EP4012509B1 - Dewar device for mechanical and/or functional components of a watch - Google Patents

Description

Technical field

The invention relates to a Dewar device for mechanical and/or functional components of a watch, particularly suitable for operating under extreme temperatures.

Technological background

An electronic watch typically comprises a strap and a watch case containing several electrical or electronic components. It is known in the prior art that some of these components cannot withstand extreme temperatures and cease to function properly at these temperatures. Typically, liquid crystal displays (LCDs) using light-emitting diodes or quartz tolerate temperatures not exceeding approximately 80°C (degrees Celsius), and not falling below 0°C. However, in specific environments such as space or lunar missions, temperatures can frequently reach values of the order of approximately -150°C to +125°C. CN 106 325 041 A discloses a timepiece movement being protected by a closed hollow case in a vacuum state. The inner surface of the case is coated with a layer of silver, the outer surface of the case is coated with a heat-conducting material resistant to high and low temperatures.

There is therefore a need to be able to use a watch, particularly an electronic watch, in environments where such extreme temperatures may prevail.

Summary of the invention

For this purpose, the invention relates to a Dewar device for mechanical and/or functional components of a watch, according to claim 1.

Thanks to the Dewar device formed by the case and the watch case, the mechanical and/or functional components of the watch are protected from possible extreme temperatures between -150 and +125 degrees Celsius that may exist outside said device. In addition, said at least one connecting element ensuring the attachment of the watch case to the case helps to ensure very good thermal insulation of the case by preventing any heat loss from this watch case 6, in particular by radiation. Thus, such a Dewar device makes it possible to use mechanical and/or functional components in contexts and environments where temperatures can be extreme, such as for example during space exploration missions such as the exploration of the planet Mars or the Moon. This also makes it possible to ensure cost rationalization and maintain a reasonable complexity for the components used in watches used for such missions.

• le dispositif de fixation comprend deux modules magnétiques et au moins un organe de butée ;
• le dispositif de fixation comprend un premier module magnétique de réglage et de maintien d'une position axiale de la boite de montre dans l'enceinte par rapport à une glace et/ou un fond dudit boitier (4), ladite position axiale étant définie par rapport à un axe central du boitier ;
• le premier module comprend au moins deux paires d'éléments générateur d'un champ magnétique avec une première paire dont les éléments sont disposés l'un en regard de l'autre en étant situés respectivement sur une face supérieure de la boite de montre et sur une première face intérieure de l'enceinte comprenant une glace dudit boitier ;
• le premier module comprend au moins deux paires d'éléments générateur d'un champ magnétique avec une deuxième paire dont les éléments sont disposés l'un en regard de l'autre en étant situés respectivement sur une face inférieure de la boite comprenant un fond de la montre et sur une deuxième face intérieure de l'enceinte comprenant un fond dudit boitier ;
• le dispositif de fixation comprend un deuxième module magnétique de réglage et de maintien de la position radiale de la boite de montre dans l'enceinte du boitier par rapport à une paroi périphérique intérieure de ladite enceinte, ladite position radiale étant définie par rapport à un axe central du boitier ;
• le deuxième module comprend au moins une paire d'éléments générateur d'un champ magnétique, lesdits éléments étant disposés l'un en regard de l'autre en étant situés respectivement sur une paroi périphérique externe de la boite de montre et une paroi périphérique intérieure de l'enceinte du boitier ;
• les éléments générateur d'un champ magnétique de chacune de ces paires comportent des parties agencées les unes en regard des autres comprenant des pôles magnétiques de polarité identique ;
• ledit au moins un organe de butée est agencé sur tout ou partie d'une paroi périphérique intérieure de l'enceinte et/ou d'une première face intérieure de l'enceinte comprenant une glace du boitier et/ou d'une deuxième face intérieure de l'enceinte comprenant un fond du boitier ;
• le dispositif de fixation comprend une pluralité d'organes de butée agencés respectivement sur tout ou partie d'une paroi périphérique intérieure de l'enceinte, d'une première face intérieure de l'enceinte comprenant une glace du boitier et d'une deuxième face intérieure de l'enceinte comprenant un fond du boitier ;
• ladite enceinte est sous vide ou quasi sous vide ;
• le boitier comprend une glace dont la surface est sensiblement supérieure ou strictement supérieure à une glace de la boite de montre ;

In other embodiments:

• the fixing device comprises two magnetic modules and at least one stop member;
• the fixing device comprises a first magnetic module for adjusting and maintaining an axial position of the watch case in the enclosure relative to a crystal and/or a back of said case (4), said axial position being defined relative to a central axis of the case;
• the first module comprises at least two pairs of elements generating a magnetic field with a first pair whose elements are arranged opposite each other while being located respectively on an upper face of the watch case and on a first inner face of the enclosure comprising a glass of said case;
• the first module comprises at least two pairs of elements generating a magnetic field with a second pair whose elements are arranged opposite each other while being located respectively on a lower face of the case comprising a back of the watch and on a second inner face of the enclosure comprising a back of said case;
• the fixing device comprises a second magnetic module for adjusting and maintaining the radial position of the watch case in the enclosure of the case relative to an inner peripheral wall of said enclosure, said radial position being defined relative to a central axis of the case;
• the second module comprises at least one pair of elements generating a magnetic field, said elements being arranged opposite each other while being located respectively on an external peripheral wall of the watch case and an internal peripheral wall of the enclosure of the case;
• the magnetic field generating elements of each of these pairs comprise parts arranged opposite each other comprising magnetic poles of identical polarity;
• said at least one stop member is arranged on all or part of an inner peripheral wall of the enclosure and/or of a first inner face of the enclosure comprising a glass of the housing and/or of a second inner face of the enclosure comprising a bottom of the housing;
• the fixing device comprises a plurality of stop members arranged respectively on all or part of an inner peripheral wall of the enclosure, of a first inner face of the enclosure comprising a glass of the housing and of a second inner face of the enclosure comprising a bottom of the housing;
• said enclosure is under vacuum or near vacuum;
• the case includes a glass whose surface is substantially greater or strictly greater than a glass of the watch case;

Brief description of the figures

Other features and advantages will become clear from the description given below, for information purposes only and in no way limiting, with reference to the Figure 1 attached which is a sectional view of a schematic representation of a Dewar device for mechanical and/or functional components of a watch comprising a device of reversible attachment by magnetic levitation participating in the arrangement of a case of this watch in said Dewar device, according to an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

There Figure 1 represents an isothermal watch device 1 for mechanical and/or functional components 2 of a watch 3 also called a Dewar watch device or more simply in the remainder of the description “Dewar device”. Such a Dewar device 1 for mechanical and/or functional components 2 of a watch 3, is capable of participating in providing good thermal insulation to mechanical and/or functional components 2 of the watch 3, a case 6 of which must be arranged in this case 4 of the device 1 in order to ensure such insulation to these components 2. In other words, this Dewar device 1 is notably formed by the combination of its case 4 and the case 6 of the watch 3 in order to achieve suitable thermal insulation for these mechanical and/or functional components 2. In this configuration, the case 6 of the watch 3 is arranged in an enclosure 5 while being kept away or at a distance from all of the elements 10a to 10c of the case 4 forming this said enclosure 5, namely a crystal 10a, an inner peripheral wall 12a of a caseband 10c and a back 10b of this case 4. It will be noted that this inner peripheral wall 12a is also that of said enclosure 5.

This distance or this distance or this spacing is configured from a reversible fixing device 7 by magnetic levitation of said case 6 of watch 3 in said enclosure 5. In other words, such a fixing device 7 is capable of configuring a spacing between said case 6 and all of the elements 10a, 10b, 10c of the case 4 forming said enclosure 5 of the case. This fixing device 7 that we describe below, helps to reduce or even eliminate any thermal conduction between the inner peripheral wall 12a of the caseband 10c and/or the bottom 10b and/or the crystal 10a with the case 6 of watch 3 in particular with an external overall face of this case 6. This external overall face comprises an upper face 18a comprising the crystal 11 of the case 6 of this watch 3, a lower face 18b comprising a bottom 18b of said case 6 and an external peripheral wall 18c of a middle of this case 6.

It will be noted that such a box 6 is included in a watch 3 which may be an electronic watch, for example a quartz watch, or even a mechanical watch.

The mechanical and/or functional components 2 of the watch 3, mentioned above, include, in a non-limiting and non-exhaustive manner: a watch movement, a dial, hands, rings, seals and/or electronic and/or electrical components 2. It will be noted in particular that such electronic and/or electrical components comprise, for example, a display device, a processor, a memory, an energy storage component, a motor, an integrated circuit and an electronic oscillator, etc.

It is therefore understood that in this configuration, this Dewar device 1 has the same properties and characteristics as a Dewar tube/vessel well known in the state of the art. As we have previously mentioned, the properties and characteristics of this Dewar device 1 contribute to giving it good thermal insulation with regard to temperatures, in particular extreme temperatures, which may prevail in the external environment in which such a device 1 may be located.

In this context, this device 1 therefore comprises the case 4 which comprises the middle 10c on which is mounted a bracelet allowing a user of this device 1 to wear it. This case 4 also comprises the glass 10a and the back 10b mentioned previously. In this device 1, it will be noted that the glass 10a preferably comprises a surface which is substantially greater or strictly greater than the glass 11 of the case 6 of watch 3.

As we have seen, the glass 10a, the caseband 10c and the back 10b of this device 1 together define the enclosure 5 of this case 4 which is capable of receiving the case 6 of watch 3. These three elements 10a to 10c of the case 4, the caseband 10c, the glass 10a and the back 10b can be separate elements which are joined together to construct this enclosure 5. Alternatively, the caseband 10c and the back 10b of the case 4 can together form a single-piece part, said single-piece part defining an opening opposite the back 10b which is capable of being closed by the glass 10a in a reversible and sealed manner. In an alternative, the case 10c and the glass 10a of the case 4 of the watch 3 can together form a single-piece part, said single-piece part defining an opening opposite the glass 10a which is capable of being closed by the back 10b, also in a reversible and watertight manner.

The case middle 10c and the back 10b are preferably made, in a non-limiting and non-exhaustive manner, of a metallic material, of glass or of thermosetting or thermoplastic polymer resins reinforced with carbon or glass fibers or even of ceramic materials. It will be noted that when the case middle 10c and the back 10b are transparent or semi-transparent, for example being made of glass, the peripheral wall 12 of the case middle 10c and the back 10b may be coated with a metallic or similar reflective coating/covering, such as for example a layer of silver.

In addition, the device 1 may comprise an interferometric filter arranged on an overall external face of the case 4, namely on an external peripheral wall of the caseband 10c and/or the external faces of the crystal 10a and the back 10b of this case 6 of watch 3. This interferometric filter may be a grid or a trellis forming a coating on this overall external face of the case 4. This grid or trellis has a mesh whose dimensions are such that they do not leave pass only certain predetermined wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum, typically the wavelengths of the visible range.

Furthermore, in this device 1, when the case 6 of the watch 3 is arranged in the enclosure 5 of the case 4, the space defined between this case 6 and the inner peripheral wall 12a of the caseband 10c, the back 10b and the crystal 10a is empty of material or almost empty. In other words, the enclosure 5 is under vacuum or almost under vacuum.

In order to ensure that the case 6 of the watch 3 is held in this enclosure 5, the Dewar device 1 and in particular the case 4 comprises the reversible fixing device 7 by magnetic levitation of this case 6 of the watch 3 in the enclosure 5. In this configuration, the case 6 of the watch 3 is arranged in a removable manner in this enclosure 5.

In reference to the Figure 1 , this fixing device 7 preferably comprises two magnetic modules 8a, 8b, first and second modules 8a, 8b, and at least one stop member 9a, 9b, 9c. This first module 8a is a magnetic module 8a for adjusting and maintaining an axial position of the case 6 of the watch 3 in the enclosure 5 relative to the glass 10a and/or the back 10b of said case 4.

In this context, it will be noted that the housing 4 preferably has axial symmetry with respect to a central X axis. The term “axial” designates a general direction parallel to the central X axis. The term “radial” designates a general direction along an axis perpendicular to and concurrent with the central X axis.

Such a first module 8a comprises at least two pairs 16a, 16b of magnetic field generating elements 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b.

In a first pair 16a of this first module 8a, the elements 13a, 13b are arranged opposite each other, being located respectively on an upper face 18a of the case 6 of the watch 3 and on a first inner face 12b of the enclosure 5 comprising the glass 10a of said case 4. More precisely, these elements 13a, 13b extend in whole or in part continuously or discontinuously around the glass respectively of the case 4 and of the case 6 of watch 3.

In a second pair 16b, the elements 14a, 14b of which are arranged opposite each other, being located respectively on a lower face 18b of the case 6 comprising the bottom of the watch 3 and on a second inner face 12c of the enclosure 5 comprising the bottom 10b of the case 4.

As mentioned, the fixing device 7 also comprises a second magnetic module 8b. This second module 8b is a module for adjusting and maintaining the radial position of the case 6 of the watch 3 in the enclosure 5 of the case 4 relative to an inner peripheral wall 12a of said enclosure 5. This second module 8b comprises at least one pair 17 of magnetic field generating elements 15a, 15b, said elements 15a, 15b being arranged opposite each other while being located respectively on the outer peripheral wall 18c of the case 6 of the watch 3 and the inner peripheral wall 12a of the enclosure 5 of the case 4.

In these two modules 8a, 8b, the elements 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b are passive magnetic field sources such as magnets, in particular permanent magnets.

Alternatively, these elements 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b may be active magnetic field sources such as electromagnets. In this context, the Dewar device 1 may then comprise a battery and a microcontroller comprising hardware and software elements controlling these electromagnets. Furthermore, in this configuration, the housing 4 may be devoid of stop members 9a, 9b, 9c.

In these first and second magnetic modules 8a, 8b, the magnetic field generating elements 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b of each of these pairs 16a, 16b, 17 comprise parts arranged opposite each other comprising magnetic poles of identical polarity. In this configuration the magnetic poles of the elements 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b of each of the pairs repel each other, thus creating a spacing mentioned above between the overall external face of the watch case 6 of the watch 3 and all of the elements 10a, 10b, 10c of the case 4 delimiting said enclosure 5 of the case 4.

Furthermore, as we have seen, the fixing device 7 also comprises at least one stop member 9a, 9b, 9c which is capable of participating, with the first and second magnetic modules 8a, 8b, in holding the watch case 6 in the enclosure 5 of the case 4. Indeed, such a member 9a, 9b, 9c is capable of supplementing or completing the holding/fixing provided (e) of the case 6 by the first and second modules 8a, 8b in the enclosure 5 in particular when the case 4 undergoes an acceleration, a deceleration and/or a sudden (e)/violent (e)/abrupt change of direction for example during an impact. In this configuration, such a member is then able to be in contact with the upper 18a and/or lower 18b faces and/or the external peripheral wall 18c of the middle of this case 6 since the maintenance/fixing ensured by the first module and/or the second module 8a, 8b is not sufficient to maintain a spacing between said case 6 and all of the elements 10a, 10b, 10c of the case 4 forming this enclosure 5. This member 9a, 9b, 9c is preferably made of a material having good thermal insulation characteristics and properties such as a material for example cork, polyurethane (in the form of foam or panel) and/or glass foam.

Such a member may be arranged on all or part of the inner peripheral wall 12a of the enclosure 5 and/or of the first inner face 12b of the enclosure 5 comprising the glass 10a of the housing 4 and/or of the second inner face 12c of the enclosure 5 comprising the bottom 10b of the housing 4.

In reference to the Figure 1 , in the present embodiment, the fixing device 7 comprises a plurality of stop members 9a, 9b, 9c which are arranged respectively on all or part of the inner peripheral wall 12a, the first inner face 12b and the second inner face 12c of the enclosure 5. More precisely, the fixing device 7 comprises three stop members 9a, 9b 9c.

The first member 9a is arranged on the first inner face 12b, extending in whole or in part continuously or discontinuously around the crystal 10a of the case 4. In this configuration, such a first member 9a may be located between the magnetic field generating element 13a of the first pair 16a, and the crystal 10a of the case 4. The second member 9b is arranged on the inner peripheral wall 12a of the enclosure 5 and this, opposite the outer wall 18c of the case 6 of the watch 3. The third member 9c is arranged on the second inner face 12c, more particularly on all or part of the back and this, while being positioned opposite the lower face 18b of the case 6 of the watch 3. It will be noted that the outline of this third member 9c may be substantially delimited or strictly delimited by the magnetic field generating element 14b of the first pair 16a, and the crystal 10a of the case 4. the second pair 16b which is located on this second inner face 12c.

In addition, it will be noted that the mechanical and/or functional components 2 of the watch may be non-magnetic and/or that the case 4 of the watch may be made of a material or be covered with a coating making it possible to isolate these components 2 from magnetic fields.

Furthermore, the fixing device 7 helps to arrange the case 6 of watch 3 in this case 4 so that the crystal 11 of this case 6 of watch 3 is arranged opposite the glass 10a of the case 4 so that the information included on the dial and/or the display interface of this watch 3 can be perceived through the transparent glass 10a of the case 4 by the user wearing the Dewar device 1.

Thus, such a Dewar device 1 provides the mechanical and/or functional components 2 of the watch 3 with very good thermal insulation from the external environment by reducing or even preventing heat loss by radiation from the components arranged in the watch case 6 for a long period. Thus, when the temperature outside the device 1 reaches extreme values, typically of the order of -125 to +125°C, the temperature inside the enclosure 5 remains substantially equal to the temperature present in the watch case 6 of the watch 3 when it is arranged in the case 4, typically of the order of 20°C. It will be noted that whatever the temperature conditions prevailing in the environment of the Dewar device 1, the temperature present in the watch case 6 of the watch 3 is a temperature which does not hinder the proper functioning of the watch. This temperature is maintained for a duration that is 5 to 18 times greater than the duration during which such a watch case would be capable of maintaining an operating temperature of its components 2 by being located directly in such an environment where such extreme temperatures prevail (i.e. by being located outside the case of the Dewar device). It is thus understood that such a configuration makes it possible to protect the mechanical and/or functional components 2 of the watch 3, as well as to participate in ensuring their optimal operation in extreme external temperature conditions.

Claims (11)

1. Dewar device (1) for mechanical and/or functional components (2) of a watch (3), said device (1) being provided with a wristlet and a casing (4), said casing (4) including:

   - a chamber (5) in which a case (6) of said watch (3) is capable of being arranged in a removable manner, and

   - a device (7) for reversible fastening by magnetic levitation of said watch (3) case (6) in said chamber (5) configuring a separation between said case (6) and the set of the elements (10a, 10b, 10c) of the casing (4) forming this chamber (5) said set of elements of the casing (4) forming said chamber (5) comprises a glass (10a), an inner peripheral wall (12a) of a middle (10c) and a bottom (10b) of this casing (4),

   device in which the glass (11) of the watch (3) case (6) is disposed facing a glass (10a) of the casing (4) when the watch (3) case (6) is arranged in said chamber (5), said Dewar device (1) comprising a middle (10c) onto which said wristlet is fastened.
2. Dewar device (1) according to the previous claim, characterised in that said fastening device (7) comprises two magnetic modules (8a, 8b) and at least one stop member (9a, 9b, 9c).
3. Dewar device (1) according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that the fastening device (7) comprises a first magnetic module (8a) for adjusting and maintaining an axial position of the watch (3) case (6) in the chamber (5) with respect to a glass (10a) and/or a bottom (10b) of said casing (4), said axial position being defined with respect to a central axis (X) of the casing (4).
4. Dewar device (1) according to any one of claims 2 and 3, characterised in that the first module (8a) comprises at least two pairs (16a, 16b) of elements generating a magnetic field (13a, 13b, 14a, 14b) with:

   - a first pair (16a), the elements (13a, 13b) of which are disposed facing one another while being respectively located on an upper face (18a) of the watch (3) case (6) and on a first inner face (12b) of the chamber (5) comprising a glass (10a) of said casing (4);

   - a second pair (16b), the elements (14a, 14b) of which are disposed facing one another while being respectively located on a lower face (18b) of the case (6) comprising a bottom of the watch (3) and on a second inner face (12c) of the chamber (5) comprising a bottom (10b) of said casing (4).
5. Dewar device (1) according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that the fastening device (7) comprises a second magnetic module (8b) for adjusting and maintaining the radial position of the watch (3) case (6) in the chamber (5) of the casing (4) with respect to an inner peripheral wall (12a) of said chamber (5), said radial position being defined with respect to a central axis (X) of the casing (4).
6. Dewar device (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 3, characterised in that the second module (8b) comprises at least one pair (17) of elements generating a magnetic field (15a, 15b), said elements (15a, 15b) being disposed facing one another while being respectively located on an outer peripheral wall (18c) of the watch (3) case (6) and an inner peripheral wall (12a) of the chamber (5) of the casing (4).
7. Dewar device (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterised in that the elements generating a magnetic field (13a, 13b, 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b) of each of these pairs (16a, 16b, 17) include parts arranged facing each other comprising magnetic poles having identical polarity.
8. Dewar device (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterised in that said at least one stop member (9a, 9b, 9c) is arranged on all or a part of an inner peripheral wall (12a) of the chamber (5) and/or of a first inner face (12b) of the chamber (5) comprising a glass (10a) of the casing (4) and/or of a second inner face (12c) of the chamber (5) comprising a bottom (10b) of the casing (4).
9. Dewar device (1) according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that the fastening device (7) comprises a plurality of stop members (9a, 9b, 9c) respectively arranged on all or a part of an inner peripheral wall (12a) of the chamber (5), of a first inner face (12b) of the chamber (5) comprising a glass (10a) of the casing (4) and of a second inner face (12c) of the chamber (5) comprising a bottom (10b) of the casing (4).
10. Dewar device (1) according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that said chamber (5) is under vacuum or almost under vacuum.
11. Dewar device (1) according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that the casing (4) comprises a glass (10a), the surface area of which is substantially greater or strictly greater than a glass (11) of the watch (3) case (6).

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