Altitude measurement device and portable object comprising the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10295344-B2
Application number	US-201615215760-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 21, 2016
Priority date	Aug 25, 2015
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

Altitude measurement device including an atmospheric pressure sensor arranged to be compressed or to expand in a rectilinear direction as a function of the atmospheric pressure to be measured which increases or decreases, wherein the movements of deformation of the atmospheric pressure sensor are transformed, via a transmission system, into a pivoting motion, in a plane perpendicular to the rectilinear direction of deformation of the atmospheric pressure sensor, of an activation system which drives the pivoting of an indicator hand, wherein the indicator hand moves over a graduated circular scale, wherein the atmospheric pressure sensor is arranged to be able to be moved in one direction or in the opposite direction depending on the rectilinear direction of deformation thereof relative to the other components of the altitude measurement device, wherein the atmospheric pressure sensor is mounted on a seat which is fixed in a support, which forms a case with a cover.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An altitude measurement device comprising:
an atmospheric pressure sensor to be compressed or to expand in a rectilinear direction as a function of an atmospheric pressure to be measured which increases or decreases, wherein movements of deformation of the atmospheric pressure sensor are transformed, via a transmission system, into a pivoting motion, in a plane perpendicular to the rectilinear direction of the deformation of the atmospheric pressure sensor, of an activation system which drives pivoting of an indicator hand, wherein the indicator hand moves over a graduated circular scale, wherein
the atmospheric pressure sensor is movable in one direction or in an opposite direction along the rectilinear direction of the deformation thereof relative to other components of the altitude measurement device, and wherein
the atmospheric pressure sensor is mounted on a seat which is fixed in a recess in a support, the support is movable to move the atmospheric pressure sensor in the one direction or in the opposite direction along the rectilinear direction of the deformation relative to the other components of the altitude measurement device, and the support and a cover form a case of the altitude measurement device.

2. The altitude measurement device according to claim 1 , wherein the support is provided on an outer periphery thereof with a first thread which cooperates with a second thread provided on an inner periphery of the cover.

3. The altitude measurement device according to claim 2 , wherein the atmospheric pressure sensor is of an aneroid type and is formed of two plates that include an upper plate and a lower plate assembled to each other under partial vacuum.

4. The altitude measurement device according to claim 3 , wherein the transmission system comprises a sensing element formed of an arm via a free end of which the sensing element bears on the upper plate of the atmospheric pressure sensor.

5. The altitude measurement device according to claim 4 , wherein the arm of the sensing element is provided at the free end thereof with a caster via which the sensing element is in contact with the upper plate of the atmospheric pressure sensor.

6. The altitude measurement device according to claim 5 , wherein a washer, on which the caster bears, is fixed on the upper plate of the atmospheric pressure sensor.

7. The altitude measurement device according to claim 1 , wherein the atmospheric pressure sensor is of an aneroid type and is formed of two plates that include an upper plate and a lower plate assembled to each other under partial vacuum.

8. The altitude measurement device according to claim 7 , wherein the transmission system comprises a sensing element formed of an arm via a free end of which the sensing element bears on the upper plate of the atmospheric pressure sensor.

9. The altitude measurement device according to claim 8 , wherein the arm of the sensing element is provided at the free end thereof with a caster via which the sensing element is in contact with the upper plate of the atmospheric pressure sensor.

10. The altitude measurement device according to claim 9 , wherein a washer, on which the caster bears, is fixed on the upper plate of the atmospheric pressure sensor.

11. The altitude measurement device according to claim 8 , wherein at another end, the sensing element is rigidly fixed on a transmission shaft which extends in a direction perpendicular to the rectilinear direction of the deformation of the atmospheric pressure sensor.

12. The altitude measurement device according to claim 11 , wherein the transmission shaft is arranged to rotate under an effect of the movements of the deformation of the atmospheric pressure sensor which are transmitted thereto by the sensing element, and wherein the transmission shaft is mounted to move along a longitudinal axis of symmetry thereof.

13. The altitude measurement device according to claim 12 , wherein a transmission pin, rigidly fixed on the transmission shaft, communicates to the activation system the movements of the deformation of the atmospheric pressure sensor.

14. The altitude measurement device according to claim 13 , wherein the activation system includes a rack against which the transmission pin bears in a rectilinear segment of contact points.

15. The altitude measurement device according to claim 14 , wherein the rack is mounted to pivot in a plane perpendicular to the rectilinear direction of the deformation of the atmospheric pressure sensor and is provided with a toothed sector in an arc of a circle which meshes with a pinion integral with a tube on which is mounted the indicator hand.

16. The altitude measurement device according to claim 15 , including an elastic structure to maintain the sensing element in permanent contact with the atmospheric pressure sensor.

17. The altitude measurement device according to claim 16 , wherein the elastic structure comprises a coiled spring which exerts an elastic return force on the rack.

18. The altitude measurement device according to claim 11 , wherein a transmission pin, rigidly fixed on the transmission shaft, communicates to the activation system the movements of the deformation of the atmospheric pressure sensor.

19. The altitude measurement device according to claim 18 , wherein the activation system includes a rack against which the transmission pin bears in a rectilinear segment of contact points.

20. The altitude measurement device according to claim 19 , wherein the rack is mounted to pivot in a plane perpendicular to the rectilinear direction of the deformation of the atmospheric pressure sensor and is provided with a toothed sector in an arc of a circle which meshes with a pinion integral with a tube on which is mounted the indicator hand.

21. The altitude measurement device according to claim 20 , including an elastic structure to maintain the sensing element in permanent contact with the atmospheric pressure sensor.

22. The altitude measurement device according to claim 21 , wherein the elastic structure comprises a coiled spring which exerts an elastic return force on the rack.

23. The altitude measurement device according to claim 21 , wherein the elastic structure comprises a spiral spring including an inner curve that is fastened to the tube on which is mounted the indicator hand.

24. The altitude measurement device according to claim 23 , wherein a ball bearing is disposed between the spiral spring and the tube on which is mounted the indicator hand.

25. A portable object comprising an altitude measurement device according to claim 1 .

26. The portable object according to claim 25 , wherein the portable object is a wristwatch.

Assignees

• Swatch Group Res & Dev Ltd

Inventors

• Ferri Yvan
• Rebeaud Nicolas

Classifications

• G01C5/06 Primary

  by using barometric means · CPC title

• G04B47/066

  with a pressure sensor · CPC title

• G01L27/002

  Calibrating, i.e. establishing true relation between transducer output value and value to be measured, zeroing, linearising or span error determination · CPC title

• G01L7/104

  with mechanical transmitting or indicating means · CPC title

• G01L7/14

  with zero-setting means · CPC title