Eta Sa Fabriques D'ebauches

Compagnie Des Montres Longines, Francillon S.a.

Eta Sa Manufacture Horlogere Suisse

Ge Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC

Omega Sa

Montres Jaquet Droz Sa

General Electric Company, a New York Corporation

Monet Jaquet Droz S a

Alphonse Bron

Olivier Mahler

Elmar Mock

Raphaël Courvoisier

Dag Jordfald

Jon Ronander

Stephen Dodge Edwardsen

Andrés Cabezas Jurin

Rene Besson

Pierre Haefeli

Timepiece displaying the current time and including at least first and second display devices for a time-related quantity, the first and second display devices each being driven by a drive mechanism including a drive wheel (), which is itself driven by the movement of the timepiece (), at least the drive wheel () of one of the drive mechanisms carrying a finger () via which the wheel drives the corresponding display device, the timepiece () being characterized in that the finger () is friction fitted onto the drive wheel ().

Timepiece displaying the current time and including at least first and second devices displaying a time-related quantity

A vertical type uncoupling device, in particular in an automatic watch winding mechanism that includes an oscillating mass and a gear train connecting the oscillating mass to a barrel (), wherein a gear train includes a direction reverser device (), a reduction gear () and the uncoupling device (). The uncoupling device includes two coaxial wheels () that can be coupled in rotation in one direction owing to respective Breguet toothings () arranged on the opposite flanks of the wheels. The coaxial wheel (), which is mobile in the axial direction, is secured to a sliding arbour (), which is mounted so as to rotate and slide in fixed bearings (). A return spring () includes an elastic strip that abuts against one end of the sliding arbour () to tend to engage and keep meshed the Breguet toothings. This design reduces friction and saves space. Other applications of this type of uncoupling device in a watch movement are described.

Uncoupling device for a timepiece mechanism and a watch movement comprising the same

The oscillating weight () is for automatically winding a timepiece movement; it pivots off-center relative to the center of the movement and is made of a single heavy material. The weight () is carried by a shock absorber () that takes the form of a plate (), one end of which is secured to the weight and the other end of which is secured to a tube () arranged to rotate about an arbour () forming the axis of rotation of the weight.

Shock absorber for the oscillating weight of a timepiece

During normal use, the time indicator () is driven by a mechanism () controlled by the gear train () of the timepiece. This mechanism is arranged for uncoupling the gear train from the indicator when the time-setting member () is actuated, this action causing the indicator to move forward through a step of one hour. The time-setting member includes a push-button () which actuates a device () that in turn acts on said mechanism ().

Time-setting member for a time indicator

Time zone timepiece including an hour hand () capable of being moved forward or backward in one hour steps by means of a manually actuated time setting stem () without affecting the minute display, said hand () being fitted onto an hour pipe () about which an hour hand () is adjusted to pivot freely, driven by a motion work (), an additional wheel () secured to the pipe () driving an additional device, the hour wheel () being coupled to the additional wheel () by a limited torque mechanism (), the timepiece being characterised in that, outside the periods in which the time zone time is being corrected, the hour wheel () and the additional wheel () are further rigidly coupled by a second coupling mechanism.

Timepiece with an hour hand able to be moved forward or backward by one hour step

Watch comprising a mechanism () for driving a device () that displays a time-dependent value, this drive mechanism () itself being driven by the movement of the watch, this watch also having at least one first correction element () acting on the display device () via a clockwork mechanism () of the drive mechanism (), and at least one second correction element () acting directly on the device () that displays the time-dependent value, the watch being characterised in that the drive mechanism () is arranged so as to drive the device () that displays a time-dependent value in both directions when the first correction element () is operated, and so as to be overridden when the second correction element () is operated, acting directly on the device () that displays a time-dependent value.

Watch comprising a mechanism for driving a device that displays a time-dependent value

Timepiece including a two-directional correction mechanism for a device displaying a time related quantity, the display device being actuated by a control lever () itself controlled by a cam (), on which the control lever () abuts, the timepiece being characterized in that it includes a correction device () activated by a control stem () which, in the display device correction phase, via a return lever (), moves the control lever () out of the path of the cam () on which said control lever () normally abuts in the normal operating phase of the timepiece ().

Timepiece including a mechanism for correcting a device displaying a time related quantity

A method and apparatus for connecting a plurality of coaxial cables to a printed circuit board in a compact connector. The apparatus is generally comprised of a flexible carrier, means for attaching the cable to the flexible carrier, a conductive base plate and a rigid beam providing pressure such that the electrical contact between the coaxial cable and the printed circuit board is maintained. The method generally comprises the steps of stripping the coaxial cables, bonding the coaxial cable to a flexible carrier, positioning the coaxial cables over traces of a printed circuit board providing pressure such that electrical contact is maintained between the cables and the printed circuit board.

Method for connecting multiple coaxial cables to a PCB

The invention concerns an annual calendar mechanism for a timepiece including a date disc () to which are thirty one figures are affixed each corresponding to an indication of a day of the month provided with a first inner toothing () including thirty one teeth (), a date drive wheel set (), said wheel set () including a finger () driving the date disc () through one step per day via one of the teeth () of the first inner toothing () in order to control the date display, said date disc () including a second toothing (), a correction drive wheel set () able to cooperate with the second toothing () to drive the date disc () through an additional step at the end of the months of less than thirty one days, and a month star wheel () arranged to be actuated at the end of each month and to complete one revolution per year, characterized in that in includes a month drive wheel set () provided for driving the month star wheel () at the end of each month, said drive wheel set () being connected, via a gear train (), to the date drive wheel set () and to the additional correction drive wheel set (), said wheel set () occupying a first position in which it has no effect on the month star wheel (), such that the kinematic chain between the date disc () and the month star wheel () is broken, and a second position that it occupies only at the moment when the change of month occurs and in which it actuates the month star wheel () so as to move it one step forward, such that a correction device () can act on the date disc () without any effect on the month star wheel () and vice versa.

Annual calendar mechanism for watch movement

The coupling wheel () is brought into friction with an intermediate second wheel (), or, conversely, to moved away therefrom by a fork () formed in the large arm () of an L-shaped coupling spring (), articulated at the joining portion of the two arms () on an adjustment plate (), the small arm () of said coupling spring () having its end stressed by the end of a control lever (). Means for guiding () and positioning by a cam screw () allow the distance between the small arm () of the coupling spring () and the end of the control lever () to be modified, which thus allows manufacturing tolerances to be compensated for.

Chronograph coupling mechanism

A method for connecting a plurality of coaxial cables to a printed circuit board in a compact connector. The method generally comprises the steps of stripping the coaxial cables, bonding the coaxial cable to a flexible carrier, positioning the coaxial cables over traces of a printed circuit board providing pressure such that electrical contact is maintained between the cables and the printed circuit board.

Method for connecting coaxial cables to a printed circuit board

The push-button mechanism includes a lever (,) which pivots on a plane support (,), and includes two other pins (,) arranged in a triangle with respect to the stud (,), and a second member (,) including a substantially U shaped cut-out portion (,) delimiting a base (,), and first and second arms (,). The base (,) supports guide means (,) which slide along a guide ramp (,) and at least one control means (,) for a function to be activated (,). The first rigid arm (,) is rotatably mounted on a first pin (,) of the lever (,) and the second flexible arm (,) has at its free end (,) a notch (,) acting as support for the second pin (,) in the inactive position, said notch (,) being extended by a beak shaped tip (,) having an external edge (,) oriented towards the exterior of the U shaped cut-out portion (,) against which the second pin (,) slides compressing the flexible arm (,) and producing a clicking by passing from one position to the other.

Push-button mechanism and timepiece fitted with such mechanisms

A gear mechanism for use in horology is described. The gear mechanism not only returns one of the wheels therein to its original position but also carries along with it a second wheel thereby enabling the mechanism to be made thinner and reducing the number of parts needed to carry out these two functions. The mechanism has a first wheel and a second wheel, the first wheel constituting a toothed wheel fitted on an axis on which is fixed a heart-shaped cam, the point of this cam functioning as the gear engaging means for the second wheel, the cam enabling return of the said first wheel to its starting position by means of a hammer. The invention is of particular value in chronographs.

Gear mechanism especially for timepiece

A chronograph watch provided with a control arrangement for the three functions of start, stop and reset to zero. The purpose of the invention is to provide a more judicious distribution of the elements of the chronograph mechanism over the entire surface of the watch. This purpose is attained by means of a watch characterized in that it comprises a start and stop cam (48) and a reset-to-zero cam, both of these cams being constituted by superposed concentric rings arranged at the periphery of the watch movement, in that both of these cams (48, 49) exhibit respectively ratchet teeth (97) or notches (98a, 98b) on their outer periphery on which act two levers (100, 101) to drive the cams (48, 49) in rotation and teeth (96) or notches (99) on their inner periphery acting on the control levers for the gearing forming the chronograph mechanism.

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Bassecourt, Switzerland

Alphonse Bron