Patent classifications
G04B17/063
HOROLOGICAL MOVEMENT COMPRISING A REGULATING MEMBER PROVIDED WITH MEANS FOR VARIABLY ADJUSTING THE INCLINATION
A horological movement including a plate (33) extending substantially in a first plane and configured to support other parts of the movement, the movement including drive means provided with a gear train (98), a regulating member (1) provided with an inertial mass (3), a guide and an elastic return member (4) for the inertial mass (3) configured to cause it to oscillate in a second plane, as well as an escapement mechanism (25) cooperating with the inertial mass (3), the regulating member (1) being arranged on the plate. A variable adjustment device (30) variably adjusts the inclination of the regulating member (1) relative to the plate (33), such that the second plane of the inertial mass (3) form an angle of variable value with the first plane of the plate (33).
BALANCE WITH INERTIA ADJUSTMENT
A balance for a horological movement includes rigid portions consisting of a hub defining the pivot axis of the balance, a felloe, four arms connecting the felloe to the hub, and including four slots for receiving and gripping in position an inertia-block, each slot being delimited by an arm and by an elastic arm including a first end integral with the arm, and a second distal end free in relation to the hub, to the arm, and to the felloe sector. The balance includes two pairs of inertia-blocks, each pair of inertia-blocks having different masses to ensure different adjusting powers, a first pair of inertia-blocks for a basic adjustment, and second pair of inertia-blocks for a precise adjustment.
One-piece, hollow micromechanical part with several functional levels formed of a synthetic carbon allotrope based material
A method for fabrication of a micromechanical part made of a one-piece synthetic carbon allotrope based material, the method including: forming a substrate with a negative cavity of the micromechanical part to be fabricated; coating the negative cavity of the substrate with a layer of the synthetic carbon allotrope based material in a smaller thickness than the depth of the negative cavity; and removing the substrate to release the one-piece micromechanical part formed in the negative cavity.
Mechanical clock movement with magnetic escapement
A mechanical clock movement includes a resonator, an escapement linked to the resonator, and a display of at least one item of time information. The display is driven by a mechanical drive device via a counter wheel train, the work rate of which is set by the escapement. At least the resonator is housed in a chamber, in which a reduced pressure in relation to atmospheric pressure prevails. The escapement is a magnetic escapement including an escape wheel coupled directly or indirectly to the resonator via a non-contact magnetic coupling system, wherein the magnetic coupling system is formed so that a non-magnetic wall of the chamber runs through the magnetic escapement so that a first part of the escapement is located inside the chamber whereas a second part of the escapement is located outside the chamber.
Crystalline Compounds for Use in Mechanical Watches and Methods of Manufacture Thereof
This invention teaches a new class of materials that can be used to manufacture hairsprings and/or other components of mechanical watches, and methods for manufacturing these components. The new class of materials is crystalline compounds, including, but not limited to, gallium arsenide, extrinsically doped gallium arsenide, extrinsically doped silicon, gallium nitride, extrinsically doped gallium nitride, gallium phosphide, extrinsically doped gallium phosphide, and quartz. This invention also teaches laminated/coated crystalline compounds. The lamination/coating may be applied by one of the following methods, including but not limited to: plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, sputtering, electron beam evaporation, and thermal evaporation. Using crystalline compounds, in particular extrinsically doping the crystalline compounds, affords the possibility to controllably alter the mechanical, electrical, thermal, magnetic, and/or other properties of the watch components. These properties can be further altered by applying single or multiple laminates/coatings of varying thicknesses and/or geometries.
METHOD FOR MAINTAINING AND REGULATING THE FREQUENCY OF A TIMEPIECE RESONATOR
A method for maintaining and regulating frequency of a timepiece resonator mechanism around its natural frequency, the method including: at least one regulator device acting on the resonator mechanism with a periodic motion, to impose a periodic modulation of resonant frequency or quality factor or a position of a point of rest of the resonator mechanism, with a regulation frequency between 0.9 times and 1.1 times the value of an integer multiple of the natural frequency, the integer being greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to 10, and the periodic motion imposes a periodic modulation of the quality factor of the resonator mechanism, by acting on losses and/or damping and/or friction of the resonator mechanism.
METHOD FOR ATTACHMENT OF A BALANCE SPRING FOR A MECHANICAL TIMEPIECE MOVEMENT AND BALANCE SPRING ATTACHED BY SUCH A METHOD
Method for attachment of a last outer coil of a timepiece balance spring inside a groove provided in a balance spring stud, wherein the method includes the step of adhesive bonding the last outer coil of the timepiece balance spring by means of a fluid adhesive whose viscosity is comprised between 200 and 400 mPa.Math.s.
Oscillator for a clock movement
An oscillator (10) includes a spiral spring (11) made from a paramagnetic or diamagnetic material and an assembled balance wheel (12) having a shaft (13) on which the following elements are fitted: a balance wheel (14), a plate (15) and a collet (16) rigidly connected with the spiral spring (11). The maximum diameter (Dmax) of the shaft is less than 3.5, or even 2.5, or even 2 times the minimum diameter (D1) of the shaft on which one of the elements is fitted, or the maximum diameter (Dmax) of the shaft is less than 1.6, or even 1.3 times the maximum diameter (D2) of the shaft on which one of the elements is fitted.
ELASTIC RETAINING MEMBER FOR FASTENING A HOROLOGICAL COMPONENT TO A SUPPORT ELEMENT
An elastic retaining member is for attaching a horological component to a support element. The retaining includes an opening into which the support element is capable of being inserted. The retaining member also includes rigid arms and elastic arms defined between the connection zones of the retaining member. The arms contribute to procuring elastic gripping of the support element in the opening, each rigid arm being provided with a single convex contact zone of the retaining member capable of engaging with a corresponding convex contact portion of the support element.
PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING A HYBRID TIMEPIECE COMPONENT
Process for manufacturing a hybrid timepiece component, wherein the following steps are comprised: comprising structuring at least one wafer (14) of a first micromachinable material so as to form at least one through-opening (15) within the wafer (14), said structured wafer (14) being intended to form a first part (4) of the hybrid timepiece; component and depositing a metal by electroforming, so that the metal extends through the through-opening (15) and over the two upper and lower faces of the wafer (14) as a single piece resulting from one and the same electroforming step, the electroformed metal being intended to form a second part (8) of the hybrid timepiece component.