Abstract: A sprung balance type mechanical timekeeper, includes a spiral spring (10), a balance (20) and an escapement mechanism (30) connected by a point of attachment (12) to the spiral spring and arranged to sustain an oscillation of the balance. The escapement mechanism (30) is connected to the point of attachment (12) of the spiral spring by a chassis (40) pivoted about the axis (A) of the balance. An outer end (12) of the spiral spring (10) is attached to this transverse pert (40) at a location located on one side of the balance axis (A). The chassis (40) includes two branches extending on either side of the axis of the balance (20) and forming a rotary plate whose axis of rotation is coincident with the axis of oscillation of the balance (20). The escapement mechanism (30) is located on the other side of the balance axis (A) and acts on the pivoted chassis (40) so as to free its rotation and thus make the attached end (12) of the spiral spring rotate.

Abstract: In the present invention an alkali vapor cell is proposed comprising a sealed chamber enclosing an alkali atomic gas therein and having at least one optically transparent window. The chamber and the transparent window define an optical beam path through which a light beam can pass and which interacts with the alkali atomic gas in the chamber. The alkali vapor cell comprises at least one localized condensation area of alkali atoms at a predetermined location in the sealed chamber and the predetermined location is located inside or outside the optical beam path. The localized condensation area has higher alkali metal wettability than any other surface portion of the alkali vapor cell outside said localized condensation area.

Abstract: A sprung balance type mechanical timekeeper, includes a spiral spring (10), a balance (20) and an escapement mechanism (30) connected by a point of attachment (12) to the spiral spring and arranged to sustain an oscillation of the balance. The escapement mechanism (30) is connected to the point of attachment (12) of the spiral spring by a chassis (40) pivoted about the axis (A) of the balance. An outer end (12) of the spiral spring (10) is attached to this transverse pert (40) at a location located on one side of the balance axis (A). The chassis (40) includes two branches extending on either side of the axis of the balance (20) and forming a rotary plate whose axis of rotation is coincident with the axis of oscillation of the balance (20). The escapement mechanism (30) is located on the other side of the balance axis (A) and acts on the pivoted chassis (40) so as to free its rotation and thus make the attached end (12) of the spiral spring rotate.

Abstract: In the present invention an alkali vapor cell is proposed comprising a sealed chamber enclosing an alkali atomic gas therein and having at least one optically transparent window. The chamber and the transparent window define an optical beam path through which a light beam can pass and which interacts with the alkali atomic gas in the chamber. The alkali vapor cell comprises at least one localized condensation area of alkali atoms at a predetermined location in the sealed chamber and the predetermined location is located inside or outside the optical beam path. The localized condensation area has higher alkali metal wettability than any other surface portion of the alkali vapor cell outside said localized condensation area.

Abstract: A cursor control device for personal computers and workstations includes a randomly speckled ball illuminated with diffuse lighting. An image of at least a portion of the illuminated area of the speckled ball is focused by an optical element such as a diffractive optical element onto a photosensitive array. Logic associated with the photosensitive array determines movement of the ball across the array, and translates that movement into conventional cursor control signals supplied to a host system.