EP3495895A1 - Mechanism for sound display of a timepiece, in particular chronograph repetition - Google Patents

Abstract

Display mechanism (500) with rotary display, to display a quantity other than the time of the current time, or a position within a cycle, this rotary display being secured in rotation with a snail co-operating with the probe of a ringing part that comprises a striking mechanism (1) integrated or juxtaposed to said display mechanism (500), to ring a numerical value characteristic of said magnitude, or respectively of said position, which display mechanism (500) is more particularly a chronograph mechanism comprising a snail second (3) integral with a chronograph mobile (2) for counting seconds and cooperating with a piece of seconds (8), and a minute snail ( 21) interdependent with a minute counter (20) for counting minutes and cooperating with a minute piece (22), for, after timing a duration, ring the minutes and seconds of the duration chro nométrée.

Description

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a clock display mechanism comprising at least one rotary display, for displaying a quantity other than the time of the current time, or for displaying a position within a cycle.

This display mechanism is more particularly a chronograph mechanism.

The invention also relates to a timepiece, including a watch, including such a display mechanism.

The invention relates to the field of clock display mechanisms.

Background of the invention

Some displays of timepieces are sometimes difficult to read, especially when the timepiece is a small watch, such as a lady's watch, or a complicated watch, with a large number of displays, each occupying then a necessarily restricted area, or superimposed other displays, which can make the interpretation imprecise for the user, which is paradoxical when it comes to a measure of accuracy of time.

The reading of a display can still be disturbed by low ambient light such as diving, or in certain time slots night or twilight, or conversely be disturbed by parasitic lighting shadows making the indications illegible, or because of a visual impairment of the user or special conditions of employment, such as night flying or certain special operations. This is the reason why watchmakers of the eighteenth and nineteenth century have developed watches ringing, passage or repetition, or the tactful watches for having a tactile information.

Summary of the invention

The invention proposes to couple a conventional visual display with a sound display, or to replace a conventional visual display with a sound display, and for this purpose concerns a clock display mechanism according to claim 1.

This display mechanism is more particularly a chronograph mechanism comprising a snail seconds attached to a chronograph mobile for counting seconds and cooperating with a piece of seconds, and a minute snail attached to a meter mobile minutes for the countdown of minutes and cooperating with a minute piece, for, after timing a duration, ring the minutes and seconds of the timed duration

The invention also relates to a timepiece, including a watch, including such a display mechanism.

Brief description of the drawings

• la figure 1 représente, de façon schématisée, et en plan, un premier niveau d'un mécanisme d'affichage selon l'invention, qui est un mécanisme de chronographe, comportant au moins un mobile de chronographe pour le décompte des secondes, et un mobile de compteur minutes pour le décompte des minutes, chacun équipé d'un limaçon avec lequel coopère une pièce de sonnerie, respectivement pièce des secondes et pièce des minutes, d'un mécanisme de sonnerie à la demande, analogue à un mécanisme de répétition minutes;
• la figure 2 représente, de façon similaire à la figure 1, un deuxième niveau où est visible une came des dizaines coaxiale au mobile de chronographe, avec laquelle coopère une pièce des dizaines ;
• la figure 3 représente, de façon similaire à la figure 1, un détail de l'organe de commande de ce mécanisme de sonnerie, entraînant une crémaillère, puis un pignon de crémaillère, puis les différentes pièces de sonnerie pour pivoter les différentes levées actionnant la levée des marteaux de percussion sur les timbres ;
• la figure 4 est un schéma-blocs représentant une pièce d'horlogerie, notamment une montre, où le mécanisme de sonnerie est distinct du mécanisme d'affichage ;
• la figure 5 est un schéma-blocs représentant une pièce d'horlogerie, notamment une montre, où le mécanisme de sonnerie est intégré au mécanisme d'affichage.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

• the figure 1 schematically represents, in plan, a first level of a display mechanism according to the invention, which is a chronograph mechanism, comprising at least one chronograph mobile for counting seconds, and a counter mobile minutes for counting the minutes, each equipped with a snail with which cooperates a ringing part, respectively second piece and minute piece, a ringing mechanism on demand, similar to a minute repeater mechanism;
• the figure 2 represents, similarly to the figure 1 , a second level where is visible a coaxial tens of the chronograph mobile, with which cooperates a piece of tens;
• the figure 3 represents, similarly to the figure 1 , a detail of the control member of the striking mechanism, driving a rack, then a rack pinion, then the different ringing parts to rotate the different levies actuating the lifting hammers of percussion on the stamps;
• the figure 4 is a block diagram showing a timepiece, including a watch, where the striking mechanism is distinct from the display mechanism;
• the figure 5 is a block diagram representing a timepiece, including a watch, where the striking mechanism is integrated with the display mechanism.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

The invention relates to a clock display mechanism 500, for a timepiece 1000, including a watch, or a pendulum.

This timepiece 1000 conventionally comprises a movement, and energy storage means for at least driving an oscillator, which are not detailed here. This timepiece 1000 can still include a music box.

This display mechanism 500 comprises at least one rotary display, such as needle, disk, or the like, for displaying a quantity other than the time of the current time, or respectively for the cyclical display of a position within a cycle.

By "magnitude other than time of the current time" is meant a magnitude such as a duration for a chronograph mechanism, or a count of actions on a pusher for a sporting apparatus, or the like.

"Displaying a position within a cycle" means a display whose value periodically returns over time, such as a day / night display, AM / PM display (morning / afternoon) , a spring / summer / fall / winter season display, a moon moon / first quarter / full moon / last quarter moon phase display, a tide display, a day of the week display, a month display year, a date display, or the like.

According to the invention, this display mechanism 500 is a sound display mechanism. For this purpose, the rotary display is secured, at least in rotation, a snail whose circumference cooperates with the probe of a ringing part that comprises a striking mechanism 1, which is integrated or juxtaposed to the mechanism of display 500, to ring a numerical value characteristic of the magnitude, or respectively of the position within the cycle.

The invention is described more particularly, and not exclusively, for a display made on demand, by action of a user on a control member, such as pusher, bolt, crown, bezel, or any other actuator.

Naturally, the invention can also be implemented with a triggering automatism. For example, in the particular case of a chronograph mechanism explained below, the stop command of the chronograph mechanism can be used to trigger a delay, in particular of adjustable duration, at the end of which a reading can be triggered by the movement of the timepiece, similar to a bell in the passage, triggering the sending of each piece of ringing ringtones on the corresponding snail.

In the particular and nonlimiting application illustrated by the figures, this display mechanism 500 is a chronograph mechanism 100, which comprises at least one chronograph mobile 2 for counting the seconds, and a counter mobile 20 minutes for the count of minutes.

This chronograph mechanism 100 according to the invention comprises at least one limaçon seconds 3 integral rotation of the chronograph mobile 2, and whose periphery is arranged to cooperate with a probe that comprises a part of seconds 8. It comprises at least a limaçon minute 21 integral in rotation with the mobile meter minutes 20, and whose perimeter is arranged to cooperate with a probe that includes a minute piece 22. The minute piece 22 and the seconds piece 8 are arranged to provide, after stopping at the end of a duration measurement of a timed duration performed by the chronograph mechanism 100, the information relating to the timed duration, respectively in minutes and seconds, to a striking mechanism 1 that includes the mechanism of chronograph 100 or which is juxtaposed the chronograph mechanism 100, to ring at least the minutes and seconds of the timed duration. This striking mechanism 1 comprises the seconds 8 part and the minute piece 22, to ring at least the minutes and seconds of the timed duration.

This chronograph mechanism 100 thus constitutes, combined with the striking mechanism 1, a chronograph repeat mechanism.

More particularly, the chronograph mechanism 100 further comprises a cam of intermediate duration, integral in rotation with the snail of the seconds 3 and the chronograph mobile 2, and having staves 240 of equal duration and submultiple integer of one minute, and whose perimeter is arranged to cooperate with a probe that includes a part of intermediate duration that includes the striking mechanism 1, to ring the minutes, the intermediate times, and seconds of the timed duration. This cam of intermediate duration is a snail, each scope 240 corresponds to a value of different radius of the others. More particularly, and as illustrated by the figures, the cam of intermediate duration is a cam of tens 24, having six bearings 240, and arranged to count the tens of seconds, and the part of intermediate duration Corresponding is a play of tens 26. Of course, other divisions can be performed, including a thirty-something, twenty-something, fortnight, dozen, or other cam. The cam of the tens 24 is easier to interpret by the user, and the number of divisions of the snail seconds 3 associated with it, here comprising six arms 310 each with ten notches 320, and which corresponds to the last ring performed, is small enough to be well perceived by the user.

In a particular embodiment, the striking mechanism 1 is an additional module, which comprises a ringing plate, which comprises complementary indexing means which are arranged to cooperate with indexing means that includes the chronograph mechanism 100.

More particularly, the chronograph mechanism 100 is an additional module, which comprises having a chronograph plate, which comprises complementary primary indexing means arranged to cooperate with primary indexing means that includes a timepiece 1000.

In the particular embodiment illustrated, the striking mechanism 1 comprises a minute probe 22, which is arranged to cooperate, on the one hand in reading with the minutes snail 21, and on the other hand with a rack 33 meshing with a pinion rack 31 rotatably integral with a minute ratchet 32 to cause a minute lift 34, to drive a first hammer 35.

The striking mechanism 1 comprises a piece of tens 26, which is arranged to cooperate on the one hand in reading with a cam of tens 24 integral in rotation with the chronograph mobile 2, and on the other hand with a first lift tens 30, for driving the first hammer 35 or more conventionally a second hammer 13, and with a second lift tens 29 to respectively drive a second hammer 13 or more conventionally the first hammer 35.

This striking mechanism 1 further comprises a part of the seconds 8, which is arranged to cooperate, firstly in reading with the snail seconds 3, and secondly with a lifting seconds 12 to drive the second hammer 13, or a third hammer. Indeed, the invention is illustrated with a simplified system comprising only a first stamp 40, more serious than a second stamp 17, and only a first hammer 35 and a second hammer 16. Of course it is possible to use a striking mechanism 1 with more stamps, and to completely differentiate the tone corresponding to each piece of ringing.

• sonneries,
• répétition antique,
• répétition à quarts moderne,
• répétition simplifiée,
• répétition demi-quarts,
• répétition demi-quarts Breguet,
• répétition cinq minutes,
• répétition à minutes,
• grande sonnerie.

Sauf nécessité, ces mécanismes de base ne seront pas repris ici en détail, le spécialiste des sonneries saura en retrouver la constitution dans cet ouvrage de référence universel, en particulier dans les deux derniers chapitres cités ci-dessus.In short, this chronograph mechanism 100, also called "Chrono Chime" comprises a striking mechanism 1 with a layout identical to that of a minute-to-quarter repeater mechanism, where the hours are replaced by the minutes, the quarters are replaced by the tens of seconds, and the minutes are replaced by the seconds. Those skilled in the art have no difficulty in transposing the conventional arrangement of a minute repeater to the invention. He can refer with profit to the work of François LECOULTRE "Complicated Watches", Watchmaking Editions, Bienne (Switzerland), 1985, ISBN 2-88175-000-1 , which gives a detailed description of the basic mechanisms that constitute ringing mechanisms, on pages 97 to 205, under different chapters:

• ringtones,
• ancient repetition,
• modern quarter rehearsal,
• simplified repetition,
• half-quarter repetition,
• half-quarter Breguet repetition,
• five minutes repetition,
• repetition to minutes,
• great ringtone.

Unless necessary, these basic mechanisms will not be repeated here in detail, the ringtones specialist will find its constitution in this universal reference book, especially in the last two chapters cited above.

More particularly, the striking mechanism 1 comprises an armature control 39, which is arranged to trigger the reading of the timed duration on the snails and cams, and to drive the rack 33 against elastic return means constituting the motor means of the sound display for moving, on the one hand, a rack pinion 31 secured to the minutes ratchet 32 for the ringing of the minutes elapsed, and secondly the tens piece 26 and then the seconds piece 8 for the tens of seconds and then seconds elapsed, with an arrangement identical to that of a repetition minutes to quarters where the hours are replaced by the minutes, the quarters are replaced by tens of seconds, and the minutes are replaced by the seconds. In particular the coupling of the room of tens 26 and the piece of seconds 8 is similar to that of a repetition minutes to quarters.

More particularly, the seconds snail 3 comprises identical arms 310 having notches 320, each arm 31 corresponding to an intermediate sub-multiple duration of one minute. And the ringing mechanism 1 comprises a surprise 4, which is arranged to temporarily extend the end of each arm 31 of the seconds snail 3, to prevent an erroneous indication at each change in intermediate time.

More particularly, the intermediate duration of each arm 31 of the seconds snail 3 is the same as that of the lands 240 of the cam of intermediate duration.

More particularly, the surprise 4 and the cam of intermediate duration each comprise an oblong groove 330, respectively 241, cooperating with a pin 230 that comprises the snail seconds 3.

• la commande d'armage 39, la crémaillère 33, le bloc de sonnerie avec le pignon de crémaillère 31 et le rochet des minutes 32, la bascule de décrochement 5, le ressort tout-ou-rien 18 le bras de crémaillère 25, le palpeur des minutes 22 avec son ressort de palpeur des minutes 23, le limaçon des minutes 21 et le mobile compteur des minutes 20 ;
• au centre : le mobile de chronographe 2, le limaçon des secondes 3, la came des dizaines 24, et la surprise 4 ;
• un sautoir de surprise 6 et son ressort de surprise 7 ;
• le doigt d'entraînement des dizaines 28 et le pignon de pièce des dizaines 27 au niveau du bloc de sonnerie, la pièce des dizaines 26 et le cliquet des secondes 11 ;
• la pièce des secondes 8 ;
• la levée des minutes 34, le premier marteau 35, le percuteur de premier marteau 35, le ressort de premier marteau 37, le contre-ressort de premier marteau 38 ;
• la première levée des dizaines 30 agissant sur le premier marteau 35, et la deuxième levée des dizaines 29 agissant sur le deuxième marteau 13 ;
• la levée des secondes 12, le deuxième marteau 13, le percuteur de deuxième marteau 15, le ressort de deuxième marteau 14, le contre-ressort de deuxième marteau 16.

The Figures 1 to 3 show the main constituents of the striking mechanism:

• the armature control 39, the rack 33, the ringing unit with the rack pinion 31 and the minutes ratchet 32, the recess rocker 5, the spring-and-nothing 18 the rack arm 25, the probe minutes 22 with its minute feeler spring 23, minute snail 21 and minute handwheel 20;
• in the center: the chronograph mobile 2, the snail of the seconds 3, the cam of the tens 24, and the surprise 4;
• a jumper of surprise 6 and its surprise spring 7;
• the dozens drive finger 28 and the dozens part gear 27 at the ringer block, the tens piece 26 and the second ratchet 11;
• the piece of seconds 8;
• the lifting of the minutes 34, the first hammer 35, the first hammer striker 35, the first hammer spring 37, the first hammer spring-spring 38;
• the first lift of tens 30 acting on the first hammer 35, and the second lift tens 29 acting on the second hammer 13;
• the lifting of the seconds 12, the second hammer 13, the striker of the second hammer 15, the spring of the second hammer 14, the counter-spring of the second hammer 16.

In a particular embodiment, the chronograph mechanism 100 includes a split-second, whose display is integral in rotation with a split-back snail, the periphery of which cooperates with the feeler of a split-second piece which the striking mechanism 1 comprises. It is possible to double the entire striking mechanism: one for the chronograph, and a second for the catch-up, however this embodiment is cumbersome and substantially increases the thickness of a watch. Another more complex embodiment is to use a unique striking mechanism, which sounds on demand either the chronograph or the split-seconds. In a simplified embodiment and consistent with almost all the mechanisms of catch-up, the duration measured by the catch-up is limited to 60 seconds, which avoids having to count the minutes.

In another embodiment not illustrated by the figures, the display mechanism 500 comprises a rotary display arranged to display a position within a cycle, which is a day / night display, or an AM / display display. PM, or a spring / summer / fall / winter display, or a new moon / first quarter / full moon / last quarter display.

More particularly, the rotary display is arranged for displaying a position within a cycle, which is a date display by a ring of tens and units, or a display of the day of the week.

The invention can implement a ringing mechanism more complex than that illustrated by the figures, especially with several ringtones or melodies as on the patent applications of the same depositor: classical ringtone or a melody game, multi-stage ringing mechanism with different rake pieces.

The invention also relates to a timepiece 1000, in particular a watch, comprising such a display mechanism 500.

In one embodiment, the striking mechanism 1 is distinct from the display mechanism 500.

In one embodiment, the striking mechanism 1 is integrated with said display mechanism 500.

If the sound display mechanism described above is designed as a dubbing of a conventional visual display, it can also be substituted for the latter.

The invention makes it possible, by a limited transformation, consisting in the addition of snails to the display mobiles concerned on existing calibres, to bring to a timepiece, in particular a watch, new functionalities, and in particular by using existing ringing mechanisms, adapted to the particular case by the use of particular ringing pieces.

Claims (18)

Display mechanism (500) having at least one rotary display, for displaying a quantity other than the time of the current time, or for displaying a position within a cycle, respectively , characterized in that said display mechanism (500) is a sound display mechanism, and in that said rotary display is integral at least in rotation with a snail whose circumference cooperates with the probe of a piece of ringing that includes a ringing mechanism (1) integrated or juxtaposed to said display mechanism (500), to ring a numerical value characteristic of said magnitude, or respectively of said position within said cycle. Display mechanism (500) according to claim 1, characterized in that said display mechanism (500) is a chronograph mechanism (100) comprising a chronograph mobile (2) for counting the seconds, and a mobile of minute counter (20) for counting the minutes, and in that said chronograph mechanism (100) comprises at least one seconds snail (3) integral in rotation with said chronograph wheel (2) and whose periphery is arranged to cooperate with a feeler that comprises a part of the seconds (8), and comprises at least one minutes snail (21) integral in rotation with said counter minute mobile (20) and whose periphery is arranged to cooperate with a probe that comprises a part minutes (22), and in that said minute piece (22) and said second piece (8) are arranged to provide, after stopping at the end of a duration measurement of a timed duration performed by said chronograph mechanism ( 100), the information relating to the timed duration, respectively in minutes and seconds, to a striking mechanism (1) that comprises said chronograph mechanism (100) or which is juxtaposed said chronograph mechanism (100) and which comprises said piece seconds (8) and said minute piece (22), to ring at least the minutes and seconds of said timed duration. Display mechanism (500) according to claim 2, characterized in that said chronograph mechanism (100) further comprises a cam of intermediate duration integral in rotation with said second snail (3) and said chronograph mobile (2) having bearings (240) of equal duration and submultiple of one minute, and whose periphery is arranged to cooperate with a probe that includes a piece of intermediate duration that includes said ringing mechanism (1), to ring the minutes, said intermediate times, and seconds of said timed duration. Display mechanism (500) according to claim 3, characterized in that said cam of intermediate duration is a tensile cam (24) arranged to count the tens of seconds, and in that said piece of intermediate duration is a piece of tens (26). Display mechanism (500) according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that said striking mechanism (1) is an additional module comprising a ringing plate which comprises complementary indexing means arranged to cooperate with indexing means included in said chronograph mechanism (100). Display mechanism (500) according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that said chronograph mechanism (100) is an additional module comprising a chronograph plate which comprises complementary primary indexing means arranged to cooperate with primary indexing means that includes a timepiece (1000). Display mechanism (500) according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that said striking mechanism (1) comprises a said minute probe (22) arranged to cooperate on the one hand in reading with said snail minutes (21), and secondly with a rack (33) meshing with a rack pinion (31) integral in rotation with a minute ratchet (32) to cause a lift of the minutes (34) to cause a first hammer (35), a piece of tens (26) arranged to cooperate on the one hand in reading with a cam tens (24) integral in rotation with said chronograph mobile (2), and secondly with a first lifting tens (30) to drive said first hammer (35) or a second hammer (13) and with a second lift tens (29) to respectively drive a second hammer (13) or said first hammer (35), and comprises still a said second piece (8) arranged to cooperate, on the one hand in reading with said second snail (3), and secondly with a lifting seconds (12) to drive a second hammer (13) or a third hammer. Display mechanism (500) according to claim 7, characterized in that said striking mechanism (1) comprises a winding control (39) arranged to trigger the reading of said timed duration on the snails and cams and to drive said rack (33) against elastic return means constituting the driving means of the sound display for moving, on the one hand, a rack pinion (31) secured to said minute ratchet (32) for the ringing of the minutes elapsed, and secondly said tens piece (26) and said second piece (8) for the ringing tens of seconds and seconds elapsed, with an arrangement identical to that of a minute-to-quarter repetition mechanism where the hours are replaced by the minutes, the quarters are replaced by the tens of seconds, and the minutes are replaced by the seconds. Display mechanism (500) according to one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that said second snail (3) comprises identical arms (31) having notches (32), each said arm (31) corresponding to an entire submultiple intermediate time of one minute, and in that said striking mechanism (1) comprises a surprise (4) arranged to temporarily extend the end of each said arm (31) of said second snail (3) , to prevent an erroneous indication at each change of said intermediate duration. Display mechanism (500) according to claims 3 and 9, characterized in that said intermediate duration of each said arm (31) of said second snail (3) is the same as that of said spans (240) of said cam duration intermediate. Display mechanism (500) according to claims 3 and 9, characterized in that said surprise (4) and said cam intermediate duration each comprise an oblong groove (33; 241) cooperating with a pin (230) that includes said snail seconds (3). Display mechanism (500) according to one of claims 2 to 11, characterized in that said chronograph mechanism (100) comprises a catch-up whose display is integral in rotation with a snake rim whose circumference cooperates with the feeler of a split second part that comprises said striking mechanism (1). Display mechanism (500) according to claim 1, characterized in that said rotary display is arranged for displaying a position within a cycle, which is a day / night display, or an AM / PM display , or a display spring / summer / fall / winter, or a new moon / first quarter / full moon / last quarter display. Display mechanism (500) according to claim 1, characterized in that said rotary display is arranged for displaying a position within a cycle, which is a date display by ringing tens and units, or a day of the week display. Timepiece (1000) having a display mechanism (500) according to one of claims 1 to 14. Timepiece (1000) according to claim 15, characterized in that said striking mechanism (1) is distinct from said display mechanism (500). Timepiece (1000) according to claim 15, characterized in that said striking mechanism (1) is integrated with said display mechanism (500). Timepiece (1000) according to one of claims 15 to 17, characterized in that said timepiece (1000) is a watch.

Images