A vibration-operated drive mechanism for a clock movement, a clock movement including the drive mechanism, a clock including the clock movement, and a method for operating the drive mechanism.

Abstract

It provides a drive mechanism for precise settings that can be operated from outside the case. [Solution] A vibration-actuated drive device 1 for a watch movement, the drive device 1 includes a rotatable movable member 2 having teeth 3 that enable movement, and at least two movable vibrators 4, 5 arranged to mechanically engage with the movable member 2, the drive device 1 is configured to vibrate at a predetermined frequency when each movable vibrator 4, 5 vibrates at a different predetermined frequency, and each movable vibrator 4, 5 is provided with teeth 21 that can strike the teeth 3 of the movable member 2 to drive the movable member 2 when the vibrator 4, 5 vibrates at its predetermined frequency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of point-actuatable drive devices, and more particularly to the field of vibration-operated drive devices for timepieces.

Background Art

[0002] In a gear mechanism, it may be necessary to use a point-actuatable drive device. More specifically, in the field of timepieces, there are mechanisms for adjusting specific timepiece modules such as time and date, or for setting the rate of the movement.

[0003] These mechanisms actuate as needed and mechanically engage with movable members and / or gears or other types of components.

[0004] To operate these, a device accessible from the outside of the timepiece, such as a crown and winding stem for time setting, is required, or the timepiece case needs to be opened to access the timepiece module as in the case of rate setting.

[0005] Actuation from the outside of the case complicates the movement because components need to be added to the movement to access the timepiece module to be actuated, and it is also necessary to ensure the waterproofness of the case.

[0006] Furthermore, opening the case changes the pressure inside the case, which has an adverse effect on the rate of the regulating mechanism.

[0007] There are also drive devices that can be actuated from the outside of the case without opening the case. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a magnetic actuator, Patent Document 2 discloses a thermal actuator, and Patent Document 3 discloses an optical actuator.

[0008] However, these drive devices do not provide sufficient setting accuracy, particularly for changing the rate.

[0009] Furthermore, these known drive mechanisms can be unintentionally activated by the user, i.e., the wearer of the watch, and therefore have the potential to affect their adjustment. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] German Patent Application Publication No. 1720495 [Patent Document 2] Swiss Patent No. 504030 [Patent Document 3] European Patent Application Publication No. 3118693 [Overview of the project]

[0011] The present invention aims to eliminate all or part of the aforementioned drawbacks by providing a drive mechanism for precise setting that can be operated from outside the case.

[0012] For this purpose, the present invention relates in particular to an oscillatory drive mechanism for a watch movement. This drive mechanism includes a rotatable movable member having teeth that enable motion.

[0013] The advantage of the present invention lies in the fact that the drive unit includes at least two movable vibrators arranged to mechanically engage with a movable member, and is configured to vibrate at a predetermined frequency when each movable vibrator vibrates at a different predetermined frequency, and each movable vibrator is provided with teeth capable of striking the teeth of the movable member in order to drive the movable member when the vibrator vibrates at that predetermined frequency.

[0014] According to the present invention, a drive device is provided that enables the driving of a movable member via vibration. In fact, simply by vibrating the drive device at a predetermined frequency, the oscillator is activated and the movable member is driven. Therefore, a new perspective and new configuration possibilities are offered, particularly in watch movements.

[0015] Furthermore, such devices can be operated from the outside of the case, for example, in the case of watches where it is desirable to adjust settings without opening the case. In fact, the drive mechanism can be activated by vibrating the entire watch with the case closed. Moreover, the risk of unintentional activation is very low.

[0016] According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, the drive unit includes a third movable vibrator configured to vibrate at a predetermined frequency different from the frequencies of the other two vibrators.

[0017] According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, each oscillator includes a toothed inertial body and a flexible guide as an elastic return means for the inertial body.

[0018] According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, the flexible guide includes a flexible blade that connects an inertial body to a fixed support.

[0019] According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, the flexible guide includes two non-crossing flexible blades that connect an inertial body to a fixed support.

[0020] According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, the flexible guide includes two pairs of flexible blades, the first pair of flexible blades connecting the intermediate element to a fixed support, and the second pair of flexible blades connecting the inertial body to the intermediate element.

[0021] According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, the teeth of each vibrator are positioned at one end of the main body and directed toward the teeth of the movable member.

[0022] According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, the vibrator is arranged around the movable member, and the teeth are arranged on the periphery of the movable member.

[0023] According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, the movable member includes a ring with internal teeth, and the vibrator is positioned inside the ring.

[0024] According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, the drive device functions by means of a continuous vibration sequence at said predetermined frequency such that each oscillator drives the movable member in turn.

[0025] According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, the movable member is rotatable in two opposite rotational directions.

[0026] The present invention also relates to a timepiece movement comprising such a drive device.

[0027] The present invention further relates to a timepiece comprising such a timepiece movement.

[0028] The present invention also relates to a method of operating a movable member in such a timepiece or such a timepiece movement. The method comprises the step of vibrating the timepiece or the timepiece movement by means of a vibration system configured to vibrate the timepiece or the timepiece movement sequentially at a predetermined frequency, the step consisting of applying in turn a series of vibrations at the predetermined frequency of each oscillator in order to drive the movable member.

[0029] According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, the oscillators are vibrated in turn in a first order in order to rotate the movable member in a first direction, and the oscillators are vibrated in a second order different from the first order in order to rotate the movable member in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

[0030] According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises a preliminary step of determining the rotation angle and / or the rotation direction of the movable member and a step of determining the vibration sequence to be applied to the movement and / or the timepiece in order to achieve it.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0031] The objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent by reading some embodiments given only as non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0032] [Figure 1] A schematic top view of a vibration-operated drive device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is shown. [Figure 2] A schematic top view of a vibration-operated drive device according to a second embodiment of the present invention is shown. [Figure 3] A schematic top view of a vibration-operated drive device according to a third embodiment of the present invention is shown. [Figure 4] A schematic top view of a vibration-operated drive device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown. [Figure 5] A schematic top view of a vibration-operated drive device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention is shown. [Figure 6] A schematic diagram shows the steps by which an oscillator is actuated to drive a movable member in one direction and in other directions. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0033] Figures 1 to 5 show various embodiments of vibration-actuated drive units 1, 10, 20, 30, and 40, particularly for watch movements. Such vibration-actuated drive units 1, 10, 20, 30, and 40 can be used, for example, to drive setting mechanisms of watch movements, to set the rate of a watch movement, or in devices for displaying the date, day of the week, month, or even moon phase.

[0034] In Figure 1, the drive device 1 of the first embodiment includes a rotatable movable member 2. The movable member 2 is provided with teeth 3 that enable its movement, preferably rotational movement. The movable member 2 includes an outer ring 11 connected to a rotating central arbor 14.

[0035] The movable member 2 has internal teeth 3 on the inside of the ring. The teeth 3 are discontinuous in the movable member 2. The movable member 2 is connected, for example, via a central arbor 14 to a gear in a watch movement that enables rate setting of a regulator, or to a device that displays the date, day of the week, month, or even moon phase.

[0036] According to the present invention, the drive device 1 includes three movable vibrators 4, 5, and 6 arranged to mechanically engage with the movable member 2 in order to rotate the movable member 2. The vibrators 4, 5, and 6 are located inside the ring of the movable member 2, such that, for example, a 120° angle is formed between two adjacent vibrators 4, 5, and 6.

[0037] The drive unit 1 includes a fixed support 15 to which the movable oscillators 4, 5, and 6 are attached. The fixed support 15 is fixed, for example, to the base plate of the movement.

[0038] The fixed support 15 is in the form of an open ring, and its opening 16 allows the arm 17 that connects the outer ring 11 to the central arbor 14 of the movable member 2 to pass through.

[0039] The vibrators 4, 5, and 6 include inertial bodies 7, 8, and 9, and elastic means for returning the inertial bodies 7, 8, and 9 to their original positions. The elastic return means enables vibration. Preferably, the elastic return means is a flexible guide.

[0040] The inertial bodies 7, 8, and 9 are in the form of an elongated balance wheel, which includes a main arm 19 and two centrifugal weights 22 (one at each end of the main arm 19). The main arm 19 has a rounded shape.

[0041] The elastic return mechanism includes a flexible guide equipped with a flexible blade 18 that elastically connects the central portion of any of the inertia bodies 7, 8, or 9 to the fixed support 15. The flexible blade 18 is radially positioned between the inertia bodies 7, 8, or 9 and the fixed support 15.

[0042] Each movable vibrator 4, 5, and 6 includes teeth 21 suitable for engaging with the teeth 3 of the movable member in order to actuate the movable member. The inertial bodies 7, 8, and 9 are provided with teeth 21 located, for example, on an inertial block 22 at one end of the main arm 19, or the teeth 21 are made of the same material as the main arm 19.

[0043] Each of the movable vibrators 4, 5, and 6 is configured to vibrate at a different predetermined frequency. The first vibrator 4 vibrates at a first predetermined frequency, the second vibrator 5 vibrates at a second predetermined frequency, and the third vibrator 6 vibrates at a third predetermined frequency. These three frequencies are different from each other so that each vibrator 4, 5, and 6 can be operated independently of the others.

[0044] The predetermined frequency f of each oscillator 4, 5, and 6 is given by the following formula:

number

[0045] To obtain different frequencies, the inertia bodies 7, 8, and 9 preferably have different inertia from each other, and / or the stiffness of the flexible guides differs among the transducers.

[0046] For example, predetermined frequencies of 300Hz, 330Hz, and 360Hz are selected for the three oscillators 4, 5, and 6. Therefore, when the drive units 1, 10, 20, 30, and 40 are vibrated at one of these frequencies, the oscillator corresponding to that frequency will begin to vibrate strongly.

[0047] The vibration of the vibrators 4, 5, and 6 causes the teeth 21 of the inertial bodies 7, 8, and 9 to engage with the teeth 3 of the movable member 2 during each vibration, and the teeth 21 strike the teeth 3, causing the movable member 2 to rotate.

[0048] Thus, when the drive unit 1 vibrates at one of the predetermined frequencies, the oscillators 4, 5, and 6 having the corresponding natural frequency begin to vibrate due to a resonance phenomenon caused by fundamental excitation, while the other oscillators 4, 5, and 6 do not vibrate, or their teeth 21 do not vibrate sufficiently to reach the teeth 3 of the movable member 2.

[0049] The arrangement of the teeth 21 of each vibrator 4, 5, and 6 relative to the teeth 3 of the movable member 2 is selected so that they strike the teeth 3 in order to rotate the movable member 2. Therefore, when a vibrator is activated, its teeth 21 penetrate the teeth 3 and pull the teeth of the movable members 2 and 12.

[0050] More specifically, the inter-tooth distance of the vibrators 4, 5, and 6 is selected to engage with the toothed portion 3, which has a predetermined number and size of teeth. When a vibrator 4, 5, or 6 is activated, its teeth 21 are positioned offset from the center of the spacing between two teeth on the toothed portion 3. As the teeth 21 enter the spacing, they push against one side of the toothed portion 3 of the movable member 2, penetrating as deeply as possible into the spacing. This forces the movable member 2 to rotate.

[0051] The drive device 1 is operable by a continuous vibration sequence at the predetermined frequency, thereby causing the teeth 21 of the vibrators 4, 5, and 6 to sequentially drive the movable member 2.

[0052] In this way, each oscillator 4, 5, and 6 rotates the movable member by one notch at a time, thereby activating the movable member 2.

[0053] The drive unit 10 in Figure 2 is the same as in the first embodiment. The flexible guide on the elastic return means connecting the inertia bodies 7, 8, and 9 to the fixed support 15 includes a pair of tapered blades 23 extending from each inertia body 7, 8, and 9 to the fixed support 15. In addition, the main arm 29 is elbow-shaped. The drive unit 10 functions the same as in the first embodiment.

[0054] In the third embodiment of the drive unit 20 shown in Figure 3, the three vibrators 4, 5, and 6 are spaced apart around the movable member 12. The adjustment member 12 includes an inner ring 31 rotatably mounted around a central arbor 14. The inner ring 31 includes teeth 13 extending around the inner ring 31. Flexible guides on elastic return means connecting the inertia bodies 7, 8, and 9 to the fixed support 15 include a pair of tapered blades 23 extending from each inertia body 7, 8, and 9 to the fixed support 25. The drive unit 20 functions similarly to the first and second embodiments.

[0055] Figure 4 shows a fourth embodiment of the drive unit 30, which includes an outer ring 12 and oscillators 4, 5, and 6 to which flexible guides are attached, including a double pivot with non-crossing blades. The first pivot, with two non-crossing blades 24, connects the fixed support 15 to the intermediate element 27 so that they move toward each other, and the second pivot, with two non-crossing blades 26, connects the intermediate element 27 to inertia bodies 7, 8, and 9 so that they move toward each other. The outer ring 11 is directly connected to a gear mechanism.

[0056] The fifth embodiment of the drive unit 40 in Figure 5 is the same as that of the fourth embodiment. The vibrators 4, 5, and 6 are positioned higher than the outer bow 11. The inertia bodies 7, 8, and 9 are provided with teeth 31 positioned below them. The outer ring 11 is connected to the central arbor 14 by two arms 17.

[0057] In modified embodiments not shown, the teeth 3, 13 are continuous with the movable member and form a circle. This is particularly useful for drive devices in which the movable member rotates in only one direction. As a result, the movable member can rotate indefinitely in the same direction.

[0058] In a modified embodiment not shown, the drive unit includes only two vibrators for rotating the movable member. In such an embodiment, the adjustment member can be rotated in only one direction, whereas using three vibrators, the drive unit can rotate the movable member in both opposite directions by choosing to change the order in which these vibrators are activated.

[0059] The present invention also relates to a method for operating the vibration-operated drive devices 1, 10, 20, 30, and 40 described above, wherein the drive devices 1, 10, 20, 30, and 40 are located within a clock movement and are preferably attached to a clock.

[0060] The method includes the step of vibrating a clock movement or clock with a vibrating system configured to vibrate the clock movement or clock at a predetermined frequency.

[0061] This step involves sequentially applying a series of vibrations at each predetermined frequency to continuously operate the oscillators in the drive units 1, 10, 20, 30, and 40. The vibrations preferably have a small amplitude to avoid damage to other parts within the movement.

[0062] Each vibration is performed at a time interval selected to ensure that the teeth 21 of the vibrators 4, 5, and 6 reach the teeth 3 and 13 of the movable members 2 and 12. Preferably, this time interval is the same for the vibration of each vibrator 4, 5, and 6. As a variation, if the vibrations differ significantly between vibrators 4, 5, and 6, the time interval may differ for each vibrator 4, 5, and 6.

[0063] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the continuous teeth 33, where the vibrator teeth 21 are shown adjacent to each other for simplification. This shows two sequences for rotating the movable member in both opposite directions.

[0064] The order of the vibration frequencies corresponds to the rotation direction of the movable member 2. Therefore, as shown on the left, if the first vibrator, then the third vibrator, and finally the second vibrator are vibrated sequentially, and this sequence is repeated, the movable member 2 will rotate in the first direction.

[0065] To rotate in the other direction, the oscillators are vibrated in a different order, for example, the third oscillator, then the first oscillator, and finally the second oscillator, as shown on the right side of Figure 7, and this sequence is repeated.

[0066] Preferably, the method includes a preliminary step of determining the rotation angle and / or direction of rotation of a movable member, and a step of determining the vibration sequence to be applied to the movement and / or clock in order to achieve this.

[0067] When setting the rate, the method includes a preliminary step in which the rate of the movement is determined, the difference in the rate of the watch movement is measured, then the rotation direction and rotation angle of the movable member corresponding to the rate correction is determined, and the watch or watch movement is vibrated at the predetermined frequency in order to achieve the desired correction.

[0068] Such a method is carried out using a vibration-operated system. The vibration system includes a movable workpiece holder for a clock or clock movement, a workpiece holder holding means configured to cause the workpiece holder to oscillate by vibrating at different frequencies, and a control means configured to cause the workpiece holder to vibrate at the predetermined frequency.

[0069] All that is required is to place the clock or clock movement on the workpiece holder and program the control means to cause the movement or clock to vibrate continuously and sequentially at the predetermined frequency in order to drive the movable members 2 and 12 of the drive units 1, 10, 20, 30, and 40.

[0070] Naturally, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments of the drive device described with reference to the drawings, and modifications can be considered without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A vibration-operated drive device (1, 10, 20, 30, 40) for a watch movement, It includes a rotatable movable member (2, 12) equipped with teeth (3, 33) that enable rotational movement, The drive device is characterized in that it includes at least two movable vibrators (4, 5) arranged to mechanically engage with the movable members (2, 12), and is configured such that when each movable vibrator (4, 5) vibrates at a different predetermined frequency, the drive device (1, 10, 20, 30, 40) vibrates at the predetermined frequency, and each movable vibrator (4, 5) is provided with teeth (21) capable of striking the teeth (3) of the movable members (2, 12) in order to drive the movable members (2, 12) when the vibrator (4, 5) vibrates at that predetermined frequency.

2. The drive device (1) according to claim 1, further comprising a third movable vibrator (6) configured to vibrate at a third predetermined frequency different from the frequencies of the other two vibrators (4, 5).

3. The drive device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each vibrator (4, 5, 6) includes an inertial body (7, 8, 9) having the teeth (21) and a flexible guide as an elastic return means (11) for the inertial body (7, 8, 9).

4. The drive device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the flexible guide includes a flexible blade (18) that connects the inertial bodies (7, 8, 9) to a fixed support (15).

5. The drive device (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the flexible guide includes two non-crossing flexible blades (23) that connect the inertial bodies (7, 8, 9) to the fixed support bodies (15, 25).

6. The drive device (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the flexible guide includes two pairs of flexible blades, the first pair of flexible blades (24) connecting the intermediate element (27) to the fixed support (7, 17), and the second pair of flexible blades (26) connecting the inertia body (7, 8, 9) to the intermediate element (27).

7. The drive device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the teeth (21) of each vibrator (4, 5, 6) are positioned at one end of the inertial body (7, 8, 9) and directed toward the teeth (3, 13) of the movable member (2, 12).

8. The drive device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the vibrators (4, 5, 6) are arranged around the movable member (12) and the teeth (13) are arranged around the periphery of the movable member (2).

9. The drive device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the movable member (2) includes a ring (11) having internal teeth (3), and the vibrators (7, 8, 9) are arranged inside the ring (11).

10. The drive device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it functions by a continuous vibration sequence at the predetermined frequency, and as a result, each vibrator (4, 5, 6) drives the movable members (2, 12) in sequence.

11. The drive device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the movable members (2, 12) are rotatable in two opposite directions.

12. A clock movement comprising a drive device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. A clock including the clock movement described in claim 12.

14. A method (50) for operating a drive device (1, 10, 20, 30, 40) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the drive device is located in a clock movement and / or clock, and the method (50) comprises the step of vibrating the movement and / or clock with a vibrating system configured to vibrate the movement or clock sequentially at predetermined frequencies, the step comprising applying a series of vibrations of each oscillator (4, 5, 6) at predetermined frequencies in sequence to the clock in order to drive the movable members (2, 12).

15. A method for operating the drive device (1, 10, 20, 30, 40) according to claim 14, characterized in that the vibrators are vibrated sequentially in a first order to rotate the movable members (2, 12) in a first direction, and the vibrators (4, 5, 6) are vibrated in a second order different from the first order to rotate the movable members (4, 5, 6) in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

16. A method for operating the drive device (1, 10, 20, 30, 40) according to claim 14 or 15, comprising a preliminary step of determining the rotation angle and / or direction of rotation of the movable members (2, 12), and a step of determining the vibration sequence to be applied to the movement and / or the clock in order to achieve the same.

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