Angular speed regulating device for a wheel set in a timepiece movement including a magnetic escapement mechanism
First Claim
1. A device for regulating a relative angular speed between a magnetic structure and a resonator, the regulating device comprising:
- the magnetic structure and the resonator which are magnetically coupled so as to define together an oscillator forming said regulating device;
the magnetic structure including at least one annular magnetic path centered on an axis of rotation of said magnetic structure or of the resonator, the magnetic structure and the resonator being arranged to undergo a rotation relative to each other about said axis of rotation when a drive torque is applied to the magnetic structure or to the resonator;
the resonator including at least one element for magnetic coupling to said annular magnetic path, this annular magnetic path being at least partially formed of a first magnetic material arranged so that a magnetic potential energy of the oscillator varies angularly in a periodic manner along the annular magnetic path and so that it defines an angular period of said annular magnetic path;
said magnetic coupling element having an active end portion, located on a side of said magnetic structure, which is formed of a second magnetic material, of which at least one physical parameter is correlated to the magnetic potential energy of the oscillator but different therefrom, and which is magnetically coupled to the annular magnetic path so that an oscillation along a degree of freedom of a resonant mode of the resonator is maintained within a useful drive torque range applied to the magnetic structure or to the resonator and so that a determined integer number of periods of said oscillation occurs during said relative rotation in each angular period of the annular magnetic path, a frequency of said oscillation thus determining said relative angular speed;
wherein said annular magnetic path has a dimension along said degree of freedom of the magnetic coupling element which is smaller than a dimension along this degree of freedom of said active end portion of the magnetic coupling element;
wherein the resonator is arranged relative to the magnetic structure so that said active end portion is traversed, in orthogonal projection to a general geometric surface defined by said active end portion, by a geometric circle passing through a middle of the annular magnetic path only during substantially a first vibration in each period of said oscillation;
wherein, within said useful drive torque range, said annular magnetic path and said magnetic coupling element define, in each angular period, as a function of a relative position defined by their relative angular position and a position of the coupling element along its degree of freedom, a magnetic potential energy accumulation area in the oscillator; and
wherein said second magnetic material is arranged so that, at least in one area of said second magnetic material magnetically coupled at least partially to said annular magnetic path for relative positions of said annular magnetic path with respect to the magnetic coupling element corresponding to at least one part of the magnetic potential energy accumulation area in each angular period, said physical parameter gradually increases angularly or gradually decreases angularly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention concerns a device for regulating the relative angular speed between a magnetic structure and a resonator magnetically coupled to each other and forming an oscillator which defines a magnetic escapement. The magnetic structure includes at least one annular magnetic path at least partially formed of a magnetic material and the resonator includes at least one element for magnetic coupling to the annular magnetic path, this coupling element being formed of a magnetic material having a physical parameter correlated to the magnetic potential energy of the oscillator. The radial dimension of the annular magnetic path is smaller than a corresponding dimension of the coupling element, and the magnetic material is arranged so that the physical parameter of said magnetic material gradually increases angularly or gradually decreases angularly in order to obtain an angularly extended magnetic potential energy area in each angular period of the annular magnetic path.
11 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A device for regulating a relative angular speed between a magnetic structure and a resonator, the regulating device comprising:
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the magnetic structure and the resonator which are magnetically coupled so as to define together an oscillator forming said regulating device; the magnetic structure including at least one annular magnetic path centered on an axis of rotation of said magnetic structure or of the resonator, the magnetic structure and the resonator being arranged to undergo a rotation relative to each other about said axis of rotation when a drive torque is applied to the magnetic structure or to the resonator; the resonator including at least one element for magnetic coupling to said annular magnetic path, this annular magnetic path being at least partially formed of a first magnetic material arranged so that a magnetic potential energy of the oscillator varies angularly in a periodic manner along the annular magnetic path and so that it defines an angular period of said annular magnetic path; said magnetic coupling element having an active end portion, located on a side of said magnetic structure, which is formed of a second magnetic material, of which at least one physical parameter is correlated to the magnetic potential energy of the oscillator but different therefrom, and which is magnetically coupled to the annular magnetic path so that an oscillation along a degree of freedom of a resonant mode of the resonator is maintained within a useful drive torque range applied to the magnetic structure or to the resonator and so that a determined integer number of periods of said oscillation occurs during said relative rotation in each angular period of the annular magnetic path, a frequency of said oscillation thus determining said relative angular speed; wherein said annular magnetic path has a dimension along said degree of freedom of the magnetic coupling element which is smaller than a dimension along this degree of freedom of said active end portion of the magnetic coupling element; wherein the resonator is arranged relative to the magnetic structure so that said active end portion is traversed, in orthogonal projection to a general geometric surface defined by said active end portion, by a geometric circle passing through a middle of the annular magnetic path only during substantially a first vibration in each period of said oscillation; wherein, within said useful drive torque range, said annular magnetic path and said magnetic coupling element define, in each angular period, as a function of a relative position defined by their relative angular position and a position of the coupling element along its degree of freedom, a magnetic potential energy accumulation area in the oscillator; and wherein said second magnetic material is arranged so that, at least in one area of said second magnetic material magnetically coupled at least partially to said annular magnetic path for relative positions of said annular magnetic path with respect to the magnetic coupling element corresponding to at least one part of the magnetic potential energy accumulation area in each angular period, said physical parameter gradually increases angularly or gradually decreases angularly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification