Waterproof push operation member for a time piece

• US 9,028,134 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2014
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Koshoji, Hideaki, Hiranuma, Haruki
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Amy Cohen
• Assistant Examiner(s): POWELL, MATTHEW T
• Application Number:
  US14/184,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20140233360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 368/206, 368288-291, 368306-308, 368319-321
• US Class Current: 368/290
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 3/048 Operation exclusively by axial movement of a push-button, e.g. for chronographs winding up by push button G04B3/001; hermetically sealed push button G04B37/106
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/10 of winding stems construction of winding crowns G04B3/041; in combination with hermetic sealing G04B37/081
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/106 of push buttons winding up by push button G04B3/001; crown in the form of push button G04B3/046; construction of push buttons G04B3/048
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/06 Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof or flameproof casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2009/048 using a sealing boot, e.g. the casing having separate elastic body surrounding the operating member and hermetically closing the opening for it
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/028 Watch
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/016 Application timepiece
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/12 Push-buttons

Abstract

The present invention is to provide a portable device, such as a wrist watch, which realizes, with a simple structure, improved waterproof property against water leak associated with a push-in operation. A wrist watch (portable device) includes an outer case (device outer housing), an operation member and a holding ring. The outer case includes a holding portion in which an annular bearing surface is formed. The operation member is made of a soft material having waterproof performance. The operation member includes an annular packing portion to be seated on the bearing surface and a push-in portion integrally connected to the bearing portion, to which the push-in operation is performed from the outside of the device outer housing.

Claims

1. A portable device comprising:

a device outer housing forming an exterior of the portable device;

a holder fixed to the device outer housing, the holder comprising a generally tubular holding portion extending outside of the device outer housing and a pipe portion integrally connected to the holding portion and extending inside of the device outer housing, wherein the holding portion comprises a first tubular wall and a second tubular wall extending in a coaxial manner from the first tubular wall outside of the device outer housing, and an outer periphery of the first tubular wall is radially larger than an outer periphery of the second tubular wall, so that in which a bearing surface is formed which continues between the outer peripheries of the first and second tubular walls;

a generally tubular operation member made of a soft material having waterproof performance and including a packing portion and a push-in portion integrally connected to the packing portion, the push-in portion being positioned around the second wall of the holding portion so that the packing portion of the operation member is seated on the bearing surface of the holding portion;

a push shaft positioned inside the holder in such a manner that the push shaft is slidably received in a through-hole of the pipe portion of the holder, the push shaft being operably connected to the push-in portion of the operation member so as to be slidably movable in the pipe portion by pushing operation of the push-in portion of the operation member; and

a holding ring including a generally cylindrical portion having an opening through which the push-in portion of the operation member extends out of the holding ring for the pushing operation, the holding ring further including an annular presser portion radially inwardly projecting from the cylindrical portion inside the cylindrical portion, the cylindrical portion being secured around the first and second walls of the holding portion so that the presser portion of the holder ring presses the packing portion of the operation member against the bearing surface of the holding portion inside the holding ring and secures the operation member to the holding portion of the holder.

2. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the outer periphery of the first wall of the holding portion is formed with a male screw portion, and the cylindrical portion of the holding ring is formed with a female screw portion at an inner periphery thereof which is engaged with the male screw portion of the holding portion to secure the holding ring to the holder and secure the operation member to the holding portion of the holder.

3. The portable device according to claim 2, wherein the holding ring has first and second axial ends, and the second axial end is located on an axially inner side than the first axial end with respect to the device outer housing and has a clearance for movement toward the device outer housing so that the presser portion of the holder ring can press the packing portion of the operation member more tightly against and the bearing surface of the holding portion.

4. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the operation member further includes an extension extending from the packing portion towards inside of the device outer housing so as to be fitted around the outer periphery of the first wall of the holding portion, and the cylindrical portion of the holding ring is secured around the extension so as to compress the extension against the first wall of the holding portion.

5. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the outer periphery of the second wall of the holding portion extends perpendicular to the bearing surface of the holding portion and supports the push-in portion of the operation member from inside of the push-in portion.

6. The portable device according to claim 5, wherein an inside diameter of the second wall of the holding portion is larger than an inner diameter of the through hole of the pipe portion of the holding portion, and the push shaft includes a head portion slidablv moveable along an inner periphery of the second wall.

7. The timepiece according to claim 6, further comprising a shell secured to the device outer housing, the shell having a pipe mounting hole through which the pipe portion of the holder is inserted.

8. A portable timepiece formed by a portable device according to claim 7.

9. A portable timepiece formed by a portable device according to claim 6.

10. The portable device according to claim 5, further comprising a shell secured to the device outer housing, the shell having a pipe mounting hole through which the pipe portion of the holder is inserted.

11. A portable timepiece formed by a portable device according to claim 10.

12. A portable timepiece formed by a portable device according to claim 5.

13. The portable device according to claim 1, further comprising a shell secured to the device outer housing, the shell having a pipe mounting hole through which the pipe portion of the holder is inserted.

14. A portable timepiece formed by a portable device according to claim 13.

15. A portable timepiece formed by a portable device according to claim 1.