Water-resistant watch case

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11768469-B2
Application number	US-202016846811-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 13, 2020
Priority date	May 8, 2019
Publication date	Sep 26, 2023
Grant date	Sep 26, 2023

Abstract

A water-resistant watch case of a diving watch, includes at least one back mounted on a lower side of a middle part, and a crystal mounted on an upper side of the middle part. The crystal includes an annular peripheral surface to be fastened with an amorphous metal gasket on an inner annular surface that is complementary in shape, on the upper side of the middle part. The annular peripheral surface of the crystal is inclined towards the inside of the watch case at a determined angle less than 90° relative to a central axis perpendicular to a plane of the watch case to distribute stresses between the crystal and the middle part due to the water pressure during a dive. The annular peripheral surface and the inner annular surface are conical in shape.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A water-resistant watch case for a diving watch, the case comprising:
at least one crystal mounted on an upper side of a middle part,
a bezel positioned above the middle part,
wherein the crystal comprises an annular peripheral surface to be fastened by a metal gasket of the watch case, that is annular in shape, on an inner annular surface on the upper side of the middle part,
wherein the annular peripheral surface of the crystal is inclined towards the inside of the watch case at a determined angle less than 90° relative to a central axis perpendicular to a plane of the watch case in order to distribute stresses between the crystal and the middle part due to the water pressure during a dive,
wherein the metal gasket is one piece that includes a first portion arranged between the annular peripheral surface of the crystal and the inner annular surface of the middle part, and a second portion in contact between an inner annular wall of the middle part above the inner annular surface and an outer annular wall of the crystal above the annular peripheral surface, the first portion and the second portion of the metal gasket are linear and are directly connected at a bottom end of the second portion and a top end of the first portion, and
wherein a top end of the second portion is positioned below the bezel.

2. The watch case according to claim 1 , wherein the one-piece metal gasket is made of metal alloy that is at least partially amorphous in a phase during which the crystal is fastened to the middle part.

3. The watch case according to claim 2 , wherein the crystal is fastened to the middle part by the one-piece metal gasket made of metal alloy that is at least partially amorphous after hot working.

4. The watch case according to claim 1 , wherein the one-piece metal gasket is made of a metal alloy that is at least partially amorphous.

5. The watch case according to claim 4 , wherein the amorphous metal alloy of the gasket is based mainly on zirconium.

6. The watch case according to claim 4 , wherein the amorphous metal alloy of the gasket is based mainly on platinum.

7. The watch case according to claim 4 , wherein the amorphous metal alloy of the gasket is based mainly on palladium.

8. The watch case according to claim 1 , wherein the inner annular surface on the upper side of the middle part is of a shape complementary to the annular peripheral surface of the crystal.

9. The watch case according to claim 1 , wherein the annular walls are parallel to the central axis.

10. The watch case according to claim 1 , wherein the annular peripheral surface of the crystal and the inner annular surface of the middle part are conical surfaces, wherein the inner annular wall of the middle part and the outer annular wall of the crystal are cylindrical surfaces.

11. The watch case according to claim 1 , wherein the defined angle of inclination of the annular peripheral surface of the crystal is of the order of 43°±5° relative to the central axis.

12. The watch case according to claim 1 , wherein the defined angle of inclination of the annular peripheral surface of the crystal and the inner annular surface of the middle part is of the order of 43°±5° relative to the central axis.

13. The watch case according to claim 1 , wherein the annular peripheral surface of the crystal comprises a deposit for etching an inscription by laser beam.

14. The watch case according to claim 13 , wherein a colour of the deposit is different from a colour of a first portion of the fastening gasket so as to view the inscription through the crystal from outside the watch case.

15. The watch case according to claim 1 , wherein the annular peripheral surface of the crystal comprises a structuring intended to create a decoration.

Assignees

• Omega Sa

Inventors

• Kaltenrieder Cedric
• Kissling Gregory
• Winkler Yves

Classifications

• G04B39/02 Primary

  Sealing crystals or glasses {(sealing the case and the winding stem G04B37/08)} · CPC title

• G04B37/088

  Means affording hermetic sealing inside the case, e.g. protective case for the clockwork against dust, the escapement being in a hermetically sealed case (case for watch pieces G04B37/0091; synchronous motor lubrication G04C15/009) · CPC title

• G04B45/0084

  Pictures or inscriptions on the case or parts thereof, attaching complete pictures (decoration and manfuacture thereof G04B45/0076; special decorative parts which are attached to the case or other parts G04B47/04) · CPC title

• G04B39/00 Primary

  Watch crystals; Fastening or sealing of crystals; Clock glasses · CPC title

• G04B37/08 Primary

  Hermetic sealing of openings, joints, passages or slits {(covers or protecting devices which can be directly removed, or by sliding or turning G04B37/005; hermetic sealing of watch or crystal with special pieces G04B39/02; hermetically-sealed electrical switches H01H23/06)} · CPC title