Assembly and alignment device, particularly for a timepiece resonator mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11899404-B2
Application number	US-202017027775-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2020
Priority date	Oct 24, 2019
Publication date	Feb 13, 2024
Grant date	Feb 13, 2024

Abstract

A device for assembly and alignment on a first bridge, particularly a timepiece movement plate, arranged in a first plane, the device including a second bridge arranged in a second plane, the second bridge being intended to carry a component, in particular a moving component of a timepiece resonator mechanism, the device including a device for aligning the second bridge on the first bridge, the alignment device including at least two bearing faces of the second bridge arranged orthogonally to the second plane in two different directions, the alignment device further including at least two movable adjustment pieces connected to the first bridge, the adjustment pieces each being configured to contact with one of the bearing faces to position the second bridge in a position on the first bridge, the movable pieces defining a plurality of positions of the second bridge on the first bridge.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for assembly and alignment on a first bridge or bar, forming a timepiece movement plate, arranged in a first plane, the device comprising:
a second bridge or bar arranged in a second plane, the second bridge being intended to carry a moving component of a timepiece resonator mechanism, the second bridge including an axial portion and first and second side arms extending from either side of the axial portion from an end of the axial portion, and
means for aligning the second bridge on the first bridge, the means for aligning including
first and second bearing faces respectively provided on first and second oblong passages disposed in the first and second side arms of the second bridge, and a third bearing face provided on a third oblong passage disposed in the axial portion and extending in a direction parallel to the axial portion, the first, second, and third bearing faces being orthogonal to the second plane in three different directions, and
first, second, and third movable adjustment pieces mechanically connected to the first bridge, the first, second, and third movable adjustment pieces each being configured to come into contact with the first, second, and third bearing faces to position the second bridge in a determined position on the first bridge, the movable adjustment pieces configured to define a plurality of positions of the second bridge on the first bridge, and

wherein the first and second bearing faces are substantially perpendicular to each other, and the third bearing face forms an angle of 45° with each of the first and second bearing faces.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and third bearing faces are arranged at vertices of an isosceles triangle.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein each adjustment piece is rounded to form a pivot around which one of the bearing faces can rotate when an adjustment piece is actuated.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein each bearing face borders a passage to the first bridge, the movable adjustment pieces each being arranged in one of said passages.

5. The device according to claim 4 , wherein the adjustment pieces are screws each arranged in one of the passages orthogonally to the second plane, each screw being provided with a head and a shaft, at least one of said screws being eccentric, the head being intended to be in contact with the bearing face.

6. The device according to claim 5 , wherein each passage has a width substantially equal to a width of the head of the screws.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustment pieces are movable in rotation.

8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustment pieces are movable in translation.

9. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the first bridge has graduations for indicating a position of the second bridge.

10. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the device comprises means for locking the second bridge on the first bridge.

11. A resonator mechanism for timepiece movements, comprising a first bridge, forming a timepiece movement plate, wherein the resonator mechanism comprises an assembly and alignment device according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Eta Sa Mft Horlogere Suisse

Inventors

• Winkler Pascal
• Helfer Jean-Luc
• Courvoisier Raphaël

Classifications

• G04B29/022 Primary

  Bridges · CPC title

• G04B17/063

  Balance construction (balances with frequency adjustment screw G04B18/006; balances with temperature compensation G04B17/222; balancing devices G04B17/28) · CPC title

• G04B17/04 Primary

  Oscillators acting by spring tension · CPC title

• G04B1/00 Primary

  Driving mechanisms {(driving mechanisms for Turkish time G04B19/22; driving mechanisms in the hands G04B45/043; driving mechanisms for phonographic apparatus G11B19/00; springs, driving weight engines F03G; driving mechanisms for cinematography G03B1/00; driving mechnisms; driving mechanisms for time fuses for missiles F42C; driving mechnisms for toys A63H29/00)} · CPC title

• G04B17/045

  with oscillating blade springs (mechanical oscillations maintained by electro-magnetic means, e.g. tuning forks G04C3/10) · CPC title