Adjustable Threaded Watch Crown for Precise Motif Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing watch crown assembly methods fail to allow for precise angular indexing and orientation adjustment of screw-on crowns with inscriptions or motifs, compromising the aesthetic appeal of luxury watches.
Innovation Solution
A screw-on orientable crown system with a swiveling mechanism that includes a tube and a crown body, featuring indexing reliefs and a removable axial stop, allowing for precise angular positioning and secure sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a screw-down crown is used to improve water resistance, then the watch can be sealed tightly, but the crown cannot be positioned in a specific orientation relative to the case
Solution Approach 1:
The crown assembly is divided into two independent parts: a tube that is screwed into the case to provide sealing, and a crown body that can be rotated independently on the tube. This segmentation allows the tube to maintain water resistance while the crown body provides angular positioning capability through independent rotation.
Solution Approach 2:
The crown body is made dynamically rotatable on the tube while maintaining threaded engagement. The elastic element allows the crown body to move axially and rotate, providing dynamic positioning capability while the tube remains fixed in the case, ensuring both water resistance and angular adjustability.
2Reliability
If the crown is screwed tightly into the case to ensure sealing, then water resistance is improved, but the crown cannot be adjusted for aesthetic orientation
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the sealing function (tube screwed into case) from the aesthetic function (crown body with motif), the design allows the tube to be tightly sealed while the crown body can be independently oriented for aesthetic purposes. The crown body can be rotated to any desired angle before being secured in position.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic rotation capability of the crown body on the tube allows for aesthetic customization during assembly. The crown can be rotated to the desired orientation and then fixed in place using the elastic element, providing both secure sealing and aesthetic flexibility.
3Ease of manufacture
If a fixed crown design is used to simplify manufacturing, then production is easier, but angular indexing and orientation adjustment are not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented design with a separate tube and crown body maintains manufacturing simplicity while enabling angular indexing. The tube provides the threaded connection and sealing, while the crown body can be independently rotated and positioned, offering versatility without significantly complicating the manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic rotation mechanism allows the crown body to be easily adjusted to any angular position during assembly. The elastic element facilitates smooth rotation and positioning, providing adaptability while maintaining a relatively simple manufacturing process compared to fixed indexing mechanisms.
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4~9
AI summary
A watch case (100) comprising a screw-mounted, rotatable crown (10) with axially movable parts, a subassembly (20) comprising an operating body (1) with a motif (19), a tube (8) axially insertable into a housing (90) of the case and comprising an axial indexing relief (82) cooperating complementarily with a complementary axial indexing relief (92) of the housing (90), the case (100) comprising a removable axial stop (7) arranged to, fixed to the tube (8), stop it axially relative to the case (9) by trapping it between a first stop bearing surface (87) of the tube (8) cooperating in axial contact with a first external stop surface (97) of the case (9), and a second stop bearing surface (76) of the axial stop (7) cooperating in axial contact with a second internal stop bearing surface (96) of the the carcass (9) opposite the first external stop surface (97).