Dewar device for watches

Abstract

To provide a dewar device for a mechanical component and / or a functional component of a watch.SOLUTION: A Dewar apparatus (1) comprises a case (2) having a housing (4) and can removably arrange a case (12) of a watch (10). The case has a display device capable of displaying information related to time display or a function executed by the watch (10). The display device is arranged facing a transparent cover (6) of the case (2). The Dewar device (1) comprises a system (3) for dynamically adjusting contrast of the display device of the watch (10) including the variable luminosity transparent cover (6), and a control unit (8) configured to control contrast of the display device of the watch (10).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a Dewar arrangement for mechanical and / or functional parts of a timepiece, the arrangement including a system for dynamically adjusting the contrast of a display device, such as a watch face, placed within the case of the Dewar arrangement. [Background technology]

[0002] An electronic watch traditionally includes a wristband and a watch case that contains several electrical or electronic components, some of which cannot withstand extreme temperatures and may not function properly at such temperatures, as is known in the prior art. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] Under such conditions, there is a need to be able to use watches, and in particular electronic watches, in environments where such extreme temperatures may prevail, and in particular to be able to read accurately and efficiently the information present on the display of such watches in such conditions of use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] To this end, the present invention relates to a Dewar arrangement for use with mechanical and / or functional parts of a watch, comprising a case having a housing in which a watch case can be removably placed, said case comprising a display capable of displaying the time or information related to the functions implemented by the watch, the display being placed opposite a transparent cover of said case, the Dewar arrangement comprising a system for dynamically adjusting / regulating the contrast of the display of the watch, said system comprising a variable intensity transparent cover and a control unit configured to control the contrast of the display of the watch.

[0005] In another embodiment the transparent cover includes a luminosity / illumination variable element that is transparent; The control unit is connected via a connecting element to an element for varying the luminous intensity of the transparent cover; the transparent cover includes a transparent substrate, the lower surface of which includes a light intensity variable element; the transparent cover includes a transparent substrate including a light intensity variable element, the light intensity variable element being in a body of the substrate; the substrate is formed by two layers of transparent material, between which a light intensity variable element is arranged, consisting of a stack of transparent functional layers of organic electroluminescent material; the control unit includes at least one event sensor, the event being capable of causing a change in light intensity in an environment external to the Dewar apparatus, the sensor being a light intensity sensor; The element that changes the luminosity of the transparent cover is a lighting element, in particular a transparent lighting element of the OLED type; The Dewar device includes a removable fastening device for fastening the watch case within a housing and for separating the watch case from the functional elements, the housing including a middle portion, a back portion, and a variable light intensity transparent cover of the watch case; The enclosure is in a vacuum or near vacuum state; The crystal has a surface that is substantially or strictly larger than the crystal of the watch case. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0006] Other characteristics and advantages will become apparent from the following description, given in an illustrative and non-limiting manner, with reference to the attached figures. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the top view of a Dewar arrangement comprising a case with a transparent cover including an element for varying the luminosity of a watch display disposed within the case, according to an embodiment of the invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along axis II-II of the schematic diagram of the timepiece of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0007] 1 and 2 show a dewar arrangement 1 for a watch for mechanical and / or functional parts 5 of a watch 10. This dewar arrangement 1 for a watch is also called "isothermal watch arrangement" or more simply "dewar arrangement" and is equipped with a thermally protected case 2, also called "isothermal case" or "dewar case". Such a thermally protected dewar arrangement 1 for the mechanical and / or functional parts 5 of the watch 10 can provide good thermal insulation for the mechanical and / or functional parts 5 of the watch 10, and in order to provide such thermal insulation for these parts 5, it is necessary to arrange a case 12 in the housing 4 of this case 2. In other words, this case 2 is formed by the combination of its functional elements 15 with the case 11 of the watch 10, in particular to provide a suitable thermal insulation for these mechanical and / or functional parts 5. These functional elements 15 of the case 2 forming this housing 4 consist of the transparent cover 6, the inner peripheral wall 17 of the middle part 9a and the back part 9b of this case 2. In this configuration, the case of the watch 10 is placed in the housing 4, while being spaced apart from or distant from the functional elements 15 of the case 2 which form this housing 4. It should be noted that the inner peripheral wall 17 of this intermediate portion is also that of the housing 4.

[0008] In this Dewar apparatus 1, the case 2 constitutes a system 3 for dynamically adjusting the contrast of a display device, such as the dial of a watch 10. Such a system 3 serves to automatically set the contrast of the display device. Such contrast adjustment makes it possible to improve the readability of the information displayed by this display device, taking into account the luminous intensity present in the environment of the Dewar apparatus 1. It is to be noted in particular that this system 3 makes it possible to set an optimal contrast between one or more graphic representations related to the information and the respective background.

[0009] For this purpose, the system 3 consists of a crystal 6 of the case 2, which is a transparent crystal 6 with variable luminous intensity facing the display of the watch 10, and a control unit 8 connected to said crystal 6, which is configured to control / manage said luminous intensity.

[0010] In such a configuration, the control unit 8 comprises an electronic circuit including hardware resources, in particular a controller with at least one processor cooperating with memory elements and data and control address buses, and an energy store, alternatively called a battery. This control unit 8 comprises in a memory element an algorithm for managing the dynamic contrast adjustment of the display device of the watch 10. Such an algorithm is executed by the processor of this control unit 8 and takes into account in particular data from event sensors arranged in the control unit 8 in order to ensure the management of the contrast of this display device. It should be noted that such data may for example provide information related to events detected by these sensors, such events likely contributing / leading / generating changes in the ambient luminosity prevailing in the environment of the Dewar device 1 and likely disturbing / altering the reading of the information present in the display device. Such events may consist, in a non-limiting and non-exhaustive manner, of the detection of a certain level of luminosity in the environment of the Dewar device 1, in particular solar radiation, etc.

[0011] In such a configuration, the event sensor may in particular comprise a light intensity sensor, including in a non-limiting and non-exhaustive manner a solar radiation sensor and / or an infrared solar radiation sensor and / or an ultraviolet solar radiation sensor.

[0012] It should be noted that the event sensor forms part of the control unit 8 and is connected to the controller of this unit. The light intensity sensor is arranged in the case 2, in particular in at least one of the functional elements 15 of this case 2, so as to be exposed to light coming from the environment outside the Dewar arrangement 1 and thus the case 2. By way of example, this light intensity sensor can be arranged in the body of the transparent cover 6 of the case 2 and / or on the inner surface 16 of this transparent cover 6.

[0013] In this Dewar device 1, the control unit 8 consists of a substrate, such as a flexible PCB, on which its electronic circuits are arranged, with the exception of the light intensity sensor, which may be arranged in the transparent cover 6 or on the inner surface of this transparent cover 6 of the case 2. In this context, the circuits may be built on this substrate using three-dimensional printing or polymer printing methods. It should be noted that this substrate is arranged in the housing 4, on one of the functional elements 15, such as the back 9b or the inner peripheral wall 17 of the housing 4.

[0014] As mentioned above, the control unit 8, in particular its controller, is coupled / connected to the transparent cover 6 of the case 2 via a connection element 14. Such a transparent cover 6 is formed by a substrate and a transparent luminosity / illumination variable element 7 arranged in or on said substrate. This substrate consists of a material such as glass, such as mineral glass, acrylic glass, optical ceramic or sapphire glass. In this transparent cover 6, such a luminosity variable element 7 is for example a transparent illumination element, in particular an organic light emitting diode illumination element, known by the abbreviation OLED.

[0015] Such an OLED type lighting element comprises a stack of transparent functional layers consisting of layers of organic electroluminescent material supplied with electricity by transparent electrodes, generally in the form of first and second conductive layers, of this stack, sandwiching this / these layers of material. Such an OLED type lighting element 7 can be designed to emit polychromatic radiation defined at 0° by the coordinates (x1, y1) in the CIE XYZ 1931 colorimetric diagram. This transparent lighting element 7 is configured to emit light radiation in the direction of or towards a display device.

[0016] In non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments, the electroluminescent layer can be composed of small molecules known as SM-OLEDs (Small Molecule Organic Light Emitting Diodes) or polymers known as PLEDs (Polymer Light Emitting Diodes).

[0017] In a first variant of the crystal 6 of the case 2 , the light intensity variable element 7 is arranged / applied / printed / deposited on the underside of a substrate, thus forming the inner side 16 of this crystal 6 .

[0018] In a second variant of the transparent cover 6 of the case 2, the light intensity variable element 7 is arranged in the body of a substrate forming this transparent cover 6 of the case 2. In this context, this substrate may be formed by two layers of a transparent material, such as glass, between which the light intensity variable element 7 is arranged.

[0019] It should be noted that the presence of the light intensity variable element 7 in or on the substrate that constitutes the transparent cover 6 does not change the transmittance properties of this transparent cover 6 of the case 2 .

[0020] In this context, it is therefore understood that the control unit 8 is able to vary the illumination / light intensity applied to the display device, in particular the distribution of the illumination / light intensity on said display device, by controlling / managing the variation of the electrical voltage applied to the first and second conductive layers of the luminous intensity variable element 7. In this way, the control unit 8 is able to configure the contrast of the display device adapted to the ambient luminous intensity, with the aim of facilitating reading of said display device and / or providing legibility to a user of said Dewar apparatus 1.

[0021] This change in illumination (also called change in light intensity) produced by the variable light intensity element 7 takes place between two states: a first state for maximum light intensity and a second state for zero light intensity.

[0022] Moreover, as mentioned above, the case 12 of the watch 10 is placed in the case 2 of this Dewar device 1, spaced apart or otherwise maintained at a distance 19 from the inner peripheral wall 17 of the housing 4, thanks to the reversible fixing device 13 of the case 2. In other words, such a fixing device 13 can constitute the distance 19 between the case 12 and the functional element 15 of the case 2 forming the housing 4. In this configuration, the fixing device 13 serves to reduce or eliminate the thermal conduction between the inner peripheral wall 17 and / or the back 9b and / or the crystal 6 of the middle part 9a (or of the housing 4) and the case 12 of the watch 10, in particular the outer general surface of this case 12. This outer general surface includes the upper surface constituting the crystal 11 of the case 12 of this watch 10, the lower surface constituting the back of the case 12 and the outer peripheral wall of the middle part of this case 12.

[0023] In this configuration, the fixing device 13 for reversibly fixing the case 12 of the timepiece 10 to the inner peripheral wall 17 of the housing 4 of the case 2 is: connecting members having first and second ends respectively connectable to the case 12 of the watch 10 and to the inner peripheral wall 17 of the housing 4 of said case 2, the body of each member having a particular structure which serves to reduce heat loss to the external environment of the case 2 of the Dewar device 1 and thus to ensure a stable internal temperature within the case 12 of the watch 10; and / or Connection elements configured to ensure the magnetic levitation of the case 12 of the watch 10 within the housing 4, in fact these connection elements are configured to ensure and maintain a distance 19 between the case 12 and the functional elements 15 forming the housing 4 of the case 2, such connection elements serving to reduce or eliminate thermal conduction between the middle part 9a and / or the back part 9b and / or the inner peripheral wall 17 of the crystal 11 and the case 12 of the watch 10, in particular the outer general surface of this case 12 may include:

[0024] It should be noted that case 12 is configured into a watch 10, which may be an electronic watch, such as a quartz watch, or a mechanical watch or an electromechanical watch.

[0025] The above-mentioned mechanical and / or functional components 5 of the watch 10 are, in a non-limiting and non-exhaustive manner, composed of a watch movement, a dial, hands, rings, displays such as joints, and / or electronic and / or electrical components. It is noted in particular that such electronic and / or electrical components include, for example, displays, processors, memories, energy storage components, motors, integrated circuits, and electronic oscillators.

[0026] In such a configuration, the device 1 is therefore composed of a case 2 including a middle part 9a to which is attached a belt 9c enabling the device 1 to be worn by a user. The case 2 also includes the aforementioned crystal 6 and a back part 9b. It should be noted that in the device 1, the crystal 6 preferably comprises a surface that is substantially or strictly larger than the crystal 11 of the case 12 of the watch 10. In other words, the inner side 16 of the crystal 6 has a surface that is substantially or strictly larger than the surface of the upper side of the crystal 11 of the watch 10.

[0027] Thus, the functional elements 15 such as the crystal 6, the middle part 9a and the back part 9b of the device 1 together define the housing 4 of this case 2 capable of housing the case 12 of the watch 10. These three elements 15 of the case 2, namely the middle part 9a, the crystal 6 and the back part 9b, may be separate elements joined together to form this housing 4. Alternatively, the middle part 9a and the back part 9b of the case 2 may together form an integral part, which defines an opening facing the back part 9b, which opening can be reversibly and hermetically closed by the crystal 6. Alternatively, the middle part 9a and the crystal 6 of the case 2 of the watch 10 together may form an integral part, which defines an opening facing the crystal 6, which opening can be closed in a hermetically sealed manner, also reversibly, by the back part 9b.

[0028] The middle and back parts 9a and 9b are preferably made of, in a non-limiting and non-exhaustive manner, metallic materials, glass, or thermosetting or thermoplastic polymer resins reinforced with carbon or transparent cover fibers, or other ceramic materials. It should be noted that if the middle and back parts 9a and 9b are transparent or translucent, for example made of glass, the inner peripheral wall 17 of the middle part 9a and the inner surface 18 of the back part 9b may be coated with a metallic or similar reflective coating, for example a layer of silver.

[0029] Moreover, in this arrangement, when the case 12 of the watch 10 is placed within the housing 4 of the case 2, the space defined between the case 12 and the inner peripheral wall 17 of the middle portion 9a, the back portion 9b and the crystal 6 is free of material or is almost free of material. In other words, the housing 4 is in a vacuum or near-vacuum state.

[0030] It will therefore be appreciated that in this configuration, the dewar apparatus 1 has the same properties and characteristics as dewar tubes / vessels well known in the art. As already mentioned, the properties and characteristics of the dewar apparatus 1 serve to provide good insulation for the apparatus with respect to the extreme temperatures that may prevail in the external environment in which such an apparatus 1 may be placed.

[0031] Furthermore, it should be noted that the mechanical and / or functional parts 5 of the watch 10 are non-magnetic and / or the case 2 of the watch 10 is made of a material or covered with a coating capable of isolating these parts from magnetic fields.

[0032] Furthermore, the fixing device 13 serves to position the case 12 of the watch 10 within the case 2 such that the transparent cover 11 of the case 12 of the watch 10 is positioned facing the transparent cover 6 of the case 2, so that the information configured on the dial and / or display interface of the watch 10 can be recognized by a user wearing the Dewar device 1 through the transparent transparent cover 6 of the case 2.

[0033] Such a Dewar arrangement 1 thus provides the mechanical and / or functional components 5 of the watch 10 with a very good insulation from the external environment, reducing or even preventing heat loss by radiation from the components arranged in the case 12 of the watch 10 over a long period of time. Thus, when the temperature outside the arrangement 1 reaches extreme values, typically of the order of -125°C to +125°C, the temperature inside the housing 4 remains substantially equal to the temperature present in the case 12 of the watch 10 when the watch 10 is arranged in the case 2, typically around 20°C. It should be noted that, regardless of the temperature conditions present in the environment of the Dewar arrangement 1, the temperature inside the case 12 of the watch 10 is a temperature that does not prevent the correct operation of the watch 10. This temperature is maintained for a period of time between 2 and 18 times longer than the period during which the case 12 of such a watch 10 would be able to maintain the operating temperature of its components if placed directly in an environment where such temperatures, especially extreme temperatures, are present (i.e. outside the case 2 of the Dewar arrangement 1). It is therefore believed that such an arrangement makes it possible to protect the mechanical and / or functional parts 5 of the timepiece 10 and ensure that they operate optimally even under extreme external temperature conditions.

[0034] It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various simple modifications and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A Dewar arrangement (1) for use with a mechanical and / or functional part (5) of a timepiece (10), comprising a case (2) having a housing (4), in which a case (12) of the timepiece (10) is removably arranged, the case (12) having a display capable of displaying the time or information related to a function performed by the timepiece (10), the display being arranged opposite a variable luminosity transparent cover (6) of the case (2), the Dewar arrangement (1) comprising a system (3) for dynamically adjusting the contrast of the display of the timepiece (10), the system (3) comprising a control unit (8) configured to control the contrast of the display of the timepiece (10) by controlling the light emission from a luminosity variable element (7) contained in the variable luminosity transparent cover (6).

2. 2. The dewar arrangement (1) according to claim 1, wherein the light intensity variable element (7) is controlled between a first state for maximum light intensity and a second state for zero light intensity.

3. 2. The Dewar apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the control unit (8) is connected to the light intensity variable element (7) via a connection element (14) to vary the light intensity of the variable light intensity transparent cover (6).

4. 2. A dewar apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the variable light intensity transparent cover (6) comprises a transparent substrate, the underside of which comprises the variable light intensity element (7).

5. 2. The dewar apparatus (1) of claim 1, wherein the variable light intensity transparent cover (6) comprises a transparent substrate containing the light intensity variable element (7), the light intensity variable element (7) being contained within the body of the transparent substrate.

6. 6. A Dewar arrangement (1) according to claim 5, wherein the transparent substrate is formed of two layers of transparent material between which the light intensity variable element (7) consisting of a stack of transparent functional layers of organic electroluminescent material is arranged.

7. 2. The dewar arrangement (1) of claim 1, wherein the control unit (8) includes at least one event sensor, the event of which is causing a change in light intensity in an external environment of the dewar arrangement (1), and the event sensor is a light intensity sensor.

8. 2. The dewar arrangement (1) according to claim 1, wherein the variable light intensity transparent cover (6) comprises a light intensity variable element (7) which is transparent, the light intensity variable element (7) of the variable light intensity transparent cover (6) being a lighting element.

9. 2. The Dewar apparatus (1) according to claim 1, further comprising a removable fixing device (13) for fixing the case (12) of the watch (10) within the housing (4) and for distancing the case (12) of the watch (10) from functional elements (15) forming the housing (4), including the middle part (9a), the back part (9b) and the light-variable transparent cover (6) of the housing (2).

10. 2. The dewar apparatus (1) of claim 1, wherein the enclosure (4) is in a vacuum.

11. 2. A Dewar arrangement (1) according to claim 1, wherein the variable luminosity crystal (6) has a surface which is greater than the surface of the crystal (11) of the case (12) of the watch (10).

12. A Dewar apparatus (1) as described in claim 8, wherein the lighting element is a transparent lighting element of the OLED type.

13. A Dewar apparatus (1) as described in claim 9, wherein no material is present in the space defined between the case (12) of the watch (10) and the inner wall (17) of the intermediate portion (9a), the back portion (9b) and the variable brightness transparent cover (6).

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