The present invention concerns regulating members for a mechanical timepiece, specifically a system based on the magnetic interaction between a resonator, in the form of a tuning fork for example, and an escape wheel, called a magnetic escapement. The system is characterized in that there are several areas of magnetic interaction between the resonator and the escape wheel which are arranged such that the torques produced at the escape wheel by these interactions compensate each other if the escape wheel is not synchronized at the frequency of the resonator. This results in negligible torque in the escape wheel when the latter rotates slowly in the direction of the arrow or the opposite direction. This allows the timepiece to start with a low mainspring torque and without any start procedure or device and provides better resistance of the timepiece against a loss of synchronization in the event of a shock.

A device regulating motion of a mechanical horological movement includes: a frame; a resonator attached to the frame and including a first annular magnetic structure including N1 magnets arranged regularly in a circle and a resilient structure; a second annular magnetic structure including N2 magnets defining a central axis about which the structure rotates, N2 being different than N1. The resonator is configured so that a resonant mode in which the first magnetic structure is subject to curvilinear, or substantially circular, translation about the central axis may be excited by rotation of the second magnetic structure. The two magnetic structures define a magnetic cycloid gear such that the regulating device incorporates a reducer of frequency between the resonance frequency and the rotational frequency of the second magnetic structure which is rigidly connected to an escapement wheel.

The timepiece includes a chronograph mechanism with a coupling device including an operating member and a switching member which can be switched alternately between two stable positions coupled state and uncoupled state. This timepiece includes a magnetic system formed of a first bipolar magnet fixed to the switching member, a second bipolar magnet fixed to the support of the switching device in order to continually offer a magnetic interaction with the first bipolar magnet, and at least one highly magnetically permeable element forming the operating member and able to undergo a reciprocating motion between two operating positions. The switching device is arranged so that, when the highly magnetically permeable element is in its first operating position, the two magnets generate between them a force of magnetic repulsion and so that, when the highly magnetically permeable element is in its second operating position, the two magnets generate between them a force of magnetic attraction.

Timepiece movement including a flexible strip resonator cooperating with a magnetic escapement mechanism, wherein an escape wheel set includes tangential magnetized areas repelling first magnetized areas of an inertial element of the resonator, this movement includes isochronism correction means combining the first magnetized areas and compensating magnets on the escape wheel set, each arranged in proximity to a tangential magnetized area and producing a leakage field in a different direction from that of the field of the tangential magnetized area, the leakage field intensity being low compared to that of the field of the second tangential magnetized area, and this leakage field interacting with one of the first magnetized areas to produce a low variation in the operation of the resonator mechanism.

Timepiece movement comprising a mechanism and a spring barrel provided in order to drive the mechanism. The spring barrel comprises a drum and a motor spring in order to exert a driving torque which is variable as a function of the degree of winding-up of the motor spring. The timepiece movement comprises furthermore an equalisation device which is connected kinematically to the spring barrel in order to be able to be driven by it and to be able to exert an auxiliary torque which varies as a function of the degree of winding-up of the motor spring so as to counter variations in the motor torque. The equalisation device comprises a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element which are provided such that, when the equalisation device is driven by the spring barrel, they are displaced one relative to the other by exerting one on the other a magnetic force which varies as a function of the relative position occupied by the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element and which produces the auxiliary torque.

Timepiece movement comprising a mechanism and a spring barrel provided in order to drive the mechanism. The spring barrel comprises a drum and a motor spring in order to exert a driving torque which is variable as a function of the degree of winding-up of the motor spring. The timepiece movement comprises furthermore an equalisation device which is connected kinematically to the spring barrel in order to be able to be driven by it and to be able to exert an auxiliary torque which varies as a function of the degree of winding-up of the motor spring so as to counter variations in the motor torque. The equalisation device comprises a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element which are provided such that, when the equalisation device is driven by the spring barrel, they are displaced one relative to the other by exerting one on the other a magnetic force which varies as a function of the relative position occupied by the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element and which produces the auxiliary torque.

An escapement mechanism including a stop member between a resonator and two escape wheel sets each subjected to a torque, and each including a magnetized or ferromagnetic track over a period. The stop member includes at least one magnetized or ferromagnetic pole shoe, transversely movable with respect to travel of a surface of the track. The pole shoe or the track creates a magnetic field between the pole shoe and the surface, and the pole shoe is confronted by a magnetic field barrier on the track just before each transverse motion of the stop member actuated by the period action of the resonator. The escape wheel sets are each arranged to cooperate alternately with the stop member, and are connected to each other by a direct kinematic connection.

An escapement mechanism including a stop member between a resonator and two escape wheel sets each subjected to a torque, and each including a magnetized or ferromagnetic track over a period. The stop member includes at least one magnetized or ferromagnetic pole shoe, transversely movable with respect to travel of a surface of the track. The pole shoe or the track creates a magnetic field between the pole shoe and the surface, and the pole shoe is confronted by a magnetic field barrier on the track just before each transverse motion of the stop member actuated by the period action of the resonator. The escape wheel sets are each arranged to cooperate alternately with the stop member, and are connected to each other by a direct kinematic connection.

Magnetic cylinder escapement, comprising a regulating wheel set cooperating with an escape wheel comprising actuators (6) at the periphery of a first disc, each comprising a first impulse part and a second stop part, generating or guiding magnetic fields parallel to the pivot axes, and arranged to work in attraction, via the first disc, with a second non-magnetically charged, soft ferromagnetic disc integral with the regulating wheel set, the mechanism comprising a conductive ferromagnetic plate, underneath but not in contact with the first disc, comprising a cutout surrounding, in a contactless manner, the periphery of the second disc, with a variable air-gap, and closing a magnetic circuit comprising an actuator, the first disc, the second disc, and a structure in which the escape wheel pivots and which carries the plate.

Magnetic cylinder escapement, comprising a regulating wheel set cooperating with an escape wheel comprising actuators (6) at the periphery of a first disc, each comprising a first impulse part and a second stop part, generating or guiding magnetic fields parallel to the pivot axes, and arranged to work in attraction, via the first disc, with a second non-magnetically charged, soft ferromagnetic disc integral with the regulating wheel set, the mechanism comprising a conductive ferromagnetic plate, underneath but not in contact with the first disc, comprising a cutout surrounding, in a contactless manner, the periphery of the second disc, with a variable air-gap, and closing a magnetic circuit comprising an actuator, the first disc, the second disc, and a structure in which the escape wheel pivots and which carries the plate.