Patents by Inventor Lionel MICHELET
Lionel MICHELET 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).
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Patent number: 11913094Abstract: A spiral spring is configured to equip a balance of a horological movement. The spiral spring is made of an alloy consisting of: Nb, Ti and at least one element selected from V and Ta, optionally at least one element selected from Zr and Hf, optionally at least one element selected from W and Mo, possible traces of other elements selected from O, H, C, Fe, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al, with the following weight percentages: a total content of Nb, V and Ta comprised between 40 and 85%, a total content of Ti, Zr and Hf comprised between 15 and 55%, a content for W and Mo respectively comprised between 0 and 2.5%, a content for each of the elements selected from O, H, C, Fe, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al between 0 and 1600 ppm with the sum of the traces less than or equal to 0.3% by weight.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2022Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.Inventors: Christian Charbon, Lionel Michelet, Marco Verardo
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Patent number: 11898225Abstract: A spiral spring intended to equip a balance of a horological movement, wherein the spiral spring is made of an alloy consisting of Nb, Ti and at least one element selected from Zr and Hf, optionally at least one element selected from W and Mo, possible traces of other elements selected from O, H, Ta, C, Fe, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al, with the following weight percentages: a content of Nb comprised between 40 and 84%, a total content of Ti, Zr and Hf comprised between 16 and 55%, a content for W and Mo respectively comprised between 0 and 2.5%, a content for each of said elements selected from O, H, Ta, C, Fe, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al comprised between 0 and 1600 ppm with the sum of said traces less than or equal to 0.3% by weight. The method for manufacturing the spiral spring is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2022Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.Inventors: Christian Charbon, Lionel Michelet, Marco Verardo
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Patent number: 11851737Abstract: A balance spring intended to equip a balance of a horological movement, wherein the balance spring is made of an alloy consisting of Nb, Ti, H and possible traces of other elements selected from O, C, Fe, N, Ni, Si, Cu and Al, with the following weight percentages: a Ti content comprised between 1 and 80 wt %, a H content comprised between 0.17 and 2 wt %, a total content of all other elements of less than or equal to 0.3 wt %, the remainder to 100 wt % consisting of Nb. A manufacturing method for the balance spring is also disclosed and includes a step of thermochemically treating a blank made of a Nb and Ti alloy in an atmosphere including hydrogen so as to enrich the Nb and Ti alloy with hydrogen in interstitial form.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2022Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.Inventors: Lionel Michelet, Christian Charbon
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Publication number: 20230031063Abstract: A balance spring intended to equip a balance of a horological movement, wherein the balance spring is made of an alloy consisting of Nb, Ti, H and possible traces of other elements selected from O, C, Fe, N, Ni, Si, Cu and Al, with the following weight percentages: a Ti content comprised between 1 and 80 wt %, a H content comprised between 0.17 and 2 wt %, a total content of all other elements of less than or equal to 0.3 wt %, the remainder to 100 wt % consisting of Nb. A manufacturing method for the balance spring is also disclosed and includes a step of thermochemically treating a blank made of a Nb and Ti alloy in an atmosphere including hydrogen so as to enrich the Nb and Ti alloy with hydrogen in interstitial form.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2022Publication date: February 2, 2023Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.Inventors: Lionel MICHELET, Christian CHARBON
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Publication number: 20220413438Abstract: A method for manufacturing a spiral spring may include: (a) providing a blank with an Nb—Ti core; (b) beta-quenching the blank; (c) deforming the blank in several sequences; (d) winding to form the spiral spring; (e) final heat treatment on the spiral spring. The blank in (a) may include a layer of X including Cu, Sn, Fe, Pt, Pd, Rh, Al, Au, Ni, Ag, Co and Cr or an alloy of one of these elements around the Nb—Ti core. The method may include heat treating to partially transform the layer of X into a layer of X, Ti intermetals around the Nb—Ti core, and may be carried out between (b) and (c) or between two sequences of (c). The method may include removing the part of the layer of X, which may be carried out between (b) and (c), between two sequences of (c) or between (c) and (d).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2020Publication date: December 29, 2022Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.Inventors: Lionel MICHELET, Christian CHARBON, Marco VERARDO
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Publication number: 20220298610Abstract: A spiral spring intended to equip a balance of a horological movement, wherein the spiral spring is made of an alloy consisting of Nb, Ti and at least one element selected from Zr and Hf, optionally at least one element selected from W and Mo, possible traces of other elements selected from O, H, Ta, C, Fe, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al, with the following weight percentages: a content of Nb comprised between 40 and 84%, a total content of Ti, Zr and Hf comprised between 16 and 55%, a content for W and Mo respectively comprised between 0 and 2.5%, a content for each of said elements selected from O, H, Ta, C, Fe, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al comprised between 0 and 1600 ppm with the sum of said traces less than or equal to 0.3% by weight. The method for manufacturing the spiral spring is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2022Publication date: September 22, 2022Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.Inventors: Christian CHARBON, Lionel MICHELET, Marco VERARDO
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Publication number: 20220298611Abstract: A spiral spring is configured to equip a balance of a horological movement. The spiral spring is made of an alloy consisting of: Nb, Ti and at least one element selected from V and Ta, optionally at least one element selected from Zr and Hf, optionally at least one element selected from W and Mo, possible traces of other elements selected from O, H, C, Fe, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al, with the following weight percentages: a total content of Nb, V and Ta comprised between 40 and 85%, a total content of Ti, Zr and Hf comprised between 15 and 55%, a content for W and Mo respectively comprised between 0 and 2.5%, a content for each of the elements selected from 0, H, C, Fe, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al between 0 and 1600 ppm with the sum of the traces less than or equal to 0.3% by weight.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2022Publication date: September 22, 2022Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.Inventors: Christian CHARBON, Lionel MICHELET, Marco VERARDO
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Publication number: 20210088971Abstract: A balance spring (1) intended to equip a balance of a horological movement, wherein the balance spring (1) is made of a niobium and titanium alloy containing: niobium: the remainder to 100 wt %; titanium with a weight percentage that is greater than or equal to 1 wt % and less than 40 wt %; traces of other elements chosen from among O, H, C, Fe, Ta, N, Ni, Si, Cu and Al, each of said elements being in the range 0 to 1,600 ppm of the total weight, and the sum of said trace elements being less than or equal to 0.3 wt %.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2020Publication date: March 25, 2021Applicant: Nivarox-FAR S.A.Inventors: Christian CHARBON, Marco VERARDO, Lionel MICHELET