Component of timepiece movement comprising lockable joint

Abstract

The invention relates to a part of a timepiece movement comprising a lockable joint. The invention relates to a part (10) of a timepiece movement, said part comprising two arms (11) connected to each other by means of a pivot link, said part (10) being able to assume an extended position and a folded position in which the arms (11) form a smaller angle than when said part (10) assumes said extended position, said part (10) further comprising a coupling mechanism in which said arms (11) form a smaller angle than when said part (10) assumes said extended position. The coupling mechanism is configured to prevent any relative movement between the two arms (11) when the part (10) occupies the extended position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of watchmaking and in particular to components of timepiece movements.

[0002] More specifically, the invention relates to a component of a timepiece movement comprising an articulation capable of being locked. Background Art

[0003] Horological movements for watches, in particular those comprising horological complications, ie mechanisms allowing indications other than the time and its divisions to be provided, generally comprise a large number of components, often several hundred, arranged in a volume of limited dimensions.

[0004] The design of a watch movement is therefore largely limited by the volume available in which all the components can be arranged.

[0005] The designer of a watch movement must also ensure that each component of the design is able to withstand the mechanical stresses to which it is subjected over time and that it can be manufactured reproducibly and as simply as possible while respecting dimensional tolerances. It must also be possible to assemble the component in the movement and dismantle it as easily as possible for repair operations.

[0006] The present invention relates to a component that overcomes all the above-mentioned difficulties associated with the design of components of a timepiece movement. Summary of the invention

[0007] To this end, the invention relates to a component of a timepiece movement, comprising two arms connected to each other by means of a pivot link. The component is capable of occupying an extended position and a folded position in which the arms form a smaller angle than when the component occupies the extended position. The component also comprises a coupling mechanism comprising a snap-fit ​​element and configured to prevent any relative movement between the two arms when the component occupies the extended position.

[0008] In particular embodiments, the invention may also comprise one or more of the following characteristics, which have to be considered individually or in any technically possible combination.

[0009] In a particular embodiment, the snap-fit ​​element is formed by a detent arranged on one of the arms and a resilient projection arranged on the other arm. The resilient projection comprises a recess in which the detent is intended to be housed when the component is in the extended position, so as to immobilize the arms relative to each other.

[0010] In certain embodiments, the resilient protrusion is configured to exert a resilient restoring force on the detent.

[0011] In a particular embodiment, the detent and the recess are shaped such that the detent is released from the recess when the resilient protrusion is biased against the resilient restoring force.

[0012] In a particular embodiment, the elastic projection is arranged between the catch and the arm carrying it so as to have an angular range, the limits of which are defined by the catch and the arm.

[0013] In a particular embodiment, the recess is arranged between a proximal portion and a distal portion of the elastic projection, the distal portion being intended to extend along an arc concentric with the axis of rotation of the arm or along a section tangential to the axis of rotation of the arm.

[0014] In a particular embodiment, the recess is shaped to constitute a stop so that relative movement of the arms in one rotational direction is prevented when the resilient protrusion is biased to release the detent from the recess.

[0015] In a particular embodiment, the proximal portion of the resilient protrusion includes a segment through which the resilient protrusion contacts the latch when the component is in the extended position, and the segment is formed to extend tangentially relative to the rotation axis of the arm along an axis passing through the center of the latch when the latch is received in the recess. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description, which is given with reference to the following drawings:

[0017] - Figure 1 , which shows a perspective view of a component of a timepiece movement comprising a hinge capable of being locked according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention;

[0018] - Figure 2 , which shows Figure 1 Detailed front view of the components shown in .

[0019] It should be noted that for the sake of clarity, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The invention relates to a component 10 of a timepiece movement, which, in an example of application, may form a motion-transmitting member, such as a rocker, a lever, a shaft or any other elongated member, i.e. any other member extending along a longitudinal axis. The component 10 extends along a longitudinal axis which may be rectilinear, curvilinear or have any shape, such as Figure 1 as shown in .

[0021] Component 10 comprises an articulation connecting two arms 11 to each other by means of a pivot link. This feature allows component 10 to be shaped to adopt an extended position and a folded position in which arms 11 form a smaller angle than when component 10 occupies the extended position. This folded position may advantageously allow a watchmaker to more easily install component 10 in a timepiece movement, or to more easily remove it.

[0022] The arms 11 are connected to each other by a pivot which can be produced by any technical solution available to a person skilled in the art. Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the exemplary embodiment shown in , each arm 11 has a through hole at the interface end, in which a rod forming a pivot can be engaged, and the rod is, for example, translationally stopped by a head forming a stop member, which is opposite to a nut and the rod cooperates with the nut via a threaded portion.

[0023] This pivot may optionally constitute a pivot for the component 10 , in which case the axis of rotation of the arms 11 relative to one another coincides with the axis of rotation of the component 10 .

[0024] The rotational mobility of the arms 11 relative to each other can advantageously be eliminated by means of a coupling mechanism with which the component 10 is equipped, so that one of the arms 11 can transmit a force, such as a torque, to the other arm 11. More specifically, when the component 10 is in the extended position, the arms 11 are immobile relative to each other, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 as shown in .

[0025] In particular, the coupling mechanism comprises snap-fit ​​elements. For example, a catch 12 is arranged on one of the arms 11, and an elastic protrusion 13 is arranged on the other arm 11. The elastic protrusion 13 may include a proximal portion 130 and a distal portion 131, between which a recess 132 is arranged, such as Figure 2 The catch 12 is intended to be housed in the recess 132 so as to establish a rigid connection between the two arms 11 and thus prevent any relative movement between said arms 11 .

[0026] In this preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention, the elastic projection 13 is configured to exert an elastic restoring force on the catch 12. This feature makes it possible to ensure permanent contact between the elastic projection 13 and the catch 12, so as to ensure, on the one hand, that the latter engages in the recess 132 when the part 10 is moved from the folded position to the extended position, and, on the other hand, that the catch 12 remains engaged in the recess 132 when the part 10 occupies the extended position. The direction of this elastic restoring force is preferably radial with respect to the axis of rotation of the arm 11, so as to pass through the center of the catch 12 and to be aligned with the longitudinal axis of the arm 11 carrying it.

[0027] The resilient protrusion 13 may also be conceived not to exert any force on the pawl 12 and to comprise a snap-fit ​​element, such as a reduction in cross-section at the opening of the recess 132 for engaging the pawl 12 , making it possible to ensure that the pawl 12 is radially retained in the recess 132 .

[0028] Advantageously, the detent 12 and the recess 132 are shaped in such a way that their cooperation is destroyed only by the user biasing the resilient projection 13 against the elastic restoring force. Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the example shown in , only the deformation of the elastic projection 13 , caused by biasing the distal portion 131 towards the axis of rotation of the arm 11 , allows the catch 12 to be removed from the recess 132 , which then allows the arms 11 to pivot relative to each other.

[0029] Furthermore, in this exemplary embodiment of the invention, the elastic projection 13 is arranged between the catch 12 and the arm 11 carrying it so as to have an angular range whose limits are defined by said catch 12 and said arm 11 .

[0030] When the part 10 occupies the folded position and the arms 11 are pivoted relative to each other, the catch 12 is intended to slide against the distal portion 131 of the elastic projection 13. In order to allow the arm 11 to be rotatably moved when the catch 12 is not engaged in the recess 132, the distal portion 131 is intended to extend along an arc concentric with the axis of rotation of the arm 11 or along a section tangential to the axis of rotation of the arm 11, such as Figure 2 as shown in the detailed view in .

[0031] In summary, when the member 10 is in the folded position, the arms 11 are pivotable relative to each other within a predetermined angular range.

[0032] Advantageously, the recess 132 can be shaped to form a stopper, thereby preventing the relative movement of the arms 11 in one direction when the component 10 moves from the extended position to the folded position, i.e. when the elastic protrusion 13 is biased so as to release the catch 12. In other words, the recess 132 is shaped to limit the rotation of the arms 11 relative to each other according to a predetermined angular range. To this end, the recess 132 has a protrusion 133 forming a stopper. Due to this feature, the catch 12 cannot come into contact with the proximal portion 130 of the elastic protrusion 13.

[0033] The proximal portion 130 of the resilient projection 13 comprises a section 134 via which the resilient projection 13 contacts the pawl 12 when the component 10 is in the extended position. The section 134 is preferably shaped so as to extend tangentially relative to the axis of rotation of the arm 11 along an axis passing through the center of the pawl 12 when the pawl 12 is housed in the recess 132. This feature ensures an optimal distribution of mechanical stresses when forces are transmitted between the arms 11.

[0034] More generally, it should be noted that the embodiments and examples considered above are described by way of non-limiting examples and that other alternatives are therefore possible.

[0035] For example, a second recess capable of receiving and engaging the catch 12 may be arranged on the distal portion 131 of the resilient projection 13 so as to produce a stable position of the arms 11 relative to each other, ie a position without any degree of mobility, when the component 10 occupies the folded position.

Claims

1. A component (10) for a watch movement, characterized in that: The component comprises two arms (11) connected to each other by means of a pivot link, the component (10) being capable of occupying an extended position and a folded position, in which the arms (11) form a smaller angle than when the component (10) occupies the extended position, and the component (10) further comprises a coupling mechanism comprising snap-fit ​​elements and being configured to prevent any relative movement between the two arms (11) when the component (10) occupies the extended position.

2. The component (10) according to claim 1, wherein The snap-fit ​​element is formed by a catch (12) arranged on one of the arms (11) and a resilient projection (13) arranged on the other arm (11), the resilient projection (13) comprising a recess (132) in which the catch (12) is intended to be received when the component (10) is in the extended position, so as to immobilize the arms (11) relative to each other.

3. The component (10) according to claim 2, wherein The elastic protrusion (13) is configured to apply an elastic restoring force to the latch (12).

4. The component (10) according to claim 2, wherein: The latch (12) and the recess (132) are shaped so that when the elastic protrusion (13) is biased against an elastic restoring force, the latch (12) is released from the recess (132).

5. A component (10) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein: The elastic projection (13) is arranged between the catch (12) and the arm (11) carrying it so as to have an angular range, the limits of which are defined by the catch (12) and the arm (11).

6. A component (10) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein: The recess (132) is arranged between a proximal portion (130) and a distal portion (131) of the elastic protrusion (13), and the distal portion (131) is intended to extend along an arc concentric with the rotation axis of the arm (11) or along a section tangent to the rotation axis of the arm (11).

7. A component (10) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein: The recess (132) is shaped to constitute a stop so as to prevent relative movement of the arm (11) in one rotational direction when the resilient protrusion (13) is biased to release the catch (12) from the recess (132).

8. The component (10) according to claim 6, wherein The proximal portion (130) of the elastic protrusion (13) includes a segment (134), and when the component (10) is in the extended position, the elastic protrusion (13) contacts the latch (12) via the segment (134), and the segment (134) is formed to extend tangentially relative to the rotation axis of the arm (11) along an axis passing through the center of the latch (12) when the latch (12) is received in the recess (132).

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