Patents Examined by Kevin Andrew Johnston
  • Patent number: 11703807
    Abstract: A dead-beat escapement break away assembly which consists of, a pallet engagement collet with at least one magnet attached thereto and a pallet alignment feature attached thereto; a pendulum crutch attachment mechanically coupled to the pallet engagement collet; a pallet which is adapted to be magnetically coupled to the pallet engagement collet so as to mechanically engage the pendulum crutch attachment to the pallet, thereby enabling the pallet to break away from the pallet engagement collet when sufficient force is applied to the pallet to overcome the magnetic force of the magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin Farrelly Nolan, Jeremy Michael Turner, Stephen Bernard Froelicher
  • Patent number: 11693365
    Abstract: Provided is a watch component made of silicon and including a front surface, a back surface, and a side surface intersecting with the front surface and the back surface, the watch component including a first recessed portion formed at the front surface side, a second recessed portion formed at the back surface side, and a communicating groove causing one of the first recessed portion and the second recessed portion to communicate with the side surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Inventors: Takeo Funakawa, Munehiro Shibuya
  • Patent number: 11687041
    Abstract: A mechanical oscillator, formed of a mechanical resonator and a device for maintaining oscillation, and an auxiliary oscillator forming a reference time base including a synchronisation device arranged to slave the medium frequency of the mechanical oscillator on that of the auxiliary oscillator. The synchronisation device includes an electromagnetic braking device which is formed of a coil and at least one permanent magnet and arranged such that an induced voltage is generated between the terminals of the coil in each alternation of the oscillation of the mechanical resonator. The synchronisation device is arranged to be able to reduce momentarily the impedance between the terminals of the coil during distinct time intervals, any two successive time intervals exhibiting between the respective starts thereof a time distance substantially equal to a positive whole number multiplied by half of a set-point period for the mechanical oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventor: Lionel Tombez
  • Patent number: 11687040
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a composite timepiece or jewellery component: a base is made in a substrate with an apparent surface remaining visible; each visible apparent surface is mirror polished; each polished apparent surface is coated with a first transparent or coloured semi-transparent layer of a first material in a dry process, or PVD or CVD or ALD process, or lacquering or zapon varnish process; a decorative element is affixed and bonded to an external surface of the first layer; the first layer and each decorative element is coated with a second layer of a transparent treatment material in a dry process, or PVD or CVD or ALD process, or lacquering or zapon varnish process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: OMEGA SA
    Inventors: Frederic Jeanrenaud, Gregory Kissling
  • Patent number: 11687034
    Abstract: A display mechanism (100) allowing display change with a single display mobile (150) so as to indicate a first piece of information with a first counter (110) and second piece of information with a second counter (120). This change is performed by the permutation of a clutch organ (130) displacing between a first position (131) and a second position (132) when the clutch organ (130) is controlled by a control organ (140).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: BLANCPAIN S.A.
    Inventor: Mehdi Denden
  • Patent number: 11673801
    Abstract: A method for fabrication of a micromechanical part made of a one-piece synthetic carbon allotrope based material, the method including: forming a substrate with a negative cavity of the micromechanical part to be fabricated; coating the negative cavity of the substrate with a layer of the synthetic carbon allotrope based material in a smaller thickness than the depth of the negative cavity; and removing the substrate to release the one-piece micromechanical part formed in the negative cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: NIVAROX-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Philippe Dubois, Sebastiano Merzaghi, Christian Charbon
  • Patent number: 11669052
    Abstract: A timepiece reduces power consumption while maintaining required precision. The timepiece has a frequency divider that frequency divides an oscillation signal and outputs a reference signal; nonvolatile memory that stores information related to a temperature characteristic of the oscillation frequency of the crystal oscillator; multiple registers; a temperature measuring circuit; an evaluation circuit; and a temperature compensation circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Inventor: Masaya Ninomiya
  • Patent number: 11662690
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing at least two mechanical parts to be arranged in a timepiece mechanism including magnetised functional areas having antagonistic polarities, the parts being arranged in a timepiece mechanism to cooperate with each other in relative displacement, the method including a step of constructing a blank of each of the two parts including at least one functional area from which the parts are able to cooperate with each other and a step of obtaining each of the parts including a sub-step of transforming said at least one functional area of the blank of each of these parts into a magnetised functional area from which emanates a magnetic field, at least one feature of which is configured so that this magnetic field participates in achieving a separation of the magnetised functional areas of the two parts when they are in a stop position in the mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGÈRE SUISSE
    Inventor: Sylvain Huot-Marchand
  • Patent number: 11662691
    Abstract: A wearable device can include an electronic device and a band for securing the electronic device to the user. The electronic device can detect an identification of the band, which can serve as an input to initiate actions performed by the electronic device. For example, a type, model, color, size, or other characteristic of a band can be determined and used to select a corresponding action performed by the electronic device. Identification of the band can be performed by components of the electronic device that also serve other purposes. Existing sensors, communication elements, and/or detectors can be used to detect and identity a band provided to the electronic device. The electronic device can respond to the identification of a particular band by performing particular functions, such as changing an aspect of a user interface or altering settings of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy M. Johnson
  • Patent number: 11649412
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a mechanical timepiece part (1) including at least one functional area (2) wherein a lubricant (9) is able to be confined, the method including a step (10) of constructing a blank of the part (1) including the at least one functional area (2) and a step of transforming (12) the at least one functional area (2) into a magnetised functional area (2) capable of cooperating with the lubricant (9) when it has magnetic properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGÈRE SUISSE
    Inventor: Sylvain Huot-Marchand
  • Patent number: 11650545
    Abstract: An analogue information display system for a watch provided with a mechanical movement includes a display dial including a plurality of apertures, a moving display part supporting graphical representations, disposed in such a way that the graphical representations supported thereby appear in the plurality of apertures in order to generate the information, and an indicator member configured so as to designate a piece of information generated in an aperture to be notified to the wearer of the watch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Tissot SA
    Inventor: Jean-Marc Koller
  • Patent number: 11640141
    Abstract: The timepiece includes a tourbillon including a carriage that bears a sprung balance and a magnetic escapement device, the latter including an escape wheel set, formed of an annular magnetic structure, and a magnetic element coupled with the magnetic structure and having an oscillating movement that is synchronous with the oscillation of the mechanical resonator. The mechanical escapement is arranged so as to have alternately energy accumulation phases, from a conversion of mechanical energy supplied by the barrel into magnetic potential energy in the magnetic escapement, and transfer phases of energy accumulated in the magnetic escapement to the magnetic resonator. During the energy transfer phases, the magnetic element is subjected to a magnetic force such that the magnetic escapement then converts into mechanical energy magnetic potential energy accumulated in the preceding energy accumulation phase to be able to maintain the oscillation of the mechanical resonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Montres Breguet S.A.
    Inventors: Polychronis Nakis Karapatis, Marc Stranczl, Benoit Legeret
  • Patent number: 11640139
    Abstract: A horological regulator mechanism including a resonator mechanism having a virtual pivot and flexure bearing, with a quality factor greater than 1,000, the inertial element whereof indirectly cooperates with a free escapement mechanism, during the operating cycle whereof the resonator mechanism has at least one phase of freedom wherein it is not in contact with the escapement mechanism, this regulator mechanism comprises a pair of components including rubbing surfaces arranged to cooperate and be in contact with one another, whereby the first rubbing surface is formed by the surface of an element comprising silicon carbide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventor: Sylvain Huot-Marchand
  • Patent number: 11630421
    Abstract: A timepiece striking mechanism including a mechanism for controlling a hammer arranged to strike a resonant component in an impact position, and movable within a working zone between a recoil and rest position and this impact position, this mechanism includes a device for limiting recoil of the hammer after impact, formed either by eddy current braking means arranged to brake the hammer when it enters a back zone, connected and contiguous to the working zone and opposite the impact position, and/or by mechanical friction and/or elastic return means integral with the hammer or an anchor-piece integral with the hammer, and arranged for friction and/or abutting engagement with a moving braking component or a surface of a fixed part of the striking mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Montres Breguet S.A.
    Inventors: Marc Jung, Marc Abt, Marc Stranczl, Benoit Legeret
  • Patent number: 11614715
    Abstract: A user-worn device includes a band portion and a display portion. The band portion comprises a wire that is configured to create a first magnetic field that follows the curvature of the band portion. The display portion comprises a first electromagnet that is configured to produce a second magnetic field. The display portion orbits around the band portion in a first orbital direction when the first and second magnetic fields interact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Subha Kiran Patnaikuni, Sarbajit K. Rakshit
  • Patent number: 11614714
    Abstract: A strand of a wristband (10) comprising an end intended for fixing removably to a watch case, wherein said strand comprises a projection (16) or a groove arranged at said end, said projection (16) or groove being intended to become lodged within a groove or projection of a watch case, and wherein said strand comprises at least one vertical opening (17) arranged in the thickness of said projection (16) or of a wall forming said groove and wherein said strand comprises an elastic element (30), so as to be able to accept a pin (20) through the elastic element (30) and through at least part of the length of said at least one vertical opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: ROLEX SA
    Inventors: Fabien Grand, Flavien Kressmann, Jean-Baptiste Robin
  • Patent number: 11599067
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece includes a communication unit receiving identification information for identifying a radio station from the radio station, a storage unit storing a database having, as a record, the identification information and time difference information indicating a time difference associated with the identification information, a timekeeping unit in which a set time difference being a time difference with respect to a reference time is set, a first time difference correction unit correcting the set time difference to the time difference information associated with the identification information received by the communication unit, an operation unit accepting user operation, a second time difference correction unit correcting the set time difference according to the operation, and an update processing unit updating the database by changing the time difference information to the set time difference corrected by the second time difference correction unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Inventor: Eiji Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 11599068
    Abstract: Provided is a radio-controlled timepiece that can reduce overall power consumption. The radio-controlled timepiece 1 has a receiver circuit 12 that executes during a specific time limit a reception process to acquire multiple time data from the standard time signals at different times; storage 22 that stores multiple time data; a timekeeper 23 that keeps an internal time; a time setting adjuster 24 that corrects the internal time based on coherent time data when the number of coherent time data, which is time data that is mutually coherent, in the multiple time data reaches a threshold; and a reception controller 21 that extends the time limit when the number of coherent time data is less than the threshold when a specific time that is shorter than the time limit has past since the reception process started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Inventor: Takuya Tanabe
  • Patent number: 11599064
    Abstract: Horological resonator (100) including an inertia mobile component (1) oscillating about an axis of oscillation (D1) and including at least one magnetic area (10), the total resultant magnetic moment of all of the magnetic areas (10), included in the inertia mobile component (1), is aligned in the direction of the axis of oscillation (D1), this inertia mobile component (1) bearing at least one balancing magnet (6), the direction of the magnetic moment thereof crosses the axis of oscillation (D1) to obtain magnetic balancing of the inertia mobile component (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Gianni Di Domenico, Jérôme Favre, Olivier Matthey, Dominique Lechot, Baptiste Hinaux, Laurent Nagy, Jean-Claude Martin
  • Patent number: 11586145
    Abstract: A component intended to be in friction contact with another component, the component being coated with an electrically conductive layer in one piece, at least partially covering every surface of the component, the friction occurring on at least one of these surfaces, called the functional surface, the functional surface being surrounded by a plurality of side surfaces, the component having on its functional surface a texture formed of a succession of troughs coated with the electrically conductive layer, the troughs each extending between two side surfaces such that the electrically conductive layer remains in one piece over the component despite the wear caused by friction on the functional surface. The invention also relates to the method for manufacturing the component by the DRIE (deep reactive ion etching) process, wherein surface defects on the sides machined by the DRIE process are used to form the troughs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Marco Verardo, Christian Charbon