Watch Dial with Peripheral and Central Mechanical Fixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Watch dials made of fragile materials are highly sensitive to mechanical stress, prone to breaking or cracking upon impact, and existing methods of fixation do not adequately address shock resistance, failing to meet quality standards like NIHS_91-10.
Innovation Solution
A dial design featuring a cover plate and support plate fixed peripherally and centrally with removable fastening members, eliminating the need for gluing and allowing for reduced mechanical stress, enabling the use of fragile materials and simplifying manufacturing, while allowing for aesthetic modifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the dial is made of fragile material (mother-of-pearl, stone, ceramic, glass), then aesthetic appearance is improved, but shock resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The dial is divided into two separate plates: a fragile aesthetic cover plate and a resilient support plate. The cover plate provides the desired aesthetic appearance while the support plate absorbs mechanical shocks, preventing the fragile material from breaking. This segmentation allows each component to fulfill its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The dial assembly combines two different materials with complementary properties: a fragile aesthetic material (mother-of-pearl, stone, ceramic, or glass) for the cover plate and a resilient material for the support plate. This composite structure allows the fragile material to provide aesthetic value while the resilient material provides shock resistance, resolving the contradiction between appearance and durability.
2Ease of manufacture
If the dial is fixed using gluing method, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but shock resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the chemical bonding method (gluing) with a mechanical fastening system using peripheral fixing members (screws or clips) and central fixing members. This mechanical system provides superior shock resistance compared to gluing, while still maintaining manufacturing simplicity through standardized fastening components that are easy to install and remove.
3Reliability
If the cover plate is mechanically fixed at periphery and center, then shock resistance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing mechanism is segmented into two distinct functional zones: peripheral fixing members located at the edges and central fixing members at the center. This segmentation allows each fixing element to be optimized for its specific location and load requirements, while the overall structure remains relatively simple with just two types of fixing components needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The peripheral and central fixing members are designed as universal components that can be applied to various dial sizes and configurations. The peripheral fixing members can accommodate different patterns (radial, circumferential, or combinations), and the central fixing members provide a standardized centering solution, reducing overall device complexity through component standardization.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the fixing members are made removable, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing members are designed with dynamic characteristics that allow for easy assembly and disassembly. The peripheral fixing members can be screwed in or clipped on, and the central fixing members can be inserted and locked, providing adaptability for aesthetic modifications while maintaining reasonable manufacturing precision through tolerance-designed interfaces that accommodate normal assembly variations.
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
This design significantly reduces deformation of the cover plate during impacts, enhances shock resistance, and simplifies the manufacturing process, enabling the use of fragile materials while allowing for interchangeable aesthetic designs.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic tab bent relative to said bearing surface and separated from said pin by a space forming an interstice in which a radial projection of the covering plate is engaged, said elastic tab being able to be elastically deformed by said radial projection when it is engaged in the interstice
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The invention relates to a dial comprising a cover plate (11) intended to be visible to a user, resting on a bearing surface (120) of a support plate (12) on which it is superimposed, the cover plate (11) and the support plate (12) being fixed to each other at their periphery by the cooperation of peripheral fixing members which they both comprise, and at their center by the cooperation of central fixing members which they both comprise.