Wristwatch case

Details Wristwatch case Wristwatch case

2000-10-26

2004-07-13

Miska, Vit W. (Department: 2841)

Horology: time measuring systems or devices

Chronological

With significant casing or mounting support structure

C368S281000, C368S287000, C368S291000, C368S294000, C368S300000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06762976

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a watchcase, and more particularly to a watchcase having a shockproof structure for protecting a movement (including a module) provided in the case.
BACKGROUND ART
As one of the shockproof structures where the movement in the watchcase is protected from an externally applied shock, there is known a watchcase disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid Open 6-17110.
FIG. 47
is a sectional view showing a watchcase of the conventional art. The case has a shock absorber
3
made of such an elastic material as polyurethane rubber disposed between a metallic inner middle
1
and an outer middle
2
made of hard synthetic resin. The shock absorber
3
is inserted between the inner middle
1
and the outer middle
2
so as to cover an upper surface
1
a
of the inner middle
1
and the outer periphery of an annular projection
1
b
provided for holding a glass
4
. The inner middle
1
and the outer middle
2
are attached to each other by a plurality of fixing screws
5
. A metallic back
7
is fixed to the inner middle
1
by screws
8
.
The shockproof structure is advantageous in that a shock applied to the watchcase is absorbed by elastic deformation of the shock absorber
3
, thereby decreasing the shock transmitted to a movement
6
.
FIG. 48
shows a section wherein a screw-lock crown is applied to the above-described prior art. The screw-lock crown comprises a support pipe
17
securely mounted in a hole
16
a
in the inner middle
1
, a crown head
10
connected to the support pipe
17
by a screw thread
18
, a stem connecting member
13
connected to a stem
11
of the watch and rotatably mounted in the support pipe
17
, and a stopping ring
9
engaged with the stem connecting member
13
.
When the crown head
10
is rotated so that the screw thread
18
is released from the support pipe
17
, a coil spring
14
urges the head
10
to project outward. Hence, an engaging hole
15
polygonal in section and formed in an inner wall of the head engages a corresponding polygonal engaging portion
16
formed on the outer wall of the stem connecting member
13
. When the head is rotated, the stem
11
is rotated by way of the stem connecting member
13
, so that time can be set.
In order to protect the crown from shock, there is often provided a crown guard
19
in such a watch having a shockproof structure. The crown guard
19
comprises a pair of protecting wall projecting from the outer middle
2
so as to interpose the crown head
10
therebetween. The dimensions of the guard
19
with regard to both the height and the length thereof, are rendered larger than those of the crown head so as to prevent the shock from being exerted on the crown head
10
. Hence it is possible to prevent such accidents as the stem
11
connected to the crown being bent or broken by the shock.
However, in the above-described shockproof structure, at the portion where the shock absorber is not provided, since an outer peripheral wall
1
c
of the inner middle
1
and an inner peripheral wall
2
a
of the outer middle
2
closely abuts against each other, the external shock exerted on the outer middle
2
may be directly transmitted to the inner middle
1
. Moreover, the external shock exerted on the outer middle.
2
is also transmitted to the inner middle
1
through the fixing screws
5
.
As a result, the shock is further applied to the movement
6
housed in the inner middle, so that the movement
6
may be broken.
More particularly, the underside of the inner middle
1
is covered neither by the shock absorber nor the outer middle. Thus, if the watch is dropped so that a shock is applied to the underside of the inner middle, the shock cannot be absorbed at all.
In addition, although the outer middle
2
covers the upper surface and the periphery of the inner middle, the underside of the inner middle is not covered. Hence, when the screws
8
become loose, the inner middle may fall out downwardly from the outer middle.
Furthermore, since the outer middle
2
of the above described shockproof structure is made of a synthetic resin, although hard, it does not have a sufficient strength, anti-scratch property and abrasion resistance. Accordingly, when an excessive degree of shock is applied to the watch, the outer middle of hard synthetic resin may be broken although the shock absorber interposed between the inner and outer middles can be elastically deformed. Moreover, if the watch is used for a long period of time, the outer middle may be injured or abraded.
In addition, if the fixing screws
5
become loose, the shock absorber
3
may be disengaged from the outer middle
2
.
Meanwhile, in the case where the screw-lock crown is used as in
FIG. 48
, when a shock is exerted on the outer middle
2
, the stem connecting member
13
and the stem
11
move into the movement
6
, so that the stem bumps against the components such as gears in the movement. Thus the components of the movement may be displaced or broken.
On the other hand, since the crown guard
19
is larger than the crown head
10
, the fingers of the watch wearer are hindered from touching the head
10
. As a result, it is difficult to turn the crown head
10
with the fingers.
The first object of the present invention is to provide a shockproof structure for a watchcase where a shock is sufficiently absorbed.
The second object of the present invention is to provide a shockproof structure for a watchcase where an outer middle and an inner middle are securely fixed.
The third object of the present invention is to provide a shockproof structure for a watchcase having sufficient strength, anti-scratch property, and abrasion resistance.
The fourth object of the present invention is to provide a watchcase having a crown guard where the crown can be easily manipulated.
The fifth object of the present invention is to provide a watchcase where a shock absorber is not detached from a middle.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided a watchcase comprising a middle comprising a metallic inner middle in which a movement is housed, and a metallic outer middle covering at least a part of the inner middle, and an elastic shock absorber disposed between the inner middle and the outer middle.
According to another feature of the present invention, there is provided a watchcase comprising a middle comprising an inner middle in which a movement is housed, and an outer middle covering at least a part of the inner middle, and a securing member attached to the outer middle and inserted in the inner middle so that the inner and outer middles are attached to each other.
According to a further feature of the present invention, there is provided a watchcase comprising a middle comprising an inner middle in which a movement is housed, and an outer middle covering at least a part of the inner middle, an elastic shock absorber attached to one of the inner middle and the outer middle, a securing member having securing means on a part thereof and attached to one of the inner middle and the outer middle by the securing means so as to oppose the other middle interposing the shock absorber at a portion where the securing means is not provided.
According to a still further feature of the present invention, there is provided a watchcase comprising a crown, a stem connecting member provided on the crown, and connected to a stem of a movement housed in a middle, and a movement restricting member provided between the stem connecting member and the movement for restricting the movement of the stem connecting member and the stem toward the movement.
According to a still further feature of the present invention, there is provided a watchcase comprising a crown, and a guard pipe attached to a middle of the watchcase and in which guard pipe the crown is inserted, wherein an outer wall of a head of the crown is positioned at a position inner than an outer peripheral wall of the guard pipe.
According to a still further feature of the present invention, there is provided a watchcase hav

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