Abstract: The electronic watch (1) indicates the time using two hands (2, 3). This electronic watch includes an electronic compass (10), a processing unit (13) with a microcontroller (15) for calculating the direction of North on the basis of detection signals provided by magnetic sensors of the compass. The watch also includes motorised means (16) driving the hands controlled by the processing unit in order to place the hands (2, 3) in a time mode, a selected direction mode or a selected compass mode, and a manual control member (4) connected to the microcontroller processing unit. This control member (4) can be manually activated in a selection position in order to perform selection from the time mode to the direction mode and/or to the compass mode.

Abstract: Lightwave diffraction device formed of a dielectric layer (4), a mirror (12) arranged at the lower face (10) of said layer, a semi-reflective structure (13) arranged at the upper face (100) of said layer, and a diffractive structure (8) arranged in said layer or on its faces. The height (H) of the layer is chosen so as to substantially satisfy the resonance condition for at least one leaky mode propagating in said layer for at least one given incident wave having a determined wavelength? and a determined incidence angle ?c. Next, the diffractive structure is arranged so that there is no propagating positive diffracted order, and so that all negative orders other than the ?1st propagating order have zero or a relatively small diffraction efficiency, the reflected ?1st order propagating in a direction non-parallel to the incident wave. This diffraction device allows a high diffraction efficiency of up to 100% for the ?1st order.

Abstract: The handpiece includes at the front a collet arranged for strongly gripping the shank of a removable tool housed in guide bores. The collet includes two or several arms attached to an annular part of the collet to grip the tool shank. Preferably, the collet arms are levers each having a support surface which is far from the jaw and on which a gripping mechanism exerts a force which is multiplied by the lever. The gripping mechanism includes a sliding sleeve having an inner conical surface which produces the force on the collet levers via balls. This arrangement enables a smaller gripping spring to be used, or such spring to be omitted. The balls of the releasing mechanism are guided in helical slots having a flexible lateral strip which holds the gripping mechanism in position via a snap fit.

Abstract: The substrate with electrodes is formed of a transparent material onto which is deposited a film (1) of a transparent conductive material of thickness e1 and of refractive index n1, said film being structured to form a set of electrodes (1a) whose contours (8) delimit insulating spaces (3), wherein the insulating spaces (3) are filled with a transparent dielectric material of thickness e2 and of refractive index n2 so that the respective thicknesses of the conductive material and the dielectric material are inversely proportional to the values of the refractive indices of said materials and said dielectric material forms neither depressions nor beads at the contour (8) of the electrodes. A hardcoating layer (7) may be disposed between the substrate (5) and the electrodes and a protective film (9) added. The substrate with electrodes is obtained by UV irradiation through a single mask.

Abstract: There are provided a base frame 12 positioned below a horizontal axis O; a pair of clamp units 14 positioned at the two ends above the base frame; a pair of support units 16 that horizontally support the long workpiece in two locations, and that are capable of moving vertically; and machining units 18 that are capable of machining the long workpiece. The two clamp units 14 are capable of moving from the outside toward the inside, which support the long workpiece in two locations, and rotate around the horizontal axis O in synchronization with each other.

Abstract: The invention proposes a drive module intended to engage with a clock wheel having a plate made of crystalline or amorphous material comprising a lower layer, which forms a substrate, and an upper layer, into which an MEMS type of micromotor is etched, wherein the micromotor has at least one actuator rotatably driving a rotor, characterized in that a pinion arranged coaxially to the rotor is rotatably connected to the rotor and disposed above the rotor, said pinion being provided to engage with the clock wheel in an engagement zone located close to an outer peripheral edge of the plate, that the rotor is disposed on the plate in order to minimize the distance between the outer peripheral edge of the rotor and the outer peripheral edge of the plate corresponding to the engagement zone, and that the diameter of the pinion is larger than that of the rotor so as to protrude relative to the plate into the engagement zone.

Abstract: The watch strap includes a first strand provided with a buckle with a tongue and a second strand for engaging in the buckle. To allow a rough adjustment of the length of the strap, the first strand includes a plurality of transverse orifices and central holes which are distributed from its free end. It is thus possible to cut the strand on a section that passes through one of the central holes, then to fit the buckle and tongue onto the new free end of the strand. This strap can be manufactured in one size for all wrist sizes.

Abstract: The device includes a single external control member including a pusher (10) whose head (11) and tube (13) are assembled on either side of a control button (15) which can manoeuvre a rack (35). The driving arm (49) of a lever, (45) pivoted at one end of the rack (35), abuts on the pusher tube (13) and the driven arm (51) can be positioned opposite a determined corrector (9a) by rotation of the lever (45). One or several applications of pressure on the pusher (10) activate said corrector (9a) by rotation of the lever.

Abstract: A method for reaction control coating includes: (a) a step of applying a reaction control material to a surface of an Ni-base superalloy before applying aluminum diffusion coating to the Ni-base superalloy, wherein the reaction control material is Co, Cr or Ru, or an alloy of which main component is selected from the group consisting of Co, Cr, and Ru; and (b) a step of applying the aluminum diffusion coating to the Ni-base superalloy.

Abstract: The timepiece includes a striking mechanism (20) which includes a mobile part (60, 70), and a time-setting mechanism (16). The time-setting mechanism (16) cooperates via a first arm (72) with the mobile part (60) of the striking mechanism (20) and via a second arm (78) with an element (30) of the time-setting mechanism (16). The time-setting mechanism includes a control member (88) whose pivoting is controlled by a time-setting lever (30). The pull-out piece (50) which causes the locking lever (24) to pivot to a locked time-setting position, when the time-setting lever (30) pivots to the time-setting position thereof and the locking lever (24) includes locking means (74) which cooperate with the striking mechanism (60) to prevent the release of the striking work in the striking work locked position.

Abstract: Assembly element (18) made in a plate of brittle material, including an aperture (32) provided for the axial insertion of an arbour (26), the inner wall (33) of the aperture (32) including elastic structures (34), which are etched into the plate to grip the arbour (26) radially. Each elastic structure (34) includes a first rectilinear elastic strip (L1) which extends along a tangential direction relative to the arbour (26). According to the invention, each elastic structure (34) is formed by a radial stack of several parallel elastic strips.

Abstract: The timepiece includes a motor which drives at least one hand via a gear reduction train (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13), and means (22) for detecting at least one angular reference position of an intermediate wheel (9) forming part of the gear reduction train. The detection means are provided for supplying a signal having a first value when the intermediate wheel is occupying the angular reference position (?) and for supplying a signal having a second value when the intermediate wheel (9) is occupying a second angular position (?). The timepiece further includes identification (32) and comparison (33) means for determining, on the basis of the signals supplied by the detection means (22), at least once per revolution of the intermediate wheel (9), whether the real position of the intermediate wheel actually corresponds to the theoretical position thereof.

Abstract: The link element (12) includes a strand (14), which extends longitudinally in a horizontal plane, and a front end which (22) includes a device for attachment to a watch (10). The attachment device includes a casing (24), which is secured to the front end (22) of the strand (14), and two coaxial securing pins (26) of transverse axis (A) which are received in two associated lateral housings (28) of the casing (24). A free end of each pin (26) is pivotally received about the transverse axis (A) in one of the two opposite orifices of the watch (10). The casing (24) includes a bottom plate (32) and a top back plate (34), The front end (22) of the strand (14) includes a holding pin (44), which is fitted vertically into a opening (46) of the bottom plate (32). The top back plate (34) is secured to the bottom plate (32) trapping the front end (22) of the strand (14) such that the casing (24) is secured to the strand (14).

Abstract: A method including: a dividing step (A) of dividing external data into a plurality of cells (13) having boundaries orthogonal to each other, the external data including boundary data of an object which contacts incompressible viscous fluid; a cell classifying step (B) of classifying the divided cells into an internal cell (13a) positioned inside or outside the object and a boundary cell (13b) including the boundary data; a cut point determining step (C) of determining cut points in ridges of the boundary cell on the basis of the boundary data; a boundary face determining step (D) of determining a polygon connecting the cut points to be cell internal data for the boundary face; and a analyzing step (E) of applying a cut cell finite volume method combined with a VOF method to a boundary of a flow field to analyze the flow field.

Abstract: The invention relates to a controllable two-way valve (1), in which a valve rod (3) is connected in a permanent manner to at least two valve members (4, 5, 6, 24, 25; 39, 40), the valve rod (3) being actuated by means of an actuator (2). The housing (7) comprises an inlet (8; 4) or outlet and two corresponding outlets (9; 32; 42), (10; 28; 43) or inlets. According to the invention, the two valve members (4, 5, 6; 24, 25; 39, 40) correspond with at least two valve seats (12, 17, 22; 29, 37, 38; 46, 47) and the two or more valve members (4, 5, 6; 24, 25; 39, 40) have three control surfaces (11, 13, 18; 26, 27, 31; 44, 45, 48). The invention thus provides a dirt-resistant valve, which is easy to operate, has fixed valve members and does not require additional equipment. Said valve permits both the inlet to be completely blocked and the two outlets to be controlled independently of one another.

Abstract: The present invention proposes a portable barometric altimeter (10) including a pressure sensor (14), a calculation unit (16) which determines an altitude value (H) as a function of the pressure (P) measured by the sensor (14) and as a function of a reference temperature (T0) corresponding to an estimate of the temperature of the air mass at sea level, and a time measuring unit (18) that supplies calendar data (D), characterized in that it includes a correction circuit (32), which selects the reference temperature value (T0) from among a series of values (TS) contained in a database stored in the altimeter (10), as a function of the date (D) and as a function of a predefined climate value (C). The invention also proposes a method of determining altitude (H).

Abstract: A data processing method with which especially image data, generated by an image recording means such as a CCD camera, may be processed, comprises a data distributing means. The data are transmitted from the recording means to a manager of the data distributing means. The manager selects a suitable agent related to an evaluating means. Whether an agent is suitable depends on suitability parameters of the evaluating means. For example, suitability parameters are the availability and the type of software stored on the evaluating means. After selection of a suitable agent the data are transmitted between an agent and the corresponding evaluating means via an interposed agent and another manager (24). The data transmission is always done in standardized data containers.

Abstract: The timepiece includes a striking mechanism (20) which includes a mobile part (60, 70), and a time-setting mechanism (16) which cooperates with a winding stem (26). The time-setting mechanism (16) includes a pull-out piece (50) whose pivoting is controlled by a time-setting lever (30). The pull-out piece (50) controls the sliding of a sliding pinion (36) from a winding position to a time-setting position. The pivoting of an isolating lever (94) is controlled by the mobile part (70) of the striking mechanism (20) so as to cause the sliding pinion (36) to slide from the winding position to an intermediate position, located axially between the winding position and the time-setting position thereof.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method of manufacturing at least one device (2, 30, 48) defining a volume (8) for retaining a fluid or a sensitive material that is capable of changing its physical properties, particularly its optical properties, via the application of a voltage, or its electrical properties via stress or radiation, said device (2, 30, 48) including at least a first front substrate (4, 38, 56) and at least a second back substrate (6, 32, 50) maintained at a constant distance from each other, these two substrates (6, 32, 50; 4, 38, 56) being joined by a sealing joint (24, 46, 72) which defines the volume (8) for retaining the sensitive medium or fluid, said method being characterised in that it includes the steps of: structuring at least one wall (12, 44, 66), which defines via its inner lateral face the volume (8) for retaining the sensitive medium or fluid, on one of the substrates (6, 32, 50); joining the second substrate (4, 38, 56) to the first substrate (6, 32, 50); introducing a seal

Abstract: The device for measuring translation, rotation or velocity includes at least a light source, a light detector, a first grating and a second grating, the first grating being mobile relative to the second grating. A incident beam reaches the first grating where it is diffracted in two beams whose directions are interchanged by the second grating, the resulting beams being then again diffracted by the first grating in an output diffraction direction where they interfere together. Both gratings are used in reflexion.