• 专利附录
  • 专利说明
  • 权利要求
  • 类似技术
  • 同族专利
  • 引用文献
  • 法律状态
  • 优先权
    • 专利摘要:
    The present invention relates to a safety valve (1) for a watch comprising a head (3) movably mounted on a tube (4) and able to move between an open position and a closed position, said tube (3) comprising in its inner volume a first spring (14) and being characterized in that: it is provided on an outer face with a cam surface (7) allowing manual movement and automatic movement of the head (3) to its open position , it comprises following the first spring (14) a second spring (16) having a stiffness greater than that of the first spring (14).
    公开号:CH713978A2
    申请号:CH00919/17
    申请日:2017-07-14
    公开日:2019-01-15
    发明作者:Pierry Vuille；Michel Willemin；Jean-Claude Martin
    申请人:Swatch Group Res & Dev Ltd；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    Description
    Technical Field [0001] The present invention relates to a safety valve for a watch and more specifically for a watch intended for scuba diving. The present invention also relates to the watch provided with said valve.
    Technological background [0002] Helium valves, also called helium valves, are present on certain diving watches to evacuate the helium infiltrated in the watch case during so-called saturation dives where the divers breathe a gaseous mixture containing helium and oxygen. This allows them to stay for several days inside a bell or underwater station. During this time, helium can seep into the watch. In the absence of such a valve, the internal overpressure generated by the infiltrated helium can, during the decompression phase, generate damage to the watch, such as for example the loss of the glass which becomes loose or breaks.
    Helium valves can be manual or automatic. The manual valves work simply by tightening a sealing element like a head, like a screwed crown, on the middle. The disadvantage of manual valves is that the watch is not waterproof if the valve is not tightened after use. Automatic valves will automatically activate, as their name suggests, when the pressure difference between the inside of the watch case and the outside environment reaches a critical level. A first type of automatic valve is that without blocking possible by the user, the foundations of which are described in the document CH 492 246. This mounted in the majority of cases flush with the middle is in the form of a simple valve limiting the pressure inside the watch case. The disadvantage of this type of valve is its automatic opening without the possibility of blocking the gas escape and therefore also the entry of fluid into the watch, which is problematic when decompression takes place in a humid environment. To overcome this drawback, there is a second type of automatic valve which can be controlled by the user by screwing / unscrewing the head as described in document EP 0 554 797. Optionally, this second type of valve can be integrated into a pusher as disclosed in document EP 2 685 327.
    The valve of document EP 0 554 797 comprises a recessed head provided with a skirt and a central core extended by a rod. The head can be screwed onto a tube attached to the middle part of the case of the timepiece. The tube comprises a bottom crossed with clearance by the rod. The core and the rod are surrounded by a coil return spring. The spring is supported under the head by its first end. The second end of the spring is supported on a ring which in turn compresses a first seal placed on the bottom of the tube. A second seal is placed under the head to the right of the tube. When the head is screwed onto the threaded part of the tube, the second seal is pressed against the tube. Consequently, the valve is inoperative and completely sealed thanks to the second seal and the effect of the spring on the first seal. When the head is unscrewed, the second seal under the head is no longer active and the seal at the bottom of the tube is likely to lift against the return force of the spring when the pressure inside the box becomes higher than that prevailing outside. It follows the evacuation of gas from the inside of the watch to the outside.
    This second type of valve has several disadvantages. First, it requires user intervention to be active. When the head is kept in the closed position, the valve is de facto inoperative and will not prevent a problem of bursting of the glass in the event of overpressure inside the box. Then, the head is mounted on the tube via a screw thread. The head being mainly during its lifespan in the rest position, i.e. in the screwed position, there is a risk that the user will no longer be able to loosen it when the time comes. Also, excessive tightening of the head on the tube may eventually damage the second seal positioned under the head. Conversely, too little tightening of the head may keep it in the open position.
    Summary of the invention [0006] To remedy the aforementioned disadvantages, the main object of the present invention is to provide a new helium valve which combines the advantages of automatic valves respectively with and without user intervention while avoiding the disadvantages of '' a screw / nut connection specific to automatic valves requiring user intervention.
    To this end, the present invention provides a valve with two operating configurations. In a first configuration, the valve is active beyond a moderate overpressure threshold within the watch case provided that the user has previously placed the valve head in the open position to allow the escape of the gas to the outside of the watch case. In a second configuration, the valve is active beyond a critical overpressure threshold within the watch case causing the automatic opening of the head. This operation with two distinct overpressure thresholds is made possible thanks, on the one hand, to a cam-type connection between the head and the valve tube and, on the other hand, thanks to the presence within the valve. two springs in series with different stiffnesses. More precisely, in the first configuration, the opening and closing of the head is controlled manually by the user via the rotation of the head and the sliding of the latter on a cam surface formed on the tube transforming the movement of rotation in a translational movement. A pre
    CH 713 978 A2 mier spring is dimensioned so that the valve is operational in this configuration when a given internal overpressure threshold is reached. In the second configuration, a second spring is dimensioned so that the valve is operational for a given overpressure threshold which is higher than that of the first configuration. In this second configuration, the automatic opening of the head under the effect of internal pressure is made possible by mounting the head on a cam surface which, unlike the thread of a screw, allows a displacement in pure translation of the head. Furthermore, this arrangement avoids the problems inherent in excessive tightening or loosening of the head by the user.
    Other advantages will emerge from the characteristics expressed in the claims, from the detailed description of the invention illustrated below with the aid of the appended drawings given by way of non-limiting examples.
    Brief description of the figures
    [0009]Fig. 1 is a front view of part of the helium valve according to the invention. Fig. 2 represents a same view of the whole helium valve provided with the head with the ramps formed in the latter visible in transparency. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the helium valve according to the invention. Fig. 4 represents a wavy spring which, according to a preferred variant of the invention, can be used in the helium valve. Figs. 5 to 9 are sectional views of the helium valve according to the invention attached to a watch case. In fig. 5 and 6, the head is in the closed position. In fig. 7 and 8, the head is in the open position following user intervention with, in fig. 8, a pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the watch case causing the gas to escape to the outside of the watch case. In fig. 9, the head is in the open position without user intervention following a significant overpressure within the watch case. Figs. 10 and 11 represent a watch case provided with the helium valve according to the invention with the head in the closed position and in the open position respectively.
    Detailed description of the invention The present invention relates to a helium valve, which will also be called a safety valve.
    The valve 1 shown among others in Figs. 2,3 and Scompone a hollow cylindrical head 3 mounted on a tube 4 intended to be fixed to the watch case 5 for example by screwing. The valve 1 comprises a rod 6 integral with the head 3 which extends inside the volume delimited by the hollow head and by the tube. According to the invention, the head 2 is movably mounted on the tube 4 and moves axially between a closed position and an open position respectively shown in Figs. 5 and 7. The head can move axially in a pure translational movement or move axially via a rotational movement transformed into translational movement by a cam type contact between the head and the tube. To this end, the tube 4 is provided on its upper external face, and more specifically on its external face external to the watch case, with a cam surface 7 formed by one or more ramps on which the head 3 slides when the user prints a rotational movement on the latter (fig. 1 and 2). The tube can be fitted with a single ramp occupying an arc of a circle between 15 and 360 °. Preferably, the tube is provided with at least two ramps to ensure support at several points of the head on the tube when the head is in the open position. These different ramps have the same geometry (same length, same height) and, preferably, they are equidistantly arranged so that the trim of the head is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis formed by the tube when the head is open. In the presence of two ramps, each ramp occupies an arc of circle less than or equal to 180 °. In the presence of three ramps, each ramp occupies an arc of circle less than or equal to 120 °, etc. In the example illustrated in fig. 1 to 3, the tube 4 is provided on its upper external face with two ramps 7 each occupying an arc of a circle slightly less than 180 °. Each ramp cooperates with recesses 8 of complementary shape hollowed out in the inner wall of the head 3 as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5. Preferably, each ramp has notches 9 or stops at its ends which notify the user that it is at the end of its travel. It goes without saying that these notches or stops can also be used to position the inscription on the head 3 of the valve in an exact and reproducible manner, so that the reading and the aesthetics of the part are always identical. closed and / or open position.
    As shown in FIG. 5, the valve 1 has a double seal with, on the one hand, an O-ring 10 disposed opposite the upper end of the tube 4 in an annular housing 12 formed in the head 3 and, on the other hand, another joint 11, called below first joint, disposed within the tube 4. According to the invention, the interior volume of the tube is split into two chambers 4a, 4b separated by a bearing 13 crossed by the rod 6. There is a first chamber 4a under the head 3 followed in the direction of the base of the rod 6 of a second chamber 4b. The first 4a and second 4b chambers respectively house the first spring 14 and the second spring 16. The two chambers are separated by
    CH 713 978 A2 the bearing 13 serving as support for the first O-ring 11 arranged in the first chamber 4a. This scope can be of frustoconical shape as in the examples or possibly planar. It has a vertical extension 13a extending towards the base of the rod 6 and cooperating with a shoulder 6a formed in the rod 6 to limit the translational movement of the head in the open position.
    In the first chamber 4a, the first spring 14 is wound around the rod 6. This first spring 14 is supported at one end under the head 3 and at the other end on a ring 15 which compresses the first seal 11 against the scope
    13. In the second chamber 4b, the second spring 16 is wound around the rod 6. It bears at one end on the seat 13 and at its other end on a second shoulder 6b formed at the base of the rod 6. This second spring 16 is dimensioned to exert a restoring force on the head and maintain a closing pressure sufficient to guarantee the tightness of the valve. According to the invention, it has a stiffness which is greater than that of the first spring, the stiffness of the two springs being calculated as a function of the pressure thresholds beyond which the valve must be operating. For example, the first spring 14 can be dimensioned so that the overpressure value inside the valve which releases the first seal 11 is greater than or equal to 1 bar, preferably 2 bar, while the second spring 16 can be dimensioned to release the seal 10 under the head 3 for a pressure delta between the interior and the exterior greater than or equal to 3 bar, preferably 4 bar. The springs can be helical springs. In a preferred variant, these may be peak-to-peak springs also called wavy springs as shown in FIG. 4 which offer the advantage of occupying a smaller volume compared to a helical spring of equivalent stiffness. The superimposition of schnorr or belleville type washers is also envisaged.
    Figs. 5 to 9 illustrate the operation of the valve according to the invention. In fig. 5 and 6, the head is in the closed position, i.e. that the user has not rotated the head. In the absence of a pressure difference between the inside of the watch case (pressure P2) and the external environment (pressure P1 = P2), the two seals 10, 11 are compressed and the valve is completely sealed ( fig. 5). In the presence of a moderate overpressure inside the watch case (P2> P1), the rod 6 is kept in the low position under the action of the restoring force of the second spring 16 while the first seal 11 n is more active under the action of helium pressure raising the latter (fig. 6). However, the tightness of the valve is guaranteed by the seal 10 under the head. In the presence of a significant overpressure inside the watch case (P2> P1), the return force of the second spring 16 is no longer able to counter the internal pressure (fig. 9). Consequently, the rod 6 is raised, releasing the two seals 10, 11 and, thereby, allowing the gas to escape via the two chambers and the space between the external face of the tube and the internal circumference of the head.
    When the user turns the head to place it in the open position as shown in figs. 7 and 8, the latter moves axially by a distance D corresponding to the height of the ramp, which makes the seal 10 inactive under the head
    3. If the internal pressure is equal to the external pressure (P2 = P1), the first seal 11 remains compressed against the bearing surface 13 and therefore the valve remains sealed (fig. 7). On the other hand, when the internal pressure exceeds the external pressure (P2> P1) by a predefined value sufficient to counteract the restoring force of the first spring 14, the first seal 11 also becomes inoperative, which allows the gas to escape. the outside of the watch case to balance the pressures (fig. 8).
    Finally, we can see in Figs, 10 and 11, the watch case 5 comprising the valve 1 according to the invention respectively in the closed and open positions. Optionally, the tube 4 visible when the head 3 is in the open position can be marked on its external face with a logo or a color to indicate to the user that the head is in the open position.
    Legend [1] (1) Valve (3) Head (4) Tube (4a) First chamber (4b) Second chamber (5) Watch case (6) Stem (6a) First shoulder (6b) Second shoulder (7) Surface cam or ramp
    CH 713 978 A2 (8) Recess in the head (9) Notch on the ramp (10) Seal under the head (11) Other or First seal (12) Housing (13) Reach (13a) Stopper (14) First spring ( 15) Ring (16) Second spring (17) Pusher separate from the valve according to the invention
    权利要求:
    Claims (15)
    [1]
    claims
    1. Safety valve (1) comprising a tube (4) intended to be fixed to a watch case (5) and a hollow head (3) provided with a rod (6) extending in its hollow part (3 ), said head (3) being movably mounted on the tube (4) and able to move along an axis defined by the rod (6) between an open position in which a fluid under pressure in the watch case ( 5) is capable of escaping and a closed position where the escape of the fluid is prevented, said tube (4) comprising in its internal volume a first spring (14) wound around the rod (6), the tube (4 ) being further characterized in that:
    - It is provided on an external face with a cam surface (7) allowing respectively a so-called manual movement of the head (3) towards its open position following the intervention of a user and a so-called automatic movement of the head (3) towards its open position under the action of a critical overpressure within the watch case (5),
    - It comprises following the first spring (14) a second spring (16) wound around the rod (6) with the second spring (16) separated from the first spring (14) by a bearing (13) crossed by the rod (6) and integral with the tube (4), the first spring (14) being dimensioned so that the valve (1) is active in the presence of an overpressure ΔΡχ within the watch case (5) after manual movement of the head (3) towards its open position, the second spring (16) being dimensioned so that the valve (1) is active in the presence of an overpressure APy within the watch case (5) causing the automatic displacement of the head (2) towards its open position, the second spring (16) having a stiffness greater than that of the first spring (14) so that APy is greater than ΔΡχ.
    [2]
    2. Valve (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the cam surface (7) is formed by one or more ramps cooperating with recesses (8) of complementary shape hollowed out in the inner wall of the head (3) .
    [3]
    3. Valve (1) according to claim 2, comprising two ramps each extending over an arc of a circle less than or equal to 180 °.
    [4]
    4. Valve according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the ramps are arranged equidistant.
    [5]
    5. Valve (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that each ramp has at its ends stop notches (9).
    [6]
    6. Valve (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the stop notches (9) or stops are used to fix in a reproducible manner the position of an inscription or a logo formed on the head 3 in the closed position and / or open.
    [7]
    7. Valve (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tube (4) has in its internal volume two chambers (4a, 4b) separated by the bearing surface (13) successively from the head (3 ) a first chamber (4a) housing the first spring (14) and a second chamber (4b) housing the second spring (16).
    [8]
    8. Valve (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a seal (10) disposed opposite one end of the tube (4) in an annular housing (12) formed in the head (3) and another seal (11), also called first seal, intended to bear on the bearing surface (13) when ΔΡχ and APy are substantially equal to 0.
    [9]
    9. Valve (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the first chamber (4a) comprises a ring (15) disposed between the first spring (14) and the first seal (11), one end of the first spring (14 ) bearing under the head (3) and the other end of the first spring (14) bearing on the ring (15) intended to compress the first seal (11) against the bearing surface (13) when APx and APy are substantially equal at 0.
    CH 713 978 A2
    [10]
    10. Valve (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one end of the second spring (16) is supported on the bearing surface (13) and the other end of the second spring (16) is supported on a shoulder (6b) formed at the base of the rod (6).
    [11]
    11. Valve (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bearing surface (13) comprises a stop (13a) cooperating with the rod (6) to limit the axial movement of the head (3) towards its open position.
    [12]
    12. Valve (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first spring (14) and the second spring (16) are peak-to-peak springs.
    [13]
    13. Valve (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that ΔΡχ is greater than or equal to 0.1 bar, preferably at 0.2 bar, and in that APy is greater than or equal to 0, 7 bar, preferably 1 bar.
    [14]
    14. Valve (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tube (4) has on its outer face a marking.
    [15]
    15. Watch comprising a box (5) formed of a middle part, a back and a glass delimiting a sealed volume in which is mounted a timepiece movement provided with means for displaying time information, characterized in that a valve (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 14 is mounted on the box (5).
    CH 713 978 A2
    14, 16
    CH 713 978 A2
    P2 = P1
    P2> Pl
    P2 = Pl
    CH 713 978 A2
    P 2 > Pl
    pi
    P2 "Pl
    CH 713 978 A2
    类似技术:
    公开号 | 公开日 | 专利标题
    EP0554797B1|1995-12-13|Safety-valve for divers' timepiece
    EP2685327B1|2018-09-05|Push button for timepiece including a valve
    CH624259A|1981-07-31|
    EP2639486B1|2016-07-27|Sealing device and method
    FR2625789A1|1989-07-13|VALVE FOR GAS BOTTLE
    EP2166420A2|2010-03-24|Geschraubte Krone mit Ventil oder integriertem Druckschalter
    EP3432086A1|2019-01-23|Safety valve for a timepiece
    EP3432085B1|2020-04-15|Safety valve for a timepiece
    CA1312526C|1993-01-12|Fluid feeding device for a hydraulic, pneumatic or hydropneumatic facility
    EP3428741B1|2020-05-13|Safety valve for a watch
    EP3432084B1|2020-09-16|Safety valve for a watch
    CH714005A2|2019-01-31|Crown head comprising a safety valve for a timepiece.
    EP3428740B1|2020-09-02|Safety valve for a watch
    FR2461291A1|1981-01-30|CONTROL UNIT FOR WATERPROOF WATCH
    FR2503319A1|1982-10-08|Safety valve for water heater - has free internal function pressure release even if exterior handle is blocked
    CH714007A2|2019-01-31|Security valve for watch.
    EP1426663A1|2004-06-09|Valve and protective cover for pressure bottle
    EP1554635A2|2005-07-20|Watch control device
    CH714006A2|2019-01-31|Safety valve, crown head and timepiece.
    EP1317636B1|2006-03-08|Expansion valve for quick mounting on a gas bottle
    EP3708900A1|2020-09-16|Connector for pressurised fluid, valve and container comprising such a connector and connection method
    FR2898954A1|2007-09-28|Filter valve for use in pressure fluid cylinder, has piston mounted at interior of body in movable manner, and spring retaining ring maintaining piston relative to body in opening position of internal orifice
    FR3095489A1|2020-10-30|Inflation and deflation valve for inflatable product
    EP1688651B1|2008-04-02|Control valve for pipeline or bottle comprising compressed or liquified gas
    CH714309A2|2019-05-15|Security valve for watch.
    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    JP2019020400A|2019-02-07|
    JP6629924B2|2020-01-15|
    US20190018370A1|2019-01-17|
    CN109253289B|2019-12-10|
    CN109253289A|2019-01-22|
    EP3428741B1|2020-05-13|
    EP3428741A1|2019-01-16|
    US10901370B2|2021-01-26|
    引用文献:
    公开号 | 申请日 | 公开日 | 申请人 | 专利标题
    GB303102A|1927-12-28|1929-07-04|Hans Wilsdorf|Fluid-tight keyless watch|
    BE661940A|1965-03-05|1965-10-01|
    CH492246A|1967-11-06|1969-11-28|Rolex Montres|Waterproof watch|
    CH903874A4|1974-07-02|1977-05-13|
    JPS61256275A|1985-05-09|1986-11-13|Seiko Epson Corp|High pressure water-proof apparatus of crown part|
    CH682199B5|1992-02-07|1994-02-15|Smh Management Services Ag|Safety valve for a timepiece diver.|
    WO2005038538A1|2003-10-21|2005-04-28|Richemont International Sa|Wristwatch push-piece winding button control device|
    EP2685327B1|2012-07-09|2018-09-05|Omega SA|Push button for timepiece including a valve|
    CN205956480U|2016-08-04|2017-02-15|深圳市古尊表业有限公司|Helium discharges structure and submersion watch|
    法律状态:
    2020-11-13| AZW| Rejection (application)|
    优先权:
    申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
    EP17181526.9A|EP3428741B1|2017-07-14|2017-07-14|Safety valve for a watch|
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