# US 2008/0304366 A1 · Depth Measuring Device For Watches, and Watches Incorporating Such a Measuring Device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0304366 A1 - Document ID: US20080304366A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/097,542 - Filed: 2006-12-12 - Published: 2008-12-11 - Earliest claimed: 2006-12-12 - Assignees: Richemont International SA - Inventors: Jean-Francois Ruchonnet - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080304366A1 ## CPC - G01L 7/163: {construction or mounting of pistons} - G01L 7/166: {with mechanical transmitting or indicating means} - G04B 47/066: {with a pressure sensor} - G04F 7/0842: {with start-stop control mechanisms} - G04F 7/0866: {Special arrangements} - B63C 11/02: Divers' equipment - G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G) - G04B: MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS (spring- or weight-driven mechanisms in general F03G; electromechanical clocks or watches G04C; electromechanical clocks with attached or built-in means operating any device at pre-selected times or after predetermined time intervals G04C23/00; clocks or watches with stop devices G04F7/08) - G04F: TIME-INTERVAL MEASURING (measuring pulse characteristics G01R, e.g. G01R29/02; in radar or like systems G01S) - B63C: LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS (floating nets, floating slipways, or the like for recovering aircraft from the water B63B35/52) ## Abstract The depth measuring device for a diving watch with a chronograph mechanism, includes a plunger moved by external pressure through a rolling membrane against the action of a return element. The plunger acts on cams belonging to a circular slide mounted in a casing ring. The movement of the slide is transmitted by a gear train to a depth needle and to a dead needle. A pressure sensing device has a sliding plunger mounted inside the winding button. This plunger acts on a control device for automatically starting and stopping the chronograph mechanism. A locking device is used to lock and release the control device and displays a diving flag in the released position. The gear chain displays a safety flag at a predetermined depth. A resetting device allows the various mechanisms and devices to be reset to zero. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Depth measuring device for watches comprising a sensor mechanism (41: 141: 321, 324) intended to measure the external pressure, characterized in that the sensor mechanism (41; 141; 321, 324) comprises at least one piston (21; 112; 343, 406) that can be displaced by the external pressure against the action of a restoring element (20, 23; 110; 349, 413), the displacement of the piston being a function of the external pressure and being transmitted by transmission elements (9 to 12; 104, 105; 342) to at least one organ (3; 125; 307, 308, 427) of the watch. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the transmission elements comprise a circular slide (9: 350) pivoting relative to a casing ring (8; 330) arranged around the movement (320) of the watch, and at least one gear train (10 to 12; 359), the piston or pistons (21; 343) being subject to the external pressure and arranged so as to produce a rotation of the circular slide (9; 350) that cooperates with at least one pressure indicator organ (3; 307, 308) via said gear train. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) Device according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises at least two pistons (21) slidingly mounted on the casing ring (8) along a plane essentially parallel to the principal plane of the watch, the displacement of the pistons (21) under the influence of the external pressure producing a corresponding rotation of the circular slide (9). ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the gear train comprises at least two toothed sectors (11, 12) arranged so as to rotate a maximum-depth hand (3) serving as an indicator organ during an increase in external pressure, locking means (13, 15) that can be released being provided for locking the maximum-depth hand (3) during a decrease of the external pressure, in such a way that this maximum-depth hand (3) indicates the maximum depth attained. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the locking means comprise a toothed wheel (13) integral with the maximum-depth hand (3) and cooperating with a pawl (15) intended to prevent the toothed wheel (13) from returning to a position of rest under the action of a return spring (14). pawl (15) being able to be swung away from the toothed wheel (13) by a zero-resetting device (16). ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) Device according to claim 4, characterized in that a first one of the two toothed sectors (11) is driven by the circular slide (9) and holds a marker (17). the second toothed sector (12) that is coaxial with the first sector (11) being driven by the latter in an exclusively unidirectional fashion during an increase in pressure this second toothed sector (12) driving the maximum-depth hand (3) and comprising a shutter (18) able to hide the marker (17) while the second toothed sector (12) is driven by the first sector (11) during the pressure increase at the start of the dive, and revealing the marker (17) in a window of a dial (2) of the watch when the pressure has decreased to a predetermined value. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) Device according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a piston (343) mounted so as to slide in an axial direction (345) perpendicular to the principal plane of the watch between the movement (320) and the back (332) of the watch, at least one ramp-shaped cam (351) cooperating with a cam follower (353) set up between the piston (343) and the circular slide (350) in such a way that an axial displacement of piston (343) produces a corresponding rotation of the circular slide (350). ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the restoring element (344) consists of a conical or Belleville washer (349) arranged between the casing ring (330) and the piston (343). ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) Device according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises a rolling sleeve diaphragm (346) serving as water-tight element between the piston (343) and the back (332) that is provided with openings (348) for the water. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the gear train (359) comprises a first mobile part (363) that is arranged in such a way that it drives a second, coaxial mobile part (370) during an increase in external pressure, and is released from this second mobile part (370) during a decrease of the external pressure, the first mobile part (363) cooperating with a first indicator organ (307) of the instantaneous external pressure and the second mobile part (370) cooperating with a second indicator organ (307) of the maximum external pressure attained, and integral with a locking wheel (376) cooperating with a unidirectional locking organ (377) retaining the second indicator organ (307) against the action of a restoring element (381). ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) Device according to claim 10, characterized in that the first mobile part (363) is engaged with a first central pinion (364) integral with a depth hand (307) constituting the first indicator organ, the first central pinion (364) being engaged with a first return wheel (368). and in that the second mobile part is formed by a toothed sector (370) arranged so as to cooperate with a driving element (373) of the first mobile part (363), only during an increase in external pressure, the toothed sector (370) being engaged with a second central pinion (375) coaxial with the first central pinion (364) and integral with a maximum-depth hand (308) forming the second indicator organ, and with a wheel (376) cooperating with a unidirectional locking organ (377) that can be released, such as a pawl, the second central pinion (375) being engaged with a second return wheel (380) intended to secure zero resetting of the maximum-depth hand (308) under the action of a return spring (381). ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) Device according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises a first display device (323) of a first flag (389) that is able to appear in a first window (309), this first display device (323) comprising a pivoting arm (390) holding the first flag and being subject to the action of a spring (392) securing for it a bistable function with one active position of flag display and one retracted flag position, the change in position of this arm (390) between these two positions being produced by two pins (393, 394) arranged on the first mobile part (363). ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) Device according to claim 12, characterized in that the toothed sector (370) is fashioned so that it can be inserted between the First flag (389) and the first window (309) at the start of diving descent and after zero resetting. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor mechanism (141; 324) comprises a crown piston (112; 406) mounted slidingly in the crown (103; 314) of the watch so as to act upon at least one organ (125; 427) of the watch. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) Device according to claim 14, characterized in that the crown piston (112; 406) is displaced by the external pressure along the crown's axis against the action of a return spring (110; 413) so as to activate and/or deactivate via a transmission mechanism (144: 419) at least one function of the watch such as the start and stop of a chronograph mechanism. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) Device according to claim 14, characterized by the fact that the crown piston (112; 406) is integral with a cam (119; 408) comprising two ramps arranged so as to confer to the transmission mechanism (144; 419) a first control impulse during the increase in external pressure, and a second control impulse during the decrease in external pressure. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) Device according to claim 16, characterized in that the transmission mechanism (144; 419) comprises a first lever (104; 420) with cam follower in the shape of a roller (120: 422) solicited by an elastic element (106; 428) against the cam (119: 408) this first lever (104; 420) cooperating with the start and stop control (125; 427) of the chronograph mechanism via at least one second lever (105; 424). ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) Device according to claim 15, characterized in that it comprises a locking device (327) for locking and releasing the transmission mechanism (419), this locking device (327) comprising a locking lever (432) that is arranged so as to lock the transmission mechanism (419) in a first position, and release the transmission mechanism (419) in a second position, the locking device (321) including a release lever (316) that can be actuated by a user and is linked via linking elements (430, 431) to the locking lever (432), to displace it from the first toward the second position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) Device according to claim 18 characterized in that it comprises a second display device (326) for a diving flag (443), this second display device (326) including an arm (440) that is integral with the locking lever (432), provided with the diving flag, and shaped so that the diving flag (443) is visible in a second window (310) of the dial in the second position of the locking lever (432) but swung away from this window (310) in the first position of the locking lever. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) Device according to claim 16, characterized in that the crown (103; 314) comprises a crown tube (107; 401) fixed at the watchcase (301). a cylindrical wall (403) of the Grown being set up so as to face the outside of the crown tube (401), the Grown piston (112; 406) being mounted inside this crown tube (107; 401) and inside the crown (103; 314) so as to slide along a rod extension (108; 404) integral with the crown, at least one gasket (113; 114; 410) securing water tightness of the crown's interior, and openings (116; 411) being provided in the crown (103: 314) so as to let the water displace the piston (112; 406). ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) Device according to claim 20, characterized in that the crown piston (112; 406) is integral with a piston rod (111; 407) sliding on the rod extension (108; 404) and holding at its end the cam (119: 408) in the shape of a double cone. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) Device according to claim 20, characterized in that the gasket consists of a rolling sleeve diaphragm (410) arranged between crown (103; 314) and piston (112; 406). ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) Device according to claim 19, wherein the transmission elements comprise a circular slide (9: 350) pivoting relative to a casing ring (8; 330) arranged around the movement (320) of the watch, and at least one gear train (10 to 12; 359), the piston or pistons (21; 343) being subject to the external pressure and arranged so as to produce a rotation of the circular slide (9; 350) that cooperates with at least one pressure indicator organ (3; 307, 308) via said gear train; the gear train (359) comprises a first mobile part (363) that is arranged in such a way that it drives a second, coaxial mobile part (370) during an increase in external pressure, and is released from this second mobile part (370) during a decrease of the external pressure, the first mobile part (363) cooperating with a first indicator organ (307) of the instantaneous external pressure and the second mobile part (370) cooperating with a second indicator organ (307) of the maximum external pressure attained, and integral with a locking wheel (376) cooperating with a unidirectional locking organ (377) retaining the second indicator organ (307) against the action of a restoring element (381); the first mobile art (363) is engaged with a first central pinion (364) integral with a depth hand (307) constituting the first indicator organ, the first central pinion (364) being engaged with a first return wheel (368). and in that the second mobile part is formed by a toothed sector (370) arranged so as to cooperate with a driving element (373) of the first mobile part (363), only during an increase in external pressure, the toothed sector (370) being engaged with a second central pinion (375) coaxial with the first central pinion (364) and integral with a maximum-depth hand (308) forming the second indicator organ, and with a wheel (376) cooperating with a unidirectional locking organ (377) that can be released, such as a pawl, the second central pinion (375) being engaged with a second return wheel (380) intended to secure zero resetting of the maximum-depth hand (308) under the action of a return spring (381); further comprising a zero-resetting device (328) arranged so as to act upon the unidirectional locking organ (377) that can be released so as to produce zero resetting of the maximum-depth hand (308), so as to insert the toothed sector (370) between the first flag (389) and the first window (309), so as to act upon a zero-resetting organ of the chronograph mechanism, so as to act upon the locking lever (432) so that this lever will be displaced from the second to the first position in which the transmission mechanism (419) is locked, and so as to turn the diving flag (443) away from the second window (310). ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) Watch comprising a movement contained in a case, characterized in that it comprises a depth measuring device according to claim 1. ### Claim 25 Depth measuring device for a chronograph watch comprising a first sensor mechanism (141; 324) intended to activate and/or deactivate the start and stop of a chronograph mechanism as a function of the external pressure measured by said first sensor mechanism, and a second sensor mechanism (41; 321) cooperating with at least one pressure indicator organ (3; 307, 308) so that the indicator will display on the watch a depth associated with the pressure measured by this second sensor mechanism. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) Device according to claim 25, characterized in that each of these first and second sensor mechanisms comprises at least one piston (21: 112; 343, 408) that can be displaced by the external pressure against the action of a restoring element (20, 23; 110; 349, 413), the displacement of the piston being a function of the external pressure and being transmitted by transmission elements (9 to 12; 104, 105; 342) to at least one organ (3; 125; 307, 309, 427) of the watch.