Method for separating a bottom and a middle part together defining a watch case of a timepiece, and timepiece comprising a bottom with a recess suitable for receiving a tool

Abstract

The invention relates to a watch component (28) and a tool (20) intended for use by a watchmaker to separate a case back (22) from a case middle (24) which together define a watch case (26) from this watch component (28) inside which a watch movement (30) is housed. This tool (20) has the shape of a wedge, that is to say, a piece of acute shape formed by a first face (20a) and a second face (20b) which intersect at an angle (a) of less than 90° and which are joined to each other by a rounded portion (20c). The first face (20a) of the tool (20) is oriented so that it extends parallel to a mean plane (P) in which the watch movement (30) is located when the watchmaker engages this tool (20) between the base (22) and the case (24) in order to separate this base (22) from this case (24),the rounded portion (20c) connecting to the second face (20b) by a curved portion (20d) whose curvature is directed towards the interior of a surface (20e) delimited by the first and second faces (20a, 20b) the base (22) of the timepiece (28) being delimited externally by a perimeter in at least one place of which is provided a clearance (32) which frees up, between this base (22) and the case (24), a space (34) allowing the watchmaker to engage the end of the tool (20) with which the watchmaker will exert on the base (22) a lever arm to separate this base (22) from the case (24), this clearance (32) comprising a surface (32a) inclined at an acute angle (β) with respect to the average plane (P) when the base (22) is fixed on the case (24),this inclined surface (32a) extending away from the frame (24) towards the bottom of the latter and being extended by a rounded portion (32b) ensuring the connection between the inclined surface (32a) and a lower surface (36) of the base (22).

Description

Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a method of separating a case back and a case middle which together delimit a watch case from a timepiece.

[0002] The invention also relates to a timepiece comprising a watch case delimited by a case middle and a back. The back includes a cutout that allows a watchmaker to separate the back from the case middle. Technological background of the invention

[0003] When a watch is returned to the factory, for example for servicing or repair, it is necessary to open the case back. However, opening a watch case back is always a delicate operation requiring great care from the watchmaker performing it. The category of case backs addressed by this invention includes those mounted on the case by a snap-fit ​​design with a gasket between the back and the case. To allow for opening, such case backs typically have a recess on their outer edge that allows the watchmaker to insert a tool between the back and the case to which it is attached.To separate the case back from the case, two techniques are possible: either the watchmaker inserts the tool into the opening and rotates it, using leverage to gradually separate the case back from the case; or the watchmaker pushes the tool forward several times and gradually inserts it between the case back and the case, using the tool like a wedge to separate the case back from the case. Regardless of the technique chosen by the watchmaker to separate the case back from the case, and despite all the care taken in performing this operation, it is common for the case back to leave marks from the removal process.Indeed, currently, the recess in the case back designed to allow the tool to be inserted and the case back separated from the case is arranged in such a way that, very often, when the tool is inserted, it damages the outer edge of the case back and leaves a mark perfectly visible to the naked eye once the case back is reattached. Obviously, it is not feasible to return a damaged watch to its owner after servicing. Consequently, when this type of problem arises, one is either obliged to repair the case back to remove the mark—this operation is called "redressing" in watchmaking—or to replace the case back. In both cases, this entails an additional cost that cannot, of course, be passed on to the watch owner. This problem will be better understood upon examination of the... figure 1annexed to this patent application is a partial cross-sectional view of a watch case in the area where a recess is provided in accordance with the prior art, allowing a watchmaker to insert a tool with which to separate the case back from the case middle. Designated as a whole by the general reference numeral 1, the watch case comprises a case middle 2 into the base of which is fitted a case back 4 with an interposed gasket 6 between this case back 4 and this case middle 2. At a point on its perimeter, the case back 4 has a recess 8 which creates, between this case back 4 and the case middle 2, a space 10 allowing the watchmaker to insert the end of a tool 12 with which the watchmaker will exert a lever arm on the case back 4 to separate this case back 4 from the case middle 2.

[0004] In what follows, a plane or surface will be described as "horizontal" when that plane or surface extends in a plane parallel to the plane Pmedium in which a clockwork movement 14, which is housed in the watch case 1, extends. This is referred to as the "medium" plane. P only because the 14-inch clockwork mechanism has a thickness that cannot be reduced to a single plane. As can be seen by examining the figure 1 The tool 12 has the appearance of a wedge, that is to say, a piece of acute shape formed by a first face 12a and a second face 12b which intersect at an angle α less than 90° and which are joined to each other by a rounded portion 12c. As for the recess 8 provided in the base 4, it takes the form of a surface 8a inclined with respect to the horizontal when the base 4 is fixed to the frame 2. This inclined surface 8a extends away from the frame 2 towards its lower end and is extended by a rounded portion 8b ensuring the connection between the inclined surface 8a and a lower surface 16 of the base 4. As is apparent from the figure 1, the rounded portion 8b forms an outer edge 18 of the bottom 4.

[0005] We can see on the figure 1 that, in order to separate the base 4 from the case 2, the tool 12 is engaged in the clearance 8, oriented so that its first face 12a extends horizontally, that is to say parallel to the middle plane P in which the clockwork mechanism extends 14. We also see on this figure 1When the watchmaker inserts tool 12 into the space 10 created between the case 2 and the case back 4 by the clearance 8, tool 12 rests against the outer edge 18 of the case back 4 by its second face 12b. Consequently, if, in order to separate the case back 4 from the case 2, the watchmaker is forced to apply excessive leverage with tool 12, they risk damaging the outer edge 18 of the case back 4 and leaving a clearly visible mark 19 in the area where tool 12 rests against the outer edge 18 of the case back 4. Naturally, the watchmaker will not be able to return the watch to its owner in this condition and will have to either re-machine the case back 4 to remove the mark 19 or obtain a new case back to replace the damaged one. In both cases, this represents a loss of time and money for the watchmaker.

[0006] We know from document CH260 / 64 of a tool for separating the back and the case of a watch case.

[0007] We also know from document US2016 / 0062316 of a watch case including a cutout intended to separate the back and the case middle of a watch case. Summary of the invention

[0008] The present invention aims to provide a new arrangement for a watch case back which ensures that if the back is marked by the tool when the watchmaker separates the back from the case of the watch, this mark will not be perceptible to the owner of the watch.

[0009] For this purpose, the present invention relates to a method of separating a case back and a case as defined by claim 1 of the patent.

[0010] The present description also describes a tool intended to be used by a watchmaker to separate a case back from a case which together delimit a watch case from a timepiece in which a timepiece is housed, this tool having the appearance of a wedge, that is to say a piece of acute shape formed of a first face and a second face which intersect at an angle α less than 90° and which are joined to each other by a rounded portion, the first face of the tool being oriented so that it extends parallel to a mean plane in which the timepiece is located when the watchmaker engages this tool between the case back and the case in order to separate this case back from this case, the rounded portion being joined to the second face by a curved portion whose curvature is directed towards the interior of a surface delimited by the first and second faces.

[0011] The present invention also relates to a timepiece as defined by claim 2 of the patent. Brief description of the figures

[0012] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the following detailed description of an example of an embodiment of a tool intended to enable a watchmaker to separate a case back from the case of a timepiece, this example being given purely for illustrative purposes and not as a limitation, only in connection with the attached drawing in which: there figure 1 The already cited illustration is a partial cross-sectional view of an earlier art watch case in the area where a recess is provided to allow a watchmaker to insert a tool with which to separate the case back from the case middle; figure 2Ais a partial cross-sectional view of a watch case illustrating the engagement of a tool according to the invention in the space between the case middle and the back of the watch case, freed by a recess in the back, and the figure 2B is a view analogous to that of the figure 2A when the back is separated from the case of the watch. Detailed description of an embodiment of the invention

[0013] The general inventive idea presented here consists of providing watchmakers with a tool enabling them to separate the case back from a watch case without leaving any visible marks on the case back after the case back has been reattached to the case. The present invention also relates to a watch case back that has a recess whose profile is arranged such that, even if, despite all the care taken by the watchmaker when separating the case back from the case, the case back is marked by this disassembly operation, the mark left by the tool on the case back will not be visible to the watch owner once the case back has been reattached to the case.

[0014] As seen on the figure 2AA tool 20 has the appearance of a wedge, that is to say, a piece of acute shape formed of a first face 20a and a second face 20b which intersect at an angle α less than 90° and which are joined to each other by a rounded portion 20c. More precisely, the rounded portion 20c is joined to the second face 20b of the tool 20 by a curved portion 20d whose curvature is directed towards the interior of a surface 20e of the tool 20 delimited by the first and second faces 20a, 20b.

[0015] As will become clearer later, the tool 20 is intended for use by a watchmaker to separate a case back 22 from a case middle 24, which together define a watch case 26 from a timepiece 28 containing a watch movement 30. More specifically, the first face 20a of the tool 20 is arranged so that, when the watchmaker inserts the tool 20 between the case back 22 and the case middle 24 to separate the case back 22 from the case middle 24, this first face 20a extends parallel to a median plane P in which is located the clockwork movement 30.

[0016] According to the invention, the case back 22 of the timepiece 28 is externally delimited by a perimeter in at least one place, within which a clearance 32 is provided. This clearance creates a space 34 between the case back 22 and the case 24, allowing the watchmaker to insert the end of the tool 20. The watchmaker will then use this tool to apply leverage to the case back 22 to separate it from the case 24. To allow the tool 20 to be inserted, the clearance 32 includes a first flat surface 32a parallel to the mean plane. P in which the clockwork mechanism 30 extends, this first flat surface 32a being extended, via a first rounded portion 32c, by a second inclined flat surface 32b which forms with the average plane P an acute angle βwhen the bottom 22 is fixed on the frame 24. This second inclined flat surface 32b moves away from the frame 24 towards the bottom of the latter and is extended by a portion 32d for example rounded which ensures the connection between the second inclined flat surface 32b and a lower surface 36 of the bottom 22.

[0017] To facilitate the engagement of tool 20 in the clearance 32, the angle α between the first face 20a and the second face 20b of tool 20 is less than the acute angle β that forms the second inclined surface 32b with the average plane P, which allows the tool 20 to come into contact by its curved portion 20d in an area 38 of the first rounded portion 32c of the clearance 32 which will not be perceptible to the owner of the timepiece 28 once the case back 22 is reattached to the case 24. Therefore, even if the area 38 is marked by the operation of separating the case back 22 and the case 24, this mark will no longer be visible when the case back 22 is reattached.

[0018] It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment just described and that various simple modifications and variants can be envisaged by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the attached claims. Nomenclature

[0019] 1. Watch case 2. Case middle 4. Back 6. Gasket 8. Clearance 8a. Inclined surface 8b. Rounded portion 10. Space 12. Tool 12a. First face 12b. Second face 12c. Rounded portion 14. Watch movement 16. Lower surface 18. Outer edge P. Mean plane α. Angle less than 90° 19. Mark 20. Tool 20a. First face 20b. Second face 20c. Rounded portion 20d. Curved portion 20e. Surface 22. Back 24. Case middle 26. Watch case 28. Watch part 30. Watch movement 32. Clearance 32a. First flat surface 32b. Second inclined flat surface 32c. First rounded portion 32d. Second rounded portion 34. Space 36. Lower surface 38. Zone P. Mean plane α. Angle less than 90° β. Acute angle

Claims

1. Method for separating a back (22) and of a middle (24), which jointly delimit a watch case (26) of a timepiece (28), inside which a horological movement (30) is housed, this method using a tool (20) intended to be used by a horologist, this tool (20) having the appearance of a wedge, i.e. an acute-shaped part formed by a first face (20a) and a second face (20b) which intersect at an angle (α) of less than 90° and which are connected to one another by a rounded portion (20c), the first face (20a) of the tool (20) being arranged such that it extends parallel to a mean plane (P) in which the horological movement (30) is located when the horologist engages this tool (20) between the back (22) and the middle (24) in order to separate this back (22) from this middle (24), the rounded portion (20c) being connected to the second face (20b) by a curved portion (20d), the curvature whereof is directed towards the inside of a surface (20e) delimited by the first and second faces (20a, 20b), the back (22) of the timepiece (28) being delimited externally by a perimeter, at at least one point whereof a slot (32) is provided which frees, between this back (22) and the middle (24), a space (34) allowing the horologist to engage the end of the tool (20) by means whereof the horologist will exert leverage on the back (22) in order to separate this back (22) from the middle (24), characterized in that this slot (32) comprises a first planar surface (32a) parallel to the mean plane (P) in which the horological movement (28) extends, this first planar surface (32a) being extended by a second inclined planar surface (32b) which forms, with the mean plane (P), an acute angle (β) when the back (22) is fixed to the middle (24), this second inclined planar surface (32b) extending away from the middle (24) towards the bottom thereof, the angle (α) between the first face (20a) and the second face (20b) of the tool (20) being less than the acute angle (β) formed by the second inclined surface (32b) with the mean plane (P).

2. Timepiece (28) comprising a watch case (26), inside which is housed a horological movement (30) which extends in a mean plane (P), the watch case (26) being delimited by a middle (24) closed at a base by a back (22), the back (22) being delimited externally by a perimeter at at least one point on which a slot (32) is provided which frees, between this back (22) and the middle (24), a space (34) allowing the horologist to engage the end of a tool (20) by means whereof the horologist will exert leverage on the back (22) to separate this back (22) from the middle (24), characterized in that this slot (32) comprising a first planar surface (32a ) parallel to the mean plane (P) in which the horological movement (28) extends, this first planar surface (32a) being extended by a second inclined planar surface (32b) which forms, with the mean plane (P), an acute angle (β) when the back (22) is fixed to the middle (24), this second inclined planar surface (32b) extending away from the middle (24) towards the bottom thereof.

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