Chiming mechanism for a watch

Abstract

The invention relates to a striking mechanism comprising a resonant member and a hammer comprising a first part (21) and a second part (22) assembled by a pivot connection such that they can pivot relative to each other about an axis of rotation. A first part and a second part of the hammer respectively bear a first permanent magnet and a second permanent magnet, and the first permanent magnet and the second permanent magnet form a magnetic reset system between the two parts. The permanent magnets are arranged to create an attractive force therebetween, thereby pulling the first and second parts towards the stable configuration of the hammer. During striking, a first part, referred to as a drive part, abuts against a fixed stop before a second part, referred to as a striking part, reaches a resonant member, also referred to as a gong, the striking part then continues to rotate towards the gong to complete striking, and then moves back to the drive part, ultimately stopping in a rest position away from the gong. The magnetic reset system can limit the rebounding risk of striking the gong again after striking.

Description

(19) State Intellectual Property Office (12) Invention Patent Application (10) Application Publication Number (43) Application Publication Date (21) Application Number 202511906804.2 (22) Application Date 2025.12.17 (30) Priority Data 24222614.0 2024.12.20 EP (71) Applicant Montreux-Bleuge AG Address Switzerland (72) Inventors Y. Cadmili G. Gautier J. Metz J. Favre (74) Patent Agency Beijing Zhongzi Law Firm 11247 Patent Attorneys Gao Meiyan Wu Peng (51) Int.Cl. G04B 21 / 06 (2006.01) G04B 21 / 12 (2006.01) G04B 21 / 00 (2006.01) G04B 21 / 10 (2006.01) (54) Title of Invention: Striking Mechanism for a Watch (57) Abstract: This invention relates to a striking mechanism comprising a resonant member and a hammer, the hammer comprising a first part (21) and a second part (22) assembled by a pivot connection such that they are pivotable relative to each other about an axis of rotation. The first and second parts of the hammer respectively carry a first permanent magnet and a second permanent magnet, which form a magnetic reset system between the two parts. The permanent magnets are arranged to generate an attractive force between them, thereby pulling the first and second parts toward a stable configuration of the hammer. During striking, the first part, called the driving part, abuts against a fixed stop before the second part, called the striking part, reaches the resonant member, also known as the "reed," and the striking part then continues to rotate toward the reed to complete the striking, then moves back to the driving part, eventually stopping at a resting position away from the reed. The magnetic reset system limits the risk of rebound from striking the reed after striking. Claims 2 pages, Description 9 pages, Drawings 4 pages, CN 122260755 A 2026.06.23 CN 1 22 26 07 55 A 1. A striking mechanism for a clock, the striking mechanism comprising a support, a resonant member (12; 62), a hammer (11; 61), a fixed stop (14; 64), a first reset device (13; 63), and a second reset device (26, 27; 76, 77), the fixed stop being fixed relative to the support, the hammer comprising a first part called a driving member (21; 71) and a second part called a striking member (22; 72), the striking member being arranged to strike the resonant member, the driving member being mounted to pivot on the support about a first rotation axis (17; 67) between a first position called a rest position and a second position called a charging position, in the first position, the driving member abutting against the fixed stop, in the...In the second position, the driving component is away from the fixed stop, and the first reset device (13; 63) is arranged to allow the driving component to always return toward the fixed stop along the first direction, and after triggering a strike on the resonant member, the first reset device (13; 63) allows the driving component to rotate from the charging position along the first direction. The driving component and the striking component are assembled via a pivot connection, allowing the striking component to pivot about a second rotation axis (30; 67) relative to the driving component. A second reset device (26, 27; 76, 77) is arranged to apply a reset torque between the driving component and the striking component to return them to a first configuration, referred to as the stable configuration of the hammer (11; 61). The striking mechanism is arranged such that when the hammer (11; 61) is in the stable configuration and the driving component (21; 71) is in a resting position against the fixed stop (14; 64), the striking component (22; 72) separates from the resonant member (12; 62). The striking mechanism is arranged such that… When the hammer is in the stable configuration and the drive member (21; 71) begins to abut against the fixed stop (14; 64) as it rotates along the first direction, the kinetic energy of the striking member (22; 72) overcomes the reset force of the second reset device (26, 27; 76, 77) and drives the striking member (22; 72) toward the resonant member (12; 62) on the angular path of the striking member relative to the drive member, and then the hammer briefly leaves the stable configuration; characterized in that the second reset device comprises two magnetic elements (26, 27; 76, 77) which are fixedly supported by the drive member and the striking member respectively, and the two magnetic elements are arranged to generate a magnetic force between them, which causes the striking member and the drive member to return to the stable configuration of the hammer at least in the initial part of the angular path. 2. The time-telling mechanism according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the two magnetic elements (26, 27; 76, 77) is a permanent magnet. 3. The time-telling mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the magnetic axis of the permanent magnet is parallel to the second rotation axis (30). 4. The time-telling mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the magnetic axis of the permanent magnet lies in a plane perpendicular to the second rotation axis (67). 5. The time-telling mechanism according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the two magnetic elements (26, 27; 76, 77) are two permanent magnets arranged by magnetic attraction. 6. The time-telling mechanism according to claim 5, wherein each of the two permanent magnets is rigidly...The striking mechanism is fastened to the portion of the hammer (11; 61) that carries the corresponding permanent magnet; when the hammer is in the stable configuration, the magnetic axes of the two permanent magnets are substantially coincident. 7. The striking mechanism according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the centers of the two permanent magnets are always located at the same distance from the second rotation axis. 8. The striking mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second rotation axis is parallel to and spaced apart from the first rotation axis. 9. The striking mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the first rotation axis coincides with the second rotation axis described in the claims. 10. The striking mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the driving member (21; 71) includes a rear stop (28; 78) that restricts the rotation of the striking member (22; 72) relative to the driving member (21; 71) in a direction opposite to the first direction. 11. The timekeeping mechanism according to claim 10, characterized in that, when the striking member (22; 72) makes a return movement toward the driving member after the resonant member is struck, the rear stop (28; 78) forms a damper for the striking member (22; 72). 12. The timekeeping mechanism according to claim 11, characterized in that, after triggering the strike on the resonant member, when the driving member rotates from the charging position via the first reset device (13; 63), the rear stop (28; 78) forms a means of driving the striking member (22; 72) via the driving member (21; 71). 13. The timekeeping mechanism according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that, when the hammer (11; 61) is in the stable configuration, the striking member (22; 72) abuts against the rear stop (28; 78). Claims 2 / 2 Page 3 CN 122260755 A Time-Striking Mechanism for Watches Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a time-striking mechanism for watches. Background Art

[0002] Figures 1 and 2, which are attached herein, are two partial views of a conventional time-striking mechanism. The figures show a hammer 4, a resonant member consisting of a reed 5, a first reset device consisting of a preloaded spring 6, a fixed stop 7, and a second reset device consisting of an elastic pin 8. The elastic pin 8 is fastened to the hammer and has relatively low elasticity to limit and prevent rebound as much as possible. The working principle of such a time-striking mechanism is known to those skilled in the art, and therefore only its important features will be summarized below.

[0003] The hammer 4 is mounted to pivot about a fixed axis 9 and has a striking beak 10 for striking the reed. The preloaded spring 6Arranged to always press against the elastic pin 8, the preloaded spring 6 always causes the hammer 4 to return toward the reed 5. Figures 1 and 2 show the striking mechanism in its stable configuration, with the hammer 4 in the resting position. It can be seen that in this position, the hammer 4 abuts against the fixed stop 7 via the elastic pin 8, and there is a small gap between the striking beak 10 and the reed 5 (Figure 1). The width of this small gap between the reed and the hammer when the hammer is in the resting position is called the "safety distance". When the hammer 4 is in the resting position, the reaction force applied by the fixed stop 7 is balanced by the force generated by the preloaded spring 6. Therefore, the resting position is a stable position.

[0004] When the striking mechanism is in the charging (winding / loading) phase, the striking mechanism (known but not shown) lifts the hammer 4 against the force applied by the preloaded spring 6. During this movement, the striking beak 10 gradually moves away from the reed 5, and the elastic pin 8 moves away from the fixed stop 7 at the same time.

[0005] When the striking mechanism is triggered, it releases the hammer, which, under the impact of the preloaded spring 6, pivots sharply toward the reed. The elastic pin 8 is fastened to the hammer, and the striking mechanism is arranged such that the elastic pin begins to abut against the fixed stop 7 before striking the beak 10 and reaching the reed. However, because the elastic pin 8 is elastic, and the hammer 4 has considerable kinetic energy when the elastic pin 8 contacts the fixed stop 7, the hammer is not immediately stopped by the fixed stop, but continues to move past its resting position and finally strikes the reed 5. Thus, during its movement between its resting position and the reed striking position, the fixed stop exerts a significant braking force on the hammer. Therefore, it can be understood that the hammer strikes the reed precisely because of the deformation of the elastic pin 8. After impacting the reed, some energy is transferred to the reed and returns to the hammer (partial elastic impact), allowing it to return to a stable configuration a certain distance from the reed. The elastic potential energy released when the elastic pin 8 returns to a stress-free state is also added to the energy released by the reed. Therefore, it can be understood that the elastic pin is used in particular as a second reset device because the force it applies is opposite to the force applied by the preload spring 6, thereby causing the striking beak 10 of the hammer to move away from the reed 5 when the hammer is in the rest position. Thus, the preload spring 6, the fixed stop 7, and the elastic pin 8 together define the stable / rest position of the hammer.

[0006] The mechanism of the prior art described above has certain drawbacks. Specifically, part of the kinetic energy of the hammer is used to deform the elastic pin, thereby slowing down the speed of the hammer before striking the reed. It can be understood that this working principle limits the energy efficiency of the striking operation. One possible solution is to move the fixed stop closer to the reed. This modification reduces the travel of the hammer over the fixed stop, thereby limiting the deformation of the elastic pin. However, while this reduces the kinetic energy absorbed by the elastic pin when the hammer pivots from the rest position to the reed, it also increases the possibility of the hammer rebounding after each strike. This rebound isUndesirable. In fact, it is well known that rebound hinders the free vibration of the gong. Therefore, the designer of the striking mechanism must find a balance between energy efficiency on the one hand and sufficient safety distance between the gong and the hammer in the resting position on the other. This requires small design tolerances, complex assembly, and the adjustment of the safety position is also very difficult and time-consuming, even for experienced watchmakers.

[0007] Patent EP2048548 provides a solution to the above problems. This prior art document describes a striking mechanism that includes many features of the conventional striking mechanism described above. The main distinguishing feature of the striking mechanism described in document EP2048548 compared to the above mechanism is that the hammer is not integrally formed, but is composed of a first part and a second part hinged together, the first part being mounted to rotate on the second part. The first component of the hammer includes a striking beak (or striking area) for striking the reed, while the second component is arranged to pivot about a fixed axis of the striking mechanism and bears the driving force of a preloaded spring. Thus, the first component forms the striking component, while the second component forms the driving component and defines the resting position of the hammer. The first and second components of the hammer are connected by a connecting spring and arranged to rotate between a stable configuration and a striking configuration, in which the first component abuts against a stop area of ​​the second component; in the striking configuration, as the tension on the connecting spring increases, the first component moves away from the stop area, and the striking beak moves toward the reed. More specifically, the hammer includes a circular leaf spring, one end of which is fastened to the first component and the other end abuts against a portion of the second component. The leaf spring is pre-tensioned so that the first and second components of the hammer are always held in the first stable configuration where the hammer is at rest.

[0008] When the striking mechanism is in a resting or charging phase, the hammer is in its stable configuration. When the striking mechanism is triggered at a given moment, it suddenly releases the hammer, that is, releases the second component acted upon by the hammer loading and release mechanism, thereby allowing the hammer as a whole to pivot rapidly toward the reed without changing its configuration. The striking mechanism is arranged such that, during the hammer's pivoting process, before the striking beak on the first component touches the reed, the second component of the hammer begins to abut against a fixed stop mounted on the support of the striking mechanism. The second component of the hammer is immediately stopped by the fixed stop. However, the hinge structure and connecting spring between the first and second components of the hammer allow the first component to continue moving on its own, thus entering the striking configuration and ultimately striking the reed.

[0009] The first component of the hammer overcomes the restoring force generated by the leaf spring and pivots around the hinge, causing the hammer to momentarily change its configuration. Then, after impacting the reed, the reed releases part of the energy it received, allowing the first component of the hammer to...Returning to its stable configuration. The elastic potential energy associated with the restoring force applied by the leaf spring is added to the energy released by the gong. Therefore, it can be understood that, according to EP2048548B1, the leaf spring is used as a second restoring device.

[0010] The striking mechanism described in document EP2048548B1 is advantageous, but also has some drawbacks. In fact, even though the authors of the document acknowledge that the use of a hammer consisting of two hinged parts connected by a spring makes it easier to set the position of the fixed stop relative to the gong, and in particular allows the striking beak to move further away from the gong in the rest position, while ensuring that the striking beak can strike the gong, the features of the described striking mechanism do not fundamentally eliminate the rebound phenomenon, which has an adverse effect on the sound quality of the watch, as will be explained later. Summary of the Invention

[0011] One of the main objectives of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art, in particular to reduce the risk of hammer rebound after striking the gong without significantly reducing the energy efficiency of the striking mechanism. This invention achieves this and other objectives by providing a timekeeping mechanism according to appended claim 1.

[0012] The timekeeping mechanism is arranged such that when the hammer is in a stable configuration and the drive member begins to abut against the fixed stop during rotation in the first direction, the kinetic energy of the striking member overcomes the reset force of the second reset device, driving the striking member toward the resonant member in an angular path relative to the drive member, and then the hammer briefly leaves the stable configuration. Specification 2 / 9 pages 5 CN 122260755 A According to the invention, the second reset device includes two magnetic elements respectively fixedly carried by the drive member and the striking member, the two magnetic elements being arranged to generate a magnetic force between them, which causes the striking member and the drive member to return to the stable configuration of the hammer at least in the initial portion of the angular path.

[0013] In the graph of Figure 6, curves 1 and 2 correspond to the first and second embodiments of the invention, which will be described in detail below, respectively. Curve 3 corresponds to the timekeeping mechanism described in the previously discussed document EP2048548. Curve 3 is provided for comparison to facilitate understanding of at least one significant advantage of the present invention. Each curve shows the change in the reset torque applied by the second reset device with respect to the angle α between the striking component and the driving component, starting from the state where the driving component of the hammer remains stationary against the fixed stop while the striking component approaches the reed to contact the reed at the striking position αF.

[0014] The three torque curves in Figure 6 correspond to three different timing mechanism configurations such that the energy stored in the prior art elastic system (connecting spring) and the two magnetic systems according to the present invention is substantially the same at the striking position αF, thus enabling effective comparison. As shown in torque curve 3, for the prior art timing mechanism, the second reset device (i.e., the connecting spring)The applied torque intensity increases substantially linearly as the striking part of the hammer moves away from the stable configuration (this is a physical characteristic of the spring). On the other hand, as shown in torque curves 1 and 2, for the timekeeping mechanism according to the invention, the intensity of the reset torque is much greater than that of prior art mechanisms within the initial angular range from the resting position. In the first embodiment of the invention, the reset force at the stable position can be substantially the same as the reset force of the pre-tensioned connecting spring. Then, in the first embodiment, the reset torque reaches its maximum value before reaching the midpoint (specific example), and then decreases and becomes relatively weak as it approaches the striking position. In the second embodiment, the reset torque in the magnetic system reaches its maximum value at the stable resting position, and then decreases rapidly as it approaches the striking position. The graphs in Figure 6 also show, for the three coupled systems corresponding to curves 1, 2, and 3, angular positions 1a, 2a, and 3a corresponding to 20% of the energy stored at the striking position and angular positions 1b, 2b, and 3b corresponding to 60% of the stored energy, respectively. It can be seen that in the second embodiment, the energy stored in the coupled system increases very rapidly, while in the first embodiment it increases more slowly. However, in the first embodiment, the rate of increase in stored energy is still much faster than in the elastic system of the prior art.

[0015] The timing mechanism, particularly the magnetic coupling system between the drive member and the striking member, can be arranged such that the remaining energy after the striking member begins to abut against the rear stop of the drive member during the first rebound is approximately 60% of the energy stored in the magnetic coupling system at the striking position. It is understood that the timing mechanism according to the invention can better ensure that no complete rebound occurs after the strike, which means that the striking beak will not contact the reed again after the strike, especially the reed vibrating due to the strike.

[0016] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description given by way of non-limiting example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0017] Figures 1 and 2 have already been described, and they are two partial views, respectively, of a conventional timekeeping mechanism in the prior art, shown in plan and perspective views;

[0018] Figure 3 is a plan view of a first embodiment of the timekeeping mechanism according to the invention;

[0019] Figures 4A and 4B are respectively a front perspective view and a rear perspective view of the timekeeping mechanism in Figure 3;

[0020] Figure 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the timekeeping mechanism according to the invention;

[0021] Figure 5A is an enlarged close-up view, showing more specifically the two magnetic elements and the rear stop of the hammer in the timekeeping mechanism of Figure 5; Specification 3 / 9 pages 6 CN 122260755 A

[0022] Figure 6 is a graph showing the change in reset torque as a function of the displacement angle of the striking component relative to the driving component in two embodiments described in detail in the prior art and the invention. Detailed Description

[0023] Figures 3, 4A, and 4B illustrate a first embodiment of the time-telling mechanism according to the present invention. The illustrated time-telling mechanism includes a hammer 11, a resonant member consisting of a reed 12, a first reset device consisting of a preloaded spring 13, and a fixing stop 14. It should be understood that the components listed above are supported by a support member not shown in the figures. The hammer 11 includes a first component called a drive component 21 and a second component called a striking component 22. The drive component 21 and the striking component 22 of the hammer are assembled together by a pivot connection, allowing them to rotate relative to each other about a rotation axis 30 defined by the drive component 21. The hinge between the drive component 21 and the striking component 22 is, for example, formed by a tube passing through the striking component 22 and having a small flange at its end, which supports the lower end of the striking component. This tube is held in place by a screw 32, the screw head abutting against the drive component and screwed into the tube. It should be noted that the hole in the drive component for the screw 32 can be tapped, so that the screw 32 can be screwed into the drive component.

[0024] The drive component 21 and the striking component 22 largely overlap, and the drive component 21 is arranged to be rotatable about a rotation axis 17 defined by a spindle 16 (solid shaft) mounted on a portion of a support of the striking mechanism, with two pivot portions of the spindle 16 located in corresponding holes within that portion. The drive component 21 is arranged to be rotatable on the support, while the striking component 22 is arranged to be rotatable on the drive component. Alternatively, both the drive component 21 and the striking component 22 are mounted to be rotatable about the same rotation axis fixed relative to the support, and these two components are rotatable relative to each other at least within a certain angular range, such that the striking component can strike the reed 12, while the drive component 21 is stopped by a stop 14 during its rotational movement toward the reed in a first direction.

[0025] One end of the preloaded spring 13 is fastened to the support member, and the other end is arranged to consistently bias the drive member 21 in a clockwise direction (first direction) about the rotation axis 17 (the terms "clockwise" and "counterclockwise" in this embodiment description should be understood with reference to FIG3). Also as shown in FIG3, FIG4A and FIG4B, the drive member 21 carries two pins 23 and 24. Pin 23 serves as a support surface by which the preloaded spring 13 biases the drive member 21 in the first direction about the rotation axis 17, while pin 24 is positioned against the fixed stop member 14 to prevent the pivoting of the drive member 21 when the drive member 21 rotates from the loaded position in the first direction to a predetermined angular position corresponding to the rest position. It can be understood that, unlike the elastic pin 8 on the timekeeping mechanism in FIG1 and FIG2, pin 24 in this embodiment is preferably rigid. Therefore, it can also have a certain degree of flexibility, since the drive member does not need to stop immediately without passing through a small-angle deceleration path. An advantage of the timekeeping mechanism according to the inventionYes, when the hammer is in the rest position, the retaining stop 14 can be arranged to keep the striking beak 10 at a relatively far distance from the reed. In fact, since the striking member 22 rotates relative to the driving member 21 toward the reed 12, it is no longer necessary to precisely adjust the position of the striking beak 10 relative to the reed when the hammer is in the rest position and relatively close to the reed, as is required in conventional striking mechanisms.

[0026] As described above, both the driving member 21 and the striking member 22 are pivotable, the former about the rotation axis 17 and the latter about the rotation axis 30, so that the hammer 11 can change its configuration by pivoting the driving member 21 and the striking member 22 relative to each other. The striking mechanism also includes a second reset device, which is arranged to apply two opposite reset torques to the driving member and the striking member to return the driving member 21 and the striking member 22 to the first relative configuration, i.e., the stable configuration of the hammer 11. More specifically, the function of the second reset device is to return the striking component towards the driving component, at which point the driving component stops its journey toward the reed, while the striking component continues its journey toward the reed 12 to strike. Thanks to the second reset device, the hammer has a stable resting position where the striking beak is away from the reed. Furthermore, the function of the second reset device is to prevent multiple rebounds and to prevent rebounds as completely as possible. This invention achieves this better through the selected second reset device, which consists of two magnetic elements 26 and 27, respectively carried by the driving component 21 and the striking component 22 of the hammer 11. According to the invention, the second reset device consists of two magnetic elements, which are fixedly carried by the driving component 21 and the striking component 22. These two magnetic elements 26 and 27 are arranged to generate an attractive force between them, thereby returning the driving component 21 and the striking component 22 to a stable configuration of the hammer 11. In the illustrated example, magnetic elements 26 and 27 are composed of two cylindrical permanent magnets. The magnetic axes of these permanent magnets coincide with the axis of the cylinder. According to the first embodiment, the magnetic axes of permanent magnets 26 and 27 are both oriented parallel to the axis of rotation 30. It can be said that the two permanent magnets are axially oriented. In order to generate an attractive magnetic force, the two magnets have the same magnetic pole arrangement. In a particular variant, the centers of the two magnets are positioned at equal distances from the axis of rotation 30, wherein the striking part 22 can rotate about the axis of rotation 30 relative to the drive member 21.

[0027] The drive member 21 includes a rear stop 28 having multiple functions. Its first function is to define a stable configuration of the hammer 11 in which the striking part advantageously abuts against the rear stop; in a stable configuration in which the hammer is at rest in its resting position, an embodiment and variant in which a certain torque (preload) is applied to the striking part 22 by the second reset device.In this design, this function is even necessary. A second function of the rear stop 28 is that, after the hammer 11 is loaded by the striking mechanism, the rear stop 28 synchronously drives the striking member 22 when the drive member 21 releases. A third function of the rear stop is that, after striking the reed 12, the rear stop 28 acts as a damper when the striking member 22 makes its resetting movement toward the drive member 21. This third function is crucial because it absorbs the residual mechanical energy generated by the rebound of the striking member after striking, thereby preventing complete rebound and thus avoiding the striking beak 10 from contacting the reed again, which is the main objective of the invention. The rear stop is preferably rigid and robust so that, after the reed is struck, the rear stop effectively prevents the movement of the striking member 22 as it moves backward. Furthermore, the rear stop advantageously has a relatively large contact surface with the striking member. Finally, the rear stop 28 is advantageously arranged such that the center of mass of the striking member 22 lies on a circle centered on the axis of rotation 30, which passes through the contact surface on the rear stop.

[0028] The working principle of the striking mechanism according to the invention is substantially the same as that described in the previously discussed patent document EP2048548, which is incorporated herein by reference. When the striking mechanism is in a resting or charging phase, the hammer 11 is in its stable configuration. When the striking mechanism is triggered at a certain moment, it immediately releases the driving member 21 of the hammer, thereby allowing the hammer as a whole to pivot rapidly about the axis of rotation 17 toward the reed 12 without changing its configuration. The striking mechanism is arranged such that when the driving member pivots, it begins to abut against the fixed stop 14 before the striking member 22 reaches the reed 12, preferably at a relatively large angular distance compared to the aforementioned safety distance. The drive component 21 is stopped by the stop 14 via the pin 24. However, the hinge between the drive component 21 and the striking component 22 allows the striking component to continue moving on its own, eventually striking the reed 12.

[0029] The striking component 22 pivots about the hinge against the restoring torque applied by the magnetic elements 26, 27, which causes a momentary change in the configuration of the hammer 11. Subsequently, after the striking component strikes the reed 12, the reed returns some of the received energy to the striking component. The magnetic energy associated with the restoring force applied by the permanent magnets 26 and 27 is added to the energy returned by the reed, which is the magnetic energy stored in the magnetic system formed by the two magnetic elements.

[0030] Referring also to Figures 3, 4A and 4B, it can be seen that the drive component 21 and the striking component 22 largely overlap, with the two permanent magnets 26 and 27 located above and below the dividing plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation 30, respectively. It should also be understood that when the two parts of the hammer 11 pivot relative to each other, at least one of the two permanent magnets moves parallel to the dividing plane. (See attached figures.)The striking hammer is in its stable configuration in the striking mechanism, at which point the magnetic axes of the two permanent magnets 26 and 27 are substantially aligned, or advantageously slightly offset, such that in the first embodiment, an initial magnetic torque exists in the stable configuration of the striking hammer and therefore in its resting position. The magnetic axes of the permanent magnets 26 and 27 are oriented in the same direction, i.e., the magnetic poles are arranged identically, and the magnetic force exerted by each permanent magnet on the other is an attractive force. An advantage associated with the first embodiment (particularly in the illustrated variant) is that the magnetic force is oriented parallel to the axis of rotation 30. In this case, the magnetic force acts to press the upper surface of the striking member 22 against the lower surface of the driving member 21. It should be understood that this design is advantageous in firstly preventing the striking member from pivoting relative to the driving member when the striking hammer is in its stable configuration, and then helps to prevent the striking member from partially rebounding after striking the striking reed. Therefore, the initial magnetic torque mentioned above is not essential for the stability of the striking component in the stable configuration of the hammer (especially when the hammer is in the resting position).

[0031] Now returning to the graph in Figure 6 discussed earlier, it can be understood that curve 1 shows the change of the reset torque applied by the second reset device with the angle α between the striking component 22 and the driving component 21. The second reset device is two permanent magnets 26 and 27 oriented axially. At this time, the driving component of the hammer 11 remains stationary after abutting against the fixed stop 14, while the striking component 22 continues to rotate (move forward) in the first direction by rotating about the rotation axis 17. It should be noted that as the striking component continues to rotate toward the reed, the driving component may (and even is very likely) rebound slightly after striking the fixed stop 14. As previously described, in the specific variant, when the hammer is in its stable configuration and therefore, especially in its resting state, the restoring torque generated by the two permanent magnets 26, 27 has a non-zero value due to the expected small angular hysteresis between the magnetic axes of the two permanent magnets. When the angle α between the driving member 21 and the striking member 22 of the hammer deviates from the stable configuration, the restoring torque increases rapidly and remains relatively high over a relatively long angular distance of the angular path traveled by the striking member 22 itself, during which the permanent magnets 26, 27 remain partially overlapped. Finally, on the last angular path between the resting and striking positions of the striking member, the restoring torque decreases rapidly when the projections of the two permanent magnets in the plane orthogonal to the rotation axis 30 largely separate. In this variant of curve 1 in Figure 6, the permanent magnets are configured such that the strength of the restoring torque reaches its maximum value when the driving member 21 and the striking member 22 of the hammer rotate relative to each other, and then decreases relatively rapidly before the striking beak 10 contacts the reed 12. Using the magnetic system according to the invention, the energy efficiency of the time-telling mechanism is greatly affected by moving the striking beak away from the reed at the resting position of the hammer.The magnetic force between the two magnetic elements decreases and becomes weak, even negligible, at least in the final angular path between the resting and striking positions of the striking component.

[0032] The driving component 21 of the hammer 11 of the striking mechanism shown in Figures 3 and 4A, 4B carries a single permanent magnet 26. Alternatively, the driving component may include, for example, an upper portion carrying a first magnet and a lower portion carrying a second magnet with the same magnetic pole arrangement, the first and second magnets mounted in the driving component with their magnetic axes aligned with each other, or in other words, aligned with each other. In this alternative form of the first embodiment (not shown in the figures), the striking component is arranged to be freely interlocked with the driving component between the upper and lower portions, such that the magnet carried by the striking component is inserted between the upper and lower portions of the driving component in a stable configuration. When the striking component pivots relative to the driving component about a rotation axis (defined by the hinge between the two components), the magnet carried by the striking component moves between the upper and lower portions in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis. When the hammer is in a stable configuration, the magnetic axis of the magnet carried by the striking component is substantially aligned with the magnetic axes of the two magnets carried by the driving component. In a first variation, the magnetic poles of all three magnets are arranged in the same direction. In this first variation, the attraction exerted by the first magnet on the driving component on the magnet on the striking component is balanced by the attraction exerted by the second magnet on the driving component. This means that the friction between the driving component and the striking component is at least largely eliminated, which also helps to limit the energy lost by the striking component from its resting position until it strikes the reed 12. In a second variation, the magnet carried by the striking component has opposite magnetic pole arrangements to the two magnets carried by the driving component. In this case, a stable configuration of the hammer is provided, in which the magnet on the striking component is located upstream of the magnet on the driving component, and the striking component abuts against the rear stop, thereby defining the stable configuration. The magnetic system is configured such that when the magnets are aligned in both rotational directions (see page 6 / 9 of the specification, CN 122260755 A), the kinetic energy of the striking component is sufficient to easily overcome the magnetic potential peak generated by the combined magnetic repulsion. The magnetic system causes the striking component to return to a stable position relative to the driving component at the initial portion of the angular path of the striking component between the rest position and the striking position. It should be noted that in another variation, the permanent magnet carried by the striking component or the permanent magnet carried by the driving component can be replaced by a pad made of antimagnetic material or two pads made of such antimagnetic material, respectively.

[0033] It can be further understood that, according to another variation of this embodiment, the second reset device may include only one permanent magnet oriented parallel to the rotation axis 30. In this case, the other magnetic element may be, for example, a pad made of a soft ferromagnetic material with high permeability. In this case, the second reset device is adjusted according to the angle between the striking component 22 and the driving component 21.The performance of the applied reset torque is similar in quality to curve 1 in Figure 6.

[0034] Figures 5 and 5A show a second embodiment of the time-telling mechanism according to the invention. The time-telling mechanism shown has many common features with the first embodiment, so not all features of the second embodiment will be described in detail. It should also be noted that in Figure 5, elements similar to those described in Figures 3, 4A and 4B have their reference numerals increased by 50.

[0035] Referring now to Figures 5 and 5A, it can be seen that the illustrated time-telling mechanism includes a hammer 61, a resonant member consisting of a resonant spring 62, a first reset device consisting of a preloaded spring 63, and a fixed stop 64. The hammer 61 includes a first part called a drive member 71 and a second part called a striking member 72. The drive member 71 and the striking member 72 are assembled by a pivot connection such that they can rotate relative to each other about a rotation axis 67. As can be seen, in this example, the drive component 71 and the striking component 72 largely overlap, and they are both arranged such that they can rotate independently of each other about a rotation axis 67, which remains fixed relative to the support. This is the first major difference from the variant shown in the first embodiment, which relates to an alternative to the assembly of the drive component 71 and the striking component 72. Thus, on the one hand, when the hammer is charged and when the striking is triggered, the rotation axis 67 serves as a fixed rotation axis so that the drive component 71 can pivot together with the striking component 72 relative to the fixed support; on the other hand, the rotation axis 67 also serves as a rotation axis about which the striking component can pivot relative to the drive component to strike the reed, as described above. Although the physical shaft under discussion is not explicitly shown in Figure 5, its position is indicated by the rotation axis 67.

[0036] Furthermore, as shown in FIG5, the drive member 71 carries two pins, denoted as 73 and 74, which are parallel to the rotation axis 67 and fastened to the side of the drive member 71 facing the striking member 72. Pins 73 and 74 are relatively long, extending beyond the striking member 72. It can also be seen that the striking member 72 has an elongated oval opening (not shown in the figure), through which pin 73 passes. This elongated oval opening allows for the desired relative rotational movement between the drive member 71 and the striking member 72. It can be understood that the elongated oval opening is large enough that pin 73 can move freely in the tangential direction when the striking member 72 pivots relative to the drive member 71. Furthermore, as shown in FIG5, one end of the preload spring 63 abuts against pin 73, and the other end is fastened to the support. Therefore, the preload spring 63 serves as a first reset device, which is arranged to always bias the drive member 71 in a counterclockwise direction (first direction / forward direction) about the rotation axis 67 (the expression "clockwise" appears in the description of this embodiment).(The terms "needle" and "counterclockwise" should be understood with reference to Figure 5). Pin 74 is positioned against fixed stop 64 to prevent the drive member 71 from pivoting relative to the support when the drive member 71 reaches a predetermined angular position corresponding to the rest position of the drive member 71.

[0037] As previously described, the configuration of the hammer 61 can be changed by pivoting the drive member 71 and the striking member 72 relative to each other. The striking mechanism also includes a second reset device arranged to apply a reset torque to the striking member 72 relative to the drive member 71 so as to return the drive member and the striking member to the first relative configuration, i.e., the stable configuration of the hammer 61.

[0038] According to the invention, the second reset device consists of two magnetic elements carried by the drive member 71 and the striking member 72 of the hammer 61, respectively. The two magnetic elements 76 and 77 are arranged to generate an attractive force between them. This causes the driving component 71 and the striking component 72 to return to the stable configuration of the hammer 61. In the illustrated example, the magnetic element consists of two rectangular permanent magnets 76 and 77, as described on page 7 / 9 of the specification (CN 122260755 A). In the stable configuration of the hammer 61, and therefore in the resting position of the hammer, the magnetic axes of these two permanent magnets are substantially aligned. In the second embodiment, the magnetic axes of the two permanent magnets 76, 77 lie in the same plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation 67. This specifically means that the centers of the two permanent magnets 76 and 77 are located in said plane, and it should also be understood that when the hammer 61 changes configuration, the two permanent magnets move relative to each other in the same plane. This is the second major and crucial difference between the first and second embodiments, as it relates to the present invention. The invention describes a magnetic system for a time-telling mechanism. Two permanent magnets are rigidly fastened to the portion of the hammer 61 that supports them, and the two permanent magnets 76, 77 are positioned such that their respective centers are equidistant from the axis of rotation 67, wherein the drive component 71 and the striking component 72 are pivotable about the axis of rotation 67 relative to the support and relative to each other (specific example). Under these conditions, it should be understood that when the hammer 61 is in the stable configuration shown in Figures 5 and 5A, the magnetic axes of the two permanent magnets are substantially aligned. The magnetic pole directions of the two permanent magnets are also the same, therefore the force exerted by each magnet on the other is an attractive magnetic force.

[0039] In the illustrated variant, the drive component 71 further includes a rear stop 78, which functions the same as in the first embodiment. Furthermore, the rear stop 78 also prevents the two permanent magnets 71 and 72 in the magnetic system forming the second reset device from colliding with each other during the return / reverse motion after the striking component strikes.

[0040] Now returning to the curves in FIG6 discussed earlier, it should be understood that curve 2 corresponds to curve 1, but relates to the striking mechanism according to the second embodiment. It can be seen that when the hammer is in the stable configuration / rest position, the permanent magnets 76 and 77 produce...The reset torque reaches its maximum value, and this maximum value is relatively high. Unlike curve 1, curve 2 rapidly and asymptotically drops to zero from the stable configuration as the striking component separates from the driving component.

[0041] As described above, the driving component 71 and the striking component 72 include a rear stop 78, which is arranged to prevent the striking component 72 from pivoting clockwise relative to the driving component 71 beyond the stable configuration of the hammer 61. In the second embodiment, the rear stop 78 is crucial because the reset torque is large in the stable configuration. A simpler solution is to use two permanent magnets as stops. However, using the rear stop 78 shown in Figures 5 and 5A ensures a minimum spacing between the permanent magnets 76 and 77 to prevent excessive initial attraction (and thus energy consumption) and to protect the permanent magnets from impacts on the driving component during the return / reverse motion of the striking component after striking the reed 62.

[0042] It should be understood that, according to a variation of the second embodiment, the second reset device may comprise only one magnet oriented in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation 67. In this case, the other magnetic element may be made of a soft ferromagnetic material with high permeability. The reset torque applied by the second reset device according to the angle α between the striking member 72 and the driving member 21 will be similar in quality to curve 2 in FIG. 6.

[0043] It should also be understood that various modifications and / or improvements that will be obvious to those skilled in the art can be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0044] Terminology

[0045] 4. Hammer

[0046] 5. Reed

[0047] 6. Preloaded Spring

[0048] 7. Fixed Stop

[0049] 8. Elastic Pin

[0050] 9. Fixed Shaft

[0051] 10. Strike Beak

[0052] 11. Hammer

[0053] 12. Resonant Component / Reed Instruction Manual 8 / 9 Page 11 CN 122260755 A

[0054] 13. Preloaded Spring

[0055] 14. Fixed Stop

[0056] 17. Rotation Axis

[0057] 21. Drive Component

[0058] 22. Strike Component

[0059] 23, 24. Pin

[0060] 26, 27. 28. Permanent magnet

[0061] 61. Rear stop

[0062] 62. Sound hammer

[0063] 63. Resonant component / sound reed

[0064] 64. Preloaded spring

[0065] 67. Fixed stop

[0066] 78. Rotation axis

[0067] 79. Drive component

[0068] 70. Striking component

[0069] 71, 72. Pin

[0070] 73, 74. Permanent magnet

[0071] 75.Rear stop. Instruction Manual 9 / 9 Page 12 CN 122260755 A Figure 1 Figure 2 Instruction Manual Drawings 1 / 4 Page 13 CN 122260755 A Figure 3 Figure 4A Instruction Manual Drawings 2 / 4 Page 14 CN 122260755 A Figure 4B Figure 5 Instruction Manual Drawings 3 / 4 Page 15 CN 122260755 A Figure 5A Figure 6 Instruction Manual Drawings 4 / 4 Page 16 CN 122260755 A Abstract The present invention relates to a striking mechanism comprising a resonant member and a hammer. The hammer comprises a first part (21) and a second part (22), the two parts being assembled by means of a pivot connection such that they are pivotable relative to one another about a rotational axis. The first part and the second part of the hammer respectively carry a first permanent magnet and a second permanent magnet, the first permanent magnet and the second permanent magnet forming a magnetic resetting system between the two parts. The permanent magnets are arranged to generate an attractive force therebetween, thereby urging the first part and the second part towards a stable configuration of the hammer. During a striking operation, the first part, referred to as a drivingpart, comes into abutment against a fixed stop before the second part, referred to as a striking part, reaches the resonant member, also referred to as a gong. The striking part then continues to rotate towards the gong to perform the strike, subsequently moves back towards the driving part, and finally comes to rest in a rest position remote from the gong. The magnetic resetting system is capable of limiting the risk of rebound resulting in a further impact against the gong after the strike.

Claims

1. A striking mechanism for a clock, the striking mechanism comprising a support, a resonant member (12; 62), a hammer (11; 61), a fixed stop (14; 64), a first reset device (13; 63), and a second reset device (26, 27; 76, 77), the fixed stop being fixed relative to the support, the hammer comprising a first part called a driving member (21; 71) and a second part called a striking member (22; 72), the striking member being arranged to strike the resonant member, the driving member being mounted to be capable of striking the resonant member in a first position called a rest position and a second position called a charging position. The drive component pivots on the support about a first rotation axis (17; 67) between positions. In the first position, the drive component abuts against the fixed stop; in the second position, the drive component moves away from the fixed stop. The first reset device (13; 63) is arranged to allow the drive component to always return toward the fixed stop along a first direction. After triggering a strike on the resonant member, the first reset device (13; 63) allows the drive component to rotate from the charging position along the first direction. The drive component and the striking component are assembled via a pivot connection, such that the striking part... The component is pivotable about a second axis of rotation (30; 67) relative to the drive component. A second reset device (26, 27; 76, 77) is arranged to apply a reset torque between the drive component and the striking component to return them to a first configuration, referred to as the stable configuration of the hammer (11; 61). The striking mechanism is arranged such that when the hammer (11; 61) is in the stable configuration and the drive component (21; 71) is in a resting position abutting against the fixed stop (14; 64), the striking component (22; 72) and... The resonant components (12; 62) are separated; the timing mechanism is arranged such that when the hammer is in the stable configuration and the drive component (21; 71) begins to abut against the fixed stop (14; 64) as it rotates along the first direction, the kinetic energy of the striking component (22; 72) overcomes the reset force of the second reset device (26, 27; 76, 77) and drives the striking component (22; 72) toward the resonant component (12; 62) on an angular path relative to the drive component, and then the hammer briefly leaves the stable configuration; characterized in that, The second reset device includes two magnetic elements (26, 27; 76, 77) which are fixedly supported by the drive member and the striking member, respectively. The two magnetic elements are arranged to generate a magnetic force between them, which causes the striking member and the drive member to return to the stable configuration of the hammer at least in the initial part of the angular path.

2. The timekeeping mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least one of the two magnetic elements (26, 27; 76, 77) is a permanent magnet.

3. The timekeeping mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The magnetic axis of the permanent magnet is parallel to the second rotation axis (30).

4. The timekeeping mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The magnetic axis of the permanent magnet is located in a plane perpendicular to the second rotation axis (67).

5. The timekeeping mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The two magnetic elements (26, 27; 76, 77) are two permanent magnets arranged by magnetic attraction.

6. The timekeeping mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, Each of the two permanent magnets is rigidly fastened to the portion of the hammer (11; 61) that carries the corresponding permanent magnet; when the hammer is in the stable configuration, the magnetic axes of the two permanent magnets are substantially coincident.

7. The timekeeping mechanism according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, The centers of the two permanent magnets are always located at the same distance from the second axis of rotation.

8. The timekeeping mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The second axis of rotation is parallel to the first axis of rotation and is spaced apart from the first axis of rotation.

9. The timekeeping mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The first axis of rotation coincides with the second axis of rotation.

10. The timekeeping mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The drive component (21; 71) includes a rear stop (28; 78) that restricts the rotation of the striking component (22; 72) relative to the drive component (21; 71) in a direction opposite to the first direction.

11. The timekeeping mechanism according to claim 10, characterized in that, When the striking component (22; 72) makes a return motion toward the driving component after the resonant component is struck, the rear stop (28; 78) forms a damper for the striking component (22; 72).

12. The timekeeping mechanism according to claim 11, characterized in that, After the strike on the resonant member is triggered, when the drive member rotates from the storage position via the first reset device (13; 63), the rear stop (28; 78) forms a device that drives the striking member (22; 72) via the drive member (21; 71).

13. The timekeeping mechanism according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that, When the hammer (11; 61) is in the stable configuration, the striking component (22; 72) abuts against the rear stop (28; 78).

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