Watch component and watch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11868089-B2
Application number	US-202016951199-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2020
Priority date	Nov 19, 2019
Publication date	Jan 9, 2024
Grant date	Jan 9, 2024

Abstract

An escape wheel serving as a watch component that constitutes a drive mechanism of a watch includes a tooth portion, and a base mainly composed of silicon. A contact surface where the tooth portion makes contact with another component includes a recess.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A watch component that constitutes a drive mechanism of a watch, the watch component comprising:
a tooth portion; and
a base mainly composed of silicon,
wherein the tooth portion and the base each include an upper surface and an opposite lower surface, and a contact surface extends in a thickness direction between the upper surface and the opposite lower surface,
the contact surface is where the tooth portion makes contact with another component, and includes a recess having a maximum depth of 0.02 μm to 1.20 μm in cross-sectional view,
a maximum depth position of the recess is located at a center portion of the contact surface in the thickness direction of the base or the tooth portion, and
the recess is defined by a first angled planar surface that extends from the upper surface to the center portion and an angled second planar surface that extends from the center portion to the opposite lower surface.

2. The watch component according to claim 1 , wherein a second recess is provided in side surfaces of the base and the tooth portion.

3. The watch component according to claim 1 , wherein the recess has a maximum depth of 0.05 μm to 1.00 μm in cross-sectional view.

4. The watch component according to claim 2 , wherein the second recess has a maximum depth of 0.05 μm to 1.00 μm in cross-sectional view.

5. The watch component according to claim 2 , wherein the tooth portion and the base each include an upper surface and an opposite lower surface, and the side surfaces each extend in a thickness direction between the upper surface and the opposite lower surface, and a maximum depth position of the second recess is located at a center portion of each of the side surfaces in the thickness direction of the base or the tooth portion.

6. The watch component according to claim 4 , wherein the tooth portion and the base each include an upper surface and an opposite lower surface, and the side surfaces each extend in a thickness direction between the upper surface and the opposite lower surface, and a maximum depth position of the second recess is located at a center portion of each of the side surfaces in the thickness direction of the base or the tooth portion.

7. The watch component according to claim 1 , wherein an angle between a side connecting the maximum depth position of the recess and an end portion of the base or the tooth portion, and a thickness direction of the recess is 0.05° to 1.25° in cross-sectional view.

8. The watch component according to claim 5 , wherein an angle between a side connecting the maximum depth position of the second recess and an end portion of the base or the tooth portion, and a thickness direction of the recess is 0.05° to 1.25° in cross-sectional view.

9. The watch component according to claim 1 , wherein the recess is formed by a dry etching process.

10. The watch component according to claim 1 , wherein the watch component is an escape wheel or a gear.

11. The watch component according to claim 1 , wherein the watch component is an escape wheel or a gear.

12. The watch component according to claim 7 , wherein the watch component is an escape wheel or a gear.

13. The watch component according to claim 10 , wherein the other component is a pallet fork or a gear.

14. The watch component according to claim 11 , wherein the other component is a pallet fork or a gear.

15. The watch component according to claim 2 , wherein the recess and the second recess are connected to each other.

16. A watch comprising:
a watch movement including the watch component according to claim 1 ; and
a hand configured to be driven by the watch movement.

17. A watch component that constitutes a drive mechanism of a watch, the watch component comprising:
a tooth portion; and
a base mainly composed of silicon,
wherein the tooth portion and the base each include an upper surface and an opposite lower surface, and a contact surface extends in a thickness direction between the upper surface and the opposite lower surface,
the contact surface of the tooth portion is configured to make contact with another component, and the contact surface includes a recess having a maximum depth in the range of 0.02 μm to 1.20 μm in a cross-sectional view, and
the tooth portion and the recess are simultaneously formed on the base by a dry etching process.

18. The watch component according to claim 17 , wherein in the dry etching process, the recess is formed by switching between an etching-rich condition and a deposition-rich condition.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Funakawa Takeo
• Takano Katsuo

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

• G04B13/022

  with parts made of hard material, e.g. silicon, diamond, sapphire, quartz and the like · CPC title

• G04B15/08

  Lever escapements · CPC title

• G04B13/028 Primary

  wheels in which the teeth are conic, contrate, etc; also column wheels construction (start-stop mechanisms with column wheels G04F7/0847) · CPC title