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
  • G04B1/00—Driving mechanisms
  • G04B1/10—Driving mechanisms with mainspring
  • G04B1/22—Compensation of changes in the motive power of the mainspring

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the field of watchmaking. It relates, more particularly, to a rocket system.
• Rocket systems were used in old watches to compensate for torque variations of the mainspring, depending on its level of arming. Indeed, we did not know then, propose springs with a characteristic of torque presenting a plateau, with an acceptable march.
• the object of the invention is therefore to provide a rocket system in which the aforementioned defects are at least partially overcome.
• the invention relates to a timepiece rocket system comprising a support axis, a rocket pivoted about said support axis and adapted to receive a chain around its periphery.
• the support pin is intended to be secured by a first end to a frame member of said timepiece. Therefore, the rocket is intended to be supported in so-called “flying" manner, thus taking up less space in the thickness of the movement and eliminating the conventional bridge which normally supports the second end of the support shaft.
• a mobile is rotatably mounted around a second end of the support axis.
• the rocket is positioned axially on the support axis between a shoulder that includes the support axis and at least one holding member penetrating a circumferential groove that includes the support axis. The rocket is therefore sandwiched on its support axis.
• the holding member is integral with said mobile.
• the holding member comprises a plurality of plates each sandwiched between said mobile and a fixed bridge to said mobile. Such a construction is advantageous because of its ease to be mounted.
• said mobile comprises a ring having an internal toothing and a ratchet wheel having an external toothing, said ratchet wheel being intended to be driven during the reassembly of the timepiece and preferably being positioned by a locking pawl.
• a rocket wheel intended to drive the finishing gear of a watch movement
• a sun gear integral with said rocket wheel are located between the rocket and said first end of the support shaft, and are rotated freely around the support axis.
• the sun gear and the rocket wheel are kinematically related to the rocket.
• the rocket system further comprises at least one double pinion pivoted on the rocket.
• the double-pinion includes a first pinion meshing with the toothing of the crown, a second pinion meshing with the sun gear, and an axis connecting the first gear to said second pinion, the axis passing through the rocket in a direction parallel to the support axis. Therefore, the rocket system includes a differential gear that continues to provide torque to the watch movement while the mainspring is raised.
• said mobile comprises a sun gear having an external toothing and a ratchet wheel having an external toothing, said ratchet wheel being intended to be driven during the reassembly of the timepiece and preferably being positioned by a locking ratchet.
• a rocket wheel intended to drive the finishing gear of a clockwork movement
• a crown gear internally fixed to said rocket wheel are located between the rocket and said first end of the rocket wheel.
• support axis are mounted free to rotate about the support axis.
• the crown wheel and the rocket wheel are kinematically linked to the rocket.
• the rocket system comprises at least one double-pinion pivoted on the rocket.
• the double-pinion comprises a first pinion meshing with the toothing of said sun gear, a second pinion meshing with said crown wheel, and an axis connecting said first pinion to said second pinion, the pin passing through the rocket in a parallel direction. to the support axis.
• This variant of the differential gear can be arranged to provide more torque to the work train than the variant described above.
• the invention relates to a watch movement comprising a rocket system as defined above, as well as a timepiece comprising such a movement.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rocket system according to the invention associated with a barrel system
• Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a first cross section of the rocket
• FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the rocket holding system, the bridge being removed;
• - Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the rocket, the bridge being removed;
• FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second cross section of the rocket passing through the double gears.
• FIG. 6 to 10 are views similar to those of Figures 1 to 5 respectively, which show a second variant of an embodiment of a rocket system according to the invention.
• FIG. 1 illustrates a rocket system 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention, linked to a barrel system 2 via a chain 3.
• the signs reference numbers are not shown systematically in each figure.
• the details of the barrel system 2 are not part of the present invention, and will not be described in more detail. Suffice it to say that the rocket system 1 can be associated with any suitable cylinder system.
• the rocket system 1 comprises a rocket 5 of generally frustoconical shape and provided with a helical groove on which a chain 3 is wound, as is generally known.
• the rocket system 1 further comprises a rocket wheel 7, which provides energy to a finishing train (not shown), and a ratchet wheel 9 positioned by a locking pawl 1 1, and intended to be driven by an intermediate gear connected to the winding stem of the timepiece (not shown).
• the rocket system 1 is pivoted about a support axis 13, of which only its end is visible in Figure 1, as will be better understood later.
• the rocket system 1 further comprises a differential gear 15, which will also be explained below.
• the support pin 13 is intended to be secured to a first end 17, with a frame member of the timepiece (not shown). This first end 17 is the lower end with reference to Figure 2.
• the support pin 13 has a shoulder 19 against which the rocket 5 abuts by means of an additional ring-shaped hub 21. Alternatively, the body of the rocket 5 could abut directly against the shoulder 19.
• a groove 25 At the second end 23 of the support pin 13 is a groove 25.
• Holding members 27 penetrate into the groove 25, and are sandwiched between a bridge 29 and the mobile 31, which is rotatably mounted about the support axis 13. Therefore, the support pin 13 is secured to an element of the frame by one end, the other end being free, and the rocket is flying.
• the mobile 31 comprises the ratchet wheel 9 mentioned above, which has an external toothing, and a ring 35 having an internal toothing located below the ratchet wheel 9 (with reference to the figures), the ratchet wheel 9 being integral with the ring 35.
• a sleeve 37, fitted on the support pin 13 separates the mobile 31 from the rocket 5 by pressing via a ring 39 on an upper surface 41 of the rocket 5. Therefore, the rocket 5 is suspended on the support pin 13 between the holding members 27 and the shoulder 19.
• a cover 33 consisting of a plate or a spacer, is screwed onto the upper surface 41 of the rocket 5 to hide the latter.
• the holding members 27 may be formed by plates disposed on either side of the second end 23 of the support pin 13 and housed in the groove 25.
• the holding members 27 are themselves positioned laterally by the bridge 29 and the sleeve 37, as can be seen in Figures 1, 2, 6 and 7, when the bridge 29 is screwed into position by means of the screws 45.
• the rocket mechanism 1 When the mainspring is associated with a rocket, the drum rotates in one direction during disarming of the spring and in another direction during its arming, in order to wind the chain 3.
• the rocket mechanism 1 further comprises a differential gear 15.
• the differential gear 15 is constituted by the ring 35 of the mobile 31, two double-pinions 47, the rocket 5 itself, and a sun gear 49.
• the rocket 5 serves of planet carriers
• the two double pinions 47 serve as satellites and pass through the thickness of the rocket 5.
• the sun gear 49 is integral in rotation with the rocket wheel 7, and is pivoted around the 13.
• the double-pinions 47 each comprise an upper pinion 47a and a lower pinion 47b connected by an axis 47c, the double pinions 47 meshing on the upper side with the ring 35, and on the lower side, that is to say platinum side, with the sun gear 49, the terms "upper” and "lower” being defined with respect to Figure 5.
• the number of double-pinions 47 is not determined and can be chosen according to the needs of the watchmaker.
• the gear ratios of the differential gear can further be selected according to the needs of the watchmaker.
• the user applies a torque in the clockwise direction to the ratchet wheel 9 by means of the winding stem and an associated intermediate gear (not shown).
• the speed of rotation of the sun gear 49 being limited by the regulating member of the timepiece, the excess of rotation applied to the ratchet wheel 9 with respect to that required for the driving of the work train, rotates rocket 5 clockwise.
• the chain 3 is thus wound on the rocket and the barrel of the barrel 2 is driven in the anti-clockwise direction, which consequently makes it possible to raise the motor spring housed in the barrel 2.
• the movement of the clockwork movement is not interrupted during the winding of the mainspring, without any intermediate spring being necessary between the rocket and the gear train.
• differential gear 15 as described above can be further used in any type of rocket, not only in that of the present invention, but also in a conventionally rotated rocket between two frame elements of a clockwork movement.
• Figures 6 to 10 show a second variant of a rocket system according to the invention, in views similar to those of Figures 1 to 5 respectively. In these figures, only the parts which are different from those of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5 and which are described in the following text are indicated in FIGS. 6 to 10. The other components of the system remain substantially unchanged, or their Adaptations to compensate for the aforementioned differences are within the abilities of those skilled in the art and should not be described in detail. Indeed, the main difference between the two illustrated embodiments is at the level of the arrangement of the differential gearing 15.
• the ring 35 of the mobile 31 of the first embodiment has been removed and has been replaced by a sun gear 36, also integral in rotation with the ratchet wheel 9 and surrounding a hub portion 9a of the latter.
• the sun gear 36 can come in one piece with the ratchet wheel 9.
• the sun gear 36 meshes with the upper pinions 47a of the double pinions 47.
• the sun gear 49 of the first embodiment has been replaced by a ring gear 50, internally toothing, integral in rotation with the rocket wheel 7.
• the sun gear 36 meshes with the lower gears 47b (see FIG. 10) with the double gears 47.
• the crown wheel 50 and the rocket wheel 7 can simply come from one piece, be glued, welded, soldered, driven, riveted, pinned etc. together, but in the illustrated variant they are secured in rotation by means of the lugs 51 projecting from the upper face of the rocket wheel 7, which cooperate with corresponding notches 52, on which the crown wheel 50 is mounted in force, glued, welded, soldered or the like.
• the only kinematic difference to be noted with respect to the first embodiment is that the direction of rotation of the double gears 47 around their own axes is the opposite to that which precedes, and this thanks to the inversion of the position of the respective internal and external teeth of the differential mechanism.
• This change in the gear differential 15 allows to de-clutter the upper face 5a of the rocket 5, and remove the cache 33 and its mounting screws. Therefore, this face 5a has a neater appearance, and less crowded.
• the upper surface 5a may therefore comprise patterns, images, logos, or the like as decoration. In addition, it allows to provide gear ratios that are able to provide more torque to the work train compared to the kinematics of the first variant.
• the watchmaker can vary in a wide range of gear ratios of the differential gear 15, and thus the torque available to the work train. and the power reserve. Comparing the two variants, it will be noted that the Maltese cross 53 of the second variant has one less notch than that of the first variant, which indicates that the second variant has a high torque and a reduced power reserve compared to the first variant. Those skilled in the art can readily choose a gear ratio that is suitable for the desired torque and power reserve.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Transmission Devices (AREA)
• Gears, Cams (AREA)
• Fuses (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=49515274

Family Applications (2)

Family Applications Before (1)

Country Status (4)

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Family Cites Families (4)

• 2013
  • 2013-11-04 EP EP20130191465 patent/EP2869135A1/de not_active Withdrawn
• 2014
  • 2014-11-04 WO PCT/EP2014/073728 patent/WO2015063337A2/fr active Application Filing
  • 2014-11-04 CN CN201480057057.3A patent/CN105637430B/zh active Active
  • 2014-11-04 EP EP14793157.0A patent/EP3066527B1/de active Active
• 2016
  • 2016-06-30 HK HK16107645.6A patent/HK1219787A1/zh unknown

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