Elastic holding member for fixing a timepiece component on different support elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12189338-B2
Application number	US-202017442503-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2020
Priority date	Apr 8, 2019
Publication date	Jan 7, 2025
Grant date	Jan 7, 2025

Abstract

A holding member for fixing a timepiece component on support elements of different cross section includes an opening into which each support element can be inserted, the holding member having structural elements together forming a body configured to ensure mounting of each support element in the opening. Each of the structural elements includes a first structural sub-element and a second structural sub-element, the first structural sub-element including a volume of material greater than a volume of material constituting the second structural sub-element. The holding member includes a connecting portion ensuring the mounting of each of the support elements in the holding member, the portion being defined on an inner face of the first structural sub-element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An elastic holding member for fixing a timepiece component on support elements of different cross section, comprising:
an opening into which each support element can be inserted;
structural elements together forming a body configured to ensure mounting of each support element in the opening, each of the structural elements comprising a first structural sub-element and a second structural sub-element, the first structural sub-element including a volume of material greater than a volume of material constituting the second structural sub-element; and
a connecting portion configured for mounting of each of the support elements in the holding member, the portion being defined on an inner face of the first structural sub-element and having first and second holding parts, the first holding part having two curved contact areas each configured to contact at least one of the support elements and the second holding part having a flat contact area disposed between the two curved contact areas and configured to contact at least one of the support elements.

2. The elastic holding member according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting portion is defined only on the inner face of the first structural sub-element.

3. The elastic holding member according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting portion comprises the first and second holding parts configured for mounting each of the support elements in the holding member.

4. The elastic holding member according to claim 1 , wherein each contact area of the first and second holding parts is comprised in the connecting portion of each first structural sub-element of the holding member extending over all or part of a thickness of the holding member.

5. The elastic holding member according to claim 1 , wherein each contact area of the first and second holding parts is configured to cooperate with a corresponding contact portion of a corresponding support element by being in a contact configuration of a plano-convex type.

6. The elastic holding member according to claim 1 , wherein the curved contact areas of the first holding part comprise two convex contact areas defining a first connecting portion of each first structural sub-element.

7. The elastic holding member according to claim 6 , wherein the second holding part comprises two flat contact areas distributed disjointly over a second connecting portion of each first structural sub-element between the two convex contact areas of the first holding part.

8. The elastic holding member according to claim 6 , wherein the second holding part comprises a single flat contact area arranged equidistant from the two convex contact areas of the first holding part.

9. The elastic holding member according to claim 1 , wherein the second holding part comprises two flat contact areas respectively comprised in different planes together forming an obtuse angle.

10. The elastic holding member according to claim 1 , comprising as many first structural sub-elements as second structural sub-elements.

11. The elastic holding member according to claim 1 , wherein the first structural sub-elements and the second structural sub-elements are arranged successively and alternately in the holding member.

12. The elastic holding member according to claim 1 , wherein each first structural sub-element comprises two opposite ends connected to two different second structural sub-elements.

13. The elastic holding member according to claim 1 , wherein each second structural sub-element has a cross section which is smaller than a cross section of each first structural sub-element.

14. The elastic holding member according to claim 1 , wherein each second structural sub-element has a cross section which is constant throughout a body of the second structural sub-element.

15. The elastic holding member according to claim 1 , comprising a point of attachment with the timepiece component.

16. The elastic holding member according to claim 1 , wherein the holding member comprises a collet for fixing the timepiece component to one of the support elements.

17. The elastic holding member according to claim 1 , wherein the holding member is made of a micromachinable material comprising silicon, quartz, corundum, silicon and silicon dioxide, DLC, metallic glass, ceramic, or an at least partially amorphous material.

18. An elastic holding member-timepiece component assembly for a horological movement of a timepiece comprising a holding member according to claim 1 .

19. The assembly according to claim 18 , wherein the assembly is made in one piece.

20. An assemblage comprising an elastic holding member-timepiece component assembly according to claim 18 and one of the support elements, the assembly being held on the one support element from the first holding part of the holding member, the first holding part being configured to cooperate with a peripheral wall of the one support element.

21. An assemblage comprising an elastic holding member-timepiece component assembly according to claim 18 and one of the support elements, the assembly being held on the one support element from the second holding part of the holding member, the second holding part being configured to cooperate with a peripheral wall of the one support element.

22. A horological movement comprising at least one assemblage comprising an elastic holding member-timepiece component assembly having a holding member according to claim 1 and one of the support elements, the assembly being held on the one support element from the second holding part of the holding member, the second holding part being configured to cooperate with a peripheral wall of the one support element.

23. A timepiece comprising a horological movement according to claim 22 .

24. The elastic holding member according to claim 1 , wherein first and second contact areas are configured such that:
the first contact areas but not the second contact area directly contact a first one of the support elements having a first shape, and
the second contact area but not the first contact areas directly contact a second one of the support elements having a second shape different from the first shape.

25. An elastic holding member for fixing a timepiece component on support elements of different cross section, comprising:
an opening into which each support element can be inserted;
structural elements together forming a body configured to ensure mounting of each support element in the opening, each of the structural elements comprising a first structural sub-element and a second structural sub-element, the first structural sub-element including a volume of material greater than a volume of material constituting the second structural sub-element; and
a connecting portion configured for mounting of each of the support elements in the holding member, the portion being defined on an inner face of the first structural sub-element and comprising first and second holding parts, the first holding part comprising two convex contact areas defining a first connecting portion of each first structural sub-element, and the second holding part comprises two flat contact areas distributed disjointly over a second connecting portion of each first structural sub-element between the two convex contact areas of the first holding part.

26. An elastic holding member for fixing a timepiece component on support elements of different cross section, comprising:

Assignees

• Nivarox Far Sa

Inventors

• Hernandez Ivan
• Cusin Pierre

Classifications

• G04B17/345 Primary

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