MECHANICAL MOVEMENT COMPRISING AN INFORMATION DISPLAY DEVICE

Abstract

Disclosed is a mechanical movement including an information display device including at least one indicator member for the information, mounted pivoting about a pivot axis A. The movement encloses a cavity receiving at least the indicator member, the cavity being arranged so that the indicator member is housed entirely inside the movement. The movement includes at least one mobile arranged pivoting coaxially with the pivot axis A and including an outer peripheral toothing, the mobile being housed in the cavity and arranged to carry the indicator member. The mobile includes a felloe including the outer peripheral toothing and defining an inner opening, the felloe carrying an arm passing radially through the inner opening in order to be mounted pivoting on the pivot axis A, the indicator member being represented on the arm. Also disclosed is a timepiece including such a mechanical movement.

Claims

1. A mechanical movement comprising an information display device comprising at least one indicator member for said information, mounted pivoting about a pivot axis A, said movement enclosing a cavity receiving at least said indicator member, said cavity being arranged so that said indicator member is housed entirely inside the movement, said movement comprising at least one mobile arranged pivoting coaxially with the pivot axis A and comprising an outer peripheral toothing, said mobile being housed in the cavity and arranged to carry said indicator member, wherein said mobile comprises a felloe including said outer peripheral toothing and defining an inner opening, said felloe carrying an arm passing radially through said inner opening in order to be mounted pivoting on said pivot axis A, the indicator member being represented on said arm.

2. The movement according to claim 1, wherein the movement is closed by an open plate at the level of said cavity.

3. The movement according to claim 1, wherein said cavity is passed through.

4. The movement according to claim 1, further comprising a drive mechanism of the mobile arranged to cooperate with the outer peripheral toothing of said mobile.

5. The movement according to claim 1, wherein the display device comprises at least one first indicator member for a first piece of information and a second indicator member for a second piece of information mounted pivoting about the pivot axis A and disposed in said cavity, said second indicator member being superimposed on said first indicator member, said cavity being arranged so that said first indicator member and said second indicator member are housed entirely inside the movement, and wherein the movement comprises a first mobile arranged pivoting coaxially with the pivot axis A and comprising a first outer peripheral toothing, said first mobile being housed in the cavity and arranged to carry said first indicator member and a second mobile housed in the cavity, arranged pivoting coaxially with the pivot axis A, and comprising a second felloe including a second outer peripheral toothing and defining a second inner opening, through which the first indicator member can appear, said second felloe carrying a second arm passing radially through said second opening in order to be mounted pivoting on said pivot axis A, the second indicator member being represented on said second arm.

6. The movement according to claim 5, wherein said first mobile is a solid wheel comprising said first outer peripheral toothing, and on which the first indicator member is represented.

7. The movement according to claim 5, wherein said first mobile comprises a first felloe including said first outer peripheral toothing and defining a first inner opening, said first felloe carrying a first arm passing radially through said first opening in order to be mounted pivoting on said pivot axis A, the first indicator member being represented on said first arm.

8. The movement according to claim 5, wherein the second mobile is superimposed on the first mobile so as to leave between the second and first mobiles the required adequate play to allow the second and first mobiles to rotate freely.

9. The movement according to claim 5, further comprising a drive mechanism for the first and second mobiles arranged to cooperate with the first and second outer peripheral toothing of said first and second mobiles respectively.

10. The movement according to claim 5, wherein the display device comprises at least one third indicator member for a third piece of information disposed in said cavity, superimposed on said second indicator member, said third indicator member being mounted pivoting about the pivot axis A, said cavity being arranged so that said third indicator member is housed entirely inside the movement with the first and second indicator members, and wherein the movement comprises a third mobile housed in the cavity, arranged pivoting coaxially with the pivot axis A and comprising a third felloe including a third outer peripheral toothing and defining a third inner opening, through which the first and second indicator members can appear, said third felloe carrying a third arm passing radially through said third opening in order to be mounted pivoting on said pivot axis A, the third indicator member being represented on said third arm.

11. The movement according to claim 10, wherein the third mobile is superimposed on the second mobile so as to leave between the third and second mobiles the required adequate play to allow the third and second mobiles to rotate freely.

12. The movement according to claim 10, further comprising a drive mechanism of the third mobile arranged to cooperate with the third outer peripheral toothing of said third mobile.

13. The movement according to claim 5, wherein at least two of said first, second and third openings of the first, second and third felloes respectively are substantially of the same dimensions.

14. The movement according to claim 5, wherein the first arm, respectively the second arm, respectively the third arm, is in one piece and in the same plane as the first felloe, respectively the second felloe, respectively the third felloe.

15. The movement according to claim 10, wherein the cavity has a determined depth so that the first, second and third superimposed indicator members and the first, second and third superimposed indicator members' superimposed respective mobiles are housed entirely inside the movement.

16. The movement according to claim 10, wherein the display device displays the time, the first piece of information indicated by the first indicator member being the hour, the second piece of information indicated by the second indicator member being the minute, and the third piece of information indicated by the third indicator member being the second.

17. The movement according to claim 1, wherein the indicator members are represented by hands, the tip of which is directed towards the outside of the movement.

18. The movement according to claim 1, wherein the indicator member represented on the indicator member's respective mobile has been obtained by engraving or transfer.

19. A timepiece comprising a mechanical movement according to claim 1.

20. The movement according to claim 2, wherein said cavity is passed through.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear on reading the following detailed description of various embodiments of the invention, which are provided by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0023] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a first embodiment of a movement according to the invention;

[0024] FIG. 2 represents the movement from FIG. 1 with a section;

[0025] FIG. 3 is an isometric cutaway view of a second embodiment of a movement according to the invention;

[0026] FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a third embodiment of a movement according to the invention;

[0027] FIG. 5 represents the movement from FIG. 4 with a section;

[0028] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the movement from FIG. 4;

[0029] FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the mobiles and their superimposed indicator members which are aligned in the direction of the thickness of the movement in order to display 00h00min00sec; and

[0030] FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the mobiles and their superimposed indicator members which are staggered with respect to each other in order to display a different current time from 00hr00min00sec.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0031] The present invention relates to a mechanical watch-movement comprising a device for displaying information, in particular information linked to the time, such as the seconds, the minutes or the hours, these different pieces of information being able to be used individually or by combining at least the hours and the minutes in order to indicate the current time. According to the definition provided by the Professional Illustrated Dictionary of Watchmaking by G.-A. Berner, a watch-movement is the mechanical part of a timepiece comprising all of the members and the mechanisms which serve to determine the time (the main ones being the motor, the finishing geartrain, the escapement and the regulating organ), carried by a frame. The movement is intended to be disposed in a case, called a watch case, with the display device, to constitute the timepiece. In the present description, it is considered that the movement 1 occupies a volume which is represented symbolically in FIGS. 1 to 6 by an ultra-thin, closed cylinder, so as to represent an ultra-thin movement. The various members and mechanisms making up the mechanical watch-movement are known to the person skilled in the art, and are not represented.

[0032] Traditionally, and with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 representing a first embodiment of the invention, the display device 2 comprises at least one first indicator member 4 for a first piece of information, such as the hour in order to display the hour, and a second indicator member 6 for a second piece of information, such as the minute in order to display the minutes, superimposed on the first indicator member 4, that is to say placed in front of the first indicator member 4 for a user who is looking at the movement 1. Thus, the display device 2 is advantageously a device for displaying the current time HH.MM.

[0033] Each indicator member 4, 6 is mounted pivoting about the same pivot axis A passing through the center of the display device 2. Each indicator member 4, 6 is represented by a hand having, at one end, a hole 7, through which the pivot axis A passes and, at the other end, a tip directed towards the outside of the movement 1. Thus, the indicator members 4, 6 appear as a set of hands disposed in the center of the display device 2 in order to indicate the current time, in the traditional way.

[0034] The movement 1 encloses a cavity 8 which, here, receives the first and second indicator members 4, 6, said cavity being arranged so that said first and second indicator members 4, 6 are housed entirely inside the movement 1. More particularly, the cavity 8 has in particular a depth, that is to say in the direction of the thickness of the movement 1, which is selected so that the first and second indicator members 4, 6 remain inside the volume occupied by the movement 1, whatever their display position.

[0035] Said cavity 8 is at least open on the side of the movement on which the display device 2 must be visible to the user. The bottom of the cavity 8 can be closed. In this case, the cavity 8 can be constituted by a recess provided in the plate of the movement, for example. In another variant, the cavity 8 can be passed through, which can allow the movement to appear under the display device, as in the embodiment represented in FIGS. 1 and 2. This can be particularly useful for producing a skeleton watch. The passed-through cavity 8 can be formed, for example, by arranging the various members and mechanisms of the movement disposed with respect to one another, so as to constitute said cavity inside the movement.

[0036] The movement 1 can be closed by an open plate at the level of the cavity 8, so as to only leave the indicator members 4, 6 of the display device 2 visible. Fixed time indications can be provided on this plate, in order to cooperate with the indicator members 4, 6, in order to display the hours and the minutes like a dial. In the case of a skeleton watch, the movement is left open.

[0037] In order to be able to housed fully inside the movement 1, the display device 2 must have a reduced thickness.

[0038] To this end, at least one of the first and second indicator members, and preferably the first and second indicator members 4 and 6, are advantageously arranged to be driven in rotation about the pivot axis A through an outer peripheral zone which does not pass through said pivot axis A. The fact that the indicator members 4, 6 are driven from the outside advantageously makes it possible to eliminate the different stages imposed by the traditional construction of the pipes of the hour wheel and of the cannon-pinion, and to thus reduce the overall thickness.

[0039] The movement 1 preferably comprises at least one first lower mobile 10 arranged pivoting coaxially with the pivot axis A and comprising a first outer peripheral toothing 12, said first mobile 10 being housed in the cavity 8 and arranged to carry the first indicator member 4. The movement 1 also comprises a second upper mobile 14 arranged pivoting coaxially with the pivot axis A and comprising a second outer peripheral toothing 16, said second mobile 14 being housed in the cavity 8 and arranged to carry the second indicator member 6.

[0040] In the embodiment represented in FIGS. 1 and 2, and in accordance with the invention, the first mobile 10 comprises a first felloe 10a including said first outer peripheral toothing 12 and defining a first circular inner opening 18 centered about the pivot axis A, and through which the movement appears, the cavity 8 being passed through (or the bottom of the cavity when the latter is closed by the bottom).

[0041] The first felloe 10a carries a first arm 10b passing radially through the first opening 18 in the direction of the pivot axis A, and having at its end the hole 7 which makes it possible for said arm 10b to be mounted pivoting on the pivot axis A.

[0042] The arm 10b is preferably in one piece with the felloe 10a and in the same plane as said felloe 10a so as to limit the thickness of the first mobile 10.

[0043] The first indicator member 4 is represented on the first arm 10b, for example by representing on the arm 10b, at the distal end of the arm 10b, opposite the hole 7, a tip directed towards the outside of the movement 1 to constitute the tip of a hand, the proximal part of the arm 10b constituting the body of the hand, so as to symbolize the hour hand. Advantageously, the first indicator member 4 represented on the first mobile 10 has been obtained by engraving or by transfer on the arm 10b such that the first indicator member 4 is coincident with said arm 10b, so as to have a reduced thickness.

[0044] Similarly, the second mobile 14 comprises a second felloe 14a including the second outer peripheral toothing 16 and defining a second inner opening 20 centered about the pivot axis A, through which the first indicator member 4 can appear when it is staggered with respect to the second indicator member 6, as well as the movement, the cavity 8 being passed through. The first and second openings 18, 20 are substantially of the same dimensions.

[0045] The second felloe 14a carries a second arm 14b passing radially through said second opening 20 in the direction of the pivot axis A, and having at its end the hole 7, which makes it possible for said arm 14b to be mounted pivoting on said pivot axis A.

[0046] The arm 14b is preferably in one piece with the felloe 14a and in the same plane as said felloe 14a so as to limit the thickness of the second mobile 14.

[0047] The fact that the mobiles 10 and 14 are perforated means that they are light and do not require a significant amount of energy to be set in motion. Nor do they lead to parallax problems linked to the use of a transparent material, even when several mobiles of the same type are superimposed.

[0048] The second indicator member 6 is represented on the second arm 14b, for example by representing on said arm 14b, at the distal end of the arm 14b, opposite the hole 7, a tip directed towards the outside of the movement 1 to constitute the tip of a hand, the proximal part of the arm 14b constituting the body of the hand, so as to symbolize the minute hand. Advantageously, the second indicator member 6 represented on the second mobile 14 has been obtained by engraving or by transfer on the arm 14b, such that the second indicator member 6 coincides with said arm 14b so as to have a reduced thickness.

[0049] The second mobile 14 is superimposed on the first mobile 10 so as to leave between them, and more particularly between the felloes 10a, 14a, on the one hand, and between the arms 10b, 14b, on the other hand, the required adequate play to allow them to rotate freely.

[0050] Furthermore, the movement 1 comprises a drive mechanism for the first and second mobiles 10, 14 arranged to cooperate with the first and second outer peripheral toothing 12, 16 of said first and second mobiles 10, 14 respectively.

[0051] Such a drive mechanism comprises, in particular, geartrains arranged to kinematically connect the outer peripheral toothing 12, 16 to the finishing geartrain in order to drive the first and second mobiles 10, 14 at the appropriate angular speeds for the corresponding indicator member 4, 6 from the outside, the first and second mobiles 10, 14 being moreover guided in the center.

[0052] The cavity 8 has a determined depth so that the first and second superimposed indicator members 4, 6 and their respective superimposed mobiles 10, 14 are housed entirely inside the movement 1, whatever their display position.

[0053] Another embodiment is represented in FIG. 3, in which the display device 2 comprises a single indicator member 4. The elements identical to the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 are referred to again with the same reference numerals. Such an indicator member 4 is, for example, a chronograph hand.

[0054] The indicator member 4 is mounted pivoting about the pivot axis A, passing through the center of the display device 2. As described above, the indicator member 4 is represented by a hand having, at one end, a hole 7 through which the pivot axis A passes and, at the other end, a tip directed towards the outside of the movement 1. Said movement 1 encloses the cavity 8 receiving said indicator member 4, said cavity 8 being arranged so that said indicator member 4 is housed entirely inside the movement 1.

[0055] The movement 1 comprises a mobile 10 arranged pivoting coaxially with the pivot axis A and comprising an outer peripheral toothing 12, said mobile 10 being housed in the cavity 8 and arranged to carry said indicator member 4.

[0056] In accordance with the invention, the mobile 10 comprises a felloe 10a including said outer peripheral toothing 12 and defining an inner opening 18, said felloe 10a carrying an arm 10b passing radially through said inner opening 18 in order to be mounted pivoting on said pivot axis A, the indicator member 4 being represented on said arm 10b. Advantageously, the indicator member 4 represented on the mobile 10 has been obtained by engraving or by transfer on the arm 10b, such that the indicator member 4 coincides with said arm 10b, so as to have a reduced thickness.

[0057] Such a perforated mobile 10 is light and does not require a significant amount of energy to be set in motion. It does not cause parallax problems linked to the use of a transparent material either.

[0058] As described above, a drive mechanism is provided for the mobile 10 arranged to cooperate with the outer peripheral toothing 12 of said mobile 10 in order to drive the mobile 10 at an appropriate angular speed for the indicator member 4 from the outside, the mobile 10 being moreover guided in the center.

[0059] Another embodiment is represented in FIGS. 4 to 8, in which the display device 2 comprises a first indicator member 4 for a first piece of information, such as the hour, a second indicator member 6 for a second piece of information, such as the minutes, and a third indicator member 30 for a third piece of information, such as the seconds. The elements identical to the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 3 are referred to again with the same reference numerals. Thus, the display device 2 is also advantageously a device for displaying the time HH.MM.SS.

[0060] The third indicator member 30 for displaying the seconds, here, is superimposed on the second indicator member for the minutes 6, here, that is to say placed in front of the second indicator member 6 for a user who is looking at the movement 1. All the indicator members 4, 6 and 30 are mounted pivoting about the same pivot axis A passing through the center of the display device 2. Each indicator member 4, 6 and 30 is represented by a hand having, at one end, a hole 7, 7 through which the pivot axis A passes and, at the other end, a tip directed towards the outside of the movement 1. Thus, the indicator members 4, 6 and 30 appear as a set of hands disposed in the center of the display device 2 in order to indicate the current time and the second, in the traditional way.

[0061] In this embodiment, the first lower mobile 10 is a solid wheel comprising the first outer peripheral toothing 12 and pierced in its center by the hole 7 through which the pivot axis A passes. Thus, the solid wheel of the first mobile 10 constitutes a dial bottom for the display device 2. The cavity 8 can be closed by the bottom or open out, the bottom of the display device 2 being constituted by the solid wheel of the first mobile 10.

[0062] As shown more specifically in FIGS. 7 and 8, the first hour indicator member 4 is represented directly on the solid wheel of the first mobile 10 so that the first indicator member 4 and the bottom of the display device 2 are coincident, so as to have a reduced thickness. The first indicator member 4 is represented in the form of an hour hand, the tip of which is directed towards the outside of the movement and the body of which is disposed radially in the direction of the pivot axis A, extending about the hole 7. Advantageously, the first indicator member 4 represented on the first mobile 10 has been obtained by engraving or transfer directly on the solid wheel of the first mobile 10.

[0063] The second indicator member 6 for minutes is identical to that of the first embodiment, with its mobile 14, here in the intermediate position, comprising the felloe 14a and the arm 14b, and the outer peripherical toothing 16. The solid wheel of the first mobile 10 with the first indicator member 4 appears through the inner opening 20.

[0064] The part of the arm 14b, between its junction with the felloe 14a and the tip of the second indicator member 6, can be thinned in order to better highlight said indicator member 6, as shown in FIG. 8.

[0065] The third indicator member 30 is disposed in the cavity 8, superimposed on the second indicator member 6, mounted pivoting about the pivot axis A. The cavity 8 is arranged so that said third indicator member 30 is housed entirely inside the movement 1 with the first and second indicator members 4, 6, as shown in FIG. 6.

[0066] The third indicator member 30 is arranged to be driven in rotation about the pivot axis A through a peripheral zone which does not pass through said pivot axis A.

[0067] To this end, the movement 1 comprises a third upper mobile 32 arranged to pivot coaxially with the pivot axis A and comprising a third outer peripheral toothing 34, said third mobile 32 being housed in the cavity 8 and arranged to carry the third indicator member 30.

[0068] The third mobile 32 comprises a third felloe 32a comprising the third outer peripheral toothing 34 and defining a third inner opening 36 centered about the pivot axis A, and through which the first and second indicator members 4, 6 can appear when they are staggered with respect to the third indicator member 30, as well as the solid wheel of the first mobile 10. The second and third openings 20, 36 are substantially of the same dimensions.

[0069] The third felloe 32a carries a third arm 32b passing radially through the third opening 36 in the direction of the pivot axis A, and having at its end the hole 7 which makes it possible for said arm 32b to be mounted pivoting on said pivot axis A.

[0070] The arm 32b is preferably in one piece with the felloe 32a and in the same plane as said felloe 32a so as to limit the thickness of third mobile 32.

[0071] The third indicator member 30 is represented on the third arm 32b, for example by representing on said arm 32b, at the distal end of the arm 32b, opposite the hole 7, a tip directed towards the outside of the movement 1 to constitute the tip of a hand, the proximal part of the arm 32b constituting the body of the hand, so as to symbolize the second hand. Advantageously, the third indicator member 30 represented on the third mobile 32 has been obtained by engraving or by transfer on the arm 32b, such that the third indicator member 30 is coincident with said arm 32b, so as to have a reduced thickness.

[0072] The third mobile 32 is superimposed on the second mobile 14 so as to leave between them, and more particularly between the felloes 14a, 32a, on the one hand, and between the arms 14b, 32b, on the other hand, the required adequate play to allow them to rotate freely. Similarly, the second mobile 14 is superimposed on the first mobile 10 so as to leave between them, and more particularly between the felloe 14a with the arm 14b and the solid wheel, the required adequate play to allow them to rotate freely.

[0073] Furthermore, the movement 1 comprises a drive mechanism for the third mobile 32 arranged to cooperate with the third outer peripheral toothing 34 of the third mobile 32.

[0074] Such a drive mechanism comprises in particular a geartrain arranged to kinematically connect the outer peripheral toothing 34 to the finishing geartrain in order to drive the third mobile 32 at the appropriate angular speed for the indicator member 30 from the outside, the third mobile 32 being moreover guided in the center.

[0075] The cavity 8 has a determined depth so that the first, second and third superimposed indicator members 4, 6 and 30 and their superimposed respective mobiles 10, 14, 32 are housed entirely inside the movement 1, whatever their display position.

[0076] It is obvious that according to a variant which is not represented of the second embodiment, the first hour indicator member can be carried by the same first mobile as that of the first embodiment, having a felloe, an arm on which said first hour indicator member is represented, and an inner opening through which the movement appears.

[0077] The movement of the invention makes it possible, for example, to produce a device for displaying the current time of the ultra-thin traditional hand-fitting type, thanks to the elimination of the different stages imposed by the traditional construction of the pipes of the hour wheel and of the cannon-pinion, the various mobiles carrying the indicator members being driven from the outside while being guided in the center, and the use of at least one or two upper mobiles constituted by open ultra-thin discs in hand form, revealing the lower mobile carrying the first hour indicator member. The use of these two or three ultra-thin mobiles makes it possible to further reduce the thickness of the display device, in order to be able to integrate it entirely into a movement to form an ultra-thin timepiece with a traditional hand-fitting. In addition, the fact that the mobiles used are advantageously perforated means they are light and do not require a significant amount of energy to be set in motion. They do not cause parallax problems linked to the use of a transparent material either, even when several mobiles of the same type are superimposed.

[0078] It is obvious that the movement of the invention can comprise other indicator members which are not housed entirely inside said movement.