Adjustment system for display mechanism

Abstract

The invention relates to an adjustment system for a display mechanism, the adjustment system comprising:-a wheel (1) arranged to pivot together with a spindle (2), the wheel having a peripheral portion (10) defining a central opening (11) for receiving the spindle (2); display means (3) for displaying information, rigidly connected to the peripheral portion; characterised in that said adjustment system comprises friction means comprising:-a friction portion at said central opening (11), which friction portion comprises a friction region (12, 13) around said spindle (2) in order to hold the wheel on said spindle; -at least two elastically deformable arms (4, 5) connecting a friction to a peripheral portion (10) of the wheel (1) in order to clamp the spindle and prevent the wheel from rotating and / or translating on the spindle below a predetermined force.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of mechanical watchmaking. More specifically, the present invention relates to an adjustment system for a watch display mechanism, which is used to adjust the position of an information display device included in the display mechanism. Background Art

[0002] The readability of displays is a major concern in the watchmaking industry, especially for calendar-type displays, which are difficult to produce in a format that is easily visible and recognizable to the user.

[0003] Sometimes scrolling displays are used to make watch displays because this form of indication is easy to read.

[0004] However, in order to obtain high-quality visual effects, it is not always easy to achieve the correct adjustment between the different components seen by the wearer. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main object of the present invention is to overcome the various drawbacks of the prior art.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to be able to axially adjust the position of the information display device to ensure the alignment of the displayed information and radially balance the gap between two information display devices.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustment system that allows for simple, rapid, and precise adjustment of the display device without having to access the shaft supporting the display device.

[0008] To this end, the present invention relates to an adjustment system for a display mechanism, comprising:

[0009] - a wheel arranged to pivot with a mandrel, the wheel having a peripheral portion defining a central opening for receiving the mandrel;

[0010] - a display device for displaying information, which is rigidly connected to the peripheral portion of the wheel.

[0011] According to the present invention, the adjustment system comprises a friction device, which comprises:

[0012] - a friction portion at the central opening, comprising a friction area around the mandrel to hold the wheel on the mandrel;

[0013] - at least two elastically deformable arms, which connect the friction portion to the peripheral portion of the wheel to clamp the mandrel and prevent the wheel from rotating and / or translating on the mandrel below a predetermined force..

[0014] According to other advantageous alternative embodiments of the present invention:

[0015] - Two elastic arms extend parallel to each other;

[0016] - The friction part has an arc shape and is arranged to cooperate with the radial bearing surface of the mandrel;

[0017] - The peripheral part of the said wheel includes attachment means for attaching a display member;

[0018] - The said wheel has a stop for correctly positioning the display member relative to the attachment means;

[0019] - The thickness of the friction part is greater than the thickness of the arm and the peripheral part.

[0020] The present invention also relates to a watch movement and a watch comprising a friction system according to the invention. Description of the Drawings

[0021] With reference to the accompanying drawings, other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which is given by way of example and in no way limits, in the drawings:

[0022] Figure 1 A perspective exploded view of a system according to the invention is shown;

[0023] Figure 2 An assembled view of a system according to the invention is shown. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0024] Figure 1 A friction system 100 according to the invention is shown. The friction system includes a shaft 1 arranged to be mounted in a watch movement, which shaft may include a component having parts 10, 11 of different diameters.

[0025] Figure 2 An adjustment system 1 for a display mechanism 100 for a watch according to an embodiment of the invention is shown. The display mechanism 100 may be, for example, the mechanism of a watch for displaying time, date, day of the week, month calendar or moon phase.

[0026] The adjustment system for the display mechanism particularly includes a wheel 1 arranged to pivot with a mandrel 2. The wheel has a peripheral part 10 defining a circular central opening 11 for receiving the mandrel 2. It should also be noted that the peripheral part 10 supports an information display device 3, which is rigidly connected to the peripheral part 10 of the wheel 1.

[0027] According to the invention, the wheel includes a friction device having a friction part at the central opening 11, which friction part includes friction areas 12, 13 around the mandrel 2 to hold the wheel on the mandrel.

[0028] The friction device further comprises at least two elastically deformable arms 4, 5 which connect the friction part to the peripheral part 10 of the wheel 1 so as to clamp the mandrel 2 and prevent the wheel 1 from rotating about the mandrel 2 below a predetermined torque.

[0029] The wheel 1, the friction part and the elastically deformable arms 4, 5 advantageously take the form of a single-piece component. Each of the elastically deformable arms 4, 5 has two opposite ends by which they are connected to the wheel 1, and this connection allows for an optimal transmission of forces and stresses between these two elements, whether this concerns tensile, compressive, bending, torsional or shear forces or stresses.

[0030] As Figure 1 shown, the wheel 1 comprises a first elastically deformable arm 4 and a second elastically deformable arm 5 which extends inside the wheel and is substantially parallel to the first elastically deformable arm on both sides of the central opening 11.

[0031] The two elastically deformable arms 4, 5 are adapted to extend on both sides of the mandrel 2 so as to rotatably drive the wheel 1 and together form a clamping device capable of clamping the radially supporting surface of the mandrel 2. The friction part has an arcuate shape so as to optimize the friction surface with the mandrel 2. Similarly, the friction part may have a greater thickness than the thickness of the arms 4, 5 and the peripheral part of the wheel so as to increase the contact surface with the mandrel 2 and thus increase the friction surface.

[0032] Thus, by applying a force greater than the frictional force holding the wheel on the mandrel 2, the axial and radial positions of the wheel 1 on the mandrel 2 can be adjusted. Such an adjustment system is particularly useful for roller displays, especially for easily adjusting the correct positioning of one roller relative to another and ensuring perfect alignment of the information on each roller.

[0033] According to an alternative embodiment (not shown) of the present invention, the device for clamping the mandrel 2 may comprise a greater number of elastically deformable arms. For example, it may comprise four arms arranged around the mandrel 2.

[0034] As can be seen from the figure, the wheel 1 comprises attachment means 30 provided near the peripheral part 10 for rigidly connecting the information display device to the wheel 1. The wheel 1 also comprises stops 14, 15 to ensure the correct positioning of the display device 3 relative to the attachment means.

[0035] Although the drawings show a display device in the form of a drum, other display device shapes can be envisaged, such as hexagonal or octagonal.

[0036] Thus, such an adjustment system allows the position of an information display device, such as a drum, to be axially adjusted to ensure alignment of the displayed information and radially adjusted to balance the play between two information display devices.

[0037] This adjustment system is particularly advantageous because the watchmaker can adjust the position without having to touch the axis about which the display device rotates. Thus, in order to correct the position, the watchmaker only has to manipulate the display device by applying a force greater than the frictional force.

[0038] It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the examples shown and that various alternatives and modifications that are obvious to a person skilled in the art can be made thereto, while still remaining within the scope of the invention defined by the claims.

Claims

1. An adjustment system for a display mechanism, the adjustment system comprising: - a wheel (1) arranged to pivot together with the spindle (2), said wheel having a peripheral portion (10) defining a central opening (11) for receiving said spindle (2); - a display device (3) for displaying information, the display device being rigidly connected to the peripheral portion; Characterized in that the adjustment system comprises a friction device, which comprises: - a friction portion at the central opening (11), comprising a friction zone (12, 13) around the spindle (2) to retain the wheel on the spindle; - at least two elastically deformable arms (4, 5) connecting the friction portion to the peripheral portion (10) of the wheel (1) so as to clamp the spindle and prevent the wheel from rotating and / or translating on the spindle below a predetermined force.

2. The adjustment system (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that The two elastically deformable arms extend parallel to each other.

3. The adjustment system (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The friction portion has an arc shape arranged to cooperate with a radial bearing surface of the spindle.

4. The regulating system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The peripheral portion of the wheel comprises attachment means for attaching a display member.

5. The adjustment system (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that The wheel has a stop for correctly positioning the display member relative to the attachment means.

6. The regulating system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The friction portion has a thickness greater than a thickness of the arm and a thickness of the peripheral portion.

7. A watch movement, characterized in that: It comprises a regulating system according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A timepiece, characterized in that: It comprises a timepiece movement according to claim 7.

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