CH720383A2 - Dewar device for watch. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a Dewar device (1) for mechanical and/or functional components (5) of a watch (10), comprising a housing (2) provided with an enclosure (4) in which is capable of be removably arranged a box (12) of said watch (10) provided with a display device capable of displaying information relating to time indications or functions implemented by the watch (10), said display device being arranged facing a glass (6) of said case (2), the Dewar device (1) comprising a dynamic adjustment system (3) of the contrast of the display device of the watch (10 ) comprising said glass (6) with variable brightness and a control unit (8) configured to control the contrast of said display device of the watch (10).

Description

Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to a Dewar device for mechanical and/or functional components of a watch, the device comprising a system for dynamically adjusting the contrast of a display device such as a watch dial arranged in a housing of said Dewar device.

Technology background

[0002] An electronic watch conventionally comprises a bracelet and a watch case comprising several electrical or electronic components. It is known in the state of the art that some of these components do not withstand extreme temperatures, and cease to function correctly at these temperatures.

[0003] Under these conditions, there is then a need to be able to use a watch, particularly an electronic watch, in environments where such extreme temperatures may prevail, and in particular to be able, in the context of this use, to be able to carry out precise and efficient reading of the information present on the display device of such a watch.

Summary of the invention

[0004] For this purpose, the invention relates to a Dewar device for mechanical and/or functional components of a watch, comprising a case provided with an enclosure in which a box of said watch provided with a display device capable of displaying information relating to time indications or to functions implemented by the watch, said display device being arranged facing a glass of said case, the device of Dewar comprising a dynamic adjustment/adjustment system for the contrast of the display device of the watch, the system comprising said variable brightness crystal and a control unit configured to control the contrast of said display device of the watch.

[0005] In other embodiments: – said glass comprises a brightness/illuminance variation element which is transparent; – the control unit is connected via a connection element to the window brightness variation element; – the glass comprises a transparent substrate, a lower surface of which comprises a brightness variation element; – the glass comprises a transparent substrate comprising a brightness variation element which is included in the body of said substrate; – the substrate is formed of two layers of transparent material between which layers is placed the brightness variation element consisting of a stack of transparent functional layers of organic electroluminescent materials; – the control unit comprises at least one event sensor, said event being capable of causing a variation in brightness in the external environment of said Dewar device, said sensor being a brightness sensor; – the element for varying the brightness of the glass is a lighting element, in particular a transparent lighting element of the OLED type; – the Dewar device comprising a reversible fixing device fixing said watch case in said enclosure while keeping it away from functional elements forming this enclosure comprising a middle part, a back and a crystal with variable brightness of this case; – said enclosure is under vacuum or almost under vacuum; – the crystal has a surface which is significantly greater or strictly greater than that of a watch case crystal.

Brief description of the figures

[0006] Other particularities and advantages will emerge clearly from the description given below, for information only and in no way limiting, with reference to the appended figures, in which: – Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a view from above a Dewar device comprising a housing provided with a glass comprising an element for varying a brightness of the display device of a watch arranged in this housing, according to embodiments of the invention, and – Figure 2 is a sectional view along axis II-II of the schematic representation of the watch of Figure 1, according to the embodiments of the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

[0007] Figures 1 and 2 represent a Dewar watchmaking device 1 for mechanical and/or functional components 5 of a watch 10. This Dewar watchmaking device 1 also called "isothermal watchmaking device" or more simply "Dewar device “, includes a thermal protection box 2 also called “isothermal box” or “Dewar box”. Such a Dewar device 1 for thermal protection for mechanical and/or functional components 5 of a watch 10, is capable of providing good thermal insulation to mechanical and/or functional components 5 of the watch 10, a box 12 of which must be arranged in an enclosure 4 of this housing 2 in order to ensure such thermal insulation for these components 5. In other words, this housing 2 is notably formed by the combination of its functional elements 15 with the watch box 11 10 in order to achieve suitable thermal insulation for these mechanical and/or functional components 5. These functional elements 15 of the housing 2 forming this said enclosure 4 include a glass 6, an interior peripheral wall 17 of a middle part 9a and a bottom 9b of this housing 2. In this configuration, the watch case 10 is arranged in an enclosure 4 while being kept distant or at a distance from the functional elements 15 of the case 2 forming this said enclosure 4. It will be noted that this interior peripheral wall 17 of the middle part is also that of said enclosure 4.

[0008] In this Dewar Device 1, the housing 2 comprises a dynamic adjustment system 3 of the contrast of a display device such as a watch dial 10. Such a system 3 participates in automatically configuring the contrast of the display device. Such an adjustment of the contrast makes it possible to improve the readability of the information displayed by this display device by taking into account the brightness present in the environment of the Dewar device 1. In particular, it will be noted that this system 3 makes it possible to configure a optimal contrast between one or more graphic representations relating to the information or information, and their respective background.

To do this, this system 3 comprises the glass 6 of the case 2, which is a transparent glass 6 with variable brightness oriented towards the display device of the watch 10, and a control unit 8 connected to this glass 6 which is configured to control/drive this brightness.

[0010] In this context, the control unit 8 comprises an electronic circuit comprising a controller provided with hardware resources, in particular at least one processor cooperating with memory elements as well as data and control address buses , and also an energy accumulator otherwise called a battery. This control unit 8 includes in its memory elements an algorithm for managing the dynamic adjustment of the contrast of the display device of the watch 10. Such an algorithm is executed by the processor of this control unit 8, taking into account in particular data coming from event sensors included in the control unit 8 in order to ensure management of the contrast of this display device. It will be noted that such data can for example provide information relating to events detected by these sensors, said events being likely to contribute/result in/generate a variation in the ambient brightness prevailing in the environment of the Dewar device 1 and which may disrupt/alter the reading of the information present on/in the display device. These events may include, in a non-limiting and non-exhaustive manner: the detection of a particular level of brightness in the environment of the Dewar device 1, in particular solar radiation, etc.

[0011] In this context, the event sensor comprises in particular and in a non-limiting and non-exhaustive manner a brightness sensor comprising a solar radiation sensor and/or an infrared solar radiation sensor and/or a solar radiation sensor ultraviolet.

Note that the event sensor is part of the control unit 8 and is connected to the controller of this unit. The brightness sensor is arranged in the housing 2 and in particular in at least one of the functional elements 15 of this housing 2 so as to be exposed to the light coming from the external environment of the Dewar device 1 and therefore from the housing 2. For example, this brightness sensor can be arranged in the body of the glass 6 of the housing 2 and/or on an internal face 16 of this glass 6.

[0013] In this Dewar device 1, the control unit 8 comprises a substrate such as a flexible PCB on which its electronic circuit is arranged with the exception of the brightness sensor which can be included in the glass 6 or on the internal face of this glass 6 of the housing 2. In this context, the construction of this circuit on this substrate can be carried out using three-dimensional printing processes or even polymer printing processes. It will be noted that this substrate is arranged in the enclosure 4 on one of the functional elements 15 such as the bottom 9b or on the interior peripheral wall 17 of the enclosure 4.

As we have mentioned, the control unit 8, and in particular its controller, is connected/connected to the glass 6 of the housing 2 via a connecting element 14. Such a glass 6 is formed of a substrate and a transparent brightness/lighting variation element 7 arranged in or on this substrate. This substrate is made of a material like glass such as mineral glass, acrylic glass, optical ceramic or even sapphire glass. In this glass 6, such a brightness variation element 7 is for example a transparent lighting element, in particular a lighting element with organic electroluminescent diodes known by the acronym OLED (for “Organic Light Emitting Diodes” in English). .

[0015] Such an OLED type lighting element comprises a stack of transparent functional layers comprising layers of organic electroluminescent materials supplied with electricity by transparent electrodes generally in the form of first and second electroconductive layers, of this stack, framing this ( s) layers of material(s). Such a lighting element 7 of the OLED type can be provided to emit polychromatic radiation defined at 0° by coordinates (x1, y1) in the CIE XYZ 1931 colorimetric diagram, coordinates therefore given for normal radiation. This transparent lighting element 7 is configured to emit light radiation towards the display device or directed towards the display device.

[0016] In a non-limiting and non-exhaustive manner, the electroluminescent layers can comprise small molecules, we then speak of SM-OLEDs (“Small Molecule Organic Light Emitting Diodes” in English), or even comprise polymers, we speak of PLEDs. (“Polymer Light Emitting Diodes”).

[0017] In a first variant of the lens 6 of the housing 2, the brightness variation element 7 is arranged/applied/printed/deposited on a lower surface of the substrate, then forming the internal face 16 of this lens 6.

[0018] In a second variant of the glass 6 of the housing 2, the brightness variation element 7 is included in the body of the substrate forming this glass 6 of the housing 2. In this context, this substrate can then be formed of two layers of transparent material such as glass, between which layers, the brightness variation element 7 is arranged.

[0019] It will be noted that the presence of the brightness variation element 7 in or on the substrate included in the lens 6 does not alter the transmittance properties of this lens 6 of the housing 2.

[0020] In this context, we therefore understand that the control unit 8, by controlling/controlling the variation of an electrical voltage applied to the first and second electroconductive layers of the brightness variation element 7, makes it possible to vary the illumination/light intensity applied to the display device, and in particular the distribution of illumination/light intensity on this display device. Thus, the control unit 8 is then capable of configuring a contrast of the display device which is adapted to the surrounding brightness, with a view to facilitating the reading of this display device and/or providing reading comfort for the user of this Dewar 1 device.

This variation of this lighting generated by the brightness variation element 7, otherwise called variation of light intensity, takes place between two states. A first state relating to maximum light intensity and a second state relating to zero light intensity.

[0022] Furthermore, as we have previously mentioned, the watch box 12 10 is arranged in the case 2 of this Dewar device 1 while being moved away or kept at a distance 19 or even at a distance 19 from the interior peripheral wall 17 of the enclosure 4, thanks to the reversible fixing device 13 of the housing 2. In other words, such a fixing device 13 is capable of configuring a spacing 19 between said box 12 and functional elements 15 of the housing 2 forming said enclosure 4. In this configuration, the fixing device 13 contributes to reducing or even eliminating any thermal conduction between the interior peripheral wall 17 of the middle part 9a (or enclosure 4) and/or the bottom 9b and/ or the glass 6 with the box 12 of watch 10 in particular with an external overall face of this box 12. This external overall face comprises an upper face comprising the glass 11 of the box 12 of this watch 10, a lower face comprising a bottom of said box 12 and an external peripheral wall of a middle part of this box 12.

[0023] In this configuration, the fixing device 13 performing reversible fixing of the box 12 of watch 10 on the inner peripheral wall 17 of the enclosure 4 of this case 2, can comprise: – connecting members having each of first and second ends capable of connecting respectively to the box 12 of watch 10 and to the interior peripheral wall 17 of the enclosure 4 of this case 2. The body of each member has a particular structure which contributes to ensuring a reduction in thermal losses towards the external environment of the housing 2 of the Dewar device 1 and therefore to ensure an internal temperature in the box 12 of watch 10 which is stable, and/or – connecting members configured to ensure magnetic levitation of said box 12 of shows 10 in said enclosure 4. In fact, these connecting members are configured to ensure and maintain a spacing 19 between said box 12 and the functional elements 15 forming said enclosure 4 of the housing 2. Such connecting members contribute to reducing or even to eliminate any thermal conduction between the interior peripheral wall 17 of the middle part 9a and/or the bottom 9b and/or the crystal 11 with the watch box 12 10 in particular with an external overall face of this box 12.

It will be noted that the box 12 is included in a watch 10 which can be an electronic watch, for example a quartz watch, or even a mechanical watch or even an electromechanical watch.

[0025] The mechanical and/or functional components 5 of the watch 10, mentioned above, include in a non-limiting and non-exhaustive manner: a watch movement, display device such as a dial, hands, rings, seals and /or electronic and/or electrical components. It will be noted in particular that such electronic and/or electrical components comprise for example a display device, a processor, a memory, an energy storage component, a motor, an integrated circuit and an electronic oscillator, etc.

[0026] In this context, this device 1 therefore comprises the housing 2 which includes the middle part 9a on which is mounted a bracelet 9c allowing a user of this device 1 to wear it. This case 2 also includes the glass 6 and the bottom 9b mentioned above. In this device 1, it will be noted that the glass 6 preferably comprises a surface which is substantially greater or strictly greater than a glass 11 of the case 12 of watch 10. In other words, the internal face 16 of the glass 6 has a surface which is significantly greater or strictly greater than or equal to that of an upper face of the crystal 11 of the watch 10.

As we have seen, the functional elements 15 such as the glass 6, the middle part 9a and the bottom 9b of this device 1 together define the enclosure 4 of this box 2 which is capable of receiving the box 12 watch 10. These three elements 15 of the case 2, namely the middle part 9a, the crystal 6 and the back 9b can be distinct elements which are joined together to construct this enclosure 4. Alternatively, the middle part 9a and the back 9b of the housing 2 can together form a single piece, said single piece defining an opening opposite the bottom 9b which is capable of being closed by the glass 6 and this, in a reversible and waterproof and hermetic manner. In an alternative, the middle part 9a and the crystal 6 of the watch case 2 10 can together form a one-piece part, said one-piece part defining an opening opposite the glass 6 which is capable of being closed by the bottom 9b and this, also reversible and waterproof and airtight.

The middle part 9a and the bottom 9b are preferably made in a non-limiting and non-exhaustive manner from a metallic material, from glass or from thermosetting or thermoplastic polymer resins reinforced with carbon or glass fibers or even from ceramic materials. It will be noted that when the middle part 9a and the bottom 9b are transparent or semi-transparent, for example being made of glass, the interior peripheral wall 17 of the middle part 9a and the interior face 18 of the bottom 9b can be coated with a metallic reflective coating or similar, such as for example a layer of silver.

[0029] Furthermore in this device, when the box 12 of watch 10 is arranged in the enclosure 4 of the case 2, the space defined between this box 12 and the interior peripheral wall 17 of the middle 9a, the bottom 9b and the ice 6 is empty of material or almost empty. In other words, enclosure 4 is under vacuum or almost under vacuum.

We therefore understand that in this configuration, this Dewar device 1 has the same properties and characteristics as a Dewar tube/vase well known in the state of the art. As we have previously mentioned, the properties and characteristics of this Dewar device 1 contribute to giving it good thermal insulation with regard to particularly extreme temperatures which may prevail in the external environment in which such a device 1 can be located.

[0031] In addition, it will be noted that the mechanical and/or functional components 5 of the watch 10 can be non-magnetic and/or that the case 2 of the watch 10 can be made of a material or be covered with a coating allowing isolate these components from magnetic fields.

[0032] Furthermore, the fixing device 13 contributes to arranging the box 12 of watch 10 in this case 2 in such a way that the glass 11 of this box 12 of watch 10 is arranged facing the glass 6 of the case 2 so that the information included on the dial and/or the display interface of this watch 10 can be perceived through the transparent glass 6 of the case 2 by the user carrying the Dewar device 1.

[0033] Thus such a Dewar device 1 provides the mechanical and/or functional components 5 of the watch 10 with very good thermal insulation from the external environment by reducing or even preventing heat loss by radiation from the components. arranged in the box 12 of watch 10 for a long period. Thus, when the temperature outside the device 1 reaches extreme values, typically of the order of -125 to +125°C, the temperature inside the enclosure 4 remains substantially equal to the temperature present in the box 12 of watch 10 during its arrangement in the case 2, typically of the order of 20 ° C. It will be noted that whatever the temperature conditions prevailing in the environment of the Dewar device 1, the temperature present in the box 12 of watch 10 is a temperature which does not hinder the proper functioning of the watch 10. This temperature is maintained over a period which is 2 to 18 times longer than the period during which such a watch box 12 10 would be capable of preserving an operating temperature of its components by being located directly in such an environment where such particularly extreme temperatures reign. (that is to say by being located outside the housing 2 of the Dewar device 1. We can thus see that such a configuration makes it possible to protect the mechanical and/or functional components 5 of the watch 10, as well as to participate in ensure their optimal operation in extreme outdoor temperature conditions.

[0034] It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments which have just been described and that various simple modifications and variants can be envisaged by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (11)

1. Dewar device (1) for mechanical and/or functional components (5) of a watch (10), comprising a case (2) provided with an enclosure (4) in which can be arranged removably a box (12) of said watch (10) provided with a display device capable of displaying information relating to time indications or functions implemented by the watch (10), said display device display being arranged facing a glass (6) of said case (2), the Dewar device (1) comprising a dynamic adjustment system (3) of the contrast of the display device of the watch (10), the system (3) comprising said glass (6) with variable brightness and a control unit (8) configured to control the contrast of said display device of the watch (10). 2. Device (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said glass (6) comprises a brightness variation element (7) which is transparent. 3. Device (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the control unit (8) is connected from a connecting element (14) to the brightness variation element (7) of the glass (6). 4. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the glass (6) comprises a transparent substrate, a lower surface of which comprises a brightness variation element (7). 5. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the glass (6) comprises a transparent substrate comprising a brightness variation element (7) which is included in the body of said substrate. 6. Device (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the substrate is formed of two layers of transparent material between which layers is placed the brightness variation element (7) consisting of a stack of transparent functional layers of organic electroluminescent materials. 7. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit (8) comprises at least one event sensor, said event being capable of causing a variation in brightness in the environment exterior of said Dewar device (1), said sensor being a brightness sensor. 8. Device (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that the brightness variation element (7) of the glass (6) is a lighting element, in particular a transparent lighting element of the OLED type. 9. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a reversible fixing device (13) fixing said watch box (12) (10) in said enclosure (4) while maintaining it distant from functional elements (15) forming this enclosure (4) comprising a middle part (9a), a bottom (9b) and a glass (6) with variable brightness of this case (2). 10. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said enclosure (4) is under vacuum or almost under vacuum. 11. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the glass (6) has a surface which is substantially greater or strictly greater than that of a glass (11) of the watch case (10). ).