CH718754A2 - Dewar device comprising an operable dressing element. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a Dewar device (1) for mechanical and/or functional components (2) of a watch (3), said device (1) comprising: a bracelet; a case (4) comprising an enclosure (5) in which a case (6) of the watch (3) can be arranged so that a crystal of said case (6) is arranged opposite a glass (10a) of a set of elements (10a, 10b, 10c) of the case (4) defining this enclosure (5); at least one fixing device (7) fixing said watch case (6) (3) in said enclosure (5) of the case (4) by keeping it away from said set of elements (10a, 10b, 10c), and a device (19) for actuating at least one control element of said watch (3) by the translational movement of a casing element (10a, 13, 9) of the case (4) in the direction of a bottom (10b) of this case (4).

Description

Technical field of the invention

The present invention relates to a Dewar device for mechanical and/or functional components of a watch, the device comprising a device for actuating at least one control element of a watch arranged in an enclosure of this Dewar device from an actuatable trim element of this actuating device.

Technology background

[0002] A watch and in particular an electronic watch conventionally comprises a bracelet and a watch case comprising several electrical or electronic components. It is known in the state of the art that some of these components cannot withstand extreme temperatures, and cease to operate correctly at these temperatures. Typically, LCD liquid crystal displays using light-emitting diodes or quartz tolerate temperatures not exceeding approximately 80°C (degrees Celcius), and not dropping below 0. °C. However, in particular environments such as for example space or lunar missions, the temperatures can frequently reach values of the order of substantially −150° C. to +125° C.

[0003] There is therefore a need to be able to use a watch, in particular an electronic watch, in environments where such extreme temperatures can prevail.

Summary of the invention

The invention relates to a Dewar device for mechanical and/or functional components of a watch, said device comprising: a bracelet ; a case comprising an enclosure in which a case of the watch can be arranged so that a crystal of said case is arranged opposite a crystal of a set of elements of the case defining this enclosure; at least one fixing device fixing said watch case in said enclosure of the case by keeping it away from said set of elements, and a device for actuating at least one control element of said watch by the translational movement of a covering element of the case in the direction of a bottom of this case.

[0005] In other embodiments: the actuating device comprises a case covering element configured to actuate said at least one control element when carrying out a translational movement of said at least one covering element in the direction of a bottom of this box; said covering element is a bezel of the case; said covering element is a crystal of the case; said covering element is a crystal and bezel assembly of the case; said actuating device comprises at least one return element configured to return said at least one trim element from an activated position to a deactivated position; said trim element comprises an actuation zone capable of activating said at least one control element of the watch by coming into contact with said at least one control element; said at least one control element of said watch is a push button or a crown, and said enclosure is under vacuum or quasi-vacuum.

Brief description of figures

Other features and advantages will emerge clearly from the description given below, by way of indication and in no way limiting, with reference to the following appended figures: FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a schematic representation of a Dewar device for mechanical and/or functional components of a watch provided with a device for actuating at least a control element of a watch , according to one embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 2 is a functional schematic representation of the Dewar device of the actuation device comprising a trim element operable in a deactivated position, according to the embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 3 is a functional schematic representation of the Dewar device of the actuation device comprising the covering element in an activated position, according to the embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

[0007] Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of an isothermal timepiece device 1 for mechanical and/or functional components 2 of a watch 3 also called "Dewar timepiece device" or "protection device" or more simply in the continuation of the description „dewar device“. Such a Dewar device 1 is capable of participating in particular in conferring good thermal insulation on mechanical and/or functional components 2 of the watch 3 whose case 6 is arranged in the case 4 of this device 1.

This Dewar device 1 is in particular formed by the combination of its case 4 and the case 6 of the watch 3 in order to achieve suitable thermal insulation for these mechanical and/or functional components 2. In this configuration, the case 6 of the watch 3 is arranged in an enclosure 5 of the case 4 while being kept remote or at a distance from all the elements 10a to 10c of the case 4 defining this said enclosure 5, namely the crystal 10a, an inner peripheral wall 12 of a middle part 10c and a bottom 10b of this case 4. It will be noted that this inner peripheral wall 12 is also that of said enclosure 5.

In this context, this device 1 therefore comprises the case 4 which comprises the middle part 10c preferably provided with two pairs of lugs 14 on which is mounted a bracelet allowing a user of this device 1 to wear it for example on the wrist . This box 4 also comprises a bottom 10b visible in FIG. 1 as well as an operable covering element 10a, 13, 9 such as a glass 10a which preferably comprises a surface which is substantially greater than or strictly greater than a glass 11 of watch case 6 3.

This case 4 is also provided with a covering element 10a, 13, 9 such as a bezel 13 which can be mounted so as to be able to rotate relative to the middle part 10c. Such bezel 13 has an essentially circular shape. It comprises a body having an outer face which can be provided with a scale.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, this Dewar device 1 also comprises an actuating device 19 of at least one control element of said watch 3 by the translational movement of a covering element 10a, 13, 9 of the case 4 in the direction of a bottom 10b of this case 4. Such a covering element 10a, 13, 9 is preferably here a crystal and bezel assembly 9. In such an assembly 9, the crystal and the bezel of the case 4 are mounted together, in particular to achieve the translation movement mentioned above. In an alternative, this crystal and the bezel together form a single piece.

[0012] In other variants, this covering element 10a, 13, 9 can be the bezel 13 of the case 4 or even the crystal 10a of this case 4.

In this context, it is understood that this trim element 10a, 13, 9 is configured to actuate said at least one control element when carrying out a translational movement of such said at least a covering element 10a, 13, 9 in the direction of the bottom 10b of this box 4. Such translational movement is carried out in a direction which is parallel or substantially parallel to a central axis O of the box 4.

This covering element 10a, 13, 9 is able to be moved between a deactivated position where it is not in contact with the control element of said watch 3, and an activated position where this element of casing 10a, 13, 9 actuates the control element of this watch 3.

In this Dewar device 1, the actuating device 19 also comprises a mechanism for controlling and guiding the covering element 10a, 13, 9 from the deactivated position visible in FIG. 2 to the activated position. visible in Figure 3, and vice versa. This mechanism notably comprises at least one return element configured to return said at least one trim element 10a, 13, 9 from the activated position to the deactivated position.

As we have seen, this trim element 10a, 13, 9 is movable in translation relative to the middle part 10c of the case 4 of the Dewar device 1. Such a trim element 10a, 13, 9 is mounted/assembled in a leaktight or hermetic manner in the case 4. In other words, the covering element 10a, 13, 9 is connected/mounted/assembled in a leaktight or hermetic manner with the middle part 10c of this case 4.

This trim element 10a, 13, 9 comprises a first part 8a forming all or part of a support zone. This support zone is capable of receiving a pressure force exerted by the user of the Dewar device 1 on this covering element 10a, 13, 9 in order to actuate at least one control element of the watch 3.

This trim element 10a, 13, 9 also comprises a second part 8b extending substantially perpendicular or strictly perpendicular to the first part 8a in the direction of the bottom 10b of the case 4. Such a second part 8b has a cross section having a shape substantially similar to a shape of a cross section of the middle part 10c of the Dewar device 1. The cross section of this second part 8b has dimensions which are smaller than those of the cross section of the middle part 10c. In other words, when the cross section of this second part 8b is circular, the diameter of this section is then smaller than that of the circular cross section of the middle part 10c of the Dewar device 1. It will be noted that these cross sections of this second part 8b and middle part 10c are perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to central axis O of case 4 of Dewar device 1.

This second part 8b forms a peripheral wall 8b provided with at least one actuation zone capable of activating the control element of the watch 3 by coming into contact with the latter. This actuation zone can for example be arranged on an inner face 15a and/or a free end 15b of the peripheral wall 8b. By free end 15b is meant the part of this peripheral wall 8b which is arranged substantially or strictly opposite the bottom 10b of the case 4 of the Dewar device 1. In addition, it will be noted that this actuation zone is capable of coming into contact directly with said at least one control element of the watch 3. When this actuation zone is arranged on the inner face 15a, it may comprise a protrusion which is able to carry out the actuation of the corresponding control element of the watch 3.

[0020] Such a peripheral wall 8b is capable of penetrating in whole or in part into the enclosure 5 of the housing of the Dewar device 1 when the covering element 10a, 13, 9 performs a movement in translation towards the bottom 10b of the box 4 in order to actuate said at least one control element. This peripheral wall 8b can enter this enclosure by sliding or sliding.

It will be noted that this peripheral wall 8b can comprise at least one recess in which can be arranged a fixing device 7 of the watch case 3 which we will discuss later, when the covering element 10a, 13 , 9 is in the activated position.

It is understood that such an actuation device 19 makes it possible to improve the use of the Dewar device 1, in particular when the user of this device 1 is not very skilled in the part of his body which allows him to manipulate it. This lack of skill can result from a handicap or from the fact that this user wears thick gloves on his hands which prevent him from being precise with his fingers to manipulate this Dewar 1 device. In this context, it should be noted that such a Dewar 1 device is particularly suitable for use by astronauts dressed in their spacesuits or more generally by users/adventurers in spacesuits operating in environments where extreme conditions prevail in terms, for example, of pressure, temperature, humidity , etc...

As we have seen previously, the box 6 of the watch 3 is arranged in the enclosure 5 of the case 4 while being kept remote or at a distance from all the elements 10a to 10c of this case 4. This distance or this distance or even this spacing is configured from at least one fixing device 7 of the case 6 of the watch 3 included in the case 4. In other words, the fixing device 7 is configured to produce or maintaining a distance between said box 6 and all of the elements 10a, 10b, 10c of the box 4 forming the said enclosure 5 of this box 4. This fixing device 7 participates in reducing or even eliminating any heat conduction between the inner peripheral wall 12a of the middle part 10c and/or the back 10b and/or the crystal 10a with the case 6 of the watch 3 in particular with an outer overall face of this case 6. This outer overall face comprises an upper face comprising the crystal 11 of the case 6 of this watch 3, a lower face comprising a bottom of said box 6 and an outer peripheral wall of a middle part of this box 6. It is understood that the lower and upper faces are opposite one another. It will be noted that the fixing device 7 is arranged on an inner peripheral wall 12 of the enclosure of the case 4. In this configuration the fixing device 7 mechanically connects, in particular in a reversible manner, the case 6 of the watch 3 to the peripheral wall interior 12 of the enclosure of the box 4. In addition, the Dewar device 1 can comprise two fixing devices 7 arranged in the enclosure, being opposite one another.

[0024] It will be noted that such a box 6 is included in a watch 3 which can be an electronic watch, for example a quartz watch, or even a mechanical watch.

[0025] The mechanical and/or functional components 2 of the watch 3, mentioned above, include in a non-limiting and non-exhaustive manner: mechanical elements of the movement such as a balance-spring, wheels, a striking mechanism, a dial, hands, rings, seals and/or electronic and/or electrical components 2. It will be noted in particular that such electronic and/or electrical components 2 comprise for example a display device, a processor, a memory , an energy storage component, a motor, an integrated circuit and an electronic oscillator, etc...

It is therefore understood that in this configuration, this Dewar device 1 has the same properties and characteristics as a well-known Dewar tube/vase in the state of the art. As we have previously mentioned, the properties and characteristics of this Dewar device 1 participate in giving it good thermal insulation with regard to particularly extreme temperatures that may prevail in the external environment in which such a device 1 can be located.

As we have seen, the glass 10a, the middle part 10c and the bottom 10b of this device 1 together define the enclosure 5 of this case 4 which is capable of receiving the box 6 of the watch 3. These three elements 10a to 10c of the case 4, namely the middle 10c, the crystal 10a and the back 10b can be separate elements which are joined together to build this enclosure 5. Alternatively, the middle 10c and the back 10b of the case 4 can together form a one-piece piece, said one-piece piece defining an opening opposite the bottom 10b which is capable of being closed by the crystal 10a and this, in a reversible and sealed manner. Alternatively, middle 10c and crystal 10a of watch case 3 3 may together form a one-piece piece, said one-piece piece defining an opening opposite crystal 10a which is capable of being closed by bottom 10b and this, too. reversibly and tightly.

The middle part 10c or the bottom 10b can also be like the glass 10a, transparent elements of the case 4 of the Dewar device 1. In such a configuration, the peripheral wall 12 of the middle part 10c and the inner face of the bottom 10b can be coated with a metallic or similar reflective coating, such as for example a layer of silver.

[0029] It will however be noted that the middle part 10c or the bottom 10b are preferably made in a non-limiting and non-exhaustive manner of a metallic material or of thermosetting or thermoplastic polymer resins reinforced with carbon or glass fibers or even of ceramic materials .

[0030] In addition, the device 1 can comprise an interferometric filter arranged on an outer overall face of the case 4, namely on an outer peripheral wall of the middle part 10c and/or the outer faces of the crystal 10a and of the bottom 10b of this box 6 of watch 3. This interferometric filter can be a grid or a lattice forming a coating on this external overall face of the case 4. This grid or lattice has a mesh whose dimensions are such that they only allow certain lengths to pass predetermined wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum, typically the wavelengths of the visible domain.

Furthermore when the device 1 is intended to be used in an environment comprising air, the enclosure 5 of the case 4 comprising the box 6 of the watch, is under vacuum or near vacuum. In other words, in this enclosure, the space defined between this box 6 and the inner peripheral wall 12 of the middle part 10c, the back 10b and the crystal 10a is empty of material or almost empty. It will be noted that when this device 1 is used in an environment devoid of air or substantially devoid of air, its enclosure may not be under vacuum, or on the contrary also be under vacuum or quasi-vacuum.

[0032] Such a Dewar device 1, the use or handling of which is facilitated thanks to the actuating device, contributes to providing the mechanical and/or functional components 2 of the watch 3 with very good thermal insulation vis-à-vis from the external environment by reducing or even preventing heat loss by radiation from the components arranged in the case 6 of the watch for a long period. Thus, when the temperature outside the device 1 reaches extreme values, typically of the order of −125 to +125° C., the temperature inside the enclosure 5 remains substantially equal to the temperature present in case 6 of watch 3 during its arrangement in case 4, typically around 20°C. It will be noted that whatever the temperature conditions prevailing in the environment of the Dewar device 1, the temperature present in the case 6 of the watch 3 is a temperature which does not hinder the correct operation of the watch 3. This temperature is maintained over a period which is 5 to 18 times longer than the period during which such a watch case 3 would be capable of preserving an operating temperature of its components 2 by being located directly in such an environment where such temperatures in particular extremes prevail (that is to say by being located outside the housing of the Dewar device). It is thus conceivable that such a configuration makes it possible to protect the mechanical and/or functional components 2 of the watch 3, as well as to participate in ensuring their operation in an optimal manner under extreme outside temperature conditions.

Claims (9)

1. Dewar device (1) for mechanical and/or functional components (2) of a watch (3), said device (1) comprising: - a bracelet ; – a box (4) comprising an enclosure (5) in which a box (6) of the watch (3) can be arranged so that a crystal of said box (6) is arranged opposite 'a mirror (10a) of a set of elements (10a, 10b, 10c) of the case (4) defining this enclosure (5); – at least one fixing device (7) fixing said watch case (6) (3) in said enclosure (5) of the case (4) by keeping it away from said set of elements (10a, 10b, 10c), and – a device (19) for actuating at least one control element of said watch (3) by the translational movement of a covering element (10a, 13, 9) of the case (4) in the direction d a bottom (10b) of this box (4). 2. Dewar device (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said actuating device (19) comprises a covering element (10a, 13, 9) of the housing (4) configured to actuate said at least one control element when carrying out a translational movement of said at least one covering element (9, 10a, 13) in the direction of a bottom (10b) of this box (4). 3. Dewar 1 device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said covering element (10a, 13, 9) is a bezel (13) of the housing (4). 4. Dewar device (1) according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said covering element (10a, 13, 9) is a mirror (10a) of the housing (4). 5. Dewar device (1) according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said trim element (10a, 13, 9) is an assembly (9) crystal and bezel of the case (4). 6. Dewar device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said actuation device (19) comprises at least one return element configured to return said at least one trim element (10a, 13, 9) from an activated position to a deactivated position. 7. Dewar device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said covering element (10a, 13, 9) comprises an actuation zone capable of activating said at least one control element of the watch (3) by coming into contact with said at least one control element. 8. Dewar device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one control element of said watch (3) is a push button or a crown. 9. Dewar device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said enclosure (5) is under vacuum or near vacuum.