Watch parts and manufacturing method for watch parts

Abstract

A watch part (10; 10*), in particular a bracelet part, comprising a substrate (1; 1*) made of polymer material with a relief (111; 111*) and at least partially a deposit of material (4; 41*, 42*), the relief (111; 111*) being entirely or partially covered by a transparent or semi-transparent protective layer (2; 2*).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a watch or jewelry part, and also to the watch part itself, in particular a bracelet (wrist strap) part, more particularly a polymeric bracelet part, such as an elastomer, obtained by said method. [Background technology]

[0002] In the field of watches, it is common to form bracelet parts from polymeric materials, in particular elastomers, and it is desirable to be able to form the surface of such bracelet parts with a selected, particularly attractive, appearance.

[0003] To achieve this result, it is known to manufacture bracelet segments using steel metal molds, the shape of which directly shapes the desired texture of the bracelet segments. The first drawback of this approach is its lack of versatility, since changing the appearance of the bracelet requires changing the mold. This makes such a solution unsuitable for small-scale production. This approach also has second drawbacks, such as not being able to obtain all textures, or producing textures with insufficient precision and / or having suboptimal visibility. Finally, creating a textured surface on a mold is often complex and difficult to achieve, and such surfaces cannot be repaired if damaged, which represents a third drawback of this solution.

[0004] Another complementary approach is to modify the surface appearance of the bracelet portion after it has been removed from the mold by one or more additional finishing steps, for example by a calendaring step. Such an approach likewise complicates the method by adding one or more additional steps. Moreover, it does not allow for the creation of any type of texture. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The object of the present invention is therefore to improve the known methods for manufacturing watch or jewellery parts, in particular to achieve all or some of the following objectives:

[0006] A first object of the invention is to make it possible to produce watch or jewellery parts with defined technical functions and / or an attractive aesthetic appearance, in particular with an at least partially protected structured surface.

[0007] A second object of the present invention is to enable the production of watch or jewelry parts that include structured surfaces of complex shapes.

[0008] A third object of the present invention is to enable the production of watch or jewelry parts comprising structured surfaces that are suitable for small scale production, in particular with the goal of being able to easily change the pattern of the structured surface of the watch part to be produced. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To this end, the invention is based on a method for manufacturing a watch component, the method comprising: forming a relief on the polymer substrate of the watch part; depositing a material onto at least a portion of the substrate; a transparent or semi-transparent protective layer is integrally bonded to all or part of said relief and / or said material deposit; Includes steps.

[0010] The invention also relates to a timepiece part, in particular a bracelet part, made of polymer material or mainly made of polymer material, said timepiece part comprising a substrate made of polymer material containing a relief and at least partly a deposit of material, said relief being covered in whole or in part by a transparent or translucent protective layer.

[0011] The invention is more particularly defined in the claims.

[0012] The objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be explained in detail in the following description of specific non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1a to 1c are diagrams of steps in a first stage of manufacturing a structured insert according to a first variant of a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2a to 2d are cross-sectional views of cavities formed in the surface of a model element according to an embodiment of the first stage implementation of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the step according to FIG. 1b of the first stage of the manufacture of a structured insert according to a first variant of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the step according to FIG. 1c of the first stage of the manufacture of a structured insert according to a first variant of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram of model elements used in a method according to a first modification of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the structured surface of the model element of FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing steps in a method for manufacturing a timepiece component according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing steps in a method for manufacturing a timepiece component according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing steps in a method for manufacturing a timepiece component according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a timepiece component according to a modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a timepiece component according to a modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a timepiece component according to a modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13]FIG. 13 is a top view of the timepiece component of FIG. 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing steps in a method for manufacturing a timepiece component according to an example of the second modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing steps in a method for manufacturing a timepiece component according to an example of the second modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a timepiece component according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a timepiece component according to a modified example of the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram showing steps in a method for manufacturing a watch component according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] An embodiment of the invention will be described below in the context of the manufacture of bracelet parts, although the invention may of course also be used in the manufacture of other watch or jewellery parts, such as bezel discs or dials.

[0015] According to a first variant of the first embodiment of the invention, the manufacturing method firstly comprises a first step of manufacturing a structured insert intended to be inserted into a mold for the manufacture of a watch or jewelry part, at least a part of the substrate forming the structured surface of the watch part manufactured in said mold.

[0016] According to this first variant, the method for manufacturing a watch part comprises a first step of manufacturing a structured insert for a mould for manufacturing the watch part, as diagrammatically shown in FIG.

[0017] The first stage involves a first step E01 of obtaining a model element 99, which includes a structured surface 990 with a pattern to be replicated. The pattern of the structured surface of the model element is called the "master pattern." This is an existing pattern that will be replicated exactly with a very high degree of accuracy, for example, onto the surface of a bracelet portion. A model element, sometimes called the "master," is illustrated by way of example in Figures 5 and 6.

[0018] By structured surface is meant a surface having positive and / or negative reliefs, i.e., protruding or recessed relative to the surface. These reliefs form the master pattern of the structured surface. Furthermore, the structured surface may be flat or non-flat, for example curved. As will become clear in the following description, the method according to the invention advantageously makes it possible to replicate a wide variety of master patterns, including complex patterns and / or patterns with very small dimensions, in particular those with micrometer or even nanometer dimensions. Of course, the invention is not related to such master patterns, and the master pattern may be any master pattern.

[0019] For example, the master pattern may be a natural pattern, such as those found on the surfaces of animal hides, leather, crocodile skin, tree bark, leaves, microcrystals, especially silicon carbide or ruthenium crystals. Alternatively, the master pattern may be non-natural, artificial, and manufactured on a natural or non-natural substrate by any known technique, such as traditional machining, laser etching, etc. The master pattern may be textured by abrasion, for example by traditional etching, laser, or electrochemistry to form a matte finish with a sandbrush or other shape, by metal, or by depositing metal into cavities in a photopolymerized photosensitive resin, by a wafer exhibiting an electroformed decoration, by the surface of a silicon wafer, or by weaving a fabric. More generally, if it is non-natural or artificial, the master pattern may be obtained by any known technique. The master pattern may be manufactured on a substrate, and the master pattern and the substrate form the model element. Alternatively, the master pattern may be obtained during the manufacture of the model element. For example, the model element and / or the master pattern may be obtained by additive manufacturing or 3D printing. Such a method for producing model elements and / or master patterns has the advantage that diverse and complex decorations can be produced in a short time and with great versatility.

[0020] As mentioned above, the master pattern may be complex, for example, the master pattern may include hollow portions forming cavities with complex shapes, in particular with openings that are narrower than their width, or more broadly, with lower cross sections parallel to the structured surface that are larger in area than other parallel cross sections superimposed on the lower cross sections, i.e., shapes that present a bottleneck when the cavity is demolded.

[0021] 2a through 2d show examples of complex cavities viewed in cross section in a plane perpendicular to the structured surface 990 of a model element, where the structured surface 990 includes at least one such complex cavity 992, or multiple complex cavities, whether identical or distinct. Such complex cavities 992 include openings 993 that open onto the structured surface 990 and then extend into the depth of the model element. As shown in these figures, the complex cavity 992 includes at least one cross section, the maximum width L of which in a plane parallel to the structured surface 990 is greater than the width l of the opening 993. More generally, a complex cavity may include a first cross section parallel to the structured surface 990 of a model element that has a larger area than a second, overlapping, parallel cross section located above the first cross section, i.e., closer to the opening 993. The uniqueness of these cavity shapes lies in the fact that the demolding step of an injection molding process, which involves the injection molding of material into such cavities, introduces complications because the cavities contain constrictions that form bottlenecks in the removal of the solidified injection-molded material.

[0022] Complexity may also result from a large number of reliefs, protruding or recessed, which may be juxtaposed or may intersect.

[0023] Finally, complexity may result from the resolution of the master pattern, which may involve very small dimensions. By way of example, the structured surface 990 of the model element may include at least one relief having a height, measured in a direction perpendicular to the structured surface 990, of between 1 nm and 2 mm, or between 1 nm and 500 μm, or between 1 nm and 10 μm, or between 1 nm and 10 nm. Thus, the structured surface 990 of the model element may include at least a 1 millimeter relief, or at least one micrometer relief, or at least one nanometer relief, or a combination of millimeter relief and / or micrometer relief and / or nanometer relief.

[0024] Because the invention allows the replication of complex patterns, it has the advantage that it is compatible with the replication of a wide variety of textures. The invention is of course compatible with any other texture in addition to the described embodiment and may also be implemented to replicate simple textures.

[0025] The first stage of the method then includes a second step E02 consisting of coating the structured surface of the model element 99 with a molding resin that, after solidification of the molding resin, is capable of negatively replicating the pattern of the master pattern of the model element, to obtain a structured insert 24, as shown in Figures 1b and 3.

[0026] Advantageously, the molding resin has a viscosity between 0.5 and 70,000 Pa.s at ambient temperature and pressure. -1 Between 0.5 and 30,000 Pa.s -1 Between 0.5 and 1,000 Pa.s -1 The molding resin has a pre-solidification viscosity between 0.01 and 0.15, which favors penetration into cavities, including complex cavities, of the structured surface of the model element 99. The molding resin penetrates into even the smallest corners of the structured surface of the model element 99 and replicates the shape of the structured surface with great accuracy. As it solidifies, all details of the surface to which the molding resin is applied are replicated with great accuracy. Replication accuracy may be on the micrometer or nanometer scale.

[0027] For example, molding resins include polyurethanes, latexes, acrylics, fluoroelastomers such as FKM, PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane), epoxy resins, or two-component silicones, particularly from the vinyl-polydimethylsiloxane family, having two additional vulcanization components, or particularly including vinyl, silica, and aggregating materials. The molding resin may further include one or more additives selected from adjuvants, aggregating materials, and colorants.

[0028] Alternatively, more viscous resins, such as virgin fluorocarbon rubber (FKM), or pastes or solids may also be used. In this case, significant pressure is advantageously applied to the resin in order to infiltrate all the reliefs of the model elements, especially the cavities. A compromise is reached in order to define the pressure to be applied in order to achieve an accurate replication of the master pattern without damaging the model elements.

[0029] After solidification, the molding resin forms the structured insert 24. Preferably, the structured insert is flexible. In particular, its flexibility is suitable for demolding it from the model element 99, especially when the model element includes a pattern with complex cavities. Advantageously, the molding resin has low or no shrinkage to faithfully replicate and preserve the features of the pattern to be replicated. For example, the shrinkage is 2‰ or less, or even 1‰ or less. The molding resin is selected so that, upon solidification, it achieves a flexibility compatible with the pull-out stress calculated using the following formula:

[0030]

number

[0031] The higher the pull-out stress, the more flexible and elastic the molding resin must be so that the resulting structured insert can be removed without damage while preserving the overall texture to be replicated. In other words, the molding resin is selected to form a structured insert 24 that can be separated from the model element without damaging either the model element or the structured insert.

[0032] Preferably, the solidification of the molding resin, at the end of which the image of the master pattern is considered to have been formed, corresponds to its polymerization, which consists of two stages: fixing of the resin, which makes it feel dry to the touch, and then hardening of the resin, which gives it its final mechanical properties.

[0033] The polymerization reaction rate of the molding resin to obtain the pattern is generally fast. In particular, the polymerization time at ambient temperature may be between 1 and 30 minutes, preferably between 1 and 15 minutes. For example, in the specific case of using two-component silicone, the fixation time at ambient temperature (20°C) is between 15 and 90 seconds. The curing time is between 1 and 10 minutes. For this reason, it is particularly advantageous to select silicone as the molding resin. Its solidification time is short, and the silicone can be used with very simple equipment.

[0034] The method then includes a third step E03, which consists of separating the structured insert 24 from the model element 99, as shown in Figures 1c and 4, the structured insert 24 including a structured surface 240 that negatively replicates the master pattern.

[0035] As noted above, the solidified molded resin maintains flexibility, allowing it to be easily demolded from the model element 99 without damaging the pattern of the structured surface 240. To this end, the structured insert 24 includes a structured surface 240 that corresponds to a negative, identical replica of the structured surface 990 of the model element 99.

[0036] The model element is preferably pre-cleaned before applying the molding resin to provide a receiving surface, including the structured surface to be replicated, that is completely clean when the molding resin is applied. Optionally, the surface may also be coated with a release agent. This simplifies the separation of the structured insert 24 from the model element 99; the structured insert simply releases without adhering to the model element. Thus, the molding resin leaves the structured surface intact, perfectly replicating the structured surface of the model element without leaving any residue on the surface and without tearing or damage.

[0037] Advantageously, the structured insert has resistance to compression while remaining flexible, which is reflected in a hardness of between 20 and 90 Shore A, or between 20 and 40 Shore A, or between 50 and 70 Shore A, or between 80 and 90 Shore A. As mentioned above, this resistance combined with the flexibility of the insert is adapted to the model elements used.

[0038] Furthermore, the resulting structured insert 24 is sufficiently flexible so that it can follow the shape of the mold surface in which it is intended to be positioned, which may be uneven, as described below. To this end, the apparent modulus of elasticity for 100% deformation of structured insert 240 is advantageously less than 300 MPa, or less than 50 MPa, or less than 10 MPa. Meanwhile, the unscored tear strength of structured insert 24, based on ISO Standard 34-1B(a), is preferably 5 or greater, or 10 or greater.

[0039] According to an advantageous embodiment, after this step of demolding the molded resin, the structured insert 24 is obtained directly. Optionally, the method comprises an additional step of cutting the molded resin separated from the model elements in order to form the structured insert in its final format. Of course, according to an advantageous embodiment, the structured insert 24 may be manufactured in a first step based on a rest shape (corresponding to the shape of the model elements) that corresponds to the shape of the housing of the mold, so that it can be perfectly applied to the housing without (or with little) deformation.

[0040] Furthermore, the method may include the optional additional step of depositing a coating of a release agent on the structured insert 24, inter alia, by coating, by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), by physical vapor deposition (PVD), by atomic layer deposition (ALD), by sol-gel deposition, by SAM (self-assembled film) deposition, or by depositing a fluorinated coating, for example made of a material selected from polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), or perfluoroalkoxy (PFA), onto the structured insert.

[0041] According to the first alternative of the first step described above, the structured insert 24 may be manufactured in a simple manner, for example, separately and differently from any model elements. The advantage of the model element approach is that it allows for a very accurate and realistic manufacturing, but the invention is of course not limited to this approach. Thus, the structured insert 24 may include any pattern manufactured, for example, by electroforming, by electroerosion, or by additive manufacturing or 3D printing.

[0042] According to a second alternative, the structured pattern may be manufactured directly on the half-cavity block of the production mold described below, in which case the method no longer includes a first step of manufacturing an insert, but rather a first step of manufacturing a structured surface 240 directly on the surface of the production mold.

[0043] The method for manufacturing the watch part then includes a second step of manufacturing the watch part itself, as shown in Figures 7 to 9, using the structured insert 24 manufactured in the first step described above, or at least one structured surface 240, which will be described in more detail below and which serves to form a relief on the surface of the watch part.

[0044] According to this first variant of the first embodiment of the invention, the second stage, which is the manufacture of the watch component itself, comprises the following steps:

[0045] One step involves depositing material 4 onto the structured surface 240 of the structured insert 24 or half cavity block 22 of the production mold 20 by depositing material 4 onto the positive or protruding relief of the structured surface 240, as shown in Figures 7 and 8.

[0046] According to this embodiment, material 4 comprises pigments that characterize a particular color, in particular a color that is different, even substantially different, from the color forming substrate 1 of the watch component, as will be explained in more detail below. Material 4 may also produce any visual or functional effect, in addition to or instead of coloring, such as a metallic, pearlescent or glittering effect. Material 4 may also be phosphorescent or fluorescent. Furthermore, material 4 may not even be visible to the naked eye.

[0047] The material 4 may be in the form of, for example, a paint, a lacquer, a varnish, or a composite material, in particular a luminescent composite material, capable of withstanding the temperatures used in the subsequent injection molding and / or compression molding steps. The material 4 may be applied, for example, by a roller onto the protrusions of the structured surface 240, or by any other technique known to those skilled in the art, such as printing, screen printing, or decals.

[0048] In an embodiment using a structured insert 24, the method performs the step of placing a structured insert 24, whose structured surface 240 includes a deposit of material 4, into a cavity 21 of a mold 20 used to manufacture a blank 1a of a watch component substrate 1, in particular on a first half-cavity 22 that cooperates with a second half-cavity block 23 to delimit said cavity 21, as shown in FIG. 8 . In this step of placing the structured insert 24 into the watch component mold 20, said mold 20 is preferably made of metal, for example steel. Advantageously, this is achieved by simple insertion into a housing provided for this purpose in the mold 20, which fits tightly enough to hold the structured insert 24 in place. Thus, the structured insert 24 is advantageously held in place within the mold without adhesive or fixtures. The housing within the mold has a shape and thickness corresponding to the structured insert.

[0049] The structured insert 24 may have any shape and may occupy all or part of the surface of the mold 20, particularly the half-cavity block. In addition, the structured insert 24 is flexible enough to perfectly conform to the shape of the housing it is intended to receive without leaving any gaps. Furthermore, due to its material, it does not adhere to the mold. Therefore, the structured insert 24 may be easily removed without the need to apply a mold release agent to the mold surface.

[0050] The invention then includes a step of filling the mold cavity 21 with component material to form a blank 1a of the watch component substrate 1, as shown in FIG. 9. This may be an injection molding or compression molding step. In the former case, the material is in the form of a paste or fluid feedstock that is injected into the mold cavity 21 at a predetermined pressure (typically between 80 and 150 bar, or between 80 and 90 bar) and a predetermined temperature (typically between 100 and 200°C) while the mold is already closed. In the latter case, a green blank or preform is positioned on the mold parts and then compressed at a predetermined temperature (typically between 100 and 200°C) before closing the mold. The filling of the mold involves filling the negative pattern of the structured surface 240. The component material is then partially cooled and solidified.

[0051] At the end of this step, blank 1a comprises pattern 111a, which is an identical replica of the pattern of structured surface 240. In addition, the deposit of material 4 on the positive or protruding relief of structured surface 240 is transferred into cavities 3a of pattern 111a of blank 1a of substrate 1, which are characterized by cavities 3 of pattern 111 of substrate 1. This phenomenon can be particularly explained by the fact that material 4 adheres to blank 1a by cross-linking with the materials of the components that make up the component, and this phenomenon can be further enhanced if material 4 does not adhere very strongly to insert 24.

[0052] The parameters of this step (duration, pressure, temperature, etc.) are selected in particular to obtain a blank 1a in which the material is not completely cross-linked and whose format does not yet correspond perfectly to that of the substrate 1, in order to allow the implementation of the integral bonding step described below. For this reason, the pattern 111a may not correspond exactly to the pattern 111 that can be seen on the final watch part 10, as shown in Figures 10, 11 and 12.

[0053] Advantageously, the component material is a polymer, in particular an elastomer or elastomer-based material, i.e., it contains at least 50% by weight of elastomer. In particular, the elastomer material may be a fluoroelastomer (FKM, FFKM, or FEPM), natural rubber (NR), synthetic rubber (SBR, HNBR, EPDM), vinylmethylsilicone (VMQ), or fluorosilicone (FVMQ). Alternatively, the component material may be a thermoplastic or thermosetting polymer. Such materials have the advantage, among other things, of facilitating the separation of the insert from the component without damaging it. The component material is selected to suit the specific, more or less complex, shape of the watch component to be manufactured; the most complex shapes require the use of a component material with more efficient mechanical properties compared to those of the insert 24. In this case, it is possible to foresee the insert 24 being destroyed, especially when removing the blank 1a from the mold.

[0054] The timepiece component is thus advantageously flexible. Additionally, the timepiece component may have a non-flat shape at rest, caused by the shape of the manufacturing mold. This shape may be curved or arched, in particular convex or concave. The timepiece component may thus be curved or arched, in particular convex or concave. The timepiece component may be rigid at rest, i.e., retain a predetermined shape at rest, which may advantageously be corrected by elastic deformation or shaping, at ambient temperature or otherwise, due to the flexible material used, particularly in the case of a bracelet.

[0055] The molding resin of the structured insert 24 is, of course, selected to be compatible with the conditions for filling the mold 20 with the material of the blank 1a. In particular, the structured insert 24 can withstand the vulcanization conditions of the elastomer that forms the blank 1a or the watch component 10. To this end, the structured insert 24 can withstand temperatures of 160°C, even up to 180°C, and even up to 250°C, for at least 15 minutes, and preferably several hours. At these temperatures, the structured insert 24 can also withstand pressures between 80 and 150 bar, even between 80 and 90 bar, without deformation. In addition, the structured insert 24 can advantageously withstand several elastomer vulcanization cycles, each lasting, for example, 5 to 15 minutes. Similarly, the material 4 can withstand the vulcanization conditions of the elastomer that forms the watch component 10.

[0056] To this end, the step of filling the mold 20 advantageously comprises pouring, injection molding or compression molding the blank of the component, making it possible to integrally form the watch component including the structured surface.

[0057] The method then includes the step of removing the blank 1 a of the watch part 10 from the mould 20 .

[0058] Advantageously, during the removal step, the structured insert 24, if applicable, remains integrally attached to the blank 1a, since they are interconnected in the region of the structured surface and the structured insert does not adhere to the production mold. In this case, the structured insert 24 fulfills a second function of temporary protection of the structured surface of the watch component blank, in particular allowing for deburring or sandblasting substeps upon leaving the mold. The method then includes the step of separating the watch component blank from the structured insert 24, if applicable.

[0059] Alternatively, the structured insert 24 may be separated from the blank 1a during the step of releasing the blank from the mold 20. The structured insert 24 may be reused within the mold to produce new blanks and other identical watch parts.

[0060] The above-mentioned filling step simultaneously performs the following two steps of the manufacturing method according to the present invention. - E1, forming a relief on the substrate of the watch part; - E2 depositing material onto at least a portion of said relief.

[0061] The method then carries out a step E3 consisting of integrally bonding a transparent or translucent protective layer 2 to the blank 1a of substrate 1 obtained in the preceding step. For this purpose, a blank 2a of a transparent or translucent protective layer 2 is used. This blank 2a comprises a material that is not fully cross-linked and / or has dimensions that are not final. According to this embodiment, this integral bonding step E3 consists in compressing the two blanks 1a, 2a against each other at a predetermined pressure and temperature for a predetermined duration in order to integrally bond them to each other.

[0062] Depending on the flexibility of blank 2a and the pressure and temperature conditions, the two blanks 1a and 2a may be joined together partially or completely. Parts 1 and 2 of component 10 may thus be joined together only at the upper surface 110 of substrate 1 and at the lower surface 200 of layer 2, as shown in Figure 10. Parts 1 and 2 of component 10 may advantageously be joined together over the entire surface of relief 111 and at the lower surface 200 of layer 2, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, in particular in a manner conforming to relief 111 (Figure 12).

[0063] Step E3 thus makes it possible to obtain a watch component 10 comprising a second transparent or translucent protective layer 2 whose lower surface 200 is in contact with at least the upper surface 110 of the substrate 1.

[0064] The method may advantageously be carried out using blanks 1a, 2a of substrate 1 and transparent or translucent protective layer 2 having large dimensions and which are cut to the correct format after being joined together, for example using a single blank 1a, to form one or more bracelet parts, each provided with a substrate 1 integrally joined to a second transparent or translucent protective layer 2.

[0065] Advantageously, the materials of the first and second blanks 1a, 2a, i.e., of the substrate 1 and the transparent or translucent protective layer 2 of the watch component, respectively, are compatible with each other so that the two layers 1, 2 adhere to each other independently of any additional means, such as adhesives. In particular, these materials may be polymers selected to have identical chemical properties in order to promote cross-linking between them. Preferably, the selected polymers belong to the same chemical family, in particular the fluoroelastomer family. In other words, the materials of the first and second blanks 1a, 2a, or of the substrate 1 and the transparent or translucent protective layer 2, comprise the same polymer matrix.

[0066] As mentioned above, in this first variant of the first embodiment of the invention, the use of a structured insert is not essential, but nevertheless represents an advantageous embodiment.

[0067] The structured insert may be disposable and may be used in the manufacture of small batches of watch parts, for example up to 50 watch parts.

[0068] According to a second variant of the first embodiment, the deposition of the blank 4 and possibly the production of the relief is carried out after a step of injection or compression molding in a mold of the watch component substrate blank.

[0069] In a first embodiment of the implementation of this second variant, the method differs from the method according to the first variant in that the step of depositing the blank material 4 is performed after the construction of the part blank in the mold. In this case, a blank with a relief may be formed by following exactly the same steps as described above, without performing the step of depositing the blank material onto the structured surface 240 of the structured insert 24 or directly onto the surface of the mold 20.

[0070] In this first embodiment, a blank for the watch component is formed in a mold comprising a structured surface that is replicated on the surface of the blank. This step makes it possible to carry out a first step E1 of forming a relief on the substrate of the watch component. Then, in this first embodiment, a step E2 of depositing material on at least part of the relief is carried out after removing the blank from the production mold.

[0071] This step E2 of depositing material may be carried out using the same material and the same method as described above, by direct application to the relief of the blank, rather than to a structured surface of the insert or half-cavity block of the mold, with the purpose of being transferred to the insert when subsequently molded. The material may be selectively deposited in the protruding or recessed areas of the relief of the blank.

[0072] According to a second example of implementation of the second variant embodiment, the method includes a simplified phase of preparing a substrate blank for the watch component. The blank does not include any relief or material deposition. The blank may be formed by calendaring or molding (in the case of a blank made from raw material), and is simplified compared to the other variants and alternatives described above by the fact that the mold used in the possible molding step does not include a structured surface. For this reason, the use of a structured insert is not necessary. In addition, the surface of the mold is simplified, since it does not have a structured surface. Alternatively, the substrate blank may be manufactured by other methods.

[0073] The method then comprises a first step E1 of forming a relief in at least a part of the watch component substrate blank 1a. The first relief forming step E1 may be a step of structuring the upper surface 110a of the blank 1a, consisting in forming cavities 3a using a laser, in particular a femtosecond pulsed laser, the laser trajectory being defined so as to correspond to a pattern 111a previously representing the pattern 111 of the substrate 1.

[0074] In a particular variant, the first relief-forming step E1 may consist of applying a plate 98a featuring a mask or stencil provided with cavities to or at a distance from the upper surface 110a of the substrate blank 1a, as shown in Figure 14. The blank 1a is then etched, which forms cavities 3a through the plate 98a, forming a relief according to the pattern 111a. Thus, cavities are also formed in the plate 98a along the cavities 3a. In this particular variant, the mask or stencil 98 thus formed may be maintained for the performance of the material deposition step E2, as shown in Figure 15, to allow the deposition of material 4 to be positioned in the cavities 3a.

[0075] In this second embodiment, the step E2 of depositing material onto at least the part of the surface having the relief is carried out in the same way as in the first embodiment.

[0076] Thus, in all embodiments of this second variant embodiment, the step E2 of depositing material 4 consists of depositing at least one layer of material 4 by any technique known to those skilled in the art. This may involve applying a paint, lacquer, varnish or a composite material, in particular a luminescent composite material, by any technique known to those skilled in the art, such as by spraying or using a brush. Alternatively, it may involve depositing a layer of metal or metal alloy into the cavity 3a by any technique known to those skilled in the art, for example by physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or atomic layer deposition (ALD). Depending on the technique chosen for performing the step E2 of depositing material, a mask or stencil produced during the preceding step may optionally be used.

[0077] According to an alternative embodiment, step E2 of depositing material 4 may also consist of depositing several different layers of material, for example a first metallic adhesion layer may be deposited first in cavity 3a to allow improved adhesion of a layer of paint, varnish or lacquer in said cavity 3a.

[0078] Finally, according to this second variant embodiment, a step E3 is then carried out consisting of joining the blank 2a of the transparent or translucent protective layer 2 obtained in the preceding step to the blank 1a of the substrate, identical to that described above for the first variant embodiment.

[0079] According to a second embodiment, shown in FIG. 16, a method for manufacturing a watch component includes the following steps: obtaining a first layer 11* of polymer without relief on the substrate 1* or on a blank of the substrate 1*, depositing E2 at least one layer of material 41*, 42* on the first layer 11*, such that E1, by means of a material deposition, a relief is formed on said substrate 1*, and said material 41*, 42* is partially removed, E3 - integrally bonding a transparent or semi-transparent protective layer 2* to said substrate 1*.

[0080] Thus, according to this second embodiment, the relief of the substrate is not formed separately from the contribution of material, but rather the relief is formed by means of a deposition of material. In other words, the deposition of material here fulfills the dual function of, on the one hand, modifying the appearance, e.g., color, of the surface of the component (compared to a component with the same relief obtained without additional material), as in the first embodiment, and, on the other hand, forming the relief. Furthermore, unlike the first embodiment, the step E2 of depositing material is carried out before the step E1 of forming the relief.

[0081] According to a first variant of the second embodiment, the material deposition step E2 comprises bonding together by compression at least one blank of the material layers 41*, 42 superimposed on the surface of the blank of the first layer 11*. Figure 16 particularly illustrates a variant in which two layers 41*, 42* (or layer blanks) are superimposed on the surface of the blank of the first layer 11*. Each of these three blanks may take the form of a raw blank or a preform. The bonding parameters, in particular the duration, pressure, temperature, etc., are specifically selected so as to obtain an assembly resulting from the combination of the three blanks in which the materials of the layers 11*, 41*, 42* are not fully cross-linked and / or not fully dimensionally definitive, in order to facilitate the implementation of step E3 of bonding together the transparent or translucent protective layer 2*, as will be explained below.

[0082] The method then includes a second step E1, which consists of forming a relief on the surface of the assembly formed by the three superimposed layers 11*, 41*, 42*. According to this second embodiment, a cavity 3* is formed in at least one of the surface layers 42*, 41* using a laser, in particular a femtosecond pulsed laser, with the laser trajectory defined to correspond to a predetermined pattern 111*. The depth of the cavity may vary to expose the second layer 41* or the first layer 11*. The depth may completely or partially remove the third layer 42* or the second layer 41*; in other words, the depth of the cavity may correspond to the thickness of the third layer 42* or the sum of the thicknesses of the third layer 42* and the second layer 41*. Alternatively, the depth may be slightly less, so as not to completely remove one of the third layer 42* or the second layer 41*, while still allowing the underlying layer to be seen through the remaining part of the partially removed layer.

[0083] Advantageously, the substrate 1* is in the form of a layer 11* on which different layers 41*, 42* are deposited forming a relief with different appearances, such as different colors.Like the watch part 10 resulting from the method according to the first embodiment, the watch part 10* also comprises a second transparent or semi-transparent protective layer 2* whose lower surface 200* is in contact with at least the upper surface 110* of the upper layer of the substrate.

[0084] The method then comprises a step E3 of joining together the substrate 1* with the relief and the transparent or translucent protective layer 2* obtained by the steps described above from the three layers 11*, 41*, 42* superimposed and assembled together. This step is carried out in the same way as in the first embodiment, starting in particular from a blank of the transparent or translucent protective layer 2a* made of a material that is not fully cross-linked and / or has non-final dimensions. This blank is compressed against the previously obtained assembly under compression and temperature conditions selected to obtain a good contact of the blank, finally forming the upper protective layer.

[0085] As in the case of the watch part 10 resulting from the method according to the first embodiment, depending on the flexibility of the blank 2a* and the compression and temperature conditions, the two parts 1* and 2* may be joined together partially or completely. Parts 1* and 2* may thus be joined together only at the upper surface 110* of the upper layer of substrate 1* and at the lower surface 200* of layer 2*. They may advantageously be joined together over the entire surface of the relief 111* and the surface of the lower surface 200* of layer 2*, as shown in Figure 16.

[0086] According to a second variant of the second embodiment, the two steps E1 and E3 of the method may be reversed. In particular, the step E3 of joining the transparent or semi-transparent protective layer 2* together may be carried out before the step E1 of forming the relief. In particular, the cavity 3* may be produced by laser through the transparent or semi-transparent protective layer 2* to obtain the component 10*.

[0087] According to a variant shown diagrammatically in Fig. 17, the upper surface of the transparent or semi-transparent protective layer may not be flat and / or continuous but may have, for example, cavities, which also form a pattern, for example corresponding to the relief 111*. Advantageously, such a pattern may correspond in whole or in part to the pattern formed by the deposition of material and / or by the relief of the substrate. Such an embodiment may be implemented in all variants of all embodiments.

[0088] Of course, the various variations and steps of the various embodiments described above may be combined with one another to form other variations and embodiments.

[0089] For example, the same watch part may include a cavity that is colored by depositing a material according to a first embodiment of the method and a cavity that is at least partially open to expose at least one other layer of the substrate according to a second embodiment of the method.

[0090] In all cases, the method for manufacturing the watch component comprises the following three steps, as shown in FIG. 18, in an order that may vary as described above: E1, forming a relief on the polymer substrate of the watch part; - E2 depositing a material onto at least a portion of said substrate; - E3, by bonding a transparent or semi-transparent protective layer integrally to all or part of the relief and / or material deposit.

[0091] The present invention also relates to the watch or jewelry part itself, obtained by the method according to the invention. As mentioned above, the watch part may be a bracelet part. In the context of this specification, "bracelet part" means a finished or semi-finished product. The bracelet part may be a pre-made bracelet part. In this case, the substrate of the part is preferably intended to come into contact with the wearer's wrist. Alternatively, it may be a piece of a bracelet part, characterized by the outer cover of the bracelet part, intended to be attached, for example, "tear-resistant", to an internal structure. More generally, the watch part may be a finished or semi-finished product.

[0092] In a variant, the watch part may be any external part of a wristwatch, such as a bezel disc that may be attached to a bezel ring, or a dial that may be assembled within a watch case.

[0093] The timepiece component comprises a substrate made of polymer material containing a relief and at least partly a deposit of material, the relief being entirely or partly covered by a transparent or semi-transparent protective layer.

[0094] The thickness of the substrate is adapted to the watch part to be manufactured. It may be between 0.5 mm and 3 mm, with or without one or more layers. The thickness of the transparent or translucent protective layer may be between 0.2 mm and 0.5 mm, or between 0.2 mm and 0.3 mm. A substantial thickness, of the order of 0.5 mm, is preferred for the second protective layer, in order to reinforce or highlight the color of at least one layer of the substrate.

[0095] In the context of this specification, "blank" means an element that pre-represents the shape of a substrate or layer, whatever the stage of manufacture.

[0096] According to the first embodiment described above, the substrate and its relief form a single moulded assembly made of polymer material.

[0097] According to the second embodiment described above, the substrate is in the form of a layer without relief, on which the deposit of material is deposited so as to form the relief.

[0098] According to a first embodiment, the material deposit may be applied only to a portion of the area bearing the relief. Advantageously, the material deposit may be applied exclusively to the relief projections or exclusively within the relief cavities, in particular in areas of the relief that are at the same height. The latter approach makes it possible to highlight and visually enhance the relief. For this reason, the material deposit is carried out using materials that produce a particular visual effect, as described above, for example a particular color that differs from the rest of the substrate.

[0099] Advantageously, regardless of the embodiment, the substrate may also include at least one area that is free of deposits of material.

[0100] Furthermore, in particular in the first embodiment, it is also possible to color the protrusions complementary to the cavities of the relief, for example with a different material having a different color, in order to emphasize the difference between these parts of the relief. In the case of a first variant of the first embodiment, only the cavities of the structured surface 240 may contain a deposit of material 4, since only the protrusions of the relief 111 are colored.

[0101] The material deposit may be a deposit of a metal or metal alloy, or a deposit of a paint, lacquer, varnish, or a composite material, in particular a composite material with luminescent, phosphorescent or fluorescent material.

[0102] All or part of the substrate, in particular at least one layer and / or the transparent or translucent protective layer, is made of a polymeric material, for example a thermoplastic or thermosetting polymer or polymer-based material, i.e. a polymer-based material which comprises at least 50% by weight of polymeric material and is therefore predominantly polymeric, advantageously an elastomer or elastomeric material, in particular a fluoroelastomer (FKM, FFKM or FEPM), or natural rubber (NR), or synthetic rubber (SBR, HNBR, EPDM), or vinylmethylsilicone (VMQ), or fluorosilicone (FVMQ).

[0103] Advantageously, the material of at least one layer of the substrate and the material of the transparent or semi-transparent protective layer are compatible so that they adhere to each other independently of any additional means, such as adhesives. In particular, the polymer of at least one layer of the substrate and the polymer of the transparent or semi-transparent protective layer have identical chemical properties, in turn facilitating cross-linking between them. Preferably, the selected polymers belong to the same chemical family, in particular the fluoroelastomer family. In other words, the selected materials advantageously comprise the same polymer matrix.

[0104] The relief of the substrate may include all or some of the following features: - at least one relief with a height, measured in a direction perpendicular to the watch component, of between 1 nm and 2 mm, or between 1 nm and 500 μm, or between 1 nm and 10 μm, or between 1 nm and 10 nm; and / or Several intersecting reliefs, and / or At least one cavity includes a lower cross section parallel to the structured surface that has an opening narrower than its maximum width or that is larger in area than other parallel cross sections located on the lower cross section.

[0105] The present invention does not relate to the relief itself: the pattern formed by the relief in the substrate may be any pattern and may, for example, feature an aesthetic and / or functional marking.

[0106] Thus, the cavities 3; 3* in the relief may have any shape. They may have a V-shaped cross section, as shown in FIG. 10, or a battlement-type cross section (with sides perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the surface of the watch part), as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16. Of course, the cavities may have more complex shapes, especially in the case of patterns formed using model elements, in particular on at least one first layer obtained according to the first variant of the first embodiment. Furthermore, in the case of multilayer substrates, these cavities may be blind holes, in other words, not completely passing through at least one surface layer of the substrate. Likewise, the cavities may be through cavities or at least partially transparent, for example to expose other layers of the substrate.

[0107] The invention also relates to a watch comprising at least one watch component as described above.

Claims

1. A watch part (10; 10*), in particular a bracelet part, said watch part comprising a substrate (1; 1*) made of a polymer or polymer-based material, which comprises a relief (111; 111*) and at least partially a deposit of material (4; 41*, 42*), said relief (111; 111*) being entirely or partially covered by a transparent or semi-transparent protective layer (2; 2*), Watch parts.

2. said substrate (1) and its relief (111) form a one-piece assembly made of polymer material, or said substrate (1*) is in the form of a layer (11*) without relief, on which said deposits (41*, 42*) of material are deposited so as to form a relief (111*); The watch component according to claim 1.

3. the deposits of material (4) are applied to areas of the relief at the same height, in particular to the protrusions of the relief or to the cavities of the relief; 3. A watch component according to claim 1 or 2.

4. said substrate (1; 1*) comprises at least one area free of deposits of said material, The timepiece component according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. the deposit of material (4) is a deposit of metal or metal alloy, or a deposit of paint, lacquer, varnish, or a composite material, in particular a composite material with luminescent, phosphorescent or fluorescent material; The timepiece component according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. the substrate (1; 1*) and / or the transparent or translucent protective layer (2; 2*) are made of an elastomer or elastomeric material, in particular a fluoroelastomer (FKM, FFKM or FEPM), or natural rubber (NR), or synthetic rubber (SBR, HNBR, EPDM), or vinylmethylsilicone (VMQ), or fluorosilicone (FVMQ), The timepiece component according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The relief (111; 111*) of the substrate is at least one relief having a height, measured in a direction perpendicular to said watch part (10; 10*), of between 1 nm and 2 mm, or between 1 nm and 500 μm, or between 1 nm and 10 μm, or between 1 nm and 10 nm, and / or Several intersecting reliefs, and / or at least one cavity having an opening narrower than its maximum width or a lower cross section parallel to the structured surface that is larger in area than other parallel cross sections located on the lower cross section; containing all or part of the features of A timepiece component according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. Forming a relief on a substrate (1:1*) made of a polymer or polymer-based material of the watch part (E1), depositing (E2) a material (4; 41*; 42*) on at least a portion of the substrate (1; 1*); (E3) integrally bonding a transparent or semi-transparent protective layer (2; 2*) to all or part of the relief and / or the material deposit; Including steps, A method for manufacturing a watch part (10; 10*).

9. said step consisting of forming (E1) a relief on the substrate (1) comprises molding the polymer substrate (1) in a mold (20) so as to form the relief; The method for manufacturing a watch component according to claim 8.

10. the step consisting of depositing (E2) a material (4) comprises depositing the material on the surface of the mold (20) or on a relief of a structured insert (24) arranged in the mold (20) so that the material deposit (4) is transferred onto the substrate (1) during the molding of the substrate (1); The method for manufacturing a watch component according to claim 9.

11. The step of molding the substrate (1) includes placing a structured insert (24) in a mold (20) so as to form a relief of the substrate (1) with the structured insert, and the method comprises: Obtaining (E01) a model element (99) including a structured table (990) having a pattern to be replicated on the surface of the watch part; coating (E02) the structured surface (990) of the model element (99) with a molding resin capable of replicating the pattern of the structured surface in a negative manner, and solidifying the molding resin to obtain a structured insert (24); Separating the structured insert (24) comprising a surface (240) comprising the pattern in a negative form from the model element (99) (E03); Optionally, cutting the structured insert (24) into the format corresponding to at least a portion of the watch part (10) to be manufactured. manufacturing the structured insert (24); The method for manufacturing a watch component according to claim 9 or 10.

12. The method comprises first a step (E2) of depositing a material (41*; 42*) on a layer (11*) of a substrate (1*), then a step (E1) of forming a relief on the substrate (1*) of the method, which step (E1) consists of partially removing the material (41*; 42*) using the deposit of material so as to form a relief of the substrate (1*), The method for manufacturing a watch component according to claim 8.

13. the deposited material (41*; 42*) is a polymer, in particular an elastomer or elastomer-based, in particular a fluoroelastomer (FKM, FFKM or FEPM), or a natural rubber (NR), or a synthetic rubber (SBR, HNBR, EPDM), or a vinylmethylsilicone (VMQ), or a fluorosilicone (FVMQ); The method for manufacturing a watch component according to claim 12.

14. The step (E1) of forming a relief on the substrate (1*) consists of partially removing the material (41*; 42*) using a laser, in particular a femtosecond pulsed laser, The method for manufacturing a watch component according to claim 12 or 13.

15. the substrate (1;1*) and the transparent or translucent protective layer (2;2*) are made of polymeric materials which are compatible with each other so as to cause direct adhesion of the transparent or translucent protective layer (2;2*) to all or part of the substrate (1;1*) by cross-linking of the respective materials in the step of joining the transparent or translucent protective layer (2;2*) together, A method for manufacturing a watch component according to any one of claims 8 to 14.

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