EP2136271A1 - Display device for displaying one of two different indications using the same indicating element of a timepiece - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a switch mechanism comprising a rotating arbor kinematically connected to an indicator. A sliding wheel set is secured to a rotating arbor and provided for sliding via action of a manual control device to selectively occupy an axial position in which the sliding wheel set is coupled with a counter wheel set. The sliding wheel set is coupled with another counter wheel set in another axial position. Phase synchronization and lock units adjust an angular position of the rotating arbor of the counter wheel sets when the sliding wheel set occupies the axial positions.

Description

The present invention generally relates to a display device for a timepiece comprising a rotating analog indicator member, a mobile of a first counter and a mobile of a second counter whose angular positions are respectively representative of two magnitudes to be displayed by the indicating member. and a manually operated switching mechanism for selectively displaying the first or second magnitude by the indicating member. The present invention also relates to a timepiece comprising a display device of the above type.

Already known timepiece display devices corresponding to the definition above. The patent document CH 693'155 in particular discloses a switching mechanism which comprises two cores carried by two mobiles whose angular positions are respectively representative of two variables variables. The first mobile and the heart that it carries are rotated by the movement of the timepiece. In addition, similarly to what is known in split-second chronographs, a wheel carrying a needle is mounted freely on the axis of rotation of the first mobile. This wheel carries a lever which is permanently recalled against the side of the heart by a small spring.

With this prior mechanism, when the needle indicates the variable magnitude represented by the angular position of the second mobile. If the wearer of the timepiece wants to switch the display to know the first variable variable, it actuates a switching mechanism that acts, firstly, by decoupling the needle from the second heart. Once this decoupling is done, the needle is no longer connected to the wheel bearing the lever raised against the flank of the first heart. Under these conditions, the low pressure exerted by the lever is enough to slide it against the side of the heart, and thus to rotate the lever around the heart with the wheel that carries it. At the end of its run around the heart, the inclined lever is wedged to the base of the heart, the latter being thus coupled with the needle. It will therefore be understood that the action of the lever on the heart has the effect of bringing and maintaining the needle in the position corresponding to the state of the first variable variable.

According to this earlier document, the switching of the display in the opposite direction is considerably more complex. Indeed, the passage of the display of the first to that of the second variable variable involves a differential gear comprising a planet wheel integral with the second core of the mechanism.

An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a timepiece display device comprising a switching mechanism designed to selectively display a first or a second magnitude by the same indicator member, the mechanism being simpler and more compact than those that have been proposed so far. The present invention accomplishes this purpose by providing a display device according to claim 1.

It is important to clarify that the term "first (or second) meter mobile" in the claims not only refers to a chronograph counter wheel. This expression designates on the contrary, in general, any mobile whose angular position is representative of a magnitude likely to be displayed by a rotating analog indicator member.

• la figure 1 est une vue de dessus d'une montre bracelet avec chronographe comprenant un mécanisme d'affichage correspondant à un mode de réalisation particulier de la présente invention ;
• la figure 2 est un schéma de principe décrivant le fonctionnement de la montre chronographe de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est une vue de dessus du dispositif d'affichage selon l'invention intégré dans la montre chronographe des figures 1 et 2 (certains éléments du dispositif placés sous le cadran de la montre chronographe étant visible en transparence) ;
• la figure 4 est une vue en coupe du dispositif d'affichage de la figure 3 ;
• la figure 5 est une vue en perspective du dispositif d'affichage des figures 3 et 4 ;
• la figure 6 est une vue partielle du dispositif d'affichage des figures 3, 4 et 5 dans laquelle les mobiles de premier et de second compteur ont été omis pour montrer les moyens de synchronisation et de calage de la phase ainsi que d'autres éléments faisant partie d'un mode de réalisation particulier du mécanisme de commutation de l'invention.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear on reading the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• the figure 1 is a top view of a wristwatch with chronograph comprising a display mechanism corresponding to a particular embodiment of the present invention;
• the figure 2 is a schematic diagram describing the operation of the chronograph watch of the figure 1 ;
• the figure 3 is a top view of the display device according to the invention integrated into the chronograph watch of the figures 1 and 2 (certain elements of the device placed under the dial of the chronograph watch being visible in transparency);
• the figure 4 is a sectional view of the display device of the figure 3 ;
• the figure 5 is a perspective view of the display device of figures 3 and 4 ;
• the figure 6 is a partial view of the display device of the figures 3 , 4 and 5 wherein the first and second counter mobiles have been omitted to show the timing and timing means of the phase as well as other elements forming part of a particular embodiment of the switching mechanism of the invention.

As illustrated by figure 1 , the display device according to the present invention may, alternatively, be integrated in a chronograph watch 1. In the following description, the terms 3 hours, 6 hours, 9 hours, 12 hours, up, down, upper and lower are used with reference to a chronograph watch seen from above, that is to say seen from the dial side as in the figure 1 .

The chronograph watch 1 makes it possible to display the current time using an hour hand 10, a minute hand 11 and a small second hand 13 arranged at 3 o'clock. Conventionally, it also comprises a winding crown and time setting 3. To ensure the chronograph function, the watch also includes a chronograph mechanism that can be turned on manually and intended to measure the time elapsed since its start up. In this Indeed, the watch 1 usually comprises a first push button 5 placed at 2 o'clock and controlling the start and stop of the chronograph, and a second push button 7 placed at 4 o'clock and controlling the reset of the chronograph. It is intended to display the elapsed time using a central second hand indicating the seconds, a thirty-minute counter placed at 9 o'clock and equipped with a needle 18 and finally a counter of twelve hours placed at 6 o'clock and provided with a needle 21.

According to the invention, the chronograph watch of the figure 1 further comprises a manually operated switching mechanism for selectively displaying by the same indicator member either a first magnitude or a second magnitude. In the present example, the first magnitude is the elapsed time measured by the chronograph mechanism, and the second magnitude is the current time of a second time zone. It is the hand 21 of the hour meter 20 which constitutes the indicator organ intended to display the first and the second magnitude. We can see on the figure 1 that the watch 1 comprises two additional pushbuttons 23, 25. In the present example, a first of these additional pushbuttons 23, placed at 8 o'clock, fulfills the manual control function for the switching mechanism according to the invention. The function of the second additional pushbutton 25, placed at 10 o'clock, will be explained later.

If we now turn to the schematic diagram of the figure 2 it will be seen that, in a conventional manner, the chronograph watch 1 comprises a time base 30 associated with a frequency divider 32 for controlling the running of a display of the current time. The hands 10, 11 and 13 ensuring the display of the current time are also shown schematically on the figure 2 . The time base 30 may of course be in the form of a balance spring, and the frequency divider 32 may be constituted by the work train driving this balance. The chronograph watch shown is also equipped with a mechanism of the traditional type scheduled to cooperate with a timer train 42 so as to change the display hours 10 and minutes 11. The winding crown and setting time 3 controlling the setting mechanism at the time is also schematically represented in the figure 2 .

We still see on the figure 2 a chronograph mobile 34 which carries the second hand 15, a minute counter mobile 36 which carries the minute counter needle 18, and a clock counter mobile 38 intended to drive the counter needle 21; 20 hours via the switching mechanism 40 according to the invention. This switching mechanism, the operation of which will be described in detail later, is intended to be actuated manually by means of the push-button 23. With the exception of the switching mechanism 40, the elements which have just been described are components standard of a chronograph mechanism. The figure 2 is still schematically the first push button 5 provided to control the running and stopping of the chronograph mechanism, and the second push button 7 provided to control its reset.

Finally, the figure 2 still shows a mobile time "spindle" 44 which is provided to be alternately coupled with / decoupled from the hand 21 of the hour counter 20 by the switching mechanism 40. The mobile hours 44 is itself driven by the timer 42 via a time shift adjusting mechanism 46 controlled by the pushbutton 25.

A particular embodiment of the display device according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the figures 3 , 4 , 5 and 6 . As has already been said, in the present embodiment, it is the chronograph hour counter which is provided to display alternately one or the other of two indications. In other words, according to the present example, it is the hour meter hand 21 which constitutes the indicator member of the display device of the present invention.

The figure 6 shows in detail an embodiment of the rotary shaft 73 and the moving mobile, or selector 71, which are in the center of the switching mechanism of the invention. As can be seen, in the example illustrated, the rotary shaft 73 of the switching mechanism is a vertically oriented axis (perpendicular to the plane of the watch) at one end of which is mounted directly the counter needle. At its other end, the rotary shaft 73 has a long square 75 on which the selector 71, whose hole is also square, has the possibility of sliding between a first and a second extreme axial position. The cooperation of the two squares, that of the rotary shaft and that of the selector, makes it possible to make these two elements integral in rotation with one another.

The figures 4 , 5 and 6 shows the selector 71 in the first axial position, that is to say in the lower position, pressed against the wheel, or mobile, hour meter 38. In this position, the selector is coupled to the hour counter wheel , and the latter can therefore drive the selector in rotation. It will thus be understood that in first axial position, the hour hand of the hour counter 21 is connected to the hour counter wheel 38 so as to indicate the elapsed hours measured by the chronograph mechanism.

It will be understood that when the selector 71 is in the second axial position, that is to say in the upper position (not shown), it is pressed against the wheel, or mobile, hours "spindle" 44. In the second axial position, the selector is coupled to the hour wheel "spindle".

The switching mechanism of the invention also includes first and second means for synchronizing and stalling the phase to synchronize the rotary shaft with the mobile that drives it. Only the second means of synchronization and timing of the phase, which are provided to adjust the angular position of the shaft 73 to that of the hour wheel 44, are visible on the figure 6 . These synchronization means comprise a bell cam 81 formed in the upper face of the selector 71 and a cam follower, or index 83, integral with the "spindle" hours wheel 44. When the selector 71 is pressed against the wheel 44, the index 83 presses against the incline of the cam 81, which has the effect of rotating the latter by driving the selector 71 and the rotary shaft 73. The index 83 rotates the cam 81 by sliding on the slope of the latter until it is at the bottom, at the lowest point, called the tick of the cam. Once the index finger 83 seated in the check mark of the cam, the hour wheel "spindle" 44 and the selector 71 are synchronized.

Although the figures do not clearly show the first means of synchronization and timing of the phase, provided to adjust the angular position of the shaft 73 to that of the hour counter wheel 38, it will be understood that they are all in fact similar to the second means which have just been described. They comprise a bell cam, which is formed in the lower face of the selector 71, and a cam follower, which is integral with the hour counter wheel 38. When the selector 71 is pressed against the counter wheel 38, the cam follower presses against the incline of the cam, which has the effect of rotating the latter until the synchronization of the selector 71 with the hour counter wheel 38.

The switching mechanism which has just been described is actuated by a column wheel. This column wheel 51 comprises a peripheral sawtooth drive gear on which an operating lever 53 actuated by a pushbutton 23 operates. In a conventional manner, the column wheel 51 is held in a determined position by a jumper (no represent). The column wheel further comprises on its underside a series of columns 57a, 57b formed by singing teeth separated from each other by recesses. We can see on the figure 4 that the hollows have a flat bottom and that the edge teeth are truncated so as to also include a flat. The edge toothing 57 has half fewer columns (or teeth) than the peripheral toothing, so that driving a step by actuation of the pusher 23 successively brings the bottom of a hollow and the flat of a tooth. in front of a given reference position.

The switching control is constituted by a flip-flop 61 forked. Flip-flop 61 is held by a horizontal axis 63 around which it is free to pivot in a vertical plane. A first arm 65 of the rocker (corresponding to the handle of the fork) has at its end a nose 66 biased against the toothing of edge 57 by a return spring 67. The second arm of the rocker is shaped to communicate its movement to the selector 71. For this purpose, the second arm ends with a fork between the branches 69a, 69b of which the selector is retained. More specifically, as shown in figure 6 , two coaxial cylindrical nipples are respectively formed on the inner faces of the two parallel branches 69a, 69b of the fork (only one of these nipples referenced 77 being visible on the figure 6 ). The two pins are provided to engage on both sides in the annular notch 79 of the selector 71, so as to drive the latter to slide between the first and second axial position.

The figures 3 , 4 and 5 still show the kinematic chain which allows the barrel wheel 87 carrying the hour hand 10 to also drive the hour wheel "spindle" 44. This kinematic chain comprises a spindle mobile formed of a toothed wheel 91 and a star with 12 branches 93, which is mounted crazy on the barrel of the hour hand. As can be seen in the figures, the toothed wheel 91 and the barrel wheel are coaxial and the star 93 is mounted to rotate facing the barrel wheel 87. For its part, the latter carries on its board a jumper 89 which is biased against the star 93 so as to maintain the latter in a given angular position relative to the hour wheel 87. As the star 93 has 12 branches, the jumper 89 can immobilize it in 12 different positions corresponding to the 12 possible values of the time difference between two time zones.

Thanks to the presence of the jumper 89, the spindle and its gear wheel 91 are driven by the barrel wheel 87 at the speed of one revolution per 12 hours. On the other hand, the toothed wheel 91 is arranged to drive the spindle hours wheel 44 via a gear 95. The wheel 44 and the wheel 91 having the same number of teeth, they turn to the same wheel. speed corresponding to one turn in 12 hours. In addition, the time difference between the hour hand 10 and the "spindle" hour wheel 44 is determined by the cooperation of the jumper 89 with the 12-pointed star 93. It is possible to adjust the time difference to using pusher 25 ( figures 1 and 2 ). The mechanism that makes it possible to change the jet lag by exerting pressure on the pusher 25 will not be described here since, on the one hand, it is not directly related to the present invention and, on the other hand, this kind of mechanism is known as such to those skilled in the art.

It will be understood that various modifications and / or improvements obvious to one skilled in the art can be made to the embodiment which is the subject of the present description without departing from the scope of the present invention defined by the appended claims. In particular, the rotating shaft does not need to be mounted vertically, and can very well rotate horizontally in the plane of the watch much like a time-setting rod. Under these conditions, if the mobile flip is controlled by a flip-flop, it can also move in the horizontal plane in the manner of a time-setting flip-flop. It will be further understood that with such an embodiment, the display member can not be mounted directly on the rotary shaft, but must be driven via a train.

It will be understood, on the other hand, that the synchronization and timing means of the phase of the invention do not necessarily comprise a bell-shaped cam. Indeed, instead of a cam, each of the means of synchronization and timing of the phase could for example include at least one magnet and a ferromagnetic element (or preferably two magnets, at least), one being secured to the moving mobile and the other integral with the meter mobile. Under these conditions, the timing of the phase would be ensured by the magnetic forces appearing between the magnet and the ferromagnetic element (or between the two magnets) when they are brought closer to one another. On the other hand, according to yet another variant, the moving mobile could function as a double clutch without synchronization. Under these conditions, the means of synchronization and calibration of the phase could be constituted by two cores and at least one differential gear as in the document CH 693'155 . Finally, it will be understood that even in the case where the synchronization and timing means of the phase actually comprises a bell cam adapted to cooperate with a cam follower, it could be, in an equivalent manner, the sliding mobile carrying the follower of cam and the counter mobile which carries the cam bell.

Claims (9)

A display device for a timepiece comprising an analog rotary indicator member (21), a first counter wheel (38) and a second counter wheel (44) whose positions are respectively representative of two magnitudes to be displayed by said body indicator (21), and a manually operated switching mechanism (40) (23) for selectively displaying the first or second magnitude by the indicating member, characterized in that the switching mechanism comprises a rotary shaft (73). ) kinematically connected to the indicator member (21) and a sliding mobile (71) integral in rotation with the shaft and designed to slide under the action of the manual control (23) so as to occupy selectively on the shaft ( 73) a first axial position in which the sliding mobile (71) engages with the mobile first counter (38) and a second axial position in which the moving mobile (71) engages with the mobile second co meter (44), and in that the switching mechanism further comprises first phase synchronization and timing means for adjusting the angular position of the rotary shaft (73) to that of the first counter wheel (38) when the moving wheel occupies the first axial position, and second synchronization and phase locking means (81, 83) for adjusting the angular position of the rotary shaft (73) at the position of the second counter wheel (44). when the moving mobile occupies the second axial position. Display device according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the two quantities to be displayed by said indicator member (21) is an elapsed time. Display device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the mobile of the first counter (38) and the mobile of the second counter (44) are mounted idle on the rotating shaft (73) on either side of the moving mobile (71). Display device according to claim 3, characterized in that the rotary shaft (73) is arranged vertically. Display device according to claim 4, characterized in that said display member (21) is fixed to the rotary shaft. (73) Display device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said display member (21) is driven by the rotary shaft (73) via a gear train. Display device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first phase synchronization and timing means comprise a first bell cam and a first cam follower which are provided to cooperate when the moving mobile occupies said first axial position, the first bell cam and the first cam follower being carried, one by said moving mobile (71) and the other by said first counter mobile (38). Display device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second phase synchronization and timing means (81, 83) comprise a second bell-shaped cam (81) and a second cam follower (83). which are provided for cooperating when the moving mobile (71) occupies said second axial position, the second camming cam (81) and the second cam follower (83) being carried, one by said moving mobile (71) and the other by said second counter mobile (44). Chronograph watch characterized in that it comprises a display mechanism according to one of the preceding claims.

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