FR2906376A1 - INTERCHANGEABLE CLAMP WATCHING DEVICE - Google Patents

Abstract

Timepiece device comprising a casing (8) for dressing, at least one dial (1), at least one device (2) with needles integral with a dial (1) comprising at least two needles (3, 4) adapted to be able to be rotated about an axis (10) of rotation, an ice (11) of protection, a housing (7) of movement comprising a mechanism (9) of drive adapted to ensure a continuous rotation of the needles (3, 4) of each device (2) with needles, reversible coupling means between each device (2) with needles and said mechanism (9) for driving, characterized in that it comprises a device (15) two-state locking device for the needles of at least one needle device (2), adapted to ensure in a locked state, a locking of the needles (3, 4) relative to the dial (1) and to allow in a released state , the rotation of these hands (3,4) relative to the dial (1).

Description

2906376 INTERCHANGEABLE CLUTCH WATCHING DEVICE The invention

  relates to a clockwork device such as a watch, a clock, an alarm clock, etc. , whose appearance can be easily changed.  The appearance of a clock device, in particular an alarm clock, a clock or a watch, is mainly determined by the shape and the colors of the dial, the means of displaying the time, such as needles, protective glass and outer casing.  In the case of a watch, the bracelet also contributes to the overall aesthetic appearance.  It is interesting for an individual to be able to modify the appearance of a horological device, such as a watch, in such a way as to adapt the appearance of the latter to an outfit, to the mood of the day, for a special circumstance, etc.  It is interesting for a company specialized in the manufacture of timepieces, especially watches, to be able to easily adapt or modify the appearance of a watchmaking device so as to quickly adapt the offer to market developments.  This easy metamorphosis of the appearance of a watch also makes it possible to offer bespoke watches at a lower cost by adapting the shape and colors to the specific demands of the customer.  It also helps to recover any inventory of unsold stock and quickly update them at a lower cost.  This also makes it possible to substantially reduce the manufacturing costs of a timepiece by the mass production of the timepiece mechanism on which the cladding members are arranged.  The oldest and most used solution is to perform a complete disassembly of the timepiece.  This solution, which allows a complete change in the appearance of a clock device, by a careful replacement of each of the constituent parts of the timepiece, is exclusively reserved for watchmakers.  It is totally unsuitable for anyone who does not have a proven knowledge and experience in watchmaking and prohibits a quick and simple change of the cladding of the clockwork device, including for a watchmaker.  Moreover, it is neither economic nor functional.  Solutions have therefore been proposed to allow individuals, who are not specialists in the state of the art of watchmaking, to modify in part the aesthetic appearance of a clockwork device, in particular a watch.  For example, US 5,793,710 discloses a watch comprising a housing in which is mounted a clockwork mechanism, a dial and hands integral with the clockwork mechanism.  The dial comprises a central opening through which the needles are mounted and a slot arranged between this central opening and its periphery.  The housing further comprises an opening on its periphery through which an operator can come to extract the dial and replace it with a new dial.  The disadvantage of such a solution lies in the low variability of the appearance of the watch.  In particular, only the dial, and incidentally the bracelet, can be replaced.  The appearance of the needles and the protective glass can not be changed.  US 5,018,118 discloses a watch comprising a housing in which is mounted a clockwork mechanism, a cover covering the housing and adapted to be open by an operator, needles carried by the cover and whose ends can mate to the watch mechanism when the lid is folded down on the housing and disconnecting from the mechanism when the lid is open, a dial having a central opening through which the ends of the needles can pass to mate and disconnect from the mechanism of watchmaking.  Such a watch 25 thus allows an operator to replace one dial with another and thus to partially modify the appearance of the watch.  This device still does not allow to change the outer ice or needles.  EP 0 862 098 discloses a watch comprising an upper case 30 in which are mounted the dial, the hands and a protective ice and a lower case equipped with a clock mechanism.  The upper and lower housings are adapted to be assembled and dissociated to one another by an operator.  Such a watch thus makes it possible to change the upper case comprising the appearance organs while retaining the same lower case 5 comprising the clockwork mechanism.  Such a watch thus allows a replacement of the main organs - dial, hands, ice protection - giving it its aesthetic character.  Nevertheless, this solution poses a technical problem.  In particular, the replacement of one upper casing by another requires disconnecting the needles from the clock mechanism.  However, the disassembly of the needles of the clock mechanism generates a desynchronization of the needles which becomes apparent when reassembling the watch.  In a two-hand watch, an hour hand and a minute hand, the watch mechanism is designed so that the minute hand rotates twelve times faster than the hour hand.  Therefore, it can be demonstrated mathematically by modeling the movement of the needles, that at a given angle between two needles can correspond only eleven positions on the dial.  Thus, to ensure that the needles are perfectly synchronized with each other, once they are reassembled, it is appropriate that the needles of the clockwork mechanism found a configuration actually encountered by the needles during their rotation.  Such a reassembly, with a device of the prior art, therefore requires an operator to precisely position the hands on a remarkable position.  This operation, reserved for a specialist watchmaker, thus provides an accurate display of the time, that is to say for example to ensure that at noon stack the needles are superimposed one on the other.  For example, for a two-hand watch, the two hands are superimposed at 1:05, 2:10, 3:16, 4:21, 5:27, 6:32, 7:38, 8:43, 9:49, 10:54 and 12:00.  When reassembling the needles, the operator can therefore choose to position the needles at one of these positions.  In case of reassembly of the needles in a configuration not met by the needles during their rotation, for example, if they are raised superimposed on a position other than the eleven positions 5 mentioned above, the needles will always be out of sync.  If one integrates in addition a second hand to such a clock device, then each configuration is unique and corresponds to only one position on the dial.  The object of the invention is to propose a watchmaking device 10 with a readily adaptable or modifiable appearance without complete dismantling of the watch and making it possible to overcome the problem of desynchronization of the hands.  The invention aims in particular to provide a clock device which can be changed needles without the risk of desynchronization 15 needles and without taking special precautions when reassembling needles.  The invention also aims to provide a watch device whose appearance can be easily modified by a single person, without tools and without special knowledge in watchmaking.  The invention also aims to propose a clock device which can be changed at least one of the organs contributing to the aesthetics of the device: the dial, the hands, the protective glass, the case, the bracelet, etc.  The invention also relates to an economic clock device.  The invention also relates to a watch device whose appearance change can be performed quickly without specific manipulation.  To this end, the invention relates to a timepiece device comprising: at least one needle device integral with a dial comprising at least one first needle whose position relative to this dial makes it possible to indicate a current time and a second hand whose position relative to this dial makes it possible to indicate current minutes, each needle device being adapted to be rotated about an axis of rotation, a drive mechanism adapted to be able to ensure a continuous rotation of the needles of each needle device about said axis of rotation of each needle device, 10 - reversible coupling means between each needle device and said drive mechanism, said reversible coupling means being adapted to on the one hand to allow a coupling between each needle device and said drive mechanism so as to that the latter can rotate the needles of each needle device, and secondly, a disengagement and dissociation between said drive mechanism and each needle device so as to allow a change of device (s). ) with hands and dial (s), characterized in that it comprises a two-state locking device of the needles of at least one needle device, said locking device being adapted to ensure in a state, said state blocked, a blockage of the first and second needle of the needle device relative to the dial and to allow in a state, said released state, the rotation of the needles of the needle device relative to the dial.  A device according to the invention therefore provides a low-cost solution for having a plurality of clock devices or, in any case, a much cheaper solution than having a plurality of devices. clocks with non-interchangeable cladding.  Indeed, the most expensive organs of a clock device are, in general, those which constitute the clockwork mechanism.  Therefore, the investment for such a mechanism is unique and can possibly invest in a high precision mechanism, the latter can be reused without difficulty for several different appearances.  The reversible coupling means between each needle device and the drive mechanism permit easy modification of the appearance of the dial and hands of a needle device according to the invention.  A device according to the invention may comprise several needle devices, each needle device being associated with a determined dial.  Typically, this solution makes it possible to design horological devices comprising a main dial associated with a main needle device intended to indicate the local time and one or more secondary dials, generally arranged inside the main dial, each secondary dial being associated with a secondary needle device for indicating the time of another time zone for example.  Moreover, a device according to the invention comprises a device for blocking the needles adapted on the one hand, to be able to ensure a locking of the needles relative to the dial and on the other hand, to be able to allow the rotation of the needles one by compared to others.  Therefore, a device according to the invention overcomes the problem of the desynchronization of the needles during disassembly and reassembly of the needles of the timepiece mechanism.  In particular, a locking device according to the invention makes it possible to maintain a constant angular gap between the needles when they are removed from the clockwork mechanism.  Therefore, the gap between the needles, that is to say the configuration of the needles, corresponds to a gap actually encountered by the needles during their rotations.  Thus, during a subsequent reassembly of this needle device, there is no particular measure to take to ensure the synchronization of the needles.  A clock device according to the invention, equipped with a device for locking the needles, prevents any risk of desynchronization of the needles 30 without nevertheless requiring the slightest precaution during disassembly or reassembly of the needles.  With clockwork devices of the prior art, it was necessary during the reassembly of the needles to position the needles on a remarkable configuration, for example on noon stack, to ensure the assembly 5 between the needles and the mechanism of needle drive, reposition the cover glass, and set the time to the current time.  Such a winding process prohibits a rapid change of dressing and requires special precautions from the specialist clock systems.  Advantageously, a device according to the invention comprises a protective glass of said (said) device (s) needles and said (said) dial (s).  This protective glass is advantageously secured to the dial and / or the needle device, so that it is possible to disassemble in one piece, the ice, the needle devices and dials.  As a variant or in combination, a device according to the invention comprises a strap integral with the lens and / or dials, and needle devices so that an operator can assemble and dismount in one piece. assembly of the cladding devices of the timepiece device.  A device according to the invention, comprising means for locking the needles relative to the dial, makes it possible to preserve the synchronization of the hands, including for a clockwork device equipped with a protective glass which protects the needles and makes it impossible. access to the needles.  Advantageously and according to the invention, said device for blocking at least one needle device is adapted to be in said locked state as soon as this needle device is uncoupled from said drive mechanism, and to be in said released state as soon as this needle device is coupled to said drive mechanism.  This blocking can be achieved manually, for example by the introduction of a locking rod in housings provided for this purpose and arranged on the needles and on the dial.  These housings can be arranged so that they are aligned when the hands and the dial indicate noon stack, for example.  Therefore, a dealer of clockwork devices, without particular knowledge in watchmaking, can be delivered sets of dressing, independently of the drive mechanisms, and proceed very simply to assemble the dressing and movement without risk of desynchronization, the needles being locked with respect to the dial, via the rod, on a remarkable configuration.  When mounting the cladding on the movement, the only operation to be conducted by the dealer 10 is to remove the rod of the receiving housing and assemble the dressing movement.  This blocking can also be operated by automatic or semi-automatic means.  Advantageously and according to the invention, this blocking device is adapted to spontaneously switch from said released state to said locked state as soon as said needle device (s) is (are) uncoupled from said drive mechanism, and transitioning from said blocked state to said released state as soon as said needle device (s) is (are) coupled to said drive mechanism.  A clock device according to the invention is therefore particularly simple and practical to use.  The locking / unblocking of the needles is conditioned by the coupling / uncoupling between each needle device and the drive mechanism.  In practice, a user does not have to worry about the locking or unblocking of the needles of each needle device, the latter being automatically implemented during the coupling or uncoupling between the drive mechanism and the devices. with needles.  The preliminary operations to be implemented by a user in order to change the appearance of a timepiece according to the invention are therefore limited to a coupling / uncoupling action between a trim assembly and a movement set.  The locking / unlocking of the needles, essential to maintain the synchronization of the needles, results from this coupling / uncoupling operation.  A clock device according to the invention can therefore be completely metamorphosed, without any particular knowledge of horology, and while maintaining optimal operation.  A clock device according to the invention may comprise one or more needle devices and the needle lock device may lock one or all of the clock devices of the clock device.  Nevertheless, advantageously and according to the invention, the locking device is adapted to ensure, in the locked state, the locking of the needles of each needle device and to allow, in the released state, the rotation of the needles of each needle device.  Such a clock device thus makes it possible to guarantee the synchronization of all the needles of all the needle devices, including secondary needle devices intended, for example, to indicate the time of another time zone.  A locking device according to the invention makes it possible to lock the needles of the needle devices with respect to the dial.  Advantageously and according to the invention, the locking device is adapted to ensure in the locked state, a locking of the needles relative to each other so as to maintain a constant angular gap between the needles and a blockage of one needles relative to the dial so as to allow blocking of all hands relative to the dial.  The locking of the hands relative to the dial is thus achieved according to this embodiment of the invention by the combination of a locking of the needles relative to each other and a blockage of one of these needles relative to the other. on the dial.  A needle device according to the invention comprises at least two needles, a needle for indicating the current time and a needle for indicating the current minutes.  Nevertheless, advantageously and according to the invention, at least one needle device comprises a third needle, said second hand, whose position relative to the dial makes it possible to indicate current seconds, and the locking device is adapted to ensure in said state blocked, blocking all the needles of this needle device relative to each other, and to allow in said released state, the rotation of all the needles relative to each other.  Such a needle device is generally the main needle device associated with the central main dial and allows the time to be indicated to the nearest second.  Advantageously and according to the invention, a timepiece device according to the invention comprises: a housing, called a dressing box, comprising said needle device (s), a housing, called a motion housing, comprising said drive mechanism, - reversible mounting means of said casing housing on said motion housing adapted for the one hand, to be able to mount said casing housing on said motion housing, and other on the other hand, to allow disassembly and dissociation between the movement case and the case of dressing so as to allow a change of casing of dressing.  A clock device according to the invention thus advantageously comprises two separate housings, a dressing box comprising the appearance elements including at least one needle device associated with a dial and a movement case comprising the clock mechanism. .  A timepiece according to the invention further comprises reversible mounting means of the casing on the movement case which allow to associate or disassociate the casing casing and the movement casing.  A clock device according to the invention therefore allows an individual to have a single motion box and a plurality of dressing boxes.  A timepiece device according to the invention also allows the mass production of the movement housings, which contributes to reducing manufacturing costs, and allows mounting of a casing housing on a motion housing.  Thus, a device according to the invention comprises, in addition to means for coupling the needle device and the drive mechanism, which contribute to providing first attachment means between the two housings, additional mounting means between the dressing box and the motion box.  A clock device according to the invention therefore consists of two separate housings, a housing comprising the appearance elements and a housing comprising the clockwork mechanism associated with mounting means for associating or disassociating the housings. one to the other.  The coupling means between each needle device and the drive mechanism can be of any type.  Thus, these coupling means can be frictional, magnetic, elastic, pluggable, etc.  Nevertheless, advantageously and according to the invention, each needle of each needle device comprises an oblong part extending parallel to the associated dial and intended to point towards an area of this dial and a cylindrical part, called the coupling cylinder, an axis of symmetry coinciding with the axis of rotation of this needle and adapted to be coupled to a conjugate coupling member of the drive mechanism of said motion housing, said coupling cylinders and said coupling members forming said reversible coupling means.  According to one embodiment, the coupling rolls can be engaged in mating coupling pins carried by the clockwork mechanism and rotated by the latter.  Advantageously and according to the invention, for each needle device, the coupling cylinder of each needle is hollow and has a different diameter of the coupling cylinders of the other needles of this needle device so that the cylinders Coupling 5 can be threaded into each other.  The coupling cylinders can be made of any material, metal, thermoplastic, etc.  Nevertheless, according to an advantageous variant of the invention, the coupling cylinder of each needle is elastic.  An elastic coupling cylinder has the property of returning to its original shape and volume when the force acting on it ceases to act.  A device according to the invention comprising a plurality of elastic coupling cylinders offers numerous possibilities of locking the needles relative to one another.  A locking device according to the invention can have different shapes and be made according to several embodiments.  According to a nonlimiting embodiment, the locking device comprises elastic jaws arranged around the larger diameter coupling cylinder of each needle device, the jaws being adapted to be maintained, in the unlocked state, in a spaced position in which they allow the rotation of the needles of each needle device relative to each other, and exert, in the locked state, a pressure on the elastic coupling cylinders of each needle device so that they prevent the needles of this needle device from rotating relative to one another and from the dial.  In a variant or in combination, the needle lock device of each needle device comprises, for each pair of immediately adjacent cylinders, conjugate assembly members respectively arranged on the inner wall of the outer cylinder and on the outer wall of the inner cylinder. adapted to mate with each other by translation of the coupling rollers with respect to each other upon uncoupling of this needle device from the drive mechanism and separating one from the other. the other when coupling between this needle device and said drive mechanism.  The conjugated assembly members may be of any type.  They are constituted, according to one embodiment, of lateral fins respectively arranged on the inner surface of a cylinder and on the outer peripheral surface of the adjacent cylinder and oriented in opposite directions so that during the displacement of the cylinders of coupling 10 and in the direction of these movements, the fins can fit into each other or separate from each other.  Alternatively or in combination, said locking device comprises chamfered portions arranged on the periphery of the coupling rolls adapted to allow conical jamming of the cylinders relative to each other by displacement of the coupling cylinder relative to the cylinder of the coupling cylinder. 'coupling.  The mounting means of the casing on the housing movement can be made by any known means.  Nevertheless, advantageously and according to the invention, said reversible mounting means of said casing housing on said motion housing comprise conjugate mounting members respectively arranged on the casing housing and on the motion housing.  According to a nonlimiting embodiment, said conjugate mounting members respectively comprise resilient male and female means adapted to be coupled to each other by pressure forces exerted by an operator on the casing and on the motion housing in directions such as the housings approach toward each other, and separated from each other by traction forces exerted by an operator on the casing housing and on the casing of the casing. movement in opposite directions to the directions of the pressure forces.  Advantageously, a device according to the invention comprises means for manually operating the needles of each needle device adapted to allow manual positioning of the hands relative to the associated dial.  Such manual maneuvering means allows an operator to position the needles of each needle device at the current time once the trim box is mounted on the motion housing.  The invention further relates to a timepiece device 10 characterized in combination by all or some of the features mentioned above or below.  Other characteristics, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent on reading the following description which, by way of nonlimiting example, shows embodiments of the invention, with reference to the appended drawings; in these drawings: FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view in plan view of a watch according to an embodiment of the invention comprising a needle device and a dial; FIGS. 2a and 2b are diagrammatic views in section; of a watch with interchangeable appearance according to one embodiment of the invention, on which a device for locking the needles relative to the dial according to one embodiment of the invention is respectively in the locked state and in the state 3 is a diagrammatic sectional view of coupling means between a needle device and a drive mechanism according to one embodiment of the invention, FIGS. 4a and 4b are diagrammatic sectional views. of a watch with an interchangeable appearance according to an embodiment of the invention, on which a device for locking the needles with respect to the dial according to one embodiment of the invention is respectively In the locked state and in the released state, FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic sectional view of an interchangeable-appearance watch according to one embodiment of the invention, in the dial according to one embodiment of the invention is in the locked state, - Figure 6 is a schematic top view of a watch according to another embodiment of the invention comprising three needle devices. FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view of a blocking device according to an embodiment of the invention for a watch according to the embodiment of FIG. 6; FIGS. 8a and 8b are diagrammatic views. in section of a watch with an interchangeable appearance according to another embodiment of the invention, on which a device for locking the needles with respect to the dial according to another embodiment of the invention is respectively in the blocked state and in the released state.  Figure 1 shows a clock device according to one embodiment of the invention.  According to this embodiment, the clock device is a watch comprising a dial 1, a device 2 with hands 20 secured to the dial 1 and comprising a first needle 3 whose position relative to the dial 1 can indicate a current time, said needle in the following 3 hours, and a second needle 4 whose position relative to the dial 1 can indicate current minutes, said in the following 4 minute needles, bars 5 arranged on the periphery of the watch and on 25 which is attached a bracelet 6.  A watch according to the invention comprises, as shown in particular in Figures 2a and 2b, a movement housing 7 and a casing 8 dressing.  The movement housing 7 comprises a drive mechanism 9 adapted to be able to ensure a continuous rotation of the needles 3, 4 of the device 2 needles around an axis 10 of rotation.  The casing 816 includes the aesthetic components of the watch.  This casing 8 includes cladding device 2 needles, the dial 1 and a protective glass 11 of the device 2 needles and dial 1.  This housing 8 dressing may further comprise a housing 5 or simply consist of a dial 1, a device 2 needles and a protective glass 11.  A watch according to the invention further comprises reversible coupling means 12 between the needle device 2 and the drive mechanism 9.  These reversible coupling means 12 are adapted to allow, on the one hand, a coupling between the needle device 2 and the drive mechanism 9 so that the latter can rotate the needles 3, 4 of the device in rotation. 2 with needles, and secondly, a disengagement and dissociation between the drive mechanism 9 and this device 2 needles so as to allow a change casing 8 dressing.  These reversible coupling means can be made by any known means.  According to an advantageous embodiment, the needles 3, 4 each comprise an oblong portion 21, 22 extending parallel to the dial 1 and intended to point towards an area of this dial 1 and a cylindrical portion, said cylinder 19, 20 coupling, axis of symmetry coinciding with the axis 10 of rotation of the needle 3, 4, each cylinder being adapted to be coupled to a member 23, 24 of conjugate coupling of the drive mechanism 9 of the housing 7 of movement.  These cylinders 19, 20 of coupling 25 and these members 23, 24 of conjugate coupling forms the means 12 of coupling.  In known manner, the coupling cylinder 19 of the minute hand 4, also hereinafter referred to as cylinder 19 minutes, extends in the same direction as the coupling cylinder 20 of the needle 3 of the 30 minutes. hours, also said in the following, cylinder 20 hours, and is housed in this cylinder 17 hours.  In this way, each needle is adapted to be rotated about the same axis of rotation.  According to the embodiment of FIGS. 2a and 2b, the reversible coupling means 12 consist of tenon and mortise systems, the tenons 59, 60 being arranged at the ends of the coupling cylinders 19, 20 and the mortises 58, 62 being arranged at the ends of the mating members 23, 24.  According to this embodiment, each coupling member 23, 24 conjugated to a needle coupling cylinder 19, 20 consists of a hollow cylinder adapted to receive this needle coupling cylinder and comprises a peripheral groove forming a mortise 62, 58 conjugated to a pin 59, 60 formed on the periphery of the needle coupling cylinder.  According to another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the coupling is produced by friction between surfaces comprising conjugated notches respectively arranged at the ends of the coupling rolls and at the ends of the mating coupling members of the mechanism. drive.  According to this embodiment, the conjugated coupling members 23, 24 are formed of solid cylinders adapted to cooperate with needles coupling cylinders.  According to another embodiment, these reversible coupling means 12 may be made by shafting shafts, forming the mating members 23, 24 of the coupling mechanism 9 in the coupling cylinders 19, 20 needles 3, 4.  A casing 8 according to the invention and a casing 7 of movement according to the invention respectively comprise members 13, 14 conjugate assembly arranged on their peripheries and adapted for the one hand, able to ensure mounting of said casing 8 dressing on said casing 7 of movement, and secondly, allow disassembly and dissociation between the casing 7 of movement and the housing 8 dressing so as to allow a change casing 8 dressing.  According to one embodiment of the invention, these mounting members 13, 14 are elastic male and female means, of the tenon and mortise type, adapted to be coupled to one another by pressure forces exerted. by an operator on the casing 8 and on the casing 7 of movement in directions such that the casings approach one another, and separated from each other by tensile forces exerted by an operator on the casing 8 and on the casing 7 of movement in directions opposite to the directions of the pressure forces.  According to other embodiments, these mounting members 13, 14 are threaded means arranged on the respectively inner and outer peripheries of casings 8 and dressing 7 movement.  A timepiece according to the invention comprises a two-state locking device for the needles 3, 4 of at least one needle device 2.  This blocking device 15 is adapted to ensure in a state, said blocked state, a locking of the needles 3, 4 of the device 2 with needles relative to the dial 1 and to allow in a state, said released state, the rotation of these hands 3, 4 with respect to the dial 1.  According to a first embodiment, this locking device 15 comprises, as represented in FIG. 5, a locking rod 20 which an operator can position in housings provided for this purpose and secured to the needles 3, 4 and 4. of the dial 1.  According to the embodiment of FIG. 5, each coupling cylinder 19, 20 comprises an opening formed on its periphery and adapted to allow the passage of the rod 16.  The dial 1 is integral with a rod 17 extending perpendicular to the dial 1 and 25, one end of which is fixed on the hidden face of the dial, that is to say on the non-visible face once the mounting of the box 8 dressing on the casing 7 of movement.  This rod 17 has at its other end an eyelet 18 arranged so that it faces the openings in the cylinders 19, 20 for coupling the needles 3, 4.  According to this embodiment, the openings 30 in the cylinders 19, 20 and the position of the rod 17 are adapted to be aligned when the needles 3, 4 are in a remarkable position on the dial 1, for example when the needles 3, 4 indicate noon stack.  Thus, when the needles are in this configuration, an operator can place the rod 16 in the openings in the cylinders 19, 20 of the coupling 5 and in the eyelet 18 of the rod 17, so that the rod 16 ensures the locking of the hands 3, 4 with respect to the dial 1.  Such an embodiment is particularly economical and is adapted to allow easy transport of a large amount of casings 8 dressing between their manufacturing locations and their places of assembly on casings 7 of movement.  During assembly, an operator can then remove the rod 16 and assemble the housings to each other without the risk of desynchronization needles.  According to another embodiment, the eyecup 18 is directly fixed on said hidden face of the dial 1.  According to this embodiment, the rod 18 advantageously has a length greater than the radius of the dial 1 so as to facilitate the manipulation of the rod 18 by an operator.  Advantageously, the openings in the cylinders 19, 20 for coupling the needles 3, 4 are arranged in the close vicinity of the dial 1 so that an operator can remove the rod 16 as soon as the cylinders 19, 20 of coupling of the needles 3, 4 are coupled to the conjugate members of the drive mechanism 9 so that the release of the needles 3, 4 is achieved just after the assembly between the needle device 2 and the drive mechanism 9. needles 3, 4 to maintain the needle setting.  A blocking device 15 according to the invention is therefore particularly suitable for preventing the desynchronization of the needles 3, 4, by allowing it to be in the locked state as soon as the needle device 2 is uncoupled from the drive mechanism 9. and in said released state as soon as this needle device 2 is coupled to the drive mechanism 9.  According to another embodiment, particularly advantageous especially for the individual wishing to frequently modify the cladding of his timepiece by changing the casing, the blocking device 15 is adapted to pass spontaneously from the casing. state released in the locked state as soon as the needle device 2 is uncoupled from the drive mechanism 9, and go from the locked state to the released state as soon as the needle device 2 is coupled to the mechanism 9 of training.  To do this, according to the embodiment shown in particular in Figures 8a and 8b, the locking device 15 is made by the combination of the following structures.  The hour cylinder comprises a cylindrical inner cavity extending along the axis of rotation of the needles,

  the inside of which is guided a washer 36 arranged around the cylinder 19 minutes and secured to the latter. The washer 36 extends in a plane orthogonal to the axis of rotation. The inner cavity is delimited by two walls, a so-called bottom wall, arranged on the side of the drive mechanism, once the cylinder of hours has been coupled to the drive mechanism, and a wall, called the upper wall, arranged in the opposite side. The dimensions of the washer 36 and the inner cavity are determined so that the displacement of the washer 36 inside the cavity can be between the upper wall and the lower wall.

According to this embodiment and as shown in FIGS. 8a and 8b, the hour cylinder 20 is formed of two parts so as to accommodate the cylinder 19 minutes equipped with the washer 36 in the cylinder 20 hours. These two parts can be assembled to one another by gluing, screwing, etc.

The washer 36 formed around the cylinder 19 minutes and secured to the latter is surmounted by an elastic member, such as a spring 35 according to the embodiment of Figures 8a and 8b. This spring 35 is adapted to be compressed when the hours and minutes cylinders are coupled to the drive mechanism and partially relaxed when the hours and minutes cylinders are uncoupled from the drive mechanism. . In particular, according to this embodiment, when the casing and movement casings are assembled to one another by means of mounting means 13, 14, the cylinders 20 hours and 19 minutes are coupled to the drive mechanism 9. The stiffness of the spring 35 is chosen so that once the means 13, 14 for mounting and / or the coupling means are assembled, it can be compressed between the upper wall of the inner cavity and the washer 36. As a result, the assembly between the casing and the motion casing compresses the spring 35 as shown in Fig. 8b. Similarly, as soon as the casing and movement casings are separated from one another, corresponding to the disengagement between the cylinders 20 and 19 minutes of the movement mechanism, the spring 35 is capable of being partially expanded and can extend completely into the interior cavity of the cylinder 20 hours between the top wall and the bottom wall. This position is shown in Figure 8a. This expansion of the spring 35 causes the displacement in translation of the cylinder 19 minutes relative to the cylinder 20 hours. The lengths of the rolls are chosen so that, once the spring 35 is relaxed, the oblong portion of the minute hand 4 carried by the minute cylinder 19 is locked against the oblong portion 22 of the needle 3. hours carried by the cylinder 20 hours. Therefore, the needles 3, 4 are locked relative to each other.

According to a variant of the invention, the portions 21, 22 may comprise complementary coupling means to each other implemented by the displacements of the cylinders 19, 20 relative to each other. The locking device also comprises an elastic member 32 arranged between two shoulders 33, 43 formed around the cylinder 20 of the 22 2906376 hours and secured to the latter. The shoulder 33 forms a lower stop and the shoulder 43 forms an upper stop. The dial 1 is arranged between the two shoulders 33, 43 so that the elastic member 32 is arranged between the dial 1 and the shoulder 33 forming the lower stop. The elastic member 32 is therefore capable of compressing and relaxing between the shoulder 33 and the dial 1. This elastic member 32 can be of any type, in particular an elastic mat, a spring, etc. For the same reasons as for the spring 35, when the hours and minutes cylinders 20 are coupled to the drive mechanism 9, the elastic member 32 is compressed between the dial 1 and the shoulder 33. Similarly, when the cylinders 20 hours and 19 minutes are uncoupled from the drive mechanism 9, the member 32 can relax and thus ensure the plating of the needle carried by the cylinder 20 15 hours against the dial 1. A such plating ensures the blocking of the oblong portion of the hour hand 3 of the hours on the dial 1. The minute hand being locked relative to that hours by the action of the spring 35, all the needles are, in the position of Figure 8b, locked with respect to the dial 1.

The locking device thus produced locks the needles relative to the dial as soon as the cylinders 20 hours and 19 minutes are uncoupled from the drive mechanism 9. According to another embodiment, shown in Figures 2a and 2b, the locking device is made by a conical wedging system 25 described below. The cylinder 20 hours comprises a chamfered upper portion 40 adapted to receive by conical wedging a chamfered portion 39 arranged near the upper end of the cylinder 19 minutes.

The displacement of the minute cylinder 19 relative to the hour cylinder causes the chamfered portion 39 of the minute cylinder 19 to jam in the chamfered portion 40 of the hour cylinder 20. FIG. 2b shows the needles coupled to the driving mechanism 9 by the coupling means 12 with tenons 59, 60 and mortises 58, 62 previously described. The lock of the needles according to this embodiment results from the following operations and structures. On uncoupling resulting from disassociation between the casing 8 and casing 7, the post 60 disengages from the mortise 58 conjugate prior to uncoupling the post 59 from the mortise 58 conjugate. To do this, it is advisable to provide a tenon 60 and a mortise 58 conjugate less resistant than the tenon 59 minutes in mortise 58 conjugate.

As a result, the chamfered portion 40 of the hour cylinder 20 is naturally moved by the operator to the chamfered portion 39 of the minute cylinder 19. These portions being adapted to be wedged to one another by this movement, the movement of the cylinder 20 hours entails this jamming. When the operator continues his movement, the post 59 of the cylinder 19 minutes disengages from the mortise 58 conjugate. The needles are locked relative to each other. The locking of the hand 3 hours relative to the dial 1 can be achieved by means equivalent to the means described for the embodiment of Figures 8a and 8b.

Preferably, the chamfered portions 39, 40 comprise, as shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b, teeth, of the shark teeth type, arranged in such a way that the wedging of the portions relative to one another results The uncoupling of the coupling cylinders from the drive mechanism to the other requires less effort than the unhooking of the portions relative to each other resulting from the coupling of the coupling rolls to the gear mechanism. training. The locking device can also be made by the following structures, as shown in Figures 4a and 4b.

The coupling cylinders are resilient and the locking device comprises elastic jaws arranged around the larger diameter coupling cylinder. These elastic jaws 27 are fixed to the dial 1 and arranged on the lower part of the coupling cylinder 20 intended to be fitted on the mating coupling member 23 of the drive mechanism 9. This member 23 is advantageously constituted by a rigid axis at one end of which are arranged notches adapted to be engaged with conjugate notches arranged at the end of the coupling rolls. These elastic jaws are therefore supported on the rigid axis of the coupling member 23 when the coupling cylinder 15 is coupled to the coupling member 23. During uncoupling resulting from movement of the coupling cylinder along the axis of rotation, the coupling cylinder dissociates from the rigid axis. The jaws are therefore no longer held in a remote position and then resume their original forms in which they exert pressure on the elastic coupling cylinder. This pressure is transmitted to the cylinders located inside the outer cylinder, which ensures a locking of the cylinders relative to each other and with respect to the dial 1. In combination, slightly elastic washers can be arranged between the cylinders of so that the pressure of a cylinder on the inner cylinders can be transmitted by these spring washers. According to an advantageous embodiment, the reassembly of the coupling rollers on the rigid axes of the drive mechanism can be facilitated by shafts having chamfers so that the fitting of the rolls on the shafts are guided and ensure a progressive separation of the jaws until they completely surround the rigid axis. In another embodiment, the coupling rolls 19, 20 have different lengths and the resilient jaws are adapted to exert pressure on each of the coupling rolls. Therefore, it is not necessary that the coupling cylinders are elastic. A clock device according to the invention may comprise several dials and several needle devices. Figure 6 shows a schematic view of a watch comprising a main dial 1 associated with a needle device 2 and two secondary dials 28, 29 associated with secondary needle devices 30, 31. According to one embodiment, schematically represented in FIG. 7, this clock device comprises a device for blocking the needles of each needle device with respect to each of the associated dials. The blocking of the needles of each needle device can be achieved according to one of the previously described embodiments. The invention is not limited to the embodiments described.

In particular, according to other embodiments, each pair of immediately adjacent coupling cylinders may comprise conjugate coupling members respectively arranged on the inner wall of the outer cylinder and on the outer wall of the inner cylinder and adapted for to assemble each other by translation of the coupling rollers with respect to each other when uncoupling the needle device from the drive mechanism and separating one from the other. other when coupling between this needle device and the drive mechanism. In general, the locking device can be made by any means for blocking the rotation of cylinders around an axis of rotation and with respect to a dial. Such locking means may include jaw systems, tenon and mortise systems associated with resilient members, systems adapted to provide expansion from one cylinder to another, to compress one cylinder to another, and the like. 27

Claims (3)

  1 / - Clock device comprising: - at least one device (2) with needles integral with a dial (1) comprising at least a first needle (3) whose position relative to this dial (1) can indicate a current hour and a second hand (4) whose position relative to this dial (1) makes it possible to indicate current minutes, each device (2) with needles being adapted to be rotated about an axis (10) ) of rotation, - a drive mechanism (9) adapted to ensure a continuous rotation of the needles (3, 4) of each device (2) needles around said axis (10) of rotation of each device (2) to needles, - reversible coupling means (12) between each needle device (2) and said drive mechanism (9), said reversible coupling means (12) being adapted to allow on the one hand a coupling between each device (2) with needles and said mechanism (9 ) so that the latter can rotate the needles (3, 4) of each device (2) in rotation, and secondly, a disengagement and dissociation between said mechanism (9) of each needle device (2) so as to allow a change of device (2) with hands and dial (1), characterized in that it comprises a device (15) for blocking two states of the needles (3). 4) at least one device (2) with needles, said locking device (15) being adapted to ensure in a state, said blocked state, a locking of the first and second needle of this device (2) with the needles relative to the dial (1) and to allow in a state, said released state, the rotation of these hands (3, 4) relative to the dial (1). 2 / - Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said device (15) for locking at least one device (2) with needles is adapted to be in said locked state as soon as the device (2) needle is 28 2906376 uncoupled from said drive mechanism (9), and be in said released state as soon as this device (2) needle is coupled to said drive mechanism (9). 3 / - Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said locking device (15) is adapted to spontaneously pass said released state to said locked state as soon as said device (s) (2) is detached from said driving mechanism (9), and passing from said blocked state to said released state as soon as said needle device (2) is (are) coupled to said mechanism ( 9) drive. 10 4 / - Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the locking device (15) is adapted to ensure, in the locked state, the locking of the needles (3, 4) of each device ( 2) with needles and to allow, in the released state, the rotation of the needles (3, 4) of each device (2) needle. 5 / - Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the locking device (15) is adapted to ensure in the locked state, a locking of the needles (3, 4) relative to the others so as to maintain a constant angular spacing between the needles and a locking of one of the hands relative to the dial (1) so as to allow blocking of all the needles relative to the dial (1). 6 / - Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the device (15) for locking at least one device (2) needle is integrally carried by the dial (1) and is adapted to maintain in the locked state, a constant angular difference between the needles (3, 4) of this device (2) with needles so as to allow the locking of these needles (3, 4) relative to the dial (1). 7 / - Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that at least one device (2) needle comprises a third needle, said second hand, whose position relative to the dial (1) 30 can indicate current seconds, and in that said locking device (15) is adapted to ensure in said blocked state, a locking of all the needles of this device (2) with needles relative to the dial (1), and for allow in said released state, the rotation of all the needles relative to the dial (1). 8 / - Clock device according to one of claims 5 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises: - a housing, said casing (8) covering, said device (s) (2) ) with a need, - a housing, said casing (7) for movement, comprising said drive mechanism (9), - means (13, 14) for reversibly mounting said casing (8) on said casing ( 7) adapted to, on the one hand, be able to mount said casing (8) dressing on said housing (7) movement, and secondly, allow disassembly and dissociation between the housing (7) movement and the casing (8) so as to allow a casing change (8) casing. 9 / - Device according to claim 8, characterized in that said means (13, 14) for reversibly mounting said casing (8) dressing on said casing (7) of movement comprise conjugate mounting members respectively arranged on the housing (8) dressing and on the housing 20 (7) movement. 10 / - Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that each needle (3, 4) of each device (2) needle comprises an oblong portion (21, 22) extending parallel to the dial (1 ) associated and intended to point towards an area of this dial (1) and a cylindrical portion, said cylinder (19, 20) coupling, axis of symmetry coinciding with the axis (10) of rotation of this needle and adapted to be coupled to a mating coupling member (23, 24) of the drive mechanism (9), said mating cylinders (19, 20) and said mating members (23, 24) forming said means (12) reversible coupling. Apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that for each needle device (2) the coupling cylinder (19; 20) of each needle is hollow and has a diameter different from the cylinders of the needle. coupling the other needles of this needle device (2) so that the coupling cylinders (19, 20) can be threaded into each other and be translated relative to one another along their axis. rotation during the coupling and uncoupling operations between this needle device (2) and the drive mechanism (9). 12 / - Device according to one of claims 10 or 11, characterized in that the device (15) comprises clamping jaws (27) 10 connected to the dial (1), the jaws (27) being adapted to be maintained, in the unlocked state, in a spaced apart position in which they allow the needles of each needle device (2) to be rotated relative to one another, and to exert, in the locked state, a pressure on the cylinders (19, 20) for coupling each needle device (2) to prevent rotation of the needles of said needle device (2) relative to one another. 13 / - Device according to one of claims 10 or 11, characterized in that said locking device (15) comprises chamfered portions (39, 40) arranged on the periphery of the adapted coupling rolls (19, 20). to allow conical jamming of the cylinders relative to each other by moving a coupling cylinder (19) relative to another coupling cylinder (20). 14 / - Device according to one of claims 10 or 11, characterized in that the locking device (15) comprises an eyelet (18) 25 integral with the dial (1), through openings formed on the peripheries of the cylinders (19). , 20) and adapted to be coaxial with said eyelet (18), and a rod (16) adapted to be housed in said openings and said eyelet (18) so as to ensure a locking of the needles relative to the dial (1). ). 15 / - Device according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that it comprises means (34) for manual operation of the needles of each device (2) needle adapted to allow manual positioning of the needles relative to the associated dial (1). 16 / - Device according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that it comprises an ice (11) for protecting said (said) device (s) (2) needle and said (said) dial (s) ) (1).