Assembly screw for assembling two horology components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10595597-B2
Application number	US-201715622687-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2017
Priority date	Jun 15, 2016
Publication date	Mar 24, 2020
Grant date	Mar 24, 2020

Abstract

Assembly screw ( 1 ) for the pivoting attachment of at least two horology components in a position of assembly, the assembly screw ( 1 ) comprising at least one guide portion ( 3 ) allowing one of the horology components to pivot, and at least one threaded portion ( 4 ) allowing it to be fixed to another horology component, wherein this screw comprises a shoulder ( 5 ) intended to come into abutment against this other horology component and a zone ( 10 ) of lower mechanical rigidity to reduce the contact pressure applied at the shoulder ( 5 ) of the assembly screw when the horology components are in the position of assembly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An assembly screw for the pivoting attachment of at least two horology components in a position of assembly, the assembly screw comprising:
at least one guide portion allowing a first one of the horology components to pivot, and
at least one threaded portion allowing the first one of the horology components to be fixed to another horology component,
a shoulder intended to come into abutment against the other horology component, the shoulder being located between the guide portion and the threaded portion,
a first zone of lower mechanical rigidity to reduce the contact pressure applied at the shoulder of the assembly screw when the horology components are in the position of assembly, the first zone of lower mechanical rigidity being located within the guide portion, and
a second zone of lower mechanical rigidity located between the shoulder and the threaded portion,
wherein the first zone of lower mechanical rigidity has a minimum cross section inscribed inside a circle of diameter D 10 so that the ratio D 10 /D 3 is comprised between 0.1 and 0.9 inclusive, where D 3 is the diameter of the adjacent guide portion.

2. The assembly screw as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the shoulder has a surface area greater than or equal to 0.8 mm 2 .

3. The assembly screw as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the screw has a width L 10 so that the ratio L 10 /L 13 is comprised between 0.04 and 0.3 inclusive, where L 13 is the length of a central part of the assembly screw comprising the guide portion.

4. The assembly screw as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the threaded portion has an outside or nominal diameter less than or equal to 2 mm.

5. The assembly screw as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the shoulder is positioned between the first zone of lower mechanical rigidity and the threaded portion.

6. The assembly screw as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first zone of lower mechanical rigidity has a hollow shape.

7. The assembly screw as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the first zone of lower mechanical rigidity has a groove of constant or non-constant diameter.

8. The assembly screw as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the shoulder has a truncated shape of an angle comprised between 10° and 60° inclusive.

9. The assembly screw as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the shoulder has a truncated shape of an angle comprised between 20° and 45° inclusive.

10. The assembly screw as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) the shoulder is positioned upstream of the threaded portion and (ii) the shoulder is positioned at the end of the guide surface.

11. The assembly screw as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the screw comprises an initial part comprising the shoulder, the second zone of lower rigidity and the threaded portion, a central part comprising the guide surface and the first zone of lower rigidity, and a final part comprising a head for actuating the screw.

12. A bracelet, wherein the bracelet comprises at least two links assembled with pivoting via an assembly screw as claimed in claim 1 .

13. The bracelet as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the at least two links of the bracelet comprise a first link having an opening comprising a tapped hole in which the threaded portion of the assembly screw is arranged, and an abutment surface at the entrance to said opening and against which the shoulder of the assembly screw is positioned bearing thereagainst.

14. The bracelet as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the at least two links of the bracelet comprise:
a first link comprising two edge link elements so that a head of the assembly screw is lodged within an opening in a first edge link element and so that a threaded portion of the assembly screw is lodged within an opening of the second edge link element, and
a second link comprising an opening through which the assembly screw passes, so that the second link can pivot with a low amount of play about a guide surface of the assembly screw.

15. A timepiece, wherein the timepiece comprises at least two components assembled with pivoting by an assembly screw as claimed in claim 1 .

16. The assembly screw as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the ratio D 10 /D 3 is comprised between 0.3 and 0.7 inclusive.

17. The assembly screw as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first zone of lower mechanical rigidity is arranged close to the threaded portion.

18. The assembly screw as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a downstream end of the screw is positioned at a distance, measured from the downstream end of its shoulder, of less than or equal to the length L 13 /3, where L 13 is the length of a central part of the assembly screw comprising the guide portion or in the half of the assembly screw that comprises the threaded portion.

19. The assembly screw of claim 1 , wherein the second zone of lower mechanical rigidity is located in immediate vicinity upstream of the threaded portion.

20. A link assembly comprising a first link, a second link, and an assembly screw for the pivoting attachment of the first and second links,
wherein the assembly screw comprises:
at least one guide portion allowing the first link to pivot, and
at least one threaded portion allowing the first link to be fixed to the second link,
a shoulder intended to come into abutment against the second link, the shoulder being located between the guide portion and the threaded portion, and
a zone of lower mechanical rigidity to reduce the contact pressure applied at the shoulder of the assembly screw in the position of assembly of the two links,

wherein the threaded portion of the assembly screw is screwed in a tapped hole of the second link,
wherein the first link is rotatably guided on the guide portion of the assembly screw, and
wherein the first zone of lower mechanical rigidity has a minimum cross section inscribed inside a circle of diameter D 10 so that the ratio D 10 /D 3 is comprised between 0.1 and 0.9 inclusive, where D 3 is the diameter of the adjacent guide portion.

21. The link assembly of claim 20 , wherein the shoulder is positioned between the first zone of lower mechanical rigidity and the threaded portion.

22. A bracelet comprising the link assembly according to claim 20 .

23. An assembly comprising two horology components, and an assembly screw for the pivoting attachment of the two horology components,
wherein the assembly screw comprises:
at least one guide portion allowing a first one of the horology components to pivot, and
at least one threaded portion allowing the first one of the horology components to be fixed to a second one of the horology components,
a shoulder intended to come into abutment against the second horology component, the shoulder being located between the guide portion and the threaded portion, and
a zone of lower mechanical rigidity to reduce the contact pressure applied at the shoulder of the assembly screw in the position of assembly of the horology components,

wherein the threaded portion of the assembly screw is screwed in a tapped hole of the second horology component,
wherein the first horology component is rotatably guided on the guide portion of the assembly screw, and
wherein the first zone of lower mechanical rigidity has a minimum cross section inscribed inside a circle of diameter D 10 so that the ratio D 10 /D 3 is comprised between 0.1 and 0.9 inclusive, where D 3 is the diameter of the adjacent guide portion.

24. The assembly of claim 2

Assignees

• Rolex Sa

Inventors

• Catheline Adrien
• Rejzner James

Classifications

• A44C5/02 Primary

  Link constructions · CPC title

• F16B35/041 Primary

  Specially-shaped shafts (shape of thread F16B33/02) · CPC title

• A44C11/00

  Watch chains; Ornamental chains {(fastening devices for watch or ornamental chains A44C5/18)} · CPC title

• G04B31/00

  Bearings; Point suspensions or counter-point suspensions; Pivot bearings; Single parts therefor (bearings in general F16C {; manufacture and composition of springs G04B1/145; suspension of oscillating weights G04B5/18; suspension of a pendulum G04B17/02; bearings for electrical measurement apparatus G01R1/10, G01R1/12, G01R11/12, G01R11/14; inserting jewels A44C17/04; inserting cutting diamonds B23P5/00; devices for fixation of bearing jewels, bearing sleeves, or the like G04D3/04}) · CPC title

• F16C11/04

  Pivotal connections (hinges for doors, windows or wings E05D) · CPC title