Versatile horology component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11531305-B2
Application number	US-201916448971-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2019
Priority date	Jun 25, 2018
Publication date	Dec 20, 2022
Grant date	Dec 20, 2022

Abstract

A horology component ( 1 ) for a timepiece, including a first portion ( 10 ) and a second portion ( 20 ), the first portion ( 10 ) comprising one part that is at least partially transparent and at least partially superposed on top of the second portion ( 20 ), this second portion ( 20 ) taking the form of a massive portion comprising a material capable of emitting at least one emission light wave if excited by at least one excitation light wave, and the at least partially transparent part of the first portion allowing an emission light wave emitted by the second portion ( 20 ) to be transmitted at least partially toward the outside of the horology component so that the horology component exhibits at least a first appearance by day and at least one different second appearance by night where the first portion ( 10 ) is backlit by an emission light wave emitted by the second portion ( 20 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A horology component for a timepiece, wherein the component comprises:
a first portion, and
a second portion,
the first portion comprising a part that is at least partially transparent and at least partially superposed on top of the second portion,
the second portion taking the form of a massive portion comprising a luminescent material distributed through its volume and capable of emitting at least one emission light wave if excited by at least one excitation light wave,
the part of the first portion that is at least partially transparent allowing an emission light wave emitted by the second portion to be transmitted at least partially toward an outside of the horology component so that the horology component exhibits at least a first appearance by day and at least one different second appearance by night where the first portion is backlit by an emission light wave emitted by the second portion, and
wherein the first portion is in the form of a massive portion and wherein said component comprises an assembly, removable or non-removable, between the first and second portions by bonding, or by a mechanical device, or by crimping, or by capillary adhesion.

2. The horology component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the part of the first portion is translucent, and allows an excitation light wave coming from outside the horology component to be transmitted at least in part to the second portion, but doesn't allow or only allows a part of the second portion to be seen by day.

3. The horology component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second portion is in the form of a massive structure formed from a material having a fluorescent and/or phosphorescent property.

4. The horology component as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the second portion is in the form of a fluorescent and/or phosphorescent ceramic.

5. The horology component as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the second portion forms a support for the first portion, and/or
wherein the second portion forms a support for the horology component on a timepiece.

6. The horology component as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the first portion has a thickness less than or equal to 2 mm inclusive, and/or
wherein the second portion has a thickness on average greater than or equal to 0.01 mm, and/or a surface area greater than or equal to 1 mm 2 .

7. The horology component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first portion is made of mother-of-pearl; of fossil material; of tortoiseshell; of manganocalcite; of lepidolite; of petrified wood; of coral; of amber; of pearl; of ivory; of metal or of metal alloy; of engineering ceramic based on zirconia and/or alumina, pigmented or otherwise; of gemstone; of mineral; of stone or precious substance of organic origin; of sphalerite; of fluorite; of agate; of alexandrite; of amethyst; of anatase; of aventurine; of chalcedony; of chrysoberyl; of chrysoprase; of citrine; of jasper; of tiger's-eye; of opal; of quartz; of spinel; of aragonite; of azurite; of malachite; of crocoite; of apatite; of lazulite; of turquoise; of aquamarine; of beryl; of tourmaline; of obsidian; or of snowflake obsidian.

8. The horology component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the part of the first portion has a thickness and is made of at least one material so as to be at least partially transparent.

9. The horology component as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the first portion has a transparency property that is at least partially homogeneous, or
wherein the first portion has a transparency property that is heterogeneous, the first portion comprising parts that are at least partially transparent juxtaposed with parts of different transparencies, or
wherein the first portion has a variable thickness.

10. A horology component for a timepiece, wherein the component comprises:
a first portion, and
a second portion,
the first portion comprising a part that is at least partially transparent and at least partially superposed on top of the second portion,
the second portion taking the form of a massive portion comprising a luminescent material distributed through its volume and capable of emitting at least one emission light wave if excited by at least one excitation light wave,
the part of the first portion that is at least partially transparent allowing an emission light wave emitted by the second portion to be transmitted at least partially toward an outside of the horology component so that the horology component exhibits at least a first appearance by day and at least one different second appearance by night where the first portion is backlit by an emission light wave emitted by the second portion, and
wherein the first portion comprises a structuration comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of openings formed on an exterior surface, openings formed on an interior surface, openings formed in a thickness of the part of the first portion, and an ablation of the part of the first portion, invisible or barely visible to the naked eye by day, the structuration being arranged in at least one selected from the group consisting of the at least partially transparent part and an opaque part of the first portion, so as to modify the transparency of the first portion.

11. The horology component as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the first portion comprises a structuration distributed homogeneously.

12. A horology component for a timepiece, wherein the component comprises:
a first portion, and
a second portion,
the first portion comprising a part that is at least partially transparent and at least partially superposed on top of the second portion,
the second portion taking the form of a massive portion comprising a luminescent material distributed through its volume and capable of emitting at least one emission light wave if excited by at least one excitation light wave,
the part of the first portion that is at least partially transparent allowing an emission light wave emitted by the second portion to be transmitted at least partially toward an outside of the horology component so that the horology component exhibits at least a first appearance by day and at least one different second appearance by night where the first portion is backlit by an emission light wave emitted by the second portion, and
wherein the component consists of the first portion and of the second portion, or
wherein the component comprises a third portion arranged on top of or substantially even with the second portion or interposed between the first and second portion.

13. The horology component as claimed in claim 12 ,
wherein the third portion is a mask, selective or otherwise, and/or
wherein the third portion comprises a fixing device for fixing the horology component, and/or
wherein the third portion supports several distinct and massive parts of the second portion, and/or
wherein the third portion contributes to the function of assembling the first and second portions, and/or
wherein the third portion comprises optical elements such as optical fibres.

14. The horology component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the component is a dial, a dial counter, an index (an hour marker, a numeral marker, or any marker), a bezel disk, or a decorative plate.

15. A timepiece, wherein the timepiece comprises a horology component as claimed in claim 1 .

16. The horology component as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the ceramic is a composite ceramic based on yttrium-stabilized zirconia and Dy/Eu-doped strontium aluminate.

17. The horology component as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the ceramic is a luminescent zir

Assignees

• Rolex Sa

Inventors

• Berner Detlef
• Di Luna Pierre
• Girod Romain
• Oliveira Alexandre
• Pujol Ollivier
• Roulet Alexandra

Classifications

• G04B37/22

  Materials or processes of manufacturing pocket watch or wrist watch cases {(machines or tools for the manufacture of clockwork cases G04D3/0064, G04D3/0097, G04D3/029; decoration or tools therefor G04B45/0076)} · CPC title

• G04B19/12

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

• G04G17/08

  Housings · CPC title

• G04G11/00

  Producing optical signals at preselected times · CPC title

• G04B19/065

  with several parts · CPC title