Abstract: There is provided an acoustic radiating membrane arrangement for a striking or musical watch. The arrangement includes a first membrane arranged superposed on a second membrane. Peripheral edge portions of the two membranes are intended to hold the membranes inside a watch case. The first acoustic radiating membrane is configured to radiate efficiently the frequencies in a first frequency band. The second acoustic radiating membrane is configured to radiate efficiently the frequencies in a second frequency band that is different from the first frequency band. A spacer ring is also disposed between the peripheral edge portions of the first membrane and of the second membrane to define an acoustic cavity.

Abstract: Watch bezel for a musical watch, directly carrying a gong or forming a gong, this watch bezel including a toroid receiving a watch crystal, and a thin lug perpendicular to the plane of the toroid including an internal thread for securing to a structure, a case of the musical watch includes a case middle and carries this watch bezel indirectly bearing on a main surface of the case middle with a first O-ring sealing gasket, the case middle and the watch bezel are held securely to each other in a position where, in the free state of the watch bezel and with no excess pressure, the watch bezel is at a distance from the main surface having a value corresponding to a predetermined and non-zero play.

Abstract: The invention relates to a vibration plate for a striking mechanism of musical watches or music boxes. According to the invention, the vibration plate includes at least two parts, joined to each other, manufactured in at least two materials, a first part forming a first set of strips made of a first material so as to produce sounds in a first frequency range, and at least a second part forming a second set of strips made of a second material so as to produce sounds in a second frequency range.

Abstract: A timepiece escapement mechanism, including a balance having no roller and an escape wheel, between which impulses are transmitted by a flexible, single-piece mechanism, connected by at least one flexible strip to a fixed structure or to the wheel. Oscillation is maintained by a balance spring ending in a balance spring stud which is mobile during operation, and which is guided by a flexible guide member with flexible strips, and whose center of rotation is coaxial to the balance, the balance spring stud receiving a pin which is mobile in a cam path of the wheel. During the oscillations, the balance spring stud is moved relative to its locking position under action of force exerted by the balance spring, and the pin maintains and regulates the oscillation.

Abstract: A timepiece mechanism including a movable component oscillating about a rest plane passing through a pivot axis. An arbor of the movable component includes a main protruding portion which forms the largest radius of the movable component about this axis. The protruding portion is delimited by two surfaces defining a profile inscribed in a rectangle whose shape proportion is greater than 2 wherein the direction of the length defines a main axis, which occupies a determined angular position with respect to the rest plane in the rest position of the movable component. The mechanism has a preferred direction of magnetization that is substantially orthogonal to the main axis of the arbor in the rest position.

Abstract: A one-piece arbor of a pivoting movable timepiece component, the one-piece arbor being made of one or more aligned parts. The one-piece arbor is magnetically inhomogeneous.

Abstract: Timepiece resonator oscillating at a natural frequency, comprising one oscillating member and oscillation maintenance means, this oscillating member carrying a regulator oscillating at a regulation frequency comprised between 0.9 times and 1.1 times the value of an integer multiple greater than or equal to 2 of the natural frequency, this resonator is included in a timepiece movement for a timepiece, particularly a watch, and this regulator imposes a periodic modulation of the resonant frequency and/or quality factor and/or point of rest of this resonator.

Abstract: Barrel (1) including a mainspring (2) cooperating internally with a core (4), externally with a track (6) of a drum (7) by means of a resilient sliding bridle (8). Said track (6) and said bridle (8) are of non-circular shape, nesting one inside the other in the free state of said bridle (8) and arranged to make one raised portion (12) of said bridle (8) abuttingly engage with a sill (11) of said track (6) when the torque applied to said bridle (8) is less than a torque limit value, and to allow radial constriction of said raised portion (12) when said torque is greater than said limit value, to allow the passage of said raised portion (12) over said sill (11) and to allow said bridle (8) to travel angularly under the effect of said torque until the next encounter between one said sill (11) and one said raised portion (12).

Abstract: A timepiece sub-assembly including a mobile timepiece element including first and second annular and opposite peripheral surfaces of revolution about a same pivot axis, and a device for guiding pivoting about a theoretical axis of a timepiece mechanism. The first surface is magnetically or electrically charged, and the device includes at least three first surfaces regularly arranged around the theoretical axis, oppositely magnetically or respectively electrically charged to the first surface to repulse it at a first interface. In a watch, the second surface is magnetically or electrically charged, and the device includes at least three second surfaces regularly arranged around the theoretical axis, oppositely magnetically or electrically charged to the second surface to repulse it at a second interface.

Abstract: A striking mechanism, particularly for a watch, includes at least one gong fixed to a gong-carrier, at least one hammer for striking the gong at predetermined times, and a device to select at least one mode of vibration of the gong. The selection device includes at least one selector element arranged in contact on a part of the gong and held on a vibration node of a mode of vibration of the gong to be selected so as to block other modes of vibration. The selector element can be moved on the gong by a mechanical or magnetic movement device.

Abstract: An escape mechanism including a flexible single-piece mechanism for transmission of impulses between an impulse pin of a balance, and teeth of an escape wheel. Each tooth includes a lever with a pin that can be actuated by a lifting piece, a low level of the wheel carrying the pins on a same level as stop members of a plate, and a high level carrying the lifting pieces. The impulse pin pivots a lever opposite thereto, either to cause the pin to cooperate in abutment with the second stop member, or to move the lifting piece thereof opposite the first stop member and to cause the pin to bypass the second stop member, allowing the wheel to rotate to a next tooth.

Abstract: The acoustic radiating membrane is provided to equip a musical watch or a striking watch. The dome-shaped membrane comprises an active central portion, a lateral wall and a peripheral edge portion for holding the membrane in a watch case. The central portion includes a central base connected by connecting elements to a peripheral ring, the central base, the connecting elements and the peripheral ring being of dimensions determined to amplify a first vibration mode of one or more notes in a frequency range from 500 Hz to 3.5 kHz.

Abstract: Method of regulating the frequency of a resonator mechanism around its natural frequency, this mechanism including an elastic return means with a balance spring or a torsion wire, wherein a regulator device acts on this resonator mechanism with a periodic motion, with a regulation frequency which is comprised between 0.9 times and 1.1 times the value of an integer multiple between 2 and 10 of this natural frequency, controlling a periodic variation in the real part and/or the imaginary part of the rigidity of this elastic return means, this method being applied to a timepiece movement comprising a resonator mechanism of this type and including a regulator device arranged to control a periodic variation in the rigidity of this elastic return means.

Abstract: A disc-vibration plate assembly for a musical or striking timepiece, including at least one disc rotating about an axis and provided with pins projecting substantially parallel to this axis, and arranged to cooperate with strips comprised in at least one vibration plate of this assembly, each pin including an actuation surface arranged to cooperate with a complementary receiving surface of a corresponding strip and the section of these strips of the vibration plate gradually increases from the shortest strip which is the highest pitched, to the longest strip which is the lowest pitched. The complementary receiving surface includes an end edge, which, at the end of actuation of the strip, is on the same radius as a complementary end edge comprised in the pin.

Abstract: A timepiece including a first resonator oscillating at a first frequency and connected by a main gear train to a main energy source via a main escapement, a second resonator oscillating at a second frequency which is lower than the first frequency and cooperating with the main escapement in order to synchronize maintenance of the first resonator to the second frequency.

Abstract: Timepiece resonator oscillating at a natural frequency, comprising one oscillating member and oscillation maintenance means, this oscillating member carrying a regulator oscillating at a regulation frequency comprised between 0.9 times and 1.1 times the value of an integer multiple greater than or equal to 2 of the natural frequency, this resonator is included in a timepiece movement for a timepiece, particularly a watch, and this regulator imposes a periodic modulation of the resonant frequency and/or quality factor and/or point of rest of this resonator, with this regulation frequency.

Abstract: Method for maintaining and regulating the frequency of a timepiece resonator mechanism (1) around its natural frequency (?0). A regulator device (2) acts on said resonator (1) with a periodic motion which requires a periodic modulation of at least the resonant frequency of said resonator (1), by requiring at least a modulation of the active length of a spring comprised in said resonator mechanism (1), with a regulation frequency (?R) which is comprised between 0.9 times and 1.1 times the value of an integer multiple of said natural frequency (?0), said integer being greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to 10.

Abstract: Method of regulating the frequency of a resonator mechanism around its natural frequency, this mechanism including an elastic return means with a balance spring or a torsion wire, wherein a regulator device acts on this resonator mechanism with a periodic motion, with a regulation frequency which is comprised between 0.9 times and 1.1 times the value of an integer multiple between 2 and 10 of this natural frequency, controlling a periodic variation in the real part and/or the imaginary part of the rigidity of this elastic return means, this method being applied to a timepiece movement comprising a resonator mechanism of this type and including a regulator device arranged to control a periodic variation in the rigidity of this elastic return means.

Abstract: A method for orienting a timepiece component including ferromagnetic material, where, on both ends of this component, two magnetic fields each attract it onto a pole piece, with an unbalance in the intensity of these fields around this component, in order to create a differential in the forces thereon and to press one of these ends onto a contact surface of one of the pole pieces, and to hold the other end at a distance from the other pole piece. A magnetic pivot includes such a component with two ends. It includes a guide device with surfaces of two pole pieces each generating a magnetic field attracting one of these ends, the magnetic forces exerted on the two ends being of different intensity, in order to attract only one end into contact with only one of these pole piece surfaces.

Abstract: An escapement mechanism for a timepiece movement or timepiece including at least one balance and at least one escape wheel. A transmission of impulses between the balance and the escape wheel is achieved by a single-piece flexible mechanism including at least one feeler spindle cooperating with the escape wheel or, respectively, with the balance, and the single-piece, flexible mechanism is connected by at least one flexible blade to a fixed structure of the timepiece, or respectively to the escape wheel.