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
  • G04B19/00—Indicating the time by visual means
  • G04B19/02—Back-gearing arrangements between gear train and hands
• • 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
  • G04B19/00—Indicating the time by visual means
  • G04B19/04—Hands; Discs with a single mark or the like
  • G04B19/048—Hands; Discs with a single mark or the like having the possibility of indicating on more than one scale, e.g. hands with variable length which work on different scales
• • 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
  • G04B19/00—Indicating the time by visual means
  • G04B19/20—Indicating by numbered bands, drums, discs, or sheets
• • 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
  • G04B19/00—Indicating the time by visual means
  • G04B19/20—Indicating by numbered bands, drums, discs, or sheets
  • G04B19/21—Drums
• • 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
  • G04B19/00—Indicating the time by visual means
  • G04B19/24—Clocks or watches with date or week-day indicators, i.e. calendar clocks or watches; Clockwork calendars
  • G04B19/243—Clocks or watches with date or week-day indicators, i.e. calendar clocks or watches; Clockwork calendars characterised by the shape of the date indicator
  • G04B19/257—Clocks or watches with date or week-day indicators, i.e. calendar clocks or watches; Clockwork calendars characterised by the shape of the date indicator drum-shaped or three-dimensional shaped
• • 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
  • G04B45/00—Time pieces of which the indicating means or cases provoke special effects, e.g. aesthetic effects
  • G04B45/0007—Light-, colour-, line-, or spot-effects caused by parts or pictures moved by the clockwork
• • 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
  • G04B45/00—Time pieces of which the indicating means or cases provoke special effects, e.g. aesthetic effects
  • G04B45/0038—Figures or parts thereof moved by the clockwork
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
  • G09F11/00—Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the complete information is permanently attached to a movable support which brings it to the display position
  • G09F11/02—Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the complete information is permanently attached to a movable support which brings it to the display position the display elements being secured to rotating members, e.g. drums, spindles

Definitions

• 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.
• the aim of horological complications is to provide demanding users with timepieces capable of performing complex functions, and / or featuring 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 guaranteeing the chronometric qualities of the basic movement, which must not be altered by the addition of complications.
• the invention proposes to produce a watch with displays that are both innovative and extremely logical, and therefore easy to read by the user.
• 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.
• FIG. 1 shows, 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 with twelve fixed cylinders 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;
• FIG. 2 shows, similarly to Figure 1, the underside of the watch of Figure 1; the transparent back shows the power barrels of the watch, more specifically intended for driving this display;
• FIG. 3 shows, schematically, and in perspective, part of the display control mechanism, with a first driver devoted to driving the pistons, and which comprises this crankshaft, two crankpins carrying two plates which each have a large fixed connecting rod and five small connecting rods articulated on chainring pins;
• - Figure 4 shows, schematically, partial, and in sectional view passing through an elementary axis of one of the cylinders, the inner part of this same cylinder located under the transparent envelope of Figure 1, and which comprises a hours body which is the perforated mobile bearing the hour digit (s), which coaxially surrounds the piston from which the control rod articulated to a piston pin is visible;
• the valve is movable coaxially with the piston, and includes an indicator optical which is a visual cue, 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 part fastening integral with the piston;
• - Figure 5 shows, schematically, partial and in perspective, another part of the display control mechanism, and its control mechanism, with a second trainer devoted to the training of the hours bodies, comprising a central wheel with an annular bearing surface, the straight internal teeth of which mesh with straight intermediate gears; these pinions each mesh with a straight tooth
• FIG. 6 shows, schematically, partially and without the supporting structure, part of the moving components of the display mechanism, in a variant where the hour bodies are transparent moving bodies comprising hour markings, this figure shows the cooperation of the crankshaft of FIG. 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;
• Figures 7 to 9 illustrate the rotation of the hours digit in its cylinder: - Figure 7 shows the hours digit 11 of Figure 6, surmounted by its dynamic index point, which approaches the static index also in tip which is related 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
• FIG. 8 shows a configuration where the hour number 2 of FIG. 6 is not visible, since it is hidden in the rear part of the cylinder; on the other hand, this detail clearly shows 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; figure 9 shows the hour number 12 of 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 hours body is aligned with the static index carried by a fixed part, in this case a guide ball bearing in rotation of the hour body;
• FIG. 10 illustrates a variant where the cylinder structure has radially spaced graduations, for the display of each minute within a slice of
• FIG. 11 is a side view of a timepiece, here a wristwatch, comprising the mechanism of FIG. 1, and which shows the alternation on two parallel levels of two stars of six cylinders each;
• - Figure 12 shows, schematically, partial and in partially exploded perspective, part of Figure 6, in which one can see in the center the radial drive mechanism of the pistons, comprising a crankshaft to which are articulated the connecting rods not shown, on two superimposed stages, and on the periphery the cogs for rotating the hour digits in the cylinders;
• FIG. 13 is an enlarged detail of Figure 12, showing only the rotational drive cogs of the hour digits;
• FIG. 14 is another detail of Figure 6, we see the fixed and articulated connecting rods from the plates of the crankshaft; 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, a single elongation of the valve relative to the piston for the identification of its cylinder as an active cylinder for the display of the minutes ; - Figure 15 shows, similarly to Figure 14, the lower part of the mechanism, where the probe rotation control cam is visible, here attached to a movable minute
• FIG. 16 similar to Figure 15, shows the drive by the movement of a toothed ring synchronizing the drive cogs in rotation of the hour digits;
• - Figure 17 is a top view of the crankshaft for controlling the radial movement of the pistons;
• FIG. 18 is a section through this linkage, passing through the axis of the crankshaft and one of the fixed connecting rods;
• FIG. 19 is a perspective view, cut by a plane passing through the central axis, and partial, of the crankshaft and its plates;
• FIG. 20 is a schematic perspective view of a cylinder and control elements for the rotation of the hour digit by gear train, the radial translation of the piston by movement of a connecting rod, and the radial translation of the valve by rotation of the probe; the piston is guided by two guide rods fixed to the structure of the watch case;
• FIG. 21 is a view similar to Figure 20, which shows, from above and coaxially with the piston, the hour number, itself surmounted by a tubular body of hours, transparent at least facing the user in a front 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 in Figures 15 and 16;
• FIG. 22 is a section, by a plane passing through the crankshaft axis, of the part of the mechanism illustrated by Figure 20; we see a square 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 hold it in one of its two positions; here the valve is in the retracted position, and the cylinder concerned does not display the current minutes;
• FIG. 23 is a view perpendicular to the crankshaft axis of the part of the mechanism shown in 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 °;
• FIG. 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;
• FIG. 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;
• FIG. 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;
• FIG. 27 is a functional block diagram of a first variant of a timepiece comprising a display mechanism according to the invention.
• FIG. 28 is a functional block diagram of a second variant of a timepiece comprising a display mechanism according to the invention.
• FIG. 29 shows, schematically, and in perspective, a watch comprising a display mechanism according to the invention.
• the invention relates to a timepiece, in which the display of magnitudes is distributed over several entities, each activated at a particular time.
• the display of temporal quantities is broken down into slices, in particular into equal slices.
• a single entity displays at a given moment the current time.
• 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 the use of these same entities for the display of the minutes in 5-minute increments. Any rational combination of multiples integers allows for logical displays.
• 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.
• the first display 901 surrounds the second display 902, or vice versa.
• the first display 901 surrounds the second display 902 are juxtaposed within the same display medium 10.
• the first control mechanism and the second control mechanism can be operated independently. one from the other, and constitute separate mechanisms, one for controlling in translation and the other for controlling in rotation, or vice versa.
• 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.
• 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 display comprises a valve 16, which is movable between an activated position where the valve 16 lets see the optical indicator 14 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.
• valve 16 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.
• 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.
• 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 by this display 901 or 902.
• 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 is broken down. magnitude, by splitting over separate 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. .
• 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 the first displays 901 and 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 has a control mechanism 300, which is arranged to drive wheels or drive linkages of the different mobile display that the display mechanism 100 comprises.
• This control mechanism 300 comprises a first driver 111, arranged to be driven by a clockwork movement 200 and alone to drive all the first displays 901 when it includes them, and / or comprises a second driver 112, arranged to be driven by a clockwork movement 200 and alone to drive all the second displays 902 when it includes them.
• the display mechanism 100 comprises, in each elementary display support 10, at least a first display 901 and a second display 902, which are coaxial with each other.
• 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 probe 19 being returned to bear towards the cam 2 by elastic return means 190 or 497.
• the display 901 or 902 which comprises an optical indicator
• This optical indicator 14 is in particular, but not limited to, carried by the movable support or piston 8 or by the valve 16.
• 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. .
• 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.
• this mechanism may 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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:
• This clockwork display mechanism 100 comprises a plurality of separate elementary display supports 10 each extending according to a direction parallel or coincident with a radial elementary axis DA, and all distributed around a central axis D.
• the elementary axis DA is in particular a radial axis, perpendicular to the central axis D, or is a direction parallel to such radial axis.
• the timepiece 1000 takes the form of a star or double star aircraft engine, each radial cylinder enclosing here, without limitation, an elementary display support 10.
• each elementary display support 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 according to 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• the feeler 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.
• 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.
• cam 2 controls the minutes, and makes one revolution per hour.
• 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.
• 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.
• each movable support 8 is a piston, movable linearly between its two end-of-travel positions with a periodic movement.
• 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.
• the display mechanism 100 comprises a first display 901 in each support of elementary display 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 an alternating linear back-and-forth movement.
• 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
• 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 the activated position, and to command, at the same time, the placing in the deactivated position or respectively the maintenance in the deactivated position of the second optical indicators of all the other supports d 'elementary display 10.
• the display mechanism 100 comprises a second display 902 in each elementary display medium 10.
• 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.
• control mechanism 300 comprises a gear train with return mechanisms to drive all of the second displays 902 in a synchronized manner.
• 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. a particular embodiment as illustrated by the figures, the structure
• 900 is an additional board designed to be placed on top of a 200 watch movement.
• the structure 900 is the middle part or the case of the timepiece 1000 enclosing a timepiece movement 200.
• the display mechanism 100, or the timepiece movement 200 comprises , at the level of the interface between the display mechanism 100 and the clockwork movement 200, an adjustable friction mobile, engaged on the movement 200 to allow the adjustment, in particular the time setting, of the mechanism. 'display 100 by the winding and time-setting rod of the movement 200.
• 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 a central axis D, and axially offset to cooperate with two stages of the crankshaft 1, like the famous 18-cylinder "Pratt & Whitney ® R-2800" aircraft engine double star.
• 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.
• 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 star levels is primarily intended to simplify the movement distribution linkage in the cylinders, while limiting the diameter of the timepiece to a reasonable size.
• Each cylinder 10 has 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.
• 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.
• 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 of transparent material, in particular sapphire or the like, bearing a marking, by metallization or laser engraving or the like, with the corresponding hour number or 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.
• 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.
• 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 the pivoting of which causes a flag to appear in a window, as known from patent EP2595006 in the name of BLANCPAIN SA, or similar.
• the cooperation of magnets of the same or opposite polarity, carried by the hour body 30 and the structure 900 also allows the control of such a flag.
• an electrical contact in alignment with the indexes of the hour body 30 and the structure 900 allows the control of a lighting function, or the like.
• the display is made of that 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 the piston 8, opposite 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;
• the display of the current minute is carried out in each 5-minute period 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.
• 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 30 hour bodies in rotation; - at least one central crankshaft 1, arranged to actuate the pistons 8 in a reciprocating movement in translation in their respective 30 hour bodies;
• the hour display includes a 30 hour body which is a metal component with cut out 301 hour digits, which improves visibility and readability.
• crankshaft plate with twelve connecting rods is conceivable, the size and the fragility of the mechanism make it preferable solutions with several crankshaft plates 40 each driving a sub-multiple of 12: the illustrated version has two crankshaft plates 40 superimposed, each able to drive six pistons, with their trigger allowing the differentiation of piston 8 which displays the current minute.
• the 200 movement transfers energy, through cogs, to a movement output mobile which drives crankshaft 1, a 2 minute trigger cam, and 3 hour pinions.
• 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.
• crankshaft plates 40 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 galvanic treatment of the Nickel PTFE type makes it possible to obtain 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• the mechanism 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 valve 16 of piston 8 corresponding to the new 5-minute period 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.
• 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.
• an elastic mechanism comprising a jumper 17 which maintains this valve 16 against a fastener 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.
• 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 30 hour body 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.
• this or these digits 301 are also advantageously supplemented by a visual dynamic index 307 intended to align 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 body of hours 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 static timepieces such as clocks where the tubular diameters can be used. 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.
• the timepiece 1000 which comprises a timepiece movement 200, advantageously comprises a plurality of barrels 50 in parallel and / or in series. , whose resulting single output 51 feeds a multiplier gear 52, which feeds at least one crankshaft 1, which feeds an equalizer 53, which feeds the escapement 54 which cooperates in a conventional manner with the oscillator 55.
• the setting in parallel 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.
• the timepiece 1000 comprises two energy circuits, one for supplying the crankshaft 1, and the other for supplying the crankshaft 1. oscillator 55. At least two first barrels 501, or groups of barrels, are in parallel, supplying 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 barrel 502, or group of barrels, independent, supplies the oscillator 55 through a second multiplier gear 59 and a second escapement mechanism 54
• the geometric trigger mechanism 58 of the first multiplier gear 56 is kinematically linked and regulated by the second multiplier gear 59 regulated by the oscillator 55.
• Extrapolations can also include one or more cylinders 10 dedicated to different displays, for example, in addition to the hours / minutes display described here, a day / night or AM / PM display in an additional cylinder.
• a day / night or AM / PM display in an envelope 20 coaxial with the minutes piston and the hours body for example a cylindrelO can comprise, from its axis towards its periphery: the piston 8 for the minutes, the body d '30 hours, a transparent envelope with marking for day / night, another transparent envelope with marking for AM / PM.
• 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.
• 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.
• the invention relates to a watch, comprising a case enclosing 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.
• 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.
• the elementary display has its own guide support, a rolling bearing on which a rotary elementary display pivots, or a guide rod on which an elementary display slides in translation.
• the internal surface of the envelope of the elementary chamber, nor the external surface of the elementary display be cylindrical.
• 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, within 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 double star (two levels of stars superimposed), and each branch of the star 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.
• a single elementary display displays the instantaneous value of the quantity
• 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.
• the same basic room can contain several basic displays, of different types, superimposed one on the other, in particular nested one inside the other.
• the watch has twelve perforated or transparent rotating cages for displaying the hours, which are driven from the movement by a cog.
• the watch features linear motion pistons for the minute display, 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.
• 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.
• 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.

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• 2020
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• 2021
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