Stud holder, speed regulation mechanism for timepiece movement, and timepiece movement
By designing an extension arm structure on the outer stud retainer, the problem of hairspring coil jamming was solved, ensuring stable timekeeping of mechanical clocks and improving timing accuracy.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202422786356.4
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-11-27
- Filing Date
- 2024-11-15
- Publication Date
- 2025-09-05
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-11-15
AI Technical Summary
In existing mechanical clocks, the outer coil of the hairspring is prone to getting stuck below the stud, causing the regulating mechanism to stop or cease operation. Furthermore, existing stud retainers may pose a risk of the balance wheel hitting the wall when preventing sticking.
Design an outer stud retainer including an arm extending from the outer stud, the arm being oriented in a second direction, capable of retaining the outer coil when the hairspring deforms, preventing jamming, and avoiding balance wheel impact.
It effectively prevents the hairspring coil from jamming, ensures the stable operation of the speed regulating mechanism, avoids timekeeping errors, and improves the timing performance of the movement.
Smart Images
Figure CN223308552U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The utility model relates to the field of clock and watch manufacturing, and more specifically to the field of mechanical clock and watch manufacturing, wherein the regulation of driving energy is provided by a speed regulating mechanism.
[0002] More specifically, the present invention relates to a stud holder for a timepiece regulating mechanism comprising a stud provided with an anti-jamming arm, a regulating mechanism comprising such a stud holder, and a timepiece movement comprising such a regulating mechanism. Background Art
[0003] In most mechanical watches, the energy required to rotate the hands (such as the minute and hour hands) is stored in a barrel and then transferred by a balance-sprung system, which consists of a flywheel called the balance combined with a spring called the hairspring, which is in the form of a spirally wound strip.
[0004] The balance's rotation is maintained and its oscillations counted by the escapement, which consists of a pallet lever exhibiting a low-amplitude oscillating motion, equipped with two pallet stones that engage with the teeth of the escape wheel. Engaged in this way, the escape wheel causes a stepped rotation whose frequency is determined by the oscillation frequency of the pallet lever, which itself sets the oscillation frequency of the balance-sprung system.
[0005] The inner end of the hairspring is attached to the balance staff, which rotates integrally with the balance wheel. The outer end of the hairspring is attached to the stud, which is mounted on a stud holder, itself rigidly connected to the stationary balance bridge. The stud typically consists of a recess bounded by two walls. The outer end of the hairspring is retained in the recess, for example, by adhesive.
[0006] However, in the event of a shock, one or more of the outer coils of the balance spring may pass under the stud and become lodged behind it.
[0007] This is because as the balance oscillates, the hairspring transitions from a retracted to an extended configuration, and vice versa, within its working plane. Consequently, in the event of an impact, the hairspring may deform transversely to the working plane, with one or more of the outer coils passing under the studs. This seizure disrupts the oscillations of the balance, leading to interruptions in the regulation mechanism's performance or even a complete stop.
[0008] To avoid this, there is a stud holder with a roughly conical end. This way, after one or more coils have passed around the stud and become stuck, they slide along the cone and return under the stud. The interruption in the regulating organ's movement lasts until the balance spring returns to its normal position.
[0009] Other stud holders include a stud with a longer wall on the balance spring side to prevent the coil from passing under the stud. However, the wall must be very close to the balance wheel, which runs the risk of the balance wheel hitting the wall during an impulse, causing another interruption.
[0010] In any case, these stud retainers are unsatisfactory because they do not completely eliminate the above-mentioned problems or they create new problems. Utility Model Content
[0011] The object of the present invention is to overcome some or all of the above-mentioned disadvantages by providing a stud holder which prevents one or more outer coils of a balance spring from becoming stuck around the stud, particularly in the event of an impact.
[0012] To this end, the present invention relates to an external stud holder for a speed regulating mechanism of a watch movement, wherein the speed regulating mechanism includes an inertial mass body, a hairspring and a balance plate. The inertial mass body is, for example, a balance wheel, and the hairspring includes a strip wound around itself multiple times. The external stud holder includes a main body for being mounted on the balance plate, and an external stud mounted on the main body along a first direction.
[0013] The present invention is characterized in that the stud holder includes an arm extending from the stud, the arm being oriented in a second direction below the body, the second direction forming a non-zero angle with the first direction, so that when the stud holder is mounted on the regulating organ, the arm passes at least partially under the balance spring held by the stud.
[0014] Thanks to the present invention, the coil cannot pass under the outer pile and be stuck behind the outer pile.
[0015] This is because the arms hold the outer coils of the balance spring when they deform in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the balance spring.
[0016] It is thus possible to avoid adversely affecting the chronometric performance of the movement due to timing errors of the regulating organ in the event that one or more coils become stuck behind the stud or the balance wheel strikes the stud.
[0017] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.
[0018] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the stud comprises a notch for receiving the outer end of the strap.
[0019] According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, the recess comprises an inner wall and an outer wall, the arm extending from the inner wall.
[0020] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the arms are oriented radially towards the axis of the speed regulating mechanism.
[0021] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the body comprises a radial member on which the stud is mounted.
[0022] According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, the arms extend in a longitudinal direction.
[0023] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, said arm has a substantially flat tab shape.
[0024] According to one particular embodiment of the invention, said arm extends towards the centre of the balance spring at least beyond the penultimate coil of the balance spring when the balance spring is in the extended configuration, preferably when in the retracted configuration.
[0025] According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, the inner wall is longer than the outer wall.
[0026] The utility model also relates to a timepiece speed regulating mechanism, which comprises an inertial mass body, a hairspring and such an external pile holder. The inertial mass body is, for example, a balance wheel, and the hairspring comprises a strip wound multiple times around itself.
[0027] The utility model also relates to a clock movement comprising the clock speed regulating mechanism. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] The objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent by reading several embodiments given with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. In the accompanying drawings:
[0029] - Figure 1 Schematically shows a perspective top view of a speed regulating mechanism including a stud holder according to an embodiment of the present invention,
[0030] - Figure 2 Schematically shows Figure 1 Top view of the regulating organ shown without the balance cock.
[0031] - Figure 3 Schematically shows Figure 1 A perspective bottom view of the speed regulating mechanism shown,
[0032] - Figure 4 Schematically shows Figure 1 The regulating organ is shown in bottom view without the balance cock, and
[0033] - Figure 5 Schematic diagram showing the balance spring fixed to Figure 1 An enlarged view of the outer stud of the speed regulating mechanism is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0034] Figures 1 to 3 A portion of an embodiment of a speed regulating mechanism 10 including a stud holder 1 according to the present invention is schematically shown.
[0035] This speed regulating mechanism 10 is intended to be arranged in a clock movement in order to adjust the running time difference of the movement. Neither the escapement mechanism nor the clock movement is shown in the figure.
[0036] The regulating mechanism 10 includes an inertial mass, in this case an annular balance wheel 23; a hairspring 25; a balance staff 4; and a balance cock 22. These components are stacked from bottom to top in the following order: balance wheel 23, hairspring 25, and balance cock 22.
[0037] The balance staff 4 passes through the center of the balance wheel and hairspring 25. The balance staff 4 is held by two anti-vibration bearings 28 arranged at both ends of the balance staff 4. The first bearing, not shown, is arranged below the balance cock 22, while the second bearing 28 is arranged within the balance cock 22. The balance cock 22 has a through-hole, and the second bearing 28 is held within this through-hole.
[0038] At the base of balance staff 4 , a plate 13 is arranged, which is intended to cooperate with the pallet lever of the escapement.
[0039] Balance spring 25 preferably extends substantially in a single plane. It comprises a flexible strip 2 wound several times around itself, with a predetermined rigidity. The inner end of strip 2 is integral with or assembled to a rigid support (not shown), commonly known as a collet. This support, for example, is substantially triangular in shape and is passed through by balance staff 4.
[0040] Regulating mechanism 10 comprises a stud holder 1 equipped with a stud 34 suspended from the end of a radial member 33. Stud holder 1 is mechanically connected to outer end 3 of strap 2. Stud holder 1 surrounds second bearing 28. To this end, stud holder 1 comprises a central ring 38 arranged around second bearing 28 and resting on balance cock 22. Radial member 33 extends radially relative to central ring 38.
[0041] Furthermore, stud 34 is rigidly attached to outer end 3 of strap 2. In other words, stud 34 is integral with outer end 3 of strap 2. Stud 34 and balance spring 25 are assembled, for example, by gluing, soldering, welding, deformation of metallic glass or mechanical fastening.
[0042] Stud 34 is movable relative to balance cock 22. To this end, stud holder 1 is rotatable about second bearing 28. Stud holder 1 can be displaced over an angular range of, for example, 10° or even 20°, thereby adjusting the travel time of regulating organ 10.
[0043] Stud 34 is mounted on body 31 along a first direction that is preferably substantially perpendicular to the plane of body 31 and / or to the working plane of the balance spring.
[0044] According to the invention, stud holder 1 comprises an arm 5 extending from stud 34 and situated below the working plane of the balance spring.
[0045] Said arm 5 is oriented in a second direction below the body 31. This second direction forms a non-zero angle with the first direction so as to pass at least partially under the balance spring 25 held by stud 34. The arm 5 is oriented radially towards the axis of the regulating organ and / or balance spring 25. The arm 5 is arranged at the free end of stud 34.
[0046] The second direction is preferably substantially perpendicular to the first direction.
[0047] exist Figure 5 In FIG. 1 , stud 34 includes a recess 8 for receiving outer end 3 of strap 2. Recess 8 has an inner wall 6 and an outer wall 7. Preferably, inner wall 6 is longer than outer wall 7. An arm 5 extends from inner wall 6 toward the axis of the regulating organ and / or balance spring 25. Arm 5 has a substantially flat tab shape. Arm 5 extends in the longitudinal direction.
[0048] With stud holder 1 mounted on regulating organ 10 , arm 5 extends from the outside towards the axis of balance spring at least beyond penultimate coil 9 of balance spring 25 when the balance spring is in the extended configuration, preferably when the balance spring is in the retracted configuration or the retracted rest configuration.
[0049] Preferably, the arm 5 extends at least beyond the last few coils. This further prevents the risk of the latter coils getting stuck around the stud 34.
[0050] It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments of the speed regulating mechanism described with reference to the drawings and that alternatives may be considered without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A stud holder, the stud holder being used for a speed regulating mechanism (10) of a watch movement, the speed regulating mechanism (10) comprising an inertial mass body, a hairspring (25) and a swing plate (22), the inertial mass body being a balance wheel (23), the hairspring (25) comprising a strip (2) wound multiple times around itself, the stud holder (1) comprising a main body (31) for mounting on the swing plate (22), and a stud (34) mounted on the main body (31) along a first direction, characterized in that The stud holder (1) comprises an arm (5) extending from the stud (34), the arm (5) being oriented below the body (31) in a second direction forming a non-zero angle with the first direction so that, when the stud holder (1) is mounted on the regulating organ (10), the arm (5) passes at least partially below the balance spring (25) held by the stud (34).
2. The stud holder according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.
3. The stud holder according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The stud (34) includes a notch (8) for receiving the outer end (3) of the strap (2).
4. The stud holder according to claim 3, characterized in that: The recess (8) comprises an inner wall (6) and an outer wall (7), the arm (5) extending from the inner wall (6).
5. The stud holder according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The arms (5) are oriented radially toward the axis of the speed regulating mechanism (10).
6. The stud holder according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The main body (31) includes a radial member (33) on which the stud (34) is mounted.
7. The stud holder according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The arms (5) extend in a longitudinal direction.
8. The stud holder according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The arm (5) has the shape of a flat tab.
9. The stud holder according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: When the balance spring (25) is in the extended position, the arm (5) extends towards the centre of the balance spring (25) at least beyond the penultimate coil (9) of the balance spring (25).
10. The stud holder according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: When the balance spring (25) is in the retracted position, the arm (5) extends towards the centre of the balance spring (25) at least beyond the penultimate coil (9) of the balance spring (25).
11. The stud holder according to claim 4, characterized in that: The inner wall (6) is longer than the outer wall (7).
12. A speed regulating mechanism (10) for a watch movement, the speed regulating mechanism (10) comprising an inertial mass body and a hairspring (25), the inertial mass body being a balance wheel (23), the hairspring (25) comprising a strip (2) wound multiple times around itself, characterized in that: The speed regulating mechanism comprises a stud holder (1) according to any one of the preceding claims.
13. A watch movement, characterized in that: The timepiece movement comprises a speed regulating mechanism (10) for a timepiece movement according to claim 12.