EP4400916A1 - Watch case comprising a removable rotating bezel - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a watch case (10) comprising a middle part (11), a bezel (12) and a connecting ring (13) arranged to move in rotation relative to the middle part (11) and by means of which the bezel (12) is able to be fixed to the middle part (11) in a position in which said bezel (12) is forced to bear against said ring by an elastic return force generated by an elastic member (121), the connecting ring (13) and the bezel (12) each comprising at least one interlocking member cooperating together when the bezel (12) is fixed to the middle part (11) in order to eliminate any relative mobility between said connecting ring (13). ) and said bezel (12), the connecting ring (13) and the bezel (12) being configured so that when the bezel (12) is biased by a force going against the elastic return force, the interlocking members no longer cooperate with each other so as to release the mobility in rotation and in translation between said connecting ring (13) and said bezel (12).

Description

Technical field of the invention

The invention relates to the field of watchmaking, and in particular watch cases.

More particularly, the invention relates to a watch case comprising a removable rotating bezel.

Technology background

Some watches include a box designed to be able to separate the bezel from the middle on which it is fixed without tools, that is to say comprising a bezel fixed to the middle in a removable manner.

This type of bezel makes it possible to personalize the watch case, for example by replacing one bezel with another including different decorations, or makes maintenance operations easier.

One of the disadvantages of state-of-the-art watch cases comprising removable bezels lies in the complexity of their manufacture and/or in the complexity of their use, these disadvantages being further accentuated in the case of a rotating bezel.

There is therefore a need to propose a removable rotating bezel of a simple design, that is to say comprising a minimum of elements, so that its manufacture is as easy as possible, while allowing its removal from the caseband or its attachment to the middle in the most convenient way possible.

Summary of the invention

The invention resolves the aforementioned drawbacks and concerns, for this purpose, a watch case comprising a middle part, a bezel and a connecting ring arranged in a movable manner in rotation relative to the middle part and by means of which the bezel is able to to be fixed to the middle in a position in which said bezel is forced to bear against said ring by an elastic return force generated by an elastic member. The connecting ring and the bezel each comprise at least one interlocking member cooperating together when the bezel is fixed to the middle part, in order to eliminate any relative mobility between said connecting ring and said bezel.

The connecting ring and the bezel are configured so that when the bezel is acted upon by a force going against the elastic return force, the interlocking members no longer cooperate with each other, so to release the rotational mobility between said connecting ring and said bezel. The connecting ring and the bezel are further configured so as to be able to be separated when they are arranged in a predefined angular position relative to each other.

In particular embodiments, the invention may also include one or more of the following characteristics, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations.

In particular embodiments, the connecting ring comprises a peripheral shoulder by which it is arranged in abutment against an axial surface of the middle formed by a radial lip.

In particular embodiments, the interlocking members of the bezel and the connecting ring respectively comprise a coupling element, said coupling elements having complementary shapes and cooperating with one another when the bezel is fixed to the middle and being separated from one on the other when the bezel is subjected to a force going against the elastic return force.

In particular embodiments, the coupling elements are configured, when the bezel is subjected to a force going against the elastic restoring force, to prevent the rotation of the bezel relative to the connecting ring in a first direction of rotation and to authorize its rotation in a second direction of rotation opposite to the first direction of rotation.

In particular embodiments, the connecting ring comprises teeth cooperating with an elastic indexing element fixed to the middle part.

In particular embodiments, the teeth are shaped so as to allow rotation of the connecting ring only in the first direction of rotation.

In particular embodiments, the interlocking members of the bezel and the connecting ring respectively comprise a translation stop element, said translation stop elements cooperating with one another when the bezel is fixed to the middle part and being released from each other when the coupling elements are separated from each other and the bezel and the connecting ring are arranged according to the predefined angular position.

In particular embodiments, the translation stop elements of the bezel and the connecting ring are formed respectively by a radial tongue, the tongues extending in opposite directions and each comprising an interface face by which they rest against each other when the bezel is attached to the caseband.

In particular embodiments, the coupling element of the connecting ring is formed by a housing defined between two radial stops, one of which is formed by a lateral end of the element stopping in translation of the connecting ring, called the “stop end”, the coupling element of the bezel being formed by a radial tab intended to be engaged in said housing.

In particular embodiments, the translation stop elements of the bezel and the connecting ring are formed respectively by a radial tongue, the tongues extending in opposite directions and each comprising an interface face per which they cooperate, the interface face of the radial tongue of the connecting ring having an inclined portion arranged so as to generate an extra thickness at the level of the stop end, said extra thickness forming the second radial stop.

Brief description of the figures

• la figure 1 représente une vue de face d'une boite de montre selon un exemple préféré de réalisation de l'invention ;
• la figure 2 représente une vue en coupe transversale selon l'axe de coupe A-A de boite de montre de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 représente une vue en coupe transversale selon l'axe de coupe B-B de la boite de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 4 représente une vue en coupe transversale selon l'axe de coupe C-C de la boite de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 5 représente une vue éclatée en perspective de dessus de la boite de montre de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 6 représente une vue éclatée en perspective de dessous de la boite de montre de la figure 1.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following detailed description given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• there figure 1 represents a front view of a watch case according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
• there figure 2 represents a cross-sectional view along the section axis AA of the watch case of the figure 1 ;
• there Figure 3 represents a cross-sectional view along the cutting axis BB of the box of the figure 1 ;
• there Figure 4 represents a cross-sectional view along the cutting axis CC of the box of the figure 1 ;
• there Figure 5 represents an exploded perspective view from above of the watch case of the figure 1 ;
• there Figure 6 represents an exploded perspective view from below of the watch case of the figure 1 .

Note that the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale for reasons of clarity.

Detailed description of the invention

The invention relates to a watch box 10, as visible on the figures 1 to 6 , comprising a middle part 11 to which a bezel 12 is fixed by means of a connecting ring 13.

In particular, the connecting ring 13 is arranged so as to be movable in rotation relative to the middle part 11, around a tubular part 111 of said middle part 11. As shown in the sectional views of the figures 2 to 4 , the tubular part 111 is connected to a radial lip 112 forming an axial surface against which the connecting ring 13 is abutted and more precisely a peripheral shoulder of said connecting ring 13. This peripheral shoulder is formed by a tubular portion 131 extending from an annular base 132, said tubular portion 131 and the tubular portion 111 being coaxial.

As shown in the sectional view of the figure 2 , when the bezel 12 is fixed to the middle part 11, it is forced to bear against the connecting ring 13 by an elastic restoring force generated by at least one elastic member 121. This support allows interlocking members which respectively comprise the connecting ring 13 and the bezel 12 to cooperate with each other in order to eliminate any relative mobility between said connecting ring 13 and said bezel 12.

We understand here that, thanks to the connecting ring 13, the bezel 12 benefits from a degree of freedom in rotation relative to the middle part 11 when it is fixed to the latter.

Advantageously, as visible on the figures 5 And 6 , the connecting ring 13 comprises, on its annular base 132, a toothing 133 cooperating with an elastic indexing element 134 fixed to the middle part 11, as visible on the Figure 3 . Preferably, the teeth are shaped so as to authorize the rotation of the connecting ring 13 only in a particular direction of rotation, called “first direction of rotation. By way of Consequently, the bezel 12 is capable of pivoting in a single direction of rotation relative to the middle part 11.

Advantageously, the connecting ring 13 and the bezel 12, and in particular their respective interlocking members, are configured so that when the bezel 12 is stressed by a force going against the elastic return force, the members nesting no longer cooperate with each other and thus make it possible to release the rotational mobility of the bezel 12 relative to said connecting ring 13. It should be noted that when the bezel 12 is stressed by a force going against the elastic restoring force, it is moved axially according to a stroke only necessary to allow the release of the interlocking members, as described in more detail below; this axial movement being not or barely perceptible by the user.

The bezel 12 can be removed from the middle part 11 only after having been rotated at a particular angle. In other words, when the bezel 12 is subjected to a force going against the elastic restoring force, the bezel 12 and the connecting ring 13 can be separated by their arrangement according to a predefined angular position one compared to the other.

The fact that the bezel 12 must be subjected to a force going against the elastic restoring force generated by the elastic member(s) 121 to remove the bezel 12 from the middle part 11 makes it possible to avoid any accidental separation of the bezel 12 and the middle part 11, and thus helps to secure the fixing of said bezel 12.

The interlocking members of the bezel 12 and the connecting ring 13 are visible in the exploded views of the figures 5 And 6 and respectively comprise a coupling element. According to its definition accepted in the field of mechanics, a coupling allows the transmission of a rotational movement between two parts. Coupling elements therefore allow, when the interlocking members cooperate with each other, to secure in rotation the bezel 12 and the connecting ring 13.

For this purpose, the coupling element of the connecting ring 13 is formed, in the preferred embodiment, by a housing 135 defined between two radial stops. In this exemplary embodiment, the radial stops extend outwards. The coupling element of the bezel 12 is formed by a radial tab 122, visible on the Figure 6 , of a shape complementary to that of the housing 135 and engaged in said housing 135 when the interlocking members of the bezel 12 and the connecting ring 13 cooperate together. In particular, this radial tab 122 extends from a skirt 120 of the bezel 12.

Preferably, the coupling elements are advantageously configured to prevent the rotation of the bezel 12 relative to the connecting ring 13 in the first direction of rotation, when the bezel 12 is subjected to a force going against the force elastic return.

The first direction of rotation of the bezel 12 corresponds to its unique direction of rotation relative to the middle part 11 when it is fixed to the latter. Thus, the risk of accidentally separating the bezel 12 from the middle part 11 during its rotation is excluded.

For this purpose, one of the radial stops, called “first radial stop” 136 below, extends axially over a distance such that it constitutes a stop for the radial tab 122 whatever the axial position of the bezel. 12, that is to say whether or not it is subjected to a force opposite to the elastic return force.

The interlocking members of the bezel 12 and the connecting ring 13 respectively comprise, in addition, a translation stopping element, as visible on the figure 2 , 3 , 5 And 6 . The translation stop elements cooperate with each other when the bezel 12 is fixed to the middle part 11 and are released from each other when the coupling elements are separated and that the bezel 12 and the connecting ring 13 are arranged according to the predefined angular position relative to each other.

More precisely, the translation stop elements of the bezel 12 and the connecting ring 13 are formed respectively by a radial tongue 123, 138 each comprising an interface face 1230, 1380 by which they rest against one another. other when the bezel 12 is fixed to the middle part 11. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the tongue 138 of the connecting ring 13 extends outwards and that of the bezel 12 extends towards the inside.

The tongues 123 and 138 both extend between two lateral ends defining an angular sector large enough to distribute the axial forces on the interface faces 1230, 1380 in a manner adapted to maximize resistance to mechanical stress.

Preferably, one of the radial stops, called the “second radial stop” 137, is formed by a lateral end of the tongue 138 of the connecting ring 13 called “stop end” in the following text.

When fixing the bezel 12 to the middle part 11, the tongues 123 and 138 of the bezel 12 and the connecting ring 13 are arranged to rest against each other via their interface face 1230 , 1380, which makes it possible to prevent any withdrawal of the bezel 12 relative to the middle part 11 by a translation movement, then the bezel 12 is pivoted relative to the middle part 11 until the radial tab 122 of the bezel 12 engages in housing 135 under the influence of the elastic return force and comes into contact with the first radial stop 136.

In the preferred embodiment and as shown in the detailed view of the Figure 5 , the interface face 1380 of the tongue 138 of the connecting ring 13 has an inclined portion 1381 arranged so as to generate an extra thickness at the level of the stop end. In particular, said interface face 1380 comprises a first portion against which rests in support the interface face 1230 of the tongue 123 of the bezel 12 when the bezel 12 is fixed to the middle part 11 and a second portion, constituted by the inclined portion 1381, forming with the first portion a non-flat angle α, for example between 145 and 175 degrees. In summary, the extra thickness generated by this second portion forms the second radial stop 137.

This characteristic helps to simplify the design and manufacturing of the interlocking members.

Advantageously, in order to facilitate the assembly of the box 10, the middle part 11 can include a fixing ring 110 intended to fix the connecting ring 13 to said middle part 11 while allowing a degree of freedom in rotation of said ring of connection 13 relative to said middle part 11. More precisely, the fixing ring 110 comprises the tubular part 111 and the radial lip 112, and is fixed to a middle body 113 for example by screwing.

The middle body 113 may include a junction part 1130 fixed to a central part 1131 of the middle body 113, for example by screwing, and comprising an annular groove 1132 intended to receive the fixing ring 110, the connecting ring 13 and the skirt 120 of the bezel 12. In particular, the annular groove 1132 is defined between an internal side and an external side connected to each other by a bottom. In the example shown in the sectional views of the figures 2 to 4 , the fixing ring 110 is arranged facing the internal side and the bezel 12 is arranged facing the external side.

The elastic indexing element 134 and the elastic member 121 are housed in the central part 1131 of the middle body 113 and extend through the bottom of the annular groove 1132.

It is understood from the above that the bezel 12, when fixed to the middle part 11, is movable in translation according to a clearance defined between stops formed by the bottom of the annular groove 1132 and by the interface face 1380. This clearance is only necessary, as indicated previously, to separate the coupling elements from one another.

The junction part 1130 is fixed to the central part 1131 in a preferably removable manner, so as to simplify possible maintenance operations and to allow customization of part of the middle part 11, in addition to the possibility of customization of the bezel 12.

More generally, it should be noted that the exemplary embodiments considered above have been described by way of non-limiting examples, and that other variants are therefore possible.

In particular, although in the exemplary embodiment described above, the radial lip 112 of the fixing ring 110, the first radial stop 136 and the tongue 138 of the connecting ring 13 extend outwards, and that the annular base 132 of the connecting ring 13, the tongue 123 and the radial tab 122 extend inwards, an arrangement in an opposite direction of these elements could be envisaged. In other words, the radial lip 112, the first radial stop 136 and the tongue 138 of the connecting ring 13 could extend inwards, and the annular base 132, the tongue 123 and the radial tab 122 could extend outwards.

Furthermore, the bezel 12 and the connecting ring 13 can each comprise several interlocking members, for example three, as shown in the figures.
It is also possible, to constitute the second radial stop 137, to replace the inclined portion 1381 with a similar projecting portion, for example formed by a pin, an extra thickness of appropriate shape, etc. It is also possible for the interface face 1380 to form a single inclined section to constitute the second radial stop 137, the straight section of the tongue 138 then increasing towards the housing 135. It is also possible to provide an axial offset of the radial tab 122 per relative to the tongue 123 of the bezel 12, so that when said tongue 123 bears on the tongue 138 of the connecting ring 13, the radial tab 122 is housed in the housing 125. This last example makes it possible to conform the tongue 138 to the connecting ring 13 in any shape.

Claims (10)

Watch case (10) characterized in that it comprises a middle part (11), a bezel (12) and a connecting ring (13) arranged to move in rotation relative to the middle part (11) and through of which the bezel (12) is capable of being fixed to the middle part (11) in a position in which said bezel (12) is forced to bear against said ring by an elastic return force generated by an elastic member (121), the connecting ring (13) and the bezel (12) each comprising at least one interlocking member cooperating together when the bezel (12) is fixed to the middle part (11), in order to eliminate any relative mobility between said connecting ring (13) and said bezel (12), the connecting ring (13) and the bezel (12) being configured so that when the bezel (12) is biased by a force going against the elastic return force , the interlocking members no longer cooperate with each other so as to release the rotational mobility between said connecting ring (13) and said bezel (12), the connecting ring (13) and the bezel ( 12) being further configured so as to be able to be separated when they are arranged in a predefined angular position relative to each other. Watch case (10) according to claim 1, in which the connecting ring (13) comprises a peripheral shoulder by which it is arranged in abutment against an axial surface of the middle part (11) formed by a radial lip (112). Watch case (10) according to claim 2, in which the interlocking members of the bezel (12) and the connecting ring (13) respectively comprise a coupling element, said coupling elements having complementary shapes and cooperating with each other when the bezel (12) is fixed to the middle part (11) and being separated from each other when the bezel (12) is subjected to a force going against the elastic restoring force. Watch case (10) according to claim 3, in which the coupling elements are configured, when the bezel (12) is subjected to a force going against the elastic return force, to prevent the rotation of the bezel (12) relative to the connecting ring (13) in a first direction of rotation and to allow its rotation in a second direction of rotation opposite to the first direction of rotation. Watch case (10) according to one of claims 1 to 4, in which the connecting ring (13) comprises teeth cooperating with an elastic indexing element (134) fixed to the middle part (11). Watch case (10) according to claims 4 and 5, in which the teeth are shaped so as to allow rotation of the connecting ring (13) only in the first direction of rotation. Watch case (10) according to claim 3 or 4, in which the interlocking members of the bezel (12) and the connecting ring (13) respectively comprise a stop element in translation, said stop elements in translation cooperating with one another when the bezel (12) is fixed to the middle part (11) and being released from one another when the coupling elements are separated from one another and that the bezel (12) and the connecting ring (13) are arranged according to the predefined angular position. Watch case (10) according to claim 7, in which the translation stop elements of the bezel (12) and the connecting ring (13) are formed respectively by a radial tongue (123, 138), the tongues (123, 138) extending in opposite directions and each comprising an interface face (1230, 1380) by which they rest against each other when the bezel (12) is fixed to the middle part (11) . Watch case (10) according to claim 7 or 8, in which the coupling element of the connecting ring (13) is formed by a housing (135) defined between two radial stops (136, 137), one of which is formed by a lateral end of the element stopping in translation of the connecting ring (13), called "stop end", the element coupling of the bezel (12) being formed by a radial tab (122) intended to be engaged in said housing (135). Watch case (10) according to claim 9, in which the translation stop elements of the bezel (12) and the connecting ring (13) are formed respectively by a radial tongue (123, 138), the tongues (123, 138) extending in opposite directions and each comprising an interface face (1230, 1380) through which they cooperate, the interface face of the tongue (138) of the connecting ring (13) having an inclined portion (1381) arranged so as to generate an extra thickness at the level of the stop end, said extra thickness forming the second radial stop (137).

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