Watch with transparent or translucent colored decoration in particular in enamel

Abstract

The invention relates to a watch comprising: a case; a movement incorporated in the case and extending globally in a general plane; a first watch glass forming a back cover of the case; a second watch glass located on the side of the front face of the watch and facing at least partially the first watch glass; and a decorative structure comprising at least one transparent and / or translucent portion located at least partially between the first and second watch glasses and visible through these first and second watch glasses along an axial direction perpendicular to said general plane. The watch comprises an optical structure located between said at least one transparent and / or translucent portion of the decorative structure and the first watch glass, arranged so as to transmit in particular a substantial part of the visible light incident from the first watch glass along the axial direction and to reflect in particular a substantial part of the visible light incident from the second watch glass along the axial direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a watch with a transparent and / or semi-transparent decorative structure.

[0002] More specifically, the present invention relates to a watch with transparent or translucent enamel decoration, particularly openwork enamel, which is visible from the front of the watch and from the case back. Background Technology

[0003] When transparent or translucent enamel is arranged in openings within an initially openwork structure, it resembles stained glass, but on a horological scale, this is called openwork enamel—that is, a transparent or translucent enamel object produced using the openwork technique. Thus, the similarity between this technique and stained glass lies in the insertion of transparent or translucent enamel, typically colored in various shades, into individual openings formed by a cloisonné structure without a base (meaning the cloisonné structure has through-holes). After firing the enamel cast into the openings, the result is an object with a cloisonné structure (usually metal), where each opening is filled with transparent or translucent enamel, through which light can pass at least partially.

[0004] Watches with brightly colored openwork enamel decoration are common, especially those with a top crystal, a bottom crystal, and a movement that is smaller in size compared to these two crystals. A flat decorative structure in openwork enamel is arranged around the periphery of the movement; this structure is positioned on the side of the top crystal, making it at least partially axially visible through the top and bottom crystals. Therefore, when the watch is held so that ambient light falls behind the decorative structure and viewed through the two crystal panes and the decorative structure, the various enamels can be observed transparently relative to the crystal through which the observer views the decorative structure, as they are backlit by ambient light. The openwork effect is maximized when this part is viewed under backlighting. In the absence of backlighting (whether natural or artificial), and when illuminated only by ambient light, the transparent and translucent parts of the parts darken and the enamel colors appear less vibrant. Therefore, when the user wears the watch on their wrist, no ambient light penetrates the bottom crystal (the crystal fitted into the case back). In this case, the decorative openwork enamel structure is not backlit, meaning its transparency and the brightness of the colored enamel cannot be fully appreciated. The brightly colored decoration thus appears dull, making the watch less attractive to wear.

[0005] To remedy the aforementioned problems, patent document EP 4421568, concerning watches as described above, proposes arranging an electroluminescent source below the watch movement and placing at least one mirror facing the light source on the lower crystal. This design does add a certain brightness to the enamel decoration when the wearer is wearing the watch, but this solution has at least three drawbacks. First, the desired brightness for wearing is only achieved when the electroluminescent source is activated by an external control device or by an internal mechanism within the watch at certain times or in response to other events. Second, this solution requires integrating electrical components and power into the watch, which is not always desirable in high-end watches, which often prefer a fully mechanical design, meaning the absence of electrical components and / or electronic circuitry. Third, this solution makes the watch thicker because a certain amount of space is required between the watch movement and the lower crystal in the embodiment shown and described in detail in the accompanying drawings. In conclusion, it should be understood that incorporating a decorative structure with transparent or translucent enamel forming a small stained glass panel into a watch presents a real problem in terms of watch appeal, especially for conventional mechanical watches. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a solution to the above-mentioned defects by providing a watch having: a decorative structure that is at least partially transparent and / or translucent, particularly colored; and optics for imparting brightness to the decorative structure when the user wears the watch on his / her wrist, while maintaining a window effect.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention relates to a watch comprising: a watch case; a movement incorporated in the watch case and extending globally in the overall plane; a first crystal forming the back cover of the watch case; a second crystal located on a side of the front of the watch and at least partially facing the first crystal; and a decorative structure comprising at least one transparent and / or semi-transparent portion, said at least one transparent and / or semi-transparent portion being at least partially located between the first crystal and the second crystal and visible through the first crystal and the second crystal in an axial direction perpendicular to the overall plane. The watch includes an optical structure located between said at least one transparent and / or semi-transparent portion of the decorative structure and the first crystal, said optical structure being arranged to transmit, particularly in the axial direction, a large portion of visible light incident from the first crystal and, particularly in the axial direction, a large portion of visible light incident from the second crystal.

[0008] In one primary embodiment, the optical structure is formed from an optical layer, an optical plastic film, or an optical plate.

[0009] In a general embodiment, the optical structure forms a reflector or reflective diffuser for visible light incident from the second mirror and a transmissive diffuser for visible light incident from the first mirror, located behind the at least one transparent and / or translucent portion of the decorative structure.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the optical structure has a structured surface on the side of the first crystal forming the back cover of the watch case, defining an array of raised triangular pyramids and / or hollow triangular pyramids, each pyramid being defined by three facets on the structured surface, wherein any one of the three facets is orthogonal to the other two facets.

[0011] In a preferred alternative embodiment, the triangular pyramids are constructed and spatially arranged such that the array of triangular pyramids completely covers the at least one transparent and / or translucent portion of the decorative structure in axial superposition.

[0012] In an advantageous alternative embodiment, the triangular pyramid is convex and has a height of less than 500 micrometers. Attached Figure Description

[0013] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of non-limiting example, in which: - Figure 1 This is a top view of a first embodiment of a watch according to the present invention; - Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the watch along line II-II; - Figure 3A It is arranged in Figure 1 A partial view in plan and cross-section of a first alternative embodiment of the optical structure beneath the decorative structure of a watch. - Figure 3B and Figure 3C The arrangement in each case is shown. Figure 1 Partial top and cross-sectional views of the second and third alternative embodiments of the optical structure below the decorative structure of the watch; - Figure 4 This is a partial cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the component formed of a decorative structure and an optical plastic film according to the present invention, which is similar to... Figure 2 A partial cross-sectional view; - Figure 5 yes Figure 4 A magnified partial view; and - Figure 6 This is a partial cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the watch according to the present invention, which is similar to... Figure 4 A partial cross-sectional view. Detailed Implementation

[0014] refer to Figures 1 to 5 The following describes a first embodiment of the watch according to the invention, as well as various alternative embodiments.

[0015] The watch 2 includes: a case 4; a movement 6, which is incorporated into the case and extends globally in the total plane 8; a first crystal 10, which forms the case back; a second crystal 12, which is located on the side of the front 5 of the watch and at least partially faces the first crystal; and a decorative structure 16. The movement 4 is associated with an analog display 44 located above a dial 40 covering the movement, the dial being fitted and secured in a mounting circle 42, which is inserted into an opening in the decorative structure. Thus, the decorative structure is arranged at the periphery of the movement. Generally, the decorative structure includes at least one transparent and / or semi-transparent portion located between the first crystal 10 and the second crystal 12 and visible through these first and second crystals in an axial direction 14 perpendicular to the total plane 8. In the alternative embodiment shown, the decorative structure 16 includes several transparent and / or semi-transparent portions 16a, 16b, each transparent and / or semi-transparent portion being formed of colored enamel and separated by a separator 18, particularly made of metal. Therefore, the decorative structure 16 forms an openwork enamel decoration, in other words, a stained glass panel of watch size. In another embodiment, the decorative structure may at least partially cover the movement 6 and includes transparent and / or translucent colored portions that form an openwork decoration through openings provided in the movement (e.g., in the balance wheel). The decorative structure 16 includes an outer annular portion 19, particularly made of metal, that surrounds all the transparent and / or translucent portions and serves to assemble and secure the decorative structure 16 into the watch case 4.

[0016] Generally, a watch according to the invention includes an optical structure located between the at least one transparent and / or translucent portion of the decorative structure 16 and the first crystal 10. This optical structure is arranged to transmit, particularly along the axial direction 14, a large portion 26a of visible light 26 incident from the first crystal 10 and, particularly along the axial direction, a large portion 28a of visible light 28 incident from the second crystal 12. In a general alternative embodiment, the optical structure forms a reflector or reflective diffuser for visible light 28 incident from the second crystal 12, and a transmissive diffuser for visible light 26 incident from the first crystal 10, located behind the at least one transparent and / or translucent portion 16a, 16b of the decorative structure 16. Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the alternative embodiment shown, the optical structure is formed by an optical layer 20, which is deposited directly onto the lower / back surface of the decorative structure 16, at least below the at least one transparent and / or translucent portion. The optical layer 20 has a structured surface on the side of the crystal 10 (the side of the case back), which is preferably in contact with the air present in the case 4.

[0017] Preferably, the optical structure has a structured surface on the side of the first crystal 10 (the crystal located in the case back of the watch) defining an array of raised triangular pyramids 34 and / or hollow triangular pyramids 35. Each raised triangular pyramid is defined by three facets 34a, 34b, and 34c of the structured surface, and each hollow triangular pyramid is defined by three facets 35a, 35b, and 35c of the structured surface. The raised triangular pyramids 34 and / or hollow triangular pyramids 35 are configured such that any one of the three facets 34a, 34b, and 34c of the pyramid, and any corresponding facet 35a, 35b, and 35c, is orthogonal to the other two facets. The term "hollow triangular pyramid" is understood to mean a recess in the substrate forming the optical structure, the shape of which is a triangular pyramid defined by the three facets 35a, 35b, and 35c of the structured surface of the optical structure. The three facets of the triangular pyramid define a separating surface between the medium of the optical structure and an outer medium having a refractive index lower than that of the medium of the optical structure. Preferably, the outer medium is air. This particular characteristic imparts an interesting optical property: a light beam incident from the medium of the optical structure onto one of the three facets and reflected by the optical structure is then reflected parallel to the incident beam.

[0018] The raised triangular pyramid 34 (in other words, a triangular pyramidal micro-optical prism) is advantageously made of the same material as the substrate of the optical structure. The substrate medium is chosen such that a light beam incident along the axial direction 14 on the decorative structure 16 is reflected along the axial direction by the optical structure (note that the decorative structure and the optical structure extend in a general plane parallel to the general plane 8 of the movement 6). On the other hand, a light beam incident along the axial direction 14 on one of the three facets of the pyramid from a medium outside the optical structure is deflected at a certain angle and transmitted through the optical structure at the side of the pyramid (these three facets define the structured surface of the optical layer 20). When the light beam is incident on the optical structure from the second crystal 12 (located on the side of the front 5 of the watch) (and thus from the substrate medium on one of the three facets of the pyramid), the refractive index of the medium forming the substrate and (where applicable) the raised triangular pyramid defines the maximum angle with the axial direction 14 at which the light beam is completely reflected and thus reflected by the optical structure, producing the desired effect.

[0019] The optical layer 20 can be produced in various ways. In a first manufacturing method, resin is deposited onto the lower surface of the decorative structure. The resulting resin layer is at least partially cured, and then a structured surface is produced using a mold (a tool used to deform or compress a material object) pressed against the at least partially cured resin layer. In a second manufacturing method, the optical layer can be produced by directly rolling a transparent plastic film, which may or may not have a structured surface, onto the lower surface. Again, if the plastic film does not have a structured surface before rolling, a structured surface is then obtained by pressing the plastic film against the lower surface of the decorative structure once the plastic film has been rolled onto it. In certain alternative embodiments, the structured surface is obtained during rolling.

[0020] A particular embodiment of the optical structure, not shown in the accompanying drawings, involves machining the lower portion of the decorative structure in at least one region of the at least one transparent and / or translucent portion, or in several regions where appropriate, to obtain a raised, structured lower surface in that region or these regions, according to the invention, such as an array of triangular pyramids as generally defined above and described in detail in the following alternative embodiments. In an alternative embodiment, the at least one transparent and / or translucent portion is obtained by casting in at least one mold, the lower surface of which is structured to form the structured surface on the underside of the at least one transparent and / or translucent portion. It should be noted that the mold may advantageously consist of separators 18 of the decorative structure and a work plate that closes the lower portion of the opening defined by these separators 18 and is structured to form the structured surface when the transparent or translucent portions 16a, 16b are cast in these openings during the manufacture of the decorative structure. The work plate is then removed. Thus, this particular embodiment combines decorative and optical structures that are no longer substantially different or separate, but rather combined in a single decorative object. It should be noted that this particular embodiment is not preferred, but is still covered by the invention. In this case, the decorative structure is considered to be formed by the upper portion of the decorative object, while the lower portion of the decorative object defines the optical structure according to the invention, which, in the case of an array of raised triangular pyramids, optionally comprises only triangular pyramids.

[0021] Figures 3A to 3CThe following side view (meaning from the side of the watch crystal 10 forming the case back) illustrates three alternative embodiments of the optical structure according to the invention (which can be selected for each of the first embodiment and also for other embodiments of the invention described and which may be conceived by those skilled in the art). Each of these three alternative embodiments is advantageous, primarily in that the lower structured surface defines an array of raised triangular pyramids and / or hollow triangular pyramids, all of which contribute to the desired optical effect, namely: in particular, the transmission of a large portion 26a of visible light 26 incident from the first watch crystal 10 along the axial direction 14 and, in particular, the reflection of a large portion 28a of visible light 28 incident from the second watch crystal 12 along the axial direction, and is advantageous due to the fact that the raised triangular pyramids and / or hollow triangular pyramids are spatially constructed and arranged such that the array of pyramids completely covers the at least one transparent and / or translucent portion 16a, 16b of the decorative structure 16 in axial superposition.

[0022] Figure 3A A first preferred alternative embodiment of the optical structure is shown. In this first alternative embodiment, the lower structured surface of the optical structure 20 is formed by an array of raised triangular pyramids 34. The term "lower" is understood to mean the surface of the optical structure located on the side of the watch crystal 10 forming the case back. Each row in the array is arranged such that the triangular bases of the pyramids lie in a plane parallel to the total plane of the optical structure 20 and therefore parallel to the total plane 8, and these triangular bases are alternately oriented in one direction and in the opposite direction along a direction perpendicular to the direction defined by the row. Next, two adjacent rows in the array are axially symmetric with respect to the geometric line separating the two adjacent rows. In other words, the alternating pyramids in a row have a phase shift of half a period with respect to two adjacent rows, or with respect to the first or last row in the array with respect to one adjacent row. The first alternative embodiment of the optical structure offers advantages for producing the optical structure when the lower structured surface is obtained by directly machining an initially flat plate, particularly a plate made of glass or crystal. In fact, in this case, an array of triangular pyramids can be machined into the plate using a chisel that moves in three directions (120° angularly offset from the other two) in a coordinate system fixed to the plate. The chisel is designed to produce linear grooves with a V-shaped transverse profile, or in other words, two non-parallel straight lines that intersect at the bottom of the groove and each has an angle (in absolute value) corresponding to the angle of inclination relative to the axial direction provided by the three facets of each pyramid.

[0023] In another alternative embodiment of the optical structure not shown in the accompanying drawings, the structured surface has a similar... Figure 3AThe arrangement of triangular pyramids in the image is a hollow arrangement of all triangular pyramids. This alternative embodiment can be advantageous when obtaining a structured surface for an optical structure by molding or by compressing material using a mold, the mold being pressed onto an initial resin layer or initial plastic film to produce the optical layer or optical plastic film according to the invention by obtaining the desired structured surface through thermal or cold deformation of the initial resin layer or initial plastic film. An advantage of this alternative embodiment is that the array design can be less complex because the triangular pyramids in the array are convex to obtain hollow pyramids in the optical structure.

[0024] In an advantageous alternative embodiment, the raised triangular pyramid 34 has a height H1 of less than 500 micrometers (500 μm).

[0025] In a preferred alternative embodiment, the raised triangular pyramid 34 has a height H1 of less than two hundred micrometers (200 μm).

[0026] An array of raised triangular pyramids 34 rises from the substrate 36. Preferably, the raised triangular pyramids and the substrate are made of the same material. However, in another alternative embodiment, the raised pyramids may be made of a different material than the substrate. This alternative embodiment can be achieved by forming the pyramids by depositing a transparent ink on a substrate with a pad. In the first alternative embodiment, the height / thickness H2 of the substrate 36 can be small, for example, between 100 and 200 micrometers (100 μm to 200 μm). However, a larger height H2 is foreseeable, as this has a small impact on the optical properties of the optical structure. If the pyramids are hollow, the height / thickness H2 of the substrate is greater than the height H1 of the pyramids, and is advantageously chosen to be between two and four times that height H1.

[0027] It has been observed that substrate 36 can form a light guide for a portion of the light that has penetrated the optical structure, which has the effect of partially reflecting the light passing through the optical structure away from its original position. It should be noted that, in general, the transparent and / or translucent (especially colored) portions of the decorative structure cause light passing through these transparent and / or translucent portions to be scattered to some extent.

[0028] Figure 3B A second alternative embodiment of the optical structure according to the invention, and more particularly the structured surface of the optical structure 20a, is shown. In this second alternative embodiment, the triangular pyramid 34 is also convex and has a structure in each row of the array that is similar to... Figure 3A The same configuration exists. The difference is that there is no phase shift between two adjacent rows in the array. Therefore, a sequence pyramid can be distinguished from a pyramid with two adjacent columns having opposite orientations (along the direction defined by the columns in the array).

[0029] Figure 3C A third alternative embodiment of the optical structure, and more specifically, the structured surface of the optical structure, is shown. The optical structure 21 comprises raised triangular pyramids 34 and hollow triangular pyramids 35, the hollow pyramids forming recesses in the substrate 36a relative to the mid-plane between the raised and hollow pyramids. Figure 3C The array of triangular pyramids is shown in dashed lines. Each row of the array alternately comprises raised triangular pyramids 34 and hollow triangular pyramids 35, wherein the hollow triangular pyramids 35 have an orientation opposite to that of the raised triangular pyramids 34 relative to the direction orthogonal to these rows. Furthermore, in the array of triangular pyramids, each raised triangular pyramid 34 in a given row is aligned with a hollow pyramid 35 in each adjacent row along the said orthogonal direction. This particular arrangement of the array of triangular pyramids has the effect that each of the three facets 34a, 34b, and 34c of any raised triangular pyramid extends at the same angle relative to the axial direction through the facets 35a, 35b, and 35c of the three corresponding hollow triangular pyramids (it should be noted that, obviously, the pyramids located at the edges of the structured surface can be truncated, and they do not all extend their facets in this manner). Thus, each flat surface of the structured surface is formed by a pair of facets 34a and 35a, 34b and 35b, 34c and 35c.

[0030] Figure 4 A cross-section of an alternative to the first embodiment is shown. References already described will not be described in detail again. Figure 5 Yes Figure 4 A partial magnification. In this alternative embodiment, the difference between the watch 3 and the previous alternative embodiment can be essentially in the optical structure formed by the optical plastic film 22 glued to the back surface of the decorative structure 16. The optical plastic film 22 includes an upper portion forming a continuous substrate 36 (which forms a light guide), with an array of triangular pyramids 34 descending away from the substrate, specifically according to... Figures 3A to 3C The alternative embodiment described herein forms the structured surface of the optical plastic film. Therefore, the optical plastic film 22 is deposited on the lower / rear surface of the decorative structure 16 using an adhesive layer 38, which may be pre-deposited on the lower surface of the plastic film or on a flat upper surface. It should be noted that, depending on specific characteristics, the inner edge of the optical plastic film covers a small horizontal recess in the mounting circle 42a (in which the movement 6 is inserted), and the outer edge of the optical plastic film partially covers the outer annular portion 19 of the decorative structure 16. This ensures a uniform optical effect for all transparent and / or translucent portions of the decorative structure.

[0031] The manufacturing method for producing the optical plastic film can be similar to the manufacturing method already described for optical layer 20. In a first advantageous alternative embodiment, the structured surface of the optical plastic film is produced in a press or rolling mill before the optical plastic film is bonded to the lower surface of the decorative structure. This structured surface can be obtained by hot or cold deformation or compression in a press or rolling mill, the press including a die for this purpose, and in the rolling mill, a roll, particularly the last roll in the final step, having a negative relief defining the desired structured surface. In a second alternative embodiment, the structured surface is produced in a press after the optical plastic film has been bonded to the decorative structure.

[0032] In the second embodiment, the optical structure is formed by an optical plate 24, which is fitted into the case 4 but not fastened to the decorative structure 16. It should be noted that references already described in detail above will not be described again here. Figure 6 In the alternative embodiment shown, the watch 32 includes an optical plate 24 spaced apart from the decorative structure 16. In another alternative embodiment, the optical plate may contact the lower surface of the decorative structure. Advantageously, the optical plate 24 is made of glass or crystal, but in alternative embodiments, it may be made of synthetic materials (especially hard plastics). In the case of a quartz plate, but also advantageously in the case of a glass plate, the structured surface is preferably obtained by machining with a tool equipped with a material ablation tool (e.g., equipped with an industrial diamond cutter). Thus, the array of triangular pyramids 34 is advantageously based on... Figure 3A The arrangement is configured accordingly. In the alternative embodiment shown, the optical plate 24 is assembled from the case back of the watch 32 before the lower crystal is assembled into the case back. In an alternative embodiment, the watch case may have a separate case back that can be removed from the intermediate piece, thereby allowing the optical plate to be assembled to the intermediate piece before the watch case 4 is closed by assembling the case back with the intermediate piece, as shown in the figure. Figure 6 As shown in the image.

Claims

1. A watch (2, 3, 32), comprising: The watch case (4); the movement (6), which is incorporated in the watch case and extends substantially in the general plane (8); the first crystal (10), which forms the back cover of the watch case; the second crystal (12), which is located on the side of the front (5) of the watch and at least partially faces the first crystal; and the decorative structure (16), which includes at least one transparent and / or semi-transparent portion (16a, 16b), the at least one transparent and / or semi-transparent portion being at least partially located between the first crystal and the second crystal and visible through these first crystal and second crystal in an axial direction (14) perpendicular to the general plane; characterized in that the watch includes an optical structure (20; 22; 24) located between the at least one transparent and / or semi-transparent portion of the decorative structure (16) and the first crystal (10), the optical structure being arranged so as to transmit, in particular along the axial direction, a large portion (26a) of visible light (26) incident from the first crystal and, in particular along the axial direction, a large portion (28a) of visible light (28) incident from the second crystal.

2. The watch (2, 3, 32) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The optical structure is formed by an optical layer (20), an optical plastic film (22), or an optical plate (24).

3. The watch (2, 3, 32) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The optical structures (20; 22; 24) form a reflector or reflective diffuser for visible light (28) incident from the second mirror (12) and a transmissive diffuser for visible light (26) incident from the first mirror, located behind the at least one transparent and / or translucent portion (16a, 16b) of the decorative structure (16).

4. The watch according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The optical structure (20; 22; 24) has a structured surface on the side of the first crystal (10) forming the bottom cover of the case (4) defining an array of raised triangular pyramids (34) and / or hollow triangular pyramids (35), each pyramid being defined by three facets (34a, 34b, 34c; 35a, 35b, 35c) on the structured surface, wherein any one of the three facets is orthogonal to the other two facets.

5. The watch according to claim 4, characterized in that, The triangular pyramids (34, 35) are constructed and spatially arranged such that the array of triangular pyramids completely covers at least one transparent and / or translucent portion (16a, 16b) of the decorative structure (16) in axial superposition.

6. The watch according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The triangular pyramids (34, 35) have a height (H1) of less than 500 micrometers along the axial direction.

7. The watch according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The triangular pyramids (34, 35) have a height (H1) of less than two hundred micrometers along the axial direction.

8. The watch according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The optical layer (20) is deposited directly on the rear surface of the decorative structure (16).

9. The watch according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The optical plastic film (22) is bonded to the rear surface of the decorative structure.

10. The watch according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The optical plate (24) is assembled in the case (4) without being fastened to the decorative structure (16).

11. The watch according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The decorative structure (16) includes a plurality of transparent and / or translucent portions (16a, 16b), each of which is formed of colored enamel and separated by a separator (18), such that the decorative structure forms a stained glass panel with a watch-sized dimensions.

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