Patent ID: 6200020
Filing Date: 2001-03-13
Classification: G04B

Abstract:
An operating means for a timepiece, which comprises an element rigid with the housing, an operable element movable with respect to this element as well as a seal arranged between the two elements, which delimits the timepiece inner space from the surroundings, wherein:the seal is a lip seal which comprises a base region as well as a rotationally symmetric lip,the base region is arranged in a stationary manner in a first of these elements,the lip bears on a cylinder jacket shaped surface region of a second of these elements andthe lip, proceeding from the base region and facing in the direction of the surroundings, is led conically onto the cylinder jacket shaped surface region and bears on this with pretensioning,the lip comprises two rotationally symmetric surface zones, of which a first of these surface zones faces the timepiece inner space and the second of these surface zones is in contact with the surroundings,the first surface zone essentially, proceeding from the base region and facing in the direction of the surroundings, leads conically to the cylinder jacket shaped surface region, that between the first surface zone and the cylinder jacket shaped surface region there is provided a rotationally symmetric free space which in cross section is formed essentially wedge-shaped and is delimited from the surroundings by the lip, and that the second surface zone essentially proceeding from the base region and facing in the direction of the surroundings, leads conically to the cylinder jacket shaped surface region,in order on the one hand to release itself rom the surface region for the purpose of pressure compensation between the inner space and the surroundings given an inner space excess pressure andin order on the other hand to be more strongly pressed on the surface region for the purpose of sealing the inner space with respect to the surroundings given an excess pressure of the surroundings.