Crown-push-button for a timepiece
A crown-push-button ( 3 ) provided with a spring ( 10 ) disposed within a cage ( 11 ) integral in rotation with the movement of the head ( 4 ) of the crown-push-button ( 3 ), the spring ( 10 ) being arranged within the cage ( 11 ) so as to be rotated with the cage. The base ( 13 c ) of the spring cage is provided with cells ( 18 ) cooperating with protuberances ( 17 ) formed in a washer ( 14 ) disposed on the seat ( 6 a ) of the tube ( 6 ) of the crown-push-button, the rotation of the crown-push-button being then accompanied by a click as the protuberances ( 17 ) pass in the cells ( 18 ), which allows the user to ensure that the desired functions have been activated.
1. A crown-push-button ( 3 ) comprising:
a tube ( 6 ) intended to be fixed to a watch case ( 1 ),
a recessed head ( 4 ) integral with a rod ( 7 ) extending in its recessed portion, the rod ( 7 ) defining an axis ( 7 a ), said recessed head ( 4 ) being mounted movable in rotation and in translation respectively around and along the axis ( 7 a ) of the rod ( 7 ),
a return spring ( 10 ) disposed around the rod ( 7 ),
a cage ( 11 ) housing the spring ( 10 ), said cage ( 11 ) being traversed by the rod ( 7 ) and including an upper portion ( 12 ) integral with the recessed head ( 4 ) and a lower portion ( 13 ) mounted free relative to the recessed head ( 4 ), said upper portion ( 12 ) cooperating with the lower portion ( 13 ) so as to be able to drive the lower portion ( 13 ) in its rotational movement and so as to be able to move in translation along the axis ( 7 a ) relative to said lower portion ( 13 ), said spring ( 10 ) being mounted in compression within the cage ( 11 ) so as to be rotated with said cage ( 11 ),
the cage ( 11 ) bearing at one axial end on an inner face of the recessed head ( 4 ) and at its other axial end on a washer ( 14 ) disposed on a seat ( 6 a ) of the tube ( 6 ), the bearing between the cage ( 11 ) and the washer ( 14 ) taking place between a base ( 13 c ) of the lower portion ( 13 ) of the cage ( 11 ) and an upper face ( 14 a ) of the washer ( 14 ),
the crown-push-button ( 3 ) being wherein the upper face ( 14 a ) of the washer ( 14 ) and the base ( 13 c ) of the cage ( 11 ) respectively include protuberances ( 17 ) and cells ( 18 ) or conversely cells ( 18 ) and protuberances ( 17 ), the protuberances ( 17 ) cooperating with the cells ( 18 ) during the rotation of the crown-push-button ( 3 ) so as to create a click.
2. The crown-push-button ( 3 ) according to the preceding claim, wherein a number of protuberances ( 17 ) and cells ( 18 ) is identical and wherein the protuberances ( 17 ) and the cells ( 18 ) are of complementary shape so as to fit into each other.
3. The crown-push-button ( 3 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the protuberances ( 17 ) and the cells ( 18 ) are distributed with a regular angular interval on respectively either the base ( 13 c ) of the lower portion ( 13 ) of the cage ( 11 ), or the upper face ( 14 a ) of the washer ( 14 ).
4. The crown-push-button ( 3 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the protuberances ( 17 ) and the cells ( 18 ) are distributed over a periphery respectively either of the base ( 13 c ) or of the upper face ( 14 a ) of the washer ( 14 ).
5. The crown-push-button ( 3 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the protuberances ( 17 ) and the cells ( 18 ) open onto a perimeter respectively either of the base ( 13 c ), or of the upper face ( 14 a ) of the washer ( 14 ).
6. The crown-push-button ( 3 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the protuberances ( 17 ) and the cells ( 18 ) have a circular arc-shaped section in a direction parallel to the axis ( 7 a ).
7. The crown-push-button ( 3 ) according to claim 6 , wherein the circular arc has an increasing length in the direction of a perimeter of the base ( 13 c ) and of the upper face ( 14 a ) of the washer ( 14 ).
8. The crown-push-button ( 3 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the protuberances ( 17 ) and the cells ( 18 ) respectively have a height and a depth increasing in a radial direction towards the periphery of the base ( 13 c ) and the upper face ( 14 a ) of the washer ( 14 ).
9. The crown-push-button ( 3 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the protuberances ( 17 ) and the cells ( 18 ) are respectively provided on the upper face ( 14 a ) of the washer ( 14 ) and the base ( 13 c ) of the lower portion ( 13 ) of the cage ( 11 ).
10. The crown-push-button ( 3 ) according to claim 9 , wherein the perimeter of the base ( 13 c ) is bevelled ( 13 g ), the cells ( 18 ) having at the perimeter of the base ( 13 c ) and at their axis of symmetry ( 18 a ) a depth corresponding to the thickness of the bevel ( 13 g ).
11. The crown-push-button ( 3 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the upper portion ( 12 ) and the lower portion ( 13 ) have the same cylindrical shape with a side wall ( 12 a , 13 a ) provided with at least one opening ( 12 b , 13 b ), the side wall ( 12 a , 13 a ) being delimited at one end by the base pierced with a central hole ( 12 c , 13 c ) for the passage of the rod ( 7 ) and at the other end by another fully open base ( 12 d , 13 d ), the upper portion ( 12 ) and the lower portion ( 13 ) being mounted in the opposite direction relative to each other and coaxially around the rod ( 7 ) with a portion ( 12 f ) of the side wall ( 12 a ) of the upper portion ( 12 ) fitting into an opening ( 13 b ) of the side wall ( 13 a ) of the lower portion ( 13 ).
12. The crown-push-button ( 3 ) according to claim 11 , wherein the opening ( 12 b , 13 b ) defines the contours of a U.
13. The crown-push-button ( 3 ) according to claim 11 , wherein there are two openings ( 12 b , 13 b ) in the upper portion ( 12 ) and in the lower portion ( 13 ), the openings ( 12 b , 13 b ) of each portion ( 12 , 13 ) being diametrically opposite relative to the axis ( 7 a ) of the rod ( 7 ).
14. The crown-push-button ( 3 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the cage ( 11 ) is fixed in its upper portion ( 12 ) to a core ( 5 ) extending from the inner face of the recessed head ( 4 ) and disposed around the rod ( 7 ).
15. The crown-push-button ( 3 ) according to claim 11 , wherein the spring ( 10 ) is housed in the cage ( 11 ) between said base and the other base respectively pierced with the central hole ( 12 c , 13 c ) in the space delimited by the side walls ( 12 a , 13 a ) and a flange ( 12 e , 13 e ) of the central holes.
16. The crown-push-button ( 3 ) according to claim 11 , wherein the portion ( 12 f ) of the side wall ( 12 a ) of the upper portion ( 12 ) is partially engaged in the opening ( 13 b ) of the lower portion ( 13 ) when the recessed head ( 4 ) is in its axially furthest position from the tube ( 6 ), the portion ( 12 f ) of the side wall ( 12 a ) of the upper portion ( 12 ) being engaged deeper into the opening ( 13 b ) of the lower portion ( 13 ) when the recessed head ( 4 ) is in its axially closest position to the tube ( 6 ).
17. An electronic or mechanical watch comprising a crown-push-button ( 3 ) comprising:
a tube ( 6 ) intended to be fixed to a watch case ( 1 ),
a recessed head ( 4 ) integral with a rod ( 7 ) extending in its recessed portion, the rod ( 7 ) defining an axis ( 7 a ), said recessed head ( 4 ) being mounted movable in rotation and in translation respectively around and along the axis ( 7 a ) of the rod ( 7 ),
a return spring ( 10 ) disposed around the rod ( 7 ),
a cage ( 11 ) housing the spring ( 10 ), said cage ( 11 ) being traversed by the rod ( 7 ) and including an upper portion ( 12 ) integral with the recessed head ( 4 ) and a lower portion ( 13 ) mounted free relative to the recessed head ( 4 ), said upper portion ( 12 ) cooperating with the lower portion ( 13 ) so as to be able to drive the lower portion ( 13 ) in its rotational movement and so as to be able to move in translation along the axis ( 7 a ) relative to said lower portion ( 13 ), said spring ( 10 ) being mounted in compression within the cage ( 11 ) so as to be rotated with said cage ( 11 ),
the cage ( 11 ) bearing at one axial end on an inner face of the recessed head ( 4 ) and at its other axial end on a washer ( 14 ) disposed on a seat ( 6 a ) of the tube ( 6 ), the bearing between the cage ( 11 ) and the washer ( 14 ) taking place between a base ( 13 c ) of the lower portion ( 13 ) of the cage ( 11 ) and an upper face ( 14 a ) of the washer ( 14 ),
the crown-push-button ( 3 ) being wherein the upper face ( 14 a ) of the washer ( 14 ) and the base ( 13 c ) of the cage ( 11 ) respectively include protuberances ( 17 ) and cells ( 18 ) or conversely cells ( 18 ) and protuberances ( 17 ), the protuberances ( 17 ) cooperating with the cells ( 18 ) during the rotation of the crown-push-button ( 3 ) so as to create a click.
18. The electronic or mechanical watch according to claim 17 , further comprising a magnetic crown-push-button.