Horology: time measuring systems or devices – Cases – Wrist worn
Patent
1994-11-30
1998-06-23
Miska, Vit W.
Horology: time measuring systems or devices
Cases
Wrist worn
368282, 368294, G04B 502, G04B 3700
Patent
active
057712093
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
Wrist watches with hands as time indicating means (a display in the case of digital watches) have a case, in which is fitted a clockwork with time indicating means, and a bracelet or wristband fixed to both sides of the case. The case generally comprises three superimposed parts, namely a lower case part (bottom), a middle case part (dial) and an upper case part (glass), which are laterally held together by a ring-shaped or circular case part. Conventionally the strap or bracelet is fixed to the circular part. The clockwork is held between the lower and the middle case part, the latter having an opening through which passes the hand shaft. The upper case part protects with respect to the outside the time indicating means. The circular case part normally has a passage for the winder shaft.
On more modern watches the circular case part is shaped at a number of points on the lower or middle case part, i.e. a one-piece shell takes over the function of the bottom and the circular part (described eg. in EP-A-98 239) or a corresponding shell-like dial takes over the function of the middle and circular case part (e.g. the Tissot RockWatch).
The assembly of such watches involves a number of stages and individual parts or preassembled structures of several parts (e.g. the clockwork with dial and hands) are brought into a clearly defined reciprocal position (oriented with one another) and are joined together by self-closure or other connecting means. For each of these stages orienting and connecting aids are required, which are either e.g. in the form of corresponding grooves on the watch parts or on corresponding assembly tools and which are precisely matched to the shape of the watch parts to be assembled.
Of late, as watches have become fashion accessories and collectors' items, new demands have been made on their manufacture. It is in particular desirable if during the manufacture thereof not only the decorative patterns and designs of the watches or watch parts can be varied in a rapid model order and choice, but also this applies with respect to the shapes of at least the readily visible parts. However, this is only economically acceptable if the manufacture is not significantly made more expensive by each model change. For the manufacture of individual watch parts it is possible to use various plastics moulding processes which can be relatively easily transformed for the different shapes and for the manufacture of said different shapes parts of the moulds can be replaced.
However, so as to be able to transform assembly in a simple and cost-effective manner, particularly for a differently shaped model or a model with only one differently shaped part, the watch or its parts must be correspondingly designed and this constitutes the problem of the present invention. A wrist watch is to be created from individual parts, whereof shape-differing models or models with at least one shape-differing part can be assembled with a substantially identical assembly procedure and in particular with substantially identical assembly devices.
This problem is solved by the wrist watch in accordance with the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The wrist watch according to the invention has, in addition to a strap or bracelet and a clockwork with time indicating means, a lower, a middle and an upper case part, the side wall of the case (circular case part) being formed by mouldings on at least one of the case parts. The watch has two connecting areas, which embrace areas of a maximum number of watch components and which are constructed in such a way that the components in said areas engage ia one another so that their reciprocal position is defined or definable in easy manner in a maximum number of directions and that the corresponding components can be interconnected with simple means in said connecting areas in a temporary manner, i.e. for one or more assembly stages, or definitively. The standardized connecting areas at least relate to the bracelet and two of the case parts and create an interface connection between said eleme
REFERENCES:
patent: 1752128 (1930-03-01), Utter
patent: 3545198 (1970-12-01), Loftus
patent: 4561077 (1985-12-01), Mock et al.
patent: 4620798 (1986-11-01), Scarinzi
patent: 4825427 (1989-04-01), Wollman
patent: 4958334 (1990-09-01), Grosjean
patent: 5272683 (1993-12-01), Jackl
Hell Matthias
Mock Elmar
Createc Patent Holding S.A.
Farley Walter C.
Miska Vit W.
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