WATERTIGHT WATCHCASE FOR WRISTWATCHES

• US 3,640,065 A
• Filed: 02/16/1970
• Issued: 02/08/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canton Grenchen, Marc Lederrey
• Original Assignee: Canton Grenchen, Marc Lederrey
• Inventors: Lederrey, Marc, Grenchen, Canton
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilkinson, Richard B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller, Jr., George H.
• Application Number:
  US05/011,592
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 58/53,88,90,105
• US Class Current: 368/292
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/055 with shock damping means including the winding stem shock damping bearings G04B31/02; shock protection G04B43/002
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/057 for shaped watches
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/083 for shaped watches
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/086 for shaped watches
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 39/02 Sealing crystals or glasses sealing the case and the winding stem G04B37/08

Abstract

An internal capsule constituted by a vessel made of a soft plastic material and by the watchglass is kept closed by an external capsule constituted by two metallic pieces fixed onto one another by screws. These pieces press the glass axially on the upper edge of the lateral portion of the plastic vessel so as to form a tight seal therebetween. The watch movement is held in place within the internal capsule by clamping. The lateral portion of the plastic vessel is therefore transversely compressed between the movement and one of the metallic pieces of the outer capsule.

Claims

1. A watertight watchcase for wristwatches comprising, in combination, a vessel made out of a soft plastic material and having a bottom portion and a lateral portion extending upright from the periphery of the bottom portion and having an upper edge, a watchglass having an inner and an outer side surface, the glass inner side surface having a peripheral portion lying on the upper edge of the lateral portion of the plastic vessel, an external bottom piece engaging the bottom portion of the plastic vessel and having a peripheral flange with a flat upper surface surrounding said vessel, an external bezel engaging a peripheral portion of the outer side surface of the glass and having a peripheral flange with a flat lower surface surrounding said vessel, and removable securing means firmly holding said flat upper surface of the bottom piece and said flat lower surface of the bezel in abutting engagement with each other, thereby causing the glass to be pressed on the vessel to a predetermined extent, said plastic vessel and said glass constituting an internaltight capsule for the watch movement, and said bottom piece and said bezel constituting an external capsule encompassing said internal capsule and ensuring the closure thereof by holding said vessel an said glass in a predetermined position with respect to each other, the tight seal between said plastic vessel and said glass being exclusively ensured by the glass pressing in a direction parallel to the watchcase axis on the upper edge of the lateral portion of the plastic vessel under the action of said external capsule, the extent of the axial pressure of the glass on the vessel being determined by the external capsule so as to ensure a tight seal between the glass and the vessel, but to prevent the vessel and the glass from being subjected to an excessive stress.

2. A watertight watchcase according to claim 1, the contours of the inner side surface and of the outer side surface of said lateral portion of the plastic vessel being adapted in such manner to that of the watch movement to be received by said internal capsule and to that of said peripheral flanges, respectively, as to cause said lateral portion of the plastic vessel to be pressed in a direction perpendicular to the watchcase axis between the watch movement and at least one of said peripheral flanges thus causing a clamping action to be exerted on the watch movement and holding this movement transversely and axially in a predetermined position within said internal capsule.

3. A watertight watChcase in combination, a vessel made out of a soft plastic material and having a bottom portion and a lateral portion extending upright from the periphery of the bottom portion and having an upper edge, a watchglass having an inner and an outer surface, the glass inner side surface having a peripheral portion lying on the upper edge of the lateral portion of the plastic vessel, an external bottom piece engaging the bottom portion of the plastic vessel and having a peripheral flange with a flat upper surface surrounding said vessel, an external bezel engaging a peripheral portion of the outer side surface of the glass and having a peripheral flange with a flat lower surface surrounding said vessel, removable securing means firmly holding said flat upper surface of the bottom piece and said flat lower surface of the bezel in abutting engagement with each other, thereby causing the glass to be pressed on the vessel to a predetermined extent, said plastic vessel and said glass constituting an internal tight capsule for the watch movement, and said bottom piece and said bezel constituting an external capsule encompassing said internal capsule and ensuring the closure thereof by holding said vessel and said glass in a predetermined position with respect to each other, the tight seal between said plastic vessel and said glass being exclusively ensured by the glass pressing in a direction parallel to the watchcase axis on the upper edge of the lateral portion of the plastic vessel under the action of said external capsule, the extent of the axial pressure of the glass on the vessel being determined by the external capsule so as to ensure a tight seal between the glass and the vessel, but to prevent the vessel and the glass from being subjected to an excessive stress, the contours of the inner side surface and of the outer side surface of said lateral portion of the plastic vessel being adapted in such manner to that of the watch movement to be received by said internal capsule and to that of said peripheral flanges, respectively, as to cause said lateral portion of the plastic vessel to be pressed in a direction perpendicular to the watchcase axis between the watch movement and at least one of said peripheral flanges thus causing a clamping action to be exerted on the watch movement and holding this movement transversely and axially in a predetermined position within said internal capsule and, a peripheral rim formed integrally with said lateral portion of the plastic vessel and projecting radially outwards from the outer side surface thereof, said rim extending all round said lateral portion and having a rounded cross section and said lateral portion engaging said peripheral flange by means of said rim, thereby producing said compression in a direction perpendicular to the watchcase axis in said lateral portion of the plastic vessel and causing the watch movement to be clamped and held transversely and axially within said internal capsule.

4. A watertight watchcase, in combination, a vessel made out of a soft plastic material and having a bottom portion and a lateral portion extending upright from the periphery of the bottom portion and having an upper edge, a watchglass having an inner and an outer side surface, the glass inner side surface having a peripheral portion lying on the upper edge of the lateral portion of the plastic vessel, an external bottom piece engaging the bottom portion of the plastic vessel and having a peripheral flange with a flat upper surface surrounding said vessel, an external bezel engaging a peripheral portion of the outer side of the glass and having a peripheral flange with a flat lower surface surrounding said vessel, removable securing means firmly holding said flat upper surface of the bottom piece and said flat lower surface of the bezel in abutting engagement with each other, thereby causing the glass to be pressed on the vessel to a predetermined extent, said plastic vessel and said glass constituting an internal tight capsule for the watch mOvement, and said bottom piece and said bezel constituting an external capsule encompassing said internal capsule and ensuring the closure thereof by holding said vessel and said glass in a predetermined position with respect to each other, the tight seal between said plastic vessel and said glass being exclusively ensured by the glass pressing in a direction parallel to the watchcase axis on the upper edge of the lateral portion of the plastic vessel under the action of said external capsule, the extent of the axial pressure of the glass on the vessel being determined by the external capsule so as to ensure a tight seal between the glass and the vessel, but to prevent the vessel and the glass from being subjected to an excessive stress, and a continuous, uninterrupted rim formed integrally with said lateral portion of the plastic vessel and projecting axially upwards from said upper edge thereof, said rim having a rounded cross section and engaging said peripheral portion of the inner side surface of the watch glass.

5. A watertight watchcase, in combination, a vessel made out of a soft plastic material and having a bottom portion and a lateral portion extending upright from the periphery of the bottom portion and having an upper edge, a watch glass having an inner and an outer side surface, the glass inner side surface having a peripheral portion lying on the upper edge of the lateral portion of the plastic vessel, an external bottom piece engaging the bottom portion of the plastic vessel and having a peripheral flange with a flat upper surface surrounding said vessel, an external bezel engaging a peripheral portion of the outer side surface of the glass and having a peripheral flange with a flat lower surface surrounding said vessel, removable securing means firmly holding said flat upper surface of the bottom piece and said flat lower surface of the bezel in abutting engagement with each other, thereby causing the glass to be pressed on the vessel to a predetermined extent, said plastic vessel and said glass constituting an internal tight capsule for the watch movement, and said bottom piece and said bezel constituting an external capsule encompassing said internal capsule and ensuring the closure thereof by holding said vessel and said glass in a predetermined position with respect to each other, the tight seal between said plastic vessel and said glass being exclusively ensured by the glass pressing in a direction parallel to the watchcase axis on the upper edge of the lateral portion of the plastic vessel under the action of said external capsule, the extent of the axial pressure of the glass on the vessel being determined by the external capsule so as to ensure a tight seal between the glass and the vessel, but to prevent the vessel and the glass from being subjected to an excessive stress, and a rigid ring inserted in said lateral portion of the plastic vessel so as to extend over a part thereof from said bottom portion, said ring serving as a support for the watch movement in order to hold said movement in a predetermined axial position within said internal capsule, a peripheral rim being formed integrally with the part of said lateral portion extending above said ring and projecting radially outwards from the outer side surface of said lateral portion, said rim having a rounded cross section and extending around said lateral portion on the same level as the watch movement and engaging said peripheral flange thereby causing said lateral portion to clamp the watch movement and to hold it transversely and axially within said internal capsule.