Clock movement and method for operating a clock movement

Abstract

A method for operating a watch winder with a receiving device for at least one automatic watch, the method comprising the following steps: a. performing a first movement of the receiving device over a predetermined period or performing a first predetermined number of rotations of the receiving device, b. bringing the receiving device to a standstill and leaving it in this standstill for 30 to 150 days following step a., c. performing a second movement of the receiving device over a predetermined period or performing a second predetermined number of rotations of the receiving device.

Description

Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to a watch winder and a method for operating a watch winder according to the independent claims. State of the art

[0002] Watch winders are already known and commonly used in a wide variety of forms and designs. These watch winders serve to temporarily hold automatic watches when they are not being worn, in order to keep them moving and thus wound. Automatic watches are primarily mechanical wristwatches whose mainspring is wound by everyday movements made by the wearer while wearing the watch on their wrist.

[0003] Watch winders typically perform rotational movements. Most watch winders slowly rotate the watch(es) they hold around their own rotor axis.

[0004] For example, EP 2 781 974 A1 discloses a watch winder with receiving cylinders for holding automatic watches. The movement of the automatic watches is stopped after a predetermined period. After a subsequent rest period, movement in the opposite direction can occur. This is intended to prevent the watch movement from stopping.

[0005] Since the power reserve, i.e. the time remaining until the automatic watch stops, is usually a maximum of about 40 hours, the watch winder must move the automatic watch accordingly often, usually at least once, but more likely several times a day.

[0006] German patent DE 10 2008 027 953 A1 also discloses a watch winder designed to keep a mechanical automatic watch constantly wound when it is no longer being worn by the user. The watch winder performs between 650 and 1100 rotations per day. According to DE 10 2008 027 953 A1, the watch movement must not be allowed to stop running in order to avoid altering the viscosity of the lubricants in the movement's bearings.

[0007] EP 1 220 061 A1 discloses a watch winder which moves the automatic watch to be wound for a period of 45 to 90 seconds after 3 to 4 hours. Object of the invention

[0008] The object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. Solution to the task

[0009] The solution to the problem lies in the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

[0010] A method for operating a watch winder with a receiving device for at least one automatic watch comprises the following steps: a. Performing an initial movement of the recording device over a predetermined period or performing an initial predetermined number of revolutions of the recording device, b. Bringing the recording device to a standstill and remaining in this standstill for 30 to 150 days following step a., c. Performing a second movement of the recording device over a predetermined period or performing a second predetermined number of revolutions of the recording device.

[0011] For the method described above, a watch winder known from the prior art can be used. Any device capable of holding an automatic watch so that it can be moved by the watch winder is suitable as a receiving device. This receiving also includes fastening or the like.

[0012] The method described above can be carried out with all known automatic watches that are held in or placed in the watch winder's receiving device. Such automatic watches are usually designed as wristwatches and are well known from the prior art.

[0013] The movement described in step a. preferably takes the form of a rotation of the recording device.

[0014] Steps a. and c. each form a rotation or movement cycle.

[0015] The procedure described above can also begin with a standstill, which proceeds as described in step b., with this standstill preceding step a.

[0016] Following step c, a standstill can occur according to step b, again followed by the execution of a third movement or a third predetermined number of revolutions analogous to step c. Any number of sequences of a standstill (step b) followed by a further movement or number of revolutions (analogous to step c) can then follow.

[0017] It is conceivable that step b. follows immediately after step a. Likewise, it is conceivable that step b. follows immediately after step c. or after the execution of a further movement or number of rotations analogous to step c.

[0018] In this process, a standstill according to step b can occur after each rotational or motion cycle analogous to step c. The sequence of the aforementioned steps can then be repeated.

[0019] The time period according to step a. can range from one to 120 minutes.

[0020] Furthermore, it can be conceived that the movement takes place in the form of rotations, whereby after completing rotations in a first direction for a period of 30 seconds to 60 minutes, this direction of rotation is reversed, and subsequently, rotations are carried out in the opposite direction for a period of 30 seconds to 60 minutes. This opposite direction of rotation can also be referred to as the second direction of rotation.

[0021] The predetermined number of revolutions according to step a. can be between 5 and 800.

[0022] Furthermore, it can be conceived that the movement takes place in the form of rotations, whereby after 2.5 to 400 revolutions in a first direction of rotation, this direction of rotation is reversed, and subsequently 2.5 to 400 revolutions are performed in an opposite direction of rotation. This opposite direction of rotation can also be referred to as the second direction of rotation.

[0023] It is conceivable that the recording device in step b. remains idle for 60 to 120 days, preferably for 80 to 100 days, and particularly preferably for 90 days. A standstill period according to the interval specified in step b., and especially according to the aforementioned intervals, minimizes the stress on the watch mechanism of the automatic watch while simultaneously preventing changes in the lubricants, particularly negative changes in their viscosity, such as so-called resinification.

[0024] It was found that the stress on the watch mechanism decreases significantly after periods of inactivity of at least 30 days compared to shorter periods. A further reduction in mechanical stress was observed when the periods of inactivity were extended to 60, 80, or even 90 days.

[0025] In this process, it is deliberately accepted that the automatic watch's movement will stop. The method according to the invention is therefore particularly suitable for watches that are worn very rarely and are, for example, part of a larger collection. In the prior art, watch winders are always operated in such a way that the movement or watch mechanism is prevented from stopping due to frequent movements, especially rotations, of the automatic watch by the winder. However, these previously common frequent movements of the automatic watch cause significant stress on the watch mechanism over the years, which is prevented by the method according to the present invention. At the same time, according to the present invention, the automatic watch is rotated or moved so frequently that the quality of the lubricants in the automatic watch is not impaired, and all parts of the watch requiring lubrication are always wetted with lubricant.

[0026] It should be noted that the period during which the watch winder remains stationary according to step b. is factory preset. Therefore, this period should preferably not be changed by the owner of the watch winder.

[0027] The watch winder can include a day counter and a non-volatile memory. Both of the aforementioned components can also be combined in a single component. Day counters and non-volatile memories are well known in the prior art. It is conceivable that the value of the day counter is incremented by one after each day during which the watch winder is at rest according to step b., and that the current value of the day counter is stored in a non-volatile memory. Data in this non-volatile memory is not lost in the event of an interruption of the power supply. It is further conceivable that the value of the day counter is reset either after the end of the standstill according to step b., preferably immediately after the end of the standstill according to step b., or (also preferably immediately) after the second movement or the second number of revolutions according to step c. is reset to zero.

[0028] The second alternative, i.e., resetting to zero after, preferably immediately after, the second movement or the second number of revolutions, is preferred. In this case, resetting to zero occurs only when and if the movements or revolutions have actually been performed, and not when these movements or revolutions begin. An interruption of the power supply or the like immediately after the revolutions or movements begin could ultimately lead to the preset number of revolutions or their completion over the predetermined period not being fully carried out, yet the day counter would still be reset to zero.

[0029] It can therefore be envisioned that if not all rotations (according to the predetermined number) are completed, or if the movements are not completed (over the entire predetermined period), the full predetermined number of rotations or movements over the entire predetermined period will be made up. This could occur, for example, at the beginning of the next full hour after the failed attempt in which the rotations or movements were not completed, such as in the case of a power interruption. By resetting the daily counter to zero only after all rotations or movements have been completed, it is ensured that at least the predetermined number of rotations or movements are carried out over at least the predetermined period.

[0030] The method described above can represent a first operating mode of a method for operating a watch winder. It can thus be considered a method for operating a watch winder in which, in response to receiving an input, a choice can be made between a first operating mode, which proceeds as described above, and a second operating mode. In the second operating mode, any existing idle times can be selected such that the automatic watch being wound does not stop.

[0031] The input can be user input, such as a keystroke or contactless input. Alternatively, it could also refer to a wirelessly transmitted input command or similar.

[0032] The first operating mode is designed to be as gentle as possible on the watch movement, accepting the possibility of the automatic watch stopping. The second operating mode can be configured, for example, so that the watch winder performs more than 600 rotations per day, between 600 and 1800, to ensure that the watch does not stop.

[0033] If it is possible to switch between the aforementioned operating modes, the user can select the first operating mode if the automatic watch is not expected to be used for an extended period, i.e., for months or years. If, on the other hand, the automatic watch is to be kept ready for use at all times, and especially if it is to remain in the watch winder for a shorter period, the second operating mode can be selected.

[0034] The second operating mode can be designed in the same way as is known from the operating modes of well-known watch winders.

[0035] The watch winder's holding mechanism can perform, for example, between 2.5 and 15 revolutions per minute during the rotation or movement cycle.

[0036] In addition to the method described above, the present invention also includes a watch winder configured to perform the method described above. All details and aspects described above with regard to the method also apply to the watch winder and vice versa.

Claims

1. A method for operating a watch winder with a receiving device for at least one automatic watch, the method comprising the following steps: a. Performing a first movement of the receiving device over a predetermined period or performing a first predetermined number of rotations of the receiving device, b. Bringing the receiving device to a standstill and remaining in this standstill for 30 to 150 days following step a., c. Performing a second movement of the receiving device over a predetermined period or performing a second predetermined number of rotations of the receiving device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined period according to step a. is between one and 120 minutes.

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein the movement is carried out in the form of rotations, and wherein, after performing rotations over a period of 30 seconds to 60 minutes in a first direction of rotation, this direction of rotation is reversed, and subsequently rotations are carried out over a period of 30 seconds to 60 minutes in an opposite direction of rotation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined number of revolutions is between 5 and 800.

5. Method according to claim 4, wherein the movement is carried out in the form of rotations, and wherein, after performing 2.5 to 400 rotations in a first direction of rotation, this direction of rotation is reversed, and subsequently 2.5 to 400 rotations are carried out in an opposite direction of rotation.

6. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact thatThe recording device in step b. remains idle for 60 to 120 days, preferably for 80 to 100 days, particularly preferably for 90 days.

7. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that The period during which the watch winder remains stationary according to step b. is factory preset.

8. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims for operating a watch winder with a day counter and a non-volatile memory, characterized by the fact that a value of the day counter is incremented by one after each day during which the watch winder is at rest according to step b., and the current value of the day counter is stored in a non-volatile memory, and furthermore characterized by the fact thatThe value of the day counter is reset to zero either after the standstill has ended according to step b. or after the second movement or the second number of revolutions has been carried out according to step c.

9. Method for operating a watch winder, wherein, in response to receiving an input, a selection can be made between a first operating mode according to claims 1 to 8 and a second operating mode, wherein in the second operating mode any existing standstill times are selected such that the automatic watch to be moved does not stop.

10. Watch winder configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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