EP1609028B1 - Day of the month display mechanism for watch movement - Google Patents

Abstract

The mechanism has two mobile units (1, 2) arranged in a manner, such that a day of a month (3) displayed to a user corresponds to a combination of two numbers or one number and a space borne by the mobile unit (2) for certain dates. A stop unit (511) prevents a jumper from passing directly from a tooth (501) of a star (50) to a non-adjacent tooth of the star when the date is changed.

Description

The present invention relates to a date display mechanism for watch movement, in particular a large date display mechanism.

Needle watch movements that allow the display of the date of the date most often use a 31-position annular calendar disc, the dates from 1 to 31 being printed on these positions. The date disc is indexed each day by one position, so that another date appears every day through a window in the dial. Each indexing position thus occupies an angular portion of 360 ° / 31, on which a date with one or two digits must be indicated; the maximum size of the displayed numbers is therefore limited.

So we know different systems for displaying larger dates. Known systems often use two distinct mobiles, one for the tens and the other for the date units; a mechanical or electromechanical control system makes it possible to display each day the correct ten-unit combination through the window (s).

The utility model DE 201 03 818 describes such a display mechanism with a disk numbered from 0 to 9 for the units and another disk bearing numbers from 1 to 3 for the tens, windows are arranged next to the digits of the tens to reveal the numbers of the units .

Requirement US2002 / 0024887 describes a mechanism similar to two concentric disks on which against the two disks each have all the digits from 0 to 9 and the window located at 3 o'clock allows to see these two digits simultaneously.

Other mechanisms exist for the simultaneous display of the date and the day of the week. U54048795 describes for example a gear mechanism in which the two digits of the date are displayed on the same gear, which drives through different gear elements another gear on which the day of the date is indicated.

International demand WO9913383 (Jaquet SA ) describes a large date display mechanism in which the units are displayed by an annular disk and the tens by a cross of which one of the branches covers a portion of the annular disc of the units. The disk of the units carries three times the sequence of digits from 0 to 9 plus an interlayer 1, corresponding to the sequence of units for the numbers from 0 to 31. The branches of the cross carry the digits from 0 to 3 respectively. A window on the dial is arranged to display both the portion of the cross covering the annular disk and the next digit of the units to the right of the cross.

This provision has the disadvantage of requiring significant changes to the mechanism if you want to display the date at another place, for example at three or six hours rather than twelve hours. In this case, the axis of the cross tens must be moved, and the entire drive system adapted accordingly.

On the other hand, the cross of the units occupies an important space in the center of the watch; this space is therefore unavailable for other displays, for example for the axes of auxiliary function needles such as chrono, power reserve, display of the day of the week, etc. In any case, the size of the cross of the tens, and therefore the maximum dimension of the date digits displayed, is limited by the distance between the disk of the units and the axis of the seconds.

In this solution, the figures of tens and units are in all cases displayed by mobiles moving in two different planes; therefore, for all dates, there is a difference in depth between the tens digit and the units digit, which is visible through the date window.

Moreover, in this solution, the tens star is driven by the annular disk units through a star meshing with the internal toothing of the disk units and retained by a jumper. When changing the date, especially when manually correcting the date, the star may sometimes be driven with sufficient energy for the jumper to pass directly from a tooth, or branch, to a non-neighboring tooth of the star. In this case, the correspondence between the tens and the units is irremediably destroyed; the watch could for example display dates 32, 33, etc. To limit this risk, without completely eliminating it, it is therefore necessary to use a retaining collar of the star actuated by a sufficiently strong spring; this solution however has the disadvantage of considerably increasing the power and the energy required for the change of date. The motors must be oversized only to act on the jumper, and the power consumption is increased.

An object of the present invention is to provide a date display mechanism which avoids these disadvantages.

According to the invention, these problems are solved by means of a watch which has the features of the independent claim 1, preferential features being further indicated in the dependent claims.

In particular, these problems are solved by a date display mechanism for watch movement, comprising a first mobile carrying a first sequence of digits and a second mobile carrying a second sequence of digits. The two mobiles are arranged and arranged so that, at least for certain dates, the date displayed to the user corresponds to the combination of indications carried by the first mobile and indications carried by the second mobile, while for at least one other date the displayed date corresponds to the combination of two digits or a digit and a space carried by the same mobile. At least one of the mobiles is constituted by a ring. The second mobile has cutouts showing the indications on the first mobile.

The display mechanism of the invention is therefore a combination between a large date display mechanism, with two figures carried by two distinct mobiles, and a conventional date display mechanism for other dates, for which the single digit or two digits of the date are carried by the same mobile. This avoids, at least for some dates, the disadvantages of the display by two distinct mobiles, without having to give up the display of large dates.

This solution also makes it possible to balance the number of indications carried by the two mobiles, by reporting certain indications of units on the tens disk and / or certain indications of tens on the disk of the units, so as to be able to display dates of the largest possible size.

The two mobiles are preferably constituted by two concentric annular disks and preferably superposed. This avoids occupying the portions of the upper surface of the movement that could be used by other displays. In addition, the date can be displayed at any angular position on the dial by replacing only the annular disks, without changing or moving the drive mechanism.

These objectives are also achieved by means of a date display mechanism for watch movement, comprising a first mobile bearing a first sequence of digits, and a second mobile carrying a second sequence of digits. The two mobiles are arranged and arranged so that, at least for certain dates, the date displayed to the user corresponds to the combination of indications carried by the first mobile and indications carried by the second mobile. The second mobile, for example the mobile carrying at least some tens, is driven by the other mobile, for example the mobile carrying at least some units, through a star held by a jumper. An abutment member is arranged to prevent the jumper from passing directly from a tooth of the star to a non-adjacent tooth upon the change of date.

This solution has the advantage of reducing or eliminating the risk that the second disk is erroneously indexed by two positions instead of one when the date is changed, in particular during the manual correction of the date. It is thus possible to safely reduce the force of the spring acting on the retainer of the star, which reduces the energy and power required to change tens of the date.

• La figure 1 montre une vue de dessus du mécanisme d'entraînement selon une première variante de l'invention.
• La figure 1 montre une vue de dessus de l'anneau des dizaines dans la première variante de l'invention.
• La figure 2 montre une vue de dessus du mécanisme d'entraînement selon une deuxième variante de l'invention.
• La figure 3 montre une vue de dessus du mécanisme d'entraînement selon une troisième variante de l'invention.
• La figure 4 montre une vue de dessus du mécanisme d'entraînement selon une quatrième variante de l'invention.
• La figure 5 montre une coupe partielle selon l'axe V-V du mécanisme d'entraînement selon l'invention
• La figure 6 montre une coupe partielle selon l'axe VI-VI du mécanisme d'entraînement selon l'invention

The invention will be better understood on reading the description illustrated by the appended figures which show:

• The figure 1 shows a top view of the drive mechanism according to a first variant of the invention.
• The figure 1 shows a top view of the tens ring in the first variant of the invention.
• The figure 2 shows a top view of the drive mechanism according to a second variant of the invention.
• The figure 3 shows a top view of the drive mechanism according to a third variant of the invention.
• The figure 4 shows a top view of the drive mechanism according to a fourth variant of the invention.
• The figure 5 shows a partial section along the axis VV of the drive mechanism according to the invention
• The figure 6 shows a partial section along the axis VI-VI of the drive mechanism according to the invention

The figure 1 shows a top view of the date drive mechanism according to a first variant of the invention; only the parts useful for the understanding of the mechanism have been represented in full lines for ease of understanding of the figure.

The mechanism comprises two mobiles formed in this example by two concentric annular disks 1 and 2 superimposed. The first mobile 1, or ring of units, carries a sequence of digits 10 {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 , 8,9,0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9}. The numbers are regularly spaced except for a larger interval between the last 9 and the first 1 which is sufficient to display a two-digit date, as will be seen later. In the illustrated example, the dates are intended to be displayed at twelve o'clock on the dial; the figures of the units are thus arranged almost radially, so as to appear vertical when they are seen through a vertical window just to the right of the twelve o'clock position.

The second mobile, or tens ring, is constituted by a second ring 2 concentrically rotating over the ring of the units 1, as can be seen in particular on the Figures 5 and 6 . Note that in these figures the dial 6 of the watch is at the bottom. As we see in particular on the figure 1b in this example, the second ring 2 bears the sequence {0,1,2,30,31,0,1,2,30,31}. A vertical window 21 is stamped through the tens ring 2 to the right of the numerals 0, 1 and 2, making it possible to see the numbers carried by the ring of the units 1.

In a non-illustrated variant of the invention, the second mobile 2 could be constituted by a non-annular element, for example by a cross or a star rotating above the first mobile 1, and provided with non-rectangular cutouts 21, for example as suggested in the document WO9913383 mentioned. Moreover, the mobile tens could carry a single sequence {0,1,2,30,31}, or more than twice this sequence. A single sequence however has the disadvantage of requiring significant angular steps at each indexing of the mobile, while the display of a larger number of sequences necessarily leads to use smaller numbers.

In another non-illustrated variant of the invention, the two mobiles could be concentric but of different diameters, and therefore not superimposed, or partially superimposed. In this case, at least one of the two annular discs could carry cutouts in the form of internal or external radial flaps to cover the figures or indications carried by the other mobile on certain dates.

Moreover, those skilled in the art will understand that the cuts provided in the various variants of the invention may also be constituted by transparent portions of one of the two mobiles.

The arrangement of the numbers 10, 20 and the inclination of the windows 21 depends on the position chosen for displaying the date on the dial; for example, to display the date at three o'clock, it is necessary to rotate the numbers 10, 20 as well as the windows 21 by 90 °. In this provision, The numbers and the windows occupy a larger angular segment, so that a number of sequences different from two on the tens ring 2 may be adopted. The angle of rotation depends, of course, on the angular position of the window.

In this variant of the invention, the date 3 displayed through the window 60 in the dial 6 is generally formed of a number 20 coming from the ring of tens 2 and a second digit 10 coming from the ring of 1, visible through a window 21. However, on the 30th and the 31st of the month, the date 3 displayed to the user of the watch comprises two figures, both of which are carried by the tens ring. these particular dates, the problem of difference of depth between the digit of tens and the number of units.

The maximum date size displayed in a conventional large-date display corresponds to the maximum size of the numbers that can be displayed on both the tens and units mobile. By choosing to display certain dates using two numbers from the same mobile, it gains the ability to move certain indications from one mobile to another, which allows at least for certain configurations to increase the size of displayable figures.

On the variant of the figure 2 , the ring of units 1 carries the sequence of digits 10 {1,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7, 8,9,0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9} while the tens ring carries the sequence of digits 20 {0,1,2,30,3,0, 1,2,30,3}, the '0' can also be replaced by spaces. This configuration makes it possible to display all the dates by means of indications carried by the two mobiles 1, 2, with the exception of the date which is indicated by means of two figures carried by the tens ring 2.

On the variant of the figure 3 the ring of units 1 carries the sequence of digits 10 {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9} repeated three times while the ring of tens carries the sequence of digits 20 {0 , 10,1,20,2,30,31}. This configuration makes it possible to display all the dates using indications. carried by the two mobiles 1, 2, with the exception of the dates 10, 20, 30 and 31 which are indicated by means of two figures carried by the tens ring 2.

Those skilled in the art will understand that other variations are conceivable within the scope of this invention. For example, on the figure 4 , the ring of units 1 carries the sequence of digits 10 {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, 9,0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0} while the tens ring carries the sequence of digits {0,1,2,3,31,0, 1,2,3,31}. This configuration makes it possible to display all the dates by means of indications carried by the two mobiles 1, 2, with the exception of the date 31 which is indicated by means of two figures carried by the tens ring 2. In another variant not illustrated, the dates corresponding to dates 1 to 9 are displayed using a single mobile; this allows for example to display this date with a single digit that can also be centered in the window 60.

It would also be possible to display certain dates using two numbers carried by the ring of the units 1, by displaying certain indications of tens on the disk of the units. For example, one could imagine that the disk of the units carries the date 30 or the date 31 in whole. However, this variant has the disadvantage of requiring large windows 21 through the tens ring 2, which may weaken this ring and also occupies a more important place. On the other hand, one could also imagine that some calendars are displayed using two figures carried by the ring of units, others with the help of two figures of the tens ring, and others finally with using two figures carried by the two rings. Finally, one could in particular for larger watches use a disk units rotating over the disk tens and equipped with windows to see the indications of ten on the second disc.

Also known are movements in which the date is displayed using literal indications, for example with an indication of the month for perpetual calendars and / or with an indication of the day of the week. It will therefore be understood that the invention also applies to this type of movement, for which the various indications constituting the date are carried by a number of mobiles variable according to the date. For example, it would be possible in the context of the invention to display the day of the week and / or the month in the same wicket 60, or in one or two additional wickets, the day of the week and / or the month being indicated by one or more mobiles according to the date.

On the other hand, the indication of the tens and the indication of the units can be displayed in two separate windows juxtaposed or arranged at different points of the dial, for example at ten o'clock and two o'clock.

We will now describe using figures 1 , 5 and 6 In this example, the two mobiles are driven by the same electromechanical or mechanical motor (not shown) and set by the same crown; it would however also be possible to drive and / or adjust the two mobiles by two independent motors, or by a single motor but through two separate kinematic chains.

A pinion 44 actuated by the not shown motor drives a wheel 46 on the axis of which is mounted a pawl device 460 arranged to cause the rotation, each day, at midnight or at another time, the internal toothing 11 In this example, ring 1 is indexed every day by 360/31 degrees to perform one round per month of 31 days.

One could also within the scope of this invention imagine mechanisms in which the date change is not done at midnight, and mechanisms in which the disk 1 performs a lap for a period different from 31 days.

• ο Le 10 du mois, lors du passage de la dizaine 0 à la dizaine 1;
• ο Le 20, lors du passage de la dizaine 1 à la dizaine 2;
• ο Le 30, lors du passage de la dizaine 2 au 30;
• ο Le 31, lors du passage du 30 au 31; et
• ο Le 1^er, lors du passage du 31 à la dizaine 0.

The ring of the units 1 comprises drive stops 12 constituted by portions folded by stamping the ring 1. As can be seen in particular on the section of the figure 6 these stops make it possible to index a gear element 50, in this example a six-tooth star, or branches, indexed by 60 ° each contact with the stops 12. The stops 12 are arranged radially on the ring 1 so that a stop actuates the star each time a rotation of the ring of Tens 2 is desired. In the example of the figure 1 , the tens ring is activated 5 times a month:

• ο On the 10th of the month, during the transition from the 10th to the 10th;
• ο On the 20th, during the passage from the 10th to the 10th;
• ο On the 30th, during the passage from the 10th to the 30th;
• ο The 31, during the passage from 30 to 31; and
• ο The ^1st , during the passage from the 31st to the 10th.

The number and the instant of the rotations of the tens ring depend on the sequences on the two mobiles 1 and 2, as can be seen by comparing the position of the stops 12 on the variants of Figures 1 to 4 .

The star 50 drives at each rotation a wheel 52 mounted on the same axis, which in turn actuates a wheel 53. The wheel 53 is mounted on the axis of a wheel 54 meshing with the internal toothing 22 of the ring The gear ratio between the wheels 50 and 53 is chosen so that the indexing angle of the ring 2 caused by a displacement of the star 50 corresponds to the angular distance between two numbers. tens.

The star 50 is retained by a jumper 51 pressed against the gap 502 between two teeth 501 of the star 50 by a spring 510. The jumper prevents the star 50 from spinning freely, particularly when is driven by a pin stop 12. In order to force the jumper 51 to move near the bottom of the gap 502 between two teeth 501, it is provided with a stop element 511, here constituted by a pin perpendicular to the plane of the watch, which moves in a slider 500 machined in the wheel 52. The shape of the slider 500 prevents the pin 511 from jumping directly from a gap 502 to a non-adjacent gap between two teeth of the star 50; it thus surrounds the star 50 by marrying approximately its contours.

As we see in particular on the figure 5 , the first mobile 1 slides directly on the upper deck 9 of the movement of the watch, and is retained by a first plate 8 mounted over this bridge. The second mobile 2 slides on an annular path over this first plate 8 and is retained by a second plate 7. The dial 6 is fixed over the second plate and provided with a window 60 to display the dates carried by the first and / or second mobile.

Claims (19)

1. Day of the month display mechanism for watch movement, comprising:

   a first mobile (1) bearing a first sequence of digits (10),

   a second mobile (2) bearing a second sequence of digits (20),

   at least one mobile (1, 2) being constituted by a ring,

   said mobiles (1, 2) being arranged and disposed in such a manner that, at least for certain dates, the day of the month (3) displayed to the user corresponds to the combination of indications borne by the first mobile (1) and of indications borne by the second mobile (2),

   characterized in that said mobiles are arranged and disposed in such a manner that, at least for another date, the day of the month (3) displayed to the user corresponds to the combination of two digits or of a digit and of at least one space borne by the same mobile (2).
2. Mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the second mobile (2) is furnished with blanks (21) for showing the indications on the first mobile (1).
3. Mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rotation of the second mobile (2) is held by a jumper (51) acting on the teeth (501) of a gear element (50), said jumper being disposed in a manner to prevent the undesired rotation of said gear element (50), a banking element (511) being arranged in a manner to prevent said jumper from passing directly from one tooth (501) of said gear element to a non-adjacent tooth when the date changes.
4. Mechanism according to claim 3, wherein said banking element (511) is connected to said jumper (51) and moves in a slide way (500) shaped so as to force said jumper to move close to the bottom of the interstice (502) between two said teeth (501).
5. Mechanism according to one of the claims 1 to 4, wherein said first mobile (1) bears the units (10) of said days of the month and said second mobile (2) bears the tens (20) of said days of the month.
6. Mechanism according to claim 5, wherein said first mobile (1) bears the units of the days of the months as well as the day 30 and/or the day 31 in full.
7. Mechanism according to one of the claims 1 to 6, wherein said first mobile (1) bears the units of the days of the month as well as the days 1 to 9 in full.
8. Mechanism according to one of the claims 1 to 5, wherein said second mobile (2) bears the tens of the days of the month as well as the date 30 and/or the date 31 in full.
9. Mechanism according to one of the claims 2 to 8, wherein:

   said first mobile (1) bears the tens (10) of at least certain days of the month,

   said second mobile (2) bears the units (11) of at least certain days of the month, said blanks (21) showing the units' digits (10) to be displayed.
10. Mechanism according to one of the claims 2 to 8, wherein:

    said first mobile (1) bears the tens (10) of at least certain days of the month,

    said second mobile (2) bears the units (11) of at least certain days of the month, said blanks (21) showing the tens' digits (10) to be displayed.
11. Mechanism according to one of the claims 1 to 10, wherein said mobiles (1, 2) are constituted by two concentric annular discs.
12. Mechanism according to one of the claims 1 to 10, wherein said mobiles (1, 2) are driven by the same motor.
13. Mechanism according to claim 12, wherein said mobiles are driven by the same motor through two distinct cinematic chains.
14. Mechanism according to one of the claims 1 to 10, wherein said mobiles (1, 2) are driven by two independent motors.
15. Mechanism according to one of the claims 1 to 14, wherein the first mobile (1) comprises three times the sequence {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0} whilst the second mobile (2) comprises at least once the sequence {0, 1, 2, 3, 31} or the sequence {[space], 1, 2, 3, 31}.
16. Mechanism according to one of the claims 1 to 14, wherein the first mobile (1) comprises twice the sequence {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0} plus once the sequence {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0} whilst the second mobile (2) comprises at least once the sequence {0, 1, 2, 30, 31} or the sequence {[space], 1, 2, 30, 31}.
17. Mechanism according to one of the claims 1 to 16, further comprising an indication of the day of the week borne by one of said mobiles and/or by an additional mobile.
18. Mechanism according to one of the claims 1 to 17, wherein the first mobile (1) comprises at least one sequence corresponding to the units of certain days of the month as well as at least one space corresponding to a unit and/or a ten of another day of the month borne on the second mobile (2).
19. Mechanism according to one of the claims 1 to 18, wherein said first mobile (1) moves directly on the upper surface (9) of said movement and is held by an intermediary plate (8) comprising an annular path on which said second mobile (2) moves.

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