Patent ID: 9256208
Filing Date: 2016-02-09
CPC Classification: G04B

Claim Text:
1. A timepiece comprising: a case including an annular shell having an outer peripheral wall and an engaging projection formed in a circumferential direction on the outer peripheral wall of the annular shell, the engaging projection having a first engagement surface; a ring-shaped bezel having an inner peripheral wall circumferentially surrounding the outer periphery wall of the annular shell, the ring-shaped bezel being arranged for circumferential rotation around the outer periphery wall of the annular shell and for separation from the annular shell in a first axial direction; and a ring-shaped mounting member formed of an elastic material and positioned between the outer peripheral wall of the annular shell and the inner peripheral wall of the ring-shaped bezel, the ring-shaped mounting member including (i) an outer peripheral portion being in contact with the inner peripheral wall of the ring-shaped bezel, (ii) an inner peripheral portion being in contact with the outer peripheral wall of the annular shell, and (iii) an annular groove formed between the outer and inner peripheral portions of the ring-shaped mounting member, wherein the annular groove is elastically deformable to become narrower or wider to cause the inner peripheral portion of the ring-shaped mounting member to move in radial directions close to and away from the outer peripheral portion thereof, the ring-shaped mounting member further includes an engaging portion formed in the inner peripheral portion of the ring-shaped mounting member, the engaging portion having a second engagement surface configured to engage with the first engagement surface of the engaging projection of the annular shell to restrict the ring-shaped bezel from moving relative to the annular shell in the first axial direction to prevent the ring-shaped bezel from separating from the annular shell, and the first and second engagement surfaces are in tapered contact with each other so that the engaging portion of the ring-shaped mounting member is disengageable from the engaging projection of the annular shell when the ring-shaped mounting member is pulled in the first axial direction away from the annular shell with a sufficient force, which is converted by the tapered contact between the first and second engagement surfaces into a radial force to move the inner peripheral portion of the ring-shaped mounting member towards the outer peripheral portion thereof and cause the second engagement surface of the engaging portion to slide along the first engagement surface of the engaging projection and over the engagement projection to release ring-shaped bezel from the annular shell.