CH718619A2 - Watch fitted with a control device allowing the stroke of a previously interrupted hand to be restarted. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a watch (10) with analog display comprising an electronic watch movement comprising a servo-controlled electric motor (13; 14; 20) kinematically connected to at least one hand and powered by an electric accumulator (12), said watch movement comprising also an integrated circuit (18) connected to said motor and to a control device (19), the integrated circuit (18) being configured so as to control the electric motor (13; 14; 20) to interrupt, from the start of at least one predefined time range, the stroke of said at least one hand, and to drive said electric motor (13; 14; 20) to restart the stroke of said at least one hand, when the control member (19) is requested during said at least one predefined time slot.

Description

Technical field of the invention

The invention relates to the field of watchmaking, and in particular electromechanical watches, that is to say comprising electronic watch movements, with analog display.

[0002] More particularly, the invention relates to a watch provided with a control member making it possible to restart the stroke of a previously interrupted hand.

Technology background

[0003] Watches are known comprising an electromechanical watch movement with analog display, powered by a source of electrical energy in the form of an electric accumulator.

[0004] Since the electric accumulator has a limited lifespan insofar as it gradually discharges during operation of the watch, various solutions have been developed in order to be able to limit the energy consumption of the watch movement and thus extend the duration life of said electric accumulator.

[0005] For example, document US5,457,664 describes a timepiece in which the operation of the watch movement is stopped when the ambient light intensity is below a predefined threshold or when the presence of a person is not present. is not detected.

[0006] There is also a watch whose operation is stopped when a motion detector detects that the watch is not worn by a user for a predefined time interval. Such a watch is described by document EP3712718.

[0007] These devices of the prior art, although providing an answer to the aforementioned problem, have the disadvantage of subtracting information from the user in order to be able to preserve the life of the accumulator.

[0008] There therefore appears a need for the user to know precisely the current time, on a watch, when the operation of the watch has been stopped or when the rotation of one of the hands of the watch has been stopped. , quickly and easily.

Summary of the invention

The invention solves the aforementioned drawbacks by proposing a solution making it possible to achieve a substantial saving in electrical energy, and consequently to extend the life of the electric accumulator, while allowing the user to be able to have access to a higher level of accuracy for reading the current time, when desired.

To this end, the present invention relates to an analog display watch comprising an electronic watch movement comprising a servo-controlled electric motor kinematically connected to at least one hand and powered by an electric accumulator, said watch movement also comprising an integrated circuit connected to said motor and a control device. The integrated circuit is configured so as to drive the servo-controlled electric motor to interrupt, from the start of at least one predefined time slot, the stroke of said at least one hand, and to drive said servo-controlled electric motor to restart the stroke of said at least one hand, when the control member is activated during said at least one predefined time slot.

[0011] In particular embodiments, the invention may also comprise one or more of the following characteristics, taken in isolation or in all technically possible combinations.

[0012] In particular embodiments of the invention, the integrated circuit is configured so as to drive the servo-controlled electric motor to interrupt the stroke of the needle, during said at least one predefined time slot, if the electric accumulator has a state of charge below a predetermined threshold.

In particular embodiments of the invention, the integrated circuit is configured to drive the servo-controlled electric motor continuously to restart the stroke of the needle, as long as the control member is stressed during said at least one predefined time slot, and to interrupt said race as soon as the actuation of the control member ceases.

[0014] In particular embodiments of the invention, the integrated circuit is configured to drive the servo-controlled electric motor in order to restart the stroke of the needle for a predetermined period.

In particular embodiments of the invention, the integrated circuit is configured so as to drive the servo-controlled electric motor to interrupt the stroke of the needle when the control member is requested, once said stroke of the needle was restarted.

In particular embodiments of the invention, the integrated circuit is configured to drive the servo-controlled electric motor on the basis of instructions resulting from the processing by automatic learning of data stored in a storage unit and representative of the habits of solicitation of the user's control device.

[0017] In particular embodiments of the invention, the data correspond to the number of requests made to the control member during said at least one predefined time slot, and are stored in a storage unit, the integrated circuit being configured to inhibit the interruption of the stroke of the needle, if the user requests the control member a number of successive times greater than a predefined value.

In particular embodiments of the invention, the data relates to the time at which each request takes place, the integrated circuit being configured so as to restart the stroke of the needle for a predefined period of time. , during said at least one predefined time slot, depending on the time or the period of time in which the user is accustomed to requesting the control member.

In particular embodiments of the invention, the watch comprises a single control member.

[0020] In particular embodiments of the invention, the watch comprises only two display hands, and in which the servo-controlled electric motor is kinematically connected to an hour hand and a minute hand.

In particular embodiments of the invention, the servo-controlled electric motor is kinematically connected to an hour hand, a minute hand and a second hand.

In particular embodiments of the invention, the watch comprises a first electric motor kinematically connected to an hour hand, the slaved electric motor being a second electric motor kinematically connected to a seconds hand, said watch comprising a minute hand to which the first or second motor is kinematically connected.

[0023] The integrated circuit is configured so as to drive the second electric motor to interrupt, from the start of said at least one predefined time slot, the stroke of the needle(s) to which it is connected, and to drive said second electric motor to restart the race of said hand(s), when the control member is activated during said at least one predefined time slot.

In particular embodiments of the invention, the watch comprises only two display hands, and a first electric motor kinematically connected to an hour hand, the slaved electric motor being a second electric motor kinematically connected to a seconds hand.

The integrated circuit is configured so as to drive the second electric motor to interrupt, from the start of said at least one predefined time slot, the race of the minute hands, and to drive said second electric motor to restart the travel of said minute hand, when the control member is activated during said at least one predefined time slot.

In particular embodiments of the invention, the watch comprises a first electric motor kinematically connected to an hour hand, the slaved electric motor being a second electric motor kinematically connected to a minute hand, and/or being a third electric motor kinematically connected to a seconds hand.

The integrated circuit is configured so as to control the second and/or the third electric motor to interrupt, from the start of said at least one predefined time slot, respectively the race of the seconds and/or minutes hand. , and controlling said second and/or said third electric motor to restart the stroke of said seconds and/or minutes hand, when the control member is activated during said at least one predefined time slot.

Brief description of figures

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following detailed description given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawings in which: FIG. 1 schematically represents, in block diagram and partially, a watch according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

[0029] In the present description, all the components of an electromechanical watch with analog display, as well as their arrangement, which are well known to those skilled in the art, are only described in a simplified manner.

As shown schematically and partially in Figure 1, the watch 10 according to the present invention comprises a case to which are attached a crystal superimposed on a dial 11 and a bottom together defining an internal volume, and several display hands. In this internal volume is housed an electric accumulator 12 intended to supply energy, by means of an electronic circuit, at least one servo-controlled electric motor making it possible to drive in rotation at least one of the display hands, via of cogs.

The electronic circuit further comprises, in a manner known to those skilled in the art, a quartz oscillator associated with an integrated circuit 18, for example formed by a microcontroller, to which is connected a control member 19 intended to be manipulated by a user.

[0032] The control member 19 is preferably single, and can be formed by any component suitable for this purpose, for example by a rotating bezel, a push button, a touch surface of the case or glass.

Preferably again, the control member 19 corresponds to a crown, for example with a pusher, forming a time-setting crown.

[0034] Advantageously, the integrated circuit 18 knows at all times the current time and the angular position of each of the hands, and is configured so as to drive the servo-controlled electric motor to systematically interrupt, from the start of at least one range predefined schedule, the race of said at least one needle. In addition, the integrated circuit 18 is configured so as to drive the slaved electric motor, when the control member 19 is requested during said at least one predefined time slot, so as to restart the stroke of said at least one needle so that 'it gives an indication of the current time.

More particularly, if the hand is an hour hand, it indicates the current time, if it is a minute hand, it indicates the minutes of the current time and if it is a seconds hand , it indicates the seconds of the current time.

[0036] The terms “time range” here define a daily fixed time interval, for example an interval comprised between several hours.

[0037] As a preferred example, the integrated circuit 18 is configured so as to drive the servo-controlled electric motor to interrupt the stroke of said at least one needle, from the start of a predefined time slot representative of the duration of the night, and when the control member 19 is activated during said predefined time slot, so as to restart the stroke of said at least one hand. For example, the time range is defined between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., that is, 10 PM and 5 AM.

In other exemplary embodiments of the invention, the time slot(s) may extend over another time interval, for example in the morning, in the afternoon, and/or in the evening. .

[0039] The term “solicit” means the performance of a physical action, such as pressure, pushing, pulling, etc., by the user on the control member 19.

[0040] It should be noted that the integrated circuit 18 is configured so as to control the servo-controlled electric motor to restart the race of said at least one needle at the end of the predefined time slot, so that it resumes its current time indication position.

[0041] Alternatively, the servo-controlled electric motor is not controlled to interrupt the stroke of the needle systematically, from the start of the predefined time slot, but only when the electric accumulator 12 has a state of charge below a threshold. predetermined.

This state of charge of the electric accumulator 12 is representative of the end of life of said electric accumulator 12. It goes without saying that the integrated circuit 18 is adapted to continuously know the state of charge of the electric accumulator 12, for example by any means within the reach of those skilled in the art.

This characteristic makes it possible to save a substantial part of the electrical energy necessary for the operation of the watch 10, and thus makes it possible to extend the life of the electric accumulator 12.

In a first embodiment of the present invention, the watch comprises only two display hands, that is to say, an hour hand 15 and a minute hand 16, kinematically connected to a single motor electrical 13 enslaved.

The integrated circuit 18 is therefore configured so as to drive the electric motor 13 to interrupt, from the start of the predefined time slot, the race of said hour 15 and minute 16 hands, and so as to drive the electric motor 13, following request of the control member 19 during said predefined time range, in order to restart the race of said hands so that they respectively indicate the hours and minutes of the current time.

In a second embodiment of the invention, it can be envisaged that the watch comprises three display hands, that is to say an hour hand 15, a minute hand 16 and a hand of the seconds 17. These hands are, in this example, kinematically connected to a single electric motor 13.

The integrated circuit 18 is thus configured so as to control the electric motor 13 to interrupt, from the start of the predefined time slot, the race of said hour 15, minute 16 and second 17 hands, and so as to driving the electric motor 13, following a request from the control member 19 during said predefined time slot, in order to restart the stroke of said hands so that they respectively indicate the hours, minutes and seconds of the current time.

It is understood here that, these first and second examples described above, make it possible to significantly increase the life of the electric accumulator 12 insofar as the stroke of the set of needles is stopped in the predefined time range, but that the user has no indication of the time if he does not request the control member 19.

In a third exemplary embodiment of the invention, the watch comprises an hour hand 15, a minute hand 16 and a second hand 17, and comprises a first electric motor 13, the controlled electric motor being formed by a second electric motor 14.

The first electric motor 13 is kinematically connected to the hour hand 15, the second electric motor 14 is kinematically connected to the seconds hand 17, and one or the other of the first or second electric motor 13 or 14 is kinematically connected to minute hand 16.

The first and second electric motors 13 and 14 are independent of each other and allow the needle(s) to which they are respectively connected to be moved, independently of each other. In other words, if the first electric motor 13 is fixed to the hour hand 15 and the second electric motor 14 is fixed to the minute 16 and second 17 hands, the rotation of the hour hand 15 is independent of that 16 minute and 17 second hands.

[0052] The integrated circuit 18 is advantageously configured so as to drive the second electric motor 14 to interrupt, from the start of the predefined time slot, the stroke of the needle(s) to which it is connected, and to drive said second electric motor 14 to restart the race of said one or more needles, when the control member 19 is requested during said predefined time slot.

[0053] Thus, after requesting the control member 19 during the predefined time range, the seconds hand 17 indicates the seconds of the current time, and if the second electric motor 14 is kinematically connected to the minutes 16, this indicates the minutes of the current time.

In this third embodiment of the invention, the hour hand 15 permanently indicates the current time, the first motor not being impacted by the stress of the control member 19.

[0055] It is understood here that, advantageously, the user permanently benefits from an indication of the time.

According to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, it is also possible that the watch 10 comprises only an hour hand 15 and a minute hand 16, and a first electric motor 13 kinematically connected to said hour hand 15 , the slaved electric motor being formed by a second electric motor 14 then kinematically connected to said minute hand 16.

The integrated circuit 18 is then advantageously configured so as to drive the second electric motor 14 to interrupt, from the start of the predefined time slot, the stroke of the minute hand 16, and to drive said second electric motor 14 to restart the race of said minute hand 16, when the control member 19 is activated during said predefined time slot.

Thus, after requesting the control member 19 during the predefined time range, the minute hand 16 indicates the minutes of the current time.

In a fifth exemplary embodiment of the invention, the first electric motor 13 is kinematically connected to the hour hand 15, the slaved electric motor being formed by a second electric motor 14 kinematically connected to the minute hand 16, and/or by a third electric motor 20 kinematically connected to the seconds hand 17.

[0060] The integrated circuit 18 is thus configured so as to control the second and/or the third electric motor 14 or 20 to interrupt, from the start of the predefined time slot, respectively the stroke of the seconds hand 17 and/ or minutes 16, and driving said second and/or said third electric motor 14 or 20 to restart the stroke of said seconds 17 and/or minutes 16 hand, when control member 19 is activated during said time range predefined.

This exemplary embodiment is advantageous insofar as it makes it possible to be able to individually choose the needle whose stroke is stopped, and possibly restarted, by the integrated circuit 18.

[0062] In view of the foregoing, it may be noted that the present invention can be adapted to all configurations of watches with electromechanical movement, whether they have one or more motors respectively adapted to drive one or more hands.

In each of the examples described above, the characteristics of the invention advantageously make it possible to achieve a substantial saving in electrical energy, and consequently to extend the life of the electric accumulator 12, while allowing the user to be able to have access to a satisfactory level of accuracy for reading the current time, when he wishes, by restarting the stroke of the stopped hand or hands, simply by pressing the control member 19.

[0064] Advantageously, it is possible for the integrated circuit 18 to be configured to drive the servo-controlled electric motor in order to restart the stroke of the needle(s) for a predetermined period, for example a few seconds, such as 30 seconds.

[0065] Alternatively, the integrated circuit 18 can be configured so as to drive the slaved electric motor, on request from the control member 19, to restart the rotation of the hand(s) until the current time reaches the start of the next predefined time slot.

Still alternatively, the integrated circuit 18 can be configured so as to drive the servo-controlled electric motor to interrupt the stroke of the needle(s), when the control member 19 is activated, after said needle(s) have been restarted. during the same predefined time slot.

In other words, following a first actuation of the control member 19, the servo-controlled electric motor drives the needle(s) in rotation so that their stroke is restarted, then when the control member 19 is acted upon for a second times, their race is again interrupted.

It is understood that the two requests are successive in the same predefined time slot.

[0069] Still alternatively, it can be envisaged that the integrated circuit 18 be configured so as to control the electric motor slaved to restart the stroke of the needle(s) only as long as the control member 19 is kept stressed, and to interrupt their race as soon as the solicitation of the control member 19 ceases.

[0070] Advantageously, the integrated circuit 18 can, in addition, be configured to drive the servo-controlled electric motor on the basis of instructions resulting from the processing by automatic learning of data representative of the habits of solicitation of the control member 19 of the 'user.

More specifically, these data correspond to the number of requests made to the control member 19 during the predefined time slot, and are stored in a storage unit.

[0072] The integrated circuit 18 is advantageously configured to inhibit the interruption of the stroke of the hand or hands permanently, or temporarily, for example for a few hours, if the user requests the control member 19 a successive number of times greater than a predefined value.

[0073] Advantageously, the data may also relate to the time at which each request takes place. Thus, the integrated circuit 18 can be configured so as to restart the stroke of the hand(s) for a predefined period of time, for example a few tens of seconds, a few minutes or a few hours, during the predefined time slot, depending on the time or the period of time in which the user is accustomed to requesting the control device 19.

These characteristics advantageously make it possible to anticipate the stresses of the control member 19, and thus to anticipate the needs of the user.

Claims (14)

1. Watch (10) with analog display comprising an electronic watch movement comprising an electric motor (13; 14; 20) controlled kinematically connected to at least one hand and powered by an electric accumulator (12), said watch movement also comprising a circuit integrated circuit (18) connected to said motor and to a control member (19), the watch (10) being characterized in that the integrated circuit (18) is configured so as to control the electric motor (13; 14; 20) to interrupt, from the start of at least one predefined time slot, the stroke of said at least one hand, and to drive said electric motor (13; 14; 20) slaved to restart the stroke of said at least one hand, when the control member (19) is activated during said at least one predefined time slot. 2. Watch (10) according to claim 1, in which the integrated circuit (18) is configured so as to drive the electric motor (13; 14; 20) slaved to interrupt the stroke of the hand, during said at least one predefined time range, if the electric accumulator (12) has a state of charge below a predetermined threshold. 3. Watch (10) according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the integrated circuit (18) is configured to drive the electric motor (13; 14; 20) continuously controlled to restart the stroke of the needle, as long as the control member (19) is stressed during said at least one predefined time slot, and to interrupt said race as soon as the stress on the control member (19) ceases. 4. Watch (10) according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the integrated circuit (18) is configured to drive the electric motor (13; 14; 20) controlled in order to restart the stroke of the needle during a predetermined duration. 5. Watch (10) according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the integrated circuit (18) is configured so as to drive the electric motor (13; 14; 20) controlled to interrupt the stroke of the hand when the control member (19) is activated, once said stroke of the needle has been restarted. 6. Watch (10) according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the integrated circuit (18) is configured to drive the electric motor (13; 14; 20) slaved on the basis of instructions resulting from the processing by learning automatic processing of data stored in a storage unit and representative of the habits of solicitation of the control member (19) of the user. 7. Watch (10) according to claim 6, in which the data correspond to the number of requests of the control member (19) carried out during said at least one predefined time slot, and are stored in a storage unit, the circuit integrated (18) being configured to inhibit the interruption of the stroke of the needle, if the user requests the control member (19) a number of successive times greater than a predefined value. 8. Watch according to one of Claims 6 or 7, in which the data relate to the time at which each request takes place, the integrated circuit (18) being configured so as to restart the stroke of the hand for one predefined period of time, during said at least one predefined time period, following the time or the period of time in which the user is accustomed to requesting the control member (19). 9. Watch (10) according to one of claims 1 to 8, comprising a single control member (19). 10. Watch (10) according to one of claims 1 to 9, comprising only two display hands, and in which the servo-controlled electric motor (13) is kinematically connected to an hour hand (15) and to a minutes (16). 11. Watch (10) according to one of claims 1 to 9, in which the electric motor (13) controlled is kinematically connected to an hour hand (15), to a minute hand (16) and to a hand of seconds (17). 12. Watch (10) according to one of claims 1 to 9, comprising a first electric motor (13) kinematically connected to an hour hand (15), the slaved electric motor being a second electric motor (14) kinematically connected to a seconds hand (17), said watch (10) comprising a minute hand (16) to which the first or the second motor (13, 14) is kinematically connected, the integrated circuit (18) being configured so as to drive the second electric motor (14) to interrupt, from the start of said at least predefined time slot, the stroke of the hand(s) to which it is connected, and to drive said second electric motor (14) to restart the stroke of said hand(s) of said hands, when the control member (19) is activated during said at least one predefined time slot. 13. Watch (10) according to one of claims 1 to 9, comprising only two display hands, and a first electric motor (13) kinematically connected to an hour hand (15), the slaved electric motor being a second electric motor (14) kinematically connected to a seconds hand (17), the integrated circuit (18) being configured so as to drive the second electric motor (14) to interrupt, from the start of said at least one predefined time slot, the stroke of the minute hand (16), and to drive said second electric motor (14) to restart the stroke of said minute hand (16), when the control member (19) is acted upon during said at least a predefined time slot. 14. Watch (10) according to one of claims 1 to 9, comprising a first electric motor (13) kinematically connected to an hour hand (15), the slaved electric motor being a second electric motor (14) kinematically connected to a minute hand (16), and/or being a third electric motor (20) kinematically connected to a second hand (17), the integrated circuit (18) being configured so as to drive the second and/or the third motor (14; 20) to interrupt, from the start of said at least one predefined time slot, the stroke of the seconds (17) and/or minutes (16) hand respectively, and to control said second and/or said third electric motor (14; 20) to restart the stroke of said seconds (17) and/or minutes (16) hand, when the control member (19) is activated during said at least one predefined time slot.