Locking device for locking push button of portable watchcase

Abstract

To provide a locking device that enables the ease of use of a push button when a portable watch is worn while making it safe to operate.SOLUTION: A locking device (10) for locking a push button in a rest position includes a push button (100) intended to be slidably engaged in a middle portion (21) between an active position and the rest position, and a control member (110). The control member (110) cooperates with a block element (120), the block element (120) fixes the push button (100) in the rest position when the control member (110) is in a locking position, and the block element (120) enables the push button (100) to move from the rest position when the control member (110) is in a release position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to portable timepieces (e.g., wristwatches, pocket watches), and more particularly to the field of portable timepiece cases. The present invention particularly relates to a locking device for locking the push buttons of a portable timepiece case.

Background Art

[0002] Portable timepieces equipped with a movement for a portable timepiece having several complex mechanisms have a case with at least one push button, and the purpose of such a push button is to select, activate, or modify the functions of the movement for the portable timepiece.

[0003] The most common push buttons are in the form of buttons that extend to the outside of the middle part. Such push buttons can be easily and quickly accessed when wearing the portable timepiece. However, because the push buttons protrude, they may be accidentally operated.

[0004] To solve this problem, some push buttons are in the form of collectors flush with the surface of the middle part of the portable timepiece. Such push buttons need to be activated with the tip of a dedicated tool to prevent accidental operation. With the same purpose in mind, some push buttons are arranged in locations on the portable timepiece case that are relatively difficult to access, and it is necessary to remove the portable timepiece from the user to activate them. Therefore, using such push buttons can be particularly troublesome.

[0005] It is clear that a compromise must be found between the ease of use of the push buttons when wearing the portable timepiece and the ability to operate it safely.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to solve such problems.

Summary of the Invention

Means for Solving the Problem

[0007] For this purpose, the present invention relates to a locking device for locking a push button in a rest position, and includes a push button intended to be slidably engaged in a middle portion between an active position and a rest position, and a control member. The control member is associated with a blocking element, and when the control member is in the locked position, the blocking element fixes the push button in the rest position, and when the control member is in the released position, the blocking element enables the push button to move from the rest position.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention makes it possible to apply to a push button that can be quickly and easily used when a portable watch is worn, while facilitating locking and unlocking of the push button and eliminating the need to activate a tool.

[0009] In addition, in this locking device, since only a very small number of components are implemented, the construction is very easy.

[0010] In a particular embodiment, the present invention may further comprise one or more of the following features, considered alone or in any technically possible combination.

[0011] In a particular embodiment, when the control member is in the released position, the blocking element is held against the control member under the influence of an elastic restoring force.

[0012] In a particular embodiment, the push button has a protrusion, and the protrusion is intended to engage a cavity formed in the middle portion and having a complementary shape to the protrusion when the push button is in the active position. The control member closes the cavity with the blocking element when the control member is in the locked position, and the cavity is released when the control member is in the released position.

[0013] In a particular embodiment, the block element is formed by an elastic blade extending between two ends, the first end of which is arranged to oppose the control member, and the second end of which is intended to open and close the cavity according to the position of the control member.

[0014] In a particular embodiment, the block element is configured such that when the control member moves towards the locked position, the control member applies a force to deform the block element at the first end of the block element, such that the second end of the block element makes a translational movement in a first direction, and when the control member moves towards the released position, the block element deforms under the influence of an elastic restoring force, such that the second end of the block element makes a translational movement in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

[0015] In a particular embodiment, the control member is formed by a lug firmly attached to the free end of a winding stem, and the control member has a skirt portion against which the block element abuts.

[0016] According to another object, the present invention further relates to a portable watch case comprising a middle part, a windshield and a back part, which are intended to form an internal space for receiving a movement for a portable watch, the portable watch case further comprising the above lock device, the middle part being configured to guide the movement of the block element, and the block element being arranged outside the internal space.

[0017] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent by reading the following detailed description given by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, for the sake of clarity, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to the same scale.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] The present invention relates to a locking device 10 for locking a push button of a portable watch case in a rest position, and a portable watch case 20 provided with the locking device 10.

[0020] The portable watch case 20 forms an internal space 22 intended to accommodate a portable watch movement in a form known to those skilled in the art. Specifically, the internal space 22 is formed by, in particular, the middle part 21, the windshield, and the back part of the portable watch case 20.

[0021] The locking device 10 according to the present invention includes a push button 100 intended to be slidably engaged in a direction facing the internal space 22 of the case in the middle part 21 of the portable watch case 20. As shown in FIG. 3, the push button 100 is activated by a user so as to be in the active position and acts on the portable watch movement, for example, to select, activate, or modify the functions of the portable watch movement. As shown in FIG. 1, the push button 100 is biased by a spring (not shown) or the like to be in the rest position in a form known to those skilled in the art.

[0022] The locking device 10 further comprises a control member 110 which is intended to engage in the middle part 21 so as to be rotatable and / or pivotable between a locked position and a released position.

[0023] In particular, the locking device 10 comprises a blocking element 120 which, in cooperation with the control member 110, enables the movement of the push button 100 from the rest position shown in FIG. 1 to the active position shown in FIG. 3 when the control member 110 is in the released position, and which is configured to fix the push button 100 in the rest position when the control member 110 is in the locked position as shown in FIG. 2.

[0024] In one preferred embodiment, the push button 100 has a protrusion 101 in the form of a stud or the like which is intended to engage in a cavity 210 having a complementary shape formed within the middle part 21 of the case when the push button 100 is in the active position as shown in FIG. 3. The blocking element 120 is configured to close the cavity 210 when the control member 110 is in the locked position as shown in FIG. 2. Thus, the blocking element 120 forms a stop against which the protrusion 101 abuts.

[0025] Advantageously, when the control member 110 is in the released position, the blocking element 120 is held against the control member 110 under the influence of an elastic restoring force. As a result, when the control member 110 moves towards the locked position, it deforms the blocking element 120 against the elastic restoring force.

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

[0027] In particular, when the control member 110 moves towards the locked position, a force is applied to deform the block element 120 at the first end 121 of the block element 120, such that the second end 122 of the block element 120 translates in a first direction to close the cavity 210. The block element 120 is configured in a complementary manner such that when the control member 110 moves towards the released position, under the influence of the elastic restoring force, the block element 120 deforms and the second end 122 moves in a second direction opposite to the first direction, opening the cavity 210, i.e., such that the block element 120 no longer faces the cavity 210.

[0028] Preferably, the control member 110 is formed by a screw that is firmly attached to the free end of the winding stem. The screw has a skirt portion 111 against which the first end 121 of the block element 120 abuts. Thus, regardless of whether the screw moves along a helical path or a linear path, when the screw is screwed in / unscrewed, or when the screw is pulled in / pushed out, the block element 120 operates similarly. In particular, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, when the control member is in the locked position, it is closer to the middle portion than when it is in the released position.

[0029] Advantageously, as shown in FIGS. 1 - 3, the movement of the block element 120 is guided by the middle portion 21, and the block element 120 is disposed outside the internal space 22. In particular, the middle portion 21 of the case is configured to form a guide track that securely holds the block element 120 to the case while ensuring the guidance of the block element 120.

[0030] In addition, in the present invention, there is no kinematic connection between the push button 100 and the control member 110. This configuration allows the locking device 10 to be simplified as much as possible.

[0031] In addition, since the block element 120 is disposed outside the internal space 22, the present invention can be adapted without modifying an existing movement for a portable watch.

[0032] More generally, the implementation examples and embodiments considered above are described by way of example, and thus other variations can also be considered.

[0033] For example, the present invention can include a plurality of push buttons and as many block elements, each of which can fix one push button in its rest position. In particular, the present invention can include two push buttons respectively disposed on both sides of the crown, and the block elements can act symmetrically and be configured to lock these push buttons simultaneously.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0034] 10 Locking device 20 Portable watch case 21 Middle part 22 Internal space 100 Push button 101 Protrusion 110 Control member 111 Skirt part 120 Block element 121 First end 122 Second end 210 Cavity

Claims

1. A locking device (10) for locking a push button in a rest position, comprising: a push button (100) intended to be slidably engaged in the middle part (21) between an active position and a rest position; a control member (110); The control member (110) cooperates with a blocking element (120) such that when the control member (110) is in the locked position, the blocking element (120) fixes the push button (100) in a rest position, and when the control member (110) is in the released position, the blocking element (120) allows the push button (100) to move from the rest position; The push button (100) has a protrusion (101), said projection (101) is intended to engage in a cavity (210) formed in said middle part (21) and having a shape complementary to said projection (101) when said push button (100) is in an active position; The control member (110) causes the blocking element (120) to close the cavity (210) when the control member (110) is in a locked position; said cavity (210) is released when said control member (110) is in a released position; The blocking element (120) is formed by an elastic blade extending between two ends, a first end (121) of which is arranged against the control member (110) and a second end (122) of which is intended to open or close the cavity (210) depending on the position of the control member (110). A locking device (10).

2. When the control member (110) is in the release position, the blocking element (120) is held against the control member (110) under the effect of an elastic return force.

2. The locking device (10) according to claim 1 .

3. the blocking element (120) is configured such that, when the control member (110) is in a released position, the blocking element (120) is held against the control member (110) under the influence of an elastic return force, and when the control member (110) moves towards a locked position, the control member (110) exerts a force on the first end (121) of the blocking element (120) which deforms the blocking element (120) such that the second end (122) of the blocking element (120) translates in a first direction, The blocking element (120) is configured such that, when the control member (110) moves towards a release position, the blocking element (120) deforms under the influence of an elastic return force such that the second end (122) of the blocking element (120) translates in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

2. The locking device (10) according to claim 1 .

4. said control member (110) being formed by a crown secured to the free end of the winding stem; The control member (110) has a skirt (111) against which the blocking element (120) abuts.

2. The locking device (10) according to claim 1 .

5. A watch case (20) comprising a middle (21), a crystal and a back, forming an interior space (22) intended to receive a watch movement, The watch case (20) further comprises a locking device (10) according to claim 1, The middle portion (21) is configured to guide the movement of the block element (120), The block element (120) is disposed outside the interior space (22). A portable watch case (20).

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