EP3835887B1 - Watch provided with a controller - Google Patents

Description

Technical area

The invention relates to a watch provided with at least one electronically manageable function and provided with a control member for controlling this function.

Technology background

Mechanical or electromechanical watches include as standard a stem-crown which makes it possible to adjust the position of the hands by turning the crown, as well as to wind the barrel in the case of a mechanical watch. In most cases, the crown is in a resting position close to the watch case, and it needs to be pulled out to a setting position to adjust the time and, if applicable, the date.

More and more additional functions are provided, such as an electronic display of personal and/or geographical information, for example a diary, fitness and geolocation data. This is also the case for watches fitted with a mechanical movement, for example by adding an electronic module comprising a digital screen arranged on part of the dial.

The presence of the aforementioned additional functions generally requires specific control means, which allow for example to select a function, to navigate in a menu, etc.

Electronic watches have been developed with a 'joystick' or 'trackball' type control device. Examples of these solutions are respectively illustrated by the documents EP 1168113 and EP 0582150 . But it will be noted that these solutions are not intended for a mechanical winding watch. The document EP 0582150 also describes a watch provided with a stem-crown as well as a 'trackball' device. the disadvantage of this last solution is that the presence of two spatially separated control members is not always desirable from an aesthetic point of view and/or from an economic point of view given that the watch case is more complex to machine. It will also be noted that good sealing of the watch case is more difficult to obtain with the control members of the 'joystick' or 'trackball' type described in the aforementioned prior documents.

EP3008552 A1 relates to a watch in which a force applied by a user to the watch crown from above, below or laterally is sensed by switching sensors which are located inside the watch.

Summary of the invention

The invention aims to provide a watch which does not suffer from the drawbacks described above. This object is achieved by the watch according to the appended claims.

A watch according to the invention comprises a control member able to manage at least a first functionality of the watch and to simultaneously control one or more additional electronic functionalities. The control member, for example a rotary crown, is mounted on an elongated element defining a central axis and passing through the middle part of the watch. At least one strain gauge, also called strain gauge, is mounted inside the caseband and arranged to produce an electrical signal which is representative of a force exerted by the elongated element on the strain gauge when a user manipulates the control member in at least one direction perpendicular to said central axis. A processor generates commands based on the signals from the gauge or gauges, for example to allow the user to navigate in a menu displayed on a digital screen.

Brief description of figures

• La figure 1 représente une section verticale du mécanisme tige-couronne incorporant une fonction 'joystick' dans une montre selon une forme d'exécution de l'invention.
• La figure 2 représente une section horizontale du même mécanisme que la figure 1.
• La figure 3 représente une vue éclatée du mécanisme des figures 1 et 2.
• La figure 4 est une section perpendiculaire à l'axe central de la tige-couronne formant le mécanisme représenté aux figures 1 à 3.
• La figure 5A est une vue en perspective d'un module incorporant deux jauges de déformation et agencé à l'intérieur de la carrure de la montre.
• La figures 5B est une vue en perspective montrant une partie interne du module de la Figures 5A, en particulier les deux jauges de déformation.

The invention will be described below in more detail with the aid of the appended drawings, given by way of non-limiting examples, in which:

• The figure 1 shows a vertical section of the stem-crown mechanism incorporating a 'joystick' function in a watch according to one embodiment of the invention.
• The picture 2 represents a horizontal section of the same mechanism as the figure 1 .
• The picture 3 represents an exploded view of the mechanism of the figures 1 and 2 .
• The figure 4 is a section perpendicular to the central axis of the stem-crown forming the mechanism shown in figures 1 to 3 .
• The figure 5A is a perspective view of a module incorporating two strain gauges and arranged inside the middle of the watch.
• The figure 5B is a perspective view showing an internal part of the module of the Fig. 5A , in particular the two strain gauges.

Detailed description of an embodiment of the invention

The invention applies just as well to watches provided with a mechanical movement as with an electromechanical movement. It can even apply to an electronic watch without hands.

In the case of a mechanical movement, the watch is provided with additional functions with an electronic character. This watch may include a digital screen which extends over a portion of the dial, provided for displaying the time by hands, and on which various data are displayed, such as the date, the time, alphanumeric messages or other information which is accessible for example by navigating in one or more menus. The watch comprises a stem-crown mechanism for winding and adjusting the hands, which is well known in the state of the art. According to this embodiment of the invention, the crown also serves as a means of controlling additional electronic functions, thanks to a set of deformation/strain gauges mounted so as to be able to detect manipulation of the crown in two dimensions in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the crown, more precisely detecting pressure exerted laterally by a user on the crown in two mutually orthogonal directions and perpendicular to the central axis of the stem-crown mechanism.

The figures 1 and 2 represent vertical and horizontal sections of the stem-crown mechanism in a watch according to one embodiment of the invention. To the picture 3 , the different components are shown in an exploded view. In known manner, crown 1 is connected to a winding stem 2 by means of a stem connector 6 driven onto one end of stem 2. The assembly of stem 2 and stem connector 6 passes through through a tube 3 fixedly mounted in a hole 4 provided in the wall of the middle part 5 of the watch. In the finished watch, middle 5 forms the support in which is installed a watch movement which is adjustable by the stem-crown mechanism. O-rings 9 are inserted between tube 3 and middle part 5 and between tube 3 and rod connector 6 to seal the mechanism. The crown 1 is mounted on one side of the rod connector 6, so that the rotation of the crown 1 drives the rod connector 6 and the rod 2 in rotation around the axis of rotation 10.

The assembly of the fitting-rod 6 and of the rod 2 represents an embodiment of an elongated element to which the crown is fixed. It will be noted that this set can take different forms depending on the type of watch. In particular, the rod connector and the rod can form one and the same element. In the case of a purely digital watch, it is possible to provide a rotating crown fixed to an elongated element forming an electronic rod. In general, the elongated element is an element which defines a central axis 10 and which protrudes from the caseband 5 of the watch.

Moreover, the crown 1 is only one embodiment of a control member mounted laterally with respect to the caseband and to which the invention is applicable. Another example of such a control member is the (generally non-rotating) head of a pusher fitted to a chronograph. In general, the control member to which the invention is applicable is a member which is configured to adjust at least a first function, and which is adapted according to the invention to adjust one or more additional electronic functions. The invention will be described for the case of the rotating crown, which represents the most common case in the horological field but which does not limit the scope of the invention.

In the figures, the crown 1 is shown in a position relatively close to the caseband 5, called the 'rest position'. In a manner known per se, this position allows for example the user of a mechanical watch to wind his watch manually by turning the crown. According to embodiments, and in a manner also known, the crown can be moved away from the middle part 5, by manually pulling this crown and driving the rod 2 in the axial direction, to activate mechanical adjustment modes such as the adjustment of the position of the hands and, if applicable, the date. Various systems exist which regulate the axial positioning of the crown and the actuation of the mechanical adjustment, and the invention is applicable in combination with any one of these systems. Independently of the system applied, the invention relates to functionalities provided to a control member such as the crown 1 when the latter is preferably in the rest position.

As illustrated in the figures, a pair of strain gauges 15 and 16 is mounted inside the middle part 5. The gauges are able to measure the radial force exerted by the stem 2 when the user manipulates the crown 1 in the plane YZ of the system of orthogonal axes XYZ, the X axis of which is collinear with the axis of rotation 10 of the rod 2. More particularly, the Z axis is essentially perpendicular to the general plane of the middle part 5, and Y is in this general plan. In fact, in the present case, the 'joystick' function is more linked to the result, namely the possibility of directing a cursor in a plane or of activating various zones of a digital display distributed according to the two dimensions of this digital display. , because the movement of the crown 1 in a YZ plane is relatively limited and, in a particular variant, almost zero. Indeed, it is the force exerted laterally on the crown and which is transmitted to the rod 2 which is detected via the radial force applied by this rod at the level of the two strain gauges.

To measure the radial force, the gauges 15 and 16 are mounted on the periphery of an O-ring 17 of elastic material, at radial positions separated by an angle of 90° to the axis of rotation 10. The ring 17 is mounted around a washer 18 made of rigid material. The rod 2 passes through the washer 18. The play between the washer and the rod is provided minimal, while allowing the sliding of the rod 2 relative to the washer, so that the user can pull the crown 1 and the rod 2 to a position for setting the time and again to the rest position. The gauges 15 and 16 are immobilized by a support 19 which is fixed to the internal surface of the side wall of the middle part 5, for example by screws (not shown). The support 19 comprises an opening 20 whose diameter corresponds to the diameter of the O-ring 17 so that the ring is housed in the opening 20. In addition, the support 19 is provided with two radial housings 21 and 22 positioned at a angle of 90° to the circumference of the opening 20, and dimensioned to receive the respective gauges 15 and 16 and to maintain them in fixed positions with respect to the rod 2.

According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the support 19 comprises two vertical ribs 25 which are housed in a pair of grooves 26 in the internal wall of the middle part 5, so as to lock the support 19 in a fixed position. In equivalent embodiments, other locking means can be implemented.

The gauges 15 and 16 are kept in contact with the elastic ring 17 with a certain degree of prestress, so that a basic stress is measured when the crown 1 is in the rest position and in the absence of manipulations of the 'user. From this rest position, the radial forces, exerted on the rod 2 by the manipulations of the crown in the YZ plane, are transmitted as radial forces exerted by the washer 18 on the ring 17, which are added to or are deducted from the basic prestressing, depending on the direction of the manipulations, along the two orthogonal axes Y and Z defined respectively by the two strain gauges 16 and 15. In this way, the signals generated by the gauges 15 and 16 are representative of the manipulations of the crown along two dimensions (Y and Z), which gives the crown functionality similar to that of a joystick of a control console for a computer.

The gauges 15 and 16 are connected by electrical wires 27 to a printed circuit board (PCB) 28, attached to the rear face of the support 19. A processor (not shown) is on board the PCB 28 to process the signals generated by the strain gauges and to translate them into commands which will manage one or more electronic functions of the watch, for example the piloting of a cursor on the digital screen of the watch. It is possible to implement methods and algorithms well known in the field of computing, for the processing of signals as well as for the generation of commands. A battery or other source of electrical energy, such as a photovoltaic cell, is present in the watch to power the components mounted on the PCB 28 and/or other electronic components implemented in the watch.

Preferably, gauges 15 and 16 are positioned orthogonally to each other. A deviation from this orthogonal positioning is permitted, provided that the forces exerted in the Y and Z directions can be derived from the measured signals, taking into account the angular position of the gauges in a plane parallel to the YZ plane.

The invention is not limited to embodiments provided with two strain gauges. A watch according to the invention could comprise a single gauge arranged so as to be able to measure manipulation in a single direction, for example only gauge 15. It is also possible to provide more than two gauges, for example out of four located at four places around the axis of the crown, corresponding in particular to the angles 0, 90°, 180° and 270°.

Among the embodiments provided with at least two strain gauges, particular embodiments are for example the allocation of specific functionalities according to the direction in which the control member is manipulated in a plane perpendicular to the central axis 10. For example, in the case of the embodiment represented in the figures, the manipulation along the Z axis, detected only by the gauge 15, can control a different function than the manipulation along the Y axis , detected only by the gauge 16. In this case, the processor is preferably configured so that a slight deviation of the manipulation with respect to the Y and Z axes will be neglected.

According to a variant embodiment, a module comprising the gauges is arranged at least for the most part in a housing machined in the wall of the caseband around the opening for the stem 2 and the connection-stem 6, for example in the tube 3 In another alternative embodiment, the strain gauges are arranged in an internal housing of the tube 3, for example on the side of the outer end of this tube, the gauges then detecting the radial forces exerted on them by the fitting-rod 6 when handling the crown 1 in the two directions Y and Z. However, the variant shown is preferred to this last variant because, in the variant shown, the measurement module is located in the waterproof part of the watch case and the electrical connections between this measurement module and other units of the watch, in particular an electronic display module, are facilitated.

The ring 17 is only one embodiment of an elastic interface, which could take other equivalent forms, for example comprising two parts made of elastic material mounted between the gauges and the washer 18. Next, the washer 18 , although advantageous, is not essential. On the other hand, to have a prestress exerted on the gauges while having the rod 2 free in its axial movement, the washer made of hard material is useful.

According to other embodiments, the crown 1 (or any other control member to which the invention is applicable) is capable of undergoing a self-reversing axial movement from the rest position, like a chronograph pusher. This axial movement is actuated by the user who pushes the crown briefly towards the caseband 5 and then releases the crown, which automatically returns to its initial position. This is possible for example when the crown 1 is assembled to the stem 2 via a spring pusher mechanism, known per se. According to the embodiments relevant to the invention, the watch is provided with a detector arranged to detect this axial displacement so that the processor generates in response a specific command and different from the commands generated by the radial manipulation of the crown. The commands generated by pushing the crown can be commands for confirming a selection from options presented for example in a menu. The reversible push can also be used to activate or deactivate the 'joystick' function of the crown. The duration of the push can determine the command. For example, a longer duration for activating or deactivating the 'joystick' function and a shorter duration for confirming a selection as soon as the function is active.

Different types of proximity detectors can be used to detect the approach of the crown towards the caseband. For example, a pair of galvanic contacts could be provided which touch when the crown is pushed in, or more preferably a capacitive sensor could be implemented. Another possibility is a magnetic detector with variable reluctance comprising a magnetic part integrated into the wall of the middle part and provided with a solenoid in which the current generated under a given voltage is a function of the distance between the magnetic part and the inner face. of the crown which is made at least partially of a ferromagnetic material.

Claims (14)

1. Watch comprising a watch case that includes: - a middle (5), - a horological movement inside the middle, and - a control member (1) mounted laterally with respect to the middle; the control member being mounted at the outer end of an elongate element (6, 2) that projects out of the middle (5), this elongate element defining a central axis (10), the control member being configured to fulfil at least one first function of the watch via a rotation or an axial movement of the elongate element, the watch being provided with at least one additional function that can be managed by an electrical signal; characterised in that the watch includes:

   - at least one strain gauge (15, 16) mounted inside the middle (5) or at least partially in this middle or in an external element fixedly connected to this middle, this strain gauge and the elongate element being arranged so that the elongate element can exert a radial force on this strain gauge when a sufficient actuation force is exerted by a user on the control member in at least one direction substantially perpendicular to said central axis, said strain gauge being arranged so as to produce an electrical signal that is dependent on the radial force and thus on said actuation force, and

   - a processor configured to generate a command that manages said additional function on the basis of the electrical signal generated by the strain gauge.
2. Watch according to claim 1, characterised in that said at least one strain gauge is immobilised with respect to the middle (5) and mounted against a resilient interface (17) that is arranged between the elongate element (6, 2) and said at least one strain gauge.
3. Watch according to claim 2, characterised in that said resilient interface takes the form of an O-ring (17) centred on said central axis.
4. Watch according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that a washer (18) made from rigid material is mounted around the elongate element (6, 2), which is left free in axial translation, and between this elongate element (6, 2) and the resilient interface (17), the strain gauge being mounted so as to be prestressed against the resilient interface.
5. Watch according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the watch comprises a support (19) that immobilises said at least one strain gauge (15, 16) with respect to a wall of the middle (5) or with respect to the horological movement, the support comprising an opening (20) for passage of the elongate element (6, 2) and at least one bed (21, 22) for receiving said at least one strain gauge.
6. Watch according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the watch comprises two strain gauges (15, 16) mounted orthogonally in relation to said central axis.
7. Watch according to claim 6, characterised in that distinct functions of the watch are managed by the manipulations of the control member in respective distinct directions, said distinct directions being defined essentially by the angular position of the strain gauges.
8. Watch according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the control member (1) is capable of undergoing an axial auto-reversible movement with respect to the middle (5), the watch including at least one proximity detector, arranged so as to be able to detect said axial movement, and a processor configured to generate, in response to said axial movement, a command that is different from the commands generated by the manipulation of the control member in said at least one direction substantially perpendicular to the central axis.
9. Watch according to claim 8, characterised in that a command generated by the detection of said axial movement is the activation or deactivation of the function of said at least one strain gauge.
10. Watch according to claim 8, characterised in that a command generated by the detection of said axial movement is the confirmation of a selection.
11. Watch according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the control member is a rotary crown (1) arranged so as to rotate the elongate element (6, 2) about the central axis (10) when a user turns the crown (1) in order to execute said first function.
12. Watch according to claim 11, characterised in that the elongate element includes the assembly consisting of an arbor (2) and an arbor coupling, the crown being mounted at the outer end of the arbor coupling (6).
13. Watch according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the control member (1) is a push-piece, said first function of which is to activate a feature of a chronograph with which the watch is equipped.
14. Watch according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the horological movement is of the mechanical type.

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