Watch device having movable components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12458115-B2
Application number	US-201916266449-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2019
Priority date	Feb 16, 2018
Publication date	Nov 4, 2025
Grant date	Nov 4, 2025

Abstract

A watch device, more particularly an external watch device comprising two components ( 1, 21 ) linked to one another, the first component ( 1 ) comprising a first guiding element ( 10 ) and the second component ( 21 ) comprising a second guiding element ( 30 ), the two components being linked to one another in a movable manner by the cooperation of their respective guiding elements ( 10, 30 ), wherein the first guiding element ( 10 ) comprises a guiding surface in contact at least partially with the second guiding element ( 30 ), said guiding surface comprising a polymer material belonging to the family of polyaryl ether ketones (PAEK).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A watch device, comprising:
a first component and a second component linked to one another, the first component comprising a first guiding element and the second component comprising a second guiding element, the first component and the second component being linked to one another in a movable manner by cooperation of the respective first and second guiding elements, wherein the first guiding element comprises a guiding surface in contact at least partially with the second guiding element, the guiding surface comprising a polymer material belonging to the family of polyaryl ether ketones (PAEK), and wherein the polymer material belonging to the PAEK family comprises a filler charge, the filler charge comprising reinforcement fibers.

2 . The watch device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the respective first and second guiding elements of the first and second components are adapted to permit relative sliding of the first and second components.

3 . The watch device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first guiding element is in the form of a roller or a shoe, cooperating with the second guiding element in the form of a slide, a runner, a cutout, a bore or a groove, or wherein the first guiding element is in the form of a slide, a runner, a cutout, a bore or a groove, cooperating with the second guiding element in the form of a roller or a shoe.

4 . The watch device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the respective first and second guiding elements of the first and second components are adapted to permit relative sliding of the first and second components according to a translational movement or a substantially translational movement.

5 . The watch device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first guiding element is in the form of a shoe and the shoe includes a central bore provided for positioning around a cylindrical receiving zone at an extremity of a spring bar.

6 . The watch device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first guiding element is in a single piece, formed integrally from a polymer material belonging to the PAEK family.

7 . The watch device according to claim 6 , wherein the first component and the first guiding element form an assembly in a single piece, in a polymer material belonging to the PAEK family.

8 . The watch device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first guiding element comprises a core covered with a coating comprising the polymer material belonging to the PAEK family forming the guiding surface.

9 . The watch device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first component and the first guiding element are two separate elements.

10 . The watch device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second guiding element also comprises a guiding surface comprising a polymer material belonging to the PAEK family in contact at least partially with the first guiding element.

11 . The watch device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first guiding element and/or the first component comprises a first indexing element adapted to cooperate with a second indexing element of the second component.

12 . The watch device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the first guiding element and the first indexing element form an assembly in a single piece.

13 . The watch device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first guiding element comprises an element for channeling a lubricant.

14 . The watch device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the element for channeling a lubricant is in the form of grooves positioned in the guiding surface of the first guiding element.

15 . The watch device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the watch device is an extension device for a watch bracelet, the first component being an extension link and the second component being a cover or a component of a clasp, or vice versa; or the watch device is a link, the first component being a first half-link of the link and the second component being a second half-link of the link; or the watch device is an external watch device for a wristwatch, the first component being a first external element of a watch and the second component being a second external element of a watch.

16 . The watch device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the polymer material belonging to the PAEK family is made from PEEK, or
the filler charge further comprises a lubricating agent or graphite.

17 . The watch device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second component and/or the second guiding element is made from a ceramic material or from a metallic material or a metallic alloy.

18 . A clasp having deployment blades for a watch bracelet, wherein the clasp comprises a watch device as claimed in claim 1 .

19 . A bracelet, wherein the bracelet comprises a watch device as claimed in claim 1 .

20 . A timepiece, wherein the timepiece comprises a watch device as claimed in claim 1 .

21 . The watch device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the watch device is an external watch device.

22 . The watch device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a part comprising attachment studs on a lateral face, which are provided in order to be pushed into bores of a lateral extension link of the first component, the part comprising the first guiding element which comprises the first guiding surface on a second lateral face.

Assignees

• Rolex Sa

Inventors

• Celant Benjamin
• Christian Martin

Classifications

• G04B37/0008

  for pocket watches and wrist watches · CPC title

• A44C5/08 Primary

  having separate links · CPC title

• A44C5/246 Primary

  having size adjusting means · CPC title

• G04B37/225

  Non-metallic cases · CPC title

• A44C5/0053

  Flexible straps · CPC title