Method for manufacturing a horology component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11960205-B2
Application number	US-201916718573-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2019
Priority date	Dec 21, 2018
Publication date	Apr 16, 2024
Grant date	Apr 16, 2024

Abstract

Method for manufacturing a horology component, including manufacturing (E1) a first structure (10) from a first photosensitive resin (31) having at least one layer of photosensitive resin having a first pattern obtained by polymerizing the first photosensitive resin by irradiation through at least one mask (4), then developing the first photosensitive resin; and transforming (E2) the first structure (10) into a second structure (1) by structuring at least one surface of the first structure by the addition of a second photosensitive resin (32) to the at least one surface, the second structure (1) being intended to at least partially form a manufacturing mold for the horology component.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing a horology component, wherein the method comprises:
manufacturing a first structure from a first photosensitive resin comprising at least one layer of photosensitive resin comprising a first pattern obtained by polymerizing the first photosensitive resin by irradiation through at least one mask, then developing said first photosensitive resin, the first structure having opposite main surfaces parallel to a main plane of the at least one layer and a lateral surface extending between the main surfaces;
transforming the first structure into a second structure by structuring at least one portion of the lateral surface of the first structure by the addition of a second photosensitive resin to the at least one portion of the lateral surface; and
manufacturing the horology component using a manufacturing mold, wherein the second structure forms at least a portion of the manufacturing mold,
wherein the transforming comprises:
(i) applying a layer of the second photosensitive resin on at least part of the at least one portion of the lateral surface of the first structure;
(ii) performing two-photon polymerization on the second photosensitive resin in order to obtain three-dimensional polymerization according to a second pattern, using a photon device which comprises an objective lens which is at least partially immersed in the second photosensitive resin to direct and focus a beam on voxels that define a shape or a geometry of the second pattern; and
(ii) developing to eliminate non-polymerized second photosensitive resin and obtain the second structure formed on the at least one portion of the lateral surface of the first structure and having a shape defined by the first and second patterns.

2. The method for manufacturing a horology component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the performing of the two-photon polymerization makes it possible to define the second pattern with a three-dimensional resolution higher than or equal to 0.001 μm 3 and/or with a lateral resolution higher than or equal to 0.1 μm.

3. The method for manufacturing a horology component as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the manufacturing of the first structure comprises:
applying the first photosensitive resin to the upper surface of a substrate;
exposing the first photosensitive resin through a mask, in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the mask, in order to polymerize the first photosensitive resin according to the pattern defined by the mask; and
developing the first photosensitive resin.

4. The method for manufacturing a horology component as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the exposing of the first photosensitive resin generates the first structure comprising lateral flanks perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the substrate and/or a constant cross section parallel or substantially parallel to the substrate.

5. The method for manufacturing a horology component as claimed in claim 2 , wherein:
the first photosensitive resin and the second photosensitive resin are different; and/or
the first photosensitive resin and the second photosensitive resin are positive.

6. The method for manufacturing a horology component as claimed in claim 2 , wherein:
the first photosensitive resin and the second photosensitive resin are identical; and/or
the first photosensitive resin and the second photosensitive resin are negative.

7. The method for manufacturing a horology component as claimed in claim 2 , wherein:
the first photosensitive resin is a SU-8 resin or a SU-8-100 resin; and/or
the second photosensitive resin is a liquid or semiliquid resin.

8. The method for manufacturing a horology component as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the method comprises using the second structure as the manufacturing mold.

9. The method for manufacturing a horology component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the manufacturing of the first structure comprises:
applying the first photosensitive resin to the upper surface of a substrate;
exposing the first photosensitive resin through a mask, in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the mask, in order to polymerize the first photosensitive resin according to the pattern defined by the mask; and
developing the first photosensitive resin.

10. The method for manufacturing a horology component as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the exposing of the first photosensitive resin generates the first structure comprising lateral flanks perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the substrate and/or a constant cross section parallel or substantially parallel to the substrate.

11. The method for manufacturing a horology component as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the substrate is a wafer made of a material selected from the group consisting of metal, silicon, glass, and ceramic.

12. The method for manufacturing a horology component as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the wafer is made of stainless steel.

13. The method for manufacturing a horology component as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the first photosensitive resin is exposed using a UV radiation, an X-radiation, or a beam of electrons.

14. The method for manufacturing a horology component as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the method comprises using the second structure as the manufacturing mold.

15. The method for manufacturing a horology component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the first photosensitive resin and the second photosensitive resin are different; and/or
the first photosensitive resin and the second photosensitive resin are positive; and/or
the first photosensitive resin is a SU-8 resin or a SU-8-100 resin; and/or
the second photosensitive resin is a liquid or semiliquid resin.

16. The method for manufacturing a horology component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the method comprises using the second structure as the manufacturing mold.

17. The method for manufacturing a horology component as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the method comprises:
filling the second structure with a pourable product containing ceramic powder;
consolidating the product to form a blank on the second structure;
separating the blank from the second structure and from a substrate; and
debinding the blank obtained in the separating, then densifying the blank by sintering.

18. The method for manufacturing a horology component as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the horology component is made of a material selected from the group consisting of metal, metal alloy, ceramic, and ceramic matrix composite.

19. The method for manufacturing a horology component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:
using electrodeposition or electroplating to apply to the second structure a layer of metal that forms the horology component; and
separating from a substrate the assembly formed by the horology component, which is formed by the layer of metal, and the second structure and separating from the second structure the horology component which is formed by the layer of metal.

20. The method for manufacturing a horology component as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the metal is nickel-based or is a nickel-phosphorus alloy.

Assignees

• Rolex Sa

Inventors

• Calame Florian
• Maegli Alexandra
• Multone Xavier

Classifications

• G03F7/0017 Primary

  for the production of embossing, cutting or similar devices; for the production of casting means · CPC title

• G03F7/0035

  Multiple processes, e.g. applying a further resist layer on an already in a previously step, processed pattern or textured surface · CPC title

• G03F7/0037

  Production of three-dimensional images · CPC title

• G03F7/405

  Treatment with inorganic or organometallic reagents after imagewise removal · CPC title

• G04D3/0074 Primary

  for treatment of the material, e.g. surface treatment · CPC title