Patents by Inventor Simon Springer

Simon Springer 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: 12645185
    Abstract: A one-piece mechanical timepiece part formed by a gear for timepiece mechanisms, a wheel for timepiece mechanisms and/or a pinion for timepiece mechanisms, and its related method. The method for manufacturing the one-piece mechanical timepiece part by laser light includes the steps of providing a one-piece material part, oscillating and/or rotating the rotary element and forming the one-piece mechanical timepiece part by power and time modulation of the laser light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2026
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Simon Springer, Ahmad Odeh
  • Publication number: 20260144342
    Abstract: A method for decorating a horology component with white plating. The method includes preparing the horology component, depositing a metallic adhesion layer over the entire horology component in a deposition chamber via physical vapour deposition, depositing an aluminium diffusion layer over the entire component under a flow of reagent gas such that the aluminium layer is deposited in the form of a faceted crystalline structure via physical vapour deposition to a desired thickness, depositing a hard layer on this aluminium layer which protects it mechanically but preserves its faceted texture via physical vapour deposition, depositing a thin, highly reflective metallic layer on this hard layer via physical vapour deposition, and lastly, depositing a transparent layer for protection and/or increased reflection on this reflective layer using the ALD method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2025
    Publication date: May 28, 2026
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd.
    Inventors: Vladislav SPASSOV, Loïc CURCHOD, Mina MORADI, Simon SPRINGER
  • Patent number: 12632008
    Abstract: A timepiece hand and method for manufacturing same, including: obtaining a single-piece part, the part extending along a longitudinal axis; rotating the single-piece part; emitting a first modulation of the laser light; exposing a first portion of the single-piece part to the first modulation of the laser light to form a first volume with a circular cross-section with a length L1 and with a mean diameter D1, the ratio L 1 D 1 being less than or equal to 20 or 10; emitting a second modulation of the laser light; and exposing a second portion of the single-piece part to the second modulation of the laser light, to form a second volume with a circular cross-section with a length L2 and with a mean diameter D2, the ratio L 2 D 2 being less than or equal to 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2026
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Ahmad Odeh, Simon Springer, Gérard Rossier, Gilles Vuilleumier
  • Patent number: 12461493
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2025
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Michel Willemin, Loïc Curchod, Pierpasquale Tortora, Simon Springer, Cédric Faure
  • Patent number: 12399463
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2025
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Michel Willemin, Loïc Curchod, Pierpasquale Tortora, Simon Springer, Cédric Faure
  • Publication number: 20250204656
    Abstract: A trim component (10) including a substrate (11) having a trim face (110) and including a decorative area (12, 13), a first portion (111) of the trim face (110) being defined by the decorative area (12, 13), the remainder of the trim face (110) defining a second portion (112) of the trim face (110), the first portion (111) of the trim face (110) having a refractive index different from that of the second portion (112) of the trim face (110), the whole of the the trim face (110) being covered with a transparent and/or translucent coating (14) with a thickness of between 5 nm and 1 ?m so as to give the trim face (110) interference colours, the colour of the first and second portions (111, 112) of the trim face (110) being different.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2024
    Publication date: June 26, 2025
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Camille HALLER, Mina MORADI, Vladislav SPASSOV, Marion GSTALTER, Ahmad ODEH, Simon SPRINGER
  • Patent number: 12314530
    Abstract: A display device for displaying the weather on demand. The display device includes a first indicator member mobile and having a representation of the sun. This representation of the sun is totally or partially concealed by a concealing element that is located on a second mobile indicator member when the user requests it and in particular via a control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventor: Simon Springer
  • Publication number: 20250154638
    Abstract: A process of decorating a watch component with a white coating. The process includes preparing the watch component, depositing in a deposition chamber a metal adhesion layer over the entire watch component via physical vapor deposition, depositing an aluminum diffusing layer over the entire component under a flow of a reactive gas so that the aluminum layer is deposited in the form of a faceted crystalline structure, via physical vapor deposition, reducing or stopping the flow of the reactive gas when the diffusing layer has reached the desired thickness in order to terminate the layer with a thin layer of pure aluminum, and depositing a transparent protective layer via atomic thin-film deposition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2024
    Publication date: May 15, 2025
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Reseach and Development Ltd.
    Inventors: Vladislav SPASSOV, Loïc Curchod, Mina Moradi, Simon Springer
  • Publication number: 20250134222
    Abstract: A method for obtaining a decorative item (5) having a sparkling appearance, comprising the steps of: providing or producing a model (1) having a face (1a) of polycrystalline structure which is intended to be replicated; producing a replica (2) of the face (1a) using a polymer material; producing an object (4) on at least a portion of the replicated face (2a) of the replica (2); and at least one of locally modifying the polycrystalline structure of the model (1) before producing the replica (2); modifying the shape of the replica (2); and selectively producing the object (4) on certain portions of the replicated face (2a) of the negative replica (2), the decorative item (5) being either the replica (2), or the object (4) if the optional step is carried out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2024
    Publication date: May 1, 2025
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Loïc CURCHOD, Michel SAGARDOYBURU, Yves WINKLER, Simon SPRINGER
  • Patent number: 12204284
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device (100) for displaying the moon for a timepiece on demand. The display device (100) including 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: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Michel Willemin, Simon Springer, Jean-Jacques Born
  • Publication number: 20240329603
    Abstract: The invention relates to a display device (10), in particular for watchmaking, the display device including at least one dial (13) and a first movable body (12), for example a first hand, the first movable body (12) being configured to move relative to the dial (13) so as to indicate a plurality of positions on the dial (13), characterised in that it comprises a light source (18) arranged to emit a light radiation (16) through the dial (13), and in that the first movable body (12) comprises a colour filter (21) allowing modifying the colour of part of the light radiation (17) passing through the first movable body (12), so that the first movable body (12) has a different colour from the dial (13). The invention also relates to a timepiece comprising such a display device (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2022
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Cédric BLATTER, Pierpasquale TORTORA, Simon SPRINGER
  • Patent number: 12105385
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a digital display device which includes an optically active medium disposed between at least one electrode and a corresponding counter-electrode, the optical properties of the optically active medium being modifiable by applying an electric current or voltage between the at least one electrode and the at least one corresponding counter-electrode, the digital display device including a transparent display surface through which at least one piece of information displayed by this digital display device is perceptible, the manufacturing method including the step of providing the transparent display surface of the digital display device with at least one first and one second decorative and/or functional pattern, the first pattern having a thickness different from that of the second pattern. A digital display device provided with at least one first and one second decorative and/or functional patterns whose thicknesses are not the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Michel Sagardoyburu, Simon Springer
  • Patent number: 12072675
    Abstract: A display device for a timepiece representing the lunar libration phenomenon thanks to at least one Moon disk, to at least one aperture and to at least one drive organ. The at least one Moon disk includes a set of Moon phase representations including at least three Moon phases with a first surface, a second surface and/or a delimitation configured to delimit this first surface and this second surface. The at least one aperture being configured to reveal this set of Moon phase representations and this at least one drive organ is configured to move this at least one Moon disk so as to represent the lunar libration phenomenon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Cédric Blatter, Simon Springer
  • Patent number: 11921371
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device including a reflective or transflective liquid crystal cell whose liquid crystal molecules are aligned in a planar or vertical manner, this liquid crystal cell being formed of a transparent front substrate located on the side of an observer, and a rear substrate, also transparent, which extends beneath the front substrate, parallel to and at a distance from the latter, these two front and rear substrates being joined to each other with a sealing frame which defines a sealed enclosure in which a liquid crystal composition is confined, the front and rear substrates being coated on their opposite faces with electrically conductive transparent electrodes and counter-electrodes, the optical properties of the liquid crystal composition being modified by application of an electric field at the point of intersection between an electrode and a corresponding counter-electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Michel Sagardoyburu, Simon Springer
  • Publication number: 20230418228
    Abstract: A timepiece hand and method for manufacturing same, including: obtaining a single-piece part, the part extending along a longitudinal axis; rotating the single-piece part; emitting a first modulation of the laser light; exposing a first portion of the single-piece part to the first modulation of the laser light to form a first volume with a circular cross-section with a length L1 and with a mean diameter D1, the ratio L 1 D 1 being less than or equal to 20 or 10; emitting a second modulation of the laser light; and exposing a second portion of the single-piece part to the second modulation of the laser light, to form a second volume with a circular cross-section with a length L2 and with a mean diameter D2, the ratio L 2 D 2 being less than or equal to 10.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Ahmad ODEH, Simon Springer, Gérard Rossier, Gilles Vuilleumier
  • Patent number: 11809038
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a reflective or transflective liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal cell whose liquid crystal molecules are aligned in a planar or vertical manner, this liquid crystal cell being formed of a transparent front substrate located on the side of an observer, and a rear substrate, also transparent, which extends under the front substrate, parallel to and at a distance from the latter, these two front and rear substrates being joined together with a sealing frame which delimits a sealed enclosure in which a liquid crystal composition is confined, the front and rear substrates being coated on the opposite faces thereof with electrically conductive transparent electrodes and counter-electrodes, the optical properties of the liquid crystal composition being changed by applying an electric field at the crossing point between an electrode and a corresponding counter-electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Michel Sagardoyburu, Simon Springer
  • Publication number: 20230193454
    Abstract: A method for depositing a coating on a substrate (100), including successively depositing a thin intermetallic layer (110) on the substrate (100), so as to obtain an external part (10), and annealing the external part (10) in a dedicated enclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2022
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Applicant: OMEGA SA
    Inventors: Loïc CURCHOD, Simon SPRINGER, Stephane LAUPER, Ahmad ODEH, Marion GSTALTER, Loïc OBERSON, Gregory KISSLING
  • Publication number: 20230189946
    Abstract: A method for depositing a coating on a substrate (100), including a step of depositing a thin intermetallic layer (110) on the substrate (100), so as to obtain, at the end of this step, an external part (10) having a predetermined final colour.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2022
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Applicant: OMEGA SA
    Inventors: Loïc Curchod, Simon Springer, Stéphane Lauper, Ahmad Odeh, Marion Gstalter, Loïc Oberson, Gregory Kissling
  • Patent number: 11625005
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Cedric Nicolas, Simon Springer, Ahmad Odeh, Michel Willemin
  • Publication number: 20220390898
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Michel WILLEMIN, Loïc CURCHOD, Pierpasquale TORTORA, Simon SPRINGER, Cédric FAURE