Mechanical timepiece

Abstract

The invention provides a mechanical timepiece. Damage of a silicon escapement gear is reduced. A mechanical timepiece (1) is provided with an escapement (80) including a silicon escapement gear (110), and has a structure in which an hour hand (4A), a minute hand (4B), and a second hand (4C) are integrated, in which an escapement pinion (120) of an escapement wheel (100) including the escapement gear (110) is engaged with a fourth gear (243) of a fourth wheel (24) to which the second hand (4C) is attached, and the escapement pinion (120) is engaged with the fourth gear (243) of the fourth wheel (24) to which the second hand (4C) is attached. The shaft (241) of the fourth wheel (24) is urged by an elastic member (244) in the axial direction toward the side to which the second hand (4C) is attached.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a mechanical clock. Background Art

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a mechanical clock having an escapement including an escapement gear made of silicon and having a structure in which the hour hand, minute hand, and second hand are concentrated in one place.

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2021-81299

[0004] However, the mechanical clock of Patent Document 1 has the following problems: When an impact such as a drop is applied, the impact force is transmitted to the escapement wheel, and the impact force is transmitted to the second hand in the rotational direction at a time different from normal, and the tip of the tooth of the silicon-made escapement gear collides with the claw of the escapement fork, and the tip of the tooth of the escapement gear is damaged. Summary of the Invention

[0005] A mechanical clock has an escapement including an escapement gear made of silicon, has a structure in which the hour hand, minute hand, and second hand are concentrated in one place, an escapement pinion of an escapement wheel including the escapement gear meshes with a fourth gear of a fourth wheel on which the second hand is mounted, and an axial force is applied to an axis of the fourth wheel by an elastic member in an axial direction toward a side on which the second hand is mounted. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006] Figure 1 is a front view of a mechanical clock according to a first embodiment.

[0007] Figure 2 is a top view of the front side of a movement of a mechanical clock according to a first embodiment.

[0008] Figure 3 is a top view of an escapement according to a first embodiment.

[0009] Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the structure of the escapement and the fourth wheel.

[0010] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the arrangement relationship between the fourth wheel and the elastic member.

[0011] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the arrangement relationship between the fourth wheel and the elastic member of a mechanical clock according to a second embodiment.

[0012] Figure 7 is a top view of an escapement fork of a mechanical clock according to a third embodiment.

[0013] Reference Signs Explanation

[0014] 1, 1a, 1b: mechanical clock; 2: outer case; 3: dial; 3A: calendar window; 4A: hour hand; 4B: minute hand; 4C: second hand; 5: power reserve hand; 6: date wheel; 7: crown; 10: movement; 24: fourth wheel; 30: manual winding mechanism; 70: speed regulator; 80: escapement; 100: escapement wheel; 110: escapement gear; 112: tooth; 120: escapement pinion; 130: seat; 140: escapement fork; 141: escapement fork body; 144A, 144B: fork stone; 241: shaft; 242: pinion; 243: fourth gear; 244: elastic component; 246: step. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] 1. First Implementation

[0016] First, as a mechanical timepiece 1 of the first embodiment, a timepiece having an escapement 80 including an escapement gear 110 made of silicon and having a structure in which the hour hand 4A, the minute hand 4B, and the second hand 4C are gathered in one place is cited, and Figures 1 to 5 In the following drawings, each component may be shown at a scale different from the actual scale in order to make each component a recognizable size.

[0017] like Figure 1 As shown, the mechanical timepiece 1 of this embodiment includes a cylindrical outer case 2, and a disc-shaped dial 3 is arranged on the inner circumference of the outer case 2. The front opening of the outer case 2 is closed by a glass cover, and the back opening is closed by a back cover.

[0018] The mechanical timepiece 1 includes a timepiece movement 10 housed in an outer case 2, an hour hand 4A, a minute hand 4B, and a second hand 4C that display time information, and a power reserve hand 5 that indicates the duration of the mainspring.

[0019] Pointers such as the hour hand 4A, the minute hand 4B, the second hand 4C and the power storage hand 5 are mounted on the pointer shaft of the movement 10 and are driven by the movement 10 .

[0020] The dial 3 is provided with a small calendar window 3A, and the date wheel 6 can be visually viewed through the small calendar window 3A.

[0021] A crown 7 is provided on the side surface of the outer case 2. The crown 7 can be pulled out two steps from the 0-step position, which is a normal position where the crown 7 is pushed in toward the center of the mechanical timepiece 1.

[0022] When the crown 7 is rotated at the 0-stage position, the mainspring can be wound as described later. The power storage hand 5 moves in conjunction with the winding of the mainspring. The mechanical timepiece 1 of this embodiment can ensure a duration of about 40 hours when the mainspring is wound.

[0023] When the crown 7 is pulled to the first position and rotated, the date wheel 6 can be moved to adjust the date. When the crown 7 is pulled to the second position, the second hand 4C stops, and when the crown 7 is rotated at the second position, the hour hand 4A and the minute hand 4B move, and the time can be adjusted.

[0024] 1.1 Movement

[0025] Figure 2 1 is a top view of the front side of the movement 10 of the mechanical timepiece 1. Figure 2 The front side of the paper surface in the figure, that is, the rear cover side of the bottom plate 11 is called the front side, and the back side, that is, the glass cover side of the bottom plate 11 is called the back side.

[0026] The movement 10 has a bottom plate 11, a first bridge 12 and a balance spring bridge 13. Figure 1 The dial 3 is shown. In addition, the train wheel assembled on the front side of the movement 10 is called the front train wheel, and the train wheel assembled on the back side of the movement 10 is called the back train wheel.

[0027] A barrel wheel 21 as a first wheel storing a mainspring is arranged between the bottom plate 11 and the first bridge 12. Figure 5 The second wheel 22, the third wheel 23, the fourth wheel 24 and the escape wheel 100 as the fifth wheel are shown. In addition, the pallet fork 140, the balance spring mechanism 27 and the like are arranged between the bottom plate 11 and the balance spring mechanism bridge 13. In addition, the pallet fork 140 and the escape wheel 100 constitute the escapement 80, and the balance spring mechanism 27 constitutes the governor 70.

[0028] 1.2 Manual winding mechanism

[0029] The manual winding mechanism 30 includes a stem 31 rotatably supported on the first bridge 12, a clutch wheel 32, a vertical wheel 33, a small steel wheel 40, a first intermediate wheel 51, and a second intermediate wheel 52. The rotation based on the rotation operation of the crown 7 is transmitted to the large steel wheel 60, and the large steel wheel 60 and the barrel arbor (not shown) are rotated to wind the mainspring. In addition, the small steel wheel 40 is composed of a first small steel wheel 41 meshed with the vertical wheel 33 and a second small steel wheel 42 that rotates integrally with the first small steel wheel 41 and meshed with the first intermediate wheel 51.

[0030] 1.3 Speed ​​​​regulator

[0031] The speed regulator 70 causes the wheel of the balance with hairspring 27 to repeatedly perform regular reciprocating rotational motion by means of expansion and contraction of a hairspring having isochronism or the like.

[0032] 1.4 Escapement

[0033] like Figure 3As shown, the escapement 80 is composed of an escapement fork 140 and an escape wheel 100 that forms a driving mechanism of the mechanical watch 1, continuously applies a force for reciprocating motion to the balance spring mechanism 27, and controls the gear train using the regular vibration from the balance spring mechanism 27. In addition, a plurality of tooth portions 112 of the escape wheel 100 abut against the pallets 144A and 144B of the escapement fork 140.

[0034] The escapement fork 140 has an escapement fork body 141 and an escapement fork shaft 142 as an axis. The escapement fork body 141 is formed in a T shape by three escapement fork beams 143, namely an escapement fork arm 143A, an escapement fork arm 143B, and an escapement fork rod 143C, and is configured to be rotatable through the escapement fork shaft 142. In addition, both ends of the escapement fork shaft 142 are supported so as to be rotatable relative to the base plate 11 and an escapement fork clamp plate (not shown).

[0035] Pallets 144A and 144B are provided at the ends of two of the three escapement fork beams 143, namely the escapement fork arms 143A and 143B, and a pallet stone 145 is installed at the end of the remaining one escapement fork beam 143, namely the escapement fork rod 143C. In addition, the end of the escapement fork rod 143C is formed in a substantially U shape when viewed from above, and the inner space is formed as an escapement fork mouth 146. The pallets 144A and 144B are rubies formed in a prismatic shape with four sides and are bonded and fixed to the escapement fork beam 143 by an adhesive material or the like.

[0036] When the escapement fork 140 configured as such rotates about the escapement fork shaft 142, either the pallet 144A or the pallet 144B abuts against the abutting surface 112A of the tooth portion 112 of the escape wheel 100. In addition, at this time, the escapement fork rod 143C contacts a stud pin (not shown), whereby the escapement fork 140 does not rotate further in the same direction. As a result, the rotation of the escape wheel 100 also temporarily stops.

[0037] The escape wheel 100 has a through insertion hole in the central portion for the escape pinion 120 to be inserted through. By inserting the escape pinion 120 through this through insertion hole and clamping it with a seat 130, it is fixed to the escape pinion 120. The escapement gear 110 and the escape pinion 120 are held together so as to be rotatable about the upper and lower tenons of the escape pinion 120.

[0038] The escape wheel 100 is composed of a rim portion 111 having a plurality of tooth portions 112 and an escapement gear 110 that holds the escape pinion 120. The rim portion 111 is an annular portion on the outer edge of the escape wheel 100. The tooth portions 112 protrude outward from the outer periphery of the rim portion 111 and are formed in a special hook shape. As Figure 3 shown, the pallets 144A and 144B of the escapement fork 140 abut against the abutting surface 112A of the plurality of tooth portions 112.

[0039] The escapement gear 110 is in the shape of a circular plate with a uniform thickness as a whole and is made of silicon. In addition, being made of silicon means that silicon is the main component. The type of silicon is not particularly limited, and appropriate silicon can be selected from the perspective of workability. Examples of silicon include single-crystalline silicon and polycrystalline silicon. They can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0040] The silicon-made escapement gear 110 can be manufactured, for example, by photolithography technology and etching technology, so that excellent machining accuracy can be achieved.

[0041] Next, refer to Figure 4 to describe the structures of the escapement 80 and the fourth wheel 24.

[0042] As Figure 4 shown, the fourth wheel 24 is composed of a shaft 241, a pinion 242, and a fourth gear 243. The escapement pinion 120 of the escapement wheel 100 meshes with the fourth gear 243 of the fourth wheel 24 on which the second hand 4C is mounted. Therefore, in the case of an impact such as a fall, the impact force is transmitted to the escapement wheel 100 via the fourth wheel 24, and the impact force is transmitted to the second hand 4C at a different time from normal. The tooth portion 112 of the silicon-made escapement gear 110 collides with the pallets 144A and 144B of the escapement fork 140, and the end of the tooth portion 112 of the escapement gear 110 may be damaged. Therefore, in the present embodiment, in order to prevent the end of the tooth portion 112 of the escapement gear 110 from being damaged by the impact force, an elastic member 244 is laid on the fourth gear 243 of the fourth wheel 24.

[0043] Next, refer to Figure 5 to describe the arrangement relationship between the fourth wheel 24 and the elastic member 244.

[0044] In the mechanical watch 1 of the present embodiment having a structure in which the hour hand 4A, the minute hand 4B, and the second hand 4C are concentrated in one place, as Figure 5 shown, the minute wheel 221 on which the minute hand 4B is mounted is disposed inside the hour wheel 211 on which the hour hand 4A is mounted, and the fourth wheel 24 on which the second hand 4C is mounted is disposed inside the minute wheel 221. And the fourth gear 243 and the elastic member 244 are disposed between the first plate 12 and the second plate 14, and the second wheel 22 is disposed between the second plate 14 and the base plate 11.

[0045] The elastic member 244 is a pin cushion laid on a step 246 provided midway on the shaft 241 of the fourth wheel 24. When the first clamping plate 12 is fixed to the base plate 11, elastic force is generated by the deformation of the elastic member 244, and a force can be applied to the fourth wheel 24 in the axial direction toward the side where the second hand 4C is installed via the step 246. Therefore, by applying a force in the axial direction, frictional loads are generated between the elastic member 244 and the fourth wheel 24, or between the first clamping plate 12 and the elastic member 244, and between the fourth wheel 24 and the through-hole jewel 25 provided on the second clamping plate 14. Therefore, even when an impact force is applied, it is difficult for the shaft 241 of the fourth wheel 24 to move in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the impact force from being directly transmitted to the escape wheel 100.

[0046] As described above, in the mechanical clock 1 of the present embodiment, the elastic member 244 is mounted on the shaft 241 of the fourth wheel 24. Therefore, a force in the axial direction toward the side where the second hand 4C is installed is applied to the shaft 241 of the fourth wheel 24 by the elastic member 244. Therefore, even when an impact such as a fall is applied, it is difficult for the shaft 241 of the fourth wheel 24 engaged with the escape wheel 100 to move in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the impact force from being directly transmitted to the escape wheel 100, and it is possible to prevent the tip of the tooth portion 112 of the escape gear 110 from being chipped due to the impact force.

[0047] 2. Second Embodiment

[0048] Next, refer to Figure 6 the mechanical clock 1a of the second embodiment will be described.

[0049] The mechanical clock 1a of the present embodiment is the same as the mechanical clock 1 of the first embodiment except that the structure and the arrangement position of the elastic member 244a are different. In addition, the description will be centered on the differences from the above-described first embodiment, and the same reference numerals will be given to the same matters and their description will be omitted.

[0050] As Figure 6 shown, the elastic member 244a is laid on the surface of the first clamping plate 12 on the side opposite to the side where the fourth gear 243 is arranged.

[0051] The elastic member 244a is a flat plate. One end of the elastic member 244a is laid on the end of the shaft 241 of the fourth wheel 24 on the side opposite to the axial direction where the second hand 4C is installed, and is fixed to the first clamping plate 12 by a fixing portion 248 provided at the other end of the elastic member 244a. In addition, the fixing method is based on methods such as screw fixing and fastening and embedding into a convex portion.

[0052] By forming such a structure, an effect equivalent to that obtained in the first embodiment can be achieved.

[0053] 3. Third Embodiment

[0054] Next, with reference to Figure 7 the mechanical clock 1b of the third embodiment will be described.

[0055] The mechanical clock 1b of this embodiment is the same as the mechanical clock 1 of the first embodiment, except that the structure of the pallet fork 140b is different. In addition, centering on the differences from the above-described first embodiment, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same matters and their descriptions are omitted.

[0056] The pallet fork 140b paired with the escape wheel 100 of the mechanical clock 1b is formed of silicon. More specifically, as Figure 7 shown, the pallet fork body 141b and the pallet stones 148a, 148b are integrally formed of silicon. Therefore, in the assembly process of the pallet fork 140 in the first embodiment, the process of bonding and fixing the pallet stones 144A, 144B to the pallet fork body 141 can be omitted.

[0057] By forming such a structure, an effect equivalent to that obtained in the first embodiment can be achieved.

Claims

1. A mechanical timepiece having an escapement including an escapement gear made of silicon and having a structure in which an hour hand, a minute hand and a second hand are gathered in one place, The escape pinion of the escape wheel including the escape gear meshes with the fourth gear of the fourth wheel on which the second hand is mounted, and the shaft of the fourth wheel is biased by an elastic member in the axial direction toward the side on which the second hand is mounted.

2. The mechanical timepiece according to claim 1, wherein: The elastic member is a pin cushion and is placed on a step in the middle of the shaft of the second wheel / pinion.

3. The mechanical timepiece according to claim 1, wherein: The elastic member is a flat plate and is laid on an end portion of the shaft of the second wheel & pinion on the opposite side in the axial direction to a side where the second hand is attached.

4. The mechanical timepiece according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The pallet fork paired with the escape wheel is formed of silicon.

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