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EP-4517443-B1 - CLOCK DRIVE DEVICE

EP4517443B1EP 4517443 B1EP4517443 B1EP 4517443B1EP-4517443-B1

Inventors

  • MOILLE, DANIEL
  • SCHIEGG, Ramis

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240829

Claims (15)

  1. A timepiece driving device (100), in particular for a system (300) for displaying time information or information derived from the time, in particular for an instantaneous jump calendar system, including: - an input mobile (13); - a main cam (11) having a main cam profile (11a, 11b, 11c), the main cam (11) being connected to the input mobile (i) with angular backlash or (ii) via a unidirectional coupling; - an auxiliary cam (12) connected to the input mobile, in particular fixed onto the input mobile or secured to the input mobile, and having an auxiliary cam profile (12a), - a cam follower (21) adapted to cooperate with the main cam profile (11a, 11b, 11c) and/or with the auxiliary cam profile (12a), and - an energy accumulator (22) elastically biasing the cam follower toward the profile (11a, 11b, 11c) of the main cam (11) and toward the profile (12a) of the auxiliary cam (12), the timepiece driving device (100), in particular the main cam and auxiliary cam, being arranged so that the cam follower (21) comes into contact or substantially into contact with the auxiliary cam profile immediately at the end of the driving of the main cam (11) by action of the energy accumulator (22) on said main cam (11) via the cam follower (21).
  2. The timepiece driving device (100) as claimed in the preceding claim, characterized in that the timepiece driving device (100), in particular the main cam and the auxiliary cam, is adapted so as to cock the energy accumulator (22) via the cam follower (21) over substantially the whole of the period of rotation of the input mobile (13), in particular over a period of 24 hours, with the exception of the driving phase in which the main cam is in driving mode.
  3. The timepiece driving device (100) as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the main cam (11) and the auxiliary cam (12) pivot about the same axis (A1).
  4. The timepiece driving device (100) as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the main cam (11) and the auxiliary cam (12) pivot about different axes, in particular about parallel axes.
  5. The timepiece driving device (100) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the driving device is such that: - the main cam (11) is in driving mode by virtue of the action of the energy accumulator (22) via the cam follower (21) over a first angular portion, and - the auxiliary cam (12) supplies energy to the energy accumulator (22) via the cam follower over a second angular portion at least equal to or at least substantially equal to the first angular portion, and - the main cam (11) supplies energy to the energy accumulator (22) via the cam follower over a third angular portion that is (i) complementary to the second angular portion and/or (ii) zero or substantially zero.
  6. The timepiece driving device (100) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the driving device, in particular the profiles of the main cam and the auxiliary claim, are such that the mechanical power supplied to the energy accumulator (22) is constant or substantially constant throughout the time for which the main cam (11) is not driven by the energy accumulator (22) via the cam follower (21).
  7. The timepiece driving device (100) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cam follower (21) comprises a lever (21).
  8. The timepiece driving device (100) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the energy accumulator (22) comprises a spring (22), in particular a leaf spring.
  9. The timepiece driving device (100) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the main cam (11) is kinematically connected to a driving element (14) of an element (200) for displaying time information, in particular fixed to a driving element (14) of an element (200) for displaying time information, such as a finger (14), cooperating with teeth (201) of an element (200) for displaying time information.
  10. A timepiece calendar (300), in particular a single date calendar or an annual date calendar or a perpetual date calendar, including a timepiece driving device (100) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, the calendar including an element (200) for displaying time information such as a disc carrying numbers, including teeth (201).
  11. A timepiece movement (400) including: - a timepiece driving device (100) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, and/or - a timepiece calendar (300) as claimed in the preceding claim.
  12. A timepiece (500), in particular a wristwatch, including: - a timepiece movement (400) as claimed in the preceding claim, and/or - a timepiece calendar (300) as claimed in claim 10, and/or - a timepiece driving device (100) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.
  13. A method of operating a timepiece (500) as claimed in the preceding claim or a timepiece movement (400) as claimed in claim 11 or a timepiece calendar (300) as claimed in claim 10 or a timepiece driving device (100) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, the method including at least one iteration of the following steps: - driving of the main cam (11) by action of the energy accumulator (22) on the main cam via the cam follower, then - accumulation of energy in the energy accumulator (22) by action of the auxiliary cam (12) on the energy accumulator (22) via the cam follower.
  14. The operating method as claimed in the preceding claim, characterized in that the method includes accumulation of energy in the energy accumulator (22) by action of the main cam (11) on the energy accumulator (22) via the cam follower (21).
  15. The operating method as claimed in claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the driving of the main cam (11) is instantaneous driving.

Description

The invention relates to a clockwork drive device. The invention also relates to a clockwork calendar comprising such a clockwork drive device. The invention further relates to a clockwork movement comprising such a clockwork drive device or such a clockwork calendar. The invention also relates to a timepiece comprising such a clockwork movement, such a clockwork drive device, or such a clockwork calendar. The invention also relates to a method of operating such a clockwork movement, such a timepiece, such a clockwork drive device, or such a clockwork calendar. It is known from the state of the art of instantaneous clockwork calendar systems which have a drive unit with a cam which cooperates with an energy accumulation device, such as a cam rocker associated with a spring. Driven by a drive wheel, the cam winds the energy storage device during a winding phase and then releases the energy during an instantaneous drive phase of the timer. The cam then acts as a drive and rotates relative to the drive wheel. The released energy powers the cam and a mechanism located downstream of it. At the end of the instantaneous training phase, in a catch-up phase, the cam is immobilized until it is caught and driven again by the drive wheel in order to arm the energy accumulation device. The catch-up phase can last approximately 4 to 11 hours, depending on the calendar design. During this catch-up phase, the drive wheel spins freely and consumes very little energy compared to the winding phase. This results in variations in the amplitude of the watch movement's oscillator due to the difference in load on the drive wheel between the catch-up and winding phases. The patent EP2407833B1 discloses a solution utilizing an instantaneous date drive mechanism including an auxiliary energy accumulation means for compensating for gear backlash in a time display gear. The instant training device operates conventionally, and successively presents: a winding phase in which a calendar cam is driven by a drive wheel so as to wind a spring via a cam rocker, an instantaneous drive phase in which the spring is disarmed, the cam then becomes the driving cam and advances relative to the driving wheel, and a catch-up phase, in which the drive wheel catches up with the advance of the calendar cam that was immobilized after the jump. The distinctive feature of the disclosed solution lies in the fact that the auxiliary energy storage device is positioned between the calendar cam and the drive wheel. This device is wound during the adjustment phase and is designed to generate a resistive torque on the drive wheel. Consequently, the time display gear is also under tension during the adjustment phase, thus minimizing backlash in the gear train. However, the winding torque of the auxiliary energy storage device must be lower than the torque required to wind the cam rocker spring. Therefore, the auxiliary energy storage device cannot provide significant energy accumulation equivalent to that provided by winding the cam rocker spring. The aim of the invention is to provide a clockwork drive device that improves upon known prior art devices. In particular, the invention proposes a clockwork drive device that optimizes energy consumption over time, especially over the rotation period of a drive wheel. According to the invention, a drive device is defined by claim 1. Embodiments of the drive device are defined by claims 2 to 9. According to the invention, a clockwork calendar is defined by claim 10. According to the invention, a watch movement is defined by claim 11. According to the invention, a timepiece is defined by claim 12. According to the invention, an operating method is defined by claim 13. Execution methods of the operating process are defined by claims 14 and 15. The attached drawings represent, by way of example, two embodiments of a timepiece according to the invention. There figure 1 is a view of a first embodiment of a timepiece according to the invention, a drive device being seen from the dial side. There figure 2 is a view of the first embodiment of the timepiece according to the invention, the drive device being seen from the movement side. There figure 3 is a set of views of the training device including an exploded view and two perspective views. THE figures 4 to 10 are views of operating sequences of the first embodiment of the drive device. THE figures 11 to 17 are views of operating sequences of a second embodiment of the drive device, the figures 11 to 17 illustrating the second embodiment being respectively equivalent to figures 4 to 10 illustrating the first method of implementation. A first embodiment of a 500 timepiece is described below in detail with reference to figures 4 to 10 . A timepiece 500 is, for example, a watch, specifically a wristwatch. A timepiece 500 includes a watch movement 400 intended to be mounted in a case or box to protect it from the external environment. The 400 watch movement is a mechanical movement