EP1189118B1 - Wrist-watch with reversible case - Google Patents

Abstract

The bracelet for a wrist watch is connected to a casing (3) with grooves (10) to receive lugs on a reversible watch casing. The grooves are stepped to form a stop for the watch lugs which allows the watch casing to pivot. The casing has a contact surface (11) to prevent return movement of the watch casing.

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 having two parallel inner surfaces each having a longitudinal groove closed at its ends, the housing having, facing said inner surfaces, two parallel side walls each having a lug capable of sliding in the corresponding groove of 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. Certificate of addition No. 41 060 to the patent FR 712,868 issued August 3, 1931 shows different variants. In a first variant, the case of the watch is free to pivot, 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.

However, these embodiments have in common a major disadvantage. The manufacturer of such watches may choose to favor the ease of handling of the mechanism, in which case it will not put a spring too hard to maintain the housing in its service positions, to make it easier to unblock it. In this case, the mechanism will be made too sensitive to abrupt movements of the wrist of the user, the latter may cause a sudden pivoting of the housing. To overcome this disadvantage, the manufacturer can choose to use springs of greater hardness, in which case the handling of the mechanism becomes difficult and the mechanical parts are exposed to premature wear.

He is also known, by the document WO 86/06511 , making a wristwatch in which each groove has a 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 causing the pivoting of the housing in an intermediate pivot zone, before the lug performs a second sliding stroke. For this purpose, each lug comprises a notch which cooperates with the stop, of complementary shape of the notch. In this type of wristwatch, the pivoting of the case can be realized at any time during the sliding stroke of the lug, including before it reaches the stop corresponding to the intermediate pivot zone. If the pivoting takes place before stopping, the notch of the lug can not cooperate with the stop because it is oriented in the wrong direction which prevents both the pivoting and the continuation of the sliding.

The object of the present invention is to perfect watches of this kind so as to avoid the aforementioned drawbacks.

For this purpose, the invention provides a wristwatch of the type indicated above, each of the grooves having 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 race. sliding of the lug from one end of the groove, to define a pivoting zone of the housing, before the lug makes a second sliding stroke to the other end of the groove, characterized in that it further comprises means for prohibiting the pivoting of the housing outside said pivot zone defined by the position of the stops.

In a particular embodiment, these means for prohibiting the pivoting may be formed by at least one guide surface on the support, on which a surface of the housing can be supported by sliding.

It may optionally provide, in each groove, a clearance located opposite the stop, to allow the corresponding pin to cross it. In this embodiment, it is possible to use other means, such as the use of elongated section pins, which are longer than the height of the groove, so that they can only pivot in the zone. of pivoting defined by the position of the stop and in which is provided a sufficient space.

Pivoting of the housing will therefore be exclusively in the pivot zone, away from the ends, eliminating any risk of unexpected pivoting, related to a possible sudden movement of the wrist.

In a preferred embodiment comprising said guide surface on the support, each groove can be formed of two successive sections, substantially parallel to the guide surface, and at different distances from it, thus defining a high section. and a low section, said sections being connected by a vertical recess. In particular, the lugs of the housing can be mutually offset in height, said grooves being placed so that the upper section of one is opposite the lower section of the other and vice versa.

• 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 analogue à celle de la figure 9, dans un mode de réalisation pour lequel chaque arrêt se trouve sensiblement sur l'axe de la rainure et chaque ergot comporte un évidement, et
• la figure 13 est une vue analogue à celle de la figure 9, dans un mode de réalisation pour lequel chaque rainure comporte un dégagement en regard de l'arrêt correspondant, les ergots ayant une forme allongée.

The invention will be better understood with the aid of the following description of various exemplary embodiments with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

• the 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 case;
• the figure 2 is a perspective view of the watch stand of the figure 1 ;
• the figure 3 is a perspective view of the watch case from the figure 1 ;
• the figure 4 is a schematic side view of the watch in an intermediate sliding position of the housing;
• the figure 5 is a schematic side view of the watch during the pivoting phase of the housing;
• the figure 6 is a schematic side view of the watch, the pivoting being completed, before the second sliding step of the housing;
• the figure 7 is a sectional view of the watch case of the figure 1 , according to its plane of vertical median symmetry;
• the figure 8 is a top view of the watch stand from the figure 1 ;
• the figure 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the support along the line IX-IX of the figure 8 ;
• the figure 10 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the support along the line XX of the figure 9 ;
• the figure 11 is a view of the rod establishing the connection between the housing and the support shown in FIGS. Figures 8 to 10 ;
• the figure 12 is a view similar to that of the figure 9 in an embodiment for which each stop is substantially on the axis of the groove and each lug comprises a recess, and
• the figure 13 is a view similar to that of the figure 9 , in one embodiment for which each groove has a clearance with respect to the corresponding stop, the lugs having an elongated shape.

The Figures 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 as 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 guide surfaces 11, also visible on the figure 8 , extending from the ends of the support to its central region, in which there is a rounded transverse recess 12 delimited on either side by the flanges 7. The latter further comprise holes 13 and 14 therethrough 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 a preferred embodiment, the faces 16, 17 of the housing and the bottom 4 of the support each have a profile in an arc.

Each of the side walls 15 has a small projecting element 18 located on the middle part 19 of the case 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 23 it has a recess 22 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 we see better on the figure 7 , the housing carries a curved mirror 25 on its upper face 16 and has two fine 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.

We observe on the 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 on the figure 11 , which is inserted into the housing until it abuts against the inner surface 9 opposite to the vicinity of the hole 14. The function of the hole 14 is to receive a small tool for pushing the rod 33 in the reverse direction during disassembly, in order to extract it to separate the housing 2 from the support 3.

The figure 9 reveals 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 at different distances from them, thus defining a high section 34 and a low section 35, interconnected by a step vertical 36 forming an upper stop 37 and a lower stop 38. The grooves 10 are mutually reversed, so that the upper portion 34 of one is facing the lower section 35 of the other and vice versa, as appears on the figure 10 . These grooves 10 receive the lugs 39 constituted by the ends of the rod 33, these lugs being mutually offset in height as seen on the figure 11 . It may be noted that once the rod 33 housed in the housing 2, a system equivalent to the use of lugs integral with the housing is obtained, the rod being retained in the hole 20 by friction, for example by means of an O-ring 40.

The overturning of the housing 2 in the support 3 is schematized on the Figures 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 shown in FIG. figure 1 its small projecting elements 18 are engaged in the grooves 10 of the support 3 so as to lock it in said position. The user must exert 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 into the position of the figure 4 . Note that when the housing 2 is near 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 especially because 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, close to the end provided with the lugs 39, comes into contact with the guide surfaces 11 of the support. Thus, during the sliding step the user pushes the housing 2 by exerting a pressure near the end 21, in the direction of the bracelet 6. The bearing areas 41 slide on the guide surfaces 11, to the highest lug 39 abuts the upper stop 37 and the lug 39 the lower one on the lower stop 38. Note that it is preferable to provide that the housing comprises, on the face 16, longitudinal flanges (not shown) on either side of the ice 25, the latter being slightly set back from these flanges and the support zones 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 causes the lifting of the end 23 of the housing and the complete pivoting of the latter, as shown schematically by the arrow P on the figure 5 and 6 so that the highest lug 39 descends and is found at the lower section 35 of the corresponding groove, while the lug 39 lowest rises and is found at the top portion 34 of the corresponding groove. The case being in the position of the figure 6 , it can perform a second sliding stroke in the same direction, as indicated by the arrow C2 of the figure 6 under the action of a pressure of the user near its end 23. The second position of service, 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 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.

The advantage of such a structure 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. In addition, the respective shapes of the casing 2 and the support 3 provide the wristwatch 1 aesthetic advantages due to the continuity of the shapes, the symmetry and the fluidity of the complete movement of the casing 2. This movement is preferably done in the direction of the bracelet 6 for reasons of aesthetics and originality, but it can also be expected that it is done laterally. When the movement is in the direction of the bracelet, it is noted that the pivoting of the housing in the center of the support makes it possible to do without the presence of recesses at the ends, as described in the aforementioned prior art, which represents a gain important place near the fixing points of the bracelet. It may also 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 forms of the case and the support provide the watch with another advantage which is the good resistance to shocks and frictional wear, since, as it appears on the Figures 1 to 3 the watch does not have any protruding part. This makes it possible to use both an inexpensive molded plastic embodiment and a metal embodiment.

Another embodiment is shown on the figure 12 , in which the grooves 10 each comprise only one section, closed at its two ends 42, and each stop 43 is formed by a cylindrical stud lying substantially on the longitudinal axis of the corresponding groove 10, preferably equal to distance of the ends 42. The lugs 39 are at the same distance from the guide surfaces 11 and are carried by the rod 33, this time formed by a cylinder truncated in the direction of the height. Thus, once the rod 33 in place in the hole 20 (visible on the figure 3 ) of housing 2, of complementary shape, it can not turn. Each lug 39 has a lateral recess 44, able to overlap the corresponding stop 43.

The shapes of the housing 2, the guide surfaces 11 and the rounded transverse recess 12 of the support 3 are the same as in the embodiment according to the Figures 1 to 10 . As a result, the overall course of the overturning movement of the housing 2 in the support 3 is unchanged from the foregoing description. After a first sliding stroke from a first service position, each lug 39 abuts against the corresponding stop 43 and overlaps it. It is only here that the housing 2 can pivot, by pivoting the lugs 39 around the stops 43, because of the existence of the guide surfaces 11 and the recess 12, as defined above. Once the pivoting of the housing 2 is performed, each lug 39 can perform the second sliding stroke until it abuts on the second closed end 42 of the corresponding groove 10, where the housing 2 is in the other operating position.

Another possible embodiment appears on the figure 13 . The lugs 39 of the casing have an oblong section, preferably consisting of two parallel rectilinear faces connected by two portions of a circle, and are of greater length than the height of the grooves 10 of the support 3. The latter each comprise two sections 45 at the same height. guide surfaces 11, closed at their ends 42 and separated by an upstanding projecting stop 46, preferably equidistant from the ends 42 of the groove. A clearance 47 of rounded shape and dimension greater than the length of the lugs 39 is opposite each stop 46, the junctions 48 and 49 between the sections 45 and the clearance 47 constituting restrictions through which the lugs 39 can pass. Preferably, the longitudinal guide surfaces 11 of the support 3 are still present in the example shown, but are continuous from one end of the bottom 4 of the support 3 to the other.

The overturning movement of the housing 2 remains generally the same as previously described, with however a significant difference in the crossing of the stop 46 by the pin 39. Indeed, each lug 39 from the end 42 of a first section 45, as shown in the figure 13 for example, performs the first sliding stroke in the corresponding groove 10 without being able to pivot, given their respective shapes, until abut on the stop 46 where the housing 2 then ceases to slide. To continue its movement, the lug 39 must follow the upper contour of the stop 46, that is to say that it pivots while lifting, crosses the junction 48 to enter the clearance 47 where it can rotate sufficiently so that the side of the ergot 39 that came in first in the clearance 47 is the last to come out through the junction 49, to go into the second section 45. Indeed, when the lug is in the clearance 47, its distance to the bottom of the support 4 is greater than its distance at the end 21 of the housing 2, which allows the housing 2 to turn over at this point in order to present its second face, and to perform the second sliding race until the lug 39 abuts on the end 42 of the second section 45, thereby defining a service position.

It can be seen that the shape and the dimensions of the lug 39 are sufficient to prevent, in this embodiment, the pivoting of the casing 2 outside the clearance 47. However, the guiding surfaces 11 on the support 3, on which the zones support 41 of the housing 2 can slide in the sliding steps, strengthen the device also preventing the housing 2 to rotate during the sliding steps of the pins 39 and thus relieve them.

This variant, with or without the guide surfaces 11, makes it possible to dispense with the rounded transverse recess 12 in the support 3 previously described, which results in a saving of height in the support and therefore a limitation of the thickness of the wristwatch 1.

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 (9)

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 turn over to show respectively one or other of its faces (16, 17) in two operating positions, the support (3) comprising two parallel inner surfaces (9) each including a longitudinal groove (10) closed at its ends (42), the case (2) including, facing said inner surfaces (9), two parallel lateral walls (15) each having a snug (39) able to slide in the corresponding groove (10) of the support (3), the watch further including means (18) for holding the case (2) in its two operating positions, each of the grooves (10) including at least one stop (37, 38, 43, 46), disposed at a distance from its ends (42), the effect of said stop being to define a stop zone for the case (2), after a first sliding travel of the snug (39) corresponding from one end of the groove (10), to let said case (2) turn over, before said snug (39) performs a second sliding travel to the other end of the groove (10), characterized in that it further includes means (11) for preventing the case (2) from pivoting outside the pivoting zone.
2. Wristwatch according to claim 1, 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 while sliding.
3. Wristwatch according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the grooves (10) includes two stops (37, 38), each of said stops corresponding to a different sliding direction of the case (2).
4. Wristwatch according to claims 2 and 3, characterized in that each of the grooves (10) is formed of two successive sections, substantially parallel to said guide surface (11) and located at different distances from the latter, thus defining a high section (34) and a low section (35) of the groove (10), said sections being connected to each other by a vertical break (36) which forms said stops.
5. Wristwatch according to claim 4, characterized in that the snugs (39) of the case are offset with respect to each other in height, the grooves (10) being arranged so that the high section (34) of one is located facing the low section (35) of the other and vice versa.
6. Wristwatch according to any of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that each of the grooves (10) includes a single stop (43) located substantially on the axis of said groove (10), each of the snugs (39) of the case (2) including a recess (44) such that after said first sliding travel, each stop (43) penetrates the recess (44) of the corresponding snug to define therein a pivoting axis for the case (2), so that the snugs (39) can only continue sliding after having pivoted around the stops (43).
7. Wristwatch according to any of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that each of said stops (46) projects over one of the sides of the corresponding groove (10), a recess (47) being provided on the opposite side of the groove, facing the stop, to allow the corresponding snug (39) to pass over the stop during pivoting.
8. Wristwatch according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the grooves (10) of the support (3) includes a recess (47) facing the corresponding stop, each of said snugs (39) of the case (2) having an elongated cross-section, of greater length than the height of the groove (10), so that it can only pivot by penetrating said recess.
9. Wristwatch according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the sliding of the case (2) with respect to the support (3) occurs in a substantially parallel direction to the direction of the wristband.

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