EP3540524B1 - Governed jumping display mechanism in a timepiece - Google Patents

Description

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a clockwork display mechanism comprising at least one display mobile by jumps, said mechanism comprising at least one spring between a first mobile and a second mobile, said first mobile or respectively said second mobile being arranged to be driven by a mobile drive.

The invention also relates to a timepiece movement comprising such a display mechanism.

The invention also relates to a watch comprising such a clock movement and/or such a display mechanism.

The invention relates to the field of timepiece display mechanisms, in particular for watches.

Background of the invention

• les mécanismes d'entraînement traînant ;
• les mécanismes semi-instantanés ;
• les mécanismes instantanés.

Movements equipped with a date mechanism are equipped with different drive mechanisms:

• drag-drive mechanisms;
• semi-instantaneous mechanisms;
• instantaneous mechanisms.

An example of a dragging mechanism is described in the book "Complicated watches" by François Lecoultre (Ed. Simon in) under the simple calendar and dragging perpetual calendar chapters.

Semi-instantaneous mechanisms are very widespread, because of simple construction, a flexible finger is armed on the date drive, until the jump of the date jumper, only the second part of the jump is therefore instantaneous. This construction is present on the main trade movements, notably 2824,2892 ETA, 7700, 1050, 7875 Breguet, 1150, 1180, 1280 Blancpain.

An example of instantaneous mechanism is described in the book "Complicated watches" by François Lecoultre (Ed. Simon in) under the instantaneous perpetual calendar chapter. Other constructions exist with systems for winding a spring over part of the day and triggering at midnight, which releases the spring and performs the function of driving the date. Movements of this type exist on the market, for example the 8810 Breguet movement or the 6950 Blancpain.

During the construction of complex instantaneous date mechanisms, for example perpetual calendars or with displays with large apertures or rollers, instantaneous triggering generates high speeds of the components. The dynamic stresses applied to the components become sensitive due to their inertia: a high speed, combined with a high inertia, generates significant stresses, which are non-existent in the case of a trailing function (one to several hours of passage), and operational disturbances may occur, for example double jumps may be performed.

The same problem concerns other displays with change of display by jump than the particular case described above of a date display, for example AM/PM or day/night displays, or even any retrograde display.

The document CH203181A in the name of BROWN describes a sidereal timepiece indicating the degrees of arc on three discs, assigned respectively to the units, to the tens and to the hundreds, where the tens disc bears only the seven digits 0 to 6, and is associated to a concentric sector which bears the numbers 7, 8 and 9, and which is linked to the disc in question with a clearance which allows this sector to be carried successively by three divisions by the unit disc, at the end of three revolutions on four of the tens disc, which then remains motionless.

A device, actuated on the fourth turn of the tens disc by the rotation of this disc, removes its connection with the sector and at the same time causes a retractable tooth to appear on the periphery of the tens disc, which allows the units disc to drive in quick succession the tens disk of two divisions, for the indications 360, then 001.

Summary of the invention

For a display mechanism with change of display by jump, such as in particular and without limitation a complex calendar mechanism, such as a perpetual calendar, or a calendar with a display with large apertures or rollers, it is advantageous to have a passage date at midnight, instantaneous, but visible to the user for a few seconds. For example a passage from February 28 to March 1 in 3 to 4 seconds. This reduction of the notion of instantaneous becomes qualitative.

The present invention proposes to develop a regulated display drive, the jump of which can be seen by the user, and is more particularly described for a regulated date display mechanism.

To this end, the invention relates to a timepiece display mechanism with display moving by jumps, according to claim 1.

The invention also relates to a timepiece movement comprising such a display mechanism.

The invention also relates to a watch comprising such a clock movement and/or such a display mechanism.

Brief description of the drawings

• la figure 1 représente, de façon schématisée, et en plan, le mécanisme d'affichage d'horlogerie avec afficheur mobile par sauts selon l'invention, tel qu'il est visible en milieu d'après-midi. Ce mécanisme comporte un barillet avec un ressort entre l'arbre d'un premier mobile entraîné par le mouvement, et un tambour portant une came périphérique en colimaçon parcourue par un galet commandant le saut, qui est ici un saut périodique, d'un afficheur. Le tambour porte un doigt périphérique, qui est agencé pour coopérer avec, selon le cas, une butée ou un bec d'une ancre pivotante dont le pivotement est commandé par un excentrique du premier mobile; la libre rotation du tambour est freinée par un mécanisme régulateur en partie gauche de la figure ;
• la figure 2 est une coupe du mécanisme de la figure 1, selon les tracés A-B et AD de la figure 1, la partie 2A représente plus particulièrement la zone du tambour, de l'ancre, et du galet, et la figure 2B représente plus particulièrement la zone du mécanisme régulateur ;
• la figure 3 est une coupe du mécanisme de la figure 1, selon le tracé B-C de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 4 représente, de façon similaire à la figure 1, le même mécanisme peu avant midi, vers 11 heures ;
• la figure 5 représente, de façon similaire à la figure 1, le même mécanisme peu après midi, vers 12 heures trente ;
• la figure 6 représente, de façon similaire à la figure 1, le même mécanisme peu avant minuit, vers 23 heures ;
• la figure 7 représente, de façon similaire à la figure 1, le même mécanisme peu après minuit, vers zéro heure trente;
• la figure 8 représente, de façon similaire à la figure 1, la seule zone du mécanisme régulateur ;
• la figure 9 représente, de façon similaire à la figure 1, la seule zone du tambour et de l'ancre, laquelle est représentée dans ses positions angulaires extrêmes : en trait plein l'après-midi, et en trait interrompu le matin;
• la figure 10 représente, de façon similaire à la figure 1, la seule zone de la came et du galet palpeur commandant l'afficheur;
• la figure 11 représente, sous forme de schéma-blocs, une montre comportant un mouvement, lequel d'une part comporte un mécanisme d'affichage selon l'invention, et d'autre part entraîne un autre mécanisme d'affichage selon l'invention.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows, with reference to the appended drawings, where:

• the figure 1 represents, schematically, and in plan, the clockwork display mechanism with mobile display by jumps according to the invention, as it is visible in the middle of the afternoon. This mechanism comprises a barrel with a spring between the shaft of a first mobile driven by the movement, and a drum carrying a peripheral spiral cam traversed by a roller controlling the jump, which here is a periodic jump, of a display . The drum carries a peripheral finger, which is arranged to cooperate with, depending on the case, a stop or a beak of a pivoting anchor whose pivoting is controlled by an eccentric of the first mobile; the free rotation of the drum is braked by a regulator mechanism in the left part of the figure;
• the picture 2 is a section of the mechanism of the figure 1 , according to plots AB and AD of the figure 1 , part 2A represents more particularly the zone of the drum, the anchor, and the roller, and the figure 2B represents more particularly the zone of the regulating mechanism;
• the picture 3 is a section of the mechanism of the figure 1 , according to the plot BC of the figure 1 ;
• the figure 4 represents, similarly to the figure 1 , the same mechanism shortly before noon, around 11 o'clock;
• the figure 5 represents, similarly to the figure 1 , the same mechanism shortly after noon, around 12:30 p.m.;
• the figure 6 represents, similarly to the figure 1 , the same mechanism shortly before midnight, around 11 p.m.;
• the figure 7 represents, similarly to the figure 1 , the same mechanism shortly after midnight, around half past zero;
• the figure 8 represents, similarly to the figure 1 , the only zone of the regulating mechanism;
• the figure 9 represents, similarly to the figure 1 , the only zone of the drum and the anchor, which is represented in its extreme angular positions: in full line in the afternoon, and in broken line in the morning;
• the figure 10 represents, similarly to the figure 1 , the only zone of the cam and of the feeler roller controlling the display;
• the figure 11 represents, in the form of block diagrams, a watch comprising a movement, which on the one hand comprises a display mechanism according to the invention, and on the other hand drives another display mechanism according to the invention.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

The invention relates to a clockwork display mechanism 1 with display 100 movable by jumps. More particularly, this display is mobile by periodic jumps. This is the case of the embodiment illustrated by the figures.

This mechanism 1 comprises at least one spring 2 between a first mobile 4 and a second mobile 30. This first mobile 4, or respectively this second mobile 30, is arranged to be driven by a driving mobile 201, which comprises, or the display mechanism itself, or an external mechanism, such as a 500 movement or similar.

According to the invention, the mobile which is not driven directly by the drive mobile 201, that is to say the second mobile 30, or respectively the first mobile 4, is arranged to drive or carry a cam 5 .

According to the invention, this cam 5 is a spiral peripheral cam 51, which is traversed by a sensor 6, which is arranged to control the jump, and in particular the periodic jump, of such a display 100.

And the mechanism 1 comprises locking/triggering means 70, which comprise, on the one hand at least one finger 7 driven by the second mobile 30, or respectively the first mobile 4, and on the other hand a third mobile 80 which is arranged to, according to its angular position, stop or release this at least one finger 7, to prohibit or respectively authorize the rotation of the cam 5.

The function of this cam 5 is to impose a certain travel time of the feeler 6, to effect a change of display, in a manner clearly visible to the user: the jump thus spreads out over a period of a few seconds, corresponding the longest possible distance around the cam.

So that this change of display takes place in the most uniform way possible, advantageously, the mechanism 1 comprises a regulation mechanism 9 to regulate the speed of rotation of the mobile which carries the cam 5: this mechanism control gear 9 comprises in particular, in the illustrated version, a control train, which meshes with that of the second mobile 30, or respectively of the first mobile 4 which drives or carries the cam 5 to limit its speed of rotation when the finger 7 is released .

More particularly, in the non-limiting embodiment illustrated by the figures, the mechanism 1 comprises at least one spring 2 wound between, on the one hand a shaft 41 of the first mobile 4, and on the other hand the second mobile 30. More particularly still , this second mobile 30 is a drum 3, which carries at least one peripheral finger 7, without interference with the trajectory of the feeler 6, and in particular outside the trajectory of the feeler 6. This drum 3 carries a peripheral cam 5, which comprises, more particularly, at least one reset threshold 52 after a jump of the display 100. According to the invention, the cam is peripheral in a spiral shape 51. The cam 5 is traversed by a feeler 6 arranged to control the jump, in particular the periodic jump, of a display 100, in particular but not limited to the date.

In the embodiment illustrated, the spiral 51 comprises a long ramp, which extends from a lower level 511 to an upper level 512, and a single sill 52. The feeler 6 is a roller in the non-limiting variant illustrated by the figures. In other variants not shown, this sensor can be a simple finger rubbing on the cam profile, or other.

In other variants not shown, the spiral may comprise, on its circumference, an alternation of such ramps and such sills. More particularly and without limitation, the angular sector corresponding to each ramp is identical.

In the embodiments illustrated, according to the invention, the third mobile 80 is an anchor 8, which is angularly mobile around an anchor axis D8 under the action of the first mobile 4, or respectively of the second 30. This anchor 8 is arranged to, depending on its angular position, stop or release this at least one finger 7, to prohibit or respectively authorize the rotation of the cam 5.

More particularly, the first mobile 4 comprises an eccentric pin 42, which permanently guides a groove 81, which comprises an anchor 8 for triggering, to control the periodic to-and-fro movements of this pivoting anchor 8. This anchor 8 comprises, on either side of its anchor axis D8, a beak 83 and a stop 84 to stop or release the finger 7 depending on the angular position of the anchor 8.

The angular travel of each finger 7 between its release by the beak 83 and its return to bearing on the stop 84 defines the duration of the jump, that is to say the change of display.

In the particular case illustrated by the figures, the finger 7 is unique.

In the particular case illustrated by the figures, the reset threshold 52 on the cam 5 is unique.

In a particular application of the invention, illustrated by the figures, the mechanism 1 comprises a barrel 10 comprising at least one such spring 2 between on the one hand the shaft of the barrel 10, which is integral with the shaft 41 of the first mobile 4, or which constitutes it, and on the other hand the drum 3.

Nevertheless, this spring 2 can also be any suitable spring, the mainspring is only a particular case, which lends itself well to the industrial implementation of the invention.

In the non-limiting example illustrated, the winding of the spring 2 is carried out by a driving wheel set 201, which is a 24-hour wheel or which is connected in a gear train to a 24-hour wheel. The spring can be wound by means other than the 24-hour wheel, for example an automatic gear train driven by an oscillating weight, a manual winding mechanism, or other.

More particularly, the first wheel set 4 is pivotable, and driven in an entire speed ratio by a drive wheel set 201.

The to-and-fro movement of the anchor 8 defines an angular travel, relative to the axis D4 of the first mobile 4, of each finger 7 between its release by the beak 83 and its return to rest on the abutment 84. This angular stroke defines the jump duration, which corresponds to the duration of the stroke of the feeler 6 on the cam 5, first according to a gentle ramp gradually rising from a lower level 511 to an upper level 512 of the spiral 51 then instantaneous descent to the lower level 511 when crossing the reset threshold 52. This return to the position of the lower level 511 by the steep side of the threshold 52 is done instantaneously, and without influencing the display, for example by means of a click finger system on a star, or the like.

Thus, each jump corresponds to a change of state of the display 100 between an earlier state and a later state, and the jump duration corresponds to the lapse of time between the stable display of the earlier state and the display stable from the posterior state.

More particularly, the first input wheel set 4 is arranged to be driven by a continuous drive wheel set 201 and to accomplish, during one revolution of the continuous drive wheel set 201, a revolution or an integer number of revolutions or a whole fraction of a turn.

A particular application of the invention is illustrated by the figures.

The drive wheel 201 is a 24-hour wheel supplying the energy, and the time reference (one revolution in 24 hours) of a conventional watch movement.

This drive wheel 201 drives a first input wheel 4, which here is an auxiliary 24-hour wheel. This first entry mobile 4 carries an eccentric pin 42, and its shaft 41 is connected to a spring 2 of the auxiliary barrel 3. This auxiliary barrel 3 is therefore, here, armed with one turn per 24 hours.

The eccentric pin 42 cooperates continuously with the groove 81 of the anchor 8, which is a straight oblong groove in the particular case of the figures, of the 24h wheel. The trigger anchor 8 therefore performs a back and forth in 24 hours. It is understood that the example illustrated relates to a single daily jump at midnight for the particular case of a date, but it is possible to extrapolate the invention to any display with another period by playing on the gear ratios, the number of fingers 7 and their positions, the number of third mobiles 80, in particular of anchors 8, the number of reset thresholds 52, to carry out other jump commands.

For example, an application with two daily jumps at noon and midnight allows the change of state of an AM/PM indicator, or an application with two daily jumps at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. allows the change of state of a day/night indicator.

Yet another application concerns a weekly planner, with rotation of seven days, and display of the day of the week. Many other applications are accessible and advantageous to those skilled in the art, because the invention provides new visibility of display changes, which constitutes a pleasing improvement for the user.

The comings and goings of the anchor 8 therefore releases the rotation of the drum 3, in particular of the drum 3 of the barrel 10 in the case of the figures, by its finger 7, at midnight to authorize its rotation through an angle of approximately 330° , and at noon an additional 30°.

In a particular execution, the eccentric pin 42 is assembled on the shaft 41 by friction, to allow indexing of the jump, for example at midnight for the date.

The rotation of the drum 3 by 330° drives the display mechanism, in particular the date, by the peripheral spiral cam 51 51, which is attached to it, and which applies a movement to the feeler 6, which is in the figures a roller of the date drive, arranged to move the display 100. The rest of the display functions, in particular the date, is done in known manner, for example in the form of a simple or perpetual date.

The additional 30° rotation is lost, this rotation is just necessary for the function of the release anchor 8.

More particularly, advantageously, the mechanism 1 is also linked to a regulation mechanism 9, or comprises a regulation mechanism 9. The drum 3 meshes with a cog of this regulation mechanism 9, in particular in the variant illustrated by the figures, with a pinion 91 of a regulation wheel 92, which meshes with an escapement pinion 95, fixed to a regulation escapement wheel 94. During the rotation of the drum 3, the regulation wheel 92 is driven. The regulating escapement wheel 94 comprises teeth 95, which are arranged to cooperate with a regulating anchor 97, which comprises pallets 98 and 99. Under the torque imparted by the drum 3, the regulating anchor 97 passes alternately of one of its pallets on the other, by driving an inertial mass 970 which is integral with it. This oscillating movement of regulating anchor 97 has a natural frequency which, without being as isochronous as a spiral balance wheel, allows good regulation of a function. The frequency of the oscillator can be substantially modified with an additional spring 971, here movably mounted on a 972 screw head, which makes it possible to change, to a small extent, the operating time.

Other variants of regulation mechanism 9 can also be used: inertial regulator, centrifugal brake, magnetic brake, or eddy current brake, or others.

It is this regulation system which limits the speed of the drum to 1 revolution in approximately 2 to 8 seconds.

The figures 4 to 7 illustrate the sequence in the application described above.

The figure 4 illustrates the state of the system shortly before noon, around 11 a.m. The finger 7 is in support cooperation with the abutment 84 of the anchor 8. The eccentric pin 52 is very close to a first end 811 of the oblong groove 81 of the anchor 8. The roller of the feeler 6 is in bearing on the lower level 511 of the spiral 51, in the immediate vicinity of the reset threshold 52, the position of which is materialized by a radial in dotted line. The date drive is therefore inactive.

The figure 5 illustrates the state of the system shortly after noon, around 12:30 p.m. The finger 7 is in bearing cooperation with the beak 83 of the anchor 8. The eccentric pin 52 is still close to the first end 811 of the oblong groove 81. The roller of the feeler 6 is resting on the lower level 511 of the spiral 51, at an angular distance a, here approximately 30°, from the reset threshold 52. The date drive is still inactive.

The figure 6 illustrates the state of the system shortly before midnight, around 11 p.m. The finger 7 is point against point with the beak 83 of the anchor 8: the drum 3 can thus be released, for its rotation of almost one revolution, as soon as this point contact is broken. The eccentric pin 52 crossed in the afternoon the oblong groove 81 of the anchor 8, and is now very close to a second end 812 of this oblong groove 81. The roller of the feeler 6 is still bearing on the lower level 511 of the spiral 51, in the immediate vicinity of the reset threshold 52. The drive of the date is still inactive.

Shortly after, around midnight, the finger 7 leaves the beak 83 of the anchor 8, the drum 3 performs its rotation through an angle β, here approximately 330°. During this rotation which is regulated by the regulation mechanism 9, detailed on the figure 1 , in order to last a few seconds and be clearly visible to the user, the feeler roller 6 first traverses the lower level 511 of the spiral 51, then rises to the level upper 512, activating the date drive for the display of the new date. The roller 6 drops when passing the reset threshold 52.

The figure 7 illustrates the state of the system shortly after midnight, around 12:30 a.m. The finger 7 is again in bearing cooperation with the abutment 84 of the anchor 8. The eccentric pin 52 is still close to the second end 812 of the oblong groove 81. The roller of the feeler 6 has fallen, from its position top illustrated in phantom, in its low position resting on the lower level 511 of the snail 51. The angle β traversed is that formed between the positions of the reset threshold 52 on the figures 6 and 7 .

The invention also relates to a watch movement 500 comprising such a display mechanism 1.

The invention also relates to a timepiece, in particular a clock, or a watch 1000, comprising such a movement 500 and/or such a display mechanism 1.

A variant of the invention constitutes the reverse configuration of that illustrated by the figures: the second wheel set 30 is a barrel 3 arranged to be driven by a driving wheel set 201, and which carries the third wheel set 80. And the first wheel set 4 is then arranged to drive or carry said spiral peripheral cam 51.

The regulation can be ensured by another type of regulator, of the type of bell regulator, for example eddy current regulator, or magnetic regulator, or electrostatic regulator, or other.

The time of the function, which is defined by the type of regulation mechanism 9 chosen, can be chosen freely, here it is, without limitation defined between 1 and 30 seconds. Indeed, at these speeds, the dynamic stresses generated by the speed are negligible, only the static stresses are significant.

The date jump is done in such a way as to generate only constraints that can be calculated statically, the dynamic effect linked to the inertias of the components during the jump is negligible.

The jump is considered instantaneous on the scale of a day, but remains clearly visible to the user, which gives a qualitative rendering.

The jump being limited to a few seconds, the temporal limitations for the date corrections are limited, likewise the risks of loss of information and operating faults are limited.

Claims (14)

1. Timepiece display mechanism (1) including at least one display member (100) that moves in jumps, said mechanism (1) including at least one spring (2) between a first wheel set (4) and a second wheel set (30),said first wheel set (4) or respectively said second wheel set (30) being arranged to be driven by a drive wheel set (201), wherein said second wheel set (30) or respectively said first wheel set (4) is arranged to drive or carry a peripheral snail (51) cam (5) traversed by a feeler (6) arranged to control the jump of a said display member (100), and wherein said mechanism (1) includes locking/release means (70) including, on the one hand at least one finger (7) driven by said second wheel set (30) or respectively said first wheel set (4), and on the other hand, a third wheel set (80) arranged, depending on its angular position, to stop or release said at least one finger (7), to prevent or respectively allow rotation of said cam (5), characterized in that said third wheel set (80) is an anchor piece (8) angularly movable about an anchor piece axis (D8) under the action of said first wheel set (4) or respectively of said second wheel set (30), said anchor piece (8) being arranged, depending on its angular position, to stop or release said at least one finger (7), to prevent or respectively allow rotation of said cam (5).
2. Mechanism (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said mechanism (1) includes a regulating mechanism (9) including a regulating train meshing with that of said second wheel set (30) or respectively of said first wheel set (4) which drives or carries said cam (5), to limit the rotational speed thereof when said finger (7) is released.
3. Mechanism (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said at least one spring (2) is wound between an arbor (41) of said wheel set (4) and said second wheel set (30).
4. Mechanism (1) according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said second wheel set (30) is a drum (3) carrying at least one peripheral finger (7) outside the trajectory of said feeler (6).
5. Mechanism (1) according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said first wheel set (4) includes an eccentric crank pin (42) permanently guiding a groove (81) to control the periodic back and forth motions of said pivoting anchor piece (8), which includes, on either side of said anchor piece axis (D8), a beak (83) and a stop (84) for stopping or releasing said finger (7) depending on the angular position of said anchor piece (8), the angular travel of each finger (7) between its release by said beak (83) and return to abutment on said stop (84) defining the jump duration.
6. Mechanism (1) according to claim 4 and any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said mechanism (1) includes a barrel (10) comprising at least one said spring (2) between, on the one hand, the arbor of said barrel (10), which is integral with said arbor (41) of said first wheel set (4), or which forms the latter, and on the other hand, said drum (3).
7. Mechanism (1) according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said first wheel set (4) pivots and is driven with an integer gear ratio by a said drive wheel set (201), in that said snail (51) comprises a zero reset threshold (52) after a said jump, and in that the angular travel, relative to the axis (D4) of said first wheel set (4), of each finger (7) between its release by said beak (83) and return to abutment on said stop (84) defines the jump duration which corresponds to the duration of travel of said feeler (6) on said cam (5), firstly on a ramp that gradually ascends from a lower level (511) to an upper level (512) of said snail (51) and then instantly drops back to said lower level (511) on crossing said zero reset threshold (52).
8. Mechanism (1) according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that each jump corresponds to a change of state of said display member (100) between an earlier state and a later state, and to a jump duration corresponding to the period of time that elapses between stable display of said earlier state and stable display of said later state.
9. Mechanism (1) according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said first input wheel set (4) is arranged to be driven by a said continuous drive wheel set (201) and to complete, during one revolution of said continuous drive wheel set (201), one revolution or an integer number of turns or a whole fraction of a turn.
10. Display mechanism (1) according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said second wheel set (30) is a barrel (3) arranged to be driven by a drive wheel set (201), and which carries said third wheel set (80), and in that said first wheel set (4) is arranged to drive or carry said peripheral snail (51) cam (5).
11. Mechanism (1) according to any of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that said display member (100) moves in periodic jumps.
12. Mechanism (1) according to any of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that said display member (100) is a date display member.
13. Timepiece movement (500) including a display mechanism (1) according to any of claims 1 to 12.
14. Watch (1000) including a movement (500) according to claim 13 or/ a display mechanism (1) according to any of claims 1 to 12.

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