Cam Track Segmentation for Precise Astral Representation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing moon phase displays in watches are imprecise and unrealistic, lacking in aesthetics and ergonomics.
Innovation Solution
A clock mechanism featuring a cam track with separate portions and a toothed sector, an astral wheel linked to a decorative piece, and a lever that allows the cam follower to travel a large radial distance while covering a small angular distance, enabling precise and realistic astral representation, with a cover that can hide the decorative piece to varying degrees.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a conventional cam track is used for moon phase display, then the mechanism is simple, but the display precision and realism are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The cam track is divided into multiple distinct portions (first portion, second portion, third portion) separated by jumps or gaps. Each portion corresponds to a specific phase of the astral body, allowing precise control of the follower's position at different stages of the cycle. This segmentation enables accurate representation of phase changes while maintaining mechanical simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam track incorporates vertical jumps between portions that are horizontally aligned, creating a multi-dimensional path. The follower must traverse both horizontal and vertical displacements, allowing large radial movement while maintaining precise angular positioning. This dimensional approach enables sophisticated phase display without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Shape
If the cam follower travels a long radial distance, then the astral representation is more realistic, but the angular displacement becomes large which reduces precision
Solution Approach 1:
The cam track uses vertical jumps between portions that are horizontally aligned, creating a multi-dimensional path. The follower must traverse both horizontal and vertical displacements, allowing large radial movement while maintaining precise angular positioning. This dimensional approach enables sophisticated phase display without proportionally increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam track portions are pre-configured with specific vertical offsets and horizontal alignments. The jumps between portions are designed in advance to correspond to specific phase transitions, ensuring that when the follower traverses the track, it automatically achieves the desired combination of radial and angular displacement without requiring additional control mechanisms.
3Ease of operation
If the cam track has continuous portions, then the mechanism is simpler, but it cannot achieve the required large radial distance with small angular distance
Solution Approach 1:
The cam track is divided into multiple distinct portions (first portion, second portion, third portion) separated by jumps or gaps. Each portion corresponds to a specific phase of the astral body, allowing precise control of the follower's position at different stages of the cycle. This segmentation enables accurate representation of phase changes while maintaining mechanical simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam track incorporates vertical jumps between portions that are horizontally aligned, creating a multi-dimensional path. The follower must traverse both horizontal and vertical displacements, allowing large radial movement while maintaining precise angular positioning. This dimensional approach enables sophisticated phase display without proportionally increasing complexity.
Data Source
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Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Watch mechanism (100) comprising: - a cam track comprising a first portion (5b, 5c) and a second portion (5a, 5d) separated by at least one jump (5t), - a toothed sector (8) comprising a cam follower (8b) arranged to travel along the first portion (5b, 5c) or the second portion (5a, 5d), - an astral wheel (9) linked to a decorative piece (10), such as an astral representation, and engaged with the toothed sector (8), - a lever (6) arranged to move the cam follower (8b) from the first portion (5b, 5c) to the second portion (5a, 5d), so as to catch up with the jump (5t).