Sympathetic timepiece assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12554226-B2
Application number	US-202018016826-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2020
Priority date	Jul 30, 2020
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for step-by-step time setting of a sympathetic watch ( 200 ) by a sympathetic clock ( 100 ), forming together a sympathetic assembly, where a predetermined time-setting step and a reference position of the displays ( 3; 4; 5 ) of the watch ( 200 ) are determined, and where the clock ( 100 ) performs the time setting of the watch ( 200 ) by positioning a transmission line in a position corresponding to the time setting, and by actuating, in successive steps, each of the value of the predetermined step, a transmission line capable of imparting to a time-setting mechanism internal to the watch ( 200 ) any movement necessary to precisely achieve the display of the current time.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method for step-by-step time setting of a sympathetic watch ( 200 ) by a sympathetic clock ( 100 ) forming together a sympathetic assembly ( 1000 ) including a mechanism for connection with at least two distinct transmission lines between said clock ( 100 ) and said watch ( 200 ), one for power or movement transfer, and the other for selecting a function to be performed or a display variable to be adjusted, each transmission line including an interface with a clock actuator in said clock ( 100 ) and at least one watch actuator in said watch ( 200 ), and active when said watch ( 200 ) is deposited in a receptacle ( 150 ) included in said clock ( 100 ), in a transfer position, said watch ( 200 ) including at least one resonator ( 10 ), and display and finishing gear trains, and, either a stop mechanism ( 20 ) arranged to stop the operation of said resonator ( 10 ), or a coupling mechanism allowing to separate the display from the finishing gear train, or else both such a stop mechanism ( 20 ) and such a coupling mechanism, and said watch ( 200 ) including at least one hour display ( 4 ) and one minute display ( 5 ), a reference position of which will be defined, wherein said clock ( 100 ) performs the time setting of said watch ( 200 ), either when said watch ( 200 ) is placed on said receptacle ( 150 ), or when switching to a predetermined instant on said clock ( 100 ), or upon control of a horological movement ( 900 ) included in said clock ( 100 ), and wherein a predetermined time-setting step value is determined and said clock ( 100 ) positions a said transmission line in a position corresponding to the time setting, and actuates, in successive steps, each of the value of said predetermined step, a second said transmission line capable of imparting to a time-setting mechanism internal to said watch ( 200 ) any movement necessary to precisely achieve the display of at current time.

2 . The step-by-step time setting method according to claim 1 , wherein use is made of a said watch ( 200 ) including a corrector ( 932 ) cooperating with an interface of said clock ( 100 ) for the transmission of a reciprocating movement, a rocker lever ( 931 ) capable of driving at cannon-pinion of said minute display ( 5 ) of a tooth by a reciprocating movement, and a jumper ( 904 ) maintaining a position of the minute display in an interval of drive functions, said clock ( 100 ) is able to return said displays ( 4 ; 5 ), either to a position corresponding to the current time read on said clock ( 100 ) by the drive of teeth of said minute display ( 5 ) by said rocker lever ( 931 ), by a number of steps defined in relation to said reference position, or else to another position corresponding to the current time increased by an offset allowing to wait for a seconds signal allowing said stop mechanism ( 20 ) to release said resonator ( 10 ) from said watch ( 200 ).

3 . The step-by-step time setting method according to claim 2 , wherein said time-setting is controlled step by step by a periodic mechanism connected to the rotation of the displays of said clock ( 100 ), or else connected to an alarm type mechanism.

4 . The step-by-step time setting method according to claim 2 , wherein a first actuator of the clock ( 501 ), with which is equipped a first said transmission line, cooperates with a first actuator of the watch ( 901 ) for controlling the start or stop of the watch, and that a second actuator of the clock ( 502 ), with which is equipped a second said transmission line cooperates with a second actuator of the watch ( 902 ), which incrementally provides the positioning movement.

5 . The step-by-step time setting method according to claim 2 , wherein the step-by-step time-setting control performed by a user or by the clock ( 100 ), is transformed by a stop control mechanism ( 120 ) of the clock ( 100 ) in a sequence the first step of which is a control action of the stop mechanism ( 20 ) of the watch ( 200 ), a movement of a said transmission line to identify the time-setting action, and the transfer of a pulse or a torque to said stop mechanism ( 20 ) of said watch ( 200 ) being controlled by said stop control mechanism ( 120 ) of the clock ( 100 ).

6 . The step-by-step time setting method according to claim 5 , wherein, for the actuation in successive steps, of said transmission line to said internal time-setting mechanism of said watch ( 200 ), a time-setting sequence is carried out according to which said stop control mechanism ( 120 ) of said clock ( 100 ) controls said stop mechanism ( 20 ) of said watch ( 200 ) to stop said resonator ( 10 ) before setting the time, and to control a reset mechanism ( 500 ), with which said watch ( 200 ) is equipped, to instantly return said displays ( 3 ; 4 ; 5 ), of said watch ( 200 ) in their said reference position, then the advancement of said displays ( 3 ; 4 ; 5 ) is controlled, in successive steps, to a restart display position which corresponds to the exact instantaneous time readable on said clock ( 100 ), increased by a value corresponding to a said predetermined step, or an integer number of said predetermined steps and in that the passage of said clock ( 100 ) at a time corresponding to said restart display position changes the state of said stop control mechanism ( 120 ), and controls a movement of the start/stop control transmission line, to identify an end-of-time-setting action, and controls a transfer of a pulse or a torque to said stop mechanism ( 20 ) of said watch ( 200 ) to release said stop mechanism and restart said resonator ( 10 ).

7 . The step-by-step time setting method according to claim 6 , wherein, to carry out the reset, said watch ( 200 ) recognises the movement of the transmission line between said clock ( 100 ) and said watch ( 200 ) in the time-setting position, and a first actuator of the watch ( 901 ) actuates said stop mechanism ( 20 ) which stops said resonator ( 10 ) and said watch ( 200 ), said first actuator of the watch ( 901 ) constituting a control mechanism for at least one hammer, to cause the positioning of at least one hour display ( 4 ) and one minute display ( 5 ), in said reference position, by cooperating, for each adjusted horological variable, of said hammer ( 402 ; 701 ), with a heart-piece ( 401 ), ( 702 , 703 ), integral in rotation with a display and carried by a cannon-pinion.

8 . The step-by-step time setting method according to claim 6 , wherein, to carry out said time-setting sequence, said clock ( 100 ) drives a third transmission line to impose a particular display on said watch ( 200 ), said other transmission line includes a second actuator of the watch ( 902 ), which operates in a reciprocating movement, and, by means of said second actuator of the watch ( 902 ), the clock ( 100 ) drives the minute display of the watch ( 5 ) of the watch ( 200 ), by an integer number of said predetermined steps, and drives, through said minute display of the watch ( 5 ), the hour display of the watch ( 4 ) of said watch ( 200 ), until the display on said watch ( 200 ) corresponds to said restart display position.

9 . The step-by-step time setting method according to claim 8 , wherein, to carry out said time-setting sequence, said clock ( 100 ) includes a mechanism for driving hour and minute snails by said movement ( 900 ), and a mechanism for sensing the instantaneous hour and minute.

10 . The step-by-step time setting method according to claim 6 , wherein, to carry out said time-setting sequence, said clock ( 100 ) is equipped with a drive mechanism, by the movement ( 900 ), of a single minute snail driven at a speed of one revolution in twelve hours, or one revolution in twenty-four hours, including a number of ste

Assignees

• Montres Breguet Sa

Inventors

• Matteazzi Daniel
• Zaugg Alain

Classifications

• G04B19/02

  Back-gearing arrangements between gear train and hands {(transmissions in general G04B13/00)} · CPC title

• G04B27/007 Primary

  otherwise than manually (G04B27/02 takes precedence; oscillator weights in general G04B5/04) · CPC title

• G04C13/023

  via existing transmission lines · CPC title

• G04C11/007

  by positioning of the index or by regulating the length of the pendulum in dependance on the time difference with a standard · CPC title

• G04C13/03 Primary

  Pulse transmission systems with additional means for setting the time indication of secondary clocks {(G04C13/028 takes precedence)} · CPC title