Watch Or Clock Making Patents (Class 29/896.3)
  • Publication number: 20080111445
    Abstract: The invention proposes a drive module intended to engage with a clock wheel having a plate made of crystalline or amorphous material comprising a lower layer, which forms a substrate, and an upper layer, into which an MEMS type of micromotor is etched, wherein the micromotor has at least one actuator rotatably driving a rotor, characterised in that a pinion arranged coaxially to the rotor is rotatably connected to the rotor and disposed above the rotor, said pinion being provided to engage with the clock wheel in an engagement zone located close to an outer peripheral edge of the plate, that the rotor is disposed on the plate in order to minimise the distance between the outer peripheral edge of the rotor and the outer peripheral edge of the plate corresponding to the engagement zone, and that the diameter of the pinion is larger than that of the rotor so as to protrude relative to the plate into the engagement zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Applicant: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGERE SUISSE
    Inventors: Lionel Paratte, Andre Zanetta, Pierre-Andre Meister, Yves Petremand, Nicolas Golay, Fabien Blondeau, Wilfried Noell
  • Publication number: 20080112270
    Abstract: A water-proof watch case and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. First, a design of a case and a bottom lid is decided, and a mold according to the design is fabricated accordingly. Next, a hard plastic material is injected into the mold to form the case and the bottom lid. Next, a soft plastic material is injected at an outer rim of the case to form at least one button, and a soft plastic material is injected at a conjunction between the case and the bottom lid to form a water-proof gasket. Finally, the hard and soft plastic materials are heated to adhere the button and the water-proof gasket to the outer rim of the case and the conjunction between the bottom lid and the case respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Applicant: GLOBALSAT TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ming-Lung Yeh, Ming-Jian Su
  • Patent number: 7337541
    Abstract: A clasp and a production method thereof. The inventive clasp includes at least one main element (1) and at least one element (3) which pivots in relation to the main element. The clasp is characterised in that each of the aforementioned elements (1, 3) includes two longitudinal arms which are rolled up to form a hinge (7, 15) . Moreover, at least one of the ends of one of the elements (1, 3) includes a flexion spring (11) which can rest against the other element (3, 1) for the elastic support thereof and each arm (5, 13) of the main element (1) and the pivoting element (3) is provided with at least one longitudinal stiffening rib (20, 22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: G & F Chatelain SA
    Inventors: Claude Grossiord, Jean-Louis Bohrer, Frédéric Nicolet
  • Patent number: 7302758
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method for manufacturing and mounting electric contacts for control members of small dimensions, particularly for control members used in the horological field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Laurent Kaelin, Yannick Hunziker, Baptist Wyssbrod
  • Publication number: 20070266561
    Abstract: The present invention, in at least one embodiment, concerns a process for the multiple marking out of stone seating on a setting surface, in particular on a watchcase middle, and a kit for using at least one embodiment of the invention in a multiple marking-out process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Inventor: Alexis Mivelaz
  • Publication number: 20070204463
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method of setting a plurality of stones each having a culasse, a crown and a girdle in a metal support element including the steps of: milling a groove on a first face of the support element; piercing from a second face of the support element, opposite to said first face, a plurality of holes each having a diameter substantially corresponding to the diameter of the girdle of the stone that it will receive, such that each hole opens into said groove and the bottom of each hole forms a support wall for the crown of the stone; forming grains in the second face of the support element in proximity to the support walls; setting the stones in place in the holes such that the crown of each stone abuts against the support wall of the hole thereof; and pushing the grains against the culasse of each stone in order to fix the stones in said support element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Publication date: September 6, 2007
    Applicant: BLANCPAIN S.A.
    Inventors: Alan Apprederisse, Johnny Buehler, Lionel A Marca
  • Patent number: 6920692
    Abstract: One wristwatch case, wherein a pipe is fixedly connected thereto and a connection interface between the wristwatch case and the pipe is not present substantially; the method of fixing the wristwatch, comprising the steps of providing a through-hole in the wristwatch case, press fitting the pipe of 0 mm or larger in press fitting tolerance (pipe outer diameter—through-hole diameter) between the through-hole and the pipe, and heating the wristwatch case after the press fitting step; the other wristwatch case, wherein a pipe is fixedly connected thereto through a diffusion layer; the method of fixing the pipe of the wristwatch case, comprising the steps of forming a through-hole in the wristwatch case, press fitting the pipe of 0 mm or larger in press fitting tolerance (outer diameter of pipe having a metal film formed on the surface thereof—diameter of through-hole) between the through-hole and the pipe having a metal film formed on the surface thereof, and heating the wristwatch case in vacuum or reducing gas
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Uchida, Kouji Fujii, Junji Satoh
  • Patent number: 6798722
    Abstract: To provide a hand, free from hand deviation and disengagement, having integrated engaging and wing portions and formed of a low-density material. A hand body has a wing portion for pointing a position and an engaging portion for engagement with a spindle of a movement, by a material having a density lower than a brass material. The wing portion and the engaging portion are integrally formed. On a surface of the hand body, first plating is made in order to enhance the strength after a substitution treatment. Then, second plating is made for ornament on the first plating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Shigeru Miyama
  • Patent number: 6695468
    Abstract: Several watches (1.1-1.4) are placed in an arrangement and interconnected by connecting means (2.1-2.3). The watches (1.1-1.4) have cover glasses (11.1-11.4), dials (12.1-12.4), cases (13.1-13.4), winders (14.1-14.4) and time indicating means (15.1-15.4). The connecting means (2.1-2.3) are e.g. located on a carrier element (20) containing the dials (12.1-12.4) of all the watches (1.1-1.4). The carrier element (20) has preset breaking lines (3.1-3.3) in the form of perforations and cross-sectional reductions between the watches (1.1-1.4), so that said watches (1.1-1.4) can be separated from one another. The arrangement or watches (1.1-1.4) separated therefrom can be used as fashion accessories jewellery, pendants, etc. There are no practical limits to the design of the arrangement and its watches (1.1-1.4). The arrangement can be manufactured in a simple, advantageous manner, so that it is in particular possible to take account of rapidly changing fashions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Time-House Handels GmbH
    Inventor: Peter Gschwind
  • Patent number: 6637301
    Abstract: A production method of a thin plate includes preparing a thin plate support with a receptacle cavity having a bottom surface formed with a complementary three-dimensional pattern with a three-dimensional pattern of one side surface of a machining object, setting the machining object within the receptacle cavity with mating the complementary three-dimensional pattern with the three-dimensional pattern on the one surface of the machining object, chucking the thin plate support carrying the machining object set in the receptacle cavity on a machine tool, driving the thin plate support together with the machining object to rotate, and machining the machining object as being driven to rotate on the machine tool from the other side of the machining object by means of a cutting tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Inventor: Ichiro Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 6575619
    Abstract: The method for assembling and fixing a casing ring (3) in a watch case (6) uses a ring made of plastically deformable material fitted with means (60, 70) forming a single piece with the ring and capable of positioning it with respect to the case. The ring is introduced into the case, which causes said positioning means to be deformed plastically. The introduction is interrupted when the ring occupies a determined position with respect to the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Eta SA Fabriques d'Ebauches
    Inventor: Philippe Stauffer
  • Patent number: 6519853
    Abstract: A pair of parallel rectangular windows are punched out in a thin sheet base material having the same thickness as that of a short hand part (13) including a weight part (13a) of a second hand (10) so as to form a hand forming part between the pair of windows and a part in the hand forming part forming a long hand part and a mounting part of a hand is pressed so as to form a thin wall part. Then, the second hand in a final shape is punched out from the base material so that a long hand part (11) and a mounting part (12) are formed with the thin wall part of the hand forming part and the short hand part (13) is formed with an original thickness part. Consequently, the second hand for an analog electronic timepiece in which the weight part (13a) is provided on the short hand part (13) can be easily and securely manufactured only by a press working.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayasu Machida, Takanori Nanya, Shigeyuki Takahashi, Kazuo Suzuki, Takeaki Shimanouchi