HK1104858A - Timepiece, in particular wristwatch comprising a main display and a mechanism for driving at least one second display - Google Patents

Description

Timepiece, in particular wristwatch, comprising a main display and a mechanism for actuating at least one secondary display

The aim of the present invention is to provide a timepiece, in particular a wristwatch, comprising a main display designed to display the local time and a mechanism for driving at least one secondary display, provided with a hand for displaying a selected time zone, said mechanism being actuated by the movement of the timepiece.

There are a wide variety of timers that can indicate one or more time zones. The simplest timepiece is to provide at least two independent movements in the same watch, in order to display two different times. The most complex watch, the "city list", may first determine the name of a city and then give the time of the city relative to the selected geographic location, with which the skilled person is familiar. The disadvantage of the simplest system is the lack of a mechanical linkage which will still maintain a given time difference when one of the movements is adjusted to the correct time. The most complex systems known today have the disadvantage of being too complex and cost prohibitive if only one or a few time zones are displayed.

The object of the present invention is to solve these problems by providing a timepiece or watch that is very similar to a universal time-piece that can give many urban times in different time zones, without requiring too many complex systems or mechanisms to be used for this purpose.

The timepiece proposed by the invention is characterized in that the secondary display of the drive mechanism provides a polygonal or circular pointer or index indicating the time with the city or town names, representing the time difference according to their respective time zones, the city and country names being marked around the pointer, opposite the hour mark of the track. According to a preferred embodiment, the drive mechanism comprises several sub-displays or counters, connected to each other and distributed around the timepiece dial, the respective positions of the hands (7-9; 42-45) being selectable for mounting and indexing during the assembly of the timepiece drive mechanism or the case. The secondary display preferably has a 24-hour rail, and the regulating wheel is interposed between the hour wheel of the chronograph and the movable wheel of the driving mechanism so as to support the display or the hand of the counter for 24 hours per revolution.

Preferably, the indication track of the display or counter provides a daytime zone and a nighttime zone if the indication track is a 24-hour track.

The driving mechanism supports the hands in a gear train, and these gear trains are connected to each other by coupling movable wheels and perform scale marking. One of the hands of the drive mechanism will be fixed to the indexing gear train supporting the counter and able to jump at one hour step rate relative to a 24-pinion which is held in position precisely by a ratchet wheel mounted on a pawl. Finally, the 24 stars mounted on the display or counter wheel can be controlled by the mobile wheel through the adjustment wheel connected to the winding mechanism of the chronograph, so as to adjust the time, or to modify the indications of all the displays or counters according to the local time of the geographical position of the chronograph.

The figures show, by way of example, different forms of embodiment and timepiece, including the driving mechanism with several time zones and universal times proposed by the present invention. The attached drawings are as follows:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a face of an embodiment of a timepiece;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a driving mechanism showing various time zones of the timepiece of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 2;

fig. 5 is a schematic plan view of the face of the embodiment of the timepiece shown in fig. 1.

The timer shown in the figures is designed according to a watch. However, the invention is not limited to this use, and the timepiece of the invention can be produced as a pocket watch, even as a small alarm clock.

Furthermore, the timepiece according to the invention comprises, in addition to a main display indicating the local time, several secondary display areas for displaying different time zones, capable of indicating the time of at least one city located in another time zone, and at most indicating the time of more than about 50 cities in each of the different time zones of the world.

As shown in fig. 1, the face (1) of the timepiece comprises a counter or indicator (a) located at 12 o' clock with respect to a main display indicating the local time by means of an hour hand and a minute hand (not shown) fixed to the central shaft (2) of the timepiece. The display and the counter (B) or (C) are located at the position of 9 o 'clock of the dial, or at the position of 3 o' clock, and an opening (3) is arranged at the bottom of the dial (1) and the dial, so that the tourbillon or any other element of the balance or the timer movement required to be displayed can be seen.

The displays or counters (a, B and C) are each provided with a 24-hour rail (4) and with two zones (5 and 6) indicating day and night respectively.

The main purpose of the counter (a, B and C) of the present invention is its display function. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1, the conventional hands of the 24-hour or time zone indicator are eliminated and replaced by hands representing variable geometry, in particular triangles (7) for the counter (a), squares (8) for the counter (B) and a pentagon (9) for the counter or display (C).

In the embodiment shown in fig. 1, the three hands (7, 8, 9) have the following characteristics:

● A12 o' clock display or counter (A) on a dial (1) comprises a triangular pointer with the names of three cities marked with 8 hour time differences.

It can be seen that hawaii is also corrected by the same time period when the time of paris changes by 2 hours, for example, so that the time difference between the two cities is constant.

● in the display or counter (B), i.e. when the pointer is square (8), represent four cities with a 6 hour time difference between each other, e.g. paris and new york are two of them.

● in the display or counter (C), the pentagonal hand (9) can give five cities, representing different time differences. It is clear to the expert that the choice of the displayed city with its time difference will determine the pentagonal shape of the pointer (9). In another form, the pentagonal counter or display (C) may be a common hexagonal shape with the time difference for each city displayed or indicated being four hours.

The time difference between the first, second and third displays or counters (a, B and C) is determined at the time of the assembly of the hands (7, 8 and 9), according to the wishes of the watch wearer, the city or country selected and the place where the watch is sold.

As with the embodiment of fig. 1 described above, the time of 12 different cities in the world can be known at a glance, in addition to the local time indicated by the fixed pointer on the main display central axis (2).

The mechanism shown in fig. 1 to control the counters or displays (a, B and C) of the timepiece can also be seen in fig. 2, 3 and 4. As shown, the regulating wheel (10) is firmly fixed to the hour wheel (11) and, every 12 hours of rotation, it drives the free wheel (13), which in turn drives the freely rotating 24-hour wheel (14) on the spindle (15). A pawl (16) (fig. 2) fixed to the 24 hour wheel (15) drives the 24 hour teeth (17) on the spindle (15). In this way, a gear wheel (18) is driven, which is equipped with a display or counter (A), and is also fixed to the spindle (15), and the adjustment wheels (19 and 20) drive 24-hour wheels (21 and 22) of the display or counter (B and C), at the same speed as the gear wheel (18), i.e. 24 hours per revolution.

On the spindles of the gears (18, 21 and 22) there will also be mounted hands (7, 8 and 9) of a counter or display (a) or (B) and (C).

By means of the adjustment wheel (23) it is possible to modify the indicated values of the time zone counter (a) (fig. 1) or B and C of the mechanism. The free wheel (23) can receive the rotation movement from any basic movement of the timepiece through the winding stem (not shown) of the basic movement.

Since the object of the invention is to add a module, this adjustment of the mechanism described above will not be described, and will be familiar to the expert.

In another form, the movable wheels (23) may also be driven to set the correct time, unlike conventional systems. For example, by means of a button located outside the case (as in a conventional corrector). However, the transmission of the movable wheels (23) is not critical. It is through this active wheel that information is possible to increment or indicate by a counter or display (a, B or C).

Fig. 2 shows a cross section of a conventional display or counter (a, B or C), in this case with hands (7, 8 and 9) being carried along. In our invention, the pointer may be in the form of a regular or irregular polygon, representing the time zone value in a similar manner. Or may be circular as shown later in fig. 5.

When the winding stem of the basic movement or timepiece is in the locking position, the time of the geographic position passed brings (in the case we have given) the counter (a) above, which meshes with the other two (B and C) (fig. 1).

When adjusted to the correct time, the counter (A) is offset from its indicated position, giving a time difference change between the local time and the indicated city time zone. As shown in figure 2, the counters (B and C) supported by the gears (21 and 22) mesh with the counter (A) carried by the gear (18), the three gears (18, 21, 22) being fixed to each other and connected by the adjustment wheels (19 and 20). Thus, the counters (A, B and C) give an indication relative to the local time, which indication is established when the mechanism is assembled, the difference between the displays or counters (A, B and C) and the indication of the city on the counters being established on the case of the mechanism or of the timepiece when the indicators (7, 8 and 9) (figure 1) are set according to the wishes of the wearer of the watch and where the watch is sold and worn.

All counters or displays (a, B and C) can be set according to the local time indicated by the arbour (2) by means of a winding stem which can actuate the movable wheel (23) (fig. 2).

A24 hour star (17) and pawl (16) on the counter (A) gear (18) can correct the time difference between the local time and one of the cities indicated by the hands (7, 8 and 9). Without this 24 hour star and pawl, the correct rotation direction and the basic movement function direction would be opposite to each other and would damage the mechanism or the basic movement.

The pawl (16) and 24 hour star (18) can be mechanically replaced by any type of friction, but the 24 hour star (18) can adjust for differences in the 24 hour per revolution, i.e. completely in the hour position.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the timepiece of FIG. 1 including a multiple time zone mechanism. According to this embodiment, the face (1) of the timepiece is provided with a central display for displaying the local time by means of hands (not shown) mounted on a central spindle (2). In the manner shown in fig. 5, four time zone displays or counters (a, B, C and D) are placed on the dial (1) at 12 o 'clock, 9 o' clock, 3 o 'clock and 6 o' clock, respectively. The four displays or counters all represent the 24 hour track (30, 31, 32 and 33) while also giving the indication areas of day (38, 39, 40 and 41) and night (34, 35, 36 and 37). The hands (42, 43, 44 and 45) are all circular and give an area (46) in the circumferential direction, identifying the name of a city or country and, depending on their location, giving an indication of the time difference. In another approach, shown in fig. 5, there are four pointers (42 to 45), each of which can give the names of 24 cities or countries for indicating 96 time zones. It is obvious that the number of time zones can be limited, for example by letting a display or counter give several cities or countries on a continent.

Claims (7)

1. Timepiece, in particular a wristwatch, comprising a main display for displaying the local time and a mechanism for actuating at least one secondary display, provided with a hand or index for displaying a selected time zone, said mechanism being actuated by the movement of the timepiece, characterized in that: the secondary display of the mechanism provides a polygonal or circular pointer or index (7, 8, 9 in fig. 1; 42-45 in fig. 5) which surrounds the track (4 in fig. 1; 30-33 in fig. 5) of the secondary display (a) and indicates the time and the name of the city or country, the time difference corresponding to its corresponding time zone, the names of the city and country being identified around the pointer or index (7, 8, 9; 42-45) on the opposite side of the hour number of the track (4, 30-33).

2. Timepiece according to claim 1, wherein: the chronograph drive mechanism comprises several sub-displays or counters (A, B, C and D) connected to each other and distributed around the chronograph dial, the corresponding position of the hands or indices (7-9; 42-45) being selectable, installable or graduated in the assembly of the drive mechanism or the chronograph housing.

A timepiece according to claim 2, wherein: the tracks (4 in fig. 1; 30 to 33 in fig. 5) of the sub-displays (a, B, C and D) are 24-hour tracks; it is also characterized in that: the regulating wheel (10) is interposed between the chronograph hour wheel (11) and the movable wheel (13) of the driving mechanism, making each turn for 24 hours, and supports the hand (8) of one of the displays or counters (B).

4. A timepiece according to claim 3, wherein: the tracks (4; 30-33) of the displays or counters (A, B, C and D) may provide a daytime zone and a nighttime zone.

5. Timepiece according to claim 2, wherein: the hands (7, 8 and 9) of the drive mechanism are supported by a gear train (18, 21 and 22), and movable wheels (19 and 20) are connected to each other and scale marks are provided.

6. Timepiece according to claim 2, wherein: one of the hands (7) is fixed to a gear train (18) with scale markings of a drive mechanism supporting a counter (A), said hand being movable in steps of one hour with respect to a 24 hour pinion, said 24 hour pinion being positioned exactly by means of a ratchet wheel mounted on a pawl (16).

7. Timepiece according to claim 6, wherein: the 24-hour star (17) mounted on the gear (18) of the display or counter (A) is controlled by a movable wheel (23) via an adjustment wheel (20) connected to the winding mechanism of the timepiece, which can adjust or correct the indications of all the displays or counters (A, B, C and D) according to the geographical location and local time of the timepiece.