Timepiece display mechanism with separate display elements

Abstract

Timepiece display mechanism (100) for displaying variables on separate basic display mounts (10) each containing a display indicator (901; 902) which is a translatably movable first display (901), or a rotationally movable second display (902), all said basic mounts (10) comprising indicators (901; 902) that are similar in nature, which are either first displays (901) for displaying a first variable, or second displays (902) for displaying a second variable, or both first displays (901) and second displays (902), all visible by the user, the display mechanism (100) comprises a control mechanism (300) arranged to drive wheels or drive linkages of different display discs and comprises a first driving element (111) for driving all the first displays (901) on its own, and / or a second driving element (112) for driving all the second displays (902) on its own.

Description

Field of invention

[0001] The invention relates to a timepiece display mechanism, for a timepiece, comprising at least one three-dimensional display support, which is arranged for the simultaneous display of at least a first quantity on a first three-dimensional display under the action of a first control mechanism, and of a second quantity on a second three-dimensional display under the action of a second control mechanism.

[0002] The invention also relates to a timepiece, in particular a watch, comprising such a display mechanism.

[0003] The invention relates to the field of watch display mechanisms, for complicated timepieces. Background of the invention

[0004] The aim of watch complications is to offer demanding users timepieces capable of performing complex functions and / or featuring innovative displays. The challenge always lies in reconciling the highly elaborate mechanisms of these timepieces with the limited volume available when it comes to watches, and ensuring correct and intuitive readability for the user. The other constraint is the reliability of these mechanisms, which must go hand in hand with guaranteeing the chronometric qualities of the basic movement, which must not be altered by the addition of complications.

[0005] The watch, available online at https: / / www.urwerk.com / collections / historical-pieces / ur-202 ("Historical pieces: UR-202"), features a display mechanism in which telescopic hands display the minute value, while parallelepiped-shaped indicators pivot around each telescopic hand to display the hour value. Summary of the invention

[0006] The invention aims to produce a watch with displays that are both innovative and extremely logical, and therefore easy for the user to read.

[0007] To this end, the invention relates to a timepiece display mechanism, for a timepiece, comprising a plurality of separate elementary display supports, according to claim 1.

[0008] The invention also relates to a timepiece, in particular a watch, comprising such a display mechanism. Summary description of the drawings

[0009] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows, with reference to the appended drawings, where: there figure 1represents, in a schematic, partial, and front view, the upper face of a watch comprising a display mechanism according to the invention, which adopts the form of a double star aircraft engine comprising twelve fixed cylinders arranged in a double star.Each cylinder displays, on the one hand, the time, in the form of a rotating display, the active cylinder being the one that displays the hour digit(s) directly facing the user, here the 12-hour cylinder in this figure, and on the other hand, one of the twelve five-minute slots, the active cylinder being the one that displays to the user a visual cue, for example a very visible colored mark, which comprises a flap that is movable relative to a piston that is movable in the cylinder, radially relative to the central axis of the watch, in an elementary direction; the estimation of the minute in a five-minute slot is done by radially identifying the position of the piston relative to the central axis of the watch.Each cylinder has a transparent part, through which the user can see an openwork mobile bearing one or two numbers indicating the time displayed by the cylinder, and mobile in rotation in its cylinder; this openwork mobile surrounds a piston, which is mobile in a back and forth movement in this cylinder, independently of the movement of the openwork mobile; this piston itself has a valve mobile in translation, visible in other figures. The central part of the mechanism allows to see a part of the mechanism controlling the display, and in particular a crankshaft rotating around the central axis of the watch movement, and which drives a connecting rod communicating the back and forth movement to all the pistons; the . figure 2 represents, in a similar way to the figure 1 , the underside of the watch of the figure 1; the transparent back reveals the watch's power barrels, more specifically intended for driving this display; the figure 3 represents, schematically and in perspective, part of the display control mechanism, with a first driver dedicated to driving the pistons, and which includes this crankshaft, two of which crankpins carry two plates, each of which includes a large fixed connecting rod and five small connecting rods articulated on plate pins; the figure 4 represents, in a schematic, partial way, and in sectional view passing through an elementary axis of one of the cylinders, the interior part of this same cylinder located under the transparent envelope of the figure 1, and which comprises an hour body which is the openwork mobile bearing hour numeral(s), which coaxially surrounds the piston of which the control rod articulated to a piston pin is visible; the valve is movable coaxially to the piston, and comprises an optical indicator which is a visual reference, here hidden from the user's view in this view which represents an inactive cylinder for displaying the minutes: the valve is pressed against the piston, and its valve jumper is stopped on a hooking part secured to the piston; the Figure 5represents, in a schematic, partial and perspective manner, another part of the display control mechanism, and its control mechanism, with a second driver dedicated to driving the hour bodies, comprising a central wheel with an annular bearing whose straight internal teeth mesh with straight intermediate pinions; these pinions each mesh with a straight-toothed plate which carries a conical intermediate wheel; the latter meshes with a 45° straight-toothed return, which engages a conical hour pinion secured to the hour body carrying the hour numerals; the figure 6 represents, in a schematic, partial manner and without the supporting structure, part of the moving components of the display mechanism, in a variant where the hour bodies are transparent mobiles comprising hour markings, this figure shows the cooperation of the connecting rod of the figure 3with the pistons arranged in the cylinders; at the twelve o'clock position in the figure, the hour body reveals the time display with the number 12, while at the two o'clock position, the valve is at the end of its maximum stroke relative to its piston, and reveals the optical indicator, for example in the form of a colored band or similar, in the groove thus formed in the space between the piston body and the valve, for a period of time limited to 5 minutes; figures 7 to 9 illustrate the rotation of the hour digit in its cylinder: the figure 7 shows the hour digit 11 of the figure 6, surmounted by its dynamic pointed index, which approaches the static index also pointed which is linked to the structure of the cylinder; this hour figure approaches the position which will make this cylinder the active cylinder for displaying the hours, the static index is carried by a ball bearing, fixed on the structure, and which guides the hour body at the level of its hour pinion; the figure 8 shows a configuration where the hour digit 2 of the figure 6 is not visible, since it is hidden in the rear part of the cylinder; on the other hand, this detail clearly shows the valve at the end of its maximum stroke in relation to its piston, and allowing the optical indicator to be seen, in the groove temporarily provided in the space between the piston body and the valve; the valve which is in the stretched position, and this cylinder is therefore the one which displays the current five-minute period; figure 9 shows the hour digit 12 of the figure 6, surmounted by its dynamic index, which is in agreement with the static index, and thus indicates the current time: in this figure, the twelve-hour cylinder is the active hour cylinder: the number twelve faces the user, and the dynamic index carried by the hour body is aligned with the static index carried by a fixed part, in this case a ball bearing guiding the rotation of the hour body; the figure 10 illustrates a variant where the structure of the cylinder carries radially spaced graduations, for the display of each minute within a 5-minute interval, in correspondence with the most eccentric end of the piston; the figure 11 is a side view of a timepiece, here a wristwatch, including the mechanism of the figure 1 , and which shows the alternation on two parallel levels of two stars of six cylinders each; the figure 12represents, in a schematic, partial and partially exploded perspective way, a part of the figure 6 , on which we can see in the center the radial drive mechanism of the pistons, comprising a crankshaft to which the connecting rods (not shown) are articulated, on two superimposed stages, and on the periphery the gears for driving the rotation of the hour numerals in the cylinders; the figure 13 is an enlarged detail of the figure 12 , showing only the rotating drive gears of the hour numerals; the figure 14 is another detail of the figure 6, we see the fixed and articulated connecting rods coming from the crankshaft plates; we also distinguish six feelers, each intended to cooperate with two consecutive cylinders, for the control of elongation or retraction of the valve relative to the piston: each feeler comprises, projecting in the upper part of a candle parallel to the main axis of the movement, two upper arms, each intended to cooperate with a valve of a cylinder for its operation; the rotation control of these feelers is done by a cam in the lower part, not visible in this figure, which cooperates with two lower arms forming a V, which are integral with this candle; this cam controls the movement of the feelers which penetrate into the cylinders, and of which, at a given moment, only one controls the elongation of the valve relative to the piston for the location of its cylinder as an active cylinder for the display of the minutes; the figure 15 represents, in a similar way to the figure 14, the lower part of the mechanism, where the cam controlling the rotation of the feelers is visible, here secured to a movable minute ring; in another variant not illustrated, this cam can have limited angular mobility relative to the movable minute ring, in particular by cooperation of a pin with an oblong slot in a circular sector; the figure 16 , similar to the figure 15 , shows the drive by the movement of a toothed ring synchronizing the drive gears in rotation of the hour numerals; the figure 17 is a top view of the connecting rod for controlling the radial movement of the pistons; the figure 18 is a section of this connecting rod assembly, passing through the crankshaft axis and one of the fixed connecting rods; the figure 19 is a perspective view, cut by a plane passing through the central axis, and partial, of the crankshaft and its plates; the figure 20is a schematic perspective view of a cylinder and the elements controlling the rotation of the hour numeral by gear train, the radial translation of the piston by movement of a connecting rod, and the radial translation of the valve by rotation of the feeler; the piston is guided by two guide rods fixed to the structure of the watch case; the figure 21 is a view similar to the figure 20, which shows, above and coaxially with the piston, the hour numeral, itself surmounted by a tubular hour body, transparent at least when viewed from the front of the watch; we see, behind the connecting rod controlling the movement of the piston, a feeler with an axis parallel to that of the crankshaft, one upper arm of which penetrates into the cylinder for the valve control, the other upper arm being intended to cooperate with a neighboring cylinder not shown; we also see in the lower part two lower arms arranged in a V, the point on the axis of the feeler candle, this V being arranged to follow the large, substantially annular cam visible on the figures 15 And 16 ; there figure 22 is a section, through a plane passing through the crankshaft axis, of the part of the mechanism illustrated by the figure 20; we see a square jumper, pivoted on the top of its right angle, which cooperates with one of the notches of a hooking piece attached to the valve, to hold it in one of its two positions; here the valve is in the retracted position, and the cylinder concerned does not display the current minutes; the figure 23 is a view perpendicular to the crankshaft axis of the part of the mechanism illustrated by the figure 20 ; the probe is this time represented in top view, and shows its two upper arms, and its two lower arms which form a 120° V; the figure 24 is a view similar to the figure 6 , where the supporting structure is represented, with a single cylinder represented assembled in position; this structure can be the plate of the movement, or an additional board, or even the watch case; the figure 25is a schematic view, in cut perspective, of a cylinder and the elements controlling the radial translation of the valve, from the control sensor to the holding jumper; the figure 26 illustrates a variant where the pivoting feeler is replaced by a feeler having a substantially radial stroke relative to the cam, on which it is pressed by a jumper resting on the structure of the watch; the figure 27 is a functional block diagram of a first variant of a timepiece comprising a display mechanism according to the invention; the figure 28 is a functional block diagram of a second variant of a timepiece comprising a display mechanism according to the invention; the figure 29 represents, schematically and in perspective, a watch comprising a display mechanism according to the invention. Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

[0010] The invention relates to a timepiece, in which the display of quantities is distributed across several entities, each activated at a particular moment.

[0011] In particular, the display of time quantities is broken down into slices, in particular into equal slices. In particular, for the display of the time, among 12 or 24 entities, a single entity displays the current time at a given instant. Rather than juxtaposing different entities for different displays, the invention seeks to use the same entity for the display of two different timepiece quantities, for example the hours and the minutes. The choice of 12 entities for the display of the hours leads to using these same entities for the display of the minutes in 5-minute slices. Any rational combination of multiple integers allows logical displays to be made. Conversely, a display of the time on 24 entities would logically lead to displaying the minutes on each of them in 2.5-minute slices, which is impractical, but may be sufficient for street furniture clocks, or similar.

[0012] The invention thus relates to a timepiece display mechanism 100, for a timepiece 1000, in particular a watch, comprising at least one three-dimensional display support 10, which is arranged for the simultaneous display of at least a first quantity on a first three-dimensional display 901 under the action of a first control mechanism, and of a second quantity on a second three-dimensional display 902 under the action of a second control mechanism. Preferably, the first display 901 surrounds the second display 902, or vice versa. In a variant not illustrated, the first display 901 surrounds the second display 902 are juxtaposed within the same display support 10.

[0013] According to the invention, the first control mechanism and the second control mechanism can be operated independently of each other, and constitute separate mechanisms, one for translation control and the other for rotation control, or vice versa.

[0014] More particularly, the display mechanism 100 comprises a plurality of such elementary display supports 10. And, at a given instant, a single first display 901 displays the instantaneous value of the first quantity, and a single second display 902 displays the instantaneous value of the second quantity.

[0015] The display mechanism 100 also comprises first optical means for signaling to the user which first display 901 displays the instantaneous value of the first quantity, and comprises second optical means for signaling to the user which second display 902 displays the instantaneous value of the second quantity.

[0016] In a first display variant, at the level of each elementary display support 10, the first display 901 or the second display 902 comprises, for the determination of its instantaneous validity, an optical indicator 14 which is visible to the user only when the display 901 or 902 which carries it displays the instantaneous value of the quantity displayed by this display 901 or 902. This display comprises a flap 16, which is movable between an activated position where the flap 16 reveals the optical indicator 14 and a deactivated position where the flap 16 hides the optical indicator 14 from the user. The display mechanism 100 comprises an actuator 2, which is arranged to control the movement towards the activated position of the flap 16 at the level of a single elementary display support 10 at a time, and to control, at the same time, the placing in the deactivated position or the maintenance in the deactivated position of the flaps 16 of all the other elementary display supports 10.This flap 16 here has the function of showing the user which display is valid at a given time, the illustrated variant indicates in particular which five-minute slot is in progress at the time in question. But, naturally, such a flap can constitute in itself a third or a fourth display, for an additional display such as day / night, AM / PM, time zone, or other.

[0017] In a second display variant, at the level of each elementary display support 10, the first display 901 or the second display 902 comprises, for the determination of its instantaneous validity, a dynamic index 307, which is movable relative to a static index 308 carried by a fixed part of the display mechanism 100. This dynamic index 307 and this static index 308 are arranged to come into alignment or superposition, when the display 901 or 902 which carries it displays the instantaneous value of the quantity displayed by this display 901 or 902.

[0018] More particularly, the display mechanism 100 comprises a plurality of separate elementary display supports 10 on which the display of at least a first quantity and / or a second quantity is broken down, by fractionation over separate ranges. More particularly, these separate elementary display supports 10 comprise identical mechanical components, only the elements specific to the display may differ from one to the other, they are referred to here as “similar” elementary display supports 10.

[0019] More particularly, all the elementary display supports 10 comprise display indicators of the same nature, which are either first displays 901 for displaying a first quantity, or second displays 902 for displaying a second quantity, or both first displays 901 and second displays 902. All the display indicators are arranged so as to be visible to the user of the timepiece 1000, and the display mechanism 100 comprises a control mechanism 300, which is arranged to drive wheels or drive linkages of the various display mobiles that the display mechanism 100 comprises.This control mechanism 300 comprises a first driver 111, arranged to be driven by a clockwork movement 200 and to drive all the first displays 901 alone when it comprises them, and / or comprises a second driver 112, arranged to be driven by a clockwork movement 200 and to drive all the second displays 902 alone when it comprises them.

[0020] More particularly, the display mechanism 100 comprises, in each elementary display support 10, at least a first display 901 and a second display 902, which are coaxial with each other.

[0021] More particularly, the actuator 2 comprises a cam which is arranged to control, directly or indirectly through at least one two-arm rocker, the travel of at least one feeler 19 to push a valve 16 along a linear travel, this feeler 19 being returned to bear towards the cam 2 by elastic return means 190 or 497.

[0022] More particularly, the display 901 or 902, which comprises an optical indicator 14 and a valve 16, comprises a movable support or a piston 8, relative to which the valve 16 is movable between the activated position where the valve 16 allows the optical indicator 14 to be seen and the deactivated position where the valve 16 hides the optical indicator 14 from the user. This optical indicator 14 is notably, but not limited to, carried by the movable support or piston 8 or by the valve 16.

[0023] More particularly, the valve 16 is linearly movable between an activated position and a deactivated position relative to the movable support or piston 8, which is itself linearly movable in the same direction between two end-of-travel positions.

[0024] More particularly, each first display 901 is animated by a periodic movement, and each second display 902 is animated by a periodic movement, and the pitch of one of the two is an integer multiple of the pitch of the other, or vice versa.

[0025] More particularly, the display mechanism 100 comprises a single elementary display support 10, and the first display 901 and the second display 902 are arranged for the display of hours and minutes, or for the display of minutes and seconds. For example, this mechanism can take the form of a single-cylinder engine comprising a rotating sleeve and a reciprocating piston, each constituting one of the displays.

[0026] More particularly, the display mechanism 100 comprises a plurality of similar elementary display supports 10, each first display 901 being arranged for the display of a limited amplitude range and which is an integer sub-multiple of the total display range of the first quantity, and each second display 902 being arranged for the display of a limited amplitude range and which is an integer sub-multiple of the total display range of the second quantity.

[0027] The invention also relates to a timepiece 1000, in particular a watch, comprising a timepiece movement 200 arranged to drive at least one such display mechanism 100. More particularly, this display mechanism 100 comprises a control mechanism 300 which comprises at least one first driver 111, arranged to be driven by a wheel set of the timepiece movement 200, in particular a minute wheel set, and / or a second driver 112 arranged to be driven by a wheel set of the timepiece movement 200, in particular an hour wheel set, to directly or indirectly drive each first display 901 and each second display 902.

[0028] The invention is illustrated here, in the figures, by a non-limiting variant, in the form of a timepiece 1000, which is here a wristwatch, in the shape of a double star aircraft engine, and which comprises such a display mechanism 100, and where the display is produced: hours by means of machined hour bodies 30, operated by a gear train; minutes by means of pistons 8 operated by a connecting rod assembly comprising at least one crankshaft 1 and connecting rods 4 and 5.

[0029] This timepiece display mechanism 100 comprises a plurality of separate elementary display supports 10 each extending in a direction parallel to or coinciding with a radial elementary axis DA, and all distributed around a central axis D. The elementary axis DA is in particular a radial axis, perpendicular to the central axis D, or is a direction parallel to such a radial axis. The timepiece 1000 adopts the shape of a star-shaped or double-star-shaped aircraft engine, each radial cylinder here enclosing, in a non-limiting manner, an elementary display support 10.

[0030] This display mechanism 100 is arranged to display the value of at least one quantity on the plurality of elementary display supports 10.

[0031] More particularly, each elementary display support 10 is a substantially cylindrical body, extending radially relative to the central axis D around a structure 900, and which projects radially from the structure 900.

[0032] This elementary display support 10 contains at least one indicator for displaying the value of a quantity, which display indicator is either a first display 901 movable in translation along its elementary axis DA, or a second display 902 movable in rotation around its elementary axis DA.

[0033] More particularly, one of the first display 901 and second display 902 is movable in translation in a direction parallel to or coincident with such a radial elementary axis DA and the other of these first display 901 and second display 902 is movable in rotation relative to a direction parallel to or coincident with such a radial elementary axis DA.

[0034] According to an advantageous variant of the invention, all the elementary display supports 10 are similar, and comprise display indicators of the same nature, which are either first displays 901 for displaying a first quantity, or second displays 902 for displaying a second quantity, or both first displays 901 and second displays 902. More particularly, the display indicators 901, 902 are substantially of revolution, in particular of cylindrical shape.

[0035] And the display mechanism 100 comprises a control mechanism 300, which is arranged to drive, around the central axis D, wheels or drive linkages of the various display mobiles that the display mechanism 100 comprises.

[0036] More particularly, the display mechanism 100 comprises a first display 901 in each elementary display support 10, and each first display 901 comprises a first optical indicator 14, which is hidden or not by a flap 16 which is linearly movable in the direction of the elementary axis DA, between an activated position and a deactivated position, for the validation or respectively the invalidation of a value of the first quantity.

[0037] And the control mechanism 300 comprises a first actuator which is arranged to control, at the level of a single elementary display support 10 at a time, the placing in the activated position or the keeping in the activated position of the flap 16, and to control, at the same time, the placing in the deactivated position or respectively the keeping in the deactivated position of the flaps 16 of all the other elementary display supports 10.

[0038] More particularly, this first actuator comprises a cam 2 which controls, directly, or indirectly through at least one two-arm rocker, the travel of at least one feeler 19 to push along a linear travel such a valve 16, which is arranged to hide or show a first optical indicator 14. Advantageously, this cam 2 is very simple, is flat, and comprises, with respect to an annular structure, a protuberance 201 concentric with this annular structure, and projecting radially outwards, connected by two radiated ramps 206.

[0039] In the variant illustrated by the figure 26, the feeler 19 comprises a rectilinear foot 490, which comprises a guide oblong 496 around a screw bearing directly on the cam tracks which extend on the edge of the cam 2: upper 208, lower 209, and ramps 206, and the part 495 forming a U, the furthest from the center of the cam 2, directly controls the valve 16.

[0040] In another variant illustrated by all the other figures, the feeler 19, which comprises, at the upper end of a candle, a first upper arm 191 for controlling the valve 16 of a first cylinder, and a second upper arm 192 for controlling the valve 16 of a second cylinder, is controlled in rotation by a pivoting rocker in the lower part of this candle, and which comprises two lower arms, which together form a V which is supported on the periphery of the cam 2 and follows this periphery, this rocker pivots in a first direction when rising on the protuberance, then in the other direction when lowering. In the example illustrated, cam 2 controls the minutes, and makes one revolution per hour.

[0041] More particularly, the feeler 19 comprises at least one elastic arm 190, or 497, depending on the variant, which is arranged to bear on the structure 900, or 498, and which tends to push the feeler 19 towards the cam 2.

[0042] The valve 16 is movable in translation parallel to a direction parallel to or coincident with a radial elementary axis DA, or is movable in rotation relative to a direction parallel to or coincident with a radial elementary axis DA.

[0043] More particularly, each valve 16 is linearly movable between an activated position and a deactivated position relative to a movable support 8, which the first display 901 comprises, and which is itself linearly movable in the same direction of the elementary axis DA, between two end-of-travel positions. More particularly, each movable support 8 is a piston, linearly movable between its two end-of-travel positions with a periodic movement.

[0044] More particularly, the first display 901 comprises a jumper 17, in particular in the form of a bracket, which is arranged to hold the valve 16, in the engaged position, against a hooking part 18 which is fixed to the mobile support 8, or piston, in particular at the level of a notch, and to allow its release when the feeler 19 moves back and the direction of the mobile support 8 is reversed.

[0045] More particularly, the display mechanism 100 comprises a first display 901 in each elementary display support 10, and the first driver 111 comprises a crankshaft 1, which is arranged to be driven by a clockwork movement 200. At least one crankpin 41 of this crankshaft 1 drives at least one plate 40, which carries connecting rods, fixed 4, or articulated 5, each arranged to move a first display 901 in an alternating linear back-and-forth movement.

[0046] In a variant not illustrated, the display mechanism 100 comprises a second display 902 in each elementary display support 10, and each second display 902 comprises a second optical indicator which is linearly movable in the direction of the elementary axis DA, between an activated position and a deactivated position, for determining a value of the second quantity, and the control mechanism 300 comprises a second actuator which is arranged, to control, at the level of a single elementary display support 10 at a time, the placing in the activated position or the maintaining in the activated position of the second optical indicator, and to control, at the same time, the placing in the deactivated position or respectively the maintaining in the deactivated position of the second optical indicators of all the other elementary display supports 10.

[0047] More particularly, the display mechanism 100 comprises a second display 902 in each elementary display support 10.

[0048] In the illustrated variant, the second display 902 comprises a tubular body 30, which carries at least one identification marking and which comprises at least one cutout and / or a transparent surface to leave visible to the user any constituent that the display mechanism 100 comprises and which is housed in the tubular body 30.

[0049] In the illustrated variant, the control mechanism 300 comprises a gear train with return mechanisms for driving all the second displays 902 in a synchronized manner.

[0050] More particularly, each elementary display support 10 comprises a chamber, which is sealed to the external environment of the timepiece 1000 carrying the display mechanism 100, and in which each display indicator 901, 902 is movable.

[0051] In a particular embodiment as illustrated by the figures, the structure 900 is an additional board arranged to be placed above a clockwork movement 200.

[0052] In another embodiment, the structure 900 is the case or the case of the timepiece 1000 containing a timepiece movement 200.

[0053] More particularly, the display mechanism 100, or the clockwork movement 200, comprises, at the interface between the display mechanism 100 and the clockwork movement 200, an adjustable friction wheel, engaged on the movement 200 to allow the adjustment, in particular the setting of the time, of the display mechanism 100 by the winding and setting stem of the movement 200.

[0054] If the invention is described here for the particular case of a timepiece 1000 which produces circular type displays, centered on the central axis D of a timepiece movement 200, it is nevertheless feasible for other types of display, for example linear.

[0055] Similarly, if the invention is described for a continuous type mechanism, making one revolution of the dial, it also remains adaptable to retrograde type displays.

[0056] In the variant illustrated by the figures, the timepiece 1000 adopts the general shape of a radial aircraft engine, or more precisely a double star, with two stages of cylinders 10, which are radial relative to a central axis D, and axially offset to cooperate with two stages of the crankshaft 1, like the famous “Pratt & Whitney ®< R-2800” aircraft engine with 18 double star cylinders. These cylinders 10 are fixed to a structure 900, and surround it. This structure 900 can be the case middle or the case of the timepiece, or an element added to this case middle or this case such as an additional board, and the cylinders 10 can project radially from this structure, as illustrated.

[0057] Naturally, this 1000 timepiece can also adopt a simple star shape, with all the cylinders in the same plane. The particular and non-limiting choice of a display on several levels of stars is mainly intended to simplify the distribution linkage of the movement in the cylinders, while limiting the diameter of the timepiece to a reasonable size.

[0058] Each cylinder 10 comprises a transparent part, consisting of an envelope 20, and through which the user can see at least one display wheel. Depending on the configuration chosen, these wheels can be solid, openwork, or transparent and bearing a marking. The number of cylinders chosen depends on the chosen application: for example, and not limited to, three, six, twelve or twenty-four for the display of the hour, six, ten, twelve or fifteen for the display of the minutes or seconds, seven for the display of the day of the week, three, four, six or twelve for the display of the month, four, six, eight or twelve for the display of the date, four for the display of the simple or leap year, the only limits are those of the complexity and volume of the mechanism associated with the chosen complication.

[0059] More particularly, in this embodiment illustrated by the figures, the hours are displayed by means of indexes comprising twelve rotating hour bodies 30, each housed in a cylinder 10 (at a rate of six per stage in this particular embodiment), at a rate of one rotation in 12 hours for each of the indexes. And another display of the minutes is carried out, in five-minute increments, by twelve pistons 8, which circulate linearly in the twelve hour bodies 30, with the indication of the 5-minute increment which is in progress, by means of an optical indicator 14, made visible by a valve 16 open at the level of the piston 8 concerned, and easily visible to the user.

[0060] The hours are thus displayed on substantially cylindrical hour bodies 30, housed in the cylinders 10. These hour bodies 30 may comprise cut-out cylindrical metal cages, or similar, or tubes made of transparent material, in particular sapphire or similar, bearing a marking, by metallization or laser engraving or other, with the corresponding hour numeral(s) 301; the movement 200 of the timepiece 1000 drives each hour body 30, cage or tube so as to make two revolutions in 24 hours.

[0061] Each cylinder 10 comprises a sealed casing 20 for receiving this hour body 30 which surrounds a piston 8, this casing 20 is transparent on at least one side visible to the user of the watch to read the time, and is for example made of sapphire or similar. This cylinder 10 can be either attached to the structure 900 or the case of the watch, or be part of this structure 900 or this case or the case of the watch. The cylinder 10 whose numerical inscription readable on its hour body 30 directly faces the user is the active cylinder which provides the display of the current time.

[0062] Advantageously, this cylinder 10 which is active for displaying the time is visually materialized by the very visible matching of a dynamic index 307 carried by the hour body 30, and a static index 308 carried by the cylinder 10, the supporting structure 900, the caseband, or the case.

[0063] This concordance may be a visual concordance, it may also be mechanical, electrical, or magnetic, so as to reveal an active hour cylinder indicator. For example, in a mechanical variant, the hour body 30 may comprise, on the side of the structure 900, a lug, or a notch, or a cam, to cooperate with a lever housed in the structure 900 to the right of the cylinder, and the pivoting of which reveals a flag in an aperture, as known from patent EP2595006 in the name of BLANCPAIN SA, or similar. In a magnetic variant, the cooperation of magnets of the same polarity or of opposite polarity, carried by the hour body 30 and the structure 900, also allows the control of such a flag. In an electromechanical timepiece, an electrical contact in alignment with the indexes of the hour body 30 and the structure 900 allows the control of a lighting function, or other.

[0064] Similarly, among the different cylinders 10, only one cylinder 10 is active at a given time for displaying the minutes. The display of the cylinder 10 which is active for displaying a 5-minute period is carried out by highlighting an optical indicator 14, in particular by highlighting the opening of the valve 16, for example located at the distal end of the piston 8, opposite the connecting rod, visible by a very visible colored mark, for example a colored surface 140, red or similar; it is understood that this valve 16 is, at a given time, open at the level of a single cylinder 10, and closed on all the others; at the end of a 5-minute period, the valve 16 closes on the piston 8 of the cylinder 10 which has just carried out the display of the minutes, and opens on the piston 8 of the following cylinder 10, preferably in a clockwise direction;

[0065] In a particular variant, the current minute is displayed in each 5-minute period by means of graduations 306 carried on the cylinders 10, or on the casings 20, or on the hour bodies 30; these graduations 306 can be equidistant, or as here non-linear, because they depend on the connecting rod kinematics used; a mark on the piston 8, or the distal end of the piston 8, or the colored mark 140 of the valve 16, is easily readable facing this graduated scale.

[0066] The illustrated design represents a good compromise between readability, aesthetics, and the space available for housing the various mechanisms. In this particular, non-limiting case, it includes: a conical toothed gear train, actuated by the movement 200 of the watch 1000, and arranged to drive the hour bodies 30 in rotation; at least one central crankshaft 1, arranged to actuate the pistons 8 in a back-and-forth translational movement in their respective hour bodies 30; a piston valve trigger mechanism 16, revealing a colored mark 140 on the piston 8 concerned by the current minute section, thus improving the readability of the time.

[0067] The hour display specifically features a 30 hour body which is a metal component with cut-out hour numerals 301, which improves visibility and readability.

[0068] The connecting rod assembly is necessarily complex, due to the number of twelve moving parts to be controlled in this particular case. If a crankshaft plate with twelve connecting rods is imaginable, the size and fragility of the mechanism make it preferable to use solutions with several crankshaft plates 40, each driving a sub-multiple of 12: the illustrated version has two superimposed crankshaft plates 40, each capable of controlling six pistons, with their trigger mechanism allowing the differentiation of piston 8 which displays the current minute.

[0069] It is necessary to have a sufficiently sized energy source, for a large watch, for example with a casing diameter of approximately 43 mm, and an overall diameter of approximately 53 mm at the cylinder heads, with cylinders amply sized to be clearly visible, with a height of 10 to 12 mm and a diameter of 8 to 12 mm, to guarantee a sufficient power reserve, greater than 50 hours. Indeed, the torque at the crankshaft is of the order of 3 N.mm. It is therefore chosen to install several barrels, for example each with a capacity of 8 or 9 N.mm: a configuration with four such barrels in parallel makes it possible to provide a high torque, with such a power reserve. Other variants are possible, including but not limited to two pairs of barrels in series, placed in parallel to increase the power reserve, or three barrels to save space.

[0070] The 200 movement transfers energy, via gears, to a movement output wheel which drives the crankshaft 1, a minute trigger cam 2, and the hour pinions 3.

[0071] The crankshaft 1 is a key part, both for its distribution function and for its visual impact. Due to its many functions, it is necessary to have an extremely precise component, which is why it is advantageous to have a single-piece component, notably guided between a stone on the one hand and a screwed bearing on the other. This arrangement limits the risks of positioning defects linked to the overhang, and those linked to the accumulation of tolerances in an assembly, and also makes the component more reliable to maintain its high precision in the long term.

[0072] In the illustrated version comprising two crankshaft plates 40, these two plates 40 each pivot around a crankpin 41 of the crankshaft 1, and each carries six connecting rods, one of which can be integral with the plate to form with it a large fixed connecting rod 4, the other small articulated connecting rods 5 pivot on plate pins 7 driven onto the plate 40. The rotation of the large connecting rod must be as smooth as possible. A damping hub 6 is advantageously placed between the crankpin 41 of the crankshaft and the associated plate 40. A galvanic treatment of the Nickel PTFE type makes it possible to obtain a pivot point with good anti-seize and self-lubricating characteristics; the static friction coefficient can thus be lowered to 0.15, and the dynamic friction coefficient can be lowered to 0.10. This same galvanic treatment is also advantageously applied to the connecting rod-pin connections.

[0073] Each connecting rod 4, 5, penetrates inside a piston 8, which comprises, in a radial bore, a fixing pin 9 around which its connecting rod pivots. The piston 8 must work freely according to a degree of freedom perpendicular to the connecting rod in question; for this purpose the piston 8 comprises, for the passage of this connecting rod, an opening which is wide enough to allow the maximum working angles of the connecting rod. The fixing pin 9 is difficult to access for maintenance, and the piston 8 circulates in an area very visible to the user, and therefore it is preferable to avoid any liquid lubrication causing at least visual pollution: the connection between the fixing pin 9 and its respective connecting rod is preferably also treated with a galvanic treatment of the Nickel PTFE type or similar.

[0074] Piston 8 must have the best possible guidance, both precise and very smooth to prevent any risk of seizure and blocking of the mechanism.

[0075] Among the possible solutions, the figures illustrate a guide of the piston 8 by two rods 12, here non-limitingly placed inside a cylindrical tube 20 made of sapphire. The piston 8 has two lateral notches 81 for receiving intermediate guides 13, or buffer pieces, which ensure the sliding guide of the rods 12. Here too, a galvanic treatment of the Nickel PTFE type or similar is advantageous for reducing the coefficient of friction and obtaining a self-lubricated contact. The intermediate guides 13 are preferably substantially diametrically opposed, which ensures optimal distance and good guidance of the piston 8 on these rods 12.

[0076] Another type of guidance consists of externally guiding the piston 8 on the inner wall of a transparent tube 20, made of glass or sapphire, or similar, with in particular the interposition of buffer rings housed in circular grooves of the piston 8, and which buffer rings ensure guidance in this transparent tube.

[0077] To determine the 5-minute period in force, the mechanism according to the invention controls the triggering of the corresponding piston 8, by closing the valve 16 of the piston 8 of the 5-minute period which has just ended, and by opening the valve 16 of the piston 8 corresponding to the new 5-minute period which is beginning. The opening of the valve 16, which is preferably located at the distal end of the piston 8, opposite the connecting rod, reveals a very visible colored mark 140, for example a red surface, or a surface treated with a reflective material, or any other surface providing a good visual contrast with the exterior of the piston 8. This visual mark 14 can naturally be used as an index, when the cylinder 30, or a transparent tube 20 which it comprises, comprises graduations 306, to determine the current minute within the 5-minute period.

[0078] Advantageously, the piston 8 comprises a piston body 15, and a valve 16, which makes the visual marker 14 visible once triggered, and which otherwise hides it, and which has a limited axial travel relative to the piston body 15. The valve 16 is pushed radially towards the outside of the watch, when triggered, by a valve control mechanism which will be presented later. When the valve 16 is triggered, it is held in position by an elastic mechanism, comprising a jumper 17 which holds this valve 16 against a hooking part 18 fixed to the piston body 15.

[0079] The valve control mechanism more particularly comprises a minute wheel 201, in particular a minute ring or disc, which carries the cam 2, and is driven by the movement 200 of the watch 1000 and makes one revolution per hour. This cam 2 comprises a radial projection 202 with an upper track 208 of diameter greater than that of a lower track 209 which comprises the rest of the cam 2, and to which it is joined by ramps 206. The cam 2 is arranged to radially push a feeler 19, specific to each piston 8, and which is guided in a fixed part of the structure 900, of the caseband, or of the watch case, and which penetrates into the piston 8, and is arranged to push the valve 16 during activation. This feeler 19 advantageously comprises a spring arm 190, which rests on this same fixed part, to ensure its maintenance on the cam 2.At the end of the 5 minutes, the feeler 19 leaves the upper track 208 of the projection 202 of the cam 2 and falls back onto the lower track 209, and the spring arm 190 pushes it back towards the center of the movement, thus releasing the valve 16.

[0080] The pistons 8 are engaged at the end of each 5-minute period, when the piston 8 reaches the bottom of its respective cylinder radially, in its position furthest from the center of the movement. The piston 8 is then maneuvered by its respective connecting rod 4 or 5, against the jumper 17, also towards the center of the movement, and this maneuver by the connecting rod re-engages the valve 16 of this piston 8 in the closed position.

[0081] The movement 200 drives a series of hour pinions 3, with one pinion 3 to drive each hour body 30. For example, the movement 200 drives a central brass wheel 309, comprising an annular bearing whose straight internal teeth mesh with straight intermediate pinions 302 made of steel; these pinions 302 each mesh with a straight-toothed brass plate 303 which carries a bevelled intermediate wheel 304 made of steel; the latter meshes with a straight-toothed 45° steel intermediate wheel 305, which engages a bevelled hour pinion 3 also made of steel. The hour body 30 is advantageously made of a light alloy, for example an aluminum or titanium alloy. The piston 8 and the valve 16 are preferably made of steel with a DLC or similar coating on their contact surfaces.

[0082] The figures illustrate the preferred variant where the hour bodies 30 are rigid structures, notably but not limited to metal. A machined tube representing the numeral(s) 301 of the hour displayed in a given cylinder 10 provides good readability, and is also easy to attach to the hour pinion 3, by traditional watchmaking means: screwing, riveting, driving, or other. As stated above, this or these numerals 301 are further advantageously supplemented by a visual dynamic index 307 intended to align with a static index 308 so as to remove any doubt for the user. Each hour pinion 3 is preferably a bevel pinion, which cooperates with a bevel wheel 34, with an axis parallel to the central axis D of the movement 200, directly or as here through a 45° inclined intermediate wheel 305 visible in the figures.The guidance of a block consisting of the hour body 30 and its hour pinion 3 is advantageously carried out by a ball bearing block 22, fixed to the structure 900, or to the case middle or to the case, and which guarantees good positioning precision while ensuring low energy consumption by friction. This ball bearing block 22 is advantageously combined in sealed support with the at least partially transparent envelope 20 which is used to surround both the hour body 30 and the piston 8 which it contains.

[0083] Another variant already mentioned concerns a transparent hour 30 body bearing the hour marking(s), and is rather to be reserved for static timepieces such as clocks where the tubular diameters can be large enough not to impair readability; in fact, the existence of multiple reflections in two coaxial transparent tubular structures of small radius in a watch is likely to disturb the reading of the other minute display at the piston.

[0084] It is understood that a one-off energy consumption occurs during each 5-minute change of time slot. It is necessary to manage the excess energy during the rest of the time.

[0085] In a first variant, illustrated by the figure 27, for optimal energy management, the timepiece 1000, which comprises a timepiece movement 200, advantageously comprises a plurality of barrels 50 in parallel and / or in series, the resulting single output 51 of which powers a multiplier gear train 52, which powers at least one crankshaft 1, which powers an equality winder 53, which powers the escapement 54 which cooperates in a conventional manner with the oscillator 55. The parallel arrangement of the barrels 50 makes it possible to release a significant torque for the crankshaft 1. The equality winder 53 makes it possible to release a known, controlled and optimal force for the regulator 55.

[0086] In a second variant, illustrated by the figure 28, and for the same purpose, the timepiece 1000 comprises two energy circuits, one for powering the crankshaft 1, and the other for powering the oscillator 55. At least two first barrels 501, or groups of barrels, are in parallel, powering the crankshaft 1 of the display mechanism 100 via a first multiplier gear train 56, which is itself regulated by a first escapement mechanism 57 under the control of a geometric trigger mechanism 58. At least one second barrel 502, or group of barrels, independent, powers the oscillator 55 through a second multiplier gear train 59 and a second escapement mechanism 54. The geometric trigger mechanism 58 of the first multiplier gear train 56 is kinematically linked and regulated by the second multiplier gear train 59 regulated by oscillator 55.The advantage of this solution, which is a little more complex than the first variant, is that it ensures that the accuracy of the watch's running is not affected by any disturbance in operation linked to the operation of crankshaft 1.

[0087] If the invention is described here in a twelve-cylinder configuration 10, it is understood that it can be implemented, depending on the nature of the desired displays, with a different number of cylinders: 2, 3, 4, 6, or other. A coaxial display with a first display and a second display in a single cylinder is also possible.

[0088] Extrapolations may also include one or more cylinders 10 dedicated to different displays, for example, in addition to the hours / minutes display described here, a day / night or AM / PM display in an additional cylinder. Or a day / night or AM / PM display in an envelope 20 coaxial with the minute piston and the hour body: for example, a cylinder 10 may include, from its axis to its periphery: the minute piston 8, the hour body 30, a transparent envelope with marking for day / night, another transparent envelope with marking for AM / PM.

[0089] Or even 24-hour displays, dedicating specific colors or decorations to the morning displays and others to the evening displays; it is then imaginable to keep twelve 10 cylinders, with differentiated displays according to the time.

[0090] Naturally, the first displays 901 and second displays 902 can be reversed, the first then surrounding the second.

[0091] A variant with a double transparent tubular envelope and a polarizer also allows for a special display.

[0092] We can also imagine the lighting of the active cylinder, or active cylinders, that of the hours and that of the minutes in the case of the present example.

[0093] Thus, in summary, the invention relates to a watch, comprising a case containing a movement and a display mechanism, arranged between the bottom of the case and the crystal. This display mechanism comprises several separate elementary displays.

[0094] The case classically comprises a case middle, a bezel carrying an upper glass, and a back which may or may not carry a lower glass.

[0095] The mobile elementary displays are each housed in an elementary chamber which communicates with the main chamber which contains the movement, the sealing of the case ensuring that of all the chambers. These elementary displays are each housed in a protuberance forming an outgrowth of the case, each protuberance comprising an elementary chamber.

[0096] The display of the same clock quantity is distributed over several of these elementary displays.

[0097] Each elementary chamber resembles an engine cylinder, and the envelope of this elementary chamber, constituted by one of these protuberances, comprises at least one transparent part, which is arranged to allow the user to see the position of the corresponding elementary display. A transparent part of each elementary chamber envelope is on the side of the crystal of the timepiece.

[0098] Each elementary display resembles a cage, or a moving engine piston in a cylinder, or a shuttle in a loom throat, and circulates in its own elementary chamber.

[0099] Each elementary display circulates in its elementary chamber without contact with the internal surface of the protuberance.

[0100] In fact, the elementary display has its own guide support, a rolling bearing on which a rotating elementary display pivots, or a guide rod on which a translational elementary display slides. Thus, it is not necessary for the internal surface of the envelope of the elementary chamber, nor the external surface of the elementary display, to be cylindrical. However, a cylindrical type execution, with a large radial clearance to avoid any friction which could penalize the yield, is both economical and aesthetic.

[0101] The supporting structure of this guide support is integral with the movement plate.

[0102] Each elementary display is animated by a linear movement, or rotation, inside its elementary chamber.

[0103] The elementary displays are arranged in a star shape, and more specifically in a complete and regular 360° star shape. More specifically, they are arranged around or above the movement.

[0104] The timepiece resembles a radial or double-star aircraft engine (two levels of superimposed stars), and each branch of the star has one or more elementary displays. The elementary chambers are arranged radially relative to a central axis, around which a control mechanism of the timepiece drives wheels or linkages for driving the various display wheels, by a cam mechanism, and / or crankshafts and connecting rods for linear movements, and / or by a gear train for rotary movements.

[0105] The elementary rooms are arranged in a V shape relative to each other.

[0106] Each elementary display is arranged to give an indication of only a part of the total range of the horological quantity being displayed. They are functionally in series, each in turn displaying the instantaneous information.

[0107] At a given moment, the travel of each elementary display in its elementary chamber is different from the travel of the other elementary displays in their respective elementary chambers.

[0108] The elementary displays have synchronous movements in their respective elementary chambers.

[0109] At a given moment, a single elementary display displays the instantaneous value of the quantity, and for this purpose the timepiece comprises a trigger mechanism which operates a display indicator, specific to each elementary display, between an active position or an inactive position, this display indicator being visible to the user and allowing him to simply and quickly identify the elementary display which displays the instantaneous value of the quantity.

[0110] A single elementary room can contain several elementary displays, of different types, superimposed on each other, in particular nested one inside the other.

[0111] The watch has twelve openwork or transparent rotating cages for displaying the hours, which are driven from the movement by a gear train.

[0112] The watch has, for the display of minutes, linear motion pistons, which are driven from the movement by a linkage and cams, by a crankshaft or camshaft system. These pistons circulate inside the rotating cages, the user can see the longitudinal position of each piston.

[0113] Thus at a given moment a rotating cage presents to the user the complete reading of the time, a device indicates which of the cylinders is reading the minutes (in five-minute increments), and the longitudinal stroke of the piston in the corresponding chamber determines the reading of the minute within the five-minute increment.

[0114] In one variant, the timepiece comprises, for displaying the minutes, shuttles with linear movement, which are driven from the movement by a linkage and cams. These shuttles circulate inside rotating cages which are partially transparent or openwork, so as to allow the user to see the longitudinal position of each shuttle. And each shuttle covers a display indicator, or is covered by a display indicator, which is controlled by the trigger mechanism to complete a linear stroke relative to its shuttle, to indicate to the user its activity or inactivity.

[0115] The invention makes it possible to produce a highly dynamic, reliable and readable mechanical display of great complication, with a reasonable size which is compatible with a wristwatch.

Claims

1. A watch display mechanism (100), for a timepiece (1000) comprising a case enclosing at least one movement (200), which movement (200) comprises, around a central axis (D) defining the centre of said movement (200), a plurality of drive gear trains, said display mechanism (100) comprising a structure (900), said display mechanism (100) comprising at least one display support (10), each display support (10) enclosing at least a first display (901) and a second display (902), and which being arranged for the simultaneous display of at least a first variable on a said first display (901) under the action of a first control mechanism, and of a second variable on a said second display (902) under the action of a second control mechanism, said first control mechanism and / or said second control mechanism being arranged to be driven by one of said drive gear trains, each said at least one display support (10) being, in its entirety, offset relative to said central axis (D), one of said first display (901) and second display (902) being capable of moving in translation in a direction parallel to or coincident with a basic radial axis (DA) and the other of said first display (901) and second display (902) being capable of moving in rotation relative to a direction parallel to or coincident with said basic radial axis (DA), characterised in that each said display support (10) comprises, in addition to said first display (901) and said second display (902), at least one lid (16) designed to show the activation of said display, and which is capable of moving in translation parallel to a direction parallel to or coinciding with a said basic radial axis (DA) or which is capable of moving in rotation relative to a direction parallel to or coincident with a said basic radial axis (DA).

2. The display mechanism (100) according to claim 1, characterised in that said first control mechanism and said second control mechanism can be manipulated independently of one another.

3. The display mechanism (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that at least one said display support (10) is a substantially cylindrical body extending radially relative to said central axis (D) around said structure (900) and said case, constitutes a protuberance of said case, and projects radially from said structure (900) and from said case toward said basic radial axis (DA), in that each said unit display support (10) comprises a chamber which is impermeable to the outside environment of said timepiece (1000)4. The display mechanism (100) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that one of said first display (901) and second display (902) surrounds the other, or inversely.

5. The display mechanism (100) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that all of said display indicators are arranged so as to be visible to the user of the timepiece (1000), and in that said display mechanism (100) comprises a control mechanism (300), which is arranged to drive, around said central axis (D), gears or connecting rods for driving the different display gear trains comprised in said display mechanism (100), and which comprises a first carrier (111), arranged to be driven by said watch movement (200) and to alone drive all of said first displays (901) and a second carrier (112), arranged to be driven by said watch movement (200) and to alone drive all of said second displays (902).

6. The display mechanism (100) according to claim 5, characterised in that said first display (901) and said second display (902), which are coaxial to one another.

7. The display mechanism (100) according to claim 1, and according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that each said first display (901) and / or second display (902) comprises a first optical indicator (14), which is concealed or not by a said lid (16) capable of moving linearly toward said basic radial axis (DA) between an activated position and a deactivated position, in order to validate or respectively invalidate a value of said first variable, and in that said control mechanism (300) comprises a first actuator which is arranged to control, for a single said unit display support (10) at a time, the activation or maintenance in the activated position of said lid (16), and to control, at the same time, the deactivation or maintenance in the deactivated position of the lids (16) on all of the other said unit display supports (10).

8. The display mechanism (100) according to claim 7, characterised in that said control mechanism (300) comprises a cam (2) controlling, directly or indirectly through at least one two-armed lever, the stroke of at least one feeler (19) in order to push, along a linear stroke, a said lid (16) arranged to conceal or to reveal a said first optical indicator (14), and in that said feeler (19) comprises at least one elastic arm (190; 497) arranged to bear against a structure (900; 498) and tending to push said feeler (19) back towards said cam (2).

9. The display mechanism (100) according to claim 7 or 8, characterised in that each said lid (16) is capable of moving linearly between a said activated position and a said deactivated position relative to a moving support (8) or a piston, comprised in said first display (901), and which is itself capable of moving linearly in the same direction as said basic radial axis (DA), between two stroke end positions, with a periodic motion.

10. The display mechanism (100) according to claim 9, characterised in that said first display (901) comprises a jumper (17) arranged to hold said lid (16), in the engaged position, against a hooking part (18) fixed to said moving support (8), and to allow the release thereof when said feeler (19) recoils and said moving support (8) reverses direction.

11. The display mechanism (100) according to one of claims 5 to 10, characterised in that said first carrier (111) comprises a crankshaft (1), arranged to be driven by a said watch movement (200), and at least one crank pin (41) whereof drives at least one plate (40) bearing fixed (4) or articulated (5) connecting rods, each arranged to move a said first display (901) in an alternating, linear to-and-fro motion.

12. The display mechanism (100) according to one of claims 5 to 11, characterised in that each said second display (902) comprises a second optical indicator which is capable of moving linearly toward said basic radial axis (DA) between an activated position and a deactivated position, in order to validate or respectively invalidate a value of said second variable, and in that said control mechanism (300) comprises a second actuator which is arranged to control, on a single said unit display support (10) at a time, the activation or maintenance in the activated position of said second optical indicator, and to control, at the same time, the deactivation or maintenance in the deactivated position, of the second optical indicators on all of the other said unit display supports (10), and in that said control mechanism (300) comprises a gear train with reduction mechanisms to drive all of said second displays (902) synchronously.

13. The display mechanism (100) according to one of claims 5 to 12, characterised in that said second display (902) comprises a tubular body (30) bearing at least one identification marking and comprising at least one cut-out and / or transparent surface to reveal to the user any component comprised in said display mechanism (100) housed inside said tubular body (30).

14. The display mechanism (100) according to claim 5 and according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterised in that each said display support (10) is fixed, either to a said structure (900) which is an additional plate placed on said movement (200), or to said case or to a middle comprised in said case, and in that said control mechanism (300) comprises at least a said first carrier (111), arranged to be driven by a minute gear train of said movement (200), and / or a said second carrier (112) arranged to be driven by an hour gear train of said movement (200), and characterised in that said display mechanism (100), or said movement (200), comprises, at the interface between said display mechanism (100) and said watch movement (200), an adjustable friction gear train engaged on said movement (200) to enable the time of said display mechanism (100) to be set, by the winding and setting stem of said movement (200).

15. The display mechanism (100) according to claim 5 and according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterised in that said timepiece (1000) comprises a plurality of barrels (50) in parallel and / or in series, a single resulting output (51) whereof powers a multiplying train (52) which powers at least said first carrier (111) of said display mechanism (100), which first carrier (111) comprises a crankshaft (1) arranged to be driven by said movement (200), which crankshaft (1) powers a remontoir égalité (53), which powers an escapement (54) which cooperates with an oscillator (55) comprised in said movement (200).

16. The display mechanism (100) according to claim 15, characterised in that said timepiece (1000) comprises two power circuits arranged to cooperate through a first escapement mechanism (57), the first circuit for powering at least said first carrier (111) of said display mechanism (100), and the second circuit for powering an oscillator (55) comprised in said watch movement (200).

17. The display mechanism (100) according to claim 16, characterised in that said first circuit comprises at least two first barrels (501), or groups of barrels, which are in parallel and power said crankshaft (1) via a first multiplying train (56), itself regulated by said first escapement (57) under the control of a geometric release mechanism (58) regulated by a second multiplying train (59) comprised in said second circuit and which is regulated by an oscillator (55) comprised in said watch movement (200).

18. The display mechanism (100) according to claim 16 or 17, characterised in that said second circuit comprises at least one second barrel (502), or group of barrels, independent of said first circuit, and which is arranged to power said oscillator (55) through a second multiplying train (59) and a second escapement mechanism (54), said second multiplying train (59) being arranged to control a geometric release mechanism (58) of said first escapement (57) in order to regulate a first multiplying train (56) comprised in said first circuit.

19. The display mechanism (100) according to one of claims 1 to 18, characterised in that each said display support (10) is formed by a substantially cylindrical body which has the shape of an aircraft engine cylinder.

20. The display mechanism (100) according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterised in that said display mechanism (100) comprises a plurality of said separate display supports (10) each extending in a basic axis direction radial to said central axis (D), and in that the display of a given variable is distributed over a plurality of said display supports (10), each activated at a specific moment in time.

21. The display mechanism (100) according to claim 20, characterised in that all said display supports (10) each cover an identical unit range, which corresponds to an integer submultiple of the scope of the overall range of said given variable.

22. The display mechanism (100) according to claim 20 or 21, characterised in that the same said separate display supports (10) are arranged to display a plurality of different variables, the display of each whereof is distributed over said display supports (10), each activated at a specific moment in time in order to display each said variable.

23. The display mechanism (100) according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterised in that said display support (10) is unique.

24. A timepiece (1000) comprising a case enclosing at least one movement (200), which movement (200) comprises, around a central axis (D) defining the centre of said movement (200), a plurality of drive gear trains, and comprising at least one display mechanism (100) according to one of claims 1 to 23.

25. The timepiece (1000) according to claim 24, characterised in that said timepiece (1000) is a watch.

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