System for adjusting the position of a first toothed wheel set relative to a support on which the first toothed wheel set is pivotably mounted and timepiece comprising such a system

Abstract

A system for adjusting the angular position of a first toothed wheel set relative to a support on which the first toothed wheel set is mounted such that it can pivot. The adjusting system includes an adjusting member allowing an action to be applied to an angular position of the first toothed wheel set so as to adjust the angular position of the first toothed wheel set relative to the support. A timepiece can include such an adjusting system.

Claims

1. A large date calendar display mechanism driven via a kinematic chain by a horological movement of a timepiece equipped with said large date calendar display mechanism, said large date calendar display mechanism comprising: a first date indicator on which the indications of the units component of the date from “0” to “9” are placed, and a second date indicator on which the indications of the tens component of the date from “0” to “3” are placed, whereby all of the date indications from “01” to “31” can be obtained by combining the indications of the units component “0” to “9” of the date, borne by the first date indicator, with the indications of the tens component “0” to “3” of the date, borne by the second date indicator, the first date indicator remaining still during a 24-hour period separating the passage from the last day of a month having 31 days to the first day of the following month, the kinematic chain comprising a wheel that is continuously engaged with the horological movement and which has a perimeter provided with a toothing via which the wheel meshes with a pinion which itself contributes to driving the first indicator of the units component of the date, the wheel being, at one point along the perimeter thereof, devoid of teeth such that, during the 24-hour period separating the passage from the last day of a month having 31 days to the end of the first day of the following month, the wheel does not mesh with the pinion which, similarly to the first date indicator, thus remains still, the large date calendar display mechanism further comprising a units drive pinion engaged with an intermediate wheel, the units drive pinion being frictionally mounted on a units drive wheel with which it forms a units drive wheel set, an adjusting member, the angular position whereof is adjustable and which is engaged with the units drive pinion, being borne by the units drive wheel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) Other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood upon reading the following detailed description of one example embodiment of the system for adjusting the angular position of a toothed wheel set according to the invention, said example being provided for the purposes of illustration only and not intended to limit the scope of the invention, given with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

(2) FIGS. 1A and 1B are diagrammatic views showing the principle of the system for adjusting the angular position of a wheel set according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a top view of a timepiece of the wristwatch type equipped with a large date calendar display mechanism comprising an adjusting system according to the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 is a plan view of the large date calendar display mechanism equipped with the adjusting system according to the invention, wherein the indicator of the tens component of the date is shown transparently;

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the large date calendar display mechanism in FIG. 3, wherein the kinematic chain driving the indicator of the tens component of the date is more particularly visible;

(6) FIG. 5 is a view identical to that of FIG. 3, with the exception that the indicator of the tens component of the date has been omitted;

(7) FIG. 6 is a perspective view from below of the large date calendar display mechanism revealing the cam drive mechanism which controls the release of the date display mechanism once per day;

(8) FIG. 7A is a larger scale perspective view of the adjusting system according to the invention, and

(9) FIG. 7B is a larger scale view of the adjusting member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

(10) The present invention was drawn from the general inventive idea consisting of ensuring a precise angular positioning between a first toothed wheel set and a support on which the first toothed wheel set is mounted such that it can rotate in order to guarantee optimum meshing between this first toothed wheel set and a second toothed wheel set with which the first toothed wheel set is engaged. To achieve this outcome, the present invention proposes precisely adjusting the angular position of the first toothed wheel set relative to the support on which the first toothed wheel set is mounted. For this purpose, an adjusting member is provided, the position whereof can be adjusted by means of a tool such as a screwdriver and which meshes with the first toothed wheel set. Thus, by actuating the adjusting member, the angular position of the first toothed wheel set can be very precisely adjusted.

(11) The present invention is of interest in particular, but not limited thereto, in a large date calendar display mechanism wherein, in order to guarantee the correct operation of this date display mechanism, when passing from the last day of a month having 31 days to the first day of the following month, the mechanical link between the horological movement and the indicator of the units component of the date must be interrupted. However, during this lapse of time, an intermediate pinion is no longer engaged with the drive wheel which usually drives it. The indexing of the angular position of this intermediate pinion is thus no longer ensured. In order to nonetheless guarantee impeccable operation of the large date calendar display mechanism, the present invention provides for precisely adjusting the angular position of a wheel set included in the kinematic chain to which the intermediate pinion belongs, in order to guarantee optimum meshing between the different wheel sets of this kinematic chain.

(12) The present invention will be described with reference to a date display mechanism of the “large date” type, wherein the problem of adjusting the angular position of a pinion relative to a wheel with which the pinion meshes applies. It is, however, key to understand that the example of such a large date calendar display mechanism is given for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, and that the adjusting system according to the invention for adjusting the angular position of a first wheel set relative to another wheel set with which the first wheel set meshes can be used in any type of horological mechanism which is subject to the problem of ensuring the correct angular positioning of one wheel set relative to another.

(13) As diagrammatically shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B accompanying the present patent application, the adjusting system 1 according to the invention comprises a support 2 on which a first toothed wheel set 4 is mounted such that it can rotate. This first toothed wheel set 4 meshes with a second toothed wheel set 6. One of the purposes of the invention is to allow the angular position of the first toothed wheel set 4 relative to the second toothed wheel set 6 to be precisely adjusted in order to guarantee optimum meshing between the two toothed wheel sets 4 and 6. For this purpose, the adjusting system 1 according to the invention comprises an adjusting member 8 that is mounted such that it can pivot on the support 2. According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the adjusting member 8 can be mounted on a support that is different to that on which the first toothed wheel set 4 is mounted. This adjusting member 8 comprises a toothed sector 10 via which it meshes with the first toothed wheel set 4. By causing this adjusting member 8 to pivot in one direction or in the other, for example by means of a screwdriver, the position of the first toothed wheel set 4 can be precisely adjusted relative to the second toothed wheel set 6.

(14) Solely by way of example, the adjusting system 1 according to the invention can be integrated into a large date display mechanism 12 fitting (see FIG. 2) a timepiece 14 such as a wristwatch. This timepiece 14 comprises a dial 16 wherein an aperture 18 is made, through which a large date indication 20 is visible.

(15) With reference to FIG. 3, the large date display mechanism 12 is shown to comprise an intermediate centre wheel 22 which is conventionally rigidly connected to an hour wheel driven by a motion-work of a horological movement (not shown). This intermediate centre wheel 22 meshes with a cam drive wheel 24 which is driven one revolution per day. This cam drive wheel 24 drives, in turn, a cam wheel 26 on which a cam 28 is fixed.

(16) The cam drive wheel 24 and the cam wheel 26 are kinematically connected to one another by means of a pin 30 driven into the cam wheel 26 and which freely passes through an oblong hole 32 made in the cam drive wheel 24 (see FIG. 6.) When the cam drive wheel 24 revolves, it drives the cam wheel 26 thanks to the pin 30 which abuts against an inner edge 32a of the oblong hole 32. The cam 28 has a profile 28a at one point whereof a discontinuity 28b is provided. A release lever 34, elastically stressed by a spring 36, comprises a beak 38 via which it follows the profile 28a of the cam 28.

(17) Once a day, at around midnight, the release lever 34 falls along the discontinuity 28b of the profile 28a of the cam 28 and causes the cam wheel 26 to instantly pivot by an angle that is defined by the discontinuity 28b of the profile 28a of the cam 28. It should be noted that the dimensions of the oblong hole 32 are sufficient to allow the cam wheel 26 to perform the instant pivoting movement thereof without being hindered by the pin 30.

(18) The cam wheel 26 drives a date drive wheel 40 which bears a finger 42 via which the date drive wheel 40 controls, once a day, the advancing of a thirty-one-tooth wheel 44 by one step (see FIG. 4). Moreover, a programming wheel 46 is fixed to the thirty-one-tooth wheel 44. The thirty-one-tooth wheel 44 meshes, in turn, with a drive wheel 48 itself engaged with an intermediate pinion 50 of an intermediate wheel set 52. Finally, an intermediate wheel 54 of the intermediate wheel set 52 meshes with a units drive pinion 56 of a units drive wheel set 58, a units drive wheel 60 whereof drives an indicator of the units component of the date. For the purposes of illustration only and not intended to limit the invention, this indicator of the units component of the date takes on the form of a ring 62. This units indicator ring 62 bears the indications “0”, “1”, “2”, “3”, “4”, “5”, “6”, “7”, “8” and “9” which correspond to the indications of the units component of the date and advances by one step a day, except when passing from “31” of a month to “1” of the following month.

(19) The programming wheel 46 is provided with four teeth 46a, 46b, 46c and 46d via which this programming wheel 46 drives, by one step every 10 days, a four-tooth star 64 to which an indicator of the tens component of the date is fixed. For the purposes of illustration only and not intended to limit the invention, this indicator of the tens component of the date is designed in the form of a disc 66. The tens indicator disc 66 bears the indications “0”, “1”, “2” and “3” which correspond to the indications of the tens component of the date.

(20) As specified hereinabove, the units indicator ring 62 advances by one step a day, except when passing from “31” of a month to “1” of the following month. During this passage, the units indicator ring 62 must remain still. More specifically, the marking “1” borne by the indicator of the units component of the date is used both to compose the date indication “31” at the end of a month having 31 days, and to compose the date indication “01” at the start of the following month. It is therefore key that the units indicator ring 62 remains still during this lapse of time so that the date indication that appears through the aperture 18 made in the dial 16 of the timepiece 14 is accurate.

(21) To achieve this, two teeth of a thirty-one-tooth toothing 68 of the drive wheel 48 are missing and leave an empty space 69 (see FIG. 5). Thus, when this portion devoid of teeth of the thirty-one-tooth toothing 68 of the drive wheel 48 is facing a toothing 70 of the intermediate pinion 50, the angular position of this intermediate pinion 50 is no longer appropriately ensured which, at the end of the kinematic chain, no longer guarantees the correct positioning of the indication “1” borne by the units indicator ring 62 in the aperture 18 made in the dial 16 of the timepiece 14. Of course, this problem is unacceptable.

(22) This is why, in accordance with the invention, it is envisaged to equip the large date display mechanism 12 with an adjusting system 1 according to the invention. For this purpose, the units drive pinion 56 that acts as the first toothed wheel set, the angular position whereof is to be adjusted, is frictionally mounted on the units drive wheel 60 which acts as the support. In the embodiment shown only by way of example in FIG. 7A, the units drive pinion 56 comprises an axis 56a via which it is frictionally mounted between two parallel arms 60a and 60b, which substantially extend along a diameter of the units drive wheel 60. The adjusting system 1 according to the invention is completed by an adjusting member 72 mounted such that it can pivot on the units drive wheel 60. This adjusting member 72 comprises a toothed sector 74 via which it meshes with the toothing of the units drive pinion 56 (see FIG. 7B). By causing the adjusting member 72 to rotate, for example by means of a screwdriver, in one direction or in the other, the angular position of the units drive pinion 56 can be precisely adjusted, such that this units drive pinion 56 meshes in an optimum manner with the intermediate wheel 54 that drives it. It must be understood that the friction forces present between the units drive pinion 56 and the units drive wheel 60 are high enough for the units drive pinion 56 to be able to drive the units drive wheel 60 such that it rotates when it is itself rotated by the intermediate wheel 54, however low enough for the angular position of the units drive pinion 56 to be able to be adjusted. Finally, the units drive wheel 60 drives the units indicator ring 62 by meshing with the inner toothing 78 of this units indicator ring 62.

(23) Again in order to improve the operation of the large date display mechanism 1, this mechanism can further be provided with a dual jumper 76 arranged such that it pivots about a centre O. This dual jumper 76 is provided with a first beak 76a via which it engages with the toothing 70 of the intermediate pinion 50, and with a second beak 76b via which it engages with an inner toothing 78 of the units indicator ring 62. The dual jumper 76 is held such that it elastically bears against the toothing 70 of the intermediate pinion 50 and against the inner toothing 78 of the units indicator ring 62 by a spring 80. When the intermediate pinion 50 advances by one step, the dual jumper 76 pivots about the pivot centre O thereof and the beak 76a thereof moves aside by passing from the gap between two consecutive teeth of the toothing 70 of this intermediate pinion 50 to the following gap. Simultaneously, the second beak 76b of the dual jumper 76 is released from the gap between the two teeth of the inner toothing 78 of the units indicator ring 62 and falls into the following gap. The geometrical configuration of the dual jumper 76 and the positioning of the pivot centre O thereof are such that when the dual jumper 76 pivots, it is simultaneously released from the toothing 70 of the intermediate pinion 50 and from the inner toothing 78 of the units indicator ring 62. Thus, when passing, at the end of a month, from the date indication “31” to the date indication “1” of the following month, the intermediate pinion 50, although not engaged with the drive wheel 48, is held in position by the beak 76a of the dual jumper 76 such that there is no risk of the date indication “1” from not being appropriately centred inside the aperture 18 made in the dial 16 of the timepiece 14.

(24) The intermediate pinion 50 forms a part of the intermediate wheel set 52 with an intermediate wheel 54 with which it is coupled in rotation. This intermediate wheel 54 meshes, in turn, with a units drive pinion 56 of a units drive wheel set 58 of the units indicator ring 62. This units drive pinion 56 is coupled in rotation with the units drive wheel 60 which drives the units indicator ring 62 by meshing with the inner toothing 78 of this units indicator ring 62.

(25) It is evident that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above and that various simple alternatives and modifications can be considered by a person skilled in the art without leaving the scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims. It should in particular be noted that the number of teeth of the toothing 68 of the drive wheel 48 can differ from thirty one teeth and that the number of teeth omitted can differ from two, and can be equal to one or three for example.

NOMENCLATURE

(26) 1. Adjusting system 2. Support 4. First toothed wheel set 6. Second toothed wheel set 8. Adjusting member 10. Toothed sector 12. Large date display mechanism 14. Wristwatch 16. Dial 18. Aperture 20. Large date indication 22. Intermediate centre wheel 24. Cam drive wheel 26. Cam wheel 28. Cam 28a. Cam profile 28b. Discontinuity 30. Pin 32. Oblong hole 32a. Inner edge 34. Release lever 36. Spring 38. Beak 26 40. Date drive wheel 42. Finger 44. Thirty-one-tooth wheel 46. Programming wheel 46a, 46b, 46c, 46d. Teeth 48. Drive wheel 50. Intermediate pinion 52. Intermediate wheel set 54. Intermediate wheel 56. Units drive pinion 58. Units drive wheel set 60. Units drive wheel 60a, 60b. Parallel arms 62. Units indicator ring 64. Four-tooth star 66. Tens indicator disc 68. Toothing 56a. Axis 69. Empty space 70. Toothing 72. Adjusting member 74. Toothed sector 76. Dual jumper 76a. First beak 76b. Second beak O. Pivot centre 78. Inner toothing 80. Spring