Control device for clockwork movement, and corresponding clockwork movement and timepiece

Abstract

The invention relates to a control device (1) comprising: - a lever (2) able to move between a rest position and a release position, - a spring arranged so as to keep the lever (2) in its rest position, - an actuating member (10) able to move between a neutral position and an actuating position in which it actuates a clockwork mechanism, - a mechanical-energy storage member interposed between the lever (2) and the actuating member (10) so that it stores energy as the lever (2) moves towards its release position and so that it releases energy when the lever (2) reaches its release position, by moving the actuating member (10) towards its actuating position, the device (1) comprising a locking member (32) intended to release the actuating member (10) only when the lever (2) reaches its release position.

Description

Description CONTROL DEVICE FOR A CLOCK MOVEMENT, CORRESPONDING CLOCK MOVEMENT AND CLOCKPIECE Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device for a watch movement, comprising: - a lever intended to be actuated, in response to an action by a user on an external control member, to move from a rest position to a trigger position, - an elastic return member arranged to return the lever to its rest position, - an actuating member movable between a neutral position and an actuating position in which it is intended to actuate a clockwork mechanism of the clockwork movement, - a mechanical energy storage member interposed between the lever and the actuating member, and arranged in such a way that it charges when the lever moves towards its trigger position, and that it can discharge when the lever reaches its trigger position, by moving the actuating member towards its actuating position.

[0002] The present invention also relates to a watch movement comprising a watch mechanism associated with such a control device, in particular a chronograph mechanism, as well as a timepiece comprising such a watch movement. State of the art

[0003] Control devices of this type are already known in the prior art, particularly in connection with chronograph mechanisms.

[0004] Patent EP2541346B1 describes an example of the construction of a control device meeting the above characteristics, intended to enable a return to flight in a chronograph mechanism. For this purpose, the device comprises a lever for triggering the reset comprising a beak arranged to pivot a stepped mobile. More Specifically, the trigger lever comprises a beak arranged to cooperate with a stop provided on a first board of the stepped mobile defining a first stage of the latter. The stepped mobile comprises a second board defining a second stage, the latter having a general shape of a heart-shaped cam arranged to cooperate with a control lever making it possible to define the angular orientation of the stepped mobile. The control lever is subjected to the action of a spring making it possible to maintain a roller that it carries at one of its ends in permanent support against the periphery of the second board. The latter comprises a hollow making it possible to define an angular orientation of rest of the stepped mobile when the roller is housed therein, in the absence of action by a user.When a user acts on the release lever, the movement of the latter causes the stepped wheel assembly to rotate, the roller then emerging from the recess and rolling along the periphery of the second board. The latter then has an increasing radius until it reaches the tip of the heart-shaped cam. At the same time, the spring is tensioned, storing mechanical energy. When the release lever reaches its release position, the roller crosses the tip of the heart-shaped cam, and the spring can release the previously stored mechanical energy, becoming a motor, to further rotate the stepped wheel assembly and reset the chronograph mechanism. For this purpose, the stepped wheel assembly comprises a third board, defining a third stage, on which a reset surface is provided, this being intended to cooperate with a reset cam of the chronograph mechanism, in a conventional manner.The stepped mobile continues its rotation under the impulse of the spring until the roller returns to position itself in the hollow of the second board. One purpose of this device is in particular to ensure that the reset cam is released immediately after being returned to its zero position, to achieve a return to flight, even if the user maintains his action on the trigger lever. To achieve this objective, this complex construction provides that the spring is loaded by the movement of the trigger lever but that it can be discharged by rotating the. third plate, defining an actuating member of the chronograph mechanism, independently of the position of the trigger lever. If the user does not actuate the trigger lever until it reaches its trigger position, the stepped mobile returns back under the effect of the action of the spring, until the roller repositions itself in the hollow of the second plate. On the other hand, this construction makes it possible to guarantee that the resetting of the chronograph mechanism is complete when the travel of the trigger lever is complete, which makes the corresponding control device an "all or nothing" type device.

[0005] Overall, it is clear from the figures in this patent how complex this construction is, particularly given the large number of its components, and how relatively bulky it is, both in terms of plan and thickness.

[0006] Patent application EP3876042A1 describes a construction of a reset device for a chronograph mechanism, comprising a reset hammer held in a rest position by the action of a locking hook on a pin secured to the hammer, the locking hook being rotatably mounted on a frame element of the corresponding watch movement. When a user actuates an associated control member, he charges a hammer actuating spring and pivots the locking hook until the latter releases the pin and, therefore, the hammer which can then suddenly move to reset the chronograph mechanism to zero.However, in addition to a complex construction and assembly, such a device has a number of disadvantages, including a limited level of accuracy as to the instant at which the locking hook releases the pin, this level of accuracy further depending on the orientation of the mechanism at the time of actuation of the reset device, as well as on possible movements of the corresponding timepiece, for example due to actuation of the reset control member by the user or other possible shocks. In addition, the moment at which the reset device is triggered is. likely to fluctuate over time with such a construction, due to inevitable more or less rapid wear of the pin and, above all, of the locking hook, depending on the number of actuations. It is easy to understand that the slightest change in the shape of the tip of the locking hook will have a significant impact on the time of triggering of this reset device.

[0007] Thus, it may be useful to propose a control device with an "all or nothing" type operation of simplified construction in reference to existing devices, while being robust. Disclosure of the invention

[0008] A main aim of the present invention is to propose a construction control device which is an alternative to the constructions known from the prior art, in particular presenting greater simplicity both in terms of the number of components and of assembly.

[0009] To this end, the present invention relates more particularly to a control device of the type mentioned above, characterized in that it further comprises a locking member intended to be actuated, in response to the action of the user on the external control member, to pass from a locking configuration in which it is held by default by an additional elastic return member to lock the actuating member, to a neutralized configuration in which it releases the actuating member to allow it to actuate the clockwork mechanism, and in that the lever and the locking member are arranged in such a way that the passage of the locking member into its neutralized configuration is substantially synchronized with the arrival of the lever in its release position.

[0010] Thanks to these characteristics, it is possible to produce a control device of relatively simple and robust construction, allowing to guarantee an "all or nothing" type operation, perfectly adapted for controlling the resetting of a chronograph mechanism in particular.

[0011] Preferably, it can be provided that the locking member is arranged to perform back and forth movements during configuration changes, thus further limiting the size of the control device according to the invention.

[0012] It is advantageous to provide that the lever is also arranged to act on the actuating member and move it to its neutral position when it itself moves to its rest position. Alternatively, a specific spring can of course be provided to perform this function but this implies an increase in the number of components.

[0013] According to a preferred embodiment, it can be provided that the energy storage member is made in one piece with the actuating member and has a portion arranged indirectly or directly to bear against the lever.

[0014] Furthermore, it is also possible to provide that the lever comprises a stop arranged to act on the locking member and move it from its locking configuration to its neutralized configuration in response to the user's action on the external control member.

[0015] Generally, it can also be provided that the locking member comprises a board intended to be rotatably mounted on a frame element of the watch movement in such a way that it is located opposite a beak of the actuating member to lock the latter, and that the board has a slot intended to be positioned opposite the beak in the neutralized configuration of the locking member, to allow movement of the actuating member by penetration of the beak into the slot.

[0016] Furthermore, it can be provided that the additional elastic return member is intended to be secured to a frame element of the watch movement while being arranged to exert a return force on the board and tend to return the locking member from its neutralized configuration to its locking configuration.

[0017] Thanks to the above characteristics, better control of the moment of release of the actuating member is obtained than with the device of previous reset mentioned above, in all positions of the corresponding timepiece, including if it is in motion. In addition, these characteristics ensure the durability of this control since any wear of the components ensuring the locking has no impact on the moment of triggering which will remain dictated by the alignment between the slot and the beak, that is to say by the arrival of the lever in its trigger position. In a different way, the more worn the components of the previous reset device are, the earlier the hammer is actuated depending on the movement of the associated control member.

[0018] The present invention also relates to a watch movement comprising a watch mechanism associated with a control device according to the above characteristics, more preferably when the watch mechanism is a chronograph mechanism, as well as a timepiece comprising such a watch movement. Brief description of the drawings

[0019] Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly on reading the detailed description of a preferred embodiment which follows, made with reference to the appended drawings given as non-limiting examples and in which Figures 1 to 4 represent the same simplified front view of a control device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in four successive configurations which it occupies when it is activated by a user. Method(s) of carrying out the invention

[0020] Figures 1 to 4 represent simplified front views of a control device 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in four configurations which it successively occupies when activated by a user.

[0021] The control device 1 comprises a lever 2 intended to be mounted on a frame element (not shown) of the corresponding watch movement, so as to be able to pivot along an axis of rotation defined by its screw 4 for mounting on the frame element.

[0022] The lever 2 has a first arm 6 extending from its axis of rotation and intended to receive a force exerted by a user, transmitted to the first arm 6 via an external control member (not visible) of the corresponding timepiece, preferably a conventional pusher. Thus, in response to a suitable action by the user, preferably pressure on a pusher, the lever 2 pivots clockwise in the view of Figures 1 to 4.

[0023] The lever 2 comprises a second arm 8 intended to cooperate with an actuating member 10 of a clockwork mechanism of the corresponding clockwork movement. More precisely, the second arm 8 of the lever 2 carries a stop member, here a screw 12, arranged projecting from the second arm 8 so as to be able to cooperate with the actuating member 10 when the lever 2 pivots.

[0024] It will be noted that the screw 12 can be replaced by a simple pin, but the use of an eccentric screw, as is the case here, advantageously makes it possible to offer a possibility of adjusting the relative orientation between the second arm 8 and the actuating member 10.

[0025] The lever 2 is advantageously associated with an elastic return member, here a straight spring 14 made in one piece with the first arm 6 and the free end of which is intended to bear on a pin 16, integral with the frame of the watch movement, to cause the lever 2 to rotate in the counterclockwise direction of rotation in the view of the figures. In the absence of any action by a user, the lever 2 occupies a default rest position, which may in particular be defined by a stop not shown (arranged for example on the plate or the casing circle, or even on the case of the corresponding timepiece, or even directly provided by the external control member).

[0026] For its part, the actuating member 10 comprises two contact surfaces arranged on either side of the eccentric screw 12, in such a way that the lever 2 can act on the actuating member 10 to make it pivot in one direction of rotation or the other.

[0027] Indeed, according to the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, by way of non-limiting illustrative example, the actuating member 10 has a base 18 provided with a central opening 20 intended to allow the assembly of the actuating member 10 on the frame of the corresponding watch movement, while defining the axis of rotation.

[0028] A first arm 22 extends from the base 18, in a substantially radial general direction, and has a central portion 24 capable of cooperating with the eccentric screw 12 of the lever 2 to define one of the contact surfaces mentioned above. The actuating member 10 further comprises a spring 26, extending here from the first arm 22 by way of non-limiting example, and the free end 28 of which defines the second contact surface cooperating with the screw 12 of the lever 2.

[0029] The first arm 22 has, after its central portion 24 and moving away from the base 18, a curved terminal portion 30 whose free end defines a beak 32 of substantially tangential orientation (with reference to the axis of rotation of the actuating member 10).

[0030] The actuating member 10 also comprises a second arm 34 intended to actuate the associated clockwork mechanism (not shown) when the actuating member 10 pivots, here in the counterclockwise direction of rotation in the view of figures 1 to 4.

[0031] Of course, the second arm 34 is mentioned here as a non-limiting illustrative example, and those skilled in the art will not encounter any particular difficulty in adapting the actuating member according to their own needs without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, it is possible to provide that the actuating member comprises a plurality of arms intended to cooperate with one or more mechanisms and / or that the actuating member carries stops, possibly of different types, intended to cooperate with one or more mechanisms (five pins 35 have been illustrated here as an example, including one at the end of the second arm 34, and an eccentric 37, which can actuate the same mechanism in different ways and / or at different times, or which can actuate different mechanisms).

[0032] The control device 1 also comprises a locking member 36 intended to be mounted on the frame of the watch movement so as to be able to pivot along an axis of rotation defined by its mounting screw 38. on the frame. The locking member 36 has the shape of a board located opposite the beak 32 of the actuating member 10 and provided with a slot 40 into which the beak 32 is capable of penetrating as will emerge from the remainder of this description.

[0033] The board of the locking member 36 carries a pin 42 defining a stop for an additional elastic return member 44, the latter being arranged to maintain the locking member 36 in a locking configuration (Figures 1 and 2), that is to say a configuration in which the slot 40 is not located opposite the beak 32 of the actuating member 10. In addition, the board has an extension 46 arranged to cooperate with a pin 48 secured to the lever 2, in such a way that a rotation of the lever 2 in the clockwise direction of rotation, in the view of Figures 1 to 4, can cause a rotation of the locking member 36 in the counterclockwise direction of rotation, to possibly make it pass into a neutralized configuration, that is to say a configuration in which the slot 40 is located opposite the beak 32, thus allowing the actuating member 10 to rotate.

[0034] Alternatively, it may be provided that the elastic return member of the locking member is made in one piece with the board of the latter and cooperates with a pin secured to the frame of the watch movement, without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0035] It will be noted that the additional elastic return member 44 here comprises a base 50 intended to allow its attachment to the frame of the corresponding watch movement, for illustration purposes.

[0036] Of course, it is also possible, as an alternative, to provide that the elastic return member 44, with its base 50, is made in a single piece with the locking member 36, without however departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims, in particular to reduce the number of components as well as the thickness of the mechanism in the region concerned.

[0037] The operating mode of the control device 1 will now be described in relation to its four successive configurations illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, corresponding to four successive instants during activation by a user, by an appropriate action on the external control organ of the corresponding timepiece.

[0038] Figure 1 illustrates the configuration of the control device 1 in its initial state, at rest, before the user's action has an impact on it.

[0039] The lever 2 is held in its rest position due to the action of the spring 14 which tends to make it pivot in the counterclockwise direction of rotation in the view of figure 1.

[0040] In this position, the pin 48 of the lever 2 defines a stop for the locking member 36, in combination with the action of the additional elastic return member 44, to maintain the locking member 36 in its locking configuration, that is to say a configuration in which its slot 40 is not located opposite the beak 32 of the actuating member 10. At the same time, the eccentric screw 12 of the lever 2 is positioned in abutment against the central portion 24 of the first arm 22 of the actuating member 10, the lever 2 thus ensuring the maintenance of the actuating member 10 in a neutral or rest position. The free end 28 of the spring 26 is preferably positioned against the eccentric screw 12 in this configuration, the spring 26 being slightly prestressed for this purpose.

[0041] Figure 2 illustrates the configuration of the control device 1 once the lever 2 begins to rotate, in the clockwise direction, in response to the user's action on the external control member.

[0042] From the start of rotation of the lever 2, the actuating member 10 undergoes a constraint in the direction of anti-clockwise rotation in the view of Figure 2, by action of the eccentric screw 12 on the free end 28 of the spring 26, causing its beak 32 to be held against the board of the locking member 36 (or its support if a clearance was provided at rest). Even if the locking member 36 has also started to rotate, in the direction of anti-clockwise rotation, the angle traveled is not sufficient to position the slot 40 opposite the beak 32 of the actuating member 10. Also, the beak 32 remains firmly supported on the periphery of the board of the locking member 36, the latter therefore always being in the configuration of locking in which it ensures the locking of the actuating member 10.

[0043] At the same time, the spring 14 of the lever 2 gradually tightens. Since the actuating member 10 cannot yet pivot, its spring 26 deforms under the effect of the action of the eccentric screw 12 of the lever 2. The spring 26 then fulfills the role of a mechanical energy storage member, interposed between the lever 2 and the actuating member 10, so as to be able to charge when the lever 2 moves from its rest position to a final trigger position.

[0044] If the user were to cease action on the external control member at this stage, the control device 1 would return directly to its initial state, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Indeed, the lever 2 would be returned to its rest position due to the combined action of the springs 14 and 26, the eccentric screw 12 then coming to reposition itself in abutment against the central portion 24 of the first arm 22 of the actuating member 10. At the same time, the locking member 36 can pivot in the clockwise direction of rotation until it resumes its initial angular orientation, under the effect of the action of its additional elastic return member 44.

[0045] On the other hand, when the user continues his action on the external control member, the control device 1 passes to the configuration illustrated in figure 3, in which its lever 2 has reached its trigger position.

[0046] The locking member 36 has continued its rotation in the counterclockwise direction of rotation in the view of Figures 2 and 3, until it positions the slot 40 opposite the beak 32 of the actuating member 10. At this moment, the latter suddenly becomes free to pivot in the counterclockwise direction of rotation, which the mechanical energy stored until now in the spring 26 encourages it to do quickly, as appears from the configuration illustrated in Figure 3. Preferably, the travel traveled by the eccentric screw 12, when the lever 2 passes from its rest position to its trigger position, corresponds at least to the travel traveled by the beak 32 to reach the screw 38 of the locking member 36, when the actuating member 10 passes from its locked position illustrated in Figure 2 to its actuating position illustrated in Figure 3. Thus, when the actuating member is positioned in the actuating position illustrated in Figure 3, the central portion 24 of its first arm 22 approaches the eccentric screw 12, without necessarily being in contact with it.

[0047] During this rapid rotational movement, the second arm 34 (and any other possible stop, as mentioned above) of the actuating member 10 also moves counterclockwise, in the views of FIGS. 2 and 3, to actuate the timepiece mechanism(s) with which the control device 1 is associated, for example a zero-reset member of one or more chronograph counters. It can be seen that the amplitude of the movement of the actuating member 10, and therefore of its second arm 34, does not directly depend on that of the lever 2. The triggering of the actuation of the associated timepiece mechanism is conditioned by the amplitude of movement of the lever 2, which must move until it reaches its trigger position.The action of the actuating member 10 on the clockwork mechanism is then carried out under the impulse of the spring 26 which becomes a motor by discharging once the locking member 36 passes into its neutralized configuration, this passage being carried out in a manner substantially synchronized with the arrival of the lever 2 in its trigger position.

[0048] When the user releases the lever 2, for example by ceasing its action on the associated external control member, the lever 2 pivots counterclockwise in the view of Figure 4, under the effect of the action of its spring 14. During this movement, the lever 2 acts on the actuating member 10 by applying pressure by the eccentric screw 12 on the central portion 24 of the first arm 22, thus pivoting the actuating member 10 in the clockwise rotation direction to return it to its neutral position.

[0049] At the same time, the lever 2 releases the locking member 36, its pin 48 moving away from the extension 46. However, the locking member 36 remains blocked in its neutralized configuration as long as the beak 32 is engaged in its slot 40 and therefore prevents its board from rotating. The elastic return member 44 of the locking member 36 thus remains taut as long as the beak 32 has not disengaged from the slot 40. As soon as the beak 32 is out of the slot 40, the additional elastic return member 44 pivots the locking member 36 in the clockwise direction of rotation in the view of Figure 4 to return it to its locking configuration, the entire control device 1 thus returning to its initial configuration as illustrated in Figure 1.

[0050] It can be seen that the locking member 36 performs a back-and-forth movement each time the control device 1 is activated by the user, which makes it possible to further limit the size of the device according to the present invention.

[0051] From the above description, it is understood how it is possible to produce a control device for a watch mechanism with an "all or nothing" type operation presenting a great simplicity of construction and assembly, as well as a reduced bulk since the components are distributed on only two levels following the direction of the thickness of the control device. It will be noted that it is even possible to modify the shape of the components which have just been described to produce the control device according to the invention on a single level. It is understood that the different components of the control device according to the invention can also have very diverse shapes without this impairing their functionality, which provides great flexibility to a manufacturer of watch movements to distribute the different components involved, including those of the associated watch mechanism.Furthermore, while the control device according to the present invention is perfectly suited to implementation with operating parameters adapted to a conventional chronograph mechanism, in particular a stroke of the corresponding pusher of the order of 0.8 to 1 mm and an actuating force of the order of 8 to 12 N, it can also be implemented with particular mechanisms having reduced operating values, for example a pusher stroke of the order of 0.3 mm and a force of the order of 1.5 to 2.5 N.

[0052] The foregoing description is intended to describe a particular embodiment by way of non-limiting illustration and the invention is not limited to the implementation of certain particular characteristics which come to be described, such as for example the fact that certain elastic members are made in one piece with particular components of the device. Indeed, the different elastic members of the control device which has just been described could be constructed differently (in particular by reversing their direction of installation), the spring interposed between the lever and the actuating member could in particular be carried by the lever as an alternative to what has been described, or it could be envisaged that the device comprises a specific additional elastic return member to return the actuating member to its neutral position, without however departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.In general, it may be provided as an alternative that some or all of the different moving components of the control device according to the present invention, namely the lever and / or the actuating member and / or the locking member, move in translation, possibly linearly, rather than in rotation as has been described. Furthermore, those skilled in the art may of course adapt the present teaching by associating the control device with a timepiece mechanism other than a chronograph mechanism, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

Demands 1. Control device (1), for a watch movement, comprising: - a lever (2) intended to be actuated, in response to an action by a user on an external control device, to move from a rest position to a trigger position, - an elastic return mechanism arranged to return said lever (2) to its rest position, - a movable actuating member (10) between a neutral position and an actuating position in which it is intended to actuate a clockwork mechanism of the clock movement, - a mechanical energy storage element interposed between said lever (2) and said actuating element (10), and arranged in such a way that it charges when said lever (2) moves towards its triggering position, and that it can discharge when said lever (2) reaches its triggering position, by moving said actuating element (10) towards its actuating position, characterized in that it further comprises a locking element (36) intended to be actuated, in response to the action of the user on the external control element, to pass from a locking configuration in which it is held by default by an additional elastic return element (44) to lock said actuating element (10), to a neutralized configuration in which it releases said actuating element (10) to allow it to actuate the clockwork mechanism,and in that said lever (2) and said locking member (36) are arranged in such a way that the passage of said locking member (36) into its neutralized configuration is substantially synchronized with the arrival of said lever (2) in its triggering position.

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said locking member (36) is arranged to perform back-and-forth movements during configuration changes.

3. Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said lever (2) is also arranged to act on said actuating member (10) and move it towards its neutral position when it moves itself towards its rest position.

4. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said energy storage member is made in one piece with said actuation member (10) and has a portion arranged indirectly or directly in support against said lever (2).

5. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said lever (2) has a stop arranged to act on said locking member (36) and move it from its locking configuration to its neutralized configuration in response to the action of the user on the external control member.

6. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said locking member (36) comprises a board intended to be rotatably mounted on a frame element of the watch movement in such a way that it is located opposite a beak (32) of said actuating member (10) to lock the latter, and in that said board has a slot (40) intended to be positioned opposite said beak (32) in the neutralized configuration of said locking member (36), to allow a movement of said actuating member (10) by penetration of said beak (32) into said slot (40).

7. Device (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that said additional elastic return member (44) is intended to be integral with a frame element of the watch movement by being arranged to exert a return force on said board and tend to return said locking member (36) from its neutralized configuration to its locking configuration.

8. Clock movement comprising a clock mechanism associated with a control device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7. A watch movement according to claim 8, characterized in that said watch mechanism is a chronograph mechanism comprising at least one reset lever arranged to be actuated by said actuating member (10) in response to the user's action on the external control member. A timepiece comprising a watch movement according to claim 8 or 9 and an external control member arranged to act on said lever (2) in response to a predefined action by a user, to move said lever (2) to its triggering position.

Images