CH717143A2 - Oscillating winding weight fitted with a rotating decorative element for the automatic movement of a timepiece. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an oscillating winding mass (1) of a movement of a timepiece, said oscillating winding mass (1) being intended to be mounted for rotation on an axis of the movement, characterized in that it comprises a main element (2) and a decorative element (10), for example a logo or an acronym, a part of the winding mass (1) forming a heavy part (3) allowing the oscillation of the mass (1 ) in response to the movement of the timepiece and to the force of gravity, the main element (2) giving the general shape of the oscillating winding mass (1), the decorative element (10) being mechanically linked to the main element (2), the decorative element (10) being rotatably mounted on the main element (2).

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to an oscillating winding mass provided with a rotary element for automatic movement of a timepiece. More particularly, the invention relates to such a winding mass intended to equip a wristwatch comprising a transparent back. The invention also relates to a timepiece provided with such an oscillating winding mass.

Background of the invention

[0002] Wristwatches are already known with transparent bottom boxes to allow observation of their movement. However, when these watches have a self-winding movement, the oscillating winding mass hides a movement part.

[0003] In addition, the aesthetics of such oscillating masses are not always pleasant, even if it is possible to etch the material forming the oscillating weight to make it more attractive. It is possible, for example, to engrave a decorative element, such as a logo representing the brand of the watch. But this logo is generally not visible enough for the result to be aesthetically convincing. In addition, a simple coloring of the logo is not enough to make the mass more aesthetic, not to mention that the color can degrade over time. In addition, the decorative element is static with respect to the rest of the oscillating weight.

Summary of the invention

The object of the present invention is to remedy the drawbacks of the prior art by providing an oscillating winding mass for a timepiece comprising a particular decorative element.

[0005] To this end, the invention relates to an oscillating winding mass for a movement of a timepiece, said oscillating winding mass being intended to be mounted for rotation on an axis of the movement.

The invention is remarkable in that it comprises a main element and a decorative element, for example a logo or an acronym, a part of the winding mass forming a heavy part allowing the oscillation of the mass in response to the movement of the timepiece and to the force of gravity, the main element giving the general shape of the oscillating winding mass, the decorative element being mechanically linked to the main element, the decorative element being mounted to rotation on the main element.

Thanks to this new winding mass structure, a decorative element is rotatably linked to the main element of the winding mass. Thus, the winding mass has a more attractive aesthetic rendering than a conventional winding mass known from the state of the art. Indeed, the rotary decorative element, which can represent a logo or an initials of a mark, gives more cachet to the winding mass and therefore to the timepiece. The main element and the decorative element can rotate together at different speeds, or the decorative element can rotate when the main element has just stopped. Thus, the rotation of the decorative element relative to the main element offers a particular aesthetic effect.

[0008] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the heavy part is formed by at least part of the main element.

[0009] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the mass comprises a ball bearing to allow the decorative element to rotate.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the ball bearing is arranged on the main element.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the main element comprises an opening in which the decorative element is arranged.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the ball bearing is arranged in an internal face of the opening.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the balls are arranged in the mass of the main element.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the balls are distributed angularly in the internal face of the opening.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, each ball is retained in a housing whose dimensions allow the ball to rotate while being retained in a substantially predefined position.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the housing comprises an orifice opening into the opening, so that part of the ball protrudes from the housing into the opening so as to be able to be in contact with the decorative element.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the decorative element comprises a portion intended to be in contact with the balls of the bearing.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the decorative element comprises ceramic, preferably in its entirety.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the main element comprises amorphous metal.

[0020] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the internal face of the opening comprises rails for retaining the decorative element in the opening, the portion of the decorative element preferably being of bevelled shape.

The invention also relates to a timepiece comprising a case formed of a middle part closed by a crystal and an at least partially transparent back and in which is housed a self-winding timepiece movement, said movement being equipped with an oscillating winding mass as defined above.

Brief description of the drawings

Other details of the invention will emerge more clearly on reading the following description, made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an oscillating winding mass according to the invention; FIG. 2 is an enlargement of the wall of the oscillating weight, of the decorative element and of the ball bearing.

Detailed description of a preferred embodiment

There is shown in Figure 1an embodiment of an oscillating winding mass according to the invention, designated by the general reference 1. This mass 1est intended to conventionally equip the self-winding movement of a part of timepiece, the part comprising in particular a case formed of a middle part closed by a crystal and an at least partially transparent back to make the movement visible from the back, and which are not shown in the figures.

The winding mass 1 comprises a main element 2 conferring the general shape of the oscillating winding mass 1. The main element 2 comprises a heavy part 3 and a connecting member 5 intended to connect the heavy part 3 to an axis (not shown on the figures). figures) integral with a clockwork movement, the mass 1 being intended to be mounted to rotate on this axis. The heavy part 3 allows the oscillation of the mass 1 in response to the movement of the timepiece and to the force of gravity.

The connecting member comprises a 4sensibly circular ring and a 5sensibly flat wall connecting the ring 4 to the heavy part 3 of the mass 1. The ring 4est intended to be arranged on the axis of the movement. Thus, the oscillating mass 1 performs a circular movement around the axis, when it oscillates. The heavy part 3, as well as the ring 4 and the wall 5 of the connecting member are arranged substantially in the same plane.

The heavy part 3 has the shape of a circular arc forming an angle substantially equal to 180 °. The wall 5est connected to the heavy part 3, substantially in the middle of the arc of a circle, on the internal side of the curvature. The ring 4 is arranged at the other end of the wall 5.

According to the invention, the winding mass 1 comprises a decorative element 10, for example a logo or an acronym, the decorative element 10 being mechanically connected to the main element 2 of the mass 1. The decorative element 10 is here a Anchor-shaped logo having a substantially straight segment 11 and a curved segment 12, the straight segment 11 being connected to the curved segment 12 in its middle, on the inner side of the curvature.

The main element 2 has an opening 6 in which the decorative element 10 is arranged. The opening 6 is made in the wall 5 of the connecting member in the plane of the wall 5. The decorative element is arranged in the same plane as the opening 6 and the wall 5. Preferably, the opening 6 passes through the wall. 5 of the main element 2. The opening 6 has here a circular shape provided with a center of the circle. The opening 6 is bordered by an internal face 7 defining the outline of the opening 6. The internal face 7 has a cylindrical shape, the height of which corresponds to the thickness of the wall 5.

The decorative element 10est rotatably mounted on the main element 2. For this purpose, the winding mass 1 includes a ball bearing 8 9.

In a first embodiment, shown in the figures, the ball bearing 8 is arranged on the main element 2 to allow the decorative element 10 to rotate by sliding on the balls 9. The ball bearing 8 is arranged in the 'opening 6, in the internal face 7. The decorative element 10 can then rotate about an axis passing substantially through the center of the opening 6.

The balls 9 are angularly distributed in the internal face 7de the opening 6. The balls 9 are arranged in the mass of the main element 2. In Figure 1, the bearing comprises twelve balls 9. Each ball 9 is retained in a housing whose dimensions correspond substantially to those of the ball 9, so as to allow it to rotate inside. For this, the housing is generally spherical with a diameter slightly greater than that of the ball 9. Thus, the housing is configured to retain the ball 9 while leaving it a dimensional margin allowing it to rotate inside the housing.

Each housing further comprises an orifice 15 opening into the opening 6. The orifice 15 are arranged on the internal face 7de the opening 6. Thus, the ball 9 protrudes from the housing in the opening 6 and may be in contact with the decorative element 10.

The decorative element 10 comprises a portion intended to be in contact with the balls 9du bearing 8. In the example of the anchor, this is the outer face of the curved segment 12 which slides on the balls 9du bearing 8 .

To maintain the decorative element 10 in the opening 6, the internal face 7 of the opening 6 comprises retaining rails 13, 14 of the decorative element 10. Two rails 13, 14 are each arranged substantially on an edge of the cylinder defined by the internal face 7.

The contact portion of the decorative element preferably has a bevelled shape to be able to be introduced and held between the two rails 13, 14. Thus, the decorative element 10 can slide against the balls 9, while remaining held in the opening 6 by the rails 13, 14.

The balls 9 are for example formed of a synthetic ruby material of poly-crystal type.

The decorative element 10est formed of a material, preferably opaque, to be distinguished from the main element 2. The material of the decorative element 10 comprises ceramic, preferably entirely, such as zirconia. ZrO2 type. This material makes it possible to obtain particular colors, for example black, to be clearly visible.

In a first variant embodiment, the main element 2 is formed of a single piece material of high density amorphous metal greater than 10 g / cm3, such as an amorphous platinum alloy of the Pt85CuNiP type with a density of 15.4 g / cm3. Thus, the heavy part 3 is made of the same material. The high density material gives sufficient inertia to the heavy part 3.

In a second variant embodiment, the main element 2 is formed in part of an amorphous metal of low density less than 10 g / cm3, such as an amorphous zirconium alloy of the ZrVit106a type with a density of 6.7g / cm3 . The heavy part 3 is a separate element assembled with the main element 2. The heavy part 3 is made of a high density material, preferably greater than 10g / cm3, for example tungsten or a tungsten alloy with a density of 19. , 3g / cm3.

To form the balls 9et the housings in the wall 5, a method is used in which first the ruby balls are formed, which are covered with a metal layer, for example copper, deposited by galvanic growth. The metallized balls 9 are then embedded in the mass of amorphous metal of the main element 2 during its formation, and finally the metal layer is dissolved by a chemical technique. Dissolution of the layer releases the ball of the main member material, and allows it to rotate in the housing, while being retained there. For example, an overmolding process is used, such as hot forming or injection of amorphous metal. Such a production process is described in patent EP 2585238, in particular in paragraphs [0044] and [0045].

In a second embodiment, not shown in the figures, the ball bearing is arranged in the decorative element. To this end, the decorative element is formed of an amorphous metal material to be able to form the balls in the same way as in the first embodiment, but in the decorative element this time. The main element is preferably formed from another material making it possible to have sufficient inertia.

In a third embodiment, not shown in the figures, the ball bearing is an additional element attached to the internal face of the opening. Thus, the balls are not integrated into the material of the additional element, but are part of the additional element. The additional element is fixed on the internal face of the opening. The decorative element is held by the additional element while being able to rotate thanks to the ball bearing, as in the embodiment of FIG. 1, described above.

Claims (14)

1. Oscillating winding mass (1) of a movement of a timepiece, said oscillating winding mass (1) being intended to be mounted to rotate on an axis of the movement, characterized in that it comprises a main element (2) and a decorative element (10), for example a logo or an acronym, a part of the winding mass (1) forming a heavy part (3) allowing the oscillation of the mass (1) in response to the movement of the timepiece and to the force of gravity, the main element (2) giving the general shape of the oscillating winding mass (1), the decorative element (10) being mechanically linked to the element main element (2), the decorative element (10) being rotatably mounted on the main element (2). 2. Winding mass (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a bearing (8) ball (9) to allow the decorative element (10) to rotate. 3. Winding mass (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the bearing (8) ball (9) is arranged on the main element (2). 4. Winding mass (1) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the main element (2) has an opening (6) in which the decorative element (10) is arranged. 5. Winding mass (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the bearing (8) ball (9) is arranged in an internal face (7) of the opening (6). 6. Winding mass (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the internal face (7) of the opening (6) comprises rails (13, 14) for holding the decorative element (10) in the opening (6), the portion of the decorative element (10) preferably being of bevelled shape. 7. Winding mass (1) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the balls (9) are distributed angularly in the internal face (7) of the opening (6). 8. Winding mass (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the balls (8) are arranged in the mass of the main element (2). 9. Winding mass (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that each ball (9) is retained in a housing whose dimensions allow the ball (9) to rotate while being retained in a substantially predefined position. 10. Winding mass (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the housing comprises an orifice (15) opening into the opening (6), so that part of the ball (8) protrudes from the housing in the opening (6) to be able to be in contact with the decorative element (10). 11. Winding mass (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 9, characterized in that the decorative element (10) comprises a portion intended to be in contact with the balls (9) of the bearing (8). . 12. Winding mass (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the decorative element (10) comprises ceramic, preferably entirely. 13. Winding mass (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the main element (2) comprises amorphous metal. 14. Timepiece comprising a case formed of a middle part closed by a crystal and an at least partially transparent back and in which is housed a self-winding timepiece movement, characterized in that said movement is equipped with a oscillating winding weight (1) according to any one of the preceding claims.