IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,658,281
Granted Patent B2
US 7,658,281 · App. 10/508,079 · Granted Feb 9, 2010

Device for receiving a commodity in a fixed position

Assignee: Swatch AG
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,658,281
App. No.
10/508,079
Granted
Feb 9, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A container intended to receive a commodity, in particular a wristwatch or writing implement, includes a dish-shaped lower portion and a dish-shaped upper portion. A fastening element in the container is configured as a pair of clips including a resilient lower holding element arranged in the lower portion and a resilient upper holding element arranged in the upper portion. The two holding elements together form the pair of clips and interact so that they resiliently clamp between them the commodity located in the container when the upper portion is placed on the lower portion of the container. As a result, the commodity is perfectly fixed in position with the lowest structural expenditure substantially irrespective of its shape and dimensions.

Claims (48)

1. A device adapted to receive an elongated shaped commodity having a planar dimension and an edge, in particular, a wristwatch, in a fixed position, wherein the device comprises:

(a) a container comprising a dish-shaped lower portion and a dish-shaped upper portion, wherein the lower portion and upper portion each include lateral walls and a bottom wall, together defining a single useful volume when the upper portion is placed on top of the lower portion; and

(b) at least one fastening element provided in the container for receiving the commodity, wherein the at least one fastening element is configured as a pair of clips and comprises

i. a resilient lower holding element arranged in the lower portion of the container, wherein the lateral walls include a first lateral wall of the lower portion, and said resilient lower holding element extends from said first lateral wall of the lower portion towards said useful volume of the container; and

ii. a resilient upper holding element arranged in the upper portion of the container, wherein the lateral walls include a first lateral wall of the upper portion, and said resilient upper holding element extends from said first lateral wall of the upper portion towards said useful volume of the container,

wherein the dish-shaped lower portion and the dish-shaped upper portion can be placed in a first position and in a second position,

wherein in the first position said holding elements together form the pair of clips and interact so that the pair of clips resiliently clamp the commodity located in the container by the planar dimension, and said upper portion is placed on the lower portion of the container, and in the second position said holding elements do not interact to clamp the commodity between said holding elements,

wherein the lower holding element is arranged in the lower portion of the container and is configured as a concave leaf type shaped element when viewed from an open side of the lower portion when said device is in the second position, and

wherein the upper holding element is arranged in the upper portion of the container and is configured as a convex leaf type shaped element when viewed from the open side of the upper portion when said device is in the second position.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the holding elements are configured as clasp springs.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the holding elements have friction-increasing means on sides facing one another.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the holding elements are essentially transparent.

5. A device adapted to receive an elongated shaped commodity having a planar dimension and an edge, the device comprising:

a container comprising a dish-shaped lower portion and a dish-shaped upper portion wherein the lower portion and upper portion each include lateral walls and a bottom wall, together defining a single useful volume when the upper portion is placed on top of the lower portion; and

at least one fastening element provided in the container,

wherein the at least one fastening element is configured as a pair of clips comprising a resilient lower holding element arranged in the lower portion and a resilient upper holding element arranged in the upper portion,

wherein the dish shaped lower portion and the dish shaped upper portion are positionable in a first position so that the resilient upper holding element and the resilient lower holding element together form the pair of clips and interact to resiliently clamp the commodity by the planar dimension therebetween when the upper portion is placed on the lower portion of the container,

wherein the dish shaped lower portion and the dish shaped upper portion are positionable in a second position wherein the resilient upper holding element and the resilient lower holding element do not interact to clamp the commodity therebetween,

wherein the lower holding element is arranged in the lower portion of the container, and the lateral walls include a first lateral wall of the lower portion, and the lower holding element extends from said first lateral wall of the lower portion towards said useful volume of the container and is configured as a curved leaf type shaped element having a curved leaf type shaped profile when viewed from an open side of the lower portion when the upper portion and the lower portion are in said second position, and

wherein the upper holding element is arranged in the upper portion of the container, and the lateral walls include a first lateral wall of the upper portion, and the upper holding element extends from said first lateral wall of the upper portion towards said useful volume of the container and is configured as a curved leaf type shaped element having a curved leaf type shape profile when viewed from an open side of the upper portion when said upper dish-shaped portion is in said second position.

6. The device according to claim 5 , wherein the lower holding element comprises a cantilever.

7. The device according to claim 5 , wherein the upper holding element comprises a cantilever.

8. The device according to claim 7 , wherein the lower holding element comprises a cantilever.

9. A device adapted to receive an elongated shaped commodity having a planar dimension and an edge, the device comprising:

(a) a lower portion;

(b) an upper portion, wherein the lower portion and upper portion each include lateral walls and a bottom wall, together defining a single useful volume when the upper portion is placed on top of the lower portion; and

(c) a fastening element, wherein the fastening element comprises

i. a resilient lower holding element in the lower portion, wherein the lateral walls include a first lateral wall of the lower portion, and said resilient lower holding element extends from said first lateral wall of the lower portion towards said useful volume of the container; and

ii. a resilient upper holding element in the upper portion, wherein the lateral walls include a first lateral wall of the upper portion, and said resilient upper holding element extends from said first lateral wall of the upper portion towards said useful volume of the container,

wherein the lower portion and the upper portion can be placed in a first position wherein the upper portion is placed on the lower portion so that the resilient lower holding element and the resilient upper holding element cooperate to form a pair of clips capable of resiliently clamping the commodity by the planar dimension between said holding elements located in the container,

wherein the lower portion and the upper portion can be placed in a second position wherein said holding elements do not interact to clamp the commodity between said holding elements, and

wherein the resilience of the pair of clips comes substantially from a restitution force created by a bending, rather than tension or compression, of at least one of the holding elements.

10. The device according to claim 9 , wherein, in the first position, a portion of said resilient upper holding element contacts a portion of said resilient lower holding element.

11. A device adapted to receive an elongated shaped commodity, the device comprising:

(a) a lower portion;

(b) an upper portion; and

(c) a fastening element, wherein the fastening element comprises

i. a resilient lower holding element in the lower portion, wherein said resilient lower holding element extends from an interior wall of the lower portion towards an inside of the container; and

ii. a resilient upper holding element in the upper portion, wherein said resilient upper holding element extends from an interior wall of the upper portion towards the inside of the container;

wherein the lower portion and the upper portion can be placed in a first position wherein the upper portion is placed on the lower portion so that the resilient lower holding element and the resilient upper holding element cooperate to form a pair of clips capable of resiliently clamping the commodity between said holding elements located in the container and a portion of said resilient upper holding element contacts a portion of said resilient lower holding element;

wherein the lower portion and the upper portion can be placed in a second position wherein said holding elements do not interact to clamp the commodity between said holding elements; and

wherein the resilience of the pair of clips comes substantially from a restitution force created by a bending, rather than tension or compression, of at least one of the holding elements.

12. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the holding elements are configured as clasp springs.

13. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the holding elements have friction-increasing means on sides facing one another.

14. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the holding elements are essentially transparent.

15. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the lower holding element comprises a cantilever.

16. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the upper holding element comprises a cantilever.

17. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the elongated shaped commodity is selected from the group consisting of a wristwatch, a pen, and a pencil.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Mar 3, 2020
From: SWATCH AG
To: SWATCH AG
Reel/Frame 052176/0256 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE SECOND ASSIGNOR PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 018155 FRAME 0719. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE FROM <GUJAHR> TO <GUTJAHR>. Recorded Sep 14, 2006
From: EICHENBERGER, REINHARD; GUTJAHR, PETER
To: SWATCH AG
Reel/Frame 018250/0753 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNOR'S NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL 016239 FRAME 0745. ASSIGNOR CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Aug 18, 2006
From: EICHENBERGER, REINHARD; GUJAHR, PETER
To: SWATCH AG
Reel/Frame 018155/0719 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2004
From: EICHENBERGER, REINHARD; GUTJAHI, PETER
To: SWATCH AG
Reel/Frame 016239/0745 →
Priority Claims (1)
CH 0570/02 · Apr 4, 2002 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20050103673A1 · May 19, 2005