Horology: time measuring systems or devices – Cases – With protection means
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-02
2001-03-13
Gutierrez, Diego (Department: 2859)
Horology: time measuring systems or devices
Cases
With protection means
C368S288000, C368S291000, C368S295000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06200019
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to sports or work watches for underwater use which are provided with a bezel in the form of a circular annulus and carrying reference or measurement data and information.
More especially, the invention relates to a device which is suitable, first of all, for permitting watertightness of the rewinding and resetting button of such watches and, secondly, for ensuring at the same time that the rotatable bezel thereof is locked.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known that it is difficult to achieve watertightness in the casing of instruments, especially watches, that have to be able to work in a fluid environment of which the penetration into the casing would damage the mechanisms contained therein.
Various solutions are also known which aim to provide sealed closure of the casing and which involve a seal acting on the shaft of the winding button which has to be rendered watertight or acting on a part which is rigid with or in one piece with the shaft or which in any case constitutes a part thereof functionally.
In some types of watch, for example, watches for underwater immersion or watches having a double time zone and the like, it is also known that there is a problem involved in locking the rotatable bezel carrying particular operational information, for example, the decompression times for underwater watches. This locking prevents a situation where, after the setting of the bezel in accordance with requirements, the bezel may change its position accidentally, thus rendering its setting void and creating a potentially dangerous situation for the diver who no longer has the required information and, what may be worse, is unaware of the unreliability and incorrectness of the information with which the bezel nevertheless provides him.
In the majority of commercial watches, this positive locking does not exist and the resistance which the bezel has to rotation owing to the friction of the resilient members which maintain the bezel in position is normally relied upon to prevent undesired rotation of the bezel.
Only in some watches, which are of particularly high quality and which are therefore expensive, is the locking in question obtained by means of a special structure of the bezel, which has to be pushed downwards to disengage it from its support and to permit rotation thereof.
CH 673 197 A discloses a device for application to watched having various features disclosed in this specification.
FR 1 166 504 A discloses a device for ensuring water-tightness of underwater watches though the action of pressure means capable of maintaining a button pressed on a seal.
GB 364 878 A discloses a watch with a button connected integrally to a sleeve element forming an annular groove wherein a seal is carried.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With regard to the watertightness of the winding button, it is provided in accordance with the present invention to apply a seal directly to the casing of the instrument and to cause it to act not on the shaft of the winding button but directly on the winding button itself, thus leaving the shaft free. In a preferred embodiment, it is then provided to apply to the casing of the watch the means by which it is possible to move the winding button from a disengaged position into a position in which it presses on the seal, by deliberate action from outside, the means being such as to leave the button free to be rotated for winding or resetting or to be moved axially into the returned position, as desired.
As regards the locking of the bezel, the present invention achieves the desired effect by making use of the winding button. It is provided that the winding button carry a plastics washer which faces the circumferential knurling of the bezel and which, when the button is in the returned position, interferes with the bezel and locks it.
A specific subject of the present invention, therefore, for application to watches provided with a rotatable bezel having knurling on the external circumference and a rewinding and resetting button, is a device for ensuring the locking of the rotatable bezel and the watertightness of the winding and resetting button, characterised in that it comprises, in combination, a plastics washer, which is applied to the flat surface of the button in a position facing the knurling of the rotatable bezel and which is capable of interfering with the same, a seal which is carried by the winding and resetting button and which can be brought into engagement with the casing of the watch in order to ensure watertightness in the area of the winding and resetting button, and also pressure means which are capable of maintaining the button pressed on the seal and of maintaining the plastics washer in engagement with the external knurling of the rotatable bezel.
In the preferred embodiment, the means for pressing and engagement are formed by a frame mounted on the watch casing and carrying a cam lever which is pivoted on a pin and which is capable, in a first position, of holding the button against the casing in order to compress the seal between the button and the casing and to maintain the plastics washer engaged in the external knurling of the rotatable bezel and, in a second position, of releasing the button.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4346464 (1982-08-01), Wenger
patent: 5237546 (1993-08-01), Vollert
patent: 5257247 (1993-10-01), Miche et al.
patent: 5319617 (1994-06-01), Sonoda
patent: 5383166 (1995-01-01), Gallay
patent: 5521889 (1996-05-01), Scarinzi et al.
patent: 5521890 (1996-05-01), Miche et al.
patent: 5742565 (1998-04-01), Cuinet et al.
patent: 673 197 (1990-02-01), None
patent: 1 166 504 (1958-11-01), None
patent: 364 878 (1932-01-01), None
Cartier International B.V.
Goodwin Jeanne-Marguerite
Gutierrez Diego
Woodcock Washburn Kurtz Mackiewicz & Norris LLP
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