Patents by Inventor Pascal Winkler
Pascal Winkler 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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Publication number: 20260153838Abstract: A method for setting the rate of a regulating organ (10) in a horology movement, the regulating organ (10) including an inertial mass (5), such as a balance, and resilient means (2) for returning the inertial mass (5), such as a balance spring, the resilient return means (2) being configured to enable the inertial mass (5) to carry out an oscillatory movement, the method including a step in which material is added to and/or removed from the inertial mass (5) by projecting material (9) using a laser (7).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2025Publication date: June 4, 2026Applicant: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGÈRE SUISSEInventors: Simon SPRINGER, Sylvain HUOT-MARCHAND, Pascal WINKLER
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Patent number: 12602008Abstract: A regulating member (1) for a horological movement including an oscillating weight, for example a balance, and a balance spring including a flexible strip (2) wound about itself in a plurality of turns, the strip (2) having a predefined rigidity to allow the oscillating weight to undergo a rotary oscillatory motion, the strip (2) including an outer end (9), wherein the regulating member (1, 10) includes a temperature-compensating resilient device configured to adapt the stiffness thereof as a function of the temperature to compensate for the effect of temperature on the regulating member (1, 10), the resilient device including a resilient element (5) connecting the outer end (9) to a first support (7) that is stationary relative to the horological movement, as well as preloading means (6) for applying a variable force or torque to the resilient element (5) as a function of the temperature.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2023Date of Patent: April 14, 2026Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Gianni Di Domenico, Baptiste Hinaux, Mohammad Hussein Kahrobaiyan, Jean-Luc Helfer, Pascal Winkler
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Patent number: 12578682Abstract: A regulating member for a horological movement including an oscillating mass, for example a balance, a flexible guide including at least two flexible blades connecting a rigid support to the oscillating mass to enable the oscillating mass to make a rotary movement about a virtual pivot, the regulating member including an elastic device for compensating for the external pressure, the elastic compensation device being arranged in series with the rigid support, so as to connect the rigid support to means for securing the regulating member to the horological movement, the elastic compensation device being configured to adapt its stiffness according to the external pressure in order to compensate for the effect of external pressure on the regulating member.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2023Date of Patent: March 17, 2026Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Gianni Di Domenico, Baptiste Hinaux, Mohammad Hussein Kahrobaiyan, Jean-Luc Helfer, Pascal Winkler
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Patent number: 12572116Abstract: A member for a horological movement including an oscillating mass, for example a balance, a flexible guide including at least two main flexible blades connecting a movable support to the oscillating mass to enable the oscillating mass to make a rotary movement about a virtual pivot, wherein the regulating member includes an elastic device for compensating for the temperature arranged so as to connect the movable support to a securing device for securing the regulating member on the horological movement, the elastic compensation device being configured to adapt its stiffness according to the temperature in order to compensate for the effect of temperature on the regulating member.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2023Date of Patent: March 10, 2026Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Gianni Di Domenico, Baptiste Hinaux, Mohammad Hussein Kahrobaiyan, Jean-Luc Helfer, Pascal Winkler
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Patent number: 12468258Abstract: A regulating member (10) for a horological movement including a balance, a balance spring including a flexible strip (2) coiled on itself in several turns, the strip (2) having a predefined rigidity to enable the balance to perform a rotary oscillatory movement, the strip including an outer end (9). The regulating member (10) includes a resilient device for compensating the direction of gravity with respect to the regulating member (10), the resilient device adapting its stiffness according to gravity to compensate for the effect of gravity on the regulating member, the resilient device including a resilient element (5) connecting the outer end (9) to a first non-movable support (7) with respect to the horological movement, as well as prestressing means (6) for applying a variable force or torque on the resilient element (5) according to the direction of gravity with respect to the regulating member (10).Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2023Date of Patent: November 11, 2025Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Gianni Di Domenico, Baptiste Hinaux, Mohammad Hussein Kahrobaiyan, Jean-Luc Helfer, Pascal Winkler
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Publication number: 20250321541Abstract: A horology movement includes a control arbor (3) movealbe by pulling the arbor in the axial direction, a resonator (4) including a rotary balance (10) mounted on flexible blades, and a mechanism for stopping the oscillation of the balance. The mechanism incudes a lever (23) connected to the arbor, such that the lever is pivoted about a pivot axis (24) when the arbor, and an auxiliary lever (30) connected to the lever such that pivoting the lever causes the auxiliary lever to rotate about a rotational axis (31) separate from the pivot axis (24). The auxiliary lever is arranged such that it stops the balance (10), regardless of the position of the balance when the arbor (3) is initially pulled. Also, the lever (30) keeps the balance in a stationary position enabling the resonator (4) to restart automatically when the auxiliary lever (30) returns from active to rest position.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2025Publication date: October 16, 2025Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Dominique LECHOT, Jean-Jacques BORN, Pascal WINKLER
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Patent number: 12366826Abstract: A timepiece oscillator structure includes at least one divisible unit, which includes at least one component which includes at least one flexible blade or at least one blade with necks, joining two main units, each more rigid than the flexible blade or blade with necks, where the divisible unit includes at least one protection unit adjacent to at least one main unit to which it is connected by at least one divisible linkage which is designed in order to make possible the detachment of this protection unit from the component when the component is fixed, with at least the particular main unit which is adjacent to the protection unit, to a more rigid external element than the flexible blade or than the necks of the blade with necks.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2021Date of Patent: July 22, 2025Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere SuisseInventors: Daniel Mallet, Pierre Cusin, Raphael Courvoisier, Pascal Winkler
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Publication number: 20250189931Abstract: An assembly of a horological movement, which assembly includes a first timepiece component (22), for example a plate extending in a first plane, and a second timepiece component (30), for example an actuator of an actuation system, the assembly (1) including means (40) for assembling the first timepiece component (22) to the second timepiece component (30), wherein the assembly means (40) comprise means (50) for positioning the second component (30) on the first component (22) in a plane substantially parallel to the first component (22), and means (60) for bearing on the second component (30) to lock the second component (30) on the first component (22).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2024Publication date: June 12, 2025Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère SuisseInventors: Julien CHRISTAN, Mohammad Hussein KAHROBAIYAN, Romain LE MOAL, Pascal WINKLER
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Publication number: 20250164932Abstract: A regulating member (1) for a horological movement including an inertial mass, for example a balance (23), a balance spring (25), a balance cock (22), and an actuation system (20) for adjusting the rate of the balance spring (25), the balance spring (25) including a coiled ribbon (2) and device (30) for adjusting the stiffness of the balance spring, which device is provided with a resilient element (5) arranged in series with the coiled ribbon (2), the adjustment device (30) including a pre-stress device (6) for applying a variable force or torque to the flexible element (5), the actuation system (20) including an eccentric actuating the pre-stress device (6) of the adjustment device (30).Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2024Publication date: May 22, 2025Applicant: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGERE SUISSEInventors: Ivan Villar, Pascal Winkler
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Patent number: 12248276Abstract: A horological resonator mechanism, including a structure carrying, via a flexible suspension, an anchor unit from which is suspended an inertial element oscillating about a pivot axis extending in a first direction Z, in a first degree of rotational freedom RZ, under the effect of the return forces of a flexure pivot including longitudinal elastic strips, each fixed to the inertial element and to the anchor unit, the flexible suspension allowing the anchor unit to move in five degrees of freedom, this resonator is a composite assembly made of at least two different materials, on the one hand for the flexure pivot, and on the other hand for the flexible suspension.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2022Date of Patent: March 11, 2025Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Gianni Di Domenico, Mohammad Hussein Kahrobaiyan, Dominique Lechot, Pascal Winkler
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Publication number: 20250036079Abstract: An actuation system (20) for a horological movement, configured to displace, at least in part, a part between a plurality of positions, the actuation system (20) including a micromechanical actuator (30) intended to be engaged with said part, the micromechanical actuator (30) including a part (33) intended to be mounted such that it remains stationary, for example with respect to a plate of the horological movement, and a part (37) that is movable with respect to the stationary part (33), the actuator (30) including a spring part (35) connecting the movable part (37) to the stationary part (33), the spring part (35) carrying the movable part (37), the actuation system further including setting means cooperating with the actuator (30) so as to be able to displace the movable part (37) of the actuator (30) between a plurality of positions, the spring part (35) including a guide with flexible blades.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2024Publication date: January 30, 2025Applicant: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGÈRE SUISSEInventors: Julien CHRISTAN, Mohammad Hussein KAHROBAIYAN, Romain LE MOAL, Pascal WINKLER
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Publication number: 20250036083Abstract: A regulating member (1) for a horological movement, including an inertial mass, for example a balance (23), a balance spring (25) including a ribbon (2) wound in a plurality of coils, the regulating member including an actuation system for adjusting the rate of the regulating member (1), the actuation system including an actuator (30) mechanically connected to the balance spring (25), the displacement of the actuator making it possible to modify the rate of the regulating member, the actuator (30) including a hook (39) engaged with the balance spring (25), and the displacement of the actuator (30) making it possible to modify the stiffness of the balance spring (25).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2024Publication date: January 30, 2025Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogére SuisseInventors: Julien CHRISTAN, Mohammad Hussein KAHROBAIYAN, Romain LE MOAL, Pascal WINKLER
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Publication number: 20250036082Abstract: A regulating member (1) for a horological movement, including an inertial mass, for example a balance (23), a balance spring (25) including a wound ribbon (2) and an adjustor for adjusting the stiffness of the balance spring provided with a flexible element (5) arranged in series with the wound ribbon (2), the adjustor including a prestressing device (6) for applying a variable force or torque to the flexible element (5) in order to adjust the rate of the regulating member (1), the regulating member (1) including a system for actuating the prestressing device (6), the actuation system including an actuator (30) mechanically connected to the prestressing device (6), the actuator (30) being configured to perform, at least in part, a substantially linear, preferably rectilinear, displacement, in order to actuate the prestressing device.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2024Publication date: January 30, 2025Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère SuisseInventors: Julien CHRISTAN, Mohammad Hussein KAHROBAIYAN, Romain LE MOAL, Pascal WINKLER
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Publication number: 20250036081Abstract: A regulating member (1) for a horological movement, including an inertial mass, for example a balance (23), a balance spring (25) including a wound ribbon (2), and an adjustor for adjusting the stiffness of the balance spring, the regulating member (1) including a system for actuating the adjustor, the actuation system including an actuator (30) having a movable part (37) mechanically connected to the adjustor, and a regulator for regulating the actuator (30), the regulator having a pivoting control lever (45) with a pivot arm (69) and a support arm (71) cooperating with the movable part (37) of the actuator (30) in order to displace it mechanically.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2024Publication date: January 30, 2025Applicant: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGÈRE SUISSEInventors: Julien CHRISTAN, Mohammad Hussein KAHROBAIYAN, Romain LE MOAL, Pascal WINKLER
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Patent number: 12181838Abstract: A flexible guide for a rotating resonator mechanism, in particular of a horological movement, the guide including a fixed support, an element that is capable of moving relative to the fixed support, at least one main flexible blade allowing the movable element to move relative to the fixed support by bending the one or more main flexible blades via a rotary motion about a centre of rotation, the flexible guide being arranged substantially in one plane, and includes at least one translation table joined to one end of the main flexible blade, the main flexible blade and the translation table forming a pair connected to the fixed support, to the movable element, or to an intermediate movable part, such that the translation table is configured to move in translation at least in part under the effect of the bending of the main flexible blade.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2021Date of Patent: December 31, 2024Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Mohammad Hussein Kahrobaiyan, Pascal Winkler, Jean-Luc Helfer, Gianni Di Domenico, Grégory Musy, Florent Cosandier
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Patent number: 12124218Abstract: A timepiece resonator mechanism (100), including a structure (1) carrying, by a flexible suspension (300), an anchoring block (30) from which is suspended an inertial element (2) oscillating about a pivot axis (D) extending in a first direction Z, according to a first rotational degree of freedom RZ, under the action of return forces of a flexible pivot (200) including elastic longitudinal strips (3) each fixed to said inertial element (2) and to said anchoring block (30), the resonator mechanism including a viscous substance (10) arranged at least partly around the flexible suspension (300), the viscous substance (10) being configured to at least partly dissipate the energy due to a shock.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2021Date of Patent: October 22, 2024Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Jérôme Favre, Dominique Lechot, Baptiste Hinaux, Gianni Di Domenico, Pascal Winkler
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Patent number: 12092995Abstract: A timepiece resonator including an inertial element moveable in relation to a fixed structure, and suspended to a flexible guide including flexible strips crossed in projection on a plane XY at a single crossing zone ZC, each one deformable in a plane parallel to the plane XY each one extending in a ribbon on either side of a neutral surface perpendicular to the plane XY and joining the first recess with the structure and the second recess with the inertial element, and including at least one rib asymmetrical in relation to its neutral surface, and, at the crossing zone ZC, either each flexible strip does not include any rib, or each rib is asymmetrical in relation to its neutral surface.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2021Date of Patent: September 17, 2024Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Baptiste Hinaux, Pascal Winkler
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Patent number: 12072673Abstract: A horological resonator mechanism, including a structure and an anchoring unit from which is suspended at least one inertial element arranged to oscillate along a first degree of freedom in rotation RZ about a pivoting axis extending along a first direction Z, the inertial element being subjected to return forces exerted by a virtual pivot including a plurality of substantially longitudinal elastic strips, each fastened, at a first end to the anchoring unit, and at a second end to the inertial element. Each elastic strip is deformable essentially in a plane XY perpendicular to the first direction Z. The anchoring unit is suspended from the structure by a flexible suspension arranged to allow the mobility of the anchoring unit along a plurality of degrees of freedom including at least two in the plane XY, along a direction X and along a direction Y orthogonal to the direction X.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2021Date of Patent: August 27, 2024Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère SuisseInventors: Pascal Winkler, Raphaël Courvoisier, Jean-Luc Helfer, Jérôme Favre, Dominique Lechot
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Patent number: 12038724Abstract: Timepiece (1) comprising at least one mechanical movement (10) including at least a main plate (2), a resonator (11) and energy storage and distribution means (3) connected to an escape wheel set (4) by a going train (5), wherein at least one of the wheel sets, comprised in the going train (5) or an escapement mechanism (6) to which the escape wheel set (4) belongs, and which cooperates with the resonator (11), and which moves in a jerky or reciprocating motion during operation of the resonator (11), is a display wheel set (7) which includes at least two distinct pictures or patterns (8), which are arranged to move in succession before a fixed point of the main plate (2), during operation of the resonator (11), and to display thereon a sequence of animated images.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2019Date of Patent: July 16, 2024Assignee: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGÈRE SUISSEInventors: Pascal Winkler, Jean-Luc Helfer
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Publication number: 20240192640Abstract: A timepiece escapement mechanism, including a lever and an escapement wheel, the lever being arranged to cooperate with an inertial mass of a mechanical oscillator, and, at pallets carried by or included in the lever, with teeth of the escapement wheel, where the contact between a pallet and an escapement tooth includes at least three zones, a rest zone where the torque is of negative direction, where the angle between the normal to the contact and the radial of the lever is negative, a first zone corresponding to the first half angle of lift where the torque is of positive direction, where the angle ?1 is positive, and a second zone corresponding to the second half angle of lift where the torque is of positive direction, where the angle ?2 is positive.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2023Publication date: June 13, 2024Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère SuisseInventor: Pascal WINKLER