HOROLOGY CALENDAR SYSTEM

Abstract

A horology calendar system (200) comprising:a date wheel (1);a month cam (300); anda kinematic connection element (8) arranged such that the date wheel allows the driving of the motion of the month cam.

Claims

1. A horology calendar system comprising: a date wheel; a month cam; and a kinematic connection element arranged so that the date wheel allows the driving of the motion of the month cam.

2. The horology calendar system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of (i) the driving of the motion of the month cam is performed exclusively by the date wheel, and (ii) the date wheel comprises a date display member.

3. The horology calendar system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the month cam includes a month display member, or wherein the month cam is secured to a month display member.

4. The horology calendar system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the kinematic connection element is arranged so as to allow the driving of the month cam by one step, over the course of one month.

5. The horology calendar system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the kinematic connection element is arranged so as to allow the driving of the month cam by at most 1/n of a step while the date wheel is driven by one step, where n is a natural integer greater than 1.

6. The horology calendar system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the kinematic connection element is at least one of (i) arranged to drive the month cam while the month display member is not visible to the user, and (ii) arranged to drive the month cam between the second and the thirtieth day of the month indicated by the calendar system.

7. The horology calendar system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the kinematic connection element comprises a Maltese cross provided with protrusions collaborating with n teeth of the date wheel, the Maltese cross having a toothset meshing with the month cam.

8. The horology calendar system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the kinematic connecting element comprises a device including one or more intermediate wheels meshing with the month cam and meshing with the date wheel.

9. The horology calendar system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the date wheel and the month cam are pivoted about one and the same axis (P).

10. The horology calendar system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the horology calendar system is of the instantaneous jump type.

11. The horology calendar system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of (i) the month cam is of the annular type and (ii) the month cam is provided with a cam surface arranged at the interior or exterior periphery.

12. The horology calendar system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the month cam is arranged so as to define: a first state of the calendar system in which, while the date wheel is in a position for indicating the date 30, an action of a drive element of the calendar system causes the date wheel to advance by two steps; and a second state of the calendar system in which, while the date wheel is in a position for indicating the date 30, an action of the drive element of the calendar system causes the date wheel to advance by one step.

13. A horology movement comprising a system as claimed in claim 1.

14. A timepiece comprising a system as claimed in claim 1.

15. A method of operation of a horology calendar, the method comprising, in a horology calendar as claimed in claim 1: positioning the month cam in a first position defining a first state of the calendar system in which, while the date wheel is in a position for indicating the date 30, an action of a drive element of the calendar system causes the date wheel to advance by two steps; and positioning the month cam in a second position defining a second state of the calendar system in which, while the date wheel is in a position for indicating the date 30, an action of the drive element of the calendar system causes the date wheel to advance by one step.

16. The horology calendar system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the driving of the motion of the month cam is performed exclusively by the date wheel via the kinematic connection element.

17. The horology calendar system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the date wheel comprises a date display member which is a date display disk.

18. The horology calendar system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the month cam includes a month display member which is a month display disk.

19. The horology calendar system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the month cam is secured to a month display member which is a month display disk.

20. The horology calendar system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the kinematic connection element is arranged so as to allow the driving of the month cam by one twelfth of a revolution over the course of one month.

Description

[0054] The attached drawings depict, by way of examples, two embodiments of horology calendar systems according to the invention.

[0055] FIGS. 1 to 10 depict a first embodiment of a horology calendar system according to the invention.

[0056] FIGS. 11 to 15 depict a second embodiment of a horology calendar system according to the invention.

[0057] A first aspect of the invention is illustrated by a first embodiment of a timepiece 120 which is described hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10. The timepiece is, for example, a wristwatch.

[0058] The timepiece may comprise a horology movement 110, notably a mechanical movement.

[0059] The horology movement comprises a first embodiment of a calendar system 100 according to the invention. Advantageously, the calendar system is of the annual date or even perpetual date type.

[0060] The horology calendar system 100 comprises: [0061] a date display member 10 comprising an opening 10a, and [0062] a month display member 30 arranged in such a way as to display an indication of the month in the opening 10a, notably when the opening 10a is visible to a user of the calendar system and/or when the calendar system is indicating the first day of a given month.

[0063] For preference, the opening 10a is a first aperture facing a date indication or juxtaposed with a date indication, particularly facing the date 1 or juxtaposed with the date 1. In the first embodiment described, the opening 10a is therefore juxtaposed with the indication of the first day of the month. It is, of course, possible, to position the opening 10a facing a different date.

[0064] For preference also, the month display member 30 or month indicator member is arranged in such a way as to display an indication of the month in the opening 10a when the calendar system is indicating the first day of a given month.

[0065] In the first embodiment, the month display wheel is actuated over one single solitary angular step of the date disk performed between the first and thirty-first day of a current month.

[0066] The first embodiment has the particular feature of being provided with a date wheel 1 which comprises a first external toothset 1a designed to mesh with a toothset 2a of a programming assembly 2. The date wheel 1 has a toothset 1b which is reduced to one tooth 1b intended to mesh both with a toothset 2b of the programming assembly 2 as depicted in FIG. 2 and with a toothset 3a of a month wheel 3 as depicted in FIG. 3. The toothsets 1a and 1b are in this instance arranged on two distinct levels.

[0067] The date display member 10 or date indicating member is arranged above the month indicating member 30. Thus, as long as the opening 10a formed on the member 10 is not arranged facing the second aperture 4 as depicted in FIG. 4, the month indication is not visible to the user through a glass of the timepiece and notably through a second aperture 4 made, for example, in a dial 99 (depicted partially in FIG. 6). In order to achieve this, the horology calendar system may include the dial equipped with the second date display aperture in which the opening is arranged in order to appear.

[0068] During the phases of immobilization of the wheels 1 and 3, these are indexed in the conventional way using jumpers 5, 6 of which the heads or the beaks 5a, 6a are respectively designed to collaborate with the toothsets 1a and 3a as depicted in FIG. 3.

[0069] The assembly 2 is arranged in such a way that the calendar system distinguishes long months from short months. To do that, the toothsets 2a, 2b of the assembly 2 are both designed to be actuated, every day, by a drive element 7 of the calendar system which is provided with two drive fingers 7a, 7b each of which is devoted to the driving of the toothsets 2a, 2b. The finger 7b actuates the toothset 2b via a toothset 2c, these two toothsets 2b and 2c rotating as one as a result of a pin 200 as shown in FIG. 5.

[0070] Interaction between a tooth of the toothset 2a of the assembly 2 and a tooth of the toothset 1a of the wheel 1 occurs at each change of date. By contrast, interaction between one tooth of the toothset 2b of the assembly 2 and the tooth 1b of the wheel 1 occurs only at the end of each short month, more particularly during the transition of the display from the thirtieth to the thirty-first day of each short month. By way of example, FIGS. 6 to 8 illustrate the mechanism at the end of the month of November. FIG. 6 depicts the state of the calendar system during the transition in display from the thirtieth to the thirty-first day. In this configuration, the finger 7b leads the toothset 2b which actuates the tooth 1b over a first angular step of the date wheel. FIG. 7 depicts the state of the calendar system during the transition in display from the thirty-first day of the month to the first day of the month of December. In this configuration, the finger 7a leads the toothset 2a which actuates the toothset 1a over a second angular step of the date wheel. Thus, for an action, notably a revolution, of the drive element 7 of the calendar system, the date wheel 1 has advanced by two steps, as has the date display member 10 which has moved on from a state displaying 30 to a state displaying 1. In consequence, the system comprises at least one tooth 1b of the date wheel 1 which is arranged to allow the date display member 10 an additional jump at the end of a thirty-day month. FIG. 8 illustrates the final state of the calendar system after the two transitions described above.

[0071] During these phases of changing the date at the end of the month, it is noted that the month wheel 3, particularly the month display member 30, remains immobile. It may be noted that, in the operating sequence illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 8, the month wheel 3 has been prepositioned such that the month display member 30 can indicate the display corresponding to the month of the first date indicated by the member 10. By way of example, FIG. 8 depicts the configuration of the calendar system at the date of the first of December. In this configuration, the wearer of the watch is informed of the current month on the first of each month, notably for the purpose of setting the calendar system if required.

[0072] Actuation of the month wheel 3 is performed during the course of the month when the tooth 1b acts on the toothset 3a, more particularly during the transition from the eleventh to the twelfth day of a current month, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. For the sake of clarity, the dates 10, 11 and 12 are not indicated on the date display disk 10. Advantageously, the movement of the month display member 30 cannot be seen by the wearer of the watch given that the opening 10a is not positioned in the second aperture 4 of the dial 99. Thus, according to this embodiment, from the twelfth day of a current month onwards, the month wheel 3 is positioned in such a way that the month display member 30 can indicate the month to come, as depicted in FIG. 10. Accordingly, a drive element 1 for driving the month wheel is arranged in such a way that the month wheel or the month display member is driven while the month display member and/or the opening 10a is not visible to the user. In particular, the drive element is arranged in such a way that the month wheel or the month display member is driven between the second and the thirtieth day of the month indicated by the calendar system, particularly between the tenth and the twentieth day of the month indicated by the calendar system.

[0073] For preference also, the drive element for driving the month display member is arranged so as to drive the month display member by one step while the date display member is driven by one step.

[0074] The drive element is advantageously the date wheel. It comprises at least one tooth 1b meshing with several teeth 3a of the month wheel 3, particularly one tooth 1b meshing with twelve teeth 3a of the month wheel 3.

[0075] Such an embodiment makes it possible to use a simplified date wheel provided only with two separate levels for setting out the toothsets 1a, 1b. This also results in a design that is more compact, with the calendar module thickness minimized. Alternatively, the toothset 1b could be arranged on the same level as the toothset 1a by using a geometry of the toothset 1b that differs from that of toothset 1a.

[0076] A second embodiment of a timepiece 220 is described hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 11 to 15. The timepiece is, for example, a wristwatch.

[0077] The timepiece may comprise a horology movement 210, notably a mechanical movement.

[0078] The horology movement comprises a second embodiment of a calendar system 200 according to the invention. Advantageously, the calendar system is of the annual date or even perpetual date type.

[0079] The horology calendar system 200 comprises: [0080] a date display member 10 comprising an opening 10a, and [0081] a month display member 30 arranged in such a way as to display an indication of the month in the opening 10a.

[0082] Those elements of the first and second embodiments of the calendar system that have the same structure or the same function are referenced by the same numerical symbols.

[0083] The first aspect of the invention is also illustrated by the second embodiment described hereinbelow. This second embodiment differs from the first embodiment described above chiefly in that: [0084] the month wheel is driven by one step over several driving steps for driving the date wheel; and/or [0085] the date display member and the month display member are pivoted about one and the same axis P, namely coaxially, and/or the date wheel and the month wheel are pivoted about one and the same axis P, namely coaxially.

[0086] In the second embodiment, the month display wheel is thus actuated over several angular steps of the date disk as depicted in FIGS. 11 to 13. The calendar system notably comprises a kinematic connection element 8 connecting the date wheel and the month wheel. For example, this connection element may be produced in the form of an intermediate wheel or in the form of a system in which one or more intermediate wheels mesh on the one hand with the date wheel, at least over a toothed sector of the date wheel, and mesh on the other hand with the month wheel. During conventional operation of the calendar system, the angular position of the date wheel may be indexed by means of a jumper 5 the beak 5a of which is designed to collaborate with a toothset of the date wheel. The angular position of the month wheel 3 is for its part guaranteed, give or take the tooth lash, via the connection element which meshes with the date wheel and the month wheel.

[0087] The date wheel 1 has an interior toothset 1a designed to be actuated by a date drive finger 7a. In the embodiment depicted, the date wheel further comprises a toothset 1b arranged at the exterior periphery of the wheel 1 and designed to mesh with a toothset 3a of the month wheel 3 via the kinematic connection element 8. The connection element is pivoted about an axis parallel to the axis P.

[0088] The connection element 8 may for example comprise a Maltese cross 8 as depicted in FIGS. 11 to 13. The Maltese cross may comprise protrusions 8a meshing with n teeth 1b of the date wheel. The Maltese cross has a toothset 8b meshing with a toothset 3a of the month wheel 3. n is preferably a natural integer greater than 1, notably n=2 or n=3 or n=4 or n=5. Thus, the connection element 8 is arranged to drive the month wheel by at most 1/n of a step while the date display member is driven by one step.

[0089] In conventional operation of the calendar system, the angular position of the wheel 1 is indexed by means of a jumper 5 the beak 5a of which is designed to mesh with the toothset 1a. The angular position of the wheel 3 is itself guaranteed, give or take the tooth lash, by an exterior circular periphery 1c of the wheel 1 which is designed to engage with a polygonal or substantially polygonal profile 8c of the connection element 8.

[0090] Actuation of the month wheel is performed by meshing of the toothset 1b with a toothset 8a of the connection element 8 and by meshing of the toothset 8b with the toothset 3a. Accordingly, during certain steps of the date wheel, the month wheel is driven by at most 1/n of a step and during other steps of the date wheel, the month wheel is not driven.

[0091] In the embodiment depicted, the date wheel has four teeth 1b. A date jump drives the month wheel 3 over one quarter of its angular step, when a tooth 1b interacts with the connection element. However, a jump in date does not cause the month wheel 3 to move when no tooth 1b is interacting with the connection element. In other words, the month wheel is actuated over four angular steps of the date disk. For example, these actuations or drives occur when passing from the second to the third day of the month, from the tenth to the eleventh day of the month, from the seventeenth to the eighteenth day of the month and from the twenty-fifth to the twenty-sixth day of the month, which are displayed in the aperture 4 of the dial 99 (depicted partially in FIG. 13). Alternatively, the month wheel 3 may be actuated over the entire month, namely over thirty-one angular steps of the date wheel, thanks to a suitable structure of the date wheel, of the month wheel and of the connection element.

[0092] Thus, in this second embodiment, the energy required for the change in month can be distributed over several instantaneous date jumps, and this can be achieved without an additional jumper. The energy devoted to the change in month indication is therefore very low and has no negative impact on the precision of the watch.

[0093] As in the first embodiment, the month indication is preferably not visible through the aperture 4 as long as the opening 10a formed on the member 10 is not positioned in the aperture 4. In the second embodiment, the opening 10a is juxtaposed with the indication of the first date 1 as depicted in FIGS. 11 to 13.

[0094] The construction illustrated in FIGS. 11 to 13 also allows the center of the movement to be kept clear so that it can be devoted to displaying a different time or date indication.

[0095] In the various embodiments, the month wheel 3 may be secured to a month cam or programming cam 300 used for programming the annual or perpetual calendar, as illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15. The cam and the month wheel may form a unitary assembly or be formed as a single component. Alternatively, the cam and the wheel may be attached to one another. Such a construction in which the cam and the month wheel are secured to one another may be particularly beneficial for an annual or perpetual calendar system of which the programming cam, because of the very structure of the system, cannot be actuated during the transition from the thirty-first day of a given month to the first day of the following month. Advantageously, the cam is an annular cam. The month cam may include a member for displaying or indicating the month, particularly a month display disk. Alternatively, the month cam is secured to a member for displaying or indicating the month, particularly a month display disk. The month cam may be provided with a cam surface arranged on the interior or exterior periphery.

[0096] Thus, the month display member 30 and the calendar programming cam 300 may be driven simultaneously or together.

[0097] By way of example, FIG. 15 depicts a mechanism for indexing the position of the date wheel using a month cam 300 designed to distinguish the short months comprising thirty days at most from the long months comprising thirty-one days. In this mechanism, a date disk indexing and drive lever 9 is controlled in terms of position by the cam 300, via a first roller 9a pivoted on the lever, so that a second roller 9b pivoted on the lever can be positioned or not in the path of a date disk indexing toothset 1d. Thus, when the second roller intercepts the path of the toothset 1d, at the end of a short month, the indexing toothset is active and a date disk indexing jumper 91 is not active. It then follows that, when the date wheel is positioned to indicate 30 and a drive finger is acting on the date wheel to drive it, collaboration between the lever and the toothset is such that the next date indicated in a stable manner by the date disk is 1. By contrast, when the second roller does not intercept the path of the toothset 1d, at the end of a long month, the indexing toothset 1d is not active and the date disk indexing jumper 91 is active. It then follows that, when the date wheel is positioned to indicate 30 and a drive finger acts on the date wheel to drive it, collaboration between the jumper 91 and the toothset 1a is such that the next date indicated in a stable manner by the date disk is 31.

[0098] In the example illustrated in FIG. 15, the lever 9, designed to collaborate with the cam 300, is pivoted on the movement framework of a horology movement. Alternatively, the lever 9 may for example be pivoted on a horology wheel, for example a date wheel.

[0099] In the example illustrated in FIG. 15, the lever 9 is designed to collaborate with a toothset 1d of the date wheel. Alternatively, the lever 9 may take the form of a retractable toothset of the date wheel designed to collaborate with an additional driving element of the date wheel.

[0100] In the example of FIG. 15, the lever 9 is designed to collaborate with the exterior periphery of the cam 300. Of course, the lever 9 may collaborate with the interior periphery of the cam 300.

[0101] Thus, the month cam is arranged in such a way as to define: [0102] a first state of the calendar system in which, while the date wheel is in a position for indicating the date 30, an action of the drive element 7 of the calendar system causes the date wheel to advance by two steps; and [0103] a second state of the calendar system in which, while the date wheel is in a position for indicating the date 30, an action of the drive element 7 of the calendar system causes the date wheel to advance by one step.

[0104] In other words, the invention also relates to a method of operation of a horology calendar system or of a horology movement or of a timepiece, in which the method comprises the following steps: [0105] Positioning the month cam in a first position defining a first state of the calendar system in which, while the date wheel is in a position for indicating the date 30, an action of the drive element 7 of the calendar system causes the date wheel to advance by two steps; and [0106] Positioning the month cam in a second position defining a second state of the calendar system in which, while the date wheel is in a position for indicating the date 30, an action of the drive element 7 of the calendar system causes the date wheel to advance by one step.

[0107] According to the second aspect of the invention illustrated by the second embodiment of the calendar system, the horology calendar system 200 preferably comprises: [0108] the date wheel 1; [0109] the month cam 300; and [0110] the kinematic connection element 8 arranged such that the date wheel allows the driving of the motion of the month cam.

[0111] For preference, the driving of the motion of the month cam is performed exclusively by the date wheel 1. More particularly, the driving of the motion of the month cam is preferably performed exclusively by the date wheel 1 via the kinematic connection element 8.

[0112] As seen earlier, the date wheel may comprise the date display or indicating member, particularly the date display disk.

[0113] Likewise, the month wheel may comprise the month display or indicating member, particularly the month display disk.

[0114] The kinematic connection element is preferably arranged to allow the driving, notably the exclusive driving, of the month cam by one step, particularly by one twelfth of a revolution, over the course of one month. In particular, the kinematic connection element may be arranged to allow the driving of the month cam by at most 1/n of a step while the date wheel is driven by one step, where n is a natural integer greater than 1, notably n=2 or n=3 or n=4 or n=5.

[0115] As seen earlier, the kinematic connection element may comprise an intermediate wheel device meshing with the month cam and meshing with the date wheel.

[0116] In the various embodiments, the date wheel and the date display or indicating member may form a unitary assembly or be made as one component. Alternatively, the member and the wheel may be attached to one another. Likewise, the month wheel and the month display or indicating member may form a unitary assembly or be formed as a single component. Alternatively, the member and the wheel may be attached to one another.

[0117] In the various embodiments, the opening 10a formed on this member 10 may of course consist of a transparent zone of the same member, notably a first transparent zone incorporated within a more extensive translucent or opaque second zone. For a timepiece that has no dial, notably a timepiece of the skeleton type, the opening 10a is in itself enough to make the month indication visible.

[0118] In the various embodiments, indication of the first day of the month 1 or of any other day of the month intended to be displayed with the indication of the month may, moreover, be borne by the month display member 30.

[0119] For preference, a calendar system according to the invention is accompanied by a rapid correction system. Such a calendar system may also be provided with a mechanism that allows the opening 10a to appear only during the mode for setting the calendar system, for example as a function of the axial position of the adjusting stem used to set the horology movement.

[0120] In the various embodiments, the horology calendar system is preferably of the instantaneous-jump type.

[0121] In the various embodiments, the date display member and/or the month display member are preferably disks or annular portions of disks. Alternatively, one and/or the other of the display members may comprise a hand intended to collaborate with a limb.

[0122] In this document, an interesting embodiment of the kinematic connection element has been disclosed in detail. However, obviously, alternative kinematic connection elements can be used, as previously mentioned above. For example, the kinematic connection element may be any reducing gear system meshing both with the date wheel and with the month cam and the gear wheel of which allows to rotate the month cam by a twelfth of a revolution while the date wheel is rotated by one revolution or more generally which allows to drive the month cam by one step during one month.