Classifications

• • 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
  • G04B17/00—Mechanisms for stabilising frequency
  • G04B17/04—Oscillators acting by spring tension
  • G04B17/06—Oscillators with hairsprings, e.g. balance
• • 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
  • G04B17/00—Mechanisms for stabilising frequency
  • G04B17/20—Compensation of mechanisms for stabilising frequency
  • G04B17/28—Compensation of mechanisms for stabilising frequency for the effect of imbalance of the weights, e.g. tourbillon

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a timepiece, typically a wristwatch, with several pendulums.
• the present invention aims to remedy these disadvantages, or at least to mitigate them, and proposes for this purpose a timepiece comprising a box, a movement and a display device housed in the box, the movement comprising a frame and , mounted in the frame, motor means, a plurality of regulating members each comprising a rocker arranged to oscillate about an axis of rotation, connecting means connecting the motor means to the regulating members and at least one differential to average the steps of the regulating members, the regulating members being each carried by a support rigidly fixed to the frame or forming part of said frame, said timepiece defining an axis perpendicular to its mean plane and passing through its center of gravity, characterized in that the ratio d / D of the distance d between the centers of gravity of the nearest balances on the diameter D of each balance is at least 2.5 and in that the ratio J / Jb of the moment of inertia J of the timepiece with respect to said axis thereof to the moment of inertia Jb of each balance relative
• the present invention is a completely different approach than those proposed so far, in that the multi-pendulum timepiece is specifically designed to minimize or even exclude the resonance between the pendulums.
• the present applicant has identified three types of coupling that can lead to the appearance of a resonance in a timepiece with several pendulums.
• the first coupling is an air coupling occurring by friction of the air between the rockers.
• This coupling is rendered negligible in the present invention by the ratio d / D greater than or equal to 2.5, implying that the rockers are sufficiently far apart from each other (or from each other).
• the second coupling is an elastic coupling between the external attachment points of the spirals associated with the rockers, coupling induced by the microdetrations of the mechanical link connecting these points of attachment.
• This coupling is rendered negligible in the present invention by the fact that the regulating members are each carried by a support rigidly fixed to the frame of the movement or part of said frame, implying that the mechanical connection (supports, platinum and / or bridges frame) between the outer attachment points of the spirals is rigid.
• the third coupling is an inertial coupling between the kinetic moment vectors of the pendulums and the vector kinetic moment of the piece
• Each of the three couplings above causes a change in the oscillation frequency of the rockers relative to their natural natural frequency. Indeed, by the coupling, the oscillating system is extended and it is the eigenfrequencies of this extended system that determine the oscillation frequency of the rockers.
• the couplings separate the eigenfrequencies.
• the mode eigenvector associated with the natural frequency
• the torque applied by the exhaust or exhausts depends on the external maintenance couples, namely, in the case of pendulums, the torque applied by the exhaust or exhausts.
• one of the modes corresponds to angular displacements in phase of the oscillators, while the other mode corresponds to angular displacements in opposition of phase.
• the present invention therefore seeks to minimize or even eliminate the couplings, so that each pendulum oscillates at a frequency as close as possible to its natural natural frequency, on the basis of which the movement is designed.
• the timepiece according to the invention is more easily reproducible and less sensitive to the accuracy of the settings, while being very accurate in its measurement of time.
• the differential (s) perform (s) an averaging of the respective steps Mj of the pendulums
• the step M of the timepiece can be expressed as follows: where n is the number of pendulums. The steps being averaged, so are the operating errors.
• the timepiece according to the invention is more accurate because not subject to the risk of resonant / non-resonant state changes.
• the ratio d / D is at least 2.65 and the ratio J / Jb is at least 6 ⁇ 10 4 , more preferably at least 10 5 .
• the differential (s) that includes the timepiece according to the invention is (are) typically part of said connecting means.
• the rockers can be regularly distributed in a circumferential direction around the geometric axis of the movement.
• the rockers are inclined relative to said mean plane of the timepiece. Tilting the rockers makes the air coupling between said rockers even weaker.
• at least two of the rockers have their axes of rotation which are substantially orthogonal to each other.
• the rockers are each inclined by approximately 45 ° with respect to said mean plane and such that their axes substantially intersect the geometric axis of the movement, and are all inclined in the same direction with respect to said axis geometric.
• the regulating organs are four in number.
• the connecting means may comprise a center mobile arranged to be driven by the motor means, first and second average mobiles arranged to be driven by the center mobile, first and second second movers arranged to be driven by the first average mobile and third and fourth second mobiles arranged to be driven by the second average mobile, the first to fourth second mobiles being arranged to respectively drive the regulating members.
• the center wheel may comprise a first differential gear and the first and second average wheels may respectively comprise second and third differential gears for averaging the steps of the regulating members.
• FIG. 1 is a top view of a timepiece according to the invention.
• FIG. 1 is a side view of the timepiece according to the invention.
• FIG. 3 is a plan view, taken from the dial side (top view) of the movement equipping the timepiece according to the invention, with the plate of the movement shown schematically;
• FIG. 4 is a profile view showing an offset in height between two regulating members forming part of said movement
• FIG. 5 is a sectional view along the axis 3 hours - 9 hours of a portion of said movement
• FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along a broken line of said movement
• FIG. 7 is a perspective view taken from the bottom side of part of said movement
• FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a part of a gear wheel of said movement.
• a timepiece is in the form of a wristwatch comprising a box BT housing a movement MV and a display device AF.
• the average plane of the timepiece is designated P.
• the axis of the timepiece is designated A. This axis A passes through the center of gravity of the timepiece, is perpendicular to the average plane P and is parallel and substantially coincident with the geometric axis of the movement and the box, designated by A ', this axis A' corresponding to the axis of central indicator hands AF1, AF2 of the display device AF.
• the BT box comprises, in a conventional manner, a middle part BT1, a BT2 bottom, a BT3 bezel and a BT4 glass, the middle part defining BT5 horns for attachment to a bracelet.
• the display device AF also conventionally comprises said central indicator hands AF1, AF2 and an AF3 dial, and may furthermore comprise other indicator members such as AF4 off-center hands. As shown in FIG.
• the movement MV comprises, mounted in a frame, a mobile of center 1, two barrels 2a, 2b located on either side of the mobile of center 1, two mobiles of average 3a, 3b located in on either side of the center mobile 1, four second mobiles 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d and four regulating members 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d.
• the frame of the movement MV comprises a plate 6 and bridges, in particular a first axle 7a receiving pivots of the shaft of the mobile of average 3a and second mobiles 4a, 4b, a second axle 7b receiving pivots of the shafts of the mobile of average 3b and the mobile of the second 4c, 4d, a center bridge 7 'and two barrel bridges 7 ", 7"' (see FIG.
• Each regulating member 5a to 5d comprises an escapement 8a to 8d, a balance 9a to 9d and a hairspring 10a to 10d, the hairspring being mounted on the same shaft as the balance by a ferrule, in the usual manner.
• Each exhaust 8a to 8d typically comprises an escape wheel, comprising a wheel and an escape pinion, an anchor and a double plate mounted on the balance shaft. Differentials, which will be described later, allow the indicator hands AF1, AF2 to display a time corresponding to the average of the times measured by the four organs. regulators 5a to 5d, thus giving the movement a high accuracy of operation.
• each regulating member 5a to 5d are inclined relative to the plane of the plate 6, which plane is parallel to the plane P, in a manner which makes it possible to advantageously compensate the effects of gravity on the operation of the movement according to the positions of the timepiece. More specifically, each regulating member 5a to 5d is disposed in a plane inclined by 45 ° with respect to the plane of the plate 6. In other words, the axis of rotation 12a to 12d of each balance 9a to 9d forms an angle 45 ° with the plane of the plate 6. In view of top of the movement ( Figure 3), the pendulums 9a to 9d form the ends of a cross whose center is at the center of the movement and whose two branches are perpendicular.
• the angle between them the axes 12a, 12c of the pendulums 9a, 9c is 90 °.
• the angle between them the axes 12b, 12d of the pendulums 9b, 9d is 90 °.
• the axes 12a, 12c of the pair of pendulums 9a, 9c are not parallel to any of the axes 12b, 2d of the other pair of pendulums 5 9b, 9d, thus providing coverage of all the directions of space .
• the orthogonality between the axes of the rockers of the same pair 9a, 9c or 9b, 9d makes it possible to effectively compensate the effects of gravity on these rockers and to particularly well cover the possible positions of the movement between the horizontal and the vertical ( flat-hung).
• the average amplitude of oscillation of the rockers of a given pair remains substantially constant between the different angular positions of the movement in the diametral plane containing the axes of these rockers.
• the rockers could, alternatively, be inclined differently or not be inclined, that is to say be arranged parallel to the plate 6 and the plane P.
• the rockers are regularly distributed in a circumferential direction around the axis A 'of the movement. Alternatively, however, they could be distributed unevenly.
• the center mobile 1 comprises, around a center shaft 20, a roadway 21 frictionally mounted on the shaft 20 and carrying the minute hand AF2, a free hour wheel 22. in rotation around the shaft 20 and carrying the hour hand AF1, a differential gear 23 and a center pinion 24 integral with the shaft 20.
• the center pinion 24 meshes with the two barrels 2a, 2b (whose associated ratchles have not been shown) which, thus arranged in parallel, add their pairs to drive the center shaft 20.
• the hour wheel 22 and the floor 21 mesh respectively with the pinion and the wheel of a mobile of timer 25 (see Figure 1).
• the timer wheel is connected to the timing rod 26 of the movement through a time-setting train 27.
• the differential gear 23 comprises, in addition to the shaft 20 which forms the input, a first output wheel 28 free to rotate relative to the shaft 20, a pinion 29 integral with the wheel 28, a second output wheel 30 free to rotate by relative to the shaft 20, a central pinion 31 integral with the shaft 20, and a satellite mobile comprising a pinion 32 which meshes with the central pinion 31 and a wheel 33 which is integral with the pinion 32 and which meshes with the pinion 29 , the pivots of this satellite mobile being respectively mounted in the second output wheel 30 and in a bridge 34 fixed to the wheel 30.
• the two average mobiles 3a, 3b each comprise, around an average shaft 35a, 35b, a pinion of average 36a, 36b integral with the shaft 35a, 35b and a differential gear 37a, 37b.
• the average gear 36a meshes with, and is driven by, the first output gear 28 of the differential gear 23
• the average gear 36b meshes with, and is driven by, the second output gear 30 of the differential gear 23.
• the differential gear 37a, 37b of each mobile of average 3a, 3b is of the same type as the differential gear 23 of the center mobile 1.
• the average shaft 35a, 35b is the input.
• One, 38a, of the output wheels of the differential gear 37a meshes with, and drives, a pinion (not shown) of the second wheel 4a, while the other wheel 39a meshes with, and drives, a pinion 40b of the mobile of the second 4b.
• one, 38b, of the output wheels of the differential gear 37b meshes with, and drives, a pinion 40c of the second gear 4c, while the other output gear 39b meshes with, and drives, a pinion (not shown) of the mobile of the second 4d.
• the wheels of the second movable 4a to 4d meshing by means of bevel gears with the exhaust gears of the regulating members 5a to 5d.
• the differential gears 23, 37a, 37b are closer to the barrels 2a, 2b, that is to say where the torque is Most important. This provision allows compensate for the disadvantages of a differential gear that are its weight and inertia.
• the structure as described above has the advantage of a small footprint because the four regulating members 5a to 5d are driven by the same drive member, constituted by the two barrels 2a, 2b, and only one mobile average is used for two regulating bodies.
• the use of two barrels in parallel makes it possible to increase the torque necessary for driving the regulating members. It also allows, by the arrangement of these barrels 2a, 2b on either side of the mobile center 1, to balance the transmitted torque and o o reduce the air pressure on the pivots of the mobile center 1.
• the drive members connected by the differentials could separately drive the regulating members 5a to 5d.
• a single barrel could be used to drive the four regulating members 5a to 5d.
• Each regulating member 5a to 5d is carried by a support or frame 41 (see FIGS. 4 and 7) comprising an exhaust door 42, an exhaust bridge 43 and a rocker bridge 44 fixed to the exhaust door 42.
• pivots of the balance shaft rotate in bearings 45, 46 (see Figures 4 and 6), preferably shockproof, respectively equipping the exhaust door 42 and the bridge 0 balance 44.
• the escape mobile and the anchors are mounted between the exhaust holder 42 and the exhaust bridge 43.
• the hairspring is mounted between the balance and the balance bridge 44.
• the outer end of the hairspring is fixed to a pin 10 'itself fixed to the bridge
• the supports 41 of the regulating members 5a to 5d are fixed rigidly to the frame of the movement, for example by means of screws, against bearing surfaces 47 of the cog axles 7a, 7b which are inclined by 45 °. in order to obtain the inclination of 45 ° of the rockers 9a to 9d relative to the platinum 6, while allowing said platen to remain flat.
• These inclined surfaces 47 are shown in FIG. 8 and, schematically, in FIG. 6.
• the supports 41 of FIGS. regulating members 5a, 5b are fixed on the first gearbridge 7a, while the supports 41 of the regulating members 5c, 5d are fixed on the second gearbridge 7b.
• the distance between the rockers 9a to 9d is large.
• the ratio d / D of the distance d between the centers of gravity of the rockers on the diameter D of each beam (defined as the outer diameter of the beam of the balance) is greater than or equal to 2.5 preferably greater than or equal to 2.65.
• this ratio d / D greater than or equal to 2.5 concerns the two rockers closest to each other.
• the distance d and the diameter D are respectively about 22.64 mm and about 8.5 mm. With such a spacing of the rockers, air couplings can also be considered negligible. These air couplings are further diminished by the fact that the rockers are inclined.
• the moment of inertia J of the timepiece BT, MV, AF with respect to the axis A and the moment of inertia Jb of each balance 9a to 9d relative to its axis of rotation 12a to 12d are such that their J / Jb ratio is greater than or equal to 2x10 4 , preferably greater than or equal to 6x10 4 , more preferably greater than or equal to 10 5 .
• it is possible to play on the mass of the timepiece for example by producing the BT box in a sufficiently heavy material and with sufficiently thick walls, and / or on its dimensions, namely its diameter and his height.
• each pendulum has a moment of inertia with respect to its axis of rotation of about 8x10 "10 kg.m 2 while the timepiece as a whole has a moment of inertia with respect to its axis A of about 8 , 6x10 "5 kg. m 2 .
• the regulating members could be in the form of vortices each carried by a support rigidly fixed to the frame of the movement or forming part of said frame.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Rehabilitation Tools (AREA)
• Electric Clocks (AREA)
• Electromechanical Clocks (AREA)

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• 2012
  • 2012-01-13 EP EP12000199.5A patent/EP2615504A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2012-11-30 WO PCT/IB2012/002548 patent/WO2013104945A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2012-11-30 EP EP12812338.7A patent/EP2802942B1/de active Active
• 2013
  • 2013-01-11 WO PCT/IB2013/000036 patent/WO2013104982A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2013-01-11 EP EP13703132.4A patent/EP2802943B1/de active Active

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