WO2021002745A1 - Watch or timepiece - Google Patents

Watch or timepiece Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2021002745A1
WO2021002745A1 PCT/NL2020/050428 NL2020050428W WO2021002745A1 WO 2021002745 A1 WO2021002745 A1 WO 2021002745A1 NL 2020050428 W NL2020050428 W NL 2020050428W WO 2021002745 A1 WO2021002745 A1 WO 2021002745A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
mass
elastic beam
frame
watch
wheel
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/NL2020/050428
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Sybren Lennard Weeke
Maarten Pieter LUSTIG
Original Assignee
Flexous Mechanisms Ip B.V.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Flexous Mechanisms Ip B.V. filed Critical Flexous Mechanisms Ip B.V.
Priority to JP2021576557A priority Critical patent/JP2022539034A/en
Priority to EP20736482.9A priority patent/EP3994530A1/en
Publication of WO2021002745A1 publication Critical patent/WO2021002745A1/en

Links

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
    • G04B5/00—Automatic winding up
    • G04B5/02—Automatic winding up by self-winding caused by the movement of the watch
    • G04B5/18—Supports, suspensions or guide arrangements, for oscillating weights
    • G04B5/185—Suspension of the moving weight by elastic means
    • 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
    • G04B5/00—Automatic winding up
    • G04B5/02—Automatic winding up by self-winding caused by the movement of the watch
    • G04B5/04—Automatic winding up by self-winding caused by the movement of the watch by oscillating weights the movement of which is limited
    • G04B5/06—Automatic winding up by self-winding caused by the movement of the watch by oscillating weights the movement of which is limited acting in one direction only
    • 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
    • G04B5/00—Automatic winding up
    • G04B5/02—Automatic winding up by self-winding caused by the movement of the watch
    • G04B5/04—Automatic winding up by self-winding caused by the movement of the watch by oscillating weights the movement of which is limited
    • G04B5/08—Automatic winding up by self-winding caused by the movement of the watch by oscillating weights the movement of which is limited acting in both directions
    • 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
    • G04B5/00—Automatic winding up
    • G04B5/02—Automatic winding up by self-winding caused by the movement of the watch
    • G04B5/18—Supports, suspensions or guide arrangements, for oscillating weights
    • G04B5/184—Guide arrangement of the moving weight in a circular course
    • 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
    • G04B5/00—Automatic winding up
    • G04B5/02—Automatic winding up by self-winding caused by the movement of the watch
    • G04B5/18—Supports, suspensions or guide arrangements, for oscillating weights
    • G04B5/19—Suspension of the oscillating weight at its centre of rotation
    • G04B5/195—Suspension of the oscillating weight at its centre of rotation the centre of rotation not being the centre of the clockwork

Definitions

  • the mass 3 has a center of rotation 10 which differs from the center 11 of the frame 4 from which the mass 3 is suspended. This promotes the ease of oscillation of the mass 3 around its center of rotation 10.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electric Clocks (AREA)
  • Electromechanical Clocks (AREA)

Abstract

Watch or timepiece (1) comprising a wheel (2) and a mass (3) that drives the wheel (2), the mass (3) being subjectable to environmental forces for bringing it into the status of a moving mass (3), wherein the mass (3) is part of a system comprising a frame (4) and at least a first elastic beam (6) suspending the mass (2) from the frame (3).

Description

Watch or timepiece
The invention relates to a watch or timepiece comprising a wheel and a mass that directly or indirectly drives the wheel, wherein the mass is subjectable to environmental forces for bringing it into the status of a moving mass.
In mechanical wrist-watches kinetic energy of the wrist is harvested and transferred via a ratchet wheel and gears to a barrel spring (main spring) to rewind the watch. The energy stored in the barrel spring is transferred via transmission gears to an escapement wheel that will power and keep the oscillator of the watch to move forward, and through a gear train advance the hands of the watch.
GB 766,295 discloses a watch or timepiece comprising a wheel and a mass that drives the wheel, the mass being subjectable to environmental forces for bringing it into the status of a moving mass, wherein the mass is part of a system comprising a frame, a first elastic beam and a second elastic beam, wherein the first elastic beam and the second elastic beam are both provided with a positive stiffness, and wherein the mass is suspended from the frame through said first elastic beam and said second elastic beam enabling the mass to carry out a back-and-forth movement while being suspended from the frame.
It is an object of the invention to provide a suitable mechanical and improved means to harvest energy from the environment.
The watch or timepiece of the invention has therefore the features of one or more of the appended claims.
In a first aspect of the invention the back-and-forth movement is a rotational back-and-forth movement.
The ease of oscillation of the mass is promoted when the mass has a center of rotation which differs from the center of the frame (coinciding with the center of the watch) from which the mass is suspended.
The invention will hereinafter be further elucidated with reference to the drawing pertaining to an exemplary embodiment of the energy harvester of the invention, which is not limiting as to the appended claims.
In the drawing:
- figure 1 shows schematically the contours of a watch or timepiece ;
- figure 2 shows a basic construction of an energy harvester of the invention;
- figure 3 and figure 4 shows the energy harvester of figure 2 wherein the mass has moved to the left and to the right, respectively; and
- figure 5 shows a basic construction of prominent features of the watch or timepiece of the invention.
Whenever in the figures the same reference numerals are applied, these numerals refer to the same parts.
First reference is made to figure 2 which shows a mass 3 comprised in the watch or timepiece of the invention, which mass 3 is subjectable to environmental forces for bringing it into the status of a moving mass. For this purpose the mass 3 is part of a system comprising a frame 4 and at least a first elastic beam 6 and a second elastic beam 7 to suspend the mass 3 from the frame 4. The first elastic beam 6 and the second elastic beam 7 are both provided with a positive stiffness, and the mass 3 is suspended from the frame 4 through said first elastic beam 6 and second elastic beam 7, and enabling the mass 3 to carry out a rotational back-and- forth movement while being suspended from the frame 4. Figure 3 shows the situation wherein the mass 3 is moved out of its neutral position of figure 1 to the left, and figure 4 shows the situation wherein the mass 3 is moved out of its neutral position of figure 1 to the right.
Figure 5 again shows interior features of the watch 1 of the invention comprising a wheel 2 (preferably a ratchet wheel) and a mass 3 that drives the wheel 2. The mass 3 is subjectable to environmental forces which make the mass 3 move, in particular to oscillate back-and-forth . The mass 3 is part of a system comprising a frame 4 and at least a first elastic beam 6 suspending the mass 3 from the frame 4. In the shown embodiment not only the first elastic beam 6 but also a second elastic beam 7 is used to suspend the mass 3 from the frame 4, but this is an option. It suffices when at least one elastic beam suspends the mass 3 from the frame 4.
When as shown two elastic beams 6, 7 are used to suspend the mass 3 from the frame 4, it is preferred that the first elastic beam 6 and the second elastic beam 7 are both provided with a positive stiffness, and that the mass 3 is suspended from the frame 4 through said first elastic beam 6 and the second elastic beam 7, and to arrange that the mass 3 can carry out a rotational back-and-forth movement while being suspended from the frame 4.
It is further preferred that the mass 3 has a center of rotation 10 which differs from the center 11 of the frame 4 from which the mass 3 is suspended. This promotes the ease of oscillation of the mass 3 around its center of rotation 10.
As figure 5 shows, the (ratchet) wheel 2 is driven using intermediate flexures 8, 9 that are connected to the moving mass 3. In the shown embodiment the wheel 2 will turn clockwise by the operation of flexure 9 when the moving mass 3 is deflected from its neutral position to the left. Likewise, operation of the flexure 8 causes a clockwise rotation of the wheel 2 when the moving mass 3 is moved from its deflected position on the right towards its neutral position.
Although the invention has been discussed in the foregoing with reference to an exemplary embodiment of the Watch or timepiece of the invention, the invention is not restricted to this particular embodiment which can be varied in many ways without departing from the invention. The discussed exemplary embodiment shall therefore not be used to construe the appended claims strictly in accordance therewith. On the contrary the embodiment is merely intended to explain the wording of the appended claims without intent to limit the claims to this exemplary embodiment. The scope of protection of the invention shall therefore be construed in accordance with the appended claims only, wherein a possible ambiguity in the wording of the claims shall be resolved using this exemplary embodiment.

Claims

1. Watch or timepiece (1) comprising a wheel (2) and a mass (3) that drives the wheel (2), the mass (3) being subjectable to environmental forces for bringing it into the status of a moving mass (3), wherein the mass (3) is part of a system comprising a frame (4), a first elastic beam (6) and a second elastic beam (7), wherein the first elastic beam (6) and the second elastic beam (7) are both provided with a positive stiffness, and wherein the mass (3) is suspended from the frame (3) through said first elastic beam (6) and said second elastic beam (7) enabling the mass (3) to carry out a back-and-forth movement while being suspended from the frame (4), characterized in that the back-and-forth movement is a rotational back-and-forth movement.
2. Watch or timepiece according to claim 1, characterized in that the mass has a center of rotation (10) which differs from the center (11) of the frame (4) from which the mass (3) is suspended.
3. Watch or timepiece according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the wheel (2) is a ratchet wheel and is driven using an intermediate flexure or flexures (8, 9) that are connected to the moving mass (3) .
PCT/NL2020/050428 2019-07-02 2020-06-29 Watch or timepiece WO2021002745A1 (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2021576557A JP2022539034A (en) 2019-07-02 2020-06-29 watch or watch
EP20736482.9A EP3994530A1 (en) 2019-07-02 2020-06-29 Watch or timepiece

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL2023420A NL2023420B1 (en) 2019-07-02 2019-07-02 Watch or timepiece
NL2023420 2019-07-02

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2021002745A1 true WO2021002745A1 (en) 2021-01-07

Family

ID=67352562

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/NL2020/050428 WO2021002745A1 (en) 2019-07-02 2020-06-29 Watch or timepiece

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP3994530A1 (en)
JP (1) JP2022539034A (en)
NL (1) NL2023420B1 (en)
WO (1) WO2021002745A1 (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP4215999A1 (en) 2022-01-24 2023-07-26 Flexous Mechanisms IP B.V. Energy harvester for a wearable and/or portable device

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB766295A (en) 1954-01-08 1957-01-16 Paul Baier Improvements in or relating to self-winding watches
WO2018115014A2 (en) * 2016-12-23 2018-06-28 Sa De La Manufacture D'horlogerie Audemars Piguet & Cie Flexible monolithic component for a timepiece
WO2019125145A1 (en) * 2017-12-21 2019-06-27 Technische Universiteit Delft Mechanical frequency converter

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB766295A (en) 1954-01-08 1957-01-16 Paul Baier Improvements in or relating to self-winding watches
WO2018115014A2 (en) * 2016-12-23 2018-06-28 Sa De La Manufacture D'horlogerie Audemars Piguet & Cie Flexible monolithic component for a timepiece
WO2019125145A1 (en) * 2017-12-21 2019-06-27 Technische Universiteit Delft Mechanical frequency converter

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
D. FARHADI MACHEKPOSHTI ET AL: "A Review on Compliant Joints and Rigid-Body Constant Velocity Universal Joints Toward the Design of Compliant Homokinetic Couplings", JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL DESIGN, vol. 137, no. 3, 1 March 2015 (2015-03-01), US, pages 032301, XP055495882, ISSN: 1050-0472, DOI: 10.1115/1.4029318 *

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP4215999A1 (en) 2022-01-24 2023-07-26 Flexous Mechanisms IP B.V. Energy harvester for a wearable and/or portable device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP3994530A1 (en) 2022-05-11
JP2022539034A (en) 2022-09-07
NL2023420B1 (en) 2021-02-02

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