Patents by Inventor Christian Charbon

Christian Charbon has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20250138486
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a balance (1) including a hub (2) connected to a fellos (3) by at least one arm (4), characterised in that the felloe is made of a material whose relative magnetic permeability is less than 1.01, whose density is greater than 6.5, and which is electrically insulating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2022
    Publication date: May 1, 2025
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Christian CHARBON, Jean-Pierre MIGNOT, Marco VERARDO
  • Patent number: 12248277
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a spiral spring may include: (a) providing a blank with an Nb—Ti core; (b) beta-quenching the blank; (c) deforming the blank in several sequences; (d) winding to form the spiral spring; (e) final heat treatment on the spiral spring. The blank in (a) may include a layer of X including Cu, Sn, Fe, Pt, Pd, Rh, Al, Au, Ni, Ag, Co and Cr or an alloy of one of these elements around the Nb—Ti core. The method may include heat treating to partially transform the layer of X into a layer of X, Ti intermetals around the Nb—Ti core, and may be carried out between (b) and (c) or between two sequences of (c). The method may include removing the part of the layer of X, which may be carried out between (b) and (c), between two sequences of (c) or between (c) and (d).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Lionel Michelet, Christian Charbon, Marco Verardo
  • Publication number: 20250044741
    Abstract: A balance spring intended to be fitted to a timepiece balance having fixed inertia, the balance spring being formed of a core having lateral faces connecting an upper face to a lower face, the balance spring including on one of the lateral faces in one portion of the outer coil, a coating formed of one or more layers, the coating including two layers with a first electrically conductive layer coated with a second outer layer made of a ceramic, or a combined layer, made of an electrically conductive ceramic. Also a method of manufacturing this balance spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2024
    Publication date: February 6, 2025
    Applicant: NIVAROX-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Marco VERARDO, Christian CHARBON
  • Publication number: 20240393744
    Abstract: A method for treating at least one balance spring intended to equip a horological movement, said balance spring being made from an Nb—Ti alloy, the method comprising a step of steaming, called climatic steaming, in a temperature range comprised between 30 and 100°° C. in an atmosphere having a relative humidity comprised between 60 and 99%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2024
    Publication date: November 28, 2024
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Lionel MICHELET, Christian CHARBON, Marco VERARDO
  • Patent number: 12153380
    Abstract: A balance spring (1) intended to be fitted to a timepiece balance having fixed inertia, the balance spring (1) being formed of a core (10) having lateral faces (10c) connecting an upper face (10a) to a lower face (10b), the balance spring (1) including on one of the lateral faces (10) in one portion of the outer coil (5), a coating formed of one or more layers, the coating including two layers with a first electrically conductive layer (12) coated with a second outer layer (13) made of a ceramic, or a combined layer (13), made of an electrically conductive ceramic. Also a method of manufacturing this balance spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: NIVAROX-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Marco Verardo, Christian Charbon
  • Patent number: 12147195
    Abstract: A balance spring (1) intended to equip a balance of a horological movement, wherein the balance spring (1) is made of a niobium and titanium alloy containing: niobium: the remainder to 100 wt %; titanium with a weight percentage that is greater than or equal to 1 wt % and less than 40 wt %; traces of other elements chosen from among O, H, C, Fe, Ta, N, Ni, Si, Cu and Al, each of said elements being in the range 0 to 1,600 ppm of the total weight, and the sum of said trace elements being less than or equal to 0.3 wt %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: NIVAROX-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Christian Charbon, Marco Verardo, Lionel Michelet
  • Patent number: 12105475
    Abstract: A balance-spring intended to equip a balance of an horological movement, comprising a core made of Nb—Ti made from an alloy consisting of: niobium: balance to 100% by weight, titanium: between 5 and 95% by weight, traces of elements chosen from the group consisting of O, H, C, Fe, Ta, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al, each of said elements being present in a quantity between 0 and 1600 ppm by weight, the total quantity formed by all of said elements being between 0% and 0.3% by weight, wherein the core made of Nb—Ti is coated with a layer of niobium, said layer of niobium having a thickness between 20 nm and 10 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: NIVAROX-FAR S.A.
    Inventor: Christian Charbon
  • Patent number: 12013663
    Abstract: A rigid horological component (6, 7, 8) for an oscillator mechanism or for an escapement mechanism of a horological movement, the component extending along a principal plane (P) and including at least a part made of a composite material (1), the composite material (1) including a matrix (2) and a multitude of nanotubes or nanowires (3) distributed in the matrix (2), the nanotubes or nanowires (3) being juxtaposed and disposed substantially parallel with an axis (A) substantially perpendicular to the plane (P) of the component, the matrix (2) includes a rigid material (4) to fill the interstices and join the nanotubes or nanowires (3) to one another, the material (4) having rigid mechanical properties to block the elastic deformation of the component, the rigid material (4) comprised in the component having a Young's modulus greater than 2 GPa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: NIVAROX-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Pierre Cusin, Christian Charbon
  • Patent number: 12007716
    Abstract: A flexible timepiece component, in particular for an oscillator mechanism or for a barrel of a horological movement, the component extending along a main plane (P) and including at least a part made of a composite material (1), the composite material (1) including a matrix (2) and a multitude of nanowires (3) distributed in the matrix (2), the nanowires (3) being juxtaposed, the matrix (2) including a material (4) for filling the interstices between the nanowires (3) to join them to each other, each nanowire (3) forming a solid one-piece tube, the nanowires (3) being disposed substantially parallel to an axis (A) substantially perpendicular to the main plane (P) of the component (6, 7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Pierre Cusin, Christian Charbon, Alexandre Haemmerli, Lionel Paratte, Matthias Imboden
  • Patent number: 11966198
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a spiral spring for a balance wheel made of an alloy of niobium and titanium with an essentially single-phase structure, and the method of manufacture thereof which comprises: a step of producing a blank in a niobium-based alloy consisting of: niobium: balance to 100 wt %, titanium: between 40 and 49 wt %, traces of elements selected from the group consisting of O, H, C, Fe, Ta, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al, between 0 and 1600 ppm by weight individually, and cumulatively less than 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventor: Christian Charbon
  • Patent number: 11913094
    Abstract: A spiral spring is configured to equip a balance of a horological movement. The spiral spring is made of an alloy consisting of: Nb, Ti and at least one element selected from V and Ta, optionally at least one element selected from Zr and Hf, optionally at least one element selected from W and Mo, possible traces of other elements selected from O, H, C, Fe, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al, with the following weight percentages: a total content of Nb, V and Ta comprised between 40 and 85%, a total content of Ti, Zr and Hf comprised between 15 and 55%, a content for W and Mo respectively comprised between 0 and 2.5%, a content for each of the elements selected from O, H, C, Fe, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al between 0 and 1600 ppm with the sum of the traces less than or equal to 0.3% by weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Christian Charbon, Lionel Michelet, Marco Verardo
  • Patent number: 11898225
    Abstract: A spiral spring intended to equip a balance of a horological movement, wherein the spiral spring is made of an alloy consisting of Nb, Ti and at least one element selected from Zr and Hf, optionally at least one element selected from W and Mo, possible traces of other elements selected from O, H, Ta, C, Fe, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al, with the following weight percentages: a content of Nb comprised between 40 and 84%, a total content of Ti, Zr and Hf comprised between 16 and 55%, a content for W and Mo respectively comprised between 0 and 2.5%, a content for each of said elements selected from O, H, Ta, C, Fe, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al comprised between 0 and 1600 ppm with the sum of said traces less than or equal to 0.3% by weight. The method for manufacturing the spiral spring is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Christian Charbon, Lionel Michelet, Marco Verardo
  • Patent number: 11851737
    Abstract: A balance spring intended to equip a balance of a horological movement, wherein the balance spring is made of an alloy consisting of Nb, Ti, H and possible traces of other elements selected from O, C, Fe, N, Ni, Si, Cu and Al, with the following weight percentages: a Ti content comprised between 1 and 80 wt %, a H content comprised between 0.17 and 2 wt %, a total content of all other elements of less than or equal to 0.3 wt %, the remainder to 100 wt % consisting of Nb. A manufacturing method for the balance spring is also disclosed and includes a step of thermochemically treating a blank made of a Nb and Ti alloy in an atmosphere including hydrogen so as to enrich the Nb and Ti alloy with hydrogen in interstitial form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Lionel Michelet, Christian Charbon
  • Publication number: 20230305492
    Abstract: Micromechanical component, particularly a timepiece wheel, particularly an escapement wheel, including a substrate with a first material including at least nickel and phosphorus, which substrate is covered, on at least one surface of the substrate of the wheel, by a coating of a second material including at least nickel and poorer in phosphorus than the first material, or devoid of phosphorus, and the second material constitutes the peripheral layer of the wheel at this at least one surface of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Serge NICOUD, Samuel VIGNIER, Sébastien RODER, Jean-Luc HELFER, Christian CHARBON, Frédéric KOHLER
  • Patent number: 11768465
    Abstract: A substrate for forming timepiece components includes a first part based on photostructurable glass and at least a second part based on at least one second material. One surface of the first part is made integral with a surface of the second part so as to form a one-piece timepiece component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Philippe Dubois, Thierry Hessler, Christian Charbon
  • Publication number: 20230295774
    Abstract: A gold alloy including, by weight, between 73% and 77% gold, between 20% and 24.5% silver, palladium and/or platinum with a total percentage for these two elements between 0.5% and 5%. With the addition of palladium and/or platinum, this alloy has an enhanced tarnishing resistance while having a green tint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Jonas VANNOD, Vincent FAYS, Christian CHARBON
  • Patent number: 11762338
    Abstract: A non-magnetic watch component (1) comprising a substrate (4) made of a copper alloy, wherein at least one part of the substrate (4) has a surface layer (5) including CuxTiy intermetallics, and a method for manufacturing this watch component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventor: Christian Charbon
  • Publication number: 20230288872
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a timepiece wheel, according to which a substrate is produced with a first material including at least nickel and phosphorus, the substrate is shaped to the geometry of the wheel, and a coating of the substrate is performed, galvanically and/or chemically, on at least one surface of the substrate of the wheel, with at least one second material, which constitutes the peripheral layer of the wheel at the at least one surface of the substrate of the wheel, and which includes at least nickel and which is poorer in phosphorus than the first material, or which includes nickel and is devoid of phosphorus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventors: Serge NICOUD, Samuel VIGNIER, Sébastien RODER, Jean-Luc HELFER, Christian CHARBON, Frédéric KOHLER
  • Patent number: 11702722
    Abstract: A platinum alloy consisting, by weight, of the following elements: 95.00 to 96.00% of Pt, 1.00 to 4.95% of Ru, 0.05 to 2.00% of Ge, 0 to 2.00% of Au, any impurities with a total content 0.50%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Gregory Kissling, Vincent Fays, Jonas Vannod, Christian Charbon, Denis Vincent, Stéphane Lauper
  • Publication number: 20230183839
    Abstract: A platinum alloy consisting, by weight, of the following elements: 95.00 to 96.00% of Pt, 1.00 to 4.95% of Ru, 0.05 to 2.00% of Ge, 0 to 2.00% of Au, any impurities with a total content?0.50%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Gregory KISSLING, Vincent FAYS, Jonas VANNOD, Christian CHARBON, Denis VINCENT, Stéphane LAUPER