Timepiece with pushbuttons

Abstract

The timepiece comprises at least one pushbutton ( 9 ), at least one control member actuable by the pushbutton ( 9 ) and a device ( 10 ) for locking the pushbutton ( 9 ), and is characterized in that the locking device ( 10 ) is arranged to permit the pushbutton ( 9 ) to occupy an unlocked axial position, from which it can be pressed to actuate the control member, and a locked axial position, nearer the interior of the timepiece than the unlocked axial position and in which the control member is not actuated.

1 . Timepiece comprising at least one pushbutton ( 9 ;  30 ), at least one control member ( 13 ;  47 ) actuable by the pushbutton and a device ( 10 ;  31 ,  38 ) for locking the pushbutton, characterized in that the locking device is arranged to permit the pushbutton ( 9 ;  30 ) to occupy an unlocked axial position, from which it can be pressed to actuate the control member ( 13 ;  47 ), and a locked axial position, nearer the interior of the timepiece than the unlocked axial position and in which the control member( 13 ; 47 )is not actuated.  
   
   
       2 . Timepiece according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the locking device comprises a protective wall ( 11 ;  32 ) covering at least in part the pushbutton ( 9 ;  30 ) when this latter is in the locked axial position.  
   
   
       3 . Timepiece according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the locking device is a rotatable member ( 10 ) having said protective wall ( 11 ), this rotatable member ( 10 ) being arranged such that, during its rotation in a predetermined direction, the protective wall ( 11 ) will coact with an inclined face ( 15 ) of the pushbutton ( 9 ) to bring the pushbutton ( 9 ) from its unlocked axial position to its locked axial position, the protective wall ( 11 ) serving also to hold the pushbutton ( 9 ) in its locked axial position.  
   
   
       4 . Timepiece according to  claim 3 , characterized in that the rotatable member ( 10 ) is a bezel.  
   
   
       5 . Timepiece according to  claim 3  er  4 , characterized in that in the unlocked axial position, the pushbutton ( 9 ) is separated from the control member ( 13 ) by a determined distance (D), and in that the travel of the pushbutton ( 9 ) for the passage from its unlocked axial position to its locked axial position is less than or equal to this determined distance (D).  
   
   
       6 . Timepiece according to  claim 1  or  2 , characterized in that the locking device comprises a retractable member ( 38 ) secured to the pushbutton ( 30 ) in the axial direction of the pushbutton ( 30 ) and a member ( 31 ) for driving this retractable member ( 38 ), the retractable member ( 38 ) having a first end ( 40 ) which, in the unlocked position of the pushbutton ( 30 ), faces a pressure face ( 51 ) of the control member ( 47 ) thereby permitting the retractable member ( 38 ) to actuate the control member ( 47 ) under the action of a pressure exerted on the pushbutton ( 30 ), and which, in the retracted position of the retractable member ( 38 ), no longer faces the pressure face ( 51 ) of the control member ( 47 ) thereby permitting movement of the retractable member ( 38 ) and of the pushbutton ( 30 ) inwardly of the timepiece by the drive member ( 31 ) without actuating the control member ( 47 ) for locking the pushbutton ( 30 ).  
   
   
       7 . Timepiece according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the drive member ( 31 ) is a rotatable member comprising a groove ( 42 ) with which a second end ( 41 ) of the retractable member ( 38 ) coacts, this second end ( 41 ) being held in the groove ( 42 ) by resilient means ( 39 ) acting on the retractable member ( 38 ), the groove ( 42 ) having a shape permitting guiding the second end ( 41 ) of the retractable member ( 38 ) during rotation of the rotatable member ( 31 ) in a determined direction to retract the retractable member ( 38 ) and then to move it toward the interior of the timepiece.  
   
   
       8 . Timepiece according to  claim 7 , characterized in that the rotatable member ( 31 ) is a bezel.  
   
   
       9 . Timepiece according to  claim 4 , characterized in that in the unlocked axial position, the pushbutton ( 9 ) is separated from the control member ( 13 ) by a determined distance (D), and in that the travel of the pushbutton ( 9 ) for the passage from its unlocked axial position to its locked axial position is less than or equal to this determined distance(D).  
   
   
       10 . Timepiece according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the locking device comprises a retractable member ( 38 ) secured to the pushbutton ( 30 ) in the axial direction of the pushbutton ( 30 ) and a member ( 31 ) for driving this retractable member ( 38 ), the retractable member ( 38 ) having a first end ( 40 ) which, in the unlocked position of the pushbutton ( 30 ), faces a pressure face ( 51 ) of the control member ( 47 ) thereby permitting the retractable member ( 38 ) to actuate the control member ( 47 ) under the action of a pressure exerted on the pushbutton ( 30 ), and which, in the retracted position of the retractable member ( 38 ), no longer faces the pressure face ( 51 ) of the control member ( 47 ) thereby permitting movement of the retractable member ( 38 ) and of the pushbutton ( 30 ) inwardly of the timepiece by the drive member ( 31 ) without actuating the control member ( 47 ) for locking the pushbutton ( 30 ).