EP3410232A1 - Clock mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

The clockwork mechanism comprises:
a rocker (1) movable in rotation about a rocker axis (X), the angular position of the rocker (1) representing a first value, a zero value of the first value corresponding to a reference direction,
- A slide (4) mounted to move in translation on the rocker (1) in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rocker axis (1) and comprising a reference element whose translational trajectory with reference to the rocker (1) is secant with the flip-flop axis (X), the radial position of the fiducial element relative to the flip-flop axis (X) representing a second value,
an output device formed of a deformable parallelogram in a plane perpendicular to the flip-flop axis (X), the parallelogram comprising a first side (AB) fixed with reference to the flip-flop axis (X) and perpendicular to the reference direction, a second side (CD) opposite the first side (AB) and translationally connected to the reference element in the direction perpendicular to the reference direction,
the angular position of the third (AC) and fourth (BD) sides of the parallelogram, adjacent to the first side (AB), being substantially proportional to the product of the first and second values.

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to the field of watchmaking. It relates more particularly to a clockwork mechanism capable of performing a mathematical operation.

Background of the invention

Certain events are dependent on a conjunction of at least two natural phenomena having distinct periods that are not multiples of one another. Examples are the sunrise and sunset times that depend on a given time and date, or the times and tidal coefficients that depend in addition to the position of the Moon. The representation of such events using exclusively mechanical means presents a certain difficulty.

A first mechanical solution to represent an event dependent on two temporal functions, would be to use a three-dimensional cam. The three-dimensional cam can, for example, be independently movable in the two degrees of freedom of a sliding pivot. The probe moves with reference to the cam surface, in rotation about the pivot axis and in translation along the axis, each of the two displacements being governed independently according to the two temporal functions. However, this type of solution is not very suitable for integration into a clock mechanism because of the excessive volume occupied by the three-dimensional cam.

Requirement WO 2016/029296 proposes to perform various mathematical operations, including multiplication, without detailing the embodiment to achieve this goal.

Summary of the invention

The present invention aims to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a multiplier mechanism that is easier to integrate into a watch.

More specifically, the invention relates to a clockwork mechanism comprising a rocker movable in rotation about a rocker axis, the angular position of the rocker representing a first value, a zero value of the first value corresponding to a reference direction. The mechanism also comprises a slide mounted movable in translation on the rocker in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rocker axis, the slide having a marker element whose translational trajectory with reference to the rocker is secant with the rocker axis , the radial position of the marker element with respect to the rocker axis representing a second value. The mechanism further comprises an output device formed of a deformable parallelogram in a plane perpendicular to the flip-flop axis, the parallelogram comprising a first side, fixed in reference to the flip-flop axis and perpendicular to the reference direction, a second side opposite to the first side and translationally connected to the marker element in the direction perpendicular to the reference direction.

This arrangement makes it possible to perform a multiplication operation, the angular position of the third and fourth sides of the parallelogram, adjacent to the first side, being substantially proportional to the product of the first and second values.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the first and second values are time functions.

According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the rocker is angularly positioned by a first mobile intended to be kinematically connected to a watch movement.

According to another advantageous embodiment, the first mobile is a first cam arranged to cooperate with a cam follower fixed to the rocker and the mechanism comprises an elastic return means maintaining the cam follower in contact with the first cam.

According to another advantageous embodiment, the slide comprises a rack extending in the translation direction and the mechanism comprises a pinion coaxial with the rocker axis and engaged with the rack, the pinion meshing further with a second mobile intended to be kinematically connected to a watch movement.

According to another advantageous embodiment, the second mobile is a rocker angularly positioned by a second cam intended to be kinematically connected to a watch movement.

According to another advantageous embodiment, the reference element is a pin at least partially housed in an oblong opening that comprises the second side of the deformable parallelogram, the oblong opening extending in the reference direction.

According to another advantageous embodiment, the radius of the pinion is preferably less than ten times the length of the oblong opening, ideally less than twenty times.

According to another advantageous embodiment, the angular position of the latch is in an interval [-π / 4, + π / 4], preferably in an interval [-π / 8, + π / 8].

Brief description of the drawings

• la figure 1 représente une vue du mécanisme multiplicateur, la deuxième valeur d'entrée étant à zéro,
• la figure 2 représente un schéma cinématique du mécanisme, et
• les figures 3 à 6 représentent le mécanisme dans différentes positions.

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

• the figure 1 represents a view of the multiplier mechanism, the second input value being at zero,
• the figure 2 represents a kinematic diagram of the mechanism, and
• the Figures 3 to 6 represent the mechanism in different positions.

Detailed description of a preferred embodiment

The figure 1 represents a multiplier mechanism according to the invention, intended to be integrated in a movement or to be added in a modular way to a movement. This clockwork mechanism comprises two input mobiles and an output mobile, the position of the output mobile representing a value proportional to the product of the values represented by the positions of the two input mobiles. To perform the multiplier function, the mechanism comprises a rocker 1, rotatable about a flip-flop axis X, the flip-flop axis X being perpendicular to the movement. The rocker 1 is angularly positioned by a first mobile intended to be kinematically connected to a watch movement. In the embodiment shown, the first mobile is a first cam 3 intended to be rotated by the watch movement. The mechanism comprises a return means not shown, arranged to maintain a probe 2, integral with the rocker 1, in contact with the first cam 3. The angular position of the rocker 1 about its flip-flop axis X corresponds to a first value can be positive or negative. A zero value of the first value corresponds to a reference direction for the latch 1. Alternatively, the first mobile could be a pinion meshing with a toothed sector integral with the latch 1 and centered on the latch axis X.

A slider 4 is slidably mounted on the latch 1 in a plane substantially perpendicular to the latch axis X. The slider 4 is movable in translation with reference to the latch 1 and follows the latch 1 in its rotational movements around the latch. X axis. A marker element, integral with the slider 4, is arranged so that its trajectory in translation with reference to the latch 1 is secant with the latch axis X. In the embodiment shown, the landmark element takes the form a pin 5. On the figure 1 the pin 5 is shown in a particular position, collinear with the flip-flop axis X. The angular position of the flip-flop 1 is that of the slide axis of the slider 4.

A pinion 6, pivotally mounted on the rocker axis X, is engaged with a rack 7 that includes the slider 4. The pinion 6 is coaxial with the latch 1, it remains in engagement with the rack 7 regardless of the position angular of the rocker 1. It is noted that the distance of the marker element to the rack 7 is equal to the radius of the pinion 6. The pinion 6 meshes further with a second mobile to be kinematically connected to a watch movement.

In the embodiment shown, the second mobile is an oscillating arm 8 comprising a toothed sector 9 in engagement with the pinion 6. The oscillating arm 8 is angularly positioned by a second cam 10 intended to be connected to a clockwork movement. The position of the second cam 10 determines that of the oscillating arm 8, that of the pinion 6 and therefore the radial position of the slider 4 and thus of the marker element constituted by the pin 5, with reference to the axis of latch X The radial position of the pin 5 with respect to the flip-flop axis X corresponds to a second value that can be positive or negative. In the position shown in figure 1 the pin 5 is collinear with the flip-flop axis X which corresponds to a zero value of the second value.

The multiplier mechanism also comprises an output device formed of a deformable parallelogram located in a plane perpendicular to the flip-flop axis X. The deformable parallelogram comprises a first side AB, fixed with reference to the flip-flop axis X and perpendicular to the reference direction, a second side CD, opposite the first side AB and translationally connected to the pin 5 in the direction perpendicular to the reference direction. To this end, the second side has an oblong opening 11 extending in the reference direction, that is to say perpendicularly to the first AB and second CD sides of the parallelogram. The pin 5 is at least partially housed in the oblong opening 11 whose width is substantially equal to the diameter of the pin 5.

The figure 2 represents a kinematic diagram of the mechanism of the invention. The latch 1 is shown with an inclination of an angle between the direction of the sliding connection of the slider 4 and the reference direction which is here the vertical direction. The angle a is proportional to the first value. The pin 5 is located at a radial distance r from the flip-flop axis X, representing the second value. The lateral displacement d of the pin 5 in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the reference direction is given by the formula: $$\mathrm{d}=\mathrm{r}\mathrm{.}\sin \left(\mathrm{at}\right)$$

The pin 5 being kinematically connected in translation in the horizontal direction with the second side CD, the points C and D also move a value d in the direction perpendicular to the reference angular direction. If R is the length of the adjacent sides AC and BD of the parallelogram, the angular position b of the adjacent sides with respect to the reference direction results from the formula: $$\mathrm{d}=\mathrm{R}\mathrm{.}\sin \left(\mathrm{b}\right)$$

Whatever the extent of the first values represented by the angular position of the flip-flop, the angle a may be chosen proportional to the first value so as to remain in an interval [-π / 4, + π / 4], preferably in an interval [-π / 8, + π / 8], in which the sine of the angle a can be approximated by the value of the angle a. In the same way it is possible to construct the mechanism so that the angle b remains more closed than the angle a, that is to say that the distance r does not exceed the length R of the adjacent sides of the parallelogram. By replacing the sines by their respective angles, we obtain: $$\mathrm{b}=\mathrm{at}\mathrm{.}\mathrm{r}/\mathrm{R}$$

In other words, the angular position of the adjacent sides given by the angle b, is proportional to the product a.r of the first and second values.

The output value determined by the angular position of the third AC and the fourth BD sides of the parallelogram, adjacent to the first side AB, can be collected directly by means of a display pointer secured to one of the lateral sides of the deformable parallelogram. or indirectly through a toothed sector 12 driving a pinion or rack. The output of the multiplier mechanism can also be kinematically connected to the input of another multiplier mechanism to perform the multiplication of a number of values greater than two. It is also possible to perform power operations by multiplying a value by itself several times.

The Figures 3 to 4 represent the mechanism in different positions according to the variation of the second value which causes the displacement of the slider 4. Figures 5 and 6 represent the mechanism in which flip-flop 1 pivots as a function of the variation of the first value.

In the proposed embodiment, it has been seen that the radial displacement of the slider 4 was obtained by the rotation of the pinion 6 meshing with the rack 7. When the first value varies by causing a rotation of the rocker 1 around the axis of flip-flop X, the rack 7 rolls on the pinion 6 causing a parasitic movement of the slider 4 relative to the latch 1 which will change the radial position of the pin 5 representing the second value. To limit this effect, the radius of the pinion 6 will be chosen as small as possible, preferably less than ten times the length of the oblong opening representing the maximum stroke of the slide, ideally it will be chosen less than twenty times this length. Even by reducing the radius of the pinion 6, the phenomenon remains sensitive when the second value is close to zero as is the case in the figure 1 . Therefore, if one of the two values to be multiplied varies without become zero, it will preferably be assigned as the second value governing the radial displacement of the slider 4 relative to the latch 1. Thus the influence of the position of the latch 1 on the position of the slider 4 will be reduced.

The mechanism proposed by the invention therefore makes it possible to perform a multiplication operation between two independent input values. The essentially flat arrangement of the mechanism makes it easy to integrate it into a movement or to add it to an independent module.

Input values can be periodic time functions with very different periods such as the declination of the earth, the time of day, the lunar month, and so on. The operations of multiplication of these data made possible by the mechanism of the invention make it possible to obtain mechanically a representation or an indication of various natural phenomena such as the display of the terminator, the calculation of the sunrise and sunset times and the the moon, calculating schedules and tidal coefficients.

Claims (9)

Clock mechanism, characterized in that it comprises: a rocker (1) movable in rotation about a rocker axis (X), the angular position of the rocker (1) representing a first value, a zero value of the first value corresponding to a reference direction, - A slide (4) mounted to move in translation on the rocker (1) in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rocker axis (1) and comprising a reference element whose translational trajectory with reference to the rocker (1) is secant with the flip-flop axis (X), the radial position of the fiducial element relative to the flip-flop axis (X) representing a second value, an output device formed of a deformable parallelogram in a plane perpendicular to the flip-flop axis (X), the parallelogram comprising a first side (AB) fixed with reference to the flip-flop axis (X) and perpendicular to the reference direction, a second side (CD) opposite the first side (AB) and translationally connected to the reference element in the direction perpendicular to the reference direction, and in that the angular position of the third (AC) and fourth (BD) sides of the parallelogram, adjacent to the first side (AB), is substantially proportional to the product of the first and second values. Clock mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and second values are time functions. Clock mechanism according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rocker (1) is angularly positioned by a first mobile to be kinematically connected to a watch movement. Clock mechanism according to the preceding claim characterized in that the first mobile is a first cam (3) arranged for cooperating with a cam follower (2) integral with the rocker (1) and in that the mechanism comprises an elastic return means maintaining the cam follower (2) in contact with the first cam (3). Clock mechanism according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the slider (4) comprises a rack (7) extending in the translation direction and in that the mechanism comprises a pinion (6) coaxial with the rocking axis (1) and engaged with the rack (7), the pinion (6) meshing further with a second mobile to be kinematically connected to a watch movement. Clock mechanism according to the preceding claim characterized in that the second mobile is a rocker (8) angularly positioned by a second cam (10) intended to be kinematically connected to a watch movement. Clock mechanism according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reference element is a pin (5) at least partially housed in an oblong opening (11) that comprises the second side (CD) of the deformable parallelogram, l oblong aperture (11) extending in the reference direction. Clock mechanism according to claims 4 or 5 and claim 7 characterized in that the radius of the pinion (6) is preferably less than ten times the length of the oblong opening (11), ideally less than twenty times. Clock mechanism according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the angular position of the rocker (1) is in an interval [-π / 4, + π / 4], preferably in a range [-π / 8, + π / 8].

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