Wristwatch case cleaning equipment

Abstract

A cleaning device for a wristwatch, the cleaning device comprising: a chamber into which a wristwatch, including a case ear, can be inserted with a majority of an attached watchband remaining outside the chamber; a fluid inside the chamber; and a lipophilic low-wear particulate medium which is agitated by a mechanical device to bring the particulate medium into contact with the metal surface of the watchcase, thereby cleaning surface contaminants therefrom.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 378,522, filed on October 6, 2022. Background Art

[0002] Luxury watches are usually enclosed in precious metal cases, which are somewhat susceptible to scratching / damage due to the relative softness of the metals used (18k gold or platinum), especially when the strap is removed (for replacement or to clean the case / head). When worn, skin oils and other environmental pollutants are deposited on the case, which in turn absorb other surface pollutants, which, if left on the case, will dull its appearance and further reduce the gloss of the metal surface. Ideally, such watches should be carefully cleaned of pollutants after each wear and before being placed in a storage box or watch winding box. However, in practice, most owners of these watches are limited to wiping the watch with a soft cloth, which is completely ineffective for cleaning the inside of the lugs (where grease and dirt accumulate). The only way to thoroughly clean the case / head is to remove the strap, which is achieved by jamming a metal spring bar tool between the strap and the inside of the lug and prying out the metal spring bar. This process causes the spring bar tool and the spring bar itself to scratch / gouge the soft metal lugs during both the removal and reinstallation processes. Therefore, there is a need for a simple, automatic method of adequately cleaning environmental contaminants from the metal cases of such watches (and other jewelry) without having to remove the watch strap. Summary of the invention

[0003] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a chamber is provided into which a wristwatch (including case lugs) can be inserted, while the attached watchband remains mostly outside the chamber. After the chamber is sealed, the fluid inside (which may be air, dry gas (such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide), or liquid (such as high vapor pressure fluorinated hydrocarbons)) and lipophilic low-wear particulate medium are stirred by mechanical devices (such as pumps, fans, ultrasonic transducers, etc.) to bring the particulate medium into contact with the metal surface of the watch case. In this way, surface contaminants including skin oils are transferred to the particulate medium by absorption and / or adsorption, and are transferred to the fluid by dissolution, friction displacement, and suspension, or similar mechanisms of action. After stirring for a suitable period of time, the chamber is unsealed, the watch is removed, and if necessary, the watch is further polished in a conventional manner. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] Figure 1 A preferred embodiment of the invention is depicted in perspective view. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0005] Reference now Figure 1, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in a cross-sectional perspective view. The table cleaner 100 includes a base 110 and a chamber housing 150, each of which is provided with a sealing device 130 at the circumference where they contact each other. The sealing device 130 can be any suitable seal for containing the fluid to be contained in the chamber defined by the base 110 and the chamber housing 150, such as a flexible elastomeric seal, a polished mating surface, etc.

[0006] Agitator 120 is disposed in base 110 and is in fluid communication with the chamber. Agitator 120 can be any suitable device for circulating and turbulent the fluid contained in the chamber. For example, if the fluid is air, dry carbon dioxide, dry nitrogen, or similar gas), a fan or venturi can be used as an agitator. If the fluid is a liquid (e.g., distilled water, fluorinated hydrocarbons, or supercritical carbon dioxide), a pump can be used to agitate the fluid. Of course, the agitator can be provided with a fluid flow internally to base 110, or a fluid flow provided externally in a separate unit.

[0007] According to a preferred embodiment, an elastomeric seal is used to permit a strap attached to the case lugs of watch 140 to protrude outside the chamber, thereby minimizing contact between the strap and the fluid and particulate media 160 inside the chamber.

[0008] Alternatively, a custom formed peripheral surface may be employed to perform the same function, or a temporary sleeve or coating may be used to protect the band or strap.

[0009] According to a preferred embodiment, an oleophilic low-abrasive particulate media 160 is disposed within the chamber prior to sealing the chamber. Preferably, the media is a cellulose microfiber having low abrasive properties, a high affinity for non-polar molecules, and a high surface area to volume ratio. One source of this material is "dust" or "lint" from cotton fabric manufacturing, specifically unbleached, undyed, very short cotton fibers that are typically filtered from the air during cotton yarn manufacturing.

[0010] Alternatively, other natural cellulose fibers with low abrasiveness, such as ash and lignin, can be used. Another alternative is synthetic cellulose fibers (such as rayon or viscose), which may be suitable because the abrasive properties of the fibers can be controlled during manufacturing. If desired, specially modified superoleophilic cotton can be prepared according to the following method: Liping Liang, Yanyan Dong, Wang Xu, and Xu Meng (2021) "Fabrication of hydrophobic / oleophilic cotton fabric based on thiol-ene click reaction for oil / water separation", The Journal of the Textile Institute, DOI: 10.1080 / 00405000.2021.1952805.

[0011] In one embodiment, a cycle timer (not shown) is provided for activating the agitator 120 of the present invention to provide sufficient contact between the granular media 160 and the case of the watch 140. In yet another embodiment, an optical sensor is used to monitor the surface of the case. By observing the reflection of the image from the metal surface, the reduction of contaminants during agitation can be determined, and agitation can be stopped as soon as appropriate.

[0012] Example

[0013] A Patek Philippe Calatrava series 5227J model watch with a gold case and a shiny alligator leather strap was worn for one day, and a visible coating of contaminants accumulated on its case. The case cleaning device of the present invention is filled with 5 grams of cotton fiber granular media, the case is placed in a chamber, and the watchband protrudes from the seal. The chamber is sealed, and the agitator is turned on for a period of 60 seconds. After allowing the granular media to settle, the device is gently stirred to shake the granular media into the base. The chamber is opened and the watch is removed. The case is obviously free of contaminants. The case is gently wiped with a clean, dry, lint-free cotton cloth, and a clean, mirror-like luster is observed on the gold element, and there is no visible contaminant on the watch mirror.

[0014] Although the present invention has been described in its preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the words that have been used are words of description rather than limitation, and that changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the true scope and spirit of the invention in its broader aspects. Rather, various modifications may be made to the details within the scope of the claims and equivalents and without departing from the spirit of the invention. The inventor further requests that the scope of the claims be given to it be consistent with the broadest possible interpretation under the law in force on the filing date of this application (and the application to which this application obtains priority, if any), and that the scope of the appended claims should not be allowed to be narrowed due to subsequent changes in law, as such narrowing would constitute a retroactive ruling and an expropriation without due process or fair compensation.

Claims

1. A device for removing surface contaminants from a wristwatch case without abrasion, the device comprising: a base having a void for accommodating the agitator, a bracket adapted to securely position the watch case within the void, and a first peripheral sealing surface; b. A chamber housing having a second peripheral sealing surface.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein: a. the bracket is adapted to position a watch case with a wristband attached within the gap; and b. Among them, These sealing surfaces conform to the watch strap to allow the strap to be positioned across these sealing surfaces from inside the chamber to outside the chamber.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising: a. An oleophilic, low-wear particulate medium disposed within the base void and the chamber housing.

4. The device of claim 2, further comprising: a. An oleophilic, low-wear particulate medium disposed within the base void and the chamber housing.

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