Musical or striking mechanism comprising an electric generator system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12242229-B2
Application number	US-202017077036-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2020
Priority date	Dec 20, 2019
Publication date	Mar 4, 2025
Grant date	Mar 4, 2025

Abstract

A musical or striking mechanism (1) for a timepiece or musical box, includes an energy source (6) delivering a mechanical torque and device for transmitting mechanical torque from the energy source to a wheel set for generating music or a striking wheel set (4). The mechanism also includes a wheel set governor (2) configured to regulate, around a reference speed value, the pivoting speed of the wheel set about a pivot axis, and including a break for braking the wheel set configured to return the pivoting speed thereof to the reference speed. The wheel set governor includes a system having an electric generator (16) whereof a rotor is mechanically connected to the energy source delivering the mechanical torque, and an electronic circuit for regulating the rotation speed of the generator.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A musical or striking mechanism for a timepiece or musical box, comprising an energy source delivering a mechanical torque and means transmitting mechanical torque from said energy source to a wheel set generating music or a striking wheel set, the mechanism further comprising a wheel set governor, said governor being configured to regulate, around a reference speed value, the pivoting speed of the wheel set about a pivot axis, and comprising means for braking the wheel set configured to return the pivoting speed thereof to the reference speed, wherein the wheel set governor includes a system comprising an electric generator whereof a rotor is mechanically connected to the energy source delivering the mechanical torque, and an electronic circuit for regulating the rotation speed of the generator, and
wherein the mechanism is further configured to recover electricity from braking the wheel set and supply that electricity to any of a light-emitting element and a loudspeaker.

2. The musical or striking mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuit is provided with a time base providing a reference frequency.

3. The musical or striking mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein the time base comprises a quartz or MEMS resonator or an RLC oscillating circuit.

4. The musical or striking mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuit comprises a capacitance inductance resistance circuit configured to provide a reference frequency.

5. The musical or striking mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the means for braking the wheel set are braking means configured to electrically brake the rotation of the rotor of the electric generator.

6. The musical or striking mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuit is an oscillator electronic circuit that comprises an integrated servo-control circuit with complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology.

7. The musical or striking mechanism according to claim 6 wherein the stator of the generator includes an assembly of coils connected in series, and in that the integrated servo-control circuit comprises a transistor, said transistor being connected to the stator of the electric generator and being configured, via a control by the integrated circuit, to short-circuit the assembly of coils for a fraction of the period of the alternating voltage provided by the generator, said transistor constituting said electric braking means.

8. The musical or striking mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the mechanism further comprises at least one electrical component connected to the electric generator.

9. The musical or striking mechanism according to claim 8 , wherein the electrical component is chosen from the group consisting of an electrical energy storage component, such as an accumulator or a condenser, a luminous component, such as a light-emitting diode, and an electric component for generating sound or vibrations.

10. The musical or striking mechanism according to claim 8 , wherein the electrical component is directly connected to the electric generator.

11. The musical or striking mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the energy source is a striking barrel.

12. A timepiece or musical box comprising a musical or striking mechanism ( 1 ), wherein the musical or striking mechanism is in accordance with claim 1 .

13. A timepiece or musical box according to claim 12 , wherein it further comprises a mechanical horological movement, and in that the energy source of the musical or striking mechanism is a barrel of said mechanical horological movement.

14. The timepiece or musical box according to claim 12 , wherein the timepiece is a mechanical striking watch.

15. The musical or striking mechanism according to claim 1 ,
wherein the mechanism further comprises a gong, and
wherein the wheel set or striking wheel set comprises a percussion hammer configured to strike a gong of the mechanism.

16. Use as a music generation or striking wheel set governor, in a musical or striking mechanism for a timepiece or musical box comprising an energy source delivering a mechanical torque and means transmitting mechanical torque from said energy source to a wheel set generating music or a striking wheel set, of a system comprising an electric generator whereof a rotor is mechanically connected to the energy source delivering the mechanical torque, and an electronic circuit for regulating the rotation speed of the generator, said circuit being configured to regulate, around a reference speed value, the rotation speed of the generator, and thus to brake the wheel set so as to regulate the pivoting speed of the wheel set about a pivot axis, and
wherein the mechanism is further configured to recover electricity from braking the wheel set and supply that electricity to any of a light-emitting element and a loudspeaker.

Assignees

• Swatch Group Res & Dev Ltd

Inventors

• Favre Jérôme
• Born Jean-Jacques

Classifications

• G10K1/076

  for timed or repeated operation · CPC title

• G04B21/06 Primary

  Details of striking mechanisms, e.g. hammer, fan governor {(escapements in general G04B15/00; mechanisms for stabilising frequency G04B17/00; resistance regulators G05D13/00; mechanical toys A63H)} · CPC title

• G04B19/30

  Illumination of dials or hands {(dials in general G04B19/06; moving indicating means with numbers or hands, in general G04B19/20; arrangements for indicating different local apparent times by means of a globe illuminated from inside G04B19/22; continuous indication of the time by non-electric light sources G04B25/00, e.g. by electric lamps G04C17/02; illumination by electric lamps which function at fixed times or periodically G04C19/02; illuminated panels G09F13/00)} · CPC title

• G10F1/06

  Musical boxes with plucked teeth, blades, or the like · CPC title

• G10K1/062

  electrically operated · CPC title