Timepiece with digital time display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10579018-B2
Application number	US-201815942125-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2018
Priority date	Mar 30, 2017
Publication date	Mar 3, 2020
Grant date	Mar 3, 2020

Abstract

A wristwatch with a gear train for rotatably advancing in cyclic steps a minute-units disk, a switching device for advancing a minute-tens disk and an hour ring which is advanced during one revolution of the minute-tens disk. The movement comprises a first and a second transmission chain connected to a release mechanism; the first transmission chain controls the second such that the second transmission chain transmits every minute a rotational movement force to a minute-units wheel. The release mechanism comprises a control disk, two release levers, each having a first and a second lever arm, and a release wheel. After each minute, a first lever arm falls from the control disk edge into a recess of the control disk and a second lever arm releases the release wheel, such that the second transmission chain rotates freely, allowing the minute-units disk to rotate one digit further.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wristwatch timepiece comprising:
a minute-units disk;
a minute-tens disk;
an hour ring;
a movement having a balance-spring system and a gear train, by means of which a minute-units wheel of the minute-units disk is advanced rotatably in cyclic steps with ten steps per revolution;
a switching device, by means of which the minute-tens disk is advanced rotatably with six steps per revolution, wherein the hour ring during one revolution of the minute-tens disk is advanced rotatably by the minute-tens disk with twelve steps per revolution; and
a manually actuatable disk setting mechanism;
wherein the movement comprises a first barrel, a first transmission chain and a second transmission chain, and wherein both of the first and the second transmission chains are connected to a release mechanism, and the first transmission chain controls the second transmission chain by means of the release mechanism such that the second transmission chain transmits every minute, clocked via the balance-spring system of the movement, a force in the form of a rotational movement to the minute-units wheel;
wherein the release mechanism comprises a control disk and two release levers, each of the two release levers having a first lever arm and a second lever arm, and a release wheel, and wherein the first lever arms of the two release levers are positioned in a shifted manner and bear with pressure on a circumference of the control disk such that, after an end of every minute, a first lever arm of one of the two release levers falls from an edge of the control disk into a recess of the control disk and a second lever arm of the one of the two release levers releases the release wheel of the release mechanism, such that the second transmission chain rotates freely until a tooth of the release wheel strikes against the second lever arm of the other one of the two release levers, thus allowing the minute-units wheel and the minute-units disk to rotate by one step, and
wherein the first transmission chain comprises a center wheel driven by the first barrel, a third wheel driven by the center wheel, and an intermediate pinion meshing with the third wheel, and wherein the control disk is fastened to an axis of the intermediate pinion.

2. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the control disk is configured as a cam disk, and the first transmission chain comprises a third additional wheel mounted loosely and freely rotatable on a third wheel pinion attached fixedly to the third wheel, the third additional wheel engaging with the intermediate pinion, as well as a fourth wheel driven by the third additional wheel.

3. The timepiece according to claim 2 , wherein the intermediate pinion is arranged laterally on a circumference of the third wheel and of the third additional wheel for the purpose of transmitting the torque from the third wheel to the third additional wheel.

4. The timepiece according to one of claim 2 , wherein division of the sections of the cam disk is carried out asymmetrically.

5. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the release levers are arranged coaxially on a shaft serving as a pivot axis, wherein one of the release levers is fixedly attached to the shaft and the other release lever is mounted loosely on the shaft and is secured axially with a bushing.

6. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein an eccentric is provided for each release lever, which, at the end of the releasing operation, prevents striking of these release levers on the bottom of the recesses of the control disk.

7. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second lever arms of the release levers are designed as short and long lever arms, which are each equal in length on both release levers.

8. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the timepiece comprises only a single source of energy in the form of the first barrel, which supplies energy to both the first transmission chain and the second transmission chain.

9. The timepiece according to claim 1 , further comprising a second barrel, wherein the first barrel supplies energy to the first transmission chain and forms a driving gear train with the first transmission chain, and the second barrel supplies energy to the second transmission chain and forms a switching gear train with the second transmission chain.

10. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the manually actuatable disk setting mechanism comprises a plurality of setting wheels respectively serially meshing with each other which are movable by a winding stem in its pulled-out position by a coupling pinion, wherein the last setting wheel is fixedly attached to the minute-units disk and the assembly consisting of the last setting wheel and the minute-units disk is arranged loosely and freely rotatable on an intermediate wheel pinion, which is part of the second transmission chain.

11. The timepiece according to claim 10 , wherein a star gear is arranged coaxially in fixed manner to the intermediate wheel pinion and a conjugately shaped detent spring is mounted on the minute-units disk to allow alignment of the minute-units disk in a window of the dial of the timepiece as well as, in the presence of a higher force than the detent spring force, to allow a stepwise coupling and decoupling between the intermediate wheel pinion and the minute-units disk.

12. The timepiece according to claim 10 , further comprising a blocking device of the intermediate wheel pinion, which blocks said intermediate wheel pinion when setting the time counterclockwise.

13. The timepiece according to claim 12 , wherein the blocking device comprises a stop lever rocker which can be pivoted by a coupling pinion lever and at each of the two free ends of which is mounted a pin, a stop spring chargeable by the stop lever rocker on the balance the timepiece, as well as a blocking lever movably mounted and slidable by the stop lever rocker, wherein the blocking lever, depending on its position, engages with the teeth of the intermediate wheel pinion, respectively charges the intermediate wheel pinion, and thereby blocks or releases the intermediate wheel pinion.

14. The timepiece of claim 1 , further comprising a digital display.

Assignees

• Richemont Int Sa

Inventors

• Von Allmen Michael
• Lesske Gudrun Kerstin

Classifications

• G04B1/16

  Barrels; Arbors; Barrel axles (arrangements facilitating the removal of the mainspring G04B33/14) · CPC title

• G04B19/02

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

• G04B19/202 Primary

  by means of turning discs (disc-shaped indicating devices with a reference mark or a window G04B19/046; discs driven by clockwork and producing optical special effects G04B45/0007; with inscriptions or drawings driven by a clockwork G04B45/0023; with figures or parts of figures driven by clockwork G04B45/0038) · CPC title

• G04B15/14

  Component parts or constructional details, e.g. construction of the lever or the escape wheel {(assembly and manufacture of the spring G04B1/145; assembly and manufacture of components, e.g. pinions, spindles G04B13/02; lubrication of clockwork bearings G04B31/008; oils for clockwork bearings in general G04B31/08)} · CPC title

• G04B15/00

  Escapements ({in striking mechanisms G04B21/06;} electric or magnetic means for converting oscillatory to rotary motion in electromechanical time-pieces {G04C5/005}) · CPC title