Calendar Mechanism Gear Wheel with Homogeneous Peripheral Teeth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing calendar mechanisms, particularly perpetual calendars, face challenges with complex constructions, reliability issues due to shocks, and high production costs, as well as limitations in synchronizing hour and day adjustments in both directions and minimizing energy losses during indexing operations.
Innovation Solution
A gear wheel with a homogeneous integral peripheral tooth system and multiple meshing sectors allows for simplified construction, reduced volume requirements, improved meshing reliability, and separation of meshing functionality with the 24-hour wheel, enabling adjustments in both directions without long teeth, thus reducing the need for complex gearing and allowing modular replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a cam system with notches and Maltese cross is used for perpetual calendar mechanism, then the day display can be automatically incremented taking into account leap years, but the construction becomes relatively complex with numerous important pieces and reduced reliability under shocks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex cam system with multiple notches and Maltese cross mechanisms, replacing it with a simplified gear wheel featuring a single peripheral tooth system. This extraction eliminates numerous components while preserving the automatic day increment function through a cleaner mechanical design.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the fundamental parameter of the indexing mechanism from a cam-based system with variable notch depths to a gear-based system with uniform tooth engagement. This parameter change simplifies the construction while maintaining the perpetual calendar functionality.
2Ease of operation
If a program wheel with long teeth and eccentric planet wheels is used, then the day wheel can be indexed for readjustments, but the production costs become very high due to highly precise positioning requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the expensive eccentric planet wheels with long teeth from the design, replacing them with a simpler gear wheel configuration. This extraction eliminates the need for highly precise positioning of multiple rotating components, significantly reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining indexing functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using eccentric planet wheels that require precise positioning, the invention inverts the approach by using a gear wheel with a homogeneous tooth system where precision is achieved through uniform replication rather than complex positioning.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a program wheel with multiple meshing levels and planet wheels is used, then the calendar mechanism can handle different meshing levels, but the space requirement becomes significant both in height and volume
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the multi-level planet wheel system, replacing it with a gear wheel that handles multiple meshing scenarios through its peripheral tooth design. This extraction dramatically reduces the volume and height requirements while maintaining adaptability to different meshing levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The gear wheel with homogeneous peripheral teeth serves multiple functions across different meshing levels, eliminating the need for separate planet wheels for each level. This universal design reduces space requirements while maintaining versatility.
4Ease of operation
If a cam system with lever and spring is used, then the day indicator can be advanced at the end of month, but the mechanism is not very reliable in operation especially in the case of shocks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the fragile cam-lever-spring mechanical system with a more robust gear-based mechanism. The gear wheel's homogeneous tooth system provides positive engagement that is inherently more reliable under shock conditions compared to the cam system's reliance on spring-restored lever engagement.
Data Source
AI summary
Gear wheel for a clock mechanism, including a toothed gear provided with a homogeneous integral peripheral tooth system with at most 16 teeth in a first meshing level; a first meshing sector that is rotationally fixed with the toothed gear and meshes in a second meshing level, wherein the first meshing level is superposed on a first tooth of the toothed gear; a second meshing sector that is rotationally fixed with the toothed gear and meshes in a third meshing level, wherein the second meshing level is superposed on a second tooth of the toothed gear; a third meshing sector that is rotationally fixed with the toothed gear and meshes in a fourth meshing level, wherein the third meshing level is superposed on a third tooth of the toothed gear.