JP2003149352A - Watch case - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] A skeleton with a unique three-dimensional structure and a simple hollow suspending support structure that can give a novel design as an accessory and also provide excellent waterproofness. Provide a typeable watch case. A watch movement is provided at a substantially central portion inside a watch case body formed in a substantially hollow cylindrical or hollow polygonal shape by a transparent hard material whose inner and outer peripheral surfaces are mirror-polished.
And a middle frame connecting member for storing and holding the timepiece movement is housed in the center of the same cylinder, and at least one of both end openings of the timepiece case main body is provided with a connecting portion with the middle frame body connecting member. A lid is arranged, and both ends of the watch case main body are covered with the lid, and both lids are integrally connected and fixed to each end of the middle frame connecting member.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a structure of a skeleton type wristwatch case that allows a part or the whole of a clockwork to be seen through.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the movement of a wristwatch can be seen through the upper and lower windows in the thickness direction at the center of the watch case body.
Two transparent hard materials made of inorganic cover glass (hereinafter referred to as inorganic glass) or sapphire cover glass (hereinafter referred to as sapphire) are protected by a windshield so that the movement can be inserted and retained in the space. Many skeleton type wristwatches have been proposed.

However, this kind of thing is not only the same in shape as a general model with a thin shape because the watch case main body is designed according to the thickness direction of the movement, but also due to structural restrictions, There was a problem that it was not possible to give a unique and unique design.

In addition, the recent quartz watch movement is
With the high integration of electronic circuits and the use of ultra-small crystal units,
It is becoming smaller, lighter, and simpler, but on the contrary, it is too simple, and the mechanical precision movement of the mechanical wristwatch itself and lack of fashionability as an accessory Inconvenience is occurring.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and an object thereof is to impart a fashionable and novel design as an accessory and at the same time provide excellent waterproofness. It is to provide a skeleton-type watch case having a unique three-dimensional structure that can be added and a simple hollow support structure.

[0006]

In order to solve the above problems, according to the invention of claim 1, a timepiece is formed in a substantially hollow cylindrical shape or a hollow polygonal shape by a transparent hard material having an inner and outer peripheral surface mirror-polished. Inside the main body of the case, the timepiece movement is housed substantially in the center, and the middle frame connecting member for holding and fixing the timepiece movement in the axial direction of the cylinder is housed.
At least one of both end openings of the watch case main body is provided with a lid provided with a connecting portion with the middle frame connecting member, and the both end openings of the watch case main body are covered by the lids, and both lids are provided. A wristwatch case in which the body is integrally coupled and fixed to each end of the middle frame body connecting member is provided. As a result, it is possible to provide a novel wristwatch case that can be constructed as a skeleton type with a unique three-dimensional component structure due to the suspending support structure using the hollow cylindrical transparent hard watch case body.

According to the second aspect of the invention, a ring-shaped elastic packing is sandwiched between the lid body and the edges of the opening portions at both ends of the timepiece case body, and the both lid bodies are covered with the lid body. A wristwatch case is integrally joined and fixed to each end of the middle frame connecting member. As a result, a wristwatch case having a simple structure and excellent waterproofness can be provided.

In the invention according to claim 3, the transparent hard material is made of single crystal sapphire, translucent ceramics, inorganic glass, hard plastic, or the like, and these selected transparent hard materials are used for wrist watches. The case frame. This makes it possible to select from lightweight and low-cost specifications to high-quality jewelry jewelry watch cases that match the application.

Further, in the invention according to claim 4, the transparent hard material is a watch case made of a material for pulling up a sapphire single crystal having an atypical tube shape such as a substantially hollow cylindrical shape or a hollow polygonal shape grown by the EFG method. did. This makes it possible to manufacture watch case bodies with a wide variety of designs from the tubular polygonal / atypical shape pull-up material, which is one of the features of the EFG method, and to add a novel design.

According to the invention of claim 5, a part of the lid is a wristwatch case having a structure which also serves as a mounting portion for a wristwatch band. This reduces the number of parts manufactured and the number of parts, and makes it easy to attach bands, etc.
A watch case with a sense of unity is possible.

Further, in the invention according to claim 6, the case for a wristwatch is such that the band mounting direction of the lid body is a direction orthogonal to the central axis of the watch case body having the substantially hollow cylindrical shape or the hollow polygonal shape. . As a result, a horizontally long wristwatch is completed as an image of the entire wristwatch.

Further, in the invention according to claim 7, the wristwatch case is such that the band mounting direction of the lid body is the central axis direction of the substantially hollow cylindrical or hollow polygonal watch case body. As a result, a vertically designed wristwatch is completed as an image of the entire wristwatch.

Further, according to the invention of claim 8, there is provided a wristwatch case in which at least one of the lids is provided with a crown portion for operating a winding stem of the timepiece movement. As a result, the movement of the movement such as time adjustment, which is the basic operation of the timepiece, can be performed from the outside of the watch case body.

According to the invention of claim 9, the watch case is a wristwatch case which is a skeleton mechanical movement. As a result, the entire interior of the watch case main body can be seen through, and it is possible to add the mechanical precision movements that the original decorative mechanical wristwatch originally has and the fashionability of the accessory.

According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, decorative jewelry is scattered in one or both of the two spaces between the dial member side and the watch case body between the inner frame member and the watch case body. It was a watch case. As a result, in addition to the fashionability as an accessory, the wristwatch can be made to have a high-class feeling by having a function as a jewelry / jewelry watch. In addition, as a reversible watch, it can be used as a watch on the front side and as a bracelet with jewels on the back side.

According to the invention of claim 11, a plurality of wristwatch band mounting portions are provided on a part of the lid.
A wristwatch case having a structure in which the wristwatch band is replaceable in the direction orthogonal to the central axis of the wristwatch case body and in the direction of the central axis of the wristwatch case body is provided with two mounting points. This allows you to easily and freely choose between two different models with different designs in the same wristwatch case, and personally change them to enjoy the design in the atmosphere of the day.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, a pendant type in which a suspending band is attached to one of the lids and the wristwatch case is suspended in the central axis direction of the watch case body. The watch case has a structure that also has a clock function. As a result, in addition to the design as a wristwatch, a pendant type fashion watch using a wristwatch case can be enjoyed.

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The details of the present invention will be described below based on Examples. The structure shown in this embodiment is one of the representative examples of the structure of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these.

<Embodiment 1> Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. Figure 1
-FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention, the front side of the dial, 3 o'clock-
A side cross section cut in the 9 o'clock direction, and a bottom surface seen from the 9 o'clock side,
It is the schematic which each showed. In the figure, reference numeral 1
Is a watch case body formed in the shape of a hollow cylinder using a mirror-transparent or partially translucent hard transparent material such as sapphire or inorganic glass, and ring-shaped packings 2 are provided in the openings at both ends of the watch case body 1. To contact the lids 3a and 3b from the axial direction of the cylinder, and the lids 3a and 3b are further provided at both ends of the intermediate frame connecting member 4 arranged in the axial direction penetrating the watch case body 1. Combined and fixed with screws 10 (lid 3b
Only the side is shown), so that both end openings of the watch case body 1 are hermetically sealed.

Further, the middle frame connecting member 4 which also serves to store and hold the movement 5 is, for example, gold-plated or decorative coated on the concave surface F of the member which is a metal dial plate, or the member itself is molded with a transparent material or the like. However, it is designed and arranged so that a large space is formed between the concave portion of the middle frame connecting member 4 and the watch case body 1 in the thickness direction of the movement 5.
Further, both axial end portions of the middle frame body connecting member 4 are structured to be fitted to the inner peripheral surfaces of both ends of the cylindrical watch case body 1, and the middle frame body connecting member 4 is integrally held in the cylindrical center portion. It

Reference numeral 6 in the figure indicates both lids 3.
A can (mounting part) through which a watch band or a chain provided in a or 3b is passed, 7 is a crown that is formed so as to project from the inner frame connecting member 4 to the outside of one of the lids, and 8 is a movement 5 Back cover for holding and fixing to the frame connecting member 4, 9
Is a winding stem pipe integrated with the crown, 10 is a screw for supporting and fixing the middle frame connecting member 4 provided on both lids of the watch case body 1, 11 is a spring rod for attaching a watch band, Reference numerals 12 denote end caps attached to the lid 3b side, respectively.

Therefore, the inner frame connecting member 4 integrally holding the movement 5 is inserted into the watch case main body 1, and the lids 3a and 3b are sandwiched between the screws 3 with the packing 2 interposed therebetween.
By tightening to the side of the middle frame connecting member 4 by the, the watch case body 1 with the movement 5 inside, the lid 3a,
It is hermetically sealed by 3b.

A wristwatch case configured in this way
As shown in FIG. 4, 100 has a large space formed between the inner frame connecting member 4 which also functions as a dial and the inner circumference of the hollow cylinder of the watch case body 1 to create a design with a straight line and a depth. , The concave curved surface gives a three-dimensional effect, and a novel and unique wristwatch can be obtained.

<Embodiment 2> Hereinafter, another embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
5 to 7 show an embodiment of the present invention, the front side of the dial, 3
It is the schematic which each showed the side cross section cut | disconnected in the -9 o'clock direction, and the bottom face seen from the 9 o'clock side. In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a watch case body formed in the shape of a hollow cylinder using a mirror-transparent or partially translucent hard transparent material such as sapphire or inorganic glass.
The lids 3a, 3b are brought into contact with the openings of both ends of the cylindrical via the ring-shaped packing 2 from the axial direction of the cylinder.
Is fixed to each end of the middle frame connecting member 4 arranged in the direction of penetrating into the watch case body 1 with a screw 10 so that both end openings of the watch case body 1 are hermetically sealed. Is configured.

Similarly, in the middle frame connecting member 4'which also serves to store and hold the movement 5, for example, the surface F of the concave portion of the member, which is a metal dial plate, is subjected to gold plating or decorative coating, or
Alternatively, the member itself is molded of a transparent material or the like, and is designed and arranged so that a large space is formed between the concave portion of the middle frame body connecting member 4 ′ and the timepiece case body 1. In addition, both ends in the axial direction of the middle frame body connecting member 4'are cylindrical watch case body 1
The inner frame connecting member 4'is integrally held in the cylindrical central portion of the structure in which it is fitted to the inner peripheral surfaces of both ends of the cylinder.

It should be noted that, like the above, the reference numeral 6'in the figure
Is a can (mounting portion) through which a watch band or a chain provided on both lids 3a and 3b is passed, and 7 is a middle frame connecting member 4
A crown which is formed so as to project from one of the lids to the outside, 8'is a back lid for holding and fixing the movement 5 to the middle frame connecting member 4 ', 9 is a winding stem pipe integral with the crown, and 10 is Screws for supporting and fixing the middle frame connecting members 4'provided on the lids on both sides of the watch case body 1, and 12 for the lid 3b
The end caps attached to the side are shown.

The above-mentioned structure is almost the same as that of the first embodiment, but as is clear from the figure, in the case of the second embodiment, the movement 5'is a mechanical type of skeleton specification and is attached for showing it. The structure differs from the mounting direction of the can or through which a watch band or a chain provided on both lids 3a and 3b is passed by 90 degrees.

In addition to the function and effect of the first embodiment, the above-mentioned different parts are mechanically precise movements inherent in a decorative mechanical wristwatch as a wristwatch of which the entire watch case body is a skeleton type wristwatch, and for women as an accessory. The fashionability of can be added. Further, particularly when the chain 101 is attached as a watch band as shown in FIG. 8, the front and back sides have substantially the same design, and as shown in FIG.
In one or both of the two spaces between the middle frame connecting member 4'and the watch case body 1, a watch case 100 in which decorative jewelry 13 is sprinkled is provided, and in addition to the fashionability as an accessory, jewelry / It has the function of a jewelry watch,
It can be a luxury watch. Therefore, as a functionally reversible wristwatch, it can be used as a wristwatch on the front side and as a bracelet of jewelry-studded accessories on the back side.

As described above, in the structure of this wristwatch case, as shown in FIG. 4 or FIG.
101 or band 102, etc.
The design can be changed by 90 degrees, and two different designs can be easily manufactured with the same watch case structure. Also, the detachable structure of the can or the part can be personally replaced to enjoy different designs in the atmosphere of the day.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to impart a novel design as an accessory and at the same time, to impart excellent waterproofness, and a unique structure with a three-dimensional effect, and a simple structure. It is possible to provide a wristwatch case having a simple hollow suspending support structure.

Further, the watch case body is formed of a transparent hard material in a substantially hollow cylindrical shape or a hollow polygonal shape, and a lid body covering both end openings thereof is inserted and arranged in the watch case body. Since it is coupled and fixed to both ends of the wristwatch, not only can a very cylindrical wristwatch case with skeleton specifications be constructed very simply, but also
Even when the watch case body is formed using a material that is difficult to process, such as a tubular polygonal shape, the lid body can be securely and airtightly attached and fixed to the ends of the opening portions on both sides thereof.

At the same time, when the watch movement is a skeleton decorative mechanical movement, it is possible to add the mechanical precision movement inherent to the mechanical wristwatch and the fashionability as an accessory.

Moreover, since the movement of the movement is simultaneously supported in the center of the watch case body by the connecting member for fixing the both lids at the center frame, a sufficient dial space is provided between the watch case body and the movement. It can be arranged as it is provided, and when it is a skeleton specification, it can not only give a novel design of a hollow suspending support structure, but also in the structure of this wristwatch case, the mounting direction of the band or chain to be combined By changing the direction of the can or 90 degrees, it is possible to easily produce two models with different designs with the same watch case structure.

In addition, one or both of the two spaces in the thickness direction of the movement between the middle frame connecting member and the watch case body is used as a wristwatch case in which ornamental jewels are sprinkled to enhance the fashionability as an accessory. In addition, it can be made into a luxury watch by giving it the function of a jewelry / jewelry watch, and it can also be used as a functionally reversible watch, with a watch on the front side and a jewelry bracelet on the back side. It will be possible.

Further, the structure in which the can or the portion is detachable can be personally replaced to enjoy a different design wristwatch in the atmosphere of the day.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a wristwatch case for explaining an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side sectional view of a wristwatch case for explaining the embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic bottom view of the wristwatch case for explaining the embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the entire wristwatch for explaining an example of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic front view of a wristwatch case for explaining another example of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic side sectional view of a wristwatch case for explaining another example of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic bottom view of a wristwatch case for explaining another example of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of the entire wristwatch for explaining another example of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of the entire wristwatch for explaining another example of the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Watch case body 2 packing 3a, 3b lid 4 Middle frame connection member 5 movement 6 can (mounting part) 7 Crown 8 case back 9 winding true 10 screws 11 spring rod 12 End cap 13 jewels 100 watch body 101 chain 102 bands

Continued front page    (72) Inventor Hiroshi Matsumura             4-6-56 Atago-cho, Yuzawa City, Akita             Precision jewelry Co., Ltd. Akita Yuzawa factory (72) Inventor Yoichi Yaguchi             3-8-22 Nitta, Adachi-ku, Tokyo Namiki             Mitsuge Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Michelle Ratski             Vienne CH-2504 Ru, Switzerland             School 35 (72) Inventor Tadashi Abe             4-6-56 Atago-cho, Yuzawa City, Akita             Precision jewelry Co., Ltd. Akita Yuzawa factory

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A watch movement is provided substantially at the center of a watch case body formed into a substantially hollow cylindrical shape or a hollow polygonal shape by a transparent hard material having inner and outer peripheral surfaces mirror-polished.
And a middle frame connecting member for holding and fixing the timepiece movement in the cylindrical axial direction, and a connecting portion for connecting to the middle frame connecting member is provided in at least one of both end openings of the watch case body. A case for a watch characterized in that a lid is arranged, the openings of both ends of the watch case body are covered by the lid, and both lids are integrally coupled and fixed to each end of the middle frame connecting member. . 2. A ring-shaped elastic packing is sandwiched between the lid body and the edges of the opening portions at both ends of the timepiece case body and covered with the lid bodies, and both lid bodies are provided at both ends of the middle frame body connecting member. The wristwatch case according to claim 1, wherein the wristwatch case is integrally coupled and fixed to the portion. 3. The transparent hard material is made of single crystal sapphire, translucent ceramics, inorganic glass, hard plastic, or the like.
Alternatively, the wristwatch case according to claim 2. 4. The transparent hard material is made of a sapphire single crystal pulling material having a deformed tube shape, such as a substantially hollow cylindrical shape or a hollow polygonal shape, grown by the EFG method. The watch case according to item 2. 5. The structure according to claim 1, wherein a part of the lid body also serves as a mounting portion for a wristwatch band.
The watch case according to any one of to 4. 6. The band mounting direction of the lid body is a direction orthogonal to the central axis of the substantially hollow cylindrical or hollow polygonal watch case body.
The watch case according to any one of 5 above. 7. The band mounting direction of the lid body is the central axis direction of the watch case body having the substantially hollow cylindrical shape or the hollow polygonal shape, according to any one of claims 1 to 5. Watch case. 8. The wristwatch case according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the lids is provided with a crown portion for operating a winding stem of the timepiece movement. 9. The wristwatch case according to claim 1, wherein the timepiece movement is a skeleton mechanical movement. 10. A reversible type watch structure in which decorative jewels are scattered in one or both of the two spaces on the dial side and the back side between the inner frame connecting member and the watch case body. The wristwatch case according to claim 1, wherein 11. A plurality of wristwatch band mounting portions are provided on a part of the lid, and the wristwatch band is mounted in a direction orthogonal to the center axis of the watch case body and in the center axis direction of the watch case body. The wristwatch case according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the wristwatch case has a structure in which it can be reattached and has attachment positions in two directions. 12. A mounting part for a hanging band is provided on one of the lids, and the hanging band is attached in the central axis direction of the watch case body.
The wristwatch case according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the wristwatch case has a structure that also serves as a pendant type timepiece that suspends the wristwatch case.