Patents by Inventor Donald William CORSON

Donald William CORSON 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).

  • Patent number: 11809137
    Abstract: A balance for timepieces includes a rim, a hub, and at least one arm connecting the hub to the rim. At least one portion of the balance is made of an at least partially amorphous metal alloy. The at least partially amorphous metal alloy is based on an element chosen from the group consisting of platinum, zirconium and titanium, and has a coefficient of thermal expansion comprised between 7 ppm/° C. and 12 ppm/° C. The balance can be manufactured by moulding. A resonator can include such a balance and a monocrystalline quartz balance spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    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
  • Patent number: 11640140
    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: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    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: 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: 20190196408
    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: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    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: 10222748
    Abstract: Watch comprising a movement, with a timepiece balance wheel comprising a ring distinct from the balance rim, carried by a flange with respect to which this ring is movable in rotation to modify the position of inertia blocks elastically carried by the flange, each able to be indexed in different stable angular positions corresponding to a different inertia of the timepiece balance wheel, the movement further including an operating member movable between coupled and uncoupled positions which includes a stop means for immobilizing the rim in a coupled position, and a control means for rotating the ring to modify the position of the inertia blocks in the coupled position, the watch including a crown controlling the control means, a rotating coupling ring controlling the coupling/uncoupling of the operating member through contactless interaction with an external adjustment tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Lionel Paratte, Donald William Corson, Dominique Lechot
  • Patent number: 10054905
    Abstract: Watch comprising a movement, with a balance comprising a ring distinct from the balance rim, elastically fixed to a flange with respect to which this ring is movable in rotation to modify the position of inertia blocks elastically carried by the flange, each able to be indexed in different stable angular positions corresponding to a different inertia of the balance, the movement including an operating member movable between coupled and uncoupled positions which includes a stop means for immobilizing the rim in a coupled position, and a control means for rotating the ring to modify the position of the inertia blocks in the coupled position, the watch including a crown controlling the control means, a rotating coupling ring controlling the coupling/uncoupling of the operating member through contactless interaction with an external adjustment tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Lionel Paratte, Donald William Corson, Dominique Lechot
  • Publication number: 20170351219
    Abstract: Watch comprising a movement, with a timepiece balance wheel comprising a ring distinct from the balance rim, carried by a flange with respect to which this ring is movable in rotation to modify the position of inertia blocks elastically carried by the flange, each able to be indexed in different stable angular positions corresponding to a different inertia of the timepiece balance wheel, the movement further including an operating member movable between coupled and uncoupled positions which includes a stop means for immobilising the rim in a coupled position, and a control means for rotating the ring to modify the position of the inertia blocks in the coupled position, the watch including a crown controlling the control means, a rotating coupling ring controlling the coupling/uncoupling of the operating member through contactless interaction with an external adjustment tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Lionel PARATTE, Donald William CORSON, Dominique LECHOT
  • Publication number: 20170351218
    Abstract: Watch comprising a movement, with a balance comprising a ring distinct from the balance rim, elastically fixed to a flange with respect to which this ring is movable in rotation to modify the position of inertia blocks elastically carried by the flange, each able to be indexed in different stable angular positions corresponding to a different inertia of the balance, the movement including an operating member movable between coupled and uncoupled positions which includes a stop means for immobilising the rim in a coupled position, and a control means for rotating the ring to modify the position of the inertia blocks in the coupled position, the watch including a crown controlling the control means, a rotating coupling ring controlling the coupling/uncoupling of the operating member through contactless interaction with an external adjustment tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Lionel PARATTE, Donald William CORSON, Dominique LECHOT