GB2583471A - Watch caseback with lockable pushbutton - Google Patents

Abstract

A watch caseback 3 that has a push button (2, 4-8) that can be locked by rotation. The rotation may be done by a wheel handle 4. The pushbutton may be formed by a cap 2, a wheel handle 4, a stem 5, two O-rings 6, a spring 7 and a bolt 8. The back of the watch case 1 can be seen in figure A. The pushbutton of the caseback may form a water resistant seal when in the locked position.

Description

Watch Caseback with Lockable Pushbutton The present invention relates to a watch caseback incorporating a pushbutton that can be locked.

The back of a watch is referred to as a "caseback". It covers the bottom opening of a watch case and functions to keep the internal mechanism of the watch safe from the elements. Some watch designs allow control of the watch's functions to be mounted on the bottom of the watch. This necessarily means that the caseback incorporates pushbuttons to act as pushers onto the internal watch mechanisms to allow external control.

However, the presence of buttons on the caseback introduces 2 problems:-i) Any water resistance feature of the watch is reduced or compromised as the necessity to mount pushbuttons gives access to water.

The pushbuttons may be accidentally pressed due to contact with the wrist as they are bottom mounted.

The present invention proposes to solve these issues by incorporating a pushbutton with a lock mechanism onto the caseback. Once locked in place, the mechanism serves as a water-tight seal over the pushbutton to keep out water. It will also prevent accidental pressing of the pushbutton.

The pushbutton is designed with handles and an internal screw thread locking system which is integrated on the caseback of the watch.

In the lock position, the pushbutton cannot be pressed and offers water resistance by sealing the pushbutton in a vault-like manner to prevent water access to the inside of the watch case. To unlock and operate the pushbutton, the user winds its handles which gradually raises the pushbutton away from the surface of the caseback due to the presence of the internal screw thread. Once raised, the pushbutton may be pressed to activate whatever mechanism is installed inside the watch case. The pushbutton may be locked again by winding its handles in the opposite direction.

The physical features of the present invention is described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings as follows: Figure A shows a watch case onto which the present invention 1 is to be installed as a caseback.

Figure B shows a blow-up diagram of the present invention 1's various components comprising a cap 2, a caseback 3, a wheel-handle 4, a stem 5, two 0-rings 6, a spring 7 and a bolt 8. When assembled together, the cap 2, the wheel-handle 4, the stem 5, the two 0-rings 6, the spring 7 and the bolt 8 combine to form a pushbutton that can be locked against its accompanying caseback 3.

Figure C-1 shows the caseback 3 viewed from the bottom and Figure C-2 shows a cross-sectional view of caseback 3 from the side. The caseback 3 features a depression 3a with an access hole 3b in the centre. The wheel-handle 4 is to be placed within the depression 3a. It is not necessary for the depression 3a to be circular so long as there is enough distance between the inner edges of the depression 3a and the circumference of the handles 4a to enable complete rotation of the wheel-handle 4. The caseback 3 access hole 3b should allow a snug fit with the stem 5 tail.

Figure D-1 and Figure D-2 show the cap 2 viewed down from the top of the head and the side cross-section respectively. It features an access hole 2a and an undercut 2b. The cap 2 access hole 2a should be threaded to match the screw thread of the bolt 8 tail. An undercut 2b is required so that the end of stem 5 tail can be set against it as shown in Figure Ito prevent the cap 2 from moving out of the caseback 3 access hole 3b to the external part of caseback 3.

Figure E-1 shows the inner side of the wheel-handle 4 viewed from the top of the inner side and Figure E-2 shows a cross-section of wheel-handle 4 viewed from the side. There is no need for the centre wheel section to be in a circular shape so long as the attached handles 4a can be rotated within the caseback 3 depression. An access hole 4b is threaded with the opening on the inner side being narrower than the opening on the outer side. The threading is to be matched against the screw thread on the bolt 8 head so that when the handles are turned, the wheel-handle 4 is raised or lowered (depending on turning direction) from the caseback 3 depression 3a. The narrower access hole 4b opening on the inner side will prevent turning of the wheel-handle 4 from being turned until it comes off the entire assembly.

Figure F-1 shows the stem 5 viewed from the top of its head and Figure F-2 shows the stem 5 side cross-section. The stem 5 has an undercut 5a which distinguishes its head from its tail. The head has teeth 5b in the manner of a gear set along the length of the cylindrical stem 5. The stem 5 teeth 5b are to be matched against the bolt 8 teeth 8c to allow movement along the long axis of the bolt 8 but prevent rotational movement. The stem 5 tail should fit snugly into the caseback 3 access hole 3b as shown in Figure I and soldered or affixed in some other manner to ensure that it is immobile in relation to the caseback 3. The stem 5 is hollow with a ledge 5c within the hollow. The ledge 5c is there so that the washer 7a section of the spring 7 can be placed against it. Two 0-rings 6 are placed in the stem 5 hollow to be pressed between the spring 7 washer 7a and the cap 2 tail. This will make a seal to prevent water from leaking into the watch case through the stem 5 hollow.

Figure 0-1 shows the bolt 8 viewed from the top of the tail, G-2 shows the bolt 8 side cross-section and G-3 shows the bolt 8 viewed from the top of the head. The tail is threaded to match with the cap 2 access hole 2a thread. The bolt 8 and cap 2 are screwed together to hold the entire assembly together. There is a cavity 8a within the bolt 8 head that features teeth 8b along the long axis on the inner surface. The bolt 8 teeth 8b are to be matched against the stem 5 teeth 5b to allow movement along the long axis of the bolt 8 but prevent rotational movement. The outer sides of the bolt 8 head are also threaded to match with the wheel-handle 4 access hole 4b thread. The screw thread on the outside of the bolt 8 head and the teeth 8b on the inside of the bolt 8 head ensures that when the wheel-handle 4 is turned, the wheel-handle 4 is raised or lowered (depending on turning direction) from the caseback 3 depression 3a. Allowing movement along the long axis allows the raised wheel-handle 4 to be pressed and function as a pushbutton.

Figure H-1 shows the spring 7 from the top down. Figure H-2 shows the spring 7 from the side. Figure H-3 shows the spring 7 in isometric view. The spring 7 is attached to a washer 7a. The spring 7 is to be installed into the assembly by placing its washer 7a end against the stem 5 ledge 5c and the other end against the inside of the bolt 8.

Figure I shows the fully assembled present invention 1 already installed on a watch case.

Figure J-1 shows the present invention 1 in its locked position. Turning the wheel-handle 4 will raise it from the caseback 3 depression 3a as shown in Figure J-2. When raised, the wheel-handle 4 can then be pressed into the depression 3a causing the bolt 8 and thus the cap 2 to move toward the inside of the watch case thereby pressing the activation buttons installed therein as shown in Figure J-3. The spring 7 will cause the entire wheel-handle 4, cap 2 and bolt 8 assembly to snap back into their original positions when not pressed. Turning the wheel-handle 4 in the opposite direction will lower it back into the locked position.

Claims (3)

1. CLAIMS1. A watch caseback incorporating a pushbutton that is lockable by means of rotation.
2. 2. A watch caseback incorporating a pushbutton according to claim 1 whereby the pushbutton in the locked position forms a seal to provide water resistance by preventing water entering or leaking into the watch case through the pushbutton.
3. 3. A watch caseback incorporating a pushbutton according to claim 1 whereby the pushbutton cannot be pressed when in the lock position.