Hybrid timepiece oscillator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10234822-B2
Application number	US-201715616241-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2017
Priority date	Jul 21, 2016
Publication date	Mar 19, 2019
Grant date	Mar 19, 2019

Abstract

A timepiece oscillator includes a sprung balance assembly including a balance with a rim, which is returned by a balance spring and pivoted with respect to a structure, on a first side by a torsion wire, fixed by an anchoring element to the structure, and on a second side, opposite to the first side, by a contactless magnetic pivot. The balance includes a first pole embedded with the balance and the torsion wire, this first pole having a symmetry with respect to the axis of the sprung balance assembly, and cooperating with a second pole included in the structure, for the magnetic suspension of the first pole, and to exert on the distal end of the torsion wire, opposite to this anchoring element, a magnetic force for tensioning the torsion wire.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A timepiece oscillator, comprising:
at least one sprung balance assembly including a balance wheel set,
wherein the balance wheel set includes at least one balance rim and returned by at least one balance spring,
wherein said balance wheel set is pivoted with respect to a structure, on a first side of said structure by at least one torsion wire fixed by a stiff anchoring element or by means of a first parachute spring to said structure, and on a second side of said structure, opposite to said first side of said structure, by a contactless magnetic pivot,
said balance wheel set comprising at least one first pole embedded with said at least one torsion wire, each said at least one first pole having a symmetry with respect to a plane passing through an axis of said sprung balance assembly, and
said at least one first pole cooperating with at least one second pole comprised in said second side of said structure, for the magnetic suspension of said at least one first pole, and to exert on the distal end of said at least one torsion wire, opposite to said anchoring element, in a resultant magnetic field with axial symmetry, a magnetic force for axially tensioning said at least one torsion wire, for the axial holding of said at least one torsion wire, and a magnetic force for radially centering said balance wheel set.

2. The oscillator according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one first pole has a symmetry of revolution with respect to said axis of said sprung balance assembly.

3. The oscillator according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one first pole cooperates by means of magnetic attraction with said at least one second pole.

4. The oscillator according to claim 3 , wherein each of said at least one first pole cooperates by means of magnetic attraction with said at least one second pole.

5. The oscillator according to claim 1 , wherein at least said at least one first pole cooperates by means of magnetic repulsion with said at least one second pole.

6. The oscillator according to claim 5 , wherein each of said at least one first pole cooperates by means of magnetic repulsion with said at least one second pole.

7. The oscillator according to claim 1 , wherein one of said at least one first pole is a movable weight independent of said balance wheel set.

8. The oscillator according to claim 7 , wherein said at least one torsion wire includes a slender portion extending substantially in the direction of said axis, and at least one radial extension shoulder for the attachment thereof to a roller comprised in said balance wheel set, and/or an axial portion comprised in said balance rim, and/or to a collet comprised in said balance wheel set for the attachment of said at least one balance spring, and/or to said movable weight.

9. The oscillator according to claim 8 , wherein each of said at least one radial extension shoulder is substantially flat, and is arranged for insertion into a slot comprised in said balance rim, or into said collet comprised in said balance wheel set for the attachment of said at least one balance spring, or into said movable weight.

10. The oscillator according to claim 7 , wherein one of said at least one second pole is a pole piece and wherein said movable weight comprises a portion that is conical along said axis and pointed on the side of said pole piece.

11. The oscillator according to claim 10 , wherein, at rest, along said axis, a play with a value of 5 to 40 micrometers extends between a tip of said portion that is conical and said pole piece.

12. The oscillator according to claim 7 , wherein one of said at least one second pole is a pole piece and wherein said pole piece is housed inside a setting suspended by a second parachute spring to a cabochon housed inside a bridge comprised in said structure, said cabochon includes a pipe forming a radial stop for said movable weight in the event of a shock.

13. The oscillator according to claim 1 , wherein one of said at least one second pole is a pole piece with symmetry of revolution about said axis and independent of any external energy source.

14. The oscillator according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one torsion wire is a bundle grouping together of a plurality of torsion wires regularly distributed around said axis and each of the plurality of said torsion wires is supported on a plane passing through said axis or on a helix developing around said axis.

15. The oscillator according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one torsion wire is a single torsion wire extending at least along said axis.

16. The oscillator according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one torsion wire comprises said stiff anchoring element for the setting thereof in a main plate comprised in said structure, and extends substantially perpendicularly and overhanging with respect to said plate.

17. The oscillator according to claim 1 , wherein the torsional stiffness of all of said at least one torsion wire comprised in said oscillator is at least ten times lower than the torsional stiffness of the least stiff of said at least one balance spring comprised in said oscillator.

18. The oscillator according to claim 1 , wherein each of said at least one torsion wire is made of single crystal silicon, with a rectangular cross-section less than or equal to 5 micrometers ×10 micrometers, and is subjected to a magnetic tension force of intensity greater than or equal to 7 mN.

19. A timepiece movement comprising:
at least one of said oscillator according to claim 1 .

20. A watch comprising:
at least one of said oscillator according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Montres Breguet Sa

Inventors

• Legeret Benoit
• LENOIR Deirdre
• Sarchi Davide

Classifications

• F16C32/0421

  for both radial and axial load · CPC title

• F16C32/0427

  for axial load mainly · CPC title

• F16C2370/00

  Apparatus relating to physics, e.g. instruments · CPC title

• G04B17/06 Primary

  Oscillators with hairsprings, e.g. balance {(electrically driven balances G04C3/04; contacts actuated by a balance G04C13/065)} · CPC title

• G04B31/004

  characterised by the material used · CPC title