EP0430113B2 - Watch-case for automatized mounting - Google Patents

Abstract

The watch-case comprises a middle part (1) and a caging frame (2) fitted in this middle part. The frame comprises a first housing (14) in which a bezel (4) is engaged, the said bezel compressing, against the middle part, the elastic material (15) with which the frame is made, a second housing (16) in which a dial (7) is engaged, a third housing (18) in which a thread (19) presented by the movement (6) rests and a fourth housing (20) in which a collar (21) presented by the back (3) is engaged, this collar compressing, against the middle part, the material (22) with which the frame is made. The watch-case is water-resistant and lends itself particularly well to mounting on an automatic machine. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a method of automated assembly of a watch case comprising a middle, a casing frame fitted into the middle, said frame being made of solid, deformable material elastically, a bottom, a telescope and a fixed lens of sealed to the scope to define a space lower in which is confined a movement and a dial on which display hands move time.

A casing frame made of solid material, elastically deformable and not only serving as a frame adaptation of the movement in the box, but still means to make this box waterproof has been proposed by example in patent CH-A-319,293 and the application for utility model JP-U-22693/76 as well as in the application FR-A-2 017 168.

However, these documents only provide a solution very partial to the problem that the present invention. Including the casing frame shown in these documents is only used to ensure waterproofing of the bottom or the glass but not both simultaneously. Likewise, the casing frame described in the same documents, is not intended, as is the case in the present invention, to provide all of a sudden all functions of the socket, namely fixing waterproof of a bezel and a case back at the same time as the fixing and positioning the movement and the dial to inside the box, this construction allowing in addition automated assembly of the entire watch.

Document DE-A-3 421 168 also describes a watch case using a casing circle in one single piece allowing the waterproof fixing of ice and bottom. In this document, the dial is pinched in an annular groove under a shoulder so that it must be forced into this groove after the frame has been stretched elastically in the direction radial. Such a watch case therefore lends itself wrong with automated assembly.

The problem which the present proposes to solve invention is to provide an automated mounting method a watch case that is easily implemented.

To do this, the automated assembly process of a watch case according to the invention comprises the technical characteristics appearing in the section Characterizing of claim 1.

• la figure 1 est une coupe à 9 heures dans la boíte de montre selon un premier mode d'exécution de l'invention;
• la figure la est une coupe à 3 heures dans la boíte de montre représentée en figure 1;
• la figure 2 présente une coupe à 9 heures selon un deuxième mode d'exécution de l'invention; et
• la figure 3 montre une coupe à 9 heures selon un troisième mode d'exécution de l'invention.

The invention will now be understood on reading the description which follows, description given by way of example and illustrated by the drawing in which:

• Figure 1 is a section at 9 o'clock in the watch case according to a first embodiment of the invention;
• Figure la is a section at 3 o'clock in the watch case shown in Figure 1;
• Figure 2 shows a section at 9 o'clock according to a second embodiment of the invention; and
• Figure 3 shows a section at 9 o'clock according to a third embodiment of the invention.

The watch case presented in section in Figures 1, 2 and 3 shows a middle part 1, a casing frame 2 fitted into the middle, a back 3, a bezel 4 and a ice 5. These elements define an interior space closed which contains a movement 6 surmounted by a dial 7 and needles 8. The middle 1 can be round or form. In the first case, the frame 2 will be round with a also round central opening. In the second case, the frame 2 will be shaped and its central opening will be round preferably to receive movement 6, too generally round in shape.

The case 1 can be made of metal, steel or zamak by example, or hard plastic. We will choose for make the casing frame 2 a plastic material solid to ensure good movement 6, This material being at the same time sufficiently elastic to fulfill the sealing functions which will appear by after. The telescope 4 has an annular or form in which the glass 5 is engaged and glued, itself round or shaped, respectively.

The middle part 1 has an inner face having a first vertical wall 9 and a second vertical wall 10. These first and second walls are connected by a shoulder 11 which defines, in the inner face of the middle part, a clearance 12 which extends from shoulder 11 to the top of middle 1.

The casing frame 2 extends over full height of middle part 1 and the figures show that it has a shaped outer face for follow the shape of the inside of the middle, so that frame 2 can be fitted and positioned axially precisely with respect to the build. To do this, frame 2 has a rim 13 which rests on the shoulder 11 of the middle when this frame is in place.

The internal part of the casing frame 2 has four housings fulfilling functions very specific which will be described now.

Frame 2 has a first housing 14 in which is engaged the telescope 4. This housing 14, in more that it ensures the centering of the telescope relative the middle part, seals the case, for its bezel-middle part, by compression against the middle of the material referenced 15 which forms the frame 2. Frame 2 then presents a second housing 16 in which is engaged the dial 7. The figures show that this dial is held in place by an overhang 17 presented by bezel 4. This dial, which is not attached to movement 6 by means feet for example, can be positioned angularly by a lug secured to the frame and housed in a notch cut in the dial. Frame 2 further comprises a third housing 18 in which rests a net 19 forming part of the movement 6. Thanks to this arrangement, the movement is kept in place axially since on the one hand its net is supported on the housing 18 and on the other hand its upper face is retained by the dial 7, itself retained by the overhang 17 of the telescope 4. The frame 2 presents finally a fourth housing 20 in which is engaged a collar 21 forming part of the bottom 3. When applying the base 3, the flange 21 comes compress against the middle part 1 the portion of material 22 of which frame 2 is made, thus ensuring the watertightness of the box for its bottom-middle part.

The explanations which have just been given apply equally to the various modes of execution shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. These figures differ from each other first by the type of movement 6 used (caliber), then by various details which are going to be reviewed now.

Figure 1 shows a construction using a electronic movement 6 whose height is 3 mm., which gives the total height of the watch a value of 8.80 mm., taking into account the size of the battery 28. In this model the bottom of the bezel 4 is straight, as the horizontal part is straight of the housing 14 on which the bezel rests. The visible part of the bezel 4 presents a simple rounded 29.

Figure 2 shows a construction using a electronic movement 2.50 high mm., which gives, taking into account the stack 28 used, a total height of the watch of 7.20 mm. In this model, the bottom of the bezel 4 has a projection 27 inserted into the housing 14 of the frame 2, the bottom of this housing 14 being at the same level as the bottom of the housing 16 receiving the dial 7. If the projection did not exist, the portion of matter 15 would not high enough to ensure a good seal. Figure 2 shows the same rounding 29 as in figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a construction using a mechanical movement with automatic winding whose height is 5.05 mm., which gives a total watch height of 9.95 mm. As in figure 2, and to save space in height overall, we find here a bottom of bezel 4 equipped of a projection 27. We note here that the visible part of the bezel is embellished by two rounded 25 and 26 with different radii.

The invention is not limited to the movements illustrated as an example in Figures 1, 2 and 3. Others different movements by their height and diameter could be used.

Figure 1a is a section at 3 o'clock of the box watch shown in Figure 1 in section at 9 o'clock. Figure la shows that passages 23 and 24 are made respectively in the middle 1 and the frame 2. The passage 23 made in the middle is arranged to receive a tube 30 driven into this passage. We see that the tube 30 overflows from the middle part by its end 32 directed towards the inside of the box. This end 32 is engaged in a housing 31 practiced in frame 2. It will be understood that this layout allows correct orientation of the frame with respect to the middle, so that the passages 23 and 24 are aligned when the frame is mounted in the middle. Tube 30 and passage 24 receive in a known manner, a control rod (not shown). We will understand that means orientation of the movement relative to the frame will also implemented so that the entrance to the rod in the movement is in front of the passage 24 practiced in the frame. These means could consist of a lug emerging from the movement, lug which cooperates with accommodation in the framework.

The assembly of the watch of which the case is the subject of the present invention, is achieved by succession following steps: we provide a middle 1 in which we just fit a casing frame 2. We introduce a movement 6 in the frame, then a dial 7 on the movement. We forcefully introduce a bezel 4, then put the needles 8. We glue a ice 5 with the telescope. Note that all operations described so far are done from above, which considerably simplifies watch assembly on automatic machines. The last operation consists of closing the watch with a back 3, which generally practical after turning the box over.

Thus, for the three modes of execution presented, the casing is always carried out in the same way since the characteristics of the invention are found by a common way of executing the middle 1 and box 2 and a common way of reporting the bezel 4, the dial 7, the movement 6 and the case back 3 on the frame. As a result, several product lines can be assembled successively by the same apparatus, with minor modifications taking little time to go from one line of products to each other. We will also understand that the dial and the hands are no longer linked to the movement, we can quickly change the type of dial and needles without stopping the production chain. The same remark can be made for the glasses which can present various shapes or decorations on its part visible.

Claims (2)

1. Automated assembly method for a watch case defining an interior space within which a movement (6) may be confined and a dial (7) over which time indicating hands (8) are displaced, and including a caseband (1), a fitting frame (2) intended to be inserted in the caseband, said fitting frame (2) being formed from solid material so as to assure by itself a good retention of the movement (6) and elastically deformable material so as to assure a sealing function, a back cover (3), a bezel (4) and a crystal (5) intended to be secured in a sealed manner to the bezel so as to define the interior space, characterized in that such method consists in providing a caseband (1) including an inner face exhibiting first (9) and second (10) vertical walls connected by a shoulder (11), said shoulder (11) defining an undercut (12) on the inner face of the caseband (1) extending up to the top of the caseband (1) and providing a fitting frame (2) which exhibits an outer face shaped to match the form of the inner face of the caseband (1) to insert the fitting frame (2) from above in order to position it in the caseband (1) through support of a ledge (13) exhibited by the fitting frame (2) on the shoulder (11) of the caseband (1), said frame extending over the entire height of the caseband (1) and including

   a third seat (18) in which the movement (6) is engaged from above by a bead (19),

   a second seat (16) in which said dial (7) is engaged from above,

   a first seat (14) in which said bezel (4) is engaged from above in order to compress the material (15) forming the fitting frame (2) against the caseband (1) so as to form a first sealing joint, the dial being retained in the second seat (16) by an overhang (17) exhibited by the bezel (4),

   and a fourth seat (20) in which a flange (21) exhibited by the back cover (3) is engaged in order to compress the material (22) forming the fitting frame (2) against the caseband (1) so as to form a second sealing joint.
2. Method according to claim 1, in which the the caseband (1) and the frame (2) include respectively passages (23, 24), the passage (23) provided in the caseband (1) being arranged to receive a tube (30), the fram (2) further including a receptacle (31), characterized in that the end (32) of said tube directed toward the interior of the case is engaged into the receptacle (31) provided in the frame (2).

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