Locking device for a push-button of a watch case

Abstract

The invention relates to a locking device (10) for a pusher in a rest position, comprising a pusher (100) intended to be engaged in a sliding manner in a caseband (21) between an active position and a rest position, and a control member (110) cooperating with a blocking element (120) such that, when the control member (110) occupies a locking position, the blocking element (120) immobilizes the pusher (100) in the rest position, and when the control member (110) occupies a release position, the blocking element (120) allows the movement of the pusher (100) from its rest position.

Description

Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to the field of watchmaking and in particular to watch cases. The invention relates in particular to a device for locking a pusher of a watch case. Technological background

[0002] Watches comprising a watch movement with certain complications have a case equipped with at least one pusher intended to select, activate or correct a function of said watch movement.

[0003] The most commonly encountered pushers are in the form of buttons extending outside the caseband. These pushers are advantageously easy and quick to access when the watch is worn. However, their prominence can lead to inadvertent actuation.

[0004] To solve this problem, some pushers take the form of correctors that are flush with the surface of the watch case. These pushers need to be activated by the tip of a dedicated tool to prevent accidental activation. With this same objective in mind, some pushers are located in areas of the watch case that are relatively difficult to access and require the user to remove the watch to activate them. Using these pushers can therefore be particularly tedious.

[0005] It is understood that a compromise must be found between the ease of use of a pusher when the watch is worn and the security of its actuation.

[0006] The present invention aims to solve this problem. Summary of the invention

[0007] The invention relates, for this purpose, to a device for locking a pusher in a rest position, comprising a pusher intended to be engaged in a sliding manner in a case between an active position and a rest position, and a control member cooperating with a blocking element so that, when the control member occupies a locking position, the blocking element causes the pusher to be immobilized in the rest position, and when the control member occupies a release position, the blocking element allows the pusher to move from its rest position.

[0008] The present invention thus makes it easier to lock and unlock a pusher, while being able to be applied to pushers that are simple and quick to use when the watch is worn and do not require any tools to be activated.

[0009] In addition, the device uses very few components so it is very simple to make.

[0010] In particular embodiments, the invention may further comprise one or more of the following features, taken individually or in any technically possible combination.

[0011] In particular embodiments, when the control member occupies the release position, the locking element is held against the control member under the effect of an elastic restoring force.

[0012] In particular embodiments, the pusher comprises a protrusion intended to engage, when the pusher occupies the active position, in a cavity of complementary shape extending in the case, the control member forcing the blocking element to close this cavity when it occupies the locking position, the latter being disengaged when it occupies the release position.

[0013] In particular embodiments, the blocking element is formed by an elastic blade extending between two ends, a first of which is arranged against the control member and a second of which is intended to release or close the cavity depending on the position of the control member.

[0014] In particular embodiments, the locking element is configured so that when the control member is moved towards the locking position, it applies, to the first end of the locking element, a force causing it to deform in such a way that the second end of said locking element is moved in translation in a first direction, and is configured so that, when the control member is moved towards the release position, the locking element deforms under the effect of the elastic return force, in such a way that its second end is moved in translation in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

[0015] In particular embodiments, the control member is formed by a crown fixed to a free end of a winding stem and comprising a skirt against which the locking element rests.

[0016] According to another object, the present invention relates to a watch case comprising a caseband, a crystal and a back defining an internal volume intended to receive a watch movement, the case further comprising a locking device as described previously, the caseband being configured to guide the blocking element in movement, the latter being arranged outside the internal volume. Brief description of the figures

[0017] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following detailed description given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawings in which: there Figure 1represents a detailed view of a watch case comprising a device for locking a pusher according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which the pusher occupies a rest position and a control member occupies a release position allowing the movement of the pusher from the rest position to an active position; Figure 2 represents the detail view of the Figure 1 , in which the control member occupies a locking position immobilizing the pusher in the rest position; Figure 3 represents the detail view of the Figure 1 , in which the pusher occupies the active position.

[0018] Note that the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale for clarity. Detailed description of the invention

[0019] The present invention relates to a locking device 10 for a pusher of a watch case in a rest position and a watch case 20 comprising said locking device 10.

[0020] The watch case 20 defines an internal volume 22 in which it is intended to house a watch movement, in a manner known to those skilled in the art. In particular, the internal volume 22 is defined in particular by a caseband 21, a crystal and a back of the watch case 20.

[0021] The locking device 10 according to the invention comprises a pusher 100 intended to be engaged in a sliding manner in a caseband 21 of the watch case 20, in a direction oriented towards the internal volume 22 of the case. The pusher 100 is intended to be requested by a user to occupy an active position, as visible on the Figure 3, in order to act on the watch movement, for example to select, activate or correct a function of the watch movement. The pusher 100 is biased into a rest position, as seen in the Figure 1 , by a spring (not shown in the figures), for example in a manner known to those skilled in the art.

[0022] The locking device 10 further comprises a control member 110 intended to be engaged in the case 21, in a movable manner in rotation and / or in rotation, between a locking position and a release position.

[0023] In particular, the locking device 10 comprises a blocking element 120 arranged to cooperate with the control member 110 so that, when the control member 110 occupies the release position, the blocking element 120 authorizes the movement of the pusher 100 from its rest position, as visible in the Figure 1, to its active position, as seen on the Figure 3 , and when the control member 110 occupies the locking position, the blocking element 120 immobilizes the pusher 100 in the rest position, as visible in the Figure 2 .

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, the pusher 100 comprises a protrusion 101, for example in the form of a stud, intended to engage in a cavity 210 of complementary shape extending in the middle 21, when the pusher 100 occupies the active position, as shown in Figure 3 . The blocking element 120 is configured to close this cavity 210 when the control member 110 occupies the locking position, as shown in Figure 2 . Thus, the blocking element 120 constitutes a stop against which the protrusion 101 is arranged to bear.

[0025] Advantageously, when the control member 110 occupies the release position, the locking element 120 is held, under the effect of an elastic return force, against said control member 110. Consequently, during its movement towards the locking position, the control member 110 forces the locking element 120 to deform against the elastic return force.

[0026] Preferably, the blocking element 120 is formed by an elastic blade extending between two ends, a first 121 of which is arranged against the control member 110 and a second 122 of which is intended to release or close the cavity 210.

[0027] More specifically, the locking element 120 is configured so that when the control member 110 is moved to the locking position, it applies, to the first end 121 of the locking element 120, a force causing it to deform in such a way that the second end 122 of said locking element 120 is moved in a translational movement in a first direction so that it closes the cavity 210. In a complementary manner, the locking element 120 is configured so that, when the control member 110 is moved to the release position, the locking element 120 deforms under the effect of the elastic return force, in such a way that its second end 122 is moved in a translational movement in a second direction opposite to the first direction, so that it releases the cavity 210, that is to say that it is no longer opposite the cavity 210.

[0028] Preferably, the control member 110 is formed by a crown fixed to a free end of a winding stem. The crown comprises a skirt 111 against which the first end 121 of the locking element 120 rests. Thus, whether the crown is moved along a helical or rectilinear trajectory, respectively if the crown is screwed / unscrewed or if the crown is pulled / pushed, the locking element 120 will be stressed in a similar manner. In particular, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, when the control member occupies the locking position, it is closer to the caseband than when it occupies the release position, as illustrated by figures 1 And 3 .

[0029] Advantageously, the locking element 120 is guided in movement by the middle 21 and is arranged outside the internal volume 22, as visible in the figures 1 to 3In particular, the case 21 is configured so as to form a guide path ensuring the guidance of the locking element 120 while ensuring its attachment to the case.

[0030] It should be noted that, in the present invention, no kinematic connection exists between the pusher 100 and the control member 110. This arrangement makes it possible to simplify the locking device 10 as much as possible.

[0031] Furthermore, the fact that the blocking element 120 is arranged outside the internal volume 22 makes it possible to adapt the invention with any existing watch movement without requiring modifications to the latter.

[0032] More generally, it should be noted that the methods of implementation and embodiment considered above have been described as non-limiting examples, and that other variants are consequently conceivable.

[0033] For example, the invention may comprise several pushers and as many locking elements, each of the latter being capable of immobilizing a pusher in its rest position. In particular, the invention may comprise two pushers arranged respectively on either side of the crown, the locking elements being arranged to work symmetrically and simultaneously lock the pushers.

Claims

1. Locking device (10) of a pusher in a rest position, characterized in that it comprises a pusher (100) intended to be engaged in a sliding manner in a case middle (21) between an active position and a rest position, and a control member (110) cooperating with a blocking element (120) so that, when the control member (110) occupies a locking position, the blocking element (120) immobilizes the pusher (100) in the rest position, and when the control member (110) occupies a release position, the blocking element (120) allows the movement of the pusher (100) from its rest position.

2. Locking device (10) according to claim 1, wherein when the control member (110) occupies the release position, the blocking element (120) is held against the control member (110) under the effect of an elastic restoring force.

3. Locking device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, in which the pusher (100) comprises a protrusion (101) intended to engage, when the pusher (100) occupies the active position, in a cavity (210) of complementary shape extending in the middle (21), the control member (110) forcing the blocking element (120) to close this cavity (210) when it occupies the locking position, the latter being disengaged when it occupies the release position.

4. Locking device (10) according to one of claims 2 or 3, in which the blocking element (120) is formed by an elastic blade extending between two ends, a first of which (121) is arranged against the control member (110) and a second of which (122) is intended to release or close the cavity (210) depending on the position of the control member (110).

5. Locking device (10) according to claims 2 and 4, wherein the locking element (120) is configured so that when the control member (110) is moved towards the locking position, it applies, on the first end (121) of the locking element (120), a force causing its deformation in such a way that the second end (122) of said locking element (120) is moved in translation in a first direction, and is configured so that, when the control member (110) is moved towards the release position, the locking element (120) deforms under the effect of the elastic restoring force, in such a way that its second end (122) is moved in translation in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

6. Locking device (10) according to one of claims 1 to 5, in which the control member (110) is formed by a crown fixed to a free end of a winding stem and comprising a skirt (111) against which the locking element (120) rests.

7. Watch case (20) comprising a case middle (21), a crystal and a back defining an internal volume (22) intended to receive a watch movement, the case further comprising a locking device (10) according to one of claims 1 to 6, the case middle (21) being configured to guide the blocking element (120) in movement, the latter being arranged outside the internal volume (22).

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