Movable Bridge Damping System for Lateral Shock Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mechanical watch movements, particularly detent escapements, are vulnerable to shocks, especially lateral shocks, which can cause malfunctions due to the displacement of pivoting axes and disengagement of critical components, making existing anti-shock systems inadequate for all mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A mechanical timepiece movement with a movable bridge elastically pivoted around a first axis, incorporating a damping system with elastic members to absorb and dissipate shock energy, ensuring the bridge's movement does not displace the trigger, maintaining constant wheel alignment and operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a detent escapement is used, then mechanical efficiency is excellent, but the mechanism is very sensitive to lateral shocks causing disengagement and malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The bridge is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to pivot elastically around a vertical axis when subjected to lateral shocks. This dynamic adaptation absorbs shock energy and prevents the disengagement that would occur in a rigid structure, thereby maintaining reliability while preserving the mechanical efficiency of the detent escapement.
Solution Approach 2:
The bridge is pre-equipped with elastic mounting and a damping system that provides cushioning before shocks occur. The elastic member and damper are positioned in advance to absorb and dissipate lateral shock energy, preventing the harmful effects of shocks on the escapement mechanism while maintaining excellent mechanical efficiency.
2Reliability
If elastic mounting of stones is used, then axial shock absorption is improved, but lateral shock resistance deteriorates due to pivot axis displacement
Solution Approach 1:
The bridge is designed to pivot dynamically around a vertical axis when subjected to lateral shocks, rather than having a fixed pivot axis. This dynamic movement allows the bridge to absorb lateral shock energy without displacing the pivot axis of the escapement components, thereby improving lateral shock resistance while maintaining the benefits of elastic mounting for axial shocks.
Solution Approach 2:
The bridge is separated from the fixed plate structure and mounted independently with elastic elements, allowing it to move separately in response to lateral shocks. This segmentation enables the bridge to pivot and absorb lateral shock energy independently, preventing the pivot axis displacement that would occur in a rigidly mounted system.
3Reliability
If a movable bridge is introduced, then lateral shock resistance is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional pivoting and damping mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The pivoting mechanism and damping system are merged into a compact integrated structure. The elastic member is positioned within the bridge itself, and the damping element is integrated with the pivoting axis, combining multiple functions into a single unified structure that reduces overall complexity while maintaining lateral shock resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic member is implemented as a flexible element that provides both the pivoting capability and the damping function. This flexible component serves multiple purposes simultaneously, reducing the number of separate parts needed and simplifying the overall bridge mounting structure while maintaining reliability against lateral shocks.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively reduces the impact of lateral shocks on the escapement mechanism, minimizing the risk of disengagement and maintaining precise operation by allowing the bridge to pivot and absorb energy, thus ensuring the watch's mechanical efficiency and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a first end of the shaft cooperates with a first elastic member arranged in a housing made in the plate so as to allow the pivoting of the bridge
Implementation Method 2
the bridge further comprises a damping system cooperating with the plate. The damping system is arranged to damp the pivoting movements of the bridge
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~3b
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The movement has a bridge (28) elastically pivoted with respect to a plate (26) around an axis. The bridge supports a regulator unit (30), an escapement and a part of a finishing gear train. Another part of the gear train is mounted fixed with respect to the plate. A finishing gear train wheel has a pivoting axis that is merged with the axis, for providing a connection between the parts of the gear train. The bridge is integrated around a pivot element on which the wheel pivots. The bridge has a damping system comprising an elastic unit placed at an end of a shaft of the system.