Patent Grant
11169486
This application is a § 371 national stage entry of International Application No. PCT/EP2016/077398, filed Nov. 11, 2016, which claims priority to Swiss European Patent Application No. 01656/15, filed Nov. 13, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to the field of horology. It more particularly relates to a calendar mechanism suitable for indicating information having a period varying based on at least a first cycle and a second cycle, such as a perpetual calendar.
Document EP 1,351,104 describes a perpetual calendar mechanism: This calendar comprises a maximum month length of 31 days, which varies over a first cycle of 12 months, and which comprises the sequence of 31-28-31-30-31-30-31-31-30-31-30-31 days per month. A second cycle of 4 years for the Julian leap year is superimposed on this first cycle, which adds one additional day to the month of February. The retractable tooth carried by a sliding lever interacts with a 24-hour wheel at the end of the month of February in non-leap years in order to advance the indication of the date from an indication of 28 directly to an indication of 1 of the following month. This tooth is retracted during leap years so that the indication can show February 29, before being advanced to 1, 24 hours later. Nevertheless, this mechanism is complex and fragile.
Document EP 1,818,738 also incorporates a third cycle of 100 years, in order to eliminate February 29th for years divisible by 100, and a fourth cycle of 400 years in order to reestablish it for years divisible by 400. This mechanism therefore makes it possible to display the entire cycle of the Gregorian calendar.
Document EP 0,606,576 describes a Muslim calendar mechanism. The Muslim calendar is based on the lunar cycle, and comprises a first cycle of 12 months, the odd months comprising 30 days, and the even months comprising 29 days. In order to compensate for the difference between this cycle and the full Muslim year, the twelfth month of certain years has 30 days instead of 29, according to a second 30-year cycle. Several variants of this second cycle exist, but one variant commonly used defines the years in which the twelfth month comprises 30 days instead of 29 as follows: 2nd, 5th, 7th, 10th, 13th, 15th, 18th, 21st, 24th, 26th and 29th.
These calendar mechanisms of the prior art are relatively complex, and require a large amount of space in the movement.
The aim of the present invention is to propose such a calendar mechanism that is simple, compact and reliable.
More specifically, the invention relates to a calendar mechanism for a timepiece, said calendar mechanism being adapted to indicate information having a period varying according to at least a first cycle and a second cycle. “First cycle” for example refers to a month cycle whereof the number of days of each month is invariable from one year to the next, for example from the first to the eleventh month of the Islamic calendar, or the months of January and March to December of the Western calendar (Julian or Gregorian). “Second cycle” for example refers to a cycle with a length different from the first, for example the 30-year cycle that determines the number of days in the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar, the four-year cycle of the Julian calendar or the 400-year cycle of the Gregorian calendar, which determines the number of days in the month of February. These two cycles are superimposed in order to provide the desired indications over a full cycle.
This mechanism comprises a months wheel comprising a gear having a number of fixed teeth, said number being chosen based on the maximum period of the information to be displayed. Normally, this number of teeth is the same as the maximum number of days in a month, or its whole multiple.
The wheel further comprises a lever arranged to move between an inactive position and an active position and vice versa, this lever being provided with at least one tooth which is retractable relative to the perimeter of the wheel. This at least one tooth can be a traditional tooth extending in the plane of the lever, or a tooth extending perpendicular to this plane in the form of a contrate tooth, pin, lug or the like, which are typically all considered “teeth” when they perform the same function.
The mechanism further comprises a driving wheel comprising a first driving organ arranged to interact with said fixed teeth and a second driving organ angularly offset relative to the first driving organ and arranged to interact with said retractable tooth when said lever is in its active position. In this position, the retractable teeth are positioned so as to be able to cooperate with the driving wheel.
Incorporated into said mechanism are a first cam whose shape represents the variations of said period according to the first cycle, and a second cam whose shape represents the variations of said period according to the second cycle, as well as an indexing system kinematically connected with said wheel, with said first cam and with said second cam and suitable for indexing each of said cams as a function of said cycles.
An actuating system of said lever is also incorporated into said mechanism. This actuating system comprises a first cam feeler-spindle intended to come into contact with the first cam and a second cam feeler-spindle intended to come into contact with the second cam, said feeler-spindles being kinematically connected to each other and the actuating system being arranged to cause said lever to move from its inactive position to its active position under the control of each of said cams.
Consequently, these two kinematically-connected feeler-spindles allow the lever to be actuated either based on information carried by the first cam, or based on information carried by the second cam, such that it is commanded based on the superposition of the two cycles in order to display the desired complete cycle, and consequently the months wheel is advanced by the appropriate number of steps at the end of each month.
Advantageously, said first cam and said second cam are each coaxial to said gear and carried by the latter. This results in a particularly compact construction. Alternatively, these two cams could also not be coaxial to said gear.
Each of said cams can be situated on the same side of said gear, or one on a first side of said gear, and the other on the opposite side.
In this second case, the second feeler-spindle advantageously extends through an opening formed in said gear in order to be able to feel the cam that is situated on the side opposite the first feeler-spindle.
Advantageously, the actuating system comprises a first lever provided with said first feeler-spindle and also provided with a stop intended to come into contact with said lever in order to cause it to go to its active position under the control of said first cam.
In one variant, not only the first feeler-spindle, but also the second feeler-spindle is carried by the first lever, which creates a particularly compact arrangement. Alternatively, the actuating system can comprise a second lever kinematically connected with said first lever, said second lever bearing said second feeler-spindle.
In one variant, the actuating system comprises an additional actuating wheel kinematically connected, directly or indirectly, with said first lever. This additional actuating wheel is arranged to cause said lever to move toward its active position under the control of said second cam.
Advantageously, the additional actuating wheel is pivoted relative to said gear and comprises an additional actuating cam intended to press against said lever under the control of said second cam.
In one variant, said first cam has a shape representative of the number of days in a month varying according to a first cycle, and said second cam has a shape representative of the number of days in at least one particular month that varies according to a second cycle, and in which said first cam comprises a notch representative of at least one month whose number of days is determined according to said second cycle. In one particular alternative in which the first cycle comprises twelve months and the second cycle comprises thirty years, the shape of said first cam represents the number of days from the first to the eleventh month varying according to the first twelve-month cycle, the notch corresponding to the twelfth month, and the shape of said second cam corresponds to the number of days of the twelfth month varying over the second thirty-year cycle. The notch allows the first cam not to influence the position of the first lever for the month where the number of days is determined by the second cam.
Alternatively, the first cycle comprises four years, the shape of said first cam representing the number of days in February varying according to the first four-year cycle (i.e., 28-28-28, then 28 or 29 (depending on the second cycle)), the notch corresponding to the month of February, which may or may not be a leap year for example depending on the Julian or Gregorian calendar. In this alternative, the second cycle comprises 100 years or 400 years, the shape of said at least one cam representing the number of days in February for years divisible by four, which may or may not be leap years depending on the Gregorian or Julian cycle.
Advantageously, the mechanism comprises a second additional cam superimposed on said second cam, the combination of the second cam and the additional second cam defining a 400-year cycle, particularly according to the Gregorian calendar. This makes it possible to avoid using a single cam with 400 sectors, and to use to simpler, superimposed cams. In order to read these cams, the second feeler-spindle can be arranged to feel the second cam and the additional second cam in parallel, i.e., simultaneously.
Advantageously, said lever carries at least two retractable teeth having the same separation as two fixed teeth of the gear. The mechanism is therefore reversible, and maintains its indexing independently of the rotation direction of the driving wheel. Consequently, even when a correction is made in the direction opposite the normal operating direction, correct indexing is therefore provided.
Advantageously, a device for displaying the day of the week can be provided, which is preferably associated with the driving wheel in order to indicate the day of the week simply.
Other details of the invention will appear more clearly upon reading the following description, done in reference to the appended drawings, in which:
The mechanism 1 comprises a months wheel 3, which comprises a gear 4 bearing fixed teeth 5 relative to the wheel 4. The number of fixed teeth 5 is chosen based on the maximum number of days to be displayed, in particular thirty in the illustrated case. A whole multiple of this number is also possible. The positioning of the months wheel 3 can be provided traditionally using a jumper (not illustrated). The gear 4 is traditionally associated with one (or several) display organ(s) (not illustrated) that indicate(s) the date.
The months wheel 3 is driven by a driving wheel 7, which comprises a first driving organ 7a provided with four driving teeth or fingers separated by spaces, these latter being configured in order to cooperate with the fixed teeth 5. The driving wheel 7 is in turn arranged to cooperate with the fixed teeth 5. The driving wheel 7 in turn is arranged to be driven by a base movement (not illustrated) at a rate of one quarter-revolution per 24 hours, typically around midnight. The number of driving teeth or fingers can be chosen based on the horologist's needs, and considered generically, if n is the number of driving teeth or fingers, the driving wheel 7 performs 1/n revolutions per day.
The months wheel 3 also comprises a lever 9, pivoted on the gear 4 at a pivot point 9a, which carries retractable teeth 11 situated in a plane different from that of the fixed teeth 5 and secured with the lever 9. In the view of
This second driving organ 7b has a shape substantially similar to the first driving organ 7a, but is angularly offset by ⅛ revolution relative to the latter and is situated in a plane allowing it to cooperate with the retractable teeth 11.
Consequently, if the retractable teeth 11 are in their retracted position (
If the retractable teeth 11 are in their active position (
If the retractable teeth 11 only comprise one tooth 11, the calendar mechanism 1 only works in a single rotation direction. However, in the illustrated case where two retractable teeth 11 are present and each superimposed on a pair of fixed teeth of the gear 4 (or are offset by one pair of fixed teeth of the gear 4), with a separation similar or identical to the separation between two fixed teeth 5 of the gear 4, the calendar mechanism 1 works reversibly, i.e., the number of steps performed by the months wheel 3 after driving in either direction (for example after a manual correction of the date in the direction opposite the typical rotation direction of the months wheel 3) remains correct, and the mechanism always remains correctly indexed relative to the displayed date by means of indicator organs associated therewith (not illustrated). If the gear 4 comprises a number of fixed teeth 5 that is a multiple of the maximum number of days in a month, the number of retractable teeth can be multiplied by this multiple.
The position of the lever 9 is controlled by means of an actuating system 13 based on the position of a first cam 15 and a second cam 17. The first cam 15 is situated between the pivot point 9a of the lever 9 and the rotation axis of the wheel 3, and is arranged to pivot relative to the gear 4. The shape of the first cam represents the first 12-month cycle, and therefore has larger radius parts 15a representing the odd months with 29 days, and smaller radius parts 15b representing the even months with 30 days. Given that the number of days of the twelfth month depends on the year, this month is represented by a notch 15c whose operation will appear more clearly hereinafter.
The second cam 17 is situated between the pivot point 9a of the lever 9 and the periphery of the gear 4, and is also arranged to pivot relative to the gear 4. The shape of the second cam 17 represents the second 30-year cycle, which determines the number of days of the twelfth month. The shape of the cam 17 extends inward, and comprises larger radius parts 17a, which represent the twelfth months with 29 days, and smaller radius parts 17b, which represent the twelfth months with 30 days.
This type of cam is often called “programme cam”, because their shape determines the number of days indicated in a month, and therefore serves to “programme” the sequence indicated by the mechanism 1.
The cams 15, 17 are supported and rotated relative to the gear 4 using an indexing system 19, which is shown schematically in
The actuating system 13 comprises a first lever 21 bearing a feeler-spindle 21a, the first lever being pivoted on the gear 4 at a pivot point 21b under the effect of a spring (not shown). The first lever 21 also bears a stop formed by a stud 21c arranged to press against a flank of the lever 9 in order to bring the latter into its active position (
The first feeler-spindle 21a follows the first cam 15 such that, when the first feeler-spindle 21a is in contact with a smaller radius portion 15b of the latter (
However, when the first feeler-spindle 21a is in contact with a larger radius portion 15a of the first cam (
During the twelfth month, the first feeler-spindle 21a is in the notch 15c, and consequently the stud 21c is situated away from the lever 9. The length of the twelfth month is determined not by the first cam 15, by the second cam 17.
In order to feel the second cam 17, a second lever 23 is also pivoted on the gear 4 at a pivot point 23b, and is kinematically connected with the first lever 21 using complementary toothed segments 21d, 23d carried by each lever 21, 23. The second lever 23 comprises a second feeler-spindle 23a, which is intended to come into contact with the second cam 17, at least during the twelfth month. If the twelfth month has 30 days, the second feeler-spindle 23a is in contact with a smaller radius part of the second cam 17, and the actuating device 13 adopts the configuration illustrated in
If the twelfth month comprises 29 days, the second feeler-spindle 23a is across from a larger radius part 17a of the second cam 17, as illustrated in
It goes without saying that any type of kinematic link between the levers 21, 23, 24 and the additional actuating wheel 25 is possible, for example studs cooperating with grooves, a belt or the like.
Indeed, the mechanism represents a globally binary logic system, which can be shown by the following transfer table:
It is clear that the cam 1 has “priority” in this logic, and that it is only when the first feeler-spindle 21a is across from the notch 15c that the cam 2 can influence the position of the lever 9.
In order to avoid conflicts between the various components of the mechanism 1, they are located in appropriate planes so that they can pass above one another as needed. For example, in
The gear 4 being kinematically connected with the indexing system 19, each modification of the angular position of the months wheel 3 modifies the state of the indexing system, which modifies the position of the first cam 15 and the second cam 17 so that they are indexed correctly relative to the gear 4 for the displayed date. These cams 15, 17 are felt by the first and second feeler-spindles 21a, 23a, respectively, which therefore determine the position of the lever 9.
This embodiment primarily differs from the first in the positioning of the second cam 17 and the components of the actuating system 13.
As visible in
However, the first lever 21 extends in a curve so that its rack 21d meshes directly with the toothed sector 25b of the additional actuating wheel 25. Consequently, the intermediate levers 23 and 24 of the first embodiment have been deleted.
Nevertheless, it goes without saying that a different kinematic link between the first lever 21 and the additional actuating wheel is also possible.
The second cam 17 is on the opposite side of the gear 4, therefore on the face other than that of the first cam 15, and is situated centrally, extending outward. The second feeler-spindle 23a is a pin secured to the first lever 21, which extends through an opening 4a formed in the gear 4 so as to be able to feel the second cam 17.
Notwithstanding the structural changes, the operating principle of the mechanism remains unchanged.
In this embodiment, the gear 4 of the months wheel 1 comprises 31 teeth (or alternatively a whole multiple of 31 teeth) that cooperates with a first driving organ 7a of the driving wheel 7, and during its standard operation, rotates clockwise as seen in
The actuation of these levers being carried out according to a single 12-month cycle, the wheel 3 comprises a first additional cam 31, which is followed by a feeler-spindle 27a of the first additional lever 27 in order to bring this lever into its active position at the end of months with 28, 29 or 30 days. This additional cam 31 therefore has five protrusions corresponding to the months with fewer than 31 days. A second additional cam 33, secured in rotation with the first additional cam 31, is also followed by a feeler-spindle 29a of the second additional lever 28 in order to bring this lever into its active position each February, and to that end this additional cam 31 has a protrusion corresponding to the month of February.
The indexing system 19 provides the angular relationship between the additional cams 31, 33 and the gear 4, while providing a rotation speed ratio of 11/12 or 13/12 of the additional cams 31, 33 relative to the gear 4, in the desired direction of relative rotation between these components. However, any other speed ratio between the gear 4 and the cam 31 as well as between the gear 4 and the cam 33 can be considered, as long as the teeth of the levers 27 and 29 are positioned appropriately during their passage in front of the driving wheel 7.
The first cam 15, the lever 9 (the rotation axis 9a of which has not been shown), and the components of the actuating system 13 visible in
The first cam 15 in fact comprises 48 sectors representing the first cycle of 4 years/48 months, most of these sectors of which have the same, smaller, radius 15b (months other than February). The three larger radius parts 15a are bosses representing the months of February which are always non-leap years and which bring the lever 9 into its active position in order to jump over the 29th of the month, and a notch 15c represents those of a year that may optionally be a leap year (and therefore comprise 29 days) according to the Gregorian calendar (i.e., each year divisible by 4). The indexing system makes sure that the first cam 15 performs a quarter-revolution per year relative to the gear 4.
In the same way as for the embodiment of
Looking at
Consequently, if a notch of the second cam 17 and a notch of the additional second cam 18 are located below the second feeler-spindle 23a (which is the case for each year divisible by 100, but not by 400), the latter falls into the combined notch (as long as the feeler-spindle 21a, which is located on the opposite side of the gear 4, is above the notch 15c), and the first lever 21 pivots in the counterclockwise direction according to the view of
This system is also completely reversible and maintains its indexing during a backward correction by means of the driving wheel.
However, the illustrated embodiment is not limiting, and depending on the arrangement, the sizing and the nature of the driving means of the cams 17, 18, any other appropriate speed ratio between the latter can be considered and is covered by the present invention, as long as the teeth 11 of the lever 9 are positioned appropriately during their passage in front of the driving wheel 7. The important point is that, during the month of February in leap years (therefore when the feeler-spindle 21a has the possibility of falling into the notch 15c) and when the teeth 11 are close to the driving wheel 7, the cams 17 and 18 are positioned correctly.
In all of the embodiments, it is also possible to provide a device for displaying any day of the week, which may be associated with the driving wheel 7.
Although the invention has been described in reference to several specific embodiments, changes are possible without going beyond the scope of the invention, as defined by the claims. In particular, it should be noted that the same principle may also be applied to a Gregorian, annual or Julian Western, Chinese, Hebrew or similar calendar.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01656/15 | Nov 2015 | CH | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2016/077398 | 11/11/2016 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2017/081231 | 5/18/2017 | WO | A |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 20180335755 A1 | Nov 2018 | US |
