WO2012104688A1

WO2012104688A1 - Display device

Info

Publication number: WO2012104688A1
Application number: PCT/IB2012/000008
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jean-Pierre Musy; Anthony Krüttli
Original assignee: Patek Philippe Sa Geneve
Priority date: 2011-02-02
Filing date: 2012-01-04
Publication date: 2012-08-09
Also published as: EP2485102A1; EP2671121B1; EP2671121A1

Abstract

The mechanical display device, in particular for a timepiece, is distinguished in that it comprises a mobile indicator of seconds (18) and a concentric mobile indicator of fractions of a second (14). A fractions of a second graduation (15) comprises several groups of indices (16) each comprising as many indices (17) as fractions of a second to be displayed, and the mobile indicator of fractions of a second (18) traverses the fractions of a second graduation (15) in as many seconds as this graduation comprises groups of indices (16). The invention also comprises a timepiece furnished with such a mechanical device for displaying fractions of a second.

Description

Display device

The present invention relates to display devices for seconds and fractions of seconds, in particular in a timepiece as well as a timepiece, in particular a wristwatch provided with such a display device.

Document CH 697433 discloses a timepiece comprising a chronograph mechanism, the display of which includes a hundredths of a second hand in the center of the center, making a turn in one second cooperating with a scale indicating the hundredths of a second. This display further comprises a seconds counter and a concentric minute counter, but both eccentric with respect to the hundredth of a second counter.

Document EP 1359479 also discloses a timepiece with seconds lightning whose display comprises a counter of tenths of seconds in the center and an eccentric seconds counter or in a second embodiment a counter of tenths of seconds eccentric and a seconds counter in the center.

These displays are impractical and unreadable because the user can not read all seconds and fractions of seconds at a glance.

The object of the present invention is to allow a quick and safe easy reading, the indication of the second and a fraction of seconds of the current time or a timed time and which thus obviates the disadvantages of the display devices existing.

The subject of the invention is a mechanical display device, in particular for a timepiece, characterized in that it comprises a moving seconds indicator and a concentric seconds fraction moving indicator. The invention also relates to a timepiece including a wristwatch provided with such a display device seconds and fraction of seconds.

The accompanying drawing illustrates schematically and by way of example a wristwatch chronograph provided with the display device according to the invention and a drive mechanism thereof.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the wristwatch chronograph equipped with the display device seconds and fractions of seconds, here tenths of seconds.

Figures 2 and 3 partially illustrate the driving mechanism of the seconds fraction needle and the seconds hand, in section respectively in plan.

The illustrated chronograph comprises a housing 1, provided with horns for fixing a bracelet, and enclosing a clockwork movement provided with a chronograph mechanism. This chronograph comprises two pushers 2, 3 for controlling the chronograph mechanism and a winding crown 4 for setting the time and winding of the movement in a traditional manner.

This chronograph comprises a dial 5 provided with a 6 hour turn and a railroad minute 7 respectively cooperating with a hand hours 8 of the current time and a minute hand 9 of the current time. These graduations 6, 7 and these needles 8, 9 are concentric with the dial 5.

The chronograph further comprises a chronograph minute counter having a 30 minute scale carried by the dial at three o'clock and a chronograph minute hand 11, driven by the chronograph mechanism of the movement, concentric with the chrono minute scale 10.

In this embodiment the chronograph further comprises a small seconds display of the current time comprising a scale of sixty seconds 12 carried by the dial 5 at nine o'clock cooperating with a hand of small seconds 13 of the current time caused by the movement of the chronograph.

The displays briefly described above are conventional and will not be further detailed.

The chronograph illustrated in Figure 1 further comprises a display of seconds and fractions of seconds according to the invention. The split second display has a fractional second hand 14 pivoted in the center of the dial 5 and cooperating with a fractional scale graduation 15 concentric with the pivot axis of the fractional seconds hand 14 and the dial. 5.

In the illustrated example, the fractional seconds graduation 15 is located at the periphery of the dial outside the minute railway 7 and concentrically therewith.

This graduation of a fraction of a second extends over 360 ° and comprises index groups 16 each comprising a number of indexes 17 equal to the fraction of a second to be displayed, in the example illustrated, ten display indices will allow to display the tenth of a second.

In the illustrated example, the fractional seconds scale has twelve index groups 16 and the fractional second hand performs a complete revolution in twelve seconds. Some indexes 7 of each index group 16 are listed by numbers ranging from 0 to 10, only the numbers 0, 5 and 10 being used in the illustrated example to facilitate reading tenths of seconds.

The last index 17 of the twelfth index group 16 located in the example shown at 12 o'clock of the dial is listed by the number ten outside the fractional scale of seconds 15 and by the number zero inside of said graduation fraction of seconds. The fifth and tenth indexes of the first index group 16 are listed by the numbers five and ten affixed to the dial 5 within the fractional seconds scale. The last index 17 of the first index group 16, which is here the tenth index of this group, is also listed by a zero digit located on the dial 5 outside the fractional seconds scale. The fifth and tenth indexes 17 of the second index group 16 are listed by the numbers five and ten affixed to the dial outside the fractional split of 15 seconds.

17 odd index groups are therefore listed by the digits corresponding to the tenth of seconds they represent affixed to the dial 5 within the fractional seconds scale 15, while the indices of the even index groups 16 are listed by numbers corresponding to the tenth of seconds they represent affixed to the dial 5 outside the fractional seconds scale. This makes it easy to view the different index groups and make it easier to read the fraction of seconds displayed.

The fractional seconds hand 14 is driven in steps of one-tenth of a second and traverses each group of indexes 16 in one second, so it performs a complete revolution in a number of seconds equal to the number of index groups. that includes the graduation of fraction of seconds.

The seconds display further includes a second hand 18 at the center cooperating with the minute railroad 7. This seconds hand

18 performs a complete revolution in one minute and thus displays the seconds on the sixty graduations of the railroad of minutes 7.

In the illustrated example, the timepiece provided with the display of seconds and fractions of seconds is a chronograph and the hands of the seconds 18 and fraction of seconds 14 are driven by the chronograph mechanism of the watch movement and therefore displays the timed time, in Figure 1 forty seconds and three-tenths of a second.

Preferably one will choose a clockwork movement having a regulating member of a frequency of at least 5 H _z to ensure greater accuracy of the display. The frequency could be for example an integer multiple of 5 H _2. In a variant where the timepiece is not a chronograph, the display formed by the fractional seconds hand, the fractional seconds scale, the seconds hand and the minute rail, allows display the seconds and fractions of seconds of the current time.

In a variant of the display, the fractional seconds scale may comprise a different number of index groups 16, at least one group. The maximum of these index groups is limited by the readability of the display. Generally, a fractional split of seconds having from one to twenty-four groups of indexes 16 will be preferred. The optimum is, however, a graduation of fraction of seconds comprising twelve index groups. The graduations or indexes zero and ten of each index group then being in phase with the graduation of the railroad minutes from five to five, which ensures a good readability of the display.

Of course each index group 16 has a number of indexes 17 corresponding to the fraction of seconds to be displayed. Instead of ten indexes 17 per index group five indexes 17 per index group can be envisaged to indicate the fifths of seconds and not the tenths of seconds.

In a particular embodiment, it is possible to have a fractional scale of seconds comprising only one index group. The number of indexes of this unique group can for example be one hundred if one wants to display the hundredths of a second.

In general, the fractional seconds scale comprises a number of indexes corresponding to an integer multiple of the number of steps that the fractional seconds hand takes in a complete cycle. By complete cycle is meant a movement of the needle of the fractions of seconds covering the entire extent of the corresponding graduation of fractions of seconds.

In the illustrated example the display of seconds and fraction of seconds is at the center of the dial of a timepiece. In this configuration, the hour hand 8 and the minute hand 9 of the current time are concentric with the needles 18 seconds and fractions of seconds 14 timed time. In variants, the fractional second hand and fractional second graduation could be eccentric from the dials and form an off-center fractional seconds counter, the second hand and the second graduation being concentric to the display. fraction of seconds.

In general, the device always comprises a fractional split of seconds comprising one or more index groups each comprising a number of indexes corresponding to the fraction of seconds to be displayed.

The fractional seconds hand has a rotational speed less than one revolution per minute, depending on the number of index groups of the fractional seconds graduation. The seconds hand does one revolution per minute.

When the display of seconds and fractions of seconds is used in connection with a watch movement without a chronograph, this display shows the current time. In the case of a watch movement equipped with a chronograph mechanism, the display of seconds and fractions of seconds displays the timed time. In this case, the display may comprise a split second hand and a second seconds hand.

When the second and fractional seconds display device is used in connection with a watch movement without a chronograph mechanism, the second hand and the second fraction hand can be continuously driven. fractional seconds hand at a speed defined by the number of index groups of the fractional seconds graduation, from the movement train, in particular the average wheel by a reference or a suitable gear train.

When the second and fractional seconds display device is used in connection with a clockwork movement comprising a counter mechanism, the latter comprises a seconds counter and a fractional seconds counter whose counter wheel performs a complete tour in as many of seconds that the fraction of a second scale has an index group 16. Thus the counter wheel of this fractional seconds counter performs a complete revolution in as many successive steps as the fraction of seconds scale comprises of index 17.

In a variant of the display, the second hand can perform a complete turn in less than one minute. For example, the graduation of seconds may include thirty indexes distributed over a circumference of 360 ° and the corresponding seconds hand then performs a complete revolution in thirty seconds.

In general, the second hand takes a turn in no more than one minute. Preferably, the second hand performs one revolution or cycle per minute and the fractional seconds hand one revolution or cycle in twelve seconds. In a variant, the second hand performs a turn or cycle in one minute and the fractional second hand performs a turn or cycle in one second.

Figure 2 illustrates a portion of a chronograph mechanism for driving the fractional seconds hand. This mechanism comprises a second axis 20 integral with a second wheel board of the finishing gear train 21 and its pinion 22 and a second wheel board of the chronograph gear train 23. This chronograph wheel seconds wheel board 23 is continuously engaged with a chronograph clutch wheel 24 pivoted to a chronograph clutch rocker 25, itself pivoted concentrically to the second axis 20. When the chronograph is running, the position illustrated in FIG. 2, the chronograph clutch rocker 25 maintains the chronograph clutch wheel 24 meshing with the toothing of a chronograph wheel 28 carrying the second chronograph hand 29. A chronograph gearwheel seconds wheel seconds 30 is driven on the second axis 20 and is engaged with a clutch wheel of fractions of seconds 31 rotated on a clutch rocker fractions of seconds 32 itself pivoted concentric at the second axis 20. When the chronograph is running, as shown in FIG. 2, the seconds fraction clutch rocker 32 holds the clutch wheel of the fractional seconds 31 in mesh with a fraction of seconds 33 whose axis 34 carries the fractional seconds hand 35.

This chronograph mechanism therefore provides two clutch rockers 25, 32, one carrying the second clutch wheel 24 and the other carrying the fraction clutch wheel 31 seconds.

In a variant, the chronograph mechanism may comprise a single rocker on which are pivoted on the one hand the clutch wheel seconds 24 and other by the fraction of seconds clutch wheel 31.

In variants of the display device, the second hand and / or fractional seconds hand may be replaced by a disk or other movable indicator member bearing the corresponding graduation and moving opposite a marker. In this case the marks can be a counter or a fixed mark of the dial.

In the embodiments described above, the moving seconds and fractions of seconds indicators always turn in the same direction and cooperate with corresponding graduations or marks extending over 360 °.

In other embodiments, the display device for seconds and fractions of seconds may be retrograde. In this case the movable indicators of seconds and fractions of seconds are always concentric but cooperate with corresponding graduations or markers, concentric too, extending over a sector of circle only.

In a preferred manner, the display of seconds and fractions of seconds comprises:

a moving seconds indicator concentric with a moving seconds fraction indicator, a graduation or a seconds mark cooperating with the moving seconds indicator,

a scale or a fractional seconds marker cooperating with the movable seconds fraction indicator comprising one or more index groups each comprising as many indexes as fractional seconds to be displayed,

the movable fractional seconds indicator traversing the graduation or scrolling in front of the fractional seconds marker in as many seconds as this fractional seconds scale has index groups in less than one minute.

It should be noted that if this display of seconds and fractions of seconds always comprises a movable indicator of concentric seconds to a movable indicator of fractions of seconds, the graduations corresponding to each of these moving indicators are not necessarily concentric. For example, it is possible to have a circular or circular sector graduation of seconds and an elliptical or oval fractional or elliptical sector fraction graduation provided that these graduations are arranged in such a way as to be able to cooperate with indicators. concentric motives.

Thanks to this concentric arrangement of the mobile seconds indicator and the mobile indicator of fractions of seconds the user can at a glance quickly and surely read the number of seconds and the number of fractions of seconds of current or timed time. This gives an optimal display that is easy to read.

When the display device described is used for a timepiece the graduations or marks of the seconds and / or fractions of seconds can be affixed to the dial or the bezel of this timepiece or on any other fixed part of it.

Claims

1. Mechanical display device, especially for a timepiece, characterized in that it comprises a movable seconds indicator and a movable indicator of concentric seconds fraction.

Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the movable seconds indicator cooperates with or carries a graduation or a second mark and that the movable second fraction indicator cooperates with or carries a graduation or fraction mark of seconds, comprising several index groups each comprising as many indexes as fraction of seconds to display and the movable fraction seconds indicator traverses the fractional seconds scale or moves it in front of the marker in seconds. as many seconds as this graduation has index group.

Device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized in that the movable indicator of the fractions of a second is rotated step by step and traverses the angular extent of a group of indexes of the fraction of seconds graduation. in as many steps as this index group has indexes.

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fraction of seconds graduation comprises from 1 to 24 index groups each comprising from 5 to 100 indexes.

Device according to Claim 4, characterized in that the fraction of a second scale has twelve groups of indexes each comprising ten indexes.

Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the movable seconds indicator and the movable fraction seconds indicator are movable chronograph indicators and that the seconds scale and the fractional seconds scale are chronograph graduations.

Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movable second indicator cooperates with or carries a second graduation comprising at most sixty indexes; and in that the moving seconds indicator travels or moves past this graduation in no more than one minute.

Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the moving seconds indicator moves or moves in front of the second graduation of sixty indexes in one minute.

Device according to one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that the second graduation and the fraction of seconds scale are centered on a dial.

10. Device according to one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that the graduation of seconds and the fractional graduation seconds are eccentric with respect to a dial.

Device according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the graduations of seconds and fractions of seconds each extend over at least one sector of the circle.

Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hour hand and the minute hand of the current time are concentric with the seconds hands and fractions of seconds of the timed time.

Timepiece provided with a seconds and fractions of seconds display according to one of claims 1 to 11.

Timepiece according to claim 13, characterized in that it comprises a chronograph mechanism provided with a fraction of seconds counter whose counter wheel is driven step by step; this counter wheel performing a complete cycle in as many seconds as the fraction of a second scale has index group.

Timepiece according to claim 13 or claim 14, characterized in that it comprises a regulating organ with a frequency of five hertz, or an integer multiple of 5 H _z .

Timepiece according to one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that it comprises a chronograph mechanism comprising a seconds clutch rocker and a seconds fraction clutch rocker.

17. Timepiece according to one of claims 13 to 16, characterized in that the two clutch rockers are rotated coaxially to a wheel pinion second wheel of the finishing train.

18. Timepiece according to claim 17, characterized in that the second clutch rocker carries a second clutch wheel meshing with a chronograph wheel seconds wheel board integral with the second pinion and susceptible to mesh with a chronograph wheel bearing a moving seconds indicator.

Timepiece according to claim 18, characterized in that the seconds fraction clutch rocker carries a fractional seconds clutch wheel meshing with a chronograph gear wheel seconds fraction board coaxial with the clutch. second axis and capable of meshing with a fractional seconds gear coaxial with the chronograph wheel, bearing a movable indicator fraction of seconds.

Timepiece according to one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that it comprises a chronograph mechanism comprising a clutch rocker on which are rotated a clutch wheel seconds and a clutch wheel of fractions of seconds. 1. Timepiece according to one of claims 13 to 20, characterized in that this timepiece is a wristwatch, including a wristwatch chronograph.