Patents by Inventor Roland Bitterli

Roland Bitterli 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).

  • Patent number: 7575369
    Abstract: Assembly element (18) made in a plate of brittle material, including an aperture (32) provided for the axial insertion of an arbour (26). The inner wall (33) of the aperture (32) includes elastic structures (34), which are etched into the plate and which each include at least one support surface (36) for gripping the arbour (26) radially in order to secure the assembly element (18) relative to the arbour (26). The assembly element (18) includes a first series (S1) of elastic structures (34) etched in a top layer (39) of the plate and a second series (S2) of elastic structures (34) etched in a bottom layer (41) of the plate. A timepiece may be fitted with this assembly element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventors: Roland Bitterli, Wilfried Noell, Fabien Blondeau, Lionel Paratte, Toralf Scharf, Pierre-André Meister, André Zanetta
  • Patent number: 7572050
    Abstract: Assembly element made in a plate of brittle material, such as silicon, in particular for a timepiece, including an aperture provided for the axial insertion of an arbour, the inner wall of the aperture including elastic structures which are etched into the plate and which each include at least one support surface for gripping the arbour radially in order to secure the assembly element relative to the arbour. Each elastic structure is formed by a fork which is connected to the inner wall of the aperture by a bridge of material and which includes two branches extending, on either side of the bridge of material, generally towards the arbour. Each branch includes a support surface in proximity to the free end thereof. The invention also proposes a timepiece fitted with an assembly element of this type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogére Suisse
    Inventors: Roland Bitterli, Wilfried Noell, Fabien Blondeau, Lionel Paratte, Toralf Scharf, Pierre-André Meister, André Zanetta
  • Patent number: 7438465
    Abstract: Assembly element (18) made in a plate of brittle material, including an aperture (32) provided for the axial insertion of an arbour (26), the inner wall (33) of the aperture (32) including elastic structures (34), which are etched into the plate to grip the arbour (26) radially. Each elastic structure (34) includes a first rectilinear elastic strip (L1) which extends along a tangential direction relative to the arbour (26). According to the invention, each elastic structure (34) is formed by a radial stack of several parallel elastic strips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventors: Roland Bitterli, Wilfried Noell, Fabien Blondeau, Lionel Paratte, Toralf Scharf, Pierre-André Meister, André Zanetta
  • Publication number: 20080112274
    Abstract: Assembly element (18) made in a plate of brittle material, such as silicon, in particular for a timepiece (10), including an aperture (32) provided for the axial insertion of an arbour (26), the inner wall (33) of the aperture (32) including elastic structures (34) which are etched into the plate and which each include at least one support surface (36, 38) for gripping the arbour (26) radially in order to secure the assembly element (18) relative to the arbour (26). Each elastic structure (34) is formed by a fork which is connected to the inner wall (33) of the aperture by a bridge of material (40) and which includes two branches (42, 44) extending, on either side of the bridge of material (40), generally towards the arbour (26). Each branch (42, 44) includes a support surface (36, 38) in proximity to the free end (46, 48) thereof. The invention also proposes a timepiece fitted with an assembly element (18) of this type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Applicant: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGERE SUISSE
    Inventors: Roland Bitterli, Wilfried Noell, Fabien Blondeau, Lionel Paratte, Toralf Scharf, Pierre-Andre Meister, Andre Zanetta
  • Publication number: 20080112276
    Abstract: Assembly element (18) made in a plate of brittle material, including an aperture (32) provided for the axial insertion of an arbour (26). The inner wall (33) of the aperture (32) includes elastic structures (34), which are etched into the plate and which each include at least one support surface (36) for gripping the arbour (26) radially in order to secure the assembly element (18) relative to the arbour (26). The assembly element (18) includes a first series (S1) of elastic structures (34) etched in a top layer (39) of the plate and a second series (S2) of elastic structures (34) etched in a bottom layer (41) of the plate. A timepiece may be fitted with this assembly element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Roland Bitterli, Wilfried Noell, Fabien Blondeau, Lionel Paratte, Toralf Scharf, Pierre-Andre Meister, Andre Zanetta
  • Publication number: 20080113154
    Abstract: Assembly element (18) made in a plate of brittle material, including an aperture (32) provided for the axial insertion of an arbour (26), the inner wall (33) of the aperture (32) including elastic structures (34), which are etched into the plate to grip the arbour (26) radially. Each elastic structure (34) includes a first rectilinear elastic strip (L1) which extends along a tangential direction relative to the arbour (26). According to the invention, each elastic structure (34) is formed by a radial stack of several parallel elastic strips. The invention also proposes a timepiece fitted with this assembly element (18).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Applicant: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGÈRE SUISSE
    Inventors: Roland Bitterli, Wilfried Noell, Fabien Blondeau, Lionel Paratte, Toralf Scharf, Pierre-André Meister, André Zanetta