Time piece capable of displaying two time zones

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9405274-B2
Application number	US-201214342307-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2012
Priority date	Sep 1, 2011
Publication date	Aug 2, 2016
Grant date	Aug 2, 2016

Abstract

Device ( 300; 200 ) for displaying the time, comprising a time-display member (A 1 , A 2 ) and a switchover mechanism ( 100 ) allowing the time-display member to switch between a first time zone and a second time zone. This switchover mechanism comprises: a first heart piece ( 3 ) capable of rotating; a first lever ( 1 ) having a first end ( 1 a ) designed to collaborate with the first heart piece ( 3 ) with a view to causing the display member (A 1 , A 2 ) to indicate the time in the first time zone; a second lever ( 2; 42 ) designed to cause the display member (A 1 , A 2 ) to indicate the time of the second time zone; a two-position selector member ( 5 ) collaborating with the first lever ( 1 ), and a control member (P) allowing selection of the first or the second time zone for display. The two-position selector member ( 5 ) is designed to collaborate directly with a second end ( 1 b ) of the first lever ( 1 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for displaying the time, notably a timepiece or a timepiece movement, wherein the device comprises a time display member and a switchover mechanism allowing the time display member to switch over between a first time zone and a second time zone and/or to select a first geartrain for setting the first time zone or a second geartrain for setting the second time zone, this switchover mechanism comprising:
a first heart piece able to rotate, connected to the time display member by a drivetrain,
a first lever having a first end designed to collaborate with the first heart piece in order to cause the time display member to indicate the time in the first time zone,
a second lever designed to make the time display member indicate the time in the second time zone,
a two-position selection member collaborating with the first lever, and
a control member for selecting the first or the second time zone to be displayed and which collaborates with the two-position selection member,
wherein the two-position selection member is designed to collaborate directly with a second end of the first lever.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1 , in which the first lever and the second lever each have an elongate shape overall.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1 , in which the first lever and the second lever are joined together.

4. The device as claimed in claim 3 , in which the first lever is fixed to the second lever.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1 , in which the first lever has an elongate shape overall and the second lever has a part that forms a spring.

6. The device as claimed in claim 5 , in which the second lever constantly presses against the first heart piece.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a second heart piece coaxial with the first heart piece, able to rotate independently of the latter, connected to the time display member by a second drivetrain and designed to collaborate with said second lever.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1 , comprising a control stem able to occupy at least two positions, the control stem, in one of these positions, collaborating with the control member and/or with the selection member so as to set the time in the first or second time zone selected by the control member and displayed by the time display member.

9. The device as claimed in claim 8 , in which the positions of the control stem comprise a rewind position and a time-setting position, the control stem, in the time-setting position, collaborating with the control member and/or with the selection member so as to set the time in the first or second time zone selected by the control member and displayed by the time display member.

10. The device as claimed in claim 8 , in which a winding pinion is mounted on the control stem and rotates as one therewith.

11. The device as claimed in claim 8 , in which the control stem comprises a sliding pinion provided with a contrate toothset and with a crown toothset.

12. The device as claimed in claim 8 , comprising a clutch perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the control stem and collaborating with a winding pinion so as to actuate a winding mechanism.

13. The device as claimed in claim 1 , in which the first and second setting geartrains are distinct.

14. The device as claimed in claim 1 , in which the device comprises selection means for selecting the first or second setting geartrain corresponding to the time zone selected and displayed by the time display member and by means of which the time is to be set.

15. The device as claimed in claim 14 , in which a control stem collaborates with a pull-out piece itself collaborating, firstly, with at least one rocking lever to set the time, and secondly, with said selection means that select the first or second setting geartrain.

16. The device as claimed in claim 14 , in which the means for selecting the first or second setting geartrain comprise, firstly, a second pull-out piece collaborating with a first pull-out piece, a first rocking lever and a second rocking lever and, secondly, a follower collaborating with the second pull-out piece, the first rocking lever, the second rocking lever and a column wheel.

17. The device as claimed in claim 14 , in which the selection means that select the first or second setting geartrain comprise a cam and an arm provided on the first lever and collaborating with the cam.

18. The device as claimed in claim 17 , in which one end of the arm of the first lever is designed to collaborate with a pin fixed to the cam so as to cause the latter to pivot in such a way that the cam drives a rocking lever via the rotating of the pull-out piece.

19. The device as claimed in claim 1 , in which the first and second setting geartrains are connected to two distinct inputs of a differential.

20. The device as claimed in claim 1 , in which one or other of the first and second setting geartrains is kinematically connected to the minutes indication.

21. The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a hand designed to indicate the time in the time zone selected by the control member over a 24-hour cycle.

22. The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a time difference display member, for displaying a time difference between the two time zones.

23. The device as claimed in claim 22 , in which the time difference display member collaborates with the control member in such a way as to be visible only when one of the two time zones is displayed.

24. The device as claimed in claim 23 , comprising a dial provided with an aperture and a mask provided between the time difference display member and a dial of the device, in order, depending on a position of the first lever to either mask or not mask the part of the time difference display member that is situated facing the aperture.

25. The device as claimed in claim 24 , in which the mask is fixed to the first lever or collaborates therewith.

26. A device for displaying the time, notably a timepiece or a timepiece movement, comprising a time display member and a switchover mechanism allowing the time display member to switch over between two time zones and/or to select a correction geartrain of one of the two time zones,
wherein the device further comprises a time difference display member for displaying the time difference between the two time zones, and
wherein the time difference display member collaborates with a control member in such a way as to be visible only when one of the two time zones is displayed.

27. The device as claimed in claim 26 , in which the switchover mechanism comprises:
a heart piece able to rotate, connected to the time display member by a drivetrain,
a first lever having a first end designed to collaborate with the heart piece in order to cause the time display member to indicate the time in the one of the two time zones,
a second lever designed to make the time display member indicate the time in the other time zone,
a two-position selection member collaborating with the first lever, and
a control member for selecting one or other of the time zones to be displayed and which collaborates with the two-position selection member.

28. The device as claimed in claim 27 , comprising a dial provided with an aperture and a mask provided between the time difference display member and the dial of the device, in order, depending on a

Assignees

• Cattaneo Julien
• La China Marco
• Rudaz Denis
• Breuilh Martin
• Jolliet Frederic
• Rolex Sa

Inventors

• Cattaneo Julien
• La China Marco
• Rudaz Denis
• Breuilh Martin
• Jolliet Frederic

Classifications

• G04B19/221

  mechanisms for correcting the hours hand only, i.e. independently for minutes and seconds hands · CPC title

• G04B27/023

  changing of the winding position to the setting position and vice versa is done with an independant part of the winding or setting mechanism (G04B27/045 and G04B27/065 take precedence; by part of the case G04B27/086) · CPC title

• G04B19/223 Primary

  with rotary disc, rotary bezel, or rotary dial · CPC title