Timepiece comprising an electric motor fixed to a mounting plate

Abstract

A timepiece including a case middle closed by a glass and the following elements positioned in the case middle: a dial, a rigid mounting plate extending under the dial, a module including an electric motor, referred to as the motor module, a printed circuit board, of which at least a first portion is interposed between the mounting plate and the motor module, means for the assembly of the motor module on the mounting plate through the first portion of the printed circuit board.

Claims

1. A timepiece, comprising: a case middle closed by a glass, the case middle including: a dial, a rigid mounting plate extending under the dial, a motor module comprising an electric motor, a printed circuit board, wherein at least a first portion of the printed circuit board is interposed between the mounting plate and the motor module, and means for securing the first portion of the printed circuit board and the motor module onto the mounting plate through a hole in the first portion of the printed circuit board.

2. The timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board comprises a second portion disposed against the motor module, such that the motor module is interposed between the first portion and the second portion of the printed circuit board, the printed circuit board further comprising a lateral tab connecting the first portion and the second portion.

3. The timepiece according to claim 2, further comprising a spacer, wherein a first part of the spacer is disposed laterally to either side of the motor module and is sandwiched between the first portion and the second portion of the printed circuit board.

4. The timepiece according to claim 3, wherein the spacer is made of plastic.

5. The timepiece according to claim 3, further comprising an electric battery installed in a housing of a second part of the spacer.

6. The timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board is flexible.

7. The timepiece of claim 1, wherein the means for securing is a screw that passes through the mounting plate and passes through the first portion of the printed circuit board.

8. The timepiece of claim 1, wherein the means for securing directly contacts the first portion of the printed circuit board, the mourning plate, and the motor module.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Other features and advantages will be appreciated clearly from the following description thereof, which are provided for information purposes and are in no way restrictive, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate different views of a part of a timepiece according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODES OF IMPLEMENTATION

(2) With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a timepiece according to the invention comprises, among others: A dial CD, of which an upper surface includes a peripheral zone exhibiting indices (not illustrated here). The dial CD is intended to be positioned under a glass of the timepiece in such a way as to be visible by a wearer. In another embodiment, this dial CD could be covered by at least another layer, for example an assembly consisting of a solar cell or a digital display, the assembly being capable of being retained on the dial by means of a double-sided adhesive. The dial CD would then not be visible, or would be only partially visible, through the glass. The upper layer (that is to say the layer on the side of the watch glass; the expression lower referring, on the contrary, to the side of the case back of the watch), could then carry the indices. A rigid mounting plate PA, located beneath the dial CD. In the non-restrictive embodiment depicted here, the dimensions of the mounting plate PA are substantially identical to the dimensions of the dial CD, such that these two layers overlap one another almost perfectly. The mounting plate is metallic, for example. A module comprising an electric motor, referred to as the motor module MD. Said motor is intended, among other things, to cause the display hands (not illustrated here) of the timepiece to rotate about an axis AX. A printed circuit board CI (in English “printed circuit board”, abbreviated to PCB). In the described non-restrictive embodiment, the printed circuit board CI is flexible, at least in part, and comprises three portions: A first portion P1 interposed between the mounting plate PA and the motor module MD. An upper surface of the motor module MD is disposed against the first portion P1, and an upper surface of the first portion P1 is disposed against the mounting plate PA. In addition, the motor module MD, the first portion P1 of the printed circuit board and the mounting plate PA are securely joined together. A second portion P2 disposed against the motor module MD, such that the motor module MD is interposed between and is retained against the first portion P1 and the second portion P2. A lateral tab LG connecting the first portion P1 and the second portion P2. A plurality of electronic components CE fixed to the lower face of the first portion P1 of the printed circuit board CI, and to the upper face and the lower face of the second portion P2 of the printed circuit board CI. The components CE are, for example, antennas, sensors, integrated circuits, etc. It should be noted that the use of a folded printed circuit board CI allows a large surface to be available for positioning the electronic components CE. A spacer EP, made of plastic in a single piece in the non-restrictive embodiment described here, of which a first part EP1 is located laterally to either side of the motor module MD and is sandwiched between the first portion P1 and the second portion P2 of the printed circuit board CI. A second part EP2 of the spacer EP comprises a housing to accommodate an electric battery or an accumulator. An electric battery PE (or an accumulator) housed in the housing of the second part EP2 of the spacer EP and enabling the electric motor MD and the plurality of electronic components CE to be powered.

(3) It should be noted that the axis AX passes orthogonally through the first portion P1 of the printed circuit board CI, the mounting plate PA, as well as the dial CD. The display hands of the timepiece are intended to rotate above the dial CD and about the axis AX.

(4) Furthermore, as mentioned previously, the motor module MD, the first portion P1 of the printed circuit board CI and the mounting plate PA are assembled via fixing means, which comprise screws VS, for example.

(5) The present invention is not restricted to the illustrated example, of course, but lends itself to different variants and modifications which will be familiar to a person skilled in the art.