HK1193880B - Universal watch - Google Patents

Description

World watch

Technical Field

The invention relates to a world watch (univeral watch) comprising a movement for driving a primary time display device cooperating with a complementary primary time display device, means for adjusting said primary time display device to set the time of a determined place, and a secondary display device movable with respect to said complementary primary time display device, said secondary display device comprising a plurality of geographical reference points for different time zones, said movement driving said secondary display device and a carrying structure directly or indirectly in a synchronized manner with said primary time display device.

The present invention relates to the field of horology and more particularly to a world watch in a timepiece with multiple displays, the dial of which is designed for rapid reading of the time in different time zones.

Background

Reading the local time for a given time zone in a watch is often inconvenient, since it is divided into 24 time zones and thus means that each time zone has a small amplitude of angular sectors (angular sector).

A conventional solution described in EP patent No.0579093B1 in the name of ciedes Montres Longines, Francillon s.a. juxtaposes a display device comprising a 24 hour circle, which is movable relative to a time zone ring and is driven by a rotating ring rotating one turn in 24 hours, with a conventional 12 hour display and a time zone ring. The correction mechanism enables the hour hand to be corrected directly and independently via the action on the time-setting stem, without exerting any action on the rotating ring and without having any effect on the universal time.

WO patent No.2009/121699 in the name of Glasch ü tter uhrenbeta GmbH discloses a complex function chart for displaying time zones and for displaying half time zones used in certain states of the world on a second time zone display which is different from the main current time display. The mechanism is different between daylight savings time and winter time and comprises a day/night indicator connected to the second time zone display. The time zone indicator comprises a location ring and an identification member that are movable relative to each other. The time setting correction may be performed for the primary display and the secondary display independently or both together. The manual position corrector enables the position ring to be rotated step by step without changing the state of the primary display and the secondary display.

DE patent application No.3841440A1 in the name of Zimmerman discloses a world watch with a fixed member carrying twelve zone discs, each disc corresponding to two diametrically opposed time zones, all of the discs being pivotally mounted on the same diameter of the fixed member. The rotor, driven by the movement and coaxial with the stator described above, causes a synchronous pivoting, which makes reading inconvenient and does not allow only the time zone involved in the date change to be clearly displayed at a given time.

In addition to being cumbersome, these mechanisms are often complex and occupy a large portion of the thickness of the movement.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention proposes to improve the display of world time for different cities or different reference locations by regrouping the relative time zones in the same display area. These relative time zones are distinguished by a day/night display superimposed on each city or reference site.

The invention therefore relates to a world watch comprising a movement for driving a main time display device cooperating with a complementary main time display device, the world watch further comprising means for adjusting said main time display device to set the time of a determined place, and a secondary display device movable with respect to said complementary main time display device, said secondary display device comprising a plurality of geographical reference points corresponding to different time zones, said movement driving said secondary display device and a carrying structure directly or indirectly in a synchronized manner with said main time display device, characterized in that said carrying structure carries a plurality of first screens, each superposed on one of said geographical reference points, each first screen being able to occupy a plurality of different positions according to the time of day and to change from one position to the other under the action of first driving means The torque or driving force exerted by the first driving means on said first screen is greater than the torque or resistive force exerted by the first friction means connected to said carrying structure on said first screen, respectively.

Drawings

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows a schematic front view of a world watch comprising a mechanism according to the invention, with a central main time display surrounded by a ring called "city ring", which carries geographical reference points at twelve locations, each carrying two of said reference points corresponding to diametrically opposite time zones. At an angular position of ten o' clock, a pivoting screen is shown that includes a first zone identifying the day and a second zone identifying the night. The "azo" geographical area is shown in a "day" location and the "noomea" area is shown in a "night" location.

Figure 2 shows a schematic perspective view of the front of the mechanism of figure 1, with the main display removed.

Figure 3 shows the same mechanism, in comparison with figure 2, in figure 3 the city ring has been removed, so as to reveal a bearing structure comprising a double elastic arm mounted obliquely with respect to the radial line. Between each pair of arms there is a frictionally inserted spindle of a truncated pinion (a "truncated pinon") that slides or rolls on the edge of the plate. The same spindle carries one of the pivoting screens.

Figure 4 shows a detail of the same mechanism seen from the opposite side of figure 3 and shows the reciprocal cooperation of the cutoff pinion with the toothed sectors contained in said plate, which serves to pivot the arbour of the cutoff pinion when the toothing of the cutoff pinion meshes with said toothed sectors and rolls with respect to the plate.

Figure 5 shows the same mechanism, seen in the same way as figure 3, and shows the angular position of each of the twelve truncated pinions contained in the mechanism, each of which covers an angular sector of 30 °.

Figure 6 shows two radial partial section views of the mechanism, one where the truncated pinion meshes with the toothed sector of the plate and the other where the truncated pinion slides on the smooth sector of the plate.

Figure 7 shows a view of a mechanism for displaying a first day/night indication and a second indication, for example AM/PM, using two superposed screens. A detail of the mechanism is shown in perspective view, with two concentric plates comprising toothed sectors angularly staggered with respect to each other, on which two coaxial truncated pinions can roll, each controlling a screen. Fig. 7 is supplemented in fig. 7a by an example of display information that is visible to the user.

Figure 8 shows views of a "berney"/"ankleback" pair at different times of day and night.

Detailed Description

The invention relates to a world watch 1, the world watch 1 comprising a movement 10 for driving a main time display 2, such as a hand or a group of hands, the main time display 2 cooperating with a complementary main display 3, such as a dial, on the basis of a main cycle.

The watch 1 comprises means 4 for adjusting the main time display means 2 to set the current time of the determined place.

The watch 1 also comprises a secondary display device 5, the secondary display device 5 being movable with respect to the complementary primary time display device 3. This secondary display means 5 is shown in the figures in the form of a ring, in a non-limiting manner, this secondary display means 5 being concentric with the dial 3 and comprising a plurality of geographical reference points 6 corresponding to different time zones. The secondary display means 5 have their own period, which is preferably chosen to be equal to the main period. In the embodiment shown in the figures, this secondary display device 5 is called a "city ring".

The movement 10 drives the secondary display 5 and the carrying structure 7 directly or indirectly in a synchronized manner with the primary time display 2. According to the invention, the carrying structure 7 carries a plurality of first screens 8: each first screen is superposed on one of the geographical reference points 6 and is able to occupy a plurality of different positions according to the time of day and to change from one position to another under the action of first driving means 9, the torque or driving force exerted by the first driving means 9 on said first screen being greater than the torque or resistance force exerted by first friction means 11 connected to the load-bearing structure 7, respectively. In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the figures, each first screen 8 therefore alternately occupies two stable positions and is preferably changed from one position to the other by pivoting. Each first screen 8 changes from one position to another on the basis of a secondary period, which is preferably an integral fraction of or equal to the main period.

In the preferred application illustrated in the figures, each geographic reference point 6 is associated with a given terrestrial meridian and comprises a first reference point 61 associated with a given time zone and a second reference point 62 associated with a time zone diametrically opposite the aforementioned given time zone. For example, these reference points are formed by the names of states or cities. This arrangement enables a single angular sector of the secondary display means 5 to be allocated to two diametrically opposite time zones and thus enables all time zones to be displayed on only twelve angular sectors, which makes the watch easy to read.

Preferably, as shown in the figures, each first screen 8 comprises a first area 81 and a second area 82, each area 81, 82 being superimposed alternately on the first reference point 61 and on the second reference point 62. In the exemplary embodiment shown in the figures, each zone 81, 82 is a half disc.

In the preferred application shown in fig. 1 to 6 involving a combination of a permanent day and night display and a permanent time zone display, the first drive means 9 drives each screen 8 once every twelve hours.

The timepiece forming the subject of the invention is therefore a conventional watch 1, this watch 1 having a twelve hour period time display, the secondary display means 5, here a city ring, being turned one revolution in this same twelve hour period. However, this twelve hour period is non-limiting and the invention may be implemented with different time periods, in particular twenty-four hours, in which case it may be simply modified so that the drive means 9 drives each screen 8 twice every twenty-four hours. Naturally, it is possible to select other main cycles for the table and to select other sub-cycles for the sub-display means 5 by suitably modifying the first drive means 9, for example for displaying a quarter-hour change on a ship or a workstation change in a factory in continuous operation or the like, where, thanks to the invention, it is easy to see which team is on standby or working at the workstation; thus, the minor durations of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 hours can be displayed very easily together with the major periods of twelve and twenty-four hours.

Preferably, in the embodiment illustrated here, the first drive means 9 are positioned so that at a certain moment only one first screen 8 performs a pivoting movement of a constant angle (180 ° in the case of the particular example illustrated in the figures) with respect to a pivot axis which is in a fixed position with respect to the load-bearing structure 7, the pivoting movement of the screen 8 being performed once per main cycle (twelve hours here). The sub-period is here also twelve hours.

In this embodiment, for day/night display, the first drive means 9 are positioned so as to perform a pivoting movement at 06:00 and 18:00 o' clock of the local times of the two time zones covered by the same meridian plane associated with a given geographical reference point. Thus, the geographical reference point 6 comprises two cities belonging to the same meridian plane but with opposite time zones, for example in the figures noomeas at a first reference point 61 and azo at a second reference point 62, the geographical reference point 6 being covered by the screen 8, the screen 8 pivoting when starting at point 06:00 of azo day and 18:00 of noomeas night. After twelve hours, the same dial 8 pivots again at 18:00 o 'clock starting at azo evening and at 06:00 o' clock starting at noomea daytime.

In order to move, preferably pivot, the screen 8, the first drive means 9 advantageously comprise at least one first toothed sector 21, this first toothed sector 21 being surrounded by a first smooth portion 26 on a first edge 27 of the plate 20 of table 1, or by a first smooth portion 26 of a fixed member provided in position on said plate. Each first screen 8 is pivotally movable with respect to the carrying structure 7 and is integral with a first cutoff pinion 13, which first cutoff pinion 13 moves by sliding or rolling on said first edge 27. The first cutoff pinion 13 comprises at least a first toothed ring 15, this first toothed ring 15 being interrupted by at least a first recess 14, this first cutoff pinion 13 sliding but not pivoting, depending on the position of the load-bearing structure 7, resting on the first smoothing 26 via the first recess 14, or pivoting under the effect of the first toothed ring 15 meshing with the first toothed sector 21. Fig. 5 shows a first cut-off pinion 13, which first cut-off pinion 13 comprises two first toothed rings 15 with three teeth, respectively, which first toothed rings 15 are separated by two first recesses 14, which two first recesses 14 correspond to two stable display states of the screen 8 carrying the first cut-off pinion 13. The first toothed sector 21 comprises just enough tooth clearance and teeth to roll and pivot the associated first cutoff pinion 13.

In particular, in the application described, the number of teeth of the first toothed sector 21 and of the first ring gear 15 are set: when the first truncated pinion 13 rolls over the first toothed sector 21, it causes the first truncated pinion 13 to pivot through an angle of 180 °.

Advantageously, on each first screen 8, the bearing structure 7 comprises elastic arms 17, the elastic arms 17 gripping the first arbour 16 for driving the first screen 8 and forming the first friction means 11.

Advantageously, as shown in fig. 5, these elastic arms 17 together form a tilting arm 18, which tilting arm 18 tends to exert a pressure on the first toothed pinion 13 carried by the arm 18, to press it against the first edge 27 of the plate 20.

In an advantageous embodiment, the means 4 for adjusting the main time display 2 to set the time of the determined place comprise a mechanism for changing the time zone by increasing or decreasing an integer number of hours. This mechanism is known to the person skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

In the preferred embodiment shown in fig. 6, movement 10 drives secondary display 5 and carrying structure 7 via a gear train (here comprising an hour wheel 31, hour wheel 31 driving an intermediate wheel set 32, intermediate wheel set 32 driving an intermediate wheel 33) driving a toothed mobile ring 23, ring 23 forming a cage for ball bearing 22, the other cage 24 of ball bearing 22 being fixed to a fixed part of watch 1. The toothed movable ring 23 carries the secondary display means 5 and the carrying structure 7.

In the particular embodiments shown in fig. 7 and 8, the present invention combines the display of multiple pieces of information for the same geographical reference point 6. Thus, each first screen 8 is coaxial with at least one second screen 80, the at least one second screen 80 also being superimposed on the same geographical reference point 6. The second screen 80 is able to occupy a plurality of different positions according to the time of day and to change from one position to another under the action of a second driving device 90, the torque or driving force exerted by the second driving device 90 on the second screen 80 being respectively greater than the torque or resistance exerted by a second friction device 110 on the second screen 80, the second friction device 110 being connected to the mandrel 16 carrying the first screen 8 concerned.

In this particular embodiment, each second screen 80 comprises a first area 181 and a second area 182, each area 181, 182 being alternately superimposed on the first reference point 61 and on the second reference point 62.

Advantageously, in order to provide a display that is easily readable by the user, the first and second regions 81, 82 of the first screen 8 and the first and second regions 181, 182 of the second screen 80 are transparent or translucent and coloured and/or polarized so that the four superimposed positions are visually distinct for the user.

Fig. 7a and 8 show display examples. In this example, as shown in fig. 8, a first area 81 of the screen 8 is blue (shown with cross-hatching in the drawing) and represents the evening, and a second area 82 is yellow (shown with grass in the drawing) and represents the day. In the case shown, the second screen 80 is an AM/PM display that varies at noon and midnight, respectively, this second screen 80 having, for each time zone, the same 12-hour sub-period, the first zone 181 being red (shown with a brick in the drawing) and representing the next half day (from noon to midnight) PM, the second zone 182 being white (without any decoration in the drawing) and representing the half day (from midnight to midnight). Thus, the superimposed position results in a very distinct color, which is easily interpretable by the user: blue from point 24:00 to point 06:00, yellow from point 06:00 to point 12:00, orange from point 12:00 to point 18:00, and purple from point 18:00 to point 24:00, as shown at the bottom of fig. 8.

Fig. 7a shows these superimposed positions: in fig. 7a1, evening and first half of the day are in the upper half of the circle and daytime and second half of the day are in the lower half of the circle. In fig. 7a2, evening and second half of the day are in the upper half of the circle, and day and second half of the day are in the lower half of the circle. In fig. 7a3, an intermediate position is shown with a evening sector above the 3-point-9-point axis and an upper half-day sector above the 2-point-8-point axis, i.e., a series of indications: evening and last day from 0 o 'clock to 2 o' clock, evening and last half day from 2 o 'clock to 3 o' clock, daytime and last half day from 3 o 'clock to 8 o' clock, daytime and last day from 8 o 'clock to 9 o' clock, evening and last day from 9 o 'clock to 12 o' clock. Similarly, an intermediate position is shown in fig. 7a4, with the evening sector above the 3-point-9-point axis, the second half-day sector above the 2-point-8-point axis, i.e., a series of indications: evening and next half day from 0 o 'clock to 2 o' clock, evening and first half day from 2 o 'clock to 3 o' clock, daytime and first half day from 3 o 'clock to 8 o' clock, daytime and next half day from 8 o 'clock to 9 o' clock, evening and next half day from 9 o 'clock to 12 o' clock. This display is repeated in fig. 8, fig. 8 showing in detail the time indication at berney (B), the corresponding time at anklebox (a) and the corresponding position of the display sector and the indication displayed by said sector in clear circles. The position change of the day/night indicator is shown when berni is 06:00, the position change of the upper/lower half day (AM/PM) indicator is shown when berni is midday, the position change of the day/night indicator is shown when berni is 18:00, and the position change of the upper/lower half day (or AM/PM) indicator is shown when berni is midnight.

In a variant not shown, the first 81 and second 82 areas of the first screen 8 are perforated and surrounded by different colours or patterns, as shown in figures 1 to 3. The first region 181 and the second region 182 of the second screen 80 have different diameters so that they are highly visible. It is also possible to mix these two display modes with a colored transparent screen and a perforated frame.

In this same variant, the second drive means 90 are positioned so that at a time only one second screen 80 performs a 180 ° pivoting movement with respect to a pivot axis whose position is fixed with respect to the carrying structure 7, this pivoting movement being performed every twelve hours. As mentioned above, to achieve the AM/PM display, the second drive means 90 is positioned so as to perform a pivoting movement at 12:00 and 24:00 of the local time of two time zones covered by the same meridian plane associated with a given geographical reference point 6.

Naturally, the invention is applicable to timepieces other than watches, in particular pendulums or clocks.

Therefore, the present invention provides a display device that is easy to read the universal time without any risk of error. It is possible to read the 24 reference time zones instantaneously and know whether it is day or night.

The mechanism of the present invention is compact and very easy to operate. The mechanism with the truncated pinion ensures that the display disc is correctly locked and prevents any accidental pivoting, for example in the event of an impact.

Claims (14)

1. World watch (1), the world watch (1) comprising a movement (10) for driving a main time display device (2), the main time display device (2) cooperating with a complementary main time display device (3), the world watch (1) further comprising means (4) for adjusting the main time display device (2) to set the time of a determined place, and the world watch (1) further comprising a secondary display device (5), the secondary display device (5) being movable with respect to the complementary main time display device (3), the secondary display device (5) comprising a plurality of geographical reference points (6) corresponding to different time zones, the movement (10) driving the secondary display device (5) and a carrying structure (7) directly or indirectly in a synchronized manner with the main time display device (2), characterized in that the carrying structure (7) carries a plurality of first screens (8), each first screen (8) is superimposed on one of said geographical reference points (6), each first screen (8) being able to occupy a plurality of different positions according to the time of day and to change from one position to another under the action of first driving means (9), the torque or driving force exerted by the first driving means (9) on the first screen (8) being greater than the torque or resistance force exerted by first friction means (11) connected to the carrying structure (7) on the first screen (8), respectively.

2. World watch (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each of said geographic reference points (6) is associated with a given meridian and comprises a first reference point (61) associated with a given time zone and a second reference point (62) associated with a time zone diametrically opposite the aforementioned given time zone, each of said first screens (8) comprising a first area (81) and a second area (82), each of said areas (81, 82) being superimposed alternately on said first reference point (61) and on said second reference point (62).

3. World watch (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said first actuation means (9) are positioned so that at a time only one of said first screens (8) performs a pivoting movement of 180 ° with respect to a pivot axis whose position is fixed with respect to said carrying structure (7), said pivoting movement being performed every twelve hours.

4. World watch (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that said first driving means (9) are positioned so as to perform said pivoting movement at 06:00 and 18:00 of the local time of two time zones covered by the same meridian plane associated with said geographical reference point (6).

5. World watch (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said first driving means (9) comprise at least one first toothed sector (21), this first toothed sector (21) being surrounded by a first smooth portion (26) on a first edge (27) of a plate (20) of said watch (1), each said first screen (8) being able to move pivotally with respect to said bearing structure (7) and being integral with a first cutoff pinion (13), said first cutoff pinion (13) moving by sliding or rolling on said first edge (27), said first cutoff pinion (13) comprising at least a first toothed ring (15), this first toothed ring (15) being interrupted by at least a first recess (14), said first cutoff pinion (13) sliding but not pivoting according to the position of said bearing structure (7) resting on said first smooth portion (26) via said first recess (14) or on said first toothed ring (15) ) Pivoting under the action of meshing with said first toothed sector (21).

6. World watch (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the number of teeth of said first toothed sector (21) and of said first ring gear (15) are set: causing the first cutoff pinion (13) to pivot 180 ° when the first cutoff pinion rolls over the first toothed sector (21).

7. World watch (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that on each of said first screens (8) said bearing structure (7) comprises elastic arms (17), which elastic arms (17) grip a first spindle (16) for driving said first screen (8) and form said first friction means (11).

8. World watch (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said means (4) of adjusting said main time display means (2) to set the time of a determined place comprise means for changing the time zone by increasing or decreasing an integer number of hours.

9. World watch (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said movement (10) drives said secondary display means (5) and said bearing structure (7) via a gear train driving a toothed mobile ring (23), this ring (23) forming a cage for a ball bearing (22), the other cage (24) of this ball bearing (22) being fixed on a fixed part of said watch (1), said toothed mobile ring (23) carrying said bearing structure (7) and said secondary display means (5).

10. World watch (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that each of said first screens (8) is coaxial with at least one second screen (80), which at least one second screen (80) is also superimposed on the same said geographical reference point (6), said second screen (80) being able to occupy a plurality of different positions according to the time of day and to change from one position to another under the action of second driving means (90), the torque or driving force exerted by said second driving means (90) on said second screen (80) being respectively greater than the torque or resistance exerted by second friction means (110) on said second screen (80), which second friction means (110) are connected to a spindle (16) carrying said first screen (8) concerned.

11. World watch (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that each of said second screens (80) comprises a first area (181) and a second area (182), each of said areas (181, 182) being superimposed alternately on said first reference point (61) and on said second reference point (62).

12. World watch (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that said first (81) and second (82) areas of said first screen (8) and said first (181) and second (182) areas of said second screen (80) are transparent or translucent and colored and/or polarized so that the four superimposed positions are visually different for the user.

13. World watch (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that said second actuation means (90) are positioned so that at a time only one of said second screens (80) performs a pivoting movement of 180 ° with respect to a pivot axis whose position is fixed with respect to said carrying structure (7), said pivoting movement being performed every twelve hours.

14. World watch (1) according to claim 13, characterized in that said second driving means (90) are positioned so as to perform said pivoting movement at 12:00 and 24:00 of the local time of two time zones covered by the same meridian plane associated with said geographical reference point (6).