# US 9,436,161 B2 · Musical watch case with improved acoustic performance > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,436,161 B2 - Document ID: US9436161B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/863,617 - Filed: 2015-09-24 - Published: 2016-04-07 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-10-01 - Assignees: Montres Breguet S.A. - Applicants: Montres Breguet SA - Inventors: Younes Kadmiri; Davide Sarchi; Polychronis Nakis Karapatis - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9436161B2 ## CPC - G04B 23/005: {by starting up musical boxes or other musical recordings (starting up and stopping of phonographs by means of clockwork apparatus G11B33/06)} - G04B 19/283: {on rotatable rings, i.e. bezel (for graduations on the bezels G04B19/18)} - G04B 21/00: Indicating the time by acoustic means (at preselected times G04B23/00; by electro-acoustic means G04C21/04; {indicating the time by means other than acoustically, or by combined means G04B25/00; indicating the time by visual means G04B19/00, G04C17/00; acoustic signalling arrangements G08B3/00}) - G04B 21/08: Sounding bodies; Whistles; Musical apparatus (with electro-acoustical transmitters G04C21/00, {G04B23/08; sounding arrangements in alarm clocks G04B23/028; cases with arrangements for enhancing sound production G04B37/0075; carillons and sounding boards G10F1/08, G04B1/10, G10D13/08}) - G04B 23/028: {Sounding bodies; boxes used as sounding cases; fixation on or in the case (sounding bodies G04B21/08; case enhancing transmission of sound waves G04B37/0075)} - G04B 37/0075: {with means to enhance sound transmission (sonorous means for chimes G04B21/08; for alarm clocks G04B23/028; clockworks combined with musical devices G04B47/025)} - G04B 39/00: Watch crystals; Fastening or sealing of crystals; Clock glasses - 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) ## Abstract Watch bezel for a musical watch, directly carrying a gong or forming a gong, this watch bezel including a toroid receiving a watch crystal, and a thin lug perpendicular to the plane of the toroid including an internal thread for securing to a structure, a case of the musical watch includes a case middle and carries this watch bezel indirectly bearing on a main surface of the case middle with a first O-ring sealing gasket, the case middle and the watch bezel are held securely to each other in a position where, in the free state of the watch bezel and with no excess pressure, the watch bezel is at a distance from the main surface having a value corresponding to a predetermined and non-zero play. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A watch bezel for a musical watch including at least one gong arranged to vibrate and resonate as a result of an impact or bending, wherein said watch bezel is arranged to directly carry at least one said gong or forms at least one said gong, wherein said watch bezel includes at least one flange for direct attachment of a gong. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The watch bezel according to claim 1, wherein said watch bezel includes a toroid including a receiving surface arranged to receive a watch crystal and includes at least one thin lug separate from said gong and extending beyond said toroid in the axial direction of said toroid, and substantially perpendicular to the plane of said toroid and on the side of said toroid opposite to the side carrying said receiving surface, said at least one lug including, at a solid distal end, at least one bearing face arranged to cooperate in abutment on a structure, and securing means arranged for the rigid attachment of said at least one lug by said at least one bearing face thereof pressed or clamped onto a structure. ### Claim 3 A watch bezel for a musical watch including at least one gong arranged to vibrate and resonate as a result of an impact or bending, wherein said watch bezel is arranged to directly carry at least one said gong or forms at least one said gong, wherein said watch bezel includes a toroid including a receiving surface arranged to receive a watch crystal and includes at least one thin lug separate from said gong and extending beyond said toroid in the axial direction of said toroid, and substantially perpendicular to the plane of said toroid and on the side of said toroid opposite to the side carrying said receiving surface, said at least one lug including, at a solid distal end, at least one bearing face arranged to cooperate in abutment on a structure, and securing means arranged for the rigid attachment of said at least one lug by said at least one bearing face thereof pressed or clamped onto a structure. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The watch bezel according to claim 3, wherein said watch bezel includes at least one flange for the direct attachment of a gong. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The watch bezel according to claim 3, wherein said watch bezel includes a plurality of said lugs extending in directions substantially parallel to each other and including said parallel or coplanar bearing faces. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The watch bezel according to claim 3, wherein the largest dimension of each said lug is in the direction of the axis of said toroid. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The watch bezel according to claim 3, wherein each said lug has only plane surfaces. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The watch bezel according to claim 3, wherein said watch bezel includes a three said lugs extending in directions parallel to each other and including said distal coplanar bearing faces. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The watch bezel according to claim 3, wherein each said lug includes, between said toroid and said solid distal end, a thin median resilient strip, which is more flexible than said solid distal end, said thin strip extending in a substantially perpendicular direction to the plane of said toroid. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The watch bezel according to claim 3, wherein said watch bezel includes, on the side of said toroid opposite to the side carrying said receiving surface, a main bearing surface arranged to cooperate in abutment with a structure, and a toric groove which houses a first O-ring sealing gasket, which protrudes with respect to said main bearing surface or is at least tangent therewith, on the side of said toroid opposite to the side carrying said receiving surface, in every compressed position of said first O-ring sealing gasket. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The watch bezel according to claim 1, wherein said watch bezel is made in one piece with at least one said gong. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The watch bezel according to claim 1, wherein said watch bezel is made of gold and/or platinum alloy. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A crystal-bezel assembly including a watch bezel according to claim 1, wherein said crystal-bezel sub-assembly includes a crystal bearing on a receiving surface comprised in said watch bezel, and a second O-ring sealing gasket between said watch bezel and said crystal, and wherein said crystal-bezel sub-assembly carries at least one gong. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A musical watch case including at least one gong and including a case middle which includes a main receiving surface and a lower receiving surface, wherein said watch case either carries a watch bezel according to claim 1 carrying at least one gong, or a crystal-bezel assembly wherein said crystal-bezel sub-assembly includes a crystal bearing on a receiving surface comprised in said watch bezel, and a second O-ring sealing gasket between said watch bezel and said crystal, and wherein said crystal-bezel sub-assembly carries at least one gong, with said watch bezel bearing indirectly on said main receiving surface by means of a first O-ring sealing gasket, and wherein said case middle and said watch bezel are held secured to each other by the cooperation of securing means comprised in said watch bezel and complementary securing means comprised in said case middle, in a position where, in the free state of said watch bezel and with no pressure other than atmospheric pressure, said watch bezel is at a distance from said main receiving surface having a value corresponding to a predetermined and non-zero play. ### Claim 15 (depends on 3) A musical watch case including at least one gong and including a case middle which includes a main receiving surface and a lower receiving surface, wherein said watch case either carries a watch bezel according to claim 3 carrying at least one gong, or a crystal-bezel assembly wherein said crystal-bezel sub-assembly includes a crystal bearing on a receiving surface comprised in said watch bezel, and a second O-ring sealing gasket between said watch bezel and said crystal, and wherein said crystal-bezel sub-assembly carries at least one gong, with said watch bezel bearing indirectly on said main receiving surface by means of a first O-ring sealing gasket, and wherein said case middle and said watch bezel are held secured to each other by the cooperation of securing means comprised in said watch bezel and complementary securing means comprised in said case middle, in a position where, in the free state of said watch bezel and with no pressure other than atmospheric pressure, said watch bezel is at a distance from said main receiving surface having a value corresponding to a predetermined and non-zero play. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The musical watch case according to claim 14, wherein said watch bezel includes at least one lug, said lug includes a thin median resilient strip, and wherein said play is calculated as a function of the maximum anticipated excess pressure on said watch bezel so that, in the event of maximum excess pressure on said watch bezel or in the event of a shock, each said thin median strip remains within the elastic deformation range, under the effect of direct abutment between said watch bezel and said main receiving surface when said first O-ring sealing gasket is completely compressed, preventing any irreversible plastic deformation of said thin median strip. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The musical watch case according to claim 15, wherein said watch bezel includes at least one lug, said lug includes a thin median resilient strip, and wherein said play is calculated as a function of the maximum anticipated excess pressure on said watch bezel so that, in the event of maximum excess pressure on said watch bezel or in the event of a shock, each said thin median strip remains within the elastic deformation range, under the effect of direct abutment between said watch bezel and said main receiving surface when said first O-ring sealing gasket is completely compressed, preventing any irreversible plastic deformation of said thin median strip. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The musical watch case according to claim 14, wherein said watch bezel is made in one piece with all the gongs comprised in said musical watch. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) A musical watch including one said musical watch case according to claim 14.