A timepiece featuring a complication on the jumping seconds hand.

Abstract

A timepiece comprising a horological movement including a dial (CA), an hour indicator and a minute indicator mounted for rotation on the axis (X) of the timepiece, an off-center dial (CAE) and a jumping seconds hand (6) mounted in this off-center dial (CAE), the timepiece movement comprising a barrel, a gear train for driving the indicators, a distribution element, a regulating element including an escape wheel, and a complication mechanism, the gear train including a seconds wheel comprising a seconds wheel rotated by the barrel, the seconds wheel meshing with the pinion of the escape wheel, in which said off-center dial (CAE) represents a subdivision of one minute and in which the complication mechanism is configured to move the jumping seconds hand so as to mark each second in said subdivision. [Fig.1]

Description

Title of the invention: TIMEPIECE COMPRISING A COMPLICATION ON THE SECOND HAND JUMPING TECHNICAL FIELD AND PRIOR ART

[0001] The present invention relates to a timepiece with a mechanical movement offering a new function.

[0002] The winding of the movement can be manual or automatic.

[0003] Some timepieces, particularly wristwatches, have an hour hand, a minute hand, and a second hand. The second hand may be in the center and is referred to as a "large central second," or in a small, off-center dial and is referred to as a "small second." The second hand moves intermittently several times per second depending on the frequency and type of escapement.

[0004] The deadbeat seconds is a watch complication that ensures that the seconds hand only moves once per second. It therefore makes one jump per second.

[0005] There is also a complication called "lightning needle" or "devilish" which ensures that the seconds hand makes a complete rotation around its own axis every second. In general, the seconds display is divided into several sections. Between these sections, the complication's hand constantly jumps forward. The jumping seconds thus subdivides the second, for example, into quarters, fifths and even tenths of a second and thus displays fractions of a second precisely. As a result, the movement of the hand of this complication is very rapid and can, in the more or less long term, generate "visual fatigue" in the wearer of the timepiece. Statement of the invention

[0006] It is then an aim of the present invention to offer a new complication marking the seconds and not offering the drawback stated above.

[0007] The aim stated above is achieved by a timepiece comprising a jumping second hand and a dial, the dial being a subdivision of 1 minute, the jumping second hand marking each second or several seconds. The portion of time displayed by the dial is equal to 60 / n, n being an integer strictly greater than 1 and being such that the ratio 60 / n is also an integer. The dial may comprise the divisions corresponding to a complete revolution of the jumping second hand.

[0008] The jumping seconds hand marks every second or several seconds. Since it moves more slowly than the jumping seconds hand, it does not does not produce the visual fatigue that can be experienced with a lightning second.

[0009] In an exemplary embodiment, the mechanism of the complication comprises a winding mechanism which supplies energy to the jumping seconds hand, and a mechanism for releasing said energy which releases the energy and allows the jumping seconds hand to move in one go over a large sector, this movement can be similar, while being different in nature and construction, to that of the jumping seconds hand.

[0010] The winding mechanism may include a spring which is wound by the seconds wheel.

[0011] Advantageously, the release mechanism uses the regulating member of the timer to regulate the release of energy via a stop element and the movement of the jumping second hand.

[0012] The present invention then relates to a timepiece comprising a watch movement comprising a dial, an hour indicator and a minute indicator mounted in rotation on the axis of the timepiece, an eccentric dial and a jumping second hand mounted in said eccentric dial, the watch movement comprising a barrel, a gear assembly ensuring the driving of the hour indicator and the minute indicator, a distribution member, a regulating member comprising an escapement wheel set, and a complication mechanism, the gear assembly comprising a second wheel set comprising a second wheel set in rotation by the barrel, the second wheel meshing with the pinion of the escapement wheel set.Said off-center dial represents a subdivision of one minute and the complication mechanism is configured to move the jumping second hand so that it marks each second or each p seconds, p being an integer strictly greater than 1 and a submultiple of 60, in said subdivision.

[0013] In an exemplary embodiment, the complication mechanism comprises a jumping second hand wheel carrying the jumping second hand, said jumping second hand wheel cooperating with a winding device configured to store energy, the winding device cooperating with the second wheel, and cooperating with a device for releasing said energy cooperating with the escapement wheel.

[0014] The winding device advantageously comprises an intermediate winding wheel and pinion of which an intermediate winding pinion meshes with the second wheel, an intermediate winding wheel meshing with a jumping second hand wheel, a winding spring intended to be loaded by the intermediate winding wheel and pinion.

[0015] For example, the winding spring is a spring, for example a spiral spring, a first end of which hooks onto a shaft of the intermediate winding pinion, and a second end hooks onto the intermediate winding wheel.

[0016] According to an exemplary embodiment, the release device comprises a whip integral in rotation with a pinion directly or indirectly engaging the jumping second hand wheel set, said whip cooperating with a stop element carried by the escapement wheel set and forming a stop for the whip.

[0017] The stop element may comprise a star comprising branches, so that the end of the whip bears against a face of a branch and is released from the branch with each movement of the escapement wheel and comes to bear against a following branch.

[0018] According to an additional characteristic, the timepiece comprises an intermediate wheel between the jumping second hand wheel set and the release device, said intermediate wheel comprising the same number of teeth as the wheel of the jumping second hand wheel set and said intermediate wheel meshing with a pinion of the release device.

[0019] According to an additional characteristic, the timepiece comprises a brake intended to prevent rotation in a direction opposite to that of the operation of the second wheel. The brake can cooperate directly with the teeth of the second wheel or with a mobile meshing with the second wheel. Brief description of the drawings

[0020] The present application will be better understood with the aid of the description which follows and the attached drawings in which: - [Fig.l] is a front view of an example of a timepiece according to the invention in a first position, - [Fig.2] is a front view of an example of a timepiece according to the invention in a position which chronologically follows the position of [Fig.l], - [Fig.3] is a front view of an example of a timepiece according to the invention in a position which chronologically follows the position of [Fig.2], - [Fig.4] is a perspective view of an example of the mechanism implemented in the timepiece of figures 1 to 3, - [Fig.5] is a top view of the mechanism of [Fig.4] in the position of the timepiece of [Fig.l], - [Fig.6] is a top view of the mechanism of [Fig.4] until after the jumping second hand has passed between the position of [Fig.2] and the position of [Fig.l], - [Fig.7] is a perspective view of an example of a timepiece according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0021] In [Fig.7], we can see an example of the production of a timepiece comprising the complication according to the invention. The timepiece comprises a watch case B comprising a caseband C, a back (not visible) and a crystal G. The timepiece comprises, inside the case, a dial CA, a clockwork mechanism (not visible in [Fig.l]), an hour indicator or hour hand 2 and a minute indicator or minute hand 4. The hour indicator 2 and the minute indicator 4 are mounted to rotate around the axis of the timepiece. The timepiece also comprises an eccentric dial CAE formed on the dial CA, in which a hand 6, designated jumping second hand 6, rotates. In this example and in a non-limiting manner, the timepiece also comprises a second hand 8 mounted to rotate around the axis X of the timepiece.

[0022] The eccentric dial CAE can take any position on the dial CA.

[0023] In Figures 1, 2 and 3, the dial CA can be seen in which the second hand and the jumping second hand are in different positions.

[0024] The clockwork mechanism is a mechanical drive system for the hands. The timepiece can be self-winding or manually wound.

[0025] The invention relates more particularly to the clockwork mechanism. The clockwork mechanism M comprises a barrel with axis X, a gear assembly ensuring the driving of the indicators 2, 4, 8, a distribution member, a regulating member and a complication mechanism MC. All the elements of the mechanism are mounted on a plate.

[0026] The gear assembly driving the indicators will not be described in detail, nor will the distribution member and the regulating member, these being well known to those skilled in the art.

[0027] The gear train assembly includes in particular a second wheel comprising a second wheel 14 which is rotated by the barrel via the center wheel and the middle wheel. Furthermore, the second wheel meshes with the pinion of the escapement wheel.

[0028] In Figures 4, 5 and 6, one can see in perspective and in top view an example of a complication mechanism MC according to the invention in different positions.

[0029] The complication mechanism MC comprises a system Al for winding the jumping second hand and a system L1 for releasing the jumping second hand.

[0030] The winding system Al is activated by the second wheel 14.

[0031] The arming system A1 comprises an intermediate arming mobile 16 comprising an intermediate pinion 18 meshing with the second wheel 14, and an intermediate wheel 20. The intermediate pinion 18 comprises a shaft 19 mounted around an axis X2.

[0032] The armature system A1 also comprises a armature spring 22. The armature spring 22 hooks by a first end 22.1 onto the shaft 19 of the inter gear intermediate wheel 18 ([Fig.4]), and hooks by a second end 22.2 on the intermediate wheel 20. The fixing on the intermediate wheel 20 is done at a point separate from the center of the wheel. In the example shown, the second end 22.2 is received in a slot of a pin 23 fixed to a spoke of the intermediate wheel 20 perpendicular to its plane. Any other means of fixing is of course conceivable.

[0033] In the example shown, the winding spring 22 is in the form of a spiral which winds around the axis X2. The winding spring 22 is for example a metal blade similar to the barrel spring. The fixing of the winding spring 22 and its assembly are such that when the intermediate pinion 18 is rotated by the second wheel, the winding spring 22 is charged. The intermediate winding pinion 18 and the intermediate winding wheel 20 are connected to each other by the winding spring 22. Any other type of spring for the winding spring is conceivable, for example a helical spring.

[0034] The jumping second hand 6 is carried by a jumping second hand wheel set 26 of axis X3 comprising a jumping second hand pinion 28 meshing with the intermediate wheel 20 and a jumping second hand wheel 27.

[0035] The release system L1 comprises means which lock the jumping second hand 6 in position and which release the jumping second hand 6 every second. The movement of the jumping second hand 6 is ensured by the energy stored in the winding spring 22.

[0036] In the example shown, the release system L1 of the jumping second hand 6 comprises a release wheel mounted to rotate about an axis X4. The release wheel comprises a whip 29 and a pinion 30 which meshes with an intermediate wheel 32 which, itself, meshes with the jumping second hand wheel.

[0037] It will be noted that the intermediate wheel 32 is interposed between the jumping second hand wheel 32 and the pinion 30 of the whip 29 to take into account the opposite directions of rotation of the regulator wheel set and the jumping second hand wheel set. Alternatively, the intermediate wheel 32 is omitted and the mechanism is adapted to take into account the direction of rotation of the different wheels.

[0038] The whip 29 cooperates with branches of a star wheel 33 mounted on the escape wheel (not shown), distributed around the axis X4 of the escape wheel.

[0039] In the example shown, five branches 34 are implemented. Each of the branches has a flat pointing towards the center of the star which is aligned with the axis X4.

[0040] The escape wheel, not shown, has 25 wings; the ratio between the wings of the escape wheel and the branches of the star 33 is then 5, which corresponds to the number of seconds marked by the jumping second hand in one revolution of the eccentric dial.

[0041] The number of teeth of the wheels, pinions and branches are chosen according to the number of seconds of the jumping second hand dial.

[0042] The mechanism advantageously comprises a brake (not shown) which is applied to the second wheel. The brake provides a non-return function to prevent the second wheel from becoming desynchronized when the barrel spring is completely disarmed. For example, the brake comprises a pawl comprising a brake element provided with several teeth and articulated in rotation on the plate. The brake element meshes with the teeth of the second wheel and a spring applies the brake element against the periphery of the second wheel so that it provides the non-return function. The application of the brake to the second wheel has the advantage of limiting energy losses. However, a mechanism in which the brake would be applied to another element of the mechanism does not depart from the scope of the present invention.

[0043] In the example shown, the jumping seconds hand dial has five indexes, the jumping seconds hand making one revolution of the dial every five seconds.

[0044] The second wheel makes one revolution in 1 minute, the number of teeth of the different wheels and pinions are chosen so that the jumping second hand makes one revolution of the eccentric dial over 5 seconds, that is to say that the jumping second hand wheel makes 12 revolutions in 1 minute.

[0045] We will give below a non-limiting example of the number of teeth of the wheels of the mechanism in the case of a jumping second hand making one revolution in 3 seconds.

[0046] The intermediate wheel makes four revolutions in 1 minute, the intermediate wheel 32 makes 20 revolutions in 1 minute, the whip pinion makes 60 revolutions in 1 minute.

[0047] For example, the seconds wheel has 108 teeth, the intermediate wheel has 100 teeth, the jumping second hand wheel has 30 teeth, the intermediate wheel 32 also has 30 teeth and the whip pinion has 10 teeth. The escape wheel has 15 wings and the whip release device has 5 pins.

[0048] As a variant, the star 33 is replaced by a device comprising pins fixed to a wheel and extending parallel to the axis of rotation X4, the pins being distributed regularly around this axis.

[0049] The seconds wheel meshes with both the intermediate winding pinion and the escape wheel. It will be understood that the number of pins, teeth or branches is fixed according to the number of seconds marked by the jumping seconds wheel in the eccentric dial.

[0050] The operation of the complication will now be described.

[0051] In [Fig.2], the direction of rotation of the wheels is symbolized by arrows.

[0052] The timepiece is wound, the barrel spring is then wound. The barrel spring barrel discharges, driving the barrel drum which drives the second wheel 14 via the center wheel and the middle wheel.

[0053] The intermediate pinion 18 rotates around the axis X2 and drives the winding spring 22 by its first end 22.1, which is attached to the shaft 19. Due to the relative rigidity of the winding spring 22 and its orientation, the movement of the spring 22 drives the intermediate wheel 20 into rotation. However, since the intermediate winding wheel 20 meshes with the jumping second hand pinion 28 which is immobilized in rotation by the whip 29 which is immobilized by a tooth 34 of the escapement wheel set, the intermediate winding wheel 20 is immobile in rotation, which has the effect of charging the winding spring 22 and storing energy.

[0054] The second wheel 14 meshes with the escape pinion of the escape wheel set. Due to the ratio of the number of teeth between the second wheel and the escape pinion, the escape wheel is pivoted so that the end of the whip escapes one tooth 34 every second. When the whip 29 is released, the intermediate wheel 32 and the jumping second hand set are released, as well as the intermediate winding wheel, which causes a release of the energy stored in the winding spring. This released energy sets the intermediate winding wheel and the jumping second hand set into rotation and thus the jumping second hand. This release of energy ensures the movement of the whip, which makes one turn around its axis and strikes against a following branch 34 of the escape wheel set. This contact then immobilizes the jumping second hand set.In the example shown, the ratio of the teeth of the wheels and pinions is such that the jumping second hand makes one revolution of the dial in three seconds.

[0055] The jumping second hand wheel being immobilized, the intermediate winding wheel 20 is again immobilized in rotation, which again allows winding of the winding spring 22 until a next release.

[0056] The intermediate winding pinion 18 rotates at the regular speed given by the basic gear train and the intermediate winding wheel 20 rotates intermittently each time the whip 29 is released.

[0057] It will be understood that the jumping second hand 6 can make one eccentric dial revolution in n times, n being an integer sub-multiple of 60, for example 3, 6, 12, 15 or 30.

[0058] It can be envisaged that the jumping second hand does not mark every second but every p seconds, p being an integer sub-multiple of 60, for example 2 or 3. It can therefore be envisaged that the jumping second hand moves every 2 seconds or every 3 seconds.

[0059] The invention makes it possible to offer a new complication which provides a new presentation of the scrolling of the seconds in an additional dial.

Claims

Claims

1. Timepiece comprising a watch movement comprising a dial (CA), an hour indicator (2) and a minute indicator (4) mounted in rotation on the axis (X) of the timepiece, an eccentric dial (CAE) and a hand called a "jumping second hand" (6) mounted in said eccentric dial (CAE), the watch movement comprising a barrel, a gear train assembly ensuring the driving of the hour indicator and the minute indicator, a distribution member (10), a regulating member (12) comprising an escapement wheel, and a complication mechanism (MC), the gear train assembly comprising a second wheel comprising a second wheel set in rotation by the barrel, the second wheel meshing with the pinion of the escapement wheel,wherein said eccentric dial (CAE) represents a subdivision of one minute and wherein the complication mechanism (MC) is configured to move the jumping second hand (6) so that it marks every second or every p seconds, p being an integer strictly greater than 1 and a sub-multiple of 60, in said subdivision.,

2. Timepiece according to claim 1, in which the complication mechanism comprises a jumping second hand wheel carrying the jumping second hand (6), said jumping second hand wheel cooperating with a winding device configured to store energy, the winding device cooperating with the second wheel, and cooperating with a device for releasing said energy cooperating with the escapement wheel.

3. Timepiece according to claim 2, in which the winding device comprises an intermediate winding wheel of which an intermediate winding pinion (18) meshes with the second wheel, an intermediate winding wheel (22) meshing with a jumping second hand wheel, a winding spring (22) intended to be loaded by the intermediate winding wheel.

4. Timepiece according to claim 3, in which the winding spring (22) is a spring, for example a spiral spring, a first end (22.1) of which hooks onto a shaft (19) of the intermediate winding pinion (18), and a second end (22.2) hooks onto the intermediate winding wheel (20).

5. A timepiece according to claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein the release device comprises a whip (29) integral in rotation with a pinion directly or indirectly engaging the jumping second hand wheel set, said whip (29) cooperating with a stop element carried by the escapement wheel set and forming a stop for the whip (19).

6. Timepiece according to claim 5, in which the stop element comprises a star (33) comprising branches, so that the end of the whip (19) bears against a face of a branch (34) and is released from the branch (34) with each movement of the escapement wheel and comes to bear against a following branch (34).

7. Timepiece according to one of claims 2 to 6, comprising an intermediate wheel between the jumping second hand wheel set and the release device, said intermediate wheel comprising the same number of teeth as the wheel of the jumping second hand wheel set and said intermediate wheel meshing with a pinion of the release device.

8. Timepiece according to one of claims 1 to 7, comprising a brake (36) intended to prevent rotation in a direction opposite to that of operation of the second wheel.

9. Timepiece according to claim 8, in which the brake cooperates directly with the teeth of the second wheel or with a mobile meshing with the second wheel.

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