Patents by Inventor Gianni DI DOMENICO

Gianni DI DOMENICO 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: 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
  • Publication number: 20190391532
    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: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    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: 20190369559
    Abstract: Timepiece regulator (300) comprising a detached lever (7) escapement mechanism (200), and a resonator (100) with a quality factor Q including an inertia element (2) comprising an impulse pin (6) integral with an inertia element (2) and cooperating with a fork (8) of the lever (7), this inertia element (2) being subjected to the action of elastic return means (3) directly or indirectly fixed to the plate (1) and being arranged to cooperate indirectly with an escape wheel set (4) comprised in the escapement mechanism (200), this resonator mechanism (100) is a resonator with a virtual pivot rotating about a main axis (DP), with a flexure bearing subjected to the return force of at least two flexible strips (5) attached to the plate (1), defining together a virtual pivot with a main axis (DP), the lever (7) pivoting about a secondary axis (DS), and the fork (8) is enlarged in comparison to the fork of a conventional Swiss lever.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Pascal WINKLER, Jean-Luc HELFER, Gianni DI DOMENICO
  • Publication number: 20190332056
    Abstract: A timepiece regulating mechanism including primary resonators each with an inertial weight suspended by flexible strips to a fixed structure with respect to which this weight pivots, and mechanical device of synchronizing the primary resonators which include, between the inertial weights, an articulated connection which, under normal conditions, allows pivoting of the inertial weights in opposite directions of rotation and with close rotation angles, and during a shock, prevents pivoting thereof in the same direction of rotation, the mechanism including an oscillator with a frictional rest escapement mechanism arranged to cooperate alternately with the primary resonators, on pallet stones of the inertial weights.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Jean-Jacques BORN, Pascal WINKLER, Gianni DI DOMENICO
  • Patent number: 10459406
    Abstract: A timepiece mechanism including a first component and a second component configured to cooperate with each other in a relative motion on a trajectory in an interface area, wherein a first path of the first component includes magnetic and/or electrostatic actuation components, configured to exert a contactless stress on complementary magnetic and/or electrostatic actuation components included in a second path belonging to the second component. Throughout a monotonous relative movement of the second path with respect to the first path, interaction energy between the first component and second component has a variable gradient with at least one position of discontinuity of the gradient, which corresponds to a variation in the contactless stress, the position of discontinuity of the gradient corresponding, in a variant, to an abrupt variation in the contactless stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Gianni Di Domenico, Jean-Luc Helfer, Pascal Winkler, Jerome Favre
  • Publication number: 20190302695
    Abstract: Timepiece regulator (300) comprising a detached lever (7) escapement mechanism (200), and a resonator (100) including an inertia element (2), which includes an impulse pin (6) cooperating with a fork (8) of the lever (7), and which is subjected to the action of elastic return means (3) fixed to the plate (1) and is arranged to cooperate indirectly with an escape wheel set (4), this resonator (100) is a resonator with a virtual pivot rotating about a main direction (DP), with a flexure bearing returned by flexible strips (5) attached to the plate (1), defining a virtual pivot having a main axis (DP), the resonator (100) is attached to an elastic suspension strip (9) attached to the plate (1), allowing displacement in the main direction (DP), the plate (1) comprising shock absorber stops (11, 12), in the main direction (DP), cooperating with at least one stiff element of the inertial element (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Pascal WINKLER, Jean-Luc HELFER, Gianni DI DOMENICO
  • Publication number: 20190278227
    Abstract: A timepiece regulator includes a detached lever escapement mechanism and a resonator with a quality factor Q including an inertia element. An impulse pin is integral with an inertia element and cooperates with a fork of the lever. The inertia element is subjected to the action of an elastic return directly or indirectly fixed to the plate and arranged to cooperate indirectly with an escape wheel set included in the escapement mechanism. The resonator mechanism is a resonator with a virtual pivot rotating about a main axis, with a flexure bearing subjected to the return force of at least two flexible strips attached to the plate, defining together a virtual pivot with a main axis. The lever pivots about a secondary axis. The lever is made of silicon added to an arbor pivoted with respect to the plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Pascal WINKLER, Jean-Luc HELFER, Gianni DI DOMENICO
  • Publication number: 20190271945
    Abstract: Timepiece regulator comprising a detached lever escapement mechanism, and a resonator with a quality factor Q including an inertia element including an impulse pin cooperating with a fork of the lever, subjected to the return force of two flexible strips attached to the plate, defining a virtual pivot having a main axis (DP), the lever pivoting about a secondary axis (DS), and the lift angle (?) of the resonator, during which the impulse pin is in contact with the fork, is less than 10°, and the ratio IB/IA between the inertia IB of the inertia element with respect to the main axis (DP) and the inertia IA of the lever with respect to the secondary axis (DS) is greater than 2Q·?2/(0.1·?·?2), where ? is the lift angle of the lever corresponding to the maximum angular travel of the fork.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Pascal WINKLER, Jean-Luc Helfer, Gianni Di Domenico
  • Patent number: 10394190
    Abstract: A timepiece resonator mechanism includes a structure and an inertial element oscillating around an axis and subjected to restoring forces exerted by a plurality of elastic blades, each fixed directly or indirectly to the structure at a first end and fixed directly or indirectly to an inertial element at a second end. The elastic blade extends in a perpendicular plane to the pivot axis and is deformable substantially in this plane, where this resonator mechanism includes an axial stop including at least a lower axial stop and/or an upper axial stop, and the axial stop is arranged for the protection of the blade resonator mechanism against axial shocks in the direction of the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Dominique Lechot, Pascal Winkler, Gianni Di Domenico, Jean-Jacques Born
  • Publication number: 20190250565
    Abstract: A timepiece movement, including a mechanism including an inertial element arranged to oscillate or pivot about a first axis of pivoting relative to a structure of the movement, and arranged to cooperate directly or indirectly with an energy distribution wheel set that pivots relative to the structure about a second axis of pivoting parallel to or coincident with the first axis of pivoting and subjected to a torque exerted by an energy source, wherein the energy distribution wheel set meshes directly or indirectly with at least one inertia wheel set that pivots about a third axis of pivoting relative to the structure, each inertia wheel set is arranged to pivot in the opposite direction to the energy distribution wheel set, and the total inertia of the inertia wheel sets is comprised between 60% and 140% of the inertia of the energy distribution wheel set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Jerome FAVRE, Olivier MATTHEY, Gianni DI DOMENICO, Baptiste HINAUX, Dominique LECHOT, Jean-Jacques BORN
  • 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: 10241475
    Abstract: Timepiece regulating mechanism including an energy storage means delivering an output torque (CS), via a train (3), to a wheel set (4) forming a magnetic escapement mechanism (10) with a resonator wheel set (5) subjected to the torque from a return means (6) and cooperating therewith, either directly or via a magnetic stop member (7), this magnetic escapement mechanism (10) being arranged to operate when the wheel set (4) receives a torque higher than or equal to a maintenance torque (CE), and the train (3) includes a torque regulating means (30) arranged to deliver to the wheel set (4) a constant torque comprised between 1.0 and 2.0 times the maintenance torque (CE), the torque regulating means (30) including a fusee (8) of continuously variable cross-section, from which unwinds a chain (9), wound by a drum (21), directly or indirectly driven by the energy storage means (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Jerome Favre, Gianni Di Domenico, Dominique Lechot, Jean-Jacques Born, Baptiste Hinaux
  • Publication number: 20190064742
    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: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Applicant: 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: 20190064741
    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: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Applicant: 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: 20190033784
    Abstract: Mechanical timepiece oscillator comprising, 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 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: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Applicant: 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: 20190032644
    Abstract: Mechanical horological movement comprising at least one energy storage means designed to drive a gear train of which an output mobile component is designed to pivot about a drive axis and comprising a rotary resonator which comprises at least one central mobile component designed to pivot about a central axis and comprising an input mobile component designed to collaborate with the output mobile component, this rotary resonator comprises a plurality of inertial elements each one designed to pivot with respect to the central mobile component about a secondary axis perpendicular to the central axis and each returned towards a rest position, relative with respect to the central mobile component, by at least one elastic return element, and each secondary axis passes through the centre of mass of the inertial element associated with it.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Pascal WINKLER, Jean-Luc Helfer, Gianni Di Domenico, Yves-Alain Cosandier
  • Patent number: 10152025
    Abstract: Movement including an escapement mechanism and a resonator including an inertial element subjected to the action of a flexible gimbal and cooperating with an escape wheel set pivoting about a main axis, which includes driving means cooperating in a continuous transmission of motion with complementary means of the inertial element in every angular position of the latter, the flexible gimbal tending to return these complementary means towards the main axis, and including elastic return means about axes orthogonal to the main axis and restricting the mobility of the inertial element in two rotational degrees of freedom, about a fixed position of the centre of inertia of the inertial element with respect to a plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventors: Pascal Winkler, Gianni Di Domenico, Jean-Luc Helfer
  • Publication number: 20180341226
    Abstract: A method for adjusting the rate of a watch with an oscillator arranged to generate oscillation at a nominal frequency N0, with a servo-system including a master oscillator arranged to generate excitation oscillation at an excitation frequency NE, which is approximately equal to, or equal to the nominal frequency N0, or to an integer multiple of this nominal frequency N0, the watch is subjected to excitation oscillation or to a modulated motion, generated by the master oscillator, during a transition phase after which the oscillator of the watch is stabilised at excitation frequency NE, and there is incorporated in the servo-system a winder for mechanical or automatic watches, arranged to move a support on which such a watch is fixed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Jerome FAVRE, Michel WILLEMIN, Jean-Jacques BORN, Dominique LECHOT, Gianni DI DOMENICO
  • Publication number: 20180341225
    Abstract: Method for adjusting the rate of a basic oscillator of a watch arranged to oscillate at a nominal frequency N0, with a master oscillator generating an excitation frequency NE approximately equal to an integer multiple of this nominal frequency N0, the master oscillator subjecting the watch to excitation or a modulated motion during a transition phase after which the basic oscillator is stabilised at the excitation frequency NE, and a state of display correction method with a winder for mechanical or automatic watches, moving a support carrying the watch and comprising a state of display correction oscillator, having a lower variation of rate value than the initial variation of rate value DI of this basic oscillator, and oscillating at a correction frequency NC to impose oscillation or a motion on the watch, during a state of display correction phase whose duration is adjusted to exactly correct a state of display error measured at the initial moment of actuation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Jerome FAVRE, Michel WILLEMIN, Jean-Jacques BORN, Dominique LECHOT, Gianni DI DOMENICO
  • Patent number: 10126711
    Abstract: A timepiece resonator mechanism having a central wheel train fixed in rotation around an axis of an input wheel train subjected to a driving torque, arranged to turn continuously, and having a plurality of N inertial elements, each movable in relation to the central wheel train, and restored to the axis by elastic restoring device. The mechanism having device between all the inertial elements that are arranged to maintain all centers of mass of these inertial elements at the same distance from the axis at any time, and the elastic restoring device cause an elastic potential such as: Vtot=(d?0/dt)2·?j (Mj·Rj2), where: Vtot is the elastic potential, ?j is the sum over the js of the quantity between parentheses, (d?0/dt) is the speed of rotation to be imposed, Rj is the position of the center of mass G of the inertial element j of mass Mj.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventors: Pascal Winkler, Jean-Luc Helfer, Gianni Di Domenico