JP5646638B2 - Energy sources for striking mechanisms and watches with such energy sources - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an energy source for a repeater type striking mechanism for a watch. More specifically, the kinematics to enable the application of the torque to the frame, the elastic engine designed to generate torque, the means for winding the elastic engine and the engine of the striking mechanism to ensure striking It relates to an energy source provided with a connection means.

  Such energy sources generally take the form of a single spring located within a cylinder or a housing formed in a frame. The watch is equipped with a gong and a hammer configured to strike the gong. To ensure as harmonious strikes as possible, the energy stored in the springs drives the mechanism in all cases while ensuring that the strike frequency only changes slightly during the display. Need to be enough. Especially when the striking mechanism operates with the highest regularity even when the watch has to show 12:59 for the minute repeater and 12:45 for the quarter repeater, which corresponds to the maximum hit to be hit. is necessary.

  To that end, different solutions have been developed. For example, it is possible to use means for causing the lever to change in inverse proportion to the change in force applied by the spring on the connecting means. This can be done using a fuzzy or helical gear. Such a solution requires considerable precision of the gears or of the space if a fuse is used.

  It is theoretically possible to obtain satisfactory results using a spring with a large number of turns and a small blade thickness. In order for the torque to be sufficient, the blade height needs to be quite large. However, in that case, it has been observed that the operating condition deteriorates if the height / thickness ratio is too high. Given the possible space, it is not possible to avoid deterioration, especially if the energy source is located between two hammers.

  A striking mechanism comprising two springs is described in US Pat. This mechanism comprises two cores and two springs wound in opposite directions. Each core is connected to a different cylinder shaft so that the core does not rotate.

  Furthermore, US Pat. No. 4,363,553 describes a mechanism comprising two drive cylinders, each comprising a spring, wound in opposite directions. This document does not describe or suggest the use of two springs in the striking mechanism.

  The object of the present invention is to compensate for these drawbacks.

  This object is achieved by the fact that the elastic engine comprises two springs wound in the same direction in a concentric helix arranged to apply torque to the kinematic connection means. Such a solution makes it possible to obtain a considerably improved output.

  It appears in fact that an energy source consisting of two superimposed springs has a better working condition than that provided by a single spring having a height of more than twice. In theory, however, this should be more convenient with a single spring. In fact, trying to have two superimposed springs means that there is a space between them to allow them to work independently. However, in practice, as indicated above, it shows that the use of two springs is more beneficial. More specifically, the higher the ratio between blade height and thickness, the greater the risk of the unwinding state of the latter deformation and spring deterioration.

  As a first alternative, the two springs can be connected in parallel. At first glance, this solution seems less interesting than the series spring. This is not the case at all because the spring can be wound by the same engine connected to the kinematic connection means. In the handy case, this can be done advantageously by means of a cylindrical shaft which serves to fix the inner ends of the two springs. Thus, the outer ends of one or both springs can be secured directly to the frame.

  The precision of the spring thickness is generally insufficient to avoid adjusting the drive torque. In order to avoid means of adjusting the torque, it is possible to select them in pairs by arranging the two springs so that the total torque is within the limit interval.

  If adjustment of the initial torque is conceivable, it can be done by partially winding only one of the parallel springs. The other spring is thus fixed directly to the frame. As a result, the effective volume can be increased, and thus the number of turns of the spring can be increased. In this embodiment, the frame is provided with a housing, preferably a cylindrical one, with one of the housings receiving one of the springs, the latter being fixed to the wall of the housing. .

  Advantageously, the energy source also comprises a ring provided with teeth and intended to support another of the springs. This energy source is also provided with a pawl device intended to cooperate with the tooth part, allowing adjustment of the winding of the spring.

  However, the two springs can also be connected in series. In that case, one of the springs can be connected by an outer end to a fixed point of the frame and by an inner end to a connection engine, for example a cylinder shaft. The second spring is fixed to the connecting engine by the inner end and to the wall of the cylinder which functions by the outer end of the first element of the kinematic connection means. In this way it is possible to have a drive engine with a large number of turns and also with a small blade height / thickness ratio. Instead of fixing the first spring at a fixed point, it is also possible to arrange means enabling angular motion so that the torque of the energy source can thus be adjusted.

  Thus, one of the springs can be connected to a connecting engine by an inner end to a ring with teeth at the outer end and cooperating with the pawl, the other end of the spring being connected to the connecting engine by the inner end and by the outer end of the cylinder. Fixable to the wall, the cylinder performs the function of the first element of the kinematic connection means.

  Advantageously, the energy source takes the form of a module.

  The invention also relates to a timepiece provided with a repeater striking mechanism comprising a hammer and the above-mentioned energy source. Advantageously, this energy source is arranged between the hammers.

  The invention will become more apparent from the following description, given by way of example and with reference to the drawings.

1 is a perspective view of an energy source for a watch provided with a repeater striking mechanism, and FIG. 1 is a top view. 2 is a perspective view of an energy source for a timepiece provided with a repeater striking mechanism, and FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of one such energy source. Fig. 4 illustrates a part of a watch provided with the energy source shown in Figs.

  The energy source shown in FIGS. 1-3 takes the form of a module 10 comprising a plate 12, two bars 14 and 16 and a cover 18. Plate 12 and cover 18 support bearings 20 and 22, respectively. The shaft 24 engages with the bearing.

  Bars 14 and 16 form a housing 26. The cover 18 is provided with a recess 30 in which a ring 32 is disposed. The latter is provided with teeth 32a around its radial periphery, and its function will be described later.

  The shaft 24 has a non-cylindrical structure at a position. The cores 34 and 36 are centrally cut on the shaft 24 having a shape complementary to the structure of the shaft 24 so that the cores are rotatably connected via the shaft 24 and rotate the same angle when the shaft 24 rotates. Engage with the notch.

  The illustrated leaf springs 38 and 40 are located in the housing 26 and the recess 30, respectively. They are spirally wound both in the same direction and are secured to the cores 34 and 36 by inner ends and to the walls of the bar 14 and ring 32 by outer ends, respectively. Thus, turning the shaft 24 tends to drive and wind the springs 38 and 40 internally.

  The pawl 42 is positioned on the bar 16 using screws 44. This pawl is actuated by a spring 42 a and leans against a bloom stud 45 mounted on the bar 16 and leans against a tooth portion 32 a of the ring 32. The pawl 42 prevents the ring 32 from rotating when the shaft 42 winds the spring 38. The pawl 42 is held between the bar 16 and the cover 18.

  The function of the pawl 42 and the tooth portion 32a is to allow the adjustment of the striking speed while changing the torque applied by the springs 38 and 40 on the shaft 24 by winding it first.

  The kinematic connecting means 4 is located on the shaft 24 and is fixed to the rotation of the shaft 24. These work in conjunction with the rack of the striking mechanism and are traditionally intended to drive the hammers included in the watch to inform the hour, 15 minutes, and minutes.

  In order to adjust the rotation speed, the timepiece is provided with a spring wheel (not shown) in a known manner. Therefore, the pawl wheel 48 is mounted on the shaft 24 and fixed to rotation. A footwheel 50 is mounted adjacent to the pawl wheel 48 so as to spin on the shaft 24. This supports pawl 52 that engages pawl 48. In this way, the wheel 50 remains fixed while winding so that the pawl 52 flies over the teeth of the pawl wheel 48, while the shaft rotates in the opposite direction, while driving the striking means, The wheel rotates and drives the speed adjustment wheel together.

  The winding of the springs 38 and 40 is traditionally ensured by bolts secured to the watch case, which at least indirectly cooperate with the rack and pinion 54, which is secured to the rotation of the shaft 24.

  Thus, when the watch user wants to know the time, the springs 38 and 40 are wound using the bolts provided on the watch case, which are linked to the pinion 54. The pawl 52 keeps the footwheel 50 fixed during this operation. When the bolt is released, the springs 38 and 40 drive the kinematic connection means by the torque applied to the shaft 24, which moves the hammer in conjunction with the rack so that it hits the time on the drum, The rack of the striking mechanism is in place.

The main advantage of the present invention is the adjustment of the initial impact torque by partially winding one of the parallel springs. Thus, the two springs must have respective cores that are rotatably connected to the common cylinder axis of the two cores, thereby forming a common core. They must be wound in the same winding direction by the same engine, i.e. the cylinder shaft, before hitting. Referring to FIG. 3, this striking torque adjustment is performed as follows: One of the springs 38 is inserted into the housing of the bar 14 and prestressed. The pawl 52 holds the assembly in place and cannot rotate. The second spring 40 is then inserted into the ring 32. By cooperating with the tooth 32 of the ring 32 of the pawl 42, the system is held and cannot rotate. When the watchmaker adjusts the torque for optimization, the manufacturer moves pawl 42 and rotates ring 32, which causes prestressing of spring 40 via a clamp against the inner wall of ring 32.

  The use of two parallel springs makes it possible to obtain a more constant striker torque while maintaining a controlled maximum torque.

  One additional advantage is that once the movement is mounted, the ring 32 is on the side accessible to the watchmaker so that pre-winding work will always be possible when the movement is in place. Thing.

  Another advantage is the simplification of the system during optimization: in fact, the standard spring mechanism energy source system has a second spring 40, core 36, ring 32, pawl 42, and pawl to improve hitting torque constancy. It is only necessary to add a part including the cover 18. This system can therefore be applied relatively easily to any type of standard repeater strike mechanism.

  Although not shown, in one alternative obvious to those skilled in the art, springs 38 and 40 are arranged in series. In this case, advantageously, the energy source comprises two tubes, each comprising a drum and a spring. A single axis passes through the two cylinders. The shaft is provided with two cores, one for each cylinder. Each cylinder acts as a housing for the leaf spring. The spring winding is effected by actuation on one circumference of the cylindrical drum. The spring provided with each cylinder is wound by applying torque on the cylinder axis, and this is transmitted to the spring of the second cylinder. This second spring is then wound. In that case, as in the illustrated embodiment, the connecting means is fixed to the drum of the second cylinder instead of the shaft.

  In general, the energy sources described and illustrated have the same dimensions, a length of 110 to 170 mm, a thickness of 0.08 to 0.10 mm, and a height of 0.70 to 0.90 mm. Two springs 38 and 40 may be provided. The inner diameter of the housing 26 and the ring 32 is 5.00 to 5.50 mm. A play of 0.05 to 0.10 mm is provided between the springs 38 and 40 and the flat walls of the bars 14 and 16 and between the bar 16 and the cover 18.

  Such an energy source can be advantageously used in a watch movement as shown and partially shown in FIG. This figure shows the module 10 shown in FIGS. The module 10 is fixed on the plate 62. Hammers 64 and 66 are arranged on both sides of the module 10. The gongs in the form of wires, fixed to the plate in the part not shown in the figure, are arranged to strike one of them when each of the hammers 64 and 66 is moved by the springs 38 and 40. . The energy arrangement consisting of the module 10 between the hammers 64 and 66 provides a particularly advantageous arrangement with respect to the space occupied in the movement. However, in order to obtain a good hit, the wires that make up the gong need to be as long as possible. Therefore, the sector occupied by the module needs to be as small as possible, resulting in the advantage of the arrangement of two stacked cylindrical springs.

  The energy source according to the invention can of course take many alternative forms without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, the energy source can be incorporated directly into the movement without taking the form of a separate module. The structure of the frame can be very different, with more or fewer parts. The bearing 22 can be placed on the bar 16 and the ring 32 can be replaced by a cylindrical drum mounted in the air on the shaft 24. Thus, the cover 18 can be removed.

  Thus, by virtue of the features of the energy source according to the invention, it is possible to make a watch provided with a repeater striking engine that occupies a relatively small volume and has almost the same striking frequency.

Claims (4)

An energy source of a repeater striking mechanism for a watch,
The energy source includes a frame (12, 14, 16, 18), an elastic engine arranged to generate torque, means (24, 54) for winding the elastic engine, and the torque to the engine of the striking mechanism. Kinematic connection means (46) for making it possible to secure the impact by adding
The elastic engine comprises two springs (38, 40) wound in the same direction in a concentric helix, arranged to overlap to apply torque to the kinematic connection means (46);
The springs (38, 40) are connected in parallel to each other,
The energy source also comprises a ring (32) provided with teeth (32a), the ring (32) intended to receive the other of the spring (40), and the energy source further The pawl device (42, 42a) arranged in conjunction with the tooth portion (32a) is also provided, and the pawl device (42, 42a) arranged in the arrangement adjusts the winding of the other (40) of the spring (38, 40). Enabling, characterized by,
The energy source of the repeater strike mechanism for the clock. A frame (12, 14, 16, 18) is provided with a housing, and one of the housings (26) receives one of the springs (38) and fixes the spring to one of the walls of the housing. The energy source according to claim 1 , wherein the energy source is arranged as follows. 3. Energy source according to claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that it has the form of a module (10). Repeater striking mechanism comprising a hammer (64, 66) and an energy source according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , characterized in that the energy source is arranged between the hammers (64, 66). A watch equipped with.

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