Display element and timepiece

Abstract

The utility model relates to a display element and a timer. One aspect of the utility model relates to a display element (1) to be assembled on a timer, which comprises a main body (2), the main body is provided with a part (4) comprising an assembly area (5), the assembly area is configured to receive an insert (3) through embedding, the embeddable insert (3) is provided with a shaft hole (13), and the shaft hole is configured to adjust the display element on a driving shaft. The utility model relates to a display element (1) comprising a body (2) comprising a portion (4) made of a material having softening properties, an insert (3) embedded in the portion (4) by fusion, the insert (3) comprising a peripheral wall (6) provided with a patterned outer surface (7a) to connect with the portion (4) of the body (2) of the display element (1), the outer surface (7a) being configured to ensure mechanical anchoring of the insert (3) in the portion (4), the peripheral walls (6) project from opposite faces of the portion (4) of the body (2) on either side, respectively.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the field of watchmaking, and in particular to the field of analog display elements such as hands or display discs of timepieces.

[0002] The utility model also relates to a timepiece comprising such a display element. Background Art

[0003] Display elements such as hands intended for use as display indicators in timepieces are particularly complex to manufacture, especially when the hands are intended for high-end timepieces for which they must have a particularly fine surface appearance, optionally with faceting.

[0004] Hands are usually made of brass, steel, gold, aluminum or special alloys. When the material used is gold, they can be galvanized, painted, oxidized, varnished, PVD-coated, blued / anodized or raw (rough). They are usually produced by machining or stamping and can undergo surface treatments such as polishing, sandblasting, satin finish, etc.

[0005] One drawback of these display hands is their limited decorative possibilities, for example when it comes to making hands with a transparent or translucent body. Furthermore, the materials used for such hands have a high density, which means a high moment of inertia and high unbalanced forces, which in turn can lead to hand float and hand slip during impacts.

[0006] One solution proposed in the prior art is to manufacture the hands from a synthetic material. However, when such hands are assembled on the drive shaft, they have difficulty remaining attached to their tubes due to plastic deformation caused by creep. Utility Model Content

[0007] The main purpose of the utility model is to overcome the various shortcomings of the prior art.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to improve the holding of a display element, such as a hand having a non-metallic plate, on a drive shaft of a display mechanism of a timepiece.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a display element which has a reduced weight and which can take any desired shape.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a display element that is durable and has reduced manufacturing costs.

[0011] To this end, one aspect of the invention relates to a display element intended to be assembled to a timepiece, the display element comprising a body, the body being provided with a portion comprising an assembly area, the assembly area being configured to receive an insert by embedding, the embeddable insert being provided with an axial hole configured to adjust the display element on a drive shaft, the body comprising a portion made of a material having softening properties, the insert being embedded in the portion by fusion, the insert comprising a peripheral wall provided with a patterned outer surface for connection to the portion of the body of the display element, the outer surface being configured to ensure mechanical anchoring of the insert in the portion, the peripheral walls protruding respectively on either side from opposite faces of the portion of the body.

[0012] In other embodiments:

[0013] - the peripheral wall is provided with a connecting outer surface, the portion of the connecting outer surface corresponding to the thickness of the assembly area being completely patterned by comprising a plurality of protrusion patterns;

[0014] - said insert comprises a first portion and a second portion which respectively project on either side from opposite faces of said portion of said body;

[0015] - said insert comprises a first portion and a second portion which respectively project on either side from opposite faces of said portion of said body;

[0016] - the first and second parts of the insert have similar thickness;

[0017] - the free end of each of the first and second parts comprises an insertion zone configured to penetrate the material of the portion of the body in which the insert is embedded by fusion;

[0018] - said material having softening properties consists entirely or partly of a plastic material having softening properties;

[0019] - said embeddable insert is made of a material having a softening point higher than that of the material constituting said portion;

[0020] - the part comprises the insert, which is embedded by fusion / integration / bonding of the materials respectively constituting the insert and the part, in particular by means of fusion / integration / bonding by means of ultrasound;

[0021] - the display element is symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal plane of symmetry P1 and / or a transverse plane of symmetry P2 of the element;

[0022] The display element is a display hand, the body of which comprises a plate provided with an assembly area comprising a tube formed by the embeddable insert.

[0023] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a timepiece comprising at least one such display element. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following description of a non-limiting specific embodiment of the invention given for illustrative purposes with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0025] - Figure 1 is a top view of a display element according to one embodiment of the present invention, in this case a display hand comprising a plate provided with a portion comprising a tube formed by an embeddable insert;

[0026] - Figure 2 is a top view of a portion of a pointer plate including the tube according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] - Figure 3 According to the embodiment of the present invention Figure 2 a longitudinal sectional view of the portion of the pointer plate shown in FIG. 1 along line AA; and

[0028] - Figure 4 1 is a side view of an insertable insert forming a pointer tube according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] refer to Figures 1 to 4 The present invention relates to a display element 1, which is preferably used to equip a timer, such as a watch. Such an element 1 can be, but is not limited to, a pointer or a display plate.

[0030] This display element 1, also known as a "display indicator," comprises a body 2 provided with an assembly area 5, contained within a portion 4 of this body 2, configured to receive an insert 3 by embedding or insertion. In other words, the portion 4, and therefore the area 5, is made of a material with softening properties that allows the insert 3 to be embedded (or inserted) therein by fusion. Under these conditions, the assembly area 5 is then formed by this embeddable insert 3. This insert 3 includes an axial hole 13 configured to adjust the display element 1 on the drive shaft of the display mechanism of the timepiece.

[0031] In order to better understand the present invention, the display element 1 described here will be a display pointer 1. In this context, the body 2 of the pointer 1 includes a plate 2. The portion 4 of the plate 2 includes an assembly area 5, which includes a tube 5 formed by an embeddable insert 3. Such an insert 3, also called a "socket", is configured to be embedded in the portion 4 of the plate 2 by melting / association / integration. The present invention is described here with the specific but non-limiting case of a rotating pointer 1. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the principles of the present invention are also applicable to pointers 1 with non-circular motion trajectories, such as linear cursors, etc. The pointer 1 can be included in a display mechanism, for example by acting as an hour hand, with a variable length or a variable radial extension.

[0032] refer to Figure 1 The display hand 1 comprises a first end, the first end comprising a counterweight, and a second, opposite end forming a terminal 10 for indicating information, such as the time when the display mechanism is a timepiece. As we have already seen, the plate 2 of the hand 1 comprises a portion 4 provided with a tube 5, which includes an axial hole 13, also known as an "adjustment diameter," intended to be driven at the pivot of a drive shaft of the display mechanism. Such a drive shaft is incorporated into the drive member of the display mechanism, which includes a gear train. It should be noted that the present invention is equally applicable to analog display mechanisms of mechanical, electronic, or hybrid timepieces.

[0033] According to the embodiment shown, plate 2 has a circular head 9 in which tube 5 is housed to allow hand 1 to be assembled on the drive shaft of the timepiece. Axial hole 13 of insert 3 forming tube 5 is intended to be adjusted on the drive shaft, for example by means of a driving operation.

[0034] This tube 5 and therefore the insert 3 are able to exert a clamping force on the drive shaft which allows the pointer 1 to be held axially and rotationally on the drive shaft.

[0035] As already mentioned, plate 2 also comprises an end 10. This end 10 is connected to head 9 by a body 12. In the present case, this end 10 takes the shape of a triangle, but it may take any other suitable shape in order to indicate a specific angular position on the dial of a timepiece.

[0036] Plate 2 of pointer 1 may also comprise a counterweight 11, rectangular in shape, connected to head 9 as an extension of body 12. Similarly, counterweight 11 may take any other shape, for example it is conceivable that counterweight 11 takes the shape of a logo.

[0037] As mentioned above, portion 4, including assembly area 5, is made of a specific material. More typically, plate 2 is made entirely or partially of a material with softening properties, such as a plastic material, particularly a thermoplastic material. Preferably, such a material is a rigid material with softening properties. Under these conditions, the material can be heated sufficiently to soften, and then become rigid / hard again upon cooling. Such plastic materials are composed of linear or branched polymers that are capable of deformation and shaping under the influence of heat. For example, such plastic materials include thermoplastic polymers.

[0038] It is therefore understood that the plate 2 can be made solely or entirely of this material having softening properties. Alternatively, such a plate 2 can be made partially of this material, wherein at least the portion 4 comprising the insert 3 is made of this material.

[0039] Tube 5 is formed by an insertable insert 3 , which takes the form of a cylinder, with an axial hole 13 provided for adjusting display hand 1 on a drive shaft, also called a "rotational shaft." It should be noted that such insert 3 may also take other forms, such as a polygonal one. Insert 3 may be made of a material having a higher softening point than the material forming part 4 into which it is embedded. Such a material is preferably a metal, such as aluminum, brass, steel, or titanium. Alternatively, it may be a thermosetting material.

[0040] This insert 3 forming the tube 5 is intended to be actuated onto a drive shaft having a diameter slightly greater than the internal diameter of the axial hole 13 of the insert 3 , the elastic and plastic properties of the material of which the insert 3 is made making it possible to drive the tube 5 onto the drive shaft without modifying the plate 2 of the display pointer 1 .

[0041] According to the invention, such an insert 3 comprises a peripheral wall 6 provided with an inner surface 7b adapted to cooperate with the drive shaft when assembled in the display mechanism. This peripheral wall 6 also comprises an outer surface 7a, in particular a patterned connecting outer surface 7a, intended to connect to the portion 4 of the plate 2 of the display hand 1. This peripheral wall 6 also comprises an upper surface 7c and a lower surface 7d interconnecting the outer surface 7a and the inner surface 7b.

[0042] The patterned outer surface 7a comprises a plurality of raised patterns 8. The plurality of patterns 8 preferably extend over the entire outer surface 7a of the peripheral wall 6. Alternatively, the plurality of patterns 8 may be distributed over specific areas of the outer surface 7a, said areas being configured to cooperate with the material constituting the portion 4 of the plate 2 of the pointer 1. It should be noted that the patterns 8 may be identical, i.e. have a similar shape, as in Figure 2 and Figure 4 Can be seen in.

[0043] This patterned outer surface 7a helps to increase the contact surface of the insert 3 with the material used in the portion 4 of the plate 2 including the tubes 5. Moreover, in this configuration, the material can be inserted on and between the raised patterns 8 on the surface 7a to ensure that the plate 2 is firmly held on the insert 3. It will therefore be understood that the retention of the insert 3 in the portion 4 is then improved and therefore helps to ensure optimal mechanical anchoring thereof in the portion 4.

[0044] It should be noted that the peripheral wall 6 of the insert 3 is preferably provided with a connecting outer surface 7a, the portion of which corresponding to the thickness E2 of the portion 4 comprising the assembly area 5 is completely patterned by including a plurality of raised patterns 8. In other words, this peripheral wall 6 includes a plurality of raised patterns 8 extending over a portion of its patterned connecting outer surface 7a.

[0045] In an alternative embodiment, the peripheral wall 6 of the insert 3 is provided with a completely patterned outer surface 7a. In other words, the peripheral wall 6 comprises a plurality of raised patterns 8 extending over its entire patterned connected outer surface 7a.

[0046] As in Figure 3 As can be seen in FIG, the insert 3 has an inner diameter D1 configured to facilitate driving the pointer 1 on the drive shaft, and an outer diameter D2 , which is greater than D1 and configured to receive and retain the plate 2 of the pointer 1 .

[0047] As already mentioned, insert 3 is embedded in portion 4 of plate 2 by fusion / integration / bonding, so as to form tube 5 of hand 1. More specifically, insert 3 is embedded in portion 4 as a result of an operation of fusing / integrating / bonding, respectively, the materials constituting insert 3 and portion 4. This operation softens the material constituting portion 4 by supplying energy, thereby ensuring the insertion of insert 3 into portion 4. This energy can be supplied by ultrasound, by a heating element, by a laser, or by a steam jet, in a non-limiting and non-exhaustive manner.

[0048] In the case of ultrasound, such an operation can be an ultrasonic fusion / integration / bonding operation. This operation softens the material comprising portion 4 by applying mechanical vibrations to said portion 4, said mechanical vibrations being induced by the ultrasound. In this context, these mechanical vibrations subsequently generate frictional heat in the softening material of portion 4, stimulating its molecules, which in turn begin to move. As a result, the material of said portion 4 becomes more flexible as it softens, allowing the insert 3 to be inserted / embedded into said portion 4 and bonded thereto.

[0049] In this configuration in which the insert 3 is arranged in the plate 2 of the pointer 1 so as to form the tube 5, it should be noted that the peripheral wall 6 of the insert 3 projects on either side of the opposite faces of the portion 4 of said plate 2 showing the pointer 1. These two opposite faces are joined together by the side wall of this pointer 1.

[0050] More specifically, the peripheral wall 6 comprises a first portion 14a and a second portion 14b, which respectively protrude on either side from opposite faces of the portion 4 of the body 2. These portions 14a, 14b each comprise an opening in the axial hole 13 of the insert 3. It goes without saying that these openings are opposite one another. In this configuration, the first portion 14a and the second portion 14b of the insert 3 have preferably similar thicknesses E3, E4. Such thicknesses E3, E4 are less than the following thicknesses:

[0051] - E1 of insert 3;

[0052] - E2 of Part 4;

[0053] -Assemble E2 of area 5.

[0054] This arrangement of the insert 3 in this portion 4 helps to stabilize the display pointer 1 axially and rotationally. Furthermore, this arrangement helps to even out the stress distribution to which the pointer 1 may be subjected, both during and after assembly on the drive shaft. In other words, these stresses are evenly distributed throughout the thickness E2 of the body 2 . This even distribution ensures that the pointer's body 2 , and therefore the portion designated by reference numeral 4 , remains flat. Consequently, the body 2 of the pointer 1 remains flat after assembly.

[0055] It will be appreciated that such an arrangement of the insert 3 in the body 2 of the pointer 1 allows the use of a wider range of materials, in particular by making less necessary the use of specifically reinforced materials to prevent deformation of the pointer that may result from such stresses.

[0056] Furthermore, the free ends of each of the first and second portions 14a, 14b include insertion regions 15a, 15b. These regions are configured to penetrate the material of the portion 4 of the body 2 into which the insert 3 is easily embedded by fusion. More specifically, each insertion region 15a, 15b preferably has a flared cross-section, the ends of which substantially terminate at a distal end.

[0057] It should also be noted that the display hand 1 is symmetrical about its longitudinal plane of symmetry P1 and transverse plane of symmetry P2. It should be understood that these two planes P1 and P2 are perpendicular to each other. This symmetry makes the display hand 1 reversible, which helps simplify its assembly in the display mechanism and reduces the required time. In other words, the display hand 1 can be assembled on a shaft, with its visible surface being either of its two opposing faces.

[0058] The above description corresponds to a preferred embodiment and is not to be considered limiting in any way, and more particularly not to be considered limiting with respect to the type of display element described. More particularly, other display elements, such as a disc, in particular a date disc, are also part of the invention.

[0059] Furthermore, the present description is not limited to the forms described for the various structural elements or their materials constituting the display element 1. A person skilled in the art will not encounter any particular difficulties in selecting any other material having the mechanical properties required for implementing the invention, for example for the plate 2 of the pointer 1.

[0060] The possible applications of such a display element are very broad, since the invention can be implemented for any type of object or device comprising a display element, in particular a portable object or device.

Claims

1. A display element (1) intended to be fitted to a timepiece, characterized in that The display element (1) comprises a body (2), the body (2) being provided with a portion (4) comprising an assembly region (5), the assembly region (5) being configured to receive an insert (3) by embedding, the embeddable insert (3) being provided with an axial hole (13), the axial hole (13) being configured to adjust the display element (1) on a drive shaft, the body (2) comprising a portion (4) made of a material having softening properties, the insert (3) being embedded in the portion (4) by fusion, the insert (3) comprising a peripheral wall (6), the peripheral wall (6) being provided with a patterned outer surface (7a) for connection with the portion (4) of the body (2) of the display element (1), the outer surface (7a) being configured to ensure mechanical anchoring of the insert (3) in the portion (4), the peripheral wall (6) protruding from opposite faces of the portion (4) of the body (2) on either side respectively.

2. The display element (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that The peripheral wall (6) is provided with a connecting outer surface (7a), the portion of which corresponding to the thickness (E2) of the assembly area (5) is completely patterned by including a plurality of protrusion patterns (8).

3. The display element (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The insert (3) comprises a first portion (14a) and a second portion (14b) which respectively project on either side from opposite faces of the portion (4) of the body (2).

4. The display element (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that The first portion (14a) and the second portion (14b) of the insert (3) have similar thicknesses (E3, E4).

5. The display element (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that The free end of each of the first portion (14a) and the second portion (14b) comprises an insertion area (15a, 15b) configured to penetrate the material of the portion (4) of the body (2) into which the insert (3) is easily embedded by fusion.

6. The display element (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The material having softening properties comprises wholly or partly a plastic material having softening properties.

7. The display element (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The embeddable insert (3) is made of a material having a softening point higher than the softening point of the material constituting the portion (4).

8. The display element (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The portion (4) comprises the insert (3), which is embedded by fusion / integration / bonding of the materials constituting the insert (3) and the portion (4), respectively.

9. The display element (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that The fusion / integration / combination includes fusion / integration / combination by ultrasound.

10. The display element (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The display element (1) is symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal symmetry plane (P1) and / or a transverse symmetry plane (P2) of the element (1).

11. The display element (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The display element (1) is a display pointer, the body (2) of which comprises a plate provided with an assembly area (5) comprising a tube formed by the insert (3) which can be inserted.

12. A timer, characterized in that The timepiece comprises at least one display element (1) according to any one of claims 1-11.

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