Spring ring for snap fitting a rotating bezel

Abstract

The invention relates to a spring ring 14 for snap fitting a rotating bezel, the spring ring extending in a plane and being intended to be received in an annular groove arranged on a cylindrical outer rim of a watch case middle part made of ceramic. According to the invention, the spring ring comprises on the inner rim thereof at least one lug inclined in relation to the plane of the spring ring, said lug being intended to engage with a cylindrical outer surface of the watch case middle part, so as to index the position of the spring ring in relation to the middle part.

Claims

1. A spring ring (14) for snap fitting a rotating bezel, the spring ring (14) extending in a plane (P1) and being configured to be received in an annular groove (12) arranged on a cylindrical outer rim of a watch case (2) middle part (4) made of ceramic; wherein the spring ring (14) comprises on the inner rim thereof at least one lug (16) inclined outwards from the annular groove (12), towards a centre axis of the spring ring (14), and in relation to the plane (P1) of the spring ring (14), the centre axis being orthogonal to the plane (P1) and passing through a centre of the spring ring, said lug (16) being configured to engage with a cylindrical outer surface (8) of the watch case (2) middle part (4), so as to index the position of the spring ring (14) in relation to the middle part (4).

2. The spring ring (14) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one lug (16) is inclined in relation to the plane (P1) wherein extends the spring ring (14) at an angle substantially equal to 25°.

3. The spring ring (14) according to claim 1, wherein the spring ring (14) comprises three inclined lugs (16) distributed on the inner rim thereof over 360° and spaced apart by 120°.

4. The spring ring (14) according to claim 1, wherein the spring ring (14) further comprises at least one notching tab (18) configured to engage with a rotating bezel for snap fitting said bezel on the spring ring (14).

5. The spring ring (14) according to claim 4, wherein the spring ring (14) comprises three notching tabs (18) distributed on the ring (14) over 360° and spaced apart by 120°.

6. A rotating bezel system configured to be rotatably mounted on a watch case (2) middle part (4) made of ceramic within which is housed a horological movement, the system (6) comprising a rotating bezel and a spring ring (14) for snap fitting the rotating bezel, wherein the spring ring (14) is in accordance with claim 1.

7. A watch case (2) comprising a middle part (4) made of ceramic and a system (6) provided with a rotating bezel rotatably mounted on the middle part (4), the middle part (4) having a cylindrical outer rim provided with an annular groove (12), wherein the rotating bezel system (6) is in accordance with claim 6, the spring ring (14) being received in the annular groove (12) provided on the middle part (4), the at least one inclined lug (16) engaging with a cylindrical outer surface (8) of the middle part (4).

8. A watch including a watch case (2) in accordance with claim 7.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) The aims, advantages and features of the spring ring for snap fitting a rotating bezel according to the invention will become clear in the following description based on at least one non-limiting embodiment illustrated by the drawings wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a watch case equipped with a rotating bezel system comprising a spring ring according to one embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the watch case of FIG. 1, taken according to a sectional plane II-II;

(4) FIG. 3 is a top view of the spring ring of FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the spring ring of FIG. 3, taken according to a sectional plane IV-IV; and

(6) FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the spring ring of FIG. 3, taken according to a sectional plane V-V.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) FIG. 1 shows a watch 1 provided with a watch case 2. The watch case 2 typically comprises a middle part 4 made of ceramic. The watch case 2 also comprises a rotating bezel system 6 as well as a horological movement, the horological movement not being shown in the figures for reasons of clarity. The rotating bezel system 6 is rotatably mounted on the middle part 4. Preferably, the rotating bezel system 6 consists of an independent module.

(8) As illustrated in FIG. 1, the middle part 4 is of annular shape. The middle part 4 comprises a cylindrical outer surface 8 that delimits a portion 10 of the middle part 4 known as body. The middle part 4 is further provided, on the cylindrical outer rim, with an annular groove 12. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the annular groove 12 is intended to receive the spring ring 14 according to the invention, as will be subsequently described.

(9) The rotating bezel system 6 comprises a rotating bezel and a spring ring 14 for snap fitting the rotating bezel. The rotating bezel, which is typically an annular rotating bezel, preferably a unidirectional bezel, is not visible in the figures for reasons of clarity. The rotating bezel is held by a section spring that moves apart during the passage of the bezel on the body of the middle part in order to subsequently be inserted into the middle part groove and engage with the spring ring 14 by snap fitting. The spring ring 14 is received in the annular groove 12 and extends in a plane P1 illustrated in FIG. 2, which plane P1 is substantially horizontal when the spring ring 14 is disposed in the groove 12.

(10) The spring ring 14 comprises on the inner rim thereof at least one lug 16 inclined in relation to the plane P1. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the spring ring 14 comprises three inclined lugs 16 distributed on the inner rim thereof over 360° and spaced apart two by two by 120°. Preferably, the spring ring 14 further comprises at least one notching tab 18 intended to engage with the rotating bezel for snap fitting the bezel on the spring ring 14. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the spring ring 14 comprises three notching tabs 18 distributed over 360° and spaced apart two by two by 120°. The spring ring 14 consists of a single material part. The spring ring 14 is for example made of a material such as Phynox.

(11) As seen in FIG. 1, each inclined lug 16 engages with the cylindrical outer surface 8 of the middle part 4, so as to index the position of the spring ring 14 in relation to the middle part 4. In this way, the spring ring 14 is always indeed positioned flat in the annular groove 12. In particular, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the spring ring 14 never enters into contact with the scratch 19 present at the base of the groove 12, which makes it possible to prevent the problems of wear and of torque variation. In the specific embodiment in FIGS. 1 and 2, said scratch 19 has a width substantially equal to 0.2 mm.

(12) Preferably, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, each lug 16 extends towards the centre 20 of the spring ring 14, and is inclined upwardly in relation to the plane P1. In the specific embodiment in FIGS. 1 and 4, each lug 16 is inclined in relation to the plane P1 at an angle substantially equal to 25°.

(13) Each notching tab 18 is configured to engage either with same rotating bezel, or with a part attached on the bezel, so as to snap fit the bezel on the spring ring 14. For this, as illustrated in FIG. 5, each notching tab 18 comprises for example a first portion 18a and a second portion 18b both extending upwardly in relation to the plane P1. The first portion 18a has for example an arched shape whereof the curve tends to move same away from the plane P1, the centre of the osculating circle taken in any point of the first portion 18a being located opposite the plane P1 in relation to the tab 18. The second portion 18b is for example a flat portion, inclined in relation to the plane P1. In the specific embodiment in FIG. 5, the second portion 18b of each notching tab 18 is inclined in relation to the plane P1 at an angle substantially equal to 15°. Preferably, as illustrated in FIG. 1, each notching tab 18 is formed via a cut made beforehand in the thickness of the spring ring 14. The shape of the cut is thus complementary of the shape of the corresponding tab 18.