IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,458,115
Granted Patent B2
US 12,458,115 · App. 16/266,449 · Granted Nov 4, 2025

Watch device having movable components

Inventors: Benjamin Celant (Cornier, FR); Martin Christian (Eteaux, FR)
Assignee: ROLEX SA
A44C5/02A44C5/0053A44C5/08A44C5/246G04B37/225G04B37/0008
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,458,115
App. No.
16/266,449
Granted
Nov 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A watch device, more particularly an external watch device comprising two components ( 1, 21 ) linked to one another, the first component ( 1 ) comprising a first guiding element ( 10 ) and the second component ( 21 ) comprising a second guiding element ( 30 ), the two components being linked to one another in a movable manner by the cooperation of their respective guiding elements ( 10, 30 ), wherein the first guiding element ( 10 ) comprises a guiding surface in contact at least partially with the second guiding element ( 30 ), said guiding surface comprising a polymer material belonging to the family of polyaryl ether ketones (PAEK).

Claims (31)

1 . A watch device, comprising:

a first component and a second component linked to one another,

the first component comprising a first guiding element and the second component comprising a second guiding element,

the first component and the second component being linked to one another in a movable manner by cooperation of the respective first and second guiding elements,

wherein the first guiding element comprises a guiding surface in contact at least partially with the second guiding element, the guiding surface comprising a polymer material belonging to the family of polyaryl ether ketones (PAEK), and

wherein the polymer material belonging to the PAEK family comprises a filler charge, the filler charge comprising reinforcement fibers.

2 . The watch device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the respective first and second guiding elements of the first and second components are adapted to permit relative sliding of the first and second components.

3 . The watch device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first guiding element is in the form of a roller or a shoe, cooperating with the second guiding element in the form of a slide, a runner, a cutout, a bore or a groove, or wherein the first guiding element is in the form of a slide, a runner, a cutout, a bore or a groove, cooperating with the second guiding element in the form of a roller or a shoe.

4 . The watch device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the respective first and second guiding elements of the first and second components are adapted to permit relative sliding of the first and second components according to a translational movement or a substantially translational movement.

5 . The watch device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first guiding element is in the form of a shoe and the shoe includes a central bore provided for positioning around a cylindrical receiving zone at an extremity of a spring bar.

6 . The watch device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first guiding element is in a single piece, formed integrally from a polymer material belonging to the PAEK family.

7 . The watch device according to claim 6 , wherein the first component and the first guiding element form an assembly in a single piece, in a polymer material belonging to the PAEK family.

8 . The watch device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first guiding element comprises a core covered with a coating comprising the polymer material belonging to the PAEK family forming the guiding surface.

9 . The watch device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first component and the first guiding element are two separate elements.

10 . The watch device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second guiding element also comprises a guiding surface comprising a polymer material belonging to the PAEK family in contact at least partially with the first guiding element.

11 . The watch device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first guiding element and/or the first component comprises a first indexing element adapted to cooperate with a second indexing element of the second component.

12 . The watch device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the first guiding element and the first indexing element form an assembly in a single piece.

13 . The watch device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first guiding element comprises an element for channeling a lubricant.

14 . The watch device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the element for channeling a lubricant is in the form of grooves positioned in the guiding surface of the first guiding element.

15 . The watch device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

the watch device is an extension device for a watch bracelet, the first component being an extension link and the second component being a cover or a component of a clasp, or vice versa; or

the watch device is a link, the first component being a first half-link of the link and the second component being a second half-link of the link; or

the watch device is an external watch device for a wristwatch, the first component being a first external element of a watch and the second component being a second external element of a watch.

16 . The watch device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the polymer material belonging to the PAEK family is made from PEEK, or

the filler charge further comprises a lubricating agent or graphite.

17 . The watch device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second component and/or the second guiding element is made from a ceramic material or from a metallic material or a metallic alloy.

18 . A clasp having deployment blades for a watch bracelet, wherein the clasp comprises a watch device as claimed in claim 1 .

19 . A bracelet, wherein the bracelet comprises a watch device as claimed in claim 1 .

20 . A timepiece, wherein the timepiece comprises a watch device as claimed in claim 1 .

21 . The watch device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the watch device is an external watch device.

22 . The watch device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a part comprising attachment studs on a lateral face, which are provided in order to be pushed into bores of a lateral extension link of the first component, the part comprising the first guiding element which comprises the first guiding surface on a second lateral face.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 26, 2019
From: CELANT, BENJAMIN; CHRISTIAN, MARTIN
To: ROLEX SA
Reel/Frame 048700/0013 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 18157057 · Feb 16, 2018 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190254391A1 · Aug 22, 2019
References Cited (55)
US 1985835A · Prestinari · 1934 [cited by examiner]
US 4928359A · Gagnebin · 1990 [cited by applicant]
US 5830391A · Lamkemeyer · 1998 [cited by examiner]
US 8001658B2 · Christian · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 9198484B2 · Knuchel · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20050196636A1 · Kawakami et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20070125123A1 · Sierro · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20080083101A1 · Christian et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20110259677A1 · Dudde · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20120184385A1 · Davis · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20120240361A1 · Leger et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20140130545A1 · Leger · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140223705A1 · Catanese · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20150003217A1 · Leoni et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150103639A1 · Portet et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150107299A1 · Knuchel · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20170035156A1 · Wright et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180059620A1 · Baebler et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20210088976A1 · Le Loarer · 2021 [cited by examiner]
CN 1651266A · 2005 [cited by applicant]
CN 1969707A · 2007 [cited by applicant]
CN 102630145A · 2012 [cited by applicant]
CN 103732095A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
CN 105029841A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
EP 0081616A1 · 1983 [cited by applicant]
EP 0350785A1 · 1990 [cited by applicant]
EP 1908366A1 · 2008 [cited by applicant]
EP 1908366B1 · 2009 [cited by applicant]
EP 2749966A1 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
EP 2818942A1 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
EP 3287855A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP S4727964Y1 · 1972 [cited by applicant]
JP S4839968U · 1973 [cited by applicant]
JP S5118168U · 1976 [cited by applicant]
JP S55102810A · 1980 [cited by applicant]
JP H09177940A · 1997 [cited by applicant]
JP 2000279217A · 2000 [cited by applicant]
JP 2001204518A · 2001 [cited by applicant]
JP 2002516195A · 2002 [cited by applicant]
JP 2005212461A · 2005 [cited by applicant]
JP 2006329252A · 2006 [cited by applicant]
JP 200826030A · 2008 [cited by applicant]
JP 2010174227A · 2010 [cited by applicant]
JP 201511028A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
KR 101616374B1 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
WO 9961218A1 · 1999 [cited by applicant]
WO 2013167624A1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
WO 2014114404A1 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
European Search Report dated Jul. 30, 2018 issued in counterpart application No. EP18157057; w/ English machine translation (14 pages). [cited by applicant]
Office Action dated Mar. 10, 2022, issued in counterpart CN Application No. 201980013465.1, with English Translation. (17 pages). [cited by applicant]
Office Action dated Mar. 11, 2022, issued in counterpart CN Application No. 201910117654.5, with English Translation. (16 pages). [cited by applicant]
Office Action dated Dec. 27, 2022, issued in counterpart to JP Application No. 2019-019240, with English Translation. (10 pages). [cited by applicant]
Office Action dated Feb. 7, 2023, issued in counterpart to JP Application No. 2020-543532, with English Translation. (6 pages). [cited by applicant]
Office Action dated Mar. 6, 2023, issued in counterpart CN Application No. 201980013465.1, with English Translation. (19 pages). [cited by applicant]
Office Action dated Oct. 31, 2023, issued in counterpart JP application No. 2020-543532, with English translation. (8 pages). [cited by applicant]