Abstract: A method of cooling a device generating thermal energy, which device may especially be a photovoltaic device. A thermally conductive substrate is provided, which is coupled to a portion of the device generating thermal energy to allow heat transfer therefrom to the thermally conductive substrate. A porous wick structure is further provided, which is coupled to the thermally conductive substrate. This porous wick structure is configured to be wettable by a liquid cooling medium and be partly exposed to air. The porous wick structure is wetted by means of the liquid cooling medium and subjected to the action of an airflow to cause evaporation of the liquid cooling medium at an interface between the wetted porous wick structure and air, thereby inducing cooling by evaporation. A cooling apparatus suitable for carrying out such method may also be provided.

Abstract: A timepiece mechanism for returning the seconds hand to zero, which includes a seconds arbor; a seconds hand; a cam forming a snail cam path which extends in a spiral around the seconds arbor from an inner end to an outer end connected to each other by a radial stop surface; a hammer carrying a cam follower, rotatably mounted about a hammer axis between a disengaged position wherein the cam follower is removed from the cam path and an engaged position wherein the cam follower presses on the cam path; a retaining ratchet system including a toothed wheel and a click which engages with the toothed wheel.

Abstract: A timepiece mechanism including a deformable rhombus including four coplanar segments pivotally connected in pairs by their vertices, including an input segment adjacent to an output segment, both pivoted about a pivot axis perpendicular to the plane of the rhombus and passing through a first vertex common to the input and output segments and locked in translation in the plane of the rhombus, a lever mounted to pivot about the pivot axis, the lever being kinematically connected in rotation, about the pivot axis, to a second vertex of the rhombus, opposite to the first vertex, a first locking member movable between a first locking position, in which the lever is locked in rotation, and a first unlocking position in which the first locking member does not hinder rotation of the lever, a second locking member movable between a second locking position, in which the second vertex is locked in translation in a radial direction, and a second unlocking position in which the second locking member does not hinder radia

Abstract: The present invention proposes a timepiece mechanism comprising: a lever, rotatable about a lever axis, the angular position of the lever representing a first value, wherein a zero value of the first value corresponds to a reference direction, a sliding block mounted to move in translation on the lever in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of the lever and comprising a guide-mark element whose trajectory in translation relative to the lever is secant to the lever axis, the radial position of the guide-mark element with respect to the lever axis representing a second value, an output device formed of a deformable parallelogram in a plane perpendicular to the lever axis, the parallelogram including a first side, which is stationary with reference to the lever axis and perpendicular to the reference direction, a second side, which is opposite to the first side and linked in translation to the guide-mark element in the direction perpendicular to the reference direction, the angular position o

Abstract: A timepiece mechanism for returning the seconds hand to zero, which includes a seconds arbor; a seconds hand; a cam forming a snail cam path which extends in a spiral around the seconds arbor from an inner end to an outer end connected to each other by a radial stop surface; a hammer carrying a cam follower, rotatably mounted about a hammer axis between a disengaged position wherein the cam follower is removed from the cam path and an engaged position wherein the cam follower presses on the cam path; a retaining ratchet system including a toothed wheel and a click which engages with the toothed wheel.

Abstract: Mechanism for regulating energy to achieve the function of a timepiece mechanism including a functional mobile component, controlling a dissipation of energy through eddy currents in the event of racing by this mobile component, including a magnetically permeable or magnetized rotor kinematically connected to this mobile component, and a magnetized or respectively magnetically permeable stator, facing this rotor in an annular area where these eddy currents develop, this rotor and this stator are external to each other, this rotor and/or this stator including an alternation of raised areas where it can move into superposition with the other in an interaction generating eddy currents, and hollow areas in which it cannot move into superposition with the other. Escapement mechanism including such a regulating mechanism, limiting the effect of accelerations on an escape wheel.

Abstract: The present invention proposes a timepiece mechanism comprising: a lever, rotatable about a lever axis, the angular position of the lever representing a first value, wherein a zero value of the first value corresponds to a reference direction, a sliding block mounted to move in translation on the lever in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of the lever and comprising a guide-mark element whose trajectory in translation relative to the lever is secant to the lever axis, the radial position of the guide-mark element with respect to the lever axis representing a second value, an output device formed of a deformable parallelogram in a plane perpendicular to the lever axis, the parallelogram including a first side, which is stationary with reference to the lever axis and perpendicular to the reference direction, a second side, which is opposite to the first side and linked in translation to the guide-mark element in the direction perpendicular to the reference direction, the angular position o

Abstract: A timepiece mechanism including a deformable rhombus including four coplanar segments pivotally connected in pairs by their vertices, including an input segment adjacent to an output segment, both pivoted about a pivot axis perpendicular to the plane of the rhombus and passing through a first vertex common to the input and output segments and locked in translation in the plane of the rhombus, a lever mounted to pivot about the pivot axis, the lever being kinematically connected in rotation, about the pivot axis, to a second vertex of the rhombus, opposite to the first vertex, a first locking member movable between a first locking position, in which the lever is locked in rotation, and a first unlocking position in which the first locking member does not hinder rotation of the lever, a second locking member movable between a second locking position, in which the second vertex is locked in translation in a radial direction, and a second unlocking position in which the second locking member does not hinder radia

Abstract: Timepiece movement or watch including one isochronous oscillator mechanism, including only a first sprung balance oscillator including a first balance spring attached to a fixed structure at a first stud and to a first mobile component pivoting about a first axis, and a second sprung balance oscillator including a second balance spring fixed to a second mobile component, coupled to each other by mechanical connection via this second elastic return means attached to the first mobile component, this second balance spring being attached, to a felloe or an arm of the first mobile component at a second stud, and to this second mobile component which pivots about a second axis, and the maintenance of the oscillations is effected on only one of first mobile component or second mobile component.

Abstract: Timepiece movement or watch including one isochronous oscillator mechanism, including only a first sprung balance oscillator including a first balance spring attached to a fixed structure at a first stud and to a first mobile component pivoting about a first axis, and a second sprung balance oscillator including a second balance spring fixed to a second mobile component, coupled to each other by mechanical connection via this second elastic return means attached to the first mobile component, this second balance spring being attached, to a felloe or an arm of the first mobile component at a second stud, and to this second mobile component which pivots about a second axis, and the maintenance of the oscillations is effected on only one of first mobile component or second mobile component.

Abstract: Mechanism for regulating energy to achieve the function of a timepiece mechanism including a functional mobile component, controlling a dissipation of energy through eddy currents in the event of racing by this mobile component, including a magnetically permeable or magnetized rotor kinematically connected to this mobile component, and a magnetized or respectively magnetically permeable stator, facing this rotor in an annular area where these eddy currents develop, this rotor and this stator are external to each other, this rotor and/or this stator including an alternation of raised areas where it can move into superposition with the other in an interaction generating eddy currents, and hollow areas in which it cannot move into superposition with the other. Escapement mechanism including such a regulating mechanism, limiting the effect of accelerations on an escape wheel.