Timepiece Setting Mechanism Shock Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing timepiece setting mechanisms fail to prevent hand movement during shocks due to inadequate friction control, leading to potential damage of the setting and finishing gear trains.
Innovation Solution
A setting mechanism with a device that immobilizes the setting gear train using first and second immobilizing arms and an immobilizing wheel with curved teeth, along with a locking/unlocking lever, which securely engages and disengages the gear train based on the winding rod's position, ensuring precise immobilization and preventing hand movement during shocks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a friction system is used to enable easy setting adjustment, then the hands can be adjusted easily during setting, but the friction torque may be insufficient to prevent hand movement during shocks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic locking mechanism that transitions between locked and unlocked states based on operational mode. During setting, the mechanism is unlocked allowing free adjustment; during normal operation, it locks to prevent unwanted movement. This dynamic state change resolves the contradiction by providing both ease of adjustment and shock resistance at different times.
Solution Approach 2:
The setting mechanism is divided into distinct functional segments: a setting gear train for time adjustment, a finishing gear train for accurate timekeeping, and an immobilizing device with separate locking arms. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally without interfering with the other, enabling easy setting while preventing shock-induced movement.
2Reliability
If the friction torque is increased to prevent hand movement during shocks, then hand position stability improves, but the setting gear train and finishing gear train may deteriorate or become damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The locking arms are designed to engage only when necessary (during normal operation) and disengage during setting operations. This dynamic engagement prevents continuous frictional contact that would cause wear, while still providing protection during shock events. The mechanism thus maintains gear train durability while ensuring hand position stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The immobilizing device with locking arms provides preemptive protection by locking the setting gear train before shocks can occur during normal operation. This beforehand locking prevents the transmission of shock forces to the gear trains, cushioning them against potential damage while maintaining hand position stability.
3Reliability
If a dedicated indenting operation is performed to adjust friction torque, then hand position stability can be improved, but the operation requires rigorous control and precise adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The locking arms are automatically actuated by the setting mechanism itself through the interaction between the sliding pinion and the locking/unlocking lever. This self-service operation eliminates the need for dedicated manual indenting operations and rigorous control, as the system automatically engages and disengages the locking function based on operational mode, simplifying the overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a setting mechanism for a timepiece movement, including a setting gear train, a winder rod adapted to be moved from a first axial position termed a running position to a second axial position termed a setting position, a sliding pinion adapted to be moved from a first axial position in which the sliding pinion is disengaged from the setting gear train to a second axial position in which the sliding pinion meshes with the setting gear train, and a lever interengaged with the sliding pinion and adapted to pivot, when the winding rod is moved from a running position to a setting position and vice versa, in order to move the sliding pinion from the first axial position to the second and vice versa. The setting mechanism further includes, according to the invention, a device for immobilizing the setting gear train. This immobilizing device includes first and second immobilizing arms and an immobilizing wheel interengaged with the setting gear train. The first and second immobilizing arms are adapted, on the one hand, to the interengaged with the immobilizing wheel in a configuration termed locked in which the setting gear train is immobilized and, on the other hand, to be disengaged from the immobilizing wheel in a configuration termed unlocked in which the sliding pinion is free from meshing with the setting gear train. The immobilizing device includes to this end a locking/unlocking lever interengaged with the sliding pinion and adapted to cooperate with the first and second immobilizing arms in order to pass from the locked configuration to the unlocked configuration and vice versa when the winding rod is moved from a running position to a setting position and vice versa.