Drive member for a timepiece

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11543775-B2
Application number	US-201816483592-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2018
Priority date	Feb 13, 2017
Publication date	Jan 3, 2023
Grant date	Jan 3, 2023

Abstract

A drive member and a mechanism for a timepiece including such a drive member includes at least two monolithic units stacked and connected in series, each of these units including a hub and a rim which are connected by at least one elastic arm.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A drive member for a timepiece, the drive member comprising:
at least two monolithic devices stacked and connected in series, each of the at least two monolithic devices comprising
a hub, and
a rim, and
at least one elastic arm connecting the hub and the rim,

wherein one or more of the at least one elastic arm of each of the at least two monolithic devices is of sinuous shape.

2. The drive member as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a first toothing configured to connect the at least two monolithic devices and a winding device; and
a second toothing configured to output a moment of force by the at least two monolithic devices.

3. The drive member as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first toothing is fixed relative to the hub or the rim of a first one of the at least two monolithic devices.

4. The drive member as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the second toothing is fixed relative to the hub or the rim of a last one of the at least two monolithic devices.

5. The drive member as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the shape of the at least one elastic arm is the same for all of the at least two monolithic devices, and
wherein the at least two monolithic devices are unidirectional and are disposed in twos in opposing directions.

6. The drive member as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the second toothing is fixed relative to the hub or the rim of a last one of the at least two monolithic devices.

7. The drive member as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the shape of the at least one elastic arm is the same for all of the at least two monolithic devices, and
wherein the at least two monolithic devices are unidirectional and are disposed in twos in opposing directions.

8. The drive member as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the shape of the at least one elastic arm is the same for all of the at least two monolithic devices, and
wherein the at least two monolithic devices are unidirectional and are disposed in twos in opposing directions.

9. The drive member as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one elastic arm of each of the at least two monolithic devices comprises a plurality of elastic arms uniformly distributed around the respective hub.

10. The drive member as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising at least one centering device configured to center the hubs.

11. The drive member as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one elastic arm of each of the at least two monolithic devices is configured to exert a substantially constant elastic return moment over a range of angular displacement of the rim of said respective monolithic device with respect to the respective hub of at least 10°.

12. The drive member as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least two monolithic devices comprise p monolithic devices, p being an integer greater than or equal to two, and
wherein the elastic arms of the at least two monolithic devices are configured so that the drive member outputs a substantially constant moment of force over a range of angular displacement of an output device, one of the rims or one of the hubs, of the stack of the at least two monolithic devices with respect to an input element, another one of the rims or another one of the hubs, of said stack of at least (p×10°).

13. The drive member as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the geometric shape of one or more of the at least one elastic arm of any one of said at least two monolithic devices is a Bézier curve or a succession of Bézier curves.

14. A timepiece mechanism comprising:
the drive member as claimed in claim 1 .

15. The timepiece mechanism as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising an axle passing through the hubs of the at least two monolithic devices.

16. The timepiece mechanism as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising a plurality of stop elements configured to keep the drive member within a range of angular displacement of an output element, one of the rims or one of the hubs, of the stack of the at least two monolithic devices with respect to an input element, another one of the rims or another one of the hubs, of said stack permitting outputting of a substantially constant moment of force.

17. The timepiece mechanism as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising a winding mechanism configured to wind the drive member and a gear train configured to be driven by the drive member.

18. The drive member as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least two monolithic devices comprise p monolithic devices, p being an integer greater than or equal to two, and
wherein the elastic arms of the at least two monolithic devices are configured so that the drive member outputs a substantially constant moment of force over a range of angular displacement of an output device, one of the rims or one of the hubs, of the stack of the at least two monolithic devices with respect to an input element, another one of the rims or another one of the hubs, of said stack of at least (p×15°).

19. The drive member as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one elastic arm of each of the at least two monolithic devices is configured to exert a substantially constant elastic return moment over a range of angular displacement of the rim of said respective monolithic device with respect to the respective hub of at least 15°.

Assignees

• Patek Philippe Sa Geneve

Inventors

• Le Bris Jean-Baptiste

Classifications

• G04B1/18 Primary

  Constructions for connecting the ends of the mainsprings with the barrel or the arbor {(mainsprings and bridles therefor G04B1/14; clamping the hairspring on the regulator G04B18/026; clamping the hairspring on the arbor G04B17/32)} · CPC title

• G04B1/12

  with several mainsprings {(installations with a mainspring and an auxiliary spring G04B1/225; winding-up several mainsprings simultaneously G04B3/008)} · CPC title

• G04B17/04

  Oscillators acting by spring tension · CPC title

• G04B1/22

  Compensation of changes in the motive power of the mainspring (by mechanical shaping of the mainspring G04B1/14 {; automatic regulation of the pendulum G04B18/003; of the regulator G04B19/28}) · CPC title

• G04B1/14

  Mainsprings; Bridles therefor (mainsprings with bridles G04B1/18; alloys C22C; springs in general F16F {; constructions for compensation of changes in the motive power of the mainspring G04B1/22; construction of the hairspring G04B17/066; arrangements facilitating the removal of the mainspring G04B33/14}) · CPC title