Movement device

A movement device (1) comprising a stator chamber (2) inside which a rotor (3) can rotate about a respective axis (100), wherein the stator chamber (2) has an elongated shape that is extended along a longitudinal direction (101) and is connected, by means of a first intake or supply duct (4) and a second transfer or discharge duct (5), to a tank (6) for containing pressurized oxyhydrogen, the containment tank (6) having a first tank portion (6a) connected to the intake or supply duct (4) and a second tank portion (6b) connected to the transfer or discharge duct (5), a compensation valve (8) being interposed between the first tank portion (6a) and the second tank portion (6b), the rotor (3) comprising a three-lobed structure which forms three side walls (31, 32, 33) which cooperate with the stator chamber (2) in order to form, during its rotation about the axis (100), an intake chamber (41) at the outlet (4a) of the first intake or supply duct (4), a discharge chamber (42) at the outlet (5a) of the second transfer or discharge duct (5), and a compression chamber (43), the rotor having a blade-like portion (60) which forms a counterweight.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is the National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2022/051767 filed Jan. 26, 2022, which claims priority to and the benefit of Italian Application No. 102021000004790 filed Mar. 2, 2021, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by this reference in their entireties.

The present invention relates to a movement device.

In particular, the movement device is adapted to move the balance of a timepiece.

Movement devices of various types are known and some of them are used also in timepieces, both wall clocks and wristwatches.

Typically, timepieces, especially wristwatches, are divided in mechanical and quartz timepieces.

Both categories of timepieces, the mechanical ones and the quartz ones, are intended to indicate time. The substantial differences relate to their interior.

First of all, every timepiece relies on the energy stored in it. In mechanical timepieces, this energy is usually generated by a loading spring contained in a barrel. The power reserve, i.e., the run time of a mechanical timepiece, varies according to the length of this spring, but usually reaches a duration of a few tens of hours.

The typical mechanism of a mechanical timepiece provides that a gear transmits stored energy to an oscillating mass. This determines the rhythm of each timepiece; it is its beating heart. The oscillating mass of mechanical timepieces is usually composed of a balance, an escapement wheel and an anchor. The interaction among these components is what causes ticking: a high frequency of the balance produces faster ticking, and vice versa. The movement of the seconds hand also becomes smoother as the frequency of the balance increases. This frequency usually corresponds to 28,800 alternations per hour (A/h), or 4 Hz.

Quartz timepieces work in a completely different way. Their power is usually derived from a battery which can provide the energy needed to run the timepiece for several years. As soon as its energy is exhausted, the battery must be replaced.

The impulse is generated by a quartz crystal, which starts to oscillate as soon as an electrical voltage is applied. This is the so-called inverse piezoelectric effect. The shape of the quartz crystal is similar to that of a tuning fork. The frequency normally corresponds to 32,768 Hz and is therefore much higher than that of a mechanical timepiece: this is why quartz timepieces are much more accurate.

A circuit divides the frequency into two units to generate the timing of the seconds. This is why the seconds hand jumps forward every second. If the timepiece is not provided with hands, time indication occurs by means of an LCD screen.

Pneumatic motors are known which have different shapes and variable dimensions, from portable turbines to motors with a power output of up to several hundred horsepower, and they find widespread use in portable equipment, although there are continuing attempts to expand their use.

Compressed air exits from tanks at high pressure, about 300 bar, and the expansion of the air is used to move a piston or a gas turbine connected to a driving shaft.

Since it has no combustion of any kind, the compressed air motor is free from any polluting emission. Compressed air is used as an energy vector: any pollution, in case of production with traditional techniques, is in the production step which is used to generate the energy vector used to actuate the compressor when the cylinder must be filled.

However, these motors are extremely bulky and scarcely efficient from an energy point of view.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a movement device that is capable of improving the background art in one or more of the aspects mentioned above.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a movement device adapted to be used in timepieces, even wristwatches, but also adapted to move different elements or apparatuses, such as for example shafts or balances.

Not least object of the invention is to provide a movement device that is highly reliable, relatively easy to provide and with compact dimensions.

This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a movement device according to claim1, optionally provided with one or more of the characteristics of the dependent claims.

With reference to the figures, the movement device according to the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral1, comprises a stator chamber2inside which a rotor3can rotate about a respective axis100.

The stator chamber2has an elongated shape.

In particular, the stator chamber2extends along a longitudinal direction designated in the figures by the reference numeral101.

The stator chamber2is connected, by means of a first intake or supply duct4and a second transfer or discharge duct5, to a tank6for containing pressurized oxyhydrogen.

The containment tank6has a first tank portion6aconnected to the intake or supply duct4and a second tank portion6bconnected to the transfer or discharge duct5.

A compensation valve8is interposed between the first tank portion6aand the second tank portion6b.

The rotor3comprises a three-lobed structure which forms three side walls31,32,33which cooperate with the stator chamber2in order to form, during its rotation about the axis100, an intake chamber41at the outlet4aof the first intake or supply duct4, a discharge chamber42at the outlet5aof the second transfer or discharge duct5, and a compression chamber43.

In particular, the rotor3has a blade-like portion60which forms a counterweight.

Conveniently, the rotor3comprises bronze or Teflon contact shims3a.

In fact, since no combustion occurs inside the stator, there is no risk due to overheating of the contact shims3a.

According to a first embodiment shown inFIGS.1to4, the axis100of the rotor is fixed.

In this case, the contact shims3acan move in a radial direction with respect to the rotor axis100.

In particular, there are means for keeping the contact shims3aagainst the internal surface of the stator chamber2during the rotation of the rotor3about the axis100.

With reference to the figures, the means for keeping the contact shims3aagainst the internal surface of the stator chamber2may comprise respective pusher elements, for example comprising springs, which act between the body of the rotor and the respective contact shims3a.

Obviously, the means for keeping the contact shims3aagainst the internal surface of the stator chamber2are adapted to ensure the tightness of the three lateral walls31,32,33which cooperate with the stator chamber2.

According to another embodiment shown schematically inFIG.5, the axis100of the rotor is movable about an axis102of the stator chamber2during the rotation of said rotor3.

In this case, there is a first gear51which is integral with the rotor3and meshes with a second fixed gear52which is integral with the stator chamber2and is arranged around the axis102of the stator chamber2.

In this embodiment, the stator chamber2and the rotor3have a shape that is similar to the shape of a stator chamber and of the respective rotor of a Wankel engine, and the relative movements are substantially similar.

However, there is no combustion as in the classic Wankel engines but rotation is determined by the expansion of the oxyhydrogen in the intake chamber41, while the discharge is ensured by the inertia of the blade-like portion provided with the counterweight60.

According to a preferred embodiment shown in the figures, the movement device1comprises a timepiece10.

As shown in the figures, the timepiece10has a case11which accommodates the stator chamber2.

The rotor3is in turn connected kinematically, by means of a gear train12, to the hands14of the timepiece10.

Advantageously, the oxyhydrogen has, inside the containment tank6, a pressure comprised between 2 bars and 100 bars.

The pressure can vary according to the characteristics of use, such as the rotation rate and the run time.

The operation of the movement device1, according to the invention, is as follows.

The pressurized oxyhydrogen is loaded into the containment tank6.

The passage ports of the first intake or supply duct4and of the second transfer or discharge duct5, as well as the compensation valve8, are sized in order to ensure the rotation of the rotor3inside the stator chamber2at a certain angular velocity and for a preset time which depends on the operating pressure, on the quantity of oxyhydrogen contained in the containment tank, and on the overall frictions.

In practice it has been found that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects, providing a movement device that is extremely reliable and effective.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; all the details may furthermore be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

In practice, the materials used, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to the requirements and the state of the art.