CH707191B1 - Modular pusher and method of modular assembly of such a pusher to a watch case. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for modular assembly of a pusher to a watch case (100) comprising a preliminary step of assembling a sealed functional module comprising a tube (7), an axis (8), at least A sealing gasket (5) and a return spring (3) disposed between a first fixed stop member and a second movable stop member, and then a first step of assembling the sealed functional module to the housing (100) And a second step of assembling (E2) a pusher head (1) to the sealed functional module. The invention also relates to a modular pusher adapted to implement this method.

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for modular assembly of a pusher, as well as a modular pusher adapted to implement this method.

For mounting pushers on a watch case, it is known to fix a pusher body in a housing, generally provided on the edge of the case, and then to mount the other components of the pusher once the Body of the pusher has been assembled to the caseband by driving or screwing.

[0003] Since it is necessary to assemble each piece of the pusher one by one on the middle part out of a workshop dedicated to the push-buttons, the assembly is on the one hand relatively tedious, since it is not Made by specialists of this type of parts, and relatively long. On the other hand, since no functional part is pre-assembled, it is impossible to test the fully assembled pusher before the effective assembly to the caseband. Thus, according to this mounting solution, the sealing properties and the adjustment of the stroke of the pusher, in particular, can not be satisfactorily verified before integration with the casing.

[0004] Pour simplifier le montage, il existe, dans le cadre de poussoirs vissés, des tubes pré-garnis des joints afin que la partie d’étanchéité soit pré-assemblée. Dans ce cas, le tube est vissé dans la carrure dans une première étape, puis l’axe est vissé ensuite par l’intérieur dans une deuxième étape après avoir positionné le ressort de rappel du poussoir et poussé la tête de poussoir en fond de course. Cette solution présente toutefois l’inconvénient de risquer de blesser les joints lors du montage de l’axe du poussoir, surtout lorsque celui-ci n’est pas fait par un spécialiste des poussoirs, et ne permet pas non plus de tester le poussoir au préalable en termes d’étanchéité et de course de fonctionnement.

In order to overcome the disadvantages associated with the delivery of spare parts for the pushers before their mounting on the caseband, patent CH 692 255 proposes a modular mounting solution in which a pusher is integrally mounted before its assembly to the middle part , And then screwed from the inside into a watch case by means of a tool acting on the body of the pusher. The disadvantage of this solution is that it applies, however, only to screwed-in tappets and whose head is necessarily cylindrical in shape, in particular when there is no degree of freedom in rotation between the body of Pusher and head.

[0006] There is therefore a need for an assembly process free of these known limitations.

In particular, an object of the present invention is to propose a pusher assembly method which allows a quick assembly on the middle part with a limited number of assembly steps.

Another object of the present invention is to propose an alternative method for the modular assembly of a pusher in order to be able to test its functional characteristics autonomously before mounting on the caseband.

[0009] Ces buts sont atteints grâces à un procédé d’assemblage modulaire d’un poussoir à un boîtier de montre selon l’invention, caractérisé en ce qu’il comprend une étape préliminaire d’assemblage d’un module fonctionnel étanche, le module fonctionnel étanche comprenant un tube, un axe, au moins un joint d’étanchéité, et un ressort de rappel disposé entre un premier élément de butée fixe et un deuxième élément de butée mobile, puis une première étape d’assemblage du module fonctionnel étanche au boîtier, et enfin une deuxième étape d’assemblage d’une tête de poussoir au module fonctionnel étanche.

These objects are also achieved by a modular pusher adapted to implement the modular assembly method according to the invention, comprising a tube, an axis, at least one seal, a return spring arranged Between a first fixed stop element and a second movable stop element, and a pusher head, characterized in that it comprises a sealed functional module comprising the tube, the pin, at least one seal, and The return spring and, moreover, means for assembling the sealed functional module to the pusher head and means for assembling the sealed functional module to the housing.

An advantage of the assembly method proposed in the context of the present invention is that the latter can be used for a large number of tappet heads and for tappets having different strokes.

Another advantage of the assembly method of the present invention is that it makes it possible to standardize a sealed and functional system for the pushers, independent of the shape of their head and that of the tube.

[0013] Encore d’autres avantages de la solution proposée concernent le service après-vente, puisqu’il est désormais possible d’effectuer un changement de la tête pour un même corps pré-assemblé, ce qui permet par exemple une opération de rhabillage de la tête seule sans nécessiter un remplacement complet du poussoir. Similairement, il est également possible d’effectuer un démontage de la tête pour accéder à une partie étanchéité à remplacer lors d’un service après-vente sans devoir remplacer l’intégralité du poussoir.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more clearly apparent from the detailed description and from the drawings, in which: FIG. 1 shows a top view of a pusher according to a first preferred embodiment for the implementation of the present invention; FIG. 2 shows a first sagittal sectional view of the pusher of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 shows a second sagittal sectional view of the tappet of FIG. 2, once the first module of the pusher is mounted in the caseband; FIG. 4 shows a third sagittal sectional view of the pusher of FIG. 3, during the final assembly of the pusher head. FIG. 5 shows a top view of a pusher according to a second preferred embodiment for the implementation of the present invention; FIG. 6A shows a first sagittal sectional view of the pusher of FIG. 5, along the axis AA of FIG. 5; FIG. 6B shows a second sectional view of the pusher of FIG. 5, along the axis BB of FIG. 6A; FIG. 6C shows a third sectional view of the pusher of FIG. 6A, along the axis CC of FIG. 6A.

[0015] FIG. 1 shows a pusher head 1 seen from above, of a quasi-parallelepiped shape. The quadrilateral illustrated corresponds to a rectangle slightly tapered to the left, that is to say the left side of which is slightly smaller than the right side and thus the two large sides not quite parallel. This particular non-cylindrical head shape is used in the context of the implementation of a first preferred embodiment for the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 2 shows a sagittal sectional view of FIG. 1, where the pusher head 1 is assembled to a screwed-in pusher body intended to be mounted in a case or watch case. Although in the following the preferred embodiments of the invention involve only screw-in tappets, that is to say the tappet bodies of which are screwed into the housing in which they are intended to be mounted, It will be understood, however, that the invention also applies to pusher driven or otherwise secured in the housing.

[0017] The pusher body of FIG. 2 consists of a tube 7 on which is arranged a thread 71 for assembly to a casing 100, referenced later in FIGS. 3 and 4. In this case, the housing 100 has corresponding assembly means in the form of a tapped hole 102, also visible in these figures. A shaft 8 is mounted in the tube 7, at the lower end of which there is a head forming first rotational drive means 80 for the shaft 8 and into which a tool can be inserted for this purpose. The head of the pin, of a form equivalent to a screw head, is slightly wider than the lower orifice 72 of the tube, so that the pin 8 is necessarily engaged in the tube 7 by this end This head comes into abutment against the bottom wall 73 of the tube 7. The position illustrated in FIG. 2 corresponds to the rest position of the plunger, in which the return spring 3, introduced into the upper orifice of the tube 7, tends to extend between a first fixed abutment formed by a first ring 4 mounted above the seals d And a second movable stop formed by the insert 2 mounted on the upper end of the axis 8. According to this preferred embodiment, the insert 2 comprises a tapping 21 which, Engages on a first threaded end 81 of the pin 8 at its upper end. The insert 2 also comprises a thread on its external part, which is intended to cooperate with a threaded hole 11 of the pusher head 1 for its mounting. Other modes of assembly are also conceivable, such as, for example, driving the insert onto the end of the shaft; however,

[0018] According to the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 2, the tightness of the tappet is optimized by the use of two superimposed seals 5 but separated by an intermediate ring 6 so that they can not be wrapped one on the other.

[0019] FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate various steps for mounting the push rod of FIG. 2 according to the invention. Once the pin 8 of the pusher has been inserted into the tube 7 via the lower orifice 72 after the seals 5, the intermediate ring 6 and the first ring 4 covering them have been placed there beforehand, Return valve 3 can be positioned between this first ring 4 and the insert 2, screwed to the upper end of the axle, which respectively form a first fixed abutment element and a second movable abutment element for the return spring 3. All these elements form a functional and sealed module 10. This sealed functional module 10 has the advantage of being able to be standardized for any shape of pusher head. FIG. 3 shows this functional module 10 assembled to the housing 100, After a first assembly step E1 effected by the outside of the casing, here by threading the thread 71 of the tube 7 into the tapped hole 102 of the casing 100. To simplify this assembly step, Such as those illustrated in the context of the second preferred embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6A-C, in order to be able to engage a tool to carry out the screwing operation.

Once the first assembly step E1 of this functional module 10 has been carried out on the housing 100, it is now necessary to add the push-button head 1 to the functional and sealed module 10 in order to finalize the assembly of the module button. When the shape of the head is not cylindrical, and the housing 101, visible in FIG. 3, has a corresponding shape, it is impossible to rotate the pusher head 1 in rotation in its housing 101. To overcome this drawback, the modular assembly method according to the invention proposes to screw the pusher head 1 onto an element Integral with the axis, in this case the insert 2, which is here threaded on its external part, driving the axis 8 itself in rotation. The insert 2 is then screwed into the tapped hole 11 of the pusher head 1, Without acting directly on the pusher head 1 in rotation but only axially by bringing it into abutment at the bottom of its housing 101 in the housing 100. As can be seen in FIG. 4, which shows a sectional view of the same elements as those illustrated in FIG. 2, with the housing 100 and its tapped hole 102 for screwing the tube 7, the second assembly step E2 of the pusher head 1 to the pre-mounted sealed functional module 10 takes place via the inside of the housing 100, thanks to the action of a tool (not shown) which drives the axis 8 in rotation by acting on the first rotational drive means 80 of the female type, formed here by the head of the axis 8 .

Although this second step of assembling the pusher head 1 to the sealed functional module 10 does not make it possible to adjust the length of the stroke of the pusher, it may however be noted that the latter can be adjusted beforehand for a By acting directly, for example, on the height of the insert 2 and the axial positioning of the first threaded end 81 of the pin 8. In other words, the stroke of the pusher can be adjusted By acting directly on the pre-assembled sealed functional module 10.

[0022] FIG. 5 shows a pusher having another non-cylindrical head shape which can be used in the context of the modular assembly method according to the invention. The pusher head 1 here has an arcuate shape and is provided with a bore 12 intended to cooperate with a pin or pin (not shown) in the case or caseband. The cooperation of this bore 12 with a pin of the casing is not only advantageous for correctly positioning the pusher in its housing correctly and guiding the stroke of the head of the pusher 1 when the latter is depressed, but it is also advantageous for embodiments In which the pusher head 1 is not intended to be disposed in a very deep housing, and is relatively prominent outside the caseband. In that case,

[0023] La fig. 6A montre une vue en coupe sagittale similaire à la vue de la fig. 2 pour le mode de réalisation, selon l’axe de coupe A-A représenté à la fig. 5.

In this figure, the majority of the components of the pusher are identical to those illustrated in FIG. 2. A major difference between this embodiment and that illustrated in FIG. 2, however, consists in the fact that the axis 8 is no longer provided with a head coming from material with its lower end but with a second thread. The second threaded end 82 of the pin 8 is assembled to a nut 9 which is mounted as far as the stop on the lower face of the tube 73 to finalize the mounting of the pin 8 in the tube 7 after the two seals 5 The intermediate ring 6 between these two seals, the first ring 4 forming a first fixed stop for the return spring 3 and the return spring 3 have been previously positioned. According to an alternative embodiment (not shown) A retaining circlip could be disposed in a groove provided at the lower end of the pin 8 instead of the nut 9 and the threaded end 82 of the pin. An advantage of this solution would be to facilitate the disassembly of the shaft 8 during an after-sales service, but one disadvantage would be that it would be impossible to use the circlip as a means of driving the axis 8 in rotation, in contrast to The nut 9. The spindle 8 also comprises a flange 2 ', which according to an alternative embodiment could however consist of a removable part distinct from the spindle and whose function is similar to that of the insert 2, Namely to provide a movable stop for the return spring 3 and a stop for the mounting of the pusher head 1. It will therefore be understood that, in contrast to the embodiment of FIG. 2 The axis 8 is not introduced here by the lower orifice 72 of the tube 7 but by the upper orifice 74 and then fixed by means of the nut 9 on the lower face 73 of the tube 7. On The top of the tube 7, means for driving in rotation 70 are arranged in the form of a portion of octagonal section, visible in detail in FIG. 6C which is a cross-sectional view along the axis CC of FIG. 3, showing the tube 7, the axis 8 and a section of the return spring 3. These drive means make it possible to facilitate assembly of the sealed functional module (not referred to in this figure for legibility purposes), all comprising The parts assembled to the tube except the push-button head 1, to the casing during the first assembly step E1. And then fixed by means of the nut 9 on the lower face 73 of the tube 7. On the top of the tube 7, rotation drive means 70 are arranged in the form of a portion of visible octagonal section In detail in FIG. 6C which is a cross-sectional view along the axis CC of FIG. 3, showing the tube 7, the axis 8 and a section of the return spring 3. These drive means make it possible to facilitate assembly of the sealed functional module (not referred to in this figure for legibility purposes), all comprising The parts assembled to the tube except the push-button head 1, to the casing during the first assembly step E1. And then fixed by means of the nut 9 on the lower face 73 of the tube 7. On the top of the tube 7, rotation drive means 70 are arranged in the form of a portion of visible octagonal section In detail in FIG. 6C which is a cross-sectional view along the axis CC of FIG. 3, showing the tube 7, the axis 8 and a section of the return spring 3. These drive means make it possible to facilitate the assembly of the sealed functional module (not referred to in this figure for legibility purposes) The parts assembled to the tube except the push-button head 1, to the casing during the first assembly step E1. Shown in detail in FIG. 6C which is a cross-sectional view along the axis CC of FIG. 3, showing the tube 7, the axis 8 and a section of the return spring 3. These drive means make it possible to facilitate assembly of the sealed functional module (not referred to in this figure for legibility purposes), all comprising The parts assembled to the tube except the push-button head 1, to the casing during the first assembly step E1. Shown in detail in FIG. 6C which is a cross-sectional view along the axis CC of FIG. 3, showing the tube 7, the axis 8 and a section of the return spring 3. These drive means make it possible to facilitate the assembly of the sealed functional module (not referred to in this figure for legibility purposes) The parts assembled to the tube except the push-button head 1, to the casing during the first assembly step E1.

During the second assembly step E2 of the pusher head 1 to the sealed functional module 10, the principle is the same as for the preceding embodiment, namely a step of screwing the pusher head 1 through The rotation of the shaft 8 by means of a tool inserted inside the housing 100 (not shown in FIGS. 6A-C). However, this screwing takes place here not on a part integral with the pin 8, like the insert 2 previously, but directly on the first threaded end 81 of the pin 8. Furthermore, another difference with the mode Of the previous embodiment is that the tool inserted inside the caseband is more complex, since it no longer engages first female-type drive means 80, such as the screw head of FIG. 2 But on second male-type rotation drive means 83 located beyond the nut 9, such as the portion of octagonal section situated at the level of the lower end of the shaft 8 and visible in detail in FIG. . 6B, which is a cross-section along the visible BB axis

Claims (12)

In FIG. 6A also showing the tube 7 and its thread 71. By pressing on the pusher head 1 during the second assembly step E2 of the pusher head 1 to the sealed functional module 10, the lower end of the shaft 8 on Which is screwed, the nut 9 is made to disengage axially from the lower orifice 72 of the tube - as the head of the shaft at the bottom of FIG. 4 and makes it possible to expose this portion outside the tube 7 so that the latter can be gripped by a tool to drive the axis 8 in rotation. Since it is necessary to pass over the nut 9 in order to grasp this portion of octagonal section, the tool may consist, for example, of a fork. Although it is theoretically also possible to act directly on the nut 9 to drive the axis in rotation 8, It will be preferred to act on the second male-type rotating drive means 83 in order to avoid any risk of unintentional unscrewing of the nut 9. During this second step of assembling the pusher head 1 to the sealed functional module 10, the pin 8 can be screwed into the tapped hole 11 of the pusher head 1 until it comes into abutment with the flange 2 '. The advantage of the proposed modular assembly solution is that it makes it possible to assemble any type of pusher more quickly by first assembling a functional module and already sealed by the outside, Which form the head later from the inside, without calling into question the functional properties, such as the length of the stroke of the pusher, and of sealing, which could be tested in a dedicated workshop. In the two embodiments described, the thread 71 of the tube thus consists of first assembly means which will be used during the first assembly step E1, while respectively the external thread 22 of the insert 2 and the First threaded end 81 of the pin 8 which engage in the tapped hole 11 of the pusher head 1 consist of second means for assembling the functional module 10 to the pusher head 1 used during the second Step E2 of assembly. According to an alternative embodiment, the pusher head 1 could, instead of being screwed and require the insertion of a tool inside the casing to drive the axis 8 of the pusher in rotation, be Chased directly from the outside on the functional and sealed module already assembled to the box. Such a method of final assembly of the head would be adapted, for example, for the pusher shown in FIG. 2, that is to say using an insert 2, which in this case does not have any threads on its external periphery. Indeed, such an insert has a relatively large lateral contact surface with the pusher head 1 to allow the application of sufficient friction forces to retain the pusher head on the insert 2. If this alternative assembly method presents The advantage of being even faster, the second assembly step E2 being simplified, on the contrary it has the disadvantage of not providing a removable connection between the pusher head and the functional module; Moreover, the force of this connection is less, With the risk of the pusher head 1 being able to be pulled out of the caseband after a certain time when the stresses of elastic deformation of the parts fade. The person skilled in the art will also understand that the sections of the various drive means have been chosen preferably octagonal for reasons of standardization of the tools, but that any other suitable shape (for example square, hexagonal, etc.) Is also conceivable. claims

1. A method for modularly assembling a pusher to a watch case, characterized in that it comprises a preliminary step of assembling a sealed functional module (10), said sealed functional module (10) Comprising a tube (7), a shaft (8), at least one seal (5) and a return spring (3) arranged between a first fixed stop element and a second movable stop element, (E1) of said waterproof functional module (10) to said casing (100), and finally a second step of assembling (E2) a pusher head (1) to said sealed functional module (10).

2. Method for modular assembly of a pusher according to claim 1, characterized in that said tube (7) is screwed externally to said casing (100) during said first assembly step (E1) By means of rotation drive means (70) arranged on said tube (7).

3. The method of modular assembly of a pusher according to claim 1, wherein said second assembly step comprises a step of screwing said pusher head to an element secured to said element, (8).

4. A method of modular assembly of a pusher according to claim 3, the screwing being carried out by inserting a tool inside said watch case to drive said pin in rotation.

5. A method for modular assembly of a pusher according to claim 4, the tool acting on first means (80) for driving the female-type axis (8) or the second driving means In rotation of the male type (83).

6. A method for modular assembly of a pusher according to claim 3, wherein said pusher head is pushed to the bottom of a housing in the housing when Of said second assembly step (E2).

7. A method for modular assembly of a pusher according to claim 1, characterized in that the pusher head (1) is driven on an element secured to said axis (8) during said second assembly step (E2 ).

8. A modular push-button for carrying out the assembly method according to claim 1, comprising a tube (7), an axis (8), at least one seal (5), a return spring (3) Disposed between a first fixed stop member and a second movable abutment member, and a pusher head (1), characterized in that it comprises a sealed functional module (10), said sealed functional module (10) comprising said tube (7), said pin (8), said at least one seal (5), said return spring (3), said first fixed stop member and said second movable stop member, and further first means For assembling said waterproof functional module (10) to a watch case (100) and second means for assembling said sealed functional module (10) to said push head (1).

9. Modular tappet according to claim 8, characterized in that the tube (7) comprises rotation drive means (70) in the form of a portion of octagonal section to facilitate its screwing into said casing (100).

10. A modular tappet according to claim 9, characterized in that said pusher pin (8) comprises a first threaded end (81), said tappet head (1) being screwed to said first threaded end (81) (22) of an insert (2) screwed to said first threaded end (81).

11. Modular tappet according to claim 8, characterized in that said shaft (8) comprises a second threaded end (82) for mounting said shaft (8) in the tube (7) and second d (83) in the form of a portion of octagonal section so as to be able to drive said axis (8) in rotation.

12. Modular tappet according to claim 8, said first fixed stop element being formed by a first ring covering said seal and said second movable stop element being formed by an insert, ) Screwed to said first end or by a flange (2 ') integral with said axis.