Component for a timepiece movement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11079722-B2
Application number	US-201414895137-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2014
Priority date	Jun 12, 2013
Publication date	Aug 3, 2021
Grant date	Aug 3, 2021

Abstract

A micromechanical component for a timepiece movement including a metal body formed using a single material. The single material is of high-interstitial austenitic steel type including at least one non-metal as the interstitial atom in a proportion between 0.15% and 1.2% with respect to total mass of the material.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A micromechanical component for a timepiece movement comprising:
a metal body formed using a single material that is an interstitial austenitic steel material including at least nitrogen and carbon as interstitial atoms homogeneously distributed throughout the interstitial austenitic steel material,
wherein the interstitial austenitic steel consists of C, N, Cr, Mn, Mo, Si, Cu, and Fe,
wherein the sum of the mass percent composition of carbon and of nitrogen in the metal body is between 0.61% and 0.80%, and the ratio of the mass percent composition of carbon and of nitrogen in the metal body is between 0.29 and 0.55,
wherein the mass percentage of carbon in the metal body is between 0.16% and 0.25% and the mass percentage of nitrogen in the metal body is between 0.45% and 0.55%,
wherein the interstitial austenitic steel includes between 2.70% and 3.70% by mass of molybdenum, and
wherein the interstitial austenitic steel material includes a hardness comprised between 500 MV and 900 MV without the interstitial austenitic steel material being hardened with any material hardening treatment.

2. The micromechanical component according to claim 1 , wherein the mass percentage of carbon in the metal body is between 0.17% and 0.25%.

3. The micromechanical component according to claim 1 , wherein the sum of the mass percent composition of carbon and of nitrogen in the metal body is equal to 0.8% and the ratio of the mass percent composition of carbon and of nitrogen in the metal body is equal to 0.45.

4. The micromechanical component according to claim 1 , wherein an amount of chromium in the interstitial austenitic steel is at least 10% by mass and an amount of manganese in the interstitial austenitic steel is at least 5% by mass.

5. The micromechanical component according to claim 4 , wherein an amount of coper in the interstitial austenitic steel is between 0.5% and 5% by mass.

6. The micromechanical component according to claim 1 , wherein the interstitial austenitic steel is insensitive to magnetic fields.

7. The micromechanical component according to claim 1 , wherein the interstitial austenitic steel is insensitive to corrosion.

8. The micromechanical component according to claim 1 , wherein an amount of silicon in the interstitial austenitic steel is 0.6% or less by mass.

9. The micromechanical component according to claim 1 , wherein the micromechanical component is usable in the timepiece movement without any material hardening treatment to the interstitial austenitic steel, without any chemical protection of the interstitial austenitic steel, and without any magnetic shielding treatment to the interstitial austenitic steel.

10. The micromechanical component according to claim 1 , wherein an amount of chromium in the interstitial austenitic steel is between 16.50% and 18.00% by mass.

11. The micromechanical component according to claim 1 , wherein an amount of manganese in the interstitial austenitic steel is between 9.50% and 12.50% by mass.

12. A method for fabricating the micromechanical component according to claim 1 , comprising:
a) taking the interstitial austenitic steel material, in which at least nitrogen and carbon as interstitial atoms are homogeneously distributed throughout the interstitial austenitic steel material, the sum of the mass percent composition of carbon and of nitrogen in the metal body is between 0.61% and 0.80% and the ratio of the mass percent composition of carbon and of nitrogen in the metal body is between 0.29 and 0.55, and the interstitial austenitic steel material includes a hardness comprised between 500 HV and 900 HV without the interstitial austenitic steel material being hardened with any material hardening treatment; and
b) forming, using only the material, the micromechanical component,
wherein the mass percentage of carbon in the metal body is between 0.16% and 0.25% and the mass percentage of nitrogen in the metal body is between 0.45% and 0.55%.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the sum of the mass percent composition of carbon and of nitrogen in the metal body is substantially equal to 0.8% and the ratio of the mass percent composition of carbon and of nitrogen in the metal body is substantially equal to 0.45.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein an amount of chromium in the interstitial austenitic steel is at least 10% by mass and an amount of manganese in the interstitial austenitic steel is at least 5% by mass.

Assignees

• Nivarox Sa

Inventors

• Charbon Christian

Classifications

• G04B43/007 Primary

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

• G04B18/02

  Regulator {or adjustment} devices; Indexing devices {, e.g. raquettes} · 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

• G04B13/02

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

• C22C38/20

  with copper · CPC title