# US 4,397,567 A · Timepiece construction with a caseback removable using a credit card

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 4,397,567 A
- Document ID: US4397567A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/204,432
- Filed: 1980-11-06
- Granted: 1983-08-09
- Earliest claimed: 1980-11-06
- Assignees: Timex Corporation
- Inventors: Stewart Carl
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4397567A

## CPC

- G04B 37/225: {Non-metallic cases}
- G04B 37/0058: {for shaped watches}
- G04B: MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS (spring- or weight-driven mechanisms in general F03G; electromechanical clocks or watches G04C; electromechanical clocks with attached or built-in means operating any device at pre-selected times or after predetermined time intervals G04C23/00; clocks or watches with stop devices G04F7/08)

## Abstract

A timepiece construction is disclosed in which a back cover member can be unsnapped from a case by using a credit card as a lever. Typically, the back cover member includes a slanted lip along one side and the timepiece case includes a pair of attachment lugs adjacent the lip, each lug having a first slanted wall spaced from the cover member lip to define slots to receive one end of the credit card and further each lug having a second slanted wall intersecting the first wall to define fulcrums for contacting the credit card intermediate its ends. One end of the credit card is inserted in the slots and force is applied to the other end to pivot the credit card about the fulcrums to lift the lip of the back cover member and thereby unsnap it from the case.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A timepiece assembly comprising:
a. a plastic back cover member having a slanted lip along a straight side thereof and having attachment means projecting therefrom, and
b. a plastic case having an access opening in one side thereof over which the back cover member is positioned to close off said opening, said case including means for engaging the attachment means of the back cover member in snap-fit relation and further including a pair of lugs adjacent the lip of the back cover member for receiving conventional pin bars with each lug having a first slanted wall spaced from said lip to define an open-ended slot between said lugs and the lip to receive one end of a credit card and, each lug further having a second slanted wall intersecting said first slanted wall to define at their intersection a fulcrum on each lug adapted to contact the credit card intermediate its ends, whereby said credit card can be used as a lever to unsnap the back cover member from the case.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The assembly of claim 1 which further includes a sealing gasket positioned between the back cover member and case.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The assembly of claim 1 wherein the projecting attachment means of the back cover member comprise a plurality of attachment legs.

### Claim 4

In a timepiece assembly, wherein a plastic back cover member is snap-fitted to a plastic case to close off an access opening therein, said case including first and second pairs of spaced lugs on opposite sides of the case adapted to receive conventional pin bars, the improvement comprising:
a slanted lip defined along a straight line on at least one side of said back cover member adjacent said first pair of lugs, each lug on said first pair of lugs including a first slanted wall spaced from the lip of said back cover member to define an open-ended slot between said lugs and the lip to receive one end of a credit card or the like, each of said lugs also including a second slanted wall intersecting the first slanted wall to define at their intersection a fulcrum associated with each lug arranged to contact the credit card intermediate its ends, whereby said back cover member can be unsnapped from said case by using the credit card or the like as a lever.