Optimized escapement

• US 9,292,002 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2014
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Swatch Group Research And Development Ltd (The Swatch Group AG)
• Original Assignee: The Swatch Group Research And Development Ltd (The Swatch Group AG)
• Inventors: Favre, Jerome, Di Domenico, Gianni
• Primary Examiner(s): Kayes, Sean
• Application Number:
  US14/560,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20150177690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 474 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 15/14 Component parts or constructional details, e.g. construction of the lever or the escape wheel assembly and manufacture of the spring G04B1/145; assembly and manufacture of components, e.g. pinions, spindles G04B13/02; lubrication of clockwork bearings G04B31/008; oils for clockwork bearings in general G04B31/08
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 17/06 Oscillators with hairsprings, e.g. balance electrically driven balances G04C3/04; contacts actuated by a balance G04C13/065
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 17/32 Component parts or constructional details, e.g. collet, stud , virole or piton
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/105 pawl and ratched-wheel being magnetically coupled
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 5/005 Magnetic or electromagnetic means

Abstract

A timepiece escapement mechanism includes a stopper between a resonator and an escape wheel set. The wheel set includes a magnetized track with an angular period of travel over which its magnetic characteristics are repeated. The stopper includes a magnetized or ferromagnetic pole shoe that is mobile in a transverse direction relative to the direction of travel of an element of a surface of the track. The pole shoe or the track creates a magnetic field in a pole gap between the pole shoe and the surface. The pole shoe is opposite a magnetic field barrier on the track just before each transverse motion of the stopper commanded by the periodic action of this resonator. The stopper is multistable and arranged to occupy at least two stable positions.

Claims

1. An escapement mechanism for a timepiece, comprising:

a stopper between a resonator and an escape wheel set,

wherein said escape wheel set includes at least one magnetized or ferromagnetic, or respectively, electrized or electrostatically conductive track with an angular period of travel over which the magnetic, or respectively, electrostatic characteristics thereof are repeated, said stopper including at least one magnetized or ferromagnetic, or respectively, electrized or electrostatically conductive pole shoe, said pole shoe being movable in a transverse direction relative to the direction of travel of at least one element of a surface of said track, and at least said pole shoe or said track creating a magnetic or electrostatic field in a pole gap between said at least one pole shoe and said at least one surface,

wherein said pole shoe is confronted with a magnetic or electrostatic field barrier on said track just before each transverse motion of said stopper actuated by the periodic action of said resonator,

wherein said stopper is multistable and arranged to occupy at least two stable positions, and

wherein said magnetic or electrostatic field, created by said pole shoe or said track, in a pole gap between said at least one pole shoe and said at least one surface, generates a torque or force which is applied to said at least one pole shoe and said at least one surface, and further wherein said torque or force is a periodic braking torque or force according to said angular period of travel, with, starting from a null value for said torque or force, a first half-period including a ramp of potential wherein said braking torque or force is substantially constant around a first value, and a second part of the period including a barrier of potential wherein said braking torque or force increases and reaches the maximum value thereof which is a second value at least three times said first value and of the same sign as said first value.

2. The escapement mechanism according to claim 1, wherein each said track includes, before each said barrier, a ramp interacting in an increasing manner with a said pole shoe with a magnetic or respectively, electrostatic field whose intensity varies so as to produce increasing potential energy, said ramp taking energy from said escape wheel set and in that each said barrier of potential is steeper than each said ramp of potential.

3. The escapement mechanism according to claim 2, wherein, between two said successive ramps of the same said track or two said neighbouring tracks in said direction of travel, said escape wheel set includes said magnetic, or respectively, electrostatic field barrier of potential, for triggering a momentary stop of escape wheel set prior to a tilting of said stopper under the periodic action of said oscillator.

4. The escapement mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said torque or force is a periodic braking torque or force according to said angular period of travel, and in that, starting from a null value for said torque or force at the start of said period, said braking torque or force is of a positive intensity with an increasing value over a first angle until reaching a plateau and with a substantially constant first value over a second angle, the combination of said first angle and said second angle forming a ramp of potential, until a threshold is reached, after which the intensity then increases to a second maximum value higher than said first value over a third angle, at the end of said third angle corresponding to a peak at a maximum level of torque or force at said second value, after which the intensity of said torque or force falls over a fourth angle to reach a null value, which corresponds to a maximum energy level, and the combination of said third angle and said fourth angle constitutes a barrier of potential at which the braking torque or force is positive, then beyond which said braking torque or force continues to fall over a fifth angle until reaching a minimal negative intensity at a trough, before climbing once again, over a sixth angle to return to a positive value and start the next period, and wherein TD=T1+T2+T3+T4+T5+T6, and wherein T1+T2≧

TD/2.

5. The escapement mechanism according to claim 4, wherein said barrier defines a discontinuity threshold by the sudden increase or reduction in said torque or force, over a travel corresponding to said third angle, and in that said third angle is less than a third of said second angle.

6. The escapement mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said second maximum value is more than six times greater than said first value.

7. The escapement mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said mechanism includes mechanical stopping means to prevent said stopper from changing to negative torque over a fifth angle or a sixth angle of said second half-period.

8. The escapement mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said stopper is a pallet fork.

16. A timepiece movement comprising:

at least one escapement mechanism according to claim 1.

17. A timepiece comprising:

at least one movement according to claim 16.

9. An escapement mechanism for a timepiece, comprising:

a stopper between a resonator and an escape wheel set,

wherein said escape wheel set includes at least one magnetized or ferromagnetic, or respectively, electrized or electrostatically conductive track with an angular period of travel over which the magnetic, or respectively, electrostatic characteristics thereof are repeated, said stopper including at least one magnetized or ferromagnetic, or respectively, electrized or electrostatically conductive pole shoe, said pole shoe being movable in a transverse direction relative to the direction of travel of at least one element of a surface of said track, and at least said pole shoe or said track creating a magnetic or electrostatic field in a pole gap between said at least one pole shoe and said at least one surface,

wherein said pole shoe is confronted with a magnetic or electrostatic field barrier on said track just before each transverse motion of said stopper actuated by the periodic action of said resonator,

wherein said stopper is multistable and arranged to occupy at least two stable positions,

wherein said escapement accumulates potential energy received from said wheel set during each half of said period, and returns energy to said resonator between said half-periods during said transverse motion of said stopper actuated by the periodic action of said resonator, wherein said pole shoe changes from a first relative transverse half-travel in relation to said escape wheel set to a second relative transverse half-travel in relation to said escape wheel set, or inversely, and

wherein at least said pole shoe or said track creates said magnetic or electrostatic field of a greater intensity in said first half-travel than in said second half-travel during a first half-period, and inversely during a second half-period.

10. An escapement mechanism for a timepiece, comprising:

a stopper between a resonator and an escape wheel set,

wherein said escape wheel set includes at least one magnetized or ferromagnetic, or respectively, electrized or electrostatically conductive track with an angular period of travel over which the magnetic, or respectively, electrostatic characteristics thereof are repeated, said stopper including at least one magnetized or ferromagnetic, or respectively, electrized or electrostatically conductive pole shoe, said pole shoe being movable in a transverse direction relative to the direction of travel of at least one element of a surface of said track, and at least said pole shoe or said track creating a magnetic or electrostatic field in a pole gap between said at least one pole shoe and said at least one surface,

wherein said pole shoe is confronted with a magnetic or electrostatic field barrier on said track just before each transverse motion of said stopper actuated by the periodic action of said resonator,

wherein said stopper is multistable and arranged to occupy at least two stable positions,

wherein said escapement accumulates potential energy received from said wheel set during each half of said period, and returns energy to said resonator between said half-periods during said transverse motion of said stopper actuated by the periodic action of said resonator, wherein said pole shoe changes from a first relative transverse half-travel in relation to said escape wheel set to a second relative transverse half-travel in relation to said escape wheel set, or inversely, and

wherein said resonator includes at least one oscillator with periodic movement, in that said escape wheel set is powered by an energy source, in that said at least one track is animated with a motion of travel according to a trajectory of travel and includes the physical characteristics reproduced according to said period of travel, and in that said pole shoe is movable in the transverse direction in relation to the direction of travel of said track on a transverse trajectory substantially orthogonal to said trajectory of travel and effecting said first half-travel on a first side of a fixed median position and said second half-travel on a second side of said median position, and wherein, in said pole gap, said track and/or said pole shoe creates said magnetic or electrostatic field whose intensity is greater in said first half-travel than in said second half-travel during the first half of said period of travel, and whose intensity is greater in said second half-travel than in said first half-travel during the second half of said period of travel, and in that said escapement mechanism accumulates the potential energy transmitted from said energy source via said escape wheel set during each said first half or second half of said period of travel, and in that said escapement mechanism returns said energy to said oscillator during said transverse motion of said stopper actuated by said resonator between said first half and said second half of said period of travel, during said transverse motion said pole shoe changes from said first half-travel to said second half-travel or inversely under the effect of the periodic action of said oscillator on said stopper, said pole shoe being then opposite said magnetic or electrostatic field barrier on the part of said track opposite to which said pole shoes moves just before said transverse motion.

11. An escapement mechanism for a timepiece, comprising:

a stopper between a resonator and an escape wheel set,

wherein said escape wheel set includes at least one magnetized or ferromagnetic, or respectively, electrized or electrostatically conductive track with an angular period of travel over which the magnetic, or respectively, electrostatic characteristics thereof are repeated, said stopper including at least one magnetized or ferromagnetic, or respectively, electrized or electrostatically conductive pole shoe, said pole shoe being movable in a transverse direction relative to the direction of travel of at least one element of a surface of said track, and at least said pole shoe or said track creating a magnetic or electrostatic field in a pole gap between said at least one pole shoe and said at least one surface,

wherein said pole shoe is confronted with a magnetic or electrostatic field barrier on said track just before each transverse motion of said stopper actuated by the periodic action of said resonator,

wherein said stopper is multistable and arranged to occupy at least two stable positions, and

wherein said escape wheel set includes, on one of the two lateral surfaces thereof, a plurality of secondary tracks concentric to one another in relation to an axial direction which is orthogonal both to a transverse direction substantially parallel to the transverse trajectory of said pole shoe, and to the direction of travel of said track, each said secondary track including one angular series of elementary primary areas, each said primary area exhibiting a magnetic, or respectively electrostatic behaviour which is different, on the one hand, from that of each adjacent primary area on said secondary track to which said primary area belongs, and on the other hand, from that of each other primary area which is adjacent thereto and which is situated on another said secondary track adjacent to its the track of said area.

12. The escapement mechanism according to claim 11, wherein said series of said primary areas on each said given secondary track is periodic according to a spatial period forming an integer sub-multiple of a revolution of said escape wheel set.

13. The escapement mechanism according to claim 12, wherein each said secondary track includes, over each said spatial period, a ramp including a monotone series of said primary areas interacting in an increasing manner with said pole shoe with a magnetic, or respectively, electrostatic field whose intensity varies so as to produce increasing potential energy from a minimum interaction area towards a maximum interaction area, said ramp taking energy from said escape wheel set.

14. The escapement mechanism according to claim 13, wherein said escape wheel set includes, between two said successive ramps, a said magnetic, or respectively, electrostatic field barrier of potential, to trigger a momentary stop of escape wheel set prior to a tilting of said stopper under the periodic action of said oscillator.

15. The escapement mechanism according to claim 13, wherein said escape wheel set includes, at the end of each said ramp and just before each said barrier, a radial variation in the distribution of the magnetic or electrostatic field when said surface is magnetized, or respectively, electrized, or a variation in profile when said surface is ferromagnetic, or respectively, electrostatically conductive, causing a draw on said pole shoe.