Patents by Inventor Christophe Bifrare

Christophe Bifrare 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: 11774909
    Abstract: A horological display mechanism with an elastic hand (1) for driving, about a shaft (D), pipes mounted at the ends of a flexible blade (3), arranged to deform the flexible blade (3), including a mechanism acting on the drive train of the first pipe (2) and of the second pipe (4) and which includes two planetary wheels (82; 84) for driving the pipes (2; 4), and an input planet-carrier chassis (180) for driving the hand (1), and rotatable with a regulation cam (801), the track (802) of which includes a rising edge and falling edge. An elastic arm (803) has a distal end which cooperates with the track and a rising edge of which raises the elastic arm (803) away from the axis of the cam to consume torque, and a falling edge which makes the elastic arm move back towards the axis to restore torque to the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Montres Breguet S.A.
    Inventor: Christophe Bifrare
  • Patent number: 11537080
    Abstract: A timepiece display mechanism with a resilient hand including a first and second device for driving, about an output axis, a first and a second pipe mounted at the ends of a flexible strip, and including a display index distant from the pipes, these drive devices being arranged to deform the flexible strip, by varying the angular position of one pipe with respect to the other about the output axis, and to vary the radial position of the display index with respect to this axis, this mechanism includes a first differential on the drive train of the first pipe, one input of which is formed by a first cam, and a second differential on the drive train of the second pipe, one input of which is formed by a second cam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Montres Breguet S.A.
    Inventors: Christophe Bifrare, Alain Zaugg, Patrice Golay, Marc Stranczl
  • Patent number: 11275342
    Abstract: A repeater including an hours piece mounted to rotate between a rest position and a reading position; a device for regulating the angular speed of the hours piece, which includes a rotor and a system for braking the rotor; and a transmission gear train between the hours piece and the rotor, this gear train including a disengageable primary mobile able to adopt two configurations: a) an engaged configuration in which the primary mobile couples the hours piece to the rotor while the hours piece is moved from its reading position to its rest position; b) a disengaged configuration in which the primary mobile decouples the rotor from the hours piece as soon as the latter is stopped in the rest position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Montres Breguet SA.
    Inventor: Christophe Bifrare
  • Publication number: 20210373497
    Abstract: A horological display mechanism with an elastic hand (1) for driving, about a shaft (D), pipes mounted at the ends of a flexible blade (3), arranged to deform the flexible blade (3), including a mechanism acting on the drive train of the first pipe (2) and of the second pipe (4) and which includes two planetary wheels (82; 84) for driving the pipes (2; 4), and an input planet-carrier chassis (180) for driving the hand (1), and rotatable with a regulation cam (801), the track (802) of which includes a rising edge and falling edge. An elastic arm (803) has a distal end which cooperates with the track and a rising edge of which raises the elastic arm (803) away from the axis of the cam to consume torque, and a falling edge which makes the elastic arm move back towards the axis to restore torque to the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicant: Montres Breguet S. A.
    Inventor: Christophe BIFRARE
  • Patent number: 11175628
    Abstract: A repeater mechanism includes an hour snail, an hour rack carrying an hour beak and rotatably mounted about an hour axis between a rest position and a read position, an hour spring, which returns the hour rack to its read position, a pulley rotatably mounted about a pulley axis and which forms a spiral-shaped peripheral cam path, a chain able to be wound on the pulley, the chain being hooked on the pulley and on the hour rack, and a return spring coupled to the pulley and via which the pulley pulls the hour rack, via the chain, into its rest position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Montres Breguet S.A.
    Inventors: Christophe Bifrare, Alain Zaugg
  • Patent number: 11073797
    Abstract: A repeater mechanism includes: an hour part, which is mobile between a resting position and a reading position; an hour spring that returns the hour part towards its reading position; a chain that is hooked to the hour part; a barrel that includes a shaft, a drum, a spring, a pulley that is mobile in rotation relative to the shaft and on which the chain is hooked, and also a ratchet that is integral in rotation with the barrel shaft and coupled to the pulley as long as the hour part exerts a traction force on the chain, and uncoupled from the pulley as soon as this traction force is cancelled out; and a pulley spring that is interposed between the ratchet and the pulley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Montres Breguet S.A.
    Inventors: Christophe Bifrare, Daniel Matteazzi
  • Publication number: 20210011433
    Abstract: A timepiece display mechanism with a resilient hand including a first and second device for driving, about an output axis, a first and a second pipe mounted at the ends of a flexible strip, and including a display index distant from the pipes, these drive devices being arranged to deform the flexible strip, by varying the angular position of one pipe with respect to the other about the output axis, and to vary the radial position of the display index with respect to this axis, this mechanism includes a first differential on the drive train of the first pipe, one input of which is formed by a first cam, and a second differential on the drive train of the second pipe, one input of which is formed by a second cam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Applicant: Montres Breguet S.A.
    Inventors: Christophe BIFRARE, Alain ZAUGG, Patrice GOLAY, Marc STRANCZL
  • Publication number: 20190204785
    Abstract: A repeater including an hours piece mounted to rotate between a rest position and a reading position; a device for regulating the angular speed of the hours piece, which includes a rotor and a system for braking the rotor; and a transmission gear train between the hours piece and the rotor, this gear train including a disengageable primary mobile able to adopt two configurations: a) an engaged configuration in which the primary mobile couples the hours piece to the rotor while the hours piece is moved from its reading position to its rest position; b) a disengaged configuration in which the primary mobile decouples the rotor from the hours piece as soon as the latter is stopped in the rest position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Applicant: Montres Breguet S.A.
    Inventor: Christophe BIFRARE
  • Publication number: 20190196409
    Abstract: Repeater mechanism (5), comprising: An hour part (10), which is mobile between a resting position and a reading position; An hour spring (19) which returns the hour part (10) towards its reading position; A chain (40) which is hooked to the hour part (10); A barrel (32) which comprises a shaft (33), a drum (34), a spring (35), a pulley (38) which is mobile in rotation relative to the shaft (33) and on which the chain (40) is hooked, and also a ratchet which is integral in rotation with the barrel shaft (33) and: coupled to the pulley (38) as long as the hour part (10) exerts a traction force on the chain (40); uncoupled from the pulley (38) as soon as this traction force is cancelled out; A pulley spring (38) which is interposed between the ratchet and the pulley (38).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: Montres Breguet S.A.
    Inventors: Christophe Bifrare, Daniel Matteazzi
  • Publication number: 20190196410
    Abstract: A repeater mechanism includes an hour snail, an hour rack carrying an hour beak and rotatably mounted about an hour axis between a rest position and a read position, an hour spring, which returns the hour rack to its read position, a pulley rotatably mounted about a pulley axis and which forms a spiral-shaped peripheral cam path, a chain able to be wound on the pulley, the chain being hooked on the pulley and on the hour rack, and a return spring coupled to the pulley and via which the pulley pulls the hour rack, via the chain, into its rest position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: Montres Breguet S.A.
    Inventors: Christophe BIFRARE, Alain Zaugg
  • Patent number: 8425110
    Abstract: The invention relates to a silicon-based Breguet overcoil balance spring (1, 31) that includes a hairspring (3, 33) made integral coaxially with a collet (5, 35), a terminal curve (7, 37) and an elevation device (9, 39) between the outer coil (15, 45) of the hairspring and the terminal curve. According to the invention, the balance spring has two single parts secured to each other to increase the development precision of the balance spring. The invention also relates to the method of manufacturing the balance spring. The invention concerns the field of timepiece movements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Montres Breguet SA
    Inventors: Alain Zaugg, Christophe Bifrare, Sacha Vorpe, Jean-Philippe Thiebaud, Marc Lippuner
  • Patent number: 8416645
    Abstract: The invention concerns a mechanism (100) for displaying, on demand, the time in a time zone, on the hands of a timepiece. It is characterized in that it includes: two memory wheels (30), each including a heart-piece (40) that pivots relative to a toothed wheel (31) between indexing positions (34) thereon, with which it cooperates via a finger-piece (41) radially returned to said positions by a spring (43), support means (50), which, between two actions by the user, connectably cooperates with a support surface (45) of a memory wheel (30) and is then disconnected from a support surface (45) of the other memory wheel (30), a differential gear (12) with a first input formed by a motion work wheel set, a second input formed by a crown (12A) of said differential gear (12) with which each memory wheel (30) meshes, and an output consisting of an hour hand (25). The invention concerns a timepiece incorporating a mechanism (100) of this type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Montres Breguet SA
    Inventors: Alain Zaugg, Olivier Karlen, Christophe Bifrare
  • Patent number: 8382366
    Abstract: The invention concerns a programmable and reprogrammable mechanical memory wheel (30) for a timepiece, including a wheel (31) that is mobile about an axis of rotation (33). It is wherein it includes a mobile heart-piece (40) which pivots relative to said wheel (31), between indexing positions (34) of said wheel (31) with which said heart-piece (40) is arranged to cooperate via an indexing finger (41) included therein and towards which said heart-piece is returned radially by resilient return means (43), and which includes at least one support surface (45) arranged for cooperating with a timepiece mechanism. The invention also concerns a timepiece mechanism incorporating at least one memory wheel of this type (30), wherein, in proximity to each wheel (30), it includes support means arranged for cooperating with said support surface (45) of said memory wheel (30) in a disconnectable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Montres Breguet SA
    Inventors: Alain Zaugg, Olivier Karlen, Christophe Bifrare
  • Patent number: 8322914
    Abstract: The invention relates to an overcoil balance spring (1) including a hairspring (3) formed in a single silicon part, coaxially with a collet (5), the balance spring including a silicon terminal curve (7) and a silicon elevation device (9) between the outer coil (15) of said hairspring and said terminal curve so as to form a Breguet® overcoil balance spring. According to the invention, the elevation device (9) has a cross-shaped mechanical fastener (17) including at least two opposite arms (12, 12?, 14, 14?), which cooperate with clamping means (23, 25) respectively secured to the terminal curve (7) and the outer coil (15) of said hairspring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Montres Breguet SA
    Inventors: Christophe Bifrare, Alain Zaugg, Pierre Cusin
  • Patent number: 8215828
    Abstract: The invention relates to a Breguet overcoil balance spring (1) that includes a hairspring (3) mounted in a single part, made of micro-machinable material, and coaxially with a collet (5). According to the invention, the balance spring has a terminal curve (7) made of micro-machinable material and an elevation device (9) made of micro-machinable material between the outer coil (15) of the hairspring and the terminal curve to improve the concentric development of the balance spring. The invention also relates to the method of manufacturing the balance spring. The invention concerns the field of timepiece making.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Montres Breguet S.A.
    Inventors: Alain Zaugg, Christophe Bifrare
  • Publication number: 20110310711
    Abstract: The invention relates to an overcoil balance spring (1) including a hairspring (3) formed in a single silicon part, coaxially with a collet (5), the balance spring including a silicon terminal curve (7) and a silicon elevation device (9) between the outer coil (15) of said hairspring and said terminal curve so as to form a Breguet® overcoil balance spring. According to the invention, the elevation device (9) has a cross-shaped mechanical fastener (17) including at least two opposite arms (12, 12?, 14, 14?), which cooperate with clamping means (23, 25) respectively secured to the terminal curve (7) and the outer coil (15) of said hairspring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: MONTRES BREGUET SA
    Inventors: Christophe Bifrare, Alain Zaugg, Pierre Cusin
  • Publication number: 20110205852
    Abstract: The invention concerns a mechanism (100) for displaying, on demand, the time in a time zone, on the hands of a timepiece. It is characterized in that it includes: two memory wheels (30), each including a heart-piece (40) that pivots relative to a toothed wheel (31) between indexing positions (34) thereon, with which it cooperates via a finger-piece (41) radially returned to said positions by a spring (43), support means (50), which, between two actions by the user, connectably cooperates with a support surface (45) of a memory wheel (30) and is then disconnected from a support surface (45) of the other memory wheel (30), a differential gear (12) with a first input formed by a motion work wheel set, a second input formed by a crown (12A) of said differential gear (12) with which each memory wheel (30) meshes, and an output consisting of an hour hand (25). The invention concerns a timepiece incorporating a mechanism (100) of this type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: MONTRES BREGUET SA
    Inventors: Alain Zaugg, Olivier Karlen, Christophe Bifrare
  • Publication number: 20110205856
    Abstract: The invention concerns a programmable and reprogrammable mechanical memory wheel (30) for a timepiece, including a wheel (31) that is mobile about an axis of rotation (33). It is wherein it includes a mobile heart-piece (40) which pivots relative to said wheel (31), between indexing positions (34) of said wheel (31) with which said heart-piece (40) is arranged to cooperate via an indexing finger (41) included therein and towards which said heart-piece is returned radially by resilient return means (43), and which includes at least one support surface (45) arranged for cooperating with a timepiece mechanism. The invention also concerns a timepiece mechanism incorporating at least one memory wheel of this type (30), wherein, in proximity to each wheel (30), it includes support means arranged for cooperating with said support surface (45) of said memory wheel (30) in a disconnectable manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: MONTRES BREGUET SA
    Inventors: Alain Zaugg, Olivier Karlen, Christophe Bifrare
  • Publication number: 20110199866
    Abstract: The invention relates to a Breguet overcoil balance spring (1) that includes a hairspring (3) mounted in a single part, made of micro-machinable material, and coaxially with a collet (5). According to the invention, the balance spring has a terminal curve (7) made of micro-machinable material and an elevation device (9) made of micro-machinable material between the outer coil (15) of the hairspring and the terminal curve to improve the concentric development of the balance spring. The invention also relates to the method of manufacturing the balance spring. The invention concerns the field of timepiece making.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: MONTRES BREGUET S.A.
    Inventors: Alain Zaugg, Christophe Bifrare
  • Patent number: 7950847
    Abstract: The invention relates to a Breguet overcoil balance spring (1) that includes a hairspring (3) mounted in a single part, made of micro-machinable material, and coaxially with a collet (5). According to the invention, the balance spring has a terminal curve (7) made of micro-machinable material and an elevation device (9) made of micro-machinable material between the outer coil (15) of the hairspring and the terminal curve to improve the concentric development of the balance spring. The invention also relates to the method of manufacturing the balance spring. The invention concerns the field of timepiece making.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Montres Breguet S.A.
    Inventors: Alain Zaugg, Christophe Bifrare