This application claims priority of European patent application No. EP18188338.0 filed Aug. 9, 2018, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
The invention concerns a timepiece calendar device. It further concerns a timepiece movement including a timepiece calendar device of this kind. It finally concerns a timepiece, in particular a wristwatch, including a timepiece calendar device of this kind or a movement of this kind.
Known for example is the Rolex 3255 movement which includes a calendar device adapted to display an indication of the day of the week and an indication of the date. A day indicator is disposed at the exterior periphery of a date indicator, so as to indicate the days in full. An arrangement of this kind requires superposition of the day and date indicators in two distinct planes. To this end the disk bearing the day indications includes windows in which the date indication may appear. A solution of this kind is very easy to read but there is a small axial offset of the day and date indications.
Also known is the ETA 2836 movement which also includes a calendar device adapted to display an indication of the day of the week and an indication of the date. The day and date indicators are disposed in one and the same plane. A disposition of this kind is nevertheless made possible by the fact that the day indicator is disposed at the interior periphery of the date indicator. A solution of this kind is not the optimum in that it is not able to provide an indication of the days in full because of the too small surface area of the day indicator, which explains the fact that here the day indication is abbreviated. Moreover, the day indication is duplicated, which can make adjustment of the day indication somewhat unergonomic.
The object of the invention is to provide a calendar device enabling improvement of the known prior art calendar devices. In particular, the invention proposes a calendar device in which the day indications in full and the date indications are easy to read and in which the quality of the display as perceived by the user is enhanced.
A calendar device according to the invention is defined by point 1 below.
Various embodiments of the calendar device are defined by dependent points 2 to 12 below.
A timepiece movement according to the invention is defined by point 13 below.
A timepiece according to the invention is defined by point 14 below.
The appended figures represent by way of example one embodiment of a timepiece.
One embodiment of a timepiece 300 is described hereinafter with reference to
The timepiece movement includes a calendar device 100. The timepiece calendar device includes:
The first and second disks are such that the first and second faces are coplanar. In other words, the date indicators or indications and the day indicators or indications are in the same plane or substantially the same plane. The first and second disks are also configured so that the second face is disposed around and outside the first face. In other words, the first face includes at least one first disk ring and the second face includes at least one second disk ring surrounding the first disk ring outside that first ring.
By “coplanar faces” we mean that the distance between the two faces or the distance measured along the axis A between two planes passing through the two faces is less than or equal to 80 μm or even less than or equal to 60 μm or even less than or equal to 40 μm.
The calendar device includes at least one first date indicator 10 that is disposed on the first disk 1. The at least one first indicator preferably includes 31 first indications. Those indications are for example numbers, in particular from 1 to 31, and are preferably disposed at a regular angular interval on the first disk around the axis A. The at least one first indicator is advantageously disposed on the first face of the first disk. The at least one first indicator may be engraved and/or pad printed on the first disk.
The calendar device includes at least one second indicator 20 of the days that is disposed on the second disk 2. The at least one second indicator preferably includes seven indications. Those seven indications are for example strings of characters, in particular strings of alphanumeric characters, in particular strings of alphabetic characters, in particular the names of the days of the week in one language or another, for example in French, in English, in Spanish, in German, in Russian, in Chinese or in Japanese. These second indications are preferably disposed at regular angular intervals on the second disk around the axis A. The at least one second indicator is advantageously disposed on the second face of the second disk. The at least one second indicator may be engraved and/or pad printed on the second disk.
The first disk 1 includes a first interior set of teeth 1a including 31 teeth. The first disk is angularly indexed by a beak 7a of a first jumper 7. This first jumper preferably cooperates with the first set of teeth 1a to index said disk. One of the teeth of the set of teeth 1a is adapted to be actuated every 24 hours by a first finger 3a of a calendar driver mobile 3 so as to enable driving of the first date disk 1 and therefore to enable updating of the date indication.
The calendar driver mobile 3 is also adapted to actuate a day mobile 4 that is kinematically connected to the second day disk 2. The day mobile 4 more particularly includes a first wheel 40 with an exterior set of teeth 40a including 7 teeth. The day mobile is angularly indexed by a beak 8a of a second jumper 8. One of the teeth of the set of teeth 40a is adapted to be actuated every 24 hours by a second finger 3b of the calendar driver mobile 3 so as to enable driving of the day disk 2 and therefore to enable updating of the day indication. To this end, the day mobile 4 includes a second wheel 41 constrained to rotate with the first wheel 40 which drives the day disk 2 via an intermediate mobile 5 as shown in
The day disk 2 is therefore separated from the day mobile 4 in order to establish a kinematic connection between these two elements. A design of this kind has the advantage of moving the day or second indicator to the exterior periphery of the date or first indicator whilst disposing the day or second indicator at the same level as the date or first indicator. The day or second indicator 20 is therefore disposed on the second disk 2, which has the specific feature of being actuated by a kinematic chain 4, 5 disposed between the calendar driver mobile 3 and the day disk 2.
The moduli of the sets of teeth 41a, 50a, 51a, 2a are advantageously designed to minimize as much as possible the angular play between the day mobile 4 and the day disk 2. To this end, the modulus ml of the teeth 41a, 50a and the modulus m2 of the teeth 2a, 51a are less than 0.5, or even less than 0.3, or even less than 0.2. The moduli m1 and m2 may more particularly be between 0.07 and 0.2. As a corollary of this, the number z2 of teeth in the set of teeth 2a is preferably between 30 and 240, in particular between 80 and 150.
In the embodiment shown, the set of teeth 2a has a modulus m2 of 0.15 and includes 112 teeth.
In a complementary manner, the angular play between the mobile 4 and the disk 2 may further be minimized by means of a mobile 4 and/or a mobile 5 and/or a disk 2 taking the form of a play compensation mobile such as that forming for example the subject matter of the patent application EP1555584A1. The teeth 40a, 41a, 51a, 2a could more particularly be provided in whole or in part with elastic play compensating teeth.
The second set of teeth 2a of the day disk 2 is preferably an interior set of teeth. A solution of this kind enables optimum simplification of the kinematic chain disposed between the driver mobile 3 and the disk 2 whilst minimizing the total diameter of the calendar mechanism.
The day disk 2 advantageously has a shape staggered across two distinct levels. The day indicator 20 is disposed on the second face 21 passing through a first plane P1 and the set of teeth 2a is integrally formed with a plate 2b the upper surface of which extends in a second plane P2 parallel to the first plane P1. The distance between the first and second planes is equal or substantially equal to the thickness of the first disk (measured parallel to the axis A). The distance between the first and second planes is preferably between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm, or even between 0.15 mm and 0.25 mm. The second disk therefore has a section (in a plane passing through the axis A) of L-shape or of substantially L-shape.
The first date disk 1 is preferably flat. The first disk therefore has a section (in a plane passing through the axis A) that is rectangular or substantially rectangular.
The first date disk 1 is configured to be arranged between the plate 2b of the second day disk 2 and a calendar bridge 91 so that the first face 11 bearing at least a date indicator 10 is disposed in the same plane P1 as the second face 21 bearing the at least one day indicator 20.
As shown in
Preferably d2>d1 or d2>1.1×d1. In the embodiment shown d2 is equal or substantially equal to 1.2×d1.
The correction mobile 30 more preferably also includes a wheel 32 adapted to actuate the set of teeth 2a of the second disk 2 via the day mobile 4. The wheel 32 may more particularly be adapted to interengage with a mobile 33 meshing with the wheel 41 that is kinematically connected to the second disk 2.
The correction mobile 30 may therefore include:
According to one particular mode of operation of the correction mechanism 39 the mobile 30 may be adapted:
To this end, the mobile 30 can be moved in the plane of the calendar mechanism, that is to say in the plane P1 or in a plane parallel to the plane P1, by means known in the prior art, in particular the means described in the application EP2701014A1.
The calendar driver mobile 3 is preferably an instantaneous driver mobile as shown in
Also, the energy consumption of the mobile 3 can be minimized by minimizing the respective inertias of the first and second disks 1, 2. To this end, the second disk 2 could in particular include blind openings 2c and/or through openings 2d in the plate 2b and/or under the face 21.
The at least one day indicator 20 preferably includes day indications shaped or presented in circular arc form.
The day indications are preferably configured to appear in a window 62 or an aperture of a dial 6 of the timepiece, which also has a circular arc geometry. This window 62 is more preferably disposed at “mid-day” or at “12 o'clock” on the dial.
The date indications are preferably configured to appear in a window 61 or an aperture of the dial 6. This window 61 is more preferably disposed at “3 o'clock” on the dial.
Note that the rotation directions of the first date disk and the second day disk about the axis A are identical in normal operation of the timepiece, that is to say upon changes of date at midnight, unlike those known in the prior art. This direction is also identical during correction phases using the correction mechanism described above. The fingers 3a and 3b of the mobile 3 are preferably elastic so as to allow correction of the calendar at any time.
There is therefore proposed in this document a timepiece calendar including at least one date or first indicator disposed in the same plane P1 or in substantially the same plane P1 as at least one day or second indicator. This enables optimization of the display quality as seen by the user. The day or second indicator is disposed at the exterior periphery of the date or first indicator so as to provide an indication of the days in full. This enables optimization of the legibility of the information displayed.
The invention concerns a timepiece calendar device. It further concerns a timepiece movement including a timepiece calendar device of this kind. It finally concerns a timepiece, in particular a wristwatch, including a timepiece calendar device of this kind or a movement of this kind.
Known for example is the Rolex 3255 movement which includes a calendar device adapted to display an indication of the day of the week and an indication of the date. A day indicator is disposed at the exterior periphery of a date indicator, so as to indicate the days in full. An arrangement of this kind requires superposition of the day and date indicators in two distinct planes. To this end the disk bearing the day indications includes windows in which the date indication may appear. A solution of this kind is very easy to read but there is a small axial offset of the day and date indications.
Also known is the ETA 2836 movement which also includes a calendar device adapted to display an indication of the day of the week and an indication of the date. The day and date indicators are disposed in one and the same plane. A disposition of this kind is nevertheless made possible by the fact that the day indicator is disposed at the interior periphery of the date indicator. A solution of this kind is not the optimum in that it is not able to provide an indication of the days in full because of the too small surface area of the day indicator, which explains the fact that here the day indication is abbreviated. Moreover, the day indication is duplicated, which can make adjustment of the day indication somewhat unergonomic.
The object of the invention is to provide a calendar device enabling improvement of the known prior art calendar devices. In particular, the invention proposes a calendar device in which the day indications in full and the date indications are easy to read and in which the quality of the display as perceived by the user is enhanced.
A calendar device according to the invention is defined by claim 1.
Various embodiments of the calendar device are defined by dependent claims 2 to 12.
A timepiece movement according to the invention is defined by claim 13.
A timepiece according to the invention is defined by claim 14.
The appended figures represent by way of example one embodiment of a timepiece.
One embodiment of a timepiece 300 is described hereinafter with reference to
The timepiece movement includes a calendar device 100. The timepiece calendar device includes:
The first and second disks are such that the first and second faces are coplanar. In other words, the date indicators or indications and the day indicators or indications are in the same plane or substantially the same plane. The first and second disks are also configured so that the second face is disposed around and outside the first face. In other words, the first face includes at least one first disk ring and the second face includes at least one second disk ring surrounding the first disk ring outside that first ring.
By “coplanar faces” we mean that the distance between the two faces or the distance measured along the axis A between two planes passing through the two faces is less than or equal to 80 μm or even less than or equal to 60 μm or even less than or equal to 40 μm.
The calendar device includes at least one first date indicator 10 that is disposed on the first disk 1. The at least one first indicator preferably includes 31 first indications. Those indications are for example numbers, in particular from 1 to 31, and are preferably disposed at a regular angular interval on the first disk around the axis A. The at least one first indicator is advantageously disposed on the first face of the first disk. The at least one first indicator may be engraved and/or pad printed on the first disk.
The calendar device includes at least one second indicator 20 of the days that is disposed on the second disk 2. The at least one second indicator preferably includes seven indications. Those seven indications are for example strings of characters, in particular strings of alphanumeric characters, in particular strings of alphabetic characters, in particular the names of the days of the week in one language or another, for example in French, in English, in Spanish, in German, in Russian, in Chinese or in Japanese. These second indications are preferably disposed at regular angular intervals on the second disk around the axis A. The at least one second indicator is advantageously disposed on the second face of the second disk. The at least one second indicator may be engraved and/or pad printed on the second disk.
The first disk 1 includes a first interior set of teeth 1a including 31 teeth. The first disk is angularly indexed by a beak 7a of a first jumper 7. This first jumper preferably cooperates with the first set of teeth 1a to index said disk. One of the teeth of the set of teeth 1a is adapted to be actuated every 24 hours by a first finger 3a of a calendar driver mobile 3 so as to enable driving of the first date disk 1 and therefore to enable updating of the date indication.
The calendar driver mobile 3 is also adapted to actuate a day mobile 4 that is kinematically connected to the second day disk 2. The day mobile 4 more particularly includes a first wheel 40 with an exterior set of teeth 40a including 7 teeth. The day mobile is angularly indexed by a beak 8a of a second jumper 8. One of the teeth of the set of teeth 40a is adapted to be actuated every 24 hours by a second finger 3b of the calendar driver mobile 3 so as to enable driving of the day disk 2 and therefore to enable updating of the day indication. To this end, the day mobile 4 includes a second wheel 41 constrained to rotate with the first wheel 40 which drives the day disk 2 via an intermediate mobile 5 as shown in
The day disk 2 is therefore separated from the day mobile 4 in order to establish a kinematic connection between these two elements. A design of this kind has the advantage of moving the day or second indicator to the exterior periphery of the date or first indicator whilst disposing the day or second indicator at the same level as the date or first indicator. The day or second indicator 20 is therefore disposed on the second disk 2, which has the specific feature of being actuated by a kinematic chain 4, 5 disposed between the calendar driver mobile 3 and the day disk 2.
The moduli of the sets of teeth 41a, 50a, 51a, 2a are advantageously designed to minimize as much as possible the angular play between the day mobile 4 and the day disk 2. To this end, the modulus ml of the teeth 41a, 50a and the modulus m2 of the teeth 2a, 51a are less than 0.5, or even less than 0.3, or even less than 0.2. The moduli m1 and m2 may more particularly be between 0.07 and 0.2. As a corollary of this, the number z2 of teeth in the set of teeth 2a is preferably between 30 and 240, in particular between 80 and 150.
In the embodiment shown, the set of teeth 2a has a modulus m2 of 0.15 and includes 112 teeth.
In a complementary manner, the angular play between the mobile 4 and the disk 2 may further be minimized by means of a mobile 4 and/or a mobile 5 and/or a disk 2 taking the form of a play compensation mobile such as that forming for example the subject matter of the patent application EP1555584A1. The teeth 40a, 41a, 51a, 2a could more particularly be provided in whole or in part with elastic play compensating teeth.
The second set of teeth 2a of the day disk 2 is preferably an interior set of teeth. A solution of this kind enables optimum simplification of the kinematic chain disposed between the driver mobile 3 and the disk 2 whilst minimizing the total diameter of the calendar mechanism.
The day disk 2 advantageously has a shape staggered across two distinct levels. The day indicator 20 is disposed on the second face 21 passing through a first plane P1 and the set of teeth 2a is integrally formed with a plate 2b the upper surface of which extends in a second plane P2 parallel to the first plane P1. The distance between the first and second planes is equal or substantially equal to the thickness of the first disk (measured parallel to the axis A). The distance between the first and second planes is preferably between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm, or even between 0.15 mm and 0.25 mm. The second disk therefore has a section (in a plane passing through the axis A) of L-shape or of substantially L-shape.
The first date disk 1 is preferably flat. The first disk therefore has a section (in a plane passing through the axis A) that is rectangular or substantially rectangular.
The first date disk 1 is configured to be arranged between the plate 2b of the second day disk 2 and a calendar bridge 91 so that the first face 11 bearing at least a date indicator 10 is disposed in the same plane P1 as the second face 21 bearing the at least one day indicator 20.
As shown in
Preferably d2>d1 or d2>1.1×d1. In the embodiment shown d2 is equal or substantially equal to 1.2×d1.
The correction mobile 30 more preferably also includes a wheel 32 adapted to actuate the set of teeth 2a of the second disk 2 via the day mobile 4. The wheel 32 may more particularly be adapted to interengage with a mobile 33 meshing with the wheel 41 that is kinematically connected to the second disk 2.
The correction mobile 30 may therefore include:
According to one particular mode of operation of the correction mechanism 39 the mobile 30 may be adapted:
To this end, the mobile 30 can be moved in the plane of the calendar mechanism, that is to say in the plane P1 or in a plane parallel to the plane P1, by means known in the prior art, in particular the means described in the application EP2701014A1.
The calendar driver mobile 3 is preferably an instantaneous driver mobile as shown in
Also, the energy consumption of the mobile 3 can be minimized by minimizing the respective inertias of the first and second disks 1, 2. To this end, the second disk 2 could in particular include blind openings 2c and/or through openings 2d in the plate 2b and/or under the face 21.
The at least one day indicator 20 preferably includes day indications shaped or presented in circular arc form.
The day indications are preferably configured to appear in a window 62 or an aperture of a dial 6 of the timepiece, which also has a circular arc geometry. This window 62 is more preferably disposed at “mid-day” or at “12 o'clock” on the dial.
The date indications are preferably configured to appear in a window 61 or an aperture of the dial 6. This window 61 is more preferably disposed at “3 o'clock” on the dial.
Note that the rotation directions of the first date disk and the second day disk about the axis A are identical in normal operation of the timepiece, that is to say upon changes of date at midnight, unlike those known in the prior art. This direction is also identical during correction phases using the correction mechanism described above. The fingers 3a and 3b of the mobile 3 are preferably elastic so as to allow correction of the calendar at any time.
There is therefore proposed in this document a timepiece calendar including at least one date or first indicator disposed in the same plane P1 or in substantially the same plane P1 as at least one day or second indicator. This enables optimization of the display quality as seen by the user. The day or second indicator is disposed at the exterior periphery of the date or first indicator so as to provide an indication of the days in full. This enables optimization of the legibility of the information displayed.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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18188338.0 | Aug 2018 | EP | regional |