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
  • G04B5/10—Automatic winding up by self-winding caused by the movement of the watch by oscillating weights the movement of which is not limited
  • G04B5/14—Automatic winding up by self-winding caused by the movement of the watch by oscillating weights the movement of which is not 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
  • G04B11/00—Click devices; Stop clicks; Clutches
  • G04B11/006—Clutch mechanism between two rotating members with transfer of movement in only one direction (free running devices)
• • 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
  • G04B7/00—Combined normal and automatic winding up
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T29/00—Metal working
  • Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
  • Y10T29/49462—Gear making
  • Y10T29/49467—Gear shaping

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an inverting device intended to equip a watch movement, comprising first and second gears intended to be driven simultaneously in opposite directions of rotation by a mechanism of the watch movement.
• the first and second wheels are both coaxial with a toothed output member, intended to be kinematically connected to a pivoting member of the watch movement, and are mechanically connected to the output member by respective first and second unidirectional transmission members, or pawls, arranged to transmit to the output member a rotation of one or the other wheel in one and the same predefined direction of rotation and to prevent the transmission of a rotation of the output member, in the direction predefined rotation, at one or the other wheels.
• the present invention also relates to a watch movement comprising such an inverter device and a method of manufacturing such an inverter device.
• STATE OF THE ART Unidirectional transmission members and inverter devices are already commonly used in self-winding watch movements, in particular being arranged in the automatic winding train of the mainspring.
• the book entitled "Theorie d'horlogerie", by C-A. Reymondin et al., Published by the Federation of Technical Schools (Switzerland), ISBN 2-940025-10-X describes and illustrates various embodiments of such devices, on pages 180 and following.
• the wheels have generally simpler structures than in the In this case, however, the corresponding devices have a larger footprint.
• the cooperation between the wheel and the unidirectional transmission member occurs in the general plane of the wheel, it is necessary to machine notches or beaks in the wheel, usually by complex milling operations, which can prove to be expensive. This disadvantage is even more troublesome when two wheels are necessary to make an inverter device in the same watch movement.
• the aforementioned work has an example of an inverter device comprising two unidirectional transmission systems arranged next to each other, thus having a significant footprint in the corresponding clock movement.
• Patent CH 331124 shows an example of an inverter device in which two unidirectional transmission systems are arranged coaxially with each other to reduce the size of the inverter device.
• the structure of the components implemented in this device is complex as well as their assembly.
• these devices are generally not implemented in the manual winding train in which is generally used a disengagement mechanism, to avoid the rotation of the winding stem when the barrel is driven from of the automatic winding mechanism.
• a main object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of inverter devices known from the prior art, by providing such a device whose manufacture and assembly are simplified compared to known inverter devices, the size in resulting from being reduced compared to that of the known inverters.
• the present invention relates more particularly to an inverter device of the type mentioned above, characterized in that each of the unidirectional transmission members comprises two teeth, substantially diametrically opposed and of asymmetrical shapes, and is mechanically connected to the output organ so as to be integral in rotation while being capable of moving between first and second extreme positions in a radial direction, with reference to the output member.
• This inverter device is further characterized in that each of the first and second wheels comprises a board, having a first radius R10, respectively
• R100 and provided with a peripheral toothing, and a central core defining a housing for the corresponding unidirectional transmission member and whose periphery has n peripheral nozzles intended to cooperate with the teeth of the corresponding unidirectional transmission member in the predefined direction of rotation, and each of which is defined by the intersection of a circular hole with the periphery, n being equal to or greater than one.
• the inverter device according to the present invention can be manufactured and assembled with great ease and allows for the conversion of two opposite rotational movements of a watch mechanism into a single rotational movement of a mobile, in a predefined direction of rotation, while having a smaller footprint compared to the inverter devices of the prior art.
• the inverter device is further characterized in that, for each of the first and second wheels, the central core has a shape resulting from the combination of a first main hole, substantially circular, central and having a second radius R20, respectively R200, with n secondary circular holes, having a third radius R30, respectively R300, smaller than the second radius R20 or R200 and whose centers C30, C300 are located at a distance from the center C10, C100 of the corresponding wheel greater than R20-R30, respectively to R200-R300.
• each of the first and second wheels preferably has n additional circular holes, having a fourth radius R40, respectively
• each of the n additional holes being intersecting at a portion of the periphery of the corresponding central core defined by only one of the circular holes and each of the n additional holes having its center C40, C400 located on a radius different from the radius passing through the center C30, C300 of the corresponding secondary hole, at a distance from the center C10, C100 of the corresponding upper wheel to the second radius R20 , respectively R200, so as to define the nozzles.
• the entire machining of the portion of each wheel which is intended to cooperate with the inverter member can be achieved by simple operations, including drilling, or by milling operations of reduced complexity.
• drilling the operation of making a circular hole, which can be blind or through, by the implementation of a drilling tool exerting an action on the material to be machined in the direction of its axis of rotation.
• the additional holes promote a certain smoothness of operation when a wheel acts on the transmission member corresponding unidirectional, to move it in a radial direction when the rotational movement of the wheel must not be retransmitted to the pivoting member through the unidirectional transmission member associated therewith.
• the first and second wheels are arranged such that their respective grooves are located opposite one another, the unidirectional transmission members being superposed.
• the inverter device preferably comprises a central guide member arranged to rotate integrally with the output member and the unidirectional transmission members.
• the guide member is advantageously integral with the output member and comprises a barrel, having two substantially parallel flats and adapted to cooperate with an opening in each of the unidirectional transmission members, the latter having a width slightly greater than the distance separating the flats from each other and a length greater than the diameter of the barrel, to allow the unidirectional transmission members to move relative to the barrel being guided by the flats.
• the present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a wheel, for such an inverter device or for a unidirectional transmission device, comprising the steps of providing a board having a first radius R1 and providing a set of teeth. device on the board, the method comprising the additional steps of: forming a central core, in the board, making n becs, at the periphery of the central core, intended to cooperate with a unidirectional transmission member and each of which is defined by the intersection of a circular hole with the periphery, n being equal to or greater than one.
• the central core may be formed by machining a first main hole, substantially circular, central and having a second radius R2, combined with the prior machining of n secondary circular holes, having a third radius R3 less than the second radius R2 and whose centers C3 are located at a distance from the center C1 of the upper wheel to R2-R3.
• the method may comprise an additional step of machining n additional circular holes, having a fourth radius R4, less than the third radius R3, each of the n additional holes being secant to a portion of the periphery of the central core defined by only one of the holes secondary circular and each of the n additional holes having its center C4 located on a radius different from the radius passing through the center C3 of the corresponding secondary hole, at a distance from C1 greater than the second radius R2, so as to define the nozzles.
• the additional holes may be machined before the other holes.
• the present invention also relates to a watch movement comprising a unidirectional transmission device, and / or an inverter device provided with such a wheel. Brief description of the drawings
• Figure 1 shows a diagram, in simplified front view, illustrating the manufacture of a wheel according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention
• FIG. 2 shows a simplified perspective view of a portion of an inverter device for cooperating with a wheel similar to that shown schematically in Figure 1;
• FIG. 3 shows a simplified sectional view of a unidirectional transmission device implementing the elements of the figure
• FIG. 4 shows a simplified perspective view, partially in transparency, of an exemplary implementation of the unidirectional transmission device of Figure 3 in a watch movement;
• FIG. 5 shows a simplified perspective view, partially in transparency, of an inverter device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention
• FIG. 6 shows a simplified sectional view of the inverter device of Figure 5, along the section line VI-VI of Figure 5
• - Figure 7 shows a simplified front view, partially in transparency, an example of implementation of the inverter device of Figure 5 in a watch movement.
• Embodiment (s) of the invention [0027] FIG.
• FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the method of manufacturing a wheel 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, such a wheel being intended to equip a unidirectional transmission device or an inverter device, in particular for being integrated in a manual or automatic winding train of a self-winding type watch movement.
• the manufacturing method comprises the following steps, after having a wheel board 2, center C1, having a first radius R1 and in which is formed a peripheral toothing 3.
• a central core 5 is made, preferably by drilling a second radius R2.
• a plurality of secondary circular holes 6 is made by drilling operations, with a third radius R3, smaller than the second radius R2.
• the centers C3 of the secondary holes 6 are situated at a distance from the center C1 of the plate 2 greater than R2-R3.
• the secondary holes intersect the periphery of the central core 5.
• n secondary holes are drilled, n being greater than or equal to one.
• An additional operation is to drill n additional circular holes 8 having a fourth radius R4, less than the third radius R3.
• Each of the additional holes 8 is secant at a portion of the periphery of the central core 5 defined by only one of the secondary holes 6, having its center C4 located on a radius different from the radius passing through the center C3 of the corresponding secondary hole 6, at a distance of C1 greater than the second radius R2.
• the intersection of each secondary hole 8 with the corresponding additional hole 6 defines a spout 10 for cooperating with a unidirectional transmission member, as will be apparent from the detailed description of the following figures.
• the secondary and additional holes can indifferently be blind or through, without departing from the scope of the present invention.
• the chronology of implementation of the steps which have just been described is likely to vary depending on the locations and radii of the different holes to be drilled. It is indeed easier to drill a hole when the location of its center is not empty matter.
• the central core 5 is not made by a specific drilling but is obtained directly by the realization of the secondary holes 6, the latter having preferably, in this case. case, a sufficient radius for all the material in the center of the board is removed after the completion of all the secondary holes. It follows from the description of the above method that it is not necessary, as is the case according to the prior art, to implement complex and expensive machining operations. Indeed, simple conventional drilling operations or milling operations of reduced complexity are sufficient to manufacture the wheel intended to equip an inverter device according to the present invention.
• Figures 2, 3 and 4 illustrate all or part of a unidirectional transmission device incorporating a wheel similar to that which has just been described.
• FIG. 2 shows, in a simplified perspective view, the components of this device.
• the unidirectional transmission device comprises a first gear wheel 20 having a central opening (not visible) in which is housed, secured, a central connecting member 21.
• the latter comprises a barrel 22 of generally cylindrical shape and in which are formed two flats 24 parallel.
• a unidirectional transmission member 25 comprising two teeth
• each tooth has a front side (in the effective direction of rotation) substantially radial and a rear side having a substantially tangential short portion and followed of a gentle slope, itself followed by a long portion ensuring the junction to the next tooth, of substantially circular shape.
• the central opening has a substantially oblong shape with a width slightly greater than the distance between the two flats 24 and a length greater than the diameter of the barrel 22.
• Figure 3 shows a sectional view of the unidirectional transmission device while the components described in relation to Figure 2 are assembled to a central shaft 30 for mounting the device on the frame (not shown) of a movement watchmaker.
• a second wheel 32 is assembled to the other components, being coaxial with the first wheel 20 and the shaft 30.
• the second wheel 32 is obtained by the manufacturing method described above, in connection with Figure 1.
• FIG. 4 illustrates, in a simplified perspective view, how the second wheel 32, which here comprises seven nozzles 10, cooperates with the unidirectional transmission member 25 and how the unidirectional transmission device can advantageously be implemented in a watch movement.
• the unidirectional transmission member 25 is housed in the central core 5 of the second wheel and has dimensions such that its teeth 26 are likely to cooperate with the nozzles 10 of the latter .
• the asymmetric shape of the teeth 26 has the consequence that a tooth can cooperate with a nose in a single direction of relative rotation between the unidirectional transmission member and the second wheel, namely when the last is rotated in the counterclockwise direction in the representation of Figure 4. It is further noted that the cooperation between the unidirectional transmission member and the second wheel involves only one tooth at a time.
• the irreversible transmission device is implemented in a manual winding train of a self-winding type watch movement, that is to say between the winding stem (not shown) and the barrel 40.
• the winding stem is arranged in a conventional manner to drive a sliding pinion (not shown) for rotating a mobile, here a winding pinion 42, via Breguet teeth 43.
• the pinion winder meshes with the first wheel 20 of the unidirectional transmission device by an additional set of teeth 44.
• the winding pinion 42 is rotated only when the winding stem is rotated in the clockwise direction (observing it from the outside inwards), because of the conventional orientation of the Breguet teeth.
• the first wheel 20 is then driven in the counterclockwise direction of rotation and thereby induces a rotation of the unidirectional transmission member 25 in the same direction of rotation.
• the barrel of the barrel 40 is thus rotated in the clockwise direction to reload its spring (not visible).
• a pawl 45 has been provided to cooperate with the first wheel 20.
• the pawl 45 comprises a board 46 provided with a single peripheral tooth 47 arranged in engagement with the toothing of the first wheel 20.
• the board 46 has a flat portion 48 on a portion of its periphery, against which a spring 49 is disposed in abutment, so as to maintain the board 46 in its angular position as shown in Figure 4.
• the board 46 rotates one step clockwise and immediately resumes its initial position under the effect of the action of the spring 49.
• a ratcheting effect similar to that produced by a conventional ratchet ratchet.
• the pawl 45 advantageously provides the additional function of non-return ratchet for the barrel drum.
• the diameter of the board 46 of one side of the single tooth 47 is equal to the diameter it has at the tooth, thus preventing any rotation of the first wheel 20 da ns the direction of rotation schedule.
• the barrel spring can be reloaded from the automatic winding mechanism.
• the barrel of the barrel 40 is driven by the latter in the direction of clockwise rotation.
• This rotational movement of the barrel drum causes the rotation of the second wheel 32 of the unidirectional transmission device in the counterclockwise direction.
• the nozzles 10 come into contact with the teeth 26 of the unidirectional transmission member by their side which is not effective, with the inclined side of the teeth.
• the second wheel 32 not cause the unidirectional transmission member 25 to rotate, but it pushes it back so that it moves on the barrel 22.
• unidirectional transmission member nel moves it back and forth between its two extreme positions, its teeth being alternately pushed back by the rear sides of the beaks 10.
• the rotational movement of the second wheel 32 in the anti-clockwise direction of rotation is not transmitted to the first wheel 20 which remains stationary.
• this unidirectional transmission device performs the same function as the declutching devices of the prior art, possibly more efficiently since the inversion effect is instantaneous unlike some of these disengaging devices (especially those without spring).
• FIGS 5 to 7 illustrate an inverter device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, implementing two wheels of the type of which the manufacturing method has been described above, in connection with Figure 1.
• FIG. 5 represents a simplified perspective view, partly in transparency, of this inverter device.
• This comprises a central shaft 50 on which are mounted, free in rotation, two wheels 51 and 52 of the type of which the manufacturing method has been described above, in connection with Figure 1, that is to say each comprising a central core in the periphery of which are formed beaks 53, 54 [0067]
• the wheels 51, 52 are superimposed and adjacent, first and second unidirectional transmission members 56, 57 being housed in their respective central cores .
• Each of the unidirectional transmission members is similar to that described above, in connection with FIG. 2, that is to say that it comprises two teeth 58, 59 intended to cooperate with the nozzles 53 or 54 of the wheel to which he is associated.
• the u n of the two unidirectional transmission members may advantageously comprise a plurality of bumps (at least two, not shown), which may be formed by the application of punches during stamping, for example, to reduce the contact area between the two bodies and prevent their mutual adherence.
• the central shaft 50 has a section provided with two flats 60 substantially parallel to each other and intended to define guide surfaces for central openings 62 formed in the organs of unidirectional transmission. Thus, these are likely to move in a radial direction with reference to the central shaft 50, as described above, in connection with the first embodiment. It is apparent from Figure 5 that the two unidirectional transmission members 56, 57 and the wheels 51, 52 are arranged such that each wheel drives its unidirectional transmission member only when it rotates in the direction of rotation anti -Schedule.
• FIG. 6 represents a simplified cross-sectional view of the inverter device of FIG. 5, along line VI-VI of FIG. 5, from which it emerges that the central shaft 50 comprises two constituent elements, namely a main shaft 64 and a guide member 65 in which are formed the flats 60.
• the main shaft is intended to make the inverter device integral with a frame member of the watch movement which it is intended by means of a central bore 66.
• it comprises a pinion 67 for forming an organ the output of the inverter device as will become more clearly apparent from the detailed description of FIG. 7.
• the main shaft directly supports pivots for mounting on the watch movement frame instead of the central bore 66 without departing from the scope of the invention.
• the assembly of the inverter device according to the present invention is very simple. Indeed, it is sufficient to set up the first wheel 51 on the guide member 65, then the two unidirectional transmission members 56 and 57, then the second wheel 52, before inserting the shaft main 64 in a hole 68 adapted to the guide member, to make these two elements integral with each other.
• the skilled person can spare flats 60 directly on the central shaft 64 without departing from the scope of the present invention. It will then act as a guide member, while the element 65 will then have a shorter barrel and simply ensure the maintenance of the various constituents assembled to each other.
• FIG. 7 shows a simplified front view, partly in transparency, of an exemplary implementation of the inverter device of FIG. watch movement.
• the wheels 51, 52 are intended to be connected to an automatic winding device, to be driven in rotation from the movements of an oscillating mass (not visible for clarity).
• the first wheel 51 meshes directly with an automatic winding wheel 70, itself connected directly or indirectly to an oscillating mass.
• the second wheel 52 meshes with the wheel 70 by means of a return 71, to rotate in the direction of rotation opposite that of the first wheel at each instant.
• the output member of the inverter device, the pinion 67 of the main shaft 64 meshes with a first mobile 72 of an automatic winding train, the first mobile meshing with a second mobile 73, itself engaged with the drum of the barrel 40.
• the wheel 70 when the wheel 70 is driven in the direction of clockwise rotation, by the oscillating mass, it induces a rotation in the same direction of the second wheel 52 and a counterclockwise rotation of the first wheel 51.
• the nozzles 54 of the second wheel slide on the teeth 59 of the unidirectional transmission member 57 corresponding, while one of the nozzles 53 of the first wheel hooks one of the teeth 58 of the unidirectional transmission member 56 corresponding to rotate it.
• a clockwise rotation of the wheel 70 causes a counterclockwise rotation of the output gear 67 of the inverter device according to the present invention, via the first wheel 51.
• one of the nozzles 54 of the second wheel hooks one of the teeth 59 of the corresponding unidirectional transmission member 57 to drive it in rotation, while the nozzles 53 of the first wheel slide on the teeth 58 of the corresponding unidirectional transmission member 56.
• an anti-clockwise rotation of the wheel 70 also causes a counterclockwise rotation of the output gear 67 of the inverter device according to the present invention, via the second wheel 52.
• the inverter device allows to exploit the rotations of the oscillating mass, whatever its direction of rotation, to reload the mainspring.
• the inverter device according to the present invention also prevents rotation of the barrel drum in the direction of a discharge of the mainspring. Indeed, in this case, the two wheels 51 and 52 are driven in the same direction of rotation and tend to drive the wheel 70 in opposite directions of rotation because the presence of the reference 71, which has the effect of blocking them. Thus, it is not necessary to provide a ratchet for the barrel drum.
• the wheel can simply be made by providing the central core, substantially circular, and then piercing a single series of additional holes, at its periphery, to define the nozzles intended to cooperate with a unidirectional transmission member. Even if such a solution is less effective than that of the preferred embodiment, it may be sufficient.
• the wheel comprises a central core whose periphery has n peripheral nozzles intended to cooperate with a unidirectional transmission member and each of which is defined by the intersection of two circular holes, n being equal to or greater than one, without leaving the frame of the present invention.
• the unidirectional transmission device and the inverter device described can be used independently of one another or in combination in the same watch movement, or in connection with another watch mechanism that reassembly, including a complication using a single direction of rotation of a wheel.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Gears, Cams (AREA)
• Transmission Devices (AREA)
• Electromechanical Clocks (AREA)
• Electric Clocks (AREA)

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• 2009
  • 2009-06-16 EP EP09162836A patent/EP2264550A1/de not_active Withdrawn
• 2010
  • 2010-06-16 US US13/391,149 patent/US8622610B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2010-06-16 WO PCT/EP2010/058498 patent/WO2010146099A2/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2010-06-16 EP EP10747436A patent/EP2443523A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2010-06-16 CN CN201080035442.XA patent/CN102483606B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related

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