-20 Scarinzi
D449997 Watch casing and bezel 2001-11-06 Allen et al.
D448682 Wrist watch 2001-10-02 Sato
D447700 Wristwatch 2001-09-11 Glauser
D447426 Watch with band 2001-09-04 Jannard et al.
D446461 Watch case and band 2001-08-14 Wunderman
6238083 Band and wrist device 2001-05-29 Hirano et al. 368/282
D441663 Watch casing and bezel 2001-05-08 Streltsov
D440885 Watch casing and bezel 2001-04-24 Streltsov
D439527 Watch casing and bezel 2001-03-27 Kennedy
D438470 Watch casing and bezel 2001-03-06 Choi et al.
D438123 Watch casing and bezel 2001-02-27 Choi et al.
D434674 Watch case December, 2000 Shiraishi
D435461 TV/CATV control watch December, 2000 So
D433342 Watch casing and bezel November, 2000 Fox
D434333 Watch casing and bezel November, 2000 Riley et al.
D430495 Watch band and housing September, 2000 Wunderman
D429168 Timepiece August, 2000 Jannard et al.
D418442 Portion of a watch housing January, 2000 Yanku
D415708 Portion of a watch housing October, 1999 Yanku
D413070 Watch casing August, 1999 Charriol
D404316 Watchcase January, 1999 Azegami et al.
D404655 Watchcase January, 1999 Azegami
D400118 Bracelet October, 1998 Itzkowitz
5812500 Sports watch band 1998-09-22 Webb, Jr.
D398247 Wrist watch September, 1998 Dumas
D396651 Wristwatch August, 1998 Wunderman
D388333 Watch bracelet December, 1997 Wunderman
5638342 Watch saddle 1997-06-10 Kartsotis et al.
D366036 Personal digital assistant to be worn on a wrist January, 1996 Houlihan
D365550 Personal digital assistant to be worn on a wrist 1995-12-26 Houlihan
D363893 Bracelet 1995-11-07 Avakian
D361524 Watch 1995-08-22 Bulgari
D361282 Watch 1995-08-15 Bulgari
5341552 Watch with watchband attachment 1994-08-30 Voumard 29/896.33
D340192 Combined wristwatch and bracelet October, 1993 Robert-Tissot
D340647 Wristwatch October, 1993 Robert-Tissot
5235567 Quick release watchband 1993-08-10 Goodwin 368/282
D337739 Bracelet July, 1993 Robert-Tissot
D325174 Wristwatch April, 1992 Bulgari
4879702 Wrist watch 1989-11-07 Gardner
D297622 Wristwatch September, 1988 Lee
4627739 Bracelet type wrist watch 1986-12-09 Shingo et al.
D267077 Wrist watch November, 1982 Kabaya
4178751 Integrally molded watch casing and band 1979-12-18 Liautaud
D245766 Digital wristwatch 1977-09-13 Cruse
4023347 Wristwatch casing and band construction 1977-05-17 Haber
3492809 WRIST WATCH MOVEMENT AND WRISTBAND COMBINATION 1970-02-03 Gisiger-Lusa Armin 368/282
3149452 Watch cushion 1964-09-22 Smith
2553089 Watch protector 1951-05-15 Holder
2519892 Method of producing liquid oxygen 1950-08-22 Pill
2513892 Wrist watch band 1950-07-04 Pile
2344136 Wrist watch protector 1944-03-14 Dressen
2342804 Mounting for wrist watches 1944-02-29 Miller
2328785 Attachment for wrist watches 1943-09-07 Cozarl
D119638 N/A March, 1940 Ornstein
D119639 N/A March, 1940 Ornstein
2189098 Matrix-setting and type linecasting machine 1940-02-06 Alonge
2189096 Watch bracelet 1940-02-06 Alonge
1. A wrist-worn timepiece comprising: a case a timing element located within the case; a wristband extending outward from the case and formed of unitary construction with the case, the wristband having an end area opposite the case, the end area defining an aperture extending through the wristband and from a first surface to an opposite second surface of the wristband; and a contact element secured to the wristband, the contact element having: an outer portion that forms a portion of an exterior surface of the timepiece and is located to contact a wrist of a wearer, the outer portion being formed of a first material, and the outer portion covering a portion of each of the first surface and the second surface, and a locking portion joined with the outer portion and positioned to contact an edge of the aperture, the locking portion being formed of a second material that is different from the first material.
6. A wrist-worn timepiece comprising: a case a timing element located within the case; a wristband that includes a first extension and a second extension extending outward from the case, the first extension and the second extension defining end areas that are opposite the case and are separated by a space, the first extension defining an aperture extending along a majority of a length of the first extension, at least a portion of the aperture being adjacent to the end area of the first extension, and the first extension defining a protrusion extending into the aperture at the end area; and a contact element at least partially located within the aperture, the contact element having: an outer portion that forms a portion of an exterior surface of the timepiece and is located to contact a wrist of a wearer, the outer portion being formed of a first material, and a locking portion located entirely between opposite sides of the outer portion and positioned to contact an edge of the aperture, the locking portion defining an indentation that receives the protrusion, and the locking portion being formed of a second material, the second material having greater stiffness than the first material.
11. A wrist-worn timepiece comprising: a case a timing element located within the case; a wristband formed of unitary construction with the case, the wristband including a first extension and a second extension extending outward from the case, the first extension and the second extension defining end areas that are separated by a space, the first extension having: a first surface oriented to contact a wrist of a wearer, a second surface located opposite the first surface and oriented to face away from the wrist, and an aperture extending through the end area of the first extension, the aperture having an edge surface extending from the first surface to the second surface, the edge surface defining a protrusion extending into the aperture; and a contact element secured to the wristband, the contact element having: an outer portion having a first part that covers a portion of the first surface and a second part that covers a portion of the second surface, the outer portion being formed of a first material, and a locking portion located between the first part and the second part of the outer portion and positioned to contact the edge surface, the locking portion defining an indentation that receives the protrusion, and the locking portion being formed of a second material, the second material having greater stiffness than the first material.
16. A wrist-worn timepiece comprising: a case; a timing element located within the case; a wristband extending outward from the case and formed of unitary construction with the case, the wristband having an end area opposite the case, the end area defining an aperture extending through the wristband; and a contact element secured to the wristband, the contact element having: an outer portion that forms a portion of an exterior surface of the timepiece and is located to contact a wrist of a wearer, the outer portion being formed of a first material, and a locking portion joined with the outer portion and positioned to contact an edge of the aperture, the locking portion being formed of a second material that is different from the first material, wherein a portion of the wristband that defines the aperture is formed from the second material.
22. A wrist-worn timepiece comprising: a case; a timing element located within the case; a wristband extending outward from the case and formed of unitary construction with the case, the wristband having an end area opposite the case, the end area defining an aperture extending through the wristband; and a contact element secured to the wristband, the contact element having a two-part configuration consisting of: an outer portion that forms a portion of an exterior surface of the timepiece and is located to contact a wrist of a wearer, the outer portion being formed of a first material, and a locking portion joined with the outer portion and positioned to contact an edge of the aperture, the locking portion being formed of a second material that is different from the first material.
One of contact elements 50 is depicted individually in FIGS. 7-11. Outer portion 51 includes an upper part 53a and an opposite lower part 53b. Each of parts 53a and 53b exhibit a generally rounded configuration. More particularly, an outline of parts 53a and 53b have a generally circular shape that fits within depressions 46, but may have a variety of shapes, and upper and lower surfaces of parts 53a and 53b are also generally curved to enhance comfort. A space 54, which separates parts 53a and 53b, receives extension 41 when contact element 50 is joined with a remainder of timepiece 10. That is, extension 41 is located within space 54 such that interior surface 43 is adjacent to and contacts upper part 53a and exterior surface 44 is adjacent to and contacts lower part 53b.
Locking portion 52 is embedded within outer portion 51 and includes an upper area 55a and an opposite lower area 55b. Upper area 55a is at least partially embedded or otherwise joined to upper part 54a, and lower area 55b is at least partially embedded or otherwise joined to lower part 54b. In this configuration, locking portion 52 extends across space 54 and is exposed within space 54. As noted above, space 54 receives extension 41 when contact element 50 is joined with a remainder of timepiece 10. Extension 41, therefore, extends around locking portion 52 when contact element 50 is joined with the remainder of timepiece 10. More particularly, locking portion 52 is located within aperture 45 when contact element 50 is joined with timepiece 10, and exposed surfaces of locking portion 52 contact an edge surface of aperture 45.
Outer portion 51 and locking portion 52 are depicted as being two separate elements that are joined together. In manufacturing contact element 50, locking portion 52 may be molded from a first material, locking portion 52 may be placed within a mold having the shape of contact element 50, and then a second material may be injected into the mold to form outer portion 51. That is, outer portion 51 may be molded around locking portion 52 to embed areas 55a and 55b of locking portion 52 within parts 53a and 53b of outer portion 51. An advantage of this process is that outer portion 51 and locking portion 52 may be formed from different materials with different properties. For example, locking portion 52 may be formed from a first material that has greater stiffness and greater hardness than a second material forming outer portion 51. The greater stiffness and hardness of locking portion 52 provides a durable interface between contact element 50 and extension 41 and also decreases the ease with which contact element 50 may be removed from aperture 45. Conversely, the lesser stiffness and hardness of outer portion 51 provides a comfortable surface for contacting the wrist and may also impart non-slip properties that limit inadvertent movement of timepiece 10 relative to the wrist. In some configurations of timepiece 10, however, contact element 50 may be formed from a singe element and a single material.
The configuration of contact element 50 discussed above and depicted in FIGS. 1-11 provides an example of a suitable structure. An example of another structure is depicted in FIGS. 12A-13B as a contact element 50′ having an outer portion 51′ and a locking portion 52′. In comparison with contact element 50, the structure of locking portion 52′ is modified in contact element 50′. Locking portion 52′ is embedded within outer portion 51′ and includes an upper area 55a′ and an opposite lower area 55b′. Areas 55a′ and 55b′ are at least partially embedded or otherwise joined to outer portion 51′. In this configuration, locking portion 52′ extends across a space 54′ formed by outer portion 51′ and is exposed within space 54′. As with space 54, space 54′ receives extension 41 when contact element 50′ is joined with a remainder of timepiece 10. Extension 41, therefore, extends around locking portion 52′ when contact element 50′ is joined with the remainder of timepiece 10. More particularly, locking portion 52′ is located within aperture 45 when contact element 50′ is joined with the remainder of timepiece 10, and exposed surfaces of locking portion 52′ contact an edge surface of aperture 45.
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