Diving Watch Case With Conical Sealing Under High Water Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing watch cases are not adequately water-resistant for deep diving due to insufficient pressure handling, as traditional sealing methods fail to maintain a tight seal under high water pressure.
Innovation Solution
A water-resistant watch case design featuring conical bearing surfaces on the back and crystal, inclined at specific angles relative to the central axis, combined with a gasket system using amorphous metal and polymer materials for effective stress distribution and sealing, ensuring the watch case remains watertight at large depths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional sealing methods with flat packings are used, then the watch case can be assembled easily, but the water resistance is insufficient for deep diving due to inadequate stress distribution under high water pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies conical surfaces instead of flat surfaces for the back and crystal sealing interfaces. The back features a conical outer surface and the crystal has a conical inner surface, creating a tapered sealing geometry that distributes water pressure stresses more effectively along the inclined surfaces, preventing seal failure at deep diving depths
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the sealing surfaces from flat (0° angle) to conical (specific angle α). This parameter change transforms the stress distribution characteristics, allowing the sealing surfaces to better withstand the radial and axial components of water pressure forces during deep diving
2Reliability
If the back is fastened by screwing to an internal tapping of the middle part, then the assembly is simple, but the tapping can be damaged at high water pressure compromising water resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The conical fastening interface replaces the cylindrical threaded interface. The back is fastened to the middle part through conical surfaces that distribute loads over a larger area, preventing the localized stress concentrations that cause tapping damage in traditional screwed connections during deep diving
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different geometric qualities to different parts of the fastening interface. The conical geometry concentrates the sealing function at the inclined surfaces while distributing the mechanical fastening loads along the tapered contact area, creating localized zones optimized for both sealing and structural integrity
3Reliability
If simple packings are used for sealing, then the manufacturing cost is low, but the packings cannot guarantee good water resistance during dives to very large depths
Solution Approach 1:
The conical sealing surfaces create a geometric configuration where water pressure forces are resolved into components that press the back and crystal tighter against the middle part. The inclined surfaces transform radial pressure into axial clamping forces, enhancing the sealing effect without requiring complex multi-layer packing arrangements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of high water pressure into a beneficial sealing mechanism. The water pressure itself acts to tighten the conical interfaces, pressing the sealing surfaces together more firmly as depth increases, thereby improving the seal under the very conditions that would normally compromise it
Data Source
AI summary
A water-resistant watch case of a diving watch, includes at least one back mounted on a lower side of a middle part, and a crystal mounted with a fastening gasket on an upper side of the middle part. The back includes an annular bearing surface for coming into contact with an inner annular surface of the middle part of a shape complementary to the bearing surface during mounting of the back on the middle part. The annular bearing surface and the inner annular surface are inclined towards the inside of the watch case at a determined angle less than 90° relative to a central axis perpendicular to a plane of the watch case so as to distribute stresses between the back and the middle part due to the water pressure during a dive. The annular bearing surface and the inner annular surface are conical in shape.