EP1189117B1 - Wristwatch with reversible case - Google Patents

Abstract

The bracelet (6) for a wrist watch has a casing shell to which the straps are attached. The shell (3) has a concave recess to receive a reversible watch insert. The insert has convex faces (16) to allow fitting into the shell with either side facing outwardly. The shell has curved sidewalls to match the watch surface.

Description

The present invention relates to a wristwatch comprising a support connected to a bracelet and a case containing a clockwork movement and display means, the case being mounted on the support so as to be able to slide and turn to present respectively the one or the other of its faces in two service positions, the support comprising two lateral flanges, the watch comprising guiding means arranged on the one hand on the inner surfaces of said lateral flanges and on the other hand on the side walls. housing to allow said housing to slide and pivot in the support, the watch further comprising means for holding the housing in its two operating positions.

Such a type of wristwatch has been known for a long time. The certificate of addition No. 41 060 to the patent FR 712 868 issued August 3, 1931 discloses various variants in which the sliding of the housing is always carried out in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the bracelet, that is to say say in the direction three o'clock - nine o'clock of an analog watch dial. In a first variant, the case of the watch is free to rotate to turn on itself at any point of the support. In another variant, this freedom of pivoting is restricted. Indeed, the arrangement of the mechanism is such that the housing can rotate and turn at the ends of the support, recesses being provided for this purpose. The type of watch described comprises a parallelepiped-shaped simple casing, the appearance of which is not particularly elegant. In addition this particular shape, such that the four sides of the housing have a relatively large height, has the disadvantage of exposing the watch to external stresses, such as shocks or friction, because of the existence of parts. prominent. That is why it is expected that this type of watch is made of metal, to prevent it from being damaged. However, because the housing is protruding, a shock on the latter can easily cause its movement relative to the support from its operating position, forcing the wearer of the watch to put it back in place.

The object of the present invention is to perfect watches of this kind, both from an ergonomic and aesthetic point of view, and to allow the creation of new varieties of reversible watches, in particular made of plastics.

For this purpose, the invention provides a wristwatch of the type indicated above, characterized in that the sliding direction of the housing is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the bracelet, and in that each end of the housing is in section longitudinal a sharp profile so that in the service positions, the housing and the support are substantially flush with each other in the area of said ends.

In a particular embodiment, the housing has a convex profile on at least one of its faces. Preferably, the two faces of the housing have a substantially identical convex profile. The upper edges of the lateral edges of the support may also have a convex profile similar to that of the housing, so that the housing and the support are substantially flush with each other over the entire length of the housing. It can also be provided that the fastening means of the bracelet, such as horns, have an upper portion substantially flush with the support, so that the whole watch has a substantially continuous curved profile in its longitudinal direction. The bottom of the support may have a concave profile so as to match the profile of the housing.

In a preferred embodiment, the guide means comprise longitudinal grooves disposed on the lateral edges of the support and lugs located on the side walls of the housing, capable of sliding and pivoting each in the corresponding groove of the support. In this case, it can also be provided, both for practical and aesthetic reasons, that each of the grooves has at least one stop, disposed at a distance from its ends, said stop having the effect of stopping the sliding of the housing after a first sliding stroke of the lug from one end of the groove, to define a pivoting zone of the housing, before the lug performs a second sliding stroke to the other end of the groove.

The pivoting of the housing will therefore be done exclusively in the central area of the support, thus imparting symmetry to the movement and eliminating any risk of unexpected pivoting, related to a possible sudden movement of the wrist that could lift the housing from a service position .

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un mode de réalisation préféré d'une montre-bracelet selon l'invention, dans une des deux positions de service du boîtier;
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective du support de la montre de la figure 1;
• la figure 3 est une vue en perspective du boîtier de la montre de la figure 1;
• la figure 4 est une vue latérale schématisée de la montre dans une position intermédiaire de coulissement du boîtier;
• la figure 5 est une vue latérale schématisée de la montre pendant la phase de pivotement du boîtier;
• la figure 6 est une vue latérale schématisée de la montre, le pivotement étant achevé, avant la deuxième étape de coulissement du boîtier;
• la figure 7 est une vue en coupe du boîtier de la montre de la figure 1, selon son plan de symétrie médian vertical;
• la figure 8 est une vue de dessus du support de la montre de la figure 1;
• la figure 9 est une vue en coupe longitudinale du support selon la ligne IX-IX de la figure 8;
• la figure 10 est une vue en coupe verticale transversale du support selon la ligne X-X de la figure 9 ;
• la figure 11 est une vue de la tige établissant la liaison entre le boîtier et le support représenté aux figures 8 à 10 ;
• la figure 12 est une vue latérale schématisée du boîtier dans un second mode de réalisation, pour lequel les rainures se trouvent sur le boîtier et les ergots sur le support ;
• la figure 13 est une vue en coupe analogue à la figure 9 pour le même mode de réalisation que la figure 12, et
• la figure 14 est une vue en coupe verticale transversale du support selon la ligne XIV-XIV de la figure 13.

The invention will be better understood with the aid of the following description of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a wristwatch according to the invention, in one of the two service positions of the housing;
• Figure 2 is a perspective view of the support of the watch of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of the watch case of Figure 1;
• Figure 4 is a schematic side view of the watch in an intermediate sliding position of the housing;
• Figure 5 is a schematic side view of the watch during the pivoting phase of the housing;
• Figure 6 is a schematic side view of the watch, the pivoting being completed, before the second sliding step of the housing;
• Figure 7 is a sectional view of the watch case of Figure 1, according to its vertical median plane of symmetry;
• Figure 8 is a top view of the support of the watch of Figure 1;
• Figure 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the support along the line IX-IX of Figure 8;
• Figure 10 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the support along the line XX of Figure 9;
• Figure 11 is a view of the rod establishing the connection between the housing and the support shown in Figures 8 to 10;
• Figure 12 is a schematic side view of the housing in a second embodiment, wherein the grooves are on the housing and the lugs on the support;
• FIG. 13 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 9 for the same embodiment as FIG. 12, and
• FIG. 14 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the support along line XIV-XIV of FIG. 13.

FIGS. 1 to 6 illustrate the general appearance of the wristwatch 1, in accordance with the preferred embodiment, as well as the movement made by the casing 2 when it slides and turns relative to the support 3.

The support 3 comprises a bottom 4 whose upper part is concave and from which protrude the horns 5, on which the bracelet 6 is fixed, and lateral flanges 7 parallel to the direction of the bracelet 6. Each of these lateral flanges 7 has a upper edge 8 of rounded shape, a maximum height in the middle and an inner surface 9 having a longitudinal groove 10.

The bottom 4 of the support 3 comprises longitudinal guiding surfaces 11, also visible in FIG. 8, extending from the ends of the support to its central region, in which there is a transverse transverse recess 12 delimited on both sides. The latter also comprise holes 13 and 14 passing through them substantially midway between the longitudinal ends of the support, opening into the corresponding groove 10.

In this embodiment, the housing has a generally tapering shape in its longitudinal direction which corresponds to the direction of the bracelet, its side walls 15 being substantially flat and parallel, thus delimiting two convex faces 16 and 17 of a shape substantially complementary to that bottom 4 of the support. In particular, the longitudinal ends 21 and 22 of the housing have a sharp profile so that in the service positions, the housing and the support are substantially flush with each other in this region. In a preferred embodiment, the faces of the housing 16, 17 and the bottom 4 of the support each have a circular arc profile.

Each of the side walls 15 has a small projecting element 18 located on the middle part 19 of the housing and preferably having substantially the shape of a spherical cap. It may be provided that the projecting element 18 is retractable in the housing by resorting to not shown elastic means. The middle 19 is traversed by a hole 20 in the vicinity of one end 21 of the spindle. At its other end 22 it has a recess 23 in its slot receiving the crown 24 of time setting, said ring having a flattened shape not to exceed the lower and upper faces of the housing.

As can be seen better in FIG. 7, the casing carries a curved mirror 25 on its upper face 16 and has two thin transverse grooves 26 in its lower face 17, these grooves receiving by lateral sliding the folded ends 27 of a decorative plate. 28 of the same curvature as the ice. This plate 28 conceals a sealed battery door 29 and covers, in the example shown here, the major part of the lower face 17 in order to confer a particular aesthetic back of the housing. Of course, the plate 28 may perform other functions rather than just being decorative, such as covering a compartment capable of receiving any object or a reserve battery. The casing also contains, typically, a clockwork movement 30, a dial 31 and needles 32.

It is observed in Figure 8 that the hole 13 of one of the flanges 7 has a section greater than that of the hole 14 of the other flange. Indeed, these two holes 13 and 14 used during assembly and disassembly of the wristwatch 1 have different functions. During assembly, the casing 2 must be placed between the flanges 7 of the support 3, the hole 20 of the casing must be aligned with the holes 13 and 14 of the support 3. It is then that the hole 13, of larger section, receives the rod 33 shown in Figure 11, which is inserted into the housing until abutting against the inner surface 9 opposite the vicinity of the hole 14. The function of the hole 14 is to receive a small tool to push the rod 33 in the reverse direction during disassembly, so as to extract it to separate the housing 2 from the support 3.

Figure 9 shows the particular geometry of the grooves 10 in this embodiment. These grooves are each formed of two successive sections 34 and 35, substantially parallel to the guide surfaces 11 and lying at different distances from them, thus defining a high section 34 and a low section 35, interconnected by a vertical recess 36 forming an upper stop 37 and a lower stop 38. The grooves 10 are mutually reversed, so that the section top 34 of one is opposite the low section 35 of the other and vice versa, as shown in Figure 10. These grooves 10 receive the lugs 39 formed by the ends of the rod 33, these lugs being mutually offset in height as can be seen in Figure 11. It can be noted that once the rod 33 housed in the housing 2, we obtain a system equivalent to the use of pins integral with the housing, the rod being retained in the hole 20 by friction, for example through an O-ring 40.

The overturning of the housing 2 in the support 3 is shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 4 to 6. When the housing 2 is mounted in the support 3 and is in one of its service positions, having for example its upper face 16, as represented in Figure 1, its small projecting elements 18 are engaged by clipping in the grooves 10 of the support 3 so as to lock in said position. The user must exert a pressure on the housing 2 in a direction substantially parallel to the bracelet 6 to disengage it and be able to slide it as indicated by the arrow C1 to bring it to the position of FIG. 4. It is noted that when the housing 2 is close to a service position, it can not rotate around the lugs 39, not only because they are not on the same axis and the grooves 10 are also offset in height, but mainly because that the distance of the lugs 39 relative to the support 3 is lower than that relative to the end 21 of the housing. As a result, the housing 2 has very little movement in such a position until a support zone 41 of the housing near the end provided with the lugs 39 comes into contact with the surfaces. guide 11 of the support. Thus, during the sliding step the user pushes the housing 2 by exerting pressure near the end 21, in the direction of the bracelet 6 represented by the arrow C1 of FIG. 4. The bearing zones 41 then slide on the guiding surfaces 11, until the highest lug 39 abuts on the upper stop 37 and the lug 39 the lower on the lower stop 38. Note that it can preferably be provided that the housing comprises on the face 16, facing the guide surfaces 11, longitudinal flanges (not shown) on either side of the ice 25, the latter being slightly set back with respect to these flanges and to the zones of 41, so that it does not come into contact with any element of the support 3 during the movement. The housing 2 can not then continue sliding in the same direction. The end 21 of the housing being above the recess 12, the pivoting is made possible. Indeed, the user then causes the lifting of the end 22 of the housing and the complete pivoting thereof, as shown schematically by the arrow P in Figure 5 and 6, so that the pin 39 the highest descends and is found at the low section 35 of the corresponding groove, while the lug 39 lowest rises and is found at the top portion 34 of the corresponding groove. With the housing in the position of FIG. 6, it can perform a second sliding stroke in the same direction, as indicated by the arrow C2 of FIG. 6, under the action of a pressure of the user close to its end 22. The second operating position, in which the decorative bottom face 17 of the housing is apparent, is reached when the lugs 39 abut against the ends 42 of the grooves 10 and the small projecting elements 18 fit into each other. the other ends of the grooves 10, thus locking the housing 2.

To return to the first service position in which the upper face 16 is apparent, it is sufficient to perform the same sequence of operations in the opposite direction, since the lugs 39 have changed side with respect to the support 3 of the watch.

One of the advantages of such a configuration is to avoid that the housing 2 can be slid from one end 42 of the grooves 10 to the other, without pivoting at the stops 37 and 38. Moreover, given the large height of the flanges 7 of the support at the recess 12, there is no possibility of reaching a position of the housing 2 having a lateral holding fault.

FIGS. 12 to 14 illustrate a second embodiment of the reversible watch according to the invention, in which the respective general shapes of the case and of the support are the same as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 11, whereas the arrangement of the guide means of the housing is reversed. In this variant, each of the side walls 15 of the housing comprises, substantially at mid-height, a longitudinal groove 43 closed at its ends 44. The inner surfaces 9 of the support 3 each comprise, in the center of the housing part, a lug 45 of cylindrical shape capable of sliding and pivoting in the groove 43 corresponding. These lugs may for example be obtained by inserting screws through the lateral flanges 7 of the support 3, as shown in FIG. 14. It can be seen in FIG. 13 that the guide surfaces 11, as described in the illustrated embodiment in Figures 1 to 11, are also present in this embodiment.

The operation of this system is substantially the same as that previously described. Starting from a first operating position, the housing 2 is unlocked by pressure of the user on one of the bearing zones 41 in the longitudinal direction of the bracelet in one direction or the other. The housing then performs a first sliding stroke until each of the lugs 45 abuts on the end 44 of the corresponding groove 44. The user must then rotate the housing around said pins to return it. Note however that the recess 12 in the bottom of the support as shown in Figures 2, 8 and 9 is not reproduced in this variant. Indeed, the distance between a lug 45 and the bottom 4 of the support is substantially greater than the distance between an end 44 of a groove and the corresponding end 21 or 22 of the housing, thus allowing the housing to pivot freely as soon as the pins 45 are at one end of the groove. This advantageously provides the possibility of constructing a support 3 whose bottom 4 has a reduced thickness. Once the casing is returned, it can perform a second sliding stroke to its second service position where it is locked by unrepresented clipping means. To return to the first service position, the user must reproduce the above steps by first exerting pressure on one of the bearing areas 41 of the housing in the longitudinal direction of the bracelet. Due to the symmetry of the housing-support assembly and guiding means used, the user can exert his pressure either in the opposite direction to that of the first reversal or in the same direction, which was not possible for the watch shown in Figures 1 to 11.

From this embodiment, it is possible to envisage multiple variants consisting, for example, of placing the lugs 45 lower on the support by producing curved grooves 43, to make the grooves 43 with a shorter length so that they stop in the middle of the housing, or to change the height of the grooves 43 depending on the kinematics desired for the housing overturning movement.

The respective shapes of the casing 2 and the support 3 provide the wristwatch 1 with aesthetic advantages due to the continuity of the shapes, the symmetry and the fluidity of the complete movement of the casing 2. It may be noted that such a line fact that the reversible nature of the watch according to the invention is not immediately visible when it is in one of its service positions. The fact that the turning movement of the housing is preferably in the direction of the bracelet 6, that is to say in the direction from six o'clock to twelve o'clock of an analog watch dial, allows an aesthetic and original configuration but one can also predict that it is done laterally. It may further be noted that the guide surfaces 11 of the support 3 have an additional function which is to prevent the ice 25 from coming into contact with the support 3 and thus be damaged. The particular and complementary shapes of the case and the support provide the watch with another advantage which is the good resistance to shocks and abrasive wear, since, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, the watch has no protruding part. This makes it possible to use both an inexpensive molded plastic embodiment and a metal embodiment.

One can imagine multiple applications for the reversible case wristwatch according to the invention, whether it is made of molded plastic or metal. Indeed, it has been described the use of a decorative plate covering one of the faces of the housing and can conceal a compartment, but it is also possible that the housing comprises, instead of the wafer, a second analog or digital display and for displaying, for example, the time of day, a second time zone, possibly using a second movement, timed times, or any other type of information.

Claims (11)

1. Wristwatch (1) including a support (3) attached to a wristband (6) and a case (2) containing a clockwork movement (30) and display means (31, 32), the case (2) being mounted on the support (3) so as to be able to slide and be reversed to show respectively one or other of its faces (16, 17) in two operating positions, the support (3) comprising two lateral flanges (7), the watch including guide means (10, 39) disposed on the one hand on the inner surfaces (9) of said flanges (7), and on the other hand on the lateral walls (15) of the case (2) to allow said case to slide and pivot in the support (3), the watch further including means (18) for holding the case (2) in its two operating positions, characterized in that the direction in which the case slides is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the wristband (6) and in that each end (21, 22) of the case has in longitudinal cross-section, a pointed profile, so that in the operating positions, the case and the support are substantially flush with each other in the zone of said ends.
2. Wristwatch according to claim 1, characterized in that the case (2) includes, in said longitudinal direction, a convex profile on at least one of its faces (16, 17).
3. Wristwatch according to claim 2, characterized in that the case (2) has said convex profile on its two faces (16, 17).
4. Wristwatch according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, in said longitudinal direction, the upper edges (8) of the lateral flanges (7) have a similar convex profile to that of the case (2), so that the case and the support are substantially flush with each other over the entire length of the case.
5. Wristwatch according to claim 4, characterized in that the means (5) for securing the wristband (6) have an upper part which is substantially flush with the ends of the support, so that the whole wristwatch has a substantially continuous curved profile in said longitudinal direction.
6. Wristwatch according to any of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the upper surface of the bottom (4) of the support (3) has a concave profile in said longitudinal direction, so as to substantially match the profile of the case (2).
7. Wristwatch according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said guide means include two longitudinal grooves (10) closed at their ends (42) and each located on one of the inner surfaces (9) of the support (3), and snugs (39) projecting over the lateral walls (15) of the case (2) facing said inner surfaces (9), each able to slide and pivot in the corresponding groove (10) of the support (3), each of said grooves (10) including at least one stop (37, 38) disposed at a distance from its ends (42), said stop having the effect of stopping the case (2) after a first sliding travel of the corresponding snug (39) from one end of the groove (10), to define a pivoting zone for the case (2), before said snug (39) effects a second sliding travel to the other end of the groove (10).
8. Wristwatch according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said guide means include two longitudinal grooves (43) closed at their ends (44) and each located on one of the lateral walls (15) of the case, and snugs (45) projecting over the inner surfaces (9) of the support (3) facing said grooves (43), each able to slide and pivot in the corresponding groove (43) of the case (2), each of the ends (44) of a groove (43) constituting a stop in the sliding travel of the corresponding snug (45), thus defining a pivoting zone for the case (2) at each side of the support.
9. Wristwatch according any of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that it further includes, outside the pivoting zone, means (11) for preventing the case (2) from pivoting.
10. Wristwatch according to claim 9, characterized in that said means for preventing the case from pivoting are formed by at least a guide surface (11) on the support (3), on which a support zone (41) of the case (2) can rest when sliding.
11. Wristwatch according to claim 10, characterized in that the case further includes longitudinal flanges on either side of the crystal (25), the latter being set back from said flanges, so that it does not come into contact with any element of the support (3) during the movement.

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