Abstract: The invention proposes an arrangement for the mechanical interfacing of a micromotor of the MEMS type with a toothed wheel in which the micromotor is produced in the upper layer of a plate made of crystalline or amorphous material and comprises at least one actuator which drives a rotor in rotation, characterised in that a pinion, coaxial with the rotor and arranged above the rotor, is connected in rotation to the rotor by means of at least one pin which is received in an associated housing and in that the pinion meshes with the toothed wheel.

Abstract: The invention proposes a MEMS micromotor produced in a plate made of crystalline or amorphous material, in particular based on silicon, which comprises a lower layer forming a substrate, and an upper layer in which at least one actuator and a rotor is etched, the actuator driving the rotor in rotation about a shaft (64), characterized in that the shaft (64) is connected to the plate, in that the shaft (64) extends axially through a hole of the plate, and in that the shaft (64) is clamped in the hole and centered in the hole by means of elastic fixing structures which are produced by etching in the substrate and which are arranged on the circumference of the hole.

Abstract: The invention proposes a MEMS micromotor produced in a plate made of crystalline or amorphous material, in particular based on silicon, which comprises a lower layer forming a substrate, and an upper layer in which at least one actuator and a rotor is etched, the actuator driving the rotor in rotation about a shaft (64), characterised in that the shaft (64) is connected to the plate, in that the shaft (64) extends axially through a hole of the plate, and in that the shaft (64) is clamped in the hole and centred in the hole by means of elastic fixing structures which are produced by etching in the substrate and which are arranged on the circumference of the hole.

Abstract: The invention proposes an arrangement for the mechanical interfacing of a micromotor of the MEMS type with a toothed wheel in which the micromotor is produced in the upper layer of a plate made of crystalline or amorphous material and comprises at least one actuator which drives a rotor in rotation, characterised in that a pinion, coaxial with the rotor and arranged above the rotor, is connected in rotation to the rotor by means of at least one pin which is received in an associated housing and in that the pinion meshes with the toothed wheel.

Abstract: There is disclosed a portable electronic instrument, such as a wristwatch (1), including a case (2) enclosing an electronic module (6) and a display device (5), a crystal (3) fitted onto the case (2), an electric power supply source (4) housed in the case (2) and powering the electronic module (6) and the display device (5), and an antenna (20) for receiving and/or transmitting radio-frequency signals electrically connected to the electronic module (6). The case (2) includes an exterior body (4) including a bottom (4a) and lateral walls (4b) and a bezel element (7) fitted onto the exterior body (4) and supporting the crystal (3). The antenna (20) rests on an outer face (7a) of the bezel element (7).

Abstract: The present invention concerns a device for mounting a source of electric energy (100), preferably a button-type battery, for a portable electronic apparatus including a housing (3, 44), closed by a cover (14, 49), for said energy source. The housing includes, in proximity to its periphery, tongues (5, 32) that can be deformed for holding the energy source axially in the housing. Further, the cover includes a wall (15, 50) projecting into the housing and arranged between the periphery of the housing and the tongues retaining the energy source. The wall of the cover thus ensures that the tongues are held properly against the energy source when the latter is arranged in the housing, in particular in the event of a violent shock.

Abstract: There is disclosed a portable electronic instrument, such as a wristwatch (1), including a case (2) enclosing an electronic module (6) and a display device (5), a crystal (3) fitted onto the case (2), an electric power supply source (4) housed in the case (2) and powering the electronic module (6) and the display device (5), and an antenna (20) for receiving and/or transmitting radio-frequency signals electrically connected to the electronic module (6).

Abstract: The present invention concerns a device for mounting a source of electric energy (100), preferably a button-type battery, for a portable electronic apparatus including a housing (3, 44), closed by a cover (14, 49), for said energy source. The housing includes, in proximity to its periphery, tongues (5, 32) that can be deformed for holding the energy source axially in the housing. Further, the cover includes a wall (15, 50) projecting into the housing and arranged between the periphery of the housing and the tongues retaining the energy source. The wall of the cover thus ensures that the tongues are held properly against the energy source when the latter is arranged in the housing, in particular in the event of a violent shock.

Abstract: The transmission device disclosed is inserted between a rotating oscillating weight and an electric micro-generator in order to drive the generator rotor from the oscillating weight by multiplying the rotational speed. Its intermediate wheel and pinion includes a barrel (27) whose central shaft (24) is coupled to the drum (41) of the barrel by a spiral spring (30). The inner end of the spring has a bent portion (34) which engages via resilience in any one of a number of hollows (51) in the shaft and can be released by sliding over a slanting side (52) when the shaft exerts too great a torque in the given rotational direction. This arrangement prevents damage resulting from shocks, in particular in the case of a watch, without using a friction system.

Abstract: The device includes a barrel (2) inserted in the kinematic chain between the rotor (11) of the generator (1) and the oscillating weight (3). The barrel includes a spiral coiled spring (4) and a sliding strip (6), wound in the same direction as the spiral coiled spring over the length of a turn, without any mechanical connection with the spring, but forming a protective envelope in the open position in case of shock. The shockproof device can be applied to the generator of a wristwatch.

Abstract: The transmission device disclosed is inserted between a rotating oscillating weight and an electric micro-generator in order to drive the generator rotor from the oscillating weight by multiplying the rotational speed. Its intermediate wheel and pinion includes a barrel (27) whose central shaft (24) is coupled to the drum (41) of the barrel by a spiral spring (30). The inner end of the spring has a bent portion (34) which engages via resilience in any one of a number of hollows (51) in the shaft and can be released by sliding over a slanting side (52) when the shaft exerts too great a torque in the given rotational direction. This arrangement prevents damage resulting from shocks, in particular in the case of a watch, without using a friction system.

Abstract: The invention concerns a push button device for a timepiece, in particular a chronograph, including a pusher head (2) associated with a pusher stem (4) arranged so as to slide in a recess (6) inside which it moves axially from a rest position against the resilient return force of a spring (12) when the pusher head (2) is pushed in, characterised in that the pusher stem (4) is also able to move axially from its rest position to a pulled out position when the pusher head (2) is pulled out.

Abstract: A device for limiting the acceleration which an oscillating weight (1) used to drive or wind a power generator powering an instrument of small volume, can undergo, includes a bearing raceway (2) against which such weight abuts when it undergoes an acceleration substantially exceeding that occurring in normal use of the instrument. For this purpose, the weight (1) is elastically mounted on a moving support member (4) so as to move in the plane of such weight which is then braked by the bearing raceway (2) when the weight undergoes an acceleration which exceeds a certain maximum value.

Abstract: An electric switch device (14) co-operating with a printed circuit (13) and closing perpendicular to such circuit when it is actuated by a pressure in a direction (A) parallel to the plane (16) of the circuit.The switch comprises an elastic contact element (22) having a prominent portion (25) which receives the pressure from a push-button (4) in a direction (A) parallel to the printed circuit. At least one flexible leg (28) of the contact element is fixed to the printed circuit or close to the latter. Another leg (26) of this contact element carries at its end a contact portion (27) which is lowered onto a pad of the circuit when the contact element bends under the effect of the control pressure.

Abstract: The invention relates to a watch comprising a device for indicating the temperature (16) of the environment in which the watch is situated comprising a first series of thermochromic liquid crystal temperature sensors (18) facing a first temperature scale (20) arranged in such a way that the reading given by the sensors (18) of the first series, in combination with said scale, is directly representative of the temperature of the environment in contact with the sensors, and wherein the device differentiates the temperature indicated by the sensors according to whether the watch is worn or not worn.

Abstract: The earth ring (8) bears the lunar disc (9) which pivots in a hollow of the surface (8a). On its outer periphery it possesses teeth (17) for driving it from the final wheel set (15) of the stepping transmission gear train (15,24,12). The driving wheel set (12) is activated one step per day from the date wheel. The pinion (20) of the lunar disc (9) is in mesh with the outer teeth (22), normally fixed but which may be displaced by means of the correction arrangement controlled by the stem (30) when it is turned in a predetermined sense. The same correction arrangement also enables one to act on the transmission train (12, 14,15,17). The stem (30) is then driven in a sense opposite to the above which displaces the sliding pinion (36) and enables correction of the position of the lunar disc (9) relative to the earth ring (8) this latter normally effecting a complete rotation in twelve months and the lunar disc (9 ) a complete rotation in about 29.5 days.

Abstract: A timepiece includes a case (2), a crystal (10) fixedly mounted on the case (2) and a rotatable bezel (16) guided in rotation relative to the crystal (10) and said case (2), said bezel (16) furthermore being associated with a ratchet mechanism (M) and is characterized in that said bezel (16) includes sealing means (36, 40) against solid impurities, such means being intended to isolate at least the ratchet mechanism (M) from the exterior and to prevent solid impurities from becoming embedded at least between said bezel (16) and the crystal (10) and in that it additionally includes means (24, 44) enabling the driving of such impurities towards the exterior of the timepiece.

Abstract: The timepiece of this invention comprises an electromagnetic motor (100) the stator (2) of which is flat and at least partially covered by a reinforcement plate (68) of non-magnetic material or, if need be, of very low magnetic permeability which has been attached to it, preferably by welding, prior to subjecting it in bulk along with others, to reheating thereby to protect it during such operation against the risk of deformation or breakage which would render it thereafter unusable. In conformity with the invention and to avoid such plate becoming a useless extra part taking up space in the timepiece, it includes means which enable it to form at the same time another element of the timepiece. Such element may be for instance a trigger piece jumper spring (72) which cooperates with a trigger piece (212) in order to define stable positions of a manual control stem (184) which may be axially displaced.

Abstract: The connection arrangement of this invention includes one or several sets of electrical contacts, respectively within the case of an electronic appliance and the bracelet thereof. These contacts are separable by virtue of being associated with elastic latching means. Moreover they are surrounded by a complementary abutment surfaces which protect them from all damaging influence coming from the exterior (in particular that resulting from corrosive substances which may be exuded by the wrist). These surfaces are firmly applied to one another by the latching force of the contacts.The invention may be applied in particular to any timepiece having a bracelet.