EP1719024A2

EP1719024A2 - Watch

Info

Publication number: EP1719024A2
Application number: EP05706522A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Antonio Perez
Original assignee: Christophe Claret SA; Hublot SA
Current assignee: Christophe Claret SA; Hublot SA
Priority date: 2004-02-23
Filing date: 2005-02-22
Publication date: 2006-11-08
Also published as: US20070268788A1; WO2005081073A3; CH694898A5; WO2005081073A2

Abstract

The invention relates to a watch in which the movement (12) pivots in the housing (10) and which comprises correction means (26) for the display (16, 17). In said watch the mounting body (22) is arranged such that, in at least one given position, the movement (12) has a given position within the housing. Furthermore, the operating device (20) comprises: a button (21) accessible from outside the housing (10), a pin (34), fixed to the button (21) running through the housing (10) and a connector body (28) for connecting the button (21) to the correction means (26) and arranged such as to be connectable to said button (34) in the given position.

Description

WATCH

The present invention relates to watches provided with a box defining a housing and a movement arranged in the housing and having an animation. It relates more particularly to watches in which the movement is mounted mobile in its housing.

A watch of this type is described in the document CH 138'927. The movement is fixed in the box at an off-center point relative to its center of gravity so that it can oscillate freely under the action of a force. This movement allows the barrel spring to be armed. The information provided by this document does not allow us to know how the display is corrected.

A similar solution is described in document CH 141 '094. In this watch, it is proposed to provide the case with a slot through which a time-setting rod is engaged and moves laterally when the movement moves. Such a solution does not make the watch waterproof.

The present invention aims to allow the production of watches in which the movement is mobile in its housing and whose time setting can be done easily and safely, while allowing to achieve a construction in which the box is waterproof.

To this end, the watch according to the invention comprises: - a box defining a housing, - a movement arranged in the housing, - display means carried by the movement, - a mounting member connecting the movement to the box, and - a control device accessible from outside the box and capable of controlling a correction of the display means.

In this watch, the mounting member is arranged so as to allow movement of the movement with reference to the case and the movement comprises means for correcting the display means. According to the invention, the mounting member is arranged so that, in at least one predefined position of the watch, the movement occupies a defined position in its housing. In addition, the control device comprises: o a button accessible from the outside of the box, o a rod fixed to the button and passing through the box, and o a connecting member intended to connect the button to the correction means and arranged to so that, in the defined position of the movement, it can be made integral with the rod. Advantageously, the mounting member is arranged so as to allow rotation of the movement in its housing.

Thanks to the fact that the movement is of the automatic type, its rotation ensures the winding of its mainspring.

In order to obtain an unbalance sufficient to rotate the movement in good conditions, the movement is surrounded by a weighted ring.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the control member comprises a time-setting rod cooperating with the watch correction mechanism and a connecting piece flush with said ring and provided with a flared portion arranged so as to guide the rod fixed to the button so that it engages in the connecting piece.

In order to ensure the tightness of the box, it is provided with a tube, cooperating with the button and the rod fixed to the button, and with a seal inserted between the button and the tube to make it waterproof. the passage of the rod.

Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will emerge from the description which follows, given with reference to the appended drawing, in which: - Figures 1 and 2 represent a watch according to the invention, viewed respectively from above and from below with the bottom removed; - Figure 3 shows schematically the movement fitted to the watch of Figures 1 and 2; and - Figure 4 is a sectional view of the part of the watch ensuring the connection of the correction means to the outside of the box.

The watch shown in FIG. 1 comprises, in a conventional manner: - a box 10 defining a housing, - a movement 12 arranged in the housing, - display means comprising a dial 14 and hands 16 and 17, - a bracelet 18, and - a control device 20 of which only a time-setting crown ensuring the function of a control button 21 is visible in FIG. 1 and which will be described in more detail below.

The box 10 is provided, screwed on its edge, with a hoop 10a covering the button 21. The movement 12 advantageously has an automatic winding mechanism with oscillating weight, the latter having been modified to keep only its board diagrammatically shown in 12a.

A mounting member 22 positions the movement 12 in the housing of the box 10. It comprises a bridge 22a and screws 22b and 22c fixing the bridge 22a respectively to the box 10 and to the board 12a. In this way, the movement 12 can rotate in its housing around the pivot axis of the board 12a.

As shown more particularly in FIGS. 3 and 4, a ring 24 surrounds the movement 12. It has two distinct sectors each embracing an angle substantially equal to 180 °, one thin 24a and the other thick 24b, thus forming an unbalance . The sector 24b also carries a ballast 25 reinforcing the unbalance.

The watch thus described therefore makes it possible to see the movement oscillate inside the box 10, the boat represented on the dial 14 giving the impression of pitching. The control device 20, which will be described in more detail below, makes it possible to correct the display when the 6 o'clock - 12 o'clock axis of the dial 14 is aligned with the axis of the bracelet 18. In this position, and as this will be explained below, the button 21 can be screwed onto the movement 12, then pulled.

In the pulled position, the correction of the display can be carried out in a conventional manner. After pushing back the button 21, an anti-clockwise rotation makes it possible to unscrew the button 21 which then returns to its initial position.

The control device 20 comprises, integral with the movement, a conventional time-setting mechanism equipped with a time-setting rod 26 of which only the end external to the movement is visible in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 This end carries a part 28 in the form of a funnel and pierced right through, comprising a cylindrical portion 28a and a flared portion 28b which is flush with the ring 24. This part 28, as will be explained below, provides a function of 'liaison body.

The inner wall of the cylindrical portion 28a serves as a housing at the end of the rod 26 over part of its length. It is rigidly fixed to it, by hunting or gluing for example. The other part, adjoining the flared portion 28b, is tapped. The cylindrical portion is, moreover, provided with a toothing 28c, the function of which will be specified below.

As can be seen more precisely in FIG. 4, the box 10 is equipped with a tube 30 ensuring passage from the inside to the outside of the box 10.

The button 21 is provided with an annular groove 21a in which the tube 30 is engaged. A recess 21b surrounds the opening of the groove 21a, forming a housing in which is disposed a seal 32. It is, moreover , pierced with a blind hole coaxial with the groove 21a, in which a threaded rod 34 is mounted.

A coil spring 36 surrounding the tube 30 is interposed between the box 10 and the button 21. It tends to push the latter back against the arch 10a. A pawl 38, placed on the ring 24, cooperates with the toothing 28c to prevent the rod 26 and the connecting piece 28 from turning in a counterclockwise direction.

The ring 24 and the ballast 25 are dimensioned and positioned so that the connecting piece 28 is located opposite the rod 34 when the axis of the bracelet is oriented vertically. In this position, the arch 10a being turned to the right, pressing the button 21 causes the rod 34 to penetrate into the flared portion 28b.

By turning the button 21, the rod 34 is screwed into the threaded part of the portion 28a and thus connects the button 21 to the time-setting rod 26. The screwing is made possible thanks to the friction generated by the pawl 38 on toothing 28c.

For the engagement to be possible, the possible axial displacement of the button 21, indicated by the dimension L, must be greater than the distance separating the threaded end of the rod 34 from the tapped part of the cylindrical portion 28a, indicated by dimension I.

After the rod 34 has been screwed onto the connecting piece 28, the rod 26 is also rotated and thus wind the watch spring. In this state, a pull on the button 21 moves the time-setting rod 26 and brings it into the correction position. The button 21 can therefore be turned clockwise and, with it, the time setting rod 26, which drives the time setting mechanism.

When the correction is complete, the button 21 is pushed back and, with it, the rods 26 and 34, connected by the connecting piece 28. Then by turning the button 21 counterclockwise, the rod 34 is unscrewed from the connecting piece 28. When the button 21 is released, it is pushed back with the rod 34 by the spring 36, so that the connection between the button 21 and the movement 12 is broken. The movement can then rotate freely again.

The watch which has just been described can, of course, be the subject of numerous variants. The pawl 38 could be replaced by a device locking preventing the rod 26 from rotating when it is in the depressed position and which releases it completely in the pulled position. In this case, the reassembly is done by the automatic mechanism only, and the correction can be done in both directions. It would also be possible to provide a locked position, only when the button 21 is pushed back, and the lock releases the teeth 28c as soon as the pressure is removed, the spring 36 bringing the teeth 28c back from the lock.

The button 21 can be held axially by other means than the hoop 10a, for example by means of a key engaged on the rod 34 and disposed inside the box 10. In this case, the rod 34 must to be lying down.

The rod 34 and the connecting piece 28 are connected to each other by screwing. It is obvious that a bayonet connection is also applicable. In the example given, the correction is carried out by means of a button of the winding crown type. It is also possible to envisage a correction by means of a push button. This is particularly the case if the movement is of the electronic type.

It will also be noted that a watch thus designed can be worn either on the left arm or on the right arm, without this posing any problem for the reading of the time, the noon being systematically at the top, whatever the manner of the attach to the arm.

Finally, it should be noted that the movement, due to its rotation in the case, occupies a vertical position which is always the same. In this way, it is sufficient to ensure an adjustment such that the difference in path between the horizontal positions and the right vertical position is as small as possible (the crown is on the right when the watch is in the vertical position) to ensure good precision. of the watch.

The watch described comprises a movement rotating on its central axis. Alternatively, it would also be possible to imagine a watch whose movement is of slender shape and which would be slidably mounted in the box, or else to arrange a structure in which the movement rocks, as described in the documents mentioned above.

Claims

claims

1. Watch comprising: - a box (10) defining a housing, - a movement (12) arranged in the housing, - display means (16, 17) carried by the movement (12), - a mounting member (22) connecting the movement (12) to the box (10), and - a control device (20) accessible from outside the box (10) and capable of controlling a correction of the display means (16, 17), in which the mounting member (22) allows movement of the movement (12) with reference to the box (10), and the movement comprises correction means (26) display means (16, 17 ), characterized in that: - said mounting member (22) is arranged so that, in at least one predefined position of the watch, the movement (12) occupies a defined position in its housing, and - in that that said control device (20) comprises: o a button (21) accessible from the outside of the box (10), o a rod (34) fixed to the button (21) and passing through the box (10), and o a connecting member (28) intended to connect said button (21) to the correction means (26) and arranged so that, in said defined position, it can be made integral with said rod (34).

2. Watch according to claim 1, characterized in that said mounting member (22) is arranged so as to allow rotation of the movement (12) in its housing.

3. Watch according to claim 2, characterized in that said movement (12) is of the automatic type, its rotation ensuring the winding of its mainspring.

4. Watch according to claim 2, characterized in that the movement is surrounded by a ring (24) ballasted (26) and arranged so as to define an unbalance causing the rotation of the movement (12) in its housing.

5. Watch according to claim 4, characterized in that the correction means comprise a time-setting rod (26) and in that the connecting member comprises a connecting piece (28) flush with said ring (24 ) and provided with a flared portion (28b) arranged so as to guide the rod (34) fixed to the button (21) so that it engages in the connecting piece (28).

6. Watch according to claim 1, characterized in that the case (10) is provided with a tube (30) cooperating with the button (21) and the rod (34) fixed to the button and with a seal. (32) interposed between the button (21) and the tube (30) to seal the passage of the rod (34) through the box (10).