CH712493A2 - Clock correction device for displaying astronomical phenomena. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a correction device for a horological movement or an additional module for a clockwork movement to enable the application / superposition of corrections to the necessary data as a function of the degree of longitude of the geographical position, the time zone and / or changes from summer time to winter or vice versa for a display of astronomical phenomena. This device in a simple embodiment consists of a control flip-flop (2) bistable and optionally provided with an indicator (12) which allows the index (13) to visualize its position. Said control rocker (2) makes it possible to operate in both directions a secondary hour wheel (6a) which carries an indicator enabling the display of hourly data related to astronomical phenomena. Said secondary hours wheel (6a) is secured to a star (7), indexed by a jumper (8) mounted on a primary hour wheel (9) controlled by a mechanism for calculating astronomical phenomena. This device in a more sophisticated embodiment is to use a planetary gear (20b) to connect the control wheel (21b), the primary hour primary wheel (9) and a secondary hour wheel (6a / b). The control wheel (21b) is operated manually, directly or indirectly and controls an indicator (12b) which allows the reading of its position relative to an index (13b). The planetary gear (20b) allows a secondary hour wheel (6a / b) and the display of hourly data related to astronomical phenomena to take a position which depends both on the primary hour wheel (9) always driven by the mechanism for calculating astronomical phenomena, and at least one command (2, 21b), which defines the reference from which the time indication linked to astronomical phenomena will be displayed.

Description

Description

Copyright & Legal Disclaimer [0001] Part of the disclosure of this patent document contains information that is subject to copyright protection. The Claimant has no objection to facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or patent disclosure as it appears in the patent file or files of the Patent and Trademark Office, but reserves the right to besides all the royalties whatever they are. In addition, no reference to patents or third party articles contained in this document shall be construed as an admission that the present invention is not entitled to precede such information by virtue of a prior invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The mechanisms of the prior art allowing the display of hourly data related to astronomical phenomena, such as, for example, the time of sunrise, the time of passage from the sun to the zenith , or the time of sunset, or other astronomical phenomenon, taking into account both winter time and summer time. Existing mechanisms only allow display in relation to winter time or daylight saving time for a specific geographical position.

[0003] The utility model DE 20 307 922 U1 claims the use of a double needle which allows the display of the hours of sunrise or sunset on a scale of 24 hours, one of the hands indicating the time of day. summer and the other winter time.

The patent DE 4 339 220 A1 claims a product consisting of several concentric discs operated by hand that can read graphically indications of sunrise and sunset on different rules. The demand claims features in the layout of the disks.

[0005] Patent CH 690 516 A5 claims a mechanism for indicating sunrises and sunsets consisting of a wheel which includes a sunrise cam and a sun cam, each of which cooperates with a feeler which controls horizons. mobiles that allow the display of the hours of sunrise and sunset concentrically on a scale of 24 hours. The mechanism is designed to display the rising and falling times of a predetermined position because the cams are fixed on the wheel.

EP 0 195 742 A1 relates to an astronomical watch made of a real astrolabe and claims the coupling by planetary gear (differential) between a mechanically driven time reference and astronomical magnitude in particular conditions. In the planned invention the coupling by planetary gear is carried out between a manually operated control and an astronomical magnitude.

Patent EP 2 728 421 A1 claims a phase display mechanism of a star by three-dimensional means and disengagement systems.

[0008] Patent EP 0 369 242 B1 claims an astronomical wristwatch which comprises a disc driven by jumps and which makes one turn per year. The disc contains segments of curves of the astronomical magnitudes to be displayed which appear in windows of the dial.

What is sought is a watch movement or additional module for a watch movement which overcomes the disadvantages of the mechanisms of the prior art, to provide a mechanism or a combination of mechanisms making it possible to apply necessary corrections as a function of the degree of longitude of the geographical position, the time zone and / or changes of time from summer to winter or vice versa. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] Correction device for a clockwork movement or additional module for a clockwork movement to make it possible to apply / superimpose corrections to the necessary data as a function of the degree of longitude of the geographical position, of the spindle time and / or changes of time from summer to winter or vice versa for a display of astronomical phenomena. This device in a simple embodiment consists of a bistable control flip-flop and optionally provided with an indicator that allows the index to visualize its position. Said control rocker makes it possible to operate in both directions a secondary hour wheel which carries an indicator allowing the display of hourly data related to astronomical phenomena. Said secondary hours wheel is secured to a star, indexed by a jumper mounted on a wheel of the primary hours driven by mechanisms for calculating astronomical phenomena. This device in a more sophisticated embodiment is to use a planetary gear to connect the control wheel, the primary primary hour wheel and the secondary hour wheel. The control wheel is operated manually, directly or indirectly and controls an indicator that allows the reading of its position relative to the indexes. The planetary gearing enables the secondary hour wheel and the display of hourly data related to astronomical phenomena to take a position which depends at the same time on the primary hour wheel, always driven by the astronomical phenomenon calculation mechanism. and the command, which defines the reference from which the time indication related to astronomical phenomena will be displayed.

Brief description of the drawings [0011]

Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a first embodiment of the device, or the control lever 2 is in a position corresponding to winter time.

Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the device of FIG. 1 in a position where the control rocker 2 is in a position corresponding to summer time.

Fig. 3 shows a plan view of a second embodiment of the device using a pusher 17, or the control rocker 2 is in a position corresponding to the winter time.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 3 or the control rocker 2 is in a position corresponding to summer time.

Fig. 5 shows a plan view of a third embodiment of the device or a planetary gear is used to connect the control, the computing device and the display.

Fig. 6 shows a front view of a timepiece including a mechanism according to the second embodiment, and showing the pusher, 17, the adjustment indicator 12 and the display 10 modified by the setting.

Fig. 7 shows a front view of a timepiece of FIG. 6 with the indicators 10, 12 in another position.

Fig. 8 shows a front view of a timepiece including a mechanism according to the fifth embodiment described above and showing the adjustment indicator 12 and the display 10 modified by the command.

Fig. 9 is a front view of a timepiece of FIG. 8, or the control 12 has been moved and moved the indicator 10 with respect to FIG. 8.

Fig. 10 shows a plan view of an embodiment comprising several controls 21a, 21b each linked by gear trains comprising a planetary gear 20a, 20b.

Fig. 11 shows a front view of a timepiece including the mechanism of FIG. 10, and in which one can distinguish the indicators 12a, 12b respectively related to the controls 21a, 21b, which allow the adjustment of the indicator 10 with respect to both the longitude displayed by 12a and the time zone displayed by 12b .

Fig. 12 shows an example of implementation, with a first flip-flop 2 and a second control 21b which can take any angular positions.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for the sake of simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, dimensions may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of the invention and its embodiments. In addition, when the terms "first", "second" and the like are used herein, their use is intended to allow a distinction between similar elements and not necessarily to describe a sequential or chronological order. In addition, the relative terms such as "before", "back", "up" and "down" and the like in the Description and / or the claims are not necessarily used to describe an exclusive relative position. Therefore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that such terms may be interchangeable with other terms, and that the embodiments described herein are capable of operating in other orientations than those explicitly illustrated or otherwise described.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT [0013] The following description is not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way, this being by way of example, to describe the best mode of the invention to the knowledge of the inventors on the date of deposit thereof. Accordingly, changes can be made to the arrangement and / or operation of any of the elements described in the exemplary embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0014] Below are described three embodiments of the device. The first embodiment, shown in FIG. 1 and 2 uses a lever 14 actuated manually in both directions and which can take two stable positions given by a jumper 3 fixed on a frame 1.

The second embodiment of the device, shown in Figs. 3 and 4 uses a command 14, manually actuated by a pusher 17. The action of the hook 16 on the control lever 2 when pressing the pusher 17 passes said control lever 2 in its second stable position given by the jumper 3 fixed on the frame 1.

By releasing the pusher 17, the control spring 15, by its support against a stop 19 secured to the frame 1 brings the control 14 into position and a hook spring 18 replaces a hook 16 in a position or a new pressure on the pusher 17 allows driving the control lever 2 to its other stable position. Thus in this second embodiment the actuation is by successive pressures on the same pusher 17 to produce a back and forth on the control rocker 2. FIGS. 6 and 7 show a front view of a timepiece with such a mechanism and on which can be seen the pusher 17, a setting display 12 and a display of the indication 10 modified by the setting. In the configuration of FIG. 6, a pressure on the pusher 17 passes the indications in the configuration of FIG. 7. A pressure on the pusher 17 in the configuration of FIG. 7 passes the indications in the configuration of FIG. 6.

The parts described in this paragraph are strictly identical to these first two embodiments and for this reason valid for these first two embodiments. A primary hour wheel 9 is controlled by mechanisms for calculating astronomical phenomena, and its movement allows the display of hourly data related to astronomical phenomena, such as, for example, the sunrise time, the hour of passage of the zenith sun, or sunset time with respect to a fixed time reference. A jumper 8 is mounted on this primary hour wheel 9. A secondary hour wheel 6 is concentrically mounted and free to rotate relative to the primary hour wheel 9. A star 7 is secured to said secondary hour wheel 6. The secondary hour wheel 6 is indexed with respect to the primary hour wheel 9 by the action of the jumper 8 on the star 7. The secondary hour wheel 6 carries an indicator 10 which allows the reading of the information under 11. The star 7 is constructed so that the angle between two indexing positions of the secondary hour wheel 6 corresponds to one hour at the level of the indicator 10. During operation, as long as no action is given on the control rocker 2, the secondary hours wheel 6, indexed by the jumper 8 on the star 7, follows the movement of the primary hour wheel 9. The control rocker 2 can take two stable positions imposed s by the jumper 3. This control lever 2 carries an indicator 12 which makes it possible to read its position with regard to the index 13. One of the positions of the control lever 2 corresponding to the winter time, and the second in summer time. In each of the two stable positions of the control lever 2, a finger 5 of this control lever 2 remains remote from the toothing of the secondary hour wheel 6, leaving this secondary hour wheel 6 to take all the angular positions, given by the primary hour wheel 9 and the mechanisms that cause it. When actuating the control rocker 2, by one of the two embodiments described above, the finger 5 of the control rocker 2, during the movement of the control rocker 2 between its two stable positions, between in contact with the toothing of the secondary hour wheel 6, driving it at an angle sufficient for the jumper 8 to replace the star 7 and the secondary hour wheel 6 in an adjacent indexing position. The secondary hour wheel 6 has enough teeth for this to be achieved regardless of its angular position at the moment when the control lever 2 is controlled. As a result, when switching the control rocker 2 from the position corresponding to the winter time to the position corresponding to summer time, the indicator 10 moves back one hour and then displays the indication of daylight saving time. Conversely, when switching from the control toggle 2 from the summer time to winter time position, it follows that the indicator 10 advances one hour, then displaying the indication with respect to the time of day. winter again.

A third embodiment of the device, illustrated in FIG. 5, consists in using a planetary gear 20 to connect the control wheel 21, the primary hour wheel 9 and the secondary hour wheel 6. The control wheel 21 is manually actuated, directly or indirectly and controls the indicator 12 which allows the reading of its position relative to the indexes 13. The planetary gear 20 allows the secondary hour wheel 6 and the display 10 to take a position which depends both on the primary hour wheel 9, always driven by the astronomical phenomenon calculation mechanism, and the control 21, which defines the reference from which the time indication given by the indicator 10 will be displayed. In the exemplary implementation shown in FIG. 5, the secondary hour wheel 6 is connected to the planetary gear 20 by means of a gear train 23. The control wheel 21 is itself actuated manually via the gear train 22. In this way it is possible to combine several commands each with a planetary gear to link them to the display 10. FIG. 10 shows an exemplary embodiment of this kind of mechanism where the control wheels 21a, 21b are connected with gears 23, 24a, 24b, 25 and planetary gears 20a, 20b for connecting the primary hour wheel 9 to the wheel of the gears. secondary hour 6 which carries the display 10. Each of the control wheels 21a, 21b is operated manually and carries or pilot indicators 12a, 12b which can read their position. The position of the astronomical indicator 10 depends both on the position of the primary hour wheel 9 and the two controls 21a, 21b. Fig. 11 shows the indicators 12a, 12b respectively related to the controls 21a, 21b, and the indicator 10 in a front view of the timepiece.

With the aid of FIG. 5 a calculation method is presented. In fig. 5, the wheels 31, 32, 33, 34 are mounted concentrically. The wheels 31 and 32 are integral in rotation, their numbers of teeth are respectively noted Z31, Z32, and their rotational speed is noted co31. The wheel 33 is an internal toothing which meshes with the satellites 36a and 36b. The wheel 34 is an external toothing. The wheels 33 and 34 are integral in rotation, their numbers of teeth are noted respectively Z33, Z34 and their rotational speed is noted co33. The satellites 36a and 36b are mounted on the wheel 35, whose number of teeth is noted Z35 and the speed of rotation oj35. The same satellites 36a, 36b meshing on the other hand with the wheel 31. The primary hour wheel 9 meshes with the wheel 35, the control 21 with the wheel 34 and the wheel 23 with the wheel 32. Other arrangements are possible or any one of the wheels 9, 21, 23 meshes with any one of the wheels 32, 34, 35. The speeds of the wheels 31, 33, 35 are related to each other depending on their number of teeth and according to the equation : co31 * Z31 + co33 * Z33 = co35 * (Z31 + Z33) The number of teeth of the satellites, denoted Z36, depends on Z31, Z35 according to the relation Z36 = (Z35-Z31) / 2, which implies that Z35-Z31 must be an even number. Those skilled in the art will be able to choose the numbers of teeth to satisfy the gear ratios linking the primary hour wheel 9, the control 21, and the secondary hour wheel 6 that it wishes to produce.

It is also possible to combine mechanisms according to several of the embodiments described above. Fig. 12 shows an exemplary implementation, with a first flip-flop 2 and a second control 21b which can take any angular positions. The primary hour wheel 9 is the output of the device for calculating the astronomical phenomenon to be displayed. The mechanism consisting of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6a, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13 is identical to that corresponding to the first embodiment and makes it possible to transmit on a wheel 6a information that depends both of the entry by the wheel 9 and the state of the control lever 2. This wheel 6a is connected to the sun gear 20b via the wheel 25. The sun gear 20b has the same components as that described in fig. 5. The angular position of the wheel 6b, driven by the return 23, depends both on the position of the control 21b and the wheel 25 connected by the sun gear 20b. Thus on the entire mechanism shown in FIG. 12, the position of the indicator carried by the wheel 6b depends on the initial entry by the primary hour wheel 9 and the two parameters given by the controls 2 and 21b. In the same way it is possible to realize a system grouping any number of mechanisms, of any of the three described embodiments, and in any order of combination.

It should be appreciated that the particular implementations shown and described herein are representative of the invention and its best mode, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way.

It should be appreciated that many applications of the present invention can be formulated.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the present invention may be implemented as a system, device or method.

The present invention is described herein with reference to functional diagrams, devices, components and modules, according to various aspects of the invention.

Accordingly, the block diagram illustrations support combinations of means for performing the specified functions, combinations of steps for performing the specified functions, and program instruction means for performing the specified functions. Each function block of the block diagram and flowchart illustrations, and combinations of functional blocks in the block diagrams, may be implemented by one or other of the specialized hardware information systems that perform the specified functions or steps , or appropriate combinations thereof.

In addition, the system provides for the use, sale and / or distribution of any property, service or any information having a functionality similar to those described herein.

The description and figures should be considered illustratively, rather than restrictively, and all modifications described herein are intended to be included within the scope of the claimed invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims (as they currently exist or as subsequently modified or added, and their legal equivalents) rather than simply by the examples described above. The steps enumerated in any one of the method or method claims, unless expressly indicated otherwise, may be performed in any order and are not limited to the specific order presented in any claim. In addition, the elements and / or components listed in the apparatus claims may be assembled or otherwise functionally configured in a variety of permutations to produce substantially the same result as the present invention. Accordingly, the invention should not be construed as being limited to the specific configuration mentioned in the claims.

An advantage is that the invention allows to adjust the longitude and thus gives a more accurate result compared to the geographical location of the user.

Another advantage is that the user can adjust the mechanism according to the winter time and summer.

Another advantage is that the user can also adjust the mechanism to correct it in relation to an astronomical phenomenon.

[0030] Benefits, other advantages and solutions mentioned herein should not be construed as critical, necessary or essential features or components of any or all of the claims.

As used herein, the terms "comprises", "comprising", or variations thereof, are intended to refer to a non-exclusive list of elements, so that any device, any method, method, article, or composition of the invention that includes a list of elements, which does not include only said cited elements, but may also include other elements such as those described in this specification. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the use of the term "consisting of" or "consisting of" or "substantially constituting" is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the enumerated items named thereafter unless otherwise indicated.

Claims (10)

Other combinations and / or modifications of the elements, materials or structures described above used in the practice of the present invention may be modified or adapted by those skilled in the art for other designs without departing from the principles of the invention. The patents and articles mentioned above are hereby incorporated by reference, unless otherwise indicated, to the extent that they are not inconsistent with the present disclosure. [0033] Other features and embodiments of the invention are described in the appended claims. In addition, the invention should be considered as including all possible combinations of all the features described in this specification, the appended claims, and / or figures of the drawings, which may be considered novel, inventive and susceptible industrial application. The copyright may be held by the Applicant (s) or their assignee and, with respect to the licensing of licensees to third parties of the rights defined in one or more of the claims herein, no Implicit license is hereby granted for the use of the invention as defined in the remaining claims. In addition, vis-à-vis the public or third parties, no explicit or implicit license is granted to prepare derivative works based on this patent application, including the attached appendix. Other features and functionalities of the invention are described in the appended claims. Such claims are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety and should be considered as part of the application as filed. Many variations and modifications are possible in the embodiments of the invention described here. Although some illustrative embodiments of the invention have been shown and described herein, a wide range of changes, modifications, and substitutions are contemplated in the foregoing disclosure. While the above description contains many specific details, these should not be construed as limitations of the scope of the invention, but rather as illustrating one or other of the preferred embodiments of the invention. it. In some cases, certain features of the present invention may be employed without corresponding use of the other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the foregoing description be broadly construed and understood to be merely illustrative, the spirit and scope of the invention being limited only by the claims which will ultimately be granted in the present application. claims 1. Watch movement or additional module for a watch movement comprising at least one indicator (10) of astronomical phenomena or hourly data relating to an astronomical phenomenon, characterized in that it comprises at least one kinematic connection between at least one manually operated control (2,21) and said indicator (10), said at least one control (2, 21) acting only on said indicator (10) causing it to move and on a control indicator (12) showing the position of the control (2, 21). 2. Horological movement or additional module for clockwork according to claim 1 wherein the control (2, 21) is operated directly. 3. Timepiece movement or additional module for clockwork according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the control (2, 21) is operated manually indirectly. 4. Watch movement or additional module for a watch movement according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the at least one control (21) a rotating part can take any angular positions. 5. A watch movement or additional module for a watch movement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one kinematic connection between the at least one control (2) and the display (10) is at least one train planetary (20). 6. Horological movement or additional module for a watch movement according to any preceding claim wherein a control indicator (12) is integral with the control (2). Clockwork or additional module for a watch movement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one control indicator (12) is driven by the at least one control (2) via a train. 8. Watch movement or additional module for a watch movement in which a control (2) is a bistable element, positioned by a jumper (3) and a stop (4) and where there is kinematic connection between said control (2) and an indicator (10) of astronomical phenomena or time data relating to an astronomical phenomenon only when said command (2) moves between its two stable positions. 9. Timepiece movement or additional module for clockwork according to claim 8, wherein the control (2) changes the indication of winter mode in summer mode and vice versa. 10. Correction device for a horological movement or additional module for a clockwork movement which applies / superimposes corrections to the necessary data as a function of the degree of longitude of the geographical position, the time zone and / or changes in summer time in winter or vice versa for a display of astronomical phenomena.