Method of fabricating an embossed decoration provided with an attachment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11077704-B2
Application number	US-201716334069-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2017
Priority date	Oct 13, 2016
Publication date	Aug 3, 2021
Grant date	Aug 3, 2021

Abstract

A method of fabricating a decoration provided with at least one attachment includes forming an envelope of material, the envelope including an external surface and an internal surface, and the external surface including a visible embossed part of the decoration, forming the at least one attachment, and fastening the at least one attachment directly and permanently against the internal surface of the envelope of the decoration.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of fabricating a decoration provided with at least one attachment, comprising:
a) forming an envelope of material, the envelope including an external surface and an internal surface, and the external surface including a visible embossed part of the decoration;
b) forming the at least one attachment; and
c) fastening the at least one attachment directly and permanently against the internal surface of the envelope of the decoration.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step a) comprises:
a1) forming an imprint of the decoration in a substrate; and
a2) covering the imprint with a layer of the material.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the step a) further comprises after a1) and a2):
a3) removing the substrate in order to obtain the envelope of the material, the external surface including the visible embossed part of the decoration.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step a) comprises:
a1) obtaining a sheet of the material; and
a2) deforming the sheet of the material in order to form the envelope of the material.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the step a) further comprises after a1) and a2):
a3) removing the envelope from the rest of the sheet in order to obtain the envelope, the external surface including the visible embossed part of the decoration.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step a) comprises:
a1) forming a mould for the decoration; and
a2) covering the mould with the material in order to form the envelope of the material.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the step a) further comprises after a1) and a2):
3) removing the mould in order to obtain the envelope, the external surface including the visible embossed part of the decoration.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the material of the envelope includes a precious metal.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the decoration forms all or part of a bezel, a dial, an appliqué a hand of a timepiece.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein fastening the at least one attachment directly and permanently includes gluing the at least one attachment to the internal surface of the envelope.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein fastening the at least one attachment directly and permanently includes welding the at least one attachment to the internal surface of the envelope.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein fastening the at least one attachment directly and permanently includes brazing the at least one attachment to the internal surface of the envelope.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the steps b) and c) include filling a volume of a cavity defined by the internal surface of the envelope with a material that forms the at least one attachment.

Assignees

• Swatch Group Res & Dev Ltd

Inventors

• Vuille Pierry
• Winkler Yves

Classifications

• B44C5/00 Primary

  Processes for producing special ornamental bodies · CPC title

• G04B19/103

  attached or inlaid numbers (attaching of jewels or ornaments G04B47/042; arrangements for attaching bearing jewels, or the like G04D3/04) · CPC title

• G04B19/042

  Construction and manufacture of the hands; arrangements for increasing reading accuracy (hands with illumination G04B19/305; specially shaped hands, e.g. figures or pictures G04B45/0061; clockwork in the hands G04B45/043; invisible drive of the hands G04B45/046) · CPC title

• B44C1/28

  Uniting ornamental elements on a support, e.g. mosaics {(B44C3/123 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G04B19/12 Primary

  Selection of materials for dials or graduations {markings} · CPC title