skyeriding
901
The patent shown is actually for something else (that's even bigger)
That's a patent for a double-axis tourbillon with constant force! Didn't realise Seiko was working on one
I believe the rationale of the design is that a remontoir will provide a smoother constant force to the rotation of the tourbillon cages. Having a smooth torque flow to the tourbillon cage is important to power the escapement and can be an issue for multi-axis cages - an example would be Jacob & Co's twin tourbillon designs, which required the use of an intermediate buffer spring for each tourbillon, as a pseudo-remontoir for better flow of torque between the twin tourbillons, but I digress.
The first image here is Seiko's proposed design of a double-axis tourbillon, with a remontoir located on the outermost cage.
It uses an L-shaped remontoir lever to release the remontoir spring. A reuleaux triangle is used to time the release of energy, which isn't uncommon for remontoir mechanisms:
The patent also presents alternative designs. The first is an alternative design that also has the remontoir located on the outermost cage, but the remontoir lever is a more conventional flat design:
The next two images isolate the remontoir mechanism for clarity. It can be seen it is of a typical remontoir design, but integrated as part of the tourbillon rotation. Fig. 33 shows the flat remontoir lever in detail:
There's also an alternative design proposed which has the remontoir integrated into the innermost cage instead. This is a closer embodiment of the design found in the Kodo - just that this is a multiaxis tourbillon, while the Kodo's design is mechanically similar to the innermost cage.
The second design:
And finally, the actual patent for the Kodo can be found here:
A closing remark I'd like to add is that Seiko is not the first to incorporate a remontoir into a tourbillon - IWC also has a constant force integrated into a tourbillon, but with some differences in the implementation.
IWC did a more straightforward approach by integrating a remontoir lever into the tourbillon cage (as seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNEYPDsRvOQ). It is an exercise of miniaturisation, by cramming a conventional remontoir design with a release lever under the tourbillon cage.
Seiko has a more streamlined design in my opinion. Instead of a remontoir lever, the rotation of the tourbillon cage itself is used as part of the release mechanism, resulting in a simpler and more elegant solution. It can be seen in action in the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LS5KEhm9gw
Regards,
skyeriding
Why is the Kodo so expensive?
Because there are so few people in the world with the ability to conceive, refine, explain, patent multiple aspects of it, design and actually build it. And then train someone else to build and service it! Just take my word for it, mortgage your house, an...
Good news
That the housing market has been so hot. Can use that equity for these important things 🤣
I will read (and maybe understand)...
...the patent after I receive my degree from MIT...
The patent shown is actually for something else (that's even bigger)
That's a patent for a double-axis tourbillon with constant force! Didn't realise Seiko was working on one I believe the rationale of the design is that a remontoir will provide a smoother constant force to the rotation of the tourbillon cages. Having a sm...
Thanks for the explanation / I love that Video
I'm not sure if it's the 4 cups of tea or the mesmerizing music or the giant animation on my 27" screen, but I can't get the action out of my head... Cazalea ...