CALENDAR DISPLAY DEVICE

Description

Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention falls within the field of watchmaking, and in particular that of displaying time indications on a timepiece, especially a watch.

[0002] More specifically, the invention relates to a date display device. Technological background

[0003] Among the date display devices, there are those that indicate the current date by means of a movable index, typically a hand, moving across a watch dial relative to a scale of characters on the dial, evenly distributed along a circle or arc. The characters represent the date.

[0004] The hand is moved by a suitable date mechanism, well known to the man of the trade, engaging with the hour wheel, so as to make a jump each day in order to indicate a new date.

[0005] This date mechanism can be retrograde. Indeed, it drives the hand in the opposite direction once it has gone through all the dates of a month, in order to indicate the first day of the following month.

[0006] Date display devices are described in detail in the book "Les montres compliqués" by François Lecoultre, published by Editions Simonin.

[0007] This type of date display device has limitations, for example, in terms of readability and the information provided. Date display devices, such as document CH660663A, still exist.

[0008] The present invention aims to increase the aesthetic appeal of date display devices with a moving index, and in particular to facilitate their use by displaying additional information compared to prior art display devices. Summary of the invention

[0009] The invention resolves the aforementioned drawbacks by proposing a date display device comprising: a dial comprising date indications in the form of a scale of characters, at least part of which are in the form of apertures, a movable index relative to the dial, a date mechanism configured to move the index one step per day, so that each position occupied by said index designates one of the characters, and a movable element arranged between the dial and the date mechanism having on all or part of a surface arranged opposite said dial, a portion of interest, said movable element being kinematically connected to the date mechanism so that the latter is capable of moving it into an active position in which the portion of interest is visible through at least one predetermined aperture and into a resting position in which the portion of interest is arranged inset from said at least one predetermined aperture and in which a marking area is visible through said predetermined aperture.

[0010] In particular embodiments, the invention may further comprise one or more of the following features, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations.

[0011] In particular embodiments, the portion of interest has an appearance identical to that of an external surface of the dial so as to remove from the user's view the character formed by the aperture through which the portion of interest is visible when the moving element occupies the active position.

[0012] In particular embodiments, the marking area is arranged opposite at least the windows forming the characters representing the dates 29 to 31 when the moving element is in the rest position, the portion of interest having a different appearance from that of the dial and said marking area, so as to highlight the characters representing the dates 29 to 31 when the moving element is in the active position.

[0013] In particular embodiments, the movable element comprises on an upper surface, in addition to the portion of interest, a portion of surface capable of being seen through one or more windows corresponding to all or part of the marking area, said marking area of ​​the movable element having a different appearance from that of the portion of interest.

[0014] In particular embodiments, the characters are distributed along at least one arc of a circle, the index being movable relative to the dial, the movable element being visible through all the windows and having an axis of rotation coinciding with that of the index.

[0015] In particular embodiments, the marking area and the portion of interest are distributed on the moving element so that, when the latter occupies the rest position, the marking area is arranged opposite all the windows, and so that when the moving element occupies the active position, the marking area is arranged opposite some of the windows, the portion of interest being arranged opposite the other windows.

[0016] In particular embodiments, the movable element has a closed annular shape, the marking area and the portion of interest each being formed by a set of sectors arranged alternately one after the other so that two successive characters have a different appearance from each other.

[0017] In particular embodiments, the movable element has, on its upper surface, an additional sector with a different appearance from those forming the marking area and the portion of interest, said additional sector being interposed between two sectors having a different appearance from the appearance of said additional sector so that the latter constitutes the index.

[0018] In particular embodiments, the sectors between which the additional sector is arranged have a different color from that of the marking area and the portion of interest.

[0019] In particular embodiments, the display device includes an overthickness on which the marking area is made and arranged so as to be visible through all the windows forming the characters representing the dates 1 to 28, said overthickness and the movable element being arranged adjacently and having a thickness such that the upper surface of said movable element and the visible surface of said overthickness extend substantially in the same plane.

[0020] In particular embodiments, the moving element has the form of a lever, the date mechanism comprising a cam on the profile of which the lever is arranged to rest so that said cam, during its rotation, causes said lever to pivot between its active position and its rest position.

[0021] In particular embodiments, the display device comprises two movable elements, one of which has a closed annular shape and the other of which has the shape of a lever.

[0022] In particular embodiments, the dial is made of transparent material and has, on its surface opposite the date mechanism, a thin opaque layer, the apertures being made in said thin layer. Brief description of the figures

[0023] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: there figure 1a represents an exploded perspective view of a date display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention; the figure 1b schematically represents a top view of a detail of the device of the figure 1a ; there figure 1c schematically represents a cross-sectional view along the cutting plane AA of the device of the figure 1b ; there figure 2a represents an exploded perspective view of a date display device according to another embodiment of the invention; the figure 2b schematically represents a top view of a detail of the device of the figure 2a ; there figure 2c schematically represents a cross-sectional view along the BB section plane of the device. figure 2b ; there figure 3a represents an exploded perspective view of a date display device according to yet another embodiment of the invention; the figure 3b schematically represents a top view of a detail of the device of the figure 3a ; there figure 3c schematically represents a cross-sectional view along the CC cutting plane of the device. figure 3b ; there figure 4arepresents an exploded perspective view of a date display device according to yet another embodiment of the invention; the figure 4b schematically represents a top view of a detail of the device of the figure 4a ; there figure 4c schematically represents a cross-sectional view along the cutting plane DD of the device of the figure 4b ; there figure 5a represents a schematic top view of a date display dial according to yet another embodiment of the invention, without moving parts, the dial comprising date indications, one of which is designated by an index in the form of a pointer; the figure 5b schematically represents a top view of a movable element intended to be integrated into the device of the figure 5a ; there figure 5c schematically represents a top view of the dial of the figure 5a with which the moving element of the figure 5b ; there figure 6schematically represents a combination of two moving elements of a date display device according to yet another embodiment of the invention, said moving elements conforming respectively to that of one of the figures 1a to 3c and to that of the figure 5b .

[0024] Note that the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale for reasons of clarity. Detailed description of the invention

[0025] As schematically shown figures 1a to 6 The present invention relates to a date display device 10 comprising a dial 11 of a timepiece, for example a watch, displaying date indications, a movable index 12 rotating relative to the dial 11 intended to indicate the current date, and a movable element 13 intended to cause a change in appearance of one or more date indications.

[0026] In all the embodiments described below, the date indications are arranged in the form of a scale of thirty-one characters 15, for example distributed along an arc of a circle, at least part of which is in the form of apertures 150, as seen on the figures 1a, 1c, 2a, 2c , 3a, 3c, 4a, 4c , 5a and 5c It should be noted that when the surface visible through the windows 150 has a different appearance from that of the visible surface of the dial 11, the characters 15 formed by the windows 150 are visible to a user, and when the surface visible through the windows 150 has the same appearance as that of the visible surface of the dial 11, the characters 15 are hidden from the user's view. The visible surface of the dial 11 is the surface of an external face 110.

[0027] In the examples of implementation shown on the figures 1a to 4c, the characters 15 representing the dates 1 to 28 have a constant appearance and the characters 15 representing the dates 29 to 31 have a variable appearance depending on the length of the current month.

[0028] The characters 15 representing the dates 1 to 28 can be formed by windows 150 revealing a marking area 160, for example made of a thin layer, as illustrated by the figures 1a, 2a And 4a Furthermore, the marking area 160 and the movable element 13 are visible through the transparency on the figures 1b, 2b , 3b and 4b to facilitate understanding of the invention. It should be noted, however, that this marking area 160 is normally only visible through the windows 150, the thin layer 112 being opaque. As described in detail below, depending on the embodiment considered, the movable element 13 may or may not include a marking area 160.

[0029] Furthermore, the index 12 is mobile, for example rotating around an axis concentric with the arc of a circle according to which the characters 15 are distributed. In the embodiment examples shown in the figures, the index 12 is formed by a needle.

[0030] Preferably, as shown by the figures 1c, 2c , 3c and 4c , the dial 11 is made of transparent material, for example sapphire or glass, and has, on the surface of an inner face 111, a thin opaque layer 112, the apertures 150 being preferably made in said thin layer 112.

[0031] The date display device 10 according to the invention includes an annual or perpetual calendar mechanism (not shown in the figures) configured to advance the index 12 one step per day, such that each position occupied by said index 12 designates one of the characters 15 corresponding to the date of the current day. Such a date mechanism is well known to those skilled in the art and is therefore not described in detail below. Also known per se, at the time of the transition to the next month, the index 12 is advanced from the date of the last day of the month, for example 28, 29, 30, or 31, to the date of the beginning of the month, by the annual or perpetual calendar mechanism. The inner face 111 is arranged opposite the date mechanism.

[0032] This date mechanism is part of a clock movement 16 schematically represented on the figures 1a, 1c, 2a, 2c , 3a, 3c, 4a and 4c .

[0033] In the embodiment examples shown in the figures, the dial 11 is superimposed on a plate of the watch movement 16 and the moving element 13 is interposed between said dial 11 and said plate.

[0034] Advantageously, the movable element 13 is arranged between the dial 11 and the date mechanism and has, on all or part of a surface facing said dial 11, called the "upper surface" 130, a portion of interest 131 having a different appearance from that of the marking area 160. The portion of interest 131 may be constituted by a thin layer deposited on the movable element 13, as shown in the figures 1c, 2c , 3c and 4c .

[0035] The moving element 13 is kinematically linked to the date mechanism so that the latter is able to drive said moving element 13 into an active position in which the interest portion 131 is visible through at least one predetermined window 150 and into a rest position in which the interest portion 131 is arranged in recess of said at least one predetermined window 150.

[0036] In the examples of implementation shown on the figures 1a to 4c When the moving element 13 is in the active position, the portion of interest 131 is aligned with one or more windows 150 forming characters 15 representing dates that may vary between two successive months, i.e., dates 29 to 31. In other words, the active position of the moving element 13 can be defined by several angular positions of the latter. To this end, as shown by the figures 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b , 3a and 3b, the portion of interest 131 can be delimited by a stepped profile in order to be visible opposite one or more windows 150 depending on its angular position when it occupies the active position.

[0037] For example, the portion of interest 131 may have a different color than that shown by the marking area 160, and in particular, it may have the same color as the dial 11. This feature has the effect of concealing the characters 15 opposite which the portion of interest 131 is arranged when the moving element 13 is in the active position.

[0038] Alternatively, if the portion of interest 131 has a different color from that of the dial 11 and from that of the surface visible through the windows 150 when the moving element 13 is in the rest position, the character or characters 15 formed by the windows 150 through which said portion of interest 131 is visible when the moving element 13 is in the active position are highlighted in relation to the other characters 15.

[0039] Thus, thanks to the invention, depending on the aspect of the portion of interest 131, the variable dates can be concealed or, conversely, highlighted in relation to the other dates, that is, in relation to dates 1 to 28, depending on the number of days in the current month. In other words, dates 29, 30, and / or 31 can be concealed or highlighted during months with fewer than thirty-one days, so that the user can identify the number of days in the current month.

[0040] In the example implementation shown on the figures 1a to 1c The movable element 13 only presents a portion of interest 131 visible through one or more apertures 150 when the movable element 13 is in the active position. Furthermore, the marking area 160 is formed by a thin layer deposited on the mainplate of the watch movement 16, opposite all the apertures 150 forming the characters 15 representing the dates 1 to 31.

[0041] Unlike the example of implementation shown on the figures 1a to 1c , in the examples of implementation shown on the figures 2a to 3c , the mobile element 13 has two surface portions that may be seen through one or more windows 150. One of these portions corresponds to a part of the marking area 160 and the other portion corresponds to the portion of interest 131.

[0042] In particular, as illustrated on the figures 2b , 3b and 4b, the movable element 13 is configured so that, when it occupies the rest position, the part of the marking area 160 that it presents is arranged opposite at least the set of characters 15 representing the dates 29 to 31.

[0043] In order to improve the perceived quality of the date display, the device 10 may include an additional thickness 17, as illustrated in the figures 2a and 2c , fixed on the clock movement plate 16 and on which the marking area 160 is made so that it is visible through all the apertures 150 forming the characters 15 representing the dates 1 to 28. The movable element 13 and the overthickness 17 are arranged adjacent to each other and have a thickness such that the surfaces of said overthickness 17 and of the movable element 13 visible through all the apertures 150 extend in the same plane.

[0044] Alternatively, the marking area 160 can be deposited directly onto the inner face 111 of the dial 11 to form the characters 15 representing, for example, the dates 1 to 28, as shown in the figures 3a to 3c In this example of an embodiment, the 150 windows are only made to form the 15 characters representing at least the dates 29 to 31.

[0045] Alternatively, in the example of implementation shown on the figures 4a to 4c , the marking area 160 is entirely carried out on the moving element 13.

[0046] More specifically, in this embodiment, the movable element 13 has an open annular shape and is mobile in rotation around an axis coinciding with that of the index 12. The movable element 13 is visible through all the windows 150. In other words, when it occupies the rest position, the marking area 160 is visible through all the windows 150, and when it occupies the active position, the second portion is visible through one or more windows 150 forming the characters 15 representing one or more of the dates 29 to 31, the rest of the windows 150 showing said marking area 160.

[0047] In the examples of implementation shown on the figures 1a to 3c , the moving element 13 is formed by a lever.

[0048] In all the examples of implementation shown on the figures 1a to 4c, the moving element 13 is arranged to be supported by a free end against a profile of a cam (not shown in the figures) which comprises the date mechanism so that said cam, during its rotation, causes said moving element 13 to pivot between its active position and its rest position.

[0049] More specifically, the cam is driven in rotation by one twelfth of a turn per month by a dedicated gear, and its profile includes several portions with different radii, including portions intended to receive the moving element 13 in support so that it occupies the rest position, and portions intended to receive the moving element 13 in support so that it occupies different angular positions representative of its active position.

[0050] The objective in these examples of the realizations of the invention is to move the movable element 13 so as to display the number of dates corresponding to the number of days in the current month.

[0051] Alternatively, the movable element 13 may have a closed annular shape, as shown in the figure 5b in another embodiment. The portion of interest 131 and the marking area 160 of the movable element 13 each comprise a plurality of sectors. The sectors of said portion of interest 131 and said marking area 160 are arranged alternately one after the other, and each sector is sized so as to be positioned opposite a character 15. Thus, two successive characters 15 have a different appearance from each other, as visible on the figure 5c .

[0052] In this embodiment of the invention, the moving element 13 is configured to be driven by the calendar mechanism by one step per day, one step corresponding to an angular value separating two successive windows 150.

[0053] The display device 10 can thus, depending on the aspect of the portion of interest 131, highlight or conceal the characters 15 representing even or odd dates, depending on whether the current date is even or odd. This feature advantageously facilitates the reading of dates, and in particular the current date.

[0054] For example, the moving element 13 may have internal or external teeth in kinematic relationship with a finger of a drive wheel of index 12. In other words, in this example of embodiment, the moving element 13 is preferably rotationally fixed to the index 12.

[0055] In summary, the objective in this example implementation is to move the movable element 13 so as to display only even or odd dates, depending on whether the current day's date is even or odd.

[0056] In this embodiment, the characters 15 are preferably formed by a sequence of digits from 1 to 31. Advantageously, the present invention allows these characters 15 to be easily read, even if they are arranged very close together, as can be seen by comparison with the figure 5a , in which the movable element 13 is not shown, and of the figure 5c in which the movable element 13 is represented.

[0057] It should be noted that here, the mobile element 13 occupies the active position and the rest position alternately, relative to a given window.

[0058] Advantageously, the movable element 13 may also include an additional sector with a different appearance from the marking area 160 and the portion of interest 131, interposed between two sectors of said marking area 160, between two sectors of said portion of interest 131, or between two other identical sectors but with a different appearance from said additional sector. This additional sector is sized so that it can only be seen through a single aperture 150 and forms the index 12, thus eliminating the need for a hand or any other index formed by an additional part. The additional sector is therefore visible to a user through the aperture 150, forming the character 15 representing the current date.

[0059] Alternatively, it is conceivable that the marking area 160 of the mobile element 13 forms a sector visible through only one of the windows 150 so as to indicate the current day's date, the portion of interest 131 defining two sectors extending on either side of said marking area 160 so as to be visible through all the windows 150 except the window through which the sector of the marking area 160 is visible.

[0060] In this example of an embodiment not shown in the figures, the index 12 is constituted by the single sector formed by the marking area 160. The user can thus easily and quickly identify the current date on the dial 11.

[0061] As shown by figure 6In another embodiment of the invention, the display device 10 may comprise two movable elements 13, one of which has a closed annular shape, in a manner analogous, for example, to the movable element 13 described above in the embodiment shown in the figure 5b , and the other of which has the form of a lever, in a manner analogous, for example, to the movable element 13 described above in the embodiment shown on the figures 1a .

[0062] In this embodiment of the invention, the functions of the moving elements 13 are identical to the functions of those described respectively in the description of the embodiment examples shown on the figures 1a And 5a has 5c , so that this example of a display device allows us to benefit from the combination of their advantages.

[0063] More generally, it should be noted that the implementation and execution methods considered above have been described as non-limiting examples, and that other variants are therefore conceivable.

[0064] In particular, in the examples of implementation shown on the figures 1a, 2a , 3a, 4a And 5a The 15-point character scale extends along a semi-circular arc. It is evident that the 15-point character scale can extend along a circular arc forming a more or less significant angle.

Claims

1. Date display device (10) including: - a dial (11) including date indications in the form of a character scale (15), of which at least a part is in the form of apertures (150), - a mobile index (12) with respect to the dial (11), - a date mechanism configured to move the index (12) by one step per day, such that each position occupied by said index (12) denotes one of the characters (15), the display device being characterised in that it comprises: - a mobile element (13) arranged between the dial (11) and the date mechanism having on all or part of a surface disposed facing said dial (11), a portion of interest (131), said mobile element (13) being kinematically linked with the date mechanism such that the latter is capable of driving it in an active position wherein the portion of interest (131) is visible through at least one predetermined aperture (150) and in a rest position wherein the portion of interest (131) is set back from said at least one predetermined aperture (150) and wherein a marking zone (160) is visible through said predetermined aperture (150).

2. Display device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the portion of interest (131) has an identical appearance to that of an outer surface (110) of the dial (11) so as to remove from the user's view the character (15) formed by the aperture (150) through which the portion of interest (131) is visible when the mobile element (13) occupies the active position.

3. Display device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the marking zone (160) is arranged facing at least the apertures (150) forming the characters (15) representing the dates 29 to 31 when the mobile element (13) occupies the rest position, the portion of interest (131) having a different appearance from that of the dial (11) and said marking zone (160), so as to show the characters (15) representing the dates 29 to 31 when the mobile element (13) occupies the active position.

4. Display device (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the mobile element (13) includes on a top surface (130), in addition to the portion of interest (131), a surface portion capable of being visible through one or more apertures (150) corresponding to all or part of the marking zone (160), said marking zone (160) of the mobile element (13) having a different appearance from that of the portion of interest (131).

5. Display device (10) according to claim 4, wherein the characters (15) are distributed along at least an arc of a circle, the index (12) being mobile with respect to the dial (11), the mobile element (13) being visible through the apertures (150) and having an axis of rotation merged with that of the index (12).

6. Display device (10) according to claim 5, wherein the marking zone (160) and the portion of interest (131) are distributed along the mobile element (13) such that, when the latter occupies the rest position, the marking zone (160) is arranged facing all of the apertures (150), and such that when the mobile element (13) occupies the active position, the marking zone (160) is arranged facing some of the apertures (150), the portion of interest (131) being arranged facing the other apertures (150).

7. Display device (10) according to claim 5, wherein the mobile element (13) has a closed annular form, the marking zone (160) and the portion of interest (131) each being formed by a set of sectors arranged alternately following each other such that two successive characters (15) have a different appearance from one another.

8. Display device (10) according to claim 7, wherein the mobile element (13) includes, on the top surface (130) thereof, an additional sector of different appearance from those forming the marking zone (160) and the portion of interest (131), said additional sector being inserted between two sectors having a different appearance from the appearance of said additional sector such that the latter forms the index (12).

9. Display device (10) according to claim 8, wherein the sectors between which the additional sector is arranged have a different colour from that of the marking zone (160) and the portion of interest (131).

10. Display device (10) according to claim 4, comprising an extra thickness (17) whereon the marking zone (160) is produced and being arranged so as to be visible through all of the apertures (150) forming the characters (15) representing the dates 1 to 28, said extra thickness (17) and the mobile element (13) being arranged adjacently and having a thickness such that the top surface (130) of said mobile element (13) and the visible surface of said extra thickness (17) extend substantially in the same plane.

11. Display device (10) according to one of claims 1 to 4 and 10, wherein the mobile element (13) has the form of a lever, the date mechanism including a cam on the profile of which the lever is arranged in support such that said cam, during the rotation thereof, pivots said lever between the active position thereof and the rest position thereof.

12. Display device (10) according to claims 7 and 11, comprising two mobile elements (13) of which one has a closed annular form and of which the other has the form of a lever.

13. Display device (10) according to one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the dial is made of transparent material and includes, on the surface thereof facing the date mechanism, an opaque thin coat (112), the apertures (150) being made of said thin coat (112).