The invention concerns a timepiece movement driving at least one output wheel set, from a source of motion secured to a plate or a bridge comprised in said movement, said source of motion being formed, either by a means of generating a time magnitude, or a means of detecting the magnitude of the state of a control member of said movement, or a means of measuring or of storing a physical magnitude external to said movement, the position of said output wheel set being linked to an instantaneous value of said magnitude, respectively of said time magnitude, or said magnitude of a state, or of said physical magnitude, according to the nature of said source of motion.
The invention also concerns a timepiece including at least one such timepiece movement.
The invention concerns the field of horology, and more specifically watches, in particular mechanical watches.
When a timepiece, particularly a watch, is provided with several complications, it is difficult to accommodate these complications, both inside the watch case, and as regards the visible surface or surfaces of the complications, since most complications are connected to a visual display. Each dial is relatively rapidly filled where several complications are juxtaposed, and it is useful to utilise every available surface.
There is known from CH Patent No 330897, in the name of Fabrique d'Horlogerie de Fontainemelon SA, a self-winding mechanism, wherein an oscillating weight is made in the form of a frame and carries several winding wheel sets, but does not carry any display functions.
EP Patent No 2141558, in the name of Les Artisans Horlogers Sàrl, discloses a watch whose entire movement and the display carried thereby, pivots in a peripheral part and thus forms an oscillating weight of the self-winding mechanism. The object of this original arrangement is to give the time display a determined stable position, and to hold, by gravity, the plane of the balance in a reference plane regardless of the spatial orientation of the watch case. This design does not allow for the placement of additional displays, especially since it uses up space in the case, in particular to ensure the operation of the stem, which is made in two parts.
It is known from EP Patent No 1826633, in the name of Blancpain SA, to use the oscillating weight of a self-winding watch to carry a power reserve display member. EP Patent Application No 2360535 A1 in the name of Blancpain SA also discloses a device of this type, wherein a hand and a dial for displaying the power reserve are mounted to rotate synchronously relative to the oscillating weight.
CH Patent No 700222 in the name of La Fabrique du Temps SA discloses a timepiece movement wherein the oscillator and the escape wheel are mounted on the oscillating weight of a self-winding mechanism, and drive an output wheel. The escape wheel is carried, in particular, by a tourbillon carriage mounted on the oscillating weight and carrying the mechanical oscillator. In a “Cartier Astrorégulateur®” watch, made in accordance with this arrangement, the output wheel drives the hour and minute motion work, whereas the seconds hand remains integral with the arbour of the tourbillon carriage and is in constant rotation relative to the rotor.
In short, in complicated timepieces, particularly in watches, it is desirable to utilise all the available space. In particular, in the case of watches, some are provided with pivoting elements, in particular oscillating weights in the case of self-winding watches, whose large frontal surface is not usually, or only rarely, used as a display base.
The invention proposes to utilise the frontal surface of these pivoting elements, either on the front of the watch, or on the back for a reversible watch, or for a display that is consulted less frequently than the front display, as an additional display surface.
The invention proposes more particularly to achieve the display of magnitudes connected to elapsed time, particularly by extracting information from an hour wheel or similar, and/or a state display, for example relative to the position of a pusher or a selector, and/or a display of the value of a physical magnitude external to the timepiece measured by a sensor integrated in the timepiece or by a sensor transmitting a value to a received integrated in the timepiece; said physical magnitude may be, for example, an air or water pressure value, a temperature, magnetic field, radioactivity or similar value.
The invention therefore concerns a timepiece movement driving at least one output wheel set, from a source of motion secured to a plate or a bridge comprised in said movement, said source of motion being formed, either by a means of generating a time magnitude, or a means of detecting a magnitude of the state of a control member of said movement, or a means of measuring or storing a physical magnitude, the position of said output wheel set being connected to an instantaneous value of said magnitude, respectively of said time magnitude, or of said magnitude of a state, or of said physical magnitude external to said movement, according to the nature of said source of motion, characterized in that said instantaneous value is displayed on a display base swivelling relative to said source of motion and including at least one display wheel set cooperating with said output wheel set with which it is permanently coupled, directly or via a gear train, and further characterized in that said display base carries at least one supplementary wheel set pivoting synchronously, or in an integer pivoting velocity ratio relative to said display wheel set.
According to a feature of the invention, said timepiece movement includes at least a second output wheel set arranged either to take a position connected to the instantaneous value of another physical magnitude, or to define a total variation range or a scale of magnitude of the value of the magnitude which defines the position of said first output wheel set.
According to a feature of the invention, said display base includes a plurality of display wheel sets which either all cooperate with a single supplementary display wheel set, or each cooperate with a particular supplementary display wheel set.
The invention also concerns a timepiece including at least one such timepiece movement.
Other features and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly upon reading the following detailed description, with reference to the annexed drawings, in which:
The invention concerns the field of horology, and more specifically watches, in particular mechanical watches.
As shown in the Figures, the invention concerns a timepiece movement 1. This movement 1 drives at least one output wheel set 3, from a source of motion 2 fixed to a plate or bridge 6 comprised in movement 1.
Source of motion 2 is formed:
either by a means 2A of generating a time magnitude,
or by a means 2B of detecting the magnitude of the state of a control member of said movement,
or by a means 2C of measuring or of storing a physical magnitude external to said movement.
The position of said output wheel set 3 is connected to an instantaneous value of the magnitude, respectively of the time magnitude, or the magnitude of the state, or the physical magnitude, according to the nature of source of motion 2.
According to the invention, the instantaneous value of this magnitude is displayed on display base 10. This display base 10 for displaying the value of this magnitude is mounted to swivel about a main pivot axis DP relative to the plate or to the bridge 6 of movement 1. Display base 10 includes at least one display wheel set 4, cooperating with output wheel set 3 with which it is permanently coupled, directly or via a gear train.
According to the invention, display base 10 also carries at least one supplementary wheel set 5 pivoting synchronously or in an integer pivoting velocity ratio relative to display wheel set 4.
Preferably, but not restrictively, display base 10 includes a means of kinematic connection to an oscillating weight 7 of a self-winding mechanism, or forms, as shown in the Figures, a self-winding oscillating weight. This means of kinematic connection may consist, depending upon the case, of permanently coupled direct drive means which is preferred in the present applications, or of uncouplable drive means, particularly using friction.
In various embodiments, as seen in
A cannon-pinion 17 is fixedly secured to the plate or bridge 6 of movement 1 and carries a peripheral toothing 17A used as angular pivot reference for oscillating weight 7 about a main pivot axis DP. This cannon-pinion 17 serves as a pivotal guide for an arbour 16, mounted integrally with oscillating weight 7 and which carries a peripheral toothing 16A for the transmission of kinetic energy to a barrel ratchet (not shown here). This pivotal guide may be formed, in particular, by a ball bearing or similar. Cannon-pinion 17 also serves as a pivotal guide for an input wheel 11, arranged to mesh permanently with output wheel set 3. The meshing is shown as being direct, but could include intermediate wheel sets without departing from the invention, provided that input wheel 11 is still driven, directly or indirectly, by output wheel set 3. The guiding of input wheel set 11 is also advantageously achieved using a ball bearing.
Oscillating weight 7 carries a display wheel set 4, which is arranged to pivot about a first secondary pivot axis DS1 carried by display base 10. According to the invention, display wheel set 4 is permanently coupled, directly or indirectly, to the first output wheel set 3. In
In a particular embodiment, as shown in
The variant shown in
Tens wheel 34 is connected to a pinion 37 which meshes with an intermediate pinion 38, which meshes with a toothing 39 of a tens wheel 12D which has another peripheral toothing that meshes with an intermediate wheel 14D meshing in turn with the tens input 11D.
Numerous variants may be envisaged. In a non-limiting manner, the means of generating a time magnitude 2A can thus consists of a means of generating a date, or a means of generating a time display, or a means of generating a moon phase indicator, or a means of generating an equation of time, or a means of generating a running equation of time, or a means of generating a time zone, or a means of generating a chronograph measurement.
The means of detecting the state 2B of a timepiece control member may be connected to the detection of the position of a pusher comprised in the timepiece movement, or of a selector, an on/off switch, a zero reset indication, an activated time zone indication, or the detection of a timed event from among several events timed at the same time.
The means 2C of measuring a physical magnitude external to the timepiece movement may include at least one barometric sensor, for measuring at altitude or during a dive, or a radioactivity, magnetic or electrical field, brightness, sound level, vibration or other sensor.
In a particular embodiment, movement 1 according to the invention includes at least one display face which includes an area of revolution which is entirely formed by display base 10 which includes, coaxial to the main pivot axis DP about which it pivots, a tubular means of passage for at least one cannon-pinion or a stem for accommodating a hand or a disc or another display means driven by movement 1.
In a particular embodiment, not shown in the Figures, this movement 1 includes, in addition to this display face, another display face which is opposite thereto and which includes at least one other display means driven by movement 1.
The invention also concerns a timepiece 100 particularly a watch, including at least one such timepiece movement 1.
In a particular embodiment, the timepiece 100 is a reversible watch.
Among the applications which are particularly well suited for display on a display base such as an oscillating weight, the following can also be cited in a non-limiting manner:
the equation of time, as seen in
the display of the simple and leap years;
the day of the week display;
the AM/PM display.
the day/night display.
These applications utilise the coaxial secondary axes.
Other applications may use non-coaxial secondary axes:
displays that are not entirely of revolution, for example resulting from the combination of the motion of a pinion with a straight or curved rack section;
displays resulting from the superposition of at least partially overlapping discs, for example discs polarised so that, in some relative angular positions, the area of overlap is light, and in some other angular positions, the area of overlap is dark. This type of display is particularly suitable for a stop/start state display, and because there is no requirement for a reference member oriented in relation to the plate of the movement or to the watch case, it is unnecessary to install a gear train for correcting the angular position of the display base relative to the plate or to the case.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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11173107.1 | Jul 2011 | EP | regional |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP2012/061723 | 6/19/2012 | WO | 00 | 11/26/2013 |