Having Arbor, Pinion, Or Balance Patents (Class 29/896.31)
  • Patent number: 11934153
    Abstract: A mechanical horological bearing (1) intended to be arranged on a mechanical timepiece movement (10), the bearing (1) including, coaxial around a common rotation axis (D), at least one internal frame (4) and at least one external frame (5) forming a running track (20), as well as a plurality of wheels (12) sliding or rolling in the running track (20), during a relative movement between the internal frame (4) and the external frame (5) that guides them and wherein at least one of the internal frame (4) and external frame (5) is a dynamic frame, at least one structural part of the bearing (1) being produced from an elastic metal material with a high damping capacity, the damping factor of which is greater than 10%, preferably greater than 30%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGÈRE SUISSE
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Helfer, Sylvain Huot-Marchand
  • Patent number: 11392090
    Abstract: A mainspring includes 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 at least one cavity in the inner face of the inner end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Jonas Vannod, Christian Charbon
  • Patent number: 9372473
    Abstract: A timepiece mechanism including a movable component oscillating about a rest plane passing through a pivot axis. An arbor of the movable component includes a main protruding portion which forms the largest radius of the movable component about this axis. The protruding portion is delimited by two surfaces defining a profile inscribed in a rectangle whose shape proportion is greater than 2 wherein the direction of the length defines a main axis, which occupies a determined angular position with respect to the rest plane in the rest position of the movable component. The mechanism has a preferred direction of magnetization that is substantially orthogonal to the main axis of the arbor in the rest position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Montres Breguet S.A.
    Inventors: Alain Zaugg, Davide Sarchi, Nakis Karapatis, Marco Verardo
  • Patent number: 9310774
    Abstract: A method of improving the pivoting of a wheel set for a scientific instrument, including an arbor pivoting or oscillating about a wheel set axis, is provided. A static balancing of this wheel set is performed to bring the center of gravity onto this axis. A desired value is determined for the resulting unbalance moment of this wheel set about this axis, corresponding to a predetermined desired divergence between a first principal longitudinal axis of inertia of this wheel set, and this axis. This wheel set is set in rotation at a predetermined speed about this wheel set axis, and the resulting unbalance moment is measured with regard to this axis. An adjustment is made to the value of the resulting unbalance moment of this wheel set about this axis within a given determined tolerance with regard to this desired value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Thierry Conus, Marco Verardo, Ivan Villar, Andres Cabezas Jurin, Jean-Luc Helfer, Emmanuel Graf
  • Publication number: 20150098310
    Abstract: The invention relates to an assembly system including a member made of a first material including a staff and a shoulder, the staff of the member being received in an aperture of a part made of a second material having little or no plastic domain. According to the invention, the assembly system includes a locking element made of a third material arranged to elastically attach the part between the shoulder of the member and the locking element and the locking element is a conical washer including an internal wall which radially grips the staff of the member, and a peripheral portion of the locking element which exerts an elastic radial force vertical to the shoulder of the member in order to secure the assembly of the member—part—locking element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Marc STRANCZL, Daniel MALLET, Marco VERARDO
  • Publication number: 20150098311
    Abstract: The invention relates to an assembly system including a member made of at least a first material including a staff and a shoulder, the staff of the member being received in an aperture of a part made of a second material having little or no plastic domain. According to the invention, the assembly system includes a locking element made of a third material arranged to elastically attach the part between the shoulder of said member and the locking element and in that the locking element is a washer whose internal wall radially grips the staff of said member and whose peripheral portion exerts an elastic radial force vertical to the shoulder of said member in order to secure the assembly of the member-part-locking element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Marc Stranczl, Daniel Mallet, Marco Verardo
  • Publication number: 20140328150
    Abstract: A shock-absorber body (11) for an assembled balance (6) of a horological oscillator (8), comprising a guiding portion (11a) for the shock-absorber body (1) for its mounting on a bridge (2) and a fastening element (13) for an outer end of a spiral spring (5) of the oscillator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: ROLEX SA
    Inventors: Benoit Boulenguiez, Jean-Louis Bertrand, Frederic Burger
  • Publication number: 20140286139
    Abstract: Timepiece mechanism structure (1) for receiving and guiding at least one pivoting wheel set (10). The structure includes at least one inseparable single-piece structure (11), including at least one inseparable single-piece frame (17) which includes pivot housings (12) aligned in pairs in a direction of alignment (A) for receiving the pivots of an arbour (47) of at least one said pivoting wheel set (10), and in that each such pivot housing (12) is an open housing formed by a semi-bearing or by a dihedral, and includes at one end a stop bearing surface (120) in this direction of alignment (A).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Marc Stranczl, Thierry Hessler, Jean-Luc Helfer
  • Publication number: 20140177397
    Abstract: The invention relates to a horological device, in particular a horological movement or timepiece, comprising a winding mechanism and at least one mechanism for correcting at least one indicator member. According to the invention, the aforementioned mechanisms can be actuated by a control stem that can occupy at least two axial positions, each corresponding to the actuation of one of the mechanisms, said control stem (T) comprising: a winder pinion (5) that can engage with the winding mechanism; and a sliding pinion (6) that can be moved axially, both with respect to the control stem (T) and with respect to the frame of the horological device, and can engage with the correcting mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: ROLEX S.A.
    Inventors: Denis Rudaz, Pierre Villaret
  • Publication number: 20140157601
    Abstract: A method adjusting oscillation frequency of a sprung balance assembly formed at random from balance springs and balance wheels. A production mechanism is set to limit a sample standard deviation of a single batch of balance springs to a predetermined maximum value, and to limit a sample standard deviation of a single batch of balance wheels to a predetermined maximum value within a given unbalance tolerance. The mean of the balance population is classified according to the mean of the balance springs, to obtain a difference corresponding to a maximum inertia decrease value of the balances, between extreme gaussian distribution values of balances and of balance springs. A random balance spring sample is taken from the single batch of balance springs and a random balance from among the single batch of balances. The inertia of the balance is adjusted according to a torque value of the balance spring sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Marco Verardo, Emmanuel Graf, Philippe Barthoulot, Nicola Giusto, Sacha Vorpe
  • Patent number: 8739385
    Abstract: A method of assembling a member made of a first material in a part made of a second material having no plastic domain, including forming the part with an aperture; inserting an intermediate part, which is made of a third material and includes a hole into the aperture without any stress; introducing the member into the hole without any stress; elastically and plastically deforming the intermediate part by moving two tools towards each other axially, respectively on the top and bottom parts of the intermediate part, so as to exert a radial stress against the member and against the wall of the part surrounding the aperture by causing the elastic deformation of the part, in order to secure the assembly in a manner that is not destructive for the part. The member can be a time piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Marco Verardo, Pierre Cusin, Arthur Queval
  • Patent number: 8707536
    Abstract: A method of assembling a member made of a first material in a part made of a second material having no plastic domain, includes forming the part with an aperture, inserting a radially flared portion of the member into the aperture, without any stress, and elastically and plastically deforming the flared portion of the member in the aperture by moving two tools towards each other axially, respectively on the top and bottom parts of the flared portion, so as to exert a radial stress against the wall of the part surrounding the aperture, causing the elastic deformation of the part, to secure the assembly in a manner that is not destructive for said part. The member can be a timepiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Marco Verardo, Pierre Cusin, Arthur Queval
  • Publication number: 20140022873
    Abstract: A method of increasing concentricity in use of a spiral hairspring mechanical timepiece; the hairspring having an inner terminal end portion for engagement with a collet, an outer terminal end portion for engagement with a stud, a first limb portion extending from the inner terminal end portion towards the outer terminal end portion, and a stiffening portion positioned at the outer turn of the hairspring and having a cross-sectional second moment of area different to that of the first limb portion such that bending stiffness of the stiffening portion has a greater bending stiffness than the single limb portion. The method includes modifying cross-sectional second moments of an area of the first limb portion and the stiffening portion by minimizing a cost function throughout the amplitude of the rotation of hairspring in use, the cost function being correlated to the net concentricity of the hairspring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: Master Dynamic Limited
    Inventor: Ho CHING
  • Publication number: 20130283615
    Abstract: Method (21) for fabricating a barrel arbour (1) for a timepiece: a bar is wire drawn to form a continuous profile (30), projecting or re-entrant relative to a support sector (2) having a touching-up axis (DC) parallel to the bar axis, and whose section matches that of complementary hooking means (3) to be made on said arbour (1), in a touching-up operation, the complete external contour of the arbour (1) is machined. Drive element (100) including: a determined spiral-coiled mainspring (10) including at an inner end (12) hooking means (13) having a defined profile (14), an arbour (1) produced by this method, comprising said support sector (2) for supporting said first coil (11), and a complementary hooking means (3) having a complementary profile (314) to said profile (14) for pivoting together with said mainspring (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventor: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
  • Publication number: 20130286795
    Abstract: An assembly of an axially extending member, made of a first material, in an aperture of a part, made of a second material having no plastic domain. The part includes pierced holes forming an elastic deformation mechanism distributed around the aperture thereof. Further, the member includes an elastically and plastically deformed, radially flared portion that radially grips a wall of the part surrounding the aperture by stressing the elastic deformation mechanism, so as to secure the assembly in a manner that is not destructive for the part. The assembly can be used in the field of timepieces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Thierry Conus, Marco Verardo, Igor Saglini, Frederic Kohler
  • Publication number: 20130047437
    Abstract: A split collet in which the contour of the central opening that is intended to receive a balance staff is not circular. The collet is characterised in that the contour (3) of the central opening (2) comprises a limited number of supporting parts (4, 5, 12, 14, 15) intended to co-operate with the balance shaft, said number being greater than two.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: ROLEX S.A.
    Inventor: Jerome Daout
  • Patent number: 8354032
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a mechanical part includes providing a substrate of micro-machinable material; etching, using photolithography, a pattern that includes said part through said entire substrate; assembling a clip on said part so that said part is ready to be mounted without the portion made of micro-machinable material having to be touched by a tool other than the clip; releasing the part from the substrate so as to mount said part in a device such as a timepiece movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Rudolf Dinger, Thierry Ravenel
  • Patent number: 8296953
    Abstract: The invention relates to a one-piece hairspring (21, 21?) including, a balance spring (25, 25?) coaxially mounted on a collet (27, 27?), made in the same layer of silicon-based material. According to the invention, the hairspring includes an elevation device (2, 2?) for the outer coil of the balance spring above the layer of silicon-based material so as to improve the concentric development of the hairspring. The invention also relates to a timepiece including a hairspring of this type and the method of manufacturing the same. The invention concerns the field of timepiece movements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Montres Breguet S.A.
    Inventors: Pierre-André Bühler, Marco Verardo, Thierry Conus, Jean-Philippe Thiebaud, Jean-Bernard Peters, Pierre Cusin
  • Publication number: 20110051562
    Abstract: The invention concerns a timepiece (10) including a display device (26) including a first and second display member (38, 40) displaying first and second pieces of information, the value of the second piece of information being linked to the value of the first piece of information by a reduction ratio, wherein the first (38) and the second (40) display members are rotatably mounted in relation to a plate (42) and are driven by a drive device (44) with planetary gears, characterized in that the second display member (40) pivots on the axis of rotation (A2) of a planet pinion (54). The invention also proposes a timepiece (10) fitted with this display device (26) and a method for manufacturing this display device (26).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGÈRE SUISSE
    Inventors: Fabien Blondeau, Emmanuel Fleury, Pierre-André Meister, André Zanetta
  • Publication number: 20100054089
    Abstract: The invention relates to a timepiece component, such as a balance (1), an oscillating mass (12) or a wheel (20), that comprises a structure (2) made according to a micro-manufacturing technique, such as the DRIE technique. The component is characterised in that it further comprises at least one member (3) formed in or at the periphery of the structure (2) and made of a material different from that of the structure (2). This member (3) is typically metal and is formed by electro-forming using a cavity (7) of the structure (2) as a mould.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventors: Frédéric Maier, Stéphane Von Gunten, Sylvain Jeanneret
  • Publication number: 20090196125
    Abstract: The center wheel and pinion has a center shaft provided with a center pinion that is formed from a crystalline metal, and a center tooth part composed of a metallic glass alloy that is integrally formed with the center shaft. The center shaft has a center pinion and other external peripheral regions that are formed by cutting the external periphery of a cylindrical member provided with a support hole. The external periphery of the coupling part to which the center tooth part is coupled is formed in a quadrangular shape. The center tooth part composed of a metallic glass alloy has a tooth continuously formed at the disc-shaped external periphery, and a center position that is integrally formed surrounding the entire external periphery of the quadrangular-shaped coupling part of the center shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro TSUCHIYA, Satoru MASAI
  • Patent number: 6920692
    Abstract: One wristwatch case, wherein a pipe is fixedly connected thereto and a connection interface between the wristwatch case and the pipe is not present substantially; the method of fixing the wristwatch, comprising the steps of providing a through-hole in the wristwatch case, press fitting the pipe of 0 mm or larger in press fitting tolerance (pipe outer diameter—through-hole diameter) between the through-hole and the pipe, and heating the wristwatch case after the press fitting step; the other wristwatch case, wherein a pipe is fixedly connected thereto through a diffusion layer; the method of fixing the pipe of the wristwatch case, comprising the steps of forming a through-hole in the wristwatch case, press fitting the pipe of 0 mm or larger in press fitting tolerance (outer diameter of pipe having a metal film formed on the surface thereof—diameter of through-hole) between the through-hole and the pipe having a metal film formed on the surface thereof, and heating the wristwatch case in vacuum or reducing gas
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Uchida, Kouji Fujii, Junji Satoh