Rotary bezel prevention device

Abstract

To provide a timepiece case allowing a reliable and easy manipulation of a rotating bezel.SOLUTION: A timepiece case (30) has a middle (3), a rotating bezel (20), and a device (10) for blocking the rotating bezel, the device including an end-link (1), mounted to be mobile relative to the middle between a first position, in which rotation of the rotating bezel can be prevented, and a second position, in which rotation of the rotating bezel can be allowed, the end-link including an action and / or gripping portion (P) arranged to allow a wearer of the timepiece to move the end-link relative to the middle while wearing the timepiece.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a case provided with a rotating bezel blocking device. The present invention also relates to a timepiece including the case. Finally, the present invention relates to a method of operating the timepiece or the case.

Background Art

[0002] Devices for preventing the rotation of the rotating bezel of a wristwatch are known from the prior art.

[0003] As an example, Patent Document 1 discloses a device for preventing the rotation of the rotating bezel of a wristwatch, which can be actuated by a linearly movable push button.

[0004] As another example, Patent Document 2 discloses a device for preventing the rotation of the rotating bezel of a wristwatch, which can be actuated by elements respectively appearing between two corners of the case. It has been found that the operation of these linearly movable elements is difficult to handle because of their small size. Further, since these elements are arranged between the annular seat of the case body and the bottom surface of the bezel, they do not cover the mounting system for connecting the bracelet to the case.

[0005] Patent Document 3 discloses a device for preventing the rotation of a rotating bezel that performs bezel locking, which is rotatably mounted on the side surface of the case body. The lock is actuated by operating push buttons arranged on both sides thereof. Therefore, the lock itself is not sufficient and requires auxiliary actuation means.

[0006] From Patent Document 4, in order to propose a simplified design of the bezel, an end link provided for determining the range of sway of the axial end of the bezel is known. During installation, the end link takes a predetermined position in a single and unique so-called "operating" state where the end link can prevent any rotational movement of the bezel. Only when the wristband part is removed, the end link becomes movable, thus enabling the bezel to be released from the annular seat of the body. For this purpose, the rotation of the end link is blocked by a bar for fixing the wristband part to the body when the wristband part is articulated to the body.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0007]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Patent Document 5

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a case that improves on cases known from the prior art. In particular, the present invention proposes a case that enables reliable and simple operation of a rotating bezel.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] According to the present invention, the case is defined in claim 1.

[0010] Various embodiments of the case are defined in claims 2 to 12.

[0011] According to the present invention, the clock is defined in claim 13.

[0012] According to the present invention, the method of operating the case or the clock is defined in claim 14.

[0013] The accompanying drawings illustrate, by way of example, two embodiments of the clock according to the present invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

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[0015] A first embodiment of the timepiece will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9. The timepiece is preferably a wristwatch 100.

[0016] The timepiece 100 includes a case 30. The case is intended to enclose a timepiece movement, particularly an electronic movement or a mechanical movement, especially an automatic movement.

[0017] The timepiece also includes a wristband mechanically connected to the case, particularly articulated to the case. The wristband preferably includes two wristband parts 4 each having a first end fixed or articulated to the case and a second end intended to be fixed to a clasp.

[0018] The case 30 mainly includes - a body 3, - a bottom 5, - a glass 6, - a crown 7, and - a rotating bezel 20. These elements cooperate to form a sealed housing intended to receive the timepiece movement.

[0019] ​The rotating bezel is preferably mounted on the body so as to be rotatable about the axis A3 of the body. Due to such an arrangement, the wearer of the watch can use the marked rotating bezel to display information, in particular time or time-derived information, defined by the angle of the position of the rotating bezel relative to the body and / or relative to the dial contained in the case.

[0020] The rotation of the bezel may be in two directions. Alternatively, the rotation of the bezel may be in one direction. In such a case, the case includes an element that allows the bezel to rotate in a first direction and prevents the bezel from rotating in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment of the rotating bezel 20, the rotating bezel 20 has a design as disclosed in Patent Document 5. Trunk The spiral spring 31 disposed in the housing 32 formed on the annular seat portion of 3 presses the bezel 20 against the ring 33 added to the body 3 via the ring 34 as shown in FIG. 4. Such a configuration provides axial fixation to the bezel while applying an appropriate torque that resists rotation.

[0022] Also preferably, the case includes a system for notching or indexing the bezel to a position relative to the body. The system can define a finite number of stable angular positions (e.g., 12, 24, 30, 60, or 120) that the bezel can take around the axis A3 relative to the body.

[0023] For this purpose, optionally, the bottom surface 20b of the bezel 20 may include indexing teeth 22 provided to cooperate with the teeth 35 received in the body 3 to enable notching of the bezel 20 as shown in FIG. 4. For this purpose, the teeth 35 may be disposed in the housing 32 of the body and may be elastically returned by a spring such as the spiral spring 31. The ring 34 may include a notch 34a such that the teeth 35 can come into direct contact with the teeth 22, among other things.

[0024] The case also includes a device 10 for blocking the rotating bezel 20, including an end link 1 movably attached to the body between a first position where rotation of the rotating bezel 20 can be prevented and a second position where rotation of the rotating bezel 20 is permitted.

[0025] The blocking device is provided, in particular, to prevent any risk of untimely rotation of the bezel, which could potentially falsify the information provided by the bezel, especially time or time-derived information.

[0026] The end link includes an operating and / or gripping portion P arranged such that the wearer of the watch can move the end link relative to the body when putting on the watch. For this reason, the blocking device is preferably characterized by the fact that it is operable by an end link of the case that is movable between at least two positions. In particular, the end link is advantageously directly operable by the wearer by a simple movement with respect to the end link.

[0027] The "end link" is understood to mean an element arranged at the height of the case, between two corners of the body of the case, in a wristband part attachment system. The end link is provided, in particular, to cover the attachment system of the wristband parts to the case when the watch is worn. Preferably, the end link includes an attachment system for the wristband parts to the case that is adapted such that, when the watch is worn, preferably, the system defining the range of the wristband parts to the case is not visible to the wearer of the wristwatch.

[0028] The end link 1 is advantageously rotatably attached to the body 3 about a first axis A1. For this reason, the case advantageously includes a first axis A1 for articulating the end link with respect to the body. For this reason, the spindle 12 of the axis A1 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is attached to the hole 36 of the body 3 and the through hole 15 of the end link 1. The longitudinal sway of the spindle 12 with respect to the body 3 is by means of the ring 13 fastened thereto, as shown in FIG. 3. Preferably, the holes 36 are each formed at the corners 37 of the body 3.

[0029] One of the parts of the wristband is preferably fixed and / or articulated around a second axis A2 of the system 40 for connecting the parts 4 of the wristband to the case 30 on the case. For this purpose, the case preferably includes a second axis A2 for fixing and / or articulating the parts 4 of the wristband relative to the case.

[0030] The first and second axes A1 and A2 are preferably parallel or substantially parallel. The distance between the first axis and the second axis is preferably less than 10 mm or less than 5 mm.

[0031] Advantageously, the end link 1 can be directly operated by a simple action on the end link, according to at least two positions, by the wearer of the watch. In a preferred embodiment of the blocking device 10, the end link 1 may have two predetermined stable positions or indexing positions, corresponding respectively to a first configuration or position capable of blocking the bezel 20 and a second configuration or position provided to release the bezel 20 and permit rotation about the axis A3. For this purpose, the case includes positioning elements 14, 38a, 38b for indexing the end link relative to the body, particularly to two stable positions. The indexing elements preferably include one or more clicks, particularly one or more ball clicks.

[0032] The ball 14a of at least one ball click is provided to be received in either the first opening 38a of the body 3 or the second opening 38b of the body 3, as shown in FIG. 6, thereby defining two predetermined stable positions of the end link relative to the body.

[0033] Optionally, the end link 1 includes two ball clicks 14, preferably arranged at both ends of the end link to cooperate respectively with the openings 38a, 38b formed respectively at the corners 37 of the body 3, as shown in FIG. 9. Alternatively, the ball clicks may be manufactured inside the corner and may cooperate with an opening formed inside the end link.

[0034] Preferably, the end link includes at least one tooth 11 that is intended to cooperate obstructively with the teeth 21 of the bezel, and in particular the upper bezel teeth, so as to enable the prevention of rotation of the bezel 20 about the axis A3 of the body.

[0035] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 9 of the first embodiment, the first tooth 21 may be formed on the upper surface 20a of the bezel 20. For this reason, the 1 tooth 21 is an upper tooth in the first embodiment.

[0036] In the first configuration of the blocking device 10 shown in FIG. 7, the tooth 11 of the end link 1 is positioned between two consecutive teeth of the tooth 21 to prevent the rotation of the bezel 20. For this reason, in the first configuration, the end link 1 occupies a first position defined by the cooperation with each of the openings 38a of the ball click 14, as shown in FIG. 9.

[0037] The operation of the end link 1 by the user and / or the pressure on the gripping portion P causes the rotation of the end link 1, whereby the end link is driven from the first position to a second position defined by the cooperation with each of the ball click 14 and the opening 38b corresponding to the second configuration of the blocking device. In the second configuration shown in FIG. 8, the end link is positioned such that the tooth 11 is out of the range of the tooth 21, thereby enabling the rotation of the bezel 20 about the axis A3 of the body.

[0038] According to a preferred embodiment of the blocking device 10, the first tooth 21 is not retractable from the tooth 11 when the end link 1 occupies the first position. For this reason, the blocking device 10 preferably constitutes a device for preventing the rotation of the bezel 20.

[0039] Optionally, the first tooth 21 and the indexing tooth 22 have the same number of teeth so that the first tooth 21 can be properly indexed with respect to the tooth 11 of the end link 1 for all positions defined by the indexing tooth 22. Alternatively, the number of teeth of the indexing tooth 22 may be a multiple or a divisor of the number of teeth of the first tooth 21. By way of example, the first tooth 21 and / or the indexing tooth 22 may include 12, 24, 30, 60 or 120 teeth.

[0040] According to an embodiment that simplifies the blocking device 10, the first tooth 21 can be retracted from the tooth 11, for example, by applying pressure against the spring 31 of the barrel towards the bezel 20, especially when the second tooth 22 is not provided on the bezel 20 even when the end link 1 occupies the first position. For this reason, the blocking device 10 constitutes at least a device for axially blocking the bezel 20, and for this reason, in order to implement the simplified design of the bezel 20, at least partially, the axially fixing ring 33 of the bezel can be replaced.

[0041] The end link preferably has a width La that substantially corresponds to the distance L separating two corners 37 of the case. Preferably, the width and the distance are equal within the functional play. For this reason, the width of the end link 1 substantially corresponds to the distance separating the same pair of corners of the barrel 3, i.e., two corners 37.

[0042] Optionally, the case includes a second mandrel 41 or a second bar for mechanically connecting the end link to the part 4 of the bracelet. For this reason, the part 4 of the bracelet is connected to the barrel 3 via the end link 1. More specifically, the end link 1 includes a system 40 for connecting the part 4 of the bracelet to the barrel. The link system 40 may take the form of a conventional link, for example. The system may include, for example, a bar 41 that extends along the second axis A2 and is received in the opening 16 of the end link 1. The bar is advantageously provided for pivoting the first link 42 of the part 4 of the bracelet as shown in FIG. 5.

[0043] Alternatively, the end link 1 can at least partially cover parts of the case, especially those directly connected to the body.

[0044] In the first embodiment of the blocking device 10, the end link 1 takes the form of a single-piece part. The bezel 20 also takes the form of a single-piece part.

[0045] A second embodiment of the timepiece will be described below with reference to FIGS. 10 to 14.

[0046] In this second embodiment, any element that is identical, similar or has the same function as an element of the first embodiment can be given the same reference number as the element of the first embodiment.

[0047] The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the first tooth 21 is formed on the bottom surface 20b of the bezel 20, i.e., it is a bottom tooth 21. For this reason, in addition to cooperating with the tooth 11 of the end link 1, these first teeth 21 can cooperate with the teeth 35 housed in the body 3 so as to optionally allow notching of the bezel 20, as previously described with respect to the first embodiment.

[0048] Alternatively, or in addition, the second embodiment can differ from the first embodiment in that the body includes a base 3b, especially a base that is added to the rest of the body to which the end link is movably attached. In this case, the base advantageously has a width La corresponding to the distance L separating two corners of the case body within the functional play. Furthermore, the case may include a mandrel 12 or bar housed between the two corners to mechanically connect the base to the body. -wo may include.

[0049] The second embodiment may differ from the first embodiment only by one or the other of the features raised in the preceding two paragraphs.

[0050] In the second embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 10 to 14, the end link 1 is rotatably attached to the base 3b about the axis A1. The base 3b may take the form of a link forming two edge links 10b connected to the area 10b' forming the central link. The end link 1 at least partially covers the area 10b'. The end link 1 is attached to the body via a mandrel 12 or bar 12 forming the axis A1, and the axis A1 is provided to be accommodated within the through-hole 15 of the end link and the base 3b. The base 3b is immovable on the body 3 via a contact portion 17 that prevents rotation about the bar 12 as shown in FIG. 14, while the end link 1 is free to pivot about the bar.

[0051] Optionally, the base 3b also includes a system 40 for connecting the parts 4 of the wristband to the body 3. The system 40 may take the form of a conventional link, for example. The system may include, for example, a bar 41 accommodated within an opening 16 of the base 3b that forms an axis A2 and is provided for pivoting the first link 42 of the parts 4 of the wristband as shown in FIG. 10.

[0052] In the first configuration of the blocking device 10 shown in FIG. 11, the teeth 11 of the end link 1 are positioned between two consecutive teeth of the teeth 21, preventing the rotation of the bezel 21. For this reason, the end link 1 occupies a first position defined, for example, by cooperation with each of the openings 38a of the ball click 14 as shown in FIG. 13.

[0053] Unlike the first embodiment of the blocking device 10, the end link 1 is actuated not by a pressing operation, but by a pulling operation that slightly raises the end link to pivot the end link about the axis A1 and separate the teeth 11 from the teeth 21 to a second position defining the second configuration of the blocking device as shown in FIG. 12.

[0054] According to the second embodiment of the blocking device 10, when the end link 1 occupies the first position, the first teeth 21 are not retractable from the teeth 11. For this reason, the blocking device 10 constitutes a device that prevents the rotation of the bezel 20.

[0055] Figures 10 to 14 illustrate an assembly of some parts, namely the bezel disk 23, the bezel ring 24, and the bezel 20 forming the teeth 21 added to the bezel ring 24. Alternatively, the bezel may be in the form of a single piece.

[0056] Preferably, the case according to the present invention includes a single bezel blocking device disposed at the height of a pair of corners of the body. In this case, it is also possible to arrange other end links that do not form part of the blocking device at the height of the other pair of corners. The other end links preferably have a shape or appearance similar to that of the end links forming part of the blocking device.

[0057] In this specification, the "bottom surface" is understood to mean the surface facing the inside of the case, i.e., the surface not visible to an observer looking in the direction of the dial of the watch.

[0058] The "upper surface" is understood to mean the surface facing the outside of the case, i.e., the surface visible to an observer looking in the direction of the dial of the watch. That is, the upper surface is visible to the wearer of the small watch.

[0059] An embodiment of the method of operating the above-described case or the above-described watch will be described below. The method includes a first action of the wearer to position the end link to the second position of the end link to permit rotation of the rotating bezel, and alternatively, an action of the wearer on the rotating bezel to rotate the rotating bezel around axis A3 with respect to the body, and a second action of the wearer to stop the first action of the wearer and / or to position the end link to the first position of the end link to prevent rotation of the rotating bezel, and these steps are carried out especially when the case or the watch is worn on the wrist of the wearer.

[0060] In the described solution, the means for fixing the bracelet parts to the case, particularly to the body, is independent of the means for fixing the end links to the body so that the end links can be operated by the wearer of the watch when the watch is worn on the wearer's wrist.

[0061] According to the above-mentioned solution, it is possible to propose a rotating bezel blocking device that is particularly well integrated into a given case design and is directly actuated by an end link or a part of an end link that is rotatably mounted on the case body in at least two positions around a first axis of rotation parallel or substantially parallel to a second axis of the system for connecting the bracelet parts to the case.

Explanation of Signs

[0062] 1 End link 3 Body 4 Bracelet part 10 Device 11 Tooth 12 Mandrel 14 Position indexing element 20 Rotating bezel 21 Tooth 30 Case 37 Angle 40 System 41 Second mandrel 100 Watch

Claims

1. A case (30) for a timepiece, including a body (3), a rotating bezel (20), and a device (10) for preventing rotation of the rotating bezel (20), the device including an end link (1) rotatably attached to the body about a first axis (A1) between a first position where rotation of the rotating bezel (20) can be prevented and a second position where rotation of the rotating bezel (20) is permitted, the end link including an operating and / or gripping portion (P) provided for the wearer of the timepiece to rotate the end link about the first axis (A1) relative to the body during wearing of the timepiece including the case, The case (30) including the same.

2. The case includes a second axis (A2) for rotatably attaching a wristband part (4) to the case, and the first and second axes are parallel or substantially parallel. The case according to claim 1.

3. The distance between the first axis and the second axis is less than 10 mm or less than 5 mm. The case according to claim 2.

4. The case includes position indexing elements (14, 38a, 38b) of the end link relative to the body. The case (30) according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The end link includes teeth (11) intended to cooperate obstructively with teeth (21) of the rotating bezel in the first position. The case (30) according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The body includes two corners, and the case includes a first mandrel (12) or a first bar received between the two corners for rotatably connecting the end link to the body about the first axis (A1). The case (30) according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The body includes two corners (37), and the end link has a width (La) that substantially corresponds to the distance (L) separating the two corners (37) of the case. The case according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The case includes a system (40) for connecting the list band part (4) to the body (3), or the case includes a second mandrel (41) or a second bar for mechanically connecting the end link to the list band part (4). The case according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The body includes a base (3b) to which the end link is rotatably attached about the first axis (A1). The case according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

10. The body includes two corners, and the width (La) of the base substantially corresponds to the distance (L) separating the two corners (37) of the case. The case according to claim 9.

11. The body includes two corners, and the case includes a first mandrel (12) or a first bar received between the two corners for mechanically connecting the base to the body. The case according to claim 9 or 10.

12. The case includes a second mandrel (41) or a second bar for mechanically connecting the base to the list band part (4). The case according to any one of claims 9 to 11.

13. A timepiece (100) including the case (30) according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. A method of operating the case according to any one of claims 1 to 12 or the timepiece according to claim 13, The first action of the wearer to position the end link at the second position of the end link to permit the rotation of the rotary bezel, and The second action of the wearer to stop the first action of the wearer and / or to position the end link at the first position of the end link to prevent the rotation of the rotary bezel A method including each step of.

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