Dial for a timer and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

To provide a method for manufacturing a clock face that prevents an ornamental element from being copied onto the surface of a dial plate.SOLUTION: A manufacturing method for timer component includes: a step for preparing a timer component 1; a step for breaking the timer component 1 and producing a plurality of fragments 10; a step which places the fragments 10 on a support body 2 and creates a desired pattern to reassemble, the pattern having a gap 11 among a variety of fragments 10 of the timer component 1; a step which moves a support body 2 into a mold adapted by hot forming and places a preform 3 on the fragments 10 of the timer component; a step which heats the whole up to temperature higher than glass transition temperature of the preform 3, applies a force to the preform to fill the gap 11, and obtains a reassembled timer component 1'; a step which forms the timer component 1' that is reassembled by cooling the whole down below glass transition temperature of the preform 3; and a step which collects the reassembled timer component 1' and performs machine processing to provide a necessary dimension.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a timepiece component. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a timepiece component (such as a dial) used in the field of timepieces or jewels.

Background Art

[0002] Many methods are known in the prior art for creating and decorating a relief on the surface of mechanical parts such as watch dials. Some of these known methods consist of manufacturing decorative elements separately from the mechanical parts to be decorated and then fixing these decorative elements to the intended mechanical parts.

[0003] Another method of decorating mechanical parts such as dials is known from European Patent Application No. 2370865 A1 in the name of The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd. This decoration method involves - providing the mechanical part to be decorated, and - producing a plate-shaped mask, the thickness of the mask being at least equal to the desired thickness of the decorative element, the mask being machined with openings, the contour of the openings corresponding to the shape of the desired decorative element, - placing the mask on the surface of the mechanical part to be decorated such that the openings of the mask coincide with the positions of the mechanical part intended to receive the decorative elements, - placing at least one mold by abutting at least one of the openings of the mask at the location to be decorated, - injecting and filling a metal material at a temperature higher than at least the glass transition temperature Tg into the at least one mold, and then cooling to make the metal into an amorphous structure to form an element, - removing the mask to expose the decorative elements on the surface of the decorated mechanical part and consists of.

[0004] One advantage of this decoration method is that it is relatively easy to implement. In fact, in many decoration methods, the decorative elements are produced separately from the mechanical parts to be decorated and are only fixed to these mechanical parts afterwards. When using a mask, the decorative elements are produced and directly fixed to the mechanical parts to be decorated in the same process of that method, thereby making it possible to save time.

[0005] However, one drawback of the decoration method using a mask placed on the surface of the mechanical part to be decorated is that the mask cannot eliminate the risk of not being in close contact with the surface to be decorated, and when filling various molds, the filling material leaks a little onto the surface of the mechanical part, and it can be seen that it is necessary to discard a part of such mechanical parts. This is a problem especially when wanting to decorate the dial of a timepiece because the dial is an expensive mechanical part.

[0006] Moreover, another drawback of such a decoration method is that it is difficult to form a complex three-dimensional shape for decorating the dial and generally requires extremely costly manual work.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0007]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0008] The object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and other problems by providing a method for manufacturing a timepiece dial that particularly prevents a decorative element from being transferred onto the surface of the dial. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a dial in which a decorative element is directly incorporated into the body of the dial to form an integral structural element.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] Therefore, the present invention is a method for manufacturing a timepiece component, comprising: - preparing a timepiece component; - destroying the timepiece component into a plurality of fragments; - placing the fragments on a support, creating a desired pattern for reassembly, the pattern having gaps between the various fragments; - transferring the support into a mold adapted by hot forming and placing a preform on the fragments of the timepiece component; - heating to a temperature higher than the glass transition temperature of the preform, applying a force to the preform to fill the gaps and obtaining a reassembled timepiece component; - cooling the whole below the glass transition temperature of the preform to form a reassembled timepiece component; - recovering the reassembled timepiece component and machining it to the required dimensions and relates to a method for manufacturing a timepiece component comprising the above steps.

[0010] According to a particular embodiment, the method for manufacturing a timepiece component according to the present invention is characterized in that: - the filling material is an amorphous metal or a partially amorphous metal; - the amorphous metal or the partially amorphous metal is a platinum alloy, a palladium alloy or a zirconium alloy; - the material of the timepiece component is selected from materials having a melting temperature higher than the Tg of an amorphous metal (such as metals, ceramics, glasses, sapphires, diamonds, mother-of-pearl, silicon, precious and semi-precious stones, etc.); - the reassembled timepiece component undergoes at least one treatment of the following finishing operations: filing, brushing, satin finishing, polishing, sunray brushing finish, or laser matt finish; - the timepiece component is selected from a bezel, a back cover, a receiving plate, a plate, a pendulum, and further jewelry and is characterized by the above.

[0011] The present invention also relates to a timepiece component obtained by implementing the manufacturing method according to the present invention.

Advantages of the Invention

[0012] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following detailed description of one embodiment of the method according to the present invention. This example is given solely for illustrative and non-limiting purposes in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] According to the present invention, first, a timepiece component is prepared in step a). In the illustrated example, this timepiece component is the timepiece dial 1. Of course, this example is given solely for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, and the timepiece component to be manufactured can be of any type, such as a bezel, a back cover, a receiving plate, a plate, a pendulum, or including jewelry. The only limitation that this timepiece component must satisfy is that it must be made of a material whose mechanical properties do not change within the temperature range relevant to the method of the present invention. In other words, the timepiece component must not deform, soften, or even melt during the decoration operation according to the present invention.

[0015] Once the timepiece dial 1 is prepared, this dial is then broken in the next step b) into a plurality of fragments 10. This operation may be carried out completely randomly to obtain a unique pattern later, or alternatively, it may be carried out in a controlled manner to obtain a predetermined pattern.

[0016] According to one modification of the present invention, instead of the pre-destroyed timepiece component, already broken fragments such as waste or scraps may be used.

[0017] The material used for the dial 1 may be a metallic material such as steel, brass, aluminum, or titanium, but may also be a so-called brittle material. A brittle material means a material that does not have available plastic deformation, such as quartz, ruby, sapphire, glass, silicon, diamond, graphite, carbon, or ceramics such as silicon nitride and silicon carbide, or cermet-type composite materials. Thus, it is understood that parts made of such materials are very brittle and may easily break.

[0018] The material forming the timepiece component 1 is selected from materials having a melting temperature higher than the Tg of the amorphous metal to be used later in this method.

[0019] In step c), it is necessary to move the fragments 10 of the dial 1 onto a support 2 such as a receiving tree or a base to create a desired pattern for reassembly, and the pattern has gaps 11 between the various fragments. The fragments 10 of the dial are dimensioned and arranged relative to each other such that at least one gap 11 appears. The gap 11 is utilized so that another material can be inserted therein, and the material is used to act as an element for bonding and decorating the fragments of the dial 1.

[0020] Once the fragment 10 is placed on the support 2, the support is transferred into a mold adapted by hot forming, and a metal preform 3 is placed on the fragments of the dial (step d).

[0021] According to the present invention, the material used for the preform 3 and acting as a bonding element between the fragments 10 of the dial is an amorphous or partially amorphous metallic material.

[0022] Since the material is partially amorphous, the material can at least partially solidify at the amorphous stage, i.e., it is possible to locally lose the entire crystal structure by a temperature increase exceeding the melting temperature, and it will be understood that following this temperature increase, it is possible to cool to a temperature lower than the glass transition temperature to make it at least partially amorphous. Thus, this material may be a metal alloy.

[0023] According to one variant of the invention, the preform 3 is produced by compressing a mixture of powders (for example metal powders that are already amorphous), for example by using pressing or hot extrusion between, for example, the glass transition temperature Tg and the crystallization temperature Tx.

[0024] In the next step e), the mold containing the base 2, the dial fragment 10, and the preform 3 is heated to a temperature higher than the glass transition temperature of the preform 3, and then a force F is applied to the preform 3 via the piston 4 to fill the gap 11, obtaining the reassembled dial 1'. This heating step consists of heating the whole to a temperature between the glass transition temperature Tg and the crystallization temperature Tx of the preform. At this temperature, the amorphous metal has a significantly reduced viscosity, and this reduction in viscosity depends on the temperature.

[0025] When the preform 3 reaches the desired viscosity, the preform is pressed to fill the gap 11 between the fragments 10 of the dial 1, as can be seen from FIG. 2. Clearly, the pressure applied to the preform 3 varies depending on the metal or alloy used and its glass transition temperature Tg.

[0026] When the expansion of the preform 3 into the gap 11 is complete and the fragments 10 of the dial are joined together in the final position with the preform 3 filling the gap 11, a cooling step is carried out. This cooling step is carried out to harden the preform 3 and to form the reassembled dial 1' having the only decorative pattern with increased strength.

[0027] In the final process, at least one of the following finishing operations is performed on the reassembled dial 1': sanding, brushing, satin finishing, or polishing. Also, the reassembled dial 1' may be machined to a desired final dimension or the back surface may be reworked to adjust the thickness of the dial.

[0028] Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and those skilled in the art may conceive various modifications and simple variations as described in the appended claims without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0029] 1 Dial 1' Reassembled dial 2 Support 3 Preform 4 Piston 10 Fragment 11 Gap F Force

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a dial for a timer, comprising: - preparing a dial (1) for a timer; - either destroying the dial (1) for a timer to obtain a plurality of fragments (10), or using fragments of a dial for a timer that are already broken; - placing the fragments (10) on a support (2) and creating a desired pattern for reassembly, the pattern having gaps (11) between various fragments (10) of the dial (1) for a timer; - transferring the support (2) into a mold adapted by hot forming, and placing a preform (3) on the fragments (10) of the dial for a timer; - heating the whole to a temperature higher than the glass transition temperature of the preform (3), applying a force to the preform to fill the gaps (11), and obtaining a reassembled dial (1') for a timer; - cooling the whole below the glass transition temperature of the preform (3) to form the reassembled dial (1') for a timer; - recovering the reassembled dial (1') for a timer and machining it to the required dimensions; and including the above steps.

2. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the preform (3) is made of an amorphous metal or a partially amorphous metal.

3. The manufacturing method according to claim 2, wherein the amorphous metal or the partially amorphous metal is a platinum alloy, a palladium alloy, or a zirconium alloy.

4. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the material forming the dial (1) for a timer is selected from materials having a melting temperature higher than the Tg of amorphous metals such as metals, ceramics, glass, sapphire, diamond, mother-of-pearl, silicon, precious stones, and semi-precious stones.

5. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the reassembled dial (1') for a timer undergoes at least one of the following finishing operations: filing, brushing, sunray brushing finish, satin finish, polishing, or laser mat finish.

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