Patent Application
20220373973
The present invention relates to a device for displaying a succession of periodic events which form an annual cycle. The present invention in particular relates to a device for displaying the sequence of the periods of the zodiac. The present invention further relates to a timepiece comprising such a display device.
An annual cycle can be divided into a certain number of periods, each of which comprise the same number of days or different numbers of days.
By way of example, an annual cycle of twelve months can be divided into twelve periods, each of which corresponds to one of the twelve signs of the zodiac. The particularity of these zodiac periods is that the durations thereof are not identical: more specifically, these durations lie in the range 29 to 32 days. Moreover, the passage from one zodiac period to the next zodiac period takes place between the 20th and the 23rd of the month concerned, depending on the duration of the zodiac sign in question. For example, the period of the zodiac that corresponds to the Sagittarius sign lasts 29 days from the 23rd of November to the 21st of December, whereas the period of the zodiac that corresponds to the cancer sign lasts 31 days from the 22nd of June to the 22nd of July.
An annual cycle can also be divided into twelve periods corresponding to the twelve months of the year. These months have unequal durations that lie in the range 28 to 31 days.
Devices for displaying these periods are already known. The most rudimentary embodiments comprise a disc on which the different periods of an annual cycle are represented by means of angular sectors, the angle whereof varies as a function of the number of days in the period considered. A first embodiment consists of rotating the disc beneath a dial wherein an aperture is made through which the current period can be seen. Another embodiment consists of rotating the disc facing an index which points to the current period. Yet another embodiment consists of rotating a hand above the disc, the hand pointing to the current period.
Mechanisms for driving the disc on which the different periods of an annual cycle are shown, or for driving the hand which moves over such a disc are of the jumping or dragging type, and the advancement thereof is steady, such that the display of the current period lacks precision, in particular when passing from one period to the next. Moreover, displaying, on an element of a timepiece, time indications of differing durations whereas time itself passes at a constant rhythm, causes the timepieces concerned to be relatively ill-perceived.
A device for displaying periods forming an annual cycle is known from the patent document EP 3 029 531 A1 filed by Blancpain. The core of this display device is formed by a differential mechanism having two inputs and one output. A first input is constituted by a reference drive wheel arranged to perform a revolution according to a reference period. A second input is constituted by an activation member arranged to cooperate with a cam which has a profile arranged so that the cooperation between the activation member and the differential mechanism causes an indicator member for indicating the periods to advance or retreat as a function of the difference between the displayed period and the reference period. Finally, the output is constituted by a member for driving the indicator member.
Thanks to these features, the Blancpain display device allows for the regular representation of periods that are not necessarily all equal. Moreover, the choice of a differential mechanism for driving the display device allows the period indicator member to be positioned at any point along the perimeter of the dial of the timepiece that is equipped with this display device. However, it is well known that a differential mechanism requires a large number of parts and is delicate to adjust. As a result, such a display device is more or less reserved to top of the range parts with a high cost price.
The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned problems and more, in particular by procuring a device allowing a succession of periodic events of unequal durations forming an annual cycle to be displayed in an equal manner.
For this purpose, the present invention relates to a device for displaying a succession of periodic events which form an annual cycle, this display device comprising:
a cam for managing a duration during which the periodic events are displayed, which cam is arranged such that it controls the change from the indication of a periodic event to the indication of a subsequent periodic event by the periodic events indicator member;
periodic drive means for driving the management cam, and
a member disposed between the management cam and the periodic events indicator member and arranged such that it drives the periodic events indicator member during a change in event.
According to special embodiments of the invention:
the drive member disposed between the management cam and the periodic events indicator member comprises a lever that is elastically stressed against a profile of the cam for managing the duration during which the periodic events are displayed;
the drive member comprises a hammer arranged between the management cam and the periodic events indicator member, this hammer comprising a feeler-spindle held, by the lever, such that it elastically bears against the profile of the cam for managing the duration during which the periodic events are displayed;
the management cam is driven by a date mechanism and by a month mechanism;
the date mechanism comprises a date drive wheel which drives a date indicator wheel at a rate of one step per day, this date indicator wheel performing one full revolution in 31 days, the month mechanism comprising a month drive finger integral with the date indicator wheel and which causes the management cam to advance by one twelfth of a revolution at the end of each of the twelve months of the year;
the month drive finger meshes with a month indicator wheel to which the management cam is fixed;
a planetary wheel is mounted idle on the lever and meshes with a sun wheel;
the date indicator wheel, the month drive finger, the sun wheel and the lever are concentric;
at the beginning of the months in which the periodic event change must take place on a day of this month that is different to the day of the month on which the previous periodic event change took place, the management cam controls the adjustment to the position of the lever, whereby the planetary wheel rolls on the sun wheel which remains fixed during the adjustment to the position of the lever;
on the day of the month on which the periodic event change takes place, the month drive finger meshes with the planetary wheel, which itself rotates the sun wheel;
the sun wheel drives the periodic events indicator member;
the periodic events indicator member is a periodic events indicator wheel which is indexed by a jumper and with which the sun wheel meshes;
when the periodic events indicator member is adapted to display the zodiac periods, the profile of the management cam has a first radius which allows the indicator member to change zodiac period during the night of the 22nd to the 23rd of the months of July, August, September, October and November, a second radius which is different from the first radius, which allows the indicator member to change zodiac period during the night of the 21st to the 22nd of the months of December and June, a third radius which is different from the first and second radii, which allows the indicator member to change zodiac period during the night of the 20th to the 21st of the months of January, March, April and May, and a fourth radius which is different from the first, second and third radii, which allows the indicator member to change zodiac period during the night of the 19th to the 20th of the month of February;
the profile of the management cam has a first portion having a first radius that is constant for the months of July, August, September, October and November, then a second portion having a second radius for the month of December, then a third portion having a third radius for the month of January, then a fourth portion having a fourth radius for the month of February, then a fifth portion having a third radius that is constant for the months of March, April and May, and finally a sixth and last portion having a second radius corresponding to the month of June.
The invention further relates to a timepiece comprising a device for displaying a succession of periodic events which form an annual cycle of the aforementioned type.
Thanks to these features, the present invention provides a mechanism for displaying periodic events forming an annual cycle, the construction whereof is relatively simple and which is compact. As a result of the relative constructive simplicity thereof, the display mechanism according to the invention involves a lower number of components, such that it is more cost-effective to produce and such that the operation thereof is more reliable. On the other hand, given that it is compact, the present display mechanism can be more easily housed inside a greater number of calibres, without these calibres constantly requiring modification.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood upon reading the following detailed description of one example embodiment of a device for displaying the zodiac periods forming an annual cycle, said example being provided for the purposes of illustration only and not intended to limit the scope of the invention, given with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:
The present invention was drawn from the general inventive idea consisting of providing a device allowing periodic events to be displayed in an equal and continuous manner, which periodic events form an annual cycle and the durations whereof are not equal. For this purpose, the present invention provides a display device comprising a cam driven by a date and month indicator device and which, at the end of each month where necessary, pre-positions a lever such that, when reaching the day of passage from one periodic event to the periodic event immediately thereafter, a display member displays the relevant periodic event. Thanks to these features, the present invention thus provides a device for displaying periodic events forming an annual cycle which is continuously repositioned as a function of the day of the month on which the periodic event to be considered begins. Periodic events that do not necessarily succeed one another in a regular manner in time can thus be displayed, without this being perceivable to the owner of the timepiece.
Denoted as a whole by the general reference numeral 1, the device for displaying a succession of periodic events which form an annual cycle according to the invention comprises (see
More specifically, the management member 4 for managing the duration during which the periodic events are displayed comprises a date mechanism 12 driven by a horological movement (not shown). This date mechanism 12 is provided with a date drive wheel 14 which rotates one revolution per day and which comprises a date drive finger 16. Every day, at about midnight, the date drive wheel 14, via the date drive finger 16 thereof, causes a date indicator wheel 18 to advance by one step (see
The date indicator wheel 18 is provided with a month drive finger 20 arranged on a circle concentric to the date indicator wheel 18 (see
The information carried by the management cam 8 is communicated to a lever 24 mounted concentrically to the date indicator wheel 18 either directly or, as shown by the example in the drawing, via a hammer 26 equipped with a feeler-spindle 28 which follows the profile of the management cam 8, the lever 24 being held such that it bears elastically thereagainst by means of a return spring 30.
The display device 1 described here is arranged such that it displays the succession of the 12 signs of the zodiac. Nonetheless, it must be understood that this example is given for illustrative purposes only and that, by adapting the profile of the management cam 8, another succession of periodic events having the particularity of forming an annual cycle can be displayed. Displaying the Chinese horoscope is in particular a possibility.
In the so-called tropical zodiac system to which reference is made herein, the 12 periods of the zodiac begin, depending on the case, on the 20th, 21st, 22nd or 23rd of the month concerned. Moreover, when two successive periods of the zodiac do not begin on the same day of the month, there is never more than a one day difference between the start of the first period of the zodiac considered and the start of the period of the zodiac immediately thereafter. More specifically, from March to May, the periods of the zodiac concerned, that is to say Aries, Taurus and Gemini, all begin on the 21st of the month. The following period of the zodiac, that is to say that of Cancer, starts on the 22nd of June. From July to November, the corresponding periods of the zodiac, that is to say Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius, all begin on the 23rd of the month. In December, the period of Capricorn begins on the 22nd, in January, the period of Aquarius begins on the 21st, and in February, the period of Pisces begins on the 20th.
As will be better understood after reading the following paragraphs, the profile of the management cam 8 is arranged such that the indicator member 2 changes zodiac period on the first day of the zodiac period considered. Thus, the profile of the management cam 8 has a first radius R1 which will allow, via the hammer 26 and the lever 24, the indicator member 2 to change zodiac period during the night of the 22nd to the 23rd of the months of July, August, September, October and November. Similarly, the profile of the management cam 8 has a second radius R2 which is different from the first radius R1, which will allow the indicator member 2 to change zodiac period during the night of the 21st to the 22nd of the months of June and December. Similarly, the profile of the management cam 8 has a third radius R3 which is different from the first and second radii R1 and R2, which will allow the indicator member 2 to change zodiac period during the night of the 20th to the 21st of the months of January, March, April and May. Finally, the profile of the management cam 8 has a fourth radius R4 which is different from the radii R1, R2 and R3, which will allow the indicator member 2 to change zodiac period during the night of the 19th to the 20th of the month of February. Thus, the profile of the management cam 8 has a first portion of radius R1 that is constant for the months of July, August, September, October and November, then a second portion of radius R2 for the month of December, then a third portion of radius R3 for the month of January, then a fourth portion of radius R4 for the month of February, then a fifth portion of radius R3 that is constant for the months of March, April and May, and finally a sixth and last portion of radius R2 corresponding to the month of June.
For the purposes of illustration, for the period from the 21st of January to the 19th of February, the indicator member 2 displays the zodiac period of Aquarius (see
The change in the radius of curvature of the profile of the management cam 8 will control the pivoting of the lever 24 about a centre of rotation O (see
When changing the radius of curvature of the profile of the management cam 8 at the time of passing from the end of the month of February to the first day of the month of March, the lever 24 adopts a new position which will then allow the indicator member 2 to change from the indication of the zodiac period of Pisces to the indication of the zodiac period of Aries shortly before midnight during the night of the 20th to the 21st of March. More specifically, during the period that separates the end of the month of February from the 20th of March, the date drive wheel 14 rotates at a rate of one revolution per day and causes the date indicator wheel 18 to advance by one step per day. The month drive finger 20 advances together with the date indicator wheel 18. Controlled by the management cam 8, the position of the lever 24 is such that, when passing from the 20th to the 21st day of the month of March, the month drive finger 20 rotates the planetary wheel 32 (see
It is evident that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above and that various simple alternatives and modifications can be considered by a person skilled in the art without leaving the scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims. In particular, it must be understood that, although the present invention has been described in relation to the display of the twelve periods of the zodiac, this invention is not limited to such an embodiment and can be applied to the display of other periodic events forming an annual cycle. Displaying the Chinese horoscope is in particular a possibility. It should also be noted that, on the 31st of every month, the month drive finger drives the month indicator wheel and that, once a month, on the day of the change in period of the zodiac, the month drive finger drives the planetary wheel which itself drives the zodiac indicator wheel via the sun wheel. It must also be understood that at the end of the months having less than 31 days, the date mechanism must be advanced to the date “1” in order to guarantee that the display device according to the invention remains appropriately indexed relative to the calendar.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18215120.9 | Dec 2018 | EP | regional |
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/681,062 filed Nov. 12, 2019, which claims priority to European Patent Application No. 18215120.9, filed Dec. 21, 2018, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16681062 | Nov 2019 | US |
| Child | 17873817 | US |
