Watch comprising an Anti-shock dial

Abstract

One aspect of the invention relates to a watch (100) comprising a case (10), a removable back (12) mounted on the case (10), and a movement (20) housed in an internal volume (15) of the case (10), characterized in that the watch comprises a dial (40), of thickness (e3), having an upper face (41) visible to the user, the dial (40) being integral with a reinforcing piece (30) positioned under the dial (40), the reinforcing piece (30) having a peripheral annular shoulder (36) cooperating with an annular bearing surface (16) provided in the case (10), said reinforcing piece (30) being integral with the case (10) bearing against the annular bearing surface (16) of the case (10).

Description

Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to a watch with a shock-resistant dial. Technological background

[0002] Typically, a watch consists of a case, a crystal, and a removable back. A watch movement is held in the case by casing components.

[0003] A dial visible through the glass is fixed to the clock movement.

[0004] It is known that an accidental impact on the watch can damage, mark certain components of the watch movement, or even cause the loss of the connection between certain components.

[0005] Solutions have been developed to minimize the shock experienced by the watch movement, notably by inserting a shock absorber between the case and the watch movement.

[0006] However, the watch movement is not the only element that can be damaged during an accidental impact on the watch.

[0007] Indeed, the dial attached to the watch movement can also be damaged or deformed when the watch is subjected to an impact.

[0008] Therefore, there is a need to improve the dials to address at least one of the problems mentioned previously. Summary of the invention

[0009] The main objective of the invention is to provide a watch with a shock-resistant dial offering improved shock resistance.

[0010] To this end, the invention aims to provide a watch comprising a case, a removable back mounted on the case, and a movement housed in an internal volume of the case.

[0011] According to the invention, the watch comprises a dial, of thickness es, having an upper face visible to the user, the dial being attached to a reinforcing piece positioned under the dial, the reinforcing piece having an annular peripheral shoulder cooperating with an annular bearing surface provided in the case, said reinforcing piece being attached to the case in support against the annular bearing surface of the case.

[0012] Such a reinforcing piece reduces the deflection of the dial when the watch is subjected to an impact. Thus, for the same dial (i.e., made of the same material and thickness), the shock-resistant dial according to the invention significantly reduces the deflection at the dial level, by at least a factor of 2, when the watch is subjected to an impact of 1 meter.

[0013] Thus, the shockproof dial according to the invention provides a simple and economical solution without the need to use other expensive and more complex materials to manufacture a dial.

[0014] The shock-resistant dial according to the invention provides reinforced support over the entire surface of the dial, and secures the dial directly to the case to minimize stress and deformation at the dial level.

[0015] In addition to the characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the watch according to the invention may have one or more additional characteristics from among the following, considered individually or in all technically possible combinations: The dial is rigidly supported on an upper face of the reinforcing piece; preferably, the dial is entirely rigidly supported on the upper face of the reinforcing piece; the dial has a central portion and a peripheral portion, and the central and peripheral portions are rigidly supported on the upper face of the reinforcing piece; the reinforcing piece has a central portion of thickness e1 and a peripheral portion at which the annular peripheral shoulder is provided, the peripheral portion having a thickness e2, the thickness e2 of the peripheral portion being greater than the thickness e1 of the central portion and greater than the thickness e3 of the dial; the thickness e2 of the peripheral portion is at least twice greater than the thickness e1 of the central portion 31 and / or greater than the thickness e3 of the dial; the reinforcing piece is secured to the case by screws;The reinforcing piece is secured to the case by screwing at the annular bearing surface of the case; the watch includes a clamping ring, separate from the removable case back, screwed into the case and arranged to axially compress the reinforcing piece against the annular bearing surface of the case; the clamping ring has a thread on its outer circumference that cooperates with a tapped hole in the case; the tapped hole in the case for tightening the clamping ring is configured to receive the removable case back (12) by screwing; the dial is a single piece with the reinforcing piece; the dial is secured by bonding to the upper face of the reinforcing piece using an adhesive; the dial is secured by screws to the upper face of the reinforcing piece using screw-fastening means; the dial is secured by brazing or welding to the upper face of the reinforcing piece;The movement is fitted into the case by means of the reinforcing piece. Brief description of the figures

[0016] The aims, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description below, which refers to the following figures: there figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first example of an embodiment of a watch according to the invention comprising a shock-resistant dial; the figure 2 is a cross-sectional view partially illustrating the first example of the watch shown in the figure 1 ; there figure 3 is a cross-sectional view partially illustrating a shock-resistant dial according to the invention; the figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the second example of an embodiment of a watch according to the invention.

[0017] In all figures, common elements bear the same reference numbers unless otherwise specified. Detailed description of the invention

[0018] In this application, the axial direction is a direction extending perpendicularly to a plane formed by the dial of the watch movement, referred to here as P1. A radial direction, on the other hand, is parallel to the plane P1 formed by the dial.

[0019] The terms "internal" and "external" are to be considered in reference to the center of the timepiece, so that an internal face is closer to the center than an external face, which is opposite the center of the timepiece.

[0020] The terms "superior" and "inferior" are to be considered in the frame of reference of a watch placed on its back as represented in the figure 2 .

[0021] There figure 1is an exploded perspective view of a first example of the realization of a watch 100 according to the invention, of central axis B, comprising a case 10 configured to be closed on both sides by a removable back 12 and by a glass (not shown).

[0022] There figure 2 is a cross-sectional view partially illustrating the first example of the realization of the 100 watch shown in the figure 1 . There figure 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating more particularly a shockproof dial according to the invention.

[0023] For example, the 10 case is made of metallic material, ceramic, polymer material or a mixture of different materials.

[0024] The watch 100 includes a movement 20 housed in an internal volume 15 delimited by the case 10 and held in position in the case 10 by casing means (not shown).

[0025] Movement 20 can be a mechanical, electromechanical or electronic movement.

[0026] The movement 20 has a central axis A perpendicular to a general plane P1. The central axis A of the movement 20 is parallel to or corresponds to the axis of rotation of the hands of the movement.

[0027] The central axis A of movement 20 is parallel to or corresponds to the central axis B of the case 110.

[0028] A dial 40 is classically positioned above the movement 20 and is visible through the crystal.

[0029] The dial 40 has an upper surface 41, visible to the user, bearing markings and / or openings for displaying time-related information. The dial 40 may also have a decorative element on its upper surface 41.

[0030] The dial is made, for example, of brass, aluminum, steel, a metal alloy, synthetic material, composite materials or a mixture of these materials.

[0031] The dial has a thickness of e3. Typically, a dial is 0.4mm thick. Depending on the material used and the dimensions of the dial, such a thickness can cause rigidity issues and lead to deformation if the watch is subjected to an impact.

[0032] To remedy this drawback, the dial 40 is attached to a reinforcing piece 30, positioned under the dial 40, the whole forming a shockproof dial according to the invention.

[0033] The dial 40 has a central portion and a peripheral portion. According to the invention, the central and peripheral portions of the dial 40 rest on the reinforcing piece 30.

[0034] The reinforcing piece 30 is for example in the shape of a disc having a central portion 31 and a peripheral portion 32.

[0035] Preferably the reinforcing piece 30 has a radial dimension greater than the radial dimension of the dial 40, so that the dial 40 rests entirely in support on the reinforcing piece 30.

[0036] The reinforcing piece 30 has a top surface 33 forming a bearing surface on which the dial 40 rests and is fixed.

[0037] The reinforcing piece 30 has an annular shoulder 36 provided at the level of the peripheral portion 32 configured to cooperate in support with an annular span 16 provided in an internal portion of the frame 10.

[0038] Preferably, the peripheral portion 32 has, at the level of the annular shoulder 36, a thickness e 2 greater than the thickness e 1 of the central portion 31 and a thickness e 3 of the dial 40. For example, the peripheral portion 32 is at least twice as thick as the central portion 31 so as to ensure a rigidity of the dial 40 of less thickness.

[0039] The reinforcing piece 30 is integral with the frame 10, bearing against the annular support 16 at the level of the peripheral annular shoulder 36.

[0040] In this first example of an illustrated implementation Figures 1 And 2 , the reinforcement piece 30 is secured to the case by means of screwing, such as screws.

[0041] For example, the reinforcing piece 30 is secured to the case 10 by means of screws cooperating with threads provided at the level of the annular bearing surface 16. The screwing means make it possible to ensure rigid retention of the reinforcing piece 30 against the annular bearing surface 16 of the case 10.

[0042] In a second example of implementation illustrated at the figure 4 The reinforcement piece 30 is rigidly fixed to the case 10 by means of a clamping ring 50, separate from the removable base 12. The clamping ring 50 is screwed into the case 10 and configured to clamp and axially compress the reinforcement piece 30 against the annular bearing surface 16 of the case 10.

[0043] The clamping ring 50 has on its outer circumference a thread configured to cooperate with a tapped hole 17 provided on an axial inner face of the case 10.

[0044] The clamping ring 50 may have indentations on its underside allowing the insertion of a tool to facilitate tightening the clamping ring 50 in the case 10.

[0045] Preferably, the thread 17 for tightening the clamping ring 50 is identical to the thread for mounting and tightening the removable bottom 12.

[0046] The clamping ring 50 can be made from any rigid, non-elastomeric material, for example a metal or a synthetic material.

[0047] For example, clamping ring 50 is made of a rigid, non-elastomeric material with a Young's modulus greater than 50 GPa.

[0048] Preferably, the reinforcement piece 30 completely covers the movement 20 and has openings necessary for the display of information at the dial 40.

[0049] The reinforcing piece 30 can be provided in contact with the movement 20, for example in contact with the upper face of the movement 20. The reinforcing piece 30 can also be positioned at a distance from the movement 20 so as to present an axial space between the reinforcing piece 30 and the movement 20.

[0050] The dial 40 can conventionally include fixing feet 42 cooperating with holes provided in the central portion 31 of the reinforcement piece 30. These fixing feet 42 form an indexing means to correctly position the dial 40 on the reinforcement piece 30.

[0051] The dial 40 is for example secured to the reinforcement piece 30 by gluing using an adhesive element 14, for example an adhesive film.

[0052] Thus, the adhesive element 14 forms an interface layer between the dial 40 and the reinforcing piece 30.

[0053] The dial 40 is for example secured by screwing onto the reinforcement piece 30, for example by screws cooperating with threads provided on the upper face 33 of the reinforcement piece 30.

[0054] Dial 40 is, for example, secured by welding or brazing to the reinforcement piece 30.

[0055] For example, the dial 40 is made of brass and has a thickness e3 of 0.4mm. The reinforcing piece 30 is made of steel and has a thickness e1 of 0.4mm and a thickness e2 of 0.9mm.

[0056] According to one embodiment, the dial 40 is for example a single piece with the reinforcing piece 30. In this embodiment, the decorative surface is applied directly onto the reinforcing piece 30.

Claims

1. Watch (100) comprising a case (10), a removable back (12) mounted on the case (10), and a movement (20) housed in an internal volume (15) of the case (10), characterized in that the watch includes a dial (40), of thickness (e3), having an upper face (41) visible to the user, the dial (40) being integral with a reinforcement piece (30) positioned under the dial (40), the reinforcement piece (30) having an annular peripheral shoulder (36) cooperating with an annular bearing surface (16) provided in the case (10), said reinforcement piece (30) being integral with the case (10) bearing against the annular bearing surface (16) of the case (10).

2. Watch (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the dial (40) is rigidly supported on an upper face (33) of the reinforcing piece (30).

3. Watch (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the dial (40) has a central portion and a peripheral portion and in thatthe central portion and the peripheral portion are in rigid support on the upper face (33) of the reinforcing piece (30).

4. Watch (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reinforcing piece (30) has a central portion (31) of thickness (e1) and a peripheral portion (32) at the level of which the annular peripheral shoulder (36) is provided, the peripheral portion having a thickness (e2), the thickness (e2) of the peripheral portion being greater than the thickness (e1) of the central portion (31) and greater than the thickness (e3) of the dial (40).

5. Watch (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the thickness (e2) of the peripheral portion (32) is at least twice greater than the thickness (e1) of the central portion (31) and / or greater than the thickness (e3) of the dial (40).

6. Watch (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in thatThe reinforcing piece (30) is secured to the frame (10) by screwing.

7. Watch (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the reinforcement piece (30) is secured to the case (10) by screwing at the level of the annular bearing surface (16) of the case (10).

8. Watch (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the watch (100) has a clamping ring (50), separate from the removable back (12), screwed into the case (10) and arranged to axially compress the reinforcing piece (30) against the annular bearing surface (16) of the case (10).

9. Watch (100) according to claim 8, characterized in that the clamping ring (50) has on an external circumference a thread cooperating with a tapped hole (17) made in the case (10).

10. Watch (100) according to claim 9, characterized in thatthe tapping (17) of the case (10) for tightening the clamping ring (33) is configured to receive the removable bottom (12) by screwing.

11. Watch (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dial (40) is one piece with the reinforcing piece (30).

12. Watch (100) according to any one of claims 2 to 10, characterized in that the dial (40) is secured by gluing to the upper face (33) of the reinforcement piece (30) by means of an adhesive element (14).

13. Watch (100) according to any one of claims 2 to 10, characterized in that the dial (40) is secured by screws to the upper face (33) of the reinforcement piece (30) by screwing means.

14. Watch (100) according to any one of claims 2 to 10, characterized in that the dial (40) is secured by brazing or welding to the upper face (33) of the reinforcement piece (30).

15. Watch (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in thatthe movement (20) is fitted into the case (10) by means of the reinforcing piece (30).

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