Timepiece with stabilizing bezel

• US 7,682,070 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2007
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Burton, Maximillian P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Iuebke; Renee S
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAYES, SEAN PHILLIP
• Application Number:
  US11/848,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20090059734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 368/88, 368294-295
• US Class Current: 368/294
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/0008 for pocket watches and wrist watches
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/225 Non-metallic cases
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 17/08 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49579 Watch or clock making

Abstract

A wrist-worn timepiece may have a case, a timing element, and a wristband. The case includes a body, a crystal, and a bezel. The body may define a depression and a channel. The timing element is positioned within the depression, and the channel is located to extend at least partially around the depression. The crystal is located within the depression and adjacent to the timing element, and the bezel is at least partially located within the channel. The body may be formed from a polymer material and the bezel may be formed from a metal material.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a wrist-worn timepiece, the method comprising:

defining a depression and a channel in a case formed from a polymer material, the depression and the channel extending inward from a common surface of the case, and the depression and the channel being spaced inward from sides of the case and from each other, the channel being located between the depression and the sides of the case;

placing a timing element within the depression;

positioning a metal bezel within the channel and around the depression, the bezel defining an aperture; and

locating a crystal within the depression, through the aperture of the bezel, and adjacent to the timing element after the step of positioning the bezel within the channel.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of defining includes locating the channel to extend entirely around the depression.

3. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of defining further includes spacing the channel from the depression.

4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of defining includes forming the depression to have greater depth than the channel.

5. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of positioning includes forming the metal bezel to have an L-shaped cross-section defined by a first segment and a second segment, and the step of positioning further includes positioning the first segment in the channel and positioning the second segment to extend toward the depression.

6. The method recited in claim 1, further including a step of selecting an elastic modulus of a material of the metal bezel to be at least 40 times an elastic modulus of a material of the crystal.

7. The method recited in claim 1, further including a step of selecting an elastic modulus of a material of the metal bezel to be at least 12 times an elastic modulus of a material of the crystal.

8. The method recited in claim 1, further including a step of forming a wristband of the timepiece to be of unitary construction with the case.