CH700657B1 - mysterious watch. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a watch (1) comprising: a middle (10): an upper glass (30) and a lower glass held by the middle part (10), a movement (50) housed in the middle part (10) between the glass upper (30) and the lower glass, the movement (50) having dimensions such that there remains a transparent annular space between the movement (50), the middle part (10), the upper glass (30) and the lower glass, a ring (20) arranged on the periphery of said middle part (10), and a disk or a transparent ring (60, 70) for transmitting the movements of the ring (20) to the movement (50).

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to the field of watchmaking, and more particularly the so-called mysterious watches and winding mechanisms and setting time of these watches.

State of the art

The so-called mysterious watches are "transparent" watches in which the movement is either concealed in the frame of the case or held between several transparent sapphires, often coated with an antireflection and / or metallized layer, so as to give it a appearance of floating in the middle. The absence of visible movement and floating needles provide a magical aspect to these watches.

Since the nineteenth century are known clocks or mysterious clocks in the base of which is usually the movement. The reassembly or setting is done by a mechanism that can easily be hidden in the base or even behind the dial. In a wristwatch, this arrangement not feasible. For reasons of comfort of the wearer, it is desired to avoid putting the wrist in direct contact with a crown placed on the outer part of the bottom of the watch. This arrangement would make the handling of the crown difficult and would also cause residues of dust and skin particles to foul the mechanism.

In another mode of construction, the so-called mysterious watches have transparent crystal or sapphire discs on which are fixed the needles. The edge of the discs is equipped with teeth that drive the discs and therefore the rotating needles with gears concealed in the frame of the box. An example of such a device is described in patent CH 639 812.

EP 0 673 519 discloses a transparent watch provided with a second hand, a minute hand and an hour hand whose movement is distributed via transparent discs driven by one or several engines confined in the middle of the watch. The document EP 1 055 157 describes a watch whose display is made by means of annular discs driven around a common axis by a movement, these discs and the movement being housed in a housing having an opening. GB 2 162 663 relates to a watch whose display is made by means of annular disks driven around a common axis by a movement, these disks and the movement being housed in an annular portion of the housing.

Also known from EP 0 673 519 a transparent wristwatch in which the movement is housed in the middle part of the housing. The hollow shaft of each needle is driven by a transparent gear wheel, the drive member (common or specific to each needle) being mounted invisibly in the housing ring.

The solutions presented above require a thick middle to accommodate the movement. Furthermore, the realization of an annular movement is unusual, and presents significant difficulties especially for housing the wheels, barrel, spiral and other large diameter elements. On the other hand, the movement is completely hidden in the box, which does not allow the user to admire it or check its operation.

In another mode of construction, the movement is not hosted and hidden in the frame of the box but is in the center of the middle, where it is maintained between the ice and the transparent bottom by means of elements fixing, for example synthetic material. These elements sometimes remain visible, thus removing the mysterious character of the watch.

Mysterious watches with a movement in the center also pose the problem of the winding mechanism or setting time which often remains visible through the transparent elements of the watch. In particular, the connection between the crown and the movement is most often visible in the space between the box and the movement.

The document FR 994 896 describes a watch whose case containing the movement is held by a transparent ring. The winding is located under the casing so that the wrist of the wearer is in direct contact with the crown, which makes its easy handling and further causes residues of dust and skin particles to clog the mechanism.

Another mysterious watch is described in FR 2 590 998, provided with a transparent dial and whose movement components are hidden in a cylinder of diameter equal to the central part of the needles. Adjustments are made by pressing on the bottom of the watch, which again compromises the comfort of the wearer, protection against fouling and ease of handling.

The document FR 856 605 relates to a pendulum, watch or wristwatch whose entire mechanism is located in a transparent block whose vertical walls are oriented to totally reflect the rays and be invisible to the observer resp. the wearer of the watch. The winding and setting of the wristwatch is carried out with the aid of a key engaged in two reserved holes on the wrist side, which makes this operation particularly difficult and requires, in addition, a separate tool in the form of a key.

CH 244 098 discloses a compass watch whose case containing the movement is held by a transparent ring. The winding stem is hidden by indexes pointing to the north of the compass and therefore remains visible when the index points in other directions.

EP 1 701 228 describes a watch whose case containing the movement is held by two transparent annular parts, but the winding stem remains visible.

The utility certificate FR 2 525 357 describes a transparent dial clock whose movement is hidden by the central part of the needles; however, there is no way to hide the winding or chronograph setting stem.

The wristwatch described in WO 2006/116 201 has a movement maintained by opaque supports representing the indexes on a transparent background and thus hiding the winding stem, or by transparent supports that reveal the winding stem. The movement housing can also be maintained by a transparent ring, this transparent annular portion revealing the oscillating mass.

[0017] WO 9 424 616 discloses a reversible watch comprising a first movement placed in a housing held in the center of the watch by two transparent annular disks. The winding stem is made in part of a transparent material. A transparent stem behind the ice remains visible. This rod is also difficult to achieve, and fragile.

Brief summary of the invention

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved mysterious watch, in particular a mysterious watch with an improved link between the crown and the movement.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in particular by means of a watch comprising a movement, a ring, and at least one disk or transparent ring arranged to transmit the movements of the ring to the movement.

The dependent claims refer to particular embodiments of the invention.

Among these embodiments, at least one embodiment provides a watch having a transparent piece for transmitting the movements of the crown to the movement, in which this element consists of a transparent sapphire ring that can be rotated. by the crown.

Among these embodiments, at least one embodiment provides a mysterious watch whose movement can be placed in the center of the middle part instead of being concealed in its periphery, while having an irreproachable aesthetic especially thanks to a transparent connection between the crown and the movement so as to give it an appearance of floating completely.

Among these embodiments, at least one embodiment provides a mysterious watch whose movement can be rotated at any angle, the angular position of the crown is not fixed.

Among these embodiments, at least one embodiment provides a mysterious watch with an oscillating weight or other floating elements in the transparent space between the movement and the middle part.

In a preferred embodiment, the watch comprises a plurality of distinct transparent rings, the ring rotating one or the other of these rings depending on the longitudinal position of the ring.

The crown rod is advantageously provided with a toothing that can mesh with a toothing near the periphery of the disk or transparent rings.

The rings or transparent discs have an axis of rotation perpendicular to the dial and which merges with the axis of rotation of the hands in the center of the watch.

The use of rings or transparent discs makes the transmission between the crown and the movement almost completely invisible, and solves the problems of fragility posed by the transparent crown rods.

This connection discs or transparent rings can also be applied to the transmission of movement between push buttons and movement.

Brief description of the figures

Examples of implementation of the invention are indicated in the description illustrated by the appended figures, in which: <tb> Fig. 1 <SEP> is a top view of a watch according to a first embodiment. <tb> Fig. 2 <SEP> is a top view of a watch according to a second embodiment in which the movement is rotated 90 ° with respect to the first embodiment. <tb> Figs. 3a <SEP> and the detail of FIG. 3b are views in vertical sections of the watch of FIG. 1. <tb> Fig. 4 <SEP> is a vertical sectional view of the circle intended to maintain the movement. <tb> Fig. 5 <SEP> is a perspective view of the circle intended to maintain movement. <tb> Fig. 6 <SEP> is a perspective view of a transparent ring used to transmit movements between the crown and the movement.

Example (s) of embodiment of the invention

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a wristwatch 1 according to one embodiment of the invention. The watch has a caseband 10 with a flange 31 under the ice 30. A movement 50 with an outer diameter substantially smaller than the internal diameter of the caseband is maintained in the center of the watch. The hour is displayed with a 12 hour hand and a minute hand 13; the ends of these two needles protrude from movement in the transparent space between the movement and the middle part. In the illustrated example, the watch 1 further comprises a small second needle 14 above the dial that covers the movement 50, and a power reserve indicator above the movement. Other indicators, or different indicators, may be provided. The watch further comprises a winding crown 20 and / or setting time, which will be detailed later.

FIG. 2 illustrates a watch according to another embodiment of the invention, wherein the movement 50 is rotated 90 ° inside the middle 10 with respect to FIG. 1. The ring 20 remains however arranged at 9 o'clock, as in fig. 1. A rotation of the movement at any angle inside the middle part is possible without modifying the movement; indeed, the angular position of the crown relative to the movement is not fixed.

Figs. 3a and 3b show a vertical sectional view of the movement of one of FIGS. 1 or 2 . Compared to these figures, we see two rings 60 and 70 in the space between the middle part 10 and the movement 50. These two transparent rings make it possible to transmit the rotational movements between the ring 20 and the movement 50. The upper ring 60 is for example used for setting the time of movement while the lower ring 70 is for example used for its reassembly. Another transparent ring 67 held by a gasket 670 and fixed relative to the middle part makes it possible to hold the movement 50. The bottom of the box 10 is closed by a bottom 11, preferably also transparent. References 66 and 68 denote spacers for holding the retaining ring 67 while concealing the seal 670.

The reference 52 designates an oscillating mass that allows to automatically reassemble the movement. The oscillating mass is advantageously arranged so as to oscillate in the transparent space between the movement 50 and the middle part 10. It can be linked to the movement by a transparent radial link, and its upper face can be decorated. In another embodiment not shown, the oscillating weight is entirely housed in the movement, or comprises a first portion concealed inside the movement and linked by a transparent link to a second mass 52 between the middle part and the movement.

FIG. 4 is another vertical sectional view illustrating in particular the movement holding elements 50. A circle 80, also visible in FIGS. 3a, 3b and in perspective in FIG. 5, is inserted into the middle part 10 and held by the inner faces thereof. The upper ring 60 is held inside the circle 80 by means of bars 81, for example three or four in number, bearing against the inner face of the circle and housed at least partially in a groove 611 on the external periphery of the connecting piece 610. The lower ring 70 is held in the same way inside the circle 80 by means of bars 82, for example three or four in number, bearing against the inner face of the circle and housed at least partially in a groove 711 on the outer periphery of the connecting piece 710. These two connections allow the upper rings 60 and 70 to pivot inside the circle 80 when they are driven by the rod 200 of crown 20, and keep these rings motionless otherwise. The bars also make it possible to compensate for any errors in concentricity between the circle 80 and the rings 60, 70. The height positioning of the movement 50 in the circle 80 is also determined by these bars 81, 82. In a preferred embodiment , the bars 81, 82 are rectilinear and can thus be slipped into the space between the circle 80 and the rings through windows provided for this purpose in the periphery of the circle 80, as can be seen in particular in FIG. 5.

The circle 80 is integral with the transparent fixed ring 67 intended to maintain the movement 50. This ring held by a seal 670 at its periphery is immobilized in height by the spacers 66 and 68. Furthermore, a cylindrical ring 51 is also housed in the circle 80, and allows to hide the gears 61 and 71 in the middle part.

The various transparent parts 30, 11, 60, 67 and 70 are preferably made of sapphire, all visible surfaces are provided with an antireflection coating. Parts made of transparent synthetic material can also be used for this purpose.

The ring 20 is connected to a metal crown rod 200; both pieces can be rotated about the axis of the rod, in one or other of the at least two predefined positions. In the example of fig. 3a and 3b, the crown is pressed into a winding position of the barrel; by pulling it outward, the crown can reach a second longitudinal position to put the movement on time by turning the crown. Additional longitudinal positions can be provided, for example, for time setting of a second time zone, for setting the date of the date, etc.

FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of a portion of the upper transparent ring 60; the lower transparent ring 70 can be made similarly by adjusting the dimensions and orientation of the teeth. The ring 60 has an internal toothing 62 with teeth oriented radially towards the center of the movement, and an external toothing 61 with teeth oriented perpendicular to the plane of the ring, in this example towards the bottom of the watch. The two sets of teeth are preferably made of metal and subsequently fixed on the transparent part 63 of the ring. In one embodiment, the sapphire ring is provided with metallizations on its internal and external flanks, on which the internal and external teeth 61 are welded, glued or driven, for example. In the preferred embodiment which is illustrated, the connection is effected by means of seals 64, 65 compressed between the rings 60 (respectively 70) and an intermediate piece 610, respectively 710, secured to the external teeth 61, respectively 71.

The inner end of the crown rod 200 is provided with a toothing 201 oriented radially relative to the axis of the rod. In the position of the ring illustrated in the figures, this toothing meshes with the external peripheral toothing of the lower ring 70. By pulling the ring outwards in the second predefined longitudinal position, the toothing 201 can mesh with the peripheral toothing. outer ring 61 of the upper ring 60.

The rotations of the ring 20 are thus transmitted to the lower ring 70 when the ring is pressed, and to the upper ring 60 when the ring is pulled outwards. The internal toothing on the inner flank of the two rings makes it possible to transmit these rotations to the movement 50. This arrangement thus makes it possible to transmit the rotational movements of the crown, in one or the other of the axial positions, through a transparent and invisible link between the middle part and the movement.

It is also possible in a non-illustrated embodiment to use a single ring, or more than two separate rings, to transmit the rotational movements of the ring in a number of different axial positions. Furthermore, longitudinal displacements of the crown or push button not shown can also be transmitted to the movement through translations of the rings in their own plane.

Reference numbers used in the figures

[0043] <Tb> 1 <September> Watch <Tb> 10 <September> Build <tb> 11 <SEP> Case back <tb> 12 <SEP> Hour hand <tb> 13 <SEP> Minute hand <tb> 14 <SEP> Small seconds <tb> 15 <SEP> Power reserve indicator <Tb> 20 <September> Crown <tb> 200 <SEP> Crown stem <tb> 201 <SEP> First radial toothing on the crown rod <Tb> 30 <September> Ice <Tb> 31 <September> Flange <Tb> 50 <September> Movement <tb> 51 <SEP> Cylindrical ring (decoration ring) <tb> 60 <SEP> Upper ring (for example for time correction) <tb> 61 <SEP> External peripheral toothing of the upper ring <tb> 610 <SEP> Connecting part <tb> 611 <SEP> Throat on the outer periphery of the connecting part 610 <tb> 62 <SEP> Internal teeth of the upper ring <Tb> 63 <September> Ice <tb> 64 <SEP> Outer seal <tb> 65 <SEP> Internal seal <Tb> 66 <September> Spacer <tb> 67 <SEP> Ring holding motion <Tb> 68 <September> Spacer <tb> 70 <SEP> Lower ring (eg for winding) <tb> 71 <SEP> External peripheral toothing of the lower ring <tb> 710 <SEP> Connecting part <tb> 711 <SEP> Throat on the outer periphery of the connecting piece 710 <tb> 74 <SEP> Outer seal <Tb> 80 <September> Circle <tb> 81 <SEP> Upper bars <tb> 82 <SEP> Lower bars

Claims (15)

A watch (1) comprising a movement (50), a ring gear (20), and at least one transparent disk or ring (60, 70) arranged to transmit the movements of the ring gear (20) to the movement (50). 2. Watch according to claim 1, further comprising: a middle part (10): an upper glass (30) and a lower glass (11) held by the middle part (10), said movement (50) being housed in the middle part (10) between the upper glass (30) and the lower glass (11), the movement (50) having dimensions such that there remains a transparent annular space between the movement (50), the middle part (10), the upper glass (30) and the lower glass (11), the ring gear (20) being arranged on the outer periphery of said middle part (10), said at least one disk or transparent ring (60, 70) being housed at least in part in said transparent annular space. 3. Watch according to one of claims 1 or 2, comprising a plurality of said disks or transparent rings (60, 70) superimposed to transmit the movement of the crown to the movement. 4. Watch according to claim 3, the ring (20) being operable in rotation in several distinct axial positions, each disk or transparent ring (60, 70) being arranged to transmit the rotational movements of said ring (20) in the one of said axial positions. 5. Watch according to one of claims 3 or 4, wherein one of said transparent discs or rings (70) is below the movement (50) and another of said discs or transparent rings (60) is above some movement. 6. Watch according to one of claims 1 to 5, said at least one disk or transparent ring (60, 70) being provided with an external peripheral toothing (61, 71) for meshing with a toothing (201) on the rod crown (200) for transmitting the rotations of said ring. 7. Watch according to claim 6, said external peripheral toothing (61, 71) comprising a plurality of teeth perpendicular to said at least one disk or transparent ring (60, 70). 8. Watch according to one of claims 1 to 7, said at least one disk or transparent ring (60, 70) being provided with an internal peripheral toothing (62, 72) for transmitting rotations of said at least one disk or ring transparent to said movement (50). 9. Watch according to claim 8, said internal peripheral toothing (62, 72) having a plurality of teeth oriented radially in the plane of said at least one disk or transparent ring (60, 70). 10. Watch according to one of claims 1 to 9, comprising a circle (80) for holding said at least one disc or ring (60, 70) and said movement in said middle (10), and at least three bars (81). , 82) between said circle (80) and said at least one transparent disk or ring (60, 70) to maintain said at least one transparent disk or ring in the circle allowing it to rotate. The watch according to claim 10, comprising at least three of said bars (81) for holding one of said at least one disc or transparent ring forming a disc or upper ring (60) and at least three other said bars (82) for maintaining a another of said disk or transparent ring forming a disk or lower ring (70). 12. Watch according to one of claims 1 to 11, the disk or transparent ring (60, 70) being made of sapphire provided with an antireflection coating. 13. Watch according to one of claims 2 to 12, comprising an oscillating mass in said transparent annular space. 14. Watch according to claim 13, said oscillating mass being linked to the movement by a transparent connection. 15. Watch according to one of claims 1 to 14, wherein said disk or transparent ring (60, 70) is arranged to transmit the rotational movements of the ring (20) movement regardless of the angular orientation of said movement (50) relative to the middle part.