CH714346A2 - Device for selecting a combination of patterns - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for selecting a combination of patterns, comprising: a first disk, said internal (D1), the inner disk (D1) having N angular sectors of the same size, each of the N angular sectors carrying a symbol (A, B, C, D) on its periphery, a symbol being defined as a pattern or absence of pattern; a second disk, said external (DE), coaxial with the inner disk (D1) and of larger diameter than the inner disk (D1), the outer disk (DE) carrying M symbols (E, F, G, H) distributed on M * N angular sectors of the same size, each of the M symbols of the outer disk (DE) being repeated on N consecutive sectors of the outer disk (DE), a dial (CD) extending opposite the inner disk (D1), the dial (CD) comprising a window (GC) for matching a pattern (A, B, C, D) of the inner disk (D1) and a pattern (E, F, G, H) of the external disk (DE); actuating means for rotating the inner disk (D1), and gear means coupling the two disks (D1, DE) in a reduction ratio M. Such a device can be integrated into a part of Watchmaking-type wristwatch, and used as part of bank payments.

Description

Description

Field of the invention The invention relates to the field of devices for selecting functions represented by patterns, for example logos. Such a device can be integrated into a timepiece of the wristwatch type, and used in the context of bank payments.

Background of the invention [0002] Payment watches have recently appeared on the market, opening a new era for credit payments, making payment for small purchases faster and more convenient than rummaging through one's pockets. looking for currency. Such a watch is conventionally equipped with a device for selecting a combination of payment options, each option being for example represented by a pattern (or logo). It is thus for example possible to select and display a type of bank card (Visa, Mastercard ...), a type of bank account (account for household expenses, account for personal expenses ...), etc. .

[0003] For aesthetic and / or economic reasons, it is desirable to avoid the use of a screen. Indeed liquid crystal displays (LCD) have a limited aesthetic rendering, while organic light-emitting diode (OLED) or similar technology screens are expensive and consume a lot of energy. In addition, a screen has an impact on the overall aesthetics of a watch, giving it a less horological appearance which may be offensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is therefore to propose a device for selecting patterns, not comprising a display screen, simple and inexpensive to produce.

According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a device for selecting a combination of patterns, comprising:

- A first disc, called an internal disc, the internal disc comprising N angular sectors of the same size, each of the N angular sectors carrying a symbol on its periphery, a symbol being defined as a pattern or an absence of pattern, N being a greater whole number to 1;

- a second disk, called an external disk, coaxial with the internal disk and of larger diameter than the internal disk, the external disk carrying Μ symbols distributed over M * N angular sectors of the same size, Μ being an integer greater than 1, each Μ symbols of the external disk being repeated on N consecutive sectors of the external disk;

- a dial extending opposite the internal disc, the dial comprising a window making it possible to match a pattern of the internal disc and a pattern of the external disc;

- actuation means allowing the internal disc to rotate, and gear means coupling the two discs in a reduction ratio Μ.

The device according to the invention is a coaxial counter with two discs, inspired by the operating principle of an hour and minute counter. The external disc rotates more slowly than the internal disc, it is comparable to an hour wheel. The internal disc can be compared to a minute wheel. However, it should be noted that the reduction ratio between the internal disk and the external disk is not necessarily equal to 12 as is the case with a conventional hour / minute counter. The reduction ratio depends on the number of patterns on the discs and the location of those patterns.

As with an hour / minute counter, a complete rotation of the internal disc causes a rotation of the external disc dependent on the reduction ratio. If the reduction ratio is 2, then a complete rotation of the internal disc causes a half-rotation of the external disc. If the reduction ratio is 4, then a complete rotation of the internal disc causes a quarter-turn of the external disc. Generally speaking, a reduction ratio equal to Μ means that a 360 ° rotation of the driving disc (here, the internal disc) causes a 360 / M ° rotation of the driven disc (here, the external disc).

Since the internal disc has N symbols, the external disc has Μ symbols, each of the Μ symbols on the external disc is repeated N consecutive times, and the reduction ratio is Μ:

- to change the symbol of the external disc next to the counter without changing the symbol of the internal disc next to the counter, simply impose a 360 ° rotation on the internal disc,

- to change the symbol of the internal disc next to the counter without changing the symbol of the external disc next to the counter, simply impose a rotation of 360 / N on the internal disc.

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a device for selecting a combination of patterns, comprising:

- A first disc, called an internal disc, the internal disc comprising N angular sectors of the same size, each of the N angular sectors carrying a symbol on its periphery, a symbol being defined as a pattern or the absence of a pattern, N being a greater whole number to 1;

CH 714 346 A2

- a second disk, called an external disk, coaxial with the internal disk and of larger diameter than the internal disk, the external disk carrying Μ symbols distributed over M * N angular sectors of the same size, Μ being an integer greater than 1, each Μ symbols of the external disk being repeated on N consecutive sectors of the external disk;

- a dial extending opposite the internal disc, the dial comprising a window making it possible to match a pattern of the internal disc and a pattern of the external disc;

- actuation means allowing the external disc to rotate, and gear means coupling the two discs in a multiplication ratio rapport.

The difference with the invention according to the first aspect, is that the driving disc is the external disc and the driven disc is the internal disc, the gear ratio between the driving disc and the driven disc is therefore no longer a reduction ratio but a multiplication ratio.

The device according to the first aspect or the second aspect may include the following additional characteristics, taken alone or in all technically possible combinations.

In one embodiment of the first aspect or the second aspect, N is at most 5, advantageously two or three.

Since each symbol of the external disk is repeated N times, the greater the number of symbols on the internal disk, the larger the size of the external disk.

In one embodiment of the first aspect or the second aspect, Μ is at most 5, advantageously two or three.

The greater the number of symbols on the external disk, the larger the size of the external disk, especially as each symbol of the external disk is repeated N times.

In one embodiment of the first aspect or the second aspect, the N symbols of the internal disk and the Μ symbols of the external disk are all different.

This allows optimal use of the device, by proposing a maximum number of combinations of the symbols of the internal disk and the external disk.

In one embodiment of the first aspect or of the second aspect, the symbols of the internal disk and the symbols of the external disk each form a half-image, a symbol of the internal disk opposite a symbol of the external disk forming a full picture.

Summary description of the drawings [0019] Other particularities and advantages will emerge clearly from the description which is given below, for information and in no way limitative, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

fig. 1 is a side view of the device for selecting a combination of patterns, according to the first aspect of the invention;

fig. 2 is a top view of the discs and of the window of the device in FIG. 1, according to a first embodiment;

fig. 3 is a top view of the discs and of the window of the device in FIG. 1, according to a second embodiment;

fig. 4 is a side view of the device for selecting a combination of patterns, according to the second aspect of the invention.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments [0020] FIG. 1 shows a device for selecting patterns according to a first aspect of the invention. The device includes:

- a first disc, called the internal DI disc,

a second disc, called the external disc DE, coaxial with the internal disc DI and of diameter greater than the internal disc DI,

- a CD dial comprising a GC aperture, that is to say a through opening, the CD dial being arranged so that the internal disc DI is located between the dial CD and the external disc DE.

Since the external disc DE is of greater diameter than the internal disc DI, an annular peripheral portion HE of the external disc DE is located opposite the dial CD. On this portion, patterns are represented. Similarly, on an annular peripheral portion H1 of the internal disc DI, patterns are shown. Each disc DI, DE has at least two different patterns. We will call "symbol" a pattern or a space without pattern (also called: a void 0). Each angular sector thus carries a symbol. The GC window is arranged so that it is next to a symbol

CH 714 346 A2 of the internal disk DI and a symbol of the external disk DE to match them. Through the GC window, we can therefore see a combination of two symbols.

The device also comprises:

- means for actuating the internal disc DI, making it possible to rotate the internal disc DI by a desired angle. This is for example an assembly comprising for example an actuatable rod (not shown), a disc D1 which can be driven by the rod, and a pinion P1 meshing with the disc D1 and integral in rotation with the internal disc DI,

- gear means between the internal disc DI and the external disc DE, to impose a reduction ratio between the internal disc DI (leading) and the external disc DE (led). This is for example an assembly comprising the pinion P1, the disk D1, a pinion P2 integral in rotation with the disk D1, and a disk D2 meshing with the pinion P2 and integral in rotation with the external disk DE.

Furthermore, the internal disc DI of the selection device is connected, via a chain comprising discs and sprockets, to a rotor RT. The chain comprises for example a disk D3 integral in rotation with the internal disk DI, a pinion P3 meshing with the disk D3, a disk D4 integral in rotation with the pinion P3, a pinion P4 meshing with the disk D4, and a disk D5 integral in rotation of the pinion P4.

According to the invention, the internal disk DI carries N symbols distributed over N angular sectors of the same size of its peripheral portion Hl, each angular sector carrying a symbol. The external disk DE, meanwhile, has Μ symbols distributed over M * N angular sectors of the same size of its peripheral portion HE. Each of the Μ symbols is repeated over N consecutive angular sectors.

In addition, the reduction ratio between the driving disc (the internal disc DI) and the driven disc (the external disc DE) is equal to Μ. Thus, one complete revolution of the internal disk DI causes one-mth of a revolution of the external disk DE. With such an operation, since the external disc DE has Μ symbols and each of the Μ symbols is repeated over N consecutive angular sectors, the symbol of the internal disc DI displayed in the window GC remains the same, but the symbol of the external disc DE displayed in the GC window changes. At each complete revolution of the internal disk DI, the symbol of the external disk DE visible through the window GC is modified.

In addition, one Nth of a turn of the internal disk DI makes it possible to cause a change of the symbol of the internal disk DI displayed in the window GC without modifying the symbol of the external disk DE displayed in the window GC. This is true except of course in the case where the angular sector of the external disc DE visible through the window GC is the last in a series of N angular sectors bearing the same symbol. In this case, the visible symbol of the internal disk DI and the visible symbol of the external disk DE both change.

[0027] FIG. 2 shows an example in which N = 4 and Μ = 2. The internal disk DI carries 4 symbols A, B, C, D; the external disk DE carries 2 symbols E, F. Naturally, nothing prevents one or more of these symbols from being a vacuum 0.

In an initial position of the DI, DE discs shown in FIG. 2, the combination A E is displayed in the GC window. As the internal disk DI rotates, the following combinations are displayed:

BE-CE-DE-AF-BF-CF-DF-AE again, etc.

Another example is given in FIG. 3, in which N = 4 and M = 4. The internal disk DI carries 4 symbols A, B, C, D; the external disk DE carries 2 symbols E, F, G, H. Again, nothing prevents one or more of these symbols from being a vacuum 0.

In an initial position of the discs shown in FIG. 3, the combination A E is displayed in the window. As the internal disk rotates, the following combinations are displayed:

BE-CE-DE-AF-BF-CF-DF-AG-BG-CG-DG-AH-BH-CH-DH-AE Again, etc.

Naturally, the higher N and Μ, the larger the size of the external disk DE, increasing the size of the device, and / or more the symbols on the external disk DE must be small, impairing readability. For example, for N = 3 and Μ = 4, the external disk DE must be divided into 12 angular sectors. If you want the DE external disk to have a radius of 6 millimeters, a height of 3.1 millimeters is available for entering the symbols.

In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 4 and corresponding to a second aspect of the invention, the actuation means drive the external disc DE instead of driving the internal disc DI. The means for actuating the internal disk DE then comprise for example an actuatable rod (not shown), a disk D6 which can be driven by the rod, and a pinion P6 meshing with the disk D6 and integral in rotation with the external disk DE.

In the case where the actuating means drive the external disc DE, a multiplication ratio Μ must be established between the external disc DE (leading) and the internal disc DI (led). The gear means comprise for example the pinion P6, the disk D6, a pinion P7 integral in rotation with the disk D6, and a disk D7 meshing with the pinion P7 and integral in rotation with the internal disk DI.

CH 714 346 A2 In addition, the external disc DE of the selection device is connected, via a chain comprising discs and sprockets, to the rotor RT. The chain comprises for example the pinion P6, a disc D8 integral in rotation with the pinion P6, a pinion P8 meshing with the disc D8, a disc D9 integral with the rotation of the pinion P8, a pinion P9 meshing with the disc D9, and a disc D10 integral in rotation with the pinion P9.

However, apart from these differences, the operating principle remains unchanged compared to the first aspect of the invention.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated example but is susceptible to various variants and modifications which will appear to those skilled in the art.

Claims (6)

claims 1. Device for selecting a combination of patterns, comprising: - A first disc, called internal (DI), the internal disc (DI) comprising N angular sectors of the same size, each of the N angular sectors carrying a symbol (A, B, C, D) on its periphery, a symbol being defined as a pattern or an absence of a pattern, N being an integer greater than 1; - A second disc, called external (DE), coaxial with the internal disc (DI) and larger in diameter than the internal disc (DI), the external disc (DE) bearing Μ symbols (E, F, G, H) distributed over M * N angular sectors of the same size, Μ being an integer greater than 1, each of the Μ symbols of the external disk (DE) being repeated over N consecutive sectors of the external disk (DE); - A dial (CD) extending opposite the internal disc (DI), the dial (CD) comprising a window (GC) allowing a pattern (A, B, C, D) of the internal disc (DI) and a pattern (E, F, G, H) of the external disc (DE); - Actuating means allowing the internal disc (DI) to rotate, and gear means coupling the two discs (DI, DE) according to a reduction ratio Μ. 2. Device for selecting a combination of patterns, comprising: - A first disc, called internal (DI), the internal disc (DI) comprising N angular sectors of the same size, each of the N angular sectors carrying a symbol (A, B, C, D) on its periphery, a symbol being defined as a pattern or an absence of a pattern, N being an integer greater than 1; - A second disc, called external (DE), coaxial with the internal disc and of larger diameter than the internal disc, the external disc bearing Μ symbols (E, F, G, H) distributed over fvTN angular sectors of the same size, Μ being an integer greater than 1, each of the Μ symbols of the external disk (DE) being repeated over N consecutive sectors of the external disk (DE); - A dial (CD) extending opposite the internal disc (DI), the dial (CD) comprising a window (GC) allowing a pattern (A, B, C, D) of the internal disc (DI) and a pattern (E, F, G, H) of the external disc (DE) - Actuating means allowing the external disc (DE) to rotate, and gear means coupling the two discs (DI, DE) according to a multiplication ratio Μ. 3. Device according to one of the preceding claims, in which N is at most 5, advantageously two or three. 4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, in which Μ is at most 5, advantageously two or three. 5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, in which the N symbols (A, B, C, D) of the internal disc (DI) and the Μ symbols (E, F, G, H) of the external disc (DE) are all different. 6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, in which the symbols of the internal disk (DI) and the symbols of the external disk (DE) each form a half-image, a symbol of the internal disk (DI) opposite a symbol of the external disk (DE) forming a complete image. CH 714 346 A2