Timepiece mechanism for the successive display of a sequence of time information
The timekeeping mechanism addresses the challenge of continuous and instantaneous time display by using a wheel, pawl, cam, and rod system for smooth transitions and precise jumps, improving timekeeping accuracy and readability.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- HK · HK
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- DE LA MFG DHORLOGERIE AUDEMARS PIGUET & CIE
- Filing Date
- 2026-06-11
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-17
AI Technical Summary
Existing timekeeping mechanisms fail to provide continuous and instantaneous display of time information sequences efficiently, lacking a mechanism for smooth transitions and precise jumps.
A timekeeping mechanism with a wheel, pawl, cam, and rod system that allows for instantaneous jumps and controlled rotations, utilizing a cam follower and pinion to ensure precise angular movement and display updates.
Enables continuous and precise display of time information with smooth transitions and instantaneous updates, enhancing timekeeping accuracy and readability.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
The present invention relates to a timekeeping mechanism (10) with instantaneous jumps for continuously displaying a sequence of time information. The mechanism includes: a wheel (12) directly or indirectly connected to a display including the information sequence; a pawl (14) engaging the wheel (12); a cam (40) configured to rotate 360° during a predetermined time period; a rod (20) including a cam follower (28); and a constraint member (30) configured to force the cam follower (28) against the cam (40). The profile of the cam (40) is defined to pivot the rod (20) in a first pivoting direction and then to instantaneously jump the rod (20) in the opposite pivoting direction. The rod (20) also includes a pinion (24) mounted to be freely rotatable and configured to engage at least temporarily with the wheel (12) and with a pawl (26), thereby allowing the pinion (24) to rotate only in one direction. The rotation of the pinion (24) around the wheel (12) is caused by the pivoting of the lever (20) in the first pivoting direction, while the wheel (12) is driven through a predetermined angular pitch via the pinion (24) locked by the pawl (26) during a momentary jump of the lever (20) in the opposite pivoting direction. Abstract
Claims
Claims 1. Instantaneous jump clockwork mechanism (10) for the successive display of a sequence of time information, comprising a wheel (12) connected directly or indirectly to a display comprising said sequence of information, a jumper (14) engaged with the wheel (12), a cam (40) arranged to rotate 360° during a determined period, a lever (20) comprising a cam follower (28) and a constraining member (30) arranged to constrain the cam follower (28) against the cam (40), the profile of the cam (40) being determined to pivot the lever (20) in a first pivoting direction and then cause an instantaneous jump of the lever (20) in an opposite pivoting direction, characterized in that the lever (20) further comprises a pinion (24) mounted free to rotate and configured to be, at least temporarily, engaged with the wheel (12) and engaged with a pawl (26) allowing rotation of the pinion (24) in only one direction,the rotation of the pinion (24) at the periphery of the wheel (12) being caused by the pivoting of the rocker (20) in the first pivoting direction while the driving of the wheel (12) by a predefined angular pitch being carried out by means of the pinion (24) blocked by the pawl (26) during the instantaneous jump of the rocker (20) in the opposite pivoting direction., 2. Clockwork mechanism (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the pinion (24) is configured to permanently mesh with the wheel (12).
3. Clockwork mechanism (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pinion (24) is configured to be permanently engaged with the pawl (26).
4. Clockwork mechanism (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wheel (12) is a toothed wheel, said predefined angular pitch corresponding to the angular pitch of the toothed wheel or to a multiple of the angular pitch of the toothed wheel.
5. Clockwork mechanism (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lever (20) comprises a beak (22) arranged to lock the wheel (12) after the instantaneous jump of the lever.
6. Clockwork mechanism (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it further comprises a corrector (50) operable in movement and comprising a correction member (53) arranged to actuate the wheel (12) in rotation, the corrector (50) further comprising an actuating part (52) intended to act on an actuable part (29) of the lever (20) to disengage the beak (22) of the lever from the wheel (12) before the wheel (12) is actuated in rotation by the correction member (53).
7. Clock mechanism (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the correction member (53) comprises a beak (54) arranged to actuate the wheel (12), a flexible blade (58) and a rigid portion (56) connecting the flexible blade (58) to the beak (54), the flexible blade (58) and the beak (54) bearing against respectively a first and a second bearing portion (59a, 59b) of the corrector (50).
8. Clock mechanism (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the correction member (53) is pivotally mounted on the corrector (50) so that the beak (54) can follow the angular displacement of a tooth of the wheel (12), under the action of the force exerted by the wheel (12) and by the bending of the flexible blade (58).
9. Clock mechanism (10) according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the correction member (53) is in one piece.
10. Clock mechanism (10) according to one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the corrector (50) can be actuated in translation.
11. Calendar system comprising the clockwork mechanism (10) according to one of the preceding claims for displaying the date, the wheel (12) comprising 31 teeth, the cam (40) being arranged to rotate 360° every 24 hours.
12. Date system according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the display comprises a first and a second indicator respectively comprising the units and tens of the date.
13. Watch movement (10) comprising the watch mechanism (10), according to one of claims 1 to 10, or the date system according to claim 11 or 12.
14. Timepiece comprising the watch movement according to the preceding claim.