HK1221024B - Fast correction system for calendar information - Google Patents

Description

Quick correction system for calendar information

Technical Field

The invention relates to a system for the rapid correction of calendar information, which makes it possible to perform the correction in predetermined steps within a minimum volume.

Background

Display systems are widely used in horology. The mechanisms currently used for display are drag, momentary or semi-momentary mechanisms. Current systems may have difficulty calibrating displays such as calendars when the display changes are approached and require the use of safety devices to avoid damage. In addition, the current correction apparatus may generate stress in the train wheel when correcting the display.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to overcome all or part of the above drawbacks by proposing a very compact quick correction or calibration system capable of correcting a calendar display at any time without generating stresses on the time measurement system to which it is coupled.

To this end, the invention relates to a timepiece mechanism including a time measuring system and a calendar system connected to the time measuring system, the time measuring system and the calendar system being each connected to a display system for displaying at least one time-related value and at least one calendar-related value and a quick correction system for correcting said display of said at least one calendar value at any time and in predetermined steps, while maintaining the connection of the display system to the time measuring system and the calendar system during a correction phase, characterized in that the correction system includes a corrector wheel set connected to the display system, a drive wheel mounted for free rotation on said corrector wheel set and fixedly connected to the time measuring system, and elastic coupling means between the corrector wheel set and the drive wheel, so that the calendar system is passed when the quick correction system is inoperative or the correction system is operative The system is adapted to change said at least one calendar value of the display system without generating stresses in the time measuring system and the elastic coupling means comprise two stops pressed by two elastic bars against the toothing of the star wheel of the corrector wheel set, each stop comprising a slider cooperating with a slide groove integral with the drive wheel to guide the movement of the elastic coupling means and to transmit the movement of the drive wheel to said at least one calendar value of the display system.

Advantageously, according to the invention, it will be understood that the correction or calibration system is therefore able to correct the calendar display at any time without generating stresses in the train susceptible to disturbances in the operation of the time measurement system. It should be particularly noted that there is no problem in coupling the correction system to the rotating gear train. Finally, the correction system is advantageously very compact.

According to other advantageous features of the invention:

-the runner is arranged in the thickness of the driving wheel, thus reducing the thickness of the clockwork;

the elastic strip is bent and connects two stops, each on two sides, to form a substantially annular part;

the rapid correction system further comprises a reduction device coupled to the correction wheel set;

the reduction means are of the type with a planetary gear train, the pinion of the corrector wheel set forming an inner planet wheel, the two satellite wheels mounted between said pinion and the outer planet wheel forming a reduction mechanism;

the reduction means comprise at least one wheel-pinion assembly forming a reduction mechanism;

-the display system is of the drag, instantaneous or semi-instantaneous type;

-said predetermined step is proportional to the number of teeth of the star wheel of the corrector wheel set;

-the display of the at least one time-related value and/or the at least one calendar-related value is of a type with a pointer or of a type with a disc;

-said predetermined step size is 12 hours or 24 hours.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a timepiece comprising a timepiece mechanism according to any one of the above-mentioned variants.

Drawings

Further features and advantages will be apparent from the description which follows, 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 functional diagram of the mechanism according to the invention;

figure 3 is a top perspective view of a part of the mechanism according to the invention;

figure 4 is a bottom perspective view of a part of the mechanism according to the invention;

figure 5 is a bottom view of a part of the mechanism according to the invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view along the line VI-VI of FIG. 5;

figure 7 is an exploded view of figure 5.

Detailed Description

The example illustrated in fig. 2 shows a schematic representation of a mechanical device 1 according to the invention. The mechanical device 1 comprises a watch case 3 in which a mechanical movement 5 is mounted, the mechanical movement 5 being controlled by at least one control 7, the control 7 preferably projecting from the watch case 3 and enabling the correction or calibration of a display device 9 of the mechanical device 1.

The mechanism 21 according to the invention comprises a movement 5, a display system 9 and a quick correction or calibration system 10, 12. In the example illustrated in fig. 2, the movement 5 comprises measuring systems 11, 13, the measuring systems 11, 13 being mechanically connected to a display system 9, the display system 9 being intended to display a piece of time or calendar-related information. The measuring system 11, 13 comprises a fast correction or calibration system 10, 12, the fast correction or calibration system 10, 12 making it possible to correct or calibrate said display 2, 14 of time or calendar related information at any time and in predetermined steps, while maintaining the connection of the display system 9 to the measuring system 11, 13 during the correction phase.

As mentioned above, the measurement systems 11, 13 are not limited to systems displaying time or calendar related information. Thus, for example, according to the invention, the correction or calibration systems 10, 12 described below can also be advantageously applied to measurement systems displaying non-time-dependent data such as altitude (i.e. underwater depth or above-water height) or even temperature.

For example, mechanism 21 may comprise a timepiece movement 5, that is to say mechanism 21 comprises a time measuring system 11 for displaying time 2 and a calendar system 13, calendar system 13 being connected to time measuring system 11 and being intended to display calendar values. The time measuring system 11 is used to drive the moving parts of the time display 2. In the example illustrated in fig. 1 and 2, the mechanical device 1 is a timepiece. The display system 9 of the timepiece 1 comprises a time display 2 with movable hands 4, 6, 8 and of the hour circle type. The time measurement system 11 also comprises a correction or calibration system 10, the correction or calibration system 10 allowing the mobile parts 4, 6 of the display 2 to be changed by actuating the control 7.

The calendar system 13 is used to drive the moving parts of the calendar display 14. In the example illustrated in fig. 1 and 2, the display system 9 of timepiece 1 comprises a calendar display 14 of the type having a disc 19 that moves hands 15, 16, 17, 18 and/or through a window 20. The calendar system 13 also comprises a correction or calibration system 12, the correction or calibration system 12 allowing said moving parts 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 of the display 14 to be changed, also by actuating the control 7 or by another designated correction. The control member 7 thus preferably controls two correction or calibration systems 10 and 12 of the movement 5.

According to the invention, the calendar system 13 and/or the time measuring system 11 may advantageously comprise display means 2, 14 of either the dragging, instantaneous or semi-instantaneous type. In a non-limiting manner, calendar system 13 may display the day of the week via pointer 15, the date via pointer 16, the month via pointer 17, the year type (leap year or year 1, 2 or 3) via pointer 18, and the phase of the month via disk 19.

In addition, calendar system 13 preferably includes a correction or calibration system 12 described below. However, this may preferably be well applied to a calibration or calibration system 10 of a time measurement system 11 or another system for measuring time-related or non-time-related information.

According to the invention, the rapid correction or calibration system 12 advantageously makes it possible to change the display 14 at any time of the day (i.e. including around midnight), preferably in predetermined steps (for example steps of 12 or 24 hours), while maintaining the relationship between the movement of the calendar mechanism with respect to the movement of the time mechanism during the correction operation, i.e. connecting the display system 9 to the calendar system 13 or to the measurement system 11.

In a non-limiting manner, a correction or calibration system 12 according to the invention is shown in fig. 3 to 7. Thus, it is apparent that the example calibration or calibration system 12 of FIGS. 3-7, using the disc applied to the lunar phase display 19, may also be applied to display another piece of time-related or non-time-related information using a different type of predetermined stride length and a different type of display, respectively.

According to the invention, correction system 12 preferably comprises a correction wheel set 23, correction wheel set 23 being connected to display system 9 formed by lunar disk 19. As better illustrated in fig. 6 and 7, the corrector wheel set 23 is formed by a corrector wheel 22 fixed to a star wheel 24, the star wheel 24 itself being fitted on a pinion 26. As can be seen in fig. 3 and 4, the correction wheel 22 meshes with an intermediate wheel 28, the intermediate wheel 28 being driven by the control member 7 during the correction phase.

The calibration or calibration system 12 also comprises a drive wheel 25, the drive wheel 25 being mounted for free rotation on the calibration wheel set 23. In addition, as suggested in fig. 3 and 4, the driving wheel 25 comprises a peripheral profile meshing with the intermediate wheel 30 at the intermediate wheel 27 of the calendar system 13 at 24. It is therefore clear that the drive wheel 25 is permanently connected to the calendar system 13. The correction or calibration system 12 therefore prevents the calendar system 13 from disengaging from the time measurement system 11, which prevents any deviation between the lunar phase 19 of the display device 14 and the advancement of the hands 4, 6 of the display 2. Thus, according to the invention, advantageously, the display means 9 are always synchronized.

Finally, correction or calibration system 12 comprises elastic coupling means 29 between correction wheel set 23 and drive wheel 25, so that display system 9 can be modified by calendar system 13 or by correction or calibration system 12 without generating stresses in calendar system 13.

More precisely, the elastic coupling means 29 comprise two stops 31, 33, the stops 31, 33 being pressed against the toothing of the star wheel 24 of the corrector wheel set 23 by means of two elastic bars 32, 34. As can be seen in the example of fig. 7, the elastic strips 32, 34 can be bent and each connect the two stops 31, 33 on one side, forming a substantially annular single piece.

In addition, each stop 31, 33 comprises a slider 35, 37, the sliders 35, 37 cooperating with runners 36, 38 arranged in the thickness of the drive wheel 25 so as to guide the movement of the elastic coupling means 29 and to transmit the movement of the drive wheel 25 to the display system 14.

According to a preferred embodiment, rapid correction or calibration system 12 also comprises a reduction 39, reduction 39 being coupled to correction wheel set 23 to obtain sufficient precision to correct the lunar phase. As shown in fig. 6 and 7, the reduction gear 39 is of a type having an epicyclic gear train. The pinion 26 of the correction wheel set 23 thus constitutes an inner planet wheel. Two satellite wheels 40, 42 are pivotally mounted on a satellite wheel support 41, the satellite wheel support 41 being integral with the moon disk 19. The two satellite wheels 40, 42 mesh between the pinion 26 and an outer planetary wheel 43, the outer planetary wheel 43 being integral with the fixed part of the mechanism 21.

The operation of the calendar system 13 will now be explained. The calendar system 13 operates in two modes, which can advantageously operate together: a first calendar display mode and a second calendar display correction mode which are fixed and not changed, and the two modes can be operated simultaneously. In both modes, it is important to note that the calendar system 13 and the time measurement system 11 are fixedly connected, so as to maintain a constant relationship between the continuous movement of the calendar display 14 relative to the time display 2, including during the change to the correction mode.

In the display mode, the time measuring system 11 provides information to the calendar system 13 about the elapsed time, and the calendar system 13 drives the 24-hour wheel 27 at the speed of one revolution per day. Since the two stops 31, 33 are pressed against the toothing of the star wheel 24 of the corrector wheel set 23 by the two elastic strips 32, 34, the drive wheel 25 thus drives the assembly of corrector wheel set 23-elastic coupling 29 in rotation via the intermediate wheel 30.

In fact, each runner 36, 38, arranged in the thickness of the driving wheel 25, requires each associated slide 35, 37 to impart the same rotational movement and, incidentally, to the corrector wheel set 23 through its star wheel 24, to finally transmit this movement to the display system 9 via the reduction gear 39. Since the lunar disk 19 is integral with the satellite wheel support 41, this produces a continuous rotation indicating the progress of the lunar calendar month.

To change to the correction mode, the control member 7 is actuated to act on the correction or calibration system 12. The control member 7 will thus actuate the intermediate wheel 28. In order to calibrate the display 14 integral with the pinion 26 without affecting the continuous rotation of the driving wheel 25 in the display mode, the movement of the intermediate wheel 28, transmitted via the calibration wheel 22 and then the star wheel 24, forces the elastic coupling 29 and in particular the stops 31, 33 thereof to move apart, allowing the relative movement between the star wheel 24 and the driving wheel 25. Advantageously, it is evident that the movement of each stop 31, 33 is guided by the sliding of its slider 35, 37 in its associated runner 36, 38.

As mentioned above, advantageously, the teeth through which the upper elastic coupling 29 passes allow a correction in predetermined steps, according to the number of teeth of the star wheel 24. Thus, in the example of fig. 7, the combination of 12 teeth of the star wheel 24 and the reduction 39 enables one 24-hour step of the display 14 to be produced. Thus, by blocking the control member 7, the elastic coupling means 29 enable elastically readjusting the orientation of the corrective wheel set 23 with respect to the orientation of the driving wheel 25.

Thus, according to the invention, advantageously, in the example of the display of the lunar phase 19, according to the number of teeth of the star wheel 24, although the lunar phase has a period of 29.53 days, it is simpler to correct the display in single correction steps in 12-hour or 24-hour steps.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the illustrated examples, but is capable of numerous modifications and variations, apparent to those skilled in the art. In particular, the time or calendar related information displays 2, 14 are not limited to being pointers or disks. For example, the display may be of the type having a drum.

It is also contemplated that the starwheel 24 and/or the retarding device 39 may be altered to produce asynchronous length values for the display 14, regardless of whether the message is time-dependent or non-time-dependent.

Likewise, for the correction or calibration system 10 of the time measurement system 11, the control 7 of the correction or calibration system 12 may be different and may likewise be a button or a crown.

Fig. 7 shows runners 36, 38, the runners 36, 38 being provided in the thickness of the drive wheel 25 to reduce the thickness of the mechanism. However, it may also be provided that these runners 36, 38 are integral with the drive wheel 25, i.e. the runners 36, 38 are added as protrusions and fixed to the upper surface of the drive wheel 25.

Finally, the reduction 39 is not limited to planetary gears or even to the use of two satellite wheels 40, 42. In practice, the reduction means 39 may comprise only one satellite wheel or more than two satellite wheels. In addition, it may be preferable to use at least one wheel-pinion assembly to replace the planetary gears with more conventional gears. It will therefore be seen that the pinion 26 can be directly integral with the display 14 and the intermediate wheel 28 can be a reduction gear which allows the display 14 to be calibrated in predetermined steps in each relative movement between the star wheel 24 and the drive wheel 25.

Claims (13)

1. Clockwork (21), the clockwork (21) comprising a time measuring system (11) and a calendar system (13) connected to the time measuring system (11), the time measuring system (11) and the calendar system (13) being connected to a display system (9) and a fast calendar correction system (12), respectively, the display system (9) being adapted to display at least one time-related value (2) and at least one calendar-related value (14), the fast calendar correction system (12) being adapted to correct the display of at least one calendar value (14) at any time and in predetermined steps, while maintaining said at least one time-related value during a correction phase and connecting said display system (9) to the time measuring system (11) and the calendar system (13), characterized in that said fast calendar correction system (12) comprises a correction wheel set (23) connected to the display system (9), A driving wheel (25) mounted so as to be adapted to rotate freely on said corrector wheel set and connected fixedly to said time measuring system (11), and elastic coupling means (29) between the corrector wheel set (23) and the driving wheel (25) so as to change at least one calendar value (14) of the display system (9) by means of the calendar system (13) when the quick calendar correction system (12) is inactive or by means of said quick calendar correction system when it is active, without generating stresses or movements in the time measuring system (11), and the elastic coupling means (29) comprise two stops (31, 33), said stops (31, 33) being pressed against the toothing of the star wheel (24) of said corrector wheel set (23) by means of two elastic strips (32, 34), each stop (31, 33) comprising a connecting runner (36, 33), 38) -cooperating slides (35, 37) to guide the movement of said elastic coupling means (29) and to transmit the movement of the driving wheel (25) only to at least one calendar value (14) of the display system (9), wherein said runners (36, 38) are integral with the driving wheel (25).

2. Clockwork (21) according to claim 1, characterized in that said chutes (36, 38) are provided in the thickness of the driving wheel (25), thereby reducing the thickness of the clockwork.

3. Clockwork (21) according to claim 1, characterized in that said elastic strip (32, 34) is bent and connects two stops (31, 33) each on two sides to form a substantially annular single piece.

4. Clockwork (21) according to claim 1, characterized in that said rapid calendar correction system (12) further comprises a reduction device (39) coupled to the correction wheel set (23).

5. Clockwork (21) according to claim 4, characterized in that the reduction means (39) are of the planetary gear train type, the pinion (26) of said corrector wheel set (23) constituting an inner planet, and two satellite wheels (40, 42) mounted between this pinion and an outer planet (43) forming the reduction mechanism.

6. Clockwork (21) according to claim 4, characterized in that said reduction means comprise at least one wheel-pinion assembly forming a reduction mechanism.

7. Clockwork (21) according to claim 1, characterized in that said display system (9) is of the dragging, instantaneous or semi-instantaneous type.

8. Clockwork (21) according to claim 1, characterized in that said predetermined step is proportional to the number of teeth of the star (24) of said corrector wheel set (23).

9. Clockwork (21) according to claim 1, characterized in that the display of the at least one time-related value (2) and/or at least one calendar-related value (14) is of the type with hands (15, 16, 17, 18).

10. Clockwork (21) according to claim 1, characterized in that the display of the at least one time-related value (2) and/or at least one calendar-related value (14) is of the type with a disc (19).

11. The clockwork (21) according to claim 1, characterized in that said predetermined step is 12 hours.

12. The clockwork (21) according to claim 1, characterized in that said predetermined step is 24 hours.

13. Timepiece (1), characterized in that the timepiece (1) comprises a timepiece mechanism (21) according to any one of claims 1 to 12.