An escape wheel & pinion serving as a mechanical component includes an axle and an escape wheel serving as a rotary member having a holder for holding the axle. The axle has a recessed portion into which the holder is fitted. A tapered portion inclined in an axial direction of the axle is disposed in a portion where the recessed portion is in contact with the holder.

An escape wheel and pinion includes an escape wheel that has an axle, a web arm which holds the axle, and a rim which has a plurality of teeth. The web arm has a spoke which radially extends from the rim, and a comb including a radial spine and cross beams branching from the spoke.

Provided is a timepiece part that reduces axial runout of a flat member when the rotating axle thereof turns. A escape wheel and pinion 18 includes an axle member having a first shaft 44 and a second shaft 45 that is larger in diameter than the first shaft, and a seat 48 disposed outside the position where the first shaft and the second shaft connect; a guide member 49 disposed in contact with the seat, having a first hole in which the first shaft is inserted, and having a diameter greater than the second shaft; an escape wheel 23 disposed in contact with the guide member and having a second hole in which the first shaft is inserted; and a fixing member 50 disposed in contact with the escape wheel, having a third hole in which the first shaft is inserted.

A system including two components intended to be in friction contact with each other in a given direction, wherein the friction occurs in a functional area, wherein the system is at least one of the two components including, on a surface in the functional area, a texture formed of a series of troughs of rounded shape separated by peaks or a series of bumps of rounded shape separated by troughs, the troughs extending parallel in the given direction and allowing for the evacuation of debris produced by friction and serving as a reservoir for a lubricant. A method for manufacturing at least one component or a mold by the DRIE (deep reactive ion etching) process, wherein surface defects on the sidewalls machined by the DRIE process are used to form the troughs.

An example apparatus includes a first pinion component comprising a first pinion and a first cylinder centered therein, the first cylinder extending from a first surface of the first pinion, the first pinion having a first via and a second via; a first electrical path extending from a second surface of the first pinion, through the first via to the first surface of the first pinion, and further to a first surface portion of the first cylinder; a second electrical path extending from the second surface of the first pinion, through the second via to the first surface of the first pinion, and further to a second surface portion of the first cylinder, wherein the second electrical path is electrically isolated from the first electrical path.

A timepiece component including a shaft-like portion including at least one pivot about a pivot axis, wherein at least the constituent material of this shaft-like portion is a ceramic or similar non-magnetic type material, the shaft-like portion includes a plurality of recesses evenly arranged or regularly distributed about the pivot axis, and has its centre of inertia on the pivot axis, and the shaft-like portion includes a collar forming its largest diameter with respect to the pivot axis, which collar includes a parting line of the shaft-like portion, which parting line is substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis, the recesses pass right through the collar, and at least one recess contains an injection point for the material.

For example, an escape gear wheel part as a watch component includes a base member including a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the base member being mainly composed of silicon, and a light reflecting layer provided at the first surface of the base member, the light reflecting layer having a three-layer structure in which a first silicon oxide layer, a silicon layer, and a second silicon oxide layer are layered in this order.

The invention relates to an elastic retaining member (1) for fixing a timepiece component (2) on a support element (3), comprising an opening (5) into which said support element (3) can be inserted, the retaining member (1) comprising rigid arms (6) and elastic arms (7) defined between connection areas (9) contributing to ensure elastic clamping of the support element (3) in the opening (5) each rigid arm (6) being provided with two flat contact areas (8) of the retaining member (1) able to cooperate with corresponding convex contact portions (10) of the support element (3).

The method of manufacturing a timepiece shaft (1) includes grinding a ceramic piece, especially to form a balance shaft (1), having a functional portion (2a; 2b) including at least one part (221a; 221b) of a pivot-shank (22a; 22b) and/or at least one part (211a; 211b) of a pivot (21a; 21b), the first functional portion being made of ceramic and a first outer diameter (D1) of the first functional portion being less than 0.5 mm, or less than 0.4 mm, or less than 0.2 mm, or less than 0.1 mm.

Disclosed is a flexible-pivot mechanical component of the type with separate intersecting blades, particularly for timepieces. The mechanical component includes an attachment portion and a movable portion that are connected by first and second resilient blades that intersect in a contactless manner at an intersecting point. The flexible-pivot mechanical component is combined with an adjustment unit making it possible to adjust the position of the intersecting point.