EP3407144B1 - Timepiece comprising a device for locking a pusher - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to the field of watchmaking. It relates more particularly to a timepiece comprising a locking device for a push-button which can be actuated by a user of the timepiece, in particular a push-button.

PRIOR ART

It is known to produce timepieces comprising a locking device which makes it possible to make a push-button inactive. The purpose of these devices is to prevent accidental actuation of the push-button or, for diving watches, to prevent actuation of the push-button under the effect of external pressure.

Many applications are known describing such a locking device. For example, the request CH678138 offers a screwed plunger which can be immobilized by a threaded ring, coaxial with the plunger. The threaded ring is aimed at the pendant of the pusher and can come to bear under the head of the pusher to prevent it from being actuated. Requirement US9105413 describes a variant of this device.

Requirement CH707595 presents a watch pusher lockable by means of a rotary ring coaxial with the pusher and the rotation of which causes the axial displacement of a sleeve capable of resting under the head of the pusher.

However, these locking devices have several drawbacks. As the pusher is surrounded by a ring of coaxial control which must be able to be rotated by a user and therefore come out sufficiently radially beyond the peripheral surface of the middle part of the watch case, this pusher must be prominent while having a short stroke, which makes its actuation more difficult and less precise. In order for the stroke of the pusher to be lengthened so as to have a usual length, the rod of the pusher must be lengthened so that the head of the pusher is then relatively far from the middle part, which disadvantageously changes the appearance of the watch. Indeed, the control ring must have a certain height outside the middle part and a certain diameter, normally greater than that of the head of the pusher, in order to be easily handled. It follows that the push buttons provided with such a locking device have a massive appearance. Furthermore, the screw pitch used to transform the rotational movement into translation must be small enough so that the transformation is not accidentally reversible, that is to say that the friction is sufficient to oppose a untimely unscrewing. Thus, a significant handling time, due to the large number of rotations of the control ring, is necessary to switch the device between its locked and unlocked states. For watches comprising several push-buttons, as is generally the case for those fitted with a chronograph, the locking operation can thus prove to be particularly tedious since it must be carried out successively for each of the push-buttons.

Push-button locking devices are also known which partly provide a solution to the aforementioned problem. Thus, the document US 2010/014233 proposes to block the actuation of a pusher by a vertically movable frame, perpendicular to the actuating axis of the pusher. This frame defines an upper stop for the pusher, which is placed behind the head of the pusher according to the position of a rotating bezel which serves as a control member of the locking device. The frame and therefore the stopper are arranged under the rotating bezel so that they can be actuated directly by a surface. lower part of this rotating bezel. This embodiment has a first drawback in that the rear part of the head of the pusher must be inserted into the watch case when the pusher is in its rest position (pusher not actuated). A second drawback comes from the fact that the pusher is locked by a small stop acting only against the upper part of the head of the pusher. A third drawback arises from the fact that the locking device is bulky, in particular the frame which moves vertically in the middle part, which must have a recess for this purpose. In addition, the vertical movement of the frame requires a relatively tall case to allow this movement inside this case.

The document CH 700 535 discloses a watch comprising a pusher which can be locked in order to prevent it from being actuated. To this end, the watch comprises a rotating bezel which has, in an angular sector, a lower projecting part capable of taking place behind the head of the pusher when the bezel is rotated in an angular locking position. To unlock the pusher, it is then necessary to turn the bezel through a certain angle so as to remove the lower protrusion from behind the pusher to release the latter. It will be understood that such a solution requires a rotating bezel and in addition a particular configuration of this bezel and of the middle part in order to have a circular internal groove in which the lower protruding part can circulate.

The document CH 504 044 discloses a diving watch having two push buttons and a device for preventing the two push buttons from being activated simultaneously. In addition, the device is arranged so that pressure applied simultaneously to the two push-buttons, in particular during a dive, does not actuate either of the two push-buttons.

We also know from the document EP 1,582,945 , figures 7.8 and 11, a device for locking a pusher in which a tube and a piston passing through this tube are integral with the head of the pusher, the tube being fixed to this head and the piston being arranged movable in the tube between two vertical positions, that is to say between two positions along an axis perpendicular to the axis actuation of the pusher. A rotating bezel has a groove in its lower surface, one end of the piston being housed in this groove. This groove has a portion (45) with a depth which varies so as to allow actuation of the piston in the tube between two extreme positions which respectively define a locking position and an unlocking position of the pusher. This realization with small parts difficult to assemble is complex. As the tube and the piston are integral with the pusher moving along the actuating axis, it is necessary to provide a radial recess in the bezel and in the top of the middle part relatively large, so that the piston and its tube can be moved radially with the pusher in the unlocked position. The system is therefore bulky. This is further affected by the fact that the piston has a vertical movement to lock the pusher, which requires a relatively large height of the housing above the pusher. Furthermore, the incorporation of the pusher with the piston in the box is difficult. Indeed, the rotating bezel and the fixed bezel must be mounted after bringing the pusher fitted with its locking device, taking care to keep the piston in the vertical orientation provided. In particular, the pusher itself must be assembled before or simultaneously with the two aforementioned bezels and it is not possible to change it afterwards without dismantling them first. In conclusion, it is noted that this embodiment of the prior art has several drawbacks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to remedy the various drawbacks of the prior art by proposing a timepiece provided with a locking device for at least one pusher which is less bulky, more discreet and simpler to use.

To this end, the present invention relates to a timepiece comprising a case, a pusher mounted in a middle part of the case and a locking device capable of locking the pusher, this pusher being arranged so as to be able to undergo a translation along an axis. actuation of the push-button by a user. The locking device comprises a locking member and a control member arranged to control the movement of the locking member between a locking position and an unlocking position in which the pusher is respectively locked and free in translation. The control member extends in a general plane parallel to said actuating axis and is arranged movable in this general plane between a first position and a corresponding second position, for the blocking member driven by the control member, respectively to the locked and unlocked positions. According to the invention, the blocking member is arranged movable in translation along the actuation axis and capable of being moved by the control member along this actuation axis between the position locking, where it forms an axial stop for the pusher, and the unlocking position set back from the locking position. To do this, the control member comprises means for driving the blocking member along the actuating axis.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the timepiece comprises a bezel and the control member is formed by an intermediate ring mounted between the middle part and the bezel, this ring being movable in rotation about an axis substantially perpendicular to the bezel. 'actuation axis.

According to another advantageous embodiment, the timepiece comprises a rotating bezel forming the control member.

According to a preferred embodiment, the locking member is a cylindrical sleeve surrounding the pusher and arranged to be movable along the actuation axis of the pusher.

According to a particular embodiment, the locking member is a slide arranged movable along the actuating axis of the pusher.

According to another advantageous embodiment, the pusher comprises a head and the locking member is able to come into position, in order to lock it, at a short distance from this head or resting against it.

According to another advantageous embodiment, the control member has a radial positioning cam of the locking member cooperating with a follower means that this locking member comprises.

According to an advantageous variant, the timepiece comprises an elastic return means tending to keep the follower means in contact with the cam.

According to another advantageous variant, the cam is formed by a groove and the follower means is a lug inserted in this groove.

According to a particular variant, the cam is formed by a rib / a rail projecting under the control member and the follower means is a notch machined in the locking member.

According to another advantageous variant, the locking device comprises a visual means facilitating the recognition of the position of the locking member.

According to another advantageous variant, the locking device comprises a positioning means provided to hold the control member in place in its first and second positions which thus define two stable positions.

According to a particular variant, each of the first and second positions of the control member is provided by a hard point, for example formed of a ball mounted on an elastic element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

• les figures 1 et 2 représentent une vue en coupe transversale et une vue en coupe selon la ligne A - A d'un premier mode de réalisation d'une pièce d'horlogerie selon l'invention, dans laquelle le dispositif de verrouillage est dans sa position de verrouillage ;
• les figures 3 et 4 sont des vues en coupe, similaires à celles des figures 1 et 2, dans lesquelles le dispositif de verrouillage est dans sa position de déverrouillage ;
• les figures 5 à 9 représentent diverses coupes d'un deuxième mode de réalisation d'une pièce d'horlogerie selon l'invention, les figures 5 et 7 montrant le dispositif de verrouillage en position de verrouillage alors que les figures 6 et 9 le montrent en position de déverrouillage et la figure 8 en position intermédiaire.

Other details of the invention will become apparent on reading the following description, made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• the figures 1 and 2 show a cross-sectional view and a cross-sectional view along line A - A of a first embodiment of a timepiece according to the invention, in which the locking device is in its locking position;
• the figures 3 and 4 are sectional views, similar to those of figures 1 and 2 , in which the locking device is in its unlocked position;
• the figures 5 to 9 show various sections of a second embodiment of a timepiece according to the invention, the figures 5 and 7 showing the locking device in locked position while the figures 6 and 9 show it in the unlocked position and the figure 8 in the middle position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to figures 1 to 4 , a first embodiment of the invention will be described below. The figures represent partial sectional views of a timepiece showing a push-button arranged in the middle part 2 of the case 1 and its locking device. The push-button notably forms a control member of a chronograph mechanism. This push-button is composed of a pendant 3, screwed into a thread that comprises the middle part 2, and of a push-button 4 extending partially outside the timepiece in order to be actuated by a user. . The pusher 4 comprises a head 5 and a rod 6 capable of sliding in an opening that the pendant 3 has along an actuation axis 20 passing through the middle part parallel to the general plane of the case. A first spring 7 tends to maintain the pusher 4 in a distal position with reference to the middle part 2 (as shown in all of the figures).

The timepiece comprises a locking device comprising a locking member 8 movable in translation along the actuation axis 20. In a first embodiment presented to figures 1 to 4 , the locking member 8 is formed by a cylindrical sleeve 8a surrounding the pusher 4, this sleeve having an internal shoulder defining a stop 12 for the head 5 of the pusher at least when the locking device is in its locking position.

The locking device also comprises a control member 10 mounted movable in rotation with reference to the middle part 2, around an axis perpendicular to the general plane of the housing 1, and therefore perpendicular to the actuating axis 20. Generally speaking , the organ control extends in the general plane of the housing which is substantially parallel to the actuation axis and it is arranged movable in this general plane between a first position and a second position corresponding respectively to the locking and unlocking positions of the device lock. Preferably, the control member 10 extends at least partially outside the housing so as to be easily actuated by a user. In the first embodiment presented on figures 1 to 4 , the control member is a rotating ring 10 mounted between the middle part 2 and a bezel 11 included in the case 1.

The operation of the locking mechanism will now be described in detail. The locking member 8 is capable of being moved between a locking position shown in figures 1 and 2 and an unlocking position shown in figures 3 and 4 . In the locking position, a stop 12 of the locking member 8 is placed directly under the head 5 of the pusher 4 in order to substantially block the pusher 4 in translation and thus prevent its actuation to perform the function associated with this. pusher. In the unlocked position, the locking member has been translated along the actuating axis so as to release the push-button 4 in translation and to make it operational.

The movement of the locking member between its locking position and its unlocking position is controlled by the control member 10 which is kinematically linked to the locking member 8. To do this, the control member 10 comprises drive means cooperating with a follower means that comprises the locking member 8. In the first embodiment, the drive means are formed by a cam 13a and an elastic return means 15 while the follower means is formed by a lug 14a coming into contact with the cam 13a and acting as a cam follower. The elastic return means 15 (in particular a helical spring) keeps the lug 14a in contact with the cam 13a in both directions of actuation of the control member. In the variant shown, the cam 13a is defined by a lateral surface of an internal recess of the rotating ring 10, the profile of which has a monotonic radial variation between two angular positions respectively defining a first position and a second position corresponding to the locking positions. and unlocking.

So that the locking and unlocking positions are stable positions, the locking device preferably comprises a positioning means arranged to hold the control member in place in the first and second aforementioned positions. In particular, the control member can be mounted to pivot with heavy friction, which may be sufficient to ensure that it is held in said first and second positions. The positioning means shown in the figures is firstly formed by the slope of the cam 13a which is substantially zero at its two ends 13c which respectively define said first and second positions. The slope of the cam is considered in a circular frame of reference, so that a zero slope corresponds to a circular path.

The positioning can also be achieved or reinforced by the fact that the lug 14a is held radially in its two extreme radial positions, corresponding to the first and second positions, on the one hand by an internal tongue 16 formed in the rotating ring 10 and d 'on the other hand by a bearing surface defined by the caseband 2. The slope of the cam in the central zone causes a relatively rapid displacement of the locking member in response to a small angular displacement of the control member, then that the substantially zero slope at the ends 13c of the cam prevents the transmission of a torque from the follower element to the control member. Thus, a rotation of about thirty degrees of the rotating ring allows the locking member to be moved in both directions between its locking and unlocking positions.

It is also possible to provide for the positioning means of the control member to include hard points which must be overcome just before reaching said first and second positions and therefore either the locking position or the unlocking position. This makes it possible to further secure the two functional positions of the control member. Passing a hard point further provides a tactile indication of locking or unlocking to the user.

The figures 5 to 9 present a second embodiment which comprises alternative solutions to those presented in the first embodiment. These variants being independent of each other, they can be combined with each other. It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the two embodiments presented but also covers the combinations of the various alternatives and their equivalents as defined by the appended set of claims.

In a first variant of the second embodiment, the locking member is a slide 8b capable of sliding in the direction of the actuating axis of the pusher in a radial slide 9 which the middle part comprises. The slide 9 may have a dovetail shape or any other suitable profile.

In a second variant, the control member 10 is directly formed by a rotating bezel 11 which the housing comprises or supports.

According to another variant, the cam is formed by a groove 13b at least partially accommodating the lug 14a and having substantially the width of the diameter of this lug. This configuration corresponds to a desmodromic control for which the elastic return means of the drive means of the locking member can be eliminated in order to limit the size of the locking device. It may however be interesting to keep a low elastic return means in this case to take up the play between the parts and eliminate small parasitic translations of the locking member.

As an alternative to the two embodiments shown in the figures, the cam can just as easily be a prominent rib and the follower means a notch machined in the locking member and receiving the rib, the sliding of the rib in the notch. causing the radial displacement of the locking member.

The locking device may also include visual means facilitating recognition of the position of the locking member. This visual means, typically a marking, can be located on the control member or directly on the locking member. In the embodiments shown, the locking member is concealed in the unlocked position while it is visible in the locked position. The visibility of the locking member, which can be enhanced by a conspicuous color, is in this case the visual means which makes it possible to know its position.

We also notice on the figures 4 and 9 that it is easy to provide that the control member 10 comprises several grooves 13b, respectively several cams 13a in order to simultaneously lock several pushers.

Thus, the various solutions proposed make it possible to produce locking devices for one or more push-buttons which are easier and faster to use by locking with a single gesture. The fact that the locking member can be fully retracted into the middle part makes the locking device discreet. In addition, the actuation of a conventional pusher is not made less easy by the presence of the locking device when the latter is placed in the unlocking position. Finally, the fact of moving the control member at the level of the bezel makes it possible to practically not increase the size of the pushers with the arrangement of the locking device according to the invention, which makes it possible to keep a classic appearance to the watch case which may appear on the outside almost identical to a corresponding case without such a locking device.

Claims (12)

1. A timepiece containing a case (1), a pusher (4) mounted in a case middle (2) of the case and a locking device adapted to lock the pusher, this pusher being arranged in such a way as to be capable of undergoing a translation in an axis of actuation of the pusher by a user, the locking device containing a blocking means (8) and a control means (10) arranged to control the displacement of the blocking means between a locking position and an unlocking position, in which positions the pusher is respectively blocked and free in translation, the control means extending in a general plane parallel to said actuation axis and being arranged movably in this general plane between a first position and a second position which correspond respectively to the locking and unlocking positions for the blocking means driven by the control means; characterized in that said blocking means (8) is arranged movably in a translational manner along the actuation axis and with the ability to be displaced by the control means along this actuation axis between said locking position, where it forms an axial abutment for the pusher, and said unlocking position set back from the locking position, the control means containing for this purpose means for driving the blocking means in the actuation axis.
2. Timepiece according to Claim 1, characterized in that the driving means (13) contains a cam (13a, 13b) for the radial positioning of the blocking means, this cam cooperating with a follower means (14a) that the blocking means contains.
3. Timepiece according to Claim 2, characterized in that the driving means contains an elastic return means (15) seeking to maintain the follower means in contact with the cam (13a).
4. Timepiece according to Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the cam exhibits a groove (13b) and the follower means is a pin (14a) inserted into this groove.
5. Timepiece according to Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the cam is formed by a rib and the follower means is a slot.
6. Timepiece according to any one of the preceding claims, and of which the case contains or supports a bezel (11), characterized in that the control means (10) is formed by a ring which is mounted between the case middle (2) and the bezel (11) in such a way as to be rotatably mounted about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to said actuation axis.
7. Timepiece according to any one of the preceding claims, and of which the case contains or supports a bezel (11), characterized in that said control means (10) is formed by the bezel (11) which is rotatably arranged.
8. Timepiece according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the blocking means (8) is a cylindrical sleeve (8a) surrounding the pusher (4) and with the ability to be displaced in said actuation axis of the pusher between said locking and unlocking positions.
9. Timepiece according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the blocking means (8) is a slider (8b) which is arranged slidably in said actuation axis of the pusher between said locking and unlocking positions.
10. Timepiece according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pusher (4) contains a head (5) and the blocking means (8) is adapted to be positioned in order to lock the pusher, at a short distance from this head or bearing against the latter.
11. Timepiece according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking device contains a visual means facilitating the recognition of the position of the blocking means (8).
12. Timepiece according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking device contains a means of positioning arranged in order to maintain the control means (10) in one or other of its first and second positions.

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