CH712190A2 - Method of assembling a dial provided with appliques. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of assembling a dial (1), or watchmaker's particular, made of a first material, said dial comprising at least two sconces (3) made of a second material, the method comprising the following steps: Bring the sconces (3), which have previously undergone a manufacturing step during which they are secured in their final position relative to each other via a bridge to form at least one set of sconces and once the sconces are put in place. Remove the bridge.

Description

Description: [0001] The present invention relates to a method of assembling a dial made of a first material, said dial comprising at least two sconces made of a second material.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

Mechanical watches are generally provided with a dial on which a multitude of information is arranged. This information can be information enabling needles to indicate at least one hourly information or more generic information such as the watch brand or some of its characteristics, such as the fact that the watch is of the chronometer type that is to say to say endowed with a certain precision. This information arranged on the dial can be in several ways. A first way is to have a decal or screen printing that is just applied on the dial.

A second way is to have appliques. These sconces consist of numbers, indexes or signs cut from metal or plastic plates and then glued, welded or riveted to the dial.

However, it is necessary that these appliques are perfectly aligned because the human eye is able to distinguish the slightest placement inaccuracy especially if the appliques are close to each other, for example to write a name or a word.

To solve this problem, two solutions have been found. The first solution is to equip the sconces with two feet that we enter the holes arranged on the dial. However, if the appliques become very small, it is difficult to manufacture the feet and painful to handle the parts. In addition, to ensure that feet enter the dial holes, certain manufacturing tolerances must be imposed. These tolerances impose a clearance between the feet and the holes, and have the consequence that the appliques may be misaligned with respect to each other once assembled.

Another solution is to connect the different appliques together when used to form a word like the name of a brand. This configuration allows for the appliques at once and thus to have the appliques integral with each other so that they are already aligned with each other.

However, this solution has the disadvantage of limiting the geometry of the appliques since it then becomes necessary to design the appliques so that they can be connected to each other. In addition, the aesthetic appearance of a name or brand whose letters are connected according to the method described above, may not correspond to the design level to the desired aesthetic.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a method for aligning appliques on a dial in a precise and simple manner.

For this purpose, the invention relates to a method of assembling a dial made of a first material, said dial comprising at least two sconces made of a second material. The method comprises the following steps: - Get the appliques, they have previously undergone a manufacturing step during which they are made integral in their final position relative to each other via a bridge. - Place the appliques made integral on the dial and fix them to the dial. - Separate the appliques from each other by removing the bridge between two sconces.

In a first advantageous embodiment, the thickness of the bridge varies from 10% to 50% of the thickness of the applique.

In a second advantageous embodiment, the set of appliques comprises at least two feet adapted to cooperate with holes of the dial.

In a third advantageous embodiment, the dial holes are through or blind.

In a fourth advantageous embodiment, the sconces are manufactured using a technique selected from the list comprising: machining, stamping, injection, LIGA, 3D printing or hot forming.

In a fifth advantageous embodiment, the bridges are removed using a technique chosen from the list comprising: laser cutting or machining, mechanical cutting, grinding or polishing.

In a sixth advantageous embodiment, the bridge between two sconces of a set of sconces is positioned so as to flush with the surface of the visible sconces when the sconces are arranged on the dial.

In a seventh advantageous embodiment, the bridge between two sconces of a set of sconces is positioned at half height of the sconces.

The invention further relates to a set of appliques comprising at least two appliques, characterized in that said appliques are made integral in their final position relative to each other via a bridge.

In a first advantageous embodiment, the thickness of the bridge varies from 10% to 50% of the thickness of the sconces.

In a second advantageous embodiment, the bridge between two sconces of a set of sconces is positioned at half height of the sconces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The objects, advantages and features of the invention will appear more clearly in the following detailed description of at least one embodiment of the invention given solely by way of non-limiting example and illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which: :

Fig. 1 schematically represents a dial carrying appliques;

Figs. 2a, 2b and 3 show schematically a set of appliques according to the invention;

Figs. 4 to 6 show schematically a set of appliques placed on a dial according to the invention;

Figs. 7a and 7b schematically represent a third embodiment of the method according to the invention;

Figs. 8 and 9 show schematically a variant of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In FIG. 1, a dial 1 provided with sconces 3 is shown. These sconces 3 may be time indices arranged on the dial as a time lapse or signs such as a logo or a brand name.

The present invention advantageously consists of a method for the implementation of these appliques 3 by ensuring their relative positioning.

A first step is to provide the appliques 3 by manufacturing them. Advantageously according to the invention, this step consists in making the appliques while keeping at least one bridge 5 between two adjacent appliques of one another as visible in FIGS. 2a, 2b and 3. This allows to form a set of sconces 7. These sconces 3 may be made of plastic or metal or alloy or monocrystalline or polycrystalline material.

These bridges are made to secure two appliques with each other. Of course, we must try to minimize the size of the bridge 5 to facilitate removal but keeping the dimensions sufficiently large to ensure the necessary rigidity for the handling and fixing of the sconces without breakage. Thus, a bridge 5 whose thickness varies from 10% to 50% of the thickness of the applique will be used. Of course, this thickness will depend on the material used for the sconces, a rigid material allowing a bridge less thick than a softer material.

To manufacture these appliques with at least one bridge between them, the techniques of machining, stamping, injection, LIGA, 3D printing, hot forming of a metal glass can be used.

We then obtain the sconces 3 in their final configuration that is to say having their final height h1 and their surface decoration, these sconces 3 being arranged between them in their final position via the bridges 5 thus forming a whole. appliques. The position of the bridges 5 can vary in height so that the bridges can be flush with the visible face of the appliques or not.

In a second step, the set of sconces 7 is placed on the dial 1 as visible in FIGS. 4 to 6. The operator generally uses tweezers to place the appliques on the dial so as not to damage them. The dial 1 may be provided with markings to help place the appliques.

In a variant, the set of appliques comprises at least two feet 4 made to fit holes 9, 9 'drilled on the dial 1. These holes can be blind 9 or through 9 ". may also be provided with blind holes 9 or countersink forming an imprint for each applique 3.

The set of appliques 7 comprises at least two feet 4 because the presence of at least two feet allows a locking of the set of appliques to avoid any misalignment.

To permanently fix the sconces 3 on the dial 1, these sconces can be glued or clipped or welded or brazed or riveted or use a combination of these different techniques.

[0031] Cleverly, a third step is performed. This third step is to remove the bridges 5 between the appliques 3 as visible in FIGS. 7a and 7b. Indeed, these bridges 5 serve to maintain the position of the appliques relative to each other to prevent misalignment between the appliques 3.

To operate this third step, the operator can use a laser technique or use a machining tool, cutting, grinding to separate the bridges 5 of the sconces 3.

Claims (11)

Of course, the operator can use a combination of these tools and methods. For example, in the case where the bridge is positioned at half height with respect to two sconces, the method using a laser can be followed by the use of a polishing tool to erase the asperities that could have been created during The fact of having a bridge positioned halfway up the wall 3 contrary to the case where the bridge is flush with the visible surface of the sconces 3 advantageously makes it possible not to do the removal operation. at the edges of the decor. In this way, the risks of damaging the aesthetics of the appliques 3 are greatly diminished. In a variant of the invention shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the appliques 3 in their final position relative to each other are made to have a height h1 'which is not their final height h1. The position of the bridges 5 can vary in height so that the bridges 5 can be flush with the visible face of the sconces 3 or not. This variant allows for more flexibility. Indeed, the fact of having a thickness h1 'appliques 3 which is greater than the final thickness allows, according to the configurations, to machine feet for each applique 3 or leave material for decorations surfaces. Similarly it allows to use a method of removal of bridge based on polishing. Indeed, if the bridge is arranged on the extra thickness added to the sconces, polishing removes evenly the surface of the sconces and thus cleanly remove the bridge. 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. claims 1. A method of assembling a dial (1) made of a first material, said dial comprising at least two sconces (3) made of a second material, the method comprising the following steps: - To provide the sconces, ci having previously undergone a manufacturing step during which they are made integral in their final position relative to each other via a bridge (5) to form at least one set of appliques (7). - Place the set of sconces (7) on the dial and fix it to the dial. - Separate the appliques from each other by removing the bridge between two sconces. 2. Assembly method according to claim 1, characterized in that the thickness of the bridge (5) varies from 10% to 50% of the thickness (h 1) of the applique. 3. A method of assembly according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the set of appliques (7) comprises at least two feet (4) adapted to cooperate with holes (9, 9 ') of the dial. 4. Assembly method according to claim 3, characterized in that the holes (9, 9 ') of the dial are through or blind. 5. A method of assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the appliques are manufactured using a technique selected from the list comprising: machining, stamping, injection, LIGA, printing 3D or hot forming. 6. A method of assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bridge is removed using a technique selected from the list comprising: laser cutting or machining, mechanical cutting, grinding or polishing. 7. A method of assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bridge between two appliques of a set of appliques is positioned so as to be flush with the surface of the visible appliques when the appliques are arranged on the dial. 8. Assembly method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the bridge between two appliques of a set of appliques is positioned at half height of the appliques. 9. Set of sconces (7) comprising at least two sconces (3), characterized in that said sconces (3) are made integral in their final position relative to each other via a bridge (5). 10. Set of appliques (7) according to claim 9, characterized in that the thickness of the bridge (5) varies from 10% to 50% of the thickness (h 1) of appliques. 11. Set of sconces (7) according to claims 9 or 10, characterized in that the bridge between two sconces of a set of sconces is positioned at half height of the sconces.