Component of a clock movement comprising a lockable articulation

Abstract

The invention relates to a component (10) of a watch movement comprising two arms (11) connected to each other by means of a pivot link, the component (10) being able to occupy a deployed position and a folded position in which the arms (11) form a smaller angle than when the component (10) occupies the deployed position, the component (10) further comprising a coupling mechanism configured to prohibit any relative mobility between the two arms (11) when the component (10) occupies the deployed position.

Description

Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to the field of watchmaking, and in particular to the components of a watch movement.

[0002] More particularly, the invention relates to a component of a watch movement, comprising an articulation capable of being locked. Technological background

[0003] Watch movements, in particular watch movements comprising horological complications, i.e. mechanisms capable of providing indications other than the time and its divisions, generally comprise a large number of components, often several hundred, arranged in a volume whose dimensions are restricted.

[0004] The design of a watch movement is therefore accompanied by a significant constraint linked to the volume available to arrange all the components.

[0005] Watch movement designers must also ensure that each designed component withstands the mechanical stresses to which it is subjected over time, that it can be manufactured repeatably and as simply as possible while respecting dimensional tolerances. Furthermore, the component must be able to be mounted within the movement and must be able to be dismantled for servicing operations, as easily as possible.

[0006] The present invention relates to a component responding to all of the aforementioned difficulties linked to the design of a component of a watch movement. Summary of the invention

[0007] To this end, the present invention relates to a component of a watch movement comprising two arms connected to each other by means of a pivot connection. The component is capable of occupying a deployed position and a folded position in which the arms form a smaller angle than when the component occupies the deployed position. The component further comprises a coupling mechanism configured to prevent any relative mobility between the two arms when the component occupies the deployed position.

[0008] In particular embodiments, the invention may further comprise one or more of the following features, taken individually or in any technically possible combination.

[0009] In particular embodiments, the coupling mechanism comprises elastic interlocking elements.

[0010] In particular embodiments, the elastic fitting elements are formed by a lug arranged on one of the arms, and an elastic tab arranged on the other arm. Said elastic tab comprises a recess in which the lug is intended to be housed when the component occupies the deployed position so as to immobilize the arms relative to each other.

[0011] In particular embodiments, the resilient tab is configured to apply a resilient restoring force against the lug.

[0012] In particular embodiments, the lug and the recess are shaped such that the disengagement of the lug from the recess is caused by the biasing of the elastic tab against an elastic restoring force.

[0013] In particular embodiments, the elastic tab is arranged between the lug and the arm which carries it, so as to present a movement whose limits are defined by said lug and said arm.

[0014] In particular embodiments, the recess is arranged between a proximal portion and a distal portion of the elastic tab, the distal portion being designed so as to extend along an arc of a circle concentric with the axis of rotation of the arms or along a segment tangential to the axis of rotation of the arms.

[0015] In particular embodiments, the recess is shaped so as to constitute a stop preventing the relative mobility of the arms in a direction of rotation, when the elastic tab is stressed so as to release the lug from said recess.

[0016] In particular embodiments, the proximal portion of the elastic tab comprises a segment by which it is in contact with the lug when the component is in the deployed position, this segment being shaped so as to extend tangentially relative to the axis of rotation of the arms, along an axis passing through the center of the lug when the latter is housed in the recess. Brief description of the figures

[0017] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following detailed description with reference to: there figure 1 representing a perspective view of a component of a watch movement comprising an articulation capable of being locked according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; the figure 2 representing a front detail view of the component of the figure 1 .

[0018] Note that the figure is not necessarily drawn to scale for clarity. Detailed description of the invention

[0019] The present invention relates to a component 10 of a watch movement which may form, in application examples, a movement transmission member such as a rocker, a lever, a shaft or any other elongated member, i.e. extending along a longitudinal axis. The component 10 extends along a longitudinal axis which may be rectilinear, curvilinear or of any shape, as shown in the figure 1 .

[0020] The component 10 comprises a joint connecting two arms 11 to each other by means of a pivot connection. This feature makes it possible to allow the conformation of the component 10 in a deployed position and in a folded position in which the arms 11 form a smaller angle than when the component 10 occupies the deployed position. This folded position can advantageously allow a watchmaker to more easily mount the component 10 within the watch movement or to more easily dismantle it.

[0021] The arms 11 are connected to each other by a pivot which can be produced by any technical solution within the reach of those skilled in the art. In particular, in the exemplary embodiment shown in the Figures 1 and 2, each of the arms 11 comprises, at an interface end, a through hole in which a rod forming a pivot can be engaged, for example stopped in translation by a head forming a stop opposite a nut with which the rod cooperates by a threaded portion.

[0022] This pivot may possibly constitute a pivot of the component 10, the axis of rotation of the arms 11 relative to each other and the axis of rotation of the component 10 then being merged.

[0023] The rotational mobility of the arms 11 relative to each other can advantageously be eliminated by a coupling mechanism with which the component 10 is provided, so that one of the arms 11 can transmit a force, for example a torque, to the other arm 11. More precisely, the arms 11 are immobilized relative to each other when the component 10 is in the deployed position, as illustrated in the Figures 1 and 2 .

[0024] In particular, the coupling mechanism comprises elastic fitting elements. For example, a lug 12 is arranged on one of the arms 11, and an elastic tab 13 is arranged on the other arm 11. The elastic tab 13 may comprise a proximal portion 130 and a distal portion 131 between which a recess 132 is arranged, as shown in the figure 2 The lug 12 is intended to be housed in the recess 132 so as to establish a rigid connection between the two arms 11, and consequently to prevent any relative mobility between said arms 11.

[0025] In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the elastic tab 13 is configured so as to apply an elastic restoring force against the lug 12. This characteristic makes it possible to ensure permanent contact between the elastic tab 13 and the lug 12, so as to ensure, on the one hand, the engagement of the latter in the recess 132 when the component 10 moves from the folded position to the deployed position, and on the other hand, that the lug 12 remains engaged in the recess 132 when the component 10 occupies the deployed position. The direction of the elastic restoring force is preferably radial relative to the axis of rotation of the arms 11, so as to pass through the center of the lug 12 and to be aligned with the longitudinal axis of the arm 11 carrying the latter.

[0026] It is also conceivable that the elastic tab 13 does not exert any force on the lug 12 and comprises elastic fitting elements, such as a reduction in the section of the recess 132 at the level of an opening for engaging the lug 12, making it possible to ensure radially that the lug 12 is held in the recess 132.

[0027] Advantageously, the lug 12 and the recess 132 are shaped so that their cooperation is only broken by a user pressing on the elastic tab 13 against the elastic return force. In particular, only the deformation of the elastic tab 13 by pressing the distal portion 131 towards the axis of rotation of the arms 11 in the example shown in the Figures 1 and 2 , allows the lug 12 to be released from the recess 132, which then allows the arms 11 to be able to pivot relative to each other.

[0028] Furthermore, in this exemplary embodiment of the invention, the elastic tab 13 is arranged between the lug 12 and the arm 11 which carries it, so as to present a movement whose limits are defined by said lug 12 and said arm 11.

[0029] When the component 10 occupies the folded position and the arms 11 are pivoted relative to each other, the lug 12 is intended to slide against the distal portion 131 of the elastic tab 13. In order to allow rotational mobility of the arms 11 when the lug 12 is not engaged in the recess 132, the distal portion 131 is designed so as to extend along an arc of a circle concentric with the axis of rotation of the arms 11 or along a segment tangential to the axis of rotation of the arms 11, as shown in the detail view of the figure 2 .

[0030] In summary, when the component 10 occupies the folded position, the arms 11 can pivot relative to each other according to a predefined angular movement.

[0031] The recess 132 can advantageously be shaped so as to constitute a stop preventing the relative mobility of the arms 11 in one direction when the component 10 passes from the deployed position to the folded position, that is to say when the elastic tab 13 is stressed so as to release the lug 12. In other words, the recess 132 is shaped so as to limit the rotation of the arms 11 relative to each other according to the predefined angle of movement. For this purpose, the recess 132 comprises a protrusion 133 forming a stop. Thanks to this characteristic, the lug 12 cannot be in contact with the proximal portion 130 of the elastic tab 13.

[0032] The proximal portion 130 of the elastic tab 13 comprises a segment 134 by which it is in contact with the lug 12 when the component 10 is in the deployed position. This segment 134 is preferably shaped so as to extend tangentially relative to the axis of rotation of the arms 11, along an axis passing through the center of the lug 12 when the latter is housed in the recess 132. This characteristic allows an optimal distribution of the mechanical stresses during the transmission of forces between the arms 11.

[0033] More generally, it should be noted that the methods of implementation and embodiment considered above have been described as non-limiting examples, and that other variants are consequently conceivable.

[0034] For example, a second recess capable of receiving the lug 12 in engagement can be arranged on the distal portion 131 of the elastic tab 13 so as to generate a stable position of the arms 11 relative to each other, that is to say without any degree of mobility, when the component 10 occupies the folded position.

Claims

1. Component (10) of a watch movement characterized in that it comprises two arms (11) connected to each other by means of a pivot connection, the component (10) being able to occupy a deployed position and a folded position in which the arms (11) form a smaller angle than when the component (10) occupies the deployed position, the component (10) further comprising a coupling mechanism configured to prohibit any relative mobility between the two arms (11) when the component (10) occupies the deployed position.

2. Component (10) according to claim 1, wherein the coupling mechanism comprises elastic interlocking elements.

3. Component (10) according to claim 2, in which the elastic fitting elements are formed by a lug (12) arranged on one of the arms (11), and an elastic tab (13) arranged on the other arm (11), said elastic tab (13) comprising a recess (132) in which the lug (12) is intended to be housed when the component (10) occupies the deployed position so as to immobilize the arms (11) relative to each other.

4. Component (10) according to claim 3, wherein the elastic tab (13) is configured so as to apply an elastic restoring force against the lug (12).

5. Component (10) according to claim 3, in which the lug (12) and the recess (132) are shaped so that the release of the lug (12) from the recess (132) is caused by the stressing of the elastic tab (13) against an elastic restoring force.

6. Component (10) according to one of claims 3 to 5, in which the elastic tab (13) is arranged between the lug (12) and the arm (11) which carries it, so as to present a movement whose limits are defined by said lug (12) and said arm (11).

7. Component (10) according to one of claims 3 to 6, in which the recess (132) is arranged between a proximal portion (130) and a distal portion (131) of the elastic tab (13), the distal portion (131) being designed so as to extend along an arc of a circle concentric with the axis of rotation of the arms (11) or along a segment tangential to the axis of rotation of the arms (11).

8. Component (10) according to one of claims 3 to 7, in which the recess (132) is shaped so as to constitute a stop preventing the relative mobility of the arms (11) in a direction of rotation, when the elastic tab (13) is stressed so as to disengage the lug (12) from said recess (132).

9. Component (10) according to claim 7, in which the proximal portion (130) of the elastic tab (13) comprises a segment (134) by which it is in contact with the lug (12) when the component (10) is in the deployed position, this segment (134) being shaped so as to extend tangentially relative to the axis of rotation of the arms (11), along an axis passing through the center of the lug (12) when the latter is housed in the recess (132).

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