Meco Sa

Georges Zimmermann

Pierre-Jean Bonnet

Winding crown for a timepiece, said crown () including a bottom () and a skirt (), which delimits an inner volume housing at least one elastically deformable element, the crown () being characterized in that a stop member is inserted between the elastically deformable element () and the bottom () of the crown () to prevent any surface contact between said elastically deformable element () and said bottom ().

Winding crown for a timepiece

Winding crown for a timepiece, said crown () including an uncoupling mechanism () comprising a rigid drive ring () secured to the crown () and cooperating with at least one elastically deformable element () secured to a pipe () to one end of which a winding stem is secured, the rigid ring () driving the deformable elastic element () in at least one rotational direction until the resistant torque opposed by said elastic element () exceeds a threshold value beyond which said elastic element () is deformed so as to interrupt the drive connection thereof with the rigid ring (), the elastically deformable element () therefore having means for temporary coupling said element to said rigid drive ring (), the crown ()) being characterized in that the elastically deformable element () includes means for centering said element relative to the rigid drive ring ().

Timepiece crown including an uncoupling mechanism

Winding crown for a timepiece, said crown () including an uncoupling mechanism () comprising a rigid drive ring () secured to the crown () and cooperating with at least one elastically deformable element () secured to a pipe () to one end of which a winding stem is secured, the rigid ring () driving the deformable elastic element () in at least one rotational direction until the resistant torque opposed by said elastic element () exceeds a threshold value beyond which said elastic element () is deformed so as to interrupt the drive connection thereof with the rigid ring (), the elastically deformable element () therefore having means for temporary coupling said element to said rigid drive ring (), the crown ()) being characterized in that the elastically deformable element () includes means for centring said element relative to the rigid drive ring ().

The present invention concerns a crown for a timepiece comprising a disconnecting gear device for preventing damage to the components of the movement of the timepiece in which it is implemented. For this purpose, the crown is provided with a housing which houses a pipe, to which one end of a winding stem is connected, carrying at least one spring and a rigid ring secured to the crown and comprising notches adapted to cooperate with the spring. In common use, a rotation of the crown causes a rotation of the pipe and thus of the winding stem, via the rigid ring and the spring. Owing to the device according to the present invention, when the mechanical resistance to the rotation opposed by the winding stem, via the pipe, exceeds a predefined threshold, the spring is deformed and is no longer driven in rotation by the rigid ring. Consequently, the winding stem is no longer driven in rotation in such conditions.

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Küttigkofen, Switzerland

Georges Zimmermann