EP3805871A1 - Adjustable threaded crown - Google Patents

Abstract

Orientable screw-down crown (10) for watch case (100), a sub-assembly (20) of which comprises a tube (9) which can be inserted axially into a housing (90) of the case, and an operating body (1) comprising a pattern (19) and a front relief (15) extending radially and, in the engaged position, cooperating for the indexing of the pattern (19) relative to the box (100) with a complementary front relief (35) that includes a barrel fixed (3) which is returned to the body (1) by a spring (4) trapped between them, and remaining axially distant from the complementary relief (35) and without cooperation with it in the disengaged position by compression of the spring (4), the sub-assembly (20) comprising an axial stop means (8) fixed to the body (1) to trap axially, the fixed barrel (3) with a stroke corresponding to the deformation of the spring (4) to allow disengagement, by traction of the body (1), between the relief (15) and the complementary relief (35).

Description

Field of the invention

The invention relates to an orientable screwed crown for a watch case comprising a middle part with at least one through housing for receiving said orientable screwed crown, which orientable screwed crown is arranged to cooperate with said housing and seal it in a sealed manner, said orientable screwed crown comprising a pattern on an end face or in its vicinity, said orientable screwed crown comprising, movable axially in an axial direction with respect to each other, on the one hand a sub-assembly comprising a crown body that can be handled by a user and comprising said pattern, and on the other hand a tube arranged to be screwed or driven into said housing in said axial direction.

The invention also relates to a watch case, comprising a middle part with at least one through housing for receiving such an orientable screw-down crown.

The invention also relates to a timepiece, in particular a watch, comprising such a case.

The invention also relates to a method of assembling such an orientable screwed crown.

The invention also relates to a method for mounting such an orientable screwed crown on a watch case.

Background of the invention

Screw-down crowns are commonly used to equip watches with the aim of improving their sealing at the passage of a control member, such as a winding or control rod. This type of crown has the particularity of being able to take an unscrewed position in which the watch can be wound, time-set, adjusted, or other, and a screwed position in which the crown is screwed and blocked on a driven or screwed tube. in the middle of the watch case in order to compress a gasket, thus improving the watertightness of the watch. The screwed position is therefore that which corresponds to the normal position when the watch is worn and which is always roughly the same, apart from the wear of the seal.

The manufacture and assembly of these screwed crowns on watch cases are well known. However, the methods of mounting these crowns are ill-suited to screw-down crowns which bear on their end face an inscription or a pattern, for example a logo, a trademark or a similar sign, or even a relief, or to crowns which are not of revolution, whereas it is desirable for the user, or at least an after-sales service, to be able to adjust the angular indexing of such a crown, in the screwed position, according to a particular orientation desired.

In fact, the known mounting methods generally do not allow the crown to be brought into a determined orientation with respect to the case after it has been screwed in, which can be detrimental to the aesthetics of the case. This situation is of course unacceptable when these crowns equip luxury and high quality products.

Summary of the invention

The object of the invention is in particular to overcome the various drawbacks of these known techniques.

More precisely, an objective of the invention is to provide an orientable screwed crown adaptable to any watch case comprising a crown housing, for the orientation of this screwed crown, produced according to a simple and economical construction.

Another objective of the invention is to provide an orientable screwed crown that is more reliable than existing ones.

Thus, the invention relates to an orientable screwed crown according to claim 1.

The invention also relates to a watch case, comprising a middle part with at least one through housing for receiving such an orientable screw-down crown.

The invention also relates to a timepiece, in particular a watch, comprising such a case.

The invention also relates to a method of assembling such an orientable screwed crown.

The invention also relates to a method for mounting such an orientable screwed crown on a watch case.

Brief description of the drawings

• la figure 1 est une vue en partie de côté, et en partie en coupe longitudinale, d'une couronne vissée orientable selon l'invention;
• la figure 2 est une vue de dessus de la couronne de la figure 1, et montre un motif sur un corps de couronne manipulable par l'utilisateur ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en coupe de la même couronne, qui comporte un tube vissé sur une carrure, dans une position vissée à fond préalable au débrayage ; un relief d'indexage frontal que porte un canon fixe, et un relief d'indexage frontal complémentaire ménagé sur un anneau solidaire du corps de couronne, et qui sont ici des denture frontales, sont en prise sous la poussée d'un ressort de couronne, qui est ici un ressort hélicoïdal ;
• la figure 4 est une vue en coupe de la même couronne, dans une position étirée dans laquelle l'utilisateur fait traction sur le corps de couronne, pour effectuer le débrayage du relief frontal d'indexage et du relief frontal d'indexage complémentaire, qui sont ici dégagés l'un de l'autre et dont le dégrènement autorise la rotation relative entre le corps de couronne et le tube ;
• la figure 5 est une perspective éclatée, quart enlevé, montrant uniquement le canon fixe avec son relief frontal d'indexage sous la forme de denture frontale, et le corps de couronne avec son relief frontal d'indexage complémentaire sous la forme d'une denture frontale complémentaire;
• la figure 6 est une perspective montrant le tube de couronne vissé sur la carrure de la boîte de montre, et la présentation du corps de couronne comportant un sous-ensemble constituant le mécanisme d'embrayage/débrayage, comportant le canon fixe, dans lequel est monté prisonnier un canon mobile prévu pour coopérer avec le mécanisme interne de la montre destiné à être commandé et/ou réglé par la couronne ;
• la figure 7 est une perspective similaire à la figure 6, où le corps de couronne est vissé à fond sur le tube comme sur la figure 3, et où l'utilisateur peut indexer le motif par rapport à la boîte de montre en exerçant une traction sur le corps de couronne pour débrayer le mécanisme, tourner le corps de couronne jusqu'à l'orientation angulaire souhaitée, puis en relâchant sa traction axiale sur le corps de couronne pour réembrayer le mécanisme dans sa nouvelle position indexée ;
• la figure 8 représente, en coupe longitudinale, le montage de la couronne, dans une position où un ressort de tube, qui tend à éloigner le canon mobile du corps de couronne, est dans son élongation maximale (alors qu'il est en compression maximale dans les positions des figures 3 et 4) ;
• la figure 9 est une vue dévissée de la couronne, le filetage du canon fixe étant présenté face au taraudage du tube de carrure, mais non encore vissé ;
• la figure 10 est une vue dévissée et tirée de la couronne, avec la course maximale du canon fixe par rapport au tube de couronne ;
• la figure 11 est un schéma-blocs représentant une montre comportant une boîte munie d'une couronne vissée orientable selon l'invention.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly on reading the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention, given by way of simple illustrative and non-limiting example, and the appended figures, among which :

• the figure 1 is a view partly from the side, and partly in longitudinal section, of an orientable screwed crown according to the invention;
• the figure 2 is a top view of the crown of the figure 1 , and shows a pattern on a user-manipulable crown body;
• the figure 3 is a sectional view of the same crown, which comprises a tube screwed onto a middle part, in a fully screwed position prior to disengagement; a front indexing relief carried by a fixed barrel, and a complementary front indexing relief provided on a ring integral with the crown body, and which here are front teeth, are engaged under the thrust of a crown spring , which here is a coil spring;
• the figure 4 is a sectional view of the same crown, in a stretched position in which the user pulls on the crown body, to disengage the front indexing relief and the complementary indexing front relief, which are released here one from the other and the release of which allows relative rotation between the crown body and the tube;
• the figure 5 is an exploded perspective, quarter removed, showing only the fixed barrel with its front indexing relief in the form of front teeth, and the crown body with its complementary indexing front relief in the form of complementary front teeth;
• the figure 6 is a perspective showing the crown tube screwed onto the middle part of the watch case, and the presentation of the crown body comprising a sub-assembly constituting the clutch / disengagement mechanism, comprising the fixed barrel, in which is mounted prisoner a movable barrel designed to cooperate with the internal mechanism of the watch intended to be controlled and / or adjusted by the crown;
• the figure 7 is a perspective similar to figure 6 , where the crown body is fully screwed onto the tube as on the figure 3 , and where the user can index the pattern with respect to the watch case by exerting a traction on the crown body to disengage the mechanism, turning the crown body until the desired angular orientation, then by releasing its axial traction on the crown body to re-engage the mechanism in its new indexed position;
• the figure 8 shows, in longitudinal section, the assembly of the crown, in a position where a tube spring, which tends to move the movable barrel away from the crown body, is in its maximum elongation (while it is in maximum compression in the positions of figures 3 and 4 );
• the figure 9 is an unscrewed view of the crown, the thread of the fixed barrel being presented opposite the thread of the middle tube, but not yet screwed;
• the figure 10 is an unscrewed and drawn view of the crown, with the maximum stroke of the fixed barrel relative to the crown tube;
• the figure 11 is a block diagram showing a watch comprising a case provided with an orientable screw-down crown according to the invention.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments

The invention relates to an orientable screw-down crown 10 for a watch case 100. This case 100 conventionally comprises a caseband 9, with at least one through housing 90 for receiving the rotatable screw-down crown 200.

This orientable screwed crown 10 is arranged to cooperate with the housing 90 and to close it in a leaktight manner. The orientable screwed crown 10 comprises a pattern 19 on an end face 18 or in its vicinity.

This orientable screwed crown 10 comprises, movable axially in an axial direction D with respect to one another, on the one hand a sub-assembly 20 comprising a crown body 1 which can be handled by a user and comprising the pattern 19, and on the other hand a tube 9. This tube 9 is arranged to be screwed or driven into the housing 90 in the axial direction D.

According to the invention, the sub-assembly 20 comprises, integral with the crown body 1, a front indexing relief 15. This front indexing relief 15 extends substantially radially with respect to the axial direction D, and is arranged in order, in an engaged position, to cooperate frontally in a complementary manner, in the axial direction D, with a complementary front indexing relief 35 which comprises a fixed barrel 3, which the sub-assembly 20 comprises.

This complementary indexing front relief 35 extends substantially radially with respect to the axial direction D, and the fixed barrel 3 tends to be biased towards the crown body 1 by at least one crown spring 4, which is interposed and mounted prisoner between the crown body 1 and the fixed barrel 3 which it tends to bring closer to one another.

In a disengaged position under the effect of traction of the crown body 1 by the user, causing compression of the crown spring 4, the front indexing relief 15 remains at a distance from the complementary indexing front relief 35 and without cooperation with him.

The cooperation between the front indexing relief 15 and the complementary indexing front relief 35 defines a discrete number of relative indexing positions corresponding to as many relative orientations of the pattern 19 with respect to the box 100.

The sub-assembly 20 and the tube 9 are arranged to cooperate by screwing up to a stop position corresponding to a completely screwed position of the sub-assembly 20 in the tube 9,

According to the invention, the sub-assembly 20 also comprises a first axial stop means 8, which is fixed to the crown body 1, to trap axially, in the axial direction D, the sub-assembly 20 with a corresponding axial stroke. to the range of deformation of the crown spring 4, to allow disengagement, by pulling the crown body 1, between the front indexing relief 15 and the complementary indexing front relief 35.

In the non-limiting variant illustrated by the figures, the crown spring 4 is a helical spring. In the absence of manipulation by the user, that is to say in the engaged position, the crown spring 4 tends to bring the crown body 1 closer to the fixed barrel 5.

More particularly, the sub-assembly 20 comprises a movable barrel 7, which comprises fixing means 71 arranged for fixing the orientable screwed crown 10 to a control member housed in a box 100. This movable barrel 7 is movable axially along the axial direction D against elastic return means 5 in a chamber 31, which is delimited on the one hand by the fixed barrel 3 and on the other hand by the crown body 1 or by a ring 2 integral with the body crown 1, or by a journal 13 integral with the crown body 1, and in which chamber 31 the movable barrel 7 is mounted captive. In particular, the elastic return means 5 comprise at least one tube spring, in particular helical. This journal 13, here shown in the figures in one piece with the crown body 1, can also be an attached element, permanently attached to the body of crown 1, for example by laser welding or the like. The ring 2 can also be fixed to the crown body 1 by a laser weld 21, or the like.

More particularly, the sub-assembly 20 cannot be dismantled.

More particularly, the fixed barrel 3 comprises a thread 31, which is arranged to cooperate with an internal thread 91 which the tube 9 comprises.

More particularly, the front indexing relief 15 and the complementary indexing front relief 35 include complementary front teeth.

More particularly, the first axial stop means 8 comprises an annular ring with a front abutment bearing surface 81, which is substantially perpendicular to the axial direction D, and arranged to cooperate in abutment bearing with the crown spring 4 , or with one of them if there is more than one.

More particularly, the first axial stop means 8 comprises at least one annular groove 82 for receiving a seal 6, which is arranged to cooperate with a seal bearing surface 92 which the tube 9 comprises and which is arranged to compress the seal 6 in the fully screwed position of the sub-assembly 20 in the tube 9. Preferably this seal bearing surface 92 is oblique with respect to the axial direction D, in particular conical or the like.

The annular ring 8 can also be fixed to the crown body 1 by laser welding 83, or the like. The figures illustrate a particular variant where the crown body 1 comprises a groove 180, intended to receive an adhesive seal or the like.

More particularly, the front indexing relief 15 is carried by a ring 2 integral with the crown body 1, which makes it possible to lower the cost of production.

The invention also relates to a watch case 100, comprising a middle part 110 with at least one through housing 90 for receiving such an orientable screwed crown 10.

The invention also relates to a timepiece, in particular a watch 1000, comprising such a box 100.

• préparer le sous-ensemble 20 en insérant le relief frontal d'indexage 15 dans le relief frontal d'indexage complémentaire 35, en insérant le ressort de couronne 4 en appui sur le canon fixe 3 lui-même en appui sur le corps de couronne 1 ou un anneau 2 solidaire du corps de couronne 1, en équipant intérieurement le corps de couronne 1 ou le premier moyen d'arrêt axial 8 d'au moins un joint d'étanchéité 8, en fixant le premier moyen d'arrêt axial 8 de façon irréversible sur le corps de couronne 1 ;
• préparer le tube 9 et le visser sur le sous-ensemble 20.

The invention also relates to a method of assembling such an orientable screwed crown 10, comprising the following steps:

• prepare the sub-assembly 20 by inserting the front indexing relief 15 into the complementary indexing front relief 35, by inserting the crown spring 4 resting on the fixed barrel 3 itself resting on the crown body 1 or a ring 2 integral with the crown body 1, by internally fitting the crown body 1 or the first axial stop means 8 with at least one seal 8, by fixing the first axial stop means 8 irreversibly on the crown body 1;
• prepare tube 9 and screw it onto sub-assembly 20.

• assembler la couronne vissée orientable 10 selon le procédé de la revendication 10;
• insérer le tube 9 axialement selon la direction axiale D dans le logement 90 de la carrure 8, dans la carrure 100, et le fixer à la carrure 110 par vissage ou chassage jusqu'à une position de butée de vissage ou respectivement de chassage ;
• mesurer l'écart d'orientation angulaire du motif 19 par rapport à la position désirée, et déterminer le nombre de pas de correction d'indexation ;
• tirer axialement le corps de couronne 1 en l'éloignant de la carrure 110 puis faire tourner le corps de couronne 1 jusqu'à obtention de l'orientation angulaire désirée ;
• relâcher le corps de couronne 1.

The invention also relates to a method of mounting such an orientable screwed crown 10 on such a box 100, comprising the following steps:

• assembling the orientable screw-down crown 10 according to the method of claim 10;
• inserting the tube 9 axially in the axial direction D in the housing 90 of the middle part 8, in the middle part 100, and fix it to the middle part 110 by screwing or driving it to a screwing stop position or respectively driving in;
• measuring the angular orientation deviation of the pattern 19 from the desired position, and determining the number of indexing correction steps;
• axially pull the crown body 1 away from the middle part 110 then rotate the crown body 1 until the desired angular orientation is obtained;
• release the crown body 1.

• on enferme dans une chambre 31 constituée par la juxtaposition, d'une part du corps de couronne 1 ou respectivement de l'anneau 2 et d'autre part du canon fixe 3, des moyens de rappel élastique 5 tendant à repousser un canon mobile 7 comportant des moyens de fixation 101 agencés pour la fixation de la couronne vissée orientable 10 à un organe de commande logé dans la boîte 100, le canon mobile 7 étant aussi maintenu prisonnier dans la chambre 31 par le canon fixe 3 ;
• on insère le relief frontal d'indexage 15, porté par le corps de couronne 1 ou respectivement l'anneau 2, dans le relief frontal d'indexage complémentaire 35 porté par le canon fixe 3 ;
• on dispose chaque ressort de couronne 4 entre le canon fixe 3 et le premier moyen d'arrêt axial 8 ;
• on limite axialement la course du canon fixe 3 par rapport au corps de couronne 1 par fixation du premier moyen d'arrêt axial 8 au corps de couronne 1 de façon à ce que chaque ressort de couronne 4 soit maintenu sans jeu dans l'espace axial délimité d'une part par le corps de couronne 1 ou respectivement l'anneau 2, et d'autre part par le canon fixe 3 ;
• puis on fixe de façon irréversible le premier moyen d'arrêt axial 8 au corps de couronne 1, pour constituer un sous-ensemble indémontable.

More particularly, during the preparation of the sub-assembly 20:

• is enclosed in a chamber 31 formed by the juxtaposition, on the one hand of the crown body 1 or respectively of the ring 2 and on the other hand of the fixed barrel 3, elastic return means 5 tending to push back a mobile barrel 7 comprising fixing means 101 arranged for fixing the orientable screwed crown 10 to a control member housed in the box 100, the mobile barrel 7 also being held captive in the chamber 31 by the fixed barrel 3;
• inserting the front indexing relief 15, carried by the crown body 1 or respectively the ring 2, in the complementary indexing front relief 35 carried by the fixed barrel 3;
• each crown spring 4 is placed between the fixed barrel 3 and the first axial stop means 8;
• the stroke of the fixed barrel 3 is axially limited with respect to the crown body 1 by fixing the first axial stop means 8 to the crown body 1 so that each crown spring 4 is held without play in the axial space delimited on the one hand by the crown body 1 or respectively the ring 2, and on the other hand by the fixed barrel 3;
• then the first axial stop means 8 is irreversibly fixed to the crown body 1, in order to constitute a non-removable sub-assembly.

Claims (12)

Adjustable screwed crown (10) for a watch case (100) comprising a middle part (110) with at least one housing (90) passing through for receiving said adjustable screwed crown (10), which adjustable screwed crown (10) is arranged for cooperating with said housing (90) and sealing it off, said orientable screwed crown (10) comprising a pattern (19) on an end face (18) or in its vicinity, said adjustable screwed crown (10) comprising, movable axially in an axial direction (D) with respect to each other, on the one hand a sub-assembly (20) comprising a crown body (1) which can be handled by a user and comprising said pattern (19 ), and on the other hand a tube (9) arranged to be screwed or driven into said housing (90) in said axial direction (D), characterized in that said sub-assembly (20) comprises, integral with said crown body (1), a front indexing relief (15) extending substantially radially with respect to said axial direction (D) and arranged for, in an engaged position, to cooperate frontally in a complementary manner, in said axial direction (D), with a complementary indexing front relief (35) that comprises a fixed barrel (3), which comprises said sub-assembly (20) and which extends substantially radially with respect to said axial direction (D) and tends to be returned towards said crown body (1) by at least one crown spring (4) interposed and mounted prisoner between said crown body (1) and said fixed barrel (3) which it tends to bring closer to one another, and for, in a position disengaged by compression of said crown spring (4), to remain at a distance from said complementary indexing front relief (35) and without cooperation with it, the cooperation between said indexing front relief (15) and said complementary indexing front relief (35) defining a discrete number of relative indexing positions corresponding to as many relative orientations of said pattern ( 19) relative to said box (100), said sub-assembly (20) and said tube (9) being arranged to cooperate by screwing up to a stop position corresponding to a fully screwed position of said sub-assembly (20) in said tube (9), and further characterized in that said sub-assembly (20) comprises a first axial stop means (8) fixed to said crown body (1) to trap axially, in said axial direction (D) , said fixed barrel (3) with an axial stroke corresponding to the range of deformation of said crown spring (4) to allow disengagement by pulling said crown body (1) between said front indexing relief (15) and said complementary indexing front relief (35). Adjustable screwed crown (10) according to Claim 1, characterized in that said sub-assembly (20) cannot be removed, and comprises a movable barrel (7) comprising fixing means (71) arranged for fixing said adjustable screwed crown (10) to a control member housed in a said box (100), which movable barrel (7) is axially movable in said axial direction (D) against elastic return means (5) in a chamber (31) ) defined on the one hand by said fixed barrel (3) and on the other hand by said crown body (1) or by a ring (2) integral with said crown body (1), and in which chamber (31) said mobile cannon (7) is taken prisoner. Adjustable screwed crown (10) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the said fixed barrel (3) comprises a thread (31) arranged to cooperate with an internal thread (91) which the said tube (9) comprises. Adjustable screwed crown (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said front indexing relief (15) and said complementary indexing front relief (35) comprise complementary front teeth. Adjustable screwed crown (10) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said first axial stop means (8) comprises an annular ring with a front abutment bearing surface (81) substantially perpendicular to said said axial direction (D), arranged to cooperate in abutment bearing with a said crown spring (4). Adjustable screwed crown (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that said first axial stop means (8) comprises at least one annular groove (82) for receiving a seal (6) arranged to cooperate with a seal bearing surface (92) which said tube (9) comprises and which is arranged to compress said seal (6) in said fully screwed position of said sub-assembly (20) in said tube (9). Adjustable screwed crown (10) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said front indexing relief (15) is carried by a ring (2) integral with said crown body (1). Watch case (100), comprising a middle part (110) with at least one housing (90) passing through for receiving an orientable screwed crown (10) according to one of claims 1 to 7. Watch (1000) comprising a case (100) according to claim 8. Method of assembling an orientable screwed crown (10) according to one of claims 1 to 7, comprising the following steps: - preparing said sub-assembly (20) by inserting said front indexing relief (15) in said complementary indexing front relief (35), by inserting said crown spring (4) resting on said fixed barrel (3) itself resting on said crown body (1) or a ring (2) integral with said crown body (1), by internally fitting said crown body (1) or said first axial stop means (8) d at least one seal (8), fixing said first axial stop means (8) irreversibly on said crown body (1); - Prepare said tube (9) and screw it onto said sub-assembly (20). Method of mounting an orientable screwed crown (10) according to one of claims 1 to 7 on a box (100) according to claim 8, comprising the following steps: - Assembling said orientable screwed crown (10) according to the method of claim 10; - inserting said tube (9) axially in said axial direction (D) in said housing (90) of said caseband (8), in the caseband (100), and fix it to said caseband (110) by screwing or driving it out until at a screwing or driving-in stop position, respectively; - Measuring the angular orientation deviation of said pattern (19) from the desired position, and determining the number of indexing correction steps; - axially pulling said crown body (1) away from said middle part (110) then rotating said crown body (1) until the desired angular orientation is obtained; - releasing said crown body (1). Mounting method according to claim 11, characterized in that , during the preparation of said sub-assembly (20): - Is enclosed in a chamber (31) formed by the juxtaposition, on the one hand of said crown body (1) or respectively of said ring (2) and on the other hand of said fixed barrel (3), elastic return means ( 5) tending to push back a movable barrel (7) comprising fixing means (101) arranged for fixing said orientable screwed crown (10) to a control member housed in said box (100), said movable barrel (7) also being held prisoner in said chamber (31) by said fixed barrel (3); - Inserting said front indexing relief (15), carried by said crown body (1) or respectively said ring (2), in said complementary indexing front relief (35) carried by said fixed barrel (3); - Each said crown spring (4) is placed between said fixed barrel (3) and said first axial stop means (8); - The stroke of said fixed barrel (3) is axially limited relative to said crown body (1) by fixing said first axial stop means (8) to said crown body (1) so that each said crown spring (4) is maintained without play in the axial space delimited on the one hand by said crown body (1) or respectively said ring (2), and on the other hand by said fixed barrel (3); - Then irreversibly fixed said first axial stop means (8) to said crown body (1), to constitute a non-removable sub-assembly.

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