Patents by Inventor Christian Charbon

Christian Charbon 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: 20190196406
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a balance spring for a balance, which includes creating a blank from an alloy containing: niobium: the remainder to 100 wt %, titanium: between 40 and 60 wt %, traces of elements selected from the group formed of O, H, C, Fe, Ta, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al, between 0 and 1600 ppm by weight individually, and less than 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventor: Christian CHARBON
  • Publication number: 20190196405
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a spiral spring for a balance wheel made of an alloy of niobium and titanium with an essentially single-phase structure, and the method of manufacture thereof which comprises: a step of producing a blank in a niobium-based alloy consisting of: niobium: balance to 100 wt %, titanium: between 40 and 49 wt %, traces of elements selected from the group consisting of O, H, C, Fe, Ta, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al, between 0 and 1600 ppm by weight individually, and cumulatively less than 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventor: Christian CHARBON
  • Publication number: 20190196407
    Abstract: A balance spring for a balance with a blank containing: niobium: the remainder to 100 wt %, titanium: between 40 and 60 wt %, traces of elements selected from the group formed of O, H, C, Fe, Ta, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al, between 0 and 1600 ppm by weight individually, and less than 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventor: Christian Charbon
  • Publication number: 20190187616
    Abstract: A mainspring including a spiral metal strip and a hooking area formed in an inner face of an inner end of the strip, the hooking area including at least one shaped portion and/or at least one cavity comprised in the inner face of the inner end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Jonas VANNOD, Christian CHARBON
  • Patent number: 10214831
    Abstract: The invention relates to a one-piece metal component including an electroformed metal body, the external surface of the body including, only over or to a predetermined depth, less trapped hydrogen than the rest of the electroformed metal body causing a hardening relative to the rest of the body in order to improve the wear resistance of the one-piece component while preserving a relative magnetic permeability of less than 10 and the ability to be driven or pressed fit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Philippe Dubois, Christian Charbon
  • Publication number: 20190023564
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Applicant: NIVAROX-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Philippe Dubois, Sebastiano Merzaghi, Christian Charbon
  • Publication number: 20180373202
    Abstract: A spiral timepiece spring with a two-phase structure, made of a niobium and titanium alloy, and method for manufacturing this spring, including producing a binary alloy containing niobium and titanium, with niobium: the remainder to 100%; titanium between 45.0% and 48.0% by mass of the total, traces of components among O, H, C, Fe, Ta, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al, of between 0 and 1600 ppm by mass of the total individually, and less than 0.3% by mass combined; applying deformations alternated with heat treatments until a two-phase microstructure is obtained including a solid solution of niobium with ?-phase titanium and a solid solution of niobium with ?-phase titanium, the ?-phase titanium content being greater than 10% by volume, with an elastic limit higher than 1000 MPa, and a modulus of elasticity higher than 60 GPa and less than 80 GPa; wire drawing to obtain wire able to be calendered; calendering or winding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventor: Christian CHARBON
  • Patent number: 10138529
    Abstract: Method for fabrication of an antiferromagnetic and temperature compensated timepiece balance spring, including the steps of: selecting an amagnetic iron-chromium-nickel-manganese-beryllium compensating alloy, comprising, by mass percent, between and including: from 21.0% to 25.0% of manganese, from 9.0% to 13.0% of nickel, from 6.0% to 15.0% of chromium, from 0.2% to 2.0% of beryllium, the remainder iron, the total of nickel and manganese being higher than or equal to 33.0%, working the alloy to obtain a blank, shaping the blank by casting and/or forging and/or wire drawing and/or rolling and/or drawing, to obtain a blank of spring wire; winding the wire on a winder to obtain a balance spring, subjecting the spiral spring to at least a heat setting treatment, by annealing at a temperature comprised between 540° C. and 650° C., for a duration of 30 to 200 minutes, to obtain a balance spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Christian Charbon, Guido Plankert
  • Patent number: 10114341
    Abstract: A method of setting inertia of and/or poizing a timepiece sprung balance assembly including: manufacturing a balance and a balance spring irreversibly assembled to each other; fixing an outer coil of the balance spring in position in a tamperproof manner to a balance spring stud which is immobilized in a tamperproof manner by irreversible attachment to a balance cock; determining a peripheral surface of the balance, every point of which is remote from the balance spring by a first predefined distance; performing a re-machining operation only on the peripheral area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Thierry Conus, Marco Verardo, Christian Charbon
  • Patent number: 10106400
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Philippe Dubois, Sebastiano Merzaghi, Christian Charbon
  • Patent number: 10048649
    Abstract: A timepiece spring, as a mainspring, made of austenitic stainless steel including a base formed of iron and chromium, thickness of the spring being less than 0.20 mm, and the spring including, by mass: chromium: minimum value 15%, maximum value 25%; manganese: minimum value 5%, maximum value 25%; nitrogen: minimum value 0.40%, maximum value 0.75%; carbon: minimum value 0.10%, maximum value 1.00%; the total (C+N) carbon and nitrogen content between 0.40% and 1.50% by mass; the carbon-to nitrogen ratio (C/N) by mass between 0.125 and 0.550; impurities and additional metals with the exception of iron: minimum value 0%, maximum value 12.0%; iron: the complement to 100%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Christian Charbon, Guido Plankert
  • Publication number: 20180210402
    Abstract: The invention relates to an external part including a first portion based on photostructurable glass, at least one second portion based on at least one second material. According to the invention, one surface of the first portion is made integral with a surface of the second portion so as to form a one-piece external part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Applicant: THE SWATCH GROUP RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT LTD.
    Inventors: Philippe DUBOIS, Thierry HESSLER, Christian CHARBON
  • Patent number: 9989921
    Abstract: The invention relates to a timepiece assortment including a timepiece component fixed to an arbor with the aid of a fixing element. According to the invention, the fixing element is made of at least partially amorphous metal alloy, is secured to the timepiece component by partial insertion and includes a hole into which the arbor is driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: NIVAROX-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Philippe Dubois, Yves Winkler, Daniel Mallet, Christian Charbon
  • Patent number: 9958835
    Abstract: The invention relates to an external part including a first portion based on photostructurable glass, at least one second portion based on at least one second material. According to the invention, one surface of the first portion is made integral with a surface of the second portion so as to form a one-piece external part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Philippe Dubois, Thierry Hessler, Christian Charbon
  • Publication number: 20180112292
    Abstract: A precious alloy for horological applications contains by mass, in parts per thousand of the total, 540 to 630 parts of gold, 150 to 220 parts of palladium, 100 to 265 parts of silver, more than 150 to 265 parts of copper, from 0.0 to 0.2 parts of iridium, 0.0 to 4.0 parts of zinc, and the remainder containing iron and/or nickel and/or cobalt. The proportion by mass of the total content of gold, palladium, silver, copper, iridium and zinc is greater than 999.900 parts, the proportion by mass of the remainder is less than 0.100 parts. The density of the alloy includes between 13.5 and 14.5 g/cm3. The proportion by mass of cobalt is less than 0.005 parts, that of iron is less than 0.005 parts, and that of nickel is less than 0.0005 parts. The total of copper and zinc includes between 150 and 270 parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2017
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Denis VINCENT, Christian Charbon
  • Publication number: 20180024500
    Abstract: The invention relates to a pivot arbor comprising a metal pivot (3) at each of its ends. The metal is a non-magnetic copper alloy in order to limit its sensitivity to magnetic fields, and at least the outer surface (5) of one of the two pivots (3) is deep-hardened to a predetermined depth with respect to the rest of the arbor to harden the pivot or pivots (3). The invention concerns the field of timepiece movements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Christian CHARBON, Alexandre Fussinger, Marco Verardo
  • Publication number: 20180024502
    Abstract: The invention relates to a pivot arbor (1) for a timepiece movement comprising at least one pivot (3) made of a first non-magnetic metal material (4) at one of the ends thereof in order to limit the sensitivity thereof to magnetic fields. At least the outer surface of said pivot (3) is coated with a layer (5) of a second material selected from the group comprising Ni and NiP, and preferably chemical NiP. The invention concerns the field of timepiece movements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Alexandre FUSSINGER, Christian CHARBON, Marco VERARDO
  • Publication number: 20180024503
    Abstract: The invention relates to a timepiece component (1) comprising at least one portion (3) machined by chip removal. Said portion (3) is made of a non-magnetic copper alloy in order to limit its sensitivity to magnetic fields, said copper alloy containing between 10 wt % and 20 wt % of Ni, between 6 wt % and 12 wt % of Sn, X wt % of additional elements, wherein X is comprised between 0 and 5, and the remainder is Cu. The invention concerns the field of timepiece movements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Christian CHARBON, Vincent FAYS, Marco VERARDO
  • Publication number: 20180024501
    Abstract: The invention relates to a pivot arbor (1) for a timepiece movement comprising at least one pivot (3) made of a first non-magnetic metal material (4) at at least one of the ends thereof in order to limit the sensitivity thereof to magnetic fields, at least the outer surface of said pivot (3) being coated with a first layer (5) of a second material selected from the group comprising Ni, NiB and NiP, and preferably chemical NiP. At least the first layer (5) of second material is at least partially coated with a second layer (6) of a third material selected from the group comprising gold, silver, copper, platinum, rhodium, palladium and their alloys. The invention concerns the field of timepiece movements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Alexandre FUSSINGER, Christian CHARBON, Marco VERARDO
  • Publication number: 20180024499
    Abstract: The invention relates to a pivot arbor comprising a metal pivot (3) at each of its ends. The metal is a non-magnetic aluminium alloy in order to limit its sensitivity to magnetic fields, and at least the outer surface (5) of one of the two pivots (3) is deep-hardened to a predetermined depth with respect to the rest of the arbor to harden the pivot or pivots (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Christian CHARBON, Alexandre Fussinger, Marco Verardo