Diver Watch Cover Pipe Protects Stem Screw
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing diver's watches face issues with sand or foreign matter adhering to the screw portions when setting time, leading to unsmooth operation and potential damage due to exposure during wet conditions.
Innovation Solution
A portable timepiece design featuring a cover pipe that maintains the hand setting stem pipe covered, even when the crown is separated from the case body, using a coil spring to ensure the screw portions remain protected from foreign matter, preventing sand or dust from adhering and ensuring smooth operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the crown is drawn out from the case body to operate the timepiece, then the crown can be operated to set time or date, but the screw portion of the hand setting stem pipe becomes exposed and foreign matter such as sand can adhere to it
Solution Approach 1:
A cover pipe is introduced as an intermediary component between the hand setting stem pipe and the external environment. The cover pipe has a hollow interior that covers the screw portion of the hand setting stem pipe when the crown is drawn out, preventing foreign matter from adhering to the screw portion while allowing the crown to be operated freely.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective function is segmented from the crown structure itself and implemented as a separate cover pipe component. This allows the cover pipe to independently cover the screw portion without interfering with the crown's drawing and operating movements, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and protection from foreign matter.
2Ease of operation
If the screw portion is exposed during crown operation, then the crown can be drawn out freely, but the screw portion may be damaged by foreign matter being bit in during screwing or releasing
Solution Approach 1:
The cover pipe serves as a protective intermediary that covers the screw portion during both the drawing operation and the screwing/releasing operations. The hollow interior of the cover pipe creates a protected space that prevents foreign matter from being bit into the screw portion, thereby maintaining reliability while allowing free operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover pipe is positioned in advance to cover the screw portion before any screwing or releasing operations occur. This preliminary protective action ensures that even if foreign matter is present in the environment, it cannot reach the screw portion during the critical operations of screwing or releasing the crown.
3Ease of operation
If the hand setting stem pipe is exposed when the crown is separated from the case body, then the crown can be fully drawn out, but waterproof integrity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The cover pipe acts as an intermediary protective barrier that covers the hand setting stem pipe when the crown is separated from the case body. This coverage maintains the waterproof integrity of the timepiece by preventing water from reaching the exposed screw portion and hand setting stem pipe, while allowing the crown to be fully drawn out for operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design effectively prevents foreign matter from reaching the screw portions, enhancing operational smoothness and durability by keeping the hand setting stem pipe covered, even when the crown is fully drawn out, thus maintaining waterproof integrity and preventing damage.
Implementation Method 1
using a coil spring to ensure the screw portions remain protected from foreign matter
Data Source
AI summary
A diver's watch includes a timepiece exterior assembly including a movement, a hand setting stem pipe, a crown for operating the movement, and a cover pipe. A locking face is formed at an outer peripheral portion of a case body provided to the timepiece exterior assembly. The hand setting stem pipe is fixed to the case body and includes a pipe side screw portion. The crown includes a crown cylinder inserted to inside of the hand setting stem pipe, and a crown head integral with the crown cylinder. The crown head is formed with a crown side screw portion attachably and detachably screwed to the pipe side screw portion, and an engaging end face brought into contact with and separated from the locking face. The cover pipe is arranged to be more proximate to the crown cylinder than the engaging end face. Thereby, the hand setting stem pipe is covered by the cover pipe and the covered state is maintained regardless of a movement in an axial direction of the crown.