Patent Publication Number: US-2023132978-A1

Title: Timepiece assembly comprising a watch and a system for correcting the time

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a watch, incorporating a mechanical movement provided with a mechanical oscillator, and a system for correcting the time displayed by the watch other than a mechanical control element, in particular a winder, operated by a user. 
     TECHNICAL BACKGROUND 
     Document WO2021/121711 describes a timepiece provided with a mechanical movement and incorporating a device for correcting the time displayed by the timepiece. The correction device is of the electronic type and comprises an electronic unit for receiving a correction signal, provided by a device external to the timepiece (in particular a mobile phone), an electromechanical actuator forming a braking device for the mechanical resonator incorporated into the mechanical movement, and an electronic unit for controlling the electromechanical actuator as a function of the correction signal received, this electronic unit being arranged in the timepiece. 
     Although the various embodiments of the timepiece disclosed in the aforementioned document are of great interest for correcting the time displayed by the timepiece easily and precisely without the user having to be aware of the exact current time and for setting the analogue display of this timepiece by conventional means, for example a winder which users have to actuate themselves, the invention described in document WO2021/121711 is disadvantageous for purists of fine watchmaking who consider that watches should be fully mechanical. Indeed, even if the invention described in the aforementioned document makes it possible advantageously not to have a battery or other rechargeable battery in the timepiece, as the electrical energy required can be supplied during each planned correction to a recharged power supply recharged by means of an external power supply, in particular by contactless means, the correction device incorporated in the timepiece still comprises electronic elements. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The objective of the present invention is to provide a timepiece assembly which makes it possible to correct the time displayed by a mechanical watch in a precise manner and/or to advance/turn back the time of the display by one hour when the clocks change in summer/winter without the user having to actuate a mechanical control member connected to the analogue time display. 
     For this purpose, the present invention relates to a timepiece assembly comprising a watch, formed by a case and a mechanical movement incorporated into the case, and a support which is external to the watch and arranged so as to be able to support at least the case of this watch, in particular a display case or a box. The mechanical movement comprises an analogue time display, a drive mechanism of this analogue time display and a mechanical oscillator, the mechanical resonator of which is formed by a balance wheel and an elastic return structure, this mechanical oscillator being arranged so as to be able to set the running of the drive mechanism. The timepiece assembly comprises a system for correcting a time displayed by the analogue display, this correction system being formed, on the one hand, by a mechanical device incorporated into the case and, on the other hand, by an electrical device incorporated into the support. 
     The mechanical device comprises a mobile magnetic element, in particular a magnet, which is configured and arranged in the watch such that the mechanical device can brake the oscillating mechanical resonator or momentarily stop an oscillation of the mechanical resonator by exciting the mobile magnetic element by a magnetic field, in particular by applying a magnetic force on the magnet by means of a magnetic field produced by the electrical device. 
     The electrical device comprises a magnetic field generator, this magnetic field generator and said case being arranged such that when the watch case is placed on the external support in a given position, a magnetic field produced by the magnetic field generator can pass through the case and reach the region where the mobile magnetic element is located and excite the latter so as to generate, via the mechanical device, braking pulses which are applied to the oscillating mechanical resonator or momentarily stop an oscillation of the mechanical resonator by the mechanical device. 
     The electrical device further comprises a control unit arranged so as to be able to produce an electric control signal as a function of a correction determined for the time displayed by the analogue display and provide this electric control signal to the magnetic field generator so that it generates a corresponding magnetic field which activates the mechanical device such that this mechanical device generates a series of braking pulses which are applied to the oscillating mechanical resonator or momentarily stop an oscillation of the mechanical resonator, so as to perform essentially the set correction of the displayed time. 
     Due to the advantageous features of the timepiece assembly according to the invention, it is possible to correct the time displayed by the watch or to set the analogue display to summer time or winter time on the planned date in a precise manner by taking care to place the watch case in a given position on the support associated with the watch. The setting of the correct time can be triggered automatically by closing a cover of the support or by pressing an activating button on the support or via any sensor associated with the support or possibly via a mobile phone which has an application used for sending a signal for activating the correction system to a receiver arranged in the support. The support is advantageously a box, a casket or a display case connected to the mains, or autonomous with batteries, or equipped with a solar power collector. 
     A major advantage of the invention is that no electrical element is required in the watch case, which can therefore be fully mechanical, i.e. without an electronic unit or other electrical device, the watch case incorporating a fully mechanical movement and a mechanical device comprising a mobile magnetic element, in particular a magnet. The electrical device of the correction system according to the invention is located outside the watch case and it is materially independent from the watch, such that the watch can be worn by a user without the electrical device, which remains connected to the external support on which the watch can be placed momentarily, in particular for at least part of the night. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       The invention is described in more detail in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting examples, in which: 
         FIG.  1    shows in perspective a first embodiment of a timepiece assembly according to the invention; 
         FIG.  2    is a simplified and partial representation, in horizontal cross-section, of the timepiece assembly of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIGS.  3  and  4    show the watch in perspective, with its back open, a second embodiment of a timepiece assembly according to the invention,  FIG.  4    being a partial enlargement of  FIG.  3   ; 
         FIGS.  5 A and  5 B  are schematic and partial cross-sections of the correction system of the second embodiment ( FIGS.  3  and  4   ), these cross-sections showing the mechanical device forming the correction system, respectively in a position of rest and in a braking position of the balance wheel of the mechanical resonator incorporated into the mechanical movement, and 
         FIG.  6    shows an improved variant of the correction system of the second embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to the figures, two embodiments of the timepiece assembly according to the invention will be described below. 
       FIGS.  1  and  2    relate to a first embodiment. The timepiece assembly  2  comprises a watch  4 , formed by a case  6  and a mechanical movement  8  incorporated into the case, and an external support formed by a box  22  for this watch. The mechanical movement comprises an analogue display  10  of the current time, a drive mechanism (not shown in  FIG.  2   ) of this analogue display and a mechanical oscillator of which the mechanical resonator  12  is formed by a balance wheel  14  and an elastic return structure  13  (a spiral in  FIG.  2   , but flexible blades or other flexible structures can be provided alternatively), this mechanical oscillator being arranged to be able to set the running of the drive mechanism. The timepiece assembly  2  comprises a system  16  for correcting a time displayed by the analogue display, this correction system being carried out, on the one hand, by a mechanical device  18  incorporated into the case  6  and, on the other hand, by an electrical device  20  incorporated into the support external to the watch. 
     The electrical device  20  comprises a magnetic field generator formed by a coil  28  which is powered as a function of an electric control signal supplied by a control unit  30 . The magnetic field generator, in particular the coil  28 , and the case  6  are arranged in such a way that when the watch is placed on the support in a given position ( FIG.  1   ), a magnetic field produced by the magnetic field generator can pass through the case, the material of which is selected for this purpose at least in the region of the case through which the magnetic field passes which is useful for the correction system. 
     The mechanical device  18  comprises a permanent magnet  24  and a flexible blade  26  supporting this permanent magnet in a region of a free end of this flexible blade, which is anchored to the watch movement at its other end (alternatively, the anchoring is provided on a caging circle or on an inner wall of the case  6 ). The mechanical device  18  is arranged in the watch such that it can periodically brake, from the action of a magnetic field generated by the electrical device and applied to the permanent magnet  24 , the oscillating mechanical resonator or momentarily stop an oscillation of this mechanical resonator by exerting a mechanical force/pressure on the balance wheel. More particularly, in the first embodiment, the flexible blade  26  is arranged so as to be able to exert a force/pressure against an external lateral surface of the balance wheel  14 , when the permanent magnet is subject to a radial magnetic force from the action of said magnetic field, and thus generate the periodic braking pulses or stop the mechanical resonator  12  during a determined time interval, which depends on the function to be performed. It should be noted that the box  22  has a part  34  against which the case  6  of the watch  4  placed in this box bears in a given position substantially laterally so that the correction system  16  is effective. The magnetic field generator, formed by the coil  28 , and the case  6  are arranged in such a way that the magnetic field produced by this field generator can reach, from one side of the watch, the region where the permanent magnet  24  is located with sufficient intensity to be able to exert a radial magnetic force on this permanent magnet capable of generating, by means of the flexible blade, braking pulses which are applied to the oscillating mechanical resonator, namely on the external lateral surface of the balance wheel  14 , or to momentarily stop an oscillation of the mechanical resonator from the radial force/pressure exerted by the mechanical device  18  on the mechanical resonator, which generates a force torque on the balance wheel via the frictional force (dry friction) between the flexible blade and said external lateral surface of the balance wheel. 
     The control unit  30  is arranged to produce an electric control signal as a function of a correction determined for the time displayed by the analogue display  10  and to supply this electric control signal to the magnetic field generator  28  so that it generates a corresponding magnetic field which activates the mechanical device  18  such that this mechanical device generates a series of braking pulses applied to the oscillating mechanical resonator or momentarily stops an oscillation of the mechanical resonator, so as to essentially make the determined correction of the displayed time. The box  22  can be powered with electricity via a cable  36  or via contactless power supply means. The model represented comprises a digital display  38  making it possible for example to provide various pieces of information, in particular the current date, the time zone or a date for switching from winter time to summer time and vice versa. Data input means can be provided in an area of the box. In an advantageous variant, the reading of the various data stored in an electronic part of the box (for example in the control unit  30 ) and also the transmission of data to this electronic part is provided via a wireless communication unit arranged in the box and enabling communication with a mobile phone which has an application for this purpose. 
     In the first embodiment, the box  22  comprises an electronic device for determining a correction to be made to the time displayed by the watch, i.e. to the analogue display  10 . This electronic device includes a photographic device  40  comprising a photographic sensor formed by a matrix of photodetectors. Then, the electronic device comprises an image processing unit which is arranged to be able to determine the position of at least one specific hand of the analogue display  10  in an image taken by the photographic device  40 . Finally, the electronic device comprises or is connected to a time base capable of providing an accurate current time and it further comprises a comparison unit for determining the correction to be made. In one embodiment, a mobile phone equipped with a suitable application is provided to take a photo of the analogue display of the watch  4 , then to process the image as indicated above, and finally to determine a correction of the displayed time. This mobile phone then sends a correction signal via a wireless communication unit to the electronic unit of the box, indicating the correction to be made and possibly a time to start said correction or a time interval until the start of said correction. 
       FIGS.  3  to  5 B  relate to a second embodiment. The box  22 A, apart from the arrangement of the electrical device  16 A of the correction system, is similar to that of the first embodiment described above, and is not be described in more detail in the following. The timepiece assembly  42  differs from the first embodiment mainly in the arrangement of the correction system  16 A with a mechanical device  18 A arranged so that its permanent magnet  24 A is mobile, from the action of an axial magnetic force, substantially in a direction parallel to the central axis of the watch  4 A, this central axis being perpendicular to the dial of the analogue display and to the general plane of the back  48  of the case  6  (this back having been removed in  FIGS.  3  and  4    to show the mechanical movement  8 A inside the case). More specifically, the mechanical device  18 A is formed by an elastic structure comprising a flexible blade  26 A folded back on itself and anchored, at its first end, to a caging circle  44  surrounding the mechanical movement  8 A. The flexible blade supports, at its second end which is free, a disc, onto which the permanent magnet  24 A is adhered, and a finger  46  connected to the disc. The finger  46  is arranged so as to extend radially under the rim of the balance wheel  14 , at a short distance from this rim. 
     The elasticity of the flexible blade  26 A is designed to ensure a certain stability of the magnet  24 A and of the finger  46  in the absence of a magnetic field for actuating this magnet and also good dynamic behaviour of the mechanical device  18 A when an axial magnetic field  52  is generated by the electrical device  20 A, this axial magnetic field making it possible to generate braking pulses by dry friction between the finger  46  and a circular upper surface of the balance wheel against which the finger is pressed briefly, which then applies pressure  54  on said upper circular surface. The finger this forms a braking pad of the balance wheel. 
       FIG.  5 A  shows the correction system  42  with the magnetic field generator inactive and the elastic blade  26 A, bearing the permanent magnet  24 A, in its position of rest, whereas  FIG.  5 B  shows the correction system with the magnetic field generator (coil  28 ) generating a magnetic field  52  for actuating the mechanical device  18 A and the elastic blade  26 A supporting the permanent magnet  24 A in its position of braking the balance wheel  14 . According to the invention, the electrical device  20 A is arranged in the support  22 A and the mechanical device  18 A is arranged in the watch  4 A. When the watch is placed correctly in a given position on the support  22 A, the axial magnetic field  52  passes through the back  48  of the case  6  and propagates into the region of the permanent magnet  24 A on which it acts by magnetic attraction. The material of the back  48 , at least in the region superimposed on the coil  28 , is made from a non-magnetic material or a material conducting the magnetic field (with high magnetic permeability). 
     In an improved embodiment shown in  FIG.  6    (which can also be provided in the first embodiment), the watch of the timepiece assembly  58  comprises, in the mechanical device  18 B of the correction system  16 B, a magnetic parking element which is arranged to as return, over at least a certain displacement distance of the permanent magnet  24 A from a position of rest of the latter, the permanent magnet towards this position of rest in which it does not touch the balance wheel and in which it is normally held, in particular by the parking magnetic element, in the absence of the magnetic field produced by the magnetic field generator (coil). The aforementioned magnetic element is either a ferromagnetic positioning element or a positioning magnet  60  as shown in  FIG.  6   . This positioning magnet is configured to continuously exert a magnetic force in magnetic attraction on the permanent magnet  24 A in its position of rest, with an intensity such that the positioning magnet can avoid, at least in the absence of shocks or strong accelerations of the watch, untimely braking pulses in the absence of the generation of the magnetic field  52  by the electrical device  20 A, while guaranteeing that the magnetic field  52  generated by the coil  28  can easily overcome the force of attraction of the positioning magnet  60  to generate the braking pulses making it possible to carry out a specified correction of the displayed time. For this purpose, the coil  28  and its power supply, managed by the electronic control unit  30 , are arranged in such a way that the magnetic field  52  has a sufficient strength. 
     In another embodiment, not shown, the magnetic field generator is a mobile permanent magnet or a fixed magnet associated with a mobile magnetic shield, the mobile magnet or the mobile magnetic shield being arranged in the support so as to be able to be displaced by an actuator to which the electric control signal is supplied, so as to vary the strength of the magnetic field supplied to said mechanical device as a function of the electric control signal. 
     Operating modes of the correction system according to the invention are described in the following. 
     According to a main operating mode, the control unit  30  of the electrical device, incorporated into the support, comprises a device for generating at least one frequency which is arranged so as to be able to generate a first periodic signal at a frequency FSUP. Then, the control unit is arranged to provide to the magnetic field generator, when the specified correction corresponds to a delay in the time displayed which is intended to be corrected and this correction therefore consists of advancing the display of the current time relative to a passage of time given by the undisturbed mechanical oscillator, a first control signal derived from the periodic first signal, during a first correction period, to activate the correction system so that it generates a first series of periodic braking pulses which are applied to the balance wheel of the mechanical resonator by the mechanical device at frequency FSUP. The duration of the first correction period and therefore the number of periodic braking pulses in said first series are determined by said delay to be corrected. The frequency FSUP is provided and the mechanical device incorporated into the watch is arranged such that the first series of periodic braking pulses at frequency FSUP can generate, during the first correction period, a first synchronous phase in which the oscillation of the mechanical resonator is synchronised to a correction frequency FSCor which is higher than a setpoint frequency FOc provided for the mechanical oscillator. The running of the mechanical movement is thus accelerated during the first correction period. 
     The person skilled in the art will find additional technical information relating to the main operating mode in document WO 2021/121711, and also in document EP 3629104. In these two documents, contrary to the present invention, the correction system is fully incorporated into the watch. Furthermore, in the second document, the watch comprises a sensor for itself detecting a temporal drift in the running of the mechanical oscillator and therefore of the timepiece movement. The teaching regarding the generating the various signals mentioned above and the periodic braking pulses, in the case of a delay to be corrected is similar however. 
     In a first particular operating mode, the device for generating at least one frequency is arranged so as also to be able to also generate a second periodic signal at a frequency FINF. Then the control unit is arranged to supply to the magnetic field generator, when the set correction corresponds to an advance in the displayed time which it is intended to correct and this correction thus consists in delaying the current time display relative to a passage of time given by the undisturbed mechanical oscillator, a second control signal derived from the second periodic signal, during a second correction period, to activate the correction system such that this correction system generates a second series of periodic braking pulses which are applied to the balance wheel by the mechanical device at frequency FINF. The duration of the second correction period and therefore the number of periodic braking pulses in said second series are determined by said advance to be corrected. The frequency FINF is provided and the mechanical device is arranged in such a way that the second series of periodic braking pulses at frequency FINF can generate, during the second correction period, a second synchronous phase in which the oscillation of the mechanical resonator is synchronised over a correction frequency FICor which is lower than the setpoint frequency FOc provided for the mechanical oscillator. The running of the mechanical movement is thus slowed down during the second correction period. 
     The person skilled in the art will find additional technical information relating to the first particular operating mode in document WO 2021/121711, and also in document EP 3629104. 
     According to second particular operating mode, the mechanical device of the correction system is arranged so as to be able to block the mechanical resonator by the action of a magnetic field, generated by the magnetic field generator, which is applied to the mobile magnetic element, so as to momentarily stop an oscillation of this mechanical oscillator during a correction period. The control unit is arranged so as to be able, when the determined correction corresponds to an advance in the displayed time and the correction to be made therefore consists of retarding the analogue display of the current time relative to a passage of time given by the undisturbed mechanical oscillator, to provide a third control signal to the magnetic field generator so that it activates the mechanical device such that this mechanical device blocks the oscillation of the mechanical resonator during the correction period which is determined by said advance to be corrected, so as to stop the running of said drive mechanism during this correction period. In the case of the correction systems described above, the blocking of the mechanical oscillator is performed by the elastic member  26 , respectively  26 A, bearing continuously on the rim of the balance wheel  14  during the correction period. To achieve this the magnetic field generator generates a continuous magnetic field during the correction period. 
     The person skilled in the art will also find additional technical information relating to the second particular operating mode in document WO 2021/121711. In an advantageous embodiment of the timepiece assembly according to the invention, the correction system is arranged so as to be able to correct the time displayed by 60 minutes overnight in order to adjust to summer time or winter time. 
     In a general embodiment of the timepiece assembly according to the invention, the control unit  30  is associated with an electronic device arranged to determine a correction to be made on a given date or as a function of the current time displayed by the watch. In a specific embodiment, the correction to be made is determined in a device external to the external support, in particular in a mobile phone comprising an application for this purpose.