EP4312087A1 - Annual calendar mechanism for timepiece movement - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an annual calendar mechanism (10) for a watch movement. The annual calendar mechanism comprises a date ring (12) provided with internal teeth (14), a 24-hour finger (18) arranged to rotate 360° every 24 hours and a trigger device. The triggering device is arranged to rotate, in a dragging manner, the date ring (12) in order to effect the transition from an indication of one day to an indication of the next day of the current month or the following month almost instantly. The trigger device comprises a rotary trigger member (22) comprising at least one trigger finger (24; 24a, 24b), a rotating leading member (50) in direct or indirect engagement with the internal teeth (14) of the date ring (12) and integral with the rotary trigger member (22), and a trigger lever (56). The annual calendar mechanism (10) further comprises a month cam (60) and a month rocker (63) arranged to cooperate with respectively the month cam (60), the triggering device and at least one element of actuation (16; 16a, 16b), integral with the date ring (12), in order to manage the transition from the indication of the last day of months of 30 and 31 days to the indication of the 1<sup>st< /sup> of the following month.

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to an annual calendar mechanism for a watch movement, comprising a date ring and a trigger device arranged to rotate, in a dragging manner, the date ring in order to effect the passage of an indication of one day to an indication of the next day of the current month or the following month almost instantly.

State of the art

The annual calendar has a mechanical memory, so to speak, taking into account the difference between months of 30 and 31 days. Therefore, a correction should only be made each year at the end of February.

There are currently many annual calendar mechanisms. For exemple, EP2479622 discloses an annual calendar device for a timepiece comprising a date ring carrying 31 digits appearing successively through an aperture. The ring has internal teeth with 31 teeth located on a first level. The device further comprises a wheel driving the date ring making one revolution in twenty-four hours, and a mechanism carried by the wheel and rotating with it. The mechanism comprises a first finger driving a tooth of the date ring by one step, at the end of each day, as well as a second finger driving the date ring by an additional step at the end of the last day of a month containing less than 31 days.

This date device includes a jumper for positioning the date ring, like many other known date mechanisms. The use of a positioning jumper is necessary to maintain one of the digits of the month in position in the aperture in the event of impact.

These jumpers, however, have the disadvantage of consuming energy, which has a significant impact, particularly on the power reserve of the watch movement. Furthermore, the actuation of the date ring to display the next digit according to known jumper devices can oscillate between 30 minutes and several hours. Although the date change is done at night, reading the date at a late hour is not optimal.

Brief summary of the invention

An aim of the present invention is therefore to propose an annual calendar mechanism for a timepiece, adapted to minimize energy consumption when the date jumps.

Another aim of the present invention is to propose an annual calendar mechanism for a timepiece, comprising a triggering device for carrying out the transition from an indication of a day of a month to an indication of the following day of the current month or the following month almost instantly.

These goals are achieved in particular by means of an annual calendar mechanism for a watch movement, comprising a date ring provided with internal teeth, a 24-hour finger arranged to rotate 360° every 24 hours and a trigger device arranged to rotate, in a dragging manner, the date ring in order to effect the transition from an indication of one day to one indication of the next day of the current month or the following month almost instantly. For this purpose, the trigger device comprises a rotary trigger member comprising at least one trigger finger, a rotating member engaging directly or indirectly with the internal teeth of the date ring and secured to the rotary trigger member, and a trigger flip-flop. The trigger lever comprises a first beak arranged to cooperate with the 24 hour finger, and a second beak arranged to cooperate with the rotary trigger member so that the trigger lever can be moved, every 24 hours, by one engaged position, in which the trigger member is locked in rotation by the rocker, to a disengaged position, in which the rotary trigger member is rotated, under the action of the torque transmitted by the driving rotating member, in order to rotate the date ring.

The annual calendar mechanism further comprises a month cam and a month rocker arranged to cooperate respectively with the month cam, the triggering device and at least one actuating element, secured to the date ring, in order to manage the transition from the indication of the last day of months of 30 and 31 days to the indication of the ^1st day of the following month.

According to one embodiment, the month rocker comprises an actuable arm arranged to be out of the path of said at least one actuation element when the month rocker is actuated, by the month cam, in a first position corresponding to a month of 31 days. The actuable arm is also arranged to be in the path of said at least one actuation element when the month rocker is actuated, by the month cam, in a second position corresponding to a month of 30 days. In this second position, the actuating element can actuate the month lever in a third position so that it acts on the trigger device in order to actuate the date ring so as to switch between two successive day indications almost instantly.

According to one embodiment, the trigger device comprises a trigger module comprising the rotary trigger member. This comprises a single trigger finger arranged to cooperate with the second beak of the trigger rocker in order to lock the trigger module. The 24 hour finger is arranged to allow the second beak to be released from the trigger finger in order to unlock the trigger module.

The trigger module further comprises a finger cam mounted on the rotary trigger member, a retractable finger arranged to cooperate with the finger cam, an elastic member arranged to hold the retractable finger against the finger cam as well as a cam actuator integral with the finger cam. This actuator is arranged to rotate the finger cam relative to the rotary trigger member so that the retractable finger is in contact with respectively a first and a second cam profile to be able to bring the retractable finger respectively into a deployed configuration , in which the finger can be brought into abutment against the second nose of the trigger lever, and in a retracted configuration, in which the finger is released from the second nose. The trigger module also includes the rotating driving member which is integral with the rotating trigger member.

The month rocker is arranged to act on the cam actuator so that the retractable finger is in the deployed configuration during a month at 31 days so that the retractable finger and the trigger finger can work alternately in order to rotate the date ring each day by a first predefined angle, and this throughout the 31-day month. The month switch is also arranged to act on the cam actuator so that the retractable finger is in the retracted configuration on the 30th of a month to 30 days to make the retractable finger inactive in order to rotate the date ring by a second predefined angle twice as much larger than the first angle in order to make the transition from the indication of “30” to the indication of the ^1st of the following month.

According to one embodiment, the rotating driving member is arranged to rotate by a first angle, for example a rotation of 180°, each time the trigger module is unlocked by the 24 o'clock finger when the retractable finger is in the deployed configuration. The rotating driving member is also arranged to rotate by a second angle, for example a rotation of 360°, when the retractable finger is in the retracted configuration to effect the transition from the indication of 30 to the indication from the ^1st of the following month.

According to one embodiment, the cam actuator comprises a peripheral part comprising external teeth comprising a plurality of teeth and a central part arranged inside the peripheral part. The central part to the peripheral part are connected together by an elastic connection so as to make possible a relative rotation between these two parts in order to be able to bring the retractable finger from the retracted configuration to the deployed configuration and vice versa.

According to one embodiment, the central part of the cam actuator is integral with the driving rotating member. The finger cam is mounted on a pivot of the rotary trigger member. The month rocker is configured to allow the peripheral portion of the cam actuator to be blocked in order to pivot the finger cam relative to the rotary trigger member from a first angular position to a second angular position.

According to one embodiment, the elastic connection comprises a first and a second jumper. The peripheral part has an internal profile comprising several recesses. The saltire heads of the first and second saltires are arranged in two diametrically opposed hollows.

According to one embodiment, the month rocker further comprises an actuating rod comprising a hook making it possible to hook a tooth of the peripheral part of the cam actuator so as to induce the relative rotation between the peripheral and central parts of the actuator.

According to one embodiment, the month rocker comprises an actuating arm intended to act on the trigger rocker in order to release the second beak of the trigger rocker from the rotary trigger member when the month rocker is pivoted in the third position by the actuating element. The month rocker is arranged to be maintained in this third position as long as the actuating element cooperates with the actuable arm. This allows the rotating member leading to actuate the date ring so as to make the transition from the indication of the 30th of a month to 30 days to the indication of the ^1st of the following month almost instantly. .

According to one embodiment, the actuable arm has a curved surface. The actuating member is arranged to move against and along the curved surface to maintain the month rocker in the third position. The curved surface defines an arc of a circle whose angle is sufficient so that the trigger lever can be, on the one hand, maintained in said released position when said finger or one of at least two fingers of the rotary trigger member and, on the other hand, brought into said engaged position before the next passage of said finger or before the passage of another finger of said at least two fingers.

According to one embodiment, the rotary trigger member comprises a first and a second trigger finger which are diametrically opposed. The actuating element is arranged to maintain the month lever in the third position in order to allow the passage of one of these two fingers. The rotary trigger member can thus rotate 360° in order to move from the indication of the “30th” of the month at 30 days to the indication of the ^1st of the following month.

According to one embodiment, the date ring has only one actuation element to manage the transition from the indication of the last day of the months at 30 and 31 days to the indication of the ^1st day of the month following.

According to one embodiment, the rotating driving member is arranged to drive the date ring via at least one wheel, preferably by a gear train comprising at least a first and a second wheel. The first wheel is engaged with the rotating driving member while the second wheel is engaged with, on the one hand, the first wheel and, on the other hand, the internal teeth of the date ring.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a watch movement comprising the annual calendar mechanism according to the invention and to a timepiece comprising such a movement.

Brief description of the figures

• la figure 1 illustre une vue de dessus d'un mécanisme de quantième annuel comprenant un dispositif de déclenchement comportant un module de déclenchement agencé pour coopérer avec une bascule de déclenchement, selon un premier mode d'exécution ;
• la figure 2 illustre une vue en éclaté du module de déclenchement de la figure 1 ;
• les figures 3 à 7 illustrent des vues de dessus d'une séquence opérationnelle du mécanisme de quantième annuel de la figue 1 lors du passage d'un mois à 31 jours au mois suivant;
• les figures 8 à 18 illustrent des vues de dessus d'une séquence opérationnelle du mécanisme de quantième annuel de la figue 1 lors du passage d'un mois à 30 jours au mois suivant;
• les figures 19 à 21 illustrent des vues de dessus d'une séquence opérationnelle d'un mécanisme de quantième annuel, selon un second mode d'exécution, lors du passage du dernier jour d'un mois à 31 jours au premier jour du mois suivant, et
• les figures 22 à 25 illustrent des vues de dessus d'une séquence opérationnelle du mécanisme de quantième annuel, selon le second mode d'exécution, lors du passage du dernier jour d'un mois à 30 jours au premier jour du mois suivant.

Examples of implementation of the invention are indicated in the description illustrated by the appended figures in which:

• there figure 1 illustrates a top view of an annual calendar mechanism comprising a trigger device comprising a trigger module triggering arranged to cooperate with a trigger flip-flop, according to a first mode of execution;
• there figure 2 illustrates an exploded view of the trigger module of the figure 1 ;
• THE figures 3 to 7 illustrate top views of an operational sequence of the annual calendar mechanism of Fig 1 during the transition from one month to 31 days to the next month;
• THE figures 8 to 18 illustrate top views of an operational sequence of the annual calendar mechanism of Fig 1 during the transition from one month to 30 days to the next month;
• THE figures 19 to 21 illustrate top views of an operational sequence of an annual calendar mechanism, according to a second mode of execution, during the transition from the last day of a month at 31 days to the first day of the following month, and
• THE figures 22 to 25 illustrate top views of an operational sequence of the annual calendar mechanism, according to the second mode of execution, during the transition from the last day of a month with 30 days to the first day of the following month.

Detailed description of the modes of execution of the invention

In reference to the figure 1 , the annual calendar mechanism 10, according to a first embodiment, comprises a date ring 12 provided with internal teeth 14, a 24-hour finger 18 arranged to perform one rotation every 24 hours as well as a trigger device arranged For rotate the date ring 12 in order to effect the transition from an indication of one day to an indication of the next day of the current month or the following month. The transition from an indication of the day to an indication of the next day is done in a dragging manner, that is to say by means of a gear comprising in the present example a wheel 50 engaged with the internal teeth 14 of the date ring 12.

According to a variant not shown, the date ring can be driven by a gear train comprising several wheels. This has the advantage of offering a certain freedom in the choice of the location of the trigger device in the movement.

The trigger device comprises a trigger module 20 as well as a trigger flip-flop 56 arranged to cooperate, on the one hand, with the trigger module 20 and, on the other hand, with the 24h finger 18. To this end , the trigger lever 56 comprises a first beak 57 located on the path of the 24 o'clock finger and a second beak 58 arranged to cooperate with the trigger module 20 in order to lock the latter and thus prevent any rotation of the date ring 12. The trigger module 20 is unlocked when the 24h finger 18 pivots the trigger lever 56 by its action on the first beak 57 thereof.

This makes it possible to release, every 24 hours, the second beak 58 of the rocker 56 of the trigger module 20 allowing the latter to drive the date ring 12 via the wheel 50 in order to carry out the passage from an indication of one day to an indication of the following day almost instantly, that is to say of the order of a few seconds. A rocker spring 59 is arranged to re-engage the trigger rocker 56 with the trigger module 20 after each passage of the finger for 24 hours 18.

Still according to the figure 1 , the annual calendar mechanism 10 further comprises a month cam 60 and a month rocker 63 arranged to cooperate with the month cam 60. Conventionally, the month cam 60 is engaged with the movement in order to carry out every month a rotation of a twelfth of a turn. This cam comprises a series of first cam sectors 61 for the 30-day months extending radially from a disc located at the center of the cam as well as a series of second cam sectors 62 for the 31-day months which are interspersed between the first cam sectors 61.

The month lever 63 is arranged to cooperate respectively with the month cam 60, the triggering device and two actuating elements 16a, 16b, for example two pins, secured to the date ring 12, in order to manage the passage 30 day months. More particularly, the month rocker 63 comprises a feeler 65 arranged to cooperate with the first and second cam sectors 61, 62, an actuable arm 64 as well as an actuating rod 66, one end of which is provided with a hook 67 intended to cooperate with the trigger module 20. The first pin 16a is positioned for example between the indications of the ^28th and ^29th day while the second pin 16b is positioned for example between the indications of the ^30th and ^31st day. The pins can be positioned and fixed elsewhere on the date ring 12 depending on the position of the aperture 80 relative to the month rocker 63. A rocker spring 68 forces the feeler 65 of the month rocker 63 against the month cam 60.

According to figure 2 , the trigger module 20 comprises a rotary trigger member 22, preferably in the form of a disc, provided with a trigger finger 24 and comprising a pivot 26, a retractable finger 28 fixed on the trigger disc 22, a finger cam 34 pivotally mounted on the pivot 26 of the trigger disc, a cam actuator 38 secured to the finger cam 34, as well as the pinion 50 secured to of the trigger disc 22 and engaged with the internal teeth 14 of the date ring. The retractable finger 28 comprises a flexible blade 30 holding the finger against the finger cam 34. The flexible blade 30 is fixed on the trigger disc 22 and is curved so as to extend for example over 180° around the finger cam 34.

This preferably has a symmetrical shape and whose contour is made up of two diametrically opposed sectors and each comprising a first and same profile 35 as well as two other diametrically opposed sectors and each comprising a second and same profile 36. The retractable finger 28 can thus be brought into a deployed configuration, in which the finger can be brought into abutment against the second beak 58 of the trigger lever 56, and in a retracted configuration, in which the finger 28 is released from the second beak 58. The finger retractable finger 28 is positioned so that it is diametrically opposite the finger 24 of the trigger disc 22 when the retractable finger is in its deployed configuration.

The cam actuator 38 comprises a peripheral part 40, a central part 44, which will hereinafter be called a hub, arranged inside the peripheral part 40, and an elastic connection connecting the central part 44 to the peripheral part 40 so as to make possible a relative rotation between these two parts 40, 44. The peripheral part 40 has external teeth, for example of the wolf-tooth type, comprising several teeth 41, and an internal profile 42 comprising several recesses 43.

The elastic connection can for example comprise a first and a second jumper 48a, 48b. The blades of the jumpers are connected to two portions of the hub 44 which are diametrically opposed. The respective blades of the first and second jumpers 48a, 48b are also curved so that the jumper head 49a, 49b, located at one end of each blade, is housed in a hollow 43 of the internal profile 42 of the peripheral part 40 of the cam actuator 38 which is diametrically opposite the point of attachment of the blade to the hub 44. The latter comprises in its center a wheel support 46 on which is chased wheel 50.

This arrangement allows relative movement between the finger cam 34 and the drive disk 22 which is necessary for the correction which must be carried out at the end of a month to 30 days according to the detailed description which will be made later.

When the trigger module 20 is in a locked configuration, the wheel 50 is under tension and exerts a torque on the trigger disc 20. The wheel 50 can for example be connected to the barrel ratchet by a gear train as well as to a differential in order to allow the barrel to transmit its energy to the movement when the trigger module 20 comprising the wheel 50 is in a locked configuration.

This annual calendar mechanism has the advantage, through its type of drive of the date ring, of ensuring good retention of this ring in the event of an impact while consuming less energy than known date mechanisms using a positioning jumper necessary to maintain the ring.

The operation of the annual calendar mechanism 10 will now be described with reference to the figures 3 to 18 .

According to Figure 3 , the date ring 12 is positioned to indicate the 29th of a month at 31 days through the aperture 80. The sensor 65 of the month rocker 63 is in contact with one of the second cam sectors 62 of the month cam 60. This makes it possible to position the actuable arm 64 of the rocker 63 in a first position in which the first and second pins 16a, 16b can pass through a clearance (not visible), made on the actuable arm, so that the rocker of months 63 is not actuated when the pins pass. The retractable finger 28 is, at this moment, abutting against the second nose 28 of the trigger lever 56 thus locking the trigger module 20. In this configuration, the retractable finger 28 exerts a force against the second nose 58 of the rocker 56 since the wheel 50 exerts a torque on the trigger disc 22 to which the finger 28 is attached ( figure 2 ).

In view of the figures 3 and 4 , the action of the 24h finger 18 on the first beak 57 of the trigger lever 56 raises the latter, which makes it possible to unlock the trigger module 20. The wheel 50 can thus rotate under the action of the gear train meshing with the barrel ratchet of the movement, which makes it possible to rotate the date ring 12. The rotation of the wheel 50 also drives the trigger finger 24 which is secured to the trigger disc, which is secured to wheel 50.

The rocker spring 59 makes it possible to return the trigger rocker 56 to its rest position in order to stop the rotation of the finger 24 by the second nose 58 of the rocker as illustrated in the Figure 5 . The trigger disc and the wheel 50 will then have rotated by 180°, which ensures the transition from an indication of one day to an indication of the following day, that is to say in the example illustrated from “29” to “30”.

Unlocking the trigger module 20, 24 hours later, by the finger 18 makes it possible to rotate the date ring 12 again, via the wheel 50, but this time it is the finger retractable 28, and not the trigger finger 24, which abuts against the second nose 58 of the rocker 56 as illustrated in Figure 6 . The trigger disc and the wheel 50 will then have rotated again by 180°, which ensures the transition from the indication “30” of the month to the indication “31” of the month.

In reference to the Figure 7 , unlocking the trigger module 20, 24 hours later, allows the date ring 12 to rotate again until the trigger finger 24 abuts against the second beak 58 of the trigger lever 56.

Thus, the retractable finger 28 and the trigger finger 24 work alternately to allow the trigger module 20 to be locked after the 180° rotation of the wheel 50 of the trigger module every 24 hours. It will be noted that the first and second pins 16a, 16b of the date ring 12 have passed through the actuation arm 64 of the month lever 63 without having actuated the latter.

In reference to the figure 8 , the month cam 60 was actuated by the movement of a twelfth of a turn so that the feeler 65 of the month rocker 63 is in contact with one of the first cam sectors 61 of the month cam . The month rocker has therefore tilted so that the actuating arm 64 can be actuated when the first and second pins 16a, 16b of the date ring 12 pass. The passage from the indication "29" to the indication “30” from one month to 30 days, depending on figures 8 And 9 , is carried out in the same way as a month with 31 days. On the other hand, for the passage from the 30th to the ^1st of the following month, the first pin 16a actuates the actuable arm 64 of the month rocker 63, which allows the latter to pivot and engage the hook 67 of the rod. actuation 66 with the trigger module 20 as illustrated in Figure 10 . The hook 67 is thus on the path of a tooth 41 of the cam actuator 38 ( figure 2 ).

According to figures 11, 12 and with regard to the arrangement of the different components of the trigger module 20 illustrated in figure 2 , the hook 67 retains a tooth 41 of the peripheral part 40 of the cam actuator 38 thus immobilizing this part without however hindering the actuation of the date ring 12 by the wheel 50. Immobilization of the peripheral part 40 of the cam actuator 38 by the hook 67 generates a relative movement of 90° between the hub 44 and the peripheral part 40 of the actuator.

This makes it possible to dislodge the jumper head 49a, 49b of the first and second jumpers 48a, 48b from their respective hollows 43 located on the internal profile 40 of the peripheral part 40 and to position these jumper heads in two other hollows located on this profile internal 42 ( figure 2 ). The finger cam 34, which is integral with the cam actuator 38, is thus pivoted by 90°, around the pivot 26 of the trigger disc 22, from a first position to a second stable position.

This 90° rotation of the finger cam 34 makes it possible to bring and hold the retractable finger 28 against a sector of the cam 34 having the second profile 36, which has the consequence of bringing the retractable finger 28 into its configuration retracted as illustrated in Figure 12 . When the first pin 16a is released from the actuable arm 64 of the month rocker, the latter is pivoted until the feeler 65 again comes into contact with one of the first cam sectors 61 of the month cam 60, under the action of the rocker spring 68, thus releasing the hook 67 from the trigger module 20 as can be seen in the figure 13 .

Thus, for the transition from "30" to the ^1st of the following month, when the trigger finger 24 of the trigger module 20 is pressed against the second nose 58 of the trigger rocker 56 according to the Figure 9 and that the 24h18 finger subsequently lifted this rocker ( Figure 10 ), the disc trigger 22 is driven in rotation by 360°. The rotation of the trigger disc can in fact only be stopped, at this instant, by the contact of the trigger finger against the second nose 58 of the trigger lever 56 according to the Figure 14 since the retractable finger has become inactive. The wheel 50 is therefore driven by the movement not of 180° but of 360° allowing the passage from the 30th of a month to 30 days on the ^1st of the following month.

At this moment, the second pin 16b is about to actuate the actuable arm 64 of the month rocker 63 again. Unlocking the trigger module 20, 24 hours later, by the finger 18 makes it possible to drive again in rotation the date ring 12. The second pin 16b actuates the actuable arm 64 of the month rocker 63, which allows the latter to pivot again and engage the hook 67 of the actuating rod 66 with the trigger module 20 as illustrated in Figure 15 . The hook 67 is thus on the path of a tooth 41 of the cam actuator 38 ( figure 2 ).

According to figures 2 , 16 to 18 , the hook 67 again retains a tooth 41 of the peripheral part 40 of the cam actuator 38 thus immobilizing this part 40 without however hindering the actuation of the date ring 12 by the wheel 50. The immobilization of the peripheral part 40 of the cam actuator 38 again generates a relative movement of 90° between the hub 44 and the peripheral part 40. This makes it possible to dislodge the jumper head 49a, 49b of the first and second jumpers 48a, 48b from their respective hollows 43 located on the internal profile 40 of the peripheral part 40 and to position the heads 49a, 49b in the two other hollows located on this internal profile 42 ( figure 2 ).

The finger cam 34 is thus pivoted again by 90°, around the pivot 26 of the trigger disc 22, between two stable positions. This additional rotation of 90° of the finger cam 34 makes it possible to bring and hold the retractable finger 28 against a sector of the cam 34 having the first profile 36, which has the consequence of bringing the retractable finger 28 back from its retracted configuration to its deployed configuration as illustrated in Figure 17 . Once the second pin 16b is released from the actuable arm 64 of the month rocker 63, the latter is pivoted under the action of the rocker spring 68 in order to release the hook 67 of the trigger module 20 and to bring the feeler 65 against one of the first sectors 61 of the month cam.

The retractable finger 28 and the trigger finger 24 can thus work again alternately to allow the trigger module 20 to be locked after a 180° rotation of the wheel 50 every 24 hours according to the Figure 18 and this from the start of a new month. This alternating work continues until the indication “31” if it is a month with 31 days or until the indication “30” if it is a month with 30 days, in which case the sequences described in relation to the figures 9 to 18 are repeated.

In reference to the Figure 19 , the annual calendar mechanism 10, according to a second embodiment, comprises a date ring 12 provided with internal teeth 14, a 24-hour finger 18 meshing with the movement to rotate 360° every 24 hours as well as a trigger device arranged to rotate the date ring 12 in order to effect the transition from an indication of one day to an indication of the next day of the current month or the following month.

The triggering device comprises a rotating driving member 50, for example a driving wheel, engaged with a gear train comprising for example a first wheel 51 meshing with the driving wheel 50 and a second wheel 52 engaged with the first wheel 51 and the internal teeth 14 of the date ring 12. The driving wheel 50 is integral with a rotating member trigger 22, for example in the form of a disc, comprising a first and a second trigger finger 24a, 24b which are diametrically opposed. Like the first embodiment, the driving wheel 50 is under tension and can for example be connected to the barrel ratchet by a gear train as well as to a differential in order to allow the barrel to transmit its energy to the movement when the driving wheel is blocked from rotating.

The trigger device further comprises a trigger lever 56 arranged to cooperate, on the one hand, with the trigger disc 22 and, on the other hand, with the 24h finger 18. To this end, this trigger lever comprises a first beak 57 located on the path of the 24 o'clock finger and a second beak 58 arranged to cooperate with the first and second trigger fingers 24a, 24b of the trigger disc in order to lock the latter and thus prevent any rotation of the ring date 12. The trigger disc 22 is unlocked when the 24h finger 18 pivots the trigger lever 56 by its action on the first beak 57 thereof.

This makes it possible to release, every 24 hours, from the trigger disc 22 the second beak 58 of the rocker allowing the trigger disc 22 to drive the date ring 12 under the action of the torque of the driving wheel 50 by the intermediate of the gear train comprising the driving wheel 50 as well as the first and second wheels 51, 52. This makes it possible to carry out the transition from an indication of one day to an indication of the following day almost instantaneously, c that is to say of the order of a few seconds. A rocker spring 59 is arranged to re-engage the trigger rocker 56 with one or the other of the two trigger fingers 24a, 24b of the trigger disc 20 after each passage of the 24h finger 18.

Still according to the Figure 19 , the annual calendar mechanism 10 further comprises a month cam 60 and a month rocker 63 arranged to cooperate with the month cam 60. Conventionally, the month cam is engaged with the movement in order to carry out all the months a rotation of a twelfth of a turn. This cam comprises a series of first cam sectors 61 for months of 30 days extending radially from a disc located at the center of the cam and a series of second cam sectors 62 for months of 31 days which are interposed between the first cam sectors 61.

Like the first embodiment, the month rocker 63 comprises a feeler 65, arranged to cooperate with the first and second cam sectors 61, 62 of the month cam 60 under the action of a spring of rocker 68, an actuable arm 64, as well as an actuation arm 66. The actuable arm 64 makes it possible to position the month rocker in a first and a second position in order to manage the passage of months of 30 and 31 days according to the description below. The actuation arm 66 has an end which is intended to cooperate not with a trigger module, according to the description which has been made with regard to the first mode of execution, but directly with the trigger rocker 56, and more particularly with an actuable arm 56a.

Unlike the first embodiment, the date ring 12 of the annual calendar mechanism 10 only comprises a single actuating member 16, for example a pin, secured to the date ring 12 and positioned between the indications of the ^29th and ^30th day, in order to manage the passage of months of 30 and 31 days. The actuating member 16 can however be fixed elsewhere on the date ring depending on the position of the aperture 80 relative to the month lever 63.

For the passage of the indication “31” from one month to 31 days on the ^1st of the following month according to the figures 19 to 21 , the feeler 65 of the cam rocker 63 cooperates with one of the second sectors 62 of the month cam 60. The actuable arm 64 is at this moment in a first position in which the pin 16 can pass through a clearance (not visible), made on the actuable arm, so that the rocker of months 63 is not actuated when the pin passes.

The 24h finger 18 can thus lift, every 24h, the trigger rocker 56 in order to release one of the two trigger fingers 24a, 24b from the second beak 58 of the rocker 56 allowing the driving wheel 50 to rotate the date ring 12. The rotation of the driving wheel 50 also causes the trigger disc 22 to rotate as illustrated in Figure 20 . The rocker spring 59 makes it possible to return the trigger rocker 56 to its active position so that the trigger disc 22 can be stopped after rotation thereof by 180° by contact with the other of the two trigger fingers 24a, 24b against the second beak 58 of the trigger lever 56 as can be seen in the Figure 21 .

With reference to figures 22 to 25 , the month cam 60 was actuated by the movement of a twelfth of a turn so that the feeler 65 of the month rocker 63 can be in contact with one of the first cam sectors 61 of the month cam ( figures 22 And 25 ). The month rocker 63 has therefore tilted so that the actuable arm 64 occupies a second position in order to be able to activate the month rocker when the pin 16 of the date ring 12 passes.

For this purpose, the actuable arm 64 comprises a curved surface 64a. When the pin 16 engages the actuable arm 64 of the month rocker 63, the latter is pivoted into a third position according to the sequence of movements illustrated by the figures 23 And 24 . According to these illustrations, the pin 16 allows, on the one hand, to activate the month rocker 63 in this third position and, on the other hand, to maintain the month rocker in this third position as long as the pin 16 moves along and against the curved surface 64a of the actuable arm 64 of the rocker.

The end of the actuating arm 66 of the month rocker 63, when the latter is brought into its third position, presses against an actuable arm 56a of the trigger rocker 56 in order to pivot the latter and maintain it in a clear position of the trigger disc 22 so that the second beak 58 of the trigger lever cannot interact with one or the other of the two trigger fingers 24a, 24b of the trigger disc when the corresponding finger passes opposite it of the rocker 56. The geometry of the curved surface 64a makes it possible to maintain the month rocker 63 in the third position for the time necessary for the trigger disc 22 to be able to complete a complete rotation of 360° to achieve the passage of the indication “30” of the month to the indication of the ^1st of the following month.

The curved surface 64a of the actuable arm 64 of the month rocker 63 therefore defines an arc of a circle whose angle corresponds for example to the angle of rotation of the date ring 12 to move from the indication of “30 » of the month to the indication of the ^1st of the following month. The curved surface 64a can nevertheless extend along an arc of a circle at an angle which is less than the angle of rotation of the date ring 12 to go from the indication of "30" of the month to the indication from the ^1st of the following month but sufficient for the trigger lever 56 to fall after the passage of one of the two trigger fingers 24a, 24b and before the passage of the other of the two trigger fingers 24a, 24b.

According to this second mode of execution, the month flip-flop 63 acts on the trigger flip-flop 56 at the end of a month at 30 days so that the second beak 58 of the latter can be released from the trigger disc 22 to allow one of the two trigger fingers 24a, 24b to pass. The rocker spring 59 makes it possible to return the trigger rocker 56 to its active position so that the second beak 58 can come into contact with the other of the two trigger fingers 24a, 24b. The date ring 12 can thus be driven at the end of each 30-day month by the gear train whose driving wheel 50 pivots 360° instead of the usual 180°. This makes it possible to activate the date ring 12, with an angular step twice as large as the usual steps occurring between the indication of the ^1st of the month until the indication of the 30th of the month.

According to a variant not shown, the rotary trigger member may have only one trigger finger like the first embodiment. In this variant, the rotating trigger member makes a complete rotation of 360° every 24 hours. At the end of each month with 30 days, the month rocker allows the second beak of the trigger rocker to be released from the rotary trigger member so that it can complete two complete revolutions, i.e. a rotation of 720° under the action of the gear train driven by the driving rotating member.

According to another variant not shown, the rotary trigger member may include more than two trigger fingers, for example three fingers. In these cases, the gear ratios of the gear train engaged with the internal teeth of the date ring are adapted accordingly as a function of the amplitude of the angular jump made by the rotary trigger member.

Reference list

• Annual calendar 10
  • Date ring 12
    • Internal teeth 14
    • Actuating element(s) 16; 16a, 16b (eg pin)
  • 24h18 finger
  • Trigger device
    Trigger module 20 ( ^1st embodiment)
    Rotary trigger member 22
    Finger trigger 24; 24a, 24b
    
    Rotating member leading 50
    • Wheel
    • First and second wheels 51, 52 ( ^2nd embodiment)
  • Trigger toggle 56
    • Operable arm 56a
    • First beak 57
    • Second beak 58
    • Rocker spring 59
  • 60 month cam
    • First sectors 61
    • Second sector 62
  • Month Toggle 63
    • Operable arm 64
      Curved surface 64a
    • Feeler 65
    • Actuating rod/arm 66
      Hook 67 ( ^1st embodiment)
  • Rocker spring 68
• Wicket 80

Claims (15)

Annual calendar mechanism (10) for a watch movement, comprising a date ring (12) provided with internal teeth (14), a 24-hour finger (18) arranged to rotate 360° every 24 hours and a device for trigger arranged to rotate, in a dragging manner, the date ring (12) in order to effect the transition from an indication of one day to an indication of the next day of the current month or the following month in an almost instantaneous, the trigger device comprising a rotary trigger member (22) comprising at least one trigger finger (24; 24a, 24b), a rotating leading member (50) in direct or indirect engagement with the internal teeth (14) of the date ring (12) and integral with the rotary trigger member (22), and a trigger lever (56) comprising a first beak (57) arranged to cooperate with the 24 hour finger (18), and a second nozzle (58) arranged to cooperate with the rotary trigger member (22) so that the trigger lever (56) can be brought, every 24 hours, from an engaged position, in which the trigger member (22) is locked in rotation by said rocker (56), at a disengaged position, in which the rotary trigger member (22) is rotated under the action of the torque transmitted by the rotating driving member (50) in order to rotate the date ring (12), the annual calendar mechanism (10) further comprising a month cam (60) and a month rocker (63) arranged to cooperate with the month cam respectively (60), the trigger device and at least one actuating element (16; 16a, 16b), secured to the date ring (12), in order to manage the transition from the indication of the last day of months of 30 and 31 days to the indication of the ^1st day of the following month. Mechanism (10) according to claim 1, in which the month rocker (63) comprises an actuable arm (64) arranged to be, on the one hand, outside of the path of said at least one actuation element (16; 16a, 16b) when the month rocker (63) is actuated, by the month cam (60), in a first position corresponding to a month of 31 days and, on the other hand, on the path of said at least one actuation element (16; 16a, 16b) when the month rocker (63) is actuated, by the month cam (60), in a second position corresponding to a month of 30 days, so that said at least one actuating element (16; 16a, 16b) can actuate said rocker (63) in a third position so that it acts on the triggering device in order to actuate the trigger ring. date (12) so as to effect the transition of two successive day indications almost instantly. Mechanism (10) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the trigger device comprises a trigger module (20) comprising: the rotary trigger member (22) comprising a single trigger finger (24) arranged to cooperate with the second nose (58) of the trigger rocker (56) in order to lock the trigger module (20), the trigger finger 24h (18) allowing the second nozzle (58) to be released from the trigger finger (24) in order to unlock the trigger module (20), a finger cam (34) mounted on the rotary trigger member (22), a retractable finger (28) arranged to cooperate with the finger cam (34), an elastic member (30) arranged to hold the retractable finger (28) against the finger cam (34), a cam actuator (38) integral with the finger cam (34), the cam actuator (38) being arranged to rotate the finger cam (34) so that the retractable finger (28) is in contact with respectively a first and a second cam profile (35, 36) to be able to bring said finger respectively into a deployed configuration, in in which the finger (28) can be brought into abutment against the second nose (58) of the trigger lever (56), and in a retracted configuration, in which the finger (28) is released from said second nose (58), and said rotating driving member (50), and in which the month rocker (63) is arranged to act on the cam actuator (38) so that the retractable finger (28) is, on the one hand, in the deployed configuration over the course of a month to 31 days so that the retractable finger (28) and the trigger finger (24) can work alternately in order to rotate, each day, the date ring, and on the other hand, in the retracted configuration at the 30 of a month to 30 days in order to make the retractable finger (28) inactive to effect the transition from the 30th to the ^1st of the following month. Mechanism (10) according to the preceding claim, in which the rotating driving member (50) is arranged to rotate by a first angle, for example a rotation of 180°, each time the trigger module (20) is unlocked by the 24 o'clock finger (18) when the retractable finger (28) is in the deployed configuration, said rotating driving member (50) being furthermore arranged to rotate by a second angle corresponding to twice the first angle, for example a 360° rotation, when the retractable finger (28) is in the retracted configuration for the passage from the 30th to the ^1st of the following month. Mechanism (10) according to claim 3 or 4, in which the cam actuator (38) comprises a peripheral part (40) comprising external teeth comprising a plurality of teeth (41), a central part (44) arranged at the inside the peripheral part (40), and an elastic connection (48, 49) connecting the central part (44) to the peripheral part (40) so as to make possible a relative rotation between said peripheral and central parts (40, 44) in order to be able to bring the retractable finger (28) from the retracted configuration to the deployed configuration and vice versa. Mechanism (10) according to the preceding claim, in which the central part (44) is integral with the rotating driving member (50), the finger cam (34) being mounted on a pivot (26) of the rotating member of trigger (22), the month rocker (63) being configured to allow the blocking of the peripheral part (40) of the cam actuator (38) in order to pivot the finger cam (34) relative to the member rotary trigger (22). Mechanism (10) according to claim 5 or 6, in which the elastic connection comprises a first and a second jumper (48a, 48b), the peripheral part (40) comprising an internal profile (42) comprising several recesses, the jumper heads (49a, 49) of the first and second jumpers being arranged in two diametrically opposed hollows. Mechanism (10) according to one of claims 5 to 7, in which the month rocker (63) further comprises an actuating rod (66) comprising a hook (67) making it possible to hook a tooth (41) of the peripheral part of the cam actuator (38) so as to induce the relative rotation between the peripheral and central parts (40, 44) of said actuator (38). Mechanism (10) according to claim 2, in which the month rocker (63) further comprises an actuating arm (66) intended to act on the trigger rocker (56) in order to release the second beak (58) from said rocker (56) of the rotary member triggers (22) when the month rocker (63) is pivoted into the third position by the actuating element (16), the month rocker (63) being arranged to be maintained in this third position as long as the actuating element (16) cooperates with the actuable arm (64) in order to allow the rotating driving member (50) to actuate the date ring (12) so as to achieve the transition from the indication of the 30th of a month to 30 days to the indication of the ^1st of the following month almost instantly. Mechanism (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the actuable arm (64) comprises a curved surface (64a), said actuating element (16) being arranged to move against and along the curved surface (64a) to to maintain the month lever (63) in said third position, said curved surface (64a) defining an arc of a circle whose angle is sufficient so that the trigger lever (56) can be, on the one hand, held in said position released upon passage of said finger (24) or one of at least two fingers (24a, 24b) of the rotary trigger member (22) and, on the other hand, brought into said engaged position before the next passage of said finger (24) or before the passage of another finger of said at least two fingers (24a, 24b). Mechanism (10) according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the rotary trigger member (22) comprises a first and a second trigger finger (24a, 24b) which are diametrically opposed, the actuating element (16) being arranged to maintain the month lever (63) in said third position in order to allow the passage of one of the first and second trigger fingers (24a, 24b) of the rotary trigger member (22) so that said rotary member (22) can rotate 360° in order to move from the indication of the “30th” of the month at 30 days to the indication of the ^1st of the following month. Mechanism (10) according to one of claims 9 to 11, in which the date ring (12) has only one actuating element (16) to manage the passage of the indication of the last day of the months of 30 and 31 days to the indication of the ^1st day of the following month. Mechanism (10) according to one of claims 9 to 12, in which the rotating driving member (50) is arranged to drive the date ring (12) via at least one wheel, preferably by a gear train comprising at least a first and a second wheel (51, 52), the first wheel (51) being engaged with the rotating driving member (50), the second wheel (52) being engaged with, on the one hand, the first wheel (51) and, on the other hand, the teeth internal (14) of the date ring (12). Watch movement comprising the mechanism (10) according to one of the preceding claims Timepiece comprising the watch movement according to the preceding claim.

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