CH716163A2 - Control organ, in particular stem-crown, of a waterproof watch case, and watch case including it. - Google Patents

Abstract

The stem-crown (9) of a waterproof watch case, comprises a stem (11) inserted in a tubular opening (12) of a middle part (2) of the watch case, and a crown ( 13) comprising a first portion connected to the rod and a second handling portion. The first crown portion comprises an annular contact surface (21), which is inclined at a defined angle smaller than 90 ° with respect to a longitudinal central axis of the stem-crown starting from the connection of the stem to the stem. first portion of the crown to the outside of the second portion of the crown. In a rest position, the first crown portion comes into contact or rests against an annular receiving surface (22) of the middle part of complementary shape at one end of the tubular opening towards the outside.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to a control member, such as a stem-crown of a waterproof watch case, in particular for a diving watch.

[0002] The invention also relates to a watch case comprising a control member, such as a stem-crown for adjusting time parameters or other functions for a diving watch.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

To provide for the use of a mechanical or electronic watch under water, the watch case, which comprises a watch movement or a time-based watch module, must be closed in a well-sealed manner. To do this, the watch case comprises a case back fixed in a sealed manner to a first side of a middle part and a crystal fixed to a second opposite side of the middle part. Sealing gaskets are provided for the assembly of the back, the caseband and the watch crystal. A member for controlling or adjusting the functions of the watch is also mounted in a sealed manner through the middle part of the case in the rest position.

[0004] Generally watch cases with the control or adjustment member are not configured or assembled to withstand high water pressures, for example during a dive, given that the pressure inside the case watch is close to atmospheric pressure. Simple gaskets of traditional watches are not sufficient to guarantee a good watertightness of the case when diving to very great depths underwater.

Mention may be made of patent application CH 690 870 A5 which describes a waterproof watch case. The watch case consists of a crystal fixed on an upper side to a caseband-bezel and a caseback fixed to the caseband by screwing it to an internal thread of the caseband. The crystal is fixed to the middle part by an annular seal in the shape of a toric and rests on a middle edge. A seal is also provided between an outer edge of the back and a lower surface of the caseband. As at high water pressure the thread can be damaged, a strong metal cup is still provided to bear against an interior surface of the back and against an interior edge of the caseband. However, even with such a watch case arrangement, this does not make it possible to guarantee good sealing of the case during diving to very great depths underwater, which constitutes a drawback.

[0006] Patent CH 372 606 describes a waterproof watch case which has a central part or middle part surrounding a back and closed by a crystal. A threaded ring bears against an inclined outer surface of the caseback to retain it, and is screwed to a fastening portion connected to the caseband. With such an arrangement presented, this does not make it possible to guarantee good sealing of the box during diving to very great depths underwater, which constitutes a drawback.

[0007] Patent application EP 3 432 084 A1 describes a control member, such as a stem-crown, mounted through the middle part of a watch case. The stem-crown comprises a threaded part to be screwed to an internal thread of a through opening of the middle part. An upper part of the rod with a diameter greater than its threaded part bears in the rest position against a wedge in the bottom of a housing for receiving the upper part of the rod. A seal in O-ring form is disposed in an annular groove in the upper part of the rod and in contact with the interior wall of the housing to ensure a watertight seal. However, such an arrangement presented does not make it possible to guarantee good sealing of the box with its control member during diving to very great depths underwater, which constitutes a drawback.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The main object of the invention is therefore to overcome the drawbacks of the state of the art described above by proposing on the one hand a control member, such as a stem-crown of a watch case. waterproof, and on the other hand a waterproof watch case suitable to withstand high water pressure for diving to great depths underwater.

[0009] To this end, the present invention relates to a control member, such as a stem-crown of a waterproof watch case, which comprises the characteristics of independent claim 1.

[0010] Particular embodiments of the control member are defined in dependent claims 2 to 7.

An advantage of the control member of a waterproof watch case resides in the fact that it is in the form of a stem-crown, the crown of which comprises a first portion and a second manipulation portion. The first portion has an annular contact surface, which is inclined at a defined angle smaller than 90 ° with respect to a longitudinal central axis of the stem-crown to be able to come into contact with an annular receiving surface of the middle part. , which is of complementary form. In this way, once the stem-crown is mounted on the middle part of the watch case, any difference in water pressure relative to the pressure inside the watch case 1 tends to close any gap between the watches. contact surfaces inclined towards the inside of the watch case.

To this end, the present invention also relates to a watertight watch case with at least one control member, such as a stem-crown, which comprises the characteristics of independent claim 8.

[0013] Embodiments of the waterproof watch case are defined in dependent claims 9 to 13.

Advantageously, the crown has an annular contact surface, which is inclined at a defined angle smaller than 90 ° relative to a longitudinal central axis of the stem-crown to come into contact with an annular receiving surface of the middle part, which is of complementary shape in a rest position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The aims, advantages and characteristics of the control member, such as a stem-crown of a waterproof watch case and the watch case comprising it will appear better in the following description so as not to restrictive with regard to the drawings on which: FIG. 1 represents in a simplified manner a cross section of a waterproof case of a diving watch according to the invention, FIGS. 2a and 2b show on the one hand a detail cross section of the waterproof box at the level of the control member in the rest position according to the invention, and on the other hand a detail cross section of the watertight box at the level of the control member in the adjustment position according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following description, all the components of a waterproof watch case, in particular a diving watch, which are well known to a person skilled in the art in this technical field are only given simplified.

[0017] Figure 1 shows a watch case 1, which can be used for a diving watch. The watch case 1 essentially comprises a crystal 3, which can be made of sapphire or mineral glass, fixed on an upper side of a caseband 2, possibly a back 4 mounted on a lower side of the caseband 2, and at least one control member 9, such as a stem-crown as shown. The control member 9 can be mounted in a sealed manner in the rest position on or through the middle part 2 or in the adjustment position as explained in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 2a and 2b. This control member 9 can be used to adjust the time, date or other functions for a diving watch. A bezel 7 can also be mounted on the upper side of the middle part 2. A movement or watch module 10 is placed in the watch case 1 in a casing circle 8.

The control member 9 is in the form of a stem-crown 9. It mainly comprises a stem 11 and a crown 13 capable of being manipulated by a hand of a user outside the watch case 1 In the rest position as shown in FIG. 1, the rod 11 passes through a tubular opening 12 of the middle part 2. This rod 11 is extended by another internal rod to have access to the inside of the watch case 1. for setting time parameters or other functions of a diving watch. The rod 11 can be maintained by a holding means 23 in the tubular opening 12 of the middle part 2 or at its mouth in the watch case, in particular in the rest position without adjustment. Preferably, the rod 11 comprises at one end towards the inside of the watch case 1, a threaded portion 11 'to be screwed to an internal thread 23, as a holding means, in the tubular opening 12 of the caseband 2. The rod 11 further comprises an annular groove 18 with a seal 17 in toroidal form in contact with the inner surface of the tubular opening 12 of diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the rod 11. The annular groove 18 is disposed between the threaded portion 11 'and the ring 13, and preferably closer to the threaded portion 11', such that in the adjustment position, the seal 17 remains in contact in the tubular opening 12.

The crown 13 comprises a first portion directly connecting the rod 11 and a second handling portion. The first portion comprises an annular contact surface 21, which is inclined at a defined angle smaller than 90 ° with respect to a longitudinal central axis of the stem-crown 9 starting from the connection of the stem 11 to the first portion of the crown 13 towards the outside of the second portion of the crown 13 or of the watch case 1. The first portion of the crown also comprises a second annular groove 29 accommodating a second sealing gasket 19 of toric shape (Butadiene Rubber Nitrile), and which is located close to the connection between the first portion and the second handling portion of the crown 13. The second annular groove 29 may have a rectangular cross section for maintaining the second seal 19 in the ring. groove in the stem-crown adjustment position 9.

The annular contact surface 21 of the first portion of the crown 13 is inclined at an angle defined to come into contact with an annular receiving surface 22 of the middle 2 in the rest position. This annular receiving surface 22 is of complementary shape to the annular contact surface 21 and normally with the same angle of inclination as the annular contact surface 21. In the case where the annular contact surface 21 of the first crown portion 13 is of conical shape, just like the annular receiving surface 22 of the middle part 2, the angle of inclination α of the surfaces 21, 22 can be of the order of 55 ° ± 10 °, but preferably at 55 ° , or even at 65 °.

It should also be noted that the first portion and the second portion of the crown 13 form a single solid part, for example in a material, such as titanium, such as also for example the middle part 2. The stem It can also come integral directly with the crown to form a single piece.

The bottom 4 comprises an annular edge 14 with internal thread to be screwed onto a thread 15 on the lower side of the middle part 2. An annular bearing surface of the bottom 4 comes into contact with an annular internal surface of the middle 2 of complementary shape to the bearing surface when mounting the back 4 on the middle part 2. The bearing and inner surfaces are inclined at a determined angle with respect to an axis perpendicular to a plane of the watch case 1 In the case of a caseband of generally cylindrical shape, the bearing and inner surfaces are of conical shape and inclined towards the inside of the watch case 1 at a determined angle with respect to a central axis of the case. watch 1. The lower side of the caseband 2 further comprises an annular groove 16 accommodating a sealing gasket 6 (Butadiene Nitrile Rubber) in O-ring form in contact with the bearing surface when mounting the caseback 4 on the caseband 2 . For a middle 2 and a back 4 d alized in a material, such as titanium, the angle may be of the order of 60 ° ± 5 ° with respect to the central axis. This makes it possible to have a good distribution of the stresses between the bottom 4 and the middle 2 due to the pressure of the water during diving at great depths underwater.

The crystal 3 is fixed to the middle part 2 according to the same principle as the mounting of the bottom 4 to the middle part 2. To do this, the glass 3 comprises an annular peripheral surface to be fixed by means of a seal 5 for attachment to an annular inner surface of the upper side of the middle part 2. The annular inner surface is of complementary shape to the annular peripheral surface. The annular peripheral surface 13 of the crystal 3 is inclined at a defined angle smaller than 90 ° with respect to an axis perpendicular to a watch case plane 1. Preferably, the annular inner surface is inclined generally inward. of the watch case 1 at the same angle as the annular peripheral surface with respect to a central axis. If the middle 2 is generally cylindrical in shape, the annular inner surface and the annular peripheral surface are conical in shape. The defined angle of inclination of the surfaces may be of the order of 43 ° ± 5 ° with respect to the central axis. This makes it possible to have a good distribution of the stresses between the crystal 3 and the caseband 2 due to the pressure of the water during diving at great depths underwater. The difference in water pressure relative to the pressure inside the watch case 1 tends to close any gap between the surfaces in contact with the fixing gasket 5 thanks to the inclination of the contact surfaces towards the inside of the watch case 1. This guarantees a good seal and resistance to high pressures.

The attached fixing gasket 5 can be made of amorphous metal or an amorphous metal alloy. The fixing gasket 5 is of annular shape for the hermetic closing of the crystal 3 on the middle part 2. For a middle part 2 of generally cylindrical shape, the fastening gasket 5 comprises a conically shaped part surmounted by a cylindrical part attached to an annular inner wall of the middle part 2 and an annular outer wall of the crystal 3. The crystal 3 is fixed to the middle part 2 by means of the amorphous metal gasket following a hot fixing operation.

Several types of amorphous metal alloys can be used to fully achieve the one-piece metal seal 5, 5 '. In the most frequent cases, the amorphous metal alloy can be mainly composed of zirconium, which makes it possible to form the seal at a temperature above 350 ° C, that is to say above the glass transition temperature of the alloy. The amorphous zirconium metal alloy can be composed of Zr (52.5%), Cu (17.6%), Ni (14.9%), Al (10%) and Ti (5%). The amorphous metal alloy based on zirconium can also include Zr (58.5%), Cu (15.6%), Ni (12.8%), Al (10.3%) and Nb (2.8%). The amorphous metal alloy based on zirconium can also include Zr (44%), Ti (11%), Cu (9.8%), Ni (10.2%) and Be (25%), or finally Zr (58%), Cu (22%), Fe (8%) and Al (12%). Preferably, to facilitate the production of such a seal, the amorphous metal alloy can be mainly composed of platinum (Pt), which makes it possible to form the seal at a temperature above 230 ° C. The platinum-based amorphous metal alloy can include Pt (57.5%), Cu (14.7%), Ni (5.3%) and P (22.5%). Provision can also be made to produce the one-piece metal seal 5, 5 'from an amorphous metal alloy based mainly on palladium (Pd, which makes it possible to form the seal at a temperature above 300 ° C.

Mention may still be made of other alloys of amorphous metals. A titanium-based amorphous metal alloy can include Ti (41.5%), Zr (10%), Cu (35%), Pd (11%) and Sn (2.5%). An amorphous metal alloy based on palladium can include Pd (43%), Cu (27%), Ni (10%) and P (20%), or Pd (77%), Cu (6%) and Si (16.5 %), or finally Pd (79%), Cu (6%), Si (10%) and P (5%). An amorphous nickel-based metal alloy can include Ni (53%), Nb (20%), Ti (10%), Zr (8%), Co (6%) and Cu (3%), or Ni (67 %), Cr (6%), Fe (4%), Si (7%), C (0.25%) and B (15.75%), or finally Ni (60%), Pd (20%), P (17%) and B (3%). An iron-based amorphous metal alloy can include Fe (45%), Cr (20%), Mo (14%), C (15%) and B (6%), or Fe (56%), Co (7 %), Ni (7%), Zr (8%), Nb (2%) and B (20%). A gold-based amorphous metal alloy can include Au (49%), Ag (5%), Pd (2.3%), Cu (26.9%) and Si (16.3%).

Figures 2a and 2b show in more detail on the one hand a cross section of the watch case at the level of the control member 9 in the rest position in the middle part 2 (Figure 2a), and other share a cross section of the watch case at the level of the control member 9 in the adjustment position partly outside the opening 12 in the middle 2 (Figure 2b). For simplicity, only the elements in relation to the control member 9 and to the caseband 2 will be described, as all the elements of the watch case have already been mentioned above with reference to FIG. 1.

In this embodiment, it is considered that the annular contact surface 21 of the first crown portion 13 is of conical shape, as well as the annular receiving surface 22 of the middle part 2 of complementary shape to the surface annular contact 21. In Figure 2a, the first portion of the crown 13 is placed in conical bearing in the housing with annular receiving surface 22 of the middle part 2, once the threaded portion 11 'of the rod 11 has been screwed into the internal thread 23 of the tubular opening 12 of the caseband 2. The angle of inclination α of the surfaces 21, 22 can be of the order of 55 ° ± 10 °, and preferably at 55 °, or even at 65 °. In this rest position, the second seal 19 bears against the annular receiving surface 22 of the middle part 2. A seal is maintained by this, but when the diving watch is at great depths under water, the conical contact arrangement between the crown 13 and the middle part 2 makes it possible to hermetically close any interstice between the surfaces in contact with a better distribution of the stresses.

For the adjustment of time parameters or other functions for a diving watch as shown in Figure 2b, the crown 13 is rotated to unscrew the portion 11 'of the thread 23 of the tubular opening 12, and the crown 13 is pulled out of the watch case. Normally the rod 11 is connected towards the inside of the watch case by another internal rod to a component for adjusting the time parameters or other functions of the diving watch, but it has only been explained that the rod - crown 9 taken as part of the watch case.

It should also be noted that it can also be envisaged that the cross section of the first portion of the ring 13 can be square, rectangular or polygonal. This means that the annular contact surface 21 of the crown can be formed by several portions of an inclined plane linked to one another to form the annular bearing surface. Under these conditions, the holding means 23 in the tubular opening 12 can no longer be an internal thread, but a stopper or hook or other holding means.

From the description which has just been given, several variant embodiments of the control member, such as a stem-crown and of the watch case can be designed by those skilled in the art without leaving within the scope of the invention defined by the claims.

Claims (13)

1. Control organ (9), such as a stem-crown (9) of a waterproof watch case (1), in particular for a diving watch, the stem-crown comprising a stem (11) ) intended to be inserted into a tubular opening (12) of a middle part (2) of the watch case (1), and a crown (13) comprising a first portion connected to the rod (11) and a second portion of handling, characterized in that the first crown portion (13) comprises an annular contact surface (21), which is inclined at a defined angle smaller than 90 ° with respect to a longitudinal central axis of the stem-crown (9) starting from the connection of the rod (11) to the first portion of the crown (13) towards the outside of the second portion of the crown (13), the first portion of the crown being configured so as to be able to come into contact with 'an annular receiving surface (22) of the middle part (2) of complementary shape. 2. Control member (9) according to claim 1, characterized in that the annular contact surface (21) is a conical surface. 3. Control member (9) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the angle of inclination of the annular contact surface (21) is of the order of 55 ° ± 10 °. 4. Control member (9) according to claim 3, characterized in that the angle of inclination of the annular contact surface (21) is 55 ° or 65 °. 5. Control member (9) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one end of the rod (11) comprises a threaded portion (11 ') to be able to be screwed into a thread (23) of a tubular opening (12) of a middle part (2) of the watch case (1). 6. Control member (9) according to claim 5, characterized in that between the threaded portion (11 ') and the first crown portion (13), a first annular groove (18) is formed on the rod (11). ) to receive a first O-ring seal (17). 7. Control member (9) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a second annular groove (29) is made on the first crown portion (13) closer to the second crown portion (13) that of the rod (11), the second annular groove (29) receiving a second seal (19) of toric shape. 8. Watch case (1) comprising at least one control member (9), such as a stem-crown (9) according to one of the preceding claims, the case (1) further comprising at least one back (4). ) mounted on a lower side of a middle part (2), and a crystal (3) mounted on an upper side of the middle part (2), characterized in that the middle part (2) comprises a tubular opening (12) through which the shank (11) of the shank-crown (9) passes and an annular receiving surface (22) of the middle part (2) at an outward end of the tubular opening (12) to receive the first portion crown (13) in the rest position, and in that the annular receiving surface (22) of the middle part (2) is of complementary shape to the annular contact surface (21), with a defined angle of inclination more less than 90 ° relative to a longitudinal central axis of the tubular opening (12) towards the outside of the watch case (1). 9. Watch case (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the annular receiving surface (22) of the middle part (2) is of conical shape. 10. Watch case (1) according to one of claims 8 and 9, characterized in that the angle of inclination of the annular receiving surface (22) is of the order of 55 ° ± 10 ° and equivalent. at the angle of inclination of the annular contact surface (21). 11. Watch case (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that in the rest position of the stem-crown (9), the tubular opening (12) comprises an internal thread (23) in which is screwed a threaded portion (11 ') of the rod (11), the annular contact surface (21) bearing against the annular receiving surface (22). 12. Watch case (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that a first annular groove (18) is produced on the rod (11) to receive a first seal (17) of toroidal shape in contact with the inner surface of the tubular opening (12). 13. Watch case (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that a second annular groove (29) is made on the first crown portion (13) closer to the second crown portion (13) than the rod (9), the second annular groove (29) receiving a second seal (19) of toric shape in contact with the annular receiving surface (22) in the rest position.