Timepiece dial

Abstract

To provide a dial that can be fitted on and removed from a clockwork movement without force or with application of a very negligible amount of force.SOLUTION: A dial foot 22 includes: a shaping 231, such as a notch 23, oriented toward a dial plate and intended to receive a mechanical action that presses the plate against a frame 11 of a clockwork movement 10; and a first zone 40 of lower rigidity configured or arranged to deform elastically and / or plastically in a direction mainly parallel to an axis A1 of the foot as the mechanical action is applied to the shaping. The first zone of lower rigidity is arranged and / or configured to have a portion provided with a lower material profile so as to constitute a portion of the dial that is able to be mainly deformed or experience most of the deformation as the mechanical action is applied to the shaping. The first zone of lower rigidity forms a flexible blade extending substantially perpendicularly to the axis of the foot and set into the rest of the foot at one of ends thereof.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a timepiece dial. The invention also relates to a fixing element for fixing the dial to the clockwork movement of a timepiece. The invention also relates to an assembly comprising said dial and / or said fixing element. The invention finally relates to a timepiece comprising said assembly and / or said dial and / or said fixing element. [Background technology]

[0002] The dial feet are generally attached to the dial plate by welding or brazing. The positioning of these feet on the dial plate is relatively imprecise. As a result, the feet are generally dimensioned in such a way that the watchmaker can slightly deform them to correct the positioning of the dial when assembling the dial into the movement.

[0003] It is a known method to center a dial on a movement via its periphery using a skirt. The skirt may be placed on the movement or on the dial. Although this solution provides a relatively accurate centering, it necessarily limits the size of the dial relative to the size of the movement, since these two parts need to be of comparable size to benefit from this type of centering.

[0004] The non-patent document 1 discloses a solution known to the person skilled in the art, which consists in clamping the dial foot laterally in the housing by simply using a screw arranged perpendicular to the housing, the pressure of which on the foot can cause a radial deformation of the foot.

[0005] US Pat. No. 5,399,433 and US Pat. No. 5,499,442 disclose two other solutions known to the person skilled in the art. These documents relate to a fixing device provided with latches in the form of a key and an eccentric, respectively. These latches are provided with knife-shaped parts intended to penetrate the dial foot and form notches therein when the device is in the fixed configuration. The notches necessarily lead to radial deformations of the foot.

[0006] The fixing devices commonly used in recent years are prone to radial or lateral deformation of the dial feet, in particular due to shear or work hardening of the feet. The abovementioned radial deformations imply permanent deformations that tend to complicate the subsequent removal of the dial and its refitting on the movement. In particular, these deformations mean that mechanical forces must be applied for the assembly / removal of the dial from the clockwork movement. Furthermore, due to the delicate nature of the decoration on the dial and its fragility, it is of paramount importance to prevent any appreciable forces from being applied to the dial, since the forces applied during assembly or removal could deform or damage the dial. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Swiss Patent Application Publication No. 1775367 [Patent Document 2] Swiss Patent No. 610705 [Non-patent literature]

[0008] [Non-Patent Document 1] "Theory of Horlogerie", Reymondin et al., Federation des Ecoles Techniques, 1998 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a timepiece dial that allows improving dials known from the prior art. In particular, the present invention proposes a dial that can be attached to and removed from a clockwork movement without the application of force, or by the application of a very negligible amount of force. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] According to the invention, the clock face is defined in claim 1.

[0011] Embodiments of the dial are defined in claims 2 to 7.

[0012] According to the invention the fastening element is defined in claim 8.

[0013] An embodiment of the fastening element is defined in claim 9.

[0014] According to the invention, the assembly is defined in claim 10 .

[0015] Embodiments of the assembly are defined in claims 11 and 12.

[0016] According to the invention, the watch is defined in claim 13.

[0017] The accompanying drawings illustrate, by way of example, two embodiments of a watch according to the invention. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of a timepiece according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of an assembly according to the invention configured to hold a dial on a movement. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of an assembly according to the invention in a configuration for releasing the dial from the movement. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the assembly formed by the dial and the mounting. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a variation of the embodiment of the assembly shown in FIGS. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a dial. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of an assembly according to the invention configured to hold a dial on a movement. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] A first embodiment of a watch 300 is described in detail below with reference to FIGS.

[0020] The watch 300 is, for example, a small watch, in particular a wristwatch. - Clockwork Movement 10, - 20 dials, at least one fastening element 30, preferably two or three fastening elements 30; The assembly 100 includes:

[0021] The fixing element 30 is intended to fix the dial 20 on the clockwork movement 10 .

[0022] The assembly 100 is intended to be mounted within a watch case to protect it from the outside environment.

[0023] The clockwork movement 10 may be a mechanical movement, in particular an automatic movement, or it may be a hybrid movement, or alternatively, the movement may be an electronic movement.

[0024] Dial 20 is - Dial 21 and - at least one dial foot 22 extending along the foot axis A1; Including, At least one leg is a moulding 231, in particular a notch 23, which is directed towards the dial plate and is intended to undergo a mechanical action pressing the plate against the clockwork movement 10, in particular against the frame 11 of the clockwork movement 10; a first area 40 of low stiffness, configured or arranged to deform elastically and / or plastically in a direction primarily parallel to the axis A1 of the foot when the moulding 231 is subjected to a mechanical action; Includes.

[0025] The moulding 231 comprises a face or surface intended to undergo, by contact, a mechanical action that holds the dial onto the movement 10. The moulding 231 is oriented towards the dial plate in the sense that the face or surface intended to undergo the mechanical action has, at the point of application of the action, an orientation (the normal vector N emanating from the material of the moulding at the point of application of the action) directed towards the plate. By preference, said orientation is as far as possible parallel to the axis A1.

[0026] According to a preference, the axis or axes A1 of the foot are perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the dial plate. According to a further preference, the axis or axes A1 pass substantially through the centre of the cross section or cross sections of the foot or feet.

[0027] The plate 21 is intended to be pressed against the frame 11 of the clockwork movement 10. The dial 20 is held on the frame 11 by one or more fixing devices, including a fixing element 30. The plate 21 preferably comprises a face visible to the wearer of the watch. Said face may be decorated. The plate 21 also preferably comprises one or more scales and / or one or more windows cooperating with indicators such as hands and / or discs to show time information or time-derived information.

[0028] The dial 20 preferably comprises two feet 22, as in the first embodiment shown, or three feet. At least one foot 22 is intended to be present in the housing 12, which is manufactured, in particular machined, in the frame 11.

[0029] At least one of the devices for fixing the dial to the frame, or each fixing device, comprises a foot 22 and a fixing element 30. For simplicity, only one fixing device is described in detail below. However, the assembly 100 or watch 300 preferably comprises the same number of fixing devices as there are dial feet 22.

[0030] The foot or feet 22 are advantageously formed integrally with the plate 21. In particular, the foot or feet 22 may be machined integrally with the dial plate 21 from a solid body. Thus, the machining technique applied to obtain the dial may depend on the material used to manufacture the dial 20. - Board and - a foot or feet; The dial 20, including the components, is preferably a single piece.

[0031] Alternatively, the foot or feet 22 may be - attaching the foot blank to the plate blank, in particular by welding or brazing, and then - machining the whole or at least the foot or feet so that the foot is formed wholly or mainly from the material of the foot blank and the plate is formed wholly or mainly from the material of the plate blank, It may be obtained by

[0032] Alternatively, the foot or feet 22 may be formed integrally with the plate 21 by electroforming or by any molding technique. If desired, the feet may be finished using machining.

[0033] Thus, the foot or feet and the board may be manufactured from (predominantly) different materials.

[0034] The dial is advantageously made of a copper-based material, such as brass. Alternatively, the dial may be made of other, preferably ductile, materials, such as gold or platinum. By preference, the screw or fastening element 30 is advantageously machined from a harder material than the dial, for example steel, such that the area of ​​low stiffness 40 is the area that is predominantly or mainly deformed.

[0035] In general, the plate may be manufactured from one of the following materials, among others: - Copper-based materials such as brass, - Precious metals, such as gold or platinum.

[0036] In general, the foot or feet may be manufactured from one of the following materials, among others: - Copper-based materials such as brass, - Precious metals, such as gold or platinum.

[0037] Obtaining the foot or feet using the above-mentioned technique allows the foot or feet 22 to be positioned very accurately on the plate 21. In particular, the foot or feet are positioned much more accurately on the plate (and relative to each other) without subsequent machining modifications than would be the case if they were attached by welding or brazing, for example. In other words, these properties allow a high degree of accuracy to be enjoyed in the positioning of the foot or feet 22 on the plate 21. For example, the dial feet are positioned relative to each other with a positioning tolerance of less than 60 μm, or less than 40 μm, and preferably less than 20 μm. As a further example, each dial foot is positioned relative to the plate with a positioning tolerance of less than 60 μm, or less than 40 μm, and preferably less than 20 μm. These positioning tolerances are thus comparable to the positioning tolerances of one blank relative to another blank in a clockwork movement. The accuracy in positioning the feet makes it possible to benefit from a radial gap j1 between the feet 22 and the housing 12 of less than 40 μm, or less than 25 μm, and preferably greater than or equal to 10 μm.

[0038] 2 illustrates a cross section along a plane P passing through the axis A1 of the dial foot 22 and the centre of the frame 11. Here the fixing device is in a locking first configuration E1, i.e. a fixing element 30 cooperates with the foot 22, acting inter alia as an obstruction, in order to hold and / or press the dial 20 on or onto the frame 11.

[0039] The housing 12 is advantageously machined into the frame to contain the foot 22 with a minimal gap j1 to ensure a highly accurate assembly of the dial into the frame. The precise fit between the foot 22 and the housing 12 is such that any correction of the positioning of the dial relative to the movement is unnecessary. Furthermore, the gap J1 between the foot 22 and the housing 12 of the frame 11 is large enough to allow the dial to be assembled or disassembled without the need to apply any force to the dial, or by applying only a very negligible force.

[0040] The fixing element 30 tends to cooperate with a moulding 231 formed, in particular by machining, on the foot 22. The fixing element 30 may be positioned in at least two distinct configurations.

[0041] In the first locking position P1, the fixing element 30 engages in contact with the moulding 231, particularly within the foot slot or notch 23, to secure the dial to the frame 11 and configure the fixing element into the first locking configuration E1 shown in FIG.

[0042] In the second release position P2, the fixing element 30 is released from the moulding 231, and in particular from the foot notch 23, in order to enable the dial to be released without the need to apply force or by applying only a very negligible force, configuring the fixing element into the second release configuration E2 shown in Figure 3.

[0043] More specifically, the moulding 231 is capable of cooperating with a first part 31 contained in the fixing element 30. The first part 31 engages with the moulding 231 in a locking first configuration E1 and is released from the moulding 231 in a release second configuration E2. Advantageously, when the fixing element 30 is moved from the second to the first position, the first part 31 and / or the moulding 231 have a shape that allows an axial force to be applied progressively to the foot along the axis A1 as the movement proceeds. In other words, thanks to these shapes, the axial force on the foot progressively increases with the movement of the fixing element 30 towards the locking first position P1. The cooperation of the moulding 231 and the first part 31 can be likened to a cam-31-follower-231 type cooperation.

[0044] Such a shape or shapes may advantageously be: - shearing of at least part of the foot, - Crushing or work hardening of at least part of the foot, or - lateral flexion of the foot relative to axis A1, This enables cooperation between the first portion 31 and the molding 231 to prevent undesirable deformation of the foot, such as

[0045] To achieve this, the shape or shapes have a cross section provided with straight or curved line segments inclined, in particular perpendicularly inclined, to the direction of axial deformation, more particularly to axis A1, which allows converting a movement of the first part 31 of the fixing element 30 into an axial movement of the foot 22 along axis A1 and / or an axial force on the foot 22 along axis A1, more particularly an axial movement of the moulding 231 along axis A1 and / or an axial force on the moulding 231 along axis A1.

[0046] The fixing element 30 comprises a second part 32 which enables the watchmaker to actuate the fixing element 30 in at least one of the first or second positions P1, P2, in particular to enable the transition from one of the first and second positions to the other. The second part 32 is intended to cooperate with a watchmaking tool such as a screwdriver, or tweezers, or a wooden or plastic dowel. The fixing element 30 may comprise a screw thread which cooperates with an internal thread formed in the frame 11.

[0047] The fixing element 30 also includes a stop 33 that tends to weight the frame 11. The stop 33 limits the movement of the fixing element 30 when the device is in the locked first configuration E1 to prevent excessive movement of the fixing element 30 that would cause lateral or radial deformation of the foot 22 relative to the axis A1.

[0048] As mentioned above, one, some or all of the legs advantageously include an area of ​​low stiffness or favorable deformation 40. The area of ​​low stiffness 40 is intended to deform axially, i.e., preferably along axis A1, when the fixation element 30 is in the locked first configuration E1.

[0049] In the released second configuration E2, the area 40 is not compressed and is able to return to its initial or rest configuration under the effect of the elasticity of the material from which it is made.

[0050] Advantageously, the shape of the area 40 is: - Guiding the foot or feet into the frame 11, - the accuracy of positioning in the frame 11 of the foot or feet, - disregarding the disassembly and / or assembly of the dial within the movement; It is intended to favor axial deformation of the foot so as not to induce lateral or radial deformation of the foot 22, which may result in In other words, in the locking first configuration E1, the deformation of the section 40 includes a primarily axial component of deformation along the axis A1 that is substantially greater than the components of deformation in other directions (perpendicular to the axis A1).

[0051] The predominantly axial component of deformation along axis A1 may be the result of bending and / or work hardening of region 40.

[0052] The small radial gap j1 requires that the allowable lateral or radial deformation of the foot must be minimal and smaller than the gap j1, which makes it important to utilize low stiffness areas 40 that are intended to deform primarily axially along axis A1.

[0053] The area 40 is deformed so as to apply a mainly axial force to the foot 22 , said force being directed so as to ensure an optimal pressing of the dial 20 against the clockwork movement 10 .

[0054] The deformation of the area 40 may be plastic and / or elastic. Preferably, the deformation is at least partially elastic to ensure optimal pressing of the dial.

[0055] For this reason, the area 40 is designed to have a lower axial stiffness than the rest of the dial, so that the rest of the plate 21 and the foot 22 are regarded as being inter alia infinitely stiff with respect to the area 40 .

[0056] Due to said deformation, the low stiffness area 40 advantageously also makes it possible to limit the axial forces exerted on the dial in the first configuration E1, thus making it possible to prevent the occurrence of defects in the flatness of the plate 21 that could impair the aesthetics of the dial 20, and in particular its decoration.

[0057] To make the foot 22 stiffer and to facilitate the axial deformation of the area 40, the foot may advantageously include a base 24 in the area where it comes into contact with the dial plate 21. The junction with the plate is at the base end of the foot. Said base 24 has a cross-section with a cross-sectional area larger than that of the other areas of the foot 22 in order to make it stiffer.

[0058] Advantageously, an area of ​​low stiffness 40 is formed at the distal end of the foot.

[0059] If desired, the precise creation of the surfaces of the dial feet and the housings that accommodate these feet allows the dial 20 to be positioned on the frame 11 in a balanced manner (and not in a hyperstatic manner). In particular, the housings intended to accommodate each of the feet 22 may have distinct shapes or formats. For example, the first housing 12 may be circular or substantially triangular, and the second housing 12' may have an oval shape, in particular an oval shape at least substantially oriented towards the first housing 12. In other words, the first housing 12 may allow centering and the second housing 12' may allow orientation or alignment of the dial 20 on the frame 11. Such an oval shape of the housing is illustrated in FIG. 5.

[0060] For the same purpose, statically determined assemblies of multiple feet 22 having different shapes or formats are also permitted.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the frame 11 is a blank, or more specifically, a movement plate 11 of a clockwork movement 10 .

[0062] The foot 22 has a generally cylindrical shape that is intended to cooperate with the housing 12 , which may take the form of a cylindrical hole machined in the movement plate 11 .

[0063] As mentioned above, the second housing 12' may take on other shapes, in particular that of an oblong hole cooperating with the second foot 22 to allow a statically determined assembly of the dial.

[0064] By preference, the base 24 likewise has a cylindrical or generally cylindrical shape. By further preference, the base 24 is coaxial with the axis A1. The length of the base 24 is advantageously selected to ensure that the foot has optimal lateral or radial stiffness.

[0065] The fixing element 30 may optionally be a screw 30 arranged perpendicular to the foot 22 and substantially opposite the moulding 231. More specifically, the screw 30 is located in an at least partially internally threaded housing 13 machined in the movement plate 11 and perpendicular to the housing 12.

[0066] Moulding 231 is advantageously bounded by one side of a notch 23. Said notch is for example machined in the cylindrical part of foot 22. The notch is for example formed by machining a rectangular or substantially rectangular cross section having side walls extending perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to axis A1 of foot 22 and / or having end walls extending parallel or substantially parallel to axis A1.

[0067] The second part 32 advantageously has the shape, in particular of a recessed socket or of a slot 32 machined in the screw 30, which socket 32 ​​is intended to cooperate with a watchmaking tool, in particular a watchmaking screwdriver, via which the watchmaker can act on the fixing element 30 in order to place it at least in the first and second positions P1, P2 and in the locking and release configurations E1, E2, respectively.

[0068] The stop 33 may be defined by a head 33 included by the screw 30. In the locking first position P1, the screw head 33 advantageously abuts the frame 11. This prevents the screw 30 from being screwed in too far and thereby deforming the foot 22 radially or laterally (relative to the axis A1) in the locking first configuration E1.

[0069] In the illustrated embodiment, the area of ​​low stiffness 40 is located at the distal end of the foot 22 (the end opposite the end having the base 24 and in contact with the plate 21). More specifically, the foot at said distal end of the foot 22 has a thickness E1 (measured along the axis A1) of material remaining between the notch 23, and in particular the moulding 231, and said distal end of the foot 22, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The thickness E1 is dimensioned in particular such that the area 40 constitutes an area of ​​low axial stiffness. In other words, the area 40 consists of a tongue 40 which forms part of the foot 22 and which extends perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly to the axis A1 from the remainder of the foot or from a complementary part (to the tongue) of the foot. By preference, the tongue has a thickness E1 which is constant over its entire length. Alternatively, the thickness E1 of the tongue may vary in the plane along which the tongue extends. In particular, the thickness of the tongue may increase as it approaches the complementary part of the foot. The above-mentioned moulding 231 is in this exemplary embodiment the surface of the tongue 40. Thus, the first area of ​​low stiffness 40 may be arranged and / or configured to have a portion of low material contour so as to constitute the portion of the dial that is primarily prone to deformation or experiences the majority of deformation when mechanical action is applied to the moulding 231. In addition, the first area of ​​low stiffness 40 may form a tongue or flexible blade that extends perpendicular to the axis A1 of the foot and that is incorporated at one of its ends into the remainder of the foot.

[0070] 2 and 3, the first portion 31 is the end 31 of the screw 30, which has a conical or frusto-conical shape. Said end 31 tends to cooperate with the area 40 of low stiffness, and in particular with the profile 231 formed by the notch 23. Thus, when the fastening element 30 moves from the release second configuration E2 to the locking first configuration E1, the end 31 gradually engages in the notch 23, causing a gradual deformation of the area 40, preferably as a result of the pressing of the frusto-conical shape against the profile 231. This results in a mainly axial force on the foot 22.

[0071] There are several factors that may have an influence on the direction of the force and on the orientation of the deformation of the foot under the influence of the force, in particular: the angle formed by the conical or frustoconical shape of the end 31, - the coefficient of friction between the end 31 and the moulding 231, - orientation of the moulding 231 relative to the axis A1; There is.

[0072] To maximize the axial component of the force, e.g. - to the greatest extent possible, minimizing the angle formed by the conical or frustoconical shape of the end 31; - to the greatest extent possible, minimizing the coefficient of friction between the end 31 and the moulding 231; - the direction perpendicular to the moulding 231 is oriented parallel to the axis A1; It is possible.

[0073] Optionally, the element is constructed and / or arranged so that the force is applied at or near the free end of the tongue, i.e. at some distance from the contact point where the tongue meets the remainder of the foot.

[0074] The thickness of the plate 21 may be standard, in particular 0.25 mm or more, or 0.35 mm or more, or even around 0.4 mm.

[0075] The diameter d1 of the foot is greater than or equal to 0.7 mm, preferably greater than 0.95 mm. Diameter d1 is the diameter of the smallest circle circumscribing the surface 221 of the foot (or circumscribing the cross-sectional contour of the foot 22), the surface 221 making it possible to guide or position the dial in the housing 12 relative to the frame 11 or the movement. The surface or surfaces 221 make it possible, inter alia, to position the dial with only a small amount of play.

[0076] The ratio of foot diameter d1 (and more generally the diameter of the smallest circle circumscribing surface 221) to gap j1 (d1 / j1) is preferably greater than 25, or greater than 50, or greater than 100.

[0077] The foot length l1 is preferably less than twice the foot diameter d1, or less than 1.5 times the foot diameter d1. The foot length l1 is the length between the proximal end and the distal end of the foot.

[0078] The dimensions of the base 24 are: on the one hand, it allows the dial to be positioned in the mounting without the risk of damaging the shape of the feet cooperating with the housing (as will be explained in more detail below); - On the other hand, it makes the dial foot set more rigid, It needs to be sufficient to

[0079] To achieve this, the base diameter d2 is at least greater than diameter d1, and preferably 1.5 times greater than diameter d1, such that the base is considered infinitely rigid compared to the foot of diameter d1, and more generally compared to the remainder of the foot 22. Similarly, the base height h1 is preferably at least equal to 0.25 times the total foot length l1.

[0080] The notch height h is dimensioned to be able to receive the first part 31 of the fixing element 30, in this case the end 31 of the screw 30. The notch depth p is selected so as not to impair too much the rigidity of the foot 21. By preference, the remaining material thickness e2 (maximum distance between the end of the notch and the guiding surface of diameter d1) is r1=d1 / 2 larger than the radius r1 of the foot, or 2 / 3 of the diameter d1 of the foot.

[0081] Here, the area of ​​low stiffness 40 has a thickness e1 sufficient to optimally press the dial. The thickness is, for example, greater than 0.15 mm or of the order of 0.2 mm. By preference, the thickness e1 is also three times smaller than the thickness e2 so that the foot is considered infinitely stiff compared to the area of ​​low stiffness 40. With such a shape, the area of ​​low stiffness 40 may have a cross section with a moment of area (or moment of inertia) about a given axis perpendicular to the axis A1 and perpendicular to the direction in which the area of ​​low stiffness 40 extends that is significantly lower than the moment of area (or moment of inertia) about an axis parallel to the given axis of the cross section of the foot at the portion where the thickness e2 is measured.

[0082] Finally, the penetration of the first portion 31 of the fixation element 30 into the notch 23 is designed to cause a local deformation, more specifically a local bending and / or work hardening, of the area 40 of less than 0.2 mm, or less than 0.15 mm, or less than 0.1 mm. The deformation of the area 40 of low stiffness may be a plastic and / or elastic deformation.

[0083] In this way, the dial deformation caused by the fixing element 30 due to deformation of the low stiffness area 40 results in a defective flatness, typically less than 0.1 mm, or less than 0.05 mm, or less than 0.015 mm.

[0084] In a second embodiment, shown in FIG. 7, which is an alternative to the above embodiment, the dial may be made of a hard and / or brittle material. To this end, the area of ​​low stiffness 41 is - made of a material that is less rigid and / or more flexible than the dial, or - Contains parts made of a material that is less rigid and / or more flexible than the dial, It is disposed within the fixing element 30 .

[0085] In other words, the dial may be made of technical grade ceramic and the fastening element 30 may be a steel key or blade with a low stiffness area that deforms and presses and stays on the moulding 231, in particular in the notch 23 of the dial foot 22, when the fastening element is in the locking first configuration E1. In this case, the moulding that the fastening element 30 presses may have a harder shape and / or material than the low stiffness area, arranged on the foot, as described with reference to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 6. It is thus the fastening element 30 that comprises a low stiffness area 41 that is configured or arranged to deform elastically and / or plastically when a mechanical action is applied from the pressing area 31 to the moulding 231 of the dial foot 22. The low stiffness area 41 may have a portion in the shape of a flexible blade that is intended to be connected at one of its ends to the frame 11, the flexible blade being - intended to extend perpendicular to the foot axis A1, When mechanical action is applied to the moulding 231, it tends primarily to deform.

[0086] As a further alternative to the above, the area of ​​low stiffness may be located in the foot and in the fixation element 30, such that the deformation is distributed between the foot and the fixation element. In other words, the area of ​​low stiffness may be distributed over two parts, in the foot and in the fixation element 30, which two parts are intended to be in contact with each other.

[0087] Whatever the embodiment or variant, at least a part of the area of ​​reduced stiffness may be attached to the foot, in particular to the end of the foot. By way of example, an attached elastic blade may constitute the area of ​​reduced stiffness. For this reason, the foot does not have to be a monolith.

[0088] The dials described herein are of circular and flat shape. However, whatever the embodiment or variant, the dials may be of any shape. In particular, the dials may be square, rectangular, oval, circular or have any external shape. Furthermore, the dials may be, inter alia: - Flat, or - Domed and recessed, or - Dome shape may be also possible.

[0089] Whatever the embodiment or variant, the feet and / or the housing may have a non-circular, for example substantially triangular, cross section. Of course, all other shapes allowing a static and / or accurate positioning of the dial in the movement are also conceivable.

[0090] Moreover, whatever the embodiment or variant, the feet and / or the housing may not be completely cylindrical, but may be at least partially frustoconical or the end surfaces may be formed by bending, thus simplifying the engagement of the dial into the housing when the dial is assembled onto the movement.

[0091] Whatever the embodiment or variant, the cutout 23 may have a cross-section other than a substantially rectangular cross-section: the cross-section may, for example, be triangular and / or circular in shape.

[0092] Whatever the embodiment or variant, the fixing element 30 may be a dial key or an eccentric or a blade, in the manner known from US Pat. No. 5,399,623 and US Pat. No. 5,499,636. The dial key or eccentric or a blade disclosed there also cooperates with the moulding 231, without shearing the foot, by acting on an area of ​​low stiffness. Of course, any other means are conceivable, which make it possible to lock the dial by cooperating with the moulding. For example, the dial key or eccentric or a blade may comprise an area of ​​low stiffness and be deformed axially when the fixing element is in the first locking configuration E1, in order to press the dial against the movement. For this reason, the foot does not experience any deformation in this embodiment, or the deformation is very negligible.

[0093] Whatever the embodiment or variant, when the assembly 100 including the movement 10 with the dial 20 is placed in the case body, the dial 20, in addition to being held on the frame 11 by the fixing device, can also be pressed against said case body or against a flange in order to be pressed against the movement. This makes the assembly of the dial on the movement more rigid and ensures that it is held more firmly in its position.

[0094] Whatever the embodiment or variant, the dial may include one or more feet. When including multiple feet, the dial may include: - Only one leg, or - Only certain legs, or - All legs, 4, may be held on the frame 11 as described above.

[0095] The present invention also provides a mounting 50 including a housing 51 for receiving the foot 22; - the above-mentioned dial 20, The present invention relates to an assembly as shown in FIG.

[0096] In this case, the above-mentioned base or bases 24 are advantageously used to position the dial 20 more precisely in the housing 51 of the mounting 50. The mounting is advantageously used to allow the carrying out of the operations of machining, decorating or finishing of the dial. Thanks to the mounting, the surface 221 of the foot, which is intended to cooperate with the housing 12, may advantageously be masked during these operations to prevent it from being damaged and thus impairing the positioning of the dial in the movement. If desired, the base 24 may be fitted into the housing 51 with a radial gap j2 as small as the radial gap j1 between the foot 22 and the housing 12, as illustrated in FIG. 4. The base 24 or bases 24 include a positioning surface 241 intended to position the dial in the housing or housings 51 relative to the mounting 50 with a minimal amount of clearance. The surface or surfaces 241 are preferably located at the base end of the foot.

[0097] As discussed above with respect to the assembly of dial 20 onto frame 11, a similar statically determined assembly (with different format feet and / or different format housings) is preferred for positioning the dial onto fixture 50 as well.

[0098] Depending on preference, the length or height h1 of the base 24 is also advantageously selected to ensure optimal guidance within the fixture 50.

[0099] The above solution allows optimal positioning of the dial relative to the movement and, unlike various known fixing devices, in particular those using dials with feet, provides a high level of precision within the assembly and makes corrections to the position of the dial relative to the movement unnecessary.

[0100] In addition, in the absence of a skirt, these solutions offer the freedom to use a dial that does not have to be of the same size as the movement. Moreover, these solutions are particularly well suited to timepieces, and in particular movements, around which several control elements are arranged, such as chronograph or chiming movements.

[0101] In summary, and in other words, the solution takes the shape of a dial including the feet, the positioning of which is very precise, so that the assembly gap or fit between the feet and the movement can be advantageously reduced to a functional minimum.

[0102] In particular, due to the reduced clearance that the proposed solution offers, the fixation of the dial makes it necessary to maintain the geometric integrity of the foot within the movement during the various fitting and removal steps, since lateral or radial deformations of the foot might cause it to jam within the movement and / or impair the positioning of the dial.

[0103] Advantageously, the proposed solution makes it possible to overcome these problems and at the same time provide a fixation that allows the dial to be pressed against the movement without play. To achieve this, the dial foot is shaped in such a way that the fixing means of the dial can generate mainly only axial deformations in defined areas, in particular in a plane parallel or coinciding with the dial plate, without any influence on the fit between the foot and the movement. [Explanation of symbols]

[0104] 10. Clockwork Movement 11 Frame 12. Housing 20 dial 21 Dial Plate 22 Feet 23 Notch 24 base 30 Fixed elements 31 End 40 Low stiffness area 41 Low stiffness area 50 Mounting fixture 51 Housing 100 assemblies 221 Surface 231 Molding 241 Positioning Surface 300 Watches

Claims

1. A dial (20) for a clock (300), wherein the dial is The dial plate (21) and At least one dial leg (22) extending along the leg axis (A1), Includes, The aforementioned at least one foot is A molded part (231) is directed toward the dial plate and adapted to receive a mechanical action that presses the plate against the clockwork movement (10), When the mechanical action is applied to the molding (231), a first region (40) of low rigidity is configured or positioned to deform elastically and / or plastically in a direction mainly parallel to the foot axis (A1), Includes, The first low-rigidity area (40) is arranged and / or configured to have a low-material contour so as to constitute a portion of the dial that is capable of experiencing deformation or most of the deformation when the mechanical action is applied to the molding (231), The first low-rigidity region (40) extends substantially perpendicular to the axis (A1) of the leg and forms a flexible blade that is incorporated into the rest of the leg at one end. Dial (20).

2. The first low-rigidity region (40) is located at the distal end of the foot (22), The molding (231) and, The end portion of the foot (22) and Having a first thickness (e1) between, The first thickness is at least twice as small as the minimum cross-sectional thickness (e2) of the foot found between the molding (231) and the plate (21). The dial (20) according to claim 1.

3. The plate and the at least one leg are integrally cast or molded as a single unit. The dial (20) according to claim 1.

4. The foot (22) includes a positioning surface (221, 241) which is adapted to position the dial with minimal play relative to the mounting fixture (50) and / or the clockwork movement (10). The dial (20) according to claim 1.

5. One or part of the positioning surfaces (221, 241), or all of the positioning surfaces (221, 241), are positioned at the base end of the foot. The dial (20) according to claim 4.

6. The foot (22) includes a base (24) on which the positioning surface (241) is formed, and the base has a cross-section that spans the foot, and its cross-sectional area is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​other parts of the foot. The dial (20) according to claim 4.

7. The dial includes a plurality of feet that are positioned relative to each other and / or relative to the dial with a positioning tolerance of less than 60 μm. The dial (20) according to claim 1.

8. A fixed element (30) intended to be mounted on a clockwork movement (10), wherein the fixed element (30) is A pressing area (31) adapted to press against the molding (231) of the dial feet (22), When a mechanical action is applied from the pressing area (31) to the molding (231) of the dial foot (22), a second area (41) of low rigidity is configured or designed to deform elastically and / or plastically, including, Fixed element (30).

9. The low-rigidity second region (41) is positioned and / or configured to show a portion of the shape of a flexible blade that is intended to be connected to the frame (11) at one end, and the flexible blade is It is intended to extend substantially perpendicular to the axis of the foot (A1), When the mechanical action is applied to the molding (231), it becomes primarily deformable. The fixing element (30) according to claim 8.

10. A clockwork movement (10) including at least one housing (12) adapted to receive a foot (22) or a mounting fixture (50) including at least one housing (51) that receives a foot (22), The dial (20) described in claim 1, An assembly (100) including the assembly.

11. The foot includes positioning surfaces (221, 241) adapted to position the dial with minimal play relative to the mounting fixture (50) and / or the clockwork movement (10), (i) at least one positioning surface (221, 241) and One of the aforementioned housings (12, 51) The radial gap (j1) between them is less than 40 μm. and or (ii) The diameter (d1) of the smallest circle that circumscribes the positioning surface (221, 241), The radial gap (j1) between the positioning surface (221, 241) and the housing (12, 51), The ratio to is greater than 25. The assembly (100) according to claim 10.

12. At least one of the housings (12, 51) has an elliptical cross-section directed toward the direction of the other housing (12), The assembly (100) according to claim 10.

13. The dial (20) described in claim 1 Including watches (300).

14. The foot axis (A1) is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the dial plate. The dial (20) according to claim 1.

15. The molding (231) is adapted to be subjected to a mechanical action that presses the plate against the frame (11) of the clockwork movement (10), The dial (20) according to claim 1.

16. The positioning surfaces (221, 241) are adapted to position the dial with minimal play relative to the frame (11) of the clockwork movement (10). The dial (20) according to claim 4.

17. The dial includes a plurality of feet positioned relative to each other and / or relative to the dial with a positioning tolerance of less than 40 μm. The dial (20) according to claim 1.

18. The dial includes a plurality of feet positioned relative to each other and / or relative to the dial with a positioning tolerance of less than 20 μm. The dial (20) according to claim 1.

19. Adapted to be mounted on the frame (11) of a clockwork movement (10), The fixing element (30) according to claim 8.

20. The flexible blade is deformable primarily by bending when the mechanical action is applied to the molding (231). The fixing element (30) according to claim 9.

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