Patents by Inventor Raphael Balmer
Raphael Balmer 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: 12393163Abstract: A control device (2) mounted in an opening (20) in a middle (16) and including a support (14) and a rotatable part, which has a shaft (12), a gripping member (4) and a control member (6) forming a rotation sensor (26). The sensor includes a magnetic detector provided inside the watch case in a radial peripheral region of the control member. On a first side of a circular opening (22), the support has a cavity (24) which is open in the axial direction. The cavity is configured to house the control member fixedly mounted on the shaft, such that this control member can be momentarily retracted, at least for the most part, into the cavity following an axial movement of the shaft into a position in which the magnetic detector is mounted inside the watch case.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2023Date of Patent: August 19, 2025Assignee: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGÈRE SUISSEInventors: Fabian Dubois, Raphael Balmer, Vittorio Zanesco
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Patent number: 12248280Abstract: A motor group including motor modules, each including a motor device driving a display wheel set, with a center pipe fixed on a plate, including a device for rotational guiding, about a main axis, of a display wheel set internal or external to the center pipe, this module includes an axial stop arranged to limit to a predetermined value the axial play in the direction of the main axis between the center pipe and the display wheel set, wherein a protruding surface of the center pipe or of the display wheel set, or an added axial stop, captively mounted between the center pipe and the display wheel set, or fixed to the display wheel set.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2019Date of Patent: March 11, 2025Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere SuisseInventors: Raphael Balmer, Pascal Lagorgette
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Publication number: 20230266713Abstract: A control device (2) mounted in an opening (20) in a middle (16) and including a support (14) and a rotatable part, which has a shaft (12), a gripping member (4) and a control member (6) forming a rotation sensor (26). The sensor includes a magnetic detector provided inside the watch case in a radial peripheral region of the control member. On a first side of a circular opening (22), the support has a cavity (24) which is open in the axial direction. The cavity is configured to house the control member fixedly mounted on the shaft, such that this control member can be momentarily retracted, at least for the most part, into the cavity following an axial movement of the shaft into a position in which the magnetic detector is mounted inside the watch case.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2023Publication date: August 24, 2023Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Hologère SuisseInventors: Fabian DUBOIS, Raphael Balmer, Vittorio Zanesco
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Patent number: 11687036Abstract: A timepiece includes a drive module, a dial including a central opening, an hour pipe passing through the central opening of the dial and driven in rotation by the drive module, and a dial attachment device. The attachment device includes a holding tube arranged around the hour pipe and mechanically connected to the drive module. The holding comes to bear against the dial or against a dial support to which the dial is attached.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2018Date of Patent: June 27, 2023Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere SuisseInventor: Raphael Balmer
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Patent number: 11674542Abstract: An assembly including horological movement support, a motor plate of a timepiece and a fastener fastening the support to the plate. The fastener includes a self-tapping screw having a body that passes through a hole in the support. A recess in the plate or support is tapped when the screw is screwed into the recess. The shape of the recess has a variable width, which is wider at the opening extending to a smaller diameter at the bottom of the recess, the shape corresponding to that of the body of the screw.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2019Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGERE SUISSEInventor: Raphael Balmer
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Patent number: 11550266Abstract: A timepiece including a timepiece movement and sunrise and sunset indicating device that take account of the date and geolocation of the user, the device including a first device for receiving the current date, a second device for receiving a geolocation signal, and a disc bearing a representation of the sun, arranged to be capable of pivoting about an axis passing through the centre of the disc. The sunrise and sunset indicating device include a movable horizon arranged to move above the disc and to indicate the position of the sun with respect to the horizon.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2019Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere SuisseInventors: Pascal Lagorgette, Raphael Balmer
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Publication number: 20220404773Abstract: A timepiece mechanism includes at least two coaxial tubes that include a lateral opening so as to be able to be aligned and to receive a lubricant. A lubrication method for coaxial tubes of a timepiece mechanism includes assembling the coaxial tubes, aligning and injecting a lubricant into the opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2020Publication date: December 22, 2022Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere SuisseInventor: Raphael BALMER
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Patent number: 11385598Abstract: A portable object including a control stem, actuation of which in rotation can control at least one electronic or mechanical function of the portable object, a magnetized ring driven in rotation by the control stem, rotation of the magnetized ring and position of the magnetized ring being detected by two inductive sensors configured to be sensitive to a variation in magnetic induction in only two directions in space that are parallel to each other or that converge on a same point, with exception of a case in which these two directions are perpendicular to each other.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2017Date of Patent: July 12, 2022Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere SuisseInventors: Vittorio Zanesco, Pascal Lagorgette, Pascal Meyer, Damien Schmutz, Raphael Balmer
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Patent number: 11353829Abstract: A watch case including a thumbwheel for controlling a watch function, configured to be manipulated by a user, movable inside a housing and configured to allow a limited translational motion of one portion of the thumbwheel in a radial direction of the case, against an elastic return configured to move the portion away from an interior of the case. The housing includes a control detector detecting presence of the portion close to the center of the case when pressure is applied by a user, and configured to activate or deactivate a sensor included in the case in proximity to the housing, configured, when a rotational movement is imparted to the thumbwheel by the user, to detect passage of a transmitter included in the thumbwheel.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2017Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere SuisseInventors: Vincent Meyer, Raphael Balmer, Pascal Lagorgette
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Patent number: 11243499Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for setting a quartz watch, the watch comprising an optical sensor and a microcontroller configured to receive electrical signals generated by the optical sensor, the method being performed by way of a portable electronic appliance comprising a point light source and a microcontroller configured to control said point light source, the method comprising the following steps: placing the optical sensor of the watch facing the point light source of the electronic appliance on the order of the microcontroller of the electronic appliance, flashing the point light source of the electronic appliance so as to form a sequence of light pulses corresponding to a coding of setting parameters, the sequence then being received by the optical sensor of the watch decoding the received light sequence, by way of the microcontroller of the watch, in order to recover the setting parameters on the order of the microcontroller of the watch, setting the watch according to the setting paraType: GrantFiled: March 13, 2018Date of Patent: February 8, 2022Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere SuisseInventors: Pascal Lagorgette, Raphael Balmer, Jean-Bernard Peters
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Patent number: 11119447Abstract: A timepiece including a case middle closed by a glass and the following elements positioned in the case middle: a dial, a rigid mounting plate extending under the dial, a module including an electric motor, referred to as the motor module, a printed circuit board, of which at least a first portion is interposed between the mounting plate and the motor module, means for the assembly of the motor module on the mounting plate through the first portion of the printed circuit board.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2018Date of Patent: September 14, 2021Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere SuisseInventors: Raphael Balmer, Pascal Lagorgette
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Patent number: 10921754Abstract: A device for controlling at least two electronic and/or mechanical functions of a portable object of small dimensions includes a control stem that is axially movable between at least a first and a second position. The control stem is provided at a first end with an actuation member, and is provided towards a second end with a position indexing plate arranged to cooperate with an elastic member in order to match each of the first and second positions of the control stem with one of the mechanical or electronic functions.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2017Date of Patent: February 16, 2021Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere SuisseInventors: Vittorio Zanesco, Pascal Lagorgette, Pascal Meyer, Damien Schmutz, Raphael Balmer
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Publication number: 20200292994Abstract: A timepiece includes a drive module, a dial including a central opening, an hour pipe passing through the central opening of the dial and driven in rotation by the drive module, and a dial attachment device. The attachment device includes a holding tube arranged around the hour pipe and mechanically connected to the drive module. The holding comes to bear against the dial or against a dial support to which the dial is attached.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2018Publication date: September 17, 2020Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere SuisseInventor: Raphael BALMER
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Patent number: 10768577Abstract: A push-piece winding button control device is for a portable object of small dimensions. This device includes a pivoting control stem axially movable between at least a transitory first position and a stable second position. The device further includes a position indexing plate arranged to be integral in translation with the control stem, while keeping the same orientation relative to the frame. The device also includes a cam follower arranged to cooperate with a longitudinal cam path formed in the position indexing plate. The cam path includes a recess defining the stable position of the control stem, and a ramp-shaped profile portion which rises from the recess towards the transitory position.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2018Date of Patent: September 8, 2020Assignee: ETA SA MANUFACTURING HORLOGERE SUISSEInventors: Pascal Lagorgette, Damien Schmutz, Raphael Balmer, Vittorio Zanesco
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Publication number: 20200200205Abstract: An assembly including horological movement support, a motor plate of a timepiece and a fastener fastening the support to the plate. The fastener includes a self-tapping screw having a body that passes through a hole in the support. A recess in the plate or support is tapped when the screw is screwed into the recess. The shape of the recess has a variable width, which is wider at the opening extending to a smaller diameter at the bottom of the recess, the shape corresponding to that of the body of the screw.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2019Publication date: June 25, 2020Inventor: Raphael BALMER
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Publication number: 20200125033Abstract: A timepiece including a timepiece movement and sunrise and sunset indicating device that take account of the date and geolocation of the user, the device including a first device for receiving the current date, a second device for receiving a geolocation signal, and a disc bearing a representation of the sun, arranged to be capable of pivoting about an axis passing through the centre of the disc. The sunrise and sunset indicating device include a movable horizon arranged to move above the disc and to indicate the position of the sun with respect to the horizon.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2019Publication date: April 23, 2020Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere SuisseInventors: Pascal Lagorgette, Raphael Balmer
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Publication number: 20200033810Abstract: A motor group including motor modules, each including a motor device driving a display wheel set, with a center pipe fixed on a plate, including a device for rotational guiding, about a main axis, of a display wheel set internal or external to the center pipe, this module includes an axial stop arranged to limit to a predetermined value the axial play in the direction of the main axis between the center pipe and the display wheel set, wherein a protruding surface of the center pipe or of the display wheel set, or an added axial stop, captively mounted between the center pipe and the display wheel set, or fixed to the display wheel set.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2019Publication date: January 30, 2020Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere SuisseInventors: Raphael BALMER, Pascal LAGORGETTE
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Patent number: 10545460Abstract: A motor group including motor modules, each including a motor device driving a display wheel set, with a centre pipe fixed on a plate, including a device for rotational guiding, about a main axis, of a display wheel set internal or external to the centre pipe, this module includes an axial stop arranged to limit to a predetermined value the axial play in the direction of the main axis between the centre pipe and the display wheel set, wherein a protruding surface of the centre pipe or of the display wheel set, or an added axial stop, captively mounted between the centre pipe and the display wheel set, or fixed to the display wheel set.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2017Date of Patent: January 28, 2020Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere SuisseInventors: Raphael Balmer, Pascal Lagorgette
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Patent number: 10534320Abstract: A method of detecting a movement of a timepiece setting stem arranged to be moved axially along and/or rotated about its longitudinal axis. The method includes a light source illuminating a portion of the setting stem; a light detector receiving a reflected or diffracted light pattern from the setting stem; a processor forming a first pixel pattern representative of the reflected light pattern at a first time instant; the processor forming a second pixel pattern representative of the reflected light pattern at a second, later time instant; and determining that the setting stem has been moved, if the second pixel pattern is different or shifted with respect to the first pixel pattern.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2015Date of Patent: January 14, 2020Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Yvan Ferri, Raphael Balmer, Damien Schmutz, Pascal Lagorgette
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Patent number: 10499714Abstract: The invention relates to a portable electronic device including a case and a watchband link attached to said case, the case comprising a pair of horns, between which is disposed a female electrical connector, the link comprising a male electrical connector disposed at the end of the link and adapted to make an electrical connection with the female electrical connector when the link is mounted on the case. According to the invention, each horn comprises a bar intended to come to be housed in an opposite housing of the watchband, the bars engaging successively in a guide groove and then in a locking groove formed in the link, the device comprising a manual actuation member for moving the bars into a retracted position.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2018Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere SuisseInventors: Laurent Mouche, Pascal Lagorgette, Raphael Balmer