EP3979008A1 - Watch with mechanical movement with force control mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

The watch (1) has a mechanical movement with a force control mechanism, and of the jumping seconds type. The force control mechanism is arranged in a gear train for the mechanical movement between a source of energy and an escapement wheel set (11) linked to an oscillating oscillator (14) to drive the escape wheel set still in the same direction of rotation. The escapement wheel meshes with a seconds wheel (2). A rotary blocking element (7) is arranged to cooperate with a stop member (3) mechanically linked to said accumulation seconds wheel to block in a stop mode or release in a jump mode said going train according to the angular position of said seconds wheel. A stop member spring (4) is provided to rotate the fixed accumulation seconds wheel and the escapement mechanism linked to the oscillator at each half-oscillation of the oscillator in stop mode. In the jump mode, the going train is released allowing the rotating blocking element to rotate, and to rotate a second pinion (5) coaxial with said fixed second wheel in order to perform a one-second jump in jump mode. This also makes it possible to rewind the stopper member spring in connection with the second pinion, while making it possible to block the rotary blocking element and the going train for the stop mode depending on the mode of jump.

Description

Field of the invention

Disclosed is a mechanical movement watch having a force control mechanism, such as the force due to gravity when wearing the watch, and a jumping second type. Preferably, the force control mechanism may be a tourbillon mechanism mounted at the escapement. The tourbillon carriage surrounds the escapement mechanism and preferably the carriage performs a complete rotation every minute with in particular 60 jumps of a second performed.

Background of the invention

As a reminder in watchmaking, a tourbillon, also called a "rotating cage", is a horological complication, added to the escapement mechanism, intended to improve the precision of mechanical watches by counterbalancing the disturbances of the isochronism of the resonator due to the earth's gravity. The fundamental criterion, which characterizes a tourbillon, in relation to a carousel in particular, is the presence of a fixed gear train on which the tourbillon cage meshes. Generally, the tourbillon cage is rotatably mounted between two fixing points.

Gravity is also taken into account to compensate for all disturbances in the isochronism of the resonator. The escapement is coupled to the resonator. It interacts with it once or twice per period of oscillation. The angle traveled by the resonator during the interaction is called the lift angle. The rest of the resonator's path is called an additional angle or arc.

During the extra angle, the resonator can be in contact with the escapement (rubbing rest escapement) or without contact (free exhaust). During the lift angle, the escapement performs two main phases, which are release (or count) and impulse (or sustain).

In a horological complication, the purpose of the jumping seconds is to display the second in steps of a whole second, which corresponds on a 60-second dial to an angle of 6° per second. This jumping second is often associated with constant force mechanisms that take advantage of the particular construction of this jumping second. Deadbeat seconds or fixed seconds mechanisms also come close to these constructions with the particularity of being able to stop the seconds at will like a chronograph.

Several jumping second mechanisms exist in watchmaking literature and patents, and are applied. According to some examples, in a Jacquet Droz watch, there is the 1195 movement of Blancpain. For Breguet's Marie Antoinette, there is the mechanism with the deadbeat seconds.

In the patent application WO 2011/157797 A1 , there is described a mechanism for advancing by periodic jump of a pivoting cage carrying a wheel and an escapement pinion and an anchor cooperating with the wheel and a spiral balance wheel. In addition, it comprises retaining means to authorize or prohibit the pivoting of said cage according to the movements or not. There are also stop means for authorizing or prohibiting, depending on their angular position, the pivoting of the retaining means. A constant force device causes the retaining means to cooperate periodically. This device comprises a whip intended to perform complete turns.

The principle of these mechanisms described is to retain the going train between the escapement and the seconds by a mechanism, while an additional spring maintains the escapement with a constant force in a stopping phase. At the end of the second, which is counted by the escapement, the freed gear train allows the movement to be advanced by one second. Thus the display therefore advances and the mechanism is reset in the jump phase.

In such a mechanism operating at frequencies close to one second, the torques available in watchmaking are very low. This is why these mechanisms are difficult to implement and generally unreliable.

In the mechanism of the Blancpain 1195 movement, there is a stop system that distributes part of the torque in the stop phase lock to compensate for friction. This gives a jumping second having an angular displacement of about 20% in the stop phase for an 80% jump.

It can also be envisaged to reduce the frequency and to produce dead minutes instead of seconds, which facilitates construction.

Some of these mechanisms can get out of sync after complete disarming, and go into a blocking position. This requires a stop system linked to a power reserve mechanism, which will stop the mechanism before complete unwinding.

In a mechanism described in the patent EP 1 528 443 B1 , a constant-force device is proposed for a dead-second watch. This device makes it possible to move an axis of a mobile on a rocker driven by an energy storage spring, which tends to cause the rocker to pivot. The device comprises a pinion of a first seconds wheel of the movement, which meshes with a transmission pivotally mounted on this rocker, and which meshes with the pinion of a second seconds wheel defining the wheel set. The rocker carrying a finger must adapt to cooperate with a ratchet toothing of a stop wheel, which meshes with the first seconds wheel. When the finger is engaged with a radial flank of the ratchet, the gear train is blocked, in particular consisting of the first seconds wheel and the transmission without force transmission from the first seconds wheel and the transmission. The second seconds wheel is controlled by the escapement and only turns when it is moved by the pendulum. The winding of the spring is ensured by the displacement of the rocker in the opposite direction, for which the spring exerts on the rocker a lower torque than that exerted by the barrel spring on the rocker, when the stop wheel is released. The device thus makes it possible to adapt the winding/unwinding cycle according to the number of teeth of the stop wheel. This device makes it possible to ensure a jumping seconds function, but the main drawback is that it is not easy to achieve with a large number of components necessary to perform this operation. In addition, there is a movement of a mobile at the time of the jumping second, which is not desired.

The patent CH 702 179 B1 describes a deadbeat seconds system for a timepiece. It comprises a deadbeat second mobile with a first arm rotating around a first axis thanks to a spring mounted coaxially on the first axis, and a pin for winding the spring. It further comprises a second mobile rotating around a second axis to block and unblock the first arm to cause a jump of the first arm linked to a deadbeat seconds indicator. A middle wheel is further provided to rotate around a third axis to block or unblock the pin. In the locked state, this allows the spring to be charged, whereas in the unlocked state, this allows rotation of the arm provided that it is not blocked by the second wheel set.

The patent CH 330 892 A describes a jumping second timepiece for performing one jump per second. There is provided a drive wheel integral with the second axis and a rocker subjected to the action of a spring with a pinion at its free end and a lift. The pinion meshes with the driving wheel and the jumping seconds driven wheel. As soon as the lift is no longer in contact with the teeth of the driven wheel, a jump of one second is performed by the action of the spring and the rocker returning to its initial position.

Summary of the invention

For the present invention, it is sought to produce a jumping second display and even a constant force in a simpler way, without movement of the mobile and without risk of desynchronization at the end of winding and thus limiting friction for use in particular in a tourbillon movement.

The object of the invention is therefore to overcome the drawbacks of the state of the art by providing a watch with a mechanical movement with a compensation or force control mechanism of the jumping second type overcoming the drawbacks of the devices of the prior art mentioned above. .

To this end, the invention relates to a watch with a mechanical movement with a compensation or force control mechanism of the jumping second type, which comprises the characteristics defined in independent claim 1.

Particular embodiments of the watch with mechanical movement with compensation mechanism or force control of the jumping second type are also described in dependent claims 2 to 14.

An advantage of the watch with a mechanical movement with a force control mechanism according to the invention lies in the fact that it comprises a fixed seconds hand with energy accumulation for accumulating the energy necessary to maintain several oscillations of the escapement mechanism with the oscillator, in particular in a stop mode before switching to a jump mode. Depending on the frequency of the resonator fitted with a traditional escapement, the fixed accumulation seconds maintains a few oscillations of the resonator or oscillator without any part of the gear train coming from the barrel being driven. Preferably, the fixed accumulation second releases a blocking element, such as a whip after a certain number of oscillations, in particular to move the tourbillon carriage by 6° clockwise (SAM) and the going train coming from the barrel defining a second of the second type jumping. In the case of the tourbillon according to an exemplary embodiment at least at the fifth pulse of the 2.5 Hz oscillator, the whip is released and by it, the intermediate wheel linked to the whip, the middle wheel, the large middle wheel and the barrel to drive the tourbillon carriage in a step of 6° in a direction opposite to the accumulation of the fixed second. Mainly, the tourbillon cage can be moved angularly after a certain number of oscillations defining one second. By this arrangement without mobile moving, the risk of desynchronization at the end of winding is not affected.

Advantageously, the fixed seconds wheel with defined accumulation SFA is intended to move in the stopping phase by a certain number of small steps following the oscillations of the spiral spring of the oscillator linked to the escapement mechanism, which is of the Swiss anchor.

Brief description of the drawings

• la figure 1 représente une vue tridimensionnelle depuis dessous des principaux éléments du mouvement de montre à mécanisme de contrôle de force et du type à seconde sautante selon l'invention,
• la figure 2 représente une vue de dessous des principaux éléments du mouvement de montre mécanique de contrôle de force du type à seconde sautante selon l'invention, et montrant les différents mouvements du mobile d'échappement et de la roue de seconde à accumulation en phase d'arrêt et en phase de saut de la cage de tourbillon,
• la figure 3 représente une vue de dessous du mouvement de montre mécanique de contrôle de force du type à seconde sautante selon l'invention comme représenté à la figure 2, mais sans la roue moyenne et la roue intermédiaire,
• la figure 4 représente une vue depuis dessous tridimensionnelle partielle d'une forme d'exécution du mouvement de montre avec le rouage de finissage, le barillet relié par des chaînes une fusée pour entraîner le rouage de finissage, mais sans représenter la roue de seconde à accumulation et l'échappement avec l'oscillateur,
• la figure 5 représente une vue depuis dessous d'une autre forme d'exécution schématique d'un mouvement mécanique traditionnel de montre avec le rouage de finissage sans tourbillon et le mécanisme de contrôle de force selon l'invention, et
• la figure 6 représente une coupe transversale de bas en haut du mécanisme au centre du tourbillon comme représenté ci-dessus partiellement à la figure 1.

The aims, advantages and characteristics of the watch with mechanical movement with a compensation mechanism or force control will appear better in the following description, in particular with regard to the drawings in which:

• the figure 1 represents a three-dimensional view from below of the main elements of the watch movement with a force control mechanism and of the jumping seconds type according to the invention,
• the figure 2 shows a view from below of the main elements of the mechanical force control watch movement of the jumping seconds type according to the invention, and showing the different movements of the escapement wheel set and of the accumulation seconds wheel in the stop phase and in the tourbillon cage jump phase,
• the picture 3 shows a bottom view of the mechanical force control watch movement of the jumping second type according to the invention as shown in picture 2 , but without the middle wheel and the intermediate wheel,
• the figure 4 shows a partial three-dimensional view from below of a form of execution of the watch movement with the going train, the barrel connected by chains, a fusee to drive the going train, but without showing the accumulation seconds wheel and the escapement with the oscillator,
• the figure 5 represents a view from below of another schematic embodiment of a traditional mechanical watch movement with the going train without a tourbillon and the force control mechanism according to the invention, and
• the figure 6 represents a cross-section from bottom to top of the mechanism in the center of the tourbillon as shown above partially at the figure 1 .

Detailed description of the invention

In the following description, various members or elements of the mechanical watch movement with a force control mechanism and of the jumping seconds type, which are well known in this technical field, will only be briefly described.

First of all, it should be noted that the watch with a mechanical movement with a force control mechanism and of the jumping seconds type can be with a tourbillon whose cage encloses an oscillator and an escapement mechanism as explained below, or according to a traditional mechanical movement without a tourbillon, which will be explained later with reference to the figure 5 .

The figures 1 to 3 represent a part of a mechanical watch movement 1 which is represented without the source of energy, such as the barrel which is the mainspring and which is connected, in this case, to a rocket connected by chains to the spring barrel for its drive. There is also not shown a large medium wheel, which is driven in rotation by a toothing on the periphery of the rocket as explained below with reference to the figure 4 . This energy is applied in the form of a torque to the pinion of the middle wheel 10.

The figures 1 to 3 therefore represent a part of a mechanical watch movement comprising a going train 5, 8, 9, 10 in which is arranged a mechanism for controlling the force of the mechanical watch movement 1. This force control mechanism may be similar to a constant force device. The going train is arranged between a source of energy, not shown, which is preferably a spring barrel, and an escapement mechanism, for example with a Swiss lever 13 and having an escape wheel set 11 in the form of a wheel, retained and released alternately by an oscillator 14, which is preferably a spiral balance wheel and whose energy for maintaining it in oscillation is provided by said escape wheel set. The escape wheel set 11 is arranged to be able to rotate in the same direction of rotation with each half-oscillation of the oscillator 14.

The escape wheel set 11 meshes with a second wheel 2 which is subsequently defined as an accumulation second wheel SFA. This second wheel 2 is called a fixed second wheel SFA, even if it is not fixed in its operation. This fixed second wheel 2 can rotate counterclockwise (SIAM) to maintain the operation of the escapement mechanism linked to the oscillator in a stop mode, and rotate clockwise. a watch (SAM) in a jump mode to perform a jump corresponding to 1 second. Both in the form of execution with a tourbillon, and in the form of execution without tourbillon, there is always a stop phase and a jump phase so as to make a jump on the display corresponding to one second.

To do this, the fixed seconds wheel 2 with SFA accumulation preferably comprises peripheral toothing meshing with an escapement toothed pinion 12 coaxial with said escapement wheel set 11. As explained below in a phase of stopping the gear train finishing, the fixed accumulation seconds wheel 2 rotates counter-clockwise (SIAM) and drives the escapement wheel set 11 at each half-oscillation of the oscillator 14 via the toothed pinion of escapement 12 so as to maintain the operation of the oscillator and of the escapement mechanism in this stopping phase.

During this stopping phase, the SFA 2 fixed accumulation seconds wheel pivots in SIAM on the tourbillon cage 15, which is stopped like a chrono second pinion, like the Blancpain-type chronos, i.e. that is to say that the axis of the tourbillon cage 15, which includes the seconds pinion 5, is with two pivoting heads as described later in figure 6 . The axis can be of a diameter equal to 0.35 mm. This SIAM pivoting of the SFA 2 takes place until the moment of the release of the going train 5, 8, 9, 10 by which a jump of one second is made by the tourbillon cage 15 and its second pinion 5 , carrying with it the accumulation seconds wheel 2, which is linked to the escapement wheel set 11, in the clockwise jump phase SAM.

To define the stop phase and the jump phase, the force control mechanism comprises on the one hand a preferably rotary blocking element 7 arranged to cooperate with a stop member 3 in connection with the second wheel to accumulation 2 in stop mode. As shown in figure 1 and 2 , or even also to the picture 3 , this stop member 3 is a rake 3, rotatably mounted about an axis 33 at a first end of the rake 3, while at a second free end of the rake 3, it comes into contact for example with a cam 6 or guide portion secured to said SFA second wheel 2. A spring 4 of rake 3 is further provided to push or pull said rake 3 towards cam 6. This SFA spring 4 is mounted on the plate by a fixing rod 44 passing through a hole 4a or a hole 4b at a first end in the form of a spring plate 4 depending on the desired position of the spring. The metal spring is composed from the fixing plate of a leaf spring. A second end of the spring 4 is fixed to an eccentric piece 34 arranged at the level of the first end of the rake 3 and next to the axis 33 of the first end of the rake 3, which allows adjustment of the force of the spring. Thus in this embodiment, the spring 4 of the rake 3 pushes by the eccentric part 34 said rake 3 towards the guide cam 6, which may have the shape of a tooth as shown. With the force of this spring 4, the SFA accumulation seconds wheel 2 is turned or pivoted by a small step corresponding to each half-oscillation of the oscillator 14. The rotation of the accumulation seconds wheel 2 also causes the escapement wheel set 11 via an escapement pinion 12 coaxial with the escape wheel set of the Swiss lever escapement mechanism 13. This is advantageous for keeping the escapement mechanism functioning with the oscillator 14 in this stopping phase by the force of the SFA spring acting on the rake 3 to cause the accumulation seconds wheel 2 to turn in an anti-clockwise direction (SIAM).

The rake 3 with its spring 4 acting on the accumulation second wheel 2 makes it possible to block or release said going train according to the angular position of said second wheel 2 by retaining a whip 7, as a blocking element. This whip 7 comes into contact with a stop piece 3a of the blocking part of the rake 3. This stop piece is a pallet 3a, which can be made of a material that reduces friction such as ruby.

In the case presented, the fixed accumulation seconds wheel 2 can turn by 5 small steps s1 to s5 corresponding to 6° angle representing 1 second in the opposite direction. The whip 7 is itself driven by the going train and retained by the stopper 3a. Once released at the end of the stopping phase, the rotation of the rake 3 releases the whip 7 which triggers the jump phase. During the jump phase, the whip 7 performs a rotation corresponding to a jump of 1 second, driven by the going train, in the case shown, a half-turn. The going train likewise drives the tourbillon cage 15 via the seconds pinion 5 and the fixed accumulation seconds wheel 2 SFA in the clockwise direction (SAM), which resets the spring 4. This spring 4 of accumulation second wheel 2 is arranged to accumulate energy when said second wheel 2 is driven in SAM during the jump phase and return it to said second wheel 2 in SIAM during the stop phase.

Generally in the stopping phase, several half-oscillations of the oscillator 14 occur before the release of the going train. This means that the frequency of oscillator 14 is generally higher than 1 Hz and for example in this case can be set to 2.5 Hz. corresponding to a half-oscillation (alternation), one can count 5 half-oscillations of the oscillator 14 in the stop phase until the moment of the release of the rotary blocking element 7 for the jump phase. The spring 4 of the second wheel 2 must therefore provide energy during the 5 half-oscillations of the oscillator 14 or the carriage is stopped, and be reset during the jump of the said carriage 15.

However, more or less half-oscillations of oscillator 14 can be provided in the stop phase depending on the frequency of oscillation of oscillator 14. Each half-oscillation must be equal to 0.5 Hz. n of half-oscillations of the oscillator can therefore be chosen for an oscillator frequency greater than 1 Hz, for example for at least n=3 half-oscillations. The number of small steps taken by the wheel of fixed second 2 in the stop phase must correspond to a jump of 1 second in the jump phase.

It can also be envisaged to make jumps with a period greater than 1 second, which generalizes the above rule to an oscillator frequency higher than the frequency of the display jumps. In this way, it could be considered to skip every minute.

With reference to the form of execution presented to the figures 1 to 3 , the rotary blocking element 7 is a whip in the form of a rotatably mounted rod at its center. The whip is secured to an axial locking pinion 8 to mesh with an intermediate wheel 9 of the going train. The blocking rake 3 is rotatably mounted at a first end opposite the blocking part, which includes the stopper 3a. The rotary blocking rake 3 comprises at another end in a blocking part, an edge portion 3b, which can be a finger 3b arranged to follow the profile of the cam 6 integral with the second wheel with accumulation SFA 2. This cam 6 in the form of a tooth controls the pivoting of the rake 3, which comprises the blocking pallet 3a arranged on a side opposite the finger 3b. As indicated above, this pallet 3a can be made of a hard material reducing friction with the blocking element 7 in contact with the pallet 3a in a stopping phase.

The pallet 3a is arranged to cooperate in support with said blocking element 7, which is a whip, to block said going train in a stopping phase, or to release said blocking element 7 and said going train in a phase jump. The whip 7 comprises a first blocking rod part and a second blocking rod part with respect to its center which includes the axial blocking pinion 8. Once the pallet 3a is no longer in contact with the first part of rod of the whip 7 or the second part of the rod of the whip 7, in the jump phase, the whip 7 is rotated and rotates through 180° to rotate the finishing gear train before a new locking position of the finishing gear train in a shutdown mode. In the jump mode, the cage 15 of the tourbillon is rotated 6° clockwise (SAM) by the going train to add one second to the time. The SFA accumulation seconds wheel 2 is driven with the cage 15, which is linked to the coaxial seconds pinion 5 of 6° angle to reset the spring 4 of the SFA rake. The 2 SFA accumulating seconds wheel is driven by cage 15, because the escapement mechanism also rotates with the cage. The rearming of the spring 4 takes place quickly, which means that the end of the whip 7 comes back directly into contact with the stopper 3a once the whip 7 has turned 180°. As soon as this new blockage occurs, a new stopping phase operation takes place.

It is understood that the 180° rotation of the whip 7 before a new stop is directly and dynamically linked to the inertia of the moving components. In particular the inertia of whip 7, which has the fastest rotation, is of great importance. A construction of the whip 7 favoring low inertia, such as can be obtained with the LIGA manufacturing means in Nickel or Nickel Phosphorus or the DRIE manufacturing means in silicon, will therefore be preferred. These manufacturing means allow the realization of whip 7 of precise and advantageous geometry to limit the inertia of the whip 7.

As shown in preference to the picture 2 , during the stop phase, escapement wheel set 11 is driven in a first direction of rotation (SIAM) by accumulation seconds wheel 2, which corresponds to each half-oscillation of oscillator 14 maintained. There is also schematically represented 5 small steps referenced e1 to e5 of the escapement wheel set 11 driven in rotation by the accumulation seconds wheel 2 via the escapement pinion 12. This disarms the said spring 4 of the rake 3 which pushes the accumulation seconds wheel 2 and moves said pallet 3a in the direction of the release of the whip 7.

As the going train is blocked in the stop mode with the exception of the accumulation seconds wheel 2, the spring 4 of the rake 3 of the accumulation seconds wheel 2 releases energy to rotate said accumulation seconds wheel 2 to drive the escapement wheel set 11. In the jump mode, as soon as the whip 7 is no longer in contact with the pallet 3a, the going train via the axial locking pinion 8 of the whip 7, is arranged to pivot via the second pinion 5 and the tourbillon cage 15, said accumulation seconds wheel 2. This accumulation seconds wheel 2 with the tourbillon cage 15 rotates through an angle of 6° in a second direction of rotation, which is the clockwise direction (SAM) opposite to said first direction of rotation imposed on the escape wheel 11 by the seconds wheel 2, according to a stroke corresponding to an angular jump of one second. The tourbillon cage 15 is pivoted through an angle of 6° according to the reference L1 in the clockwise jump mode (SAM) in a direction opposite to the pivoting of the accumulation seconds wheel 2 in the stopping phase. At the end of the jump, the whip 7 comes back to bear against the pallet 3a to again block the going train with the exception of the accumulation seconds wheel 2. The whip 7 with its two stem parts of the same length forms a 180° rotation to change from jump mode to next stop mode.

It should be noted that the whip 7 is linked to the going train and to the barrel by the intermediate wheel 9 to make it turn around its central axis at each jump mode of 1 second and to release the going train 5, 8, 9, 10, as well as the cage 15 of the tourbillon in this embodiment. The force of the drive spring or springs of the going train is greater than the force of spring 4 of rake 3. Thus, the going train is immediately put into operation as soon as it is released, which makes it possible to maintain good synchronism over time. , also given that the escapement mechanism and the oscillator 14 are kept in operation during the stop phase even if the going train is blocked, except for the accumulation seconds wheel 2.

All the elements of the force control mechanism described above are mounted on a plate, an average bridge, a whip bridge, which are not shown so as not to overload the drawings.

As already mentioned above, the accumulation seconds wheel 2 comprises peripheral toothing meshing with the escapement toothed pinion 12 coaxial with the escapement wheel set 11. A middle wheel 10, which comprises the going train, has a toothing on the periphery meshing with the axial toothed second pinion 5 coaxial with the second accumulation wheel 2, and whose axis of the second pinion 5 is connected to the cage 15 of the tourbillon. An intermediate wheel 9, which said going train also comprises, comprises an intermediate axial toothed pinion 19 meshing with the teeth on the periphery of the middle wheel 10. The intermediate wheel 9 comprises teeth on the periphery to mesh with said axial locking pinion 8 secured to the rotating blocking element 7, which is the whip. In the jump phase during the release of said going train, the intermediate axial toothed pinion 19 is arranged to let the middle wheel 10 turn, to allow it to pivot the tourbillon cage 15 via the second pinion 5 in said second direction of rotation SAM. In this second direction of rotation, the second pinion 5 supplies the energy to be accumulated in the spring 4 of the rake 3 by causing the accumulation second wheel 2 to turn in SAM.

To determine certain dimensional values according to the elements described above, it can be mentioned that the locking is done by a cog from the middle 10 and a whip 7 of large diameter. This makes it possible to limit movement during the second, to limit friction, and to remove the pivoting of whip 7 from the surface occupied by the tourbillon carriage on the plate.

The important ratio between average 0.116 rpm and whip 0.5 t/sec (30 rpm) requires an intermediate mobile, which is the intermediate wheel 9. This gives for example a ratio of average wheel 10 and intermediate wheel 9 at Z = 120/7 and m = 0.07 mm, and an intermediate wheel ratio 9 and whip 7 at Z = 90/6 and m = 0.07 mm.

According to an alternative version, it is possible to drive the whip 7 from the cage 15 of the tourbillon. This requires making a tourbillon cage with external teeth meshing with the axial locking pinion 8, which is the whip pinion. The ratio between cage 15 and whip 7 is 1 rpm and whip 0.5 t/sec (30 rpm), can be done with a direct gear train. The middle wheel 10 and intermediate wheel 9 ratio is Z = 180/6 with m = 0.079 mm with a whip position identical to that of the previous version. However, the aesthetics of the tourbillon carriage is penalized by the external toothing.

The grip at rest (stopping phase) on the blade 3a of the rake 3 is 0.08 mm, which is comfortable for an escapement anchor, but probably a little weak compared to the length of the rake. Construction can easily gain 25% by increasing the working radius of the 3a pallet. If it is necessary to earn more, it is necessary to work on the tooth of the SFA and change its ratio with the rake. Anyway, the increase in displacement (for safety) on the pallet 3a increases the risks associated with friction.

For the adjustment of the torque, the spring 4 of the rake 3 of SFA comprises an eccentric part 34 as previously indicated, for the adjustment of its force at the level of the end opposite to the blocking part. There can be an adjustment of the amplitude of the constant force, or an adjustment of the quality of the jump according to the variations of torque supplied by the gear train.

It should be noted that it can be imagined to make the stop member 3, which can be the rake 3, and the spring 4 in a single piece, defined as a spring piece. This spring part 3, 4 may comprise in a blocking part, an edge portion 3b, which may be a finger 3b to come into contact with the cam 6 or the guide portion on the fixed second wheel 2, and a stop piece 3a on a side opposite the edge portion to block the blocking element 7 in the stop phase. This spring part can be more easily achieved than the assembly consisting of the stopper 3 and the spring 4 itself.

A version with a differential gear train makes it possible to achieve the equivalent to this solution for a gear train that does not include a tourbillon as explained below with reference to the figure 5 of a traditional movement. At least one satellite 51, 52 pivots on the second wheel 2, which is pivoted on its second pinion 5. The satellites mesh with a crown 53 to form a flat differential gear, but any type of differential may be suitable. Thus, both the crown 53 and the satellite(s) 51, 52 pivoting around the seconds pinion 5 are not integral with the fixed accumulation seconds wheel 2. The crown 53 is driven by the stop member 3, which can be considered as an accumulation second rake 3 and by its spring 4. The rake 3 pivots around an axis 33.

As a reminder with reference for example to the picture 3 , in the stopping phase, the going train is locked by the support of the whip 7 on the pallet 3a of the rake 3, and the escapement wheel set 11 with its escapement pinion 12 is driven by the seconds wheel 2, its rake 3 and the spring 4 of the rake. In the jump phase, the paddle 3a of the rake 3 releases the finishing gear. Seconds pinion 5 rotates 6° (one second) and resets spring 4 of rack 3 for seconds wheel 2. SFA rack 3 locks the going train. Finger 3b of rake 3 follows the movement of tooth 6, which is the cam, until pallet 3a is no longer in contact with the end of whip 7 to release the going train. We will not repeat all the other elements already mentioned before, which are sufficiently clearly shown in the previous figures.

The figure 4 shows a partial three-dimensional view from below of an embodiment of the watch movement with the going train 9, 10, 21, the barrel 25 connected by chains 24 to a rocket 23 to drive the going train, but without represent the wheel of accumulation seconds and the escapement with the oscillator. The spindle 23 comprises peripheral toothing for meshing with a coaxial pinion 22 of a large medium wheel 21, which drives in rotation via a peripheral toothing a toothed pinion 20 in a position coaxial with the medium wheel 10, which can be driven by an intermediate axial toothed pinion 19 of the intermediate wheel 9, which itself is driven by the axial locking pinion 8 of the whip 7.

The figure 5 additionally represents another schematic embodiment of a traditional mechanical watch movement with the going train and the force control mechanism according to the invention. Certain elements already described with reference to the figures 1 to 3 are found in this form of execution of the traditional movement, which does not include a tourbillon. But there is an accumulation of energy by a spring 4 connected to a stop member 3 rotatably mounted around an axis 33 as already described above. In this case, the spring 4 has a tendency to pull the stop member 3 in the stop phase of the movement.

In this embodiment, it is again possible to specify the 2 phases, which are on the one hand the stop phase and on the other hand the jump phase. In the stopping phase, the going train 5, 8, 9, 10 is locked by the pressing of a tooth of the blocking element 7 against the pallet 3a of the stop member 3. The mobile escapement 11 is driven by the fixed accumulation seconds wheel 2 in the counter-clockwise direction (SIAM) by the action of the spring 4 on the stopper 3. In the jump phase, the pallet 3a of the stop member 3 is moved to release the going train. At the same time, the second pinion 5 rotates 6° clockwise (SAM) and driving the crown 53 via the satellite wheels 51, 52 also clockwise. , which also makes it possible to reload the spring 4. As the pallet 3a of the stopper 3 returns to the locking position, the stopper 3 again locks the going train for a new operation in the stop phase to maintain the operation of the escapement mechanism linked to the oscillator.

Satellite wheels 51, 52 are also mounted in connection with the second pinion 5 coaxial with the second wheel 2. The stop member 3 can be an arcuate plate 3 pivoting around the axis 33 and held or pulled by the spring 4 in this embodiment. A rim portion, which is made in the form of a toothed circular portion 3b, can be in contact with a guide portion, which is a toothed cam portion 6 in the form of a circular arc on the crown 53. In a stopping phase, the stop pallet 3a of the stop member 3 is in contact with a tooth of a locking element 7, which comprises in a central portion an axial locking pinion 8 to drive the intermediate wheel 9 having peripheral teeth. The blocking element 7 may comprise several teeth on its periphery to come into contact with the stop pallet 3a in the stop phase. In the jump phase, the blocking element 7 is released to rotate through an angle of 120° defining the second jump, as there are 3 blocking teeth.

In the stop phase, the escapement wheel set 11 is driven by the fixed accumulation seconds wheel 2 via its coaxial escapement pinion 12 meshing with a toothing on the periphery of the fixed seconds wheel accumulation 2. During the jump phase, this accumulated energy is supplied to the going train for the jump of the second. The middle wheel 10 driven by the intermediate pinion 19 of the intermediate wheel 9, has teeth on the periphery to mesh with the coaxial second pinion 5 for the second jump. Without direct influence on this jump phase, a large middle wheel 21 has a toothing on the periphery to mesh with a middle coaxial pinion 20. By the action of the second pinion 5, when the going train is in operation, the arrangement by the differential with the satellite wheels 51, 52 and the crown 53 makes it possible to rearm the spring 4 of the SFA to find again in the stop mode with the pallet 3a blocking the blocking element 7 by one of its teeth.

The mobile or second wheel can be pivoted on a ball bearing carried by the plate.

The figure 6 shows a cross-section from bottom to top of the mechanism at the center of the tourbillon as shown in part above with reference to the figure 1 . It is particularly noticeable in this figure that the second pinion 5 is the axis of the cage 15 of the tourbillon with two pivot heads. The tourbillon cage 15 encloses the escapement mechanism with the escapement mobile 11, the Swiss lever 13 and in connection with the oscillator 14 which is the balance spring.

On the figure 6 , the fixed accumulation seconds wheel 2 meshes with the escapement pinion 12, so that when the tourbillon cage 15 turns every second, a rotation is also performed for the escapement mechanism linked to the oscillator and is also the fixed accumulating seconds wheel 2.

The guide cam 6 is effectively secured to the fixed accumulation second wheel 2. The rake 3 comprises a part in contact with the cam 6 in the form of a tooth and, on the other side, a blocking pallet 3a to block the whip 7 in a stop mode. The whip 7 also includes an axial locking pinion 8, which can be rotated when the whip 7 is released in the jump mode. All other elements have already been explained above and will not be repeated again.

From the description which has just been made, multiple variants of the watch with a mechanical movement with a force control mechanism and of the jumping seconds type can be designed by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the claims. The mechanical movement may be a traditional mechanical movement with an accumulating seconds wheel also in connection to drive or maintain the escapement wheel set with the oscillator in a stop phase.

Claims (14)

Mechanical movement watch (1) with a force control mechanism, and of the jumping seconds type, the force control mechanism being arranged in a gear train (5, 8, 9, 10) of the mechanical movement, which is arranged between an energy source (25) and an escapement wheel set (11) comprising an escapement mechanism linked to an oscillator (14) intended to be set in oscillation during normal operation by a drive generated by said source of energy to rotate said escape wheel (11) always in a single direction of rotation at each half-oscillation of the oscillator (14), said escape wheel (11) meshing with a seconds wheel (2), characterized in that said force control mechanism comprises a rotary blocking element (7) arranged to cooperate with a stop member (3) mechanically linked to said second wheel (2) to block in a stop mode or release in a jump mode said going train according to the angular position of said second wheel (2), and a spring (4) of the stop member (3) for rotating the seconds wheel (2) and the escapement mechanism linked to the oscillator (14) at each half-oscillation of the oscillator ( 14) in shutdown mode, and a going train enabling the rotary blocking element (7) and a seconds pinion (5) coaxial with said seconds wheel (2) to rotate in order to perform a one-second jump in jump mode , and also enabling the spring (4) of the stopper (3) to be reset in conjunction with the second pinion (5), while enabling the rotary blocking element (7) and the gear train to be locked for the stop mode following the jump mode. Mechanical movement watch (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the spring (4), once wound, is arranged to push the stopper member against a cam (6) or a guide portion to drive the seconds wheel (2) in rotation and enable the escapement mechanism linked to the oscillator (14) to be driven into a stop mode. Mechanical movement watch (1) according to Claim 2, characterized in that the stopper (3) is a rack (3) rotatably mounted around an axis (33) at one end and comprising at one part blocking at a second end, an edge portion (3b) arranged to, under the action of the rake spring (4), follow the profile of said cam (6) or of the guide portion to drive the wheel in rotation second (2), and a stopper (3a), such as a pallet (3a), arranged on a side opposite the edge portion (3b) and arranged to block the rotary blocking element ( 7) in a stop mode. Watch with mechanical movement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotary blocking element (7) is a whip (7), which is produced according to a LIGA or DRIE process. Watch with mechanical movement (1) according to Claim 3, characterized in that the spring (4) is mounted on a plate by a fixing rod (44) passing through either a first hole (4a) or a second hole ( 4b) of an end plate of the spring (4) according to the desired position of the spring, in that the metal spring is composed from the fixing plate of a leaf spring, where a free end of the leaf spring (4 ) is fixed to an eccentric piece (34) arranged next to the axis (33) of the first end of the rake (3), in such a way as to push the rake in the direction of the cam (6), to allow adjustment of spring force. Mechanical movement watch (1) according to Claim 3, characterized in that the edge portion (3b) of the rake (3) is a finger (3b) resting on the cam (6) in the form of a tooth. Watch with mechanical movement (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the stopper (3) and the spring (4) form a single piece, defined as a spring piece (3, 4). Watch with mechanical movement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, for which the watch is a tourbillon watch, the axis of a cage (15) of the tourbillon enclosing the escapement mechanism linked to the oscillator ( 14), is the second pinion (5), characterized in that in a stop mode with locking of the going train (5, 8, 9, 10), the second wheel (2) is arranged to drive by small steps in a first direction of rotation, the escapement wheel set (11) at each half-oscillation of the oscillator (14) by the action of the spring (4) against an integral cam (6) of the seconds wheel (2), and that in a jump mode on release of the going train, the seconds pinion (5) is driven by a wheel (10) of the going train to perform an angular jump of one second corresponding to the number of small steps taken to drive the second wheel (2) in the stop mode, in a second direction of rotation opposite to the first direction of rotation, the tourbillon cage (15), the escapement mechanism with the oscillator (14) and the seconds wheel (2) linked to the escapement mechanism being rotated through an angle of 6° corresponding to one second in the jump mode, and a rearming of the spring (4) is carried out to start a successive stop mode with blocking of the going train. Mechanical movement watch (1) according to Claim 8, characterized in that the first direction of rotation is an anti-clockwise rotation, while the second direction of rotation is a clockwise rotation. of a watch. Watch with mechanical movement (1) according to Claim 3, characterized in that the blocking element (7) is a whip (7), which comprises a first blocking rod part and a second blocking rod part with respect to at its center which includes the axial blocking pinion (8) in such a way as to make a half-turn in the jump mode before being blocked by the pallet (3a) of the rake (3) in the stop mode. Watch with mechanical movement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the seconds wheel (2) comprises peripheral toothing meshing with an escapement toothed pinion (12) coaxial with said escapement wheel set (11), a middle wheel (10) of the going train having peripheral toothing meshing with the axial second gear toothed pinion ( 5) coaxial with said second wheel (2), an intermediate wheel (9) which also comprises said going train comprising an intermediate axial toothed pinion (19) meshing with a toothing on the periphery of the middle wheel (10), said wheel intermediate (9) comprising a toothing on the periphery to mesh with said axial locking pinion (8) integral with said rotary locking element (7). Watch with a mechanical movement (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the escapement mechanism is a Swiss lever escapement mechanism (13) of the mechanical movement, and in that the said oscillator (14) is a pendulum- hairspring intended to be set into oscillation by a drive generated by a mainspring (25) constituting said energy source in normal operating mode. Watch with mechanical movement (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the blade (3a) of the rake is made of a hard material, such as ruby, to reduce friction. Watch with mechanical movement (1) according to Claim 1, for which the watch comprises a traditional mechanical movement without a tourbillon, characterized in that the second wheel (2) pivots on the second pinion (5), which is connected by a or two rotary satellites (51, 52) to a crown (53) forming a differential gear not integral with the seconds wheel (2), in that the crown (53) carries a toothed cam portion (6) in the form of a circular arc as a guide portion, in that the stopper (3) is rotatably mounted around an axis (33) and comprises an edge portion, which is designed as a portion toothed circular (3b), which meshes with the toothed cam portion (6), in that in a stop mode with locking of the going train (5, 8, 9, 10), the second wheel (2 ) is arranged to drive by small steps in a first direction of rotation, the escapement wheel set (11) at each half-oscillation of the oscillator (14) by the action of the spring (4), which pulls the stop member (3 ) up to a position for releasing the going train for the jump mode, in that in a jump mode on releasing the going train, the second pinion (5) is driven by a wheel (10) of the going train to perform an angular leap of one second corresponding to the number of small steps performed to drive the seconds wheel (2) in the stop mode, and in that the crown (53) is driven by the second pinion (5) clockwise to reload the spring (4) and block the going train for a successive stop mode.

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