Device for the transfer of watch components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10866567-B2
Application number	US-201916549049-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 23, 2019
Priority date	Sep 3, 2018
Publication date	Dec 15, 2020
Grant date	Dec 15, 2020

Abstract

A device ( 30, 40 ) for the transfer of a plurality of watch components ( 2 ) arranged on a first support ( 10 ) to their arrangement on a second support ( 20 ), wherein it comprises an inlet surface ( 31, 41 ) comprising inlet orifices ( 33, 43 ) so arranged as to correspond to a first arrangement of the watch components ( 2 ) on a first support ( 10 ), an outlet surface ( 32, 42 ) comprising outlet orifices ( 34, 44 ) so arranged as to correspond to a second arrangement of the watch components ( 2 ) on a second support ( 20 ), and guide elements ( 35, 45 ) adapted to guide the watch components ( 2 ) automatically from the inlet orifices ( 33, 43 ) to the outlet orifices ( 34, 44 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for the transfer of a plurality of watch components arranged in a first arrangement on a first support to a second arrangement on a second support, wherein the device comprises:
an inlet surface comprising inlet orifices that are each arranged so as to correspond to respective positions of watch components of the first arrangement of the watch components on the first support,
an outlet surface comprising outlet orifices that are each arranged so as to correspond to respective positions of watch components of the second arrangement of the watch components on the second support,
guide elements adapted to guide the watch components automatically from the inlet orifices to the outlet orifices, and
wherein relative positions between at least some of the watch components in the second arrangement on the second support is different from relative positions between the at least some of the watch components in the first arrangement on the first support.

2. The device for the transfer of watch components as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the guide elements are in the form of channels each respectively connecting an inlet orifice positioned on the inlet surface to an outlet orifice positioned on the outlet surface, at least one of the guide elements causing sliding of a watch component on a wall of the at least one of the guide elements from the inlet orifice to the outlet orifice.

3. The device for the transfer of watch components as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the guide elements comprises at least one feature selected from the group consisting of:
a curved guide surface;
a guide surface comprising at least one chicane;
a guide surface adapted to cause the displacement of a watch component according to a translatory movement and/or according to a rotational movement;
a guide surface adapted to cause or not to cause a modification to the orientation of a watch component;
a guide surface adapted to cause a modification to the orientation of a watch component so that its contact surface with the first support is different from its contact surface with the second support.

4. The device for the transfer of watch components as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the device is made of, or coated at least partially with a surface made of, a material selected from the group consisting of polymer, ceramic, metal, and alloy of metals, in order to avoid clattering the watch components.

5. The device for the transfer of watch components as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the device comprises a removable grille comprising grille orifices arranged in a manner that is identical or compatible with the inlet orifices of the inlet surface so as to be capable of being overlaid on the inlet orifices of the inlet surface and to permit the passage of watch components successively through the grille orifices and the inlet orifices.

6. The device for the transfer of watch components as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the grille and the inlet surface comprise a means of indexation for the correct positioning of the grille relative to the inlet surface.

7. The device for the transfer of watch components as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the device comprises a plate arranged in a removable manner between the inlet surface of the first transfer device and the grille in order to permit the temporary retention of watch components on the inlet surface before the transfer of the watch components through the inlet orifices after retraction or displacement of the plate.

8. The device for the transfer of watch components as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the plate comprises openings according to an arrangement that is identical to or compatible with the inlet orifices of the inlet surface, and wherein the plate is mobile relative to the inlet surface, so as to be capable of occupying a first position in which the openings in the plate are not totally overlapped by the inlet orifices of the inlet surface so that watch components are adapted to continue to be retained above the inlet surface, and a second position in which the openings in the plate are overlapped by inlet orifices ( 33 ) of the inlet surface so that watch components are adapted to be transferred through the openings in the plate and the inlet orifices of the inlet surface.

9. The device for the transfer of watch components as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the device is adapted for the transfer of watch components selected from the group consisting of movement-blanks, wheels of a watch movement, and watch-making components.

10. The device for the transfer of watch components as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the device is adapted to be mounted in series with at least one second transfer device.

11. An assembly of at least two devices for the transfer of watch components as claimed in claim 1 arranged in series, wherein the respective guide elements of the at least two transfer devices are connected so to form continuous guide elements on the assembly of the at least two transfer devices.

12. A method of manufacturing a device for the transfer of watch components as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the method comprises manufacturing by the addition of material, wherein the manufacturing is performed according to a technology selected from the group consisting of:
i. modeling by deposition of molten material;
ii. polymerization or reticulation by layer of a polymer, especially stereolithography;
iii. bonding of film with an adhesive by laminated object manufacturing (LOM);
iv. agglomeration of a layer of powder by selective laser sintering (SLS); and
v. melting of powder with the aid of a laser by selective laser melting (SLM).

13. A system for handling watch components, comprising:
a first support comprising first housings for the transport and/or the implementation of at least one first operation on the watch components,
a second, distinct support comprising second housings for the transport and/or the implementation of at least one second operation on the same watch components, and
a transfer device as claimed in claim 1 for transferring the watch components from the first housings of the first support to the second housings of the second support.

14. The system for handling watch components as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the first support is a tray or a container.

15. A method of handling watch components, comprising:
transporting and/or performing at least one first operation on the watch components arranged on a first support, and
automatically transferring the watch components from the first support onto the second support by means of the transfer device as claimed in claim 1 , and
transporting and/or performing at least one second operation on the watch components arranged on the second support.

16. The system for handling watch components as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the second support is a tray or a container or a vessel.

17. The system for handling watch components as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the second support is a vessel filled with liquid or with a medium.

18. The system for handling watch components as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the second support is a tray or a container or a vessel.

19. The device for the transfer of watch components as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the device is adapted for the transfer of watch components selected from the group consisting of plates, bridges, escape wheels, bracelet links, dial plates and dial indices.

20. The device for the transfer of watch components as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the

Assignees

• Rolex Sa

Inventors

• Beaufils Yann
• Noel Adrien

Classifications

• B65G11/023

  for articles · CPC title

• B81C2203/054

  using structural alignment aids, e.g. spacers, interposers, male/female parts, rods or balls · CPC title

• B81C99/002 Primary

  Apparatus for assembling MEMS, e.g. micromanipulators (micromanipulators per se B25J7/00) · CPC title

• B65G47/24

  orientating the articles · CPC title

• B65G47/06

  from a single group of articles arranged in orderly pattern, e.g. workpieces in magazines (de-stacking devices B65G59/00) · CPC title