Patent Application
20060158966
This application claims priority from European Patent Application No. 05001124.6of Jan. 20, 2005, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention concerns a watchcase including a cover-bezel that rotates in the plane of the watch to reveal or conceal at will at least one subjacent display.
Numerous devices have already been proposed for concealing a timepiece display, either in order to protect it, as was the case for pocket watches, or for an aesthetic purpose, for example in order to give wristwatches the appearance of a piece of jewellery, outside the brief moments when one wished to consult the time.
A first type of device is the so-called “reversible” or “reverso” watches, illustrated for example in Patent Nos. CH 161 610, EP 1 189 118 or WO 2004/088436. With all the embodiments disclosed, the mechanism for turning the case over through 180° against the back cover of the case-support is complex. It implements hinged arms, pivots, slide-bars, etc. . . . which make the final product relatively expensive, and even fragile and often difficult to handle.
In order to achieve the same purpose, a second type of device relies on one or two shutters sliding in rectilinear grooves in the case, above the display. Such devices correspond for example to the embodiments disclosed in Patent Nos. CH 331 285, CH 337 138 and EP 1 211 577. These constructions are simpler than the preceding ones, but still have the drawback of limiting the watchcase to a rectangular shape, creating new complications, in particular as regard the horns if the shutters slide along the 6 o'clock-12 o'clock axis. Such devices also have the drawback of becoming increasingly difficult to handle because of the gradual accumulation of dirt in the slideways in which the shutters slide.
A third type of device includes a cover that is mobile in rotation in the plane of the watch to reveal or conceal a subjacent display, illustrated for example by EP Patent No. 0 488 355 including an analogue and digital liquid crystal display (LCD). In the device disclosed a disc, arranged between the back face of the dial and the LCD displays, can be rotated, either to make said displays appear through apertures made in the dial, or, conversely, to conceal them. Since it is not possible to manoeuvre the cover from outside the watch, a relatively complex mechanical drive system is provided.
It is thus an object of the present invention to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art by providing a watchcase with a rotating cover-bezel of simple construction that is easy to manipulate to conceal or reveal at least one subjacent display.
The invention therefore concerns a watchcase with a rotating cover-bezel comprising a middle part closed by a back cover delimiting a housing provided for receiving a watch movement including at least one off-centre analogue or digital type display. The case is characterized in that the cover-bezel is rotatably mounted in the plane of the case on an axis located at the centre of the case and it includes at least one aperture having the same contour as the display and able to occupy a first position in which said display is visible and another position in which said display is concealed.
Thus by rotating the cover-bezel it is easy to alter the appearance of the watch for an aesthetic purpose or to protect the subjacent display.
With the same construction it is also possible to having more than one display insofar as the aperture of the cover-bezel can occupy a position in which it is not above any of the displays. One could for example have two displays that are symmetrical in relation to the centre of rotation of the cover-bezel, one of the digital type and the other of the analogue type.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly in the following description of embodiment examples, given by way of illustrative and non-limiting example with reference to the annexed drawings, in which:
In a first embodiment concerning a wristwatch, shown in
As can be seen in
In
Depending upon the wishes of the designer, it would evidently be possible within the scope of the invention, to make cover-bezel 1 with two apertures 20, to make two displays 10, 12 visible at the same time, or conversely, to conceal them both.
Referring now to FIGS. 4 to 7, the construction details of the embodiment shown in
In the exploded perspective diagram of
Cover-bezel 1 covers the entire external surface of the wristwatch and includes an aperture 20 closed by a crystal 21, having the same contour as aperture 4 and capable of being positioned above said aperture, as appears more clearly in the cross-section of
It is then possible to assemble the bottom part by placing movement 9 and its sealing gasket 14 in a housing 7 provided for this purpose, as can be seen in the cross-section of
The preceding description was made with reference to a watch having a circular case. However, given the rotation of the cover-bezel about a central holding element 15, it will be understood that one is not limited to a circular shape. By carrying out alteration within the grasp of those skilled in the art, concerning for example the shape and position of sealing gasket 13, it is possible to make a wristwatch having a case of oblong, rectangular or oval shape, in accordance with the same principles.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05001124.6 | Jan 2005 | EP | regional |
