ELECTROMECHANICAL HOROLOGICAL MOVEMENT COMPRISING A WHEEL SET CARRYING A DISPLAY MEMBER AND PROVIDED WITH A BRAKING DEVICE
20250298375 · 2025-09-25
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
G04B35/00
PHYSICS
International classification
Abstract
An electromechanical horological movement (2) including an electromechanical motor (54), a display wheel set (30) arranged to be rotated by the electromechanical motor and including an arbor (36) intended to carry a display hand (48), and a braking device associated with the display wheel set and including a braking spring (10) and a washer (8) arranged between the braking spring and the arbor of the display wheel set, the braking spring being arranged so as to be able to generate, via the washer against which this braking spring presses, a braking torque on the display wheel set, as soon as this display wheel set is subjected to a rotary drive torque. The washer and the braking spring are arranged so that the washer remains stationary and non-rotating in normal operation.
Claims
1. An electromechanical horological movement comprising an electromechanical motor, a display wheel set arranged to be rotated by the electromechanical motor and comprising an arbor intended to carry a display member, and a braking device associated with the display wheel set and comprising a braking spring and an intermediate part arranged between the braking spring and the arbor of the display wheel set, the braking spring being arranged so as to be able to generate, via the intermediate part against which this braking spring presses, a braking torque on the display wheel set, as soon as this display wheel set is subjected to a rotary drive torque, the intermediate part and the braking spring being arranged so that the intermediate part remains stationary and non-rotating in normal operation, the intermediate part having a lateral surface pressing against a surface of revolution of said arbor, and a bearing surface against which the braking spring exerts an overall pressing force towards said arbor in order to generate a friction force between the lateral surface and the surface of revolution that generates said braking torque.
2. The horological movement according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate part exerts exclusively radial pressure on the arbor of the display wheel set.
3. The horological movement according to claim 1, wherein the arbor defines a central axis, wherein said surface of revolution is cylindrical and axial and said lateral surface is axial.
4. The horological movement according to claim 1, wherein the braking spring is a wire spring or a strip spring whose longitudinal axis is located in a geometric plane parallel to a general plane of the movement.
5. The horological movement according to claim 4, wherein the braking spring is arranged so that a middle part of this braking spring exerts said pressing force on said bearing surface of the intermediate part; and wherein two end parts of the braking spring, located respectively on either side of said middle part, are stressed by two distant parts of the horological movement so that this middle part exerts the pressing force on said bearing surface.
6. The horological movement according to claim 5, wherein the braking spring is not fastened to the horological movement but is held under tension by said distant parts of this horological movement against which said two end parts of the braking spring press in two respective directions in said geometric plane.
7. The horological movement according to claim 5, wherein this movement comprises an eccentric whose axis of rotation is perpendicular to said geometric plane and which is arranged so as to press against the braking spring in order to be able to vary, by rotation about its axis of rotation, said pressing force exerted by the braking spring on the intermediate part.
8. The horological movement according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate part is a washer having a central opening through which the arbor of the display wheel set passes, said lateral surface of this washer being defined by a cylindrical surface of its central opening.
9. The horological movement according to claim 8, wherein the washer has, on its periphery, a groove defining said bearing surface and into which is inserted at least partially a part of the braking spring exerting said pressing force in the direction of said arbor.
10. The horological movement according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate part is arranged facing an abutment surface which is diametrically opposite said bearing surface, so that the intermediate part and the braking spring can be preassembled in the electromechanical horological movement, before assembling the display wheel set, with the intermediate part bearing against the abutment surface.
11. The horological movement according to claim 10, wherein the abutment surface is arranged in such a way that, following prior assembly of the intermediate part and of the braking spring, the central cylindrical opening in the intermediate part has at least one zone that is superimposed with the central cylindrical opening in a pipe or tube, which is rotatable or fixed, into which part of the arbor of the display wheel set is inserted, so that the arbor can, when the display wheel set is mounted in the electromechanical horological movement, penetrate the two central circular openings without initially having to exert a radial force on the intermediate part.
12. The horological movement according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the arbor defining said surface of revolution is made of steel or consists of a copper alloy and at least part of the intermediate part defining said lateral surface consists of a copper alloy or steel respectively.
13. The horological movement according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the arbor defining said surface of revolution is made of steel or consists of a copper alloy and at least part of the intermediate part defining said lateral surface consists of polymers.
14. The horological movement according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the arbor defining said surface of revolution is made of steel or consists of a copper alloy and at least part of the intermediate part defining said lateral surface consists of a ceramic, including ruby or zirconia, or of a material containing gold or nickel and forming an outer layer at least partially covering the intermediate part.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0012] The invention will be described in more detail hereafter using the accompanying drawings, given by way of examples that are in no way limiting, wherein:
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[0022]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] A main embodiment of an electromechanical horological movement 2 according to the invention will be described below with reference to
[0024] The electromechanical horological movement 2 comprises: [0025] an electromechanical motor 54, in particular of the stepper type, comprising a rotor 56 fitted with a pinion 58, [0026] a first wheel set 30, forming a display wheel set, intended to carry a display member 48, in particular a seconds hand, and driven rotatably by a second wheel set 52, which is driven rotatably by the rotor 56, via its pinion 58, when the electromechanical motor 54 is activated, [0027] a braking spring 10 arranged so as to be able to generate on the first wheel set 30, as soon as this first wheel set is subjected to a rotary drive torque, a braking torque intended to prevent the display member 48 from trembling, as well as a permanent radial force which keeps the display member in a stable position when it is stationary, and also when it is between driving pulses, and thus prevents this display member from floating.
[0028] According to the invention, the electromechanical horological movement 2 comprises a braking device 6 acting on the display wheel set 30 and comprising the braking spring 10 and an intermediate part 8 arranged between the braking spring and an arbor 36 of the first wheel set 30. The braking spring is arranged so as to be able to generate, via the intermediate part against which this braking spring presses, a braking torque on the display wheel set, as soon as this display wheel set is subjected to a rotary drive torque. For this purpose, the intermediate part has a lateral surface 9 pressing against a surface of revolution 35 of the arbor, and a bearing surface 25 against which the braking spring exerts an overall pressing force in the direction of the arbor in order to generate a friction force between the lateral surface 9 and the surface of revolution 35, this friction force generating the braking torque. Thus, the braking torque is exerted on the first wheel set/display wheel set by the braking spring via the intermediate part against which the braking spring presses. The intermediate part 8 and the braking spring 10 are arranged so that the intermediate part remains stationary and non-rotating in normal operation. The arbor 36 of the first wheel set 30 and the intermediate part are configured so that the surface of revolution 35 of the arbor can slide on the lateral surface 9 while being subjected to a dynamic friction force which generates the braking torque. Before the surface of revolution slides on the lateral surface, a static friction force generates the braking torque and thus keeps the arbor stationary.
[0029] Preferably, the intermediate part 8 exerts an exclusively radial pressure on the arbor 36 of the first wheel set 30. According to an advantageous feature, the braking spring 10 exerts an exclusively radial overall pressing force on the intermediate part. The bearing surface 25 is opposite the lateral surface 9, i.e. the bearing surface is located on one side of the intermediate part 8 which is opposite another side of this intermediate part defining the lateral surface 9. This alternative embodiment is advantageous because the braking device bears against an undercut part whose radial shake varies little and thus gives a constant braking torque for a given friction force between the surface of revolution 35 and the lateral surface 9. In an advantageous alternative embodiment shown in the figures, the surface of revolution 35 of the arbor 36 is cylindrical and axial and the lateral surface 9 of the intermediate part is axial, i.e. the cylindrical surface of revolution 35 and the lateral surface 9 are oriented along the axis of rotation 42 of the first wheel set 30 which is coincident with the central axis of the arbor 36, the lateral surface 9 and the cylindrical surface of revolution 35 thus being parallel to this axis of rotation 42. In a preferred alternative embodiment, the intermediate part 8 and the braking spring 10 are configured so that said pressing force remains constant once the display wheel set is assembled in the movement and the braking device is fully assembled and adjusted.
[0030] According to a main alternative embodiment, the braking spring 10 is a wire spring or a strip spring whose longitudinal axis lies in a geometric plane parallel to a general plane 50 of the electromechanical horological movement 2.
[0031] According to the alternative embodiment shown, the intermediate part 8 is a washer having a central cylindrical opening in which, without any interaction from the braking spring 10, the arbor 36 of the first wheel set 30 would slide and rotate freely, said lateral surface 9 of this washer 8 being defined by the cylindrical surface, which is preferably circular (i.e. of revolution), of its central cylindrical opening.
[0032] According to a particular alternative embodiment, the washer 8 has, on its periphery, a circular groove 24 defining the bearing surface 25 and into which is at least partially inserted part of the braking spring 10 which exerts the radial pressing force. In particular, the groove 24 has a generally V-shaped cross-section and the braking spring 10 is a wire spring with a circular cross-section, as shown in
[0033] By way of non-limiting examples, in a first alternative embodiment, at least the part of the washer 8 defining its central cylindrical opening is made of a Copper Beryllium (CuBe) alloy when at least the part of the arbor defining the surface of revolution 35 is made of steel, or vice versa. This first alternative embodiment gives good tribological results. In a second alternative embodiment where said part of the arbor is made of steel or CuBe, at least the part of the washer defining its central cylindrical opening is made of polymers. Preferably, the entire washer is made of polymers. This second alternative embodiment is particularly advantageous for self-lubrication. In other alternative embodiments in which the arbor is made of steel or a copper alloy (for example CuBe or brass), at least the part of the washer defining its central cylindrical opening is made of bronze, nickel or gold, in particular in the form of a thin layer deposited on a base of another material in the case of nickel or gold, or more typically of a metal alloy containing gold or nickel. In other alternative embodiments, at least the part of the washer defining its central cylindrical opening is made of ceramic, in particular ruby or zirconia.
[0034] It should be noted that the material of the braking spring can be selected in such a way as to optimise the resilient nature of this spring and also its manufacture, without having to worry about friction and wear problems, given that the washer and more generally the intermediate part is intended to be static, i.e. stationary and non-rotating, during normal operation of the electromechanical horological movement. In the case of the washer, in order to prevent it from rotating, changes can either be made to the shape of the intermediate part and/or to the shape of the braking spring, as will be explained in more detail below, or changes can be made, in particular in the case of a washer, to the materials used to make the spring and at least the outer part of the intermediate part in contact with the spring and/or to the surface treatment applied to these parts in order to obtain a high friction force between the braking spring and the intermediate part.
[0035] According to another preferred alternative embodiment, the braking spring 10 is arranged in the electromechanical horological movement 2 in such a way that a middle part between its two end parts presses radially against the bearing surface 25 of the intermediate part/washer 8. More specifically, the braking spring 10 is arranged so that a middle part of this braking spring exerts said pressing force on the bearing surface 25 of the intermediate part/washer 8. To this end, the two end parts of the braking spring, located respectively on either side of said middle part, are stressed by two distant parts 16 and 20 of the horological movement so that this middle part exerts the pressing force on the bearing surface of the intermediate part/washer. This configuration of the braking device is advantageous because it allows the braking spring to be constantly pressed against the bearing surface of the intermediate part/washer. Moreover, this configuration is less sensitive to vibrations and impacts than if the braking spring had an anchoring point at one of its ends and a contact point at its other end.
[0036] In a particular alternative embodiment, the braking spring 10 is curved in its middle part and the bearing surface 25 of the intermediate part/washer 8 has a convex curvature in said geometric plane, relative to the arbor 36 of the first wheel set 30, and in particular a circular curvature in the case of the washer, which is followed, in a first alternative embodiment, by the middle part of the braking spring along the bearing surface. In a second alternative embodiment, the radius of curvature of the middle part is smaller than the average radius of curvature of the bearing surface, so that the braking spring presses against the intermediate part/washer at two points of the bearing surface, i.e. at two separate locations. It should be noted that, with a substantially V-shaped groove, a spring with a circular cross-section presses locally at a pair of axially aligned points. Thus, in such a configuration of the groove and of the braking spring, this spring presses at two pairs of points angularly spaced apart from one another, with each pair of points aligned in an axial direction, thus at two points projecting in the general plane of the spring, which is parallel to the general plane 50 of the movement. Finally, these alternative embodiments do not exclude other advantageous alternative embodiments in which the average radius of curvature of the middle part is greater than the radius of curvature of the bearing surface, resulting in the radial pressure being exerted at one point (i.e. at a pair of points aligned in an axial direction, but at a single point projecting in the general plane of the spring/general plane 50 of the movement).
[0037] According to an advantageous alternative embodiment, as shown in
[0038] Various other advantageous alternative embodiments are shown diagrammatically in
[0039] A particular alternative embodiment is diagrammatically shown in
[0040] According to a preferred alternative embodiment of the invention, the braking device 6 comprises an eccentric 20 whose axis of rotation is perpendicular to the general plane 50, and thus parallel to the central axis/axis of rotation 42 of the wheel set 30, and which is arranged so as to press radially against the braking spring in order to be able to vary, by rotation about its axis of rotation, said radial pressing force exerted by the braking spring on the intermediate part/washer. In the advantageous alternative embodiment shown in
[0041]
[0042]
[0043] To allow preliminary assembly of the braking device 6, the washer 8 is arranged on a support (base of the tube 44), at the plate 4, which has, on the periphery of the washer, an abutment surface 26 located horizontally facing the washer and diametrically opposite said bearing surface 25, so that the washer 8 and the braking spring 10 can be preassembled in the electromechanical horological movement 2, before assembly of the first wheel set 30, with the washer bearing against the abutment surface 26, as shown in
[0044] In a preferred alternative embodiment, the abutment surface 26 is arranged so that, following prior assembly of the washer 8 and the braking spring 10, the central cylindrical opening in the washer has at least one zone that is superimposed with the central circular opening in a pipe or tube 44, into which part of the arbor 36 of the first wheel set 30 is subsequently inserted, so that when the first wheel set is mounted in the electromechanical horological movement 2, the arbor can penetrate the two central openings without initially having to exert a radial force on the washer. As can be seen in
[0045] Once the first wheel set 30 is assembled in the horological movement, the washer 8 no longer bears against the side wall 26 of the plate 4, but bears, via its central cylindrical opening, against the arbor 36 of the first wheel set, more precisely against a surface of revolution 35, which is advantageously cylindrical and axial, of this arbor. This first wheel set can then be driven rotatably at times, on command, by the electromechanical motor 54 via the second wheel set 52.
[0046] The present invention has been described in detail for a seconds wheel set 30, but the braking device of the invention can be provided for other wheel sets of an electromechanical horological movement, in particular for a minutes wheel set or for a chrono wheel set.
[0047] The invention has several advantages, some of which have already been described. The braking device 6 comprises an eccentric 20 which makes it easy to adjust the radial pressing force exerted by the braking spring on the intermediate part/washer 8 and via this the radial force applied to the arbor 36 of the first wheel set 30, and to adjust the moment of frictional force applied to this first wheel set. The eccentric 20 allows the braking torque to be adjusted once the braking device has been fully mounted in the electromechanical horological movement and without having to remove the braking spring in order to slightly modify its initial shape. Given the presence of the washer 8 between the braking spring 10 and the arbor 36, and in addition to the fact that the forces involved are intended to be radial, the fitting of the seconds hand 48 on the first wheel set 30 and especially its removal, for example when this hand is changed or when cleaning the electromechanical horological movement, cannot damage the braking spring which is the delicate element in the braking device 6, the washer 8 being much more robust and able to withstand a certain amount of axial pressure against its support.
[0048] The braking device 6 is such that it is protected against stresses that could damage it during the assembly of other parts of the electromechanical horological movement, in particular during the assembly of the display wheel set 30. When the horological movement 2 is removed, and in particular when the display wheel set is removed, the braking device 6 can remain in place without altering its settings.
[0049] The braking device according to the invention makes it possible to predetermine the moment of frictional force relatively precisely, since the lateral surface 9 of the intermediate part, in particular of the washer 8, has a height which is generally much greater than that of the braking spring, since the material of the intermediate part/washer 8 can be selected and since the diameter of the surface of revolution, defining a cylindrical and axial surface, of the arbor 36 against which the intermediate part/washer 8 bears is precisely determined.