Galvanic Metal Layer for Raised Timepiece Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing raised external elements on timepieces or jewelry, such as watch dials, restrict shape, material type, and texture, and do not allow for external elements to be formed in one piece with the dial or to have a contrasting color with the metal layer.
Innovation Solution
A process involving an electrically conductive substrate with a patterned recess, deposition of an insulating layer and metal layers by galvanic growth, followed by covering with a base material to form an imprint, and separating the external element, which can be textured and have a contrasting color, allowing for raised and integral external elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a mask is attached onto the dial and openings are filled by electroplating or pressing amorphous material, then external elements can be formed, but the external elements cannot be formed in one piece with the dial and are restricted in shape and texture
Solution Approach 1:
The process separates the formation of the external element from the base material by using a mold cavity filled with liquid base material that is then cured. This segmentation allows the external element to be formed as an integral part of the dial while maintaining design flexibility for various shapes, textures, and materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from traditional 2D planar external elements to 3D raised external elements by forming liquid base material within mold cavities that define both the footprint and vertical profile of the external elements, enabling head portions that rise above the dial surface.
2Ease of manufacture
If the dial is covered with a layer of a different colour to produce a two-coloured appearance, then the desired aesthetic is achieved, but external elements formed in one piece with the dial cannot be made
Solution Approach 1:
The mold cavities are prepared in advance on the dial surface, and the liquid base material is poured or injected into these pre-formed cavities before curing. This preliminary preparation of the mold structure allows the external elements to be formed integrally with the dial in a single operation, ensuring both aesthetic two-colour appearance and structural integrity.
3Productivity
If traditional electroplating or amorphous material pressing is used, then the production process is simple, but external elements with heads that are textured or raised above the dial cannot be produced
Solution Approach 1:
The mold cavities serve as negative copies of the desired external element shapes, including head portions and textures. When liquid base material is poured into these cavities and cured, it reproduces the exact shape, texture, and three-dimensional form of the external elements, enabling complex geometries without sacrificing production efficiency.
4Ease of manufacture
If a mask with openings is used to fill external elements, then the process is straightforward, but external elements with desired complex shapes and raised heads cannot be formed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical state of the base material from solid to liquid during the forming process, allowing the material to flow into and perfectly replicate the mold cavity geometry. After curing, the material transitions back to solid, locking in the precise shape, texture, and raised head portions defined by the mold cavities, thereby achieving high manufacturing precision.
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
Enables the production of external elements with desired shapes, textures, and contrasting colors, providing a two-colored appearance and allowing for raised elements that are integral to the part, overcoming limitations of previous methods.
Implementation Method 1
deposit a metal layer onto the upper surface of the substrate by galvanic growth so that at the end of this step the metal layer partly rests on the insulating layer
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a process for the production of a part provided with an external element comprising the following steps:provide an electrically conductive substrate having an upper surface and a pattern forming a recess in said upper surfacedeposit an electrically insulating layer into the pattern so that the insulating layer extends as far as the upper surfacedeposit a metal layer onto the upper surface of the substrate by galvanic growth so that at the end of this step the metal layer partly rests on the insulating layerdissolve the insulating layercover an assembly comprising the substrate and the metal layer with a mass of a base material of the part, wherein the mass forms an imprint of the assemblyseparate the mass and the metal layer from the substrate, wherein the mass then exhibits an external element with a shape corresponding to the imprint of the pattern.