CH717229B1 - System for fixing a clockwork movement in a watch case. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for fixing a generally circular watch movement (2) in a watch case (20), this fixing system comprising a casing ring (1) in which the movement of clockwork (2) is intended to be arranged, the casing circle (1) extending between an upper part and a lower part, the clockwork movement (2) being fixed in the lower part of the casing circle ( 1) using a first and a second fixing means arranged at two opposite ends of a diameter (D) of the clockwork movement (2), at least one third fixing means, angularly offset by relative to the first and second fixing means and fixed in the upper part of the casing circle (1), allowing the clockwork movement (2) to be blocked in the casing circle (1).

Description

Technical field of the invention

The present invention relates to a system for fixing a timepiece movement in a case of a watch. More precisely, the present invention relates to a system making it possible to immobilize a timepiece movement arranged in a casing circle arranged in the case of a watch.

Technological background of the invention

[0002] Timepieces, in particular wristwatches, conventionally include a middle part closed downwards by a bottom. Together, these two elements - case and back - form a watch case which delimits an interior volume in which is housed a watch movement, also called a caliber. Towards the top, the watch case is surmounted by a dial protected by a glass.

[0003] Depending on the case, such a timepiece movement is arranged in the interior volume of the watch case either directly or by means of a casing circle in which the watch movement is embedded, the 'assembly formed by the clockwork movement and the casing ring then being housed in the watch case.

[0004] The immobilization of the watch movement in the watch case is frequently provided by two screws or by two screw-flange assemblies only. These screws or these screw-flange assemblies make it possible to fix the watch movement either directly on the middle part or on the casing circle. Usually, these fixing elements are arranged at the two opposite ends of a diameter of the clockwork movement which, in use, has not always proved to be very suitable. Indeed, the diameter of the clockwork movement on which the screws or the assemblies formed by screws and flanges are arranged forms an axis around which the clockwork movement and, where appropriate, the casing circle in which the clockwork movement is arranged, are capable of pivoting in the event of an impact applied to the watch. Of course, such a pivoting of the clockwork movement or of the entire clockwork movement / casing ring inside the watch case is to be avoided because it can cause significant damage to certain components of the watch case. watches such as the stems of winding or correction crowns which may be bent or the feet of the dial which may break. There have even been some cases in which the dial has bent.

Summary of the invention

The object of the present invention is to alleviate the aforementioned problems as well as others still by providing a fixing system making it possible to guarantee total immobility of a timepiece movement in a case of a watch, in particular in case of shocks applied to such a watch case.

To this end, according to a first aspect, the present invention relates to a system for fixing a clockwork movement of generally circular shape in a case of a watch, this fixing system comprising a circle of casing in which the clockwork movement is intended to be disposed, the casing circle extending between an upper part and a lower part, the clockwork movement being fixed in the lower part of the casing circle to the using a first and a second fixing means arranged at two opposite ends of a diameter of the clockwork movement, at least a third fixing means, angularly offset with respect to the first and second fixing means and fixed in the upper part of the casing circle, allowing the clock movement to be blocked in the casing circle.

[0007] According to a special embodiment of the invention, the fixing system comprises a holding part, the clock movement being sandwiched between this holding part and the casing circle, the holding part being fixed on the casing circle using the at least third fixing means.

According to another special embodiment of the invention, the third fixing means is angularly offset by 90 ° with respect to the first and second fixing means arranged at the opposite ends of a diameter of the clockwork movement.

[0009] Thanks to these characteristics, the present invention provides a system for fixing a timepiece movement in a casing circle of a watch case which guarantees a rigid connection between the watch movement and the watch case. the watch, so as to prevent any untimely movement of the clockwork movement inside the watch case in the event of an impact applied to the watch. Indeed, by providing at the top of the casing circle at least one third fixing means which is angularly offset with respect to the diametral line which connects the first and second means for fixing the clockwork movement to this same circle. casing, any possibility of pivoting of the clockwork movement relative to the watch case in the event of an impact is prohibited. The risks of distorting the stems of winding or correcting crowns which, from the outside of the watch, allow the owner of this watch to act on the watch movement, are thus avoided. As are also avoided the risks of breaking the feet of the dial, or even that the dial bends, a situation which is irremediable if we are dealing with an old watch for which spare parts are no longer available. The immobilization of the clockwork movement inside the casing circle is further improved by placing this clockwork movement sandwiched between the casing circle and a holding part which is immobilized by means of the third means. of fixation.

The present invention also relates to a system for fixing a clockwork movement of generally circular shape in a watch case, this fixing system comprising a casing circle in which the clockwork movement is intended to be disposed, the casing circle extending between an upper part and a lower part, the clock movement being locked in the casing circle using a first, a second and a third fixing means angularly spaced and fixed in the upper part of this fitting circle.

According to a special embodiment of the invention, the fixing system comprises a holding part, the clock movement being sandwiched between this holding part and the casing circle, the holding part being fixed on the casing circle using the first, second and third fixing means.

According to another special embodiment of the invention, the first, second and third fixing means used to fix the retaining part on the casing circle are regularly spaced angularly.

[0013] This other object of the invention also makes it possible to guarantee perfect immobilization of the clockwork movement in the casing circle and therefore to avoid any risk of parts mechanically linked with the movement deteriorating. Indeed, the fact that the clockwork movement is fixed on the casing circle at three angularly spaced points prevents any movement of the clockwork movement relative to the casing circle and therefore also relative to the watch case. The immobilization of the clockwork movement relative to the casing circle is further improved by covering the clockwork movement by means of a holding part which is immobilized on the casing circle using the three means. of fixation.

According to a special embodiment of the invention, the means for fixing the clockwork movement and / or the holding part on the casing circle are screws or screw-flange assemblies.

According to another special embodiment of the invention, the holding part is a ring.

Brief description of the figures

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge more clearly from the following detailed description of an embodiment of a system for fixing a timepiece movement in a casing circle, this example given for purely illustrative and non-limiting only in conjunction with the appended drawing in which: Figure 1 is a sectional view of a watch case in the interior of which is arranged a casing circle which receives a clock movement fixed in the lower part of this casing circle by means of a screw; Figure 2 is a bottom view of the casing ring of Figure 1 in the lower part of which is fixed the clockwork movement using a first and a second screw arranged at two opposite ends of a diameter of the clockwork movement; FIG. 3 is a top view of the casing circle of FIG. 2 in which, according to the first aspect of the invention, the clockwork movement is immobilized using at least one third fixing means, angularly offset with respect to the first and second fixing means, and fixed in the upper part of the casing circle; Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 3 with the addition of a retaining part between which and the casing circle the clockwork movement is sandwiched, this retaining part being fixed on the ring of fitting using the third fixing means; FIG. 5 is a view which illustrates in section the fixing of the clockwork movement in the casing circle as shown in FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a top view of a casing circle in which, according to the second aspect of the invention, the timepiece movement is immobilized using first, second and third fixing means fixed in the upper part of the casing circle; FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 6 in which it can be seen that the clockwork movement is sandwiched between a retaining part and the casing circle, the retaining part being immobilized on the circle of fitting using the first, second and third fixing means, and FIG. 8 illustrates the fixing of the watch movement and of the casing ring in the watch case by means of screw-flange fixing assemblies.

Detailed description of an embodiment of the invention

The present invention proceeds from the general inventive idea which consists in providing a fixing system making it possible to immobilize a timepiece movement of a watch relative to a casing circle. It is thus possible to ban any relative movement of the watch movement with respect to the casing circle and to the watch case in the event of an impact applied to the watch, so that any risk of damaging parts such as rods. winding or correction mechanically linked to the clockwork movement is avoided. The present invention is of very particular interest with regard to the numerous watch movements which are still fixed in the lower part of the casing circles by means of two screws arranged at the opposite ends of a diameter of the watch movement and which define an axis around which the clockwork movement is capable of pivoting in the event of an impact applied to the watch. Rather than having to rethink the arrangement of the clockwork movement, which generates costs, the present invention teaches immobilizing the clockwork movement in the upper part of the casing circle using a third means. fixing such as a screw which is angularly offset with respect to the first two screws by means of which the clockwork movement is fixed in the casing circle. Any possibility of moving the clockwork movement inside the casing circle is thus prohibited, so that there is no risk of mechanical parts linked to the clockwork movement being damaged in the event of an impact. applied to the watch case. It is also proposed to cover the watch movement with a retaining part such as a ring and to fix this ring on the casing ring by means of at least one screw angularly offset with respect to the line which connects the rings. screws with the help of which the clockwork movement is fixed in the casing circle. In this way, complete immobilization of the watch movement is guaranteed in the event of an impact applied to the watch. If one chooses to fix the watch movement in the upper part of the casing circle by means of at least three screws spaced angularly apart from each other, it is even possible to avoid having to fix the movement of clockwork in the lower part of the casing circle. In this case also, the clockwork movement can be sandwiched between the casing circle and a retaining part fixed to this casing circle by means of screws.

[0018] Figure 1 is a partial sectional view of a casing circle 1 in which is housed a timepiece movement 2. As will be clearly understood by examining Figures 1 and 2 together, the timepiece movement 2 is fixed in a lower part of the casing ring 1 using a first and a second fixing means arranged at two opposite ends of a diameter D of this clockwork movement 2. Preferably but not limited to, the first and second fixing means are each formed of a screw 4 provided with a head 6. The clockwork movement 2 which is generally circular in shape is provided with a collar 8 by which the movement d The watchmaking 2 comes to rest on the casing circle 1 as the screw 4 is screwed into the thickness of the watch movement 2. Finally, the casing circle 1 is clamped between the collar 8 and the head 6 of the two screws 4.

[0019] The fixing of a timepiece movement in a casing circle by means of two screws arranged at the opposite ends of a diameter of this timepiece movement is a solution which has long been known and which poses a problem. In fact, in the event of an impact applied to the watch, the diameter of the clockwork movement which connects the two screws together forms an axis around which the clockwork movement is capable of pivoting. When such an event occurs, the parts mechanically linked to the clockwork movement can deteriorate, or even break, as is the case with the feet of the dial which is located above the clockwork movement, at a short distance from it. latest. There are even cases where the dial bends. This is why the need has arisen to provide an additional means of immobilizing the clockwork movement in order to prevent it from moving inside the watch case, in particular in the event of an impact. .

This is why, according to a first aspect of the invention, a third means for fixing the clockwork movement in the upper part of the casing circle is provided. This solution is illustrated in FIG. 3 appended to the present patent application in which it can be seen that a third fixing means such as a screw 10 is screwed into the upper part of the casing ring 1. This screw 10 is provided with of a head 12 which comes partially to bear on a rim 14 of the clockwork movement 2. The screw 10 is angularly offset, for example by 90 °, with respect to the screws 4 which serve to fix the clockwork movement 2 in the lower part of the casing circle 1, so that perfect immobilization of this clockwork movement 2 in the casing circle 1 is guaranteed.

According to a special embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 4, the clock movement is capped 2 by means of a retaining part such as a ring 16 which is fixed on the circle casing 1 by means of screw 10, so as to sandwich the clockwork movement 2 between this ring 16 and the casing circle 1. In this way, the immobilization of the clockwork movement 2 in the casing circle 1 is further improved and the quality of the finish of the assembly of the clockwork movement 2 in casing circle 1 is of higher quality.

Figure 5 is a view which illustrates in section the attachment of the clockwork movement 2 in the casing circle 1 as shown in Figure 4. As visible in this Figure 5, the casing circle 1 in which is housed the watch movement 2 is arranged in an interior volume 18 of a watch case 20 formed of a middle 22 and a back 24, with the interposition of a compression seal 26 between the ring of casing 1 and this bottom 24.

Provided with a collar 28 by which it rests on a shoulder 30 provided on the casing ring 1, the clockwork movement 2 is capped by the ring-type retaining part 16 which bears on the collar 28 so as to take the clockwork movement 2 sandwiched between this ring 16 and the casing circle 1. Finally, the screw 10 is screwed into the casing circle 1 through the ring 16 against which the screw 10 comes supported by its head 12.

According to the second aspect of the invention illustrated in Figure 6, it is possible to dispense with the fixing of the clockwork movement 2 in the lower part of the casing circle 1 while still ensuring a perfect immobilization of the clockwork movement 2 in the casing circle 1. For this purpose, provision is made to fix the clockwork movement 2 in the casing circle 1 using at least a first, a second and a third fixing means such as screws 32 which are screwed into the upper part of the casing circle 1. These screws 32 are angularly spaced from each other, preferably regularly. They are each provided with a head 34 which partially bears on the rim 14 of the clockwork movement 2. It is therefore understood that, fixed in the casing ring 1 at three angularly spaced points, any movement of the movement of clockwork 2 in casing circle 1 is made impossible. To improve the quality of the finish of the interlocking of the clockwork movement 2, it is possible, as shown in FIG. 7, to take the clockwork movement sandwiched between a retaining part such as a ring 36 and the casing circle 1, the ring 36 being fixed to the upper part of this casing circle 1 using the three screws 32.

Finally, Figure 8 illustrates the assembly of the assembly formed by the casing circle 1 and the clockwork 2 in the watch case 20. We see in this Figure 8 that a screw 38 is screwed. in the casing ring 1 with the interposition of a flange 40 which bears on a shoulder 42 formed in the middle part 22. It can be seen on the other hand that the ring 16 which bears on the collar 28 of the movement of horology 2 is also supported by a lower edge 44 on the casing circle 1.

It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment which has just been described and that various modifications and simple variants can be envisaged by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Nomenclature

[0027] 1 Casing circle 2 Watch movement D Diameter 4 Screw 6 Head 8 Bezel 8 10 Screw 12 Head 14 Flange 16 Ring 18 Internal volume 20 Watch case 22 Case middle 24 Back 26 Compression seal 28 Bezel 30 Shoulder 32 Screw 34 Head 36 Bushing 38 Screw 40 Flange 42 Shoulder 44 Bottom edge

Claims (9)

1. System for fixing a clockwork movement (2) of generally circular shape in a watch case (20), this fixing system comprising a casing circle (1) in which the clockwork movement (2) ) is intended to be arranged, the casing circle (1) extending between an upper part and a lower part, the clockwork movement (2) being fixed in the lower part of the casing circle (1) to using a first and a second fixing means arranged at two opposite ends of a diameter (D) of the clockwork movement (2), at least one third fixing means, angularly offset with respect to the first and second fixing means and fixed in the upper part of the casing circle (1), making it possible to block the clockwork movement (2) in the casing circle (1). 2. Fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a holding part, the timepiece (2) being sandwiched between this holding part and the casing circle (1), the retaining part being fixed on the casing ring (1) using the at least third fixing means. 3. Fastening system according to claim 2, characterized in that the holding part is a ring (16). 4. Fixing system according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the third fixing means is angularly offset by 90 ° relative to the first and second fixing means arranged at the opposite ends of the diameter (D) of the movement. watchmaking (2). 5. System for fixing a clockwork movement (2) of generally circular shape in a watch case (20), this fixing system comprising a casing circle (1) in which the clockwork movement (2) ) is intended to be disposed, the casing circle (1) extending between an upper part and a lower part, the clockwork movement (2) being locked in the casing circle (1) using a first, a second and a third angularly spaced apart fixing means and fixed in the upper part of this fitting circle (1). 6. Fastening system according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises a holding part, the clockwork movement (2) being sandwiched between this holding part and the casing circle (1), the retaining part being fixed on the casing ring (2) using the first, second and third fixing means. 7. Fastening system according to claim 6, characterized in that the holding part is a ring (36). 8. Fastening system according to one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the first, second and third means are regularly spaced angularly. 9. Fastening system according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the first, second and third fastening means are screws (4; 10; 32; 38).