Watch case with a control thumbwheel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11353829-B2
Application number	US-201716097490-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2017
Priority date	Dec 16, 2016
Publication date	Jun 7, 2022
Grant date	Jun 7, 2022

Abstract

A watch case including a thumbwheel for controlling a watch function, configured to be manipulated by a user, movable inside a housing and configured to allow a limited translational motion of one portion of the thumbwheel in a radial direction of the case, against an elastic return configured to move the portion away from an interior of the case. The housing includes a control detector detecting presence of the portion close to the center of the case when pressure is applied by a user, and configured to activate or deactivate a sensor included in the case in proximity to the housing, configured, when a rotational movement is imparted to the thumbwheel by the user, to detect passage of a transmitter included in the thumbwheel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A watch case comprising:
at least one rotationally moveable thumbwheel for controlling a display or a function of the watch;
a housing inside which is the at least one thumbwheel, the thumbwheel is configured to be manipulated directly by a user of the watch via a peripheral contact surface, the housing is configured to allow a limited translational motion, between an internal end position and an external end position, of at least one portion of the thumbwheel in a radial direction of the case, against an elastic return configured to move the portion away from an interior of the case;
at least a first control detector configured to detect presence of the portion of the thumbwheel close to a center of the case when pressure is imparted by the user, or in an internal end position;
at least one transmitter included in the thumbwheel, the at least one transmitter is discontinuous and is arranged at different angular intervals around the thumbwheel; and
at least one sensor included in the case in proximity to the housing, the at least one sensor is configured to detect passage of the at least one transmitter when a rotational movement is imparted to the thumbwheel by the user, and
wherein the first control detector is configured to activate or deactivate the at least one sensor based on the detection of the presence of the portion of the thumbwheel close to the center of the case.

2. The case according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect at least one of direction of travel and reversal of direction of travel of the transmitter.

3. The case according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect the angular distance between two the transmitters.

4. The case according to claim 1 , wherein at least two of the sensors are configured to detect passage of the transmitter.

5. The case according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensor is configured to measure an angle of rotation of the thumbwheel after control detection has been effected by the first detector.

6. The case according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller configured to control signals transmitted and received in the first detector and the sensor, to activate or deactivate the sensor and, when the sensor is activated, to analyze a number of the transmitters identified by the sensor and/or angular distance between pairs of the transmitters, and/or directions of travel of the transmitters, to transform a result of analysis into an order for display or activation of a watch function, addressed to a timepiece movement contained in the case.

7. The case according to claim 1 , wherein the thumbwheel is flexible and itself forms the elastic return.

8. The case according to claim 1 , wherein the thumbwheel is rigid, and the elastic return includes a pusher configured to rest on the thumbwheel.

9. The case according to claim 1 , wherein the thumbwheel is annular, and the housing is a substantially annular groove, of variable width, and
wherein projection of the annular groove onto a line parallel to the radial direction of the case is at least equal to the distance between the internal end position and the external end position.

10. The case according to claim 1 , wherein the first detector is a switch activated by the elastic return or by a pusher included in the elastic return.

11. The case according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor includes magnetic sensors, which, once activated, are arranged to detect passage of magnets included in the at least one transmitter.

12. The case according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one transmitter is arranged at different angular intervals around the thumbwheel.

13. The case according to claim 1 , wherein the thumbwheel includes, on a face configured to cooperate with the bottom of the housing, a relief portion configured to cooperate with a complementary relief portion included in the bottom, for braking by notches during rotation of the thumbwheel.

14. The case according to claim 1 , wherein the thumbwheel includes, on a face arranged to cooperate with the bottom of the housing, a relief portion configured to cooperate with a notched ring inserted between the thumbwheel and the bottom, for braking by notches during rotation of the thumbwheel.

15. The case according to claim 1 , further comprising a cover or a bezel or a back cover for enclosing the thumbwheel in the case.

16. The watch comprising a case according to claim 1 , configured to contain a timepiece movement, wherein display or watch functions are controlled by the sensor of the case.

Assignees

• Eta Sa Mft Horlogere Suisse

Inventors

• Meyer Vincent
• Balmer Raphael
• Lagorgette Pascal

Classifications

• G04G21/00 Primary

  Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces · CPC title

• G04G17/02

  Component assemblies · CPC title

• G04C3/004

  Magnetically controlled · CPC title

• G04G17/08 Primary

  Housings · CPC title