Unidirectional Timepiece Wheel with One-Piece Click
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing timepiece winding mechanisms are bulky and occupy significant space, particularly in terms of thickness, and click mechanisms with springs are difficult to assemble and maintain.
Innovation Solution
A compact timepiece wheel set with a unidirectional wheel and a one-piece click mechanism that integrates a spring-arm with a beak and hook system, allowing for radial uncoupling and adjustable elasticity, made from micromachinable materials like silicon using LIGA or MEMS processes, which cooperates with a ratchet wheel to wind timepiece barrels efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional click mechanisms with springs are used, then the winding function is reliable, but the mechanism becomes bulky and occupies significant space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the click mechanism with the ratchet wheel into a single integrated component, eliminating the need for separate springs and reducing the overall mechanism thickness while maintaining the winding function reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the spring element from the traditional click mechanism, replacing it with a springless design that uses the elasticity of the ratchet wheel itself to achieve the same winding function with reduced thickness
2Reliability
If traditional click mechanisms with springs are used, then the winding function is reliable, but assembly and maintenance become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the click and ratchet wheel into one piece, the patent eliminates multiple assembly steps and reduces maintenance complexity while preserving the reliable winding function through the integrated design
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated click-ratchet wheel is designed with distinct functional zones that can be manufactured separately using micromachining processes and then assembled, facilitating both manufacturing and maintenance while maintaining reliability
3Manufacturing precision
If micromachinable materials like silicon are used with LIGA or MEMS processes, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple components into a single integrated click-ratchet wheel that can be manufactured as one piece using micromachining processes, reducing device complexity while achieving high manufacturing precision through advanced fabrication techniques
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 provides a thinner, more compact mechanism for powering watches, simplifies assembly and maintenance by allowing easy adjustment and uncoupling, and ensures reliable winding of timepiece barrels regardless of rotation direction.
Implementation Method 1
The elasticity of spring-arm 6 is adjusted to allow first spring 7 to be hooked or unhooked with respect to second hook 8
Data Source
AI summary
Timepiece wheel set with a unidirectional wheel rotating in only one direction in cooperation with a ratchet wheel, which is movable inside a ratchet wheel chamber, comprising a click that rotates integrally with this wheel, which forms a one-piece component comprising at least one spring-arm, at the end of which, on a first side, a beak cooperates directly with the toothing of a ratchet wheel in an operating position in which this spring-arm is free, and on a second side, a first hook can cooperate with a second hook of complementary shape, comprised in this one-piece click, in a rest position in which this spring-arm is in an extended position, the elasticity thereof allowing this first hook to be hooked or unhooked with respect to this second hook by the action of an operator, by maximum elongation of this spring-arm and/or by the tilting of this end.