EP3220211B1 - Shock absorbing system with angular locking - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an anti-shock system for a mobile axis of a timepiece. The shaft comprises a beam, having a support, said support being provided with a housing adapted to receive a pivot system in which the tigeron is inserted. The shockproof system further comprises elastic means arranged to exert on said pivot system at least one axial force.

The technical field of the invention is the technical field of fine mechanics.

BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY

The present invention relates to bearings for timepieces, more particularly of the type for damping shocks. The mechanical watch manufacturers have long since designed numerous devices allowing an axis to absorb the energy resulting from an impact, in particular a side impact, by abutment against a wall of the hole of the base block that it crosses. while allowing a momentary movement of the tigeron before it is brought back to its rest position under the action of a spring.

Bearings of this type are known from the documents US Patent 2239682 , CH-A-330904 and FR-A-1008173 .

The Figures 1 and 2 illustrate an inverted double-cone device that is currently used in timepieces on the market.

A support 1, whose base comprises a hole 2 for the passage of the balance shaft 3 terminated by a tigeron 3a, allows positioning a kitten 20 in which are immobilized a pierced stone 4 traversed by 3. The kitten 20 is held in a housing 6 of the support 1 by a spring 10 which comprises in this example radial extensions 9 compressing the stone against pivot 5. The support 1 is a part of revolution comprising a circular flange 11. This flange 11 is interrupted in two diametrically opposite locations by an opening 12 so as to create two semi-circular flanges 11a, 11b. The opening 12 is formed partly in the two semicircular edges 11a, 11b so as to materialize two returns 13. The kitten 20 is held in a housing 6 of the support 1 by elastic means such as a spring 10 which comprises in this example of the radial extensions 9 compressing the counter-pivot stone 5. The spring 10 is of the axial type and has a form of lyre arranged to bear under the return semicircular flanges 11a, 11b. The housing 6 comprises two bearing surfaces 7, 7a in the form of inverted cones on which support complementary bearing surfaces 8, 8a of the kitten 20, said bearing surfaces to be executed with very high accuracy. In the event of an axial impact, the pierced stone 4, the counter pivot stone 5 and the axis of the balance arm move and the spring 10 acts alone to bring the balance shaft 3 back to its initial position. The spring 10 is dimensioned to have a limit of displacement so that beyond this limit, the balance shaft 3 comes into contact with abutments 14 allowing said axis 3 to absorb the shock, which the rods 3a Axis 3 can not do without breaking. In case of lateral impact, that is to say when the end of the tigeron imbalances the kitten 20 out of its resting plane, the spring 10 cooperates with the complementary inclined planes 7, 7a; 8, 8a to refocus the kitten 20. Such bearings have for example been sold under the trademark Incabloc®. These springs can be made of phynox or brass and are manufactured by traditional means of cutting.

However, a disadvantage of these shock absorber systems is that their assembly is not easy. Indeed, certain parts such as the support 1 and the spring 10 must be oriented and manipulated in a certain way during the assembly operation so that the assembly can be done. Thus, the assembly of the shock absorber system begins by providing a support, then a kitten with these stones. The latter is placed in the support housing. Then, one is equipped with a spring of the axial type and which presents a form of lyre. It is manipulated so that it can take support under the returns of semicircular flanges 11a, 11b of the support.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention aims to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art by proposing to provide a shock absorber system whose assembly is automated, simple and safe.

For this purpose, the invention relates to a shock absorbing device for an axis of an element of a timepiece comprising a support comprising a bottom cup surmounted by a defined peripheral rim, opposite said cup, by an upper surface and comprising an outer wall, said cup and the flange together defining a housing, the device further comprising at least one pivot module extending along an axis, said at least one pivot module being arranged in said housing and suitable to cooperate with said axis, said device comprising fixing means comprising a peripheral bearing extending from the flange towards the axial center of the cup, elastic means being arranged between the pivot module and the bearing to exert a stress on the module pivot,
characterized in that the elastic means comprise a spring ring provided with at least one radial extension extending towards the center of said ring and at least two lugs extending in a reverse direction, said bearing comprising at least one notch for allow the bayonet mounting of said spring ring and that the scope comprises, from and other of said at least one notch, a nozzle oriented towards the bottom cup for locking in rotation said elastic means.

In a first advantageous embodiment, the scope comprises three notches, said spring ring comprising three lugs.

In a second advantageous embodiment, said elastic means comprise a spring ring comprising at least two arms extending towards the axial center of said spring ring to press said pivot module into the housing of the support.

In a third advantageous embodiment, the at least two arms are diametrically opposed.

In another advantageous embodiment, the spring ring comprises three angularly distributed arms.

In another advantageous embodiment, said means comprise a spring ring having internal radial extensions disposed between annular parts, said internal radial extensions being constituted by the band forming the ring curved towards the inside of the ring.

In another advantageous embodiment, said internal radial extensions are regularly distributed.

In another advantageous embodiment, the spring ring comprises three internal radial extensions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

• les figures 1 et 2, déjà citées, permettent de représenter de manière schématique un système amortisseur de chocs de pièce d'horlogerie selon l'art antérieur;
• les figures 3 et 4 représentent de manière schématique un système amortisseur de chocs de pièce d'horlogerie selon l'invention lorsqu'il est démonté et monté ;
• les figures 5 et 6 représentent différentes solutions des moyens élastiques du système amortisseur de chocs de pièce d'horlogerie selon l'invention ;

The aims, advantages and characteristics of the shockproof system or shock-absorbing device according to the present invention will appear more clearly in the following detailed description of at least one embodiment of the invention given solely by way of nonlimiting example and illustrated by the attached drawings in which:

• the Figures 1 and 2 already mentioned, make it possible to schematically represent a shock absorber system of a timepiece according to the prior art;
• the figures 3 and 4 schematically represent a timepiece shock absorber system according to the invention when it is disassembled and mounted;
• the Figures 5 and 6 represent different solutions of the elastic means of the shock absorber system of timepiece according to the invention;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention proceeds from the general inventive idea of providing a shock absorbing device or simple shockproof system, easy to mount and offering less risk of problems during assembly. This shock absorber system is arranged to be mounted on a plate and / or at least one bridge of a watch movement. The watch movement is placed in a timepiece comprising a middle part closed by a bottom and an ice.

On the figures 3 and 4 , a device or shock-absorbing bearing 100 or shockproof system according to a first embodiment is shown. This shock absorbing device or shockproof system 100 is mounted in a base element of a timepiece movement. In particular, the plate or the bridges of the movement are the basic element in which the anti-shock system 100 according to the invention is placed. This anti-shock system 100 comprises a support 200. This support 200 is in the form of a cup 201, provided with a hole 202, surmounted by a peripheral rim 203 delimited, opposite said cup, by an upper surface. 213. This peripheral flange 203 also has an outer wall 214 and an inner wall 215. flange 203 and the bottom cup 201 define a housing 206 in which a pivot module 400 is inserted. The flange 203 and the bottom cup 201 may be monoblocks or parts dissociated. A conventional pivot module 400 comprises a kitten 401, that is to say a part having a circular central orifice, an outer wall and an inner wall. In the central orifice is inserted a pierced stone 402 whose diameter corresponds to that of the central orifice. The inner wall includes a shoulder so that a counter pivot stone 403 can be attached. The pivot module 400 is then placed in the housing 206 of the support 200 and cooperates with the shank of an axis.

The shockproof system 100 further comprises resilient means 300 which are arranged to cooperate with the pivot module 400. This makes it possible to dampen the shocks and to bring the pivot module 400 back to its rest position when the stresses exerted following the shocks occur. fade. The elastic means 300 are fixed on the support 200. Preferably, the elastic means 300 are also placed on the pivot module 400. The shockproof system 100 is then inserted into an orifice of the plate or in one of the bridges of the movement.

The elastic means 300 are, for example, in the form of a spring ring 301. This spring ring 301 is of the flat type, that is to say that it consists of a band or ribbon that is that is, having a width greater than the thickness. The band or ribbon constituting the spring ring 301 is metallic and circular extending along a central axis (C).

In a first embodiment of this spring ring 301 visible at the figure 5 , the resilient means 300 are in the form of a circular spring ring 301 which comprises arms 302 extending towards the axial center of said spring ring 301. These arms 302 are diametrically opposed and serve to press said pivot module 400 into the housing 206 200. The spring ring 301 may comprise two, preferably three arms.

In a second embodiment of this spring ring 301 visible at the figure 6 , the spring ring 301 comprises internal radial extensions 303 disposed between annular portions 304. These internal radial extensions 303 are constituted by the band forming the ring 301 which is curved towards the inside of the ring 301. These radial extensions 303 are preferably evenly distributed over the round of the flat ring 301 so that the spring ring 301 can act homogeneously as visible in the figure 5 . It is then understood that the spring ring 301 can be oriented in any manner relative to the support 200. The spring ring 301 may comprise two, preferably three radial extensions.

To mount and fix the elastic means 300 to the support 200, a bayonet system 500 is used. Such a bayonet system comprises a peripheral bearing 501 extending from the flange 203 towards the center of the support 200. This bearing surface 501 forms, with the support 200 and the flange, a holding zone 503. This holding zone 503 may comprise besides a peripheral groove 505 so that the elastic means 300 can be inserted therein. In order to mount the elastic means, the bearing 501 includes notches 507 so that the bearing is divided into portions.

Advantageously, the spring ring 301 has lugs 305 extending so as to move away from the axial center of said spring ring 301. These lugs 305 are arranged to hold said spring ring 301. Indeed, the dimensions of the spring ring 301 and the span 501 are calculated so that the lugs 305 can be inserted into the notches 507 of the span 501. The number of notches will preferably be identical to the number of lugs. Preferably, this number will be three. This insertion of the lugs into the notches of the span allows said ring-spring to be inserted into the holding zone. It is then sufficient to rotate the spring ring so that the lugs are placed under the scope 501. Indeed, the mounting of the spring is subsequent to the step of placing the pivot module 400 in its housing 206 so that the mounting of the spring ring causes the appearance of a stress applied to said spring ring. This constraint is due to the pivot module which tends to push the spring ring towards the outside of the housing while the lugs of said spring ring are in abutment on the scope, thus retaining said spring ring. Of course, it may be possible to have a single notch at the level of the scope but to have a spring ring having two or three pins.

The presence of the lugs 305 makes it possible to limit the stress exerted on said spring ring 301 by the bearing so that this stress is only located on these lugs 305. Consequently, since these lugs 305 are passive zones, that is to say without influence on the behavior of the spring ring 301. As a result, the initial behavior of the spring ring 301 is not modified by its assembly to the support 200.

Cleverly according to the invention, the portions of the bearing 501 are designed to have, at each end, a spout 509. These spouts located at each end of a portion of the scope have a locking function of the spring ring. Indeed, in operating condition, the shock absorber system works so that the spring is more or less solicited. However, it happens that the spring is no longer under stress so that a movement of this ring-spring is possible. This displacement can be a rotational movement of the ring spring on itself. Therefore, if the rotation is too important, there is a risk that the lugs are facing the notches and therefore the spring ring is disassembled. Thus, the presence of nozzles advantageously solves this problem by acting as rotation limiter. then a rotation of the spring-ring on itself in case of low stress, the beaks act as a stop to stop this rotation. The lugs of the spring ring can not be found next to the notches and therefore the spring ring can not disassemble itself.

One can imagine, the support 200 and the element of the movement in which the shock absorbing bearing 100 is placed in one and the same piece, the support 200 and the element of movement are monobloc. It is then understood that the base member has a recess arranged to form a bottom pierced with a hole and forming the housing 206 in which the pivot module 400 is placed. It is also understood that this second variant can coexist with the first variant. Indeed, as a bridge or a platen has any shape, an assembly area arranged makes it possible to be sure to install the fastening means and thus to maintain the pivot module 400 in the housing.

It will be understood that various modifications and / or improvements and / or combinations obvious to those skilled in the art can be made to the various embodiments of the invention set out above without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims.

Indeed, it is possible that the pivot module 400 may consist of a single stone or that the pierced stone and the pivot-pivot stone are integral with one another. It is understood that the pierced stone and the counter-pivot stone can be driven into one another or be one-piece. These possibilities make it possible to limit the number of parts of the shock-absorbing bearing.

Claims (8)

1. Shock absorber device (100) for an arbor of a timepiece element including a support (200) comprising a base cup (201) surmounted by a peripheral rim (203) delimited, opposite said cup, by an upper surface (213) and including an outer wall (214), said cup (201) and the rim (203) defining together a housing (206), the device further including at least one pivot module (400) extending along an axis (C), said at least one pivot module being arranged inside said housing and able to cooperate with said arbor, said device comprising fastening means (500) including a peripheral shoulder (501) extending from the rim towards the axial centre of the cup, elastic means being arranged between the pivot module and the shoulder to exert a stress on the pivot module,
   characterized in that the elastic means include a spring ring (301) provided with at least one radial extension (302, 303) extending towards the centre of said ring and with at least two catches (305) extending in an opposite direction, said shoulder including at least one notch (507) to allow a mounting of said spring ring based on a bayonet system and in that the shoulder includes, on either side of said at least one notch, a beak (509) oriented towards the base cup allowing said elastic means to be locked in rotation.
2. Shock absorber device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the shoulder (501) includes three notches (507), said spring ring comprising three catches (305).
3. Shock absorber device (100) according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said elastic means (300) include a spring ring (301) comprising at least two arms (302) extending towards the axial centre of said spring ring to press said pivot module into the housing of the support.
4. Shock absorber device (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that the at least two arms (302) are diametrically opposite.
5. Shock absorber device (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that the spring ring includes three angularly distributed arms (302).
6. Shock absorber device (100) according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said means (300) include a spring ring (301) including inner radial extensions (303) arranged between annular portions (304), said inner radial extensions being formed by the band forming the ring bent towards the interior of the ring.
7. Shock absorber device (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that said inner radial extensions (303) are regularly distributed.
8. Shock absorber device (100) according to claims 6 or 7, characterized in that the spring ring includes three inner radial extensions (303).

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