Timepiece oscillator structure with a divisible element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12366826-B2
Application number	US-202117220524-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 1, 2021
Priority date	Jul 7, 2017
Publication date	Jul 22, 2025
Grant date	Jul 22, 2025

Abstract

A timepiece oscillator structure includes at least one divisible unit, which includes at least one component which includes at least one flexible blade or at least one blade with necks, joining two main units, each more rigid than the flexible blade or blade with necks, where the divisible unit includes at least one protection unit adjacent to at least one main unit to which it is connected by at least one divisible linkage which is designed in order to make possible the detachment of this protection unit from the component when the component is fixed, with at least the particular main unit which is adjacent to the protection unit, to a more rigid external element than the flexible blade or than the necks of the blade with necks.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A timepiece oscillator structure comprising:
at least one divisible unit, which comprises at least one component which comprises at least one flexible blade or at least one blade with necks, joining two main units, each more rigid than said flexible blade or blade with necks, wherein
said divisible unit comprises at least one protection unit which is designed to be adjacent to a first one of said main units to which said protection unit is connected by at least one divisible linkage which is designed in order to make possible a detachment of said protection unit from said component when said component is fixed, by said first one of said main units which is designed to be adjacent to said protection unit, to an external element more rigid than said flexible blade or than the necks of said blade with necks, the external element being different from said first one of said main units, and
the at least one protection unit is adjacent to the main units which are situated on both sides of the at least one flexible blade or blade with necks, in order to protect said at least one flexible blade or blade with necks, wherein
said at least one protection unit is adjacent to said first one of said main units until said component is fixed to the external element, and
said at least one protection unit is configured to be detached from said first one of said main units after said component is fixed to the external element.

2. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one divisible linkage comprises a zone of a smaller section than that of said first one of said main units and said at least one protection unit which are adjacent thereto, and/or comprises at least one bridge, and/or comprises at least one incipient break produced in a thickness of a material.

3. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein each of said two main units is adjacent to said protection unit to which said protection unit is connected by said at least one divisible linkage.

4. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said main units forms a free inertial mass, and is designed to be fixed to another free inertial mass of another said at least one divisible unit.

5. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said main units comprises at least one assembly surface for rigid fixing thereof to said external element.

6. The structure according to claim 5 , wherein each of said two main units comprises at least one assembly surface for rigid fixing thereof to said external element.

7. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said main units forms a free inertial mass and is devoid of any direct linkage with said external element.

8. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein said divisible unit comprises a single said protection unit.

9. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein said flexible blade or blade with necks is prestressed in a multistable state, as long as said divisible linkage is intact, and as long as each said protection unit is connected to said component.

10. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein said divisible unit is planar and is made of a micromachinable material, or made of silicon and silicon oxide, or made of DLC, or made of an at least partially amorphous material.

11. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein said divisible unit extends over a single level corresponding to a thickness of the thickest said flexible blade or blade with necks which said divisible unit comprises.

12. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein said divisible unit extends over a plurality of levels, each corresponding to a thickness of the thickest flexible blade or blade with necks which said divisible unit comprises.

13. The structure according to claim 12 , wherein said divisible unit comprises, over various levels, said flexible blades or blades with necks which intersect, in projection on a plane parallel to the plane of each of said components.

14. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein said divisible unit is monobloc and said divisible unit is configured to not come apart before breaking.

15. The structure according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of components fixed one on the other, at least one component of which is a constituent of said divisible unit.

16. The structure according to claim 15 , wherein said plurality of components are stacked one on the other.

17. The structure according to claim 15 , wherein said structure comprises at least two components which are stacked one on the other, each being a constituent of said divisible unit comprising one said flexible blade or blade with necks, and wherein said flexible blades or blades with necks intersect, in projection on a plane parallel to the plane of each of said components.

18. The structure according to claim 16 , wherein all of said components which said structure comprises form a stack subjected to a clamping force by a linkage clamped along a direction of said stack by connection means which comprises at least one assembled rivet and/or one screw-nut assembly and/or at least one component fixed by clamping.

19. The structure according to claim 17 , wherein all said components which said structure comprises form a stack where they are joined one to another by adhesive.

20. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein said structure comprises at least one said component comprising a traversing housing for passage and fixing of a spindle or a pin or a screw, said traversing housing comprising a plurality of elastic centring springs and a plurality of limit stops for limitation of radial travel.

21. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein each said divisible unit is broken at a level of each said divisible linkage.

22. A timepiece oscillator mechanism comprising at least one of said structure according to claim 1 .

23. A timepiece movement comprising at least one of said timepiece oscillator mechanism according to claim 22 .

24. A watch comprising said timepiece movement according to claim 23 .

25. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein the external element is not configured to provide oscillation.

Assignees

• Eta Sa Mft Horlogere Suisse

Inventors

• Mallet Daniel
• Cusin Pierre
• Courvoisier Raphael
• Winkler Pascal

Classifications

• G04D3/0035

  for components of the regulating mechanism · CPC title

• G04B31/02

  Shock-damping bearings {(shock damping in the case G04B37/052, G04B37/055, G04B37/0418)} · CPC title

• G04B43/002

  Component shock protection arrangements (shock damping bearings G04B31/02; shock-damping in the case G04B37/04; protection of the pendulum or chime during transport G04B41/00) · CPC title

• G04B17/06

  Oscillators with hairsprings, e.g. balance {(electrically driven balances G04C3/04; contacts actuated by a balance G04C13/065)} · CPC title

• G04B17/32

  Component parts or constructional details, e.g. collet, stud {, virole or piton} · CPC title