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: 11513475
    Abstract: A timepiece including at least analogue time display device, and an AM-PM display device for displaying day-night information in the dial of the timepiece. The AM-PM display device includes at least two apertures made in the dial of the watch, a rotating display disc bearing at least one first series of inscriptions corresponding to the day and at least one second series of inscriptions corresponding to the night, these two display series being disposed on at least two concentric circles, and a drive mechanism arranged so as to automatically and alternately bring the first series of inscriptions inside a first aperture and the second series of inscriptions inside a second aperture by rotating the display disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventor: Christian Ruefenacht
  • Publication number: 20210103251
    Abstract: A timepiece including at least analogue time display device, and an AM-PM display device for displaying day-night information in the dial of the timepiece. The AM-PM display device includes at least two apertures made in the dial of the watch, a rotating display disc bearing at least one first series of inscriptions corresponding to the day and at least one second series of inscriptions corresponding to the night, these two display series being disposed on at least two concentric circles, and a drive mechanism arranged so as to automatically and alternately bring the first series of inscriptions inside a first aperture and the second series of inscriptions inside a second aperture by rotating the display disc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventor: Christian RUEFENACHT
  • Patent number: 9841734
    Abstract: A display mechanism including a mechanism for fast correction of a position of a display wheel set, an intermediate wheel set ensuring synchronization with an automatic drive mechanism, and, inserted between the intermediate wheel set and the display wheel set, a safety lever driven by the display wheel set during periodic driving thereof, in a trajectory that interferes with a spatial volume of the intermediate wheel set, such that, when the intermediate wheel set is correctly synchronized, the trajectory of the lever does not interfere with the intermediate wheel set, and, when the intermediate wheel set is not correctly synchronized, the trajectory of the safety lever interferes with the intermediate wheel set, which the safety lever then drives in an opposite direction to a single direction of normal operation, to resynchronize the intermediate wheel set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Antonio Merino, Jean-Luc Helfer, Christian Ruefenacht, Giuseppe Cappadona
  • Publication number: 20170075307
    Abstract: A display mechanism including a mechanism for fast correction of a position of a display wheel set, an intermediate wheel set ensuring synchronization with an automatic drive mechanism, and, inserted between the intermediate wheel set and the display wheel set, a safety lever driven by the display wheel set during periodic driving thereof, in a trajectory that interferes with a spatial volume of the intermediate wheel set, such that, when the intermediate wheel set is correctly synchronized, the trajectory of the lever does not interfere with the intermediate wheel set, and, when the intermediate wheel set is not correctly synchronized, the trajectory of the safety lever interferes with the intermediate wheel set, which the safety lever then drives in an opposite direction to a single direction of normal operation, to resynchronize the intermediate wheel set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Antonio MERINO, Jean-Luc HELFER, Christian RUEFENACHT, Giuseppe CAPPADONA
  • Patent number: 9304494
    Abstract: An assembly to hold a balance spring includes a balance spring stud, and a stud-holder. The stud-holder includes a housing to receive the stud, a mechanism to secure the stud including a screw orthogonal to the stud, and a mechanism to secure the stud-holder to an escapement mechanism. The stud includes a surface to orient a balance spring. The screw partially passes through the stud to hold the stud in an indexed position. The stud includes an internal thread cooperating with the screw and forming the orientation surface. The stud-holder includes a bore for the passage of the screw, a bearing face arranged at the entry of said bore, on the opposite side to the housing, for the abutment of a head of the screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Raphael Courvoisier, Christian Ruefenacht
  • Patent number: 9298164
    Abstract: An assembly for holding a balance spring includes a stud including a surface for orienting a balance spring, and a stud-holder. The stud-holder includes a first housing for receiving the balance spring stud, a mechanism to secure the stud including a screw orthogonal to the stud, and a mechanism to secure the stud-holder to an escapement mechanism. The screw partially passes through the stud to hold the stud in an indexed position. The stud includes a second housing for the contact-free passage of the screw. The stud-holder includes on either side of the first housing an internal thread cooperating with the screw and a third bore for the passage of a head of the screw cooperating in abutment with the orientation surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Raphael Courvoisier, Christian Ruefenacht
  • Patent number: 9229432
    Abstract: A lever for transmitting motion from an input wheel set pivoting about a first axis on a pivoting plate of the lever, to a receiver wheel set, the input wheel set permanently transmitting its motion to an output wheel set carried by the plate and pivoting under the action of the input wheel set about a second axis whose angular position is variable relative to the first axis, and the lever includes a first friction connection between a first friction surface of the input wheel set and a second friction surface of the plate, this first friction connection is weaker or stronger than a second friction connection between a third friction surface of the output wheel set and a fourth friction surface of the plate included in the lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Christian Ruefenacht, Raphael Courvoisier, Antonio Merino, Giuseppe Cappadona
  • Publication number: 20150331392
    Abstract: Lever A lever for transmitting motion from an input wheel set pivoting about a first axis on a pivoting plate of the lever, to a receiver wheel set, the input wheel set permanently transmitting its motion to an output wheel set carried by the plate and pivoting under the action of the input wheel set about a second axis whose angular position is variable relative to the first axis, and the lever includes a first friction connection between a first friction surface of the input wheel set and a second friction surface of the plate, this first friction connection is weaker or stronger than a second friction connection between a third friction surface of the output wheel set and a fourth friction surface of the plate comprised included in the lever.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Christian RUEFENACHT, Raphael COURVOISIER, Antonio MERINO, Giuseppe CAPPADONA
  • Publication number: 20150138931
    Abstract: Assembly for holding a balance spring including a stud including a surface for orienting a balance spring, and a stud-holder, which includes: a first housing for receiving the balance spring stud; means for securing the stud including a screw orthogonal to the stud; means of securing the stud-holder to an escapement mechanism. The screw partially passes through the stud to hold the stud in an indexed position. The stud includes a second housing for the contact-free passage of the screw. The stud-holder includes on either side of the first housing: an internal thread cooperating with the screw; a third bore for the passage of a head of the screw (5) cooperating in abutment with the orientation surface (7).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Raphael COURVOISIER, Christian Ruefenacht
  • Publication number: 20150138930
    Abstract: Assembly (20) for holding a balance spring (21) including a balance spring stud (1), and a stud-holder (2) which includes: a housing (3) for receiving the stud (1); means (4) for securing the stud (1) including a screw (5) orthogonal to the stud (1); means (6) of securing the stud-holder (2) to an escapement mechanism (30), the stud (1) including a surface (7) for orienting a balance spring (21). The screw (5) partially passes through the stud (1) to hold the stud in an indexed position. The stud (1) includes an internal thread (8) cooperating with the screw (5) and forming the orientation surface (7), and the stud-holder (2) includes: a bore (11) for the passage of the screw (5); a bearing face (11) arranged at the entry of said bore (11), on the opposite side to the housing (3), for the abutment of a head (51) of the screw (5).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Raphael COURVOISIER, Christian RUEFENACHT
  • 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: 7301854
    Abstract: The annual calendar mechanism comprises a drive wheel set (1) fitted with a first finger (2) driving a date disc (4) through one step once a day and a second finger (5) driving a plate (6) secured to an annual wheel (7) arranged coaxially to the date ring at the end of the months of less than thirty one days. An intermediate wheel (8) connects the annual wheel (7) to the date ring (4) at the end of each month. The annual wheel (7) comprises twice as many teeth (30) as there are months in a year and the intermediate wheel (8) comprises a first wheel (40) meshed with the annual wheel (7) and a second wheel (50) fixed to the first wheel, said second wheel being meshed, at the end of each month, with a snug (60) arranged inside the date ring (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventor: Christian Ruefenacht
  • 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: 20060120219
    Abstract: The annual calendar mechanism comprises a drive wheel set (1) fitted with a first finger (2) driving a date disc (4) through one step once a day and a second finger (5) driving a plate (6) secured to an annual wheel (7) arranged coaxially to the date ring at the end of the months of less than thirty one days. An intermediate wheel (8) connects the annual wheel (7) to the date ring (4) at the end of each month. The annual wheel (7) comprises twice as many teeth (30) as there are months in a year and the intermediate wheel (8) comprises a first wheel (40) meshed with the annual wheel (7) and a second wheel (50) fixed to the first wheel, said second wheel being meshed, at the end of each month, with a snug (60) arranged inside the date ring (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Publication date: June 8, 2006
    Inventor: Christian Ruefenacht