Arrangement of display module on mainboard

Abstract

The invention relates to a timepiece assembly (10) comprising a display module (1) of a timepiece and a main plate (2) of a timepiece movement of said timepiece, the display module (1) being provided with at least one display part (4) provided with a visible surface (8), and a protective element (3) comprising an open chamber, the protective element (3) has a visible surface positioned facing a fully or partially transparent bottom of the chamber, the protective element (3) comprising a projection (6a, 6b) facilitating its arrangement in the main plate (2).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the arrangement of a display module on / in a main board. More specifically, the present invention relates to a clock assembly that includes a display module of a watch and a main board of the watch movement of the watch. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Prior art documents describe an arrangement of a display module on a main board, where the display module consists only of a dial, and the arrangement is achieved by a technique that includes locking the lugs of the dial by means of corresponding dial keys.

[0003] One of the drawbacks of this technique is that the lugs of the dial are fragile and easily break when subjected to shock. Since the lugs of the dial itself cannot be repaired, the entire dial must be replaced, provided that the dial is still available as a spare part, but this is not always the case.

[0004] In this case, it is obvious that there is a need to find an alternative solution to the prior art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] An object of the present invention is to overcome the above and other drawbacks by providing a clock assembly in which the display module of the watch is arranged on / in the main board using a novel arrangement technique that is unobtrusive, simple, and reliable.

[0006] The present invention relates to a clock assembly that includes a display module of a watch and a main board of the watch movement of the watch. The display module is provided with at least one display member and a protective element including an open chamber. The at least one display member is provided with a visible surface that is positioned to face a fully or partially transparent bottom of the chamber. The protective element includes a protrusion / tab that helps to arrange the protective element on the main board.

[0007] In other embodiments:

[0008] - The main board includes a recess for each protrusion. The recess includes an enclosure that is exposed through an opening on the upper surface of the main board. The enclosure is configured to receive the protrusion of the protective element;

[0009] - The main board includes a recess for each protrusion. The recess is provided with an enclosure that can receive the protrusion, and in the enclosure, a fastening element can contact the protrusion to fasten the protrusion within the enclosure;

[0010] - The main board includes a through hole that extends from the side wall of the main board to the enclosure of each recess. The through hole is configured to receive a fastening element for the protrusion to help fasten the protrusion within the enclosure;

[0011] - Each cavity extends through the thickness of the main board in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the main board;

[0012] - The cavity extends through the thickness of the main board in a direction parallel or substantially parallel to the side wall of the main board;

[0013] - The protection element includes a support element provided with a contact surface for abutting against the main board when the display module is arranged in the main board;

[0014] - The support element further includes a positioning element for positioning the display module relative to the main board;

[0015] - The protrusion and the support element are extension parts of the ends of the outer peripheral wall of the protection element, and the ends define an opening in the chamber of the protection element;

[0016] - The main board includes an orifice on its upper surface, and the orifice is configured to receive the positioning element;

[0017] - The display module includes a pivoting element kinematically connected to the mechanism of the watch movement of the watch, and the pivoting element is configured to cooperate with the display component of the display module to move the display component.

[0018] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a watch including such a watch component. Description of the Drawings

[0019] Other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following description of non-limiting specific embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0020] Figure 1 and Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a watch component according to an embodiment of the present invention, the watch component including a watch display module and a main board;

[0021] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a watch component according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which the display module is arranged in / on the main board;

[0022] Figure 4 shows a top view of a watch component according to an embodiment of the present invention, the watch component having a display module arranged in / on the main board, and

[0023] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line Figure 4 V-V of an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Description

[0024] Figures 1 to 5Shows a clock assembly 10 of a watch, in particular a wristwatch. Such a clock assembly 10 is included in a watch, which can be a wristwatch. In this clock assembly 10, a display module 1 is arranged in / on the main board 2 of the watch movement of the watch. Thus, such a clock assembly 10 includes such a display module 1 and a main board 2. It should be noted that such a display module can relate in a non-limiting manner to:

[0025] - A quick correction selector indicator for the watch, or

[0026] - Date display.

[0027] In this configuration, the display module 1 includes at least one display member 4, a protection element 3, and a pivot element 5. The display member 4 is a movable, preferably rotatable, clock part that directly participates in the selection, presentation, and / or indication of clock information. In other words, the display member 4 can include, in particular, a graphical representation included in the selection, or can be configured to perform the selection, for example, by its shape, or the display member 4 includes at least one graphical representation corresponding to the clock information to be displayed / presented, and thus the at least one graphical representation will be selected for this purpose. The display member 4 can be, but is not limited to, a dial or a pointer. In the present embodiment, the display member 4 can be a member capable of rotating about its axis of rotation A. For example, in this example, the display member is a movable dial or a movable pointer. In this configuration, it should be noted that such a display member 4 can thus be driven in such a rotational movement by a pivot element 5 such as a pinion, which is kinematically coupled to the mechanism of the watch movement of the watch. Such a pivot element 5 passes through the passage area 16 of the main board 2, connecting the display member 4 to the mechanism. It should be noted that such a mechanism is configured to enable a quick correction selector indicator.

[0028] As described above, the display member 4 can be a dial as Figures 1 to 5 shown. In this configuration, the dial can thus be fastened by driving its mounting area 21 onto the first end of the pivot element 5 that forms a pivot. It should be noted that the second end of the pivot element 5 that also forms a pivot can be mounted in a bearing, in particular a shock-absorbing bearing.

[0029] Such a dial includes a visible surface 8, which includes at least one graphical representation for the selection, display, and / or indication of clock information. It should be noted that when the display member 4 is a pointer, the pointer can also be driven onto the pivot of the pivot element 5.

[0030] In this display module 1, the protection element 3, also called a cover, includes an open chamber defined by an outer peripheral wall 15 and a bottom that is completely or partially transparent. This chamber / groove is especially for accommodating or receiving the display member 4. Referring to Figures 1 to 3 , the protection element 3 is composed of two parts 7a, 7b:

[0031] - A first member 7a that is substantially annular, having two opposite openings with substantially the same cross-section, and the openings are interconnected by an outer peripheral wall 15, and

[0032] - A second member 7b that is completely transparent or partially transparent, for being mounted in one of the two openings so as to form the bottom of a chamber defined in the protection element 3.

[0033] More specifically, the second member 7b can be a crystal and is mounted in the first opening of the first member 7a. It should be understood that the first opening is specifically configured for assembly with such a second member 7b.

[0034] Therefore, it should be understood that in the protection element 3, the second member 7b can be:

[0035] - Entirely / fully transparent by including a graphical representation corresponding to clock information, and the selection and / or presentation of one of these information items is performed by a display member 4 such as a pointer;

[0036] - Entirely / fully transparent by including a graphical representation corresponding to clock information, and the selection and / or presentation of one of these information items is performed by a display member 4 such as a dial, and the visible surface 8 of the display member includes a graphical representation, such as a representation of an arrow or a pointer;

[0037] - Entirely / fully transparent by including a graphical representation, such as a representation of an arrow or a hand, that selects and / or presents one information item from the clock information included in the graphical representation presented on the visible surface 8 of a display member 4 such as a dial;

[0038] - Partially transparent, being completely opaque except for a part of the second member 7b, and this part is transparent and like a hole, and selects and / or presents information from the clock information included in the graphical representation present on the visible surface 8 of a display member 4 such as a dial;

[0039] - Partially transparent, being completely opaque except for an opening formed in the second member 7b, and this opening is like a hole and selects and / or presents information from the clock information included in the graphical representation presented on the visible surface 8 of the display member 4 (such as a dial).

[0040] It should be noted that in the first member 7a, the second opening defined at the end of the outer peripheral wall 15 of the first member thus includes the edge 19 of the first member 7a defined by the end.

[0041] In this configuration, such a first component 7a includes protrusions 6a, 6b that contribute to arranging the display module 1 in / on the main board 2. In this embodiment of the display module 1, by way of non-exhaustive and non-limiting example, there are two such protrusions 6a, 6b. When the protection element 3 is mounted on the main board 2, each of these protrusions 6a, 6b is an extension of the outer peripheral wall 15 of the first component 7a, extending perpendicularly in a direction parallel or substantially parallel to the rotation axis A. In this case, it should be understood that these protrusions 6a, 6b are extensions of the peripheral wall 15 starting from the edge 19 of the first component 7a.

[0042] In addition, the first component 7a further includes a support element 20 provided with a contact surface 18 that, when the display module 1 is arranged in the main board 2, is used to abut against the main board 2. Similar to the protrusions 6a, 6b of the first component 7a, the support element 20 is also an extension of the outer peripheral wall 15. Such a support element 20 includes a positioning element 6c for positioning the display module 1 relative to the main board 2. The positioning element 6c is a protrusion or projection included on the contact surface 18 of the support element 20, and the positioning element 6c is an extension of the support element 20.

[0043] In the clock assembly 10, the main board 2 preferably has an overall shape similar to the shape of the watch case. The main board 2 includes a top surface 11a and a bottom surface 11b and side walls 11c connecting the top surface 11a and the bottom surface 11b. The top surface 11a and the bottom surface 11b are in planes parallel or substantially parallel to each other.

[0044] The main board 2 includes recesses 9a, 9b configured to receive the protrusions 6a, 6b of the protection element 3 and, in a broad sense, the protrusions 6a, 6b of the display module 1. Each recess 9a, 9b includes an enclosure that opens on the upper surface 11a. In other words, the recesses 9a, 9b include channel openings 13a, 13b in the enclosure, and the enclosure is included in the upper surface 11a of the main board 2.

[0045] This enclosure of the recesses 9a, 9b extends through the thickness of the main board 2 in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the upper surface 11a. It should be noted that the enclosure extends towards the lower surface 11b of the main board 2 in a direction parallel to the rotation axis A of the display component 4. Referring to Figure 1 , the recesses 9a, 9b can have a kidney-shaped configuration. In other words, the cross-section of the enclosure can have the shape of a kidney-shaped hole.

[0046] The main board 2 further includes through holes 14a, 14b for each of the cavities 9a, 9b. The through holes 14a, 14b include two openings, one opening leading to the enclosing part of the cavity 9a, 9b, and the other opening leading to the outer surface of the side wall 11c of the main board 2. The through holes 14a, 14b include recesses defined between these openings, and fastening elements 17a, 17b can be arranged in the recesses for tightly positioning the protrusions 6a, 6b in the enclosing part of the cavity 9a, 9b. In other words, the recess is configured to receive the fastening elements 17a, 17b, and one end of the fastening element can protrude into the enclosing part so as to contact the contact surface 18 of the protrusions 6a, 6b positioned facing the second opening of the through holes 14a, 14b, thereby fastening the protrusions 6a, 6b in the enclosing part. In this configuration, the recess is configured such that when the fastening elements 17a, 17b hold the protrusions 6a, 6b in the enclosing part, the other ends of the fastening elements 17a, 17b do not protrude from the outer surface of the side wall 11c. The through holes 14a, 14a extend linearly from the side wall 11c towards the enclosing part in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the thickness direction of the cavity 9a, 9b in the main board 2. In other words, the central axes B, C of the through holes 14a, 14b are perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the direction of the rotation axis A, and the through holes 14a, 14b have a length greater than that of the fastening elements 17a, 17b so as to hide the fastening elements 17a, 17b in the main board 2. It should be noted that the through holes 14a, 14b can be threaded to cooperate with the fastening elements 17a, 17b such as screws.

[0047] On the other hand, the main board 2 further includes an orifice 12 for receiving the positioning element 6c. Such an orifice 12 has a shape complementary to the shape of the positioning element 6c.

[0048] In the clock assembly 10, the display module 1 is particularly arranged on the main board 2 in the following manner:

[0049] - The protrusions 6a, 6b of the protection element 3 are fastened in the cavities 9a, 9b in the main board 2 by the fastening elements 17a, 17b against the contact surface 18 of the protrusions 6a, 6b;

[0050] - The protection element 3 is abutted against the upper surface 11a of the main board 2 by the supporting element 20 of the main board;

[0051] - The protection element 3 is held in its mounting position on / in the main board 2 by arranging the positioning element 6c in the orifice 12 in the main board 2;

[0052] - The display part 4 is held in the cavity in the protection element 3 by the pivoting element 5.

[0053] List of reference numerals

[0054] 1. Display module

[0055] 2. Motherboard of a clock movement

[0056] 3. Protective element

[0057] 4. Display component

[0058] 5. Pivoting element

[0059] 6a, 6b. Protrusions of the protective element 6c. Positioning element for positioning the protective element on the motherboard

[0060] 7a, 7b. First and second components forming the protective element

[0061] 8. Visible surface of the display assembly

[0062] 9a, 9b. First and second cavities

[0063] 10. Clock assembly formed by the display module and the motherboard

[0064] 11a. Upper surface of the motherboard

[0065] 11b. Lower surface of the motherboard

[0066] 11c. Side wall of the motherboard

[0067] 12. Orifice configured to receive the positioning element

[0068] 13a, 13b. Openings in the upper surface of the motherboard

[0069] 14a, 14b. Through-holes for fasteners

[0070] 15. Outer peripheral wall of the protective element 16. Channel area in the motherboard for the pivoting element; 17a, 17b. Fastening elements

[0071] 18. Contact surface of each protrusion for contacting the fastening element 19. Edge of the outer peripheral wall

[0072] 20. Support element

[0073] 21. Mounting area for mounting the display component to the pivoting element

Claims

1. A timepiece assembly (10), comprising a display module (1) of a watch and a main plate (2) of a watch movement of the watch, the display module (1) being provided with at least one display component (4) and a protective element (3) comprising an open cavity, the at least one display component (4) being arranged in the cavity, the at least one display component being provided with a visible surface (8), the visible surface being positioned facing a completely transparent or partially transparent bottom of the cavity, the protective element (3) comprising a protrusion (6a, 6b) facilitating the arrangement of the protective element in the main plate (2).

2. The timepiece assembly (10) according to claim 1, wherein: The main board (2) comprises a cavity (9a, 9b) for each protrusion (6a, 6b), the cavity (9a, 9b) comprising an enclosure exposed through an opening (13a, 13b) in an upper surface (11a) of the main board (2), the enclosure being configured to receive the protrusion (6a, 6b) of the protection element (3).

3. The timepiece assembly (10) according to claim 1, wherein: The main board (2) comprises a cavity (9a, 9b) for each protrusion (6a, 6b), the cavity being provided with an enclosure capable of receiving the protrusion (6a, 6b), and in the enclosure, a fastening element (17a, 17b) being capable of contacting the protrusion (6a, 6b) to fasten the protrusion (6a, 6b) within the enclosure.

4. A timepiece assembly (10) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The main board (2) includes through holes (14a, 14b) extending from a side wall (11c) of the main board (2) to the enclosure of each cavity (9a, 9b), and the through holes (14a, 14b) are configured to receive fastening elements (17a, 17b) for fastening the protrusions (6a, 6b) to help fasten the protrusions (6a, 6b) in the enclosure.

5. A timepiece assembly (10) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein: Each cavity (9a, 9b) extends through the thickness of the main board (2) in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the upper surface (11a) of the main board (2).

6. A timepiece assembly (10) according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein: The concave cavity (9a, 9b) extends through the thickness of the main board (2) in a direction parallel or substantially parallel to the side wall (11c) of the main board (2).

7. A timepiece assembly (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The protection element (3) comprises a support element (20) provided with a contact surface (18) for abutting against the motherboard (2) when the display module (1) is arranged in the motherboard (2).

8. The timepiece assembly (10) according to claim 7, wherein: The supporting element further comprises a positioning element (6c) for positioning the display module relative to the main board (2).

9. A timepiece assembly (10) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein: The projections (6a, 6b) and the support element (20) are extensions of the ends of the peripheral wall (15) of the protection element (3), wherein the ends define the opening of the chamber of the protection element (3).

10. A timepiece assembly (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The main plate (2) comprises an aperture (12) in its upper surface (11a), the aperture being configured to receive the positioning element (6c).

11. A timepiece assembly (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The display module (1) comprises a pivoting element (5) which is kinematically connected to a mechanism of a timepiece movement of the watch and which is configured to cooperate with the display part (4) of the display module (1) in order to move the latter.

12. A watch comprising a horological assembly (10) according to any one of the preceding claims.

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