Component especially for horology with surface topology and method for manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10981783-B2
Application number	US-201916441068-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2019
Priority date	Aug 9, 2018
Publication date	Apr 20, 2021
Grant date	Apr 20, 2021

Abstract

A system including two components intended to be in friction contact with each other in a given direction, wherein the friction occurs in a functional area, wherein the system is at least one of the two components including, on a surface in the functional area, a texture formed of a series of troughs of rounded shape separated by peaks or a series of bumps of rounded shape separated by troughs, the troughs extending parallel in the given direction and allowing for the evacuation of debris produced by friction and serving as a reservoir for a lubricant. A method for manufacturing at least one component or a mold by the DRIE (deep reactive ion etching) process, wherein surface defects on the sidewalls machined by the DRIE process are used to form the troughs.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system comprising two components intended to be in friction contact with each other via friction surfaces in a given direction of friction, wherein the friction occurs in a functional area, the system comprising
a first component comprising, in the functional area, a first surface having a texture formed of a series of troughs of rounded shape separated by peaks, said troughs extending parallel to said given direction; and
a second component comprising, in the functional area, a smooth second surface,
wherein the first and second surfaces, when in friction contact, are configured to form a region configured to allow for the evacuation of debris produced by friction and to serve as a reservoir for a lubricant.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said troughs are longitudinal and parallel to each other.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein said troughs have a depth P which is greater than or equal to 100 nm and less than or equal to 1000 nm.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said troughs have a depth P which is greater than or equal to 100 nm and less than or equal to 1000 nm.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said series of troughs and peaks forms a periodic structure.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said texture is present on one sidewall of said at least one component machined by deep reactive ion etching.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein only said at least one component comprises said texture on its surface, the other component of the system having a smooth surface in the functional area.

8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one component is made from silicon or from metal.

9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein both components are timepiece components.

10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said troughs have a depth P which is greater than or equal to 100 nm and less than or equal to 300 nm.

11. The system according to claim 1 , comprising the lubricant being disposed in said troughs.

12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said first and second components comprise a pallet lever and escape wheel.

13. A system, comprising two components intended to be in friction contact with each other via friction surfaces in a given direction of friction, wherein the friction occurs in a functional area, the system comprising
a first component comprising, in the functional area, a first surface having a texture formed of a series of first troughs of rounded shape separated by peaks, said troughs extending parallel to said given direction; and
a second component comprising, in the functional area, a second surface comprising a series of second troughs of rounded shape separated by peaks, said troughs extending parallel to said given direction,
wherein said texture said first and second troughs are disposed facing each other, and
wherein the first and second surfaces, when in friction contact, are configured to form a region configured to allow for the evacuation of debris produced by friction and to serve as a reservoir for a lubricant.

14. A timepiece comprising the system including two components intended to be in friction contact with each other via friction surfaces in a given direction of friction, wherein the friction occurs in a functional area, the system comprising at least one of the two components comprising, in the functional area, a surface having a texture formed of a series of troughs of rounded shape separated by peaks said troughs extending parallel to said given direction and configured to evacuate debris produced by friction and serving as a reservoir for a lubricant.

Assignees

• Nivarox Sa

Inventors

• Gandelhman Alex
• Cusin Pierre
• Verardo Marco

Classifications

• G04B15/14 Primary

  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

• B81B2203/0384

  sloped profile · CPC title

• B81C2201/0132

  Dry etching, i.e. plasma etching, barrel etching, reactive ion etching [RIE], sputter etching or ion milling · CPC title

• G04D3/0069

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

• B81B5/00 Primary

  Devices comprising elements which are movable in relation to each other, e.g. comprising slidable or rotatable elements · CPC title