Manufacturing of composite watch components with waterproof joints

Abstract

To produce bespoke waterproof joints, particularly seals, directly on timepiece components.SOLUTION: The invention relates to a method for producing a composite timepiece component 1000. In a first step, a base 50 and a first material are provided. In a second step, the base is positioned on additive manufacturing means. In a third step, a first raised portion 10 made of the first material is grown by additive manufacturing on one side of the base. In a fourth step, the development of the first raised portion is verified. The third and fourth steps are repeated iteratively until the first raised portion is seen and verified as having developed beyond a setpoint value. Additive manufacturing is stopped when the development exceeds the setpoint value. Optionally, a second raised portion 20 made of a second material is grown by additive manufacturing on one side of the base and / or on the first raised portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a complex clock component (1000), In the first step (100), a base (50) suitable for additive manufacturing and at least one first material (1) are provided; in the second step (200), the base (50) is prepared and positioned on an additive manufacturing means; in the third step (300), a first raised portion (10) made from the at least one first material (1) is grown by additive manufacturing on at least one side of the base (50); in the fourth step (400), the growth of the first raised portion (10) is verified against a first predetermined set value; The third step (300) and the fourth step (400) of additive manufacturing with the addition of the first material (1) are repeated iteratively until it is observed and verified that the first raised portion (10) has progressed to or beyond the first predetermined set value, and when the first raised portion (10) has progressed to or beyond the first predetermined set value, the additive manufacturing with the addition of the first material (1) is stopped, and the first material (1) is selected to form the first raised portion (10) which constitutes the first waterproof joint, A method comprising the third step (300) of additive manufacturing, wherein the first raised portion (10) made from at least one of the first materials (1) is grown by additive manufacturing on at least two different sides of the base (50) in two separate steps, one on each side of the base (50).

2. In the first step (100) or in one of a subsequent set of steps, at least one second material (2) different from the first material (1) is provided. During the third step (300), or during the fifth step (500) after the first raised portion (10) has progressed to or beyond the first predetermined set value, a second raised portion (20) made of at least one second material (2) is grown by additive manufacturing on at least one side of the base (50) and / or on the first raised portion (10). The method according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

3. The second raised portion (20) is grown by additive manufacturing during the third step (300), In the fourth step (400) or the sixth step (600), the progress of the second raised portion (20) is verified against a predetermined second set value, and the manufacturing step, which is the third step (300) of additive manufacturing with the addition of the second material (2) or the fifth step (500) of additive manufacturing with the addition of the second material (2), is repeated on the one hand, while the verification step, which is the sixth step (600), is repeated on the other hand, until it is observed and verified that the second raised portion (20) has progressed to or beyond the predetermined second set value, and when the second raised portion (20) has progressed to or beyond the predetermined second set value, the additive manufacturing with the addition of the second material (2) is stopped. The method according to claim 2, characterized by the above.

4. The second raised portion (20) is grown by additive manufacturing during the fifth step (500) after the first raised portion (10) has progressed to or beyond the first predetermined set value, In the sixth step (600) following the fifth step (500), the progress of the second raised portion (20) is verified against a second predetermined set value, and the fifth step (500) and the sixth step (600) of additive manufacturing with the addition of the second material (2) are repeated iteratively until it is observed and verified that the second raised portion (20) has progressed to or beyond the second predetermined set value, and when the second raised portion (20) has progressed to or beyond the second predetermined set value, the additive manufacturing with the addition of the second material (2) is stopped. The method according to claim 2, characterized by the above.

5. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the sixth step (600) is separate from the fourth step (400).

6. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that during the third step (300) or during the fifth step (500), a second raised portion (20) made of at least one second material (2) is grown by additive manufacturing on at least two different sides of the base (50) in two separate steps, one on each side of the base (50).

7. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that during the third step (300) or the fifth step (500), a second raised portion (20) made of the at least one second material (2) is grown on at least a portion of the first raised portion (10) by additive manufacturing.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the second material (2) is selected to form the second raised portion (20) that constitutes the second waterproof joint.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the second material (2) is selected to form the second raised portion (20) that constitutes the second waterproof joint in order to complement the waterproof properties of the first waterproof joint.

10. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that elastomer materials are selected for the first material (1) and the second material (2), and these materials have different Shore hardnesses in the final state of the first raised portion (10) and the second raised portion (20) after the additive manufacturing operation in which the first material (1) and the second material (2) are added, respectively.

11. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the material selected for the first material (1) and each of the at least one second material (2) forms a water-resistant layer in the first raised portion (10) and the second raised portion (20) after an additive manufacturing operation that adds the first material (1) and the at least one second material (2), respectively.

12. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the first raised portion (10) and the second raised portion (20) are manufactured in a geometric shape different from that of the base (50).

13. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least the material selected for the first material (1) forms the first raised portion (10) which has different optical properties from the base (50) for the purpose of the display function of the composite clock component (1000).

14. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least the material selected for the first material (1) forms the fluorescent or phosphorescent first raised portion (10).

15. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least the material selected for the first material (1) forms the transparent and / or colored first raised portion (10).

16. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a transparent or translucent base (50) is selected.

17. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a crystal, case back, middle section, bezel, or crown is selected as the base (50).

18. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the additive manufacturing is performed by three-dimensional printing.

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