Timepiece assembly

• US 10,452,028 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2017
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adam Heckelman
• Original Assignee: Adam Heckelman
• Inventors: Heckelman, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Leon, Edwin A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Collins, Jason M
• Application Number:
  US15/609,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20180004163A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 368 45, 434300, 434304, D10 1, D10 40, D10 41
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 33/04 Non-circular calibers
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 33/08 in which the gear train is arranged in different planes, e.g. parallel or inclined to each other G04B33/10 takes precedence case for special purposes, e.g. button or ring clockworks G04B37/12
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 33/14 Calibers of which the mainsprings or barrels are easily removable mainsprings G04B1/14; barrels, arbors G04B1/16 ; normal or mechanical winding G04B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 45/02 Time pieces of which the clockwork is visible partly or wholly figures or parts thereof moved by the clockwork G04B45/0038

Abstract

A timepiece, such as a watch, having a case, movement having an axis located within the case, gears connected to the movement, and one or more hands which may be driven by one or more gears. The gears are rotatably connected to a gear plane and are driven by the movement driving an axis extending through the gear plane. The gear plane has several connection points, such as perforations, indentations and/or protrusions, for the connection with the gears and with the hands. The gears drive the hands of the timepiece, which also include gears. The gears over the gear plane may be placed in one or more configurations to drive the hands.

Claims

1. A timepiece assembly, comprising:

a bottom case, having a motor containment area;

a gear plane connected to and generally parallel to the bottom case, the gear plane including an array of axis connection points comprising at least in part an evenly spaced two dimensional array of axis connection points;

a timepiece movement motor located at the motor containment area having a drive motor axis in fixed connection with a motor gear, wherein the drive motor axis passes through an axis connection point; and

a plurality of gears in mechanical connection with the motor gear and in rotational connection with a plurality of corresponding axis connection points;

wherein the axis connection points comprise at least one of perforations, indentations and protrusions;

wherein the plurality of gears includes gears having multiple gear heads and shafts of varying height;

wherein the plurality of gears are addable on the gear plane, movable on the gear plane and removable from the gear plane while providing for rotational movement of the plurality of gears.

2. The timepiece assembly of claim 1, further including

one or more display connection points located on the gear plane.

3. The timepiece assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of gears includes at least one multiple gear having a multiple gear head on a multiple gear shaft, wherein the multiple gear head interacts with one or more short gears and long gears longer in length than the short gears.

4. The timepiece assembly of claim 3, further comprising one or more hand gears in mechanical connection with at least one of the plurality of gears.

5. The timepiece assembly of claim 3, further comprising:

a cover frame connected to the gear plane, and

a cover attached to the cover frame,

wherein the cover frame is in movable connection with the gear plane.

6. The timepiece assembly of claim 1, wherein the gear plane is in movable connection with the bottom case.

7. A timepiece assembly, comprising:

a lower level base having one or more axis containment points in a first array;

a frame in mechanical connection with the lower level base having one or more voids in a second array complementary to the axis connection points;

a motor located on the lower level base, said motor in mechanical connection with a drive axis extending through a void in the frame corresponding to the motor;

a drive gear head connected to the drive axis located above the frame; and

a plurality of gears in mechanical connection with the drive gear, the plurality of gears having axes wherein the plurality of gear heads are located, above the frame and the respective axes extend through the voids to respective axis connection points in the lower level base.

8. The timepiece assembly of claim 7, wherein the plurality of gears are in mechanical connection with a clock gear assembly.

9. The timepiece assembly of claim 8, wherein additional gears may be located over voids in the frame and in mechanical connection with the clock gear assembly.

10. The timepiece assembly of claim 8, wherein the location of the plurality of gears may be rearranged on the frame and still be in connection with the clock gear assembly.

11. The timepiece assembly of claim 10, wherein additional gears may be added over voids in the frame in mechanical connection with the drive gear.