Production of timepiece waterproof joint

Abstract

To provide a method for producing a timepiece component.SOLUTION: A first portion 11 includes a first reference surface 110 having a tolerance. In a first step, a first material is selected to produce the first portion by additive manufacturing, and a base 50 is prepared. In a second step, a base surface 150 is etched in the base, the base surface is the negative shape of the first reference surface, and the base is arranged on additive manufacturing means. In a third step, the first portion of the component is grown by additive manufacturing in contact with the entire base surface. In a fourth step, the development of the first portion is verified against a predetermined set value, and the third additive manufacturing step is repeated iteratively until the desired level of development is reached.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a timepiece component by additive manufacturing, the timepiece component comprising at least a first portion having a first reference surface having a first shape with tolerances in terms of dimensions and / or flatness and / or cylindricity and / or surface finish.

[0002] The present invention relates to the water resistance of parts and sub-assemblies of a timepiece, and more particularly to the manufacture of waterproof joints for timepieces.

Background Art

[0003] Waterproof joints, especially thermoplastic seals for the watch industry, are today manufactured by machining after injection molding or extrusion, or by another method requiring machining operations. These seals must meet very strict tolerance standards. These seals can be found in watch glasses, back covers, crowns, and other elements, especially elements of wristwatches, where water resistance or good adhesion is required.

[0004] New approaches such as additive manufacturing or 3D printing enable the manufacture of original designs and new types of assemblies, including waterproof seals. However, it is very difficult to meet the accuracy standards of these seals, especially with regard to tolerances. The most important dimension is the thickness of the seal.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to develop a method that guarantees strict tolerances both in terms of dimensions and surface finish of a waterproof joint of a timepiece while enabling small-scale serial production without investing in expensive tools.

[0006] To this end, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a timepiece component by additive manufacturing, the timepiece component comprising at least a first portion having a first reference surface having a first shape with tolerances in terms of dimensions and / or flatness and / or cylindricity and / or surface finish.

[0007] According to the present invention, in a first step, at least one first material is provided, said material being suitable for manufacturing at least said first part of the component by additive manufacturing, a base is provided, said base being suitable for supporting the growth of said first material, and said base is manufactured from a base material selected to enable subsequent separation of said first part (11) from said base (50) without tearing. In a second step, said base is machined, wherein a first base surface, which is a negative shape of said first reference surface, is etched with a base shape conforming to a tolerance equal to or more stringent than the tolerance of said first shape of said first reference surface in terms of dimensions and / or flatness and / or cylindricity and / or surface finish, and said base is placed on additive manufacturing means. In a third step, at least said first part of the component is grown by additive manufacturing in contact with the entire surface of said first base surface. In a fourth step, the growth of said first part is verified against a first predetermined setpoint, and the third step and the fourth step of the additive manufacturing with addition of said first material are repeatedly iterated until it is detected and confirmed that said first part has grown to reach or exceed said first predetermined setpoint, and the additive manufacturing with addition of said first material is stopped when said first part has grown to reach or exceed said first predetermined setpoint.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008] The objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description given with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] In order to overcome the quality defects of waterproof joints, particularly thermoplastic seals, the present invention proposes an improvement to the additive manufacturing process that is more suitable for meeting the quality standards of thermoplastic watch seals, particularly compared to manufacturing methods that use three-dimensional printing on a support that cannot always meet all dimensional and surface finish tolerances.

[0010] First, according to the present invention, a custom-made printed bed mat is created according to the shape of each joint. Such a mat includes an etching of the lower part of the seal to be manufactured. The etching is performed by a laser or an equivalent method.

[0011] Subsequently, by filling this etching by additive manufacturing including but not limited to three-dimensional printing, a precise shape equivalent to that of an injection-molded seal can be obtained. This makes it possible to accurately reproduce the lower part of the seal. The upper part can be manufactured with standard print quality. This part can represent the remaining half of the seal in the same way as another watch component directly fixed to the least accurate part of the seal without impairing water resistance.

[0012] A person skilled in the art can manufacture a very precise seal using three-dimensional printing. Furthermore, such a seal can also form a direct part of another assembled watch component.

[0013] Three-dimensional printing can be performed using a suitable printer with a custom leveling option. Depending on the complexity / depth of the etching, the printer nozzles can be changed and adapted for optimal printing.

[0014] Therefore, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a watch component 10 by additive manufacturing, the component comprising at least a first part 11. This first part comprises a first reference surface 110 having a first shape acceptable in terms of dimensions and / or flatness and / or cylindricity and / or surface finish.

[0015] According to the present invention, in a first step 100, at least one first material is provided, which is suitable for manufacturing at least the first part 11 of the component 10 by additive manufacturing.

[0016] A base 50 is also provided that can support the growth of the first material. This base 5 is made of a base material selected to allow subsequent separation of the first portion 11 and the base 50 without tearing.

[0017] In a second step 200, the base 50 is machined, during which a first base surface, which is a negative shape of the first reference surface 110, is etched in a base shape conforming to a tolerance equal to or more stringent than the tolerance of the first shape of the first reference surface 110 in terms of dimensions and / or flatness and / or cylindricity and / or surface finish.

[0018] The base 50 is placed on additive manufacturing means, in particular three-dimensional printing means.

[0019] In a third step 300, at least a first portion 11 of the component 10 that contacts the entire first base surface 150 is grown by additive manufacturing.

[0020] In a fourth step 400, the growth of the first portion 11 is verified against a first predetermined set value, and the third step 300 and the fourth step 400 of additive manufacturing with the addition of the first material are repeatedly iterated until it is detected and confirmed that the first portion 11 has reached or exceeded the first predetermined set value, and the additive manufacturing with the addition of the first material is stopped when the first portion 11 has grown to reach or exceed the first predetermined set value.

[0021] More specifically, when the first portion 11 has grown to reach or exceed the first predetermined set value, after the additive manufacturing of the first portion 11 with the addition of the first material is stopped, the first portion 11 is separated from the base 50.

[0022] More specifically, when the first portion 11 has grown to reach or exceed the first predetermined set value, after the additive manufacturing of the first portion 11 with the addition of the first material is stopped, the first portion 11 is ground on the upper surface 500 included in the base 50.

[0023] More specifically, when the first part 11 has developed to reach or exceed a first predetermined set value, after the additive manufacturing of the first part 11 with the first material is stopped, in the fifth step 500, the additive manufacturing of the component 10 is continued by adding the first material and / or at least one second material to manufacture the entire component 10. In the sixth step 600, the growth of the component 10 is verified against a second predetermined set value, and the fifth step 500 and the sixth step 600 of the additive manufacturing with the first material and / or at least one second material are repeatedly iterated until it is detected and confirmed that the component 10 has grown to reach or exceed the second predetermined set value. When the component 10 has grown to reach or exceed the second predetermined set value, the additive manufacturing with the first material and / or at least one second material is stopped.

[0024] More specifically, when the component 10 has grown to reach or exceed a second predetermined set value, after the additive manufacturing of the component 10 with the first material and / or at least one second material is stopped, the component 10 is separated from the base 50.

[0025] More specifically, the component 10 is manufactured by additive manufacturing with at least one second material, and the material selected as the second material is different from the first material.

[0026] More specifically, the component 10 is manufactured by additive manufacturing with at least one second material added to the first part 11.

[0027] More specifically, the material selected as the first material can form the first part 11 that forms the first waterproof joint.

[0028] More specifically, the component 10 is manufactured by additive manufacturing with at least one second material, and the material selected as the second material is capable of forming a second portion 12 of the component 10, and the second portion 12 forms a second waterproof joint.

[0029] More specifically, the material selected as the second material is capable of forming a second raised portion 20 that constitutes a second waterproof joint having resistance characteristics that complement the resistance characteristics of the first waterproof joint.

[0030] More specifically, the component 10 is manufactured by additive manufacturing with at least one second material, and elastomeric materials are selected as the first material and the second material, and these materials have different Shore hardnesses in the respective final states of the first portion 11 and the remaining portion of the component 10 after the additive manufacturing operation of adding the first material and the second material.

[0031] More specifically, the component 10 is manufactured by additive manufacturing with at least one second material, and at least the material selected as the second material can form an optical contrast with the first material.

[0032] More specifically, at least the material selected as the first material can form a first raised portion that emits fluorescence or phosphorescence.

[0033] More specifically, the component 10 is manufactured by additive manufacturing with at least one second material, and at least the material selected as the second material can form a transparent and / or colored second raised portion.

[0034] More specifically, the additive manufacturing is performed by three-dimensional printing.

[0035] More specifically, the component 10 is manufactured for use as a waterproof joint.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a timepiece component (10) by additive manufacturing, said timepiece component comprising at least a first part (11) including a first reference surface (110) having a first shape with tolerances in terms of size and / or flatness and / or cylindricity and / or surface finish, In a first step (100), at least one first material is provided, said material being suitable for producing at least said first part (11) of said component (10) by additive manufacturing, and a base (50) is provided, said base being made from a base material suitable for supporting the growth of said first material and selected to allow a subsequent separation of said first part (11) and said base (50) without tearing, In a second step (200), said base (50) is machined, in which a first base surface (150), which is the negative shape of said first reference surface (110), is etched with a base shape complying with tolerances equal to or tighter than the tolerances of said first shape of said first reference surface (110), respectively in terms of size and / or flatness and / or cylindricity and / or surface finish, and said base is placed on an additive manufacturing tool, In a third step (300), at least the first portion (11) of the component (10) is grown by additive manufacturing in contact with the entirety of the first base surface (150), In a fourth step (400), the growth of the first portion (11) is verified against a first predetermined set value, and the third step (300) and the fourth step (400) of additive manufacturing with the first material are repeated iteratively until it is detected and confirmed that the first portion (11) has grown to reach or exceed the first predetermined set value, and the additive manufacturing with the first material is stopped when the first portion (11) has grown to reach or exceed the first predetermined set value.

2. 2. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the first portion (11) is separated from the base (50) after additive manufacturing of the first portion (11) with the addition of the first material is stopped when the first portion (11) grows to reach or exceed the first predetermined set value.

3. 2. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein after additive manufacturing of the first part (11) with the addition of the first material is stopped when the first part (11) grows to reach or exceed the first predetermined set value, the first part (11) is ground at a top surface included in the base (50).

4. after stopping additive manufacturing of the first portion (11) with the addition of the first material when the first portion (11) has grown to reach or exceed the first predetermined set value; In a fifth step (500), the additive manufacturing of the component (10) is continued by adding the first material and / or at least one second material to produce the entire component (10), 2. The method of claim 1, wherein in a sixth step (600), the growth of the component (10) is verified against a second predefined set value, and the fifth and sixth steps (500) of additive manufacturing with the addition of the first material and / or the at least one second material are repeated iteratively until it is detected and confirmed that the component (10) has grown to reach or exceed the second predefined set value, and additive manufacturing with the addition of the first material and / or the at least one second material is stopped when the component (10) has grown to reach or exceed the second predefined set value.

5. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the component (10) is separated from the base (50) after additive manufacturing of the component (10) with the addition of the first material and / or the at least one second material is stopped when the component (10) grows to reach or exceed the second predetermined set value.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the component (10) is manufactured by additive manufacturing with at least one second material, the second material being selected to be different from the first material.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the component (10) is manufactured by additive manufacturing of the at least one second material onto the first part (11).

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the material selected as the first material is capable of forming the first portion that forms a first waterproof joint.

9. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the component (10) is manufactured by additive manufacturing with the addition of at least one second material, the material selected as the second material being capable of forming a second portion (12) of the component (10), the second portion (12) forming a second watertight joint.

10. The manufacturing method according to claims 8 and 9, wherein the material selected as the second material is capable of forming the second part (12) forming the second waterproof joint having resistance properties complementary to the resistance properties of the first waterproof joint.

11. said component (10) being manufactured by additive manufacturing with the addition of at least one second material; 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein elastomeric materials are selected as the first material and the second material, said materials having different Shore hardnesses in the final state of the first part (11) and the remaining part of the component (10) after an additive manufacturing operation adding the first material and the second material, respectively.

12. 5. The manufacturing method according to claim 4, wherein the component (10) is manufactured by additive manufacturing with the addition of at least one second material, the material selected as the second material being capable of forming a rigid structural part (13) of the component (10).

13. said component (10) being manufactured by additive manufacturing with the addition of at least one second material; The method of claim 4 , wherein at least the material selected for the second material is capable of forming an optical contrast with the first material.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least the material selected for the first material is capable of forming a first protuberance that emits fluorescence or phosphorescence.

15. said component (10) being manufactured by additive manufacturing with the addition of at least one second material; The method of claim 4 , wherein at least the material selected for the second material is capable of forming transparent and / or colored second ridges.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the additive manufacturing is performed by three-dimensional printing.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the component (10) is manufactured for use as a watertight joint.

18. A timepiece comprising a timepiece component obtained using the method according to claim 1.

19. 20. The watch of claim 18, wherein the component is a waterproof joint.

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