US3340630A - Wrist tab - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 12, 1967 R. F. BECKER 3,340,630

WRIST TAB Filed Dec. 6, 1965 1965 osczuaen I965 ML 3O 20 l 2 a 4 s e 1 a 9 IO M l2 l3 I4 15 l6 :1 la I9 20 2| 22 23 24? 20 l6 I6 32 3 F I G 3 INVENTOR RAYMOND F BECKER ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,340,630 WRIST TAB Raymond F. Becker, 127 W. Walnut St., Villows, Calif. 95988 Filed Dec. 6, 1965, Ser. No. 511,940 1 Claim. (Cl. 40-21) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tab member having leg members mountable around a wrist band in which the tab member is bent to a curvature corresponding to the curvature of the wristband and bears useful indicia on its outer face such as a calendar.

This invention relates to a tab for mounting to wristbands.

The invention is more particularly concerned with a unitary tab having indicia printed on the face in which the tab is formed with transversely extending legs which are bendable around a wristband to affix the tab to the wristband so that the indicia, integral with the front face of the tab, can be readily viewed by the wearer of the band.

Wristbands of the aforesaid character have previously been made in multiple components or of relatively rigid materials and, as a result, have been difiicult to fabricate and are more subject to destruction during normal usage. Other known devices for mounting indicia have been formed of materials having little or no body; such as, for example, the formation of indicia bearing paper which can be pasted onto a band.

In the present device the entire structure is formed of a single semi-rigid but malleable structure with the indicia being printed directly onto the structure so that the entire unit comprises but a single integral member of suflicient body to maintain itself during normal usage.

The curvature of a wristband varies with the size of the wrist of the wearer, thus, any device formed of rigid materials will have a curvature suitable for only one size wrist. In the present invention, the body of the tabular member is formed of malleable material which is bent upon installation to the wristband to a curvature conforming to the curvature of the band as it is worn by the wearer. By virtue of the aforesaid curvature, the indicia bearing member lies flatly and smoothly along the outer face of the band in a more substantial abutment than heretofore obtainable with tabs formed of rigid materials.

It is noted that printed indicia on paper has been glued to the face of tabs analogous to the tab of the present invention; however, the composite structures have not had the adaptability of forming a bend corresponding to the curvature of the band with sufiicient durability to render such structures practically usable. Thus, in the present invention, the completely integral structure incorporating the single, bendable body has the advantage of being freely bendable without endangering the severance of the indicia from the body during the bending phase of installation nor during conditions wherein the tab is further bent to conform to changing radii as may be required.

It is also noted that the material forming the tab has sufficient rigidity to maintain its shape under normal wearing conditions which renders it more stable against destruction during normal use. The aforesaid feature renders the structure substantially superior to completely flexible structures as may have been heretofore used.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present Patented Sept. 12, 1967 invention will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a planned view of the wrist tab of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the tab mounted on a wrist watch strap.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken at line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevation showing the device mounted on a fragmentary portion of a strap.

The tab of the present invention comprises a sheet of sheet metal, preferably aluminum, formed in a generally H-shaped configuration in which there is provided a main body 15 having legs 16 extending transversely from the ends of the longitudinal edges 18 of main body (15.

The front face 20 of main body 15 is imprinted with indicia; such as, for example, a calendar representation. The indicia is directly printed onto the metal to maintain the tab as a one piece integral unit.

The aluminum forming the tab has sufficient rigidity to normally maintain the tab in a semi-rigid condition and sufiicient malleability to allow the tab to be bent for mounting onto a wristband 30', as appears in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4.

In mounting the tab on wristband 30, the rear face 32 of the main body 15 is mounted directly over the wristband. Legs 16 are thence folded down and over the under side of wristband 30. Thereafter, the band is bent in a circular configuration equal to the configuration normally encountered when the band is mounted on the wrist of a wearer. With the band in the aforesaid curvature, the main body is bent so that the rear face 32 conforms with the exterior curvature of wristband 30. In this condition, the combination of the band and tab is worn in the conventional wristband mode.

It is noted that the spacing between the longitudinal edges 18 is a distance equal to the width of the band upon which the tab is to be mounted.

While the principal embodiment of this invention has been described as being aluminum metal, other metals or plastics having similar characteristics of malleability or rigidity can equally well be employed. The important requirement, however, for any selected material from which the tab is formed, is that it must have suflicient rigidity to normally maintain its shape when applied to the wristband to resist normal wear from movement occasioned with wristbands. The materials, at the same time, must be capable of receiving printed indicia directly on its face and have sufficient malleability to allow the legs to be bent in the manner described in reference to the drawings of FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, and to allow hand bending of the main body to conform with the curvature of the band.

While one embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications can be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed:

In combination, a wristband adapted for wearing upon the wrist of a wearer and a tab member mounted on said wristband, said tab member having a main body mounted on the outer face of said wristband with the longitudinal edges of the main body being parallel with the longitudinal edges of said wristband, legs transversely extending outwardly from the ends of each of said longitudinal edges of said main body, and indicia printed directly onto the outside face of the main body whereby the tab member with indicia is composed of a single integral structure, said legs being folded over the rear side of said wristband to affix said main body thereto, said wristband having a 3 curvature corresponding to the outer exterior curvature of the wrist of a wearer, said main body formed with a curvature corresponding to the curvature of said Wristband and in which the main body is formed of material having sufficient malleability to allow the curvature to be changed with changing curvature requirements of said wristband.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 616,653 12/1898 Bowen 63-3 X 2,060,055 10/ 1936 Eichelsdoefer 40-21 X IAnson 40-330 Shinkle 40-21 X Muehlbauer 40-21 X Brunengraber 40-21 X Mattes 40-21 Great Britain.

10 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner. W. I. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner.

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