EP2238517B1 - Modular timepiece movement - Google Patents

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to a timepiece movement comprising a first module provided with a first frame and at least one first movable rotatably mounted on the first frame, a second module provided with a second frame and at least one a second mobile rotatably mounted on the second frame, said first and second mobiles being kinematically connected to one another, positioning means and means for fixing the modules with each other, associated with the first and the second frame, said positioning means being arranged concentrically to the axis of rotation of one of said first or second mobiles and being arranged to allow relative positioning of the two modules in several angular positions with reference to the axis of rotation of the mobile to which the positioning means are concentric.

State of the art

Such a timepiece movement is for example represented in the patent application EP 0 354 194 . This document describes a timepiece comprising a movement constituting a first module mounted in a housing and having a shaft defining the axis of movement. This first module comprises a wheel axis of rotation axis of movement, said wheel constituting the first mobile. The part also includes a second module for displaying the time, and comprising a shaft defining the axis of the module. This second module comprises a wheel cooperating with the wheel of the movement, and constituting the second mobile. The display module is fixed to the housing and the movement by means of coupling elements which are arranged symmetrically about the axis of the housing in order to allow the axis of the display module to be arranged in different positions. presenting the same eccentricity around the axis of the case.

If the motion manufacturer wishes to position differently from other elements of the movement than those of the display module, such as the finishing module and the exhaust module, it is necessary to design another structure of the movement and consequently another plate, whose holes will have been adapted for this new arrangement. This forces the manufacturer to design, manufacture and store as many plates as positioning variants of the different elements.

Other solutions have been proposed in order to vary the appearance of a watch. Thus, "multi-function" turntables have been developed. Such platinum is for example described in the patent application EP 1 826 636 . The platen is designed so that different complementary dials and the corresponding display mechanisms may or may not be present on the main dial around the time display hands, depending on the wishes of the manufacturer. However, this solution requires to always position in the same places the displays that you want to use. If one wishes to change the layout of the complementary displays, it is, again, necessary to provide as many plates as variants of positioning of the various elements.

An object of the present invention is therefore to overcome these disadvantages, by proposing a timepiece movement to vary the layout of the various modules, specifically the finishing module and the exhaust module, according to the wishes of the manufacturer. , using the same turntable, and without having to modify its design.

Disclosure of the invention

For this purpose, and in accordance with the present invention, there is proposed a timepiece movement comprising a first module provided with a first frame and at least one first mobile rotatably mounted on the first frame, a second module provided with a second frame and at least one second mobile rotatably mounted on the second frame, the first and second mobiles being kinematically connected to one another, positioning means and means for fixing the modules one with the other, associated with the first and second frames, said positioning means being arranged concentrically with the axis of rotation of one of said first or second mobiles and being arranged to allow relative positioning of the two modules in several angular positions in reference to the axis of rotation of the mobile to which the positioning means are concentric.

According to the invention, one of said first and second modules is a finishing module comprising a finishing train and an escape wheel, one of the different mobile wheels of the finishing train or the escape wheel being able to constitute the first , respectively said second mobile, and the other of said first and second modules is an escape-door module comprising an anchor that can constitute the other of said first, respectively second mobile.

Thus, the manufacturer has only one type of modules to manufacture and store. The different models of movement are made from the same first and second modules and differ by modifying the relative positioning of the two modules according to different angular positions of one with respect to the other.

Advantageously, said positioning means may comprise a plurality of orifices distributed concentrically to the first mobile, and at least one foot arranged to be engaged in said orifices, the orifices and the foot being arranged one on the frame of the first module, the others on the frame of the second, and arranged to cooperate with the fastening means. In particular, said positioning means may comprise a foot-screw arranged to be engaged in one of the orifices distributed on the frame of the second module and in an orifice provided on the frame of the first module.

According to the variants, said orifices may have the shape of continuous oblong annular segments or be discrete, of axial symmetry shape, for example round.

According to a preferred embodiment, the first module is a finishing module comprising a finishing train and an escape wheel, one of the different mobile wheels of the finishing train or the escape wheel being able to constitute the first mobile, and the second module is an exhaust module comprising a rocker and an anchor, which constitutes the second mobile.

The present invention also relates to a timepiece comprising a movement as described above.

Brief description of the drawings

• la figure 1 est une vue de dessus d'une variante d'un mouvement selon l'invention,
• la figure 2 est une vue similaire à la figure 1, mais les modules étant positionnés selon un angle différent, et
• la figure 3 est une vue en coupe des modules de la figure 1.

Other features of the present invention will emerge more clearly on reading the description which follows, made with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

• the figure 1 is a view from above of a variant of a movement according to the invention,
• the figure 2 is a view similar to the figure 1 but the modules being positioned at a different angle, and
• the figure 3 is a sectional view of the modules of the figure 1 .

Mode (s) of realization of the invention

According to the variant represented on the Figures 1 to 3 , the first module is a finishing module 80 comprising an upper finishing module plate 81 and a lower annular shaped finishing module plate 82 constituting the first frame. A finishing gear train, comprising a medium wheel 83, a medium wheel 84 and a second wheel 85 and the associated gear wheels, is rotatably mounted between the upper and lower finishing module plates 81. The gear wheel of the wheel of large average is arranged to mesh with a barrel of a basic movement (not shown).

The finishing module 80 also comprises an escapement mobile rotatably mounted between the top finishing module plates 81 and lower 82, the escape wheel 86 constituting the first mobile. It is obvious that each of the mobiles of the finishing module can constitute the first mobile, in particular for example the second mobile.

The second module consists of an exhaust module 87 and comprises a bottom exhaust module plate 88, an anchor 89 rotatably mounted between an anchor bridge 89a and the lower plate 88, and a rotatable balance spring 90 mounted rotatable between a cock 91 and the lower plate 88. The lower plate 88, the anchor bridge 89a and the cock 91 form the second frame, and the anchor 89 is the second mobile. All these elements are known per se and will not be described in more detail.

According to the invention, there is provided means for positioning the exhaust-carrying module 87 with respect to the finishing module 80, arranged concentrically with the escape wheel 86 and arranged for position the exhaust module 87 around the escape wheel 86 at different angular positions. Said positioning means comprise a plurality of orifices 92 made at the end of the lower exhaust module plate 88, and arranged to be arranged concentrically with the escape wheel 86 when the two modules 80 and 87 are assembled, and an orifice 93 provided on the bottom finishing module plate 82. The orifice 93 has a flange 94 on which engages the plate of the lower exhaust module 88 so that the orifices 92 and 93 are facing each other. The fixing means comprise a screw-foot 95 arranged to be engaged in one of the orifices 92 and in the orifice 93 and to assemble the two modules 80 and 87.

The orifices 92 are discrete, and have for example the shape of circular holes. It is obvious that the orifices may also have the shape of continuous oblong segments.

The figure 2 represents a variant of the figure 1 according to which the exhaust module 87 has been assembled to the finishing module 80 in another angular position with respect to the escape wheel 86. For this, another orifice 92 of the lower exhaust module plate 88 has been positioned opposite the orifice 93 of the bottom finishing module plate 82, the modules being then assembled by the screw-threader 95.

This variant makes it possible to produce movements having a balance spring 90 in different positions relative to the finishing module, using the same modules. Thus, the movement can have different configurations, using a single plate and changing a minimum of parts.

In addition, the invention makes it possible to use other types of exhaust-carrying modules. Thus, a movement is obtained with an interchangeable escapement module, which can be modified as a function, for example, of the range of the timepiece.

It is obvious that the invention is not limited to the example described, and that it is possible to perform a reverse construction, namely that the positioning means can be made on the finishing module concentrically to the axis of rotation of the anchor.

Claims (7)

1. A timepiece movement comprising a first module provided with a first frame and at least a first wheel assembly rotatingly mounted on the first frame, a second module provided with a second frame and at least a second wheel assembly rotatingly mounted on the second frame, the first and second wheel assemblies being kinematically connected to each other, positioning means and means for fastening the modules to each other, associated with the first and second frames, said positioning means being arranged concentrically to the axis of rotation of one of said first or second wheel assemblies and being arranged to allow relative positioning of the two modules in several angular positions in reference to the axis of rotation of the wheel assembly to which the positioning means are concentric, characterized in that one of said first and second modules is a going train module (80) comprising a going train and an escape wheel (86), one of the different mobiles of the going train or the escape wheel (86) constituting the first, said second mobile, respectively, and in that the other of said first and second modules is a platform escapement module (87) comprising a pallet (89) that can constitute the other of said first, second mobile, respectively.
2. The movement according to claim 1, characterized in that said positioning means comprise a plurality of orifices (92, 93) distributed concentrically to the first mobile, and at least one foot (95) arranged to be able to be engaged in said orifices, the orifices (92, 93) and the foot (95) being arranged some on the frame of the first module, the others on the frame of the second, and arranged to cooperate with the fastening means.
3. The movement according to claim 2, characterized in that said positioning means comprise a pillar screw (95) arranged to be engaged in one of the orifices (92) distributed on the frame of the second module and in an orifice (93) provided on the frame of the first module.
4. The movement according to any one of claims 2 and 3, characterized in that said orifices (92, 93) are in the form of continuous oblong annular segments.
5. The movement according to any one of claims 2 and 3, characterized in that said orifices (92, 93) are discrete.
6. The movement according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the first module is a going train module (80) comprising a going train and an escape wheel (86), one of the different wheel assemblies of the going train or the escape wheel (86) being able to constitute the first wheel assembly, and in that the second module is a platform escapement module (87) comprising a pallet (89) constituting the second wheel assembly.
7. A timepiece characterized in that it comprises a movement according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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