Guide bearing for a timepiece balance pivot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11073798-B2
Application number	US-201815935609-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2018
Priority date	Mar 30, 2017
Publication date	Jul 27, 2021
Grant date	Jul 27, 2021

Abstract

A bearing (1a) for guiding a timepiece shaft about an axis, notably a guide bearing for a portion of a timepiece resonator shaft, comprising at least one pressing element (13a) arranged in such a way as to constantly exert an action on the shaft, radially or substantially radially with respect to the axis.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bearing for guiding a portion of a timepiece resonator shaft about an axis, comprising:
at least one blade extending toward the shaft; and
each of the at least one blade having a pressing element on the respective end of the at least one blade that is configured to constantly exert an action on the shaft, radially or substantially radially with respect to the axis,
wherein the pressing element is movable relative to the shaft, and
wherein:
i) said at least one blade comprises a plurality of blades that extend from an inside surface of a chassis, with a proximal end of each blade connected to the chassis and with a distal free end of each blade being free and not connected to the chassis;
ii) wherein each blade is an elongated blade having a narrow cross-sectional width along at least a portion of the length of the blade providing flexibility in a widthwise direction lateral to the length of the blade;
iii) wherein the blades are uniformly angularly distributed around the axis, and wherein each blade has a like orientation with respect to a radial line extending from its respective proximal end to said axis; and
iv) each blade including a shaft-side surface extending from the proximal end to the distal free end of the blade, with a distal region of the shaft-side surface constituting a pressing surface of said pressing element, wherein the pressing surface has a flat or concave region that contacts the shaft.

2. The bearing as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each respective one of the at least one blade includes a respective return element that is connected to the respective pressing element, the respective return element being a portion of the respective at least one blade and collaborating with the respective pressing element.

3. The bearing as claimed in claim 2 , wherein each respective one of the at least one return element and the respective pressing element are made as one piece.

4. The bearing as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one blade comprises at least two blades having at least two corresponding pressing elements for pressing on the shaft about the axis.

5. The bearing as claimed in claim 1 , comprising at least two return elements and at least two pressing elements.

6. The bearing as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each respective one of the at least one pressing element comprises at least one respective planar or concave or convex pressing surface.

7. The bearing as claimed in claim 5 , comprising three return elements, and at least as many pressing elements.

8. The bearing as claimed in claim 6 , wherein all the pressing surfaces are planar or concave or convex.

9. The bearing as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each respective one of the at least one blade has:
a return element, constituted by the respective at least one blade, configured to return the at least one pressing element to press on the shaft.

10. The bearing as claimed in claim 9 , comprising at least three blades.

11. The bearing as claimed in claim 9 , wherein:
each of the at least one blade extends parallel or substantially parallel to the respective pressing element in a vicinity of the respective pressing element and/or orthogonally or substantially orthogonally with respect to the axis in the vicinity of the respective pressing element,
or wherein
each of the at least one blade extends at least substantially perpendicular to the respective pressing element in a vicinity of the respective pressing element and/or orthogonally or substantially orthogonally with respect to the axis in the vicinity of the respective pressing element.

12. The bearing as claimed in claim 9 , wherein each of the at least one blade extends at least substantially in a straight line or wherein each of the at least one blade extends in curves.

13. The bearing as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one blade is one radial or substantially radial protuberance, the protuberance comprising:
at least one pressing element for pressing on the shaft, and
a return element for returning the at least one pressing element to press on the shaft.

14. The bearing as claimed in claim 1 , comprising:
an annular chassis, each of the at least one pressing element being mechanically connected to the chassis via at least one return element, and
bankings limiting a deformation of the at least one return element,
further comprising:
the annular chassis being a single piece, and/or
the annular chassis being several independent components, and/or
the annular chassis being in as many independent components as there are return elements
wherein the at least one pressing element and/or at least one return element includes a plurality of pressing elements and/or a plurality of return elements that are uniformly angularly distributed about the axis.

15. A shock-absorber comprising a bearing as claimed in claim 1 and an endstone jewel.

16. A horology mechanism comprising a shock-absorber as claimed in claim 15 and a shaft mounted in the bearing,
wherein each of the at least one pressing element presses directly on the shaft.

17. The horology mechanism as claimed in claim 16 , which is a balance oscillator.

18. The mechanism as claimed in claim 16 ,
wherein the mechanism comprises a resonator comprising a balance, and/or
wherein the mechanism comprises a resonator of which a shaft portion or pivot-shank is guided by the bearing, and/or
wherein each of the at least one return element is preloaded.

19. A horology movement comprising a mechanism as claimed in claim 16 .

20. A timepiece comprising a movement as claimed in claim 19 .

21. The bearing as claimed in claim 1 in combination with a timepiece resonator shaft, wherein the at least one pressing element presses directly on the shaft.

22. The bearing as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one blade includes a plurality of blades, and wherein each of the plurality of blades is configured to independently move relative to one another.

23. The bearing as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said at least one blade includes three blades.

24. A bearing for guiding a portion of a timepiece resonator shaft about an axis, comprising:
a plurality of blades extending toward the shaft, said blades being fixed to a chassis at a proximal end of the blade and extending to a free distal end of the blade;
wherein each blade is an elongated blade having a narrow cross-sectional width along at least a portion of the length of the blade providing flexibility in a widthwise direction lateral to the length of the blade with the free distal end of the blade moving relative to the fixed proximal end of the blade;
each of the plurality of blades having a pressing element at the free distal end of the blade that is arranged to exert an action on the shaft, radially or substantially radially with respect to the axis, wherein the pressing element is movable relative to the shaft;
wherein each pressing element includes a concave shaft-side surface configured to surround a portion of the shaft;
wherein said concave shaft-side surface is formed from each pressing element having an arcuate surface with a radius of curvature that surrounds said portion of the shaft or from each pressing element having a banking or hook that extends towards the shaft.

25. A bearing for guiding a portion of a timepiece resonator shaft about an axis, comprising:
a plurality of blades extending toward the

Assignees

• Rolex Sa

Inventors

• Cettour-Baron Raphaël
• Hunziker Olivier
• Testori Léonard

Classifications

• G04B31/00 Primary

  Bearings; Point suspensions or counter-point suspensions; Pivot bearings; Single parts therefor (bearings in general F16C {; manufacture and composition of springs G04B1/145; suspension of oscillating weights G04B5/18; suspension of a pendulum G04B17/02; bearings for electrical measurement apparatus G01R1/10, G01R1/12, G01R11/12, G01R11/14; inserting jewels A44C17/04; inserting cutting diamonds B23P5/00; devices for fixation of bearing jewels, bearing sleeves, or the like G04D3/04}) · CPC title

• G04B31/04 Primary

  with jewel hole and cap jewel {(jewel bearings with jewel hole and cap jewel G04B31/0082; tools for inserting jewel bearings G04D3/042)} · CPC title

• G04B31/02

  Shock-damping bearings {(shock damping in the case G04B37/052, G04B37/055, G04B37/0418)} · CPC title

• G04B17/06 Primary

  Oscillators with hairsprings, e.g. balance {(electrically driven balances G04C3/04; contacts actuated by a balance G04C13/065)} · CPC title