CH720575A2 - Clock movement comprising a ratchet wheel and a pawl body - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a watch movement capable of preventing excessive torque from being transmitted from a mainspring to an escapement and speed control mechanism, and preventing component wear without deteriorating the appearance of the movement. The movement comprises: a ratchet wheel (30) capable of winding a mainspring; a barrel bridge (12) configured to rotatably support the ratchet wheel (30) about a rotation axis (O); a sliding spacer (41) disposed so as not to be displaceable relative to the barrel bridge (12), and which is provided with a guide groove (43) extending along a circumferential direction about the rotation axis (O); a pin (50) having a central axis (P) extending along an axial direction of the rotation axis (O), configured to be inserted into the guide groove (43), and configured to move about the rotation axis (O) along the guide groove (43); a slide (60) disposed along the slide spacer (41) and configured to retain the pin (50); and a pawl body (70) supported by the pin (50), rotatably mounted about the central axis (P) relative to the barrel bridge (12), and comprising a finger (72) which meshes with the ratchet wheel (30).

Description

Field of invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a watch movement and a timepiece.

Background of the invention

[0002] In the prior art, the movement of a mechanical timepiece includes a barrel that houses a mainspring, a ratchet wheel that winds the mainspring, and a winding gear train that rotates the ratchet wheel. In order to prevent the mainspring from being unwound when it is wound, the ratchet wheel is meshed with a pawl that limits its rotation in the reverse direction. Furthermore, in order to prevent excessive torque from being transmitted from the mainspring to an escapement and speed control mechanism, the movement may be provided with a mechanism that releases the mainspring by reversing the ratchet wheel to a certain extent when rotation of the ratchet wheel that winds the mainspring is stopped (see, for example, JPS52-166555U). JPS52-166555U discloses a mainspring winding mechanism in which a pawl that meshes with a ratchet wheel is a gear that pivots along an elongated hole formed in a plate or bridge under the action of rotation of the ratchet wheel, and the pawl is prevented from rotating due to a stopper located at a pivoting movement end when the ratchet wheel rotates in one direction.

[0003] However, in the mainspring winding mechanism disclosed in JPS52-166555U, when the pawl moves along the elongated hole as a result of the rotation of the ratchet wheel, the pawl slides on a surface of the side wall of the elongated hole at a high speed, and thus the surface of the side wall of the elongated hole may be worn. On the other hand, when a surface treatment improving wear resistance is performed on the plate or bridge in which the elongated hole is formed, the appearance of the movement may be deteriorated. Therefore, in a watch movement that aims to prevent excessive torque from being transmitted from the mainspring to the escapement and speed control mechanism, there remains a problem of preventing wear of a component without deteriorating the appearance of the movement.

Summary of the invention

[0004] An object of the present application is to provide a watch movement capable of preventing the transmission of excessive torque from a mainspring to an escapement and speed control mechanism and of preventing wear of a component without deteriorating the appearance of a movement, as well as a timepiece comprising such a watch movement.

[0005] A timepiece movement according to a first aspect of the application comprises: a ratchet wheel capable of winding a barrel mainspring; a barrel bridge configured to rotatably support the ratchet wheel about an axis of rotation; a slide spacer arranged so as not to be displaceable relative to the barrel bridge, and provided with a guide groove extending along a circumferential direction about the axis of rotation; a pin having a central axis extending along an axial direction of the axis of rotation, configured to be inserted into the guide groove and configured to be moved about the axis of rotation along the guide groove; a slide arranged along the slide spacer and configured to hold the pin; and a pawl body supported by the pin, arranged to be rotatable about the central axis relative to the barrel bridge, and including a finger which meshes with the ratchet wheel.

[0006] According to this first aspect, when the ratchet wheel is rotated during winding of the mainspring, a force in the direction of rotation of the ratchet wheel is applied to the pawl body via the finger. Since the pawl body is supported by the pin, the pawl body rotates about the axis of rotation in the same direction as the ratchet wheel, with the pin being guided by the guide groove and moving in the guide groove. When winding of the mainspring is interrupted, a torque in the opposite direction to that of rotation at the time of winding acts on the ratchet wheel under the action of a restoring force tending to unwind the mainspring. The ratchet wheel then begins to rotate in the reverse direction. At this time, in response to the reverse rotation of the ratchet wheel, the pawl body rotates about the axis of rotation with the pin in the same direction as the ratchet wheel. In this way, when the winding of the mainspring is stopped, the reverse rotation of the ratchet wheel is allowed along the length of the guide groove at the same time as the rotation of the pawl body, and it is thus possible to prevent the transmission of excessive torque from the mainspring to an escapement and speed control mechanism.

[0007] Since the guide groove that guides the rotation of the pawl body about the rotation axis is formed in the slide spacer, it is possible to prevent sliding contact with the barrel bridge when the pawl body and the pin rotate about the rotation axis. It is therefore possible to improve the wear resistance of the movement of the timepiece against the rotation of the pawl body about the rotation axis without, for example, changing the material or having to perform surface treatment on the barrel bridge. Furthermore, since the slide that retains the pin is arranged along the slide spacer, the pin cannot be inclined relative to the slide spacer, and the pawl body supported by the pin cannot be brought into sliding contact with the barrel bridge unintentionally. Therefore, in the movement of the timepiece that can prevent the transmission of excessive torque from the mainspring to the escapement and the speed control mechanism, it is possible to prevent the wear of a component without deteriorating its appearance.

[0008] Furthermore, since the slide spacer, the pin, the slide and the pawl body can be arranged to constitute an operational unit, when this unit is scratched, it is possible to replace a worn component by replacing this unit without replacing the barrel bridge. Therefore, the after-sales service performance can be improved.

[0009] A watch movement according to a second aspect of the application is the watch movement according to the first aspect above, in which the slide may be arranged between the barrel bridge and the sliding spacer.

[0010] According to this second aspect, the portion where the slide slides relative to the barrel bridge and the slide spacer in response to the rotation of the pin is positioned between the barrel bridge and the slide spacer. Therefore, even when oil is applied to a sliding portion between the barrel bridge and the slide and to a sliding portion between the slide spacer and the slide, it is possible to prevent the oil from flowing to an outer surface of the timepiece movement. It is therefore possible to prevent deterioration of the appearance of the timepiece movement.

[0011] A watch movement according to a third aspect of the application is a watch movement according to the first aspect or the second aspect above, in which the pawl body is rotatably supported by the pin, i.e. supported by the pin so as to be rotatably movable.

[0012] According to this third aspect, a sliding portion generated when the pawl body rotates about the center axis of the pin appears at a contact portion between the pawl body and the pin. Accordingly, the sliding portion generated when the pawl body rotates about the rotation axis and the sliding portion generated when the pawl body rotates about the center axis of the pin can be made distinct. It is therefore possible to prevent wear of a component by dissociating the sliding portions generated during a winding operation of the mainspring.

[0013] A watch movement according to a fourth aspect of the application is a watch movement according to one of the first to third aspects above, wherein an auxiliary guide groove, extending along the guide groove when viewed in the axial direction, may be formed in one of the barrel bridge and the slide spacer, and the slide may comprise a rotation blocking member configured to be inserted into the auxiliary guide groove and to be moved within the auxiliary guide groove along an extension direction of the guide groove, and may be prevented from rotating about the central axis when the pin is moved about the rotation axis by limiting a movement of the rotation blocking member in the width direction of the auxiliary guide groove.

[0014] According to this fourth aspect, it is possible to prevent the slide from rotating about the central axis of the pin when the latter rotates about the rotation axis. Accordingly, the slide can be rotated about the rotation axis in a predetermined position. In this way, it is therefore possible to prevent a sliding portion from being generated unintentionally during the winding operation of the mainspring.

[0015] A watch movement according to a fifth aspect of the application is a watch movement according to the fourth aspect above, in which the pawl body is arranged so as to be rotationally integral with the slide.

[0016] According to this fifth aspect, it is possible to prevent the ratchet body from rotating around the pin when the pin rotates around the rotation axis. Accordingly, by rotating the ratchet body around the pin at an unnecessary time, it is possible to prevent wear due to contact with surrounding components with a greater force than necessary.

[0017] A watch movement according to a sixth aspect of the application is a watch movement according to one of the first to fifth aspects above, in which the pin may be formed integrally with the slide.

[0018] According to this sixth aspect, compared with a configuration in which the pin is provided separately from the slide, it is possible to reduce the number of components and improve the ease of assembly of the watch movement.

[0019] A watch movement according to a seventh aspect of the application is a watch movement according to one of the first to sixth aspects above, in which the elastic limit of the sliding spacer can be greater than that of the barrel bridge.

[0020] According to this seventh aspect, the sliding spacer has a higher hardness than the barrel bridge, and is less likely to wear. Therefore, compared with a configuration in which a groove or the like that guides the rotation of the pin around the rotation axis is formed in the barrel bridge instead of the sliding spacer, it is possible to improve the wear resistance of the timepiece movement with respect to the rotation of the pawl body around the rotation axis.

[0021] A watch movement according to an eighth aspect of the application is a watch movement according to one of the first to seventh aspects above, wherein the pin can be prevented from moving in the circumferential direction by being in contact with the sliding spacer at a circumferential end of the guide groove.

[0022] According to this eighth aspect, the rotation range of the pawl body about the rotation axis can be defined by the pin and the slide spacer without using any other components. It is therefore possible to obtain a watch movement which has the same advantageous effects in operation as those mentioned above while avoiding an increase in the number of components and a deterioration in the ease of assembly.

[0023] A watch movement according to a ninth aspect of the application is a watch movement according to any one of the first to eighth aspects above, and may further comprise: a ratchet spring disposed on the outside of the ratchet body, and which is provided to be able to exert a compressive force on the ratchet body so as to push the finger toward the ratchet wheel; and a positioning portion configured to prevent the ratchet spring from approaching the ratchet body, in which the ratchet spring may be supported in a cantilever manner, and the positioning portion may comprise a restriction portion protruding in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction, and being configured to restrict a movement of the ratchet spring in the axial direction.

[0024] According to this ninth aspect, by placing the ratchet spring in contact with the positioning part in a constant compression state, it is possible to prevent any variation in the gap between the ratchet spring and the ratchet body, and to stabilize the operation of the ratchet body. Furthermore, when the ratchet spring supported in a cantilever manner is bent as a result of an impact such as a fall, the movement of the ratchet spring can be limited by the restriction part. It is thus possible to prevent the ratchet spring from deviating from a predetermined position relative to the ratchet body.

[0025] A watch movement according to a tenth aspect of the application is a watch movement according to any one of the first to ninth aspects above, which may further comprise: a first spacer mounted around the pin and interposed between the pin and the pawl body.

[0026] According to this tenth aspect, compared with a configuration in which the ratchet body is in sliding contact with the pin, it is possible to reduce the sliding resistance caused by the rotation of the ratchet body about the central axis. Therefore, the ratchet body can be operated more smoothly. Furthermore, wear of the pin and the ratchet body can be avoided.

[0027] A watch movement according to an eleventh aspect of the application is a watch movement according to any one of the first to tenth aspects above, and may further comprise: a second spacer mounted around the pin inside the guide groove.

[0028] According to this eleventh aspect, the spacer can be brought into sliding contact with a wall surface of the guide groove when the pawl body rotates about the rotation axis in synchronization with the pin, and wear of the pin and the sliding spacer can be avoided compared with a configuration in which the pin can be brought directly into sliding contact with the wall surface of the guide groove.

[0029] A timepiece according to a twelfth aspect of the application comprises the timepiece movement according to one of the first to eleventh aspects above.

[0030] According to this twelfth aspect, it is possible to provide a timepiece having excellent appearance and precision, and having high reliability in which wear of a component is avoided.

[0031] According to the teachings of the patent application, it is possible to provide a watch movement capable of preventing the transmission of excessive torque from a mainspring to an escapement and speed control mechanism, and of preventing wear of a component without deteriorating the appearance of a movement, and a timepiece comprising such a watch movement.

Brief description of the drawings

[0032] Figure 1 is an exterior view of a timepiece according to a first embodiment. Figure 2 is a top view of a movement according to the first embodiment. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of Figure 2. Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of a barrel bridge and a ratchet unit according to the first embodiment. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the ratchet unit according to the first embodiment. Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the ratchet unit according to the first embodiment. Figure 7 is a plan view of the movement showing an enlarged vicinity of a ratchet wheel according to the first embodiment. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the movement showing the operation of the ratchet unit according to the first embodiment. Fig. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of a slide and a pin body according to a second embodiment. Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a movement according to a third embodiment, and is an enlarged view of a section corresponding to Fig. 3. Fig. 12 is a plan view of a slide spacer according to the third embodiment. Fig. 13 is a plan view of the movement showing an enlarged vicinity of a ratchet wheel according to the third embodiment. Fig. 14 is a sectional view of a movement according to a fourth embodiment, and is an enlarged view of a section corresponding to Fig. 3. Fig. 15 is a sectional view showing a portion of a ratchet unit according to a fifth embodiment. Fig. 16 is a sectional view of a ratchet unit according to a sixth embodiment. Fig. 17 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of a ratchet unit according to a seventh embodiment.

Detailed description of the invention

[0033] Embodiments of the invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the drawings. In the following description, configurations having the same or similar functions are designated by the same reference numerals. A detailed description of these configurations will not be repeated in full. In the present embodiment, a mechanical timepiece will be given as an example of a timepiece.

[0034] In general, a machine body comprising a driving part of a timepiece is called a "movement". The state in which a dial and hands are attached to the movement and the resulting product is placed in a watch case to form a finished product is called a "complete" timepiece. The direction of the rotation axis of each of the hands is called the axial direction. The description will focus on a direction from a plate, which forms a base plate for the timepiece, to a bottom, i.e. from an upper side, to an opposite side, i.e. a lower side, in the axial direction. A direction orthogonal to the axial direction is called the plane direction. In the present embodiment, the rotation direction of an element that is moved about an axis extending in the axial direction will be described from a top view direction.

[First embodiment]

[0035] Figure 1 is an exterior view of a timepiece according to a first embodiment.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 1 , a complete timepiece 1 according to the present embodiment comprises a movement 9 (watch movement), a dial 4 and hands, in particular an hour hand 5, a minute hand 6 and a second hand 7, in a case 3 comprising a back (not shown) and a crystal 2. In the timepiece 1 , a mainspring 23 (see FIG. 3 ) can be wound manually, and the mainspring 23 is wound via a manual winding train by rotating a crown 8.

[0037] Figure 2 is a top view of the movement according to the first embodiment. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of Figure 2.

[0038] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the movement 9 comprises a support member 10, a barrel 20, a ratchet wheel 30, a ratchet unit 40, a ratchet spring 80, and a positioning portion 90. The movement 9 comprises a front gear comprising the barrel 20, a central wheel set (wheel and pinion), a third wheel set (wheel and pinion), a fourth wheel set (wheel and pinion), and the like, and an escapement and speed control mechanism comprising a sprung balance, an escapement wheel set (wheel and pinion), an anchor, and the like, but a detailed description thereof will not be given in detail.

[0039] The support member 10 is constituted by a plate 11 and a bridge. The support member 10 supports a rotating body included in the movement 9. The rotating body includes the barrel 20, the front gear, the escapement and speed control mechanism, etc. The support member 10 includes the plate 11 and a barrel bridge 12 disposed above (i.e., at the rear of the case) the plate 11. The plate 11 and the barrel bridge 12 support the barrel 20 rotatably about a rotation axis O extending in the axial direction. The plate 11 and the barrel bridge 12 are made of metal. In the present embodiment, the plate 11 and the barrel bridge 12 are made of brass.

[0040] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the barrel bridge and the ratchet unit according to the first embodiment.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 4, a recess 13 recessed downward and a penetrating portion 14 which passes through the barrel bridge 12 are formed in an upper surface of the barrel bridge 12. The recess 13 includes a ratchet wheel housing 13a which houses the ratchet wheel 30, and a pawl housing 13b which is continuous with the ratchet wheel housing 13a and which houses a pawl body 70 which will be described later. The penetrating portion 14 passes through the barrel bridge 12 in the axial direction. The penetrating portion 14 is open on the lower surface of the pawl housing 13b.

[0042] The barrel bridge 12 is provided with a guide pin 16 and a cylindrical screw 17. The guide pin 16 and the cylindrical screw 17 are arranged in positions closer to the outer periphery of the movement 9 than the ratchet wheel housing 13a and clockwise around the rotation axis O relative to the penetrating portion 14. The guide pin 16 and the cylindrical screw 17 are arranged as separate parts relative to the barrel bridge 12 and held in a pin hole formed in the barrel bridge 12. However, the guide pin 16 and the cylindrical screw 17 may be formed integrally with the barrel bridge 12. The guide pin 16 has a columnar shape. The guide pin 16 and the cylindrical screw 17 protrude upwards from the barrel bridge 12 along the axial direction. The guide pin 16 is arranged clockwise around the axis of rotation O relative to the cylindrical screw 17. An upper edge of the cylindrical screw 17 is positioned below an upper edge of the guide pin 16. A locking screw 18 is screwed to the cylindrical screw 17 from above.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 3, the barrel 20 comprises a barrel shaft 21, a drum 22 fixed to the barrel shaft 21, and the mainspring 23 housed in the drum 22. The barrel shaft 21 is supported by the plate 11 and the barrel bridge 12 so as to be rotatable about the rotation axis O. The drum 22 is disposed between the plate 11 and the barrel bridge 12. The drum 22 is rotatably supported by the barrel shaft 21. An inner end of the mainspring 23 is connected to the barrel shaft 21. An outer end of the mainspring 23 is connected to an inner circumferential surface of the drum 22. The mainspring 23 is wound by the rotation of the barrel shaft 21. The drum 22 is rotated by a force return when the mainspring 23 seeks to relax, and drives the front gear.

[0044] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the ratchet wheel 30 is arranged coaxially with the complete barrel 20. The ratchet wheel 30 is arranged to be integrally rotatable with the barrel shaft 21. The ratchet wheel 30 is rotatably supported by the barrel bridge 12 via the barrel shaft 21. The ratchet wheel 30 is arranged on the opposite side (i.e., an upper side) to the drum 22, with the barrel bridge 12 interposed therebetween. The ratchet wheel 30 is arranged in the ratchet wheel housing 13a. The ratchet wheel 30 winds the mainspring 23 housed in the drum 22 by rotating with the barrel shaft 21 in a clockwise direction. A counterclockwise torque acts on the ratchet wheel 30 due to the restoring force exerted when the mainspring 23 relaxes. Teeth 31 are formed on an outer peripheral portion of the ratchet wheel 30. The hand-winding gear wheel is connected to the ratchet wheel 30. In the illustrated example, the ratchet wheel 30 meshes with an intermediate wheel 29 which transmits rotation of a crown of the hand-winding gear wheel to the ratchet wheel 30.

[0045] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the snap-in unit according to the first embodiment. Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the snap-in unit according to the first embodiment.

[0046] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the ratchet unit 40 comprises a sliding spacer 41, a pin 50, a slide 60, and the ratchet body 70.

[0047] The sliding spacer 41 is provided as a separate part from the support member 10. The sliding spacer 41 has the shape of a plate with the front and rear surfaces oriented in the axial direction. The sliding spacer 41 is disposed on the side opposite the ratchet wheel 30, with the barrel bridge 12 interposed therebetween. The sliding spacer 41 is disposed between the plate 11 and the barrel bridge 12. The sliding spacer 41 is disposed so as to overlap the complete barrel 20 in the axial direction. The slide spacer 41 is disposed in a recess formed on the lower surface of the barrel bridge 12 so as not to protrude below the barrel bridge 12. The slide spacer 41 is disposed so as not to be displaced relative to the support member 10. The slide spacer 41 is fixed to the barrel bridge 12 by a screw 42 inserted from the lower side (see FIG. 4).

[0048] The slide spacer 41 is provided with a guide groove 43 extending along a circumferential direction around the rotation axis O (hereinafter, simply referred to as the circumferential direction) and an auxiliary guide groove 44 extending along the guide groove 43 when viewed in the axial direction. The guide groove 43 and the auxiliary guide groove 44 separately open on the upper surface of the slide spacer 41. In the present embodiment, the guide groove 43 and the auxiliary guide groove 44 separately penetrate into the slide spacer 41 along the axial direction.

[0049] The guide groove 43 extends at a constant width. The guide groove 43 overlaps the penetrating portion 14 of the barrel bridge 12 when viewed in the axial direction. The entire guide groove 43 is positioned inside a side wall surface of the penetrating portion 14 when viewed in the axial direction. The auxiliary guide groove 44 is provided in a position that does not overlap the penetrating portion 14 of the barrel bridge 12 when viewed in the axial direction. The auxiliary guide groove 44 includes an inner auxiliary guide groove 44a positioned closer to the rotation axis O than the guide groove 43, and an outer auxiliary guide groove 44b positioned on the opposite side of the inner auxiliary guide groove 44a, with the guide groove 43 interposed therebetween. The inner auxiliary guide groove 44a and the outer auxiliary guide groove 44b are separately formed and each spaced apart from the guide groove 43. The inner auxiliary guide groove 44a and the outer auxiliary guide groove 44b extend separately along the circumferential direction and also each have a constant width. The side wall surfaces of the guide groove 43 and the auxiliary guide groove 44 are formed smoothly and continuously over the entire circumference.

[0050] The pin 50 has a central axis P which extends along the axial direction. The pin 50 penetrates the penetrating portion 14 of the barrel bridge 12. The pin 50 is inserted from above into the guide groove 43 of the slide spacer 41. The pin 50 is arranged not to protrude downward from the slide spacer 41. The pin 50 is movable in the guide groove 43 along the extension direction of the guide groove 43, and rotates about the rotation axis O along the guide groove 43. However, the pin 50 is limited in its movement along the circumferential direction because it is in contact with the slide spacer 41 at the circumferential end of the guide groove 43. The pin 50 comprises a pin body 51 and a ratchet screw 53 screwed to the pin body 51.

[0051] The pin body 51 penetrates the penetrating portion 14 of the barrel bridge 12 and has an upper end positioned above the barrel bridge 12 and a lower end positioned below the barrel bridge 12. The pin body 51 is not in contact with the side wall surface of the penetrating portion 14 of the barrel bridge 12. The pin body 51 is cylindrical in shape. A tapping is formed in an inner circumferential surface of the pin body 51. A lower end of the pin body 51 is inserted into the guide groove 43 of the slide spacer 41. The lower portion of the pin body 51 can be moved along the guide groove 43. The lower portion of the pin body 51 is provided with a collar 52 projecting radially outward and extending continuously over the entire circumference. The collar 52 has a shape of a circular ring around the central axis P. The collar 52 is positioned inside the guide groove 43. The outer diameter of the collar 52 substantially coincides with the width of the guide groove 43. The collar 52 has a constant thickness as a whole.

[0052] The ratchet screw 53 is inserted inside the pin body 51 from a side opposite to that of the slide spacer 41, with the barrel bridge 12 interposed therebetween. The ratchet screw 53 comprises a head 54 and a shank 55. A male screw to be screwed into the tapped hole of the pin body 51 is formed on a lower portion of the shank 55. A support portion 55a is formed between the male screw and the head 54. The support portion 55a is positioned above an upper end surface of the pin body 51. The support portion 55a is formed coaxially with the central axis P. The support portion 55a has a smooth outer circumferential surface. The outer diameter of the support portion 55a is less than the outer diameter of the upper end of the pin body 51 and the outer diameter of the head 54.

[0053] The slide 60 is arranged along the slide spacer 41. The slide 60 is arranged between the barrel bridge 12 and the slide spacer 41. The slide 60 comprises a plate-shaped slide body 61 and a rotation locking member 63 protruding outside the slide body 61.

[0054] The slide body 61 is in the shape of a plate, the front and rear surfaces of which are oriented perpendicular to the axial direction. The slide body 61 covers the barrel bridge 12 and the slide spacer 41 when viewed in the axial direction. The slide body 61 is provided with a pin hole 62 into which the pin 50 is inserted. The pin hole 62 penetrates the slide body 61 in the axial direction. The slide body 61 holds the pin 50 so that it is not displaced relative to the other elements when the pin 50 is driven into the pin hole 62. The slide body 61 is in contact with an upper surface of the collar 52 of the pin 50. The slide body 61 has a semicircular shape around the pin hole 62 when viewed in the axial direction, extending over an arc of a circle slightly less than 180°. Accordingly, the slide body 61 is formed to extend from the pin hole 62 at least in a clockwise direction and toward the rotation axis O. In the case where the pin hole 62 is used as a reference, the clockwise direction and the rotation axis O coincide with a meshing portion between the pawl body 70 and the ratchet wheel 30 when viewed in the axial direction. The slide body 61 is formed such that, in a state where the pin 50 is positioned at one end of the guide groove 43 in the clockwise direction, a portion positioned on a meshing portion between the pawl body 70 and the ratchet wheel 30 relative to the pin hole 62 overlaps the slide spacer 41 when viewed in the axial direction. The upper surface and the lower surface of the slide body 61 are both chamfered. The type of chamfer is not particularly limited and may be, for example, a corner chamfer or a round chamfer. It is desirable that the curvature of a chamfered portion be greater than 0 [1/mm] and less than or equal to 20 [1/mm].

[0055] The rotation locking member 63 protrudes from the slide body 61 toward the slide spacer 41. In the present embodiment, the rotation locking member 63 is arranged as a separate part from the slide body 61 and is supported by the slide body 61 so as not to be displaced by being inserted by driving into a through hole 62 formed in the slide body 61. In this case, the rotation locking member 63 is arranged so as not to protrude out of the slide body 61 toward the barrel bridge 12. Rotation locking members 63 are provided in one-to-one correspondence with each auxiliary guide groove 44. Each rotation locking member 63 is inserted into the corresponding auxiliary guide groove 44. The rotation locking elements 63 are arranged so as not to protrude downwards relative to the sliding spacer 41.

[0056] The rotation locking element 63 has a columnar shape. The outer diameter of the rotation locking member 63 is smaller than the width of the auxiliary guide groove 44. When the slide 60 is moved integrally with the pin 50 when the pin 50 is moved in the circumferential direction along the guide groove 43 of the slide spacer 41, the rotation locking member 63 can be moved inside the auxiliary guide groove 44 along the extension direction of the guide groove 43. The rotation locking member 63 is also in contact with a side surface of the auxiliary guide groove 44, thereby preventing its movement in the width direction of the auxiliary guide groove 44, and thus always limiting the rotation of the slide 60 and the pin 50 about the central axis P. As a result, the rotation locking member 63 moves the pin 50 and the slide 60 parallel along the circumferential direction. When the pin 50 is positioned at the circumferential end of the guide groove 43, the rotation locking member 63 is positioned at the circumferential end of the auxiliary guide groove 44, and further movement in the circumferential direction is prevented. However, the pin 50 and the slide 60 are allowed to rotate slightly about the central axis P within a range in which the rotation locking member 63 can be moved within the width of the auxiliary guide groove 44. In the present embodiment, parallel movement along the circumferential direction is practically synonymous with rotational movement about the rotation axis O.

[0057] The pawl body 70 is arranged on the same side as the ratchet wheel 30 in the axial direction relative to the barrel bridge 12. The pawl body 70 is provided with a through hole 71 into which the pin 50 is inserted. The pawl body 70 is rotatably supported by the support portion 55a of the pawl screw 53. Accordingly, the pawl body 70 is arranged so as to be rotatable about the central axis P of the pin 50 relative to the slide 60. The pawl body 70 is inclined from a predetermined position with the pin 50 and the slide 60, and does not contact the barrel bridge 12 in a state where the slide 60 is in contact with at least one of the lower surfaces of the barrel bridge 12 and the upper surface of the slide spacer 41 and cannot be further inclined.

[0058] Figure 7 is a plan view of the movement showing an enlarged vicinity of the ratchet wheel according to the first embodiment.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 7, the ratchet body 70 extends on both sides of the central axis P of the pin 50 in the circumferential direction. The ratchet body 70 comprises a finger 72 and a contact portion 73. The finger 72 meshes with the ratchet wheel 30. The finger 72 is arranged clockwise relative to the pin 50. The finger 72 projects toward the rotation axis O. The finger 72 is tapered in the axial direction so as to enter a groove between a pair of teeth 31 of the ratchet wheel 30. The contact portion 73 is an end surface of the ratchet body 70 in the counterclockwise direction. The contact portion 73 is formed to be in surface contact with a side wall surface of the pawl housing 13b in a state where the pin 50 is positioned near one end of the guide groove 43 in the counterclockwise direction. When the pawl body 70 is pressed in the counterclockwise direction, the contact portion 73 is brought into contact with the side wall surface of the pawl housing 13b to restrict rotation of the pawl body 70 about the pin 50.

[0060] It is desirable that the slide spacer 41, the slide body 61, and the pawl body 70 are made of a material having a higher yield strength than that of the barrel bridge 12. The yield strength of the slide spacer 41 is preferably greater than or equal to 500 MPa, and preferably greater than or equal to 1000 MPa. For example, the slide spacer 41, the slide body 61, and the pawl body 70 are made of a metal material such as iron or stainless steel. Furthermore, it is desirable that an outer surface of a member in sliding contact with the barrel bridge 12 be provided with a treatment layer having a higher wear resistance than a base material of the barrel bridge 12. The slide spacer 41, the slide body 61, and the pawl body 70 may be ceramic.

[0061] The ratchet spring 80 is provided to be able to act in compression on the pawl body 70 so as to push the finger 72 of the pawl body 70 towards the ratchet wheel 30. The ratchet spring 80 is arranged on the same side (upper side) as the pawl body 70 in the axial direction relative to the barrel bridge 12. The ratchet spring 80 is supported by the barrel bridge 12 in a cantilevered manner, i.e. with a free end. The ratchet spring 80 comprises a fixed portion 81 fixed to the barrel bridge 12 and an elastic portion 86 extending from the fixed portion 81, and which is formed to be deflected and deformable, which are formed integrally with each other. The fixed part 81 is arranged clockwise relative to the pawl body 70. The fixed part 81 is provided with a first pin hole 82 into which the guide pin 16 is inserted, and a second pin hole 83 into which the locking screw 18 is inserted. The fixed part 81 is prevented from separating from the barrel bridge 12 by a hooking surface of the locking screw 18.

[0062] The elastic portion 86 extends counterclockwise from the fixed portion 81 toward the ratchet body 70. The distal portion of the elastic portion 86 is disposed on the opposite side of the ratchet wheel 30, with the ratchet body 70 interposed therebetween. The distal portion of the elastic portion 86 includes a sliding contact surface 87 facing the ratchet wheel 30. The sliding contact surface 87 extends along the circumferential direction. The sliding contact surface 87 approaches the rotation axis O as one moves from one end portion in the counterclockwise direction to the other end portion in the clockwise direction. The sliding contact surface 87 has a spacing with the pawl body 70 which allows contact therewith when it pivots about the axis 50.

[0063] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of Figure 7.

[0064] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a positioning portion 90 is provided in the barrel bridge 12. The positioning portion 90 is disposed on the side opposite the guide pin with respect to the cylindrical screw 17 in the circumferential direction. The positioning portion 90 is arranged as a separate part of the barrel bridge 12 and is in the form of a column. The positioning portion 90 is driven into a circular hole formed in the barrel bridge 12 which is coaxial with the positioning portion 90. The positioning portion 90 protrudes out of the barrel bridge 12 in the direction of the ratchet spring 80. The positioning portion 90 is in contact with the elastic portion 86 of the ratchet spring 80 of the ratchet wheel 30. The positioning portion 90 is in contact with the portion of the elastic portion 86 of the ratchet spring 80 closer to the fixed portion 81 than to the distal portion. An elastic restoring force of the elastic portion 86 acts on the positioning portion 90. The positioning portion 90 prevents the distal end of the elastic portion 86 from approaching the ratchet body 70 under the elastic restoring force of the elastic portion 86.

[0065] The positioning portion 90 includes a restriction portion 91 protruding in the plane direction. The restriction portion 91 faces the elastic portion 86 of the snap spring 80 from the opposite side of the barrel bridge 12. The restriction portion 91 limits the axial displacement of the elastic portion 86. In the illustrated example, the restriction portion 91 is in contact with a restriction wall 19 erected over the barrel bridge 12. The restriction wall 19 is formed to cover the shaft of the positioning portion 90 from the opposite side of the elastic portion 86. When the restriction portion 91 is brought into contact with the restriction wall 19, the positioning portion 90 is positioned relative to the barrel bridge 12 in the direction from top to bottom.

[0066] Figure 9 is a plan view of the movement illustrating the operation of the ratchet unit according to the first embodiment.

[0067] The operation of the ratchet body 70 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 9. In the following description, the movement of the ratchet body 70 about the pin 50 is called pivoting, and the movement of the ratchet body 70 about the axis of rotation O is called rotation.

[0068] When the ratchet wheel 30 is rotated clockwise while winding the mainspring 23, a clockwise force is applied to the pawl body 70 via the finger 72. At this time, when the pawl body 70 attempts to pivot counterclockwise so that the finger 72 deviates from a groove corresponding to a gap between two consecutive teeth of the ratchet wheel 30, the pawl body 70 is brought into contact with the ratchet spring 80 and is compressed toward the ratchet wheel 30. Therefore, the state in which the finger 72 meshes with the ratchet wheel 30 is maintained.

[0069] Here, since the pawl body 70 is rotatably mounted around the pin 50, the pawl body 70 rotates clockwise with the pin 50 guided by the guide groove 43 of the slide spacer 41 and moving in the guide groove 43. At this time, an outer circumferential surface of the pin 50 (an outer circumferential surface of the collar 52 of the pin body 51) slides on a side wall surface of the guide groove 43. The pawl body 70 thus does not come into contact with the barrel bridge 12 during its rotational movement.

[0070] When the pin 50 reaches about one end of the guide groove 43 in the clockwise direction in response to the clockwise rotation of the ratchet wheel 30, the clockwise rotation of the pawl body 70 is stopped. In this state, when the ratchet wheel 30 is rotated clockwise again, the pawl body 70 pivots counterclockwise so as to release the finger 72 from the groove of the ratchet wheel 30 in which it is positioned. On the other hand, when the ratchet body 70 rotates counterclockwise, the ratchet spring 80 is brought into contact with the ratchet body 70 and pushes the ratchet body 70 toward the ratchet wheel 30. Therefore, when the finger 72 passes the top of a tooth of the ratchet wheel 30, the ratchet body rotates clockwise again, so that the finger 72 enters the next groove of the tooth of the ratchet wheel 30. In this way, when the ratchet wheel 30 is rotated clockwise, the ratchet body 70 swings back and forth so that the finger 72 passes the teeth 31 of the ratchet wheel 30 one by one (see FIG. 9). When the ratchet body 70 pivots in this manner, that is, in a swinging motion, the inner circumferential surface of the through hole 71 of the ratchet body 70 slides on the outer circumferential surface of the support portion 55a of the ratchet screw 53.

[0071] The ratchet spring 80 is brought into contact with the pawl body 70 when the finger 72 pivots to pass the teeth 31 of the ratchet wheel 30, regardless of the position of the pawl body 70 in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, the ratchet spring 80 is spaced from the pawl body 70 in at least a part of a state where the finger 72 meshes with the ratchet wheel 30 and the pawl body 70 rotates. In the present embodiment, the ratchet spring 80 is spaced from the pawl body 70 in the state where the pawl body 70 is positioned at its counterclockwise end within its rotation range, and the finger 72 meshes with the ratchet wheel 30 (see FIG. 7). The ratchet spring 80 is also spaced from the ratchet body 70 in the state where the ratchet body 70 is positioned at the clockwise end within its rotation range and the finger 72 meshes with the ratchet wheel 30 (see FIG. 9). In other words, the ratchet body 70 is spaced from the ratchet spring 80 during the entire process of the finger 72 meshing with the ratchet wheel 30 during its rotational movement. However, upon meshing of the finger 72 with the ratchet wheel 30 and rotating in a clockwise direction, the pawl body 70 can transition from a state where it can be spaced from the ratchet spring 80 to a state where the pawl body 70 is in forced contact with the ratchet spring 80.

[0072] When the winding of the mainspring 23 is stopped, a counterclockwise torque acts on the ratchet wheel 30 under the action of a restoring force tending to unwind the mainspring 23. The ratchet wheel 30 then begins to rotate counterclockwise. At this time, as in the case of winding of the mainspring 23, since the state in which the finger 72 is in meshing with the ratchet wheel 30 under the action of the ratchet spring 80 is maintained, the ratchet body 70 rotates counterclockwise with the pin 50 and the slide 60 in response to the reverse rotation of the ratchet wheel 30.

[0073] When the pin 50 reaches the vicinity of the end of the guide groove 43 in the counterclockwise direction in response to the reverse rotation of the ratchet wheel 30 in the counterclockwise direction, the contact portion 73 of the pawl body 70 comes into contact with the surface of the side wall of the pawl housing 13b. At this time, since the contact portion 73 is held in compression against the surface of the side wall of the pawl housing 13b in the counterclockwise direction by the ratchet wheel 30, the pivoting of the pawl body 70 is no longer possible. Accordingly, the state in which the finger 72 is in gear engagement with the ratchet wheel 30 is maintained, thereby limiting the rotation of the ratchet wheel 30 in the counterclockwise direction.

[0074] As described above, the movement 9 according to the present embodiment comprises: the sliding spacer 41 arranged so as not to be movable relative to the barrel bridge 12, and provided with the guide groove 43 extending along the circumferential direction around the rotation axis O; the pin 50, the central axis P of which extends along the axial direction, and which is configured to be inserted into the guide groove 43, and configured to be moved around the rotation axis O along the guide groove 43; the slide 60 arranged along the spacer 41 and configured to retain the pin 50; and the pawl body 70 supported by the pin 50, rotatably arranged about the central axis P relative to the barrel bridge 12, and including the finger 72 which meshes with the ratchet wheel 30. In such a configuration, when the ratchet wheel 30 is rotated in the case of winding of the mainspring 23, a force acting in the direction of rotation of the ratchet wheel 30 is applied to the pawl body 70 via the finger 72. Since the pawl body 70 is supported by the pin 50, the pawl body 70 rotates about the rotation axis O in the same direction as the ratchet wheel 30, the pin 50 being guided by the guide groove 43 and moving in the guide groove 43. When the winding of the mainspring 23 is stopped, a torque in one direction opposite to that of the rotation at the time of winding acts on the ratchet wheel 30 by means of a restoring force tending to relax (i.e. unwind) the mainspring 23. Then, the ratchet wheel 30 starts to rotate in the reverse direction. At this time, in response to the reverse rotation of the ratchet wheel 30, the pawl body 70 rotates about the rotation axis O with the pin 50 in the same direction as the ratchet wheel 30. In this way, when the winding of the mainspring 23 is stopped, the reverse rotation of the ratchet wheel 30 is allowed over the entire length of the guide groove 43 together with the rotation of the pawl body 70, and it is thus possible to prevent the transmission of excessive torque from the mainspring 23 to the escapement and speed control mechanism.

[0075] Since the guide groove 43 that guides the rotation of the pawl body 70 about the rotation axis O is formed in the slide spacer 41, it is possible to prevent sliding contact with the upper surface of the barrel bridge 12 when the pawl body 70 and the pin 50 rotate about the rotation axis O. Therefore, it is possible to improve the wear resistance of the movement 9 with respect to the rotation of the pawl body 70 about the rotation axis O without, for example, having to change the material or perform surface treatment on the barrel bridge 12. Furthermore, since the slide 60 that retains the pin 50 is arranged along the slide spacer 41, the pin 50 cannot be inclined relative to the slide spacer 41, and the pawl body 70 supported by the pin 50 can be prevented from unintentionally coming into sliding contact with the upper surface of the barrel bridge 12. Therefore, in a movement 9 which can prevent the transmission of excessive torque from the mainspring 23 to the escapement and speed control mechanism, it is possible to prevent wear of a component without deteriorating its appearance.

[0076] Furthermore, since the slide spacer 41, the pin 50, the slide 60 and the pawl body 70 are arranged so as to be able to constitute an operational unit, when this unit is scratched, it is possible to replace a worn component by replacing this unit without replacing the barrel bridge 12. Therefore, the after-sales service performance can be improved.

[0077] The slide 60 is disposed between the barrel bridge 12 and the slide spacer 41. According to this configuration, the portion where the slide 60 slides relative to the barrel bridge 12 and the slide spacer 41 in response to the rotation of the pin 50 is positioned between the barrel bridge 12 and the slide spacer 41. Therefore, even when oil is applied to a sliding portion between the barrel bridge 12 and the slide 60, and to a sliding portion between the slide spacer 41 and the slide 60, it is possible to prevent the oil from flowing to an outer surface of the movement 9. Therefore, deterioration of the appearance of the movement 9 can be avoided.

[0078] In addition, the sliding spacer 41 is disposed on the lower side of the barrel bridge 12. According to this configuration, the portion where the slide 60 slides relative to the barrel bridge 12 and the sliding spacer 41 in response to the rotation of the pin 50 is positioned on the lower side of the barrel bridge 12. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the oil that has been applied to the sliding portion of the slide 60 from flowing to the front of the barrel bridge 12, thereby affecting the appearance of the movement 9. It is therefore possible to prevent the deterioration of the appearance of the movement 9.

[0079] The pawl body 70 is rotatably supported by the pin 50. According to this configuration, a sliding portion generated when the pawl body 70 rotates about the central axis P of the pin 50 appears at a contact portion between the pawl body 70 and the pin 50. Therefore, the sliding portion generated when the pawl body 70 rotates about the rotation axis O and the sliding portion generated when the pawl body 70 rotates about the central axis P of the pin 50 can be made distinct. It is therefore possible to prevent wear of a component by dissociating the sliding portions generated during an operation relating to the winding of the mainspring 23.

[0080] The sliding spacer 41 is provided with the auxiliary guide groove 44 which extends along the guide groove 43 when viewed in the axial direction. The slide 60 includes the rotation blocking member 63 which is inserted into the auxiliary guide groove 44 and can be moved inside the auxiliary guide groove 44 along the extension direction of the guide groove 43. The movement of the rotation blocking member 63 in the width direction of the auxiliary guide groove 44 is limited, thereby preventing the slide 60 from rotating about the center axis P when the pin 50 is moved about the rotation axis O. According to this configuration, it is possible to prevent the slide 60 from rotating about the center axis P when the pin 50 rotates about the rotation axis O. Accordingly, the slide 60 can be rotated about the rotation axis O to a desired predetermined position. It is thus possible to prevent the occurrence of an unintentional sliding portion during the winding operation of the mainspring 23.

[0081] The yield strength of the slide spacer 41 is greater than the yield strength of the barrel bridge 12. In such a configuration, the slide spacer 41 has a higher hardness than the barrel bridge 12, and is less likely to wear. Therefore, compared with a configuration in which a groove, an elongated hole or the like that guides the rotation of the pin 50 about the rotation axis O is formed in the barrel bridge 12 instead of the slide spacer 41, it is possible to improve the wear resistance of the movement 9 against the rotation of the pawl body 70 about the rotation axis O.

[0082] The pin 50 cannot move in the circumferential direction when in contact with the slide spacer 41 at the circumferential ends of the guide groove 43. According to this configuration, a rotation range of the pawl body 70 about the rotation axis O can be defined by the pin 50 and the slide spacer 41 without using any other components. It is therefore possible to obtain a movement 9 that has the aforementioned operation and beneficial effects while avoiding the increase in the number of components and without deteriorating the ease of assembly.

[0083] The slide 60 extends from the pin hole 62 toward the meshing portion between the pawl body 70 and the ratchet wheel 30 so as to overlap the slide spacer 41 when viewed in the axial direction. In this configuration, when the pawl body 70 is pulled by the ratchet wheel 30 in a state where the pin 50 is in contact with the slide spacer 41 at the clockwise end of the guide groove 43, a portion of the slide 60 extending from the pin hole 62 toward the meshing portion between the pawl body 70 and the ratchet wheel 30 is brought into contact with the slide spacer 41, and it is possible to prevent the slide 60 from tilting. Therefore, it is also possible to prevent the pin 50 and the pawl body 70 from tilting relative to a predetermined position, and it is also possible to prevent the pawl body 70 from coming into contact with the barrel bridge 12.

[0084] The movement 9 further comprises the positioning portion 90 configured to prevent the ratchet spring 80 from approaching the ratchet body 70. The ratchet spring 80 is supported in a cantilever manner, i.e. with a free end, and the positioning portion 90 comprises the restriction portion 91 projecting in the plane direction and which is configured to limit the movement of the ratchet spring 80 in the axial direction. According to this configuration, by contacting the ratchet spring 80 with the positioning portion 90 in a constant compression state, it is possible to prevent any variation in the gap between the ratchet spring 80 and the ratchet body 70, and thereby stabilize the operation of the ratchet body 70. Furthermore, when the ratchet spring 80 held in a cantilever position is bent due to an impact such as a fall, the movement of the ratchet spring 80 can be restricted by the restriction portion 91. Thus, it is possible to prevent the ratchet spring 80 from deviating from a predetermined position relative to the ratchet body 70.

[0085] The upper edge of the cylindrical screw 17 is positioned below the upper edge of the guide pin. According to this configuration, when the detent spring 80 is fixed to the barrel bridge 12, when the detent spring 80 is inclined such that the elastic portion 86 is inserted into a lower side of the restriction part 91 of the positioning part 90, the positions of the upper edges of the cylindrical screw 17 and the guide pin 16 can be adapted to the inclination of the detent spring 80. In other words, since the upper edge of the cylindrical screw 17 disposed closer to the fixed part 81 than the guide pin 16 is below the upper edge of the guide pin, the upper edges of the cylindrical screw 17 and the guide pin 16 are disposed along a lower surface of the detent spring 80 inclined such that the elastic portion 86 is positioned below the fixed part 81. Therefore, it is possible to prevent any increase in the tilt angle of the ratchet spring 80 when the ratchet spring 80 is attached to the barrel bridge 12. Consequently, an easy-to-assemble movement 9 is obtained.

[0086] Furthermore, the timepiece 1 according to the present embodiment comprises the aforementioned movement 9, and it is thus possible to obtain a timepiece having excellent appearance and precision, and exhibiting high reliability in which wear of a component is avoided.

[Second embodiment]

[0087] In the following, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 10. In the first embodiment, the pin 50 and the slide 60 are arranged as separate parts. In this respect, the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a pin 150 and a slide 160 are formed integrally, i.e., as a single piece. Configurations other than those to be described below are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0088] Figure 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of a slide and a pin body according to the second embodiment.

[0089] As shown in FIG. 10, the snap unit 40 comprises the slide 160 and the pin 150 instead of the slide 60 and the pin 50 according to the first embodiment. The slide 160 comprises a slide body 161 and a rotation locking member 163 which are integrally formed with each other, and corresponds to a configuration in which the slide body 61 and the rotation locking member 63 according to the first embodiment are integrated with each other. The pin 150 comprises a pin body 151 integrally formed with the slide body 161. The pin body 151 corresponds to a configuration in which the pin body 51 according to the first embodiment is integrated with the slide body 161. The ratchet screw 53 is screwed into the pin body 151.

[0090] In the present embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment are achieved. Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, since the pin 150 is integrally formed with the slide 160, compared with a configuration in which the pin is provided separately from the slide, it is possible to reduce the number of components and improve the ease of assembly of the movement 9.

[Third embodiment]

[0091] In the following, a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 to 13. In the first embodiment, the pin 50 rotatably supports the pawl body 70. In this regard, the third embodiment is distinguished from the first embodiment by the fact that a pin 350 non-rotatably supports the pawl body 70, i.e., where the pin 350 and the pawl body 70 are rotationally integral. Configurations other than those to be described below are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0092] Figure 11 is a sectional view of a movement according to the third embodiment, and is an enlarged view of a section corresponding to Figure 3.

[0093] As shown in FIG. 11, the ratchet unit 40 comprises a slide spacer 341 and a pin 350 instead of the slide spacer 41 and the pin 50 according to the first embodiment. The pin 350 is fixed between the upper end surface of the pin body 51 and the head 54 of the ratchet screw 53, with the ratchet body 70 interposed therebetween. In other words, the ratchet body 70 is provided to be non-rotatable relative to the slide 60, i.e., rotationally integral with respect to the latter.

[0094] Figure 12 is a plan view showing the sliding spacer according to the third embodiment.

[0095] As shown in FIG. 12, the sliding spacer 341 is provided with an internal auxiliary guide groove 344a instead of the internal auxiliary guide groove 44a according to the first embodiment. When the pin 350 is positioned at the end of the guide groove 43 in the clockwise direction in a state where the pawl body 70 and the ratchet wheel 30 are in mutual mesh engagement, the inner auxiliary guide groove 344a extends further in the clockwise direction than the position where the rotation locking member 63 is located. In FIG. 12, the pin 350 and the rotation locking member 63 when the pin 350 is positioned at the end of the guide groove 43 in the clockwise direction in the state where the pawl body 70 and the ratchet wheel 30 are in mutual mesh engagement are indicated by imaginary lines (dotted).

[0096] Figure 13 is a plan view of the movement showing an enlarged vicinity of the ratchet wheel according to the third embodiment.

[0097] As shown in FIG. 13, when the ratchet wheel 30 is further rotated in a clockwise direction in a state where the pin 350 is positioned near the end of the clockwise guide groove 43, the pawl body 70 attempts to pivot counterclockwise together with the slide 60 such that the finger 72 is released from the toothing of the ratchet wheel 30, i.e., moving away from the groove between two consecutive teeth. At this time, the rotation blocking member 63 inserted into the inner auxiliary guide groove 344a moves further into the inner auxiliary guide groove 344a in a clockwise direction along the circumferential direction, and the rotation blocking member 63 inserted into the outer auxiliary guide groove 44b moves in a counterclockwise direction along the circumferential direction in the outer auxiliary guide groove 44b, such that the slide 60 rotates counterclockwise about the center axis P simultaneously with the pin 350 and the pawl body 70. In other words, in the present embodiment, when the pin 350 is moved about the rotation axis O, the rotation blocking member 63 comes into contact with the side surfaces of the auxiliary guide grooves 344a and 44b to limit the movement of the groove 344a. auxiliary guide 44 in the width direction, thereby limiting the rotation of the slide 60 and the pin 350 about the central axis P. On the other hand, the rotation locking member 63 allows the slide 60 and the pin 350 to pivot and swing in a reciprocating motion when the pin 350 is positioned at the end of the guide groove 43 in the clockwise direction.

[0098] In the present embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment are achieved. Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, since the pawl body 70 is provided to be non-rotatable relative to the slide 60, it is possible to prevent the pawl body 70 from rotating around the pin 350 when the pin 350 rotates around the rotation axis O. Accordingly, by rotating the pawl body 70 around the pin 350 at an unnecessary time, for example when the pawl body 70 is moved around the rotation axis O, it is possible to prevent wear from occurring due to contact with surrounding components such as the ratchet spring 80 with a force greater than necessary.

[0099] In the present embodiment, the ratchet body 70 is secured to the pin 350 by the ratchet screw 53, but the method of securing the ratchet body is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the ratchet body may be secured by being pressed into the pin, or may be provided not to rotate relative to the pin using an angle guide. Furthermore, the ratchet body may be glued to the pin.

[Fourth embodiment]

[0100] In the following, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 14. In the first embodiment, the auxiliary guide groove 44 in which the rotation locking member 63 is inserted is formed in the slide spacer 41. In this regard, the fourth embodiment is distinguished from the first embodiment by the fact that an auxiliary guide groove 15 in which a rotation locking member 463 is inserted is formed in the barrel bridge 12. The configurations other than those which will be described below are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0101] Figure 14 is a sectional view of a movement according to the fourth embodiment, and is an enlarged view of a section corresponding to Figure 3.

[0102] As shown in FIG. 14, the auxiliary guide groove 15 is formed in the lower surface of the barrel bridge 12. The auxiliary guide groove 15 is not through with respect to the barrel bridge 12. The auxiliary guide groove 15 is formed away from the penetrating portion 14. The auxiliary guide groove 15 includes an inner auxiliary guide groove 15a positioned closer to the rotation axis O than the penetrating portion 14, and an outer auxiliary guide groove 15b positioned opposite the inner auxiliary guide groove 15a, with the penetrating portion 14 interposed therebetween. The inner auxiliary guide groove 15a and the outer auxiliary guide groove 15b are formed separately from each other in a spaced manner relative to the penetrating portion 14. The inner auxiliary guide groove 15a and the outer auxiliary guide groove 15b extend separately along the circumferential direction with a constant width. In the present embodiment, the shape of the auxiliary guide groove 15 coincides with the shape of the auxiliary guide groove 44 according to the first embodiment, as viewed in the axial direction.

[0103] The snap unit 40 comprises a slide spacer 441 and a slide 460 instead of the slide spacer 41 and the slide 60 according to the first embodiment. The slide spacer 441 is designed similarly to the slide spacer 41 according to the first embodiment, except that an auxiliary guide groove is not formed. The slide 460 comprises the rotation locking member 463 instead of the rotation locking member 63 according to the first embodiment. The rotation locking member 463 protrudes out of the slide body 61 toward the barrel bridge 12. In the present embodiment, the rotation locking member 463 is arranged separately from the slide body 61, and is supported by the slide body 61 so as not to be displaced by being inserted by driving into a through hole formed in the slide body 61. In this case, the rotation locking member 463 is arranged so as not to protrude from the slide body 61 toward the slide spacer 441. Rotation locking members 463 are provided in one-to-one correspondence with each auxiliary guide groove 15. The rotation locking members 463 are inserted into the respective auxiliary guide grooves 15.

[0104] In the present embodiment, since the rotation locking member 463 moves the pin 50 and the slide 460 in parallel along the circumferential direction, the same effects as those of the first embodiment are achieved. Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, since the auxiliary guide groove is not formed in the slide spacer 441, the strength of the slide spacer 441 can be improved.

[Fifth embodiment]

[0105] In the following, a fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 15. In the first embodiment, the pawl body 70 is directly supported by the pin 50. In this regard, the fifth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the pawl body 70 is supported by the pin 50 via a spacer 558 (first spacer). Configurations other than those to be described below are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0106] Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of a snap-fit unit according to the fifth embodiment.

[0107] As shown in FIG. 15, the ratchet unit 40 further comprises a spacer 558. The spacer 558 is made of metal. The spacer 558 has a cylindrical shape. An inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface of the spacer 558 extend separately in the axial direction with a constant diameter. The spacer 558 is mounted around the support portion 55a of the ratchet screw 53, and is interposed between an outer circumferential surface of the ratchet screw 53 and the inner circumferential surface of the through hole 71 of the ratchet body 70. The spacer 558 is rotatable relative to at least one of the pin 50 and the ratchet body 70.

[0108] In the present embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment are achieved. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, compared with a configuration in which the pawl body 70 is in sliding contact with the pin, it is possible to reduce the sliding resistance caused by the rotation of the pawl body 70 about the central axis P. Therefore, the pawl body 70 can be operated even more smoothly. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent wear of the pin 50 and the pawl body 70.

[0109] The spacer 558 may not be made of a metallic material and may be made of, for example, a precious stone such as ruby or zirconia. Accordingly, the operation and effects are the same as those of the fifth embodiment above.

[Sixth embodiment]

[0110] In the following, a sixth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 16. In the first embodiment, the pin 50 is in sliding contact with the side wall surface of the guide groove 43 of the slide spacer 41. In this regard, the sixth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a spacer 658 (second spacer) mounted around the pin 50 is in sliding contact with the side wall surface of the guide groove 43. Configurations other than those to be described below are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0111] Figure 16 is a sectional view showing a snap-fit unit according to the sixth embodiment.

[0112] As shown in FIG. 16, the snap unit 40 includes a pin body 651 instead of the pin body 51 according to the first embodiment. A lower end of the pin body 651 includes the collar 52 positioned inside the guide groove 43, and a protruding portion 656 adjacent to the bottom of the collar 52 and protruding radially outward from the collar 52. The outer diameter of the collar 52 is less than the width of the guide groove 43. The protruding portion 656 is positioned below the guide groove 43. The protruding portion 656 has the shape of a circular ring that extends continuously over the entire circumference around the central axis P. The outer diameter of the protruding portion 656 is greater than the width of the guide groove 43.

[0113] The snap-in unit 40 further comprises a spacer 658. The spacer 658 is made of metal. The spacer 658 has a cylindrical shape. An inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface of the spacer 658 extend separately in the axial direction with a constant diameter. The spacer 658 is mounted around the collar 52 of the body of the pin 651. The spacer 658 is mounted rotatably relative to the body of the pin 651. The outer diameter of the spacer 658 substantially coincides with the width of the guide groove 43. The spacer 658 is positioned inside the guide groove 43 and rests on the projecting portion 656 of the body of the pin 651. The outer circumferential surface of the spacer 658 directly faces the surface of the side wall of the guide groove 43 and is in sliding contact with the surface of the side wall of the guide groove 43. The inner diameter of the spacer 658 is less than the width of the guide groove 43.

[0114] In the present embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment are achieved. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, when the pin 50 is moved in the circumferential direction in the guide groove 43, the spacer 658 mounted around the pin body 651 can be brought into sliding contact with the side wall surface of the guide groove 43, and can be rotated and rolled on the side wall surface of the guide groove 43. Therefore, compared with a configuration in which the pin body is directly in sliding contact with the side wall surface of the guide groove 43, the sliding resistance caused by movement of the pin 50 in the circumferential direction can be reduced. Therefore, the pawl body 70 can be operated more smoothly. Furthermore, it is possible to avoid any wear of the pin 50 and the sliding spacer 41.

[0115] Spacer 658 may not be made of a metallic material and may be made of, for example, a gemstone such as ruby or zirconia. In this case, the spacer 658 can be driven into the collar 52 of the pin body 651 and made rotatably integral with the pin body 651. Since the spacer 658 is made of a gemstone, when the pin 50 is moved in the circumferential direction in the guide groove 43, the gemstone mounted on the pin body 651 can be brought into sliding contact with the side wall surface of the guide groove 43. Therefore, compared with a configuration in which the pin body is directly in sliding contact with the side wall surface of the guide groove 43, wear of the pin 50 and the sliding spacer 41 can be further prevented.

[Seventh embodiment]

[0116] In the following, a seventh embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 17. In the first embodiment, the snap spring 80 is arranged separately from the snap unit 40. In this regard, the seventh embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a snap spring 780 is incorporated in the snap unit 40. Configurations other than those described below are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0117] Figure 17 is a sectional view showing a portion of the snap-fit unit according to the seventh embodiment.

[0118] As shown in FIG. 17, the ratchet spring 780 directly pushes the ratchet body 70 against the pin 50. The spring 780 is interposed between the upper end of the pin body 51 and the lower surface of the ratchet body 70. The ratchet spring 780 is a torsion coil spring, one end of which is fixed to the pin body 51 and the other end of which is fixed to the ratchet body 70.

[0119] In the present embodiment, the effects are the same as those of the first embodiment. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the ratchet spring 80 can be omitted and the ratchet body 70 can be constantly compressed so as to push the finger 72 of the ratchet body 70 toward the ratchet wheel 30 without the ratchet spring 80 and the ratchet body 70 being scratched by the sliding movement of the ratchet spring 80 and the ratchet body 70.

[0120] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above with reference to the drawings, and various modifications are conceivable within the technical scope of the invention.

[0121] For example, in the above example, the guide groove 43 completely passes through the slide spacer 41 in the axial direction, but a guide groove may not completely pass through a slide spacer. The same is true for the auxiliary guide groove formed in the slide spacer.

[0122] In the above embodiment, the ratchet wheel 30 is disposed on the upper side of the barrel bridge 12, but the ratchet wheel may be disposed on the lower side of the barrel bridge. In this case, even when the slide spacer and the slide are disposed on the upper side of the barrel bridge, a sliding contact portion of the slide is positioned on the lower side of the slide spacer, and thus it is possible to prevent oil that has been applied to the sliding portion of the slide from leaking to the front of the slide spacer and adversely impacting the appearance of the movement. Thus, deterioration of the appearance of the movement can be avoided.

[0123] In the above embodiment, the pin 50 supports the pawl body 70 by screwing the pawl screw 53 to the pin body 51, but the invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, an element instead of the pawl screw 53 may be mounted by driving inside the pin body 51.

[0124] In the above example, the pawl body 70 is supported by the pawl screw 53 of the pin 50, but the invention is not limited to such a configuration. The pawl body may be mounted on the pin body and supported by the pin body.

[0125] In the above embodiment, the slide 60 has a semicircular shape in top view, but there is no particular limitation on the shape of the slide. For example, the slide may have a rectangular shape in top view. However, it is desirable that the slide be arranged to extend from the pin hole 62 at least in a clockwise direction and toward the rotation axis O, regardless of the shape in a plan view. Therefore, when the pawl body 70 is pulled by the ratchet wheel 30, the slide comes into contact with the spacer 41, and it is possible to prevent the slide from tilting. Therefore, it is also possible to prevent the pin 50 and the pawl body 70 from tilting from a predetermined position, and it is also possible to prevent the pawl body 70 from contacting the barrel bridge 12.

[0126] In the above embodiment, the positioning portion 90 comprises a restriction portion 91 protruding in the plane direction, but the invention is not limited to this configuration. The positioning portion may not comprise such a restriction portion 91. In this case, the positioning portion may be integrally formed with the barrel bridge 12.

[0127] In the above example, the positioning portion 90 is formed coaxially with the circular hole formed in the barrel bridge 12, but the invention is not limited to such a configuration. The positioning portion may be an eccentric pin. In other words, the positioning portion may comprise an eccentric shaft that is eccentric with respect to the central axis of the circular hole of the barrel bridge 12. In this case, by bringing the elastic portion 86 into contact with an outer circumferential surface of the eccentric shaft, the bending deformation of the elastic portion 86 can be adjusted according to the angle of the positioning portion with respect to the barrel bridge 12. Therefore, the positioning of the sliding contact surface 87 of the elastic portion 86 with respect to the pawl body 70 can be easily adjusted.

[0128] Furthermore, the components of the embodiments described above can be appropriately replaced by known components without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the embodiments and modifications described above can be appropriately combined.

Claims (12)

1. A watch movement (9) comprising a ratchet wheel (30) provided to be able to wind a mainspring (23) of a barrel; a barrel bridge (12) configured to rotatably support the ratchet wheel (30) about an axis of rotation (O); a sliding spacer (41) arranged so as not to be movable relative to the barrel bridge (12), and provided with a guide groove (43) extending along a circumferential direction about the axis of rotation (O); a pin (50) having a central axis (P) extending along an axial direction of the axis of rotation (O), configured to be inserted into the guide groove (43), and configured to be moved about the axis of rotation (O) along the guide groove (43); a slide (60) arranged along the slide spacer (41) and configured to hold the pin (50); and a pawl body (70) supported by the pin (50), arranged to be rotatable about the central axis (P) relative to the barrel bridge (12), and comprising a finger (72) which meshes with the ratchet wheel (30). 2. Watch movement (9) according to claim 1, in which the slide (60) is arranged between the barrel bridge (12) and the sliding spacer (41). 3. A clockwork movement (9) according to claim 1, wherein the pawl body (70) is rotatably supported by the pin (50). 4. A timepiece movement (9) according to claim 1, wherein an auxiliary guide groove (44), extending along the guide groove (43) when viewed in the axial direction, is formed in one of the barrel bridge (12) and the slide spacer (41), and the slide (60) comprises a rotation locking member (63) configured so as to be insertable into the auxiliary guide groove (44) and to be moved inside the auxiliary guide groove (44) in an extension direction of the guide groove (44), and is prevented from rotating about the central axis (P) when the pin (50) is moved about the rotation axis (O) by limiting the movement of the rotation locking member (63) in the width direction of the auxiliary guide groove (44). 5. Clock movement (9) according to claim 4, in which the pawl body (70) is arranged so as to be integral in rotation with respect to the slide (60). 6. Watch movement (9) according to claim 1, in which the pin (50) is formed in one piece with the slide (60). 7. Watch movement (9) according to claim 1, in which the elastic limit of the sliding spacer (41) is greater than the elastic limit of the barrel bridge (12). 8. A watch movement (9) according to claim 1, wherein the pin (50) cannot move in the circumferential direction because it is in contact with the sliding spacer (41) at a circumferential end of the guide groove (43). 9. A watch movement (9) according to claim 1, further comprising a ratchet spring (80) disposed outside the ratchet body (70) and, which is provided to be able to exert a compressive force on the ratchet body (70) so as to push the finger (72) towards the ratchet wheel (30); and a positioning portion (90) configured to prevent the ratchet spring (80) from approaching the ratchet body (70), the ratchet spring (80) being supported in a cantilever manner, and the positioning portion (90) comprising a restriction portion (91) projecting in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction, and being configured to restrict any movement of the ratchet spring (80) in the axial direction. 10. A watch movement (9) according to claim 1, further comprising: a first spacer (558) mounted around the pin (50) and interposed between the pin (50) and the pawl body (70). 11. A watch movement (9) according to claim 1, further comprising: a second spacer (658) mounted around the pin (50) inside the guide groove (43). 12. Timepiece (1) comprising the watch movement according to one of claims 1 to 11.