Lunar and Earth phase display devices for watch movements

Abstract

To simplify as much as possible the kinematics for simultaneously displaying the phases of the Moon and Earth.SOLUTION: A moon phase and earth phase display device for a horological movement is provided, the display device comprising: a display unit including a plurality of graphical representations 120 respectively symbolizing different successive phases of a celestial body; a dial 130 provided with two apertures 131 arranged so as to concomitantly display two diametrically opposed graphical representations 120, one symbolizing a moon phase and the other symbolizing an earth phase; and a drive mechanism configured to drive the display unit in sequential movement.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of watchmaking, and more particularly to a device for displaying time variables on a watch.

[0002] More particularly, the present invention relates to a device for displaying the moon phase (moon phase, waxing and waning of the moon) and the earth phase (earth phase, waxing and waning of the earth) for the watch movement of a watch.

Background Art

[0003] The display of the moon phase is well known in the watchmaking industry, and the same is true for the display of the earth phase, that is, the part of the earth visible from the moon.

[0004] The display device for the moon phase or the earth phase adds a considerable degree of complexity to the watch movement in which the display device for the moon phase or the earth phase is incorporated.

[0005] Also, for aesthetic reasons, it may be desirable to display the moon phase and the earth phase simultaneously.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The present invention meets this need and simplifies the kinematics for simultaneously displaying the moon phase and the earth phase as much as possible.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] For this purpose, the present invention relates to a display device for the moon phase and the earth phase for a watch movement. The display device includes a display unit having a plurality of graphic displays respectively representing different continuous phases (waxing and waning states) of celestial bodies, a dial provided with two openings arranged to simultaneously display two graphic displays, one representing the moon phase and the other representing the earth phase, and a drive mechanism configured to drive the display unit by sequential movement.

[0008] In certain embodiments, the present invention may further include one or more of the following features, which should be considered individually or in any technically possible combination.

[0009] In certain embodiments, the display unit takes the form of a ring and comprises a plurality of graphic displays and an equal number of teeth, through which the display unit is intended to be driven by a drive mechanism in sequential movement.

[0010] In a particular embodiment, the display unit takes the form of a ring and comprises 30 graphic displays and 30 teeth, through which the display unit is intended to be moved by a drive mechanism at a speed of one step per day, with two openings arranged opposite each other in the diametrical direction.

[0011] In certain embodiments, at least one of the openings is provided with an opening glass that gives the graphic display a different appearance from the graphic display visible in the other opening.

[0012] In certain embodiments, the graphic display of the display unit is transparent or translucent so that decorations positioned on the side of the display unit opposite to the dial are visible through one or each of the openings, allowing the lunar phase to be distinguished from the terrestrial phase within the openings.

[0013] In certain embodiments, one or more decorations are in the form of colored surfaces.

[0014] In certain embodiments, the drive mechanism includes a barrel wheel of the sunshade, to which a transmission wheel is kinematically connected via an intermediate wheel, and the transmission wheel is intended to cooperate with the teeth of the indicator by a drive finger supported by the transmission wheel.

[0015] In certain embodiments, the display device includes a correction mechanism provided with a control member configured to be kinematically coupled to a collector via an intermediate gear train.

[0016] The present invention further relates to a clock movement equipped with a device for displaying the lunar phase and the earth phase, as described above. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which is illustrated by example with reference to the accompanying drawings and is not limiting. [Figure 1] A front view of a clock equipped with a lunar phase and earth phase display device according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown. [Figure 2] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the clock, with its components masked to reveal the display device.

[0018] It should be noted that the diagrams are not necessarily drawn to scale for the sake of clarity. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0019] Figure 1 shows a clock 10 equipped with a clock movement that includes a device 100 for displaying lunar and earth phases according to the present invention.

[0020] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in the figure, the display device 100 includes a ring-shaped display unit 110, which comprises a plurality of graphic displays 120, each representing a different successive phase of a celestial body. The celestial body may represent the Earth or the Moon, as will be described in more detail below.

[0021] In a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 2, the display unit 110 preferably has 30 graphic displays 120. More specifically, as shown below, the display unit 110 is intended to rotate sequentially at a speed of one step per day to complete one rotation every 30 days.

[0022] Alternatively, the display unit 110 is expected to have fewer than 30 graphic displays 120, for example 28 or 29, or more than 30, for example 31 graphic displays 120.

[0023] The display device 100 includes the dial 130 shown in FIG. 1. The dial 130 is disposed above the display unit 110 so as to mask all graphic displays 120 except for two diametrically opposed ones that are visible through the opening 131 provided in the dial 130. More specifically, the dial 130 includes two openings 131 arranged such that two diametrically opposed graphic displays 120, one representing the lunar phase and the other representing the terrestrial phase, appear simultaneously.

[0024] It should be noted that the openings 131, and thus the visible graphic displays 120, are arranged such that the openings 131 are diametrically opposed, that is, they form an angle of 180 degrees when the display unit has an even number of graphic displays 120.

[0025] As an example, one of the openings 131 can include an aperture glass that gives the graphic display 120 an appearance different from the appearance of the graphic display 120 visible within the other opening 131, whereby the user can distinguish between the lunar phase and the terrestrial phase. For this purpose, the aperture glass can have, for example, a blue or gray hue, or the aperture glass can have decorations or markings representing continents or craters.

[0026] Also, in order to indicate which opening 131 represents the lunar phase or the terrestrial phase respectively, it is also possible to decorate, for example around, at least one of the openings 131 of the dial 130.

[0027] Also, this decoration or these decorations can exist under the display unit 110, that is, facing the surface of the display unit 110 opposite to the dial 130, and be visible through one or more openings 131. The one or more decorations are, for example, in the form of a colored surface, formed, for example, by a disk, which may or may not emit light. In this case, the graphic displays 120 are transparent or translucent. Specifically, they can be formed by a cutout passing through the display unit 110.

[0028] In Figure 1, the aperture 131 has a circular shape corresponding to the shape of the graphic representation 120 that shows the phase of a solid celestial body. However, the aperture 131 can be any shape and size suitable for viewing the graphic representation 120.

[0029] As shown in Figure 2, the graphic displays 120 are arranged so as to be evenly distributed around the display unit 110, with opposite graphic displays 120 in the two diametrical directions representing opposite phases. More specifically, the frequency of lunar phases is the same as the frequency of terrestrial phases, and lunar and terrestrial phases are diametrically opposed. In other words, when the surface of the moon visible from Earth decreases, the surface of the Earth visible from the moon increases at the same rate, and vice versa.

[0030] To move the display unit 110, the display device 100 has a drive mechanism 140, preferably comprising a date drive mechanism. More specifically, as shown in Figure 2, the drive mechanism 140 includes a barrel wheel 141 of a date-reversing device that rotates, for example, twice a day, in a manner known in the prior art. The drive mechanism 140 further includes a transmission wheel 142 kinematically connected to the barrel wheel 141 by an intermediate wheel 144, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 2. The transmission wheel 142 is intended to cooperate with the display unit 110 and, more specifically, with teeth 111 provided around the display unit 110, as shown in Figure 2, by a drive finger 143.

[0031] The teeth of the display unit 110 have the same number of teeth 111 as the number of graphic displays 120, so that a new graphic display 120 is visible through the opening 131 for each step performed by the display unit 110. In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 2, the teeth of the display unit 110 are located on the inner circumference of the display unit 110, but they can also be located on the outer circumference of the display unit 110. Preferably, as shown in Figure 2, the teeth of the display unit 110 have 30 teeth 111 so that they are driven to rotate once every 30 steps.

[0032] In this case, the display unit 110 is driven sequentially. However, the display unit can be driven continuously by replacing the drive finger 143 with a gear that meshes with the teeth of the display unit 110.

[0033] Conventionally, the positional stability of the display unit 110 is ensured by a jumper (not shown in the diagram) that works in cooperation with the teeth 111.

[0034] Advantageously, the display device 100 may include a correction mechanism 150 having a control member formed by a winding stem 151 connected to a crown 152, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in the figures. The winding stem 151 is configured to be kinematically connected to a collector 153 by an intermediate gear train 154. Such a correction mechanism 150 is well known to those skilled in the art and is shown in the figures, but will not be described in detail in the specification.

[0035] Advantageously, the present invention allows for the effective use of existing designs of clocks with date displays. This is because, in order to implement the invention, it requires only minimal modifications, specifically the replacement of the clock dial 130 and the display unit 110. Furthermore, thanks to the features of the present invention, the high-speed date correction mechanism can be easily adapted to correct the lunar and earth phases.

[0036] More generally, it should be noted that the implementations and embodiments discussed above are described as non-limiting examples, and as a result, other alternative forms are possible.

[0037] For clarity, it should be noted that components of clock movements known to those skilled in the art are not described herein and are not shown in the drawings.

Claims

1. A lunar and earth phase display device (100) for a clock movement, wherein the display device is A display unit (110) equipped with multiple graphic displays (120) representing different continuous phases of celestial bodies, A dial (130) is provided with two openings (131) arranged to simultaneously display two graphic displays (120), one representing the lunar phase and the other representing the earth phase, A drive mechanism (140) configured to move the display unit (110) and A display device (100) characterized by comprising:

2. The display unit (110) is in the form of a ring and comprises a plurality of graphic displays (120) and the same number of teeth (111), and the display unit (110) is intended to be moved by the drive mechanism (140) in a sequential movement via the teeth (111), as described in claim 1, the display device (100).

3. The display unit (110) is in the form of a ring and comprises 30 graphic displays (120) and 30 teeth (111), and the display unit (110) is intended to be moved by the drive mechanism (140) at a speed of one step per day via the teeth (111), and the two openings (131) are arranged opposite each other in the diametrical direction, the display device (100) according to claim 1.

4. The display device (100) according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the openings (131) is provided with an opening glass that gives the graphic display (120) a different appearance from the graphic display (120) visible in the other opening (131).

5. The display device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the graphic display (120) of the display unit (110) is transparent or semi-transparent so that decorations arranged on the surface of the display unit (110) opposite to the dial (130) can be seen through one or each of the openings (131), and the lunar phase can be distinguished from the earth phase within the openings (131).

6. The display device (100) according to claim 5, wherein the decoration is in the form of a colored surface.

7. The display device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism (140) comprises a barrel wheel (141) of the display device, a transmission wheel (142) is kinematically connected to the barrel wheel (141) via an intermediate wheel (144), and the transmission wheel (142) is intended to cooperate with the teeth (111) of the display unit (110) by a drive finger (143) supported by the transmission wheel (142).

8. The display device (100) according to claim 1, further comprising a correction mechanism (150) provided with a control member configured to be kinematically connected to a collector (153) via an intermediate gear train (154).

9. A clock (10), characterized in that the clock (10) comprises a clock movement provided with a lunar phase and earth phase display device (100) as described in claim 1.

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