US3595008A

US3595008A - A fluidtight connection for a timepiece winding knob

Info

Publication number: US3595008A
Application number: US771769A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ervin Piquerez
Original assignee: Ervin Piquerez SA
Current assignee: Ervin Piquerez SA
Priority date: 1968-10-30
Filing date: 1968-10-30
Publication date: 1971-07-27
Anticipated expiration: 1988-07-27

Abstract

In a watertight timepiece a tubular member passes through the timepiece casing and a winding shaft passes through the tube with a tubular member and is connected to an elastically deformable winding button which is slidably mounted over an end of the tubular member in a fluidtight manner. The fluidtightness is obtained by contact between the elastically deformable winding button and the tubular member without the interposition of a fluidtight packing, the winding button having an annular inner projection in fluidtight contact with the tubular member.

Description

United [72] Inventor Ervin Piquerez 2854 Bassecourt, Switzerland [2]] Appl. No. 771,769 [22] Filed Oct. 30, 1968 [45] Patented July 27. I971 [54] FLUIDTIGI-IT CONNECTION FOR A TIMEPIECE WINDING KNOB 5 Claims, 10 Drawing Figs.

52] 58/90 [51] ....G04b 37/08 [50] 58/63,73, 88 B, 90 B [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,806,343 9ll957 Piquerez .i 58/90 B FOREIGN PATENTS 945,320 6/1956 Germany 58/90 B 272,324 12/1950 Switzerland 58/90 B 299.776 6/1954 Switzerland 58/90 B 348,928 10/1960 Switzerland 58/90 B Primary Examiner- Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-George H. Miller, Jr. Attorneys-Robert E. Burns and Emmanuel J. Lobato ABSTRACT: In a watertight timepiece a tubular member passes through the timepiece casing and a winding shaft passes through the tube with a tubular member and is connected to an elastically deformable winding button which is slidably mounted over an end of the tubular member in a fluidtight manner. The fluidtightness is obtained by contact between the elastically deformable winding button and the tubular member without the interposition of a fluidtight packing, the winding button having an annular inner projection in fluidtight contact with the tubular member.

PATENTEnJurLzmn 3 595 00 SHEET 1 0F 2 FLUID'I'IGI'IT CONNECTION FOR A TIMEPIECE WINDING KNOB The fluidtightness of timepiece winding staffs has been heretofore obtained by the interposition of a fluidtight packing, either between the wall of the winding button and the tube or between the tube and a core of the button. The housing and the fastening of these packings requires expensive and delicate operations.

It has also been proposed to make the winding member fluidtight by positioning a toroidal joint called an O-ring between the button and the tube. This construction however has certain drawbacks which cannot be avoided since they arise from the manufacture of the O-ring joint. These being obtained by moulding, irregularities occur along the circumferences in contact with the parts of the mould. However. the contact of the O-ring joint with on the one hand the tube and on the other hand the button'precisely occur along the circumferences. The presence of the irregularities thus causes discontinuities in this contact which in turn can cause the joint to leak.

It has been proposed to eliminate fluidtight packing by ensuring a fluidtight contact directly between a plastic button and the tube, by machining on this tube a projection. In order that fluidtightness be perfect, it is however necessary that the metallic contact surface be perfectly smooth. However it is extremely difficult and expensive to machine such a projection in a manner suchthat it will have this feature.

Furthermore it has also been suggested to machine a projection of plastic material on the shaft of the button in such a way that it can cooperate with the inner surface of the tube; the elasticity of the contact is however difficult to achieve in satisfactory manner and infiltrations are still possible between the button and the upper part of the tube.

The present invention has for its object a fluidtight connection for a timepiece comprising a winding button of synthetic material driving a staff or rod passing through the wall of the timepiece casing by means of a tubular member and whose fluidtightness is ensured by the pressure contact between the button and the tubular part without the interposition of a fluidtight packing, thereby palliating the drawbacks of the constructions previously mentioned. This control organ is characterized by the fact that the button has at least one inner annular projection in fluidtight contact with the tubular metallic part.

This solution has all the advantages of a construction using an O-ring joint without having the drawbacks thereof, the actual technique of moulding of'synthetic materials making possible the provision of a projection which is sufficiently free from irregularities. Moreover, the pressure of the contacting points of the two elements which provide fluidtightness is ensured at the base of the button which prevents all infiltration between the button and the upper part of the tube.

The accompanying drawing represents by way of example several embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a winding button with aprojection cooperating with a smooth tube.

FIG. 2 shows a winding button with two projections cooperating with a smooth tube.

FIG. 3 shows a winding button with a projection cooperating with a tube having a groove.

FIG. 4 shows a winding button with two projections cooperating with a tube having two corresponding grooves.-

FIGS. 5a and b show the keying ofa core in the winding button of plastic material.

FIGS. 6a and b show a second way of anchoring a core in a button.

FIGS. 70 and b show a third way of anchoring a core in a button.

For the purpose of simplifying the description of the different embodiments of the invention, the basic elements have been referenced by the same number in all the figures. These elements are an elastically deformable winding knob or button I composed of plastic material, in which is anchored or embedded a metallic core 2. A winding stem or the pusher of a chronograph (not shown) screws into the metallic core 2 and a metallic tube 3 interconnects the winding knob 1 with the case of the watch or the chronograph and receives therethrough a winding staff through the side of the watch casmg.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. I, the winding button has a hollowed out interior portion and an annular projection 4 extends radially inwardly from a peripheral portion thereof; obtained, for example, by moulding without irregularities. This annular projection 4 is near the lower edge of the button and prevents all infiltration between the tubular member 3 and the button whereas fluidtight packings heretofore employed are located in the center of the button and do not prevent such infiltration. The projection 4 cooperates with the surface 5 of the tubular member 3 which is rigorously cylindrical and smooth so as to allow for perfect sliding adjustment therebetween. The surface 5 is free from all surface imperfection or traces of drilling which ensures complete fluidtightness and makes possible in particular the obtaining of diameter tolerances near the nearest one-hundredth of a millimeter which is not the case with tubes having projections which must be polished after screw cutting. Adjustment can also be made by rolling. Thus during axial sliding movement of the button on the tube, fluidtightness is ensured in all positions. The elastic deformation of the elastically deformable button ensures a uniform radial pressure which is necessary to ensure good fluidtightness.

FIG. 2 shows a modification of FIG. 1 comprising two projections.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, tube 3 has in its smooth part 5 a peripheral groove 6 whose angles 7 are rounded. The radial projection 4 of the winding button can engage in this groove but contacts however only the rounded angles 7 thereof which therefore give to the buttons projection a double seat and consequently a double fluidtight engagement. This groove forms an anchor which in certain cases allows for the connecting or the disconnecting of the button or other operations related to the movement of the timepiece itself, such as chronometer pushers. When the button is pulled, the fluidtightness is ensured by pressure contact between 4 and 5 in the same manner as in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows a modification of FIG. 3 in which the button has two

projections

8 and 9 similar to projection 4 which can introduce themselves simultaneously in two grooves 10 and 11 similar to groove 7 made in the smooth surface 5 of the tube.

These two grooves also provide a double seating and a fourfold fluidtightness of the device.

It is indispensable that the metallic core 2 be keyed in the winding button I in such a way as to prevent all movement of the core relative to the button. FIG. 5 shows at a a cross-sectional view and at b a plan view ofa button and its core. Core 2 has a slightly curved head 12 the periphery of which is shaped so as to have four rectangular nicks 13 in which penetrates plastic material during moulding of the button.

In FIG. 6, the metallic core 2 is provided with four radial ears l4 partially bent at a right angle in order to form arms 14a which extend parallel to the axis of the metallic core. The arms 14a effectively increases the elastic constant of the mass of the elastically deformable button.

FIG. 7 shows a modification of FIG. 6 in which the spaces 15 separating the ears 14 are replaced by holes 16 made in the bent part 17 of the core head.

What I claim is:

I. In a timepiece, a fluidtight connection for a timepiece winding knob comprising: a fixedly mounted metallic tubular member connectable at one end to a timepiece casing; an elastically deformable winding knob elastically deformed around and in direct fluidtight, sliding contact with an outer peripheral portion of the other end of said tubular member, said elastically deformable winding knob comprising means defining a hollowed out interior portion enclosing said other bular member dimensioned to releasahly receive therein ina fluidtight manner said annular projection.

3. A timepiece according to claim 1; wherein said metallic core member includes a plurality of arms embedded in said elastically deformable winding knob effective to increase-the resiliency of said elastically deformable winding knob.

4. In a timepiece, a fluidtight connection for a timepiece winding knob comprising: a fixedly mounted metallic tubular member connectable at one end to a timepiece casing; an elastically deformable winding knob elastically deformed around and in direct fluidtlght, sliding contact with an outer peripheral portion of the other end of said tubular member, said elastically deformable winding knob comprising means defining a hollowed out interior portion enclosing said other end of said tubular member, and a plurality of axially spacedapart annular projections extending radially inwardly from an end peripheral portion of said hollowed out interior portion each in fluidtight, sliding contact with said tubular member; means defining a plurality of axially spaced-apart annular grooves on said other end of said tubular member each dimensioned to releasably receive therein in a fluidtight manner one of said annular projections; and a metallic core member embedded in said elastically deformable winding knob having a projecting portion extending into said other end of said tubular member, and means on said projecting portion releasabiy v connectable to a winding staff of said timepiece.

Claims

1. In a timepiece, a fluidtight connection for a timepiece winding knob comprising: a fixedly mounted metallic tubular member connectable at one end to a timepiece casing; an elastically deformable winding knob elastically deformed around and in direct fluidtight, sliding contact with an outer peripheral portion of the other end of said tubular member, said elastically deformable winding knob comprising means defining a hollowed out interior portion enclosing said other end of said tubular member, and an annular projection extending radially inwardly from an end peripheral portion of said hollowed out interior portion in fluidtight, sliding contact with said tubular member; and a metallic core member embedded in said elastically deformable winding knob having a projecting portion extending into said other end of said tubular member, and means on said projecting portion releasably connectable to a winding staff of said timepiece.

2. A timepiece according to claim 1; further including means defining an annular groove on said other end of said tubular member dimensioned to releasably receive therein in a fluidtight manner said annular projection.

3. A timepiece according to claim 1; wherein said metallic core member includes a plurality of arms embedded in said elastically deformable winding knob effective to increase the resiliency of said elastically deformable winding knob.

4. In a timepiece, a fluidtight connection for a timepiece winding knob comprising: a fixedly mounted metallic tubular member connectable at one end to a timepiece casing; an elastically deformable winding knob elastically deformed around and in direct fluidtight, sliding contact with an outer peripheral portion of the other end of said tubular member, said elastically deformable winding knob comprising means defining a hollowed out interior portion enclosing said other end of said tubular member, and a plurality of axially spaced-apart annular projections extending radially inwardly from an end peripheral portion of said hollowed out interior portion each in fluidtight, sliding contact with said tubular member; means defining a plurality of axially spaced-apart annular grooves on said other end of said tubular member each dimensioned to releasably receive therein in a fluidtight manner one of said annular projections; and a metallic core member embedded in said elastically deformable winding knob having a projecting portion extending into said other end of said tubular member, and means on said projecting portion releasably connectable to a winding staff of said timepiece.

5. A timepiece according to claim 4; wherein said metallic core member includes a plurality of arms embedded in said elastically deformable winding knob effective to increase the resiliency of said elastically deformable winding knob.