Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • 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
  • G04B19/00—Indicating the time by visual means
  • G04B19/28—Adjustable guide marks or pointers for indicating determined points of time
  • G04B19/283—Adjustable guide marks or pointers for indicating determined points of time on rotatable rings, i.e. bezel
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • 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
  • G04B27/00—Mechanical devices for setting the time indicating means
  • G04B27/08—Mechanical devices for setting the time indicating means by using parts of the case

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a watch case, in particular a watch case comprising a rotating bezel and display or control elements inside the middle.
• the bezel is in this case provided with a graduation corresponding to the minutes traveled by the minute hand of the watch; colored segments on the bezel are sometimes used which allow the diver, for example, to quickly detect that it is time to go back up when the hand points to a range of red color.
• Watch cases are also known, as described for example in patent CH662235 (New Lemania SA), in which the bezel is used to control various functions inside the watch, in particular winding or setting hour.
• the bezel is in direct contact with the driven components, which makes the construction complex and requires having joints between the bezel and the middle part to guarantee sealing.
• Another watch in which the bezel directly drives different functions of the watch is described in CH343293 (R. Jec er-Meyer).
• CH687285 (R. Valentini SA) describes a watch in which the lighting of the dial is controlled by the rotation of the bezel.
• CH685584 (Paul Feuz) describes a universal watch for selecting the time zone by turning the bezel.
• CH486728 E.
• Piquerez describes a watch comprising an external rotating bezel driving an internal bezel by means of a pinion. All these watches have the drawback of a mechanical connection between the external rotating bezel and the element or function controlled inside the watch. It is therefore necessary to provide means for sealing this connection, for example by means of a circular joint under the bezel. These joints, however, have the disadvantage of being deformed following repeated handling of the telescope. These constructions are therefore not suitable for watches which have to meet high requirements, in particular diving watches intended to be used at great depths.
• Patent application WO99 / 26117 (Seiko Epson) describes a watch case comprising a rotating bezel, in which a photoelectric measurement system outside the middle provides the electronics of the watch with a signal corresponding to the position of the glasses.
• This solution is complex and costly to implement.
• the photodetectors consume current which must be taken from the watch battery.
• the electrical connection between the measuring system and the watch movement uses several wires crossing the middle, which can pose a problem of water infiltration.
• Patent EP-B 1-0738944 (Asulab SA) describes a watch comprising a rotating outer ring provided with permanent magnets. Mechanical means force the ring to adopt one of the 24 predefined rotation positions. The chosen position is detected by means of several magnetic switches inside the watch, the state of the various switches defining a digital signal corresponding to the position of the outer ring and which is supplied to the watch electronics. Similar devices, also comprising magnetic switches inside the watch actuated by external magnets, are described in patent application CH-A3-613088 (Cetehor) and in application DE-2501973 (A. Meitinger).
• each magnetic switch is a potential source of failure, causing a reliability problem when a large number of switches are used.
• the outer ring can take and indicate only a limited number of discrete positions, for example 24, the increase in the number of positions being possible only at the price of the increase in the number of magnetic switches and therefore of the cost and diameter of the watch.
• they can only be implemented in electronic watches, for which it is still necessary to modify the circuit so that it reacts to the signals delivered by the magnetic switches.
• Patent application DE2010941 describes a waterproof watch which can be set by setting the entire middle part and the movement to rotate.
• the dial remains in the same relative position relative to the dial thanks to magnets.
• the purpose of this construction is to remove the through hole through the middle for the winding stem.
• the watch does not have a bezel.
• This construction comprising a rotating middle poses significant aesthetic constraints. It is not possible to control additional functions of the watch by rotating the middle.
• An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a watch case which makes it possible to avoid the drawbacks of the aforementioned watch cases.
• an object of the present invention is to propose a watch case provided with a rotating bezel making it possible to control indications of the watch, and whose width of the bezel is not determined by the size of the indications to be displayed .
• Another object of the present invention is to provide a watch case provided with a rotating bezel making it possible to control indications of the watch, which can be used both with mechanical movements and with electronic quartz movements, without requiring any mandatory modification of these, and without increasing their current consumption.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide a watch case provided with a rotating bezel making it possible to control indications of the watch, and the reliability of which is improved compared to the watch cases of the prior art.
• an object of the present invention is to provide a watch case having a reduced number of seals and magnetic switches.
• a watch case comprising a middle part, a rotating bezel outside said middle part, the rotating bezel comprising at least one portion made of magnetic material, an organ inside of said middle being disposed so as to be able to be controlled by magnetic attraction with said portion, and in which said member is of analog type and can take an infinity of distinct positions according to the angular position of said telescope.
• a watch case comprising a middle part, a rotating bezel outside said middle part, said bezel comprising at least one portion made of magnetic material, a member inside of said middle being arranged so as to be able to be controlled by magnetic attraction with said magnetic portion, and in which said member comprises an element concentric with said bezel and provided with a plurality of magnetic portions, so as to be able to be driven in rotation by the magnetic field of said telescope during its rotation.
• the indication or the function controlled by manually turning the bezel is not provided on the bezel itself. same, but on an indicator inside the watch case. It is thus possible to make much thinner glasses whose width is not imposed by the size of the indications.
• the member driven inside the watch case is provided with a system for controlling the direction of rotation, while the bezel is free to rotate in both directions.
• the bezel can thus be very thin, allowing new aesthetic possibilities.
• the organ is only driven with a relatively small moment by means of the magnetic field, it is not essential to provide a very large system for controlling the direction of rotation.
• This solution also has the advantage that the rotation of the rotating bezel is transmitted without contact to the body through the middle. It is thus not necessary to provide holes or openings through the middle, which elegantly solves the problem of sealing.
• Figure 1 an exploded view of a watch case according to the invention.
• Figure 2 a partial sectional view of a watch case according to the invention.
• Figure 3 a perspective view of a casing circle provided with a direction of rotation control device according to a first embodiment.
• Figure 4 a section along line A-A of the casing circle illustrated in Figure 3 and the flange.
• Figures 5a and 5b two schematic top views of the flange and the casing circle according to the first alternative embodiment of the direction of rotation control device.
• Figure 6 a perspective view of a casing circle provided with a direction of rotation control device according to a second alternative embodiment.
• Figure 7 a section of the casing circle illustrated in Figure 6 and the flange.
• Figure 8 a perspective view of a casing circle and a flange provided with a direction of rotation control device according to a third embodiment.
• Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a watch case comprising a middle part 10 and a rotating bezel 14 which can be turned manually relative to the middle part 10.
• the middle part is made of non-magnetic material.
• notching means can be provided to prevent the rotation of the telescope in one of the two directions of rotation; moreover, means can be provided to force the telescope to adopt a limited number of predefined angular positions.
• An elastic system 140 makes it possible to hold the bezel on the middle while adjusting the moment necessary to make the bezel 14 pivot relative to the middle 10.
• the watch case also includes a bottom 16 (visible in FIG. 2) and a casing ring 17 intended to maintain the movement 15 of the watch.
• the movement causes indicators 6, for example hands 6 and / or a date disc not shown, displaying the time and other indications, if any.
• One or more watch winders 9 and / or pushbuttons not shown make it possible to set the time and to control additional functions.
• the illustrated watch further comprises a dial 8 as well as a crystal 13 held by a seal 130 against the middle part 10.
• a flange 11 on the periphery of the dial carries additional indications 110, for example a residual diving time, ranges of color, etc.
• the bezel 14 includes at least one magnetic portion capable of actuating an analog indicator member inside the watch.
• the telescope 14 comprises an annular permanent magnet 2 provided with several annular segments magnetized with alternating polarities.
• the analog indicating member is constituted by the flange 11 provided with indications 110 and which is equipped with a second permanent annular magnet 4, concentric with the magnet 2, and also provided with several annular segments magnetized with alternating polarities.
• the number of magnetized sections on the two annular magnets 2 and 4 is preferably the same, in order to guarantee a synchronous rotation of the two rings.
• small magnetized angular segments will be chosen in order to limit the flapping when the segments of the outer ring 2 are not opposite the segments of the inner ring 4.
• the external magnet 4 is fixed by bonding to the bezel 14 while the internal magnet 4 is wedged between the flange 11 and a lower support ring 12.
• the two rings are preferably based on rare earths (Neodymium-Iron-Boron or Samarium-Cobalt for example) and manufactured by sintering using powder compacted in an oven.
• the invention is not however limited to these particular examples and other shapes and types of magnets could be used.
• only the telescope 14 or only the member 11 is provided with one or more permanent magnets while the other element comprises at least one portion made of non-permanent magnetic material, for example of soft iron, capable of be attracted to these magnets.
• the magnetic field caused by the permanent external magnet 2 is moved, thereby driving the internal magnet 4 and the flange associated therewith. It is thus possible to control the angular position of the flange continuously from the outside of the middle part, and to control the position of the indications, for example a residual diving time, on the flange 11.
• the indications 110 displayed on the controlled indicator member can be enlarged by magnifying glass effect, in particular under water.
• a device for controlling the direction of rotation is provided to prevent rotation of the flange 11 in one of the two directions of rotation, the bezel 14 being free to be able to rotate in both directions.
• the device for controlling the direction of rotation is thus placed inside the sealed enclosure of the watch and less subject to disturbances caused by dust or splashes of liquid. Furthermore, it is possible to use a device that is not very bulky, since the user does not act directly on the flange: it suffices that the locking moment is greater than the maximum driving torque of the magnetic bezel 14.
• the bezel can in this case be turned in both directions; in the first direction, with a relatively small moment determined mainly by the leaf spring 140, driving the member 11; in the other direction, with a greater moment corresponding to the sum of the action of the leaf spring 140 and the attraction of the inner ring 4 which remains fixed.
• FIGS. 3 to 5b A first variant of the direction of rotation control device is illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 5b.
• FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the casing circle 17 modified for this purpose.
• the circle which can be made of synthetic material or of non-magnetic metal, for example brass, comprises a recess or an opening 175 for the crown stem not shown.
• a second recess 170 milled in the circle 17 houses a flexible metal rod 171 (wire) mounted in cantilever perpendicular to the plane of the casing circle, so as to protrude above this circle.
• the free end of the rod 171 can thus be bent using a limited force.
• the shape of the recess 170 prevents the rod 171 from bending in any direction.
• the notch cage 110 under the magnetized part of the flange 11.
• the notch cage 110 is provided over its entire periphery with sawtooth notches comprising a first flank
• FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a second variant in which the device for controlling the direction of rotation of the flange uses the magnetization of the latter.
• the device includes in this variant a plurality of rods 173 of magnetic material freely placed in openings 172 in the casing ring 17.
• the rods 173 are attracted magnetically by the flange partially outside the openings 172.
• An optional spring not shown may possibly be be provided at the bottom of the openings 172 to control the vertical force exerted on each of the rods 173.
• the flange comprises, as in the first variant illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 5b, a notched cage 1 14 mounted under the magnetized part 1 17.
• the notched cage comprises, over its entire periphery, notches 1 14 each comprising a relatively stiff flank 1 16 and a softer side 1 15.
• FIG. 8 illustrates a third variant of the device for controlling the direction of rotation of the flange, also using the magnetization of the latter.
• the rods 173 and the openings 172 which are relatively tedious to machine are replaced by a ring 176 (washer) directly placed on the casing circle 17 and attracted magnetically towards the top of the shown by the magnetic portion 1 17 of the flange 1 1.
• the flange again comprises a notched cage 1 13 under the magnetized portion 1 17.
• the rotation of the washer 176 is prevented in this example by two portions folded in the housing 175 passage of the rod through the circle 17.
• Recesses 177 were cut at several places in the washer 176 to form a raised tongue capable of abutting against a tooth of the flange 1 13, for example against a notch cage of the type illustrated in Figure 7.
• the shape of the recesses 177 and teeth 113 under the lower surface of the flange 11 is provided so as to allow the rotation of the latter only in the counterclockwise direction illustrated by the arrow a. Additional guide means can be used to ensure vertical movement of the ring 176.
• the device for controlling the direction of rotation described here can also be used to control the rotation of other parts of the watch, for example of the bezel.
• the magnetic telescope 14 can be used within the framework of this invention to control the position of organs other than the flange 11.
• the dial 8 By mounting the dial 8 on a rotary axis, and by fixing a magnetized ring to it or several discrete magnets, it is thus possible to rotate it around its axis, for example to move the position of a window through which other indications are displayed. It is also possible to produce a dial in several parts, only one of which is driven by the bezel 14, or to drive a wheel or a disc of the gear train, for example the date disc, using this mechanism.
• auxiliary functions of the watch for example to initialize a countdown of the chronograph or set an alarm time.
• Indications relating to the function controlled for each position of the bezel, for example on the selected time zone, may be provided on the latter and / or on an indicator in the watch.
• the member driven by the bezel 14 may include a cam in order to trigger different functions or to actuate different members of the watch as a function of its angular position.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Electromechanical Clocks (AREA)
• Electric Clocks (AREA)
• Telephone Function (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

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ID=4568652

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (2)

Families Citing this family (28)

Family Cites Families (19)

• 2001
  • 2001-09-07 AU AU2001281662A patent/AU2001281662A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2001-09-07 AT AT01960052T patent/ATE533091T1/de active
  • 2001-09-07 WO PCT/CH2001/000542 patent/WO2002044818A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2001-09-07 JP JP2002546921A patent/JP4558270B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2001-09-07 EP EP01960052A patent/EP1342131B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2001-10-25 TW TW090126361A patent/TW490602B/zh not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2003
  • 2003-05-29 US US10/447,366 patent/US6799886B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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