Timepiece Rapid Correction Mechanism with Safety Flip-Flop

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing timepiece display mechanisms, such as those for annual calendars, require lengthy and error-prone corrections, often leading to desynchronization and potential malfunctions during rapid adjustments, especially when correcting dates or months, due to the complexity of flip-flop mechanisms and lack of synchronization verification.

Innovation Solution

A rapid correction mechanism incorporating a return mobile and safety flip-flop system ensures synchronization by using a safety flip-flop that interferes with the return mobile to resynchronize it when desynchronization occurs, preventing system malfunctions and ensuring correct operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If a rapid correction mechanism is implemented for date/month display, then the correction time is reduced, but the risk of desynchronization and malfunctions increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecorrection timeVSAvoidsynchronization reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the safety flip-flop continuously monitors the synchronization state of the return mobile and automatically triggers correction actions when desynchronization is detected, ensuring the system self-corrects without user intervention

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The safety flip-flop autonomously detects desynchronization conditions and initiates resynchronization procedures without requiring user verification or manual intervention, making the system self-service capable

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of operation

If manual correction by date is performed repeatedly to correct month display, then the month display can be corrected, but the manipulation becomes long and tedious

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of month correctionVSAvoidcorrection duration
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent prepares the rapid correction mechanism in advance with pre-configured date/month correspondence, so when month correction is needed, the system can immediately execute the correct transformation without requiring sequential date adjustments

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The safety flip-flop acts as an intermediary that coordinates between the date correction mechanism and month display, ensuring that rapid date corrections automatically and accurately update the month display without requiring separate manual intervention

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If the user has no means of verifying synchronization, then the mechanism is simpler, but desynchronization cannot be detected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveverification mechanism complexityVSAvoidsynchronization detection
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The safety flip-flop provides automatic feedback on synchronization status by mechanically detecting the positional relationship between the return mobile and display elements, eliminating the need for complex user verification procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3143463B1Quick correction mechanism of a timepiece
Publication Date: 2018.10.10 ETA SA MFG HORLOGERE SUISSE
  • EP3143463B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3143463B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3143463B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Display mechanism (500) comprising a rapid correction mechanism (200) for the position of a display movement (3), a setting wheel movement (6) ensuring synchronization having automatic drive means, and, inserted between said setting wheel movement (6) and said display movement (3), a security lever (400) driven by said display movement (3) during the periodic driving thereof, along a path interfering with the volumetric space of said setting wheel movement (6), in such a way that: - when said setting wheel movement (6) is correctly synchronized, the path of said lever (400) does not interfere with said setting wheel movement (6); - when said setting wheel movement (6) is not correctly synchronized, the trajectory thereof interferes with said setting wheel movement (6), which said security lever (400) then drives in the direction opposite to the single direction of its normal operation, to re-synchronize said setting wheel movement (6).