BRACELET FOR A WATCH OR FOR AN ITEM OF JEWELLERY, FORMED BY AN ASSEMBLY OF LINKS

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001]This application claims priority to European Patent Application No. 24179599.6 filed on Jun. 3, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002]The invention relates to a bracelet for a watch or for an item of jewellery, formed by an assembly of articulated units.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

[0003]Bracelets comprising link assemblies with at least part of the links made of a hard material such as diamond or ceramic, are well known in the prior art. Such bracelets are described, for example, in European patent documents EP 2803286 and EP 2057914.

[0004]A three-row bracelet comprises a plurality of side links with centre links sandwiched therebetween. Each of the side links typically comprises a blind hole and the centre link has a through-hole. A pin is engaged in the through-hole of the centre links and comprises, at one end, an external thread cooperating with an internal thread made in the blind hole of one of the side links. At its other end, the pin is driven and optionally welded in a socket screwed into the blind hole of the other side link.

[0005]This assembly solution allows the three rows of links to be rigidly connected to one another without plastic deformation of the side links, while ensuring that the links are permanently attached to each other.

[0006]However, it has been found that when a certain level of tensile stress is applied to the side links, the pins are released from the sockets. There is therefore a need to increase the stress resistance of the assembly of links between one another.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007]The invention overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks and, to this end, relates to a bracelet comprising a plurality of articulated units formed by two centre links rigidly connected to each other by first and second side links between which the centre links are sandwiched. The first side link comprises two pins, each engaged in a hole extending through one of the centre links, each pin being attached to a socket provided on the second side link. Each socket comprises two separate attachment zones, via each of which the pin is driven into the socket.

[0008]In particular embodiments, the invention can further include one or more of the following features, which must be considered singly or according to any combination technically possible.

[0009]In particular embodiments, the sockets extend into the centre links by a distal part and extend into the second link by a proximal part.

[0010]In particular embodiments, each of the proximal and distal parts has one of the attachment zones.

[0011]In particular embodiments, one of the attachment zones is formed by a radial boss of the socket configured to apply clamping forces to the pin, the boss having a convex cross-sectional shape.

[0012]In particular embodiments, one of the attachment zones is formed by a flange configured to apply clamping forces to the pin, the flange being formed by a constant reduction in the cross-section of the socket.

[0013]In particular embodiments, the pins comprise a proximal part and a distal part, each cooperating with a different attachment zone of the socket, the distal part having a cross-section that is smaller than the cross-section of the proximal part, the pin having a larger internal diameter at the boss than at the flange.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0014]Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which is given by way of example and is by no means limiting, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0015]FIG. 1 shows a perspective, exploded view of an articulated unit for producing a bracelet according to a preferred example embodiment of the invention,

[0016]FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of an articulated unit according to FIG. 1,

[0017]FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal, sectional view of a socket of a unit according to FIG. 1.

[0018]It should be noted that the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale for reasons of clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019]The present invention relates to a bracelet for a watch or for an item of jewellery, which bracelet comprises a plurality of articulated units 10 formed by two centre links 13 rigidly connected to one another by two opposite side links 11 and 12, as shown in FIG. 1.

[0020]The bracelet according to the invention is particularly suitable in that the side links 11 and 12 and the centre links 13 have a body 130 made of a ceramic material; however, the invention is not limited to the use of such a material.

[0021]In the preferred example embodiment of the invention, the first side link 11 comprises a body 110 to which two pins 111 are attached without any degree of freedom. In particular, the body 110 of the first side link 11 comprises two recesses 112, each receiving a pin 111 with which it cooperates via a helical connection. Each pin 111 is preferably also bonded within the recess 112 with which it cooperates.

[0022]As can be seen in FIG. 1, the pins 111 extend parallel to each other.

[0023]In the preferred example embodiment of the invention, the second side link 12 comprises a body 120 to which two sockets 121 are attached without any degree of freedom. In particular, the body 120 of the second side link 12 comprises two recesses 122, each receiving a socket 121 with which it cooperates via a helical connection. Each socket 121 is preferably also bonded within the recess 122 with which it cooperates.

[0024]The sockets 121 extend parallel to each other, in a similar manner to the pins 111.

[0025]As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pins 111 and the sockets 121 are intended to cooperate with each other so as to assemble the first and second side links 11 and 12 and the centre links 13 with one another to form an articulated unit 10. This cooperation is described in detail below.

[0026]Preferably, the pins 111 are made of titanium, as are the sockets 121. The use of titanium to make up the pins 111 and the sockets 121 has the particular advantage of providing a more rigid attachment of the links than when using steel, and thus allows the articulated unit 10 to better withstand mechanical stresses.

[0027]Each centre link 13 has two through-holes 131, visible in FIGS. 1 and 2, through each of which one of the pins 111 is engaged. In particular, the pins 111 of the first side link 11 are intended to be engaged respectively in holes 131 in two different centre links 13 to form an articulated unit 10. It goes without saying that the pins 111 and the holes 131 are dimensioned so as to allow the centre links 13 to rotate relative to the first and second side links 11 and 12.

[0028]In the example embodiment of the invention shown in the figures, each pin 111 is made in one piece and has three successive portions. More specifically, as shown in detail in FIG. 2, each pin 111 has a first portion 113 via which it is attached to the first side link 11, a second portion 114 extending from the first portion 113 and engaged in a hole 131 in the centre link 13 with a mechanical clearance allowing for a degree of rotational freedom, and a third portion 115 extending from the second portion 114 and connected, without any degree of freedom, with the socket 121.

[0029]Each socket 121 is configured to cooperate with a pin 111 via two separate attachment zones 123, visible in detail in FIG. 3, into each of which the pin 111 is driven. To this end, the third portion 115 of each pin 111 comprises two parts, including a proximal part 1150 and a distal part 1151, each cooperating with a different attachment zone 123 of the socket 121. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the distal part 1151 has a cross-section that is smaller than the cross-section of the proximal part 1150, so as to facilitate the engagement of the pin 111 in the socket 121.

[0030]In the preferred example embodiment of the invention, and as seen in FIG. 3, one of the attachment zones 123 is formed by a radial boss 124 on the socket 121, configured to apply clamping forces to the proximal part 1150 of the pin 111. The boss 124 is characterised by a convex cross-section.

[0031]Moreover, the other attachment zone 123 of the socket 121 is formed by a flange 125 configured to apply clamping forces to the distal part 1151 of the pin 111. The flange 125 is characterised by a constant reduction in the cross-section of the socket 121, the contact zone between the socket 121 and the pin 111 thus forming a straight cylindrical surface.

[0032]It is understood in this case that the contact zone between the boss 124 and the pin 111 is smaller than that between the flange 125 and the pin 111. As a result, the clamping forces applied by the flange 125 to the pin 111 are more evenly distributed over the latter than those applied by the boss 124.

[0033]It should also be noted that the internal diameter of the pin 111 at the boss 124 is greater than at the flange 125, so as to make it easier to drive the pin 111 into the socket 121.

[0034]As shown in particular in FIGS. 2 and 3, the sockets 121 advantageously have a proximal part 1211 via which they extend into the second side link 12, and a distal part 1212 via which they extend into one of the holes 131 in a centre link 13. The distal part 1212 is fitted in the hole 131 with a mechanical clearance giving the socket 121 a degree of rotational freedom relative to the centre link 13. The proximal and distal parts 1211 and 1212 each have one of the attachment zones 123, as can be seen in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3. These arrangements considerably increase the resistance of the articulated unit 10 to mechanical stresses, in particular to tensile stresses.

[0035]Advantageously, the boss 124 is arranged on the distal part 1212 of the socket 121 and the flange 125 on the proximal part 1211. This feature makes it easier to drive the pin 111 into the socket 121.

[0036]It should be noted that, in the bracelet according to the invention, all of the pins 111 are preferably identical, as are the sockets 121.

[0037]It is understood from the above that an articulated unit 10 is assembled by first attaching the pins 111 to the body 110 of the first side link 11, and the sockets 121 to the body 120 of the second side link 12. The sockets 121 are then engaged in the holes 131 passing through different central links 13, then each of the pins 111 is engaged in one of said holes 131, until it enters a socket 121 into which it is then driven. At the end of this stage, an articulated unit 10 is formed.

[0038]The present invention is not limited to the examples shown, and various alternatives and modifications within the reach of a person skilled in the art may be made thereto. In particular, the number of centre links 13 and side links 11 and 12 making up an articulated unit according to the invention can vary. Moreover, the sockets 121 and the pins 111 can be attached to the side links 11 and 12 by any suitable attachment means such as bayonet-type devices, etc.

[0039]Moreover the number, dimensions and geometry of the elements for each articulated unit 10 can differ without losing the advantages of the invention.