Balance stop device for watch pieces with tourbillon cage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9354608-B2
Application number	US-201314425245-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 3, 2013
Priority date	Sep 3, 2012
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

A device for stopping a balance of a regulating organ mounted in a tourbillon of a timepiece. The device can be controlled by a setting device of the timepiece. The device includes at least two stop levers which are each secured pivotably to a respective lever pivot axis in such a manner that they can be brought from a rest position, in which the balance and the tourbillon are freely rotatable into a stop position, in which at least one of the stop levers acts via its free end on the balance such that the balance is stopped. The device additionally includes for each of these stop levers pre-loading structure, in such a manner that the force exerted onto the balance by each of the stop levers can act separately. The present invention also relates to a corresponding movement module equipped with such a device, respectively to a corresponding timepiece.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for stopping a balance mounted in a tourbillon of a timepiece, wherein the device can be controlled by a setting device of the timepiece, wherein the device comprises at least two stop levers which are each pivotably attached to a respective lever pivot axis and which are not mounted on the tourbillon, the at least two stop levers pivotably attached in such a manner that the two stop levers can be brought from a rest position, in which the balance and the tourbillon are freely rotatable into a stop position, in which a free end of at least one of the stop levers acts on the balance such that said balance is stopped, wherein the device comprises for each of the stop levers pre-loading structure, in such a manner that the force exerted onto the balance by each of the stop levers can act separately.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the pre-loading structures of the stop levers consists of a spiral spring arranged on the lever pivot axis of the stop levers.

3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the spring force of the spiral springs arranged on the lever pivot axis of the stop levers is adjustable.

4. The device according to claim 3 , wherein the spring force of the spiral springs arranged on the lever pivot axis of the stop levers is adjusted by means of retaining rings secured to the outer ends of the spiral springs, wherein the retaining rings have notches which can cooperate with corresponding retaining elements arranged on a bridge of the timepiece.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two pivotably mounted stop levers are positioned relative to each other in a u-shaped manner, in such a manner that the stop levers can touch the balance, respectively the tourbillon in at least two places which are opposite to each other.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two pivotably mounted stop levers are positioned parallel to each other, in such a manner that they can touch the balance, respectively the tourbillon in at least two places which are next to each other.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the free ends of the stop levers, of which at least one acts on the balance in the stop position of the stop levers in such a manner that said balance is stopped, are elbow-shaped, in such a manner that in the stop position the end pieces of said free ends of the stop levers are approximately perpendicular to the circumference of the balance rim of the balance, in order to allow the balance to be acted on also in the immediate vicinity of a column of the tourbillon.

8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises structure for controlling the at least two stop levers which cooperate with the setting device of the timepiece in such a manner that, in a rest position of the setting device, the at least two stop levers are located in their rest position, in which the balance and the tourbillon are freely rotatable, and, in at least one or all other positions of the setting device, the at least two stop levers are located in their stop position, in which at least one of the stop levers acts on the balance with its free end in such a manner that said balance is stopped.

9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the structure controlling the at least two stop levers comprise a slider and a control lever, wherein the slider, by means of a control pin, is in cooperation with the control lever which can be operated by the setting device of the timepiece.

10. The device according to claim 9 , wherein the slider has an elongate opening, in which the control pin of the control lever engages, and is mounted slidingly in a bridge of the timepiece, wherein the end of the slider facing toward the at least two stop levers acts on the end regions of the at least two stop levers facing toward the slider, in such a manner that the at least two stop levers, depending on the position of the setting device of the timepiece, are either held in the rest position or are released and can swing into the stop position.

11. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the structure controlling the at least two stop levers comprise a pivot lever and a control lever, wherein the pivot lever, by means of a setting pin, is in cooperation with the control lever which can be operated by the setting device of the timepiece.

12. A movement, wherein the movement comprises the device according to claim 1 .

13. The movement according to claim 12 , wherein the movement is designed as a movement module in a modular construction and is suitable for assembly with a basic movement, the movement module comprising only the tourbillon together with the balance, the balance spring for the balance, and the components of the escapement, and wherein the movement module is positioned beside the device for stopping the balance mounted in a tourbillon of a timepiece.

14. A timepiece, in particular a wristwatch, wherein the timepiece comprises the device according to claim 1 .

15. The timepiece according to claim 14 , wherein the timepiece comprises a first movement module in the form of a basic movement module which accommodates an energy source of the movement, the geartrain, and said setting device of the timepiece, as well as a second movement module in a form of a movement module which accommodates the tourbillon together with the balance, the balance spring for the balance, and the components of the escapement, and wherein the movement is designed as a movement module in a modular construction and is suitable for assembly with a basic movement, the movement module comprising only the tourbillon together with the balance, the balance spring for the balance, and the components of the escapement, and wherein the movement module is positioned beside the device for stopping the balance mounted in a tourbillon of a timepiece.

Assignees

• Richemont Int Sa

Inventors

• Donzé Edouard

Classifications

• G04B17/285 Primary

  Tourbillons or carrousels · CPC title

• G04B17/28 Primary

  for the effect of imbalance of the weights, e.g. tourbillon · CPC title

• G04B27/02

  by making use of the winding means {(winding by hand or mechanically G04B3/00)} · CPC title