Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B19/00—Indicating the time by visual means
  • G04B19/24—Clocks or watches with date or week-day indicators, i.e. calendar clocks or watches; Clockwork calendars
  • G04B19/243—Clocks or watches with date or week-day indicators, i.e. calendar clocks or watches; Clockwork calendars characterised by the shape of the date indicator
  • G04B19/24306—Clocks or watches with date or week-day indicators, i.e. calendar clocks or watches; Clockwork calendars characterised by the shape of the date indicator combination of different shapes, e.g. bands and discs, discs and drums
  • G04B19/2432—Driving or releasing mechanisms wherein the date indicators are driven or released mechanically by a clockwork movement
  • G04B19/2434—Driving or releasing mechanisms wherein the date indicators are driven or released mechanically by a clockwork movement driven or released by their own energy source which is released at regular time intervals
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B1/00—Driving mechanisms
  • G04B1/10—Driving mechanisms with mainspring
  • G04B1/12—Driving mechanisms with mainspring with several mainsprings
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B1/00—Driving mechanisms
  • G04B1/10—Driving mechanisms with mainspring
  • G04B1/22—Compensation of changes in the motive power of the mainspring
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B15/00—Escapements
  • G04B15/10—Escapements with constant impulses for the regulating mechanism
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B17/00—Mechanisms for stabilising frequency
  • G04B17/04—Oscillators acting by spring tension
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B19/00—Indicating the time by visual means
  • G04B19/24—Clocks or watches with date or week-day indicators, i.e. calendar clocks or watches; Clockwork calendars
  • G04B19/243—Clocks or watches with date or week-day indicators, i.e. calendar clocks or watches; Clockwork calendars characterised by the shape of the date indicator
  • G04B19/247—Clocks or watches with date or week-day indicators, i.e. calendar clocks or watches; Clockwork calendars characterised by the shape of the date indicator disc-shaped
  • G04B19/253—Driving or releasing mechanisms
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B19/00—Indicating the time by visual means
  • G04B19/26—Clocks or watches with indicators for tides, for the phases of the moon, or the like
  • G04B19/268—Clocks or watches with indicators for tides, for the phases of the moon, or the like with indicators for the phases of the moon

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a locking device for a timepiece, capable of blocking a rotating member under tension and to unlock at determined times to control movements by jumps of one or more mobiles.
• the locking devices can have various forms.
• EP 1658531 describes, in the context of a display mechanism, a locking device comprising levers and a cam. This device is quite complicated and produces a lot of friction. In addition, it is not robust against shocks, which can lead to misalignment of the display.
• Locking devices are also known which are in the form of an anchor.
• This type of locking device is used in particular in constant force devices, also known as equaling winders, such as the Gafner equalizer winder or that described in EP 2166419.
• the anchor comprises a fork which is in permanent contact with a drive cam, as well as pallets which cooperate with a stop wheel. This type of locking device is robust against shocks but necessarily generates a lot of friction.
• the present invention aims at remedying, in part at least, these disadvantages and proposes for this purpose a locking device according to claim 1.
• the present invention also proposes a clock mechanism comprising such a locking device, and more particularly a clock mechanism according to claim 17 or claim 18.
• FIG. 1 is a top view of a first example of a watch mechanism comprising a locking device according to the invention
• FIG. 2 shows the locking device according to the invention; for the sake of simplicity a flexible guide device forming part of the locking device is shown in this figure 2, as in Figures 3, 7 and 8 commented below, in a state of rest while it is in practice deformed;
• FIG. 3 shows a locking device according to a variant of the invention
• FIG. 4 shows a locking device according to another variant of the invention
• FIGS. 5 and 6 show a locking device according to yet another variant of the invention, in two different locking positions
• FIG. 7 shows a locking device according to yet another embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 8 shows a second example of a clock mechanism comprising the locking device according to the invention.
• a watch mechanism 1 for a timepiece such as a wristwatch or a pocket watch, comprises a first energy source 2, a first gear 3 and a regulator member 4.
• the first energy source 2 is in the form of a barrel housing a motor spring and the regulating member 4 comprises a sprung balance and an escapement.
• the first energy source 2 can be raised by the user by means of a manual winding mechanism and / or by an automatic winding mechanism (oscillating weight).
• the first gear train 3 is a finishing gear train comprising successively, in the illustrated example, a medium-sized mobile 3a, a mobile of average 3b, a wheel of hours 3c carrying a pointer indicator hours 3d, a wheel of reference 3rd and a second mobile 3f.
• the medium-sized mobile 3a meshes with the barrel 2 while the mobile of the second 3f meshes with an escape pinion 4a of the regulating member 4.
• the clock mechanism 1 further comprises a second energy source 5 and a second gear 6.
• the second power source 5 is typically in the form of a barrel housing a motor spring.
• the first and second energy sources 2, 5 are independent in the sense that none of them provides energy to the other.
• the second wheel 6 comprises a date wheel 6a which meshes with the cylinder 5 and a reduction mobile 6b which meshes with the date wheel 6a.
• the date wheel 6a carries a date indicator hand 6c directed to a date scale 7 which is worn by a dial of the watch mechanism 1.
• the indicator hand 6c could be replaced by one or more indicator discs cooperating with one or more wickets of the dial.
• the clock mechanism 1 also comprises a locking device 8 according to the invention for locking and unlocking the second wheel 6 under the control of the first wheel 3.
• This locking device 8 comprises (see FIGS. 1 and 2) a movable frame 8a guided in translation along the double arrow F by a flexible guiding device 8b.
• the flexible guiding device 8b is known per se. It is composed of a set of rigid parts and elastic parts fixed by two 8c of its rigid parts to the frame of the watch mechanism 1 and attached to the movable frame 8a.
• the flexible guiding device 8b forms with the movable frame 8a a monolithic piece.
• the flexible guiding device 8b as shown is designed to eliminate spurious motions of translation and rotation so that the movable frame 8a moves in pure translation.
• the present invention does not exclude the use of a simpler flexible guiding device, allowing for example a slight rotational movement in addition to translational movement.
• the movable frame 8a has two openings 8d, 8e whose respective contours are closed.
• the first opening 8d receives a drive member 8f in the form of a coaxial finger and secured to a wheel 9 which meshes via a reduction gear 10 with the first gear 3.
• the second opening 8th receives a locking member 8g in the form of a coaxial finger and secured to a pinion 1 1 which meshes with the reduction gear 6b of the second gear 6.
• Two diametrically opposite recesses 8h of the wall of the first opening 8d constitute driving elements.
• Two recesses diametrically opposite 8i of the wall of the second opening 8e constitute stop elements.
• the locking member 8g which is energized by the torque exerted by the second energy source 5, remains in abutment against one of the stop elements 8i, which maintains the second source of energy. energy 5, the second train 6 and the date indicator hand 6c immobile.
• the driving member 8f is driven continuously by the first gear 3 in the clockwise direction of Figures 1 and 2 at a rate of one turn every 48 hours.
• the driving member 8f comes into contact with one of the driving elements 8h and then cooperates with it tangentially (in the manner of a gear) to move the mobile frame 8a in translation during a time interval, for example from one to two hours, overlapping midnight.
• moving the movable frame 8a releases the locking member 8g which loses contact with the stop member 8i on which it was leaning.
• the second energy source 5 is then no longer held and the assembly 5, 6, 8g, 1 1 begins to rotate until the locking member 8g abuts against the other stop element 8i and block again the second energy source 5 and the second wheel 6, in which position the date indicator hand 6c indicates the next date.
• the driving member 8f then leaves the driving member 8h with which it cooperates and continues its rotation without causing or touching the movable frame 8a, the latter being immobilized by a slight pull exerted by the locking member 8g on the stop member 8i against which it relies - the stop elements 8i are for this purpose slightly inclined - this pull compensates the elastic return force exerted by the flexible guide device 8b on the movable frame 8a and can cause the wall of the second opening 8e to abut against the locking member 8g as visible in Figure 2. Then approaching the next midnight, the drive member 8f enters into contact with the other driving element 8h to move the mobile frame 8a in translation in the other direction during a period of time overlapping midnight.
• the displacement of the movable frame 8a releases the assembly 5, 6, 8g, 1 1 which starts to rotate, making a jump to the date indicator needle 6c, until the locking member 8g come back against the first stop 8i.
• the driving member 8f then leaves the driving member 8h with which it was in contact and continues its rotation without causing or touching the movable frame 8a which is immobilized by the draft exerted by the locking member 8g. Then the cycle repeats itself.
• the display of the date is thus instantaneous and the energy which supplies it is provided exclusively by the second energy source 5, allowing the first energy source 2 - the first gear 3 - the regulator 4 to maintain its unity. running time and not be disturbed by the display of the date.
• the friction is low since, in normal operation, the driving member 8f is in contact with the wall of the first opening 8d only when it co-operates with the driving elements 8h, or, cumulatively, on less 60%, or even less than 50%, or even less than 40%, or even less than 30%, or even less than 20% of a rotation turn of the drive member 8f.
• the second energy source 5 may have its own winding mechanism. Being solicited only once a day, the second energy source 5 may also have no winding mechanism and be rearmed only during regular maintenance of the watch.
• the wall of the first opening 8d comprises two parts in circular arc 8j opposite and the same radius but different centers, the two junctions between these two parts 8j forming the driving elements 8h.
• the radius of the two arcuate portions 8j is slightly greater than the radius of the circle traversed by the end of the driving member 8f.
• Each arcuate part 8j when the drive member 8f moves opposite it, has its center which coincides with the center of rotation of the drive member 8f. In this way, during its rotation between the two drive elements 8h the end of the drive member 8f follows the wall of the first opening 8d, thus protecting the locking device 8 against impacts.
• the 8f and 8g blocking members may each have several fingers or teeth.
• FIG. 3 shows a variant of the invention in which the locking member 8g is in the form of a three-tooth star.
• the driving member 8f may be a relatively wide finger and its end 8k may be in a circular arc centered on the center of rotation of the driving member 8f and of radius slightly smaller than the radius of the arcuate portions 8j of the wall of the first opening 8d.
• the wall of the first opening 8d immediately abuts against the drive member 8f, thus preventing the release of the locking member 8g.
• the locking device 8 may comprise traction springs 8m (shown schematically) arranged to fully or partially compensate for the restoring force exerted by the flexible guiding device 8b.
• the movable frame 8a is then subjected to a zero or lower restoring force during its movements in translation.
• the mobile frame 8a could be slidably mounted.
• the application of a pulling force to the moving frame 8a is advantageous for minimizing friction.
• the invention does not exclude the possibility of operating the locking device 8 without pulling force, especially in cases where no elastic restoring force is exerted on the movable frame 8a.
• FIG. 4 shows another variant of the invention, in which the mobile frame 8a is rotatably mounted about an axis 8n distinct from the axes of rotation 8p, 8q of the driving and locking members 8f 8g.
• the drive members 8f and blocking 8g are here in the form of stars but they could also be simple fingers.
• the stop elements 8i defined by the wall of the second opening 8e are circular arcs centered on the geometrical axis of rotation of the movable frame 8a, so that the pressing force exerted by the locking member 8g on the movable frame 8a is located on a line intersecting said geometric axis of rotation. In this way, the support of the locking member 8g on the moving frame 8a does not cause displacement of the latter.
• the wall 8r of the first opening 8d which receives the driving member 8f, comprises two projections constituting the driving elements 8h and, according to the invention, is shaped to follow on substantially 360 ° the trajectory of the top of the finger or a tooth of the drive member 8f in a frame linked to the movable frame 8a during the rotation of the drive member 8f.
• This shape of the wall 8r of the first opening 8d allows the mobile frame 8a to immediately abut against the drive member 8f in the event of impact in any direction and thus secure the locking of the locking member 8g .
• the wall of the first opening 8d in the embodiments of Figures 1 to 3, with its arcuate portions 8j, is also shaped to follow over substantially 360 ° the trajectory of the top of the finger or a tooth of the 8f driving member in a reference linked to the movable frame 8a during the rotation of the drive member 8f.
• FIG 7 shows yet another variant of the invention, wherein the mobile frame 8a is replaced by two frames 8s, 8t movable relative to the frame of the watch mechanism 1 and movable relative to each other.
• the first frame 8s comprises the first opening 8d which receives the drive member 8f and the second frame 8t comprises the second opening 8e which receives the locking member 8g.
• These frames 8s, 8t are for example guided by respective flexible guiding devices and are kinematically connected to one another.
• the frames 8s, 8t are movable in translation and include respective racks 8u, 8v which mesh with a star 8w.
• the frames 8s, 8t, or only one of them, could be rotatable.
• the mobile frame 8a of FIGS. 1 to 6 comprises first and second frames or moving parts 8a ', 8a ", these frames or moving parts 8a', 8a "presenting respectively the first and second openings 8d, 8e and being integral, thus kinematically connected, and more particularly being part of the same monolithic piece.
• apertures 8d, 8e could be superimposed.
• the second opening 8e could be replaced by arms bearing spouts fulfilling the function of the stop elements 8i.
• more than two 8h drive elements and / or more than two stop elements 8i could be provided.
• the wall of the first opening 8d could define additional drive elements to allow a pre-arming of the movable frame 8a or part 8a 'before its displacement leading to the release of the locking member 8g.
• mechanism 1 displays another size or information, such as the moon phase, the week, the day of the week or the month.
• the mechanism 1 can also be used not to display a quantity or information but to trigger a mechanism such as a striking mechanism.
• FIG. 8 illustrates another example of application for the locking device 8 according to the invention.
• the locking device 8 is used in a constant-force device of a clock mechanism 20.
• the mechanism 20 comprises a power source (not shown), typically a cylinder, feeding via a finishing gear (not shown) a jumping wheel 21.
• the jumping wheel 21 is coaxial with a second wheel 22 but is free in rotation with respect thereto.
• An intermediate spring 23 connects the jumping wheel 21 and the second wheel 22.
• the intermediate spring 23 is for example a spiral spring whose one end is secured to the jumping wheel 21 and whose other end is integral with the second wheel 22.
• the second wheel 22 meshes with the pinion of an escapement wheel 24 of a regulating member 25.
• the escapement wheel 24 receives its energy from the intermediate spring 23 which itself is periodically armed by the source of energy, with each movement of the jumping wheel 21.
• a substantially constant force which does not depend on the degree of arming of the energy source, is thus delivered to the exhaust.
• the jumping wheel 21 is coaxial and integral with the locking member 8g of the locking device 8 and the escapement wheel 24 is coaxial and integral with the driving member 8f of the locking device 8.
• the rotation of the escapement wheel 24 rotates the driving member 8f, always in the same direction, which cooperating with the driving elements 8h periodically releases the locking member 8g and, with he, the jumping wheel 21, the finishing gear and the power source, which instantly arms the intermediate spring 23.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Astronomy & Astrophysics (AREA)
• Electromechanical Clocks (AREA)
• Measurement Of Unknown Time Intervals (AREA)
• Lock And Its Accessories (AREA)
• Transmission Devices (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=58549067

Family Applications (3)

Family Applications After (2)

Country Status (6)

Families Citing this family (6)

Family Cites Families (27)

• 2018
  • 2018-04-17 EP EP18719312.3A patent/EP3612896B1/de active Active
  • 2018-04-17 EP EP18719311.5A patent/EP3612898B1/de active Active
  • 2018-04-17 US US16/603,735 patent/US11675313B2/en active Active
  • 2018-04-17 JP JP2019556658A patent/JP7096267B2/ja active Active
  • 2018-04-17 CN CN201880025803.9A patent/CN110622073B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2018-04-17 TW TW107113048A patent/TW201842424A/zh unknown
  • 2018-04-17 CN CN201880025801.XA patent/CN110892339B/zh active Active
  • 2018-04-17 TW TW107113050A patent/TW201843544A/zh unknown
  • 2018-04-17 JP JP2019556659A patent/JP2020517922A/ja not_active Abandoned
  • 2018-04-17 US US16/603,864 patent/US20200117143A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2018-04-17 TW TW107113047A patent/TW201842425A/zh unknown
  • 2018-04-17 WO PCT/IB2018/052644 patent/WO2018193364A1/fr unknown
  • 2018-04-17 WO PCT/IB2018/052645 patent/WO2018193365A1/fr active Search and Examination
  • 2018-04-17 EP EP18719313.1A patent/EP3612897B1/de active Active
  • 2018-04-17 WO PCT/IB2018/052646 patent/WO2018193366A1/fr active Search and Examination

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