Mechanism for driving a jumping element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016170374-A1
Application number	US-201514958162-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 3, 2015
Priority date	Dec 11, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to a mechanism for driving a jumping element comprising a drive wheel ( 1 ), an indicator of a unit of time, a jumping element ( 6 ) integral with said indicator and coaxial to said drive wheel ( 1 ) to which said jumping element ( 6 ) is coupled by a spring ( 8 ), a cam ( 12 ) arranged to rock a pallet-lever ( 20 ) in an oscillating motion so as to release the jumping element ( 6 ) once per unit of time. According to the invention, the cam ( 12 ) and the jumping element ( 6 ) have distinct pivot arbors, said drive mechanism, further comprising an intermediate train kinematically connecting the drive wheel ( 1 ) to the cam ( 12 ), and the pallet-lever ( 20 ) has four distinct arms ( 20 a, 20 b, 20 c, 20 d ), two ( 20 a, 20 b ) of the four arms forming feelers arranged to cooperate with the cam ( 12 ) and the other two arms ( 20 c, 20 d ) forming escapement arms arranged to successively block and release the jumping element ( 6 ) once per unit of time, alternately.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A drive mechanism for driving a jumping element in a timepiece comprising a drive wheel, an indicator of a unit of time, a jumping element integral with said indicator and coaxial to said drive wheel to which said jumping element is coupled by a spring, a cam arranged to control a pallet-lever, said cam having a profile arranged to cause the pallet-lever to rock in an oscillating motion so as to release the jumping element once per unit of time, wherein the cam and the jumping element have distinct pivot arbors, said drive mechanism, further comprising an intermediate train kinematically connecting the drive wheel to the cam, and wherein the pallet-lever has four distinct arms, two of the four arms forming feelers arranged to cooperate with the cam and the other two arms forming escapement arms arranged to successively block and release the jumping element once per unit of time, alternately.

2 . The drive mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate train comprises an intermediate wheel set formed of an intermediate pinion arranged to cooperate with the drive wheel and an intermediate wheel arranged to cooperate with a cam drive wheel integral with the cam.

3 . The drive mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate train is dimensioned such that the cam comprises less than thirty teeth, with each tooth having a front ramp, and makes more than one revolution per minute.

4 . The drive mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the unit of time is the second, the drive wheel being arranged to make one revolution in 60 seconds, and the indicator being a deadbeat seconds indicator, and wherein the cam comprises ten teeth and is arranged to make three revolutions per minute, each tooth having a front ramp divided into six steps.

5 . The drive mechanism according to claim 3 , wherein the front ramp of each tooth of the cam has, on the last three steps of the tooth, a greater slope than the slope of the front ramp on the first three steps of the tooth.

6 . The drive mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the four arms of the pallet-lever are arranged substantially to form an X-shape, the feeler arm positioned to cooperate with the cam being arranged oppositely, relative to the pivot point of the pallet-lever, to the escape arm positioned to release the jumping element.

7 . The drive mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises a mechanism for securing the relative position of the drive wheel and the jumping element.

8 . The drive mechanism according to claim 7 , wherein the mechanism for securing the relative position of the drive wheel and the jumping element comprises first means of abutment provided on the drive wheel and a first stop member provided on the jumping element, said first means of abutment being arranged to abut on the first stop member when the drive wheel and the jumping element rotate in opposite directions.

9 . The drive mechanism according to claim 7 , wherein the mechanism for securing the relative position of the drive wheel and the jumping element comprises second means of abutment provided on the drive wheel and a second stop member provided on the jumping element, said second means of abutment being arranged to abut on the second stop member when the jumping element is stopped.

10 . The drive mechanism according to claim 7 , wherein the first and second means of abutment comprise a pin.

11 . The drive mechanism according to claim 7 , wherein the first and second means of abutment comprise an eccentric.

12 . The drive mechanism according to claim 7 , wherein the jumping element is a wheel having at least two recessed areas separated by at least one separating arm, and wherein the first and second means of abutment are disposed on either side of said at least one separating arm, said separating arm forming at least one of the first and second stop members on which the first and second means of abutment are respectively capable of abutting.

13 . A timepiece comprising a timepiece movement provided with a going train powered by an energy source, wherein the timepiece comprises a drive mechanism for driving a jumping element according to claim 1 .

14 . The timepiece according to claim 13 , wherein the drive wheel is powered by the energy source of the movement.

15 . The timepiece according to claim 13 , wherein the drive wheel is the fourth wheel of the going train.

Assignees

• Blancpain Sa

Inventors

• Monferrer Bernat
• Rusterholz Robin
• Capt Edmond
• Rochat Marco

Classifications

• G04B15/14 Primary

  Component parts or constructional details, e.g. construction of the lever or the escape wheel {(assembly and manufacture of the spring G04B1/145; assembly and manufacture of components, e.g. pinions, spindles G04B13/02; lubrication of clockwork bearings G04B31/008; oils for clockwork bearings in general G04B31/08)} · CPC title

• G04B13/002 Primary

  where rotation in one direction is changed into a stepping movement · CPC title

• G04B19/02

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

• G04B15/10

  with constant impulses for the regulating mechanism {(electrically driven pendulums with mechanical pulse transmission and constant pulse G04C3/022; electrically driven pendulums with mechanical pulse transmission and constant pulse G04C3/045)} · CPC title

• G04B13/00

  Gearwork {(gearwork for driving the hands G04B19/02; calibers G04B33/00; dispositions and components for transmission in general F16H)} · CPC title