CH711686B1 - Watch comprising a case in which a watch movement is housed. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a watch (1) comprising a housing forming a housing in which is housed a watch movement. The case (2) is closed by at least one cover (3) preferably made of sapphire. For better sealing, said cover is fixed via an intermediate piece (6) made of an at least partially amorphous metal alloy.

Description

The invention relates to a portable object comprising a housing forming a housing in which is housed a timepiece movement.

TEHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

In the field of watchmaking, a traditional architecture is used to make movements, which can also include striking mechanisms. Such a ringing mechanism can be activated in well-defined periods to signal a programmed alarm or minute repeats. For a conventional embodiment of a striking watch, the striking mechanism may include a stamp. This stamp is generally a metallic wire of circular shape, which surrounds part of the watch movement in a watch case. This stamp is attached to a stamp holder secured to a watch plate. The vibration of the stamp is produced by the impact of at least one hammer against the stamp in determined periods.

In the case of a striking watch, such as a musical watch, the sound is produced by the vibrations of the blades of a keyboard. The keyboard blades are made together with a keyboard heel, which is mounted on the watch plate. For the production of music for example in programmed periods of time, the keyboard blades are lifted and then released by pins secured to a cylinder or a rotating disc. Each blade can therefore flex by the action of a corresponding pin on the cylinder or disc, and as soon as it is released, it oscillates mainly at its first natural frequency. The musical keyboard is enclosed in the watch case. As a result, the vibrations generated by the activated blades are transmitted to the cladding parts of the watch.

The cladding parts of the watch are, for example, the middle part, the bezel, the crystal or the bottom of the case. When a sound is produced either by a timbre struck by a hammer, or by one or more blades of the vibrating keyboard, these dressing pieces are capable of radiating the sound produced in the air. In a traditional striking watch, the acoustic efficiency, based on the complex vibro-acoustic transduction of the trim parts, is low. To improve and increase the acoustic level perceived by the user of the striking watch, account must be taken of the material, the geometry and the boundary conditions of said cladding parts. The configurations of these trim parts are also dependent on the aesthetics of the watch and the operating constraints, which can limit the possibilities of adaptation.

It is known in the watchmaking technique to use in an especially electronic watch, an acoustic type membrane, which is dedicated to vibro-acoustic transduction. To activate such a membrane in an electronic watch, a piezoelectric element is placed for example on the membrane to make it vibrate. So that the sound radiation from the membrane is not lost in the watch, which must be waterproof, a double bottom of the watch case can be provided, which is open towards the outside. In this case, the bottom of the watch case has one or more openings for the transmission of sound from the vibrating membrane.

With such a construction of an electronic watch with an acoustic membrane, it is often encountered problems of sealing and corrosion of said membrane.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention therefore aims to overcome the drawbacks of the state of the art by providing a watch, which is provided with a timepiece, which allows a perfect seal.

To this end, the invention relates to a portable object comprising a case forming a housing in which is housed a watch movement, characterized in that said case is closed by at least one cover, said cover being fixed via an intermediate piece. made of an at least partially amorphous metal alloy.

In a first advantageous embodiment, the timepiece movement includes a striking mechanism capable of being activated in specified periods to produce a sound, said cover being made of a material radiating acoustic waves.

In a second advantageous embodiment, the case includes a middle part closed by a crystal and by a bottom.

In a third advantageous embodiment, said back is made of a sapphire material radiating acoustic waves, said back being fixed via an intermediate piece made of an at least partially amorphous metallic material.

In a fourth advantageous embodiment, the intermediate piece is a seal arranged between the middle and the watch glass.

In a fifth advantageous embodiment, the intermediate piece is a seal arranged between the middle part and the bottom.

In a sixth advantageous embodiment, the intermediate piece is a support fixed on the middle comprising a structure having a central opening in which the crystal is mounted, said structure being adapted to allow the mounting of a telescope system.

In another advantageous embodiment, the intermediate piece comprises an annular base from which extends a peripheral rim forming an inner wall and a shoulder, said shoulder being intended to accommodate said glasses system.

In another advantageous embodiment, the intermediate piece is a structure acting as a support for the ice but also acting as a telescope.

In another advantageous embodiment, the intermediate piece is made of a completely amorphous metal alloy.

In another advantageous embodiment, the metal alloy comprises at least one element which is of the precious type, included in the list comprising gold, platinum, palladium, rhenium, ruthenium, rhodium, silver, iridium or osmium.

In another advantageous embodiment, the housing further comprises a recess for accommodating a seal therein.

In another advantageous embodiment, said cover is made of sapphire.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The aims, advantages and characteristics of the striking watch will appear better in the following description on the basis of at least one non-limiting embodiment illustrated by the drawing in which: <tb> <SEP> FIG. 1 shows a classic portable object in a simplified manner. <tb> <SEP> Figures 2a, 2b, 3 show in a simplified manner a first embodiment of the portable object according to the invention. <tb> <SEP> Figures 4 to 7 show in a simplified manner a second embodiment of the portable object according to the invention. <tb> <SEP> Figures 8 and 9 show in a simplified manner a third embodiment of the portable object according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 therefore shows a simplified partial section of a portable object according to the invention, here a striking watch 1. The watch comprises a watch case 2 essentially composed of a middle part 4 closed by a crystal 3 making cover and bottom 5.

This assembly formed by the middle part, the crystal and the bottom forming a housing in which a watch movement 20, which is generally mounted on a plate 14, is arranged. Usually the plate 14 is made of a metallic material.

The watch movement may include a striking mechanism, not shown. One type of striking mechanism comprises at least one stamp mounted on a stamp holder secured to the plate 14, and at least one hammer mounted rotatably on the plate to strike said stamp in determined periods. The generally circular stamp surrounds the various parts of the watch movement. Such a ringing mechanism is provided to signal a programmed alarm or minute repeaters.

This striking mechanism is therefore arranged to produce a sound, that is to say an acoustic wave. This acoustic wave is then directed towards a radiating element, that is to say an element promoting the diffusion of this acoustic wave, in particular towards the user.

It is known that materials such as sapphire allow good diffusion of acoustic waves. Consequently, the lens 3 used to close the middle part 4 is also used to radiate the acoustic wave.

Cleverly according to the invention, the sapphire crystal 3 is mounted in leaktight manner via an intermediate piece 6 acting as a seal. This intermediate part is then made of a metallic material or metallic alloy at least partially amorphous comprising at least one metallic element such as a metallic alloy at least partially amorphous. This metallic element can be a precious metallic element such as gold, platinum, palladium, rhenium, ruthenium, rhodium, silver, iridium or osmium. It will be understood by at least partially amorphous material that the material is capable of solidifying at least partially in the amorphous phase, that is to say that it is subjected to a rise in temperature above its melting temperature allowing it locally lose any crystalline structure, said rise being followed by cooling to a temperature below its glass transition temperature allowing it to become at least partially amorphous. Such a material is advantageous because, once heated to reach a temperature between the glass transition temperature Tg and the crystallization temperature Tx of said material, it sees its viscosity decrease sharply without losing its amorphous structure. The amorphous material then becomes easier to shape since it can then perfectly match all the details of the mold in which it is pressed.

In addition, such an amorphous metallic material allows better acoustic transmission. Indeed, the acoustic transmission depends on the rigidity of the material that the waves pass through. The rigidity is related to the stiffness, and is defined by the modulus of elasticity E. In the case of a polymer joint, if it ensures a good seal, its lack of rigidity causes an acoustic loss which results in a its not good at listening. For example, a material called Polyoxy-methylene or POM is about 3GPa.

However, amorphous metals or metal alloys are by nature metals which have greater rigidity. For example an alloy of the type Zr41Ti14Cu12Ni10Be23 has a Young E modulus which is equal to 105 GPa while an alloy of the Pt57.5Cu14.7Ni5.3P22.3 type has a Young E modulus of 98 GPa or a value thirty times superior to a POM type polymer material.

In a first embodiment of the invention visible in Figures 2a and 2b, the middle part is a middle part bezel 40 and the intermediate part 6 made of amorphous metal alloy is a seal 60 placed between said middle part bezel 40 and the glass 3. The middle part 40 is, for example, made to have a profile, in section, trapezoidal thus forming a middle part 41 between an upper part 42 and a lower part 43. The middle part 40 further comprises an outer face 44 and an inner face 45. The crystal 3 is fixed at the upper part 42. As such, the inner face 45 of the middle part of the bezel 40 has, at the upper part 42, a peripheral shoulder 46. This shoulder 46 has dimensions such that the crystal 3 can bear against it while providing a gap between the crystal 3 and the middle part of the bezel 40. This gap 47 is used for the seal. Indeed, the seal 60 in amorphous metal is inserted into this gap to guarantee sealing.

To place this seal 60, several methods are possible. One method is to use the shaping properties of the amorphous metal. An amorphous metal preform is then heated to reach a temperature between its glass transition temperature Tg and its crystallization temperature Tx of said material so that the viscosity decreases. The viscous amorphous metal can thus be pressed to marry perfectly all the details of the mold in which it is pressed, here, the gap 46 between the crystal 3 and the bezel middle 40.

Another method is to use the shaping properties of the amorphous metal to form a ring 61 around the glass 3, the ring 61 acting as a seal 60. The glass 3 and its ring 61 are then mounted by hunting at the peripheral shoulder 46 as visible in FIG. 3. This method advantageously uses the mechanical properties of the amorphous metal, the latter having greater elastic deformation and a higher elastic limit. It is thus possible to hunt without plastic deformation and this with a significant elastic deformation allowing to ensure a better seal.

In a second embodiment, the middle part 400 is used so that a bezel 7 can be attached to it as shown in Figure 4. For this, the intermediate piece 6 made of amorphous metal alloy is shaped for act as a support 600. An example of support 600 consists of an annular structure formed by a base 601 surmounted by a peripheral rim 602, this base 601 and this rim 602 then form an internal wall 603 and a shoulder 604. This support 600 then includes a central opening.

This structure 600 is fixed to the middle part 400 by fixing means. These fixing means can be screws or a weld or glue or a drive. Likewise, the fixing means can be anchor points 605, visible in FIG. 5, made of amorphous metal which are locally heated to be inserted into recesses arranged on the middle. In addition, a seal 8 of the annular type can be used and inserted into a recess 401 to improve the seal as seen in FIG. 6.

When the intermediate part 600 is fixed, the internal wall 603 is used for assembling the glass while the shoulder 604 is used for fixing a bezel system 9, this bezel system can be fixed or rotating as visible in FIG. 7. This telescope system 9 is fixed using conventional fixing elements (not shown) for a telescope.

The ice 3 can be fixed in the central opening by flushing or by using the shaping properties of amorphous metals by locally heating the intermediate piece 600 to locally make the material more viscous and facilitate the insertion of the ice. 3.

It may be possible to carry out the step of manufacturing the intermediate piece 600 and the step of assembling with the glass 3 simultaneously in order to have a good connection between these two elements.

In a third embodiment, the middle part 4000 is used so that a bezel can be attached to it. Cleverly according to this embodiment, the intermediate piece 6000 is used as a structure acting as a support for the glass but also as a bezel as visible in FIG. 8. The intermediate piece 6000 then includes a shoulder allowing the installation of the glass 3 This can be driven out or inserted by locally heating the intermediate piece or assembly during the production of said intermediate piece 6000.

In Figure 9, it can be seen that an O-ring 8 can be used in addition to improve the seal. This seal 8 is arranged in a recess 4001 of the middle part 4000.

Indeed, the shaping properties of amorphous metals allow the latter to be used for the manufacture of precise parts.

For assembly, it can be expected that the intermediate piece acting as a bezel is manufactured beforehand and then fixed on the middle part, the glass can be fixed by driving out or by using the shaping properties of amorphous metals by heating locally the intermediate piece to locally make the material more viscous and facilitate the insertion of the ice.

Of course, these embodiments can be applied to a transparent sapphire crystal in the case where the latter is also used as a radiating element for example for a pocket watch. In this case, an intermediate piece made of an amorphous metal alloy is also used.

In addition, it is also possible that the middle part is itself made of a material of the sapphire type.

In a variant, it is conceivable that structures are produced at the level of the radiating part and / or the middle so that the amorphous metal matches these structures and that better grip is possible.

Of course, it is clear that these embodiments are not limited to a striking watch and are widely used for a conventional watch. Indeed, the intermediate piece according to these embodiments alone allows to have a good seal and the maintenance of the glass or the bottom.

It will be understood that various modifications and / or improvements and / or combinations obvious to those skilled in the art can be made to the various embodiments of the invention described above without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims.

Indeed, it may be expected to have a portable object in which the middle carries a fixed or rotating bezel system and that the glass is mounted at this bezel system. Thus, the intermediate piece of amorphous metal alloy will be arranged between the glass and the telescope system. This bezel system can be mounted on the middle via a conventional seal.

Claims (13)

1. Watch (1) comprising a case forming a housing in which a watch movement is housed, characterized in that said case (2) is closed by at least one cover (3), said cover being fixed via an intermediate piece (6 ) made of an at least partially amorphous metal alloy to ensure better sealing. 2. Watch according to claim 1, characterized in that the watch movement comprises a striking mechanism capable of being activated in determined periods to produce a sound, said cover being made of a material radiating acoustic waves. 3. Watch according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the case (2) comprises a middle part (4, 40, 400, 4000) closed by a crystal (3) acting as a cover and by a bottom (5). 4. Watch according to claim 3, characterized in that said bottom (5) is made of a material radiating acoustic waves, said bottom being fixed via an intermediate piece (6) made of a metallic material at least partially amorphous. 5. Watch according to claim 3, characterized in that the intermediate piece is a seal (60) arranged between the middle part (40) and the watch glass (3). 6. Watch according to claim 4, characterized in that the intermediate piece is a seal (60) arranged between the middle part (40) and the bottom. 7. Watch according to claim 3, characterized in that the intermediate piece (600) is a support fixed on the middle comprising a structure having a central opening in which the crystal (3) is mounted, said structure being suitable for mounting of a telescope system. 8. Watch according to claim 7, characterized in that the intermediate piece (600) comprises an annular base (601) from which extends a peripheral rim (602) forming an interior wall (603) and a shoulder (604 ), said shoulder being intended to accommodate said telescope system. 9. Watch according to claim 3, characterized in that the intermediate piece (6000) is a structure acting as a support for the crystal but also acting as a telescope. 10. Watch according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the intermediate piece (6, 60, 600, 6000) is made of a completely amorphous metal alloy. 11. Watch according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metal alloy comprises at least one element which is included in the list comprising gold, platinum, palladium, rhenium, ruthenium, rhodium, silver, iridium and osmium. 12. Watch according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the case further comprises a recess (401, 4001) for accommodating a seal (8) therein. 13. Watch according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said cover is made of sapphire.