External assembly element with integrated communication circuit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11048213-B2
Application number	US-201615759037-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2016
Priority date	Sep 10, 2015
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

An external assembly element of a timepiece made from a first material, including a groove in which a communication circuit is arranged, wherein the communication circuit is over-molded with a polymer material filling the groove.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An external assembly element of a timepiece made from a first material, comprising:
a communication circuit;
a groove in which the communication circuit is arranged; and
a dial train element including areas of excess thickness forming index numbers,
wherein the communication circuit is covered by a first over-molding, the first over-molding including a polymer material filling the groove,
wherein the areas of excess thickness are flush with an upper surface of the first over-molding and flush with an upper surface of the external assembly element, and
wherein the first over-molding is in contact with each of the dial train element and the communication circuit in the groove.

2. The external assembly element according to claim 1 , wherein the dial train element enables indication of minutes, and
wherein the dial train element includes a first strip made from a second material, the first strip including the areas of excess thickness forming index numbers.

3. The external assembly element according to claim 2 , wherein the second material forming the first strip is a transparent material, wherein the dial train element further comprises a second strip made from a luminescent material.

4. The external assembly element according to claim 2 , wherein the dial train element is positioned between the communication circuit and the first over-molding of polymer material.

5. The external assembly element according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a second over-molding,
wherein the communication circuit is covered by the first over-molding, on which the dial train element is positioned,
wherein the second over-molding is arranged on the dial train element, and
wherein the first and second over-moldings are arranged so that the areas of excess thickness are flush with a surface of the second over-molding.

6. The external assembly element according to claim 2 , wherein the dial train element is made from a material chosen from: metal, ceramic, wood, or rock.

7. The external assembly element according to claim 2 , wherein the dial train element is made from the second material that comprises a polymer, into which a luminescent pigment is mixed.

8. The external assembly element according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer material forming the first over-molding is over-molded to form hollow spaces filled with a luminescent material.

9. The external assembly element according to claim 1 , made from an electrically non-conductive material.

10. A timepiece comprising:
a case comprising a middle part closed by a back and a glass and fitted with a bezel,
wherein the bezel is the external assembly element according to claim 1 , and
wherein the groove is annular.

11. The timepiece according to claim 10 , wherein the bezel and the middle part only form one and same single piece.

Assignees

• Omega Sa

Inventors

• Silvant Olivier
• Kissling Gregory
• Ferri Yvan

Classifications

• G04G21/04 Primary

  using radio waves (radio-controlled time-pieces G04R) · CPC title

• G04R60/08 Primary

  inside bezels · CPC title

• G04B19/283

  on rotatable rings, i.e. bezel (for graduations on the bezels G04B19/18) · CPC title