Screw-down orientable crown

Abstract

The invention relates to a screw-down orientable crown comprising a cover integral with a tube and receiving a distinctive sign, a fixed body pressed into a watch case middle and intended to receive the tube, and means for adjusting the angular orientation of the cover with respect to the case middle. According to the invention, the means for adjusting the angular orientation of the cover comprise a ring arranged to be screwed onto the tube, said ring comprising first indexing means arranged to cooperate with second indexing means formed in the body, the ring being pressed in and positioned on the body via the first and second indexing means.

Claims

1. A screw-down orientable crown comprising: a cover integral with a tube and receiving a distinctive sign, a fixed body mounted in a watch case middle and intended to receive said tube, and means for adjusting the angular orientation of the cover with respect to said watch case middle, wherein the means for adjusting the angular orientation of the cover comprise a ring arranged to be screwed onto the tube such that the tube extends below a bottommost surface of the ring to directly contact the fixed body, said ring comprising first indexing means arranged to cooperate with second indexing means formed in the body, said ring being pressed in and positioned on the body via the first and second indexing means.

2. The screw-down orientable crown according to claim 1, wherein the first and second indexing means comprise flutes configured to axially engage one inside the other.

3. The screw-down orientable crown according to claim 1, wherein the ring is pressed between the tube and the body, the tube, the ring and the body being housed inside an annular groove formed in the cover.

4. The screw-down orientable crown according to claim 1, wherein the body includes an inner shoulder forming a stop for the ring such that a bottommost surface of the ring directly abuts a topmost surface of the inner shoulder.

5. The screw-down orientable crown according to claim 1, wherein the tube includes a stop surface for the ring such that a bottommost surface of the stop surface of the tube abuts against a topmost surface of the ring.

6. The screw-down orientable crown according to claim 1, wherein sealing means are disposed between the cover and the body.

7. The screw-down orientable crown according to claim 6, wherein the sealing means comprise a gasket disposed between the cover and the body.

8. The screw-down orientable crown according to claim 1, wherein the tube includes an external thread arranged to cooperate with a threaded section of the ring to screw-down and/or unscrew the crown.

9. The screw-down orientable crown according to claim 1, wherein the ring is pressed between the body and the cover.

10. A timepiece comprising: the screw-down orientable crown according to claim 1.

11. The screw-down orientable crown according to claim 1, wherein the body includes an inner shoulder forming a stop for the ring such that a bottommost surface of the ring directly abuts a topmost surface of the inner shoulder, and wherein the tube includes a stop surface for the ring such that a bottommost surface of the stop surface of the tube abuts against a topmost surface of the ring.

12. A method for mounting the screw-down orientable crown according to claim 1, comprising: mounting the cover on the tube, mounting the body in the case middle, screwing the ring as far as possible onto the tube to form a single assembly, and selecting the orientation of the distinctive sign, and pressing the assembly obtained by the screwing into the body, by axially sliding flutes of the ring between flutes of the body, until the ring abuts against an inner shoulder of the body.

13. The mounting method according to claim 12, further comprising: placing a gasket inside the cover between the body and the cover.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly upon reading the following description of a specific embodiment of the invention, given simply by way of illustrative and non-limiting example, and the annexed Figures, among which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a sagittal cross-sectional view of a screw-down orientable crown according to the invention.

(3) FIGS. 2a and 2b are respectively a transverse cross-sectional view of a screw-down orientable crown and a sagittal cross-sectional view of a screw-down crown according to the invention before the ring is pressed into the body.

(4) FIG. 3 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a screw-down orientable crown according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(5) A control member according to a particular embodiment will now be described below referring jointly to FIGS. 1, 2a, 2b, and 3.

(6) The preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 shows a sagittal cross-sectional view of a screw-down crown, designated by the general reference C, along its axis of rotation A-A, to reveal the orientation adjustment mechanism according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The crown is represented here in a screwed-down position, and includes a cover 1 integral with a tube 3 sliding inside a fixed body 2, which may be pressed, or screwed and/or bonded, in a sealed manner, in a watch case middle 100. According to the invention, crown C also includes means for adjusting the angular orientation of cover 1 with respect to the watch case middle, in order to orient the angular position of the distinctive sign L found on cover 1. Sealing means 10 are disposed between cover 1 and body 2.

(7) The sealing means comprise a gasket 7, such as, for example, an O-ring joint, inserted between body 2 and skirt 11 of cover 1, to guarantee the sealing of the watch. Gasket 7 is disposed in an annular housing 10 provided in skirt 11 of cover 1, which extends along body 2 and is held in place by means of a retaining ring 71.

(8) The means for adjusting the angular orientation of cover 1 comprise a ring 4 arranged to be screwed onto tube 3, ring 4 including first indexing means arranged to cooperate with second indexing means formed in body 2. In the illustration of FIG. 1, tube 3 includes an external thread 32 arranged to cooperate with a threaded section 40 of ring 4 to screw-down and/or unscrew the crown. Advantageously, ring 4 is positioned and then pressed into body 2 by means of the first and second indexing means.

(9) According to a first embodiment of the invention, the first and second indexing means include flutes or toothings configured to axially engage one inside the other in order to correctly position cover 1. Preferably, ring 4 is pressed into body 2 once it has been screwed onto tube 3 carrying cover 1.

(10) In the illustration of FIG. 1, the central portion of the crown is connected to a winding stem (not represented) of the timepiece movement via the threaded blind hole 50 provided in the lower portion 51 of a piston 5, housed inside an axial cavity 30 inside tube 3. Piston 5 slides against a spring 6 in abutment on an inner surface 10 of cover 1, and, in particular, enables cover 1 to emerge from the case middle when the crown is unscrewed to perform an adjustment. As piston 5 is intended to be connected to the winding stem, its axial position with respect to the case middle is indexed, typically by three discreet values, the first corresponding, for example, to winding the mainspring, another to time adjustment, and a third to date adjustment.

(11) According to the invention, cover 1 is assembled on tube 2 so that they are usually rotationally and axially integral; this assembly is achieved in a removable or reversible manner.

(12) Cover 1 includes an axial skirt 11, inside which is formed an annular groove 12 arranged for receiving the end of body 2 integral with case middle 100, but also tube 3, ring 4 being placed between tube 3 and body 2. Cover 1 includes an upper surface on which is applied a distinctive sign L, such as a logo or a trademark, visible from the exterior of the crownfor example, the Omega logo can be seen in the Figures.

(13) According to the preferred illustrated embodiment, the first and second indexing means are inserted between inner surface 200 of body 2, and outer surface 400 of ring 40, and include flutes 201 and 401, respectively arranged on the inner surface of body 2 and outer surface 400 of ring 40. In the illustrated embodiment, the flutes cooperate axially in the direction of the axis of rotation A-A, to perform the operation to adjust the orientation of crown C.

(14) FIGS. 2a and 2b illustrate a preferred embodiment of the indexing means according to the invention. According to the preferred embodiment described, the indexing means consist of the cooperation of flutes 201, 401 or toothings pressed against one another. Flutes 201 and 401 can also be observed in the exploded view of FIG. 3.

(15) Such an arrangement has the advantage of reducing the number of parts employed for adjusting the angular orientation of the proposed crown 1.

(16) As represented in FIGS. 2a and 2b, body 2 includes an inner shoulder 20, provided in the lower portion of body 2, forming a stop for ring 4 when it is pressed into body 2. Above and in immediate proximity to this inner shoulder 20, body 2 also includes flutes 201 extending over one portion of the top of body 2. Of course, flutes 201 could be replaced by toothings, grooves or any other shaped element capable of sliding in translation and locking the rotation of ring 4 on body 2.

(17) Tube 3 includes a stop surface 31, formed in its upper portion, to abut against ring 4 when the crown is screwed down. Advantageously, stop surface 31 of tube 3 covers ring 4 and is flush with the upper portion of body 2, ring 4 then being housed between body 2 and tube 3. Such an arrangement of the crown makes it possible to limit its dimensions and the parts required for its construction.

(18) According to another embodiment, not illustrated in the Figures, ring 4 is pressed onto the exterior of body 2 and the crown is then screwed onto ring 4 at skirt 11. In this embodiment, flutes 201 are on the inner surface of body 2 and flutes 401 are on the exterior of ring 4.

(19) Control crown C according to the invention is assembled on the watch case middle in the following manner:

(20) cover 1 is mounted on tube 3, for example, pressed or screwed thereon,

(21) body 2 is mounted inside case middle 100, by pressing or screwing and/or bonding,

(22) a gasket 7 may be placed inside cover 1, inside skirt 11, between body 2 and cover 1,

(23) ring 4 is screwed as far as possible onto tube 3 to form a single assembly,

(24) the orientation of the distinctive sign L is selected by means of flutes 201, 401, and the assembly obtained in the preceding step is pressed into body 2, by axially sliding flutes 401 of ring 4 between flutes 201 of body 2, until ring 4 abuts against inner shoulder 2 of body 2.

(25) Thus, screw-down crown C will maintain its orientation, and every time that it is screwed down and/or unscrewed the distinctive sign will be correctly oriented.

(26) The invention also concerns a watch case comprising a screw-down crown.

(27) As a result of these different aspects of the invention, there is obtained a screw-down orientable crown of simple design allowing the angular position of the crown to be indexed while having a relatively small number of parts for its construction.

(28) Of course, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated example and is capable of various variants and modifications which will appear to those skilled in the art. It will be understood that the invention is also applicable, for example, to a manual or automatic valve, and a push-piece, a corrector or an orientable case back.

NOMENCLATURE

(29) 1. Cover, 10. Inner surface of the cover, 11. Skirt, 12. Annular groove, 110. Annular housing, 2. Body, 20. Inner shoulder, 200. Outer surface, 201. Flutes, 3. Tube, 30. Axial cavity, 31. Stop surface, 32. External thread, 4. Ring, 40. Threaded section, 400. Inner surface, 401. Flutes, 5. Piston, 50. Blind hole, 51. Lower portion of the piston, 6. Spring, 7. Gasket 71. Retaining ring, 100. Case middle, A. Axis of rotation of the crown, C. Crown, L. Distinctive sign.