Component for a timepiece movement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10761482-B2
Application number	US-201715652288-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2017
Priority date	Jul 19, 2016
Publication date	Sep 1, 2020
Grant date	Sep 1, 2020

Abstract

The invention concerns the field of timepiece movements.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A timepiece component comprising at least one portion machined by chip removal, wherein said portion is made of a non-magnetic copper alloy in order to limit the sensitivity thereof to magnetic fields, said copper alloy containing between 10 wt % and 20 wt % of Ni, between 6 wt % and 12 wt % of Sn, X wt % of additional elements, wherein X is comprised between 0 and 5, and the remainder is Cu,
wherein the component consists of a pivot arbor, the portion machined by chip removal being at least a pivot,
wherein at least the portion machined by chip removal comprises a hardening layer deposited on an outer surface of said portion, and the hardening layer is a layer of TiN, diamond, DLC, Al 2 O 3 , CR, or NiP.

2. The timepiece component according to claim 1 , wherein said copper alloy comprises lead, in an amount less than or equal to 0.02 wt %.

3. The timepiece component according to claim 1 , wherein at least an outer surface of said portion machined by chip removal is deep-hardened with respect to the core of the timepiece component to a predetermined depth.

4. The timepiece component according to claim 3 , wherein the predetermined depth represents between 5% and 40% of the total diameter (d) of said portion machined by chip removal.

5. The timepiece component according to claim 3 , wherein the deep-hardened outer surface comprises diffused atoms of at least one chemical element.

6. A movement for a timepiece, wherein the movement comprises a timepiece component according to claim 1 .

7. A method for fabrication of a timepiece component according to claim 1 for a timepiece movement, the method comprising:
a1) taking an element machinable by chip removal, said element being made of a non-magnetic copper alloy containing between 10 wt % and 20 wt % of Ni, between 6 wt % and 12 wt % of Sir, X wt % of additional elements, wherein X is comprised between 0 and 5, and the remainder is Cu;
b1) forming the timepiece component;
c1) chip removal machining said timepiece component to form at least one portion of said timepiece component that is machined by chip removal and made of said non-magnetic copper alloy; and
d1) depositing a hardening layer at least on an outer surface of said portion machined by chip removal.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises e) diffusing atoms to a predetermined depth in at least an outer surface of said portion machined by chip removal in order to deep-harden the timepiece component in the main stress areas while maintaining high tenacity.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the predetermined depth represents between 5% and 40% of the total diameter (d) of said portion machined by chip removal.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the diffusion comprises the diffusion of atoms of at least one chemical element.

11. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the diffusing e) consists of a thermochemical diffusion treatment.

12. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the diffusing e) consists of an ion implantation process which may or may not be followed by a diffusion treatment.

13. The method according to claim 7 , wherein said portion machined by chip removal is subjected to a rolling/polishing after c1) or after d1) depositing a hardening layer at least on an outer surface of said portion machined by Chip removal or e) diffusing atoms to a predetermined depth in at least am outer surface of said portion machined by Chip removal in order to deep-harden the timepiece component in the main stress areas while maintaining high tenacity.

14. A method for fabrication of a timepiece component according to claim 1 for a timepiece movement, the method comprising:
a2) taking an element machinable by chip removal, said element being made of a non-magnetic copper alloy containing between 10 wt % and 20 wt % of Ni, between 6 wt % and 12 wt % Sit, X wt % of additional elements, wherein X is comprised between 0 and 5, and the remainder is Cu;
b2) chip removal machining said element to form at least one portion of said timepiece component;
c2) forming the timepiece component comprising said portion obtained in step b2); and
d2) depositing a hardening layer at least on an outer surface of said portion machined by chip removal.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises e) diffusing atoms to a predetermined depth in at least an outer surface of said portion machined by chip removal in order to deep-harden the timepiece component in the main stress areas while maintaining high tenacity.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the predetermined depth represents between 5% and 40% of the total diameter (d) of said portion machined by chip removal.

17. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the diffusion comprises the diffusion of atoms of at least one chemical element.

18. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the diffusing e) consists of a themiochemical diffusion treatment.

19. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the diffusing e) consists of an ion implantation process which may or may not be followed by a diffusion treatment.

20. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said portion machined by chip removal is subjected to a rolling/polishing after b2) or after d2) depositing a hardening layer at least on an outer surface of said portion machined by chip removal or e) diffusing atoms to a predetermined depth in at least an outer surface of said portion machined by chip removal in order to deep-harden the timepiece component in the main stress areas while maintaining high tenacity.

21. The timepiece component according to claim 1 , wherein the pivot has a diameter of less than 0.2 mm.

Assignees

• Nivarox Sa

Inventors

• Charbon Christian
• Fays Vincent
• Verardo Marco

Classifications

• G04B13/026

  Physics · mapped topic

• 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

• G04B29/00 Primary

  Frameworks · CPC title

• G04B13/02

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