Modular table

Abstract

The invention relates to a modular watch (1) comprising at least: a central part (10); a bottom cover (11); a display module (12) comprising a dial, time display means, a watch glass and first magnetic gear means; a watch module (13) comprising a watch movement with second magnetic gear means arranged to cooperate with the magnetic gear means of the display module (12); and a first wrist strap strand and a second wrist strap strand integral with the central part (10) at a pair of lugs (20, 30). According to the invention, the display module (12) and the watch module (13) are mounted one on top of the other, said display module (12) being mounted so that it is secured against the central part (10) and the watch module (13) being mounted so that it can rotate between the bottom cover (11) and the display module (12) in order to set the time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to modular mechanical parts.

[0002] More specifically, the present invention relates to a modular mechanical watch consisting of multiple interchangeable modules. Background Technology

[0003] A watch's appearance is typically determined by the shape and / or color of its central component (carrure), crown, and may also be determined by the crystal, dial, and hands. The bracelet also contributes to the watch's aesthetic appeal.

[0004] Today, wearers are particularly interested in being able to change the look of their watches to, for example, match their outfits or stand out from other watch models.

[0005] Therefore, it is of interest to propose a watch whose appearance can be easily modified and / or customized by the wearer to suit current fashion trends.

[0006] Similarly, when a watch is worn daily, the external parts are often scratched or otherwise worn, while the movement remains in ideal condition. Therefore, when the watch case is excessively damaged or worn, the wearer must take it to a professional shop for replacement.

[0007] For example, a modular watch is known from European Patent Document No. 0862 098, in which the appearance of the watch can be changed with ease. Such watches include a display module in which the dial, hands, and protective glass are mounted, and a watchmaking module housing the movement; both modules are designed to be detachable from each other. Therefore, such watches allow the appearance of their display module to be altered while the watchmaking module remains unchanged.

[0008] While the solution is partially satisfactory, issues arise regarding the watertightness between the two modules. More specifically, the water resistance of such watches is far from reliable due to the multiple axes extending beyond the watch module. Similarly, this solution presents problems when the display case is replaced by another display case, as this means disconnecting the display hands, causing them to become out of sync, which becomes apparent when the watch module is reassembled. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The main objective of this invention is to provide a modular watch whose appearance can be easily changed by the wearer, has reliable water resistance, and does not require adjustment after the module has been replaced.

[0010] Therefore, the present invention relates to a modular table, which includes at least:

[0011] -Central component;

[0012] - Bottom cover;

[0013] - Display module, which includes a dial, a time display device, a watch glass, and a first magnetic gear device;

[0014] - A clock module, which includes a clock movement with a second magnetic gear mechanism arranged to cooperate with a magnetic gear mechanism of a display module;

[0015] - The first and second bracelet strands are integrated with the central component at the paired lugs.

[0016] According to the invention, a display module and a clock module are mounted such that one is on top of the other, the display module is mounted such that it is fixed against a central component, and the clock module is mounted such that it can rotate between the base and the display module to adjust the time.

[0017] Other advantageous alternative embodiments according to the invention:

[0018] - The magnetic gear device includes a first sprocket having at least one magnet, the first sprocket being arranged to cooperate with a second sprocket of a second magnetic gear device, the second sprocket also having at least one magnet;

[0019] Both the display module and the clock module are waterproof;

[0020] - The clock module includes angular positioning teeth that cooperate with a resilient device to hold the clock module in a defined angular position. The resilient device is integrated with the display module or central component.

[0021] - The time display device includes an hour hand and a minute hand;

[0022] - The modular watch includes a device for locking the rotation of the watch module, the locking device being formed by a portion of the strap strand that cooperates with the watch module between each pair of lugs of the central component;

[0023] - The rotation locking device includes a groove formed on the outer periphery of the watch module;

[0024] - The grooves formed on the outer periphery of the clock module include N×60 notches, where N is strictly greater than zero;

[0025] - The top surface of the clock module facing the display module is enclosed by a non-ferromagnetic plate;

[0026] -The watch module includes a mechanical movement or a quartz movement;

[0027] - The rotation center of the clock module, the rotation center of the first wheel, and the rotation center of the second wheel are coaxial. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, given by way of non-limiting example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0029] - Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of a modular table according to the present invention is shown;

[0030] - Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of a modular table according to the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0031] Figure 1 A modular watch 1 according to the present invention is shown. The watch includes: a central component 10; a case back 11; a display module 12 including a dial 2, a time display device, and a watch glass 5; and a watch module 13 including a watch movement. The watch 1 also includes two strap strands X and Y fixed to the central component 10 at two pairs of lugs 20 and 21, these strands being secured by means of a rod. The watch 1 may also include a rotating or non-rotating bezel 14.

[0032] Display devices typically include an hour hand (3) and a minute hand (4). A second hand may also be included, however this makes time adjustment impractical.

[0033] The clock module 13 is arranged to house a mechanical or quartz movement and includes a first gear mechanism adapted to ensure that the hour hand 3 and minute hand 4 of the display module 12 rotate about a rotation axis A. The display module includes: a dial 2; hands 3 and 4; a watch glass 5; and a second gear mechanism that cooperates with the first gear mechanism of the clock module 13.

[0034] The first and second gear devices are in the form of magnetic wheels, forming a magnetic transmission between the display module and the clock module.

[0035] These magnetic gear mechanisms are particularly well-suited for such modular watches and allow for the assembly or disassembly of the two modules 12, 13 without concern for connecting any shafts to drive the pointers, pointer asynchrony, or water resistance issues.

[0036] More specifically, magnetic drive allows the structure of the display module 12 and the clock module 13 to be made waterproof, because the clock module does not need to use a drive shaft (or multiple coaxial rods) to drive the display hands.

[0037] Typically, the hour and minute hands 3 and 4 each include plates 30 and 40 extending parallel to the dial 2, with the ends of the plates used to indicate the current hour and minute on the dial. The hands 3 and 4 also include cylindrical portions (referred to as tubes 31 and 41) having an axis of symmetry coinciding with the axis of rotation A, each tube being provided such that it is integral with the hour wheel 122 and the cross wheel 120, respectively.

[0038] Typically, the tube 41 of the minute hand and the tube 31 of the hour hand 3 extend in the same direction, and the tube 41 of the minute hand 4 is mounted in the tube 31 of the hour hand 3. In this way, each hand is adapted to be driven to rotate about the same axis of rotation A.

[0039] According to the invention, the first gear assembly and the second gear assembly are in the form of magnetic wheels, each wheel accommodating at least one magnet 121, 131 at its periphery. Advantageously, the magnetic wheel includes a first sprocket 120 having at least one magnet 121, the first sprocket 120 being arranged to cooperate with a second sprocket 130 of the second magnetic gear assembly, the second sprocket 130 also having at least one magnet 131.

[0040] The watch module is enclosed by a non-ferromagnetic plate, such as a sapphire crystal plate, on the side or top facing the display module. The bottom of the watch module can be enclosed by a traditional metal case back, a sapphire crystal for viewing the movement, or it can even be integrated with the module as a single piece.

[0041] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As can be seen, the clock module 13 has two adjacent shoulders 134 and 135 on its bottom surface, which are arranged to cooperate with the bottom cover 11. This arrangement allows for simple and reliable assembly, while also allowing the clock module 13 to rotate relative to the bottom cover 11.

[0042] The display module 12 is positioned above the clock module 13 and mounted such that it is fixed against the central component 10. The display module 12 can be fixed to the central component 10 by being positioned from below or above it, and can be held, for example, by the watch frame 14.

[0043] When the display module 12 is placed below the central component 10, the central component 10 is rotated relative to the central component 10 via a positioning device, such as a protrusion 123, which is integral with the display module 12 and arranged to cooperate with a recess 124 formed in the central component 10. Thus, once the bottom cover 11 has been secured to the central component 10, the display module 12 is held between the central component 10 and the clock module 13.

[0044] When the display module 12 is positioned above the central component 10, the central component 10 is also rotated relative to the central component 10 via a positioning device, such as a protrusion 123, which is integral with the module 12 and arranged to cooperate with a recess 124 formed in the central component 10. In order to hold the display module 12 in the proper position on the central component 10, the watch bezel 14 is screwed onto the central component 10, positioned above the display module 12, and once the base cover 11 has been secured to the central component 10, the watch module 13 is held between the central component 10 and the base cover 11.

[0045] It goes without saying that other methods for installing the display module can be used without major modifications; for example, threads can be arranged on the inner wall of the central component 10 so that the display module 12 can be screwed into it.

[0046] The modular watch 1 according to the invention includes a means for locking the rotation of the watch module 13. Advantageously, the locking means is formed by portions of the strap strands between each pair of lugs 20, 30 of the central component. Each of these portions is arranged to cooperate with the watch module 13, which includes a recess 40 formed on the outer periphery of the watch module and arranged to cooperate with the locking means.

[0047] Advantageously, the grooves correspond to a multiple of N x 60 notches in the timekeeping section (un multiple de laminuterie) so that the minute hand can be precisely positioned, where N is strictly greater than zero.

[0048] Therefore, in the stationary or locked position, the portion of the strap strand between each pair of lugs 20 and 30 rests against the outer periphery, preventing it from rotating.

[0049] According to the first embodiment, the wristband strands are made of an elastomeric material to maximize friction and provide a reliable lock on the watch module.

[0050] According to the second embodiment, at least one wristband strand includes a rigid pin that cooperates with the watch module, the pin being received between recesses in two grooves and fully locking the watch module.

[0051] To allow the clock module 13 to rotate and move to a so-called freely rotatable position, one only needs to pinch at least one strap strand near the pair of lugs 20, 30 to cause the strand to pivot about a rod and thus attach it to the central component, or to cause the strand to pivot below the watch to release the pin from the notch and thus release the clock module so that the clock module can rotate.

[0052] Therefore, such locking devices are particularly well-suited for modular watches and are used to prevent accidental rotation of the watch module and to prevent time changes.

[0053] According to another embodiment, the clock module includes annular angular positioning teeth (not shown) around its top surface (i.e., the surface in contact with the display module), which cooperate with an elastic device to hold the clock module in a defined angular position, the elastic device being integral with the display module.

[0054] According to the invention, the clock module 13 is mounted such that it can rotate between the base cover and the display module 12 to adjust the time. To adjust the time, only the entire clock module needs to be rotated.

[0055] Since the rotation center of the clock module is the same as that of the first and second intermediate wheels with magnets, rotation of the module will cause rotation of the minute hand of the display module. According to the invention, one complete rotation of the clock module is equivalent to one complete rotation of the minute hand. It goes without saying that different transmission ratios can be considered if necessary.

[0056] The advantage of this structure is that it simplifies the construction of the watch movement and minimizes high-risk areas related to water resistance. This is because such watches do not have any crowns or pushers with O-rings. Therefore, only one seam is retained: the seam of the watch glass or the case back that seals the watch module.

[0057] More specifically, all components typically used for timing are no longer necessary, and only a minimal number of components are retained, namely the kinematic chain from the tube to the escapement.

[0058] Because of these different aspects of the invention, the invention provides a modular watch that can be easily customized by the wearer without worrying about the transmission between the movement and the hands or any water resistance issues.

[0059] It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the examples shown, and various substitutions and modifications that are obvious to those skilled in the art can be made thereto, while still remaining within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A modular table (1), said modular table comprising at least: - Central component (10); - Bottom cover (11); - Display module (12), the display module includes a dial, a time display device, a watch glass and a first magnetic gear device; - Clock module (13), the clock module includes a clock movement with a second magnetic gear device arranged to cooperate with a first magnetic gear device of the display module (12); - First and second strap strands, the first and second strap strands being integral with the central component (10) at the paired lugs (20, 30); The feature is that the display module (12) and the clock module (13) are mounted such that one is on top of the other, the display module (12) is mounted such that it is fixed against the central component (10), and the clock module (13) is mounted such that it can rotate between the bottom cover (11) and the display module (12) to adjust the time.

2. The modular table (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first magnetic gear device includes a first wheel having at least one magnet, the first wheel being arranged to cooperate with a second wheel of the second magnetic gear device, the second wheel also having at least one magnet.

3. The modular table (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, Both the display module (12) and the clock module (13) are waterproof.

4. The modular table (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The clock module includes an annular angular positioning tooth, which cooperates with an elastic device to hold the clock module in a defined angular position. The elastic device is integrated with the display module (12) or the central component (10).

5. The modular table (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The time display device includes an hour hand (3) and a minute hand (4).

6. The modular table (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The modular watch includes a device for locking the rotation of the watch module (13), the locking device being formed by portions of the strap strands between each pair of lugs (20, 30) of the central component and cooperating with the watch module.

7. The modular table (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that, The locking device includes a groove (40) formed on the outer periphery of the clock module (13).

8. The modular table (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that, The groove (40) formed on the outer periphery of the clock module (13) comprises N x 60 notches, where N is strictly greater than zero.

9. The modular table (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The side of the clock module facing the display module is enclosed by a non-ferromagnetic plate.

10. The modular table (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The watch module (13) includes a mechanical movement or a quartz movement.

11. The modular table (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that, The rotation center of the clock module (13), the rotation center of the first wheel, and the rotation center of the second wheel are coaxial.

Images