Measuring support for watch movement

Abstract

To provide a measuring support for a watch movement, and methods of holding a piezo sensor and reducing the sensitivity to ambient noise for the measuring support.SOLUTION: The invention relates to a measuring support 500 for a watch movement, designed to constitute a radial support, in a radial direction D, of a control member 410 or of a support zone 301. The control member 410 or support zone 301 includes a watch head 300 including a watch movement 400, or includes a watch movement 400 enclosed in a test cap 200. The control member 410 or support zone 301 is in a position of radial support on the measuring support 500 under stress of the watch head 300 or of the cap 200. The measuring support 500 supports via either a single contact point 530 contacting in the radial direction D, or a pair of lateral contact points 540 that are symmetrical with respect to the radial direction D.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a measuring support for watch movements, which constitutes a radial support, in the radial direction, of a control member or support zone at a radial support position where the head or cap of a watch (e.g. wristwatch, pocket watch) is supported under stress on the measuring support, said control member or said support zone being constituted by a watch head including the watch movement or by a watch movement surrounded by a test cap.

[0002] The invention resides in the field of monitoring watch movements, in particular the rate and / or amplitude of mechanical movements. [Background technology]

[0003] In order to monitor and measure the rate and / or amplitude of a watch movement, it is known to perform acoustic monitoring to capture the sound emitted by the escapement of the calibre (mounted in a cap or cased in the watch head) and measure the rate and amplitude of the movement.

[0004] There are many ways to measure the sound (vibrations) emitted by a movement or watch: contact microphones, overhead microphones or optical systems such as laser vibrometers are all possible.

[0005] Overhead microphones are too sensitive to ambient noise and also to noise inside the measuring device. During the manufacture of watch movements are often tested in batches of 10. If 10 movements are working simultaneously, each microphone only needs to hear its own dedicated movement, and not the movements next to it.

[0006] Laser vibrometers have been used in laboratories, but are too expensive, complex and cumbersome for mass production applications, and are highly sensitive to vibrations and environmental variations.

[0007] Optical methods using illumination (e.g. LEDs) and reflected signal analysis are suitable for mounting movements in cases for processing complete batches, but the return signal is very weak, practically imperceptible, and once again difficult to isolate from ambient noise. Also, this method uses too much energy for portable systems such as the case holding the movement and associated sensors.

[0008] Such measurements generally use sensors equipped with a piezo element used as a contact microphone. Piezo elements come in various types and shapes. They are typically available in the form of bars or discs, and can be of single or bimorph type (two piezo elements overlapping). Bimorph bars are a priori much more sensitive, but the contact is more complicated and, above all, much more expensive.

[0009] While this is not difficult to do on a fixed bench using piezo sensors, it is much more difficult to do on a moving object, such as on a cap, on a watch head mounted within a case, operated by a robot or the like, or on a production or control line, even with piezo sensors.

[0010] This is because the piezoelectric element is a fragile element. If you press the object you want to capture sound from directly, it may damage the object. It is necessary to avoid applying mechanical stress to the piezoelectric element as much as possible.

[0011] Therefore, a mechanical element is required to act as an interface between the piezo element and the movement and to hold the piezo element in place in the measuring device.

[0012] It must also be ensured that only the sounds emitted by the watch movement are measured by the piezo element, and therefore the sensor must be isolated as far as possible from external disturbances, in particular acoustic disturbances emitted by other movements being tested nearby. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0013] The present invention aims to provide a cost-effective approach to the problems associated with mounting piezo sensors for rate and / or amplitude monitoring, particularly those mounted on cases or other spatially moving supports, and to achieve less sensitivity to ambient noise than current systems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] To this end, the invention relates to a measurement support according to claim 1.

[0015] The objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] It shows a schematic partial cross-section of a measuring and testing case, which on the left side of the figure houses a cap with a watch movement attached, which is in a monitoring position, a position in which it is placed under stress on a measuring support according to the invention in a first variant, and on the right side of the figure houses a watch head, also in a monitoring position, with the same measuring support as in the first variant. [Diagram 2] 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the measurement and test case of FIG. 1 in a section perpendicular to the section of FIG. 1, showing the watch head on the left side of the figure and the cap on the right side of the figure. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 shows a schematic partial perspective view of a measurement support according to a first variant. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 shows a schematic partial cross-section through the axis of a single contact point for a measurement support according to a first variant. [Diagram 5] Figures 5 to 9 show a measurement support according to a second variant with two contact points in the lateral direction, Figure 5 shows a schematic partial perspective view of the measurement support according to the second variant. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 shows a schematic partial top view of a measurement support according to a second variant. [Figure 7] 3 shows a schematic partial cross-section of a measurement support according to a second variant, the two contact points being symmetrical transversely to the plane of the cross-section; [Figure 8] 3 shows a schematic partial cross-section of a measurement support according to a second variant, the plane of which passes through two contact points in the lateral direction. [Figure 9] A schematic partial cross-sectional view of a portable watch head arranged on a measuring support of a second variant form similar to that of Figure 1, in a plane parallel to the general plane of the portable watch head, in which two lateral contact points of the measuring support are arranged in a central position. [Figure 10] 2 shows, in a similar manner to FIG. 1, a schematic partial cross-section of a cap fitted with a movement, the crown of which is arranged on a measuring support according to a second variant; [Figure 11] In a similar manner to Figure 9, a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a watch head arranged on a measuring support according to a second variant is shown, in which two lateral contact points are arranged on the case middle in a plane perpendicular to the general plane of the watch head. [Figure 12] 12 shows a cross-sectional view of the assembly shown in FIG. 11 taken along a plane perpendicular to the cross-section of FIG. 11. [Figure 13]This shows a configuration similar to that of FIG. 11 in which the watch head includes a bezel, and two lateral contact points ensure contact with the case middle while avoiding contact with the bezel. [Figure 14] 14 shows a cross-sectional view of the assembly shown in FIG. 13 taken along a plane perpendicular to the cross-section of FIG. 13. [Figure 15] This shows a detail of FIG. [Figure 16] A detail of FIG. 9 is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] In order to provide an effective approach to protect the sensor, the invention proposes to fix the sensor on a measurement support which generates mechanical forces when supporting the element to be monitored.

[0018] Simple mass-produced piezo disks, widely known in the watch industry (used as buzzers), give entirely satisfactory results and can therefore be used in industrial applications. In particular, the invention relates to industrial configurations in which movements, capped or attached to watch heads, are accommodated in batches in transport cases on a production or control line. Such transport cases circulate in fairly long cycles, lasting several days or weeks depending on the nature and frequency of the operations carried out, in particular for chronometric control operations. It is therefore desirable to obtain a low-cost measuring support in which the movements remain fixed in the case and which can therefore withstand handling on conveyors, stacker cranes or other handling means.

[0019] Because sound is captured by contact, there are many options here too, and the point of contact between the sensor and the object being measured can vary.

[0020] Ideally, the contact with the sound source should be as direct and firm as possible. In the case of a watch movement, the control stem is the relevant element, and is the only active element for capped movements. In the case of movements housed in a watch head, the contact can also be via the case, the case back or the case middle, for example. Contact with the windshield is not always preferred, since the seals would dampen the vibrations.

[0021] In the case of caps or watch heads grouped in batches of 10 in a processing case, several dozen of these movements (capped or cased) can be measured and one cased sensor of a given dimensional configuration is required per movement.

[0022] The difficulty is to be able to contact as many different types of watches as possible, with different shapes. Depending on the dimensional configuration of the case, it is necessary to arrange the watches in a row. There is no guarantee that the control stem is accessible, nor that it will always be in the same position. In the case of cased movements, the inspection at the horn width gives good results. This zone also makes it possible to deal with small marks and local matting without impairing the appearance of the watch case. It is therefore advantageous to arrange the sensor so that it comes into contact with the case middle at the horn width in the case of watch watches, and with the control stem in the case of capped movements.

[0023] If the watch head and the cap are placed in the same housing of the transport case, the contact zones with the sensor must be in two different positions.

[0024] The invention further relates to a measuring support 500 for a watch movement, constituting a lower support for supporting from below a cap 200 with a watch movement 400 attached thereto or a watch head 300 including the watch movement 400, in a position where the cap 200 or the watch head 300 with the watch movement 400 is placed under stress on the measuring support 500. For example, the cap 200 or the watch head 300 is pressed towards the measuring support 500 and held against the measuring support 500 by compression means which press said cap 200 or the watch head 300 in the opposite direction to the side abutting the measuring support 500, in particular by at least one elastic element 80 which rests against said cap 200 or the watch head 300 in a restraining manner on the side abutting the measuring support 500 opposite thereto.

[0025] In this way, the measurement support 500 is designed to constitute the end face of the case middle part constituting a radial support supporting in radial direction D the control member 410 or the support zone 301, in particular the portable watch head 300 including the portable watch movement 400, or the portable watch movement 400 attached to the test cap 200, which is in a radial support position supported by the measurement support 500 under the stress of the portable watch head 300 or the cap 200.

[0026] According to the invention, the measurement support 500 has, in a first variant, a single contact point 530 contacting in the radial direction D, or, in a second variant, a pair of contact points 540 in a lateral direction symmetrical to the radial direction D.

[0027] In a first embodiment, the measurement support 500 has a single contact point 530 that makes contact in the radial direction D as described above, and the measurement support 500 includes a printed circuit 52 that extends substantially perpendicular to the radial direction D, opposite the single contact point 530. The length of the single contact point 530 in the radial direction D is greater than a minimum length calculated to prevent contact between the horn 320 on the watch head 300 and the printed circuit 52.

[0028] In particular, the single contact point 530 is rotationally symmetric about the axis D.

[0029] In a second variant, the measurement support 500 has a pair of contact points 540 in a lateral direction symmetrical to the radial direction D.

[0030] In a particular embodiment of the invention according to this second variant, the measurement support 500 has an opening 501 with two lateral contact points 540, the opening 501 being cone-shaped or an inverted bell-shaped monotonically expanding inner contour, the widest side of the opening 501 facing the cap 200 or watch head 300 to be monitored. The opening 501 guides vibrations towards a more massive concentrator part 502, integral with the base 503, in the position where the cap 200 or watch head 300 is placed under stress facing the measurement support 500. Under or on the base 503, a measurement sensor 510 is held, which is adapted to obtain the rate and / or amplitude of the watch movement 400 enclosed in the cap 200 or watch head 300. The pair of lateral contact points 540 are then in geometric continuation of the opening 501 or form part of it. The aperture 501 has recesses 550 between laterally spaced contact points 540 which are configured to allow contactless passage of a bezel 310 or any other similar attachment that constitutes the portable watch head 300.

[0031] In particular, the inner portion of the mouth 501 is rotationally symmetrical with respect to the radial direction D and / or is substantially cone-shaped.

[0032] In particular, as shown in Figure 16, the aperture 501 has, at its most open end, an outer diameter DE smaller than the horn width DEC of the watch case 300 to be measured, and an inner diameter DI larger than the diameter of the control members 410, in particular the crown, of the movement 400 enclosed in the cap 200 to be measured, as shown in Figure 15. The inner support surfaces 511 of the aperture 501 or the laterally spaced contact points 540 are adapted to abut and receive these control members 410, thereby allowing a good adaptation to spatial requirements and making the measuring support 500 very versatile.

[0033] In particular, this measurement sensor 510 is a piezo sensor.

[0034] To ensure good sound transmission from the movement 400 to the piezo sensor 510, the number of interfaces must be minimized and the best possible contact must be achieved at each interface. The connection between the piezo element and the measurement support must therefore be robust, which is easily achieved by gluing the piezo element over its entire surface in or on the measurement support 500, in particular with a robust adhesive such as cyanoacrylate. In particular, this measurement sensor 510 is glued over its entire contact surface with the base 503 with a cyanoacrylate adhesive.

[0035] In particular, the measurement support 500 is made of a hard material or metal, because a measurement support made of a hard material ensures good transmission. In particular, very good results are obtained in tests using a measurement support made of an aluminum alloy.

[0036] In particular, the measurement support 500 is made of an aluminum alloy.

[0037] Alternatively, the measurement support 500 is made of bronze or copper aluminium.

[0038] Fixing the piezo sensor 510 to a rigid part such as the measurement support of the measurement support 500 has the effect of raising the resonant frequency of the entire sensor system (piezo element + measurement support) compared to the case of using the piezo element alone. This allows the resonant frequency to be shifted significantly outside the measurement frequency range, avoiding chaotic behavior. In particular, the measurement support 500 is weighted by an inertial weight.

[0039] In particular, the aperture 501 is rotationally symmetric about the axis D.

[0040] FIG. 15 shows, in the case of the cap 200 , the contact between the distal end 411 of the control member 410 placed on the inner support surface 511 of the mouth 501 of the measurement support 500 .

[0041] FIG. 16 shows the contact between a support zone 301 , for example the area between the horns of the watch head 300 , and the edge of the mouth 501 of the measurement support 500 .

[0042] In particular, the base 503 has at least one slot or groove 504, or two slots or grooves 504 symmetrical about the axis D, for connecting the measurement sensor 510 to the electronic module 51, for receiving a connecting cable 520 or the like connected to the electronic module or the like.

[0043] The base 503 is an element for attachment to an external structure, preferably through a groove formed in a sole plate 560, in particular made of a flexible elastic material, which groove is held in place by wedging with beads. In particular, the base 503 is surrounded by a sole plate 560 made of a flexible elastic material, which is preferably removable and which provides the only attachment means to the external structure, in particular by clip fastening. The base 503, and therefore the measuring support 500, can be suspended in contact under stress with the cap 200 or the watch head 300.

[0044] The shape of the measurement support constituting the mouth 501 must direct the sound towards the centre of the piezo sensor 510. A point contact in the centre is probably ideal, but in practice an inverted cone is advantageous. This setup can be likened to how a drum works, where it is clear that hitting the centre of the membrane rather than the edge is much sounder and more powerful.

[0045] The bell or inverted cone shape solves the problem in two ways: - The solution is achieved by making it possible to establish contact between the sensor 501 and the case middle of the watch head 300 or the movement 400 in the cap 200 on the stem 410, with the same footprint. - This is solved by improving the efficiency of sound pickup thanks to a shape that concentrates vibrations towards the center of the sensor.

[0046] The particular measuring support implemented by the invention, in addition to the advantage that it allows quality measurements to be made much more reliably than by applying a probe to the crystal or case back of the watch, can be used in a much wider range, since it is suitable for both caps and watch heads, the latter of which can advantageously be supported between the horns, avoiding any adverse effects on the visible surface of the watch head. In summary, the invention offers a cost-effective approach to the problem of holding sensors, in particular piezo sensors, for rate and / or amplitude control, and allows it to be significantly less sensitive to ambient noise pollution than current systems. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 51 Electronic Module 52 Printed Circuits 200 Cap 300 Portable Watch Head 301 Support Zone 310 Bezel 320 Horn 400 Portable Clock Movement 410 Control Member 500 Measurement support 501 mouths 502 Concentrator part 503 Base 504 Groove 510 Measurement Sensor 511 Inner support surface 520 Connection Cable 530, 540 Contact points 550 Hollow 560 Soleplate

Claims

1. A measuring support (500) for a watch movement, designed to constitute a radial support for supporting a control member (410) or a support zone (301) in a radial direction (D), comprising: said control member (410) or said support zone (301) comprises a watch head (300) containing a watch movement (400) or comprises a watch movement (400) surrounded by a test cap (200), said control member (410) or said support zone (301) being in a position to be supported radially on said measurement support (500) under the stress of said watch head (300) or said cap (200); The measurement support (500) supports the measurement object through a single contact point (530) in the radial direction (D) or through a pair of contact points (540) in the transverse direction symmetrical with respect to the radial direction (D). A measurement support (500).

2. The measurement support (500) supports via the single contact point (530) in the radial direction (D), The measurement support (500) comprises a printed circuit (52) extending substantially perpendicularly in a radial direction (D) opposite the single contact point (530), The length of said single contact point (530) in the radial direction (D) is greater than the minimum length calculated to prevent contact between the horn (320) on said watch head (300) and said printed circuit (52).

2. Measurement support (500) according to claim 1 .

3. The measurement support (500) has a pair of contact points (540) in the transverse direction symmetrical with respect to the radial direction (D).

2. Measurement support (500) according to claim 1 .

4. The measurement support (500) has an inverted bell-shaped mouth (501), the widest open side of said mouth (501) faces towards the cap (200) or the watch head (300) to be inspected; the port (501) is adapted to direct vibrations towards a more massive concentrator portion (502) which is integral with a base (503); Under the base (503) a measurement sensor (510) adapted to obtain the rate and / or amplitude of a watch movement (400) enclosed in the cap (200) or the watch head (300) is held in a position in which the measurement support (500) is placed under stress facing the cap (200) or the watch head (300), said pair of lateral contact points (540) being in a geometric continuation of said mouth (501); The aperture (501) has recesses (550) between the laterally spaced contact locations (540) configured to allow contactless passage of a bezel (310) on the watch head (300). Measurement support (500) according to claim 3.

5. The inner part of the mouth (501) is rotationally symmetrical with respect to the radial direction (D) and / or has a shape that corresponds substantially to a cone. Measurement support (500) according to claim 3.

6. said aperture (501) having, at its most open side at the distal ends of said laterally spaced contact points (540), an outside diameter (DE) smaller than a horn width of said watch case (300) to be measured; has an inner diameter (DI) greater than the diameter of the control member (410) of the watch movement (400) that is enclosed by the cap (200) to be measured; The inner bearing surfaces (511) of the mouths (501) or the laterally spaced contact points (540) are configured to abut against and receive the control member (410). Measurement support (500) according to claim 4.

7. The control member (410) is a crown.

2. Measurement support (500) according to claim 1 .

8. The support zone (301) is the end face of the case middle part of the watch head (300).

2. Measurement support (500) according to claim 1 .

9. The measurement sensor (510) is a piezo sensor.

2. Measurement support (500) according to claim 1 .

10. The measurement sensor (510) is attached to the base (503) with a cyanoacrylate adhesive over the entire contact surface.

2. Measurement support (500) according to claim 1 .

11. The base (503) has at least one groove (504) adapted to receive a connection cable (520) for connecting the measurement sensor (510) to an electronic module (51) or a printed circuit (52).

2. Measurement support (500) according to claim 1 .

12. The measurement support (500) is made of an aluminum alloy.

2. Measurement support (500) according to claim 1 .

13. The measurement support (500) is weighted by an inertial weight.

2. Measurement support (500) according to claim 1 .

14. Said base (503) is surrounded by a sole plate (560) made of a flexible elastic material which constitutes the only means of attachment to the external structure.

2. Measurement support (500) according to claim 1 .

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