EP2360538B1 - Device for electromechanical watch making it possible to determine the moment and the direction in which a time indication must be corrected - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a device for an electromechanical watch for determining the time and direction in which a time indication is to be corrected. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electromechanical watch device allowing an electronic circuit for controlling the movement of the watch to determine the direction of rotation of an indicator of a time value driven by the movement of the watch and the moment where the temporal magnitude must be incremented, respectively decremented.

An electromechanical watch is a watch whose indicator or indicators are driven by a single engine or by several separate motors. An example of such an electromechanical watch is shown at figure 1 attached to this patent application. Designated as a whole by the general numerical reference 1, this electromechanical watch is of the retrograde perpetual calendar type. It includes a first needle display 2 in the center, a second needle display 4 to 6 hours, a third needle display 6 to 2 hours and a fourth needle display 8 to 10 hours.

The first needle display 2 conventionally comprises an hour hand 2a and a minute hand 2b that move over a dial 10. The first needle display 2 is completed by a date hand 2c which moves retrograde along an arcuate index 12 which carries the date indications of "1" to "31". The second needle display 4 includes a small second needle 4a. The third needle display 6 includes a weekday indicator hand 6a that moves backwards along an arcuate index 14 on which the days of the week are reported from Monday to Sunday. The fourth needle display 8 includes a pointer 8a indicating the months of the year which moves retrograde along an index in an arc 16 on which are reported the months of the year. Note that the indication of the current year is done when setting the date of the watch 1 by means of the date hand 2c which is brought opposite one of the numbers "1", " 2 "," 3 "or" 4 "in sector 12, depending on whether the year in which the date is placed on watch date 1 is the first, second or third year preceding a leap year to which it corresponds the number "4".

The retrograde perpetual calendar electromechanical watch 1 represented in FIG. figure 1 is completed by a rod 18 which can occupy a neutral position T1, a first drawn position T2 and a second drawn position T3 and two correctors 20 and 22. This electromechanical watch is also driven by four separate motors. A first motor drives the first needle display 2, namely the hour hand 2a and the minute hand 2b, as well as the small second hand 4a of the second needle display 4. A second motor drives the needle of date 2c, a third motor drives the needle 6a indicator of the days of the week and a fourth and last motor drives the pointer needle 8a months of the year. These four motors are powered by a battery.

The electromechanical watch 1 briefly described above can be manipulated in four distinct ways during assembly and daily use. After assembling the watch 1 or when changing the battery, it proceeds to the positioning of the needles at their origin. In other words, we initialize the position of all the hands of the shows 1. The second manipulation relates to setting the time of the watch 1 which is carried out either during the assembly of the watch 1, or in case of battery change. The third manipulation relates to setting the date of the watch 1 to be performed during the installation of the battery or in case of change of the battery. Finally, the fourth operation relates to the change of time zone.

The operation of initializing the position of the needles makes it possible to bring these needles to reference positions so that the electronic control circuits of the watch 1 can record these reference positions and calculate all the subsequent movements of the hands from of these positions. The date indicator hands 2c, days of the week 6a and the month of the year 8a are initialized at their origin. In other words, the date indicator needle 2c is brought on the first day of the month, the indicator needle 6a of the days of the week is brought to the Monday and the indicator needle 8a of the months of the year is brought to the month of January.

The setting of the hour and minute hands 2a and 2b is done mechanically with the rod 18 in the pulled position T3. The setting of the hour and the minute is done by a rotation of the rod 18. When setting the time, it is necessary to respect the AM and PM position of the hands 2a, 2b. During this time setting operation of the watch 1, the date indicator hands 2c, days of the week 6a and the month of the year 8a indicate a given date.

The date setting operation of the watch 1 is performed electrically by means of the rod 18 in the drawn position T3 and the two correctors 20 and 22. The order of selection of the hands starts with the year (needle 2c) and continues with the month (needle 8a), the date (needle 2c) and the day (needle 6a) to finally return to the year. Pressing the corrector 22 controls a step forward in the positive direction of the selected indicator hand. Extra pressure on the corrector 20 confirms the selected value and causes the movement of the next hand.

Finally, the time zone change operation is performed in the same manner as the time setting operation of the watch. This last operation, however, poses a problem. Indeed, during the change of time zone, it is necessary to be able to detect the passage of the hour to midnight in order to synchronize the jump of the date with the change of day. In addition, it is also necessary to know the direction of time correction during a time zone change insofar as such a change does not only affect the date indication but is also likely to affect the indication. of the day of the week, the indication of the month and the year. In other words, the entire kinematic chain that will be described as digital insofar as it consists of motors independent of each other and whose operation is managed by the electronic control circuits of the watch is affected by the time zone change.

The document US 2002/0060953 relates to an electronic watch equipped with twelve capacitive sensors and a reference capacitor whose states are determined sequentially by scanning by means of a multiplexer, preferably starting with the reference capacitor. The presence of the minute hand in front of one of the transparent electrodes induces an increase of capacity in the corresponding sensor. However, since the surface of the needle is relatively small, this variation in capacitance is much smaller than that produced by the placing of a finger on the ice in front of the same electrode. The detection circuit is arranged to compare these variations with predetermined threshold values, in order to distinguish the variations in capacity induced by the needle and those induced by the finger. The detection of the position of the needle enabled by the detection circuit is advantageously used to control the consistency of this position with the contents of an electronic minute counter in the movement. of the watch. If the position of the needle does not comply with the value of the counter, an automatic correction is performed by a number of steps adapted to the motor driving the needle.

The document US 2005/0002278 describes an electromechanical watch that can determine the position of the needles, wherein the actuating means are formed by spring son driven by the movement of the watch to come into contact with detection means formed by a disc carrying electrodes.

The present invention aims to provide an electromechanical watch device for determining the time and direction in which a time indication is to be corrected.

To this end, the present invention relates to a device for electromechanical watch allowing an electronic circuit for controlling the movement of the watch to determine the moment and the direction in which an indication of a temporal magnitude must be corrected according to claim 1 attached to this patent application.

The present invention relates to a device that allows an electronic control circuit of an electromechanical watch to detect the passage of time at midnight to synchronize the jump of a time value as the date indication with the change of day . In addition, since the electronic control circuit receives information on the order in which the first and second detection means have been actuated by the means for actuating the wheel driven by the movement of the watch, the electronic control circuit is able to know the meaning of the hourly change. It can then synchronize the entire electronic kinematic link that connects it to motors independent of each other and each driving a counter that can be affected by the time change.

• la figure 1, déjà citée, est une vue en plan d'une montre électromécanique à quantième perpétuel rétrograde équipée du dispositif selon l'invention ;
• la figure 2A est une vue en perspective d'un module électronique qui porte trois tenons qui se dressent perpendiculairement à la surface du module électronique ;
• la figure 2B est une vue en perspective d'une platine auxiliaire sur laquelle le module électronique de la figure 2A est destiné à être monté ;
• la figure 2C illustre un ensemble électronique monté correspondant à l'association du module électronique de la figure 2A et de la platine auxiliaire illustrée à la figure 2B ;
• la figure 2D est une vue en perspective d'un module moteur de la montre électromécanique selon l'invention ;
• la figure 2E est une vue en perspective de l'ensemble électronique monté illustré à la figure 2C assemblé avec le module moteur de la figure 2D ;
• la figure 2F est une vue en perspective du module moteur de la figure 2E comprenant des premier et second moyens de détection du dispositif selon l'invention ;
• la figure 2G est une vue analogue à celle de la figure 2F sur laquelle on voit que les ressorts fils sont bloqués verticalement ;
• la figure 2H est une vue analogue à celle de la figure 2G sur laquelle on voit qu'un clinquant est engagé sur le tenon de mise à la masse ;
• la figure 2I est une vue analogue à celle de la figure 2H sur laquelle on voit qu'une roue d'actionnement est engagée sur le tenon de mise à la masse à la suite du clinquant ;
• la figure 2J est une vue analogue à celle de la figure 2I sur laquelle on voit une roue des heures entraînée par la chaussée de la montre ;
• la figure 2K est une vue analogue à celle de la figure 2J sur laquelle on voit que la roue d'actionnement est entraînée à raison d'un tour complet par vingt-quatre heures par la roue des heures via une roue intermédiaire ;
• la figure 2L est une vue analogue à celle de la figure 2K sur laquelle on voit que l'ensemble du dispositif est recouvert par une plaque de maintien ;
• les figures 3A à 3H sont des vues de dessus du mécanisme de détection selon l'invention à différents stades de son fonctionnement, et
• la figure 4 est un chronogramme indiquant l'évolution des signaux fournis par les premier et second moyens de détection en fonction de la rotation de la roue d'actionnement.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will emerge more clearly from the detailed description which follows of an embodiment of the device according to the invention, this example being given purely by way of illustration and not limitation only in connection with the appended drawing. on which :

• the figure 1 , already cited, is a plan view of a retrograde perpetual calendar electromechanical watch equipped with the device according to the invention;
• the Figure 2A is a perspective view of an electronic module that carries three pins that stand perpendicular to the surface of the electronic module;
• the Figure 2B is a perspective view of an auxiliary stage on which the electronic module of the Figure 2A is intended to be mounted;
• the Figure 2C illustrates an assembled electronic assembly corresponding to the association of the electronic module of the Figure 2A and the auxiliary board shown in Figure 2B ;
• the 2D figure is a perspective view of a motor module of the electromechanical watch according to the invention;
• the figure 2E is a perspective view of the assembled electronic assembly shown in FIG. Figure 2C assembled with the motor module of the 2D figure ;
• the figure 2F is a perspective view of the motor module of the figure 2E comprising first and second detecting means of the device according to the invention;
• the figure 2G is a view similar to that of the figure 2F on which we see that the springs son are blocked vertically;
• the figure 2H is a view similar to that of the figure 2G on which we see that a foil is engaged on the tenon of grounding;
• the figure 2I is a view similar to that of the figure 2H on which we see that an actuating wheel is engaged on the grounding post after the foil;
• the figure 2J is a view similar to that of the figure 2I on which we see a wheel of hours driven by the floor of the watch;
• the figure 2K is a view similar to that of the figure 2J on which it can be seen that the actuating wheel is driven at the rate of one complete revolution per twenty-four hours by the hour wheel via an intermediate wheel;
• the figure 2L is a view similar to that of the figure 2K on which we see that the entire device is covered by a holding plate;
• the Figures 3A to 3H are top views of the detection mechanism according to the invention at different stages of its operation, and
• the figure 4 is a timing chart indicating the evolution of the signals provided by the first and second detection means as a function of the rotation of the actuating wheel.

The present invention relates to an electromechanical watch comprising motors independent of each other and each driving an indicator of a temporal magnitude and equipped with a device connected to the electronic control circuit of the watch capable of determining when and in which direction the changeover takes place at midnight. With this information, the electronic control circuit of the watch is able to synchronize all the motors and to control the advance or the decline of the indicators affected by the time change.

We first look at the structure of the detection device according to the invention. The operation of this detection device will be examined in a second part.

The Figure 2A is a perspective view of an electronic module 24 which carries three pins 26, 28 and 30 which stand perpendicular to the surface of the electronic module 24 and whose roles will be described in detail below. The electronic module 24 is mounted on an auxiliary board 32 (see Figure 2B ) to form a mounted electronic assembly 34 illustrated in FIG. Figure 2C . The 2D figure is a perspective view of a motor module 36 of the electromechanical watch 1 according to the invention which has in particular three openings 38a, 38b and 38c for the passage of the three pins 26, 28 and 30 of the electronic module 24 after assembly of the mounted electronic assembly 34 and the motor module 36 of the electromechanical watch 1 (see figure 2E ). Without going into the details of the construction of the motor module 36 of the electromechanical watch 1 according to the invention which is not the subject of the present patent application, we can still note the presence of a timer wheel 38 which causes a roadway 40 placed in the center of the engine module 36. Note that as shown in the figure 2E , the rod 18 is in the drawn position T3 setting time.

We now refer to the figure 2F on which is represented an alternative embodiment of the first and second detecting means of the device according to the invention. According to this embodiment given by way of illustration only, each of the first and second detection means, designated respectively by the reference numerals 42 and 44, is constituted by a wire spring 46a, 46b wound on itself in one or more turns 48a, 48b to be engaged on the post 26, 56 corresponding. Note that the pin 56 is a post made of a non-conductive plastic material which comes from the material of the motor module plate 36. The wire springs 46a, 46b are folded into a substantially V-shaped shape and thus have two arms 50a, 52a and 50b, 52b symmetrical with respect to the windings 48a, 48b.

As will be seen below, the arms 52a and 52b of the two wire springs 46a, 46b form electrical contacts being carried by the pins 26 and 30 to a floating electrical potential. The position of these contact arms 52a, 52b is guaranteed by arming and energizing the wire springs 46a, 46b. For this purpose, the arms 50a, 50b of the two wire springs 46a, 46b are stopped one by a stop 54 made of a non-conductive plastic material which comes from the material with the plate of the motor module 36 and the other by the contact 30, while the other two arms of the wire springs 46a, 46b are slid into slots 58 and 60 so as to form between they have a preferred angle α of 60 °. In this way, the wire spring 46a is pivotally locked in the clockwise direction, while the wire spring 46b is pivotally locked in the counterclockwise direction. Finally (see figure 2G ), the wire springs 46a, 46b are locked vertically by means of two washers 62 and 64 engaged on the studs 26, 56 following the wire springs 46a, 46b. We also see the examination of the figure 2H a spring disk or foil 66 is engaged on the post 28.

An actuating wheel 68 is engaged on the post 28 following the spring disc 66 (see figure 2I ). This wheel 68, arranged above the wire springs 46a, 46b, is grounded by the pin 28. It is provided with two cylindrical pins 70 and 72 which project under its lower surface and which are arranged in such a way as to be able to come into contact with the arms 52a, 52b of the wire springs 46a, 46b. These pins 70, 72 form between them a preferred angle β of 102 °. The actuating wheel 68 is driven at a rate of one complete revolution per twenty-four hours by an hour wheel 74 (see figure 2J ) via an intermediate wheel 76 (see figure 2K ).

The operating principle of the actuating device according to the invention is as follows. The actuating wheel 68, driven by the hour wheel 74 via the intermediate wheel 76, performs a complete revolution in twenty-four hours. This actuating wheel 68 and therefore the pins 70 and 72 it carries are grounded through the pin 28 on which the wheel 68 is engaged. The two wire springs 46a, 46b, situated under the actuating wheel 68, have the function of taking electrical signals. When the actuating wheel 68 is rotated, the pins 70 and 72 carried by this wheel 68 come sequentially into position. contact with the contact arms 52a, 52b of the two wire springs 46a, 46b and force the potential of these two springs 46a, 46b to ground. The electronic control circuit to which the two wire springs 46a, 46b are connected interprets the signals received from the wire springs 46a, 46b and generates the pulses necessary for controlling the motors. More specifically, depending on whether the actuating wheel 68 rotates clockwise or counterclockwise during the setting the time or the time zone change of the electromechanical watch 1 according to the invention, the order in which the pins 70 and 72 touch the contact arms 52a, 52b of the two wire springs 46a, 46b is inverted, so that the electronic control circuit of the watch 1 can deduce from the order in which the contact arms 52a, 52b are touched by the pins 70, 72 the direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) in which the actuating wheel 68 rotates and therefore the hour wheel 74. In addition, the pins 70, 72 and the contact arms 52a, 52b of the two wire springs 46a, 46b are arranged in such a way that the pins 70, 72 simultaneously touch the contact arms 52a, 52b only once a day. The potential of one of the contact arms 52a, 52b having been forced to ground by one of the pins 70 or 72, the electronic control circuit of the watch 1 deduces the moment when the potential of the other arm of contact is forced to mass by the other pin the moment the hour wheel 74 passes at midnight. The electronic control circuit of the watch 1 thus knows in which direction the hour wheel 74 rotates and at what point it moves at midnight, so that it can appropriately control the motors of the watch 1 to correct the displays.

Finally, the mounted electronic assembly 34 and the motor module 36 of the electromechanical watch 1 are covered by a holding plate 78 (see FIG. figure 2L ) against which the spring disc or foil 66 plate the actuating wheel 68 for the grounding of the latter.

We now examine in detail a sequence of operation of the detection device according to the invention in connection with the Figures 3A to 3H and the chronogram represented at figure 4 . It is assumed for the purposes of the description that the rod 18 pulled in position T3 is turned manually to perform a time setting or a time zone correction so that the actuating wheel 68 rotates clockwise.

To the figure 3A it is found that none of the pins 70, 72 touches one of the contact arms 52a, 52b of the two son springs 46a, 46b. The level of the signals produced by the wire springs 46a, 46b is at "0".

To the figure 3B , the actuating wheel 68 rotated clockwise and the pin 70 came to contact the contact arm 52a, forcing the potential of the wire spring 46a to ground. The signal produced by the wire spring 46a and transmitted to the electronic control circuit of the watch 1 goes to a level "1" while the signal level produced by the wire spring 46b remains at "0".

To the figure 3C the actuating wheel 68 continued to rotate. The contact between the pin 70 and the contact arm 52a has broken, so that the signal produced by the wire spring 46a returns to zero. At the same time, the second pin 72 does not touch any of the wire springs 46a, 46b. The signals produced by the two wire springs remain at zero.

To the 3D figure the actuating wheel 68 continued to rotate. While the pin 70 does not touch either of the two wire springs 46a, 46b, the pin 72 has touched the contact arm 52a, forcing the potential of the wire spring 46a to ground. The signal produced by the wire spring 46a and transmitted to the electronic control circuit of the watch 1 goes to a level "1" while the signal level produced by the wire spring 46b remains at "0".

To the figure 3E the actuating wheel 68 continued to rotate. While the pin 72 has remained in contact with the contact arm 52a of the wire spring 46a and thus maintains the potential of the wire spring 46a to ground, the pin 70 has come into contact with the contact arm 52b of the wire spring 46b and therefore forces the potential of the wire spring 46b to ground also. The signal produced by the wire spring 46a and transmitted to the electronic control circuit of the watch 1 remains at its level "1" while the signal produced by the wire spring 46b changes from "0" to "1". At this precise moment, the signals produced by the two wire springs 46a and 46b are at a level "1". This situation occurs only once every twenty-four hours and is interpreted by the control circuit of the watch 1 as marking the passage of time at midnight on the rising edge of the signal produced by the wire spring 46b. The electronic control circuit of the watch 1 is thus able to synchronize all the motors and to control the advance or the decline of the indicators affected by the change of time or time zone.

To the figure 3F the actuating wheel 68 continued to rotate. The contact between the pin 72 and the contact arm 52a has broken down, so that the signal produced by the wire spring 46a returns to zero. At the same time, the first pin 70 is always in contact with the wire spring 46b whose signal level remains at "1".

To the figure 3G the actuating wheel 68 continued to rotate. The contact between the pin 70 and the contact arm 52b has broken, so that the signal produced by the wire spring 46b returns to zero. At the same time, the first pin 70 does not touch any of the wire springs 46a, 46b. The signals produced by the two wire springs 46a, 46b are therefore at zero.

To the figure 3H , the actuating wheel continued to rotate. While the first pin 70 does not touch any of the wire springs 46a, 46b, the second pin 72 has touched the contact arm 52b of the second wire spring 46b, forcing the potential of the wire spring 46 to ground. The signal produced by the first wire spring 46a remains at zero, while the signal produced by the second wire spring 46b goes to one.

Beyond this position, the cycle starts again from the beginning as illustrated in figure 3A .

The chronogram represented at figure 4 illustrates the evolution of the potential of the contact arm 52a, respectively 52b of the wire springs 46a and 46b as a function of the positional changes of the first and second pins 70 and 72 as shown in FIGS. Figures 3A to 3H . In other words, the chronogram of the figure 4 illustrates the evolution of the potential of pins 26 and 30 and therefore the value of the electrical signals applied to the circuit of control of the watch. Note that if we consider a complete rotation of 360 ° of the actuating wheel 68 over a period of twenty-four hours, the angular range during which the electrical potential of the pins 26 and 30 changes is substantially between 105 ° and 360 °. Note also that the angular range during which the electrical potential of one of the pins 26 or 30 is one extends approximately 45 °, which corresponds to a duration of three hours.

It will be understood that depending on whether the actuating wheel 68 rotates clockwise (as assumed above) or counterclockwise, the order in which the two wire springs 46a, 46b alternate from zero to level one is reversed. The electronic control circuit of the watch 1 and deduces the order in which the springs son 46a, 46b are contacted by the pins 70, 72 the direction in which is rotated the actuating wheel 68 and therefore the direction of the correction time or time zone change applied to the watch 1. The electronic control circuit of the watch 1 is thus able to control the advance or the decline of the indicators affected by the change of time or time zone. Moreover, the moment when the potential of one of the wire springs is forced to ground while the second wire spring is already grounded marks the passage of the display of the watch by midnight, which allows the circuit of command to synchronize the jumps of all the motors of the watch 1.

It will be noted that the system which has just been described has very few disturbances or rebounds even after the reliability tests. On the other hand, the wire springs being positioned and prestressed, the manufacturing tolerances of these components do not affect the precision of the contact between the pins and the wire springs.

Claims (14)

1. Device for electromechanical watch (1) allowing an electronic control circuit of the watch (1) movement to determine the moment at which and the direction in which an indication showing a time related parameter has to be corrected, said device including a wheel (68), which is driven by the watch (1) movement and carries means (70, 72) for actuating first and second detection means (46a, 46b) connected to the electronic control circuit, said electronic control circuit deducing, from the moment at which and the order in which the first and second detection means (46a, 46b) are actuated by the actuating means of the wheel (68) driven by the watch (1) movement, the direction in which the wheel (68) is being driven by the movement and the moment when the time related parameter has to be respectively incremented or decremented, the device being characterized in that the first and second detection means (46a, 46b) are formed by a wire spring.
2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the wheel (68) which carries the actuating means (70, 72) for the first and second detection means (46a, 46b) is earthed, whereas the first and second detection means (46a, 46b) are brought to a floating electrical potential.
3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the actuating wheel (68) makes one complete revolution in twenty-four hours.
4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the first and second detection means (46a, 46b) are arranged such that the order in which they are actuated by the actuating means (70, 72) of the wheel (68) driven by the watch (1) movement is reversed depending upon whether the wheel (68) is rotating in the clockwise or anticlockwise direction.
5. Device according to any of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the actuating wheel (68) is driven by an hour wheel (74) via an intermediate wheel (76).
6. Device according to any of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that once every twenty-four hours and for a determined period of time, the first and second detection means (46a, 46b) are actuated simultaneously by the actuating means (70, 72) carried by the wheel (68) driven by the watch (1) movement.
7. Device according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the first and second detection means (46a, 46b) are wound and tightened.
8. Device according to any of claims 1 or 7, characterized in that the first and second detection means (46a, 46b) are V-shaped with first and second symmetrical arms (50a, 52a; 50b, 52b).
9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the second arm (52a) of the first detection means (46a) and the second arm (52b) of the second detection means (46b) form an angle of 60° between them.
10. Device according to any of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the first detection means (46a) is carried by a first stud (26) which has a floating electrical potential, and in that the second detection means (46b) is carried by a second stud (56) which does not conduct electricity, the second detection means (46b) touching a third stud (30), which is brought to a floating electrical potential.
11. Device according to any of claims 2 or 10, characterized in that actuating wheel (68) is carried by a stud (28) which is connected to earth.
12. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that the actuating means (70, 72) carried by the actuating wheel (68) are formed by first and second pins which project underneath the bottom surface thereof.
13. Device according to claim 12, characterized in that the first and second pins (70, 72) carried by the actuating wheel (68) form an angle of 102° between them.
14. Device according to any of claims 12 or 13, characterized in that, considering the watch from the bottom upwards, the actuating wheel (68) is arranged above the first and second detection means (46a, 46b).

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