Horological mechanism with counting chain

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12153379-B2
Application number	US-202117378885-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2021
Priority date	Jul 21, 2020
Publication date	Nov 26, 2024
Grant date	Nov 26, 2024

Abstract

A horological mechanism (110), notably a horological movement or chronograph module,including a counting chain (100) having an epicycloidal train (31, 32, 33, 34) including a first sun wheel (33) fixed to the frame.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A horological mechanism comprising:
a frame, and
a counting chain comprising an epicycloidal train including a planetary wheel gear and a first sun wheel,
wherein the first sun wheel is fixed to the frame regardless of a stopped state or in-motion state of the counting chain,
wherein the counting chain is linked kinematically to another counting chain.

2. The horological mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the mechanism comprises a clutch device arranged upstream of the counting chain to mechanically link a finishing gear train to the counting chain.

3. The horological mechanism as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the clutch device comprises a vertical clutch mobile.

4. The horological mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the epicycloidal train comprises a second sun wheel which is an output sun wheel of the epicycloidal train arranged so as to drive, by meshing, directly or indirectly, a counter of the counting chain.

5. The horological mechanism as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the second sun wheel is arranged so as to drive, by meshing, directly or indirectly, an hour counter.

6. The horological mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the epicycloidal train comprises a planetary wheel-holder which is an input planetary wheel-holder of the epicycloidal train arranged so as to be driven by meshing, directly or indirectly, by a driving mobile.

7. The horological mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the following:
the epicycloidal train is of type 4,
the epicycloidal train comprises a second sun wheel which is an output sun wheel of the epicycloidal train arranged so as to drive, by meshing, directly or indirectly, a counter of the counting chain, and the epicycloidal train comprises a planetary wheel comprising a first intermediate wheel meshing with a pinion of the first sun wheel and a second intermediate wheel meshing with the second sun wheel.

8. The horological mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the epicycloidal train comprises:
a planetary wheel-holder which is an input planetary wheel-holder of the epicycloidal train arranged so as to be driven by meshing, directly or indirectly, by a driving mobile, and
a second sun wheel which is an output sun wheel of the epicycloidal train arranged so as to drive, by meshing, directly or indirectly, a counter of the counting chain,
wherein the planetary wheel-holder comprises a toothed wheel comprising a plate on which the planetary wheel gear is pivoted.

9. The horological mechanism as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first and second sun wheels are arranged on either side of the planetary wheel-holder.

10. The horological mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the mechanism comprises a driver finger driving the counting chain.

11. The horological mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the counting chain is an hours counting chain comprising hours counting elements.

12. A timepiece comprising the horological mechanism as claimed in claim 1 .

13. A method for mounting a mechanism or a timepiece, wherein the method comprises:
providing a frame,
mounting a driving mobile on the frame,
mounting an hours counter on the frame, and
mounting:
(i) a mobile meshing with the driving mobile and with the hours counter, or
(ii) an epicycloidal train meshing with the driving mobile and with the hours counter, the epicycloidal train including a planetary wheel gear and a first sun wheel,

wherein the first sun wheel is fixed to the frame regardless of a stopped state or in-motion state of the hours counter,
wherein the hours counter is linked kinematically to another counting chain.

14. The mounting method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the mounting of the mobile comprises mounting a boss in which the mobile is pivoted.

15. The mounting method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the mounting of the epicycloidal train comprises fixing a first sun wheel of the epicycloidal train to the frame.

16. The horological mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the horological mechanism is a horological movement or chronograph module.

17. The horological mechanism as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the hour counter is an hour counter performing one revolution every 24 hours.

18. The horological mechanism as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the planetary wheel-holder consists of the toothed wheel comprising the plate on which the planetary wheel gear is pivoted.

19. The horological mechanism as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the horological mechanism comprises a clutch device comprising the driver finger driving the counting chain.

20. The horological mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the counting chain is an hours counting chain comprising hours counting elements and the other counting chain is a minutes counting chain comprising minutes counting elements, the minutes counting elements of the minutes counting chain being linked kinematically by meshing with the hours counting elements of the hours counting chain.

21. A horological mechanism comprising:
a frame, and
a counting chain comprising an epicycloidal train including a planetary wheel gear and a first sun wheel,
wherein the first sun wheel is fixed to the frame,
wherein the clutch device comprises a vertical clutch mobile.

22. A horological mechanism comprising:
a frame, and
a counting chain comprising an epicycloidal train including a planetary wheel gear and a first sun wheel,
wherein the first sun wheel is fixed to the frame,
wherein the epicycloidal train comprises a second sun wheel which is an output sun wheel of the epicycloidal train arranged so as to drive, by meshing, directly or indirectly, a counter of the counting chain,
wherein the second sun wheel is arranged so as to drive, by meshing, directly or indirectly, an hour counter,
wherein the hour counter is an hour counter performing one revolution every 24 hours.

23. A horological mechanism comprising:
a frame, and
a counting chain comprising an epicycloidal train including a planetary wheel gear and a first sun wheel,
wherein the first sun wheel is fixed to the frame,
wherein the mechanism comprises a driver finger driving the counting chain,
wherein the horological mechanism comprises a clutch device comprising the driver finger driving the counting chain.

Assignees

• Rolex Sa

Inventors

• Cattaneo Julien
• Graemiger Pierre-Alain

Classifications

• G04D3/002

  for gear wheels or gears · CPC title

• G04B33/00

  Calibers {(disposition of components of the automatic winding mechanism in relation to the clockwork G04B5/18)} · CPC title

• G04B13/001

  with the choice of adjustable or varying transmission ratio · CPC title

• G04B19/085

  varying from the normal 12 hour arrangement · CPC title

• G04B13/007

  with differential work · CPC title