Timepiece display device with high unbalance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10048651-B2
Application number	US-201615217322-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 22, 2016
Priority date	Sep 24, 2015
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

Movable assembly for a timepiece display device, with a display member pivoting about an axis and having a first off-center center of inertia positioned in a direction of unbalance, and a mobile element pivoting about the axis integrally with the display member and having a second center of inertia in the direction of unbalance on the opposite side to that of the first center of inertia and including at least one cutout on the opposite side to that of the second center of inertia with respect to the axis, and/or at least one inertia block situated entirely on the side of the second center of inertia, and any bore or recess or cutout comprised in the mobile element, other than a bore around the axis, is situated entirely on the side opposite to that of the second center of inertia with respect to the axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A movable assembly for a timepiece display device, said movable assembly being formed, on the one hand, by a display member pivoting about a pivot axis and having a first off-centre centre of inertia positioned in a direction of unbalance with respect to said pivot axis, and on the other hand, by at least one mobile element pivoting about said pivot axis, wherein said display member and said at least one mobile element pivot integrally about said pivot axis, and wherein said at least one mobile element has a second centre of inertia positioned in said direction of unbalance with respect to said pivot axis, and on the opposite side to that of said first centre of inertia with respect to said pivot axis, wherein said at least one mobile element includes at least one cutout situated entirely on the opposite side to that of said second centre of inertia with respect to said pivot axis, and/or at least one inertia block situated entirely on the side of said second centre of inertia, and further characterized in that any bore or recess or cutout comprised in each said mobile element, other than a bore comprised in said mobile element around said pivot axis, is situated entirely on the side opposite to that of said second centre of inertia with respect to said pivot axis.

2. The movable assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said mobile element is devoid of a toothing.

3. The movable assembly according to claim 1 , wherein there is only one said mobile element.

4. The movable assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said mobile element includes a single cutout, situated on the side opposite that of said second centre of inertia with respect to said pivot axis.

5. The movable assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said mobile element includes two said cutouts, situated on either side of an arm located on the side opposite that of said second centre of inertia with respect to said pivot axis.

6. A display device for a timepiece including at least one movable assembly according to claim 1 , and wherein said display device includes, facing each said at least one mobile element, detection means arranged to detect any discontinuities in the thickness of said at least one mobile element, in the direction of said pivot axis, said detection means including at least one electrode circuit arranged to detect capacitive variations in the thickness of said at least one mobile element in the direction of said pivot axis.

7. The display device according to claim 6 , wherein said display device includes, facing each said at least one mobile element, at least one printed circuit containing or carrying said detection means.

8. The display device according to claim 6 , wherein said display device includes control means arranged to process the information transmitted by said detection means and to detect the angular position of said direction of unbalance.

9. The display device according to claim 8 , wherein said control means are arranged to control motor means to generate a pivoting motion of said at least one mobile element to align said direction of unbalance with a predetermined reference direction.

10. The display device according to claim 8 , wherein said display device includes electrical power means arranged to power said control means to detect the angular position of said direction of unbalance.

11. The display device according to claim 9 , wherein an electrical power means is arranged to power said motor means to generate a pivoting motion of said at least one mobile element.

12. The display device according to claim 6 , wherein said at least one display member is a hand pressed onto said at least one mobile element.

13. The timepiece including at least one display device according to claim 6 .

14. A method for reducing the resulting unbalance, with respect to a common pivot axis, of a movable assembly comprised in a timepiece display device, said movable assembly being formed, on the one hand, by a display member pivoting about said pivot axis, the first centre of inertia of said display member being off-centre and positioned in a direction of unbalance with respect to said pivot axis, and on the other hand, by at least one mobile element which has a second centre of inertia positioned in said direction of unbalance with respect to said pivot axis, and on the opposite side to that of said first centre of inertia with respect to said pivot axis, said display member and said at least one mobile element pivoting integrally about said pivot axis, wherein:
prior to the assembly by pressing in of said display member with said at least one mobile element, there is made said at least one mobile element including at least one cutout on the opposite side to that of said second centre of inertia with respect to said pivot axis, and/or at least one inertia block situated entirely on the side of said second centre of inertia, and such that any bore or recess or cutout comprised in each said mobile element, other than a bore comprised in said mobile element around said pivot axis, is situated entirely on the side opposite to that of said second centre of inertia with respect to said pivot axis;
said display device is fitted with detection means arranged to detect any discontinuities in the thickness of said at least one mobile element, in the direction of said pivot axis, said detection means including at least one electrode circuit arranged to detect capacitive variations in the thickness of said at least one mobile element in the direction of said pivot axis;
said display device is fitted with control means arranged to process the information transmitted by said detection means, and to detect the angular position of said direction of unbalance;
said direction of unbalance is aligned with a predetermined reference direction;
said display member is pressed in, in this position, with said at least one mobile element, with said first centre of inertia and said second centre of inertia on either side of said pivot axis.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said display device is fitted with motor means, which are controlled by said control means, to generate a pivoting motion of said at least one mobile element in order to align said direction of unbalance with said predetermined reference direction.

16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said display device is fitted with electrical power means arranged to power said control means to detect the angular position of said direction of unbalance.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein a motor means is powered by said electrical power means to generate a pivoting motion of said at least one mobile element.

18. The method according to claim 16 , wherein said electrical power means are made in the form of at least one battery, the insertion of which into said display device triggers the detection of the angular position of said direction of unbalance.

19. The method according to claim 14 , wherein each said mobile element is made devoid of a toothing.

Assignees

• Eta Sa Mft Horlogere Suisse
• Eta Sa Mft Horlogere Suisse

Inventors

• Lagorgette Pascal
• Schmutz Damien
• Balmer Raphael
• Maridor Joel

Classifications

• G04B19/02

  Back-gearing arrangements between gear train and hands {(transmissions in general G04B13/00)} · CPC title

• G04B19/042

  Construction and manufacture of the hands; arrangements for increasing reading accuracy (hands with illumination G04B19/305; specially shaped hands, e.g. figures or pictures G04B45/0061; clockwork in the hands G04B45/043; invisible drive of the hands G04B45/046) · CPC title

• G04B19/04 Primary

  Hands; Discs with a single mark or the like {(moving indicating arrangements which have scales or numbers with stationary hands or reading means G04B19/20; optical projection of the position of the hands G04B19/34)} · CPC title

• G04B19/044

  Mounting and setting of the hands on the axle · CPC title