Clock movement comprising a movable rigid element coupled to an elastic element and method for coupling said two elements

Abstract

The method for coupling a rigid element (10) with a spring (16) during an assembly or mounting of a watch device (6) comprises steps of securing the first end of the spring with a support (8) and of positioning the support and the rigid element in an initial relative position in which a coupling member (20), carried by the spring at its second end, is located on one side of a stress ramp (40) which is opposite a proper housing (36) of the rigid element and from which the rigid element and the support can undergo a relative movement (MR) in a first direction (D1).Then, the method comprises a coupling step in which a relative movement is applied between the support and the rigid element in said first direction so that the coupling member comes to bear against the stress ramp and then follows this stress ramp, which is configured to then move the coupling member towards the rotation axis (22) by constraining the spring. The relative movement is continued until the coupling member penetrates at least partially into said own housing, while the spring undergoes at least partial relaxation, and finally occupies a functional coupling position. The watch device configured to allow the coupling method is also the subject of the invention.

Description

Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a watch movement in which is incorporated a device comprising a coupled rigid element and an elastic element.

[0002] In particular, the device is a mechanism for driving an indicator by jumping. The rigid element comprises a drive finger for driving the jumping indicator. The elastic element is a spring comprising a coil between its first end and its second end, the first end being rotationally fixed to a wheel board and the second end carrying a coupling member, which is inserted at least partially into a housing provided by the rigid element.

[0003] The invention also relates to a method for coupling a rigid element with an elastic element during assembly of a mechanical device or mounting of the latter in a watch movement, in particular a drive mechanism for a jumping indicator. Technological background

[0004] Document EP 3828644 describes a drive mechanism for a semi-instantaneous jump indicator comprising a drum finger and a spring arranged in this drum and coupled to it, the first end of the spring being integral in rotation with a wheel plate, driving this first end, and the second end carrying a coupling member partially inserted in its own housing, that is to say a housing which is arranged for this coupling member and intended solely for this coupling member, which the drum finger has, in a movable manner with a large clearance.

[0005] The mechanism disclosed in EP 3828644 presents various technical problems. Firstly, according to the figures, the spring coupling member is arranged in a shallow housing from which this member can easily emerge. Indeed, the two lateral surfaces of the housing are parallel in a radial direction passing through the middle of the housing, and the coupling member has two radial flanks. The angular width of the coupling member is provided to be significantly smaller than that of the housing in order in particular to allow this member to easily penetrate into the housing. Thus, a relatively small impact can easily result in the coupling member coming out of its housing.If this is the case, whether when loading the spring with the finger resting against a tooth of the date ring or before loading this spring, which then generally has a slight expansion due to the friction exerted on the drum, the coupling member comes out a priori from the side of the radial driving flank of the finger. In such a situation, the side wall of the drum exerts a radial force on the coupling member so that the latter undergoes a friction force on this side wall.

[0006] If the coupling member comes out of the housing when the spring is loaded against a tooth of the date ring, either it then slides along the inner side surface and the date jump will not take place at least until the drive wheel has made one revolution and the coupling member enters its housing again (the most favorable case which however results in the loss of a correct display of the date, which has missed a daily jump), or the friction force is sufficient for the spring to be loaded again by expansion, further increasing the friction force, until its coil touches the side wall and a date jump takes place at an undetermined time. In the latter case, after the date jump, the spring will relax, driving the drum and presumably the coupling member will undergo a certain abrupt angular displacement along the side wall.This situation will repeat itself for at least several days with the date incrementing at indeterminate and variable times. In any case, the date drive mechanism is no longer functional as soon as the coupling member is removed from its housing, a very likely event for the mechanism shown in document EP 3828644.

[0007] Next, the mechanism disclosed in EP 3828644 presents a significant problem in connection with the mounting of this mechanism. As can be seen from the figures, the cylindrical inner space of the drum finger is circular with the housing machined on the periphery of this cylindrical and circular inner space. Since the coupling member must be inserted partly into the peripheral housing and remain in this housing in normal operation, this spring has a radial distance from the center of the rigid ring, to which the first end of the spring is fixed, to the outer lateral surface of the coupling member, when the spring is unstressed (i.e. relaxed / at rest / in its neutral position), which is greater than the radius of said circular cylindrical inner space.Such a configuration of the spring poses a major problem for the assembly of the mechanism, which is of small dimensions (the spring generally has a diameter of less than 4 mm). Indeed, if we consider a possible assembly method in which the spring is in a relaxed state, the drum finger and the spring must be arranged, when they are brought onto the wheel board, with a relatively precise relative angular positioning in which the coupling member is substantially aligned with the housing of the drum finger and inserted axially into this housing.

[0008] The relative angular positioning mentioned above is not obvious because the spring is very small. In addition, this spring is not visible when the drum finger is placed on the wheel board to then allow their assembly with a hub which has a shaft inserted into the oblong hole of the drum finger, the hole of the rigid ring and the central hole of the wheel board from the side of the drum finger ( Fig. 5of the document). Specific technical means or delicate handling by the watchmaker must be provided to allow such relative angular positioning. In addition, the coupling member can easily come out of the housing as long as the shaft is not inserted into the hole in the rigid ring, this hole then no longer being axially aligned with the oblong hole in the drum finger, which makes assembly difficult because the coupling member must therefore be reinserted into the housing. When leaving the housing, it is very likely that the coupling member will undergo an angular displacement relative to the housing so that its reintroduction becomes random and not certain.

[0009] In the case where the coupling member is not aligned with the housing after the spring and the drum finger have been placed on the wheel board, alignment of the hole in the rigid ring with the hole in the wheel board is not possible without stressing the spring. But it is difficult to see how the spring could be stressed and kept stressed, before the shaft is inserted into the hole in the rigid ring, once the spring is inserted into the interior space of the drum finger and covered by it. Summary of the invention

[0010] The technological background shows a need in the watchmaking field for a device, formed by a rigid element and an elastic element coupled by means of a coupling member which is carried by the elastic element and inserted at least partially in a specific housing that the rigid element has, which is configured so as to simplify its assembly or mounting in a watch movement in relation to the coupling of the rigid element with the elastic element, and for a method of coupling the rigid element with the elastic element, during the assembly or mounting of such a device, which is easy to implement.

[0011] To achieve this objective, the invention relates to a watch movement comprising a device formed by a support, a rigid element which is movable and an elastic element which is coupled to this rigid element, the elastic element comprising a first end which is integral in movement, at least in a first direction, with the support and a second end carrying a coupling member inserted at least partially in a specific housing which the rigid element has. The support, the rigid element and the elastic element are arranged in such a way that, when forming the device, they can be pre-mounted in the watch movement or pre-assembled in an intermediate state in which: - the first end of the elastic element is integral in movement, in the first direction, with the support; - the rigid element and the support with the elastic element have an initial relative position, among a range of possible relative positions,for which the elastic element is relaxed; and - the coupling member is located outside its own housing. The rigid element comprises a stress ramp provided for the elastic element and located near said own housing, the stress ramp being arranged so that, at least during assembly of the device or mounting of the device in the watch movement from said intermediate state, the coupling member can come to bear against the stress ramp, by a guided relative movement between the rigid element and the support in the first direction, from said initial relative position and then follow this stress ramp by approaching the own housing while the relative movement is continued with at least one non-zero component in the first direction, the stress ramp being arranged so that, during this continuation of the relative movement,the coupling member undergoes a displacement relative to the support, at least one non-zero component of which is in a second direction not parallel to the first direction, and the elastic element is then stressed. The coupling member is configured to be able, after having followed the stress ramp while approaching its own housing, to penetrate at least partially into this own housing, while the elastic element undergoes at least a partial relaxation, and finally to occupy a functional coupling position in which it remains during any normal operation of the watch movement.,

[0012] According to a particular variant, the device is configured so that the elastic element is substantially relaxed, i.e. not stressed, once the coupling member is in the functional coupling position following assembly of the device or mounting of this device in the watch movement.

[0013] According to a main embodiment, said first direction is an angular direction relative to an axis of rotation, defining a rotation around this axis, and said second direction is a radial direction, relative to said axis of rotation, which passes through a geometric center of the coupling member.

[0014] According to a general variant, said range of possible relative positions in said intermediate state extends over at least 20°.

[0015] According to an advantageous variant, the range of possible relative positions in the intermediate state extends over at least 45°, preferably over at least 60°.

[0016] According to a particular embodiment of the main embodiment, the device is a mechanism for driving a jumping indicator, the elastic element being a spring comprising a coil between its first end and its second end, said support being a wheel board which is mounted to rotate around said axis of rotation and which drives the first end of the spring, the rigid element comprising a drive finger arranged to drive the jumping indicator in a given drive direction.

[0017] According to an advantageous variant, the stress ramp is arranged so that, when the coupling member follows this stress ramp while approaching its own housing, the coupling member undergoes a radial displacement towards the axis of rotation and the coil of the spring is then stressed.

[0018] The invention also relates to a method for coupling a rigid element with an elastic element during an assembly or mounting of a device intended to form a movement, in which the elastic element comprises a first end, intended to be assembled with a support that the device or the watch movement comprises, and a second end carrying a coupling member intended to be assembled with the rigid element to couple the rigid element with the elastic element, the rigid element having its own housing for the coupling member and a constraint ramp provided to guide the elastic element by constraining it, during the coupling method, and located close to its own housing. The coupling method comprises the following steps: Secure in movement, in a first direction, the first end of the elastic element with the support; Position the support with the elastic element and the rigid element in an initial relative position, among a range of possible relative positions for which the elastic element is relaxed, in which the stress ramp is located between the coupling member and said own housing of the rigid element and from which the rigid element and the support can undergo, at least during the assembly or mounting of the device, a relative movement guided in the first direction; the elastic element with the coupling member and the rigid element being configured in such a way that the stress ramp crosses a geometric line passing through a point of contact of the coupling member with the stress ramp and parallel to the first direction; and then the next mating step: Applying a guided relative movement between the support and the rigid element in said first direction so that the coupling member bears against the stress ramp, the coupling member then following this stress ramp while the relative movement is continued with at least one non-zero component in the first direction, the stress ramp being configured to generate, during the continuation of the relative movement, a displacement of the coupling member relative to the support, having at least one non-zero component in a second direction not parallel to the first direction, while constraining the elastic element;the relative movement being continued until the coupling member at least partially penetrates into said own housing, while the elastic element undergoes at least a partial relaxation in the second direction, and finally occupies a functional coupling position in which it remains during any normal operation of the watch movement; the coupling member and its own housing being configured to allow the coupling member to reach this functional coupling position, during said at least partial relaxation of the elastic element, after having followed the stress ramp.;

[0019] According to a particular embodiment, the spring, the coupling member and the stress ramp are arranged so that, during the coupling step, the coupling member slides, after having followed the stress ramp, on a terminal zone of this stress ramp, during said relative movement, before the coupling member reaches said functional coupling position in its own housing.

[0020] According to an advantageous embodiment of the method, the stress ramp, the spring and the coupling member are arranged in such a way that, when the coupling member follows the stress ramp while approaching its own housing, the coupling member undergoes a rotation on itself which promotes or allows a subsequent penetration of this coupling member into its own housing, so that the coupling member can reach the functional coupling position.

[0021] According to another advantageous embodiment, the first direction is an angular direction relative to an axis of rotation, defining a rotation around this axis, and the second direction is a radial direction, relative to said axis of rotation, which passes through a geometric center of the coupling member, which thus undergoes a radial displacement when it follows the stress ramp while approaching its own housing.

[0022] In other embodiments of a watch movement according to the invention and other embodiments of the method according to the invention, a guided relative movement between the support and the rigid element, up to contact of the coupling member with the stress ramp, other than a rotation is provided. In other words, a first direction other than an angular direction is provided, in particular a linear direction. More complex guided relative movements can possibly be implemented.It will be noted that, following the intervention of the contact between the coupling member and the constraint ramp, the continuation of the relative movement, in a second phase of the relative movement, to allow the coupling member to climb the constraint ramp may be a more complex relative movement than a linear movement or a rotation occurring, in the first phase of the relative movement, before the coupling member comes to bear against the constraint ramp, in particular when the rigid element undergoes a displacement in reaction to a pressure exerted by the coupling member on the constraint ramp.

[0023] In a general embodiment, in which the rigid element is formed by a plate or is mounted rotatably on a plate, the method comprises, before the coupling step, an initial step in which a hub comprising a shaft and a head, the wheel board, the spring provided at its first end with a central rigid part and the plate, respectively the plate with the rigid element mounted on this plate are brought and positioned so that the wheel board, the spring and the plate, respectively the rigid element are in a relative position angularly corresponding to a said possible relative position with the spring located between the wheel board and the plate and the head located on a side opposite the spring relative to the plate;and such that the shaft, a first hole in the pad, a second hole in the wheel board and a third hole defined by the central rigid part are aligned on said axis of rotation, the second hole having a diameter smaller than the first hole and the head being at least partially superimposed on the pad; and then an assembly step including said securing step and in which the shaft is force-fitted into the second hole in the wheel board while leaving the pad free to rotate around the shaft, the head finally ensuring that this pad is held in axial position.; Brief description of the figures

[0024] The aims, advantages and characteristics of the invention will be described below in more detail with the aid of the appended drawings, given as non-limiting examples, in which: there Figure 1is a top view of a device intended for a watch movement according to a first embodiment of the invention; the Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the device of the Figure 1 ; THE Figures 3A to 3E show a first mode of implementation of a method of coupling, according to the invention, a rigid element with an elastic element during an assembly or mounting of a mechanical device intended to form a watch movement, to obtain in this first mode the device according to the first embodiment; Figures 4A and 4B show two particular moments of a preferred mode of operation of the mechanical device of the Figure 1 incorporated into a watch movement, in which this mechanical device forms a drive device for a date ring; Figure 5 is a top view of a device intended for a watch movement according to a second embodiment of the invention; the Figure 6is an exploded perspective view of the device of the Figure 5 ; THE Figures 7A to 7F show a second mode of implementation of a method of coupling, according to the invention, a rigid element with an elastic element during an assembly or mounting of a device according to the invention intended to form a watch movement according to the second embodiment (note that the plate 11 is shown in transparency); Figures 8A and 8B show two particular moments of a preferred mode of operation of the mechanical device, represented in the Figure 5 , incorporated into a watch movement in which it forms a device for driving a date ring; Figure 9 shows the device according to the second embodiment in a possible pre-assembled state, which results from an assembly of this device during which a relative rotation between the rocker and the support was excessive. Detailed description of the invention

[0025] In reference to the Figures 1 to 4B , a first embodiment of a watch movement 2 according to the invention will be described, which incorporates a device for driving a jumping indicator, and a first mode of implementing a method for coupling a rigid element with an elastic element during assembly or mounting of the device.

[0026] The device 6 forms a mechanism for driving a jumping indicator 4, in particular by semi-instantaneous jumping. This device 6 comprises a support formed by a wheel board 8, a rigid element forming a drum finger 10 and arranged above the wheel board, and an elastic element formed by a spring 16. This spring comprises a first end 17, a coil 18 and a second end 19. The wheel board 8 has an axis of rotation 22. The drum finger 10 defines a drive finger 12 for the indicator 4, which here forms a date ring. This drum finger has a drive flank 14 intended to come into contact with a tooth of a set of teeth 5 of the indicator to drive this indicator by jumping.The drum finger is rotatable relative to the wheel board 8 and guided in rotation about the axis of rotation 22 by a shaft 28, which has a hub 26, passing through an oblong hole 34 that the drum finger has. The first end 17 of the spring 16 is connected to a central rigid part 24 which is integral in rotation with the wheel board 8. Preferably, the spring and the central part form a single piece.

[0027] The drum finger 10 is formed by a plate 30, which extends above the spring 16 and in which the oblong hole 34 is machined, and an axial wall 32 arranged at the edge of this plate and which lowers towards the wheel board 8, on which it can rest in a variant. The drum finger thus defines an interior space 9 in which the spring is arranged. A portion of the axial wall and a portion of the plate, which is superimposed on it, together form the drive finger 12, which advantageously has a height which extends at least from below the spring to the upper surface of the plate 30. In an advantageous variant, the wheel board 8 and the central rigid portion 24 are driven onto the shaft 28 of the hub 26, which further comprises a head 27 which extends partially above the plate 30 so as to maintain the drum finger 10 in axial position.

[0028] The axial wall 32 has, at the level of the drive finger, a housing 36 which has a lateral opening on the side of the spring 16, namely on the side of the axis of rotation 22 of the device 6. The second end 19 of the spring is extended by a member 20 for coupling to the rigid element 10 (namely here the drum finger), this coupling member 20 being configured so as to be able to penetrate at least partially into the housing 36, which is a proper housing for the coupling member, through the lateral opening and allow the spring to then be able to apply a driving force torque to the rigid element 10. In the variant described, the coupling member 20 is rigid.

[0029] According to an advantageous variant, the housing 36 has a lateral surface 54 oriented obliquely in the direction of rotation 56 of the wheel board 8, the direction intended for driving the indicator, relative to a radial direction passing through the middle of the lateral surface, and the coupling member 20 has a lateral flank 52, opposite the lateral surface, which is also inclined obliquely in the same direction as the lateral surface and which presses at least partially against the lateral surface during each loading of the spring 16 for driving the jumping indicator by the mechanism 6. The coupling member 20 has a nose 42, defining the lateral flank 52, which is configured to fit into a complementary shape of the housing 36 having substantially the same profile.This particular characteristic makes it possible to ensure precise maintenance of the coupling member in a given driving position inside the housing as soon as the spring is put under tension during loading, the lateral surface exerting a reaction force on the nose 42 of the coupling member with a component directed towards the outside and therefore towards the bottom of the housing itself 36. Thus, despite the contraction undergone by the spring 16, the nose 42 remains in a given driving position for which the radius of application of the driving force of the spring on the drum finger 10 remains identical during loading of the spring and substantially maximum. It results from this characteristic that the transmitted force torque is thus maximum for a determined driving force of the spring during its loading.

[0030] According to a particular characteristic, the coupling member 20 has a rear heel provided to block a rotation of the coupling member on itself, once inserted into its own housing 36, in the direction of rotation 56 of the wheel board (direction of rotation provided for driving the indicator). This rear heel is extended by a contact surface 46 which comes to bear against an angular stop 48 at the end of loading of the spring 16, to then generate a jump of the indicator. Preferably, the angular stop 48 is located between the first end 17 of the spring and the central rigid ring 24, in the angular extension of the coil 18 of the spring, and is defined by the single and same part forming the rigid ring and the spring.

[0031] Furthermore, in an advantageous variant, the housing has a minimum dimension on the side of its opening which is slightly less than a maximum dimension of the coupling member perpendicular to the radial direction, relative to the central axis of the rigid ring merged with the axis of rotation 22, with the spring in an angularly relaxed state. More generally, the coupling member and its own housing are arranged in such a way that the coupling member cannot come out of its own housing by at least one translation relative to the rigid part, that is to say without undergoing at least one rotation on itself (rotation around its geometric center along an axis parallel to the axis of rotation 22). To enter its own housing through the lateral opening, the coupling member must therefore perform a slight rotation on itself, around its geometric center 21.This feature ensures that once the coupling member is properly inserted into its own housing and thus in a functional coupling position, there is very little risk of it coming out of its own housing, although this is not impossible in exceptional cases during specific impacts. An advantageous variant of the coupling method according to the invention performs coupling with the slight rotation of the coupling member required for the variant described here.

[0032] Once the coupling member 20 is assembled to the drum finger 10, without external constraints and in particular without an impact, this coupling member remains normally coupled to the drum finger 10 at all times regardless of the state of the device 6, that is to say in a state of the spring not angularly constrained in the periods without interaction between the teeth 5 of the indicator 4 and the drive finger 12, in a state where the spring works in contraction during a loading thereof before a jump of the indicator, during a jump of this indicator, and also when the spring is slightly constrained in expansion in particular when the wheel plate 8 is driven in rotation in a direction of rotation opposite to the direction intended to drive the indicator 4, in order to carry out a correction of the time in a counterclockwise direction.In conclusion, in normal operation of the watch movement 2, the coupling member 20 remains coupled to the drum finger as intended, that is to say in place in the proper housing 36, and thus secured to the drum finger. Generally, it is intended that, once the watch movement is mounted and finished, the coupling member occupies a functional coupling position in which it remains during any normal operation of the watch movement. It will be noted that in normal operation, no shocks are expected, generating strong accelerations, and that the watch movement is generally subjected to strong accelerations.

[0033] A general method of implementing the method of coupling a rigid element with an elastic element during assembly or mounting of a device intended to form a watch movement will be described below. Then, with reference to Figures 3A to 3E, a first mode of implementation of the coupling method according to the invention will be described.

[0034] Generally speaking, the method of coupling a rigid element with an elastic element, during an assembly or mounting of a device intended to form a watch movement, relates to an elastic element, in particular a spring which may have various shapes, comprising a first end, intended to be assembled with a support, in particular a wheel plate, which the device or the watch movement comprises, and a second end carrying a coupling member, intended to be assembled with the rigid element to couple the rigid element with the elastic element. The rigid element, in particular a rocker or a drum finger which is arranged to move relative to the support and on which it is intended to exert a restoring force, has its own housing for the coupling member and a stress ramp located close to its own housing and provided to guide the elastic element by momentarily stressing it during the coupling method.

[0035] According to a general mode of implementation, the coupling method comprises the following steps: Secure in movement, in a first direction, the first end of the elastic element with the support; Position the support with the elastic element and the rigid element in an initial relative position, among a range of possible relative positions for which the elastic element is relaxed, in which the stress ramp is located between the coupling member and said own housing of the rigid element and from which the rigid element and the support can undergo, at least during the assembly or mounting of the device, a relative movement guided in the first direction; the elastic element with the coupling member and the rigid element being configured in such a way that the stress ramp crosses a geometric direction passing through a point of contact of the coupling member with the stress ramp and parallel to the first direction; and then the next mating step: Applying a guided relative movement between the support and the rigid element in said first direction so that the coupling member comes to bear against the stress ramp, the coupling member then following this stress ramp while the relative movement is continued with at least one non-zero component in the first direction, the stress ramp being configured to generate, during this continuation of the relative movement, a displacement of the coupling member relative to the support, having at least one non-zero component in a second direction not parallel to the first direction, while constraining the elastic element;the relative movement being continued until the coupling member at least partially penetrates into said own housing, while the elastic element undergoes at least a partial relaxation in the second direction, and finally occupies a functional coupling position in which the coupling member remains during any normal operation of the watch movement; the coupling member and the own housing being configured to allow the coupling member to reach this functional coupling position, during said at least partial relaxation of the elastic element, after having followed the stress ramp.;

[0036] In the first embodiment of such a method, said first direction is an angular direction D1 relative to the axis of rotation 22, defining a rotation about this axis, and said second direction is a radial direction D2, relative to the axis of rotation 22, which passes through a geometric center 21 of the coupling member, which thus undergoes a radial displacement when it follows the stress ramp 40 while approaching its own housing 36. The device is a mechanism 6 for driving a jumping indicator 4, the elastic element being a spring 16 comprising a coil 18 between its first end 17 and its second end 19. The support is a wheel board 8 which drives the first end of the spring 16 and defines the axis of rotation 22. The rigid element 10 comprises a drive finger 12 for driving the jumping indicator in a given drive direction.

[0037] In the first embodiment of the coupling method, which is a special case of the general embodiment, the above-mentioned steps are specified, with reference to Figures 3A to 3E , as follows: Rotate the first end 17 of the spring 16 with the wheel board 8; Position ( Figure 3A) the wheel board 8 and the rigid element 10, forming in particular a drum finger, in an initial relative position IRP, among a range of possible relative angular positions P1(θ) for which the spring 16 is relaxed, the spring and the rigid element being arranged so that such a range of relative angular positions exists with the relaxed spring; the stress ramp 40, in the initial relative position IRP, being located between the coupling member 20 and the housing 36 of the rigid element 10; the rigid element 10 and the wheel board 8 being capable of undergoing, during the assembly or mounting of the mechanism 6, from the initial relative position IRP, a guided relative movement MR in an angular direction D1 centered on the axis of rotation 22;the spring 16 with the coupling member 20 and the rigid element 10 being configured so that the stress ramp 40 crosses a geometric line L3 passing through a contact point CP of the coupling member and defining a circle; ; and then the next mating step: Apply a guided relative movement MR between the wheel board 8 and the rigid element in said angular direction D1 ( Figures 3B to 3E ) so that the coupling member 20 comes to bear against the stress ramp 40 ( Figure 3B ) and then follows this constraint ramp ( Figure 3C), the coupling member then following this constraint ramp while the relative movement is continued in the angular direction D1, the constraint ramp 40 being configured to generate, during the continuation of the relative movement, a displacement of the coupling member relative to the wheel board, having at least one non-zero component in a radial direction D2, while constraining the spring 16; the relative movement being continued until the coupling member penetrates at least partially into its own housing 36 ( Figure 3E), while the spring undergoes at least a partial relaxation, preferably a total relaxation in the radial direction, and this coupling member finally occupies a functional coupling position in which it remains during any normal operation of the watch movement; the coupling member 20 and the housing 36 itself being configured to allow the coupling member to reach the functional coupling position, during said relaxation of the elastic element, after having followed the stress ramp 40.

[0038] It will be noted that the spring 16 is forced into contraction during the relative movement MR intended to effect the coupling of the spring 16 with the rigid element 10 via the proper housing 36 defined by this rigid element and the coupling member 20 carried by the second end 19 of the spring, this coupling member preferably being integral with the spring and thus forming a single part with this spring. The central rigid ring 24 is advantageously also fixed to the first end 17 of the spring so as to form a single part with this spring. Thus, as shown in the figures, the spring, the coupling member and the central rigid ring are formed by a single and same part. In addition, the spring 16 and the rigid ring 24 are arranged so as to present, when the spring is relaxed, a free space 38 into which the coupling member 20 can penetrate when the spring is forced into contraction.This is important for the coupling process, in the variant shown, and also for the operation of the mechanism 6 when driving an indicator 4, in particular a date ring.

[0039] As this is shown in the Figures 4A and 4B (in which the oblong hole 34 of the plate 30 is shown in broken lines), once the mechanism 6 is assembled according to the coupling method set out above, and this mechanism mounted in the watch movement 2 according to the invention, it is provided that the wheel plate 8 is driven by the time display mechanism in the direction of rotation 56. Thus, the rigid element 10, forming a drum finger comprising a drive finger 12, is driven in rotation by the wheel plate and, each day before midnight, the drive finger 12 comes to bear ( Figure 4A) against a lateral flank of a tooth 5a of a toothing 5, which the date ring has. Then, in a first phase, the spring 16 is charged by a contraction of its coil 18 until the contact surface 46 of the coupling member comes to bear against the angular stop 48 ( Figure 4B ). Then, shortly after this event, the date ring jump is triggered. In another variant, the jump can be triggered before the contact surface 46 comes to bear against the angular stop 48, the latter then forming a safety stop for the spring, so that it cannot be damaged.

[0040] In the first embodiment of the method, the stress ramp 40 is arranged upstream of the housing 36 relative to the direction of rotation 56 of the wheel board 8 when the jumping indicator 4 is driven by the mechanism 6 in the given driving direction.

[0041] The particular shape of the coupling member 20, the arrangement of the spring 16 and the configuration of the stress ramp 40 have the consequence that, during the coupling step, the coupling member slides, after having followed the stress ramp, on an end zone of this stress ramp, during said guided relative movement MR, before the at least partial penetration of the coupling member 20 into the own housing 36 and the occupation of the functional coupling position by this coupling member.

[0042] According to an advantageous variant, the stress ramp 40, the spring 16 and the coupling member 20 are arranged in such a way that, when the coupling member follows the stress ramp while approaching the own housing 36, the coupling member undergoes a rotation on itself, that is to say it rotates around its geometric center 21, which promotes or, in a preferred variant, which allows a subsequent penetration of this coupling member into the own housing, so that the coupling member can reach the functional coupling position. As already explained, this variant is advantageous, because it makes it possible to design complementary shapes for the coupling member and the own housing in such a way that the coupling member no longer comes out of the own housing in practice in the event of an impact.The rotation of the coupling member on itself is obtained, when assembling the spring to the rigid element defining its own housing, by the relative rotational movement between the rigid element and the support (the drum finger and the wheel board) thanks to the constraint ramp 40 which constrains the spring 16 by a displacement, having a main component which is radial, of the coupling member 20 towards the rotation axis 22, generating the rotation of this member on itself in a sufficient manner to allow an orientation allowing its introduction into the own housing 36. This is remarkable.

[0043] As can be seen in the Figure 3A, the range of possible relative positions P1(θ) of the spring 16 in a relaxed / unstressed state, placed in the interior space 9 of the drum finger 10 during assembly or mounting of the mechanism 6, in said intermediate state extends over approximately 75°. This value corresponds to a preferred variant, in which the range of possible relative positions extends over at least 60°. In a general variant, the range of possible relative positions in the intermediate state extends over at least 20°, while in an advantageous variant, this range extends over at least 45°. The range of possible relative positions P1(θ) in the intermediate state, before the relative rotational movement to effect the coupling, which is relatively large is a very advantageous benefit of the invention, since it is thus possible to bring the spring and the drum finger (the rigid element) together without requiring precise initial positioning between them.Furthermore, in the intermediate state, the spring is relaxed / unstressed so that its initial introduction and placement in the axial position are easy and do not require precise initial relative positioning, in particular to initially have the coupling member opposite its own housing, nor having to constrain the spring in this intermediate state. The spring is then constrained by the constraint ramp during the planned guided relative movement MR and the introduction of the coupling member into its own housing then takes place with at least partial relaxation of the spring, so that this member remains in its own housing in the absence of external constraints. The end portion of the constraint ramp defines an edge of the coupling member's own housing, the opposite edge of this own housing being advantageously located approximately at the same radial distance from the axis of rotation 22.

[0044] In a particular variant of the coupling method according to the invention, the rigid element 10 is formed by a plate 30 or is mounted to move in rotation on a plate (case related to the second embodiment which will be described later). The coupling method comprises, before the coupling step, an initial step in which the wheel board 8, the spring 16 and the plate 30, in particular the drum finger 10 which is formed in part by this plate 30 in the variant shown, are brought and positioned in said initial relative position with the spring located between the wheel board and the plate; and then it comprises an assembly step including said securing step and in which the hub 26, comprising a shaft 28 and a head 27, is brought on the side of the plate and the shaft is introduced into a first hole 34 (the oblong hole in the variant shown) that this plate has,in the rigid ring 24 to which the first end 17 of the spring is fixed and finally in a second hole that the wheel board 8 has, the second hole being sized so that the shaft 28 is force-fitted into this second hole while the first hole 34 is sized so that the plate 30, and therefore the drum finger 10, is free to rotate around the shaft, and therefore around the axis of rotation 22, the head 27 being finally at least partially superimposed on the plate, on the side opposite the spring, so as to ensure that this plate is held in axial position. According to an optional additional characteristic, the central rigid ring 24 has a third hole which is sized so that the shaft is also force-fitted into this third hole to secure the first end of the spring to the wheel board. It will be noted that in another variant,the rigid ring has an internal projecting part which is inserted into a corresponding cavity which the hub shaft comprises. Thus, the rigid ring and the spring, more particularly its first end 17, are integral in rotation with the wheel board 8, without however being fixed to the latter by means of the shaft.

[0045] In an advantageous variant of the coupling method according to the invention, the initial step of the particular variant described above is different in that the hub is first brought in, placed in a position, and then the drum finger is brought in by introducing the hub shaft into the oblong hole of this drum finger, then the spring is brought in with its rigid ring and the coupling member and this assembly is placed so that the hole of the rigid ring is positioned with an end part of the shaft of smaller diameter passing through it, this rigid ring being thus temporarily held above the interior space 9 of the drum finger. Then, the wheel board is brought in and positioned with the end part of the shaft also introduced into its central hole or aligned with this central hole. Finally, the rigid ring and the wheel board are forced onto the shaft, taking care to leave the drum finger free to rotate.The device according to the invention is thus in said intermediate state.

[0046] The present invention relates to the advantageous coupling method between an elastic element and a rigid element of a watch movement device, method described above, and also a watch movement comprising such a device and arranged so as to allow the implementation of the coupling method according to the invention.

[0047] Thus, according to the invention, a general embodiment of a watch movement according to the invention comprises a device formed by a support, a rigid element which is movable and an elastic element which is coupled to this rigid element, the elastic element comprising a first end which is integral in movement, at least in a first direction, with the support and a second end carrying a coupling member inserted at least partially in a specific housing which the rigid element has. The support, the rigid element and the elastic element are arranged in such a way that, when forming the device, they can be pre-mounted in the watch movement or pre-assembled in an intermediate state in which: - the first end of the elastic element is integral in movement, in the first direction, with the support; - the rigid element and the support with the elastic element have an initial relative position,among a range of possible relative positions, for which the elastic element is relaxed; and - the coupling member is located outside its own housing. The rigid element comprises a stress ramp provided for the elastic element and located near its own housing, the stress ramp being arranged so that, at least during assembly of the device or mounting of the device in the watch movement from said intermediate state, the coupling member can come to bear against the stress ramp, by a guided relative movement between the rigid element and the support in the first direction, from said initial relative position and then follow this stress ramp while approaching its own housing while the relative movement is continued with at least one non-zero component in the first direction, the stress ramp being arranged so that, during this continuation of the relative movement,the coupling member undergoes a displacement relative to the support, at least one non-zero component of which is in a second direction not parallel to the first direction, and the elastic element is then stressed. The coupling member is configured to be able, after having followed the stress ramp while approaching its own housing, to penetrate at least partially into this own housing, while the elastic element undergoes at least a partial relaxation, and finally to occupy a functional coupling position in which it remains during any normal operation of the watch movement.,

[0048] According to a particular variant, the spring 16, the coupling member 20 and the stress ramp 40 are arranged in such a way that the coupling member can, after having followed the stress ramp while approaching its own housing, slide on an end zone of the stress ramp, while said relative movement is continued, before the coupling member reaches said functional coupling position in said own housing.

[0049] According to a main variant, the first direction is an angular direction, relative to an axis of rotation, defining a rotation around this axis, and the second direction is a radial direction, relative to said axis of rotation, which passes through a geometric center of the coupling member.

[0050] In a general variant, said range of possible relative positions in said intermediate state extends over at least 20°. In an advantageous variant, said range of possible relative positions in said intermediate state extends over at least 45°, preferably over at least 60°.

[0051] According to the first embodiment and the second embodiment described below, the device is a mechanism 6 for driving a jumping indicator 4, the elastic element being a spring 16 comprising a coil 18 between its first end 17 and its second end 19, said support being a wheel board 8 which drives the first end of the spring and which defines said axis of rotation (the axis of rotation 22), the rigid element (drum finger or rocker) comprising a drive finger 12 arranged to be able to periodically drive the jumping indicator in a given drive direction 50.

[0052] According to a preferred variant of the watch movement, already explained previously, the stress ramp 40, the spring 16 and the coupling member 20 are arranged in such a way that, when the coupling member follows the stress ramp while approaching the housing 36 itself, the coupling member can undergo a rotation on itself which promotes or allows a subsequent penetration of this coupling member into said housing, so that the coupling member can finally reach said functional coupling position.

[0053] According to the first embodiment, in the watch movement 2, the rigid element 10 is formed by a plate 30 which extends above the spring, on the side opposite the wheel board 8, and by an axial wall 32 arranged at the edge of the plate and which lowers towards the wheel board, at least a part of the axial wall and a part of the plate which is superimposed on it together forming the drive finger 12. The plate has an oblong hole and is guided in rotation around the axis of rotation 22, relative to the wheel board, by a shaft 28 fixed to this wheel board and passing through the oblong hole.The axial wall 32 defines the housing 36, which has a lateral opening on the spring side (i.e. on the side of the rotation axis 22), the coupling member 20 being configured so as to be able to penetrate at least partially into the own housing 36 through the lateral opening, to finally reach said functional coupling position in which it remains during any normal operation of the watch movement, and to then allow the spring 16 to apply a driving force torque to the rigid element 10 and thus to the driving finger 12 to carry out the driving of the jumping indicator 4.

[0054] According to an advantageous variant, the coupling member has, in a general plane of the spring, a first shape and the housing has in this general plane a second shape with a dimension of said lateral opening which does not allow the coupling member to come out of its own housing only by at least one translation.

[0055] According to the advantageous variant shown of the mechanism 6 of the watch movement according to the first embodiment, the constraint ramp 40 is arranged upstream of the housing 36 relative to a direction of rotation 56 of the wheel plate 8 when the jumping indicator 4 is driven by the mechanism 6 in the given driving direction 50, so that said relative movement between the rigid element 10 and the wheel plate in the angular direction D1 is carried out for the wheel plate in said direction of rotation thereof.

[0056] According to a preferred variant, the mechanism 6 is arranged in such a way that, if the coupling member 20 possibly comes out of its own housing 36 during an impact or a certain strong acceleration undergone by the watch movement 2, this coupling member 20 can only occupy a pre-coupling position upstream of its own housing 36 relative to the direction of rotation 56 of the wheel plate 8 when the jumping indicator 4 is driven by the mechanism in said given driving direction 56. The mechanism is arranged in such a way that the coupling member can return to said functional coupling position when the wheel plate 8 is driven in rotation by the watch movement, in said direction of rotation 56 of this wheel plate, while the driving finger is bearing against a tooth that the jumping indicator comprises.This preferred variant is remarkable because, in the possible case of a specific shock which would cause the coupling member 20 to come out of its own housing 36, this coupling member can only be located upstream of its own housing, and in the variant shown with the upstream stress ramp, also upstream of this ramp or possibly bearing against this ramp. This state corresponds to a situation of automatic pre-coupling of the spring 16 and the rigid element 10 (drum finger), because the rotation of the wheel plate 8, during normal operation of the watch movement, will generate, as soon as the drive finger 12 comes to bear against a tooth 5a of the indicator 4, a re-coupling process similar to that occurring in the coupling method of the invention.The coupling member 20 climbs the stress ramp 40 again, slides on the end zone of this ramp and possibly undergoes a certain rotation on itself (if provided during the coupling process) and enters again into its own housing to finally occupy the intended coupling position before the spring is fully charged, that is to say before the next jump provided for the indicator. Thus, the fact that the coupling member 20 is removed from its own housing, once the watch movement 2 is mounted, has no negative impact on the driving of the indicator 4 by the mechanism, no jump of the indicator being missed and the re-coupling occurring automatically.

[0057] Subsequently, a second embodiment of a watch movement according to the invention will be described. The elements or references already described previously will not be described again in detail.

[0058] The clockwork movement 62 according to the second embodiment is characterized firstly by the fact that the rigid element of the mechanism 60 is a lever 66 which is mounted on a plate 11, which the mechanism comprises. The plate 11 has a circular central hole 34A and is guided in rotation, around the axis of rotation 22 which is a first axis of rotation, relative to the wheel plate 8 by the shaft 28 to which this wheel plate is fixed. The lever 66 is mounted on the plate 11 so as to be movable in rotation around a second axis of rotation 72 which is distant from the first axis of rotation 22, the second axis of rotation being arranged at a first end of the lever.More particularly, the rocker is formed by an arm 67 comprising at its first end a stud 74, inserted into a corresponding hole in the plate 11 so as to be able to pivot around the second axis of rotation 72, and on the side of its second end a drive finger 68 and an inner part defining a proper housing 76 for a coupling member 70 and comprising a front part 78 which defines a stress ramp 80 for the spring 16A (elements which will be described in more detail later). The mechanism 60 also comprises a stop 90 which is integral with the plate 11 and which limits the rotation of the rocker 66 in a first direction of rotation corresponding to a radial distance of the drive finger relative to the first axis of rotation 22.

[0059] In the variant shown, the plate 11 has a lateral surface, one zone of which defines the stop 90, the drive finger 68 being arranged in such a way that a rear upper portion 92 of this finger can come to bear against the stop 90, so as to be held in a fixed angular position relative to the second axis of rotation and thus in a fixed position relative to the first axis of rotation, in particular when driving the indicator 4 ( Figures 8B ) or, in the context of the present invention, when the coupling member 70 follows said at least one terminal section of the constraint ramp 80 ( Figures 7D And 7E ), as will be further explained later.

[0060] Generally, the stress ramp 80 is arranged so that, when the coupling member 70 follows this stress ramp while approaching the housing 76 itself, the coupling member exerts on the rocker 66 a torque in the first direction of rotation and the coupling member 70 undergoes, at least on a terminal section of the stress ramp, a radial displacement in a radial direction D2 towards the first axis of rotation 22, while the rocker is bearing against the stop 90 and the spring 16A is stressed. Again, the first end 17 of the spring 16A is connected to a central rigid ring 24A while the second end 19 carries the coupling member 70.Between these two ends, the spring comprises a coil 18A which has on the side of the second end an internal projecting part 82, which is intended to stop the contraction stress of the spring, that is to say of its coil 18A, when the mechanism 60 is mounted in the clockwork movement 62 and operates, as shown in . Figures 8A and 8B , which are similar to the Figures 4A and 4B relating to the first embodiment. These Figures 8A and 8Bshow the mechanism 60 and the date ring 4, comprising a toothing 5, during a drive of this ring for the passage to a following date at midnight, respectively: - At the moment when the drive finger 68 comes into contact against a tooth 5a of the ring and when the spring 16A is substantially angularly relaxed (i.e. not angularly stressed); - At the end of the loading of the spring 16A when the internal projecting part 82 of the spring comes to bear against the angular stop 84, the latter being arranged following the first end 17 of the spring, between this first end and the rigid ring 24A.

[0061] The plate 11 and the rocker 66 are arranged so that the rocker can undergo, from a first position where the rocker 66 is bearing against the stop 90, a rotation in the second direction of rotation, opposite to the first direction of rotation, to a second position where the drive finger 68 is retracted / withdrawn on the side of the first axis of rotation 22. The constraint ramp 80 is configured so that, during the relative movement MR between the rocker and the wheel board 8 while the spring 16A is relaxed / unstressed and the rocker is located in the second position, the coupling member 70 can come to bear against the constraint ramp 80 ( Figure 7B ) to then be able to follow this constraint ramp while approaching the own housing 76 ( Figures 7C to 7E). Thus, in this case, on a first section of the constraint ramp, during the relative movement MR, the coupling member 70 exerts a force on the second end of the rocker which drives this rocker in rotation in the first direction of rotation ( Figure 7C ) until the rocker comes to rest against the stop 90 ( Figure 7D ).

[0062] To the Figure 7D is shown the contact point CP and the geometric line L3 involved in the coupling method, given that it is at least necessary, according to the invention, that the spring 16A with the coupling member 70 and the rocker 66 are configured in such a way that the stress ramp 80 crosses the geometric line L3, passing through the contact point PC of the coupling member 70 and defining a circle around the central axis of rotation 22, in the situation of the Figure 7Dwhere the rocker is in contact with the stop 90 and the spring 16A is relaxed. Indeed, in a general variant of the coupling method for the device comprising a rocker 66, a step of positioning the rocker can take place before the coupling step, this positioning step consisting of putting the rocker in contact with the stop 90, that is to say in its first position, before carrying out the relative movement MR between the wheel board 8 and the plate 11. It will be noted that, in the variant described here, the coupling member 70 undergoes a displacement relative to the support, called relative displacement, in the second direction D2 towards the axis of rotation 22 and the spring 16A is stressed only when the coupling member 70 continues to follow / climb the stress ramp on a second section, located after the first section on the side of the housing 76 ( Figure 7E ), after the rocker 66 has come to rest against the stop 90 ( Figure 7D). Finally, the coupling member 70 enters its own housing 76 through its lateral opening, while the spring undergoes a rapid partial relaxation, and said relative movement is terminated by a small recoil, in the opposite direction to the direction occurring when the coupling member climbs the stress ramp, to allow this member to reach the intended coupling position ( Figure 7F ). In this functional coupling position, the spring can still be slightly radially stressed or radially relaxed. In the absence of a force moment exerted on the coupling member, the spring is then in the latter case completely relaxed.

[0063] In this second embodiment, it can be seen that the relative movement MR between the wheel board 8 (the support) and the rocker 66 (the rigid element) can comprise three phases when the rocker is not initially bearing against the stop 90. A first phase, occurring until the coupling member 70 comes into contact against the stress ramp 80, in which the relative movement is in the angular direction D1, that is to say that it is a rotation around the axis 22 and guided by the shaft 28 of the hub 26 (note that it is considered here that the rocker does not rotate around its own axis 72). Then, as indicated, a continuation of the relative movement is provided until the coupling member is inserted into the proper housing 76. Thus, in a second phase of the relative movement MR, this relative movement is more complex because the rocker rotates progressively around its own axis 72 until it comes to bear against the stop 90.In this second phase, the relative movement MR continues to have a component along said angular direction D1, namely a guided rotation around the central axis 22 which is necessary, but there also appears a component relating to the rotation of the rocker 66 around its axis 72. This second phase will also be called 'initial phase', which is indeed an initial phase in relation to the fact that the coupling member follows / climbs the constraint ramp.

[0064] Then, once the rocker has come to bear against the stop 90, its rotation around the axis 72 ends and then begins the third phase of the relative movement which becomes a rotation around the central axis again. It is in this third phase that the spring is radially stressed and that the coupling member 70 undergoes a radial displacement relative to the wheel board, namely towards the axis of rotation 22 of this wheel board. It will be noted that the appearance of a radial stress of the spring resulting from a radial displacement of the coupling member does not exclude a possible angular stress associated with an angular displacement of the coupling member relative to the wheel board.To be precise, it can be mentioned that the constraint ramp is arranged in such a way that, during said continuation of the relative movement, the coupling member undergoes a displacement relative to the support (the wheel board 8), at least one non-zero component of which is in a second direction (D2) not parallel to the first direction (D1), and the elastic element (the spring 16) is then constrained.To cover in a general and precise manner relative movements which may be complex, as is the case here, it may be mentioned that the constraint ramp is arranged in such a way that, at least during assembly of the device or mounting of the device in the watch movement from the intermediate state defined previously, the coupling member can come to bear against the constraint ramp, by a guided relative movement between the rigid element and the support in the first direction (D1), from said initial relative position (IRP) and then follow this constraint ramp by approaching the own housing while the relative movement is continued with at least one non-zero component in the first direction.

[0065] The coupling member 70 is configured to be able to penetrate at least partially into its own housing 76 through the lateral opening of this housing. In particular, the housing has a lateral surface 54A oriented obliquely in the direction of rotation 56 of the wheel board 8, provided for driving the indicator 4, relative to a radial direction passing through the middle of this lateral surface, and the coupling member 70 has a lateral flank 52A, located opposite the lateral surface 54A in the functional coupling position (see Figures 7B And 7F ), which is also inclined obliquely in the same direction as the lateral surface and which presses at least partially against this lateral surface at least during a drive of the indicator ( Figure 8B). This particular characteristic makes it possible to ensure good retention of the coupling member in its own housing as soon as the spring 16A is put under tension in contraction. In addition, the lateral surface 54A and the lateral flank 52A have a relatively great length.

[0066] The housing 76 has a generally triangular shape and opens gradually towards its lateral opening. The shape of the part of the coupling member 70 which is inserted into the housing itself via the lateral opening corresponds substantially to that of the housing. This configuration advantageously allows the coupling member to be easily inserted into the housing itself, but would a priori allow this member to come out quite easily in the event of an impact, although the housing is provided to be relatively deep. However, the spring 16A is arranged in such a way that when this spring is loaded, the coupling member 70 is at a short distance from the inner end 17 of the spring which is rigidly connected to the central part 24A. In this situation, the coupling member 70 cannot come out of the housing itself in the event of an impact.Furthermore, when the drive finger is not interacting with the toothing 5 of the indicator and the spring 16A is then substantially relaxed, the coupling member 70 cannot come out laterally from its own housing during an impact. Thus, the mechanism 60 is arranged in such a way that, when the spring is relaxed or stressed during a loading of this spring preceding a jump of the indicator, the coupling member cannot come out of its own housing 76.

[0067] Once inserted into its own housing 76, the coupling member 70 is advantageously held in the own housing by a radial force of the spring 16A applied to the coupling member outwards. This radial force is increased during a rapid change of the date or during a counterclockwise time correction passing through midnight, by the fact that the drive finger 68 and the coupling member 70 then undergo a recoil / withdrawal in the direction of the rotation axis 22 via a clockwise rotation of the lever (second direction of rotation of the lever), so that the coupling member is thus normally held in the own housing even when the spring 16A is somewhat forced into expansion in such a situation.Indeed, given that the plate 11 undergoes a rotation relative to the wheel plate 8 as during the coupling process, namely in a direction opposite to the direction of relative rotation of this plate occurring during a drive of the date ring 4 by the mechanism 60, the coupling member 70 could theoretically come out of its own housing 76. But during such corrections, the drive finger and the coupling member undergo a recoil towards the central axis, contrary to what happens during the coupling process.

[0068] When the drive finger 68 retracts, by a rotation of the lever 66 in said second direction towards the axis of rotation 22, during a rapid correction of the date or the time in a counterclockwise direction, the coupling finger 68 approaches the central part 24A in such a way that it can no longer, after a certain initial rotation of the lever, come out of its own housing 76. During the initial rotation, the spring 16A can undergo a certain angular stress in expansion and theoretically allow the coupling member to come out of its own housing in the event of an impact.However, if the coupling member undergoes an acceleration substantially in the direction of the axis of rotation 22 of the wheel board 8, the rocker then undergoes a certain force torque, which causes a rotation of this rocker about its axis of rotation 72, and the drive finger then follows the coupling member so that the latter remains at least partly in its own housing. If the acceleration is in a direction passing substantially through the center of gravity of the rocker and its axis of rotation 72, the coupling member 70 can undergo an exit movement from its own housing 76. However, the internal projecting part 82 of the spring can be configured so as to prevent the coupling member from being able to come out completely from its own housing.In conclusion, the mechanism 60 is arranged so that the coupling member 70 remains in its own housing 76 in normal operation, so that this coupling member is at all times integral with the drive finger in normal operation, and that it cannot in most cases come out of its own housing during impacts, preferably in no case.

[0069] The second embodiment is further distinguished from the first embodiment by the fact that the constraint ramp 80 is arranged downstream of the housing 76 relative to a direction of rotation 56 of the wheel board 8 when the jumping indicator 4 is driven by the mechanism 60 in the given driving direction 50, so that said relative movement MR between the rocker 66 and the wheel board with the spring 16 is carried out for the wheel board in a direction opposite to its direction of rotation 56 occurring when driving the jumping indicator 4.Corresponding to this second embodiment is a second mode of implementation of the coupling method according to the invention, in which the relative movement MR between the rocker 66 and the wheel board 8 is carried out, for the wheel board, in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation 56 of this wheel board when the indicator is driven by the mechanism in the given driving direction 50, and in which the spring 16A is forced into expansion during the coupling method. This second mode of implementation of the method is shown in . Figures 7A to 7F already described. At the Figure 7A, the spring 16A, the wheel board 8 and the rocker 66, together with the plate 11 on which this rocker is mounted, are in an initial relative position IRP within a range of possible relative positions P2(θ) for this initial relative position IRP, which here extends over approximately 90°. In other variants, the range extends only over approximately 20° or 30°. Thus, in a general variant, this range extends over at least 20°. In an advantageous variant, the range of possible relative positions extends over at least 45°, preferably at least 60°. It will be noted that, in the example shown, the rocker 66 is initially approximately in its second position in recoil / withdrawal towards the axis of rotation 22. The assembly of the various elements with a hub 26 is carried out in a similar manner to that described for the first embodiment.

[0070] Advantageously, the mechanism 60 is arranged in such a way that if, during assembly of this mechanism, the coupling member 70 is finally located beyond its own housing 76 due to a relative movement carried out over too long a distance (situation shown in Figure 9 ), this coupling member can temporarily occupy a pre-coupling position, upstream of the own housing 76 relative to the direction of rotation 56 of the wheel board 8 occurring during a drive of the indicator 4. The mechanism 60 is arranged in such a way that the coupling member can come to the functional coupling position ( Figure 8A ) from the pre-coupling position when driving the wheel board 8 in said direction of rotation 56 while the drive finger 68 is resting against a tooth 5a which the jumping indicator 4 comprises. If inadvertently the device 60 is mounted in the watch movement 62 in the state of the Figure 9, namely with the coupling member in a pre-coupling position, as soon as the drive finger 68 comes to bear against a tooth 5a of the indicator during normal operation of the watch movement, the coupling member 70 follows the inner flank 88 of the lever 66 and the coupling member automatically arrives in the proper housing 76 and in the intended coupling position. Then, the spring 16A can be loaded in contraction as intended to be able to perform a jump drive of the indicator 4. Certainly, in such a case, the operating test of the mechanism 60 will require modifying the positioning of the minute hand on its axis if this hand has already been mounted before this test for the jump drive of the indicator.

Claims

1. Clock movement (2, 62) comprising a device (6, 60) formed by a support (8), a rigid element (10, 66) which is movable and an elastic element (16, 16A) which is coupled to this rigid element, the elastic element comprising a first end (17) which is integral in movement, at least in a first direction (D1), with the support and a second end (19) carrying a coupling member (20, 70) inserted at least partially in a specific housing (36, 76) which the rigid element has; characterized in thatthe support, the rigid element and the elastic element are arranged in such a way that, when forming the device, they can be pre-mounted in the watch movement or pre-assembled in an intermediate state in which: - the first end of the elastic element is integral in movement, in the first direction (D1), with the support, - the rigid element and the support with the elastic element have an initial relative position (IRP), among a range of possible relative positions (P1(θ), P2(θ)), for which the elastic element is relaxed, and - the coupling member is located outside said own housing; in thatthe rigid element comprises a stress ramp (40, 80) provided for the elastic element and located near said own housing, the stress ramp being arranged so that, at least during assembly of the device or mounting of the device in the watch movement from said intermediate state, the coupling member can come to bear against the stress ramp, by a guided relative movement (MR) between the rigid element and the support in the first direction (D1), from said initial relative position and then follow this stress ramp by approaching its own housing while the relative movement is continued with at least one non-zero component in the first direction, the stress ramp being arranged so that, during this continuation of the relative movement, the coupling member undergoes a displacement relative to the support,of which at least one non-zero component is in a second direction (D2) not parallel to the first direction (D1), and the elastic element is then constrained; and, in that the coupling member is configured to be able, after having followed the stress ramp while approaching said own housing, to penetrate at least partially into this own housing, while the elastic element undergoes at least a partial relaxation, and finally to occupy a functional coupling position in which the coupling member remains during any normal operation of the watch movement.

2. Watch movement according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe spring (16), the coupling member (20) and the stress ramp (40) are arranged in such a way that the coupling member can, after having followed the stress ramp while approaching its own housing (36), slide on an end zone of this stress ramp, while said relative movement is continued, before the coupling member reaches said functional coupling position in its own housing.

3. Watch movement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said coupling member (20, 70) is rigid.

4. Watch movement according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said first direction (D1) is an angular direction relative to an axis of rotation (22), defining a rotation around this axis, and said second direction (D2) is a radial direction, relative to said axis of rotation (22), which passes through a geometric center (21) of the coupling member (20, 70).

5. Watch movement according to claim 4, characterized in that said range of possible relative positions (P1(θ), P2(θ)) in said intermediate state is an angular range which extends over at least 20°.

6. Watch movement according to claim 4, characterized in that said range of possible relative positions (P1(θ), P2(θ)) in said intermediate state is an angular range which extends over at least 60°.

7. Watch movement according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in thatsaid device is a mechanism (6, 60) for driving a jumping indicator (4), the elastic element being a spring (16, 16A) comprising a coil (18, 18A) between its first end and its second end, said support being a wheel board (8) which is rotatably mounted around said axis of rotation (22) and which drives the first end (17) of the spring, the rigid element (10, 66) comprising a drive finger (12, 68) arranged to be able to periodically drive the jumping indicator (4) in a given drive direction (50).

8. Watch movement according to claim 7, characterized in that the stress ramp (40, 80) is arranged so that, when the coupling member (20, 70) follows this stress ramp while approaching said own housing (36, 76), the coupling member undergoes a radial displacement towards the axis of rotation (22) and the coil (18, 18A) of the spring is then stressed.

9. Watch movement according to claim 8, characterized in that the constraint ramp (40), the spring (16) and the coupling member (20) are arranged in such a way that, when the coupling member follows the constraint ramp while approaching said own housing (36), the coupling member can undergo a rotation on itself which promotes or allows a following penetration of this coupling member into the own housing (36), so that the coupling member can finally reach said functional coupling position.

10. Watch movement according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in thatthe rigid element is formed by a plate (30) which extends above the spring (16), on the side opposite the wheel board (8), and by an axial wall (32) arranged at the edge of the plate and which lowers towards the wheel board, at least a part of the axial wall and a part of the plate which is superimposed thereon together forming the drive finger (12), the plate having an oblong hole (34) and being guided in rotation around said axis of rotation (22), relative to the wheel board, by a shaft (28) fixed to this wheel board and passing through the oblong hole; and in thatthe axial wall defines said own housing (36), which has a lateral opening on the side of the spring (16), the coupling member (20) being configured so as to be able to penetrate at least partially into the own housing through the lateral opening, to finally reach said functional coupling position, and to then allow the spring to apply a driving force torque to the rigid element (10) and thus to the driving finger (12) to carry out the driving of the jumping indicator (4).

11. Watch movement according to claim 10, characterized in that said coupling member (20) has, in a general plane of the spring, a first shape and the housing itself (36) has in this general plane a second shape with a dimension of said lateral opening which does not allow the coupling member to come out of the housing itself only by at least one translation.

12. Watch movement according to any one of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that the constraint ramp (40) is arranged upstream of the own housing (36) relative to a direction of rotation (56) of the wheel board (8) when driving the jumping indicator (4) by the mechanism (6) in said given driving direction (50), so that said relative movement (MR) between the rigid element (10) and the wheel board along said axis of rotation (22) is carried out, for the wheel board, in said direction of rotation thereof.

13. Watch movement according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in thatthe rigid element is a rocker (66) mounted on a plate (11) that comprises said mechanism (60), the plate being guided in rotation, around said axis of rotation (22) which is a first axis of rotation, relative to the wheel board (8) by a shaft (28) to which this wheel board is fixed, the rocker being mounted on the plate so as to be movable in rotation around a second axis of rotation (72) which is distant from the first axis of rotation, the second axis of rotation being arranged at a first end of the rocker and this rocker forming the drive finger (68) on the side of its second end, the mechanism comprising a stop (90) which is integral with the plate and which limits the rotation of the rocker in a first direction of rotation corresponding to a radial distance of the drive finger (68) relative to the first axis of rotation (22), the constraint ramp (80) being arranged so that,when the coupling member (70) follows this stress ramp while approaching its own housing (76), the coupling member exerts a torque on the rocker in the first direction of rotation and the coupling member undergoes, at least on a terminal section of the stress ramp, a radial displacement towards the first axis of rotation, while the rocker is supported against the stop and the spring is stressed.

14. Watch movement according to claim 13, characterized in thatthe plate (11) has a lateral surface, one area of ​​which defines the stop (90), the drive finger (68) being arranged so that a rear upper portion (92) of this drive finger can come to bear against the stop (90) when the coupling member (70) follows said at least one terminal section of the stress ramp (80), so as to then be held in a fixed angular position relative to the second axis of rotation (72) and thus in a fixed position relative to the first axis of rotation (22).

15. Watch movement according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the plate (11) and the rocker (66) are arranged so that the rocker can undergo, from a first position where the rocker is resting against the stop (90), a rotation in the second direction of rotation, opposite to the first direction of rotation, to a second position where the drive finger (68) is retracted on the side of the first axis of rotation (22); and in that the constraint ramp (80) is configured so that, during said relative movement between the rocker and the wheel board (8) while the spring (16A) is unconstrained and the rocker is located in the second position, the coupling member (70) can come to bear against the constraint ramp to then be able to follow this constraint ramp by approaching the own housing (76) while generating in an initial phase a rotation of the rocker until the latter comes to bear against the stop.

16. Watch movement according to any one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in thatthe constraint ramp (80) is arranged downstream of the own housing (76) relative to a direction of rotation (56) of the wheel board (8) when driving the jumping indicator (4) by the mechanism (60) in said given driving direction (50), so that said relative movement (MR) between the rocker (66) and the wheel board is carried out, for the wheel board, in a direction opposite to said direction of rotation of this wheel board.

17. Watch movement according to claim 16, characterized in that the mechanism (60) is arranged in such a way that if, during assembly of the mechanism, the coupling member (70) is finally located beyond the proper housing (76) due to a relative movement carried out over too long a distance, this coupling member can momentarily occupy a pre-coupling position, upstream of the proper housing relative to said direction of rotation (56) of the wheel board; and in thatthe mechanism is arranged in such a way that the coupling member (70) can come to the functional coupling position from the pre-coupling position when driving the wheel board (8) in said direction of rotation while the driving finger (68) is in abutment against a tooth (5a) which the jumping indicator (4) comprises.

18. Watch movement according to claim 16, characterized in that the mechanism (6, 60) is arranged so that, when the spring (16, 16A) is relaxed or stressed during a loading of the spring preceding a jump of the indicator (4) in said driving direction (50), the coupling member cannot come out of its own housing (36, 76).

19. Watch movement according to any one of claims 7 to 18, characterized in thatthe mechanism (6) is arranged in such a way that, if the coupling member (20) possibly comes out of its own housing (36) during a shock or a certain acceleration undergone by the watch movement, this coupling member can only occupy a pre-coupling position upstream of its own housing relative to a direction of rotation (56) of the wheel plate when the jumping indicator (4) is driven by the mechanism (6) in said given driving direction, the mechanism being arranged in such a way that the coupling member can return to said functional coupling position when the wheel plate (8) is driven in rotation by the watch movement, in said direction of rotation (56) of this wheel plate, while the driving finger (12) is in abutment against a tooth (5a) which the jumping indicator (4) comprises.

20. Method for coupling a rigid element (10, 66) with an elastic element (16, 16A), during an assembly or mounting of a device (6, 60) intended to form a watch movement (2, 62), in which the elastic element comprises a first end (17), intended to be assembled with a support (8) that the device or the watch movement comprises, and a second end (19) carrying a coupling member (20, 70) intended to be assembled with the rigid element to couple the rigid element with the elastic element, the rigid element having its own housing (36, 76) for the coupling member and a constraint ramp (40, 80) provided to guide the elastic element by constraining it, during the coupling method, and located close to its own housing; the coupling method comprising the following steps: - Secure in movement, in a first direction (D1), the first end (17) of the elastic element with the support (8);- Positioning the support with the elastic element and the rigid element in an initial relative position (IRP), among a range of possible relative positions (P1 (θ), P2 (θ)) for which the elastic element is relaxed, in which the stress ramp is located between the coupling member (20, 70) and said own housing of the rigid element and from which the rigid element and the support can undergo, at least during the assembly or mounting of the device, a relative movement (MR) in the first direction (D1); the elastic element with the coupling member and the rigid element being configured in such a way that the stress ramp (40, 80) crosses a geometric line (L3) passing through a contact point (CP) of the coupling member to the stress ramp and parallel to the first direction;and then the following coupling step: - Applying a relative movement (MR) between the support (8) and the rigid element (10, 66) in said first direction (D1) so that the coupling member comes to bear against the stress ramp, the coupling member then following this stress ramp while the relative movement is continued with at least one non-zero component in the first direction, the stress ramp being configured to generate, during this continuation of the relative movement, a displacement of the coupling member relative to the support, having at least one non-zero component in a second direction (D2) not parallel to the first direction, while constraining the elastic element (16, 16A);the relative movement being continued until the coupling member at least partially penetrates into said own housing (36, 76), while the elastic element undergoes at least a partial relaxation in the second direction (D2), and finally occupies a functional coupling position in which the coupling member remains during any normal operation of the watch movement; the coupling member and said own housing being configured to allow the coupling member (20, 70) to reach this functional coupling position, during said at least partial relaxation of the elastic element, after having followed the stress ramp.; 21. Coupling method according to claim 20, characterized in thatthe spring (16), the coupling member (20) and the stress ramp (40) are arranged so that, during the coupling step, the coupling member slides, after having followed the stress ramp, on an end zone of this stress ramp, during said relative movement (MR), before the coupling member reaches said functional coupling position in its own housing (36).

22. Coupling method according to claim 20 or 21, characterized in that the constraint ramp (40), the spring (16) and the coupling member (20) are arranged in such a way that, when the coupling member follows the constraint ramp while approaching said own housing (36), the coupling member undergoes a rotation on itself which promotes or allows a following penetration of this coupling member into said own housing, so that the coupling member can reach said functional coupling position.

23. Coupling method according to any one of claims 20 to 22, characterized in that said first direction (D1) is an angular direction relative to an axis of rotation (22), defining a rotation around this axis, and said second direction (D2) is a radial direction, relative to said axis of rotation (22), which passes through a geometric center (21) of the coupling member, which thus undergoes a radial displacement when it follows the stress ramp (40) while approaching said own housing (36).

24. Coupling method according to claim 22 or 23, characterized in that said range of possible relative positions (P1(θ), P2(θ)) in said intermediate state is an angular range which extends over at least 20°.

25. Coupling method according to claim 22 or 23, characterized in that said range of possible relative positions (P1(θ), P2(θ)) in said intermediate state is an angular range which extends over at least 45°.

26. Coupling method according to any one of claims 22 to 25, characterized in that said device is a mechanism (6, 60) for driving a jumping indicator (4), the elastic element being a spring (16, 16A) comprising a coil (18, 18A) between its first end (17) and its second end (19), said support being a wheel board (8) which drives the first end of the spring and is rotatably mounted around said axis of rotation (22), the rigid element (10, 66) comprising a drive finger (12, 68) for driving the jumping indicator in a given drive direction (50).

27. Coupling method according to claim 26, characterized in that the constraint ramp (40) is arranged upstream of said own housing (36) relative to a direction of rotation (56) of the wheel board (8) when driving the jumping indicator (4) by the mechanism (6) in said given driving direction.

28. Coupling method according to claim 26, characterized in that the constraint ramp (80) is arranged downstream of said own housing (76) relative to a direction of rotation (56) of the wheel board (8) when driving the jumping indicator (4) by the mechanism (60) in said given driving direction.

29. Coupling method according to any one of claims 26 to 28, in which the rigid element (10, 66) is formed by a plate (30) or is mounted to move in rotation on a plate (11); characterized in thatthe method comprises, when assembling the device before the coupling step, an initial step in which a hub comprising a shaft (26) and a head (27), the wheel board (8), the spring (16, 16A) provided at its first end with a central rigid part (24, 24A) and the plate, respectively the plate with the rigid element mounted on this plate are brought and positioned so that the wheel board, the spring and the plate, respectively the rigid element are in a relative position angularly corresponding to a said possible relative position with the spring located between the wheel board and the plate and the head located on a side opposite the spring relative to the plate;so that the shaft, a first hole in the pad, a second hole in the wheel board and a third hole defined by the central rigid part are aligned on said axis of rotation, the second hole having a diameter smaller than the first hole and the head being at least partially superimposed on the pad; and then an assembly step including said securing step and in which the shaft is force-fitted into the second hole in the wheel board while leaving the pad free to rotate around the shaft, the head finally ensuring that this pad is held in axial position.; 30. Coupling method according to claim 29, characterized in that said third hole is sized so that the shaft (28) is also forced into this third hole during the assembly step to secure the first end (17) of the spring with the wheel board (8).

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