DEVICE AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING THE RATE OF A WATCH

• US 20180341226A1
• Filed: 04/20/2018
• Published: 11/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Swatch Group Research And Development Ltd
• Original Assignee: The Swatch Group Research And Development Ltd
• Inventors: FAVRE, Jerome, WILLEMIN, Michel, BORN, Jean-Jacques, LECHOT, Dominique, DI DOMENICO, Gianni
• Granted Patent: US 10,948,879 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 18/021 adjusting the indexing device from the outside
• CPC Class Codes: G04D 7/1264 for complete clockworks
• CPC Class Codes: G04D 7/1278 whereby the adjustment device works on the compass

Abstract

A method for adjusting the rate of a watch with an oscillator arranged to generate oscillation at a nominal frequency N0, with a servo-system including a master oscillator arranged to generate excitation oscillation at an excitation frequency NE, which is approximately equal to, or equal to the nominal frequency N0, or to an integer multiple of this nominal frequency N0, the watch is subjected to excitation oscillation or to a modulated motion, generated by the master oscillator, during a transition phase after which the oscillator of the watch is stabilised at excitation frequency NE, and there is incorporated in the servo-system a winder for mechanical or automatic watches, arranged to move a support on which such a watch is fixed.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting the rate of at least one watch or respectively one movement, said watch or respectively said movement comprising at least one basic oscillator arranged to generate oscillation at a nominal frequency N0, wherein there is used a servo-system comprising a master oscillator arranged to generate excitation oscillation at an excitation frequency NE which is approximately equal to, or equal to said nominal frequency N0, or to an integer multiple of said nominal frequency N0 and wherein said entire watch or respectively said entire movement is subjected to excitation oscillation generated by said master oscillator and/or to a modulated motion generated by said master oscillator, after an initial moment of actuation of said servo-system, at least during a transition phase at the end of which the frequency of the oscillator of said watch or respectively of said movement is stabilised at said excitation frequency NE, wherein there is incorporated in said servo-system a winder for mechanical or automatic watches, arranged to move at least one support on which is fixed said at least one watch or respectively said at least one movement.

2. The method for adjusting the rate of at least one watch or respectively one movement, according to claim 1, wherein said initial variation of rate value DI of said basic oscillator is measured or evaluated, and wherein said master oscillator, which has a master variation of rate value AM with respect to said reference that is lower than said initial variation of rate value DI, is used.

3. The method for adjusting the rate of at least one watch or respectively one movement, said watch or respectively said movement comprising at least one basic oscillator arranged to generate oscillation at a nominal frequency N0, wherein there is used a servo-system comprising a master oscillator arranged to generate excitation oscillation at an excitation frequency NE which is approximately equal to, or equal to said nominal frequency N0, or to an integer multiple of said nominal frequency N0 and wherein said entire watch or respectively said entire movement is subjected to excitation oscillation generated by said master oscillator and/or to a modulated motion generated by said master oscillator, after an initial moment of actuation of said servo-system, at least during a transition phase at the end of which the frequency of the oscillator of said watch or respectively of said movement is stabilised at said excitation frequency NE, wherein there is incorporated in said servo-system a winder for mechanical or automatic watches, arranged to move at least one support on which is fixed said at least one watch or respectively said at least one movement.

4. The method for adjusting the rate of at least one watch or respectively one movement according to claim 3, wherein the initial variation of rate value DI of said basic oscillator is measured, and wherein said master oscillator, which has a master variation of rate value AM with respect to said reference that is lower than said initial variation of rate value DI, is used.

5. A servo-system for adjusting the rate of a watch or respectively a movement, said watch or respectively said movement comprising at least one basic oscillator arranged to generate oscillation at a nominal frequency N0 with an initial variation of rate value DI, wherein said servo-system comprises a master oscillator arranged to generate excitation oscillation at an excitation frequency NE which is approximately equal to, or equal to said nominal frequency N0, or to an integer multiple of said nominal frequency N0, with a master variation of rate value AM with respect to a reference, which is lower than said initial variation of rate value DI, and wherein said servo-system is arranged to subject said entire watch or respectively said entire movement to excitation oscillation generated by said master oscillator, and/or to a modulated motion generated by said master oscillator, wherein said servo-system includes control means arranged to control the excitation oscillation of said master oscillator and interfaced with means for measuring the variation of rate of said watch or respectively of said movement, comprised in said servo-system.

6. The servo-system according to claim 5, wherein said servo-system comprises an automatic winder for mechanical or automatic watches with at least one support for receiving a watch or respectively a movement, in which support said servo-system comprises excitation means arranged to subject said entire watch or respectively said entire movement to excitation oscillation generated by said master oscillator, and/or drive means arranged to subject said entire watch or respectively said entire movement to a modulated motion generated by said master oscillator.

11. The interactive support device for correcting a watch or respectively a movement comprising at least one servo-system according to claim 5, wherein said interactive correction support device comprises central rate control means for adjusting to an identical variation of rate value all the watches subjected to said servo-systems.

12. The interactive support device for correcting a watch or respectively a movement according to claim 11, wherein said interactive correction support device comprises at least one automatic winder for mechanical or automatic watches, on which is fixed at least one support for receiving a watch or respectively a movement.

13. The interactive support device for correcting a watch or respectively a movement according to claim 11, wherein said interactive correction support device is a display unit for displaying watches and/or movements to the public.

14. A watch comprising at least one basic oscillator arranged to generate oscillation at a nominal frequency N0, with an initial variation of rate value DI, wherein said watch comprises a watch band comprising at least one servo-system according to claim 5.

15. The watch according to claim 14, wherein said watch comprises means for resonating its plate at said nominal frequency N0, or at an integer multiple of said nominal frequency N0.

16. A use of a servo-system according to claim 5, comprising a master oscillator arranged to generate excitation oscillation at an excitation frequency NE which is approximately equal to, or equal to a nominal frequency N0, or to an integer multiple of said nominal frequency N0, with a master variation of rate value AM with respect to a reference, for adjusting the rate of a watch or respectively a movement, said watch or respectively said movement comprising at least one basic oscillator arranged to generate oscillation at said nominal frequency N0, with an initial variation of rate value DI higher than said master value AM, by subjecting said entire watch or respectively said entire movement to excitation oscillation generated by said master oscillator, and/or to a modulated motion generated by said master oscillator, for a sufficient duration to stabilise the variation of rate of the oscillator of said watch at a variation of rate value lower than or approximately equal to, or equal to said master value AM.

7. An interactive support device for correction of a watch or respectively a movement comprising at least one servo-system, for adjusting the rate of a watch or respectively of a movement, said watch or respectively said movement comprising at least one basic oscillator arranged to generate oscillation at a nominal frequency N0 with an initial variation of rate value DI, wherein said servo-system comprises a master oscillator arranged to generate excitation oscillation at an excitation frequency NE which is approximately equal to, or equal to said nominal frequency N0, or to an integer multiple of said nominal frequency N0, with a master variation of rate value AM with respect to a reference, which is lower than said initial variation of rate value DI, and wherein said servo-system is arranged to subject said entire watch or respectively said entire movement to excitation oscillation generated by said master oscillator, and/or to a modulated motion generated by said master oscillator, wherein said interactive correction support device includes central means for controlling rate for adjusting to an identical variation of rate value all the watches subjected to said servo-systems.

8. The interactive support device for correction of a watch or respectively a movement according to claim 7, wherein said servo-system comprises an automatic winder for mechanical or automatic watches with at least one support for receiving a watch or respectively a movement, in which support said servo-system comprises excitation means arranged to subject said entire watch or respectively said entire movement to excitation oscillation generated by said master oscillator, and/or drive means arranged to subject said entire watch or respectively said entire movement to a modulated motion generated by said master oscillator.

9. The interactive support device for correcting a watch or respectively a movement according to claim 7, wherein said interactive correction support device comprises at least one automatic winder for mechanical or automatic watches, on which is fixed at least one support for receiving a watch or respectively a movement.

10. The interactive support device for correcting a watch or respectively a movement according to claim 7, wherein said interactive correction support device is a display unit for displaying watches and/or movements to the public.

17. The use of an automatic winder for mechanical or automatic watches with at least one support for receiving a watch or respectively a movement, to subject at least one entire watch or respectively one entire movement to an excitation oscillation generated by a master oscillator arranged to generate excitation oscillation at an excitation frequency NE which is approximately equal to, or equal to a nominal frequency N0, or to an integer multiple of said nominal frequency N0, with a master variation of rate value AM with respect to a reference, for adjusting the rate of a watch or respectively a movement, said watch or respectively said movement comprising at least one basic oscillator arranged to generate oscillation at said nominal frequency N0, with an initial variation of rate value DI higher than said master value AM, by subjecting said entire watch or respectively said entire movement to excitation oscillation generated by said master oscillator, and/or to a modulated motion generated by said master oscillator, for a sufficient duration to stabilise the variation of rate of the oscillator of said watch at a variation of rate value lower than or approximately equal to, or equal to said master value AM.

18. The use of an automatic winder according to claim 17, wherein said automatic winder is a part of a servo-system.

19. The use of an automatic winder according to claim 18, wherein said servo-system is part of an interactive correction support device.