CH720145A2 - Setting crown for timepiece. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an adjustment crown (100) for a timepiece comprising a tube (1); a hood (5) comprising a cover (6) and an axial skirt (7); a barrel (8) fixed to the cover (5), the barrel (8) and the cover (5) forming a mobile assembly capable of being placed in different axial positions relative to the tube (1); a seal (14), forming a primary sealing means, disposed between the tube (1) and the movable assembly constituted by the cover (5) and the barrel (8); the tube (1) comprising a guide conduit (24) configured to bear against a guide surface (23) of the barrel (8), over a residual length (L) greater than 1 mm, when the crown is in position pulled, to constitute a secondary sealing means between the mobile assembly and the tube (1).

Description

Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to an adjustment crown for a timepiece, and more particularly for a timepiece case, for example a watch, cooperating with a control member making it possible, for example, to select and/or modify information displayed on a dial.

[0002] The invention also relates to a timepiece box, for example a watch, comprising a middle part with at least one through housing for receiving such an adjustment crown.

[0003] The invention also relates to a timepiece, for example a watch, comprising such a box.

Technology background

[0004] Crowns are commonly used in the field of watchmaking to perform different functions, such as for example winding the watch barrel, setting the time or date.

[0005] Among the crowns, we find in particular the screwed crowns which can take different axial positions in the divided position, each axial position making it possible to carry out an adjustment mode, and in the screwed position ensures reinforced sealing of the timepiece, in particular at the level of the passage of a control member, such as a winding rod or even a control rod.

[0006] A screw-down crown generally comprises: – a tube intended to be fixed in a watch case by screwing or driving in; the tube having a thread arranged in the part protruding outside the watch case; – a hood comprising a cover and an axial skirt; – a central barrel attached to the hood; the central barrel having a thread intended to be screwed onto the thread of the tube; – a piston housed inside the central barrel; the piston being adapted to be engaged with a control rod and the central barrel being arranged to slide on the piston; – a spring compressed axially between the cover and the piston.

[0007] The cover can generally be placed in three axial positions: – a first axial position, called “screwed position”, in which the central barrel is screwed to the tube, that is to say the thread of the central barrel is engaged with the thread of the tube. The first position is used when the user does not need to act on the crown; – a second axial position, called “unscrewed not pulled position”, in which the thread of the central barrel is no longer engaged in the thread of the tube. This position is generally used when the user wants to wind the watch barrel using the adjustment crown. The user then unscrews the cover, which, under the action of the spring, engages the central barrel with the piston and the control rod; – a third axial position, called “unscrewed and pulled position” in which the thread of the central barrel is not engaged in the thread of the tube and in which in addition the cover is pulled relative to the unscrewed position not pulled, which allows you to put the control rod in a second active position. The second active position can for example allow you to make an adjustment, such as setting the time of the watch.

[0008] In order to ensure the sealing of the crown, a seal is placed between the axial skirt of the cover and the tube. This seal is held axially between a spacer secured to the axial skirt of the hood and a ring. In the screwed position, the seal is overcompressed by a bulge in the tube so that the sealing properties are the best possible when the crown is in the screwed position.

[0009] However, when the crown is in the unscrewed and pulled position, the seal is no longer overcompressed, so that if the user immerses the watch in water under these conditions of use, there is a risk that it a certain quantity of water can infiltrate between the central barrel and the tube, particularly when the crown is acted upon by a radial force relative to the crown. In addition, when the crown is in the unscrewed position, the guiding of the cover by the guide tube is less effective.

Summary of the invention

[0010] In this context, the invention aims to propose a new adjustment crown architecture making it possible to remedy at least one of the disadvantages of the state of the art cited above, by proposing an adjustment crown with improved sealing when it is in the unscrewed and pulled position, particularly when handling the crown in the unscrewed and pulled position in wet conditions.

[0011] To do this, according to a first aspect of the invention, the invention relates to an adjustment crown for a timepiece comprising: a tube; a hood comprising a cover and an axial skirt; a barrel fixed to the cover, the barrel and the cover forming a mobile assembly capable of being placed in different axial positions relative to the tube; a seal, forming a primary sealing means, disposed between the tube and the mobile assembly constituted by the cover and the barrel.

[0012] According to the invention, the tube comprises a guide conduit configured to bear against a guide surface of the barrel, over a residual length greater than 1 mm, when the crown is in the pulled position, to constitute a means of secondary sealing between the mobile assembly and the tube.

[0013] Thus, thanks to the invention, in the pulled position, there is a sufficiently long contact length between the tube and the barrel to significantly improve the sealing of the crown when the seal is not overcompressed. This contact sealing makes it possible to compensate for the loss of overcompression of the seal and to improve the sealing of such a crown when it is handled in the pulled position in humid conditions.

[0014] In addition to the characteristics mentioned in the previous paragraph, the adjustment crown according to the invention may have one or more complementary characteristics among the following, considered individually or in all technically possible combinations: – the tube guide conduit is in support on the guide surface of the barrel over a residual length L greater than 1 mm and less than or equal to 3.5 mm; – the tube guide conduit rests on the guide surface of the barrel over a residual length L greater than or equal to 1.5 mm; – the tube guide conduit rests on the guide surface of the barrel over a residual length L of between 1.5 mm and 3.5 mm, – the tube guide conduit rests on the guide surface of the barrel over a residual length L of between 1.5 mm and 3 mm, – the guide conduit of the tube rests on the guiding surface of the barrel over a residual length L of between 1.5 mm and 2.5 mm.

[0015] A second aspect of the invention relates to a timepiece comprising an adjustment crown according to the first aspect of the invention.

Brief description of the figures

The aims, advantages and characteristics of the present invention will appear more clearly on reading the detailed description below of the preferred embodiments, presented by way of non-limiting example with reference to the appended figures, among which: – Figure 1 shows a half-section view of an adjustment crown according to one embodiment of the invention in the screwed position; – Figure 2 shows a half-section view of the adjustment crown of Figure 1 in the unscrewed, non-pulled position; – Figure 3 shows a half-section view of the adjustment crown of Figure 1 in the unscrewed and pulled position; – Figure 4 shows a half-section view of a crown according to another embodiment of the invention in a first position; – Figure 5 shows a half-section view of the crown of Figure 4 in a second position.

[0017] In all the figures, the common elements bear the same reference numbers unless otherwise specified.

Detailed description of the invention

[0018] A crown 100 according to an exemplary embodiment will now be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3.

The crown 100 comprises a tube 1 intended to be fixed on a watch case (not shown) by screwing or driving into the middle of the watch case.

[0020] In the example shown in Figures 1 to 3, the tube 1 has an external thread to be screwed onto the middle part.

The tube 1 has a symmetry of revolution with respect to a reference axis 2, defining an axial direction.

The tube 1 has a thread 3. In this embodiment, the thread 3 is arranged on an interior wall 4 of the tube 1.

The crown 100 also includes a cover 5. The cover 5 includes a cover 6 and an axial skirt 7. The axial skirt 7 has a symmetry of revolution around the reference axis 2. The cover 6 and the axial skirt 7 define a cavity. The crown 100 also includes a barrel 8 inserted in the cavity of the cover 5. The barrel 8 is preferably integral with the cover 5. The barrel 8 includes a thread 9 arranged to cooperate with the thread 3 of the tube 1, to allow screwing or unscrewing the cover 5. In this embodiment, the thread 9 of the barrel 8 is positioned on an exterior wall 10 of the barrel 8.

The cover 5 and the barrel 8 form a mobile subassembly relative to the tube 1 fixed in the middle of the watch.

The crown 100 can be placed in different positions: – a so-called “screwed” position, shown in Figure 1, in which the thread 9 of the barrel 8 cooperates with the thread 3 of the tube 1, and in which the barrel 8 is screwed to tube 1; the cover 5 being in its current position of use, and axially closest to the base of the tube 1 cooperating with the middle part; – a so-called “unscrewed not pulled” position, shown in Figure 2, in which the thread 9 of the barrel 8 is not screwed into the thread 3 of the tube 1, the cover 5 occupying a first axial position relative to the tube 1 In this first axial position, the cover 6 of the cover 5 is separated by a first distance from the tube 1; – a so-called “unscrewed and pulled” position, shown in Figure 3, in which the thread 9 of the barrel 8 is not screwed into the thread 3 of the tube 1, the cover 5 also being pulled relative to the tube 1, so as to occupy a second axial position relative to the tube 1. In this second axial position, the cover 6 of the cover 5 is separated by a second distance from the tube 1, the second distance being greater than the first distance from the unscrewed position not pulled.

[0026] In this exemplary embodiment, the crown 100 also includes a piston 11 housed in a central opening of the barrel 8.

The crown 100 also includes a spring 12 disposed in a cavity defined by the cover-barrel assembly on the one hand and by the piston 11 on the other hand. The spring 12 is compressed axially between the cover 6 of the cover 5 and a shoulder 13 of the piston 11 and tends to move the cover 5 away from the shoulder 13 of the piston 11.

The piston 11 kinematically connects the cover 5 to a control rod (not shown) of the watch movement housed in the watch case. This control rod allows the wearer to perform different commands depending on the axial position of the cover 5 relative to the tube 1. Thus, the control rod can allow the watch to be wound when the cover 5 is in the unscrewed position. pulled from the crown 100, while it allows certain corrections to be made, such as that of the time, when the crown 100 is in the unscrewed and pulled position.

The crown 100 also includes a seal 14 interposed between the tube 1 and the mobile assembly formed by the cover 5 and the barrel 8 so as to guarantee the seal of the crown 100. The seal 14 forms a primary or main sealing means of the crown 100.

[0030] In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3, the seal 14 is interposed between the axial skirt 7 of the cover 5 and the tube 1.

According to a variant embodiment not shown, the seal 14 can be interposed between the barrel 8 and the tube 1, for example in a cavity formed in the barrel 8 or in the tube 1.

[0032] In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3, the seal 14 is an O-ring. The seal 14 is held in this example axially between a spacer 15 positioned against an interior wall of the axial skirt 7 of the cover 5 and a retaining ring 16. According to a variant, the spacer 15 and/or the sealing ring support 16 can come from material with the axial skirt 7.

[0033] When the crown 100 is in the screwed position, as shown in Figure 1, the seal 14 is overcompressed by a bulge 17 of the tube 1, such that the sealing properties of the crown 100 are the best possible when the crown 100 is in the screwed position.

The tube 1 comprises a guide conduit 24 in which the barrel 8 is inserted and moves according to the different axial positions of the crown 100.

The guide conduit 24 is configured to cooperate with a guide surface 23 of the barrel and to come to bear on it over a residual length L greater than 1 mm, when the crown 100 is in the unscrewed and pulled position ( Figure 3), so as to form a secondary sealing means supporting the primary sealing means formed by the seal 14.

[0036] Thus, in the unscrewed and pulled position, there is a length of contact between the tube 1 and the barrel 8 making it possible to significantly improve the sealing of the crown 100 when the seal 14 is not overcompressed. This contact sealing makes it possible to compensate for the loss of overcompression of the seal 14.

[0037] Thus, when the residual length L between the tube 1 and the barrel 8 is greater than 1 mm, sealing problems are overcome if the user manipulates the crown 100 in the unscrewed and pulled position in humid conditions , or if the user immerses the watch in water when the crown 100 is in the unscrewed and pulled position.

Advantageously, the residual length L between the tube 1 and the barrel 8 in the unscrewed and pulled position is greater than or equal to 1.5 mm.

[0039] Advantageously, the guide conduit 24 rests on the guide surface of the barrel 8 over a residual length L greater than 1 mm and less than or equal to 3.5 mm, when the crown 100 is in the countersunk and pulled position. .

Advantageously, the guide conduit 24 rests on the guide surface of the barrel 8 over a residual length L of between 1.5 mm and 3.5 mm, when the crown 100 is in the countersunk and pulled position.

[0041] Advantageously, the guide conduit 24 rests on the guide surface of the barrel 8 over a residual length L of between 1.5 mm and 3 mm, when the crown 100 is in the countersunk and pulled position.

Of course, the greater the length of contact between the tube 1 and the barrel 8 in the unscrewed and pulled position, the more the sealing is improved.

However, a good compromise between tightness and compactness of the crown 100 is found when the guide conduit 24 rests on the guide surface of the barrel 8 over a residual length L of between 1 mm and 2.5 mm, ideally between 1.5 mm and 2.5 mm when the crown 100 is in the reversed and pulled position.

Naturally, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the figures and variants could be considered without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0045] Thus, Figures 4 and 5 represent another embodiment of an adjustment crown 100' according to the invention, in which the cover 5 can only take two different axial positions relative to the tube 1: a position of base shown in Figure 4 and a pulled position shown in Figure 5. In this other embodiment, the crown 100' does not have a targeted position.

[0046] Thus, the calculated and drawn position described previously with reference to Figures 1 to 3, corresponds here to the drawn position illustrated in Figure 5.

[0047] In the basic position, the cover 5 is not screwed to the tube 1. In the pulled position, the guide conduit 24 rests on the guide surface 23 of the barrel 8 over a residual length L greater than 1 mm, preferably greater than or equal to 1.5 mm, preferably greater than 1 mm and less than or equal to 3.5 mm, preferably between 1.5 mm and 3.5 mm, preferably between 1.5 mm and 3 mm, preferably between 1.5 mm and 2.5 mm.

[0048] Thus, it will be noted that the invention relates both to the crowns 100 screwed onto the tube 1 as shown in Figures 1 to 3 and to the crowns 100' not screwed onto the tube 1 as shown in the figures. 4 and 5.

[0049] The invention also relates to a watch case comprising a middle part and having at least one through housing in which an adjustment crown 100, 100' according to the invention is housed.

[0050] The invention also relates to a timepiece, for example a watch, comprising a watch case enclosing a timepiece movement comprising at least one control member, for example a winding stem secured to such a crown adjustment 100, 100 'according to the invention.

The invention has been described for an adjustment crown with a cover having symmetry of revolution. However, the invention is also applicable for covers which do not have symmetry of revolution.

Claims (7)

1. Adjustment crown (100, 100') for timepiece comprising: – a tube (1); – a hood (5) comprising a cover (6) and an axial skirt (7); – a barrel (8) fixed to the cover (5), the barrel (8) and the cover (5) forming a mobile assembly capable of being placed in different axial positions relative to the tube (1); – a seal (14), forming a primary sealing means, disposed between the tube (1) and the mobile assembly constituted by the cover (5) and the barrel (8); said adjustment crown (100, 100') being characterized in that the tube (1) comprises a guide conduit (24) configured to bear against a guide surface (23) of the barrel (8), over a length residual greater than 1 mm, when the crown is in the pulled position, to constitute a secondary sealing means between the mobile assembly and the tube (1). 2. Adjustment crown (100, 100') according to the preceding claim characterized in that the guide conduit (24) of the tube (1) bears on the guide surface (23) of the barrel (8) over a length residual L greater than 1 mm and less than or equal to 3.5 mm. 3. Adjustment crown (100, 100') according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that the guide conduit (24) of the tube (1) bears on the guide surface (23) of the barrel (8) over a residual length L greater than or equal to 1.5 mm. 4. Adjustment crown (100, 100') according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that the guide conduit (24) of the tube (1) bears on the guide surface (23) of the barrel (8) over a residual length L of between 1.5 mm and 3.5 mm. 5. Adjustment crown (100, 100') according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that the guide conduit (24) of the tube (1) bears on the guide surface (23) of the barrel (8) over a residual length L of between 1.5 mm and 3 mm. 6. Adjustment crown (100, 100') according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that the guide conduit (24) of the tube (1) bears on the guide surface (23) of the barrel (8) over a residual length L of between 1.5 mm and 2.5 mm. 7. Timepiece comprising an adjustment crown (100, 100 ') according to one of the preceding claims.