A stop mechanism for stopping or releasing the clock setting or chronograph mechanism wheel

Abstract

To provide: a stop mechanism for stopping or releasing a chronograph mechanism wheel; and a timepiece including such a stop mechanism and a chronograph mechanism.SOLUTION: Provided is a mechanism for stopping or releasing the rotation of a chronograph mechanism wheel about a main axis, including a control mechanism that can be linked to a stop lever 2 that can move between an operating position where the support surface 20 is a distance away from the complementary support surface and a stop position where it rests on top of it. A first control component 21, which can rotate about the pivot axis DP, is linked to the control mechanism by a link axis parallel to the pivot axis DP in a removable manner. A removable link includes the first control component 21 that permits planar extraction or insertion to the control mechanism and a second support component 22 that includes the support surface 20. A stop surface 2 is adapted in an axially removable manner in the pivot axis DP to the rotary guiding elements included in the structure.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The invention relates to a mechanism for stopping or releasing a regulating or chronograph mechanism wheel from rotating about a main axis, comprising a control mechanism that can be operated by a user and that includes a stop lever, which includes support surfaces adapted to cooperate with complementary support surfaces of the wheel, and that can be linked to a stop lever that can move between an operating position in which all the support surfaces are at a distance from the complementary support surfaces, and a stop position in which the support surfaces rest on the complementary support surfaces.The invention further relates to a timepiece including a regulating or chronograph mechanism, which includes a structure and at least a first bridge on both sides of the wheel that rotates about the main axis, and which includes such a stop mechanism for triggering the stopping or releasing of said regulating or chronograph mechanism wheel.

[0002] The present invention relates to the field of watch stop mechanisms. [Background technology]

[0003] Stop levers, also known as stop levers, are designed to stop the rotation of the car at the command of the user and to release the car. These levers are usually inserted next to the car in question and occupy a considerable zone, the space of which can hardly be utilized. Therefore, these levers are often inserted in a stack of bridges, etc., in such a way that they cannot be removed, and in order to intervene in the mechanism located behind the stop lever or even in the stop lever itself, the stack of these bridges must be completely removed.

[0004] In particular, a recurring problem is that the stop lever prevents removal of the Pawl Assembly Bridge when, for example, the Pawl Assembly Bridge mount needs to be set.

[0005] To remove the seconds stop, it is in principle necessary to remove the bridge present on top of the seconds stop bridge in order to obtain a bridge-free configuration and thus enable removal of the seconds stop.

[0006] This is disadvantageous since it takes a very long time and poses the risk of damaging and / or contaminating the components. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The present invention proposes to provide an economical solution to this problem by allowing the removal of the stop lever at minimal cost, thereby enabling any other intervention on the watch. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To that end, the invention relates to a mechanism for stopping or releasing the adjusting or chronograph mechanism wheel as claimed in claim 1.

[0009] The invention further relates to a timepiece including a regulating or chronograph mechanism, including such a stopping mechanism for triggering the stopping or release of said regulating or chronograph mechanism wheel.

[0010] The present invention will be more clearly understood in light of the following description and the accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram in partial plan view of a timepiece including a spring balance adjustment mechanism with a stop mechanism including a stop lever inserted between the balance and a plate carrying a first balance bridge and a second stop-seconds bridge. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a detailed view of FIG. [Diagram 3]The same mechanism after removal of the balance bridge and balance wheel, showing the stop lever blocking access to the pawl assembly bridge. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows the same mechanism in the state of FIG. 3, in a perspective view, [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, showing the same mechanism after all bridges have been removed, especially the seconds stop bridge. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 shows diagrammatically in a partial perspective view the mechanism including the stop mechanism according to the invention in a state similar to that of FIG. 3, i.e. after removal of the balance bridge and the balance wheel, in which the pivoting guidance of the stop lever can be seen in a chamber arranged between the support plate and the second seconds stop bridge, around a trunnion, the trunnion being limited in height to allow axial and then planar withdrawal of the stop lever. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram in partial perspective of a stop lever and its removable link according to the invention, the control mechanism which can be operated directly or indirectly by a user being shown in the left-hand part of the figure. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 shows diagrammatically in perspective view the stop lever alone, with a first control arm, a second support arm and a third stabilising arm arranged within the fan about a pivot axis, with a fork arranged at the distal end of the first control arm allowing a removable link with the control mechanism, and a fourth flexible arm arranged at the rear, not coplanar with the other arms and allowing pressing of the stop lever against the support plate in normal operation. [Figure 9] FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram in a partial perspective view of a mechanism with a stop mechanism according to the invention in the conventional case of a low-frequency oscillator (below 5 Hz) with a seconds stop bearing on the balance fellow, in an arrangement similar to that of FIG. 2, which allows the removal of the pawl assembly bridge without removing the seconds stop. [Figure 10]FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram in a partial perspective view of a mechanism with a stop mechanism according to the invention in the conventional case of a low-frequency oscillator (below 5 Hz) with a seconds stop bearing on the balance fellow, in an arrangement similar to that of FIG. 3, in which the pawl assembly bridge can be removed without removing the seconds stop. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram in a partial plan view of a mechanism with a stop mechanism according to the invention in the case of a calibre with a high-frequency oscillator (with a frequency higher than 5 Hz, in particular about 10 Hz) having a seconds stop on the balance wheel, which acts on the heart-piece (not shown in the figure) in order to restart and start it, in an arrangement similar to that of FIG. 1, the seconds stop passing over the pawl assembly bridge and, thanks to the invention, the pawl assembly bridge can be extracted from the chamber which contains it between the support plate and the seconds stop bridge by an axial movement allowing its extraction from its pivot and by a planar movement allowing both the release of the coupling of the fork of the first arm with the trunnion of the control mechanism and the substantially planar extraction of the stop lever by the balance wheel bed. [Figure 12] FIG. 3 shows, in a perspective view, a schematic diagram of a mechanism with a stop mechanism according to the invention in the case of a calibre with a high-frequency oscillator (with a frequency higher than 5 Hz, in particular around 10 Hz) having a seconds stop on the balance wheel, which acts on the heart-piece (not shown in the figure) in order to restart and start it, in an arrangement similar to that of FIG. 2, the seconds stop passing over the pawl assembly bridge and, thanks to the invention, the pawl assembly bridge can be extracted from the chamber which contains it between the support plate and the seconds stop bridge, by an axial movement allowing its extraction from the pivot and by a planar movement allowing both the release of the coupling of the fork of the first arm with the trunnion of the control mechanism and the substantially planar extraction of the stop lever by the balance wheel bed. [Figure 13]FIG. 4 shows, in a perspective view, a schematic diagram of a mechanism with a stop mechanism according to the invention in the case of a calibre with a high-frequency oscillator (with a frequency higher than 5 Hz, in particular about 10 Hz) having a seconds stop on the balance wheel, which acts on the heart-piece (not shown in the figure) in order to restart and start it, in an arrangement similar to that of FIG. 3, the seconds stop passing over the pawl assembly bridge and, thanks to the invention, the pawl assembly bridge can be extracted from the chamber which contains it between the support plate and the seconds stop bridge, by an axial movement allowing its extraction from the pivot and by a planar movement allowing both the release of the coupling of the fork of the first arm with the trunnion of the control mechanism and the substantially planar extraction of the stop lever by the balance wheel bed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] The invention relates to a stopping mechanism 100 for triggering the setting of a watch 1000, i.e. the stopping and releasing of the chronograph mechanism wheel 1.

[0013] This stopping mechanism 100 comprises a structure 500, in particular a plate etc., and at least a first bridge 600 on either side of the wheel 1, allowing the wheel 1 to rotate about a main axis D.

[0014] The stopping mechanism 100 includes a control mechanism 210 which can be operated directly or indirectly by a user and which is linked to a stopping lever 2 which includes at least one support surface 20 adapted to rest on a complementary front and / or edge support surface 11 of the vehicle 1.

[0015] This stop lever 2 can be moved between an operating position in which all support surfaces 20 are spaced apart from the complementary support surfaces 11, in which the wheel 1 rotates freely, and a stop position in which at least one support surface 20 rests on the complementary support surface 11, in which the wheel 1 is in a rotationally stopped position.

[0016] According to the invention, the stop lever 2 comprises a first control part 21 and a second support part 22 rigidly connected to each other and rotatable together about a pivot axis DP parallel to the main axis D. The first control part 21 is releasably linked to the control mechanism 210 by a link axis DA, which is preferably parallel to the pivot axis DP. This releasable link allows a substantially planar extraction or insertion of the first part 21 relative to the control mechanism 210, perpendicular to the link axis DA. The second support part 22, which comprises at least one support surface 20, is movable between the structure 500 and the first bridge 600.

[0017] The stop lever 2 is adapted in an axially removable manner at its pivot axis DP to a rotational guide element 510 contained in the structure 500 .

[0018] The stop mechanism 100 further comprises at least one elastic return means arranged to exert an axial force on the stop lever 2 urging it against the structure 500 .

[0019] More specifically, the stop lever 2 is inserted between a structure 500 and a second bridge 700 contained in the stop mechanism 100, the structure 500 and the second bridge 700 together defining a chamber 800, the stop lever 2 being adapted in an axially removable manner to the rotational guide element 510 at the pivot axis DP.

[0020] More specifically, the chamber 800 defines a pivot axis DP and includes a pivoting trunnion 810 adapted to cooperate with a minimum radial play with a hole 820 contained in the stop lever 2 and vice versa. The pivoting of the addendum of the pivoting trunnion 810 is less than the difference between the height of the chamber 800 along the axial direction Z at the pivot axis DP and the maximum thickness of the stop lever 2, so that the stop lever 2 can be extracted by combining an axial movement to countersink the hole 820 of the pivoting trunnion 810 with a substantially planar movement perpendicular to the link axis DA of the stop lever 2.

[0021] More specifically, the stopping mechanism 100 further includes a third stabilizing part 23 rigidly connected to the first part 21 and the second part 22, and the third stabilizing part 23 is capable of moving within the chamber 800 along an axial direction Z parallel to the main axis D with at least one axial degree of freedom.

[0022] More specifically, the structure 500 and the second bridge 700 limit the axial movement of the third stabilizing part 23 to less than a maximum value CM in order to ensure rotational movement of the second part 22 about the pivot axis DP substantially perpendicular to the plane of the main axis D.

[0023] More specifically, the removable link between the first control part 21 and the control mechanism 210 includes a fork 25 supported by the first part 21, which cooperates with a pin 26 included in the control mechanism 210, or the pin 26 cooperates with the fork 25, thereby allowing lateral adaptation or removal between the first part 21 and the control mechanism 210.

[0024] More precisely, the elastic return means is supported by the stop lever 2, which comprises a fourth flexible part 24 adapted to support in cooperation with the bottom surface 724 of the second bridge 700 and to press the stop lever 2 against the structure 500. In a variant not shown in the figures, this elastic return means may consist of a spring rigidly connected to the second bridge 700, etc. More precisely, the fourth part 24 is not coplanar with the first part 21, the second part 22 and the third part 23, which are coplanar with each other. In a particular variant not shown in the figures, the fourth part 24 is integral with the third part 23 and is not coplanar with the first part 21 and the second part 22, which are coplanar with each other. In yet another variation, the fourth part 24 is integral with the first part 21 and is not coplanar with the second part 22 and the third part 23, which are coplanar with each other.

[0025] More specifically, the stop lever 2 is in one piece.

[0026] More particularly, the stop lever 2 is a stamped curved component and is therefore very economical.

[0027] The present invention further relates to a timepiece 1000 including a regulating or chronograph mechanism, comprising a structure 500 and at least a first bridge 600 on either side of a wheel 1 rotating about a main axis D, and including such a stop mechanism 100 for triggering the stopping or release of said regulating or chronograph mechanism wheel 1.

[0028] More specifically, the mechanism carrying wheel 1 is an adjusting mechanism, wheel 1 being an inertia block or balance wheel or tourbillon cage, and this adjusting mechanism includes a pawl assembly bridge 900 superimposed along the axial direction Z from a structure 500 carrying a lower pivot 520, an inertia block or balance wheel or tourbillon cage, a stop lever 2 which can be removed leaving axial access to said pawl assembly bridge 900 and allowing removal of the inertia block or balance wheel or tourbillon cage, a second bridge 700, and a first bridge 600 carrying an upper pivot 540.

[0029] More specifically, the stop lever 2 is adapted to cooperate with a heart-piece supported by an inertia block or balance wheel or tourbillon cage in order to restart and start the heart-piece while releasing it.

[0030] More particularly, the lower pivot 520 and / or the upper pivot 540 are magnetic pivots. Indeed, the use of magnetic pivots is particularly advantageous for deriving high frequency oscillators, of the order of 10 Hz.

[0031] More specifically, the stop lever 2 is adapted for co-operative tangential support with a fellow or surrounding surface contained in the inertia block or balance wheel or tourbillon cage and is, in its respective position in a plane projection along the axial direction Z, external to the pawl assembly bridge 900.

[0032] The present invention therefore provides an economical solution to the problem mentioned, the stop lever, more commonly called the stop lever, is designed in such a way that it can be removed without having to remove the bridge above the stop lever. The system can be understood by a cross-sectional view.

[0033] The movement applied to remove the stop lever is decomposed into two phases: an axial movement along direction Z to free the stop lever from its guidance in the pivot axis DP, followed by a planar movement in a plane parallel to the plane of the balance. In fact, the shaft guiding the stop lever allows an axial adaptation / removal along axis Z parallel to the axis of rotation of the balance.

[0034] The link with the upstream control mechanism is accomplished using a linkage such as a fork and pin, etc., which allows lateral removal.

[0035] To hold the stop lever in place and prevent its removal, it is advantageous to include a flexible strip resting on the upper bridge, which presses the stop lever axially downwards against the structure, in particular the plate.

[0036] On calibers with a low frequency oscillator (5 Hz or less) in which the seconds stop rests on the balance wheel fellow, it is possible to remove the pawl assembly bridge without removing the seconds stop, but on calibers with a high frequency oscillator (higher than 5 Hz) which require a seconds stop on the balance wheel acting on the heart piece to restart and start it, and which then passes over the pawl assembly bridge, this is not the case, and the invention finds all its usefulness therein. In fact, for calibers with a high frequency oscillator, such a seconds stop is required on the balance wheel acting on the heart piece to restart and start it, and this starting function is necessary because the frequency is higher than 5 Hz. The seconds stop therefore passes over the pawl assembly point. When setting the pawls of the pawl assembly, it is necessary to be able to remove the pawl assembly bridge and therefore to remove the seconds stop. According to the invention, the upper bridges (barrel bridge, gear train bridge, etc.) can be removed, making the maintenance work more economical and also ensuring the cleanliness of the mechanism. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 1 Chronograph mechanism 2 Stop lever 11 Complementary front and / or edge support surfaces, complementary support surfaces 20 Support surface 21 First control part 22 Second Support Part 23 Third stabilizing component 24 Fourth flexible part 25 Fork 26 pin 100 Stopping mechanism 210 Control Mechanism 500 Structure 510 Rotational guide element 520 Lower Pivot 540 Upper Pivot 600 First Bridge 700 Second Bridge 724 Bottom surface of second bridge 800 Chamber 810 Pivoting Trunnion 820 holes 900 Claw Assembly Bridge 1000 Clocks CM Maximum axial movement of the third stabilizing component D spindle DA link axis DP pivot axis Z axis direction

Claims

1. A stop mechanism (100) for triggering the adjustment or stopping or releasing of a wheel (1) of a timepiece (1000), i.e. a chronograph mechanism, comprising a structure (500) and at least a first bridge (600) on either side of said wheel (1) capable of rotating about a main axis (D), said stop mechanism (100) being operable directly or indirectly by a user and comprising a stop lever (2) comprising at least one support surface (20) adapted to rest on a complementary front and / or complementary edge support surface (11) of said wheel (1), said stop lever being movable between an operating position in which said wheel (1) rotates freely, in which all said support surfaces (20) are spaced apart from said complementary edge support surface (11), and a stop position in which at least one of said support surfaces (20) rests on said complementary edge support surface (11) and said wheel (1) is located in a rotation stop position. a stop mechanism (100) including a control mechanism (210) linkable with a stop lever (2), said stop lever (2) being rigidly connected to each other and rotatable together about a pivot axis (DP) parallel to said main axis (D), said first control part (21) being linked in a detachable manner with said control mechanism (210) by a link axis (DA) parallel to said pivot axis (DP) to form a detachable link, said detachable link including a first control part (21) allowing a substantially planar extraction or insertion of said first control part (21) relative to said control mechanism (210) in a direction perpendicular to said link axis (DA), and a second support part (22) including said at least one support surface (20) and movable between said structure (500) and said first bridge (600), said stop lever (2) is inserted between said structure (500) and a second bridge (700) contained in said stop mechanism (100), said structure (500) and said second bridge (700) together defining a chamber (800), said stop lever (2) being adapted in an axially removable manner to a rotation guide element (510) contained in said structure (500) at said pivot axis (DP); The chamber (800) defines the pivot axis (DP) and includes as the rotational guide element (510) a pivoting trunnion (810) adapted to cooperate with a hole (820) contained in the stop lever (2) with a minimum radial play, the height of the addendum of the pivoting trunnion (810) being less than the difference between the height of the chamber (800) along an axial direction (Z) parallel to the main axis (D) at the pivot axis (DP) and the maximum thickness of the stop lever (2), so that the stop lever (2) can be extracted by a combination of an axial movement of the pivoting trunnion (810) to free the hole (820) and a substantially planar movement of the stop lever (2) at right angles to the link axis (DA). A stopping mechanism (100).

2. 2. The stopping mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising at least one elastic return means arranged to apply an axial force to the stopping lever, pressing the stopping lever against the structure.

3. The stopping mechanism (100) according to claim 1, further comprising a third stabilizing part (23) rigidly connected to the first control part (21) and the second support part (22), the third stabilizing part (23) being movable in the chamber (800) along an axial direction (Z) parallel to the main axis (D) with at least one axial degree of freedom.

4. The stop mechanism (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that the structure (500) and the second bridge (700) limit the axial movement of the third stabilization part (23) to less than a maximum value (CM) to ensure a rotational movement of the second support part (22) about the pivot axis (DP) substantially perpendicular to the plane of the main axis (D).

5. The stop mechanism (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the removable link between the first control part (21) and the control mechanism (210) includes a fork (25) supported by the first control part (21), the fork (25) cooperating with a pin (26) included in the control mechanism (210) or the pin (26) cooperating with the fork (25), thereby allowing lateral adaptation or removal between the first control part (21) and the control mechanism (210).

6. The stop mechanism (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that the elastic return means is supported by the stop lever (2) including a fourth flexible part (24) adapted to cooperate with and support a bottom surface (724) of a second bridge (700) included in the stop mechanism (100) to press the stop lever (2) against the structure (500).

7. The stopping mechanism (100) further comprises a third stabilizing part (23) rigidly connected to the first control part (21) and the second support part (22), the third stabilizing part (23) being movable within the chamber (800) along an axial direction (Z) parallel to the main axis (D) with at least one axial degree of freedom; The stopping mechanism (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that the fourth flexible part (24) is not coplanar with the first control part (21), the second support part (22) and the third stabilization part (23), and the first control part (21), the second support part (22) and the third stabilization part (23) are coplanar with each other.

8. The stopping mechanism (100) further includes a third stabilizing part (23) rigidly connected to the first control part (21) and the second support part (22), the third stabilizing part (23) being movable with at least one axial degree of freedom within the chamber (800) along an axial direction (Z) parallel to the main axis (D); The stopping mechanism (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that the fourth flexible part (24) is integral with the third stabilizing part (23) and is not coplanar with the first control part (21) and the second support part (22), which are coplanar with each other.

9. The stopping mechanism (100) further comprises a third stabilizing part (23) rigidly connected to the first control part (21) and the second support part (22), the third stabilizing part (23) being movable within the chamber (800) along an axial direction (Z) parallel to the main axis (D) with at least one axial degree of freedom; The stopping mechanism (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that the fourth flexible part (24) is integral with the first control part (21) and is not coplanar with the second support part (22) and the third stabilizing part (23), which are coplanar with each other.

10. The stopping mechanism (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the stopping lever (2) is one piece.

11. A timepiece (1000) including a regulating or chronograph mechanism, comprising a structure (500) and at least a first bridge (600) on either side of a regulating or chronograph mechanism wheel (1) rotating around a main axis (D), and comprising a stop mechanism (100) according to claim 1 for triggering the stopping or release of said regulating or chronograph mechanism wheel (1).

12. 12. Timepiece (1000) according to claim 11, characterized in that the regulating or chronograph mechanism wheel (1) is carried by a regulating mechanism, the regulating or chronograph mechanism wheel (1) being an inertia block or a balance wheel or a tourbillon cage, and the regulating mechanism comprises a pawl assembly bridge (900) superimposed along an axial direction (Z) parallel to the main axis (D) from the structure (500) carrying a lower pivot (520), the stop lever (2) being removable by leaving axial access to the inertia block or the balance wheel or the tourbillon cage, the pawl assembly bridge (900) and allowing the removal of the inertia block or the balance wheel or the tourbillon cage, a second bridge (700) contained in the stop mechanism (100), and the first bridge (600) carrying an upper pivot (540).

13. Timepiece (1000) according to claim 12, characterized in that said stop lever (2) is adapted to cooperate with said heart-piece supported by said inertia block or said balance wheel or said tourbillon cage, in order to restart and start the heart-piece while releasing it.

14. 13. The watch (1000) according to claim 12, characterized in that the lower pivot (520) and / or the upper pivot (540) are magnetic pivots.

15. 13. Timepiece (1000) according to claim 12, characterized in that the stop lever (2) is adapted for co-operating tangential support with a fellow or a surrounding surface contained in the inertia block or the balance wheel or the tourbillon cage and is, in its respective position in a plane projection along the axial direction (Z), external to the pawl assembly bridge (900).

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