Method and device for assembling a movement to a watch case

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9886004-B2
Application number	US-201414784781-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2014
Priority date	Apr 24, 2013
Publication date	Feb 6, 2018
Grant date	Feb 6, 2018

Abstract

A device for attachment of a timepiece movement to a watch case, including a peripheral attachment element of the movement positioned in abutment on an axial bearing surface of the case. The device includes thermoformed studs integral with the case having a mushroom shape at an end thereof providing an axial retaining surface acting as a rivet to hold the peripheral attachment element of the movement against the axial bearing surface of the case.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for attaching a timepiece movement to a watch case, the method comprising:
mounting a peripheral attachment element integral with the movement to abuttingly engage on an axial bearing surface of the case, the peripheral attachment element projecting in a peripherally outward manner relative to the movement and including orifices;
inserting studs integral with the case into the orifices; and
thermoforming the studs to locally deform an end of each stud to form a rivet including an axial retaining surface that vertically retains the peripheral attachment element of the movement against the axial bearing surface of the case.

2. A case middle for implementing the attachment method according to claim 1 , wherein the case middle include at least 6 thermoformable fixing studs each having a diameter between 1 and 2 millimeters.

3. The case middle according to claim 2 , wherein the studs are formed in one-piece with the case middle.

4. The case middle according to claim 2 , wherein the studs are arranged on a removable bush pressed into the case.

5. A movement for implementing the attachment method according to claim 1 , wherein the peripheral attachment element is formed by a collar including a plurality of lugs.

6. The method for attaching a timepiece movement to a watch case according to claim 1 , wherein the movement is inserted from a dial side.

7. A device for attachment of a timepiece movement to a watch case, the device comprising:
a peripheral attachment element integral with the movement, the peripheral attachment element projecting in a peripherally outward manner relative to the movement and including orifices; and
studs being integral with the case and be inserted into the orifices,
wherein the studs are thermoformed to form a mushroom-shaped end having an axial retaining surface acting as a rivet to hold the peripheral attachment element of the movement against the axial bearing surface of the case.

8. The device for attachment of a timepiece movement to a case according to claim 7 , further comprising a positioning member arranged on a case middle to angularly position the movement in the case.

9. The device for attachment of a timepiece movement to a case according to claim 7 , wherein the movement is inserted from a dial side.

10. A device for attachment of a timepiece movement to a watch case, the device comprising:
a peripheral attachment element of the movement positioned in abutment on an axial bearing surface of the case and including through holes;
thermoformable studs integral with the case, the studs being thermoformed after being inserted in the through holes, and the thermoformed studs including a mushroom-shaped end including an axial retaining surface acting as a rivet to hold the peripheral attachment element of the movement against the axial bearing surface of the case; and
a retaining ring, the movement further including a shoulder, the axial retaining surface of the studs pressing the retaining ring against an upper surface of the shoulder.

Assignees

• Eta Sa Mft Horlogere Suisse
• Eta Sa Mfg Horlogere Suisse

Inventors

• Altenhoven Thierry
• Kaltenrieder Andre
• Leoni Stephane

Classifications

• G04G17/08

  Housings · CPC title

• G04B37/057

  for shaped watches · CPC title

• G04B37/04

  Mounting the clockwork in the case; Shock absorbing mountings · CPC title

• G04B37/055

  with shock damping means including the winding stem (shock damping bearings G04B31/02; shock protection G04B43/002) · CPC title

• G04B37/05 Primary

  Fixed mountings for pocket or wrist watches · CPC title