EP1154339B1 - Portable electronic device such as a timepiece, provided with a push-button - Google Patents
Portable electronic device such as a timepiece, provided with a push-button Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP1154339B1 EP1154339B1 EP00201685A EP00201685A EP1154339B1 EP 1154339 B1 EP1154339 B1 EP 1154339B1 EP 00201685 A EP00201685 A EP 00201685A EP 00201685 A EP00201685 A EP 00201685A EP 1154339 B1 EP1154339 B1 EP 1154339B1
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- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- electronic device
- case
- watch
- housing
- stem
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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-
- G—PHYSICS
- G04—HOROLOGY
- G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
- G04C3/00—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means
- G04C3/001—Electromechanical switches for setting or display
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- G—PHYSICS
- G04—HOROLOGY
- G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
- G04B37/00—Cases
- G04B37/08—Hermetic sealing of openings, joints, passages or slits
- G04B37/10—Hermetic sealing of openings, joints, passages or slits of winding stems
- G04B37/106—Hermetic sealing of openings, joints, passages or slits of winding stems of push buttons
Definitions
- the housing contains, inter alia, a rechargeable battery or accumulator, as well as a crystal oscillator which provides, via a frequency divider circuit, a time base to a control circuit for controlling a digital LCD display or to operate a stepper motor capable of driving a conventional gear train and switch. It is therefore essential that the housing is waterproof and moisture-proof.
- the pushers are buttons that extend beyond the middle of the watch. By pushing them with a finger, it activates the desired watch function of the watch. For this purpose, the pusher puts the positive pole of the battery or accumulator into contact with the negative pole of the electronic control module which contains, in particular, the time setting program. Depending on the nature of the pulse, the needles or the time indication provided by the liquid crystal display are either clockwise (short pulse) or one hour (long pulse). When the pressure stops, the pushbuttons return to their original position.
- buttons The construction of these push buttons is usually quite complex. They usually consist of a pusher head that can be driven out or stuck on a push rod.
- the push rod is slidably disposed within a housing in the middle part of the watch which must be made with great precision.
- the push rod moves axially in this housing against the return force of a spring when a push is applied to the push head.
- the return spring is usually arranged in a housing formed in the pusher head and bears axially on the bottom of a cavity provided in the middle part.
- a contact flange which has elastic properties acts as a return spring and prevents the rod from escaping from the housing in which it slides.
- joints are used. Unfortunately, in the long run, these seals clog and harden, which causes leaks that can compromise the proper functioning of the watch.
- the pushbuttons protrude from the middle of the watch. They therefore form excrescences that affect the aesthetic appearance of the watch.
- Such a pusher head must have a large diameter so that the head is flexible. This is possible in the case of the document cited because the pushers are on an upper face of the box. By cons, they could not be on the side wall of the box (the part called the middle part), because the height is usually very limited. Moreover, the repeated bending of the flexible plastic head may over time detach the skirt or crack, thus affecting the sealing and operation of the pusher. It can also be noted that the pusher head protrudes from the upper surface of the box. It therefore damages the aesthetic appearance of the watch and can be activated inadvertently.
- the document US Patent 6,000,842 discloses a wristwatch comprising pushpieces which consist of an elongated rod made of hard plastic material, for example the same material as the box, and a flexible head made of elastomeric material which is overmolded on the middle of the box according to a injection molding process called "bimaterial".
- the rods are connected to the box by a flexible strip-shaped portion acting as a return spring.
- the main object of the present invention is therefore to overcome the disadvantages of the aforementioned prior art as well as others by proposing an economically feasible pusher by a method of injecting a plastic material in such a way that the pusher can be operated unintentionally.
- the present invention relates to an electronic device according to claim 1,
- the present invention provides a means or control member that can be made of the same plastic material as the housing, which allows to manufacture it, for example by injection molding or at the same time as said housing. This results in substantial savings in terms of manufacturing cost.
- this control member is set back from the outer surface of the housing, the aesthetics of the electronic device according to the invention such as, for example, a watch, is greatly improved.
- the control member is indeed completely embedded in the housing, so that said housing is free of any protuberance or projection.
- the control member can no longer be operated inadvertently. There is no risk of accidentally triggering for example a chronograph, which makes it possible not to deplete the battery or accumulator unnecessarily. Similarly, settings such as, for example, that of the current time or an alarm time, can not be changed without the intervention of the user.
- the control means comprises a rod connected to the box by a flexible portion which exerts on said rod an elastic return force.
- the rod is small, which allows to place it anywhere in the housing, for example on the middle part or in the bottom of said housing.
- the flexible portion exerts on the rod an elastic return force under the effect of which said rod, when releasing the pressure exerted on it, returns to its initial position. It is therefore no longer necessary to provide return spring or housing always complex shapes in which said spring would be housed. Thanks to its very simple construction, the control member according to the invention is inexpensive to manufacture.
- the present invention proceeds from the general inventive idea of providing a push button made of a part with the housing of an electronic device, set back from the outer surface of this casing.
- the present invention will be described with reference to a timepiece of the wristwatch type. It goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to any type of relatively small electronic device such as, for example, a mobile phone, whose electronic functions can be controlled by one or more push buttons according to the invention.
- the timepiece 1 also comprises a horometric movement 8 supplied with current by a battery or an electric accumulator 10 which can, if necessary, be recharged after exhaustion.
- the battery 10 shown schematically on the figure 2 , typically has the shape of a pellet housed in the bottom 6 of the watch 1.
- the battery 10 is accessed via a removable cover 12 sealed by a seal 14.
- the housing 2 is delimited by an ice 16 covering display means 18 of a time information.
- these display means 18 consist of a dial 20 above which a hand of the hours 22, a minute hand 24 and a second hand 26 move. It is therefore analog means for displaying time. It could also be digital display means constituted by a liquid crystal cell.
- This clockwork movement 8 carried by a printed circuit (not shown), comprises, among other things, a basic circuit of time, a frequency divider circuit powered by the time base, an electronic control module connected to the divider circuit and the display system 18 controlled by the electronic control module.
- the electronic control module performs various functions. It notably maintains the oscillations of the crystal oscillator of the time base circuit, divides the frequency of quartz, corrects the running of the watch and operates a stepping motor capable of driving a gear train 34 and the switch constituted by the hour hand 22, the minute hand 24 and the second hand 26 described above.
- the control module also manages special functions such as the date, the chronograph, the alarm, the time zones, and makes it possible to correct certain indications and to set the time.
- the watch 1 comprises, for example, two control members 36 and 38 according to the present invention each intended to control at least one watch function of the watch 1.
- a thrust on the body of command 36 allows to put the watch 1 on time, and a push on the control member 38 can trigger a chronograph. More precisely, by a Short pressure on the control member 36, the needles advance from minute to minute, while a long pressure, the needles advance one hour. Similarly, a first pressure on the control member 38 turns on the chronograph, a second pressure stops the chronograph operation and measure the elapsed time interval, and a third pressure to reset the chronograph to zero.
- the number of control members worn by the watch is not limited to two, and is determined solely by the number of watch functions that it is desired to control.
- control members 36 and 38 are arranged in the bottom 6 of the housing 2 of the watch 1.
- the control members 36 and 38 can be placed at any point of the watch 1, for example on the caseband 4 or on the telescope 30.
- control members 36 and 38 are made in one piece with the housing 2 of the watch 1, which makes it possible to manufacture them, for example by injection or by molding a material at the same time as said housing 2.
- the costs of manufacturing such a housing comprising two control members made of material with it are, it is easy to understand, very reduced.
- the rods 40 of the control members 36 and 38 are connected to the housing 2 by a portion 44 thin enough to be slightly flexible and thus allow a longitudinal stroke of the rods 40 and serve as a return spring of said rods 40.
- the return of the rods 40 is provided solely by the elasticity of the plastic material of which the housing 2 is made. Therefore, it is no longer it is necessary to provide a return spring or housing in which this spring would be disposed, which, here too, allows a substantial reduction in manufacturing costs.
- the portion 44 through which the rod 40 is connected to the housing 2 is in the form of a circular skirt which opens towards the inside of the housing 2 at an angle which is chosen so as to give said skirt 44 a elasticity well adapted.
- the skirt 44 connects directly to the housing 2 and completely surrounds the rod 40, thus achieving a perfect seal of the control members 36 and 38 according to the invention. It is therefore possible to dispense with the seals that are usually used in connection with conventional pushbuttons, joints which, as we know, have the disadvantage of becoming dirty and hardening over time, which causes leaks that may be detrimental to the proper functioning of the watch 1.
- the present invention is also very suitable in a flexible electronic device for developing and displaying information such as that described in the international application.
- WO 99/67702 in the name of Viztec, Inc.
- the portable device comprises a flexible display cell and a flexible bracelet that form the body of the device.
- the bracelet makes it possible to fix the device around the wrist of a person for example.
- the portable device has lightweight and flexible elements that allow it to marry the shape of a given contour and to present a flat profile. The device can thus withstand without damage the deformities to which a watch, for example, is subjected during normal physical activity.
- Such a device by its flexibility, is subject to significant constraints as well as many contacts. If it is equipped with conventional pushbuttons that protrude from its outer surface, there is a great risk that these pushbuttons will be accidentally actuated, which will cause activation. involuntary function of the watch or the disturbance of the latter. That is why it is very advantageous to equip such a device with one or more control members according to the present invention. Worn in the thickness of the flexible body, these control members do not detract from the aesthetic appearance of the portable device and can not be operated inadvertently. In addition, since they are made of the same plastic as the flexible body, they can be manufactured at the same time as the latter. This results in substantial savings in manufacturing costs.
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- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Electric Clocks (AREA)
Abstract
Description
La présente invention concerne un bouton-poussoir dont l'utilisation convient très bien dans une montre électronique ou dans tout autre dispositif électronique de dimensions relativement faibles.The present invention relates to a push button whose use is very suitable in an electronic watch or in any other relatively small electronic device.
Comme on le sait, dans le domaine de l'horlogerie, le boîtier d'une montre est un élément essentiel. Dans le cas des montres électroniques, le boîtier contient, entre autres, une pile ou un accumulateur rechargeable, ainsi qu'un oscillateur à quartz qui fournit, via un circuit diviseur de fréquence, une base de temps à un circuit de commande permettant de commander un affichage digital à cristaux liquides ou de faire fonctionner un moteur pas à pas capable d'entraîner un rouage et un aiguillage classiques. Il est donc indispensable que le boîtier soit étanche à l'eau et à l'humidité.As is known, in the field of watchmaking, the case of a watch is an essential element. In the case of electronic watches, the housing contains, inter alia, a rechargeable battery or accumulator, as well as a crystal oscillator which provides, via a frequency divider circuit, a time base to a control circuit for controlling a digital LCD display or to operate a stepper motor capable of driving a conventional gear train and switch. It is therefore essential that the housing is waterproof and moisture-proof.
Des boutons-poussoirs doivent néanmoins traverser ces boîtiers. A quelques rares exceptions près (touches capacitives par exemple), ces poussoirs sont, dans l'état actuel de la technique, indispensables pour pouvoir commander les fonctions horlogères d'une montre nécessaires, par exemple, au déclenchement d'un chronographe ou à la remise à l'heure de la montre.Push buttons must nevertheless cross these boxes. With a few rare exceptions (capacitive keys for example), these pushbutts are, in the current state of the art, indispensable for being able to control the watchmaking functions of a watch necessary, for example, for triggering a chronograph or for reset to the time of the watch.
Les poussoirs sont des boutons qui dépassent de la carrure de la montre. En les poussant avec un doigt, on actionne la fonction horlogère désirée de la montre. A cet effet, le poussoir met en contact le pôle positif de la pile ou de l'accumulateur avec le pôle négatif du module électronique de commande qui contient, notamment, le programme de remise à l'heure. Selon la nature de l'impulsion, on fait avancer les aiguilles ou l'indication horaire fournie par l'affichage à cristaux liquides soit de minute en minute (impulsion courte), soit d'une heure (impulsion longue). Lorsque la pression cesse, les boutons-poussoirs reprennent leur place initiale.The pushers are buttons that extend beyond the middle of the watch. By pushing them with a finger, it activates the desired watch function of the watch. For this purpose, the pusher puts the positive pole of the battery or accumulator into contact with the negative pole of the electronic control module which contains, in particular, the time setting program. Depending on the nature of the pulse, the needles or the time indication provided by the liquid crystal display are either clockwise (short pulse) or one hour (long pulse). When the pressure stops, the pushbuttons return to their original position.
La construction de ces boutons-poussoirs est le plus souvent assez complexe. Ils se composent généralement d'une tête de poussoir qui peut être chassée ou collée sur une tige de poussoir. La tige de poussoir est disposée de manière coulissante à l'intérieur d'un logement ménagé dans la carrure de la montre qui doit être réalisé avec une grande précision. La tige de poussoir se déplace axialement dans ce logement à l'encontre de la force de rappel d'un ressort quand une poussée est appliquée sur la tête de poussoir. Le ressort de rappel est habituellement disposé dans un logement ménagé dans la tête de poussoir et prend appui axialement sur le fond d'une cavité prévue dans la carrure. Selon une variante, une bride de contact qui présente des propriétés élastiques joue le rôle de ressort de rappel et empêche la tige de s'échapper du logement dans lequel elle coulisse. Enfin, pour assurer l'étanchéité de ces boutons-poussoirs, on fait appel à des joints. Malheureusement, à la longue, ces joints s'encrassent et durcissent, ce qui occasionne des pertes d'étanchéité qui peuvent compromettre le bon fonctionnement de la montre.The construction of these push buttons is usually quite complex. They usually consist of a pusher head that can be driven out or stuck on a push rod. The push rod is slidably disposed within a housing in the middle part of the watch which must be made with great precision. The push rod moves axially in this housing against the return force of a spring when a push is applied to the push head. The return spring is usually arranged in a housing formed in the pusher head and bears axially on the bottom of a cavity provided in the middle part. According to a variant, a contact flange which has elastic properties acts as a return spring and prevents the rod from escaping from the housing in which it slides. Finally, to ensure watertightness of these pushbuttons, joints are used. Unfortunately, in the long run, these seals clog and harden, which causes leaks that can compromise the proper functioning of the watch.
D'autre part, comme mentionné ci-dessus, les boutons-poussoirs dépassent de la carrure de la montre. Ils forment donc des excroissances qui nuisent à l'aspect esthétique de la montre.On the other hand, as mentioned above, the pushbuttons protrude from the middle of the watch. They therefore form excrescences that affect the aesthetic appearance of the watch.
Enfin, ces boutons-poussoirs, dépassant de la carrure de la montre, peuvent être manipulés accidentellement, par exemple en s'accrochant à la manche de la chemise ou de la veste du porteur, ce qui peut provoquer l'activation inopinée d'une fonction de la montre ou le dérèglement de cette dernière.Finally, these push buttons, protruding from the middle of the watch, can be manipulated accidentally, for example by clinging to the sleeve of the shirt or jacket of the wearer, which can cause the unexpected activation of a function of the watch or the disturbance of the latter.
Pour remédier à ces inconvénients, on connaît déjà les correcteurs. Il s'agit également de boutons, mais ils sont noyés dans la carrure de la montre. Comme les poussoirs, ils servent à corriger les différentes indications données par une montre électronique par exemple. On ne peut actionner ces correcteurs qu'à l'aide d'une pointe qui permet de les pousser. Esthétiquement, les correcteurs permettent de réaliser une carrure libérée de toute excroissance. Néanmoins, leur structure est aussi compliquée que celle d'un poussoir et ils sont donc coûteux à réaliser.To remedy these drawbacks, the correctors are already known. They are also buttons, but they are drowned in the middle of the watch. Like the pushers, they serve to correct the different indications given by an electronic watch for example. These correctors can only be actuated by means of a point which makes it possible to push them. Aesthetically, the correctors allow to realize a middle part released from any outgrowth. Nevertheless, their structure is as complicated as that of a pusher and they are therefore expensive to produce.
On connaît également par la demande de
Une telle tête de poussoir doit avoir un assez grand diamètre pour que la tête soit flexible. Ceci est possible dans le cas du document cité parce que les poussoirs se trouvent sur une face supérieure de la boîte. Par contre, ils ne pourraient pas se trouver sur la paroi latérale de la boîte (la partie appelée la carrure), parce que la hauteur est généralement très limitée. Par ailleurs, les flexions répétées de la tête flexible en matière plastique risquent à la longue de décoller la jupe ou de la fissurer, affectant ainsi l'étanchéité et le fonctionnement du poussoir. On peut également noter que la tête de poussoir fait saillie de la surface supérieure de la boîte. Elle nuit donc à l'aspect esthétique de la montre et peut être actionnée par inadvertance.Such a pusher head must have a large diameter so that the head is flexible. This is possible in the case of the document cited because the pushers are on an upper face of the box. By cons, they could not be on the side wall of the box (the part called the middle part), because the height is usually very limited. Moreover, the repeated bending of the flexible plastic head may over time detach the skirt or crack, thus affecting the sealing and operation of the pusher. It can also be noted that the pusher head protrudes from the upper surface of the box. It therefore damages the aesthetic appearance of the watch and can be activated inadvertently.
Le document de
Le document de
La présente invention a donc pour but principal de remédier aux inconvénients de l'art antérieur susmentionnés ainsi qu'à d'autres encore en proposant un poussoir réalisable économiquement par un procédé d'injection d'une matière plastique de telle façon que le poussoir ne puisse être actionné involontairement.The main object of the present invention is therefore to overcome the disadvantages of the aforementioned prior art as well as others by proposing an economically feasible pusher by a method of injecting a plastic material in such a way that the pusher can be operated unintentionally.
A cet effet, la présente invention concerne un dispositif électronique selon la revendication 1,For this purpose, the present invention relates to an electronic device according to
Grâce à ces caractéristiques, la présente invention procure un moyen ou organe de commande qui peut être fait de la même matière plastique que le boîtier, ce qui permet de le fabriquer, par exemple par injection ou par moulage, en même temps que ledit boîtier. II en résulte des économies substantielles en termes de coût de fabrication. Par ailleurs, comme cet organe de commande est disposé en retrait par rapport à la surface extérieure du boîtier, l'esthétique du dispositif électronique selon l'invention tel que, par exemple, une montre, s'en trouve grandement améliorée. L'organe de commande est en effet complètement noyé dans le boîtier, de sorte que ledit boîtier est libéré de toute excroissance ou protubérance. Enfin, l'organe de commande ne peut plus être actionné par inadvertance. On ne risque donc plus de déclencher involontairement par exemple un chronographe, ce qui permet de ne pas épuiser inutilement la pile ou l'accumulateur. De même, les réglages tels que, par exemple, celui de l'heure courante ou d'une heure d'alarme, ne peuvent être modifiés sans l'intervention de l'utilisateur.Thanks to these features, the present invention provides a means or control member that can be made of the same plastic material as the housing, which allows to manufacture it, for example by injection molding or at the same time as said housing. This results in substantial savings in terms of manufacturing cost. Moreover, as this control member is set back from the outer surface of the housing, the aesthetics of the electronic device according to the invention such as, for example, a watch, is greatly improved. The control member is indeed completely embedded in the housing, so that said housing is free of any protuberance or projection. Finally, the control member can no longer be operated inadvertently. There is no risk of accidentally triggering for example a chronograph, which makes it possible not to deplete the battery or accumulator unnecessarily. Similarly, settings such as, for example, that of the current time or an alarm time, can not be changed without the intervention of the user.
Le moyen de commande comprend une tige liée à la boite par une partie flexible qui exerce sur ladite tige une force de rappel élastique.The control means comprises a rod connected to the box by a flexible portion which exerts on said rod an elastic return force.
La tige est de petite dimension, ce qui permet de la placer en un endroit quelconque du boîtier, par exemple sur la carrure ou dans le fond dudit boîtier. D'autre part, la partie flexible exerce sur la tige une force de rappel élastique sous l'effet de laquelle ladite tige, lorsqu'on relâche la pression exercée sur elle, revient dans sa position initiale. Il n'est donc plus nécessaire de prévoir de ressort de rappel ni de logement aux formes toujours complexes dans lequel ledit ressort serait logé. Grâce à sa construction très simple, l'organe de commande selon l'invention est donc peu coûteux à fabriquer.The rod is small, which allows to place it anywhere in the housing, for example on the middle part or in the bottom of said housing. On the other hand, the flexible portion exerts on the rod an elastic return force under the effect of which said rod, when releasing the pressure exerted on it, returns to its initial position. It is therefore no longer necessary to provide return spring or housing always complex shapes in which said spring would be housed. Thanks to its very simple construction, the control member according to the invention is inexpensive to manufacture.
D'autres caractéristiques et avantages de la présente invention apparaîtront plus clairement à la lecture de la description détaillée qui suit d'un exemple de réalisation de l'objet portatif selon l'invention, cet exemple étant donné à titre purement illustratif et non limitatif, en liaison avec les dessins annexés dans lesquels :
- la
figure 1 est une vue de dessus de la montre objet de la présente invention, - la
figure 2 est une vue en coupe selon les axes 3 heures-6 heures dans la montre de lafigure 1 , - la
figure 3 est une vue à plus grande échelle de la région entourée d'un cercle sur lafigure 2 , le moyen de commande étant au repos, - la
figure 4 est une vue analogue à celle de lafigure 3 , le moyen de commande étant activé, et - la
figure 5 est une vue de dessous de la montre représentée à lafigure 1 .
- the
figure 1 is a view from above of the watch object of the present invention, - the
figure 2 is a sectional view along the axes 3 o'clock-6 o'clock in the watch of thefigure 1 , - the
figure 3 is a larger-scale view of the region surrounded by a circle on thefigure 2 the control means being at rest, - the
figure 4 is a view similar to that of thefigure 3 , the control means being activated, and - the
figure 5 is a view from below of the watch shown in thefigure 1 .
La présente invention procède de l'idée générale inventive qui consiste à prévoir un bouton-poussoir fait d'une pièce avec le boîtier d'un dispositif électronique, en retrait par rapport à la surface extérieure de ce bottier. De par ces caractéristiques, on obtient un boîtier dont l'esthétique est améliorée et dont la fabrication est simple et donc peut coûteuse En outre, comme le poussoir est en retrait de la surface extérieure du boîtier, il n'existe aucun risque d'actionner ce poussoir par inadvertance et de déclencher une fonction électronique alors qu'on ne le souhaite pas.The present invention proceeds from the general inventive idea of providing a push button made of a part with the housing of an electronic device, set back from the outer surface of this casing. By these characteristics, a case is obtained whose aesthetics are improved and whose manufacture is simple and therefore expensive. In addition, since the pusher is set back from the outer surface of the case, there is no risk of actuating this pusher inadvertently and trigger an electronic function when you do not want it.
La présente invention va être décrite en référence à une pièce d'horlogerie du type montre-bracelet. Il va néanmoins de soi que la présente invention pourra s'appliquer à tout type de dispositif électronique de dimensions relativement faibles tel que, par exemple, un téléphone portable, dont les fonctions électroniques peuvent être commandées par un ou plusieurs boutons-poussoirs selon l'invention.The present invention will be described with reference to a timepiece of the wristwatch type. It goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to any type of relatively small electronic device such as, for example, a mobile phone, whose electronic functions can be controlled by one or more push buttons according to the invention.
La pièce d'horlogerie 1 comporte également un mouvement horométrique 8 alimenté en courant par une pile ou un accumulateur électrique 10 qui peut, le cas échéant, être rechargé après épuisement. La pile 10, représentée schématiquement sur la
Enfin, le boîtier 2 comporte à sa périphérie supérieure un cran 28 dans lequel est engagée une lunette 30 qui assure la fixation de la glace 16 sur le boîtier 2. La lunette 30 est montée fixe sur le boîtier 2, par exemple par collage ou par soudage aux ultrasons ou encore par chassage. La glace 16 est rendue étanche par rapport au boîtier 2 grâce à l'utilisation d'un joint 32 coincé entre la glace et le boîtier.Finally, the
Comme on le voit sur la
Le module électronique de commande remplit des fonctions variées. Il entretient notamment les oscillations de l'oscillateur à quartz du circuit base de temps, divise la fréquence du quartz, corrige la marche de la montre et fait fonctionner un moteur pas à pas capable d'entraîner un rouage 34 et l'aiguillage constitué par l'aiguille des heures 22, l'aiguille des minutes 24 et l'aiguille des secondes 26 décrites ci-dessus. Le module de commande gère également des fonctions spéciales telles que le quantième, le chronographe, l'alarme, les fuseaux horaires, et permet de corriger certaines indications et d'effectuer la mise à l'heure.The electronic control module performs various functions. It notably maintains the oscillations of the crystal oscillator of the time base circuit, divides the frequency of quartz, corrects the running of the watch and operates a stepping motor capable of driving a
Comme représenté plus particulièrement sur les
Dans l'exemple représenté aux figures, les organes de commande 36 et 38 selon l'invention sont disposés dans le fond 6 du boîtier 2 de la montre 1. Bien entendu, en raison de leurs petites dimensions, les organes de commande 36 et 38 peuvent être placés en un endroit quelconque de la montre 1, par exemple sur la carrure 4 ou sur la lunette 30.In the example shown in the figures, the
Conformément à la présente invention, les organes de commande 36 et 38 sont identiques et se composent chacun d'une tige 40 ayant de préférence une forme cylindrique, légèrement conique ou prismatique, orientée vers l'intérieur du boîtier 2 de la montre 1. Comme il ressort clairement des
Selon une caractéristique essentielle de l'invention, les organes de commande 36 et 38 sont faits d'une seule pièce avec le boîtier 2 de la montre 1, ce qui permet de les fabriquer, par exemple par injection ou par moulage d'une matière plastique, en même temps que ledit boîtier 2. Les coûts de fabrication d'un tel boîtier comprenant deux organes de commande venant de matière avec lui sont, on le comprend aisément, très réduits.According to an essential characteristic of the invention, the
Plus précisément, les tiges 40 des organes de commande 36 et 38 sont liées au boîtier 2 par une partie 44 assez mince pour être légèrement flexible et permettre ainsi une course longitudinale des tiges 40 et servir de ressort de rappel desdites tiges 40. On notera que le rappel des tiges 40 est assuré uniquement par l'élasticité de la matière plastique dont est fait le boîtier 2. Par conséquent, il n'est plus nécessaire de prévoir de ressort de rappel ni de logement dans lequel ce ressort serait disposé, ce qui, ici aussi, permet une réduction substantielle des coûts de fabrication.Specifically, the
Dans l'exemple de la
Du côté intérieur du boîtier 2, l'extrémité 46 de la tige 40 présente une surface frontale 48 qui peut avoir toute forme appropriée pour coopérer avec des contacts électriques 50 et 52 reliés, respectivement, au pôle positif de la pile 10 et à une entrée du module électronique de commande. A cet effet, la surface frontale 48 peut être métallisée ou recevoir une lamelle métallique 54. Sous l'effet d'une poussée manuelle exercée sur l'extrémité 42 de la tige 40 située à l'extérieur du boîtier 2, la déformation de la jupe flexible 44 entraîne une course de la tige 40 jusqu'à une position active représentée sur la
La présente invention convient également très bien dans un dispositif électronique souple pour élaborer et afficher une information tel que celui décrit dans la demande internationale
Un tel dispositif, de par sa souplesse, est soumis à des contraintes importantes ainsi qu'à de nombreux contacts. S'il est équipé de boutons-poussoirs classiques qui dépassent de sa surface extérieure, les risques sont grands de voir ces boutons-poussoirs être actionnés accidentellement, ce qui provoquera l'activation involontaire d'une fonction de la montre ou le dérèglement de cette dernière. C'est pourquoi il est très avantageux d'équiper un tel dispositif d'un ou de plusieurs organes de commande conformes à la présente invention. Noyés dans l'épaisseur du corps souple, ces organes de commande ne nuisent pas à l'aspect esthétique du dispositif portable et ne peuvent pas être actionnés par inadvertance. En outre, comme ils sont faits de la même matière plastique que le corps souple, ils peuvent être fabriqués en même temps que ce dernier. Il en résulte des économies substantielles en termes de coûts de fabrication.Such a device, by its flexibility, is subject to significant constraints as well as many contacts. If it is equipped with conventional pushbuttons that protrude from its outer surface, there is a great risk that these pushbuttons will be accidentally actuated, which will cause activation. involuntary function of the watch or the disturbance of the latter. That is why it is very advantageous to equip such a device with one or more control members according to the present invention. Worn in the thickness of the flexible body, these control members do not detract from the aesthetic appearance of the portable device and can not be operated inadvertently. In addition, since they are made of the same plastic as the flexible body, they can be manufactured at the same time as the latter. This results in substantial savings in manufacturing costs.
Les organes de commande selon l'invention peuvent également être utilisés en liaison avec des touches, par exemple capacitives ou résistives, d'entrée de données. En effet, une première solution, la plus simple, consisterait à laisser ces touches d'entrée de données constamment sous tension, dans l'attente d'une utilisation de ces touches par le porteur de la montre. Outre le fait que ces touches pourraient alors être actionnées inopinément, par simple contact d'une de ces touches avec un doigt de l'utilisateur, cette solution est peu économique du point de vue de la consommation électrique. Une solution plus avantageuse consiste donc à commander l'activation et la désactivation de ces touches d'entrée de données au moyen des organes de commande selon l'invention. Une première pression sur l'un des organes de commande mettra la touche d'entrée de données correspondante sous tension. L'utilisateur pourra alors, au moyen de ladite touche d'entrée de données, corriger ou modifier l'une des informations traitées et affichées par le dispositif portable. Une seconde pression sur le même organe de commande désactivera ensuite à nouveau la touche d'entrée de données.The control members according to the invention can also be used in connection with keys, for example capacitive or resistive data input. Indeed, a first solution, the simplest, would be to leave these data input keys constantly on, waiting for use of these keys by the wearer of the watch. In addition to the fact that these keys could then be actuated unexpectedly, by simply touching one of these keys with a finger of the user, this solution is uneconomical from the point of view of power consumption. A more advantageous solution therefore consists in controlling the activation and deactivation of these data input keys by means of the control members according to the invention. A first press on one of the control members will turn on the corresponding data input key. The user can then, by means of said data input key, correct or modify one of the information processed and displayed by the portable device. A second press on the same controller will then deactivate the data entry key again.
Il va de soi que l'invention n'est pas limitée au mode de réalisation qui vient d'être décrit, et que des modifications et des variantes simples peuvent être envisagées sans sortir du cadre de l'invention.It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the embodiment just described, and that modifications and simple variants can be envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention.
Claims (5)
- Electronic device such as, in particular, a timepiece (1), including a case (2) made of a plastic material delimited by a back cover (6) and a lateral wall (4) called the middle part, this electronic device including at least one means (36, 38) intended, via the effect of an application of pressure, to control at least one electronic function such as a horological function of said electronic device, this means (36, 38), directed towards the interior of the case (2), being made integral with said case (2) and being set back with respect to the outer surface of the latter, said means (36, 38) being activated using a pointed element such as the tip of a pen, characterised in that the control means (36, 38) includes a stem (40) connected to the case by a flexible portion (44) which exerts a resilient return force on said stem (40), this flexible portion (44) having the shape of a circular skirt which is directly connected to the case (2), and completely surrounds the stem (40) thus sealing the control means (36, 38).
- Electronic device according to claim 1, characterised in that the circular skirt opens towards the interior of the case (2).
- Electronic device according to any of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that, on the inner side of the case (2), the end (46) of the stem (40) has a frontal surface (48) which co-operates with electric contacts (50, 52) connected, respectively, to the positive pole of a battery (10) and to an input of an electronic control module.
- Electronic device according to claim 3, characterised in that the frontal surface (48) of the stem (40) can be metallised or accommodate a metal strip (54).
- Electronic device according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the control means (36, 38) controls the activation and the deactivation of a data input key.
Priority Applications (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AT00201685T ATE475118T1 (en) | 2000-05-11 | 2000-05-11 | PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH A PUSH BUTTON, IN PARTICULAR A WATCH |
DE60044711T DE60044711D1 (en) | 2000-05-11 | 2000-05-11 | A push-button provided portable electronic device, in particular a clock |
EP00201685A EP1154339B1 (en) | 2000-05-11 | 2000-05-11 | Portable electronic device such as a timepiece, provided with a push-button |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP00201685A EP1154339B1 (en) | 2000-05-11 | 2000-05-11 | Portable electronic device such as a timepiece, provided with a push-button |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP1154339A1 EP1154339A1 (en) | 2001-11-14 |
EP1154339B1 true EP1154339B1 (en) | 2010-07-21 |
Family
ID=8171481
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP00201685A Expired - Lifetime EP1154339B1 (en) | 2000-05-11 | 2000-05-11 | Portable electronic device such as a timepiece, provided with a push-button |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP1154339B1 (en) |
AT (1) | ATE475118T1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE60044711D1 (en) |
Family Cites Families (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JPS6035937Y2 (en) | 1980-04-15 | 1985-10-25 | シチズン時計株式会社 | External operation switch for watch case |
FR2530045A1 (en) * | 1982-07-06 | 1984-01-13 | Pasquier Rene | PERFECTED QUARTZ WATCH |
DE69110341D1 (en) * | 1990-04-11 | 1995-07-20 | Sonceboz Ebauches Fab | Function control device in the bottom of a watch case. |
FR2748828B1 (en) * | 1996-05-17 | 1998-07-10 | Smh Management Services Ag | ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A HARD PLASTIC WATCH BOX AND AT LEAST ONE PUSH-BUTTON, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SUCH AN ASSEMBLY |
EP0959393A1 (en) * | 1998-05-20 | 1999-11-24 | Eta SA Fabriques d'Ebauches | Multidirectional pushbutton |
US5931764A (en) | 1998-06-24 | 1999-08-03 | Viztec, Inc. | Wearable device with flexible display |
-
2000
- 2000-05-11 AT AT00201685T patent/ATE475118T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2000-05-11 EP EP00201685A patent/EP1154339B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2000-05-11 DE DE60044711T patent/DE60044711D1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP1154339A1 (en) | 2001-11-14 |
DE60044711D1 (en) | 2010-09-02 |
ATE475118T1 (en) | 2010-08-15 |
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