Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B19/00—Indicating the time by visual means
  • G04B19/28—Adjustable guide marks or pointers for indicating determined points of time
  • G04B19/283—Adjustable guide marks or pointers for indicating determined points of time on rotatable rings, i.e. bezel

Definitions

• the subject of the present invention is a device for assembling two watch components.
• the subject of the present invention is a device for assembling the back or the bezel on the middle part of a watch case.
• the watch case is made up of a middle part, closed on the side of the bridges or the plate by a back, and on the side of the dial by the bezel and crystal.
• the caseback and/or the bezel are screwed down, snap-fitted or held in place by screws on the caseband.
• one of the components includes a groove in which a second component snaps into place.
• One part of the fit should be slightly flexible to allow the second component to be forced into the groove.
• the groove has a triangular shape with two distinct slopes, one for the deformation of the flexible element and the other for the maintenance of the second component.
• the notch adjustment has the advantage of allowing a more aesthetic final result since there are no screws or claw (screwed bottom) visible after assembly.
• the materials commonly used for a watch case precious materials such as gold or platinum, lend themselves very poorly to deformation.
• it is difficult during the production of the parts to ensure a closing force to maintain the assembled components precise and regular on all the parts. This leads to a consequent rework of the parts produced or even the scrapping of some whose quality is really too bad.
• the closing force is not stable over time and will deteriorate with multiple assembly/disassembly gue requires checks and tests during assembly of the timepiece (more than ten openings/closings of the watch box are necessary for the realization of a striking watch) or after-sales service.
• the object of the present invention is to produce a device for assembling two horological components, in particular a caseback/bezel and a caseband which is safe, efficient, easy to produce while limiting rework and scrap after manufacture, resistant over time by guaranteeing a closing force for maintaining the assembled components stable even after numerous assembly / disassembly while offering an aesthetic result, with an almost invisible device when the two components are assembled.
• the subject of the present invention is a device for assembling a first and a second horological component according to claim 1.
• Figure 1 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the invention illustrating the assembly of a bezel on a middle part of a watch case.
• Figure 2a illustrates a sectional view of the caseband and of the assembly member of the assembly device according to the embodiment of Figure 1, while Figure 2b is an enlargement of a portion of Figure 2a .
• Figures 3a and 3b illustrate the assembly member of the embodiment of Figure 1 in the free position, respectively in the recessed position.
• Figures 4a to 4c illustrate the assembly sequence of the bezel on the caseband.
• the assembly device according to the invention is intended to assemble a bezel on the middle part of a watch case.
• the illustrated device comprises a bezel 1, a middle part 2 and an assembly member 3.
• the device further comprises a seal 4.
• middle part 2 comprises a groove 22 over a large part of its inner periphery 21. Groove 22 forms a housing intended to receive assembly member 3 as will be seen later.
• the bezel 1 comprises, on the back side (that is to say on the side of the bezel intended to face the back of the watch case), a cylindrical portion 11 terminated by a shoulder 12. View in cross section, this cylindrical portion 11 therefore has the shape of a hook as illustrated in FIGS. 4a to 4c.
• the shoulder 12 is characterized at its end by two distinct slopes: a first inclined side 13 and a second inclined side 14 of opposite inclination.
• a groove 15 is formed between the shoulder 12, the lower wall 16 and the cylindrical portion 11 of the bezel 1.
• the seal 4 is housed in this groove 15.
• the assembly device comprises an assembly member 3 comprising at least one elastic assembly zone 31.
• the assembly member comprises at least three elastic assembly zones 31. even more preferred and as illustrated in the figures, the assembly member 3 comprises five elastic assembly zones 31.
• the five elastic assembly zones 31 are each intended to cooperate with the shoulder 12 of the bezel 1.
• the five elastic assembly zones 31 are interconnected by four elastic strips 32, to form an assembly member 3 of quasi-circular and open shape (FIG. 3a).
• the groove 22 does not extend over the entire inner periphery 21 of caseband 2 since there is a portion of this inner periphery 21 occupied by function control 5.
• the elastic blades 32 are arranged to hold the assembly member 3 in the groove 22 solely by their elastic force.
• Figure 3a illustrates the assembly member 3 free
• Figure 3b illustrates the assembly member 3 forced into a recessed position that it occupies once housed in the groove 22.
• each elastic assembly zone 31 comprises at least one but preferably two support points 311, placed at the ends of the zones in the illustrated embodiment.
• Assembly member 3 is arranged so that each bearing point 311 is in contact with the bottom of groove 22 when said assembly member is in its position embedded in groove 22 (FIG. 2a).
• Each elastic assembly zone 31 is also arranged to be able to deform radially towards the bottom of the groove 22 when the assembly member 3 is in its position embedded in said groove 22.
• each elastic assembly zone 31 comprises two distinct slopes: a first inclined flank 313 and a second inclined flank 314 of opposite inclination and intended to cooperate respectively with the first and second inclined flanks 13, 14 of the shoulder 12 of the the bezel 1.
• the elastic assembly zones 31 are in a rest position and can be deformed radially in the direction of the bottom of the groove 22 under the action of a constraint.
• the bezel 1 is then positioned (with the seal 4 housed in the groove 15) on the middle part 2.
• the elastic assembly zones 31 of the assembly member 3 are in their rest position and the first blank inclined 13 of the shoulder 12 of the bezel 1 comes into abutment against the first inclined blank 313 of said elastic zones 31 (FIG. 4a).
• a first force is exerted on the bezel 1 perpendicular to the plane of the bezel 1 and in the direction of the middle part 2.
• the shoulder 12 and the elastic assembly zones 31 are shaped so that, under the action of this first force, the first inclined flank 13 of the shoulder 12 cooperates with the first inclined flanks 313 of the elastic assembly zones 31 to deform said elastic zones 31 radially in a direction perpendicular to the first force in the direction of the bottom of the groove ( Figure 4b).
• the first force is maintained on the bezel 1 and the first inclined flank 13 of the shoulder 12 cooperates with the first inclined flanks 313 of the elastic assembly zones 31 until said elastic zones 31 reach a position of maximum deformation in which they no longer block bezel 1 (FIG. 4b).
• the bezel 1 can be pushed by maintaining the first force into its assembled position on the middle part 2 (lower wall 16 of the bezel 1 in abutment against the upper wall 23 of the middle part 2).
• the elastic assembly zones 31 seek to resume their rest position and the second inclined flanks 314 of said elastic zones 31 come into contact with the second inclined flank 14 of the shoulder 12.
• Said second inclined flanks 14, 314 are arranged to that the elastic zones 31 by seeking to return to their rest position exert a force on the shoulder 12 which tends to bring and maintain the bezel 1 in its assembled position.
• the elastic zones 31 could return to an intermediate position, between their position of maximum deformation and their position of rest.
• This intermediate position could be configured to maintain the bezel 1 in its assembled position and also prevent any rotation of the bezel 1 relative to the caseband.
• the second inclined sides 14 and 314 of the shoulder 12 and of the elastic zones 31 are parallel in the assembled position of the bezel 1 on the middle part 2.
• the elastic zones 31 no longer cooperate with the second inclined flank 14 of the shoulder 12 and no longer hold the bezel 1 (FIG. 4a).
• the bezel 1 can be completely detached from the middle part 2 and the elastic zones 31 of the assembly member 3 return to their rest position.
• the illustrated embodiment therefore allows very easy and reversible assembly of the bezel 1 on the middle part 2.
• the bezel 1 and the caseband 2 are made of a precious material such as gold or platinum, while the assembly member 3 can be made of steel or any other material suitable for the production of an elastic part. .
• the assembly member 3 can be made of steel or any other material suitable for the production of an elastic part.
• materials such as steel, ceramics, glass or plastic, etc. which lend themselves better to deformation than gold or platinum, usually used for the manufacture of a watch case.
• the closing force holding the bezel assembled on the middle part is determined by the elastic zones and it is therefore possible to choose the material, the shape and the other properties of these elastic zones to obtain a determined closing force.
• the illustrated embodiment has the advantage of a very easy and quick assembly of the assembly member 3 in the groove 22, the assembly can even be done by hand without tools.
• the five elastic assembly zones 31 could be connected by five elastic blades 32 to form a closed circular assembly member.
• the present invention therefore makes it possible to ensure precise, rapid and aesthetic assembly of the bezel on the caseband.
• the stability of the assembly force over time is also easier to control with less risk of deterioration than with a gold or platinum elastic element.
• the assembly member can be easily replaced in the event of a problem without having to replace another element of the watch case in an expensive raw material.
• the assembly member 3 could comprise only one elastic assembly zone 31.
• the bezel and the middle part also comprise means of embedding such as a lug on the middle part intended to come fit into a seat in the bezel (or vice versa).
• the elastic assembly zones could be different from each other by their shape, their material or their elastic properties and thus define a distinct closing force from each other. This can be particularly useful for components to be assembled that are not circular (square or elliptical watch case for example, with a separate closing force for each side).
• the shoulder could not extend over the entire inner periphery of the bezel but be divided into one or more hook zones which must be aligned during assembly with the corresponding elastic assembly zones of the assembly device.
• Means polarizers can for example be provided to allow the bezel to be positioned in the correct angular position relative to the caseband during assembly.
• the assembly member is in one piece and is held elastically in the groove.
• the assembly member could be held in the groove by any appropriate means or even be formed of several elastic assembly zones that are not connected and held independently of each other in the groove.
• the groove could not be continuous but formed of one or more independent groove portions each intended to house an elastic assembly zone.
• the second inclined flanks of the shoulder of the bezel and of the elastic zones of the assembly member are arranged to allow the bezel to be held in place and removed from the caseband.
• the shoulder and the elastic zones could comprise only a first inclined flank each intended for assembly, while the second inclined flanks are arranged to allow only the maintenance of the bezel on the middle part, that is that is to say that they are arranged to cooperate with each other to retain the bezel in its assembled position on the middle part but without the possibility of disassembling said bezel by exerting a force opposite to the assembly force.
• the assembly device according to the invention can also be applied to the mounting of a rotating bezel on the middle part or even to the mounting of the movement in the back of the case or to the mounting of the back on the middle part or to the mounting of the dial or replace other uses of a detent adjuster such as barrel cover adjustment.
• the device for assembling two timepiece components comprises a first timepiece component and a second timepiece component intended to be assembled together by means of at least an assembly device.
• the assembly member is retained in a housing of the second component and is arranged to cooperate with at least one assembly portion provided on the first component for the assembly of the first component on the second component.
• the assembly member comprises at least one elastic zone intended to cooperate with the assembly portion of the first component and arranged to be deformable between a rest position and a position of maximum deformation.
• the elastic zone In the disassembled position of the first and second components, the elastic zone is in its rest position in which when the first component is brought into contact with the second component, said elastic zone comes into abutment against the assembly portion of the first component.
• the assembly portion In this disassembled position, by exerting a first force on the first component when the assembly portion of said first component is in contact with the elastic zone, the assembly portion then cooperates with the elastic zone to deform the latter from its position at rest in its position of maximum deformation.
• the elastic zone no longer blocks the first component which, under the action of the first force, can return to its assembled position on the second component.
• the elastic zone of the second component resumes its rest position or an intermediate position between said rest position and the position of maximum deformation and cooperates with the assembly portion of the first component to retain the latter in its assembled position on the second component.
• the assembly member is a part attached to the second component.
• the elastic zone of the assembly member and the assembly portion of the first component are also shaped to allow disassembly of the first and second components. That is to say that once the first component is in its assembled position on the second component, by exerting a second force on the first component opposite to the first, the assembly portion then cooperates with the elastic zone to deform the latter from its rest position to its position of maximum deformation. In this position of maximum deformation, the elastic zone no longer blocks the first component which, under the action of the second force, can be disassembled from the second component. Once in this disassembled position, the elastic zone of the second component returns to its rest position.
• the elastic zone of the assembly member and the corresponding assembly portion of the first component each comprise first inclined flanks, intended to cooperate with each other so that, in the disassembled position, in exerting a first force on the first component to bring the assembly portion of said first component into contact with the elastic zone, the first inclined flank of the assembly portion then cooperates with the first inclined flank of the elastic zone to deform the latter ci from its rest position to its position of maximum deformation.
• the elastic zone of the assembly member and the corresponding assembly portion of the first component each comprise second inclined flanks, of opposite inclination to the first inclined flanks intended to cooperate with each other so that, once the first component is in its assembled position on the second component, by exerting a second force on the first component opposite to the first, the second inclined flank of the assembly portion then cooperates with the second inclined flank of the zone elastic to deform it from its rest position into its position of maximum deformation.
• the second inclined flanks of the assembly portion of the first component and of the elastic zone of the assembly member are arranged to be parallel once the first component is in its assembled position on the second component so reducing the axial play between said first and second components.
• the assembly member is arranged to be held elastically in the housing of the second component.
• the assembly member could comprise only one elastic zone.
• the device then comprises means for embedding on the first component and the second component shaped to produce a rigid assembly of the first component on the second.
• the assembly member comprises at least three or five elastic zones intended to cooperate with one or more corresponding assembly portions of the first component.
• the first component is a bezel, rotating or not, while the second component is a middle part of a watch case.
• the housing on the caseband is a groove which extends over part or all of the inner periphery of the caseband, the corresponding assembly portion of the bezel also extending over all or part of the circumference of the bezel.
• the assembly member is open to allow passage through the middle of a control member.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Electric Clocks (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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Family Applications (2)

Family Applications Before (1)

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• 2020
  • 2020-12-01 EP EP20211000.3A patent/EP4009118A1/de not_active Withdrawn
• 2021
  • 2021-10-11 WO PCT/IB2021/059276 patent/WO2022118102A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2021-10-11 EP EP21786266.3A patent/EP4256406B1/de active Active

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