Patents by Inventor Michel Willemin
Michel Willemin 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: 11640140Abstract: A process for producing a metal alloy balance wheel by molding includes a) making a mold in the negative shape of the balance wheel; b) obtaining a metal alloy that has a thermal expansion coefficient of less than 25 ppm/° C. and is able to be in an at least partly amorphous state when it is heated to a temperature between its glass transition temperature and its crystallization temperature; c) putting the metal alloy into the mold, the metal alloy being heated to a temperature between its glass transition temperature and its crystallization temperature so as to be hot-molded and to form a balance wheel; d) cooling the metal alloy to obtain a balance wheel made of the metal alloy; and e) releasing the balance wheel obtained in step d) from its mold. The process also includes a step for over-molding flexible centering components in the hub.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2022Date of Patent: May 2, 2023Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Alexandre Haemmerli, Francois Gueissaz, Jean-Claude Martin, Lionel Paratte, Yves Winkler, Gianni Di Domenico, Pascal Winkler, Jean-Luc Helfer, Lionel Tombez, Baptiste Hinaux, Donald William Corson, Michel Willemin
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Publication number: 20230125471Abstract: A magnifying device (100) with multiple magnifications including: an outer shell (10) forming a body of revolution with an axis of revolution (X-X) and having an inner cavity (5), a first lens (30) mounted at a first end (13) of said outer shell (10), and a second lens (20) capable of moving between a retracted position and an extended position in which said second lens (20) is superimposed on said first lens (30) so as to change the optical characteristics of the magnifying device (100).Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2022Publication date: April 27, 2023Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Dario GRECO, Pierpasquale TORTORA, Michel WILLEMIN
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Patent number: 11625005Abstract: A display mechanism of a watch including at least one indicator member and a drive member assembly. The indicator member is mounted to rotate about a first axis of rotation and is configured to indicate a time. The indicator member also has a second axis of rotation extending along the indicator member and a rotary element mounted to rotate about the second axis of rotation. The drive assembly includes a first drive member and a second drive member such that the first drive member drives the rotary element when it is moving about the first axis of rotation.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2020Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Cedric Nicolas, Simon Springer, Ahmad Odeh, Michel Willemin
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Patent number: 11567456Abstract: An oscillator includes a resonator, which has an inertial mass returned by an elastic return and carries entry and exit pallets cooperating with teeth of an escape wheel each provided with a magnet. Each pallet includes a magnetic arrangement, with an annular sector, centred on the axis of oscillation of the resonator, defining a first magnetic barrier area extending above and/or below a mechanical pallet-stone of the entry pallet or exit pallet, over the entire length of this mechanical pallet-stone acting as support for the teeth during the supplementary arc, in order to form a magnetic cylinder escapement mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2019Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Gianni Di Domenico, Jerome Favre, Dominique Lechot, Baptiste Hinaux, Olivier Matthey, Pascal Winkler, Marc Stranczl, Michel Willemin, Ahmad Odeh
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Publication number: 20220390900Abstract: Provided is a timepiece including, in addition to a crystal, the following external elements: a back (2), a middle part (1), a dial (3), and two bracelet strands (30), at least one of these external elements includes a body formed of a first portion made of a first opaque material and of a second portion made of a second partially transparent or translucent material. The first material being integral with the second material and the timepiece also includes at least one light source (10) producing light which passes through the second portion made of a partially transparent or translucent ceramic material comprising zirconia.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2022Publication date: December 8, 2022Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Michel WILLEMIN, Loïc CURCHOD, Pierpasquale TORTORA, Simon SPRINGER, Cédric FAURE
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Publication number: 20220390898Abstract: The invention relates to a timepiece including, in addition to a crystal (34), the following external elements: a back (2), a middle (1), a dial (3) and two bracelet strands (30), at least one of these external elements comprising at least one part made of an at least partially transparent or translucent ceramic material, the timepiece further including at least two point light sources (10) releasing heat, each light source (10) being capable of being separately switched on/off and being disposed in or directly beneath said at least one external element comprising the ceramic material, each light source (10) producing light that passes through the ceramic material of said external element, and wherein each light source (10) is configured to produce localised light on a point or quasi-point area (40) of the ceramic material of the external element concerned, so as to produce localised illumination on said external element.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2022Publication date: December 8, 2022Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Michel WILLEMIN, Loïc CURCHOD, Pierpasquale TORTORA, Simon SPRINGER, Cédric FAURE
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Publication number: 20220365486Abstract: The present invention relates to a device (100) for displaying the moon for a timepiece on demand. The display device (100) comprises a first movable indicator member (110) and having a representation of the moon (111). This representation of the moon (111) is completely or partially occulted by an occulting element (121) that is located on a second movable indicator member (120) when the user so requests and in particular via a control unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2020Publication date: November 17, 2022Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Michel WILLEMIN, Simon SPRINGER, Jean-Jacques BORN
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Publication number: 20220267891Abstract: A method for depositing a rare material in a thin layer at the surface of an horological or jewellery external part includes providing a rough part of rare material, shaping the rough part of rare material so that it is adapted to be used as a target part for a PVD method, depositing material of the target part at the surface of a substrate consisting of an horological or jewellery eternal part by a PVD method so as to cover the external part.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2022Publication date: August 25, 2022Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Michel WILLEMIN, Simon SPRINGER, Loïc CURCHOD
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Publication number: 20220269219Abstract: An annular fluidic device includes a closed annular tube, wherein the tube includes at least one portion of transparent wall and contains a rigid torus bathed in a fluid filling the internal volume of the tube, in that the torus is arranged to be movable in the tube, and wherein at least one permanently polarised magnetic element integral with the torus allows it to undergo a moment of force causing it to be aligned in the direction of the external magnetic vector. A watch case can include this device.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2021Publication date: August 25, 2022Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: François GUEISSAZ, Michel WILLEMIN, Matthias IMBODEN
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Publication number: 20220209558Abstract: A power management method for a solar watch or a solar automatic watch. The power management method including at least one providing a primary power supply from at least one energy supplier. The primary power supply is converted to a secondary power supply when the primary power supply reaches at least one primary threshold and/or at least one secondary threshold. A motor is supplied with the secondary power supply such as to wind a mainspring via the motor.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2021Publication date: June 30, 2022Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Matthias IMBODEN, Jean-Jacques BORN, Alexandre HAEMMERLI, Lionel PARATTE, Christophe GERMIQUET, François GUEISSAZ, Michel WILLEMIN
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Publication number: 20220163923Abstract: A process for producing a metal alloy balance wheel by molding includes a) making a mold in the negative shape of the balance wheel; b) obtaining a metal alloy that has a thermal expansion coefficient of less than 25 ppm/° C. and is able to be in an at least partly amorphous state when it is heated to a temperature between its glass transition temperature and its crystallization temperature; c) putting the metal alloy into the mold, the metal alloy being heated to a temperature between its glass transition temperature and its crystallization temperature so as to be hot-molded and to form a balance wheel; d) cooling the metal alloy to obtain a balance wheel made of the metal alloy; and e) releasing the balance wheel obtained in step d) from its mold. The process also includes a step for over-molding flexible centering components in the hub.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2022Publication date: May 26, 2022Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Alexandre HAEMMERLI, Francois GUEISSAZ, Jean-Claude MARTIN, Lionel PARATTE, Yves WINKLER, Gianni DI DOMENICO, Pascal WINKLER, Jean-Luc HELFER, Lionel TOMBEZ, Baptiste HINAUX, Donald William CORSON, Michel WILLEMIN
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Patent number: 11334026Abstract: Method for adjusting the rate of a basic oscillator of a watch arranged to oscillate at a nominal frequency N0, with a master oscillator generating an excitation frequency NE approximately equal to an integer multiple of this nominal frequency N0, the master oscillator subjecting the watch to excitation or a modulated motion during a transition phase after which the basic oscillator is stabilised at the excitation frequency NE, and a state of display correction method with a winder for mechanical or automatic watches, moving a support carrying the watch and comprising a state of display correction oscillator, having a lower variation of rate value than the initial variation of rate value DI of this basic oscillator, and oscillating at a correction frequency NC to impose oscillation or a motion on the watch, during a state of display correction phase whose duration is adjusted to exactly correct a state of display error measured at the initial moment of actuation.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2018Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Jerome Favre, Michel Willemin, Jean-Jacques Born, Dominique Lechot, Gianni Di Domenico
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Publication number: 20220137559Abstract: Method for adjusting the rate of a basic oscillator of a watch arranged to oscillate at a nominal frequency N0, with a master oscillator generating an excitation frequency NE approximately equal to an integer multiple of this nominal frequency N0, the master oscillator subjecting the watch to excitation or a modulated motion during a transition phase after which the basic oscillator is stabilised at the excitation frequency NE, and a state of display correction method with a winder for mechanical or automatic watches, moving a support carrying the watch and comprising a state of display correction oscillator, having a lower variation of rate value than the initial variation of rate value DI of this basic oscillator, and oscillating at a correction frequency NC to impose oscillation or a motion on the watch, during a state of display correction phase whose duration is adjusted to exactly correct a state of display error measured at the initial moment of actuation.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2022Publication date: May 5, 2022Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Jerome FAVRE, Michel WILLEMIN, Jean-Jacques BORN, Dominique LECHOT, Gianni DI DOMENICO
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Publication number: 20220120677Abstract: A device (1) for measuring a relative humidity level inside the enclosure (9) of a case (3) of a watch (2), the device (1) including: an emitter module (5) provided with a source of light radiation capable of emitting light beams (8) towards the enclosure (9) of the case (3); a receiver module (6a, 6b, 6c) for receiving at least one acoustic signal (12) from the enclosure (9), and a control unit (7) connected to the modules (5, 6) and which is configured to evaluate the water vapour content of a gaseous fluid (11) contained inside the enclosure (9) as a function of the at least one acoustic signal (12) received by the receiver module (6a, 6b, 6c).Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2021Publication date: April 21, 2022Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd.Inventors: Dominique Dubugnon, Cédric Blatter, Michel Willemin
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Publication number: 20220121157Abstract: An assembly (1) for measuring a relative humidity level inside a watch (2), comprising the watch (2) and a device (4) for determining the humidity level present in the enclosure (9) of a case (3) of this watch (2), the determination device (4) comprising a free space optical system and a control unit (7). The system includes: an emitter module (5) for emitting at least one light beam (8); and a receiver module (6) for receiving the at least one light beam (8); the control unit (7) being connected to the modules (5, 6) and the at least one light beam (8) emitted by the emitter module (5) defining an optical path partly comprised in the case (3) and extending as far as the receiver module (6) and the control unit (7) being configured to evaluate the absorption of the light beam (8) by the water vapour capable of being present inside the enclosure (9) of the case (3).Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2021Publication date: April 21, 2022Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Dominique Dubugnon, Cedric Blatter, Michel Willemin
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Patent number: 11307535Abstract: A process for producing a metal alloy balance wheel by molding, the process including the following steps: a) making a mold in the negative shape of the balance wheel, b) getting hold of a metal alloy that has a thermal expansion coefficient of less than 25 ppm/° C. and is able to be in an at least partly amorphous state when it is heated to a temperature between its glass transition temperature and its crystallization temperature, c) putting the metal alloy into the mold, the metal alloy being heated to a temperature between its glass transition temperature and its crystallization temperature so as to be hot-molded and to form a balance wheel, d) cooling the metal alloy to obtain a balance wheel made of the metal alloy, e) releasing the balance wheel obtained in step d) from its mold.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2018Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Alexandre Haemmerli, Francois Gueissaz, Jean-Claude Martin, Lionel Paratte, Yves Winkler, Gianni Di Domenico, Pascal Winkler, Jean-Luc Helfer, Lionel Tombez, Baptiste Hinaux, Donald William Corson, Michel Willemin
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Publication number: 20220113682Abstract: The winding device includes a motorization device for driving a watch holder carrying at least one automatic watch with a mobile oscillating mass, and a measuring device for measuring the variation in the resistive torque opposed to the motorization device by the watch holder equipped with watches, depending on the degree of winding of the watches. The measuring device includes a speed measuring device to determine the speed and/or the variation in the speed of the motorization device, and/or include a torque measuring device to determine the value of the torque and/or the variation in the torque at the watch holder, and/or include a current measuring device to determine the value of the current and/or the variation in the current of an electric motor of the motorization device.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 3, 2021Publication date: April 14, 2022Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Michel WILLEMIN, Jérôme FAVRE, Nicolas LIVAT
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Publication number: 20220107607Abstract: A coiling limitation device for a timepiece barrel includes at least one non-return notch arranged to cooperate with a sliding flange of the spring of the barrel, which is integrated in a watch including a resonator cooperating with an escapement mechanism. This device includes an acoustic device for the acoustic monitoring of the coiling of the barrel of a watch positioned on a receptacle included by the device, which acoustic devices are arranged to identify a click noise during each start of cooperation between the sliding flange and a notch. The device includes piloting devices arranged to stop the coiling of the barrel at the instant of the perception of the click noise or the repetition of the click noise.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2021Publication date: April 7, 2022Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Jérôme FAVRE, Jean-Jacques BORN, Nakis P. KARAPATIS, Michel WILLEMIN, Jean-Claude MARTIN
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Publication number: 20210341343Abstract: A method for calibrating an electronic temperature sensor connected to a mobile device. The device includes a microprocessor and memory linked to the microprocessor, to store an application coupled to a data entry interface. The temperature sensor is initially placed in a plurality of predetermined environments, where it provides an initial raw temperature value measured in each environment, and, for each of these environments, a predetermined initial temperature value corresponding to the actual temperature of this environment is entered beforehand directly into the application via the interface.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2021Publication date: November 4, 2021Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Michel Willemin, Jérôme Stauffer, Thierry Scordilis
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Patent number: 11144012Abstract: The present invention relates to a covering element for a portable object made of a first material, the first material being a ceramic material having a first color, characterized in that the surface of said covering element is at least partially treated so as to exhibit at least one conversion having a different color from the first color.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2016Date of Patent: October 12, 2021Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Loic Curchod, Cedric Faure, Michel Willemin, Simon Springer