CH714807A2 - An annular rotating bezel system comprising a spring ring. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an annular rotating bezel system (6) intended to be rotatably mounted on a middle part (4) of a watch case inside which is housed a clockwork movement which extends in a plane. The system (6) comprises a rotating bezel (14), an annular retaining ring (16), a toothed ring (18), and a spring ring (20) which extends in a plane in which it is likely to deform elastically according to a radius. The spring ring (20) cooperates elastically with the toothed ring (18), said toothed ring (18) and said spring ring (20) being held in an axial direction perpendicular to the plane of movement in the rotating bezel (14) by the annular retaining ring (16). One of the toothed ring (18) and the spring ring (20) is arranged to be angularly secured to the rotating bezel (14), the other is arranged to be angularly secured to the middle part (4). The spring ring (20) comprises at least one thinned portion (38) arranged to increase the flexibility of the spring ring (20) in its plane, the thinned portion (38) having at least one tooth (40) elastically and radially engaged with the toothed ring (18).

Description

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to an annular rotating bezel system.

The invention also relates to a watch case comprising a middle part and the annular rotating bezel system mounted for rotation on the middle part.

The invention further relates to a watch comprising the watch case. The watch is for example a diving watch, without this being limiting in the context of the present invention

STATE OF THE ART [0004] Known annular rotating spectacle systems include a rotating bezel, an annular retaining ring, a toothed ring, and a spring ring. Such a rotating bezel system is for example described in patent document EP 2 672 333 A1. The spring ring extends in a plane in which it is capable of deforming elastically along a radius, and cooperates elastically with the toothed ring. To do this, elastic arms intended to cooperate with the toothed ring are formed in an inner periphery of the spring ring, by cutting the latter. The toothed ring and the spring ring are held axially by the rotating bezel and the annular retaining ring. The spring ring is angularly secured to the rotating bezel, and the toothed ring is angularly secured to the middle part. However, in such a rotating bezel system, the spring ring has limited flexibility in the plane it defines. This requires providing a sufficient width in the system in order to provide a space which is radially clear enough for the deformation of the spring ring, and therefore results in a significant bulk. In addition, the manufacture of such a spring ring is relatively complex, due to the cutting operation for the production of the elastic arms.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention therefore aims to provide an annular rotating bezel system making it possible to increase the flexibility of the spring ring in its plane, while being simple to manufacture, and overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks state of the art.

To this end, the invention relates to an annular rotating bezel system which comprises the characteristics mentioned in independent claim 1.

Particular forms of the system are defined in dependent claims 2 to 12.

A first advantage of the present invention is to allow the flexibility of the spring ring to be increased in its plane. In fact, thanks to the thinned portion or portions, the spring ring works in bending in its plane, allowing the teeth which it carries to mesh and to degenerate from the toothed ring according to the rotation of the glasses. This makes it possible to reduce the width necessary for the operation of the spring ring in the system, and therefore to obtain a gain in overall dimensions in width of the assembly.

In addition, such an arrangement is simple to manufacture, is compact in diameter, and allows to obtain in manufacturing dimensions very well controlled for the spring ring and the toothed ring. Such a configuration for the spring ring also does not require tabs or lamellae attached to the ring, since the spring ring is formed from a single piece of material.

Finally, this arrangement makes it possible to choose a material for the toothed ring independently of the material used for the rotating bezel. This allows for example to make glasses of precious material without risk of premature wear since the toothed ring is not integrated into the bezel but is just attached to said bezel.

Advantageously, the rotating bezel comprises at least one lug extending over an internal lateral face of the bezel, and the spring ring has, on an outer periphery, at least one notch in which the lug of the bezel is engaged. This allows the spring ring to be easily linked in rotation to the rotating bezel, while facilitating the positioning of the spring ring in the bezel.

Advantageously, the toothed ring has, on an inner periphery, at least one lug intended to be received in a notch provided in a cylindrical outer surface of the middle part. This allows easy angular attachment of the toothed ring to the middle part, while facilitating the positioning of the toothed ring on the middle part and allowing the rotating bezel system to be guided for its mounting on the middle part.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, the teeth of the toothed ring and the or each tooth of the spring ring have an asymmetrical shape in the plane defined by the spring ring. In this first embodiment, the spring ring can rotate relative to the toothed ring in only one predefined direction: clockwise or counterclockwise depending on the shape chosen for the teeth. This first embodiment of the invention therefore corresponds to a unidirectional rotating bezel.

CH 714 807 A2 [0014] According to a second embodiment of the invention, the teeth of the toothed ring and the or each tooth of the spring ring have a symmetrical shape in the plane defined by the spring ring. In this second embodiment, the spring ring can rotate relative to the toothed ring in one or the other of the two directions: clockwise or counterclockwise. This second embodiment of the invention therefore corresponds to a bidirectional rotating bezel.

Advantageously, the annular rotating bezel system is formed by an independent module, said module being configured to be clipped onto the middle part. This makes it possible to obtain a simple and practical assembly of the rotating bezel system on the middle, also allowing easy disassembly. This further simplifies the manufacturing process of the watch case. The clip-on mounting system used forms a free hanging system.

To this end, the invention also relates to a watch case comprising the annular rotating bezel system described above, and which comprises the characteristics mentioned in dependent claim 13.

A particular form of the watch case is defined in dependent claim 14.

To this end, the invention also relates to a watch comprising the watch case described above, and which comprises the characteristics mentioned in dependent claim 15.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The objects, advantages and characteristics of the annular rotating bezel system according to the invention will appear better in the following description on the basis of at least one non-limiting embodiment illustrated by the drawings in which:

fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the annular rotating bezel system according to the invention;

fig. 2 is a top view of the annular rotating bezel system of FIG. 1, once assembled;

fig. 3 is a sectional view of the system of FIG. 2, taken along a sectional plane III-III;

fig. 4 is a bottom view of the annular rotating bezel system of FIG. 1, according to a first embodiment of the invention; and fig. 5 is a bottom view of the annular rotating bezel system of FIG. 1, according to a second embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0020] FIG. 1 represents a watch 1 provided with a watch case 2. The watch case 2 typically comprises a middle part 4. The watch case 2 also comprises an annular rotating bezel system 6 as well as a watch movement which extends in a plan, the watch movement not being shown in the figures for reasons of clarity. The annular rotating bezel system 6 is mounted for rotation on the middle part 4. Preferably, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, the annular rotating bezel system 6 is formed of an independent module. The annular rotating bezel system 6 is for example clipped onto the middle part 4, as will be detailed later.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the middle part 4 is of annular shape. The middle part 4 comprises a cylindrical outer surface 8. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the cylindrical outer surface 8 is provided with a peripheral shoulder defined by a side wall 12a and a base 12b. This peripheral shoulder serves as a housing for the rotating bezel system 6. The side wall 12a comprises an annular projection or bead 13 extending over the entire perimeter of the side wall 12a and allowing the spitting of the rotating bezel system 6 to the middle 4, by clipping. The annular rotating bezel system 6 is based on the base 12b. The rotating bezel system 6 is thus mounted on the middle part 4, from above the latter, allowing the system 6 to be blocked in an axial direction perpendicular to the plane of the watch movement, while allowing rotation of the bezel around the middle part 4. In the watch case 2 taken as an example in figs. 1 to 5, the configuration of the watch case is substantially circular. However, the invention is in no way limited to such a configuration of the watch case, nor to the other arrangements described above for the middle part. The middle part can be made of metal, typically steel, titanium, gold. , platinum or ceramic typically based on alumina, zirconia or silicon nitride.

The annular rotating bezel system 6 comprises a rotating bezel 14, an annular retaining ring 16, a toothed ring 18 and a spring ring 20. Preferably, the system 6 further comprises a decor ring 22 forcibly engaged on the rotating bezel 14. The decor ring 22 carries for example graduations, typically diving graduations in the case of a diving watch 1. The decor ring 22 is for example ceramic.

The rotating bezel 14 is of annular shape and comprises an upper face 23a visible to the user and a lower face 23b. As illustrated in fig. 1 and 3, the rotating bezel 14 is for example provided on an inner periphery with an annular rim 24. The annular rim 24 cooperates by clipping with the protrusion 13 of the middle part 4, and

CH 714 807 A2 forms with the latter a free spitting system. The rotating bezel 14 is for example made of metal but could be made of any other material, for example ceramic.

The annular ring 16 holds the toothed ring 18 and the spring ring 20 in the bezel 14, in an axial direction perpendicular to the plane of the watch movement. This makes it easier to mount the rotating bezel 14 on the middle part 4. Preferably, and as visible in FIG. 3, the annular ring 16 is driven into the rotating bezel 14, securing it to the latter. In an alternative embodiment not shown in the figures, the annular ring 16 is secured to the middle part 4.

The annular ring 16 rests on the base 12b of the middle part 4, and thus surrounds the cylindrical outer surface 8 of the middle part 4. The annular ring 16 is configured to cooperate with the cylindrical outer surface 8 to allow rotation of the rotating bezel 14 on the middle part 4. The annular retaining ring 16 is for example a flat ring. According to a particular variant embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 1, the annular ring 16 comprises means 26 for guiding the rotating bezel 14 in rotation around the middle part 4, and means 28 configured to slow down the rotation of the rotating bezel 14 around the middle part 4 and to dampen the sound. In this variant embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the annular ring 16 is for example formed from a single piece of material consisting of a plastic material, in particular, PTFE, ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene (Tefzel®), and polyoxymethylene (Delrin®) if necessary coated with '' a layer aimed at improving the coefficient of friction. The annular ring 16 is for example of generally rectangular section.

Preferably, as shown in FIG. 1, the annular ring 16 comprises on an inner periphery an alternation between tabs 30a of a first group of tabs, and tabs 30b of a second group of tabs. The tongues 30a of the first group and the tongues 30b of the second group are in contact with the cylindrical outer surface 8 of the middle part. Such tongues 30a, 30b limiting the passage of dirt inside the rotating bezel system 6. In the variant not shown in the figures according to which the annular ring 16 is secured to the middle part 4, the tongues 30a of the first group and the tongues 30b of the second group are arranged on an outer periphery of the annular ring 16 and are in contact with a inner surface of the rotating bezel 14.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the first and second groups of tabs each comprise six tabs 30a, 30b, distributed over the inner periphery of the ring 16 over 360 °. The tabs of the same group of tabs are thus spaced two by two by 60 °, the tabs 30a, 30b of the first and second groups of tabs being alternated.

The tabs 30a of the first group and the tabs 30b of the second group have dimensions, in the radial direction, differentiated. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the tongues 30a of the first group of tongues have dimensions in the radial direction smaller than those of the tongues 30b of the second group of tongues, and form the means for guiding in rotation 26.

The tongues 30b of the second group of tongues form the braking and damping means of the sound 28. More precisely, the tongues 30b of the second group of tongues are made up of softer segments than the tongues 30a of the first group. Such segments are capable of bending in an axial direction perpendicular to the plane of the watch movement. To do this, a particular example of embodiment shown in FIG. 1 consists in that the tongues 30a of the first group and the tongues 30b of the second group have differentiated thicknesses, the thickness being measured in the axial direction perpendicular to the plane of the watch movement. Typically, the tabs 30b of the second group have a thickness less than that of the tabs 30a of the first group, thus giving them greater flexibility. Thanks to the axial flexibility of the tongues 30b of the second group, these can ensure braking of the rotation of the rotating bezel 14 around the middle part 4 by friction against the cylindrical outer surface 8, as well as damping of the sound produced.

Braking the rotation of the telescope 14 by the means 28 has the advantage of smoothing the various clearances inside the system so that the user of the telescope does not feel them, as well as controlling the torque of the bezel making it softer. In addition, the braking and sound damping means 28 make it possible to reduce the noise produced by the rotation of the telescope and therefore to improve the user feeling.

Preferably, the tongues 30a, 30b of the first and second groups are separated from each other by notches 32. This makes it possible in particular to improve the flexibility of the tongues 30b of the second group of tongues.

More preferably, as shown in FIG. 1, the tongues 30a, 30b of the first and second groups of tongues extend angularly over a substantially equal angular sector.

It goes without saying that according to other alternative embodiments of the invention the annular retaining ring may comprise a simple annular ring of rectangular section over its entire periphery driven into the bezel 14.

The toothed ring 18 includes several teeth, for example 120 teeth, also distributed over its outer periphery over 360 °. Preferably, the toothed ring 18 also has, on its inner periphery, at least one lug 34 received in a notch 36 provided in the cylindrical outer surface 8 of the middle part 4. In the exemplary embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, the toothed ring 18 comprises three lugs 34 distributed over 360 ° and spaced two by two by 120 °. The cylindrical outer surface 8 of the middle part 4 comprises three corresponding notches 36. This lug system 34 / notches 36 allows easy angular attachment of the toothed ring 18 to the middle part 4, while facilitating the

CH 714 807 A2 positioning of the toothed ring 18 on the middle part 4. This system also makes it possible to guide the rotating bezel system 6 for its mounting on the middle part. Thus, by pressing from the top of the system 6, the lugs 34 in the notches 36, making it possible to snap the elements inside the system 6 and to clip the system 6 onto the middle part 4.

The toothed ring 18 is formed from a single piece of material. The toothed ring 18 is for example made of a metal alloy, in particular a cobalt-based alloy (40% Co, 20% Cr, 16% Ni and. 7% Mo) commercially called phynox or steel typically a stainless steel for example 316L. As a variant, the toothed ring 18 can be made of a thermoplastic material, in particular a thermostable semi-crystalline thermoplastic material such as for example polyarylamide (Ixef®), polyetheretherketone (PEEK) or also a ceramic material such as zirconia or alumina.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the toothed ring 18 is arranged to fit into the spring ring 20, that is to say that the toothed ring 18 is dimensioned to be able to be placed in the spring ring 20. The toothed ring 18 and the spring ring 20 are concentric and coplanar, and are held between the lower face 23b of the bezel 14 and an upper face of the retaining ring 16.

The spring ring 20 cooperates elastically with the toothed ring 18. More specifically, the spring ring 20 comprises at least one thinned portion 38 having at least one tooth 40 elastically and radially engaged with the toothed ring 18. In the exemplary embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, the spring ring 20 comprises three thinned portions 38 distributed over 360 °, each thinned portion 38 having a tooth 40 arranged in a middle part of the thinned portion 38. The three thinned portions 38 are spaced two by two from 120 °. The spring ring 20 extends in a plane in which it is capable of deforming elastically along a radius. The thinned portions 38 are arranged to increase the flexibility of the spring ring 20 in its plane. This configuration allows, when the toothed ring 18 is inserted inside the spring ring 20, the teeth 40 cooperate with the teeth of the toothed ring 18. In this configuration, each tooth 40 is in contact with the toothed ring so that there is a rest position in which each tooth 40 is in a hollow between two teeth of the toothed ring 18. When the user grasps the bezel 14 and turns it, due to the flexibility of the spring ring 20 conferred by the thinned portions 38, the spring ring 20 deforms elastically in its plane, allowing the teeth 40 to disengage from the hollows of the toothed ring 18 and to re-engage in an adjacent tooth of the toothed ring 18. The bezel 14 then effectively rotates from a corresponding angular sector, to a new position.

Preferably, as illustrated in figs. 1,4 and 5, the thinned portions 38 are thinned radially.

More preferably, the spring ring 20 has on its outer periphery, at least one notch 42 in which a lug 44 of the bezel 14 is engaged to link these two elements in rotation. In the exemplary embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, the spring ring 20 comprises three notches 42 distributed over 360 ° and spaced two by two by 120 °, and the rotating bezel 14 comprises on a internal lateral face three corresponding lugs 44. The notches 42 are formed in portions 46 of the spring ring 20 which are thicker than the thinned portions 38, in the middle parts of these portions 46. Thus, the teeth 40 and the notches 42 form an alternation on the spring ring 20 , regularly distributed over 360 °. This lug 44 / notch 42 system allows the spring ring 20 to be easily linked in rotation to the rotating bezel 14, while facilitating the positioning of the spring ring 20 in the bezel 14.

The spring ring 20 is formed from a single piece of material. The spring ring 20 is for example made of a metal alloy having good spring properties, that is to say which easily deforms elastically while being able to deform significantly without undergoing plastic deformation, in particular phynox ® or amorphous metal alloys. Of course, the spring ring 20 can also, as a variant, be made of a synthetic material.

A first embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 4. According to this first embodiment, the teeth of the toothed ring 18 and the teeth 40 of the spring ring 20 have an asymmetrical shape in the plane defined by the spring ring 20. The asymmetrical shape is for example a shape so-called "wolf tooth", that is to say that the teeth have substantially the shape of a right triangle. In the tooth entrainment position, the hypotenuse of the triangle formed by each tooth 40 of the spring ring extends along the hypotenuse of the triangle formed by one of the teeth of the toothed ring 18.

The teeth 40, each arranged in a middle part of a thinned portion 38, are regularly distributed over 360 °. Thus, in the example illustrated in FIG. 4 according to which the spring ring 20 comprises three teeth 40, the teeth 40 are spaced two by two by 120 °.

In this first embodiment, the spring ring 20 can rotate relative to the toothed ring 18 in one predefined direction: clockwise or counterclockwise depending on the shape chosen for the teeth. This first embodiment of the invention therefore corresponds to a unidirectional rotating bezel 14.

A second embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 5. According to this second embodiment, the teeth of the toothed ring 18 and the teeth 40 of the spring ring 20 have a symmetrical shape in the plane defined by the spring ring 20. The symmetrical shape is for example a shape isosceles triangle or equilateral triangle.

CH 714 807 A2 In this second embodiment, the spring ring 20 can rotate relative to the toothed ring 18 in one or the other of the two directions: clockwise or counterclockwise. This second embodiment of the invention therefore corresponds to a bidirectional rotating bezel 14.

Preferably, according to this second embodiment, the spring ring 20 comprises three thinned portions 38 regularly distributed over 360 °. Each thinned portion 38 carries a tooth 40.

The previous description of the annular rotating bezel system according to the invention was made with reference to a toothed ring angularly secured to the middle part, and to a spring ring angularly secured to the rotating bezel. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the reverse configuration is possible without departing from the scope of the present invention, that is to say that the toothed ring can be angularly secured to the rotating bezel, and the ring comes out angularly. secured to the middle.

claims

Claims (15)

1. System (6) of an annular rotating bezel intended to be mounted for rotation on a middle part (4) of a watch case (2) inside which is housed a clockwork movement which extends in one plane, comprising a rotating bezel (14), an annular retaining ring (16), a toothed ring (18), and a spring ring (20) which extends in a plane in which it is capable of elastically deforming along a radius , the spring ring (20) cooperating elastically with the toothed ring (18), said toothed ring (18) and said spring ring (20) being held in an axial direction perpendicular to the plane of movement in the telescope (14) by the annular retaining ring (16), one of the toothed ring (18) and of the spring ring (20) being arranged to be angularly integral with the rotating bezel (14), and the other being arranged for be angularly secured to the middle part (4); characterized in that the spring ring (20) comprises at least one thinned portion (38) arranged to increase the flexibility of the spring ring (18) in its plane, the thinned portion (38) having at least one tooth (40 ) elastically and radially engaged with the toothed ring (18). 2. System (6) of annular rotating bezel according to claim 1, characterized in that said thinned portion (38) is thinned radially. 3. System (6) of annular rotating bezel according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said tooth (40) is arranged in a middle part of the thinned portion (38). 4. System (6) of annular rotating bezel according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotating bezel (14) comprises at least one lug (44) extending on an internal lateral face of the bezel (14 ), and in that the spring ring (20) has, on an outer periphery, at least one notch (42) in which the lug (44) of the bezel (14) is engaged to allow a connection in rotation of the spring ring (20) to the rotating bezel (14). 5. System (6) of annular rotating bezel according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the toothed ring (18) has, on an inner periphery, at least one lug (34) intended to be received in a notch (36) provided in a cylindrical outer surface (8) of the middle part (4), to allow the angular attachment of the toothed ring (18) to the middle part (4). 6. System (6) of annular rotating bezel according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spring ring (20) is formed from a single piece of material consisting of a crystalline or amorphous metal alloy. 7. System (6) of annular rotating bezel according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the toothed ring (18) is formed from a single piece of material consisting of a metal alloy, in particular phynox or steel. 8. System (6) of annular rotating bezel according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the toothed ring (18) is formed from a single piece of material made of a semi-crystalline thermoplastic material thermostable, in particular polyetheretherketone thermostable in particular polyarylamide, or of a ceramic material in particular in zirconia or in alumina. 9. System (6) of annular rotating bezel according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spring ring (20) comprises three thinned portions (38) distributed over 360 °, the three thinned portions (38) being spaced two by two by 120 °. 10. System (6) of annular rotating bezel according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the teeth of the toothed ring (18) and the or each tooth (40) of the spring ring (20) have an asymmetrical shape in the plane defined by the spring ring (20). 11. System (6) of annular rotating bezel according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the teeth of the toothed ring and the or each tooth (40) of the spring ring (20) have a symmetrical shape in the plane defined by the spring ring (20). CH 714 807 A2 12. System (6) of annular rotating bezel according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said system (6) is formed of an independent module, said module being configured to be clipped onto the middle part (4). 13. Watch case (2) comprising a middle (4) and a system (6) provided with an annular rotating bezel (14) rotatably mounted on the middle (4), characterized in that the system (6) An annular rotating bezel conforms to any one of the preceding claims. 14. Watch case (2) according to claim 13 when the system (6) of rotating bezel depends on claim 12, characterized in that the middle part (4) comprises a cylindrical outer surface (8) provided with a peripheral shoulder (12a, 12b), the peripheral shoulder (12a, 12b) comprising on an lateral face (12a) an annular projection (13), and in that the rotating bezel (14) is provided on an inner periphery with a rim annular (24), said annular flange (24) cooperating with said annular protuberance (13) by clipping and forming a free spitting system. 15. Watch (1) comprising a watch case (2), characterized in that the watch case (2) conforms to claim 13 or 14.