Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
  • G04C3/00—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means
  • G04C3/14—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means incorporating a stepping motor
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
  • G04C17/00—Indicating the time optically by electric means
  • G04C17/005—Indicating the time optically by electric means by discs
  • G04C17/0058—Indicating the time optically by electric means by discs with date indication
  • G04C17/0066—Indicating the time optically by electric means by discs with date indication electromagnetically driven, e.g. intermittently
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B19/00—Indicating the time by visual means
  • G04B19/24—Clocks or watches with date or week-day indicators, i.e. calendar clocks or watches; Clockwork calendars
  • G04B19/243—Clocks or watches with date or week-day indicators, i.e. calendar clocks or watches; Clockwork calendars characterised by the shape of the date indicator
  • G04B19/247—Clocks or watches with date or week-day indicators, i.e. calendar clocks or watches; Clockwork calendars characterised by the shape of the date indicator disc-shaped
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
  • G04C3/00—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means
  • G04C3/14—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means incorporating a stepping motor
  • G04C3/146—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means incorporating a stepping motor incorporating two or more stepping motors or rotors
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04G—ELECTRONIC TIME-PIECES
  • G04G21/00—Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces
  • G04G21/02—Detectors of external physical values, e.g. temperature

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a watch movement with a digital or symbolic data display mechanism for displaying indications independent of the absolute time or the time measured by the watch, as well as a watch equipped with such a display.
• the movements of needle watches that allow the display of digital or symbolic data most often use one or more mobile discs bearing on the surface a sequence of numbers or symbols, corresponding to the information to be displayed, for example to 31 calendar days or the days of the week, in the case of a date display.
• the moving disk is driven by the movement which makes it move each day by an angle corresponding to the spacing between the symbols or figures, for example, so as to reveal the required information through a window in the watch face.
• This known mode of operation is well suited to the realization of mechanical numerical displays of date, for example, for displaying the time, or for displaying other information that changes slowly and with a regular rate relative to in absolute time determining the running of the watch. It is difficult to display, with this type of device, dynamic information or random variation.
• the document WO2005006087 describes a watch provided with a chronograph comprising three windows for the mechanical and digital display of minutes and timed hours. Another three-wicket watch is described in WO2002093273. Three indexed discs bearing numbers turn behind the wickets to provide the indication 2 TAG-36-CH
• US5668781A describes a watch with a calendar indicator provided with a disk to indicate either the date in Arabic numerals or the year in Roman numerals. The indication presented through the window therefore depends only on the absolute time.
• CH190208 describes a pendulum with a perpetual calendar mechanism with multiple disks.
• an electronic display device for example a liquid crystal panel in the dial, capable of displaying digital information, alphanumeric or graphics.
• An object of the present invention is to provide a watch movement free from the limitations of known devices.
• Another object of the invention is to propose a watch movement capable of displaying information independent of absolute time without having recourse to electronic displays.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide a digital mechanical display system for easy reading for the auxiliary functions of a watch.
• a watch with an information display device comprising: at least one display mobile carrying a sequence of symbols on its surface, at least one actuator associated with the mobile and able to rotate the mobile around an axis, to display the symbol or symbols corresponding to the information to be displayed through one or more windows, characterized in that the display device has at least one display mode according to which the Symbol or symbols displayed in the window (s) are independent of absolute time.
• Figure 1 schematically illustrates a simplified view of a watch according to one aspect of the invention
• Figures 2 and 3 illustrate a display disc tens, respectively units, for the watch of Figure 1;
• Figure 4 shows a simplified block diagram of the operation of a watch according to one aspect of the invention
• FIG. 5 schematically illustrates, in simplified form, a watch according to another aspect of the invention comprising a telescope carrying a graduated scale;
• Figure 6 schematically illustrates a simplified view of a watch according to another aspect of the invention.
• Figures 7 and 8 illustrate schematically simplified watches according to another aspect of the invention comprising a four-digit display.
• FIG. 9 schematically illustrates, in simplified schemas, displays for displaying a three-digit digital and symbolic display according to one aspect of the invention.
• Figure 10 schematically illustrates a dive watch with the display of Figure 9 in dive mode.
• the watch 10 comprises, in a conventional manner, a dial 15 for displaying the time by means of two hands of the hours 21, minutes 22 and seconds 23.
• the watch running is provided by an electronic quartz movement, shown in a simplified manner in Figure 4, comprising a logic unit 70 which drives an actuator 73, for example a stepper motor powered by well defined pulse rate, for example 1 Hz.
• the motor 73 drives the needles 21 and 22, by a kinematic chain not shown. 5 TAG-36-CH
• Two windows 17 are provided side by side in the dial 15 to allow the visibility of two display mobiles 31 and 32, shown in Figures 2 and 3, bearing on their surface a sequence of numbers and / or letters and / or pictograms and / or any other graphic symbols.
• the mobiles 31 and 32 are represented in this embodiment as rings, rotatable about their center. In other variants not shown of the invention, one or more mobiles could be made in a form of disc, cross, star, or polygon, depending on the number of numbers and symbols required on its surface, or be constituted by any mechanical part of appropriate shape carrying a series of symbols.
• the wickets 17 are, according to this embodiment, placed in correspondence of 6 hours of the dial and the disks 31 and 32 rotate around two eccentric axes. This arrangement allows great freedom in the arrangement of the elements of the watch. Other arrangements are possible, however, as will be discussed below.
• the time with the date indication is displayed.
• Each of the mobiles 31 and 32 is driven by an electromechanical actuator 71, 72 respectively, for example by a stepper motor, a DC motor, or any other actuator whose size and power consumption make it suitable for use in watchmaking.
• the logic unit 70 of the movement sends at midnight pulses to the actuator 72 of the mobile of the units 32 and, if necessary, to the actuator 71 of the mobile of the tens 31, in order to advance the indication of the date visible through the windows 17.
• the logic unit 70 is programmed to perform a perpetual calendar function.
• the display of the two-digit date is preferably through two small openings 17 placed side by side, each opening being assigned to the display of a single digit or symbol. In this way the edges of the display mobiles are not visible. In the same way, we can provide three, four or more counters placed on the side 6 TAG-36-CH
• the logic unit 70 is connected to the pushers 41 and 42, on the middle part of the watch, and records the action of the user on these buttons.
• the push-buttons are used, in addition to their usual functions, to activate an auxiliary function of the watch 10, for example one or more of the functions of the following non-exhaustive list:
• UV-A - UV-B solar radiation intensity indicator 7 TAG-36-CH
• the auxiliary function or functions of the watch are activated by the pressure on the push-button (s) 41, 42.
• the present invention also includes watches making it possible to activate an auxiliary function by other means, for example by acting on the crown 40, on the telescope, on a touch screen, or by any other appropriate control means.
• the activation of the auxiliary function produces the display of information independent of the absolute time or the time measured by the watch by the two mobiles 31 and 32.
• the two mobiles carry 8 TAG-36-CH
• the tens disk 31 comprises a series 36 of digits up to 3 for displaying the digit of the tens of the date, and a second series of digits 37, of different colors, for displaying the digit tens for the auxiliary function.
• the mobile 32 of the units carries a series of digits 38 for displaying the date unit and a series of digits 39 for displaying the digit of the unit of the auxiliary function.
• the direction of the successions of the digits is the same on both mobiles 31 and 32, the digits grow counter-clockwise in both disks.
• the independent time symbol can be displayed as an independent symbol, instead of a time dependent symbol.
• a mobile having a first sequence of symbols, for example numbers, for indications depending on the absolute time, and one or more additional sequences for additional indications. It is also possible to provide mobiles with only indications independent of the absolute time.
• at least one indication independent of the absolute time is displayed simultaneously with an absolute time-dependent symbol, for example in the form of an additional icon, or of a particular choice of color of character, of background color, or font of character. For example, it is possible to use black-and-white date digits in normal time, and to replace them with different color digits when a particular condition is satisfied, for example when the alarm is triggered.
• the present invention also comprises a watch provided with a digital mechanical display mechanism comprising at least one mobile carrying on its surface two or more series of symbols or figures distinguished by a visual characteristic, for example two or more series of figures. different colors, or background colors 9 TAG-36-CH
• the rotation of the mobile makes it possible to see a number through a wicket made on the dial and the visual characteristic of the displayed number indicates the nature of the information presented, for example the date or other information corresponding to another function of the shows, for example one of the functions indicated above.
• FIG. 5 shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention in which the display mechanism is used for displaying the hundredths of a second during the chronometer function.
• the pushers 41 and 42 are used, conventionally, for starting, stopping and resetting the stopwatch.
• the actuator 73 rotates the hands 21, 22, 23 to indicate the hours, minutes and seconds of the relative time totalized from the starting instant of the timing determined by a pressure on the pusher 41.
• the needles 21, 22, 23 stop and the mobiles 31 and 32 turn, under the action of the actuators 71 and 72 controlled by the logical unit 70, so as to display the hundredths of seconds timed with the series of numbers 37 and 39 of a different color from that used for the date.
• the logic unit 70 drives the actuators so as to display again the absolute time by the hands 21, 22, 23 and the date, through the windows 17.
• the invention also comprises a chronometer watch provided with a mechanism for displaying hundredths of a second through one or more counters and, optionally, the possibility of displaying other information, depending on the mode of operation of the watch, for example to display the date when the stopwatch mode is inactive.
• the watch 10 provides an auxiliary depth gauge function.
• the watch comprises a depth sensor 77, for example a pressure sensor, connected to the logic unit 70 of FIG. 10 TAG-36-CH
• the depth gauge function can be activated on request of the wearer, for example by pressing one of the push-buttons 41, 42 or, optionally, the depth gauge function can be triggered automatically when the depth sensor 77 detects a depth greater than a determined threshold.
• the watch 10 is provided with a three-digit digital display illustrated in detail in FIG. 9.
• the display mechanism comprises three mobiles 31, 32 and 35, each rotating around a center of separate rotation with ten display positions, available for displaying numbers or symbols.
• the mobiles 31, 32 and 35 are made, for example, in the form of a disk, a star with 10 points or a polygon with 10 sides.
• the numbers and symbols on the surface of the mobiles 31, 32 and 35 are inclined with respect to the tangential direction, so as to align correctly with the three aligned windows 17 in the dial 15 at a position offset from the alignment of the centers of rotation of the mobiles 31, 32 and 35.
• This arrangement makes it possible to maximize the size of digits, and thus the readability of the display, and to optimize the size of the device in the movement of the watch.
• the mobile 32 is intended for displaying the number of the date units when the watch 10 is in normal mode (time mode), and the units digit of the current depth when the dive mode is active.
• the mobile 31 is intended for displaying the number of tens of the date, respectively the depth.
• the mobile 35 is used only in dive mode for displaying the hundreds digit of the depth. It has the numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, to display depths, depending on the unit of measurement chosen, up to 100 meters or up to 330 feet, for example. Mobile 35 also carries one or more graphic symbols 82 or pictograms, for example to signal a danger situation. When the watch works in 1 1 TAG-36-CH
• the mobile 35 is oriented so as to show one of the neutral positions 83.
• the mobiles 32 and 35 are driven by the actuators 71 and 72 of FIG. 4.
• the mobile 31, on the other hand, is driven, in this embodiment of the invention, by a toothed sector 91 secured to the mobile of the units 32 and a chain of one or more gears 93 which engage in a toothed wheel 94 secured to the mobile tens 31.
• the mobile tens 31 jumps by one unit for each complete revolution of the mobile units 32.
• Other mechanical transmissions are also possible and included in the context of the present invention
• This arrangement facilitates the integration of the display device of the invention with a standard watch movement with two small counters which then fulfill the functions of the actuators 71 and 72.
• Other arrangements are possible, for example the three mobiles 31 , 32 and 35 could be driven by three independent bidirectional actuators.
• the actuators 71 and 72 are bidirectional and allow the rotation of the mobiles 31, 32 and 35 in both directions.
• the watch can display the depth continuously both during the descent (increasing indication) and during the ascent (decreasing indication).
• This feature of the invention can also be adopted in combination with other features or for other auxiliary functions of a different nature.
• the needles 21, 22, 23 are used to indicate information relating to the dive mode, when it is active.
• This feature of the invention can also be adopted for other auxiliary functions of a different nature.
• the seconds hand 23 indicates the maximum depth reached during the dive on the scale 52 of the telescope 50. If the diver goes back up, it remains blocked at the 1 2 TAG-36-CH
• the minute hand 22 indicates the duration of the dive, in minutes.
• the hour hand 21 is placed under the minute hand 22 if the dive time is less than one hour.
• the 21 hour hand indicates dive times for dive times greater than one hour.
• the watch 10 returns autonomously to the normal operating mode after a dive.
• the watch remains in dive mode, the minute hand stops, but the internal counter of the dive time continues to rotate.
• the same or another pressure sensor can also be used to perform altimeter and weather forecast functions.
• Other embodiments may require the use of a sensor or several sensors 77 of different nature, for example: a temperature sensor for the thermometer function; a magnetic field sensor for compass and regatta functions; 1 3 TAG-36-CH
• a wireless network eg Bluetooth®, MSN® direct, GSM or another wireless telecommunication network, for call signaling, SMS messaging, email or voice mail, answering machine or calendar functions
• a solar radiation sensor for the UV-A - UV-B solar radiation intensity detector function
• a speed sensor for the functions of measuring speed, acceleration, jump height, spin, navigation and regatta
• a GPS receiver or other geolocation receiver for the functions of measuring speed, acceleration, jump height, spin, navigation and regatta
• a pulsation sensor for the pulsometer and monitor functions.
• auxiliary modes of the watch can display information that is introduced through push-buttons 41 and 42.
• a secret code or an alarm time can be programmed by a sequence of actions on the push-buttons 41 and 42, and displayed through the windows 17 at the request of the user.
• the watch 10 may comprise three mobiles rotating concentrically around the same axis.
• the number of mobiles is not limited and the watch of the invention may have one, two, three or more mobiles, which carry numbers or symbols visible through one or more windows of the dial.
• a third disk 33 driven by one of the actuators 71, 72 73, or by a not shown actuator, is used according to this embodiment to display a symbol through a small window 18 at 6 o'clock, while the disks 31 and 32 allow a large display by the counters 17 at 3 o'clock.
• Other arrangements not shown are also possible, in which the mobile disks overlap partially or totally or are 14 TAG-36-CH
• wickets 17 and 18 is also not a limitation for the present invention which could also include watches with wickets in any position on the dial, and even watches with a wicket made in the bezel or in the middle, to allow the display of an auxiliary function.
• the watch of the invention comprises four display mobiles 31, 32, 33 and 34 arranged in two groups of two concentric mobiles.
• the mobiles 31, 32, 33 and 34 are preferably driven by four independent bidirectional actuators which are slaved to the logic unit 70.
• the invention is not limited to a particular arrangement of the mobiles of display but it includes any arrangement of concentric mobiles or with different axes of rotation.
• the variants of the invention shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 comprise four-digit digital displays visible through the windows 17. This characteristic is advantageous, for example, for an altimeter watch, comprising an operating mode for displaying the altitude between 0 and 9999 meters. This variant is also advantageous for other auxiliary functions, for example a barometer, a countdown timer or a secret code reminder.
• the invention also includes displays with 5 or more digits, the number of digits being limited solely by the size of the watch in relation to the visibility of the symbols on the display mobiles.
• Symbolic displays comprising 3, 4 or more pictograms or any other graphic symbols, or combinations of numbers, letters, pictograms or any other graphic symbols are also possible within the scope of the present invention. 1 5 TAG-36-CH
• the examples presented here include independent actuators for actuating the mobiles 31, 32, 33, 34, it is understood that, in the context of the invention, a single actuator could be arranged to act on several mobiles.
• the disk of the units 32 could be directly driven by an actuator, for example an electric motor, and itself drive the tens disk 31 by means of a mechanical transmission, for example by rotating the disk of the tens. an angle corresponding to the spacing between two numbers for each complete revolution of the disk of the units 31.
• the same watch 10 may have more than one auxiliary mode.
• the watch 10 may have, next to the dive mode, an altimeter mode, a barometer mode and a stopwatch mode.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Electromagnetism (AREA)
• Electromechanical Clocks (AREA)
• Electric Clocks (AREA)
• Measurement Of Unknown Time Intervals (AREA)
• Displays For Variable Information Using Movable Means (AREA)

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• 2005
  • 2005-09-13 CH CH01485/05A patent/CH707467B1/fr not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2006
  • 2006-05-29 DE DE602006016966T patent/DE602006016966D1/de active Active
  • 2006-05-29 WO PCT/EP2006/062669 patent/WO2007031347A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2006-05-29 KR KR1020087004923A patent/KR101304957B1/ko not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2006-05-29 RU RU2008114380/28A patent/RU2386990C2/ru not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2006-05-29 AT AT06763327T patent/ATE481664T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2006-05-29 EP EP06763327A patent/EP1932063B1/de not_active Not-in-force
  • 2006-05-29 CN CN2006800335371A patent/CN101263435B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2006-05-29 JP JP2008530438A patent/JP2009508123A/ja active Pending
  • 2006-09-11 EP EP06793391A patent/EP1924895A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2006-09-11 JP JP2008529642A patent/JP2009508097A/ja not_active Withdrawn
  • 2006-09-11 CN CN2006800335460A patent/CN101263436B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2006-09-11 RU RU2008114379/28A patent/RU2385478C2/ru not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2006-09-11 US US12/063,629 patent/US7889602B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2006-09-11 WO PCT/EP2006/066209 patent/WO2007031477A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2006-09-11 KR KR1020087006216A patent/KR20080045707A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2006-09-13 TW TW095133899A patent/TW200728943A/zh unknown
• 2008
  • 2008-02-19 US US12/033,499 patent/US20080170474A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2008-11-20 HK HK08112701.7A patent/HK1121246A1/xx not_active IP Right Cessation
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