CN114253115B

CN114253115B - Device for locking a timepiece movement

Info

Publication number: CN114253115B
Application number: CN202111122882.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: P·屈米
Original assignee: Swatch Group Research and Development SA
Current assignee: Swatch Group Research and Development SA
Priority date: 2020-09-25
Filing date: 2021-09-24
Publication date: 2024-01-23
Anticipated expiration: 2041-09-24
Also published as: JP7223080B2; CN114253115A; EP3974914A1; JP2022054405A

Abstract

Means for locking a timepiece movement. The invention relates to a timepiece (100) comprising a case (1), the case (1) comprising a case centre (2), the case centre (2) being closed in its upper part by a bezel (3) and in its lower part by a bottom cover (4), a timepiece movement (5) and a dial (6) being assembled against the case centre (2) by means of a fitting ring (7). According to the invention, the timepiece comprises a damping device (10) for a timepiece movement, said damping device (10) comprising an upper annular member (11) and a lower annular member (12), the upper annular member (11) and the lower annular member (12) being arranged to be assembled on an assembly formed by the movement, the dial (6) and the chimeric ring (7).

Description

Device for locking a timepiece movement

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a timepiece (such as a wristwatch) in which a movement is held inside a case by a shock absorbing device for protecting the movement in the event of an impact.

Background

Document FR 2 463 437 discloses a timepiece in which the movement is held by an annular shock-absorbing elastic support comprising a radial appendage defining a sealing sleeve interposed between the winding mechanism stem and the centre of the case. The sleeve appears to allow the stem to move laterally relative to the centre of the case during an impact, but the stresses experienced by the stem and by the winding and time setting mechanism remain high. Such stresses can further occur when the user applies lateral pressure on the crown, in addition to any impact.

Disclosure of Invention

The aim of the present invention is to remedy all or part of the above-mentioned drawbacks by providing a timepiece comprising damping means for the movement and allowing simplified assembly of the timepiece.

To this end, the invention relates to a timepiece comprising a case, which includes a case centre closed in its upper part by a bezel and in its lower part by a bottom cover, against which a timepiece movement is fitted by means of a fitting ring (circle d' ebo î tage), characterized in that the timepiece further comprises locking means capable of pressing the timepiece movement-fitting ring assembly against the case centre when closing the case of the timepiece.

Advantageously, according to the invention, the assembly of the timepiece comprises a minimum number of parts and is therefore more easily adaptable to the manufacturing dispersion (dispersion de fabrication) of the different components, and maintains advanced technical characteristics, in particular with the timepiece, calendar, mechanical movement, transparent bottom cover and plastic case centre.

According to a further advantageous feature of the invention:

the upper and lower annular members are made of an elastic material, such as natural or synthetic rubber;

-said upper annular part comprises positioning means for the orientation of the damping device with respect to the centre of the watchcase;

-said upper and lower annular parts comprise engagement means arranged to cooperate with the dial and with the engagement ring;

the upper and lower annular parts each have a conical surface arranged to cooperate with a shoulder in the centre of the watch case;

-the timepiece comprises a ring arranged to be interposed between the bottom cover and the lower annular member to maintain the integrity once the timepiece is assembled;

-the upper and lower annular members each comprise a channel for the winding mechanism rod;

the bezel comprises a generally annular body formed by an upper portion arranged to receive the dial and a lower portion arranged to receive the movement;

the upper part has at least one recess and a discontinuous peripheral edge to orient and hold in place the dial on the collar, the dial having a catch arranged to rest against the edge of the recess;

the timepiece movement is of the mechanical timepiece type.

Drawings

Further characteristics and advantages will emerge more clearly from the description given below, given by way of indication and in no way limiting, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1 is an exploded view of a timepiece according to the invention;

fig. 2 is a perspective view of the case centre of a timepiece according to the invention;

fig. 3a and 3b are perspective views of a shock absorbing device of a timepiece according to the invention;

fig. 4a is a perspective view of a shock absorbing device assembled on the movement of a timepiece according to the invention;

FIG. 4b is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 4 a;

fig. 5 is a perspective view of a timepiece according to the invention.

Detailed Description

Referring to fig. 1 to 3, a timepiece according to the invention includes: a case center 2, the case center 2 being closed by a case band 3 in an upper portion thereof and by a bottom cover 4 in a lower portion thereof; timepiece movement 5 and dial 6 assembled against case centre 2 by means of a fitting ring 7.

The inner space of the case centre 2 defines a base bed in which damping means for the timepiece movement are housed, the damping means comprising an upper annular member 11 and a lower annular member 12, the upper annular member 11 and the lower annular member 12 being arranged to be assembled on an assembly formed by the movement, the dial and the jogged ring.

The case centre 2 is made of metal or metal alloy, but any other type of material is conceivable, such as plastic or ceramic. The bezel 3 and the bottom cover 4 are also made of metal or metal alloy, and at least the bezel includes a bezel 30.

Movement 25 is preferably of the mechanical type, but quartz movements are also conceivable.

The case centre 2 is intended to receive the timepiece movement 5 by means of at least one shoulder 10 made in its inner wall, the movement 5 being fitted on the shoulder 10 of the case centre 2 by means of a shock absorbing device which surrounds the movement, dial and chimeric ring 7. In fact, the damping means aim at adapting the movement 5 against the inner wall of the case centre 2.

The bezel 7 comprises a generally annular body formed by an upper portion 70 arranged to receive a dial and a lower portion 71 arranged to receive the movement 5. As can be seen in fig. 1, the upper portion 70 has a diameter that is larger than the diameter of the lower portion 71 and thus forms a shoulder.

The upper part 70 has at least one recess 18 and a discontinuous peripheral edge 19' to orient and hold the dial 6 in place on the bezel 7, the dial 6 also having a catch 60 placed against the edge of the recess 18. The lower part has a slot 19, which slot 19 is arranged to cooperate with the main plate 50 of the movement 5 to orient and hold the movement 5 in place.

According to the invention, the damping device comprises an upper annular part 11 and a lower annular part 12, each having a conical surface 15, 20, which conical surfaces 15, 20 are arranged to cooperate with a shoulder 10 of the centre of the case or a shoulder of the bottom cover 4. The upper annular member 11 and the lower annular member 12 are advantageously made of an elastic material (such as natural or synthetic rubber) so as to be able to absorb/cushion shocks.

As illustrated in fig. 3a, the upper annular part 11 comprises on its outer lateral face orientation means with respect to the case centre 2. The orientation means are in the form of tabs 13, which tabs 13 form rounded projections on the surface of the rim of the upper annular part 11, the tabs 13 being arranged to cooperate with complementary shaped recesses 13' formed on the inner wall of the case centre 2. It will thus be appreciated that the upper annular part 11 fits against the case centre 2 and the conical surface 15 presses against the shoulder 10 of the case centre 2.

The upper annular member 11 further comprises orientation means with respect to the chimeric collar 7 (and implicitly with respect to the movement 5) in the form of at least one protruding element 14, which protruding element 14 is formed on the inner lateral surface of the annular member 11 and is arranged to cooperate with a complementarily shaped cut 17 at the level of the upper portion of the chimeric collar 7.

As can be seen in fig. 3b, the lower annular part 12 comprises at least one machined portion 22 on its outer lateral surface, which machined portion 22 is arranged to cooperate by engagement with at least one protruding element 14 of the upper annular part 11. The lower annular part 12 further comprises an upper edge 21 arranged to be placed against the upper part of the fitting ring 7. It will therefore be appreciated that when assembled integrally as in fig. 4a and 4b, the bezel 7 and dial 5 are sandwiched between the upper annular member 11 and the lower annular member 12.

Advantageously, the upper annular member 11 and the lower annular member 12 each comprise a channel for the winding mechanism rod 51, so as to be able to insert the winding mechanism rod 51 during assembly. Obviously, other channels may be provided, for example for the pusher rod.

The timepiece includes a ring 8, this ring 8 being arranged to be interposed between the bottom cover 4 and the lower ring member 12 so as to retain the shock absorbing means once the bottom cover of the timepiece is assembled on the case centre.

Thus, when the timepiece is subjected to an impact, the assembly formed by the lower and upper annular members, the movement and the dial moves.

It is also conceivable that the case 23 is partially closed, i.e. it comprises a bottom cover or bezel integral with the case centre. Thus, in the first case, the case center can be replaced by a case held closed only by the bezel. Finally, in the second case, the case centre can be replaced by a case which is kept closed only by the bottom cover.

Claims

1. Timepiece (100) comprising a case (1), said case (1) comprising a case centre (2), said case centre (2) being closed in its upper part by a bezel (3) and in its lower part by a bottom cover (4), a timepiece movement (5) and a dial (6) being assembled against said case centre (2) by means of a fitting ring (7), characterized in that said timepiece (100) comprises a damping device for said timepiece movement comprising an upper annular member (11) and a lower annular member (12), said upper annular member (11) and lower annular member (12) being arranged to be assembled on an assembly formed by said movement, said dial (6) and said fitting ring (7), wherein said upper annular member (11) and said lower annular member (12) each have a tapered surface (15, 20) arranged to cooperate with at least one shoulder (10) of said case centre (2).

2. Timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the upper annular member (11) and the lower annular member (12) are made of an elastic material.

3. Timepiece (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the upper annular member (11) comprises positioning means for the orientation of the damping device with respect to the case centre (2).

4. Timepiece (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the upper annular member (11) and the lower annular member (12) comprise a fitting means arranged to cooperate with the dial (6) and the fitting ring (7).

5. The timepiece (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the timepiece (100) comprises a ring (8), the ring (8) being arranged to be interposed between the bottom cover (4) and the lower annular member (12) to remain integral once the timepiece is assembled.

6. Timepiece (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the upper annular member (11) and the lower annular member (12) each comprise a channel (16, 23) for a winding mechanism lever (51).

7. Timepiece (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fitting ring (7) comprises a generally annular body formed by an upper portion (70) and a lower portion (71), the upper portion (70) being arranged to receive the dial (6) and the lower portion (71) being arranged to receive the movement (5).

8. The timepiece (100) according to claim 7, wherein the upper portion (70) has at least one recess (18) and a discontinuous peripheral edge (19') to orient and hold the dial (6) in position on the bezel (7), the dial (6) having a catch (60) placed against the edge of the recess (18).

9. Timepiece (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the timepiece movement (5) is of the mechanical timepiece type.

10. The timepiece of claim 2, wherein said elastic material comprises natural or synthetic rubber.