JP3241719U - Flexible indicator hands and mechanisms for actuating such indicator hands - Google Patents

Abstract

A flexible needle that can continuously display first and second information in addition to the information provided by the tip of the flexible needle.
A flexible needle (1) is connected to a flexible needle tip (10) via a first flexible arm (4) and a second flexible arm (8), respectively. comprising a tubular portion 2 and a second driving tubular portion 6, one of the first flexible arm and the second flexible arm having at least one first decorative element 44 and at least one It comprises one second decorative element 46 and the other flexible arm comprises a third decorative element 48, the first decorative element, the second decorative element and the third decorative element being flexible So that at some moment during the rotation of the needle the flexible needle has a shape and length such that the third decorative element continuously overlaps the first decorative element followed by the second decorative element. , are arranged.
[Selection drawing] Fig. 3

Description

The object of the invention is a flexible hand moved by a timepiece movement and arranged for analog display of information. A particular object of the invention is a flexible indicator hand arranged to provide a day/night indication to its wearer. The invention also relates to a mechanism for actuating the flexible indicator needle.

A flexible needle, by varying its length and shape in a desired manner so that its tip follows as closely as possible the circumference of the dial of a shape deviating from a circle, e.g. an elliptical shape, Flexible hands are already known, which allow an analog display of information, for example the current time. From U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,000, a first flexible segment of which supports a first decorative element, a second flexible segment of which supports a second decorative element, and said first and second flexible Flexible needles are also known, wherein the sex segment is arranged such that the second decorative element at least partially covers the first decorative element for a portion of the angular rotation of the flexible needle. be.

WO2020/025428

An object of the present invention is to actuate a flexible needle that can continuously display first and second information in addition to the information provided by the flexible needle tip. It is a mechanism for

To this end, the invention relates to flexible hands actuated by a timepiece movement for analog display of information, said flexible hands comprising a first flexible arm, a second flexible arm, respectively. a first tubular portion and a second tubular portion connected to the distal end of the flexible needle via a flexible arm, wherein the first and second driving tubular portions The operating position, in which the flexible needles are at a distance from each other when they are in a free, unstressed state, and in which the flexible needles have a predetermined shape and length, is located in the first drive tube. and a stress applying position in which the second driving tubular portion is arranged coaxially around the output shaft, and the flexible needle is such that the angular position of the second driving tubular portion is the above said first and second drive tubes arranged to change shape and length in a desired manner when displaced relative to said first drive tube by pivoting about an output shaft; includes at least one first decorative element and at least one second decorative element; the other flexible arm includes a third decorative element; 1, 2nd and 3rd decorative elements are arranged such that at a certain moment during the rotation of the flexible needle, the flexible needle is connected to the first decorative element, followed by the It is arranged to have a shape and length that continuously overlaps the second decorative element.

According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, said first decorative element corresponds to a daytime display, said second decorative element corresponds to a nighttime display, and said flexible hands are adapted for a suitable time range. while the third decorative element changes shape and length such that it completely covers the first decorative element and the second decorative element, respectively.

According to another particular embodiment, the present invention relates to a flexible needle actuated by a timepiece movement for analog display of information, said flexible needle respectively comprising a first flexible arm, a second a first driving tubular portion and a second driving tubular portion connected to the distal end of the flexible needle via the flexible arm of the first and second driving tubular portions; The tubular portions are at a distance from each other when the flexible needle is in a free, unstressed state, and the operating position in which the flexible needle has a predetermined shape and length is the second position. a stress application position in which one driving tubular portion and the second driving tubular portion are arranged coaxially around an output shaft, and the flexible needle is positioned in the second driving tubular portion; arranged to change shape and length in a desired manner when the angular position of the section is varied relative to the first drive tube by pivoting about the output shaft. , said first flexible arm comprising a first portion of an ornament, said second flexible arm comprising a second portion of said ornament, said first and second portions of said ornament comprising: , the shape and length of the flexible needle such that at some moment during the rotation of the flexible needle the first and second parts of the decoration are joined to form a complete decoration. is arranged so as to have

The invention also relates to a mechanism for actuating a flexible needle of the type described above, wherein said first drive tube is placed at a first predetermined prestress angle and said second is positioned at a second predetermined prestress angle in a direction opposite to the direction of the first drive tube, such that the first and second drive tubes of the flexible needle Each of the two flexible arms displays information by performing an angular rotation θ1 applied to the flexible hands by the clock movement and applied to the flexible hands by the clock movement. The angular rotation θ1 is modulated by an additional rotation angle of the actuation mechanism, the additional rotation angle being applied in a direction opposite to the first and second flexible arms of the flexible needle. to determine the change in shape and length of the flexible needle.

With these features, the present invention provides a mechanism for actuating a flexible needle, said flexible needle changing length and shape for analog display of first information by means of its tip. and the flexible needle further comprises first and second decorative elements, the first and second decorative elements arranged to cooperate with a third decorative element, whereby , at a certain moment during the rotation of the flexible needle, the third decorative element temporarily obscures one of the first decorative element and the second decorative element while being worn. can see the other decorative element.

The present invention is of particular interest when said first and second decorative elements provide day/night or AM/PM indications, said flexible needles for the time required for said third decorative element, It is arranged to vary in shape and length appropriately to continuously obscure the "day" or "AM" indication, or the "night" or "PM" indication. The flexible needle thus simultaneously provides the wearer with two pieces of information complementary to each other: the current time and an indication of whether it is day or night.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of one embodiment of a mechanism for actuating flexible needles according to the present invention. This example is given for illustrative and non-limiting purposes only, in connection with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a flexible needle according to the present invention in a free, unstressed state, wherein first and second decorative elements supported by a second flexible arm each support a second Also visible is a third decorative element supported by one flexible arm. FIG. 2 is a view of the flexible needle of FIG. 1 in the stressed position of the flexible needle, wherein a third decorative element supported by a first flexible arm extends from a second flexible arm; It obscures the first decorative element supported by the sex arms. FIG. 3 illustrates that when the angular position of the second barrel is varied with respect to the first barrel by pivoting about the output shaft, the shape and length of the flexible needle will change in the desired fashion. FIG. 3 is a view of the flexible needle of FIG. 2 changing in , with each of the first, second and third decorative elements being momentarily visible; FIG. 4 shows that the shape and length of the flexible needle continue to change in a desired manner so that the third decorative element supported by the first flexible arm is moved by the second flexible arm. Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 obscuring the supported first decorative element; FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of a mechanism for actuating a flexible needle in accordance with the present invention, the actuation mechanism including a differential device supported by a planetary carrier frame and comprising a flexible needle; The first and second drive barrels of the needle are coaxial about the first and second drive barrel pinions. FIG. 6 illustrates the angle of rotation of the barrel and flexible needle such that the tip of this flexible needle moves by an angle θ1 corresponding to the rotation applied to the input of the actuating mechanism by the clock movement. indicates 7 is a schematic plan view of another embodiment of a flexible needle according to the present invention; FIG. 8A-8D are schematic plan views of another embodiment of a flexible needle according to the present invention;

The present invention is based on the general inventive concept of providing an actuation mechanism that can sequentially display first and second information in addition to the information provided by the flexible needle tip.

A flexible needle according to the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 attached to this application. The flexible needle, indicated throughout the drawings by general reference number 1, comprises a first drive tube 2 connected to a first end of a first flexible arm 4, and a second a second drive tube 6 connected to a first end of a flexible arm 8 of the. The first flexible arm 4 and the second flexible arm 8 are connected to each other at their second ends by a tip 10 . In the unstressed, free state of the flexible needle 1 shown in FIG. 1, the first drive tube 2 and the second drive tube 6 are at a distance from each other.

Conversely, the operating position in which the flexible needle 1 has a predetermined shape and length is such that the first drive tube 2 and the second drive tube 6 are coaxially arranged around the output axis D. (see FIG. 2). In this stressed position, the first drive tube 2 is placed at a first predetermined prestress angle and the second drive tube 6 is positioned at the first drive tube 2 . It is installed at a second predetermined prestress angle opposite to the direction. The flexible needle 1 is responsive when pivoting about the output axis D causes the angular position of the second drive tube 6 to vary relative to the angular position of the first drive tube 2 . , are arranged so that their shape and length vary in a desired manner. For this purpose, the first flexible arm 4 and the second flexible arm 8 of the flexible needle 1 are respectively applied to the flexible needle 1 by a clock movement for displaying information. Performing an angular rotation .theta.1, said angular rotation .theta.1 applied to the flexible hand 1 by the timepiece movement is modulated by the actuation mechanism 12 by an additional angle of rotation .phi. , are applied in opposite directions to the first flexible arm 4 and the second flexible arm 8 to determine the shape and length variation of the flexible needle 1 .

One embodiment of an actuation mechanism 12 suitable for the present invention is shown in FIG. This example is provided for illustrative and non-limiting purposes only. The actuating mechanism 12 comprises first means 14 for driving the first drive tube 2 about the output axis D , and the second drive tube 6 about the same output axis D. and second means 16 for doing. The first driving means 14 and the second driving means 16 change the angular position of the second driving tubular portion 6 with respect to the angular position of the first tubular portion 2 around the output axis D. are arranged for deforming the first flexible arm 4 and the second flexible arm 8 and for varying the radial position of the tip 10 with respect to this output axis D by means of.

More precisely, the actuation mechanism 12 comprises a planetary carrier frame 18, which comprises a first tenon 20 on which a planetary gear 22 is rotatably mounted. This planetary gear 22 comprises a cam follower finger 24 arranged to move along the profile 26 of the cam 28 , the cam follower finger 24 abutting the profile 26 due to the resilience of the flexible needle 1 . It is kept in the same state. Cam 28 is the only fixed element of actuation mechanism 12 . The planet carrier frame 18 also includes a tube 30 on which a first drive pinion 32 and a second drive pinion 34 are rotatably and concentrically mounted. The first drive barrel 2 of the flexible needle 1 is snapped onto the second drive barrel pinion 34 at a predetermined prestress angle, followed by a second drive barrel of the same flexible needle 1 . The drive tube 6 is fitted onto the first drive tube pinion 32 at the same but opposite prestress angle to that of the first drive tube 2 . Finally, the actuating mechanism 12 is formed by a first sun gear 36 formed by teeth carried by the first drive pinion 32 and by teeth carried by the second drive pinion 34. and a second sun gear 38 which When the planet carrier frame 18 is rotated by the clock movement, for example in a clockwise direction, the planet carrier frame 18 drives with it the planetary gears 22 in the same direction, which are driven by the cam follower fingers 24 of the cam 28 . By moving along the profile 26 it rotates on itself. This causes the first drive pinion 32, which is in direct engagement with this planet gear 22, to rotate by itself with respect to the planet carrier frame 18. As shown in FIG. As for the second drive pinion 34, the rotation of the planetary gear 22 itself is transmitted through the return wheel 40 rotatably mounted on the second tenon 42, so that the planetary carrier frame 18 is , rotate at the same speed as the first drive pinion 32, but in the opposite direction.

In order to change the flexible needle 1 from the first position to the second position, the actuation mechanism 12 moves the first drive tube 2 and the second drive tube of the flexible needle 1 . For each part 6, the same rotation of angle φ is applied in the opposite direction. To this end, the actuating mechanism 12 is driven by a clock movement which applies a rotation of angle .theta.1 to the input of the planetary carrier frame 18 as shown in FIG. This rotation of angle θ 1 is converted by actuation mechanism 12 into rotation of first drive tube 2 of flexible needle 1 through angle α (θ 1 ) and into angle β of second drive tube 6 . It is converted to a rotation of (θ1). Therefore, the output angles α(θ1), β(θ1) of the actuation mechanism follow the following relational expressions:
α(θ1)=θ1+φ(θ1) (1)
β(θ1)=θ1−φ(θ1) (2)

By assuming that the flexible needle 1 is symmetrical, the angular position θ2 of the tip 10 of the flexible needle 1 is the bisection of the first flexible arm 4 and the second flexible arm 8. Defined as a line, the average of angles α(θ1) and β(θ1) according to the following relation:

（３）

(3)

According to the invention, one of the first flexible arm 4 and the second flexible arm 8 comprises a first decorative element 44 and a second decorative element 46, the other flexible arm contains a third decorative element 48, these first decorative element 44, second decorative element 46 and third decorative element 48 are arranged at a certain moment during the rotation of the flexible needle 1 by this flexible needle. The flexible needle 1 passes over the other flexible arm supporting a third decorative element 48 so that the third decorative element 48 passes over the first decorative element 44 and then the second. It is arranged so as to have a shape and length such that it can overlap two decorative elements 46 in succession.

Merely by way of example, the first decorative element 44 corresponds to a daytime display, the second decorative element 46 corresponds to a nighttime display, and the shape and length of the flexible needle 1 correspond to a shutter-type third decoration. The element 48 changes such that it completely obscures the first decorative element 44 (FIG. 2) and subsequently completely obscures the second decorative element 46 (FIG. 4) over a suitable time range. The present invention is therefore of particular interest because, in addition to being able to provide the current time using the flexible needle tip 10, it can also provide a day/night or AM/PM indication: the flexible needle 1 is actually , the third decorative element 48 suitably changes shape and length such that it continuously obscures the "day" or "AM" indication or the "night" or "PM" indication for the required time. are arranged as follows. The flexible needle 1 thus simultaneously provides the wearer with two pieces of information complementary to each other: the current time and an indication of whether it is day or night.

Another embodiment of a flexible needle 1 according to the invention is shown in FIG.

According to yet another embodiment of the present invention shown in Figures 8A-8D, the first flexible arm 4 supports the first portion 50 of the decoration and the second flexible arm 8 supports this. It supports the second portion 52 of the decoration. Actuating mechanism 12 and flexible needle 1 comprise a first flexible arm 4 comprising a first portion 50 of said decoration and a second flexible arm 8 comprising a second portion 52 of said decoration. is shaped and lengthened such that at a given moment during rotation of the flexible needle 1 the first part 48 and the second part 50 of said decoration are joined to form a complete decoration. arranged to fit.

Naturally, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and a person skilled in the art can make various modifications and simple modifications without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the attached utility model claims. Variations can be envisaged.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 flexible needle 2 first drive tube 4 first flexible arm 6 second drive tube 8 second flexible arm 10 tip 12 actuation mechanism 14 first drive means 16 second drive means 18 planet carrier frame 20 first tenon 22 planet gear 24 cam follower finger 26 profile 28 cam 30 fixed tube 32 first drive pinion 34 second drive pinion 36 second 1 sun gear 38 second sun gear 40 return wheel 42 second tenon 44 first decorative element 46 second decorative element 48 third decorative element 50 first part 52 second part

Claims (4)

Flexible hands (1) actuated by a timepiece movement for analog display of information, said flexible hands (1) each having a first flexible arm (4), a second A first drive tube (2) and a second drive tube ( 6), wherein said first drive tube (2) and said second drive tube (6) are such that said flexible needle (1) is in a free, unstressed state. An operating position, possibly at a distance from each other and in which the flexible needle (1) has a predetermined shape and length, is the first drive tube (2) and the second drive tube (2). A stress applying position where the tubular portion (6) is arranged coaxially around the output shaft (D), and the flexible needle (1) is located on the second driving tubular portion (6). so that shape and length change in a desired manner when angular position is varied with respect to said first drive tube (2) by pivoting about said output shaft (D); and one of said first flexible arm (4) and said second flexible arm (8) comprises at least one first decorative element (44) and at least one comprising a second decorative element (46), the other said flexible arm (4, 8) comprising a third decorative element (48), said first decorative element (44), said second decorative element (44); The element (46) and said third decorative element (48) are arranged such that at some moment during the rotation of said flexible needle (1) said flexible needle (1) merges with said third decorative element ( 48) is arranged to have a shape and length such that it continuously overlaps said first decorative element (44) followed by said second decorative element (46). (1). Said first decorative element (44) corresponds to a daytime display and said second decorative element (46) corresponds to a nighttime display and said flexible hands (1) are adapted for a suitable time range. while said third decorative element (48) varies in shape and length so as to completely obscure said first decorative element (44) and said second decorative element (46) respectively. Flexible needle (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that Flexible hands (1) actuated by a timepiece movement for analog display of information, said flexible hands (1) each having a first flexible arm (4), a second A first drive tube (2) and a second drive tube ( 6), wherein said first drive tube (2) and said second drive tube (6) are such that said flexible needle (1) is in a free, unstressed state. An operating position, possibly at a distance from each other and in which the flexible needle (1) has a predetermined shape and length, is the first drive tube (2) and the second drive tube (2). A stress applying position where the tubular portion (6) is arranged coaxially around the output shaft (D), and the flexible needle (1) is located on the second driving tubular portion (6). so that shape and length change in a desired manner when angular position is varied with respect to said first drive tube (2) by pivoting about said output shaft (D); wherein said first flexible arm (4) comprises a first portion (50) of decoration and said second flexible arm (8) comprises a second portion (52) of said decoration ), wherein the first part (50) and the second part (52) of the ornament are at a moment during the rotation of the flexible needle (1) is arranged to have a shape and length such that said first portion (50) and said second portion (52) of said decoration are joined to form a complete decoration; Flexible needle (1). A mechanism (12) for actuating a flexible needle (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said first drive tube (2) comprises a first Installed at a pre-determined prestress angle, said second drive tube (6) is oriented in a direction opposite to the direction of said first drive tube (2) in a second pre-determined Installed at a prestress angle, said first flexible arm (4) and said second flexible arm (8) of said flexible needle (1) are each actuated by said timepiece movement to said flexible arm. Said information is displayed by performing an angular rotation (θ1) applied to hands (1), said angular rotation (θ1) applied to said flexible hands (1) by said clock movement is , modulated by an additional rotation angle (φ) of said actuation mechanism (12), said additional rotation angle (φ) being modulated by said first flexible arm (4) of said flexible needle (1) and A mechanism (12) applied in a direction opposite said second flexible arm (8) to determine the change in shape and length of said flexible needle (1).

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