Animated Display Using Escape Wheel Jerky Motion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing mechanical watches face challenges in creating smooth visual animations without increasing complexity, energy consumption, or altering the watch's mechanism, as current animation mechanisms require significant energy and additional components.

Innovation Solution

Utilizing the intermittent motion of the escape wheel or other jerky-moving wheel sets within the mechanical movement to display a sequence of images, which are micrometrically etched or printed, allowing for continuous animation without additional energy sources or mechanical complexity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a Maltese cross mechanism is used to create jerky movement for animation, then visual animation can be displayed, but energy consumption increases significantly and device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanimation display capabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention utilizes the existing intermittent motion of the escape wheel or other wheel sets that naturally move with jerky motion as part of the basic mechanical movement to drive the animation display. The animation mechanism serves itself by using the motion already present in the movement without requiring additional energy input or complex conversion mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The escape wheel or intermediate wheel/escapement serves dual functions: maintaining the chronometric function of the mechanical movement and simultaneously driving the animation display. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate animation-driven mechanisms, reducing both energy consumption and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of manufacture

If additional energy source or pull-piece action is added to power animation, then animation can be produced, but device complexity increases and space requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanimation capabilityVSAvoidmechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The escape wheel or intermediate wheel serves dual purposes as both a chronometric component and an animation driver. This eliminates the need for separate animation mechanisms, additional energy sources, or user-operated pull-pieces, thereby maintaining simple device architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The animation display is powered by the motion already inherent in the mechanical movement's escapement mechanism. No additional energy sources or user actions are required, as the system uses its own operational motion to drive the animation function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of manufacture

If animation mechanism is added to basic movement, then visual animation is achieved, but space inside timepiece increases and manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanimation display functionVSAvoidspace inside timepiece

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the animation display function with the existing chronometric mechanism by using the escape wheel or intermediate wheel as the animation carrier. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate animation mechanism components, saving valuable space inside the timepiece.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The escape wheel or intermediate wheel performs dual functions as both a timing mechanism component and an animation display carrier. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for additional dedicated animation components, reducing the overall volume required within the timepiece.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Use of energy by moving object

If escape wheel or intermediate wheel is used as animation support, then continuous animation is achieved without additional energy, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidmicrometric etching precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the scale parameter of the animation images to micrometric dimensions, allowing them to be etched or printed directly onto the escape wheel or intermediate wheel. This parameter change enables the use of standard micromachining techniques while maintaining the ability to display clear animation sequences.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS12038724B2Mechanical timepiece with an animated display

Publication Date: 2024.07.16 MONTRES BREGUET SA

AI summary

Timepiece (1) comprising at least one mechanical movement (10) including at least a main plate (2), a resonator (11) and energy storage and distribution means (3) connected to an escape wheel set (4) by a going train (5), wherein at least one of the wheel sets, comprised in the going train (5) or an escapement mechanism (6) to which the escape wheel set (4) belongs, and which cooperates with the resonator (11), and which moves in a jerky or reciprocating motion during operation of the resonator (11), is a display wheel set (7) which includes at least two distinct pictures or patterns (8), which are arranged to move in succession before a fixed point of the main plate (2), during operation of the resonator (11), and to display thereon a sequence of animated images.