EP3330809B1 - Watch comprising a date display device - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to the field of watchmaking. It relates more particularly to an electronic watch comprising a date display device.

PRIOR ART

It is known to make watches comprising the display of the date, that is to say, the order number of the current day in the month. This display is made in a conventional manner using a rotating annular disk on which are inscribed the numbers from one to thirty-one. The date disc is placed under the dial in which is formed a window letting appear the date of the current day. The mechanism of the watch causes the rotating disc to pass from one day to the next in order to increment the date of a unit. The return to one at the end of a month with less than 31 days is done manually or automatically.

Alternatively the date can be indicated using a pivoting needle. For this, the date numbers are inscribed at least partially on the dial at the turn of the hour or on a dial schedule. For example, the patent application is known EP 0617346 which describes a watch having a chronograph provided with the case of a large or a small second hand. On request, the second hand can be reassigned to the date designation when the chronograph is not used. In case the big needle of second is reassigned to the date display, the numbers from one to thirty-one are marked on the hour turn.

We also know the demand WO94 / 03845 which describes an electronic watch having a date display made with two auxiliary dials whose hands indicate the ten and the date unit.

The documents are also known EP 2 562 609 A1 and WO 2005/091086 A1 which describe electronic watches having an hour hand and minute hand mounted coaxially and driven independently of each other by motors.

Finally, we know the document FR 2 404 250 , which describes an electronic watch in which the hour and minute hands are driven by a single motor. The watch includes an operating mode in which the date is displayed by the minute hand, which, following the pressing of a push button by the user, first moves towards the "D" mark (date) and then to the numeric value (in minutes) representing the current date.

However, the different known types of date display have several disadvantages. Display by a rotating disk or by dedicated needle dials requires the development of specific parts and mechanisms which makes these watches more complex to develop and manufacture and increases their bulk. In the case of a display by hand, the inscriptions of the date worn directly on the dial overload it and make the reading of the hourly indications confused. Whatever the type of date display, the number of information to display imposes a reduced character size which affects readability especially for small watches. To remedy this, some watches with date display in a window provide a magnifying lens on the ice, unsightly and expensive solution. Moreover, the known devices for displaying the date require specific display means or markings, incompatible with a watch design sleek.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to remedy these different disadvantages by offering an electronic watch with date display easier to manufacture, more legible and with improved aesthetics.

More specifically, the invention relates to an electronic watch comprising a display device comprising a clock face, a first needle and a second needle pivoting coaxially, driven independently by two driving members and indicating in a first display mode for one, the hour, and the other, the minutes of the current time with reference to their respective positions on the time dial. In an original way, the watch furthermore comprises a control member capable of activating a second display mode in which the first and second hands are positioned with reference to the hour dial so as to respectively indicate the ten and the date unit.

This arrangement provides a compact and inexpensive means of displaying the date without having to develop additional specific display means. It also improves the legibility of the information, especially for small watches. Lastly, by dispensing with additional display or marking means, it makes it possible to obtain a watch with a refined aesthetic.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

• la figure 1 représente une vue de la carrure et du cadran d'une montre selon l'invention,
• la figure 2 représente un deuxième mode de réalisation,
• la figure 3 représente le cadran d'une montre selon un troisième mode de réalisation.

Other details of the invention will emerge more clearly on reading the description which follows, made with reference to the appended drawing in which:

• the figure 1 represents a view of the middle and the dial of a watch according to the invention,
• the figure 2 represents a second embodiment,
• the figure 3 represents the dial of a watch according to a third embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The figure 1 represents an electronic watch made according to the teachings of the invention. It comprises a caseband 1 in which there is a conventional analog display composed of a time dial 2, a first hand 3 and a second hand 4 mounted pivoting and coaxial in the center of the dial 2. On the hour turn , on the periphery of the dial, there are twelve markers 5 regularly spaced thirty degrees which are intended to locate the angular position of the needles 3, 4 on the time dial 2 to facilitate the reading of time indications. A control member 6 whose role will be described later, is visible in the three o'clock position.

The watch also comprises a drive mechanism, an electronic time-keeping circuit providing a time-base signal from a time base connected to a division circuit, the electronic time-keeping circuit being powered by a source of time. electrical energy not shown. The watch includes a first motor activated from the divided time base signal for clocking the time, via a first control circuit, which causes an analog time display 3 and a second motor activated from the basic signal. of divided time for clocking the minute, via a second control circuit, which causes an analog display of the minute 4. The two needles are not kinematically connected by the drive mechanism but are driven by two step-by-step motors. not independent controlled by the electronic circuit. The time-keeping circuit further comprises means for deriving from the time base signal, at the end of each day, a daily signal and a calendar circuit comprising at least one counter of days activated by the daily signal, the counter comprising a sub-time. counter of the tens of the date and a sub-counter of the date units. The first and second control circuits respectively of the first and second motors respectively receive respectively a signal from the sub-counter of the tens and a sub-counter signal of the units, the signals of the two sub-meters being representative of their incremental state.

In a first display mode, a hand 3, 4 indicates the hour and the other the minutes of the current time, with reference to their respective angular positions on the time dial 2. The time is set by example by the rotation of the control member 6 previously positioned axially in a setting position. In this display mode as well as when setting the time, the position of one of the needles 3, 4 is electronically controlled at the position of the other needle 3, 4 so that the angular positions of the two needles 3, 4 remain consistent vis-à-vis the time displayed. Preferably, the driving needle is that indicating the minutes and the slave hand is that of hours.

The watch has a second display mode that can be activated on demand by pressing on the control member 6. This pressure makes it possible to generate a call signal of the date so that in this second display mode, the watch indicates the date instead of indicating the time. The first control circuit makes it possible to place the first hand 3 in the position corresponding to the tens digit of the date representative of the state of the tens undercounter while the second control circuit makes it possible to place the second hand 4 in the position corresponding to the units of the date representative of the state of the sub-counter of the units. The date is set when the second display mode is activated either by rotating the control member 6 in the adjustment position or by pressing a not shown adjustment pushbutton. A new pressure on the control member 6 returns to the first display mode. The return to the first display mode can also be performed automatically after a delay of a predefined duration.

In the embodiment presented at figure 1 , the digits zero to three of the tens are given by the first hand 3 respectively in the positions of noon to three o'clock of the time dial 2. The numbers zero to nine of the units are given by the second hand 4 respectively in the positions of noon to nine hours. Thus, the positions of the first 3 and second 4 hands respectively indicating the tens and the units of the date are ordered in the clockwise direction. It seems more natural that the small hour hand is the first hand 3 indicating the tens and that the large minute hand is the second hand 4 units but it could also be the opposite. In the configuration shown in figure 1 , the first needle 3 is in one hour position and the second hand 4 is in the three o'clock position. The displayed date is thirteen. Storage means make it possible to keep in memory and to modify all the time information independently of the active display mode.

The invention also relates to a skeleton watch devoid of a dial. In general, the hour dial 2 is understood as a geometric object for identifying the angular position of the needles in reference to the zenith position. It is not linked to a particular part of the watch, the angular registration being able for example to be given by the caseband, the plate or the ice. The control member 6 is here the crown setting time but could just as easily be a different way as a push button.

Thus, the watch according to the invention makes it possible to dispense with date-specific display means such as a date disc or one or more ancillary dials.

It also offers better readability of the date compared to other known solutions of display by needles or a display in a small window. Indeed, the reading of the tens and units figures according to the angular position of the hands is intuitive because it corresponds to the reading of the time on a dial. In addition, the needles are much larger in size than the characters or graduations for reading the date in the watches of the prior art. The taking of information at a glance is thus facilitated and the risk of reading error decreased. Visually impaired people who can read the time but not the finer details can, for the first time, read the date on a clock. Similarly, presbyopes no longer need to wear their glasses to read this information. Unlike the solutions of the prior art, it is also possible to read the date in the dark if the hands and dial markers are luminescent.

Finally, the solution provided by the invention makes it possible to heal the aesthetics of the watch without altering its functionalities. The date function can thus be totally discrete and undetectable.

The figure 2 represents a variant of the display of the calendar of a watch according to the invention. In an original way, the positions of the first 3 and second 4 hands indicating the tens and the units of the date are ordered in opposite directions, in the clockwise direction for the units and in the counterclockwise direction for the tens. The zero, one, two and three digits of the calendar day correspond to the respective positions at noon, eleven, ten and nine o'clock of the time dial 2. In the same way as for the first embodiment, the positions of the second hand 4 indicate the date units from zero to nine correspond to the respective positions from noon to nine o'clock in the hourly dial. As soon as the number indicated does not correspond to the number of the hour pointed on the hour dial, it may be advantageous to provide a marking 7 to facilitate the reading of the date by recalling the value corresponding to the position of a needle 3, 4. The date displayed on the figure 2 is the thirteen.

This configuration makes it possible to limit the risks of date reading errors that existed in the first embodiment. In the first mode presented, the first 3 and second 4 needles share the positions zero, one, two and three. Two days a month, the two needles are superimposed which can be a source of confusion especially when the view is impaired or visibility is low. In addition, it is possible to switch the needle indicating the units with the one indicating the tens. This risk may seem low since the corresponding dates are separated by at least three days. On the other hand, the risk of confusion will be maximum if the reversal takes place during the adjustment of the date. The configuration proposed in the second embodiment avoids this pitfall by dissociating the display areas tens and units. The 12 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions remain common but there can be no overlap and the risk of reversal is limited since it The two needles should be swapped in the same display area, but the display zones themselves should be swapped in addition to the needles.

The figure 3 represents a third embodiment of the display of the date, here again in the position indicating the number thirteen. In an original way, the zero digit of the tens and units corresponds to the six hour common position of the hour dial. Unlike the two previous modes, the date units are increasingly ordered in the counter-clockwise direction. The successive positions corresponding to the units are spaced three minutes apart. The numbers of the tens are ordered clockwise and their position corresponds to the six, seven, eight and nine o'clock hour markers. A marking 7 of the numbers corresponding to the units and tens of the date has been worn on the hour for clarity. The angular space between the indications of the tens is thus different from that between the indications of the units but could equally well be identical. Each of the unit marks from zero to nine are on the right side of the zero to six hour clock. Conversely the indications of the tens are on the left side of the dial from six to twelve o'clock.

In this configuration, as for the display of the tens of the second embodiment, the unit or ten values indicated by the hands in a given position no longer correspond to those of the hours of the hour dial in the analogous position. The advantage of separating the dial in two parts in a vertical direction is to reproduce the natural arrangement of a two-digit number in which the tens digit is to the left of the units digit. This also respects the most common reading direction from left to right. Thus the reading of the date is more intuitive if the hand of tens is in the left part of the dial and the needle of the units in the right part. The zero value in the six o'clock position is also natural since the lowest position corresponds to the lowest value.

Those skilled in the art will be able to make numerous variations to the embodiments presented by combining their different characteristics without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the claims. In particular the positions marking the zero of the units and tens could be distinct. In a variant of the second embodiment, the tens of zero to three respectively occupy the positions of nine to twelve hours.

Preferably and in connection with one or the other of the embodiments described above, the electronic watchmaking circuit controlling the display pointer driving motors is arranged to manage the display of the date according to a calendar circuit. perpetual calendar type. A management unit of a perpetual calendar circuit comprising counters of days, months and years making it possible to control the rotation of a disk of the dates is known for example from documents CH 663 512 and US4,300,222 .

Claims (13)

1. Electronic watch including a display device comprising a time dial (2), a first hand (3) and a second hand (4) which pivot coaxially, independently driven by two drive members, and in a first display mode, one hand indicates the hour, and the other indicates the minutes of the current time in reference to the respective position of said hands on the time dial (2), characterized in that the watch further includes a control member (6) able to activate a second display mode, in which the first (3) and second (4) hands are positioned in reference to the time dial (2) in order to respectively indicate the tens and units of the date.
2. Watch according to claim 1, characterized in that the watch includes reference marks (5) arranged to identify the angular position of the hands (3, 4) on the time dial (2).
3. Watch according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the watch includes marks (7) facilitating reading of the date.
4. Watch according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the angular positions of the first (3) and second (4) hands indicating the zero of the units and of the tens of the date in the second display mode are identical.
5. Watch according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the position corresponding to the zero of the units and of the tens is the twelve o'clock position.
6. Watch according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the positions of the second hand (4) indicating the units digit of the date from zero to nine in the second display mode correspond to the respective positions of twelve o'clock to nine o'clock on the time dial (2).
7. Watch according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the positions of the first (3) and second (4) hands indicating the tens and the units of the date in the second display mode are in clockwise order.
8. Watch according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tens digit of the date from zero to three in the second display mode corresponds to the respective positions of twelve to three o'clock on the time dial (2).
9. Watch according to claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the tens digits zero, one, two and three of the date in the second display mode correspond to the respective positions of twelve, eleven, ten and nine o'clock on the time dial (2).
10. Watch according to claim 4, characterized in that the position corresponding to zero of the units and of the tens is the six o'clock position.
11. Watch according to any of claims 1 to 6, 9 and 10, characterized in that the positions of the first (3) and second (4) hands indicating the tens and the units of the date in the second display mode are ordered in opposite directions.
12. Watch according to any of claims 1 to 5, and 10, characterized in that, in the second display mode, the first hand (3) is located between the six o'clock and twelve o'clock positions and the second hand (4) is located between the twelve o'clock and six o'clock positions.
13. Watch according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electronic timepiece circuit controlling the motors driving the display hands is arranged to control the date display in accordance with a calendar circuit of the perpetual calendar type.

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