Timepiece synchronization mechanism

• US 9,772,604 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2014
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogã¨Re Suisse (The Swatch Group AG)
• Original Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogã¨Re Suisse (The Swatch Group AG)
• Inventors: Winkler, Pascal, Helfer, Jean-Luc
• Primary Examiner(s): Kayes, Sean
• Application Number:
  US15/104,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20160327908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 15/08 Lever escapements
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 15/12 Adjusting tools therefor G04D1/02; Restricting the amplitude of the lever or the like adjusting the gear train G04B35/00
• 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 17/32 Component parts or constructional details, e.g. collet, stud , virole or piton
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 5/005 Magnetic or electromagnetic means

Abstract

A timepiece movement including, fixed on a same plate, a gear train subjected to a torque in a timepiece movement, and an energy storage to deliver a torque to the gear train for actuating a mechanical mechanism synchronizing rotational speed of the gear train with a resonator having a given natural resonant frequency included in the timepiece movement. The resonator is an annular resonator including a ring disposed around an axis. The ring is arranged to be periodically deformed under an action induced by motion of a drive member, included in this mechanism, and the drive member is driven in a pivoting motion, directly or indirectly, by the gear train.

Claims

1. A timepiece movement comprising:

a gear train subjected to a torque in the timepiece movement;

a mechanical mechanism including a resonator; and

an energy storage mechanism to deliver a torque to the gear train to actuate the mechanical mechanism to synchronize the gear train with the resonator having a given natural resonant frequency included in the timepiece movement, wherein

the gear train, the mechanical mechanism, and the energy storage mechanism are fixed on a same plate,

the resonator is an annular resonator including a ring disposed around an axis, the ring is configured to be periodically deformed by an action induced by motion of a drive structure, included in the mechanical mechanism, and the drive structure is driven in a pivoting motion, directly or indirectly, by the gear train,

interaction between the drive structure and the annular resonator is achieved by a magnetic interaction mechanism including magnets and/or magnetic poles, and

the ring includes a plurality of a first number of magnets or magnetic poles, the drive structure includes a plurality of a second number of magnets or magnetic poles, and the first number is different from the second number, so that the ring and the drive structure together form a speed reducing or increasing mechanism.

2. The movement according to claim 1, wherein the first number differs from the second number by one unit.

3. The movement according to claim 1, wherein a shape of the magnetic interaction mechanism or of the magnets defines first areas forming potential ramps and second areas forming potential barriers, to confine an impulse between the drive structure and the annular resonator.

4. The movement according to claim 1, wherein the drive structure is a wheel configured to exert a contactless effort on the ring.

5. The movement according to claim 4, wherein the wheel carries an arm forming a crank-handle provided with at least one roller configured to roll or slide on an inner peripheral surface of the ring on a side of the axis.

6. The movement according to claim 1, wherein the given natural resonant frequency defines a speed of propagation of a deformation wave in a material of the ring all around the ring, during motion of the drive structure that follows the wave, at a same speed as the wave.

7. The movement according to claim 1, wherein the given natural resonant frequency defines a standing wave of oscillation of the ring between repetitive forms corresponding to stationary modes, during motion of the drive structure, which follows the wave, at a same speed as the wave.

8. The movement according to claim 1, wherein the drive structure drives a display of the timepiece movement.

9. The movement according to claim 1, wherein the motion of the drive structure includes at least one pivoting motion.

10. The movement according to claim 9, wherein the motion of the drive structure is a pivoting motion.

11. The movement according to claim 1, wherein the drive structure includes at least one distal end that extends, with respect to the axis, beyond a smallest diameter exhibited by the ring with respect to the axis.

12. The movement according to claim 11, wherein the ring includes a bulge portion projecting radially outwards with respect to the axis.

13. The movement according to claim 11, wherein the at least one distal end is configured to cooperate with at least one recess included, in an unstressed free state, in the ring at an inner periphery thereof on a side of the axis.

14. The movement according to claim 1, wherein the ring includes, in an unstressed, free state, at an inner periphery thereof on a side of the axis, at least one bulge portion facing the axis forming a smallest diameter exhibited by the ring with respect to the axis.

15. The movement according to claim 1, wherein the ring is secured to the plate by a plurality of flexible strips, more flexible than the ring, configured to maintain the ring substantially centered on the axis, and to restrict motions of the ring in a same plane perpendicular to the axis with limited motions of a center of inertia of the ring smaller than one tenth of a smallest external dimension of the ring in the plane.

16. The movement according to claim 15, wherein the ring is in one piece with the plurality of flexible strips to connect to the plate.

17. The movement according to claim 1, wherein the ring is secured to the plate by a plurality of flexible strips, more rigid than the ring, configured to maintain the ring substantially centered on the axis, and to restrict motions of the ring in a same plane perpendicular to the axis with limited motions of a center of inertia of the ring smaller than one tenth of a smallest external dimension of the ring in the plane.

18. The movement according to claim 17, wherein the ring is in one piece with the plurality of flexible strips and with the plate.

19. The movement according to claim 1, wherein the ring is weighted on a periphery thereof, in a continuous or periodic manner.

20. The movement according to claim 19, wherein the ring is weighted by a plurality of inertia-blocks.

21. The movement according to claim 20, wherein at least some of the inertia-blocks extend outwardly of the ring with respect to the axis, with a T-shaped profile whose vertical bar is radial with respect to the axis, and whose transverse bar is perpendicular to the axis and furthest therefrom.

22. The movement according to claim 1, wherein the ring includes variable sections and/or thicknesses along a periphery thereof.

23. The movement according to claim 1, wherein, in an unstressed, free state, the ring has a polygonal or polylobate shape in a plane orthogonal to the axis.

24. The movement according to claim 1, wherein the ring is made of micromachinable material or silicon and has a rectangular section in every plane passing through the axis.

25. A timepiece including a movement according to claim 1, wherein the timepiece is a watch.