EP3180657B1 - Covering element for a wristwatch - Google Patents

Description

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a watch case comprising a covering element which gives the watch a particular aesthetic appearance.

Background of the invention

It is known from the document CH 640 690 a watch case comprising a caseband equipped with a decorative piece in the form of a ring, the ring being engaged in a groove formed in the visible face of the middle part, and being partially covered by bridges integral with a bezel mounted on the middle.

We also know of the document EP 1 098 233 a watch case comprising a rotating metal bezel having on all or part of its surface relief inserts made of a synthetic material.

We also know document EP 1 975 748 a wristwatch case comprising an upper element, a lower element, a middle part between the upper and lower elements and protruding members for attaching to a bracelet, the first parts of these projecting fasteners being defined by the element upper and second portions of these protruding fasteners being defined by the lower member, the first and second portions respectively comprising first and second retaining members which cooperate to assemble the first and second portions.

We still know the document EP2818942 which discloses a watch case comprising a case provided with horns and having two connection zones of a bracelet strand to said middle part, a bezel and a covering element at least partially encased between said caseband and said bezel which comprises at least an indentation configured to reveal the covering element, wherein said covering element comprises two covering elements respectively covering each connecting zone and is fixed directly to said middle, independently of the attachment of said bezel to the middle part.

The watch cases described above have several disadvantages. It will first be mentioned that the machining and / or manufacturing operations are complex, which leads to an increase in manufacturing costs. In addition, the assembly requires several steps, which leads to an increase in manufacturing time. Finally, it will be observed that the decorative piece requires a specific machining depending on the desired aesthetic effect, which implies storage of several references.

Summary of the invention

The invention particularly aims to overcome the various disadvantages of these known techniques.

The invention aims, at least in a particular embodiment, to provide a cladding element that is simple to implement, easy to assemble and inexpensive.

This objective, as well as others which will appear more clearly later, is achieved according to the invention with the aid of a watch case comprising a middle provided with horns and having two connection zones of a bracelet strand. to said middle part, a bezel and a cladding element arranged at least partially between said middle and said bezel, said bezel comprising at least one notch configured to reveal said cladding element,

According to the invention, said covering element comprises two covering elements respectively covering each connection zone and is fixed directly to said middle, independently of the fixing of said telescope to said middle part, and the middle part comprises at each zone of connection, two vertical ribs between the horns, configured to cooperate with two guide grooves formed on the inner face of the cover elements, so as to maintain in place correctly the trim element on the middle part.,

• ledit élément d'habillage comprend une bague recouvrant au moins partiellement ladite carrure, ladite bague étant logée entre ladite carrure et ladite lunette de manière à former une surface décorative au fond de ladite au moins une échancrure ;
• ladite bague et lesdits deux éléments de recouvrement dudit élément d'habillage forment une pièce d'un seul tenant ;
• ledit élément d'habillage est encliqueté sur ladite carrure par le biais desdits éléments de recouvrement au niveau des zones de raccordements ;
• ladite bague dudit élément d'habillage présente une section sensiblement semi-torique ;
• ladite bague est sensiblement affleurante sur tout ou partie de la surface périphérique de ladite carrure ;
• ledit élément d'habillage est réalisé en matière plastique telle que du polycarbonate, du PMMA ou du MABS ;
• ladite lunette comprend au moins deux échancrures réparties symétriquement autour de ladite lunette ;
• ledit élément d'habillage est formé d'un matériau transparent ou opaque présentant une surface mate ou polie.

According to other advantageous variants of the invention:

• said dressing element comprises a ring at least partially covering said middle, said ring being housed between said middle and said bezel so as to form a decorative surface at the bottom of said at least one notch;
• said ring and said two covering elements of said trim member form a single piece;
• said cladding element is snapped onto said middle through said cover elements at the connection areas;
• said ring of said trim member has a substantially semi-toric section;
• said ring is substantially flush over all or part of the peripheral surface of said middle part;
• said cladding element is made of plastics material such as polycarbonate, PMMA or MABS;
• said bezel comprises at least two notches distributed symmetrically around said bezel;
• said cladding element is formed of a transparent or opaque material having a matte or polished surface.

Thus, the object of the present invention, by its different functional and structural aspects described above, makes it possible to obtain a watch case that can present different aesthetic aspects in an easy manner.

Brief description of the drawings

• la figure 1 est une vue éclatée d'une boîte de montre conforme à l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective d'une boîte de montre conforme à l'invention ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en coupe selon la ligne III-III de la figure 2 de la boîte de montre conforme à l'invention.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention, given as a simple illustrative and nonlimiting example, and the appended figures, among which: :

• the figure 1 is an exploded view of a watch case according to the invention;
• the figure 2 is a perspective view of a watch case according to the invention;
• the figure 3 is a sectional view along line III-III of the figure 2 of the watch case according to the invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

A watch case 100 according to an exemplary embodiment will now be described in the following referring jointly to figures 1 , 2 and 3 .

As previously mentioned, the general principle of the invention is based on the use of a watch case 100 comprising a middle part 1, a bezel 6 and a covering element 5 disposed at least partially between the middle part 1 and the bezel 6 the bezel 6 comprising at least one notch 60 revealing the covering element 5.

According to the invention, the covering element 5 and the bezel 6 are fixed to the middle part 1 directly and independently of one another, the shape of the bezel 6 being complementary to the shape of the element of FIG. 5. Thus, the covering element 5 is securely fixed to the middle part 1, being clamped between the caseband 1 and the bezel 6.

According to a non-limiting embodiment illustrated in FIG. figure 2 the bezel 6 comprises at least two indentations 60 symmetrically distributed around the bezel 6. The indentation or notches 60 may be semicircular, semi-elliptical or polygonal shape, the shape of the indentations 60 depending on the desired aesthetic appearance.

It will also be noted that the covering element 5 may have different colors depending on the model of the watch.

According to a variant of the invention, the bezel 6 and the caseband 1 are made of a metallic material such as steel or aluminum. Of course, any other material known to those skilled in the art could have been used.

As can be seen in the figures, the covering element 5 comprises a ring 50 configured to completely or partially cover the outer surface of the middle part 1, so that the ring 50 is substantially flush on all or part of of the peripheral surface of the middle part 1, the ring 50 bearing on a peripheral edge 18 of the middle part 1 and on the collar 16 of the middle part 1. Advantageously, the covering element 5 is guided on the collar 16 of the caseband 1 through the peripheral edge 18.

The ring 50 at least partially covers the caseband 1 at the peripheral edge 18, the ring 50 being housed between the caseband 1 and the bezel 6 so as to form a decorative surface at the bottom of the notch 60.

The watch case 100 also comprises two zones 12, 13 for connecting a bracelet strand to the caseband 1. The caseband 1 is delimited downwards by a base 19 integral with the caseband 1, and comprises at 6:00 a pair of external horns 10 and a pair of internal horns 11, as in the example shown, for fixing a strand of a bracelet (not shown). Of course, the middle part 1 comprises at 12h00 the same number of horns (not visible in the figures) for fixing a second bracelet strand.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, and as can be observed on the figures 1 and 2 , the ring 50 comprises two overlapping elements 51,52 respectively covering each of the two connection zones 12,13, located at 6:00 and 12:00 on the middle 1. These covering elements 51,52 are arranged to cover the connection zones 12 13, the shape of the bracelet strands attached to the middle part 1 being designed not to tear the cladding element 5 by a lever effect. These overlapping elements 51, 52 also serve to improve the appearance of the watch by masking the connection zones 12, 13 between the middle part 1 and the strands of the bracelet.

According to one variant, the ring 50 and the two covering elements 51, 52 of the covering element 5 form a single piece. According to this embodiment, the covering element 5 is made of plastic material such as polycarbonate, PMMA or MABS, for example by injection molding. It will be understood here that other materials may be contemplated by those skilled in the art within the scope of the present invention.

Depending on the desired final result for the watch, the covering element 5 may be matte or polished, or transparent or opaque, a combination of these aspects being possible.

As can be seen on the figure 1 the caseband 1 comprises, at each connection zone 12, 13, two vertical ribs 14, 15 intended to hold the covering element 5 correctly in position at the level of the covering elements 51, 52 between the horns 10 the elements 51.52 overlap having on their inner face two guide grooves 53,54 configured to cooperate with the vertical ribs 14,15. Of course, a single rib and a single groove may be sufficient for the maintenance of the covering element 5.

The covering element 5 comprises at each covering element 51, 52 two locking grooves 55, 56 formed under the covering elements 51, 52 and designed to cooperate with the internal horns 11. Thus, the element 5 is clipped on the middle through the cover elements 51,52 at the connection areas 12,13.

As shown in the figures, the ring 50 has a flat outer surface, that is to say that the ring 50 does not have a protruding portion accommodating in said at least one notch 60 of the bezel 6. The trim element 5 thus has a simple geometric shape, which allows easy, fast and inexpensive manufacture.

According to a variant of the invention, not illustrated in the figures, the covering element 5 has protruding portions at the notches 60 of the telescope 6.

The pair of covering element 5 / bezel 6 makes it possible to obtain a plurality of aesthetic effects depending on the color and / or the appearance of the covering element 5, and as a function of the number of indentations 60 arranged in the bezel 6, as well as their size and shape.

The assembly of the watch is as follows.

The operator mounts the cladding element 5 by snapping on the middle part 1 at the connection zones 12, 13. Then, the operator deposits the entire movement 2 / dial 3 on the bottom 19 of the middle 1, then inserts the rod with its crown in the middle part 1 and the movement 2. Finally, the ice 4 is chased on the middle part 1, then the bezel 6 is fixed in turn so as to obtain the desired positioning of the notches 60.

Thanks to these different aspects of the invention, there is an easy-to-assemble watch case that allows a wide variety of models depending on the color of the covering element 5 and the shape of the telescope 6.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated example and is susceptible of various variations and modifications that will occur to those skilled in the art.

NOMENCLATURE

• 100. Watch box,
• 1. Carrure,
• 10. External horns,
• 11. Internal horns,
• 12.13. Connection areas,
• 14.15. Guide ribs,
• 16. Collerette,
• 18. Edge,
• 19. Background,
• 2. Movement,
• 3. Dial,
• 4. Ice cream,
• 5. Skin element,
• 50. Ring,
• 51.52. Covering elements,
• 53.54. Hold groove,
• 55.56. Snap throat,
• 6. Bezel,
• 60. Notches.

Claims (9)

1. Watch case (100) comprising a case middle (1) provided with horns (10) and having two areas (12, 13) for the attachment of a bracelet strand to said case middle (1), a bezel (6) and an external element (5) at least partially clasped between said case middle (1) and said bezel (6), said bezel (6) comprising at least one hollow (60) configured to reveal said external element (5), said external element (5) comprising two covering elements (51, 52) respectively covering each attachment area (12, 13) and is directly attached to said case middle (1), independently of the attachment of said bezel to said case middle, characterized in that the case middle (1) comprises in each attachment area (12, 13), two vertical ribs (14, 15) between the horns (10), configured to cooperate with two guide grooves (52, 54) formed on the inner face of the covering elements (51, 52), so as to hold the external element (5) correctly in place on the case middle (1).
2. Watch case (100) according to claim 1, wherein said external element (5) comprises a ring (50) at least partially covering said case middle (1), said ring being housed between said case middle and said bezel so as to form a decorative surface at the bottom of said at least one hollow.
3. Watch case (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said ring (50) and said two covering elements (51, 52) of said external element (5) form a one-piece component.
4. Watch case (100) according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said external element (5) is snap fitted onto said case middle (1) by means of said covering elements (51, 52) in the attachment areas (12, 13).
5. Watch case (100) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said ring (50) of said external element (5) has a substantially semi-toroidal cross-section.
6. Watch case (100) according to claim 2, 3 or 5, wherein said ring (50) lies substantially flush across all or part of the peripheral surface of said case middle (1).
7. Watch case (100) according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein said external element (5) is made of a plastic material such as polycarbonate, PMMA or MABS.
8. Watch case (100) according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein said bezel (6) comprises at least two hollows (60) symmetrically arranged around said bezel (6).
9. Watch case (100) according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein said external element (5) is made of a transparent or opaque material having a matt or polished surface.

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