Patents Assigned to THE SWATCH GROUP RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT LTD
  • Patent number: 11988994
    Abstract: A horological component including a substrate and at least one first decoration component including at least one first photoluminescent material configured to procure a phosphorescent appearance. The horological component includes a second decoration component including at least one second material, the second material being metallic and configured to procure a metallic appearance, or variochromic and configured to procure a color that varies under the effect of a stimulus, the first decoration component and the second decoration component being arranged relative to one another on the substrate to form a decoration having a metallic appearance or a color that varies under the effect of a stimulus when the horological component is exposed to light and a phosphorescent appearance when the horological component is in the dark. A timepiece can include such a horological component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Nicolas Francois, Agnes Marlot Doerr, Carole Govaerts
  • Patent number: 11987869
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an alloy formed from a boride of a precious metal, may involve reacting a source of the precious metal with a source of boron in a salt or a mixture of salts in the molten state. An alloy formed from a boride of a precious metal may include crystalline nanoparticles of MxBy with M being a precious metal, distributed in an amorphous matrix of B or in an amorphous matrix of B and of MzBa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Csilla Miko, Rémi Grosjean, Jean-Luc Bazin
  • Publication number: 20240149272
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a polishing tank (100) with a metal sleeve (110) and a removable insert modular system (120) configured to be inserted into said sleeve and to be removed from said sleeve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd.
    Inventors: Enzo AGUSTONI, Yoann MOSTEIRO VAZQUEZ, François ERDEMLI
  • Patent number: 11979159
    Abstract: A control device (2) for controlling power supply to a continuous-rotation motor, of the horological, DC type, is arranged to generate electrical pulses with a lower supply voltage to drive the rotor. The number of pulses per time interval is a function of the load applied to the motor. A voltage divider is arranged to supply the lower supply voltage with a plurality of different values and thus the electrical pulses with a variable voltage. A logic circuit counts the numbers of electrical pulses in successive time periods; to periodically select a voltage value, from among a plurality of different values, as a function of a counted number of electrical pulses or of a succession of counted numbers of electrical pulses; and to control the voltage divider so that the latter supplies the lower supply voltage with the selected voltage value after the selection of this voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Christophe Germiquet, Jean-Jacques Born
  • Patent number: 11976941
    Abstract: A method and system for measuring a physical parameter, such as speed and/or distance travelled by a bicycle, includes a permanent magnet disposed on a front fork and a measuring circuit with a magnetic sensor disposed on a rim of the wheel at the same distance from the wheel axis of rotation as the magnet. The sensor passes in front of the magnet to generate an induced voltage pulse at each passage. The induced voltage is rectified and stored on a capacitor. Energy recovery during the sensor passing in front of the magnet allows powering of the measuring circuit. The parameter is calculated in the calculation unit clocked by an oscillator based on the received induced voltage pulses by knowing the bicycle wheel diameter. Measurements performed from the measuring circuit are transmitted to a portable device carried by the user or mounted on the bicycle to be displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventor: Arnaud Casagrande
  • Patent number: 11971686
    Abstract: A dial, and timepiece including the dial, including a mother-of-pearl wafer partially covering a support member, and a decorative element arranged on a reverse of the wafer, the decorative element being visible on an obverse of the wafer when subjected to a stimulus and invisible on the obverse of the wafer in the absence of the stimulus. The decorative element has a first empty area on a reverse of the wafer, and a second empty area on the obverse of the wafer, facing the first empty area. A colour compensation layer is deposited on the first empty area or the second empty area, the colour being selected such that the difference in colour ?E in the CIE Lab colour space between the colour compensation layer and the decorative element in the absence of said stimulus, perceived by a user observing the obverse of the wafer, is less than 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Agnès Marlot Doerr, Nicolas François, Alexandros Mouskeftaras, Michel Willemin, Jean-Claude Martin, Carole Govaerts
  • Patent number: 11968054
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for broadcasting a message to a wearer of a watch comprising a step of digitising, by way of an electronic device, a graphical representation displayed in an aperture of a dial of said watch and a step of transmitting, by way of said electronic device, the message associated with said digitised graphical representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Bazin, Paulo Bravo
  • Publication number: 20240122312
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bracelet strand made of a transparent or translucent elastomer material, comprising a first end capable of connecting to a watch case, characterised in that it comprises a rigid insert having a solid part forming a reinforcement, and a hollow part arranged to receive a fluid and solid elements dispersed in the fluid, said hollow part being located at the centre of the solid part, and in that the insert is coated in the transparent elastomer, and is positioned at the first end capable of connecting to a watch case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Sophie NAPOLI, Nicolas FRANÇOIS, Marek DOVCIK
  • Publication number: 20240126214
    Abstract: A method for optimising an operation of setting and winding a watch or the timepiece movement thereof including initially making a measurement of the operation of the watch or of the timepiece movement followed by an activation of an operation of low-amplitude reciprocating movements of the watch or of the timepiece movement on said jig of the device, or initially implementing an activation of an operation of low-amplitude reciprocating movements of the watch or of the timepiece movement before making a measurement of the operation of the watch or of the timepiece movement, and resuming low-amplitude reciprocating movements in phase or a synchronisation step being implemented at the end of the first two steps. The first oscillating signal of movements includes a change in sign of the absolute rotation speed in each successive oscillation period, the oscillating signal having a positive part and a negative part of the operating speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventor: Jérôme FAVRE
  • Patent number: 11960244
    Abstract: A timepiece (100) including a case (10) including a middle (1), the top part whereof is closed by a bezel (2) and the bottom part whereof is closed by a back (3), a horological movement (4) mounted against the middle (1) by means of a casing ring (5), wherein the casing ring (5) comprises at least two clippable parts (50, 51) which hold the horological movement (4), the two parts being inseparable once mounted against the middle (1) when closing the case (10) of the timepiece (100).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventor: Philipp Tschumi
  • Patent number: 11952667
    Abstract: A method for depositing a decorative and/or functional layer on at least a portion of a surface of a finished or semi-finished article made of a non-conductive ceramic material, this deposition method includes the following operations: subjecting the at least a portion of the surface of the article to a carburising or nitriding treatment during which carbon, respectively nitrogen atoms, diffuse in the at least a portion of the surface of the article, then depositing, by galvanic growth of a metallic material, the decorative and/or functional layer on at least a portion of the surface of the article which has undergone the carburising or nitriding treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Loïc Curchod, Pierry Vuille
  • Patent number: 11940379
    Abstract: A device (1) for measuring a relative humidity level inside the enclosure (9) of a case (3) of a watch (2), the device (1) including: an emitter module (5) provided with a source of light radiation capable of emitting light beams (8) towards the enclosure (9) of the case (3); a receiver module (6a, 6b, 6c) for receiving at least one acoustic signal (12) from the enclosure (9), and a control unit (7) connected to the modules (5, 6) and which is configured to evaluate the water vapour content of a gaseous fluid (11) contained inside the enclosure (9) as a function of the at least one acoustic signal (12) received by the receiver module (6a, 6b, 6c).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Dominique Dubugnon, Cédric Blatter, Michel Willemin
  • Patent number: 11934150
    Abstract: A horological movement includes a resonator and an escapement wheel with flexible teeth, and an anchor formed of two mechanical pallets capable of abutting, when the anchor switches between its two rest positions, with any one of the flexible teeth depending on the angular position of the escapement wheel. Each flexible tooth is arranged to bend by undergoing an elastic deformation under a radial force that can be exerted by one of the two mechanical pallets abutting against this flexible tooth while the escapement wheel has an unfavourable angular position and the resonator is braked by the anchor. Each tooth has an elastic capacity to elastically absorb, in a radial direction, most of a maximum mechanical energy that the mechanical resonator may have during normal operation of the horological movement, to avoid breakage or deterioration of the escapement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Gianni Di Domenico, Gérard Surmely, Marc Stranczl
  • Patent number: 11934152
    Abstract: A device for illuminating luminescent watch displays containing luminophore material, including a case arranged to receive at least one receptacle for receiving at least one watch, the device including a illuminating device arranged to light up the displays of each said watch. The illuminating device include a control device and a time base, and at least one light source capable of exciting said luminophore material for a pre-determined charge time, or corresponding to a wearing duration chosen by the user via a control device included in the device, and watch self-winding device, including at least one such illumination device, and universal device for winding and setting the hands of a watch, including such a watch self-winding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Jérôme Favre, Cedric Nicolas
  • Patent number: 11927917
    Abstract: The horological movement includes a mechanical resonator and an escapement including an escapement wheel, which has a plurality of teeth, and an anchor formed by a stick and two arms having respectively two mechanical pallets likely to come into contact, when the anchor is subject to an alternative movement, with any of the teeth according to the angular position of the escapement wheel. To avoid damage to the escapement during rocking of the anchor while the escapement wheel is positioned in an unfavourable angular position, the anchor is arranged, during the rocking of this anchor, to be able to bend being subjected to an elastic deformation. The anchor has an elastic capacity between each of the two mechanical pallets and a fork of the anchor, enabling it to absorb elastically, during the elastic deformation, a maximum mechanical energy that the mechanical resonator can have during the normal functioning of the horological movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Gianni Di Domenico, Dominique Lechot, Marc Stranczl, Benoît Légeret
  • Patent number: 11927922
    Abstract: A coiling limitation device for a timepiece barrel includes at least one non-return notch arranged to cooperate with a sliding flange of the spring of the barrel, which is integrated in a watch including a resonator cooperating with an escapement mechanism. This device includes an acoustic device for the acoustic monitoring of the coiling of the barrel of a watch positioned on a receptacle included by the device, which acoustic devices are arranged to identify a click noise during each start of cooperation between the sliding flange and a notch. The device includes piloting devices arranged to stop the coiling of the barrel at the instant of the perception of the click noise or the repetition of the click noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Jérôme Favre, Jean-Jacques Born, Nakis P. Karapatis, Michel Willemin, Jean-Claude Martin
  • Patent number: 11927921
    Abstract: The main element 2 is connected to the mechanism of the movement, having parts 4, 5, by an arbor about which it can turn. To this end, it comprises an attachment 6 for fixing to the movement, which is for example formed by a small ring arranged in the opening 9 of the ring of the main element 2. The attachment 6 is thus composed of the same material as the main element and is arranged in the same plane. By virtue of the attachment 6, the winding mass can make a circular movement about the arbor, when it oscillates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventor: Loïc Oberson
  • Patent number: 11921371
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device including a reflective or transflective liquid crystal cell whose liquid crystal molecules are aligned in a planar or vertical manner, this liquid crystal cell being formed of a transparent front substrate located on the side of an observer, and a rear substrate, also transparent, which extends beneath the front substrate, parallel to and at a distance from the latter, these two front and rear substrates being joined to each other with a sealing frame which defines a sealed enclosure in which a liquid crystal composition is confined, the front and rear substrates being coated on their opposite faces with electrically conductive transparent electrodes and counter-electrodes, the optical properties of the liquid crystal composition being modified by application of an electric field at the point of intersection between an electrode and a corresponding counter-electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Michel Sagardoyburu, Simon Springer
  • Publication number: 20240067873
    Abstract: A coloured article made of a ceramic including an oxide-based matrix and a doped or co-doped component of the aluminium garnet family, and a method for manufacturing the article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: THE SWATCH GROUP RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT LTD
    Inventors: Marta FORNABAIO, Lucie TABARD, Stewes BOURBAN
  • Publication number: 20240069495
    Abstract: A watch incorporating an assembly (70) including a light sensor (72), including a photovoltaic cell, a negative electrode (78) and a positive electrode (79). The assembly has a first portion (52A), in which the electrodes are arranged, and a second portion (54A) which is not included in the first portion and which comprises or covers an antenna (80). The semiconductor material wafer extends into the first and second portions, and all the electrodes are arranged below the semiconductor material wafer. Preferably, this semiconductor material wafer or layer has no conductive doping in the second portion. The wafer, or layer, determines, together with additional layers provided thereon, the homogeneous colour and uniform appearance of the assembly from the side of its upper surface. Also, a dial formed by such an assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Jean-Jacques BORN, Gian Carlo POLI