Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B17/00—Mechanisms for stabilising frequency
  • G04B17/04—Oscillators acting by spring tension
  • G04B17/045—Oscillators acting by spring tension with oscillating blade springs
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B15/00—Escapements
  • G04B15/06—Free escapements
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B15/00—Escapements
  • G04B15/14—Component parts or constructional details, e.g. construction of the lever or the escape wheel

Definitions

• the invention relates to a mechanical watch oscilla- tor .
• WO2016/062889 discloses a mechanical watch movement regulating member comprising an escape wheel and a vibrating oscillator provided with at least two vibrating arms and pal lets firmly joined to said vibrating arms and comprising two members arranged to interact directly with the teeth of the escape wheel for maintaining the periodic alternations of the vibrating oscillator and causing the escape wheel to advance with each oscillation alternation.
• the vibrating masses in WO2016/062889 are not geometrically interconnected, which means that the oscillation amplitude and phase of those masses do not remain in phase during shocks, accelerations and/or orientation change, which in turn results in timekeeping inac curacy .
• WO 2017/068538 discloses an oscillator for adjusting a mechanical timepiece movement, the oscillator comprising an escape wheel and a resonator that forms the time basis of the oscillator, the resonator including a mass element which is kept in oscillation by at least two vibrating elements; said mass element including at least one anchor portion which is rigidly connected to the mass element and configured to di rectly engage with the escape wheel in order to maintain os cillations of the resonator and to allow the escape wheel to move with each alternation of the oscillation.
• a disadvantage of the device of WO 2017/068538 is that if embodied with two flexures or elastic suspensions to the ground, it will have high susceptibility to out-of-plane shocks (i.e.
• EP 2 273 323 discloses an oscillator comprising a fastening portion designed to be fastened to a frame of a timepiece, and a plurality of elastic systems connecting a felloe and the fastening portion to each other, wherein each elastic system comprises two return organs arranged in series and connected to each other by the frame wherein at least some of the elastic systems are suspended and free with reference to the frame.
• the oscillator of EP 2 273 323 has flexures in series with multiple degrees of freedom and therefore will have low resistance against shocks.
• this known os cillator is manufactured with features distributed in multiple planes, increasing fabrication and assembly difficulties.
• EP 3 035 126 discloses a timepiece resonator with an oscillating weight, wherein the resonator can be mounted on a timepiece, wherein the weight is suspended by crossed resili ent strips that extend at a distance of each other in parallel planes, wherein the resonator is of the tuning fork type with at least two weights oscillating in symmetry.
• This known de vice with two base flexures will have low resistance against shocks out-of-plane (i.e. shocks perpendicular to the working plane) .
• this oscillator is manufactured with fea tures distributed in multiple planes, increasing fabrication and assembly difficulties.
• EP 3 035 127 discloses a timepiece oscillator with a resonator of the tuning fork type, which includes at least two mobile oscillating parts that are secured to a connection ele ment comprised in the oscillator with flexible elements, wherein the respective mobile parts oscillate about a virtual pivot axis and wherein the center of the mass of the mobile parts coincides in its rest position with the virtual pivot axis, and wherein the flexible elements of at least one mobile part are formed of intersecting resilient strips.
• the vibrating masses are not geometrically in terconnected, which means that the oscillation of those masses do not remain in phase during shocks, accelerations and/or orientation change, ultimately
• the mechanical watch oscillator comprises a platform, which platform is pro vided with at least two vibratory masses that are suspended on the platform, wherein each of the masses is individually sus pended on the platform with at least one flexural member, and wherein at least two vibratory masses are interconnected by at least two parallel flexural beams providing a direct torsion stiff connection between these at least two vibratory masses, and wherein a first mass of the at least two masses and the at least one flexural member that provides a connection of the first mass to the platform is substantially mirror symmetric with reference to a second mass of the at least two masses and the at least one flexural member that provides a connection of the second mass to the platform, and wherein said mirror sym metry applies to a line of symmetry through a center of the oscillator.
• the mechanical watch oscillator of the invention is highly resistant against gravitational influences that may oc cur in connection with different orientations of the oscilla tor .
• the mechanical watch oscillator com prises a platform which is provided with at least two vibrato ry masses that are suspended on the platform, wherein each of the masses is individually suspended on the platform with at least one flexural member, and wherein at least two vibratory masses are interconnected by at least two parallel flexural beams providing a direct torsion stiff connection between these at least two vibratory masses, and wherein the two par allel flexural beams are rotationally symmetric only with ref erence to a full circle or a half-circle rotation of the os cillator.
• rotational symmetry also known as radial symmetry in biology, as the property a shape has that it looks the same after some rotation by a partial turn.
• An object's degree of rotational symmetry is the number of dis tinct orientations in which it looks the same.
• the feature "rotationally symmetric only with reference to a full circle or a half-circle rotation of the oscillator” thus means that it takes a full 360° rotation or a 180° rota tion of the oscillator until it has again the same shape or look as when it is turned over an angle of 0°, that is when it is not yet turned.
• the oscillator can be manufactured smaller and cheaper, or alter natively that it provides room for other features such as for instance an escape wheel within the circumference provided by the vibratory masses of the oscillator. Because of the possi ble size reduction the oscillator can also be more energy ef ficient or less energy consuming and provide better endurance, with better shock resistance due to reduced mass.
• the following features can be applied with the me chanical oscillator of the invention according to the above discussed first aspect, or in combination with the mechanical oscillator of the invention according to the above discussed second aspect. All features as discussed herein can also be applied cumulative.
• the at least two masses are mutually con nected by two sets of two parallel flexural beams, which sets are placed in series and are preferably provided with equal length.
• Each individual set of flexural beams allows for a relative translation between the two ends of each set of flex ural beams. Because the two sets of flexural beams are put in series, the two ends of the sets of flexural beams can move in two translational directions, spanning a surface, but rotation between the two ends of the sets of flexural beams is avoided.
• At least one of the masses is individually suspended on the platform with two flexural members. This also increases the oscillator's shock re
• all masses of the oscillator are individ ually suspended on the platform with two flexural members to further promote the oscillator's shock resistance.
• each set of interconnections comprises at least two parallel flexures. This fully constrains rotation of the mass es with respect to each other.
• At least some of the objectives of the invention are further promoted in an embodiment wherein the first mass of the at least two masses and the two flexural members that pro vide a connection of the first mass to the platform, and the second mass of the at least two masses and the two flexural members that provide a connection of the second mass to the platform are mirror symmetric according to two lines of sym metry that are orthogonal with reference to each other.
• the at least one flexural member by which each of the masses is individually suspended on the platform, and the at least two parallel flexural beams that provide a direct torsion stiff connection between the at least two vi bratory masses are embodied with rigid sections. This feature increases the shock levels at which buckling occurs of the flexural members and flexural beams.
• Shock resistance is further promoted by arranging that the at least two vibratory masses are embodied with first mechanical stops that are arranged to limit the displacement of the vibratory masses relative to the platform.
• the at least two vibratory masses are embodied with second mechan ical stops that are arranged to limit the displacement of the vibratory masses relative to each other.
• -figures 1A and IB shows a first embodiment of a timepiece oscillator according to the invention in plane-view and isometric view, respectively;
• -figures 2A and 2B shows a second embodiment of a timepiece oscillator according to the invention in plane-view and isometric view, respectively;
• -figures 3A and 3B shows a third embodiment of a timepiece oscillator according to the invention in plane-view and isometric view, respectively;
• FIG. 4 shows a fourth embodiment of a timepiece oscillator according to the invention in plane-view
• FIG. 5 shows a fifth embodiment of a timepiece oscillator according to the invention in plane-view. Whenever in the figures the same reference numerals are applied, these numerals refer to the same parts.
• FIG. 1A shows two different embodiments wherein the oscillator 100 has two masses 11, 12 that are suspended elastically to a platform 2 with thin flexible elements 21, 31 and 22, 32.
• the platform 2 of the oscillator 100 is provided with screw holes 61, 62 with which the oscillator 100 is con nectable to the remainder of a timepiece.
• Oscil lator 100 is held in oscillatory motion by energy input from the escape wheel 53.
• each mass 11, 12 is shown to be individually connected with the platform 2 using two flexible elements 21, 31 and 22, 32, respectively, which signifies the most preferred embodiment that provides optimal shock resistance to the oscillator 100, it suffices within the scope of the invention that each mass 11, 12 is individually connected to the platform 2 with a single flexible element.
• mass 11 it would suffice to apply only flexi ble element 21 or only flexible element 31, and with reference to mass 12 it would suffice to apply only flexible element 22 or only flexible element 32.
• a first mass 11 of the at least two masses and the at least one flexural member 21, 31 that pro vides a connection of the first mass 11 to the platform 2 is mirror symmetric with reference to a second mass 12 of the at least two masses and the at least one flexural member 22, 32 that provides a connection of the second mass 12 to the plat- form 2, wherein said mirror symmetry applies in relation to a line of symmetry A through a center of the oscillator 100.
• This provides high resistance against gravitational influences on for instance the oscillating frequency due to orientation variations of the oscillator 100 of the invention.
• second mass 12 of the at least two masses and the two flexural members 22, 32 that pro vide a connection of the second mass 12 to the platform 2 are mirror symmetric according to two lines of symmetry A, B that are orthogonal with reference to each other. This further im proves the insensitivity of the oscillator 100 for gravita tional influences due to different orientations of the oscil lator 100 of the invention.
• the two masses 11, 12, which represent all masses in these embodiments are prefera bly mutually connected by two sets of two parallel flexural beams 41, 42, and 43, 44 respectively, with equal length.
• Each individual set of flexural beams 41, 42 and flexural beams 43, 44 allows only for a relative translation between the two ends of each set of flexural beams. Because the two sets of flexur al beams are put in series, the two ends of the sets of flex ural beams can move in two translational directions, spanning a surface, but rotation between the two ends of the sets of flexural beams is avoided.
• the parallel flexural beams 41 - 44 in the embodiments of figures 1A, IB, and figures 2A and 2B are rotationally symmetric only with reference to a full circle or a half-circle rotation of the oscillator 100, thus providing room for the escape wheel 53 and the vibrating extensions 51, 52.
• the said room could of course also be used for other features as the need arises.
• FIG. 3A and 3B A third embodiment of the oscillator 100 of the in vention is shown in figure 3A and 3B, wherein in comparison with the embodiment of figures 1A and IB the oscillator 100 of figures 3A and 3B is provided with an additional mass 13.
• the foregoing elucidation with reference to the masses 11 and 12 and their mirror symmetry in connection with the flexures con necting these masses 11, 12 to the platform 2 according to the first aspect of the invention also applies to this embodiment of figures 3A and 3B.
• first mass 11 and the at least one flex ural member 21 or 31 that provides a connection of the first mass 11 to the platform 2 is mirror symmetric with reference to a second mass 12 and the at least one flexural member 22 or 32 that provides a connection of the second mass 12 to the platform 2, wherein said mirror symmetry applies to the axial line of symmetry A through the center of the oscillator 100.
• second aspect of the invention concerning the paral lel flexural beams 41 - 48 being rotationally asymmetric and symmetric only with reference to a full circle rotation of the oscillator 100 applies in this embodiment, thus again provid ing room for -in this embodiment- the escape wheel 53 and the vibrating extensions 51, 52.
• the fourth embodiment shown in figure 4 is provided with a first mass 11, a second mass 12 and an additional mass 13.
• the difference of this fourth embodiment in comparison with the previously discussed embodiments is that it shows another pos sibility of connecting the masses to each other, wherein the two parallel flexural beams 41, 42 connect the two vibrating masses 11 and 13, and the two parallel flexural beams 47, 48 connect the two vibrating masses 12, 13.
• the first mass 11 and the flexure 31 that provides a connection of the first mass 11 to the platform 2 is substantially mirror sym- metric with reference to the second mass 12 and the flexural member 22 that provides a connection of the second mass 12 to the platform 2, wherein said mirror symmetry applies to a line of symmetry A through a center of the oscillator 100.
• the parallel flexural beams 41 - 48 in the embodiment of figures 3A, 3B are embodied as rotationally symmetric only with reference to a full circle or a half-circle rotation of the oscillator 100.
• FIG. 5 a fifth embodiment is shown in figure 5 with enhanced in-plane shock robustness, wherein the at least one flexural member 21, 31; 22, 32 by which each of the masses 11, 12 is individually suspended on the platform 2, and the at least two parallel flexural beams 41 - 44 that provide a di rect torsion stiff connection between the at least two vibra tory masses 11, 12, are embodied with rigid sections 21a, 31a; 22a, 32a; 41a - 44a.
• the rigid sections increase the shock level at which the flexural members and flexural beams buckle.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Micromachines (AREA)
• Piezo-Electric Or Mechanical Vibrators, Or Delay Or Filter Circuits (AREA)
• Electric Clocks (AREA)

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Publications (1)

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Cited By (3)

Citations (9)

Family Cites Families (7)

• 2018
  • 2018-02-06 NL NL2020384A patent/NL2020384B1/nl active
• 2019
  • 2019-01-28 EP EP19714845.5A patent/EP3750009A1/en active Pending
  • 2019-01-28 CN CN201980011895.XA patent/CN111771169B/zh active Active
  • 2019-01-28 WO PCT/NL2019/050044 patent/WO2019156552A1/en active Search and Examination
  • 2019-01-28 JP JP2020563887A patent/JP7213270B2/ja active Active

Patent Citations (9)

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