Patents by Inventor Emmanuel Graf

Emmanuel Graf 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: 20230185241
    Abstract: A balance for a horological movement includes rigid portions consisting of a hub defining the pivot axis of the balance, a felloe, four arms connecting the felloe to the hub, and including four slots for receiving and gripping in position an inertia-block, each slot being delimited by an arm and by an elastic arm including a first end integral with the arm, and a second distal end free in relation to the hub, to the arm, and to the felloe sector. The balance includes two pairs of inertia-blocks, each pair of inertia-blocks having different masses to ensure different adjusting powers, a first pair of inertia-blocks for a basic adjustment, and second pair of inertia-blocks for a precise adjustment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Laurent JEANNERET, Emmanuel GRAF, Marco VERARDO
  • Patent number: 10061269
    Abstract: A balance wheel-spring system including a balance wheel that oscillates about a balance wheel shaft and a spring, one inner spiral of which is fixed to the balance wheel shaft or to a collet mounted integrally with the shaft and one outer spiral of which is fixed to a stud integral with a bridge. The balance wheel includes a hub, a rim, an arm connecting the hub to the rim, a front face which includes a countersink and a rear face, the arm including a housing receiving and retaining a flyweight, and the spring being mounted opposite the front face of the balance wheel. The flyweight is mounted on the arm on the rear face of the balance wheel, the distance between the bottom of the countersink of the front face of the balance wheel and the spring is a predetermined interval between 0.05 mm and 1.50 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Emmanuel Graf, Marc Stranczl
  • Publication number: 20170269552
    Abstract: A balance wheel-spring system including a balance wheel that oscillates about a balance wheel shaft and a spring, one inner spiral of which is fixed to the balance wheel shaft or to a collet mounted integrally with the shaft and one outer spiral of which is fixed to a stud integral with a bridge. The balance wheel includes a hub, a rim, an arm connecting the hub to the rim, a front face which includes a countersink and a rear face, the arm including a housing receiving and retaining a flyweight, and the spring being mounted opposite the front face of the balance wheel. The flyweight is mounted on the arm on the rear face of the balance wheel, the distance between the bottom of the countersink of the front face of the balance wheel and the spring is a predetermined interval between 0.05 mm and 1.50 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Emmanuel GRAF, Marc STRANCZL
  • Patent number: 9690260
    Abstract: A method adjusting oscillation frequency of a sprung balance assembly formed at random from balance springs and balance wheels. A production mechanism is set to limit a sample standard deviation of a single batch of balance springs to a predetermined maximum value, and to limit a sample standard deviation of a single batch of balance wheels to a predetermined maximum value within a given unbalance tolerance. The mean of the balance population is classified according to the mean of the balance springs, to obtain a difference corresponding to a maximum inertia decrease value of the balances, between extreme gaussian distribution values of balances and of balance springs. A random balance spring sample is taken from the single batch of balance springs and a random balance from among the single batch of balances. The inertia of the balance is adjusted according to a torque value of the balance spring sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Marco Verardo, Emmanuel Graf, Philippe Barthoulot, Nicola Giusto, Sacha Vorpe
  • Patent number: 9645551
    Abstract: A method of improving pivoting of a wheel set for a scientific instrument, including an arbor pivoting or oscillating about an axis, in which: static balancing of the wheel set is performed to bring the center of gravity onto the axis; a desired value is determined for resulting unbalance moment of the wheel set about the axis, corresponding to a predetermined divergence between a first principal longitudinal axis of inertia of the wheel set, and the axis; at a predetermined speed about the axis, the resulting unbalance moment is measured with regard to the axis; and an adjustment of the resulting unbalance moment is made within a given determined tolerance with regard to the desired value, and performed by machining both sides of a median plane including the two secondary axes of inertia of the wheel set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Thierry Conus, Marco Verardo, Ivan Villar, Andres Cabezas Jurin, Jean-Luc Helfer, Emmanuel Graf
  • Patent number: 9547278
    Abstract: Balance with inertia adjustment for timepieces, including a hub defining the pivot axis of the balance, a rim, a web extending between a lower plane and an upper plane on either side of a median plane, the web including at least one arm connecting the rim to the hub, the arm including a housing configured to receive and hold in place at least one inertia block. According to the invention, the inertia block has a front face and a rear face and is integrated in the balance arm, so that the front face and rear face are substantially in the upper plane and the lower plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Emmanuel Graf, Marc Stranczl
  • Patent number: 9310774
    Abstract: A method of improving the pivoting of a wheel set for a scientific instrument, including an arbor pivoting or oscillating about a wheel set axis, is provided. A static balancing of this wheel set is performed to bring the center of gravity onto this axis. A desired value is determined for the resulting unbalance moment of this wheel set about this axis, corresponding to a predetermined desired divergence between a first principal longitudinal axis of inertia of this wheel set, and this axis. This wheel set is set in rotation at a predetermined speed about this wheel set axis, and the resulting unbalance moment is measured with regard to this axis. An adjustment is made to the value of the resulting unbalance moment of this wheel set about this axis within a given determined tolerance with regard to this desired value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Thierry Conus, Marco Verardo, Ivan Villar, Andres Cabezas Jurin, Jean-Luc Helfer, Emmanuel Graf
  • Publication number: 20160062314
    Abstract: Balance with inertia adjustment for timepieces, including a hub defining the pivot axis of the balance, a rim, a web extending between a lower plane and an upper plane on either side of a median plane, the web including at least one arm connecting the rim to the hub, the arm including a housing configured to receive and hold in place at least one inertia block. According to the invention, the inertia block has a front face and a rear face and is integrated in the balance arm, so that the front face and rear face are substantially in the upper plane and the lower plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Emmanuel GRAF, Marc Stranczl
  • Patent number: 9176478
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system of assembling a member, made of a first material, in the aperture of a part made of a second material having no plastic domain, using an intermediate portion made of a third material, mounted between said member and said part, According to the invention, the intermediate portion is accommodated against a shoulder of the part and is laterally locked in a resilient manner by at least one resilient locking device of the part to secure together the unit comprising the member-intermediate portion-part. The invention concerns the field of timepieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Pierre Cusin, Marc Stranczl, Daniel Mallet, Emmanuel Graf
  • Publication number: 20150198927
    Abstract: A method of improving pivoting of a wheel set for a scientific instrument, including an arbor pivoting or oscillating about a wheel set axis, the method including: static balancing of the wheel set to bring the center of gravity onto the axis; determining a desired value for the resulting unbalance moment of the wheel set about the axis, corresponding to a predetermined desired divergence between a first principal longitudinal axis of inertia of the wheel set, and the axis; setting the wheel set in rotation at a predetermined speed about the wheel set axis, the resulting unbalance moment is measured with regard to the axis; and adjusting a value of the resulting unbalance moment of the wheel set about the axis within a given determined tolerance with regard to the desired value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd.
    Inventors: Thierry Conus, Marco Verardo, Ivan Villar, Andrés Cabezas Jurin, Jean-Luc Helfer, Emmanuel Graf
  • Patent number: 8944675
    Abstract: A balance set for a timepiece, with inertia adjustment for adjusting inertia and/or balancing and/or oscillation frequency of the balance, with a balance including an insert inserted into a recess of a felloe connected to a hub by a joining surface. The balance includes on the felloe thereof an elastic holding mechanism including two antagonistic elastic lips which, when stressed, allow insertion of the insert into the recess and which, when released, prevent removal of the insert from the recess. A sprung balance or a timepiece can incorporate such a balance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Daniel Mallet, Frederic Tolle, Philippe Barthoulot, Daniel Vicente, Emmanuel Graf, Philomene Berger, Pierre Cusin
  • Publication number: 20140355397
    Abstract: A method of improving pivoting of a wheel set for a scientific instrument, including an arbor pivoting or oscillating about an axis, in which: static balancing of the wheel set is performed to bring the center of gravity onto the axis; a desired value is determined for resulting unbalance moment of the wheel set about the axis, corresponding to a predetermined divergence between a first principal longitudinal axis of inertia of the wheel set, and the axis; at a predetermined speed about the axis, the resulting unbalance moment is measured with regard to the axis; and an adjustment of the resulting unbalance moment is made within a given determined tolerance with regard to the desired value, and performed by machining both sides of a median plane including the two secondary axes of inertia of the wheel set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd.
    Inventors: Thierry Conus, Marco Verardo, Ivan Villar, Andres Cabezas Jurin, Jean-Luc Helfer, Emmanuel Graf
  • Patent number: 8845184
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system of assembling a member, made of a first material, in the aperture of a part made of a second material having no usable plastic domain, using an intermediate portion (7, 27, 47, 67, 87) made of a third material, mounted between said member and said part. According to the invention, the part is accommodated against a first level (6) of the intermediate portion and is resiliently locked on a second level of the intermediate portion by the member in order to secure together the unit comprising the member—intermediate portion—part. The invention concerns the field of timepieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Pierre Cusin, Marc Stranczl, Daniel Mallet, Emmanuel Graf
  • Publication number: 20140160902
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system of assembling a member, made of a first material, in the aperture of a part made of a second material having no plastic domain, using an intermediate portion made of a third material, mounted between said member and said part, According to the invention, the intermediate portion is accommodated against a shoulder of the part and is laterally locked in a resilient manner by at least one resilient locking device of the part to secure together the unit comprising the member-intermediate portion-part. The invention concerns the field of timepieces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Pierre CUSIN, Marc Stranczl, Daniel Mallet, Emmanuel Graf
  • Publication number: 20140160901
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system of assembling a member, made of a first material, in the aperture of a part made of a second material having no usable plastic domain, using an intermediate portion (7, 27, 47, 67, 87) made of a third material, mounted between said member and said part. According to the invention, the part is accommodated against a first level (6) of the intermediate portion and is resiliently locked on a second level of the intermediate portion by the member in order to secure together the unit comprising the member-intermediate portion-part. The invention concerns the field of timepieces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Pierre CUSIN, Marc STRANCZL, Daniel MALLET, Emmanuel GRAF
  • Publication number: 20140157601
    Abstract: A method adjusting oscillation frequency of a sprung balance assembly formed at random from balance springs and balance wheels. A production mechanism is set to limit a sample standard deviation of a single batch of balance springs to a predetermined maximum value, and to limit a sample standard deviation of a single batch of balance wheels to a predetermined maximum value within a given unbalance tolerance. The mean of the balance population is classified according to the mean of the balance springs, to obtain a difference corresponding to a maximum inertia decrease value of the balances, between extreme gaussian distribution values of balances and of balance springs. A random balance spring sample is taken from the single batch of balance springs and a random balance from among the single batch of balances. The inertia of the balance is adjusted according to a torque value of the balance spring sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Marco Verardo, Emmanuel Graf, Philippe Barthoulot, Nicola Giusto, Sacha Vorpe
  • Publication number: 20130188461
    Abstract: A balance set for a timepiece, with inertia adjustment for adjusting inertia and/or balancing and/or oscillation frequency of the balance, with a balance including an insert inserted into a recess of a felloe connected to a hub by a joining surface. The balance includes on the felloe thereof an elastic holding mechanism including two antagonistic elastic lips which, when stressed, allow insertion of the insert into the recess and which, when released, prevent removal of the insert from the recess. A sprung balance or a timepiece can incorporate such a balance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Daniel Mallet, Frederic Tolle, Philippe Barthoulot, Daniel Vicente, Emmanuel Graf, Philomene Berger, Pierre Cusin
  • Patent number: D700535
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Nivarox-Far S.A.
    Inventor: Emmanuel Graf
  • Patent number: D730764
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: NIVAROX-FAR S.A.
    Inventor: Emmanuel Graf
  • Patent number: D733603
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: NIVAROX-FAR S.A.
    Inventor: Emmanuel Graf