Chronograph mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016246256-A1
Application number	US-201615044411-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 16, 2016
Priority date	Feb 23, 2015
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A chronograph mechanism including its own energy accumulator, its own regulating system, and a gear train connecting the energy accumulator to the regulating system. The energy accumulator is formed by a strip-spring and includes a device for driving the gear train arranged to regulate the torque delivered by the strip-spring.

First claim

1 . A chronograph mechanism comprising its own energy accumulator, its own regulating system and a gear train connecting the energy accumulator to the regulating system, wherein said energy accumulator is formed by a strip-spring.

2 . The chronograph mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the mechanism comprises means for driving the gear train arranged to regulate the torque delivered by the strip-spring.

3 . The chronograph mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein the gear train drive means comprise a rack having one end arranged to cooperate with the strip-spring and another end arranged to cooperate with the gear train, wherein said rack is mounted to pivot in one direction of rotation to drive the gear train.

4 . The chronograph mechanism according to claim 3 , wherein the gear train comprises a minute-counter comprising a first toothed sector and wherein the rack has a toothing arranged to cooperate with said first toothed sector, wherein the first toothed sector of the minute-counter and the rack toothing are not concentric.

5 . The chronograph mechanism according to claim 4 , wherein the rack is also mounted to pivot in the opposite direction of rotation in order to reset the minute-counter to zero and to wind the strip-spring at the same time.

6 . The chronograph mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the mechanism comprises a device for regulating the torque delivered by the strip-spring.

7 . The chronograph mechanism according to claim 6 , wherein the torque regulating device comprises an adjustable eccentric.

8 . The chronograph mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the mechanism comprises a mechanism for winding the energy accumulator and resetting the minutes to zero, arranged to wind the energy accumulator and reset the minutes to zero at the same time.

9 . The chronograph mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the mechanism comprises a mechanism for starting the counting, arranged to release the regulating system when the counting starts.

10 . A timepiece including a chronograph mechanism according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Montres Breguet Sa

Inventors

• Zaugg Alain
• Rombach Stefan
• Lechot Dominique
• Rochat Jean-Philippe

Classifications

• G04F7/0895

  with a separate barrel for the chronograph functions (barrel in a separable module G04F7/0885) · CPC title

• G04B3/006

  Mechanical winding up; winding up with special equipment (removably-mounted keys G04B3/02; winding up equipment for clocks with automatic winding up equipment G04B5/00) · CPC title

• G04B1/10 Primary

  with mainspring {(synchronous motors with power reserve G04C15/0054; springs in general F16F)} · CPC title

• G04B1/14 Primary

  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

• G04B1/105 Primary

  having a form other than a helix (G04B1/12 and G04B1/14 take precedence) · CPC title