Timepiece regulating organ having a balance spring and provided with a temperature compensation device

Abstract

The invention relates to a regulating member (1) for a timepiece movement, comprising an oscillating mass, for example a balance, and a balance spring having a flexible strip (2) wound several turns around itself, said strip (2) having a predetermined stiffness to allow the oscillating mass to perform a rotational oscillating movement, said strip (2) comprising an outer end (9), characterized in that said regulating member (1, 10) comprises a temperature-compensated elastic device configured to have a stiffness that varies as a function of temperature to compensate for the effect of temperature on the regulating member (1, 10), said elastic device comprising an elastic element (5) connecting the outer end (9) to a first support (7) that is stationary relative to the timepiece movement, and a preloading device (6) for applying to the elastic element (5) a variable force or torque that varies as a function of temperature. The invention also relates to a timepiece movement comprising such a regulating member (1).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an adjustment member, specifically for use in the field of watches, having a balance wheel and hairspring and equipped with a temperature compensation device. Background Technology

[0002] Today, most mechanical watches are equipped with a balance wheel and a Swiss lever escapement. The balance wheel forms the time base of the watch. It is also known as a resonator or regulating element.

[0003] The escapement mechanism has two main functions:

[0004] -To maintain the reciprocating motion of the resonator;

[0005] - To count these reciprocating motions.

[0006] An inertial element, a guide element, and a resilient return element are required to form a mechanical resonator. Traditionally, the balance wheel and hairspring serve as the resilient return element for the inertial element, which is composed of a balance wheel. This balance wheel is guided to rotation by a pivot, which typically rotates within a ruby ​​sliding bearing.

[0007] A frequency is selected for the mechanical resonator, and that frequency is determined to obtain the predetermined speed of the watch movement.

[0008] However, during operation, such a mechanical resonator may be disturbed by changes in external parameters, which cause variations in the resonator's frequency. These parameters include, for example, temperature, pressure, humidity, or gravity. Changes in the resonator's frequency lead to errors in time measurement, and consequently, errors in the watch movement's rate.

[0009] Swiss Patent Document No. 704687 describes an adjustment mechanism including a balance spring and a stud for adjusting the position of the stud in order to correct the deformation of the balance spring caused by certain parameters, particularly temperature.

[0010] Nevertheless, such a correction component did not achieve the ideal level of accuracy. Summary of the Invention

[0011] The purpose of this invention is to overcome some or all of the above-mentioned disadvantages by providing a watch regulating component with a balance wheel and hairspring, which is equipped with a more precise temperature compensation device.

[0012] Therefore, the present invention relates to a rotational adjustment component for a watch movement, comprising, for example, a oscillating counterweight of a balance wheel and a balance spring having a flexible strip wound around itself multiple times, the strip having a predetermined stiffness to allow the oscillating counterweight to perform a rotational oscillating motion, the strip including an outer end.

[0013] Notably, the adjusting member includes a temperature-compensated elastic device configured to vary its stiffness with temperature to compensate for the effects of temperature on the adjusting member. The elastic device includes an elastic element connecting its outer end to a first support stationary relative to the watch movement, and a preloading device for applying a variable force or torque that varies with temperature to the elastic element.

[0014] Because of this invention, the preloading device applies a variable force or torque to the elastic element that changes with temperature, so that the regulating member maintains a substantially accurate rate despite large temperature variations. This is because, when the temperature changes, the preloading device alters the force or torque applied to the elastic element, thereby changing the stiffness of the assembly including the elastic element and the balance wheel and hairspring. By modifying the stiffness of this assembly, the rate of the regulating member is adjusted. Therefore, when the temperature changes, the elastic device is mechanically impacted so that the rate of the balance wheel and hairspring adapts to the change.

[0015] The elastic element alters the stiffness of the connection point and provides additional flexibility to the resonator. Therefore, the effective stiffness of the resonator comprises the stiffness of the strip and the stiffness of the elastic element. Variable force or torque allows for preloading of the elastic element, preferably without preloading the strip or displacing its ends. Preloading the elastic element changes its stiffness, while the stiffness of the strip remains constant because the strip is not preloaded and its ends are not displaced.

[0016] By altering the flexibility of the elastic element, the stiffness of the resonator (the stiffness of the strip and the elastic element) changes, thereby changing the resonator's rate. Since the elastic element is preferably stiffer than the strip, its stiffness constitutes a smaller proportion of the overall stiffness than the strip's stiffness. Therefore, changing the stiffness of the elastic element alters the overall stiffness of the resonator, thus finely tuning its rate and, consequently, precisely adjusting our time base frequency. This provides a high degree of accuracy in maintaining the rate as a function of temperature.

[0017] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the preloading device includes a spring component connected to an elastic element, the spring component transmitting force or torque to the elastic element.

[0018] According to one specific embodiment of the invention, the preloading device includes a body that is deformable with temperature changes, the deformable body being at least partially in contact with a spring component during deformation.

[0019] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the deformable body is an elongated bimetallic attachment.

[0020] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the spring component includes a first flexible blade connected to an elastic element.

[0021] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the spring component includes a translation stage connected to a first flexible blade, and the deformable body is in contact with the translation stage.

[0022] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the spring component includes a second flexible blade connected to a heat-deformable body.

[0023] According to one specific embodiment of the invention, the adjusting member extends substantially in the same plane.

[0024] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the elastic element includes a suspended point body and a pair of non-crossing blades, the non-crossing blades connecting the suspended point body to a first fixed support.

[0025] According to one specific embodiment of the invention, a preloading device is connected to a suspended point body to apply force or torque to the suspended point body.

[0026] According to one specific embodiment of the invention, the adjusting member includes means for adjusting the preloading device to apply a variable force to the preloading device, for example, to the first movable element.

[0027] The present invention also relates to a watch movement that includes such an adjusting member. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the several embodiments given with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are provided merely for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, wherein:

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic top view of the adjusting member according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic top view of the adjusting member according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0031] Figure 1 and 2 Two embodiments of the adjusting member according to the present invention are shown.

[0032] In both embodiments, the adjusting components 1 and 10 include a balance spring, which has a flexible strip 2 wound around itself multiple times. The flexible strip 2 includes an outer end 9 and an inner end 8.

[0033] Adjustment components 1 and 10 include a pendulum counterweight (not shown in the figure), such as an annular balance wheel, which is connected to the inner end 8 of the belt 2. The belt 2 has a predetermined stiffness to cause the pendulum counterweight to perform a rotational pendulum motion. For example, the pendulum counterweight includes an axial rotation shaft, to which the inner end 8 of the belt 2 is connected.

[0034] Preferably, apart from the oscillating counterweight, the adjusting members 1 and 10 extend substantially in the same plane, and the oscillating counterweight oscillates in a parallel plane above the balance wheel and hairspring.

[0035] According to the present invention, the adjusting members 1 and 10 include an elastic device 50 for compensating for external parameters, the device being configured to adapt the stiffness of the elastic element 5 to temperature changes in order to compensate for the effect of temperature on the adjusting members 1 and 10.

[0036] The elastic device 50 includes an elastic element 5, the outer end of which is connected to a support 7 that is stationary relative to the watch movement (e.g., relative to the mainplate). The elastic device 50 also includes a preloading device 6 for applying a variable force or torque to the elastic element 5 according to changes in external parameters.

[0037] In this configuration, the elastic element 5 comprises a suspended point body 3 and a pair of non-crossing blades 4 connecting the suspended point body 3 to the fixed support 7. The suspended point body 3 is, for example, a cylinder with a height substantially equal to its diameter, and the non-crossing blades 4 extend from the suspended point body 3 to the fixed support 7.

[0038] The elastic element 5 is disposed in the continuation of the flexible strip 2, and the balance wheel hairspring and the elastic element 5 are adjacent to each other, but contact is avoided during the oscillation of the oscillating counterweight.

[0039] The preloading device 6 is configured to apply force or torque to the suspended point body 3. The preloading device 6 includes a spring component with a flexible blade 11 connected to the suspended point body 3. The first flexible blade 11 extends tangentially to the balance spring along the axis of the elastic element and is slightly offset from the outer end 9.

[0040] exist Figure 1 In the first embodiment shown, the spring component of the preloading device 6 includes a translation stage with a first L-shaped movable element 12 and a second support 13 stationary relative to the movement. The first movable element 12 is connected to a flexible blade 11 via one end of the first arm of the L-shape. The second arm of the L-shape includes a circular protrusion 53 on its outer side. The translation stage includes two substantially parallel flexible blades 14 that connect the first movable element 12 to the second fixed support 13.

[0041] The preloading device 6 further includes a thermally deformable body 15 that deforms with temperature changes, the deformable body 15 applying a variable force or torque to the movable element 12.

[0042] In this example, the heat-deformable body 15 is a bimetallic attachment whose deformation is caused by temperature. The bimetallic attachment has a longitudinally extending body and includes two elongated portions 51 and 52 connected longitudinally to each other. These two elongated portions 51 and 52 are made of different materials and have different heat deformation characteristics. Therefore, under heat, the bimetallic attachment deforms laterally; one end 55 of the bimetallic attachment is held, while the other end is movable, causing the bimetallic attachment to deform and bend on one side.

[0043] The bimetallic attachment is positioned perpendicular to the movable element 12, such that the first free portion 54 contacts the protrusion 53 of the L-shaped second arm. The holding end 55 is held by a second translation stage, which includes a second movable element 18 and a second pair of parallel flexible blades 17 connecting the second movable element 18 to a third support 19 stationary relative to the main plate of the movement. The second movable element 18 is L-shaped, with one arm supporting the holding end 55 of the bimetallic attachment, while blades of the second pair of blades 17 connect the inner surface 56 of the second arm to the third fixed support 19. When the preloading device 6 is in the stationary position, the blades of the second pair of blades 17 are positioned perpendicular to the bimetallic attachment.

[0044] Under temperature changes, the deformable body 15 (in this case, the bimetallic attachment) bends or straightens, causing the first free portion 54 to exert a larger or smaller force on the protrusion, thereby exerting a larger or smaller force on the first movable element 12, which moves under the guidance of the first translation stage. Thus, via the first flexible blade 11, the elastic element 5 receives force or torque, thereby changing the stiffness of the elastic element and thus changing the rate of the adjusting member 1.

[0045] An adjustment device, such as a screw, can be added to apply a force 57 parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bimetallic attachment on the second movable element 18, particularly at the end of the second arm 58. Therefore, the effective length d of the bimetallic attachment can be adjusted to regulate the effect of the preloading device 6 on the elastic element 5, particularly according to temperature variations. By shifting the second movable element 18, guided by the second translation stage, the contact between the free portion 54 and the protrusion 53 is altered, thereby increasing or decreasing the effective length d of the bimetallic attachment. Therefore, the greater the effective length, the more the force applied to the first movable element 12 varies with temperature.

[0046] When the deformable body 15 bends, the free portion 54 pushes the first movable element 12, causing the first flexible blade 11 to transmit force or torque to the suspended point body 3. Therefore, the stiffness of the pair of non-crossing blades 4 decreases. Conversely, if the deformable body 15 straightens, the force or torque on the suspended point body 3 decreases, increasing the stiffness of the pair of non-crossing blades 4.

[0047] In the second embodiment, the adjusting member 10 includes a balance wheel and hairspring, a oscillating counterweight (not shown in the figure), an elastic element 5, and a first flexible blade 11 that is the same as in the first embodiment.

[0048] In order to apply force or torque to the elastic element 5, the spring component of the preloading device 6 includes an elongated first movable element 22, which is connected to and positioned at the continuation of the flexible blade 11. A first pair of parallel flexible blades 24 connect the first movable element 22 to a second fixed support 23 to form a translation stage and guide the displacement of the first movable element 22.

[0049] The spring component includes a second pair of parallel flexible blades 25 disposed on the same side as the first pair of parallel flexible blades 24, and connects the first movable element 22 to the second movable element 28.

[0050] The second movable component 28 is laterally connected to the thermodeformable body 15 via a second flexible blade 21 that is substantially parallel to the first movable component 22 when the adjusting member 10 is in a stationary position.

[0051] In this embodiment, the deformable body is preferably also a bimetallic attachment, which is arranged perpendicular to the second flexible blade 21 and perpendicular to the first movable element 22. The second flexible blade 21 is connected to the tip of the free portion of the bimetallic attachment, and the bimetallic attachment is fixed at its bottom by a fixed bracket.

[0052] Therefore, when the bimetallic attachment bends or straightens, the second flexible blade 21 transmits displacement to the second movable element 28, which in turn transmits displacement to the first movable element 22 via the second pair of parallel flexible blades 25. The first movable element 22 is guided by the first translation stage to transmit force or torque to the elastic element 5 via the first flexible blade 11.

[0053] In a manner similar to the first embodiment, temperature changes will cause the thermally deformable body 15 to deform and cause a change in the stiffness of the elastic element 5, thereby causing a change in the rate of the regulating member 10.

[0054] The third pair of parallel flexible blades 26 connects the second movable element 28 and the third movable element 27. The third pair of parallel flexible blades 26 and the third movable element 27 are arranged in series with the second pair of parallel flexible blades 25 and the second movable element 28.

[0055] An adjustment device, such as a screw, can be added to apply a force 59 to the third movable element 27. Increasing the force 59 will cause the displacement of the bimetallic attachment to be transmitted to the first movable element 22 to a smaller extent, while decreasing the force will cause the displacement of the bimetallic attachment to be transmitted to the first movable element 22 to a larger extent. The adjustment device allows the sensitivity of the preload device 6 to be adjusted according to temperature changes.

[0056] The present invention also relates to a watch movement not shown in the figures, which includes the rotation adjustment components 1 and 10 described above.

[0057] It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the figures, and alternative solutions may be considered without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An adjusting member (1, 10) for a watch movement, the adjusting member comprising a oscillating counterweight and a balance spring having a flexible strip (2) wound around itself multiple times, the strip (2) having a predetermined stiffness to allow the oscillating counterweight to perform a rotational oscillating motion, the strip (2) comprising an outer end (9), characterized in that, The adjusting member (1, 10) includes a temperature-compensated elastic device configured to vary its stiffness with temperature to compensate for the effect of temperature on the adjusting member (1, 10). The elastic device includes an elastic element (5) connecting its outer end (9) to a first support (7) stationary relative to the watch movement, and a preloading device (6) for applying a variable force or torque that varies with temperature to the elastic element (5), wherein the elastic element (5) connects the outer end (9) to the preloading device (6).

2. The adjusting member according to claim 1, characterized in that, The oscillating counterweight is a balance wheel.

3. The adjusting member according to claim 1, characterized in that, The preloading device (6) includes a spring component connected to the elastic element (5), which transmits force or torque to the elastic element (5).

4. The adjusting member according to claim 3, characterized in that, The preloading device (6) includes a body (15) that can deform with temperature changes, and the deformable body (15) is in at least partial contact with the spring component during deformation.

5. The adjusting member according to claim 4, characterized in that, The deformable body (15) is an elongated bimetallic attachment.

6. The adjusting member according to claim 3, characterized in that, The spring component includes a first flexible blade (11) connected to the elastic element (5).

7. The adjusting member according to claim 6, characterized in that, The spring component includes a translation stage connected to the first flexible blade (11), and the deformable body is in contact with the translation stage.

8. The adjusting member according to claim 6, characterized in that, The spring component includes a second flexible blade (21) connected to the deformable body.

9. The adjusting member according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The adjusting components (1, 10) extend essentially in the same plane.

10. An adjusting member (1, 10) for a watch movement, the adjusting member comprising a oscillating counterweight and a balance spring having a flexible strip (2) wound around itself multiple times, the strip (2) having a predetermined stiffness to allow the oscillating counterweight to perform a rotational oscillating motion, the strip (2) comprising an outer end (9), characterized in that, The adjusting member (1, 10) includes a temperature-compensated elastic device configured to vary its stiffness with temperature to compensate for the effect of temperature on the adjusting member (1, 10). The elastic device includes an elastic element (5) connecting its outer end (9) to a first support (7) stationary relative to the watch movement, and a preloading device (6) for applying a variable force or torque that varies with temperature to the elastic element (5). The elastic element (5) includes a suspended point body (3) and a pair of non-crossing blades (4) connecting the suspended point body (3) to the first support (7).

11. The adjusting member according to claim 10, characterized in that, The preloading device (6) is connected to the suspended point body (3) to apply force or torque to the suspended point body (3).

12. An adjusting member (1, 10) for a watch movement, the adjusting member comprising a oscillating counterweight and a balance spring having a flexible strip (2) wound around itself multiple times, the strip (2) having a predetermined stiffness to allow the oscillating counterweight to perform a rotational oscillating motion, the strip (2) comprising an outer end (9), characterized in that, The adjusting member (1, 10) includes a temperature-compensated elastic device configured to vary its stiffness with temperature to compensate for the effect of temperature on the adjusting member (1, 10). The elastic device includes an elastic element (5) connecting its outer end (9) to a first support (7) stationary relative to the watch movement, and a preloading device (6) for applying a variable force or torque that varies with temperature to the elastic element (5). The adjusting member also includes means for adjusting the preloading device (6) to apply a variable force (59) to the preloading device (6).

13. The adjusting member according to claim 12, characterized in that, The device for adjusting the preloading device (6) is configured to adjust the preloading device (6) so as to apply a variable force (59) to the first movable element (22).

14. A watch movement comprising an adjusting member (1, 10) according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

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