WO2006067597A2

WO2006067597A2 - Wristwatch regulating member

Info

Publication number: WO2006067597A2
Application number: PCT/IB2005/003850
Authority: WO
Inventors: Raoul Allaman
Original assignee: Raoul Allaman
Priority date: 2004-12-22
Filing date: 2005-12-22
Publication date: 2006-06-29
Also published as: WO2006067597A3

Abstract

The invention relates to a wristwatch-regulating member comprising a balance (1) which is pivotable around an axis of rotation (2) and whose oscillations are used for adjusting the daily rate of a watchpiece. The axis of rotation (2) of the balance (1) is held in the space position thereof by a force perpendicularly acting thereon, only. The regulating member can comprise at least one additional balance (1.2, 1.3) pivotable around an additional axis of rotation (2.2, 2.3), wherein at least one balance (1.1, 1.2, 1.3) is connected at least indirectly to the spring (7) determining an oscillation period. In such a case, the axes (2.1, 2.2, 2.3) of the balances (1.1, 1.2, 1.3) are cinematically connected by a connection element (4) in such a way that the oscillations of the balances (1.1, 1.2, 1.3) are synchronised.

Description

Regulating body for watch movement

The present invention relates to a regulating member for a clockwork movement comprising a rocker pivoted about an axis of rotation, the oscillations of the balance to adjust the movement of the movement.

Since the sprung balance exists watchmakers have been trying to reduce the defects that have an influence on the regularity of the running of the watch. Important factors in this context are the quality of the spiral spring, the balance wheel balance, the friction between the balance shaft and its bearings, and other factors that are, in addition, dependent on other factors. parameters such as the ambient temperature. Similarly, the gravity has an influence, especially with regard to the effects of a pendulum imbalance and friction forces in the bearings of a balance that are not the same if the conventional axis of the balance is in a vertical or horizontal position. In order to reduce as much as possible the frictional forces around the axis of rotation of the balance, for example performing bearings in artificial ruby have been developed. On the other hand, even if these friction forces are limited as much as possible, it is also the ratio between its normal value and that of its possible modification under the influence of the different parameters which influences the regularity of the balance. Due to the geometric position during the rotation of a conventional axis, it is however difficult to maintain the friction forces at a sufficiently constant value to avoid changes in the operating of the regulating member.

To reduce the effects of gravity, devices such as vortices have been developed. These make it possible to improve the accuracy of movement by averaging the position of the balance in space by a cyclic movement. These devices are nevertheless relatively complex, difficult to manufacture, and the gains in accuracy obtained by vortices have become, more recently, less important because the balancing balancers themselves has made great progress. Moreover, even eddies do not allow to eliminate the errors of operation of the watch due to differences in friction in the bearings of the balance according to its position in space.

The object of the present invention is, on the one hand, the production of a regulating member for a clockwork movement of the spring-balance type in which the frictional forces acting on the movable member (s) of the regulator are maintained at a minimum. virtually constant value whatever the position that the regulating member occupies in space so as to improve the running accuracy of a watch movement equipped with such a member.

On the other hand, the present invention seeks to provide a simpler device to reduce the effects of gravity on the accuracy of movement.

On the one hand, a regulating member according to the present invention is distinguished for this purpose by the features listed in claim 1 and / or the dependent claims. In particular, the axis of rotation of the beam is maintained in its position in space only by a force acting substantially perpendicular to this axis of rotation.

By this measurement, we obtain a friction force acting on the axis of rotation of the balance almost constant for all positions that can take the device in space, which improves the accuracy of the movement.

On the other hand, another regulating member according to the present invention is distinguished by the characteristics listed in claim 6. In particular, this member comprises at least one additional rocker pivoted about an additional axis of rotation, at least one pendulums being connected at least indirectly to a spring determining the oscillation period, the axes of the rockers being kinematically connected by a connecting element so that the oscillations of the rockers are synchronized. Due to the presence of several pendulums distributed in space, the detrimental effect of the gravitational force on the regularity of the march of the movement is averaged and thus diminished.

Other advantages emerge from the features expressed in the dependent claims and from the detailed description below.

The appended drawing represents, by way of example, an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1a schematically illustrates the principle of cooperation of a conventional bearing for the retention of an axis of rotation of a traditional balance; Figure 1b schematically shows the principle of operation of an axis of rotation of a beam according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic top view of a regulating member according to the present invention, without the spring and the corresponding exhaust anchor. Figure 3 shows a schematic top view of the regulating member according to Figure 2, without the bearing structure, but with the spring and the exhaust anchor.

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of a regulating member according to FIG. 2. FIG. 5 shows a schematic view from above of a regulating member similar to that of FIG. 3, the connecting element being here a wheel toothed instead of a belt.

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating an embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Figure 1a, which shows schematically the principle of cooperation between a conventional bearing and an axis of rotation 2 of a traditional balance, the geometric constellation during the rotation of this axis 2 is clearly visible. Axis 2 rotates around its geometric axis ao by being normally housed at each end on an artificial ruby bearing. This forms, for example, a concave notch and is surrounded by a ring also in artificial ruby in order to limit the lateral displacement of the axis 2. The friction forces develop at the contact points between the axis 2 and the close bearing from the geometric axis to ₀ when the axis 2 is in its normal operating position. The torque exerted by these friction forces is thus relatively small. When the rocker or the axis 2 is moved for example under the effect of a shock or the gravitational force no longer acting parallel to the axis 2 due to a change of position of the device, the friction acts on a zone Pi offset by a distance U from the geometric axis ao and thus produces a relatively large torque, especially compared to the normal constellation. In the extreme case, the axis touches the side ring and an additional friction force develops at the lateral surface of the axis 2 producing a corresponding torque. As a result, the differences in the friction forces for different, for example vertical or horizontal, positions of the device in space can not be neglected and are detrimental to the accuracy of operation of the device.

One aspect of the present invention is to improve the running accuracy of a watch movement by decreasing the differences in frictional forces for different positions of the device in space. The principle of operation of the device proposed for this purpose is shown in Figure 1b. In this case, the axis of rotation 2 of the balance is not retained at these ends, but it is retained in its position in space only by a force acting substantially perpendicular to this axis 2.

In the example shown in FIG. 1b, the axis of rotation 2 has towards its ends circumferential notches 2a around its lateral surface which are intended to receive spikes 5a of the bearing heads 5 exerting a substantially perpendicular force on the axis of rotation 2. This force is sufficiently high to be adapted to retain itself the axis of rotation 2 in its position in space. In particular, it must be greater than the value the gravitational force due to the weight of the pendulum and is preferably in a range of 5 to 10 times this value. FIG. 1b indicates that in the normal position of the balance wheel the frictional forces apply, in the example presented, to a distance I ₀ from the geometric axis to ₀ of the axis of rotation 2 in an area around the point of contact between the deepest ring of each circumferential notch 2a on the axis 2 and the tip 5a of the support head 5. In case of a position of the device where the presence of an additional force such as a shock or gravitation must be taken into account, the friction zone is shifted for example to a zone P ₁ , as explained above for the conventional case. On the other hand, the additional lever arm I ₁ which must be taken into account for the total torque developed by the friction forces and thus the increase of the torque relative to the normal position is here considerably smaller compared to the conventional constellation. As a result, the modification of the torque developed by the frictional forces in the different positions of the device in space is decreased and the running accuracy of the regulating member is thus improved.

In order to turn to concrete embodiments of a device according to the present invention incorporating the operating principle explained above, reference is first made to FIG. 2. This is a schematic view from above of FIG. a preferred embodiment of a regulating member according to the present invention and shows the important parts thereof, the conventional parts such as the sprung balance spring and the corresponding escapement anchor being removed.

A carrier structure 6 serves to mount the mobile parts of the device and can be constituted, as illustrated by the side view of Figure 4, by two bridges 6.1, 6.2 fixed parallel to one another on a non-basic bridge. represent. In the illustrated case, these bridges 6.1, 6.2 are in the form of an equilateral triangle with flattened corners which each serve to house in a mobile manner a bearing head 5 intended to exert an outwardly directed force, seen from the center bridges 6.1, 6.2, and substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation 2. These ci, in the case illustrated by way of example three axes 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, each carry a balance 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and are arranged perpendicular to the plane of the bridge 6.1, 6.2 opposite the corners of the two bridges 6.1, 6.2 so that their ends or even more particularly the circumferential notches 2a are opposite the points 5a of the support heads 5. Indeed, the bridges 6.1, 6.2 are spaced apart, as shown in FIG. 4, so as to the support heads 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6 are at the circumferential notches 2a of the axes of rotation 2.1, 2.2, 2.3.

Each bearing head 5 comprises a body which serves as a housing for the outwardly facing tips 5a and actually coming into contact with the surface of the circumferential notches 2a of an axis 2, this only on a relatively small fraction of the circumference notches 2a. These tips 5a are preferably artificial ruby, but could in principle also be constituted by a miniature bearing to replace the friction in part by a bearing.

On the inner side oriented towards the center of the bridges 6.1, 6.2, the body of a bearing head 5 serves to accommodate an end of at least one, preferably two guiding elements 5b, the other end of these elements. 5b being housed in the flattened corners of the bridges 6.1, 6.2, in order to guide the longitudinal movement of a bearing head 5 perpendicular to the axis of rotation 2. It is also possible to accommodate the end of an element guide 5b oriented towards the center of the bridges in an additional part of the supporting structure 6, this part being then fixed for example on the bridges 6.1, 6.2.

In addition, an elastic element 5c such as a helical spring is placed between the body of a bearing head 5 and the supporting structure 6 or even the flattened corners of the bridges 6.1, 6.2 so as to exert an outwardly directed force and substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation 2.

As mentioned above, the regulating member comprises in this preferred embodiment three axes 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 carrying the three pendulums 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, the axes being subjected to an outwardly directed force. In order to maintain this assembly in place on the carrier structure 6 as well as to synchronize the oscillations the balances 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, each axis 2 comprises, in this embodiment, a pulley 3, a belt 4a being placed in these pulleys 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 so as to surround the three axes of rotation 1.1, 1.2, 1.3. Each pulley 3 is preferably placed between the ends of an axis of rotation 2, as is also the case for the location of the rockers 1 on their axes 2. The belt 4a is preferably a flat belt, a tape or a transmission cable, but may be constituted by a toothed belt or a transmission chain, the term belt to be interpreted in a broad sense in this context.

Because the belt 4a exerts a force directed inwards and also substantially perpendicular to the axes of rotation 2, the resultant between the forces exerted by the support heads 5 and the belt 4a is substantially perpendicular to each axis of rotation 2. and applies a bearing head 5 against the surface of a circumferential notch 2a of an axis of rotation 2 (or vice versa). An axis of rotation 2 of a rocker 1 is thus retained in its position in space only by a force acting substantially perpendicular to this axis of rotation 2, the ends of an axis 2 having no axial support as in the conventional case.

With regard to the other parts of such a member and the operation of a clockwork integrating it, such a regulating member according to the present invention comprises, as shown in FIG. 3, a view from above of the device of FIG. FIG. 2 without the support structure 6, at least one spring 7. In the embodiment described above, this spring is, preferably, but not necessarily, a spiral spring connected conventionally at its ends to the axis of one of the rockers 1 and the carrier structure 6 and determines the oscillation period of all the rockers. Obviously, it is possible to equip several or all the pendulums 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 with their own spiral spring. In addition, an anchor 8 is pivotally placed around a pivot 8a and comprises at least one arm 8b having a fork which cooperates with one of the rockers 1. Similarly, it is possible to equip the anchor 8 with several 8b arm so that they cooperate through the corresponding forks with several or all the rockers 1, as in the case illustrated in Figure 3. The anchor further comprises two vanes 8c cooperating in the usual way with the teeth an unillustrated escape wheel, the pallets 8c can be placed on the arms 8b or on arms specially provided for this purpose on the anchor 8. This anchor can also comprise one or more balancing masses 8d which are mounted on the anchor so as to adjust the center of gravity of the anchor to avoid any imbalance of this piece, a mass 8d being for example pivotable.

Since the invention targets the arrangement of an axis of rotation of a rocker respectively the presence of several rockers in a regulating member, the cooperation of a regulating member according to the present invention with the other pieces of a movement is, at the possible presence of several springs-spiral 7 respectively the possibility of using other types of spring as will be explained below and the specific form of the anchor 8, conventional from the escape wheel . On the other hand, the design of this device allows, as a first aspect, that a change of position of the device in space does not cause any significant modification of the friction forces or even the corresponding torque, as has been explained in the context of Figure 1b. Consequently, an improvement of the regularity in the oscillations of the rockers and a gain in the precision of the progress of a corresponding movement is obtained.

The fact of simultaneously mounting several, that is to say at least two, but also more than three pendants 1 kinematically connected to each other on a carrier structure 6 is another independent aspect and allows to average the effects of the gravitational force. For this purpose, it is, by analogy to the example presented above, possible to arrange two pendulums 1 in line, four pendulums on a square or five pendulums around a hexagon. By cons, for this second aspect it is not necessarily necessary to retain the axes of rotation 2 in their spatial position as described above, but one could use axes with conventional bearings. Nevertheless, it is preferable to combine the two aspects as well as to arrange the axes of symmetry of the rockers 1 in their plane relative to each other at an equal angular distance corresponding to their number. For example, the axes of symmetry of the three beams 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 of Figure 2 are shifted by 180 ° / 3 = 60 °. Thus, instead of obtaining an average by performing a cyclic movement of a single pendulum which will sweep the space by the different positions that it will occupy over time, as is the case in a whirlwind, the present device tries to average by (statically) positioning several rockers in the space occupying by default different positions which are defined before each other. The axes of the rockers being kinematically connected by a belt so that the oscillations of the rockers are synchronized, the possible defects or forces acting individually on a rocker such as an unbalance of a pendulum or additional friction caused by gravitation acting always unidirectionally will therefore only partially affect the oscillation delivered by the regulating organ as a whole. Thus, the regularity of the march of the movement is improved.

Another embodiment of a regulating member according to the present invention is illustrated schematically in FIG. 5. Here, instead of a belt 4a, it is a toothed wheel 4b that acts as a connecting element 4. This toothed wheel 4b is pivotally mounted, its axis being preferably coaxial with the anchor 8, and is in gear with each of the axes 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 via a pinion 3b placed on each axis. rotation 2 instead of a pulley 3a. In this case, the support heads 5 are mounted, again seen from the center of the bridges 6.1, 6.2, outside the axes 2 so as to exert a force directed towards the interior in order to apply the axes of rotation 2 against said toothed wheel 4b. It is possible to mount a spiral spring 7 on the axis of this toothed wheel 4b instead of equipping one or more rockers. Otherwise, the operation of this device is analogous to what has been said above. In addition, the fact that the toothed wheel 4b only oscillates about a much smaller angle than the balance, for example a maximum angle of about 10 ° to 15 ° depending on the ratio of the gear chosen between the toothed wheel 4b and the pinion 3b, allows the spiral spring 7 can be replaced by a leaf spring. Such a spring could for example be fixed with one of its ends to the supporting structure 6, preferably close to the axis of the toothed wheel 4b, and with its other end on the circumference of this toothed wheel 4b or close to this circumference , for example on an arm fixed to this wheel, to increase the torque exerted by the leaf spring. Theoretically, it would also be possible to integrate such a leaf spring in the embodiment comprising a belt 4a as connecting element 4. In this case, a pinion should be provided on the axis of at least a rocker, this pinion meshing with a toothed wheel, one end of the leaf spring being attached to the circumference of the toothed wheel and its other end to the bearing structure 6. This pinion and this toothed wheel would then not have the role of connecting element, but only serve to allow the choice of the type and location of the spring 7.

To describe yet other variants of a device according to the present invention, in particular to obtain relatively constant friction forces, it should be noted that it is obviously possible to use only a single balance 1 in such an organ even if the combination of the two features as proposed in the preferred embodiment and described above with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4 is advantageous. In this case, instead of keeping the belt 4a or the toothed wheel 4b deprived of the main function of synchronizing the oscillations of the rockers only for the secondary function of exerting a force against the heads 5, the single pendulum 1 can be mounted for example without belt 4a or toothed wheel 4b, but only using the support heads 5.

These could for example be arranged at three or four around the axis of rotation 2 of the balance 1, because each of them occupies only part of the circumference of a notch 2a. In this case, it would be only these heads 5, arranged around the openings of the bridges 6.1, 6.2 through which the ends of an axis of rotation 2 of the beam 1, which cause a force perpendicular to the axis 2 and hold the balance in the space.

Similarly, it is in principle possible to replace the support heads by pulley-belt systems or any other means arranged to exert a force oriented towards the axis of rotation 2 while allowing its oscillation. This would allow to maintain an axis of rotation 2 of a beam 1 only using the belts 4a instead of using only support heads 5, as is possible for the case of a single beam 1 , or the combination of a belt 4a (respectively a toothed wheel 4b) with support heads 5, as is preferable for a regulating member having a plurality of rockers 1. Indeed, those skilled in the art will understand that Generally speaking, a belt or a gear wheel can also be used for the function of exerting a force perpendicular to the axis or axes 2 instead of serving only for the synchronization of their oscillations.

These examples show that the two characteristics introduced above, on the one hand to maintain a balance in space by subjecting it to a force perpendicular to its axis of rotation and secondly to use several kinematically spiral type balances connected by a connecting element such as a belt or a toothed wheel, are indeed independent and can be made by different embodiments of the present invention. The combination of these two characteristics in a regulating organ is favored. In all these cases, this allows on the one hand to create friction forces whose sum tends to be constant regardless of the spatial position of the organ regulating and on the other hand to balance unbalance and other effects like gravitational force that are also dependent on the spatial position of the organ by shifting several pendulums.

The advantages listed thus make it possible to obtain a better regularity of operation and thus to realize a more accurate watch movement.

Claims

claims

1. A regulating member for a watch movement comprising a rocker (1) pivoted about an axis of rotation (2), the oscillations of the rocker used to adjust the movement of the movement, characterized in that the axis of rotation (2) the rocker (1) is maintained in its position in the space mainly by a force acting substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation (2).

2. regulating member according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the axis of rotation (2) has towards its ends circumferential notches (2a) on its lateral surface which are intended to receive at least one tip (5a) of a bearing head (5) exerting a force substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation (2).

3. regulating member according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises a carrier structure (6), the circumferential notches (2a) of the axis of rotation (2) being each in front of at least one head support member (5) movably housed in the carrier structure (6).

4. regulating member according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the carrier structure (6) comprises two bridges (6.1, 6.2) fixed to one another and arranged perpendicularly to the axis of rotation (2) .

5. regulating member according to one of claims 3 to 4, characterized in that a bearing head (5) comprises an elastic element (5c) placed between the bearing head (5) and the carrier structure ( 6) so as to exert a force directed towards the axis of rotation (2) and substantially perpendicular to this axis (2).

6. regulating member according to one of the preceding claims 3 to 5, characterized in that a bearing head (5) comprises at least one guide element (5b) housed in the carrier structure (6) and in the bearing head (5) for guiding the longitudinal movement of the bearing head (5) perpendicularly to the axis of rotation (2).

7. Regulating member for a watch movement comprising a balance (1.1) pivoted about an axis of rotation (2.1), the oscillations of the balance for adjusting the movement of the movement, characterized in that it comprises at least one additional balance (1.2, 1.3) rotated about an additional axis of rotation (2.2, 2.3), at least one of the rockers (1.1, 1.2, 1.3) being connected at least indirectly to a spring (7) determining the period oscillation, and in that the axes (2.1, 2.2, 2.3) of the rockers (1.1, 1.2, 1.3) are kinematically connected by a connecting element (4) so that the oscillations of the rockers (1.1, 1.2, 1.3) are synchronized.

8. regulating member according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the connecting element (4) is a belt (4a).

9. regulating member according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the belt (4a) is a flat belt, a strip or a transmission cable.

10. regulating member according to claim 8, characterized in that the belt (4a) is a toothed belt or a transmission chain.

11.The regulating organ according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that each axis of rotation (2.1, 2.2, 2.3) comprises a pulley (3a), the belt (4a) being placed in these pulleys (3a) so as to surround the axes of rotation (1.1, 1.2, 1.3).

12. regulating organ according to claim 7, characterized in that the connecting element (4) is a toothed wheel (4b).

13. Regulating organ according to claim 12, characterized in that each axis of rotation (2.1, 2.2, 2.3) comprises a pinion (3b), the toothed wheel (4b) being placed so as to mesh with the axes of rotation ( 1.1, 1.2, 1.3) through these gears.

14. regulating organ according to claims 7, 12 and 13, characterized in that the spring is a spiral spring (7) placed on the axis of the toothed wheel (4b).

15. regulating organ according to claims 7, 12 and 13, characterized in that the spring is a leaf spring (7) fixed with one of its ends to the toothed wheel (4b).

16. A regulating member according to one of claims 7 to 15, characterized in that the axes of symmetry of the rockers (1) in their plane are arranged relative to each other at an equal angular distance.

17. Regulating body according to one of claims 7 to 16, characterized in that it comprises an anchor (8) placed on a pivot (8a) and having arms (8b) equal in number to the number of rockers (1 ) of the regulating member, each arm having a fork cooperating with one of the rockers (1.1, 1.2, 1.3), and the anchor (8) further comprising two vanes (8c) cooperating in the usual way with an escape wheel of the clockwork movement.

18. regulating organ according to claim 17, characterized in that the anchor (8) comprises at least one balancing mass (8d) mounted on the anchor (8) so as to adjust its center of gravity.

19. Regulating member according to one of claims 7 to 18, characterized in that the axes of rotation (2.1, 2.2, 2.3) of the rockers (1a, 1b, 1c) are maintained in their positions in the space according to l one of claims 1 to 6.

20. Watchmaking movement, characterized in that it comprises a regulating member according to one of claims 1 to 6 or 7 to 19.