Patent Application
20250208581
This application claims priority to European Patent Application No. 23220111.1 filed Dec. 22, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a watch comprising a dial including a device for determining an event relating to a defect in the water-resistance of this watch, which device is completely autonomous.
The water-resistance of a watch is measured in bars (a bar is a unit of pressure where 1 bar equals 1 atmosphere (atm)). The water-resistance of a watch is often indicated in metres (m). A watch that is described as water-resistant is intended for ordinary everyday use that must guarantee resistance to water, for example during activities such as swimming or simply in the shower. A so-called diving watch has to comply with stricter standards and, according to the current standard, guarantee water-resistance up to a minimum depth of 100 m. This dial 2a, 2b is also referred to as an “autonomous dial” because it is not connected electrically to the movement of the watch 1. This dial 2a, 2b can be considered as a separate part attached to the watch 1.
To guarantee water-resistance, watches are usually provided with a set of watertight seals positioned in the assembly points of certain parts of the watch, such as the crystal, the bezel and the back of the watch, as well as of moving parts such as the crown and the push buttons. Over time and with use, the mechanical properties of the seals change, and the water-resistance of the watch can sometimes deteriorate. This makes the watch more permeable to water or water vapour. This can result in condensation phenomena on the inside face of the watch crystal, or worse, in the oxidation of certain metal components or the degradation of certain polymer components. There is thus a need to be able to monitor the relative humidity level inside the watch from time to time without necessarily having to open it, since opening the watch case would require systematically replacing the seals and the intervention of a watchmaker, which is expensive. Excessive water vapour inside the watch can indicate that one or more seals need to be replaced in the short to medium term.
In this context, it is understood that there is a need to find a solution that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.
The purpose of the invention is to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a dial fitted to a watch comprising a device for determining an event relating to a defect in the water-resistance of this watch, thus allowing a loss of water-resistance in the case of this watch to be detected by monitoring the humidity in this case without having to open it. Such a dial provided with this determination device is cost-effective, easy to use and procures a reliable and fast measurement of the relative humidity level inside the watch case.
One aspect of the invention relates to a watch dial comprising an autonomous device for determining an event relating to a defect in the water-resistance of this watch, such a dial comprising a visible face and a hidden face, said dial being formed by a stack of thin layers of material extending between these two faces, each of said layers comprising one or more of the functional elements included in said device:
In other embodiments:
Another aspect of the invention relates to a watch comprising such a dial.
Advantageously, the watch comprises a mechanical, electronic or electromechanical horological movement.
The purposes, advantages and features of the watch according to the invention will appear more clearly in the following description which is given on the basis of at least one non-limiting embodiment shown by way of the drawings, in which:
In a manner known to a person skilled in the art, the horological movement drives a set of hands comprising an hour hand, a minute hand and optionally a seconds hand. To this end, the dial 2a, 2b comprises a through-hole receiving the axis of the hands. This dial 2a, 2b further comprises two faces 20a, 20b:
Such a visible face 20a can comprise, in a non-limitative and non-exhaustive manner, at least one graphic representation such as:
This visible face 20a and this hidden face 20b are substantially flat and/or parallel and/or opposite each other. It should be noted that, in other alternative embodiments, the dial 2a, 2b can comprise a domed visible face and a hidden face which can be domed or flat. These faces 20a, 20b are also connected to each other by a peripheral wall of this dial 2a, 2b.
It should also be noted that in the embodiments illustrated in
In the embodiments of the invention, the horological movement is a mechanical movement. Alternatively, this movement can be an electromechanical or electronic movement. In the description below, reference will be made to a mechanical watch when its movement is mechanical, to an electronic watch when it comprises an electronic movement and to an electromechanical watch when it comprises an electromechanical movement.
With reference to
In this context, the dial 2a, 2b can be removably mounted in the watch 1, regardless of the type of watch 1. The only condition to be met is that the dial 2a, 2b includes this determination device 3 which is thus autonomous as regards the movement of the watch 1.
This determination device 3 included in this dial 2a, 2b comprises a module 4 for reporting the water-resistance defect event, a stand-alone power supply unit 21, a control module 23 for checking the water-resistance of the watch, and a control unit 7.
In this device 3, the reporting module comprises:
As mentioned above, said at least one light source 4 is implemented in particular to help display a visual message relating to the determined water-resistance defect event. Each light source 4 can correspond to any light-emitting element selected from a non-exhaustive and non-limiting list that includes:
It should be noted that this light source 4 can, in certain embodiments of the invention, be a light source 4 capable of forming an area light source. This makes it possible to give the area light source a predetermined shape, typically, without this being exhaustive or limiting, a shape relating to a graphic representation of a numeral, a letter, a logo or a text. It should also be noted that this light source 4 can produce light in any colour and/or in any direction.
In this determination device 3, the control module 23 is configured to be used for measuring the humidity and/or for measuring the pressure present in the enclosure of the case 19 of the watch 1. This control module 23 is capable of converting the measured humidity and/or pressure into an electrical signal.
This control module 23 comprises a humidity sensor. This sensor can be a capacitive sensor preferably consisting of a substrate, typically made of glass, silicon or ceramic, on which a thin film of hygroscopic polymer or metal oxide (e.g. aluminium oxide) is deposited between two conductive electrodes. The electrode opposite the substrate is made porous so as to allow ambient humidity to pass through to the dielectric, and vice versa. In an alternative embodiment, this sensor can be a resistive humidity sensor using, for example, the resistive properties of a hygroscopic polymer. It should be noted that in another alternative embodiment, this humidity sensor can be a combination of at least two of these sensors.
This control module 23 comprises a pressure sensor. This sensor can be a piezoelectric sensor which is able to convert physical pressure into an electrical signal. This pressure sensor can be a capacitive sensor, a resistive sensor or an optical sensor. It should be noted that in another alternative embodiment, this pressure sensor can be a combination of at least two of these sensors.
In this determination device 3, the stand-alone power supply unit 21 comprises an electrical energy accumulator 6 and a photovoltaic module 5 comprising at least one photovoltaic cell, also referred to as a solar cell. This photovoltaic module 5 is connected to the electrical energy accumulator 6 via connection elements denoted by the reference numerals 17b and 18 in
In this determination device 3, the control unit 7, also referred to as a microcontroller, comprises an electronic circuit 8 including hardware resources, in particular at least one processor cooperating with memory elements as well as address, data and control buses. This control unit 7 is connected to the reporting module 4, to the control module 23 and to the stand-alone power supply unit 21.
The memory elements 4 of such a control unit 7 comprise an algorithm for determining an event relating to a defect in the water-resistance of the watch.
It should be noted that such an algorithm, which is executed by the processor of this control unit 7, can also take into account other types of events in order to improve the determination of the event relating to this water-resistance defect, on the basis of data from event sensors included in this determination device 3. These events can include, in a non-limiting and non-exhaustive manner: the detection of a particular brightness level in the environment of the watch 1, the detection of a particular visual object, or the detection of a temperature in the enclosure of the watch 1, etc. In this context, the event sensor of this determination device 3 comprises in particular and in a non-limiting and non-exhaustive manner:
Furthermore, when the reporting module 4 comprises a plurality of light sources 4, the operation thereof can then be managed/controlled by the control unit 7 simultaneously and/or sequentially. Moreover, each light source 4 is managed/controlled separately by this control unit 7. In this context, the management of the operation of each light source 4 can consist, in a non-limiting and non-exhaustive manner, of carrying out the following operations: sequential switching on or off, simultaneous switching on or off of two or more light sources 4, flashing of one or more light sources 4, definition of a flashing frequency for each light source 4, a flashing duration for each light source 4, or a switching on or off duration for each light source 4, etc.
The memory elements of such a control unit 7 can further comprise an algorithm for managing the electrical energy accumulator 6, in particular for managing its recharging by the photovoltaic module 5 and for managing the electrical consumption of the control module 23 and of the reporting module.
As mentioned above, the determination device 3 is thus included in the dial 2a, 2b. In this configuration, the component elements of this determination device 3, namely the reporting module 4, the electrical energy accumulator 6, the photovoltaic module 5, said control module 23 and the control unit 7, are included in one or more layers 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 forming this dial 2a, 2b.
With reference to
It should be noted that these thin layers are layers that each have a micrometric thickness. More specifically, each layer can have a thickness of between 1 and 100 μm, preferably 2 μm, or more preferably 3 μm. Relative to the thickness of the dial 2a, 2b, it can be between 8 and 400 μm, preferably 6 μm, more preferably 12 μm, more preferably 100 μm, more preferably 200 μm or more preferably 300 μm.
Such a one-piece dial 2a, 2b also has the additional advantage of being able to be removably mounted in the case 19 of the watch 1, in addition to facilitating its integration in this case 19.
In a first alternative embodiment of this stack 9a of layers illustrated in
The first layer 10 of this stack 9a is preferably rigid or semi-rigid compared with the second, third and fourth thin layers 11, 12, 13 which are preferably pliable or flexible. It is understood that such a first layer 10 contributes to the structural rigidity of the stack 9a of thin layers and thus of the dial 2a.
In this stack 9a, the first, second, third and fourth layers 10, 11, 12 and 13 each comprise an upper surface and a lower surface.
The first layer 10 is formed by a transparent, translucent, at least partially transparent, or at least partially translucent rigid or semi-rigid substrate. Such a substrate is made of a material with a transmittance for solar radiation, in particular ultraviolet radiation, also referred to as UVT (for “Ultra-Violet Transmission”) of between 65 and 95 percent. This transmittance is preferably 85 percent. Such a material can be transparent or translucent. This material can be, in a non-limiting and non-exhaustive manner, a polymer, glass or ceramic.
In this context, it is understood that this substrate is configured so that:
In other words, this transparent or translucent substrate is configured to allow the light, in particular solar radiation, capable of supplying the photovoltaic module 5 to pass therethrough so that the latter can convert the solar energy from this radiation into electrical energy.
This first layer 10 further comprises the reporting module 4 which is arranged in the body of the substrate. In this configuration, the arrangement of the light source of this module 4 in this substrate is configured to ensure illumination of all or part of the visible face 20a of the dial 2a, for example, illumination of a graphic representation such as a reference element (or display) such as a numeral, an index, a line, a dot or illumination of one or more hands, or even illumination of all or part of the surface of the visible face of the dial 2a. In an alternative embodiment, this light source 4 can have a predetermined shape such as the shape of a numeral, a letter, an index, a line, a dot, a logo or even a text.
This illumination can be backlighting or semi-direct illumination when the light source 4 is arranged in a cavity defined in the substrate. More specifically, this cavity can be a blind opening made in the lower surface of this substrate. In this configuration, when the bottom of this cavity includes a graphic representation, the luminous radiation, or the light, produced by this light source 4 can escape to the outside of the dial 2a via the visible face 20a of this dial 2a, thus allowing at least one graphic representation to be viewed in the dark. In particular, the light radiation escaping from the visible face 20a draws the outline of this graphic representation. In this context, this graphic representation included in or on the upper surface or on the lower surface of the substrate forming the first layer 10, is preferably opaque, non-translucent or non-transparent.
This illumination can be direct illumination when the light source 4 is arranged in a cavity defined in the substrate. This cavity can be a blind opening made in the lower surface of this substrate, the bottom of which is devoid of any graphic representation. In this configuration, the luminous radiation, or light, produced by this light source 4 can escape through the bottom of this cavity towards the outside of the dial 2a and thus through the visible face 20a of this dial 2a.
This illumination can also be direct illumination when the light source 4 is arranged in a through-opening extending through the thickness of the substrate of the first layer 10, opening, at its two ends, respectively onto the upper and lower surfaces of this substrate. In this configuration, all or part of the light source 4 can project from the upper surface of this substrate and thus from the first layer 10 or from the visible face 20a of the dial 2a to form a graphic representation such as an index, a number, a dot, or a line, etc.
Such illumination can also be remote illumination when said at least one light source 4 is coupled to at least one waveguide. This waveguide, also referred to as a light guide, is used to carry light from the point where it is injected into the guide to the substrate or to an area of the substrate (e.g. cavity, through-opening) close to the upper surface of this substrate. Such a light guide can be an optical fibre that allows any obstacles that can arise in the substrate to be bypassed, for example between the electroluminescent element and the region of the substrate close to the upper surface of this substrate, through which the light will escape. In this alternative embodiment, it is thus the light that is brought, via the waveguide, from the electroluminescent element to this area of the substrate to be illuminated.
In such a configuration, a first end of the waveguide is coupled to the light source 4 and a second end of this waveguide can be arranged in:
In this context, indirect illumination can be achieved by a single light source 4 included on the lower surface of the substrate of this first layer 10 by being coupled to a plurality of waveguides whose second ends are arranged in:
In this first layer 10, the reporting module 4 is applied/fastened to the lower or upper surface of the substrate of this first layer 10, in a cavity or on an internal wall of a previously mentioned through-opening, by printing or evaporation. In other words, the light source of this module 4 is applied/fastened to the lower or upper surface of the substrate of this first layer 10, in a cavity or on an internal wall of a previously mentioned through-opening, by printing or evaporation.
In this first layer 10, the control module 23 is arranged in/on this substrate so that it can be in contact with the gaseous fluid, in this case air, contained in the enclosure of the case 19 of the watch 1. This control module 23 can be arranged on or within the upper surface of this substrate forming the first layer 10. When arranged in the substrate, this control module 23 is positioned in a blind cavity formed in this upper surface, this cavity thus opening out onto this surface. In an alternative embodiment, it can be arranged in a through-hole connecting the upper and lower surfaces of this substrate.
It should also be noted that the lower surface of this first layer 10 can be self-adhesive so that it can be assembled with the second layer 11.
In this stack 9a, the second layer 11 comprises a substrate including the photovoltaic module 5. Such a substrate is preferably flexible or pliable. The substrate of the second layer 11 can be a film on which the photovoltaic module 5 is arranged, or it can be made of a material belonging to the polymer family.
In this second layer 11, the photovoltaic module 5 extends preferentially over the whole of a so-called active area of the upper surface of this substrate. This active area is a portion of the upper surface of the substrate which is able to receive light from the lower surface of the first layer 10 of the dial 2a. This light, which has passed through all or part of the first layer 10, comes from the external environment of the dial 2a, and thus of the watch 1, in this case mainly from solar radiation when it is of natural origin.
It should be noted that the photovoltaic module 5 is applied to the upper surface of this substrate using inkjet or screen printing processes or using thermal evaporation printing processes. Reference will also be made here to a second layer 11 comprising a printed photovoltaic module 5, in particular, a photovoltaic module 5 printed on the substrate of the second layer 11.
It should be noted that once the photovoltaic module 5 has been applied to the substrate, a layer of a self-adhesive substance can be deposited on all or part of the upper surface and/or of the lower surface of the substrate. In these circumstances, the second layer 11 can be a self-adhesive layer which helps to facilitate its assembly with the other layers, in particular with the first layer 10 and/or the third layer 12 of this stack 9a.
In the stack 9a, this third layer 12 further comprises a preferably flexible or pliable substrate, including the electrical energy accumulator 6 of the autonomous determination device 3. This substrate of the third layer 12 can be a film on which the accumulator 6 is arranged. Such a substrate can be made of a material belonging to the polymer family.
This accumulator 6 can be a lithium battery or a semiconductor battery. Such a battery 6 is applied to the upper surface of this substrate using processes known in the prior art, such as:
Reference will also be made here to a third layer 12 comprising a printed electrical energy accumulator 6, in particular, an electrical energy accumulator 6 printed on the substrate of the third layer 12.
Such processes make it possible to obtain a third layer 12 comprising this accumulator 6 which is flexible and ultra-thin.
Moreover, it should be noted that once the accumulator 6 has been applied to the substrate, a layer of a self-adhesive substance can be deposited on all or part of the upper surface and/or of the lower surface of this substrate. In these circumstances, the third layer 12 can be a self-adhesive layer which helps to facilitate its assembly with the other layers, in particular with the second layer 11 and/or the fourth layer 13 of this stack 9a.
It should be noted that this accumulator 6 is used to store the electrical energy produced by the photovoltaic module 5 and to release it on demand to power the determination device 3, the reporting module 4 and said control module 23.
In this stack 9a, this fourth and final layer 13 forms the hidden face of the dial 2a. Such a fourth layer 13 is formed by a preferably flexible or pliable substrate, including the control unit 7. Such a substrate for the fourth layer 13 can be, for example, a flexible PCB on which this control unit 7 is arranged, in particular on the upper surface of this PCB and thus of the substrate. In this context, the control unit 7 can be constructed on this upper surface of the substrate using three-dimensional printing processes or polymer printing processes.
In this fourth and final layer 13, the control module 23 is arranged in/on this substrate so that it can be in contact with the gaseous fluid, in this case air, contained in the enclosure of the case 19 of the watch 1. This control module 23 can be arranged on or within the lower surface of this substrate forming the fourth layer 13. When arranged in the substrate, this control module 23 is positioned in a blind cavity formed in this lower surface, this cavity thus opening out onto this surface. In an alternative embodiment, it can be arranged in a through-hole connecting the upper and lower surfaces of this substrate.
In the second alternative embodiment, the stack 9b forming the dial 2b comprises three thin layers 10, 11, 14, joined together. It should be noted that this second alternative embodiment differs from the first alternative embodiment in that it comprises three layers 10, 11, 14 instead of four layers 10, 11, 12, 13, as in the first alternative embodiment. In this second alternative embodiment, the electrical energy accumulator 6 of the determination device 3 is now included in the third and final layer 14 of this stack 9b with the control unit 7.
Such a third and final layer 14 of this stack 9b, forming the hidden face of the dial 2b, consists of a preferably flexible or pliable substrate, on which are constructed, preferably on the upper surface of this substrate, the battery 6 and the electronic circuit 8 constituting the control unit 7. The accumulator 6 and the control unit 7 can be constructed on this upper surface of the substrate using three-dimensional printing processes or polymer printing processes. It should be noted that such a substrate can be, for example, a flexible PCB.
In this third and final layer 14 of this second alternative embodiment, the control module 23 is arranged in/on this substrate so that it can be in contact with the gaseous fluid, in this case air, contained in the enclosure of the case 19 of the watch 1. This control module 23 can be arranged on or within the lower surface of this substrate forming the final layer 14. When arranged in the substrate, this control module 23 is positioned in a blind cavity formed in this lower surface, this cavity thus opening out onto this surface. In an alternative embodiment, it can be arranged in a through-hole connecting the upper and lower surfaces of this substrate.
In summary, in this second alternative embodiment, the stack 9b comprises:
It should be noted that in this second alternative embodiment, the first and second layers 10, 11 are similar to those of the first alternative embodiment of stack 9a.
Furthermore, with reference to
This electronic circuit 8 further comprises second connection elements 15b connected to first connection elements 17a of the accumulator 6.
Moreover, it should be noted that the event sensors of the determination device 3, mentioned above, are preferably arranged in the first layer 10 and/or the final layer 13, 14 of the stack 9a, 9b of layers and are connected to the control unit 7 of this device 3.
In a third alternative embodiment not shown, the stack of thin layers forming the dial comprises two interconnected layers. It should be noted that this third alternative embodiment differs from the second alternative embodiment in that it comprises two layers instead of three layers 10, 11, 14, as in the second alternative embodiment. In this third alternative embodiment, the photovoltaic module 5 of the autonomous determination device 3 is now included in the first layer and in particular on the lower surface of the substrate forming this first layer. This photovoltaic module 5 can be applied to this lower surface of the substrate of this first layer using inkjet or screen printing processes or using thermal evaporation printing processes. It should thus be noted that this first layer is therefore similar to the first layers 11 of the first and second alternative embodiments, with the exception that in this third alternative embodiment, the first layer additionally comprises the photovoltaic module.
In the third alternative embodiment, and similarly to the second alternative embodiment, the electrical energy accumulator 6 of the autonomous determination device 3 is included in the second and final layer of this stack with the control unit 7. Such a second layer forming the hidden face of the dial, consists of a preferably flexible or pliable substrate, on which are constructed, preferably on the upper surface of this substrate, the battery 6 and the electronic circuit 8 constituting the control unit 7. This accumulator 6 and the control unit 7 can be constructed on the upper surface of the substrate using three-dimensional printing processes or polymer printing processes. It should be noted that such a substrate can be, for example, a flexible PCB.
In summary, in this third alternative embodiment, the stack of layers thus comprises:
In the final layers 13, 14 of the various alternative embodiments, the control module 23 is applied/fastened to the lower or upper surface of the substrate of these layers, in a cavity or on an internal wall of a previously mentioned through-opening, by printing or evaporation.
Thus, in this dial 2a, 2b, the determination device 3 comprises the control module 23 which performs at least one measurement of the humidity present in the gaseous fluid contained in the enclosure of the case 19 of the watch 1. This said at least one measurement is transmitted by the control module 23 in the form of data to the control unit 7. This control unit 7 processes these data on the basis of the algorithm for determining an event relating to a defect in the water-resistance of the watch. Such processing allows the water-resistance defect event to be identified by means of a comparison between:
In this context, as soon as an event linked to a water-resistance defect is determined, the control unit 7 generates a visual, vibrating and/or audible message by controlling/driving the reporting module 4.
It goes without saying that this invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and that various simple alternatives and modifications can be considered by a person skilled in the art without leaving the scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23220111.1 | Dec 2023 | EP | regional |
