Diving watch

Abstract

The invention relates to a diving watch (1) comprising a first display device (2) for the current time and a second, analog display device (3) for a dive duration, said second device (3) comprising a hand (4) dedicated to indicating a dive duration and a rotating bezel (10) provided with a visible face (9) comprising a time scale (11) comprising time graduations, said bezel (10) being configured to cooperate with said dedicated hand (4) that is in particular permanently made to move with a uniform rotational movement, displaying an instantaneous value of the dive duration.

Description

technical field

[0001] The invention relates to a diving watch that provides a diver with an indication of the instantaneous value of his dive time. Technological background

[0002] Several parameters must be known by a diver when undertaking a scuba dive to ensure their safety. In particular, the diver must be able to instantly determine their dive time to avoid depleting their oxygen reserves and to be able to surface safely.

[0003] Watches that provide a diver with information relating to his dive time are already known, see for example document FR1572837A.

[0004] However, such watches do not allow the dive time to be established directly, i.e. without the diver performing a mental calculation or reasoning based on the time data visible on these watches, when it is greater than one hour.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need in the state of the art for a watch that directly indicates to the diver the dive time, regardless of the duration of the dive. Summary of the invention

[0006] One of the aims of the invention is to improve diver safety during a dive by making it easier for the diver to become aware of information relating to the duration of the dive.

[0007] The present invention aims to meet this demand by providing a diving watch comprising a first device for displaying the current time and a second analog display device for displaying a dive time, said second device comprising a hand dedicated to indicating a dive time and a rotating bezel having a visible face having a time scale with time graduations, said bezel being configured to cooperate with said dedicated hand which is constantly moving in a uniform rotational motion, displaying an instantaneous value of the dive time, the dedicated hand having an angular velocity which is different from that of each of the other hands of this watch.

[0008] Thanks to these features, the present invention provides a dive watch that gives the diver information about dive time at a glance. The dive time indicator hand points to a specific time graduation on the rotating bezel. This ensures the diver can perform the dive under optimal conditions, allowing them to focus on managing their oxygen consumption or, if necessary, performing decompression stops, thus improving their safety. Indeed, simply reading the dive time eliminates the need for tedious calculations, allowing the diver to alleviate some of the stress associated with dive duration.Furthermore, he can then shift his focus and attention to other aspects of the dive that are sensitive and valuable for his survival, because he is rightly reassured about the reliability of the information relating to the dive time.

[0009] In other embodiments: said dedicated hand indicates the hours and minutes relative to the dive time; the time scale defines a time interval strictly greater than one hour; the visible face of the rotating bezel includes a positioning index for said bezel relative to the dedicated hand; the rotating bezel is mounted to rotate unidirectionally on a case of a waterproof watch; the watch includes a device for locking the positioning of the bezel relative to the dedicated hand; the dedicated hand has a shape or color distinguishing it from the hands of the first display device; the time graduations of the time scale and all or part of a visible face of the dedicated hand have a similar color;the time scale graduations and all or part of a visible face of the dedicated hand have a similar color which is different from that of another part of a waterproof case of the watch in particular the dial, an index included in / on the dial or a hand of the first display device; the time scale graduations and all or part of a visible face of the dedicated hand include a luminescent material having the property of emitting light in a similar color;The time scale graduations and all or part of a visible face of the dedicated hand comprise a luminescent material having the property of emitting light in a similar color that is different from that of a luminescent material included in another part of a waterproof case of the watch, in particular the dial, an index included in / on the dial, or a hand of the first display device; the first display device is an analog or digital display device; the watch is mechanical or electromechanical; the first and second devices are two distinct display devices; when the first display device is analog, the dedicated hand and all the hands of this first device are coaxial. Brief description of the figures

[0010] The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting examples, in which: THE Figures 1a to 1c represent a perspective view of a diving watch displaying, in analog form, different instantaneous values ​​of dive time, according to one embodiment of the invention; The figure 2 represents a perspective view of a movement of this watch, according to the embodiment of the invention; The figure 3 is a larger-scale view of part A of the figure 2 , and La figure 4 is an axial cross-sectional view of the movement, according to the embodiment of the invention. Detailed description of the invention

[0011] The present invention stems from the original idea of ​​equipping a diving watch 1 with an analog dive time display 3, allowing the diver to see at a glance the elapsed time of their current dive and, if necessary, to ascend to the surface or continue the dive, depending, for example, on their oxygen reserves. The diving watch 1 according to the invention thus increases diver safety. figures 1a to 1bThese are perspective views of a diving watch 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. Designated as a whole by the general numerical reference 1, this watch 1 is of a conventional type and may be a mechanical or electromechanical watch. It comprises a watertight case 14 which may, for example, be of the metallic type including a case middle 13 into which a case back is screwed or held by friction. The case 14 includes lugs provided for attaching a strap and notably contains a watch movement 17 visible on the figure 2as well as a dial 5. Such a dial 5 has hour markers 16 on its outer edge, such as applied hour markers and / or hour indices, conventionally representing hours and minutes. This case 14 is closed on its upper surface by a crystal, carrying a rotating bezel 10 on its periphery, the bezel 10 being mounted to rotate relative to the case middle 13. This rotation of the bezel 10 is preferably unidirectional in a counterclockwise direction 23. Conventionally, external control elements are provided in the form, for example, of a crown and / or at least one lateral pusher.

[0012] This watch 1 includes a first display device 2 for the current time. This display device 2 may be analog or digital. In the present embodiment, this display device 2 is preferably analog and consists of the dial 5 and a mechanism comprising an hour hand 7, a minute hand 6, and a second hand 8. These hands 6, 7, and 8 are each conventionally mounted at one end on a corresponding rotating shaft located in the center of the dial 5 so as to move above this dial 5. It should be noted that the hour markers 16 and all or part of a visible face of these hands 6, 7, and 8 may be of a similar color. Furthermore, the hour markers 16 and all or part of a visible face of these hands 6, 7, and 8 may include a luminescent material having the property of emitting light of a similar color when immersed in darkness.This material may be known by the brand names "LumiNova®" or "Super-LumiNova®". It should be noted that "Super-LumiNova®" refers to a photoluminescent material with phosphorescent properties. In the dark, this material emits the stored light as, for example, a blue, green, or red glow. This material is applied to the hands at positions 6, 7, and 8, and the hour markers at position 16. Such a material gradually loses its phosphorescence in the dark but recharges automatically in the light.

[0013] This watch 1 also includes a second display device 3, which is necessarily analog. This second device 3 comprises the rotating bezel 10 and a dedicated hand 4 for indicating dive time. This dedicated hand 4, also called the "dive time indicator hand," "dive time indicator hand," "dive time determination hand," or "hand indicating a single piece of information related to dive time," is animated: permanently in a uniform and / or continuous rotational motion, or permanently in a uniform and / or continuous circular motion, or permanently in a uniform and / or continuous rotational motion, or permanently in a uniform and / or continuous circular motion.

[0014] This rotational movement is clockwise. It should be noted that the movement of this hand cannot be controlled, for example, by a button on the watch; this movement is continuous, like that of the hour and minute hands 7 and 6 on this watch. In other words, this dedicated hand 4 operates without interruption as long as the watch has the power to maintain its movement. This hand 4 is called a "dedicated" hand because it is intended solely and specifically for indicating the dive time; it therefore does not participate in any other function of the watch 1. This dedicated hand 4 is mounted at one end on a corresponding rotating shaft located in the center of the dial 5, specifically in the center of the bezel 10.The bezel 10 comprises a visible face 9 on which is marked a time scale 11, including time graduations, and defining a time interval strictly greater than one hour. It should be noted that the time graduations include a positioning index 12 of said bezel 10 relative to the dedicated hand 4, this index 12 defining the beginning and end of this time scale 11. In the example shown in the diagram... figures 1a to 1cThe time interval is three hours, and this time scale 11 is graduated in five-minute increments. It is understood that in other variations, this time interval could be, without limitation, two, four, five, or even six hours. In this configuration, the dedicated hand 4 works with the time scale 11 to give the diver an instantaneous indication of the dive time already completed / elapsed. In other words, the bezel 10, incorporating this time scale 11, is configured to work with this dedicated hand 4 to display, analogically, an instantaneous value of the dive time, or an immediate value without relative calculation. This value can therefore be instantaneous, immediate, or a reading on the bezel of the dive time.It is understood that the dedicated hand 4, working in conjunction with the graduated bezel 10, is capable of indicating an instantaneous value of the dive time; that is, a visual identification of the dive time inscribed on the graduation of the bezel's time scale and indicated by the tip of this dedicated hand 4. This dedicated hand 4 does not work with the bezel 10 to indicate the time remaining for the diver before a decompression stop, as is often the case in the prior art. In this context, the dedicated hand 4 indicates a temporal graduation on the time scale 11, a graduation that includes the hour and minutes relevant to the dive time.In addition, we understand that in this configuration where the time interval is three hours, the end of the dedicated hand 4 must, in order to travel this time scale 11 from the positioning index 12 to arrive at this same index 12, describe an angle of 360 degrees.

[0015] In this second display device 3, the dedicated hand 4 has a shape or color intended to distinguish it from the hands of the first display device 2, namely the hour, minute, and second hands. Furthermore, the time graduations of the time scale 11 and all or part of a visible face 15 of the dedicated hand 4 have: a similar color, or a similar color which is different from that of another part of the waterproof case 14 of the watch 1 in particular the dial 5, of an hour graduation 16 included in / on the dial 5 or of a hand 6, 7, 8 of the first display device 2.

[0016] In addition, the time graduations and all or part of the visible face 15 of the dedicated hand 4 comprise a luminescent material having the property of emitting light in: a similar color, or a similar color which is different from that of a luminescent material included in another part of the waterproof case 14 of the watch 1 in particular of the dial 5, of a time graduation 16 included in / on the dial 5 or of a hand 6, 7, 8 of the first display device 2.

[0017] It should be noted that, as in the first device 2, the time graduations and the dedicated hand 4 contain a luminescent material which, when placed in darkness, emits a light of a similar color. This material may correspond to a material known under the brand names "LumiNova®" or "Super-LumiNova®".

[0018] These first and second devices, 2 and 3, are two distinct display devices because they contribute to transmitting two different pieces of information to the diver: the current time and the dive duration. They do this using different components of the watch 1: the hands and dial 5 for the first device 2, and the dedicated hand 4 and bezel 10 for the second device 3. It should be noted that when the first display device 2 is analog, the dedicated hand 4 and all the hands 6, 7, and 8 of this first device 3 are coaxial with each other. In other words, the dedicated hand 4, the hour hand 7, the minute hand 6, and the second hand 8 are coaxial. All these hands 4, 6, 7, and 8 of the watch are mounted within the watch itself in a coaxial configuration.

[0019] This dedicated hand 4 has an angular velocity that differs from that of all the other hands on this watch. This dedicated hand 4 has an angular velocity that differs from that of each of the other hands 6, 7, and 8 on this watch. This dedicated hand 4 has a constant angular velocity that falls between the angular velocities of the hour and minute hands 7 and 6. This dedicated hand 4 has an angular velocity that is greater than the angular velocity of the minute hand 6. This dedicated hand 4 has an angular velocity that is less than the angular velocity of the hour hand 7. Note that the angular velocities of these hands, referenced 4, 6, and 7, are constant.In this embodiment where the time interval is three hours, the dedicated hand 4 moves three times faster than the minute hand 6 of the first device 2 and four times slower than the hour hand 7. In this context, the movement 17 illustrated on the . figures 2 to 4 It comprises a first toothed wheel 20 capable of completing a full rotation according to the time interval of the time scale 11 defined on the bezel 10, which is here three hours. This first toothed wheel 20, which is arranged in this movement 17 above an hour wheel 21, is mounted on a rotating shaft to which the dedicated hand 4 is pressed. This first toothed wheel 20 meshes with a second toothed wheel 19 mounted on a shaft fixed to a minute wheel 18 of the movement 17. It should be noted that the hour wheel 21 meshes with a pinion 22 located on the shaft of the minute wheel 18.

[0020] The watch 1 also includes a locking device for the positioning of the bezel 10 relative to the dedicated hand 4. Such a locking device is of a design known from the prior art and therefore does not require further description here. It should be noted that this locking device is designed to prevent unintentional rotation of the bezel 10, which could distort the dive time information resulting from the interaction between the dedicated hand 4 and the bezel 10.

[0021] In one embodiment, this diving watch 1 comprises the first display device 2 for the current time and the second analog display device 3 for the dive time, said second device 3 comprising the dive time hand 4 animated by a uniform permanent circular motion and the rotating bezel 10 having the visible face 9 comprising the time scale 11 having the time graduations, said bezel 10 being configured to cooperate with said dedicated hand 4 by displaying an instantaneous / immediate value of the dive time.

[0022] In another embodiment, this diving watch 1 comprises the first analog display device 2 for the current time and the second analog display device 3 for the dive time, said second device 3 comprising the dive time hand 4 animated by a uniform permanent circular motion and the rotating bezel 10 having the visible face 9 comprising the time scale 11 having the time graduations, said bezel 10 being configured to cooperate with said dedicated hand 4 by displaying an instantaneous / immediate value of the dive time, said dedicated hand 4 and the set of hands 6, 7, 8 of the first device 3 being coaxial.

[0023] The method for estimating dive time using this watch 1 is as follows: when the diver begins their dive, the method includes a step of aligning the positioning index 12 on the bezel 10 with the end of the dedicated hand 4, as shown on the figure 1b . During this step, the bezel 10, whose index 12 is initially positioned on the hour graduation relating to the number twelve for twelve o'clock in an example illustrated in Fig. 1a, is then operated so as to make a counterclockwise rotation 23 until the positioning of this index 12 opposite the dedicated hand 4.

[0024] Subsequently, this process includes a step to determine the dive time. During this step, if the diver wishes to have the instantaneous value of the dive time, they simply need to visually identify the graduation on the time scale 11 indicated by the end of the dedicated needle 4. For example, on the figure 1c This instantaneous value corresponds to a dive time of two hours and twenty-five minutes.

[0025] Thus, the invention makes it possible to provide the diver with indications relating to the dive time and this, by seeing at a simple glance, the designation by the dedicated hand 4 of a time graduation of the time scale 11 included on the visible face 9 of the rotating bezel 10.

Claims

1. A diving watch (1) comprising a first display device (2) for displaying the current time and a second analogue display device (3) for displaying a dive duration, said second device (3) comprising a hand (4 for indicating the dive duration and a rotatable bezel (10) with a visible face (9) comprising a time scale (11) comprising time graduations, said bezel (10) being configured to engage with said dedicated hand (4) which is continually and uniformly driven in a rotational movement, characterised in that the dedicated hand (4) has an angular velocity that is different from that of each of the other hands (6, 7, 8) on this watch (1).

2. The diving watch (1) according to the preceding claim, characterised in that said dedicated hand (4) indicates the hours and minutes relating to the diving time.

3. The diving watch (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the time scale (11) defines a time interval strictly greater than one hour.

4. The diving watch (1) according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the visible face (9) of the rotatable bezel (10) comprises an index (12) for positioning said bezel (10) relative to the dedicated hand (4).

5. The diving watch (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the rotatable bezel (10) is fitted so as to be rotationally mobile in a single direction on a middle (13) of a water-resistant case (14) of said watch (1).

6. The diving watch (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises a device for locking the positioning of the bezel (10) relative to the dedicated hand (4).

7. The diving watch (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the dedicated hand (4) has a shape or colour distinguishing it from the hands (6, 7, 8) on the first display device (2).

8. The diving watch (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the time graduations on the time scale (11) and all or part of a visible face (15) on the dedicated hand (4) have: - a similar colour; - a similar colour that is different from that of another part of a water-resistant case (14) of the watch, particularly of the dial (5), of an index (16) comprised in / on the dial (5) or of a hand (6, 7, 8) on the first display device (2).

9. The diving watch (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the time graduations on the time scale (11) and all or part of a visible face (15) on the dedicated hand (4) comprise a luminescent material having the property of emitting light in: - a similar colour; - a similar colour that is different from that of a luminescent material comprised in another part of a water-resistant case (14) of the watch, particularly of the dial (5), of an index (16) comprised in / on the dial (5) or of a hand (6, 7, 8) on the first display device (2).

10. The diving watch (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the first display device (2) is an analogue or digital display device.

11. The diving watch (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is mechanical or electromechanical.

12. The diving watch (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the first and second devices (2, 3) are two separate display devices (2, 3).

13. The diving watch (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that when the first display device (2) is analogue, the dedicated hand (4) and the set of hands (6, 7, 8) on this first device (3) are coaxial.

14. The diving watch (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that said dedicated hand (4) is fastened by driving in on a rotary arbor comprising a first toothed wheel (20) arranged in a movement (17) of the watch (1), said first wheel (20) being able to make a complete rotation according to the time interval of the time scale (11) defined on the bezel (10).

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