EP1840680B1 - Clock module including an adjustable rotary dial on a clock movement - Google Patents

Abstract

The module has a rotary dial possessing an opening (2) for displaying a complication of a watch movement/an image. The rotary dial is mounted rotatably on a base dial (3) via an annular low-friction member (4). The rotary dial is pivoted through a certain angle by the action of a pusher (9) to display another complication/image through the opening. Driving pins are arranged at regular/irregular intervals on a circle situated close to the center. The action of the pusher causes a transmission rocker (10) to pivot and communicate a rectilinear movement.

Description

The present invention relates to the field of watchmaking, more particularly to a watch module comprising a rotary dial adjustable on a watch movement. The dial has an opening for viewing one of the complications of the watch movement, the action of a pusher pivoting said dial to view another complication or image.

Most complicated mechanical watches indicate other information than simply reading the time. Certain complications such as the indication of the power reserve of a watch, a perpetual calendar or the moon phase, for example, are arranged on the dial of a watch. The combination of several complications in a watch can overload the dial can make the reading of information difficult. The accumulation of several pieces of information can also have a negative impact on the sobriety of the watch.

The publication US 2003/0095475 discloses a watch whose dial includes a planisphere map of the constellations. The bezel is provided with a crescent-shaped cover on which the hour digits are written, these figures being able to align with the days of the year, the latter being arranged on the periphery of a concentric ring. The rotation of the telescope coincides with the date to reveal the portion of the map that can be observed in the sky at a specific time during the year. The rotation of the telescope is done manually.

The aim of the present invention is to propose a watch module comprising an adjustable rotary dial on a watch movement, said rotary dial having an opening making it possible to display only one piece of information at a time in order to facilitate the reading of the watch. information and on the other hand to ensure a certain sobriety of the watch.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by means of a watch module according to claim 1. Preferably, the detuning of the rotary dial of the base dial is performed when pressure is exerted on the pusher, the rotation the rotary dial being triggered when the pusher returns to its rest position.

• La figure 1 représente une vue éclatée du module horloger comportant le cadran rotatif, un cadran de base, deux systèmes de commande et une platine.
• La figure 2 représente une vue de dessous du cadran rotatif comportant quatre goupilles dites d'entraînement, quatre goupilles dites de butée et quatre bossages.
• La figure 3 représente une vue de derrière d'une tige de commande comportant un crochet et une vue en coupe selon A-A de ladite tige.
• La figure 4 représente une vue de dessus de deux systèmes de commande agencés sur la platine en position initiale, le cadran rotatif étant représenté en transparence.
• La figure 5 représente une vue de dessus de la figure 4 lorsque l'un des poussoirs est actionné et que sa tige de commande est en course maximum.
• La figure 6 représente une vue de dessus de la figure 5 lorsque le cadran rotatif est en cours de rotation.
• La figure 7 représente une vue de dessus de la figure 4 lorsque les deux poussoirs sont actionnés simultanément.

The characteristics of the invention will appear more clearly on reading a description of an embodiment given solely by way of example, in no way limiting with reference to the schematic figures, in which:

• The figure 1 represents an exploded view of the watch module comprising the rotary dial, a base dial, two control systems and a plate.
• The figure 2 represents a bottom view of the rotary dial comprising four so-called drive pins, four so-called stop pins and four bosses.
• The figure 3 is a rear view of a control rod having a hook and a sectional view along AA of said rod.
• The figure 4 is a top view of two control systems arranged on the plate in the initial position, the rotary dial being shown in transparency.
• The figure 5 represents a top view of the figure 4 when one of the pushers is actuated and its control rod is in maximum stroke.
• The figure 6 represents a top view of the figure 5 when the rotating dial is rotating.
• The figure 7 represents a top view of the figure 4 when both pushers are operated simultaneously.

According to the main embodiment of the present invention, the watch module comprises the rotary dial (1) comprising the opening (2). Said dial (1) is rotatably arranged on the base dial (3) via a ball bearing (4). The base dial (3) has four openings (5) each positioned at 90 degrees to reveal four complications of the watch movement.

The rotary dial (1) has on the lower face on the one hand an annular element (6) at its center on which are positioned at regular intervals the four drive pins (7) and on the other hand the other four pins of stops (8) positioned at its periphery also at regular intervals, this in correspondence with the drive pins (7).

Each of the four drive pins (7) is intended to be driven by an instantaneous mechanism, which will be described later, to ensure the rotation of the rotary dial (1) by 90 degrees when a pusher (9, 9 ') is operated. Each of the stop pins (8) is intended to stop the rotation of the rotary dial (1) when it has rotated 90 degrees.

Since the watch module has two identical control systems positioned symmetrically with respect to the 3H / 9H axis, one of which rotates the rotary dial (1) clockwise and the other causes it to rotate. counterclockwise, only the action of one of these systems will be described.

• le poussoir (9) actionne une bascule de transmission (10) qui transmet un mouvement rectiligne à une tige (11) jusqu'à ce que l'une de ses extrémités actionne une bascule dite de butée (12) ;
• sous l'action de ladite tige (11), cette bascule (12), qui comporte un doigt d'arrêt (13) pouvant librement basculer autour d'un axe de rotation (14) entre deux goupilles (15) limitant le débattement du doigt (13), pivote afin de désengager momentanément le doigt d'arrêt (13) d'une des goupilles de butées (8) (Figure 5) ;
• sous l'action d'un ressort de rappel (16) agencé sur la tige (11), celle-ci est animée d'un mouvement rectiligne opposé lorsque le poussoir (9) n'est plus actionné, ce qui amène un crochet (17) solidaire de la tige (11) en contact avec l'une des goupilles d'entraînement (7);
• sous l'impulsion du ressort de rappel (16) le crochet (17) entraîne la goupille d'entraînement (7) occasionnant ainsi la rotation du cadran rotatif (1) dans le sens horaire (Figure 6) ;
• la tige (11) retourne ensuite dans sa position de repos ;
• à ce moment, sous l'action d'une lame ressort (18), la bascule de butée (12) a repris sa position initiale permettant ainsi l'arrêt de la prochaine goupille de butée (8) par le doigt d'arrêt (13) lorsque le cadran rotatif (1) aura pivoté de 90 degrés.

The control system which is intended to rotate the rotary dial (1) of the module in the clockwise direction comprises the following sequences:

• the pusher (9) actuates a transmission latch (10) which transmits a rectilinear motion to a rod (11) until one of its ends actuates a so-called stop rocker (12);
• under the action of said rod (11), this rocker (12), which comprises a stop finger (13) freely swingable about an axis of rotation (14) between two pins (15) limiting the deflection of the finger (13) pivots to temporarily disengage the stop finger (13) from one of the stop pins (8) ( Figure 5 );
• under the action of a return spring (16) arranged on the rod (11), it is animated by an opposite rectilinear movement when the pusher (9) is no longer actuated, which brings a hook ( 17) secured to the rod (11) in contact with one of the drive pins (7);
• under the impulse of the return spring (16) the hook (17) drives the drive pin (7) thus causing rotation of the rotary dial (1) in a clockwise direction ( Figure 6 );
• the rod (11) then returns to its rest position;
• at this moment, under the action of a spring blade (18), the stop rocker (12) has resumed its initial position thus allowing the stop pin (8) to stop by the stop finger ( 13) when the rotary dial (1) will have rotated 90 degrees.

When actuated, the pusher (9) engages the instantaneous rotation of the rotary dial (1) through the various sequences mentioned above, however, when one of the stop pins (8) is stopped by the stop finger (13), the rotary dial (1), having rotated 90 degrees, is found in an unstable position, To overcome this problem, the rotary dial (1) has on its periphery four bosses (19) associated with the pins stops (8). These are intended to be positioned in turn in a housing (20) located on a spring blade (21) thereby ensuring the stability of the rotary dial (1). This leaf spring (21) is arranged in a recess (not shown) in the base dial (3).

The latter has an opening (22) ( Figure 1 ) at 10H to position the finger (13) of the so-called stop rocker (12) at the stop pins (8).

The hook (17) is freely fitted on the rod (11) about an axis (23) perpendicular thereto ( Figure 3 ). A spring (24) is screwed onto said rod (11) so that one of its ends presses on the heel of the hook (17) forcing its projecting position at 90 degrees to the rod (11). The hook (17) can thus be folded in contact with one of the four drive pins (7) thus preventing the locking of the rod (11) when the pusher (9) is actuated.

The various components of the control system described above and the control system which is intended to rotate the rotary dial (1) of the module in the counterclockwise direction by the action of a pusher (9 ') are arranged on a plate (24) which is intended to be positioned directly on the watch movement. Said platen (24) has openings (25) corresponding to the openings (5) of the base dial (3) to reveal the four complications of the watch movement.

The shape and the symmetrical positioning of the two transmission latches (10, 10 ') make it possible to actuate only one pusher (9, 9') at a time, a simultaneous pressure on said pushers blocking the two control systems ( Figure 7 ).

The embodiment is in no way limitative and therefore the number of drive and stop pins (7, 8) may be less than or greater than four in order to vary the rotation angle of the rotary dial (1) when the pusher (9) is actuated. The intervals between said drive and stop pins (7, 8) may not be even. In addition, patterns can replace one or more complications of the watch movement.

Claims (11)

1. Watch module arranged to be fitted to a watch movement, said module comprising a rotary dial (1) possessing an opening (2) arranged to display a complication of the watch movement or an image, which module is characterized in that said rotary dial (1) is mounted rotatably on a base dial (3) via an annular low-friction member (4), a pusher (9) being able to pivot said rotary dial (1) through a certain angle so as to be able to display another complication or image through the opening (2).
2. Watch module according to Claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means (8, 13, 19, 21) for arresting and coupling the rotary dial (1) to the base dial (3), said module being arranged on the one hand in such a way as to decouple the rotary dial (1) from the base dial (3) when the pusher (9, 9') is pushed, and on the other hand to drive the rotary dial (1) when the pusher (9, 9') is released.
3. Watch module according to Claim 2, characterized in that the underside of the rotary dial (1) comprises on the one hand several so-called driving pins (7) arranged at regular or irregular intervals on a circle (6) situated close to its center, and on the other hand several so-called stop pins (8) positioned on its perimeter at regular or irregular intervals, the action of the pusher (9) causing a transmission rocker (10) to pivot and communicate a rectilinear movement to a rod (11) until one of its ends operates a so-called stop rocker (12) comprising means for stopping the stop pins (8), which stop rocker (12) pivots in order momentarily to disengage one of said stop pins (8) from said stop means, said rod (11) comprising a return spring (16) allowing it to regain its rest position when the pusher (9) is no longer being operated, the rod (11) taking with it as it passes one of the driving pins (7) by means of a hook (17), thereby triggering the rotation in a first direction of rotation of the rotary dial (1), and the latter pivoting until the next stop pin (8) is stopped by the stop means of the stop rocker (12).
4. Watch module according to Claim 3, characterized in that it comprises a second pusher (9') that causes a second transmission rocker (10') to pivot when the second pusher (9') is operated, which second rocker (10') transmits a rectilinear movement to a second rod (11') until one of its ends operates the stop rocker (12), said second rod (11') comprising a second return spring (16') allowing it to regain its rest position when the second pusher (9') is no longer being operated, taking with it as it passes one of the driving pins (7) by means of a second hook (17'), thereby triggering a rotation in the opposite direction to said first direction of the rotary dial (1).
5. Watch module according to Claim 4, characterized in that the shaping and positioning of the two transmission rockers (10, 10') allow only one pusher (9, 9') to be operated at a time.
6. Watch module according to any one of Claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the means for stopping the stop rocker (12) comprise a stop finger (13) that can pivot freely about a pivot pin (14) and two pins (15) that limit the movement of said finger (13).
7. Watch module according to Claim 6, characterized in that the perimeter of the rotary dial (1) has several humps (19) designed to click one at a time into a housing (20) formed in a leaf spring (21) when one of the stop pins (18) is stopped by the stop finger (13), thereby holding the rotary dial in a fixed position.
8. Watch module according to Claim 4, characterized in that each hook (17, 17') is loosely fitted to its rod (11, 11') about a pin (23, 23') perpendicular to said rod (11, 11'), a spring (24, 24') being mounted on the rod (11, 11') in such a way that it rests on the nub of the hook (17, 17'), pushing it out from the rod (11, 11'), and the hook (17, 17') retracting on contact with the driving pin (7) when the rod (11, 11') is being operated by the transmission rocker (10, 10').
9. Watch module according to Claim 7, characterized in that there are equal numbers of driving pins (7), stop pins (8) and, where applicable, humps (19) and they are in matching positions.
10. Watch module according to Claim 9, characterized in that it comprises four driving pins (7), four stop pins (8), and four humps (19).
11. Watch comprising the watch module according to any one of Claims 1 to 10.

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