HK1056020A - Device for winding and setting the time of a timepiece such as a date-watch including a date disc - Google Patents

Description

Winding and setting device for a timepiece such as a calendar with a date disc

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a winding and time setting device for a timepiece, and more particularly to a winding and time setting device for a timepiece such as a calendar with a date dial.

Background

International patent application No. wo/9744715 discloses a time-setting device for a clock-watch. The device comprises a rotating bezel disposed on the outer periphery of the watch case. The bezel is provided with teeth which can engage with a pinion supported by a control lever with a crown. Depending on whether the crown is in the first or in the second drawn-out position, the rotary movement of the rotating bezel can cause the control lever to rotate synchronously to display the current time or the set alarm time.

The device briefly described above makes it easier to adjust the various functions of the watch. Specifically, it is only necessary to pull out the control lever to a desired position and then rotate the rotary bezel for setting. Because the rotating bezel is located at the top of the case, it is very accessible, allowing the wearer to make adjustments without removing the watch from the wrist.

Such a device also has the advantage that it proposes a watch with complete lines and shapes. Indeed, when the control lever is not in the pulled-out position, its crown is embedded in the middle part of the watch, making it smooth and a practically continuous surface, without any projecting parts. This is of course not possible with conventional watches, whose crown generally projects laterally from the middle portion.

However, one disadvantage with this type of device is that it takes up considerable space. In fact, the rotating bezel extends over the entire periphery of the watch, that is to say there is sufficient space for mounting the bezel on the watch case. This space is usually obtained by reducing the size of the bezel and dial, which impairs the readability of the displayed information. This problem is particularly acute when the watch is provided with a date disc displaying the date. In a common embodiment, the date disc is formed by a ring with internal toothing, the external diameter of which is substantially equal to the external diameter of the watch movement. The date disc is usually driven by a resilient finger carried by a driving gear which is connected to an hour wheel. The finger acts on the teeth of the date disc only once a day, moving the date disc one thirty-one times a revolution.

If the diameter of the date disc must be reduced due to the presence of the rotating bezel, this will affect the readability of the date numbers represented on the date disc. To solve this problem, a known solution provides two date discs concentric to each other. In this embodiment, the outer ring is provided with digits representing the ones digit of the date and the inner ring is provided with digits representing the tens digit of the date. The use of two large diameter rings means that the size is larger and therefore the tens and units of numbers representing the date can be placed on the rings more easily recognizable. It will be readily appreciated that such devices can be complex and therefore costly.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a reliable and compact device suitable for setting calendar time which solves many of the above mentioned problems in addition to a number of problems.

The invention therefore relates to a device for winding and setting the time of a timepiece such as a calendar including a date disc, characterized in that it comprises a crown arranged on the top horizontal surface of the watch parallel to the plane of the movement.

As a result of these features, the invention provides a winding and time setting device that is easily accessible to the user without removing the watch. Furthermore, the winding and time-setting device according to the invention requires very little space, thus making it possible to leave sufficient space for the dial, thus ensuring that the information displayed by the watch can be read correctly. The watch fitted with the device according to the invention has a complete and elegant line, without a crown protruding from the middle.

According to a further feature of the invention, the date disc is constituted by a ring with internal toothing, the external diameter of which is substantially equal to the external diameter of the watch case.

Since the device according to the invention occupies less space, the diameter and the circumference of the date disc can be increased, which means that it has a larger size, so that the numbers representing the dates can be placed more easily on the date disc. Furthermore, the date display is a single ring, which simplifies the construction and ensures reliable operation.

According to a further characteristic of the invention, the crown of the watch and the hole in the dial are arranged in diametrically opposite positions on the outer periphery of the watch through which the date given can be seen. As a result, the aesthetic appearance of the watch is greatly improved.

Drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearer from the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment of a winding and time-setting device according to the invention, given purely by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1 is a top view of the general appearance of a timepiece according to the invention, through which holes in the dial can be seen, through which the numbers representing the dates can be seen; the crown and the hole of the watch winding and setting the time are arranged at the radially opposite external periphery of said watch, the hole and the crown being located at the 9 o 'clock and 3 o' clock positions, respectively;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the timepiece of FIG. 1, showing the side on which the crown of the watch is located; and

figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along the 3 o 'clock to 9 o' clock axis of the timepiece of figure 1.

Detailed Description

The present invention arises from a general inventive concept which proposes a watch-type timepiece with a winding and time-setting device that is accessible from the top surface of the watch, the wearer making the desired adjustment without removing the watch from the wrist. Furthermore, the space occupied by the device according to the invention is very small, meaning that it is particularly suitable for calendars with a date disc. In fact, due to the large space left by the device according to the invention, the date disc can have a large size, which means that larger and therefore more easily recognizable numbers representing the date can be provided on the date disc.

The invention will be described by reference to a calendar comprising a date disc. It is clear that the example shown is of course given by way of a complete illustration and that the device according to the invention can be applied to any type of watch.

Figure 1 shows a top view of a timepiece according to the invention. Designated as a whole by the reference numeral 1, the timepiece comprises hands 2, 4, 6 representing hours, minutes and seconds. The hands 2, 4, 6 move over the dial 8, a hole 10 being drilled in the dial 8, through which hole 10 the number representing the date can be seen.

In fig. 1 it can be seen that the holes 12 and 10 of the grooved crown of the winding and time-setting device according to the invention are arranged diametrically opposite one another at 9 o 'clock and 3 o' clock on the outer periphery of watch 1, respectively. Diametrically opposite means that the centres of crown 12 and hole 10 are aligned along the same line and are arranged at equal distances from the centre of watch 1, the centre being represented by the axes supporting hands 2, 4 and 6. This harmonious arrangement of the hole 10 and crown 12 gives the watch 1 a new and attractive appearance. Of course, the hole 10 and crown 12 may be provided at another position on the outer periphery of the watch 1, for example, at the 12 o 'clock and 6 o' clock positions, respectively. It can also be seen from fig. 1 that two notches 13 are provided on the periphery of watch 1 to form the necessary space for the crown 12 and the hole 10.

Referring now to fig. 2 and 3, it can be seen that the numbers representing the dates are provided on a date disc 14 which moves under the dial 8 of the watch 1. Date disc 14 is constituted by a ring with internal toothing 15, whose external diameter is substantially equal to the diameter of table 1, according to a characteristic of the invention. More specifically, date ring 14 has a hierarchical structure provided with a crown display portion 16 offset towards the periphery of watch 1 and extending under crown 12 winding up and setting the time. The diameter and perimeter of the date disc 14 are in fact limited only by the external dimensions of table 1, which means that numbers of larger dimensions and therefore easier to identify can be provided on the date disc 14. This very advantageous result is due to the fact that crown 12 has a winding and time-setting device according to the invention which takes up very little space. Indeed, crown 12 only partially enters the periphery of watch 1, so that it is not necessary, as in the prior art, to reduce the dimensions of bezel 17 and dial 18 to make room for the fixed rotating bezel.

It can be seen that a further advantage of the present invention is that, since the numbers of larger size can be arranged on the date disc 14, it is not necessary to provide two concentric rings, one with the ones of the date and the other with the tens of said date, in order to make the indicated numbers more readable. The invention thus provides a simpler and thus more reliable and cheaper date display mechanism.

Date disc 14 is driven in rotation in a suitable manner by movement 18 of watch 1. The date disc drive mechanism will not be described herein and does not form the subject of the present patent application. Moreover, the skilled person has all the knowledge necessary to manufacture such a mechanism.

As clearly shown in fig. 2, crown 12 is arranged on the top horizontal surface of watch 1 parallel to the plane of movement 18 and is therefore easily accessible and can be turned by the user without removing watch 1 from the wrist. Crown 12 has face teeth 20 engageable with a gear wheel 22 secured by a rectangular portion 24 to an axially movable control rod 26. The gear 22 is permanently bonded to the rectangular portion 24.

According to a first variant, not shown in the figures, the face teeth 20 are integral with the grooved crown 12. According to a second variant, shown in fig. 3, the gear 28 can be fixed by means of a screw 30 to a central shaft 32 of the crown 12, which extends orthogonally to the plane of the movement 18. Of course, gears 28 and 22 are arranged orthogonally to each other to enable meshing.

As mentioned above, the control rod 26 is axially movable between three different positions. In the first position shown in fig. 3, the end 34 of the control lever 26 is sunk to the middle of table 1. The rotary movement of crown 12 causes a synchronous rotation of a control lever 26, which winds the movement of watch 1 through a set of gears and pinions, not shown in the figures. In the second, pulled-out position of control lever 26, the rotation of lever 26, produced by rotating grooved crown 12, allows the user to set the time displayed by watch 1. Finally, when the lever is in the third pulled-out position, the control lever 26 can make an adjustment to the date displayed. In simple terms, the examples given above are given mainly by way of illustration, it being possible to deduce that any other kind of function can be adjusted by means of the control lever 26.

Of course, regardless of the position of the control lever 26, it will be connected to the crown 12 through the gear 22 which can mesh with the gear 28 of said crown 12. This can be done in that the gear wheel 22 is axially fixed and is fixed by a rectangular portion of the control rod 26, so that the control rod can slide through said rectangular portion 24.

It should be noted that the recess 38 is formed in the middle portion 38 of table 1 and in the vicinity of the end 34 of the control lever 26, and the user's fingernail can enter the recess 38 and be able to pull out the control lever 26 without any difficulty. In addition, a through hole 40 is drilled in the intermediate portion 36 at the portion facing the hole 10, through which a number indicating the date is displayed. The aperture 40 is shaped and sized to receive a magnifying lens 42 to provide a magnified image of the number of the displayed date, making the number more clearly visible. In addition, as can be seen from a closer examination of fig. 3, the top of the crown 2, the face glass 17 and the lens 42 mentioned above are substantially in the same plane, so that the top surface of table 1 is free from any unevenness that could catch on the sleeves of a shirt or jacket.

It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and that various simple modifications and alterations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (8)

1. A device for winding and setting the time of a timepiece such as a calendar (1) with a date disc (14), characterized in that it comprises a crown (12) arranged on the top face of said timepiece (1) parallel to the plane of the movement (18).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said crown (12) cooperates with an axially movable control lever (26) in the plane of said movement (18).

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the crown (12) is provided with a face gear (20) meshing with a gear (22) fixed to the control rod (26).

4. A device according to claim 3, characterised in that the face gear (20) is formed integrally with the grooved crown (12).

5. A device according to claim 3, characterised in that a gear wheel (28) is fixed to the shaft (32) of the crown (12), said gear wheel (28) extending orthogonally to the plane of the movement (18).

6. Device according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that said gear wheel (22) is fixed to said control rod (26) by means of a rectangular portion (24).

7. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the date disc (14) is formed by a ring with internal toothing, the outer diameter of said ring being substantially equal to the outer diameter of the watch case (1).

8. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that said watch (1) comprises a dial (8) on which there is drilled a hole (10) through which the numerals representing the date can be seen, said hole (10) and said crown (12) being arranged on mutually diametrically opposite circumferential edges of said watch (1).