Oscillating system for a watch

Abstract

Some embodiments are directed to adjusting the oscillation frequency of an oscillating system for a watch movement, including: selecting a hairspring, selecting a balance belonging to a predetermined class, without a balance rim, at least two weight elements for balancing in a predetermined batch, pairing the hairspring with the balance and the at least two weight elements, measuring an oscillation frequency of the oscillating system including the hairspring, the balance and the at least two weight elements, and selecting at least one of a balance of another class or of the at least two weight elements of another batch if the measured oscillation frequency does not correspond to a desired oscillation frequency.

Claims

1. An oscillating system for a watch movement, comprising: a balance, at least two weight elements, and a hairspring, wherein the oscillating system does not include a balance rim and wherein the balance is substantially in the form of a strip or substantially cruciform, in that the balance includes a central portion and at least two first wings, and the central portion having a shaft bore and each of the first wings having a fixing bore for fixing a respective one of the at least two weight elements, the balance extending along a central axis of the balance, and the shaft bore and both the fixing bores, of the first wings, being positioned on the central axis, such that the shaft bore and both the fixing bores are aligned along the central axis; and each of the weight elements including a fixing shaft that extends into a respective fixing bore so as to attach the weight elements onto the balance, such that the weight elements are also positioned on the central axis; and the oscillating system includes a fixing element for fixing the hairspring on the balance; wherein the oscillating system further includes a shaft, wherein the shaft includes a single roller; and the single roller is provided to operate as an integrated safety roller and/or to limit a movement of a safety strip; wherein the single roller has a recess; wherein the balance includes at least two second wings; wherein each of the second wings includes an angled element carried out by bending or using a bracket, each angled element having an angled bore for housing an adjusting screw, each angled element having a slot provided for cooperating with the angled bore to allow secure tightening of the adjusting screw in the angled bore; and wherein the angled element has an angle of 45° relative to a plane in which the balance is disposed.

2. The oscillating system according to claim 1, wherein the fixing element is in the form of a pin, and the central portion of the balance including a pin socket for housing the fixing element.

3. The oscillating system according to claim 1, wherein the hairspring is non-metallic.

4. A watch movement, comprising: the oscillating system according to claim 1.

5. The watch movement according to claim 4, wherein an escapement of the watch movement and/or an escapement wheel of the watch movement are fixed in a ruby.

6. An oscillating system for a watch movement, comprising: a balance, at least two weight elements, and a hairspring, wherein the oscillating system does not include a balance rim and wherein the balance is substantially in the form of a strip or substantially cruciform, in that the balance includes a central portion and at least two first wings, and the central portion having a shaft bore and each of the first wings having a fixing bore for fixing a respective one of the at least two weight elements, the balance extending along a central axis of the balance, and the shaft bore and both the fixing bores, of the first wings, being positioned on the central axis, such that the shaft bore and both the fixing bores are aligned along the central axis; and each of the weight elements including a fixing shaft that extends into a respective fixing bore so as to attach the weight elements onto the balance, such that the weight elements are also positioned on the central axis; and the oscillating system includes a fixing element for fixing the hairspring on the balance; each of the second wings includes an angled element carried out by bending or using a bracket, each angled element having an angled bore for housing an adjusting screw, each angled element having a slot provided for cooperating with the angled bore to allow secure tightening of the adjusting screw in the angled bore; and wherein the angled element has an angle of 45° relative to a plane in which the balance is disposed.

7. An oscillating system for a watch movement, comprising: a balance, at least two weight elements, and a hairspring, wherein the oscillating system does not include a balance rim and wherein the balance is substantially in the form of a strip or substantially cruciform, in that the balance includes a central portion and at least two first wings, and the central portion having a shaft bore and each of the first wings having a fixing bore for fixing a respective one of the at least two weight elements, and the oscillating system includes a fixing element for fixing the hairspring on the balance; wherein the balance includes at least two second wings, wherein each of the second wings includes an angled element carried out by bending or using a bracket, each angled element having an angled bore for housing an adjusting screw, each angled element having a slot provided for cooperating with the angled bore to allow secure tightening of the adjusting screw in the angled bore; and wherein the angled element has an angle of 45° relative to a plane in which the balance is disposed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) Some embodiments will be described in detail hereafter with reference to the figures, these representing:

(2) FIG. 1: a first exemplary embodiment of an oscillation system according to some embodiments, in an exploded view,

(3) FIG. 2: a perspective view of a shaft according to some embodiments,

(4) FIG. 3: a perspective view of a weight element according to some embodiments and its fixing to a balance according to some embodiments,

(5) FIG. 4: a side view of the first exemplary embodiment of an oscillating system according to some embodiments in the final assembly state,

(6) FIG. 5: a second exemplary embodiment of an oscillation system according to some embodiments in a perspective view,

(7) FIG. 6: a third exemplary embodiment of an oscillating system according to some embodiments, in a perspective view,

(8) FIG. 7: a fourth exemplary embodiment of an oscillating system according to some embodiments, in a perspective view,

(9) FIG. 8: a fifth exemplary embodiment of an oscillating system according to some embodiments in a perspective view,

(10) FIG. 9: a sixth exemplary embodiment of an oscillating system according to some embodiments in a perspective view, and

(11) FIG. 10: a seventh exemplary embodiment of an oscillating system according to some embodiments in a perspective view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

(12) FIG. 1 illustrates a first exemplary embodiment of an oscillating system S according to some embodiments for mechanical watch movement in an exploded view. The balance 1 shown in FIG. 1 has a central portion 7 and two first wings 8 (for better legibility, only one of the two first wings 8, in this case the wing on the observer's right, is provided with a reference symbol in FIG. 1). The balance 1 has substantially the shape of a strip, slight rounded portions being shown only in the region of the central portion 7 and of the respective ends of the two first wings 8, the rounded portions preventing at least partially the formation of burrs.

(13) The balance 1 includes, in the region of its central portion 7, a shaft bore 9 which is located in the geometric center of the balance 1, as well as a pin socket 11 and a lever socket 12. Each of the two first wings 8 of the balance 1 further includes a fixing bore 10 (for better legibility, only one of the two fixing bores 10, in this case the bore to the observer's left, is provided with a reference symbol in FIG. 1) and a longitudinal slot 25 (a reference symbol again being provided for only one of the two slots).

(14) The oscillating system S further includes a shaft 6, to which the balance 1 can be fixed, in particular placed and/or press-fitted.

(15) The oscillating system S further includes a hairspring 3. The hairspring 3 has a concentric inner portion 3a, which extends concentrically around the shaft 6 when the oscillating system S is assembled, and an Archimedes screw portion 3b. During manufacture of the oscillating system S, a fixing element 4, in particular a pin, is applied inside the hairspring 3, in particular by being brazed. This fixing element 4 is itself press-fitted in the pin socket 11, which accomplishes the connection of the hairspring 3 to the bottom plate 1. The hairspring 3 can also be fixed to the balance 1 through a collet connected to the shaft 6. The fixing element 4 can also be a screw.

(16) The oscillating system S further includes two weight elements 2. Each of these weight elements 2 can be fitted in a respective bore of the two fixing bores 10 to connect the weight elements 2 to the balance 1. To this end, each weight element 2 includes a fixing shaft 26. The fixing shafts are not visible, however, in FIG. 1, because they are disposed on the bottom of the weight elements 2. Weight elements 2 of different sizes and weights can be used to optimally adapt each oscillating system S to the spring effect of the hairspring 3 carried out.

(17) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a shaft 6 according to some embodiments. The shaft 6 includes a single roller 13, a first segment 14, a second segment 15 and a third segment 16. The first segment 14 is contiguous with the single roller 13 and all the segments, it is the one having the greatest diameter. The diameter of the second segment 15 is less than that of the first segment 14 but greater than that of the third segment 16, which is contiguous with the second segment 15. The first segment 14 and the second segment 15 have a substantially equal length, and the third segment 16 is substantially twice as long as the first segment 14 and/or the second segment 15.

(18) “Length” refers in this case to the axial direction of the shaft 6. The shaft 6 further has a bearing segment at its two ends. Each of the two bearing segments includes a first partial bearing segment 17 and a second partial bearing segment 18. Of the bearing portion situated below the single roller 13, only the second partial bearing segment 18 is visible to the observer. The second partial bearing segment 18 is longer than the first partial bearing segment 17 but has a smaller diameter than the latter. In the assembled state of the oscillating system S, the shaft 6 passes into the shaft bore 9, the balance 1 resting on the first segment 14, the second segment 15 being located at least in part in the shaft bore 9, and the third segment 16 extending beyond the bottom plate 1 (see FIG. 4). It also appears in FIG. 2 that the single roller 13 has a recess 19 which allows the single roller 13 to operate as an integrated safety roller and/or to limit the movement of a safety strip of the mechanical watch movement. The roller 13 can also act as a support for the balance 1.

(19) FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a weight element 2 according to some embodiments and its fixing to a bottom plate 1 according to some embodiments. What is visible is only the fixing shaft 26 on the underside of the weight element 2, which is provided to engage in the fixing bore 10 of the bottom plate 1 shown fragmentarily in FIG. 3.

(20) FIG. 4 shows a lateral view of the first exemplary embodiment of an oscillating system S according to some embodiments in the final assembly state. For better legibility, not all the components are provided with a reference symbol in FIG. 4. The two weight elements 2 are press-fitted into the bottom plate 1. The shaft 6 passes through the balance 1 at its center (as previously described for FIG. 2). The lever element 5 is press-fitted into the balance 1 from below. The fixing element 4 is press-fitted into the balance 1 from above. The hairspring 3 is fixed to the fixing element 4.

(21) As previously described in part, the pre-assembled oscillating system S has several advantages. On the one hand, it is possible to stamp the balance 1 in a single pass or cut it out in a single clamping. It is thus possible to manufacture a balance 1 with absolute balancing, because the shaft bore 9 for the shaft 6 is simultaneously created, as well as the socket for housing the lever element 5.

(22) In addition, the weight elements 2 which are assembled afterward to increase the mass inertia and typically manufactured in different sizes, can be used to adjust in a particularly simple manner the oscillating system S to the distribution of forces of the manufacturing batch of the hairspring 3. Moreover, the elimination of the balance wheel makes the oscillating system S substantially less affected by imbalances or problems of concentricity and horizontality than a conventional balance.

(23) Another advantage is that a portion of the usual double roller is practically directly assembled to the shaft 6, and as the other portion of the double roller disappears due to the direct press fitting of the lever element 5 in the balance 1, a double roller is no longer required as a component. The hairspring roller typically used on a conventional balance also disappears, because the hairspring 3 is directly fixed to the fixing element 4, which itself is fitted into the balance 1. The shaft 6 of the oscillating system S is thereby strongly simplified overall with respect to a conventional balance. The elimination of the hairspring roller also makes superfluous the riveting of the shaft 6, as is typically the case on a typical balance, this being able to be easily press-fitted in the balance 1.

(24) Finally, another advantage result in that the function of the ellipse is henceforth directly integrated into the shaft 6. In order for the friction conditions to again be compliant, the escapement is then made of ruby. It is also advantageous that the escapement wheel be made of ruby, in particular if a direct impulse click, in other words without an escapement, is used. In this case, the escapement wheel directly drives the oscillating system, i.e. without an escapement. Another advantage of creating these components of ruby is that they are lighter, which reduces their mass inertia.

(25) FIG. 5 shows a portion of a second exemplary embodiment of an oscillation system S according to some embodiments, in a perspective view. The oscillating system S of FIG. 5 is shown without a shaft and without a hairspring. It can in principle be combined with the shaft 6 shown in the preceding figures and the hairspring 3 also shown in the preceding figures. The oscillating system S includes a substantially cruciform balance 1. The balance 1 has a central portion 7 with a shaft bore 9 where the shaft 6 passes once the oscillating system S is assembled. Two first wings 8 (only one being provided with a reference symbol in FIG. 5) extend toward the exterior from the central portion 7, at each of the extremities of which a weight element 2 is mounted (only one being provided with a reference symbol in FIG. 5). The first wings 8 are disposed exactly in opposition with respect to the central portion 7. Two second wings 20 are also exactly opposed with respect to the central portion. An angle of 90° is formed between a second wing 20 and a first wing 8. In other words, the first wings 8 and the second wings 20 are disposed in a regularly alternate manner around the central portion 7. Each second wing 20 has at its end an angled element 21. Each angled element 21 includes an angled bore 22 where an adjusting screw 23 can be tightened, in such a manner that a central axis of the adjusting screw 23 extends perpendicularly to an axis of rotation of the oscillating system S passing through the shaft. The adjusting screws 23 serve for precise adjusting of the oscillating system S. Moreover, each angled element 21 has a slot 24 capable of cooperating with the angled bore 22, so as to allow secure screwing of the adjusting screw 23 in the angled bore 22.

(26) FIG. 6 shows a portion of a third exemplary embodiment of an oscillating system S according to some embodiments in a perspective view. The third exemplary embodiment corresponds substantially to the second exemplary embodiment, the angled elements of the third exemplary embodiment being screwed to the second wings in the form of bracket parts 27, implemented by bending to 90° the ends of the second wings 20, unlike the second exemplary embodiment. In addition, each bracket part 27 of the third exemplary embodiment includes a second adjusting screw 28 in addition to the adjusting screw 23 already present in the second exemplary embodiment, which is associated with a corresponding second slot 29. Only the components shown there for the first time are provided with a reference symbol in FIG. 6.

(27) The cruciform exemplary embodiments illustrated by FIGS. 5 and 6 can generally be combined with all the features of the first exemplary embodiment, for example, with the fixing element 4 and the lever element 5.

(28) Other exemplary embodiments of some embodiments are illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 10, so as to propose oscillating systems with different combinations of components described above (numbering is streamlined for the purpose of clarity and of explanation of the different combinations).

(29) FIG. 7 shows a fourth exemplary embodiment of an oscillating system S with two bracket parts 27, each including a second adjusting screw 28 in addition to the adjusting screw 23 already present in the third exemplary embodiment, which is associated with a corresponding slot 29, replacing the weight elements 2 that are visible in FIG. 1.

(30) FIG. 8 shows a fifth exemplary embodiment of an oscillating system S with four bracket parts 27, each including a second adjusting screw 28 in addition to the adjusting screw 23 as shown in the third exemplary embodiment, which is associated with a corresponding slot 29, replacing the weight elements 2 that are visible in FIG. 1. This has the advantage of being more easily adjustable than the third example.

(31) FIG. 9 shows a sixth example of an oscillating system S with three weight elements 2 and three bracket parts 27, each including a second adjusting screw 28 in addition to the adjusting screw 23 already present in the third exemplary embodiment, which is associated with a corresponding slot 29. The advantage here is to have more adjustment methods, with different angles.

(32) FIG. 10 shows a seventh example of an oscillating system S with two bracket parts 27, each including a second adjusting screw 28 in addition to the adjusting screw 23 already present in the third exemplary embodiment, which is associated with a corresponding slot 29, replacing the mass elements 2 that are visible in FIG. 1. The adjusting screws 23 and 28 are inclined at 45° so as to improve accessibility when the oscillating system S is nested.