Horology: time measuring systems or devices – Chronological – With manually actuated display
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-23
2001-10-30
Miska, Vit (Department: 2859)
Horology: time measuring systems or devices
Chronological
With manually actuated display
C368S294000, C368S295000, C368S319000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06310835
ABSTRACT:
The present invention concerns a metal case part obtained by a method allowing discontinuous zones in relief made of a synthetic material, to be obtained over all or part of its surface, i.e. an object made of two metal/synthetic materials.
Hereinafter reference will be made by way of example to a watch case, and more particularly to a new design for a rotating bezel adapted to such a watch.
In the construction of watch cases there is always a difficult choice as regards the materials which have to be used. Metal, or a precious metal such as gold, used alone gives the finished product solidity and guaranteed quality, but has the drawback of making the finished product heavy, of being ill suited to machining complex shapes and of having the “cold” appearance of metal. Synthetic materials used alone have the advantage of being able to be moulded or injected with very complex shapes and varied and attractive colours, but cause the consumer to fear that he will not find in such products the qualities which he could expect from former products made entirely of metal. Certain watch case constructions are however made with two materials, in particular to lower the product price. By way of example, Swiss Patent No. 79 203 discloses a case made of precious metal of very small thickness which includes over its entire periphery a recess reinforced by a plastic filler which is not visible. Other constructions also implementing both metal and a plastic material for technical reasons can also be cited.
In European Patent No 0 370 947 disclosing a watch with a rotating bezel, said metal bezel is provided with a toothed ring made of synthetic material snap fitted between the middle part and an annular recess of the rotating bezel to co-operate with at least one click; the ring made of synthetic material is thus not visible and the watch has a totally metallic appearance.
In Swiss Patent No. 575 616 which also concerns a watch case with a rotating bezel, an outer metal ring protects an inner ring made of plastic material intended to hold the bezel in the middle part via a snap fitting, and to allow a ring made of plastic material, able to create or carry various decorative parts, to appear on the exterior.
As is seen in the aforecited examples, the plastic material used in combination with metal always has a continuous annular shape, which is either totally visible or totally hidden.
The object of the present invention is, conversely, to provide a construction made of two materials where the angular sectors of the visible portions of the case or determined zones of said sectors, are alternately metal/synthetic material giving the product a warmer aesthetic appearance than metal and/or able to provide a technical advantage such as better gripping of the object concerned.
The invention therefore concerns a metal case part having a wall whose outer surface includes separated knobs formed by a synthetic material, characterised in that one face opposite to the outer surface of the part includes a groove connected to said outer surface by through passages at locations provided for the knobs and in that said knobs originate from a filler made of synthetic material projecting from the outer surface, while being connected to each other through said through passages to a strand, also made of synthetic material, held on the bottom of the groove.
In the case of a watch case, the “parts” to which the invention can apply are of course the middle part and the bezel, whether the latter is stationary or rotatable.
The knobs apparent on the wall may, according to the invention, have varied aesthetic appearances, as regards their shape and colouring. The shape depends on the cross-section of the through passages and the colouring on the varieties of synthetic materials used. In the simplest embodiment, a single synthetic material can be used to form, via known moulding or injection moulding methods, the strand and the knobs. It is also possible to obtain knobs of different colours by performing sequential shaping of the synthetic material, i.e. by using synthetic materials having the same basic composition or compositions able to be bind to each other, but incorporating different pigments. Likewise, it is possible to use different synthetic materials for the knobs and for the strand so that the knobs are soft to the touch and the strand has good mechanical resistance.
So that the knobs, once set in place, resist external pressure, the strand to which they are connected must be held firmly in the groove. According to a first embodiment, each knob can extend over the outer surface slightly beyond the through passage to form a tip allowing axial immobilisation. According to another embodiment, when the strand is made of a synthetic material which deforms easily, the groove can include a neck portion allowing the strand to be forced in. It is also possible for the open groove of the groove to be closed by another part of the case or by a part added to the latter such as a rigid ring. In the case of a wristwatch the “other part of the case” will be for example the upper edge of the middle part if the knobs in synthetic material are arranged in the bezel. The “added part” will be for example the casing ring if said knobs are arranged in the middle part. In the event that the groove is located in proximity to the open base of a wall, said groove may be open in the base opposite the through passages in order to communicate with the outer surface of the wall.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3553958 (1971-01-01), Groltoski
patent: 3887963 (1975-06-01), Harmon et al.
patent: 4357791 (1982-11-01), Hope et al.
patent: 5469759 (1995-11-01), Howie, Jr.
patent: 5631880 (1997-05-01), Houlihan
patent: 571 737 (1976-01-01), None
patent: 640893 (1994-08-01), None
Biraghi Tommaso
Mantoan Giancarlo
Lascor S.p.A.
Miska Vit
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
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