EP0679968A1 - Timepiece driven by a mechanical power source and regulated by an electronic circuit - Google Patents

Timepiece driven by a mechanical power source and regulated by an electronic circuit Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0679968A1
EP0679968A1 EP95105590A EP95105590A EP0679968A1 EP 0679968 A1 EP0679968 A1 EP 0679968A1 EP 95105590 A EP95105590 A EP 95105590A EP 95105590 A EP95105590 A EP 95105590A EP 0679968 A1 EP0679968 A1 EP 0679968A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
rotor
generator
speed
signal
braking
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Granted
Application number
EP95105590A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP0679968B1 (en
Inventor
Wiget Fridolin
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Asulab AG
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Asulab AG
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
    • G04C10/00—Arrangements of electric power supplies in time pieces
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
    • G04C11/00—Synchronisation of independently-driven clocks
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
    • G04C3/00—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means
    • G04C3/008—Mounting, assembling of components

Definitions

  • a timepiece having these characteristics which is described for example in patent US-A-3937001, has the same precision as a conventional electronic timepiece thanks to the fact that the reference pulses, the frequency of which determines the rotational speed of the generator rotor and therefore that of the current time display hands, are produced from a signal supplied by a quartz oscillator.
  • this timepiece does not have a battery or accumulator since the power supply to its electronic circuits is ensured by the electrical energy supplied by its generator, the rotor of which is connected to its source of mechanical energy, which is constituted by a barrel spring similar to that used in classic mechanical timepieces.
  • the braking means of the generator rotor consist of a resistor connected in series with an electronic switch, the assembly formed by this resistor and this switch being connected in parallel with the generator coil.
  • this switch is controlled directly by the comparison signal so as to be permanently closed when the latter is in its first state, that is to say as long as the generator rotor is ahead of the position. that it would occupy if it had always been running at its set speed.
  • the electronic circuits of the timepiece are supplied by a direct voltage supplied by a rectifier circuit of the alternating voltage produced by the generator.
  • the electronic circuits of the timepiece could be supplied, during these braking times, by the electrical energy accumulated in the capacitor (s) that generally comprises the rectifier circuit supplying these circuits, even if the value of the braking resistor was zero.
  • the generator rotor can be braked without interruption for a fairly long time. It is therefore practically excluded to choose a zero value for the braking resistor, because the capacitor of the rectifier circuit should then have a very high capacity and should therefore be quite bulky and expensive. It would also not be possible to determine with certainty the capacity that this capacitor should have since the maximum time during which the generator rotor can be braked cannot be predicted in advance.
  • the braking resistor When the braking resistor is connected in parallel with the generator coil, the alternating voltage produced by this coil is reduced on the one hand because of the reduction in the speed of rotation which results from this connection and, on the other hand, because of the voltage drop produced in the generator coil by the current absorbed by the braking resistor.
  • the braking torque applied to the generator rotor is higher the lower the value of the braking resistor, this braking torque being maximum when this braking resistor has a zero value.
  • This braking torque must obviously impose on the generator rotor a rotational speed lower than its set speed whatever the engine torque supplied by the barrel spring.
  • this engine torque can be as high as possible, which favorably influences the autonomy of the timepiece, that is to say the time during which it can operate without its barrel spring must be reassembled, so the braking torque must also be high, which implies that the braking resistor has a low value.
  • this resistance should have a zero value.
  • the braking resistor of the rotor must therefore fulfill two contradictory conditions. On the one hand, it must be sufficiently high, and in any case not zero, for the supply voltage of the electronic circuits to be sufficient in all circumstances. On the other hand, it must be low enough, and preferably zero, for the braking torque to be high and for the rotational speed of the rotor, when it is braked, to be lower than its set speed even when the torque motor supplied by the mechanical power source is maximum.
  • a coil having a large number of turns of a small diameter wire has a high internal resistance which, on the one hand, adds to the braking resistance and reduces the braking torque of the rotor and, on the other hand, causes a decrease in the alternating voltage produced by the generator when it is traversed by the current supplied by the latter.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide a timepiece of the same kind as that described in patent US-A-3,937,001 already mentioned but which does not have the drawbacks thereof, that is to say ie a timepiece in which the value of the rotor braking resistance can be very low, or even zero, without it being necessary to give the generator coil a high number of turns and without there is a risk that, in any circumstance whatsoever, the supply voltage of the electronic circuits will become insufficient for the latter to function correctly.
  • this very low, or even zero, value of this braking resistor makes it possible to choose the barrel spring driving the generator rotor so that its maximum torque is high and the autonomy of the timepiece is therefore higher, all other things being equal, than that of the known timepiece mentioned above.
  • the timepiece according to the present invention which is designated by the general reference 1
  • This barrel spring, designated by the reference 2 has only been shown very schematically because it can be of the same kind as any of the well known barrel springs which are used in conventional mechanical timepieces.
  • This barrel spring 2 is coupled to a manual or automatic winding mechanism which has not been shown because it can be similar to any of the well-known winding mechanisms which are also used in conventional mechanical timepieces .
  • the barrel spring 2 is mechanically coupled to the rotor 3a of an electrical energy generator 3 via a gear train 4 symbolized by a dashed line.
  • This generator 3 also includes a coil 3b, and it will not be described in detail since it can be produced in various ways well known to specialists.
  • the rotor 3a comprises a bipolar magnet which has been simply symbolized by an arrow representing its axis of magnetization.
  • the coil 3b is magnetically coupled to the permanent magnet of the rotor 3a, for example by means of a stator which has not been shown, so as to produce between its terminals B1 and B2, in response at any rotation of the rotor 3a, an alternating voltage Ug whose period is equal to the period of rotation of the rotor 3a, that is to say the time taken by this rotor 3a to make a revolution.
  • the terminals B1 and B2 of the coil 3b obviously constitute the output terminals of the generator 3.
  • the timepiece 1 also includes a rectifier circuit 5 whose inputs 5a and 5b are respectively connected to the terminals B1 and B2 of the generator 3 and whose outputs 5c and 5d provide a voltage Ua at least substantially continuous in response to the alternating voltage Ug produced by the generator 3.
  • This voltage Ua is intended to supply the various electronic circuits which will be described later by means of conductors which have not been shown.
  • the rectifier 5 will not be described in detail since it may be similar to any of the rectifiers well known to specialists. It will simply be mentioned that this rectifier 5 comprises, conventionally, a filtering capacitor which is connected between its output terminals 5c and 5d and which has not been shown.
  • the terminals 5a and 5c of the rectifier 5 are connected to each other as well as to the terminal B1 of the generator 3. Furthermore, the potential of these three terminals 5a, 5c and B1 has been chosen arbitrarily as the reference potential , or mass, and all the voltages which will be mentioned in the remainder of this description will be voltages measured with respect to this reference potential.
  • the alternating voltage Ug is therefore symmetrical with respect to this reference potential when the rotor 3a rotates at constant speed.
  • the timepiece 1 also comprises means for displaying the current time which are constituted in this example by conventional hands, designated by the reference 6, but which can also be constituted by other well known elements such as records, drums or the like. It can also include one or more annex display devices such as a calendar, moon phase or other device. Such an additional device has not been shown.
  • the needles 6 and, where appropriate, the accessory device (s), are mechanically connected to the barrel spring 2 and to the rotor 3a of the generator 3 by means of a gear train, at least part of which may be common with part of the train 4.
  • this gear train connected to the needles 6 has not been referenced separately, and it is also symbolized by a dashed line.
  • the timepiece 1 also includes a mechanism for setting the time of the hands 6 and, if necessary, for correcting the accessory device (s), which has not been shown because it can be similar to any one various mechanisms of this kind which are well known to specialists.
  • control circuit 7 which determine the speed of rotation of the rotor 3a and which will be described later, as well as the gear train 4, are arranged so that the needles 6 rotate at their normal speeds when the rotor 3a rotates at the set speed Vc. It will be assumed that, in the present example, this reference speed Vc has been fixed at 4 revolutions per second.
  • the characteristics of the barrel spring 2 and of the various elements which it drives, as well as the characteristics of the generator 3, are chosen so that the average speed of rotation of the rotor 3a is greater than the set speed Vc as long as the barrel spring 2 is not almost completely disarmed, provided that the coil 3b is not short-circuited.
  • these characteristics are chosen so that this average speed of rotation is less than this reference speed Vc if the coil 3b is short-circuited, under circumstances which will be described later, even when the barrel spring is completely wound up and the engine torque it provides therefore has its maximum value.
  • the servo circuit 7 mentioned above comprises a comparator 8 whose direct input is connected to the terminal B2 of the generator 3 and whose reverse input is connected to the reference potential, so that the signal produced by its output , which will be called signal SM in the following description, is alternately in state “0" and in state “1" depending on whether the voltage Ug supplied by generator 3 is negative or positive.
  • the period of the signal SM is obviously equal to that of the voltage Ug so that, in particular, this period of the signal SM is 250 milliseconds when the rotor 3a of the generator 3 rotates at its set speed Vc which is 4 revolutions per second in this example.
  • the signal SM passes from its state "0" to its state “1" each time the rotor 3a of the generator 3 passes through a determined angular position, which is that at which the voltage Ug passes through its increasing zero value. .
  • the signal SM is therefore both a signal for measuring the speed of rotation of the rotor 3a and a signal for detecting the passage of this rotor 3a through the determined angular position defined above.
  • the servo circuit 7 also comprises a source of a reference signal SR, constituted, in this example, by an oscillator 9, which can be a quartz oscillator, and a frequency divider circuit 10 having an output Q1 which provides the signal SR in response to the signal produced by the oscillator 9.
  • a source of a reference signal SR constituted, in this example, by an oscillator 9, which can be a quartz oscillator, and a frequency divider circuit 10 having an output Q1 which provides the signal SR in response to the signal produced by the oscillator 9.
  • This oscillator 9 and this frequency divider 10 will not be described in detail since they can be produced in various ways well known to those skilled in the art. It will simply be mentioned that this oscillator 9 and this frequency divider 10 are arranged so that the period of the signal SR is equal to that of the signal SM when the rotor 3a of the generator 3 rotates at its speed of setpoint Vc, that is to say 250 milliseconds in the present example.
  • the frequency divider 10 has a second output, designated by Q2, providing a signal SC having a much shorter period, for example of the order of a hundred times shorter, than that of the signal SR, and whose l the usefulness will be made evident later.
  • this signal SC can be supplied by the output of the sixth flip-flop of the frequency divider 10 and thus have a period equal to approximately 1.95 milliseconds.
  • the servo circuit 7 also includes a reversible counter, or up-down counter, which is designated by the reference 11.
  • the counting input C of this counter 11 is connected to the output Q of the frequency divider 10 and therefore receives the signal SR, and its down counting input D is connected to the output of comparator 8 and therefore receives the signal SM.
  • This reversible counter 11 will not be described in detail since it can be produced in various well known ways. It will simply be specified that it is sensitive to the rising edges of the pulses it receives, that is to say to the passages from logic state "0" to logic state "1" of signals SR and SM. In other words, the content of this counter 11, that is to say the binary number formed by the logical states “0” or “1” of the direct outputs of the various flip-flops which form it, is increased by one unit on each rising edge of the SR signal pulses and decreased by one unit on each rising edge of the SM signal pulses.
  • This counter 11 comprises in in addition to well-known means which make it possible to remove any ambiguity due to any superposition in time of the pulses which it receives on its inputs C and D.
  • the counter 11 has an input R for resetting to zero and it is arranged so that its content is maintained at the value zero as long as this input R is in the logic state "1".
  • the counter 11 is made up of n flip-flops, its content can take any value greater than or equal to zero and less than or equal to 2 n -1.
  • the operation of the counter 11 is cyclic, that is to say in particular that, when its content is equal to zero, this content takes the value 2 n -1 in response to a pulse applied to its down counting input D .
  • positive values of the content of counter 11 will be called those which are greater than or equal to zero and less than or equal to 2 (n-1) , and negative values of this content those which are greater than 2 (n-1) and less than or equal to 2 n -1.
  • the output Q of the counter 11 which is conventionally constituted by the direct output of the last of its flip-flops, is in the logical state "0" when the content of counter 11 is positive and in logic state "1" when this content is negative.
  • the output Q of the reversible counter 11 is connected to a first input of an AND gate 12, the second input of which is connected to the output of the comparator 8.
  • This gate 12 is connected to the input S of a flip-flop 13 of type R-S whose input R is connected to the output of an OR gate 14.
  • the flip-flop 13 is sensitive to the rising edges of the pulses it receives on its inputs S and R.
  • the direct output Q and the inverse output Q ⁇ of this flip-flop 13 respectively take the logic state “1” and the logic state “0” in response to each rising edge of the signal applied to its input S, and respectively take the logic state "0” and the logic state "1” in response to each rising edge of the signal applied to its R input.
  • a first input of the OR gate 14 is connected to the output Q of a simple, non-reversible counter 15.
  • This counter 15 consists in this example of five flip-flops connected in series in a conventional manner so that its output Q, which is the direct output of its fifth flip-flop, goes from state "0" to state "1" when its content changes from the value fifteen to the value sixteen.
  • the counting input C of the counter 15 is connected to the output Q2 of the frequency divider 10 and therefore receives the signal SC, and its reset input R is connected to the inverse output Q ⁇ of the flip-flop 13.
  • the counter 15 is sensitive to the rising edges of the signal applied to its counting input C, and its content is maintained at the value zero as long as its input R is in logic state "1".
  • the servo circuit 7 further comprises means for electrically braking the rotor 3a of the generator 3, which are constituted in the present example by an n-type MOS transistor, designated by the reference 16, whose source and drain are respectively connected at the terminals B1 and B2 of the generator 3, and the grid of which is connected to the direct output Q of the flip-flop 13.
  • transistor 16 is blocked or conductive depending on whether its gate is in the "0" or "1" logic state since it is of type n and its source is at the reference potential.
  • the servo circuit 7 also includes an initialization circuit 17 having two connected inputs respectively at the terminals 5c and 5d of the rectifier 5 and an output connected on the one hand to the reset inputs R of the frequency divider 10 and the reversible counter 11 and, on the other hand, to the second input of the OR gate 14 .
  • This initialization circuit 17 will not be described in detail since it can be produced in various well known ways. It will simply be mentioned that it is arranged so that its output produces a short initialization pulse at the moment when the voltage Ua reaches by increasing a determined threshold value, which is equal to or slightly greater than the value for which the various other components of the servo circuit 7 begin to function properly. This instant will be called initialization instant t0 in the rest of this description.
  • the pulse produced by the initialization circuit 17 causes the frequency divider 10 and the reversible counter 11 to be reset to zero, so that the outputs Q1 and Q2 of the frequency divider 10 and the output Q of the reversible counter 11 are put in the logic state "0".
  • the logic state "0" of the output Q of the flip-flop 13 puts the transistor 16 in its blocking state, so that the coil 3b of the generator 3 is not short-circuited and that the speed of rotation of the rotor 3a can reach and exceed the set speed Vc.
  • the logic state "1" of the output Q ⁇ of flip-flop 13 maintains the content of counter 15 at zero.
  • reference instant tr will be called each of the instants when the reference signal SR goes from its state “0" to its state “1” and where the content of the counter 11 is therefore increased by one.
  • the instant of measurement tm will be called each of the instants where the measurement signal SM also passes from its state “0" to its state “1” and where the content of the counter 11 is therefore reduced by one unit.
  • the angular position of the rotor 3a will be called the angular position that it should occupy, at each reference instant tr, if its average speed of rotation since the instant t0 had been equal to its reference speed Vc.
  • the content of the reversible counter 11 is permanently representative of the difference between the number of pulses of the signal SR produced by the frequency divider 10 since the time t0 defined above and the number of pulses of the signal SM produced by the comparator 8, which is the number of complete turns made by the rotor 3a of the generator 3, from the same instant t0.
  • This content of the counter 11 is therefore also permanently representative of the delay or of the advance of the rotor 3a with respect to its theoretical angular position, this delay or this advance possibly being, if necessary, several turns.
  • the output Q of the reversible counter 11 is in the logic state "0", so that the output of the AND gate 12 remains in the state "0" and that the flip-flop 13 remains in the state where its output Q is in logic state "0".
  • the transistor 16 remains blocked, and the coil 3b of the generator 3 not being short-circuited, the speed of rotation of the rotor 3a can remain or, if necessary, tend to become greater than the reference speed Vc, provided that understood that the barrel spring 2 is still sufficiently armed.
  • the output Q of the counter 11 is in the logic state "1".
  • the signal SM then also being in state "1", the flip-flop 13 takes the state where its outputs Q and Q ⁇ are in logical state "1" and in logical state "0" respectively.
  • the transistor 16 becomes conductive and short-circuits the coil 3b of the generator 3.
  • the rotor 3a is therefore braked, and its speed of rotation becomes lower than the reference speed Vc.
  • the flip-flop 13 then resumes the state where its outputs Q and Q ⁇ are in logical state "0" and in logical state "1" respectively.
  • the transistor 16 is therefore again blocked, so that the rotor 3a is no longer braked and its speed of rotation can again increase.
  • the circuit formed by the doors 12 and 14, the rocker 13 and the counter 15 constitutes a circuit for limiting the duration of braking of the rotor 3a to a determined fraction, 1/8 in the present example, of the period of the voltage Ug supplied by the generator 3.
  • the average speed of the rotor 3a is equal to the set speed Vc, and, if the hands 6 have been set to the time at time t0, they permanently display the exact time, with an accuracy equal to that of the frequency of the reference signal SR.
  • this result is obtained by braking the rotor 3a, when it is ahead of its theoretical angular position, only for periods of limited duration, significantly less than the time taken on average by the rotor 3a to do a full turn.
  • this duration of the braking periods which is determined by the frequency of the signal SC and by the number of flip-flops forming the counter 15, is approximately eight times shorter than the average rotation period of the rotor 3a.
  • the voltage Ug produced by the generator 3 is obviously zero since the transistor 16 is conductive and short-circuits the coil 3b.
  • each of these braking periods begins at an instant when the Ug tension is in any case zero, and their duration is only a fairly small fraction of the period of this Ug tension as we have just seen.
  • the voltage Ug would therefore have only a relatively low value if the coil 3b were not short-circuited, and the generator 3 would in any case only provide very low energy, or even zero energy. , to the rectifier 5.
  • the voltage Ug has its normal value, so that the quantity of electrical energy supplied by the generator 3 is almost not reduced, or even not at all , by braking the rotor 3a.
  • the generator 3 continues to supply the electrical energy necessary for the operation of the servo circuit 7 even when the rotor 3a is ahead of its theoretical angular position and it is braked as described above. above, regardless of the importance of this advance.
  • the filter capacitor (s) of the rectifier 5 can therefore have relatively low capacities, since it is not necessary for them to supply the servo circuit 7 for long periods as is the case in the room. of known watchmaking described in the patent US-A-3937001 mentioned above.
  • the elimination of this resistance has the advantage that the braking of the rotor 3a is more effective, which makes it possible to increase the maximum admissible engine torque for the barrel spring 2 and therefore to increase the autonomy of the timepiece 1.
  • the rotor of the generator of a timepiece may comprise, instead of the bipolar magnet of the rotor 3a of the generator 3 described above, either a permanent multipolar magnet, or a plurality of bipolar permanent magnets arranged at the periphery of a disc.
  • the alternating voltage produced by the coil of this generator has a period which is equal to the ratio between the period of rotation of the rotor and the number of pairs of poles of the multipolar magnet or, respectively, the number of bipolar magnets.
  • the measurement signal that is to say the signal SM in the example of FIG. 1, so that it changes to state "1", for a limited time, not only each time the alternating voltage produced by the generator of the timepiece passes through its increasing zero value, but also each time this alternating voltage passes through this decreasing zero value.
  • the period of this measurement signal is equal to half that of the alternating voltage produced by the generator, and the rotor of this generator is braked twice per period of this alternating voltage when it is in advance relative to its theoretical angular position. It may then be necessary to reduce the duration of the braking periods of this rotor to prevent the electrical energy supplied by the generator does not become insufficient to adequately power the electronic circuits of the timepiece.

Abstract

The hands (6) of the clock mechanism (1) are linked to a barrel spring (2) which also drives the rotor (3a) of a generator (3) at a speed greater than a reference speed (Vc). The electrical energy supplied by the generator (3) supplies a control circuit (7). The control circuit consists of a transistor (17), which short circuits the coil (3b) of the generator (3), and brakes the rotor (3a) at a speed less than the reference speed (Vc), when a comparator (11) indicates that the rotor (3a) is ahead of is theoretical angular position. A limiting circuit (12-15) limits the duration of the braking of the rotor (3a) to a fraction of the period of the alternating voltage (Ug) provided by the generator (3). <IMAGE>

Description

La présente invention a pour objet une pièce d'horlogerie comportant :

  • un générateur d'énergie électrique comprenant un rotor et des moyens pour fournir ladite énergie électrique en réponse à une rotation dudit rotor;
  • une source d'énergie mécanique couplée mécaniquement audit rotor pour provoquer ladite rotation dudit rotor à une vitesse supérieure à une vitesse de consigne déterminée; et
  • des moyens d'asservissement de la vitesse de rotation dudit rotor à ladite vitesse de consigne alimentés par ladite énergie électrique et comportant :
  • des moyens de mesure couplés audit générateur pour produire une pluralité d'impulsions de mesure, chacune desdites impulsions de mesure étant produite en réponse au passage dudit rotor par une position angulaire déterminée;
  • des moyens de référence pour produire une pluralité d'impulsions de référence périodiques ayant une période égale à celle desdites impulsions de mesure lorsque ledit rotor tourne à ladite vitesse de consigne;
  • des moyens de comparaison pour fournir un signal de comparaison représentatif de la différence entre, d'une part, un premier nombre qui est le nombre desdites impulsions de référence produites depuis un instant initial déterminé et, d'autre part, un deuxième nombre qui est le nombre desdites impulsions de mesure produites depuis ledit instant initial, ledit signal de comparaison ayant un premier et un deuxième état selon que ledit premier nombre est inférieur ou, respectivement, supérieur audit deuxième nombre; et
  • des moyens de freinage répondant à un signal de commande pour appliquer audit rotor un couple de freinage imposant audit rotor une vitesse de rotation inférieure à ladite vitesse de consigne.
The subject of the present invention is a timepiece comprising:
  • an electrical energy generator comprising a rotor and means for providing said electrical energy in response to a rotation of said rotor;
  • a source of mechanical energy mechanically coupled to said rotor to cause said rotation of said rotor at a speed greater than a predetermined set speed; and
  • means for controlling the speed of rotation of said rotor at said set speed supplied by said electrical energy and comprising:
  • measurement means coupled to said generator for producing a plurality of measurement pulses, each of said measurement pulses being produced in response to the passage of said rotor through a determined angular position;
  • reference means for producing a plurality of periodic reference pulses having a period equal to that of said measurement pulses when said rotor rotates at said set speed;
  • comparison means for providing a comparison signal representative of the difference between, on the one hand, a first number which is the number of said reference pulses produced since a determined initial instant and, on the other hand, a second number which is the number of said measurement pulses produced since said initial instant, said comparison signal having a first and a second state depending on whether said first number is less or, respectively, greater than said second number; and
  • braking means responding to a control signal for applying to said rotor a braking torque imposing on said rotor a speed of rotation lower than said set speed.

Une pièce d'horlogerie ayant ces caractéristiques, qui est décrite par exemple dans le brevet US-A-3937001, a la même précision qu'une pièce d'horlogerie électronique classique grâce au fait que les impulsions de référence, dont la fréquence détermine la vitesse de rotation du rotor du générateur et donc celle des aiguilles d'affichage de l'heure courante, sont produites à partir d'un signal fourni par un oscillateur à quartz.A timepiece having these characteristics, which is described for example in patent US-A-3937001, has the same precision as a conventional electronic timepiece thanks to the fact that the reference pulses, the frequency of which determines the rotational speed of the generator rotor and therefore that of the current time display hands, are produced from a signal supplied by a quartz oscillator.

En outre, cette pièce d'horlogerie ne comporte ni pile ni accumulateur puisque l'alimentation de ses circuits électroniques est assurée par l'énergie électrique fournie par son générateur dont le rotor est relié à sa source d'énergie mécanique, qui est constituée par un ressort de barillet semblable à celui qui est utilisé dans les pièces d'horlogerie mécaniques classiques.In addition, this timepiece does not have a battery or accumulator since the power supply to its electronic circuits is ensured by the electrical energy supplied by its generator, the rotor of which is connected to its source of mechanical energy, which is constituted by a barrel spring similar to that used in classic mechanical timepieces.

Ceci représente un net avantage par rapport à une pièce d'horlogerie électronique classique dont les circuits sont alimentés par une pile ou un accumulateur dont la durée de vie est limitée.This represents a clear advantage compared to a conventional electronic timepiece whose circuits are powered by a battery or accumulator whose lifetime is limited.

Dans la pièce d'horlogerie décrite dans le brevet US-A-3 937 001 mentionné ci-dessus, les moyens de freinage du rotor du générateur sont constitués par une résistance branchée en série avec un interrupteur électronique, l'ensemble formé par cette résistance et cet interrupteur étant branché en parallèle avec la bobine du générateur.In the timepiece described in patent US-A-3,937,001 mentioned above, the braking means of the generator rotor consist of a resistor connected in series with an electronic switch, the assembly formed by this resistor and this switch being connected in parallel with the generator coil.

En outre, cet interrupteur est commandé directement par le signal de comparaison de manière à être fermé en permanence lorsque ce dernier est dans son premier état, c'est-à-dire tant que le rotor du générateur est en avance par rapport à la position qu'il occuperait s'il avait toujours tourné à sa vitesse de consigne.In addition, this switch is controlled directly by the comparison signal so as to be permanently closed when the latter is in its first state, that is to say as long as the generator rotor is ahead of the position. that it would occupy if it had always been running at its set speed.

Il peut donc arriver que ce rotor soit freiné sans interruption pendant un temps assez long, notamment s'il a été auparavant fortement accéléré par un choc angulaire.It can therefore happen that this rotor is braked without interruption for a fairly long time, in particular if it has previously been strongly accelerated by an angular shock.

Les circuits électroniques de la pièce d'horlogerie sont alimentés par une tension continue fournie par un circuit redresseur de la tension alternative produite par le générateur.The electronic circuits of the timepiece are supplied by a direct voltage supplied by a rectifier circuit of the alternating voltage produced by the generator.

La valeur de cette tension continue, qui dépend de la valeur de cette tension alternative, doit évidemment être en permanence suffisante pour que ces circuits électroniques fonctionnent correctement.The value of this DC voltage, which depends on the value of this AC voltage, must obviously be permanently sufficient for these electronic circuits to function properly.

Or, lorsque le rotor du générateur est freiné, la tension alternative qu'il produit est d'autant plus basse que la valeur de la résistance de freinage est faible, cette tension alternative étant évidemment nulle si la valeur de la résistance de freinage est elle-même nulle.However, when the generator rotor is braked, the alternating voltage it produces is lower the lower the value of the braking resistor, this alternating voltage obviously being zero if the value of the braking resistor is it - even zero.

Si le rotor du générateur n'était freiné que pendant des temps relativement courts, les circuits électroniques de la pièce d'horlogerie pourraient être alimentés, pendant ces temps de freinage, par l'énergie électrique accumulée dans le ou les condensateurs que comporte généralement le circuit redresseur alimentant ces circuits, et ceci même si la valeur de la résistance de freinage était nulle.If the generator rotor was only braked for relatively short times, the electronic circuits of the timepiece could be supplied, during these braking times, by the electrical energy accumulated in the capacitor (s) that generally comprises the rectifier circuit supplying these circuits, even if the value of the braking resistor was zero.

Mais, comme on l'a vu ci-dessus, le rotor du générateur peut être freiné sans interruption pendant un temps assez long. Il est donc pratiquement exclu de choisir pour la résistance de freinage une valeur nulle, car le condensateur du circuit redresseur devrait alors avoir une capacité très élevée et devrait donc être assez encombrant et cher. Il ne serait d'ailleurs pas possible de déterminer avec certitude la capacité que ce condensateur devrait avoir puisque le temps maximal pendant lequel le rotor du générateur peut être freiné ne peut pas être prévu à l'avance.However, as seen above, the generator rotor can be braked without interruption for a fairly long time. It is therefore practically excluded to choose a zero value for the braking resistor, because the capacitor of the rectifier circuit should then have a very high capacity and should therefore be quite bulky and expensive. It would also not be possible to determine with certainty the capacity that this capacitor should have since the maximum time during which the generator rotor can be braked cannot be predicted in advance.

Lorsque la résistance de freinage est branchée en parallèle avec la bobine du générateur, la tension alternative produite par cette bobine est diminuée d'une part à cause de la diminution de la vitesse de rotation qui résulte de ce branchement et, d'autre part, à cause de la chute de tension produite dans la bobine du générateur par le courant absorbé par la résistance de freinage.When the braking resistor is connected in parallel with the generator coil, the alternating voltage produced by this coil is reduced on the one hand because of the reduction in the speed of rotation which results from this connection and, on the other hand, because of the voltage drop produced in the generator coil by the current absorbed by the braking resistor.

Il en résulte que, pour que la tension d'alimentation des circuits électroniques de la pièce d'horlogerie soit toujours suffisante, il ne suffit pas que la valeur de la résistance de freinage ne soit pas nulle, comme on l'a vu ci-dessus, mais il faut en outre que cette valeur soit relativement élevée.It follows that, for the supply voltage of the electronic circuits of the timepiece to always be sufficient, it is not sufficient that the value of the braking resistor is not zero, as we have seen below. above, but it must also be relatively high.

Cependant, le couple de freinage appliqué au rotor du générateur est d'autant plus élevé que la valeur de la résistance de freinage est faible, ce couple de freinage étant maximal lorsque cette résistance de freinage a une valeur nulle.However, the braking torque applied to the generator rotor is higher the lower the value of the braking resistor, this braking torque being maximum when this braking resistor has a zero value.

Ce couple de freinage doit évidemment imposer au rotor du générateur une vitesse de rotation inférieure à sa vitesse de consigne quel que soit le couple moteur fourni par le ressort de barillet.This braking torque must obviously impose on the generator rotor a rotational speed lower than its set speed whatever the engine torque supplied by the barrel spring.

Pour que la valeur maximale de ce couple moteur puisse être aussi élevée que possible, ce qui influence favorablement l'autonomie de la pièce d'horlogerie, c'est-à-dire le temps pendant lequel elle peut fonctionner sans que son ressort de barillet doive être remonté, il faut donc que le couple de freinage soit également élevé, ce qui implique que la résistance de freinage ait une valeur faible. De préférence, cette résistance devrait avoir une valeur nulle.So that the maximum value of this engine torque can be as high as possible, which favorably influences the autonomy of the timepiece, that is to say the time during which it can operate without its barrel spring must be reassembled, so the braking torque must also be high, which implies that the braking resistor has a low value. Preferably, this resistance should have a zero value.

La résistance de freinage du rotor doit donc remplir deux conditions contradictoires. D'une part, elle doit être suffisamment élevée, et en tout cas pas nulle, pour que la tension d'alimentation des circuits électroniques soit suffisante en toutes circonstances. D'autre part, elle doit être assez faible, et de préférence nulle, pour que le couple de freinage soit élevé et que la vitesse de rotation du rotor, lorsqu'il est freiné, soit inférieure à sa vitesse de consigne même lorsque le couple moteur fourni par la source d'énergie mécanique est maximal.The braking resistor of the rotor must therefore fulfill two contradictory conditions. On the one hand, it must be sufficiently high, and in any case not zero, for the supply voltage of the electronic circuits to be sufficient in all circumstances. On the other hand, it must be low enough, and preferably zero, for the braking torque to be high and for the rotational speed of the rotor, when it is braked, to be lower than its set speed even when the torque motor supplied by the mechanical power source is maximum.

Pour que la première condition ci-dessus puisse être remplie plus facilement, on peut théoriquement augmenter le nombre de spires de la bobine du générateur. Mais une bobine ayant un grand nombre de spires est volumineuse et peut être difficile à loger dans l'espace restreint disponible dans une pièce d'horlogerie de petit volume telle qu'une montre bracelet. Ou alors, si on choisit de réaliser cette bobine avec un fil de diamètre suffisamment faible pour qu'elle ne soit pas trop encombrante, sa fabrication devient difficile et son prix de revient augmente.So that the first condition above can be fulfilled more easily, it is theoretically possible to increase the number of turns of the generator coil. But a coil having a large number of turns is bulky and can be difficult to accommodate in the limited space available in a timepiece of small volume such as a wristwatch. Alternatively, if one chooses to make this coil with a wire of sufficiently small diameter so that it is not too bulky, its manufacture becomes difficult and its cost price increases.

Il faut aussi tenir compte du fait qu'une bobine ayant un grand nombre de spires d'un fil de petit diamètre a une résistance interne élevée qui, d'une part, s'ajoute à la résistance de freinage et diminue le couple de freinage du rotor et, d'autre part, provoque une diminution de la tension alternative produite par le générateur lorsqu'elle est parcourue par le courant fourni par ce dernier.It must also be taken into account that a coil having a large number of turns of a small diameter wire has a high internal resistance which, on the one hand, adds to the braking resistance and reduces the braking torque of the rotor and, on the other hand, causes a decrease in the alternating voltage produced by the generator when it is traversed by the current supplied by the latter.

On peut aussi, théoriquement, utiliser un circuit redresseur multiplicateur de tension pour redresser la tension alternative produite par la bobine du générateur. Mais un tel circuit comporte un nombre assez élevé de condensateurs, qui sont des éléments encombrants, et de diodes dont la tension de seuil n'est pas sensiblement inférieure à la tension nécessaire à l'alimentation des circuits électroniques de la pièce d'horlogerie. Il en découle que, en pratique, il n'est possible d'utiliser qu'un redresseur simple ou, tout au plus, un redresseur doubleur de tension pour redresser la tension alternative produite par le générateur.It is also theoretically possible to use a voltage multiplier rectifier circuit to rectify the alternating voltage produced by the generator coil. However, such a circuit includes a fairly large number of capacitors, which are bulky elements, and of diodes, the threshold voltage of which is not significantly lower than the voltage required to supply the electronic circuits of the timepiece. It follows that, in practice, it is only possible to use a single rectifier or, at most, a voltage doubling rectifier to rectify the alternating voltage produced by the generator.

Pour que la deuxième condition mentionnée ci-dessus soit plus facilement remplie, on peut évidemment diminuer la valeur maximale du couple moteur fourni par le ressort de barillet entraînant le rotor du générateur. Mais alors l'autonomie de la pièce d'horlogerie est diminuée, ce qui n'est évidemment pas souhaitable.So that the second condition mentioned above is more easily fulfilled, it is obviously possible to reduce the maximum value of the engine torque supplied by the barrel spring driving the generator rotor. But then the autonomy of the timepiece is reduced, which is obviously not desirable.

Un but de la présente invention est de proposer une pièce d'horlogerie du même genre que celle qui est décrite dans le brevet US-A-3 937 001 déjà mentionné mais qui ne présente pas les inconvénients de celle-ci, c'est-à-dire une pièce d'horlogerie dans laquelle la valeur de la résistance de freinage du rotor peut être très faible, voire même nulle, sans qu'il soit nécessaire de donner à la bobine du générateur un nombre de spires élevé et sans qu'il y ait un risque de voir, en quelque circonstance que ce soit, la tension d'alimentation des circuits électroniques devenir insuffisante pour que ces derniers fonctionnent correctement. En outre, cette valeur très faible, ou même nulle, de cette résistance de freinage permet de choisir le ressort de barillet entraînant le rotor du générateur de manière que son couple maximal soit élevé et que l'autonomie de la pièce d'horlogerie soit donc plus élevée, toutes autres choses étant égales, que celle de la pièce d'horlogerie connue mentionnée ci-dessus.An object of the present invention is to provide a timepiece of the same kind as that described in patent US-A-3,937,001 already mentioned but which does not have the drawbacks thereof, that is to say ie a timepiece in which the value of the rotor braking resistance can be very low, or even zero, without it being necessary to give the generator coil a high number of turns and without there is a risk that, in any circumstance whatsoever, the supply voltage of the electronic circuits will become insufficient for the latter to function correctly. In addition, this very low, or even zero, value of this braking resistor makes it possible to choose the barrel spring driving the generator rotor so that its maximum torque is high and the autonomy of the timepiece is therefore higher, all other things being equal, than that of the known timepiece mentioned above.

Ce but est atteint par la pièce d'horlogerie dont les caractéristiques sont énumérées dans la revendication 1.This object is achieved by the timepiece whose characteristics are listed in claim 1.

D'autres buts et avantages de la présente invention seront rendus évidents par la description qui va suivre et qui sera faite à l'aide du dessin annexé dans lequel :

  • la figure 1, unique, représente schématiquement une forme d'exécution de la pièce d'horlogerie selon la présente invention.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be made evident by the description which follows and which will be made with the aid of the appended drawing in which:
  • Figure 1, unique, schematically shows an embodiment of the timepiece according to the present invention.

Dans sa forme d'exécution représentée schématiquement et à titre d'exemple non limitatif à la figure 1, la pièce d'horlogerie selon la présente invention, qui est désignée par la référence générale 1, comporte une source d'énergie mécanique constituée par un ressort de barillet. Ce ressort de barillet, désigné par la référence 2, n'a été représenté que très schématiquement car il peut être du même genre que n'importe lequel des ressorts de barillet bien connus qui sont utilisés dans les pièces d'horlogerie mécanique classiques.In its embodiment shown diagrammatically and by way of nonlimiting example in FIG. 1, the timepiece according to the present invention, which is designated by the general reference 1, comprises a source of mechanical energy constituted by a barrel spring. This barrel spring, designated by the reference 2, has only been shown very schematically because it can be of the same kind as any of the well known barrel springs which are used in conventional mechanical timepieces.

Ce ressort de barillet 2 est couplé à un mécanisme de remontage manuel ou automatique qui n'a pas été représenté car il peut être semblable à n'importe lequel des mécanismes de remontage bien connus qui sont également utilisés dans les pièces d'horlogerie mécaniques classiques.This barrel spring 2 is coupled to a manual or automatic winding mechanism which has not been shown because it can be similar to any of the well-known winding mechanisms which are also used in conventional mechanical timepieces .

Le ressort de barillet 2 est couplé mécaniquement au rotor 3a d'un générateur d'énergie électrique 3 par l'intermédiaire d'un train d'engrenages 4 symbolisé par un trait mixte. Ce générateur 3 comporte encore une bobine 3b, et il ne sera pas décrit en détail car il peut être réalisé de diverses manières bien connues des spécialistes.The barrel spring 2 is mechanically coupled to the rotor 3a of an electrical energy generator 3 via a gear train 4 symbolized by a dashed line. This generator 3 also includes a coil 3b, and it will not be described in detail since it can be produced in various ways well known to specialists.

On mentionnera simplement que, dans le présent exemple, le rotor 3a comporte un aimant bipolaire qui a été simplement symbolisé par une flèche représentant son axe d'aimantation.It will simply be mentioned that, in the present example, the rotor 3a comprises a bipolar magnet which has been simply symbolized by an arrow representing its axis of magnetization.

On mentionnera également que la bobine 3b est couplée magnétiquement à l'aimant permanent du rotor 3a, par exemple par l'intermédiaire d'un stator qui n'a pas été représenté, de manière à produire entre ses bornes B1 et B2, en réponse à toute rotation du rotor 3a, une tension alternative Ug dont la période est égale à la période de rotation du rotor 3a, c'est-à-dire au temps mis par ce rotor 3a pour faire un tour. Les bornes B1 et B2 de la bobine 3b constituent évidemment les bornes de sortie du générateur 3.It will also be mentioned that the coil 3b is magnetically coupled to the permanent magnet of the rotor 3a, for example by means of a stator which has not been shown, so as to produce between its terminals B1 and B2, in response at any rotation of the rotor 3a, an alternating voltage Ug whose period is equal to the period of rotation of the rotor 3a, that is to say the time taken by this rotor 3a to make a revolution. The terminals B1 and B2 of the coil 3b obviously constitute the output terminals of the generator 3.

La pièce d'horlogerie 1 comporte encore un circuit redresseur 5 dont les entrées 5a et 5b sont respectivement reliées aux bornes B1 et B2 du générateur 3 et dont les sorties 5c et 5d fournissent une tension Ua au moins sensiblement continue en réponse à la tension alternative Ug produit par le générateur 3. Cette tension Ua est destinée à alimenter les divers circuits électroniques qui seront décrits plus loin par l'intermédiaires de conducteurs qui n'ont pas été représentés.The timepiece 1 also includes a rectifier circuit 5 whose inputs 5a and 5b are respectively connected to the terminals B1 and B2 of the generator 3 and whose outputs 5c and 5d provide a voltage Ua at least substantially continuous in response to the alternating voltage Ug produced by the generator 3. This voltage Ua is intended to supply the various electronic circuits which will be described later by means of conductors which have not been shown.

Le redresseur 5 ne sera pas décrit en détail car il peut être semblable à n'importe lequel des redresseurs bien connus des spécialistes. On mentionnera simplement que ce redresseur 5 comporte, de manière classique, un condensateur de filtrage qui est branché entre ses bornes de sortie 5c et 5d et qui n'a pas été représenté.The rectifier 5 will not be described in detail since it may be similar to any of the rectifiers well known to specialists. It will simply be mentioned that this rectifier 5 comprises, conventionally, a filtering capacitor which is connected between its output terminals 5c and 5d and which has not been shown.

Dans le présent exemple, les bornes 5a et 5c du redresseur 5 sont reliées entre elles ainsi qu'à la borne B1 du générateur 3. En outre, le potentiel de ces trois bornes 5a, 5c et B1 a été choisi arbitrairement comme potentiel de référence, ou masse, et toutes les tensions qui seront mentionnées dans la suite de cette description seront des tensions mesurées par rapport à ce potentiel de référence.In the present example, the terminals 5a and 5c of the rectifier 5 are connected to each other as well as to the terminal B1 of the generator 3. Furthermore, the potential of these three terminals 5a, 5c and B1 has been chosen arbitrarily as the reference potential , or mass, and all the voltages which will be mentioned in the remainder of this description will be voltages measured with respect to this reference potential.

Avec cette convention, la tension alternative Ug est donc symétrique par rapport à ce potentiel de référence lorsque le rotor 3a tourne à vitesse constante.With this convention, the alternating voltage Ug is therefore symmetrical with respect to this reference potential when the rotor 3a rotates at constant speed.

En outre, dans la suite de cette description, les divers signaux seront décrits comme étant à l'état logique "0" ou à l'état logique "1" selon que le potentiel des points où ils sont mesurés est sensiblement égal au potentiel de référence ou, respectivement, au potentiel de la borne 5d du redresseur 5.Furthermore, in the remainder of this description, the various signals will be described as being in the logic state "0" or in the logic state "1" depending on whether the potential of the points where they are measured is substantially equal to the potential of reference or, respectively, to the potential of terminal 5d of rectifier 5.

La pièce d'horlogerie 1 comporte encore des moyens d'affichage de l'heure courante qui sont constitués dans cet exemple par des aiguilles classiques, désignées par la référence 6, mais qui peuvent aussi être constitués par d'autres éléments bien connus tels que des disques, des tambours ou autres. Elle peut également comporter un ou plusieurs dispositifs d'affichage annexes tels qu'un dispositif de calendrier, de phase de lune ou autre. Un tel dispositif annexe n'a pas été représenté.The timepiece 1 also comprises means for displaying the current time which are constituted in this example by conventional hands, designated by the reference 6, but which can also be constituted by other well known elements such as records, drums or the like. It can also include one or more annex display devices such as a calendar, moon phase or other device. Such an additional device has not been shown.

Les aiguilles 6 et, le cas échéant, le ou les dispositifs annexes, sont reliés mécaniquement au ressort de barillet 2 et au rotor 3a du générateur 3 par l'intermédiaire d'un train d'engrenages dont une partie au moins peut être commune avec une partie du train d'engrenages 4. Dans la figure 1, ce train d'engrenages relié aux aiguilles 6 n'a pas été référencé séparément, et il est également symbolisé par un trait mixte.The needles 6 and, where appropriate, the accessory device (s), are mechanically connected to the barrel spring 2 and to the rotor 3a of the generator 3 by means of a gear train, at least part of which may be common with part of the train 4. In FIG. 1, this gear train connected to the needles 6 has not been referenced separately, and it is also symbolized by a dashed line.

La pièce d'horlogerie 1 comporte aussi un mécanisme de mise à l'heure des aiguilles 6 et, le cas échéant, de correction du ou des dispositifs annexes, qui n'a pas été représenté car il peut être semblable à n'importe lequel des divers mécanismes de ce genre qui sont bien connus des spécialistes.The timepiece 1 also includes a mechanism for setting the time of the hands 6 and, if necessary, for correcting the accessory device (s), which has not been shown because it can be similar to any one various mechanisms of this kind which are well known to specialists.

La vitesse de rotation des aiguilles 6, qui doit bien entendu avoir une valeur moyenne constante et bien déterminée, est contrôlée par un circuit 7 d'asservissement de la vitesse de rotation du rotor 3a à une vitesse de consigne qui sera appelée Vc dans la suite de cette description.The speed of rotation of the needles 6, which must of course have a constant and well-determined average value, is controlled by a circuit 7 for controlling the speed of rotation of the rotor 3a at a set speed which will be called Vc in the following. of this description.

Les éléments du circuit d'asservissement 7 qui déterminent la vitesse de rotation du rotor 3a et qui seront décrits plus loin, ainsi que le train d'engrenages 4, sont agencés de manière que les aiguilles 6 tournent à leurs vitesses normales lorsque le rotor 3a tourne à la vitesse de consigne Vc. On admettra que, dans le présent exemple, cette vitesse de consigne Vc a été fixée à 4 tours par seconde.The elements of the control circuit 7 which determine the speed of rotation of the rotor 3a and which will be described later, as well as the gear train 4, are arranged so that the needles 6 rotate at their normal speeds when the rotor 3a rotates at the set speed Vc. It will be assumed that, in the present example, this reference speed Vc has been fixed at 4 revolutions per second.

En outre, et pour une raison qui sera rendue évidente par la suite de cette description, les caractéristiques du ressort de barillet 2 et des divers éléments qu'il entraîne, ainsi que les caractéristiques du générateur 3, sont choisies de manière que la vitesse moyenne de rotation du rotor 3a soit supérieure à la vitesse de consigne Vc tant que le ressort de barillet 2 n'est pas presque complètement désarmé, à condition que la bobine 3b ne soit pas court-circuitée. De même, ces caractéristiques sont choisies de manière que cette vitesse moyenne de rotation soit inférieure à cette vitesse de consigne Vc si la bobine 3b est court-circuitée, dans des circonstances qui seront décrites plus loin, et ceci même lorsque le ressort de barillet est complètement remonté et que le couple moteur qu'il fournit a donc sa valeur maximale.In addition, and for a reason which will be made clear later on in this description, the characteristics of the barrel spring 2 and of the various elements which it drives, as well as the characteristics of the generator 3, are chosen so that the average speed of rotation of the rotor 3a is greater than the set speed Vc as long as the barrel spring 2 is not almost completely disarmed, provided that the coil 3b is not short-circuited. Likewise, these characteristics are chosen so that this average speed of rotation is less than this reference speed Vc if the coil 3b is short-circuited, under circumstances which will be described later, even when the barrel spring is completely wound up and the engine torque it provides therefore has its maximum value.

Le circuit d'asservissement 7 mentionné ci-dessus comporte un comparateur 8 dont l'entrée directe est reliée à la borne B2 du générateur 3 et dont l'entrée inverse est reliée au potentiel de référence, de sorte que le signal produit par sa sortie, qui sera appelé signal SM dans la suite de cette description, est alternativement à l'état "0" et à l'état "1" selon que la tension Ug fournie par le générateur 3 est négative ou positive.The servo circuit 7 mentioned above comprises a comparator 8 whose direct input is connected to the terminal B2 of the generator 3 and whose reverse input is connected to the reference potential, so that the signal produced by its output , which will be called signal SM in the following description, is alternately in state "0" and in state "1" depending on whether the voltage Ug supplied by generator 3 is negative or positive.

La période du signal SM est évidemment égale à celle de la tension Ug de sorte que, notamment, cette période du signal SM est de 250 millisecondes lorsque le rotor 3a du générateur 3 tourne à sa vitesse de consigne Vc qui est de 4 tours par seconde dans le présent exemple.The period of the signal SM is obviously equal to that of the voltage Ug so that, in particular, this period of the signal SM is 250 milliseconds when the rotor 3a of the generator 3 rotates at its set speed Vc which is 4 revolutions per second in this example.

En outre, le signal SM passe de son état "0" à son état "1" chaque fois que le rotor 3a du générateur 3 passe par une position angulaire déterminée, qui est celle à laquelle la tension Ug passe par sa valeur nulle en croissant.In addition, the signal SM passes from its state "0" to its state "1" each time the rotor 3a of the generator 3 passes through a determined angular position, which is that at which the voltage Ug passes through its increasing zero value. .

Le signal SM est donc à la fois un signal de mesure de la vitesse de rotation du rotor 3a et un signal de détection du passage de ce rotor 3a par la position angulaire déterminée définie ci-dessus.The signal SM is therefore both a signal for measuring the speed of rotation of the rotor 3a and a signal for detecting the passage of this rotor 3a through the determined angular position defined above.

Le circuit d'asservissement 7 comporte également une source d'un signal de référence SR, constituée, dans cet exemple, par un oscillateur 9, qui peut être un oscillateur à quartz, et un circuit diviseur de fréquence 10 ayant une sortie Q1 qui fournit le signal SR en réponse au signal produit par l'oscillateur 9.The servo circuit 7 also comprises a source of a reference signal SR, constituted, in this example, by an oscillator 9, which can be a quartz oscillator, and a frequency divider circuit 10 having an output Q1 which provides the signal SR in response to the signal produced by the oscillator 9.

Cet oscillateur 9 et ce diviseur de fréquence 10 ne seront pas décrits en détail car ils peuvent être réalisés de diverses manières bien connues de l'homme du métier. On mentionnera simplement que cet oscillateur 9 et ce diviseur de fréquence 10 sont agencés de manière que la période du signal SR soit égale à celle du signal SM lorsque le rotor 3a du générateur 3 tourne à sa vitesse de consigne Vc, c'est-à-dire 250 millisecondes dans le présent exemple.This oscillator 9 and this frequency divider 10 will not be described in detail since they can be produced in various ways well known to those skilled in the art. It will simply be mentioned that this oscillator 9 and this frequency divider 10 are arranged so that the period of the signal SR is equal to that of the signal SM when the rotor 3a of the generator 3 rotates at its speed of setpoint Vc, that is to say 250 milliseconds in the present example.

Ce résultat peut être obtenu, toujours par exemple, en utilisant pour l'oscillateur 9 un oscillateur semblable à celui qui est utilisé dans la grande majorité des pièces d'horlogerie électroniques et qui fournit un signal ayant une fréquence de 32.768 Hz, et en réalisant le diviseur de fréquence 10 sous la forme bien connue d'une série de 13 bascules bistables souvent appelées flip-flops.This result can be obtained, again for example, by using for oscillator 9 an oscillator similar to that which is used in the vast majority of electronic timepieces and which supplies a signal having a frequency of 32,768 Hz, and by realizing the frequency divider 10 in the well-known form of a series of 13 flip-flops often called flip-flops.

On mentionnera aussi que le diviseur de fréquence 10 comporte une deuxième sortie, désignée par Q2, fournissant un signal SC ayant une période beaucoup plus courte, par exemple de l'ordre de cent fois plus courte, que celle du signal SR, et dont l'utilité sera rendue évidente plus loin. Dans le présent exemple, ce signal SC peut être fourni par la sortie de la sixième bascule bistable du diviseur de fréquence 10 et avoir ainsi une période égale à 1,95 milliseconde environ.It will also be mentioned that the frequency divider 10 has a second output, designated by Q2, providing a signal SC having a much shorter period, for example of the order of a hundred times shorter, than that of the signal SR, and whose l the usefulness will be made evident later. In the present example, this signal SC can be supplied by the output of the sixth flip-flop of the frequency divider 10 and thus have a period equal to approximately 1.95 milliseconds.

Le circuit d'asservissement 7 comporte encore un compteur réversible, ou compteur-décompteur, qui est désigné par la référence 11. L'entrée de comptage C de ce compteur 11 est reliée à la sortie Q du diviseur de fréquence 10 et reçoit donc le signal SR, et son entrée de décomptage D est reliée à la sortie du comparateur 8 et reçoit donc le signal SM.The servo circuit 7 also includes a reversible counter, or up-down counter, which is designated by the reference 11. The counting input C of this counter 11 is connected to the output Q of the frequency divider 10 and therefore receives the signal SR, and its down counting input D is connected to the output of comparator 8 and therefore receives the signal SM.

Ce compteur réversible 11 ne sera pas décrit en détail car il peut être réalisé de diverses manières bien connues. On précisera simplement qu'il est sensible aux flancs montants des impulsions qu'il reçoit, c'est-à-dire aux passages de l'état logique "0" à l'état logique "1" des signaux SR et SM. En d'autres termes, le contenu de ce compteur 11, c'est-à-dire le nombre binaire formé par les états logiques "0" ou "1" des sorties directes des diverses bascules bistables qui le forment, est augmenté d'une unité à chaque flanc montant des impulsions du signal SR et diminué d'une unité à chaque flanc montant des impulsions du signal SM. Ce compteur 11 comporte en outre des moyens bien connus qui permettent de lever toute ambiguïté due à une quelconque superposition dans le temps des impulsions qu'il reçoit sur ses entrées C et D.This reversible counter 11 will not be described in detail since it can be produced in various well known ways. It will simply be specified that it is sensitive to the rising edges of the pulses it receives, that is to say to the passages from logic state "0" to logic state "1" of signals SR and SM. In other words, the content of this counter 11, that is to say the binary number formed by the logical states "0" or "1" of the direct outputs of the various flip-flops which form it, is increased by one unit on each rising edge of the SR signal pulses and decreased by one unit on each rising edge of the SM signal pulses. This counter 11 comprises in in addition to well-known means which make it possible to remove any ambiguity due to any superposition in time of the pulses which it receives on its inputs C and D.

De plus, le compteur 11 comporte une entrée R de remise à zéro et il est agencé de manière que son contenu est maintenu à la valeur zéro tant que cette entrée R est à l'état logique "1".In addition, the counter 11 has an input R for resetting to zero and it is arranged so that its content is maintained at the value zero as long as this input R is in the logic state "1".

On rappellera encore que, si le compteur 11 est constitué de n bascules bistables, son contenu peut prendre n'importe quelle valeur supérieure ou égale à zéro et inférieure ou égale à 2n-1.It will also be recalled that, if the counter 11 is made up of n flip-flops, its content can take any value greater than or equal to zero and less than or equal to 2 n -1.

En outre, le fonctionnement du compteur 11 est cyclique, c'est-à-dire notamment que, lorsque son contenu est égal à zéro, ce contenu prend la valeur 2n-1 en réponse à une impulsion appliquée sur son entrée de décomptage D.In addition, the operation of the counter 11 is cyclic, that is to say in particular that, when its content is equal to zero, this content takes the value 2 n -1 in response to a pulse applied to its down counting input D .

Par convention, et pour une raison qui sera rendue évidente plus loin, on appellera valeurs positives du contenu du compteur 11 celles qui sont supérieures ou égales à zéro et inférieures ou égales à 2(n-1), et valeurs négatives de ce contenu celles qui sont supérieures à 2(n-1) et inférieures ou égales à 2n-1. L'homme du métier verra sans difficulté que, avec cette convention, la sortie Q du compteur 11, qui est constituée de manière classique par la sortie directe de la dernière de ses bascules bistables, est à l'état logique "0" lorsque le contenu du compteur 11 est positif et à l'état logique "1" lorsque ce contenu est négatif.By convention, and for a reason which will be made clear later, positive values of the content of counter 11 will be called those which are greater than or equal to zero and less than or equal to 2 (n-1) , and negative values of this content those which are greater than 2 (n-1) and less than or equal to 2 n -1. Those skilled in the art will readily see that, with this convention, the output Q of the counter 11, which is conventionally constituted by the direct output of the last of its flip-flops, is in the logical state "0" when the content of counter 11 is positive and in logic state "1" when this content is negative.

La sortie Q du compteur réversible 11 est reliée à une première entrée d'une porte ET 12 dont la deuxième entrée est reliée à la sortie du comparateur 8.The output Q of the reversible counter 11 is connected to a first input of an AND gate 12, the second input of which is connected to the output of the comparator 8.

La sortie de cette porte 12 est reliée à l'entrée S d'une bascule bistable 13 de type R-S dont l'entrée R est reliée à la sortie d'une porte OU 14.The output of this gate 12 is connected to the input S of a flip-flop 13 of type R-S whose input R is connected to the output of an OR gate 14.

Comme le compteur réversible 11 décrit ci-dessus, la bascule bistable 13 est sensible aux flancs montants des impulsions qu'elle reçoit sur ses entrées S et R. En d'autres termes, la sortie directe Q et la sortie inverse Q ¯

Figure imgb0001
de cette bascule 13 prennent respectivement l'état logique "1" et l'état logique "0" en réponse à chaque flanc montant du signal appliqué à son entrée S, et prennent respectivement l'état logique "0" et l'état logique "1" en réponse à chaque flanc montant du signal appliqué à son entrée R.Like the reversible counter 11 described above, the flip-flop 13 is sensitive to the rising edges of the pulses it receives on its inputs S and R. In in other words, the direct output Q and the inverse output Q ¯
Figure imgb0001
 of this flip-flop 13 respectively take the logic state "1" and the logic state "0" in response to each rising edge of the signal applied to its input S, and respectively take the logic state "0" and the logic state "1" in response to each rising edge of the signal applied to its R input.

Une première entrée de la porte OU 14 est reliée à la sortie Q d'un compteur simple, non réversible 15.A first input of the OR gate 14 is connected to the output Q of a simple, non-reversible counter 15.

Ce compteur 15 est constitué dans cet exemple de cinq bascules bistables branchées en série de manière classique de sorte que sa sortie Q, qui est la sortie directe de sa cinquième bascule, passe de l'état "0" à l'état "1" lorsque son contenu passe de la valeur quinze à la valeur seize.This counter 15 consists in this example of five flip-flops connected in series in a conventional manner so that its output Q, which is the direct output of its fifth flip-flop, goes from state "0" to state "1" when its content changes from the value fifteen to the value sixteen.

L'entrée de comptage C du compteur 15 est reliée à la sortie Q2 du diviseur de fréquence 10 et reçoit donc le signal SC, et son entrée R de remise à zéro est reliée à la sortie inverse Q ¯

Figure imgb0002
de la bascule bistable 13.The counting input C of the counter 15 is connected to the output Q2 of the frequency divider 10 and therefore receives the signal SC, and its reset input R is connected to the inverse output Q ¯
Figure imgb0002
 of the flip-flop 13.

A nouveau comme le compteur réversible 11, le compteur 15 est sensible aux flancs montants du signal appliqué à son entrée de comptage C, et son contenu est maintenu à la valeur zéro tant que son entrée R est à l'état logique "1".Again like the reversible counter 11, the counter 15 is sensitive to the rising edges of the signal applied to its counting input C, and its content is maintained at the value zero as long as its input R is in logic state "1".

Le circuit d'asservissement 7 comporte encore des moyens de freinage électrique du rotor 3a du générateur 3, qui sont constitués dans le présent exemple par un transistor MOS de type n, désigné par la référence 16, dont la source et le drain sont respectivement reliés aux bornes B1 et B2 du générateur 3, et dont la grille est reliée à la sortie directe Q de la bascule bistable 13.The servo circuit 7 further comprises means for electrically braking the rotor 3a of the generator 3, which are constituted in the present example by an n-type MOS transistor, designated by the reference 16, whose source and drain are respectively connected at the terminals B1 and B2 of the generator 3, and the grid of which is connected to the direct output Q of the flip-flop 13.

L'homme du métier verra facilement que le transistor 16 est bloqué ou conducteur selon que sa grille est à l'état logique "0" ou "1" puisqu'il est de type n et que sa source est au potentiel de référence.Those skilled in the art will easily see that the transistor 16 is blocked or conductive depending on whether its gate is in the "0" or "1" logic state since it is of type n and its source is at the reference potential.

Le circuit d'asservissement 7 comporte encore un circuit d'initialisation 17 ayant deux entrées reliées respectivement aux bornes 5c et 5d du redresseur 5 et une sortie reliée d'une part aux entrées de remise à zéro R du diviseur de fréquence 10 et du compteur réversible 11 et, d'autre part, à la deuxième entrée de la porte OU 14.The servo circuit 7 also includes an initialization circuit 17 having two connected inputs respectively at the terminals 5c and 5d of the rectifier 5 and an output connected on the one hand to the reset inputs R of the frequency divider 10 and the reversible counter 11 and, on the other hand, to the second input of the OR gate 14 .

Ce circuit d'initialisation 17 ne sera pas décrit en détail car il peut être réalisé de diverses manières bien connues. On mentionnera simplement qu'il est agencé de manière que sa sortie produise une courte impulsion d'initlalisation à l'instant où la tension Ua atteint en croissant une valeur de seuil déterminée, qui est égale ou légèrement supérieure à la valeur pour laquelle les divers autres composants du circuit d'asservissement 7 commencent à fonctionner correctement. Cet instant sera appelé instant d'initialisation t0 dans la suite de cette description.This initialization circuit 17 will not be described in detail since it can be produced in various well known ways. It will simply be mentioned that it is arranged so that its output produces a short initialization pulse at the moment when the voltage Ua reaches by increasing a determined threshold value, which is equal to or slightly greater than the value for which the various other components of the servo circuit 7 begin to function properly. This instant will be called initialization instant t0 in the rest of this description.

Lorsque le ressort de barillet 2 est complètement désarmé et que le rotor 3a du générateur 3 ne tourne pas, les tensions Ug et Ua sont évidemment nulles, et la pièce d'horlogerie 1 ne fonctionne pas.When the barrel spring 2 is completely disarmed and the rotor 3a of the generator 3 does not rotate, the voltages Ug and Ua are obviously zero, and the timepiece 1 does not work.

Si le ressort de barillet 2 est alors remonté, il arrive un moment où le rotor 3a commence à tourner, et où les tensions Ug et Ua commencent à augmenter.If the barrel spring 2 is then wound up, there comes a time when the rotor 3a begins to rotate, and when the voltages Ug and Ua begin to increase.

A l'instant t0 défini ci-dessus, l'impulsion produite par le circuit d'initialisation 17 provoque la remise à zéro du diviseur de fréquence 10 et du compteur réversible 11, de sorte que les sorties Q1 et Q2 du diviseur de fréquence 10 et la sortie Q du compteur réversible 11 sont mises dans l'état logique "0".At the instant t0 defined above, the pulse produced by the initialization circuit 17 causes the frequency divider 10 and the reversible counter 11 to be reset to zero, so that the outputs Q1 and Q2 of the frequency divider 10 and the output Q of the reversible counter 11 are put in the logic state "0".

La même impulsion d'initialisation est appliquée à l'entrée R de la bascule bistable 13 par l'intermédiaire de la porte 14, de sorte que les sorties Q et Q ¯

Figure imgb0003
de cette bascule 13 prennent respectivement l'état logique "0" et l'état logique "1".The same initialization pulse is applied to the input R of the flip-flop 13 via the gate 14, so that the outputs Q and Q ¯
Figure imgb0003
 of this flip-flop 13 respectively take the logic state "0" and the logic state "1".

L'état logique "0" de la sortie Q de la bascule 13 met le transistor 16 dans son état de blocage, de sorte que la bobine 3b du générateur 3 n'est pas court-circuitée et que la vitesse de rotation du rotor 3a peut atteindre et dépasser la vitesse de consigne Vc. En outre, l'état logique "1" de la sortie Q ¯

Figure imgb0004
de la bascule 13 maintient le contenu du compteur 15 à zéro.The logic state "0" of the output Q of the flip-flop 13 puts the transistor 16 in its blocking state, so that the coil 3b of the generator 3 is not short-circuited and that the speed of rotation of the rotor 3a can reach and exceed the set speed Vc. In addition, the logic state "1" of the output Q ¯
Figure imgb0004
 of flip-flop 13 maintains the content of counter 15 at zero.

Le fonctionnement de la pièce d'horlogerie 1 après l'instant t0 ne sera décrit ci-après que dans ses grandes lignes car l'homme du métier n'aura aucune peine à reconstituer tous ses détails à l'aide des explications déjà données.The operation of the timepiece 1 after the instant t0 will only be described below in broad outline because the person skilled in the art will have no difficulty in reconstructing all of its details using the explanations already given.

Dans cette description du fonctionnement de la pièce d'horlogerie 1, on appellera instant de référence tr chacun des instants où le signal de référence SR passe de son état "0" à son état "1" et où le contenu du compteur 11 est donc augmenté d'une unité. De même, on appellera instant de mesure tm chacun des instants où le signal de mesure SM passe également de son état "0" à son état "1" et où le contenu du compteur 11 est donc diminué d'une unité.In this description of the operation of timepiece 1, reference instant tr will be called each of the instants when the reference signal SR goes from its state "0" to its state "1" and where the content of the counter 11 is therefore increased by one. Likewise, the instant of measurement tm will be called each of the instants where the measurement signal SM also passes from its state "0" to its state "1" and where the content of the counter 11 is therefore reduced by one unit.

En outre, on appellera position angulaire théorique du rotor 3a la position angulaire qu'il devrait occuper, à chaque instant de référence tr, si sa vitesse moyenne de rotation depuis l'instant t0 avait été égale à sa vitesse de consigne Vc.In addition, the angular position of the rotor 3a will be called the angular position that it should occupy, at each reference instant tr, if its average speed of rotation since the instant t0 had been equal to its reference speed Vc.

On voit bien que le contenu du compteur réversible 11 est en permanence représentatif de la différence entre le nombre des impulsions du signal SR produites par le diviseur de fréquence 10 depuis l'instant t0 défini ci-dessus et le nombre des impulsions du signal SM produites par le comparateur 8, qui est le nombre des tours complets effectués par le rotor 3a du générateur 3, depuis le même instant t0.It can be seen that the content of the reversible counter 11 is permanently representative of the difference between the number of pulses of the signal SR produced by the frequency divider 10 since the time t0 defined above and the number of pulses of the signal SM produced by the comparator 8, which is the number of complete turns made by the rotor 3a of the generator 3, from the same instant t0.

Ce contenu du compteur 11 est donc également représentatif en permanence du retard ou de l'avance du rotor 3a par rapport à sa position angulaire théorique, ce retard ou cette avance pouvant être, le cas échéant, de plusieurs tours.This content of the counter 11 is therefore also permanently representative of the delay or of the advance of the rotor 3a with respect to its theoretical angular position, this delay or this advance possibly being, if necessary, several turns.

Lorsque ce contenu du compteur 11 est positif juste après un des instants tm définis ci-dessus, cela signifie que le rotor 3a est en retard par rapport à sa position angulaire théorique.When this content of the counter 11 is positive just after one of the instants tm defined above, this means that the rotor 3a is late with respect to its theoretical angular position.

Dans un tel cas, la sortie Q du compteur réversible 11 est à l'état logique "0", de sorte que la sortie de la porte ET 12 reste à l'état "0" et que la bascule bistable 13 reste dans l'état où sa sortie Q est à l'état logique "0". Le transistor 16 reste bloqué, et la bobine 3b du générateur 3 n'étant pas court-circuitée, la vitesse de rotation du rotor 3a peut rester ou, le cas échéant, tendre à devenir supérieure à la vitesse de consigne Vc, à condition bien entendu que le ressort de barillet 2 soit encore suffisamment arme.In such a case, the output Q of the reversible counter 11 is in the logic state "0", so that the output of the AND gate 12 remains in the state "0" and that the flip-flop 13 remains in the state where its output Q is in logic state "0". The transistor 16 remains blocked, and the coil 3b of the generator 3 not being short-circuited, the speed of rotation of the rotor 3a can remain or, if necessary, tend to become greater than the reference speed Vc, provided that understood that the barrel spring 2 is still sufficiently armed.

Le retard du rotor 3a par rapport à sa position angulaire théorique tend donc à s'annuler, de même que le contenu du compteur réversible 11.The delay of the rotor 3a with respect to its theoretical angular position therefore tends to cancel itself out, as does the content of the reversible counter 11.

Lorsque le contenu du compteur réversible 11 est négatif juste après l'un des instants tm définis ci-dessus, cela signifie que le rotor 3a est en avance par rapport à sa position angulaire théorique.When the content of the reversible counter 11 is negative just after one of the instants tm defined above, this means that the rotor 3a is ahead of its theoretical angular position.

Dans un tel cas, la sortie Q du compteur 11 est à l'état logique "1". Le signal SM étant alors également à l'état "1", la bascule bistable 13 prend l'état où ses sorties Q et Q ¯

Figure imgb0005
sont respectivement à l'état logique "1" et à l'état logique "0".In such a case, the output Q of the counter 11 is in the logic state "1". The signal SM then also being in state "1", the flip-flop 13 takes the state where its outputs Q and Q ¯
Figure imgb0005
 are in logical state "1" and in logical state "0" respectively.

Il en résulte que le transistor 16 devient conducteur et court-circuite la bobine 3b du générateur 3. Le rotor 3a est donc freiné, et sa vitesse de rotation devient inférieure à la vitesse de consigne Vc.As a result, the transistor 16 becomes conductive and short-circuits the coil 3b of the generator 3. The rotor 3a is therefore braked, and its speed of rotation becomes lower than the reference speed Vc.

Il en résulte également que, l'entrée R de remise à zéro du compteur 15 étant maintenant à l'état "0", le contenu de ce compteur 15 augmente d'une unité à chacune des impulsions du signal SC. Lorsque, dans le présent exemple, ce contenu passe de la valeur quinze à la valeur seize, soit environ 31,25 millisecondes après que la bascule 13 a changé d'état, la sortie Q de ce compteur 15 passe à l'état logique "1".It also results therefrom, since the reset input R of counter 15 is now in the state "0", the content of this counter 15 increases by one with each of the pulses of the signal SC. When, in the present example, this content passes from the value fifteen to the value sixteen, that is to say approximately 31.25 milliseconds after the rocker 13 changed state, the exit Q of this counter 15 passes to the logical state " 1 ".

La bascule 13 reprend alors l'état où ses sorties Q et Q ¯

Figure imgb0006
sont respectivement à l'état logique "0" et à l'état logique "1".The flip-flop 13 then resumes the state where its outputs Q and Q ¯
Figure imgb0006
 are in logical state "0" and in logical state "1" respectively.

Le transistor 16 est donc à nouveau bloqué, de sorte que le rotor 3a n'est plus freiné et que sa vitesse de rotation peut à nouveau augmenter.The transistor 16 is therefore again blocked, so that the rotor 3a is no longer braked and its speed of rotation can again increase.

On voit que le circuit formé par les portes 12 et 14, la bascule 13 et le compteur 15 constitue un circuit de limitation de la durée du freinage du rotor 3a à une fraction déterminée, 1/8 dans le présent exemple, de la période de la tension Ug fournie par le générateur 3.It can be seen that the circuit formed by the doors 12 and 14, the rocker 13 and the counter 15 constitutes a circuit for limiting the duration of braking of the rotor 3a to a determined fraction, 1/8 in the present example, of the period of the voltage Ug supplied by the generator 3.

Si, juste après l'instant tm suivant, la sortie Q du compteur réversible 11 est encore à l'état logique "1", le processus qui vient d'être décrit se déroule à nouveau, et ceci jusqu'à ce que la vitesse moyenne du rotor 3a depuis l'instant t0, qui diminue évidemment chaque fois que ce rotor 3a est freiné, devienne inférieure ou égale à la vitesse de consigne Vc.If, just after the following instant tm, the output Q of the reversible counter 11 is still in the logic state "1", the process which has just been described takes place again, and this until the speed mean of the rotor 3a since time t0, which obviously decreases each time this rotor 3a is braked, becomes less than or equal to the set speed Vc.

Lorsque cette situation est atteinte, la sortie Q du compteur réversible 11 prend l'état logique "0", et le rotor 3a n'est plus freiné.When this situation is reached, the output Q of the reversible counter 11 takes the logic state "0", and the rotor 3a is no longer braked.

On voit que, lorsqu'elle est mesurée sur un temps assez long, la vitesse moyenne du rotor 3a est égale à la vitesse de consigne Vc, et, si les aiguilles 6 ont été mises à l'heure à l'instant t0, elles affichent en permanence l'heure exacte, avec une précision égale à celle de la fréquence du signal de référence SR.It can be seen that, when measured over a fairly long time, the average speed of the rotor 3a is equal to the set speed Vc, and, if the hands 6 have been set to the time at time t0, they permanently display the exact time, with an accuracy equal to that of the frequency of the reference signal SR.

On voit en outre que ce résultat est obtenu en ne freinant le rotor 3a, lorsqu'il est en avance par rapport à sa position angulaire théorique, que pendant des périodes de durée limitée, nettement inférieure au temps mis en moyenne par le rotor 3a pour faire un tour complet. Dans le présent exemple, cette durée des périodes de freinage, qui est déterminée par la fréquence du signal SC et par le nombre des bascules formant le compteur 15, est environ huit fois plus courte que la période de rotation moyenne du rotor 3a.It can also be seen that this result is obtained by braking the rotor 3a, when it is ahead of its theoretical angular position, only for periods of limited duration, significantly less than the time taken on average by the rotor 3a to do a full turn. In the present example, this duration of the braking periods, which is determined by the frequency of the signal SC and by the number of flip-flops forming the counter 15, is approximately eight times shorter than the average rotation period of the rotor 3a.

Pendant chacune des périodes de freinage du rotor 3a, la tension Ug produite par le générateur 3 est évidemment nulle puisque le transistor 16 est conducteur et court-circuite la bobine 3b.During each of the braking periods of the rotor 3a, the voltage Ug produced by the generator 3 is obviously zero since the transistor 16 is conductive and short-circuits the coil 3b.

Mais chacune de ces périodes de freinage commence à un instant où la tension Ug est de toutes façons nulle, et leur durée n'est qu'un fraction assez faible de la période de cette tension Ug comme on vient de le voir. Pendant ces périodes de freinage, la tension Ug n'aurait donc qu'une valeur relativement faible si la bobine 3b n'était pas court-circuitée, et le générateur 3 ne fournirait de toutes façons qu'une énergie très faible, voire même nulle, au redresseur 5. Par contre, en dehors de ces périodes de freinage, la tension Ug a sa valeur normale, de sorte que la quantité d'énergie électrique fournie par le générateur 3 n'est presque pas diminuée, voire même pas du tout, par le freinage du rotor 3a.But each of these braking periods begins at an instant when the Ug tension is in any case zero, and their duration is only a fairly small fraction of the period of this Ug tension as we have just seen. During these braking periods, the voltage Ug would therefore have only a relatively low value if the coil 3b were not short-circuited, and the generator 3 would in any case only provide very low energy, or even zero energy. , to the rectifier 5. On the other hand, outside these braking periods, the voltage Ug has its normal value, so that the quantity of electrical energy supplied by the generator 3 is almost not reduced, or even not at all , by braking the rotor 3a.

Il en résulte que le générateur 3 continue à fournir l'énergie électrique nécessaire au fonctionnement du circuit d'asservissement 7 même lorsque le rotor 3a est en avance par rapport à sa position angulaire théorique et qu'il est freiné comme cela a été décrit ci-dessus, indépendamment de l'importance de cette avance.As a result, the generator 3 continues to supply the electrical energy necessary for the operation of the servo circuit 7 even when the rotor 3a is ahead of its theoretical angular position and it is braked as described above. above, regardless of the importance of this advance.

Le ou les condensateurs de filtrage du redresseur 5 peuvent donc avoir des capacités relativement faibles, puisqu'il n'est pas nécessaire qu'ils assurent l'alimentation du circuit d'asservissement 7 pendant de longues périodes comme cela est le cas dans la pièce d'horlogerie connue décrite dans le brevet US-A-3937001 mentionné ci-dessus.The filter capacitor (s) of the rectifier 5 can therefore have relatively low capacities, since it is not necessary for them to supply the servo circuit 7 for long periods as is the case in the room. of known watchmaking described in the patent US-A-3937001 mentioned above.

En outre, et pour les mêmes raisons, il est tout à fait possible, et même préférable, de réaliser les moyens de freinage du rotor 3a comme cela a été décrit ci-dessus, c'est-à-dire sans que ces moyens de freinage ne comportent une quelconque résistance semblable à celle qu'ils doivent obligatoirement comporter dans la pièce d'horlogerie décrite dans le brevet US-A-3937001.In addition, and for the same reasons, it is entirely possible, and even preferable, to produce the braking means of the rotor 3a as described above, that is to say without these means of braking do not include any resistance similar to that which they must include in the timepiece described in US-A-3937001.

Par rapport à cette dernière pièce d'horlogerie, la suppression de cette résistance a comme avantage que le freinage du rotor 3a est plus efficace, ce qui permet d'augmenter le couple moteur maximal admissible pour le ressort de barillet 2 et donc d'augmenter l'autonomie de la pièce d'horlogerie 1.Compared to this last timepiece, the elimination of this resistance has the advantage that the braking of the rotor 3a is more effective, which makes it possible to increase the maximum admissible engine torque for the barrel spring 2 and therefore to increase the autonomy of the timepiece 1.

L'homme du métier verra aisément que de nombreuses modifications peuvent être apportées à la pièce d'horlogerie qui vient d'être décrite sans que celle-ci ne sorte pour autant du cadre de la présente invention.Those skilled in the art will readily see that numerous modifications can be made to the timepiece which has just been described without, however, departing from the scope of the present invention.

Ainsi, par exemple, le rotor du générateur d'une pièce d'horlogerie selon la présente invention peut comporter, à la place de l'aimant bipolaire du rotor 3a du générateur 3 décrit ci-dessus, soit un aimant permanent multipolaire, soit une pluralité d'aimants permanents bipolaires disposés à la périphérie d'un disque. Dans de tels cas, la tension alternative produite par la bobine de ce générateur a une période qui est égale au rapport entre la période de rotation du rotor et le nombre de paires de pôles de l'aimant multipolaire ou, respectivement, le nombre d'aimants bipolaires.Thus, for example, the rotor of the generator of a timepiece according to the present invention may comprise, instead of the bipolar magnet of the rotor 3a of the generator 3 described above, either a permanent multipolar magnet, or a plurality of bipolar permanent magnets arranged at the periphery of a disc. In such cases, the alternating voltage produced by the coil of this generator has a period which is equal to the ratio between the period of rotation of the rotor and the number of pairs of poles of the multipolar magnet or, respectively, the number of bipolar magnets.

Il est également possible de produire le signal de mesure, c'est-à-dire le signal SM dans l'exemple de la figure 1, de manière qu'il passe à l'état "1", pour une durée limitée, non seulement chaque fois que la tension alternative produite par le générateur de la pièce d'horlogerie passe par sa valeur nulle en croissant, mais également chaque fois que cette tension alternative passe par cette valeur nulle en décroissant.It is also possible to produce the measurement signal, that is to say the signal SM in the example of FIG. 1, so that it changes to state "1", for a limited time, not only each time the alternating voltage produced by the generator of the timepiece passes through its increasing zero value, but also each time this alternating voltage passes through this decreasing zero value.

Dans un tel cas, la période de ce signal de mesure est égale à la moitié de celle de la tension alternative produite par le générateur, et le rotor de ce générateur est freiné deux fois par période de cette tension alternative lorsqu'il est en avance par rapport à sa position angulaire théorique. Il peut alors être nécessaire de diminuer la durée des périodes de freinage de ce rotor pour éviter que l'énergie électrique fournie par le générateur ne devienne insuffisante pour alimenter convenablement les circuits électroniques de la pièce d'horlogerie.In such a case, the period of this measurement signal is equal to half that of the alternating voltage produced by the generator, and the rotor of this generator is braked twice per period of this alternating voltage when it is in advance relative to its theoretical angular position. It may then be necessary to reduce the duration of the braking periods of this rotor to prevent the electrical energy supplied by the generator does not become insufficient to adequately power the electronic circuits of the timepiece.

Dans tous les cas qui viennent d'être mentionnés, il faut évidemment concevoir la source du signal de référence, constituée dans l'exemple de la figure 1 par l'oscillateur 9 et le diviseur de fréquence 10, de manière que la période de ce signal de référence soit égale à celle du signal de mesure lorsque le rotor du générateur tourne à sa vitesse de consigne.In all the cases which have just been mentioned, it is obviously necessary to design the source of the reference signal, constituted in the example of FIG. 1 by the oscillator 9 and the frequency divider 10, so that the period of this reference signal is equal to that of the measurement signal when the generator rotor rotates at its set speed.

Il est encore possible de modifier les moyens qui déterminent la durée des périodes de freinage du rotor du générateur, qui sont constitués dans l'exemple de la figure 1 par le compteur 15, de manière que cette période dépende directement de l'importance de l'avance de ce rotor par rapport à sa position angulaire théorique. Une telle modification permet de diminuer le temps qui est nécessaire pour que ce rotor retrouve sa position angulaire théorique après qu'il a été soumis à une grande accélération angulaire, due par exemple à un choc violent, qui lui a fait prendre une avance de plusieurs tours par rapport à cette position angulaire théorique.It is also possible to modify the means which determine the duration of the braking periods of the generator rotor, which are constituted in the example of FIG. 1 by the counter 15, so that this period depends directly on the importance of the advance of this rotor relative to its theoretical angular position. Such a modification makes it possible to reduce the time which is necessary for this rotor to return to its theoretical angular position after it has been subjected to a large angular acceleration, due for example to a violent shock, which made it take a lead of several turns relative to this theoretical angular position.

Claims (1)

Pièce d'horlogerie comportant : - un générateur d'énergie électrique (3) comprenant un rotor (3a) et des moyens (3b) pour fournir ladite énergie électrique en réponse à une rotation dudit rotor (3a); - une source d'énergie mécanique (2) couplée mécaniquement audit rotor (3a) pour provoquer ladite rotation dudit rotor (3a) à une vitesse supérieure à une vitesse de consigne déterminée; et - des moyens d'asservissement (7) de la vitesse de rotation dudit rotor (3a) à ladite vitesse de consigne alimentés par ladite énergie électrique et comportant : - des moyens de mesure (8) couplés audit générateur (3) pour produire une pluralité d'impulsions de mesure, chacune desdites impulsions de mesure étant produite en réponse au passage dudit rotor (3a) par une position angulaire déterminée; - des moyens de référence (9,10) pour produire une pluralité d'impulsions de référence périodiques ayant une période égale à celle desdites impulsions de mesure lorsque ledit rotor (3a) tourne à ladite vitesse de consigne; - des moyens de comparaison (11) pour fournir un signal de comparaison représentatif de la différence entre, d'une part, un premier nombre qui est le nombre desdites impulsions de référence produites depuis un instant initial déterminé et, d'autre part, un deuxième nombre qui est le nombre desdites impulsions de mesure produites depuis ledit instant initial, ledit signal de comparaison ayant un premier et un deuxième état selon que ledit premier nombre est inférieur ou, respectivement, supérieur audit deuxième nombre; et - des moyens de freinage (16) répondant à un signal de commande pour appliquer audit rotor (3a) un couple de freinage imposant audit rotor (3a) une vitesse de rotation inférieure à ladite vitesse de consigne; caractérisée par le fait que lesdits moyens d'asservissement (7) comportent en outre des moyens de commande (12,13,15) répondant à chacune desdites impulsions de mesure lorsque ledit signal de comparaison est dans ledit premier état pour produire ledit signal de commande sous la forme d'une impulsion de commande ayant une durée déterminée.Timepiece including: - an electrical energy generator (3) comprising a rotor (3a) and means (3b) for supplying said electrical energy in response to a rotation of said rotor (3a); - a mechanical energy source (2) mechanically coupled to said rotor (3a) to cause said rotation of said rotor (3a) at a speed greater than a determined reference speed; and - means for controlling (7) the speed of rotation of said rotor (3a) at said set speed supplied by said electrical energy and comprising: - measurement means (8) coupled to said generator (3) for producing a plurality of measurement pulses, each of said measurement pulses being produced in response to the passage of said rotor (3a) by a determined angular position; - reference means (9,10) for producing a plurality of periodic reference pulses having a period equal to that of said measurement pulses when said rotor (3a) rotates at said set speed; - comparison means (11) for providing a comparison signal representative of the difference between, on the one hand, a first number which is the number of said reference pulses produced since a determined initial instant and, on the other hand, a second number which is the number of said measurement pulses produced since said initial instant, said comparison signal having a first and a second state depending on whether said first number is less than or, respectively, greater than said second number; and - braking means (16) responding to a control signal to apply to said rotor (3a) a torque of braking imposing on said rotor (3a) a rotational speed lower than said set speed; characterized in that said servo means (7) further comprises control means (12,13,15) responding to each of said measurement pulses when said comparison signal is in said first state to produce said control signal in the form of a command pulse having a fixed duration.
EP95105590A 1994-04-25 1995-04-13 Timepiece driven by a mechanical power source and regulated by an electronic circuit Expired - Lifetime EP0679968B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH1266/94 1994-04-25
CH01266/94A CH686332B5 (en) 1994-04-25 1994-04-25 timepiece driven by a mechanical energy source and controlled by an electronic circuit.

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EP0679968A1 true EP0679968A1 (en) 1995-11-02
EP0679968B1 EP0679968B1 (en) 1998-07-08

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EP (1) EP0679968B1 (en)
JP (1) JP3103293B2 (en)
CN (1) CN1086813C (en)
CH (1) CH686332B5 (en)
DE (1) DE69503306T2 (en)
HK (1) HK1013689A1 (en)
TW (1) TW262543B (en)

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US6744699B2 (en) 2001-07-02 2004-06-01 Richemont International Sa Electronic regulation module for the movement of a mechanically wound watch
EP1843227A1 (en) 2006-04-07 2007-10-10 The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd. Coupled resonator for control system
EP2264555A1 (en) 2009-06-16 2010-12-22 ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse Small electromechanical transducer, in particular a timepiece generator
US9348316B2 (en) 2012-09-25 2016-05-24 Richemont International Sa Movement for mechanical chronograph with quartz regulator
US9746831B2 (en) 2012-12-11 2017-08-29 Richemont International Sa Regulating body for a wristwatch
CN112051723A (en) * 2019-06-06 2020-12-08 斯沃奇集团研究及开发有限公司 Measurement of the accuracy of a timepiece comprising a continuously rotating electromechanical transducer in its analogue time display device

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CH697273B1 (en) * 2006-07-26 2008-07-31 Detra Sa An electromechanical escapement and timepiece provided with such a device
ES2353483B1 (en) * 2009-10-09 2012-01-24 Acumener Investigacion Y Desarrollo, S.L. SYSTEM OF STORAGE OF ENERGY OF UTILITY IN STARTINGS AND REGULATION OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS.
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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0875807A1 (en) * 1997-04-28 1998-11-04 Asulab S.A. Electronic timepiece powered by a generator driven by a mechanical energy source
US6744699B2 (en) 2001-07-02 2004-06-01 Richemont International Sa Electronic regulation module for the movement of a mechanically wound watch
EP1843227A1 (en) 2006-04-07 2007-10-10 The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd. Coupled resonator for control system
WO2007115985A1 (en) 2006-04-07 2007-10-18 The Swatch Group Research And Development Ltd Coupled resonator for regulating system
US7889028B2 (en) 2006-04-07 2011-02-15 The Swatch Group Research And Development Ltd Coupled resonator for regulating system
EP2264555A1 (en) 2009-06-16 2010-12-22 ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse Small electromechanical transducer, in particular a timepiece generator
US8179012B2 (en) 2009-06-16 2012-05-15 ETA SA Manufacture Horlogére Suisse Electro-mechanical transducer of small dimensions, in particular a timepiece generator
US9348316B2 (en) 2012-09-25 2016-05-24 Richemont International Sa Movement for mechanical chronograph with quartz regulator
US9746831B2 (en) 2012-12-11 2017-08-29 Richemont International Sa Regulating body for a wristwatch
CN112051723A (en) * 2019-06-06 2020-12-08 斯沃奇集团研究及开发有限公司 Measurement of the accuracy of a timepiece comprising a continuously rotating electromechanical transducer in its analogue time display device
EP3748438A1 (en) 2019-06-06 2020-12-09 The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd Measurement of the precision of a timepiece comprising an electromechanical transducer with continuous rotation in its device for analogue display of the time
US11892807B2 (en) 2019-06-06 2024-02-06 The Swatch Group Research And Development Ltd Measurement of the precision of a timepiece comprising a continuous rotation electromechanical transducer in the analogue time display device thereof

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0679968B1 (en) 1998-07-08
US5517469A (en) 1996-05-14
CN1086813C (en) 2002-06-26
CH686332GA3 (en) 1996-03-15
JP3103293B2 (en) 2000-10-30
CN1122920A (en) 1996-05-22
HK1013689A1 (en) 1999-09-03
USRE36733E (en) 2000-06-13
TW262543B (en) 1995-11-11
JPH0850186A (en) 1996-02-20
DE69503306T2 (en) 1999-03-04
CH686332B5 (en) 1996-09-13
DE69503306D1 (en) 1998-08-13

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