JPH0894775A - Clock mechanical body - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To obtain a clock mechanical body employing a step motor as a drive source where a second hand wheel makes a substantially smooth and continuous rotary movement even when a hand turning shaft is turned in order to set the clock with a correct time. CONSTITUTION: A step motor 6 is employed as a drive source and a second hand wheel 13 makes a substantially smooth and continuous rotary movement. The clock mechanical body comprises a first series of reduction wheel for transmitting the intermittent rotation of a rotor 7 caused by the step motor 6 to the second hand wheel 13, and a second series of reduction wheel branched from the way of the first series of reduction wheel in order to transmit the rotation to hour and minute hand wheels 21, 18. Means U for converting the intermittent rotation into continuous rotation is disposed in the first series of reduction wheel in the downstream of the branch point. The means U comprises a coil spring 12 interposed between an intermediate axle 9a and an intermediate gear 10 being fitted coaxially and rotatably, and means for imparting a viscous resistance load to the second hand wheel 13.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a timepiece machine body using a step motor as a drive source so that a second hand wheel makes a substantially smooth continuous rotational movement.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A timepiece mechanical body of a quartz timepiece transmits rotation of a drive motor to a second hand wheel through a train wheel and rotates the second hand wheel. Normally, the second hand wheel is decelerated to rotate a minute hand wheel. , It has a mechanism to further reduce the speed and rotate the hour wheel. As the drive motor, a step motor with extremely low battery consumption is used. Since the step motor makes intermittent rotary motion, the second hand wheel also makes intermittent motion at 1 second intervals.

With respect to the movement of the second hand wheel, there are some voices of consumers who desire a sweep movement in which the hands continuously display the flow of time.

A sweep motor is generally used as a means for realizing such a sweep motion, but it has drawbacks that the manufacturing cost of the motor is high and the battery consumption is high. For this reason, it has been practiced to provide a motion converting means for converting the intermittent rotary motion of the step motor into a continuous rotary motion. Several proposals have been made for providing a continuous rotating motion to the second hand wheel of a timepiece machine body having a step motor as a drive source by providing such a motion converting means (for example, the actual flat plate 2-. 128994).

According to the above proposal, the rotation of the step motor is transmitted to the gear fixed to the bush loosely fitted to the second hand shaft through the train wheel, and the motion converting means provided in the rotation transmission path after the bush is transmitted. By adopting a configuration that gives continuous rotation to the second hand axis. As the motion converting means, as a first means, a disc positioned so as to surround the bush is provided above the bush loosely fitted to the second hand shaft so as to rotate integrally with the second hand shaft, and the bush and the disc are separated from each other. The gaps are connected by a spiral spring so that changes in speed due to intermittent motion can be absorbed.

As a second means, a plate-like member is loosely fitted to the tip of the second hand shaft, and the disc and the plate-like member are connected by a spring member so that the plate-like member can be driven by the disc. Thus, the speed difference due to the intermittent motion is absorbed. Further, as a third means, the above-mentioned plate-like member is housed in a container in a hermetically sealed manner, and a viscous fluid such as lubricating oil is filled in the container to prevent the viscous resistance of the plate-like member from rotating in the viscous fluid. Upon generation, the second hand shaft is allowed to make smooth continuous rotational movement.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above-mentioned means intends to make the second hand wheel rotate continuously by absorbing the discontinuity of the speed by the triple means of the intermittent movement of the step motor. Therefore, it can be said that the purpose of trying to make the second hand wheel look like a smooth rotational movement is achieved.

However, since all of these motion converting means are provided around the second hand shaft, when trying to rotate the minute hand wheel by rotating the hand from the outside when adjusting the time, the second hand pinion is used. A force acts on the spiral spring. Therefore, there is a problem that the spiral spring deforms abnormally and the second hand wheel stops, or it makes an abnormal motion, resulting in interruption of the continuous flow of time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a timepiece machine body having a step motor as a drive source so that the second hand wheel makes a substantially smooth continuous rotational movement, even if the hand turning shaft is turned for time adjustment. It is an object of the present invention to provide a timepiece mechanical body that allows a second hand wheel to continue a smooth continuous rotational movement without exerting an influence on the vehicle.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, a timepiece machine body of the present invention uses a step motor as a drive source so that a second hand wheel makes a substantially smooth continuous rotation motion. A first reduction gear train that transmits the rotation of a rotor that is intermittently rotated by a step motor to the second handwheel, and a first branch train that branches off from the middle of the first reduction gear train and transmits to the hour / minute handwheel. 2 reduction gear trains are provided, the second
In the first reduction gear train after the reduction gear train has been branched, there is provided motion conversion means for converting intermittent rotation motion into continuous rotation motion, and the motion conversion means is coaxially and rotatably fitted. And a coil spring interposed between the specific rotation shaft and the specific gear, and viscous resistance applying means for applying a viscous resistance load to another specific gear. It is preferable that the handwheel shaft for rotating the hour / minute handwheel meshes with at least one gearwheel forming the second reduction gear train.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the timepiece mechanical body K is
The base plate 1 and the upper base plate 2 face each other, and the middle plate 3 is interposed between them.
Is provided. A pointer shaft 5 that is rotated by a step motor 6 described below projects from a pointer shaft hole 1a provided at the center of the base plate 1. First deceleration for transmitting the rotation of the rotor 7 intermittently rotated by the step motor 6 to the second hand wheel 13 through shaft portions and bearing holes formed in the base plate 1, the upper base plate 2 and the intermediate plate 3, respectively. Train wheel R1
And a branch from the middle of this first reduction gear train, the hour and minute handwheel 2
There is provided a second reduction gear train R2 which is transmitted to the gears 1 and 18. In the first reduction gear train R1 after the second reduction gear train R2 is branched, a motion conversion means U described later for converting intermittent rotary motion to continuous rotary motion is provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, the step motor 6 is
The coil frame 6a, the coil 6b, the iron core 6c, the stator 6d, and the rotor 7 are included. A magnet M (see FIG. 1) is attached to the rotor 7. In the rotor 7, both ends of a rotor shaft 7a (see FIG. 1) are pivotally supported by a base plate 1 and an upper base plate 2, and a rotor pinion 7b (see FIG. 1) formed integrally with the rotor shaft 7a is a driving vehicle. It meshes with 8. The pinion portion 8a of the drive wheel meshes with an intermediate gear 10 as an example of a specific gear that is rotatably supported by an intermediate axle 9a as an example of a specific rotating shaft of a third wheel & pinion 9 described later.

As shown in FIG. 3, the third wheel & pinion 9 is an intermediate axle 9
a, an intermediate gear 10 coaxially rotatably supported by the intermediate axle, a disc 11 provided above the intermediate gear so as to face the intermediate gear 10, and a rotation transmission from the intermediate gear 10 to the disc. It is constituted by a coil spring 12 which is an elastic member coaxially provided on the intermediate axle 9a as much as possible. The disk 11 is press-fitted into the intermediate axle 9a of the third wheel and can rotate integrally with the third wheel 9.

A groove 11a is provided on the facing surface of a disk 11 provided so as to face the intermediate gear 10, and an upper end 12a of a coil spring 12 is housed in this groove. The end portion of the coil spring 12 is engaged with a locking portion 11b provided outward from the groove portion 11a. Similarly, in the intermediate gear 10 facing the groove 11a, the groove 10a is formed.
Is provided and the lower end of the coil spring 12 is housed. The end portion of the coil spring 12 is engaged with a locking portion 10b formed outward from the groove portion 11a.

Since the coil spring 12 engages with both the intermediate gear 10 and the disk 11 in this manner, when the intermediate gear 10 rotates, the coil spring 12 is wound and tightened to absorb the torque received from the intermediate gear 10. Then, the third wheel & pinion 9 can be rotated via the disk 11. As a means for preventing the coil spring 12 from being wound more than an allowable value and being damaged when an unexpected load acts on the third wheel side, the intermediate gear 10 is provided with a hitting projection 10c. There is a protrusion 11c formed on the outer circumference of the disk 11. When the coil spring 12 receives a force exceeding the allowable value, the projection 10b comes into contact with the projection 11c and stops, so that no further force is applied to the coil spring 12.

In the present embodiment, the coil spring 12 is formed in a cylindrical shape, but it is not limited to this, and it may be formed in any shape such as a flat spring. There is no end.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pinion portion 9b of the intermediate axle 9a is meshed with a second hand gear 13a integral with a second hand wheel 13 as an example of another specific gear. The second hand shaft 13b protrudingly provided at the center of the second hand wheel 13 penetrates through the intermediate plate 3 and, together with the minute hand pipe 19 and the hour hand pipe 21a, projects downward from the base plate 1 to form a pointer shaft 5.

As shown in FIG. 4, at the other end of the second hand shaft 13b, that is, at the center of the other surface of the second hand gear 13a, there is provided a convex portion 13c having a diameter three to four times as thick as the second hand shaft. Has been formed. The hole 13d provided at the center of the end surface of the protrusion 13c is fitted to the protrusion 2a provided on the upper base plate 2. Around the projection 2a formed on the main plate 2, a peripheral portion projects forward, and a recess 2b is formed by digging down from the front end portion to a predetermined depth. The diameter H of the concave portion 2b is made slightly larger than the diameter G of the convex portion 13c of the second hand shaft, so that the convex portion 13c can be accommodated and a gap portion C can be formed therebetween.

The gap C is filled with a viscous fluid B such as grease as an example of a viscous resistance imparting means for imparting a viscous resistance load to the second hand wheel 13. The viscous fluid B has a function as a lubricant when the second hand wheel 13 rotates, and also has a function of absorbing a rotational speed change accompanied by intermittentness transmitted from the third wheel & pinion 9 by viscous force. Therefore, even if the coil spring 12 provided in the third wheel & pinion 9 absorbs the change in the rotational speed due to the intermittent motion of the rotation, the change in the rotational speed is completely buffered by the viscous fluid B, and the second hand wheel 13 is substantially smooth. It is possible to make continuous rotation movements. That is, the motion converting means U includes the coil spring 12 interposed between the intermediate gear shaft 9a and the intermediate gear 10 that are coaxially and rotatably fitted together, and the viscous resistance that applies a viscous resistance load to the second hand wheel 13. It is provided with a granting means B.

As shown in FIG. 2, a fifth wheel & pinion 14 meshes with the intermediate gear 10 branching from the third wheel & pinion 9. The fifth wheel & pinion 14 is shown at the left end in FIG. 1, and the shaft portion of the fifth wheel & pinion 14 penetrates the middle plate 3. The pinion portion 14 a of the fifth wheel located between the middle plate 3 and the base plate 1 meshes with the sixth wheel 15. The pinion portion 15a of the sixth wheel meshes with the seventh wheel 16, and the pinion portion 16a of the seventh wheel meshes with the eighth wheel 17. The pinion portion 17a of the eighth wheel meshes with the minute hand wheel 18.

The minute hand wheel 18 is frictionally coupled to the minute hand pipe 19 via a known slip mechanism (not shown). Further, a minute wheel pinion 19a provided integrally with the minute hand pipe 19 at a position adjacent to the minute hand wheel 18 meshes with a day wheel 20. The hour hand pipe 2 is used for the kana portion 20a of the rear wheel of the sun.
The hour wheel 21 which is integral with 1a (see FIG. 1) meshes with the hour wheel 21, and the rotation of the minute wheel 18 is reduced to 1/60. Back car 20 of the day
Is a needle-turning shaft 2 operably provided from the outside of the upper base plate 2.
It is meshed with the second pinion 22a, and the time can be adjusted by rotating the needle rotating shaft 22.

As described above, the first reduction gear train R1 is
A second reduction gear train R that is composed of a rotor 7, a drive wheel 8, an intermediate gear 10, an intermediate axle 9a, and a second hand wheel 13 and branches from the intermediate gear 10 that is in the middle of the first reduction gear train R1.
2 is 5th, 14th, 15th, 7th, 16th, 8th
7, a minute hand wheel 18, a day back wheel 20, and an hour hand wheel 21.

A second hand wheel 13 is provided between the second hand wheel 13 and the intermediate plate 3.
The second hand wheel spring 23 is fitted to the second hand wheel 13 and elastically contacts the second hand wheel 13 to restrict the movement of the second hand wheel 13.

Next, the operation will be described. When the rotor 7 is rotated by the step motor 6, the intermittent rotation motion of the rotor 7 is transmitted to the third wheel & pinion 9 via the drive wheel 8. Third wheel 9
When the intermediate gear 10 of FIG. 1 rotates while being supported by the intermediate axle 9a, this rotary motion is transmitted via the coil spring 12 to the disk 1
1 is transmitted. Here, the intermittent rotational movement transmitted to the intermediate gear 10 is absorbed by the change in speed by the coil spring 12, converted into a smooth rotational movement, and transmitted to the disk 11. The disk 11 rotates integrally with the intermediate axle 9a of the third wheel 9,
The second hand gear 13a meshing with the pinion portion 9b is rotated. The second hand gear 13a absorbs a change in speed by the viscous resistance imparting means B, and when the change in speed is absorbed by the coil spring 12, the change in speed is completely absorbed, whereby the second hand makes smooth continuous rotation.

On the other hand, the second branched from the intermediate gear 10
The minute wheel 18 and the hour wheel 21 are rotated by the reduction gear train R2. When adjusting the time, by rotating the handwheel shaft 22, the handwheel torque is transmitted in reverse to the second reduction gear train R2, and the hour and minute handwheels 18, 2 are transmitted via the back wheel 20 of the day.
1 is rotated. Since the handwheel train at this time does not include the motion converting means U as described above, the second hand wheel 13
Is not disturbed by the continuous rotary movement.

Further, in the present embodiment, the needle turning shaft 22 meshes with the day back wheel 20, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the needle turning shaft 22 constitutes at least one of the second reduction gear trains R2. It only has to mesh with one gear.

In this embodiment, the convex portion is provided on the second hand wheel and the concave portion for accommodating the convex portion is formed on the upper base plate. However, by reversing this, the convex portion is formed on the upper base plate and the concave portion is formed. It may be provided on the second hand wheel.

[0028]

As described above, the present invention provides a timepiece machine having a step motor as a drive source so that the second hand wheel makes a substantially smooth continuous rotation motion. And a second reduction gear train that branches from the middle of the first reduction gear train and transmits to the hour and minute hands, and after the second reduction gear train branches. In the first reduction gear train, the motion converting means for converting the intermittent rotary motion into the continuous rotary motion is provided, and the motion converting means is provided between the specific rotary shaft and the specific gear that are coaxially rotatably fitted. Since it is composed of a coil spring interposed between the coil spring and a viscous resistance applying means for applying a viscous resistance load to another specific gear, even if the needle-turning shaft is rotated during time adjustment, the coil spring will not directly affect the coil spring. The second hand wheel does not move abnormally because no force is applied to.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an essential part of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a path for transmitting the rotation of the step motor to the needle rotating shaft in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a third wheel and pinion.

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part showing a viscous resistance applying means.

[Explanation of symbols]

 6 step motor 7 rotor 9a specific rotating shaft (intermediate axle) 10 specific gear (intermediate gear) 12 coil spring 13 other specific gear (second hand wheel) 18 minute hand wheel 21 hour hand wheel 23 needle rotation axis B viscosity imparting means R1 first Reduction gear train R2 Second reduction gear train U Motion conversion means

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A timepiece machine body having a step motor as a drive source so that the second hand wheel makes a substantially smooth continuous rotary motion, wherein the rotation of a rotor intermittently rotated by the step motor is made into a second hand wheel. There is provided a first reduction gear train that transmits, and a second reduction gear train that branches from the middle of the first reduction gear train and transmits to the hour and minute hands, and the second reduction gear train branches. After that, the first reduction gear train is provided with motion converting means for converting the intermittent rotary motion into the continuous rotary motion, and the motion converting means is a specific rotary shaft coaxially and rotatably fitted. And a specific gear, and a coil spring interposed between the specific gear and viscous resistance applying means for applying a load of viscous resistance to the other specific gear. 2. The timepiece mechanical body according to claim 1, wherein a handwheel shaft for rotating the hour / minute handwheel is meshed with at least one gearwheel forming the second reduction gear train.