Tool for actuating a corrector fitted in a small portable object such as a timepiece

Abstract

A tool for actuating a corrector push-button fitted in a small portable object, wherein this actuation tool includes a body which extends between a rear end which defines a gripping zone of the actuation tool and a front end which defines an actuation zone of the actuation tool, at least the front end of the actuation tool being magnetised.

Claims

1. An assembly comprising: a watch including a corrector push-button; and an actuation tool for actuating the corrector push-button fitted in the watch, wherein the actuation tool comprises a body which extends between a rear end which defines a gripping zone of the actuation tool and a front end which defines an actuation zone of the actuation tool, wherein at least the front end of the actuation tool is made of a ferromagnetic material, wherein the watch comprises a middle in an opening whereof is arranged a corrector push-button, the corrector push-button including a socket, a control rod that is movable within the socket, and a spring that is compressed when the control rod is pressed into the socket, wherein at least one component of the corrector push-button or at least one portion of the middle immediately surrounding the corrector push-button is made of a magnetised material.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the control rod is made of the magnetised material and the at least one portion of the middle is made of non-magnetisable material.

3. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the control rod is made of non-magnetisable material and the at least one portion of the middle is made of the magnetised material.

4. The assembly according to claim 3, wherein the at least one portion of the middle is made of the magnetised material includes a ring arranged concentrically around the socket.

5. The assembly according to claim 3, wherein the at least one portion of the middle is made of the magnetised material includes two studs arranged in a diametrically opposed manner relative to a center of the corrector push-button.

6. The assembly according to claim 3, wherein the at least one portion of the middle is made of the magnetised material includes two discrete bipolar magnets arranged in a diametrically opposed manner relative to a center of the corrector push-button.

7. The assembly according to claim 3, wherein the at least one portion of the middle is made of the magnetised material includes an annular magnet arranged around the socket.

8. The assembly according to claim 3, wherein the actuation tool comprises a bar magnet arranged in the front end thereof.

9. The assembly according to claim 3, wherein the body of the actuation tool is made of a magnetic material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) Further features and advantages of the present invention will emerge more clearly from the following detailed description of two different examples of embodiments of an actuation tool according to the invention, this example being given merely by way of illustration and not limitation in connection with the appended drawing wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a corrector push-button whose actuation is carried out by means of an actuation tool according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2A is a longitudinal sectional view of the actuation tool according to the invention equipped with a magnet, and FIGS. 2B and 2C are respectively longitudinal and elevation sectional views of the corrector push-button according to the invention which comprises at least one component made of a ferromagnetic material and which is suitable for the actuation tool in FIG. 2A;

(4) FIG. 3A is a longitudinal sectional view of the actuation tool according to the invention equipped with a magnet, and FIGS. 3B and 3C are respectively longitudinal and elevation sectional views of the corrector push-button according to the invention with which is associated a ferromagnetic ring and which is suitable for the actuation tool in FIG. 3A;

(5) FIG. 4A is a longitudinal sectional view of the actuation tool according to the invention equipped with a magnet, and FIGS. 4B and 4C are respectively longitudinal and elevation sectional views of the corrector push-button according to the invention with which are associated two ferromagnetic studs and which is suitable for the actuation tool in FIG. 4A;

(6) FIG. 5A is a longitudinal sectional view of the actuation tool according to the invention made of a ferromagnetic material, and FIGS. 5B and 5C are respectively longitudinal and elevation sectional views of the corrector push-button according to the invention with which are associated two discrete bipolar magnets and which is suitable for the actuation tool in FIG. 5A, and

(7) FIG. 6A is a longitudinal sectional view of the actuation tool according to the invention equipped with a magnet, and FIGS. 6B and 6C are respectively longitudinal and elevation sectional views of the corrector push-button according to the invention with which is associated an annular magnet and which is suitable for the actuation tool in FIG. 6A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

(8) The present invention proceeds from the general inventive idea which consists of providing an actuation tool suitable for actuating a corrector type push-button embedded in the middle of a portable object such as a complication wristwatch or a smart telephone without any risk of damaging the middle of the portable object which, particularly in the case of wristwatches, is very often made of a valuable material. To achieve this aim, the present invention discloses using an actuation tool which, by magnetic attraction exerted by the corrector or a portion of the middle close to the corrector, guides the point of the tool to the centre of the corrector. Once the actuation tool has been centred on the corrector, the user merely needs to push on the corrector to enter a command. Any risk of seeing the end of the actuation tool slip on the middle and damage same is thereby removed.

(9) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a corrector type push-button whose actuation may be carried out by means of an actuation tool according to the invention. It will be understood however that the description of such a corrector push-button is given merely by way of illustration and is in no way limiting. As will be seen hereinafter, it consists of a conventional type corrector push-button the structure thereof only needs at most to be modified in respect of the choice of the material with which the components thereof are produced, while in some embodiments of the invention, the structure of the corrector push-button remains unchanged.

(10) Denoted as a whole by the general reference number 1, a corrector type push-button conventionally comprises a socket 2 for example driven or glued in an opening 4 formed in a middle 6 of a portable object, for example a wristwatch whose middle is made of a valuable material or indeed a smart telephone.

(11) A cylindrical control rod 8 is suitable for sliding in the socket 2. The socket 2 comprises for this purpose a first cylindrical passage 10a which opens on the outside of the middle 6 of the portable object and which is adapted to the dimensions of a first portion 12a of the control rod 8. On the inside of the middle 6, the socket 2 comprises a second cylinder passage 10b arranged extending from the first cylindrical passage 10a and which defines a shoulder 14 inside the socket 2. The internal diameter of this second cylindrical passage 10b, adapted to the dimensions of a second portion 12b of the control rod 8, is less than that of the first cylindrical passage 10a. A packing seal 16 housed in an undercut formed on a perimeter of the first portion 12a of the control rod 8 makes it possible to ensure the tightness between the control rod 8 and the socket 2. Such a corrector push-button 1 also comprises a helical spring 18 which is compressed when the user presses on the corrector push-button 1, and whose return force returns the control rod 8 to the rest position when the user releases the pressure on the corrector push-button 1. The helical spring 18 presses against a washer 20 fixedly mounted on the first portion 12a of the control rod 8 at one end, and against the shoulder 14 at the other end.

(12) Push-buttons of the type described above have very small dimensions. Such push-buttons therefore make it possible to save space. Furthermore, they do not protrude from the middle and therefore are not liable to be actuated involuntarily. Such push-buttons are frequently fitted in top-of-the-range watches known as complication watches. Correction operations are carried out by means of a pointed instrument such as a pen for example. The latter point poses a problem, however. Indeed, grand complication wristwatches are expensive watches the cases thereof being very often produced using valuable materials. However, the risks of damaging the watch case and altering the aesthetic appearance thereof when handling a pointed instrument are high, which has become difficult to accept.

(13) To remedy this problem, the present invention discloses that at least one of the components of the corrector push-button 1 detailed above is made using a ferromagnetic material, i.e. a material which is magnetisable (see FIGS. 2B and 2C). This may consist, merely by way of illustration and not limitation, of the socket 2, or indeed the control rod 8, or indeed these two components simultaneously. In the case where, for example, the control rod 8 is made of a ferromagnetic material, the middle 6 of the portable object will be preferentially made of a non-magnetisable material.

(14) It may nonetheless be envisaged that at least one portion 22 of the middle 6 of the portable object situated in the immediate vicinity of the corrector push-button 1 is also made of a ferromagnetic material.

(15) Preferably, this portion 22 of the middle 6 will be arranged with a circular symmetry around the corrector push-button 1. It may consist, for example, of a ring 24 arranged concentrically around the socket 2 (see FIGS. 3B and 3C). It may also consist, for example, of two studs 26a and 26b made of a ferromagnetic material and preferentially arranged in a diametrically opposed manner relative to the centre 28 of the corrector push-button 1 represented by the control rod 8 (see FIGS. 4B and 4C). Similarly, it may be envisaged that none of the components of the corrector push-button 1 be made of a ferromagnetic material, only a portion 22 of the middle 6 then being made of such a ferromagnetic material.

(16) The term “immediate vicinity” denotes that the portion 22 of the middle 6 is arranged sufficiently close to the corrector push-button 1 such that, when the user moves the actuation tool 30 according to the invention closer to the corrector push-button 1, the magnetic attraction exerted on this actuation tool 30 guides this tool 30 towards the control rod 8, i.e. towards the centre 28 of the corrector push-button 1. The user then merely needs to push on the actuation tool 30 to be able to actuate the corrector push-button 1.

(17) More specifically, in respect of the actuation tool 30 according to the invention, said tool comprises a body 32 which extends between a rear end 32a which defines a gripping zone of this actuation tool 30, and a front end 32b which defines an actuation zone of this tool 30. According to one embodiment of the invention, the actuation tool 30 is entirely made of a magnetic material and is attracted by the ferromagnetic material with which at least a portion 22 of the middle and/or at least one of the components of the corrector push-button 1 is made. As such, when the actuation tool 30 is moved towards the portable object, this actuation tool 30 is irresistibly attracted by the corrector push-button 1, towards the centre 28 thereof. According to a further embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 2A, 3A, 4A and 6A, a bar magnet 34 is arranged in a housing 36 provided in the front end 32b of the body 32 which defines the actuation zone of the actuation tool 30.

(18) The embodiment described above is particularly advantageous because, as it only involves a bar magnet 34 at the actuation tool 30 side, and the middle 6 and/or corrector push-button 1 merely comprise a ferromagnetic material, there is no need to concern oneself with the polarity of the magnet to ensure the magnetic attraction of the actuation tool 30 by the portable object.

(19) A further embodiment of the invention consists of producing all or part of the actuation tool in a ferromagnetic material and arranging a bipolar magnet in the portable object. It is thereby possible to envisage (see FIG. 5A) that the front end 32b which defines the actuation zone of the actuation tool 30 be made of a ferromagnetic material, and that at least one component of the corrector push-button 1, for example the control rod 8 or the socket 2, be made of a magnetic material. It may also be envisaged to arrange at least one and, preferably, two discrete bipolar magnets 38a and 38b preferentially in a diametrically opposed manner relative to the centre 28 of the corrector push-button 1. Similarly, the discrete bipolar magnets 38a, 38b may be replaced by an annular magnet 40 arranged around the socket 2 of the corrector push-button 1, at a short distance therefrom (FIGS. 5B and 5C).

(20) In this case likewise, a bipolar magnet 38, 40 is only involved on the portable object side, such that it is not necessary to concern oneself with the polarity of the magnet to ensure the magnetic attraction of the actuation tool 30 by the portable object.

(21) According to a further embodiment of the invention, a bipolar magnet 42 is arranged in the front end 32b of the actuation zone of the actuation tool 30 (FIG. 6A), and at least one component of the corrector push-button 1 and/or at least one portion 22 of the middle 6 is made of a magnetic material (FIGS. 6B and 6C). It will be understood that, in this embodiment, it is necessary to ensure that the magnetic polarity of the actuation tool opposes the magnetic polarity of the corrector push-button 1.

(22) It is obvious that the present invention is not restricted to the embodiments described above, and that various modifications and simple alternative embodiments may be envisaged by those skilled in the art without leaving the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

REFERENCE LIST

(23) 1. Corrector push-button 2. Socket 4. Opening 6. Middle 8. Control rod 10a. First cylindrical passage 10b. Second cylindrical passage 12a. First portion 12b. Second portion 14. Shoulder 16. Packing seal 18. Helical spring 20. Washer 22. Portion 24. Ring 26a, 26b. Studs 28. Centre 30. Actuation tool 32. Body 32a. Rear end 32b. Front end 34. Bar magnet 36. Housing 38a, 38b. Discrete bipolar magnets 40. Annular magnet 42. Bipolar magnet