Device for instant triggering for a timepiece mechanism

Abstract

The present invention relates to an instantaneous triggering device (10) for a clockwork mechanism, particularly for switching from one indication to the next on a display such as a date display. The instantaneous triggering device (10) comprises for this purpose: a triggering module (20) including a wheel (22) intended to be driven by the clockwork movement, and a finger (27) arranged to be driven by the wheel (22); a rotary impulse member (50) including at least one triggering finger (52; 52a, 52b), the rotary impulse member (50) being arranged to be under the action of a torque;at least one rocker (60) arranged to cooperate, on the one hand, with the rotating impulse member (50) and, on the other hand, with the release module (20) when the rocker (60) is in a rest position so that the finger (27) of the release module (20) can bring the rocker (60) from its rest position to an intermediate position in which the release finger (52; 52a, 52b), under the action of the torque, transmits an impulse to the rocker (60) so that it can be disengaged from said finger (27); and a rocker spring (70) arranged to return and hold the rocker (60) in the rest position.

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a device for instantly triggering or actuating a watch mechanism, in particular for jumping a calendar indication, for example the days, weeks or months. State of the art

[0002] The mechanisms used to make an indication jump, such as days, months and weeks, generally comprise a finger fixed to a 24-hour wheel which makes one revolution in 24 hours. This finger is arranged to rotate a star attached to a disc containing the indications to be displayed successively. The star cooperates with a positioning jumper, which ensures a precise angular position of the star after each jump. This solution is simple but has the disadvantage of causing a slow jump time since the transition from the display of one indication to the display of the next indication is dependent on the rotation speed of the 24-hour wheel.

[0003] To address this problem, there are "trailing" jump mechanisms whose jump time to go from the display of one indication to the display of the next indication is minimized by reducing the time the finger takes to engage the star and by adapting the shape of the positioning jumper so that it makes the jump as quickly as possible. However, these mechanisms do not allow the jump time to be reduced significantly, especially if the finger is fixed on a 24-hour wheel.

[0004] There are also known systems for triggering instantaneous jumps that use a cam arranged to arm a lever for 24 hours, in order to smooth the torque. When the cam jumps, the lever falls and triggers the function, for example a star, which is generally held in position by a jumper, which has the disadvantage of consuming additional energy to perform the jump. Brief summary of the invention

[0005] An aim of the present invention is therefore to propose a device for instantaneously triggering a clockwork mechanism free from the aforementioned drawbacks.

[0006] More particularly, an aim of the present invention is to propose a device for instantaneously triggering a watch mechanism by means of a finger independently of the usual rotation speed of the mobile on which the finger is mounted.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to propose a device for instantaneously triggering a watch mechanism, the energy required to trigger the mechanism being significantly reduced.

[0008] These aims are achieved in particular by means of an instantaneous trigger device for triggering or actuating a mechanism of a watch movement, in particular for carrying out the transition from one indication to the next indication of a display such as a date display.The instantaneous trigger device comprises for this purpose: a trigger module comprising a wheel intended to be driven by the watch movement, and a finger arranged to be driven by the wheel; a rotary impulse member comprising at least one trigger finger, the rotary impulse member being arranged to be under the action of a torque; at least one lever arranged to cooperate, on the one hand, with the rotary impulse member and, on the other hand, with the trigger module when the lever is in a rest position so that the finger of the trigger module can bring the lever from the rest position to an intermediate position in which the trigger finger of the rotary impulse member, under the action of the torque, transmits an impulse to the lever so that the latter can be disengaged from the finger of the trigger module; and a lever spring arranged to return and maintain the lever in the rest position.

[0009] The trigger module finger is arranged to be pivoted instantaneously through a sufficient angle so that it can be disengaged from the rocker before the latter is returned to the rest position under the action of the rocker spring.

[0010] According to one embodiment, said torque is produced either by the barrel of the watch movement or by an elastic member independent of the movement.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the trigger module is further arranged to dissociate the rotation of the finger from that of the wheel during the instantaneous pivoting of the finger caused by the rocker.

[0012] According to one embodiment, one of the wheel and the finger of the trigger module comprises an area provided with an opening or a housing, preferably of curved shape according to the direction of the area during the rotation of the module. The other of the wheel and the finger comprises a drive element arranged in the opening or the housing so that the drive element can move along this opening or this housing at the moment of the instantaneous pivoting of the finger caused by the rocker.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the rocker comprises an actuating beak comprising, on the one hand, a rest plane against which the trigger finger of the rotary impulse member bears when the rocker is in the rest position and, on the other hand, an impulse plane against which the finger moves in order to transmit the torque from the rotary impulse member to the rocker.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the trigger module further comprises an elastic member secured to the wheel and cooperating with the drive element. The elastic member is arranged to store energy by the rotation of the wheel when the movement of the finger is stopped by the rocker.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the elastic member comprises a curved blade which is fixed to the wheel and a blade head bearing against the drive element secured to the finger.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the trigger module further comprises a shock-absorbing part. The wheel, the finger and the shock-absorbing part are mounted coaxially.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the rocker comprises an actuating arm arranged in a first plane to cooperate with the rotary member, and a trigger arm arranged in a second plane to cooperate with the finger of the trigger module.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the trigger module further comprises a drive part secured to or forming an integral part of the finger. The rocker comprises an impulse beak arranged to strike against a contact surface of the drive part in order to pivot the finger instantaneously by a predefined angle when the rocker is pivoted instantaneously by the impulse transmitted by the trigger finger of the rotary member.

[0019] Another aspect of the invention relates to a watch movement comprising the instantaneous triggering device as well as to a timepiece comprising such a movement. Brief description of the figures

[0020] Examples of implementation of the invention are indicated in the description illustrated by the appended figures in which: there figure 1illustrates a plan view of the instantaneous trigger device, according to a first embodiment, comprising the trigger module, the rotary impulse member and the rocker arranged to cooperate with the trigger module and the rotary impulse member; figure 2 illustrates an exploded view of the trigger module of the figure 1 ; there figure 3 illustrates a plan view of the rocker of the figure 1 ; THE Figures 4a to 4f illustrates plan views of an operational sequence of the triggering device of the figure 1 ; there Figure 5 illustrates a plan view of the instantaneous trigger device, according to a second embodiment, and the Figures 6a to 6c illustrates plan views of an operational sequence of the instantaneous triggering device of the Figure 5 . Examples of embodiments of the invention

[0021] In reference to the Figures 1 and 2which illustrate a first embodiment of the instantaneous drive device 10, the latter comprises a trigger module 20, a rotary impulse member 50, a rocker 60 and a rocker spring 70. The rocker 60 is arranged to cooperate, on the one hand, with the rotary impulse member 50 and, on the other hand, with the trigger module 20.

[0022] According to the figure 2, the trigger module 20 comprises a wheel 22 arranged to be engaged with a gear train of a watch movement, an elastic member 30, an actuating part 26 comprising a finger 27, as well as an anti-shock part 40. The actuating and anti-shock parts can be replaced by a single part according to an alternative embodiment. The wheel 22 can for example be driven at a rate of one revolution every 24 hours when the instantaneous trigger device 10 is arranged to actuate a date mechanism. The wheel 22, the actuating part 26 and the anti-shock part 40 are mounted coaxially.

[0023] The elastic member 30 comprises a curved blade 34 extending for example over at least 180°, a blade head 36 located at one end of the blade 34, and a fixing part 32 located at another end of the blade. The fixing part 32 is fixed to the wheel 22. This fixing part may for example comprise two holes inside which two studs integral with the wheel 22 are driven. The actuating part 26 mainly has a circular periphery interrupted by a clearance 28 as well as a first and a second drive element 29a, 29b extending perpendicularly on either side of this part.

[0024] The wheel 22 comprises a zone provided with an opening 24 preferably having a curved shape according to the direction of the zone during the rotation of the wheel. This opening 24 can just as well be replaced by a housing to perform the function of jumping the actuating part 26 and the function of catching the wheel 22 on the actuating part after each jump of the latter as described below. The drive element 29b of the actuating part 26 is arranged inside the curved opening 24 bearing against the blade head 36 so that it can move along this opening under the action of the blade 34 at the moment of the instantaneous pivoting of the finger 27 of the actuating part according to the description which will be made later with regard to the operational sequence of the instantaneous triggering device 10 with reference to Figures 4a to 4f .

[0025] The shock-absorbing part 40 mainly has a circular circumference 42 interrupted by a notch 44. The shock-absorbing part 40 also has a hole 46 receiving the drive element 29b of the actuating part 26 so that the shock-absorbing part can pivot in unison with the finger 27.

[0026] In particular with regard to the figure 3 , the rocker 60 comprises an actuating arm 62 arranged in a first plane to cooperate with the rotary impulse member 50, and a trigger arm 66 which is provided with a trigger beak 68 and which is arranged in a second plane to cooperate with the finger 27 of the trigger module 20. The actuating arm 62 comprises for this purpose at one end an actuating beak 64 comprising a rest plane 64a and an impulse plane 64b. The actuating arm 62 further comprises a contact portion 65, for example a tip, intended to come into contact with the circular periphery 42 of the shock-absorbing part 40.

[0027] The rotary impulse member 50 of the instantaneous trigger device 10 according to the figure 1comprises a first and a second trigger finger 52a, 52b which are diametrically opposed. The impulse member 50 may however comprise only one trigger finger according to a variant. This impulse member 50 is kept under tension by the watch movement. For this purpose, the latter may for example comprise a gear train connecting a wheel (not illustrated) secured to the rotary impulse member 50 and the barrel ratchet in order to transmit the torque exerted by the barrel ratchet to the rotary impulse member. In this case, the watch movement further comprises a differential in order to allow the barrel to transmit its energy to the movement when the impulse member 50 is locked in rotation according to the description which will be given later with regard to the operational sequence of the instantaneous trigger device 10.

[0028] According to an alternative embodiment, the torque transmitted to the rotating impulse member does not come from the barrel ratchet but from an elastic member independent of the movement. The elastic member can, for example, be arranged in the watch case outside the movement. The torque produced by the elastic member is transmitted to the rotating impulse member via, for example, a gear train.

[0029] According to the figure 1, one is the other of the two trigger fingers 52a, 52b of the rotary impulse member 50 are intended to come in turn to bear against the rest plane 64a of the actuating beak 64. It will be specified that the rotary impulse member 50 is driven by the watch movement to perform a rotation of 180° in a very short period of time, that is to say less than one second, preferably less than one tenth of a second. A finger (not shown) can therefore be fixed on the rotary impulse member in order to be able to instantly actuate a watch mechanism, for example a 31 star of a date display.

[0030] The operation of the instantaneous trigger device 10 will now be described with reference to Figures 4a to 4f .

[0031] According to the Figure 4a, one of the two fingers 52a, 52b of the rotary impulse member 50 is in abutment against the rest plane 64a of the actuating beak 64 of the lever 60. The impulse member 50 is at this instant under the action of a torque exerted by the gear train of the watch movement in mesh with the barrel ratchet. Figure 4a illustrates the instantaneous trigger device 10 where the tip 65 of the actuating arm of the rocker 60 has come into contact with the circular periphery 42 of the shock-absorbing part 40 following an impact. This has the effect of limiting the movement of the rocker 60 to a range which does not interfere with the proper operation of the device.

[0032] The finger 27 is at this moment at a distance from the triggering beak 68 of the rocker 60. The blade 34 is at this moment in a rest position with the blade head 36 resting against the drive element 29b.

[0033] In reference to the Figure 4b, when the finger 27 comes into contact with the trigger beak 26, the latter immobilizes the finger 27 and consequently the actuating part 26 while the wheel 22 continues its rotation. This causes the displacement of the drive element 29b of the actuating part 26 from one edge of the opening 24 of the wheel 22 until the drive element 29b abuts against an opposite edge of the opening 24. The blade head 36 being in abutment against the drive element 29b of the actuating part 26, the blade 34 flexes while storing energy during the displacement of the drive element 29b in the opening 24.

[0034] As soon as the drive element 29b of the actuating part 26 abuts against the opposite edge of the opening 24, the drive part 26 is again driven by the wheel 22, which allows the finger 27 to act on the trigger beak 68 in order to pivot the rocker 60 from a rest position to an intermediate position to allow one of the two trigger fingers 52a, 52b of the rotary impulse member 50 to engage the impulse plane 64b of the actuating beak 64 as illustrated in FIG. Figure 4c .

[0035] The movement of the trigger finger 52a along the impulse plane 64b of the impulse beak 64 of the rocker 60 makes it possible to give the latter an impulse in order to disengage the trigger beak 68 from the path of the finger 27. It will be noted that the notch 44 of the shock-absorbing part 40 as well as the clearance 28 of the actuating part 26 make it possible to disengage the rocker 60 from these two parts each time an impulse is given to the rocker by one or other of the two trigger fingers 52a, 52b of the rotary impulse member 50.

[0036] Referring to the figure 4d, the blade head 36 pushes the drive element 29b as soon as the trigger beak 68 of the rocker is clear of the path of the finger 27, which causes a jump of the actuating part 26 under the action of the blade 34 on the drive element 29b until the latter returns against the opposite edge of the opening 24 present on the wheel 22. The jump is done instantaneously and with an angular step corresponding to the angular distance traveled by the drive element 29b from one to the other of the two opposite edges of the opening 24 of the wheel 22. In the present application, the term "instantaneous" must be interpreted as a very short period of time, of the order of a few seconds at most, preferably less than one second, or even less than a tenth of a second. The blade 34 returns to its rest position after each jump made.

[0037] This jump is essential since it ensures the release of the finger 27 from the path of the triggering beak 68 of the rocker 60 when the latter is returned to the rest position. The rocker spring 70 in fact exerts a return force as soon as one of the two triggering fingers 52a, 52b of the rotary impulse member 50 is released from the impulse plane 64b of the actuating beak 64 of the rocker so that the latter returns to the rest position so that the other of the two triggering fingers 52a, 52b can come into abutment against the rest plane 64a of the actuating beak 64 as illustrated in Figure 4e .

[0038] It will be specified in this regard that the lever 60 must be returned to the rest position as quickly as possible in view of the high rotation speed of the rotary impulse member 50. On the other hand, for certain applications, the rotation of the wheel 22 is slow. This wheel can for example make a complete rotation every 24 hours so that the instantaneous trigger device can carry out the transition from the indication of one day to the indication of the following day instantly. Thus, it will be understood that the instantaneous jump of the finger is essential to prevent the lever from hitting the finger when it returns to the rest position.

[0039] After each jump, the actuating part 26 remains stationary for a certain period of time, the time required for the opposite edge of the opening 24 to come into contact again with the drive element 29b of the actuating part. This allows the wheel 22 to take up the angular advance of the actuating part 26 caused by the jump.

[0040] The wheel 22, the actuating part 26 and the shock-absorbing part 40 then rotate together, as shown in Figure 4f until the finger 26 comes again into contact with the trigger beak 68 of the rocker 60 in order to initiate a new operational sequence identical to the sequence described with reference to Figures 4a to 4e . To the Figure 4f, the instantaneous triggering device 10 is shown during an impact where the tip 65 is in contact with the circular periphery 42 of the shock-absorbing part 40 in order to imitate the movement of the rocker 60 to avoid untimely unlocking of the rotary impulse member 50.

[0041] In reference to the Figure 5 which illustrates a second embodiment of the instantaneous drive device 10, the latter comprises, like the first embodiment, a trigger module 20, a rotary impulse member 50, a rocker 60 and a rocker return 70. The rocker 60 is arranged to cooperate, on the one hand, with the rotary impulse member 50 and, on the other hand, with the trigger module 20.

[0042] The trigger module 20 comprises a wheel 22, an actuating part 26, for example in the form of a spiral whose apex acts as a finger 27, and a driving part 48, for example also in the form of a spiral, comprising a contact surface 49 intended to cooperate with the rocker 60. An opening or a housing 24, the shape of which is preferably curved, is present on the wheel 22 while a driving element 29 is integral with the actuating part 26 and is arranged in the opening / housing 24 of the wheel 22. According to a variant not illustrated, it is the actuating part which comprises a curved housing while the driving element is integral with the wheel and arranged in the housing.

[0043] The wheel 22, the actuating part 26 and the drive part 48 are mounted coaxially. The drive part 48 is integral with the actuating part 26. These two parts can also be produced in a single piece according to a variant.

[0044] The rotary impulse member 50, intended to support a finger for actuating a watch mechanism, comprises only one trigger finger 52 but could very well comprise two trigger fingers like the rotary impulse member of the first embodiment. The lever 60 comprises, in a first plane, an actuating arm comprising an actuating beak 64 arranged to cooperate with the trigger finger 52 of the rotary impulse member 50.

[0045] For this purpose, the actuating beak 64 comprises, just as for the first embodiment, a rest plane 64a, and an impulse plane 64b. The actuating arm of the rocker 60 further comprises a trigger beak 68 intended to cooperate with the finger 27 of the actuating part 26. The rocker further comprises, in a second plane, an impulse beak 69 arranged to strike the contact surface 49 of the drive part 48 according to the description of the operational sequence of the device below.

[0046] There Figure 5 illustrates the instantaneous trigger device 10 in a locked configuration in which the trigger finger 52 bears against the rest plane 64a of the actuating beak 64 of the rocker. The finger 27 of the actuating part 26 is brought into contact with the triggering beak 68 of the rocker by the action of the wheel 22 on the actuating part 26 via the drive element 29.

[0047] The additional rotation of the wheel 22 allows the finger 27 to act on the trigger beak 68 of the rocker 60 in order to lift the latter into an intermediate position to allow the trigger finger 52 of the rotary impulse member 50 to engage the impulse plane 64b of the actuating beak 64 of the rocker as illustrated in Figure 6a . The movement of the trigger finger 52 along the impulse plane 64b of the impulse beak 64 makes it possible to give the rocker an impulse. This impulse allows the impulse beak 69 to strike against the contact surface 49 of the drive part 48 in order to cause an instantaneous jump of the finger 27 by an angular step sufficient to disengage the finger 27 from the trigger beak 68 of the rocker 60 as illustrated by the Figures 6a-6b .

[0048] During the jump, the drive element 29 moves along the opening 27. Just as in the first embodiment, the actuating part 26 remains stationary for a certain period of time, the time required for the edge of the opening 24 to come into contact with the drive element 29 again. As soon as the impact of the impulse beak 69 against the contact surface 49 of the drive part 48 is completed, the rocker 60 is returned to the rest position under the action of a rocker spring (not shown) as shown in Figure 6c .

[0049] It will be noted that unlike the first embodiment, this instantaneous trigger device does not include an anti-shock part.

[0050] Although the instantaneous trigger device just described comprises only one rocker to cooperate not only with the rotary impulse member but also with the trigger module, the trigger device may just as well comprise a first and a second rocker arranged to cooperate respectively with the rotary impulse member and the trigger module. In this case, the two rockers are connected to each other by a pivot and each cooperate with a rocker spring. Thus, the movement of the first rocker, under the action of the impulse member, makes it possible to clear the second rocker from the path of the finger.The rocker springs return the two rockers to their rest position so that the finger or another finger of the impulse member can come into abutment against the rest plane of the actuating beak of the first rocker as for the two embodiments of the trigger device described previously. Reference list

[0051] Instantaneous trigger device 10 Trigger module 20 Wheel 22 Opening 24 Actuating part 26 Finger 27 Release 28 Drive element 29; 29a, 29b Elastic member 30 Fixing part 32 Blade 34 Blade head 36 Shock-absorbing part 40 Circular circumference 42 Notch 44 Hole 46 Drive part 48 Contact surface 49 Rotating impulse member 50 Trigger finger(s) 52; 52a, 52b Rocker 60 Actuating arm 62 Actuating nose 64 Rest plane 64a Impulse plane 64b Contact portion 65 Trigger arm 66 Trigger nose 68 Impulse nose 69 Rocker spring 70

Claims

1. An instantaneous actuation device (10) for a mechanism of a watch movement, in particular a date mechanism, the actuation device (10) comprising: - an actuation module (20) comprising a wheel (22) intended to be driven by the watch movement, and a finger (27) arranged to be driven by the wheel (22); - a rotary impulse member (50) comprising at least one actuation finger (52 ; 52a, 52b), the rotary impulse member (50) being arranged to be under the action of a torque, - at least one lever (60) arranged to cooperate, on the one hand, with the rotary impulse member (50) and, on the other hand, with the actuation module (20) when the lever (60) is in a rest position, so that the finger (27) of the actuation module (20) can move the lever (60) from the rest position to an intermediate position in which the actuation finger (52 ; 52a, 52b) of the rotary impulse member (50), under the action of torque, transmits an impulse to said lever (60) so that the latter can be disengaged from the finger (27) of the actuation module, and - a lever spring (70) arranged to return and hold the lever (60) in the rest position, and wherein the finger (27) of the actuation module (20) is arranged to be instantaneously pivoted through a sufficient angle to disengage said finger (27) from the lever (60) before the latter is returned to the rest position under the action of the lever spring (70).

2. Device (10) according to claim 1, wherein said torque is produced either by the barrel of the watch movement or by an elastic member independent of the movement.

3. Device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the actuation module (20) is further arranged to decouple the rotation of the finger (27) from that of the wheel (22) during the instantaneous pivoting of said finger (27).

4. Device (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein one of the wheel (22) and of the finger (27) of the actuation module (20) comprises a region provided with an opening or a recess (24), preferably curved in the direction of said region during rotation of said module, the other of the wheel (22) and of the finger (27) comprising a drive element (29; 29b) arranged in the opening or recess (24) so that the drive element (29; 29b) can move along this opening or recess upon instantaneous pivoting of said finger (27).

5. Device (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the lever (60) comprises an actuation beak (64) comprising, on the one hand, a rest plane (64a) against which the actuation finger (52 ; 52a, 52b) of the rotary impulse member (50) bears when the lever is in the rest position and, on the other hand, an impulse plane (64a) against which said finger (52; 52a, 52b) in order to transmit said torque from the rotary impulse member (50) to said lever (70).

6. Device (10) according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the actuation module (20) further comprises an elastic member (30) connected to the wheel (22) and cooperating with the drive element (29), the elastic member being arranged to store energy by the rotation of the wheel (22) when the movement of the finger (27) is stopped by the actuation lever (60).

7. Device (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the elastic member (30) comprises a curved blade (34) fixed to the wheel (22), and a blade head (36) bearing against the drive element (29b) connected to the finger (27).

8. Device (10) according to one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the actuation module (20) further comprises an anti-shock piece (40), the wheel (22), the finger (27) and the anti-shock piece (40) being mounted coaxially.

9. Device (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the lever (60) comprises an actuation arm (62) arranged in a first plane to cooperate with the rotary impulse member (50), and a release arm (66) arranged in a second plane to cooperate with the finger (27) of the actuation module (20).

10. Device (10) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the actuation module (20) further comprises a drive piece (48) connected to or forming part of the finger (27), and wherein the lever (70) comprises an impulse beak (69) arranged to strike against a contact surface (49) of the drive piece (48) in order to pivot the finger (27) instantaneously through a predefined angle.

11. Watch movement comprising the device (10) according to one of the preceding claims.

12. Timepiece comprising the watch movement according to the preceding claim.

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