Patents by Inventor Christian Rüfenacht

Christian Rüfenacht 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).

  • Patent number: 9110445
    Abstract: Control mechanism for a timepiece movement, including, in a housing in a main plate, a control stem that is movable in a longitudinal direction and including a groove cooperating with a stud comprised in a pull-out piece for actuating the pivoting of the pull-out piece on the main plate, this pull-out piece is held in position by a jumper spring, and the mechanism including a bridge cooperating with the main plate to confine the stem, and this bridge includes a housing in which there is a movable limiter piston, arranged to abut on one end of a trunnion comprised in the pull-out piece under the application of a force in a transverse direction substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, to allow the release of the stem after a given travel of the limiter piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Raphael Courvoisier, Christian Rufenacht
  • Publication number: 20150205265
    Abstract: Control mechanism for a timepiece movement, including, in a housing in a main plate, a control stem that is movable in a longitudinal direction and including a groove cooperating with a stud comprised in a pull-out piece for actuating the pivoting of the pull-out piece on the main plate, this pull-out piece is held in position by a jumper spring, and the mechanism including a bridge cooperating with the main plate to confine the stem, and this bridge includes a housing in which there is a movable limiter piston, arranged to abut on one end of a trunnion comprised in the pull-out piece under the application of a force in a transverse direction substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, to allow the release of the stem after a given travel of the limiter piston.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Raphael COURVOISIER, Christian Rufenacht
  • Patent number: 8834017
    Abstract: A corrector (1) for a function indicator (20) for a movement (100) including: a first control mechanism (30) for a first function, in a let down (31) or wound (32) position, a second control mechanism (40) for a second function, in a let down position (41) or release control position (42) followed by a return to the preceding position, and a display indicator (20) for a third function. First mobile part (50) driven by the first control mechanism (30) occupies a letting down (51)/winding (52) position, when the mechanism occupies the let down (31)/wound (32) position. Second mobile part (60) actuating the indicator (20) is driven by the second control mechanism (40) changing into the control position (42) when the first mobile part (50) is in a winding position (52) and cooperates with this latter in the letting down position (51), under the action of return mechanism (70).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Omega SA
    Inventors: Adrien Farron, Christian Rüfenacht
  • Publication number: 20120182838
    Abstract: A corrector (1) for a function indicator (20) for a movement (100) including: a first control mechanism (30) for a first function, in a let down (31) or wound (32) position, a second control mechanism (40) for a second function, in a let down position (41) or release control position (42) followed by a return to the preceding position, and a display indicator (20) for a third function. First mobile part (50) driven by the first control mechanism (30) occupies a letting down (51)/winding (52) position, when the mechanism occupies the let down (31)/wound (32) position. Second mobile part (60) actuating the indicator (20) is driven by the second control mechanism (40) changing into the control position (42) when the first mobile part (50) is in a winding position (52) and cooperates with this latter in the letting down position (51), under the action of return mechanism (70).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: OMEGA SA
    Inventors: Adrien FARRON, Christian RÜFENACHT
  • Patent number: 7287900
    Abstract: The timepiece includes means for adjusting the shake of a rotating part or wheel set, in particular a balance one bearing of which is arranged in a bar (4). This bar comprises a base (18) associated with a adjusting screw (34) one end (36) of which rests on the bottom plate. Rotating this adjusting screw varies the distance between the base and the bottom plate (14). The center of the adjusting screw is pierced for the passage of a tightening screw (32) for fixing the bar to the bottom plate. This adjusting screw is arranged in a hole (42) passing through the base (18) and can be rotated through the hole from the top face (46) of the bar in order to adjust the balance shake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogére Suisse
    Inventors: Christian Rüfenacht, Ivan Villar
  • Publication number: 20070159931
    Abstract: The timepiece includes means for adjusting the shake of a rotating part or wheel set, in particular a balance one bearing of which is arranged in a bar (4). This bar comprises a base (18) associated with a adjusting screw (34) one end (36) of which rests on the bottom plate. Rotating this adjusting screw varies the distance between the base and the bottom plate (14). The centre of the adjusting screw is pierced for the passage of a tightening screw (32) for fixing the bar to the bottom plate. This adjusting screw is arranged in a hole (42) passing through the base (18) and can be rotated through the hole from the top face (46) of the bar in order to adjust the balance shake.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Christian Rufenacht, Ivan Villar
  • Publication number: 20070147180
    Abstract: The timepiece includes means for adjusting the shake of a rotating part, in particular a balance, one of whose bearings is arranged in a bar (4). This bar includes a first part (16) secured to the bottom plate (14) in a rigid and invariable manner. It further includes a second part (18) associated with means for deforming the bar (4) formed by a adjusting screw (34) one end of which rests on the bottom plate. Rotating this adjusting screw varies the distance between the second part and the bottom plate by deforming the plate (10) at zones (22 and 24) of less mechanical resistance which are provided on either side of the central part (20) of the plate (10) so as to localise the deformations generated by activating the adjusting screw (34). When the plate (10) is deformed, the central part (20) where the bearing is arranged, moves relative to the bottom plate, which thus enables the shake of the rotating part to be adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Applicant: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGERE SUISSE
    Inventors: Christian Rufenacht, Ivan Villar