Chronometric testing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11003141-B2
Application number	US-201816181571-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2018
Priority date	Nov 15, 2017
Publication date	May 11, 2021
Grant date	May 11, 2021

Abstract

A device that tests the chronometric precision of a watch movement or a watch includes a control device controlling a predefined cycle of motions passing through standard chronometric test positions, and a fine control device including a sequencer arranged to control the changes of chronometric test position of this movement, or respectively of this watch, in a multi-position sequence, after each measurement per position, and to start another multi-position sequence as soon as the preceding sequence finishes and which observes the predefined total duration of one cycle of several successive multi-position sequences. This sequencer is also arranged to manage the rate stabilisation durations, durations of measurement per position, and multi-position sequence durations.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for testing the chronometric precision of a watch movement, or of a watch, comprising:
imposing motions on a receptacle carrying said movement, or respectively said watch, in an overall cycle including at least one cycle with a predefined trajectory, wherein said at least one cycle with the predefined trajectory includes passing through standard chronometric test positions, wherein said overall cycle includes, with a predefined minimum duration, a plurality of successive multi-position sequences, in each of which said movement, or respectively said watch, is positioned in succession in one of said standard positions for a rate stabilisation phase and a rate testing phase in one measurement per position, and wherein the rate parameters of said movement, or respectively of said watch, are measured in said positions in each of said successive multi-position sequences, and wherein said rate parameters are compared to desired values.

2. The chronometric testing method according to claim 1 , wherein the chronometric testing is performed during a motion of said receptacle wherein the centre of inertia of said movement, or respectively of said watch is in a variable position, during an angular motion of said receptacle wherein the centre of inertia of said movement or respectively of said watch is in a fixed position, during a stabilisation phase once the centre of inertia of said movement, or respectively of said watch, has reached a fixed position and after its linear and angular speed vectors and its acceleration reach zero, and during which stabilisation phase the rate is variable, and during a stop phase wherein the centre of inertia of said movement, or respectively of said watch, is in a fixed position and wherein the linear and angular speed vectors and acceleration are all zero, and in which stop phase the rate is stable.

3. The chronometric testing method according to claim 1 , wherein including a sequencer is arranged to control the changes of chronometric test position of said movement, or respectively of said watch, in a multi-position sequence after each measurement per position, and to start another multi-position sequence as soon as the preceding sequence finishes and which observes the predefined total duration of one cycle of several successive multi-position sequences, said sequencer also being arranged to manage the rate stabilisation durations, durations of measurement per position, and durations of multi-position sequence intervals defining a basic interval in which a chronometric test is performed in each of the predefined chronometric positions.

4. The chronometric testing method according to claim 3 , wherein said basic intervals all have an identical duration.

5. The chronometric testing method according to claim 3 , wherein said basic intervals have irregular durations.

6. The chronometric testing method according to claim 1 , wherein the time spent in each position is weighted to simulate a type of wear.

7. The chronometric testing method according to claim 1 , wherein a certificate of inspection is when all the measured values meet predetermined tolerances, or in that otherwise another iterative process is started to resume rate adjustment and testing.

8. The chronometric testing method according to claim 1 , wherein the rate of said movement, or respectively of said watch, is measured for a total duration of 24 hours, by continuously repeating a said multi-position measuring sequence, which includes, for a first position, 30 seconds of rate stabilisation, 40 minutes of measurement in the first position, then a change of position and the rate stabilising and measuring operations are repeated, so as to cover said standard positions during a basic interval having a 4 hour duration.

9. The chronometric testing method according to claim 1 , wherein rate testing is combined with a measurement of the daily rate, observing the state of the watch at least at the start and the end of the measurement, using an optical method.

10. The chronometric testing method according to claim 9 , wherein the measurement of the daily rate includes taking photographs of the display at instants 0h and 24h.

11. The chronometric testing method according to claim 1 , wherein a power reserve of the watch is determined in combination with position changes.

12. The chronometric testing method according to claim 1 , wherein an acoustic signature of said movement, or respectively of said watch, is recorded throughout the test, and the working of the calendar mechanism is simultaneously tested, with the change of date at midnight, when said movement, or respectively said watch, includes such a mechanism.

13. The chronometric testing method according to claim 1 , wherein the rate measurement is combined with variations in the physical conditions of the environment of the watch, including specific temperature and/or humidity and/or magnetic field conditions.

14. The chronometric testing method according to claim 1 , wherein rate sensing means are used to continuously or discontinuously record the rate parameters of each movement, or respectively watch, placed in a receptacle, which is set in motion to make each movement, or respectively each watch, take different positions in space.

15. The chronometric testing method according to claim 14 , further comprising continuously or discontinuously recording, in correlation with said recording of rate parameters, the physical conditions of the environment in which said chronometric testing is carried out.

16. The chronometric testing method according to claim 15 , further comprising evaluating the chronometric precision, according to a specific type of wear, of each movement, or respectively of each watch, to issue a certificate of inspection in the event that all the measured values meet predetermined tolerances, or otherwise to start another iterative process to resume rate adjustment and testing.

17. The chronometric testing method according to claim 15 , wherein the chronometric precision of each said movement, or respectively of each said watch, is evaluated in a kinematic and/or dynamic cycle applied to each said receptacle.

18. The chronometric testing method according to claim 17 , wherein said kinematic and/or dynamic cycle is generated to simulate a specific type of wear, either in a random cycle, or in a dynamic position, or in a stabilisation position following a change of position.

19. The chronometric testing method according to claim 15 , wherein a sequencer, which is arranged to control the changes of chronometric test position of said movement, or respectively of said watch, in a multi-position sequence after each measurement per position, and to start another multi-position sequence as soon as the preceding sequence finishes and which observes the predefined total duration of one cycle of several successive multi-position sequences, said sequencer also being arranged to manage the rate stabilisation durations, durations of measurement per position, and durations of multi-position sequence intervals defining a basic interval in which a chronometric test is performed in each of the predefined chronometric positions, and wherein said fine control means include random number generating means arranged to generate random durations, within predefined ranges, for the durations of measurement per position, and/or multi-position sequence durations.

20. The chronometric testing method according to claim 14 , wherein said rate sensing means includes a microphone or a ca

Assignees

• Montres Breguet Sa

Inventors

• Piguet Rene
• Junod Benoit
• Stranczl Marc

Classifications

• G04D7/1264 Primary

  for complete clockworks · CPC title

• G04D7/004

  Optical measuring and testing apparatus · CPC title

• G04D7/006 Primary

  Testing apparatus for complete clockworks with regard to external influences or general good working · CPC title