Watch case with bayonet connector and bolts

Abstract

This invention provides a watch case design that allows for protection of a rechargeable battery or access to a battery. [Solution] A watch case comprising a movement 8, a middle 3 suitable for holding a battery 9 inserted into a compartment of the movement, a case back 2 assembled to the middle with a bayonet connector, and a bolt 6 attached to the bayonet connector to lock any relative rotation between the case back and the middle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a watch case suitable for an electronic watch. More specifically, the present invention relates to a watch case including a middle and a back cover assembled with a bayonet connector to which a bolt is attached to protect access to a battery.

Background Art

[0002] Portable electronic devices can be powered by one or more removable energy sources such as batteries, accumulators or cells.

[0003] For example, an electronic watch or an electromechanical watch is powered, at least in part related to the electromechanical watch, by a removable electrical energy source, such as a button cell, embedded in a compartment within the watch case. A removable cover is provided to enclose the battery inside the compartment, ensuring that the compartment is at least waterproof. The battery is usually embedded in a battery compartment closed by a cover on the back of the watch case.

[0004] To ensure easy battery replacement, the cover and the case usually feature quick-release rotary connection / disconnection means. These means enable easy access to the battery and rapid fastening of the compartment after the battery has been replaced. Examples of these quick-release connection / disconnection means are quarter-turn type assembly systems or bayonet type assembly systems.

[0005] In addition, the cover may have a recess on its outer surface configured to receive the tip of a tool so that the cover can be rotated. To make battery replacement even easier, this recess often has a relatively simple and common shape, such as a slot, so that various accessories readily available to the wearer can be used to open the compartment without the need for a specific tool or without taking the watch to a watchmaker to have the battery replaced.

[0006] However, these various interesting and advantageous technological solutions for replacing batteries can also have drawbacks in some situations, particularly when handled by children, especially toddlers. In fact, these toddlers may succeed in removing the battery cover and accessing the battery compartment, which could result in the risk of them swallowing the batteries and any serious consequences that may arise.

[0007] Therefore, while maintaining the advantage of quick and easy cover removal, it is necessary to protect the watch case to prevent unauthorized access to the battery compartment, especially by young children. [Overview of the project]

[0008] This invention provides a watch case design that allows for protection of a rechargeable battery or access to a battery.

[0009] According to the present invention, the watch case is obtained by assembling the case back and the middle section with a bayonet connector. The entire assembly is protected by bolts that prevent the case back from rotating relative to the middle section.

[0010] More specifically, the present invention relates to a watch case comprising a middle suitable for holding a movement and a battery inserted in a compartment of the movement, a case back assembled to the middle with a bayonet connector, and a bolt attached to the bayonet connector to lock any relative rotation between the case back and the middle.

[0011] This configuration allows the electrical energy source to be placed inside the watch case using bolts that prevent access to the energy source without specific tools. This enables the assembly and disassembly of the watch case while providing safe access to the battery or rechargeable battery. The case back itself forms the battery cover. Unlike a battery compartment with a cover, this configuration facilitates the placement of bolts. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1A] This shows an exploded view of a watch case according to the present invention. [Figure 1B] A three-dimensional diagram of the case back is shown. [Figure 2] A three-dimensional diagram of a watch case according to the present invention is shown. [Figure 3] A partial vertical cross-sectional view of a bayonet connector is shown. [Figure 4] A three-dimensional diagram of a bolt in one modified form is shown. [Figure 5] This shows a horizontal cross-sectional view of a watch case with bolts in this modified example. [Figure 6] A partial vertical cross-sectional view of the bolt in this modified case is shown, along with the positioning of the tool for removing the bolt. [Figure 7] A horizontal cross-sectional view of a watch case with bolts, representing another modification, is shown along with a magnified view of the bolts at the bayonet connection. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] The present invention relates more specifically to a watch case 1 suitable for an electronic watch. Conventionally, as seen in Figures 1A and 2, the watch case 1 includes a case back 2, a middle section 3, and a glass 4. The accessible surface of the case back 2 is provided with a slot 18 or (not shown) hole for receiving a tool for removing the case back from the middle section. The middle section 3 and the glass 4 may be made integrally with the glass soldered to the middle section to form a container. The watch case also includes a water-resistant joint 5 between the middle section 3 and the case back 2, as shown in Figure 3.

[0014] According to the present invention, the case back 2 and the middle 3 are assembled using a bayonet connector to which a bolt 6 is attached to prevent the case back from rotating relative to the middle after assembly. This bolt 6 may be a component attached to the middle 3 and the case back 2 as shown in Figures 1A and 5 to 6, or it may be an integral part of the case back 2 as shown in Figure 7. Preferably, the bolt 6 is positioned between the horns 7 of the middle 3 so that it is hidden after the bracelet is attached.

[0015] To ensure a secure bayonet connection, the case back 2 includes a groove 10 formed in a flange 11 that extends in an arc around the peripheral edge 2a of the case back 2 toward the middle (Figures 1A and 1B). The groove 10 is open at least one end of the arc to allow engagement of a flange 12 projecting into the middle 3, and optionally closed at the other end by a stopper (not shown). Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of this bayonet connection, where the flange 12 in the middle 3 engages with the groove 10 of the case back 2. Preferably, there are multiple flanges 11 and 12 around the peripheral edge 2a of the case back 2 and inside the middle 3, respectively. In the illustrated example, there are two flanges 11 and 12 that are diametrically opposed.

[0016] The middle section 3 shown in Figure 1A includes a through-bed 3a designed to hold the movement 8 and a battery 9 inserted into the compartment of the movement 8. The side wall of the bed 3a has a bayonet connector flange 12 extending radially from the lower end of the side wall, i.e., the end facing the case back. A rim 15 is recessed into this side wall, and the joint 5 and the case back 2 abut against it.

[0017] A bolt 6 is attached to the bayonet connector to prevent the back cover from rotating relative to the middle. In the first modification shown in Figures 1A, 1B, 2, and 4 through 6, the bolt 6 is a component attached to the middle 2 and the back cover 3. For this purpose, a groove 10 in the back cover 2 communicates with a notch 13 in the flange 11. The notch 13 is designed to face an opening 14 provided in the wall of the middle 3 to receive the bolt 6. The opening 14 crosses the wall of the middle in the flange 12, optionally in the center of the flange 12.

[0018] In the first modification, the bolt 6 takes the form of a flexible part having two hooks 6a, 6b at its side ends. These side ends hook onto the ends 11a, 11b of the flange 11 that define the notch 13 of the back cover. As shown in Figure 4, the bolt 6 has three recesses 6c in this example to add this flexibility to the part. The bolt may also include a central tab 6d that separates the two recesses 6c near the two hooks 6a, 6b. To maintain the anti-rotation of the bayonet connector, the bolt is tightened so that the two hooks 6a, 6b are brought together and together inserted into the middle opening 14 and the notch 13 of the back cover. The two hooks 6a, 6b then return to their original positions and hook onto the ends 11a, 11b of the flange. To remove the bolt, a tool 15 must be inserted into the slot 16 of the back cover 2 (Figure 1A). As shown in Figure 6, the tool 15 pushes against the tab 6d and the wall 6e below the tab 6d, causing the bolt hook to retract and be pushed out of the middle.

[0019] In the second modification, the bolt 6 is positioned directly on the case back 2. Instead of a notch 13, the case back 2 has a flexible projection 17 extending radially outward from the case back 2 at one of the flanges 11. The projection 17 is made flexible by a portion of the flange 11 and optionally by a recess 17a provided on the projection 17. As a result, the case back does not have a notch 13 for receiving the bolt, while the middle has an opening 14 for receiving the projection 17. When assembled with a bayonet connector, the projection is compressed against the side wall of the bed 3a of the middle, then drops into the opening 14 of the middle to regain its shape. To remove the bolt, a tool (not shown) is inserted laterally into the opening 14 of the middle to compress the projection 17 and rotatably release the case back.

[0020] Once the bolts are removed, the watch case can be disassembled by inserting a tool into slot 18 on back cover 2 and rotating the back cover.

Claims

1. A middle (3) suitable for holding the movement (8) and the battery (9) inserted into the compartment of the movement (8), The middle section (3) is assembled with a back cover (2) attached to it using a bayonet connector. A bolt (6) attached to the bayonet connector locks any relative rotation between the back cover (2) and the middle (3). A watch case (1) including the watch case.

2. The watch case (1) according to claim 1, wherein the case back (2) includes at least a first flange (11) through which a groove (10) penetrates its peripheral edge (2a), the middle (3) includes at least a second flange (12) protruding into the middle (3), the groove (10) being open at least one end to allow engagement of the second flange (12) when the case back (2) is rotated, and optionally closed at the other end by a stopper to stop the rotation, the engagement of the second flange (12) in the groove (10) forming a bayonet connection.

3. The watch case (1) according to claim 2, wherein the bolt (6) is a flexible part attached to the middle (3) and the back cover (2), and has an opening (14) that penetrates the second flange (12), the groove (10) communicates with a notch (13) provided in the first flange (11), and the notch (13) is positioned to face the opening (14) and together receives the bolt (6).

4. The watch case (1) according to claim 3, wherein the bolt (6) includes two hooks (6a, 6a) that hook onto the ends (11a, 11b) of the first flange (11) that define the notch (13) on the back cover (2).

5. The watch case (1) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the bolt (6) has a recess (6c) for adding flexibility to the bolt (6).

6. The watch case (1) according to claim 3, wherein the back cover (2) is penetrated by a first slot (16) for receiving a first tool (15) to apply force to the bolt (6) to ensure that the bolt (6) is removed from the watch case (1).

7. The watch case (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the bolt (6) includes a tab (6d) positioned between the hooks (6a, 6b) and a wall (6e) below the tab (6d) to which the force is applied.

8. The watch case (1) according to claim 2, wherein the bolt (6) is in the form of a flexible portion (17) that forms an integral part of the case back (2) and protrudes radially outward from the case back (2), and has an opening (14) that penetrates the second flange (12), and the flexible portion (17) is compressed against the middle (3) during assembly with the bayonet connector, then falls into the opening (14) of the middle (3) to recover its shape and secure the bolt tightening, and the bolt tightening is secured by a second tool introduced into the opening (14) of the middle (3) to compress the flexible portion (17).

9. The watch case (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the flexible portion (17) is made flexible by a recess (17a) optionally provided in a part of the first flange (11) and in the flexible portion (17).

10. The watch case (1) according to claim 1, wherein the bolt (6) is positioned between the horns (7) of the middle (3).

11. The watch case (1) according to claim 1, wherein the case back (2) includes a second slot (18) or hole on its visible surface, the second slot (18) or hole ensures rotation of the case back (2) relative to the middle (3) by positioning a third tool for attaching and removing the case back (2).

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