Watch comprising an auxiliary function for indicating seconds

Abstract

The invention relates to an analog display watch (10) comprising an electronic watch movement including a first and a second electric motor (13, 14) kinematically connected respectively to an hour hand (15) and a minute hand (16), said electric motors being powered by an electric accumulator (12), said watch movement also comprising an integrated circuit (17) connected to said motors and to a control member (18), the watch (10) being characterized in that the integrated circuit (17) is configured so as to drive, when the control member (18) is activated by a user, the first and second electric motors (13, 14) to drive the hour (15) and minute (16) hands in rotation at an angular displacement rate of six degrees per second, and in such a way that they are arranged so as to be collinear and superimposed on each other.

Description

Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to the field of watchmaking, and in particular to electromechanical watches, i.e. watches comprising electronic watch movements, with analogue display.

[0002] More particularly, the invention relates to a watch comprising an auxiliary function, that is to say that the analog display of the watch is adapted to provide information to the user other than the current time. This auxiliary function advantageously makes it possible to indicate the seconds. Technological background

[0003] Watches comprising an electromechanical watch movement with an analogue display, powered by an electric accumulator, are well known in the state of the art.

[0004] The analog display consists of two hands indicating the hours and minutes of the current time respectively, and possibly a third hand indicating the seconds.

[0005] These needles can be driven by electric motors, for example stepper motors, which are specific to them, so that the stroke of said needles is independent of one another. Such an arrangement is of interest, in particular, in order to be able to drive said needles in order to perform a particular auxiliary function.

[0006] For example, document EP0644468 describes a watch comprising an hour hand and a minute hand arranged to be driven in rotation independently of each other, in which said hands carry alphanumeric characters or parts of alphanumeric characters. These hands are intended to display messages to the user as a function of time and as a function of their arrangement relative to each other.

[0007] Another known auxiliary function performed by such an arrangement is the display of multiple time zones.

[0008] The document concerns an EP 1 085 384 A1 chronograph watch comprising hour, minute, second and chronograph seconds hands. In timed mode, the seconds hand is superimposed on the chronograph hand while the running second is always displayed in a separate window.

[0009] The present invention pursues this objective of providing a watch with an analog display with at least two hands, in which the hands can perform auxiliary functions. Summary of the invention

[0010] To this end, the present invention relates to a watch with an analog display comprising an electronic watch movement comprising a first and a second electric motor kinematically connected respectively to an hour hand and a minute hand, said electric motors being powered by an electric accumulator, said watch movement also comprising an integrated circuit connected to said motors and to a control member. The integrated circuit is configured so as to control, when the control member is activated by a user, the first and the second electric motor to drive the hour and minute hands in rotation at an angular displacement speed of six degrees per second, and in such a way that they are arranged so as to be collinear and so that they are superimposed on each other.

[0011] The terms "collinear" and "superimposed" mean that the longitudinal axes of the hour and minute hands are parallel and that the said hands are oriented in the same direction and in the same sense. In other words, the hour and minute hands occupy the same angular position and simultaneously present the same indication, so that reading the information is made particularly easy for the user.

[0012] In particular embodiments, the invention may further comprise one or more of the following features, taken individually or in any technically possible combination.

[0013] In particular embodiments of the invention, the integrated circuit is configured to, after a predetermined duration, drive the first and second electric motors so as to move the collinear and superimposed hour and minute hands respectively, so that they indicate the hours and minutes of the current time respectively.

[0014] In particular embodiments of the invention, the integrated circuit is configured to, when the control member is again requested, drive the first and second electric motors so as to move the collinear and superimposed hour and minute hands respectively, so that they indicate the hours and minutes of the current time respectively.

[0015] In particular embodiments of the invention, the watch comprises a third motor connected to a seconds hand, the integrated circuit being configured to control said third motor to stop the travel of said seconds hand when the control member is activated.

[0016] In particular embodiments of the invention, the watch comprises a third motor connected to a seconds hand, the integrated circuit being configured so as to drive, when the control member is activated, said third motor to drive the seconds hand in rotation at an angular displacement speed of six degrees per second, and in such a way as to be collinear with the hour and minute hands and so that they are superimposed on each other.

[0017] In particular embodiments of the invention, the watch comprises a third motor connected to a seconds hand, and the integrated circuit is configured so as to drive the first, second and third electric motors in order to move the hour, minute and second hands respectively, so that during the first minute following a request from the control member, they are all collinear and superimposed and rotated at an angular displacement speed of six degrees per second, and that from the 61st second following said request, the minute hand indicates the number of minutes elapsed since said request, and that from the 3601st second following said request, the hour hand indicates the number of hours elapsed since the request.

[0018] In particular embodiments of the invention, the watch comprises a third motor connected to a seconds hand, and the integrated circuit is configured so as to drive, when the control member is activated, the third electric motor in order to drive the seconds hand at an angular displacement speed of more than 360 degrees per second, for example 720 degrees per second or 3600 degrees per second.

[0019] In particular embodiments of the invention, the watch comprises a third motor connected to a seconds hand, and the integrated circuit is configured so as to drive, when the control member is activated, the third electric motor in order to move the seconds hand to indicate a particular location on the dial designating the function taken by the collinear and superimposed hour and minute hands.

[0020] In particular embodiments of the invention, the integrated circuit is configured to drive the first and second electric motors so that the hour and minute hands are collinear and superimposed on each other in a common position located equidistant between the positions that said hands occupied before being moved to be collinear and superimposed.

[0021] In particular embodiments of the invention, the integrated circuit is configured so as to drive, when the control member is activated, the first or the second electric motor to move respectively the hour hand or the minute hand from the position that it occupies in an initial state in which it indicates respectively the hours or the minutes of the current time, to the position occupied by the other hand, so that they are collinear and superimposed on each other.

[0022] In particular embodiments of the invention, the control member consists of a single element.

[0023] In particular embodiments of the invention, the control member corresponds to a time-setting crown. Brief description of the figures

[0024] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following detailed description given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawing: there figure 1 schematically represents, in block diagram and partially, a watch according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which the hour and minute hands are collinear and superimposed. Detailed description of the invention

[0025] In the present description, all the components of an electromechanical watch 10 with analog display, as well as their arrangement, which are well known to those skilled in the art, are described only in a simplified manner.

[0026] The watch 10 according to the present invention comprises a case to which a crystal and a back are fixed, together defining an internal volume.

[0027] In this internal volume are housed components partly represented schematically on the figure 1 , including a dial 11, an electric accumulator 12 intended to supply energy, by means of an electronic circuit, to two electric motors 13 and 14 making it possible to drive in rotation respectively an hour hand 15 and a minute hand 16 by means of gears. Optionally, the watch 10 may include a third motor connected to a second hand (not shown in the figure).

[0028] More particularly, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the watch 10 has only two hands, a first electric motor 13 being kinematically connected to the hour hand 15 and a second electric motor 14 being kinematically connected to the minute hand 16.

[0029] The electronic circuit further comprises, in a manner known to those skilled in the art, a quartz oscillator (not shown in the figure) associated with an integrated circuit 17, for example formed by a microcontroller. Advantageously, the integrated circuit 17 knows the current time and the angular position of each of the hands at all times.

[0030] A control member 18 intended to be manipulated by a user is connected to the integrated circuit 17.

[0031] The control member 18 is preferably constituted by a single mobile element, and for example formed by any component suitable for this purpose, for example by a rotating bezel, a push button, a touch-sensitive surface of the case or the crystal, etc. Preferably again, the control member 18 corresponds to a crown, for example a push button, forming a time-setting crown.

[0032] The integrated circuit 17 is configured so as to control, when the control member 18 is activated, for example pushed or pulled by a user, the first and second electric motors 13 and 14 in order to arrange the hour 15 and minute 16 hands in a collinear manner and to superimpose them on each other, as illustrated in figure 1 , to perform a predetermined function.

[0033] The terms "collinear" and "superimposed" mean that the longitudinal axes of the hour and minute hands are parallel and that the said hands are oriented in the same direction and in the same direction.

[0034] More particularly, the integrated circuit 17 is configured to drive the first and second electric motors 13 and 14 in order to move the hour hand 15 and the minute hand 16 respectively in order to arrange them in a collinear manner and so that they are superimposed on each other, when the control member 18 is activated by a user, and to drive said collinear and superimposed hands in rotation at a predetermined speed.

[0035] The hour 15 and minute 16 hands are thus moved from an initial state in which they indicate the hours and minutes of the current time respectively, to an intermediate state, in which they are collinear and superimposed and rotated at a predetermined speed.

[0036] This way, the user only visually perceives a single moving needle, which makes it easier to read the information provided by the needle.

[0037] Advantageously, the speed of driving the 15-hour and 16-minute hands corresponds to an angular displacement of six degrees per second. The hand visually perceived by the user therefore indicates the seconds.

[0038] This function is particularly advantageous in the case of a watch 10 comprising an analog display composed of only an hour hand 15 and a minute hand 16.

[0039] In fact, in this case, this feature allows the user, by benefiting from an indication of seconds, to be able to measure time intervals more precisely.

[0040] If the watch 10 has a second hand, the movement of the latter can be stopped, or said second hand can be arranged in a collinear manner and superimposed with the hour 15 and minute 16 hands, said hour 15, minute 16 and second hands being superimposed on each other, and can be driven in an angular displacement of six degrees per second, when the control member 18 is activated.

[0041] The control unit then advantageously allows the simultaneous control of all the electric motors and therefore the simultaneous movement of all the needles.

[0042] Alternatively or in addition, the integrated circuit 17 may be configured to perform a chronograph function when the control member 18 is activated. More particularly, the integrated circuit 17 is configured to drive the first, second and third electric motors to move the hour 15, minute 16 and second hands respectively, so that during the first minute following an activation of the control member, they are all collinear and superimposed and rotated at an angular displacement speed of six degrees per second, and that from the 61st second following said activation, the minute hand 16 indicates the number of minutes elapsed since said activation, and that from the 3601st second following said activation, the hour hand 15 indicates the number of hours elapsed since the activation.

[0043] Alternatively, it is conceivable that the integrated circuit 17 is configured so as to drive, when the control member 18 is activated, the third electric motor in order to drive the seconds hand at an angular displacement speed of more than 360 degrees per second, for example 720 degrees per second or 3600 degrees per second. Thus, the seconds hand can indicate fractions of seconds when the hour 15 and minute 16 hands indicate seconds.

[0044] Alternatively, the integrated circuit 17 is configured so as to drive, when the control member 18 is activated, the third electric motor in order to move the seconds hand to indicate a particular location on the dial, for example bearing a specific marking designating the function taken on by the collinear and superimposed hour 15 and minute 16 hands, for example the indication of the seconds or a chronograph function.

[0045] Since the seconds hand is usually the longest hand, the indication it provides is very readable for the user.

[0046] Advantageously, the integrated circuit 17 can be configured so as to perform one or more of the aforementioned functions, for example after a certain delay of continuous solicitation of the control member 18, or the positioning by the user of the hour hands 15 and / or the minute hands 16 in a given position, for example so as to indicate a dedicated place on the dial, etc.

[0047] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, when the control member 18 is activated, the first and second electric motors 13 and 14 move the hour hand 15 and the minute hand 16, so that they are collinear and superimposed on each other, so that they reach a common position located equidistant between the positions that they respectively occupied in the initial state.

[0048] In other words, the common position reached by the hour 15 and minute 16 hands before being rotated at a predetermined speed, defines one of the bisectors of the angles formed by the position of said hour 15 and minute 16 hands when they are in their initial state.

[0049] Alternatively, when the control member 18 is activated, the first or second electric motor 13 or 14 moves the hour hand 15 or the minute hand 16 respectively from the position they occupy respectively in their initial state, to the position occupied by the other hand so that they are collinear and superimposed on each other.

[0050] It goes without saying that, in the case where the watch 10 includes a second hand, the latter can be moved by the third electric motor, when the control member 18 is activated, so as to reach the common position described above or corresponding to the position of the hour 15 and minute 16 hands, so that the hands are all collinear and superimposed on each other.

[0051] The driving of the collinear and superimposed hour 15 and minute 16 hands is interrupted after a predetermined duration, for example a few seconds or tens of seconds, or after a new request from the control member 18.

[0052] The integrated circuit 17 is then configured to, at the end of the predetermined duration or when the control member 18 is again requested, control the first and second electric motors 13 and 14 so as to move the hour 15 and minute 16 hands respectively so that they occupy a final state in which they respectively indicate the hours and minutes of the current time.

[0053] In other words, the final state of the 15-hour and 16-minute hands would correspond to their initial state if they had not been moved to the intermediate state.

Claims

1. An analogue display watch (10) including an electronic horological movement comprising a first and a second electric motor (13, 14) kinematically connected respectively to an hour hand (15) and to a minute hand (16), said electric motors being power supplied by an electric accumulator (12), said horological movement also comprising an integrated circuit (17) connected to said motors and to a control member (18), the watch (10) being characterised in that the integrated circuit (17) is configured so as to control, when the control member (18) is requested by a user, the first and the second electric motor (13, 14) to rotate the hour (15) and minute (16) hands at an angular speed of displacement of six degrees per second, and in such a way that they are disposed so as to be collinear and that they are superimposed on each other.

2. The watch (10) according to claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit (17) is configured, after a predetermined duration, to control the first and the second electric motor (13, 14) so as to respectively displace the collinear and superimposed hour (15) and minute (16) hands, so that they respectively indicate the hours and minutes of the current time.

3. The watch (10) according to claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit (17) is configured, when the control member (18) is again requested, to control the first and the second electric motor (13, 14) so as to respectively displace the collinear and superimposed hour (15) and minute (16) hands, so that they respectively indicate the hours and minutes of the current time.

4. The watch (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a third motor connected to a seconds hand, and wherein the integrated circuit (17) being configured to control said third motor to stop the travel of said seconds hand when the control member (18) is requested.

5. The watch (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a third motor connected to a seconds hand, and wherein the integrated circuit (17) being configured so as to control, when the control member (18) is requested, said third motor to rotate the seconds hand at an angular speed of displacement of six degrees per second, and in such a way as to be collinear with the hour (15) and minute (16) hands and that they are superimposed on each other.

6. The watch (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a third motor connected to a seconds hand, and wherein the integrated circuit (17) being configured so as to control the first, second and third electric motors in order to respectively displace the hour (15), minute (16) and second hands, so that during the first minute following a request from the control member, they are all collinear and superimposed and rotated at an angular speed of displacement of six degrees per second, and that from the 61st second following said request, the minute hand (16) indicates the number of minutes elapsed since said request, and that from the 3601st second following said request, the hour hand (15) indicates the number of hours elapsed since the request.

7. The watch (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a third motor connected to a seconds hand, and wherein the integrated circuit (17) is configured so as to control, when the control member (18) is requested, the third electric motor in order to drive the seconds hand at an angular speed of displacement of more than 360 degrees per second, for example 720 degrees per second or 3600 degrees per second.

8. The watch (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a third motor connected to a seconds hand, and wherein the integrated circuit (17) is configured so as to control, when the control member (18) is requested, the third electric motor in order to displace the seconds hand to indicate a particular location on the dial designating the function assumed by the collinear and superimposed hour (15) and minute (16) hands.

9. The watch (10) according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the integrated circuit (17) is configured so as to control the first and the second electric motor (13, 14) so that the hour (15) and minute (16) hands are collinear and superimposed on each other in a common position located equidistantly between the positions that said hands occupied before being displaced to be collinear and superimposed.

10. The watch (10) according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the integrated circuit (17) is configured so as to control, when the control member (18) is requested, the first or the second electric motor (13, 14) to respectively displace the hour hand (15) or the minute hand (16) from the position it occupies in an initial state wherein it respectively indicates the hours or the minutes of the current time, to the position occupied by the other hand, so that they are collinear and superimposed on each other.

11. The watch according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the control member (18) consists of a single movable element.

12. The watch according to claim 11, wherein the control member (18) corresponds to a time-setting crown.

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