EP3399374A1 - Clockwork - Google Patents

Abstract

Clockwork movement (1) comprising:
at least one driving member (3);
four control systems (11), each being in kinematic connection with said motor member (3) via a motor kinematic network (5, 7, 9) arranged to transmit the energy of the motor member (3). ) said control systems (11);
wherein said kinematic drive network (5, 7, 9) comprises:
a first differential gear (5) having an input (5e) in kinematic connection with the driving member (3) and having two outputs (5s);
a second and a third differential gear (7, 9) each having an input (7e, 9e) in kinematic connection with a respective output (5s) of the first differential gear (5) and each having two outputs (7s, 9s), each of these latter outputs (7s, 9s) being kinematically connected to a respective control system (11);
said movement (1) further comprising a hours and minutes display (6) arranged to be driven by the first differential gear (5).

According to the invention, said movement (1) comprises at least one second display device (12) located in a branch of said engine kinematic network and arranged to take power on the latter, said second display device (12) comprising an indication member seconds integral in rotation with a mobile which meshes directly or indirectly with a mobile that includes said kinematic motor network (5, 7, 9), said mobile being upstream of at least one of said second and third differential gears (7, 9).

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to the field of watchmaking. It relates more particularly to a watch movement comprising a plurality of control systems.

State of the art

The document EP 1 706 796 describes a clockwork movement comprising two vortices connected to a common motor member via a differential gear. This differential gear allows the vortex cages to rotate independently of each other, and serves to average their steps. The wheels of the finishing train turn at angular speeds depending on the average of the two vortices, which serves to improve the accuracy of the movement of the movement.

However, the timer is arranged conventionally with respect to the work train, which imposes limitations on the freedom of the watchmaker to optimize the transmission of torque and to choose the rotational speeds of the mobiles, vortices, and all the workings concerned.

The document WO 2013/104982 discloses a timepiece comprising four regulating members, driven by a motor member via a motor kinematic network having a plurality of differential gears. However, neither this arrangement, nor the piece "Quatuor" of Roger Dubuis which implements it, does not include means of indication of the seconds. The obvious solution to indicate the seconds would be to integrate an appropriate display member in the motor network, including rotationally integral with one of the four seconds motive that includes the mechanism. However, this solution would be very limited in terms of the possibilities for the spatial arrangement of the seconds display member in the movement. Indeed, there are only four positions that arise and do not require substantial changes in the construction of the movement.

The object of the invention is, therefore, to propose a clockwork movement in which the abovementioned disadvantages are at least partially overcome.

Disclosure of the invention

More specifically, the invention relates to a watch movement comprising at least one motor member such as a motor spring stored in a barrel, and four control systems of any type, each being in kinematic connection with said motor member. through a network motor kinematics. This kinematic network is arranged to transmit energy from the drive member to each of the control systems, so that a kinematic link can be drawn which transmits energy between the drive member and each of the control systems.

• un premier engrenage différentiel ayant une entrée en liaison cinématique avec l'organe moteur et ayant deux sorties ;
• un deuxième et un troisième engrenage différentiel chacun ayant une entrée en liaison cinématique avec une sortie respective du premier engrenage différentiel et chacun ayant deux sorties. Chacune de ces dernières sorties est en liaison cinématique avec un système réglant respectif.

More specifically, the kinematic engine network comprises:

• a first differential gear having an input kinematically connected to the drive member and having two outputs;
• a second and a third differential gear each having a kinematic input with a respective output of the first differential gear and each having two outputs. Each of these last outputs is in kinematic connection with a respective regulating system.

The movement further includes a display of hours and minutes arranged to be driven by the first differential gear, either directly or indirectly.

According to the invention, the movement furthermore comprises at least one second display device situated in a branch of said kinematic network and taking up force on the latter, said second display device comprising a second indication member integral in rotation. a mobile that meshes directly or indirectly with a mobile that includes said motor kinematic network. This mobile is located upstream of at least one of said second and third differential gears.

Since the display of the seconds is not part of the kinematic network, the constructor gains a freedom of construction that allows him to position the display according to his will in the movement, and independently of the display device hours and minutes. Moreover, and contrary to a display called conventional "small seconds" direct, the positioning of the seconds display is also decoupled from the position of the control systems.

Advantageously, the hours and minutes display device is arranged to be driven directly by an element of the first differential gear, for example by driving a timer via the mobile input office of the first differential gear. Alternatively, a minute display member may be rotatably integral with such a mobile, the hour display member being driven in a conventional manner via a reduction gear.

Advantageously, the seconds display device comprises a seconds indicating member arranged to be driven by an element of the first differential gear by means of a multiplier gear train. Alternatively, the seconds indicating member is arranged to be driven by an element of a cylinder housing a motor spring acting as said motor member, via a multiplier gear train. Still alternatively, the seconds indicating member is arranged to be driven by an element situated between a cylinder and said input of said first differential gear, via a multiplier gear train.

Surprisingly, the fact of using four control systems makes it possible to use a motor unit which is powerful enough to drive a mobile multiplier in this way, without the risk of overloading and thus damaging the regulating members. Indeed, a motor spring that is powerful to maintain four oscillators can be used without applying excess torque to the control systems, since the torque provided is divided by four by the differential gears of the kinematic network.

Advantageously, at least one of said differential gears comprises an equal winding system, which limits variations in the torque transmitted to the control systems, and thus serves to improve the isochronism of the movement.

Brief description of the drawings

• Fig. 1 est une représentation schématique d'un premier mode de réalisation d'un mouvement selon l'invention ; et
• Fig. 2 est une représentation schématique d'un second mode de réalisation d'un mouvement selon l'invention.

Other details of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the description which follows, made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a first embodiment of a movement according to the invention; and
• Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of a second embodiment of a movement according to the invention.

Embodiment of the invention

The figure 1 schematically illustrates an embodiment of a watch movement 1 according to the invention.

The movement 1 comprises a motor member 3, which may be for example one or more motor springs stored in one or more barrels in series and / or in parallel.

The motor member 3 is kinematically connected to an input 5e of a first differential gear 5 formed of suitable mobiles. This differential gear 5 can be of any type, for example spherical, flat or any other configuration. The differential gear 5 as defined in the present invention has an input 5e and two outputs 5s. The mechanical connection between the input 5e and the outputs 5s can be made in any usual way, for example by means of one or more planet gears, one or more elastic elements or any mechanism allowing a function equivalent to the latter. It can also include at least one winding differential equal as described in the document EP 2 548 084 fully incorporated herein by reference. This or these equal winding can be at the level of the differential or differentials, but also between the differential or differentials and or the control systems.

The first differential gear 5 directly or indirectly drives a display of hours and minutes 6, from one of the elements that constitute it. The hours and minutes display device 6 can comprise display units for hours and minutes, for example one or more needles, disks, rotary scales, ribbons, or the like.

In order to drive the hours and minutes display device 6, one of the mobiles forming the differential gear, for example the mobile acting as the input terminal 5e, can cause a timer, or alternatively one of the mobiles. can be arranged to rotate at a rate of one revolution per hour, the minute display member (a needle, disk, tape or the like) being integral in rotation with one of these, and the body of displaying hours being driven via a reduction gear in a conventional manner.

The two outputs 5s of the differential gear 5 each provide energy at the respective input 7e, 9e of a second differential gear 7 respectively a third differential gear 9, formed of suitable mobiles. These second and third differential gears each also comprise two outputs 7s, 9s respectively, each of these outputs 7s, 9s being in direct or indirect kinematic connection with a respective control system 11. The same comments with respect to the type of differential gear emitted with respect to the first differential gear 5 also apply to the second and third differential gears 7, 9.

The network of differential gears 5, 7, 9, and any intermediate mobiles not shown, forms a kinematic motor network which serves to transmit and distribute energy and torque of the motor member 3 to each of the four control systems 11 so that it is possible to draw a drive train transmitting driving force from the drive member 3 to each control system 11.

The control systems 11 may be of any type, and may comprise, for example, Swiss or English anchor escapements, mono-, bi- or tri-axial vortices, expansion exhausts, cylinder exhausts or any other known type. of the skilled person. Each regulating system 11 may be the same or different from the others, and may oscillate at the same frequency or at a frequency different from the others. In the case of vortices, the rotational speed of the individual cages may also be the same or different from that of the other cages. This allows an average of the march of several types of control systems, and thus improve the isochronism of the movement.

In the embodiment illustrated on the figure 1 , an element of the first differential gear 5 indirectly drives a second display device 12 via a multiplier gear, the latter being shown schematically by the arrow 12a. For example, said second display device 12 may include a second display member such as a needle, a disc or the like integral in rotation with a corresponding mobile which is part of the gearbox multiplier 12a. The second display member may take one turn in 30 seconds, one, two, three, four, or five minutes, or the like. Alternatively, the seconds display device 12 may comprise a mobile which meshes directly with a mobile of the kinematic network, in which case the latter rotates at an appropriate angular speed. In any case, the calculation of angular velocities and gear ratios for each desired configuration is within the abilities of those skilled in the art.

Said second display device 12 is thus driven by a kinematic link 12a in the branch of the kinematic drive network 5, 7, 9, this kinematic linkage having a power take-off driven by the differential gearing 5 but not forming part of this network 5, 7, 9. Moreover, neither the seconds display member, nor a mobile part of the multiplier gear 12a, is integral in rotation with a member forming this network 5, 7, 9. It is therefore clear that no mobile that is downstream of the differential gear 5 participates in the torque transmission to the second display device 12 in the illustrated embodiment. More generally, the transmission of torque and energy to the seconds display device exclusively involves motions of the engine kinematic network 5, 7, 9 which are located upstream of at least one of the second 7 and the third 9 differential gears, and said multiplier gear train 12a. The transmission of torque and energy to the regulating members as well that to the display device seconds 12 therefore follow paths that bifurcate at the mobile of the kinematic network engine to which the second display device 12 is connected. One of these branches thus leads to one or more of the regulating members 11, the other to the second display device 12. This also applies to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. figure 2 (see below). In the embodiment of the figure 1 , the multiplier gear 12a is thus connected to the motor kinematic network 5, 7, 9 at a mobile that includes the first differential gear 5.

Consequently, a minimum of torque and energy is transmitted by this kinematic connection to the seconds display device 12, since the latter is not located in the motor kinematic network supplying power to the control systems 11. second display member, and the associated mobile can therefore be constructed relatively thin since the torque to which it is subjected is minimized. The arrangement of the seconds display device 12 at the end of a multiplier gear is common. However, since a conventional movement does not generally provide enough torque to cause the display of the seconds, a barrel 3 adapted to deliver a sufficiently high torque to a single adjusting system 11 may overload and thus damage the latter . By using four control systems 11, it is possible to increase the torque provided by the barrel 3 by a factor of four, without exposing the control systems 11 at excessive torques or forces. In doing so, and surprisingly, there is therefore sufficient torque at the first differential gear 5 to cause a display of seconds 12 through a multiplier gear.

In doing so, the manufacturer is no longer limited by the position of the regulating members, nor by the gears forming part of the kinematic network in order to position the seconds display. By taking a power take-off on the first differential gear 5, the manufacturer is relatively free to arrange the multiplier gear 12a according to his needs, and thus to position the seconds display at any position in the movement.

The figure 2 illustrates a second embodiment of a watch movement 1 according to the invention. This variant differs from that of the figure 1 in that the second display device 12 is driven directly, or indirectly through the multiplier gear 12a, by a moving part in the kinematic network between the drive member 3 and the input 5e of the first differential gear 5. Alternatively, in a variant not shown, the PTO for the display of the seconds 12 may be on an element of the motor member 3, for example on the barrel drum or on its shaft in the case where The latter turns when the barrel is unwound. In other words, the multiplier gear 12a is connected to the kinematic network engine 5, 7, 9 upstream of the first differential gear 5. As mentioned above, the rotating part of the barrel 3 is also part of the engine kinematic network, and can provide sufficient torque to drive a display device 12 seconds through a gear multiplier for the same reasons as mentioned above.

In each of the embodiments described above, the indication of the seconds is determined according to the average of the operation of the four control systems 11, which increases the display accuracy with respect to the arrangements of the prior art.

Moreover, this configuration presents more possibilities in terms of possible choices for the speed of rotation of the control systems as well as the mobiles of the various differential gears 5, 7, 9, and the person skilled in the art knows how to adapt the angular speeds of the various as well as gear ratios for any possible construction of a clockwork movement 1 according to the invention.

Claims (7)

Clockwork movement (1) comprising: at least one driving member (3); four control systems (11), each being in kinematic connection with said motor member (3) via a motor kinematic network (5, 7, 9) arranged to transmit the energy of the motor member (3). ) said control systems (11); wherein said kinematic drive network (5, 7, 9) comprises: a first differential gear (5) having an input (5e) in kinematic connection with the driving member (3) and having two outputs (5s); a second and a third differential gear (7, 9) each having an input (7e, 9e) in kinematic connection with a respective output (5s) of the first differential gear (5) and each having two outputs (7s, 9s), each of these latter outputs (7s, 9s) being kinematically connected to a respective control system (11); said movement (1) further comprising a hours and minutes display (6) arranged to be driven by the first differential gear (5);
characterized in that said movement (1) comprises at least one second display device (12) situated in a branch of said engine kinematic network and arranged to take power on the latter, said display device second (12) having a second indication member integral in rotation with a mobile which meshes directly or indirectly with a mobile that includes said kinematic motor network (5, 7, 9), said mobile being upstream of at least one of said second and third differential gears (7, 9). Movement (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the display device hours and minutes (6) is arranged to be driven directly by an element of the first differential gear (5). Movement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the second display device (12) comprises a second indication member arranged to be driven by an element of the first differential gear via a gear train multiplier (12a). Movement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the second display device (12) comprises a second indication member arranged to be driven by a member of a cylinder housing a motor spring which serves said motor member (3), via a multiplier gear (12a). Movement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the second display device (12) comprises an indication member of the second arranged to be driven by an element located between a cylinder housing a motor spring which acts as said motor member (3) and said inlet (5e) of said first differential gear (5), via a multiplier gear ( 12a). Movement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of said differential gears (5, 7, 9) comprises an equal winding system. Timepiece comprising a movement (1) according to one of the preceding claims.

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