EP1664941B8 - Watch movement with an animation - Google Patents

Abstract

The mechanism has a finishing gear train rotatably driven by a driving mechanism. An animation part (22) is visible and arranged to be animated with an oscillating movement to simulate a pendulum movement. An animation gear train (38) is carried by a frame and is engaged with seconds mobile of the finishing gear train. The train (38) is connected kinematically with the animation part.

Description

 WATCH MOVEMENT WITH ANIMATION

The present invention relates to watch movements of the type comprising a visible movable member and ensuring animation of the display.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a mechanical type watch movement, comprising a frame and, carried by the frame: - a finishing train comprising a plurality of wheels and periodically driven in rotation by a motor member, - a mobile animated by a pulsed movement, - an animation part intended to be visible and arranged so as to be animated by a periodic movement, - a control member of the animation part, and - an animation cog in taken with a mobile of the gear train and driving the control member.

A watch movement of this type is, for example, described in patent CH 30,220, which proposes to animate a figurine by means of a wheel connected to the gear train comprising wolf teeth. The latter periodically drive a rod part of the automaton. The drawback of such a solution is that the movement of the automaton is jerky, because of the jumps on the teeth of wolves. Furthermore, watches such as that described in document FR 630,190 are known, in which a pendulum image is fixed on the anchor of the escapement. In this way, at each alternation, this image moves suddenly. Here too, the movement is jerky and therefore more annoying than soothing. The object of the present invention is to produce an animation in which the jerks due to the pulsed movement of the exhaust or the stepping motor are damped so that the movement of the automaton is uniform and smooth. To this end, the watch movement according to the invention is characterized in that the animation train, the control member and the piece animation are arranged so that the periodic movement has a sinusoidal oscillation movement.

In order to obtain as good a quality of the simulation as possible, an elastic member is interposed between the moving part of the finishing train with which the animation train is engaged and the animation part, thus forming a mechanical filter, by the combination of the elastic member with the inertia of the moving parts of the animation train, the control member and the animation part.

From the point of view of the arrangement of the various components, it appears to be advantageous for the animation train to be connected to the finishing train by its seconds mobile. In this case, the animation train is arranged so as to accelerate the speed of rotation of the second mobile to the mobile cooperating with the animation part.

Advantageously, the animation piece oscillates at a frequency between 0.2 and 2 Hz.

In a particular embodiment, the movement further comprises a lever. The last mobile of the animation train is equipped with a board. In addition, the animation part and the board are provided with connecting means arranged eccentrically and arranged to be each connected to one of the ends of the lever, to form together a connecting rod connecting the animation train to the animation.

In a first variant, the lever has, over at least part of its length, an elastically deformable structure, arranged so as to constitute said elastic member. In a second variant, the elastic member elastically connects two coaxial mobiles of the animation train.

Advantageously, the elastic member forms, with the animation part and the moving part (s) interposed between that cooperating with the animation part and that connected to the elastic member, an oscillating system whose period is between that defined by the periodicity of the advancement of the gear train and that of the reciprocating movement of said part.

So that the animation part is as insensitive as possible to shocks, it is pivotally mounted on the frame and its center of gravity is substantially on its pivot axis.

To allow the use of an already existing watch caliber, the movement frame according to the invention comprises: a first plate and a first bridge between which the mobiles of the gear train pivot, and - a second plate on which the mobile of the animation train and the animation part, the stage, the animation train and the animation part together forming an independent module which can be fixed by the second stage on the first stage.

It is obvious that all or part of the animation train can also pivot in a bridge, which is fixed on the second plate.

Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will emerge from the description which follows, given with reference to the appended drawing, in which: - Figure 1 represents a watch fitted with a watch movement according to the invention, - Figure 2 is a plan view of part of the watch movement according to the invention, which performs the animation function, and - FIG. 3 is a sectional view along the lines III-III of the movement part illustrated in Figure 2, - Figures 4 and 5 show, on a larger scale and respectively in plan and in section a part of the movement of Figures 2 and 3, - Figure 6 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of '' a movement according to the invention, and - Figure 7 shows a third embodiment of the invention.

The watch shown in FIG. 1 comprises a box 10 defining a housing in which is disposed a watch movement which will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5, which comprises a finishing train and a timer train which respectively carry seconds 12, minutes 14 and hours 16. A dial 18 is interposed between the movement and the hands. It is pierced by a window 20 through which appears an animation piece 22 arranged so as to simulate the movement of a pendulum, as will be explained below.

Figure 2 shows, seen from above, a watch movement 24 according to the invention, such as that housed in the box 10. The dial has been removed. The hands 12, 14 and 16 are visible in transparency. Animation room 22 is also visible. Its extreme positions are shown in dotted lines.

The movement 24 includes a basic caliber 26, shown diagrammatically seen from the side in FIG. 3, ensuring the essential functions of a timepiece, namely the supply of energy, the generation of a basic frequency, the division mechanical by means of cogs as well as the correction functions. Its time base can be either a quartz or a balance-spring.

Caliber 26 is notably provided with a plate and a bridge which are not referenced and a gear train comprising mobiles which are pivotally mounted between the plate and the bridge, only the end of the seconds 30 mobile being visible on Figure 3. A clockwork, no longer shown, carries and drives the minute hands 14 and hours 16.

The basic caliber 26 carries a module 32 comprising a plate 34 and a bridge 36 which, together, serve to support an animation train 38. The latter comprises three mobiles 40, 42 and 44, each formed by a pinion identified by the letter a, and a wheel identified by the letter b, with the exception of the mobile 44 which has a pinion 44a and a board 44c, but no wheel.

The mobile 40 is coaxial with the second seconds wheel 30. Its pinion 40a is provided with a hole engaged in the end of the second mobile 30, the hole and the end being arranged so that the mobile 30 and 40 are integral in rotation, for example by means of a lanterning effected on the pinion 40a, the mobile 40 then being driven out on the end of the mobile 30.

The wheel 40b drives the pinion 42a and, with it, the wheel 42b, which meshes with the pinion 44a of the mobile 44. The mobiles 40, 42 and 44 are numbers so that the speed of rotation of the mobile 44 is l 'order of 1 revolution per second, typically between 0.2 and 2 revolutions per second.

The mobiles 40 and 42, as well as the pinion 44a, are arranged and pivot between the plate 34 and the bridge 36. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the pinion 44a is provided with a pivot 44d projecting from the bridge 36 and on which the plate 44c is chased. The latter carries a rod 44e, the function of which will be specified below.

The animation part 22 comprises a central portion 22a (FIG. 2) provided with a hole in which is driven a shaft 22b pivotally mounted between the plate 34 and the bridge 36, in the vicinity of the center of the movement. Two arms 22c and 22d extend on either side of the central portion 22a. The free end of the arm 22c carries a lens 22d visible through the window 20 and simulating the lens of a pendulum. The end of the other arm 22d is provided with a rod 22e, better visible in FIG. 5 and intended to ensure a connection with the board 44c, by a lever 46 pivotally mounted on the rods 44e and 22e. Thus, the mobile 44 and the lever 46 together form a control member for the animation part 22.

The lever 46 carries two timepieces 46a and 46b, driven respectively at one and the other of its ends and cooperating one with the rod 22e, the other with the rod 44e. It presents, in its middle part 46c, a meandering structure giving it greater elasticity than that of a straight bar.

The lever 46 is held on the rods 22e and 44e by sleeves 48 driven out on the rods 22e and 44e, leaving sufficient space with the stones 46a and 46b so that they are not impeded in their movement.

The mobile 44 and the lever 46 thus together form a connecting rod system driving the animation part 22.

In the watch as it has just been described, when it is of the balance-spring type, the seconds wheel jumps slightly each time the escapement gives impulse to the balance. This happens every half oscillation, 5-10 times per second. This frequency is too low to simulate continuous movement. In practice, the duration of the pulse is of the order of 1% of the time of the half-period. In order for the pendulum to give the illusion of having a continuous and sinusoidal movement, it is necessary to introduce a member damping the movement. This is the function of the meandering structure 46c, which gives greater elasticity to the lever 46.

As a variant, the elastic structure 46c of the lever 46 could be replaced by mounting the wheel 42b on the pinion 42a to rotate freely and connecting them by a spiral spring. This variant has not been shown in the drawing, since it is easily achievable by a person skilled in the art.

In order to obtain as good a simulation as possible, the period of the assembly formed by the animation part 22 and the elastic member 46b is between that defined by the periodicity of the progress of the gear train and that of the oscillating movement of the animation piece 22.

Advantageously, and so that the oscillation movement of the animation part 22 undergoes a minimum of disturbances, the assembly formed by the lever 46 and the animation part 22 are balanced, that is to say that their center of gravity is located substantially on the pivot axis of the part 22. The way of ensuring the connection of the animation part 22 with the animation train 38 could be done by other means than those shown and described. It is thus possible to produce an animation part whose arm 22d would be considerably shortened and would carry a stud. The lever 46 would be replaced by a fine spring, fixed on the stud of the lever 22d. The other end of the spring would be provided with a protuberance in which a stone similar to that bearing the reference 46b would be driven out. In this way, it would be possible to have a more flexible elastic member.

It goes without saying that the animation piece could also have another shape than that of a pendulum, with its rod and its lens, without going beyond the ambit of the invention. The animation piece could thus have the shape of a boat, the oscillating movement simulating the movement of the waves, or any other object performing a slow pendulum movement.

It is, of course, also possible to integrate the components ensuring the driving of the animation piece directly on the base caliber plate.

The embodiment shown in Figure 6 further improves the smoothing of the movement of the machine. In this figure, only the mobiles have been represented. It goes without saying that they pivot in the frame of the movement, generally between a bridge and the plate. In this embodiment, the motor member, which supplies energy to the gear train, is formed by a barrel spring, housed in a barrel 50, constituting the first moving part of the gear train, the latter driving an exhaust and a balance-spring, which together form a pulsed movement member. The animation cog comprises five mobiles 52, 54, 56, 58 and 60.

The mobile 52 comprises a pinion 52a, in engagement with the teeth of the barrel 50, and a wheel 52b which drives the mobile 54 by its pinion 54a. The latter is integral with a ferrule 54b, fixed by hunting and which carries a hairspring 54c. A wheel 54d is mounted idly on the pinion 54a, held in place axially by a ring 54e driven out on the shaft of the pinion 54a. It has a peg 54f fixed to the end of the hairspring 54c. The fixing of the hairspring 54c on the ferrule 54b and on the stud 54f is done in a conventional manner, for example by gluing or welding. In this way, the pinion 54a and the wheel 54d are integral in rotation, but elastically connected to each other, absorbing the jolts due to the jerky movements of the pendulum. It is also possible to produce the hairspring 54c and its fixing means, the ferrule 54b and the stud 54f in one piece, driven onto the pinion 54a and on a stud that the wheel 54d would include.

The wheel 54d meshes with the mobile 56 and more particularly with its pinion 56a, while its wheel 56b drives the mobile 58 by its pinion 58a. The wheel 58b meshes with the pinion 60a of the mobile 60. The latter comprises a board 60b carrying a rod 60c, similar to the rod 44e, and on which the lever 46 pivots.

The board 60b will be dimensioned so that it forms a mass of inertia sufficient for the hairspring 54c to remain slightly armed, so that the pendulum continues to move between two alternations of the pendulum. The dimensioning of the balance spring and the mass of inertia will be all the more delicate as the energy will be taken from a fast moving part of the finishing gear train.

The sample could also be taken from the large-medium wheel or the medium wheel. However, by taking energy from the barrel, the number of mobiles included between the organ animated by a pulsed movement, or the escapement, and the organ simulating a sinusoidal movement, or the pendulum, is such that their enough elasticity to make the pendulum pulses invisible. It is therefore not essential to add an additional elastic member, even if the animation part oscillates at a relatively high frequency, for example of 2 Hz.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the invention, in which the animation train 38 is limited to a wheel 62 arranged on the shaft of the seconds wheel of the finishing train and the last mobile 44 including the pinion 44a meshes with the wheel 62. The board 44c drives, as explained above, the animation part 22.

The gear ratio between the wheel 62 and the pinion 44a is advantageously 1/12, so that the period of the animation part is 5 seconds. In this case, the pulsed movement of the gear train is greatly attenuated on the one hand because of the high moment of inertia of the wheel 62, on the other hand because of the very small displacement of the animation part at each alternation pendulum.

In order to prevent the frogs of gears of the animation train from generating random movements of the animation part, it is possible to provide the latter with a brake working on the end of a pivot of its tree.

In the examples described above, the control member of the animation part is of the crank type. The same effect could be obtained by means of a cam and a lever pressing against the cam. Thus, thanks to the particular characteristics of the movement according to the invention, it is possible to make a watch fitted with a slow animation tending to bring a touch of serenity and calm, contrasting with the usual conditions of everyone's life. during the day, thus offering the wearer a little calm, even when he reads the time. In addition, the presence of a cog allows the pivot point of the animation piece to be placed almost anywhere, and in particular in the immediate vicinity of the center of the movement, which gives the watch an original aesthetic appearance.

Claims

claims 1. Watch movement (24) of mechanical type, which comprises a frame and, carried by this frame: - a gear train comprising a plurality of wheels and periodically driven in rotation by a motor member, - a mobile driven by pulsed movement, - an animation part (22) intended to be visible and arranged so as to be animated with a periodic movement, - a control member (44, 46) of the animation part, and - a gear train animation (38) engaged with a mobile (30) of the gear train and driving the control member (44, 46), characterized in that the animation train, the control member and the part d animation are arranged so that the periodic movement has a sinusoidal oscillation movement. 2. Movement according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises an elastic member (46c) interposed between said mobile (30) and said part (22), arranged so as to smooth the movement of the part d animation (22). 3. Movement according to claim 2, characterized in that the animation train (38) is connected to the finishing train by its seconds mobile (30) and is arranged so as to accelerate the rotation speed of the seconds mobile. (30) to the mobile (44) cooperating with said part (22). 4. Movement according to claim 3, characterized in that said animation part (22) oscillates at a frequency between 0.2 and 2 Hz. 5. Movement according to claim 2, characterized in that it further comprises a lever (46), in that the last mobile of the driving train (44) comprises a board (44c), and in that the animation part (22) and said board (44c) are provided with connecting means (22e, 44e) arranged eccentrically and arranged to be each connected to one of the ends of the lever. 6. Movement according to claim 5, characterized in that said lever has, on at least part of its length, an elastically deformable structure (46c), arranged so as to form said elastic member. 7. Movement according to claim 2, characterized in that said elastic member elastically connects two mobiles of said animation train, arranged coaxially. 8. Movement according to claim 7, characterized in that said elastic member forms, with the animation part (22) and the mobile wheel (s) interposed between that cooperating with the animation part and that connected to the member elastic, an oscillating system whose period is between that defined by the periodicity of the advancement of the gear train and that of the reciprocating movement of said part. 9. Movement according to claim 1, characterized in that said animation part (22) is pivotally mounted on the frame and its center of gravity is substantially on its pivot axis. 10. Movement according to claim 1, characterized in that the frame comprises: - a first plate and a first bridge between which pivot the moving parts of the gear train, and - a second plate (34) on which pivot the moving parts of the animation (38) and the animation part (22), the plate (36), the animation train (38) and the animation part (22) together forming an independent module (32) which can be fixed by the second plate (34) on the first plate.