专利摘要:
The invention relates to a timepiece comprising a cladding in which a movement (32) is arranged. According to the invention, at least a part of the movement (32) or the covering comprises a watch component (34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54), whose body is entirely made of a photoluminescent material allowing the timepiece to improve its readability and / or visibility without additional light coating.
公开号:CH710869B1
申请号:CH00921/16
申请日:2014-01-20
公开日:2017-11-15
发明作者:Springer Simon;Tortora Pierpasquale
申请人:Swatch Group Res & Dev Ltd;
IPC主号:
专利说明:

Description
Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a timepiece providing a visible light effect for humans. BACKGROUND [0002] Timepieces such as wristwatches generally include certain types of light elements. For example, the hands or the dial of the timepiece may be coated with a phosphorescent material or the like, so as to provide readability and / or visibility of the displayed time, even in a dark or dimly lit environment. Typically, dials and / or needles may be coated with a luminous paint made of strontium aluminate.
These luminous coatings may adhere poorly to particular materials and / or be deteriorated or scratched quickly, and / or the deposition process of such a coating may not be able to reliably form a predetermined pattern on complex surfaces that will have to withstand a difficult environment.
[0004] DE 10 2012 004 100 discloses a UV light source which activates the fluorescence effect of a waveguide integrated into a needle of an analog display. The implementation described is very heavy and always requires a power source. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] It is an object of the invention to remedy these drawbacks by proposing a timepiece having particular and unique luminous properties and which can contribute to the aesthetic appearance of such timepieces. without any additional light coating.
Therefore, the invention relates to a timepiece having a cladding in which is arranged a movement, characterized in that at least a part of the movement or dressing comprises a watch component whose body is entirely consisting of a photoluminescent material allowing the timepiece to improve its readability and / or visibility without additional light coating.
Advantageously, the photoluminescent material watch component comprises not only a photoluminescent material on its surface but comprises a mass of macroscopically voluminous three-dimensional photoluminescent material. Preferably, said at least one watch component consists of the photoluminescent material and may therefore comprise a homogeneous uncoated structure.
By providing a timepiece comprising at least one watch component entirely made of or made of a photoluminescent material, a coating of some of the watch components with a phosphorescent or generally luminescent material effectively becomes superfluous. The manufacture and assembly of a corresponding timepiece can therefore be simplified.
In addition, the photoluminescent material which is constituted the watch component may further include a particular and attractive external appearance, which can improve the aesthetic appearance of the timepiece as a whole.
The photoluminescent material which consists entirely of the watch component can also exert a more pronounced light effect compared to a conventional luminous paint applied to a selected area of a watch component. In this way, the visibility and legibility of the timepiece can be effectively improved in a dark or dimly lit environment.
As a rule, the luminous watch component can be used anywhere in a timepiece. It can replace or substitute for almost any component or any part of it in a movement or in a cladding of a timepiece.
According to other characteristics of the invention: the material of the watch component comprises a crystalline structure and / or a glass and / or a glass fiber and / or a ceramic; the material of which the watch component is made comprises or consists of at least one or a combination of the following materials: Ce-, yttrium-aluminum garnet doped Tb (YAG), yttrium orthopedate doped Eu (YV04) and Cr-sapphire doped Fe or Ti (Al 2 O 3); - The watch components at least partially form a box, a dial, an ice, a bezel, a pusher, a crown, a caseback, a wall, a bracelet, a plate, a bridge, a pad, a rod, a balance wheel, wheel, shaft, anchor, oscillating weight, escape wheel or spring; - The timepiece further comprises at least one excitation unit for triggering a luminescent effect of the watch component; the excitation unit comprises a UV light source activated by the control unit; the excitation unit is integrated in a movement implemented electronically; - The excitation unit is integrated with a lighting module to be assembled separately from the movement implemented electronically or mechanically.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0013] Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge more clearly on reading the following detailed description, made with reference to the appended drawings given in a non-limiting manner and in which: FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a timepiece according to the invention; fig. 2 is an exploded view of a watch movement according to the invention; fig. 3 schematically shows the implementation of an excitation unit according to a first embodiment of the invention; fig. 4 schematically shows the implementation of an excitation unit according to a second embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0014] In the illustration of FIG. 1, the various components of the cladding 8 of a timepiece 10, presented in the form of a wristwatch, are illustrated schematically. The covering 8 often comprises a box 12 connected to a two-stranded bracelet 30. The box 12 is closed by a bottom 24 on a lower face of the box 12 and by a mirror 16 on an upper face of the box 12 so to protect the movement of the watch 32. Inside the box 12, between the movement 32 and the mirror 16, a dial 14 is typically arranged with many appliques 26 and needles 28 above said dial 14. The ice 16 can be held by a telescope 18.
The cover 8 may further comprise one or more pushers 20 and / or rings 22 extending for example from the middle portion of the box 12 to adjust the time and / or to activate various functions of the timepiece 10.
In FIG. 2, only a few typical components of a mechanical movement 32 are illustrated. Of course, as explained below, other types of movements such as electronic movement or electronic-mechanical hybrid motion can also be used. The movement 32 typically comprises a plate 34 on which various additional components, such as a bridge 36, as well as a variety of moving and / or interacting components, such as a pad 38, a rod 40, a rocker 42, various wheels 44, a shaft 46, an anchor 48, an oscillating mass 50, an escapement wheel 52 and a spring 54 can be arranged in a well-defined manner.
According to the invention, at least one or a part of the aforementioned components illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, but also any other functional and / or aesthetic component of the timepiece 10, but not explicitly illustrated, can be made of a luminescent material. In particular, the watch component may be a functional clock component that provides a particular and well-defined mechanical or electrical function within the timepiece.
Preferably, according to the invention, said luminescent material is capable of providing a luminescent response in the human visible spectrum when it is excited, for example, by means of natural or unnatural electromagnetic radiation in the spectral range. UV.
In a preferred embodiment, the watch component comprises a photoluminescent material. Thus, photoluminescent materials can include phosphorescent as well as fluorescent materials. Fluorescent as well as phosphorescent materials are suitable for absorbing electromagnetic radiation, particularly in the visible human or UV spectral range. The absorption of photons thus generally leads to the excitation of the electrons towards higher energy states. The re-emission of a photon leading to a visible light effect, at the same or at a lower frequency of the photon, is then a consequence of the electron returning to its ground state. With the phosphorescent phenomenon especially, the excited electron must undergo vibratory relaxations and move from one system to another leading to a different spin state. Such disintegration phenomena are accompanied by a light emission at a longer wavelength, therefore with less energy compared to the initial wavelength of the excitation radiation.
Depending on the particular component or part thereof to be replaced by a luminescent material, a suitable luminescent material should be selected. As a general rule, with respect to the anchor 48, the luminescent material can replace the pallets of the anchor and has a monocrystalline structure as well as a polycrystalline structure. The luminescent watch component has a three-dimensional structure and is provided as a three-dimensional object capable of replacing existing watch components or a portion thereof, which are generally made of metal, plastic, sapphire, ceramic or glass. In general, the watch component made of a particular luminescent material can also replace and replace not only metal and / or plastic watch components, but it can also replace and replace other existing watch components, which are crystalline and non-luminescent, comprising or being made for example sapphire or ruby.
Thus, at least one or a part of the watch components 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54 mentioned above, may also consist of a luminescent monocrystalline material but different, for example, such as yttrium-vanadate (YV04). Other suitable materials may be fluorides such as yttrium lithium. fluoride (YLF), barium-yttrium-fluoride (BYF) or potassium-yttrium-fluoride (KYF) but also sesquioxides, such as Sc203 and Lu203, each of which is doped with appropriate doping materials.
It is particularly advantageous that the watch component can be characterized by an emission of stimulated electromagnetic radiation, in particular in the visible human spectral range. Such monocrystalline materials may also be able to provide particular mechanical functions. The mechanical hardness of a monocrystalline luminescent material can be comparable to that of sapphire or ruby and can therefore replace the respective sapphire or ruby components, for example a mechanical movement of a timepiece. In a preferred embodiment, the material of which said at least one watch component is made up of or comprises at least one oxide, a vanadate, a tungstate, a borate, an apatite, a garnet, a sapphire, an aluminate, a sesquioxide, a silicate, a chalcogenide, a fluoride.
For example, the original sapphire components of a timepiece could be replaced and replaced by a doped sapphire, a doped ruby, a doped quartz, a doped diamond or a doped YAG crystal. Above all, YAG crystals doped with Nd, Er or Yb provide a high degree of rigidity and a relatively low absorption in the visible range.
In another preferred embodiment, the luminescent watch component of the timepiece is doped with at least one dopant embedded in the mass of the respective watch component. By appropriately selecting a particular dopant, the spectral range and color of the light to be emitted from the watch component can be accurately determined and selected. Here, not only the choice of a particular dopant, but also the dopant concentration in the luminescent material can be arbitrarily modified to produce a desired luminous effect for the timepiece.
In another preferred embodiment, the dopant comprises at least one or a combination of the following materials: neodymium (Nd), ytterbium (Yb), erbium (Er), cerium (Ce), Nd: Ce, thulium (Tm), holmium (Ho), dysprosium (Dy), samarium (Sm), terbium (Tb), europium (Eu), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), titanium (Ti). In general, luminescent monocrystalline oxide materials such as yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) or yttrium ortho vanadate (YV04) can be doped with almost any lanthanide or rare earth material to provide a broadcast in the visible spectral range.
In another preferred aspect, the material of which said at least one watch component comprises comprises or consists of one or any combination of the following materials: yttrium-aluminum garnet (YAG) doped with This, Tb, yttrium ortho vanadate (YV04) doped with Eu, sapphire (Al 2 O 3) doped with Cr, Fe or Ti.
In particular with the chromium-doped sapphire, the Cr 3 '1' ions typically replace the aluminum in the sapphire structure.
For example, Ce (III): YAG crystals provide a yellow emission, typically between 530 and 550 nm. On the other hand, a yellow-green emission spectrum can be obtained with Tb-doped YAG crystals.
Monocrystalline watch components based on sapphire may have emission spectra in a region above 600 nm, even for example near 700 nm or near 800 nm.
Among the tungstates mentioned above, such as materials such as potassium tungstate-gadolinium (KGW), yttrium-potassium tungstate (KYW), can serve as material of the watch component. In addition, fluorides, such as yttrium-lithium fluoride (YLF) or calcium fluoride (CAF), as well as borates, for example Yb3 + Sr3Y (B03) 3 (Yb: BOYS) or apatites , such as S-FAP or SYS can provide a crude monocrystalline structure to provide and / or replace a watch component.
In addition, at least one or a portion of the watch components 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50 , 52, 54 mentioned above may be made from a luminescent ceramic material, for example based on Yttrium-aluminum garnet (YAG) ceramics. Such ceramic materials may also be doped with suitable lanthanide or rare earth materials, for example such as Ce or Tb.
Alternatively or additively, said at least one luminescent watch component may comprise a glass material, for example a silicate glass, a phosphate glass, a fluoride glass, a fluorozirconate or germanate glass, which may be appropriately doped with lanthanide or rare earth ions. As opposed to a monocrystalline structure, the material of such a clock component can be amorphous. A glass or fiberglass component is available in relatively large three-dimensional structures and at comparatively low costs. In a preferred embodiment, in which the material of the watch component comprises or consists of glass, various types of glass may be considered, such as, for example, silicate glass, phosphate glass, a glass of fluoride, glass of germanate and / or fluorozirconate.
The glass-based watch component may be provided in the form of a slab or in a form comparable to a laser fiber component having an optical fiber based on an amplifying medium doped with rare earth elements, such as lanthanides (La-Lu), erbium (Er), ytterbium (Yb), neodymium (Nd), dysprosium (Dy), praseodymium (Pr), holmium (Ho) and / or thulium ( tm). The doped amplifying medium of which the watch component is essentially composed may be at least partially surrounded by at least one layer forming a coating. In this way, a light effect can be even amplified by the watch component itself.
In yet another embodiment, the timepiece further comprises at least one excitation unit 60 for triggering a luminescent effect of the luminescent watch component 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 34, 36, 38, 40.42, 44, 46.48, 50, 52.54 or a portion thereof. For example, the timepiece 10 may comprise a light source capable of illuminating at least one luminescent horological component 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54 with electromagnetic radiation outside the human visible spectrum. In response to UV excitation radiation the luminescent watch component 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52 , 54 may exhibit a fluorescent or phosphorescent response by emitting electromagnetic radiation in the human visible spectral domain.
In the schematic block diagram of FIG. 3, the housing 12, as well as the movement 32 comprise a timepiece component 14, 34 made of a luminescent material or consisting of such material. The diagram of FIG. 3 relates to an electronic timepiece 10, in which the movement 32 comprises a power source 64 and a control unit 62. In addition, the movement 32 comprises an excitation unit 60, for example in the form a UV light source, by means of which a luminescent effect of the watch component 14, 34 of the housing 12 and / or the movement 32 can be triggered.
The watch components 14, 34 as shown in FIG. 3 are only examples of any or all of the watch components 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46. , 48, 50, 52, 54 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Therefore, instead of the plate 34, an oscillating mass 50 of the movement 32 or any of the components described above could be implemented as a timepiece component consisting of or made from a luminescent material .
By means of the excitation unit 60, a luminous effect of the watch component 14, 34 and therefore of the entire timepiece 10 can be supplied to order, particularly in a dark or weak environment. enlightened. The excitation unit 60 may comprise a UV light source which is activated via a control unit 62. Typically, the control unit may be actuated by the user using, for example , a pusher 20 or a ring 22, and may further comprise or be coupled to a source of electrical power 64.
By making use of a UV light source as an excitation unit, the excitation of the luminous watch component can occur substantially outside the human visible spectrum. In addition, on the basis of the time parameters of the luminous effect of the watch component, dynamic effects of radiation or fade can also be implemented.
In a particular embodiment of FIG. 3, the excitation unit 60 is integrated in an electronically implemented movement 32 of the timepiece 10. In this embodiment, the timepiece 10 is preferably designed and implemented as an electronic timepiece 10. Here, the excitation unit 60 can be provided as an additional component in the electronic movement 32. Independently of the implementation of the excitation unit 60, the different watch components luminescent 14, 34 can be excited simultaneously by a single excitation unit 60. Therefore, a luminescent watch component which can belong to the cladding 8 of the timepiece 10 can be illuminated and excited by the unit of excitation 60 in a manner similar to what would be the case for a timepiece component integrated in the electronic movement.
In another aspect, the excitation unit can be integrated with a lighting module 66 to be separately assembled to a timepiece 10 implemented electronically or mechanically.
In particular for a timepiece implemented mechanically, the excitation unit 60, the control unit 62 and a power source 64 can be integrated in a separate module or in a separate module. assembly which, as a whole, can be mounted in or on a mechanical timepiece 10. Here again, the excitation unit 60 serves not only to optically excite components of the lighting module, but can generally provide lighting and excitement and any luminescent watch component.
From there, as is schematically illustrated in FIG. 4, the movement 32, unlike the configuration of FIG. 3, is not provided with a source of electrical power 64. In the configuration according to FIG. 4, there is provided a lighting module 66 which comprises a power source 64, a control unit 62 and an excitation unit 60, for example a UV light source for exciting and / or illuminating the luminescent watch component. 34, 14 of the movement 32 and / or the covering 8, respectively.
As is further illustrated in FIG. 4, the lighting module 66 may also include a user interface 68, through which an excitation of the luminescent clock component 14, 34 may be triggered on demand. The user interface 68 may comprise a pusher 20, a ring 22 or the like allowing a user to activate the excitation unit 60, for example for a predetermined period of time.
权利要求:
Claims (14)
[1]
The lighting module 66 as shown in FIG. 4 can be preassembled and can be placed in or on the box 12 of the timepiece 10. Here, it is generally conceivable that also existing boxes 12 and / or mechanical movements 32 could be subsequently equipped with a Such a lighting module 66. Of course, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated example but is susceptible of various variants and modifications that will occur to those skilled in the art. In particular, the invention can be applied in fields remote from the watch industry. For example, it may apply to the automotive, aerospace and / or jewelery fields. Furthermore, depending on the chosen luminescent material, the manufacturing process may vary. Thus, with respect to a hard material such as monocrystalline or polycrystalline materials, grinding and / or drilling and / or polishing and / or etching (wet or dry) processes may be applied. In the particular case of ceramics, molding and sintering can be carried out. Finally, the laser and / or plasma machining can also be performed for most of the above materials. claims
Timepiece (10) comprising a covering (8) in which a movement (32) is arranged, characterized in that at least a part of the covering (8) comprises a watch component (34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54) whose body is entirely made of a photoluminescent material allowing the timepiece to improve its readability and / or visibility without additional light coating .
[2]
2. Timepiece (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the watch component forms at least partially a box (12), a dial (14), an ice (16), a telescope (18), a pusher (20), a crown (22), a caseback (24), a wall (26) or a bracelet (30).
[3]
Timepiece (10) comprising a covering (8) in which a movement (32) is arranged, characterized in that at least a part of the movement (32) comprises a watch component (14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30) whose body is entirely made of a photoluminescent material allowing the timepiece to improve its readability and / or visibility without additional light coating.
[4]
4. Timepiece (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the watch component forms at least partially a plate (34), a bridge (36), a pad (38), a rod (40), a balance wheel (42), a wheel (44), a shaft (46), an anchor (48), an oscillating weight (50), an escape wheel (52) or a spring (54).
[5]
Timepiece according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the photoluminescent material of the watch component (14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54) has a crystal structure.
[6]
6. Timepiece (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the photoluminescent material comprises a sapphire, Al 2 O 3, crude doped with atoms of Cr, Fe or Ti.
[7]
7. Timepiece (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that the photoluminescent material comprises a yttrium-aluminum garnet, YAG, crude doped with Ce or Tb atoms.
[8]
8. Timepiece (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that the photoluminescent material comprises yttrium ortho vanadate YV04, crude doped with Eu atoms.
[9]
9. Timepiece according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the photoluminescent material of the watch component (14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 34, 36, 38 , 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54) comprises a glass and / or a glass fiber.
[10]
Timepiece according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the photoluminescent material of the watch component (14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 34, 36, 38 , 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54) comprises a ceramic.
[11]
11. Timepiece (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises at least one excitation unit (60) for triggering a luminescent effect of the watch component (14, 16, 18 , 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54).
[12]
12. Timepiece (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the excitation unit (60) comprises a UV light source activated by a control unit (62).
[13]
13. Timepiece (10) according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the excitation unit (60) is integrated in an electronic movement (32).
[14]
Timepiece (10) according to one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the excitation unit (60) is integrated in a lighting module (66) to be assembled separately from the movement (32). ) electronic or mechanical.
类似技术:
公开号 | 公开日 | 专利标题
CH710869B1|2017-11-15|Timepiece comprising at least one photoluminescent element.
EP2271232B1|2014-06-11|Decorative portable object
EP2084585B1|2018-05-02|Timepiece with an illumination system comprising an ultraviolet light emitting diode
Lluscà et al.2014|Up-conversion effect of Er-and Yb-doped ZnO thin films
CH697210A5|2008-06-25|Dial.
EP3152627A2|2017-04-12|Timepiece component made from welded materials
EP3588203A1|2020-01-01|Versatile timepiece component
EP3152625B1|2018-12-19|Timepiece exterior part made of welded materials
EP3743538A1|2020-12-02|Pivoting pin of a regulator
CH548367A|1974-04-30|PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING NEW 2-AMINOALCOXY STYROLS.
Hayashi et al.2003|Bright blue phosphors in ZnO–WO 3 binary system discovered through combinatorial methodology
CH707060B1|2017-05-31|Luminous watch display.
EP2392977A1|2011-12-07|Timepiece with special aesthetic effects
EP3226082B1|2020-02-26|Timepiece movement component
EP3653744A1|2020-05-20|Composite material with a metal matrix and method for manufacturing such a material
CH710494B1|2018-11-30|A method of manufacturing an article having a reliefless decorated surface.
CH714234A1|2019-04-15|A method of manufacturing a coin and a watch or jewelery coin, with a surface comprising oxidation-colored titanium.
TW200724647A|2007-07-01|Method for prepare luminous layer of photo communication source on a substrate by using nano particles
EP3896192A1|2021-10-20|Timepiece component with an improved interferential optical system comprising a zinc-based layer
EP3896193A1|2021-10-20|Timepiece component with an improved interferential optical system
EP3892151A1|2021-10-13|Clock component and method for manufacturing a clock component
CH715862A2|2020-08-31|Colorful watch glass.
CH709739A2|2015-12-15|lining part of a timepiece welded materials.
CH709728A2|2015-12-15|Watchmaking component in welded materials.
CH713275A1|2018-06-29|Non-opaque timepiece component with luminescent effect and its manufacturing process.
同族专利:
公开号 | 公开日
WO2015106828A1|2015-07-23|
CN206096773U|2017-04-12|
JP3208267U|2017-01-05|
DE212014000245U1|2016-08-24|
引用文献:
公开号 | 申请日 | 公开日 | 申请人 | 专利标题

CH319646A|1955-02-22|1957-02-28|Ed Kummer S A Fabrique D Horlo|Automatic wristwatch|
DE69434300T2|1993-12-14|2005-12-29|Citizen Watch Co., Ltd., Nishitokyo|SOLAR CELL|
CH693307A5|1999-11-26|2003-05-30|Swatch Ag|Transparent cover e.g. for clock has design with variable density phosphorescent pigment giving different decorative effects by day and night|
EP2392977B1|2009-06-18|2020-10-28|ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse|Timepiece with special aesthetic effects|
CH704601B1|2011-03-12|2017-09-29|Daniel Rytz Dr|Pointer for measuring instruments, in particular watches, with optically excited waveguide.|
CH707060B1|2012-10-04|2017-05-31|Swatch Group Res & Dev Ltd|Luminous watch display.|DE102014007331A1|2014-05-17|2015-11-19|Volker Schell|Optically active dials for wristwatches|
FR3039292B1|2015-07-24|2019-05-31|Commissariat A L'energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives|SPIRAL SPRING AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SPIRAL SPRING|
DE102017201676B4|2017-02-02|2019-08-14|Realization Desal Ag|Watch glass with luminescent element|
EP3422119B1|2017-05-29|2021-06-30|The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd|Universal device for preparing a watch|
法律状态:
优先权:
申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
PCT/EP2014/050989|WO2015106828A1|2014-01-20|2014-01-20|Timepiece with at least one photoluminescent component|
[返回顶部]