Method for assembling at least two elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11687039-B2
Application number	US-201916545715-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 20, 2019
Priority date	Sep 14, 2018
Publication date	Jun 27, 2023
Grant date	Jun 27, 2023

Abstract

A method for assembling at least a first element and a second element to form, once assembled, an external component for a portable device, including the steps of: a) making the first element; b) making the second element; c) arranging at least a first groove in the first element and at least a second groove in the second element; d) placing and holding the first and second element end-to-end with at least a third connecting element which is inserted and locked in the first and second grooves.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for assembling at least a first element and a second element to form, once assembled, an external watch component for a portable device, comprising the steps of:
a) making the first element including a top side, a bottom side, and an edge extending between the top side and the bottom side, the first element being made of a first material;
b) making the second element including a top side, a bottom side, and an edge extending between the top side and the bottom side, the second element being made of a second material that is different than the first material;
c) arranging at least a first groove in the first element and at least a second groove in the second element;
d) placing and holding the first and second element end-to-end with at least a third connecting element which is inserted and locked in the first and second grooves such that the edge of the first element directly contacts the edge of the second element, the third element being an at least partially amorphous metallic material or a material resulting from electroforming.

2. The assembly method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of inserting and locking the third element in the first and second grooves consists in filling the first and second grooves by inlaying the third element.

3. The assembly method according to claim 2 , wherein said third element is the at least partially amorphous metallic material.

4. The assembly method according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second elements are made of an electrically conductive material or wherein the walls of the grooves are coated with an electrically conductive material, wherein the step of inserting and locking the third element in the first and second grooves consists in metal filling the first and second grooves via an electroforming process.

5. The assembly method according to claim 1 , wherein the first element has a first appearance and wherein the second element has a second appearance different from the first appearance of the first element.

6. The assembly method according to claim 1 , wherein the first groove is in communication with the second groove when the two elements are placed end-to-end.

7. The assembly method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises, after step d), a step consisting in trimming said third element until the surfaces of the first, second and third elements are seamlessly connected to one another.

8. The assembly method according to claim 1 , wherein said first material and said second material are polycrystalline or single crystal ceramic materials, made from aluminium oxide, zirconium oxide, tungsten carbide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, tungsten carbide or cermets.

9. The assembly method according to claim 1 , wherein said material forming the third element is chosen from the following group: precious or semi-precious metals.

10. The assembly method according to claim 1 , wherein said material forming the third element is chosen from the group including alloys of gold, platinum or palladium.

11. The assembly method according to claim 1 , wherein each groove is machined to form a recess having a trapezoidal cross section, the side walls of each groove being inclined and converging from the inside in the direction of the exterior of the groove.

12. The assembly method according to claim 1 , wherein each groove is machined either on the upper side, or the lower side of said first element and said second element.

13. The assembly method according to claim 1 , wherein each groove extends over the entire length of the first element and second element.

14. The assembly method according to claim 1 , wherein each groove has a depth comprised between 0.05 mm and 4 mm.

15. The assembly method according to claim 1 , wherein trimming is achieved by milling or turning.

16. An external component comprising at least the first element and the second element assembled according to the assembly method according to claim 1 .

17. The external component according to claim 16 , wherein said third element is the at least partially amorphous metallic material inlaid in said first and second grooves.

18. The external component according to claim 16 , wherein said third element is electroformed in said first and second grooves.

19. The external component according to claim 16 , wherein said first material and said second material are polycrystalline or single crystal ceramic materials, made from aluminium oxide, zirconium oxide, tungsten carbide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, tungsten carbide or cermets.

20. The external component according to claim 16 , wherein said material forming the third element is chosen from the following group: precious or semi-precious metals.

21. The component according to claim 20 , wherein said material forming the third element is chosen from the group including alloys of gold, platinum or palladium.

22. The external component according to claim 16 , wherein each groove has a trapezoidal cross section, the side walls of each groove being inclined and converging outwards from the inside.

23. The external component according to claim 16 , wherein each groove extends over the entire length of the first element and second element.

24. The external component according to claim 16 , wherein each groove has a depth comprised between 0.05 mm and 4 mm.

25. The external component according to claim 16 , wherein the component forms a watch bezel or a watch case.

26. The external component according to claim 16 , wherein the component has an annular shape, with each element forming an annular arc.

27. The external component according to claim 26 , wherein said component forms a watch bezel.

28. The assembly method according to claim 1 , wherein the first element and the second element have an identical shape and are made in a same mold.

29. An external component comprising at least:
a first element and a second element assembled in at least one junction area, the first element includes a top side, a bottom side, and an edge extending between the top side and the bottom side, the first element made of a first material, the second element includes a top side, a bottom side, and an edge extending between the top side and the bottom side, and the second element is made of a second material that is different than the first material;
a first groove arranged in said first element and a second groove arranged in said second element, said first groove and second groove extending at least into each junction area;
a third element, at least partially filling the first groove and second groove in each junction area of the first element and second element such that the edge of the first element directly contacts the edge of the second element, the third element being an at least partially amorphous metallic material or a material resulting from electroforming,
wherein the external component is a component of a watch.

30. The external component according to claim 29 , wherein the first element and the second element have an identical shape.

Assignees

• Comadur Sa

Inventors

• Netuschill Alexandre

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

• C25D1/02

  Tubes; Rings; Hollow bodies · CPC title

• G04B45/0076 Primary

  Decoration of the case and of parts thereof, e.g. as a method of manufacture thereof (specially shaped G04B45/0061, G04B45/0069; decoration with inscriptions and pictures G04B45/0084; construction of the hands G04B19/042; decoration by adding extra pieces to the clockwork G04B47/04; colouring by treatment of the surface, e.g. by oxidation C25D) · CPC title

• G04B19/12

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

• A44C5/12

  C-spring-type bracelets or wrist-watch holders · CPC title