Patents Assigned to ETA SA Manufacture
  • Patent number: 12158731
    Abstract: An analogue display watch (10) including an electronic horological movement including a first and a second electric motor (13, 14) kinematically connected respectively to an hour hand (15) and to a minute hand (16), the electric motors being power supplied by an electric accumulator (12), the horological movement also comprising an integrated circuit (17) connected to the motors and to a control member (18), the watch (10) being characterised in that the integrated circuit (17) is configured so as to control, when the control member (18) is requested by a user, the first and the second electric motor (13, 14) to rotate the hour (15) and minute (16) hands at an angular speed of displacement of six degrees per second, and in such a way that they are disposed so as to be collinear and that they are superimposed on each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGÈRE SUISSE
    Inventors: Emmanuel Fleury, Pascal Lagorgette
  • Patent number: 12153384
    Abstract: A timepiece including a timepiece mechanism (200) and a display device (100) for displaying a magnitude relating to the timepiece mechanism (200), in combination on wheels (1 2) driven by rotational movements in the same direction of rotation by at least one output (3; 4) of the timepiece mechanism (200), at least one wheel (1; 2) being integral in rotation with an indicator (60) to display a representation of this magnitude by the angular difference between the wheels (1; 2) or between a wheel (1; 2) and a fixed scale, the timepiece mechanism (200) driving, at a given time, a single wheel (1; 2) by a single output (3; 4), the display device (100) driving one of the wheels (1; 2) by another, and the display device and/or the timepiece mechanism can disengage in at least one end-of-travel position of a wheel (1; 2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGÈRE SUISSE
    Inventor: Stéphane Bachmann
  • Patent number: 12153381
    Abstract: A method for attaching a horn to a watch case middle, a case middle/horn connection device and a case middle/horn assembly, the horn comprising a first connector and the case middle comprising a second connector having an undercut groove, the first connector cooperating with the second connector in order to attach the horn to the case middle. The method includes: a placing the first connector of the horn in contact with the second connector of the case middle such that one or more intermediate cavities are formed between the undercut groove and the first connector; a melting one portion of the horn so as to create a molten material; a filling, at least partially, the one or more intermediate cavities by displacement of the molten material; and solidifying the molten material in order to make the horn integral with the case middle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Dohan Schlichtig, Jérôme Grosjean
  • Patent number: 12147200
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a horological mobile (10) including: depositing a first thin layer (11) with a first material including at least nickel, the periphery of which defines the contour of the geometry of the horological mobile (10); depositing an intermediate layer (12), with a second material including at least nickel and phosphorus, so as to cover a face of the first thin layer (11), the periphery of which corresponds to that of the geometric shape of the first thin layer (11); depositing a second thin layer (13) with the first material, so as to cover a face of the intermediate layer (12), the periphery of which corresponds to that of the geometric shape of the first thin layer (11), wherein the first and the second thin layer (11, 13) are poorer in phosphorus than the intermediate layer (12), or do not contain any phosphorus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGÈRE SUISSE
    Inventors: Serge Nicoud, Sébastien Roder
  • Publication number: 20240377788
    Abstract: A mechanical horological movement includes a barrel, an escape wheel set associated with a mechanical resonator, a display wheel set configured to carry a display member including a chronograph hand and driven rotatably by the barrel, and a braking spring configured to generate a braking torque on the display wheel set when the display wheel set is subjected to a rotary drive torque to prevent trembling of the display member. The mechanical horological movement further includes an intermediate part, including a washer, located between the braking spring and an arbor of the display wheel set, the intermediate part being mounted to rotate freely on the arbor. The intermediate part and the braking spring are arranged so that the intermediate part remains stationary and non-rotating in normal operation. The braking spring overall exerts a pressing force over the intermediate part in the direction of the arbor to generate the braking torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2024
    Publication date: November 14, 2024
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventors: Baptist WYSSBROD, David PHILIPPON
  • Publication number: 20240369358
    Abstract: A watch (2) including a memory (4) and a detection device (6), which device includes an acceleration sensor (8) for measuring an acceleration vector of the watch in a three-dimensional coordinate frame linked to the watch, and an electronic unit (12) that processes measurements supplied by the acceleration sensor. The electronic unit (12) detects, in association with the memory, at least for a rocket of a given type, crossing of the Kármán line by the rocket, solely by means of the watch on board the rocket. Crossing of the Kármán line by the watch is detected by detection device based on periodic measurements carried out by the acceleration sensor from rocket take-off until the crossing of the Kármán line, as defined before the space flight, and based on a corresponding reference value stored in the memory. The Kármán line is defined by a given altitude or a selectable altitude.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2024
    Publication date: November 7, 2024
    Applicant: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGÈRE SUISSE
    Inventors: Laurent CHRISTE, Andréa DARDANELLI, Gérard SURMELY, Fabian DUBOIS, Jean-Luc BOVET
  • Patent number: 12135527
    Abstract: A timepiece including a case; pivotably mounted display hands; a movement to drive the display hands while defining a sweeping surface; a display screen, a first part of the sweeping surface being superimposed on the screen and a second part of the sweeping surface not being superimposed on the screen; a control circuit configured to sequentially switch between first and second operating modes, with: a first operating mode wherein the display hands are driven in the first and second parts of the sweeping surface; a second operating mode wherein the display hands are driven only in the second part of the sweeping surface with display of a piece of information by the display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventor: Emmanuel Fleury
  • Patent number: 12117772
    Abstract: A motor module for a horological movement, the motor module including a plate bearing one or more cogs, and a cog bridge mounted on the plate, wherein the cog bridge includes a device for clipping the cog bridge onto the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventor: Raphaël Balmer
  • Publication number: 20240338007
    Abstract: A numerically controlled machine tool (10) for machining micromechanical parts from a blank (100) in the form of a bar or strip, including a frame (12), a part carrier unit (11) intended to hold the part (100) in position and a tool carrier unit (13) intended to carry a cutting tool (130), the part carrier unit (11) being kinematically connected to the frame (12) so as to have, with respect to the frame (12), only one rotational degree of freedom and one translational degree of freedom in a direction Z, in a reference frame XYZ, and the tool carrier unit (13) being kinematically connected to the frame (12) so as to have, with respect to the frame (12), only one translational degree of freedom in a direction X, and one rotational and translational degree of freedom in a direction Y.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2024
    Publication date: October 10, 2024
    Applicant: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGÈRE SUISSE
    Inventors: Patric PHAM, Christophe DONZÉ
  • Publication number: 20240319279
    Abstract: A method for estimating the state of charge or discharge of a battery or cell of a system having a low power consumption, such as a portable object, which includes at least one power management circuit connected to a battery or cell, and a processing unit of a module connected to the power management circuit. At least one battery voltage value is communicated by the power management circuit to the processing unit of the module to run an algorithm for controlling the state of charge or discharge of the battery, which algorithm is stored in the processing unit so as to provide the state of charge or discharge of the battery or cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2024
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventor: José NOIRJEAN
  • Patent number: 12099330
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing an epilame mechanical part (2) comprising a substrate (4) made of a first material, the method comprising at least: a step (10) of depositing an epilame product (6) consisting of a second material on the substrate (4), said deposition being carried out in the form of a projection onto the substrate (4) of at least one collimated or localised beam (12; 12A, 12B) of material containing the epilame product (6); and a step (11) of treating the second material to ensure the cohesion of the components on the substrate (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGÈRE SUISSE
    Inventor: Sylvain Huot-Marchand
  • Patent number: 12072673
    Abstract: A horological resonator mechanism, including a structure and an anchoring unit from which is suspended at least one inertial element arranged to oscillate along a first degree of freedom in rotation RZ about a pivoting axis extending along a first direction Z, the inertial element being subjected to return forces exerted by a virtual pivot including a plurality of substantially longitudinal elastic strips, each fastened, at a first end to the anchoring unit, and at a second end to the inertial element. Each elastic strip is deformable essentially in a plane XY perpendicular to the first direction Z. The anchoring unit is suspended from the structure by a flexible suspension arranged to allow the mobility of the anchoring unit along a plurality of degrees of freedom including at least two in the plane XY, along a direction X and along a direction Y orthogonal to the direction X.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventors: Pascal Winkler, Raphaël Courvoisier, Jean-Luc Helfer, Jérôme Favre, Dominique Lechot
  • Patent number: 12066289
    Abstract: A navigation instrument including an orientation angle calculation unit, in particular the first and second orientation angles, wherein the orientation angle calculation unit is configured to be able to determine the first and second orientation angles in a given order and also in reverse order; and wherein the calculation unit is arranged to be able to choose between said given order and said reverse order, to calculate the first and second orientation angles, based on a comparison between an indicator of a risk of error, quantifying a risk of instability of said unit during the determination of the first and second orientation angles, and a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGÈRE SUISSE
    Inventor: Romain Besuchet
  • Publication number: 20240255896
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for pinning up to the stud and setting an active length of a balance-spring (2) for a horological movement, this balance-spring (2) being arranged in coils along a determined length, this device (1) comprising a push-button (6) arranged to hold the balance-spring (2) mechanically at a location of the length of this balance-spring (2). The invention also relates to a process for setting the active length of the balance-spring by means of the device (1) for setting and adjusting the active length of the balance-spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2023
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Applicant: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGÈRE SUISSE
    Inventor: Julien CHRISTAN
  • Patent number: 12042029
    Abstract: A case (2) for a wristwatch (1) including: a middle part (4) including a wall (10) having two attachment areas (12) of the bracelet (24) disposed on either side of a plane (P) transverse to the middle part (4) substantially perpendicular to a back (20) of the case (2); two horns (6) capable of ensuring the complete attachment of the bracelet (24) to the middle part (4) by being connected to different ends of this bracelet (4), said horns (6) being removably and slidably attached to said attachment areas (12), and the back (20) attached to a mounting area (21) of the case (2) participating in blocking the horns (6) in translation in a direction of sliding (D) on the middle part (4) parallel to a central axis (A) of the case (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGÈRE SUISSE
    Inventors: Olivier Mahler, Patrick Cano, David Benjamin Kraehenbuehl, Roger Muller
  • Patent number: 12038724
    Abstract: Timepiece (1) comprising at least one mechanical movement (10) including at least a main plate (2), a resonator (11) and energy storage and distribution means (3) connected to an escape wheel set (4) by a going train (5), wherein at least one of the wheel sets, comprised in the going train (5) or an escapement mechanism (6) to which the escape wheel set (4) belongs, and which cooperates with the resonator (11), and which moves in a jerky or reciprocating motion during operation of the resonator (11), is a display wheel set (7) which includes at least two distinct pictures or patterns (8), which are arranged to move in succession before a fixed point of the main plate (2), during operation of the resonator (11), and to display thereon a sequence of animated images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGÈRE SUISSE
    Inventors: Pascal Winkler, Jean-Luc Helfer
  • Publication number: 20240210881
    Abstract: A system for adjusting an illumination function of a watch including an external timepiece element with an autonomous lighting device, the system including a portable electronic device with a communication unit and a controller to control this communication unit, the lighting device being formed by an assembly of stacked layers connected together and each including one or more of the following functional elements: a light source for generating light in a visible face of the body of the at least one external timepiece element; a self-contained power supply unit; a communication module; and a control unit to control the switching on or off of the light source and to control the communication module, the external timepiece element and the device to be connected to each other to adjust the illumination of the external timepiece element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2023
    Publication date: June 27, 2024
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventors: Sylvain HUOT-MARCHAND, Dominique DUBUGNON
  • Publication number: 20240210882
    Abstract: A timepiece including at least one timepiece external element including a visible face formed by a transparent or translucent body including an autonomous lighting device, the timepiece external element being formed by an assembly of a plurality of stacked layers connected together, each including one or more of the following functional elements of the lighting device: at least one light source capable of generating light in the visible face of the timepiece external element; a self-contained power supply unit; and a control unit configured to manage the operation of the light source; the at least one light source being configured to produce localised light on a point or quasi-point area of the visible face of the timepiece external element, so as to produce localised illumination on the timepiece external element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2023
    Publication date: June 27, 2024
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventors: Sylvain HUOT-MARCHAND, Dominique DUBUGNON
  • Publication number: 20240210883
    Abstract: A dial for a watch including an autonomous lighting device including the following functional elements: at least one luminous source, an autonomous power supply unit, and a control unit for managing the operation of the at least one luminous source, the dial being formed by an assembly of a plurality of stacked layers connected together and each including one or more functional elements of the autonomous lighting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2023
    Publication date: June 27, 2024
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventors: Sylvain HUOT-MARCHAND, Dominique DUBUGNON
  • Publication number: 20240210879
    Abstract: An attachment part for attaching a free end of an outer last coil of a balance spring of a horological movement, this balance spring taking the form of a ribbon wound in coils and being delimited by first and second faces which extend parallel to and at a distance from one another, the attachment part including elastically deformable clamping means which are arranged to be brought into contact with the free end of the outer last coil of the balance spring in order to exert a resilient clamping force on this free end so as to guarantee the immobilisation thereof, this resilient clamping force being exerted along at least a first line of contact (A; B) on the first face of the balance spring and along a contact surface (S) on the second face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2023
    Publication date: June 27, 2024
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventors: Julien CHRISTAN, Raphaël COURVOISIER