DEVICE FOR DISPLAYING THE TIME WITHIN A PREDEFINED TIME RANGE BY METHOD OF A CLOCKWORK

Description

technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a display device for a watch movement, comprising a time display unit intended to carry a time display organ in a predefined time zone, and to be driven appropriately from a drive unit of the watch movement, a chassis intended to be moved in rotation around a first main axis and to cooperate with fixed indications in reference to the frame of the watch movement to display information, a movable organ mounted for rotation on the chassis along a second axis of rotation distinct from the first main axis, a correction mechanism arranged to be able to drive the movable organ in such a way that it presents a predefined angular position in reference to the frame of the watch movement independently of the angular position of the chassis around the first main axis.

[0002] The present invention also relates to a watch movement comprising such a display device and to a timepiece comprising such a watch movement. State of the art

[0003] Such display devices have already been disclosed in prior art.

[0004] As an example, patent application EP 0921451 A1 describes a watch comprising a chassis defining a current hour display hand, pivoted about a first principal axis of rotation, and carrying both a graduated dial and a current minute hand, both pivoted about the same second axis of rotation with respect to the chassis. The graduated dial is driven such that it has the same orientation with respect to the watch movement frame in all angular positions of the chassis. The current minute hand is driven to display the current minutes in relation to the graduated dial.

[0005] Patent CH 702422 B1 describes a similar watch featuring an orbital dial for displaying the current hours. To this end, the corresponding display device comprises a chassis driven by the watch movement to pivot about a first principal axis of rotation. The chassis carries an hour dial pivoted about a second axis of rotation, distinct from the first, such that it always maintains the same orientation relative to the watch movement frame. A current hours display hand is also mounted to rotate on the chassis, driven to rotate about the second axis of rotation and display the current hours in relation to the hour dial.This document specifies that a minute hand can be mounted to rotate on the frame, along the second axis of rotation, and, in a particular embodiment, that the frame can be driven to complete a revolution every twelve or twenty-four hours to display the time in a second time zone. In this case, the frame could be equipped with an index that cooperates with fixed hour graduations.

[0006] Other documents from earlier art describe displays based on the principle just described. It is worth noting that while the various corresponding constructions differ to varying degrees, the basic principle of the display remains essentially the same. This is particularly true of the two examples presented above, which are nevertheless separated by a good twenty years.

[0007] Therefore, there is still a need to offer alternative display devices, allowing watch brands to differentiate themselves from their competitors, preferably with solutions whose readability would be improved compared to that of known devices. Disclosure of the invention

[0008] A main objective of the present invention is to propose a display device of alternative construction compared to known display devices, to produce a timepiece with an appearance that is both original and highly legible.

[0009] To this end, the present invention relates more particularly to a display device of the type mentioned above, characterized by the fact that the chassis has a fixed angular position for a predefined time zone, the angular position of the chassis around the first principal axis being intended to be associated with the display of static information relating to the predefined time zone, the respective angular positions of the chassis and the display unit being indexed to each other, and by the fact that the device further comprises a selection mechanism arranged: to rotate the time display unit, in response to a predefined action by a user, in such a way that it moves from a first position associated with the display of the time in a first time zone to a second position associated with the display of the time in a second time zone, and to rotate the chassis simultaneously in steps, in such a way that it moves from a first position, associated with the display of information relating to the first time zone,to a second position, associated with the display of information relating to the second time zone.

[0010] Thanks to these features, reading the time in the predefined time zone is easier than with the earlier device mentioned above, as it is less dependent on the shape, or more generally, the appearance, of the case. Furthermore, since the case does not move during normal watch operation, it does not interfere with time reading. Indeed, the implementation of complex displays with several components moving simultaneously can sometimes impair their legibility, especially since these displays are often associated with unusual spatial arrangements of the current time display components. Thus, the present invention, in a way, takes the opposite approach to these complex display devices with a case driven by the watch movement, by proposing a case that moves only at the user's request and presents static information during normal operation.

[0011] Preferably, the display unit can be provided for to be supported by the chassis and arranged to rotate around the second axis of rotation.

[0012] In this case, it can also be further envisaged that the moving part is a dial bearing graduations relating to the hours.

[0013] Thus, the hour dial advantageously presents an angular orientation such that its noon position is always positioned in alignment with the noon position of a conventional fixed dial, and the reading of the time in the predetermined time zone can be done in a habitual and intuitive manner.

[0014] Advantageously, the display device can also include a rotating mechanism for displaying the current minute, designed to support a rotating minute display element mounted on the chassis along the second axis of rotation. Thus, the current time in the predefined time zone is displayed conventionally during normal operation of the corresponding timepiece, with the user free to adjust the position of the chassis at will to select the display of the current time in another time zone.

[0015] It can be foreseen that the display device includes a toothed wheel intended to be mounted to rotate in reference to the frame of the watch movement, along the first axis of rotation, the toothed wheel being fixed to the chassis, and that the selection mechanism includes a control element arranged to act on the toothed wheel and rotate it by one step in response to the predefined action of the user.

[0016] In this case, when the moving part is a dial bearing graduations relating to the hours, it may also be provided that the device includes a kinematic correction link arranged between the moving part and a toothing intended to be mounted fixed in reference to the frame of the watch movement, the kinematic correction link being arranged in such a way that for each rotation of the chassis along a given angle, the moving part is driven in rotation by an angle equal to twice this given angle but in the opposite direction in reference to the direction of rotation of the chassis.

[0017] Furthermore, when the time display mechanism is mounted on the chassis and arranged to rotate about the second axis of rotation, it is advantageous to also provide that the device includes a kinematic drive linkage arranged to connect the time display mechanism to the drive mechanism of the clock movement, the kinematic drive linkage comprising a planetary gear set including: a satellite carrier intended to be kinematically connected to the drive mechanism of the watch movement and carrying at least one satellite arranged in contact with the time display mechanism, and a sun wheel arranged in contact with the satellite and kinematically connected with teeth intended to be fixedly mounted in reference to the frame of the watch movement.

[0018] In general, it is preferable to provide that the display device also includes a mobile display of the time in the local time zone.

[0019] The present invention also relates to a watch movement meeting the characteristics stated above, as well as a timepiece comprising such a watch movement associated with a fixedly mounted support in reference to the watch movement frame and bearing indications relating to time zones allowing these to be identified. Brief description of the drawings

[0020] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the detailed description of a preferred embodiment that follows, made with reference to the accompanying drawings given by way of non-limiting example and in which: there figure 1represents a schematic front view of a portion of a timepiece comprising a display device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; the figure 2 represents a simplified front view of a portion of the display device according to the preferred embodiment of the figure 1 ; there figure 3 represents a simplified cross-sectional view of the components visible on the figure 2 , following the BB cutting line illustrated on the figure 2 ; there figure 4 represents a simplified front view of another part of the display device according to the preferred embodiment of the figure 1 , and the figure 5 represents a simplified cross-sectional view of the components visible on the figure 4 , following the AA cutting line illustrated on the figure 4 . Method(s) of embodiment of the invention

[0021] There figure 1represents a schematic view of a portion of a timepiece 1 comprising a display device 2 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, allowing its general principle to be clearly explained. Of course, the figure 1 and its detailed description which follows are provided by way of illustrative example and a person skilled in the art may make adaptations justified by their own needs without necessarily going out of the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

[0022] The display device 2 according to the present invention can be directly integrated into a watch movement or it can be assembled to a basic watch movement in the form of an add-on module without departing from the scope of the invention. A display device 2 in the form of an add-on display module will be described below for the sake of simplicity. The construction details of the basic watch movement will not be discussed here, for the sake of brevity and simplification, since the implementation of the present invention does not directly depend on them.

[0023] The timepiece 1 conventionally comprises a case housing a watch movement (not visible) surmounted by a dial 4 which here has a generally annular shape.

[0024] Dial 4 has an aperture 5 through which a portion of a disc 6 displays the hours in the local time zone (hometime). The disc 6 is graduated over twenty-four hours and is driven by the clock movement to complete a full rotation every twenty-four hours by rotating counter-clockwise.

[0025] Furthermore, dial 4 features an annular section 8 on its inner periphery, bearing city names evenly distributed around its circumference, each city name associated with a specific time zone. Some city names are accompanied by the inscription "---s", the "s" in this case being aligned with the adjacent city name to indicate the offset corresponding to daylight saving time.

[0026] The center of dial 4 is hollowed out to accommodate a mechanism for displaying the time in an additional, predefined time zone. This mechanism includes a chassis (numerical reference 10 on the figure 2 ) carrying an optional cover plate 12, intended to conceal the watch movement, a time zone index 14, intended to cooperate with the city names displayed on the annular portion 8, and a secondary dial 16, preferably bearing hour graduations. The display device 2 can, for example, be carried by the mainplate of a basic watch movement.

[0027] As will be shown from the rest of the description, the display device 2 includes a selection mechanism arranged so that a user can act on the chassis 10 to rotate it around a first main axis of rotation 18, here at the center of the central opening of the dial 4. It can advantageously be provided that the timepiece 1 includes a pusher 20 for this purpose, connected to the selection mechanism in such a way that at each press by the user on the pusher 20, the chassis 10 rotates by one step, in a given direction of rotation, here in the direction of clockwise rotation by way of non-limiting illustration.

[0028] According to the illustrated embodiment, the annular portion 8 of the dial 4 bears twenty-four city names, each defining a different position of the frame 10, each position associated with the display of the current time in the corresponding time zone. Thus, the display device 2, according to the illustrated embodiment, is arranged such that the frame 10 completes a full rotation, in increments of 1 / 24th of a turn, in response to twenty-four successive presses of the pusher 20 by the user.

[0029] There figure 1 The diagram illustrates, in broken lines, the angular position that dial 16 would occupy after twelve presses from its position shown in solid lines. It can be seen that index 14 behaves like a standard indicator hand, in relation to city names, to facilitate reading the city name opposite which dial 16 is positioned.

[0030] Dial 16 is mounted to rotate on chassis 10, following a second axis of rotation 22, and is connected to a correction mechanism arranged to maintain the angular orientation of dial 16 constant in reference to the frame of the watch movement.

[0031] The chassis 10 also carries display elements for the current time in the predefined time zone, here an hour hand 24 and a minute hand 26, both arranged to rotate around the second axis of rotation 22. Thus, the two hands 24 and 26 are driven not only to display the current time in the predefined time zone, but also to correct their positions when the chassis 10 and therefore the dial 16 are moved in rotation at the user's request, as will be shown from the rest of the description.

[0032] The timepiece 1 also includes a setting crown 28 which may advantageously have an axial position in which its rotation allows the time to be corrected synchronously in the local time zone and in the supplementary time zone. It may also be advantageous to provide an additional axial position for the crown 28 in which its rotation allows the time to be corrected in the local time zone or in the supplementary time zone independently of the time in the other zone.

[0033] A preferred example of the construction of display device 2 will now be presented using the figures 2 to 5 . THE figures 2 and 3 illustrate simplified views, respectively front and cross-section, of a part of the display device 2, which notably ensures the maintenance of the angular orientation of the dial 16 during movements of the chassis 10, while the Figures 4 and 5illustrate simplified views, respectively front and section, of part of the display device 2 which ensures proper drive of the hour hand 24 and minute hand 26 on the dial 16.

[0034] The chassis 10 is made fixed to a toothed wheel 32, here by three screws 30, this toothed wheel 32 being mounted rotatably on an element (not shown, for example the plate) of the clock movement frame, along the first axis of rotation 18. The chassis 10 and the toothed wheel 32 have openings aligned with the first axis of rotation 18, and defining a passage 34 whose function will be explained later.

[0035] The toothed wheel 32 here has twenty-four teeth with which a jumper 36 cooperates to define the twenty-four different angular positions of the chassis 10 in reference to the watch movement.

[0036] We also notice, in the view of the figure 2The pusher 20 is designed to cooperate with a selection mechanism that allows the angular position of the chassis 10 to be selected in relation to the watch movement. Thus, the pusher 20 can be specifically arranged to act on a control element, in this case a rotating selection rocker 38 in relation to the watch movement frame.

[0037] The selector rocker 38 is positioned and dimensioned to cooperate with the teeth of the gear 32 in response to pressure from the user on the push button 20, such that pressing the push button 20 rotates the gear 32 by a single step, allowing the user to switch from one time zone to the next. To this end, the selector rocker 38 includes an actuating beak 40 provided at the free end of a flexible arm, allowing the actuating beak 40 to retract when the selector rocker 38 returns to its rest position (as illustrated in the figure). figure 2), under the action of an integrated elastic return element 42. Of course, the present invention is not limited to the specifically illustrated and described embodiment of the selection lever 38, and a person skilled in the art will not encounter any particular difficulty in adapting this instruction to their own needs, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

[0038] The chassis 10 also carries a toothed ring 44 intended to carry the dial 16 and to enable its rotational drive in reference to the chassis 10. For this purpose, the toothed ring 44 is mounted on the chassis 10 so as to be able to pivot freely in reference to the latter.

[0039] The toothed ring 44 is connected to a fixed toothed ring 46 via a kinematic correction linkage that maintains the angular orientation of the dial 16 constant relative to the watch movement frame. This kinematic correction linkage comprises a first gear 48 whose pinion meshes with the toothed ring 44 and whose wheel meshes with the wheel of a second gear 50, which itself meshes with the teeth of the fixed toothed ring 46.

[0040] The kinematic correction link advantageously presents a gear ratio such that the dial 16 rotates one-twelfth of a turn around the second axis of rotation 22 each time the chassis 10 rotates one-twenty-fourth of a turn around the first axis of rotation 18 (the chassis 10 and the dial 16 rotating in opposite directions).

[0041] Thus, in normal operation, that is, when the timepiece 1 indicates the time normally, without user intervention, the frame 10 and the dial 16 have fixed respective positions / orientations. When the user wishes to change the additional time zone indicated by the hour hand 24, in relation to the dial 16, they press the pusher 20 as many times as necessary to rotate the frame 10 until the index 14 is positioned opposite the desired city name, the angular orientation of the dial 16 being maintained unchanged thanks to the correction kinematic linkage.

[0042] The operation of the indicator hands 24 and 26 in relation to dial 16 will now be explained in more detail in connection with the Figures 4 and 5. The hands 24 and 26 must both be driven to indicate the current time in the predefined time zone, and be driven in such a way as to indicate the current time while keeping the same angular reference, i.e. the dial 16 whose angular orientation is kept constant, when the chassis 10 pivots.

[0043] The display device 2 includes a kinematic drive linkage arranged to connect a time display unit 52, designed to move the hour hand 24 to the predefined time zone, to a (non-visible) drive unit of the watch movement. This kinematic drive linkage includes an additional wheel 54 designed to be driven from the watch movement's drive unit to complete one full rotation, around the first axis of rotation 18, in one hour. The transmission of motion from the watch movement's drive unit to the additional wheel 54 is achieved through the passage 34. The rotational movement of the additional wheel 54 is thus independent of any rotational movements of the frame 10.

[0044] The additional wheel 54 is arranged in contact with a first wheel of a drive gear 56 having a second wheel arranged in contact with a spindle wheel 58, arranged on the frame 10 to pivot around the second axis of rotation 22 and intended to carry the minute hand 26.

[0045] The 58-slot wheel carries two satellites 60 arranged in contact with the teeth of the time display wheel 52. At the same time, each satellite 60 is also in contact with the teeth of a solar wheel 62 coaxial with the time display wheel 52.

[0046] The solar wheel 62 is part of a solar mobile 64 which also carries a compensating solar wheel 66 arranged in contact with a pinion of the second gearbox 50 in contact with the fixed toothed ring 46. The wheels 62 and 66 are therefore fixed together in rotation.

[0047] It follows that in normal operation, that is to say when the clockwork part 1 is running without user intervention aimed in particular at rotating the chassis 10, the sun wheel 62 is fixed since it is kinematically connected to the fixed toothed ring 46. The respective teeth of the hour display wheel 52 and the sun wheel 62 have substantially identical pitch diameters but slightly different numbers of teeth, so that when the satellites 60 roll on the fixed teeth of the sun wheel 62, they induce a slight rotation of the hour display wheel 52 in the direction of clockwise rotation, with a rotation speed such that it makes a complete turn on itself in twelve hours.The operating principle of this particular timer will not be described in detail here, as it has already been the subject of a previous patent application, published under number CH 715546 A2, the teaching of which is incorporated here by reference with regard to the implementation of the link between the time zone 58 and the hour display mobile 52.

[0048] It is further apparent from the foregoing that the moving parts arranged to pivot around the second axis of rotation 22 define a planetary gear train, activated when the user presses the pusher 20 to rotate the frame 10. During such an operation, the time zone wheel 58 continues to act as the first input for the planetary gear train, via its connection with the drive wheel of the watch movement, but also acts as a satellite carrier, with the satellites 60. The sun wheel 62, meshing with the satellites 60, acts as the second input since it is driven by the second gear train 50, which is forced to roll on the teeth of the fixed toothed crown 46 when the frame 10 rotates around the first axis of rotation 18. The hour display wheel 52 acts as the output by driving the hour hand 24 of the predetermined time zone according to a resultant of the movements of the time zone wheel. 58 and chassis 10.Thus, during the rotation of the chassis 10, the satellites 60 are driven by the sun wheel 62 to rotate faster than during normal operation and drive the hour hand 24 in such a way that it changes from displaying the time in a first time zone to displaying the time in a second time zone in a time corresponding to the time of movement of the chassis 10, in response to the action of the user on the pusher 20.

[0049] The gear ratios involved in the planetary gear train, and between the latter and the fixed toothed ring 46, are adjusted in such a way that when the chassis 10 pivots one twenty-fourth of a turn, the hour hand 24 pivots one twelfth of a turn (in the same direction of rotation here).

[0050] It should be noted that the drive mechanism of the watch movement can, for example, be a conventional rotor (possibly modified to omit the standard cannon pinion for the minute hand), which would also be connected to the local time display. Thus, the setting crown 28 can be configured to act conventionally on the rotor of the watch movement to correct the time, the corresponding movements of the rotor then being transmitted simultaneously to the two local time displays 6 and to the predefined time zone 24.

[0051] It is clear from the preceding description that the present invention enables the creation of an original and particularly legible display device 2, while having a limited total number of components, consequently implying a relatively limited number of modifications to be made to a basic watch movement.

[0052] The preceding description focuses on describing a particular embodiment by way of non-limiting illustration, and the invention is not limited to the implementation of certain specific features just described, such as, for example, the nature of the quantity displayed by the various display elements described, or the shape and manner in which certain components are made, provided that these can be modified without impacting the implementation of the present invention, such as, for example, the shape of the chassis 10 or the components of the selection mechanism. In particular, it should be noted that the chassis 10 could carry only a display element whose position, controlled with reference to the watch movement frame, would allow for an intuitive reading of the displayed quantity, without necessarily requiring a graduated dial whose angular orientation would have to be kept fixed.In this case, the displayed value could be different from the time in a predefined time zone, and the hour display arm 52 could be arranged to rotate about the first axis of rotation 18, without departing from the scope of the invention. Similarly, the minute display hand 26 could also be arranged to rotate about the first axis of rotation 18, independently of the position of the hour display hand 24, without departing from the scope of the invention. Furthermore, the chassis 10 could have a different shape, possibly extended to allow it to support one or more additional display arms, possibly combined with an additional orbital dial (at the user's request).Furthermore, in the case of displaying the time in an additional time zone, it would also be possible to display the time in half-time zones by providing variable pitches for the teeth of the toothed wheel 32, without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. Display device (2) for a timepiece movement, comprising an hour display wheel (52) intended to carry an hour display organ (24) for a predefined time zone, and to be specifically driven by a drive wheel of the timepiece movement, a chassis (10) intended to be rotated about a first main axis (18) and to cooperate with indications that are static in relation to the frame of the timepiece movement in order to display information, a moveable organ (16) mounted rotatably on said chassis (10) about a second rotation axis (22) distinct from said first main axis (18), a correction mechanism arranged so as to be able to drive said moveable organ (16) to a predefined angular position in relation to the frame of the timepiece movement, regardless of the angular position of said chassis (10) about said first main axis (18), characterized in that said chassis (10) has a fixed angular position for said predefined time zone, the angular position of said chassis (10) about said first main axis (18) being intended to be associated with the display of static information relating to said predefined time zone, the respective angular positions of said chassis (10) and of said hour display wheel (52) being indexed in relation to each other, and in that the device (2) further comprises a selection mechanism arranged: - to rotate said hour display wheel (52), in response to a predefined action by a user, such that it moves from a first position associated with the hour display in a first predefined time zone to a second position associated with the hour display in a second predefined time zone, and - to simultaneously rotate said chassis (10) in steps so that it moves from a first position, associated with the display of information relating to said first time zone, to a second position, associated with the display of information relating to said second time zone.

2. Device (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that said hour display wheel (52) is carried by said chassis (10) and arranged to rotate about said second rotation axis (22).

3. Device (2) according to claim 2, characterized in that said moveable organ (16) is a dial with hour graduations.

4. Device (2) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that it further comprises a display wheel (58) for current minute, intended to carry a display organ (26) for current minute, rotatably mounted on said chassis (10) about said second rotation axis (22).

5. Device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a toothed wheel (32) intended to be mounted rotatably in relation to the frame of the timepiece movement, about said first main axis (18), said toothed wheel (32) being integral with said chassis (10), and in that said selection mechanism comprises a control organ (38) arranged to act on said toothed wheel (32) and to make it rotate by one step in response to said predefined action by the user.

6. Device (2) according to claim 5, in which said moveable organ (16) is a dial with hour graduations, characterized in that the device (2) comprises a kinematic correction linkage arranged between said moveable organ (16) and a set of teeth intended to be mounted statically in relation to the frame of the timepiece movement, said kinematic correction linkage being arranged in such a way that for each rotation of said chassis (10) through a given angle, said moveable organ (16) is rotated through an angle equal to twice said given angle but in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation of said chassis (10).

7. Device (2) according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that it comprises a kinematic drive linkage arranged to connect said hour display wheel (52) to the drive wheel of the timepiece movement, said kinematic drive linkage comprising a planetary gear comprising: - a planetary carrier (58) intended to be kinematically linked to the drive wheel of the timepiece movement and carrying at least one planetary wheel (60) engaged with said hour display wheel (52), and - a sun disc (62) engaged with said at least one planetary wheel (60) and kinematically linked to a set of teeth intended to be mounted statically in relation to the frame of the timepiece movement.

8. Device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it also comprises an hour display wheel (6) for a local time zone.

9. Timepiece movement comprising a display device (2) according to one of claims 1 to 8.

10. Timepiece (1) comprising a timepiece movement according to claim 9 and a support (4) mounted statically in relation to the frame of said timepiece movement and bearing indications relating to time zones enabling said time zones to be identified.