The invention relates to a device for maintaining or limiting the shake of a timepiece component.
The invention further relates to a horological movement comprising at least one such device for maintaining or limiting shake.
The invention further relates to a timepiece, in particular a watch, comprising at least one such device for maintaining or limiting shake.
The invention relates to the field of timepiece mechanisms, and in particular to means for limiting shake and to means for holding in a clamped position, designed for initial factory setting operations or for setting operations carried out as part of an after-sales service.
Setting the shake (or clearance) of a timepiece component is always difficult. This is because the very low shake values (or functional plays) are of the same order as the dimensional manufacturing tolerances, or even as the shape tolerances. This problem is further complicated when taking into account thermal stresses, in the case of a watch that must operate between −15° C. and +40° C., for example. This must be dealt with both during the initial factory setting operations when a timepiece is first produced, and throughout its life during after-sales maintenance operations. In particular, some settings are also preferably reversible.
Various means are used by horologists to limit the axial shake of a component, such as cover plates, plates with an eccentric hole, eccentrics, in particular groups of eccentric bolts on the periphery of a component, keys, snap rings, stepped screws or other limiting elements.
These solutions are typically imperfect due to their large overall dimensions, to the fact that they visually obstruct components that must remain visible to the user, or because of the accumulation of shake. Resistance to impacts still often leaves a lot to be desired.
The invention aims to provide horologists with a simple, reliable, space-saving and reversible mechanism for limiting the axial and/or radial shake of a component.
In one particular embodiment, this mechanism is still able to ensure that the component is held in position, blocking the axial and/or radial movements of the component.
The terms “axial” and “radial” are, of course, defined relative to the given component whose movements are to be limited, and in particular relative to the main axis of a horological movement.
The invention more particularly relates to a device for maintaining or limiting the axial and/or radial shake of a timepiece component, according to claim 1.
In addition to the features mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the device according to the invention can have one or more complementary features from among the following, considered either on an individual basis or according to any combination technically possible:
The invention further relates to a system for holding mutually concentric components of a horological movement, comprising at least one such device for maintaining or limiting shake, forming first means for maintaining or limiting the shake of a first component and comprising second means for maintaining or limiting the shake of a second component concentric with the first component.
Advantageously, the second means for maintaining or limiting shake are configured to block or limit the shake or axial play of the second component in the axial direction A and/or radial direction in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction A.
Advantageously, the second means for maintaining or limiting shake are a banking or an eccentric rotary bolt allowing the axial play of the second component to be limited in the axial direction A and/or radial direction in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction A, or allowing the second component to be axially held in the axial direction A and/or radial direction in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction A.
The invention further relates to a horological movement comprising at least one such device for maintaining or limiting shake or one such system for holding concentric components.
The invention further relates to a timepiece, in particular a watch, comprising at least one such device for maintaining or limiting shake or one such system for holding concentric components.
The purposes, advantages and features will be better understood upon reading the following detailed description given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The invention relates to a device 100 for maintaining or limiting the axial and/or radial shake of a timepiece component 30.
This device 100 for maintaining or limiting shake comprises a stationary structure 20, which is arranged to abuttingly receive at least one surface of a component 30. The stationary structure 20 cooperates with a rotary bolt 10, which is rotatable about an axial direction A, and which is configured to allow the component 30 freedom of movement when the rotary bolt 10 is in a first angular position, referred to as the unlocking position, and to maintain or limit the shake of the component 30 in at least one direction when the rotary bolt 10 is in a second angular position, referred to as the locking position.
Such a device 100 for maintaining or limiting shake can be used to limit the shake of the component 30 in one or more directions, for example in an axial direction and/or in a radial direction.
In one example embodiment, illustrated in particular with reference to
According to the invention, when the rotary bolt 10 is in this second angular position, referred to as the locking position, the rotary bolt 10 occupies a specific angular position relative to the stationary structure 20, blocking or limiting the axial shake of the component 30. This second angular position of the rotary bolt 10 is secured by the action of the resilient return means 3. In an advantageous alternative embodiment, these resilient return means 3 are integrated into the rotary bolt 10.
More particularly, but by no means exclusively, the second angular position of the rotary bolt 10 for blocking or limiting the axial shake of the component 30 is a single position or is formed by a set of a plurality of angular positions of the rotary bolt 10 over a given angular sector.
Advantageously, the second angular position of the rotary bolt 10 for blocking or limiting the axial shake of the component 30 is a single position, defined and indexed by a raised portion 25 that the structure 20 comprises, the raised portion 25 being arranged to cooperate with a boss 4 that the rotary bolt 10 comprises, the cooperation between the boss 4 and the raised portion 25 allowing a stable and secure position of the rotary bolt 10 to be defined in the absence of any action from a user on the rotary bolt 10.
The resilient return means 3 define a blocking torque, the specific value whereof is configured to hold the rotary bolt 10 in position and thus secure the component 30, even in the event of an inadvertent movement imparted to the timepiece 2000 integrating this device 100, for example when a watch is dropped.
Only a torque voluntarily imparted by a horologist during an initial setting operation, or during an after-sales operation, or even by a production means such as a robotic manipulator calibrated to the torque, can overcome the blocking torque generated by the resilient return means 3 and disengage the rotary bolt 10 from its locking position, in order to position it in the unlocking position, thus allowing the component 30 to be fully released and removed.
More particularly, the structure 20 comprises at least one angular banking 24, which is arranged to limit the angular travel of the rotary bolt 10 in at least one direction.
More particularly, the structure 20 comprises at least one axial banking 21, which is arranged to limit the axial travel of the rotary bolt 10 in the axial direction A, at least in one direction, in order to prevent excessive angular displacement of the rotary bolt 10 in the event of an impact, for example.
The rotary bolt 10 comprises at least one pad 1, which is arranged so as to form, when the rotary bolt 10 is in the second angular position, referred to as the locking position, an axial banking, in the axial direction A, for a component 30, held captive between the structure 20 and the rotary bolt 10 to limit the axial shake of the component 30.
The pad 1 can also be arranged to form a first jaw for holding the component 30 by clamping, in cooperation with the structure 20 forming a second jaw opposite the first jaw in order to axially block the component 30.
More particularly, the boss 4 is carried by at least one spring arm which the resilient return means 3 comprise or which forms the resilient return means 3. Even more particularly, this spring arm is formed by a single resilient strip carrying the boss 4 at its end.
More particularly, the rotary bolt 10 comprises at least one gripping member 2 arranged to be handled by a horologist or an automated timepiece production means, to control a rotation of the rotary bolt 10 between the first angular position, referred to as the unlocking position, and the second angular position, referred to as the locking position, and to lock and/or unlock the component 30 positioned between the structure 20 and the rotary bolt 10, and more particularly on the structure 20 and under the rotary bolt 10.
In an alternative embodiment illustrated in
In another alternative embodiment illustrated in
More particularly, as illustrated in the alternative embodiment shown in
More particularly, the boss 4 can also carry a pin, not shown, which is arranged to follow the raised portion 25.
More particularly, the boss 4 comprises a substantially semi-cylindrical peripheral part 2530.
More particularly, the raised portion 25 comprises at least one projection 252, which is oriented towards the axis of rotation of the rotary bolt 10, and at least one cavity 251, 253, which is further away from the axis of rotation of the rotary bolt 10 than the projection 252, and with which this cavity 251, 253 forms a notch for stabilising the rotary bolt 10, the cavity 253 advantageously being of complementary shape to the peripheral part 2530 of the boss 4.
In the alternative embodiment illustrated in
As illustrated in
More particularly, the rotary bolt 10 is substantially planar, perpendicularly to its axis of rotation.
More particularly, as can be seen for example in the alternative embodiment shown in
In another alternative embodiment, for example in the embodiment shown in
In an advantageous embodiment, the rotary bolt 10 is made in one piece.
It is understood that the principle is that of using the operation of a rotary bolt 10 to limit the shake of a component 30, or to ensure that it is held in place, but by moving the shake-limiting part, formed by the pad 1, and the gripping member 2 forming the actuating part, away from the centre of rotation of the rotary bolt 10.
In this way, the rotary bolt 10 is handled in an accessible area of the movement, while ensuring, where necessary, that an inaccessible component is covered as desired when the bolt is retracted.
Thus, when the rotary bolt 10 is pivoted about its axis of rotation by means of the gripping member 2, the other part of the bolt formed by the pad 1 covers the component 30 to be held, so as to limit the axial displacement thereof (shake, impact) or block the displacement thereof.
Advantageously, the pad 1 of the rotary bolt 10 which covers the component 30 to be held is itself covered by an axial banking 21 rigidly connected to the stationary structure 20, in particular a blank, in order to prevent excessive angular movement of the rotary bolt 10 in the event of an impact, for example.
The resilient return means 3 of the rotary bolt 10 ensure that the rotary bolt 10 is held in its angular locking position.
In one alternative embodiment, the resilient return means 3 of the rotary bolt 10 can also help ensure that the rotary bolt 10 is held in its angular unlocking position.
The positioning of the rotary bolt 10 and the holding thereof in position are thus not managed by friction on pivoting (which is conventionally the case with a bolt or eccentric) but by the effect of the resilient return means 3 which push the rotary bolt 10 into at least one preferred position; in this case, the resilient return means 3 push the gripping member 2 against a rigid banking 24 of the stationary structure 20 by the spring effect of the resilient return means 3. This configuration is illustrated in particular in the alternative embodiments shown in
In order to return to the unlocking position, the force linked to the compression of the resilient return means 3 during the movement of the boss 4 on the raised portion 25, in particular on a projection 252 or the like, as illustrated in the figures, must firstly be overcome. The presence of at least one projection 252 allows the locking position of the rotary bolt 10 to be secured, in particular in the event of any impacts which may occur during the life of the movement.
Such a raised portion of the stationary structure 20 can also be formed so as to cooperate with the boss 4 of the resilient return means 3 when the bolt is in its angular unlocking position, in particular to index and secure these two angular locking and unlocking positions. This ensures that the rotary bolt 10 is correctly positioned.
Overcoming the rise and displacement of the boss 4 at the end of the resilient return means 3 on the projection 252 of the raised portion 25 allows a notch effect to be added, which effect is perceived by the horologist during each handling operation (locking/unlocking, unlocking/locking), thus guaranteeing the open position (unlocking position) or closed position (locking position) of the rotary bolt 10.
It is important to note that the resilient return means 3 do not need to be tensioned when the rotary bolt 10 is in the locking position.
More specifically, if there is play and despite this the rotary bolt 10 carries out its functions to axially limit the component 30, for example a central disc, in the plane, the system will operate just as well, and the raised portion 25 placed between the locked and unlocked positions will always guarantee the position and holding of the rotary bolt in either of its end positions, as well as the notch effect when passing from one of these two end positions to the other.
The resilient return means 3 of the rotary bolt 10 can take the form of several alternative embodiments:
In order to release the rotary bolt 10 from its locking position, a horologist would have to retract the spring manually, which requires access thereto. This is advantageous in that the closed position of the spring is guaranteed, even with a very significant external force.
The device 100 for maintaining or limiting axial shake according to the invention has been described primarily for maintaining or limiting the axial shake of the component 30. However, the device 100 according to the invention is also configured to maintain or limit the radial shake of the component 30, either in addition to maintaining or limiting the axial shake, or alternatively thereto.
As shown more particularly with reference to
Preferably, at least two devices 100 are positioned in opposite manners relative to the central axis of the horological movement 1000 in order to block the two directions of radial movement of the component 30, or to limit the radial shake of the component 30.
However, the pad 1 can cooperate with a portion of the stationary structure 20 to block or limit the radial movements of the component 30 in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction A.
Thus, the pad 1 also forms a radial banking capable of blocking or limiting the radial shake of the component 30 in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction A.
Thus, the device 100 according to the invention allows a timepiece component 30 to be axially and/or radially held and/or the axial and/or radial shake thereof to be limited within a horological movement 1000.
Advantageously, a plurality of devices 100 according to the invention are positioned around the component 30, and preferably distributed circumferentially around the component 30.
The invention further relates to a system 500 for holding concentric timepiece components 30, 60 of a horological movement 1000, comprising at least one such device 100 for maintaining or limiting shake, forming first means for maintaining or limiting the shake of a first component 30 and comprising second means 50 for maintaining or limiting the shake of a second component 60 concentric with the first component.
More particularly, the second means 50 for maintaining or limiting shake are configured to block or limit the shake or the axial play in the axial direction A and/or in the radial direction in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction A. The second means 50 for maintaining or limiting shake are, for example, a banking or an eccentric bolt allowing the axial and/or radial play of the second component 60 to be limited, or allowing the second component 60 to be axially and/or radially held.
The invention further relates to a horological movement 1000 comprising at least one such device 100 for maintaining or limiting shake.
The invention further relates to a timepiece 2000, in particular a watch, comprising at least one such device 100 for maintaining or limiting shake.
To summarise, the invention allows:
A very simple embodiment can be achieved with a single pin 29 guiding the rotation of a rotary bolt 10.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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21171958.8 | May 2021 | EP | regional |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2022/061716 | 5/2/2022 | WO |