Method for manufacturing decorative parts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11914331-B2
Application number	US-201917056669-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 18, 2019
Priority date	Jun 28, 2018
Publication date	Feb 27, 2024
Grant date	Feb 27, 2024

Abstract

A method is for manufacturing a part including a support made of an electrically non-conductive material, the support being provided with at least one recess filled with an aesthetic element made of an electrically conductive material, and the aesthetic element forms a decoration on a side of the part that is intended to be visible. The method includes inlaying by pressing a preform intended to form the aesthetic element into the at least one recess of the support, and treating the surface of the aesthetic element. The at least one recess opens in one or more places onto a side of the part that is intended to be non-visible, to respectively form one or more contact points for carrying current across the aesthetic element during the surface treatment.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A part, comprising:
a support made of an electrically non-conductive material, said support being provided with at least one recess filled with an aesthetic element made of an electrically conductive material, said aesthetic element forming a decoration on a visible side of the part, wherein said at least one recess opens in one or more places onto a face of the part that is configured to be non-visible and the aesthetic element includes a surface coating layer,
wherein the part is a watch case middle forming the support with said at least one recess inlaid with the aesthetic element forming a portion of the case middle,
wherein the portion of the case middle extends up to a horn of the case middle, and
wherein a recess of said at least one recess communicates with a hole for insertion of a spring bar arranged in the horn of the case middle.

2. The part according to claim 1 , wherein the coating layer is a precious metal.

3. The part according to claim 1 , wherein the coating layer is an anodized layer or a metallic layer.

4. The part according to claim 1 , wherein the support is made of a material chosen from among ceramic, sapphire and enamel.

5. The part according to claim 1 , wherein the aesthetic element is made of an amorphous metal, a crystalline metal or one of their alloys.

6. The part according to claim 1 , wherein the aesthetic element is made of an aluminium, titanium or precious metal alloy.

7. A method for manufacturing a part comprising a support made of an electrically non-conductive material, said support being provided with at least one recess filled with an aesthetic element made of an electrically conductive material, said aesthetic element forming a decoration on a side of the part that is configured to be visible, the method comprising:
providing the support having said at least one recess and providing a preform configured to form the aesthetic element of the part;
inlaying by pressing the preform into said at least one recess in the support; and
electrochemically treating the surface of the aesthetic element, wherein a recess of said at least one recess opens in two or more places onto a side of the part that is configured to be non-visible, to respectively form one or more contact points for carrying current across the aesthetic element during the surface treatment,
wherein the part is a watch case middle forming the support with said at least one recess filled with the aesthetic element forming a portion of the case middle,
wherein the portion of the case middle extends up to a horn of the case middle, and
wherein a recess of said at least one recess communicates with a hole for insertion of a spring bar arranged in the horn of the case middle.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the support is made of a material chosen from among ceramic, sapphire and enamel.

9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the aesthetic element is made of an amorphous metal, a crystalline metal or one of their alloys.

10. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the aesthetic element is made of an aluminium, titanium or precious metal alloy.

11. The method according to claim 7 , wherein said electrochemically treating the surface is performed after mechanical grinding following the inlaying.

12. The method according to claim 7 , wherein said electrochemically treating the surface is performed after setting stones in the aesthetic element inlaid in said at least one recess.

13. The method according to claim 7 , wherein said electrochemically treating the surface is performed is an anodizing process or a metal deposition process.

14. The method according to claim 7 , wherein said electrochemically treating the surface is performed is an anodizing process or a metal deposition process of a precious metal.

Assignees

• Comadur Sa

Inventors

• Romand Johan
• Le Boudouil Damien
• Aubry Nicolas
• Vuille Pierry
• Netuschill Alexandre

Classifications

• 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

• B44C1/26

  Inlaying with ornamental structures, e.g. niello work, tarsia work · CPC title

• C25D5/02

  Electroplating of selected surface areas · CPC title

• C25D5/34

  Pretreatment of metallic surfaces to be electroplated · CPC title

• C25D7/005 Primary

  Jewels; Clockworks; Coins · CPC title