"A Timepiece"

Description of Invention

This invention relates to a timepiece such as a watch, chronometer or chronograph.

Timepieces are worn by individuals in the course of their daily lives which may sometimes involve experiencing extreme conditions, forces and occasional shocks, particularly when engaging in sporting activities. Many shock absorbing designs for timepieces have been suggested but few are functional as well as aesthetically pleasing.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved timepiece.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a timepiece comprising an inner casing housing the workings of the timepiece and an outer shell separated from the inner casing by an air gap, the inner casing being held in and spaced apart from the outer shell by a plurality of mounts between the inner casing and the outer shell.

Preferably the timepiece is a wrist watch and the outer shell of the wrist watch is separated from the inner casing by an air gap around the inner casing which is visible when looking at the wrist watch face on, and wherein, in use, the outer shell and the inner casing contact the wearer's wrist.

Preferably the mounts are elastic.

Conveniently the mounts are springs.

In one embodiment one or more of the mounts are hollow.

In another embodiment one or more of the mounts are solid.

Preferably the timepiece has a winder and/or chronograph buttons.

Conveniently at least a part of the winder and/or chronograph buttons passes through a hollow mount.

Advantageously the winder and/or chronograph buttons are attached to the inner casing and pass through a clearance aperture in the outer shell.

Preferably the mounts are jointed with respect to the inner casing and/or the outer shell.

Conveniently the mounts are fixed with respect to the inner casing and/or the outer shell.

Advantageously a back surface of the inner casing and a back surface of the outer shell are flush with one another.

Preferably the air gap around the inner casing is visible when looking at the timepiece face on.

Conveniently the time piece is a wrist watch.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a timepiece embodying the present invention;

Figure 1 a is a detail view of a portion of Figure 1 ;

Figure 2 is a plan view of another timepiece embodying the invention;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a further timepiece embodying the invention; and

Figure 4 is a plan view of another timepiece embodying the invention.

Referring to Figure 1 , a wrist mounted timepiece 1 embodying the invention comprises an inner casing 2 housing the workings of the timepiece. The timepiece workings and mechanism are in this example of a manually wound analogue chronograph. The inner casing is circular but may also be square, elliptical, ovoid or any other shape that is desired. A winder 3, a start/stop button 4 and a reset button 5 are attached to the inner casing 2 to carry out their normal functions being respectively to wind, set the time and date; start/stop a chronograph function; and reset a chronograph function. The watch face 7 is carried on the inner casing.

The inner casing 2 has an outer perimeter 6. The inner casing is mounted inside an outer shell 8 in the form of an annulus. The outer shell 8 has an inner perimeter 9 spaced apart from the outer perimeter 6 of the inner casing 2. There is an air gap 10 between the inner casing 2 and the outer shell 8 to isolate the inner casing 2 from the outer shell 8. The connection between the two is maintained by a plurality of mounts 11 spaced apart from one another

which bridge the outer perimeter 6 of the inner casing 2 and the inner perimeter 9 of the outer shell 8.

The mounts 11 are in the form of springs. In this example, there are four mounts 11. The inner casing 2 floats on the spring mounts 11 separated from the outer shell 8 by the air gap 10.

The start/stop button 4 and the reset button 5 connect to the workings of the timepiece 1 inside the inner casing 2. Each button 4,5 passes from the inner casing, through a spring mount 11 and through respective clearance apertures in the outer shell 8. Each of the buttons 4,5 is operable to carry out its normal functions. The winder 3 passes across the air gap 10 and through a clearance aperture in the outer shell 8. The clearance apertures are sized such that the buttons 4,5 or winder 3 do not abut the outer shell 8 in normal wear and conditions. At the extent of movement of the inner casing 2 with respect to the outer shell 8, the buttons 4,5 or the winder 3 may abut the outer shell 8. The winder 3 and buttons 4,5 are not mounts 11 because they float with respect to the outer shell 8.

The mounts 11 are configured as springs in this example but can also be configured as elastomeric cylinders or thin wire filaments in an array around the buttons 4,5.

In this example, no mount 11 is provided around the winder 3. However, it is possible also to provide a mount 11 around the winder 3.

The air gap 10 between the inner casing 2 and the outer shell 8 is entirely visible and augments the aesthetic appeal of the timepiece 1. It is important that the inner casing 2 is held away from the outer shell 8 by the mounts 11. Except for the mounts 11 , there is an air gap around the inner casing 2 separating the inner casing 2 from the outer shell 8. In this way the inner

casing 2 is decoupled from the outer shell 8 except for forces transmitted through the mounts 11. The air gap 10 is visible around the inner casing 2 to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the timepiece.

A pair of lugs 12 are located on opposite sides of the outer shell 8 to allow a strap 13 to be fixed to the lugs 12.

The timepiece 1 is preferably worn on the wrist with the strap 13. A back of the timepiece comprises a back surface of the inner casing 2 and a back surface of the outer shell 8. These back surfaces are flush with one another in this example. The outer shell 8 and the inner casing 2 both rest on the wearer's wrist. When the mounts 11 are elastic or sprung, then the contact between the wearer's wrist and the outer shell 8 and the inner casing 2 provides a damping action.

In another example, the inner casing 2 is set back into the outer shell 8 so that the back surfaces of the inner casing 2 and the outer shell are not flush with one another. Conversely, in another example, the back surface of the inner casing 2 is proud of the outer shell 8.

In Figure 2, the mounts 11 are pins, filaments or more substantial solid blocks or hollow cylinders. The mounts 11 are equispaced around the air gap 10.

In Figure 3, a square timepiece having a square inner casing 2 and a square outer shell 8 is provided. The mounts 11 are not equispaced. The inner casing 2 is held by the mounts in a balanced manner although the mounts are not equispaced around the air gap.

In Figure 4, the mounts 11 are configured as leaf springs 11 attached to the inner perimeter 9 and the outer perimeter 6. The winder 3 passes through a cut out (not illustrated) in one of the leaf springs. All the leaf springs are

formed with the cut out. In another example, only the leaf spring 11 with the winder 3 passing through it has the cut out.

The mounts 11 are manufactured from elastomeric material or metal. Respective ends of the mounts 11 in one example are jointed with respect to the inner casing 2 and/or the outer shell 8. In another example, the mounts are rigidly attached to the inner casing 2 and/or the outer shell 8.

The air gap 10 is shown in the examples as being a constant spacing between the inner casing 2 and the outer shell 8. In other examples, the width of the air gap 10 varies around the perimeters 6,9.

The timepiece is digital or analogue. The timepiece may be wound manually or can be battery powered in which case the winder 3 is available to set the time and/or date but does not perform a winding function. The term workings refers to either the components of an analogue watch mechanism including the watch face, hands and mechanism or the components of a digital watch including the display, battery and circuitry. The buttons 4,5 and winder 3 are connected to the workings of the timepiece in the example shown in Figure 1 but these elements are not part of the timepiece workings.

The number of mounts in other examples is more or less than the four mounts 11 illustrated in the Figures. Only two mounts (opposite one another) would not be workable as the inner casing 2 would be rotatable about the common axis of the mounts. If the inner casing was not able to rotate, then this arrangement would place an unacceptable torque on the pair of opposite mounts which could lead to failure.

When used in this specification and claims, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or

integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components.