EP3889692A1 - Timepiece display mechanism with separate displays - Google Patents

Abstract

Clockwork display mechanism (100), for displaying quantities on separate elementary display supports (10) each containing a display indicator (901; 902) which is a first display (901) movable in translation, or a second display (902) movable in rotation, all these elementary supports (10) comprise indicators (901; 902) of the same nature, which are, or first displays (901) for displaying a first quantity, or second displays (902) for displaying a second quantity, or both first displays (901) and second displays (902), all visible to the user, the display mechanism ( 100) comprises a control mechanism (300) arranged to drive wheels or drive linkages of the various display mobiles and comprises a first driver (111) for driving all the first displays (901) on its own, and / or a second trainer (112) for training all of said second trainers alone displays (902).

Description

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a clockwork display mechanism, for a timepiece, comprising at least one three-dimensional display medium, which is arranged for the simultaneous display of at least a first quantity on a first three-dimensional display. under the action of a first control mechanism, and of a second quantity on a second three-dimensional display under the action of a second control mechanism.

The invention also relates to a timepiece, in particular a watch, comprising such a display mechanism.

The invention relates to the field of clockwork display mechanisms, for complicated timepieces.

Background of the invention

The aim of horological complications is to offer demanding users timepieces capable of performing complex functions, and / or comprising innovative displays. The difficulty still lies in reconciling the very elaborate mechanisms of these timepieces with the low volume available when it comes to watches, and ensuring correct and intuitive readability for the user. The other constraint is the reliability of these mechanisms, which must go hand in hand with the guarantee of the chronometric qualities of the basic movement, which must not be altered by the addition of complications.

Summary of the invention

The invention proposes to produce a watch with displays which are both innovative and extremely logical, and therefore easy to read by the user.

To this end, the invention relates to a clockwork display mechanism, for a timepiece, comprising a plurality of distinct elementary display supports, according to claim 1.

The invention also relates to a timepiece, in particular a watch, comprising such a display mechanism.

Brief description of the drawings

• la figure 1 représente, de façon schématisée, partielle, et en vue de face, la face supérieure d'une montre comportant un mécanisme d'affichage selon l'invention, qui adopte la forme d'un moteur d'avion en double étoile comportant douze cylindres fixes et rangés en double étoile. Chaque cylindre affiche, d'une part l'heure, sous forme d'un affichage rotatif, le cylindre actif étant celui qui affiche le ou les chiffres d'heures directement face à l'utilisateur, ici le cylindre de 12 heures sur cette figure, et d'autre part une des douze tranches de cinq minutes, le cylindre actif étant celui qui affiche à l'utilisateur un repère visuel, par exemple une marque colorée très visible, que comporte un clapet mobile par rapport à un piston qui est mobile dans le cylindre, radialement par rapport à l'axe central de la montre, selon une direction élémentaire; l'estimation de la minute dans une tranche de cinq minutes se fait par le repérage radial de la position du piston par rapport à l'axe central de la montre. Chaque cylindre comporte une partie transparente, à travers laquelle l'utilisateur peut voir un mobile ajouré porteur d'un ou deux chiffres indiquant l'heure affichée par le cylindre, et mobile en rotation dans son cylindre; ce mobile ajouré entoure un piston, qui est mobile dans un mouvement de va-et-vient dans ce cylindre, indépendamment du mouvement du mobile ajouré; ce piston comporte lui-même un clapet mobile en translation, visible sur d'autres figures. La partie centrale du mécanisme permet de voir une partie du mécanisme de commande de l'affichage, et en particulier un vilebrequin rotatif autour de l'axe central du mouvement de la montre, et qui entraîne un embiellage communiquant le mouvement de va-et-vient à tous les pistons;
• la figure 2 représente, de façon similaire à la figure 1, la face inférieure de la montre de la figure 1; le fond transparent laisse voir des barillets d'alimentation de la montre, plus spécifiquement destinés à l'entraînement de cet affichage;
• la figure 3 représente, de façon schématisée, et en perspective, une partie du mécanisme de commande de l'affichage, avec un premier entraîneur dévolu à l'entraînement des pistons, et qui comporte ce vilebrequin, dont deux manetons portent deux plateaux lesquels comportent chacun une grande bielle fixe et cinq petites bielles articulées sur des goupilles de plateau;
• la figure 4 représente, de façon schématisée, partielle, et en vue en coupe passant par un axe élémentaire d'un des cylindres, la partie intérieure de ce même cylindre située sous l'enveloppe transparente de la figure 1, et qui comporte un corps d'heures qui est le mobile ajouré porteur de chiffre(s) d'heures, qui entoure coaxialement le piston dont est visible la bielle de commande articulée à une goupille de piston; le clapet est mobile coaxialement au piston, et comporte un témoin optique qui est un repère visuel, ici caché à la vue de l'utilisateur dans cette vue qui représente un cylindre inactif pour l'affichage des minutes : le clapet est plaqué sur le piston, et son sautoir de clapet est en arrêt sur une pièce d'accroché solidaire du piston;
• la figure 5 représente, de façon schématisée, partielle et en perspective, une autre partie du mécanisme de commande de l'affichage, et de son mécanisme de commande, avec un deuxième entraîneur dévolu à l'entraînement des corps d'heures, comportant une roue centrale avec une portée annulaire dont la denture intérieure droite engrène avec des pignons intermédiaires droits; ces pignons engrènent chacun avec une planche à denture droite qui porte une roue intermédiaire conique; cette dernière engrène avec un renvoi à 45° à denture droite, lequel attaque un pignon des heures conique solidaire du corps d'heures porteur des chiffres d'heures;
• la figure 6 représente, de façon schématisée, partielle et sans la structure porteuse, une partie des composants mobiles du mécanisme d'affichage, dans une variante où les corps d'heures sont des mobiles transparents comportant des marquages d'heures, cette figure montre la coopération de l'embiellage de la figure 3 avec les pistons disposés dans les cylindres; à la position midi sur la figure, le corps d'heure laisse voir l'affichage de l'heure avec le nombre 12, tandis qu'à la position deux heures, le clapet est en fin de course maximale par rapport à son piston, et laisse voir le témoin optique, par exemple sous forme d'une bande colorée ou similaire, dans la gorge ainsi ménagée dans l'espace entre le corps de piston et le clapet, pendant un laps de temps limité à 5 minutes;
• les figures 7 à 9 illustrent la rotation du chiffre d'heures dans son cylindre :
• la figure 7 montre le chiffre d'heures 11 de la figure 6, surmonté de son index dynamique en pointe, qui approche de l'index statique également en pointe qui est lié à la structure du cylindre; ce chiffre d'heures approche de la position qui fera de ce cylindre le cylindre actif pour l'affichage des heures, l'index statique est porté par un roulement à billes, fixé sur la structure, et qui guide le corps d'heures au niveau de son pignon des heures;
• la figure 8 montre une configuration où le chiffre d'heures 2 de la figure 6 n'est pas visible, puisque caché en partie arrière du cylindre; en revanche ce détail montre nettement le clapet en fin de course maximale par rapport à son piston, et laissant voir le témoin optique, dans la gorge provisoirement ménagée dans l'espace entre le corps de piston et le clapet; le clapet qui est en position étirée, et ce cylindre est donc celui qui affiche la tranche de cinq minutes en cours;
• la figure 9 montre le chiffre d'heures 12 de la figure 6, surmonté de son index dynamique, qui est en concordance avec l'index statique, et indique ainsi l'heure courante : sur cette figure, le cylindre de douze heures est le cylindre actif des heures : le nombre douze fait face à l'utilisateur, et l'index dynamique porté par le corps d'heures est aligné avec l'index statique porté par une partie fixe, en l'occurrence un roulement à billes de guidage en rotation du corps d'heures;
• la figure 10 illustre une variante où la structure du cylindre porte des graduations espacées radialement, pour l'affichage de chaque minute au sein d'une tranche de 5 minutes, en correspondance avec l'extrémité du piston la plus excentrée;
• la figure 11 est une vue de côté d'une pièce d'horlogerie, ici une montre-bracelet, comportant le mécanisme de la figure 1, et qui montre l'alternance sur deux niveaux parallèles de deux étoiles de six cylindres chacune;
• la figure 12 représente, de façon schématisée, partielle et en perspective partiellement éclatée, une partie de la figure 6, sur laquelle on distingue au centre le mécanisme d'entraînement radial des pistons, comportant un vilebrequin auquel sont articulées les bielles non représentées, sur deux étages superposés, et en périphérie les rouages d'entraînement en rotation des chiffres d'heures dans les cylindres;
• la figure 13 est un détail grossi de la figure 12, ne montrant que les rouages d'entraînement en rotation des chiffres d'heures;
• la figure 14 est un autre détail de la figure 6, on y voit les bielles fixes et articulées issues des plateaux du vilebrequin; on distingue également six palpeurs, chacun destiné à coopérer avec deux cylindres consécutifs, pour la commande d'élongation ou de rétraction du clapet par rapport au piston : chaque palpeur comporte, saillant en partie haute d'une chandelle parallèle à l'axe principal du mouvement, deux bras supérieurs, chacun destiné à coopérer avec un clapet d'un cylindre pour sa manœuvre; la commande en rotation de ces palpeurs est faite par une came en partie inférieure, non visible sur cette figure, qui coopère avec deux bras inférieurs formant un vé, qui sont solidaires de cette chandelle; cette came pilote le mouvement des palpeurs qui pénètrent dans les cylindres, et dont, à un instant donné, un seul commande l'élongation du clapet par rapport au piston pour le repérage de son cylindre en tant que cylindre actif pour l'affichage des minutes;
• la figure 15 représente, de façon similaire à la figure 14, la partie inférieure du mécanisme, où est visible la came de commande de rotation des palpeurs, ici solidaire d'un anneau mobile des minutes; dans une autre variante non illustrée, cette came peut avoir une mobilité angulaire limitée par rapport à l'anneau mobile des minutes, notamment par coopération d'une goupille avec une lumière oblongue en secteur circulaire;
• la figure 16, similaire à la figure 15, montre l'entraînement par le mouvement d'un anneau denté synchronisant les rouages d'entraînement en rotation des chiffres d'heures;
• la figure 17 est une vue de dessus de l'embiellage de commande du mouvement radial des pistons;
• la figure 18 est une coupe de cet embiellage, passant par l'axe du vilebrequin et l'une des bielles fixes;
• la figure 19 est une vue en perspective, coupée par un plan passant par l'axe central, et partielle, du vilebrequin et de ses plateaux;
• la figure 20 est une vue schématisée, en perspective, d'un cylindre et des éléments de commande de la rotation du chiffre d'heures par rouage, de la translation radiale du piston par mouvement d'une bielle, et de la translation radiale du clapet par rotation du palpeur; le piston est guidé par deux tiges de guidage fixées à la structure de la boîte de montre;
• la figure 21 est une vue similaire à la figure 20, qui montre, par-dessus et coaxialement au piston, le chiffre d'heures, lui-même surmonté d'un corps tubulaire d'heures, transparent au moins face à l'utilisateur dans une lecture frontale de la montre; on voit, derrière la bielle de commande du mouvement du piston, un palpeur d'axe parallèle à celui du vilebrequin, dont un bras supérieur pénètre dans le cylindre pour la commande de clapet, l'autre bras supérieur étant destiné à coopérer avec un cylindre voisin non représenté; on voit également en partie basse deux bras inférieurs disposés en vé, la pointe sur l'axe de la chandelle du palpeur, ce vé étant agencé pour suivre la grande came sensiblement annulaire visible sur les figures 15 et 16;
• la figure 22 est une coupe, par un plan passant par l'axe de vilebrequin, de la partie du mécanisme illustrée par la figure 20; on y voit un sautoir en équerre, pivoté sur le somment de son angle droit, qui coopère avec une des encoches d'une pièce d'accroché solidaire du clapet, pour maintenir celui-ci dans une de ses deux positions; ici le clapet est en position rentrée, et le cylindre concerné n'affiche pas les minutes en cours;
• la figure 23 est une vue perpendiculaire à l'axe de vilebrequin de la partie du mécanisme illustrée par la figure 20; le palpeur est cette fois représenté en vue de dessus, et montre ses deux bras supérieurs, et ses deux bras inférieurs qui forment un vé à 120°;
• la figure 24 est une vue similaire à la figure 6, où est représentée la structure porteuse, avec un seul cylindre représentée assemblé en position; cette structure peut être la platine du mouvement, ou une planche additionnelle, voire la boîte de montre;
• la figure 25 est une vue schématisée, en perspective coupée, d'un cylindre et des éléments de commande de la translation radiale du clapet, depuis le palpeur de commande jusqu'au sautoir de maintien;
• la figure 26 illustre une variante où le palpeur pivotant est remplacé par un palpeur ayant une course sensiblement radiale par rapport à la came, sur laquelle il est plaqué par un sautoir en appui sur la structure de la montre;
• la figure 27 est un schéma-blocs fonctionnel d'une première variante de pièce d'horlogerie comportant un mécanisme d'affichage selon l'invention;
• la figure 28 est un schéma-blocs fonctionnel d'une deuxième variante de pièce d'horlogerie comportant un mécanisme d'affichage selon l'invention;
• la figure 29 représente, de façon schématisée, et en perspective, une montre comportant un mécanisme d'affichage selon l'invention.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent on reading the detailed description which follows, with reference to the appended drawings, where:

• the figure 1 represents, schematically, partial, and in front view, the upper face of a watch comprising a display mechanism according to the invention, which takes the form of a double-star aircraft engine comprising twelve fixed cylinders and arranged in a double star. Each cylinder displays, on the one hand, the hour, in the form of a rotating display, the active cylinder being the one which displays the hour digit (s) directly in front of the user, here the 12 o'clock cylinder in this figure , and on the other hand one of the twelve five-minute segments, the active cylinder being the one which displays a visual cue to the user, for example a very visible colored mark, which a valve movable relative to a piston which is movable comprises in the cylinder, radially with respect to the central axis of the watch, in an elementary direction; the estimation of the minute in a five-minute period is done by radial marking of the position of the piston with respect to the central axis of the watch. Each cylinder has a transparent part, through which the user can see an openwork mobile carrying one or two digits indicating the time displayed by the cylinder, and rotating in its cylinder; this perforated mobile surrounds a piston, which is mobile in a reciprocating movement in this cylinder, independently of the movement of the perforated mobile; this piston itself comprises a valve movable in translation, visible in other figures. The central part of the mechanism allows a part of the display control mechanism to be seen, and in particular a crankshaft rotating around the central axis of the watch movement, and which drives a linkage communicating the reciprocating movement. comes to all pistons;
• the figure 2 represents, similarly to the figure 1 , the underside of the watch of the figure 1 ; the transparent back shows the power barrels of the watch, more specifically intended for driving this display;
• the figure 3 represents, schematically, and in perspective, a part of the display control mechanism, with a first driver devoted to driving the pistons, and which comprises this crankshaft, two crankpins of which carry two plates which each comprise a large fixed connecting rod and five small connecting rods articulated on chainring pins;
• the figure 4 represents, schematically, partial, and in sectional view passing through an elementary axis of one of the cylinders, the internal part of this same cylinder located under the transparent envelope of the figure 1 , and which comprises an hours body which is the openwork mobile bearing the hour number (s), which surrounds coaxially the piston of which is visible the control rod articulated to a piston pin; the valve is movable coaxially with the piston, and comprises an optical indicator which is a visual mark, here hidden from the view of the user in this view which represents an inactive cylinder for the display of the minutes: the valve is pressed against the piston , and its valve jumper is stopped on a fastening part integral with the piston;
• the figure 5 shows, schematically, partial and in perspective, another part of the control mechanism of the display, and of its control mechanism, with a second trainer devoted to the drive of the hour bodies, comprising a central wheel with an annular bearing surface whose straight internal teeth mesh with straight intermediate gears; these pinions each mesh with a straight toothed board which carries a conical intermediate wheel; the latter meshes with a 45 ° transmission with straight teeth, which engages a conical hours pinion integral with the hours body carrying the hour digits;
• the figure 6 represents, in a diagrammatic way, partial and without the supporting structure, a part of the movable components of the display mechanism, in a variant where the hour bodies are transparent mobiles comprising hour markings, this figure shows the cooperation of the crankshaft of the figure 3 with the pistons arranged in the cylinders; at the 12 o'clock position in the figure, the hour body lets see the time display with the number 12, while at the two o'clock position, the valve is at the maximum limit of its stroke with respect to its piston, and allows the optical indicator to be seen, for example in the form of a colored strip or the like, in the groove thus formed in the space between the piston body and the valve, for a period limited to 5 minutes;
• the figures 7 to 9 illustrate the rotation of the hour digit in its cylinder:
• the figure 7 shows the hour digit 11 of the figure 6 , surmounted by its dynamic index point, which approaches the static index also in point which is linked to the structure of the cylinder; this hour number approaches the position which will make this cylinder the active cylinder for displaying the hours, the static index is carried by a ball bearing, fixed to the structure, and which guides the hours body to the level of its hour pinion;
• the figure 8 shows a configuration where the hour digit 2 of the figure 6 is not visible, since it is hidden in the rear part of the cylinder; however this detail shows clearly the valve at the maximum end of its stroke relative to its piston, and allowing the optical indicator to be seen, in the groove provisionally made in the space between the piston body and the valve; the valve which is in the stretched position, and this cylinder is therefore the one which displays the current period of five minutes;
• the figure 9 shows the hour digit 12 of the figure 6 , surmounted by its dynamic index, which is in agreement with the static index, and thus indicates the current time: in this figure, the twelve o'clock cylinder is the active hour cylinder: the number twelve faces the user , and the dynamic index carried by the hour body is aligned with the static index carried by a fixed part, in this case a ball bearing for guiding the hour body in rotation;
• the figure 10 illustrates a variant where the structure of the cylinder has radially spaced graduations, for the display of each minute within a 5-minute period, in correspondence with the end of the piston that is most eccentric;
• the figure 11 is a side view of a timepiece, here a wristwatch, comprising the mechanism of the figure 1 , and which shows the alternation on two parallel levels of two stars of six cylinders each;
• the figure 12 represents, schematically, partially and in partially exploded perspective, part of the figure 6 , on which can be seen in the center the radial piston drive mechanism, comprising a crankshaft to which the connecting rods (not shown) are articulated, on two superimposed stages, and at the periphery the cogs for rotating the hour digits in the cylinders ;
• the figure 13 is an enlarged detail of the figure 12 , showing only the rotating drive cogs for the hour digits;
• the figure 14 is another detail of the figure 6 , we see the fixed and articulated connecting rods from the crankshaft plates; there are also six probes, each intended to cooperate with two consecutive cylinders, for the control of elongation or retraction of the valve relative to the piston: each probe comprises, projecting in the upper part of a candle parallel to the main axis of the movement, two upper arms, each intended to cooperate with a valve of a cylinder for its operation; the rotation control of these feelers is made by a cam in the lower part, not visible in this figure, which cooperates with two lower arms forming a vee, which are integral with this candle; this cam controls the movement of the feelers which enter the cylinders, and of which, at a given moment given, a single control of the elongation of the valve relative to the piston for the identification of its cylinder as an active cylinder for the display of the minutes;
• the figure 15 represents, similarly to the figure 14 , the lower part of the mechanism, where the probe rotation control cam is visible, here attached to a movable minute ring; in another variant not shown, this cam may have limited angular mobility with respect to the mobile minute ring, in particular by cooperation of a pin with an oblong slot in a circular sector;
• the figure 16 , similar to figure 15 , shows the drive by the movement of a toothed ring synchronizing the rotational drive cogs of the hour digits;
• the figure 17 is a top view of the crankshaft for controlling the radial movement of the pistons;
• the figure 18 is a section through this linkage, passing through the axis of the crankshaft and one of the fixed connecting rods;
• the figure 19 is a perspective view, cut by a plane passing through the central axis, and partial, of the crankshaft and its plates;
• the figure 20 is a diagrammatic view, in perspective, of a cylinder and of the elements for controlling the rotation of the hour digit by gear train, of the radial translation of the piston by movement of a connecting rod, and of the radial translation of the valve by rotation the feeler; the piston is guided by two guide rods fixed to the structure of the watch case;
• the figure 21 is a view similar to figure 20 , which shows, above and coaxially with the piston, the number of hours, itself surmounted by a tubular body of hours, transparent at least in front of the user in a frontal reading of the watch; we see, behind the piston movement control rod, a feeler axis parallel to that of the crankshaft, an upper arm of which penetrates into the cylinder for valve control, the other upper arm being intended to cooperate with a cylinder neighbor not shown; we also see in the lower part two lower arms arranged in a vee, the point on the axis of the probe candle, this vee being arranged to follow the large substantially annular cam visible on the figures 15 and 16 ;
• the figure 22 is a section through a plane passing through the crankshaft axis, of the part of the mechanism illustrated by figure 20 ; we see a right-angled jumper, pivoted on the top of its right angle, which cooperates with one of the notches of a fastening part integral with the valve, to maintain the latter in one of its two positions; here the valve is in the retracted position, and the cylinder concerned does not display the current minutes;
• the figure 23 is a view perpendicular to the crankshaft axis of the part of the mechanism illustrated by figure 20 ; the feeler is this time represented in top view, and shows its two upper arms, and its two lower arms which form a vee at 120 °;
• the figure 24 is a view similar to figure 6 , where the supporting structure is shown, with a single cylinder shown assembled in position; this structure may be the movement plate, or an additional plate, or even the watch case;
• the figure 25 is a schematic view, in cutaway perspective, of a cylinder and the elements for controlling the radial translation of the valve, from the control probe to the holding jumper;
• the figure 26 illustrates a variant where the pivoting feeler is replaced by a feeler having a substantially radial stroke relative to the cam, on which it is pressed by a jumper resting on the structure of the watch;
• the figure 27 is a functional block diagram of a first variant of a timepiece comprising a display mechanism according to the invention;
• the figure 28 is a functional block diagram of a second variant of a timepiece comprising a display mechanism according to the invention;
• the figure 29 represents, schematically, and in perspective, a watch comprising a display mechanism according to the invention.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments

The invention relates to a timepiece, in which the display of the quantities is distributed at the level of several entities, each activated at a particular time.

In particular, the display of temporal quantities is broken down into slices, in particular into equal slices. In particular, for the display of the time, among 12 or 24 entities, a single entity displays at a given moment the current time. Rather than juxtaposing different entities for different displays, the invention seeks to use the same entity for the display of two different horological magnitudes, for example hours and minutes. The choice of 12 entities for the display of the hours leads to use these same entities for the display of the minutes in 5-minute increments. Any rational combination of multiple integers allows for logical displays. Conversely, displaying the time on 24 entities would logically lead to displaying the minutes in 2.5-minute increments on each of them, which is impractical, but may be sufficient for street furniture clocks, or similar.

The invention thus relates to a clockwork display mechanism 100, for a timepiece 1000, in particular a watch, comprising at least one three-dimensional display support 10, which is arranged for the simultaneous display of at least a first quantity on a first three-dimensional display 901 under the action of a first control mechanism, and a second quantity on a second three-dimensional display 902 under the action of a second control mechanism. Preferably, the first display 901 surrounds the second display 902, or vice versa. In a variant that is not illustrated, the first display 901 surrounds the second display 902 and are juxtaposed within the same display support 10.

According to the invention, the first control mechanism and the second control mechanism can be operated independently of one another, and constitute separate mechanisms, one for controlling in translation and the other for controlling in rotation, or Conversely.

More particularly, the display mechanism 100 comprises a plurality of such elementary display supports 10. And, at a given instant, a single first display 901 displays the instantaneous value of the first quantity, and a single second display 902 displays the instantaneous value of the second quantity.

The display mechanism 100 also comprises first optical means for signaling to the user which first display 901 displays the instantaneous value of the first quantity, and comprises second optical means for indicating to the user which second display 902 displays the value. instantaneous of the second magnitude.

In a first display variant, at the level of each elementary display medium 10, the first display 901 or the second display 902 comprises, for the determination of its instantaneous validity, an optical indicator 14 which is visible by the user only when the display 901 or 902 which carries it displays the instantaneous value of the magnitude displayed by this display 901 or 902. This The display comprises a valve 16, which is movable between an activated position where the valve 16 allows the optical indicator 14 to be seen and a deactivated position where the valve 16 hides the optical indicator 14 from the user. The display mechanism 100 comprises an actuator 2, which is arranged to control the maneuver towards the activated position of the valve 16 at the level of a single elementary display support 10 at a time, and to control, at the same time, the operation. placing in deactivated position or maintaining in deactivated position of the valves 16 of all the other elementary display supports 10. The function of this valve 16 here is to show the user which display is valid at a given time, the illustrated variant indicates especially which five-minute slot is in progress at the time in question. But, of course, such a valve can constitute in itself a third or a fourth display, for a complementary display such as day / night, AM / PM, time zone, or other.

In a second display variant, at the level of each elementary display medium 10, the first display 901 or the second display 902 comprises, for the determination of its instantaneous validity, a dynamic index 307, which is movable with respect to an index static 308 that carries a fixed part of the display mechanism 100. This dynamic index 307 and this static index 308 are arranged to come into alignment or in superposition, when the display 901 or 902 which carries it displays the instantaneous value of the quantity displayed on this display 901 or 902.

More particularly, the display mechanism 100 comprises a plurality of separate elementary display supports 10 on which the display of at least a first quantity and / or a second quantity is broken down, by splitting over distinct ranges. More particularly, these distinct elementary display supports 10 comprise identical mechanical components, only the elements specific to the display may differ from one another, they are referred to here as “similar” elementary display supports 10. .

More particularly, all of the elementary display supports 10 include display indicators of the same type, which are either first displays 901 for displaying a first quantity, or second displays 902 for displaying a quantity. a second quantity, or both of the first displays 901 and of the second displays 902. All the display indicators are arranged so as to be visible to the user of the timepiece 1000, and the display mechanism 100 comprises a control mechanism 300, which is arranged to drive wheels or drive linkages of the different display mobiles that the display mechanism 100 comprises. This control mechanism 300 comprises a first trainer 111, arranged to be driven by a timepiece movement 200 and drive alone all the first displays 901 when it includes them, and / or includes a second trainer 112, arranged to be driven by a timepiece movement 200 and drive alone all second displays 902 when it includes them.

More particularly, the display mechanism 100 comprises, in each elementary display medium 10, at least a first display 901 and a second display 902, which are coaxial with one another.

More particularly, the actuator 2 comprises a cam which is arranged to control, directly or indirectly through at least one rocker with two arms, the stroke of at least one feeler 19 to push a valve 16 along a linear stroke, this feeler 19 being returned to bear towards the cam 2 by elastic return means 190 or 497.

More particularly, the display 901 or 902, which comprises an optical indicator 14 and a valve 16, comprises a movable support or a piston 8, relative to which the valve 16 is movable between the activated position where the valve 16 allows the indicator to be seen. optical 14 and the deactivated position where the valve 16 hides the optical indicator 14 from the user. This optical indicator 14 is in particular, but not limited to, carried by the movable support or piston 8 or by the valve 16.

More particularly, the valve 16 is linearly movable between an activated position and a deactivated position relative to the movable support or piston 8, which is itself movable linearly in the same direction between two end-of-travel positions.

More particularly, each first display 901 is animated with a periodic movement, and each second display 902 is animated with a periodic movement, and the pitch of one of the two is an integer multiple of the pitch of the other, or vice versa. .

More particularly, the display mechanism 100 comprises a single elementary display support 10, and the first display 901 and the second display 902 are arranged for displaying hours and minutes, or for displaying minutes and hours. seconds. For example this mechanism can take the form of a single-cylinder engine comprising a wandering jacket in rotational movement and a reciprocating piston, each constituting one of the displays.

More particularly, the display mechanism 100 comprises a plurality of similar elementary display media 10, each first display 901 being arranged for the display of a limited amplitude range and which is an integer sub-multiple of the total range. display of the first quantity, and each second display 902 being arranged for displaying a limited amplitude range and which is an integer sub-multiple of the total display range of the second quantity.

The invention also relates to a timepiece 1000, in particular a watch, comprising a timepiece movement 200 arranged to drive at least one such display mechanism 100. More particularly, this display mechanism 100 comprises a control mechanism. 300 which comprises at least a first trainer 111, arranged to be driven by a mobile of the clockwork movement 200, in particular a minute mobile, and / or a second trainer 112 arranged to be driven by a mobile of the clockwork movement 200 , in particular an hours mobile, to directly or indirectly drive each first display 901 and each second display 902.

• des heures au moyen de corps d'heures 30 usinés, actionnés par un rouage;
• des minutes au moyen de pistons 8 actionnés par un embiellage comportant au moins un vilebrequin 1 et des bielles 4 et 5.

The invention is illustrated here, at the level of the figures, by a non-limiting variant, in the form of a timepiece 1000, which is here a wristwatch, in the form of a double star airplane engine, and which comprises such a display mechanism 100, and where the display is carried out:

• hours by means of machined hour bodies, actuated by a cog;
• minutes by means of pistons 8 actuated by a crankshaft comprising at least one crankshaft 1 and connecting rods 4 and 5.

This clockwork display mechanism 100 comprises a plurality of separate elementary display supports 10 each extending in a direction parallel or coincident with a radial elementary axis DA, and all distributed around a central axis D. elementary axis DA is in particular a radial axis, perpendicular to the central axis D, or is a direction parallel to such a radial axis. The timepiece 1000 adopts the shape of a star or double star aircraft engine, each radial cylinder enclosing here, without limitation, an elementary display support 10.

This display mechanism 100 is arranged for displaying the value of at least one quantity on the plurality of elementary display media 10.

More particularly, each elementary display medium 10 is a substantially cylindrical body, extending radially with respect to the central axis D around a structure 900, and which protrudes radially from the structure 900.

This elementary display medium 10 contains at least one display indicator of the value of a quantity, which display indicator is either a first display 901 movable in translation along its elementary axis DA, or else a second display 902 movable in rotation about its elementary axis DA.

More particularly, the first display 901 and the second display 902 are either both movable in translation in a direction parallel or coincident with a radial elementary axis DA which is perpendicular to the central axis D, or else both movable in rotation coaxial with respect to a direction parallel or coincident with such an elementary radial axis DA, or else one of the first display 901 and second display 902 is movable in translation in a direction parallel or coincident with such an elementary radial axis DA and the another of these first display 901 and second display 902 is rotatable relative to a direction parallel or coincident with such a radial elementary axis DA.

According to an advantageous variant of the invention, all the elementary display supports 10 are similar, and include display indicators of the same type, which are either first displays 901 for displaying a first quantity, or second displays 902 for displaying a second magnitude, or both first displays 901 and second displays 902. More particularly, the display indicators 901, 902 are substantially of revolution, in particular of cylindrical shape.

And the display mechanism 100 comprises a control mechanism 300, which is arranged to drive, around the common axis D, the wheels or drive linkages of the various display mobiles that the display mechanism 100 comprises. .

More particularly, the display mechanism 100 comprises a first display 901 in each elementary display medium 10, and each first display 901 comprises a first optical indicator 14, which may or may not be hidden by a valve 16 which is movable linearly in the direction of the elementary axis DA, between an activated position and a deactivated position, for the validation or respectively the invalidation of a value of the first quantity.

And the control mechanism 300 comprises a first actuator which is arranged to control, at the level of a single elementary display support 10 at a time, the placing in the activated position or the maintenance in the activated position of the valve 16, and to control , at the same time, the placing in the deactivated position or respectively the maintenance in the deactivated position of the valves 16 of all the other elementary display supports 10.

More particularly, this first actuator comprises a cam 2 which controls, directly or indirectly through at least one lever with two arms, the stroke of at least one feeler 19 in order to push such a valve 16 along a linear stroke, which is arranged to hide or show a first optical indicator 14. Advantageously, this cam 2 is very simple, is flat, and comprises, with respect to an annular structure, a protuberance 201 concentric with this annular structure, and projecting radially towards the 'exterior, connected by two 206 radiated ramps.

In the variant illustrated by figure 26 , the probe 19 comprises a rectilinear foot 490, which comprises a guide oblong 496 around a bearing screw bearing directly on the cam tracks which extend on the edge of the cam 2: upper 208, lower 209, and ramps 206, and the part 495 forming a U, furthest from the center of the cam 2, directly controls the valve 16.

In another variant illustrated by all the other figures, the feeler 19, which comprises, at the upper end of a candle, a first upper arm 191 for controlling the valve 16 of a first cylinder, and a second upper arm 192 for the control of the valve 16 of a second cylinder, is controlled in rotation by a pivoting rocker in the lower part of this candle, and which comprises two lower arms, which together form a vee which is supported on the periphery of the cam 2 and follows this periphery, this rocker pivots in a first direction when climbing on the protuberance, then in the other direction when descending. In the example illustrated, cam 2 controls the minutes, and makes one revolution per hour.

More particularly, the feeler 19 comprises at least one elastic arm 190, or 497, depending on the variant, which is arranged to bear on the structure 900, or 498, and which tends to push the probe 19 back towards the cam 2.

The valve 16 is movable in translation parallel to a direction parallel or coincident with a radial elementary axis DA, or is movable in rotation with respect to a direction parallel or coincident with a radial elementary axis DA.

More particularly, each valve 16 is linearly movable between an activated position and a deactivated position relative to a movable support 8, which the first display 901 comprises, and which is itself movable linearly in the same direction of the elementary axis DA , between two end-of-travel positions. More particularly, each movable support 8 is a piston, movable linearly between its two end-of-travel positions with a periodic movement.

More particularly, the first display 901 comprises a jumper 17, in particular in the form of a square, which is arranged to hold the valve 16, in the engaged position, against a hooking part 18 which is fixed to the movable support 8, or piston, in particular at the level of a notch, and to allow its release during the retraction of the probe 19 and the reversal of direction of the mobile support 8.

More particularly, the display mechanism 100 comprises a first display 901 in each elementary display medium 10, and the first driver 111 comprises a crankshaft 1, which is arranged to be driven by a clockwork movement 200. At least one crankpin 41 of this crankshaft 1 drives at least one plate 40, which carries connecting rods, fixed 4, or articulated 5, each arranged to move a first display 901 in a reciprocating linear movement back and forth.

In a variant that is not illustrated, the display mechanism 100 comprises a second display 902 in each elementary display medium 10, and each second display 902 comprises a second optical indicator which is movable linearly in the direction of the elementary axis DA, between an activated position and a deactivated position, for determining a value of the second quantity, and the control mechanism 300 comprises a second actuator which is arranged, to control, at the level of a single elementary display medium 10 at the same time, placing the second optical indicator in the activated position or keeping it in activated position, and to command, at the same time, the deactivation or respectively the maintenance in the deactivated position of the second optical indicators of all other elementary display media 10.

More particularly, the display mechanism 100 comprises a second display 902 in each elementary display medium 10.

In the illustrated variant, the second display 902 comprises a tubular body 30, which bears at least one identification marking and which comprises at least one cutout and / or a transparent surface to leave visible to the user any constituent that comprises the display mechanism 100 and which is housed in the tubular body 30.

In the illustrated variant, the control mechanism 300 comprises a gear train with return mechanisms to drive all of the second displays 902 in a synchronized manner.

More particularly, each elementary display support 10 comprises a chamber, which is sealed to the external environment of the timepiece 1000 carrying the display mechanism 100, and in which each display indicator 901, 902 is movable.

In a particular embodiment as illustrated by the figures, the structure 900 is an additional board arranged to be placed above a timepiece movement 200.

In another variant embodiment, the structure 900 is the middle part or the case of the timepiece 1000 enclosing a timepiece movement 200.

More particularly, the display mechanism 100, or the clockwork movement 200, comprises, at the level of the interface between the display mechanism 100 and the clockwork movement 200, an adjustable friction-type mobile, engaged on the movement 200 to allow the adjustment, in particular the time setting, of the display mechanism 100 by the winding and time-setting rod of the movement 200.

If the invention is described here for the particular case of a timepiece 1000 which performs circular type displays, centered on the central axis D of a timepiece movement 200, it is nevertheless feasible for other types of display, for example linear.

Likewise, if the invention is described for a continuous type mechanism, making one revolution of the dial, it also remains adaptable to displays of the retrograde type.

In the variant illustrated by the figures, the timepiece 1000 adopts the general shape of an airplane engine in a star, or more precisely in a double star, with two stages of cylinders 10, which are radial with respect to an axis central D, and axially offset to cooperate with two stages of crankshaft 1, like the famous “Pratt & Whitney® R-2800” 18-cylinder double-star aircraft engine. These cylinders 10 are fixed to a structure 900, and surround it. This structure 900 can be the middle part or the case of the timepiece, or an element attached to this middle part or to this case like an additional plate, and the cylinders 10 can protrude radially from this structure, as illustrated.

Naturally, this timepiece 1000 can also adopt a single star shape, with all the cylinders in the same plane. The particular and non-limiting choice of a display on several levels of stars is primarily intended to simplify the movement distribution crankshaft in the cylinders, while limiting the diameter of the timepiece to a reasonable size.

Each cylinder 10 comprises a transparent part, formed by an envelope 20, and through which the user can see at least one display mobile. Depending on the configuration chosen, these mobiles can be solid, perforated, or even transparent and bear a marking. The number of cylinders chosen depends on the application chosen: for example and not limited to three, six, twelve or twenty-four for the display of the hour, six, ten, twelve or fifteen for the display of the minutes. or seconds, seven for the day of the week display, three, four, six or twelve for the month display, four, six, eight or twelve for the date display, four for the day display he single or leap year, the only limits are those of the complexity and volume of the mechanism associated with the complication selected.

More particularly, in this embodiment illustrated by the figures, the hours are displayed by means of indexes that comprise twelve rotating hour bodies 30, each housed in a cylinder 10 (at a rate of six per stage in this particular embodiment). , at the rate of one rotation in 12 hours for each index. And another display of the minutes is carried out, in five-minute increments, by twelve pistons 8, which circulate linearly in the twelve hour bodies 30, with the indication of the 5-minute period which is in progress, by means of an optical indicator 14, made visible by a valve 16 open at the level of the piston 8 concerned, and easily visible to the user.

The hours are thus displayed on substantially cylindrical hour bodies 30 housed in cylinders 10. These hour bodies 30 may comprise cut-out metal cylindrical cages, or the like, or else tubes made of transparent material, in particular. sapphire or the like, bearing a marking, by metallization or laser engraving or otherwise, with the corresponding hour digits 301; the movement 200 of the timepiece 1000 drives each hour body 30, cage or tube so as to make two revolutions in 24 hours.

Each cylinder 10 comprises a sealed envelope 20 for receiving this hour body 30 which surrounds a piston 8, this envelope 20 is transparent on at least one side visible to the user of the watch for reading the time, and is for example sapphire or the like. This cylinder 10 can either be attached to the structure 900 or the caseband of the watch, or else form part of this structure 900 or of this caseband or of the case of the watch. The cylinder 10 whose legible numerical inscription on its hour body 30 faces directly the user is the active cylinder which provides the display of the current time.

Advantageously, this cylinder 10 which is active for the display of the time is visually materialized by the very visible alignment of a dynamic index 307 carried by the hours body 30, and a static index 308 which carries the cylinder 10, the supporting structure 900, the caseband, or the box.

This concordance can be a visual concordance, it can also be mechanical, electrical, or magnetic, so as to reveal an active cylinder indicator of the hours. For example, in a mechanical variant, the hours body 30 may comprise, on the side of the structure 900, a lug, or a notch, or a cam, to cooperate with a lever housed in the structure 900 to the right of the cylinder, and whose pivoting shows a flag in a window, as known from the patent EP2595006 in the name of BLANCPAIN SA, or similar. In a magnetic variant, the cooperation of magnets of the same polarity or of opposite polarity, carried by the hour body 30 and the structure 900, also allows the control of such a flag. In an electro-mechanical timepiece, an electrical contact in alignment with the indexes of the hour body 30 and of the structure 900 allows the control of a lighting function, or the like.

Similarly, among the different cylinders 10, only one cylinder 10 is active at a given time for displaying the minutes. We display the one of the cylinders 10 which is active for the display of a 5-minute period by the highlighting of an optical indicator 14, in particular by the highlighting of the opening of the valve 16, for example located at the distal end of piston 8, opposite to the crankshaft, visible by a very visible colored mark, for example a colored surface 140, red or similar; it will be understood that this valve 16 is, at a given instant, open at the level of a single cylinder 10, and closed at all the others; at the end of a 5-minute period, the valve 16 closes on the piston 8 of cylinder 10 which has just displayed the minutes, and opens on the piston 8 of the next cylinder 10, preferably by clockwise;

In a particular variant, the display of the current minute is carried out in each 5-minute segment by means of graduations 306 carried on the cylinders 10, or on the envelopes 20, or on the hour bodies 30; these graduations 306 can be equidistant, or else as here non-linear, because they depend on the linkage kinematics used; a mark on the piston 8, or the distal end of the piston 8, or the colored mark 140 on the valve 16, is easily readable against this graduated scale.

• un train de rouage à denture conique, actionné par le mouvement 200 de la montre 1000, et agencé pour entraîner les corps d'heures 30 en rotation;
• au moins un vilebrequin central 1, agencé pour actionner les pistons 8 dans un mouvement de va-et-vient en translation dans leurs corps d'heures 30 respectifs;
• un mécanisme de déclenchement de clapet 16 de piston, laissant apparaître un repère coloré 140 sur le piston 8 concerné par la tranche des minutes en cours, améliorant ainsi la lisibilité de l'heure.

The illustrated embodiment represents a good compromise between readability, aesthetics, and the space available for housing the different mechanisms. In this particular non-limiting case, it comprises:

• a gear train with conical teeth, actuated by the movement 200 of the watch 1000, and arranged to drive the hour bodies 30 in rotation;
• at least one central crankshaft 1, arranged to actuate the pistons 8 in a reciprocating movement in translation in their respective hour bodies 30;
• a piston valve 16 trigger mechanism, allowing a colored mark 140 to appear on the piston 8 concerned by the current minute segment, thus improving the readability of the time.

The hours display more particularly comprises a 30 hours body which is a metal component with cut out hour digits 301, which makes it possible to improve visibility and readability.

The linkage is necessarily complex, owing to the number of the twelve moving parts to be controlled in this particular case. If a crankshaft plate with twelve connecting rods is conceivable, the size and the fragility of the mechanism lead to prefer solutions with several crankshaft plates 40 each resulting in a submultiple of 12: the illustrated version has two crankshaft plates 40 superimposed, each capable of controlling six pistons, with their trigger mechanism allowing the differentiation of the piston 8 which displays the current minute.

It is necessary to have a sufficiently dimensioned energy source, for a watch of large dimensions, for example with a casing diameter of approximately 43 mm, and an overall diameter of approximately 53 mm at the cylinder heads. , with cylinders largely dimensioned to be clearly visible, with a height of 10 to 12 mm and a diameter of 8 to 12 mm, to guarantee a sufficient power reserve, greater than 50 hours. Indeed, the torque at the crankshaft is of the order of 3 N.mm. it is therefore chosen to install several barrels, for example each with a capacity of 8 or 9 N.mm: a configuration with four such barrels in parallel makes it possible to dispense a high moment of force, with such a power reserve. Other variants are possible, in particular and without limitation two pairs of barrels in series, placed in parallel in order to increase the power reserve, or even three barrels in order to save space.

The movement 200 transfers the energy, through cogs, to a movement output mobile which drives the crankshaft 1, a minute release cam 2, and the hour pinions 3.

Crankshaft 1 is a key part, both in terms of its distribution function and in terms of its visual impact. Due to its many functions, it is necessary to have an extremely precise component, which is why it is advantageous to have a single-piece component, in particular guided between a stone on the one hand and a screwed bearing on the other go. This arrangement limits the risks of positioning faults linked to the overhang, and those linked to the accumulation of tolerances of an assembly, and also makes the component more reliable in order to maintain its high precision in the long term.

In the illustrated version comprising two crankshaft plates 40, these two plates 40 each pivot around a crank pin 41 of the crankshaft 1, and each carries six connecting rods, one of which may be integral with the plate to form with it a large fixed connecting rod. 4, the other small articulated connecting rods 5 pivot on plate pins 7 driven out on the plate 40. The rotation of the large connecting rod must be as fluid as possible. A damper hub 6 is advantageously placed between the crankpin 41 of the crankshaft and the associated plate 40. A treatment galvanic type Nickel PTFE provides a pivot point with good anti-seize and self-lubricating characteristics; the coefficient of static friction can thus be lowered to 0.15, and the coefficient of dynamic friction can be lowered to 0.10. This same galvanic treatment is also advantageously applied to the connecting rod-pin connections.

Each connecting rod 4, 5 penetrates inside a piston 8, which comprises, in a radial bore, a fixing pin 9 around which its connecting rod pivots. The piston 8 must work freely with a degree of freedom perpendicular to the connecting rod in question; for this purpose the piston 8 has, for the passage of this connecting rod, an opening which is wide enough to allow the maximum working angles of the connecting rod. The fixing pin 9 is difficult to access for maintenance, and the piston 8 circulates in a highly visible area for the user, and therefore it is preferable to avoid any liquid lubrication causing at least visual pollution: the connection between the fixing pin 9 and its respective connecting rod is preferably also treated with a galvanic treatment of the Nickel PTFE type or the like.

The piston 8 must have the best possible guidance, both precise and very fluid to prevent any risk of seizing and blocking of the mechanism.

Among the possible solutions, the figures illustrate a guide of the piston 8 by two rods 12, here without limitation placed inside a cylindrical tube 20 made of sapphire. The piston 8 has two lateral notches 81 for receiving intermediate guides 13, or buffer pieces, which provide sliding guidance for the rods 12. Here too, a galvanic treatment of the Nickel PTFE or similar type is advantageous in order to reduce the coefficient of friction. and obtain a self-lubricated contact. The intermediate guides 13 are preferably substantially diametrically opposed, which ensures optimum distance and good guidance of the piston 8 on these rods 12.

Another type of guidance consists in guiding the piston 8 externally on the inner wall of a transparent tube 20, made of glass or sapphire, or the like, with in particular the interposition of buffer rings housed in circular grooves of the piston 8, and which buffer rings provide guidance in this transparent tube.

To determine the 5-minute period in force, the mechanism according to the invention controls the triggering of the corresponding piston 8, by closing the valve 16 of the piston 8 of the 5-minute period which has just ended, and by the opening of the valve 16 of the piston 8 corresponding to the new period of 5 minutes which begins. The opening of the valve 16, which is preferably located at the distal end of the piston 8, opposite the crankshaft, reveals a very visible colored mark 140, for example a red surface, or a surface treated with a reflective material, or any other surface providing a good visual contrast with the outside of the piston 8. This visual mark 14 can naturally be used as an index, when the cylinder 30, or a transparent tube 20 which it comprises, has graduations 306, to determine the current minute within 5 minutes.

Advantageously, the piston 8 comprises a piston body 15, and a valve 16, which makes the visual mark 14 visible once triggered, and which otherwise hides it, and which has a limited axial travel with respect to the piston body 15 The valve 16 is pushed radially towards the outside of the watch, during the triggering, by a valve control mechanism which will be presented below. When the valve 16 is engaged, it is held in position by an elastic mechanism, comprising a jumper 17 which maintains this valve 16 against a hooking part 18 fixed to the piston body 15.

The valve control mechanism more particularly comprises a minute mobile 201, in particular a ring or a minute disc, which carries the cam 2, and is driven by the movement 200 of the watch 1000 and makes one revolution per hour. This cam 2 comprises a radial projection 202 with an upper track 208 of greater diameter than that of a lower track 209 which the rest of the cam 2 comprises, and to which it is joined by ramps 206. The cam 2 is arranged for radially push a feeler 19, specific to each piston 8, and which is guided in a fixed part of the structure 900, of the middle part, or of the watch case, and which penetrates into the piston 8, and is arranged to push the valve 16 during activation. This probe 19 advantageously comprises a spring arm 190, which bears on this same fixed part, to ensure its retention on the cam 2. At the end of the 5 minutes, the probe 19 leaves the upper track 208 of the projection 202 of the cam 2. and falls back on the lower track 209, and the spring arm 190 pushes it back towards the center of the movement, thus releasing the valve 16.

The pistons 8 are engaged at the end of each 5-minute period, when the piston 8 reaches the bottom of its respective cylinder radially, in its position furthest from the center of the movement. The piston 8 is then operated by its respective connecting rod 4 or 5, against the jumper 17, also towards the center of the movement, and this maneuver by the connecting rod re-engages the valve 16 of this piston 8 in the closed position.

The movement 200 drives a series of 3 hours pinions, at the rate of a 3 pinion to drive each 30 hours body. For example, the 200 movement drives a central brass wheel 309, comprising an annular bearing surface, the internal right toothing of which is meshes with straight intermediate steel gears 302; these pinions 302 each mesh with a straight-toothed brass plate 303 which carries a conical intermediate steel wheel 304; the latter meshes with a gear 305 at 45 ° with straight teeth made of steel, which engages a conical 3 hour pinion also made of steel. The hour body 30 is advantageously made of a light alloy, for example an aluminum or titanium alloy. The piston 8 and the valve 16 are preferably made of steel with a DLC coating or the like at their contact surfaces.

The figures illustrate the preferred variant where the hour bodies 30 are rigid structures, in particular but not limited to metal. A machined tube representing the number or digits 301 of the hour displayed in a given cylinder 10 provides good readability, and is also easier to attach to the 3 hours pinion, by traditional watchmaking means: screwing, riveting, driving, or other. As stated above, this or these digits 301 are also advantageously supplemented by a visual dynamic index 307 intended to be aligned with a static index 308 so as to remove any doubt for the user. Each hour pinion 3 is preferably a bevel pinion, which cooperates with a bevel wheel 34, of axis parallel to the central axis D of the movement 200, directly or as here through a return 305 inclined at 45 ° visible in the figures. The guiding of a block consisting of the hours body 30 and its 3 hours pinion is advantageously carried out by a ball bearing block 22, fixed to the structure 900, or to the caseband or to the case, and which guarantees a good positioning accuracy while ensuring low energy consumption by friction. This ball bearing unit 22 is advantageously combined in a sealed bearing with the at least partially transparent casing 20 which is used to surround both the hours body 30 and the piston 8 which it contains.

Another variant already mentioned relates to a transparent hour body 30 bearing the hour mark (s), and is rather to be reserved for parts. static timepieces such as clocks where the tubular diameters can be large enough not to impair legibility; in fact, the existence of multiple reflections in two coaxial transparent tubular structures of small radius in a watch is liable to disturb the reading of the other minute display at the level of the piston.

It is understood that a one-off consumption of energy takes place during each change of 5-minute period. The excess energy should be managed during the rest of the time.

In a first variant, illustrated by figure 27 , for optimal energy management, the timepiece 1000, which comprises a timepiece movement 200, advantageously comprises a plurality of barrels 50 in parallel and / or in series, the resulting single output 51 of which supplies a gear train multiplier 52, which feeds at least one crankshaft 1, which feeds an equalizer winder 53, which feeds the escapement 54 which cooperates in a conventional manner with the oscillator 55. The paralleling of the barrels 50 makes it possible to release a large torque for the crankshaft 1. The equality winder 53 releases a known, controlled and optimal force for the regulator 55.

In a second variant, illustrated by figure 28 , and for the same purpose, the timepiece 1000 comprises two energy circuits, one for supplying the crankshaft 1, and the other for supplying the oscillator 55. At least two first barrels 501, or groups of barrels, are in parallel, feed the crankshaft 1 of the display mechanism 100 via a first multiplier gear 56, which is itself regulated by a first escape mechanism 57 under the control of a geometric trigger mechanism 58. At least one second independent barrel 502, or group of barrels, feeds the oscillator 55 through a second multiplier gear 59 and a second escape mechanism 54. The geometric trigger mechanism 58 of the first gear multiplier 56 is kinematically linked and regulated by the second multiplier gear 59 regulated by oscillator 55. The advantage of this solution, which is a little more complex than the first variant, is to ensure that the precision of the operation of the mount re does not undergo any operational disturbance linked to the operation of crankshaft 1.

If the invention is described here in a configuration with twelve cylinders 10, it is understood that it can be implemented, depending on the nature of the desired displays, with a different number of cylinders: 2, 3, 4, 6, or other. A coaxial display with a first display and a second display in a single cylinder is also possible.

Extrapolations can also include one or more cylinders 10 dedicated to different displays, for example, in addition to the hours / minutes display described herein, a day / night or AM / PM display in an additional cylinder. Or even a day / night or AM / PM display in an envelope 20 coaxial with the minute piston and the hour body: for example a cylinder10 may include, from its axis towards its periphery: the minute piston 8, the body of '30 hours, a transparent envelope with marking for day / night, another transparent envelope with marking for AM / PM.

Or even 24-hour displays, dedicating specific colors or decorations to morning displays and others to evening displays; it is then conceivable to keep twelve cylinders 10, with displays differentiated according to the time of day.

Of course, the first displays 901 and second displays 902 can be reversed, the first then surrounding the second.

A variant with a transparent tubular double envelope and a polarizer also allows a special display.

It is also possible to imagine the lighting of the active cylinder, or of the active cylinders, that of the hours and that of the minutes in the case of the present example.

Thus, in summary, the invention relates to a watch, comprising a case containing a movement and a display mechanism, arranged between the back of the case and the crystal. This display mechanism comprises several distinct elementary displays.

The case conventionally comprises a caseband, a bezel bearing an upper crystal, and a caseback bearing or not a lower crystal.

The mobile elementary displays are each housed in an elementary chamber which communicates with the main chamber which contains the movement, the sealing of the box ensuring that of all the chambers. These elementary displays are each housed in a protuberance forming a protuberance of the box, each protuberance comprising an elementary chamber.

The display of the same horological quantity is distributed over several of these elementary displays.

Each elementary chamber resembles an engine cylinder, and the envelope of this elementary chamber, formed by one of these protuberances, comprises at least one transparent part, which is arranged to allow the user to see the position of the display. elementary corresponding. A transparent portion of each elementary chamber shell is on the ice side of the timepiece.

Each elementary display looks like a cage, or a motor piston moving in a cylinder, or a shuttle in a loom of a loom, and circulates in its own elementary chamber.

Each elementary display circulates in its elementary chamber without contact with the internal surface of the protuberance.

Indeed, the elementary display has its own guide support, rolling bearing on which a rotary elementary display pivots, or guide rod on which slides an elementary display in translation. Thus it is not necessary for the internal surface of the envelope of the elementary chamber, nor the external surface of the elementary display, to be cylindrical. However, an execution of the cylindrical type, with a large radial play to avoid any friction which could penalize the efficiency, is both economical and aesthetic.

The supporting structure of this guide support is integral with the movement plate.

Each elementary display is animated by a linear movement, or rotation, inside its elementary chamber.

The elementary displays are arranged in a star, and more particularly in a full and regular star over 360 °. More particularly, they are arranged around or above the movement.

The timepiece resembles an airplane engine in a star, or in a double star (two levels of superimposed stars), and each branch of the star of which has one or more elementary displays. The elementary chambers are arranged radially with respect to a common axis, around which a control mechanism of the timepiece drives wheels or drive linkages of the various display mobiles, by a cam mechanism, and / or crankshafts and connecting rods for linear movements, and / or by a cog for rotary movements.

The elementary chambers are arranged in a vee with respect to each other.

Each elementary display is arranged to give an indication on only a part of the total range of the horological quantity which is displayed. They are functionally in series, each in turn displaying the instantaneous information.

At a given moment, the course of each elementary display in its elementary chamber is different from the course of the other elementary displays in their respective elementary chambers.

The elementary displays have synchronous movements in their respective elementary chambers.

At a given moment, a single elementary display displays the instantaneous value of the quantity, and for this purpose the timepiece comprises a triggering mechanism which operates a display indicator, specific to each elementary display, between an active position or an inactive position, this display indicator being visible to the user and allowing him to identify simply and quickly the elementary display which displays the instantaneous value of the quantity.

A single elementary chamber can contain several elementary displays, of different types, superimposed on one another, in particular nested one inside the other.

The watch comprises, for the display of the hours, twelve perforated or transparent rotating cages, which are driven from the movement by a cog.

The watch comprises, for the display of the minutes, linear movement pistons, which are driven from the movement by a linkage and cams, by a crankshaft or camshaft system. These pistons circulate inside the rotating cages, the user can see the longitudinal position of each piston.

Thus at a given moment a rotating cage presents the user with the complete reading of the time, a device indicates that of the cylinders where it reads the minutes (in five-minute increments), and the longitudinal stroke of the piston in the chamber. corresponding determines the reading of the minute within the five-minute period.

In a variant, the timepiece comprises, for the display of the minutes, linear movement shuttles, which are driven from the movement by a linkage and cams. These shuttles circulate inside the rotating cages which are partially transparent or perforated, so as to allow the user to see the longitudinal position of each shuttle. And each shuttle caps a display indicator, or is capped by a display indicator, which is controlled by the trigger mechanism to complete a linear stroke with respect to its shuttle, to indicate to the user its activity or inactivity.

The invention makes it possible to produce a very dynamic, reliable and readable large-complication mechanical display, with a reasonable size which is compatible with a wristwatch.

Claims (26)

Clockwork display mechanism (100), for a timepiece (1000) comprising a case containing at least one movement (200), which movement (200) comprises, around a central axis (D) defining the center of said movement (200), a plurality of driving wheels, said display mechanism (100) comprising a structure (900) which is arranged to be fixed on said box or said movement (200), or which is constituted by said box or part of said movement (200), said display mechanism (100) comprising at least one display medium (10) which encloses at least a first display (901) and a second display (902), and which is arranged for the simultaneous display of at least a first quantity on a said first display (901) under the action of a first control mechanism, and of a second quantity on a said second display (902) under the 'action of a second control mechanism, said first control mechanism and / or said second mechanism control channel being arranged to be driven by one of said driving wheels, characterized in that each said at least one display support (10) is, in its entirety, eccentric with respect to said central axis (D), and in that said first display (901) and said second display (902) are either both movable in translation in a direction parallel or coincident with an elementary radial axis (DA) which is perpendicular to said central axis (D), or else both movable in coaxial rotation with respect to a direction parallel or coincident with a said elementary radial axis (DA), or else one of said first display (901) and second display (902) is movable in translation in a parallel direction or coincident with a said elementary radial axis (DA) and the other of said first display (901) and second display (902) is movable in rotation with respect to a direction parallel or coincident with a said elementary radial axis (DA). Display mechanism (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that said first operating mechanism and said second operating mechanism are operable independently of each other. A display mechanism (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said at least one display medium (10) is a substantially cylindrical body extending radially with respect to said central axis (D) around said structure (900) and said box, constitutes a protuberance of said box, and protrudes radially from said structure (900) and from said box in the direction of said elementary axis (DA), in that each said elementary display support (10) comprises a chamber which is sealed to the external environment of said timepiece (1000). Display mechanism (100) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one said display medium (10) comprises a said first display (901) movable in translation, and a said second display ( 902) movable in rotation, and in that one of said first display (901) and second display (902) surrounds the other, or vice versa. Display mechanism (100) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that at least one said display medium (10) comprises, in addition to said first display (901) and said second display (902), at least one valve (16) arranged to display the activation of said display, and which is movable in translation parallel to a direction parallel or coincident with an elementary radial axis (DA), or which is movable in rotation with respect to a parallel direction or coincident with an elementary radial axis (DA). Display mechanism (100) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that each said elementary display medium (10) contains at least one indicator for displaying the value of a quantity, which indicator d 'display is either a first display (901) movable in translation along its said elementary axis (DA), or else a second display (902) movable in rotation around its said elementary axis (DA), in that all said elementary display media (10) include said display indicators of the same type, which are either said first displays (901) for displaying a first quantity, or said second displays (902 ) for the display of a second quantity, or both of said first displays (901) and of said second displays (902), in that all of said display indicators are arranged so as to be visible by the user of the timepiece (1000), and in that said display mechanism (100 ) comprises a control mechanism (300), which is arranged to drive, around said common axis (D), the wheels or drive linkages of the various display mobiles that said display mechanism (100) comprises, and which comprises a first driver (111), arranged to be driven by said clockwork movement (200) and alone to drive all of said first displays (901) when it has one, and / or a second driver (112), arranged to be driven by said clockwork movement (200) and alone drive all of said second displays (902) when it includes them. Display mechanism (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that said display mechanism (100) comprises, in each said elementary display medium (10), a said first display (901) and a said second display (902), which are coaxial with each other. Display mechanism (100) according to claim 5, and according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that each said first display (901) and / or second display (902) has a first optical indicator (14), which is hidden or not by a said valve (16) movable linearly in the direction of said elementary axis (DA), between an activated position and a deactivated position, for the validation or respectively the invalidation of a value of said first quantity, and in this that said control mechanism (300) comprises a first actuator which is arranged to control, at the level of a single said elementary display support (10) at a time, the placing in the activated position or the maintenance in the activated position of said valve (16), and to control, at the same instant, the placing in the deactivated position or respectively the maintenance in the deactivated position of the valves (16) of all the other said elementary display supports (10). Display mechanism (100) according to claim 8, characterized in that said control mechanism (300) comprises a cam (2) controlling, directly or indirectly through at least one two-arm rocker, the stroke of at least one feeler (19) for pushing along a linear stroke a said valve (16) arranged to hide or show a said first optical indicator (14), and in that said feeler (19) comprises at least one elastic arm (190 ; 497) arranged to be supported on a structure (900; 498) and tending to push said probe (19) towards said cam (2). Display mechanism (100) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that each said valve (16) is movable linearly between a said activated position and a said deactivated position relative to a movable support (8) or a piston, that comprises said first display (901), and which is itself movable linearly in the same direction of said elementary axis (DA), between two end-of-travel positions, with a periodic movement. Display mechanism (100) according to claim 10, characterized in that said first display (901) comprises a jumper (17) arranged to hold said valve (16), in the engaged position, against a hooking part (18) fixed to said movable support (8), and allow its release during the retraction of said probe (19) and the reversal of direction of said movable support ( 8). Display mechanism (100) according to one of claims 6 to 11, characterized in that said display mechanism (100) comprises a said first display (901) in each said elementary display medium (10), and in that said first driver (111) comprises a crankshaft (1), arranged to be driven by a said clockwork movement (200), and of which at least one crankpin (41) drives at least one plate (40) carrying fixed (4) or articulated (5) connecting rods, each arranged to move a said first display (901) in a reciprocating linear movement back and forth. Display mechanism (100) according to one of claims 6 to 12, characterized in that said display mechanism (100) comprises a said second display (902) in each said elementary display medium (10), and in that each said second display (902) comprises a second optical indicator which is movable linearly in the direction of said elementary axis (DA), between an activated position and a deactivated position, for the validation or respectively the invalidation of a value of said second quantity, and in that said control mechanism (300) comprises a second actuator which is arranged to control, at the level of only one said elementary display support (10) at a time, the positioning activated or the maintenance in the activated position of said second optical indicator, and to control, at the same instant, the placing in deactivated position or respectively the maintenance in the deactivated position of the second optical indicators of all the other said display media elementary (10), and in that said control mechanism (300) comprises a gear train with return mechanisms for driving all of said second displays (902) in a synchronized manner. Display mechanism (100) according to one of claims 6 to 13, characterized in that said display mechanism (100) comprises a said second display (902) in each said elementary display medium (10), and in that said second display (902) comprises a tubular body (30) carrying at least one identification marking and comprising at least one cutout and / or a transparent surface to leave visible to the user any component that said comprises said display mechanism (100) and which is housed in said tubular body (30). Display mechanism (100) according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that each said display support (10) is fixed, or else to a structure (900) which is an additional board placed on said movement (200), or else to said case or to a middle part that comprises said case, and in that said control mechanism (300) comprises at least one said first trainer (111), arranged to be driven by a mobile of the minutes of said movement (200), and / or a said second trainer (112) arranged to be driven by an hour mobile of said movement (200), and characterized in that said display mechanism (100) or said movement (200), comprises, at the level of the interface between said display mechanism (100) and said clockwork movement (200), an adjustable friction piece, engaged on said movement (200) to enable the time setting of said display mechanism (100) by the winding and time-setting rod of said movement (200). Display mechanism (100) according to claim 6 and according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that said timepiece (1000) comprises a plurality of barrels (50) in parallel and / or in series, a resulting single output (51) of which feeds a multiplier gear (52) which feeds at least said first driver (111) of said display mechanism (100), which first driver (111) comprises a crankshaft (1) arranged to be driven by said movement (200), which crankshaft (1) feeds a winding mechanism (53), which feeds an escapement (54) which cooperates with an oscillator (55) that comprises said movement (200). Display mechanism (100) according to claim 16, characterized in that said timepiece (1000) comprises two energy circuits arranged to cooperate through a first escape mechanism (57), the first circuit for the 'powering at least said first driver (111) of said display mechanism (100), which first driver (111) comprising a crankshaft (1) arranged to be driven by said clockwork movement (200), and the second circuit for supplying an oscillator (55) which is included in said clockwork movement (200). Display mechanism (100) according to claim 17, characterized in that said first circuit comprises at least two first barrels (501), or groups of barrels, which are in parallel, and feed said crankshaft (1) via a first gear multiplier (56), itself regulated by said first exhaust (57) under the control of a geometric trigger mechanism (58) regulated by a second multiplier gear (59) which said second circuit comprises and which is regulated by an oscillator (55) which comprises said clockwork movement (200). Display mechanism (100) according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that said second circuit comprises at least one second barrel (502), or group of barrels, independent of said first circuit, and which is arranged to power said oscillator ( 55) through a second multiplier gear (59) and a second escapement mechanism (54), said second multiplier gear (59) being arranged to control a geometric trigger mechanism (58) of said first escapement (17) ) for the regulation of a first multiplier gear (56) included in said first circuit. Display mechanism (100) according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that each said display medium (10) is constituted by a substantially cylindrical body which has the shape of an aircraft engine cylinder. . Display mechanism (100) according to one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that said display mechanism (100) comprises a plurality of said distinct display supports (10) each extending in a direction d elementary axis (DA) radial with respect to said common axis (D), and in that the display of a given quantity is distributed at the level of several said display supports (10), each activated at a particular instant. A display mechanism (100) according to claim 21, characterized in that all of said display media (10) each cover an identical elementary range, which corresponds to an integer sub-multiple of the extent of the overall range of said given size. Display mechanism (100) according to claim 21 or 22, characterized in that the same said separate display supports (10) are arranged for the display of several different sizes, the display of each of which is distributed among said supports display (10), each activated at a particular instant for the display of each said quantity. Display mechanism (100) according to one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that said display support (10) is unique. Timepiece (1000) comprising a case containing at least one movement (200), which movement (200) comprises, around a central axis (D) defining the center of said movement (200), a plurality of mobiles drive, and comprising at least one display mechanism (100) according to one of claims 1 to 24. Timepiece (1000) according to claim 25, characterized in that said timepiece (1000) is a watch.

Images