Adjustment system for display mechanism

Abstract

To adjust the position of information display means in an axial direction and adjust it in a radial direction to equalise play between two information display means, and simply, quickly, and accurately adjust display means without having to access a shaft supporting the display means.SOLUTION: An adjustment system for a display mechanism comprises: a wheel 1 arranged to pivot with an arbor 2, the wheel having a peripheral section 10 defining a central opening 11 for receiving the arbor; means 3 for displaying information, the means rigidly connected to the peripheral section of the wheel; and friction means. The friction means is a friction portion at the central opening and includes: a friction section including friction zones 12 and 13 around the arbor to hold the wheel on the arbor; at least two elastically deformable arms 4 and 5, the arms connecting the friction section to the peripheral section of the wheel in order to clamp the arbor and prevent rotation and / or translation of the wheel on the arbor below a predetermined force.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of mechanical watch manufacturing. More particularly, it relates to an adjustment system for a watch display mechanism for adjusting the position of information display means included in the display mechanism.

Background Art

[0002] The legibility of the display is a major concern in watch manufacturing, and in particular, calendar-type displays are difficult to manufacture in a form that is easy for the user to see and interpret.

[0003] Since roller displays are easy to read, watch displays may sometimes be made using roller displays.

[0004] However, in order to obtain a high-quality visual effect, it is not always easy to achieve the correct adjustment between different components as seen from the wearer's eyes.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main object of the present invention is to overcome various drawbacks of the prior art.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to axially adjust the position of the information display means so as to surely align the displayed information, and to radially adjust so as to equalize the play between two information display means.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustment system that enables the display means to be adjusted simply, quickly and accurately without accessing the shaft that supports the display means.

[0008] For this purpose, the present invention relates to an adjustment system for a display mechanism, comprising a wheel arranged to pivot with a mandrel, the wheel having a peripheral portion defining a central opening for receiving the mandrel, and means for displaying information, the means being rigidly connected to the peripheral portion of the wheel.

[0009] According to the present invention, the system comprises friction means, said friction means comprising, at said central opening, a friction part having a friction zone around said mandrel so as to hold said wheel on said mandrel, and at least two elastically deformable arms connecting said friction part to said peripheral part (10) of said wheel (1) so as to clamp said mandrel and prevent rotation and / or translation of said wheel below a predetermined force with respect to said mandrel.

[0010] According to another advantageous alternative embodiment of the invention, said two elastic arms extend parallel to each other, said friction part has an arcuate shape arranged to cooperate with a radial bearing surface of said mandrel, said peripheral part of said wheel comprises means for attaching a display member, said wheel has a stopper for accurately positioning said display member with respect to said attaching means, and said friction part has a thickness greater than the thickness of said arms and said peripheral part.

[0011] The invention further relates to a timepiece movement and a timepiece comprising a friction system according to the invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of example and are in no way limiting.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] FIG. 1 shows a friction system 100 according to the invention. This system is composed of a shaft 1 arranged to be attached to a timepiece movement, and this shaft may comprise portions 10, 11 of different diameters.

[0014] Figure 2 is a diagram showing an adjustment system 1 of a display mechanism 100 of a clock according to an embodiment of the present invention. The display mechanism 100 may be, for example, a clock mechanism for displaying time, date, day of the week, or moon phase.

[0015] The adjustment system for the display mechanism particularly includes a wheel 1 arranged to pivot together with a spindle 2. The wheel has a peripheral portion 10 that defines a circular central opening 11 for receiving the spindle 2. It should also be noted that this peripheral portion 10 supports information display means 3, and this information display means 3 is rigidly connected to the peripheral portion 10 of the wheel 1.

[0016] According to the present invention, the wheel is provided with friction means having a friction portion at the central opening 11. The friction portion includes friction zones 12, 13 around the spindle 2 to hold the wheel on the spindle.

[0017] The friction means further includes at least two elastically deformable arms 4, 5. The arms clamp the spindle 2 and connect the friction portion to the peripheral portion 10 of the wheel 1 to prevent the wheel 1 from rotating relative to the spindle 2 with a torque less than a predetermined value.

[0018] The wheel 1, the friction portion, and the elastically deformable arms 4, 5 preferably take the form of an integral part. Each of the elastically deformable arms 4, 5 has two opposing ends connected to the wheel 1. Such a connection enables optimal transmission of forces and stresses between these two elements, such as tensile force, compressive force, bending force, torsional force, shear force, or stress.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the wheel 1 includes, inside the wheel, on both sides of the central opening 11, an elastically deformable first arm 4 and an elastically deformable second arm 5 that extends substantially parallel to the first arm.

[0020] Two elastically deformable arms 4, 5 are intended to extend on both sides of a mandrel 2 arranged to rotationally drive a wheel 1, and together form clamping means capable of clamping the radial bearing surface of the mandrel 2. The friction part has an arcuate shape in order to optimize the friction surface with the mandrel 2. Similarly, the friction part may have a thickness greater than the thickness of the peripheral parts of the arms 4, 5 and the wheel, and the friction surface can be increased by increasing the contact surface with the mandrel 2.

[0021] Therefore, by applying a force greater than the frictional force holding the wheel to the mandrel, it is possible to adjust the axial and radial positions of the wheel 1 on the mandrel 2. Such an adjustment system is particularly useful for roller displays, and can easily adjust the correct positioning of one roller relative to another roller, and ensure the perfect alignment of the information on each roller.

[0022] According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention (not shown), the means for clamping the mandrel 2 may comprise a larger number of elastically deformable arms. For example, it may comprise four arms arranged around the mandrel 2.

[0023] As can be seen from the figure, the wheel 1 comprises attachment means 30 arranged in the vicinity of the peripheral part 10 in order to rigidly connect the information display means to the wheel 1. The wheel 1 further comprises stoppers 14, 15 to ensure that the display means 3 is accurately positioned relative to the attachment means.

[0024] Although the figure shows display means in the form of rollers, other display shapes can also be envisaged, such as hexagonal or octagonal.

[0025] With such an adjustment system, the position of the information display means such as rollers can be adjusted axially so that the information to be displayed is aligned, and can be adjusted radially so as to equalize the play between two information display means.

[0026] This adjustment system is particularly advantageous because the watchmaker can adjust the position without accessing the shaft around which the display means rotates. Thus, to correct the position, the watchmaker only has to operate the display means by applying a force greater than the frictional force.

[0027] The present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments, and it goes without saying that various alternatives and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art while remaining within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. An adjustment system for a display mechanism, comprising: A wheel (1) arranged to pivot with a mandrel (2), the wheel having a peripheral portion (10) defining a central opening (11) for receiving the mandrel (2); Means (3) for displaying information, the means being rigidly connected to the peripheral portion of the wheel; Friction means; Comprising, the friction means comprising: A friction portion at the friction portion in the central opening (11), the friction portion having friction zones (12, 13) around the mandrel (2) to hold the wheel relative to the mandrel; At least two elastically deformable arms (4, 5), the arms connecting the friction portion to the peripheral portion (10) of the wheel (1) to clamp the mandrel and prevent rotation and / or translation of the wheel relative to the mandrel below a predetermined force; A system (100).

2. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein the two elastically deformable arms extend parallel to each other.

3. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein the friction portion has an arcuate shape arranged to cooperate with a radial bearing surface of the mandrel.

4. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral portion of the wheel comprises means for attaching a display member.

5. The system (100) according to claim 4, wherein the wheel has a stopper for accurately positioning the display member relative to the attachment means.

6. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein the friction portion has a thickness greater than the thickness of the arm and the peripheral portion.

7. A timepiece movement comprising the adjustment system according to claim 1.

8. A timepiece comprising the timepiece movement according to claim 7.

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