Ascent rate indicator mechanism and diver's watch comprising such a mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10739136-B2
Application number	US-201615284746-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2016
Priority date	Nov 11, 2015
Publication date	Aug 11, 2020
Grant date	Aug 11, 2020

Abstract

An ascent rate indicator mechanism includes a first wheel set and a pressure sensor. The first wheel set is connected to the pressure sensor driven in rotation by a pressure variation. The mechanism further includes a second wheel set driven by the first wheel set in a single direction of rotation from a start position into a measurement position corresponding to a decrease in pressure, uncoupling and return structure to be actuated at regular intervals to uncouple the second wheel set and to return it to the start position, an ascent rate display mechanism connected to the second wheel set and including an indicator member arranged to occupy, at each regular interval, a display position representative of the decrease in pressure during the interval, and synchronization structure actuated at each regular interval and arranged to maintain the display position of the indicator member during the regular interval.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ascent rate indicator mechanism comprising:
a first wheel set and a pressure sensor, the pressure sensor configured to deform mechanically under a pressure variation in a surrounding medium and configured to actuate the first wheel set based on the pressure variation,
a second wheel set driven by the first wheel set in a single direction of rotation, the second wheel set configured to rotate from a start position into a measurement position corresponding to an ascension rate representing a rate of decrease in pressure measured by the pressure sensor over a period of time,
an uncoupling and returning mechanism configured to reset the second wheel set by uncoupling the second wheel set from the first wheel set and configured to return the second wheel set to the start position at an end of said period of time,
wherein the second wheel set is configured to rotate an ascent rate indicator to a position representative of the rate of decrease in pressure measured by the pressure sensor over the period of time,
a first return mechanism to return the ascent rate indicator to the start position,
wherein the ascent rate indicator rotates in a first direction to indicate an increase in the ascension rate and rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction to indicate a decrease in the ascension rate the rotations in the first direction and the second direction are respectively caused by an increase or a decrease of torque in the first return mechanism, and
a synchronizer configured maintain said position of the ascent rate indicator during said period of time.

2. The ascent rate indicator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the synchronizer comprises:
a first controller synchronized with the uncoupling and returning mechanism,
a brake to lock the ascent rate indicator in said position during said period of time and controlled by said first controller to disengage the brake at the end of said period of time.

3. The ascent rate indicator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the second wheel set is configured to drive the ascent rate indicator.

4. The ascent rate indicator mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein the ascent rate indicator is driven by at least a pin, integral with the second wheel set and with the first return mechanism.

5. The ascent rate indicator mechanism according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a pinion, mounted on an arbor carrying the second wheel set, said pinion actuated with the first wheel set, and the second wheel set and said pinion are coupled with a unidirectional coupling.

6. The ascent rate indicator mechanism according to claim 5 , wherein said pinion is a sliding pinion and the uncoupling and returning mechanism moves said pinion out of mesh with the first wheel set.

7. The ascent rate indicator mechanism according to claim 5 , wherein the uncoupling and returning mechanism comprises:
a second control mechanism configured to actuate at the end of said period of time, said second control mechanism pivoting a lever carrying said pinion to move said pinion out of mesh with the first wheel set at the end of said period of time, and
a second return mechanism configured to return the second wheel set to the start position when the uncoupling and returning mechanism is actuated at the end of said period of time.

8. The ascent rate indicator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensor is an aneroid capsule.

9. A diver's watch comprising a mechanical or electromechanical movement, and an ascent rate indicator mechanism comprising:
a first wheel set and a pressure sensor, the pressure sensor configured to deform mechanically under a pressure variation in a surrounding medium and configured to actuate the first wheel set based on the pressure variation,
a second wheel set driven by the first wheel set in a single direction of rotation, the second wheel set configured to rotate from a start position into a measurement position corresponding to an ascension rate representing a rate of decrease in pressure measured by the pressure sensor over a period of time,
an uncoupling and returning mechanism configured to reset the second wheel set by uncoupling the second wheel set from the first wheel set and configured to return the second wheel set to the start position at an end of said period of time,
wherein the second wheel set is configured to rotate an ascent rate indicator to a position representative of the rate of decrease in pressure measured by the pressure sensor over the period of time,
a first return mechanism to return the ascent rate indicator to the start position,
wherein the ascent rate indicator rotates in a first direction to indicate an increase in the ascension rate and rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction to indicate a decrease in the ascension rate, the rotations in the first direction and the second direction are respectively caused by an increase or a decrease of torque in the first return mechanism, and
a synchronizer configured to maintain said position of the ascent rate indicator during said period of time.

10. The diver's watch according to claim 9 , wherein the synchronizer and the uncoupling and returning mechanism respectively comprises a first and a second control mechanism, the first and second control mechanism each including a cam that is coaxial, integral with a third wheel of the movement and arranged to be actuated.

11. The diver's watch according to claim 9 , wherein the diver's watch comprises a first striking mechanism associated with the ascent rate indicator, said first striking mechanism comprising an alarm configured to, when the ascent rate indicator triggers the first striking mechanism, indicate that a diver's ascension rate exceeds a maximum allowed threshold.

12. The diver's watch according to claim 9 , wherein the diver's watch comprises a max depth mechanism to display a maximum depth reached, the max depth mechanism associated with a second striking mechanism comprising an alarm configured to, when a depth indicator actuated by the first wheel set triggers the second striking mechanism, notify a diver when the diver's depth exceeds a maximum allowed threshold.

Assignees

• Blancpain Sa

Inventors

• Gilomen Beat

Classifications

• G01P3/62 Primary

  Devices characterised by the determination or the variation of atmospheric pressure with height to measure the vertical components of speed (measuring pressure in general G01L) · CPC title

• G04B47/066

  with a pressure sensor · CPC title

• G01C5/06 Primary

  by using barometric means · CPC title

• G04B47/061 Primary

  calculating scales for indicating relationship between quantity and time (indicating or recording of quantity-time ratios G01D; meters for measuring average speed, measuring speed by chronograph G01P; slide rules and calculating wheels G06G) · CPC title

• B63C11/02

  Divers' equipment · CPC title