Wristwatch or bracelet with arm-grasping housing

Abstract

The present invention provides a decorative wristwatch that is easy for the user to put on with one hand. The wristwatch comprises a decorative housing and opposing resilient armbands that are biased to a closed position and may be moved to an open position to apply or remove the wristwatch. In the preferred embodiment the housing is shaped in the form of an animal or character with opposed pairs of armbands being formed as appendages of the animal or character. A wristwatch according to the invention is accordingly fun to wear, fashionable, and easy for the user to engage to his or her wrist using only one hand.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A housing for a wristwatch, comprising 
 a body for mounting a timepiece, and    at least two opposed armbands extending away from the body, at least one of the armbands being flexible and biased to an engaging position in which the armbands engage around a user's wrist and moveable between the engaging position and an open position,    whereby when the user moves the armband to the open position the wristwatch can be engaged to the user's arm or disengaged from the user's arm.    
     
     
         2 . The housing of  claim 1  wherein the body is shaped in the form of an animal or character.  
     
     
         3 . The housing of  claim 2  wherein the armbands are shaped like appendages of the animal or a character.  
     
     
         4 . The housing of  claim 3  comprising a first pair of armbands in opposition to a second pair of armbands.  
     
     
         5 . The housing of  claim 4  in which the armbands on at least one side of the user's arm comprise a core of a resilient material.  
     
     
         6 . The housing of  claim 1  in which both armbands are flexible and biased to the closed position.  
     
     
         7 . The housing of  claim 4  in which both pairs of armbands comprise a resilient member and are biased to the closed position.  
     
     
         8 . The housing of  claim 2  comprising a plurality of armbands extending from each side of the body wherein all armbands comprise a resilient member and are biased to the closed position.  
     
     
         9 . The housing of  claim 3  wherein the body is molded.  
     
     
         10 . The housing of  claim 9  wherein the resilient members are formed as part of an integral core insert and the armbands are molded over the core insert integrally with the body.  
     
     
         11 . A wristwatch, comprising 
 a timepiece,    a body for mounting the timepiece, and    at least two opposed armbands extending away from the body, at least one of the armbands comprising a resilient member biased to an engaging position in which the armbands engage around a user's wrist and moveable between the engaging position and an open position,    whereby when the user moves the resilient member to the open position the wristwatch can be engaged to the user's arm or disengaged from the user's arm.    
     
     
         12 . The wristwatch of  claim 11  wherein the body is shaped in the form of an animal or character.  
     
     
         13 . The wristwatch of  claim 12  wherein the armbands are shaped like appendages of the animal or a character.  
     
     
         14 . The wristwatch of  claim 13  comprising a first pair of armbands in opposition to a second pair of armbands.  
     
     
         15 . The wristwatch of  claim 14  in which the armbands on at least one side of the user's arm comprise a core of a resilient material.  
     
     
         16 . The wristwatch of  claim 11  in which both armbands are resilient and biased to the closed position.  
     
     
         17 . The wristwatch of  claim 14  in which both pairs of armbands comprise a resilient member and are biased to the closed position.  
     
     
         18 . The wristwatch of  claim 12  comprising a plurality of armbands extending from each side of the body wherein all armbands comprise a resilient member and are biased to the closed position.  
     
     
         19 . The wristwatch of  claim 13  wherein body is molded and resilient members are formed as part of an integral core insert and the armbands are molded over the core insert integrally with the body.  
     
     
         20 . A bracelet, comprising 
 a body, and    at least two opposed armbands extending away from the body, at least one of the armbands comprising a resilient member biased to an engaging position in which the armbands engage around a user's wrist and moveable between the engaging position and an open position,    whereby when the user moves the resilient member to the open position the bracelet can be engaged to the user's arm or disengaged from the user's arm.