HK1175261B - Date system for a timepiece - Google Patents

Description

Calendar system for a timepiece

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a calendar system for a timepiece, and more particularly to such a system comprising means for correction in steps of one or half a day (space, pas).

Background

Calendar systems are widely spread in the field of timepieces. The most well known system involves the display of the date of the month. The mechanisms currently used to display the date are drag, instantaneous or semi-instantaneous devices using a pointer or a disc. All of these current agencies must store energy over a period of time in order to supply energy for the day change of the midnight hours.

This mode of operation causes a variation in the amplitude of the balance, which is detrimental to the functioning of the timepiece during said storage phase. Furthermore, this operating mode causes acceleration and vibrations of the pointer or the disk, which makes the adjustment of the calendar system sensitive. Finally, these systems make it difficult to correct the date close to the date change and require the use of safety devices to avoid damage.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to overcome all or part of the aforesaid drawbacks by proposing a calendar system whose energy consumption is substantially constant during operation and which uses simplified correction means.

The invention therefore relates to a timepiece comprising a timepiece movement having a chronograph system for displaying time, a calendar system connected to said chronograph system to display the date, characterized in that said calendar system comprises display means of continuous displacement and correction means capable of correcting said date display means at any time according to a predetermined step, while maintaining the proportional relationship (rapport) of said continuous displacement with respect to the passage of said time during said correction operation.

It is therefore clear that the date is no longer changed at midnight, but is continuously changed to achieve a constant energy consumption and make the movement of the balance substantially constant. Furthermore, the calendar system comprises fewer parts and is therefore easier to construct even with its correction device.

According to other advantageous features of the invention:

-said predetermined step is equal to 12 hours or 24 hours;

-the calendar system comprises a train of wheels comprising a driving wheel permanently connected to the timing system by a reduction gear, so that the driving wheel dispenses a full turn at 31 days;

-the train of wheels of the calendar system meshes with the hour wheel of the timing system;

-the wheel train further comprises a driven wheel driving the movable part of the date display device, and the correction device comprises an intermediate wheel connected to the driven wheel and a connection device so that the drive wheel drives the driven wheel when no correction operation is performed;

-the connecting means are formed by a star-shaped toothed ring mounted on the driven wheel and associated with a jumper spring integral with the drive wheel or fixed on the drive wheel, so that when the intermediate wheel is actuated, the relative displacement between the driven wheel and drive wheel does not hinder the proportional relationship of the continuous displacement of the drive wheel with respect to the passage of time;

-the star ring gear comprises 62 teeth for the 12 hour step and 31 teeth for the 24 hour step;

-said calendar display device is of the type with a pointer or a disc;

-the calendar system displays at least the current month date.

Drawings

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description, given by way of non-limiting illustration, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 is a schematic view of a timepiece according to the invention;

figure 2 is a view of a timepiece display device according to the invention;

figure 3 is an enlarged view of figure 2;

FIG. 4 is a view of a part of a calendar system according to the invention;

figure 5 is a view of section a-a of figure 4;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 3, illustrating a correction operation according to the invention;

figure 7 is a partial view of a timepiece display device according to a variant of the invention.

Detailed Description

The example shown in fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a timepiece 1 according to the invention. The timepiece comprises a case 3, inside the case 3 there is mounted a mechanical movement 5 controlled by at least one control member 7, preferably projecting from the case 3 and intended to correct a display 9 of the timepiece 1.

The timepiece movement 5 includes a chronograph system 11 and a calendar system 13. The timing system 11 is used to display time, i.e. to drive the movable parts of the time display device 2. In the example shown in fig. 1 and 2, the display device 9 of the timepiece 1 comprises a time display device 2 of the type with movable hands 4, 6 and an hour ring 8. The timing system 11 also comprises correction means 10 allowing the modification of the movable parts 4, 6 of the display device 2 by actuating the control member 7.

The calendar system 13 is used to display at least the date of the current month, i.e., to drive the movable parts of the date display device 14. In the example shown in fig. 1 and 2, the display device 9 of the timepiece 1 comprises a date display device 14 of the type with a movable hand 16 and a date ring 18. The calendar system 13 also comprises correction means 12 allowing to modify said movable part 16 of the display means 14, preferably also by actuating the control member 7. The control means 7 therefore preferably control the two correction devices 10 and 12 of the timepiece movement 5.

Advantageously, according to the invention, the calendar system 13 comprises a continuously displaced display device 14. As shown in fig. 2 and 3, this means that the pointers are not shifted jump after jump, but are shifted continuously, which shows the progress of the day. It can thus be directly seen whether the time display 2 displays the morning or afternoon time, as shown in fig. 3 by the graduation of the second date display. This also means that the energy consumption of the calendar system 13 is substantially constant during the operation of the timepiece 1, thus avoiding variations in the amplitude of the balance of the chronograph system 11.

Furthermore, the calendar system 13 preferably comprises correction means 12, which correction means 12 are able to correct the display means 14 in predetermined 12-hour or 24-hour steps (i.e. in one or half day) and at any time of the day, i.e. including midnight time, while maintaining the proportional relationship of the continuous displacement with respect to the passage of time during the correction operation.

To achieve this, the calendar system 13 mainly comprises a train of wheels 15 and its correction means 12, as well as connection means 17. As shown in fig. 4 and 5, the train 15 comprises a driving wheel 21, which driving wheel 21 is permanently connected to the timing system 11 through a reduction gear 23, so that the driving wheel 21 dispenses a full turn at 31 days. Preferably, the train of wheels 15 of the calendar system 13 meshes with an hour wheel (not shown) of the chronograph system 11.

In the example shown in fig. 4 and 5, the wheel train 15 also comprises a driven wheel 25 for driving the movable part 16 of the date display device 14 via the tubular portion 22. It is therefore clear that the driven wheel 25 is fixedly mounted on the periphery of the tubular portion 22.

The correction device 12 of the calendar system 13 comprises an intermediate wheel 27 connected to the driven wheel 25 via a pinion 24 integral with the tubular portion 22. The correction device 12 further comprises a connection device 17, which connection device 17 is interposed between the drive wheel 21 and the driven wheel 25 in order to maintain a proportional relationship of the continuous displacement with respect to the passage of time during the correction operation and in order for the drive wheel 21 to drive the driven wheel 25 when said correction operation is not performed.

Preferably, as shown in fig. 4 and 5, the connecting means 17 are formed by a star-shaped toothed ring 26 mounted on the driven wheel 25 and associated with a jumper spring 29 integral with the driving wheel 21, so that the relative displacement between the driven wheel 25 and the driving wheel 21 does not hinder the proportional relationship of said continuous displacement of the driving wheel 21 with respect to the passage of said time, when the intermediate wheel 27 is actuated by the control member 7. It is therefore clear that correction device 12 avoids the separation of calendar system 13 with respect to timekeeping system 11, which prevents any discrepancy between the advancement of hands 16 of display device 14 and the advancement of hands 4, 6 of display device 2. Advantageously, therefore, according to the invention, the display means 9 are always synchronized.

Further, advantageously, according to the present invention, it is possible to change the date in predetermined 12-hour (arrow a) or 24-hour (arrow B) steps (i.e., in one or half days) as shown in fig. 6, simply by changing the number of teeth of the ring gear 26. Thus, if the device 12 requires a correction step size of half a day (arrow a), the ring gear 26 will include 62 teeth, and as shown in fig. 4, if the correction device 12 requires a correction step size of one day (arrow B), the ring gear 26 will have 31 teeth.

The operation of the calendar system 13 will now be explained. The calendar system 13 operates in two modes that can advantageously operate together. Namely a first permanent date display mode and a second date display correction mode, which can be operated simultaneously. In both modes, it is important to note that the calendar system 13 and the timekeeping system 11 are permanently connected in order to maintain a constant relationship between the continuous displacement of the date display device 14 and the displacement of the time display device 2, including during the transition to the correction mode.

In the display mode, the timing system 11 preferably supplies the energy required for the driving wheel 21 to rotate for 31 days by means of its wheels via the reduction gear 23. The jumper spring 29 is integrally mounted with the drive wheel 21 via the spindle 28 and the pivot 30. Thus, the drive wheel 21 continuously drives the entire jumper spring 29 to rotate. The end of the jumper spring 29 that is in contact with the toothed ring 26 of the driven wheel 25 will also drive the toothed ring into the same continuous rotation. Since the tubular portion 22 is integral with or fixed to the driven portion, it will also distribute this continuous rotation to the intermediate wheel 27, and occasionally distribute the reversals. When the movable portion 16 of the display device 14 is integral with the tubular portion 22, they perform said continuous rotation, indicating the advancement of the day for each date in succession.

For the transition into the correction mode, the control member 7 is actuated so as to act on the correction device 12. The control member 7 will then actuate the intermediate wheel 27. The displacement of said wheel 27 transmitted by the pinion 24, then by the tubular portion 22 and finally by the driven wheel 25 will force the disengagement of the connecting means 17 so as to allow the relative displacement between the driven wheel 25 and the driving wheel 21, so as to correct the display device 14 integral with the driven wheel 25 or fixed on the driven wheel 25, without affecting the continuous rotation of the driving wheel 21 in said display mode. Advantageously, in the example shown in fig. 4, the displacement of the intermediate wheel 27 forces the jumper spring 29 to be moved away by the toothed ring 26 following the displacement of the follower wheel 25.

As described hereinbefore, each tooth passed by the jumper spring 29 advantageously forms a predetermined correction step of 12 hours or 24 hours, as shown in fig. 6, i.e., correction is performed in one day (arrow B) or half day (arrow a), depending on the number of teeth of the ring gear 26. Then, by blocking the control member 7, the connecting device 17 elastically readjusts the advance of the date with respect to time, i.e. the orientation of the driven wheel 25 with respect to the driving wheel 21.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the illustrated examples, but is capable of numerous variations and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art.

In particular, as shown in fig. 7, it is possible to envisage replacing date display device 14 with movable hands 16 and date ring 18 with other devices with fixed indicia 16' and movable date ring 18', for example by using holes 20 ', without losing the advantages of the invention.

The control means 7 of the correction device 12 of the calendar system 13 may be different for the correction device 10 of the chronograph system 11 and may equally well be a presser or a crown.

The connecting device 17 is not limited to a device with a star-shaped gear ring 26 and a jumper spring 29 and can be replaced, for example, by a connecting device with a Maltese cross and a correcting finger.

Finally, calendar system 13 is not limited to the display of dates. Other indications, such as day, month, year, number of weeks, and/or phase of the month may also be displayed.

Claims (8)

1. Timepiece (1) comprising a timepiece movement (5) having a timing system (11) for displaying time and a calendar system (13) connected to the timing system so as to display the date, characterized in that the calendar system (13) comprises correction means (12) and display means of the continuous shift type, the correction means (12) being able to correct the display means of the continuous shift type at any time in steps of 12 hours (a) while maintaining the proportional relationship of the continuous shift with respect to the passage of the display time during the correction operation.

2. Timepiece (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the calendar system (13) comprises a train of wheels (15), the train of wheels (15) comprising a drive wheel (21), the drive wheel (21) being permanently connected to the chronograph system (11) by a reduction gear (23) so that the drive wheel dispenses a full turn at 31 days.

3. Timepiece (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that the train of wheels (15) of the calendar system (13) meshes with an hour wheel of the chronograph system (11).

4. Timepiece (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that the wheel train (15) further comprises a driven wheel (25) driving the movable part (16, 18') of the continuous displacement type display device, the correction device (12) comprising a connection device (17) and an intermediate wheel (27) connected to the driven wheel (25) so that the driving wheel drives the driven wheel (25) when no correction operation is performed.

5. Timepiece (1) according to claim 4, characterised in that the connecting means (17) are formed by a star-wheel-type toothed ring (26) having 62 teeth, which is mounted on the driven wheel (25) and is associated with a jumper spring (29) integral with the drive wheel (21) so that, when the intermediate wheel (27) is actuated, the relative displacement between the driven wheel (25) and the drive wheel (21) does not hinder the proportional relationship of the continuous displacement of the drive wheel (21) with respect to the passage of time.

6. Timepiece (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that said continuous displacement type display means are of the type with hands (16, 18).

7. Timepiece (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that said display means of the continuous displacement type are of the type with a disc (16 ', 18').

8. Timepiece (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the calendar system (13) displays at least the date of the month.