Process for manufacturing a hybrid timepiece component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10359738-B2
Application number	US-201715417854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2017
Priority date	Feb 3, 2016
Publication date	Jul 23, 2019
Grant date	Jul 23, 2019

Abstract

Process for manufacturing a hybrid timepiece component, comprising structuring at least one wafer ( 14 ) of a first micromachinable material so as to form at least one through-opening ( 15 ) within the wafer ( 14 ), said structured wafer ( 14 ) being intended to form a first part ( 4 ) of the hybrid timepiece component; and depositing a metal by electroforming, so that the metal extends through the through-opening ( 15 ) and over the two upper and lower faces of the wafer ( 14 ) as a single piece resulting from one and the same electroforming step, the electroformed metal being intended to form a second part ( 8 ) of the hybrid timepiece component.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A process for manufacturing a hybrid timepiece component, comprising:
providing a substrate, at least an upper surface of which is conductive;
forming a first resist mold on top of the upper surface of the substrate, the first resist mold comprising at least one material-free zone on top of the substrate;
structuring at least one wafer of a first micromachinable material and depositing the at least one wafer on top of the first resist mold or conversely positioning at least one wafer of a first micromachinable material on top of the first resist mold and structuring the at least one wafer so as to form at least one through-opening of the at least one wafer at least partially superposed on a material-free zone of the first resist mold, the structured wafer being intended to form a first part of the hybrid timepiece component;
forming a second resist mold on top of the wafer, comprising material-free zones that extend from the upper surface of the substrate to the upper surface of the stack;
depositing a metal or an alloy by electroforming, so that the metal extends from the upper surface of the substrate to the top of the wafer through the through-opening and over the two upper and lower faces of the wafer as a single piece resulting from one and the same electroforming, the electroformed metal being intended to form a second part of the hybrid timepiece component; and
releasing the hybrid timepiece component by the removal of the substrate.

2. The process for manufacturing a hybrid timepiece component as claimed in claim 1 , additionally comprising:
forming at least one through-opening in the at least one wafer superposed on a material-free zone of the first resist mold so that the lower face of the wafer at least partially covers the material-free zone of the first resist mold; and
forming the second resist mold on top of the wafer which leaves free at least a part of the upper surface of the wafer at a through-opening of the wafer.

3. The process for manufacturing a hybrid timepiece component as claimed in claim 1 , comprising:
forming a second resist layer on top of the first resist mold formed on top of the upper surface of the substrate, the second layer forming at least one positioning pin that enables the subsequent positioning of a structured wafer, a through-opening of which engages with a positioning pin in order to ensure the horizontal holding thereof.

4. The process for manufacturing a hybrid timepiece component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the substrate consists of a silicon wafer comprising a metal layer.

5. The process for manufacturing a hybrid timepiece component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the forming of the first resist mold on top of the upper surface of the substrate forms the first resist mold, the thickness of which corresponds to the height of metal positioned on the lower face of the first part of the hybrid timepiece component.

6. The process for manufacturing a hybrid timepiece component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the timepiece component is selected from the group consisting of a hand, a pallet, a balance, a pinion, a pallet wheel, a balance spring, and a spring.

7. The process for manufacturing a hybrid timepiece component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the forming a second resist mold on top of the wafer, comprising material-free zones that extend from the upper surface of the substrate to the upper surface of the stack.

8. The process for manufacturing a hybrid timepiece component as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the silicon wafer comprising a metal layer is obtained by PVD deposition or by electroforming.

9. The process for manufacturing a hybrid timepiece component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the substrate consists of a doped silicon wafer.

10. The process for manufacturing a hybrid timepiece component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the substrate consists of a metal wafer.

11. The process for manufacturing a hybrid timepiece component as claimed in claim 2 , comprising:
forming a second resist layer on top of the first resist mold formed on top of the upper surface of the substrate, the second layer forming at least one positioning pin that enables the subsequent positioning of a structured wafer, a through-opening of which engages with a positioning pin in order to ensure the horizontal holding thereof.

12. The process for manufacturing a hybrid timepiece component as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the substrate consists of a silicon wafer comprising a metal layer.

13. The process for manufacturing a hybrid timepiece component as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the substrate consists of a silicon wafer comprising a metal layer.

14. The process for manufacturing a hybrid timepiece component as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the substrate consists of a silicon wafer comprising a metal layer.

Assignees

• Rolex Sa

Inventors

• Bossart Richard
• Calame Florian

Classifications

• G04B18/08

  Component parts or constructional details {(G04B17/32 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G04B1/145

  Composition and manufacture of the springs (compositions and manufacture of components, wheels, spindles, pivots, or the like G04B13/02; compositions of component escapements G04B15/14; composition and manufacture or hairsprings G04B17/066; compensation for the effects of variations of temperature of springs using alloys, especially for hairsprings G04B17/227; materials for bearings of clockworks G04B31/00; heat treatment and chemical or mechanical treatment for control of the structure C21D8/00; iron and steel alloys C22C; non-ferrous alloys C22C and B22F) · CPC title

• G04B19/042

  Construction and manufacture of the hands; arrangements for increasing reading accuracy (hands with illumination G04B19/305; specially shaped hands, e.g. figures or pictures G04B45/0061; clockwork in the hands G04B45/043; invisible drive of the hands G04B45/046) · CPC title

• G04B15/14

  Component parts or constructional details, e.g. construction of the lever or the escape wheel {(assembly and manufacture of the spring G04B1/145; assembly and manufacture of components, e.g. pinions, spindles G04B13/02; lubrication of clockwork bearings G04B31/008; oils for clockwork bearings in general G04B31/08)} · CPC title

• G04D3/0069 Primary

  for working with non-mechanical means, e.g. chemical, electrochemical, metallising, vapourising; with electron beams, laser beams · CPC title