Patents by Inventor Baptiste HINAUX

Baptiste HINAUX has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20220187769
    Abstract: A timepiece resonator mechanism (100), including a structure (1) carrying, by a flexible suspension (300), an anchoring block (30) from which is suspended an inertial element (2) oscillating about a pivot axis (D) extending in a first direction Z, according to a first rotational degree of freedom RZ, under the action of return forces of a flexible pivot (200) including elastic longitudinal strips (3) each fixed to said inertial element (2) and to said anchoring block (30), the resonator mechanism including a viscous substance (10) arranged at least partly around the flexible suspension (300), the viscous substance (10) being configured to at least partly dissipate the energy due to a shock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Jérôme FAVRE, Dominique LECHOT, Baptiste HINAUX, Gianni DI DOMENICO, Pascal WINKLER
  • Publication number: 20220163923
    Abstract: A process for producing a metal alloy balance wheel by molding includes a) making a mold in the negative shape of the balance wheel; b) obtaining a metal alloy that has a thermal expansion coefficient of less than 25 ppm/° C. and is able to be in an at least partly amorphous state when it is heated to a temperature between its glass transition temperature and its crystallization temperature; c) putting the metal alloy into the mold, the metal alloy being heated to a temperature between its glass transition temperature and its crystallization temperature so as to be hot-molded and to form a balance wheel; d) cooling the metal alloy to obtain a balance wheel made of the metal alloy; and e) releasing the balance wheel obtained in step d) from its mold. The process also includes a step for over-molding flexible centering components in the hub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Alexandre HAEMMERLI, Francois GUEISSAZ, Jean-Claude MARTIN, Lionel PARATTE, Yves WINKLER, Gianni DI DOMENICO, Pascal WINKLER, Jean-Luc HELFER, Lionel TOMBEZ, Baptiste HINAUX, Donald William CORSON, Michel WILLEMIN
  • Patent number: 11307535
    Abstract: A process for producing a metal alloy balance wheel by molding, the process including the following steps: a) making a mold in the negative shape of the balance wheel, b) getting hold of a metal alloy that has a thermal expansion coefficient of less than 25 ppm/° C. and is able to be in an at least partly amorphous state when it is heated to a temperature between its glass transition temperature and its crystallization temperature, c) putting the metal alloy into the mold, the metal alloy being heated to a temperature between its glass transition temperature and its crystallization temperature so as to be hot-molded and to form a balance wheel, d) cooling the metal alloy to obtain a balance wheel made of the metal alloy, e) releasing the balance wheel obtained in step d) from its mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Alexandre Haemmerli, Francois Gueissaz, Jean-Claude Martin, Lionel Paratte, Yves Winkler, Gianni Di Domenico, Pascal Winkler, Jean-Luc Helfer, Lionel Tombez, Baptiste Hinaux, Donald William Corson, Michel Willemin
  • Publication number: 20220113677
    Abstract: A timepiece resonator including an inertial element moveable in relation to a fixed structure, and suspended to a flexible guide including flexible strips crossed in projection on a plane XY at a single crossing zone ZC, each one deformable in a plane parallel to the plane XY each one extending in a ribbon on either side of a neutral surface perpendicular to the plane XY and joining the first recess with the structure and the second recess with the inertial element, and including at least one rib asymmetrical in relation to its neutral surface, and, at the crossing zone ZC, either each flexible strip does not include any rib, or each rib is asymmetrical in relation to its neutral surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Baptiste HINAUX, Pascal WINKLER
  • Patent number: 11022942
    Abstract: Isochronous pivot for a resonator including two flexible strips joining attachment points of a first and a second element, defining two strip directions, and a pivot axis, at the intersection of their projections or at their intersection, each strip having a free length between its attachment points, and an axial distance between the pivot axis and the attachment point thereof farthest from the axis, the attachment point ratio X=D/L being greater than one for each strip, the strip directions defining with the axis a first apex angle whose value in degrees is comprised between f1(X)=108+67/(10X?6), and f2(X)=113+67/(10X?6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Gianni Di Domenico, Dominique Lechot, Jerome Favre, Baptiste Hinaux, Jean-Jacques Born, Jean-Luc Helfer, Pascal Winkler
  • Patent number: 10935933
    Abstract: A mechanical timepiece oscillator includes, between a support and an inertial element, a flexure bearing with flexible strips crossed in projection, including, superposed, an upper level that includes, between an upper support and an upper inertial element, an upper primary strip in a first direction and an upper secondary strip in a second direction, and a lower level that includes, between a lower support and a lower inertial element, a lower primary strip in the first direction and a lower secondary strip in the second direction. The upper level and lower level include, between the support and the upper or respectively lower support, a translational table with an elastic connection along one or two axes of freedom in the oscillation plane, of lower stiffness than that of each flexible strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Gianni Di Domenico, Pierre Cusin, Jean-Luc Helfer, Alex Gandelhman, Pascal Winkler, Baptiste Hinaux, Dominique Lechot, Olivier Matthey, Laurent Klinger, Jerome Favre
  • Patent number: 10928779
    Abstract: An isochronous pivot for a resonator including two flexible strips joining attachment points of a first and a second element, defining two strip directions, and a pivot axis, at the intersection of their projections or at their intersection, each strip having a free length between its attachment points, and an axial distance between the pivot axis and the attachment point thereof farthest from the axis, the attachment point ratio X=D/L being greater than one for each strip, the strip directions defining with the axis a first apex angle whose value in degrees includes between f1(X)=108+67/(10X?6), and f2(X)=113+67/(10X?6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Gianni Di Domenico, Dominique Lechot, Jerome Favre, Baptiste Hinaux, Jean-Jacques Born, Jean-Luc Helfer, Pascal Winkler
  • Patent number: 10895845
    Abstract: A mechanical timepiece oscillator including, between a first element and a second inertial element, more than two distinct flexible strips returning the inertial element to a rest position in an oscillation plane, wherein the projections of these strips cross each other, at a point, through which passes the axis of pivoting of the second solid inertial element, and the height to thickness aspect ratio is less than 10 for each strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Gianni Di Domenico, Pierre Cusin, Jean-Luc Helfer, Alex Gandelhman, Pascal Winkler, Baptiste Hinaux, Dominique Lechot, Olivier Matthey, Laurent Klinger, Jerome Favre
  • Publication number: 20210011432
    Abstract: A universal device is for preparation of a watch with a gain/loss correction crown and an oscillating resonator. The device includes winding and a gain/loss corrector with a robotic manipulator for manoeuvring the crown. It also includes an adjustment device with a gain/loss correction device including a gain/loss-corrector oscillator generating an oscillation to subject the watch to an oscillation at a correction frequency NC and/or to a modulated movement. The gain/loss correction device includes a gain/loss controller that controls the oscillation of the gain/loss-corrector oscillator, interfaced with a device to measure the gain/loss of the watch. The gain/loss correction device also includes an automatic winder with a watch-holder stand subjected to the oscillations or movements generated by the gain/loss-corrector oscillator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Jérôme FAVRE, Jean-Jacques BORN, Cédric NICOLAS, Baptiste HINAUX
  • Publication number: 20200409310
    Abstract: Inertia mobile component (1) for a horological resonator (100), oscillating about an axis of oscillation (D1), and including at least one magnetic area (10), the total resultant magnetic moment of all of the magnetic areas (10), included in the inertia mobile component (1), is aligned in the direction of the axis of oscillation (D1), this inertia mobile component (1) bearing at least one magnetic compensating element (4), the magnetisation component thereof in a direction perpendicular to the axis of oscillation (D1) can be adjusted in order to obtain a total resultant magnetic moment that is aligned in the direction of the axis of oscillation (D1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Gianni DI DOMENICO, Jérôme FAVRE, Olivier MATTHEY, Dominique LECHOT, Baptiste HINAUX, Laurent NAGY, Jean-Claude MARTIN
  • Publication number: 20200409311
    Abstract: Horological resonator (100) including an inertia mobile component (1) oscillating about an axis of oscillation (D1) and including at least one magnetic area (10), the total resultant magnetic moment of all of the magnetic areas (10), included in the inertia mobile component (1), is aligned in the direction of the axis of oscillation (D1), this inertia mobile component (1) bearing at least one balancing magnet (6), the direction of the magnetic moment thereof crosses the axis of oscillation (D1) to obtain magnetic balancing of the inertia mobile component (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Gianni DI DOMENICO, Jérôme FAVRE, Olivier MATTHEY, Dominique LECHOT, Baptiste HINAUX, Laurent NAGY, Jean-Claude MARTIN
  • Patent number: 10866565
    Abstract: A mechanical timepiece oscillator includes, between a first element and a second inertial element, two distinct flexible strips returning the inertial element to a rest position in an oscillation plane, the projections of these strips crossing each other, in the rest position, at a point, through which passes the pivoting axis of the second solid inertial element, the embedding points of the strips in the first element and the second inertial element defining two directions in which each strip has a free length between its embedding points, and an axial distance between the pivoting axis and the farthest of its embedding points, and, for each strip, the embedding point ratio is comprised between 0 and 1, and the vertex angle at the crossing point of the directions of the strips is less than 70°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Gianni Di Domenico, Dominique Lechot, Jerome Favre, Baptiste Hinaux, Jean-Jacques Born, Jean-Luc Helfer, Pascal Winkler
  • Publication number: 20200192290
    Abstract: Timepiece resonator (100) comprising an inertia element (4; 5) suspended from a flexible strip (2) deformable in a plane XY parallel to a longitudinal direction Y, and whose transverse extension along a transverse axis X, in projection onto the plane XY, is variable and of positive value on at least one side of the neutral axis (FN) of said strip (2), which includes, at a distance from its embedments, at least one rib (3) extending substantially along an axis Z perpendicular to the plane XY, each having at least one generatrix which is farther from the neutral axis (FN) than the external surfaces of the sections (6) of the strip (2) located outside the ribs (3), and the longitudinal extension (LN) of each rib (3) of the strip (2), along the longitudinal axis Y, is less than one fifth of the length L of the strip (2) between its embedments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Applicant: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGÈRE SUISSE
    Inventors: Pascal WINKLER, Laurent Klinger, Jean-Luc Helfer, Baptiste Hinaux, Gianni Di Domenico, Jean-Bernard Peters
  • Publication number: 20200192291
    Abstract: Timepiece resonator (100) comprising an inertia element (4; 5) suspended from a flexible strip (2) deformable in a plane XY parallel to a longitudinal direction Y, and whose transverse extension along a transverse axis X, in projection onto the plane XY, is variable and of positive value on at least one side of the neutral axis (FN) of said strip (2), which includes, at a distance from its embedments, at least one rib (3) extending substantially along an axis Z perpendicular to the plane XY, each having at least one generatrix which is farther from the neutral axis (FN) than the external surfaces of the sections (6) of the strip (2) located outside the ribs (3), and the longitudinal extension (LN) of each rib (3) of the strip (2), along the longitudinal axis Y, is less than one fifth of the length L of the strip (2) between its embedments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Applicant: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGERE SUISSE
    Inventors: Pascal WINKLER, Laurent Klinger, Jean-Luc Helfer, Baptiste Hinaux, Gianni Di Domenico, Jean-Bernard Peters
  • Publication number: 20200166891
    Abstract: Universal device (1000) for the winding and time-setting of a watch (1) with oscillating resonator (2), which comprises: rewinding and state correction means, comprising an automatic winding mechanism (304) for a mechanical or automatic watch, which comprises at least one watch reception support (305), state measurement means (303) relative to a reference clock (1001), comprising a viewing system (1002), stoppage monitoring means (500) to observe the stoppage of a resonator (2), and control means (900) arranged to then identify the stoppage time displayed by said watch (1) in the stoppage position thereof, to compute the time remaining until a synchronisation between the actual time indicated by said clock (1001) and said stoppage time, and, when said remaining time has elapsed, to activate said automatic winding mechanism (304) for rewinding the power storage means of said watch (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Publication date: May 28, 2020
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Baptiste Hinaux, Jérôme Favre
  • Publication number: 20200166894
    Abstract: Universal device for the winding and time-setting of a watch with oscillating resonator, including a rewinding and state corrector, including an automatic winding mechanism, state measurer relative to a reference, stoppage monitor to observe the stoppage of the resonator, running monitor of the resonator, controller to identify the stoppage time displayed, compute the time remaining until a synchronisation between the actual time indicated by the reference and the stoppage time, and, when this remaining time has elapsed, activate the winding mechanism to rewind the storage means of the watch, and, following activation of the winding mechanism, await the determination of the stabilisation of the nominal running of the resonato by these monitors before allowing a fine adjustment of the state of the watch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Publication date: May 28, 2020
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Baptiste HINAUX, Jérôme FAVRE
  • Publication number: 20200089168
    Abstract: An oscillator includes a resonator, which has an inertial mass returned by an elastic return and carries entry and exit pallets cooperating with teeth of an escape wheel each provided with a magnet. Each pallet includes a magnetic arrangement, with an annular sector, centred on the axis of oscillation of the resonator, defining a first magnetic barrier area extending above and/or below a mechanical pallet-stone of the entry pallet or exit pallet, over the entire length of this mechanical pallet-stone acting as support for the teeth during the supplementary arc, in order to form a magnetic cylinder escapement mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Gianni DI DOMENICO, Jerome Favre, Dominique Lechot, Baptiste Hinaux, Olivier Matthey, Pascal Winkler, Marc Stranczl, Michel Willemin, Ahmad Odeh
  • Patent number: 10579020
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a flexible strip, including forming a plate of the required thickness with one or more micromachinable substrate wafers; affixing, on either side of the plate, an upper mask with an upper window and a lower mask with a lower window, of identical geometry; etching the plate, at least to mid-thickness, from the upper side of each upper etching window, and from the side of each lower etching window; removing the upper mask and the lower mask, to delimit a flexible strip having a height equal to the thickness of the plate, and whose edges are as-etched. A flexible strip made of micromachinable material, including, between two parallel upper and lower surfaces, two peripheral, tapered and reverse-tapered edge surfaces, for a flexible pivot, a resonator, a movement or a watch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Gianni Di Domenico, Jerome Favre, Dominique Lechot, Baptiste Hinaux, Olivier Matthey, Pierre Cusin, Alex Gandelhman
  • Publication number: 20200033805
    Abstract: A mechanical timepiece oscillator includes, between a support and an inertial element, a flexure bearing with flexible strips crossed in projection, including, superposed, an upper level that includes, between an upper support and an upper inertial element, an upper primary strip in a first direction and an upper secondary strip in a second direction, and a lower level that includes, between a lower support and a lower inertial element, a lower primary strip in the first direction and a lower secondary strip in the second direction. The upper level and lower level include, between the support and the upper or respectively lower support, a translational table with an elastic connection along one or two axes of freedom in the oscillation plane, of lower stiffness than that of each flexible strip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Gianni DI DOMENICO, Pierre CUSIN, Jean-Luc HELFER, Alex GANDELHMAN, Pascal WINKLER, Baptiste HINAUX, Dominique LECHOT, Olivier MATTHEY, Laurent KLINGER, Jerome FAVRE
  • Publication number: 20200033804
    Abstract: A method for making a flexure bearing for an oscillator with an inertial element oscillating in a plane supported by flexible strips fixed to a stationary support returning it to a rest position includes: forming the bearing with basic strips in superposed levels, each having an aspect ratio of less than 10; breaking down the number of basic levels into a plurality of sub-units, each including one or two strips joining a basic support and a basic inertial element, which are made by etching substrates; assembling the sub-units by joining their basic inertial elements; and fixing the basic supports to the support, directly or via translational tables along one or two in-plane translational degrees of freedom, of lower translational stiffness than that of the sub-unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Gianni DI DOMENICO, Pierre CUSIN, Jean-Luc HELFER, Alex GANDELHMAN, Pascal WINKLER, Baptiste HINAUX, Dominique LECHOT, Olivier MATTHEY, Laurent KLINGER, Jerome FAVRE