Component for a timepiece movement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10635050-B2
Application number	US-201715834635-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2017
Priority date	Dec 20, 2016
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

A pivot arbor for a timepiece movement including at least one pivot made of a non-magnetic metal material at at least one of its ends in order to limit its sensitivity to magnetic fields. The non-magnetic metal material is a non-magnetic light metal or a non-magnetic alloy of the light metal, and at least the external surface of the pivot is coated with an anodic oxide layer of the material, obtained by anodic growth.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pivot arbor for a timepiece movement comprising:
at least one pivot made of a non-magnetic metal material, at at least one of the ends thereof, to limit the sensitivity thereof to magnetic fields,
wherein said non-magnetic metal material is a non-magnetic light metal or a non-magnetic alloy of said light metal, and
wherein at least the external surface of said pivot is coated with an anodic oxide layer of said material.

2. The pivot arbor according to claim 1 , wherein the arbor is made of a non-magnetic metal material, said non-magnetic metal material being a non-magnetic light metal or a non-magnetic alloy of said light metal in order to limit the sensitivity thereof to magnetic fields, and wherein the external surface thereof is coated with an anodic oxide layer of said material.

3. The pivot arbor according to claim 1 , wherein the non-magnetic metal material is chosen from the group consisting of aluminium, titanium, magnesium and their non-magnetic alloys.

4. The pivot arbor according to claim 1 , wherein the non-magnetic metal material has a hardness of less than 250 HV.

5. The pivot arbor according to claim 1 , wherein the anodic oxide layer has a thickness comprised between 2 μm and 50 μm.

6. The pivot arbor according to claim 5 , wherein the anodic oxide layer has a thickness comprised between 10 μm and 30 μm.

7. The pivot arbor according to claim 1 , wherein said anodic oxide layer has a hardness greater than 300 HV.

8. The pivot arbor according to claim 7 , wherein said anodic oxide layer has a hardness greater than 400 HV.

9. The pivot arbor according to claim 8 , wherein said anodic oxide layer has a hardness greater than 500 HV.

10. The pivot axis according to claim 1 , wherein the non-magnetic metal material is chosen from the group consisting of a 6000-series aluminium alloy, a 7000-series aluminium alloy with copper, a Grade 5 titanium alloy, and an Mg—Zr alloy.

11. A movement for a timepiece, wherein the movement comprises the pivot arbor according to claim 1 .

12. A movement for a timepiece, wherein the movement comprises a balance staff, a pallet staff and/or an escape pinion comprising the pivot arbor according to claim 1 .

13. The pivot arbor according to claim 1 , wherein the pivot arbor has a diameter of less than 2 mm.

14. The pivot arbor according to claim 1 , wherein the pivot arbor is a balance staff.

Assignees

• Nivarox Sa

Inventors

• Fussinger Alexandre
• Barfuss Philippe

Classifications

• G04B13/02

  Wheels; Pinions; Spindles; Pivots (bearings G04B31/00 {; chain wheels, spindles for chain wheels, also chains and driving weights G04B1/08}) · 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

• G04B1/16 Primary

  Barrels; Arbors; Barrel axles (arrangements facilitating the removal of the mainspring G04B33/14) · CPC title

• G04B43/007

  Antimagnetic alloys (antimagnetic alloys with temperature compensation G04B17/227; apparatus for antimagnetising G04D9/00; alloys in general C22C) · CPC title

• G04B17/32

  Component parts or constructional details, e.g. collet, stud {, virole or piton} · CPC title