CH721468A2 - Adjustment system for a watch display mechanism, particularly with rollers - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an adjustment system for a watch display mechanism comprising: – a wheel (1) arranged to pivot with a shaft (2), the wheel having a peripheral portion (10) delimiting a central opening (11) for receiving the shaft (2); – means for displaying information (3), integral with the peripheral portion of the wheel; characterized in that it comprises friction means, the friction means comprising: – a friction portion at the central opening (11) comprising friction zones (12, 13) around the shaft (2) for holding the wheel on the shaft; – at least two elastically deformable arms (4, 5), the arms connecting the friction portion to the peripheral portion (10) of the wheel (1) to pinch the shaft and prevent rotation and/or translation of the wheel on the shaft below a predefined force. The adjustment system allows the position of information display means, such as rollers, to be adjusted.

Description

Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to the field of mechanical watchmaking. It relates, more particularly, to an adjustment system for a watch display mechanism for adjusting the position of a means for displaying information that the display mechanism comprises.

Technological background

[0002] The readability of displays is a major concern in watchmaking, especially for calendar-type displays, which are difficult to produce in formats that are easily visible and decipherable by the user.

[0003] Clock displays are sometimes made by a roller display because the indications in this form are easily readable.

[0004] However, the correct adjustment for a qualitative visual rendering between the different components seen by the wearer is not always easy.

Summary of the invention

[0005] The invention aims in particular to overcome the various drawbacks of the prior art.

[0006] The invention aims to be able to adjust the position of information display means axially to guarantee alignment of the information displayed and radially to equalize the clearances between two information display means.

[0007] The invention also aims to provide an adjustment system allowing simple, rapid and precise adjustment of the display means without having access to the axis supporting the display means.

[0008] To this end, the present invention relates to an adjustment system for a display mechanism comprising: – a wheel arranged to pivot with a shaft, the wheel having a peripheral part delimiting a central opening for receiving the shaft; – means for displaying information, integral with the peripheral part of the wheel;

[0009] According to the invention, the system comprises friction means, the friction means comprising: – a friction portion at the central opening comprising friction zones around the shaft to hold the wheel on the shaft; – at least two elastically deformable arms, the arms connecting the friction portion to the peripheral part of the wheel to pinch the shaft and prevent rotation and/or translation of the wheel on the shaft below a predefined force.

[0010] According to other advantageous variants of the invention. – the two elastic arms extend parallel to each other; – the friction portion has an arcuate shape arranged to cooperate with a radial bearing surface of the shaft; – the peripheral part of the wheel comprises means for fixing a display member; – the wheel has stops for the correct positioning of the display member relative to the fixing means; – the friction portion has a thickness greater than the thickness of the arms and the peripheral part.

[0011] The invention also relates to a watch movement and a timepiece comprising a friction system according to the invention.

Brief description of the figures

[0012] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following detailed description given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawings in which: – Figure 1 represents an exploded perspective view of a system according to the invention; – Figure 2 represents an assembled view of a system according to the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

[0013] With reference to Figure 1, there is shown a friction system 100 according to the invention. This system comprises an axis 1 arranged to be mounted in a clockwork movement, the axis may comprise parts with sections 10, 11 of different diameters.

[0014] Figure 2 illustrates an adjustment system 1 for a display mechanism 100 of a timepiece according to an embodiment of the invention. The display mechanism 100 may for example be a mechanism for displaying the time, date, day, date or even the moon phase of the timepiece.

[0015] The adjustment system for a display mechanism comprises in particular a wheel 1 arranged to pivot with a shaft 2, the wheel having a peripheral part 10 delimiting a central opening 11 of circular shape to receive the shaft 2. It will also be noted that the peripheral part 10 supports means for displaying information 3 which are integral with the peripheral part 10 of the wheel 1.

[0016] According to the invention, the wheel comprises friction means which have a friction portion at the central opening 11, the friction portion comprising friction zones 12, 13 around the shaft 2 to hold the wheel on the shaft.

[0017] The friction means also comprise at least two elastically deformable arms 4, 5, the arms connecting the friction portion to the peripheral part 10 of the wheel 1 to pinch the shaft 2 and prevent rotation of the wheel 1 around the shaft 2 below a predefined torque.

[0018] The wheel 1, the friction portion and the elastically deformable arms 4, 5 are advantageously in the form of a single-piece component. The elastically deformable arms 4, 5 each comprise two opposite ends by which they are connected to the wheel 1. Such a connection allows optimal transmission of forces and stresses between these two elements, whether traction, compression, bending, torsion or shear.

[0019] As can be seen in Figure 1, the wheel 1 comprises a first elastically deformable arm 4 and a second elastically deformable arm 5 extending substantially parallel to the first arm, inside the wheel, and on either side of the central opening 11.

[0020] The two elastically deformable arms 4, 5 are intended to extend on either side of the shaft 2 arranged to drive the wheel 1 in rotation, and together form a clamping means capable of clamping a radial bearing surface of the shaft 2, the friction portion having an arcuate shape to optimize the friction surface with the shaft 2. Similarly, the friction portion may have a thickness greater than the thickness of the arms 4, 5 and of the peripheral part of the wheel to increase the contact surface with the shaft 2 and thus increase the friction surface.

[0021] Thus, it is possible to adjust the axial and radial position of the wheel 1 on the shaft 2 by exerting a force greater than the friction force holding the wheel on the shaft. Such an adjustment system is particularly interesting for a roller display, in particular to easily adjust the correct placement of a roller relative to another roller and ensure perfect alignment of the information on each of the rollers.

[0022] According to a variant of the invention not shown, the means for clamping the shaft 2 could comprise a greater number of elastically deformable arms. For example, it could comprise four arms arranged around the shaft 2.

[0023] As can be seen in the figures, the wheel 1 comprises fixing means 30 arranged close to the peripheral part 10 to secure the means for displaying information on the wheel 1. The wheel 1 also comprises stops 14, 15 to obtain good positioning of the display means 3 relative to the fixing means.

[0024] Although the figures illustrate display means in the form of a roller, other display shapes can be envisaged such as a hexagonal or octagonal shape for example.

[0025] Such an adjustment system thus makes it possible to adjust the position of information display means, such as rollers, axially to guarantee alignment of the information displayed and radially to equalize the clearances between two information display means.

[0026] This adjustment system is particularly advantageous because the watchmaker can adjust the position without having access to the axis around which the display means rotate; for this, the watchmaker simply has to manipulate the display means by exerting a force greater than the friction force to correct the position.

[0027] Of course, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated example and is susceptible to various variants and modifications which will appear to those skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Claims (8)

1. An adjustment system for a display mechanism comprising: – a wheel (1) arranged to pivot with a shaft (2), the wheel having a peripheral portion (10) delimiting a central opening (11) for receiving the shaft (2); – means for displaying information (3), secured to the peripheral portion of the wheel; characterized in that it comprises friction means, the friction means comprising: – a friction portion at the central opening (11) comprising friction zones (12, 13) around the shaft (2) to hold the wheel on the shaft; – at least two elastically deformable arms (4, 5), the arms connecting the friction portion to the peripheral portion (10) of the wheel (1) to clamp the shaft and prevent rotation and/or translation of the wheel on the shaft below a predefined force. 2. System (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the two elastic arms extend parallel to each other. 3. System (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the friction portion has an arcuate shape arranged to cooperate with a radial bearing surface of the shaft. 4. System (100) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the peripheral part of the wheel comprises means for fixing a display member. 5. System (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that the wheel has stops for the correct positioning of the display member relative to the fixing means. 6. System (100) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the friction portion has a thickness greater than the thickness of the arms and the peripheral part. 7. Watch movement comprising an adjustment system according to one of claims 1 to 6. 8. Timepiece comprising a watch movement according to claim 7.