Horology: time measuring systems or devices – Winding means – Self
Reexamination Certificate
2003-01-09
2004-06-29
Martin, David (Department: 2841)
Horology: time measuring systems or devices
Winding means
Self
C368S080000, C368S147000, C368S220000, C368S223000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06755567
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a timepiece with hand motion irregularity suppression and having an indicating hand for indicating current time or elapsed time such as a minute hand or second hand.
Heretofore, in a timepiece such as primarily a chronograph, there has been used a hand motion irregularity suppression structure for suppressing irregular motion of the hand.
FIG. 4
is a front view showing a conventional hand motion irregularity suppressed timepiece, and shows an example of a chronograph. Further,
FIG. 5
is a partial plan view of FIG.
4
. Incidentally, FIG.
4
and
FIG. 5
are views each showing a state after an assembly of parts such as a wheel has been completed.
In FIG.
4
and
FIG. 5
, a second chronograph wheel
102
and a center wheel
104
are disposed between a wheel train bridge
101
and a bottom plate
106
. A shaft
105
is integrally formed in the second chronograph wheel
102
, the center wheel
104
is inserted through the shaft
105
, and thus the second chronograph wheel
102
and the center wheel
104
are coaxially disposed. The second chronograph wheel
102
is meshed with a second chronograph intermediate wheel
103
.
A plate-like spring
401
for suppressing the hand motion irregularity of the second chronograph wheel
102
is disposed between the second chronograph wheel
102
and the center wheel
104
.
The spring
401
is formed in a long plate-like form, and in its center portion there is formed a through-hole
402
and in its both end portions there are formed through-holes
404
,
406
. The through-hole
402
is inserted through the shaft
105
, and the through holes
404
,
406
are so disposed that they are respectively fitted to convex portions
403
,
405
formed in the bottom plate
106
.
The spring member
401
is formed such that its center portion is deflected upward (toward the wheel train bridge
101
) in
FIG. 1
with respect to its both end portions and, after the assembly has been completed, functions such that the center portion of the spring
401
causes the second chronograph wheel
102
to pressure-contact with the wheel train bridge
101
as shown in FIG.
4
. By this, the hand motion irregularity of the second chronograph wheel
102
is suppressed.
Further, since a gap, is formed between the second chronograph wheel
102
and the center wheel
104
, it becomes possible to prevent the second chronograph wheel
102
from being rotated (so-called accompanying rotation) by a friction when the center wheel
104
is rotated.
However, with the conventional hand motion irregularity suppression structure described above, there is a problem in that the ease of assembling the device is inferior.
FIG. 6
is a view showing an assembling process of the conventional timepiece mentioned above, and the same reference numeral is given to the same portion as FIG.
4
and FIG.
5
.
As shown in
FIG. 6
, since it is necessary for the second chronograph wheel
102
and the second chronograph intermediate wheel
103
to be assembled on the deflected spring
401
, unless the spring
401
is pushed toward the bottom plate
106
when assembling the second chronograph wheel
102
and the like, the second chronograph wheel
102
does not mesh with the second chronograph intermediate wheel
103
. Accordingly, since the assembly must be performed while meshing the second chronograph wheel
102
with the second chronograph intermediate wheel while pushing the spring
401
toward the bottom plate
106
, there is the problem that the assembling ability is inferior.
A subject of the present invention is to provide a hand motion irregularity suppressed timepiece whose assembling ability is improved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided a hand motion irregularity suppressed timepiece in which that a first wheel and a second wheel, which are coaxially disposed, and a third wheel meshing with the first wheel, are disposed between a first support member and a second support member, and an indicating hand is rotated by rotation-driving each of the wheels, and there is further provided a spring disposed between the first and second wheels having a flat portion and a bent portion formed at one end of the flat portion, and the first wheel is pressure-contacted with the first support member existing at a side opposite to the second wheel disposing the flat portion of the spring between the first and second support members. Since the flat portion of the spring is disposed between the first and second wheels and the bent portion is sandwiched and supported under a pressurized state by the first and second support members, the first wheel is pressure-contacted with the first support member existing at a side opposite to the second wheel.
In addition, the spring may form a gap between the first and second wheels.
Further, the other end portion of the spring may be provided with a through-hole through which a shaft for coaxially disposing the first and second wheels is inserted.
Further, the shaft may be integrally formed with the first wheel, and the second wheel is inserted through the shaft.
Further, the first wheel may be a second chronograph wheel.
Further, the second wheel may be a number two wheel.
Further, the third wheel may be a second chronograph intermediate wheel.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3643421 (1972-02-01), Herr et al.
patent: 3678679 (1972-07-01), Lee et al.
patent: 3765164 (1973-10-01), Esselborn
patent: 3864904 (1975-02-01), Jung
patent: 4201040 (1980-05-01), Nakayama
patent: 5331608 (1994-07-01), Umemoto et al.
patent: 5712831 (1998-01-01), Ikegami
Hirano Kei
Ono Tamotsu
Shino Yuichi
Watanabe Mamoru
Adams & Wilks
Lindinger Michael L.
Martin David
Seiko Instruments Inc.
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