Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B21/00—Indicating the time by acoustic means
  • G04B21/02—Regular striking mechanisms giving the full hour, half hour or quarter hour
  • G04B21/08—Sounding bodies; Whistles; Musical apparatus
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B23/00—Arrangements producing acoustic signals at preselected times
  • G04B23/02—Alarm clocks
  • G04B23/12—Alarm watches to be worn in pockets or on the wrist
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B21/00—Indicating the time by acoustic means
  • G04B21/02—Regular striking mechanisms giving the full hour, half hour or quarter hour
  • G04B21/12—Reiterating watches or clocks
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B23/00—Arrangements producing acoustic signals at preselected times
  • G04B23/02—Alarm clocks
  • G04B23/028—Sounding bodies; boxes used as sounding cases; fixation on or in the case
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B37/00—Cases
  • G04B37/0075—Cases with means to enhance sound transmission
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B47/00—Time-pieces combined with other articles which do not interfere with the running or the time-keeping of the time-piece
  • G04B47/02—Installations within mirrors, pictures, furniture or other household articles
  • G04B47/025—Installations within mirrors, pictures, furniture or other household articles in musical instruments or loudspeakers

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a timepiece comprising a case having a caseband, a back and a bezel, a movement and a device for generating vibrations intended to produce at least one sound, housed in said box, a device for amplifying the vibrations. generated by said vibration generator device, and a membrane arranged to receive said amplified vibrations and generate sound from the inside to the outside of the timepiece.
• Such a timepiece is for example a striking watch (such as a minute repeater, grand strike, small strike, alarm clock) for which the vibration generating device is for example a gong arranged to be struck by a hammer when the ringtone is engaged to generate vibrations to produce sound.
• the gong is conventionally in the form of a leaf spring wrapped around the movement.
• the gong is mounted integral with the frame (all of the plate and the bridges) of the watch by means of a heel or gong holder, in order to transmit the vibrations of the gong to the whole of the watch (frame, movement , trim components).
• the vibrations of the gong are transmitted to the wearer of the watch with maximum intensity.
• One way to amplify the sound is to increase the impact force of the hammer on its tone. This made it possible to have a sound gain but the sound quality was degraded by parasitic noise.
• the timepiece described in application EP 3525045 proposes to solve this problem by using a sound transmission bridge mounted on the plate or more generally on an element of the frame, said transmission bridge also being in contact with a membrane fixed on the build.
• the sound transmission bridge also vibrates in the same way and transmits this same vibration to the membrane.
• the transmission bridge contributes to a significant air displacement which allows to improve the intensity and the sound quality.
• the transmission bridge can be integral with other elements of the frame than the plate, it can transmit vibrations to the membrane from other elements of the frame around other components of the movement.
• the present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks by providing a timepiece comprising a device for generating vibrations intended to produce at least one sound and a device for amplifying these vibrations making it possible to amplify said generated sound significantly.
• Another aim of the present invention is to make it possible to amplify the sound generated without parasitic noise, or at least by limiting said parasitic noise.
• the present invention relates to a timepiece comprising a case having a caseband, a back and a bezel, a movement and a device for generating vibrations intended to produce at least one sound, housed in said case, a device for amplification of the vibrations generated by said vibration generator device and a membrane arranged to receive said amplified vibrations and generate sound from the inside to the outside of the timepiece.
• the vibration amplification device comprises a lever mounted to pivot on a support in a pivoting plane not parallel to the plane of the membrane and arranged to be actuated by a transmission member cooperating with the vibration generating device for transmit vibrations to the lever, said lever also being integral with the membrane at least in translation in the pivot plane so that a displacement of the transmission member generated by the vibration of said transmission member in connection with the device generating vibrations and transmitted to the membrane by means of the lever actuated by said transmission member generates an amplified displacement of said membrane, so as to generate an amplified sound.
• the vibrations generated are recovered on the lever which is arranged to mechanically amplify said vibrations before transmitting them to the membrane, producing a first amplification of the sound.
• the vibration amplifying device is isolated from the movement so that no vibration is transmitted to elements of the movement and / or the frame (plate and bridges).
• the membrane is preferably advantageously placed outside the movement, and in particular in the bezel or in the back of the part, the membrane is itself isolated from the movement, so that none of the vibrations transmitted to the membrane is dissipated in movement.
• the timepiece according to the invention generates little, or even generates no, parasitic noise linked to the vibrations of elements of the movement and / or of the frame.
• a compression chamber arranged to amplify the sound which has been generated by the displacement of the membrane, before its exit to the outside.
• the timepiece according to the invention makes it possible to produce significantly amplified sounds and with little, if any, parasitic noise.
• FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a timepiece according to a first embodiment of the invention
• FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view from the bottom side of the timepiece of Figure 1;
• FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the bottom of a timepiece according to a second embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 4 is a view of the membrane and the vibration amplifying device according to the first embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the membrane and the compression chamber
• FIG. 6 is a view of the means for adjusting the volume of the sound generated by the membrane
• FIG. 7 and 8 are partial sectional views showing respectively the volume adjustment means in the closed position and in the open position.
• FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the timepiece according to the invention showing the closing of the openings of the compression chamber outside the sound generation time.
• the present invention relates to a timepiece comprising a case having a caseband, a back and a bezel, a movement and a device for generating vibrations intended to produce at least one sound, housed in said box, a device for amplifying the vibrations. generated by said vibration generator device and a membrane arranged to receive said amplified vibrations and generate sound from the inside to the outside of the timepiece.
• said vibration amplification device comprises a lever mounted to pivot on a support in a pivot plane not parallel to the plane of the membrane and arranged to be actuated by a transmission member cooperating with the vibration generator device for transmitting vibrations to the lever, said lever also being integral with the membrane at least in translation in the pivot plane, the actuation point of the lever, the pivoting point of the lever and the linkage point of the lever with the membrane being positioned so that a displacement of the transmission member generated by the vibration of said transmission member in conjunction with the vibration generating device is transmitted to the membrane by means of the lever, actuated by said transmission member, in an amplified manner by the leverage effect of said lever.
• the vibration generator device may be a ringing bell arranged to be struck by a striking hammer, said ringing bell being integral with the transmission member, and said transmission member being integral with the lever.
• the vibration generator device may be a rotating disc and comprising an engraved groove arranged to generate a sound, the transmission member being a needle integral with the lever and arranged to follow the groove on the disc.
• the vibration generating device may be a music box comprising vibrating blades fixed by studs, the transmission member being integral with said studs and with the lever.
• the vibration-generating device is a striking gong struck by a striking hammer so that the timepiece includes a striking mechanism to indicate the time (minute repeater, large strike, small strike) or to ring at a predefined time (alarm clock).
• the timepiece is preferably a watch, and more preferably a wristwatch intended to be worn by a user, on his wrist.
• the watch 1 comprises a case 2 having a caseband 3, a caseback 4, a bezel 5, and a first crystal 6.
• the caseback 4 is annular and its central opening is closed by a second ice 7, the function of which will be described below.
• the bezel and the middle part can be two different parts, or form a single one-piece part.
• the back and the middle part can be two different parts or form a single one-piece part.
• the vibration amplification device and the membrane are designed to generate sounds through the back of the watch, and more particularly through the second crystal 7. It is obvious that the vibration amplification device and the membrane can be arranged in a similar manner but in reverse to generate sounds on the dial side of the watch, and more particularly by the first crystal 6.
• watch 1 also comprises a movement (not shown) and a striking mechanism 9 constituting the device generating vibrations intended to produce at least one sound.
• the movement and the striking mechanism 9 are housed in the middle part 3 of the box 2, mounted on a frame 10 (plate and bridges).
• the striking mechanism 9 comprises, in a known manner, hammers 12 arranged to come strike the chime stamp 14, here in the form of a wire stamp or leaf spring wound around the movement.
• a device 16 for amplifying the vibrations generated by the gong 14 as well as a membrane 18 arranged to receive said amplified vibrations and generate a sound from the inside towards the end. outside of the watch.
• the membrane 18 is mounted on the back 4, parallel to said back 4, between the movement and the second crystal 7. It will be mounted inside the bezel 5, parallel to said bezel 5 , between the movement and the first crystal 6 when the sound will be transmitted to the dial side.
• the vibration amplification device 16 comprises a lever 20 linked to a support 22 by an articulation along a single axis of rotation, so that said lever 20 is mounted to tilt or pivot on said support 22 around said support. axis of rotation, in a pivot plane not parallel to the plane of the membrane 18.
• the lever 20 is pivotally mounted on its support 22 so that it swings in a pivot plane which is perpendicular to the plane defined by the membrane 18.
• the lever 20 is pivotally mounted on the support 22 by means of a flexible ball joint 24.
• the flexible ball joint allows, if necessary, to change the direction of the vibrations.
• the ringing gong the latter tends to vibrate radially, in the direction of the strike of the hammer.
• the position of the flexible ball 24 of the lever 20 makes it possible to modify the direction of the radial vibrations of the gong by 90 ° to transform them into movements perpendicular to the plane of the membrane 18 by means of the pivoting of said lever 20.
• the lever 20 is pivotally mounted on the support 22 by means of a pin 26 mounted transversely on the support 22 and constituting the pivot axis of the lever 20.
• the support 22 is constrained by a spring 27.
• the lever 20 is arranged to be actuated by a transmission member 28 cooperating with the gong 14 to transmit the vibrations to the lever 20.
• the transmission member 28 is preferably integral with the lever 20. It consists for example of a heel or gong holder integral with the lever 20 and in which the gong 14 is mounted, for example by embedding, locking by a screw or brazing. For this purpose, the transmission member 28 has an orifice 30 into which the stamp 14 is introduced.
• the gong 14 is integral with the lever 20 and is not fixed, via a heel, on the frame of the watch.
• the transmission member 28 can be attached or in one piece with the lever 20. When the lever 20 is made of steel, the gong 14, the transmission member 28 and the lever 20 can be made in one piece. room.
• the lever 20 is also integral with the membrane 18 at least in translation in the pivot plane of the lever 20 in order to be able to move said membrane 18 in the pivot plane of the lever 20 during its tilting. It is the linear movement of the membrane 18 moved by the lever 20 that will generate a sound.
• the lever 20 comprises a first end 20a pivotally mounted on the support 22 and integral with the transmission member 28 and a second end 20b integral with the membrane 18 at least in translation in the pivot plane of said lever 20.
• the transmission member 28 being fixed relative to the gong 14
• the lever 20 is fixed in translation and is linked to the membrane 18 in a fixed manner, that is to say that it is integral with the membrane 18 in rotation and in translation.
• the fixing of the lever 20 to the membrane 18 can be done for example by means of a screw 32 screwed into a hole 34 provided on the membrane 18 and in a hole 36 provided on the lever 20, or by gluing, welding, etc. .
• the lever and the needle are arranged to allow a displacement in translation in the plane of the membrane of the lever and of the needle, the lever remaining integral in translation in the plane of pivoting, of the membrane 18, in order to be able to move it in its pivot plane during its tilting.
• the point of actuation of the lever 20 by the transmission member 28, the pivot point of the lever 20 and the point of connection of the lever 20 with the membrane 18 are positioned so that a displacement of the transmission member 28 generated by the vibration of said transmission member 28 in connection with the gong 14 and transmitted to the membrane 18 by means of the lever 20 actuated by said transmission member 28 generates an amplified displacement of said membrane 18 by a mechanical effect of the arm of lever, which generates amplified sound.
• the flexible ball joint 24 is positioned on the center of mass of the stamp / lever / membrane assembly.
• the point of connection of the lever 20 with the membrane 18 is located at a distance from the center of said membrane 18 of less than 40%, preferably less than 20%, of the width of said membrane 18.
• the point of connection of the lever 20 with the membrane 18 is located at the center of said membrane 18, in order to have a maximum lever arm effect.
• connection point at the periphery of the membrane, by varying the elasticity of the attachment point and the torsion of the membrane.
• the vibration amplification device and more particularly the support 22 of the lever 20 is isolated from the movement, the striking mechanism 9 and the frame 10.
• the support 22 of the lever 20 can be isolated from the movement. mounted on an element of the casing and more particularly on the bezel 5 if the sound is transmitted on the dial side, on the back 4, if the sound is transmitted through the back.
• the bell 14 being embedded in the transmission member 28 integral with lever 20, said bell 14 is not fixed to the frame via a heel, as traditionally, but seems to float around the movement.
• the support 22 of the lever 20 can also be mounted on the movement, or even on the middle part 3, but via an insulating element 35, such as a polymer, in order to guarantee the isolation of the support 22 from the movement, of the middle and the frame.
• an isolation device on the movement, between the movement and said element of the box which carries the support 22 of the lever 20.
• an isolation device may for example be a brass ring associated with a flat seal or a polyetheretherketone insulating ring ( PEEK) loaded with carbon.
• PEEK polyetheretherketone insulating ring
• said bezel 5, respectively said bottom 4 can be assembled directly on the middle part 3 in a conventional manner.
• said bezel 5, respectively said bottom 4 is assembled on the middle part 3 by means of an insulating element, such as 'a polymer.
• the membrane 18 is mounted on the back 4, if the sound is transmitted through the back, or the bezel 5 if the sound is transmitted on the dial side. Thus, the membrane 18 is also isolated from the movement and from the striking mechanism 9.
• the vibration amplifying device and the diaphragm are isolated from the movement and the frame so that all gong vibrations picked up by the lever 20 are directed and transmitted to the diaphragm 18, without transmission to the movement, to the frame or to the middle.
• the lever 20 is preferably made of a very light and very rigid material.
• the lever 20 can be made of steel, titanium, aluminum, magnesium, composite material, carbon, glass, sapphire and ceramic.
• the membrane 18 must be able to vibrate freely. It is preferably made from a very light and rigid material in order to have a great dynamic response and not to deform when moving.
• the membrane 18 is preferably made of a transparent material.
• the membrane 18 can be made in the form of a plate, in sapphire, mineral glass, plexiglass, etc.
• the membrane 18 can be formed by a third inner crystal arranged under the second crystal 7 (or the first glass 6 if applicable).
• the membrane 18 can also be made of composite materials, cellulose, or composite glass of the safety glass type. It is obvious that the membrane 18 can also be made of a material that is not completely transparent, such as translucent or opaque materials, such as metallic glass, titanium, silicon, ceramic, carbon fiber composite, cellulose, kevlar.
• the membrane 18 must be as rigid and as light as possible. For this, its thickness is less than 1 mm, preferably less than 0.5 mm and more preferably less than 0.3 mm.
• the membrane 18 is preferably mounted on a suspension to allow it to vibrate freely while ensuring the seal.
• the suspension can be produced by means of a shaped seal arranged around the membrane 18 or an O-ring seal arranged at the periphery on either side of the membrane 18, between said membrane 18 and the bottom 4 (or bezel 5 if applicable).
• the timepiece further comprises a compression chamber 40 arranged to amplify the sound which has been generated by the displacement of the membrane, having already been amplified a first time, before its exit to the outside. .
• the compression chamber 40 is closed by a wall disposed downstream of the membrane 18 and having at least one opening 42 directed towards the outside of the part.
• the dimensions of the opening 42 are chosen relative to the surface of the membrane 18 depending on the desired amplification of the sound.
• said wall is formed by the second lens 7.
• Said second lens 7 must be strong and scratchproof. It is preferably made of sapphire.
• the wall disposed downstream of the membrane 18 makes it possible to generate a certain volume of air in the compression chamber 40.
• the displacement of the membrane 18 generates a compression of this air.
• the ratio between the surface of the moving membrane 18 defining the volume of air and the size of the openings will allow a second amplification of the sound to be generated.
• the opening 42 can be in different shapes: hole in the center of the wall, here the second mirror 7, several side holes, a multitude of micro holes, etc.
• the shape of the outlet opening can be conical to amplify more sound.
• the opening 42 may be in the form of one or more longitudinal grooves extending around the middle part, parallel to the plane of the movement, and obtained by leaving a space, for example between the bottom 4 and the middle part 3 if the membrane 18 is placed on the bottom 4, as shown in FIG. 9.
• Such lateral openings 42 advantageously make it possible to redirect the sound generated by the membrane 18 onto the arm of the wearer of the wristwatch, giving to the wearer the sensation of an even more amplified sound.
• the timepiece advantageously comprises means 44 adjustable for shutting off the opening 42 of the compression chamber 40 arranged to be able to adjust the volume of the sound generated by the membrane 18.
• closure means 44 are arranged to be able to be moved between a closed position in which the opening 42 is fully closed and an open position in which the opening 42 is maximum, the intermediate positions making it possible to block the opening 42 to a greater or lesser extent in order to adjust the sound volume.
• the closure means 44 may comprise a rotating element such as a ring, mounted in rotation on the base 4, and arranged to rotate between a closed position in which the opening 42 is fully plugged, as shown in Figure 7, and an open position in which the opening 42 is maximum, as shown in Figure 8.
• the opening 42 can be protected by a filter permeable to air and impermeable to water, in order to prevent impurities from entering the compression chamber 40.
• filters are known from the person skilled in the art.
• the timepiece may comprise a mechanism for closing the opening 42 of the compression chamber 40 arranged to close said opening 42 once the sound has been generated, for example. outside of ringing time.
• a mechanism for closing the opening 42 of the compression chamber 40 arranged to close said opening 42 once the sound has been generated, for example. outside of ringing time.
• the closing mechanism may include a closing member 46, such as a ring, controlled by the striking mechanism so as to close the opening 42 automatically once the ringing has ended.
• a closing member 46 such as a ring
• a reflector arranged to allow the generated sound to go up on the side of the watch.
• a reflector is for example positioned on the outside of the caseback, and has outer conical walls surrounding the caseback and directed towards the watch.
• the timepiece according to the invention allows a significant amplification of the sound: the ratio of the first amplification carried out by means of the lever 20 is of the order of 10 to 16. In addition, due to the ratio between the surface in movement of the membrane 18 and the opening 42 (surface ratio of 20 to 30), the ratio of the second amplification is of the order of 1.5.
• the ratio of the total amplification achieved by the watch according to the invention is such that a sound greater than 80 dB can be obtained, or even 90 dB, compared to a standard minute repeater sound of 60 dB.
• the construction and mounting of the amplification device isolates the vibration generating device and the diaphragm from movement, frame and caseband, so that all vibrations are directed to the diaphragm by means of the lever. without going through movement. There is therefore little or no noise, generally linked to the vibrations of the components of the movement.
• the striking power on the gong can be increased without impacting the vibrations of the components in the movement.
• the amplification device with the membrane being integral with the back or the bezel, it is possible to easily access the movement and the gongs for their adjustment after only removing the back, respectively the bezel.
• the construction of the amplification device with the membrane is such that the tightness of the box has no impact on the sound volume, unlike all the other principles of minute repetitions, for example.
• the membrane with its suspension seals the system with the exception of the compression chamber 40. The latter can be sealed by a filter system.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Electromechanical Clocks (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

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• 2019
  • 2019-10-25 EP EP19205438.5A patent/EP3812844B1/de active Active
• 2020
  • 2020-10-23 WO PCT/EP2020/079950 patent/WO2021078968A1/fr unknown
  • 2020-10-23 JP JP2022524031A patent/JP2022553980A/ja active Pending
  • 2020-10-23 CH CH01368/20A patent/CH716753A2/fr unknown
  • 2020-10-23 CN CN202080079352.4A patent/CN114730158B/zh active Active
  • 2020-10-23 EP EP20792694.0A patent/EP4049092A1/de active Pending
  • 2020-10-23 US US17/770,550 patent/US20220382217A1/en active Pending

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